Much to say, too little time to say it....Probably because I was too busy reading John Dobbs blog! You should read it too...

Out Here, Hope Remains

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OK. So based on my last post I have to do something.

I mentioned the police officers in the resturant and it reminded me of when I was a teen growing up in our church in a Tampa. There was a man there, actually he is still there. He is the one we used to all call the "church police" you know the type, the one who goes around asking people to be quiet all the time, the one who anoints himself "in charge" of all of our services. The guy with ALL the answers and all the opinions. Classic.

I remember one time when we were having a fellowship meal at church and this person (we'll call Bill, to protect the gulity) was doing his usual rounds when he went into the auditorium to find two teens eating. THE HORROR!!! He promptly escorted them to their parents where he explained that we were not allowed to eat in the auditorium, to which the parents replied, "thanks officer." I think like fifty people just died laughing.

There were many stories, even better ones actually. But this is what I am talking about, you know the whole "we don't praise the Lord here" thing. Yeah that's it.

I probably don't have enough people frequent here to get very much response, but I would love to still hear the funny stories that you have, or even the sad and not so funny ones. That seems to be more of the norm when it comes to this but I am interested to know. So let me have it!

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Well yesterday was an awesome day! We had a great time with our Sleigh ride with Santa. Bob Buxton does an awesome Santa. Actually I think down the line somewhere Bob and Santa might actually be related, it's kind of eerie, but cool!
We had tons of people from the community show up for pictures, I am so thankful to God for what He is doing through our events, I really see good things happening so many new families in our neighborhood coming and seeing what we are all about. Good stuff!

Hayden wanted nothing to do with Santa. Not interested. No matter how many cookies and crackers you coaxed her with, sorry. I'll try and throw up a picture of "the battle of Hayden and Santa" later.

After our "Santa time" we did our first ever, very small scale Christmas show/cantata/notsureofatermthatproperlydescribesit. It's not really a show I just don't know what else to call it. We called it Christmas in Song. It was fun, we had a group of singers get up and sing some Christmas songs and do some other entertaining stuff. We sang this one song called "Dozen Days of Christmas" - it's hilarious. It was a neat experience, it is so exciting to be on the ground floor at Port City. Even though there are days when I wish we were doing "this or that." I know I will look back in just a couple of years and say, "Wow, God look how far you've brought us." Next year we are hoping to actually do a real show - BST, should I start the planning now? Yikes, help us (me)!
That was the reason we did what we did this year. We have people who were surprised at the fact that we had people singing from the stage. One of our singers came up to me later and said, "I don't remember you telling us we were going to do this chorus style. My Daddy would turn over in his grave if he knew...No he wouldn't he was cremated." I almost fell out, she then went on to say - "Thanks for continuing to stretch us." Words I never thought she would say to me, but I really appreciated them.

My weekend overall was very busy, actually I spent all of Saturday working with a couple of other men to get our auditorium switched around, from shot-gun style to fan shaped, we were at the building until 3:30AM Sunday, hanging screens and projectors and ugh! Welcome to life in a small church, with no moola. It was worth it though, I cannot explain the feeling of community that we have now. We had the same feeling before we moved in to our building but lost it when we went shot-gun style, thanks be to God it is now back and so encouraging.

One final note. Today Bruce and I went to Tiny Diny for lunch, this place is a treat, we love going there. The service is OK, the food is OK, but there is just something about it. I think it has to do with the fact that when I first came to Mobile, it was a PV/UB tradition for many years every Tuesday Brother Simmons took the entire staff to Tiny Diny for lunch. I missed that when I left UB ( I actually just miss Brother Simmons)

When Bruce and I sat down I noticed that the man behind us kept staring at us, it was strange, he just wouldn't quit staring and I just couldn't figure out why. So, I just went about my business, and then with a loud "I am not going to be quiet for anyone" he starts saying "I just don't know what we are going to do with these darn liberals, they are ruining the church!"

So now I get it, the stare that is. It didn't end there, he went on.."I tell you we need get some folks out in to the mission fields like at Pepperdine and Lipscomb to handle this stuff, the church is going to be ruined." Bruce and I just went about our business, talking about how excited we were about where were going and where God was leading us. I had never seen that man before, but he obviously knew us, and that's OK. I just pray that we were the only ones that heard him. He wasn't directing to us, he was directing it at us. He made some other sad comments that show immaturity in his relationship with God and his understanding of scripture, some so amazing they don't deserve to be repeated.
As he left he and his friend (they were police officers) just kept their eyes on us as they exited. I am sure some people thought we were criminals the way we were looked at. I will pray for those two men, that's all I can do.

