Another Miracle!

I know that there has been more miracles in my life than I deserve. In fact, I don't deserve any, but I am grateful that God has shown up in a variety of miraculous ways in my life.

Until Saturday night I hadn't slept in bed since last Saturday because I bruised a couple of ribs on Sunday not watching where I was going.

I know that several people were praying for me and I was able to sleep in bed all night and Sunday the pain in my ribs, hip, and knees was very tolerable. Today I am mostly tired because it's Monday, but I can tell that everything is on the mend.

Praise God for such a dramatic change in pain levels and tolerance!

Why, But NOT Why Me?!

I have learned over the past several years that the pain control systems in my body have taken over. What used to be common aches and pains that I could easily push through have become a littany of major pain episodes that pain killers don't impact.

Several years ago, when I received the diagnosis of why I was in so much pain, I at least had an answer. Since that time, we have been chasing a moving target to keep my pain levels under control. A common injury which should normally lead to about a 3 or 4 pain level is for me a 6 or 7. When I have an injury, the pain levels are off the charts and the fatigue that comes with it is debilitating.

I am usually able to push through to some extent. I try to take a nap every day which helps, and my physical activity is severely limited to minimize the magnification of the pain levels.

In the past several weeks I have been dealing with heightened pain levels in my left knee and hip which have made walking unbearable. Vicodin barely touches the pain and I can't function when I am on it. I finally saw the Dr. this week and we will begin a shot series in the hip soon.

On Sunday I fell and came down on the curb of a parking island. I bruised a couple of ribs on my left side. The Dr. put me on Percocet to help with the unbearable pain. It is more powerful than Vicodin, but I don't function well on it. The first few days of the week I tried working in the morning and then going home to rest and take the heavy meds. After not being able to sleep in bed and the pain level not decreasing, I stayed home on Thursday and Friday to stay on the meds and completely rest in hopes that I can get over the severe pain and function more.

I don't know if the pain would be much less before the pain issues, but that doesn't really matter right now. The pain is rediculous. I can't lie down, I can't sleep, I can't concentrate, it's really frustrating! I know that rib injuries take time to heal, but when I broke a rib a couple of years ago, it was very painful, but not as debilitating.

So, I admit, that I have asked God, "Why?" I would understand more with just the pain. I could get a lot of work done. But I can't focus to read or write (I just took meds so I have a bit of a window before they kick in). So why would God allow this? His purpose is always greater than my own, so I know he knows what he is doing. I don't question that. I'm just seeking to understand that purpose.

Since all of this pain and fatigue stuff started, I have asked many times, "Why?", but have never asked, "Why me?" I think that God has protected me from that. I still get frustrated, as now, but I trust that God is working in me to accomplish his purpose. I just wish I knew what it is!

We The People

"We the people", the first three words of the US Constitution. On Tuesday, November 4th, 2008, the people of the United States voted. We voted on national, state, and local issues and positions. For the first time in our history, an African-American has been elected president.

Some states had measures to define marriage as being between one man and one woman. It seems silly that there should be a question about that, but it is a major issue. In California, the state where I was mostly raised, the issue passed, but will be challenged in the courts. It seems incredulous that seven people will decide if "We the People" matters in California. This is a scary thought! The issue now goes beyond marriage to the constitutional issue of self determination. Unfortunately, judges have been legislating from the bench for some time. This will be a significant test to see if democracy is truly broken at least in the state of CA. Please be praying the the CA supreme court and the people of that state.

More Politics: I Love Gay People!

I am as uncomfortable around a gay couple as I am around a married couple who are over the tip in their public make-out sessions. Jesus called us to love all people, not just the ones that we are comfortable around. I am not condoning the sin of any extra-marital sexual activity regardless of who is doing it, or with whom they are doing it. Jesus showed his love to a prostitute. I don't know if he was uncomfortable or not, I suspect not, but he is our example.

I am glad that Palm Valley Church is a safe place for anyone to come to find Jesus. I know that there have been and probably are some attending who have or are practicing the homosexual lifestyle. Like any other sinful behavior, they need to see the love of Jesus and learn to follow him in their actions.

Several states have ballot measures for a constitutional amendment to define marriage as being between one man and one woman, and nothing else. Several have argued that the government doesn't belong in the bedroom. I am quite sure that most don't really believe that. Greg made a create comment in the message this weekend that the government is already in the bedroom. It is already illegal to have sex with animals, and with children. These acts are seen as outside acceptable norms for society. If you look at history, defining marriage as anything other than one man and one woman is moving outside acceptable norms for a society. No culture has survived once they removed this stipulation.

I read in the paper today something that I hadn't thought of. If alternate forms of marriage are made the law, would pastors be forced to do them or face lawsuits or ultimately jail? I think that we would be a long ways from that, but it would be a possibility. I think that you would have a lot of poor pastors (like that isn't the case now!), or a lot of pastors in jail!

Protecting marriage isn't forcing religion on others. It is protecting decency in our society. Those who live alternate lifestyles already have protections available to them. They are only being denied what is preserved for others. Life isn't fair or equal, just like 17 year olds can't vote and 14 year olds can't drive.

Support for marriage doesn't mean that I don't love gay people. I believe that their lifestyle is sin, but they are sinners, like me, in need of a savior, who is Jesus Christ.

Voter Fraud

You wouldn't think this would be an issue here in the USA, but unfortunately it is. There are so many states with investigations going on right now it's ridiculous and it should concern everyone regardless of what party or candidate you support.

We keep hearing stories of quotas for registrations and people being paid based on those quotas. Does anyone else see a problem here? People say that registration fraud isn't the same as voter fraud and it isn't something to worry that much about. With the rise of identity theft, it is easy to create identities so that false registrations can turn into false votes.

