It looks like we are going to buy a bus out of New York. It's a little bigger than our present bus. It's like new and has very low mileage. We are seriously interviewing a candidate for our children's and youth pastor position. We have taken out several advertisements in the Intelligencer and Alestle. Our tracts and t-shirts have come in (they look great!). We are the sponsor church with WIBI for a concert in Edwardsville's City Park on Friday night, July 28th at 8pm, with Phil Wickham. We have purchased some can insulators with our church info on them to pass out (250 of them). And we are going to reach out at SIUE when the students come back opening day.
We have had a steady flow of new and wonderful people and families visitor our church lately. Although I THANK GOD for this church family and those who regularly attend (they are so wonderful and incredibly important) it is also awesome to ministry and be a blessing to new people as well. And, that is our earnest desire, that we minister the Word of God, and that we are a blessing. We truly want to be used of God to help people and see them find the Lord and be saved.
Kim, Kassi and I are taking a couple of mini-vacations this summer. First, we are going to Branson for 4 days in July. Then we will be going to Wisconsin for a weekend to a Brautigam family reunion (my mother's side of the family). Shortly after that, Kassi heads back to Evangel. It's hard to believe that the summer is almost over and she is leaving again. BUT, life keeps going forward, as it should, and God gets the glory!
So, Pray, especially for Israel right now. Draw close to Jesus. Be prepared, because He could come back sooner than you might think. Be a good witness. Stay cool and hydrated. And, see you in church, ministering and being ministered to.
Pastor Tim
Monday, July 17, 2006
Friday, July 07, 2006
Prospects and Possibilities
This is the third time that I have tried to make an entry into this blogsite. It seems that I find myself in a miserable place called, the waiting room. Life seems full of prospects and possibilities, yet not much is happening. Hopes, dreams, plans, and ideas are all waiting to become finds and realities.
Fast then slow, up then down, round and round we go - life often feels just like a roller coaster. The problem is that all too often we seem to end up right where we started and all that has happened is we have gotten a little older and we have a few tales to tell. Some how we have to break free from this cycle and race down a new track. Some how we must turn our prospects and possibilities into finds and realities.
So what is holding us back? Fear! It's the fear of getting hurt. Fear of failure. Fear of commitment. Fear of not being accepted, or a dozen other things we are afraid of when it comes from doing something different, something else, something we haven't done before. There is one thing about roller coasters, as fast and wild as they are, they are safe. Unfortuneately, life and ministry isn't always safe. It isn't set on a rails and we aren't strapped and harnessed in. Unless, you give your life to God.
It's a thing of faith and yet often we get to participate in the decisions. God puts us on His all-knowing rails and sets our life whirling through the most incredible thrill ride. In Christ life can be pretty radical and exciting, but we have to be willing to stay on the ride with Him. It may seem like there is nothing holding us in, but that's the way of faith. Also, at times, He seems to give us the choice to go faster, or not. Other times we want to go faster and He slows us down.
Whatever you are going through right now, fast or slow, up or down, don't be afraid. Trust God and turn your prospects in finds. Work, dig and search for the gold (what is important) in your life, God will help you find it. And turn those possibilities, even the long shots, into realities by optimistically going for it by faith, believing in the God of possibilities.
Fast then slow, up then down, round and round we go - life often feels just like a roller coaster. The problem is that all too often we seem to end up right where we started and all that has happened is we have gotten a little older and we have a few tales to tell. Some how we have to break free from this cycle and race down a new track. Some how we must turn our prospects and possibilities into finds and realities.
So what is holding us back? Fear! It's the fear of getting hurt. Fear of failure. Fear of commitment. Fear of not being accepted, or a dozen other things we are afraid of when it comes from doing something different, something else, something we haven't done before. There is one thing about roller coasters, as fast and wild as they are, they are safe. Unfortuneately, life and ministry isn't always safe. It isn't set on a rails and we aren't strapped and harnessed in. Unless, you give your life to God.
It's a thing of faith and yet often we get to participate in the decisions. God puts us on His all-knowing rails and sets our life whirling through the most incredible thrill ride. In Christ life can be pretty radical and exciting, but we have to be willing to stay on the ride with Him. It may seem like there is nothing holding us in, but that's the way of faith. Also, at times, He seems to give us the choice to go faster, or not. Other times we want to go faster and He slows us down.
Whatever you are going through right now, fast or slow, up or down, don't be afraid. Trust God and turn your prospects in finds. Work, dig and search for the gold (what is important) in your life, God will help you find it. And turn those possibilities, even the long shots, into realities by optimistically going for it by faith, believing in the God of possibilities.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)