Things I learned...

Things I learned about myself while camping and being on vacation...

1. I stink at making campfires!
2. I LOVE playing with my kids
3. I love my wife more today than ever before! AND I'm sooooooo glad that Kelsey keeps such a beautiful house...camping made me appreciate what she does even more...
4. I still get so intense sometimes and let STUPID things get to me...The stories are numerous on this one...LET IT GO, TIM!
5. I continue to love it when things are crazy...packing up the campsite and trying to beat the thunderstorm was fun! Crazy, but fun!
6. I continue to love creation...a highlight for me was seeing the sunrise with Chloe on Wednesday morning by the lake
7. Poison Ivy is worth it! If I had the choice of not hiking with the family or getting this again, I'd take the poison ivy!
8. I LOVE driving a truck! My neighbor, Jason, let us borrow his Dodge Ram for our vacation and it was GREAT! I WANT ONE!!!!!!!!
9. I still love a good bike ride in the rain and even more now with my kids with me!
10. It is so good to see old friends and family...OK...I already knew this, but seeing old high school friends and family was GREAT! Good to catch up...

Welcome Back...

We got back from Ohio last night around 9...what a trip...LOTS OF MEMORIES...(including the poison ivy on my legs!!) We are worn out, BUT that is because we were together and did a lot together...I feel ready to get back to work...back to reaching the people of our community. The first thing I did today at the office was to go prayerwalking around the city. The last thing I want to do this week is get caught in the wrong current...It is so easy for me to get caught in the current of catching up on phone calls, emails, STUFF...instead of focusing on what God may have in store...who does he want me to connect with...I want to have his perspective and be riding in his current...I want to be right in the middle of what HE is doing...

WHAT A DAY!!!

A bike ride at sunrise, breakfast outside, hiking, swimming, more bike riding, Chloe rides her bike down a HUGE hill on a trail, playing at the playground, a bike ride in the rain, hanging out in the tent during a storm, another bike ride in the rain...and Luke fell asleep in the bike cart, Jaden falls and skins up his knee (again!), Luke runs everywhere, a rained out baseball game (STINK we didn't get to see Trent, our nephew, play), an AWESOME steak at Texas Roadhouse, the biggest raccoon I have ever seen eats our trash, my kids and their cousins swing on a vine in the woods, the mother of all storms is coming so we leave camp for my bro's house, I get drenched carrying my kids inside during that storm, Trent and Troy (nephews) help me run our stuff in from the truck in the rain, a shower and finally to bed! I love camping!! Crazy, fun, wet, and amazing memories!

If you ever want to be sure to have a storm while camping just be sure to invite us...2 years...two HUGE storms...two GREAT years of memories!!!!

But I haven't left yet...

Since we haven't left yet and vacation hasn't started, I have to say that I am VERY excited about tomorrow's service! We are talking about the Holy Spirit and this series should be freeing and EMPOWERING for people...to know that we have the ultimate source of strength...spiritual power...GOD SAYS THAT IF WE HAVE OF A SMALL SEED WE CAN MOVE MOUNTAINS... Well I sure want to be apart of that! Let's go move some mountains together!!

Woo-Hoo...let's have an AWESOME, Spirit-filled service tomorrow...CAN'T WAIT...

No computer...No cell phone...We're outta here

This coming week we are on our way to vacation! CAN'T WAIT!! I won't be blogging for the week. I'm leaving my computer at the office...my cell phone will be off...this is time for my family and it is going to be GOOD! I just know that if I take my computer...I'll check email...so I'll be off-line for a week...heading to the Buckeye state for some camping...nephew baseball games...visiting gma & gpa...looking forward to the time with Kels and the kids...Time to get refreshed...well, almost time! Still have tomorrow and Sunday...(BTW...CAN'T WAIT for our service on Sunday! Jim is speaking on the Holy Spirit! GOING TO BE AWESOME!!!!)

Off for now...

God is stirring it up...

