2010 is coming to an end in just a few hours. This year has been a WILD ride with TONS of lessons learned...more renewed than ever is how faithful God is toward us. He is so good.
I grabbed the book "The Purpose Driven Life" and randomly went to a chapter...Here is the verse at the beginning of the chapter...
"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." 2 Cor. 4:17
and the quote...
"It is the fire of suffering that brings forth the gold of godliness" -Madame Guyon
THEN the chapter closed with this verse...
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28
GREAT VERSES to close out the year...
Friday, December 31, 2010
Monday, December 27, 2010
Christmas Weekend
What a fantastic weekend...We had our first Christmas Eve service and it was quite fun! We had more people at that service that the Sunday before...AND we had a LOT of visitors. It was fun to celebrate our Savior together. I loved hearing the kids sing...listening to the Christmas story...Jerimae, Travis and I just talking...sharing about our favorite Christmas memories and what God is teaching us right now...we sat on stools and shared fun stories...shared some deep stuff of what God is doing in us right now.
My two favorite parts of the night were when Kelsey played "O Holy Night" on violin...she hasn't played in 2 years, but no one would know...she plays with such passion and musicality...truly beautiful...really takes me to the presence of God. I miss hearing her play!
The other moment was at the end...we had the kids come on stage and sing "Happy Birthday to Jesus" and had balloons flying around...it was a true celebration!! VERY FUN!
Christmas with our family was WONDERFUL too...enjoyed watching the kids open their gifts this year...my kids even gave me $$ toward a new laptop! Their own money and their own idea! It was quite cool! Kelsey gave me a picture frame with a painting from Dave and Sue Griffith our missionaries...it is of the town where they serve and only a few prints were ever made! It is cool...putting it up in my office!
This has been a meaningful Christmas for me this year...Joseph has really stood out the most...especially with Kelsey being 7 months pregnant...thinking about all that Joseph did for Mary. All of the emotions that he must have been feeling...YET he followed through...he did what God told him to do and what was best for his wife. Truly a man of integrity and a man of God!
My two favorite parts of the night were when Kelsey played "O Holy Night" on violin...she hasn't played in 2 years, but no one would know...she plays with such passion and musicality...truly beautiful...really takes me to the presence of God. I miss hearing her play!
The other moment was at the end...we had the kids come on stage and sing "Happy Birthday to Jesus" and had balloons flying around...it was a true celebration!! VERY FUN!
Christmas with our family was WONDERFUL too...enjoyed watching the kids open their gifts this year...my kids even gave me $$ toward a new laptop! Their own money and their own idea! It was quite cool! Kelsey gave me a picture frame with a painting from Dave and Sue Griffith our missionaries...it is of the town where they serve and only a few prints were ever made! It is cool...putting it up in my office!
This has been a meaningful Christmas for me this year...Joseph has really stood out the most...especially with Kelsey being 7 months pregnant...thinking about all that Joseph did for Mary. All of the emotions that he must have been feeling...YET he followed through...he did what God told him to do and what was best for his wife. Truly a man of integrity and a man of God!
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Christmas
A time of hope...a time to remember the amazing gift our Father God gave us in his Son Jesus...so grateful to God for creating us even though he KNEW that many would reject him. That ALL of us would sin...YET he made the ultimate sacrifice.
Last night Jaden and I were driving back from Prayer Encounter. Jaden and I were talking about things he would want for Christmas...it was really fun to listen to him. All of sudden though...in the middle of his list he said..."The best gift would be if someone gave their life to Jesus." He made my day! He nailed it! It is soooooo good to give and receive gifts...STILL the greatest gift we can give is JESUS! May we do that this Christmas and beyond...share the GREATEST GIFT EVER!
Last night Jaden and I were driving back from Prayer Encounter. Jaden and I were talking about things he would want for Christmas...it was really fun to listen to him. All of sudden though...in the middle of his list he said..."The best gift would be if someone gave their life to Jesus." He made my day! He nailed it! It is soooooo good to give and receive gifts...STILL the greatest gift we can give is JESUS! May we do that this Christmas and beyond...share the GREATEST GIFT EVER!
