China

We made it to China and are doing well! Quite the flight though...15 1/2 hours...we have a great team and our first full day went well. Looking forward to another amazing day tomorrow!!

Stuff...

We are now 3 days away from going to China...and you got it...I don't have a single thing packed! Lots to do in the next couple of days! I really look forward to working with my team of people. They are love Jesus and at least one of our teammates is giving up his vacation time to go. Cool to see God working in our teammates...

Our 21 Day fast is going well...some are really struggling with it...actually I am right now, I just finished my lunch and would really like a cookie! In the struggle though, I hear people really stirring spiritually...really seeking the heart of God. AWESOME! Keep going Church!!

I will miss Jaden's 6th birthday while I'm gone...it is the first bday of any of my kids that I have missed...I've talked to him about why I am going and we're going to celebrate this weekend too. So, he actually is really getting a good deal...a party this weekend and next weekend!!

Easter is coming soon...looking forward...anticipating what God is going to do!

Won't be blogging much over the next 2 weeks, so come back and "see" me in April!

"GOD...KEEP MOVING...Keep revealing...Keep changing lives!!"

Teachers...

I LOVE teachers! I may be a bit biased, because I taught for 9 years...but there are few jobs with more responsibility when it comes to the future. Teachers are training the lives and minds of all of our future leaders AND future workers...ALL OF THEM! Our kids are soooooo blessed this year to have 2 amazing teachers. Jaden's teacher Mrs. Veldman is a classic kindergarten teacher...nuturing...caring...understanding...challenging...encouraging...Jaden LOVES her...at Christmas Jaden was in tears, because he thought she wasn't going to be teaching anymore....I emailed her to tell her what happened and SHE CALLED HIM on her Christmas break to reassure him...very cool! She protects her little kindergarten gang...AND Jaden is learning stuff like crazy.

This year Chloe had a HUGE transition. The school system pulled her teacher out of the classroom and into a different position at a different school...Chloe was CRUSHED. (this is the 2nd time this has happened to her in 4 years of school!) We were very concerned...THEN in walks Mrs. Bridgeman...amazing...challenging...LOVES the kids...GREAT teacher...Chloe is thriving even more and doing even better. Just an incredible transition! Things have worked out wonderfully!

I believe that we need to celebrate and encourage our teachers...especially if you know they are doing a good job! I don't think that they hear "THANK YOU!" enough!

6 days...

6 days until I fly to China...looking forward to seeing God work...

Here is a link to this week's update on the church...hey...you just never know when you will be interrupted!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk_rpvalk2k

21 Day Fast

We are starting a 21 day fast today as a church...our chance to come to God...CRY OUT TO GOD...PLEAD with him to hear us and respond. Some are doing a Daniel fast...giving up all sweets and meats. Some are giving up caffine...smoking...sweets...fast food...all kinds of things. Then, when we crave those things, we turn everything to God...turn our minds...our prayers...seeking HIS heart. Praying for MAJOR breakthrough in our church...praying for God to do something in the next 3 weeks that will blow us away!

Monday Morning Reflections...

We started our "He is..." series on Sunday...we did "She is..." a couple of months back and it was GREAT...so it was time to talk about men. There were laughs...groans...tears...and a lot of "PREACH IT!" After the service I heard more comments about the message than any other message...it really stirred people...

Here are some highlights...
-Jerimae had a scratchy throat and NO ONE would have known...that guy has some serious vocals!
-Worship was great
-Ericka riding in on a bike for our Easter Egg announcement was priceless...
-Jerimae looked really good in the bunny ears that Ericka gave him!
-MEN...we are CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD!!
-Our security is in Jesus Christ
-God did not intend for us to hide
-Men have an inner vulnerability about our performance
-We try to mask our insecurity
-THE accuser stands before God accusing us
-BUT...Jesus says..."That's covered in my blood...that's covered in my blood!!"
-Guys handle this insecurity by either being OVER-driven...passive...
-use the fear of failure for good
-TURN IT TO GOD FOR GOOD!
-HEY LADIES...YOUR MAN NEEDS YOU!
-You have power ladies...your words will either build up or tear down
-Respect is VITAL for men
-75% of men interviewed in a study said they would rather feel unloved and alone than disrespected!


