Keep the Dream Alive!

“Then he sent someone to Egypt ahead of them Joseph, who was sold as a slave. They bruised his feet with fetters and placed his neck in an iron collar. Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the Lord tested Joseph’s character." (Psalm 105:17-19)

Joseph is one of my favorite characters in the Bible. Surviving a plot by his brothers to kill him then his brothers sold him into slavery...later, falsely accused of raping his boss' wife who tried to seduce him...then being chain and cast into prison, yet never holding a grudge nor becoming bitter. How did he do it?

God had given him a dream and he kept the dream alive! During each trial, Joseph's faith in God's promise gave him confidence things would get better...and they did.

When his dream was fulfilled Joseph became the second most powerful man of his day and he was in the place to save his family and the nation from starvation.

Has God given you a dream? Do your current circumstances seem impossible for that dream to ever come true? Don't give up! Trust God's promise...because with God 'all things are possible.' He will keep His promise.

Keep the Dream Alive!

Faith and Hope

"O Lord, come back to us! How long will you delay?

Take pity on your servants!

Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love,

so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives.

Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery!

Replace the evil years with good.

Let us, your servants, see you work again;

let our children see your glory.

And may the Lord our God show us his approval

and make our efforts successful.

Yes, make our efforts successful!"

(Psalm 90:13-17)

Moses' life was a roller coaster ride. He spent the first 40 years of his life growing up in royalty. The next 40 years on the back side of the desert, then 40 years with the irritating Israelites in the wilderness. He never did get to the promised land, yet his life lands his name on the Hall of Fame of Faith.

This Psalm reveals two very important qualities in Moses life: Faith and Hope.

Though Moses went through difficult and frustrating times, he never lost faith that God was in complete control of the future. Here he prays and asks God to make their efforts successful.

As long as their is faith and hope there is a future.

Just a thought...

'If your life is not all you want it to be, it may be that you have some forgiving to do.' - Author unknown

'In his book. Lee: The Last Years, Charles Bracelen Flood reports that after the Civil War, Robert E. Lee visited a Kentucky lady who took him to the remains of a grand old tree in front of her house. There she bitterly cried that its limbs and trunk had been destroyed by Federal artillery fire. She looked to Lee for a word condemning the North or at least sympathizing with her loss. After a brief silence, Lee said, "Cut it down, my dear Madam, and forget it." It is better to forgive the injustices of the past than to allow them to remain, let bitterness take root and poison the rest of our life.' - Michael Williams.

'You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate. Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven.' Luke 6:36-37 (NLT)

Wild Goose Chase

Finally got my copy of Wild Goose Chase. After reading In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson, I couldn't wait for his next book release. Looking forward to reading it this week.

Here's Mark's summary of the book and his bio:

Summary:
Most of us have no idea where we’re going most of the time. Perfect. “Celtic Christians had a name for the Holy Spirit–An Geadh-Glas, or ‘the Wild Goose.’ The name hints at mystery. Much like a wild goose, the Spirit of God cannot be tracked or tamed. An element of danger, an air of unpredictability surround Him. And while the name may sound a little sacrilegious, I cannot think of a better description of what it’s like to follow the Spirit through life. I think the Celtic Christians were on to something….Most of us will have no idea where we are going most of the time. And I know that is unsettling. But circumstantial uncertainty also goes by another name: Adventure.” --from the introduction.

Author Bio:
Mark Batterson is the lead pastor of Washington, DC’s National Community Church, widely recognized as one of America’s most innovative churches. NCC meets in movie theaters at metro stops throughout the city, as well as in a church-owned coffee house near Union Station. More than seventy percent of NCC’ers are single twentysomethings who live or work on Capitol Hill. Mark is the author of the best-selling In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day and a widely read blogger (www.markbatterson.com). He lives on Capitol Hill with his wife, Lora, and their three children.

Update!

