Ketchup

So i know that’s it’s been awhile since I’ve actually posted something other than a video on here. Not much seems to be going on in my world right now. It seems that summer for everyone else is hectic, but mine has been quite the opposite.  So…let me catch you up on some of the things that’s been the highlights of my summer.

1. I bought an iPad.  That’s right, I caved in to the marketing and technological guru, Steve Jobs, the god of Apple. After waiting for the local Apple Store to “order” one, my brother informed me that Best Buy sold them, so I walked right in and bought one. No waiting. No “priority lists”. No gimmicks. They had every model and capacity in stock, while the Apple Store had none.  Amazing, I know. Nobody else seemed near as perturbed as I was. Go figure.  (I’m actually typing this post out on it!)

2. I solved a Rubik’s cube. I’ve been trying to tell everyone when they ask of my expertise on certain things that they can find it out on the internet. No one wants to go searching, though. I’ve learned lots of neat things from the internet in my life: how to build a deck, how to become a shade tree mechanic, how to install various things, and recently, how to solve a Rubik’s cube. I am officially a dork, I know.

3. We’ve made several trips to various places still searching for the place that God has promised to us. I think that I now know how Moses and the people of Israel most have felt wandering around in that desert…waiting on God. It’s not fun, I can tell you that. However, we now feel like we have weathered the storm and the calm is right around the corner.  It’s been 1 year, 4 months and counting, and counting, and counting.     

5.  Attended another Hillsong concert.  This time is was in Tulsa.  This time it was more awesome…awesome-er.

4. After leading worship at various churches and events the past year and a half, I’ve managed to only lose one piece of equipment. Luckily, it is only a $25 part. Not too shabby, I’d say.

Lots of productivity going on here, as you can see. Lots of life-altering events in my summer. How about you?  Im sure that your summer is much more productive and exciting than mine. Sound off in the comments and let me know.

Playing the Waiting Game

Waiting stinks. There’s no easier way to say it (well there is, but this is a ‘G’ rated blog…ok, ‘PG’). Did you know that the average person will spend 7 years of their lifetime with insomnia? That’s right, you’ll lie (or is it lay..whatever) awake trying to count sheep for a total of 7 years! We’ll spend an average of 6 months of our lives just waiting in line and over 20 hours on hold (listening to terrible pop music like Milli Vanilli).

The book of Isaiah even talks about waiting…

Isaiah 8:17
And I will wait upon the LORD, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him.

Isaiah 25:9 (KJV)
And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

Isaiah 40:27 (MSG)
God doesn’t come and go. God lasts. He’s Creator of all you can see or imagine. He doesn’t get tired out, doesn’t pause to catch his breath. And he knows everything, inside and out. He energizes those who get tired, gives fresh strength to dropouts. For even young people tire and drop out, young folk in their prime stumble and fall. But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, They run and don’t get tired, they walk and don’t lag behind.

I recently read a book titled Plan B: What Do You Do When God Doesn’t Show Up the Way You Thought He Would? by Pete Wilson.  Pete talks about the hardest part of our lives being waiting.  Not knowing if what you’re doing is right.  Not knowing if something IS coming.  Waiting for the inevitable.  Waiting for change.  Waiting for promotion.    Pete continues to say that if you’re in a time of waiting, the best foundation to weather the waiting game is prayer.  If you’re in the middle of waiting, now’s the time to pray and dig deeper into God’s Word than ever before.  Stand with arms high and heart abandoned.  Good things come out of waiting.  Your faith is tested and purified.  Your strength is renewed.  Your flame is rekindled. 

There’s a great song that wraps up my thoughts on waiting.  John Waller’s song titled “While I’m Waiting” from the movie Fireproof brings everything together.  This is my prayer during our waiting game.  Enjoy the music video below and start enjoying the Wait…

Food for thought…

Don’t you love it when God deals with you…constantly.  As of late, that’s the case with me.  I’ve been super-wrapped up in turning up my “spiritual ears”, as some people would say.  Sometimes it seems that we as believers have spiritual earplugs.  😀  Christians should always be listening to for what God is wanting to say to us.

While driving to work the other day, I was thinking of all of the events that have transpired throughout the year.  All the things that went on in our lives this year…happy, sad, times of rejoicing, times of lament, times of confusion.  All in all, the year has been an adventure, that’s for sure.

God recently gave us a scripture that has really stuck with me.  It comes from Isaiah 43.  The opening verses of the chapter alone are enough to make you be glad that you are God’s.  He says that we are his children, to fear not, he’s always there.  Through it all.  Always there.  He continues to remind us the whole chapter that HE is God…always has been, always will be.  My favorite verse from this chapter (the ones that I’ve been dwelling on) is verse 19:

Isaiah 43:19 (NLT)

¹⁹ For I am about to do something new.
      See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?
   I will make a pathway through the wilderness.
      I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.

 

Do you have that smirk smile on your face when you read that, thought so…I did too.  It has started; even when we don’t see it.  (But it would be nice to see it, right?  :D)

Still running the race,

Where have I been???