I met with Josiah and Redford today...these men have a vision to move into neighborhoods in our city and LIVE OUT their faith right where the people are! I LOVE WHAT THEY ARE DOING!! They are going to fix up houses and allow college students and others to live there and then have them connect with their neighbors...it is good stuff...LIVING IT OUT on the frontlines...LOVE THESE GUYS! Redford and his wife Liz are so committed to this that they are moving out of their BEAUTIFUL house in Granger and going into the city...they aren't just encouraging others to do it, they are living it...AWESOME! I pray that God brings many, many, many people to himself through this...They are going to be doing a soccer camp in their neighborhood and I'M THERE...anything I can do to further the Kingdom, reach our city and help these passionate, God-lovin' guys! I'm ALL FIRED UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

100th Post

Today is my 100 post...amazing to think of all that God has done in the past months since I started blogging. The biggesst is over 100 people have expressed faith in Christ and I had the chance to pray with 7 people as they came to Jesus...WHAT A SPIRITUAL RUSH! (Check out Philemon 6!) My kids are growing up sooooooooooooooooooooo fast...My wife has run in two 5k races...7 baptisms on one Sunday and 5 of those were spontaneous, an Easter Egg Hunt, 16 people giving their life to Christ at our Easter Service, Soccer Camp Baby!, and much much more! I look forward to seeing what God is going to do in the next 100 posts...blogging is FUN!

I love Elijah!

Just finished reading in 1 Kings 18 today...I LOVE ELIJAH! The king of all trash talk...he taunted those prophets of Baal and then GOD CAME THROUGH! I'm glad that I serve a God that likes and wants to come through for his people...YES! YES! YES!

I long to continue to be apart of something that is bigger than I am...I thank God for the chance to serve at Grace Community and to do just that...to see God do more through us than we ever could have imagined..."God...what else do you have in store for us? What else will we have the privilege to do for you..." All I can say is: "God, count me in!"

Sunday Night Thoughts...

What a great morning! I LOVE Dad Fest...this year we called it American Dadiator. Good stuff! It was beautiful this morning until we went outside for the dad games...The wind picked up and it looked like rain. Still had a blast with the guys...I got knocked out in the first round because I didn't eat my doughnut fast enough!

Good time challenging dads too...one of the passions of my heart is that dads would see how important it is to treat their wife well. I have heard too many children say..."my dad (or mom) is a great parent, but their marriage isn't very good." I say that to be a GREAT or even good dad that we have to treat our wives well...If we don't we are sending a mixed message. DADS LETS STEP UP AND LOVE OUR WIVES...this will show our kids how important that is!

I leave you with this verse from Ephesians 5..."Husbands love your wives as Chirst loves the church..." THAT IS HEAVY...let's do it guys...

Dad Fest...

Dad Fest is coming in just a few hours...I can't wait to have the morning...rumor has it there is to be rain in the morning...Praying for God to part the sky ONE MORE TIME!! Praying for dad's to be challenged to raise the bar & to HAVE A BLAST!!!! The games we have planned will be fun...CAN'T WAIT...(did I mention that yet?!?!?!)

A week to remember...

This is a pic of part of our group from the closing ceremony tonight...We just beat the ran!

I remember at the beginning of the year talking about not wanting to live on 2007's stories. That I want to be apart of something that God does that is fresh. This week was another one of those times...AND THE WEEK ISN'T OVER! We saw A LOT of kids, over 100 make a decision to either walk closer to God or to follow him for the first time...AWESOME!!!!!!!!!! 100's of more kids heard about Jesus. I just received an email from one of our coaches who said that 2 of her team of 11 had heard of Jesus...that means that she shared Jesus with 9 kids FOR THE FIRST TIME! AMAZING!

Tonight as I left the field, I walked from one end to the other...I just wanted to have a moment to let it all sink in...to also just say thanks to God for giving me the priviledge to share his message. God is so good...

