Something New Is Rising Up

Daily Work Goal #4 For 2012

2012-01-07T07:03:00.000-08:00

I heard a quote this week that I really appreciated. "Remember, Smoke Isn't Necessarily Fire." During the work week we all experience a little smoke. For example, a disagreement with a co worker could be considered smoke. Our boss letting us know we need to improve our performance, and it rubs us the wrong way could be considered smoke. We accidentally oversleep and arrive at work late could be considered smoke. Some of the gossip that goes on during the work day, and you know "that" person is running their mouth, could be considered smoke. And it's ok, in my opinion, for us to experience some smoke in the workplace. Now don't twist my words and tell someone that you read a blog and the author said it was ok to smoke in the workplace. Ha Ha.. The problem arrives when we take the smoke that comes during a normal work week and turn it into fire. Fire kills, destroys, and spreads quickly. It is intimidating and even scary at times. If it is not managed well, it gets out of control, and people can get hurt. Make it a goal this year to take the smoke during the work week and recognize it's only smoke. Don't take something small, ignite it, and allow it to burn those around you. Let the small things remain small, and when you experience a true fire, find a noble way to put it out.

Key Verse: 1 Thessalonians 4:11 "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you.."

Daily Work Goal #3 For 2012

2012-01-04T09:07:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday! Do you have the Mid Week Blues? I am trusting that your answer is "No Way Kevin!" This morning I pulled into a parking spot and the person who pulled into a parking spot on my left got out of their car and said the following: "You sure parked with a lot of space on your right side. Maybe next time it should be the left side you focus on." I could have let that bother me, but instead I decided to try and bring a little humor into the situation, so I decided to respond with this statement: "Well, I noticed you are pretty skinny, so I didn't think you needed too much room to get out of your vehicle, and I don't know the other person I parked by, so I may have blessed them with a little extra room." She laughed, I laughed, and the entire situation was a motivator for the morning. I call this bringing a little "LOL (laugh out loud)" to the mid week. Wednesday should be a day that we focus on bringing a little "LOL" to the day. Let's admit it. We have all been working hard to get our week off to a good start, and mid week is usually a time where the weekend starts to look pretty good. Unless you are in retail Ha Ha! As Wednesday rolls around this year, don't forget to bring the "LOL!" Laugh a little, and if it is possible, make someone else laugh too!

Key Verse: Proverbs 15:23 "A man finds joy in giving an apt reply - and how good is a timely word."

Daily Work Goal #2 For 2012

2012-01-03T11:05:00.000-08:00

Have you ever had those mornings that you are not motivated to go to work? Those are awful. Especially if you have a couple of them in a row. We do funny things when we are having a non motivated morning. We drive slower to work. Maybe, even take a longer route, pull in slowly to the coffee drive through hoping the line is long, make a couple phone calls, and then try to hide in our office for a while.
Tuesday is "precision focus" Tuesday. Every Tuesday think to yourself "I need to have precision focus." On your way to work, visualize the things you want to accomplish at work. If you are giving a presentation, spend time thinking about how you want to look and speak during the strong points of that presentation. Get focused, get excited, and take the ability that you have been given to do your job to the next level. Whatever it takes, have precision focus when you show up to do your job. There are things you can do to start your "Precision Focus" for the day. For example, there is a song that I play on my way to work that gets me totally jacked and focused. It takes my mind from sleep mode, to "let's do this!" mode. By the time I open the door and step inside my workplace, I am energized and focused. Hit your workday hard on Tuesday! You have what it takes to do amazing things. In fact, I would go as far to say you have what it takes to do things you don't think you can do. Stay energized, stay excited, and hit your day with Precision Focus.

Daily Work Goal #1 For 2012

2012-01-02T08:32:00.000-08:00

Most of us are employed somewhere in the World. We wake up, go through our morning routine, jump in our car and head toward that workplace where we spend 8 hours of our day. Calculate this for a minute. Lets say you start your full time, 40 hour work week career at the age of 21, and retire at the age of 65. If you do the math, you will have worked 91,520 hours, or about 23 percent of your life will be spent at work. That is an astonishing amount of time! With that in mind, I want to help you have the best days at work that you can have, so every Monday Keep this in Mind:

No Body Likes To Be Around "Whining Whitney" or "Complaining Clarance". Think about the person at work who always complains or whines about everything? They are just a ball of fun aren't they? If you can feel the negative energy oozing from their life, I would be willing to bet that your boss can also sense the same thing. When you go to work every Monday of this year, don't be this person! You will drag down those around you, and cause drama that is not needed. When the Monday work day ends, don't bring the negativity of the day home with you. Your Husband/Wife, Kids, Mom/Dad need you to be positive and uplifting. Spare your home from the stress of the workday, and the negative things you have encountered.

Key Verse: Philippians 2:14 "In everything you do, stay away from complaining and arguing."

A Few Things I Learned In 2011

2011-12-31T12:07:00.000-08:00

Here are a few things I learned from 2011.

1. I hit a wall about half way through the year. I started to compare myself to other pastors in the country. I know that I have blogged about not doing this, but I found myself watching so many different people online preach, and thought "wow, if I could just preach like that.." This is something I will absolutly not do in 2012

2. I gained insight into how urgent it is to keep a good name. I am reminded that a good name is important, so doing whatever is necessary to make the right decisions is what must be done.

3. Words are strong. Speaking positive even when I don't want to is the only option I have. Even when people royally tick me off, I am obligated to speak positively to them and about them.

4. Praying daily is essential for spiritual momentum. Staying connected with God on a daily basis needs to be a top priority.

5. Don't let your family go too long without you. Your kids need you, your brother and sister need you, your wife need you, your husband need you, and your parents need you.

There is so much more that I could write on what I have learned this year, but it would take hours to read, so I hope this little burst encourages someone out there in internet land.

My Almost Minor Addiction

2011-11-17T13:40:00.001-08:00

This is no secret to my friends who live around me, but to the rest of you that I am not able see at least once a year, I want to let you in on a minor addiction of mine. That's funny, I can tell that you are hooked now! I happen to have a bit of a passion for xbox live. It all started with Call Of Duty Black Ops. I vowed I would never play first person shooter games, but Black Ops was extremely theraputic. Ok, that's a little over exagerated, but I spent a ton of time honing my trigger pulling, and grenade tossing skillz. I thought I would never spend that much time with a TV and Controller ever again! I thought I was freed from stayihg up late and talking with people all over the world. I thought I was actually going to be able to sleep without seeing crosshairs in my dreams. How could I have overlooked the fact that we live in a world that is constantly competing for a better online gaming experience? When I started to see the advertisments and trailers for Modern Warfare 3I knew I was doomed! I knew The late nights and crosshair dreams were going to strike with a vicious force all over again. And trust me, they have! Once again I find myself spending time in front of my TV holding a Wireless Controller, and strapping on my Headset so I can communicate with the voices on xbox live. With 2012 only 6 weeks away I have a new goal that these theraputic, (ha ha), games have taught me. My goal is to spend more time with my bible, alone in a room, strapping on a headset to hear the voice of God. 2012 starts NOW for me. I strongly desire to hone my faith so I can toss strong words that will impact people for the greater good. When I fall asleep I want to dream of how blessed we can be when we spend time intentionally getting to know God. Let's gear up for a year where our focus is on HIM!

Who Fails Who

2011-11-01T08:08:00.001-07:00

Tuesday morning I take a little time to check into the NFL stats and highlights. We all know that our favorite teams and players fail the fans from time to time. Trust me I know this really well in the fact that I am a Vikings fan. Here's kind of a humbling thought. Our friends will fail us, our employers will fail us, and sometimes we even fail ourselves. With that comes great dissapointment, and feelings that are somehow tough to manage. But here is a great promise: Hebrews 13:5 "I will never fail you, I will never abandon you." It is a promise that can bring comfort when we experience all different kinds of failures. God will never fail you, He will never fail me, let's take that promise and intentionally apply it to our daily living.

Live With An Intentional Mindset

2011-10-18T11:57:00.000-07:00

As we were together as a family my mother would always say "we better enjoy this time we have together, because we might not get too many more opportunities to enjoy each other." It never failed, we knew it was coming before we would all part and go our seperate ways. The idea that time flys is so real! Think about it for a second. We are in the middle of October! Crazy! In just a few short weeks we are going to be driving slowly through our neighborhoods dodging goblins, spongebobs, superheros and other masked characters looking to fill their bags with candy. After that we only have 2 months before the new year arrives. How do we navigate through these fast paced years and make the biggest impact we can make? It all begins with becoming Intentional. If we are intentional our expectations become real, and we are able to turn our thoughts and desires into reality. If we are intentional we can bring focus to our day, and capitalize on what we have identified as important. If we are intentional about becoming a better parent, we will become a better parent. If we are intentional about helping others, we will help others. If we are intentional about growing spiritually, we will grow spiritually. Go ahead and add your own sentence, and you will do whatever that is, if you are intentional. I am excited to see what happens as we live with an intentional mindset.

10 More Pounds

2011-10-17T12:03:00.000-07:00

Anybody else out there having a tough time losing 10 pounds? That's all I want, lose 10 more pounds and I will be at my goal that I set for the end of the summer! So I decided for some motivation, I will watch the new season of The Biggest Loser on Hulu, up my cardio workout in the gym, and see if the weight watchers points plan might work. I was really excited when I found out that it is possible to calculate how many points I am allowed per day. I was even more excited when I found out that a Mcdouble Bacon Cheeseburger from Mcdonalds is worth 7 points. I love that burger! (lol, I saw your face when you said "eww.") But here's the other thing I took note of. Even though that burger is allowed in the weight watchers point system, it's not neccesarily good for me. All of the fat grams, sodium, calories, and carbs, still affect my body. This reminded me of a principle that comes righ out of the Bible -

1 Corinthians 10:23 - "Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible, but not everything is constructive."

So, I guess I'll have to change to eating those Olive Garden Breadsticks! (O come on... I'm JOKING!)

Ahhh!! The Rapids!

2011-09-29T21:56:00.000-07:00

In college a group of us decided to go to a great place for cliff jumping. Once we arrived, someone thought it was a "fantastic" idea to swim across the river to the cliff jumping site. So, the ego side of all the men chimed in, and we started our swim. I remember the rapids in the middle of the swim. They grew stronger and stronger. I was getting tired, and I remember thinking to myself, "I am going to drown out here because I am so tired." There is not a whole lot you can do in the middle of a river with strong rapids but swim, swim, swim, and push through the pain. I was wearing shoes because cliff jumping is easier on your feet if you have some padding. However, I felt they were working against me, so I took my shoes off and let them float away.

Have you ever felt like you are going to drown because of some sort of life situation? Maybe it's a financial situation, or a relationship situation, or a health situation. Maybe you feel like you are stuck in a rut, and as you grow tired your first thought is, "I am not going to make it, the rapids are too strong!" When this thought hits, find the thing that is holding you back, and let it float down stream. Get rid of the pieces that you think are going to kill you, and swim! swim! swim! You will make it to the other side.

Back To The Blog!

2011-08-11T12:59:00.001-07:00

WOW!!! I am so sorry it has taken me so long to get back on the BLOG! I want to be transparent and let you know why it has been such a long time since I have been writing. This Summer Has Been Crazy! Alot of great things have happened, but also alot of things have been going on that I have never had to face before. Have you ever had things happen in your life where all you can say is "I hope this all works out for the good?" Or how about this, you thought something was going to work out one way, but it totally went a different direction and threw you off the wagon? That has been my summer in a nutshell. Here is the key thought I have had all summer long. Stay The Course, Be Open To New Direction, And Trust For A Bright Future. Be Confident When Things Are Going Great, And Be Confident When Things Are Going Crazy. Don't Allow Worry To Consume Your Heart. Fight, Fight, Fight, and Rest, When You Can't Fight Any More. I hope you all had a great summer!

