The Truth about Your Pastor

I don't know if you know this or not, but your pastor is a lot like you. Some days are harder than others. Some days it's harder to rejoice in The Lord. Some days, even though we know the joy of The Lord is our strength, we are just too tired to find the joy.

Pastors need encouraging words. My pastor happens to also be my husband. I am praying for the gift of encouragement and words that would speak life. I am asking that you would pray for your pastor, whoever he is. He takes the burdens of this world and although he is free in Christ, he sometimes needs encouragement to get off of his knees and walk freely!  Anyone might need uplifting after a year of too many funerals.  Anyone might need an encouraging word after years of encouraging others. He is just human after all. 

I think he might need help finding a little joy, a little faith, a little hope but the greatest of these...is love.

Show your pastor some love. He just might really really need it. 

Acclimated & Blessed

Oh my goodness.  Blow the dust off your screens.  It's been a while.  I tried to clean out the cobwebs by getting a new background, but it's still awfully quiet around here.  If you go over to facebook or pinterest, you may see more movement, but even twitter has gotten the shaft lately.  There is just way too much going on in my over-stimulated mind to put down into 40 characters.

But since you obviously didn't come here expecting to spend too much time reading....   (Actually, if you are here at all, you must really love me.  *By the way, Hi 'Chelle!)  I will put down a timeline of what I've been doing over the past few months.  August was a blur.  September was... Wait, is September over already?!  *sigh*  I do heart fall.  So glad it's here but I'm not sure that Texas got the memo.  Maybe that's why I'm so discombobulated.  I think I'll go back and start with July.

July 10 Shady Oaks Baptist Church calls Brad to be their pastor.
July 14 Brad & Luke go to Brazil (see Mission trip blog) while the girls & I go home and start staging our house to sell.
August 6 We receive an offer on our house.  (Note:  That's less than 3 weeks on the market, in a market that's not selling, in a town, much-less a neighborhood that's not selling....Oh, and at the end of a triple-digit heat wave, with a pool.  Sorry about the heat wave, Kansas, but thank you, God for that selling boost!)
August 14 Last day at RiverPoint Church, Drive to Texas
August 17 Moving truck arrives at our rental house with all of our possessions.
August 19 Offered a job teaching voice at a middle school close to our new house!
August 22 Luke and Grace start school!  Luke is starting 8th grade and playing football in his last year at middle school!  He's in Advanced Placement Science and getting good grades in everything!  Grace, after K-4 homeschooling, is starting 5th grade which here, is the last year of elementary school.  We decided on public school after much research and have loved it!  All 3 of Grace's teachers have told her that "the most important part about them is that they are Christian".  Praise God!  Grace is now Gracie to all of her classmates, but Mom's not budging.  She'll always be my Grace Caroline!  Grace enjoys choir and reading and has friends in our neighborhood that she wants to play with daily!
August 30 Moriah begins Preschool 2 days a week at a church down the street from our house.
September 3 Open House for staff, search committee and all those who helped us move in to our new house.
September 6 Start teaching voice on the days while Moriah is at preschool.  Luke's football games begin every Tuesday in September & October!
September 15 SPARK SEATTLE trip - My favorite trip ever!  God is so good.
September 24 My mom's surprise birthday celebration reunion with friends and family back in Kansas!

What miracles!!!  See what God has done!  I'm overwhelmed with His provision and love and blessing.  My friend, Hopie, texted this a while back and I still think how wonderful God's blessing is....

Definition of blessed:  "one is pronounced blessed when God is present and involved in his life.  The hand of God is directing all his affairs for a divine purpose and thus the person lives before the face of God."


Hearing Rich Mullins' song "Hold Me, Jesus" the other day, I realized that right now....He is King of my glory.  There are times in life, and have been times and will be times again when I need Him to be my Prince of Peace.  But right now, I'm praising the King of my glory for directing all of His affairs for a divine purpose and that I am getting to live before the face of God.  It's a beautiful place to be!  *sigh*  It's good to be back.  Thanks for dropping by.  I hope you are BLESSED today.