Wow…It’s been almost two weeks since my last post. Thanks to those of you who have checked in to make sure I’m still alive. Things have really been busy. Here’s a bullet list of what’s been happening on a personal level:

• Helped move Amanda into her new apartment
• Helped move Nathan’s things to storage and took him to the airport for his deployment to Iraq
• Painted and converted Amanda’s room into a guest/craft room
• Hosted the ‘Higher Calling’ group from Trinity Baptist College
• Cleaned and reorganized garage
• Hosting a four week small group: ‘How to share your faith.’
• Lead two people across the line of faith

I want to share more on several of these events later.

New Message Series

This Sunday we launch our new message series: "Weeds"

'The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity.' (Luke 8:14)

It is impossible to grow spiritually apart from God's Word. God's Word has the power to transform our lives and to grow us into spiritual maturity. Why is it that people go to church regularly, yet they are not growing spiritually? Jesus says weeds 'crowd out' and 'choke' or strangle His Word. We need to regularly clear the weeds from our lives. In this message series we will identify the weeds and learn the solution for destroying them.

Vacation Bible School

We have a great VBS planned this year. If you'd like to attend you can register here. Or, if you want to know more here is a video to view. For any questions just email: Office@countychurch.org.

Vacation Bible School in Waldorf Maryland @ Cross County Baptist Church - August 4-8 6:30-8:45pm.

Higher Calling

If you're in Waldorf next Thursday stop in for an Old Fashioned Gospel sing. Looking forward to having the Higher Calling Quartet from Trinity Baptist College.

If you'd like to listen to a sample: Click here

Summer Sunday

Now that's a patriotic dessert! We had a great time today at our Summer Sunday. Steve did a great job reminding us of the liberty we have in Christ...loved the tribute to the red, white and blue by the music ministry...enjoy the time together during the cookout/picnic. Too bad the weekend is almost over.

Congratulations!

Congratulations Andy and Jessica!

I had privilege of leading Andy and Jessica to the Lord last year…then baptizing them last July. What a joy to officiate their wedding yesterday.

May their life together be a blessing. I wish them the best!

How much is that coffee?

Who is crazy enough to pay $50 a pound for coffee? You’d be surprised…

Recently I was given some Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee. It wasn’t fresh whole beans. Instead, it was pre-ground coffee in packages used to make whole pots of coffee in offices. Great coffee! We used this at our family reunion last week and I was amazed how great it tasted…even 12 hours after being brewed. Absolutely no bitterness!

But even so, who’d pay $50 a pound for any kind of coffee? Maybe you would…maybe you already are…consider this:

Depending on preferences for coffee strength, 1 tablespoon of fresh ground coffee yields a standard 6 ounce cup…1.5 ounces will make a pot of ten 6oz cups…therefore a pound of coffee beans equals 100 cups of coffee.

A 12oz cup of Starbucks averages $1.85…or the equivalent of a pound of whole coffee beans for $87.50 .

The coffee Starbucks is brewing cost $12 a pound. And, believe me, it is not the same quality as Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee.

So, who’d pay that much for coffee?

At $50 lb, you can enjoy a 12oz cup of fresh ground Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee for only $1. That's just little more than half the price of a Starbucks cup of coffee.

Old Glory Ribs

My 4th celebration did not go quite as planned...it was much better!

The wedding rehearsal in Havre de Grace went very well. Really looking forward to the wedding and reception today.

After the rehearsal we drove to Branch Ave Metro station and took the subway to Foggy Bottom...Walked to Georgetown...and had ribs at Old Glory. They were great!

To top off the ribs we went to Barnes and Noble and cashed in a gift card for Starbucks coffee and cheesecake... an unbeatable combination.

After dessert we watched the fireworks from the Lincoln Memorial.

Barbecue ribs @ Old Glory...Starbucks...Cheesecake...Lincoln Memorial...Nations Capital fireworks...That's celebrating Independence Day.

Ole' Dixie

You've got to meet my sister's dog Dixie. What a great lab!

Favorite weekend

I love the 4th of July weekend. It is one of my favorite times of the year. I look forward to seeing the red, white and blue everywhere. I'm a huge patriot. I love my country and I'm proud to be called an American.

