Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Always Look to the Top

So this past Monday I was presented with an opportunity that I couldent pass up. Pastor Rob asked me if I wanted to cycle Mt.Diablo the tallest Mountain in Danville, and me being the guy that would try to climb Mt.Everest in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt all in one day b/c Im not that smart said let's go for it. I started after the work day was done and jumped on my bike, now I did not bring any water, and I deffinatly did not stretch before I went I just took off like I normally do. Well after about 4 and 1/2 hours later I finally reached the Summit. Now it takes alot for me to say this b/c I try to be a tought guy all the time, and the guy that never shows pain no matter what the circumstance, but I was deffinatly dehydrated, dizzy after I got of my bike, and my legs were cramping like crazy. But In all this I learned something huge and God really showed me something while batteling that Mountain. With every pedal and hour that passed bye, my mind kept thinking how much pain I was in, and how much farther I had to go, but not one time did my ride ever leval off or go anywhere but vertical. And it was funny in the moment b/c God spoke to me in the time I was strugling the most. Always look to the TOP. You are in an urgent battle for the lost, and the mountain is big but you have to go up. I was climbing the whole time thinking about every foot and every inch right in front of me, when I should have been focused on the top where he was,and then I thought to myself I have been so focused on the temporary and not focused on the eternal, when you focus on him nothing else matters b/c when you focus on him everything takes care of itself. No matter how big the Mountain is You have to go up, but always keep your sights on Him. The prize is not in the finish but how you finished, how well we run the race. When I was done later that night I was reading Philippians 1:6 and the verse said. Being confidant of this very thing,that he who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. It made me think stay focused on him and he will be faithful to complete the work, We just need to stay focused on the top. Thats it always keep you eyes on him not ourselves, or posessions, or anything of this world we have to fight for it, b/c the climb is straight up but look to him always look to him and push thru no matter what the cost.




Sunday, May 27, 2007

First Sunday And We're in the right place.

I know I blogged last night but there is so much that happened the first Sunday morning I was here I had to share. This morning as I'm on my way to the Church Pastor Rob calls me up and asked me how far away I was from getting to the Church b/c the place was trashed and when I got there there he was absolutly right. Beer was all over the floor and bottles were laying everywhere the church was covered from the trash that was left from a party from the night before, THE FIRST THING I THOUGHT WAS ( WE ARE IN THE RIGHT PLACE) this is all about HPC being where the hurt is and the pain. No better place than having Church right in the middle of a lost world. There is light and let it shine bright, go into the alleys,highways and byways reach the lost thats what we are here for. To serve Jesus and to show his love to the world thats what its all about. SO I challange you when you see the hurt and pain dont turn away but embrace b/c the light you have might be the only light they ever see.


Saturday, May 26, 2007

2 Day drive and HPC Danville

What a day, it's 9 o'clock Sat day night right now and I'm sitting at home with my family in HPC Danville. I drove all the way thru last night 18hrs and made it in at 11:30 to Tyler and Michelle's house, they are absolutly amazing people and really go the extra mile to make you feel like family. It was along drive but deffinatly worth the warm bed and late night snack I got once I arrived. But all day today Pastor Rob, Tyler, and myself got to spend alot of time dreaming, casting vision, and just focusing on the Heartbeat of Danville and bringing the DNA to the community. I have to say their Hearts are sold out for Jesus, and their Desire to see the people of Danville reached and the lost saved is intense. God is deffinatly doing great things here and the Kingdom is being impacted b/c of their heart to serve. One of the things we have been talking about all day is just the amazing potential that is here, and the harvest that is waiting. We just have to stay faithful, plant the seeds, and God will do the rest. That is what Rob was telling me tonight and it's so true only God 's timing is the right timing, and as long as we stay faithful to what he has asked us to do he will take care of the rest. And what more could we ask for.

This is me and Mcgregor, Tyler's little boy overlooking the San Fransico
Bay. In the background is the Golden Gate bridge and Alcatraz prison. This is Danville and the moutain in the Back is mount Diablo
the guy in the Red is Pastor Rob and in Green is Tyler.
SanFransico bay and the Golden gate Bridge.

