Over the last week, I've been amazed at the number of times that Michelle and I have heard the following:
1. "Don't worry...God is in control."
2. "God has something better in store."
3. "At least you have your faith."
4. "We may not have all the answers, but God does."
You know what I've realized: that stuff doesn't help people as much as I thought it did.
On Wednesday, my brother and I had a little conversation about some of this stuff. I understand that people mean well, but why do Christians think that these responses miraculously make people feel better? I'm not throwing-off on anyone because I've done the same thing. There have been many times, in the context of ministry, where I've used one or more of these phrases to help "comfort" someone. I realize now that I wasn't helping as much as I thought I was. For me, saying these things came naturally when I didn't have a clue what else to say. I thought it sounded good and was Biblical, so I threw it out there. Michael felt like it's a Christian's way of reassuring someone who already believes this stuff (at least, I think that was what he said).
While preparing for last night's talk, I spent a lot of time studying Matthew 7: 12. That verse has taken on new meaning for me during this time. God has shown me that it's not just about doing for others the way that you would like for them to do for you, but it's also about saying, feeling, and praying. I've learned that sometimes the best response to tragedy in someone's life is to send them a card, give them a hug, hold their hand, or buy them a meal. And when I do feel the need to say something, don't feel that I have to be some Biblical scholar with my response. It's ok to say, "I have no idea what to say right now, but I love you."
Again, this is not in response to anything that any specific person has said to Michelle or me. This is simply what God has taught me through this ordeal.
YES!!! God is already answering one of my questions (what is God trying to teach me through this). God is awesome!!!
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Gotta Unload (1)
Last night was a first: I had a sadness come over me like I've never experienced in my life. What brought it on? I have absolutely no idea. As a matter of fact, it happened while I was playing in basketball game. It wasn't like I was sitting-out at the time, either. I was on the court playing. I had to take myself out of the game with 12:38 left in the second half, only to have to return with 48 seconds left after one of our players fouled-out. I didn't want to be there. I wanted to be at home. I wanted to let my guard down and just weep.
And weep I did. I guess this tidal wave of emotions stems from me trying to be the strong husband that I felt that Michelle needed over the last ten days. After the initial shock of the miscarriage, I've been the one fielding calls, answering emails and text messages, etc. I've done everything in my power to allow Michelle the opportunity to grieve and recuperate. While I'm sure that was helpful to her, it really screwed me up because I didn't allow myself to grieve.
I will admit that I'm scared to death to type the following statements and questions, but I really need to let some of this stuff out to someone other than Michelle. I feel like this is the place to do that. Here goes nothing...
-How can anyone willingly take the life of an unborn child?
-Will there ever be a day when Michelle and I won't think about what happened?
-What is God trying to teach me?
-How can I be a better husband?
-Dang, this hurts!!!
-After Jesus, I want the first person I see in Heaven to be this child.
-I want to be a more compassionate individual.
-Is Michelle OK?
-Yes, I know God has a plan, but this is still hard to deal with.
-Hugs mean more to me now than ever before.
-How many tears can you cry before you get dehydrated? Seriously.
Wow. That actually felt good! Thanks for letting me unload on you :) Labels:
And weep I did. I guess this tidal wave of emotions stems from me trying to be the strong husband that I felt that Michelle needed over the last ten days. After the initial shock of the miscarriage, I've been the one fielding calls, answering emails and text messages, etc. I've done everything in my power to allow Michelle the opportunity to grieve and recuperate. While I'm sure that was helpful to her, it really screwed me up because I didn't allow myself to grieve.
I will admit that I'm scared to death to type the following statements and questions, but I really need to let some of this stuff out to someone other than Michelle. I feel like this is the place to do that. Here goes nothing...
-How can anyone willingly take the life of an unborn child?
-Will there ever be a day when Michelle and I won't think about what happened?
-What is God trying to teach me?
-How can I be a better husband?
-Dang, this hurts!!!
-After Jesus, I want the first person I see in Heaven to be this child.
-I want to be a more compassionate individual.
-Is Michelle OK?
-Yes, I know God has a plan, but this is still hard to deal with.
-Hugs mean more to me now than ever before.
-How many tears can you cry before you get dehydrated? Seriously.