This year I'll do a wedding rehearsal on the 4th. Go to DC to watch the fireworks that night. Officiate a wedding on the fifth. Sunday, we will have our annual Summer Sunday Service and cookout.

Can't wait!

Weeds

New message series beginning Sunday July 13...

God's Word transforms lives. But, many who read the Bible never experience it's transforming power. Why? Because they do not remove the weeds that strangle spiritual growth. In this message series we'll identify these weeds and find a solution to eliminate them.

Best Mom in the World!

Here is another reason why I love my mom and why she is the best mom in the world...

S'mores:)

2008 Dixon Reunion

What a blast! Our 2008 family reunion was off the chart again this year. It was so good to see everybody and to catch up on what's going on in every one's lives.

The weather was good...The fish were biting...

The food was out of this world.

We even had a another family member born during the week (Preston Lee Butler). The Dixon family gets larger every year. God has blessed us in so many ways.

I'm so thankful for such a great family and I love them so very much.

Have you heard from God Lately?

When you read your Bible, do you hear from God? Why is it that some people get so much more from their Bible reading that others do?

Jesus said some would hear but not understand, and others would hear and experience unbelievable result. To illustrate, he told the story of a farmer who planted seed in four different soil conditions. Three of the soils failed to produce, but the fourth soil produced an amazing crop.

The first soil rejected the seed. The second did not develop a strong root system. And, the third was overcome by thorns.

Success in farming requires both strategy and effort. A casual approach to farming will not produce great results. The same is true if God's Word is going to speak to you. Your approach to the Bible should be more than casual. To get the most from God's Word you have to put forth personal effort. Do you have a structured approach to the Bible? What do you do when you come to a passage you do not understand? Do you discuss the Bible with other believers? Do you keep digging till you understand?

God's word is powerful. It will change your life. You need to hear from God. How serious are you about reading and understanding God's Word?

He wants to speak to you today. How serious are you about listening to him?

Fireproof

Gi and I were invited last night to the Hoffman Theater in Alexandria for a screening of Fireproof.

Highly recommend it!

I really think the 40 day dare challenge is going to be a great help to marriages.

Mark September 26 on your calendar and make this movie a date for you and your spouse.

Luckiest Dad in the World!

My girl's really went over the top showing their love for dad this year. I love my two daughters.

So proud of each of them and the wonderful young ladies they have grown up to become.

Amanda gave me a book I've been wanting to buy. I'm already enjoying reading it.

We had our traditional NY Strips cooked on the grill. They were out of this world.

I also enjoyed being able to watch the Nascar race. I'm a big Gibbs Racing Team fan, but it was good to see Jr. finally win one.

Dad's Duct Tape

What can dad do with duct tape? (watch)

They say if you give a guy a screwdriver, pair of pliers, and a roll of duct tape he can fix anything.

Wouldn't it be handy to have a go-to like duct tape to fix problems in our children's lives? I bet the Prodigal son's father wished he had a 'duct tape' solution when his son rebelled. As a dad there are times when I have been overwhelmed trying to fix my children.

The truth is, in the story of the prodigal son, I think the way the father dealt with his wayward son provides a great go-to when dad's face problems. I shared Sunday in the Father's day message a three-fold duct tape solution for dad's:

1. Treat your children as people - Children are not furniture nor pets. They are people. As dad's we cannot live their life for them. The father in this story let his son go. He could have withheld the inheritance but he chose to honor his son's wishes. Definitely a courageous act by a dad.
2. Pray for your children. - No doubt if we treat our children more like people than pets we will spend more time praying then punishing. Not that there aren't times that we must punish. Personally, I feel that parental punishment is more of a pre-teen thing. After that they will suffer from their errors enough without dad's correction. But, what accomplishes more, praying or punishing? Every child needs to know they have a praying dad.
3. Pardon your child, loving them unconditionally - Our children need to know that our love for them is unending. So tragic when a person feels that dad does not love them

I gave each father a roll of duct tape to help remember our go-to solution .

What dad's can't do. (watch)

Camping

We camped from Tuesday to Saturday last week. What a blast!


