Things I'm Thankful For...

What am I thankful for on this Thanksgiving...

-My salvation...THANK YOU JESUS
-My wife...Kelsey...I love the way she loves me...I feel blessed to have her
-My kids
-That Chloe found out who her new teacher will be BEFORE Thanksgiving!
-Our families health
-I HAVE A JOB and one that I LOVE
-Jesus said he will NEVER leave us...
-The East Race
-My parents...
-Kels' parents...
-Our families
-Friends...people who stand beside you no matter what
-Mentors
-Basketball
-The creation of fantasy football (even if my team stinks)
-LeBron James wears a Cleveland Cavs uniform
-Chloe and Jaden have given their lives to Jesus!
-I get to work with Jerimae Yoder!
-The people of our church are AWESOME!
-Grace College
-Bethel College...can't believe I'm saying that as a Grace grad, but that school has been good to our church!
-Pastor friends, who just get it...and have been through it
-lifelong friends that call at random times
-facebook...catching up with people I haven't seen in years!
-The Internet...
-Thanksgiving meal! My favorite meal of the whole year!
-Cell phones
-My neighbors...I REALLY love where we live!
-My green bullet...(my car!) even if I do HIGHLY dislike the color!
-Grace Community Church Goshen
-That my grandparents on my mom's side LOVED Jesus!
-Grandma Scofield!
-My comfortable chair!
-music
-Worship songs
-water
-That God listens when we talk...he hears us and cares

A lot more too...that was just about 2-3 minutes! Imagine what else there is to be thankful for that I haven't listed yet...my mind is just racing with things...

"THANK YOU JESUS for all the amazing things in my life..."

Sunday Reflections...

GREAT WEEKEND! The Blitz on Saturday was great...the opportunity to give 100 families the food for their Thanksgiving meal is priceless. There is no better way than that to spend a Saturday morning! Very cool and very grateful people...God is good!

Sunday, I had the chance to teach in Kidzone...to hang out with our Kindergarten - 5th grade kids. They have so much energy! Kyle and I worked together and it was a BLAST! He is an AWESOME GUY...great heart...great with the kids! Really enjoyed working with him! We talked about worship being more than just singing...that it is a way of life...that we can worship (show God worth) by how we do our homework...how we treat our parents...how we take care of someone who gets hurt...how we are thankful. Then we talked about things that we are thankful for...really cool...

Then after we packed up the theater we headed to Bethel College for The Direction...that is a time for us to build team...to talk about the past...dream about the future...work for today. AWESOME! I put everyone in groups and they had to make present what they like about Grace. Cool to hear the heart of our people...Laughter...tears...more laughter!

I just love what God has done, is doing and is going to do at Grace...

Ever feel this way...

Anyone out there ever feel like you are out of your mind? (Watch it...don't talk about me like that!) One minute you are so happy and the next you are crying? Take me for instance...yesterday I had an amazing day. Getting ready to pack up those Thanksgiving meals was a RUSH! Serving with Kim, Ananda, Mark and Danielle and then everyone else that came in the evening...I just LOVED it...I was beaming from ear to ear...then, I stopped for a second and BAM...I'm in or near tears, thinking of my friend Jason and his wife passing...From one extreme to the other in a matter of moments...

Here is the bottom line in those times...isn't good that Jesus said in Matthew 28: 20 "...And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

GOD NEVER LEAVES US...not in the highs or the lows...not when we are TOTALLY excited or TOTALLY worn out...GOD NEVER LEAVES US! HEY...Hold on to that!!!!

Giving Blitz

A couple of weeks ago our children's pastor from our Goshen Campus (Jon) came and spoke to my class at Grace College on reaching kids for Jesus...at the beginning he had us draw a picture of what church was like back when we were kids...My picture was kids all sitting in rows...listening to a story...I used to LOVE IT! Then he asked for a picture of the church we are involved with today...this picture for me was people OUTSIDE of the building serving and reaching people. THEN IT HIT ME...I LOVE that our church goes out...away from the church building (or Movie Theater in our case!) and touches people...we don't expect them to just come to us, we want to go TO them! I LOVE IT!

So, here comes tonight...tonight we are going to package up 100 boxes of food for families...then Saturday we will deliver them...OH BABY!!!! I can't wait! Can't wait to serve people...I love that we are not fixing a meal for them, BUT empowering the families to have their own Thanksgiving meal in their homes! Whoever thought of that idea is BRILLANT! (Don't say it, "I'm sure it wasn't you Tim!" 'Cause you'd be RIGHT ON!)

Right now I look out at our office and see food everywhere...and I'm just picturing the kids and adults that will be down here tonight packing 'em up! I'm ABOUT TO EXPLODE OUT OF MY CHAIR!

Miranda...

