This will be my last blog for a little bit. I am packing today to leave for Tegucigalpa, Honduras for a two week trip tommorrow. I will try and jump back on intermitently and say a few things, updates and such, but who knows.

Susan and I have had a great weekend together, I have been really struggling because I know I am going to really miss her and Hayden. I love them so much and even though we have been away from each other many times before, it is still just as hard as the first time. What is keeping me excited is that I know we are going to do awesome things for the Lord these next two weeks, and some of our kids are going to be forever changed.

Last night Susan and I got together with our good friends Jeremy and Beth Blair, and Scott and Jessica Schwieger. Jeremy and Beth go to PC and are in our LIFE group, but Scott and Jessica left UB after the split and went back to Spanish Fort. Susan and I love Scott and Jessica, they are awesome, sweet and so encouraging. They moved down here from Nashville three years ago and haven't exactly loved it. So we all knew when Scott's job was up they would propbably try and head elsewhere. They are going back to Nashville, and they told us last night they were headed back to Otter Creek. OK, let me just say I am so jealous, just kidding. For all of you Otter Creekers you may know them already, they are a beloved people and not to mention they have awesome hearts for God. And.....you didn't hear it here, but they are expecting. We are so proud! Keep an eye out for them!

I must also add our worship service today was really awesome, I was encouraged. It isn't perfect but we are totally getting somewhere. Even though I was a little nervous when the first thing one of our older guys asked was, "Hey, are we going to be buying songbooks or not?" My answer, not only no, but ..... NO, SEE I WAS NICE. Thanks be to God!


Well, I am outta here. Pray for us!

| Permanent Link

I haven't had the chance to post in a couple of days because I have been so busy with this and that. A short recap...

Wednesday night - crazy time, lots of great conversation with different people. I really see a lot people buying in to what we are doing now, it is quite thrilling.. I am thankful for all of the support from our families and other individuals jumping in there and getting involved.

Thursday - Meeting with architect, I am very excited with where I see us going on the addition and expansion to our building, I believe God is going to really use us to do some new and awesome things in Mobile for Him. Praise practice, we are coming a long way, quickly. I am thankful for our leaders, great open minds and visionary thinkers. Also thankful for Ken, Dorothy and Kristin Harris a great new family that just came in. I hope that we can bless them as much as they have already blessed us.

Friday - Lunch with one of my teens. She is a great teen whose heart is on fire, I pray God will capture that fire and then let it go among some of our other teens. Father, thank you for her heart for worship and passion for the christian life.
Much preparation for Honduras, Susan and I shopped for items today. I cannot believe how much stuff I need but how little my space is.

A side note- Hayden found her talking voice in the last day, she woke up today with this...BABABABABABABABABABABABABABA, repeatedly, maybe the most beautiful sound I have ever heard.


Father, thank you for who you are and what you allow us to be, may we serve you through our best attempt at living for you. Thanks for opportunities and family. Lord also be with Loleta Rogers, Loleta is such a kindred spirit father and her and Russell are lights that make a path directly to you! Heal her and give her your strength, allow her to continue the path of service you have started her on. Amen.

| Permanent Link

I have had a difficult time the last couple of days putting things in persepctive. Susan and I are really struggling with some issues that I know Satan wants us to be caught up on and it makes me sad. Especially when I add in the fact that Monday I leave for Honduras for two whole weeks. I am excited about the trip but am sad about not being with Susan and Hayden. I have been trying to take extra time and spend them with the two of them. I have been bringing Hayden up to the church building some when I go up there to work and that has been good, but I am still very sad. I don't want to be, but I am. I just pray that it doesn't get any worse before we actually leave. Uuuggghhhh!

Father, Please bless me with an overwhelming flow and feeling of your spirit. I need the comfort and strength right now so much. Thank you for your love and continuing to bless me in my weakest times. Please be with Susan and I and our daughter in this tough time, thank you for their love and encouragement. I love you Father. Amen.

| Permanent Link

Last night Susan and I were sitting in the upstairs office just playing with Hayden and talking, I love those times, they mean so much to me. We had had a very quick short conversation about where we wanted to eat dinner and then we dropped it, we're funny like that. We are actually quite a quirky little couple, but I love it because I feel like it is our own little world when we're together. After a few more minutes of playing and jokes, we look at each other at the same time and out of the blue we both say, "So, want to go to Cracker Barrel?" I know it isn't that funny, it is just funny that we both think so similarly...it blows my mind. We decided that since Cracker Barrel had been a place that we went way too much, we would go to the new chicken finger/wing place in town, Zaxby's. We decided to call the Turnbows and ask them to go with us, Hayden and Ally, although they are a couple of years apart, just love each other. We ate dinner and went back to their house. Where we were all entertained by Hayden laying on a blanket on the floor laughing amazingly at Ally as she danced around her, and the Wiggles played on the television. Whoooo what a night! I thank God for such awesome times, and for fun, friends and family.

| Permanent Link

It has been a few days since I have had the chance to write anything down. Some days I just feel like there is no time for anything that I want to do. As a matter of fact I had this conversation with one of our shepherds Jerre Bryant on Friday. Jerre is such an awesome man, him and his family have been such an encouragement to Susan and I. We had our typical staff meeting on Friday and we talked about a lot of things.