It was a GREAT start to our new series...CAN'T WAIT for next week!

God's Economics

I just shared about how a person took care of what we owed on our car...here is one of the things that is very cool about this...Last year, when I finished my taxes, it ended up that our estimated taxes were not done correctly the year before...so we owed $2500...Pretty disheartening and stunning...I'll confess...when I finished the taxes I cried...we were on a plan to pay off all debt and then BAM!! We are still digging out of that hole...now here we are a year later and had $3000 of debt completely taken care of...So, in the big picture we are $500 ahead now!

Last year, all I could see what a BIG bill in front of me...no idea how we would get that paid...But God saw that he was going to have another debt GONE, so we could take care of the other...only he was going to have us wait for 12 months. Cool huh?!?! God has his own timing...WE MUST TRUST IT! So let's all just keep trusting that he will provide for us...in HIS timing! "Thanks, God!"

WHAT A DAY...Part 1

If I ever wonder if God is working around me, yesterday will always be a day that I will look back on and say a HUGE HONKIN' YES! Just listen to this day...both from a personal perspective and as a pastor...

I started the morning reading the Word and in prayer...felt a heaviness...felt tempted to just "check out" and waste the day...(ever been like that?!) I decided to pray...read the Word...AND called a good friend to pray for my focus for the day...WOW...did God come through! Here is how my day unfolded...

-Pray...IN the Word...
-Talked to some old friends from a church I used to go to
-Went to Jaden's school to have lunch with him...had a blast!
-Went out to recess and watched Jaden play football with his friends for 20 minutes...(they NEVER stopped running!)
-Talked to a couple of my former students parents...great to reconnect and talk about Grace
-Headed to LaSalle to sign my coaching evaluation
-Talked to MANY teachers that I used to work with
-Got to invite one of them to come check out Grace and had the opportunity to talk about what God has been doing with several others...
-One downer right here...I told Ms. Doyle that I wouldn't be coaching next year...just can't do everything...MAN, I'll miss the staff...the kids...and it'll be a GREAT team too!
-Kels calls...she has locked herself out of the house! Ran home...
-Back in time for a meeting and got to invite another guy to church
-Met with a pastor buddy...told him about my trip to China...he says..."how about some bucks toward your trip..." YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! His missions team paid for 1/3 of my remaining support for China...YES!
-Had an AMAZING talk with him about theology/ministry stuff...LOVE THAT GUY!
-Good talk with Jerimae down in the office...
-More work in the office and the hours flew...
-Worked through some refinance stuff for our house...
-In my car talking to someone...they tell me that they are going to TAKE CARE OF THE WHAT WE OWE ON MY CAR...ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?!?!?! We're talking $3000!!! Gone...finished...through! THANKS TO THAT PERSON AND JESUS!

-YOU THINK THAT I'M DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-Take Jaden to his OVERNIGHT birthday party at a friend's house
-Get home to find Kelsey home alone...she had secretly planned to have Chloe and Luke stay overnight at gma and gpa's so we had a DATE NIGHT!!!!
-Went to eat with Kels then to a movie
-Thought we should have had some worship music before the movie...I mean...aren't you supposed to have church at a theater...

WHAT AN AMAZING DAY! Just thankful for all of the opportunities!

Some wisdom...

Proverbs 13: 6 "Righteousness guards the man of integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner."

Proverbs 13: 17 "A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a trustworthy envoy brings healing."

Proverbs 13: 18 "He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored."

A place to pray...

I'm part of a Leadership class through the Chamber of Commerce...I have learned A LOT about our community...I have loved the class...I'll confess that I didn't love today, but it had nothing to do with the quality of the class. The class was done very well, it was what we were talking about...I spent most of the morning getting tours and information about abused kids and spousal abuse in our community. VERY encouraged by the programs we have in place...VERY much hurting for all of the kids and women in our community who use the services.