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
WOW
We had another GREAT NIGHT of prayer tonight...when we finished everyone just stayed and talked even longer. The group really has a heart for people and it is obvious. THERE WAS A LOT to praise God for...last week we prayed for jobs for 2 of the guys...this week BOTH MEN had interviews...one with a 3rd interview tomorrow. We prayed for people who don't know Jesus last week...AND on Sunday God brought someone to Jesus...AND other family that is planning to come on Christmas Eve and start coming to our church...
We pray for marriages...kids...teens...our country...for each other...we plead with God to move...sometimes we don't have as many answers to pray as we did this week, BUT we ALWAYS know that our Savior heard our prayers and that if we continue to seek him, we will find the answers and/or the strength to get through and thrive.
Bottom line...it is good to be in the presence of God and GREAT to do it with other people!!!!
We pray for marriages...kids...teens...our country...for each other...we plead with God to move...sometimes we don't have as many answers to pray as we did this week, BUT we ALWAYS know that our Savior heard our prayers and that if we continue to seek him, we will find the answers and/or the strength to get through and thrive.
Bottom line...it is good to be in the presence of God and GREAT to do it with other people!!!!
Monday, December 20, 2010
Reflections
GREAT morning yesterday! All of the prep...the prayer...it was just good! We did a little time travel during the service! I jumped in my time-machine and went back 2010 years ago to the stable where Jesus was born. (It was VERY COOL making Mark and Dave be surprised when I showed up behind them in the back of the auditorium!!) Then we went back 700 year before that to Isaiah's time...the point? THE Creator God had a MASTER PLAN with YOU in mind! It is soooooo true! God's plan was revealed through Isaiah and then it happened with Jesus! INCREDIBLE! To think that Isaiah predicted what would happen 700 years before it actually happened...imagine if someone from the year 1310 A.D. predicted EXACTLY what would happen this year...EXACTLY! Not ONE detail missing...
BUT...we didn't stop there...we then traveled to a moment before time as we know it began...to a conversation between The Father, Son and Holy Spirit. There was talk about creating a world...creating people...BUT allowing those people to chose to love God. Then there must have been a moment...a moment when the Father and Son didn't utter a word, but they just knew...they knew what would happen...It was IN THAT MOMENT...that moment that God had his MASTER PLAN in place...and he thought of us. Because he decided to create us KNOWING what we would do...knowing that some would reject him. It was VERY cool to think of that moment...it really moved me.
Then we closed it out...and the coolest thing happened. We prayed and had people raise hands...I couldn't see any for the lights, but after the service I got the rest of the story...see...a couple of years back at a communion service I asked people during a time of prayer to picture people that needed Jesus in the empty chairs around us. One of the ladies at the service came to me afterwards on Sunday and saved that about EVERYONE that she prayed for were at the service this Sunday...AND ONE OF THEM GAVE THEIR LIFE TO JESUS!!!!! AWESOME...AMAZING...INCREDIBLE!!!!
God is sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo good. soooooooooooooooooooooo good...soooooooooooo good!
BUT...we didn't stop there...we then traveled to a moment before time as we know it began...to a conversation between The Father, Son and Holy Spirit. There was talk about creating a world...creating people...BUT allowing those people to chose to love God. Then there must have been a moment...a moment when the Father and Son didn't utter a word, but they just knew...they knew what would happen...It was IN THAT MOMENT...that moment that God had his MASTER PLAN in place...and he thought of us. Because he decided to create us KNOWING what we would do...knowing that some would reject him. It was VERY cool to think of that moment...it really moved me.
