My Beautiful Wife

You there is something inexpressibly beautiful about a pregnant wife.  There is a new glow and joy that I see in my wife daily as our little boy continues to grow inside of her.  I feel as though her confidence is raising and she is really coming into her own.  I am so excited to see how wonderful a mother my wife is going to be.  I just know that she is going to be truly amazing with our little boy!

I am so thankful for this wonderful blessing the Lord has given us.  We have truly had a lot of fun sharing in the ultrasounds, movements, and growth.  Each day I believe my wife becomes more beautiful in a new and radiant way.  Though I know I will get flack from my mother-in-law for this, I have to admit that if I had known all that we would share through this pregnancy process, I would've been willing to have a baby much sooner.  There truly is a magical transformation that happens as you realize that you were created for this.  That God has truly blessed us with the miracle of being able to create life.

There are so many things that I am looking forward to doing with my baby boy and yet so many ways I am scared out of my mind.  I am so grateful that I have come to a place where I can rest in the assurance that Jesus is going to give me the strength I need to be a good Father.  I am daily relying on Him to prepare me to be the man of Christ my children will need.  I know that there is still much work that needs to be done but am confident that the Lord will work it in me at the right time.  I know I have used this verse before but there isn't one that gives me more peace right now in Romans 8:28 saying, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

Thank you, each one of you who support me and read this blog.  I ask that you pray for my wife, baby boy, and I as we continue this journey to become a family.  I am so excited to see the many new and special ways the Lord will enhance our walk, our marriage, and ability to live and minister for Jesus daily.

Blessings,

Greg

My wife and I feel an intense calling on our lives for missions and full-time ministry.  We have created a fundraiser to help us overcome one hurtle to us being able to go to the mission field.  I pray that you will take a moment and check out this link.  I thank you for your consideration and ask that you seek the Lord's guidance in considering contributing to this fundraiser.  Thank you.

http://www.youcaring.com/fundraiser_details?fundraiser_id=3437&url=roadtofreedomforproclaimingchrist

The Miracle of Life

Tonight, my wife and I had the opportunity to see the movie October Baby.  It was an incredible movie about a young woman who finds out she is adopted and not only that but that the physical complications she has are due to a failed abortion her mother had causing her to be born premature 24 weeks into the pregnancy.  The movie takes you on her journey to discover who she is, who her mother is, and how to deal with the circumstances of her life.  The movie is very well made and moving.  I highly recommend it to everyone.  It is well worth the money and time.

I have to admit that this movie profoundly affected me especially considering the fact that my wife is almost 24 weeks pregnant.  The shear evilness that would allow someone to take a moving, living, growing baby's life and destroy it with the belief that it is only a "bundle of tissues,"  is beyond what I can comprehend.  How arrogant we have to be to believe it is okay to take what God created and destroy it.  If this happens after the womb, we consider it tragic and call it murder but not in the womb because most of the world does not accept a fetus as life.

Throughout the time that my wife has been pregnant, I have been amazed by the glorious life that is growing within her.  My heart leaps with joy as I watch an ultrasound and see our little boy turning, moving, and bending in the womb.  My wife now feels him daily and even many times a day.  She is beginning to feel him respond in different ways to different situations and she is only 23 weeks along.

There is a human being inside her stomach.  All of his parts are formed and working and moving as they are intended.  He is swallowing amniotic fluid to practice his breathing.  I personally have seen his primary organs at work through the ultrasound.  I have seen his heart fluttering, the blood flowing to his little extremities and brain.  I marvel each day at the miracle God is performing in the belly of my wife.

I love how this movie's intention is healing both for the child, the mother, and the nurse of the abortion clinic.  I love how this movie even supports adoption as a way to provide a seemingly unwanted life with loving parents who both want and are so happy to welcome this life into their family.  This movie is about redemption, forgiveness, and restoration.  There is a part where the main character is speaking to a priest and he comments about Paul's words on being able to forgive because of the forgiveness Jesus has given us.  He was speaking of Colossians 3:13 saying, "bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive."  


