Honestly . . . A New Year

I stand amazed.

I'm the pastor of a great, loving expression of the church. A husband of 23 years to a faithful, gracious wife. A father of 4 teenagers who all follow Jesus and have made great decisions (for the most part :)

And yet I have a confession to make. For the last week I've been a grumpy old man.

It all started on our trip back home from Lubbock . . . . . and yet all of that is not really relevant. What is relevant is the condition that I find my heart in (just trying to be honest here) and a seeming inability to do anything about it. Ever find yourself there? Locked in a struggle with your own soul? Yes, we all have.

Those Psalm 32 moments (see vs. 3-5).

And I find myself knowing that it is in these moments that we choose. Is God really able to change me? Is He really in control of this planet and able to bring peace and joy to me?

In just a few minutes I go to the building to be with a bunch of sweaty students for the next 6 hours. How will I choose to respond to them? What will I choose to believe about them? About God?

Here's where I'm going . . . I'm reminded today - and thankful (even in the midst of not quite yet turning the corner) that God is a God of New Beginnings. A new sunrise every 24. New opportunities. New bursts of forgiveness. A New Year.

So, wherever you are now, or you've been this year - hear what the psalmist says as he continues in verses 6 & 7 . . . I'm trusting in His promises:

"Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you

while you may be found;

surely when the mighty waters rise,

they will not reach him.

You are my hiding place;

you will protect me from trouble

and surround me with songs of deliverance."

New Years Eve Bash!

We're having a New Years Eve Bash at the building tomorrow night from 7pm to 12:30am!

It's aimed at our students but everyone is invited who wants to play dodgeball or just hang out with me!

Click here to check our more info . . .

New Beginnings!

It's only 11 hours into 2009 and I've already:

- Had my first cup of coffee (OK, Folgers @ home)
- Let our new dog out to go potty for the first time (She was happy to see me)
- Dwelled in the Word for the first time (Proverbs 1 & 2 Timothy 2)
- Ate my first breakfast bar (no comment)
- Went on my first run (Awesome weather!)
- Kissed my wife for the first time (VERY good!)
- Had my first shower (nice . . . I like showers)
- Woke my kids up for the first time (VERY late! :)

A lot happens fast! As I woke up this morning this came into my head: "If anyone is in Christ He is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come!"

Sometimes I don't understand all the 'hurrah' around New Years when so much of it is empty -- i.e. Party-go to bed-wake up late with hangover-have a day off-continue life as it was before.

But I like it in the sense that it reminds us that our lives can be FULL of Him and FULL of Life! There is a 'newness' to every moment that we walk with God. There are new adventures and great hope and joy around every 2009 corner as we seek Jesus!

Something New!

"Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13-14)

After I talked about these verses yesterday in Celebration and how God wants to do great things in our lives this year, one of our prayer team members came to me afterwards and said that God had led them on Wednesday to pray these verses in Isaiah over Oso Creek because this is what God desires to do:

Isaiah 43:18-19 “But forget all that— it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland."

I start getting excited when God begins to speak to many different people about the same things.
What new things has God begun in your life that He wants to continue as a river in the wasteland?

Ringin' In 08!

We had a great time at our house last night ringing in 08' with a herd of high-schoolers and college age folks.

The highlights were a game of golf (not w/clubs, the card game) which I won! . . . Celebrating Sarah & Laura's b-day 2 and a half months late . . . Laura dancing . . . Yelling outside at midnight in the (finally) cold! . . . Toasting God and praying for 08 just before the new year. . . And that Cindy and I actually stayed up till midnight! (First time in a while)

Hope you had a great Celebration!

New Beginnings in 2008!

I've been thinking about what I'm asking God for in 2008. In doing so I was reminded of what Paul told Timothy:

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." (2 Tim 1:7)

What new possibilities, what new breakthroughs, what new experiences does God have for you in 2008?
What about new passion for Jesus? New lions to chase? More courage than ever? A better marriage than you've ever known? Pouring into others in ways you've never imagined?

Don't be shy. I encourage over the next few days to boldly pray and ask God for more of Him and more of His power and love and motivation in 2008!

Jesus said: "I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!" (John 14:12-14)