I don't know how time goes by so fast, well I do, but it still it never ceases to surprise me. Today I have a few minutes between all the things going on to write. I suspect that what will actually happen is that I'll start this, there will be some crisis for one of the kids and I'll get drawn away, then it'll be dinner time, then Awana time, then bedtime, etc.
Since I last checked in lots of things have happened. Claire did get baptized, my in-laws came and left, Claire and Daniel started piano lessons, Claire had her 9th birthday, and the Seahawks inexplicably opted to pass from the two yard line instead of pound the rock with Beastmode! That was the most unbelievable and baffling play call in SuperBowl history! Sorry friends.
We have had incredibly warm weather for several weeks now, temps in the 50's and mostly sunny. I'm sure that's only temporary, but we can't complain. There were a couple of days that were totally reminiscent of the liquid sunshine that we loved in Anacortes and it only made us long for our friends in the true PNW.
As for the BCF, we've been walking through the Lord's prayer on Sunday mornings for many weeks now. The breakdown has been something like this: Wk 1 "Our Father," Wk 2 "Hallowed be your name," Wk 3 "Your Kingdom Come, Your Will Be Done," and this week is "Daily Bread." On SuperBowl Sunday we did something special dealing with football and testimonies from current and former NFL players. It was good and we had a lot of visitors. It seems like weekly we've had people making professions of faith.
Last week I connected with a local youth group run by one of the ladies from our church and I got to spend time with them. One thing led to another and in about a month Daniel and I will be taking a group of teenagers in our church van to Boise for a concert and staying over night in another church. Fun times!
I've finally connected with several other Christian pastors in town and we are meeting weekly to pray for one another. One good thing that's coming fro this is that we are going to join together to do an Easter Sunrise service at a local park. The coolest part of it is that currently one and hopefully soon two of the churches that will join us are Spanish speaking churches! We'll do the service and music in both english and Spanish!!! Remember the Bible speaks of "every tribe, every tongue, and every nation," being together in heaven and we thought we'd get an early start with the people groups that we have here in Blackfoot.
In January I started a prayer group for the church to "pray the scriptures." While there are only a few people who have come and that are consistent, it has been tremendous for my heart and faith. This morning we prayed through Romans 8. Let me remind you pf a couple of promises that are in that chapter: There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (v1). Setting your mind on the Spirit is life and peace (v6). You did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption...by whom we cry, “Daddy!” (v14). Those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified (v30). If God is for us, who can be against us? (v31). Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? (v35). No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (v37-39).
As I figured, it is now several hours since I started this post. Away is over and I just went back by the hospital to visit a family whose wife/mother just went home to be with the Lord this evening. I am again reminded how quickly things change and how short life is. Just about a month ago Dawn asked to be baptized, however, she got sick, which eventually ended tonight with her crossing over into glory. She was a wonderful woman who drove a bus for special needs people. She had a great smile and a sparkle in her eye. Dawn leaves behind a husband, Bill, two daughters, Mickey and Rebecca (her husband and son), and two sons that I do not know. She will be missed. If you think about it, please pray for her grieving family, and remember that she is no longer in pain, no tears, and all the sad things have come untrue for her. Praise be to her God.
Well, its late and I need to get some sleep as I'm sure tomorrow holds adventures yet to be told and challenges that will sharpen us all. Grace and peace to you all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We love and miss you all. Give our love to the Kitchen Table folks and hug each other for all of us.
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Saturday, January 24, 2015
One month later...
Here we are again, one month later. I'm glad I didn't make a New Year's resolution to post blogs more often or I would have already broken it : ) . Time truly flies when you are in over your head.
Blackfoot Christian Fellowship Updates
Things are moving right along, we continue to see new faces and have repeat visitors. I'm still trying to figure out how to make sure that we can retain and disciple the ones that are here.
We will be starting small groups in the month of February and we'll start with a series that I know y'all are familiar with - North Point Community Church's - Christian. It's an exciting new venture for the church and a great way to get our melting pot connected.
I mentioned in my last post that Claire is getting baptized tomorrow, which means that Papa and Gram are here. I thought that she might be the only one who was going to get baptized, but we have a one more tomorrow and perhaps another two in a couple of weeks! This is exciting because its more proof that God is doing something great here. As a church we have "required" people getting baptized to record a video telling their story. It's an extra step and it can be uncomfortable for some people, but the impact on the church is incredible. It's amazing how much some people's stories resonate with other's in the church.
Tomorrow the other person getting baptized is a young lady named Shanea (Shay-na), whose story is incredible. Honestly she should be dead in a gutter somewhere. She was abandoned here in Blackfoot by her "boyfriend" at a gas station as they were passing through town. The gas station just happens to be owned by a family from the church and they helped here get connected to the Crisis Center and Angela brought her to church the next Sunday. That day she accepted the Lord as her Savior and two weeks later she is getting baptized. Please pray for her because she has a long road ahead, but God is good.
We now have 90 kids enrolled at AWANA and more come almost every week. It's going really well, we just need more volunteers to make it happen. Same story different church right, we all need volunteers. Pray to the Lord of the Harvest because he will provide them for both of us.
Last Sunday I started a series on prayer using the Lord's Prayer out of the book of Matthew as our guide. A while back I felt very that I needed to spend more time in prayer and I started reading more about it in the Bible and I in my morning devo time. It's been really good and I know Satan doesn't like it because there are lots of trials that have been coming this way.