It was really a great opportunity to spend an extended time with some of the men in the church as well as their boys. We had three men who were new to our annual camping excursion. The fishing was the best it has been for several years. I think all the boys caught several fish. It was for many their first fish ever. Nothing like seeing the face on a young boy after he catches his first fish. Truly one of life's treasure moments.


The Shenandoah river and valley are truly one of the most peaceful and relaxing places on earth.

Sunday Reflection

Sure glad we had AC today. The forecast today was 99 degrees. Makes you wonder how they survived in the old days.

Going into the 'Deal no Deal' series I expected Spiritual warfare. Not sure I realized how intense it might become. The enemy doesn't want us to know his weapons, and he especially does not want us to know how to win temptations battle.

If Satan does not get us to fall with 'the lust of the flesh' or 'the lust of the eyes,' he pulls from his arsenal 'the pride of life.'

• Pride makes us think we are better than everyone else.
• Pride makes us jealous..
• Pride makes us build monuments to our self.
• Pride pressures us to impress people.
• Pride prevents us from fully submitting our life to God.
• Pride breaks God’s Greatest law, ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’
• Pride promotes Satan's agenda.
• Pride prevents us from praying to and depending on God.
• Pride causes us to lose the joy of the blessings we currently have.
• Pride eventually ends in shame.
• Pride destroys lives.

The antidote to pride is humility. Humility is simply knowing that we need God! The measure of our humility is our dependence on God.

God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble.
Submit yourselves therefore to God.
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. …
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
James 4:6 - 10

“To be humble to superiors is duty, to equals courtesy, to inferiors nobleness.”

Benjamin Franklin

Porch Pal

Look at who joined me on our porch today?



I think I'll keep him around hoping he'll eat some of the moles in the yard:)

New Again

Green Grass

Thought I'd share some of the results of the early spring yard work I blogged about in an earlier post. I know it's still not the best lawn in town, but I sure am pleased with it. Normally the best time of the year to plant grass in the fall. But I went ahead and gave it a try this spring. So far it is doing really well. But, the real test is these next three months. We are expecting near 100 degree temps for the next 5 days. As long as I can keep it moist it should be okay.

Give or Take

‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ Acts 20:35

Sunday mornings we are currently going through the three temptations of Christ: 'the lust of the flesh', 'the lust of the eye', and 'the pride of life.' Satan takes full advantage these natural desires in our lives to tempt us to sin. We all want to satisfy what our bodies desire, to get what our eyes see, and to be promoted in this life. To win against the 'lust of the flesh' we have to walk in the Spirit. To win against the 'lust of the eyes' we have be generous. To win against the 'pride of life' we must have a humble heart.

This week we are going to take a close look at how selfishness leads to sin.

The tempter takes takers, but God guards givers.

Are you a giver or a taker?

10 Life Choices

I'm really excited about Bob Perdue's new book and ministry. Bob has a real burden to help those who are hurting and broken. There are a lot of people who can give advice and council, and that's good. But, Bob offers help from his own journey and the trials he has overcome. Bob is the senior pastor of Old Dominion Baptist Church. He has used these 10 Life Choices to help so many people.

Be sure to check out http://www.lifenowministries.com/. If you know of anyone who is hurting, here is a good place to send them for help.

Memorial Day Picnic

Wow! Can you believe the weather today? Definitely a perfect day for a picnic in the park. We had a great day at Gilbert Run Park. I always enjoy the hike around the lake after lunch...such a good time to talk and at the same time reflect. Not to mention work off some calories:)

Gilbert Run Park

The Memorial Day service was great. Just want to say thanks to all that worked and participated in the service this morning. I thought it was a great honor to those who have given their lives for our freedom.

Tomorrow we'll enjoy our annual Memorial Day Church picnic at Gilbert run park. Nothing like food cooked on the Grill.

Memorial Day Service

Really looking forward to all the activities this weekend. We are planning a special service to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. We can never take freedom for granted. Freedom is never free! Here is a video some of our young adults have put together to remind us of the price of freedom.