Thursday night was our praise team practice and it seemed to go well, we were able to work in Rock of Ages (Jesus is the rock) for Sunday, I was so excited. Our team sang it well and in turn our congregation did to, amazing how that works! God is good all the time! I am still catching some negativity from some of our praise team folks who, as my wife says, "we're confused about who the worship team ministry coordinator was and should be." I don't say that to be conceited but some people need to be honest with themselves, I know that it is a hard pill to swallow, but...

Saturday was a bit more relaxing, actually Susan and I had so much fun together, I just love my wife she is so great, and easy to get along with. Hayden took somewhere in the neighborhood of about fifteen naps, I guess that's what driving around in the Yukon all day, then being placed in a stroller will do to you. (I'd love to try that, it has to be the life.) Sunday; great worship service, great class, awesome LIFE group.

I am struggling a bit with our LIFE group though, I am not sure it is the group of people we should be with. I think we would have more in common with another group, but hey February is only a few months away, and Susan and I will really begin to focus on bringing in new people so that we can help to either multiply into a new group or help to enhance the dynamic in our current one, I think that with the potential couples we could probably go ahead and start a new group though. Well, long day ahead. I am meeting a bunch of our teens at Mars Hill Cafe at 12, that should be fun, we have some awesome teens.

I had to try this....funny response...

"We reject the false doctrine that the church could have permission to hand over the form of its message and of its order to whatever it itself might wish or to the vicissitudes of the prevailing ideological and political convictions of the day."

You are Karl Barth! You like your freedom, and are pretty stubborn against authority! You don't care much for other people's opinions either. You can come up with your own fun, and often enough you have too much fun. You are pretty popular because you let people have their way, even when you have things figured out better than them.

What theologian are you?

A creation of Henderson


OK, so I had to add the fact that I talked with Woody Turnbow today. Woody is an awesome guy , I talk to him everyday just about, he handles all of our church A/V and he does a good job. I love him and his family they are awesome people. I have just loved the way they have gotten involved since we became PC. Our A/V team and our worship team work really closely together, almost strangely..especially to what I have seen in other churches. Woody calls me today and says that he is frustrated with the fact that he is having the same problem with AV as we were having overall with the worship ministry, sadly it is the same problem/same person. It is so amazing.

Father, please give us added patience and help us to know that no matter what people do, ultimately you will still be glorified, because you don't "need" us to get your will done, you want us. Thank you for wanting us so badly. Amen

| Permanent Link

Wednesday may be the second craziest day in the week for me, it is such a busy day, that no matter how much I woulld like to spend time blogging, it just isn't going to happen. And it isn't about time management, it's about too much on my plate.

Wednesday nights are great though, I have enjoyed our worship time during the calling, I am trying to challenge our kids to reach and find a deeper faith than where they are. I realize right now in my ministry that I am being paid back for the way I was as a teen in the "youth group." I hope that our teens are having as much fun as I did, and ultimately that they are being touched and formed like I was. There are some who I know aren't getting it, I also realize that what we are doing is different than anything any kid from Alabama has expereinced....right in the heart of dixie. What am I doing here? Just kidding.
I come home each night after The Calling and I am so drained phsically usually, sometimes discouraged, but I think God is working through it. We had a bunch of visitors last night. For the last four months I have had a bunch of teens who have been visiting that need to make commitments, I am trying to help them figure it out. I know that God's truth will convict their hearts.

Getting ready for the Honduras trip in another week and half, I am so nervous, yet so excited, I will miss my wife in the worst way. I know we aren't true newlyweds, but being married five years in July we are still so much in love, like the day when I proposed. I love Susan so much, she has been God's hands sent to surround me. Of course, His second installment Hayden makes it that much more difficult to go. I hope that I can be on this mission what God has called me to be.

| Permanent Link

Yesterday the Lightning won the Stanley Cup, someone once told me it would be a "cold day in hell before the Lightning win a Cup." Well, I hope Satan has a sweater! This was a sweet sweet suprise this year, it makes me miss Tampa so much, such a diverse community with an open heart, and mind.

Today has been one of the weirdest days, some days I feel like I work all day long and get so little done. First thing this morning, my church laptop starts acting up, then it's back up after an hour on the phone. Then this issue and that issue. The one thing I think that got me the most today...

