So, after an amazing weekend I can only say that I am tired!  For us stay at home dads (the many of us that are out there) the weekends are busy and hectic.  The week is our chance to recover!

My wife and I and some of our friends went tubing Saturday down Rainbow River.  It was amazing, spending the day lounging in the sun, and swimming in chilly water was so much fun!  Sunday was spent worshipping Jesus, trusting in His sovereignty, and tackling teenagers.  We had a pick up tackle football game at the church grounds, which resulted in sweat, blood and pain today!  I am super sore and I had one friend point out that I am now closer to 30 then 15 and need to be careful.  

Last night we had a great discussion about God and His Word as we are continuing through the Truth Project, not to mention some killer shepherd's pie and "better than sex" cake!  So good, but I don't know that the name is accurate :)

I woke up this morning, spent some time in Exodus, and God really blew me away!  As I was praying and meditating on God, he directed me to Psalm 37 and really refreshed my soul as I was praying through that Scripture.  As I was reading in Exodus a few things I would like to remember jumped out at me:  

1.  After 40 days without a leader, the people turn to themselves and the desires of their flesh and create a God to worship

a.  We have an innate desire to worship something, the question is not whether we worship or not, but what we worship!

2.  Aaron in his weakness allows himself to be led astray and gives in to the desires of the people.  

a.  A true leader/pastor is not someone who gives in, but someone who protects and trains the people.  

b.  Aaron is chosen by God, despite his weakness and faults, God has established that Aaron and his sons will b the priests and care for and carry out the work of sacrifices and intercede on behalf of the people.

c.  True to our first parents, Aaron tries to justify and dodge responsibility for his sin.

3.  Exodus 33:13 "13 Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please h show me now your ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is i your people.”

a.  Moses' conversation with God is amazing - he desires that God would reveal His ways, not for any other purpose than that Moses wants to please God.  He goes on to say that if God will not go before them, do not let them depart from the wilderness and the foot of the mountain.  

b.  If God is not going to go ahead of Moses and lead them, Moses has no desire to go!  What a challenging thought.

c.  Moses is bold enough and comfortable enough to ask God for things, argue with God, remind God of His Character, and loves the people enough to tie himself to them, despite their sin and folly!

I could continue on for probably awhile, but I am going to refrain - let's just say that today, God showed up in my home, He met with me, and as I pressed into Him, He made himself known to me!  Praise Jesus - and like Moses, I wait for the Lord to go before me, until then I will not depart!

Quietly Contemplating...

For awhile now I have been meaning to try and make blogging a weekly thing - but like so many possibly feel - I wonder who would want to read this; and why on earth would they spend time reading my thoughts?  

But, alas, this morning - I was hit with the realization that sometimes God gives us stories or words of encouragement, or moments where He uses our stories and thoughts to impact other people, for the good of His Kingdom and the furtherance of His Gospel.  So, far be it from me to not share my stories. 

Lately, I have been on a spiritual mountaintop.  Now, by looking at my life, it would be very hard to see that, as the only change that has come into my life - has been hard and negative.  But, through it all, my Jesus has taught me so much.  I feel like in the last month, I have become a completely different person.  A few months back God began to speak to me, and He asked me to step out of a ministry that I was involved in - and I fought Him on this, bargained with Him, and even gave Him an ultimatum - which never works.  So, after wrestling with this idea, I reluctantly obeyed - stepped out and I am immediately receiving blessing from God, possible direction and a desire to do new and exciting things for the Kingdom of God that I have never even dreamed of before!  I am finding that I have new desires, new passions and a burning desire to be like Moses... drawn into the thick of darkness to be face to face with God!

As I was wrestling about stepping back from a ministry, God took ahold of another area of my life, and totally ripped it apart.  It was by far, one of the hardest, most painful situations I have ever had to walk through; but I know that I serve a risen Savior, a God King, who sits on His throne no matter what my life may look like!  Out of this hard situation, I have been able to stand firm in my faith, be tested on my convictions, hear from God, walk in His Ways, and overcome some serious fear of conflict!  And I can honestly say while it was terrible, gut -wrenching and ended in a loss for me and my family, we praise God that He who took us to it, got us through it!

I guess that is going to be all for now - except to say that if anyone does read this, I pray that you would know that God is bigger than our problems, and even when the world seems to fade away and run to culture and comfort - press into Him, ignore your circumstances, because it is in the thick of darkness, in the midst of confusion and wilderness - that we are able to speak with God face to face!

Drinking from a fire hydrant...

So, I just got back from Advance '09 last night.  I was priveleged to sit and soak up as much as I could from amazing men of God like - J.D. Greear, John Piper, Matt Chandler, Tyler Jones, Dr. Daniel Akin, and my favorite, Mark Driscoll.  It was a powerful weekend, and I am still processing a lot of what I heard, but so far - this is the conclusion I have came to.

My purpose and passion in life, is not my own.  I am not able to say what God is going to do and what I can and should do for God.  I am to be passionate about one thing - Jesus.  If my focus and heart is committed to Him and His Glory, God will take care of the rest.  For far too long now, I have been guilty of a religious heart and attitude.  I have been consumed with proving myself right, and looking intelligent.  No longer will that be my motive or approach to ministry.  My heart, is not my own, and my eyes are to be fixed on Jesus - the author and perfecter of my faith.  The rest is up to him.  My passions are not my own, it is not for me to say what I am going to do for God.  It is for God to assign and give me causality (thank you John Piper).

My aim in life is love - not even a love for people - but a love for Jesus.  If I can fall madly in love with Jesus and the Gospel, the rest will work itself out.

That is where I am at today, who knows what God is going to continue to reveal to me as I pray and decompress from this weekend's drink from a fire hydrant.

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Thoughts....

Trying to figure some things out this morning, and as I have been praying and meditating, it has occurred to me that God really is changing my heart, character and mind.  I can feel the negativity and bitterness leave my soul, and a peace from the Lord replace it.  

Also, Tim challenged us last week to pray that this next Sunday (Pentecost Sunday) we would experience another Pentecost.  I have been earnestly praying for that this week, and I am stoked to see what Sunday brings

Being a single mom...

Micah woke up this morning and has been real fussy and just kinda annoying all day.  I don't know if that makes me a bad daddy to say that, but it is the truth.  We are both feeling the pains of no mommy, for 4 days now.  It has been a lot of fun, we had a great afternoon at the pool yesterday with the Brown family, and we are going to go play at the Library this morning.  

Today is going t be a low key day, as we are both tired and really just trying to survive until tomorrow night, when Katie gets back.  

This week has been an eye opener, I have always said that I appreciate single moms and want to help them out, but I have never done anything.  After a week of being one, I think that every church, civic center, or person who has some time, should come alongside the single mom community and help in anyway possible.  It is so hard to get stuff done, to find time to relax, think, or even do the dishes, is nearly an impossible task.  And I only have 1 child!

Single moms, you amaze me, and I respect you and want to applaud your selflessness and servitude for your children.  You are great heros!

It's been awhile

Totally haven't been blogging in a log time, I think I should start it up again.  

I will try and do a better job, and maybe the more I do it, the easier it will be for me to think outside the box and share what God is teaching me with other people.