PD's Pages

2012-01-13T11:52:00.004-05:00

The first 2 weeks of this year I have shared about God’s favor in both sermons. January 1st was reflecting when Jesus proclaimed the year of the Lord’s favor in Luke 4:16-21 and on January 8th that with real fasting God works furiously in our favor using Isaiah 58.

Luke 4:16-21 (NLT) says “bring Good News to the poor...proclaim that captives will be released...blind will see, and oppressed will be set free”

- bring Good News to the Poor
Remember that 27% of Grant County lives below the poverty line and New Life is surrounded by the “poor”

- proclaim that Captives will be released
Remember that on February 5th I will begin the “Prison Break” series that will show us all how to pray for people to be set free from their prisons or set ourselves free from our prisons

- Blind will See and Oppressed will be set free
Remember last Sunday that what I spontaneously shared at the end of service was Spirit-led and dealt with two man things:
1 – the opening of our eyes to why New Life had a steady decline for 20 years (a focus on egos and not on souls)
2 – the oppressive spirit over marriages and relationships in our church(the response of all those I spoke to about relationships has been amazing!! It has been an absolute confirmation of what took place on Sunday, January 8th!)

Now I have seen our General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God call 2012 the year of the Lord’s Favor!

This was confirmation of something I said on January 1st – “Something much bigger than us is happening right now!”

We need to see this as a divine moment in time and go with the direction of the “wind” that the Holy Spirit is blowing. This IS THE YEAR of the LORD’S favor! I only know that this is for 2012! I am not saying anything more than that!

I know in my gut that this will be the greatest year I have ever been a part of in my 13 years of full-time ministry!! Let’s step out in faith and not wait in fear!

I am proud to lead and serve you!
In Him,
Pastor David

PS – I have a link of the note from our General Superintendent for you to read.
http://ag.org/top/General_Superintendent/Ministers_Letter/2012_Issue_01.pdf

New Year - New Theme - January 1st!

2011-11-19T17:18:00.001-05:00

Hey New Life!

As we get closer to 2012, we get closer to something I have been anticipating for several months now!

I want to challenge everyone that makes New Life Community Church their home church to be there on the first Sunday of the New Year – January 1, 2012!!

I will be revealing our 2012 theme and focus for the year and preparing everyone for a 21 day prayer and fasting time that begins the following Sunday, January 8th and ends on January 29th – which is the next 3 block outreach event that we are planning and the first of 5 that are all on the 5th Sundays in 2012.

To get you ready, I encourage you to go to this link below and read a great article that centers on the outreach that we and God’s House have on the neighbors right around our churches.

http://www.iwusojourn.com/2011/11/16/three-blocks-at-a-time/?fb_comment_id=fbc_5006999581794_839442_5007004497794

God is stirring the call in all of our lives to saturate the 3 block radius with God’s love and at the same time I know we will be exposed to God’s amazing love for all people and in turn take this compassion for others everywhere we go!!

Start planning now to be there January 1, 2012 and what you will fast starting January 8th!! As we give God our first month of the year we will see Him bless our church, our lives and those we come in contact with throughout the rest of the year!

In Him,
David Grieve

Our Dream

2011-11-04T10:39:00.002-04:00

I sent this to the leaders of New Life Community Church today, but this is also something I believe others can grasp the heart of for where ever they may live!!

Here is a link to the Catalyst Leadership online magazine.
There are two things I want you to take about 5 minutes to do…read one article and watch one video from this magazine.

http://christianitytoday.imirus.com/Mpowered/book/vcat11/i7/p2

The article is called “the false gospel of impact” and it is an interview with Phil Vischer – the creator of Veggie Tales
The video is of Christine Caine called “passion deficiency”

I believe both come together to get us to think about what is our dream. At the end of the interview Phil says this, “God is now my dream, my deep desire not what I can do for Him.”

As we look at the dream of impacting our 3 Block Radius with an outpouring of love, let us not forget that the real dream is to be Loving God with everything we have!! If we are loving God with everything we have the by product will be Loving People no matter what, or more specifically Loving our 3 Block Radius no matter what! God has a love for all people and our love for Him will birth a love for all people inside of us!

Let me say the words of Isaiah found in his writings (Isaiah 62:1)
Because I love Zion,
I will not keep still.
Because my heart yearns for Jerusalem,
I cannot remain silent.
I will not stop praying for her
until her righteousness shines like the dawn,
and her salvation blazes like a burning torch.

I feel this same passion for our 3 Block Radius that Isaiah had for Jerusalem. Our 3 Block Radius is our Jerusalem for New Life Community Church. Isaiah did not pray his prayers non-stop alone. Instead he gathered others to join him, until God had to act!

Isaiah 62:6-7
O Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen on your walls;
they will pray day and night, continually.
Take no rest, all you who pray to the Lord.
7 Give the Lord no rest until he completes his work,
until he makes Jerusalem the pride of the earth.

I am posting you, leaders, as watchman on the walls! “Take no rest” and pray…pray until He finishes His work in our 3 Block Radius!

Again that article and that video will help us all put our focus on what matters most to God – the saving of souls!

I believe in you!

No matter where you live - what matters most to God stays the same! There are souls waiting for you to share God's love with them!

Deliver 2011

2011-11-01T15:57:00.001-04:00

New Life Family,

I am so very proud of all of you! Because of your generosity of Giving to fill Wal-Mart bags with household items, Going to pass them out to our neighbors, and Praying for those that you met this past Sunday during “Deliver 2011” we have stepped out into our 3 Block Radius around the church and begun to re-introduce our community to Jesus! Life change happens best out on the streets of life!

There were countless stories of encounters with people that day as we shared with one another after we had distributed the bags. If you were unable to go, just ask someone who did what took place that day! There are things that have transpired even since Sunday…

- We have had our neighbors across the street say, “thank you.”
- We have already received a thank you card from one neighbor on 10th Street who was not home at the time of our deliveries and she wanted to express her gratitude.
- We also had a young man come into the church today and we were able to meet an additional need of his and pray for his children and family!

Because of your commitment to Give, Go, and Pray we had almost 180 bags passed out to New Life’s community! Now comes the time to continue! To continue to re-introduce Jesus to our 3 block radius and our own neighbors, where ever we live!

You will hear more in the days ahead, but let me finish by preparing you for our 2012 theme, simply stated as “3 Blocks.”

2011 was themed – “Year 51” and that harvest of children and becoming the best at taking care of kids on the Westside of Marion has broken through in many ways for us at New Life.

Now by the end of 2012, our 3 Block Radius of New Life is going to be so saturated by the love of Jesus through our Giving, Going and Praying that they will have no doubt how we feel about them and they will turn to us in their needs instead of us trying to figure out what there needs are.

Why?
Because you and I will have developed such intimate, personal contact with them that there will be no way to avoid the truth that God loves them and cares about every detail of their lives!!

Are you ready?
If you want to be a part of the Creative Team for the 5th Sunday Outreaches into our 3 Block Radius let me know asap so I can schedule an upcoming time to gather with you and get the brainstorming going for our next time of going, giving and praying on January 29, 2012!

By the way, you can go to the homes of those you met and prayed for before January 29th!

A Blessed Life lived out!

2011-04-28T09:04:00.002-04:00

I received this news from Megan Christensen about one of our Young Adults here at our church. I asked if I could share it with everyone because it’s a great reminder to us all that if we put God first, He will take care of all our needs. Enjoy reading the great testimony!

Pastor Dave,

I just wanted to share this with you. One of the After High girls came to me a couple of weeks ago upset over her finances. I asked her several questions one if which was, “do you tithe?” She said no and that she knows she should but her family has always had financial problems and although they are faithful to go to church, they have never really tithed either. So, I told her that she needs to start tithing first and foremost then we could talk about the other things but I told her I really want her to tithe and told her all the reasoning about being faithful to what God gives us and asks us etc. The next week she wasn’t able to come to church so she asked me if she got me her tithe check if I would give it for her. She brought it to me and I could tell it was a definite step of faith for her.

Fast forward…last week she was driving to her internship and needed gas. She had $15.03 in her account so she put $15 in her tank. All the way home she was praying and worried because she had no money or food to make it thru the week. That night, she went to help someone (she’s been giving voice lessons) and the girl she’s been helping gave her an envelope. In the envelope was a $25 gift card to Meijers and a $10 gift card to Subway. She couldn’t believe it. She called her mom and told her and it was a huge testimony to her parents as well a testimony to this young lady of God’s faithfulness and love.

Anyway, I just wanted to share this story with you. It’s one thing to hear it happening to people on a video, it’s a totally personal thing when it’s “one of my girls!!!”

Have a great day!

Who it was is not important for every one of us to know. What is important is to see how God is moving in the hearts of his people here at New Life Community Church!! Keep living a Blessed Life!

Red Robin...Running

2011-03-11T14:13:00.001-05:00

A few days ago, Shami saw something odd. She saw a robin…….running!!

There’s nothing wrong with a robin running and I don’t want anyone to think that I am against birds using different modes of transportation, but birds were not made to run! They were made to soar in the air!

You and I were made for something too. What were we made for?

We were made to “Give God Glory!”

Giving God Glory is giving Him the highest honor in your life. He is more important than your spouse, your kids, your home, your job, your…well…anything. When we put God first it transforms your heart and your life. You begin to look at things through the lenses of eternity and the things of earth lose their luster and shine.

Think about it. Who can compete with a place that has streets of gold! What we view as a precious metal and pay expensive prices to wear as jewelry, God uses for people to walk upon every day in heaven! I think that’s amazing!

I love what Isaiah says to those of us who might feel overwhelmed with life and unsure of our purpose...
“those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

It is in God that you find that purpose and can live life with an unearthly patience. Give God Glory today and begin soaring in the air!! It what you were made for!

Spring Forward by Giving Up

2011-03-08T15:03:00.002-05:00

Something happened this past Sunday that has left me wondering.

I am in no way a perfect man, pastor, father or husband and it was evident to me on Sunday as I lay on the ground up front during worship. As I covered my face with my hands, I felt like I was going through a tunnel. Deeper and deeper I passed and as I did I asked God what was keeping me from engaging Him with all I had that day. He revealed some unconfessed sin in my life.

I knew that I needed to confess to Him, right then and there…Giving Him those sins! When I did that, this weight or burden came off of me and I was free as a bird to soar in the sky and I openly shouted my praise to him!! I knew how I felt in that moment was not available for just me, so I came to the front of the platform and shared this verse with everyone…

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” – I John 1:9

A very small number responded to the call to confess sins, give our sins over to God. I was frustrated. I knew there was a need for coming and giving our sins to Him that day. This is what has been stirring in my heart since then...

Do we come to God more often when we can get something from Him or are we going to come to God more often to give something to Him?

It’s just like Daylight Savings Time. I don’t know how you feel, but I would rather give up an hour of sleep for more sunshine than be given an hour of more sleep for more darkness. I love it when the sun is out past 9:00 pm!! For that to happen, I have to be willing to give up 1 hour of sleep on 1 night only 1 time a year! I’ll take that trade any day!!

I want you to have a deeper relationship with God’s SON and find true intimacy with Him, for that to happen we have to be willing to give up our sins, ourselves to God so that darkness does not close in on us!

Don’t wait for this coming Sunday to Spring forward in your life! Stop right now and confess any sin you have left unconfessed and find the Son waiting to shine brighter than ever in your life!!

You don't need God?

2011-03-03T15:02:00.003-05:00

Last night on the news I heard of a new billboard that is going to be placed at 4 different locations along the 465 that circles Indianapolis. This is what it will say…

“You don’t need God…to hope, to care, to love, to live”

They then cut to the response of a few Christians, and one lady was quoted saying, “I’ll see it but I won’t look at it.”
WHAT? How do you see without looking?
Anyways, guess what?

The billboard is true. You don’t need God for those things. You really don’t.

Then what do you need God for?
Yes, we need God for our salvation. Acts 4:12 says that “salvation is found in no one else!”
But is that all you need God for…Salvation?

“If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ was not there?”

I need God because I am in love with Him!!
I need Jesus because he has transformed me!!
I need the Holy Spirit because he comforts me!!

I don’t just need Him…I want Him!!
I want God with me in my highs and lows, in my best times and my worst times.
If I had nothing, but had Him I would have enough!

