Love

I sit here and think about what is going on in our lives...friends, family, finances, LIFE...and I come to realize that I have it pretty stinkin awesome!  Within three months of moving nearly 1200 Miles away from what I've always known as home, and not knowing a soul, we have a place where we feel we belong; this is our home!  Even though our families are over 18 hrs away, we know that we are here for a reason, and its home!  We had the discussion tonight, as we often do, on how much we love this area already.  I always tend to chime in with the ever constant feeling that I'm cheating on Arkansas or something!  Arkansas was/is my home....always will be, but I've learned that there is more to home than a specific place.  Our home is ministering with our friends, being in community with others, caring for and praying for our families, and loving everyone we come in contact with!  I've just realized that our home is in our ministries, and when I say ministries, I don't mean the skewed view of ministry that many often have of being in a church, or a non-profit, or a church camp-I mean life, every second of every day.  Our friends, our work, our church, our families, and even something as small as our trips to the grocery store!  God opened a door for Sara and I this evening as we were walking into Harris Teeter(a local grocery store)!  Sure, I play guitar, but thats something I do on my own time right now, but I just so happened to be wearing a shirt that has the picture of a Fender Telecaster on it.  A guy that was working in the fresh produce section named Robert turn, looked at me and asked me what kind of guitar it was on my shirt??HUH  When does someone ever just strike up a conversation anymore?  Anyways, we got to talking, found out the guy used to build custom Guitars, still does on the side, and has an amazing personality.  Even though we weren't able to really get to know the guy, within a 7 min. conversation, God was able to open the door, now I just get to take of and go through it!  I'm praying now that I see this guy every time I go into HT...I want the opportunity to speak with Robert more, find out what makes him tick, find out if he knows Christ, and if not, introduce him!  This is honestly the first time that God has shown me something so clearly!  

Since moving here, I'll tell you over and over, and I'm sure you can tell from previous blogs that God has been pressing the idea of truly loving others on me like you wouldn't believe!  Even two nights ago my heart broke into pieces listing to the testimony that Pastor Jeff's parents were giving.  George(Jeff's Dad) said at an extremely difficult point in their life, he had his pastor come up to him during a major accident and told him that if the Pastor lost one of his kids in the car crash they had just been in in order that George would come back to Christ it would all be worth it in the end!  HOW?  I don't understand that type of love!  My heart broke, because he did end up losing his daughter, and George is using his testimony to help married couples through difficult situations.  God uses everything, and this Pastor had it figured out, even if he lost one of his own kids for someone else, in the end, it would be worth it!  I WANT THAT!!!  Not that I want to lose things, but I want to be able to give up anything so that others will know Christ!  I want others to see love in me, not frustrations, or an attitude, or arrogance!  I want everyone to see that I would be willing to do anything/everything for others to know HIM!  To most this probably makes no sense, but if you are anywhere close to this position, I'm praying for you just as I'm praying for myself, God, Let us see as You see, let us Love as You Love, willing to sacrifice it all, for just one to know You!  Get rid of my pride, take away my selfishness, and don't let me be comfortable knowing that I missed the opportunity to speak to someone about You!  I don't want to feel like I need to apologize to anyone for not living like Christ would want me to because I don't want there to be any chance that I'm the reason someone doesn't know you.  

I pray that with all my heart, I hope all that I come into contact with realize there is a decision to make, to follow or not, and that I am an influence in their life to follow!  Christ will use me no matter what, just depends on how I want to see things happen, the hard way or the easy way!  I'll ask you the same question!

Daily Tearing down of my Pride

I had a moment today where I realized that its all about how we look at things.  I was reading a book that I swear I could have probably wrote some of the things he wrote about!  It's a great book, I've had it for years and just haven't gotten around to reading it.  Blue Like Jazz.  It's been out for several years, and it is absolutely crazy how God works.  I was given this book free outside of one of the dining halls on campus at the University of Arkansas and it has sat on my shelf for nearly 4 years.  It's not that I haven't read anything at all since then, trust me, I've made huge advances in my reading skills, I just looked it over.  But God was saving this read for a specific season in my life, and here it is!   This book is almost an outside look in on my way of thinking, and has humbled me to really look past all of my personal desires, "my plans," my way of analyzing everything, and truly see things through God's eyes.  It's awesome how God will speak through other people to you at just the right time.  If I would have read this book when I got it, I would have probably hated it, but its relevant to me, NOW!  This current book and the one I just finished, Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis, have really challenge me to Focus my thoughts on God, but not to over think God.  I often times try to reason out and analyze God, the situations He has me in, and the purpose He has for me, but I miss the point!  I've spent all my time thinking about God, rather than focusing my thoughts on God and letting him lead me!  I look through my eyes trying to figure everything out, and when I'll let God take control, step back, and look through his eyes, it blows my mind!  

