Max can read!

Praise the Lord! Max is finishing Kindergarten and he can read. Tonight he read MY NEST IS BEST! I am so proud of him! I'm also very proud of Elliott who received Academic Excellence in all areas!

Today, we enjoyed a nice day at a friend's house - swimming in their pool and playing football and basketball!

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO

I just finished reading What to Do WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW What to Do by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend. The book gives 8 principles for Finding God's Way. Principle 1 is "Begin Your Journey with God." Sounds simple, right? I don't think it's as simple as it sounds. To begin our journey with God means that we should be able to relate to Abraham. The story of Abraham found in the Bible is the perfect example, in my opinion, of what it means to begin your journey with God. When God called Abraham to leave his homeland, Abraham had no idea where he was headed. He believed God knew where he was headed, so he packed up and left all that he possessed.

Maybe you have already begun your journey with God. Our "yes" is all God needs for us to have an abundant life. The journey I am currently on involves a lot of work, growth and change on my part. Take time to evaluate where you are on your journey with God.

SURRENDER

The word "surrender" has recently invaded my heart. As I am getting older, I am realizing that surrender is not something I do once. Surrender is always seeking to obey the best I can. I may lose a life but I gain a life. For many of us, we see in the end that nothing we lost was really worth keeping anyway.

I remind myself that Jesus prayed, "Not my will - but yours be done." And just as surrender led to the resurrection for Jesus, so it does for his followers.

Galatians 2:20 - I have been crucified with Christ. I no longer live but Christ lives in me.

Friends

Please meet my friends from the Ohio County High School Class of 1991 - Moose (Jason), Tennya, and Thomas (German boy). Could it really be almost 20 years? While sitting at the dining room table last night at my house, we all summed up our lives in the past 20 years. Tennya was the funny one. She started the whole conversation by telling us she was on American Idol a few years ago. I think Thomas almost believed her for a moment. I simply shared my life's journeys but summed it up by saying that I am blessed by God. I have so many things for which to be thankful!

Thank you God for friendships that have lasted nearly two decades!

"Where you Go Says a Lot About Who You Are" - Bruce Main.

Meet Lapiz and Maykol - two bright young men from Costa Rica. Their homes are made of corrugated tin metal and they are happy. They have limited possessions but a bond where you stick close together. They love La Carpio, despite the fact that most Ticos (true Costa Ricans) think La Carpio is one of the most dangerous parts of San Jose.

My spiritual life changed the fist time I saw these two boys in January of 2007. I met them along a dirt path in La Carpio as I walked with Steve Edwards, the missionary from Texas serving in La Carpio. Although I have seen poverty, I had no idea how meeting these two young boys would change my worldviews.

You see, the people and places we visit reveal more about our commitments and convictions than what we espouse with our lips. Our travel plans make a moral and spiritual statement; they reveal how we spend our most sacred gifts - time, energy, and resources. They also reveal an attitude of the heart.

The Jesus-following life is a life committed to entering the lives and stories of all kinds of people. Jesus was audacious enough to cross into "unsafe" territory and we should do the same. Maybe each of us should give up a family vacation in order to journey on a mission trip where we spend a week with others who are different than ourselves.

Prayer from the Presbyterian Prayer of Confession:
Loving God, we admit to attitudes that exclude rather than embrace. We prefer to associate with others who think and act as we do....Awaken us to the limits of our understanding and narrowness of our dealings.

RATS

I am so proud of Elliott. He was the MAYOR in his school play - RATS. He enjoyes his friendships at St. Matthews Elementary. Mr. Siebert, his music teacher, was Teacher of the Year! Elliott had his first solo in this play. Great memories!

YOUTH SUNDAY

WOW! Our students did a great job leading worship today. The message that Jill and Kevin delivered on Jeremiah 18:1-6 and Romans 12:1-2 was inspiring.

"THANK YOU" to everyone who works with a student ministry in a church. The thing that is valued most by SMBC'S 2010 Graduating Seniors are the relationships that they have made!

"THANK YOU" to our church family for supporting our students. Studies show that when students are able to share in the leadership of the church; their faithfulness to the church while in college increases.

We also had a great senior luncheon. Pictured above is one of my students who used to have these really chubby cheeks. But since he is all grown up, the chubby cheeks are gone.

Mothers Day

Mothers Day was a great day! I enjoyed it because it was just another normal Sunday. We went to church. Elliott had a soccer tournament in the afternoon. The youth and I worked on their preparations to lead worship this Sunday. Through this normal day, I was reminded that just spending time with my family, friends and church makes life fun!

Last Friday Max brought home this piece of paper that had listed all the reasons he and his friends in Kindergarten loved their moms. Most kids had "I love mom because she gives me hugs and kisses and takes care of me when I'm sick." Max wrote "I love mom because she helps me take down the recycling when it is dark." Precious! Max loves doing his chores!

YOUTH LEAD WORSHIP THIS SUNDAY

Jeremiah 18:6 - "Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.

Like clay in the Potter’s hands, God has a purpose for each of our lives. It is on the wheel that our lives are shaped and re-shaped for God’s Kingdom Work. It is on the wheel of life’s circumstances that God builds character in our lives; thus, we are shaped for the Master Potter’s use. In order for our lives to be shaped for God’s divine purpose, we must remain pliable in the Potter’s hands. We must submit and not resist. God offered Israel a fresh start and today God offers you a fresh start.

Worthy Is The Lamb

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FObjd5wrgZ8

Great Video

Valley of Decision

Decisions...Decisions...

They are hard to make and hard to discern. I recently read an old article on prayer that I had filed away a few years ago. The article encouraged people who are making hard decisions to ask themselves the following questions:

Is there any reason God wouldn't want you to do this?
Do you feel a conviction of "rightness?"
Does this decision help you get to your professional life goals?
Have you spent intimate time with God regarding this decision?
How has God spoken to you through other people regarding this decision?

Determining God's will for our lives is difficult but I believe we can find it through intimacy with God. I'm reminded of Proverbs 16:9 (New International Version)

9 In his heart a man plans his course,
but the LORD determines his steps

May I allow the Lord to always determine my steps.