Special Evening Service

Really enjoyed spending the day with Dan and Janette Smith. Dan was ordained in our church a couple of years ago and then called to pastor Central Baptist Church in Onley Virginia. He and Janette are wonderful people. So encouraged by his genuine and growing love for the Lord and ministry. Speaking tonight you could sense his increased passion to win the lost.

I was challenged as he shared his struggles and how the Lord has used those very struggles to help him to grow and to develop in his ministry.

I look forward to how the Lord is going to bless and continue to use him.

Deal No Deal Launch

We launched our 'Deal No Deal' series this morning. I really felt I shared what the Lord wanted me share today. But, in dealing with the 'lust of the flesh,' it was difficult being relevant and at the same time keeping it respectable. So much more I really wanted to share.

Satan has no boundaries in His presentation and enticements. But preachers have limits in showing the degree to which sin destroys.

So many lives are ruined when the temptation battle is lost. I pray today's message will help our people win this battle.

Happy Mother's Day

Really enjoyed Mother's Day today. Just want to say thanks to all who were a part of the service. So great to hear the testimonies for mothers...all three were a blessing. Neat having the children do special music...a great job! Props to Christina for doing the Mother's Day Video Card...soooo cool. It was a perfect conclusion for the message 'Just Mom!'

After service our family had a super dinner together. The girls and their guys shopped for the food...did all the cooking...It was wonderful! Terry stopped by the Butcher in Bryans Road and picked up for Gi and I a NY Strip... he cooked it on the grill... and man it was good.

Nathan cooked up some of the best Green Beans I'd ever eaten...Definitely a dish I'll want again. Brittany made a dessert that I really wanted seconds of. Amanda made some of the best mashed Sweet potatoes ever...anything that good had to be High Glycemic.

Of course I topped it off with some lattes:)

We then enjoyed the evening at home.

Happy Mother's Day

Mother's Day Service Ideas

Really looking forward to Mother's Day this Sunday. After fifteen years of solo planning the Mother's Day service I thought I'd enlist some help. This year I asked some of our mothers. 'What would be your dream experience for church on Mother's Day?' Well, I didn't personally ask them, but I did ask one of our ladies to meet with a group of mother's to brainstorm some ideas. They really came up with some great ideas that I think will make this Mother's Day very special for everyone. Here are a few Mother's Day service ideas we are planning:

1. Testimonies... One by a daughter. One by a mother. And two by sons.
2. Recognize and honor certain mothers with gifts...All Expectant Mothers, First Time Mothers, Mother with the most children, Grandmother with the most grandchildren, Great-Grandmother with the most great-grandchildren.
3. Special gift for all mothers.
4. Music special by children.
5. Mother's Day Video Card...maybe next week I can blog it. We'll see...
6. Sermon of encouragement for mother's.
7. Not sure we can do this yet, but we will try to get replacements for all the mother's who serve in the nursery or children's ministry this Sunday so they can be in the service.

I really hope the service is a worthy tribute to moms.

Deal No Deal

Life has many alluring temptations. But most will lead you down a path of deception and destruction. Don’t be fooled! They might look like the “real deal”, but they’re not! Join us starting May 18th on Sundays @ 11 AM and follow the discerning path that leads to truth and a life well lived. Be Discerning; Not Deceived!

Club Member or Enlisted?

Bob Perdue discussed the church's vision and mission yesterday morning. People lose sight of the church's mission and instead focus on the church's programs and ministries. Programs and ministries are not an end in themselves. They are simply a vehicle to accomplish the mission. Our church's mission is preparing effective ambassadors for Christ. Seeing unsaved people begin loving God, people, and serving.

The mission is the big deal.

It's not just something the church does...it is what the church does.

Many people become 'club members' because they like a particular person, program, or ministry a church offers. When mission minded leadership sees the need to reinvent those ministries or programs because it has lost effectiveness in accomplishing the church's mission, 'club members' leave in search of another with that person, program, or ministry. An observation about 'Club members': they never accomplish the mission. They have no spiritual 'family tree.' They have no one that they have personally lead to Christ who's now an effective ambassador for Christ.

