20% of children in Page Co live in poverty

It is so hard for be to believe this, but it’s true. 20% of the children in the county we live in, live in poverty. So what are we doing about it? As a church one of the things we did this year was called the Jerusalem project. This month specifically we adopted 3 local families from our community and we gave them a lot of great gifts. Melissa and I went shopping on Saturday for these children and it means so much to us to be able to do this for these families. We also gave Southwest Iowa Families some thank you cards and a check for $500 to bless them and all they do to try to see families thrive in our community. We are so glad to be able to partner with them in their goal to strengthen families and teach them life skills as well as so many other things.

We have done this for 3 years now as a church and we pray for these families that God would use us to bless them and most of all that they would know who Jesus is. Please take a second to pray for these families and the many families in our community who are without this season. Thank you so much.

differences

People are different. People do things in different ways. I am not telling you anything new, but what I do find interesting is that we all know everyone is different and has different experiences, yet we somehow think they should act or live just like us. Now, why wouldn’t we want people to live just like us (speaking generally, not about me)? If we are all honest, I think we all think we are doing it the right way, and for the most part everyone else is doing it wrong. Not in all cases, but in a lot of cases. The reason why we believe this is because we have always done it this way. We all have traditions and ways of doing things that no one else does and that makes us unique. Now I am all for doing personal and unique things with your family. I do think as a family you should have your own family traditions. We all have differences. So what do we do with them? Do we have to change for everyone else? Does everyone else have to change for us? What if the answer is neither? What if we just be who we are and we do our best to do the right things for us. What is right for one family may not be right for another. Now, I will say we all have areas we can grow in, but sometimes we have to worry less about what people or families or others may say about us or think about us and live our lives. Now, use godly wisdom and seek his direction. Pray in all things, but all in all, be you.

loving snow and loving God

Over the past couple days it has been interesting to see how people have reacted to this snow storm. A couple of days ago before the storm came many people talked about how they loved snow and were excited that it was coming. I am a lover of the snow as well so I joined in with them. After the 14 or so inches of snow we got along with the huge drifts from the wind blowing up to 25 mph’s, many people have begun to complain. In just two days they went from I can’t wait, the snow is so beautiful to yuck, I just wish it would go away.

It reminds me a lot of the way people are towards God. They love him on Sunday’s especially, but they really love Him when they want something. I was talking with our teen class on Sunday and I asked do you pray more when things are going well, or when they are going bad. It was a resounding “when things are going bad”. We are all about God and His goodness when things are going well, but He is the first thing we put on the shelf when things are going bad and all we do is complain about “why God doesn’t hear or answer my prayer” or how God must not “love me” anymore, because if He did, He wouldn’t allow me to go through this. So, here is what I say. Either love snow and all that comes with it, or don’t go around saying you love it, but complain about the things you don’t like about it. Either love God and all that comes with Him or don’t go around saying you love Him, yet complaining about all the things He doesn’t do. Fair weather fans, PUN INTENDED!!!

6 to the double 0

This is my 600th post. I can’t believe I have posted that many blogs. It has truly been a journey. Sometimes I look at this as a journal. It’s a way for me to share what is on my heart and to just vent. I know I have done my share of both and I am glad anyone reads it at this point. I like to look back over previous blogs and see how my life has changed in the past 3 years. Let’s see, new church, new wife (not that I had an old one) and now a baby girl. So much has changed and I have been able to share it with people in a lot of different places. I love using my blog to connect with people, encourage people and occasionally to share my humor.

Long story short, the last three years have been very amazing for me. I have had ups and downs and I am thankful for all of them. The tough times have been rough, but God has truly gone with me and I am thankful.

So, I am going to keep blogging and hopefully you will keep reading. God bless you.

repentance

Today we talked about repentance. Repentance is more than just saying you are sorry. I talked about why we need to repent and why we don’t repent. I felt like God was pointing us towards getting things right with Him as we enter into this time. Listen to the message here.

a must trust

Today I am finding myself trusting in the Lord more than ever. The reason I have this trust is because He has proven Himself faithful in all things. This year has had it’s ups and downs and it has been great at times and it has been very difficult at times, but at the end of the day I lay my head on my pillow with trust that the Lord is at work. Too many times when we go through things people buckle under the pressure. They give up. They give in. I have been there and I have done that many times. Luckily for me God is gracious and kind to me. He has proven Himself to me time and time again. Not just this year, but over my life even when I didn’t love Him.

