I'm Still Here...

So, the rapture of the church that was supposed to happen today has failed to materialize. I have restrained myself from the poking and picking that I have seen so many on the web do over the last few days. Don't get me wrong, a large part of me wanted to make fun of the notion just to make myself seem "not crazy" to my non-believing friends. I never for a second believed today was the day, not that it couldn't have been, because that's up to God. In fact, I hadn't really given the whole "rapture is May 21st" much thought at all until two days ago. That's when it hit me.....what if it is???

Now, I don't want to sound crazy because I didn't believe it was the day at all....but I just felt this overwhelming burden that said what if it is? Over the last two days, I felt the Holy Spirit begin to lay on my heart the faces and names of all the people I know that haven't yet met Jesus. Honestly, I've felt an overwhelming sense of sadness for them. What if it was today? How many family members would have missed out? How many of my friends would have missed out? What about my students? My children? I mean they accepted Christ when they were younger but are they really his?

I can say this, I don't want to make fun of the crazies that predicted the end of the world as we know it. I do however, want to use their foolish mistakes as a reminder that sometime, someday he'll come and until that day I want to reach as many people with God's love as possible. I want to be about my fathers business.

Without Him I can do nothing....with Him all things are possible.

Sunday Mind Dump (Monday Edition)

Still nothing to blog about ministry wise so I am going to take a minute to talk about a great message in church yesterday. The church we've been hanging out at had a missionary from Poland in and he gave a killer message. It was all about not being afraid to go after what God is calling you to go after. One of his points was "If you're waiting for perfect conditions before you act, you'll be dead before you act." How true!

God calls us to do things in his time and for his purpose. We move based on that and not our ideal circumstances. How fitting. Whether the move is personal as in I need to do something or corporate meaning the church needs to do something....we move when he calls us, not when we're ready.

So let's dump about this principle a little:

• Maybe God is calling you to step up into a ministry role and you are waiting for somethinto happen first....stop waiting and do it.
• Maybe God is calling you to change careers, stop waiting for the perfect situation and do it.
• Perhaps God is calling your church to take new ground but your afraid finances are going to hold you back....take a step of faith and do what he's calling you to do and trust he'll provide.
• Maybe you've had a longing to start a family but you're waiting for the perfect job first, or building up more money...you'll never have enough of it...so just do it.

I could go on and on but the point is still the same....whatever it is step out in faith and go for it!

I'm getting there.

So, I have been taking classes over the last year to complete my Ed.S. degree. It looks like I'll be done in the fall! I couldn't be happier, these classes are really starting to cut into my lying around time!

Ok, all jokes aside, the classes have been a little rougher this semester. I just seem to have no motivation to write or work on them. Perhaps I'll feel more like it in the summer but who knows....at least for now it's good to be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I'll have 3 classes and an internship that consists of me writing a handbook for professional development this summer. Then 2 classes in the fall and my merry go round of classes should be over. I think I am done now....I am not doing anything else...and YOU CAN"T MAKE ME! LOL.

Sunday Mind Dump

Now that I am back on a ministry break I don't have much ministry wise to blog about personally so I am going to take this opportunity to cheer for others in the trenches. This morning was the official launch of 242. What a big day for them...so let's dump about that:

• 242 has been up and running a little under a year. It launched this morning. Simply awesome!
• Over the last year, they've lost a pastor and yet God provided.
  
• They are running well ahead of the average in terms of attendance and giving in the midst of a sluggish economy. God provides.
• The new pastor has become a friend of mine and I call it a privilege to be able to coach him and work behind the scenes helping the church in whatever way God allows.
• Even though we are not at 242 every week anymore I am still praying for you guys regularly.
  
• They are doing a killer job of getting people connected in meaningful ministry positions and the church really looks great on Sunday mornings.
• Loved seeing new faces this morning. For those who haven't been a part of a church plant before understand it takes time, lots of time, to grow a church. It's not normal to grow rapidly, in fact, most churches couldn't handle it anyway....you grow slow and steady....with some spurts in there for good measure.
• Loved seeing the kids ministry taking steps forward. Looking really good!
• Stay humble and listening to God and good things are going to happen @ 242!
  