I believe that because I want God…
…it drives me to hope in eternal things that will never end and not temporary, earthly things that one day will fade away.
…it drives me to care for people with a greater, self-less, active compassion than if I was without Him.
…it drives me to love Him and others, no matter what, with no strings attached just like He loves me.
…it drives me to live a life that is more abundantly full of joy, trust, and a desire to see lives around me renewed, and restored.

The billboard is right I don’t need God…I have to have God!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I pray that you come to that point in your own life. And then be unashamed about sharing that with those in your life each day whether you meet them just once or you have known them for a lifetime!! Remember that they do need God!

Thank you New Life!!

2010-12-14T14:26:00.004-05:00

As the last few hours of my last day in the church office for 2010 come to a close and I get ready to go visit my family for Christmas, I want to say, “Thank you New Life for an amazing year!”

We have seen so many great things take place during this past 12 months that I know would not have been possible without you!

We've seen that the journey to a deeper relationship with God is long, difficult, dangerous, expensive one that requires sacrifice & demanding work! We have started on that journey this year with a depth and desire for more of God unlike any I have experienced during my 11 years of being a pastor. That only gets me excited for what’s next!

We had the largest Million Egg Hunt and Fall Block Party we have ever had, seeing literally over 3,000 people reached by New Life’s love with those two events combined!

We took a risk of ceasing Sunday offerings as we all know them, and place offering boxes in the back under the balcony. Before the holiday season began, we had seen greater giving this year than last year despite a continued recession.

We had 5 of the most unforgettable weeks celebrating our 50th Anniversary and having each former Senior Pastor come share with us a prophetic picture of New Life Community Church’s future. It was great to meet so many people that have been a part of our church’s past. Great memories!!

If you remember, we started the year with 40 Days of Love: focusing on how we should love God and others. Now we are ending the year with 40 Days of seeking God for what each of our roles will be in 2011 and the Year 51…
Harvest of children that brings a harvest of families
Focus of being the best place at taking care of kids on the Westside of Marion
Vision of being the church instead of going to church.

Finally, thank you to each of you that responded to our year-end offering that will help New Life start the New Year off strong! New Life Community Church truly is completely dependent upon each of you and most important completely dependent upon God! If you were unable to give last week or you were unable to attend, you can still give to this year-end offering this coming week and on December 26th as well.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

In Him,
David

Year 51!

2010-11-23T14:11:00.002-05:00

I was so pleased with the response from people after Sunday’s Year 51 vision message. I encourage EVERYONE to go to the website http://www.newlifecc.us/ and listen to the message if you missed it or were serving in the back.

As we seek God for the next 40 days, to the end of 2010, to see what role we are all to play in Year 51; keep one thing in mind: This journey is much like my families’ personal journey that led us to Marion.

We started by saying “Perhaps, the Lord will” take us to Indiana to a moment when we took the word “perhaps” off and knew He was leading us here. We seized the divine moment that was in front of us and have never looked back!

This IS a divine moment that New Life must choose to seize!! The word “perhaps” can now be taken off. I know now, like I did when we came here, that this is the Lord’s will when it comes to the direction of New Life Community Church.
We know there is a harvest of children which brings a harvest of families waiting for us
We know we will become the best place at taking care of kids on the Westside of Marion and grow from there
We know this happens if we decide to start being the church instead of going to church and make necessary changes for the future like…
…Stopping Fall Block Party and Starting a Three Block Party
…Stop Mentoring Adults only and Start Mentoring Kids, Youth and Adults
…Stopping Sunday PM Service and Starting Sunday PM Home Groups, Family Nights and All-Church Equipping Nights

This means taking steps of risk and faith by us all.
Who will open their home on January 16th to be one of the first Home Groups?
Who will commit time getting to know the people of our 3 block radius on a consistent basis?
Who will be a part of our After School Program the next school year?
Who will release their talents, gifts, resources, treasures, abilities and yes money into the vision of mentoring kids and youth and creating a Community Center on our campus or giving new coats or socks or uniforms or blankets or…

Do you see the great need?

Do not choose to look at this as a gigantic task but look at this as a task that our gigantic God as asked us to take on!

I believe in you all!
In HIM,
Pastor David

4 Days...

2010-11-09T16:15:00.001-05:00

Hey New Life!

The 50th Anniversary celebration is coming to a close this weekend and what a celebration it has been! Each former pastor has shared significant words of wisdom and insight that speak to all our lives today and to the future direction of New Life Community Church!

Just as Paul begged the believers in the Ephesian Church to live a life worthy of the calling they had from God (Eph. 4:1) because he knew the benefits that would come from living that way, I am urging all New Lifers to come and be a part of the events of the next 2 weeks because of the benefits it will bring to your life and mine.

Saturday, November 13th – Our Celebration Meal for the 50th Anniversary is from 12-4 pm on this day and will be filled with great memories of the past and memories made that day. This is a great opportunity for us to all celebrate our church’s history with those that have been a part or are still a part of New Life.

Sunday, November 14th – At 10 am, we have the founding pastor of New Life, AW Thomason with us and in the evening at 6 pm, we have a former staff pastor and current missionary Larry Stevens closing out the celebration with a look into the future.

Wednesday, November 17th – This is DAY 1 of YEAR 51 and at 6:30 pm we are ALL coming together to celebrate the future, share stories and pray for what God has next. I will also give a sneak peek to those there at what God holds for New Life’s future!

Sunday, November 21st – This is the 1st Sunday of YEAR 51 and on this day, I will be revealing the future focus and vision of New Life Community Church. What does it mean for you? Come and find out!

These 4 days are CRITICAL to all of us at New Life! These 4 days are VITAL that we make every effort to attend! These 4 days are the TURNING POINT for New Life Community Church!

Plan on being a part of these 4 days!

In Him,
Pastor David

PS – please pass this on to all those that you know are a part of the New Life family!!

50th Anniversary

2010-11-05T11:35:00.004-04:00

We are nearing week 4 of our 5 week celebration of New Life Community Church's 50th Anniversary and what a ride it has been!

I was anticipating great things but what has occurred has exceeded my expectations!

Week 1 - watching those 12 men bring down 12 stones to build a memorial for the first 50 years was special. People suddenly started clapping all on their own as the men came down the middle of the sanctuary to the front to lay their stone on the memorial. Here is a picture of Shami and myself next to the memorial.

Week 2 - hearing Pastor Johnny Garrison play "Great is Thy Faithfulness" on the piano during worship and then going right into the next song singing "Hallelujah!" was like heaven just opened up and gave us a glimpse of what a piece of life after earth will feel like.

Week 3 - seeing the standing ovation of love spontaneously given to Pastor Larry Gallaway as he came to speak was truly remarkable, and seeing God our Healer heal 2 people that day filled me with great joy! Can't even forget the 900+ people that attended our Fall Block Party that night!

Anticipating God to do awe-inspiring things as we begin to bring the celebration to a close with week 4 & 5 ahead!!

Truth or Grace?

2010-07-09T10:26:00.002-04:00

I have some friends in Seattle that are struggling with the way people who say they are Christians act, whether in a church building or outside of it. This was my response to one of their messages...

It can be hard. One of the problems is the tension between truth and grace. I learned about that tension a few years ago.

The Bible says, we are saved by grace, and that it's nothing we do (Ephesians 2:8-9), but it also says that the truth will set you free (John 8:32).

You see if you live and give nothing but grace then you lose true freedom to live and love the way Jesus intended (remember John 14:6, Jesus says He is the truth). This is when people allow others to do, say or live how ever they want without challenging them to grow, change and become greater than what they are now.

But if you live and give nothing but truth then you lose the very means of our salvation which is grace. This is when people become judgmental, legalistic and intolerant.

So the tension is knowing when to give grace to people and when to share the truth with people. I think Hebrews 10:23-25 are some good verses to look to for how to live in the tension of truth and grace.

Living Differently

2010-06-18T13:43:00.002-04:00

We are on the last week of 21 days of fasting and I hope that we have noticed the difference this time has been in our lives. On Sunday, during our “Remove the Noise” evening gathering, the question came up that since we, as Christians, are to live differently, “How do we live differently?”

During the time that followed, one of the Bible’s great verses that talks about sin that entangles us and those things that are not sin that can trip us up. As we talked I said it was in James, but afterwards could not find it there and it bugged me, so I went to be sure where it was.

Though, James has some great words on the effect of sin in our lives, the verse that was discussed is actually Hebrews 12:1 –

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

This verse is written after one of the most popular and powerful chapters in the entire Bible. Hebrews 11 is known as the “Hall of Faith.” In chapter 11, the writer of Hebrews lists so many individuals that lived lives of faith in God. These individuals lived differently!!

That is one way we can live differently – look at those that have lived before you, and live around you today that are living differently, and follow their examples. See how they have failed and succeeded and use their lives as examples or patterns to choose to imitate. Paul says it well when he told his listeners to “follow me as I follow after Christ.”

Have a great time finishing your fast and continuing to live differently!! Using the lives of those that lived before you or that are living around you to better follow Jesus and Love God with everything you have and Love People no matter what!

NO GOLF

2010-05-04T10:13:00.002-04:00

Ever gear yourself up for something all day only to see it not happen? That was me yesterday.

I have been planning to go Golfing in the evening with some friends - Rudi, Sam and Jim only to have nature tell me, "NO!" just as I was about to leave.

I shaved (usually don't do that on my day off), put on some good "Golf Clothes," at dinner quickly, already had my clubs in the car...I WAS READY!

Then the storm hit! NO GOLF!

What about our life's storms?

We are getting ready to be with God, spend time with Him, put on our "garments of praise." Do we stop when a storm in life hits?

Unlike golfing in rain, thunder, and lightening is unsafe, continuing to meet with God in the midst of a storm is what we must do!

Jesus if that's you, tell me to come!

"COME!"

Out of the boat and into the storm I go!

Good Old Days

2010-04-21T23:50:00.002-04:00

A question has been stirring in me of late that I want to share with you. Perhaps we will start an open discussion about it through the information highway.

By the way if you have not got on the 50th Anniversary page, YOU NEED TO! There is some great history for us to learn and some great people to meet that have laid a beautiful foundation all of us that are currently attending New Life Community Church should be grateful for. If you don’t know how to get there, you can go to our church website – www.newlifecc.us and just click the “50th Anniversary” link.

Here’s my question – “Why do we say ‘those were the good old days’ when speaking of the past?”

I have some great memories of good days in the past but I always get the impression that people that tend to use the “good old days” language would rather live in those good old days.

God is the same yesterday, today and forever so to him every day is good! He chose to create today and I am glad that he did. I hope he chooses to create tomorrow as well. We had a phenomenal altar time both Sunday AM and PM this last week, but no matter how good it was to see people Baptized in the Holy Spirit like Sunday PM or set free and on to a new journey with Jesus like Sunday AM, I want more of HIM. “Good old days” implies to me that you want the forward moving God of the universe to stop time and reverse all that has happened so you can bask in whatever experience you may have had back then in “the good old days.”

If I were to bask in what God did during those 3 Sunday PM services we entitled “Remove the Noise” I could have missed the miraculous moment of God’s financial provision for Shami and me a few weeks back when we stepped out in faith trusting that He provides ALL things for us and not the green colored paper that says “In God we trust.” If I was to concentrate on that moment I could have missed the opportunity to hear my daughter, Bayley say “Yes” to getting baptized this Sunday, April 25th during the AM service with 4-5 other people!!

I love what good that God has done through the 36 years of my life, and through the 50 years of our church but God has greater things planned for me, for New Life Community Church and FOR YOU!

When the exiled Jews returned and began to build the new temple, it was smaller than before and some wept because of that fact but the prophet Haggai spoke for God regarding that new temple and said in Haggai 2:9 – “The future glory of this Temple will be greater than its past glory,” Those that were weeping for the past “Good old days” did not know that the Son of God himself would walk into the new temple one day.

What if the disciples lived after Jesus’ death and resurrection thinking, “remember the good old days when Jesus was with us?”
But they did not. Jesus basically said in John 14:12 that these days may be good but you have greater days ahead!! “

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father."

We MUST REMEMBER our days from years gone by, but the truth still remains…they have gone by! If you are not sure yet, I love all of New Life Community Church’s history, every piece of it! Without it we would not be Loving God with all we have and Loving People no matter what TOGETHER!! We’ve needed the past to get to the present so we can keep going on towards are greater days!