We have had so many people serving this week...Over 55 team coaches...8 specialized coaches that helped with 4-5 year olds, 5 specialized coaches to help with the 6-12 year olds, Papa Murphy's Pizza giving EVERY KID free pizza, 2 water people, a closing ceremonies coordinator, the most amazing registration team ever, Wooster-OH students...amazing, Notre Dame players, Grace College players, Bethel College students, Riley High School players, Goshen Campus youth helpers, parent volunteers, high school coach, the big lift truck, childcare workers who freed up our parents with young kids, Etna Green...a local band, Some random guy on a microphone, THE BEST CONNECTIONS TEAM EVER...they met so many parents I can't even believe it, ball sorters, place placers, snack bag packers, ball donators, guest speaker, SHOULD I KEEP GOING?!?!

I am excited, blown away, exhausted...what a week! "Thank you God for the chance to see something and be apart of something WAY bigger than me and Grace Community Church."

And the week isn't over yet...We still have Saturday and Dadiator on Sunday for Father's Day...

Ephesians 3...God can do me than we could EVER ask or imagine...and boy am I glad!

It should be hard...

Dave Griffith just walked out of our office for the last time...he and his wife Sue have been working with us over the past 4 months. They are missionaries to France and they will be missed. They have made a HUGE impact on the community, our church and me. I love them like family...it is hard to say good-bye. Don't get me wrong...I am VERY EXCITED about what they are doing...I am excited to send them off. The reason I'm crying at my desk right now is because I won't see them as much.

THIS IS HOW IT SHOULD BE!!!! It should be hard to say good-bye...because that means that they have invested their lives with us...it means that they have impacted people...they didn't just come and show up...they DOVE IN...

I pray for each of you...that if God moves you to a different neighborhood, city, job or wherever that you will be missed. That there are tears shed because you have poured yourself into people.

I love you Dave and Sue and pray that God will use you to reach MANY people for him in France!

Thursday Highlights

5 years ago I was teaching at LaSalle Academy and I met a young lady who was a great person and an amazing goalie. She moved and I didn't see her for a couple years, but I ran into her last year and she helped with our soccer camp. She has been coming to our services and today gave her life to Jesus...She now knows that Jesus is in charge of her life...I went down into the office after talking with her and jumped up and down and gave a "WOO-HOO!" (Even though I was losing my voice! What a GREAT opportunity!! PRAISE GOD!

Today the Wooster youth went to a gas station and served people. They gave $10 back on gas, pumped gas the gas for the people...just a simple way to show Christ's love to people in this difficult time in our economy...STINK...I didn't get my car filled up though! WHAT WAS I THINKING?!?!?!

Camp was amazing tonight...I would say it was the best night...People prayed and I was able to speak tonight...I could barely talk all day! God is good...Kids gave their lives to Jesus...imagine...we are living the book of Acts AGAIN! People are getting saved EVERY DAY!

I pray that I never get used to or become numb to seeing God work like this...It is so overwhelming...kids learning about Jesus and with GREAT soccer happening as well. I continue to pray that we connect with FAMILIES this week...What awesome people we have!

Woo-Hoo!

OUTSTANDING! That is all I can say about last night's soccer camp...the team coaches are doing a GREAT job talking with kids...the team of people that is walking around is doing a GREAT job connecting with families...WE had 300+ kids again last night and more kids gave their lives to Jesus! YES! YES! YES!

HIGHLIGHT: Soccer-wise...Jaden, my boy, has soccer two goals in two night and I have been there for both of them! I have only watched a few minutes of his games and got to see him score. Then I go over to see Chloe save 2 shots on goal! NICE!

HIGHLIGHT: I talked to Kim earlier in the night about her son Alex getting his license...so at the end of the night we all came together for a special "prayer request" for all of the other drivers on the road! It did it's job in embarrassing Alex...BUT THEN...someone gave a prayer request and we prayed...then a teen brought up a request from one of his players and we prayed...then another...and another...it was a cool moment...coming before God for the kids and their families from the camp and praying RIGHT THEN! WHAT A MOMENT! People having sensitive hearts...AWESOME...

Submit to God...

