Souljourn

Gingerbread update

Well we spent the evening working on some gingerbread 'structures' and I think it worked out pretty well.  Here are a couple of pictures.  Hudson made a gingerbread crane ( I helped a little), Emerson made a gingerbread house and Mercedes made a gingerbread Santa's workshop and house, complete with a girl stuck in a snowbank.

Christmas photos

Here are a few shots of Christmas around our house:

1. Me putting some decorations on the tree

2. The finished product

3. Naomi and I decked out in our 'ugly Christmas sweaters' 

   

Gingerbread house building

In just a few minutes we are going to begin the annual gingerbread house 'build'.  This year instead of all working on one house, everyone is going to make their own.  I'm interested to see the level of creativity that comes out.  Here's a picture I've been showing my kids to spark their imaginations about what could be....(I'll come back later with some pictures of our build).

It's decorated!

The church is decorated for Christmas and it looks great.  Some people in our family coupled their creative gifts, with their willingness to serve,  to bless the rest of us and they did a superb job.  Thank you all for serving this way.

I love this time of year!

That's going too far!

I love Christmas!  I like the decorations, the music, the baking, the gatherings with family and friends, and the opportunities we'll have to look once again on the amazing love that God displayed by sending Jesus to earth.  I like to think that I'm in favour of everything 'christmas' but I think that this is going too far.  She couldn't even look at me when I took the picture because she was so embarrassed. (this outfit will never see daylight if I have anything to do with it!) 

Can you spot the clues?

If you look closely you'll see a few tell tale signs of the Christmas season...

• mandarin oranges
• glasses of eggnog 
• bowls of candy cane ice-cream 
• Santa Claus teddy bear on the couch 
• the original Grinch movie on TV 

 
 

and if that isn't obvious enough, here's a picture of the doorway to one of the kids rooms (you can see a small part of another doorway in the background, and the lights for a third doorway on the ground)

It's starting!

 there's more to come...

24 in 120

We are so close.  This Sunday.

Things I saw and experienced

I've already written a bit about this weekend but here are a couple of additional thoughts from the past few days:

• On Saturday night I had the joy of standing on the balcony beside my mom praying for our students as they responded to God, and watching my two oldest children up at the altar waiting on God.  It was a great reminder to me of the power of one generation contending for the next.  My mom prayed lots for me as a teenager (and continues to do so) and one of the major reasons I am where I am today is because of praying parents.  

• This morning during our second service, a large number of our students came up to the altar during worship and passionately, joyfully, worshipped.  It was thrilling to see a group of students express their hunger for God and to unashamedly demonstrate their allegiance to the King of Kings.     

• At the end of both of our services this morning it was great to see people not rush off but instead spend time lingering in the presence of God.  Some were prayed for by the ministry team, others came forward to the altar, and still others stood at their seats just enjoying the presence of God. I love the growing hunger for God that is developing in our church family.

• My friend didn't get elected this weekend so that was a little disappointing, but regardless of the outcome in my opinion he gets a victory for several reasons.  Here are just a few:  He ran a great campaign, inspired people to get more aware of and involved in the political arena, mobilized people to action, received a very significant number of votes for a first campaign, and took some very bold steps towards what I believe is a destiny issue for him.  Way to go Craig.  Your bold pursuit of the stirrings of God is an encouragement to me.

  Well, that's it for now.  See you tomorrow.
  
  

Thoroughly Consumed

Friday night was amazing and it only got better throughout the weekend.  The students that gathered for Consumed were hungry for more of God and instantly willing to pursue Him and respond to Him.

Some students continued to linger in God's presence last night even after the music was off and all you could hear was the sound of vacuum cleaners running in preparation for this morning. 

It was an absolutely fantastic weekend.  We had students from all three of our campuses participate and I know that what they received they will carry back with them and encourage others, so the ripples will continue to go out for quite some time.

The weekend was great, and I know the results of the weekend will be even greater.

Yeah team and YEAH GOD!!!!