Newletter: Summer Edition

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Posts Past

I've now been blogging for 6 years.  In celebration of my blogiversary, let's visit some posts of the past.

One of my favorites.....I remember so clearly writing these thoughts, and God speaking so clearly His responses.

WHAT YOUR PASTOR'S WIFE WANTS YOU TO KNOW.

RiverPoint Church Presents.....Refined

RiverPoint Church Women's Ministry is now called "REFINED".  

Our desire for the women of Refined is to be refined into precious G.E.M.S.

Refined focuses on four areas: Growing, Encouraging, Mentoring, and Serving. Wherever you are in your walk with Christ, we have a place for you!

Our goal is that as you become involved, build friendships and apply God's Word to your life, you will experience the love God has for you, your heart will be strengthened and your true beauty will be Refined!

Resting

Today was the first time in 14 years of being married to a minister, that I actually "rested" on the Sabbath Day. I mean really rested. I've taken naps after church before. I don't mean that kind of rest. I didn't even nap today. I just....rested.

Brad has been off this week, taking a bit of a rest from work. Planting a church is hard work. My husband is a hard worker, no matter what he does. He can't put just half of his heart into anything, but even more so when it comes to His passion for leading people to Jesus. He still did a wedding, led a couple of prayer meetings and had quite a few "phone meetings", so it wasn't complete rest, but I'm really proud of him for seeing the need to stop and stay home more. He's done things around our house that I've had on a list since we moved here in September. For instance, I now once again have my beloved porch swing. Ahhhh....bring on the sweet tea! I also have a new mailbox and lovely flowers planted around it. (I did the flowers...part of my restful Sunday.)

The other day he sent me a document via email. It was simple. It just said....

Fills Drains

....Followed by a series of lines below. He has been reading "Leading on Empty", and explained to me that he wanted to know what fills me and what drains me. Once we have it figured out, he said we'll go out on a date and discuss it.

Can I just stop here and say....Wow! I love that man! I love that he reads books like this and thinks of me and wants to work on our marriage and wants to spend time with me....*pause for daydreamy love montage set to Air Supply's "Even the Nights Are Better"*

Okay, I'm back.

So then I read a blogger friend's post about this book and it inspired me to list these things right here on this here blog! Susanne's post will also explain the book mores since she has read it, and I have not.

Fills Me:

• Time with God
• Reading
• Singing
• Exercising
• Being Outdoors
• Free time
• One-on-One Time w/loved ones
• Blogging/Writing
• Creativity
• Shopping
• Intellectual/Spiritual Conversations
• Being Inspired
• Giving Advice
• Laughter, serious belly laughter
• Sleep

Drains Me:

• Being a Leader
• Trying to stay organized
• Housework/Unending tasks
• Things that don't seem to ever get checked off the list
• Nagging people/Nagging thoughts
• Crowds
• Expectations
• People who Judge
• Money Frustrations
• Schedules
• Manipulators
• Ignorance
• Deadlines
• Trying to have a conversation with people who mumble
• Negativity or "Debbie Downers"

So what fills you? I hope to rest more often with the things that fill me. Mostly, I hope to continue to be filled with and rest in the love of Christ, so that this list of things that fill me become the icing on the cake, and make dealing with the things that drain me....like buttah.

Eph.3:17-19

I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

❤My Blanket❤

On this the first day of my favorite month of the year, when ❤HEARTS❤ are everywhere and ❤Love❤ abounds, I want you to know....

I ❤LOVE❤ this blanket.

I could post a link to my husband's sermon every week, but this last series NO PERFECT PEOPLE ALLOWED has been especially good. God has been tugging at Brad's heart and pulling out the passion in him that I first fell in love with. If you have been struggling to hear from God or haven't felt LOVED in a while.... please take the time to listen. If not to all of them in this series, then this one for sure! God's love is like my wonderfully soft and warm blanket.... AND it covers a multitude of sins.

