A TALK WITH FROM THE BRANCH

One of the great things about attending a church youth camp is getting to know the godly people with whom one comes in contact. This year I was especially blessed by the members of FROM THE BRANCH a drama team made up of Michael Cleveland, one of the founders; Julia Simpson; Dianna Rego and Mitch Beecher. These talented and dedicated Young people chose to spend some of their free time teaching and sharing with a room full of teenagers and one old beatnik.

When asked how they came up with the name FROM THE BRANCH, Michael explained that it came from Luke 19:4, the story of Zacchaeus. As most everyone knows, Zacchaeus was a small man who climbed a tree in order to get a better view of Jesus.

Michael had, expressing what their group is about, expressed what should be the feelings of all Christian artist.It is difficult, at times to find acceptance in churches filled with people who don't understand. They are well meaning folks who do not attempt to be a hindrance to God's work but they they simply do not understand the call that is on the life of the artist. The artist must sometimes go to what appears to be extreme measures to get a view of Jesus. More importantly, the artist ,if he or she is committed, will do what has to be done to give others a view of Jesus.When asked what was the needed most in this type of drama Michael responded,"Good theater is about telling stories. If you don't have a story to tell, you shouldn't write the play." I agree, so many times we are asked to support mediocre work"in the name of the Lord"that probably should never have been produced in the first place.

As we closed out the season some one asked to do next. After several peaces of advice on acting and writing Dianna added,"Make it a matter of prayer , And He will get you where you need to be." I pray that all of us, in any medium,take that advice. If our work is not surrounded by prayer, what gives us the authority to be called Christian artist?

It was a joy to watch these four gifted people spend so much time sharing and encouraging teenagers. As busy as they were, I never saw one of them fail to take time to talk to one of those kids, or humbly sign an autograph, or listen to a skit idea. They will never know the impact they have had on the lives of so many kids. I am humbled and honored myself to be able to call them my friends

William

CAMP STUFF
This is just a bit of personal stuff. Last week I spent a great time on the Lake of the Ozarks with a bunch of nutty teenagers. I led a small group bible study in the after noon. Did some fishing and was thrown in the lake once myself , but God helped me grow as He always will if we follow his call.
The boys (I mean young men) in my group were great; Jacob Chandler, Grant Holliman, Logan Houston, Joel Jarnagin, Hunter Johnston, Zachary Mahan, Wes Medlock, Samuel Kail, Billy Wilson, Dalton O'Neal, Chandler House, Hudson Chenault, Clayton Ross.
I was helped no end by Jess Jaragin who had planed to be out by the lake with the other college guys setting up the water balloon fight but helped me instead , thanks again Jess.
I'll have more about camp latter, some great things are growing out of it.
William

What This Is About

This morning at Sunday School I was able to one of the things that this site is all about. I saw some of the sketches one of the girls in our youth group did. I won't embarrass her by using her name, but I told her that I didn't know she was an artist. She told me she would like to be. Then I told her she was an artist. I said "You have paper, you have a pencil, you have talent. Don't let anyone ever make you think you are not an artist"

Now I'm sure that a word from me is not much to encourage a young person, I would never put myself on that pedestal, but I also know that a negative word could turn her away from what God's best is for her and I pray every day that I never be one to do that.

I can't now know what God's best plan is for that young lady, but the desire of my heart is that I be one who helps her find what it is. If we as older brothers and sisters in Christ do not do that, if we by our words attitudes or actions cause one of them to miss-step in the search for God's will, we should have a mill stone tied around our neck and be cast into the sea.

For His glory

William

Here is a little something I hacked out a few months ago. Something my pastor Wayne Marshall said in one of his sermons was the inspiration for it.

FIX ME

When there are problems at work

And the boss is a jerk,

Fix me.

When my kids are all geeks,

Or bums, or freaks,

Fix me.

When my home is all strife

With a quarrelsome wife,

Fix me.

When the preacher's a bore

And makes me snore,

Fix me.

When all else is done,

And there's no place to run;

When I'm out of the game,

And there's no one to blame;

When finally at end

I face up to my sin,

Fix me.

The original title of this was "An ode having nothing to do with Jerry Greene, Wayne or Jonathan Hill, Anna Hill, or Wayne Marshall" but that was too long.

YIC

William

There may be some who are trying to understand what this is all about, perhaps I can explain. I grew up under the influence of a lot of people who I call dream takers. Dream takers are those people we all have in our lives, who seem to look forward to telling others why they can't do the things that they want to do. Now, I don't mean those caring people who try to give us a realistic appraisal of the prospects, we all need those people at times. I've spent most of my life being told what I could not do, and being given endless lists of reasons why I couldn't.

One was the guidance counselor in high school, who told me that I couldn't be a history teacher because we already had too many. He then gave me the list of them. He was one, the football coach, the baseball coach, and two other teachers were certified to teach history and that I should do something else. It has taken me forty years to figure out that our school, in truth, had no history teachers at all. We had coaches, counselors and others who were doing a mediocre job in the class room. It had been none of them that had inspired me to want to teach history, but it was one of them who discouraged me from persuing a dream. Looking back I have to ask: With as many stupid people as there are in the world, how could anyone say there are too many teachers?

Another was the local radio station manager. When I dreamed of being a disk jockey and asked him for a job, sweeping the floor, or anything, just to get in and start learning the craft, he laughed in my face.

The worst ones of all were the ones who ridiculed me as a blasphemer when I said that God was calling me to the ministry. They told me that God did not call people like me.

This went on into my adulthood, and continues today. When, as an adult, I finally quit listening to people and started listening to God and did surrender to the ministry, one minister on staff at the church I attended told me that I was not intelligent enough to go to seminary.

If this were only my story, it would not matter much. I do not relate these incidents to gain sympathy or to secure my place among the martyrs. I see young people going through this kind of junk every day. It is sad to see them not being understood by their peers at school, or in their youth groups, but it is an abomination before God when adults, whose responsibility should be to encourage, are the main culprits in destroying a young persons dreams. This then is one reason for being here, to encourage.

What about those of us who are not so young any more? There are times when we need encouragement also. The talented lady whose abusive husband has her beat down to the place where she can't paint. The man whose nagging wife tells her friends he is lazy if he tries to spend a little time alone to write. There are many artist, musicians, actors and writers who have never been given a chance because of the dream takers in there lives now and in the past. It is also for these that we are here.

The Christian artist who has been allowed to shine is blessed. There are many who have had their work seen, heard, or read, and we praise the Lord with them for that. However, many times the artist has no fellowship with others who understand the call that God has placed on their lives. We are faced with resentment of our abilities, accusations of self glorification, and tradition masquerading as conservatism. Many times well meaning but misguided brothers and sisters pressure us to compromise on our art, and fail us when we approach compromise on orthodoxy. It is for fellowship with those Christian artists, and to help our other brothers and sisters understand our calling.

YIC

William

This is the first post on this site. In fact it is the first post for me ever. I'm steping carefuly and seeking Gods will in all of this