Archive for the ‘Life and Ministry’ Category

One Day

Posted in Life and Ministry, tagged , , , , , on June 30, 2010| 2 Comments »

We arrived here at the Lewis House Monday afternoon (following an awesome meeting with our new Children’s Pastor-jumping the gun a little on that but I feel pretty good about the match). I wonder how many go on a missions trip and expect an Angelic Fanfare as they arrive or the heavens to open and the HS to descend in the form of a dove. I arrived with a quiet peace that we are doing God’s will for us and knowing that he is going to bless it. I have no idea what that is going to look like but I trust Him and know that He is faithful.
We had a wonderful afternoon of fellowship with George and Sarah. We pieced together a plan for this week and then I had an great night at Everfree.

Tuesday we got to work. George installed a washer and dryer in the basement for visitors to use and then we gutted the room. They had previously installed a furnace there, which included cutting through cinder block. Anyone who has done this will appreciate the mess. Allana and the girls tackled the nursery, going through donated toys, tossing the ones that were not appropriate , cleaning and organizing.
Everyone pitched in and worked hard. I am very proud of all of our kids and my lovely wife .

After dinner we hit the streets. Sami and Emily went with Erin and Naomi and found that ministry can be FUN! George, Robert and I walked the neighborhood. Allana and Chayla went with Stacy on BUNNY DUTY.

We had prayed beforehand and God had laid on George’s heart finding someone under a tree. I had gotten a strong impression of moving shadows. As we turned the corner onto Sylvania we saw a woman sweeping the sidewalk under the shadow of a BIG tree. She is a single mom with three boys under the age of 4. George asked her if we could pray for her and she asked us to pray for her family. We did and then I invited her to the BCC single Mom’s event coming up. Surprise Surprise , her Mom lives in Temperance and she was excited to get more details (which being men we did not have so Allana and I will be headed back there today). As we walked we met kids, parents, young men, old men, young women and old women. They all had one thing in common THEY DESPERATELY NEED JESUS! We prayed for some, chatted with others. We invited some and just opened lines of fellowship with others. Tired but blessed we returned to the Lewis House.

"I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that YOU will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ." Philemon 6

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It is all about Two Girls

Posted in Life and Ministry, tagged , , on June 26, 2010| 1 Comment »

It is all about the two girls. Two little lost and hurting girls God sent our way as an opportunity to serve Him, love the Lost and serve others. We were tired, hot and honestly thought that nobody would show up for our youth and Children’s ministry. We had actually planned to return to the BLock Party that we helped set up at BCC when no kids showed up but God had other plans. So there they were two little girls who desperately need the hand of God in there lives. No miracles were performed, no great sermons preached, none came forward for salvation but I could feel God SMILING over my shoulder as he said, “I told you so.” I have been studying Relational Ministry but He taught me more tonight than in all the studying. Tonight it was all about the two little girls. Keep your eyes and Spirit open because tomorrow It’s going to be about…well I just guess I will Keep my eyes open and my heart in tune and He will let meknow ..

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Summer!

Posted in Life and Ministry, tagged , , , , , , on June 25, 2010| Leave a Comment »

I am so excited for what God has brought to myself and my family this summer.  Last week I had the privilege of sharing BLAST with a great group of leaders and junior highers at BCC.  This week Allana and the kids are having a blast at Sonquest Rainforest VBS.  The blessings have already started to rain down and the summer is barely started.

Monday we head to Toledo and The Lewis House (www.mylewishouse.com) .  We are ready for God to do great things and are excited to spend this time with our family in Christ there.  God has been amazing as he has opened the way for us to serve Him.  At the end of July we head out for our great western sweep.  It will be an exciting time of seeing friends and family but even more Allana and I believe it will be a time of ministry.  We are looking forward to sharing our faith and taking hold of ministry opportunities that God puts in our path.  I am sure after our month at The Lewis House we will be Spiritually pumped and overflowing with joy to share both with those who don’t know Him as Lord and Savior and with our brothers and sisters in Christ!  We are ready for all the “outrageous” things God has for us! (ok..so maybe with the help of the Holy Spirit I will be ready for all the OUTRAGEOUS things God has for us!)

AMEN

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The Wedding II

Posted in Life and Ministry, tagged , , , on April 16, 2010| Leave a Comment »

     Pivotal life moments stir the soul.  Mine has been stirred in so many ways over the past 9 months.  As I look back over that time I see God moving me more and more to total reliance on Him.  I am reading through Luke again and several verses jumped out at me.

“Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?  Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?”  Luke 12:25

And of course to follow this up I ended up in a Wednesday night class focused on Philippians 4.  “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God…”

So what does this have to do with the wedding?  As I look at this pivotal event, I consider all that I have achieved or failed to achieve.  As I look at the lives of my siblings and the widely varying values that they hold dear, I feel  that desire to achieve and succeed stir in my heart.  It is not the urge to glorify God, though I am tempted to clothe it in that.  It is a desire to base my self worth in an external value system.  One that looks at outside achievement.  It is the stuff that traditions, expectations and pride are made of.  Whether it is look at my degree, or look at the beautiful facility we have, or see how musically skilled we are, it rejects the utter worthlessness of it all without God.  I can remember a time in my life when I was full of thoughts of all the things “I” was going to do for God.  It may have even crossed my mind of how much He needed me.

