Random

Life can be so random at times. You never know how a day will fall. You never know exactly what will happen when you walk out your front door. Sure, you have plans! Many of us have day planners that have set a schedule for the days events, but how easily those appointments can change! From the smallest appointments to the largest of plans, life happens.

How do you cope with life's unexpected? How do you process life's randomness? One word: Jesus! He is the one constant! He is faithful... He is true... He is there! In a world of randomness... don't be random with Him! Be faithful! Be true!

A Great Week

This has been a busy week. Vacation Bible School kicked off this past Monday and has been running each night. This evening will be night four... night four of The SonQuest Rainforest!

Our Kid's Pastor has been doing a great job this week... proud of him! I've been especially excited about our volunteers. What a great job they have done. We have one lady who brought her kids on Monday and our volunteer for one of our groups didn't show up... so, she jumped in and has been there all week. Thanks to her for a commitment at the last minute. She has done a wonderful job along with all of our people.

Children are a blessing! I've watched our children sing, yell, listen, play, and laugh. It has been a joy this week to invest in their lives... teaching them about Jesus and watching them take hold of what the Bible says about Him. I'm humbled at the task. Thank you parents for bringing your children... thank you staff for giving your time to invest in kids... thank you God for being in our midst.

We have two nights left! I hope you can make it! See you there!

Moving Forward This Summer

I can't believe that summer is already here. My girls are getting out of school next Friday. They are excited!

With summer break comes a host of summer events. Youth Camp, Kid's Camp, VBS, and many others in between. Let me encourage you to stay involved this summer. Keep your kids plugged in. Support the various ministries of Living Free Fellowship. We are blessed to have great leadership with great vision. Let's keep moving forward. Don't take a vacation or 'summer break' from the things of the Lord. Volunteer... Attend... Invite... Let's move the Gospel forward this summer.

Sunday

What a day we had on Sunday! Thanks to Doug Smith for leading worship along with people who are willing to enter in. When the praise goes up... His presence comes down.

Let us be people with a vision for the lost (Acts 10:9-16). Remember it begins with prayer... it always includes YOU... and God will create opportunity. I encourage you to walk close to Him and watch what He will do in your life this week.

Thankful

I have been so thankful for what God has been doing at Living Free Fellowship. I am amazed every week by the new faces and new commitments that are being made as people respond to the Word of God. Faithfulness is key! Let us continue to trust God with our very lives. Let us be assured that God will perform in us something magnificent if we will only let Him. Keep moving forward LFF! Keep an open heart for the things of God and watch what God will do in you and through you... watch what He will do in our church and our community.

Faithful

Tonight is youth night at LFF! My daughter is now in the youth ministry (6th grade). So... I'm hanging out at church listening to the youth service, hearing their worship, and watching students interact with one another. Amazing! I love it when teenagers come together for really one purpose... to grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ. My daughter loves going to church! As a dad... I'm proud of her and my prayer is that she will never lose that desire to be in God's presense with other believers.

It makes me wonder why we have so much unfaithfulness in the church today (speaking generally). It seems like the least little thing can keep us home... we have to eat dinner, the kids need to go to bed early, my throat is sore, I'm tired, long day at work, I worked late, had 'other' plans, and the list goes on. What happened to sacrifice? What happened to commitment? What happened to faithfulness?

I truly believes it speaks to the heart. Matthew 6:21 says... "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." I believe we are guilty of letting other things take away from our relationship with God. We prize sleep. We prize money. We prize selfish things that turn our attention toward us instead of God. It is time to change. It is time to seek God! Get away from the excuses and fall in love with Jesus all over again!

Hebrews 10:25 says... "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Whether we see it or not, coming together is important. We need one another. Start this weekend... carry it through to mid-week... and discipline yourself 'to be' the church!

It does my heart good to see our teens faithful. May it be with us adults as well!

A Forgotten Blog!

It's amazing how we can seem to get away from things at times. Take my blog for instance. It's been almost a month since I've posted. Even though I know I have a blog and have posted almost 300 times since I began... I haven't thought much about it over this past few weeks.

If we are not careful our walk with God can become the same way. We may have 'posted' many conversations over the years, but have you 'posted' one today? Have we taken the time to hear from His Word and communicate with Him on some level. Don't let God become a blog forgotten. Don't let him become a hobby that no longer draws your interest. Communicate! Protect the relationship you have with your God. Draw close to Him and watch Him draw close to you!

Jesus loves us and desires our company. Let us never forget that fact... so start 'typing'!

Trust God!

Wow... where has the time gone? You blink your eyes and the calendar is gone.

I'm reminded today... though the times change... God does not! He is the same yesterday, today and forever. We can put our assurance in an unchanging God that He will always be there for us and He will never forsake us. What have you put your trust in? Or, should I ask... who?

The Holidays Are Here!

I hope everyone had a great Thankgiving with friends and family.

I took my family to my parent's house for Thanksgiving. It was good to see my brothers and the rest of my family. Mom put on a spread. I probably committed the sin of gluttony today. If I didn't, I came close. After lunch, Jenny and I, along with my kids, went to the church and decorated for Christmas. It was nice spending the day with them enjoying the holidays. The church looks great... thanks to my wife and her decorating skills.

The holidays are shaping up to be great. Looking forward to Christmas!

2nd Place

I entered a corn hole tournament at First Baptist Church in Portland with friend Paul Read last night. There were 32 teams and we finished 2nd! I would like to thank Greg McCoy (FBC's pastor) for hosting the event. It was a great night of competition. There is nothing like a good game of corn hole!