Mark's Journey

Feeling pushed

I love what I get to do at The Journey.  For many years before I came here I dreamed about being on staff at a place like this and doing the things I get to do.  But there is this weird combination of loving what I do and yet feeling pushed and challenged like I never have before.  I find myself doing things I have never done before and I am not experienced at.  Paul and Matt say the same things.  As we keep growing and moving forward, it seems that our leadership level keeps being pushed.  We keep learning.  Sometimes we look around for other churches who may be of help and we can learn from.  Sometimes there are some that are helpful, other times we feel like we are the ones carving the new path.

I don't want to be the kind of person that when I face something new or challenging I slow down, withdrawal, or run the other way.  I want to keep pushing forward, trust God like never before, and rely on Him to guide.  I love that kind of adventure.

Hebrews 10:39 says, "But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved."

Need more?

Do you ever feel like you need more?  Not just more money, time, or things.  But more strength, wisdom, guidance, or even peace.  Do you ever want more of that?  Or NEED more?

This past week I was reading my Bible and read 2 Peter 1:3.  It says, "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness."

Sometimes we think we have to go to a bunch of other things or other places to get what we need.  We think we have to go do more or have more.  This verse reminded me again that God is the one who gives us everything we need for life.  We don't need more than Him.  He is it.  Everything.  Full satisfaction and contentment is found in Him.  Fully.

Review of the week

• We (the Journey Staff) have been putting together our JAAC for this Sunday night.  It's going to be good...especially the root beer keg and Bernio's
• My parents are here from Illinois for a couple days.  It's good to hang out.
• I've seen Jacob (my 16 year old) take some steps of maturity and responsibility lately in a few areas of life.  He's driving now which is part of that.  But also with school, relationships, and his relationship with Jesus.
• Momentum is building for the Kenya Trip in June.
• Will Spring ever get here?  Seriously...I'm getting impatient.
• I've had the privilege of meeting with several Journeyers lately.  I love seeing people take steps...sometimes just one small one at at time.
• Journey Groups are making a difference in people's lives

Networks...they are coming.

JAAC-This Sunday

This Sunday night at 6:30pm is our Journey Annual Awards Ceremony (JAAC).  Part of the night we will take time to celebrate what God has done in the past year.  As we have been putting that part together, I am so encourged at the way people at The Journey serve and give of themselves.  It seems that every year, we serve more and make a greater impact in our local community and globally. If you attend The Journey, you need to come Sunday night to hear this.  You will be so encouraged.

But here's the thing...with all the things that have happened, I think we are just getting started.  We are planning things to step it up in bigger ways.  I can't wait.

Humble or Proud

1 Peter 5:5 says "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."  Wow.  This is huge...at least for me as I read it this morning.  I made a list of things of what is means to not be proud, but to be humble.  Here's a few:

• Have an accurate view of myself.  Just don't think I'm better than I really am.
• Don't try to lead others to believe I am better or "I've got it" and they don't
• Admit when I am wrong
• Quit making excuses
• Believe that I will make mistakes
• Admit that I will need help at times in my life
• Ask for help
• Rely on God's strength when I don't have it
• Trust God and others
• Confess more
• You can be strong and confident AND humble at the same time.  Strength and confidence come from God.
• It's not about me.

Marriage Date Night Review

Last night we had the Marriage Date Night at The Journey.  Here are my thoughts on the event:

• The dessert and coffee bar rocked.
• We had a great turn out.  I was glad to see to many people come to something like this and make an investment in their marriage.  There seemed to be a lot of energy.
• The speaker, Doug, did a great job.  He had great stories, was funny, and connected well.  I thought he gave some very relevant and practical thoughts.
• He focused on 4 areas in our marriage-communication, intimacy, serving, and sacrifice
• We had several volunteers help to make it happen.  Thank you for all you did!

If you went, I hope you already are taking your marriage to the next level.  Let's go do what we talked about.

March Madness on a Thursday

• I love the NCAA Tourney.  I love the upsets and lots of games at once.  Nothing like it.
• There is lots of prep to get our team ready for Kenya.  But a major issue has been that the cost of the flights have been skyrocketing.  Each ticket went up $40 last week and another $30 this week.  We are buying them as the money is getting raised.  Things in Lybia and Japan causes price increases.
• Marriage Date Night tomorrow night.  It is coming together great and I am looking forward to it.
• JAAC next Sunday, March 27, at 6:30pm  If you are a Journey person, please make this a priority.  It is a big deal.
• How about the weather today?  I love it.
• The stuff going on in Japan is crazy and very scary.  But I keep hearing how the people there are orderly and look out for each other.
• I may throw a baseball around with my boys tonight.  I've loved doing that for about 13 years.

Growing

I'm still reading through 1 Peter in the Bible.  I am just taking sometime to focus in on some verses or sections.  1 Peter 4:8 says "Above all, love each other deeply, because love coves over a multitude of sins."

First of all, this verse does not imply that if I just do more good than bad, God will then approve of me getting into heaven.  It is not saying that you just need to be more weighted in good than bad to get good with God.

However, one of the things it is communicating in the context is in our relationships with others.  Think about it...if I have hurt someone else or done some things to damage a relationship, I can say I am sorry and ask for forgiveness.  But often times there are relational consequences and damage to relationships.  How do we repair that?  How do we restore it? How do we bring more trust, love, and respect where there has been damage?

Love each other deeply.  It takes time, but showing love can bring that back.  Kind acts, serving, loving words, listening, caring for that person, sacrificing for them....love them deeply.  If we seek to consistently show this love over and over again, it can bring repair and restoration.

Friday in my brain

Here's some stuff that I've been working on, wondering about, and wishing for:

• Prayers today for those affected by the earthquake in Japan
• Excited about and planning for the Marriage Date Night next Friday, March 18.  Got your tickets?
• Really looking forward to hanging out with some friends this weekend...including my Journey Group!
• Our Journey Kenya team leaves in 3 months!
• We need people who are willing to step up into some leadership roles at The Journey.  This is huge.
• I had some great meetings this week.  I love meeting with people from The Journey.

One more...SPRING COME SOON!

 

Growing

In my personal time with God, I have been reading 1 Peter in the Bible.  1 Peter 3:15 is one of my favorite verses in the Bible... "in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord..."

The question to ask here is, "what does it mean to set apart Christ as Lord in my heart?"  I think it means that in my heart, and in my life, Jesus is to be #1.  He is to be "Lord" over everything, and everyone else is under him and comes after him.  I need to let Him lead my life.  If I am setting Him apart he is to be different than everything and everyone else in my life.  He isn't just a catagory in my heart of some thing I do.  He is set apart, different...above all else.

Pray:  Jesus, help me to set you apart in my heart, to make you over everything else.  Help me to follow you and make you Lord of my life.