30 Days To Live Part 2

2011-04-09T20:54:00.000-07:00

Brief Humorous Story - a man was given six months to live. Upon the hearing of this news he asked the doctor if there was anything that could be done medically to extend his time. The doctor replied “ no, but I would suggest this – move your mother in law in your house to live with you” – puzzled by this reply he asked the doctor “will this make me better? - the doctor replied “no but I promise you it will be the longest six months of your life“

30 Days To Live is more of a reminder to do the important things in life on a daily basis. I think every day goes by so fast and we sometimes forget what is important. Here are a couple of things I think are awesome to keep in mind on a daily basis.

#1 Help Others Who Are Experiencing Your Same Struggle. If you found out that you had 30 days to live, wouldn't you find yourself helping anybody with whatever issue they were facing? We always think we need to have it all figured out before we help, but what I find is when I help someone who has a similar issue as to what I am facing, it actually helps me through my struggle as well.

#2 Help Others By Giving Your Support. Have you ever had someone unload their life junk on you and while they are talking you are completely overwhelmed, you can’t believe what you are hearing, you know that you have absolutely no answer, and when they are done talking you know you are going to give them that embarrassing blank stare? Here’s the good news, you don’t always have to have an answer. Sometimes the best statement you can make is, “I have absolutely no idea what you are going through, but I’m standing with you. You don’t have to do this by yourself.”

#3 Help Others By Leading Them Toward Stability. Peoples lives are always being moved, and changed, and frustration can take over really quickly. When they lay their heads on the pillow at night they find themselves begging for stability.
I think we can lead others towards stability by saying, “Even though the whole world is changing, Jesus is the same and he cares deeply for you!

Hebrews 13:8 (NIV)
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

#4 People Need Significance. There is a pastor that I watch a couple of times a year on TV, and every time I have watched him he has said this phrase, “There’s A Champion Inside Of you.” I won’t watch him for like 3 months and I turn him on and there it is again, “There’s A Champion Inside Of You.”

People just need to hear that from time to time. If I found out that I had 30 days to live, I would become the Significance Cheer Leader. “You… Are… Significant…” “Who Rocks The World, You Rock The World.” Your Significant… You’re You’re Significant…
S I G N I F I C A N T.”

There ya have it. A Couple of things we can start to do today.

30 Days To Live

2011-04-04T08:59:00.000-07:00

This weekend I have been thinking "What If I Found Out I Had 30 Days To Live?" Powerful thought isn't it? I think there would be some changes I would make. For instance, if I had 30 days to live I would most likely spend a whole lot more time with my family istead of using phrases like; "yes, let's do that in a little while," or "I'll be able to play with you in a little bit." If I had 30 days to live I would spend longer nights talking with my wife at night before I go to bed, and maybe even watch her as she sleeps. If I had 30 days to live I would most likely say no to some things that are a waste of time. All in all, I look at this concept and I am hit by the thought that we spend alot of time doing things we really don't need to do, and we miss out on the good things in life. What if you had 30 days to live? Would there be any changes you make?

.....MMM....

2011-02-16T20:01:00.000-08:00

"WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON!!" You're reading this right now. Do you ever find yourself asking that question? Vent it out. What is going on in your heart right now?

Something God Doesn't Know

2011-01-07T15:52:00.000-08:00

Did you know that there is something that God doesn't know? You're reading that line thinking to yourself, "Wow, this guy is doubting the all - knowing power of God." No really, there is one thing that God doesn't know, and here it is, get ready.... pay attention... focus... GOD DOESN'T KNOW THE IMPOSSIBLE. Consider this thought as you begin to dream about your future. Consider this thought when you think to yourself, "It's Never Going To Happen because it's..... Impossible :(

Michelangelo said "The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that our aim is actually too low and we reach it."

Here is a pretty cool thought. In the bible there is an amazing verse in Mathew 19:26 that says, "...with man this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible." God doesn't know the impossible. I believe that if many of us would stop saying "that's impossible" we would see God move on our behalf and watch the impossible become possible. Put a little trust in God, and watch how those things you once thought were impossible, become possible.

You Want Me To Set What?? GOALS!

2011-01-05T18:04:00.000-08:00

What's up everyone in Internet land! HAPPY NEWYEAR! Can you already feel the excitement of the new year? If you can, make a little noise right there where you are sitting (woop woop. I remember exactly where I was a year ago today. I thought I was setting up 2010 as year that would simplify my life, but instead I ended up complicating it. Ahhh, what a horrible feeling. Hear are the two questions I asked myself at the beginning of 2011.

1. Where Don't I want to be by the end of the year?
2. What Do I need to Do to make sure I make great decisions for 2011?

If you had a tough year last year, I want to say "DON'T GIVE UP!" This year is going to be a better year for you. I don't know all of the things you have going on in your life, but I promise, if you set some goals, simple goals, you are going to move through this year with confidence. Take one day at a time, don't get stressed out, don't think about all the things that are going wrong, and don't think "I QUIT!" You are going to make it. Let's set some goals together this year.

Lessons From An 8 Year Old

2010-12-27T18:54:00.000-08:00

So there we were enjoying our time together and all of the sudden the door bell rings. My 8 year old son and I were playing a little xbox and one of his friends came to the door. He threw his jacket on, slipped his boots on, looks at me and says; "Peace Dad, I'm Out!" And out the door he went. PEACE! WHAT!

It's Christmas. A holiday season known for "Peace On Earth." But for some reason here are the words I hear around this holiday season; Fear, Worry, Anxiety, Discouragement, Stress, Depression, and Drama. Where is the Peace? Here is one simple thought I want to give you with our short time together.

Peace Is Not The Absence Of Crisis. It Is The Presence Of Christ. We will never find true lasting, deep abiding peace, by trying to create a perfect little world without Crisis. Crisis is apart of life, but Christ gives life. Here is an awesome verse from the bible that I hope encourages you during this Christmas season - John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

Hope Is A Funny Feeling

2010-12-11T11:02:00.000-08:00

Hope is a funny feeling isn't. The word has 4 letters, yet the feeling has immense power. A recent situation compelled me to write a little about hope. 2010 has been a tough year for a ton of people. Think about all the struggles you've personally heard over this last year? Here are a couple categories that you and I have heard a ton about this last year; Health, Finances, Business, Lack of Faith, Family Issues, Depression, and the list goes on and on. Most of the time, Hope is all we have, and if a person loses hope, what is left? 2011 is right around the corner. If your hope tank is empty, then take the next 3 weeks of this year and begin to fill it. I am praying for you. I don't know many of you, but I am praying that 2011 is an awesome year for you. I pray that your plans succeed, and friendships improve. I am praying that you find the job of your dreams, or the man/woman of your dreams. I am praying that your family is healed, and your relationships are sizzling with passion. I leave you with an old proverb:

As long as we have hope,
we have direction,
the energy to move,
and the map to move by.
We have a hundred alternatives,
a thousand paths and infinity of dreams.
Hopeful, we are halfway to where we want to go;
Hopeless, we are lost forever.

Forgiveness

2010-10-24T12:30:00.000-07:00

We just finished up our series on forgiveness. It has been an awesome two weeks at CityPoint Church. Here are a couple of key points to remember this week:

1. Forgive, even if the offender does not ask to be forgiven. Quit waiting around for the person who hurt you to come to you and tell you exactly what you think you need to hear in order to forgive them. There is a chance they will never be a big enough person to ask you for your forgiveness.

2. Treat those who injured or offended you with kindness, not harboring any grudge or speaking of that individual in a condemning way. (This Is A Tough One)

Romans 2:4 (NLT)
Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Cant’ you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?

I love this verse because at its core it says; “If you are willing to treat your offender with kindness, you could actually be pointing them toward God. Kindness goes a long way.

3. If the opportunity presents itself, do something good for the person who hurt or offended you.

There ya go! A couple of great things to keep in mind for the week!

Worth Reading

2010-10-06T19:39:00.000-07:00

Wow!!! Feels great to have a moment to write again! There has been so many awesome things going on that it would take a long time to update on all that has happened over the last month, but the biggest thing is the launching of CITYPOINT CHURCH. We have had such an incredible time since our very first preview service. I wanted to take a minute and give a quick spill on one of my favorite talks we have done at CITYPOINT. Here are five things I think we can work on if we call ourselves Christ followers.

1. We Need To Learn To Listen Better. Talk Less. Keep your opinions silent. Everyone has an opinion, but it doesn't mean all opinions are meant to be spoken.

2. Don’t Label. Using terms to put people into boxes is generally offensive to people. We are all people, let’s stop making neat little categories for each other.

3. Don’t Be So Smart. No body loves a know it all. These people personally drive me nuts. Don’t pretend to have all the answers. If you are not sure, just say so. We have a saying around here “We don’t have all the answers, but we believe in a God who does.

4. Put Yourself In Other Peoples Shoes. People generally just want other people to understand what they have gone through. This allows for a better connection point.

5. Fight The Three Second Rule. Within 3 seconds people form their first impressions and don't give a fare chance to get to know the person who we are looking at.

A Blog By Steven Furtick (It's Great!)

2010-08-16T10:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I wrapped up a four-week series on Romans 8 called “Christ Alone.” Going into the weekend I had three different sermons prepared. When you’re covering the greatest chapter in the Bible in just four weeks, it can be hard to know where to land.

I ended up focusing on the phrase, “more than conquerors” and what it means to be a super conqueror. A more than a conqueror through Christ, rather than just a mere conqueror.

More than anything, I wanted to communicate the truth that if you’re more than conqueror, you achieve the victory in the opposition. Not just over it. You’re victorious in the midst of your circumstances, struggles, and opposition. Not necessarily when you escape them.

I know that sounds good, but I think the reason many Christians never graduate to being a super conqueror is their fear of the danger and opposition that lies in the middle of a battle. There’s a tendency in us to think we’re safer when we face no opposition. Or when we’re in no danger. And therefore we run from them at all costs. Fear, rather than faith, becomes our controlling mechanism.

But this misses the point that God provides security and protection in direct proportion to the danger we’re in and the opposition we’re facing. In God’s economy, it’s when we’re facing our greatest opposition and danger that we’re also the safest. Not from them. But in them.

In the Bible, the greatest instances of God’s protection directly coincide with the greatest moments of danger and opposition for God’s people.

God parts the Red Sea. Because the Egyptian army is about to annihilate the Israelites.
God shuts the mouths of lions. Because Daniel is thrown into a lions den.

I think many of us want a front row seat to God’s miracles without a front row seat to the danger and opposition that coincides with the need for the miracle in the first place. But this isn’t how it works. The people who get to experience the power of God are those who are actually in need of seeing that power manifested on their behalf. And it’s for this very reason that these people have less to fear than those in seemingly safer circumstances.

The Israelites didn’t have to fear the Egyptians because God was fighting for them.
Daniel didn’t have to fear the lions because God was with him.
You don’t have to fear whatever you’re facing because the same God is with you and fighting for you.

The greater the danger you’re in, the greater security God will provide. The greater the opposition against us, the greater the opportunity for God to fight for us. And allow us to be super conquerors through Him.

Start Your Genesis

2010-08-13T08:55:00.000-07:00

"Genesis" has always been a name I have been fond of. Here's the reason why; the word Genesis means "New Beginnings." I love that! There are 4 time during the year I press the reset button on my life and evaluate things. We are entering one of those seasons right now. FALL is a great time to push "reset" on your life and start a "new beginning." It doesn't matter how good or bad your summer went start a new beginning right now. Push reset on your life and start your Genesis this fall. I pray that God Blesses You In Amazing Ways Today And Through This Season!