Busy.  That’s right, busy.  That’s where I’ve been…at the intersection of Busy and Excited.  God continues to impress us and give us our heart’s desire.  It has been a great journey so far! 

We’ve been enjoying God’s presence in Bentonville for a little over a month now, and man has it been great!  God is really doing a new, fresh thing in Bentonville!  What anointing!  What talent!  What great attitudes!  What great worshippers!  I thank God for showing up and healing hearts and lives in the services.  It’s not ever about us, but it’s always about him. 

I hope that you can come experience God in Bentonville with us .  If you’re not able to come to Bentonville, check out this excerpt from our Sunday Evening Worship Service on 8-2-09.  I’ve been listening to it while typing this post, and the tears began to fall…I feel that God’s anointing was so fresh and soaked on this service and I know that it will continue to flow and minister to you as you listen. 

(Setlist:  Awesome is the Lord Most High by Chris Tomlin, Jesse Reeves, Cary Pierce, Jon Abel.  Forever by Chris Tomlin.  You are Good by Kari Jobe.  How Great is our God by Chris Tomlin, Jesse Reeves, Ed Cash.)

Keep us in your prayers as we seek God’s face and will for our lives.  God is THE Orchestrator and continues to put things together that no one else can.  Thank you Lord for what you’ve done for us this far, but we thank you already for what you’re going to do in the future!

10,000 songs and still strong

10,000 songs.  Ten thousand.  Diez Mil.  dix-millièmes.   diecimila.  一萬  That’s alot.  That’s how many songs Amy and I have sang in the last 7 years. 

 

Here’s the breakdown:

Time at Victory: 7 years

Approximate number of times to lead worship: 1,000

Avg. Songs per Worship Service:  8

Avg. Songs per Altar call:  2

Avg. # of songs in the key of E:  15

Avg. # of songs in the key of G: 25

Avg. # of songs in a flatted/ key: 0

 

That means that we probably sang songs like ‘Open the Eyes’ and ‘I Could Sing of Your Love Forever’ about 400-500 times apiece..Yowza! 

So hat’s off to the last 10,000 songs that we sang, and here’s to the next 1,000,000.  May God continue to grow and bless us 10 times over on the next 10,000.  We pray God’s blessings on you all…thanks for letting us worship with you.  If you haven’t worshipped with us yet, what are you waiting on? 

 

Change Your Life

Needless to say, in the last month there has been change. And when I say change, I mean CHANGE. There is not one area of my life that is not going through a change…house, car, job, church, etc. You name it, I guarantee it’s changing.  Not all things that change are bad though, I have learned. Sometimes it’s just time for an upgrade, or trade-in!

So endure the change and PRAY. Hold on. You’ll make it. When you are in God’s will, there is nothing that should stand in your way.  One day things will be great again and you’ll look back and wonder why you were so worried about the changes that were going on in your life.

Visiting The Assembly

So today was our first Sunday in a long time not leading worship.  Weird, I know.  We are slowly adjusting to our new normal…but it’s not really our new normal.  It’s our new normal until a new new normal is here (Leading worship, full time once again).  Lost?  Now you know how we feel.

Anywho, we visited The Assembly at Broken Arrow today.  What a nice place to start off our journey!  Working in Broken Arrow, I knew of the church but did not really know a whole lot about it.  A friend that I went to church with back in the day is currently the Student Minister/Pastor here.  

Upon arrival, we were quickly greeted by ushers who escorted us to the Worship Center.  Entering the Worship Center, we were greeted by another usher who asked “Where would you like to sit?”  I told him about halfway down in the middle.  We were escorted to two empty seats with a smile and a quick “Make yourself at home, today”. 

We worshipped with the amazing praise team at The Assembly.  Apparently, the Worship Pastors have recently got on board at The Assembly (and are in the middle of a move, God be with them!) and to my looks, are doing a marvelous job!  A full choir, orchestra, and vocalists complemented the tremendous voice of the Worship Pastor.  The background lighting changing from a soothing purple to a blue set the mood to worship. 

A smooth transition from the Worship to the Word was done in part by the Pastor, Ron Woods.  He delivered a great word that spoke directly into our lives.  His words of seeking God first and not anything else, plunged straight to my heart.  How timely a message to hear!  The service was closed with an altar call and word of prayer.

After service, Amy and I hung around until the Worship Pastors seemed to be not busy anymore.  (Note: Worship Pastors are never NOT busy, but have priorities to which they assign their time.)  We approached one of the Worship Pastors and began to introduce ourselves.  We had a great talk with the Worship Pastors over lunch, talking of our dreams, desires, jobs, etc.  Very personable Pastoral Staff at The Assembly!

If you are in Broken Arrow (or maybe if you’re not), I encourage you to visit The Assembly.  You will find smiling faces, helpful staff, and an overall greatness of people there…not to mention, if you go looking for God, you will find him alive at The Assembly!

 

Always,