I was working in the make shift church office, which is very small and not really made for me to be in it, but still it is good for me to come in and be in it some, for obvious reasons. (Which reminds me, in our new facility it amazes me that even though people know we are so very limited on space they think we still have enough for an office for each staff person, wow.) This morning I had brought Hayden in with me and about twenty minutes after I got her good and sleeping, a man walked in the side door. The first thing he said was, "Man I really need some help." This is something that happened all the time at UB, and usually we would give them some food and the standard, "we don't help with rent" or "we don't pay bills." This man was looking for help with his rent payment, he needed $150.00 he said he paid week by week, there were obviously a lot of inconsitencies in his life, but to me his problems were so real. A man who had made so many mistakes yet needed much help and forgiveness (sound familiar?), it reminded me of the women at the well. Why is it that I am so bad at being Christ or atleast letting Him shine through my life. All I could say to this man was " we don't have the funds available." I am so mad at me, so sad...Why didn't I just stop and pray with him, why don't we have the funds availabe, or why can't I somehow help him more. We say that we want to serve people as Christ did, but yet there are conditions to how much I can serve, or in what ways!!! This saddens me, I am glad Jesus didn't say "You who are thirsty come and I will tell you how to get some groceries" We have really messed this up (ME, ESPECIALLY), what can I do now? I need help with this one..

Susan and I had lunch with Bruce today and Hayden came along, I love Bruce so much, but I am concerened about him. Something isn't right or maybe it is just his disposition or what he went through in years past in ministry. Another soap box issue for me that I would be here all day talking about..you know the old "Hired Help" thing with church ministry.

I registered for the Zoe conference today, I am so pumped about this. That ministry has been such an encouragement and inspiration in my life. God led me to it right when I needed it.

Lord, please give me strength at this time, help me to understand how we got to where we are and what is the best way to go from here. Help me to be Christ in the eyes of those who need his heart and hands so much. Thank you for the bleesing of others, and for the ways that you encourage me. Please continue to watch over me, my family and the family a Port City.

| Permanent Link

Monday is one of those days. After Sunday I am just so drained day. I typically term Monday my letdown day. It just seems to be such a letdown after an awesome day with our church. Satan also seems top work hardest to dicourage me on Mondays, it sometimes works. Today has been a busy day already, a lot things going on. Especially since yesterday was so good! God is good all the time, yesterday was the best, we had so many people show up for worship and our 1st Summer Bash, but hey who could say no to jumpy things and cotton candy, sno-cones and popcorn. I thoroughly enjoyed the bungy run, my wife still thinks that she beat me everytime but I know that no one has the heart to tell her the real truth(is that bad?). One thing I have determined is that short fat kids (like myself) do not belong on items which inflate and have a preserver attached to a bungy cord.

I thank the Lord for allowing me to only have a sore kneck reminder and not a broken one.

| Permanent Link

What an awesome day today was. It all started with my new bible class that I am teaching. I am working with my teens on "How to Handle Your Parents" the material that I love. I just pray our teens come away feeling as good about it as I do. I believe God has given me a great opportunity with some kids who deperately need His guidance, may I be His presence to them and offer His love to them.
We had a great morning of worship, we sang some awesome songs and I needed Bruce's message this morning. Sometimes I feel like the worship is flat, it is vert difficult trying to do so many jobs at once; coordinate praise team, plan worship, youth ministry. It is rewarding though when someone you love who attends another church that is reaching people for Christ and meeting peoples needs in an awesome way, that your worship service was "more uplifting than what we ever do" that makes me feel good. Even though I know it is all about God!

Tonight was our first annual Summer Bash! It was an outstanding success, it was overwhelming to me. One of our shepherds said to me, "thank you for changing lives" it really meant a lot. I am so excited about our future as a church, I know God is going to allow us to take Mobile for Him!

Father, thank you for being my father! Lord tonight, right now I want to claim your promise that you will alow us to make the city of Mobile your city and your church! Be with the other brothers and sisters here in Mobile, may we all work together for your glory!

| Permanent Link

Today has been a really good day so far, we had the opportunity to take Hayden for her first birthday party at Grant and Michelle's. I am so excited about them becoming part of the family at Port City they are such an awesome family, I hope we can help them discover what it is they are looking for.
I was so excited about the party, Hayden is so beautiful and sweet. Life is perfection when looking at a baby, because you can see God in their faces. Hayden enjoyed the party, it is so stimulating for her, and since her and mom are home together all summer it is good for her to be around other kids.

Tonight should be fun, one of the life groups has invited us to their homes because they want to honor the elders and staff. I am so appreciative, this is such a nice change from previous churches I have worked with. A church that actually values it's leadership....novel, but neat! I am thankful for my Port City family, I hope that the next seven months are as powerful as the first seven in reaching Mobile for Christ!

Father, may we continue to shine as a beacon of light for your kingdom here in Mobile. We just want to exist as the hands and feet of your son. May you recieve all glory as you use these broken vessels! Amen.

| Permanent Link

I really need to get better at this, I created this to have a place to put my thoughts. I either apparently don't have any thoughts or have been way to busy! Ahhh! It's busy!

Father, please help me learn to stop compartmentalizing my life so much. Thank you for your strength which upholds me, may you truly get all the glory for what I do and who I am.

| Permanent Link