Abortion is, in my opinion, one of the most heinous acts humanity performs.  It perpetuates nothing but brokenness, selfishness, and a flagrant disrespect of God's creation.  I know that the right to choice and the right to life are still a hot topic in our country today but I hope that you will fight for life.  I in no way advocate the acts of violence many people have carried out in their hatred of abortion.  I believe that we should fight the atrocities of abortion through prayer, advocacy of truth, and petitions of our government.  It is our place to love people to change, healing, and understanding.  It is our place to lead people to healing, both those considering abortion and those who have had or performed an abortion, through the redeeming power of Jesus Christ.  


Please don't sit on the sideline another day on this issue.  Take the time to watch October Baby.  Take the time to check out their website and learn how you can get involved in the fight for life today.  


Blessings,


Greg 

My wife and I feel an intense calling on our lives for missions and full-time ministry.  We have created a fundraiser to help us overcome one hurtle to us being able to go to the mission field.  I pray that you will take a moment and check out this link.  I thank you for your consideration and ask that you seek the Lord's guidance in considering contributing to this fundraiser.  Thank you.

http://www.youcaring.com/fundraiser_details?fundraiser_id=3437&url=roadtofreedomforproclaimingchrist

Strength Through Living Daily With Christ

A snow angel made on a four inch thick layer of ice over a creek bed.

As I sit here in the dimness of dawn, I look out at our yard which is now completely covered in snow and ice.  I praise God that the ice we did receive was not wet and did not stick to the power lines.  I praise God that I have been blessed with a home to keep me sheltered from the bitter cold that is outside my windows.  I praise Him for keeping me, my wife, my family, and my friends safe despite the dangerous weather conditions we have had for days.

I know that my Lord is always there for me.  He is protecting me in ways I will probably never know.  He is teaching me constantly about who He is.  I am so thankful that God is real, truly loves us, and actively seek to develop a close relationship with us daily.

To be honest, this month has been a one of great struggles for me.  There have been many times this month where I have struggled with how I am going to pay bills, what I should do in certain situation, leaps of faith I have had to take, and sin I have had to battle against.  All of these situations sought to encase me, like the ice outside my doorstep, in a cage of bitterness and frustration but as I learn to lean on the Lord more and more daily I see how He protects my heart and lifts me up in His strength.

I am truly beginning to understand what Paul meant when he said in Philippians 3:7-9, "But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.  What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him."  No trouble of this world matters with Christ at the helm of my life.  He is my sustainer and in understanding this I can truly live and believe Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."


No matter what situation you find yourself in today, I hope that you will put your complete faith in Jesus.  He is truly all you need in this world to live and live abundantly.  You will still face struggles in this life but Jesus will sustain you and keep you in each one.  He will walk beside you and help carry any burden you are facing.  All your struggles will truly be light with Jesus as your Savior and Lord.  


Blessings,


Greg 

The Reason for the Season

Obviously not the reason for the season but a great picture of my dog with a new toy at Christmas when she was a pup :)

Don't miss the reason for the season. This time of year is not about gifts, food, or even family. This season is about remembering the precious gift that was given to us in Jesus coming down to earth to save us. Don't lose sight of this wonderful event. If you have never recognized Jesus as savior and worshipped in the true glory of this season, accept Him into your heart today. You will never regret it. He will fill the hole in your heart and bring you a peace and joy you have never known. Trust him and truly know him today! Merry Christmas.

Blessings,

Greg

Its Beginning to Feel a Lot Like Christmas

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas! This is not due to snow but the aura in our home and feelings in my heart. We have setup all the Christmas decorations, wrapped all the gifts, and last night started making Christmas goodies. I am so excited to spend quality time with my family. I am so excited to see the joy on each persons face as they open their gifts. I am looking forward to the wonderful food and incredibly fun conversations.