July 11th Preview Service

2010-07-12T20:23:00.001-07:00

We were so blessed on Sunday July 11th 2010. I never, ever want to forget the journey that God has us on at this point in our lives. People have been so incredibly patient, and kind, I can't express my gratitude. On Sunday we talked about "Walking 10 Miles In Someone Else's Shoes" Check out this quick blooper real taken from the 10 mile walk:

4 things to remember as you consider walking a mile in someone else's shoes, here they are -

1. Walking Our Own Shoes Is Comfortable, and we love comfort!

2. Walking in someone else's shoes means that we sacrifice our comfort for someone else's discomfort.

3. Help By Gaining Perspective! When we gain perspective, we understand someone else's situation with clarity. There is no more room for Scepticism, Speculation, or being Judgemental

4. Walking in someone else's shoes is a Heavy Honor. When you intentionally choose to walk in someone else's shoes you will most likely feel a Spiritual Heaviness, Mental Heaviness, or Physical Heaviness.

Walking A Mile In Someone Elses Shoes

2010-06-30T11:47:00.000-07:00

We have all heard at one point in our lives, this phrase: "You'll never understand a person until you walk a mile in their shoes." Going along with that there is another phrase I found that is probably even more familiar. "Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes, that way when you do and they get angry you will be a mile away, with their shoes." That one made me laugh...
It is undeniable, we live in a culture where our lasting opinions of someone are often times formed by our first impression of that person. In a simple first impression we form a lasting opinion. Some of you even today, may have walked into work and spotted the new person, maybe didn't even talk to them, you don't know anything about them, but in your mind you have a lasting opinion be it right or wrong of that person, simply by the first impression glance.
I want you to think about something for just a quick second. If we were to go and talk to your roommates, or co - workers, or family, and ask them what their impression about Christianity was, based on the way you live your life, what would they say? What would their lasting opinion of Jesus be? I will be speaking on Walking 10 Miles In Someone Else's Shoes, Sunday July 11th, 10:00am at the Sauk Rapids Rice Middle School.

CityPoint Church Preview Service #2

2010-06-20T17:02:00.001-07:00

Finally a little time to sit in a quiet place and write. Seriously, it feels awesome to type out some thoughts. We had our second CityPoint Church Preview Service on June 13th, and it was awesome to have people show up again. I had the opportunity to talk with some incredible people, and I am so excited about where God has us in this church planting experience. We played some loud music and talked about "Moving Beyond Good Intentions." Over this last week I have moved beyond some of my good intentions and I have had some breakthroughs that have changed my life. I want to say thank you to everyone who came to the service, and encourage you to pray that God continues to guide the church in a way that is pleasing to Him. Also I want to invite you back in July on the 11th. If you haven't been to CityPoint, come check us out. Here is the website that will help with directions. www.citypointchurch.com I hope you all had an amazing weekend, and I look forward to writing soon again. God Bless!! - Kevin

Taking Time With Tator!

2010-06-02T11:11:00.000-07:00

We call my six year old Kaden, Tator, and today I learned an extremely important lesson. If your kids are strongly desiring your time, stop whatever you had planned, and be with them! This morning was a normal morning. I woke up and helped my 8 year old get on the bus for school, made breakfast, changed my little girls diaper, and was heading out the door to go to work. As I was almost out the door, my Six year old was in tears saying, Daddy I Don't Want You To Go. I thought I would be able to counter by saying, "When I get home I will spend time with you, and do whatever you want." But it totally backfired as he broke into tears and said, "All I want to do is spend time with you today." At that point I realized that Tator (Kaden) was strongly desiring my time. So today I cancelled everything to be with my son, and it has been awesome. We haven't really done anything super cool, we went to the gas station, ate a couple donuts, washed the windshield of the van, ate Jimmy Johns for lunch, watched Tom & Jerry, and visited my wife at work. Tator looked at me after eating lunch and said "Dad I Love You Bigger Than Anything." I think it was well worth cancelling everything to be with my son who strongly desired my time. I can't wait to see what else we do today.
PS. The only reason I have time to write this right now at 1:21pm is because he is totally obsessed with one of his favorite cartoons.

CityPoint Church's First Preview Service!

2010-05-18T14:41:00.000-07:00

We had our first Monthly Preview Service Sunday May 16th! I have to brag on it just a little bit because I had such a fun day. We arrived for set up bright and early 7am! The 30,000 watt sound system was already being unloaded into the Sauk Rapids/Rice Middle School.

Around 8am our inflatable for CityKids (our kids ministry)arrived, and we hauled it into the middle school commons. As it was blowing up I thought we were going to have to raise the roof off the school just to get it to fit, but all stress was relieved when it fit perfect! When the kids entered the area, a smile instantly showed up on their faces. It Was Awesome!

At 9am 30 volunteers showed up! This was AMAZING! The best part was, they were smiling and stoked to help welcome people as they arrived to check out CityPoint for the very first time. Now all we needed was for people to actually show up. AND THEY DID!

At 10am people were actually walking in! I was so excited! Being with every person there was an incredible blessing! It was so awesome to meet people from the community and the surrounding area. I was able to catch up with some old friends, meet incredible new people, and also be surrounded by family, and a team of people who are dedicated to Consistently and Intentionally helping people Find and Follow Jesus Christ in Simple and Practical ways. Here is just a glimpse, I will be posting more updates and pictures as they come available! Thank You To Everyone Who Helped, Prayed, and Attended!

Forgotten

2010-05-04T11:41:00.000-07:00

I just read the latest MSN post in regards to Tiger Woods. Here are some of the quotes that were included in the post. "He was so great, we bought it." "Golf needed Tiger more than Tiger needed golf." "He had a monopoly on greatness." I started to look at all these statements, and even though Tiger is still alive, these quotes are all in past tense. As if he is not to be counted any longer. In fact this next quote included in the MSN post kind of surprised me. "This past weekend we saw greatness, but not from Tiger, the cad missed the cut and I was glad." I do not consider myself a Tiger Woods fan at all. However I am a fan of people. This post about Tiger insinuates that he has been counted out, and almost borders on the line of "Tiger Is Forgotten." I have done a ton of things wrong in life, and it may come as a shock to some of you critics, but I will make more mistakes, but I am thankful that God has not forgotten about me. I want to encourage those of you who feel like you have been forgotten. My heart bleeds for you at this moment, and I want to let you know that God Thinks About You Daily! Who gives a rip about the critics that try to make you feel like you have been counted out, know today that you are still in the game, and another opportunity will show up. God Bless You Guys!

A Scene From The Cross

2010-04-01T23:44:00.000-07:00

"I Am Thirsty" (John 19:28) Jesus is a man, He is still human, and He was thirsty. So He announces it, I Am Thirsty and a Roman Guard lifts a Vinegar Soaked Sponge up to His lips. I have always read that and thought to myself that was an act of kindness and mercy in the midst of some horrific stuff, but I was reading a commentator that brought a very interesting perspective to all of this. He said these were the same Romans who just tortured Him and Crucified Him in such a way that He wouldn't die quickly, but His death would linger out for a significant period of time. It's not like these individuals are going to have a change of heart and say "Oh your thirsty, you want a little drink?" He said more than likely what was happening was this. In the ancient world, when it came to public restrooms, they didn't have stalls like we do today where you went in the private. You basically just kind of lined up outside the areas where people would go to the bathroom, and when they were done there were areas where you could dip you hands in water, to sort of clean yourself. Slaves realized that they could take a sponge, dip it in water, put it on a stick, and they could make a few cents by cleaning up for you after you were done. So that could have been what was happening. More than likely what was going on at the crucifixion was this. They took a sponge that had been used basically as toilet paper, and the way they would clean these sponges, is that they would put vinegar on them, so the sponge could remain usable longer, they would hold it up and it was basically like holding toilet paper up to his mouth. In fact when you look at the original language in Mathew 27:48, the tenses used basically show that this attempt to quote "give Him a drink," was either unsuccessful, or it was repeated again and again. So here is Jesus in this incredibly vulnerable moment, who thirsts, and more than likely what's happening, they are sticking toilet paper up in His mouth. And Jesus thirsted, so that we wouldn't have to. He suffered and struggled so that we could be forgiven.

Life Update

2010-03-25T17:39:00.001-07:00

Hey Ya'll, it been a while, but I figured I would give an update. Yes, to answer a question often asked. I have resigned as a youth pastor. It is still tough to leave youth ministry because watching people every Wednesday night get stoked about Jesus is priceless. But I am excited about the future. I am humbled to announce that my family, and a couple other families are Launching a Church In St Cloud Minnesota. We have been praying about this for some time and we feel it is time to go forward. Yes, we were hoping that we could move to an area with palm trees, and warm all year round. It didn't turn out that way, and I would have to loose about 40 pounds before I go someplace like that. It is a giant leap of faith for us, but a leap that is going to bring many into a loving relationship with Jesus Christ. The area is amazing because there are already amazing churches in St Cloud and we are excited to join them in the mission of leading people in the St Cloud area to Jesus. Pray for us, Seriously! When we join together in prayer, amazing things can happen. That is the break down as of right now. I will be blogging more on this as we move closer to our first service. Love you all!

WOW! Today Was A Challenge

2010-01-14T17:53:00.000-08:00

In short, today was one of the most crazy days of this year. I found myself frustrated, angry at times, quiet and thinking AHHH! And believing that God is going to do something amazing in my life all at the same time. Some would say this would qualify as a horrible day. I want to take it a step further and say "I think it was a day of learning, because I found some true colors I am not fond of." In short, I have some things I need check in my life, and check them right away. So, tonight after I write this, I am going to find my own little special place for a while, and work to change some of the true colors that I feel are harmful for the long haul.

A Thought From Kevin

2010-01-11T01:00:00.000-08:00

Tuck in your shirt! Take off your hat! Clean up your language! Stop running with that crowd! Don't come back until you look better! These are such uplifting statements aren't they? This blog could potentially tick off some of you reading this, but I write this with a very humble heart, and deepest conviction. I think that the church is often know for what we are against instead of what we stand for. This potentially turns people away from actually giving Jesus an opportunity to be apart of their daily living. John 3:16 contain the words "WHOSOEVER believes Him." I know that this is a no brainer, but that covers every single person on the face of the planet, it is not reserved for a certain people group. (thank God) 2 Corinthians 12:9 contain the words "my GRACE is sufficient for you." Who's grace? GODS GRACE! Here is the point, we as human beings need to consistently remind ourselves that God's Grace looks a whole lot different than the grace we as people give each other. So if you are reading this, and you have been turned off by "church people" because of man made grace, and hurtful phrases, I want to apologize on behalf of the church. God's Grace is all you need. If you are one that abuses the grace of God and condenses it into man made phrases, please repent, and begin to let people experience the true grace of God. Our sole purpose is to intentionally lead people closer to Jesus.

Relationship?

2010-01-08T09:00:00.000-08:00

It's the 8th day of the new decade! We have all sat down and aligned our new goals and vision for the future. I established great goals for my family, my physical (tough)..ok (in tough shape) physique, my future business adventure, my finances, and my friendships. These are all great things to re - calibrate year to year. But what about your relationship with God? I would say that is the most important aspect of our year to year operation. I read a verse the other day that broke my heart and made me think. Here it is - Mathew 7:21 "Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven."