Wow. That actually felt good! Thanks for letting me unload on you :) Labels:
Series Updates (0)
-One more night of Change the World. This series of talks has been a challenge for me to prepare and deliver. God has really opened my eyes to the simple things that I can do to make a difference.
-Last night, we went through week three of the series (I was gone last Wednesday). We talked about fasting: What, Why, and Why Not. After explaining the ins and outs of fasting, we challenged our students and leaders to fast for forty days. I was amazed at the response from some of our students, especially the middle schoolers. Please pray for our youth ministry as we spend this week seeking God's will about what we should fast from.
-Just so you know, I'm fasting from the TV show "LOST." I'm seriously addicted. I really should enroll in some type of 12-step program. God showed me that I've put too much importance in the beginning of this seasons episodes, so I'm giving them up for forty days in order to spend more time with Him. I know that "LOST" only comes on once a week, but God's convicted me to spend an extra hour a day (that's how long each episode lasts) seeking His will and direction for my life. This isn't a bragging thing...just an accountability thing.
-Wednesday night, we'll be talking about some specific ways to change the world. I can't begin to tell you how excited I am about Wednesday. We've got something really cool that we're introducing to everyone. If you're close, don't miss it!
-Here's a sneak peak into our next two series. Actually you're only getting the names: Love Connection (fitting for February) and Shhhh (hopefully, this will draw a crowd). Labels:
-Last night, we went through week three of the series (I was gone last Wednesday). We talked about fasting: What, Why, and Why Not. After explaining the ins and outs of fasting, we challenged our students and leaders to fast for forty days. I was amazed at the response from some of our students, especially the middle schoolers. Please pray for our youth ministry as we spend this week seeking God's will about what we should fast from.
-Just so you know, I'm fasting from the TV show "LOST." I'm seriously addicted. I really should enroll in some type of 12-step program. God showed me that I've put too much importance in the beginning of this seasons episodes, so I'm giving them up for forty days in order to spend more time with Him. I know that "LOST" only comes on once a week, but God's convicted me to spend an extra hour a day (that's how long each episode lasts) seeking His will and direction for my life. This isn't a bragging thing...just an accountability thing.
-Wednesday night, we'll be talking about some specific ways to change the world. I can't begin to tell you how excited I am about Wednesday. We've got something really cool that we're introducing to everyone. If you're close, don't miss it!
-Here's a sneak peak into our next two series. Actually you're only getting the names: Love Connection (fitting for February) and Shhhh (hopefully, this will draw a crowd). Labels:
Can I Ask God "Why?" (0)
Earlier this year, Mark (our pastor) and I were having a discussion about questions in Heaven. He made a statement that will forever stick-out in my mind: "You know, everyone says that they are going to ask this question or that question when they get to Heaven, but they won't have to since they'll have a perfect mind. Whoa! That totally blew me away. I had never thought about that, but he was absolutely right.
That got me thinking: if we won't have to ask God any questions when we get to Heaven, why not ask them now? For some reason, Christians have this idea that it's wrong to ask God why something has taken place. Why do we feel that this is some kind of heresy? I don't know. I guess we feel that it shows a lack a faith to ask God why He has allowed things to happen the way that they have. Let me ask you this: did Jesus show a lack of faith when He asked God why He (God) had forsaken Him (Jesus) while on the cross? I think not. He asked His Father what was on His mind. Why can't we do the same?
This has become very real to me in the last few days. I've found myself asking a ton of "why" questions. I don't know if God will choose to reveal His reasons for life's hardships while I'm here on earth, or if He'll let me understand Him once I get to Heaven, but I do know that He wants me to talk to Him about what's on my mind, and be open and honest with Him. He already knows what I'm thinking anyway, so why not let it out. All He requires is that we trust Him unconditionally regardless of the situation. If you can do that while asking Him "why," then everything is cool. It's only when we ask these questions as a result of our doubt in His absolute power and plan that we are at fault.
So, to sum up: Can I ask God "why?" Absolutely. Labels:
That got me thinking: if we won't have to ask God any questions when we get to Heaven, why not ask them now? For some reason, Christians have this idea that it's wrong to ask God why something has taken place. Why do we feel that this is some kind of heresy? I don't know. I guess we feel that it shows a lack a faith to ask God why He has allowed things to happen the way that they have. Let me ask you this: did Jesus show a lack of faith when He asked God why He (God) had forsaken Him (Jesus) while on the cross? I think not. He asked His Father what was on His mind. Why can't we do the same?
