Refreshed

This week has been a blur...teaching...building stuff...relationship stuff...time just flies by...today I got a breath of fresh air...Luke woke from his nap crying (doesn't sound to fresh does it!) But I went up and got in bed with him...and sang to him...it was a worship experience honestly...a chance to encourage my son and praise God...I felt refreshed when it was done...I needed that time! Funny sometimes what will refresh us...

Monday Reflections

Whoa...TOUGH message from Jim on Sunday...TRUTH HURTS...many of our people felt that yesterday, but here is the deal...if we are willing to obey God...willing to follow what HE wants, then the truth will be freeing.

We kicked off our 1 of 5 messages on the 5 lies of Satan...sex was the subject...POWERFUL...to many people have scars from past relationships...to many times people believe the lie that "everyone is doing it...it's just sex!" NO NO NO!!! GOD INTENDED SEX FOR MARRIAGE AND MARRIAGE ONLY...if you are "messing" around...if you are viewing porn...if you are having emotional affairs on Facebook...RUN and RUN RIGHT NOW! Do not wait another second! Save yourself and your mind for your spouse...DO IT!

Rookie Season

Hanging out in Warsaw tonight with some ol' college buds...played some ball and in the morning I'll do my first fantasy basketball draft. This is the 15th year the guys have done this...my first...it has been fun seeing the guys-catching up...off to bed now! Only wish that I could have picked LeBron in the morning!! Maybe I'll get Shaq!

Sickness...

It's been a long week for the Boucher's...Chloe was home from school Monday and Tuesday and Jaden Wednesday and Friday...right now Luke is at the doctor because he has had a fever for a couple of days...Looking forward to getting this sickness OUT of the house!!

Rolling along...

(Don & Michele moving a doorway)

(Putting up the Kidzone wall & doorway)

(Kidzone's new "house")

(Some of the AMAZING workers!)

Things are coming together...the building is looking more and more like the pictures in my head! I am so encouraged by the people that have come out to help. Rusty and Don have the be dynamic duo and now MANY others have come this week to work with them...VERY COOL!

Tonight our Prayer Encounter was at the new building...praying for each other...and then praying about the future impact...the lives that will be changed there! MAN...I can't wait to see what God is going to do...

The Building Update

(Auditorium)

OH YEAH! Our team is WORKING HARD on the building...getting it ready...Rusty and Don have been over there every day and others keep coming to help...Demo is DONE! UNBELIEVABLE!! The floor has been fixed...(I got to help with that!!)...and I received a text from Rusty tonight and 2 new walls are up...WE ARE MOVING AHEAD...

These pics are before demo pics...MOVING FORWARD!

(from the auditorium and looking up at Kidzone)

(Kidzone...isn't that BEAUTIFUL carpet?!)

(Women's Bathroom...I think it needs a little work!!)

Sittin' in class...

On Monday nights I teach a class at Grace College to Youth Ministry Majors. They are quoting verses to each other right now...VERY IMPORTANT to have the Word IN your mind!! Next they will be doing presentations on an outreach that they come up and then did in their community...I'm excited to see what they have done and their responses...How cool...college students making an impact in their "adopted" home!

Alright...they are coming back in...until later...

Can I be honest?

Is it o.k. if I'm honest? Really? Here is the deal...I have a PIT in my stomach right now...know why? I DO NOT LIKE what I have to do this week...My task this week is to prioritize my life and time...Doesn't sound to awful, but since I have gone to 2/3 time at church I have 15-20 less hours for things that I used to do. THAT IS HARD! And I am not enjoying this process...trying to work through things that I enjoy doing...things that I'm passionate about...time with people...time to plan...time with people...time to lead...time with people (HEY...I'm a campus pastor and the majority of my time is connecting with people!!!!)...time with God...time with family...time with administration (I actually like some admin stuff...SOME is the key word though!)...between things that are important...Argh! But it must be done...for my health...my families health and the health of our church...The past 3 weeks have been crazy...There are seasons for that, but this one won't be changing any time soon, so I have to prioritize now...I can't keep telling Kelsey "My schedule has just changed, so we'll get in a new pattern." At some point I have to start saying "no." I just hate that word sometimes!! So, I'm seeking God's heart...asking him to help me see what is most important...to help me discern between what is best and what is good...Praying more than ever for DISCERNMENT and WISDOM!

Monday Reflections...

Perception is a funny thing...I left yesterday's message on Crazy Stuff and felt uneasy...I get home and Kelsey tells me it was one of the best times that she has seen me. Maybe that is because the impact of the message yesterday is to be seen...you see we talked $'s yesterday...we talked about in everything that we do GOD MUST BE our motivation...that HE must give us direction...We talked about what we need $$-wise to more forward with our campus-I have to confess that I get EXCITED when I think of God's people obeying HIM and giving...It EXCITES me to think of what HIS church WILL DO when HIS people step up and give their $...NOT out of duty...BUT out of passion for what HE will do through HIS church!