Our relationship with God is by far, the most important thing we should capitalize on daily. I have botched this so many times, and believe me, I still don't have it down to a science. Relationship is something that takes time, sacrifice, determination, and energy. This year I want to know God better than I ever have before, that is my main goal for this decade.

Ahhh I Am Parched!

2010-01-07T14:15:00.000-08:00

So, I was driving down the road the other day with a friend. He looked at me and this is what he said: "Dude we should get some water, I'm parched." It's so funny how the most common phrases can trigger a thought that flys at you from left field. Here is thought that hit me. How spiritually parched am I? If I have not been drinking soul water, that explains why I feel so spiritually de - hydrated. I can take this a step further and say, maybe that is why my soul stinks sometimes. I have developed a spiritual case of cottonmouth, and it is giving off a nasty odor to God, Family, Friends, and to the world. So, how did I quench my spiritually parched soul? Today, I have taken a little time to read some scripture, and meditate on how God is so good and full of Amazing Grace. Take a little Time Today and quench your thirst!

Ichabod or Emmanuel?

2009-12-28T13:49:00.000-08:00

In just a few short days we are going to be entering a brand new Decade! Can you believe that 10 years has already blown by? Over the last ten years here is what I have done with the time God blessed me with -

Started a Church
Got married
Had Children
Met amazing people
Led 100's of teenagers to Christ
Led the best youth church of the decade
And gained 40 pounds!

Now that was a great decade! But all of that is in the past and a brand new decade is arriving! So with that I want to say, Don't let the next Decade be labeled an Ichabod Decade! The bible defines the name Ichabod as "The Glory Has Departed!" That's a terrible name to label the next decade of life. Don't live life like the Glory Has Departed, how depressing! Rather, let's look at the name we will give this next Decade.

Emmanuel! Or, "God With Us!" If God is with us, then the next Decade of Family, Life and Ministry are going to be better than expected. Yes, we will encounter tough situations, but that's just life. Live this next Decade with and Emmanuel mindset. God is with us. I look forward to hearing what God is doing in and through you over this next amazing decade!

Does Size Matter? Blog Post By Craig Groeschel

2009-11-23T16:21:00.000-08:00

I Read This On Craig Groeschel's Blog & Wanted To Share It With All You!!

I love small businesses. Four years ago, I bought my only television from a local, small business. They delivered it, set it up, and called a week later to see how I liked it. Great service.

I decided to get a second television so I could watch the Superbowl while my kids watched “18 Kids and Counting” or whatever they’ll be watching. So I went back to the small business. The sales guy remembered me and showed me four different televisions that might work. He quoted me a price. I decided to compare prices and went to a mega-store. The salesman showed me probably 40 different options, all priced considerably less than the smaller store. My heart was with the small business.

But I bought from the big business…

Why? They had more options and better prices.

In a multi-site church, you can worship with a smaller group of people at your campus. You can be deeply involved with Christ in your specific community. At the same time, you can experience the options and excellence of the large church.
This certainly isn’t the only or best means of doing ministry, but we have found it effective to minister to those God has sent and reach more along with way.

Church Planting

2009-11-13T10:03:00.001-08:00

I know there are a ton of pastors out there right now thinking about starting a church. This excites me. I have been researching church starts, how to start a church, successful church starts, and all kinds of other resources on starting a church, and I have to be honest with you for a second, it can be somewhat overwhelming. There can be this feeling that creeps in that causes you to think, "Am I Able To Start A Church?" "Will Anyone Really Attend?" "Does This Specific Community Need Another Church?" And I am sure that many of you out there have many other questions that bombard your thoughts as you think about starting a church. Here is the question that tops all the other question for me as I get ready to leap into the unknown, "What If My Church Doesn't Become As Successful As Some Of The Churches I Have Read About?"

Don't Allow That Question To Paralyze You! Starting a church is all about reaching people for Jesus Christ! Yes, there have been some churches out there that have grown fast, and that might happen to you! I get stoked as I follow those pastors and see what God is doing through those Churches, but the thing that gets me even more excited is seeing what God is going to do through your church start! Your church hasn't hit the community yet, that means that anything is possible! If you reach 1 person, was it worth the start? If you reach 3 was it worth the start? If you reach 10,000 on any given weekend was it worth the start? The answer to this is obviously YES! I am right now working through this process myself, so stay with me over the next couple of months and let's start some churches together! I look forward to hearing what God does through your church start! Don't back down! Stay the course you believe God has put you on!

Don't Re- Tire, RE - FIRE!!

2009-10-12T18:07:00.000-07:00

Inside of my little brain has been many thoughts that I sometimes don't understand. I have gone through a whirlwind of emotions and feelings about different topics that I have been faced with. I have prayed more than ever before in my life, and I believe it is time for us as leaders, bosses, business owners, teenagers, and Christians to refuse to Re- Tire, or accept the status quo with the thought that things will never work out the way we originally thought, and begin to position ourselves to RE - FIRE, get excited about our future, and move forward with a passion for the things yet to come. YOUR BEST DAYS ARE NOT BEHIND YOU!! Your best days are AHEAD!! RE- FIRE!!! Don't settle!! Let's position ourselves to RE - FIRE! The Best Is Yet To Come!

A Little Extra

2009-07-29T09:07:00.000-07:00

H Jackson Brown Jr once said, "A racehorse that consistently runs just a second faster than another horse is worth millions of dollars more. Be willing to give that extra effort, that separates the winner from the one in second place." I love this audacious statement. When you read this statement you can tell that there is a high expectation for human beings to go the extra mile. If you're in business, go the extra mile for your client or customer. If you are a pastor, go the extra mile for your community and congregation. If you are a teacher, go the extra mile for your students. If you are a mother or a father, go the extra mile for your children. There is no better time to practice going the extra mile than today! Be A Person Who Is Willing To Do A Little Extra!

Go The Extra Mile

2009-07-28T09:07:00.000-07:00

In life, most of us walk the first mile. We'll do what's required. We'll perform what's expected. If you want to keep your job, stay married, and have friends, the first mile is the bare minimum. The first mile is secure, it sometimes feels like a very long mile, but none the less, it's secure and comfortable. But what about the Extra Mile? What about the mile that no one really sees coming? What about the mile that becomes a surprise to on - lookers? This is the mile where we find a ton of fulfillment. Why are so many people unfulfilled daily? Could it possibly be because the extra mile is the mile less traveled? I believe that when we decide we are going to go the extra mile on a daily basis we will experience a life of fulfillment. What can we do today to go the extra mile? Choose one thing, do it, and see what happens. This is going to be a ton of fun! Enjoy feeling fulfilled today. When your head hits your pillow, smile, you went the extra mile!

Do More Than The Minimum

2009-07-27T09:07:00.000-07:00

Last week I talked about adopting a "Rubber Band Mentality." When stretched, a rubber band does what it was purposed to do. Here are some phrases that are intended to stretch us. No, they are not easy, but worth applying to our lives -

I will do more than belong - I will participate
I will do more than care - I will help
I will do more than believe - I will practice
I will do more than be fair - I will be kind
I will do more than forgive - I will forget
I will do more than dream - I will work
I will do more than teach - I will inspire
I will do more than give - I will serve
I will do more than live - I will grow
I will do more than suffer - I will triumph

Enjoy being stretched this week!!! Remember "Rubber Band Mentality!"

Church Life Part 3

2009-07-23T08:02:00.000-07:00

Church Life Is Awesome! Keep that in mind as I talk about being stretched for just a minute. A rubber band is a very interesting tool we use in life. If a rubber band just sits on our counter top, it is not being used for its intended purpose. A rubber band finds its purpose when it is stretched! I Want To Be Stretched! I believe that if we adopted a "rubber band mentality" the word of God would spread like wild fire all across America. Our Churches would begin to fill up, our work life would be full of excitement, and our families would be stable. Be The Church Today, Allow God To Stretch You In Any Area He Desires, Yes, It Hurts, But The Payoff Is Eternal!

Church Life Part 2

2009-07-21T09:07:00.000-07:00

Church Life can be summed up in two words "It's Awesome!" In order to capture the kind of energy Church Life Produces, we must understand there are some things Jesus never wants us to say, EVER! Check This Out -

Jesus never said:

"I Can't" or "I Won't"

"I'm Too Tired" or "I Don't Get Paid To.."

"It Doesn't Really Matter"

"Ask Me Next Month" or "Ask ME Next Year"

"I Worked All Week" or "It's Just Too Early To Get Up"

"I Quit!"

Thank God Jesus NEVER said, "Now that's just asking WAY TOO MUCH." So why do we as His Church, allow some of these phrases to be Barriers, or Busters, that keep us from the energy Church Life produces? Church Life Is Awesome, so get these words and phrases out of your vocabulary before it's too late.

Church Life Part 1

2009-07-20T09:07:00.000-07:00

Church Life can be summed up in two words. "It's Awesome!" I have been thinking so much about church life due to some upcoming adventures that are going to be, well, very, very interesting, or a better word might be "stretching." What is church life, you might be asking? Well here is what I have come up with - It is understanding that God loves people, so we should love people, and do whatever necessary to stand with others while leaning on God. Mark 12:30 - 31 says it this way - "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these." It's amazing how just two little verses in the bible tells us what church life is truely designed for. This whole week I am blogging on Church Life. "It's Awesome, not always easy, but is Awesome!"

Produce Positive Words From Your Mouth Part 4

2009-07-17T09:07:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been a pretty awesome week ay! ("ay" I know I can hear you laughing) Do you feel like you have been stretched at all with the theme "Produce Positive Words From Your Mouth?" Alright... I am going to wrap this up with one final thought. Producing Positive Words From Your Mouth To Your Self , Is Essential For Personal Motivation. Studies have shown that people talk to themselves through "thought talk" almost all day long. So what you say to yourself is extremely important. What you say to yourself will produce bad fruit for the day, or great fruit for the day. Example - If you are having a week where you are feeling defeated, what are your "thought talk" words saying? Are they defeating words? If you are having a week where you are feeling unstoppable, what are your "thought talk" words saying? Are they words of encouragement and exhortation. What you say to yourself matters! When you wake up you should speak words of encouragement from your mouth to yourself. You Are Important & God Cares About The Fruit You Produce. Produce Positve Fruit For Your Life By Speaking Positively About Yourself. Remember: If you like you, others will like you!

Produce Positive Words From Your Mouth Part 3

2009-07-16T07:57:00.001-07:00

This week I have focused on what types of words come from my mouth. Here is an important tip when it comes to understanding the power of our words. Here it is - "Words Backed By Prayer Are Powerful!" (say it again) The bible says in Acts 2:14 "Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you: listen carefully to what I say." Notice that he was preparing to speak words that the bible goes on to say added 3,000 people to the church, that day! (Acts 2:41)

Why did these words produce such amazing fruit that day? Simply put; The Words Were Backed By Prayer. Before Peter said anything he spent time in prayer. It was not just a couple minutes, or a quick prayer over the dinner table. It was a calling out to God to bring power. If you need power behind the words that you are preparing to say today, spend some time in prayer. Don't feel weird or uncomfortable with asking God to put some power behind the words that you speak. Who knows, it might produce some amazing fruit!

Produce Positive Words From Your Mouth Part 2

2009-07-14T06:50:00.000-07:00

WOW! Producing positive words from your mouth can be tough! Monday I spoke alot of positive things from my mouth, but I noticed in situations where I wanted to be negative, I stayed quiet instead of saying something positive in its place. There is a saying out there that I like, "If You Can't Say Nothin Good, Don't Say Nothin At All." This statement definitely has it's place, but what if you find yourself saying "nothin at all, alot?" Today, when I find myself slipping into a negative thought process, instead of saying nothing, I am going to substitute it with something positive, and speak it out. Remember, life is to short to produce spoiled fruit from our mouths, let's produce some positive fruit today!