“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out”   Luke 19:40

All at once a great statement of the utter worthiness of Jesus to be praised and the absolute independence of God.  Guess what, what I can do for God does not depend on my education, my intellect, my musical skill (thank goodness) or any other quality that I possess.  It depends on God.  Anything that I can possibly do, he can raise up the stones to do.  I think of the wedding at Cana.  I wonder if the vintner was there to see Jesus in one moment of Deity surpass perhaps a lifetime of work and training.  Jesus has the best wine.  So does this mean the vintner should just hang it up and quit?  Does it mean that I despair of doing anything or just sit back and let God do it all because he can do it better… no it is the calm assurance that in Him I can do it better; it is joy that he lets me do for Him in spite of my flaws; it is in this assurance that Jesus’ words in Luke and Paul’s in Philippians takes take root and flourish. Be the vintner for God (okay make grape juice), be the manager for God, be the dishwasher for God but do what God calls you to, not what seems right in the eyes of men.  Micah said it aptly,

“He has showed you, O man what is good.  And what does the Lord require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (4:8)

So if the pivotal moments in your life lead you to question the path that God has placed you on, STOP IT.  Be still and let God be God.  What others value, what others achieve is between them and God.  Keeping Him at the CENTER of your life is between me (you) and God.  Daily disciplining myself to experience God’s Glory in my life becomes paramount.  Then comes the education, that He has for me; the ministry that He has for me; the job, that He has for me and the Peace and joy that comes with letting Him be God.  He is A LOT better at it than I am.  So daily I seek God.  He has set me on a path, in the dark with a lamp, so I can see just enough for my next step.  Let me be satisfied, let me be at peace.  Amen.

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The wedding

Posted in Life and Ministry, tagged , , , on April 13, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Well it’s done. I am a father in law. One step closer to being a grandpa. Of course it is one step closer to great grandparenthood for Tito and Tita (my parents). As I went through the various events associated with the wedding God spoke to me in so many ways. I certainly will not be able to cover everything that I want to in a single post (yes there will be a sequel). Time spent with my family is always thought provoking. When you add the amazing type of our relationship with Jesus that marriage is to all of the normal emotions and interactions of a wedding and wow.
God recently refocused me on my personal priorities with Exodus 21:5. God comes first, then wife and family follow. Everything else falls into place after that, especially myself. He had me seal the deal with a tangible symbol, the earring in my right ear that reminds me that “I love my master, I love my wife, I love my children and I will serve Him forever.”. I have chosen to give up permanently my freedom to serve God and my family. Being unusually stubborn and selfish, God called me to this tangible expression of my dedication. One that I see every morning. But in this case eternal servanthood is the most amazing freedom. This is the heart of the mystery of our relationship with Jesus and the mystery of Godly marriage. As I watched John and Julie exchange their vows the wonder of it filled me with joy. I pray Exodus 21:5 over my son daily. (the earring is wholly optional and not recommended unless you feel moved by God 🙂 ).

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Morning

Posted in Life and Ministry, tagged , , , , on March 25, 2010| Leave a Comment »

I have neve been much of a morning person. I lie here considering my day, feeling the various aches and pains that resulted from my activities yesterday. This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it. This is a mandate not a promise. It does not depend on what my day will bring. It depends on the state of my relationship with God as I put my faith to work in a fallen world. “Delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart”. Last night in small group we talked about Paul and Silas in the Phillipian jail. They were delighting in their Lord and Savior in circumstances that were not delightful. They received the desire of their heart….the salvation of the Phillipian jailer and his family. Lord help me to Delight in You throughout this day that the desires of my heart would rest in your will.

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Blogging

Posted in Life and Ministry, tagged , , , , on March 25, 2010| 1 Comment »

    I have experimented with blogging before and it has never lasted.  Encouraged by the example of some good Christian men in my life I am going to take another stab at it.  Perhaps along with the daily Bible study that has become a part of my life this will also take root and grow.  I chose the name of my blog from I Timothy 1:6.  It is perhaps my favorite verse in the Bible.  I live to use the gifts that God gives to create light in this dark world.  I am learning that “fanning into flame the gift of God” is not a piecemeal affair.  I cannot develop my gifts in their own separate compartments.  I recently was deeply touched by a piece of scripture that illustrated this point clearly to me. 

Exodus 21:5

5 “But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’ 6 then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life

My service to God is a complete package.  I love my God!  I love my Wife!  I love my Children!  These cannot be separated.  And yes God did lead my get my ear pierced (that was a personal struggle I may deal with in a separate post!  I do not promote or encourage this.  It was an intensely personal decision spurred by my relationship with God.  No doctrine or spiritual panacea for the Christian walk is suggested or implied.) as a testament to my own stubborn tendencies.  Every day I look in the mirror and this passage rings in my ears.  It must be the order of my life!  Only then can the flames rise to be seen by all around.  Well I am going to keep this first post short if not sweet.  Hopefully I will do better this time than I have in the past.

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