I really had a slow start this Christmas. I wasn't feeling the Christmas spirit and felt pretty detached from the season. Then we began to setup the decorations, focused on advent with our young adults and decided to make most of our gifts this year. My heart slowly began to remember the true reason for the season. I remembered how precious, simple, and poignant the Charlie Brown Christmas movie is. I remembered the beautiful act of love our Savior performed by coming to our world as a baby. I remembered the love I have been shown by my family and the wonderful Christian example that have demonstrated by their lives to me. I am so greatful and excited for such a wonderful time of the year. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas also!

Blessings,

Greg

Speaking in Christ Only

Foot in mouth syndrome is something that I struggle with greatly. The more frustrate, scared, or uncomfortable I am with a situation, the higher the possibility that I am going to say something that I shouldn't. Within the same realm of struggle, I also have difficulty speaking what I mean in a none threatening or insulting way. Many times I do not mean to insult or hurt another person but the way I word my response accidentally harms them anyway. Needless to say this has caused quite a few intense "discussions" between both my wife and I and many of my close friends.

I am reminded of the verse in James 1:19 saying, "Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger." Many of the times that I struggle with saying things I shouldn't involves either me not listening or me becoming emotional. I find that in these times I am not trusting God in my situation. Do you ever find yourself depending on only your own ability instead of letting Jesus guide you? Well if your anything like me then those times probably don't work out to well for you. I pray that I would be more like this verse in James. I pray that I can listen more and speak less. Trust in Jesus and he can help you with any weakness you encounter.

Blessings,

Greg

Endurance in Christ

Today, I spent a majority of my day cleaning because my wife's sister and her husband are coming to visit this weekend. I have to admit that the house may be cleaner tonight that it has been in a very long time. I even dusted the house, which I have to admit does not get done very often. There is something so wonderful about a clean house once everything is said and done. To be able to walk through the house with clean floors, counters, and furniture, is simply delightful.

Though a clean house is wonderful, having the motivation to clean the house is not always present. This is especially true when the house has been let go a little too long. It can be quite a task to completely clean the whole thing. You have to commit to continuing even when your tired and aching. Honestly there were plenty of times I wanted to quit today and just let my family deal with my house how it was but I compelled myself to finish the job.

There have been many times in my life where I have given up on a difficult task. I have learned as I get older that just because I want to quit doesn't mean I should. I have to fully lean on the Lord for strength and direction daily. I truly believe that without Jesus I couldn't accomplish anything. He is my strength. He is my direction. He is all I will ever need in this world.

Blessings,

Greg

Prayers Appreciated

My wife and I are dealing with some extra struggles lately.  Tonight I just ask for your prayers.  I want you all to know I appreciate each of you following this blog.  Some day soon I hope to be able to share the events of our lives in the past months.  Suffice it to say that we appreciate all the prayer you can muster.  No matter what we face, we know that God is good and with us.  Our full faith is in Him and I know he never fails.  Hebrews 11:1, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."

Blessings,

Greg

Relational Breakdown

For most of my life, I have felt like a loner.  I have friends but most of them seem to be friends of convenience.  What I mean by this is friends at work, church, and through my wife.  I don't want to come across as cynical but I always feel like the friends I have are only there because of the shared connection.  I believe that I have come to this belief because of the multiple times this has been true in the many moves of my life.  I can count on one hand the friends I have in my life in whom I believe wouldn't change or disappear if I moved towns, jobs, or churches.  

I had a brief conversation at work today about one of my coworker's disdain for cars.  I made the case that cars were wonderful and that no one would really want to go back to walking and/or riding in a horse and buggy but she claimed that she would.  We continued the talk by discussing how going back to a horse and buggy time wouldn't be all bad because everything would've been much closer.  Our towns would shrink back to the horse and buggy radius.  You would only know a limited amount of people because of a limited travel ability and it would be necessary to depend on the people you knew because of these limits.

It is so hard for me to conceive of a time when everyone in a town knew everybody else.  I think for most of my life these towns have been disappearing.  With the telephone, the automobile, airplanes, and the computer, we have had the ability to travel and communicate in ways not really imagined by most of historic humanity.  Ironically in all this new found travel and communication breakthroughs most of us in the western world have actually reverted to a state of less personal and real communication and friendships.  