Here's a simple solution to part of the problem. Pass a federal electoral registration law that makes registration processes uniform across the country. Make registration quotas illegal. Make it illegal to pay someone for collecting any registration that has not been verified. Quotas shouldn't be necessary because what does it matter if someone collects one or one hundred registrations? You can have as many people as you want encouraging registration, and if you are only paying for verified registrations, you eliminate the pressure and temptation to get creative with your numbers.

Sure there need to be other safeguards, but this alone would greatly reduce the problem we are facing around the country right now. It isn't rocket science!

Vacation is Over

In the past couple of weeks, I have taken some time off to rest, rejuvinate, and spend time with my family. Paige and I had the opportunity to spend a couple of days in Carefree and had a great time together. It is a beautiful area just north of Phoenix. Spending time with her at place away from home where we get to see God's creation is something that fills my tank. It something that we try to do several times each year, even if it is just an overnight thing.

Last week we got to go camping with both boys up in Oak Creek just outside of Sedona. Paige and I love going to Sedona but had never taken the boys up there. It was great spending time together and having them along to set up the tent was really helpful!

We came back to a really busy weekend at church, but there were several decisions for Christ, so it was well worth it!

It is important to take time to get away, and the older I get, I am realizing that I need it more than I used to. I am learning the ways that my tank gets emptied and what it takes to refill it.

Respect for Leaders

As we enter the last few weeks of the presidential race, the airwaves will be filled with fantastic and fanatical claims for and against those running for office, those in office, and the propositions to be voted on. The new series here at PVC is focused on these times. Our "Letters to the Next President" series is meant to show the significance of leadership in our society and to remind people that it is God who puts people into leadership roles, and it is he who removes them.

I have to admit that in my lifetime we have had some presidents that I have not liked. But in my dislike, if I had the opportunity to meet one of them I would consider it an honor. I was taught to respect authority. I may not agree with them, but because of their position I will respect them. This goes for pastors, teachers, police, fire, and other leaders in our community. The vile hatred being spewed out from many including "Christians" is amazing to me. People want someone to blame for everything that isn't perfect in their lives. They want someone to blame for things that they perceive as wrong choices, even though they don't have all of the facts.

I can't imagine the decisions that a president has to make. He makes them based on the information that he is given by trusted advisors. Sometimes those decisions are wrong. Don't forget, he is human!

So what can we do? Pray for our leaders, whomever they are and whatever their position of authority. That includes your boss at work. We can encourage them when given the opportunity. We can show them respect. We can be respectful even when we disagree with them. We can trust that God knows what he is doing!

Who Do You Love Most?

It should be an easy question, "Who do you love most?" Of course, the "Christian" answer is God. I thought that would be my answer too, but now I'm not so sure.

In the men's Bible study group I attend on Thursday mornings we are studying Psalm 119 and the impact that God's Word should have on our lives. One thing that came up today was where we place our love for the Bible in our list of things that we love.

The quick response of course is that we love the Bible, God's Word, more than anything else. Really?! The reality check comes when I put it up against my wife. I love my wife. Do I love her more than I love the Bible? Would I rather spend time with her than in the Word? I'm not saying that we should choose one or the other, but I am saying that we need to make sure that our priorities are correct and that if a choice has to be made, we would choose wisely.

When life gets hectic and events and circumstances crowd your schedule, whose time gets reduced, time with your spouse, or time with God in His Word?

I honestly can't think of a time that I have ever told my wife to wait while I finish my time in the Bible. In fairness to myself, I don't know that the situation has ever come up, but I think that I would probably choose wrongly!

I love the Bible, and one of the greatest joys of my life is helping others to fall in love with it as well. My hope is that I fall in love with it more myself!

Some People Just Get It, and Some Don't!

I have had two conversations in the past few days that shows me that some people get it, and some don't. It was actually a surprise as to which one got it.

A few days ago, I followed up with a pastor that I had spoken with about ministering to new believers. I had sent him the materials that we use here at Palm Valley Church and wanted to see how things were going. I speak with people from churches about our ministry to new believers every couple of months and I like to see how they have implemented a similar ministry where they are. This pastor shared that he wasn't able to implement anything because his elders thought they were doing just fine as they were. They just don't get it!

Yesterday, I got a call from an eighty year old lady who was so excited she could hardly stand it. She was at a friend's house this weekend and some other friends came and brought the Fresh Start Packet that they had just received at PVC that morning. In all of her years walking with Christ, she shared that she had never seen such a wonderful resource for new believers. She wants to have her pastor contact us to learn more. She gets it!

Ministering to new believers is different! It's often messy, and your heart will break hearing the stories of lives messed up by sin. But, it is so rewarding when you see the joy they have received in Christ! To see God work in people's lives and change them so completely is amazing. Most who come to us to grow in their faith have never even picked up a Bible, or if they have, they haven't read much and don't know much about it. What a privilege to come alongside these people to partner with them as they take their first steps in faith. It is humbling and often overwhelming to be used by God in this way.

The reward is walking around the church campus on a weekend and seeing the many who have come to Christ here and are now growing and serving. They are connected to Home Teams and Ministry Teams in every area of the church. To me, that is success. Unfortunately, there are still many who make a decision, but never begin walking with Christ. We still have so much to do! Fortunately, our ministry team gets it!

The Navy Has Arrived in Arizona!

OK, not the whole Navy, but one particular Navy Seal. Yesterday I had the privilege to pick up Chris from the airport and help him surprise his family with an unexpected visit. He shared with me how many people, when told he was heading to Arizona, asked him if he knew that we don't have an ocean here.

