Don’t forget that this Sunday we will be participating in The Souperbowl of Caring. So don’t just sit on your “can” (if you weren’t in service the last couple of weeks you may not get that). Bring some cans (or other non-perishables) and/or some cash so that we can reach out and support The Sheridan House.
Have you had a good “this is why I suck” conversation lately? Last night I had dinner with a friend who has had a pretty difficult year. Seeing as how I am way too transparent at times, many of you know about the ups and downs of this last year for me as well. The great thing about this conversation was that it wasn’t about blaming others, our circumstances, or even blaming God but it was about two people encouraging each other in the hope that we found through our mistakes and failures.
Sometimes we are so quick to blame others for the stuff that we are going through. This deflection tactic does nothing but prolong any chance of the situation being rectified. I walked away after having shared my problems, my failures, and my weaknesses, encouraged because I wasn’t the only one at the table with issues. There was somebody else in this world that also sucked. I pray that they walked away with the same feeling.
There wasn’t any front where advice was given through the façade of “I have everything together”. But even though are issues are different the reality for each of us is that we need God to help. We both know that we have less control of our circumstances than when they started and it could possibly be just God’s way of asking “Are you ready to turn this over to Me yet?”
So beyond just being one of my favorite clips from “Tommy Boy” this can be an important lesson to live by. Other people need to know you suck. You need to know you suck. All of us need to know that the only hope out of sucky moments of our lives is found in Christ.
A little over a week ago “Reverend Joe Rocket” (my work nickname) had a little incident on his rocket. I guess the problem wasn’t ON the rocket but was really OFF the rocket. So far it appears that they are planning to total my bike. It is amazing how much you can spend on cosmetic repairs. Plastic Surgery isn’t cheap!
I am going to try to negotiate and salvage it because even though I don’t know what kind of money they are going to give me I know that I can’t buy another bike that nice. So we will see what happens in the next couple of days.
I have attached a couple of photos depicting why I wear a helmet and jacket because even at 30-40mph asphalt and skin tissue are not a good mix…
For many January 20, 2009 will be a significant day in history for a multitude of different reasons. Due to the events transpiring in Washington D.C. today many will view this day as a turning point in American history. As the first African American President is sworn in many people will lock their location in their mind and will remember it along with the Challenger or 9-11.
Even though this day will be remembered by me for some of those reasons, this day will also have significance for another reason. Today, InDependence Church officially celebrates its 1 year birthday. There are many different percentages that describe the survivability of church plants through the first year. Regardless of what any of that says by the grace of God we have made it!
Not only have we made it, but we have made it and maintained the passion to have a closer relationship with Jesus. We have made it, and maintained the passion to reach the community of Weston and the surrounding areas with the gospel. We have made it, and maintained the passion to develop relationships with each other. We have made it, and maintained passionate about trying new creative ways of doing ministry. We have made it, and are continuing to develop new passions in people. We have made it, and maintained the passion and desire to see God do even bigger things in year two.
So I want to thank all of you that have said a prayer, lent a hand or given a dollar. I want to thank all of you who continue to support this ministry in one way or another. I am reminded of one of my favorite quotes… “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead
So I got on Facebook and was getting ready to start soliciting for friends to sacrifice for a Whopper when this came out…
21 Days PF (Post Fast) - 144.2lbs -Some of you have asked for a little bit of an update on where I am at in relationship to my 40 day fast so here goes. I have kind of held off writing it because I want to be really positive but as you will see below there is some precedence for the pattern I am on…
I find myself once again proving the patterns of the Bible to be accurate. “After fasting forty days and forty nights, he (Jesus) was hungry. The tempter came to him…” As many of you know I just came off a 40 day fast and to be honest I expected the big temptations and tests to come during the fast I should have looked to Word of God to see how it went down for Jesus.
The enemy really hasn’t changed his tactics in large part because they are still pretty effective. We are still looking at the Lust of the Flesh, the Lust of the Eyes and the Pride of Life. So here I am some 21 days after my fast and facing some of these “heart” issues. Satan hasn’t asked me to jump off any cliffs or anything but in a sense I feel the challenge to “let go”.
I have always been a control freak and a “doer”. But today I find myself in positions where there is nothing to do. For me that is tough so, just as talked about in our InVest Group last night, “God I present me (just me) to you. I want to abandon all of the things that I have made a part of my identity. Eliminate the things that may be a part of me that I have picked up through the years that are not a part of who You made me to be. I want to learn to operate solely in the identity You gave me.”
No real post here but this is the type of random thought that I will post on my future Facebook page. I know that is probably so “yesterday”. But now that my wife is on there and there are men who are requesting to be her “friend” I figured it is time to make my presence known. Weighing in at a whoping 144lbs I just want to say “never underestimate skrappy”. Because if there is anything that I have learned in the last couple of years as a church planter is how to keep fighting…
In just 15 days InDependence will be 1 year old. In reading this post I was inspired to layout some of the highlights from this past year. These are in no particular order, accept for number 1.
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