Pray Blessing!

It's how God has been telling me to pray for those around me who need Him. How to pray for my neighbors . . . . and my friends who are in pain.

Pray blessing. Just ask God to bless them.

Try it this week.

For the folks who you know need Christ and you want to bring to Oso Creek this Sunday - pray that they will experience God's blessing.
For your spouse and children - pray for the power of God's blessing.
For the people that you are struggling to be around or work with - pray for God to bless their socks off. (It's very difficult to pray for God to bless someone and stay angry at them :)
For the clerk at Stripes or the teacher at school - pray for God's blessing.

This is how God told the leaders of Israel to pray over the people, and then He would pour out His blessing:

"The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace." Numbers 6:24-26

Our world needs the blessing of God.

Saturday Night Thoughts

Last (Friday) night our new Ladies 'Entry' Group had about 15 ladies at the first meeting! That's an awesome victory! (The heart of our 'Entry' groups is to engage people who aren't yet in a group, serve real needs, and also give them a hunger to be a part of a Life Group.)

There's another Entry Group - Homebuilders for Couples - that begins tomorrow night! Email Joe Sengler for more info.

Rained out our Cross Country meet this morning (spent an hour 'just standing in the rain' & waiting).

Rained out our baseball game this afternoon.

Had a great run this morning . . . awesome 'cool' running weather!

How bout' them Cubs!

Had a great bike ride with Luke this evening, we went way down to Yorktown and Everhart. Every time I do that it reminds me of being 12 and riding my single speed mutt bike with the banana seat all over southwest Ft. Worth . . . great memories . . . those were the days . . .

Can't wait for Oso Fun in the morning, it's gonna be fun and full of Jesus!

Thoughts on Chasing Lions!

I've had incredible feedback this week on chasing lions and I praise God that many of you are turning and facing lions for the first time! (And if you're not sure what I'm talking about click here and check out the message from Sunday.)

As I was running a couple of times this week God pushed me further about chasing lions . . .

On Monday as I was running some guy (about 20 yrs. my younger) blows by me. (Jerk!) Well, shame & pride took over and for about 4 minutes I picked it up, a lot. Know what happened? I died -- barely finished my route.
I was chasing the wrong lion. Don't chase someone else's lions!
Be content chasing the lions that God has given you. I can easily try to be like some other hip pastor, just like you can try to emulate some other Mom or salesman, teacher or student. Don't settle for that. Go after what God is calling you to go after!

And then on Wednesday because of some evening obligations, I had to change my schedule up and I ran after a morning meeting instead of in the evening. I was kind of shocked when the sun was in my face in the second half of my run instead of the first half. Sucked it out of me.
Don't be surprised when you start chasing lions that the enemy, who 'prowls about like a lion' and who is the author of deceit and lies, will start trying to make sure the sun is in your eyes. ANYTIME that you are taking ground for the Kingdom in your soul, there will be a battle!

"So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up!"

The 3 A's

Last night Cindy and I had the privilege of going to the Coastal Bend Fellowship of Christian Athletes Coaches Appreciation Dinner (you know I'm a wannabe real coach!).

Les Steckel who is the National President of FCA and former Head Coach of the Minnesota Vikings spoke. As he was talking about raising our children (and anyone else around us that we are 'coaching' to grow) this really stuck with me. He talked about the 3 A's:

Attention
Affection
Affirmation

How desperately our children need these. How desperately our world needs these. How Jesus desires the 3 A's to flow through us in the power of His Spirit!