❤ God LOVES you because God IS Love. Pray that God will show you His great big LOVE today. I promise He's just been waiting for you to ask. ❤

For PKs of the world

People are disappointing. They will stab you in the back. They will befriend you only to judge you, then leave. They will see you around town but pretend they don't. They will speak lies against your family. They will not give you grace. People will disappoint you.

Being the pastor's kid comes with this reality. My heart breaks thinking that this is the lesson learned from serving church people for so many years. My heart can take this reality because of the scabbed over wounds of the past, but my children I want to protect. I want to guard their fragile hearts.

Brad & I are reading A.W. Tozer books over this holiday together. In "The Pursuit of God" Tozer talks about relationships which reminds me of this and how I can teach my children to survive this reality of disappointment.

In determining relationships we must begin somewhere. There must be somewhere a fixed center against which everything else is measured, where the law of relativity does not enter and we can say "IS" and make no allowances. Such a center is God. When God would make His name known to mankind He could find no better word than "I AM." when we speak of Him we say, "He is"; when we speak to Him we say, "Thou art." Everyone and everything else measures from that fixed point. "I AM THAT I AM," (Exodus 3:14) says God, "I change not" (Malachi 3:6)

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8

This is the promise I'm standing on and committing to teach my children.

Still Driving

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19

And then the miracles happened. One by one bills came in saying PAID. We knew God was holding us up, confirming His call and blessing our obedience. We found out that we'd have a salary by the way, about half of what we'd made before, so God cleared the way for us like the Red Sea parting. But like the Israelites, the long way home became harder and the grumbling got louder. The desert seemed too hot and the wilderness was lonely and boring. I missed the things I was used to having. I let go of stuff physically, but not mentally. It's harder to learn how to budget with less, when you're used to having more. We hadn't lived on this salary since Luke was born, and then to add to our fun and our faith, God gave us another little mouth to feed. I don't know if God let me be pregnant at the time the church was starting so I'd have a reason to hang back and watch all that happened because He knows that's how I usually am, but I'm really thankful because (not only do I now have a bubbly, beautiful baby girl) but it wasn't my time to fruitful in that way. It was my sole purpose to house a healthy little person and I needed time to observe anyway. I also continued serving with Spark ministries mission trips and of course, serving my own little mission field at home.

In October, I got to go to Longview again with SPARK but it was less of me running to minister somewhere else so I'd be blessed, and more of God teaching me that I could minister right where I was, if I just looked for the opportunity. The message that God kept sending my way, more than likely to prune me for such opportunities, was the same word I kept hearing and knew was because... I needed to change in my heart....discontment. So I prayed that God would take it out and give me a heart of contentment....happy with what I have, the tenth commandment. I haven't been happy. I've whined and complained and pouted and grumped. I've not been thankful in all things. I read once that God loves me just the way that I am, but He's not just going to leave me that way.

to be continued...

Driving

ohhh *sigh* where do I begin? God has been stretching out my heart in all kinds of places. I think I'll just list for you my thoughts and expound on them from there. Warning, this could be a long one, so I may have to post this as a series.

Thought #1

I love my husband. aLOT. He blesses me and serves me waaay more than I deserve. He does irk me sometimes in little ways, too like while driving, but he says it's just because I'm not in control. I say it's just because I don't want to die. But that's the adventure of living life with him. He takes me for a ride that usually scares me and is too far out of my comfort zone, but teaches me to let go and trust God to take care of me at the same time. His adventurous spirit is why we are here. It's also a reason I married him.

That brings me to yesterday, in our DRIVE series at RiverPoint; (now THAT's a segway!) he preached about giving and while talking about giving sacrificially, he brought up our call to come to Kansas. It is the first time I really remember crying during his sermon... tears of joy. (The first time I cried tears of mourning was Christmas Eve 2007, when I dreadfully missed our beloved church in Plano.) God has been working out my discontentment and I realized at that moment that He'd brought me a long way, if I could actually be thankful as Brad spoke about our move. I was happy and content, and that was an answered prayer of mine. God did that in me.