Then we had a tour of the JJC (Juvenile Justice Center)...a courthouse...probation office and jail for kids...As I stood in the jail cells, I just prayed...prayed for every child and teen that have ever been or will ever be in those cells...for God to move in their lives and their families lives...I don't think I remember anything that was said during that part...just saddened to think that kids have to spend their lives in those small cells..."God, I beg you for the lives and souls of our youth...Use me, our church and ALL OF YOUR PEOPLE in South Bend area to touch these kids lives...PLEASE!"

Happy Birthday Grace!

Our campus is 2 years old today...memories are just flooding back...the anticipation...the wonder...the nerves...the prayer...the hard work...GOD's AMAZING WORK!!!...March 11, 2007 was the launch...WOW...God has sure moved in all of us! I am so proud of all of the people that I get to serve with and lead...we have AMAZING people. I can't imagine living church with any other group...PRAISE GOD for how he has moved...2 YEARS!

"Thanks God..."

My Luke...

"My Luke" is what my son Luke calls himself...probably because Kels and I call him that...Have you ever tried to build something with a 2 year old around? Today we were playing with blocks and I couldn't get more than 4 or 5 blocks up and he would SMASH my building! I would shield him with my body while I was building, but he would literally dive over me to knock it down. THEN, I had him...the PERFECT shield...I was building and blocking him like crazy...So what does he do?!?! He grabs his didi (known to everyone outside of the Boucher home as a blanket) and whips it...and he knocks every block down! IT WAS OUTSTANDING! He couldn't get through me, so he found another solution...he is so smart...I'm sure he gets that from me!!

WHAT A MONTH!!!

I cannot wait for the next month...here is a snapshot of the next 5 weeks...
My birthday, Jaden's birthday, "He is..." series kicks off this week, 21 day fast kicks off this coming Monday, my parents are coming in from OH (I knew they would want some "blog time"...love you mom and dad!), going on a missions trip to China, communion service, EASTER....EASTER...EASTER....

I just sent out my first Easter Prayer Team email to a group of people in our church who have commited to praying daily for our Easter service and Egg Hunt...I AM SO STINKIN' EXCITED!!!! COME ON JESUS!!!!

We're In...

I wrote last night about anticipation...and I would have to say that this morning was one of the 3 best services we have ever had...Worship music-message-response of the people. INCREDIBLE! GOD IS MOVING...and he MOVED this morning! We talked about "r u IN?" as a follow up to our theme for the year "It's Time" and talking about giving grace the past two weeks. Highlights from the morning...

-Jerimae setting up the message with a POWERFUL talk about "r we IN?" And all of us spontaneously responding "YES!" What a moment...
-The worship songs were SPIRIT DRIVEN...PASSIONATE...YES!
-Jesus told people "follow me" AT LEAST 21 times
-INVITE...Jesus wanted to invite people "in"
-His initial invitation was to come and see...check out what he was doing
-Our challenge? 5x5 Invite 5 people over the next 5 weeks to "He Is..." series or Easter...THEN meet 5 new people at our Easter service...INVITE people to come and see!
-INVEST...Jesus asked people to invest EVERYTHING!
-Talked about the rich young man (Matthew 19)
-Jesus wants us to invest our money in the church!
-Jesus never lowered the bar...so at least 10% of our income should go toward the ministry of the church
-GOD WANTS OUR BEST NOT OUR LEFTOVERS!!!! (I'm talking our money here!)
-Presented 4 Phases for our church to be fully supported!
-Phase 1...we just need $3.50 more each week from each family
-Phase 2...$18.50 per week...
-WE CAN DO THIS!!!! Phase 3 A.S.A.P.!!!!
-INVOLVE...Jesus wanted his people to involve themselves in what he was doing
-STEP UP and get involved with our Easter Weekend...
-OVER 85% of our people JUMPED IN and said they would serve for Easter...AWESOME!

What an AMAZING line of people coming up after the service to throw in their card and say "I'M IN!" 90% came up...YES!! THAT IS AWESOME! People who had been to the church since we launched (It was our 2nd birthday as a church this Sunday!), people who have been there just 1 week came up! I WAS MOVED!

HEY CHURCH...GOD IS MOVING...

