Intentional Silence

Hey all,

Just letting you know that I'm taking a little leave of absence from blogland. Nothing bad happening, just that I'm refocusing for the next few weeks. God's teaching me some stuff. I'll be back soon. Take care.

Pure Ambition

This little guy climbed all the way up our screen last night in search of bugs to eat! Amazing what can happen when your eyes are on the prize.

Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Phillipians 3:14

Sacred Places

This is a picture of my front porch stoop. It is a place that has been special to me in every house that we've lived in. It is a sacred space for me. Probably not for the reason you would think. You might think it's because that's where people enter my house. Nope. Good guess though. You might think that it's because the stoop is where we launch into the world. Wrong again.

This place (with each house we've lived in) has given me a place to think and pray. I usually go running in the morning. After a long run, I absolutely LOVE sitting on the stoop, to recover, and more often than not, meet with God. Many a song lyric has been written from the stoops of the houses we've lived in. Many a prayer has been offered to Christ on behalf of my family and my church. There is nothing super special about the place, except for the fact that I have met God there. I think it has something to do with my being ready to listen.

I have a feeling that this is how it was with the patriarchs of the faith, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Wherever they met with God, it became a sacred place.

They built altars there to remember:
Gen. 12:7 The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring [a] I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.

They "raised their Ebenezers":
1Sam. 7:12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far has the LORD helped us."

Do you have a sacred space? A place where you regularly "meet with God" in a special way? I know of friends who have special chairs in their houses where they meet with God. In the woods? On a beach? Where is yours?

Do You Think This Kid Will Rock for Jesus?

Yeah, it's Lincoln Brewster's kid. Lincoln has brought us some amazing songs to worship God with, including "Let the Praises Ring", "Majestic" and his new one "Today is the Day". I think this kid has guitar chops probably running through his veins! Also, check out a sweet jam by Lincoln and his band below:

Created by Me

Watch Out For Snipers

Yesterday, I had a moment when things were going just great. Conversations were flowing. I could really sense the hand of God on my life. Then, IT HAPPENED! From completely out of the blue I was hit by sniper fire. There was literally a chink in my armor and the bullet penetrated.

Now, this wasn't really a gun or a bullet, but I got hit in a weak area of my life. No, this wasn't porn or major integrity issues (FYI), but it was an area that I can tend to get my feathers ruffled. I think this is how God works. When we ask (and I have been asking) Him to reveal areas of weakness, He doesn't just say "you should work on that". I think He helps send situations into our lives that help us grow. Often those areas are where we are most apt to: get angry over, covet, hide, rationalize, dismiss, etc. We need to ask Christ to help us "put on the FULL ARMOR" of God, so that in the moment we are prepared to resist. Training vs. Trying. Important.

Eph. 6:10 "Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes."

It's about people, stupid....

It's about people, stupid...(This was my hit upside my head). A great reminder of why we do what we do. This morning, I listened to the Entermission podcast. Glen Wagner reminded us to be about the business of what Jesus was about PEOPLE. On any team there is always a tension between building community and accomplishing task. What Glen and Rob told us was that our main purpose in building the Kingdom is going to be in building people. Filling positions will not be our chief goal. It will be about getting the right people with the right motives into the right places. No matter if they are on our team or not, this will best build the Kingdom - when people are gifted, passionate, and encouraged in their service of the King. A great reminder. It's about people!

"Each of you should look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others." Phil. 2:4