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

2,191miles / 31hrs 34min / Whats it's all about!


It is curently 12:35 right now and I leave in 4 and a half hrs to Danville. After finally planning my route and having all my stuff checked off I'm ready to rock and roll, it's crazy thinking about the next 11 weeks and the things God has waiting to be fullfilled during this time. I know that he has plans that we cant even dream about or even imagine I just pray that in all of this we as his servants remain faceless and he is bestowed all the glory. As I was praying at Refuge tonight this one story kept coming to my mind, the story of Job. I kept thinking about how God said to the devil have you considered my servant Job, God knew the outcome of this story and how Job would never fail to bring Glory to Gods name but Job never knew where he would end up or how bad things would get he only knew that he had to TRUST God. Think about that, regardless of your situation or circumstance you are in I ask you when the Devil comes to God for his hand on someones life does God sit back and smile and say have you considered my servant -------? B/c Job eventhough he didnt see anything but bad in his future he knew only one thing TRUST in God and b/c he did this in the end the devil was shamed and Glory was brought to God's name. I pray and I hope that God is smiling as I leave out for this trip knowing that it's not about me at all, nothing to do with little ole nobody me, just the fact that the Devil once again is searching, and God says have you considered my servant Danville, they will bring Glory to my name, all my church there, it's not about us as HPC, or about how cool of a church we are,or how we do ministry, it's all about Jesus, thats it, and anything else other than Jesus means nothing, let's Prove the devil wrong and BRING GLORY TO GOD'S NAME. Because I believe God is searching, and looking for those he can say to the devil, well have you Considered---------?

Sunday, May 20, 2007

A Family Getaway

What a week, now that Elevate is over and I have a little time off before I go to California for the Summer to HPC Danville I packed up the truck and Heather and me went to see Family in Mississippi. I have to say this is one of my favorite places to be on Earth, every time I come here I get to spend some long lost time with my Grandparents and Cousins who are such a blessing, and I also get to spend time with God just getting away from the noise. Mississippi is like my home away from home, there is no traffic, no schedule, and your nearest neighbor is 2 miles down the road. God always speaks to me when I'm hear, reminding me how much he longs to talk with me in the quiet and how the speed and chaios of how we do ministry, sometimes we can lose him in work and forget that he is the reason for the work. I grew up here every summer as a kid and I look foward to every chance I get to go back. You know how you have that place where you spend your quiet time with God and everything just seems to stop and the only thing you sense,hear, or feel is his presence, this is that place for me. I love the way people work here, the way they fellowship here, and the way people share there lives here. God is the most important thing, then family, and my grandparents and cousins work so hard providing and making sure that everyone is taking care of and that the family puts those principles first. Weather its bailing hay or running a dairy farm, it's sun up to sun down until the job is done. But you can always count on good fishing, good hunting, and just enjoying company when the day is done. I do have to say how thankful I am still having my grandparents, they have been such great influences in my life, and they are so committed to God. I try as much as possible to soak up as much wisdom when I'm with them as I can. This week was a great refreshing, and the lesson I took away from this time away is always remember how giving God is and how much he wants to give to us. When we put all things aside and truly focus on him we see how much he has already given us and we are reminded how blessed we are. But when we hide in the work and become more about the do than the who we cant recieve or see clearly or hear clearly because we drown out the voice we need the most.


This is me sitting at the back of the pond at my Grandmothers house
My Lance Armstrong Workout at Red Bluff

Going up hill the scenery is Beautiful



My Paw Paw clocked me going down hill at one point at 55 MPH, I had one eye shut and one eye open the wind was making my eyes water too where I couldnt see, I have to say the down hill was fun but the up hill brutal.