This has become very real to me in the last few days. I've found myself asking a ton of "why" questions. I don't know if God will choose to reveal His reasons for life's hardships while I'm here on earth, or if He'll let me understand Him once I get to Heaven, but I do know that He wants me to talk to Him about what's on my mind, and be open and honest with Him. He already knows what I'm thinking anyway, so why not let it out. All He requires is that we trust Him unconditionally regardless of the situation. If you can do that while asking Him "why," then everything is cool. It's only when we ask these questions as a result of our doubt in His absolute power and plan that we are at fault.
So, to sum up: Can I ask God "why?" Absolutely. Labels:
No Title Will Ever Do This Justice (0)
The last seven days have produced one of the toughest (if not the toughest) weeks that I have ever had. For those of you who do not know, Michelle began experiencing complications with her pregnancy last Thursday. After a roller coaster weekend, we lost our baby. I'm not gonna lie to you, this has been the hardest event that I have ever had to deal with. For three years, we struggled with the thought that we may not be able to have children, only to have God bless us with an incredible Christmas gift: a positive pregnancy test. However, He saw fit to bless us in a totally different way.
I know what you're thinking, "Hold up Brian. You mean to tell me that losing a child that you've prayed (begged actually) to have for the last three years is a blessing?" Yep. That's what I'm saying. God has blessed Michelle and me with a closeness in our relationship that we've never experienced before. He's blessed us with a better understanding of faith and trust than we've ever known. God has also given us a little glimpse into what He went through when His Son's life was taken from Him.
Don't get me wrong, we're not happy that this has happened. The only word that I've been able to use is devastation. This has totally blown us away, but we've also been blown away by the truth in God's Word. We've experienced His peace that passes all understanding. We've been reminded that He has great plan for us. We've even been reminded that He is to be praised in the midst of the crappiest situation that we could ever imagine. I told Michelle today that I finally understand Job 1: 20 & 21.
I want to end by thanking everyone who's called, emailed, texted, dropped-by, brought food, and especially prayed for us over the last few days. You have no idea how God has used each one of you to help us during this difficult time. Please remember this: God knows best, and He desires to share that "best" with us. Michelle and I don't really know what that "best" is yet, but we're asking Him to reveal it to us in His time (BTW...it's ok to ask why. Don't believe me? Come back tomorrow.). Thanks again for your support. We love you all! Labels:
I know what you're thinking, "Hold up Brian. You mean to tell me that losing a child that you've prayed (begged actually) to have for the last three years is a blessing?" Yep. That's what I'm saying. God has blessed Michelle and me with a closeness in our relationship that we've never experienced before. He's blessed us with a better understanding of faith and trust than we've ever known. God has also given us a little glimpse into what He went through when His Son's life was taken from Him.
Don't get me wrong, we're not happy that this has happened. The only word that I've been able to use is devastation. This has totally blown us away, but we've also been blown away by the truth in God's Word. We've experienced His peace that passes all understanding. We've been reminded that He has great plan for us. We've even been reminded that He is to be praised in the midst of the crappiest situation that we could ever imagine. I told Michelle today that I finally understand Job 1: 20 & 21.
I want to end by thanking everyone who's called, emailed, texted, dropped-by, brought food, and especially prayed for us over the last few days. You have no idea how God has used each one of you to help us during this difficult time. Please remember this: God knows best, and He desires to share that "best" with us. Michelle and I don't really know what that "best" is yet, but we're asking Him to reveal it to us in His time (BTW...it's ok to ask why. Don't believe me? Come back tomorrow.). Thanks again for your support. We love you all! Labels:
The Power of "But" (0)
Yesterday, I was confronted by God on an issue of which I never realized I was guilty. He told me that I have a "but" problem. No, this has nothing to do with my posterior. The issue is with my prayer life. I realized yesterday that I use the word "but" way too much when I talk to God. In one breath, I'll pray that His will to be done in my life, only to follow that with a "but" statement. It may go something like this: God, show me the people that you want to be leaders in youth ministry, but if it is within Your will, let it be these individuals... This is merely an example; however, God revealed to me that I do this a lot.