Then we closed it out...and the coolest thing happened. We prayed and had people raise hands...I couldn't see any for the lights, but after the service I got the rest of the story...see...a couple of years back at a communion service I asked people during a time of prayer to picture people that needed Jesus in the empty chairs around us. One of the ladies at the service came to me afterwards on Sunday and saved that about EVERYONE that she prayed for were at the service this Sunday...AND ONE OF THEM GAVE THEIR LIFE TO JESUS!!!!! AWESOME...AMAZING...INCREDIBLE!!!!
God is sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo good. soooooooooooooooooooooo good...soooooooooooo good!
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Christmas
I love this time of the year...I love our family traditions...the concerts...people's homes all decked-out! I am soooooo grateful that God decided that we were worth having his Son come here...that we were worth the pain it would cause God the Father and Son to be separated for 33 years...glad that they didn't just decide we weren't worth it and destroy us. Glad that God wants to know us and wants us to come to him. Soooooo grateful.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
My Goal!
Heading into the fall...I had 1 personal goal...it was to be thriving at the end of 2010. This fall semester has been EXTREMELY busy...my first thought was survival and honestly that sounded pretty good. BUT the more I thought about it...I wanted more than that. I had spent much of 2010 surviving and I WANTED MORE! To be thriving in my relationship with Jesus...thriving health-wise...thiving with Kels and the kids...growing...ready to jump into the new year. I PRAISE GOD for his strength through this fall. As the year winds down, I feel really well. Strong. Encouraged. Triving.
God is good.
God is good.
Friday, December 10, 2010
In the trenches
Something is happening in the men of our church. This week the guys have been dropping by the church and there have been MANY conversations...Just AWESOME to see what God is doing in them! God is really working on the guys and they are rising up. They are being challenged...they are wrestling with how to live...The church needs men to not just sit back and watch, but to JUMP IN and begin to lead.
I was watching Braveheart last weekend...MAN THAT IS A GREAT MOVIE! The men in Braveheart would have done ANYTHING for William Wallace...they believed in him and each other. They protected each other...not just in battle, but with their words as well. The group of men here at Grace are men that I want to do battle with...guys I enjoy being around...and men that I know protect each other...that long to see the best out of each other...are willing to confront each other...take care of each other...it is a honor to serve with these men! Really love you guys!!
I was watching Braveheart last weekend...MAN THAT IS A GREAT MOVIE! The men in Braveheart would have done ANYTHING for William Wallace...they believed in him and each other. They protected each other...not just in battle, but with their words as well. The group of men here at Grace are men that I want to do battle with...guys I enjoy being around...and men that I know protect each other...that long to see the best out of each other...are willing to confront each other...take care of each other...it is a honor to serve with these men! Really love you guys!!
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Prayer
I wrote a note and put it in my Bible a week or so ago. I put it in there as a reminder to share it with Kelsey. The message was simple..."Amp up prayer." That is it. Yep...doesn't sound to earth shattering...BUT I WILL TELL YOU THIS...it will be the difference as to whether we shatter the earth this year for Jesus OR get shattered! ARE YOU WITH ME!?!?!
Here is the thing...we have had momentum building at our church many times in the past 3 1/2 years. And every time...something happened that took it away...something physical/spiritual would take place and the momentum would die down. AND HERE IS THE DEAL...God is doing something fresh here again...there is a fresh movement of HIS Spirit through our church...AND we have to pray...and pray hard...this momentum will die if we do not continue to seek our God for strength, direction and power...we need to walk right into the throne-room of God and beg him...plead with him to give us EVERYTHING HE'S GOT to protect us...our marriages...our unity...and the work that HE is doing here...to guard us from falling into temptation...to give us the COURAGE to STAND OUR GROUND and when we have done EVERYTHING to STAND! (Check out Ephesians 6!)
Guess what?! Tonight more people showed up at Prayer Encounter than have been there in a year. My wife wasn't the only one to get the message of "Amp up prayer!" God is prodding our people to pray and THEY SHOWED UP.
I love you church and promise to be on my knees for you and with you. May God grant us the VICTORY THROUGH HIS SON!
