A Reminder to Live

We are officially ready to sell our house. We have had it on the market since the end of November and have had a lot of showings, but no offers. A few months ago there were 10 houses for sale in our neighborhood now there are only three including ours. Two identical houses have sold one for more and one for less than our asking price.

The last four showing have been “no-shows.” This is painful. If you are looking for a house it means you ran out of time and this one was not a priority. If you are selling your house and happen to be us, this means you get really excited, start praying and then the work begins. For Leigh-Ann this means that you race around for two hours making sure everything is perfect and then load up four kids and find somewhere to go for two hours and hope and pray and pray some more. I honestly do help when possible……right honey?

This morning I got the call for our first showing in several weeks. Awesome news! I had even cleaned the van, car and garage out last night. I got the “woo hoo” text from Leigh-Ann and things were looking up. I had a lunch appointment while Leigh-Ann got everything ready (who ever said life was fair?).

Twenty minutes before the scheduled time, Leigh-Ann got in the van – click ck ck ck ck. Dead Battery! Moment of panic! Phone Call! Fortunately her mom is in town and able to swing by and pick them up. Yeah Mom! Problem solved! At least until I get home and try to fix the battery or whatever is wrong.

It is 3:23pm on a Friday afternoon and I am fighting negative thoughts. If they don’t show after all this………….I guess they don’t show after all this. Not really much that I can do. In my head, I know there is a purpose, but I am struggling with doubt.

Over a dead battery? Don’t even pretend for a second that you haven’t struggled over something like this.

There is hope!

This Sunday, Peter is going to give us a clear reminder of that which we already know. He is going to restate the obvious, because we tend to forget it so often. I hope you can join in on the journey.

ONE MORE THING……

If you don’t want your kids to drag you back to church every week, then you better not come this Sunday. Because….

(Drum Roll)

This Sunday

We open

BIG CITY!!!!!

I hope to see you there – that is if I can get the battery to work!

New Space - New Sermon Series

Happy Friday – This has been a great week. Easter Sunday was quite possibly our best service ever. I have heard so many people comment on the impact of attaching our “sins” to the cross, the music, the readings, the space the message of the Resurrection, etc. We are at the edge of EXTREMELY exciting times at New Life. We have some pictures from Easter Sunday online!

So yesterday, I was driving to the office and had a jelly filled doughnut. I was eating in my car (JUDGE NOT), I had some freshly brewed coffee in the cup holder, and my mind was racing all over the place. I took a bite of the doughnut knowing that I was at risk to be wearing it.
There is a strategy involved in eating jelly filled doughnuts, and I can assure you I don’t have it down yet (I think that is a good thing). As I was driving and eating, I came to the crucial bite where the filling can either make a smooth transition from doughnut to mouth or it can get a mind of its own.

I felt it hit my shirt! It was the sick sound of white filling landing on a dark shirt. I looked down and two rather large plops of jelly filling were resting on my shirt. It actually looked like I had spent a little too much time under a birds nest. Oh well, I made it to a bathroom and cleaned up enough to make it through the day.

However, it did make me stop and think a little about this busy life that we all live. We all seem to have such good plans to make things work seamlessly and even though we are aware of the potential difficulties and we do our best to guard against messing up, we often end up with misplaced filling. When this happens we look bad, we feel bad and we regret even trying.
If you can relate to making a mess when the last thing you want to do is make a mess, then the sermon series I am starting on Sunday is for you!

We will begin a 10-week journey through the book of 2 Peter. If you have not read this book recently, I encourage you to do so. As Christians, life on this earth can be quite disconcerting – in a limited way reminiscent of the current economic crisis. 2 Peter, then, is the manual for surviving current conditions and guaranteeing future victory.

Peter’s advice:
—Change frivolous habits
—Listen to the One who knows the future
—Build a quality foundation
—Use a HIGH risk approach
—Learn from proven track records
—Shun crooked advisors
—Realize patterns of failure
—Watch for predators
—Learn from mistakes
—Ignore skeptics
—Know when to gun and when to run!

This Sunday, I really hope you can join in this study that will transform how you think about this life and prepare you for the next—I hope you can come.

We Passed!

This Sunday will be a celebration of miracles! Most importantly we will celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus. This is without doubt the most important holiday for the Christian. We have been planning the worship components for this Sunday for several weeks and I am confident you will feel the sorrow at the cross, the uncertainty at the burial and the exhilaration at the tomb. The sermon will be from Luke 24 especially verses 36-49.

All this will take place – ON THE 4th FLOOR of the Corrigan Building.

Yes, you have read correctly…..it seems almost unbelievable and certainly surreal. We will have our first service in our most permanent location, 1828 Walnut-4th Floor, Kansas City, MO in two days, on Easter Sunday, 2009 – The two year anniversary of New Life Ministries.

In the interest of time, I will resist the urge to travel down memory lane and reminisce about all the miracles God has performed in so many hearts. I cannot even begin to thank so many of you in the New Life body that have invested into helping me to grow in my spiritual journey. I truly have experienced the body of Christ that was only a dream two years ago.