God reminded me of Jesus praying in the garden. He's about to be hauled-off to stand trial for crimes He didn't commit. He was hours away from suffering one of the worst deaths imaginable, and He prays this: "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." Jesus uses a "but statement (OK, its a "yet statement")," but He uses it in the right manner. He asks God to find another way to save the world, and immediately follows that by saying that He desires for God's will to be done. This is how we should pray. Be open with God about your feelings, your needs, your desires, but ultimately submit to His plan for your life. He wants you to be honest with Him; however, He wants you to desire His will more than your desires.
Isn't it amazing how God can use one little word to correct our lives! Labels:
God reminded me of Jesus praying in the garden. He's about to be hauled-off to stand trial for crimes He didn't commit. He was hours away from suffering one of the worst deaths imaginable, and He prays this: "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." Jesus uses a "but statement (OK, its a "yet statement")," but He uses it in the right manner. He asks God to find another way to save the world, and immediately follows that by saying that He desires for God's will to be done. This is how we should pray. Be open with God about your feelings, your needs, your desires, but ultimately submit to His plan for your life. He wants you to be honest with Him; however, He wants you to desire His will more than your desires.
Isn't it amazing how God can use one little word to correct our lives! Labels:
Wednesday Reflections (0)
The threat of a winter storm may have hindered our numbers on Wednesday, but God showed-up in a huge way! The band started things off with a bang. Great job guys! Before I continue, I want to boast on God for a little bit. I am blessed beyond belief to have this band as a part of MLBC's youth ministry. These are some of the most talented young people I've ever met, but the best part is their faithfulness. They rarely, if ever, miss a Wednesday night. Thanks guys, you rock!
Back to last night. As I mentioned in my last post, we continued the Change the World series by talking about Matthew 5: 43-48. Jesus explains to us that it is our responsibility to "change" our relationships. We must realize that we can't "stop the bleeding" by slapping a spiritual band-aid on the issues that we have with others. We have to continually treat others how we desire to be treated, and most importantly, talk to God about it. We challenged our youth to think of just one person with whom they have a strained relationship. We had them write that person's name on a band-aid wrapper. They are to wear the band-aid for one week as a reminder to do whatever is possible to "stop the bleeding" between themselves and the other person. There was a great response, and you could really see God beginning to change the mindset of some of our youth about others.
Now, to the big issue at hand: IT SNOWED LAST NIGHT! We got around 2.5". After youth group last night, I stood outside our gym for 10-15 minutes and watched the snow. I love how peaceful it feels when it snows. Everything seems to slow-down (with the exception of the two guys on the four wheelers riding around on wet roads...seriously, you were that bored), and for someone with ADHD that's hard to do.
I'll finish-up with this thought: if you are in such desperate need of groceries that you must go to the store the day before 2" of snow, shouldn't you have gone two or three days before. Come on!! It's not like we were going to be stuck inside for ten days. What amazed me more than the sheer number of people at the store (btw, I had to go pick-up food since we didn't know if our CARE group would be meeting or not) was what they were buying. The three most common items were frozen pizza, ice cream, and cookie dough. Someone's going to be gaining some weight today. Good people of the south, I implore you in the names of Sam Walton, Harris Teeter, Phil Bilo, and Andy Piggly Wiggly: buy your bread and milk on a regular schedule, and "severe winter weather" will not sneak-up on you! Labels:
Back to last night. As I mentioned in my last post, we continued the Change the World series by talking about Matthew 5: 43-48. Jesus explains to us that it is our responsibility to "change" our relationships. We must realize that we can't "stop the bleeding" by slapping a spiritual band-aid on the issues that we have with others. We have to continually treat others how we desire to be treated, and most importantly, talk to God about it. We challenged our youth to think of just one person with whom they have a strained relationship. We had them write that person's name on a band-aid wrapper. They are to wear the band-aid for one week as a reminder to do whatever is possible to "stop the bleeding" between themselves and the other person. There was a great response, and you could really see God beginning to change the mindset of some of our youth about others.
Now, to the big issue at hand: IT SNOWED LAST NIGHT! We got around 2.5". After youth group last night, I stood outside our gym for 10-15 minutes and watched the snow. I love how peaceful it feels when it snows. Everything seems to slow-down (with the exception of the two guys on the four wheelers riding around on wet roads...seriously, you were that bored), and for someone with ADHD that's hard to do.