Here is the thing...we have had momentum building at our church many times in the past 3 1/2 years. And every time...something happened that took it away...something physical/spiritual would take place and the momentum would die down. AND HERE IS THE DEAL...God is doing something fresh here again...there is a fresh movement of HIS Spirit through our church...AND we have to pray...and pray hard...this momentum will die if we do not continue to seek our God for strength, direction and power...we need to walk right into the throne-room of God and beg him...plead with him to give us EVERYTHING HE'S GOT to protect us...our marriages...our unity...and the work that HE is doing here...to guard us from falling into temptation...to give us the COURAGE to STAND OUR GROUND and when we have done EVERYTHING to STAND! (Check out Ephesians 6!)
Guess what?! Tonight more people showed up at Prayer Encounter than have been there in a year. My wife wasn't the only one to get the message of "Amp up prayer!" God is prodding our people to pray and THEY SHOWED UP.
I love you church and promise to be on my knees for you and with you. May God grant us the VICTORY THROUGH HIS SON!
Monday, December 6, 2010
Bonus
OK...I have a lot to say today! (BE QUIET! I know..."Boucher, you always have a lot to say!")
You never know how important a decision will be to people until after the fact...about a month ago the Goshen guys offered for me to go full-time in January. I LONG to be full-time and not split between two jobs. SO the thought of this EXCITED me! I honestly want to go full time...BUT something in me was just not content as we prayed about it. Kelsey and I WRESTLED with this in prayer...we prayed and prayed...we finally came to the conclusion that I need to finish out the school year and then go full time.
What I didn't know was how important this would be to some people in our church. Yesterday when I said that I would be waiting until after the school year, one man at the business meeting raised his hands like a touchdown and said "Yes!" Others mentioned to me that it was important for me to keep my word and finish out the commitment I made to the school system.
NOW...there are times when we simply need to drop everything and follow what God wants us to do. And this better be done with a GREAT DEAL OF PRAYER! I serve people at our church that hold high value on loyalty - commitment - and keeping your word. Those words aren't the norm any more...just look at college coaches..."I'm in...this is the school for me." Then a week later they are gone...
I think this also sends a message to our people right now...God has called me and my family not just to be a pastor...but to establish a group of people...a church...HERE in South Bend, IN...a group that is WORSHIPING...thriving...growing...REACHING OUT...AND PLANTING OTHER CAMPUSES...and I will not leave them in the middle of this battle...not when we haven't reach "maturity" yet...through the grace and POWER of God we will continue to establish Jesus' church here...AND we will do it together!
You never know how important a decision will be to people until after the fact...about a month ago the Goshen guys offered for me to go full-time in January. I LONG to be full-time and not split between two jobs. SO the thought of this EXCITED me! I honestly want to go full time...BUT something in me was just not content as we prayed about it. Kelsey and I WRESTLED with this in prayer...we prayed and prayed...we finally came to the conclusion that I need to finish out the school year and then go full time.
What I didn't know was how important this would be to some people in our church. Yesterday when I said that I would be waiting until after the school year, one man at the business meeting raised his hands like a touchdown and said "Yes!" Others mentioned to me that it was important for me to keep my word and finish out the commitment I made to the school system.
NOW...there are times when we simply need to drop everything and follow what God wants us to do. And this better be done with a GREAT DEAL OF PRAYER! I serve people at our church that hold high value on loyalty - commitment - and keeping your word. Those words aren't the norm any more...just look at college coaches..."I'm in...this is the school for me." Then a week later they are gone...
I think this also sends a message to our people right now...God has called me and my family not just to be a pastor...but to establish a group of people...a church...HERE in South Bend, IN...a group that is WORSHIPING...thriving...growing...REACHING OUT...AND PLANTING OTHER CAMPUSES...and I will not leave them in the middle of this battle...not when we haven't reach "maturity" yet...through the grace and POWER of God we will continue to establish Jesus' church here...AND we will do it together!
Reflections
LOTS of reflections on yesterday! LOTS AND LOTS!
-LOTS of snow outside and LOTS of icy roads here in SB!
