Back on the blog roll!

Stacie, Caedmon and I have enjoyed a quiet Christmas break. We have taken about a week to enjoy each other and prepare for 2009. Unfortunately Stacie and Caedmon have both been sick at points during this little break. I hope I am not next. As I look back on 2008 I am filled with joy and gratitude for all that God is doing in our midst. In the last week I've spent time reflecting on specific things God has done in our lives over the last 12 months and charting out specific goals that we would like to accomplish in the next year. I look forward to sharing more of this. Overall, it has been quiet around here and we've needed it. But, in conjunction with my goals... One of my goals for 2009 is to blog an average of 3 times each week. So, needless to say I am back in blog action! :-)

Much Bigger Than You Can Imagine!

I cannot get away from Ephesians 3:20-21 when the Apostle Paul says, "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurable more than you could ask or imagine. To Him be the glory in the church now and forever." It is almost like every time I get alone or pull away to hear from God he speaks this verse into my soul again and again. It is almost as if he wants to keep reminding me that what He has called me to is much bigger than I can wrap my brain around. His purpose and plan if it were completely revealed to me, I would not be able to handle it. He keeps asking me, "will you believe this verse?" "will you believe me to be the God who is able to do immeasurably more than you can imagine?" God grant me this kind of faith to believe you as the God who is able to do immeasurably more in our midst and through my life.

Happy Thanksgiving

This year for thanksgiving we will get together with some families who live out here in the Silicon Valley and celebrate what we are thankful for. This year I am especially thankful for the multitude of miracles God has worked in our midst during 2008 from helping us eliminate $20,000 in debt, to helping us sell our home in TX and move to CA, to helping us transition out of Breakthrough Church, to providing for South Bay Church, and the list goes on. I am grateful to be able to be married to the woman of my dreams! I still can't believe she was willing to marry me. I am grateful to be a father of the cutest 2 year old boy I know, I am grateful to have an extended family (mom, dad, step-mom, siblings, in-laws) who love me and believe in me, I am grateful to work with people I love and enjoy, I am thankful to live in one of the most influential and innovative places in the world, I am thankful to be able to live out my dreams as a pastor starting South Bay Church, I am grateful for all the delicious food I will eat today, and I am grateful that I no longer have affection for the Detroit Lions the football team I grew up crying over. The are horrible and will probably lose again this thanksgiving! What are you thankful for this year?

The Deepest Level of Affection

Many philosophers ask the question, "what is the chief end of man's existence?" Many Christian theorists have coined a phrase that says, "the chief end of man's existence is to glorify God and enjoy him forever?" This is a very profound statement that seems illusive and is hard to understand. Which begs the question, "how does one truly glorify God?" I believe that this happens through a loving and obedient relationship with God. This flows out of affection for God. The last year or so I have spent considerable amount of time thinking about this question... what comes before me affectionately loving God? Another one of those illusive questions. I came to the conclusion after more thought that my love for God flows out of a heart of gratitude for who he is and what he has done for me. This may seem so stinking simple but when I realized this it hit me like a ton of bricks. Good bricks! This means that I must constantly be centered back and reminded of who God is and what he has done for me and allow this to lead to a heart of gratitude in my life. Gratitude leads to love, love leads towards an obedient relationship with God, and then ultimately an obedient relationship with God brings him glory. Now, I have to give credit for this line of thought to a guy named Jeremy Kingsley. He initially did a talk with a knowledge-love-obey-glorify continuum which lead me to more deeply investigate this question, "what leads to a loving affection towards God?" I truly believe that this concept of gratitude is the deepest level of affection in the life of a follower of Christ.