God smiled today...actually he got to laugh, I'm sure. Not because of the pain that is happening down here on earth, but because he got to talk to Miranda face to face...I'm sure she made him smile, probably laugh, because that is what she did for so many people while she was with us. Miranda passed away this morning after battling cancer and an infection that took her life. She and her husband Jason are neighbors and friends of ours...we love them very much. My heart aches for Jason and her family...my heart aches for Chloe and the kids of our neighborhood. The kids LOVED HER, because SHE LOVED THEM! The kids of the neighborhood would swarm her when she came home...and she always met them with her big smile...I can picture Miranda...just within the past month or so...running around the front yard playing boys against the girls tag...she was NOT going to let her weakened body keep her down. She is going to be missed greatly...

I have no doubt in my mind, that at 10:20 this morning, Miranda, because of her saving relationship with Jesus Christ, was ushered into the presence of the most holy and awesome God...and at that moment, she got to hear the words..."Well done, my good and faithful servant!" I praise God that my family and I knew her...please join with me in praying for Jason (her husband) and her family...

Sunday Night Thoughts...Part 2

I can still picture Jim, our lead pastor at the end of our communion service last night with hands raised...kneeling before the cross...kneeling silently...the music had stopped...some people had started to leave...but there he was...resting in the moment...allowing God to touch his heart...savoring every second that he could...

Then it hit me and tears are coming to my eyes right now thinking about it...We HAVE TO savor those moments...we have to wait just a little longer...to rest for a moment longer...to celebrate a while longer...because we won't always have that chance...Often we too quickly cut off the good times and the good moments...we move on to the next thing, but we have to let them soak while we can...

So I did...I enjoyed every moment last night...just let it soak...from worship to washing my good friend Bill's feet...to prayer walking...to the bread and the cup...to 1 hour of passionate worship...I just let it soak...then seeing my daughter...hands raised...singing at the top of her lungs...dancing before our God...encouraging another younger child to join her...OH...I was a proud daddy last night...my girl loves her God and love people!

THEN IT HAPPENED...the other side...the part of life that just makes your heart hurt...last night I got home and I was flying high...I sat down and had my laptop open, ready to blog...then the phone rang. Jason, our neighbor, was on the other end and told me how his wife, who is in her 20's and struggling with leukemia, has pneumonia and had 2 strokes yesterday...my heart aches for them. Miranda is a spark of light...the type of person you want to be around...every kid in our neighborhood loves her...she loves life and loves people...my heart hurts for her and her family...I have been and am continuing to pray for a miraculous healing...please join me in that prayer...

I would like to encourage you...more than that...challenge you...urge you...to savor the good moments...suck every second you can out of them...don't leave too soon...don't run to the next thing too fast...hold on to that moment...because the next corner could be a tough one and that moment will help carry you through...

Praying for you Miranda and Jason...we love you both...

Sunday Night Thoughts...Part 1

Sunday morning...AMAZING, WOW, COOL, GUT-WRENCHING, I SURE LOVE MY WIFE...WE did things differently yesterday...we had a panel of 5 women who spoke about "She is soft." No not weak...the softer side of women...the side that cries during "chick-flicks"...the side that builds up a wall so they don't get hurt...the side that is feminine...the side that longs to be taken care of...The ladies were outstanding...sharing their passions, their hurts, their longings. We had a variety of ladies with different life experiences...I've had people tell me already that they could relate to different ones who were up there. God really moved.

Alright...for my biased part...Kelsey was on the panel and I am so glad that I married her! She is just an outstanding speaker and handles herself so well...I just melt when I watched and listened to her yesterday...I'm so proud to be her husband!!

The hardest thing for me yesterday was thinking about how men could hurt my daughter...she is still so young and so innocent...I am doing everything I can to make sure that her confidence comes from her creator God and NOT from anything else!

Oh Yeah...

Can't wait for tomorrow and the next in our series of messge for Women..."She is...soft." I AM EXCITED...I think I say that every week, but it is just the truth...I'm leading something during the service that I have never done before...You want to know what I'm doing!?!?! NO WAY...come to Movies 14 tomorrow and you'll know!

John 10: 27-30

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one."

I love these verses..."no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand." NO ONE!! "God thank you that my salvation is real...it is forever! I can't lose it...I can't be kidnapped away from you. I AM YOURS! THANKS YOU!"

This is GRRRRRRRRRRREAT!

Check out this video...this guy is good...creative...talented...Love Stars Wars!! GREAT VIDEO!

Click the link below and check it out...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lk5_OSsawz4&eurl=http://sambarrington.wordpress.com/2008/11/10/star-wars-acappella-tribute/

A family thing...