Chris has spent time in my home. He is a friend of Josh's, and he accepted Christ here at Palm Valley Church. He attended a New Believer Growth Group in my home and was baptized here. His father accepted Christ and was baptized at PVC too.

Chris is now in the Navy, going through Seal training. He told me that he may soon be sent to Iraq. There isn't much waterfront in Iraq, but I guess they make the most of it! As we drove, he shared his experiences and assured me that he is still strong in his faith. He shared the many ways his faith has been challenged, and how Satan had tried to convince him that he wasn't doing what God wanted him to do, and how he overcame those thoughts.

I am so proud of him! I am certainly proud that he is serving our country, but more importantly, he is serving God in what he does, and there is nothing more worthy than that, no matter what the job is!

It is such a privilege to get to see how this young man has grown in Christ. Praise God!

God Is Into Numbers

God is into numbers! That's why there is a book in the Bible entitled, "Numbers". Numbers matter because each number is a person whom God loves. Numbers matter because they represent the lives God has called us to serve and to minister to. It's not about the numbers, but the numbers remind us what it's about.

Having said that, here are some numbers that are important in my life right now:

15 - people are interested in the New Believer Growth Group starting Wednesday night
12 - people who are confirmed that they are coming to the NBGG
2 - people who were signed up for the NBGG one week ago

318 - people who have made some sort of decision at Palm Valley Church from the beginning of the year to the end of August
137 - people have gone to the Fresh Start table to learn more about their decision through August
70 - people have attended the Fresh Start Class through August
22% - of all decisions that have attended the FS Class
51% - of people who came to the FS table that have attended the FS Class
40 - people per month make a decision to connect or re-connect with God at PVC
17 - people per month come to the FS table to learn more about their decision
9 - people per month attend the FS Class

I know that our numbers for the New Believer Growth Group attendance are incorrect, so we will be working on those.

What this shows me is that God continues to change lives at Palm Valley Church! It shows me that people want to grow in their faith. It shows me that if they will come to the FS table, more than half will continue to the next step in their walk with Christ.

What these numbers also show me how much work we have still to do!

The numbers show me that 181 people didn't come to the FS table. The numbers show me that 67 people didn't take the next step after coming to the FS table.

Then, I am reminded that it is our job to plant seeds, and to water, as the Lord provides opportunity, but it is He that causes the growth. We are to be diligent in doing everything He leads us to do, to create opportunities for people to connect and grow in their faith, but it is God, working in the hearts of these people who draws them to Himself.

Our job is to remain faithful!

O Ye of Little Faith!

Early last week we only had two people signed up for our next New Believer Growth Group which begins Wednesday, September 17th. I sent an email to a couple of leaders asking them to think and pray with me about moving it back a couple of weeks.

I no sooner than hit the send button that the Holy Spirit nailed me for my lack of faith! People usually sign up at the last minute for these groups, so why was I giving up? I began to pray, first for forgiveness, then for God to bring people who wanted to grow in Him.

Every day since, we have had people sign up. How cool is that! Add to that the fact that we had 11 people come to the Fresh Start table after just the 8:30 and 10:00 services!

God continues to move in a big way around here and I just need to remember that the best place for me to be is on my knees. I need to continue to learn to trust the Holy Spirit's leading. When he leads us to set a launch date for a group, I need to trust that he will take care of who will be coming.

Praise God for his faithfulness!

Ultimate Fighter

Our new series here at Palm Valley Church is Ultimate Fighter. I'm not much of a UFC fan, though I have watched a couple of bouts. Having said that, I am a huge fan of this series! It gives us the opportunity to show men that they don't have to check their manhood at the door in order to follow Christ. Men who would never otherwise attend church are coming.

We had more men than women make decisions this week. That is so awesome!

The staging is spectacular. You really feel like you are at a UFC event. Putting the drums and guitar on 6' high platforms behind the octagon is huge!

Greg is so pumped about this series and you can see it in his preaching. Not that he ever takes a series off, but I know that this series has been percolating in him for a long time. It's cool to see it play out as he envisioned.

The vibe around church right now is cool. People are so excited to be inviting people, and when those people make decisions for Christ, they are really pumped.

I can't wait to see what happens next week!

Change Doesn't Just Happen

On occasion, God, by his miraculous power, will suddenly change us. When that happens it is awe inspiring. The thing is, that is the exception not the rule. We see over and over again in Scripture the stories of people who changed over time.

It is through God's power that we are changed, but it often takes time. Habits and personality traits that have been ingrained for years, are difficult to change. We are urged in the Bible to be "transformed by the renewing of our mind". That happens by focusing on Christ, studying and knowing his Word, and applying it to our lives.

It also means strategic focus on key areas we are seeking to change. For most of my Christian life I have desired to bear the spiritual fruit of gentleness. I am often like a bull in a china shop (I know that comes as a surprise to those who know me), yet I know the trait exists within me because I have seen it many times. For whatever reason, God has chosen not to suddenly make me a gentle person. A couple of months ago, I decided to make a concerted effort in the coming year to focus on this area of my life. I have even done some counseling to begin the journey. I have purchased some books to work through and am studying Scripture on the topic. It will take time, and prayer.

Why would God use someone who isn't gentle in ministry? I often ask that question myself. Then God shows me the countless "idiots" in the Bible that he used to do significant work for his kingdom.

In what area of your life do you wish to change? Are you working on it, just wishing God would suddenly change you? If you have prayed for him to change you, and you haven't changed, he is telling you that you need to struggle through it. When we struggle with things, our faith grows, our perseverance grows, and we are better able to help others with the struggle. As Greg says, "Our greatest area of weakness is potentially our greatest area of ministry."

Thank God every day that he is still willing to use you. I do!

