Almost here

It's almost here. Sunday we officially "launch". It's been nineteen months. WOW.


February 28th (about 11 A.M.)2006 is the first time Jeff and I first talked about this. So I've been thinking a lot about some of the events since that moment. I'll share a few key ones---


Later that night, I told Terri Lynn in the car on the way to a basketball game. So here's Jeff and Sabrina and Terri Lynn and myself all about to bust at the seams with excitment and we trying very hard to act "normal" because no one else knows. I don't remember who we played, if we won, any of the details. Other than being TOTALLY excited.



Then there was the morning we told the boys. We let them stay home from school(at least for the morning). We let them sleep in, cooked them breakfast, then broke the news to them. My boys went from being "normal" kids in school and youth to being pastor's kids. And let me say that they have been AWESOME. Most of the labels and pressures that go with being a "PK" are NOT fair, but that's another blog for another day.



Then there was the time I told my father-in-law (Big T). We sat in his Tyson truck on our sidestreet at our house in Gillette and shared some smiles, some excitement and some tears. He kept saying "That's GREAT". I don't think he even made it out of our subdivision before he called Jan (my mother-in-law) and told her.



Then there was the time I told my parents. Let's just say it went "different" from when I told my in-laws.



I/We have been to many seminars and classes and read many books and have learned a ton. SO much I could share, and maybe I will later.


So I've had all these thoughts and memories going through my mind, and in my normal devotions I came across some very powerfull words(at least for me).

I'm in the Book of Zechariah. Yesterday I read Chapter 8. Some bullet points--"I am consumed with passion for my people" says the LORD, "Be strong and finish the task" says the LORD, "All this may seem impossible to you, but is anything impossible for Me?" Says the LORD, "I will rescue them and they will be my people" say the LORD, and finally "And they will say 'Please let us walk with you, for we have heard that God is with you' ". WOW.!

Analogy

Maybe it's because I'm a visual learner, maybe it's because I'm a man, maybe it's because I'm human, I don't know why, but I do know that God uses analogies to teach me truths about Himself and about His will for my life and His will for other people around me. Over the years I've been given many. Some have helped me understand and/or cope with a situation at that very moment, others have helped me years down the road. Anyway, I can't begin to understand it all but I do know that I'm supposed to share what I've learned.

Some of the analogies are "original" ideas that God plants directly in my heart. Others originate from conversations with other people, or something I read, or a song, etc. and then the idea or concept of the analogy just explodes and expands in my mind and heart. The analogy I'm going to share today actually came from a conversation I had with my awesome wife, Terri Lynn.

If you've ever driven on I-90 from Gillette, WY to Rapid City, SD then you know that just east of Moorcroft Wyoming you can look off to the north and see Devil's Tower National Monument. And yes, you can get a glimpse of it's beauty and splendor as your bombing down the intersate at 80 or...... you can slow down, get off the beaten path, take the road less taken, invest some time, even some money, and then you can TRULY enjoy it. So.....is that how you and I treat God?

Are we so busy doing "important" tasks as we're bombing down the highway of life that we just catch a passing glimpse of God. Or, are we slowing down, taken the road less taken, investing time and money to truly enjoy God. I know I'm guilty.

Countless times I have had to "convince" someone that just getting a glimpse of the tower isn't enough. That they need to take the afternoon to do it right. Every time when they get to the foot of the tower their first word is "Wow". By the end of the drive it's usually "Thank you for taking me there" or something similar.

So am I willing to do whatever it takes to experience ALL that God has for me? Am I willing to do whatever it takes to get to the feet of God so I can look up and truly enjoy ALL of God's beauty and splendor and majesty. Or am I giong to settle for less.

So what if I have to get out of my comfort zone. So what if I have to sacrifice. So what if it costs me some time and money. So what if it costs me EVERYHTING. All that I have, all that I am, and all that I ever hope to be, I got from Him anyway. Right. So what!

Interesting

If you've been following Pastor Jeff's blog, you know that occasionally he will have a nightmare about an upcoming service or event. Among all of the many leadership "skills" of his that have rubbed off on me, this one has also.

It went something like this---It's Sunday, it's one of our preview services, it's the time of the service when I'm doing the announcements and the welcoming and we have a audio-visual meltdown. Nothings working right, no audio and no video, except for my mic and Jeff's mic. Ben and Adam are drastically trying to fix everything, or anything. Ben keeps pushing the "fire" button on the laptop to show the welcoming video and Adam is checking connections and cables. Nothing is working. So.... Jeff and I improvise. He joins me on stage and we engage in small talk. It went something like---"How you doing?", "Good", "You", "Good", "How's the wife and kids?", "Good", "Yours", "Good" "How'd your team do?" "Yours?"...... you get the picture. Most of our core people were kind of chuckling because they knew this wasn't normal. Our first time guests were just kind of looking at each other and thinking "OK, this is interesting". (remember it's a dream so I know what people are thinking) Then, as soon as Jeff and I wrap up our "engaging" conversation and start to walk off the stage, the video starts playing. Then everybody lost it.

Well I'm reporting this post-preview and I'm happy to say that none of this actually happened. In fact, everything went very smooth last Sunday.

Props to my Peeps

Ok, I'm too old or not near cool enough to talk that way. But it's all that I could think of to type to say this....

I really want to publicaly compliment and thank my teamates for their hard work and diligence.

