Open Wide

Psalm 81:10 (English Standard Version)

"I am the LORD your God,
who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it."

Lord, Help me to not be afraid to ask for big things. After all you are the giver of all that is good. Help me trust you have a better plan when I don't get what I think I need. Thank you, Lord for always knowing better than me.

Amen

this day

I will never forget this day. Rather, I will never forget this date. December 13, 2003 the most amazing woman in the world became my wife. There is so much about that day I will never forget. How I got choked up during the vows.

How beautiful she looked in her wedding dress.

How we got out of town on our way to the honeymoon just before an ice storm hit.

The last seven years have been more than worth it. We now have two kids. Two dogs. A mortgage. A minivan.

Sometimes I look in the mirror and I have to laugh and asked "when did you become an adult?"

I wouldn't trade the last seven years for anything. I can't wait to see what's next.

Today Allison had to go to work. Working for hospice provides many moments people will never forget. Today she told a family that their loved one would likely die within the next six months.

I'm sure they will never forget this day either. I'm sure they will never forget this Christmas.

Sometimes we remember because we want to.

Sometimes we remember because we can't forget.

Sometimes we remember because of the lessons we learn.

Sometimes we remember because we just can't help it.

Even though I can't remember every single day that I have lived I do remember people that God has used throughout my life to impact me in an empowering way.

My prayer today is that I may walk in a manner so that one day, maybe a day someone will never forget, they will remember me and think, "wow, he helped me walked a little closer to Jesus."

Friday links

Here's a few links that I have come across lately...

1) Perry offers some encouragement here.
2) We all know someone who is strugggling in one way or another. Young and old have challenges that raise all types of questions in our minds and hearts. Here is one from Mark Beeson.
3) Now that you are all probably a little teary eyed let me lighten the mood a little. I feel a special connection to this blog entry since we drive a toyota sienna mini-van. Check out the video found here. The scary part is I identify with quite a bit of this video. We even have that little piano he's holding.

Today's Prayer

I read this prayer today and wanted to share it here...

"Therefore, let us desire nothing else,
Let us wish for nothing else,
Let nothing else please us and cause us delight,
Except our Creator and Redeemer and Savior, the one true God,
Who is the Fullness of Good, all good, every good,
The true and supreme good,
Who alone is Good, merciful, and gentle, delectable and sweet,
Who alone is holy and just and true, holy and right,
Who alone is kind, innocent, pure,
From Whom and through Whom and in Whom is all pardon,
All grace, all glory of all the penitent and the just,
Of all the blessed who rejoice together in heaven.
Therefore, let nothing hinder us, nothing separate us,
Or nothing come between us."

Author unknown

Friday's thoughts

It's been a full plate lately. There's been all of the Easter activities and services and then this week a lot has fallen on my plate. Add Micah to the mix and it's been none stop action. However, I would not say it's been bad. I know some people who have had an actual "bad" week and I have nothing to complain about.

I say all of this to say I have several blogs in my head ready to come out so keep checking back here for updates.

In the mean time here's a prayer by John Wesley that I came across recently. I hope it helps you draw closer to God in some way.

Grace.

"Oh God, seeing as there is in Christ Jesus
An infinite fullness of all that we can want or desire
May we all receive from him, grace upon grace;
Grace to pardon our sins, and subdue our iniquities;
To justify our persons and to sanctify our souls;
And to complete that holy change, that renewal of our hearts,
Which will enable us to be transformed
Into the blessed image in which you created us.
O make us all acceptable to be partakers
Of the inheritance of your saints in light.
Amen."
-John Wesley

Prayer quote

"One can believe intellectually in the efficacy of prayer and never do any praying. "
--Catherine Marshall

Wow! That one can hurt if you have just identified with it. I'm realizing that a lot of times people are most offended by something if that is what they struggle with. For example, if the above quote just made you squirm a little it may be because you need to pray. I know I never pray enough. If you can honestly you pray a sufficient amount in your life then I have to question if you are really praying. C.S. Lewis said that he prayed because the "need flowed" out of him. The more you commune with God in prayer the more you realize He is God and you are not and that is the way it's supposed to be. You can believe in prayer all you want but until you commune with a holy, living God in prayer you are missing out on one of the greatest privileges we have in this universe.

"There is a mighty lot of difference between saying prayers and praying."
--John G. Lake

Dear Father,
Please show us today how we may so wrapped up in prayer that we hear Your heartbeat, see Your visions, and feel Your presence. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Amen

Monday morning

For the second Monday in a row I started the day by receiving an early morning phone call. Today it was my Uncle Robert letting me know that my Uncle Raymond passed away in his sleep last night. Please be in prayer for all who are now traveling to Jacksonville and for all of the arraingements that are being made. Thank you for your prayers.