The distance has created more of an opportunity to not communicate instead of an opportunity to meet more people.  The cell phones, texting, internet, and more have seemingly created an impersonal form of communication that makes us feel connected and yet has succeeded to make most of our friendships superficial.  We find ourselves wanting to communicate through text, emails, and within massively multiplayer online role playing games instead of meeting people, calling people, or even picking up a pen and writing a personal message.  Many of us have become recluses from direct contact desiring to only develop deep relationships through a computer or cellphone screen.

The implications to Christianity, in my opinion, has been devastating.  Many of our friendships within the church are acquaintance level at best.  We no longer want to take the time to know how the person next to us in the pew is actually doing.  We have lost the community aspect of church.  We also have developed a great fear of deep conversation with another human being in the flesh.  The idea of having to go out meet people and tell them about Jesus terrifies the average church goer today.  

If Jesus, the disciples, Paul, and all the prophets of the Old Testament had been afraid of human interaction or having tough discussions, Christianity would not exist today.  Christianity requires relationships.  There is no other way to truly show another person the love of Jesus that resides within you.  If you find yourself falling into any of these traps that tend to pull you into yourself and away from others, I implore you to run to Jesus and pray that He open your heart to His will.  Paul said in Romans chapter 10:14-15, "How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!"

"How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news," is taken from Isaiah 52:7.  The Bible always intended for us to tell the good news to others.  This was the original purpose of the Hebrews.  They were to be the people who would demonstrated God's glory to the world.  Jesus also came to demonstrate God's glory to the world.  Through these examples we can see the importance of us demonstrating God's glory to the world.  Though I do believe that texting, Facebook, twitter, etc can have a positive influence in evangelism, a direct personal relationship will always be the most effective tool for the kingdom of Christ.  Spending the time to share your life with another and live Jesus' love to them is ultimately the most effective way to touch a person for Christ.  So I hope you will turn off you computer, cell phone, and tv for a while, even if it means taking a break from my blog ;), and go out to spend some time with people in the flesh, and share the love and salvation Jesus gave to you.  Like in the picture at the beginning of this blog, you may be the one who has the opportunity to reach down and help a brother off the steep cliff they are struggling with.

Blessings,

Greg 

Sprained Knees and Christmas Quizzes

Today, I spent the better part of my day at home doing nothing.  Yesterday, I apparently strained/sprained my knee while dragging file cabinets up two flights of stairs to the new office at my work.  I knew something was wrong the moment I twisted it.  I still did some work after I hurt it hoping that I had just stepped wrong and that the pain would go away as quickly as it came.  The pain continued to escalate throughout the evening and by the morning walking was quite a chore.  As I slowly made my way in to work this morning, I did not want to tell my boss that I needed to get the knee checked out but I knew that I couldn't do another day of work like I had the day before on such an unstable knee.

My boss sent me to the doctor where I had the opportunity to wear a lovely hospital gown.  A sweet old lady came to take a picture of my knee and after that I was given the wonderful prognosis of a common knee sprain from the doctor.  The doctor was kind enough to give me work restrictions that touched on every duty I perform at my job.  As I went back to my boss and he saw that I couldn't do much, he sent me home for the day in hopes that I would feel better tomorrow.

So that is how I ended up cooped up in my house today.  I have to admit that being at home wasn't all bad since I was able to complete some rebates I had been meaning to finish, pay some bills, and work on the music selection for church on Sunday.  All in all it turned out to be a pretty decent day.  I tried to be as kind to my knee as  possible and am really hoping that it will feel significantly better in the morning.

This evening Mel and I led our young adult group.  We decided to talk with them about common family traditions they perform.  Our young adults told us about many traditions their families do including: getting together, eating ham and other wonderful foods, going to candle light christmas eve service, giving white elephant gifts, hiding a special ornament in the tree, alternating who reads the Christmas story each year, and more.  As they went on and on about the many things they do around Christmas time, it was easy to identify with many of the traditions they shared.  Some of their traditions reminded me of when I was young, others are traditions that I still continue today, and some where traditions I had never thought of.