Produce Positive Words From Your Mouth

2009-07-13T10:57:00.000-07:00

We are surrounded by a world that loves to find the negative rather quickly. Our news stations broadcast the latest catasrophe or accident. Our church leaders critique each others ministries and then write books about it. Our friends get jelouse as we become productive and successful. Magazines exploit the latest affairs for the the world to read. Really, you could go on and on, but the bottom line is that we need to always cross check what kinds of things are coming from our lips. Are they super positive, breathing hope and love into the world, or are they status quoe, always speaking of the negative. I think the world would be vastly different if we all would monitor what kind of fruit we produce simply by the words we speak. Today, I am going to be positive about every situation, and conversation I encounter, and continually make it a goal to remove negative words that could potentially give birth to negative fruit that will spoil not only my day, but the day of those around me.

Roof Tearing Faith

2009-07-10T12:14:00.000-07:00

Jesus was in a town called Capernaum. The house where he was staying was so packed full of visitors that there was not any room for one more person, not even outside the door. Jesus was preaching to them. Four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They could not get to Jesus through the crowd, so they dug through the clay roof above his head. Then they lowered the sick man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. Seeing there faith, Jesus healed the man.
(Mark 2:1 - 12)

This Is Awesome! These men had Faith that actually Tore The Roof Off! They were willing to do whatever it took (action) to get this man to Jesus (faith) to see him healed (miracle). I say it is time for us to have faith that tears the roof off! Let's be people of action, and have more faith in Jesus than ever before, and see miracles that Tear The Roof Off! That Is A Great Day!

Overwhelming Challenge? Or Amazing Opportunity?

2009-07-09T13:28:00.000-07:00

"What you are calling an overwhelming challenge, God is calling an amazing opportunity" I love this quote taken from Perry Noble's Twitter update. It is a reminder that our minds can't comprehend the things that God has planned for us. The bible is specific about "great plans" (Jeremiah 29:11) that God has for our lives. In scripture we often read that God will never leave or forsake His people (Hebrews 13:5 & Deuteronomy 31:8). So, every morning I wake up, I have started with a prayer that goes something like this; "God grant me the capacity to receive the plans you have for my life, I surrender all my worries and fears, and put my trust in you." I pray that you are encouraged today! I believe that God is calling you towards amazing opportunity! Don't be down and discouraged, but live with the confidence that God is bringing His will to pass in your life! BE BLESSED!

She Said "Da Da"

2009-06-29T08:41:00.000-07:00

This is my amazing 7 month daughter Jayci. ABSOLUTELY BREATHTAKING isn't she! The very first words out of her mouth are officially "DA DA." Every time she says that little phrase, my heart pounds a million miles an hour, a smile comes to my face, and I look directly at her beaming beautiful eyes. I am so proud to be this little girl's Father.

Being a father of this little girl has taught me something about God. The bible says that we are his children. A simple truth, yet very powerful. This means that every time we call his name, his heart pounds a million miles an hour, a smile comes to his face, and he looks directly at us. What an amazing reality! God Is So Proud To Be Your Heavenly Father!

The "Great Day" Challenge

2009-06-23T14:28:00.001-07:00

Today has been an amazing day. It has been so amazing, I would almost give it the tag line - "My Perfect Day!" I -

Woke up and spent time with God
Did the dishes
Spent time with the kids
Took the cover off the pool for my boys and my niece and nephew
Spent time with two amazing future pastors
Checked my email
And will be going to the church later on.

Are there other things I love to do during the day? ABSOLUTELY! I love to read, write, vision cast, and plan for the future, but all of these things make a great day for me. If you are up for the challenge, take time to think about what your "Great Day" looks like. If you want to, email it to me. I would love to read about it!!

email - pastorkevin@rocketmail.com

Happy Fathers Day!

2009-06-22T07:55:00.001-07:00

I know, I know, fathers day was yesterday! I just want to make sure you all you Fathers out there in Internet land had a great fathers day. I was blessed to be able to spend fathers day with my father, my family, and my church family. It was an amazing day.

My Father has been the number one influence in my life. I often ask myself this question "What Would My Dad Do In This Situation?" If you got to know him, it wouldn't take very long to discover that he has answers for everything, and they actually produce good results. As a kid I used to hate it when he would quote scripture for the situation we were discussing, but now I find myself studying the scripture he quoted, and I am finally gaining revelation as to what he was talking about.

So To Every Father Out There, "You Are Making A Difference In The Lives Of Your Children, Wife, and Your Friends. Stay True To The Honor Of Being A Father!

You Deserve A Slammin Future!

2009-06-20T09:47:00.000-07:00

I am going to be totally transparent with the entire Internet world by saying "I have been guilty of dwelling on the things of my past." That is the driving motivation behind this blog post, so grab a coffee, a pillow, and maybe even some cheese bread!

Isaiah 43:18 -19 says "Forget the former things of the past; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland...

God promised you that He is doing a NEW THING!! Say "NEW!" We can take it to the bank that God is providing a new way of life for you. Maybe it's a new job, new victory, new car, new house, new friends, a new relationship, new ministry, new bike, new college, new way of thinking, or new annointing! Whatever the case may be in your life, don't feel stuck! God is providing a "NEW" for you! Our job is to forget the things of the past. They may be great things, or they may be not so great things, but we must forget them and forge ahead!

Practical Application: This weekend, spend time with God. Ask Him, "What Do I Need To Forget, To Open Up The New In My Life?"

Don't Be A Grumpy!

2009-06-19T09:37:00.000-07:00

Alright, we are all going to participate in an exercise. Ready? When I say "GRUMPY!" Who comes to your mind? Think about it for a minute.... OK, next, When I say "WHINER!" Who comes to your mind? Take a moment if you have to.... One more, here we go, When I say "COMPLAINER!" Who comes to mind? Kind of fun isn't it?

Philippians 2:14 - 16 says "Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life..

I expect my 7 year old (Ethan) to grumble and argue from time to time, I expect my 5 year old (Kaden) to whine and complain about things that are insignificant, and to be honest my 6 1/2 month old (Jayci) has her bad too. But I also expect them to grow out of Grumbling, Complaining, and Whining. I want my kids to SHINE LIKE STARS on this planet, and that is the desire of God for his children. You & I! He wants us to SHINE LIKE STARS! So today, do everything without Grumbling. You know that situation you want to Argue? Don't!
Today, Set yourself up to be a SHINING STAR!

John Wesley Quote

2009-06-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

Here is an inspirational quote to meditate on today. I want to segue this quote with a promise from God that dates all the way back to the Old Testament:

Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

(A Quote By John Wesley) - Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you ever can.

Living Good!

2009-06-17T08:38:00.000-07:00

There are a ton of days that go by over the course of the year. 365 to be exact. Have you ever had those days that you feel are here and gone, and nothing really significant happened? Or maybe you have a week full of action packed events that make you feel like you are on top of the world, and then the next week, just the normal every day routine. Here are some encouraging thoughts -

I believe that God wants us to STAY DETERMINED during the action packed times in life and the times where everything seems like it is just another daily routine. BE DETERMINED to love God with all your heart, never lacking in zeal for the things he is bringing to pass in your life.

I believe that God wants us to BE FRUITFUL. Yes, every day of life may have it's ups and downs, but BE FRUITFUL. Even if it is as simple as going to McDonalds and buying a Mocha Latte for your neighbor (if your my neighbor, I like those). The small things are often HUGE.

I believe that God wants us to STAY INTIMATE with Him. My wife loves it when I spend time only with her. She actually treasures those intimate moments. That is the same way God feels when we spend time only with Him. He treasures those moments. Don't be afraid to tell Him what is on your mind. Share your deepest thoughts with Him.

I pray that this year is a year that we STAY DETERMINED, BE FRUITFUL, & STAY INTIMATE. Do these things on the weeks that are action packed, those moments you feel like you are on top of the world. And, do these things when the days are long, and it doesn't seem like things are going as planned, or when you are stuck in a routine. Let's have an amazing year!

Desiring God

2009-06-05T14:59:00.000-07:00

This last week I have found myself beginning to get stressed out about the finances of our household. This has led to feeling the stress of being a great provider for my family, which is something I take very seriously. As I was studying I looked up a great verse that brought a whole lot of comfort to me, and I pray that as you read this, it bring a whole lot of comfort to you, and whatever your stress is for the day, let this verse interrupt it and transform your way of thinking. Here it is -

Mathew 6:19 - 21
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth or rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there you heart will be also.

I promise you that one day we are going to see Heaven! Don't get stressed out or anxious about some of the issues that are going on in life right now. Rather, stay focused on what lies before you, a promise from God that you will one day spend eternity with Him. No more tears, no more disease, no more worry. God loves you more today than ever before. Stay focused on Him.

Uh Oh!! Summer's Here!

2009-05-29T10:22:00.000-07:00

Nothing like 3 months of warm sunny weather. Time to get your volleyball on, get your tan on, and chill, RIGHT? I know a ton of people who go on major cruise control over the summer and then have a ton of "I wish I would have..." and a ton of "I wish I wouldn't have..." moments logged in their minds. So Check This Out -

Newton's first law of motion states that an object in motion tends to remain in motion, and an object at rest tends to remain at rest. This law applies to us. Some of us are naturally full of ambition and drive to complete goals and projects, and some of us are apathetic, requiring motivation to overcome inertia.

I want to encourage both groups of people by saying this - "Your Ambition To Persevere In Diligence This Summer Will Be Rewarded."

The Bible says it like this in Galatians 6:9 - Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

So there you have it! Take the thought of going on "Cruise Control" over the summer and throw it in the garbage. Instead, get TOTALLY AMPED to do great things over the summer season.

A Great Mark Batterson Blog Post

2009-05-21T08:05:00.000-07:00

One dimension of the journey toward authentic leadership is finding your voice. In other words, finding your niche, your groove, your unique contribution to the kingdom. I think many of us start out parroting others.

We sound like someone else. Over time, however, we find our preaching voice or writing voice. As a person goes through puberty, the voice deepens as the voice box enlarges. I think leadership is like that. The longer you lead the deeper your voice gets. Think of it as gravitas.One part of finding your voice is identifying your life themes.

C.S. Lewis said, "Every life is comprised of a few themes." Over time you identify those unique God-given convictions that drive you. For example, there are ways of doing church that no one has thought of yet. That is one of my themes. A life theme isn't something you know. It's something you ooze out of your pores. It's not something you define. It's something that defines you. It's more than head-knowledge. It's a gut-conviction.

Another part of finding your voice is getting out of your comfort zone and getting into your confidence zone where you have the courage to say some things that you know might step on some toes. If you want to see people dance, you've got to shoot bullets at their feet every now and then! Finding your voice is having the courage to offend. It is saying some things that you know will cause people to say, "You didn't just say that." To which we respond, "Oh yes I did."

Some John Maxwell Pointers

2009-05-19T12:48:00.001-07:00

I have been reading a book titled The 360 Degree Leader by John Maxwell, and here are a couple things that I found were awesome in this book -

In your organization, or church become a "Go To Person."

1. Go To Players Produce When the Pressure Is On.
2. Go To Players Produce When The Resources Are Few.
3. Go To Players Produce When The Momentum Is Low.
4. Go To Players Produce When The Load Is Heavy.
5. Go To Players Produce When The Leader Is Absent.
6. Go To Players Produce When The Time Is Limited.

So there you have it. I think that if we become "GO TO" people, our organizations/churches will be absolutely thrilled. Being a "GO TO" person is an amazing opportunity, don't miss out!

