Thursday, April 30, 2009

Ways to Get Refreshed

Today I had a buddy stop in my office and he is in a time of seeking God in a big way. I wanted to give him some scripture that refresh me and some things I do to get refreshed. Here is that list:

Some Good Scripture that I recommend:
1 Samuel 3
Ester 4:12-16
Matt. 9:35-38
Psalm 15 (I like to pray this one about myself)
1 Kings 19:21
2 Samuel 23:8-39 (I love this stuff)
Matt 11:12
James 1 (entire chapter)
Philippians 2:1-18

Some things I recommend:
1) Get some rest
2) Eat healthy
3) Take a hike: spend some time in prayer up there (like on a mountain)
4) Watch Braveheart or Patriot or Gladiator
5) Sleep in

Hope that this helps, or maybe you can add some things that help refresh you

Sunday, April 26, 2009

School: Plan to Graduate

So as part of my class at Tozer Seminary I needed to write out my plan to graduate. I appreciate the leadership at the school getting me to think through what I need to take to graduate. Here is what I think I will be taking (I changed this up a little from what I submitted in my final paper):

Summer 2009:
Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Life and Thought & Global Issues in Evangelism

Fall 2009:
Christian Spiritual Formation & Elective: Congregational Care

Spring 2010:
Contemporary Culture & Elective: Marriage and Family Counseling

Summer 2010:
Small Groups and Discipleship & Equipping People for Ministry

Fall 2010:
Personal Health and Growth in Ministry

Spring 2011:
Christian Communication & Elective: World Religions

Summer 2011:
Principles of Counseling & Theology of Missions

I'm posting this because I'm asking you all to pray for me to have the wisdom to take the right classes. Thank you very much for helping me through this process of education!

Friday, April 24, 2009

Final Paper

Today I turned in my final paper for "Life Long Learning" at Tozer Theological Seminary. I have been taking classes here in in town at Fuller Theological Seminary for the last three years and just have made the switch to Tozer (actually I have one more class that I am finishing at Fuller right now).
Today is freeing; having turned in that paper and been able to get that done was freeing. I only have one class that I'm working on right now (Psalms) and its pretty gnarly. Seminary has been a good learning experience but right now it has been tough. I miss the time that Charity and I used to laugh and now having Sophie it had set in that I need to finish. I think that having Sophie has light a fuse on some internal clock that makes me want to complete my education so I can spend more time with my family.
This change for me means something big. After I finish Psalms I will be over half way done with my degree! I have thirteen more classes left and it seems surreal... This summer we will be traveling to Redding for two weeks to do classes.
Please pray for me as I figure out summer classes and finish up Psalms.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Making the Most of Your Mission Trip

As I sit shotgun in the van on the way home from our Spring Break mission trip to Mexico I just started reflecting on what made this trip so amazing. Yes, the sixteen minute border wait on the way home will make you smile, but did we do right that made our team smile the entire trip? Having been able to do multiple mission trips since being a Christian here are some things that our team has implemented into the trip to make it more successful (maybe one day I will write something on “How not to lead a mission trip” but not this year).

1) Give your team plenty of team before the trip to connect and get prepared
This year we started plenty ahead of time. This allows the students, adult leaders and families in your church who want to come the ability to come. Most people want/need ample lead-time before the trip to get prepared; respect that and plan ahead so that you are prepared. When you are prepared then everyone on the team can be prepared. This will allow you the time to think when the plans need to change and trust me they will.

2) Have clearly defined limitations on your trip
When you know who this trip is aimed to, what people can expect, what kind of work you will be doing and things of that nature it helps you know who this trip is designed for. If you are going to be building a building then you may not want younger kids on the team. Know your sleeping arrangements so that people can know what to expect and what they need to bring. Also if you have a dad who wants to bring his eight-year-old daughter on trip are you prepared for that with the sleeping? These are great things to think through ahead of time.

3) Be clear and intentional at your team meetings
This is where you need to be prepared so that you can communicate what is necessary for the people on your team to know. If the meeting is going to be an hour long be prepared for that, if the meeting is going to be three hours long let your team know that ahead of time.

4) Utilize your leader on the team
This is a great time to read Exodus 18 again. Look at what Jethro says to Moses about the way he is leading. Appoint leaders on your team and let them lead. Teach your leaders to lead, help them lead and let the team know that they are going to lead. This has been one the greatest learning experiences for me. When you can focus your time on helping your leaders and taking care of them, then your leaders can lead; us the resources in them that God has given you.

5) Pray hard
This could probably be the first point but we’re talking about it last. Pray throughout this entire process; pray for God to put the right people on the team. Pray for God to lead your team, stretch them, keep them safe and unite them for a common purpose. When you take the time to seek God in this entire process of following the great commission God will speak to you and lead you in the right path.

Friday, April 17, 2009

The day after it snowed in Vegas

So the long awaited footage is here! This is what my small group did the day after it snowed in Vegas! I am so stoked I got some guys who are down to do this!

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Blowdarts in the leg

Yep, that is right! So do you ever have those nights that small group is just not going that well and things keep getting in the way? This was one of those nights. It could have been me, or maybe my boys, but none of us were focused and then Bobby found the blowdart gun. He kept asking to shoot me and finally I gave in... but then I shot him; once when he was ready and once when he wasn't for good measure!

Monday, April 13, 2009

Greg and Richelle's Wedding

So this post is long overdue but I have been slammed in life lately. About 2 weeks ago I had the rad opportunity to do the wedding of two of our really good friends here in Las Vegas; Greg and Richelle.
Greg and Richelle got married up at Mount Charleston and it was the most beautiful day that I have ever been up there. Here is Greg and I waiting for Richelle to come down the isle.

Greg is one of the first people that I met out here in Vegas and I have to say that he has been a great friend to me. The first time I met Greg he was driving his sick Chevy Nova and the plate read "SXI MXI" short for sexi mexi; and that is what Greg is.

Then Richelle and Greg both started working with students out here with us at South Hills Church. Now I have to put up this picture of Dana Bicker with Sophie. Ryan and Dana used to work out here at South Hills and now they are living back in the Bay Area. We totally miss them! Ryan actually sent me these pics (love them Rhino!).

Here is Ryan and I chilling at the reception waiting to get in. I had to put this one up there because you will rarely see me in a suit! I love rocking the suit, but I cant do it all day.

This post can sum up as being about friends. Charity and I have been blessed with having some great friends in our lives; thank you to all who we call friend.

Friday, April 03, 2009

Hello Mexicali

Yesterday we drove into Mexicali Mexico. I am apart of a team that will be here for 8 days working with Rick and Tammie Romano. Our goal is to work as a team to unite people to find Jesus while we are here. During that process we hope to build a church!
I am in Mexico right now so this is going to be short. Please take the time to pray for our team and that God will lead all we do!
Matt Hall is our building team leader and Whitney Rossvanes in leading VBS. They are amazing!
I'll try to update this... key word in there is try!