On the other hand 'enlisted' people are for the mission. Enlisted people quickly see when something may be fun but does not accomplish the mission. The enlisted welcome needed change for the sake of the mission. Enlisted people bear fruit. Enlisted people have spiritual babies and grand babies they are nurturing and discipling. Enlisted people prepare and produce effective ambassadors of Christ.

Should you enlist?

National Day of Prayer

It was so neat getting invited to the White House today for the National Day of prayer. The President reminded us how important prayer has been to previous presidents, and he personally thanked us for praying for him during his two terms in office.

It was also cool meeting some people for the first time...recognize this person?

If not...here's a clue...

I really enjoyed being able to meet and talk to Beth Moore. She has been such an encouragement to so many people.

We do need to remember to pray for our president and other national leaders.

'I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior' (1 Timothy 2:1 - 3)

The influence of a changed life

'And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.' (John 12:32)

One of my favorite stories is Jesus witnessing to the Samaritan woman at the well. So many lessons in this story for winning lost people. But what really grips my thought is how a woman of such bad reputation can gain the ear of so many in her town. I really believe they saw in her the change that Jesus made in her life. I believe this change had a far greater impact than the words she spoke. Her changed life lifted up the Lord.

I'm convinced that people will believe more from what they see in my life than what I say about my God.

I want God to actively change my life, so that others can see that God is alive.

We lift up the Lord when He changes our lives.

Proverbs 11:30

Che' Hensley shared his testimony Sunday. I was really challenged with all he said. Such a blessing to hear how God changes lives. But, what really spoke to me was how he tied Proverbs 11:30 in with Psalm 1.

'The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.' (Proverbs 11:30)

I've always focused on the second half, 'he that winneth souls is wise.' But Sunday what stood out for the first time to me was the first half of the verse as the key to winning souls, 'The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life.' The NLT says, 'The seeds of good deeds become a tree of life.' Psalm 1 says of the righteous, 'They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season.' Jesus said that we are to be 'salt and light.'

If we want to win lost people to Christ, we must become Christlike. We must allow Christ to influence and change our lives. When we love and care for people as Christ does, we will become more effective witnesses, winning more people to Christ.

Sunday Reflections

Exciting, eventful Sunday...we had five people join the church, one baptized, observed the Lord's Supper, wrapped up our 'iChanged!' series, and heard from three people how God is changing lives. The final message of the series focused on the importance of sharing our story. So important to give glory to God by telling all He does for us.

'Has the LORD redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies.' (Psalms 107:2)

A Dogs Life!

A dog's Life!...Buddy is 14 years old...At that age a good afternoon nap is too precious to pass up.

I love my mom!

Mom had never had a latte before her visit this week. The first one I made her was a plain latte. She really liked it. For her second one I made a vanilla latte. She thought she had died and went to heaven. For her third one, I made a Caramel latte. She's HOOKED!

This morning as she was leaving to go home, she asked if I could make her one for the road. So, as you can see, I did...I love my mom!

Sunday Reflections

I really enjoyed church this weekend. A lot going on and that's always exciting. During the morning service the children's ministry did an outstanding job sharing what they they're learning this year. The Master's Club ministry had a regional activity Saturday and won several ribbons. I love the young people of our church and I'm so proud of them. I can't say enough about those who minister to them, they are doing a great job.

The music ministry is really progressing. I really felt the spirit moving during the praise time and thought people were ready for the message. So great to see more people getting involved.

I loved preaching 'Live - by Looking Forward.' So convinced that many people miss God's plan because they stay in their comfort zone never truly following were God leads. Change requires doing things you are uncomfortable with. The more you do it, the comfortable it becomes to you.

Christina put together a promotional video for baptism. So cool! Hopefully I can post it so you will be able to see it.

We wrapped up the morning with a 'Newcomers' dinner. Great food, fellowship, and so excited about people adding to the County Church family.

Air Force One

Jeff's retirement ceremony was a real blessing today. So amazing being in the hanger of Air Force One. The back drop for the program was the actual 747 dedicated to moving the President. The Air Force One crew is one of those organizations that you never hear anything about and that is good. In this case no news is good news. Their mission has been so successful for so many years. They work behind the scenes of the public, with such precision and dedication, yet they never receive public recognition for what they do. I heard the History Channel recently did a documentary. Be sure to watch. It debuts this June.