Heather in the backyard at Shirley's house




My Cousin Cody and Me at the Camp on the River, true red necks
Paw Paw Cecil doing a little Fishing
Heather no catching a thing
Maw Maw Shirley Rock Hunting

Monday, May 14, 2007

Going to the Range

Well it's that time of year again, my annual appointment at the Ascension Parish Outdoor firing Range. One of my favorite things to do is make sure I still got them skills, I love to shoot and hunt and pretty much anything to do with the 2nd Amendment. Now dont get me wrong I'm not one of these crazy gun lunies out there, I just love the woods the USMC, and shooting. Quite the opposite of Pastor Timmy he tends to favor bow hunting and he is pretty good at it to. But this past year my first hunt ever with my new rifle I killed a 7 point buck at 175yrds , I was pretty happy, and after spending the summer before sighting in my rifle the shot was right on. Well 2 days left and I'm back at the range, hopefully this season I'll get another one and 2 for 2 will be the score. Plus the rifle is a Remington model 700, 300win mag I get the feeling of John Rambo it's pretty funny.Last years 3 shot group at 250yrds.

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

Slammin Night at Refuge

Tonight was a slamming night at Refuge (Our Youth Service at HPC), I was thinking about how priveledged I am to be able to spend time with and invest in some of the greatest guys I have come to know here at Refuge. All of the guys around me are so sold out for God and full of Passion to spread his name to the world and make him famous. They deffinatly serve it up every day at their schools and with their friends, and they have deffinatly challanged me to go the extra mile in my walk with God. One thing I have always believed in is the next generation, I grew up with about 5 diffrent youth pastors and when I look back I really wish I would have had a someone there that would have really taken time to invest in me. I promised myself that I would never do that to the youth when I have the chance to invest in them. I challenge you, if there is a young person you can invest in reach out to them and let them know how much God Loves them, trust me it means the world to them, and one day they might come to you thanking you for how much you really showed Jesus to them.Pastor Tweez doing his thing, tonight's message was about Not letting the devil losen your grip on Jesus but hold firm to him no matter what the season your in. Like Paul said press on towards the mark and run towards the high calling of Christ Jesus. We cant afford to losen one finger to the enemy, let us hold tight that way when we get to the end we are no longer holding on to him but embracing him.

Monday, May 7, 2007

Great Sunday with the Family

Well this weekend was a really good time with the family, after getting back from Africa and jumping back into the swing of things it was really good to be able to just sit back and enjoy the family. I've learned over the past year that there is nothing more important and more of a blessing that God could give us, and how easily they can be put aside if we are not careful to put them first and the ministry 2nd, after all they are the 1st ministry God has given us. But as you can see my Amazingly Beautiful fiancee Heather, and then myself got to enjoy some good old crawfish with her parents, my brothers, and my parents and my uncle. Nothing better, later we went inside got a bunch of ice cream and toppings and then began our search of the Planet Earth series on Discovery, I'm deffinatly not a tv guy but it is an awesome show. But as far as Sundays go Church, my lady, family and crawdads, what more could you ask for.



From Left to Right: Pink shirt Mrs,Betty Mr, Louis, My Mom, Heather,My Brother Ray, My Brother Lance, My Uncle Jim. Not shown Danny and me.

Thursday, May 3, 2007

ALWAYS REMEMBER

Well after a 22hr plane ride Im finally home, it has been an amazing trip and Africa has deffinatly changed my life,the people are so beautiful and their hearts are so pure. As I stood on top of the church and looked out over the country of Mozambique on one of the last days in of the trip I thought to myself, how do you bring this experience to the people back home, there is so much to tell and so much to say. As I got on the plane and flew home there was only one thing God placed on my heart, the word "Willing" they is so much need in America and so much need around the world we just need to be willing for Christ, b/c the people depend on it. This was one of the pics from the Opening day of the Church in Mozambique, there was over 700 in attendance on the day in a church built for 300. Just like HPC to not have enough room and just like God to bring in the harvest.
This is a man that I will never forget. His name is Walter he was our translator the night we faced the cops, and is also sold out for God, pray for him b/c the next day after that night we never saw him again and we dont know what happened to him.
This is some of the candy my dad mailed to me from Tennessee to Louisana that I brought to Africa. It's amazing how God will bring something so small from all the way across the world to this one little person to bless them and show them the Love of Christ.
This is the last thought I had about Africa, it breaks my heart everytime I see it. This little girl gets water everyday from a well and puts it in a whiskey bottle to drink out of, it just reminds me of the hurt and the need of the country ,and how we all so desperatly need the Love and mercy of our savior Jesus Christ. This is the only way people will be lifted from the despair and given new life.