We decided to finish the night off with a Christmas quiz that tested how well people know the scriptural account of Christmas.  I have to say that it is alarming how many things we think are true that we received from tradition and children's stories.  Many of the questions were quite difficult and I have to be honest and say that I did not do as well as I would've liked.  I was tripped up by both past tradition and a few trick questions.  I highly suggest giving the quiz an honest try and seeing how you fair.  I hope you get them all right but if you don't, there are scriptures to go with each answer so you can be better prepared next year or even for an upcoming Christmas party this year. ;D Here is the link for the quiz, A Christmas Quiz: Is it scripture or is it tradition?

Blessings,

Greg

A Wonderful Time of Thanksgiving

Hello everyone!  As most of you can tell, I took a much needed break during the Thanksgiving holiday.  My wife and I were very fortunate to be able to spend quality time with both sides of our family.  I had the added blessing of seeing my grandparents this Thanksgiving also.  This is special because my grandparents live in Tennessee and I usually only get to see them a couple times a year.

This year we did things a little different for Thanksgiving.  We decided last year to start a family rotation schedule each year.  My family would have us for the full Thanksgiving day one year and my in-laws the next.  We really had a wonderful time at each house and this year was so much less stressful since we didn't have to run between both families on Thanksgiving or worry about either family feeling jipped.  We had enough time with each family to be able to enjoy both a wonderful meal and some much needed downtime including time spent catching up on how our families are doing.

Though both my wife and I often talk with our family members multiple times each week, there is something special about spending time in person that texting and phone conversations can't match.  I always look forward to coming home and seeing the new pieces my dad has added to his collections.  I enjoy seeing what new house project my mom has embarked on and marveling how much different that part of the house looks once she is done.  I love watching my dog play with my parent's dog.  There is nothing more fun than watching the dogs play tug of war on the rug and keep away with the toys.  I love spending time catching up with each family member on how work and life are going.  I enjoy spending time with them relaxing as we watch a movie, play a game, or just sit and talk together.  I seem to have so much more fun shopping when I have my family to share the experience with too.  I can usually count on the fact that both my family and my in-laws will have computer problems for me to fix and a few household task to attend to when I come and yet I don't mind.  These simple pleasures and much more are what I cherish at each holiday vacation.

This year the food was absolutely marvelous at both my house and my in-laws.  I ate multiple helpings of turkey, stuffing, pumpkin roll, pecan chocolate chip pie, and my grandmother's sweet tea.  There was a great variety of food including cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, gravy, broccoli casserole, corn, sweet potato casserole, yam casserole, deviled eggs, pumpkin pie, chess pie, and much more.  Both families did such a great job of preparing the food and each table had it's own set of wonderful conversations and joyful partaking of the food.

As i enjoyed each part of Thanksgiving this year, I found myself truly counting the many blessing the Lord has placed in my life.  I couldn't imagine having better families.  When I am home, I feel truly loved and appreciated.  I love seeing all the parts of my family that have contributed to who I am today.  I love the security of knowing that my families are constantly praying for my wife and I.  Each time I go home, I find a new thing to love about my families.  I get to make new memories I will cherish for the rest of my life while rekindling wonderful memories of old with the ones I hold most dear.  All in all, Jesus has truly blessed my life.  I hope you had an opportunity to count your many blessings this Thanksgiving season also.  Oh and it is good to be back. ;)