Great Teaching

Yesterday we had a Leadership Development Day which in itself is a cool idea. In other churches I have been at, we called it the Leadership Community. It is a gathering of our full-time staff and our volunteer staff (key ministry leaders who we see as staff members). Greg did a great job teaching and we watched a video from Andy Stanley. Andy is one of the best speakers of our time, though he goes a little fast for taking notes!

Andy's talk was on integrity as a leader. It was great stuff and so important. One thing he said that really stuck out to me is, "An open door isn't necessarily an invitation from God." That's pretty profound. We often judge answered prayer by this factor. If a door opens, we assume that we are to go through it. He said to weigh every opportunity against these three measures:

1. The Law of God
2. The Principles of God
3. The Wisdom of God

It may seem right, put if you step back and think for a moment, and weigh it against these three principles, you will be clearer if it is from God or not. There are many things which seem right to man. Sometimes it is a good opportunity, but not in God's timing. We may be short circuiting God's plan if we take the easy way out, and end up missing an opportunity to see his power in action.

Good News - Bad News

After waiting for nearly three months, I finally saw a back specialist yesterday. I was looking forward to coming up with a game plan, whatever it entailed, to get my back so that I could function more fully. It has gotten so bad that sometimes I have to ride around on the scooters when shopping. I usually can't stand for very long without the pressure in my back becoming overwhelming. Adding this to the rest of my ailments has been very limiting.

I took two sets of MRI films for comparison. My back continues to get worse, even though I have done traction, physical therapy and exercise, taking supplements, changed my diet, epidurals, and various medications.

So, the good news was that I don't need surgery at this point. Praise God! I wasn't looking forward to that prospect, but I wanted a solution. The bad news is that there isn't anything more beyond what we are doing that we can do. In fact, it appears that the Fibromyalgia is making it worse and is a major source of the pain.

I was so frustrated! All that I could think of was Paul when God refused to take away his "thorn" and told him, "My grace is sufficient for you." I know that Lord, but in my humanness I was hopeful and praying for a different result.

So what now? Paige wants me to cut back a little bit more, but I'm not sure where I would do that. Nor am I sure that it would be of additional help to how much I have already cut back. I am praying for guidance and wisdom right now and trusting that God's grace is indeed sufficient. I do know that I will continue to do all that he gives me strength to do. He compels me to do what I am doing, and I find great joy in working with new believers and the other things I do around here at Palm Valley. Pain or no pain, I will serve him and praise him as long as he gives me breath, and even then, I am sure that I will serve him in heaven.

Olympic Politics

OK, I'm going political. We are having a blast watching the Olympics. Michael Phelps is amazing and fun to watch. The contrast of the men's and women's gymnastics teams is profound.

I am certainly disappointed with the whole women's gymnastics fiasco. I'm not saying that the girls deserved to win, because they made enough mistakes that they didn't earn it. I am wondering however, about the ages of the Chinese gymnasts. There are reports with "evidence" (not seen) that at least two of the girls aren't actually old enough to compete. The IOC's response is that since they showed a passport with the appropriate age, that they meet the standard, and won't investigate.

I'm not really commenting about that whole thing, but what I want to mention is the way that teams, including the USA have chosen to handle the situation. No one has filed an official protest, so there is no reason for the IOC to investigate further. Even if the reports are true, we may never know, and always wonder.

What I see in this though, is the decision to focus on the greater purpose. China is beginning to open its doors to the world. They have welcomed people from around the world to see them in action (even if there are some smoke and mirror tricks). The USA and other countries have chosen to pick their battles wisely. They see the greater purpose in encouraging China to open up, rather than to challenge them at every turn.

I commend our teams, who are often seen as arrogant snobs, for their care and graciousness in a variety of situations that could be real controversies. I even love that when the French relay team was talking smack, our guys just went out and beat them, and didn't say anything in response.

When we work with new believers it is often messy. People come to Christ with lots of baggage. The focus isn't on getting their lives cleaned up, it is on drawing them closer to Christ so that he can change their hearts, and lives, in his timing. Sometimes you have to bite your tongue, but there is a greater purpose - Leading them to become fully devoted followers of Christ!

Hebrew Fun

My office looks like an explosion of Hebrew linguistics took place. What began as a simple study of the concept of stewardship exploded into Greek and Hebrew word studies and a new view of work.

In Genesis 2:15 it says that God placed man in the garden to tend and care for it. It sounds simple enough, that is, until you dive in to see what that really means.

The Hebrew word that we translate "tend" means to "work". This is before the fall. Work is not a curse from the Lord. God cursed the land (See Genesis 3:17).

To care for the land means "to take great care". In other words, it is like tending to something precious. Think about caring for a baby. It is work, but not drudgery. And, you don't just care for a baby like a babysitter does, you take extra special care because it is yours and means something special to you.

I have long understood that we are to work "as to the Lord", but I had never thought of work in the context of worship. Think about it. Isn't honoring what God created a way to honor the creator? Isn't taking special care of what he has entrusted to you a form of worship? If so, then our work is a form of worship. As we go about our day, doing the "tasks" necessary in our jobs, we are actually expressing our love for God.

Being a steward is simply another form of worship, like singing and praying. Take special care in what you do to honor God through it!

Drug OD

Yesterday was a strange day! About midway through our 8:30 service, I still couldn't cool down from being outside (It wasn't even that hot!). My vision started doing weird things. I wasn't feeling bad, which made it that much more puzzling. By the end of service I couldn't see strait and I was a bit woozy. There was huge pressure on my eyes. It was like I was wearing someone else's glasses. I wasn't dizzy, but I was very confused at what was happening.