God has us in the situation we are in for a reason; me Sara, our families, everyone.  We can't see the end result, or even what will happen tomorrow, but I'm learning to adjust my focus so to speak!  I step back and see some of the things unfolding in front of me and I get jacked up about it.  I've been challenged to live Christ out in everything I do, even when I'm driving, which is probably one of my weaknesses!  It's hard for me to love the guy that just cut me off without using a blinker with the same love Christ shows me.  Its even more humbling for me to realize that I'm pretty much doing the same thing to him when I want to do things my own way, and basically cut Him off out of the picture!  Are we willing to love EVERYONE, or just the people that are nice to us, look like us, act a certain way....you get the idea!

Update!!!

Hey everyone, trying to get a bit better at this! For the next several weeks or so this should be much easier because through some ministry opportunities which I will explain here in a few, I have temporarily been given a computer! Ok, so, here is some of the new down low. We are loving it here!!! The weather pretty much rocks, most of the time it is in the 80's, sunny, with a slight breeze, often time strong...20+mph. Me and another individual in the church have been given an amazing responsibility of keeping the Life Groups for the church running, and actually attempting to bring more organization to the ministry while Kevin McGeorge, our Life Groups Coordinator, is on mission to Africa! I'm pumped, but with this new responsibility, my life just got a bit busy! I'm also starting my job with the city at the pools this week! Praise God for work and ministry, but seriously, all at once...AWESOME!
Sara hasn't found a job at the moment, but she has literally tried and looked everywhere! Trust me, if she was supposed to have a job right now, she would. God is just giving her a break from work, which for her is totally not normal! She even feels like she's not doing enough, but I'm often encouraged not only by her words, but her passion for those around her, volunteering, and just seeking what it is that God wants her to do! Thank you Jesus for a Godly Wife!
Anyways, here are a few new pics just to give you an idea of some of the coolness that we are a part of now!
























The first pic is from Greenfield Lake downtown, "there's gators in there!"
The second one is down on the "ROCK" south of Ft. Fisher.
The two with the Helicopter are from the Lifepoint Helicopter Egg Drop for Easter...isn't that nuts! The last pics are from the beach we frequent, the last two are of another crab that didn't have the best fate!!!
Love you guys, later!

My mind races

So, I'm sitting here, my wife is asleep trying to sleep off some sort of sickness, and my mind is racing with all sorts of things. If I made a list, it might take all night, so I'm going to leave it at that! The one thing that is amazing is how God can completely pull you out of all the CRAP of this world, and bring his glory in clearly and make all worldly worries feel insignificant!
I was attempting to clear my head on my own, so I was trying to be quite by playing my electric guitar and trying ever so humbly to learn how to play a song by Phil Wickham called True Love. The man is absolutely amazing, can sing in a range that most girls can't even hit, and I have found out that he uses what is called a DADGAD tuning...what!!! To save you the boring Guitar info, and get to the point, I was listening to the song, mind still racing with all sorts of things, and then God put it on my heart to truly listen to the song! The lyrics took all my worries and threw them out the window! I challenge you to go listen to this song! You can actually download a free CD from his website! Give it a listen. The song starts out by saying that God is more faithful than the morning. THAT'S ALL I NEED, i don't know about you! If I know that He's there for us no matter what, just like I know the morning will come in the next 7 or so hours, then what in the WORLD do I have to worry about!!! But it doesn't stop there, its truly a song of hope and victory! Not only has TRUE LOVE died for me, you, everyone....but He's ALIVE! One of the first things I remember doing as a Christian was making a corny bracelet the summer right after I became a Christian, but I remember thinking so hard on what I wanted my beads to spell out! Others had put Jesus, or God, or something of the like. I remember finally coming up with the perfect thing, and its amazing how God will remind you of the small things that made so much sense to you then when you feel like everything is coming in on you! All my bracelet said was HE'S ALIVE, I wanted something on my wrist that wasn't normal, not just looked at and understood, but something I would have to explain when people didn't understand it! God has made my life that way, and I don't even realize it sometimes!
Last night, I had the opportunity to invite a coworker at the Gap to church, someone that said that going to Catholic service on Saturday night(to avoid the old snobs of the church on Sunday morning) was just another day for her, had been for her entire life! That honestly crushed my heart, because she was hurting and you could tell just by the way she talked! Sometimes I think how did I draw the short straw and end up as a lifeguard in North Carolina with a degree??? BUT REALLY, I'm blessed to have what I do, my WIFE, family, friends, NEW friends, church, ministry, etc...and God has given that to me freely, and this girl at the Gap has no idea that its right in front of her! God I PRAY that she will come to Lifepoint tomorrow! And I also pray that He would get rid of my pride, and allow me to realize how awesome it is to truly serve Him in all I do! How awesome would life be if we could constantly be reminded of how faithful our God is...Oh wait, look around you!!!