Blessings,

Greg

Thankfulness

I am so thankful to be at a job this year where I do not have to fight with my boss for time off to see my family. I am so thankful that my grandparents are coming up to my parents house for Thanksgiving this year. I am so thankful for my lovely wife who is so good to me. I am so thankful that she is such a wonderful loving Christian woman. I am so thankful for wonderful best friends who are serving the Lord faithfully abroad. I am so thankful for family members who have also accepted the call to reach the world for Jesus. I am so thankful for in-laws who love and support me. I am so thankful for a sister who involves me in the best and most difficult parts of her life. I am so thankful that the Lord shows me new ways I can minster and show love to the people around me. I am so thankful that my friend Mike is coming home soon from deployment. I am thankful that I have a home to keep my family safe and warm in. I am so thankful that I get the opportunity to lead worship for the Christmas season. I am so thankful for the many friends and loved ones God has surrounded me with in the past year. I am so thankful that I serve such a loving and faithful God. Simply put, I am thankful. What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving? Blessings,Greg

Sheep, Goat, or Least of These?

Have you ever looked into the mirror and not recognized the person looking back at you?  I have been growing a beard and my hair out for the last month in an attempt to stay warm in the cold weather.  As I looked at myself in the mirror at work today, I marveled at how easily I could be mistaken for a bum.  This could be seen as comical in some ways but to me it opened my eyes to how we could all be one step away from the person on the street.  Every person on the street has a story.  I would even venture to guess that most of the people on the street had a normal life during an earlier stage of their life.

For many of us, this is a hard reality to accept.  It is much easier to believe the lie that all bums are there because they choose to be.  We can help develop our apathy towards people on the street by telling ourselves that they would just use the money for alcohol and drugs anyway.  Maybe you have even told yourself that giving a homeless person money would just be perpetuating a lifestyle.  Though all of these statements may be true at any given time, there is nothing in the Bible supporting the belied that we shouldn't love them anyway.  Jesus said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."  


Do we as Christians desire to teach, minister, and reach out to the sick today or do we prefer the healed who have it all together and have something to offer us?  Those who are sick, jobless, and/or unsaved are messy.  They have baggage.  They need extra support, extra love, and extra attention.  I find that many of us today, including myself, want to just be around the people who lift us up, who affirm us, and who make our lives easy and peaceful.  Dealing with the "sick," as Jesus put it, is difficult.  Jesus demonstrated he cared very much about the less fortunate.  This is best seen in the parable of the sheep and goats told by Jesus in Matthew 25:31-46.  The goats who did not care for "the least of these" were cursed to Hell.  I don't know about you but this parable brings me pause because I know there have been many times in my life I turned my back to the least of these.


As I stared in the mirror at the man before me, I realized that I'm closer to the "least of these" than I allow myself to believe.  The Lord showed me that the outside appearance does not reflect the inner heart.  The sheep before being sheared appears mangy and unkept to the world but the shearer knows that underneath that mangy wool is a beautiful innocent lamb.   We are each lambs of Jesus and he loves each one of us greatly.  Jesus looks past our outward appearance to our hearts.  As "little Christ's," we should also take the time to see past people's appearance to their heart.  I hope today you will walk with a new perspective and compassion for the different people you encounter.


Blessings,


Greg   

Most Wonderful Time of the Year

I don't know about you but Christmas and Thanksgiving are my two most favorite holidays.  I love being able to spend time with family.  I love getting to see the people I haven't seen since last year.  I love to connect, to relax, to share, and to partake in all the wonderful food.  I love these holidays because if you take the time to reflect on what they really mean, your life changes and you begin to focus back on the things that really matter like family, friends, charity, and living love.

Thanksgiving helps to redirect my heart to Jesus because I would have nothing to be thankful for without Him.  Thanksgiving brings an acute reminder in my heart that everything I have is from the Lord.  My thankfulness runs deep in the satisfaction that I have a good and loving God.  I bask in the loving family around me and the wonderful time and conversation we get to share together.  I cherish the fact that I have so many people who love me and in whom I also love greatly.

Christmas continues the process that Thanksgiving starts of realigning my heart to Jesus.  It can become so easy to get all tangled in the world throughout the year.  Our hearts get pulled in all directions by our spouses, family, jobs, errands, and our desires.  We can become so cluttered by life that we forget about the work that Jesus has done in us.  I know it is a sad prospect but I suspect that many of you have experienced piling the many worries and desires of this world in front of Jesus.  Christmas is my time to purge all of these things out of my heart again so I can see Jesus and the cross clearly again.  It is a time where I can reflect on His life and the sacrifice He made for me just in humbling himself to become a human.

