Souljourn

Happy Father's day Dad

I wrote this post last year on Father's day.  I'm not trying to be lazy by reposting it but these are not just my thoughts from last year, they are my thoughts.  As I was getting ready to write this post I had completely forgotten about last years post and I went looking through my pictures for this picture of my Dad walking beside Emerson.  It's two years old now but it is still fresh in my memory because it embodies so many of the qualities I love about my Dad.  When I found it, it jogged my memory that I had used it last year as well so I went looking for the post I had written.  Here it is...  (Thanks Dad!  I'm glad you're my Father, and our children's Grandfather.  We are all very blessed!)

I've heard it said that a picture is worth a thousand words and I'm inclined to believe it, particularly with this picture.  This is a picture I took last year (two years ago) when we were on vacation in Kelowna with our whole family (it is a picture of my Dad walking up the road with Emerson).  To me, this picture embodies so many of the reasons I am so thankful for my Dad (I'd have to post quite a few pictures to cover all the words).

• He is a father that walks alongside and shares life with you.
• He is a father that leans in relationally.
• He is a father that you want to share your most fun moments with (and is involved in making many of them).
• He is a father with much wisdom that you will come alongside to benefit from.
• He is a father who is walking in to the future not dwelling on the past.
• He is a father who is walking the next generation into the future with him.
• He is a father that loves his family.
• He is a father who lightens your load.
• He is a father who makes the journey seem shorter.

This past year (2008-2009) has only given me more opportunities to experience these qualities and deepen my appreciation for them.

I love you Dad.  

•   

Uh-oh

How many of us grew up being taught, "i" before "e" except after "c", or when it sounds like "ei" (ay) as in "neighbour" and "weigh"?  Well it doesn't look like the next generation will have the same help, at least not in Britain anyway.  They are tossing out this rule because it apparently has too many exceptions.

I think it's worth keeping.

On a side note:  Sorry I haven't been blogging much lately, and sorry that after my long absence this was what you had to come back to.  I'll work on it.

That's a heavy sleeper!

A Belgian teenager who fell asleep while getting a tattoo is suing the tattoo artist for tattoing 56 stars on her face. Which was apparently 53 more stars than she had asked for. Kimberley Vlaminck, 18, says that the tattooist spoke such lousy French that he misunderstood her request for three stars by her left eye. Which is sad and all - but who falls asleep in the middle of getting a tattoo?

Vitamin E

Today is day 4 of in our Vitamin E book reading plan.  We have 96 more days to go.  The goal isn't just to get through the book.  That could probably be done in a couple hours.  The goal is to be challenged to think, pray, and live more evangelistically.

Evangelism can so easily become a project or an event when that really isn't the point.  Evangelism should be born out of a heart of compassion for people that will lead us to connect with them in relationship and ultimately see them connected with Jesus in a relationship.

If you don't have your copy of the book yet you can get one this Sunday.  Feel free to jump right in on day 7 or catch up if you want to.  I am really hoping that we will see our entire church family (not just adults) going through this book together and getting equipped together.

As we all do this together, and encourage each other in it, the potential is incredible.  

So, even though it has only been 4 days, what has challenged you?  What has spoken to you?  

We need to make sure that we don't keep it to ourselves.  We need to bring the stirrings in our heart into the conversations we engage in.

Planning day

I think yesterday was a very productive day.  We met as a team and spent the morning evaluating our past year and the afternoon planning the next.   I think we were quite objective as we evaluated the past year.  We recognized that some of the things we did last year didn't work as well as we had hoped they would.  We recognized that while we are strong in a number of areas, we also have areas where we are quite weak and needing improvement.

I think being able to recognize and declare weaknesses is actually a sign of great strength and I'm thankful we were able to do that yesterday.  What we are involved in is too important for anyone to get territorial, defensive, or stagnant.  This isn't about carving out a nice comfortable existence for ourselves.  It is about rescuing the lives of people who are trapped in the chains of sin and seeing them experience the forgiveness, freedom, and fullness that Jesus Christ provides.

The task that we have been commissioned with demands our best.  We recognize that it is ultimately God who produces growth and fruitfulness but that doesn't give us an excuse to make excuses (and we didn't).

I'll say more about some of the plans we made over the next while but let me leave you with a couple questions.

