Adios

The team and I are off to Atlanta Thursday evening (10/25) so we can catch an early Friday morning flight to Miami and then on to Havana, Cuba. We'll be there until Friday, 11/2.

Please pray for us as we travel, for the work God has planned for us to do with the Cuban people, for health and team unity, and for our families who graciously allow us to be away. They are the best!

While I'm away, be sure and check out the Anderson Independent-Mail's Faith and Values section on Saturday, 10/27. My first column should be printed there and it should be posted online as well. I hate I won't be in town when it is first published. I took a creative slant and so it may cause some folks to raise their eyebrows a little and wonder what I'm saying. Just be sure and read the whole thing!

Again, thanks for praying. I will not be able to update the blog until I get back (Cubans aren't allowed internet access). I'm sure when I get back I'll have some amazing stories to tell of the great things God did.

Gloria a Dios!

It's Early

It's 5:51 am and I'm on the computer. I woke up early this morning --- very early. 4:15 am was not what I was planning on but here we are. It's been this way for the past week or so (except I did make it to almost 7 am Saturday!!).

There's a lot of stuff rolling around in the old brain:

• We leave for the Cuba mission trip Thursday afternoon. I'm really excited and know God's going to do great things. But going on a trip like this means I have to get so much of my work done way in advance, plus all the stuff that's going on now at church, preparing to preach and teach in Cuba, coordinating the trip, supplies, schedule, travel, etc. It's a lot of work. I love it but it seems to be taxing my brain this time and causing me to wake up way too early!
• A good friend of mine is going through a horrible time right now and there's nothing I can do for him except for pray. It's been heartbreaking and weighing on my mind as well. This guy and his family have become close friends of ours over the past four or five months. I've watched God work in his life in huge ways over these months. I know that he probably sees what has happened as a big blow to the progress he's made but I am trying to assure him that this does not have to derail his progress, God is still in control, and even these circumstances are a part of a bigger plan. That's really hard to see in the middle of the crisis. Please pray for him if you will. He and his family need to experience God's presence in a powerful way.

Today's going to be super busy. I'm about to work through my sermon one more time (this happens every Sunday morning at about 6:15 am.). I am really pumped about what God has given me to share about suffering and how we share each other's load. If you're going through a trial, listen to today's sermon online. It will be posted on our website by the end of the day Tuesday.

After church, our HOME group is serving at the Buddy Walk at Anderson University. We're giving out drinks. Then we have our final Cuba team meeting at 4 pm. We'll be packing all the materials we have to take with us. We've got some great teaching stuff for the pastors, Bibles, crafts for the kids, etc. Pray we can get it all packed and over there. There are weight restrictions on what we can take. I'm sure we'll be right on those.

I guess that's it for this early morning post. Warren Weirsbe, a great Bible commentator, said this: "When a day begins you never know how it's going to end." So true. Even though we don't know how, we know WHO holds the events of this day in His hands. I pray yours is a great one. Make it a day of worship no matter where you are and what you are doing.

Gloria a dios! (Glory to God!)

No Time

Sorry I haven't blogged much over the past week or so. I have been so stinkin' busy. iShare has kept us hoping. The Cuba mission trip is a week away and so I have had much to do to get ready for the trip and to do for when I'm gone. Plus, I had to write my first column for the Anderson newspaper today. (It runs on 10/27 in Faith and Values.) I'm busy, busy so your prayers are appreciated.

Please pray for a good friend of mine. He and his family are hurting tonight due to something totally unexpected happening today. They need a real intervention of God's peace and provision to walk through this trial. I'm praying for a miracle. Please join me --- God knows their circumstances and their needs. My heart breaks for them.

Fortunately, our Great God is able. Gloria a Dios!

Sunday Night Randomness

• iShare got off to a great start. Our church is filled with some amazing folks and I love sharing life with them.
• To kick-off iShare, Saturday morning a group from the church bagged and gave out food at AIM. 278 people came through the line to get free potatoes, canned goods, juice, spinach, etc. I was humbled and amazed. I saw myself in many of those people and I honestly wondered how and why they ended up where they are in life.
• Capstone's Got Talent was CRAZY FUN! We have some wild folks in the church! Russell's Elvis impersonation was HILARIOUS. Bekky moonwalking and David singing in the shower. Yes, we had it all. Plus some seriously talented folks who could sing. You should have been there if you weren't.
• On the food side, the Chili Cook-off and Dessert Cook-off was GREAT! Shout out to Paul Treffeisen who won for Chili and Erica Thomason who won for dessert (I came in second!).
• Our church knows how to party together. We do it REALLY well.
• Today's service was really good as well. I was a little bummed by the attendance. It actually seemed a little down compared to the past few weeks which surprised me considering all the promotion we've done.
• We've got to do a better job of inviting and bringing people to church with us. I didn't see many visitors today. We've got to get out there and connect with more unchurched folks. They are everywhere.
• Carolina is ranked #6! They won (barely) and I didn't get to see a minute of it. Go cocks!
• Went to another family reunion today - Dad's side. It was good to see some folks I remember from my childhood.
• We had a six-year-old in the talent show whose talent was making sounds with his hand in his armpit. Yeah baby!
• Cuba is in 12 days. I can't wait.
• I'm exhausted from this busy weekend.
• Going to the Fair tomorrow afternoon. Should be fun.
• Walked two miles this morning before church. Woo hoo! I'm glad I did after all I ate at the reunion this afternoon.
• This week will be another busy one. I appreciate the prayers!
• I'm thankful for God's reminder that the results aren't up to me. He's got that taken care of!

iShare --- Be there!

Tomorrow begins a six-week period at Capstone we're calling iShare. It's all about sharing everything that God has given us. It's going to be amazing.

