Recharging my batteries...

How do you recharge your batteries? When you feel like your emotional gas tank is low, what do you do? I used to listen to slow...deeply meaningful music...it always left me feeling worse...NOT ANY MORE! Two things the past two days that have helped me clear my head...The first...tearing off my brother in-law Stu's roof! WHAT A BLAST! We ripped off 2 layers of shingles and I loved EVERY MINUTE OF IT!

Another way I recharge my batteries is to play with my kids. Chloe had her birthday party today with 9 kids...We had to punt because the Healthworks Museum was closed...we went to a HUGE playground and ran...played hide and seek..ran some more...then we came back and ate cake...went back outside and made an obstacle course...OH IT WAS FUN! I needed that today...just hanging out with my kids...amazing how some physical exercise and playing around with my kids makes me feel better...

Rest in Jesus...

God has a mysterious way of working things out. I was to be on my way to China on Thursday...instead I had the opportunity to give a pinhole of hope to a hurting family. A family that desperately needs God's peace. The funeral Thursday was something that I will not soon forget...hundreds of people gathered to mourn for Haley's death...so many tears shed. My prayer is simple...I pray that each person there grabs ahold of Jesus. It seemed to me that Jesus spoke the words of Matthew 11 for this family..."come to me you who are weak and burdened and I will give you rest." I beg God to have these people come to him...he will give them the rest...may not answer all of their questions, but he will give them rest.

Imagine how different our city would be if the adults and teens that came to Haley's funeral would grab Jesus and hold on...hold on with everything they have...imagine if they would make the choice to treat each other with respect and to work through their differences..."Come on God, open hearts and eyes to you and have them take the step to come to you!"

Hope...

In about an hour I will be going to a funeral for Haley, a beautiful, smart, talented 16 year old young lady that committed suicide...I will be talking during the service and I have to say this is one of the hardest things I have had to do as a pastor...Haley had so many people that loved her...the lines were long for over 5 hours last night at the viewing. I have one goal today...I don't have answers...I can't say why...BUT I can give hope...hope because Jesus said that he will give rest to ANYONE who comes to him. ANYONE...no matter how badly the family is hurting, no matter how many unanswered questions her friends have...Jesus is there waiting...waiting to give them a peace that is unexplainable...



"God I pray...that each person there today would see the love you have for them...that you want them to come as they are...with their pain, questions and hurt...God, comfort these teens and family

Why do we wait?

I was thinking back on yesterday morning and this past week...why do we wait to have people baptized? Story after story in the Bible says that a person gives their life to Jesus AND THEN THEY WERE BAPTIZED...not years later...not when we have seen them come to maturity...RIGHT THEN...and WHY NOT?! When we first have our kids we want to introduce them to everyone. I think God wants the same thing...he uses baptism as a way to introduce his kids to the world..."HEY WORLD...THIS ONE BELONGS TO ME!" Cool huh?!?!

I thank God that I got to experience something yesterday that blew my mind...a real Ephesians 3: 18-20 moment...that God DID more than I could have imagined. 7 people baptized...at least 3 that gave their lives to Jesus THIS WEEK...YES!

They went home wet!!

WOW! When God moves...RUN WITH IT! We had 2 planned baptisms this morning...after Pastor Jim spoke on baptism in the message today, we had 5 more people get baptized! Yes they went home wet!! 3 of them gave their life to Jesus this week...PRAISE GOD!! What a morning...what a movement of God...Glad he allowed us to be apart of it...

YES!

Last night I had the opportunity to pray with a young lady as she gave her life to Jesus. OH...how amazing to be praying with someone who is now living for Jesus. A great part of this is that at least 6 other people from our church have poured themselves into her...AWESOME! The body of Christ working together to reach people...YES!

Here is the thing...you don't have to be a SUPER evangelist to share Jesus with people...You have to be YOU! You have a story about how God has changed your life...so share it! Share it! Share it! God will use that...it wasn't too many years ago that I NEVER had the chance to pray with people as they received Christ. I had a time of prayer one night in our basement confessing to God through many tears that I sold him short...that I felt that I couldn't or that I didn't think people were ready...and many other excuses. God has changed me since...BOY AM I A WORK IN PROGRESS, I have had the chance to pray with 11 people over the past 1 1/2 years as they gave their lives to Jesus...I only share that because I AM LIKE MANY OF YOU...I struggled to get the words out...struggled to ask the questions of people...Struggled to just open my mouth...BUT God has decided to use me anyway...I AM SO GLAD THAT HE HAS!!

Do you need to confess? Do you need to ask God to open you up to share? DO IT! You will be sooooooooooo glad you did!

Philemon 6..."I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ."

Happy Birthday Chloe!

8 years ago Kelsey was just about to deliver our beautiful daughter Chloe...I remember that day and how angelic she looked when I saw her for the first time! I sure love her and am SO PROUD of her...she loves Jesus! THAT IS THE BEST...and she loves me! OH...nothing like the love of a child to make you feel like you can take on the world. Had lunch with her today at school...SO PROUD of her! (Did I already mention that!?!?!)

The pic of Chloe and me before the Daddy-Daughter Dance this year...

Playing Wii

OK...have the youth groups Wii at my house right now. Haven't returned it after Mama Mania yet...Did the "fitness" test on it last night and was rated as 61 years old! (The test was bowling...tennis...baseball) Went through training last night and this morning and now I'm rated at 28 years old! OH YEAH! A little practice and I shaved off 33 years!

Have to return the Wii today 'cause they need it for Youth Group tonight...good times bowling with the whole family on it too...Jaden beat me by 2 pins in the final of our family tourney on Mother's Day...I came back and beat Kels with the first family 200+ game THEN SHE GOES AND SCORES A 220+ GAME last night!! We had some good family times...make me want to own one!

Mom...your kids need you!

Yesterday I preached on 6 things that kids need from their moms...

6. Discipline them...train up a child in the way he should go...

5. Listen to them...STOP and listen!

4. Let them Fly...you must let them out of the nest and let them explore

3. Respect him...respect their dad

2. Pray for them...ALL THE TIME!

1. Love God...The most important point is that God loves you mom. Loves you...you are NOT known to him as someones wife...someones mom...he knows you by name and wants a relationship with YOU! Please know that today...GOD LOVES YOU!

Moms are AWESOME and carry so much...what a great day celebrating them...Here is a pic of me and my mom...

What a team!

As portable church you sometimes get some curveballs thrown at you...this was us yesterday...Jerimae our worship pastor was on vacation...Michele our computer tech was gone for the week...AND Colin our main man in charge of set-up got sick and couldn't make it!! YEAH BABY! So, our team has one of two choices...shrivel up and die or hit the challenge head on! OH MY...the team NAILED IT and with 15 minutes to spare!! Dave, Dave, Kyle, Travis, Jeff, Chloe & Jaden all helped with set up...Tim brought our trailer of equipment that Colin has at his house...Sharon even tried to get in the office to get us another projector, but couldn't get in! It was AMAZING! CRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAZY but amazing! The service rocked...we had 2 projectors running...a Wii set up...a live message...Moma Mania games...gave away prizes...played more videos than we ever had during the live message! WHAT A TEAM! I feel sooooooooooooooooooooooo blessed to be with a group that just steps up and makes things happen. GREAT JOB! (And this is only mentioning what happened in the auditorium and not even what the team did outside the auditorium...in the nursery, preschool and Kidzone! WE ARE BLESSED!)