I remember sitting in our comfy living room on Eldorado with butterflies in my tummy knowing that things were about to change and my ground was shaking... again. Brad was talking to Tom about coming to pastor a new church plant in Kansas, without a name, without a place, without knowing anything about planting a church, and without any funds. with 4 other people. 4.

Now I was used to listening on the other end of the phone calls when another church was asking him to come be their music minister. I was getting used to the idea of moving. I was sorta used to meeting new people. I was used to him asking the question regarding his salary. I got used to the answer increasing with each phone call. So that probably made all of those other things I had to get used to....a lot easier. Amazing the balm that money is on the nerves of a material girl like me...and Madonna apparently. But that phone call was much different than all of the others. The answer to the question about our salary, our well-being, our family's future was, as Brad said "I. don't. know." He hung up and my ground stopped shaking. But he was wrecked. God was stretching Brad's faith and I was along for the ride. And just like in the car, I was whining and screaming and slamming the imaginary passenger's side brake. I'd never seen my husband take that big of a leap of faith and I was so proud, but then -hold the phone- he wasn't the one managing our money. He had no idea what kind of miracles it would take to say yes to a call like that. He had no idea what kind of commitment he was getting into when we had accrued so much debt, living on the salary that we had been living on. He stepped out in faith. I stepped in something else and left the footprints of it wherever I walked, sure that no one would notice if I were wearing designer shoes and a smile....

to be continued.

30-Day Encouragement Wrap-Up

How has this challenge changed your heart and life? I am more in love with my husband now than ever. When I didn't have words to encourage him, I used what I had....serving him, little gifts, hugs, kisses, support as he disciplined the children (whether I agreed with him or not) and I even wrote him a letter....because sometimes it's just easier to write down my thoughts. (I know!! Shocker.) He is stronger, therefore more attractive to me than ever, because I've lifted him up and not brought him down. I want to be his greatest support and speak blessings and wisdom into his life, because as a pastor who has to do that for others; he needs someone to do that for him. I want to be his encourager, his cheerleader, his side-kick, his fan. The cool, unexpected result was....the more I encouraged him, the more he encouraged me, or wanted to serve me, or bless me in sweet little ways.

Did God encourage you as you planned ways to encourage your husband? God let me see my husband through His eyes many times and in many ways. My husband is a good man. He has a huge heart, and loves me with the full capacity of it, no matter what kind of mood I'm in. No one on earth could love me like he does. Even more sexy to me is that fact that he loves God with that huge heart even more than he loves me. When he's relying fully on the Lord, I'm resting secure because I know that our marriage is firm and grounded in the solid promises of God's Word. And since my biggest need is security and my needs are being met, then I feel safe enough and strong enough to meet his needs, the greatest being.... respect. It's a cycle that has to be started somewhere... and a result that ends in a happily ever after....literally.

Were there difficult days where you simply needed to trust that God was working? I think this 30 days was perfectly planned (ordained) because we moved into a new house; and if you've ever moved, you know there is added stress. Through that stress came confirmation after confirmation that God has His master plan in place. (well duh I know...but sometimes don't we need to be smacked over the head with stuff!?!) Honestly, over the past 2 years since we've been in church-planting, I've "encouraged" my husband to quit. Yes quit. More than once. Ministry isn't fun most of the time. It's hard. People can be mean and I'm very protective of those that I love. This move and the unity that has developed in our marriage has taught me several things, but the most important is to keep on trusting that God IS working. He works for the good of those who love him. There will be days when it's difficult, but that's when God is encouraging me in the words of my grandpa to "keep on, keepin' on" ...the best is yet to come.

Operation Christmas Child

Interested in packing a shoebox with us? We will be collecting boxes at our house the first week of November and delivering to a church nearby. We will be taking donations to put extra boxes together. We will wrap your box & deliver it for you, if you just want to bring it by. You can also find churches near you that are delivering, by checking the Operation Christmas Child website. To order individual materials, click here. We want to give to our local shelters too, but this organization makes it so easy to have your children help shop, pack, wrap, write a note, send a picture and tell another child their age, around the world about Jesus. There's just something beautiful about getting your child to understand giving at this "gimme" time of year.

Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7

Break Free Bible Donations

A Message from Hope, RiverPoint's Worship Pastor....

Today was a great day at RiverPoint. Seeing so many people baptized was an amazing sight to behold. What is even more awesome is that God is going to continue to move mightily in our community. Over the next month we will be preparing for Break Free, an outreach event on September 26th. Our special guests that night will be the Harvey County Homeless Shelter and Youthville. We would like to give each of our VIP guests a bible that night. These will be Life Application Bibles and the cost will be $27.00 for each bible. We need to purchase 50 bibles. It is our hope that the cost of these bibles would be donated. If you feel led to donate, please stop by the Break Free table Sunday to donate the cost of a bible to our guests. (OR leave a comment on my blog!)

Also, I want to encourage you to sign up to serve that night. Each person coming that night is in desperate need of love. And sharing the love of Christ with them is more rewarding then I can possibly describe. There is something amazing that happens when God's annointed unite together in one accord to show the love of Christ to others.

Isaiah 61:1
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.

Today is the Day

I went to church today thinking about myself....my to-do list, my children, my problems, my life. I left church today thinking how I never want to do that again. I want to go to church thinking how can I encourage others in their walk with Christ, and how can I help someone change their life today. Let me start from the beginning...

We had church outside. There was a hot tub filled with cold water for a baptismal. It was hot and muggy. It was beautiful to see the ones I know serve the ones I don't by giving up chairs and giving umbrellas to shade from the sun. This is church. Brad spoke about the next steps to take when you've given your life to Christ. He talked about baptism and the many ideas people have conjured up from many different traditions and backgrounds. He spoke the truth in love about what the Bible says about baptism, what Jesus Himself did and the steps to take after making Jesus your Lord. He led them in the salvation prayer at the end of the service for those who didn't know Him yet. During that prayer...I pray. Every week I pray that God would pour down His love and speak to hearts that came. I usually don't get to see the fruits of that prayer, but today I did. At the end of this prayer, Brad said he was going to baptize 8 people and that anyone who wanted to, who just gave their life to Christ, could. He said--just stand up and say "Today is the Day!" and not seconds after he said that, a young Mom to the left of me spoke up. She was already standing so she said loud and clear...."Today is the Day!" Tears were streaming down her face. A few other people stood then too. I remembered how nervous I was when I was baptized, so I decided to go encourage and cheer on those who were brave and emotional, for sure. Inside I found Kelly who wanted to pray and didn't know how. She said she didn't want to do life on her own anymore, and knew that God was whispering into her heart. We prayed together. It was glorious. Then outside as I walked her back to her seat to watch the baptisms, her friend wanted to pray too. Tami had been sprinkled as a baby, but didn't remember it and wanted to give her life to Jesus. She wanted to give up control and let God lead her. We prayed the prayer. She was so excited! It was an amazing time. After I'd gotten them bibles and introduced them to Brad, I wanted to give them my name and phone number so that they could call me if they needed anything this week. We couldn't find paper, but I had a pen. And only at RiverPoint Church would this be just the coolest thing ever, I think, but I wrote my name and phone number on a pack of cigarettes. :) How funny is that!?! I loved it.

Oh and in the end, 25 people were baptized.

Today was a great day.

Thanks God for letting me be a part of it.

Just Added: Here are some links to see more pics taken on my husband's phone.

Hallelujah!!!

Recently we went to the business of one of our new church attenders, just to visit and get to know her and her husband better. We had a great time, but something she said stuck in my mind.

She was in Wal-mart and saw someone with a RiverPoint shirt on, and usually she doesn't just talk to people she doesn't know, but this time she said she decided to meet someone who goes to her church.

She said "Oh, so you go to RiverPoint?" and this person said "short"ly, "I used to!" She said she went to the "original" RPC --when it was in Halstead. It wasn't as much what this person said, but how it obviously came across as ugly.