I also started an early morning prayer group that simply "prays the scriptures." Did you know that there are somewhere around 3000 +/- promises in the scriptures and when we "remind" God what he promised like Moses and David and approach the throne of grace with confidence we will receive mercy and find grace in our times of need (Heb 4:16). Don't worry I'm not going off the rails with the prosperity gospel : ), it's simply an effort to know the scriptures better.
On The Homefront
Claire is getting baptized and I need to say thank you to many of you who have been praying with us for her for years, and to those of you helped teach her specifically (Doug Elliot, Lesley Sander and Kathy Ruckdaschel) we are so grateful to your faithfulness to the Lord for loving our family. Just in case you're wondering, Claire prayed to receive Christ several years ago, but we wanted her to ask to be baptized, we wanted it to be her decision and so this is so exciting for us. I know it's got Daniel asking questions now! I think that you'll be able to watch the baptism on the website www.blackfootfellowship.org
Homeschool is going well. The kids are very smart, what else would I say, and I'm sure they have the normal challenges of sometimes not wanting to do certain subjects, but they seem to be heading in the right direction. Please pray for Kate as she teaches them and ask God on her behalf for wisdom, patience, and discipline as mommy and teacher.
Please pray for Kate and I, as there are so many things going on with the church that I'm stretched pretty thin right now and I need to make sure I'm not giving Kate and the kids my left-overs. We will celebrate our 14 anniversary in about a month (hard to believe) and of course I'd do it all over again, but I'm not sure I ever guessed this is where we'd be or what life would look like.
Finally, we're excited to again cheer for the Seahawks in the Super Bowl and we'll miss the incredible Barney party and all the craziness that goes along with it. Wish we could be there for that, but I guess we'll have to start a new tradition in Blackfoot.
Again and as always, sorry it's so long in between posts. We love and miss y'all.
Blackfoot Christian Fellowship Updates
Things are moving right along, we continue to see new faces and have repeat visitors. I'm still trying to figure out how to make sure that we can retain and disciple the ones that are here.
We will be starting small groups in the month of February and we'll start with a series that I know y'all are familiar with - North Point Community Church's - Christian. It's an exciting new venture for the church and a great way to get our melting pot connected.
I mentioned in my last post that Claire is getting baptized tomorrow, which means that Papa and Gram are here. I thought that she might be the only one who was going to get baptized, but we have a one more tomorrow and perhaps another two in a couple of weeks! This is exciting because its more proof that God is doing something great here. As a church we have "required" people getting baptized to record a video telling their story. It's an extra step and it can be uncomfortable for some people, but the impact on the church is incredible. It's amazing how much some people's stories resonate with other's in the church.
Tomorrow the other person getting baptized is a young lady named Shanea (Shay-na), whose story is incredible. Honestly she should be dead in a gutter somewhere. She was abandoned here in Blackfoot by her "boyfriend" at a gas station as they were passing through town. The gas station just happens to be owned by a family from the church and they helped here get connected to the Crisis Center and Angela brought her to church the next Sunday. That day she accepted the Lord as her Savior and two weeks later she is getting baptized. Please pray for her because she has a long road ahead, but God is good.
We now have 90 kids enrolled at AWANA and more come almost every week. It's going really well, we just need more volunteers to make it happen. Same story different church right, we all need volunteers. Pray to the Lord of the Harvest because he will provide them for both of us.
Last Sunday I started a series on prayer using the Lord's Prayer out of the book of Matthew as our guide. A while back I felt very that I needed to spend more time in prayer and I started reading more about it in the Bible and I in my morning devo time. It's been really good and I know Satan doesn't like it because there are lots of trials that have been coming this way.
I also started an early morning prayer group that simply "prays the scriptures." Did you know that there are somewhere around 3000 +/- promises in the scriptures and when we "remind" God what he promised like Moses and David and approach the throne of grace with confidence we will receive mercy and find grace in our times of need (Heb 4:16). Don't worry I'm not going off the rails with the prosperity gospel : ), it's simply an effort to know the scriptures better.
On The Homefront
Claire is getting baptized and I need to say thank you to many of you who have been praying with us for her for years, and to those of you helped teach her specifically (Doug Elliot, Lesley Sander and Kathy Ruckdaschel) we are so grateful to your faithfulness to the Lord for loving our family. Just in case you're wondering, Claire prayed to receive Christ several years ago, but we wanted her to ask to be baptized, we wanted it to be her decision and so this is so exciting for us. I know it's got Daniel asking questions now! I think that you'll be able to watch the baptism on the website www.blackfootfellowship.org
Homeschool is going well. The kids are very smart, what else would I say, and I'm sure they have the normal challenges of sometimes not wanting to do certain subjects, but they seem to be heading in the right direction. Please pray for Kate as she teaches them and ask God on her behalf for wisdom, patience, and discipline as mommy and teacher.
Please pray for Kate and I, as there are so many things going on with the church that I'm stretched pretty thin right now and I need to make sure I'm not giving Kate and the kids my left-overs. We will celebrate our 14 anniversary in about a month (hard to believe) and of course I'd do it all over again, but I'm not sure I ever guessed this is where we'd be or what life would look like.
Finally, we're excited to again cheer for the Seahawks in the Super Bowl and we'll miss the incredible Barney party and all the craziness that goes along with it. Wish we could be there for that, but I guess we'll have to start a new tradition in Blackfoot.
Again and as always, sorry it's so long in between posts. We love and miss y'all.
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