As I close this email please remember the amazing words of the song “God of this city.”

For greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done
In this city
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done here

May God give you a greater day today than the one you had yesterday…whether it was Good day or a Bad one! I love you all!

In HIM,
Pastor David

THANK YOU!!!

2010-04-08T14:29:00.000-04:00

I know that I have already expressed thanks to all involved in the Million Egg Hunt, yet after our sorting of the Easter Eggs last night I want to make sure all of you are aware of my great joy that I have in the people of New Life Community Church that jumped up to respond in giving candy, bikes, baskets, cash for any of these items, bunnies, or t-shirts.

Thank you for your time helping collect sponsorships, or donations. Thank you for helping serve at the unforgettable, battle-scar creating adventure known at the Egg Stuffing night! Thank you for coming early to help set up and prepare on the day of the egg hunt, serving through registration, security, prize giveaways, bunny/shirt blasting, costumed characters, running names from registration to the prize table, and more.

Thank you for those that helped get the bathrooms opened, did a great job in their efforts to count every person, make signs, lay out eggs in all four sections, help during the egg hunt time, collect the eggs and clean up during the raining aftermath. Thank you to everyone that stayed to help get everything back into the van and Budget truck, unload it at the church, reset the sound for Kids Zone.

AND from yesterday, Thank you for those of you that helped sort the eggs back into the boxes (dimple or no dimple) and helped clean the gym up afterward too. Regardless of how long you helped in any capacity or how much of you gave (time, resources…) I want to say again THANK YOU!!!!!!!!

I appreciate that we understand the why behind all that we did in preparing, giving, serving and doing this year’s Million Egg Hunt! It was not for a record attendance, which we likely had. It was not to look good to the community, though they loved it. The why behind the Million Egg Hunt is one word – souls!!!

There were souls that were transformed that Saturday morning and we should be proud of our efforts, no matter if it took 5 hours to stuff or 3+ hours to sort. We should be proud because God used us to live out the Great Commandment (Loving God and Loving People) and live out the Great Commission (Go make disciples in all the world!).

Remember this journey of going deeper into a relationship with Him is long, difficult, dangerous, expensive, requires sacrifice and requires demanding work. The Million Egg Hunt has reminded me of that truth even when it comes to reaching others with Christ. As we go deeper into Him we will learn that He wants us to go further into our community and share what He has done in our lives!

Keep digging deeper!
Pastor David

Million Egg Hunt Update!

2010-04-01T10:20:00.002-04:00

What a night!!! I don’t think anyone of us that were there will forget that experience! I know we’re all glad it happens only once a year too!

I was amazed at so many people.

- I don’t think Debbie Williams and Donna Gray ever sat down. Tim Bolden took his family home and came back to help finish. Shami’s sister, Tanya and her two kids (Ashlee and Austin), were here on Spring Break from Las Vegas and stuffed eggs the entire night with us so did Pastor Ryan McCarty and so many of his people from God’s House. Mike Colyer came and represented Hills Chapel and we thank them for their help too. Dan Faunce, even with his battle with cancer, was the first one to show up around 5:30 (I think) and I know he was there past 9 PM! Pastor Garth and Phil wrapped so many bunnies and t-shirts for Saturday that I have heard they need to shoot off one every 15 seconds to get them all out into the crowd!!

I could keep telling more stories like this! I know so many of you did so much too! Your energy and efforts were just as valuable! THANK YOU NEW LIFE!!!!!!!!! Last night displayed one of the reasons why I love all of you so much! You make your Pastor smile and feel so blessed to be with you!

Let me give you an extra push this morning to continue preparing for the Million Egg Hunt with excitement and expectation.

Friday, April 2, 2010 at 6:30 pm we will gather again (not for 5 hours and I promise not one egg will be stuffed)! This time we will present to God all of the things during the past 40 days that we have removed from our insides as we have been drawing deeper into HIM! I must tell you that one person emailed me and told me that years ago they gave their life to Jesus and now they felt what they were to nail to the cross tomorrow night was “THE REST OF THEM!” WOW!

We will also be praying for all the prayer requests that have come in, in the past 12 months, praying for every chair in the Sanctuary for Easter Sunday and of course praying for the Million Egg Hunt itself too! We have planted the “seeds” into the Easter Eggs for 4 years now and I believe that the weather has been set up to be the best yet because there will be a harvest of souls Saturday morning and Easter Sunday!!

Just remember to not grow weary in doing good because at the right time (God’s time) we will reap a harvest of righteousness!

A New President?

2010-03-24T07:22:00.006-04:00

I am one who does not jump into the political realm easily, but I feel like this is a moment that I am being told to do so.

Right now there is a big divide in our country because of the actions recently under our new president, and the Congress. Many have said let's elect a new president because of it.

It's interesting to me to see the attitude towards President Obama is similar to that attitude that was present towards our previous president, George Bush. The main difference? Those speaking for and against have merely traded their words with each other. But rather than speak my own opinions about these actions, I would rather direct us to God's opinion when it comes to the authority that is set over us.

Daniel spoke some powerful words to a powerful king one day - "The Most High God rules the kingdoms of the world and appoints anyone he desires to rule over them." - Daniel 5:21b

Jesus echoed these words when he told Pilate, "You would have no power over me at all unless it were given to you from above." - John 19:11

So what does God say to do when it comes to human authority, to the government?
Romans 13:1-7
Verse 1 - "Obey the government, for God is the one who put it there. All governments have been placed in power by God"
Verse 2 - "So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished."
Verse 5 - "So you must obey the government for two reasons: to keep from being punished and to keep a clear conscience."
Verse 6 - "Pay your taxes too, for these same reasons."
Verse 7 - "Give respect and honor to all whom it is due"

Personally I believe that the punishment Paul is speaking of comes from God, not from the government. Look what Paul also says in the letter to his friend Titus...

Titus 3:1-2 - "Submit to the government...be obedient, always ready to do what is good...must not speak evil of anyone...be gentle and show true humility."

Peter also knew this to be true but when he was told to never speak about Jesus again, by religious leaders he said, "We must obey God rather than human authority." - Acts 5:29

So the boldest disciple was pushing aside human authority all together? No. Look what he said in I Peter 2:13-17 - "Accept all authority...show respect for the king."

Just as in the 8 years of the Bush Administration we were to honor, respect, and accept the authority set before us, so now during the Obama Administration we are to do the same.

When did you last complain, argue, or get angry about a political decision that was made or a political leader? Was it Sunday evening? Was it this morning?

When did you last pray for the political leaders who make those decisions? If God set these people in place as Jesus said, does God not have the ability to speak words of wisdom and council to them like he did in the days of Daniel?

Fight for what you believe in but learn to set the example for others that will set you a part from all other people and show that God is in you and coming through you!

Final thought: The way we handle our human authorities tells a lot about how we handle our heavenly authority.

Test Time!

2010-03-04T14:22:00.002-05:00

I know what this week has been like for many, if not all of you.

You have been tested!

You have had to deal with tough decisions, hurtful words, angry glances, doubting days, and more.

WHY?

Because as we have begun to take this journey to a deeper relationship with HIM, there is nothing more the Enemy would like to do than disrupt what God is doing in your life. Yet the other side is true too.

God may be allowing this to happen to sharpen you and to clean out the areas of your life that you have been unwilling to clean out on your own. The tests have come for a reason and we will talk about that reason more in detail on Sunday!

I am very excited about what God has been doing in your lives and I love hearing the stories so please do not hesitate to tell me what God is shaking loose inside your heart as He prepares us for even more of his manifested presence daily.

I wanted all of you to know that we have decided to not have Community Groups this Sunday evening but we will be gathering once again in the Sanctuary for what we have called our “Remove the Noise” evening gatherings. I have seen God make His presence known in many services in my life, but I am hard pressed to remember a time greater than last Sunday evening. Even though I look back at that with excitement, I am still craving Him all the more. I know that He is cleaning us from the inside out, yet he wants us to reveal to others things we see that needed cleaning in their lives.

Proverbs 27:5-6 says, “An open rebuke is better than hidden love. Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.”

After walking through the 40 Days of Love, we all know the need of telling the truth IN LOVE so do that with those you love. Pray for those around you! The more emptiness that is in us all the more space God has to fill!! And oh do we want his fresh in-filling!! Bring it God!

Sorry, I felt like Paul just then when he would get lost in God during his writings. That was amazing. I was shaking just as I thought about more of God filling me up!

Come ready for God, be ready for God. Be ready today, right where you are at, for God too!

Do You Remember?

2010-03-02T09:41:00.003-05:00

God is really using our time alone with Him to prepare us for what He has in store for all of us at New Life Community Church. As we continue to talk about the exiled Israelites return to Jerusalem and the rebuilding of the Temple on Sundays there is one portion of the story that I intend not to share but has been reinforced to me today during my quiet time with God.

It is found in Ezra 3:11-13. The Temple foundation has been laid and there is a mixed response to this monumental moment within the first 2 years of their return from exile. We see the younger generation rejoicing at the sight of the foundation and the cries and mourning of the older generation at the very same viewing of the foundation. The older remember the grand temple in Solomon’s day while the younger never knew it. The combination of cries and rejoicing can be heard “far away” the Bible says.

In my devotional these powerful words are penned – “It is said that the greatest obstacle to the latest move of God is the generation that experienced the previous move of the Spirit, and history confirms it. God obviously has a better plan. He intends for the older saints to guide, instruct, encourage, and support younger saints in their passionate pursuit of God. Anything less is sin.”

No matter where you find yourself on the spiritual maturity age range, one thing is clear – God will move on all generations and all generations need to move towards God. Peter recounts the words of the prophet Joel of how young men will see visions and old men dream dreams in his message in Acts 2 right after the Holy Spirit’s infilling.

DO NOT ALLOW your “self” to get in the way of what God wants to do in you and in all of us. DO NOT HAVE distaste for the passion to pursue God in a way that may seem different than your past, or your opinions. Rather DO ALLOW yourself to encourage all to seek God with ALL their hearts, minds, souls and strength. And DO HAVE distaste for the devil's schemes to come in and disrupt what God is doing and desiring for ALL of us.

In the end, all the mourning and rejoicing over the temple foundation had stopped and so did the work on rebuilding the Temple. They stopped work on it for 16 years!! WHY? They let the enemy discourage them, they let their pride get the best of them.

Then after 16 years, the prophet Haggai spoke these words in Haggai 2:3-9,

“Does anyone remember this house – this Temple – in its former splendor? How in comparison, does it look to you now? It must seem like nothing at all! But now the Lord says: Be strong…all you people still left in the land. And now get to work, for I am with you, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. My Spirit remains among you, just as I promised when you came out of Egypt. So do not be afraid.
“For this is what the Lord or Heaven’s Armies says: In just a little while I will again shake the heavens and the earth, the oceans and the dry land. I will shake all the nations, and the treasures of all the nations will be brought to this Temple. I will fill this place with glory, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. The future glory of this Temple will be greater than its past glory, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. And in this place I will bring peace. I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!”

The rebuilding of the Temple then began shortly after that and when it began the prophet Haggai spoke again. This time he said this in Haggai 2:18-19,

“Think about…the day when the rebuilding of the Lord’s Temple began. Think carefully. I am giving you a promise now while the seed is still in the barn. You have not yet harvested your grain, and your grapevines, fig trees, pomegranates, and olive trees have not yet produced their crops. But from this day onward I will bless you.”

I crave for God’s presence so dearly that I do not want to wait 16 years. I will if I must, but I do not want that! We must work together in unity and purpose so that what we do know is the blessing of God upon our lives, our families, our church, our 3 block radius, our city, our county, our region, our state, our country, our world!!!!!!

The Road Back

2010-02-28T16:20:00.001-05:00

Today was an amazing morning gathering in the sanctuary. I loved seeing so many of us respond to the call to take the road back to a deeper relationship with Him. This road will be long, difficult, dangerous, expensive, require sacrifice and be demanding work. Yet when it is done, we all will be forever changed!

When does this road end?

I don’t know and I don’t care. As long as I am passionately pursuing the One that gave me life and loves me so unconditionally the road will be worth the travel.

I hope you won’t care either. I hope that you will learn to live out the words of Matthew 22:36-37 that tell us to love God with “ALL” we have. That “ALL” is challenging. That “ALL” is rewarding when we have times of God encounters.

