is ministering to leaders in small towns via THE STICKS.
more to come…but for now, listen to 900 seconds with Gary Lamb, the host and lead pastor for our last STICKS conference in May @ REVOLUTION CHURCH in Canton, Ga. And hold onto your buttocks…
this is one passionate dude. makes me look like a spring chicken.
I will steal this post and lesson from JEFF HENDERSON, who is the director of Northpoint’s BUCKHEAD CAMPUS.
Learn this lesson well or it will kill you and your church.
I talked about this at the STICKS…and how I have messed up so often. A blogging buddy recently reminded me of the real path we are to pursue…DON’T MISS THIS REMINDER whatever your profession might be!!! We need to hear this over and over and over.
Our kids are only with us for a little while – and they they’re out flying on their own. I have five. My oldest is 22 and my youngest is 12.
During my overcommitted period — my oldest was 15 and my youngest was 5. I didn’t give them all I should have given them at that time. Oh, how I wish I would have had more evenings at home and less in meetings at the church (or out speaking.) I can’t take it back now. This is very hard for me to write – but my oldest son recently told me that he really missed me a lot during his late teens. It left a hole for him. I tried my best to be a good dad – but was gone away from home too much.
Thank the Lord, It didn’t ruin him or anything – He’s a great young man – loves the Lord and is a great husband to his wife – but I had no idea how much my absence wounded him.
I praise God that Romans 8:28 is still in e book. He can make ALL things new and restore they years the locusts have eaten. Now, as a middle aged soldier for Jesus, I’m still working hard to keep my schedule sane.
May we travel this life with grace and HIS wisdom.
you know i can wax on and on…so here is a quick update on where we are in 2 minutes or less:
1. Hartselle, Alabama working for this CHURCH in Decatur, Alabama for this CRAZY DUDE.
2. We are sad and miss you all way too much…so we must have really liked you.
3. I am a full-time consultant. What is that? I help them not make the same mistakes I did 
4. The kids at our kids new school are enamored with their “accent.” They keep making them say words. Are you kidding me?
5. Did I mention that Tiff needs you to call her?
6. Two STICKS down…1 to go, and we are probably saving the biggest for last…come on!
7. We were only supposed to do 1…how did that happen?
8. Our new house is freaking amazing. Someone who loves Jesus rented it for us since we still own ours back home…anyone want a house? Seriously.
9. The people at CROSSPOINT have made us feel like one of the family already…amazing people.
10. Would love to see a New Hope vs. Crosspoint cage fight…seriously. Some crazies at both!
11. 4 months until we move to Utah…did I just say MOVE? Barf.
12. Speaking of barfing: Tiffany seriously gave me a concussion last night sleeping. She banged heads with me somehow @ 3 am and my ear was ringing and I have been dizzy all day…only me.
13. Our next Launch Team Informational meeting will be April 15th…location in Loudonville TBD. Come on out if you are interested…at least say HI as I return back to the Buckeye state!
14. Should have more Utah direction after a conference call tomorrow with my handlers:)
15. Pray for us…
to everyone. we love you. no matter what you did on this side or your side. or the other side of the side.
big news and updates about the move, where we are, and UTAH coming this week.
i just have to find some underwear, the soap and my power cords…and I will be back on-line with the real world. heading out to register kids for school…unpack this mess…and figure out where exactly we landed.
Check out the main session at THE STICKS BLOG today @ 9:30/2:15/4:30pm [CST].
Can’t wait. PRAY FOR ALL OF THE SMALL TOWN CRAZIES GATHERED AT BRAND NEW CHURCH [brandnewchurch.com]
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and if you missed this one…come see us in May: www.thesticks.tv
Many have asked how they can help us do this thing in UTAH. That’s easy, and THANKS for asking! You have already done so much! You are loved beyond words.
1. Pray. As we look for the place, for our team who is moving, for fund raising…
2. Repeat #1.
3. Give. Support cards and links on-line will start appearing in the next 30 days.
4. Repeat #1 and #3
Anybody, anywhere can do that! And thanks to all our friends whom we have never even met in person who care about us and this calling on our lives and have supported us so well!
