Ramblings

Solid!

Fri, 5 Mar 2010 00:53:00 -0500

Surround yourself with good people, solid people and you won’t go wrong! I’ve always heard that sentiment. I’m sure you have too. I’m living it right now.

So thrilled to have amazing people around me! Not just good people, but men and women who absolutely love the Lord and want to see His kingdom furthered here on earth. How cool is it that God is allowing us to do life with a group of people who live everyday ready to do what ever it takes?

It is 1 a.m. and I’ve just walked in the door from one of the most amazing and insane days of my life. The cool thing is, I’ll bet the seven who piled in the Excursion with me would do it all over again right now if we needed to. We hit the road at 2:40 a.m. bound for Anderson, South Carolina. Most sane people drove the almost five hours last night and rested their heads in a cozy hotel room. Yup! We could have done the same thing, but I’d rather see us spend the little bit of money God has trusted us with right now on ministry. So, we drove down and back in the same, insane day! Was it worth it? Absolutely!

Why would we do such a thing? We hit Unleash2010 at Newspring Church. Well worth the time and effort. Yes the conference was great. The music was over the top bordering phenomenal. The sound and lighting was simply inspiring. The break out sessions were enlightening. And, the group sessions were crazy good. But, it was the time with these guys which was most amazing. I usually prefer to keep the wheel firmly tucked underneath my fingers. . . I love a road trip! Yesterday however, I had the fortune of stumbling onto my first Cold of the season. So, the other guys stepped right up and knocked her out of the park! Being parked smack dab in the middle of the truck allowed me a unique position to sit like a proud papa listening to the conversations bubbling from one end of the truck to the other. You simply can’t pay for that kind of bonding! Probably the most inspiring time was when the entire team prayed over Travis and me. So humbling. So challenging!

River of Leland Exists to Live, Serve, Broadcast. . . Jesus! These guys are ready to do just that! Even better, we’ll do it as a team.

Creative!

Wed, 3 Mar 2010 06:56:21 -0500

As you most likely know, Kim and I recently walked away from a full-time Salary with a church family we dearly love in exchange for a life of uncertainty and adventure. So many wide eyes met us in response. Seems no one in their right mind would do such a thing. Who leaves an established church to plant a new one?

Well, we’ve made it to month three. God has been super good! I actually just ate two hot pockets for breakfast. . . thought I’d splurge a bit. We are certain God has this covered. Recently we came to the realization that we won’t be in a position to receive a “full-time” salary for this “full-time” commitment for as much as a year! Even in light of that knowledge, God has been faithful. I have a letter beside me from a certain Uncle in Washington who, believe it or not, found a rather large mistake in my tax return. While my heart hit the floor at first sight, seems the news was actually good.

May I just say, God is faithful. Creative and faithful. I may never fully know each way He has provided, but I know He is blazing the trail before me. We are just walking by faith. Can’t say we haven’t had “those” discussions, but the commitment remains. I have found that trusting God for good even in the bad is what gets me to the next level. I had a chance to speak to our new church family a couple of weeks ago. In that discussion I mentioned Overflow. Well, that’s where I want to hang out. In a constant state of overflow. It is my sincere hope that as God pours into my life, there will be such an abundance of His grace and mercy that people on every side of me might be drawn in.

So, bring on the creativity God! In fact, those three canoes I just bought at auction, let ‘em sell! We’re on the edge of our seats in anticipation for Your next manna to fall!

That’s not “Christian” Music!

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 22:28:36 -0500

Had a unique comment from a friend today. A band I’m affiliated with is set to lead worship tomorrow and I turned a few members of the group loose to choose songs for an acoustic set.

The comment that caught me totally off guard had to do with the fact that one song, (by a group which is not overtly Christian), is not “Christian”. Hmm. I smiled humbly and listened biting my tongue the whole time. There was such a debate begging to be held, but that was neither the time nor place.

So what is “Christian” music? How many hymns did we each grow up singing which found their melodic start in a bar? Sometimes a secular artist simply gets it right. There are times when an unhindered view allows a lyricist to capture the human dilemma. Too often our trite, Christian goggles keep us from seeing things the way they really are.

So what makes a song Christian? I say the heart of the artist delivering it to the audience. What is worship anyway, but an ongoing conversation between a fallen man and His loving God! I believe He’d rather hear the true heart inside than a facade I put up for those around me. Does this mean I lower my standards? Absolutely not. If the lyrical content is wholesome, fitting and relevant, I say go for it.

Love to hear your thoughts!

Awesomeness!

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 12:21:06 -0500

So here's the skinny if you missed River last night.
- Southside's 180 Student Ministries helped with Set up and Tear Down. . . they were awesome! (They really like Pizza!)
- Derek Raines Led Worship - Wow what a heart for God!
- Rick McMahon played some crazy cool licks on the Bass.
- Ethan Gotee Joined us on the Kit!
- We tried out our new SoundCraft Audio Console - It's great!
- I didn't lead worship - it was nice to just play keys.
- Haven't taught in 5 years - It felt good. 
God is up to something amazing in the Greater Wilmington Area! Thrilled we get to be part of it!

Where’d it Go?

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 12:58:57 -0500

Had a fun time this morning watching my Labrador hunt for her duck decoy in the snow. It was right where she left it last night, but today it was no where to be found! That is until she sniffed it out. You’d have thought she’d found the “bestest” toy in the world!

Isn’t that just the way our lives are? A little bit of mess comes and we get covered up with stuff! Busyness clouds our lives and our focus. If we step back and take a little time, we can find that one thing that makes us do back flips! God wants to be that one thing in our lives. . . did ya know that? All too often He’s the one who gets covered up, buried, even left behind.

Take some time this week to brush away the junk. Make some time to sniff out the joy of your life! I know I plan to!
The writer of Psalm 51:12 begs God, “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”