Retreat Thoughts

The Retreat went well. I really feel like God did some big things in the lives of the 215 Young Adults who came out. The only negative was that we had to wrap things up early due to the weather. But better safe than sorry! I'm still trying to recover from my bug...I only got about 2 hours of sleep last night! It was an adventure trying to sleep for 10 minutes at a time. Thankfully I get to enjoy my own bed tonight. I'm also looking forward to church tomorrow. I haven't been to church in a week due to the accident/sickness. Time to chill.

Feel Human

I have not been this sick in a long time. Bad cough, fever and headache. Thank God its not pneumonia. This morning I was just starting to feel human...and then more coughing hit me.I believe God is going to do something powerful at our retreat this weekend because these attacks from the enemy have been relentless. BUT WE WIN! Please keep us in your prayers. Pray specifically for the breakout session that I'm giving on Saturday afternoon. I need this cough and congestion to go away and I need a voice to preach with.

Bed rest

I've been quarantined by the DR. Apparently I have the flu or something. Been running a 100-103 fever for 3 days. 'll be taking a couple of days off from the blog world.

The Echo Within

Click here to buy this awesome read. I work with Young Adults who often fid themselves in a "quarter life crisis". This book will help you if you are struggling with taking the next step in your life.

The Echo Within is a profoundly affecting, honest look at the myriad ways we are drawn into our life’s best work.      Written out of his own lifelong search for and response to the calling voice of God, Robert Benson recounts his discovery of the meaning of vocation, work, and purpose through the ups and downs inherent in family life, professional choice, and spiritual experience. With clarity and insight, and in the elegant prose for which he is known, he gently invites and encourages readers to find such deep truths for their lives as well. In particular, he illuminates the way for readers to explore:

·        ways to sense the Holy in our pursuits, both in the pursuits themselves and within ourselves.

·        how to fall into our vocation and chart a course toward it at the same time.

·        how to love the work we do, and the process of doing it.

For anyone beginning a new career or sensing a needed change in their life or wrestling with a transition suddenly thrust upon them, Robert Benson delivers wisdom, humor, and heart in what he’s learned about listening for The Echo Within—and how it can help us discover our calling.  (from publishers summary)

Monday after

How do you just live life after experiencing a miracle. I know we see miracles everyday (if we really look). But I know God slowed our van down, filled us with supernatural peace, and protected our bodies Saturday night when we got into our accident.  There is no way that I can live life "business as usual". What was the enemy trying to steal from us. What assignment does God have for us that required us making it through? Who am I that God would be mindful? What needs to happen today that couldn't happen if I weren't around? Here are some more Frontline lyrics that speak to this:

Show me the way

Whatever it takes to change

I see what’s new

Looking at how far I’ve come

 

Here is my life

Don’t let me forget the way

Here is my life

I can’t afford to stay the same

 

Keep my soul

Keep my spirit

Keep my life

Moving forward

Powerful and good

One thing that really jumped out at me during conference is that God is Powerful and Good. He's strong enough to perform miracles daily in my life...and good enough to shower me with His grace.  I was in a wreck that could have ended my life and the life of others. There is no way to explain it other than the miraculous hand of God. We walked away by His grace! The lyrics to this Frontline song say it all:

God You have a history           

Pages full of memories                  

time and time again of              

coming thru for me

I got all the poof                            

it’s in my testimony                    

Seeing is believing

there’s no question in me

 

You save my life                            

So many times

Protect me from myself                 

It’s like a drowning man           

brought back to life

I can’t ignore the truth

 

I trust You

All my faith is in You

Need You                                      

Choose You                           

Believe You

God You have my love

 

 

 

Big Texas Big Bite

Had to make the essential stop at 7-Eleven...how we miss this place
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Honest

What a great closing session. To much going on to blog it out. Just know Holiness is honesty with God and ourselves. Powerful stuff. I'm listening to one of the new Frontline songs called Honest.  Check it out if you can. We'll crash and then hit the road early tomorrow. What a weekend...