Today we had an encounter with God and I am wrestling in my spirit whether I ended that encounter before God was ready to end it. I am not feeling guilty but afraid that God will not show up again for way too long!! He was there, right there.

The image I carry in my mind is that of the woman who was bleeding for 12 years. She pushed through the crowd, just so she could get a hold of Jesus’ garment, and when she did, she was healed! We had “pushed” through our crowded lives to get to Him and then just as we touched his garment……we let go.

We let go before his healing power could flow in bodies, in hearts, in minds, in souls. That will NOT happen again! Pray that God will be with us each Sunday. Pray for God to be with you each day. Pray for God to be with Shami and myself as we take the next 3 days to get alone with HIM for the things of New Life Community Church and our region.

Our response to Him from this moment on is CRITICAL!

Taking the Road Back to Him with you!

Don't Mess with the Monkey!

2010-02-24T14:56:00.004-05:00

The Bible records the words of Jesus in Matthew 18:3-4 - "I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven," and I have the privilege of having two little girls right now in my life so looking at things like a little child happens often for me.

Last night, Bayley and I came into the family room together at the same time that Savanah was beginning to take apart the Monkey that Bayley and I had made with Bend-a-roos the night before. All of the sudden the waterworks in both their sets of eyes let out!

Bayley was crying because the Monkey was being torn apart while Savanah was crying because she was in trouble for tearing the Bend-a-roo Monkey apart. Those tears flowed so freely from both of them I was speechless.

Today, a past member of New Life whom I never met before, came into the office to see the changes that we have made since his departure. We talked for a little while, or I listened might be more appropriate :-).

He told me he was married for 50 years and when I asked for 1 key reason, he said because they found Jesus!! All of a sudden the tears started forming in his eyes and you could see the waterworks wanting to let out as he told his story of amazing life transformation!!

That man was really a child. A child of God's who will most definitely be entering the Kingdom of Heaven!

(The Bend-a-roos Monkey was repaired and doing well, thanks for asking)

Wash Your Hands

2010-02-23T16:07:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I was home alone with my youngest daughter, Savanah. At one point she had to do her duty and went #2 in the bathroom. She flushed away all that was laying in the toilet water.

As she came out of the bathroom, I asked her if she had washed her hands. She smiled at me, shook her head "no" and turned back towards the "place of dumping her waste" and washed her hands in the sink.

I asked her if she knew why we wash our hands after going potty and this amazing 4 year old in her innocence said, "no."

I explained why and she then said, "never knew that was why."

Do we dump the waste of life only to have the residue of that waste remain on our hands?

Moses was asked, "What's in your hand?" I ask you, "What's on your hands?"

Are you living with clean hands or is the residue of your life's waste still remaining?

Let's keep cleaning our insides out and washing our hands clean too!

Are You Nervous On Sundays?

2010-02-10T13:25:00.006-05:00

I hope that your snowy week has been one full of fun with your family and friends and as little snow shoveling or pushing as possible :-)!

We are on the home stretch of our 40 Days of Love journey and it has been nothing short of phenomenal!

Beyond what God has been doing on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays in the services, small groups and classes God has been giving all of us opportunities to take our love all over and impact lives!

Last Sunday, I was nervous and excited unlike any other Sunday!

Why?

Because a friend of mine who did not know Jesus as his Lord and Savior was coming!! My prayer for all of you is that you would have that feeling at least once this 2010 year!

To have that nervous and excited feeling we have to choose to INVEST into people we care about, and people we don’t know. Then INVITE them to Sunday or other gathering opportunities and INCLUDE them into your “church” circle of friends. I promise that when you have that nervous and excited feeling it will prompt you to want to invest into even more people! This is how our 10 year vision for the year 2018 to become 10 times our size in 10 years will become a reality!

That’s where we’re going…The picture above shows you where we’ve come from. It is the land our church now sits on before anything was there! 50+ years later here we are continuing what was begun in those days!! Keep Loving God with everything you have and Loving People no matter what!

Are you a Bezalel?

2010-02-07T15:01:00.002-05:00

In Exodus 31, Bezalel was "specifically chosen" by God to oversee the construction of the Tabernacle that would allow God's presence to be with his people, the Israelites. Bezalel was a master craftsmen and was filled with the Spirit of God and had wisdom and knew what he was made to do and he did it well!

In the church today, we need Bezalel's to rise up and take their place. Too many times, followers of Jesus that are a part of the Body of Christ are choosing to sit and spectate rather than take their specific place that God has chosen for them to participate.

How do we do that? Be the part of the church you were made to be, do the part you were made to do and do it well!! Romans 12 and I Corinthians 12 both focus on the uniqueness that each of us brings to the church and how each of us is needed!!

Ultimately, being who you are to be, doing what you are to do and doing it well will help bring other "parts" of the body of Christ together so we can draw closer to God and He closer to us!! Even those "parts" that don't know Him, yet!!

Be the Bezalel, God made you to be!!!

50 years of life-change at New Life Community Church/Westside A/G - what's your story?

2010-01-30T23:02:00.001-05:00

As part of our 50th Anniversary celebration, this coming October/November, we are planning to make a booklet entitled, “Where were you when…? – stories from 50 years of life-change at New Life Community Church”

We’re looking for stories of salvation, healing, baptism, humor and drama.
Stories of when a teacher impacted a student.
Stories of when a message changed a person’s direction in life.
Stories of what things were like after the dome collapsed, the mortgage was paid off, the various sanctuaries and buildings were built.
Stories from the bus ministry, the school…the list of ideas can keep going.

Please send us your story or stories, and pass this along to others that attended New Life Community Church or when it was called Westside Assembly of God.

Thank you for your help in making this a memorable year!

PS - you can send pictures too!!

Ready for Impact!

2010-01-24T21:02:00.004-05:00

Last night, my two little ladies stayed the night at someone's house. The first thing that happened when I saw them was the best thing ever!

"DADDY!!!!!!"

Was the word they both screamed! First Bayley and then Savanah. Then they came bolting straight for me. I knew that I would have to get ready for impact. What a hit I took!! One of the best ever!

That imagery makes me think of God.

Do we make that kind of cry out to God? Do we just run to Him with everything we have? Do we make Him get ready for our impact?

I can see God right now. In position to take the best you can give Him! What are you waiting for?

Make God get ready for your impact!!!

The Book of Eli

2010-01-16T15:51:00.002-05:00

OK...so I went and saw "The Book of Eli" yesterday night with a group of friends. It was full of depth and insight unlike any film I can recently remember. By no means is this a film for ALL to see. It is filled with language spoken from those who are the "evil ones" and the violence is indeed intense, but it is a film that can speak to many important pieces of our lives...

...using the power of the Bible for manipulation of people vs. seeing people's lives changed.
...knowing what is in the Bible vs. living out what you know is in the Bible.
...is the Bible on your shelf or in your heart?
...what are you willing to do to follow God's call in your life?

These are but a few thoughts and questions that "The Book of Eli" touches. Regardless, last but not least, one thing that Eli did that we all should do: is take time each day to read the Bible and see what it has to offer your life.

L-E-T-S-G-O

2010-01-09T16:34:00.003-05:00

I watched my two girls begin their cheer leading seasons today. They both did a great job and I am very proud of their efforts and energy! I love how they encouraged the teams to do their best all throughout the games.

God watches us each day and in a very similar way, he "cheers" and encourages you and me to do our best. He also uses us to "cheer" each other on "towards love and good deeds."

Now I know God is so much more than a cheerleader, but to know that he is on my side each day, wanting me to be successful, that gives me an added boost to do my best!

So...L-E-T-S-G-O, Let's go and do our best today!!

Slippery Path

2009-12-24T09:50:00.005-05:00

Today I was reminded of what the term "black ice" means.

I had just turned off the Christmas lights on the outside of our house and jumped over to the walkway path that leads to our front door then...

I slipped!

My hand landed on one of Shami's fences that borders the walkway and it cut into my hand. I was lucky that was all that happened!

During the night a layer of freezing rain had coated our walkway, our driveway and all the roads. You could tell only if you looked at them from the angle that allowed the icy shine to stand out.

You know, if we are not careful we won't see the slippery path we jump on in our life's journey. And if we don't recognize it, it will lead to a dangerous encounter of your face meeting the ground!! Let's remember to watch our steps and the paths we choose to travel.

Have a Merry Christmas!!

Story Changer

2009-12-18T11:37:00.004-05:00

I am amazed right now to think how Jesus impacted lives even before He could speak! As a 1 year old baby boy, He was able to transform a group of isolated shepherds into his first evangelists! After they met Jesus, they went and told everyone about Him!

I love that they did not keep all of that inside, just for themselves. Instead they wanted to help change others' lives, others' stories because their stories were changed!!

When we come in contact with Jesus, he has the power to change your story into something grander and more amazing than anything we have been a part of. Go tell others about the story of Jesus this Christmas and watch not only their stories change but yours as well!!

7 days to Christmas!! Enjoy telling the story!

Christmas Countdown

2009-12-16T12:51:00.003-05:00

I missed posting something here on PD's Pages. I don't know how many people look on and read them and really don't care. This is just a great outlet to share my heart to anyone that wants to listen.

I love this time of year but because of the vacation to Las Vegas around Thanksgiving it feels like Christmas got here quicker than ever!!

At least we got our trees up, did all our shopping and even got the Christmas Lights on the house this year!! THE BEST PART OF THE YEAR THOUGH...

Is the countdown!! The journey to Christmas!! It's the best watching the girls change the dates on our various countdowns, eat the chocolate on their advent calendars and try to imagine what it is that is under the tree or what Santa is bringing them this year!

Enjoy the countdown to Christmas this year and remember that in life it is that journey that makes everything worth arriving to!!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Rubble removed!

2009-04-06T10:27:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was a great Sunday!

Many people came forward asking to be forgiven or to forgive someone and in the process their lives were transformed! Then we had 5 people get baptised and show everyone their start of a new life through Jesus!!

Loved it!

Now it's less than a week away from Easter and the Million Egg Hunt! I know that it will be another opportunity for people to find Jesus and remove the rubble of their broken lives and begin again!

WOW! Forgiveness is the best thing out there! Nothing else can do the miracle of transforming a life than finding forgiveness or giving forgiveness to someone else!

If you forgive or accept forgiveness it will implode the walls you have built up and begin to remove the rubble of that old life!

Do you need forgiveness? Do you need to forgive?

Amazing Day!

2009-03-16T10:58:00.004-04:00

I'm sitting here and just enjoying the moment. Savanah is watching Pinocchio for the very first time and Shami is rifling through her coupon organizer, looking at ads and figuring out which coupons to use and where to use them. It's a fun life.

Yesterday was amazing. The day went really well. In the morning, we had a great time of worship, and I felt like I did my absolute best!

Then in the evening, we had our Annual Business Meeting and it was simply M-A-R-V-E-L-O-U-S! It went smoothly...we laughed...we prayed...we were unified!

But two other things made the day even more amazing:
1 - I went out to Fazoli's after the meeting with my ladies and had a relaxing meal.
2 - While I was praying in the morning on Sunday, I heard God say to me, "I love you and I'm proud of you."

How could your day not be amazing after that!!!!!!!!!!!

Enjoy the Journey

2009-02-23T07:38:00.005-05:00

Those three words..."Enjoy the Journey" were words that my father-in-law continued to repeat to Shami and myself as we have gone on a 4 week journey to find a new car.

Our old car, known as Sally, finally had too many issues to the point where we had to decide if it was worth putting more money into her or invest into a new car.

We chose to invest.

Our first investment was time. We waited and did nothing but pray for the first 3 weeks of our journey to a new car. We specifically prayed for a reliable, newer car (we had a 1996 Camry), that seated more than five.

After our 21 day wait, we investigated car loan possibilities. It looked like a van was in our future, but to be honest...I am not a van guy. I never wanted one and never felt like that was the answer, then...

Some told us that they wanted to invest into the "Replace Sally Fund" in a significant way and they wanted us to get the car of our dreams. WOW!!!!

We knew that the car of our dreams was not a van and that we really wanted a 2005 Chrysler Pacifica. All it took was one test drive and the fact that it could seat more than five...oh and it was not a van!

Shami took countless hours investigating cars online and finding where '05 Pacificas could be.

