GREAT quote...

"Would you want your sons to retrace your footprints this past week?"

Whoa...I just read that on Pastor Jim's blog...My answer this week would be YES!! I pray that I would be able to say that EVERY TIME...How about you!?!

Deja Vu

This Sunday is the last in our Deja Vu series...I look forward to preaching on Sunday...it seems that we have seasons where I am up there about 3 or 4 times in a couple of months but right now it has been maybe 2x's in the past 14 weeks...I AM ITCHING TO SPEAK!

Sunday my message will be a variation of a message I did in Goshen over 2 years ago...it is really cool how it fits RIGHT WHERE WE ARE in 2009...I am looking forward to the opportunity to share my heart...God is working!

Good verses!

"What shall we say then? Shall we go on sinning so grace may increase? BY NO MEANS! We died to sin, how can we live in it any longer?" (Romans 6: 1-2) Oh that is a good couple of verses...We don't sin so that grace may increase...we STOP SINNING because we looooooong to please our Savior! So...as I quoted a few days ago..."Above all else guard your hearts, for it is the wellspring of life." AMEN?!?!?!?! RUN FROM SIN...GUARD YOUR HEART...RUN TO GOD!!

THAT sounds like a formula for success!!

Monday Reflections

Amazing and CRAZY Sunday...The message was on "Knowing your weapons" talking about spiritual warfare...VERY GOOD message...POWERFUL! THE church needs to stand as one and say "I will commit to stand with you through the battle." That we will have each other's backs! Another key point was to remember that Satan's power is limited! He cannot read our minds...he cannot be everywhere at once...HE IS NOT GOD! Also, we need to use the weapons that we have...Prayer/Getting Dressed (Armor of God)/Angels. It was a great morning...LOVE OUR CHURCH and what God is doing in people!



The craziness came when my keys were dropped in a storm drain...AND it had our only car key that we have left on it!! 3 hours of looking...a pool cleaner...city workers...and ONE BIG TRUCK later we have them back! WHOA...crazy night!!

My Tri-athletes

Chloe and Jaden were at it again. Today was South Bend's Kid's Triathlon. The City does an OUTSTANDING job of running this event...hundreds of children and there were all done in 2 hours!

Chloe had two BIG accomplishments today...she finished 2 minutes faster than last year AND she ran the fun 1/2 mile without stopping...she has NEVER run a 1/2 mile straight, not even when we practiced for the triathlon. (Yes, my kids ASKED to practice, so it wasn't just competitive dad pushing them!!) I was sooooooooooooo proud of her.

Jaden did very well too...he was behind in his heat after the pool to bike transition, but he made up some ground while on the bike. In the next transition between the bike and run he made up ground and started the run even with another 2 boys. One of the boys was from the heat BEFORE him and the other in his heat. Jaden ended up WINNING his heat AND WINNING his age division by close to 15 seconds. The boys he was running with came in 2nd and 5th. HE WAS SWEATING after that run...it was fun! He shaved off 2 1/2 minutes off of his time from last year when he finished 3rd.

The bottom line...I am sooooooooooooooooooo proud of both of them...they both worked hard and practiced and it paid off!

First things first...

"Above all else guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." This verse doesn't say this is just something to think about...it says "ABOVE ALL ELSE..." Before you take care of your body...before you get more information in your head...before you pour out your life into other people..."GUARD YOUR HEART" WHY? Why is it that important..."For it is the wellspring of life." OH I LOVE FRESH WATER! So, if I am going to take care of my body...learn more about Jesus...learn more about my work...about parenting...and before I pour my life out into other people...I need to make sure that the water of my heart is FRESH water...STRAIGHT from the Spring of LIVING water! U WITH ME?!?!?!

Everyone...

"ABOVE ALL ELSE guard your heart,

for it is the wellspring of life."

Trials bring growth

I had lunch today with a couple that just returned from an internship in San Francisco helping the homeless. They were to be there for a year, but were cut short by not having enough finances. I LOVE THEIR SPIRIT THOUGH...although they are VERY disappointed that they had to leave, they truly believe that God used the time to train them and bring them back here for something...they are working through the something. And we can't wait to see what the something is!

You would have thought that my post from yesterday was written for them...BUT I hadn't talked at length with them yet...Meeting with them today, I could sense a depth to their relationship with Jesus and each other that wasn't there when they left...GOD MOVED in them...God changed and is changing them...some of it really hurt, but God moved.

I AM SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO proud of them...so proud of how they are handling coming back...AND I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE HOW GOD IS GOING TO USE THEM HERE!

What do you do?

How do you handle disappointment? When you have certain expectations and they are not met? How do you respond to that? Do you shrivel up and go hide in a corner? Do you cry? How do you respond?

I believe that people should admit when they are disappointed and not just act like nothing happened. People want to know the truth of how you feel, BUT that disappointment SHOULD NOT defeat you! If something is happening in your life that didn't meet your expectations...FIRST admit that! Don't ignore it! THEN...take it on as an opportunity and a challenge.

Too many people either ignore disappointments in their lives and do not learn from them OR they LIVE in the disappointments of their lives and don't look for the opportunities.

SO LET'S BE REAL! Admit when we are disappointed...when our expectations weren't met and then GET TO WORK and take the challenge head on to see what OPPORTUNITIES might come of it!

Monday Reflections...YES GOD!

THERE WERE 5 PEOPLE WHO PRAYED TO MAKE JESUS LORD OF THEIR LIVES YESTERDAY MORNING!!!! I just couldn't hold that back! We are in a Deja Vu series right now...our people voted on which messages they wanted to hear again from the past 2 years...yesterday was Pastor Rich speaking on "Knowing your enemy." He was nailing it and while I sat there listening to him I had this overwhelming feeling from God...down in my gut..."Tim, give people a chance to respond to me." So, Rich finished the message and I went up front...Jerimae came up too and I just said "play something easy." I knew he would nail it...then I laid it out there and Spirit opened up people's eyes...WOW!

When the Spirit calls you...when he asks you to do something...RESPOND...you'll be glad you did!

Camping

Yep...the Boucher's went camping this weekend and it stormed and then rained the next night too! We have camped 3 years in a row and had rain...thunder...lightning EVERY YEAR! The people we camped with from church were cursing my name!

BUT...we had a GREAT time anyway! I was soooooo encouraged to see so many people come and spend time together. Friendships are deepening at our church...it is so fun to watch. Great to see the youth have a good time...I love teenagers! One of them pushed me into the pool! Good to swallow some pool water!!

My kids are EXHAUSTED...they played and played and played! Good times!

HEY...I cannot wait for tomorrow morning...I love this church and love celebrating God with them!