I'll finish-up with this thought: if you are in such desperate need of groceries that you must go to the store the day before 2" of snow, shouldn't you have gone two or three days before. Come on!! It's not like we were going to be stuck inside for ten days. What amazed me more than the sheer number of people at the store (btw, I had to go pick-up food since we didn't know if our CARE group would be meeting or not) was what they were buying. The three most common items were frozen pizza, ice cream, and cookie dough. Someone's going to be gaining some weight today. Good people of the south, I implore you in the names of Sam Walton, Harris Teeter, Phil Bilo, and Andy Piggly Wiggly: buy your bread and milk on a regular schedule, and "severe winter weather" will not sneak-up on you! Labels:
Stop the Bleeding, Air Hockey, and Podcasts (1)
In order to limit my rambling, I've narrowed today's post to three topics:
1)Stop the Bleeding
I know that this sounds a little gruesome, but stay with me. Tomorrow night will be week 2 of Change the World. We're going to be digging into Matthew 5: 43-48. As I've studied this passage, God has shown me that this is the root of living a practical Christian life. Where does "stop the bleeding" come into play? Show-up tomorrow at 7pm and you'll find-out :)
2)Air Hockey
For those of you who don't know, we've put a lot of time and money into a game room for our youth. We've got ping-pong, PS2, XBox 360, and more. I've been excited about adding a Foosball table, until today. While running around Greenville, I found a $400 air hockey table for $175! Since I don't pass up a great deal, we'll have a new toy tomorrow night.
3)Podcasts
Here's the deal with the worship videos: they're time consuming to edit, and the service costs too much; therefore, we have suspended (and by suspended, I mean ended) post them online. Instead, we are going to begin podcasting our worship times. What's podcasting? Here's a simple definition: you can go online and download the audio to your computer, Ipod, or other mp3 player. This is going to save a ton of time and money. We'll be trying this out tomorrow night, and we'll see when we get the first one online.
There you go. Three topics and no rabbit chasing. I'm so happy (as I'm sure you are too)! Labels:
1)Stop the Bleeding
I know that this sounds a little gruesome, but stay with me. Tomorrow night will be week 2 of Change the World. We're going to be digging into Matthew 5: 43-48. As I've studied this passage, God has shown me that this is the root of living a practical Christian life. Where does "stop the bleeding" come into play? Show-up tomorrow at 7pm and you'll find-out :)
2)Air Hockey
For those of you who don't know, we've put a lot of time and money into a game room for our youth. We've got ping-pong, PS2, XBox 360, and more. I've been excited about adding a Foosball table, until today. While running around Greenville, I found a $400 air hockey table for $175! Since I don't pass up a great deal, we'll have a new toy tomorrow night.
3)Podcasts
Here's the deal with the worship videos: they're time consuming to edit, and the service costs too much; therefore, we have suspended (and by suspended, I mean ended) post them online. Instead, we are going to begin podcasting our worship times. What's podcasting? Here's a simple definition: you can go online and download the audio to your computer, Ipod, or other mp3 player. This is going to save a ton of time and money. We'll be trying this out tomorrow night, and we'll see when we get the first one online.
There you go. Three topics and no rabbit chasing. I'm so happy (as I'm sure you are too)! Labels:
I'm Not the Only One (0)
Disclaimer: This post is not intended to make fun of anyone. It is merely a reminder that ministers are human.
I mentioned Sammy Clary in a recent post. I've always enjoyed hearing Sammy speak, but his most recent blog post made my day! Why? It reminded me that I'm not the only one who slips-up while speaking. During the summer, I made the mistake of saying "knocked-up" instead of "knocked down and got back up." We had a pretty good laugh that Wednesday night, and I never expected to hear anyone else say the same thing, until...I read this. Labels:
I mentioned Sammy Clary in a recent post. I've always enjoyed hearing Sammy speak, but his most recent blog post made my day! Why? It reminded me that I'm not the only one who slips-up while speaking. During the summer, I made the mistake of saying "knocked-up" instead of "knocked down and got back up." We had a pretty good laugh that Wednesday night, and I never expected to hear anyone else say the same thing, until...I read this. Labels:
Attention All Customers... (1)
I thought about entitling this post "Wha, Wha, Wha!" Why? Because that's the exact sound Michelle and I heard over and over while in Ingles last night. No, it wasn't a baby. It was the fire alarm. As we're finishing our shopping trip, the alarm starts going crazy. We didn't think anything about it, and continued to pick-up our last few items. As we're walking toward the check-out lines we hear a frantic employee scream-out over the PA system, "Attention shoppers, please exit the store immediately!" Needless to say, it was a little nerve racking (by nerve-racking, I mean irritating). We were at the check-out line. All we had to do is pay for our groceries, but they made us leave the store. We were so close.