Even when Valentine's Day was filled with 9 hours of failure! (only one test drive - of a car that we KNEW we weren't getting - we just wanted the girls to be able to drive in one car that day.)

We kept remembering those words "Enjoy the Journey!"

Then came Monday, February 16th and we met Wendy. She was perfect, and the negotiations for her were perfect. I loved feeling like Dave Ramsey with a pocket full of cash and then placing it on the desk during the deal!!

Wendy? She is our new 2005 Chrysler Pacifica!! Why Wendy as a name? Well it's in honor of Wendy from Peter Pan and the fact that our new car can really fly!!!

Enjoy your journey!!!

Crutches

2009-02-10T07:39:00.004-05:00

As I was sitting here thinking about my foot surgery, I got a thought about how it feels to have crutches.

You may have heard people say that followers of Jesus use God as a crutch.

That statement is not meant to be positive but instead a negative view on our dependence on God.

I've always thought that it was OK to acknowledge that God is a crutch. So what? That means He supports me when I'm weak. The Bible says when I am weak He IS strong.

But to be honest, I don't view it that way anymore.

I have been on crutches for less than a week and I don't want them anymore. Now I know, many times we don't enjoy some of the changes God does in our lives because we have lived our life one way and it can be hard to change, but hear me out.

In 3-5 more weeks my recovery will be done. In fact, I will likely be off crutches in a week or so.

- You don't always need crutches.
- But you do always need God!

- Crutches are intended for the short term.
- God intends to be with you for eternity!

I am thankful that I don't use God as a crutch, but rather...
...as my guide,
...my father who knows best,
...my friend who is closer to me than even Shami is.

Who needs crutches when you have God!!

5 Minutes

2009-02-07T11:30:00.004-05:00

Since my foot surgery on Wednesday, February 4th, I have spent more time on Facebook than my usual.

It has been really interesting and fun. I've talked with friends from the present and past. I've got to connect with people in Tennessee, Washington State, Las Vegas and China, just to name a few places.

I've loved the interaction.

One of the interactions has been through a question I posted regarding how can we help diminish unwanted pregnancies. Through this question I have had a conversation with someone about how to handle this need.

In this conversation, a question was posed back to me that I would like to share with you and then share my response to that question.

Here's the question posed to me:
Let's say you've got a young lady who is going to have sex and you find out about it. You've got 5 mins with her, what do you do? She has lived a short life of immorality. It's all she knows, doing what her Momma has always done. You can't change that lifetime in 5 mins... so you have a choice, give her a condom and try to prevent an unwanted pregnancy or refuse to give for whatever reason. If she gets preggo, it's on your head! Don't you see? We can't change everyone. If you are a teacher and gain their respect, you might have a chance. If you are really against abortions, you have to prevent the pregnancy in any way and every way possible.

Here was my response:
To think that some one's life cannot change in 5 minutes...is really hard for me to even fathom. Any one's life can change in an instant (and I'm not trying to be some freak optimist here).

I'd like to give you a scenario for a moment.

There is a young lady that all she has known is sexual encounters with men. It's her life. It's her job. One day as she is in the middle of another sexual venture, she is pulled out of the room and dragged down the street and thrown into the middle of the road.

All of the sudden, she is the center of attention and the topic of a theological debate. "This woman was caught committing adultery and our laws say that she is suppose to be killed. What would you have us do?"

Everyone stares at one man. He says nothing at first and then he drops to the ground writing something. Then he responds, "if you're perfect, you kill her."

The men slowly all walk away, leaving this man with this woman. "Where are your accusers?" She sees no one there and then hears these words, "I don't accuse you either, go and sin no more."

I believe that this encounter took around 5 minutes and the Bible shows us later how her life was changed from this one encounter, from just 5 minutes.

She was changed because Jesus gave her a better story to live and she embraced this new story.That's what is so amazing about grace - it can change your life in an instant.

Maybe your young lady in your scenario is looking for a different way but just doesn't know it exists. You have 5 minutes to show her that there is a better way, an amazing way of life.

No, we cannot change everyone, but we can change one at a time. You never know how many that "one" can change later!

I hope all of you that read this remember that 5 minutes can make a difference and change a life!!

Fasting Saturday

2009-01-24T06:53:00.003-05:00

This time the Saturday note is in the morning unlike last week when I first sent this email to New Lifers.

Hey New Life,

With this email being at night, I don’t know how many of you will get to read this before Sunday, but I wanted to send this anyways because I felt that this was an important piece to continuing fasting in your life.

One last thing that has been impressed on my heart during this time of fasting is that a fast is not a diet. To be honest with you, most every fast I can remember going on I treated more like a diet to lose weight than to shake off the pounds of inner “fat” (selfish wants, past hurts, misused emotions…) When you fast certain foods do you lose weight? Yes, but that needs to be a secondary thing and not the primary reason.

The primary reason is so that you and I can find a deeper place with God, recognize his voice, and remember that we need Him to breakthrough in areas of our lives that only He can breakthrough!!

Tomorrow will be one of the greatest days in the lives of all of us at New Life Community Church and those we will be praying for if we have been fasting and seeking God this past week with the right heart, and attitude. God will hear us tomorrow when we pray, and worship Him!!!! New Life, believe that God’s answers will be right!! Trust Him and His decisions!!

HERE IT COMES!!!! SUNDAY, JANUARY 18TH IS HERE AND GOD IS/WILL BE TOO!!!

I am so proud of all of you and your fasting and praying!! I believe God has been smiling and proud of our efforts, no matter what you have fasted or how much, because it has been all about GOD!!!

See you in the morning!
Pastor David

I'll I have to say is FINISH STRONG!!! DON'T GIVE IN OR GIVE UP BUT GIVE GOD YOUR BEST TODAY as you finish off your fasting!!

Fasting Friday

2009-01-23T13:52:00.003-05:00

I pray that if you've continued to fast and pray another week or that you are reading this for the first time, that you always make sure to do an internal check on yourself. Look and see what's inside that maybe needs a tune up so you don't wear out!! Here's Friday's email:

Hey New Life!

End of the week and a day closer to Sunday, January 18th when we bring ALL our requests and needs to God and ask for Him to breakthrough in those relational, financial, emotional, physical and spiritual areas of our lives and those lives of others around us.

Going into the weekend, I am confident of one thing: God will hear us and answer!!!

What His answer is I do not know for sure, but one thing I do know for sure is that I don’t want Him to answer us the way He did to Israel through the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah chapter 58.

‘We have fasted before you!’ they say.
Why aren’t you impressed?
‘We have been very hard on ourselves,
And you don’t even notice it!’.

“I will tell you why!” I respond.
“It’s because you are fasting to please yourselves.
Even while you fast,
You keep oppressing your workers.
What good is fasting,
When you keep on fighting and quarreling?
This kind of fasting
Will never get you anywhere with me.”

Just like my note yesterday, this reminds us that “how” we fast is more important than “what” we fast, and that our attitude during the fasting weighs more on the mind of God than the act of fasting. As you have been fasting, what has been your effort to listen to the voice or leading of God each day? Have you seen things around you differently or is the routine of your day still “the same old” routine?

On Monday, I had just got done shopping at Walmart when I was walking to the other end of the building to exit and I noticed a man who was sitting down and staring straight at me. I looked away like it was no big deal, but when I looked his way again he was still staring right at me. So I took that moment and asked how he was doing. Arthur tells me that he just got released from the hospital that day from having pneumonia. I felt like I was supposed to stay and talk with Arthur a little more and as I did, he shared that he had been in the hospital since December 26th and couldn’t remember most of his stay there.

At the end of our conversation, I asked if I could pray with him. When I was done praying, he lifted his head up to me, tears in his eyes, and said “I needed that today.”

I told you about that, not to show off my ability to listen to God’s promptings, but to remind you that this fasting is not all about you! It is all about God and us taking time to connect deeper with Him, hear His voice and respond to what He tells us. Yes! God will hear us on Sunday, January 18th at 10:00 AM and I believe breakthrough will shake loose from that time, but are you hearing God today? Breakthrough might be waiting for someone else, through you, and all that is needed to see that breakthrough happen is you listening and responding to God’s direction.

“No, this is the kind of fasting I want:
Free those who are wrongly imprisoned;
Lighten the burden of those who work for you.
Let the oppressed go free,
And remove the chains that bind people.
Share your food with the hungry,
And give shelter to the homeless.
Give clothes to those who need them,
And do not hide from relatives who need your help.

Then your salvation will come like the dawn,
And your wounds will quickly heal.
Your godliness will lead you forward,
And the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind.
Then when you call, the Lord will answer.
‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply.

Now that is the answer I want to hear from God, don’t you? – “YES, I AM HERE!!!!”

Get ready for Sunday, January 18th!!
Pastor David

Have an incredible weekend!!!

Fasting Thursday

2009-01-22T14:51:00.002-05:00

If you've been reading these daily pages, my prayer is that it will help you look at fasting in a way like never before and it becomes a regular part of your life!! Here's Thursday's email!

Hey New Life,

I’m sure that for some of you the fasting has hit a wall and you’re wondering if you can make it and for others it’s still going strong. Regardless of where you feel you are at, don’t give up!!! There’s a harvest waiting for you from the seeds you are planting!!

Today I want go back to Matthew 6 and remind you of something about our giving, praying and fasting.

When Jesus shared with his followers about “when you give” he warned, “don’t do as the hypocrites do…”
Then when Jesus shared with them about “when you pray” he urged, “don’t be like the hypocrites…”
Lastly when Jesus shared with those there about “when you fast” he warned, “don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do…”

In all three instances he was sharing that yes we need to be giving, praying, and fasting however, the way we go about including these three parts in our lives is actually more important than simply doing them. Attitude determines everything!!!

With giving, don’t give in a way that says “Hey look at me!!!! I’m giving my money or time today!!! What about you?”
With praying, don’t let your only prayers be the public ones that people hear, but make sure that you are privately having a time of connection alone with God in prayer, away from others.

And with fasting, don’t go around with a “poor me attitude” or as Matthew 6:16 says, “…when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for fasting. I tell you the truth that is the only reward they will ever get.”

This fast of ours is one for breakthrough in the lives of people at New Life Community Church and those that are relationally connected to us. The last thing I think anyone of us wants is to receive a pat on the back from others for fasting and that’s it.

We want to see God breakthrough where only He can breakthrough. We want God to make the impossible, possible in all our areas of need!! We want God’s rewards for fasting, right?!?!!

“But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” – Matthew 6:17-18

And what amazing rewards does God have for us? I don’t know exactly how but I do know they will be better than any of us can imagine!!

So climb over that wall or bust through it if you are there. Keep going strong if you are doing well. And if you have yet to begin to fast, start today!! I will see you Sunday, January 18th, at 10:00 AM. Bring ALL YOUR REQUESTS AND NEEDS!!! Let’s see God breakthrough!!!

I believe in you all!!
Pastor David

PS – Pass these emails on to whoever you want, it might help them see a breakthrough too!!!

We saw a great breakthrough today!! Someone else in the church received a miracle answer and their response? Was to make sure they brought in their tithes and offering to God!! RED TRUCKS really do exist!!

Fasting Wednesday

2009-01-21T14:44:00.003-05:00

Wednesday's email is now here!!

Hey New Life!

You are doing so great with your fasting!!! I am so proud of all of you! Remember to continue to focus on God and His promises of breakthrough in your lives and those around you!

There is an incredible verse that most of us are aware of. I want to share with you right now:

“Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”

What a promise that is, isn’t it? How many times have we been told to have faith the size of a mustard seed? How many times have we been told that nothing is impossible for us with God?

Those are things to grab hold of during our troubles and problems that are around us. Those are words that comfort when we see loved ones sick of cancer and other life-threatening diseases or when we look at our finances and say how will this ever work. There has to be a catch! There’s always a catch right?

Well…yeah…I think there is, but check it out!!

This verse is Matthew 17:20. This verse was written right after the healing of the demon-possessed boy that the disciples could not heal but only Jesus could heal. I mentioned this verse in yesterday’s email. Jesus, after he says that nothing is impossible, after he says you can move a mountain with faith the size of a seed, says those words in Matthew 17:21 “this kind…won’t leave except by prayer and fasting.”

