Powerful - Shocking

We need to hear this! This is preaching! Best hour I've spent in a long time. He is saying things that I have been trying to process for a long time. I haven't been able to put it in words. This is as close to a prophet as I have ever heard. Hear this with open ears!

Pulling it all together

OK Lord what are you doing...for some reason I always seem to be catching up. When I finally "get" something - I go "you should have seen this years ago!" Well, it's all culminating right now in this thing I call my life. Passion, sacrifice, responsibility, insight - a desire to live a life deeper in the Spirit. A call from "religion" to living for Jesus - there is a marked difference - I've always known that. Wonder what kind of "trouble" that's going to bring?

My life has always seemed thematic. I guess everyone's is. We all go through certain stages - I assume! My theme right now is "the poor", spiritual formation (not necessarily the trendy kind) and care less what people "think" about me and just do what God has called me to do.

The chess pieces are being laid out. The Lord is preparing me for something...what is it? Not quite sure...I can't even say that I'm ready...but I can say I'm willing. No better place to be than in the center of God's will!

I Thought I'd Seen it All

This post was written December 12, 2005 but not posted until now for reasons I think you will understand after you read it.

As I write this, I know it will be a long time before I post it. Years maybe. But I had to write it down. It's so sad, yet so indicative of mankind's struggle with sin and our mind's ability to escape the guilt.

I don't know if she had previouis mental issues - I am sure that she did but I don't know that for certain. Seeing her in our security monitor, our church secretary came to my office and said, "I think you'd better come, I don't think I'm going to the door right away." It was barely 20 degrees outside. She came from across the parking lot. She had taken her shoes and socks off and walked through the deep snow that had fallen just a day before...as she neared the main entrance to the church building, she took off her pants and then her shirt - nothing else on underneath. There on our security monitor, at the main doors of the church building sat a young lady with no clothes on in a fetal position rocking back and forth. Then she stood up and began to lean against the glass and beat on the doors. (I am glad that pre-school is only on Tuesday and Thursday.)

Our secretary called the sheriff's department and I called down to the young lady over the intercom. "Can I help you?", I said not having any clue what her response might be nor what I would say after that!

"Yes," she cried, "Yes, you can, I have come to the house of the Lord for I have sinned and need to repent." With this she went back to the fetal position and began praying a prayer of repentance. With no regard to the cold, her bare body on the cold concrete.

I stood there, saying a prayer of my own, "OK Lord, we didn't have a class on this at Harding." As I began to think how we could get her in out of the cold without putting anyone in danger, the officer drove up. I went downstairs to help him and our secretary went to look for blankets, towels or anything warm to put on her.

We got her inside and clothed and I sat down with her in our sanctuary. We sat in chairs close to one another, I put my arm around her and she was still mumbling over and over, "I have sinned and I need to seek forgiveness". While the officers were tracking down relatives, she and I began to converse - as well as one can with someone who is completely distraught. As I prayed to myself and tried to talk to her, she slowly became more coherent. After a few sentences, I began to realize that she had gone through an abortion (at least one) and the guilt that had overcome her had driven her to a state of mind with which she could not cope. All she knew to do, at the bare essence of her life (no pun intended), was to come to God, to seek forgiveness, to find hope.

We talked and prayed more and I tried to assure her of God's love and forgiveness which to her becoming even more coherent and calm. After a while, her mother came and took her to the doctor. As they drove off, I continued to pray that The Great Physicial had already begun the healing process in her life.

I was reminded that no matter how much we try to cover it up with the pleasures of this world, we were made to be God's. God's Alone! When sin is in our life, we are seperated from God and that has a devastating effect on us. Although we may not react in the same way she did, this young lady is a reminder of what we are without God.

A New Chapter

Pulling out of our driveway in Indiana was a surreal experience. Having spent the week before making final preparations and packing essentials to make the journey to St. Louis, our bodies knew we were going but our minds were still catching up. Saying good-bye the day before to all the folks we had worshipped and worked with for the last 13 years and to our families had jolted us into reality. We had learned that morning that our house had sold as we finished packing the final bags for our temporary stay with the Gillespies. Many mixed emotions filled our minds and thoughts as we made our way down I-70. The prevalent thought that kept running through my mind was how God had made the path smooth for our transition. Everything had come together in a way that left no doubt He was in control. Although there were and are many unknowns still ahead, He has been at every turn to guide our way.