As we stood in the parking lot, God spoke to me. "How many times have you encountered people that were "so close" to accepting me as their Savior, but you hurried them on by." Wow! Was this true? I've always thought that I took the time to share the Gospel whenever I had the chance, but am I really missing opportunities? Yes. The answer is a resounding "yes." God broke my heart with thoughts of being in too big of a hurry, or too busy, or just plain lazy with telling others about Him. Worse yet, there were thoughts of all of the times that I didn't live the change in my life because it wasn't convenient. Being "salt and light" is not about how fast you can get through the process of sharing Christ; nor, is it about doing it when it feel comfortable. We shouldn't feel the need to rush people into a decision. Yes, it is a "time sensitive issue," but we don't make that call. All we can do is be faithful enough to put the message out there on a consistent basis. God, I don't want to be like Ingles employees during a fire alarm. Help me see people through your eyes, and be as patient with them as You are with me.
Here's what wound-up happening at Ingles: there was some sort of fire in the men's room. It had been put-out, but the fire department still had to come and clear the building. Michelle and I ended up at Bloom. Labels:
As we stood in the parking lot, God spoke to me. "How many times have you encountered people that were "so close" to accepting me as their Savior, but you hurried them on by." Wow! Was this true? I've always thought that I took the time to share the Gospel whenever I had the chance, but am I really missing opportunities? Yes. The answer is a resounding "yes." God broke my heart with thoughts of being in too big of a hurry, or too busy, or just plain lazy with telling others about Him. Worse yet, there were thoughts of all of the times that I didn't live the change in my life because it wasn't convenient. Being "salt and light" is not about how fast you can get through the process of sharing Christ; nor, is it about doing it when it feel comfortable. We shouldn't feel the need to rush people into a decision. Yes, it is a "time sensitive issue," but we don't make that call. All we can do is be faithful enough to put the message out there on a consistent basis. God, I don't want to be like Ingles employees during a fire alarm. Help me see people through your eyes, and be as patient with them as You are with me.
Here's what wound-up happening at Ingles: there was some sort of fire in the men's room. It had been put-out, but the fire department still had to come and clear the building. Michelle and I ended up at Bloom. Labels:
Me First (0)
Last night, we kicked-off our new series Change the World. The night was little weird. The "atmosphere" was kinda strange. Everyone seemed to be lethargic. I attribute it to exams for the high school students and the first day of class for all my leaders from NGU. I say that, but in reality I believe it was Satan trying to get screw-up everything.
For two months we've been preparing for this series. A ton of prayer, study, and preparation have gone into it, and I think that Satan is a little scared about what's taking place. God wants to shake our youth ministry to the core. He wants our youth and leaders to understand the concept of living a practical Christian life, and Satan hates the thought of 50+ youth and adults changing the world!
With that said, I have good news: God showed-up! We studied the Beatitudes with the understanding that we must have a "Me First" attitude when it comes to changing the world. That's right church, I said "me first." We have to quit sitting on our hands, waiting for someone else to make a difference, and the only way to do that is to examine ourselves. Before changing the world, we must allow Christ to change us. We used the Beatitudes as a checklist measuring the change that has taken place in us. We had a great response from a lot of people. Praise God!
Today is my day off, and I am spending it with Michelle (whenever she wakes up; it's 10:30, come on). We have some very romantic plans. Clean the house and work on cleaning-out the garage. Of course, all of the strenuous work goes to me since she is great with child. Yes! I finally got to use that phrase. Labels:
For two months we've been preparing for this series. A ton of prayer, study, and preparation have gone into it, and I think that Satan is a little scared about what's taking place. God wants to shake our youth ministry to the core. He wants our youth and leaders to understand the concept of living a practical Christian life, and Satan hates the thought of 50+ youth and adults changing the world!
