My First Week in NJ

So I’ve completed my first full week in New Jersey as of tonight!  I will say that I was very nervous at first as to whether or not I would fit in.  Everyone I’m sure has heard horror stories of how people in the Northeast are and how they aren’t afraid to speak their minds and let you know how they feel.  While this may be true of those in the Northeast, I was overwhelmed today by the people of Shore Fellowship Church!  What an amazing day with God’s people!  I have never seen people more eager and willing to worship God and to do it with an attitude of anticipation…like they knew God was going to show up, and did He ever show up!!

Worship at Shore Fellowship Church

Pastor Chris preached today and there were a total of 28 people who got up, came to the front of the stage and prayed to accept Christ as their Savior!!  AMAZING!  Each service as I sat on the front row and just watched as people were transformed from darkness to light.  They walked into the building eternally separated from God and left forever changed!!

This week was definitely a good week (with the exception of my family being able to spend it with me!  Miss you guys a bunch!) and I’m so excited to see what God will do and is already doing through the ministry of Shore Fellowship Church.  If you know anything about what our family has been through, it’s so amazing to finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.  To see what God was doing through all those times of doubt and uncertainty.  He was shaping us and molding us into what He wanted so He could use us to the best of His ability!  Because on my own, I’m nothing.  Thank you Lord for providing, for watching over us and for teaching us to never give up no matter what the odds are.  If you are in a situation that seems impossible, just know this…”for nothing is impossible with God.”  (Luke 1:37)  Say that over and over and never forget it!

Since I’ve finished my first week in Jersey let me give you my top 10 highlights of this week!
10. Getting lost several times even with a GPS!!
9. Being told to dial 6 to reach an outside line (thanks Steve!)
8. Eating Rita’s Italian ice!
7. Eating a Sugar Hill cheese steak!!

My first NJ Cheesesteak

6. Driving through a toll booth and not having any change and not knowing what to do!?
5. Staying in my car while someone else pumped my gas!
4. Walking the boardwalk and seeing God’s amazing creation, the ocean!

The sunrise on the beach!

3. Meeting all the amazing people at Shore Fellowship Church.
2. Video chatting with my wife and kids several times!
1. Seeing 28 people give their lives to Christ in one day!!  AWESOME!

And that’s all in one week!  Can’t wait to see what’s next!  Something BIG is about to happen!!

Your Legacy

A dear friend of our family passed away this past week.  She was 50 years old and was probably one of my wife’s best friends.  As I was sitting here editing some video of her service, I’m listening to her family say things about her and sing songs about her and I can’t help but think of all the people that were influenced by her life.  She was a person who loved and cared for people and was willing to do anything within her power for the people she loved.

On the night of her viewing, people stood in line in excess of two hours to see her family and to let them know what an influence they have had on their lives.  The family spent nearly five hours hugging, crying, laughing and talking about her and her life.  As I sat in the auditorium with my family, I simply observed and looked around at all the people.  More than once I thought to myself, “if my life could have half the impact that hers did, I would be successful!”  It caused me to wonder, how many people would show up at my funeral?  Have I had this much impact on the world?  This isn’t an attempt to get people to say how much of an impact my family has had on their lives but more of a moment of reflection for each of us.  What kind of an impact have we made?  Have we done everything we can for the people we love or have we gotten so busy and frustrated with life that we overlook opportunities to reach out to people?

This morning I was reading in Psalm 90 and these few verses jumped off the page at me…

“(10) Seventy years are given to us!  Some may even reach eighty.  But even the best of these years are filled with pain and trouble;  soon they disappear, and we are gone.  (12) Teach us to make the most of our time, so that we may grow in wisdom.”

“Make the most of our time.”  We all have the same amount of time and what we do with it is our choice.  I guess in seeing what has happened this week with a Godly, amazing woman like our friend it has helped me see that my life is very short and once it’s gone, the only thing that is left behind is my legacy.  Don’t waste your life on things that won’t matter 2 seconds into eternity!  Make sure you know Jesus and influence and serve all the people you can with the time you have!  Leave behind a legacy that people will want to remember.

While I’m Waiting

Today I am subbing at the Jr. High here in Aurora and I’m in ISS (that’s In School Suspension for you teacher’s pets.)  I was on my way home to eat lunch and a song came on the radio that I’ve never heard before.  The chorus is this…

While I’m waiting I will serve You
While I’m waiting I will worship
While I’m waiting I will not faint
I’ll be running the race even while I wait

I started thinking and letting it all sink it.  Most of you know that our family has been in this state of waiting for almost 7 months now.  We’ve been through highs and lows in that period of time.  God has, for some reason, opened doors for us only to allow those doors to slam shut.  It really got to a point that you just wonder why does God open those doors if He’s going to shut them after you walk through them?  What’s the point?  The one thing that this song allowed me to see is that no matter where I am, whether in a period of doubt or in a time of anticipation for what’s next, I must serve and worship and give while I’m waiting.

It’s so very easy to worship and praise God when things are going great.  When there’s money in the bank and food on the table and the family is healthy, it’s easy to worship.  It’s not so easy when you’re waiting.  Waiting for the test result to come back.  Waiting to hear about whether or not you got the job.  Waiting wondering if God is finished with you in ministry or not.  It’s tough to wait.  However, it’s only in those waiting times that you are able to fully trust God and continue to worship Him.

Proverbs 8:34 “Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching at my doors day by day, waiting beside my doorway.”

If you are in a time of waiting, don’t give up.  I love the last part of the chorus of While I’m Waiting by John Waller.  Run the race, don’t give up, even while you wait!

While I’m waiting I will not faint
I’ll be running the race even while I wait

Hello world!

Alright, I’m going to begin to blog.  Don’t really know the ins and outs of it but why not?  Not really sure if anybody really cares about what’s going on in my life but God has really taken me and my family on a journey over the last 6 or 7 months.  We have experienced some really incredible things and there were so many times that we threw our hands up in the air and honestly thought about giving up.  It’s so amazing to see that when you decide to not give up and choose to do what God has called you to do, no matter where you are at, how He blesses you and uses the horrible things you’ve been through to prepare you for what’s next.  Missy and I have been brought to a point where we desire to be a part of a church that lives and thrives on reaching people.  We desire more than anything to be at a church where people can come and feel safe.  Safe that if they don’t look or act or think like everyone else, they’re still welcome.

What’s so amazing about that is that we have been a part of an amazing church that has that philosophy in mind.  Every single week we are told, “it’s all about changed lives!”  That’s why we do what we do!  To see people’s lives’ changed!  And what’s even more amazing is that God has allowed us to go over 6 months wondering where we are going (or even if we are going anywhere!) to prepare us to serve at a church in NJ that has that same exact philosophy!  A philosophy that says we always need to change the way we reach people and use every possible thing out there, but never change the message that brings people to Christ!  That’s what we want and that’s exactly where God is leading us!  Six months ago I would have never imagined that we would be in this position getting ready to embark on an amazing journey 1,200 miles away to serve God in a church where we belong!

I’m so excited to see where this next road will lead.  Had a great talk today with some folks at Shore Fellowship about the small groups and what could happen there through their small groups.  Can’t wait to get started and see what’s about to happen!  If you’re reading this, pray for us that our house will sell quickly so we can move on to this next leg of the race and that God will use us to do amazing things for Him at Shore Fellowship!