Sunday night thoughts…

• Good day at the Song today…
• The band did an AWESOME job… “You’ll Come” is one of my favorites and they do it better than the original.  Powerful song!
• Week two of God @ the Movies… We used Land of the Lost today.
• When I planned this series (a couple of months ago), this message was going a completely different direction… God called an audible this week and I felt that the message really connected and God moved.
• WAY down in attendance today… LOTS of folks on vacation and taking a break over the next couple of weeks.
• Should have the podcast up by tomorrow.  We are a little behind with them but be patient, they are worth the wait 😉
• Saturday’s PARADE is going to be a blast!  If you can help out send josh@lifesonglive.com and he will get you hooked up.
• Performed a wedding yesterday, OUTSIDE!!!  Really glad I don’t wear suits that often 😉
• We are putting alot of effort during the Summer in to firming up our procedures and structure so that we are better prepared to handle the growth this Fall.
• Had another person sign up to be baptized on the nineteenth… if you need to take that step, send me an email at mark@lifesonglive.com.
• Hurt my foot a couple of weeks ago while on vacation.  Can’t seem to figure out whats wrong… would appreciate the prayers.

friday five…

Thoughts from our trip to California…

• The quality of cars in  So-Cal are much nicer than Griffin… don’t see many Ferrari’s or Maserati’s around here.
• The first place we ate in LA was In-N-Out Burger.  It might have changed my life 😉 .  You only have three choices on the menu… very simple and very good quality.  The church could learn from this.
• We rented a convertible while we were there… we drove the Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, Sunset Strip, Santa Monica and the trip out to the Desert made it worth it… really awesome scenery.
• We saw an “interesting” Christian choir singing in downtown Hollywood… they are NOT helping the Cause 😦
• Focus on the Family did a great job with this retreat… The La Quinta Resort is the nicest place that I have ever stayed.  The speakers were excellent (for the most part) and really reconfirmed the need to minister to my family FIRST.
• Check out the pics HERE

Stay strong…

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.  Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.  And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.  And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. Romans 5:1-5 NLT

God’s ways are not like ours… sometimes before His Truth brings comfort it will bring great trials.  If you are going through a trial, take heart, you may be closer to a breakthrough than you realize.  Allow the problem’s to GROW your faith and draw you closer to Him… Stay strong!

Sunday night thoughts…

• GREAT to be back a it after a two week break!
• I will share a little about our trip this week.
• Lifesong was awesome this morning… good crowd considering the “Summer Slump” and great energy.
• The band did an incredible job leading us in worship this morning.  I really missed them.
• I think our God @ the Movies series is going to be really timely… I NEEDED to preach (and hear) the message from today.
• Lots of cool stuff coming up over the next month… Fourth of July parade, Baptism and BBQ and a movie night.  Very cool!
• If you can volunteer at any of these send our Director of Volunteers an email at josh@lifesonglive.com and he will get you hooked up.
• I heard that Kevin Garrison did a good job filling in last week.  He really made my day when he bragged on the volunteers of Lifesong and our commitment to excellence.
• Last night I received a message from a Lifesonger who just got back from vacation in Italy that said… “No pressure, but the last service we went to was with the Pope.”  Pretty funny.
• I have had a great Fathers Day weekend… my kids fixed me breakfast in bed yesterday, Tammy made Lasagna for dinner last night and they made me King for the day complete with a crown and a throne.  Now I need to find a wench 😉
• I am burdened by the things that many of our folks are dealing with at Lifesong right now… lots of people hurting.  Satan is really attacking… but we all know who WINS in the end.  Stay strong.

Thinking too small…

“It is too small a thing for you to be my servant
to restore the tribes of Jacob
and bring back those of Israel I have kept.
I will also make you a light for the Gentiles,
that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”  Isaiah 49:6

The context of this passage is Isaiah’s prophecy about Jesus who would extend the Gospel to the world.  But I want to personalize it a bit…

We have seen God do some pretty amazing things at Lifesong over the last eighteen months and the most dangerous thing that God can give any church is “success.”  The danger is that we begin to get comfortable and rest in our accomplishments, while God has BIGGER plans.  We begin to shrink back from the VISION that God has for Lifesong church.

While what God has DONE is incredible what He wants to DO is unimaginable!  Let’s DREAM BIG and back it up with action.