I love this picture! Jaden went early with me yesterday and helped with set up for our Sunday service. He helped me fill the baptismal (otherwise known as a cattle trough!) with water. I actually left him out there to take care of it himself! Then he came and helped me unpack our kids theater and start the set up in there! I love working with my kids...last week Chloe came early and watched one of our other volunteers 3 sons-that freed him up to help with set-up. Then Luke (our 2 yr. old) helps to load the trailer about every week...just jumps right in and moves the boxes and holds the tables. IT'S GREAT! They don't even realize what they are learning! Our kids are the church of NOW and not just the church of the future! I just love serving and working with my kids...I'm so proud of them!

Sunday Night Thoughts...(on Monday Morning)

WOW!!!!!!!! Yesterday was a FANTASTIC DAY! Our service was mind-blowing...Mark and Danielle Winkle were baptized (and in a cattle trough!)...they are AMAZING volunteers in our church with a passion for Jesus. I remember praying with their brother in-law before our launch that they would come to our church...AND THEY WERE BAPTIZED YESTERDAY! God answers prayer...It was emotional as Danielle's dad baptized her...COOL! Then we had our first service in our series "She is." Jerimae and the band just ROCKED...took us straight into the presence of God...OH...AWESOME! Then...Jim was just ON IT yesterday...funny...tough...passionate... loving...here are some highlights for the message "She is Beautiful"

-My wife likes G.I. Joe more than Ken (from Barbie) I'M SOOOOOO GLAD...(Jim polled the ladies as to whether they would pick G.I. Joe or Ken...)

-Women want to know that their man will come through for them

-Every woman wants to believe that she is beautiful

-You are only as beautiful as you think you are

-THE KING IS ENTHRALLED (WOWED) BY YOUR BEAUTY!!!! (Ps. 45: 11)

-Stay in the palace and don't go to the dumpster! Women you are a princess in the eyes of THE KING...don't go out of the palace looking for a guy...STAY IN THE PALACE!

-DO NOT SETTLE...if it takes until you are 92 to find the best man for you...HE WILL BE WORTH THE WAIT!

-THE KING IS ENTHRALLED BY YOUR BEAUTY!!!!

-When you are beautiful inside, it will radiate on the outside

-There is nothing wrong with outside beauty, so long as you are taking care of your insides!!

-THE KING IS ENTHRALLED WITH YOUR BEAUTY!!!!

Please, Please, Please ladies...look at how GOD sees you and not what you or what you think others think of you...KEEP YOUR IDENTITY SET IN JESUS CHRIST!!!! HE IS ENTHRALLED WITH YOUR BEAUTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Blown Out!

OK...I'll blog about the game today...Rusty...YEP! I'll say this...we stayed in it in the first half (we played the team that won it all last year) and then they ran away with it in the 2nd half I am excited about our potential though...Our guys fought to the end and never gave up...we need to play together more and get used to each other...should be decent by playoff time.

As for me...Grrrrrrrrrrr...I played every minute, but missed too many 10-15 ft. jumpers...had some chances, but just didn't hit them...BETTER WORK ON THE MID-RANGE JUMPER BOUCHER! AND I need to get myself in b-ball shape. Running distance is sure different than running the floor in basketball...So, we are 0-2 and looking for our first win!

Alright...I'm done...just wanted to update you!! Hey make sure you read the next post down from earlier tonight...It was more fun to write!!

Excited!

We are starting a new series specifically for women tomorrow and I CAN'T WAIT! It is going to be so good to celebrate women by going through the things that make them special. Our culture just messes with what beauty really is and NOW IS THE TIME TO STATE THE TRUTH. Ladies...SHOW UP...you'll be glad that you did!!!!

We are also doing an essay contest too...you can go to this website http://www.sheis.cc/ and learn more about it. $500 to the winner! We have been praying for this weekend and it is only about 12 hours away!!!!

It's been a while...

I start playing in a basketball league tomorrow...the league started last week, but we still had Chloe and Jaden's soccer games. Basketball is the game I LOVE, but since I quit teaching I have not played very much...SO I CAN'T WAIT FOR TOMORROW! Shake a little rust off and see if we can get the body up and down the floor! If you don't hear anything about the game then you know how it went!!

When the going gets tough...Take 2

Blogged about Dan O'Deens Top 5 places he runs to when times are tough yesterday...he suggested I post mine...so here you go. The top 5 places I run to when the going gets tough.

1. THE East Race at the St. Jo River...this is my "spot" to go and meet with God during these times. It breaks me out of my routines and forces me to think through what I'm doing and why. It's my spot to cry out to God for HIS help and guidance...lots of smiles at that spot...lots of tears...lots of fun too (we have gone down the East Race on rafts!)...it is my place to get a tune up so to speak or even an overhaul! And what is cool is that the city made a cement wall that perfectly fits my back...and it even has a lean to it! It was GREAT that the city did that for me!!!!