Saturday Night = Anticipation

Here I am again on Saturday night, thinking and praying about the morning. I have the same feeling every week...this excited...nervous...anticipation of what God is going to do in the morning. I pray all week...prepare...pray some more...and then it is Saturday night and I just want to fast forward to the morning...to see how it all comes together...to see how the Spirit moves in people...how it is the same or different than what I thought...I CANNOT WAIT for the morning...Looking forward to being with the people of Grace and new people of Grace! IS IT MORNING YET?!

Growing as we go...

I love reading through the Gospels...reading the stories of how Jesus performed miracles and taught...love how he poured himself into the people around him. I like to look in between the lines...thinking that he didn't have one place that he called home...how he was on the move...and I think about how he trained the men that walked with him. He did it as they walked along...I can just picture Jesus...walking down a road after feeding 5000+ people and one of the disciples hustling up to him and asking him a question...a question about the Old Testament or a question about how to live life with other people. I can picture the campfires and them eating some fish...Imagine the stories and laughter...imagine the many teachable moments...

What I love just as much is that I get to be involved in a church that views discipleship like that...as we walk along through life, we grab teachable moments...as we serve together...eat together...play ball together...build together...knit together (OK, I don't knit, but I'm sure someone does!)...we get to ask each other questions...learn from each other. Just today this happened...people were at our office passing out food vouchers and feeding the people that came some yummy pancakes. After all of the people left who were here for the vouchers, a couple in our church started asking some questions about prayer...there were about 6 of us left and it turned into AN AMAZING conversation...One that we wouldn't have had, had we not served together. Lived life together...It just took me back to the beginning of the church back in Acts...where they just lived, served and loved each other...not overly structured...they just lived it!

Champion of the World

We have this battle in our house...I shout out that I'm "THE REIGNING CHAMPION OF THE WORLD" and then the kids just HAMMER ME...tackle me...jump on me...throw elbows...you get the idea! It is great...lots of bruises...bodies flying...I LOVE it! Luke is involved now...every time I talk to him on the phone he tells me..."I'm the champion of the world dad!" And OF COURSE he expects me to tackle him and tickle him as soon as I get in the house. I sure treasure these moments...and for now...I'm still the champion and hope to hold on to the title as long as I can...hey kids..."BRING IT ON!"

Verse of the day...

This year I decided to read through the Bible chronologically...the reading program is really cool...it breaks up books of the Bible into the order that they happened. They add the Psalms into where they happened too...it has been good. A few weeks back I decided that I was going to add a Proverb a day, everyday for the rest of the year...Just to heap on some extra wisdom. Today the key verse that grabbed me was Proverbs 3: 5-6:
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."

I have known this verse since I was a little kid and today it got to me again...the question for me is: "How do I lean on God's understanding instead of my own?" Bottom line...I HAVE TO be spending time with him...listening, reading, learning, praying...in tune with God...I want what he wants...I want to see people with his glasses...with his vision...I long for his will to be done in my life, my family's lives and our church...What a great verse to pray through today...

Pastor's Update...from inside my car!

Alright...this week's update was recorded inside my car!

Click on the link to get there...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWJl6C3ORMM

Monday Reflections...

I don't think that there are good enough words to describe what happened during our services yesterday...God showed up...the Spirit was moving...I could have had everyone go home after the music part...I CRIED through 2 of the songs and was about to break into some serious dancing on the other...THEN...the message that I preached come from WAY DOWN in my gut...I was feeling physically sick on Friday as I prepared the message...not because of the flu...but because God was just tearing me to pieces...in a GOOD way...and I sense that he is doing the same thing with our church people. GOD IS MOVING...is something that I have been saying for a while...I can't put my finger on it...can't tell you what is all happening, BUT I can tell you that I want our church to be in the middle of it! I long for us to make an even larger impact on our area. COME ON GOD!

Grace...that is what we have been talking about...grace that just doesn't make sense...grace that makes us feel uncomfortable...grace that keeps giving even when people reject you...Oh...the grace that hurts deeply, but the reward is OUTRAGEOUS when you see life change. "God...make us known as a church that gives our grace that just DOESN'T MAKE SENSE to other people...HELP US!"