I really enjoy being invited to the work place of our church members. So cool to see what they do and to be able to meet the people they spend their lives with.

It was great spending my day at Air Force One. Truly is one of the perks in pastoring here in the DC area.

Congratulations Jeff for a very successful 23 years!

I'm sore!

My mom came up to visit last night. She is always such a joy to be with. She truly is one of the godliest people I know. It was great that she was able to be in our prayer meeting last night. Today she wanted to work in the yard. We worked all day. the yard is sure looking better, but now I am sore! We will probably work several more hours this weekend to finish some of the projects we are working on. I'll enjoy it, mostly because I am able to spend time with mom.

Tomorrow we will break for a few hours. Jeff Clark, one of our church members is having his retirement ceremony. He has served in the Air Force for 23 years. I have the privilege of doing the opening invocation. Both my mom and I are really looking forward to celebrating and honoring Jeff. I am a huge fan of our military. So appreciative of their sacrifice for my freedom.

Never Give Up!

Jacob's life really resonated with me this past week.

If any one ever had good reason to quit, it was Jacob. At this point in Jacob's life he had plenty of reason to be discouraged, out of fight and without hope. It seemed as if everything he touched ended in a mess. Imagine taking from your twin brother his most precious possession: The family birthright and their father's blessing. Jacob had deceived his own father to steal his twin brother's blessing. As a result he fled his childhood home fearing for his life.

He meets Rachel and falls in love with her. To marry her he agrees with Laban, Rachel's father, to work 7 years. After the seven years, Laban tricked him, and Jacob unknowingly ends up marrying Rachel’s sister Leah. Laban insists Jacob work another 7 years before he could marry Rachel. Jacob agrees. He works another seven years, but the marriage is in trouble from the very beginning. Rachel, his true love, is unable to bear children. She becomes jealous of Leah. Now Jacob's home and life is worse than ever.

In time Jacob’s family outgrows his father-in-law’s family. This further adds to the list of 'messes' in Jacob's life. Jacob once again must leave town. To make things worse, Rachel steals and desecrates her father’s god’s, so now Jacob has an angry father-in-law. What else could go wrong?

So Jacob gathers his family and all his belongings and begins his journey back to his homeland; Canaan. But, before he would reach Canaan, Esau is in pursuit of him.

So, it's the night before Jacob's face-off with Esau. Jacob is all alone. It's the middle of the night. And, a stranger comes out of nowhere and starts a fight with him.

Jacob must have been thinking, 'Why doesn't anything work out for me? Why go on? Is it worth all the trouble? Why continue to fight? Why not just give up?' But, Jacob did not give up. In fact, he fought with this stranger all night. What resolve! Jacob obviously had not lost all hope.

He made the right choice. The stranger turned out to be the Lord. And, God gave Jacob a new name: Israel - 'God's Fights for His people.' With God fighting for us, why should we give up. God had a purpose and a plan for Jacob and his dysfunctional family. God promised Jacob that through him would come a great nation. A nation that would bless the entire world. Wow! What a turnaround!

I want that same resolve to never give up. I never want to make the mistake of giving up when my greatest victory may be just on the other side of one last fight!

VBC Accreditation: TRACS Candidate Status

What a day! Today the we met with the TRACS accreditation commission and they granted the college Candidate status. This is the last step before full accreditation, so it is a real milestone for the college and a real victory. Gotta give a shout out to Jeff Walton. He has done a great job as Executive Vice President making this happen.

Sermon Test-Driven

Never Give Up!

That's my message tomorrow. I love preaching, teaching, and working with people as a pastor. A part I don't like is God taking me through experiences to make the message personal. Preparation for preaching involves more that just study. It often involves proving that what you say actually works. I'll definitely passionately preach tomorrow. We must never give up! As long as we stay in the race that God has for us, He guarantees victory. Big mistake to quit!