Some day 1 pics

MCC doing scripture test, BMMC doing the sword ceremony, Pastor Lloyd doing his thing

Updates from Woven 2009

Here are some thoughts that really jumped out at me:

If God is the Ultimate fashion designer, then life is the Ultimate runway. If life is the Ultimate runway, ten MC is the changing booth. (Gal 3:26-27)

If we wear privilege without regard to purpose we are like someone who is all dressed up with nowhere to go. 

Our purpose is to take people from where we’ve been to where they are going to go.

Don't try to do big things..DO EXCELLENT things!

More later...

Worship with Frontline and MC

Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Sweet Texas

No trip to TX is complete without a trip to Whataburger! Thank God for safe travel. We'll chill tonight and start conference tomorrow!!! I'm very tired by the way...
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Dr King

Words can't describe my love for history. On our way to TX I had to stop and see where Dr. King was slain. Look how far we've come...
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Drum Christmas

Gotta love new cymbals, mics, and mixer!
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Mac Vs. PC Pt. 2

Here's the rest of my "Top 10 Reasons to switch to Mac":

4. Windows Vista. Need I say more. It looks cool but has more bugs than a rotting piece of meat. And I don't expect Windows 7 to be anything short of a complete rip off of an system that actually works...Mac OS X.

3. How many people do you know that have switched from Mac to PC...and what are they smoking?

2.Quality. People think that Macs are exclusive and elitist. You can only buy Mac stuff for your Mac while PC's come in all shapes, sizes, and configurations. Everything PC is 3rd party while you almost always have to go through Mac for hardware etc. This is not a bad thing. It's called Quality control...and it works.

And the number one reason to switch to Mac....

1. They make you feel very cool!

Mac vs. PC

I'm 6 days in to my conversion from PC. One word...AMAZING! We picked up a Mac Mini for the office last Tuesday and I became the proud owner of a MacBook on Friday. I won't be switching to  iPhone because I love my Blackberry and it is very compatible with Mac. Here is the beginning of my top 10 reasons why Mac is better than PC:

10. No ridiculous error messages or unexplained crashing

9. Programs actually open when you click on them

8. The GUI is smooth, inviting, and makes WIndows (at least XP) look like MS-DOS!

7. Multimedia applications are world class. You would spend thousands of dollars (or risk viruses downloading shareware) trying to duplicate iWeb, iDVD, iPhoto, and GarageBand on your PC. These all come STOCK in iLife 09.

6. Buying a Mac was like buying a new car. The company treats you like a first-class friend. You really sense that you are joining a special community.

5. You can run Mac OS X and Windows on a Mac...let this video explain it...

more later...

A Sunday With no Football

-The wait begins. It'll be tough to fill the time between now and the Hall of Fame Game.

-Pastor Dennis Wilson is preaching tonight. Can't wait to here about his latest missions trip.

- It has been amazing using the Mac for ministry. We really have gone to the "Next Level" media wise.

- We had a packed next level service last night. Our young adults rock!

- I finally feel better. Thanks for all of the prayers! I can taste and breathe again!

-This week will fly by. T-minus 3 days until we hit the road for Dallas/Ft Worth.

-If you prayed for Stacey...thanks. She's home but not out of the woods...keep praying.

- Expect BIG things from GOD!

Bike for the light update

Sick, New, Busy

I stayed home sick yesterday. I hate being sick. I woke up feeling better today but by lunch was feeling bad again. I hope and pray I get better soon. One good thing is that I am officially a Mac. Got the new MacBook today! Got the Mac Mini for the office on Tuesday. To top it off someone gave my wife an iPod earlier in the week. So cool! That makes a MacBook and an iPod that literally fell out of the sky for her. I'm blogging later in the day because I've been setting this thing up (after having driven to Nashville to buy it). It's been a week of new. God blessed us with some resources for our worship team. I got brand new A Customs for the kit (cymbals) and my mics and mixer will be here NLT Monday. Whew! It'll be a busy 7 days for sure and I can't wait!

Prayer Request

-Pray for Joey and Stacey Alcala. They are part of the MC family in TX. Stacey is dealing with life-threatening heart issues. She's in the hospital.