Do you take time to evaluate your life?  Are you fairly objective as you examine your actions and attitudes or do you find yourself making excuses?  Do you invite the evaluation of others? (this was one of the GREAT strengths from yesterday - I didn't sit in my office by myself and evaluate the year)

  

Pray for your leaders

I just read this post about a pastor that fell into sexual sin.   I wish this was the first post like this I'd ever read.  I wish I could confidently say this will be the last post like this I'll ever read.

I can't imagine the range of emotions that he, his family, the church, and his friends are experiencing.

I hope and pray he, and those around him, will not respond based on their emotions.  The Bible is quite clear on what our response to situations like this is to be.  Galatians 6:1-2 says this, " Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. ² Share each other’s burdens..."

At times when our emotions may lead us to distance ourselves from others the Bible teaches that we are to draw even closer.  With humility and gentleness we are to come alongside and help our brother/sister shoulder the load they are under. 

The part of this story that struck me the most was that everything seemed to going along very well at their church.  The church was growing, God was moving, things were good.  

It is at times like these when it is easy to get comfortable and let our guard down.  Sometimes the greatest threat to our longterm success can be success itself.  

So I would ask that we pray for this situation but also please pray for me and for the amazing leaders at the church.  Pray for purity in all our relationships. Pray for discernment in our actions.  Pray for protection for our marriages and families.  

I'm not asking you to pray for these things because there are some problems.  I'm asking you to pray for these so that we NEVER have these problems. 

As I wrap up my 10th year as pastor at the church (September 5,1999) I am so excited about what God is doing.  There seems to be more on the horizon today than there has ever been.  The opportunities that are opening up before us are tremendous and we have every intention of fully walking into them.

And it is exactly at a time like this that the enemy would love to try and derail what God is doing.  Zechariah 13:7 says, "strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter...".  There are always consequences to anyones actions but when a leader falls there is greater collateral damage.  I know that there are many people in our church family that pray for the leadership.  We could never have experienced what we do without the supportive prayers of many.  So as we prepare for the next 10 years let me ask you to continue to pray that we would all experience the fullness of God's love and plan for our lives.

What kind of a God does the world see?

I saw this picture and just had to say something.  Placards like the ones shown in the picture incense me.  I can't believe people would put something like that on a sign and then take it to the streets for people other than themselves to see. 

Two rights NEVER make a wrong.  I do not agree at all with what Dr. George Tiller was involved with as a late term abortion doctor.  I can not for one second understand how he reconciled his personal faith with his actions.  The Bible very clearly upholds the value of life, and life begins at conception. (click here for more information on the story if you are not familiar with the murder of Dr. George Tiller.)

But while I don't agree with his actions, neither do I agree with the actions of the individual who confronted him at his church and ended his life.  As I see it, one murder does not justify another.  And then for some to claim this was an action motivated by God?  Are you insane?

I am saddened for the lost lives of God shaped babies that never saw the light of day.  I am saddened for the lost of Dr. Tiller's life.  And I am saddened that the baggage for these actions gets attributed to God.

I believe in the sanctity of life.   I believe marriage is between one man and one woman.  I believe same sex relationships are sinful.  

I don't believe in waving a placard in the general publics face with an angry look on mine.  I don't believe in marching against someone.  

I believe that God's kindness will lead people to repentance and God's goodness will overcome evil and guess what?  The Bible say it is so...

Romans 12:21 - Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 2:4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?

As Christians I think we still need to work at finding our voice in society and I pray we don't land on an angry, condemning voice that presents a God this way.  

 

A baby is coming!

The 1st and definitely not the last

Today's temperature demanded a trip to Stotan falls. 

It was the 1st trip there for this summer season.

Very refreshing.

In the words of Arnold Schwarzenegger, "I'll be back!" 

Devotional thoughts

I'm reading through Proverbs again as part of my devotional reading and I read this today in Proverbs 3:3 (June 3 - Proverbs 3):

Never let loyalty and kindness leave you!
      Tie them around your neck as a reminder.
      Write them deep within your heart.

There are some great other proverbs in chapter 3 but this never stops standing out to me.  It causes me to ask a couple questions:

1. Do I do this?

2. How could I improve at this?

3. What would it be like if everyone lived from the vantage points of loyalty and kindness?

It really is an amazing mental picture you can get when you stop for just a moment and consider what the world would be like if everyone operated with kindness & loyalty.  Relationships would deepen.  Marriages would strengthen.  Churches would grow.  Communities would be healthier.

It seems so simple.  Loyalty and kindness.  It's a no brainer.

Easier said than done.