I absolutely love Christmas music.  There are so many beautiful songs that bring so many new and wonderful insights into the birth of Jesus.  I love songs that tell stories of Christ's love in people being lived out authentically at Christmas.  I love to cry to songs such as Christmas Shoes and I desire the iconic white Christmas on the actual day each year.  There is absolutely no place I would rather be than with my family at Christmas.  I have quit jobs because of being hindered from spending time with my family and participating in Christmas programs at Christmas.  I love selecting or creating the perfect gift for someone and watching the joy of them opening it on Christmas day.

We have been given such a great gift in Jesus!  This world tries it's hardest to pull our hearts away from the true meaning of Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Don't get caught up in all the lights, Santa celebrations, and sales that you forget the true reason for the season.  Without Jesus there would be no Christmas.  Without Jesus there would be no reason for thankfulness or Joy.  Without Jesus there would be no salvation or understanding of true love.  Center your hearts on Jesus this holiday season.

Blessings,

Greg

Coordination of Parts

Today was a wonderful day at our church.  The Lord reigned fully in the music, the sermon, and the Lord's supper.  I know that this statement would seem obvious but it seems to me that in a church plant,  there are times when the focus of the Lord can get lost in the semantics of creating a great service.  Today was a good day fully focused on worshipping and honoring our Lord.  I think this was also accentuated by the fact that we all got together after the service to share a meal and fellowship together.

A church must function as a united body.  When each body part is doing it's own thing separate of the other there will be dissonance in the church.  I am beginning to see that you have to be very intentional to keep this from happening in a church plant.  It can become so easy to focus on establishing the ministries necessary to sustain a church that the uniting vision that pulls us all together can get lost in the shuffle.  Today helped to renew in my heart, the love I have for each person at our church.  I saw today how each one of our ministries is beginning to unite to create an incredible church that I believe is going to radically change the town and area we are in.  It is so awesome to see God moving and placing people where they need to be.  It is so humbling as He takes a bunch of individual puzzle pieces and begins to fit them together into a clear picture of His Kingdom's work.

My best friend and I love biking and have spent lots of time on trails and riding around together.  The picture at the beginning of the blog was captured after quite a bit of hard work to coordinate a trick like that.  Last winter we decided to try and do tandem tricks together in from of my house.  As we enjoyed playing around and attempting tricks, we learned how difficult it can be to coordinate the tricks together.  We worked hard that day and were able to begin seeing the fruits of our labor as is evident by the photo.  I say all this because I understand how difficult it can be for completely different people to come together and accomplish a great task like planting a church.  It is only through the grace of God that he can take those different people and bring together a beautiful picture of Himself through them.  Like the work it took for my friend and I to coordinate the bike trick in the photo, I believe our God is coordinating great things for our church because of our hard work and faithfulness.

I am so thankful for each person at my church and all that God is doing in them and through them.  I am excited to see how God is going to work in our church this Christmas season.  I believe our church is on the cusp of great growth and genuine revival.  I look forward to how the Lord is going to reveal new strengths and purposes in each member of our church.  I long deeply for our church to develop into a close family with one purpose to affect our world for Christ.  Our God is good.  Our God is magnificent.  Our God is constantly working.  Will you let Him prepare you for the task He has created you for in your church?  Will you let Him reveal who you are and your purpose in His kingdom today?

Blessings,

Greg

Joyful Moment in Time

There are certain times in life that are huge!  Those moments you will never forget.  Each moment is etched vividly into your mind.  The exact words, sights, and sounds of the moment forever locked into your memory.  Everything about your surroundings, the time of day, the weather, and what you were doing brought to full awareness.  When this moment in your life is a moment of joy everything around you seems more colorful, more beautiful, and more amazing.

