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| So it beginsYesterday was a really good day. We had our first service were we made an attempt to get others to come. We had 39 people there! I counted around ten to twelve that could be in our services on a regular bases. I was a bit nervous because I have not really preached to a large group in a while but I think it went really well. I am feeling really good about this new work and I think I know why. I have decided to just allow God to work. I know all the methods out there and all the books that are available but to be honest when I read them they often all apply to that situation that the church planter was in. There are a few things that are the same but really they vary so much it puts a lot of pressure on you to succeed or feel like a failure. My approach has been let God work and open doors and then take advantage of the opportunities He gives. I can tell you that this is a sure fire plan because God will use me how he wants and I accept that. Maybe he does not want us to be big in numbers but strong in spiritual life or maybe He wants us to grow beyond anything I imagined, either way it was successful. One thing is for sure I am starting to enjoy ministry again which in a way is a miracle. | | |
| O death where is thy Sting!I have stood in hospital rooms lots of times and watched people take their last breathes. It is the hardest thing to do and as a pastor you get completely lost in the moments. I had to do it one more time yesterday only this time it was different, I stood with my family as my uncle breathed his last after being involved in a motorcycle accident. Much tougher this time and a lot less to say to the family but the one thing I was able to do was pray and thank God for having my uncle in my life. After the prayer I stood looking at him and I remembered several occasions we shared together from horseback riding, a motorcycle he built and a time that we shared working on a piece of equipment at the place where he worked. Life is interesting when you look at it but so many times we are rushing around or lost in our problems to see the precious gift and along with that we lose the opportunity give away that precious gift. I once did a funeral for a woman that her children knew very little to nothing about her, I don’t know who was to blame but I do know it was a sad funeral because there was little mourning when no one really seemed to lose anything. Jesus said he came so we might have life and have it more abundantly. When we put on Christ we become the tools for others to have a more abundant life too. We do this by living our lives to fullest in Christ and sharing that life with others. When it is your time and a pastor stands at the foot of your bed or the head of your casket make sure you give people a reason to miss you and also a reason to thank God you were in their lives. God Bless! | | |
| BRUSH STROKES
I have a friend who is an artist and I was listening to him talk about art. I have no creative bone in my body when it comes to painting I can hardly paint a house without too much of a mess. I was watching Bonanza a few days ago (yes the old western TV show) it was about a man who was painter who went blind and could no longer paint but he was able to make a picture through telling stories. It has been on my mind how God creates pictures on the canvas of life. There are so many pictures I can’t paint but God has created them in my mind and teaching me more about him through these paintings. For example I have a picture in my head of a young boy slightly overweight and mentally handicapped whose name is Billy. I was subbing for Billy and about 6 other handicapped students at a local school with three other teachers. I had just taught a session and now had the job of keeping another student in timeout. Billy and another student were across the room at table trying to understand a lesson on proper school behavior. Billy was asked what he was to do in school to show good behavior and he stated “Be quiet”. This was apparently not the answer the teacher wanted so she asked again. Again Billy stated “Be quiet”. The volume picked up and it was quite clear the teacher was frustrated and she asked one more time getting the same results. The teacher got up and placed a chair near where I was sitting and Billy was made to walk around the chair. Soon he was asked again for the answer and Billy confused looked up and said “Be quite”. I was asked to hand Billy a backpack so he could carry it as he walked. I lifted the pack and was surprised by the weight, at least 50 pounds. I handed it to Billy with a sad heart. To me Billy had given a correct answer but was treated as a failure and now he was given more weight to carry. Billy stopped on one of his passes and looked at me and with sad eyes said “Billy is a bad boy, you say yes”. He was asking me to agree that he was bad but I could not do it and just told him to keep walking before he got into more trouble.
What does this have to do with the brush strokes of God simply this, when we find ourselves in times of trouble and we are confused it is great to know that God does not add more weight and ask us to keep walking instead he offers to lift the burden. Billy made it through the walk and carrying the bag and he soon returned to his chipper self. Me, I have the picture of that little boy and his backpack to remind me that God eases our burdens and if I am in a situation again it reminds me to carry the pack for him and together we will try to understand. | | |
| It has been almost two years since we moved to Find and it has been a fun journey as well as a challenging one. I thought it was time to reconnect with some old friends now that my busy season is over. This is the second race season I worked at the track and I love the job. I have ran into all kinds of interesting people from all over the world and a few celebrities also and I got to see three pretty cool races. My favorite moment had to be when I almost ran into Kurt Busch with a golf cart. It would have been his second crash of the day! If I had seen him sooner maybe I would have speed up  .
Church work is going well, we just starting meeting in a hotel and are looking forward to inviting friends and family to a special service in Sept. Planting a new church is awesome and at the same time confusing. In an established church you just do stuff and wonder why, in a new work you wonder what you should do next. Anyway it is a blast and I enjoy those here helping to get it going. It is what I have often referred to as my spiritual journey where I am rediscovering God and at the same time finding myself. I have a feeling it is a long trip!
Anyway look forward to catching back up with people. I am not sure how well I will do at posting but hey we will give it a shot. | | |
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