So we did it yesterday...I asked people to examine and pray through their finances...to see where they are and to commit to giving to the church...WHY? BECAUSE WE HAVE 175,000 PEOPLE WITHIN 5 MILES OF OUR BUILDING WHO NEED TO HEAR ABOUT JESUS! I WANT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR ABOUT JESUS!!!!

So, I'm praying for God to do some CRAZY STUFF...we have 4-Phases to go through...and you know what...WE CAN AND WILL DO THIS! But this is a step of faith...probably why it wasn't a emotional high yesterday after the message...Without God...without CRAZY STUFF...Whoa...

"God...thanks for being IN the details...for allowing me to be involved with a church that wants to be on the front lines of ministry...that LONGS to see lives changed...and because of THAT, I KNOW that you will move in each of us to EXCEED our goals! IN JESUS NAME...AMEN!"

THIS makes me happy...

"Therefore, there is now NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus..."

WHY?

"Because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death." (Roman 8:1-2)

I'm sitting in my office...finishing up my message for tomorrow...listening to the band practicing...singing "You'll find me seeking you, you'll find me seeking you!" OH...I just feel overwhelmed with the FACT that Jesus took care of my condemnation...I was on my way to hell, but GOD PICKED ME...He sought me out...He WANTED a relationship with me...he WANTED to free me from my sin...he WANTED to give me freedom from ETERNAL punishment...THAT is Power...THAT is grace...THAT is love..."Thanks, God!"

Been that long?!

This week has come and GONE! Yesterday I had the opportunity to pray with a guy as he made Jesus Lord of his life...that just NEVER gets old!! I LOVE IT! I love it when God works in someones life like that...

MORE CRAZY STUFF BABY!

Colin and I prayed today on the phone that the owner of our office building would allow us out of our lease at the end of this year. (Our lease is through June '10) 4 MINUTES LATER...DID YOU CATCH THAT?!?!?!?!...4 MINUTES LATER I received a call from the office building's management saying that the owner would release us from the lease at the end of the year! THANKS GOD!!!! WHOO-HOO!

CRAZY STUFF BABY!

I have been searching for a new location for our church for a loooooooooooooooooooong time...searching and searching and searching...CRYING OUT TO GOD...BEGGING GOD to show us the right place for us. We need to be out of the theater in January due to the amount of $$ it costs to be there.

So over the past few months I have looked at over 30 locations...I'll confess I WAS SICK OF IT! One night at Prayer Encounter I SLAMMED my Bible down and just PLEADED with God to show me the right spot for us. THE NEXT DAY I decided to go prayer driving around our target area...as I drove there was a building that I had never seen before...AND IT WAS VERY CLOSE TO THE MOVIE THEATER...I made the call and we started to look at the place. LOVED THE LOCATION! LOVED THE BUILDING! COULD GOD REALLY GET US THIS SPOT?!

It didn't look good...we negotiated with the owner and were off by about $9000...I called one Monday and asked him what he was thinking...One of the guys who had seen it had told someone that we probably wouldn't get the location...that we were too far off...BUT GOD CAME THROUGH AND HE DROPPED OFF $6000 MORE $ and we saw how we could make it work! CRAZY STUFF!!

This is a location that we would want whether or not there were financial issues!! GOD IS SOOOOOOOOOO GOOD! I have said for a long time that we would know when the right spot came along and BAM! Here it is!

THANK YOU JESUS! CAN'T WAIT TO SEE PEOPLE GIVING THEIR LIVES TO JESUS IN THIS BUILDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CAN'T WAIT!

Our inconvenience...God's opportunity Part 2

If you didn't read my post "Our inconvenience...God's opportunity" from last week, scroll down and take a look. BUT IT HAPPENED AGAIN! Here we are...11 guys traveling back from Maryland in our church van...We even got out of camp early, so we were looking to be home between 10-11 p.m. WE WERE EXCITED...then...as we are going up the FIRST mountain, the van is dieing...the gauges are going HOT...the van is slowing down...we pull into a rest area and the van is done! We don't have a way home...OH BUT DID WE PRAY!!!! Groups of guys standing around seeking what God wants...

So, we call a couple of people traveling with us and THANK OUR GOD...they went the wrong way and were still behind us! They pulled up and had a mechanic with them...BUT he was unable to fix it...(not really a lot of tools at a rest stop!)...BUT the 2 vans that came up had 6 seats available AND THEN Pastor Jim's friend Mike (we stayed on his property for our retreat) gave us his Explorer for the week!! We ALL got home, although it was 2:40 a.m. when I walked in the house...GOD put the pieces together to take care of us!!

BUT THAT IS NOT ALL...Jim made the statement before we left that "God has put all of you in a vehicle for a reason." WELL, we get 5 minutes away from our camping spot and God shuffles the deck! He puts guys in different vehicles and we had UNBELIEVABLE conversation in the Explorer of 5 guys for HOURS! AMAZING...LIFE CHANGING AND CHALLENGING conversation...So, once again...Our Inconvenience is God's opportunity!!

"Thanks God."