In these times of joy you remember the wonderful power and goodness of your God. You are reminded of His sovereign power and grace to bring you to that moment.  In these joyful times of your life, I hope you will praise the Lord because He is the one that brought you to that day and moment.  I for one know that I have an awesome and loving God.  I know His timing is perfect and beautifully crafted.  I know He gives me everything I need to fully be able to handle all He gives me.  I am blessed to have a relationship with such a wonderful Lord.  I hope you feel the same way too.

Blessings,

Greg

Blessings Amid Pruning

Big Bertha last winter

It feels great to finally be able to lay down and enjoy the last couple hours of my weekend.  This weekend I had the pleasure of my parents visiting our home for the second time since we have lived in the house.  I am so glad that they were able to find time to come up and hang out with us.  My dad even brought up a pole trimmer so we could prune the huge oak tree in our front yard.  Both Dad and I realized very quickly that trying to saw limbs with the pole fully extended is quite a task.  We managed to cut down about a dozen small and medium sized limbs that drastically improved the appearance or "big bertha" as we affectionately refer to her.  We had a wonderful evening and enjoyed spending saturday with them also.  Saturday night, I helped my wife with some of her homework and then we were able to relax a little.  Today has gone by in a blur as we went to church, watched courageous, worked on some yard and house work, and then I was able to eat with one of the young adults from my church ministry.

Needless to say my week has passed by in a flash.  There are definitely times in life where I wish I could slow down time and just cherish the moments I have, especially when it is with family.  It is hard being an adult and living hours away from my family at times.  There is such comfort in spending time with the people whom you have known your whole life.  It is s wonderful to have peace in knowing that they will love you and accept you no matter what.  It is great to know that these people understand and accept you.  That they have known you since you were born and share more memories of your life than anyone else on this planet.  How nice it is to know that you can bring anything to them without receiving judgment.  

I know that not everyone has a family like this available to them and that helps me to cherish that much more the time I have with my family.  For those in Christ who do not have families like this, take solace in being fully accepted into the family of Christ.  We can find peace in knowing the Jesus will always love and protect us.  We have assurance that Jesus will teach and lead us in the right paths.  We can trust that He will always be there to give us strength in the hard times to encourage, strengthen, and uplift us.  We can find security in knowing that even when we feel pain as he prunes us, like I did my oak tree, that He does it for our good and does it for our health and growth.   We can know that He will never leave or forsake us.  We can trust that in our darkest of times, facing even death, He will be next to us to guide us and protect us.  We have a good, loving, and merciful God!  

I am so grateful for the loving friends and family I have in my life.  My God has been so generous to surround me with people in who I can trust and depend on.  He has given me a family through my church to help sustain my wife and I for the times we miss home and can't be there.  My Lord has most completely blessed me in my wife and the love and support she gives me.  I am so thankful for her love and the family that I have been given through my marriage to her.  My Lord has graciously provided me a job that I love and a boss who teaches and uplifts me daily.  It feels so wonderful to know you are appreciated at your job and to love the people you work with.  I do not deserve any of these many blessings that the Lord has given me and yet by His grace I have still received them.  

Trust in Jesus today and know that you will never regret it.  You have not known love till you have known Jesus.  You have not known grace till you have known Jesus.  And you have never truly understood or received forgiveness until you have known Jesus.  Trust in Him today if you have not before.  Lay your life at His feet, ask forgiveness for your sins, and walk passionately with Him till you meet Him in heaven. 

One of my favorite passages in the Bible is one many people know.  This passage so wonderfully lays out the beautiful love of our Savior and God.  I leave you with Psalm 23.  Please take the time to read it slowly.  Drink it in, swish it around in your mind, and let it sit there as you take in all the many facets and beautiful pieces of the passage.  

 ¹The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
 ²He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
 ³He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
   for his name’s sake.

 ⁴Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
   I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
   your rod and your staff,
   they comfort me.

 ⁵You prepare a table before me
   in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
   my cup overflows.
⁶Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
   all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
    forever.

Blessings,

Greg