And Dad...I love my God

Yes, joyful are those who live like this! Joyful indeed are those whose God is the Lord. Psalm 144:15

Joyful are those who have made the Lord their God. When I read this scripture today I was reminded an event that took place approximately two weeks ago. It was a Sunday and we had a great time at church and also went out to eat with some friends after wards. My son and I were alone in the room taking his shoes off when he mentioned to me. "Dad I love my my mom...and I love you Dad...and I love my God." I was taken back by the words of my son, because they are powerful words.

I've often said this, anyone can be a father, but not everyone can be a Dad. To me a Dad shows love to their children is their for them but not just physically but spiritually as well. I've realize that I have a responsibility as a Dad to spiritually nurture my children just as much as I do physically. But here's the way this works my actions physically, my words, my behavior, my character will setup and example whether my children are receptive to what I try to teach them spiritually. If I'm just talking but I'm not walking what I'm trying to teach them about the bible will go in one ear and out the other. I need to make sure that I remember these two components to fatherhood go hand in hand. You can teach your children spiritually if you haven't walked it physically. In a few weeks I'll be sharing at our men's conference and I will be speaking from the movie Gladiator. In particular I'm speaking on one famous phrase and it's messing me up inside. "Your faults as a son, are my failures as a father" I never want those words or that thoughts to be true of my life. It's important that I take this scripture to heart today and live it and duplicate it in my children.

Sunday Recap (Just being real)

Changing things up from my regular Sunday recap post, hoping it encourages someone out there to hold on, stick out, and know that God will make a way.

• If you only knew how many times I've felt like I just didn't have it in me to preach on Sundays. It's not a bad place to be in because even when I thought I've had it, I really didn't, truthfully I never have had it. It's always been the strength of God that has carried me and allowed me to do what I do. Not having it means I'm depending more on who does have it and He's the one I'm preaching about every week. Yesterday was one of the "I don't have it" mornings but I've quickly been able to train my heart to recalibrate to Who does, so yesterday ROCKED!

• If you only knew how many times I've felt alone. Like I'm carrying something all by myself, am I kidding myself in thinking this could really be done? "Is there anyone else that believes as strongly as I do?" Is it supposed to be this way? The truth is yes, at least for a portion of the time. Somebody has to feel the burden, someone has to feel the pain of "what could be and should be", someone has to dream, if not you then who? You might dream alone, burden alone, even feel like it's your pain alone, but don't you dare ever run alone. You need God and you need people to help you accomplish what He has birthed in your heart to do. Yesterday we came together not as ministers, pastors or interns. We simply came together as a family, as a team of people who love God and we ran together. I took what I had prayed about, worked hard to prepare, and prayed over throughout the week and multiplied it in the leadership, then we together multiplied it in a service so it could be duplicated in homes, families and eventually a city. Your not alone in the mission, it just starts with you.

• If you only knew how many times I've felt lost, like I've missed a turn somewhere along the way and don't know where to turn next. Saturday, the day right before I'm supposed to speak into peoples lives and show them the way I felt like I lost the way. It wasn't just last Saturday, it's a lot of Saturdays. That phrase "living by faith" is not a loose term for me anymore. I listened to a message last Saturday that was passed on by my good friend Pastor Nick. A quote was mentioned that rocked my world. "The biggest room in your brain better be reserved for things you don't understand, because if you need to understand everything before you trust God or serve God then you don't understand the concept of faith"- Jentezen Franklin. Listen to me your only as lost as your faith is. You can be 100% certain in the unknown if you have faith. I allowed Saturday to fuel my Sunday.

Yes Sunday was a great day, but what it took for me to get there was priceless. Just wanted to be real. Appreciate your Pastors, the leaders of your church by praying for them, they could really use it today.

Project: Giving A New Start

What is Project Giving a New Start?
I'm excited to tell you about an opportunity that is presently taking place within Christian Worship Center of Milpitas and San Jose. Every year more and more children are showing up to their first day of school without school supplies such as pencils, folders and backpacks. With the current economic downturn we want to be able to help our community by assisting as many children as we can by providing the necessary tools to start the year right. Our interns program has recently launched Project: Giving a New Start which will collect monetary donations as well as school supplies to help the school children of our community.

How Can I Help?
There are three ways that you can help Project Give a New Start

1) Clicking the following link Giving A New Start to find out more about donating safe and securely online.
2) Follow us on Twitter or our Facebook page and pass the word around to your friends and families.
3) Lastly you can help by purchasing items that we are in need of.

The Blog for Giving A New Start can be found here

Every little bit helps, together we can invest into the future of children who are desperately in need.

God Bless

Sunday Recap Aug 16th

-One crazy Saturday night. Ever had a dream that is so real it feels like your awake? Yeah I had one of those kind of dreams. Such a powerful experience that I could not shake it entering into Sunday.

-Same time, different schedule today. I started playing some music over the sound system and just focusing on God. Before I knew it there was a group of people with me praying and stuff. It's those impromptu moments when God gets your complete attention that changes everything in your day.

-The worship team setup the service so crazy today, music was on, words were on, most of all the heart was on. When we bring our best to God as ministers, God does amazing things in our lives and the lives we are ministering to simultaneously.

- We continued our "At the Movies" Series. Santz spoke on Life Lessons from the Darkest Moments of your life. Santz spoke on when it's our darkest moment, God is actually doing his greatest work. The final question was simple and straight to the point. "Do you trust God?"

-I really believe that there is a lot of heart surgery going on in our church right now. I mean that in a good way. I guess that's why this post is so serious. I feel my heart being worked on and I can see it taking place in the lives of others. People are receiving hope, healing from hurts, past is being broken and hearts are being stirred for an incredible future. Something powerful and special is happening. Can't wait to speak next week.

Much love everyone, have an awesome week.