Paige took me home. She and Ryan helped me to the car. Once I got home I went strait to bed. Paige put some cool wet cloths on me to cool my body down (though I didn't think that I was overheated). I slept for a while.

Throughout the day my vision slowly got better, but wasn't clear until this morning. I had some bouts with nausea and feeling flush. Cool wet cloths helped.

Food went down fine. After dinner, when I took my evening medications, I was thinking that I was short one. Of course it wasn't until after I took them that I thought to take inventory.

So, I think that I took an extra pill in the morning. I'm not sure which one, but I think I double dosed myself. I basically OD'd!

It was scary to say the least. It was really scary for Paige. I hated missing out on what God did at church the rest of the day, but I have a great ministry team who covered things just fine without me!

I'm a little hung over today, but back at it. I'll be hitting Walgreen's at lunch to get a pill organizer to keep my medications separated.

Praise God for his protection!

Blog Break is Over!

After taking a break from blogging for the past month, it's time to get back at it. I took a break for a number of reasons.
1 - I was crazy busy! Not that I'm not busy now, but during the break we moved, and life in general was just KAOS.
2 - I was spending some extra time talking with God, and listening.
3 - Blogging became tedious and I want it to be meaningful to me, and to those who read it.

So, I felt that it was time to dive back in. God has been showing me a lot and has been doing mighty things in my life and around me in the lives of others that I know.

Thanks for reading!

Stork Season!

No, we aren't having any more kids, but it seems everyone around us is!

It started with Derrick and Kim welcoming Jude. Then, Michael and Heidi brought home Harrison. Mike and Jeanette brought home Dani. The latest is Daniel and Violet who just welcomed Riley last night. It looks like there are about 20 at church that are close to delivery as well. It sure is keeping the stork's busy! The score is currently 2 and 2 and Brent and Jessica are expecting too.

It's raining babies!

Congratulations to all!

Vacation Time!

Starting tomorrow, I will be on vacation until July 12th! I am so ready. It will be a combination vacation. We will spend a few days at home (mostly packing to move), and a couple of days out of town. We'll celebrate Paige's birthday on the 4th (along with the rest of the country) here in town.

We aren't taking the boys with us, but we are heading to cool country for a couple of days at the beginning of next week. Sedona has become our favorite escape location. It isn't a long drive, but it is far enough away that we can disconnect. It will be about 90, but that is still 20-25 degrees cooler than here. I can't wait to spend the time alone with Paige just hanging out together, celebrating God's creation.

When we get home, we're going to be doing the first stage of our move back to our Palm Valley house. With my back the way it is, I can't do any woodworking, so we are putting most of my tools and equipment in storage to make more room in the garage. I hope that I can one day get back to my toys! We will do the main move with movers in a couple more weeks.

By the way, today is my sister-in-law Terri's birthday, so happy birthday sis!

Boys to Men

Let me make it clear up front, this post is not about a boy band!

I just wanted to take a moment to say how proud I am of the young men my boys have become! You can never say that you are proud of them enough, nor can you ever tell them that you love them enough, but I try, and not just verbally.

We have been blessed by God to have two amazing sons. We have been fortunate to not have had some of the struggles that many families face, and we are thankful to God for that. Joshua and Caleb both love Jesus, and that is what matters most.

Joshua is wise and caring. He is amazing to watch as he interacts with people. He works at Family Christian Stores and is being trained for management. He has many regular customers. I love the stories he tells about people he meets. I love when he calls to get advise or a recommendation for someone he is helping. He is also a sports nut like me, but even more so (He can rattle off stats of baseball players from the 1920's!). He is so fun to go to a game with because he knows the smallest details about most of the players - of almost any sport! Yes, he's still single and living at home, but I know God has great plans for him. He just took a week off of work to help with kids camp and had a blast. He even painted his head when he got back as a "reward" to the kids. He devours books like no one I know. I love just hanging out with him.

Caleb is creative and deep. His artistic ability constantly astounds me, in any medium, including computer work. He is our thinker. He contemplates what he is learning about God and how he can apply it to his life. He is now a junior at Southwestern College (how time flies). He spends most of his free time working on things for church. He leads the tech ministry for our KidZone. I know God has huge plans for him. He has a lady friend, but we will have to see what God has in store for him. He is a movie buff (as is Joshua), and he is hysterically funny when he recites lines from movies (not just then, but especially then). I wouldn't be surprised to see him become a para-military youth pastor!

Both boys can work on their own cars and have a good grasp on fixing things and using tools (I'm very proud of that fact!). They love hanging out together, which at times we wondered if they wouldn't kill each other before getting to this stage. We are so glad that they have grown together. I used to say that they were the worst of enemies and the best of friends. I am so thankful that the best of friends part has won out! They both are deeply insightful and so fun to talk with. Conversations on family vacations have always been more than entertaining.

I know that they both will carry a legacy of faith into their own families, and know that they will be great dads and husbands.

OK, I think that I have embarrassed them enough!

The Battle Within

God revealed to me this weekend why I struggle so much in one area of my life. For nearly all of my younger years, until I was about thirty, I was focused on succeeding in life to impress my father. It seemed that nothing I could do made him proud, at least he lever expressed it if he was. I went from sport to sport, job to job, trying to be the best so that I would get noticed. I was only successful at a couple of sports, but that didn't do it. I was very successful at just about everything I did in business (primarily in engineering and manufacturing). At about thirty, I realized that I was focused on pleasing the wrong person and began focusing on pleasing God and my wife Paige.