With that happening though it made me think, it actually made me thank. I was thankful to God that we were making enough difference that people around us were upset about it. It kind of sort of reminded me of this:

Acts 17
1When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. "This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ," he said. 4Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women.
5But the Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. 6But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting: "These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here,


This was an answered prayer in some ways, because I have found out over the last few months that Satan attacks the most when you are doing something right. I am not sure if that could be considered modern day persecution or not, but I would gladly endure it every day if it meant God's work was being done. God bless!

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The campaign has yielded its first fruits, we recieved our first committments. I feel really good about where it took us. I have a feeling we aren't completely done yet though. I expect to see a lot more actually, God has blessed us yet, I know he wants to do more, but we must merely ask him. That we will.

This last weekend was crazy for me, this week and next will be even crazier, but I am OK with it, I have decided it is time for me to actually start taking a day off each week. Before I got into ministry, I wouldn't have had it any other way, but for some reason since my start in ministry, oh how long ago, I can't stop doing the things I feel God is calling me to do. It's somehow strange to me. I feel God working here, it is really cool but somewhat scary. I just feel the need to just keep going and doing, you know:

• See one more person
• Call another parent
• Come up with another connecttion point
• Encourage another ministry leader
• Plan another event and delegate the work

That's my current nutshell, that's what I do - it just cycles over and over again. It is exciting but yet I do not want to burn out doing it. Referring to Mike Cope's blog I actually am trying to be about kingdom business.

On another note I was crushed yesterday by something I can't really lay here, but it was pretty devastating. Basically someone being upset with me because they felt that I let them down and they were going to have to struggle to deal with it, when I wasn't aware I was fully committed like they insisted. An obvious communication breakdown....So saddening, I pray it doesn't cost me a friendship.

May God bless you on your journey today!

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Hayden' Birthday party - we like cake! 

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Mommy and Messy Baby - headed to the tub! 

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Today is my sweet Hayden's 1 year birthday! God is so good. I will post some pictures later of her, we had a great time with her. What a special child! Tonight I found myself (for the second night in a row) just sobbing in prayer to God. Although, tonight it was about Hayden, I can't remember life without her, she is God's gift to Susan and I. I am so thankful.

Father, thank you - those words are not enough to tell you how much I appreciate my daughter. I am so undeserving and unworthy of such a beautiful gift from Heaven. May I be to her a fraction of the father you have been to me. May I raise her to basque herself in your love and in your ways. May I train her to be a true follower of Jesus in the purest sense. Please allow me to show her an example of love, truth, faith, and encouragement. Help me to hold my priorities in the right way that she may see who you are in my eyes.. Thank you, I love you!!! Amen.

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This Sunday is "Victory Sunday" at Port City. I am so ready for us to get there. We are trying to raise 1 million dollars, and I know it doesn't seem like much but for a church who has only been in existence one year it's a huge undertaking. I know God's will, will be done here, but I do feel we are at a Crossroads of sorts, it's exciting, I'm nervous but I trust Him.

Tonight, we had a prayer gathering in place of our typical service and class time. It was awesome, I really felt the Spirit there among us, it was undeniably a powerful night. I know some of our people really struggle with the types of things we are doing, like having an emotional night of sharing and praying, just laying it out there, claiming his promises, calling out to him and holding back nothing. Since Bruce was out of town I had to basically "be in charge" or direct our night. I literally prepared nothing, I wanted to really allow God to speak through me, not my words but His. At one point I found myself in tears, just crying, sharing a story from my past and from how God brought Susan and I to Mobile. All of those who prayed just really touched everyone. Jerre Bryant said a few words and just was so encouraging, he shared the story of Pete Maravich and James Dobson, and talked about James Dobson's comment to his son, saying basically, in the end all that matters is that you "Be There." To me that is what this campaign is all about, helping people "be there."

Give to Save, in it's truest since, we should give so that what we have can be used to help to reach others. A true statement of discipleship in my humble opinion. As "they sold all of their belongings and each one shared." what a profound thought. Isn't that what it is all about? I think so, just open and honest sharing of our hearts, minds, riches....
The term sharing in general makes many shudder I know, myself included. Tonight we had a victory regardless of what Sunday holds...I know God will be there and He has already won and we have claimed "Victory!"

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