~The Child God Uses~

As I wrote this week about sometimes we miss God in all the Godly work we do or sometimes we have big buildings blocking our view we must somethings move or get away from things to see God again. I was once again reminded of that last night while watching our movie. Each Friday night is movie night with the girls. And we got Veggie Tales "Jonah", well while watching it, it kept messing up and would stop or skip big parts of the movie. After having to stop it, take it out and retry it like 4 times it did it once again. Everyone in the room was getting upset as we all wanted to watch to movie. But while trying to clean the disc and putting it back on again one of the girls out of nowhere stopped and asked if we could pray to God over the DVD. And yes we did just that we prayed over that little disc... I think it was to 1st time in my life I have ever prayed over a DVD before. But in truth it really woke me up to the heart of a child and how in that minute God used that girl to broke down the stress of everyone in the room to reminded us "God is Bigger" and when we find ourselves in a hard place or when life gets us down lets turn to Christ.
-In His Grip,
Jonathan

~Sometimes it takes a Rain~

I went to go pick up the girls from school the other day while it was pour down rain and it reminded of the song "Grace like rain" by Todd Agnew. The part that kept running in my head over and over again was the chorus:

Hallelujah, grace like rain falls down on me
Hallelujah, all my stains are washed away, washed away

It was refreshing seeing the rain pouring down and thinking over and over again in my head "all my stains are washed away...." In many parts of the state the flooding has gotten so bad to were schools have even closed but in all this rain, me being sick and all the other crap going on in the world today. I was reminded of God's grace and forgiveness. Sometimes it take a rain to remind us of how great God is. Sometimes it takes the rain to wash away our stains. The best part of the rain in soon after when everything is so clean, the trees are so green and the smell of so fresh. It is just that everything has been washed away and made new. God is Good!

In His Grip,
Jonathan

Finding a New "Love"!

When I was sick growing up my mom always told me that all I needed was a little bit of "Love" and no she didn't mean a kiss or even a hug. She meant some good old Vick's vaporub. It was one thing I never forgot about growing up... Even when I get sick now I still cry out for my "Love". I am not really not that sure if it even does much for me other then smelling really, really good. I know anytime I am sick or about to be sick I can make it with my Vick's! ..........Until a year ago when I met my new "love".....SKINNER'S vaporizing salve. I have to say it is 101% better then Vic ks ever was. Yes stronger in many areas and much better smell it comes out top in all my years of using Vick's. Sadly they don't sell it in stores along with Vick's but you can find it online or sometimes in doctors offices. Why the tell of this new "love" well Emily has gotten better and left Daddy sick as a dog. Luckily Debbie and I are off this weekend so we don't have to watch the girls other then baby Emily. I have once again pulled out my Skinners and have painted myself all over. Within minutes of using it I can feel my nose open and my head come alive again. So lets look deeper into what is in this new "Love" of mine.
Skinners: 7.54% Menthol Crystals, 0.44% Camphor Oil, 1.77% Eucalyptus Oil, 0.87% Methyl Salicylate and 0.67% Fir Needle Oil.
Vick's: 4.8% Camphor, 1.2% Eucalyptus Oil, and 2.6% Menthol

Well From what we can see there not too different or are they?!?!

In His Grip,
Jonathan

May the Beauty of the LORD

"May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us;
establish the work of our hands for us--yes,
establish the work of our hands."
-Psalm 90:17

Finding God's beauty sometimes feels harder and harder in ours life as we all have so many things on our plate. Going to work, School, events, parties even sometimes church all can be buildings that block us from the favor of the Lord. When was the last time you stopped from your busy schedules to slow down and enjoy what God has given us. It seems in today's world everyone is wrapped up in the end times, "2012", the war of all wars, Christ's coming again. Now don't get me wrong I am not saying it is not something to think about or even study if one has not done so. But my question is has it taken our eyes off of Christ for today, That He is well alive and moving all around us. Has it taken us from our current mission, purpose, our story in life. Has it taken us from the beauty of God? Maybe it is time to stop and take some time to rethink and find God once again in your daily lives. I too have had to take some time away from the real world to rethink and find God's Beauty. For me It took a year to find Him.. Maybe it will take just a day or weekend or like me a year or more. A well known pastor and close friend once told me sometimes as Pastors or people in ministry we get so "In-To-God" Where He becomes our lives that we forget really who He is and who WE are in Him. I know even during my years at CIU I would have to read my bible almost 24/7 for class. It even got to a point where it started to become a textbook and nothing more. During my leadership meeting I would hold with all my church leaderships I would tell of a store of a Youth Pastor Intern name Nick that was new to a church... Nick loved working there so much, He know it was where God wanted him to be. Monday morning Nick walked into the church headed to his office. It was the start of a new week and Nick had a big event coming up in the next few weeks, he had so much to do. Nick walked past the break room where the other pastors and staff where drinking their coffee and talking. Nick went into his office and started to get to work on the many things he had to do. Later that day the Lead Pastor came in and ask what happen this morning when he came in office. Nick told him he was so happy to get there this morning and he was on fire for the Lord and ready to do ministry that God gave him to do. With a puzzled look the Lead Pastor said, "Nick you walked right past your ministry this morning. You where so into the work of God, you missed it."
See Nick's ministry was not all the paper work and the "stuff" in his office it was the fellowship of the people in the office. When I heard that I had to stop and think am I doing so much for God that I forget who He really is in my life. I am asked time and time again on how do we keep from missing God in the work of God. Well someones we have to pull ourselves away from all the stuff we are doing, to rethink and refresh our lives in Christ. Sometimes that even means you have to step out of a ministry or job and take a time out before stepping back in. "Finding God once again"... (Sounds like a great book title huh?*Wink*)
I know I have been there, done that a few things in life from taking a brake for one day, a week or even from this past year of stepping out of a good paying job to finding God in the woods of Ga. to now coming back to a Christ centered ministry refreshed. Okay I didn't mean to preach a sermon but I wanted to write a little and plus I have a few blogs I see I am missing so I guess I am making up for the times I missed blogging. Oh well my prayer is that you may find the Lord in your life each and every new day. In the picture I posted It's not just another picture i took or a old wood pile but to me it was how I found the creation and beauty of God today.
In His Grip,
Jonathan

~Today's Cup~

"For he satisfies the thirsty and
fills the hungry with good things."

-Psalm 107:9