I believe that the impossible becoming possible is attached with the greater connection we make with God during a time of fasting and praying!! That’s why I am confident of breakthroughs happening on Sunday, January 18th when we pray for all the needs you and others bring that day!! We are placing seeds next to our mountains and in due time, the mountains will be moved out of our way!!

The key thing, my eyes were opened to today, was make sure we don’t dig those seeds back up after we plant them. For some of you, the breakthrough will be immediate!!! Others it will be a short wait, and some it will require a much longer period of time, but no matter the time period, let your seed stay in the ground next to that mountain - the breakthrough you need!

God follows through with his promises!! Genesis 8:22 says, “As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest…”

Let your seed stay planted and you will see a harvest.

Paul understood the need to keep a seed planted when he said to the Galatians in his letter to them, “Don’t be misled… You will always harvest what you plant… So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.”

Keep fasting even if it’s hard. Keep praying even if you don’t feel God is listening. The seeds that are planted for your breakthrough or the loved ones around you will break out and do the impossible for you!!

It’s just a matter of time!! See you Sunday, January 18th!!!

Believing for your breakthrough!
Pastor David

Remember these words!! Especially if you planted a breakthrough seed that Sunday!! We got our car Sally back (she's resting in the driveway - poor girl) and guess what kind of vehicle brought her home? - A RED TRUCK!!!!!!!!!!!! (read my post on RED TRUCKS if you don't get it!) Have a great day!!!

Fasting Tuesday

2009-01-20T14:53:00.002-05:00

Here is last week's Tuesday email that I sent out, enjoy!

Hey New Life!

Thanks for responding to this call to fast the rest of the week and believe for a breakthrough in the lives of people connected with New Life Community Church. I’m going to attempt to write something each day in regards to fasting that will help us stay strong during this time and prepare for the breakthroughs that will happen on Sunday, January 18th when we bring ALL our prayer requests and needs that Sunday morning!!

In Matthew 6, Jesus is talking and sharing about key parts to a person’s lifestyle. In all three circumstances he uses the word “when.” That is important to know because that sets up the whole idea that this will happen or needs to happen in a person’s life.

I Corinthians 10:13 talks about temptation and says “when you are tempted.” It shows us and reminds us that temptation comes. We need to understand that principle of life and I think most followers of Jesus get that idea. Temptation will come, what are we going to do about it?

So in Matthew 6, Jesus uses the word “when” and that should perk our ears up and get our attention. He is not implying you might do this, but rather that this is a regular part of your life.

The first thing Jesus talks about is in verse 2 – “when you give”
Jesus expects his followers to give. Give to the needs of others that are around you, give to God your tithe and offerings. GIVE! Not give at the end of the year, or give as some kind of new year’s resolution. Giving is a regular part of a Jesus follower’s life. Give your time, your passions and YES your money.

The second thing Jesus talks about is in verse 5 – “when you pray”
Jesus expects you and me to pray. And why not?! The Bible shares that if you ask you will receive. It says that prayer is powerful and effective. It says that if you lack wisdom, God will give generously and not rebuke you for asking. It says to pray about everything, pray continuously! The Bible is full thoughts on prayer, different people’s prayers, victories through prayer. Basically, if you are a follower of Jesus then prayer needs to be an active part of your daily life!

The third thing Jesus talks about is in verse 16 – “when you fast”
Jesus expects believers to fast. Why would this be a third expected component of your life and mine? Jesus knew that fasting takes you to a whole nother level with God! What am I talking about? Let me illustrate it with an event in Jesus’ ministry.

There was a boy who was demon-possessed and was brought before the disciples in Matthew 17. They were unable to help the boy, but when Jesus came into the scene He was able to heal him. When the disciples asked Jesus why He could and they could not He said in verse 21 “this kind of demon won’t leave except by prayer and fasting.”

Before Jesus public ministry began, after being baptized in water, he went and fasted for 40 days. At the end of the fast, it’s interesting that Satan tempted him with turning stones into bread. Fasting needs to be an active part of our lives as believers. It’s not for the pastors and teachers of churches only. It’s for all of us!!

Something happens when we take time to focus our lives on God and His agenda!! As I was writing this, I saw God do a breakthrough here at the church and I believe with all my heart that the breakthrough came as a result of the fasting that has begun through those of us at New Life Community Church!!!

I love you all and keep fasting and praying for God’s breakthrough!!!
Pastor David

If you feel like "Where's my breakthrough God?!" Remember that He is fighting and working on your behalf! Make sure you fight too!!

Fasting Monday

2009-01-19T07:02:00.002-05:00

As I shared on Sunday, I am going to post the emails I sent regarding fasting in case you chose to continue to fast this week. Here is Monday's email from January 12th:

Hey New Life Family!

First of all I know I don’t have everyone’s email address so please forward this to everyone you can think of. Thanks in advance for doing that!

What a great Sunday! Pastor Garth did an amazing job of sharing from his life’s adventure how God has a specific plan for each one of us and that we should be aiming for that plan through our Core Values, Spiritual Gifts and Past Experiences. Great Job Pastor Garth!!!

Then on Sunday night, we continued down this road of “Becoming” who God wants us to be and understanding how when things come our way to accept that they are there, deal with them in the right attitude and with the right actions. If we do that, then in the midst of our chaotic world we will have clarity on what to do. Let’s just say that there were some lives altered Sunday night towards a new direction that will impact so many lives that we cannot even begin to fathom the number of people who will be affected by decisions made that night!!!!

As I have been reflecting on yesterday’s events and on other things today, something has become visible to my eyes that I had not seen before now.

Let me first share about the life of Queen Esther and what she did.
Esther was the queen of Persia and also a Jew. She found out through her uncle, Mordecai that there was a massive plot to annihilate her people. She was planning to go to the king, unannounced, and find his favor and save her people. Going unannounced meant that she could die!

This is what she asked of all the Jews. “Go and gather all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day.
My maids will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.” – Esther 4:16-17

The reaction of the king? He gave the Jews the opportunity to fight and save their lives if they were attacked and the man, Haman, who had ordered the attack, was hung on a gallows set up for Mordecai. The Jews were saved!!!!!! Because of the people joining in prayer and fasting!

Jesus even said that there are some things that are not defeated, or answered without prayer and fasting!

All that is said to request of all of you, that are a part of New Life Community Church, to come this Sunday, January 18th and present all your prayer requests and needs to God. All your requests for yourself, your loved ones, your friends, whoever! All your financial requests, physical healing requests, emotional breakthrough requests, relational healing or restoration requests, spiritual battle requests, anything!!!

Bring it to Sunday January 18th at the AM service. At the end of the AM service we will pray for those needs, believe for God’s answers, and lastly I am asking everyone to begin a 5/6 day fast today or tomorrow (Monday/Tuesday – Saturday).

Remove something from your routine, replace it with God. Take something that you "have to have" each day and instead "have" more of God in that time period. Every fast has to have a spiritual purpose, and this purpose that you will have will be none other than seeing God answer our request!

I am believing for miracles to take place, homes to be healed, emotions restored, finances to be freed! I know that God has been God longer than you have been you! Take a leap out into the world of faith and trust and combine it with fasting for these 5/6 days! You will begin to simply get a taste of who God is and what he has for you and you will never want anything else to "eat" but what he has to offer!!

There are some things that are not defeated, overcome, or beaten without fasting! It is something that we, as follower of Jesus, must not forget to do in our lives!! It brings us closer to God. The closer you are to someone the easier it is to hear what they are saying!!

So remember, bring ALL your needs, and requests on Sunday, January 18th and we’ll pray for them, and begin fasting the rest of the week and we’
ll see his breakthrough and victory happen!!!!!

I love you all and know that 2009 is the best year that we will ever see in our lives!!!
Pastor David

I hope that this challenges you to take fasting on as a regular part of your journey with Jesus! It will make an unbelievable difference in your life!!!

How was your day?

2009-01-10T07:17:00.007-05:00

Alright, yesterday was a day full of experiences.

Shami worked at 5 AM (working for a co-worker who's switching with her on a different day) and it was on her way that Sally (read previous post) would not warm up inside the car but had no problem heating up her engine to levels that would scorch even Satan!

Sally (read previous post) asked for more money. May be just a water pump or may be just a new engine (can't wait to see which it is). It's getting looked at and Shami and I are talking about what to do. All I have to say is "RED TRUCK!" (read previous post)

Then Bayley came home sick, RRRREEEEAAAALLLLL sick. She got food poisoning from her school lunch and has been letting go of all that's inside on both ends (sorry if that's gross, but I tried to be nice - I could've said worse) :-)

Then Shami became Bayley's cheer coach by osmosis on Monday since her coach was never showing up and they were going to be added to the 4 year old team. Shami got the team list for the first time yesterday and now with Bay sick, Shami might have to go to cheer without her (not our idea when we signed her up).

We got our utilities bills and they were, lets say...................... HIGH! Anyone got new windows to giveaway? (just kidding...kind of)

I have a headache, Savanah woke me up at 6:30 AM on a Saturday (way to early for me!). I'm sure I could go on but no need.

Look, I shared that not to complain, though letting that out did feel good, but to show that even a pastor and his family go through crappy days, yet yesterday was a day that God made, and he says to rejoice and be glad in each day.

I did rejoice (no I did not bust out in song - you wouldn't want me to). I was glad because I had a day. I was glad that my day was living in Marion, serving the people of New Life, and having one amazing family.

Plus I got to pray ridiculous prayers like, "God, we need a new car." I can't wait to hear and see what God's answer will be to that prayer and others I prayed simply because God says, "ask and you will receive."

OK, so yesterday was crappy and it was fantastic all at the same time!!

How was your day?

"RED TRUCK"

2009-01-07T13:31:00.003-05:00

I'm so excited for 2009!

I know, I know I should be dreading it and wondering what is going to happen with the economy and with all else that is looming ahead.

I'm not dreading a single thing because no matter what I am sure of one thing...

God has got it all under his control.

My car, Sally (named by my girls after the Silver Porsche in the movie "Cars") has had several maintenance issues. The latest being her brakes.

The front was grinding a bit, the back squealing. Sally was crying for help. I agree she needed help.

The other night, Shami and I were watching the movie "Facing the Giants" and the coach in this movie has a car that is in much worse shape than Sally has ever been. The great moment is when he receives an anonymous gift of a brand new Full Extended Cab Red Truck!! Sweet!!

The next day after watching that with Shami, I was in on my way to my Men's Coffee House small group and thinking about Sally's issues and hearing her cry to me. I thought of the movie and that great gift the coach received and suddenly a vehicle drives up right next to me.

It was a Full Extended Cab Red Truck!! I felt God say, "I've got it all under control."

I ended up seeing over 2 dozens Red Trucks on the drive home after the small group - no joking!! Now every time I see a red truck I simply say, "RED TRUCK!" and I'm reminded of God's control in my life.

He has control. He will take care of you and me. We do our part of Loving Him, being faithful in our giving of time, passion and money and he will show us his control through blessings and provision in 2009!

By the way, Sally has new brakes on and does not cry anymore!

Wowzers!

2008-11-14T06:41:00.003-05:00

Right now I am in the mode of looking at what 2009 holds and one word comes to mind - Wowzers!

Ok, how much of a word that is I don't know, but that still is what comes to mind.

There is a great sense of momentum in all parts of my life. I feel momentum in my marriage, my family, my spiritual growth, my call as pastor, and at New Life Community Church.

On Monday, after fulfilling Staff Retreat, fun night quizzing our JBQ kids and an amazing service (and again - largest Sunday attendance since I've been there), I got hit with the sense of "Oh man, am I the one to take New Life to the next level?"

That is a dose of doubt and fear all at the same time! It made me really do nothing that day and I was in a definite funk! I had a choice to stay in my funk with my fear and doubt or take hold of the truth that I am the one that God wants to use to take New Life Community Church to the next level!

I have taken hold of that truth and acted like that from that day on! I have been called to lead this church and while doing that I have incredible individuals to help along the way! Our church staff is the best, our church elders and deacons are behind the path we are taking 100% and the people are living out the vision of "Loving God and Loving People!"

What a impact we are making! 2008 has been a great foundation year and now watch out 2009 here we come!!

Mad Man

2008-10-31T07:39:00.002-04:00

I know, I know. I don't blog enough but I find more time to write in my journal instead.