Small Group Cookout

Looking forward to our small group cookout tonight. We just finished our six week study 'Strong Foundations for Newlyweds.' Thought we would spend an evening and just fellowship. The group wants to continue meeting, so we are praying about our next study. This has been a great group. I look forward to what's ahead.

Encouragement

This has been a difficult week for me in many ways, but the Lord is always faithful to encourage us when we need it. I was able to have lunch today with Brad Diehl. Brad was a teenager when his family first started coming to our church. He and his whole family were saved and baptized in our church. They are wonderful people. It's been ten years since I have seen Brad and have been able to talk with him. Brad is currently full time youth pastor at White Plains Baptist Church. He's 29, married and has two children. His family is still in church and faithfully living for God. It's so easy to get discouraged with current struggles and lose sight of all that God is doing. When Brad shared today how important our ministry had been to him in the past, it encouraged and reminded me that in spite of current struggles, the ministry is too important to quit.

God is at work in ways that we will never know till we get to heaven.

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. (Galatians 6:9)

Happy 20th BD

Happy 20th Birthday Brittany!

So proud of Brittany and the wonderful young lady she is growing up to become. I really enjoyed our birthday breakfast tradition at Bob Evans. Gi and I took her to Mimi's for supper. The food was tremendous. Most of all I really enjoyed the Chocolate Mocha Cheesecake Gi made for her birthday.

I'm so thankful to have two wonderful daughters who love the Lord and are faithfully serving Him!

Is anything too hard for God?

The Lord told Abraham that Sarah was going to have a baby. Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90 years old. Sarah laughed. But God's all-mighty power was revealed as he created life from a lifeless womb. After Sarah laughed, the Lord asked Abraham, 'Is anything too hard for the Lord?'

Jeremiah said in 32:17, 'O Sovereign LORD! You made the heavens and earth by your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you!' And in 32:27 'I am the LORD, the God of all the peoples of the world. Is anything too hard for me?' God wants us to know that he who created the heavens, the earth and all the people in the earth is able to do anything.

There is no problem in our life that He cannot triumph. He is bigger than our greatest need. Let's view our situation as the Psalmist did:

"When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers the moon and the stars you set in place--what are people that you should think about them, mere mortals that you should care for them?' Psalms 8:3 - 4

I Love Lattes!

Just got my new espresso machine in and set up. I have been using a Jura Capressa S9 Fully Automatic machine since August, but just felt I wanted to go back to a manual machine. I know its hard to believe that anything branded Kitchenaid can truly be a man's machine, but I have to say this espresso machine is definitely a man's espresso machine. It is built like a tank! I had no idea when I ordered it just how heavily built it would be. The espresso machine and grinder have exceeded my expectations. If you want to enjoy a latte, just stop by. Lucky's Barista is always open:)

I love Lattes!

Touching Phone Call

Spring Break Blessing

Gi and I really enjoyed our short break. We are both ready to get back in full swing. Gi and I both battled a cold this past week, but we are doing much better now.

We were able to visit a great church in Virginia this morning. Old Dominion Baptist Church is a church that has really grown the last several years. Bob Purdue, the pastor, told me this morning that when he came to to the church in December 1998 the church was running about 90 people. This morning the church was full. I'm not sure how many were there, but I'm guessing about 1500. They have a beautiful facility, but more than that they have a wonderful spirit. It was a real blessing to see the number of young people there. Bob had a visiting Youth Band this morning. They did a great job leading the worship. I was so moved to see the young people in the audience so into the service. I sat behind a family this morning that had three young boys. I have to say, it brought tears to my eyes to see the young boys singing.

I'm constantly aware of the fact that a church is just one generation away from closing it's doors. After what I experienced this morning, I am convinced that Old Dominion is good for at least one more generation. Amen!

Cherry Blossoms

One of the things I love about living in the DC area is that there is so much to enjoy. Gi and I were able to spend a day downtown this week. We really enjoyed the cherry blossoms. We walked from the tidal basin to Georgetown...ate some ribs at Old Glory...boy, were they Great! We topped our day off with a cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory. I figured after all the walking we were up to it.