-Pray for the ongoing Master's Commission Conference in Orlando and next weeks conference in Ft Worth.

-Pray for this crazy economy. We...the people...have the answer. Pray that we would serve each other and help each other make it through.

-Pray for everyone fighting the flu/cold/allergy etc. bug.

-Pray for a soldier who made it back from a deployment only to suffer severe burns in a fire at his house.

T-Minus 1 Week

I'm Now a Mac!

Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Say I do again...

This past Thursday our church had it's annual Sweethearts banquet. I was given the honor to speak to a room full of couples and single young adults. This book was one of my main resources for that message. In it's pages I read a story of hope, struggle, and most of all the importance of being one with God and your spouse. Husband's and wives...do yourself a favor and buy this book! Check out this link for more info.

I Do Again:
With their professional success and adorable twin daughters, Jeff and Cheryl Scruggs looked like the perfect couple. But their polished facade concealed a widening chasm between two people unable to connect on an intimate, soul-deep level.

After years of frustration, Cheryl’s desire for emotional fulfillment led to an affair and, finally, divorce. Yet, incredibly, seven years later, Jeff and Cheryl once again stood at the altar, promising to “love, honor, and cherish” one another. A new and vibrant love had risen out of the ashes of this family’s pain.

I Do Again details the fascinating real-life story of a couple whose relationship seemed shattered beyond all hope until a spiritual awakening led them to reconsider their definitions of “happily ever after.” A riveting account of the power of prayer and redemption, this remarkable book offers renewed hope for even the most troubled marriages—and reveals why the rewards of restoration are well worth the wait.

Author Bio:

Cheryl and Jeff Scruggs are the founders of Hope Matters Marriage Ministries, and for the past several years they have shared their incredible story of a marriage restored with audiences across the nation. Jeff is an account manager with OshKosh B’Gosh, and Cheryl has served as director of the Frisco, Texas, office of the Center for Christian Counseling. They live in Dallas, Texas with their two college-age daughters.

For "Couples" Only

Click here to get all of the stats, survey's, and straight talk about your significant other! A must read!

Since their debut, these revolutionary guides have sold well over a million copies, been translated into fifteen languages, and sparked much fascinating water-cooler conversation around the country. Now together in the For Couples Only boxed set, these books provide the perfect resource to help you understand what you never knew about the woman or man in your life.

Each volume is based on input from more than a thousand members of the opposite sex—including an unprecedented nationwide survey and hundreds of personal interviews. This innovative approach yields candid and surprising answers about everything you don’t “get” about your significant other—even what that person deeply wishes you knew. It also produces simple but groundbreaking awareness of how you can best love and support the one who is most important to you. [Part of me wanted to make this paragraph past tense—yielded and produced—because of the first paragraph, but that took away some of the immediacy of what the books offer. I’ll leave that up to you.]

So whether you are newly dating or have been married fifty years, get ready to know each other in a whole new way. The adventure is just beginning!

Author Bio:

Shaunti and Jeff Feldhahn hold graduate degrees from Harvard University and are popular national speakers, authors, and entrepreneurs. They are also active church members and the parents of two young children, and they enjoy every minute of living life at warp speed.

Love as a Way of Life

Click here for a great resource about "The Greatest of these..."

In his book Love As a Way of Life, best-selling author Gary Chapman shows readers how to cultivate a new lifestyle built around the seven characteristics of authentic love. Now in a companion devotional, he provides ninety inspirational readings to help Christians consistently live out the characteristics of love in every relationship.

Each devotional entry showcases biblical truths that guide a life of love, offering fresh insight and practical guidance in how to make love a lasting habit. Over the course of three months, readers will learn to follow God’s lead as they practice the characteristics of a loving person: kindness, patience, forgiveness, courtesy, humility, generosity, and honesty.

The Love As a Way of Life Devotional makes an ideal gift for the holidays or for any special occasion. Couples, parents, new graduates, and anyone celebrating a milestone in life will welcome this inspiring daily guide to richer, more satisfying relationships.