Tuesday morning reflections

• This past Saturday was another great day of serving our community. Even though numbers were down for the Back to School Bash God still allowed us to share His love in a tangible way for students and their families.
• We received a good number of prayer requests from people Saturday and we will be lifting those up in prayer.
• Our house had family come through this weekend and it was great to visit with Uncle Rob, Aunt Pam, and Diana. (We even let Rob pray in the service Sunday am:-)
• Sunday's service went very well. Another great day to Praise God for all He is and all He does.
• Please be in prayer for Logan and his family. Logan had a seizure yesterday morning and they are running tests today to try and find out what triggered it. Pray that the doctors have wisdom and insight into what's going on.
• This Sunday we are looking at Psalms 21-23. I can not wait! I get pumped when I think about God as our shepherd.
• Baby Micah is not here yet but could come any time now!!!!!!!
• The Randalls are at the hospital right now anticipating the birth of their twins.
• Remember, in all things..."To God be the Glory...Great things He has done!"

Prayer qoute

This is what Juliana of Norwich had to say about prayer.

"Its ground: God, by whose goodness it springeth in us.
Its use: to turn our will to His will.
Its end: to be made one with Him and like to Him in all things."

Now that's one way to start the day.

Today's Prayer

"And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God."

Philippians 1:9-11 (ESV)

David's Prayer

"Blessed are you, O LORD, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever.

Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours.

Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all.

Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all.

In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all.

And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name."
(I Chronicles 29:10-13)

Sunday night prayer

Dear Father,

Thank you for the chance to worship You today.
Thank you for the family You have formed around me.
Thank you for places like the circus where I can have fun with my family.
Thank you for being God and never changing.
Thank you for never giving up on me.
Thank you for boundaries in the midst of chaos.
Thank you for good-night hugs and kisses.
I love you, Lord.
Amen.

turning...

This has been a week that no one really wants to see and yet God has shown Himself in some very cool ways. Within 24 hours of each other I sat with a family as they told their twin 8 year-olds that their father had passed away and then I received word that some good friends of mine had also experienced lose. Both were hard to swallow. Both lead to unanswerable questions. Both can not be explained away. Both really, really suck!

Then I was struggling with how to lead Bible study Wednesday night and Allison suggested we just praise and worship. My first thought was selfish b/c I tend to put a lot more time planning something like that than I had left in the day. But God kept nudging me in that direction. So I picked out some songs and then said "Ok, God, You know what you are doing."...and boy does He ever.

Wednesday night we prayed and sang and held hands and lifted each other up and sat still and cried and worshiped and experienced THE almighty God. At the end of it all one person came up to me and said, "tonight, we had church."

Wednesday I cried for all my friends. Mostly during the most random moments. Wednesday night I worshiped with those tears. Now yesterday and today I've worshiped God with what He has graciously given me. I've walked on the beach holding hands with my wife...the greatest Christian I've ever known...and I've played with and hugged my daughter, the personification of adventure.

As I sit here thinking back over this week God has put Jeremiah 31:13b in front of me...
"I will turn their mourning into gladness;
I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow."

I don't know how God does it but He is the only one who is able to turn mourning into gladness.
Don't ever forget that God is able to do anything...even comfort when it doesn't seem possible.

Prayer of the Day

Found this prayer today....

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
Because by your Cross you have redeemed the world.
You endured shame so that we might be redeemed.

Father, help us to live openly and humbly before you and one another.
Help us to stand in solidarity with the humble—those who feel shame,
those who have been brought low, those who are mistreated.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

evening prayer

As our evening prayer rises before you, O God,
so may your mercy come down upon us
to cleanse our hearts
and set us free to sing your praise
now and for ever.
Amen.

celtic compline

Calm me, O Lord, as You stilled the storm.
Still me, O Lord, keep me from harm.
Let all the tumult within me cease.
Enfold me, Lord, in Your peace.

last week

I realize I haven't posted anything for the past week. We've been in NC for my brother's wedding this past Saturday. I now have a new awesome sister-in-law...Stacey. I also had the chance to preach at Tabernacle ACC in Lenoir this past Sunday and had a good time with the folks there. It was a good week but we are glad to be back home in our own beds.

While we were gone the "Back to School Bash" was held here at WJACC and it was another great success. 800 backpacks full of school supplies were given out before 12:30pm. Tons of food was given away and lots of kids had the chance to play on several water slides. It was a great day of love and grace. I'm still learning of all the things that happened.

Now I'm back in the office trying to get my feet back under me from being gone for a week. Thanks to everyone for your prayers...without them I would be less of a pastor, husband, father, friend...etc.

celtic compline

The peace of all peace
be mine this night
in the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Cool links and a prayer

Here are some cool links.

• Perry hit it hard with this post.
• Read the second quote in Tony's post here.
• Not everyone like TD Jakes but his post about his daughter's wedding is good stuff. Here.

Here is a prayer I came across today that I thought was good in the midst of busy-ness and crazy schedules.

Calm me, O Lord, as You stilled the storm.
Still me, O Lord, keep me from harm.
Let all the tumult within me cease.
Enfold me, Lord, in Your peace.