ARC: ALL ACCESS

The conference...AMAZING!

From start to finish, everything that was talked about flowed perfectly, and these guys didn't share what they would be speaking on, there were no meetings to plan what would be talked about...this conference started by giving everyone a spiritual gut-check on the condition of their heart, then progressed to the logistics. It was great to hear some of the guys speak, I would try and pick out a few guys that were great, but they all brought it and left nothing unsaid! I love to hear church leader get up, not afraid of who they may offend by challenging their spiritual politics/hypocrisies, and just bringing it on what the bible truly says. I can't wait for them to get the other sessions up so I can watch the ones that I was unable to go to.

If you are in Conway, Greater Little Rock, or Heber Springs check out New Life Church, Rick Bezet is crazy awesome! Their church is really making an impact on that area, and it is amazing how God is using these people to reach out nationally too! With Kris Allen(Worship Pastor) in the spotlight with IDOL, God is using Godly men to reach his people, that is to stinkin sweet!

On a side note, but connected in a way to what was said at the conference, I've read Galatians last week and my heart was really opened to seeing stuff that I had never seen before! The church of Galatia is very similar to the church today. Paul talks about how the Galatians have made the law so important, that they might as well forget about what Christ did for them! That's harsh, can you imagine a church leader...say the Executive Director of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention to put this into today's context, coming forward and saying that the church today is all hung up on religion, rather than JESUS! NOT THAT I HAVE ANYTHING AGAINST ABSC, just an EXAMPLE!!! I would venture to say that that individual would no longer have a job within days!!! I think we all need to realize that its about JESUS and His people, not about adhering to rules placed by men, we have gotten so caught up in "how church is done," that I think alot of people have lost sight of what it means to truly be a Christian...a follower of Christ! I could sit here and try to explain this, but I'll leave it to the BIBLE...I think that would be clear enough!!!

Galatians 2:19-21
19For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"

I challenge everyone to read Galatians with this in mind! It has changed the way I live my relationship with Jesus! Its all of 6 chapters, 1 a day will take less than a week and 10 minutes a day!!!

So, I feel like I've been disconnected from the world for nearly a week now...and other than a three day conference that rocked my world, I couldn't tell you why! God laid down a clear message throughout the ARC:All Access conference that we went to-It starts with the heart, if God isn't leading you to do what you are doing, then what are you doing? God has to be the reason, and if you don't genuinely care for people, you don't follow the vision laid before you either by God to you, or through your pastor, and you aren't willing to do whatever it takes see people come to know Christ, then your ministry is not what it could be! My mind has been in a constant spin, and it's been AWESOME!!!

We got to spend time with the staff/leadership of the church, and let me tell you, these guys are about to explode Jesus all over the East Coast. They have a passion and a desire to follow Christ like you wouldn't believe. It's all about Him, it's all about His people, and it's all about taking God everywhere they can! Hence the Vision for the church, LOVE GOD, LOVE OTHERS, SERVE THE WORLD! And they live it daily! I love the guys and God has really blessed us here!

On another note, its been, to say the least, a bit stressful trying to figure out if we were going to be able to pay our bills, and after being shown some CRAZY LOVE by some of the most awesome people ever, we are able to make it at least one more month! Sara is still in the works of finding a full time job, but is loving the work she is doing for Wilmington Parent! Me on the other hand, I've turned down two jobs, to end up working as the Head Lifeguard for the city of Wilmington. The other two jobs I turned down would have been awesome, but feel like God is leading me elsewhere. With this job, I'll have a pretty flexible schedule, which is what I need, mostly because I'll be the one doing the schedules! I thought I had hung up my whistle already, but I guess I'm going to dust it off...hopefully for one last hurrah!!! We have been blessed here, and can't wait to see what is still to come! We know without a doubt that we are where we are supposed to be.

I'll go into more detail about the conference tomorrow if I get the chance, they are still working on it, but you can click HERE and keep checking it if you would like to listen to/watch the speakers. They'll blow your mind!

JUST SOME QUICK RECAPS-
-Ed Young JR. is amazing, and crazy...about a 7 on my scale
-C3 is an awesome church, with some amazing leadership
-If you are in Conway, Greater Little Rock, or Heber Springs check out New Life Church, Rick Bezet is awesome (by the way Kris Allen is their worship pastor, and does it blow anyone away that there are two...2 worship pastors in the TOP 4!!!)
-Ed Young JR. wears really tight pants, he's really likes HILLSONG
-Met Kevin Mawae Tennessee Titans Center, shook his hand, broke mine, the dude is huge, has an amazing story, and LOVES JESUS!!!
I'll be back, love you all!

By the way, Congrats to those of you Graduating from the UofA, AWESOME...sorry we can't be there for it!!!