As we pulled into the Gillespie’s driveway, the sound I heard as I opened my car door was Kristie saying “Welcome home!” As we read e-mails, had phone conversations, ate in homes, worshipped with you Sunday morning and began our work here, the constant theme has been “Welcome home!” Thank you. Thank you for opening your arms to us and making this feel like home to our family.

We covet your prayers, not just during this time of transition but from now on as we have and will be praying for you. We look forward to getting to know each of you and pulling up our sleeves and working together in God’s Kingdom as we serve families and teens here at Lafayette.

Because of the Cross,

Mike and Lee Ann

My Fingers Hurt

Sometimes I try to hold on to things so tightly that my fingers begin to hurt! It's like trying to drive in rush hour traffic in a city you are not familiar with. About 2 years ago, Lee Ann and I went to Los Angeles and drove from LAX to Anaheim during evening rush hour. YIKES - what an experience. Start...stop..start...stop...sta**..stop!..70 MPH to 10 MPH in 1.8 seconds! It was about an hour's "drive". By the time we arrived at the hotel, my hands and knuckles were aching from holding on to the steering wheel so hard, my shoulders were sore from being tense for a solid hour and my head was throbbing!

I do the same thing in my spiritual walk sometimes...OK...often! Rather than taking the cab, I tend to want to sit in the driver's seat. Rather than enjoying the ride, I am fixed on the goal of getting to where I am trying to get! I hold on to things that aren't really mine to hold on to! Get tense about things I really have no control over.

On that same trip, we took an afternoon and drove from Anaheim to Laguna Beach on the Pacific Coast Highway. What a difference! Smooth, relaxing...even though it was cool (65 in January everyone brings out their coats there) we put the top down on the rented covertible. We stopped at a little cafe for lunch, walked along the beach with our shoes off, held hands, spent some time talking to one another, listening to God together and just enjoying the momemt for what it was. That day is "imprinted" in my mind...that's my "happy place" :) (no I'm not crazy yet). I sure felt relaxed and refreshed in my relationships with the Lord and with Lee Ann. I wanted to stay there.

We had to leave to get to the airport a day and half later during morning rush hour...at least I still have my "happy place".

What Was I Thinking?

I should know better...planning ahead...that's when I always get into trouble. I just got my schedule laid out until next August '06. I like order and plans - it makes me feel like I am in control. God has a great sense of humor and I think He takes great delight in seeing me lay out MY plans and then have to punt and scurry back to him for security and dependence. When will I learn that it's just better there to begin with :)

Oh Lord, use me but whatever you do, don't let go!

Peace and Quiet

I love it down here. Time seems to stand still. I know it really doesn't...time itself does move on, but the pace is so much slower. I have been coming to southern Kentucky since I was a boy. Both of my parents grew up here and we made several visits a year. Many of the trips I deemed as "boring" - oh I enjoyed playing with all the cousins but when they weren't around things got awfully still. But now I relish the slower pace that I seem to find when I come. It's 10 AM on the Saturday before the 4th of July...my family has been up for 2 hours. My cousins, with whom we are staying were in a bad accident 2 weeks ago so we are trying to be as quiet as we can so as not to disturb them. Still yet, sleeping until 8 o'clock is a big feat for me. A lot of it had to do with the basement - dark, cool, quiet...well, I am looking forward to spending time with my extended family this weekend. Kids are waking up...not quiet any more :)

25 Days And Counting!!!

Wow, what a month! I can't be sure but this may go down as my busiest month ever! There are only 28 days! My last post I mentioned I was sick - well thanks to the vaccine shortage, I didn't get my flu shot this year. But I DID get the flu - how convenient! I was in bed for a week! Tried to get out on Thursday of that week and it relapsed worse.

That Thursday night Michalie came and wanted to talk about becoming a Christian. So I put on my "I'm feeling better" face and we talked for about an hour and a half! What an awesome night! After we shared for about an hour about God's love and our state of being lost and away from Him, we prayed and cried and she made the decision to be baptized! AWESOME!!!!! She wanted to invite grandmas and grandpas, aunts and uncles. It also happened to be "Children's Ministry" Sunday that day...what an awesome feeling - to baptize your child into Christ!!! She's yours Lord, she always has been...I am just trying to not mess her up while you've entrusted her to me:)

I stumbled around for a week getting ready for Winterfest - still with no energy and a huge cough!!! Winterfest was awesome! But my "flu" relapsed again!!! I had planned on taking some vacation time the week after anyway...but I didn't plan on it being in bed!!! AGAIN!

