Spotlight: Doug Sims

GOD is always faithful, no matter how faithful we are.  HE is always there ready to direct and encourage us.  Lately, GOD has been showing me (through HIS WORD), that all we have (I mean everything) is a gift from HIM.  If we really look into HIS word, we realize HE gives us the gift of grace (Eph 2:8), the gift of salvation (Eph 2:8), the gift of faith (Eph 2:8), the gift of wisdom (James 1:5), the gift of eternal life (Rom 6:23), the gift of the air we breathe and the food we eat.  James 1:16-18 recently touched my heart and HE allowed me to realize just how good GOD is.  The scripture says "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the FATHER of the Heavenly Lights, WHO does not change like shifting shadows."  All that we are and have become is because GOD is so good, not anyone of us on our own. Donna & I believe GOD brought us to the LOFT to be a part of the work HE is doing here.  Recently, being asked to serve as an overseer I saw GOD work in a mighty way.  You see, I have been around church long enough to know, that if you actively follow GOD's leading by serving in a church, you will be asked to move from a place of comfort to (usually) an uncomfortable place of service.  GOD called me a long time ago to minister to men specifically.  Not that he hasn't allowed me to minister to women but mainly to men of all ages.  Helping men learn to open the WORD and meet JESUS.  Also helping men become the ones GOD called us to be as leaders of our families.  Many years ago I served at another church in a leadership position.  My family was protected by GOD as we served but that didn't mean there weren't scars, that are still present today.  I began to pray over 4 years ago, asking GOD, to give me a specific sign, if HE wanted me to lead again inside of a church.  My prayer was simple, GOD if YOU and YOU alone want me to serve, you need to have Donna (my wife) tell me, "I think you should do it", (referring to serving again in a leadership role).  A  leadership role in a church affects that person's family and they too have scars.  My thought was if Donna believes that I should step back into a role like that it would truly be GOD changing both of our hearts.  For the past 5 years, I have loved serving men of the LOFT and other churches under the radar.  I have mentioned to Matt, Rick, Richard, and others, I love serving behind the scenes and have no desire to serve in a leadership capacity again.  Fast forward to 2023.  Matt came to me and asked if I would consider the overseer's role.  I first thought was no way and he knew that.  Everyone began to pray about this.  I told Matt the only way this will happen is if GOD makes it perfectly clear to me it was HIS desire and no one else's.  Not my desire, not Matt's desire, not anyone else's desire.  I never told anyone what I had been praying for GOD to have Donna say, especially not her.  You can ask Matt, I told him that I had asked GOD for a sign, a simple sign, similar to Abraham as he was having his servant look for a wife for Issac (Gen 24).  I was not asking for a star to fall from the sky, or an angel to appear, simply have Donna tell me she thinks I should serve in this way.  Donna & I met with Matt as he rolled out the overseer role.  As I left that meeting I told Matt, "You realize no is a very viable answer as far as I was concerned".  Donna had things to do that day, just as I did.  Later that afternoon Donna and I had a chance to talk about our meeting with Matt.  I asked Donna, "So what do you think about what Matt asked me to do?"  Her response was, "You don't want to know what I think."  She was wrong.  I had to know what she thought.  Remember, she had no clue what I had been praying for the last 4 years.  By now you know what she said, "I think you should do it".  Tears immediately began to run down my cheeks.  GOD had done what I asked him to do, exactly what I asked.  I have to be honest, I have loved serving in a low-profile position where many didn't know who I was.  I want to serve in any capacity that GOD wants me to serve, even if it's not where I prefer.  HE will lead and guide me to love on HIS people.  We have all heard it said.  HE doesn't call the equipped, HE equips the called.  I would ask for much grace, prayer, and love for the overseers, for you see, we are simple, ordinary men, humbly attempting to point people to JESUS.  As I began this brief testimony of what GOD is doing in my life, I will end the same way.  GOD is faithful, Always!!!