With that said, I just wrote something in my journal that I thought was important to share in this format too. Here is what it says:

I saw something new today in the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in Daniel 3.

I saw the level of anger that King Nebuchadnezzar lived with. He had an anger problem! He was a "Mad Man."

The Bible says this about the king's anger:
Verse 13 - "he flew into a rage"
Verse 19 - "was so furious"
Verse 19 - "distorted with rage"
Verse 22 - "in his anger"

He was so fixed on his power, he didn't think that even HIS power (God) could surpass him.
Verse 15 - "what god will be able to rescue you from my power?"

Then when the three young men challenged him - HE LOST IT!

In this process people lost their lives because the king lost his temper.

Verse 22 - "And because the king, IN HIS ANGER, had demanded such a hot fire in the furnace, THE FLAMES KILLED THE SOLDIERS as they threw the three men in."

Anger can distort your thinking and keep you from responding appropriately.

God help me with my anger. I don't want lives to be lost because I lost it! I don't want to think it's all about my power but all about yours!

Opening Weekend!

2008-09-08T09:13:00.003-04:00

Unbelievable weekend!
My Seahawks and the Colts both got beat bad!
One of my Fantasy Football teams won and the other lost (hard to beat 130 points)!
Around 120 people came to New Life for a Hunter/Safety course on Saturday! (Great chili, Sam!)
Taste of Marion at IWU was a blast! (Congrats to Chase for winning the Wii!)
The "DREAM IT!" series kicked off with a bang!
I revealed to the world my Master Jedi skills! Love it!
Garth jumped from the balcony to the stage in one gigantic leap! (No joke, check out the opening video at www.newlifecc.us)
We had the largest Sanctuary audience since we came to Marion!!
This season's Community Groups launched and were wildly successful!
My Coffee House group ended up being an unexpected but great one on one time with Tim B. (Joe made a quick appearance before going to work)!

Now, it's time to rest for a day before I get going again!

Worth the fight?

2008-07-16T00:27:00.002-04:00

I'm sitting here at 12:30 in the morning watching the MLB All-Star Game in the 12th inning and I am truly amazed at the effort by these all star baseball players.

This game does determine home field advantage for the World Series but the players are not concerned with that I feel. I believe that they are fighting for the win, period!!

This has made me think (I know dangerous this late) about how hard are we willing to fight for what we crave, desire and/or believe in?

I think that we (including me) have a tendency to back off before we reach the point that the results are realized.

What's the key? Don't stop til the fight lady sings? Kind of.

Don't give up because God responds to those who don't give up, just ask Jacob who refused to let go of God when he wrestled with him and God touched him and left his mark on Jacob's hip and his future!!

Well the game is still going, we'll they ever give up?

I got my journal!

2008-07-05T20:27:00.002-04:00

One thing that I have always found to be refreshing and enjoyable beyond any real way to express is writing my thoughts down or in this case typing them here on my blog.

You might then say, "Hey PD, if you love it so much how come you don't have more entries here at PD's Pages?"

Well good question, whoever asked that!

I have another version of PD's Pages that I use much more frequent than this site and for the longest time that was simply any yellow pad of paper I could find to write down my thoughts. That was good yet left me not quite completely satisfied.

So I began the quest for my own book that I could write my reflections down in forms of thoughts, prayers, or whatever! (NO NOT A DIARY) This past Monday at a Barnes and Noble in Fort Wayne with the help of Shami, and friends Lance and Rachelle (who so happen to be my youth directors now -woo hoo! That's another blog for another day) I found my JOURNAL!

It's this sweet leather bound book that has a way to keep my place and hold the book together too! (sorry, don't know technical terms for those things).

It's in there that I've been making my PD Pages. Maybe I'll transfer them over sometime,. We'll see.

THE POINT?

Journaling is a great avenue to take advantage of if you want to write your thoughts down that come throughout the day. And I have way too many thoughts that hit me without warning!

My friend and former youth pastor Troy Jones has some great insight on how to use a journal at his church website that I encourage those of you interested in journaling to go check out at www.newliferenton.com and check the video blog on journaling.

With all that I've said, I'll end with this. I got my journal maybe you need to go get yours!

Day 41

2008-06-13T10:24:00.002-04:00

Today is the end of the 40 day GO Experiment that our church has been on.

To celebrate, we are coming together and sharing about the experience in worship, prayer, testimonies and ICE CREAM!

But what really hits me is what is going to happen on Day 41?

Are we going to go back to all our old ways? Are we going to let all that has happened just disappear from sight and think "that was nice" or are we going to allow this experiment to now become the reality of our lives!!??

We won't know until the future begins to unfold.
We won't know until the same challenges come that we faced during this experiment.
We won't know until someone needs our help and we say yes or no.
We won't know until we feel the need to pray and we do or we don't pray.
We won't know until we see someone in our 3 block radius & choose to connect or disconnect.

We won't know until Day 41.

O-M-G!!!

2008-06-02T17:03:00.004-04:00

In this world today of text messaging, every word and expressions are being condensed into simple abbreviations of their full meaning. Here's a few I know:

TTYL - Talk To You Later
LOL - Laugh Out Loud

As you can tell I am still Texting Illiterate, but I am learning. One of the only other abbreviations I know is OMG - Oh My God! Sunday was filled with OMG moments all day long!!

We started the Sunday gathering with a great, hilarious video, "Life Tips with Pastor Garth," which you can see at our church website media section. Then our time to connect with God through worship began and as we fought through the first few songs, there was a sudden release of "something" that just energized the place and you could tell "something" was happening!!

I called people up for prayer and people just responded and what a time that was!! But it didn't feel done yet. So I called up a man named, Charles to come back up. We had prayed for his neck, and spine and he had pain just below his neck on his spine.

As we gathered around him, we prayed as if his life depended on it!! I asked how was his pain and he said, "90% was gone!!" We decided to pray again and believe that God was going to heal the rest of his pain. Those around me and Charles, as well as those in attendance prayed some more or just watched.

When done, I asked him one more time, "tell me the truth, how is your pain?" And then OMG, he said "It's gone!!!"

There was an eruption in that place! I shared a few more thoughts and then made a call for other who needed to come down for some other kind of healing.

Another crowd similar to the size of the earlier came down and we prayed for them with all we had!! After the service, I saw a man named, Larry, who had always had leg pain and walked with a cane. When I got to him, he threw me his cane!! We walked out of church that morning with a strong, confident stroll!!!!

OMG!! Oh My God is so amazing!!!!!!

(That night Larry came walking even stronger and with more confident to our Community Cookout!!! - OH I LOVE MY GOD!!!!

Be a Nimrod

2008-05-23T13:05:00.003-04:00

I found a little unused verse of I Chronicles where we learn of a man named Nimrod during my personal time with God two days ago.

Ever heard of a nimrod before? The only time I ever heard this name was when we heard "Don't be such a nimrod!"

Well, what is the definition of a nimrod?

The American Heritage Dictionary offers two distinct definitions of a nimrod -- either a hunter, or a person regarded as silly or foolish.

The dictionary goes on to explain that the second meaning probably originated with the cartoon character Bugs Bunny. Bugs Bunny used the term in its original sense to refer to hunter, Elmer Fudd, whom he called a "poor little Nimrod." Over time, however, the "hunter" meaning got dropped.

So does the Bible say anything about Nimrod? Check it out!!

I Chronicles 1:10 - "Cush was also the ancestor of Nimrod, who was the first heroic warrior on earth."

Nimrod was a warrior, the first known warrior on earth. Before Samson, before David, before Caleb, before Benaiah, and other heroes in the Bible.

A warrior is often looked upon as foolish or silly because of their nature to take risks and do whatever it takes to save others or whatever it takes to destroy/defeat their enemy.

I guess I'd rather be a Nimrod like the one mentioned in I Chronicles than the one Bugs Bunny called Elmer Fudd. You may feel like Elmer Fudd at times, but I want to encourage you that God sees you like a heroic warrior and not a stumbling, foolish cartoon.

Which Nimrod will you believe yourself to be? I'll take God over Bugs Bunny any day!

I'm baaaaaack!

2008-05-08T15:40:00.003-04:00

It's been almost a month since my last blog. That's what happens when you have a business meeting, go on vacation, and see your daughter get her tonsils removed. It just doesn't seem as important!

And now with almost a month's worth of adventures and thoughts I feel like I have very little to say. Is that weird or what? And for those who know me they would say that it's another sign that there are still miracles happening today!

I came back to blogging and that reminds me of our vacation.

We decided to go back to Las Vegas, and visit Shami's family that lives there, and also check out all that has taken place since we left there in September 2006 to come here to Marion.

It was great seeing her family, eating at old hot spots (i.e. - Krispy Kreme, Teriyaki Madness, Chipotle, and Pei Wei to name a few), taking a side trip to Disneyland for 3 days, and we even got to go to Blue Man Group, one of the great shows on the Las Vegas Blvd.

The other thing we naturally did was go to two different churches on the Sundays we were there. We first went to Shami's sister's church where her brother-in-law is on staff and then we went to our church from the past where we were the Youth Pastors the entire time we lived there.

What a difference! Both churches have different venues, different approaches and different feels. Even the church where I was on staff was completely different after only 1 1/2 years. I was glad I got the chance to come back and visit and also see what was happening at these unique places.

But it was not home anymore. One of the greatest feels was coming back home to Marion and being at New Life! From the moment the service began that next Sunday, you could feel that this was our place, our home, our call, our family! And we just loved being back to Loving God and Loving People at New Life!

Cinderellas

2008-04-11T21:15:00.004-04:00

There is a new song out by the music artist, Steven Curtis Chapman, called "Cinderella." Every time I hear it, I begin to either tear up or beam with joy because of my two amazing little "Cinderellas."

I don't know why Shami and I had to have our first 3 babies go to heaven and never get to hold them, let alone dance with them at any point. I do know that I am glad that God did give me the two beautiful ones I have now!

This song reminds me of how a little innocent child can break down the barriers of a man that is traveling in the harsh reality of life and its struggles. It reminds me of how my influence is so great in their lives. It reminds me that no matter how many lives I get to help be a change agent in, the lives of the ones that God places in front of me every day are far more important for me to touch with Jesus' love!

As I was writing this I realized one other thing.

When Shami and I were dealing with the first miscarriage of the twins (my little M&Ms as I called them), we were driving to the hospital in Las Vegas and a song came on. It was "Be Still and Know" by Steven Curtis Chapman. On that day, God used this man's words to comfort us as we cried many tears of loss and grief. Now, I shed more tears as I listen to the words of a different song from this same artist,

BUT THIS TIME,

my tears are not of grief but of unbelievable thankfulness that I have been graced with my two Cinderellas!

Pregnant Man?

2008-04-05T08:20:00.003-04:00

OK, yesterday Shami showed me that there was a pregnant man on Oprah. Now, I was trying to figure out what did this guy do to make that happen. First, I thought he did something to help make his own family because his wife was unable to have babies and for the moment was amazed that a guy would go through so much to do that for his wife.

THEN...

I found out that it was a woman who had changed herself by removing her breasts, having testosterone shots, but left her uterus and reproductive "systems" intact.

Shami was reading some comments that were made by different individuals on the Internet and she came across one that made it clearer to see.

My paraphrasing here - "It's not a pregnant man. It's a pregnant woman who looks like a man."

In our world, we have all kinds of people that want to change who they are. They go to great lengths to make these changes too. But one thing remains true - we are who God created us to be.

God has created you to be something amazing! From your birth until now, he has desired for you to discover the you that he has in mind. There is no need to take drastic measures like this to make a new you. Take the time to talk to God and ask him who he wants you to be! He answers, he really does! It might take some time to discover that you that God has in mind, but it doesn't mean changing the Creator's personal design he blueprinted for you!

By the way, if this couple ever came in contact with us at New Life, we should and would have open arms to allow them the necessary time to see the REAL design that God had/has in mind!

Let it Snow?

2008-03-22T15:37:00.005-04:00

When we first planned to do the Million Egg Hunt for 2007, I knew the weather was going to be nothing like what Easter had been like the previous 7+ years in Las Vegas. I just didn't know how different!!

The 2007 Million Egg Hunt had snow on the ground and bitter winds that put the temperature well below freezing, but despite that around 900 people came and we went at it again this year in 2oo8.

Now knowing that Easter would be the earliest it has ever been and won't be again for over 200 years there was the possibility of some interesting weather again.