-THEN I drive to Goshen and see green grass...CRAZY!
-TRAVIS STINKIN' MINER...a GREAT addition to our campus!
-Travis led worship and ended with "Free"...invited the Kidzone kids down to dance and sing as we closed the service! FUN!
-Why are people soooooo STINKIN' STIFF SOMETIMES!? HAVE A LITTLE FUN!!!! DANCE!
-I did enjoy Williams' and Tuttle lower their shoulders as I led the kids around...nothing like having a FULL-CONTACT service! (OH...I was WAY TO SMOOTH on my feet...they couldn't catch me!)
-The kids in our church are so cool!
-The video message "freaked out" in the middle 2x's...Jim was moving in fast-forward...which made sense since he was drinking a Monster drink...
-GREAT morning together!
-We had our first Grace SB business meeting...we now have elders and deacons at our campus...I AM SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO EXCITED!
-I will be moving to full-time in June!!!! I am sooooooooooooooooo Excited again!!
-Cool to see people stepping up at our campus...VERY EXCITED!
-LOTS of snow outside and LOTS of icy roads here in SB!
-THEN I drive to Goshen and see green grass...CRAZY!
-TRAVIS STINKIN' MINER...a GREAT addition to our campus!
-Travis led worship and ended with "Free"...invited the Kidzone kids down to dance and sing as we closed the service! FUN!
-Why are people soooooo STINKIN' STIFF SOMETIMES!? HAVE A LITTLE FUN!!!! DANCE!
-I did enjoy Williams' and Tuttle lower their shoulders as I led the kids around...nothing like having a FULL-CONTACT service! (OH...I was WAY TO SMOOTH on my feet...they couldn't catch me!)
-The kids in our church are so cool!
-The video message "freaked out" in the middle 2x's...Jim was moving in fast-forward...which made sense since he was drinking a Monster drink...
-GREAT morning together!
-We had our first Grace SB business meeting...we now have elders and deacons at our campus...I AM SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO EXCITED!
-I will be moving to full-time in June!!!! I am sooooooooooooooooo Excited again!!
-Cool to see people stepping up at our campus...VERY EXCITED!
"I've got your back."
I have heard those words...many times and from a variety of people...the truth is you don't know who really has your back until the battle of life intensifies. When things aren't going well...when everything isn't lining up...THAT is when you find out who really has your back.
In 2010...I learned some things about my friends...I learned some things about the leadership at Grace Community Church. I learned that when I am at my worst...when there just isn't a lot of passion...not a lot of vision...not much in me happening...these people truly have my back. They love me, not only for what I can give them, but also for me. And I am thankful for that!
Imagine working at a place...KNOWING that your boss and co-workers have your best interest in mind. Imagine that. IMAGINE...being involved in a church where the people really, really, really love you and your family. Imagine that. I don't have to...THAT could be one of the greatest lessons I learned in 2010. TRUST & LOYALTY. Really...really...really trust. To stand beside those your love even when it is not easy...to think the best in others...even when they hurt you...knowing that they may not be intending to hurt you. It is good to know that I get to live out life with a group of people at Grace SB who love Jesus, love people and LOVE me! AND I am grateful for our brothers at Grace Goshen...because it is same there!
"Thanks God for allowing me to be here...thanks for not letting me give up...for giving me the best church-family for me and my family! I love you Lord and am sooooooooo grateful!"
In 2010...I learned some things about my friends...I learned some things about the leadership at Grace Community Church. I learned that when I am at my worst...when there just isn't a lot of passion...not a lot of vision...not much in me happening...these people truly have my back. They love me, not only for what I can give them, but also for me. And I am thankful for that!
Imagine working at a place...KNOWING that your boss and co-workers have your best interest in mind. Imagine that. IMAGINE...being involved in a church where the people really, really, really love you and your family. Imagine that. I don't have to...THAT could be one of the greatest lessons I learned in 2010. TRUST & LOYALTY. Really...really...really trust. To stand beside those your love even when it is not easy...to think the best in others...even when they hurt you...knowing that they may not be intending to hurt you. It is good to know that I get to live out life with a group of people at Grace SB who love Jesus, love people and LOVE me! AND I am grateful for our brothers at Grace Goshen...because it is same there!
