Being Thankful in 2014 - Prayer

"Being Thankful in 2014"
Today's topic, we will go with Prayer!

For a long time, prayer for me was like a shooting a shotgun. I take a quick shot and randomly spray prayer requests to God and then move on through my day. Maybe some of you can relate with this.

Over this past year, I became convicted when I read a statement saying that the average pastor prays on average 2 minutes a day! Subtract prayer for meals, and how many seconds are left? I was above average at least. I mean, I prayed over my meals and then all throughout the day I was shooting up prayers to God. Nope, it wasn't good enough. I started working to build by prayer life and spending a fixed time with God. I started with trying to shoot for fifteen minutes in the morning; it seemed long at first! Now it depends on the day; some days, I have spent an hour pouring over prayer request in my prayer journal and other days it shorter. Do I miss days where I don't have a specific time? Yes, for a variety of reasons! Love for sleep...sin...business of the day...distractions...easier for me to just say selfish reasons; I am the one that chooses not to take that time.

By no means have I scratched the surface of a great prayer life! Though, I have gone deeper into my relationship with Jesus! I've have been able to pray over students throughout the week; with only able to spending an hour or two with them personally. God has brought to mind people or needs and I start praying for them.

My prayer list has names, needs, ministries, church plants, family, friends, Obama (yes, sir! we need to pray for "all" of our leaders in the country), and recently Ferguson, Missouri! (This one should have been on my list back on August 9th when it took place, Amber and I were leaving St. Louis on that day to return to Wisconsin...) The people need us interceding in prayer to bring back hope, forgiveness, love for others, and unity in the city! This is why I chose my topic today to be on prayer, because I am thankful that God has given us the availability to come to Him through prayer and we need to!

Being Thankful 2014 - In Our Communities

The week many people are reminded to be thankful! Spending some time thinking and there is a lot of things to be thankful for this year, but today's topic will be In Our Communities.

I'm thankful for my friends and contacts at the YMCA and Starbucks! I love conversations and opportunities to impact my community for Jesus. 

I'm thankful for my position at the Y and working with middle schoolers! Especially, leading Cocoa and Canvas night; the kids were awesome.

I'm thankful to be an area coordinator of the youth pastor network in Green Bay! Praying, building relationships, developing strategy and sharing resources has moved many youth groups forward by working together. Our youth pastors in Green Bay are awesome.

I'm thankful for Jeff, Teen Hope Net, and Q 90 for letting me be part of the show on Sunday evenings! I love sharing my heart and what I have learned with my walk with Christ. Conversations save lives!

I'm thankful to be part of an awesome Called Out Conference team, I loved this year! So stoked to be learning about our wonderful state association and our WI/MN church planters. 

I'm thankful to have been part of Hands of Hope through the MWBC and he mission trip we did this summer! What a great time of investing in West Bend, WI and sharing God's love! 

I could go on with Vacation Bible School, Harvest Fest, helping with OCC in the community, one on one conversations, school sports event, block parties, camp, helping church plants, dropping clothes of for the clothing bus, and so much more that I'm thankful to be part of!

We are blessed when we are part of what God is doing around us, don't miss out if God gives you an opportunity to invest in your community!

Why does God allow bad things happen to good people?

Why does God allow bad things happen to good people?

Valid question! Hard question! Most asked question!

But I want to change the question...after all, how do we determine who is good... So my question is; if the pentaly for sin is death, why does God allow me to continue to live?

Let me use an illustration: I am sitting in a court room and taking in everything I hear and see. The evidence is strong, the jury is out for blood, the judge is convinced, and the defendant admitted to his crime. The defendant murdered someone and now it's time for his sentence to be announced. I'm listening to the jury and they find him guilty saying that he will receive the death pentaly 50 years from now. As the jury goes on; they state that the defendant will receive this death pentaly, but that he is also free to go and live his final 50 years wherever he wants. Now that would be crazy!

When I think about it, that is how I live my life! Because of my sin, I receive death. Because of God's love and grace, I get to live out my days on earth! So my thinking has changed from why does God allow bad things, to why does God continue to let me live, to God has a purpose for man and he shows it through his love and mercy by giving us life on earth. What are you going to do with your time on earth?

Being Thankful, Having a Good Attitude, and the Story of My Calling to Ministry

5th Annual Harvest Fest continues to move forward and gains momentum.

The first Harvest Fest consisted of our church people with maybe a handful of visitors. We have continued to build off each year; doing our best to be ready for whoever God would send us. In 2012, we had an estimation of 125 people and in 2013, we had a little over 300.

This year, I had an audacious prayer of praying for 500 people at the event! Did we hit that, probably not; but we planned the event for it and we didn't run out of food or candy. This is a huge improvement because we have ran out in years past. On paper, we register 380 people and had 40 volunteer leaders. This would not account for those who came and did not registered. I'll take it, 420 people! Especially, when you look at the demographics of church people to un-church people!