Yes!

Well, somehow I missed the fact that yesterday was the 4th birthday of this blog. I started this blog 4 years ago as a means of staying in contact with old friends. After about 6 months of fairly pointless posts I began blogging on denominational issues. That led me to believe that this blog could be used for meaningful conversation online, and it has been amazing how many doors have opened for me because of this blog. I love to write here, and I love to think through the posts that carry substantive material. Unfortunately, from a blog perspective, I have never been more busy in all my life as I am right now. My pastoral responsibilities are keeping me incredibly occupied which is fine with me because I love what God has called me to do. That being said, I hope to blog in the near future about a couple of posts that have been brewing in my head for a few months. They both promise to be substantive, and at least one promises to be a bit controversial.

So, for now let me say thanks, on this my blog’s 4th birthday, for all of you that visit so often and for those of you who just stop by on occasion. I continue to be amazed at the number of people who want to stop by. Please know that I sincerely appreciate it!

I am blessed with a beautiful family. This picture was taken last weekend at a wedding I performed. I had to post it so that everybody could see my beautiful family.

I have had a fast and furious past few weeks. From a nice extended weekend at the lake to a week with 200 children at Children’s Camp to this week which has been full of meetings, it seems as if it never slows down! That being said, I love so much being a pastor that even though my schedule is full, I couldn’t be happier! Tracy and I were talking the other day about how unique it is that each of us is getting to fulfill our dreams for our lives. She is a stay at home mom and I’m a lead Pastor at an amazing church which is being used by God to take the gospel to the world. What a blessing!

Coming up this week, however, is a couple of very exciting events. We start our new sermon series this week entitled “Oasis”. Just as an oasis appears in the midst of vast desert, so to Christ appears out of the midst of our depravity and offers us hope in a hopeless world. I’m excited about the new series. On top of the exciting series, the good folks who design our stage for each series have built a 10 foot waterfall which looks incredible! I’ll try and post pictures in the upcoming weeks once the stage design is complete.

Beyond that we start VBS next week. Last year we had over 200 children and this year we are praying for 400! We’ll see how God blesses our prayers and how God uses our VBS to draw children to Himself.

Finally, below is a picture a friend took of my wife and girls as we played with fireworks last week at the lake. I thought it was particularly good so I thought I would post it.

I can assure you that this will never be something that I am arrested for. This is unbelievable. I may be accused of a lot of things, but this will never, ever, ever, be one of them.

My worst nightmare has become a possibility.

I’m off to Children’s Camp for the week. Somehow I got roped in to being the Director this year. Pray for us as we work together with 200 - 3rd, 4th & 5th graders between Monday and Friday.

I’ll talk to you in a week!