We absolutely do not deserve the grace from God that is a result of the Resurrection. We do not deserve to have such an incredible space in which to meet together as a local body of Christ downtown Kansas City. We do not deserve anything, but God’s grace is soooooo good that He gives to us in spite of our worthlessness.

All glory goes to God for the Resurrection and the passed inspection!

Looking forward to the Celebration!

In Search of a Seat...

This past week we took the entire family to see Disney on Ice. It was a great show and everyone had a good time. As fate would have it, we were running a few minutes late and we walked in on the opposite side of our seats. Leigh-Ann had Dallas, I had Paiton and Alexa and Sophia were under the threat of an early death to stay right at our sides as we waded through the masses.

Finally we made it to our section and climbed about 15 rows as we attempted to find Row I, seats 1-4. On the aisle, I noticed the number 20 so I just figured this was a continuation of Murphy’s Law. I led the expedition through the dark arena, down the row with mom, kids and bags in tow. There was one person in one of the four seats and she was in seat number 1. As I got close to her she stood up and moved into the aisle so I sat down along with everyone else assuming that she had occupied the wrong seat.

It was at this point that she looked at me and said, “I think you are in my seat.” I had sat in her seat without saying anything because I assumed she was in the wrong seat. I said, “Section 240 – seat 1.” She then pointed to the numbers behind us and said, “This is section 239.” If I could have sunk into the concrete and escaped the moment, I would have. All I could say was “I am so sorry” and then had to tell Leigh-Ann we were in the wrong seats so we had to raise the entire entourage. We moved up to an empty row right above us, then I got to thinking that someone else was going to come and kick us out of there so we ended moving for the third time over to our correct seats.

Once we were settled we had a great time. Even Paiton was into the show until she fell asleep sitting up. We told them up front that we couldn’t use the restroom because of our adult to kid ratio. We also told them that we wouldn’t be purchasing any of the favorites: cotton candy, peanuts, etc. So when the vendors came by with cotton candy and a hat for 10 dollars, I assumed we would be covered from having to go through the entire embarrassing process of saying “NO!”

We were right about having to say, “NO”, we were wrong about embarrassing. The people in front of us dropped 20 dollars on two bags of cotton candy and hats. The girls eyes were huge and they said (loud enough for the entire section to hear), “what a waste of money.” It didn’t stop there, “Daddy, can you believe people throw money away like that?”

Even though I had put my fingers to my lips and quietly said, SHHHH, the damage had been done. Leigh-Ann and I were unable to hold back our laughter and Leigh-Ann took the opportunity to let me know they were my daughters. I will happily claim them!

As I think through this scenario, I am struck by the fact that our values can sound very different when interpreted in different contexts. If we were home and discussing the decision to spend 10 dollars on cotton candy, we would not think twice about our values. However in a context where hundreds of people were spending the money we felt embarrassed because we did not want to force our financial values on anyone else.

When it comes to the biggest issues of our lives, we have good reasons for our values and in turn can become very passionate about those values. The Resurrection of Jesus is the axis upon which our entire faith hinges. Last Sunday we discussed 1 Corinthians 15 in which Paul states in verses 14-17, “And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.”

So how does our faith in the bodily Resurrection of Jesus relate to the culture we are in today? In addition, how vocal should we be with our faith considering the fact that many people around us do not hold to the same value system?

This Sunday, I hope to be able to give some direction for all of us as we pursue God’s will for us in not only accepting the fact of the Resurrection, but also communicating this truth with others. In the meantime, I hope I never steal anyone’s seat again.

Storms and Forts

I am looking out the window, the sky is cloudy with some scattered raindrops. I have not seen the forecast, however already this morning several different people have mentioned the HUGE STORM coming in.

Since I grew up in Minnesota, I have a deep appreciation for a good snow storm. There is something absolutely wonderful about several inches of snow changing the way we look at life for the next 24-48 hours. I break the snowstorm down into three distinct events:

Event 1: Preparation for snow – This is when everyone begins to talk about the coming snow storm. People are buzzing around and the stores are busy selling shovels, salt, sleds and soup. The first words to roll off of peoples tongues have to do with the approaching snow storm. The kiddos have rising expectations of canceled school, late nights drinking hot chocolate and eating popcorn.

Event 2: The snow – It usually starts with the weather turning colder and the snowflakes picking up momentum. The roads fill up, get slippery and people start to complain. The whining starts with a focus on every other inept driver except us, then it transitions to the city and the poor conditions of the roads. I can usually gauge the turning point of the storm when someone asks where all our tax money is going if our street is not plowed. Finally, the storm would not be complete without us wishing for spring to come.

Event: 3 The post-snow activities – If you are neighborly, you will clear your sidewalks and driveway. This is usually fun for a few minutes until the back starts hurting. If you have kids it is only a matter of time until they break you down and convince you to take them out sledding. I actually love sledding and building snow forts.

