Erwin

One of my favorite author's is Erwin McManus. I love his books. For whatever reason his books just speak God's truths to me in a very powerful way. In fact his book "The Barbarian Way" is part of our "story"--part of what God used to call us to Cheyenne to plant Element Church. But that's another blog for another day.

Twice I have been blessed to see him speak in person over the last couple of years. Once was two years ago at Willow Creek Church at a small group conference. The second time was just last Tuesday night in Fort Collins. Both times were awesome.

God used both occasions to teach me some things---mostly about myself, but also about people and human nature. What I am going to share, or at least felt led to share, will make one blog too long. So I'll spread it out over a few blogs. At least that way I can have more than one blog a month. LOL

I vividly remember the very first thing I wrote in my journal at Willow shortly after Erwin began to speak. It was this. "Hey, he speaks with a lisp" (Erwin does tend to lisp some of his words when he is speaking but he DOES NOT let that stop him.) I went on in my journal "Here is a guy that has very legitimate reasons, "excuses" if you will, not to do this--not to write books, lead a church, go on speaking engagements, etc. Yet he doesn't let anything stop him. Because the one thing that trumps ALL of his reasons not to do any of this is the one reason to do it---he was called. "Qualified"--maybe, maybe not. "Called"--YES! Since that day I learned even more reasons or excuses or stumbling blocks that could have stopped him. Yet he refuses to let "them" win.

Does Erwin have his critics? Oh, you better believe it. So what? Who doesn't. Once again, he does not let that stop him. In fact(in my opinion) all the more reason he keeps pressing on. My wife reminded me of a quote from one of the Wesley brothers. Can't remember if it was John or Charles but the quote went something like this--"If was able to get out of a town after preaching without at least one person throwing a rotten tomato at me, that told me I was not being bold enough about the Gospel".

So, in summary. PLEASE don't wait until you feel "qualified". If you are called--GO! And really, who cares what the critics say. Don't listen to them.
Grant

How Do I Love Her?

Those of you that know me know that music is very important to me. Though I can't carry a tune in a bucket and have little or no musical ability. I LOVE music. It moves me. God used a song to save me and God is always using songs to teach me.

Some of you also know that my wife Terri and I are leading a marriage Life Group (Love and Respect) Which most of the time I/we don't feel qualified to lead even though we have been married almost twenty years.

Just recently God used both, a song and our Life Group, to teach me a great truth.

Though I have heard the song by Steven Curtis Chapman "How Do I Love Her" many times before, just recently I have learned to appreciate it even more.
The song is basically a prayer to God, a plea if you will, how do I love this wife of mine. How do I love and cherish the most important gift (next to salvation) that I have ever received.

I remember thinking the first couple of times I heard this song : "This is Steven Curtis Chapman! Surely he has this thing ALL figured out" Uhhhh....not so much. Kind of like thinking, that is "so and so" or" such and such"(pick a position or title) surely THEY have this thing called life all figured out. Again, uh...... not so much. At least if they are honest.

Then the other night in our Life Group another profound statement from one of the guys. (I share this with his permission, as long as I do it somewhat anonymously.) "I've been a mechanic for thirty years. I get paid to fix things. Yet I feel like I can't fix the one thing that is most important to me! My marriage." Wow. I did NOT have an answer for that one.

Then the next week at Life Group, I get another personal challenge from the DVD: " Would you die for your wife?" Inside I scream out , "YES!" The next question: " Would you LIVE for your wife?" Again, inside I scream out, "YES!" Then I admit " I just don't know how. How do I live for her? "How do I love her?"

Then, later, I get my "answer" from the Chapman song. At least it worked for me. To me the most powerful line in the whole song is this: "I know it's going to take a lifetime to answer this prayer of mine. But that's OK. Because I've given You (God) and her my lifetime anyway."

And I thought " THAT"S IT!" If have TRULY devoted my WHOLE life to God and to my wife, then so what if it takes a lifetime to figure this thing out. So what if I never figure it all out. Who cares. As long as I keep trying. As long as I keep pressing on and don't quit, I'll win. THAT is how I "live" for my wife. A life-time of devotion and a "moment by moment" devotion for a life-time.

Grant

Random Thoughts

Just some thoughts I wanted to share.

---502 at Element yesterday. I tell people all the time -"I'm blown away, yet I'm not, yet I am, yet I'm not." For me, anyway, that describes best how I feel most days. I am totally PUMPED and truly HUMBLED all at the same time. It's an awesome place to be.

---For those of you that have been waiting for me to blog more often, good news. I actually intended to blog every day last week. Every day? Yes, it's true. Could you handle it? I had the titles and themes written down and everything. Well, then life happened and I ended up leaving town last week. It was a much needed break, though. Except for about a fifteen minute time-frame of some wacked-out theology, the rest of the four days was amazing. It truly was a blessed trip.

---Our volunteers are the best. They really are. We had a couple bumps in the road yesterday and they just took it in stride. No big deal. Whatever it takes to get the job done. Wow. Thanks. A million times, Thank You.

---I/We are reading a great book. "In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day" by Mark Batterson. I've been thinking as I'm reading it--" I should be underlining this, well I'm just going to read it again, I'll underline it the next time through" Just so happens Mark is a church-planter, so there is that connection. But anyone can benefit from it. Prepare to be challenged.