"Thanks God for allowing me to be here...thanks for not letting me give up...for giving me the best church-family for me and my family! I love you Lord and am sooooooooo grateful!"
Friday, December 3, 2010
Reflections on LeBron's Homecoming
I was more than a little concerned about "my people" in Ohio and their response to LeBron's return...it went about as I thought and glad to hear there weren't any injuries! BUT after going on-line to check the score at halftime, I ended up with a leadership lesson! (OK...so I had to come up with something to take the place of the pit in my gut from the Heat DESTROYING my Cavs!!)
We often ask what the difference is in certain athletes...some seem to respond to the pressure, while others cave...some rise to the top while others, even those with AMAZING talent fall short. It is the same in business...church...life! Think about the hype for yesterday's game...unless you know nothing about sports, you have probably heard that LeBron DITCHED the Cavs for the Miami Heat...AND he downright embarrassed his HOMETOWN in the process. SO...this game...his first game back to Cleveland/Akron area was a HUGE game. There was a TON of build up...A LOT of emotion. Even LeBron admitted that he had A LOT of different feelings heading into the game. AND his former teammates did too...
BUT...what were the results? How did they respond to the pressure?
The great-ones somehow block out the distractions at game-time...they go to "that place" mentally...the one that allows them to separate themselves from the distraction and emotion...they let it feed them...BUT not to the point of "over-performing." LeBron did that last night...He played at the top of his game...he was being insulted...slandered...SCREAMED at...much less his own personal emotions of being "back home." YET he responded with his best game of the year.
MEANWHILE..his former teammates caved under the emotion...they allowed the emotion of the day to overtake them and they did "overplay." So much so that they got DESTROYED! Hence the difference between the great and the good...there are REALLY good players on the Cavs or they wouldn't be in the NBA...BUT the biggest part of GREATNESS is MENTAL TOUGHNESS.
Lessons learned here for all of us...how mentally tough our we within our own context? How much do we allow "outside" or even INSIDE distractions run our emotions and allow that to affect our living out life? Good things to think about...and definitely better than reflecting on the game and that LeBron was wearing the wrong uniform last night!!
We often ask what the difference is in certain athletes...some seem to respond to the pressure, while others cave...some rise to the top while others, even those with AMAZING talent fall short. It is the same in business...church...life! Think about the hype for yesterday's game...unless you know nothing about sports, you have probably heard that LeBron DITCHED the Cavs for the Miami Heat...AND he downright embarrassed his HOMETOWN in the process. SO...this game...his first game back to Cleveland/Akron area was a HUGE game. There was a TON of build up...A LOT of emotion. Even LeBron admitted that he had A LOT of different feelings heading into the game. AND his former teammates did too...
BUT...what were the results? How did they respond to the pressure?
The great-ones somehow block out the distractions at game-time...they go to "that place" mentally...the one that allows them to separate themselves from the distraction and emotion...they let it feed them...BUT not to the point of "over-performing." LeBron did that last night...He played at the top of his game...he was being insulted...slandered...SCREAMED at...much less his own personal emotions of being "back home." YET he responded with his best game of the year.
MEANWHILE..his former teammates caved under the emotion...they allowed the emotion of the day to overtake them and they did "overplay." So much so that they got DESTROYED! Hence the difference between the great and the good...there are REALLY good players on the Cavs or they wouldn't be in the NBA...BUT the biggest part of GREATNESS is MENTAL TOUGHNESS.
Lessons learned here for all of us...how mentally tough our we within our own context? How much do we allow "outside" or even INSIDE distractions run our emotions and allow that to affect our living out life? Good things to think about...and definitely better than reflecting on the game and that LeBron was wearing the wrong uniform last night!!
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