God Came to the M11 Conference in Louisville, KY

This week I've been attending our denominational M11 Conference.  It's a group of leaders from the Church of the Nazarene in the USA and Canada all coming together for a series of meetings and workshops.

While I expected that this would be a great event, I did not expect God to show up in the way that He did.  For years I've said "You cannot be in the presence of a Holy God and remain the same."  When you truly meet God, you are changed by His presence.  That is exactly what happened this week.  God came - and we are different for the experience.

Right now it's almost midnight.  It's been a great week and I'm excited to get back home to my family.  I'm wondering how I adequately share with them what God has done this week.  I also can't wait to share with my church family on Sunday.  If God would come upon our church service in a similar way to how He showed up this week, things would definitely change.  That's what I'm praying for and looking forward to for this weekend - that God would reveal Himself to our people and that we would be forever changed by His presence. 


Thanks, God, for what you've done in my life this week!

Life is Way Too Complicated

As I am writing this post, there is a light snow falling outside. I love the snow because it makes everything beautiful and simple. Life tends to be put on hold for a few brief hours. Schools are closed, schedules are changed, families spend more time together at home. Then, life kicks back into gear, the busyness of life begins again, and we are reminded that life is way too complicated.

Tomorrow I'm beginning a new message series titled The Simple Life. I've been reading a book by Thom S. Rainer and Art Rainer called Simple Life.  Without giving away too much of the details, it simply challenges us to look at our lives in the areas of time, relationships, money and God.  Are we living a simple life that is focused on our priorities, or are we just living life - full of a lot of stuff, but empty in meaning and purpose?

I would recommend reading the book.  You can click on the link below under My Favorites and purchase it directly from Amazon.  You won't be disappointed.  You might just be challenged...and changed.

For now, enjoy the soft, white purity of the snow and the simple life that it forces us into.  Blessings!