This sweet girl, unaware of the past or any hurt we experienced a year ago when 50 people left because we moved to the "big city" nearby, just suddenly walked into some bitter person who still has not gotten over it. Funny....she was wearing the shirt!?! But what God keeps making clear to me is that He is sovereign. In the past year as RiverPoint has been pruned and grown to over 300 each Sunday morning, God has over and over again made His glory brighter than our darkest days. For that I say "Hallelujah!", and to the ones who stayed behind who may still be bitter for whatever reason, I say "Hallelujah!" because God is sovereign.

From Psalm 35, the MSG:

I will give YOU full credit
when everyone gathers for worship;
When the people turn out in force

I will say my Hallelujahs.

But those who want the best for me,

Let them have the last word—a glad shout!—
and say, over and over and over,
"God is great—everything works
together for good for his servant."
I'll tell the world how great and good you are,
I'll shout Hallelujah all day, every day.

Cue this song: You are God Alone

Prayers to Pray for your Pastor, Day 4

1. As [Brad] preaches, let him proclaim Jesus Christ (Col 1:28). Let my pastor's teaching be in the energy of the Holy Spirit.
2. Lord, by Your Holy Spirit, anoint Brad's preaching. As he speaks the Word, let the sick be healed and the oppressed be set free. Anoint Brad with the truth (Mt. 16:17). let people be cut to the heart and accept Jesus Christ.
3. Lord, as You have promised, grant my beloved shepherd lasting fruit (Mal. 3:11, Jn. 15:16). Let those new believer's become disciples who in turn disciple. Bless my pastor with disciples who grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ.
4. Lord, keep my pastor in the fear of God. Let my pastor not fear people (Prov. 19:23). Give [Brad] boldness to confront sin and church controllers. Honor my pastor's stand for you. come to my pastor's rescue. I claim Psalm 35 for my shepherd.

Prayers to Pray for your Pastor, Day 3

1. Father, heal my shepherd's heart of any grief caused by ministry. Bestow on him a crown of beauty instead of ashes and anoint him with the oil of gladness instead of mourning. Clothe my shepherd with a garment of praise instead of a spirit of depression.
2. Keep my pastor in the midst of good and exciting worship. Keep my pastor from the traditions of men and religion which hold the form of godliness, but deny it's power (2 Tim. 3:5). Give [Brad] a vision of heaven (Isa.6, Rev.4).
3. With my shield of faith I cover my shepherd's mind to quench all flaming darts of doubt or mental distractions. (Eph. 6:16, col 2:6-7). Let the mind of Christ be strong in my pastor (I Cor. 2:16).
4. Lord, I stand against the enemies of my pastor's prayer life. Let nothing hinder [Brad]'s time with You. Let my pastor rise up to seek You (Mk. 1:35) and pray without ceasing (I Thess. 5:17). Give my pastor the time, the desire, and the place to pray (Acts 16:16).
5. Bless my pastor with rich study time. (Acts 6:4, 2 Tim. 2:15)

Prayers to Pray for your Pastor, Day 2

1. Jesus keep my pastor holy in every way (I Peter 1:16). Protect my shepherd from seducing spirits especially when he is tired and hard-pressed. Give [Brad] comrades to help protect him, and share with in personal holiness (James 4:7). As my pastor draws near to You, draw near to my pastor. (James 4:8)
2. I pray that the eyes of my pastor may be enlightened to know the hope to which we are called and know the riches of our glorious inheritance in the saints. Let my pastor know the incomparable great power which is in us who believe (Eph.1:18-19). Let [Brad] see the full revelation of Jesus Christ (Gal. 1:12). Place in him a desire to know Christ and the power of His resurrection (Phil. 3:10).
3. In Jesus' name I speak to church hurts, abuse and ungrateful forces to move. I speak to mountains of criticism and inordinate expectations to be cast into the sea. I speak to stress, excessive phone counseling, and fatigue to be cast into the sea, and I believe every need, vision, and dream of [Brad]'s will be completed (Mark 11:22-24, Phil. 4:19).
4. Forgive those who hurt [Brad] and speak against him, and may my pastor walk in forgiveness (Eph. 4:32-5:1). Guard my pastor from futile thinking (Eph. 4:17)and a vain imagination. Let every thought be taken captive to obey Christ (2 Cor. 10:3-5).
5. In Jesus' name I bind the fear of failure and fear of humankind (Jn.14:1). Let [Brad]'s confidence not be eroded by the daily resistance to the gospel or his vision. Allow my pastor to fear God more than people.

