Small God syndrome

Complaining is a sign of small God syndrome. When we recognize just how huge our God is our complaints fade, and our faith grows!!

· Complaining steals our joy
· Complaining destroys our ability to have a God centered life.
· Complaining focus’ more on us as victims and not on what God is trying to do in your life
· Complaining causes us to live in a me bubble
· Complaining causes us to be blind to the good in people and our world
· Complaining is full of pride and selfishness

Phil 2:12-15
12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed — not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence — continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. 14 Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.

May you experince a life of joy free from complaining!!

A Heart of Flesh

Here is a verse that I has been on my heart lately:

Ezekiel 36:26 "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh."

I really don't have the ability to be the man God has called me to be,to love people beyond my selfish motives, yet I am so thankful that he has all the ability I need. What an amazing God, who loves us so tremendously to give us a heart that can love him in return. Everyday I need to rely on Him to breakdown the hardness that this world places on my heart, in order to fully love the way god intended.

It's a New year

Well I haven't posted a blog in a long time, so I figured i would start off the new year with an update.

Quote that has been in my mind lately:
"If you keep Jesus at a safe distance, you will end up safe and distant."

Books I'm reading:
Youth Ministry 3.0
The relentless tenderness of Jesus
A Shepherds view of Psalms 23
Sustainable Youth Ministry.

Prayer for the new Year: Lord I pray that I may completely in trust my life to you as my shepherd, you are the only one worthy to own my life. Lead me as only you can.

Oh yeah, we are having another baby!! we find out this Friday what it is.

Warrior or Spectator pt. 2

This is an awesome quote I just read from Teddy Rosevelt:

"It is not the critic who counts, nor the man who points how the strong man stumbled or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly...who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at best, knows the triumph of high achievement; and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat. "

Warriors or Spectators

Are Christians today preparing for a battle they are too afraid to fight? Is it that no one has taught Christians how to fight, or have they never been led onto the battlefield? Christians are called warriors, our purpose is to prepare for battle against the evil one and then actually go into battle. Yet all we see in most churches are spiritual soldiers with shiny armor. The mark of a noble warrior is the scars and damaged armor they bear, shiny armor is a mark of inaction. In battle soldiers are motivated by those that have already fought. Are we missing the battle, are we lacking war proven warriors in the midst of our churches? We are not to protect, but to equip and lead others into battle. Is it that most Christians prefer to be spectators while a few Christians fight? I pray that we would no longer sit with shiny armor but stand and fight as courageous war proven warriors for God’s kingdom!

Eph 6:12-13
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground…

The Teenage Soul

I recently held a fall parent meeting for our Junior High and High school parents. As part of all parent meetings I ask the parents how we as ministry can better partner with them in helping them build a spiritual foundation in their students. Their response was," help us understand where our students are at, and what is going on in their world." There seems to be a great divide that has formed between teens and their parents. Loving parents want to bridge the gap but don't know how, teens want their parents to take an interest in their lives yet don't know how to communicate that to their parents. Thus "The Teenage Soul" was developed.

This blog is a collaborative effort to help keep parents up to date with what is happening in youth culture. We will continually discuss issues and topics that our teens and college age students are faced with. It is our goal to partner with you, the parent, to reach out to your child and to be an active participant in their life. We hope you find The Teenage Soul to be a great resource as you endeavor through the journey of parenting a teen.

Check it out and let me know what you think!!

Tough Question??

I was having a conversation yesterday with a good friend and partner in ministry Leo. And this question came up.

"If you woke up in Hell tomorrow, would you feel like you deserved it?"

Wow! What a soul searching question. Either way you answer it, it forces you to change. What do you think, what would your response be to this question? How will your life change in response to your answer?