I was meditating on the Apostle Paul's teaching that we must decrease and he must increase in our lives. I realized that even though my desire is to have Christ magnified in my life, I still struggle with a desire to be recognized for achieving and being successful. The Bible teaches that we are to do all things for God's glory and to work hard for him. The battle is apparent when I receive praise for a job well done. One part of my brain says that it's one more success story, while another part is humbly praising God for using me to accomplish His purposes.

I don't even think that it's a pride thing. I don't think that I'm saying look at me, for my glory; I think I am still crying to get noticed in some ways. So, the battle rages on. I want so desperately to be used by God, and it encourages me when people can see that happening, but at the same time I cling to the successes as if they make me matter.

I know that this is brutally honest, but as I embark on a journey to end the war, I would appreciate your prayers. I thought that I had resolved the self-esteem issues some time ago, but obviously not. It's time to resolve this.

Goin' Down Memory Lane

I'm going through my bookshelves and getting rid of a lot of books from my early ministry days and youth pastor days. It brought up a lot of memories, mostly good. I also ran across a three inch notebook filled with a project I did for ONE of my master's degree classes. Looking through it I couldn't believe how much work that was, and that it was only for one class. Looking through it I could easily see how much different we do church here at Palm Valley Church. I'm sure that there are still plenty of churches that function the way the church I analyzed eighteen years ago did, but PVC certainly isn't one of them, and our community is better for it.

I even found some magazines from my Kart racing days with pictures of me at Ontario Motor Speedway where we ran an exhibition for the California 500 Indy car race. Boy does that bring back a lot of memories! That was back in the late 70's - man, I am getting OLD! It was cool to see the picture of my niece Jennifer with her "Lewis Brothers Racing" t-shirt on (she was about 1 - totally cute!). Those were good times, except for the fact that neither God, nor Paige, were in my life at the time.

Ministry to New Believers - Correcting a Mistake

I was wrong. I know that comes as a shock, but I made a mistake this past weekend that I have already taken steps to correct going forward.

This past weekend we had our Fresh Start Class. Usually we off the class on Saturday and on Sunday. In the past, once we added a Saturday night class, we offered the Saturday class every other month. This past fall, we added a second Saturday service. For Fresh Start, we began offering the class two times each month, and on Saturday once per month. This proved too often to have more than one or two in the class, so we went back to once per month with both Saturday and Sunday classes.

With the beginning of summer here, I thought I would pull back the Saturday class and in June and July, only offer the Sunday class. I got an email this last week from someone who attends Saturday night and works on Sundays. She wanted to attend the FS class. The Holy Spirit convicted me. Even though sometimes no one comes to the Saturday night class, we need to offer it every month, especially since we now have two services.

Yesterday I made sure that we added the Saturday classes to the calendar. One major reason we have Saturday services is because some people can't attend on Sunday. If they can't attend on Sunday, then they can't come to a class then either! This is a good lesson to learn. We can't offer things when we want, we need to offer things when they are needed.

From now on, we will offer both the Saturday and Sunday class each month. Lesson learned.

Sheep vs Dogs

Have you ever wondered why God calls us sheep instead of dogs? Think about it. The Bible uses sheep to illustrate people constantly. Why doesn't he use dogs as the metaphor?

Because sheep are dumb! Sheep follow blindly, even though they can see. Hmmm, didn't Jesus talk about seeing, yet not seeing? Sheep need constant attention, are minimally trainable (if at all really), and they smell funny. People are the same. That's why you have to cast vision constantly, model consistently, and equip regularly.

Why not dogs? Dogs are trainable, see things and hear things most don't, and dogs follow wisely. You can equip dogs to do amazing things. Dogs can think and reason (to a point). Once a dog is trained, it remembers what it has been taught.

As much as we want to be like dogs, alas, we are like sheep. God knows this, yet loves us anyway. Praise God!

Summer Time!

Summer is here! OK, not officially, but schools are either out or about to be out, and people are planning vacations to get out of the heat (It’s coming!). As a kid, I loved summer. I loved running through the sprinklers (pools were a rarity in my so-cal neighborhood), playing games with friends. The greatest thing about summer was hanging out with friends. I still love hanging out with friends. Darius mentioned this in his message this last weekend. We need to take the opportunity to focus on relationships this summer. I can’t think of anything better than to focus on my relationships with those I serve with.

On a similar note, who are you building relationships with this summer? Another of my hopes is to get to know more people with cultural and ethnic backgrounds different from my own. I grew up in a very white neighborhood. In fact, I didn’t even know anyone with another cultural or ethnic background until I was an adult. I also hope that we can add some cultural diversity to our team. We live in a diverse area, with people with heritage from all over the world. We need to embrace that, and reach out to those who look different than us. We also need to make sure that when people of various backgrounds come to the Fresh Start Table, they will see that we are diverse as well. That has huge welcoming impact! This isn’t a political thing; it’s a Biblical/cultural thing. Jesus told us to go to “all the world”. The phrase he used actually means to “all the ethnics”. In other words, it means to go to every people group and every culture. We have many cultures and ethnic groups represented here at Palm Valley Church. Let’s start here.

Working Out!

Let me just say that I have never been much a workout fan. I would much rather get exercise having fun, and staring at the wall while walking or running on a treadmill isn't my definition of fun! I have to say though, that today was pretty cool. In physical therapy today, Pablo "pushed" me to do more than I thought I could, and I'm glad. I've committed to pushing through as much pain as I can stand to try to break through to better health. I wasn't sure about my ability to work out today at all because the myofacial pain in my ribs and sternum were up pretty high, but I was able to push through it. I have a couple of specific goals that I am working on, so I just focused on them, and charged ahead.

While working on my lower back and in traction, I was also working on building strength back up in my arms (kind of a funny thought since my arms have never really been very strong). It must have looked like I was on a medieval rack with my lower body strapped to weights on one end, and my arms hanging on to weights at the other, stretching me out (I joked after that I gained 5 inches).

