Saturday, January 29, 2011

WHATEVER...

I don't do New Year's Resolutions - I tried it and I end up feeling guilty... lose weight (which I need to do) and then 2 months later I'm depressed because I've lost only 2 pounds... read the Bible EVERY day and then I miss a day and feel like I've failed... get everywhere on time - not a morning person so not gonna happen. Then I read a blog recently and this person chose one word. I thought that surely I could do that - choose a word for the year - but God was giving me NOTHING!! I was busy dwelling on circumstances that had made me unhappy - actually had made me downright mad - and seeing things as impossible... or hopeless. And then God gave me a word - WHATEVER! Not like the kids say it with the emphasis on whatEVer but as in "whatever it takes". Bear with me here...

As 4 of us traveled to Nashville this past Thursday for a VBS Preview event, we listened to this year's VBS music - and I admitted I wasn't too crazy about it but hoped it would grow on me. And it has... and the words hold so much truth... "by faith I love; by faith I come; by faith I will trust in the name of Jesus; by faith I believe in things I can not see; by faith I cling to the hope that Jesus gives me..."; "I love You more than anything... but that's not enough... I want to love You more..."; and as a rap - "God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life... why don't you?" And probably my favorite: "Jesus, I will do WHATEVER it takes to bring glory to your name... He said go, so I will go; He said tell, so I will tell..." And that's how God brought me to the word - actually 3 words - "whatever it takes".

Jeff Slaughter said it best... and I don't have his exact words but... One of the VBS songs is a rap and he figured some folks would have a problem with that but he said that God gives us music and many in the world have perverted it but why can't we take that music and turn it to Him and for His glory. It's what the kids are listening to so let's give them positive lyrics and godly words in a way they will listen to it... "whatever it takes"...

Enjoy Jeff's "By Faith" video using New York City as the backdrop...



So as I look at what God has for our KidZONE Children's Ministry at PBC... at what God has for the ones I love in my family... at what God has for me personally... my prayer is that I will do "whatever it takes" to bring glory to His name.

Click here for more samples of this year's VBS "Big Apple Adventure" music.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Friday, January 21, 2011

LEARNING TO PRAY FROM A TWO-YEAR OLD

What can you learn about prayer from a 2 year old? Check it out from this parent's insight... http://ministry-to-children.com/toddler-teaching-us-to-pray/

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

The Land Between

A while back a friend told me about "The Land Between" - a talk he heard while attending a Leadership Summit. We've all been there - that wilderness between hardship and God's promises. What will do in "the land between"? Use it as fertile ground for spiritual growth or stay in the darkness... The Land Between

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE

I didn't forget about my blog... It's just not been a good time to keep up. However this video was brought to my attention today and really wanted to share it. CHOOSE LIFE!!!