Victoria takes first place!

Our girl sang in her first talent show today.  Here she is singing “Free to Be Me” by Francesca Battistelli:

She tied for first place with this boy who seriously shredded some guitar.

Way to go Victoria.  We are so proud of you.

Brian (Dad)

one step closer

I recently commented about how I wish the Black Eyed Peas loved Jesus.  Then I could listen to the whole album and not just the radio versions of their songs.  Then their creativity and excitement would drive people to love the King of Kings.  That prayer hasn’t been answered yet, but Mandisa has given new purpose to one of their songs.  Enjoy!

I gotta feeling…
That tonight’s gonna be a good night
That tonight’s gonna be a good night
That tonight’s gonna be a good good night

Tonight’s the night
Let’s live it up
And lift our praises
Lets lift em up
Go out and shout it
Worship our God
Jump off that chair
Let’s get get UP

I know that we’ll have a ball
If we forget what they think
And just lose it all
I want to thank Him
I won’t let it go
Lets just praise Him like were crazy
And loosing all control

He fills my cup
Turns hard to soft
Mourning to dancing
My burdens… OFF
If Hes been good
Been good to you
Come on lets praise Him
And then we’ll do it again

Lets do it (x4)
And do it (2x)
Let’s lift him up
And do it (3x)
Do it, do it
Lets do it (3x)

Chorus (2x)

Tonight’s the night
Let’s live it up
And lift our praises
Lets lift em up
Go out and shout it
Worship our God
Jump off that chair
Lets kick it OFF

He fills my cup
Turns hard to soft
Mourning to dancing
My burdens… OFF
If Hes been good
Been good to you
Come on lets praise Him
And then we’ll do it again

Lets do it (x4)
And do it (2x)
Let’s lift him up
And do it (3x)
Do it, do it
Lets do it (3x)
Do it, do it, do it, do it

Here we come
Here we go
We gotta rock
Easy come
Easy go
With all we got
Jesus the
Solid rock
Praise Him don’t stop
Round and round
Up and down
Around the clock

We praise Him
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
Friday, Saturday
Saturday to Sunday

Get, get, get, get, get with us
You know what we say
Praise Him everyday
Praise Him everyday

Chorus (2x)
Whooo

I don’t usually like parodies but that one is pretty fun.

Brian

2.7.10 @ the Brook

Our walk through the book of Luke will have us looking at one of the times Jesus faced a demon possessed person.  Should be interesting!  We will sing:

Hallelujah, You’re Worthy to be Praised (choir)

Majestic

There is Power in the Blood

Alive Forever Amen

Change (choir)

Can’t wait to worship with you on Sunday.

Brian

how can it be?

Think about it.  How can God love us so much?  I’ve been overwhelmed by the thought of His love for us this week.  I’m reading the book Crazy Love and at the same time God is leading me through passages of His Word that hit home on the same themes.  In my daily Psalm reading I hit Psalm 139 last Thursday.  The first six verses just keep ringing in my head:

O Lord, you have searched me and known me!

You know when I sit down and when I rise up;

ou discern my thoughts from afar.

You search out my path and my lying down

and are acquainted with all my ways.

Even before a word is on my tongue,

behold, O lord, you know it altogether.

You hem me in, behind and before,

and lay you hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

it is high; I cannot attain it.

Psalm 139:1-6

The intimate knowledge God has of me is staggering to realize. That out of almost 7 billion people on earth, in the midst of a universe that is larger than I could ever comprehend and goes “who knows how far” beyond our most powerful telescope, God knows every word I say before I even say it.  Not only that, He does it on purpose.  He has “searched me and known me.”  He even knows when I sit and when I get up!  Wow!

Then, while I’m reading this, God has me in the first few chapters of Romans which reminds me that I deserve non of it.  I deserve only the wrath of God.  Even David knew this as he wrote in Psalm 143 that “no one living is righteous before you.”  But by God’s grace, His marvelous, wonderful grace, I am saved.  He is my Redeemer and Friend.  My Father.  His intentional, crazy love for me goes beyond anything I can imagine.  It goes so far that while I was still a wretched, rebellious sinner, He died for me (Romans 5:8).

How can this be?  And how in the world do we respond to such knowledge?  Total surrender.  Nothing held back.  Lay it all down.

More on this later.

Brian

good question

Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?

Luke 6:46 (ESV)

Good question, isn’t it?  What Jesus was asking makes perfect sense.  If some one is your lord, then you are their servant.  A servant does what the master, or lord, says whether he/she is one by choice or by force.  If we have fully submitted to Christ, if He is our Lord, then why would we not do what He says?  Why wouldn’t we do what His Word commands?  Jesus also said,

If anyone loves me, he will keep my word…Whoever does not love me does not keep my words.

John 14:23a, 24a (ESV)

It’s pretty simple.  If we truly love Christ we will obey His word.  We will do what He says.  If we don’t, we won’t.  It’s a great heart check.  Let the Holy Spirit take a look at yours right now.  What is He saying?