With that said, I have good news: God showed-up! We studied the Beatitudes with the understanding that we must have a "Me First" attitude when it comes to changing the world. That's right church, I said "me first." We have to quit sitting on our hands, waiting for someone else to make a difference, and the only way to do that is to examine ourselves. Before changing the world, we must allow Christ to change us. We used the Beatitudes as a checklist measuring the change that has taken place in us. We had a great response from a lot of people. Praise God!
Today is my day off, and I am spending it with Michelle (whenever she wakes up; it's 10:30, come on). We have some very romantic plans. Clean the house and work on cleaning-out the garage. Of course, all of the strenuous work goes to me since she is great with child. Yes! I finally got to use that phrase. Labels:
Here You Go (0)
Here's the promo video for "Change the World." It's nothing special, but maybe it will spark your interest. It seemed to work for the youth last week. Enjoy.
Back on Track (0)
I decided after my last post that I would take a little vacation from blogging. I must admit that I missed it. It's nice to be able to unpack the thoughts that clutter my mind on a daily basis. In short, I missed you guys! Ok, that's enough of that. I mean, come on, this isn't the Oprah Winfrey Show. I'm not sitting here trying to make people cry, or throwing around my millions or dollars, or pushing my political agenda. Oops, did I say too much :)
I am excited to be blogging again because I get to tell you about our latest series for our youth group. I don't know how many of you have seen "Evan Almighty," but it's really a good movie. Clean humor with mild language (and I mean very mild), and it really presents a good point: we can change the world. Remarkably, we have to watch a movie based on a Biblical story to catch an idea that God has been trying to drill into our heads for years. Beginning this Wednesday, we are launching a year-long campaign to "Change the World." I cannot remember the last time that I was this excited about a series of messages. We're going to be exploring the "Sermon on the Mount" as we learn how Jesus felt about making a difference where we live. Our youth need to understand that they can make an enormous impact on society in the smallest of ways. I'm trying to include the promo video in the post, but our satelite internet service at the church stinks! Hey AT&T and Charter: it would be great if you guys would include Mt. Lebanon Church Rd. in "the digital age." Sorry. ADHD kicked-in. Anyway, if you're in the Blue Ridge area on Wednesday, stop in and join us for an amazing night!
I almost forgot to update everyone on Michelle. She's doing really well with the early stages of her pregnancy. There have been a couple of instances of nausea, but she hasn't been sick. THANK YOU JESUS! It's hard to believe that she only has a couple of more weeks until she begins her second trimester. Thanks to those of you who have been lifing her up in prayer, and please continue to do so. You can pray for me too. I'm really getting tired of cleaning-out the litter box. Labels:
I am excited to be blogging again because I get to tell you about our latest series for our youth group. I don't know how many of you have seen "Evan Almighty," but it's really a good movie. Clean humor with mild language (and I mean very mild), and it really presents a good point: we can change the world. Remarkably, we have to watch a movie based on a Biblical story to catch an idea that God has been trying to drill into our heads for years. Beginning this Wednesday, we are launching a year-long campaign to "Change the World." I cannot remember the last time that I was this excited about a series of messages. We're going to be exploring the "Sermon on the Mount" as we learn how Jesus felt about making a difference where we live. Our youth need to understand that they can make an enormous impact on society in the smallest of ways. I'm trying to include the promo video in the post, but our satelite internet service at the church stinks! Hey AT&T and Charter: it would be great if you guys would include Mt. Lebanon Church Rd. in "the digital age." Sorry. ADHD kicked-in. Anyway, if you're in the Blue Ridge area on Wednesday, stop in and join us for an amazing night!
I almost forgot to update everyone on Michelle. She's doing really well with the early stages of her pregnancy. There have been a couple of instances of nausea, but she hasn't been sick. THANK YOU JESUS! It's hard to believe that she only has a couple of more weeks until she begins her second trimester. Thanks to those of you who have been lifing her up in prayer, and please continue to do so. You can pray for me too. I'm really getting tired of cleaning-out the litter box. Labels:
