What to do with my time........

There are days that I honestly do not know what to do with my time. I feel like I have so much to do, and so little time that I have to break things down in order to use my time most effectively. Between caring and helping people's needs, preparing for the weekend, dreaming for the future of the Care and Compassion Ministry, having time for myself, and having time for the family, it can get a little crazy, and frustrating. I am learning though that my most valuable time for my wife should not be the leftovers, but should be the best. The last few days have been very resting for Violet and I. We just got "away" from the norm. We stayed in town, but we were far way enough from what we normally have, and know. Spending the majority of our time just together, talking about us, our future, and our goals together. There is nothing more exciting for me than to day-dream with my wife about us! I am so blessed to have such an amazing woman right beside me. If you know me at all, you would know that it will not take long at all for me to start talking about how amazing Violet is. People tell me all the time "your wife is so sweet" and I have to agree, she is so tender hearted, and the MOST compassionate person I have ever met. God has blessed me with such a Godly woman!

effects of ministry....

Too often Pastors leave, or are asked to leave their church. Now some for good reasons, and some for reasons that are far too stupid to even go into detail, my point being, too often Pastors leave their position before they can see the fruits of their labor in those who they have spent hours pouring into, praying for, and discipling. This can be one of the most disheartening things of all, but for those who have had the opportunity to actually see the opposite it is one of the biggest blessings to see. I've had the opportunity to see several students from which I was their youth pastor, all the way from Jr. high then High School, and now are heading into their adult life. Performing the wedding ceremony for former students has been one of the biggest honors that I could ever have, I've had the opportunity to do 2 weddings for former students, and I'm sure I'm just getting started. One of those couples that I had the privilege of marring, are now some of our closest friends, we are doing life together! A few more of our former students are now going to Southwestern Bible College(great school by the way, let them know that I sent you!) and are heading into ministry, for me this makes my heart so overjoyed! To see those who you spend so much time with, and they caught it! They actually caught! And now they are being further equipped to do full time ministry....wow, it's just so stinking awesome! But for everyone of the success stories, there seems to be 2-3 stories of those who have had some real tough struggles. My heart breaks when I hear of former students who got pregnant, or are now living with their boyfriend, or spent time in jail, or are now the partiers getting waisted on the weekends and sleeping with whoever or whatever has 2 legs and walks. My heart breaks for them, because somewhere along the line....they didn't catch it, and I have to wonder why. Why did some catch it and some didn't. And no matter how I try to rationalize it, or try to push it to the side, I still have to realize that it is not me. It's not my fault when someone walks away from what they believe, it's a decision they have made, and as much as I grieve over that decision, realizing that the Holy Spirit is grieving in ways that I can't begin to understand, and yet the Lord is so ready and waiting with open arms to welcome them back.

Ministry can be so draining at times when these things happen. I really believe that's why so many Pastor's leave ministry, they get discouraged, and burned out! I have found those times will come, when they do I go back to what someone close to me said, "if you are in ministry to change peoples lives, get out. You will die of a broken heart. Do it for the audience of ONE."

Lord thank you for the opportunity to serve you, may I never forget that this is about YOU.

READING......

I have to say that I have never been a "BIG" reader. I think I maybe read 2 books all the way through in college. I do remember one of my mentors Tim Reed always saying, "Readers are leaders, and leaders are readers." I always thought that was over-emphasised, but in the last year have really started to grasp it's full meaning. I have long admired my beautiful wife for her desire to read pretty much anything that comes across her eyes, me, well I'd rather rent the movie! She has such a wealth of knowledge and that challenged me in a big way. About 6 months ago I wanted to start reading some books that were recommended by someone I consider a great leader and communicator... Rob Bell. If you haven't read his books, "Velvet Elvis" and his most recent, "Sex God", both are great reads and challenging to really go deeper, "we go inward deeply so we can go outward authentically". Now I won't address anyone who thinks that he is a "hieratic" I'll blog on that one later. So I picked up a few books that were recommended(not meaning his own), and really was challenged. Another author, pastor, and leader that I have so much respect and have learned a ton from and will continue to snatch up anything he writes is Andy Stanley. This guy is the real deal, full of VISION, PASSION, and communicates his heart for the Lord in such an awesome and challenging way! Andy you ROCK man!

But some of the books that have challenged me recently are:(no particular order)
1. Velvet Elvis- Rob Bell
2. Sex God - Rob Bell
3. Uprising- Erwin McManus
4. The Creative Leader- Ed Young
5. The Creative Marriage- Ed Young
6. The Big Idea- Dave Ferguson
7. Communicating for a Change- Andy Stanley
8. Next Generation Leader- Andy Stanley
9. Visioneering- Andy Stanley
10. Good To Great- Jim Collins
11. Our Father Abraham- Marvin Wilson
12. Blue Like Jazz- Donald Miller

Great books to make you think, and take you inward deeply to go outward authentically.