There was!

No bitter winds, a little warmer temperatures and no snow on the ground...until we started.

By the end, of the 2nd Annual Million Egg Hunt, snow was coming down in what seemed like droves and yet over 1000 people were out there hunting down one of around 35,000 eggs (exact count unavailable) and they were so excited and thankful that someone did this for them.

One family brought their daughter to the egg hunt so she could enjoy it while their son was still in the hospital with pneumonia. I got a chance to pray for that family!

Another young man, who won the grand prize bike for his age group, was in need of a new bike and you should have seen the look on his face as he rode it off the track!

One other lady had walked a ridiculous distance with her baby and other children just so they could attend. You should have seen our volunteers who made sure she had a ride back home!

Those 3 stories are just a few glimpses of what took place at the 2008 Million Egg Hunt and of what it means to see people Loving God and Loving People!!

New Life, you ROCK!!

What a year! - Part 2

2008-03-13T11:28:00.002-04:00

A Word from PD... (continued)

In May, there were several things that spotlighted the month. From the beautiful Ladies Tea in the Sanctuary to the unforgettable Walleye Fishing Trip, the people of New Life continued to stretch their arms out to the community and region by including others in such events.

The summer months of June, July and August were filled with all kinds of memories! The trip to Ireland, the beginning of our commitment to Pay it Forward, and Summer Camp for the teenagers at Myrtle Beach all highlight the summer’s wild side!

The fall and remaining part of 2007 helped us at New Life to never miss a beat when it came to living out the vision of Loving God and Loving People. Our Hunter Safety course we provided for the community saw over 100 people attend. The creation of our Sunday Night Community Groups became a great avenue to really connect with people in a fun, relaxing atmosphere. These Community Groups, meeting the first Sunday night of every month, are our largest attended Sunday nights due primarily to the relationships that are being established, and strengthened during these times at people’s homes.

The last thing to note is the greater success of the Fall Block Party in 2007. We decided to bring nearly the entire outreach inside the facility. With doing that, it included bringing a 35 foot high slide that went from the stage to the balcony and other inflatables right there in our sanctuary. The 2007 Fall Block Party nearly doubled our attendance from 2006 with over 700 people there seeing that New Life Community Church loved them period!

As we are already off and running in 2008, and we have continued to be all about Loving God and Loving People with a definite focus on showing this love in tangible ways. People are realizing they can count on New Life Community Church to do whatever it takes to show that we love them and more importantly, so does Jesus! Watch out for NLCC in 2008!!

Let’s keep changing lives!!

Pastor David Grieve
Senior Pastor

What a year!

2008-03-13T11:23:00.002-04:00

Let me start by first saying that I realize that it is March of 2008, but I just spent time looking back at 2007 as I am getting ready to complete New Life's annual report. I decided to go ahead and put the letter that I am including in that report here on my blog. Due to its length, thought breaking it up into 2 parts would be best. Enjoy part 1:

Word from PD...

Loving God and Loving People. What an amazing statement! Five simple words that make up one simple phrase yet have so much power and possibilities tied to them. In 2007, we began to realize what it could look like if a church and those that are a part of it took those words and did not just speak and believe them but lived them out in their surrounding culture.

In January, we had our first ever Small Group Kick Off and began a new approach to connecting with one another through various groups that consisted of Community Groups, Common Interest Groups and Coaching Groups. These groups have created a basis for all of us to connect in various ways with those a part of New Life and those not yet a part of New Life.

In February, we had an incredible time at our Super Sunday Party coming together cheering and celebrating as the Indianapolis Colts won the 2007 Super Bowl. Something my Seattle Seahawks are still trying to figure out how to accomplish. We also had our first ever Married Live event where the married couples of New Life were able to finish off their dates in a warm and fun environment and have some amazing Cheesecake Factory cheesecake.

In March, we saw the beginning of the continuing transformation of our Lobby and Sanctuary as we gave our pews to several churches and replaced them with beautiful, efficient chairs that gave us a versatile Sanctuary that was never available until now. The Lobby also received a makeover as we removed the walls of the old Library/Bookstore and converted that into a Living Room-like environment that people take advantage of every Sunday as well as for other gathering times.

In April, came the launch of one of the most daring and unbelievable outreaches that New Life Community Church has undertaken – The Million Egg Hunt!! In 2007, we laid out 25,000 eggs, gave away countless bikes, baskets and other prizes and saw over 900 people come out despite the dusting of snow, bitter wind and cold temperatures. We are already receiving calls from people about this year’s Million Egg Hunt, whew!

Crutch anyone?

2008-03-06T10:23:00.005-05:00

I don't really know what to say today. I've had a very interesting few weeks and I'm learning so much about who I am.

I realize that life's journey is not about discovering a new you, but the you that God always wanted and intended for you to be!

That journey is not easy, and to be honest it doesn't feel simple, but as I sit here and type I realize more than ever that even that discovery journey IS simple.

The simplicity comes from acknowledging that God has the answers, that God knows better than I do, that God IS God. I feel like I struggle for words right now. I know that's hard for some to believe, but it's true.

I just keep thinking about my favorite verses that I repeated several times in the shower this morning - Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and he will make your paths straight (or direct them - you pick your version of the Bible). - Proverbs 3:5-6

People say God is a crutch sometimes, and I say sure! If I had a broken leg and I needed to lean on something or find support, I'd rather use a crutch than fall on my face alone!

But what's great is at some point, your leg is repaired and the cast comes off and the crutch is no longer needed. Now I'm not saying toss God into the closet but what I am saying is that there are areas in your life where you are weak and feel hopeless. At some point, God is able to show you how to overcome these areas and you now become a support or crutch even for others.

We wonder why we go through things in life, and I think part of the answer is to find who God intends us to be and the other is to find where we help support others! It kinda looks like a "Loving God and Loving People" kind of picture doesn't it?

T-R-U-S-T

2008-03-01T14:37:00.003-05:00

What a big word! Yeah I know it's only 5 letters, but it can either destroy a marriage, a job, and a church or push them all to greater heights!

As I've wandered through my many thoughts on trust, I've gotta say thanks to Lance Newton for just letting me use him as a sounding board on Friday.

Trust has been so abused by people. Leaders use that trust to manipulate others into thinking their ways are right while no other way might be better. That very thought shoots fear right through my very bones. Do we as leaders, get tunnel vision on our ways that we miss out on a more effective way? Do we not listen to voices because we want to ignore them or because we should disregard them? Man! So many questions can come out of that!

I wonder what Moses thought as people complained to him at, what seemed, every chance possible. Was he going the right way? Should he head back to Egypt? Why didn't he go into the Promised Land even though those 10 spies said he shouldn't?

Moses knew one very important thing, that when it comes to trust, we must all remember to - TRUST GOD!

God had place Moses there as the leader and told him "I will be with you." Any time Moses may have doubts all he had to do was remember those words - "I will be with you."

As I go through my day, I too, need to always remember that God will be with me and he will never leave me! When decisions need to be made in my home, at my workplace, with my friends, I can remember to go to God for his help. I can ask him because he IS with me!

That's how we can learn to trust our leaders, our kids, our spouses, or employers, and yes even our pastors. We can trust God and trust his guideance in all these other people's lives!!! And yes, yours too!!!

Happy Birthday to Me!

2008-02-28T10:36:00.003-05:00

Ok, today isn't my birthday, but it was 3 days ago.

On Monday, I had one of the best birthday celebrations I've ever had. My three ladies (Shami, Baylee and Savanah) took my out for lunch at AppleBees, then took me to Steve and Barry's and got me a shirt and pants as a gift and finally when we got home they made me a great cake that we all are still enjoying!

That day was so fantastic!

I don't know about you, but I still get that internal butterfly excitement every time I get a card or a present. I can't wait to see what it says, or what might be inside. As I think of that feeling, I can't help thinking about how God feels as He watches us receive His big "Card" or his incredible "Gifts."

I always wonder what people think the Bible is. To some its just a bunch of old, mystical writings that have symbolic meaning. Others, it's an Almighty Creators' Rules and Regulations. Some it's an instruction manual while others it's a love letter from a Father to his kids or loved ones.

I simply think that the Bible is for us to Reflect on who God is and Delight in what He has done and be Refreshed by the words that are inside.

I'll share more sometime soon. Gotta get the groceries!!!

Nothing

2008-02-23T12:52:00.002-05:00

Is it ok to do nothing? Today, my girls and I are just relaxing, watching 102 Dalmations and playing Barbies, and yet there's this feeling like I'm supposed to be doing something and not nothing.

I had to get these thoughts out otherwise they'd bug the snot out of me!

When you think about it, doing nothing is actually doing something. My nothing is simply being with my family and enjoying their company!

Make sure you take time to do "nothing" with Jesus soon and simply enjoy his company!

Gotta get back to doing nothing!

The Human Hole

2008-02-18T10:09:00.003-05:00

What a Sunday! I felt like we were able to make some great connections with others yesterday as we sat around the tables in the Sanctuary this past Sunday. What a great meal and a great response to the new and ongoing small groups that are happening at New Life.

As I reflect on why it excites me so much, I realize that it's because of my own need to see my craving for deep personal connection met. Don't get me wrong. I had connection at my church in Las Vegas, and growing up in my church in Seattle, but I have never felt as deep a connection with people as I do with the people that are a part of my Small Group.

If we were honest, we'd recognize that we all have that craving. We all need to have those two holes filled. First, the God Hole which we all tend to work on in some fashion through worship or study. But we don't necessaryily put effort into filling the Human Hole in all of us. Jesus knew we needed both filled. That's why he gave us to equally important calls of Loving God (with all we have) and Loving People (no matter what) in the 22nd chapter of the first book in the New Testament, Matthew.

We need to understand this importance! "Church" is more than attending. It's about connecting and connecting in that deep way that all human's crave. If you are not apart of a small group, let me encourage you to jump right in, share your story, listen to other's stories and that hole in your heart for human connection, in a deep way, will begin to be filled!

As that hole gets filled, you will notice others that have that same craving. When you see them just do three simple things - INVEST into their lives (no agendas please - other than love) - sharing your story and hearing theirs. When the time seems right, INVITE them to your small group where they can connect with other people, and finally, always INCLUDE them into this greater story that we all are privledged to live in!

As we do this, we will see the vision Jesus gave us of Loving God and Loving People become a daily reality where ever we are!!

Perfection?

2008-02-13T15:52:00.003-05:00

Why do we strive for perfection?

The New England Patriots were on the brink of doing what only one other team in NFL history has ever done - have a undefeated, perfect season.

As we all know there were a few Giants in the way to stop them and those Giants from New York did just that, winning 17-14 in the SuperBowl and giving the Patriots their only loss of the season.

Many Patriots said that it left their season incomplete, but why?

I am one of those that strives for perfection. A very bad and nasty habit if taken to the extreme. Failure is OK. Imperfection is OK. It has to be - just look at you and me!

When you fail it is what you do with that failure that matters most. David got caught with another man's wife, murdering her husband and getting her pregnant. Peter got caught denying and lying his way through the night that Jesus was taken to his destiny on the cross. Phillip got caught saying there was no way Jesus could feed the 5,000 men on the hillside one evening. Moses got caught trying to deliver the people of Israel his way by murdering an Egyptian. Judah got caught selling his brother Joseph off. Samson got caught...you get the idea I'm sure!

All these men failed and lost their "perfect season" but take a look in the Bible and see their outcomes and you'll see that despite the failures they got back up to win again!

You can win again too! You will win again too!

By the way Colts fans and the rest of the NFL, I think that the Patriots will be out to win again!

Let the Blogging Begin!

2008-02-06T14:21:00.001-05:00

There'll be longer posts to come but just to get this rolling - Here's my first one!

Things can seem so easy at times and so hard at other times but regardless of the level of work it takes, can't things just be SIMPLE? Do we complicate life too much?

I feel Jesus seemed to do that when he was asked to pick which ONE commandent of all the 600+ laws and decrees was the greatest. It wasn't even a question from someone who was really seeking an answer from Jesus. He was wanting to somehow trap him!

But Jesus answered anyway and gave us TWO and only TWO that summed all 611 other laws up into one SIMPLE phrase - LOVE GOD and LOVE PEOPLE!

That is SIMPLE but not always easy is it? Let's talk more about it later!