I love Youth Ministry...

To all those who work with students, you are my heros!!!

Simply Thoughts...

The older I get I am realizing that I forget the simply stuff. Yesterday I was driving some students home from a convention and could not find my car keys (the car I was driving was a van). I could not for the life of me remember where I put them and I was a little nervous on how I was going to get home. I looked in my bag, the youth building, my car and finally found them in my office. Why couldn't I remember that? Why couldn't I remember that my keys were in my office? I wish I could say that was the only thing I forget but it's not. I forget really important things like truths found in God's Word. This weekend I was reminded of those simply things and I want to share with you, hoping we don't forget.

God is not only my father but my daddy.

Gal 4:6 is clear that our Spirit cries out to God as daddy. I forget so often that God is my daddy even though I am a father. Caroline most of the time refers to me as "my daddy" not just daddy. I so often forget that God is "my daddy" and loves me more than I could ever love my own children.

God wants to be my friend.

I have so many good friends in life that I talk to, laugh with and share personal thoughts that I have about everything. God wants to be my friend. He wants to spend time with me, laugh with me, cry with me and he just want us to be together. I forget so often to just "Enjoy God."

God is my forgiver.

Caroline many times has come up to me and said, "Daddy I am sorry..." With those big tears and that curled lip how could I not say, "It is ok and I love you." I am so quick to forgive her because I love her. Why is it when I ask God to forgive me, I hold on to it? Caroline runs off to play and I swim in guilt. I need constant reminder that God does forgive...

God wants me to follow.

I am getting ready to write a paper for my masters on the word "follow" and I can't wait to see what I can be reminded of. Such a simply thing to do but I seem to make it difficult. God just wants me to follow him in everything. It's funny because I am so much more happier and joyful when I follow. If I don't life can be a miserable.

I hope you are reminded of these simply truths and my prayer is that we lives these out in our live so that we can be more like Jesus.

Balloon Boy throws up on Today Show!!

I follow a blog and found this video from a friend. I laughed out loud!! Look at the dad's face when this happens..

I could have done that...

This shot looks so easy.


I wonder how many times he practiced that?

A must have for me and you...

This week has been seriously ridiculous for some odd reason. I feel like I am caring the weight of the world but in all reality it's probably just my own weight. Have you ever had days like that? Weeks like that? The bible says we go through seasons some good, some bad, some surprising? But God gives us these small little mercies and gifts to get us through it. As many of you know I am a music junky and by far my favorite band is the David Crowder Band. They are releasing their new CD Church Music near the end of this month. Because God loves me so I actually received a copy of the CD early. I have been listening to it for the last week and it is amazing. Different then their previous recordings but still amazing. God has reminded me through this album of who he is and who I am. Here are some lyrics that I have been resting in.

Shadows

Life is full of light and shadows, all the joy and all the sorrow, Yet will he bring dark to light, Yet will he bring day from night. When shadows fall on us we will not fear, we will remember...

Eastern Hymn

Bring us love, you who are love, bring us peace, you who are peace, we need love, O divine love, we need peace, your merciful peace. GLORY!!!! HOLY!!!! God is near to each one of us.

Shine

Hold me, I need to feel love, can you overcome this heart that's over come...

The Veil

Alleluia we rejoice, what a Savior what a King, Alleluia lift your voice, to our Savior to our King... What a Savior, What a King...

All Around Me

I feel you on my finger tips, my tongue dances behind my lips for you. I can feel you all around me, thickening the air I'm breathing, Holding on to what I am feeling, Savoring this heart that is healing.

There is a line in each song that has brought me to the reality that God is near us and loves me and you individually. This CD has 17 songs that remind me of truth. This is a must have for me and you. Sept 22 go get church music.

PS Thanks God for the small things in my life that help me see you... LOVE YA

Things just don't seem right...

Have you ever attended a church service or been reading scripture and you look at the church you go to or even your own life and you think to yourself things just don't seem right. Many people really seem to love church and love to see the things that are going on at a church but does it match up with the bible. Many people call themselves Christian but do they match up with the bible. I look at my own life and then characters in the bible and think they have so much more faith than I do. Peter walked on water, a woman have all she owned to God, a solider told Jesus he believed that if he said something it would happen, Stephen died because he proclaimed his faith so boldly and there are so many more. To be honest my favorite times with God is not at church or a convention, it is not when I am preaching or hanging out with my friends and it is not when I am singing or taking communion. It is when I am alone reading my bible and God's Spirit is doing something in me I can't explain. He brings a sense of conviction and peace at the same time.

There are so many times when I look at my life and it doesn't seem right. I look at the church and it doesn't seem right. I look at the world and it doesn't seem right. When I read the bible I see the REAL Jesus and so often that is not the same Jesus I live for I know that seems weird to hear (it is even weird to think of) but at times it doesn't match up. I look at churches and I see all the things they they have going on and I wonder if Jesus lead there if they would still have all those things going on? What is the apostle Paul was a youth minister what would his group look like? Crazy questions but I think they may have even crazier answers. I know my walk with Jesus is a process and I have so much to learn and know but I hope more things in my life look like the bible. I hope when he says surrender I can look him in the eye and say, "Lord you know you have all of me." When he says give up everything I hope I can say "Lord I am empty handed." When he says love and feed the poor I can say, "Lord my refrigerator is empty." I hope things start matching up...

Random Thoughts

The past couple of weeks have been very good and exciting for me and my family. When I last blogged I was at JBC for my orientation and was not looking forward to going. Now that I went I am thankful because it was very helpful and I am looking forward to school.

When I got back we went to the beach and with my parents, Natalie's parents and her sister and her sister's husband. We had a good time but it is hard to have "family" time when there are all kinds of people around you all the time. Natalie and I are headed to passion in 2010 so hopefully we will get some time to ourselves without kids.

Natalie noticed a truck that said Swamp Donkey on it and I have been laughing about that ever since.

I love the ocean! There is something about beaches, sand and water that lets me see how awesome our Creator is. I spent a lot of time in prayer about many different things but there is something so peaceful about the ocean where you want to spend even more time with God.

Natalie and I did a date night while we were there and it was amazing. We went to a 3D movie and I had forgotten how incredible 3D is. Maybe I am to young but at one time didn't 3D try to get really popular with almost every movie?

Church was awesome yesterday. Our focus group had a great conversation on the Bible and why people don't spend time with God. We have been doing a series called "Wish List" and yesterday was, I wish my teenager would. I interviewed our preachers daughter and she gave good insights on what it was like as a teenager and what it was like in a Christian home.

Did you know the average American spends 2 minutes a week with God and watches 4 hours of TV a day.

Emma said Da Da while at the beach. It never gets old to hear your daughter call out our name.

I am debating which series to start at Edge this Wednesday night. Obsessed or Red Letters. While praying this week God shared with me that at Edge we should spend the entire semester talking about Jesus. Noting more than Jesus. All we need right?