Sunday Recap

Yesterday was tough on one hand and amazing on the other. It seems as though most high points in life are found in that tension.

TOUGH: I had to give a slight correction and update to my talk from two weeks ago. I am teaching on James right now and two weeks ago we talked about dealing difficult situations and people from James 1. In my effort to make it very relevant to everyday life and not just catastrophic event I failed to reach the full depth of the passage and communicate the power of being connected to Jesus is terribly difficult times. You may have read a recent post about my friend George who lost his wife to a tumor about four years ago. He sent me his email record/ journal of the journey that they went through together fighting this cancer. The thing ripped me apart as I read it this weekend. Twenty six pages of updates and records of the disease tearing his wife apart. The thing that hit me the hardest was their combined faith in Jesus, His will and plan for them and for all those impacted by this situation. In the middle of amazing struggles and what he called an excruciating period in their lives, there was this amazing peace and even joy in watching God do his work. So when I stepped up to speak yesterday I started with the story of reconnecting with George and reading through the journal and re-emphasizing the depth of what James says in chapter 1 about trials. It was tough, I cried as I retold the story of my friend Tina being taken, but I believe God used it again to encourage those who were present.

AMAZING: There is a new energy at Life at the Ridge. We continue to see new people and again after this weeks gathering I talked with a not-yet-following-Jesus (NYFJP) person who is experiencing the pull of the holy spirit. This really is the most exciting time in our lives.

I look forward to our first annual baptism service this summer. I don't know if it will be one or twenty but God is up to something and every Sunday I sense it and see it in people eyes.

There was one other thing that made my day: A guy hugged me after I prayed with him. I am not a huggy person and I reserve the full embrace for the closest of friends. But this was such a sincere "Thank you!" that I loved it.

So another gathering behind us, I can't wait for next Sunday!