2. DIVE into the Word and Prayer...if things are tough I HAVE TO dive even deeper to God...

3. My Honey...she always gives me perspective...like my own personal prophet speaking into my life.

4. Mentors and Friends...guys that have poured into my life for years...guys that are in the church here and guys that aren't...fresh perspective...

5. Fasting...taking time to stop and focus on Christ by giving something up...food...dessert...a meal...whatever...and then seeking, pleading and begging God for help, for clarity, for peace...(have you noticed a pattern of prayer here?! That is in 3 of my 5!)

Good Blog...

Dan O'Deens is a pastor in the Philly area...just happened to visit his blog today and found the following post...I LOVE THIS...here you go...

When the going gets tough, the tough get going!November 5, 2008 at 12:29 pm In Uncategorized No Comments
Where do you go when the going gets tough?
TOP 5 PLACES TO RUN (Mine)
1. GOD. In you there is Life! You are my refuge and my hiding place!
2. THE BIBLE. Normally, I would say the Psalms, but God’s Word is rich, everywhere!
3. My wife. Gay is my life mate. My soul mate. She gets me and loves me. I love you Gay!
4. My ABS Partner. I have the best accountability partner and friend….thanks MIKE!
5. To silence. I just ‘get away’….anywhere is good, as long as there is no one around! (Spirit of God…thanks for never leaving me alone…you are my comforter!)
Where do you RUN?

WOW...

We passed out 50 food vouchers today during Community Hope...our church people gave $1500 in the past week for this! That's sacrifice for many of our families...well done church! Best part is a young lady GAVE HERE LIFE TO JESUS TODAY...she came in for physical food and received ETERNAL SPIRITUAL FOOD! OH YES!!!! Jerimae, Mike and I had the chance to serve and pray with all of these people. What a privilege..."thanks God for the chance to pour myself out to other people..." Overwhelming day...GOD IS UP TO SOMETHING HERE AT GRACE and I'm glad that I get to be involved in it!

Dream come true...

Just got word that Brady Quinn will be starting for the Browns on Sunday! I can't wait!! 'BOUT Time!!!! Beginning of a new and greater era! (OK so a greater era just doesn't take much!) SAVE MY TEAM QUINN...NOW IS THE TIME!

Sunday Night Thoughts...(on Monday Afternoon!)

WOW! What a weekend...time with family...last soccer games of the year...final team party...Judgment House...AN AMAZING Sunday morning...time with family on Sunday night...it was full but it was good!

Judgment House was AMAZING...I had the chance to pray with several people who were either needing assurance that they were a child of God or who accepted him for the first time. IT WAS GREAT! No other place I would have rather been on Saturday night than sharing Jesus with those people.

Sunday morning was great...we wrapped up our message on "Exodus...the unexpected journey" this week. Talked about God's process...

1. The Directions

2. The Journey

3. The Breakthrough

4. The Critical Point

5. The Fresh Direction

See...God started the whole thing with Moses at Mt. Horeb (Mt. Sanai) and gave him simple directions (yea right!) Go NOW to Pharaoh and tell him to let my people go...THEN God says and know this Moses, you will be right back here on this mountain worshipping me AND the Israelites will be with you...THEN God takes them on a journey to be set free from Egypt...he breakthrough over and over again and they find themselves in chapter 18- right back on the mountain! GOD COMES THROUGH!

BUT...

That is a critical point for the Israelites...see they finished God's first set of directions...they are now out of Egypt...SO NOW WHAT?!?!?!?! God gives new direction on how to live...the 10 commandments...directions on how to treat people...what festivals to have...ALL KINDS OF THINGS...God took them out of the fog of what was next and gave them new directions.

So then I sent everyone out of the auditorium...I gave each of them a set of directions to follow...things like... "turn right out of the auditorium...walk forward for a while...STOP...turn around...walk backwards for a bit and stop and write down the name of the theater you are standing in front of." It was random directions...many of which were wild goose chases. The point...if we don't have direction...clear direction we are headed toward NOTHING. THAT IS NOT WHERE I WANT TO BE...

SO apply it...

The application for us at Grace is that God has brought us through his first set of directions..."to plant a church that will love Jesus and Love People and creatively connect the community to Jesus..." The church is planted, so now what?! We are at that Critical Point...the point where we need the Fresh Direction and God has started to show us that...we see that we connect well with kids and their families, so continue to focus on them...that we have done A LOT of outreach into our community and to be sure that all that we do is hitting our target of reaching the family...that we need to amp up and Raise The Bar in our team building and small groups...if we are strong on Outreach, but do not have people that are connected well and growing together we will not be able to make a MAXIMUM impact...we need to Raise the Bar in this area. And there's a lot more...I am excited to move into the phase of our church life...to see what God has in store for us and how he can make this work...AWESOME!