Author Bio:

Dr. Gary Chapman is the author of twenty-six books, including the New York Times bestseller The Five Love Languages, with more than 4 million copies in print. His daily radio program, A Love Language Minute, is broadcast on more than 100 stations nationwide. Dr. Chapman, a graduate of Moody Bible Institute, Wheaton College, Wake-Forest University, and Southwestern Seminary, serves on a church staff in North Carolina.

The Journey

Where are you going? I hope you enjoy the journey. Here's a great pic by a great new friend of our recent trip to downtown Music City. (photo by Israel)

Monday Adventures

- I have no idea what today may bring and that feels great.

- We are getting geared up for our trip o Dallas/Ft Worth next week!!! MCIN 2009!

- Lord willing, the first of our 2 new Macs should be here this week!! Goodbye PC, goodbye!

- Saturday night was amazing. God took our schedule and threw it in the trash. We worshiped for almost 45 minutes...

- I am so blessed to have kids who love God and actually WANT to go to church and read the Bible.

- The lesson for today is...don't punch your girlfriend. Sorry Chris Brown.

Talk it out - redux

I've blogged lots on communication. I believe in talking to God. I believe in talking to each other. So much is damaged when we fail to communicate with each other. I love to talk when there is something to be said. I can't shut up when it comes to sharing a passion, opinion, or thought about God. Start talking about the NFL or a 5 piece drum set and you'll be my best friend. However, I also know that there are hard things to talk about. Feelings. Politics. Hurts. Expectations. Dreams. Nevertheless, communicate we must. Here's to great conversation.

Read a book

I've been up to my ears in books this week! Every know and then I have an info binge. I usually read 1 or 2 books at a time. Not to mention a healthy diet of blogs. But every 3-4 months I go on a binge and cram as much in as I can. I love it! My mind runs at 200mph and these binges help bring some balance and perspective to my noggin. Right now I'm enjoying 5 books that range from computers to politics to marriage.
I've discovered that you can learn so much by simply shutting your mouth, opening your mind, and reading. Books are the solution to "dumb" questions and misinformed people. I am not a genius or the son of a genius. I don't have a master's degree (yet) and I've never even taken the SAT. The secret to all of the "Jeopardy" facts in my head is good old fashioned reading.
Closed minded people don't read. Bad writers don't read. Horrible communicators are poor readers. I'm not even talking about reading ability. I'm talking about reading desire. Read what you can understand. Read stuff that you enjoy and read stuff that will stretch your paradigms. Read the Bible. Whatever you do...turn off the TV and open up a book. It will change your life.

Some Friday Encouragement

The jobless rate has shot up tp 7.6%...people are hurting..broke...tired. Thank God for the hope we have in Christ. Listen to this song and be lifted up!

More Thursday Thoughts

-It is amazing how God can take horrible situations and turn them around into something beautiful.

-Prayer and love are more powerful than politics and rhetoric

-Jesus was not a Republican...or a Democrat...so how loyal should his followers be to those them? Just a thought...

-Happiness involves pain

-There is power in the human touch...so give someone a hug...or a punch (just kidding...I think)

-Trust in the Lord with all of your heart....

Upcoming Events

Check out www.tnaog.org for more info

Lots's of Books in 28 Days

I have a busy February ahead of me. That being said, here are some supplements that are helping me through:

Love As a Way of Life - Gary Chapman and Elisa Stanford

I Do Again - Cheryl and Jeff Scruggs

Holiness - Mark Rutland

Wide Open Spaces - Jim Palmer

Sex God - Rob Bell

Bikes and MRE"s

Here's an update from my buddy Johnny's ministry. Check out bikeforthelight.com for more info. (by the way, I showed him how to eat his first MRE)

The Game

Last year proved that I am horrible at calling...anything. So I'm hesitant to predict the Superbowl. However, its no secret that I love dynasties. So I'm hoping for the Steelers to win big. On a side note: its been great to see all of the video of my home town Tampa during the Superbowl. I lived in Tampa for 2 of the 4 Superbowls that have been played there. There is nothing like it! Back in 2003 I visted town the week after the Bucs won it all. Talk about insane! We've got church tonight...but I'll be keeping tabs and should be home in time to catch the 4th. Go Steelers?
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T