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...