Thursday, January 17, 2008

Mini Mafia

Because I can not Rise Above technology ...YET.... I could not figure out how to get a video to appear on my blog...so you'll have to do it the old fashioned way. Point and click!

It's funny and worth your effort! This is an announcement from our MADE series. How has God destined you for greatness? Who says God doesn't have a sense of humor!!

Tune in here for the sermons!

Enjoy!

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

My Squad

In case you did not know, it has been said that I have the gift of exhortation. I believe that to be true. I get so excited when I can encourage another person in the Word of God. I want to jump up and down and share some GREAT NEWS with anyone who needs to hear the TRUTH as God sees it and says it.

There is a flip side to me though. The cheerleader needs a squad to catch her after she is tossed high in the air. When I need to make a decision and I am waiting to hear clearly from God and things don't seem to make sense, I start dropping. Yes, I KNOW I am to wait patiently on the Lord. I struggle here.

That's when I count on my friends and mentors, my "squad", to pray for me and to give me their wisdom. I appreciate that they will catch me as I fall through the air flailing my arms and legs like a freak.

Thank YOU (you know who you are) for encouraging me, for being there for me, for advising me and praying for me! I thank God for you and I could not do what I do or do what I am going to do with out you!

Proverbs 15:22 says: Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.

Thank You GOD for sending such strong people of faith into my life!

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

VERY VERY BAD PARKING

Now this is funny. I met my friend for lunch today. When I returned to my van, in a not very full parking lot there was a note on my windshield. It read "VERY VERY BAD PARKING". I CRACKED UP!!! Then I look and there is a Fresh Market mini coffee cup stuck to my rear windshield washer. ..WOW I really upset this parking lot Nazi. However I was STILL cracking up laughing!!

There was no way I was offended. When I looked, ok I admit my van was not perfectly parked. But here is my defense.

Parking Nazi: Are you 100% SURE that I am the first offender of the poor park job? You see I happen to know for a FACT that there was a car parked on at least one side of me. Have you ever parked in a row of cars only to discover when you are the last to leave that you aren't anywhere in the lines. Why? Because it took one person to miss the mark and the rest of the bunch get thrown off.

Only God knows if I was a horrible parker today or if I fell victim to another horrible parker.

This is how I "rise above" the situation. The Parking Nazi is obviously a very hurt frustrated angry person. At first I felt bad that I had my church sticker on my van. I'd hate to advertise that I failed the parking discipleship program. But then I thought, maybe as my van was being vandalized w/ coffee cups and napkins, the Nazi was convicted and will come seek me out at church to apologize....or something like that. Maybe he/she will have nightmares of his/her deed and only see ELEVATION CHURCH like a neon light. If they are far from God (I imagine they would be) then rest assured they will leave filled with life in Christ!

So Parking Nazi I pray God's blessings on you. I pray your wounds are healed. I pray you understand that littering on another's vehicle is really worse than missing a few parking lines. Don't worry I threw out your trash for you and I pray you come into a strong relationship with Christ. I pray that you minister God's love in parking lots so others will come to know Jesus. Yes I will pay better attention to how I park. Although MAYBE I will go back tomorrow, park worse, wait for you to write me another note on your garbage and I will invite you to church! You see I rise above by taking this in prayer for you to our Father above! HA! Take THAT!

Parking Nazi, don't take the speck out of your brother's eye until you take the plank out of your own.....littering is against the law, missing a parking spot by a little isn't.

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

The "Yes Man"

I have to just say a public thank you to my awesome Pastor Steven Furtick. I need to thank him for stepping out. I need to thank him for hearing God and doing what God asked of him. He is doing it and we get to watch God move. It's as if Acts 2-4 has come into 2008!

Our service this past Sunday saw the record attendance of 3500 people. Not too shabby for an almost 2 yr. old church that started when 10 families sold their homes, quit their jobs and moved here to start a church. (God honors faith you know). All the Glory to God and a huge Thank you to the man who said "YES" to God..aka..Pastor Furtick and those who moved here with him. God also saved 135 people Sunday! The total for 2007 was around 1050!! And YES there is discipleship.

I love our church and I love our God. He wants so much more for us than we even know. Click on the website and catch the sermon. It's a powerful message on divine destiny, hey we all have one!! Did you know that???

I remember going to the Billy Graham library and the parting video said "Look what God can do through one man who was a farmer from Charlotte, NC. what can He do through you?" Add "Look what God can do through a 27 yr old guy from Moncks Corner, SC." Then ask yourself, "What can God do through me?" They only thing to do then is say "Yes".

So thank you Pastor for saying "Yes" to God at all cost. I know it can be challenging with the responsibility, the critics, the logistics. One thing is for sure though, you are bearing fruit, fruit that will last. I am grateful to be a part of it and to watch a movement of God! I am grateful that watching God work through you encourages me to say "YES" as well!!

And GOD gets ALL the Glory!!

Monday, January 7, 2008

My Sore Toe

Hey the title got your attention didn't it? Here is the deal. I have NO clue what happened. All of a sudden horrible pain in my toe next to my pinky toe. I guess you'd call it the ring finger toe? It looks pretty useless if you ask me. Yet when it hurts it throws off your entire walk and your whole body.

"Funny" that today I was reading 1Corinthians 12:12-26. We are all part of one body! Jump to verse 26: If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
Oh my body is suffering! Its as if I don't have a toe nail. SO I hobble along in flip flops in January...I HATE COLD FEET. How many Christians are hobbling through life today?

But isn't God just showing me through HIS word and through my circumstance that when one member suffers we all suffer. We are not able to accomplish all we were called to do and therefore we can't function at maximum capacity. Function for the advancement of HIS Kingdom I mean.

Who in the body do you know that is suffering? What can YOU do to comfort them with the same comfort that you received from God? There is nothing that hurts too much that Jesus can't heal. Show the hurting body who HE really is and you will walk, skip and jump with joy!