You, Me, & The Mona Lisa

2009-05-06T13:02:00.000-07:00

I am reading a great book authored by Don Cousins. In it there is a great thought I want to share with you -

The Mona Lisa is considered priceless. What makes her so valuable? The Answer: "She was painted by Leondardo da Vinci." The painting itself wasn't so special; the person who created it was special.

Ephesians 2:10 says; For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. "If the painting is priceless - an inanimate object hanging on a wall created by a man who's been dead five hundred years, what does that say for your value, as a living work of art created by the living God?

Hold The Hand Of The Father

2009-05-05T12:07:00.001-07:00

When I was young my mom and dad would take my sister and I to the mall every once in a while. It was a pretty big place in the eyes of a 5 year old. There we were going in and out of all the different stores. I remember reaching up and grabbing the hand of who I thought at the time was my dad. As I walked out of the store I remember looking up and realizing I had grabbed the hand of the wrong person, A PERFECT STRANGER, and it was instantaneous freak out mode for my little five year old mind. I was looking for my REAL FATHER and when I saw him, I ran to him and grabbed his hand... what a relief!

This story means a ton to me right now because God is calling us to rise up and do some big things. We have to be careful not to grab the hands of the wrong people, we need reach for the hand of our REAL FATHER, GOD HIMSELF, and take great comfort in knowing that he will guide us. Hold The Hand Of The Father this week, let him guide you through the big plans He has for your life, don't be afraid if you are feeling so small in the grand scheme of what you believe God is calling you to do, you will be led if you Hold The Hand Of The Father.

The "What IF" Challenge

2009-04-24T14:25:00.000-07:00

This week in prayer the same phrase kept coming to mind, "What If?"

"What If Every Day That We Woke Up We Thanked God For Another Day?"
"What If Every Conversation We Had Inspired Others To Seek The Face Of God?"
"What If Every Thing We Listened To Was Uplifting And Praise Worthy?"
"What If Every Time We Spotted A Need, We Met That Need?"
"What If We Slowed Down And Listened To What People Are Really Saying?"
"What If We Filled Our Minds With Scripture Every Morning?"

"What If" is such a small statement, but I can't get away from the power that rests in this little phrase. This week I am going to take the "What If" challenge and do some of the things mentioned above. There are other "What If" statements that you may be thinking of right now. Join with me on the "What If" challenge. Do it for a week and comment back on what happened during the course of the week. I believe that together we will catch a glimpse of the power of God and be inspired to live a life above and beyond what we could have ever thought or imagined. God Bless And Enjoy The Challenge!

Ahh! What To Do!

2009-04-07T17:07:00.000-07:00

Have you ever felt like your resources are limited and drying up? If this is happening to you right now I have a new view that you are going to want to ponder.

If you open your bible to 1 Kings 17, there is a great story about a prophet named Elijah. Ok, check this out; this is the very first time Elijah shows up in the bible, and his mission from God is to go to King Ahab, and tell him that there will be no rain in the land because of Ahabs obsession to worship a false god named Baal. This led the nation of Israel into idolatry.

So God sends Elijah to an awesome place called the Kerith Ravine! This is where God would take care of Elijah, and he would be able to eat steak and bread, and drink water from the brook. Elijah had it made! But the Brook Dried Up! Why? Cause there was no water. There was no water because Elijah obeyed God and told King Ahab there would be no more water in the land. So you would think that Elijah would not have this problem of a dried up brook because he was simply obeying God. Well, this is where the story gets good. In the second half of 1 Kings 17 we learn that God moved Elijah from the Kerith Ravine to a poor widows home. She and her child were going to die because of no food, but Elijah obeyed God and went to this widows home. It was there that Elijah learned there was a greater purpose and moving from the Kerith Ravine to the widows home was the best thing that could happen. The widow was blessed by God through an infinite supply of food, and the widows son became ill and died, but wait!! Who was there to help? Elijah! He prayed over her son and raised him from the dead! That Is Awesome!

What would have happened if God had not dried up the resource in the Kerith Ravine? Elijah may never have gone to the widows home. See! God has a greater purpose for us in life. We don't understand why our resources dry up sometimes, but praise God for greater purpose. Think about where your life is right now? Does it feel like your "brook" is drying up? Maybe God wants to move you to a different place to do greater things.

Application Application

2009-04-06T13:03:00.000-07:00

James 1:22 - 25 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

Today I have watched a teaching on line, listened to a podcast, and had a great conversation on the topic of applying what we read from scripture to our every day life. It is awesome when we gain revelation from something we read from scripture, but the power is released through the application. Let's be a group of people who apply the truths of scripture to our lives on a daily basis. Real Change Comes Through Application.

Direct Obedience

2009-03-27T08:44:00.000-07:00

I was reading a great story in the bible about Abraham. In Genesis chapter 12 God told Abraham that he was going to be a great nation. Abraham was a man that God blessed in a huge way. The interesting thing is that Abraham had another deep desire in his heart, and that was to have a son. I would think being told by God that I was going to be made into a great nation and I will be blessed and He will make my name great would be enough to keep me stoked for a lifetime. But Abraham wanted a son. So at the age of 100 years old Abraham had his son. But wait! Go to Genesis chapter 22! God asked Abraham to take his son and sacrifice him! That's insane! God asked Abraham to sacrifice his deepest desire, his great dream.

I love this next passage of scripture. Genesis 22:3 "Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey." No questions asked, Abraham immediately obeyed God. You find later in the reading that God spared Abraham's son.

So let's get to the point. Sometimes there is a time to put your dream and deepest desire on the alter before GOD to see what He wants to do with it. Maybe it is His desire to see your obedience, and open you up for an amazing blessing. Maybe in your act of obedience your dream will be one step closer to becoming a reality. I know that it is worth placing it on the alter before God, so give it a try...

Internet Silence

2009-03-12T18:13:00.000-07:00

Many people have wondered why in the world I have not been online for quite a while, so you get to hear the answer. Isn't that awesome?? Ok, so there have been a ton of changes in life, and sometimes I think that if you're not careful, change can really take a toll on your brain. So I have spent many hours in prayer and seeking God for guidance. He has definitely been helping my thoughts stay focused, and for that I am grateful. This is a really weird season of life for me. I am seeing the true colors of many people, and for lack of a better word, WOW. So as you read this, just remember that during uncertain times in life, keep your prayer life strong. Don't shrink back, but prayerfully seek God in the decisions that you make. They might be the toughest decisions of your life, but God is faithful! Thanks for listening to my ramblings!!

Hasty Decisions STOP!

2009-02-17T14:19:00.000-08:00

I watched an awesome video by Wayne Cordeiro. He is the pastor of New Hope Christian Fellowship in Oahu Hawaii. He talked about the importance of making major life choices during the stable times in life. He went on to explain how we should write those choices down. I really appreciated how he brought this simple truth back to the table. How many times do we jump into "major life changing choice mode" when our lives experience a major storm? This is not the time to make choices! Making major life choices during the storms of life are often Hasty Decisions. Hasty Decisions lead to an unsure result. Unsure results lead to second guessing. Second Guessing leads to regret. So, the purpose of the blog is to bring the simple truth back to the table. STOP, & don't make life choices when you feel your world is crashing down on you!

The Cross Key

2009-02-12T03:48:00.000-08:00

While taking a prisoner from a correctional center to be arraigned on charges of attempted armed robbery, an officer noticed a cross around the prisoner’s neck. Knowing that the man was not religious, the officer took a closer look. The prisoner attempted to conceal something protruding from the top of the cross, saying it was good luck charm. But the officer thought the ornament looked like a handcuff key, and he was right. When he took the cross, he discovered that it would open almost any set of handcuffs! That cross had the power to set a prisoner free. (author unknown)

I like this story alot! The Cross has the power to set us free from the bondage of sin and death. I guess it could be said that through Christ the handcuffs of sin are released and no longer able to hold us prisoner. I really, really like this story!

Preachin F.I.R.E.

2009-02-09T08:23:00.000-08:00

The young adults in St Cloud are absolutely on F.I.R.E.! I love FIRE! For instance, think about camping. When you light that FIRE you can sit there and watch the different colors that it produces. Think about the last time there was a home on FIRE in your community? Isn't it kind of interesting how many people drive to see who's home it is and how raging the FIRE might be?

Jeremiah 20:9 says "His word is in my heart like a FIRE, a FIRE shut up in my bones I am weary of holding it in, indeed, I cannot.

When you read the bible, those scriptures get inside your bones and light a FIRE. At that moment we need to realize that there is going to be a secondary reaction, we are going to let those words out, so others may here and be inspired. When we are prompted to speak, let's speak. F.I.R.E. stands for FIRE the INSIDE REVOLUTION EVERY DAY. Be the person unashamed of starting a revolution through speaking the word of God!

5 Small Loaves Of Bread & Two Fish

2009-02-07T20:00:00.000-08:00

Tonight I had a "Chill Moment." Let me define a "Chill Moment" for you. You are sitting in silence thinking about some things that you would rather not think about, but it's impossible to stop thinking about those in particular things. So here I am blogging my thoughts.

Jesus took 5 small loaves of bread & two fish and fed an entire community of people. How? He took what He had and performed a miracle. I believe that Jesus wants to perform a miracle in your life, but the first thing you need to do is take inventory of what you have? What is it that you can give to Jesus, and watch Him do what He did with the 5 small loaves of bread and two fish? Jesus wants to take what little you have and perform a miracle with it. Give it to Him right now.

The Thought That Exploded

2009-01-31T19:11:00.000-08:00

Currently I am reading a book titled, Becoming A Contagious Church by Mark Mittelberg. There is a thought in the book that is so amazing I have to blog about it. Many of us in the church world are familiar with Mathew 12:13 "...For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks."

When I read this next thought it was like an RPG went off in my head and shook the walls of my cerebrum (suh - ree - brum). Ok here it is. "Out Of The Lack Of Overflow Of The Heart, The Mouth Doesn't Speak." Interesting thought ay?

A Great Night

2009-01-28T20:07:00.000-08:00

Just finished up an awesome night at church. Genesis Youth Rock my face off. If you wanna talk to a bunch of passionate people who love Jesus talk to those teens! I don't care what anyone says, the teenagers of today are a group of people who desire to seek the face of Christ. So a big shout out to the BECKER MINNESOTA TEENS!

A Great Wayne Gretzky Quote

2009-01-19T14:25:00.000-08:00

I was reading online today and came across one of the greatest quotes ever. Here it is.. say it out loud with me... ok ready?? Come on clear your throat.. Alright here it is - "You Will Miss 100% Of The Shots You Don't Take!" To take a shot something is better than to never take the shot at all. REMEMBER THIS! Life is way to short to wonder "What If?" Maybe it's time to take a shot at that sport, or maybe that church, or that job, that you have kept yourself away from. Maybe you have family that could use an apology, or a friend that needs to be held accountable to the things they do over the weekend. Maybe your husband or wife needs to be told how much you care about them. Whatever the case may be, You Will Miss 100% Of The Shots You Don't Take!" I challenge all of us on these computers to take more shots in 2009 than we ever have before. Watch how life gets really great, really fast!

Three Life Changing Words

2009-01-18T14:48:00.000-08:00

Mathew 4:19 says - "Come Follow Me," Jesus said, "And I will send you out to fish for people."

These life changing words were spoken to 12 men that had absolutely no idea what their lives would represent.