What I have learned this year is that there are many time “a must trust” is necessary. When you don’t see God or feel Him, you just HAVE to trust Him. There have been times where without Him I have no clue what would have happened. I know trusting in Him is difficult, but I can attest to you, whatever the situation is, you CAN trust Him. He will be there. He is trustworthy. He is faithful. PLACE YOUR TRUST IN HIM.

viral issues

As some of you have seen on my Twitter account I have not been feeling great the past couple days. I went to the dr. this morning and he thinks it is something viral. I am praying that he is right. He gave me some pills to take for the next couple days and if they work, they it will be ok, if not, I have to go back on Friday afternoon and get some x-rays. Please pray with me that it’s the viral thing and the medicine takes care of it.

Thank you for all of your prayers and encouragement.

my wife

From time to time I will talk about my family on my blog and today I am going to talk about my wife. Some people don’t know that my wife left a paid ministry position to come to be my wife (which is not a paid position). She had been very involved in her church and youth for several years and she left all that to come down to Clarinda. She is very involved in our church in many ways. She helps in so many areas, and most of them are behind the scene things that no one sees except for God and occasionally myself. She is the vision behind all of our Christmas decorations and set up and and how wonderful our sanctuary looks. She loves to decorate and be creative even when it comes to wrapping silverware for things we do. She does so much at our church. She does it for God and because she wants to see God do great things at our church. I could not do what I am able to do down here without her. She has been such an amazing ministry partner. I would not want to be on this adventure with anyone else. The good thing is that even if people in church forget to, or I forget to acknowledge all of the wonderful things that she does, God sees them and He will reward her for everything one day. I wish I could be there on that day because the reward will be great and deserved. I haven’t even started to talk about how great of a job she does at home with Alora and in being married to me. I am blessed.

highs and lows

Everyone is going to go through highs and lows. Everyone is going to have great things happen in their lives. Everyone is going to have horrible things happen in their lives. What I have noticed is two responses.

One is from people who press in and get closer to God and look at the situation from a healthy perspective. Who realize that life is difficult, nothing is promised and we have to acknowledge God in everything we do.

Others choose to run or quit. They stop going to church. They stop giving. They stop serving. They don’t draw close to God, but they try to rely on themselves and they don’t acknowledge God for anything.

These are people who have probably heard a message at one time saying “once you give your life to God, everything will be great” or “just put God first in your marriage and it will be perfect” or “train your child in the way he should go and he will not stray from it”. I know people who have given their lives to God, who have put God first and who have trained their kids up in the way they should go and everything in life isn’t perfect, their marriage is difficult and they have adult children who don’t serve God even though they took them to church almost every Sunday and Wed. night.

So what do you do? What you do is Matthew 5:3 – blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God. When things are going well and you have great health, thank God and bless His name. When your health is bad, still thank God that He is good and believe in Him for healing. When things are going well or not so well we need to acknowledge our need for him. He will hear us.

trip recap

As most of you know I went to Dallas last Friday through Sunday. Here is a quick recap of my trip. Friday morning we left at 6 and drove till 4. We got to Dallas and then we got all showered up and went to the Dallas Mavericks game. After the game we drove around to places, my favorite was the grassy knoll and the exact street JFK drove down when he was assassinated. (not that he was assassinated, but I drove down a street that has so much history) Saturday we got up and watched the Hawkeyes go 10-2. Then we drove around Dallas for a while. I went to Fellowship Church (Ed Young). Then we went to chapel with the Cowboys. It was awesome to sit in the same room as some of the coaches and players. I also met a pastor friend of the guy we stayed with who was really cool. Sunday we got up and went to the Dallas game. It was a boring game, the total was 7-6, but they won. Then we drove back and arrived home around 3:30 a.m. It was a great trip. I posted some pictures on my blog yesterday and on my facebook account. Check them out here.