After the traction and weights I thought I was done, but Pablo had other ideas! He put me on a treadmill for ten minutes (he first said 5, but I was surprisingly doing pretty well, so I went 5 more). I was worried about my knees, since they usually scream at me when I do things like that. It felt good to really work my whole body today, it's been a long time.

The big test will be whether or not I can move tomorrow. I hope so, so that I can keep progressing. I'm still unsure if all this is helping my back, but I'm sure trying.

Finally, Good News from a Doctor!

I had a conduction test done last week. If you don't know what that is, it's like volunteering for the electric chair. Josh even told me to make sure they used a wet sponge (See the movie the Green Mile if you don't know what this means). Basically, they connect electrodes to one end of a nerve and give it an electrical charge to determine possible nerve damage. Since I have been having some leg problems that seemed nerve related, this test was needed.

Before getting to the results, here's the latest on the rest of the health front. Surgery on my arm went well, though I was frustrated that I wasn't back to normal after three days (Paige nailed me on that!). The MRI on my lower back showed that it is getting worse. Last time I had a torn disk. Now that disk is beginning to bulge and two more are torn. Blood tests showed suddenly high cholesterol and sugar levels, so I'm on a pill for that and a huge diet change (That I'm hating!). We have three months to get it in line or more drastic measures will be taken. I'm not diabetic, but close. The sudden number jump scared the Dr. enough that he was surprised that I wasn't having chest pains and ordered an immediate EKG. Everything is fine there.

The results are in. While there is some nerve damage, most of the damage that is symptomatic is reversible. Finally, some good news! I began therapy to strengthen my back and now I am doing traction (which feels good during, but not later when the back realizes what's been done to it!). The obvious hope is to avoid surgery, so I am working hard!

As for church, I have had to stop doing set-up and tear-down which is nice, but it's hard dealing with the feeling that I'm not pulling my weight while the rest of our staff is working so hard. My goal is to be able to help out again beginning in August, which is when it really gets hot. Not excited about the heat, but want to be helpful if I can.

My focus this year is to get fixed the things that can be fixed, so my arm may not be my last surgery. My body is falling apart faster as I grow older and I have to shake the idea that I just have to accept it. Some things can't change unless God intervenes (which I would gladly welcome!), but those things that now with better technology and processes possibly can, I want to try and change.

I appreciate all the prayers and encouragement I have gotten to this point. Please keep it up!

One Prayer

One prayer. It sounds so simple. What is your one prayer for the church throughout the world? During the month of June we will be joining 800+ other churches for a four week series called One Prayer. You can learn more about it here http://www.oneprayer.com/.

It's hard to narrow it down to just one. In Jesus' prayer in John 17 he prayed that we would be one, united in our love for God and for one another. It doesn't get any simpler yet so difficult as that. It doesn't get any more important than that either. If the church isn't united in its love for God and its love for each other, how will the world come to know Him? Every prayer then, is a subset of Jesus' prayer for without unity we have nothing.

It's going to be amazing to know that churches all over the world will be joining in this series. It's going to be interesting to see what aspect of this prayer other churches focus on. I can't wait!

Rick Warren

I remember the first time I visited Saddleback church and heard Rick Warren speak. The church was still meeting at a high school. Since that time, I have visited the church a number of times. I used to live about 20-30 minutes from the church. I have seen the church grow in numbers and influence.

Yesterday, I got the chance to hear some new stuff from Rick along with most of our staff. As is often the case, I was really challenged. He was speaking from 2 Corinthians chapter 4. Here are some things that really hit me:

1 - This was actually a quote by Jerry Falwell. Regardless of what you think of Falwell, this rocked me. Paraphrasing, he said that greatness is determined by what it takes to discourage you. I really need to work on this in my life. I get so discouraged over several things, mostly beyond my control. I need to do a better job in this area.
2 - You lose perspective when your're tired. This really applies right now. I haven't slept much since surgery last week and it's really affecting my ability to stay focused and think clearly.
3 - God's pupose is greater than your problems. This is a great reminder! I do the best I can in this area, often pushing myself a little too hard and then paying the price. I mostly think of physical problems here, but life struggles apply greatly. I do better focusing on his purpose over my life problems than I do with my physical problems.
4 - Make time for daily renewal. Divert daily, withdraw weekly, and take time for yearly abandonment. I need to start getting together with some other pastors in my area to encourage and pray for them, and allow them to do the same for me.

Rick always makes you think. There are several other points that I need to reflect on, but these I need to work on.

Theology - Big Words!

I don't often get into heavy theological studies, but I have been drawn to take another look at what I believe about some things. I think we all need to challenge ourselves in this area from time to time. The deep study is good, especially when I often don't go deep in my daily devotions.

So, I've been looking at big words like sacerdotalism, christology, soteriology, and other concepts that often divide churches. I've been spending some time looking at Calvinism and Armenianism especially. I don't fit neatly into either tradition, but always seek to understand the views of both more fully.

The problem comes when we go beyond what is clear to what is not and become dogmatic about what is not. Great theologians have debated some key issues for centuries without clear resolution or agreement. Many would rather fight than to admit that they may not have answers to everything. There are viewpoints that I hold, that I can defend, but I also admit that there are a few passages that I don't have all of the answers to.

It is important to me that we be unified where we can be, and give grace where we can't. This doesn't mean that I don't have conviction about by beliefs, but it does mean that I am not willing to split the church over most of them. The bottom line is, are we doing what Jesus sent us to do? Are we fulfilling the great commission with the great commandment? How we do it doesn't matter nearly as much as whether or not we are doing it!

