What a weekend we had, our retreat was awesome. I find myself sitting at my computer absoulutely exhausted. I feel like I have been (here comes one of my favorite lines) "rode hard and put away wet." I am tired, but amazingly refreshed and ready to rock and roll. I have a lot to do over the next couple of days, the only problem is I am so sick!

Challengepoint did an awesome job with our kids this weekend! I'll admit this is a shamless plug for these guys, but they are worth every penny. My teens came home pumped and different. I couldn't ask for anything more, the only thing I hate is that the ones who missed the weekend will continue to be apathetic and unplugged, the good news is our kids are so pumped right now and they want everyone plugged in, so we'll have to wait and see wait God does, he is good!

Since I am suffering from extreme exhaustion and still have to plan our Christmas concert and festivities, not to mention games for Last Hour, and sign ups for the same. I'm out! God bless!

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I found myself very thankful yesterday, it was one of those days when you just kind of stop and take it all in and say thanks to God for what he has done.

All of the things with our campaign are moving forward, the video is almost finished and ready to go I am so ready to get this thing out there and know what God is going to do through us! Victory Sunday is December 5th, it's time, I'm ready!
This weekend we head to Gulf Coast Bible camp with about thirty five teens, we will be working with Challengepoint, this is the weekend that I know our kids need, I just hope they all take it and run with it. This will also be Hayden's first event with our youth group, I have totally sheltered her for the first year, I think she is going to have a blast, pray for us!

Sunday morning we will have our worship service at about 12:00 am, our kids don't know it yet, but it should be an awesome experience. I have a great service planned, God is good!

Well back to maximum workload overdrive!

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Last night I went to the "All Things New" Tour with some folks from our church. Typically I am not a huge fan of Casting Crowns, or Steven Curtis Chapman, but Chris Tomlin on the other hand...man that was good stuff. I felt so encouraged after worshipping with Chris Tomlin last night. I think that is what I love about him, is that it's all worship! What a great experience!

The only problem with going and worshipping in a setting like that is, Sunday is a rude awakening. Sunday mornings for us have come a long way in a short period of time, and for that I am thankful. Let me say I know that the church isn't to be driven by anyone's wants and whims. But I have a difficult time on Sundays because we still struggle with extremely important issues like, "what if we change the way the auditorium is layed out" or even better "Let's just get rid of the Lord Supper table, we're alreay serving from the back anyway, does that matter?" Sure it does...errrrrrr! Agghhhhhh! I just want to move us all along and become relevant to our time and culture, is that too much to ask? As Steven Curtis Chapman says, I really just want us to start making "much of Jesus" and much less of us! I don't know, this is hard. I feel like each week I face and fight a new battle to prepare us to fight the enemy. The only problem is, is that the enemy ultimately isn't Satan, it's me and us! Why though? Why does spiritual immaturity wreak such havoc on our churches? Why doesn't church autonomy mean self-governed. Why have we made traditions into truth, many of which we got from other denominations (of course you know none of them are going to heaven anyway, but we can borrow traditions like Sunday school and invitations, oh brother!) Why must we fight for these "truths" when they aren't our truths in the first place?'

I know I am ranting, but this is my real world, my reality show. People who are so concerned about comfortability they have forgotten about our mission...Ugh! It's quite sickening, and I know that I am as bad as anyone else, but I just want to be free.


"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."

Father free us! Gives us a sense of security that we obviuosly lack, help us to know that your way is not of law, but of love. And it is your desire that we spread that message of love throughout our world. Help us to start in our churches and quickly move into our communities. Let us realize that you must be greater and we must become less! Amen.

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Yep, Hayden is off to the races, she is definitely walking. It seems like it happened over night. She started taking little steps in September and by the end of last month she was flying! Everytime we let her go I hear Willie Nelson singing "On the road again..." It is so amazing to watch the little one from my own flesh and blood do what she does and be who she is. Yesterday morning we had an awesome worship service, we are just starting to use testimonies in our worship and it is really going well. Dale Holden got up and talked about his connection with God and his thoughts on our church, it was encouraging! After that I began to lead A New Anointing and out of the corner of my eye I see Susan kind of hunched over headed up the isle. Before I could see what she was really doing there Hayden, headed to the stage going, "YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYA.....DADA! I was so tempted to just grab her and let her help me in leading! It was so awesome to see. Susan was able to corral her and take her to the back where I later found out we had a huge suprise waiting (Mom's you know what I mean)! Thank you Lord for your goodness! She is making life so exciting!

On another note I realized last week, that I have a problem. I am not sure how to deal with it. I am going to be very vague, so bear with me.
Let me start by asking. Anyone ever heard of the Emperor's New Clothes? You know the one where the emperor has no clothes on and everyone acts like he does and says they like them. Yeah it's one of those. Only there's a twist and nobody's running around in the buff.
See, There's a problem, I know it's a problem, a bunch others know it's a problem, but most people have no idea, but it's a serious issue and the other ones who know of it apparently think, "It's no big deal." In my heart of hearts though and in my very special coc upbringing (and actually it doesn't matter what denominiation you were brought up in) it's a huge problem. Somehow the people around me don't think it's even a big deal. Although I don't think they realize it's severity and I am not technically at liberty to share it.

My request:

Please pray for me and my issue, God really knows it well, we've talked about it alot!!! I know I am not sharing it right now, maybe someday I can. Please just pray that God will do what he wants done, and not me or anyone else! Off to study, I won't be so long next time! God bless!

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