One time when I was in college my brothers and several friends built a snow fort with seven rooms. We spent hours digging out a humongous snow pile in the parking lot of a nursing home. Although it took several days we absolutely loved the process of digging and planning and dreaming of our big fort. We even had a hearth room with a bonfire. When we finished we didn’t know what to do with a seven room snow fort, the excitement had come from the process of building.

Often, I have reflected on this experience. I remember the empty feeling when we were finished with the process of building and how quickly we became bored when we tried to “hang out” at the fort.

In my estimation, this illustrates what happens in life when we attempt to stop and enjoy this life. As Christians, the Bible makes it clear that we are citizens of another Kingdom. It is for this reason that we will become frustrated with life when we try to enjoy something that was never meant to be enjoyed.

I recently read a chapter in a book entitled, “Your best life later.” This is in opposition to some popular teaching today, however in my estimation it is right.

Here’s the point: Whether our life is full of sunshine, rain or snow, we should remember that we were made for the journey, our time for rest is coming in another Kingdom. The Kingdom of God made possible by the resurrection of Jesus. This Sunday, we get to look at 1 Corinthians 15 which is the classic chapter on the Resurrection as we prepare for Easter. I hope you will be able to join in the worship. If you are unable to come, you can always listen online.

Loving the Journey-even in the snow!

Resurrection Power

Presently, I am at a coffee shop looking out a window at three police vehicles with lights flashing. Fifteen minutes ago a professional from the law firm upstairs came down and asked someone to lock the doors and call 911. I honestly was deep in thought and it never really sunk in until I saw the police. Leigh-Ann can attest to the fact that I am very accomplished at being able to tune out my peripheral surroundings. I assume most of you reading this believe that all men have this ability, especially when a baby is crying or something is needed or the proverbial hint is being dropped.

So anyway, back to my story, two attorneys were interviewing a client and he held them up for 30 minutes. They were fortunate enough to be able to bribe him with a credit card and whatever other valuables they could think of. I was sitting here all the while this was happening only a floor away and had no idea.

As a result of seeing the police, I walked over to a regular at the coffee shop that I had only seen, but had never met and asked him if he knew what was going on. He shared what he knew and then introduced himself. This sparked an hour long conversation. We immediately found ourselves talking about meaning, interpretation and purpose of life.

He lives downtown and has been very active in the arts community for a long time. He was very chatty and quickly began to tell me all about his life which is much different from mine. Though, towards the end of our conversation he shared that he had not had this deep of a conversation in at least 6 years.

Here is my point: There was a tragic situation right above me and I didn't even know it…there was a person I had seen several times that was longing for a meaningful conversation and I never even considered it.

So my questions: How many people within a few steps of you throughout the day are in need? What will it take for you build a relationship? How could the power of the Resurrection make a difference in their lives?

This Sunday, I begin a four week series about the most important event in the history of mankind: THE RESURRECTION. This week we will study from Acts 2:22-41 about the effect of the Resurrection on the first century church. We also will be privileged to hear a life story from a guest that you will not want to miss. I hope to see you there!

Lookin for good managers

I have a few minutes this morning before everyone wakes up so I thought I would make an attempt to unscramble some thoughts from the past few days. It seems like only yesterday we were planning our honeymoon and now we are middle-aged with four kids.

A lot of people have commented that Dallas looks just like me…I'm not so sure. I told Leigh-Ann that he kind of looks like an old man…on second thought, maybe he does look like me. No matter what he looks like, it is certainly intimidating to have a child, especially a boy.

A child has so much potential wound up into such a little body. As infants they seem so fragile and helpless—maybe the difference is that as adults we just don't seem so fragile and helpless.

As a parent I am overwhelmed by the responsibility that I have been given to care, teach and lead. In fact for the past two days, I have been in a little bit of a funk trying to make sense of everything that needs to be planned and managed. This morning is the first time I have actually felt at peace with where we are in life since the birth of Dallas. Hopefully this feeling will not leave too quickly.
We understand that we do not own Dallas or any of our children - we are merely entrusted with them temporarily.

Leigh-Ann and I have roughly 18 years to make an impact in his life so there are several prayers we have for him:

• We pray he will experience an authentic relationship with Jesus
• We pray he will be healthy
• We pray he will have character, discipline and a strong work ethic
• We pray he will be kind to everyone
• We pray he will not discriminate or look at different people with condescension
• We pray he will be discerning
• We pray he will be a lifelong learner
• We pray he will be a good athlete (this is my prayer :))
• We pray he will use all his God-given qualities to advance the Kingdom
• We pray he will seek God first

This Sunday, I have been planning to share some thoughts on stewardship. This is an old-fashioned word that describes the responsibility all people have to manage the sum of everything that we have been given in this life wisely. I am pretty sure there will be quite a few "new dad" anecdotes sprinkled in along the way. I really hope to see you on Sunday!