Wild At Heart

GREAT Wild at Heart this year...Unbelievable...God worked in guys lives...guys were brutally honest...I long to see how God is going to use these men. What an honor to be with them this past weekend...the competetions...the conversations...the food...GOD MOVED in very real ways! AWESOME!

I was excited to get back to my spot from last year...my dried up creekbed...when I was all dried up personally and spiritually...then to say..."THANK YOU GOD FOR RE-FUELING MY HEART!" couldn't find the spot, but I thanked God anyway!

Had a friend bring a steak for me...OH WAS IT GOOD! Steak cooked on the open fire...ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!

"God...thanks for showing up in men's lives...may we be back there next year with EVERY MAN not just "making it" but THRIVING in their relationship with you!"

GRACE LANCERS vs. INDIANA HOOSIERS!

No that is NOT a misprint...I couldn't believe it either!!! I got an email from the Grace Alumni and didn't believe what I was reading so I went to the IU b-ball page for proof...AND THERE IT WAS!

"LET'S GO LANCERS!" (Clap-Clap-Clap Clap Clap)

"LET'S GO LANCERS!" (Clap-Clap-Clap Clap Clap)

"LET'S GO LANCERS!" (Clap-Clap-Clap Clap Clap)

"LET'S GO LANCERS!" (Clap-Clap-Clap Clap Clap)

Our inconvience...God's opportunity

I had a tire that was going flat yesterday...I didn't have time to take it to Discount Tire, but I don't have time to go to the hospital either when it makes me wreck!! So, I took it in yesterday after I taught school...The tire shop is only a few blocks from my house, so I decided to walk home...As I was walking I noticed a friend's dog running around his yard...So being the nice friend that I am I called him and made some smart-comment about getting his dog back in the house...ended up he was the one home...So I ran across the 4 lanes of traffic and we had a chance to talk...After some small-talk for a few minutes he shared with me some stuff happening in his life that needed prayer...RIGHT AWAY I realized that God has a plan for EVERYTHING...think about it...I had a flat-tire...there were a TON of people in line, so I had to wait 1 1/2 hours to get my car back, so I decided to walk home and work from home...AND THEN I saw my friend's dog and had a chance to talk with him and pray with him...GOD KNEW that my friend needed encouragement, so my tire went flat and BAM! God put me in the right place at the right time!

OUR INCONVENIENCE is GOD'S OPPORTUNITY!

Monday Refections!

We had 2 people during our service yesterday put Jesus in charge of their lives! THAT DOES NOT GET OLD!!!! PRAISE GOD! It was an amazing and challenging service...Challenging in the fact the we MUST, MUST show grace to people...we must not hold things over them...this doesn't mean that we ignore sin...it means that we show TRUE love to people...that we forgive...that we accept people back the way the father did the prodical son! We must not beat people up for their mistakes...

This Crazy Stuff series has been amazing...Seeing how God has worked and seeing how he is working VERY COOL!

Puzzle Pieces...

Life sure feels like a HUGE puzzle sometimes...a puzzle that only God see the whole finished picture...BUT when God starts to put the pieces together, and we get to see more of HIS picture...WOW! Sometimes we are just living...without a CLUE as to what God has in store...we pray...we plead...we seek...but we just don't see it yet...THEN comes the time when things start to come together...RIGHT NOW is one of those times for me and for Grace...God is putting some BIG puzzle pieces together and it is VERY COOL to see him work...

Want details?? Soon...very soon!

"Today is a battle, not a game"

I wish I could claim this quote as my own...I was on the phone today with a good friend, Miah, one of the worship guys at our Goshen campus when he said those words. He was talking about life and the spiritual battles we fight. POWERFUL WORDS!

Too often we don't treat life as a battle...we just let things go...or ignore warning signs in people and ourselves...caution flags that should tip us off that something is wrong...that something needs to change...but we are too busy "just livin' " and we miss it...we waste our days...Let's get in the battle for each other...I spent time praying for people today...battling for God's work in their lives...for their encouragement.lives and don't work to walk closer to God and encourage others. LIFE IS A BATTLE GROUND...let's fight for each other!

The church of today...Prayer Encounter on the move...Teachable Moments

Alright, so I couldn't figure out how to title this post...Tonight we did our Prayer Encounter a little differently...we were mobile...we started at Movies 14 where we have our services then went to a potential new location down the street...It was very cool to pray ON LOCATION...another cool part was that 4 kids were with us...all boys! When I say "kids" I mean 4 boys...1 is 8...2 are 6 and one is 4...Here is what was cool to me...we all knelt down in the building where we may start leasing and prayed...kids too...then we went up into the room where the kids would have their spot and 3 of the boys prayed...IT WAS AWESOME! You think that didn't get God's attention?!?!?! WOW!

Kids are the church of TODAY...If they are followers of Jesus God listens to their prayer in the SAME WAY that he listens to adults...GOD LONGS TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM, so why not have them right there with us...Think about those boys tonight...if God continues to move and we end up there, they will be part of the first group of people to do battle in the spiritual realm in our building...HOW COOL IS THAT MEMORY FOR THEM...What a moment for the dads too!!