Jeff and Adam and Keenan have all put in MANY hours the last couple of weeks (most of it in their "spare" time) to get a video done for our launch. I know this because I was involved in just a small portion of it.

Their passion and vision and diligence as they worked on this project has been inspiring to watch. It's awesome to watch someone take their gifts and use them for the Kingdom. Isn't that what we're here for---to take our God-given gifts and abilities and give them away so other people can be blessed.

And let me not forget to give props to Terri Lynn, who held down the fort while the guys were out filming.

Let me say again, I love our team.

Let me also say, thank you to Sabrina and Amber and Katrina for your patience and support of your husbands!

What's Different?

In the last couple of weeks I've attended two weddings on successive Fridays. I'll try to explain the best I can the similarities and the differences.

First the things that were similar. (most of these will be obvious) There was the chapel, the beautiful bride, the nervous groom, the flowers, the vows, the tears, etc..

Now the differences----wedding #1- Well it's actually kind of hard to explain. The ceremony was just kind of formality. There didn't seem to be a whole lot of joy in the room. As best I know, the groom has been viewed over the years as the rebel of the family. So there was almost this sense of disappointment in the air. Maybe the wedding was a mistake, I don't know, only time will tell. However, I felt it very important for me to be there to show my support. He is my nephew after all and I know what he's going through.

#2 wedding was awesome! From the moment I walked in the chapel, the night before the wedding, I just felt God's blessings all over this ceremony. It was SO obvious that this was meant to be and these were two people living out their God-given purposes for their lives. This was a step on that jouney. The Spirit was definitely present and "heavy" throughout the whole ceremony. I felt it was as if God was blessing and annointing two of His obedient children. I walked away a changed man. I could go on but I think you get the picture.

So.... Why the difference? Well to me it was obvious. The first wedding was a Mormon wedding and the second was a Christian wedding. Need I say more? No. But I'm sure I'll revisit this subject again.

Too Busy?

I know one of the reasons God has me in Cheyenne is because of the military presence here. I love going onto the Air Force base and meeting the people and engaging them in conversations. I've always been fascinated with the whole military lifestyle. Terri Lynn says I should have been in the miltary. I say I am, I'm in the army of God.



While I enjoy talking to currently serving people, I LOVE talking to the generations that have gone before me and listening to their stories! Before I go any further, let me say that some veterans won't or can't talk about their experiences. I understand that. But I think more will than won't, they've just never been asked the right way. People can sense when you're being genuine. Now I also understand that not everyone is a "natural" at talking to a complete stanger in a grocery store. You know what, neither was I at first. It was something I had to be intentional at getting better at. When you work for and with the public, you'll either get comfortable or it will eat you up. All those years for me in the public, good and bad, have done nothing but totally prepare for this moment. Imagine that. Think God has a plan.



Anyway, the other day I was working away in Walmart and I met "Jim". Jim was shopping alone, was somewhat frail, and had very arthritic hands. First I helped Jim find the Velveeta and the Ritz and some salsa. Then I felt the Spirit prompt me to talk to him. So I introduced myself to him gently shook his hand and asked him this question--"So Jim, tell me about your wartime experience". (Let me say that I don't recommend that as a "normal" first question) Jim looked up, looked me in the eye, and asked me to repeat the question. So I did. Now I won't give you all the details about the next five minutes of conversation. Let me just I was as blessed by it as he was. But I will tell you some--



--it was during the Korean War, he was in the Navy, and he did his duty and served his country proudly. Then he told me how most of buddies, his "family", had gotten "wiped-out" and he hadn't. Then he made this satement--"I've always felt guilty about that!" WOW. I knew my next words would be vital. I looked him right in the eye and said "Jim, it's not your fault, it's NOT your fault!" Then he took a deep breath and you could just see the pain release as he exhaled. We looked at each other through a couple of tears. He thanked me, I thanked him and then he was gone. Jim had been carrying that burden for over fifty years.



Why share that story? Well I could go many different directions with this but here is my point. How many times have you and I missed moments like that because we thought we were too "busy"? Now I know life can be crazy and busy and intense. Many times I have been so focused on the goal, the task at hand, the accomplishment, the point A to pont B kind of thinking that I have totally missed the ministry opportunity right in front of me.



The Bible is full of stories of when Jesus was going from point A to B yet He stopped an healed and blessed and ministered to the people right in front of Him. One of my favorite songs on the Lifesongs CD by Casting Crowns is "Set me free". It talks about exactly that. Jesus was on His way to Gerasenes and yet stopped to "set-free" a demon-possesed man.



Honestly, I was a little busy that day in Walmart. Yet all it took was five minutes of my time to help Jim begin to be "set free" from years of holding in the guilt and pain. May you and I always not be too busy for moments such as this.

Second Preview

God is AWESOME!

Yesterday was our second "preview" service at the theater. It went great. A couple of bumps in the road, but that's why we do previews, right.
We already have an amazing group of volunteers! We have people that have already decided that Element is going to be their home church and they want to help and serve. How cool is that? There are people that are looking to me for leadership. ME? That is VERY humbling and VERY exciting all at the same time. Man, do I need to grow!
The worship sounded great, the drama was powerful, the video was convicting (at least to me), and Jeff's sermon tied it all together.
A BIG thank you to all of you that are praying for us.