Sunday Mind Dump (Monday Edition)

April and I went to SC for a friends wedding this past weekend. What a long trip! It was a nice wedding and we're glad we we able to get away for a few days to be there to celebrate with my friend Tiff!

So let's dump!

• Since we were in SC over the weekend we took the opportunity to visit Newspring Church (Perry Noble's Church.) Here are a few things I learned from going there.
• Hands down the best worship team I have ever seen or heard. They sounded incredible. It was amazing to hear them completely rocking out and yet seeing 2500 people worshiping along with them. Loved it!
• Getting into and out of Newspring isn't easy. So many people coming and going its like being at an amusement park at opening time. Anyway, its a chore. It demonstrates that when a church has momentum and God is moving in a place people will do whatever they have to do to get theirs butts in a seat.
  
• Literally every seat was taken and they had ushers helping squeeze people into any open seats. How many churches have that problem?
  
• Perry breaks the mold when it comes to preaching. Yesterdays message ran about 45 minutes. Everything I've read says a pastor should speak no more than 30 minutes. If you're good, all the rules can go bye bye.
• Enjoyed our visit. But, glad to be home!
  

Sunday Mind Dump

So, I don't have any church related stuff for a mind dump this week but I can talk about my weekend....so let's dump about that:

• Busy weekend!
• I got my butt kicked on the tennis court yesterday. I served really well but I couldn't seem to do much else right. At least I got a good workout in!
• We went to Huntington to visit Chelsea after tennis. Long day! But it's always nice to go hang out with your college aged daughter for the afternoon :)
• Didn't go to church at all this weekend. We were so tired after yesterday we slept in a little and when I got up I worked on writing a paper that was due today. Got it done in a few hours.
• Our dinner consisted of Baskin Robbins tonight....guess who thought that one up?
• Spent the day watching the masters. Almost felt sorry for the kid who imploded after leading for 3 days....almost....he's only 21.
• Next weekend we are going to be out and about and we are going to go visit Perry Noble's church....that should be fun!
• Well...April is telling me I need a shower again....geeeesh!
  

Light Bulb - It's not too late...

This week I finally got around to watching the movie Despicable Me. It was a good movie and I loved it when Gru had some big realization he said "Light Bulb" out loud. Then they showed us the vision Gru had in his mind. Very cute!

I couldn't sleep last night and for some reason I got up around midnight to use the rest room and the word Light Bulb came to mind and I realized that this week marks the 11 year anniversary of my Dad's death. Seems like every year around this time I end up taking stock of the loss and God reveals some new truth to me. Last night, as I was unable to sleep, I think he did it again so I'll share it with everyone here.

My Dad wasn't around much when we were kids. He worked for the Railroad and as such he was on the road for half the week and when he was home he was often catching up on rest. He was always at our ball games and taking us places when he could. I would say he was a good Dad but honestly we weren't all that close. Something happened as I got older. He stopped working on the railroad and did some other things for work. He and my Mom divorced.

For my Dad, the life in his 40's was a tough go. In many ways it seemed like many things were going wrong...failed marriages, ministries not living up to expectations, loss, heartache, and much more. For him it was a tough time. For me those years were actually good. You see, Dad when everything else was falling apart actually became much closer with his children. I was in my 20's and Dad would still call every couple of days just to see if all was well. As a result my Dad moved from being a Dad to being a Dad who was also a friend. It was through that changing relationship our relationship actually grew very close.

Last night that was my Light Bulb moment. This morning it continues...we do that same thing with God. We are so busy with life many of us don't make time for those we love (God) until we get to the point were things start to fall apart for us....it's at that time we make time for the relationships that matter. I hope and pray I am making the right time now for both my kids and my God.