Jerimae (our worship guy) and I were praying together just a few minutes ago...I'll confess I barely heard a word he said for the first couple minutes...then BAM...like a bolt of electricity it hit me...his words just pierced my heart...he started praying in the name of Jesus that the enemy would be GONE! THE SPIRIT GRABBED MY ATTENTION! JUST NAILED ME TO THE WALL! "GET YOUR MIND ON JESUS AND LOSE THE BURDEN...THE HEAVINESS." There was A LOT on my mind but in that moment the Lord took it all. Then I just read James 4:7: "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." That is what God used Jerimae to do for me...SUBMIT TO GOD! Because when I did that the devil took off! he knows that he is going to lose that battle! GIVE YOURSELF TO GOD! Don't wait, don't hesitate, just turn your mind and thoughts to things of God! DO IT!

Great day!

What a great day! We started soocer camp tonight and we had at least 21 decisions for Crist!
EXCITING!! Good night...GREAT volunteers!!

One More Day....

Soccer Camp starts tomorrow...right now I'm sitting at the office with the best volunteer staff in the WORLD! These people are awesome!! I love serving at Grace Community Church!!!!!!!!!!!!

3 more days...

Yes...3 more days until soccer camp! WOW...I was praying through a list of names today and was tearing up...so many kids...so many lives...what an opportunity we have...

Churches working together...

In the Bible God calls us his bride, his church...he doesn't call us his brides or churches...Do you see where I'm going with this?!!? I sometimes wonder what God sees when he looks at his bride and we have all of this separation...all of these dividing lines...I am so proud of the fact that we have a GREAT partnership with Church of the Heartland. This church is not in our denomination but their pastor Heath and I became friends before I ever started with Grace Community...actually he gave me my first book on multi-site church and now I'm doing it...(So if you don't like the way we do church here, blame Heath!) Our churches have "offices" in the same office building. Heath's church meets in a coffee shop that they run and we have offices in the basement of the same place. On Sunday's while we are hanging out and worshipping God at a movie theater, Heath's gang is meeting at the coffee shop and using our office for their kids program. Then on Thursday's we get to use their coffee shop for our kids/adults stuff. WHAT A PARTNERSHIP! We push back competition, and work to choose to focus on what we can do to further GOD's KINGDOM! I praise God for my friends at COTH...LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!

4 days until soccer camp

Yep...we have four days until camp...we have over 400 kids signed up and many people helping! I am so proud to work with the people of this church. They are doing an AMAZING job!

I guess we wore him out!

We are all eating lunch yesterday and we look over and LUKE IS ASLEEP AT THE TABLE! We couldn't believe it...please notice that he still has a pretzel in his hand...8 years of children in our home and he is the first one to fall asleep while eating...CRAZY!!

Happy Birthday Luke!

2 years ago our little guy Luke was born! I sure love that little guy...his smile...his energy...his crazy climbing ability...Just look at the picture and what he is doing with his birthday cake bowl! I LOVE IT!

I remember a book Kelsey was reading by Dr. James Dobson on "Bringing up boys" He said that you just pray for your boys to not do anything so crazy that they live to be 18...OH MY WORD that is so true! Luke has had stitches 2x's in the past 4 months...he just loves life...loves climbing...loves jumping...and loves giving his parents heart failure! I pray for him to give his life to Jesus...just beg God to open his eyes as soon as possible. HAPPY BIRTHDAY LUKE!!

Sunday Night Thoughts...

What an amazing morning...the praise band was ON! The guys led us well...just a really passionate worship set...GREAT JOB! The message was on Sharing Our Faith...yes I even dressed up like a fisherman...Thanks to Tim Bickle for supplying my equipment. I long to see EVERY SINGLE person at Grace sharing Jesus...sharing their story of how he has worked in their lives...sharing the Bible with people...I pray hard every week for life change in people...radical life change that will complete turn our cities spinning toward God. I see this morning as just in time training...next week is soccer camp, so it was good to review the tools we have to share our faith...

Oh baby...One week 'til soccer camp...things are coming together...praying hard for each person that will be there...Can't wait to see how all of the details fall into place and then to hear the stories of how God moves next week...POUR IT ON GOD!