Prayers to Pray for your Pastor, Day 1

1. Thank you, Father, that Your eyes are on my shepherd and Your ears are attentive to my pastor's prayers and Your face is against those who plot evil against my pastor (I Pet.3:12). For I know that in all things You work for the good of Brad (insert your pastor's name here) who loves You (Rom.8:28). Who can accuse this pastor who is daily interceded for by Christ Jesus? (Rom.8:33-34). Therefore, in all things my pastor is more than a conqueror (Rom.8:37). Thank You, God.
2. Lord, I pray for discernment in exposing any schemes of the enemy against my pastor. Show our congregation how to pray against all powers of the dark world and the spiritual forces of darkness in heavenly realms. And Lord, protect us as we wage warfare on behalf of our pastor. (Eph.6:11-12)
3. Father, I thank you that no weapons formed against my pastor will prosper. Every tongue raised against my shepherd will be cast down. Rumors and gossip will be turned aside. For [Brad] will be still before the Lord and wait on You. My pastor will dwell in the shadow of the Most High God and will be delivered from terror, darts of doubt, and diseases (Ps.91:5-6). Set your angels about my pastor (Ps.91:11) and no power of the enemy shall harm him (Luke 10:19).
4. Lord, let [Brad] have a discerning mind to prioritize the precious minutes in the day. Let my pastor discern what is most important and be guarded against the tyranny of the urgent (2Cor.11:14, I John 4:1)
5. Father, allow my pastor to glory only in the cross (Gal.6:14). Keep my pastor from pride and pity. Let the cross be his reason for ministry.

worthy

"The biggest disease today is not leprosy or tuberculosis, but rather the feeling of being unwanted."  Mother Theresa

My heart is full, so forgive me as I try to spill out what's all bottled up inside, and maybe cry a little too.  There is nothing worse than feeling like no one wants you.  There can't be anything worse than feeling rejected by God after the death of your soul mate and then by being rejected by friends and even family who are supposed to love you.  There can't be anything worse than being sexually abused by your father for 25 years.  There can't be anything worse than someone coming to take your children away.  There can't be anything worse than feeling unwanted by the entire world.  There can't be anything worse than feeling unworthy of being loved.

When we walked into Hope Haven Home on Friday, faces were downcast, worn and skeptical of these 16 women who came to visit.  They had been deeply hurt and didn't trust easily.  We spent that day and evening just having fun with them: eating together, being silly, dancing, giving presents and singing around the campfire with s'mores.  Saturday, we shared worship together and studied Psalm 139.  We wrote letters to ourselves to encourage us and remind us that God knit us perfectly and for a purpose.  As we got ready to leave, we prayed over them.  There were tears and hugs and those faces were changed.  They were loved.  They didn't want us to leave.  They felt God's love and maybe even a little closer to feeling worthy of it.

My perspective is changed.  My pitiful little problems in life are put into a new context that makes them blessings that I should be thankful for.  I have been protected in this life.  Why?  These women are just like me.  They don't deserve to be homeless and to feel worthless to the world.  My heart is burdened that women need to know they're worthy.  Women need to know they ARE worthy of God's great love.  Lamentations 3 may be the cry of a homeless person and verse 22 says this:  Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 

There are so many hurting people around us.  There are so many feeling desperate for someone to tell them that they are worth something.  Look into eyes and ask for God to fill up your heart so that you can overflow into theirs.  People need Jesus.  People need to know that there is one, true, living God, and that He loves them.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;  and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned;  the flames will not set you ablaze.  For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;  ...Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you,  I will give men [Jesus] in exchange for you, and people in exchange for your life.  Do not be afraid, for I am with you.  Isa. 43:2-5

Spark Ministry