365 Days Later

In preparation for a major decision before me, I had a conversation with my good friend, Keith. In that conversation, Keith made a statement that could not have been more of a divinely inspired truth than if it came out of the mouth of Billy Graham himself. In the midst of our conversation, Keith said, “One year from now our lives are going to look completely different.” Boy, was he right; because three hundred and sixty-five (365) days ago my entire life changed forever.

On September 30, 2018, I woke up in Boulder, Colorado in the wee hours of the morning, hoping to catch a beautiful sunrise over the mountains in Estes Park. I wasn’t alone on this journey though, my girlfriend was sitting (sleeping) in the seat next to me in our rented Camaro. As we drove towards Brainard Lake that morning, I knew my life was going to change, while she on the other hand just anticipated another failed attempt of ours to catch the sunrise (side note- we don’t have the best track record of actually experiencing sunrises).

We arrived to Estes Park in total darkness and stumbled our way to what I had described to Paige as the “premier” spot. The only problem I encountered was trying to sell her on that spot, because she knew we should have been on the other side of the mountain to see a clear shot of the sunrise. Inside, she was marking this down as another failed attempt to see the sunrise.

Fast forward half an hour, Paige lost track of the fact that we were on the wrong side of the mountain, when she noticed that I was down on one knee. If you haven’t followed along with the story up until this point, Paige and I got engaged 365 days ago.

Many lessons have been learned this past year. I have learned how to be more loving. I have learned how to be a better communicator. I have learned to trust God more. I have learned that I will fail Paige.

Many things have changed this past year. I have moved three times. I have sold a house. I have sold two cars. I have shut down a business. I have started a new job.

While the external changes are important, the internal changes are that much more important. Most people will only see the external transitions, but may miss altogether the internal transitions I have experienced.

As I reflect on the last year, I cannot help but become more excited about the years to come. Paige and I are only 18 days away from making a life-time commitment of forever to each other, but also making a pledge to commit our marriage to whatever God calls us to. Over the last year, God has revealed promises to both of us that we know will never come to fruition without His hand of provision. From the outside looking in, it may not seem like all the pieces are fitting together. It may not look like we are taking life defining risks, but the changes that we have experienced internally together have influenced the trajectory of our lives and marriage. The changes haven’t been quick or overnight; but rooted in God’s timing.

“So be humble under God’s powerful hand. Then he will lift you up when the right time comes. Give all your worries to him, because he cares for you” – 1 Peter 5:6-7 ERV

When we began dating, we committed to being intentional. By being intentional in our relationship with each other and with Christ, we have experienced unexplained favor. Together, we are looking forward to our next season of life as we enter it with expectancy.

You need to know that no matter where life has you positioned right now, real life change can happen. However, that life change will only happen when you begin to press in and allow the Holy Spirit to work within you. As the work is being done within you, you will gradually become more like Christ.

You may not notice the change right away, but you will see it when you reflect back 365 days later. I can assure you of this, “One year from now our lives are going to look completely different.”

365 Days = Life Change.

Feels Like ’98

At the time of this post we are only 2 days away from the greatest time of the year… FOOTBALL SEASON. If I’m being honest, I actually don’t care about football season. Let me explain, I truly only care about Tennessee football. If there was a world where I could only hear Vols updates and never have to hear about Alabama, Florida, or Georgia, life would be great. If I am being honest, it’s been tough over the last few years; but without a doubt, I get just as amped for the start of a new season. I would be delusional if I didn’t accept the fact that my beloved Vols have had a rough go the last few years (a few is actually a stretch).

I am one of those guys that loves to know all of my facts before I say things. It makes me seem more educated and at the very least, level headed. For example, did you know that Tennessee still ranks as the 10^thmost winningest program in all of College Football? Tennessee is the home of Six National Championships. Tennessee has beaten Alabama more than any other team in the nation, 38 times to be exact. Tennessee has appeared in 50 bowl games with 26 victories, which also puts them in the Top 10 of Bowl Appearances and Victories. With all of this success though, the Vols of my lifetime have been all over the board.

In my first decade of life, Tennessee was one of the most dominate teams in the nation. In the 90’s, Tennessee won 99 of their 123 games; giving them a win percentage of 80.49%. The 90’s were great, most particularly 1995-1998 when the Vols went 45-5. Truthfully, I didn’t know what I was getting the privilege of experiencing as a fan.

The next decade saw a bit of a slowdown and the exit of the Winningest Active Coach; leaving our decade record to a mere 83-44, a winning percentage of only 65.35%. But alas, things began to get even worse. In fact, we still have a year left in this decade and we have lost only nine fewer games than we did in the first 20 seasons (two decades) of my life.

At this point, you are probably thinking, “why did I just get a history lesson on Tennessee football?” The reason is quite simple. You can see that I am vested in this team returning to the Glory Days. Without a doubt you can see my passion for Tennessee football. You can also see my hopefor better seasons to come.

People regularly question my hope in the return of a dominant Tennessee football team. (Mostly bandwagon Alabama fans that wouldn’t even be able to tell you who Mike DuBose or Dennis Franchione are). But do people ever question my hope in Christ?

Paul writes in 1 Peter 3:15- “Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.”