We don't have to prove each other wrong, but we should challenge each other to continue to grow in their faith, knowledge, and obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Update

OK, it's been too long since I have posted, but not as long as some of my friends and fellow staff members!

Since my last post I had surgery on my arm (doing OK), and we had nearly 2800 people on the weekend at PVC! No the two aren't related other than seeing God work in both situations.

We're nearly finished with the two NBGG groups that Mark and Debbie are leading. Dennis and I had the opportunity to visit last week and the growth is very cool to see! It was great for another staff member to see what's happening with our new believers, they don't always get to see the results like my team does.

We're heading into summer and instead of slowing down, we're cranking it up. June will be interesting with the "One Prayer" series. It will be cool to experience the teaching of some outside of PVC's gifted speakers. It will also be good for Greg to have a long break!

We have some tweaks coming in our New Believer ministry and some expansion plans too. This past weekend we had three potential coaches observing to see if this is where God wants them serving. It's great to see people coming to the table and asking what it takes to serve in this area.

Today I am having a conduction test done to evaluate nerve damage in my lover back and legs. Think of it as volunteering for the electric chair! OK, it's not that bad, but the test hurts, and yes they are electrocuting you in the process. This better help them solve some problems I am having!

Covenant Marriage

For me, I thought all marriages were covenant marriages. According to the state of Arizona, there is a difference, and I am glad. With the high rate of divorce in this country, I am glad that there is at least an attempt by this state to reduce that number.

A covenant marriage is a step beyond a normal wedding. To receive a covenant marriage license, the couple must complete pre-marital counseling (supported by a notarized certification by the clergy or other person doing the counseling). After the marriage, before a couple can divorce, they must go through counseling.

It doesn't prevent divorce, but it will hopefully reduce it. The one thing that I wish they would change, is that right now, anyone can officiate a wedding in AZ. I wish that they would limit that to licensed clergy and officials of the court. I think that would help reduce the divorce rate as well.

Saturday night I will officiate my first covenant marriage. I personally know the couple and am excited for them. I am also proud that they are taking this extra step and giving their marriage a good foundation for success.

Another way to reduce divorce is to eliminate the term from your vocabulary. If you don't view it as an out, then when troubles come, you have no choice but to work things out. That's not easy or popular, if we made divorce more difficult, less couples would take marriage so lightly.

Next!

After God showed up so hugely this weekend, it would be natural to take a break. It would be easy to sit back and reflect on the joy of this past weekend when 136 people went public with their faith by being baptized. But we can't!

Last weekend was one victory in a great war. It was one battle in the epic battle of Christ vs Satan. We got the privilege of witnessing God's power at work, and the evil one was powerless to stop it!

The war rages on. We don't have time to reflect on the battle won, we must prepare for the next one. We must equip as many as we can to stand up to the enemy and be victorious in their everyday lives.

So, what's next? This weekend is the Fresh Start Class. It will be Saturday at 5pm and Sunday at 10am. And so it continues. The preparation for the next battle. Reflection is necessary, and we will spend some time doing that today, but then we must move on. We must prepare for the next one.

As much as we rejoice in 136 baptized this weekend, we need to notice the thousands who are still without a relationship with Jesus Christ. So, we press on. We prepare others for battle. One thing you will notice though, is a bit quicker step, a broader smile on our faces, and a renewed vigor to accomplish the task before us.

Next!

Satan Fails Again

It was last Friday, on my day off, as I was working on some things for the weekend (yeah, sometimes a day off isn't, but when it isn't, it is almost always very worth it!). That's when it started. These thoughts started coming into my head.

First, let me say that I am reading the book Wild at Heart. It's taking me some time to get through because there are several issues that it has raised for me that I thought I had dealt with, but realize that I haven't fully. I know that Caleb loves this book, and now I know why. it's a must read for every man, and young man. Thoughts on the book are for a different post, but if you've read the book you'll understand this post that much more.

The thoughts were powerful. The first one, "what are you good for?" is one that I have had numerous times in my life. It's my Achilles heal and Satan knows it. With many things from my past, and the physical challenges I face, this is a constant challenge. I have battled back by calling it a checkpoint. When it comes, I can re-evaluate what God has done and is doing in my life.

The second thought was, "You don't preach anymore, and you don't sing anymore either. You don't..." It's a battle of pride and I know it. I miss preaching, but I know that there is no way that I could physically preach more than one or two services. My voice is gone, and while there are moments when I can still sing beautifully, I am very inconsistent, and there are ranges that I can no longer hit. That's reality!

The thoughts keep coming. My memory doesn't work the same since my stroke, so how could I help other churches.

I know where these thoughts were coming from, and why. This weekend was baptism, and God was getting ready to do something huge (and he did!). I have heard these thoughts enough that I had a response.

Philippians 1:6 says that God is continuing to shape me into what he wants me to be, and he won't stop until he is finished. That's a promise that I cling to every moment of every day. The other thoughts? Those aren't my role now. God used me to do those things in the past, and I don't know if he'll use them in me again, but what he has me doing now is important because it is what he has called me to for this season in my life. Sure, I hope that I get the opportunity to share what I have learned, and am learning, about working with new and returning believers with other churches, but mostly, I just want to do what I am doing better and better.

The other stuff just doesn't matter any more! As long as I can get out of bed, I will serve him, and if or when I can't, I will still praise his name. He certainly has done a great work in me, and I thank him for not being finished. I don't know what he has planned for me in five or ten years, but for now, I am thrilled to get to do what I am doing.

Satan tried to discourage me. He tried to get me focusing on my past rather than on the present. he tried to get me focused on me, not on Him. It didn't work, the weekend was awesome, and Satan failed...again!