I reading Crazy Love right now.  There is so much to say.  I’ll be reflecting on it for awhile.  If you are ready for a holy kick in the gutt, go buy this book.

Brian

what?

This can’t really work, can it?

I mean, I wouldn’t want fake chocolate.  And I don’t even touch decaf coffee.  If you’ve used this, please tell us about it.

Brian

Haiti//you can help now

Here’s how.

I’ve mentioned before that Heart of the Bride has an orphanage in Haiti.  They are planning a relief/gospel ministry trip on February 12 and have worked out a great deal on cargo.  They are looking to take 6,000 pounds of stuff and need $12,000 to do it.  Please consider donating now at heartofthebride.org/haitirecovery.  Also, pray for the team that is being assembled.  There will be a great gospel ministry going on with the relief effort.

Read this about what’s happening with the orphanage.

Thanks for your help.  You can make a difference now.

Brian

overload//email

Does anyone else have this or am I the only one?

I get at least 50 a day.  I try to keep up, then I just give up.  Overload.  It comes from so many different places.  I don’t need it from email.  I think I’m gonna just delete them all.  The important ones will come back.  Right?

Brian

1.24.10 @ the Brook

I can’t wait to worship with MeadowBrook this Sunday.  Here’s what we’re gonna sing:

My Savior Lives

Friend of God

What a Friend We have in Jesus

Praise the Father Praise the Son

Breathe On Me (choir)

I’m already singing these songs.  If you live in the Gadsden area and don’t have anywhere to worship this Sunday, come worship with us.

Brian

Heart of the Bride and Haiti Recovery

Hey guys, I’ve shared about Heart of the Bride ministries before.  They have an orphanage that was not affected by the earthquake directly but many refugees are fleeing to the northwest corner of the county where they are located.  Their partner there is giving food from their food supply and clothing from his own family.  Please consider donating directly to the Heart of the Bride Haiti Recovery Fund to help them with this effort.  Here is an email from the founder and president of Heart of the Bride Ministries, Tony Gibson, explaining the situation:

I need to provide an update regarding the letter that I sent to out last week. Things have changed, and we really need help now. As we were making preparations for the people that would inevitably come to the town of Maure Rouge from Port as Prince, they were already on there way. We were receiving news reports that people were loading big buses and headed out to the villages even specifically to the Northwest. At the same time, we finally reached our Haitian Partner, by phone, who told us that refugees were flooding into town.

He had escaped from a collapsed house in Port a few days earlier broken hearted over the devastation and anxious to help. Yesterday he was already feeding people from our food supply, giving away clothes and shoes from his own family, and giving people medical treatment. He was so burdened about their physical condition. All of this, just on the first day…

We are now in the center of the storm, and we need help. We have already sent out the money that has come in this weekend to the recovery fund. Our partner, Edner is a close personal brother who has a true compassion for the people, OUTSTANDING administrative skills, proven integrity and management with money, and he has the capacity to organize meaningful physical and spiritual help if he has the resources. We have relationships with other Christian leaders there as well.

We also have a food distribution system in place, and a facility that can be converted into a “Haitian Led” relief center. I am in contact with him multiple times each day helping him think through the long term implications of any decision. We are preparing for the long term including expanded care for orphans which will be needed in that area over the coming months, but for today we need to help take care of the many strangers that the Lord loves, and we have the opportunity to use every resource provided in a very direct and meaningful way.

For those of you who know how we operate, we send out the money that comes in. God is always faithful, but we are usually praying for our basic needs to be met that provides for the many monnthly wires meets the needs of hundreds of orphans……so, we don’t have big undesignated funds sitting around. We help as God provides, and we are asking Him to provide for this incredible need.

In the home front, one of our volunteer staff members served many years in Haiti as a Marine Commander and government liaison. He has led out in disaster relief and management throughout his career. He is assisting us in expanding our contacts for alternate ways to reach Maure Rouge and coordination with high level relief organizations. We will not be spending money on things that could be done another way, and I will be taking a small team in as an alternate route is secured. By the way, we have already started a list of those who want to go in with us this year. Anyone who wants to get on that list should contact karen@heartofthebride.org.  There will be opportunities to help in that way, but sending money is the most important thing before we spend money to go.

Please consider being an advocate for this need. The need is now, and I wouldn’t mind hearing from anyone who plans to get involved. It will be so encouraging for me to tell Edner and others there about any commitment that our friends of HOB have made on their behalf.

Our ministry is completely about relationships, and this plea is about helping many people that we love who are doing all that they can do to help their brothers. Pray for the gospel to go out as these hands are extended.

We are so humbled and thankful to be a part of His work and to serve our Haitian brothers, sisters, and partners in these days.

Peace, Tony

Please pray for these people and prayerfully consider giving to this effort.

Brian