Paul wrote that knowing that if we are truly living as Christ followers, non-believers (the world) would look at us and questions our hope. He knew that if we were living the called life that we would stand out from the crowd. Paul shows us that it’s not a question of “if” we are going to be asked about our hope, but a question of “when”.

I can honestly say that I have been questioned more about my hope in the Vols than I have about my hope in Christ.

Reflecting on that reality and on Paul’s verse, it forced me to do an inward examination of how I live out my faith. I want to live a life that is so full of faith and hope in Christ that people question where it comes from. I want to live a life that doesn’t allow circumstance to effect my thoughts or actions. I want to live the life that Christ has called me to.

We are all called to live life more abundantly in Christ. When the odds are stacked against you, when the diagnosis wasn’t what you hoped, when the finances aren’t adding up… we are still called to live more abundantly. It is in these moments that people begin questioning your hope in Christ the most. You have a choice. Allow the circumstances to dictate your situation or place your hope in Christ.

“ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” John 10:10 (ESV)

Hope in Christ Alone.

Finding Joy in Your Work

Have you ever had a job that you didn’t really like? Maybe the job wasn’t terrible, but the boss that you worked for made you dread every moment of being at work? I‘m sure we’ve all been there at some point. When I was in high school, I worked for a large grocery store chain for a short period of time, and I hated every minute of it. From that moment, I used that experience as my metric for if a job was “bad”. After leaving my job there, I went to work for a family friend at a BBQ restaurant. That experience turned out to be just the opposite—it was hands down my favorite job in the world. (If I’m being honest, still one of the questions I ask today on a new job site is, “is this as enjoyable as my time at Whitt’s?”) As silly as it sounds, that became the metric I used for job satisfaction in my early working career in the political world, and then working in an insurance agency.

As time passed by though, I forgot about that little test I used to use. A year into owning my own business, I thought…“this is worse than working at Kroger.” I thought it was going to be “sunshine and rainbows,” but really I was just as miserable as when I worked for someone else. The years leading up to the point of opening my own agency were three years, that in full transparency, were not focused on the plan of God or the purpose God had for my life. The three years that lead to this point where I am today focused on me and my plan. They were focused on accomplishing what Charlie wanted to do; on achieving the things that I desired– money, power, and fame. I was slowly realizing that the endless pursuit of those things wasn’t going to bring me true joy.

The first year of owning my own agency became a very difficult year, both personally and professionally. It was difficult personally because I felt like I was at rock bottom. From the outside though, it looked great. In the political world, I learned how to master the art of making a fake façade, which is exactly what I did for everyone around me. It was difficult professionally because the demands of the business caused me to be crippled by overbearing business expenses and unrealistic expectations to maintain the success of our Agency. On top of that, I was finding no joy in what I was doing. In fact, I became resentful to the company I represented, the agency I created, and the industry I was in.

If I were to say that I have completely found true joy in running my business, I would be lying. The reason for that though is not because I don’t enjoy it, but rather I know that is not where true joy is found. Joy is not found in material things, or in things that we accomplish; but in living out our purpose.

Over the last 15 months, God has put me on a journey that I never thought I would be on. As I have leaned into God, I’ve begun to see there is a direct calling on my life and there is a purpose that God has for me. The things I desired have changed too; it’s no longer about money, power, or fame, but instead about wealth, influence, and making Jesus known. (I’ll share more about this in another post.)

If you’re reading this, I hope that you see that no matter where you are on your journey, God has a calling for your life as well. He has called each of us to a specific purpose. I simply ask you to take the next step. For me, it all changed when I adopted Proverbs 16:3 as my verse of the year in 2018, and I released control to God. I encourage each of you to go on that journey for your own life.

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” -Proverbs 16:3

Welcome to Building Brooks

Welcome to Building Brooks! I cannot thank you enough for stopping by my blog site. While it is only in the beginning stages, I have had so much fun using some of my creative side that the mundaneness of everyday life doesn’t allow me to express. I want to invite you on this journey with me, and allow it to be a space where you can laugh, enjoy, think, grow, move and be inspired to build up yourself and others.

At this point you are probably asking, “Ok, Charlie…but why in the world a blog?” Well… that is the same question I asked myself at first. After some serious time of reflection, I realized that over the last decade I have had the opportunity to work in several different professional fields engaging with people from all walks of life. What I’ve come to learn from my experience is that people need to be built up. I chose the name “Building Brooks” because over the last few years it has become evident that God is building up something inside of me far more important than just running my own business. For me, God has been revealing Himself in ways that are beginning to show His true purpose for me is MUCH larger. I firmly believe that I am not unique in this. I believe that if we surrender to God and begin to lean into him, He will reveal His “master plan” for each of our lives. What I have learned is that this process is much like building a house; there are plan changes, rainy days that cause delays, and failed inspections all leading to a finished product.

My hope for Building Brooks is to share content that is both useful and inspiring. The topics we cover will be wide ranging—from business concepts to stepping out in faith and being obedient to God’s calling, from my journey of becoming a husband to Tennessee football and everything in between. My goal is to share a post every other week or so.

If I’ve still got your attention at this point, that’s a good thing, thanks! From week to week and topic to topic, serious to light-hearted, I hope you find value and encouragement in my words. The final thing I ask is that if something speaks to you, please share the post or drop a comment in the box below. Grab your hard hat, because together we will be “Building Brooks.”