Peter - A fisherman.
Andrew - A fisherman
James - A fisherman
John - A fisherman
Mathew - A tax collector
Bartholomew (aka Nathanael) - occupation unclear
Philip - occupation unclear
Thomas - occupation unclear
Simon The Zelot - occupation unclear
James (Son of Alphaeus) - occupation is unclear
Thaddaeus (Son of James) - occupation unclear
Mathias - occupation unclear

These were the 12 disciples that to whom Jesus spoke the words "Come Follow Me." Every one of these men, with the exception of John, who died of old age, popular or unpopular were killed because they said yes to Jesus. You and I will probobly never have to suffer the persecution that these men suffered, but I pray that everyday we see people continue to say yes to "Come Follow Me!" These are three life changing words. Answer yes to Jesus today!

So Stoked!

2009-01-17T16:24:00.000-08:00

I have been away for 12 days, and tomorrow I finally get to preach. If you are a preacher that loves to speak you know what I am sayin when I say "Let It Go Brotha!" There is a time that you have to let it all go. There are so many things flyin through your brain that you want to say to people, and if it collects for too long you are going to go crazy! That is where I am at tonight. I am preachin in the morning and I can't wait!!!

One Of The Proudest Moments Of My Life

2009-01-14T20:04:00.000-08:00

I have been out of town away from my family, my church, and my youth group for about a week. Back home there is an amazing ministry that we started in 2008 called DC. In that ministry is a man by the name of Josiah Lumley. He has been in our youth ministry for around 7 years. Tonight he spoke to the youth group and delivered what I will label a five star teaching. He spoke on what it means to be in Christ. Even though I am currently away, I have received numerous reports on how awesome he did. This is one of my most proudest moments because I have seen this young man journey through his spiritual life and now he is speaking out what he believes to the next generation of world changers. I have to say that I am so proud of Josiah, and I will never forget this moment. Keep preaching Josiah, I believe that God has called you to this and has prepared you for this. You Are Amazing! I praise God every day for allowing me to be apart of your life all these years, and I look forward to the future God has planned for you. Let's all allow this year to be a year that God stretches us. "It's Not Always Easy" is the slogan I am using for when God is trying to stretch us, but when it's all over we can sit back and say "It Was So Worth It!"

7 Non Negotiables Of Leadership from Perry Noble

2009-01-13T17:26:00.000-08:00

Check out this post that Pastor Perry Noble posted on Leadership. It's awesome.

#1 - Passion. I'm not talking about false excitement over an event that you would not attend if you were not on the payroll at the church! But rather raw, unfiltered, emotional and unapologetic passion...a white hot fire inside that consumes, controls and configures us into who Jesus has called us to be and what He's called us to do!
Be warned-passionate people make for easy targets because no one has to guess what they stand for! However, passion, if handled correctly, can be one of the best friends a leader can have.

#2 - A Desire to Please God. One of the first verses I ever memorized was Galatians 1:10. I remember reading it and feeling like it literally jumped off the page...and something inside of me kept screaming, "You are going to need this verse for yourself if you are going to be truly successful in ministry." A true leader in church would understand that God is our Leader...and in a passionate pursuit to please Him you and I will often disappoint people.
We can't please committee's and Christ-a choice must be made.

#3 - Wisdom. James 1:5 has been a verse that I have also had to cling to as a leader! What a promise! God has called us to wisdom...so...as leaders I feel that we need to be doing as much as possible to learn...that means going to conferences, reading books...and not being afraid to meet with and learn from people who "aren't like us!"
What are you personally doing right now to grow and develop yourself as a leader? To add to your wisdom?
I am in the process of connecting with other church leaders...in the past several weeks I've been involved in numerous learning environments with people who know SO MUCH MORE than me...and God has used each experience to shape me in an awesome way.
If all we tell our people is what we know...and we lead out of our limited knowledge, never seeking wisdom from others or God-then we will raise up some very shallow people.

#4 - Courage. I don't think the tag "leader" should be put on anyone who hasn't had to make tough decisions on a consistent basis.
I once heard Andy Stanley say that a leader isn't necessarily the first person to see an opportunity, but rather the first person to act on what they see.
So true! There are lots and lots of people who see what is wrong with the world, church, etc...however, very few are actually willing to do anything about it.
Leaders step up and make the hard calls...even when it's unpopular.
On a side note-courage is NOT the absence of fear! There have been so many situations in my leadership journey here at NewSpring that have just about caused me to pee my pants!
However, courage is KNOWING what God has called you to...and then DOING it...not knowing the outcome...but KNOWING who is in control of the outcome!

#5 - Humility. This is a tough one because...well...one cannot actually brag that they are humble!
Too many times in the past I know that this was a quality that was NOT in me! I wanted the credit for all of "my ideas!" If something went right and I was involved-I wanted people to know about it. If an element of service programming went well and it was my idea...I took the credit.
And then one day I had a conversation with John Maxwell that ROCKED MY WORLD...he said to me, "Perry, you are where you are for two reasons. The first is the favor of God. The second is the giftedness of God. And Perry, please understand that God didn't owe you either of these. You are where you are because of Him!"
DANG! When it comes right down to it...I don't have good ideas-God gives them to me. I don't have the ability to think or act...OR LEAD...unless HE leads me!
John 15:5 is SO true...and I have no right to boast in anything that I feel like I accomplish!
If a leader doesn't care who gets the credit...but is obsessed with God getting the glory-awesome things can happen!

#6 - Honesty. One of the things the corporate world has seen lately is a lack of integrity...and the lie that "this is my life and how I live it doesn't really impact anyone else" has been exposed over and over and over again! As leaders-we've got to be honest with...
* OURSELVES - how are you doing? Really? Can you keep up the pace you have right now? What changes need to be made?* OTHERS - is everyone around you doing a good job? Is there a tough conversation that needs to be had-but you won't because you are afraid of the outcome?* GOD - Is life and ministry REALLY "all about Him?"

#7 - Simplicity. I once heard Ed Young say, "If you want to impress me as a leader-don't tell me what you're doing, tell me what you're NOT doing!"
DANG!
I think a leader who is worth his (or her) salt will admit that they are not good at everything...and as a result they will stop trying to be.
Reality is that everyone of us only do a few things well...and our leadership will be maximized when we focus on what God has gifted us and called us to be rather than what everyone else in the church expects us to be!
I can't do everything...but I can do something...and the something that I can do...I will do!!!
What is on your plate that you KNOW you aren't good at? You hate it? Go ahead and admit it because everyone around you already knows it and are probably praying that you will stop it anyway!

Click Your Heels Together

2009-01-11T19:08:00.000-08:00

I have currently been away from home for 1 week. When you have a wonderful wife, an amazing 6 year old boy, an awesome 4 year old boy, and a beautiful 6 week old little girl, being away from home is tough. I found myself thinking about Dorothy in the Wizard Of Oz clicking her ruby red high heels together saying "There's No Place Like Home, There's No Place Like Home, There's No Place Like Home." Make sure that you build your home into a place that you miss while you are away. Take time to restructure your priorities right now if your family is not at the top of the list. The home should be one of the greatest places on earth.

Acknowledge God, A Tough Life Lesson

2009-01-10T14:26:00.000-08:00

Proverbs 3:5 - 6 says "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

Not leaning on our own understanding is one of the toughest life lessons to be learned. I want to break it down a little so that we can see the benefit of not leaning on our own understanding.
My little girl, Jayci, is about 6 weeks old. She is not able to do everything on her own. In fact all she does really well on her own is eats, sleeps, and fills her diaper like a pro. Everything else she leans on our (her mom and dad) understanding to help her grow. She knows that we are going to do what it takes to make her healthy if she is sick. To feed her if she is hungry, and to change her diaper so she doesn't sit in her own mess for too long.

This is how God views us. We are his children. He loves to take care of us and be the amazing father to us. We need to make sure that we continually put our trust in Him and not lean on our own understanding. He knows what is best for us to grow, gain health, and He will not let us sit in our own mess for too long. Today lean not on your own understanding, acknowledge God!

Turbulent Experiences

2009-01-09T14:10:00.000-08:00

We all go through Turbulent Experiences in our lives.

Loss of a loved one
Loss of a child
Loss of a job
Feeling overwhelmed by loneliness
Feeling like we don't measure up
A failed marriage
A friend who bailed out

Whatever the case is, we all eventually face something that beats us up a little bit, or rips hope from our hearts. Instead of giving up and losing all hope, take these moments and give them to God as an opportunity for your faith to grow more than ever before! Is it fun going through Turbulent times? NOT AT ALL! But we will, and when we do our response still needs to set us up for an infiltration of hope. I believe that some of the greatest opportunities are born out of turbulent times. You see life differently and in those moments something small but priceless may be revealed.

Avoid Drifting

2009-01-08T19:32:00.000-08:00

Today about 1:00pm I was driving through Wahoo Nebraska, ok, get it out of your system and repeat "Wahoo" in your head again. Funny name, I know. I was hit with an interesting thought.

Have you ever been in a boat fishing, or just parked in the middle of the Ocean, Lake, or River, getting your tan on? The boat will actually move on it's own if the engine is off. How does this happen? It's called "DRIFTING." There are so many times I believe that we begin to drift in our spiritual lives, home lives, and school lives. We just shut off our engines, (our core values, our goals, our common sense, our beliefs) and just drift. Drifting is dangerous in the sense that it often leads to an undesired location. Undesired locations produce undesired results. This year set some locations, and develop some routes for your life that are solid, no drifting! Do whatever it takes to keep your engine on, and stay the course. Everyone will arrive somewhere in life, but not everyone will arrives somewhere on purpose. Avoid Drifting, set your route, and arrive on purpose.

An Awesome Thought

2009-01-07T13:59:00.000-08:00

I heard a teaching the other day by pastor that I absolutely loved. He said that when he was a kid he wanted an "Atari" game system so bad. Atari was even before Nintendo, so this was an older system. But all he wanted for Christmas was an Atari. One day his mom looked at him and said, "son, you are not going to get an Atari this year for Christmas, so stop thinking about it and don't get your hopes up." Devastating for a young kid, don't you think? So Christmas morning came, and it was time to open presents. As he opened his gift, his eyes lit up, and he was over - excited by what he saw. His mom and dad bought him a "Super Nintendo!" Way better system than the Atari!

Point being - Maybe the things you want for your life this year are like the Atari. Don't be devastated when God doesn't give you those things. He might be setting you up to receive something way more SUPER! Take every day and thank God for what he is doing in your life. Start to get excited about the Super things that God is going to bless you with this year.

I Am Proud Of You!

2009-01-05T17:30:00.000-08:00

I recieved some news tonight that a friend of mine and his wife are going to work on saving their marriage! That gets me stoked! I love what he said, "I spent alone time with Jesus, and my perspective changed." Jesus is incredible!!

Biblical StokeAtion (I made that word up)

2009-01-03T20:38:00.000-08:00

I am stoked!! I recently watched a video by Louie Giglio called FRUITCAKE & ICE CREME. In the video Louie brought a verse to the table that many of us know, and many of us are hearing this verse for the very first time. Here is the verse, check it out:

2 Corinthians 5:17 - 19 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come. All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

If we are in Christ, we are NEW! This is a New Year! Get in Christ like never before and become NEW! I love the promise that God is not counting men's sins against them. Talk about a powerful verse! No it does not release us to do whatever we please, but the truth is, that God desires a deep connection with us, and therefore if we are in Christ, He commits to us the message of reconciliation. I encourage you to check out Louie's video, it brings the whole verse to life!!

Freeing Entanglement

2009-01-02T13:50:00.000-08:00

Everyday life can be feel like what some of our junk drawers look like. Do you have a drawer in your house that you only keep chords in? You know the old car phone adapters, car phone chargers, or small extension chords? When you pull out one chord they are often tangled around another chord, and instead of pulling out one chord, the whole drawer comes with. Usually, unless you are a very "special" person, you begin to feel the heat on your face as you become frustrated.