---Life Groups are going great. Once again, God has blessed us with some amazing people. Honestly, that is one area that does need and deserve more of my time and attention. So.. to ALL of you that have been hosting, leading, and attending, thanks for your patience, for your perseverance, and for your leadership.

Loving life,
Grant

San Diego

Where to start?

Terri Lynn and I are sitting in the San Diego airport waiting for our flight to get home. And really, I don't know what to say.

Let me start by saying God is awesome!!! Words fall short when trying to express what I'm feeling and all that I experienced on this trip. I felt God's presence so strong all week. It was incredible.

For those of you that don't know....my sister Mary died suddenly last week. The funeral was yesterday in San Diego. I just "happened" to be on vacation from Frito this week so we were able to go and we decided to take a couple extra days for pleasure and relaxation. Honestly, it has been a GREAT trip. We love San Diego but we love Cheyenne more. Wyoming is home.
For those of you that offered me your condolences, I thank you. I do appreciate it, I really do. I really don't know how to feel when it comes to one of my family members passing on. I know what my head wants to believe but I also know what my heart feels. The last time I saw Mary was twenty years ago at my wedding. It's weird to lose a sibling you hardly even know. I do take some comfort in knowing that I was able to boldly witness to her on one occasion. So...who knows?

I DO know this. One thing this trip has allowed me is this: being able to "get-away" from it all (everything that is in my life in Cheyenne) for a couple days has totally shown me how truly blessed I am. Being able to ponder, kind of looking back at all that has happened the last year in Cheyenne and being able to share parts of our story with people has reminded me of how far I've come and how far God has taken Element Church. May I never EVER take any of it for granted. EVER!

Those of you that serve with me (both staff and volunteers), THANK YOU!!!! I truly am humbled to be on your team. I tell people all the time how awesome ALL of you are. I don't care if they believe me or not. At least they know that I believe it.

Terri Lynn and I were blessed to be able to have dinner with a gal from Outreach that helps us with our mailers. All I wanted to tell her about is all of you guys, your God stories, and what you mean to me/us.

So again, thanks for your prayers. Thanks for your friendship. Thanks for all that ALL of you do for me and for Element and for (most importantly) God.

Grant

Bring The Rain

So I heard this song the other day and I can't get it out of my head until I blog about it.

The song is "Bring The Rain" by Mercy Me, which just happens to be one of my favorite bands. They write some amazing songs.

The gist of the song (at least in my brain): Well.... it's kind of a prayer to God. Basically says---"LORD, if I need some "rain" in my life to get my eyes focused on You and not me, then bring the rain"

Which then got me thinking--Have I EVER done that? Have I ever woke up in the morning praying that prayer. Have I ever purposely asked God for some "rain" in my life for that day? What about a "storm". Have you? Probably not.

Why? Well, if you're like me, when I'm in some rain or in a storm my focus tends to be on the storm and not God. So is it as simple as a decision? My attitude IS my decision.

When Peter was walking on water, when did he start sinking? When his focus changed! When he took his eyes of Jesus and started looking at the waves--the storm- he sunk.

So that is a challenge, isn't it. What to do when you're in a storm?
We all know that storms happen--life happens. My prayer for you and me---Focus on our SAVIOR and not our storm.

Grant

Our Volunteers!!!

I'm sitting here trying to "digest" what just happened at Element Church today, and all I can think about is how incredible our volunteers are. I mean that. Each and every one of them serve so willingly. THEY are what make Sunday mornings happen. Each one of them are AS important to Element as any of the staff. Whether they serve five minutes of five hours on Sunday, each and every one of them are helping us help people find LIFE. And that is why we are here, to help people find THE LIFE in CHRIST.

So.....to all of you that volunteer at Element Church, THANK YOU!!!!!! I count it an honor and a privilege to serve beside you, to call you friends, and to watch you pour yourselves into other people's lives.

Thank you all for your patience and encouragement to me as I grow and learn and stumble and get up and learn and grow and keep pressing forward.

Grant

Pastor Jeff

I just wanted to share some thoughts going through my head.

Jeff you are the MAN! Your sermon yesterday was incredible! Your honesty, transparency and passion only caused me to love and respect you more. It is awesome for me to sit there and watch a friend let himself be used as an instrument for God's truths. I pray you are blessed for your obedience. I know some/most of what you shared yesterday was not easy for you. Thank you for leading. Love ya bro'.

MANY times I am blown away that I get to be a part of this. That I get to be on this team. What God is doing at Element Church, well......I really don't know what to say. Mere words just seem to fall short. Indescribable!

This morning I was reflecting back on the "time-line" of the past six years of my life. And how God was putting this all together. The fact that God was working on my heart to plant a church the same time as He was Jeff's and we never talked about it to each other, well that's just a God thing. Over the years, Jeff and I have had MANY conversations in his office and home. Many! And planting a church together? Well, it just wasn't on our radar. Or was it?

Jeff and I will talk about "that day", Feb.28, 2006, until we die. Hope you guys never get tired of hearing about it.

I've been blessed to get to hear Jeff preach for five years now. May I NEVER take for granted his passion for the truth, his boldness from the pulpit, and his leadership behind the scenes.

Jeff, I got your back man. Let's Go!!

Grant