Miracles!

This week has been an week full of blessings. Amy and I got to go out on a date Monday night - just the two of us as one of our friends offered to watch Emma for us. On Tuesday I got to spend the afternoon with Emma at Disney World and she rode Space Mountain for her very first time and loved it! Then last night we had a very packed Community Group as two community groups combined into one for an evening of fun. It was a really sweet night as we gathered around one of our church families and prayed for their needs! It was so good!

I can hardly wait to see what tonight brings! I don't know about you but I am learning how to find so much joy in the little things that God does in my life. These little things are 'miracles'. They are gifts from God. I believe that Highlands is one of those 'miracles'. It is a church that is becoming. I hope that you are a part of the miracle! Hey, birthing a church is painful, just like any birth, but the rewards following makes it so worth it!

I look forward to seeing what kind of church Highlands becomes! I believe that God wants it to grow, to be about changing lives, and to multiply into many churches!

The Courage Of My 5 Year Old

Tonight was an amazing night. Tonight was one of those nights that makes you proud to be a dad. Tonight was all about a father and his daughter spending time together at Disney World. But this night was extra special. For this was Emma's first time to ride Space Mountain and guess what? She loved every second of it! I was so surprised when the coaster came to a screeching stop that she was grinning ear to ear. I thought for sure she would be so scared that we would never get on a coaster again. She was so courageous. I was so proud of her. Oh, by the way, it was her idea to ride Space Mountain. Honestly there was no coercing or even bribery on my part. She ran through the line, jumped in the seat and launched into space all on her own! Needless to say I am pumped...my daughter is just like her dad - a roller coaster junkie.

On the ride home I was thinking about Emma's courage and asking myself - why is it so hard for us to have that kind of courage when it comes to our journey with God. Why am I so afraid to share my story with others. Why do I hesitate to ask my waitress what I can pray for? Why do I not talk to my neighbors more often? Why is it that my 5 year old daughter can get on a huge roller coaster (for a 5 year old) and not think twice about it and sometimes I find myself struggling to share my story with the lady that cuts my hair?

Then it came to me - I don't have the courage of my 5 year old. What did Jesus say? Come as a child (Matthew 18:3). I have so much to learn from my little girl. Her passion for life. Her amazing trust in God and her fearless heart. I want so much to be like my 5 year old daughter.

Anyway, today was a great day...a milestone in her little life - today was the day my 5 year old daughter rode Space Mountain for the first time and loved it! You know what her first words were when we got off the ride were? Let's do it again! Let's do it again! Maybe I will begin to have that kind of passion after I share my story tomorrow. Let's do it again! Let's do it again, God!

A Page Out of My Journal

"Deny Self" 9-4-07

"This is one of the only requirements that you made to follow you - deny myself, take up my cross and follow you (Mark 8:34). How does one live on the narrow road in Matthew 7:13 that always leads away from self - my road tends to lead me straight back to me. How do I get off this train wreck of self-gratification? How do I reflect everything to you in this very selfish culture? I want to submerge - no, I want to drown myself in you - dying to my self - and brought back to life with the true mark of one of your followers - self denial. So much to die to - my fears, my pride, my stubbornness, my "I can do it" attitude, my selfish desires. Could this dying to self be the home of joy? Does that fruit of the Spirit called joy live in this land of denying self? If so, I am ready, I am ready to dive in to the pool of denying self. I am ready to drown my selfishness and rescue my life of joy by taking up my cross, denying my self, and following You! Here I go - one, two, three - splash!"

How's Your Storytelling Going?

Well, we wrapped up the Network two weeks ago yet the mission remains - to become an avid storyteller. Last week at Community Group we spent some time talking about where we were in our storytelling. A lot of us are nervous and that's okay. I want to encourage you to practice telling your story regularly. Grab some coffee with a friend and practice sharing your story with them. What's that saying, "Practice makes perfect." While I wouldn't worry about perfection, I would definitely encourage you to practice. This week at our community group we are going to take 15 minutes to practice our stories on one another. I truly believe God has called us to be a church made up of people who willingly share their story. That's one of the marks of a follower of Christ - one that shares the story! I hope you will share your story. I would love to hear about your experiences in sharing your story as well. If your not sure how to share your story or need help sharing your story I would love to help!