Everyday life can feel like an entangled mess. The demands of the world can be consuming. I know we are supposed to do all our work "as to the Lord" (Ephesians 6:7-8) but if we are honest, sometimes it's tough to keep one eye on heaven when it seems we always need both eyes on earth. So here comes the good news - When we are patient and begin to untangle one chord at a time, we eventually work our way out of entanglement. This is a freeing feeling. Remember to be patient and untangle one chord at a time this year.

Another Great New Year Start!!

2009-01-01T16:09:00.000-08:00

I can't think of a greater book to read than the bible. I know at first you are probably thinking, "well, the Harry Potter series was good," or maybe, "Twilight" was awesome. You may be thinking to yourself, "I never really understand the bible when I read it." Take the challenge this year to pick up the bible and read it a ton. When you don't understand what you read, stop, and call someone who you can trust to answer those questions that are brewing in your mind. Don't quit!! Keep reading even when you don't understand what it means.

For those of you who are reading the bible all the time, here is an awesome site you can go to and read the bible through in a year. (http://www.youversion.com/one-year-bible) So Here We Go!!! Let's Rock This Year!

Hey It's A New Year!

2009-01-01T15:55:00.001-08:00

A BRAND NEW YEAR!!! Thank God for another year that we all get to live. I would encourage you to put all of things from last year in your mental journal and look forward to the new year.

There are two parts to a movie that critics say are the most important, the Beginning and the End.

There are two parts to a book that authors say are the most important, the Beginning and the End.

There are two parts in public speaking that are often noticed by the audience. The Beginning and the End.

Galatians 6:4 says - Let everyone be sure that he is doing his very best, for then he will have the personal satisfaction of work well done and won't need to compare himself with someone else.

So here we go!! The first day of a brand new year. Let's be sure we are doing our very best. At the end of each day take a look at how the events unfolded and ask yourself, "Did I Do My Very Best?"

Jayci Again!!

2008-11-29T13:20:00.000-08:00

Here are a few more pictures of my little girl. She is amazing!!! Quiet, but amazing. Funny thing happened today while I was holding her. She was sleeping and out of nowhere she started to giggle. It was hilarious!!

Jayci Grace Wilson

2008-11-27T09:08:00.000-08:00

Alright blogger land, I have some awesome news that I am totally stoked to share with you!!! MY LITTLE GIRL IS HERE!!!! It is an unbelievable awesome new season in the Wilson household. As a Daddy I can say the old saying "A Little Girl Will Change Everything" is absolutely 100% true. Life is viewed from a completely different angle. Looking at her sends out this "Protection Factor" that I really can't explain. Is it Love? Is it Great Joy? Is it Unbridled Affection? Is it Deep Connection? Is it Stoked Protection? I don't really know. I think they all can be included in the feelings I have shooting through my rib cage. I am going to be do a whole lot more journaling and blogging updating you on how I disect these amazing feelings.

Well here she is!!

Hope You Enjoyed!!!

Soooo Bigggg!

2008-11-04T14:35:00.000-08:00

I was watching my nephew last night. He is a couple months old. It's amazing to watch how he grows week to week. One thing he loves is when I pick him up, and in a higher pitch voice say; "sooo bigg, soooooooo bigg!" His face lights up, his eyes squint a little bit, and his cheeks puff up because of the smile that shows up. Inside he is feeling the excitement of someone spending time with him and talking to him, and the only thing he can do is smile huge.

Today I believe God wants to pick you up and say "Sooo Bigg!" I believe He enjoys watching you grow, smile and respond to what he is saying to you. Give God some time today to lift you up. Allow that smile to overtake your face because of the excitement that comes through having a great relationship with Him!!

Solid Marks

2008-10-23T07:06:00.000-07:00

Solid Marks of Christians -

Love - John 13:34 - 35 says, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love for one another.

In a world devoted to self seeking and where love has grown cold, love makes believers stand out.

Unity - John 17:21 says, "That they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me."

If the world can see a unified family, or a unified church, people will believe the Jesus Christ is in fact the Savior sent from God to Us. The world understands division, destruction, and an "every man for himself mentality. But to see a group of people live with kindness and gentleness toward one another leaves a mark.

Holiness - Hebrews 12:14 says "Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord."

A consistent and God honoring lifestyle is necessary for true love to be manifested, to be seen, and to accomplish its powerful witnessing work.

Good Works - Mathew 5:16 says, "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."

Let's be people who take the love that we have in our hearts and put it into action. When this happens the world will be able to see Jesus, and it will forever leave a mark!

Hope - 1 Peter 3:15 says, "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect."

The world should be able to see the hope that we have no matter what circumstances we face to the extent that it makes them ask us how we could have such a hope despite what is going on in our lives or around us. Whether things are good or bad, it should be obvious to all that we still believe that God loves us and that God is on the throne.

Be people who leave a Mark!

A Blog By Perry Noble

2008-10-08T13:32:00.000-07:00

Perry Noble, has thrown down southern style! And it's way too good to simply link to. So here is the entire post:
One of the lessons I’ve learned while being in the ministry for the past 17 years is sometimes what people say isn’t exactly true…things such as…
(WARNING…you will probably only like this post if you are a pastor or a staff member of a church!)

What They Say: “I’m looking for a church that preaches the Word!”
What They Mean: “I’m looking for a church that preaches MY view of the Word. I think the BLANK translation should be used…I think BLANK should be talked about a lot while BLANK should be ignored. And if you ever stop preaching my view of the Word I will leave and tell others that you don’t preach the Word!”

What They Say: “Lot’s of people have been coming to me and saying they don’t like is…”
What They Mean: “I basically only have three friends…and all of them think exactly like me. The other night we were enjoying a time of self righteousness because, after all, we are right about everything…and were also slandering you (in the form of prayer requests) and thought it would be wise to approach you with our pet peeve. We’ve actually talked to no one else about this but said “lots” because we wanted to validate our dysfunction.”

What They Say: “I’m leaving the church.”
What They Mean: “Beg me to stay. If you will just ask me I will share with you several ways you can compromise God’s vision that He’s given you, thus becoming nothing more than a people pleasing pastor who is more interested in popularity than obedience. If you don’t bow to my demands I will remind you that I tithe and that the church needs my money, reducing you to a mere preaching whore…one who is paid for a service for the pleasure of another person.”

What They Say: “I want a church that is more focused on discipleship.”
What They Mean: “I want a church where everyone knows me and how important I am! I don’t want to reach people who are different from me, be it economic class or race or even musical preference. I already know WAY more than I do…but I somehow equate spirituality with knowledge rather than application and I rather enjoy feeling intellectually superior to those who don’t know as much as me.”

What They Say: “Don’t take this personally…but…”
What They Mean: “I am about to lower the BOOM on you…but you can’t get angry because I told you not to take it personally. Even though you have dedicated your life to this and pretty much invest every ounce of energy you have to this cause…and I think about it once or twice a week…you need to receive my attacks, even when they are personal…and you cannot retaliate because, remember, it’s not personal.”
OKAY, that was fun! I typed it all with a smile. Trust me…I’m not mad or frustrated with anyone…I just thought a pastor or two MIGHT get a smile out of this. :-)
Thanks Perry. Now I'm going to take a deep breath.....

The Boldness

2008-10-02T08:54:00.000-07:00

Today I realized just how intimidating it is sometimes to have an idea and try to contact people that have "Rockstar Status" to find answers. There are people on tv, radio, and the internet that we all watch and think to ourselves, "I wish I could just talk to that person and ask them a few questions on how they got started.." The challenge I want to pose today is, WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO LOOSE? GO FOR IT! Make the call and see what happens. If the person doesn't want to talk to you, you'll find out, but what if they do? What if you end up having the best conversation of your life? What if you find the answers you have been looking for? What if it leads you onto a path that you have been looking for? What if you have the biggest breakthrough of your life? If you ask me it is worth breaking through the intimidation, making the call, and see what comes to pass. Don't allow intimidation to keep you from potentially leading you toward the largest breakthrough of your life.

Challenge Yourself

2008-09-03T09:18:00.000-07:00

As you get in the habit of challenging yourself and begin to widen your circle of comfort, you will begin to grow in other areas as well. Often times the discipline you use to expand one area of your life can be carried over into other areas as well. The commitment to stretching the limits that get you out of bed and into a health club in the morning could be the same commitment that will stretch you to make one more sales call in your business at the end of the day. As you expand in one area of your life, the others expand along with it. It is like an ever widening circle. You have everything to gain by stretching out of your comfort zone.

Gotta Love Preachin!

2008-08-25T11:34:00.000-07:00

This month has been an amazing month! I think everyone of us feels the excitement when things begin to take off in our lives. There is one place the credit should go when this happens in our lives, It All Goes To Jesus Christ! It is truly awesome to know that He is rooting us on and proud of us when we take our victories and give them back to Him. Stay excited about what God is doing in your life. When things are taking off in your life give the glory to Jesus Christ. Let Him know how exciting it is to be here on this planet serving an amazing Creator! Check out the glimpse of how great God has been this summer. I Love Preaching!

Is Your Gift Bigger Than You?

2008-08-14T10:43:00.000-07:00

"O Lord, who may dwell on Your holy hill? He who walks with Integrity." Psalm 15:1-2 NAS

You wouldn't give your 5-year-old a 12-gauge shotgun or a big Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Shotguns and motorcycles are great - but they're for adults. You need maturity to handle them. Giving such gifts to your child would endanger them, and everybody else around them. The gifts just don't fit the person.

Perhaps you're a talented individual. God's given you some large gifts like the ability to speak well, or organize things, or create and design. But we sabotage ourselves when our gift becomes bigger than we are. How does this happen? When we begin to lean on the talents God gave us and don't mature emotionally and spiritually - we ruin our chance to use those talents as God designed them. When our character doesn't keep up with our talent, we learn to "wing it" through life. We live on the surface but lack real strength underneath. And it shows up when the crisis hits, the storm comes, or we are under pressure. You can't "wing it" when it comes to character building.

The greater the size of your gifts, the more you must dedicate time to developing your character. Eugene Peterson paraphrases the Psalmist in The Message: "God, who gets invited to dinner at your place? How do we get on your guest list? Walk straight, act right, tell the truth. Don't hurt your friend, don't blame your neighbor; despise the despicable. Keep your word even when it costs you, make an honest living, never take a bribe. You'll never get blacklisted if you live like this" (Ps 15:1-5 TM).

So, do you live that way?

Final Day Of Moto Trip.. Arriving Home

2008-08-09T18:43:00.000-07:00

Wow! We put 600 miles on our bikes. That is a ton of time sitting behind the bars of a Honda CBR 600rr. The trip was amazing. We rode along side of Lake Superior, stopped in Lutzen and went down the Alpine Slide, and traveled through Wisconsin on our way home. It was a great trip, lots of laughs, fun times and great scenery. It is good to be back home because I missed my wife and boys. And now it is time to get back to work so, if I were you I would look forward to the next blog, it will be a good one.

Day 1 Of Motorcycle Trip

2008-08-08T08:01:00.000-07:00

Yesturday was day one of the motorcycle trip, and it was an absolute blast. There was really no agenda, so that always makes things nice and relaxing. It took a while to get to Duluth because the back roads were the way to go. Twists, turns, and a whole lot of trees. I arrived in Duluth and spent time just walking around, eating some food, and enjoying the different sights. There is a phrase that comes to mind that has to do with leadership. "Lead Out Of Rest." I am surely enjoying this time of rest.