Do It Right Now!

I'm sitting in the hospital surgical waiting room in Lubbock Texas at this very moment.. My soon to be 90 year old grandfather is having a brain tumor the size of an avocado removed today. We are believing for a miracle. He has lived a wonderful, long life but we are not ready to say goodbye. Are we ever? Two things have come to mind as we sit and wait. Number one, my family could not always sit together and be cordial to one another. There was a lot of unforgiveness and bitterness. Sometimes the awkwardness was so bad that you didn't know what to do. It took an uncle of mine discovering he had cancer before forgiveness was given. When you are afraid of dying, you will often reach out before it is too late. So as we sit here today there is no weird vibes floating in the air. We are laughing, playing cards, eating from a massive gift basket and racing to be the first to finish a Suduko puzzle. Never thought we would be here. My word for you is to not wait to say you are sorry. DO IT RIGHT NOW! My uncle was blessed to have a chance to make peace. But too many people die with regrets or they leave someone behind to live with guilt. Don't be one of the two. Forgiveness can be the greatest gift you can give to yourself or someone else. Secondly, I want to encourage you to tell someone you love them. You may never hold a grudge but you hold your tongue from letting someone know what they mean to you. You can never say you love someone too much. You can never encourage someone more than they need. We all need to hear it but the funny thing is, we all need to say it. It is a proven fact that it is more blessed to give than to receive. So, DO IT RIGHT NOW!!!

Never Give Up!

What an amazing service we had today at CJC! God showed up in a powerful way. My desire is for more of Him and less of us. I look forward to services that never go the way we plan but the way He plans. That was what happened today. We had a plan but God had a bigger one. The Lord had shared with me two scriptures Hebrews 12:1 and Psalm 27. I got up to read them during our prayer time. I began to encourage everyone to hold on to the promises of God. Ty stepped up and informed everyone that I was preaching his message and I didn't even know it. Together we encouraged others and ourselves to never give up. God has a plan and though we don't see it we must never let go. Is your marriage on the rocks? Has your spiritual walk felt dry? Does your check book show something different than what you know God has for you? Well, the enemy wants you to throw in the towel. But your Father wants you to press on. It is so easy to say I give up. So many times I have wanted to quit. Ty and I have turned to each other many times and said, "Are we sure we want to do this?" Things get tough and running away seems to be the easiest. Being the Pastor of a church is not easy, raising kids is difficult and facing a new day with challenges can get the best of you. But we serve a God that said He would never give up on us. If we run to Him, He will run to us. Seek Him and you will find Him. Take the road less traveled and believe that you can do what God says you can. You may fall down along the way but get back up and try again. Want what God wants bad enough that you will climb or crawl to get your blessings. Heaven is full of them and God is ready to open the flood gates and pour them on His children.

I feel the Rain!

"I feel the rain, I feel the rain, I feel it falling down on me." An old song but a good one. I am so excited about my message on Sunday and Monday. My heart is full of expectancy. I know God is ready to do something great in His people. He has always been ready but I think I am finally figuring it out. I may not see the goodness before me but I am believing for it. I just encourage each of you to believe God for more this next year. Don't put Him in a box. He wants to do more than you can even dream to ask. Look to the skies because I believe a cloud is forming. I'm putting on my rainboots because I'm expecting to walk through some mud. If you catch my drift.