Next, You can physically help our family in a huge way next week with 2 tasks. As many of you know, my schedule is planned out months in advance. We scheduled THE STICKS before we knew the exact dates we would be leaving for the next calling in our lives. Because the school our kids will be enrolled in Alabama starts the final quarter in 13 days…we have to move next week. Yes…it has been insane.
1. Tiffany is in great need of packing help this MONDAY, TUESDAY and WEDNESDAY [all day @ our house...312 E. Haskell St.] while I am away.
2. I am asking a huge favor for people to rise up and help load our moving truck WEDNESDAY evening while I am still away teaching and leading at THE STICKS in Arkansas.
The truck will be ready to be loaded around 5 or 6 pm WEDNESDAY EVENING when people can get off work. If we get 15 or 20 people to come serve, it will be done in 1 hour. And a huge load will be lifted from me while we are putting on this conference for pastors in small towns across America!
I get home Thursday evening and we will pull out late Thursday night after Christian’s school play [told you this season has been nuts!]…head to my sister’s overnight in Plain City, OH…then arrive late Friday in Alabama. That will give us Saturday and Sunday to unload and get settled before school starts on Monday. wow.
Thanks to our New Hope family and friends who have supported us so well through 7-1/2 amazing years of ministry and now as we journey off to the wild call of God. You are an amazing group of people who we will dearly miss. Thank you so much for your acts of love and sacrifice to help us answer the crazy call of obedience in our lives.
Questions? Call Vicki @ 419.994.1112 or Tiffany @ 419.787.6738 [thanks Vicki...you are amazing! and so are you my BRIDE!]
The last 3 months has been the hardest, busiest, toughest season of ministry in my life. Take my hardest season ever and DOUBLE IT. That’s where I sit right now.
This week…to Unleash [it was already paid for], home late Friday, off Sunday to the STICKS, then home late Thursday. Thursday night leave for my new stint [staying with my littlest sis and fam that night] at this CHURCH with this AMAZING PASTOR and his crew of rebels. We will arrive there late Friday.
Between selling houses, running conferences, the stress of moving, preparing teachings, planning trips out west, launch team development and raising funds…wow.
How about you? Are you heading into a crazy season or coming out of one. I can tell you that I am finally coming out of one. This is a marathon and not a sprint. A sprint will not last. I am looking forward to focusing on fewer tasks when we arrive in the land of SWEET HOME ALABAMA.
Run the race…but remember the goal. [God, wife, kids, ministry]. Sometimes I get it all wrong. How about you?
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the STICKS…1 week to go. GET IT HERE.
today i received this FWD: in my g-mail account. i HATE forwards, but this one made my year. i will tell WHY you at the bottom.
BIG PARTY~!!
>
> Hey! Guess what!
>
> The Biggest Party is when you get through the
> gates of HEAVEN because you’ll be LIVING ETERNALLY WITH GOD!!!!!!!!
> 98% of teens won’t stand up for GOD……
>
> SEND THIS IF YOU’RE ONE OF THE 2% WHO WILL. SEND IT
> TO EVERYONE!!
> Jesus said, “If you deny Me in front of your
> friends, I will deny you in front of My Father.”
>
> So just send this out. Send it as: “Big Party!”
it was from my 10 year-old son who got it from a friend @ New Hope. i will take these forwards any day, all day. thanks Christian and Madison for sharing Jesus with the world.
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p.s. don’t send any stupid ones though or i will spam you.
Check out the full story HERE. And then…let’s do something about this mess.
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The STICKS MIDDLE AMERICA regional is 8 days away! Register HERE! We are gathering to do something about this trend!
listen or talk more when i pray…when i set vision…when i hurt…when i converse with someone else…when i punish our kids…when i am on top of the world?
whose voice is loudest in my lives?
Mark 1.35. “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” [niv]
I have been asked or heard this question 3 times in the last 6 weeks.
These 5 little words embody what I want my soul to echo loud. It is the longing of my heart. The passion for my walk. Though I walk counter to this so often.
“IS JESUS ENOUGH FOR ME?”
And BTW…I am not even worthy of asking this question in the first place. But because of HIS grace…I can and should ask it. Living it out is another matter.
“IS JESUS ENOUGH FOR YOU?”
really?
Thanks to everyone for your prayers and support as we continue to put feet on the soil and pray for GOD’S WILL TO BE DONE! Seriously…stop right now and breathe one out for us please.