We had a great weekend at NC. A very encouraging planning and vision weekend! Lots of good things going on here! God is definitely at work!

Well that is the last month in a nutshell -

God is definitely at work in my life...He's grinding me through some things right now...maybe on the other side I can see what He had in mind :) Isn't that the way it always is...try as I might - I just can't seem to get a hold on His perspective when I am going "through it"!

Awesome Day

I was so tired and had taken on a cold. We had spent Friday night and most of the day Saturday, cleaning the house, cooking food and getting ready for the big birthday bash to honor Malachi and Maleah with all the grandmas, grandpas and cousins. After 3 or 4 hours the house was quiet, the party over and it was time to clean up - again! I have long contended that we should not waste our time cleaning up BEFORE folks come over, let's just wait until after and do all of the cleaning then. Lee Ann has never bought into that. So finally, about 11 PM my head hit the pillow.

Sunday morning, the alarm clock sounded and even though it was the time I had set, it seemed way too early! My head was pounding and my chest heavy with cold now. I had a small inkling of staying home in bed. After a hot shower, I was feeling better. It soon became apparent that the kids were not going to make it to early service without getting them up and they had had a busy weekend so we decided to let them sleep in. I went on to the building for early service since I had a meeting scheduled for late service.

The morning was fairly uneventful, just people paying for Winterfest and making Honduras deposits but nothing out of the ordinary. We had a lot of visitors and I try to meet them all - especially the ones with teens - a difficult task with two services and so much going on. I had an encouraging meeting with a family that we have been close to since the day we moved here 12 years ago! Then I went to what was left of late service to sit with my wife. At the end of services a young lady (teen) who has been visiting made a bee-line for the front. In fact I almost missed her, she was going so fast. Lee Ann and I went to the front to be with her - she had been studying and wanted to be baptized! Lee Ann had been able to connect with her through a Sr. High girls class last quarter and was able to develop a bit of a relationship with her. (side note: I have an awesome wife who is far better at youth ministry than I could ever hope to be).

After getting ready, I helped her into the water. As she swung around, she looked at me with tears flowing down her cheek and said, "I am deathly afraid of water!" So I talked to her for a moment and then addressed the congregation and took her confession. I started to lift her arms and lean her back and she went stiff as a board! Uh oh...so I stopped and tried to reassure her. Nothing doing - when she said "deathly afraid", she meant "terrified!" After what seemed like 10 minutes (I'm pretty sure it wasn't more than a minute or so) she relaxed just enough. We were both soaked :) but it was awesome. A huge hug and an awesome smile from this young lady who has been through so much in her short lifetime. The very act of being baptized tested this young lady's faith. That's why she had bolted for the front...she was resolved to do it and didn't want anything to hold her back any more. She knew God's calling in her life and knew that unless she laid down her fear, she could not be in full submission to Him!

Many of us are fortunate - we do not struggle with the fear of water - so the "walk of faith" has not been so dramatic. I can't help but wonder how many people keep their lesser-seen fears from letting them do the right thing.

Cat Story -Part 2

It had only been 4 or 5 hours since Maleah had received her cat for an early birthday present. She had it in her room playing and I walked in. She was holding the kitten tightly against her chest and she looked up at me and said, "Daddy, this is the third best day in my life". I was a bit puzzled. You mean I had gone to all this trouble and expense of getting this thing and surprising her with the one thing that she had repeatedly asked for since she could talk and it only ranked third!!! I had been outdone by some Polly-Pocket or other goofy toy - I should have just gone to McDonalds to get a Happy Meal!

Fortunately, my external reaction was a bit more subdued. I knelt down and and said, "The third best day of your life, Maleah?"

As she pet Sadie (that's the kitten's name) on the head and under the chin - it's so small both can be done at once, she looked me in the eye and said "My first best day will be when I get to heaven, and my second best day will be when I get married, so my third best day is today." I kept my composure long enough to reaffirm her priorities and walk out of the room. Then I wept.