As a staff and church, we've prayed and prepared and designed and studied and prayed some more. I can't wait to see what God is going to do.

Saturday we share by sering at Anderson Interfaith Ministries from 10 am to 2 pm. Then Saturday evening we have "Capstone's Got Talent" from 5:30 to 8 pm at Whitehall. Talent, a chili cook-off, and a dessert cook-off - it's going to be a blast. If you're anywhere around, you need to be there tomorrow night.

Sunday is service one of five in iShare and it's all about sharing life. I'm excited about the message God has given me to share. Someone's life is going to be changed because of His power --- no doubt!

I hope I see you Saturday and Sunday at iShare!

Stressed

This week has already been crazy busy. And I'll be totally honest with you: I'm not handling it the way I should. I'm stressing. I haven't slept much the last few nights. I'm walking around feeling like there's something I haven't done. I'm unorganized. My desk is a mess. Taking the time to write this is stressing me out but I need to do it!

So what's my problem? It's a pattern I know all too well --- I'm trying to do it all in my strength.

Now, before you chastise me, take note: I am learning! I am able to spot this a lot sooner now than I used to. So that's good, right? (Some of you know exactly what I'm talking about because you are just like me!) Now that I can see it sooner (thank you, Lord), I can give it to Him and let Him handle it sooner rather than later.

That's what I'm doing right now.

Paul's closing words to the Thessalonians really speak to me today. I pray they will minister peace to those of you walking the same road as me:

"May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it. Brothers, pray for us."

1 Thessalonians 5:23-25 (NIV)

Sunday Night Randomness

• Today was one of those God-days at Capstone. There's a great BUZZ about iShare that starts this weekend.
• We did some serious praying for lost people today --- by name. If you weren't there, at the end of the service, people came down front and (in the microphone) called out the names of their lost friends and family. We all agreed in prayer for the salvation of each person. It was powerful.
• The Alaska mission team got back today. Talked to David and he sounded exhausted but said the trip was good. I'm looking forward to hearing the stories.
• Have you heard? Carolina is #7 in the new polls!!! Last time that happened was in December, 1984, my freshman year at Carolina. Go cocks!
• Could it have really been that long ago? I'm getting old!
• I have a LOT to do tomorrow. I need to get my next two sermons nailed down for iShare --- on my day off! Pray for me.
• We had great response to the iShare commitment today.
• I do not deal well with change, especially on Sunday morning. I like my routine because I feel comfortable in it and want to be comfortable as I stand to preach and teach. It didn't start that way today.
• God is telling me to stop relying on my comfort and trust in Him. Ouch.
• I continue to be amazed by the people who serve at Capstone. I don't say it enough --- THANK YOU!
• We figured out how to save over $900 in expenses on the Cuba mission trip. That's more money we can spend on the ministry.
• My daughter is doing a great job driving. I'm really proud of her.
• I made a tasty apple and pear pie last week. Sorry I didn't save any for you. :)
• I'm thankful for Bekky, Brent, David, Terri, Emily, Caroline and all the other staff/leaders at Capstone.
• Capstone's Got Talent is Saturday night. Should be a blast. Don't miss it!
• In 19 days we'll be in Cuba. Gloria a Dios!

Pray for Cuba Team

I'm sensing that God is preparing something really special for the Cuba team on our next trip. We leave on Oct. 26. Please pray for us: Maureen, Anna Marie, Chanda, Suzanne, Dale, Bobby, Jerry, Johnny and David.

Gracias.

Sympathy

My sympathy to my Clemson and Georgia friends. :(

Go Gamecocks!

What a great game to watch last night! As a USC graduate who was in school during the Gamecocks' last really big season (1984 - I think we were 10-2), this is a lot of fun to see happening. The team actually played really well at times and put together some impressive plays. I enjoyed the screaming and yelling at the house --- you know, the kind of screaming and yelling at home that's okay. :)

Have a great day!

Footsteps Behind Me

For the past month or so, I've been working to get in better shape. I've been eating less and making better food choices when I do eat. I've been taking my vitamins. I've been walking in my neighborhood and at the Anmed Health Campus (great place, by the way). I can already tell my efforts are paying off. I wore a pair of jeans yesterday I haven't had on in a while and that felt great!

I got up early this morning and decided that I would get my walk in. It was about 6 am. Problem was that I did not realize how dark the street still is at six o'clock in the morning. But I headed out anyway.

I rounded the first curve in our neighborhood and quickly found myself in almost complete darkness. I was totally unprepared for the darkness. There was enough light pollution for me to barely see the road under my feet. I didn't have a flashlight to guide me or a stick to ward off wild animals that I was certain were lurking in the shadows. I had on dark shorts and a t-shirt and wondered if someone might mistake me for a prowler.

The more I walked the more unsettling the darkness became. I would hear noises along the side of the road. I could see darker places on the asphalt and wondered if I should step over or go around. I could look ahead and see shadows moving in the light coming from a front porch.

And then I heard it....footsteps behind me. I turned to look in the dark haze and could not see anyone. But I could hear the footsteps shuffling behind me as I picked up my pace. I crested the big hill by the lake and the footsteps faded into the distance until the sound was completely gone.

Scary, right? I have to admit that my heart rate picked up dramatically when I heard those footsteps. And even though I knew that I was safe, do you know what it reminded me of? The enemy's clever ways of sneaking up behind us when we least expect it.

I don't want to give the enemy much time here today. But if you are a Christ-follower and you are seeking to live for Him and honor Him with your life, you must be looking for and listening for those footsteps behind you. The Bible says, "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith..." 1 Peter 5:8-9 (NIV)

Be alert today, my friends. Be alert! Do not intentionally walk into the darkness because you cannot see all that is going on behind or in front of you. Instead, walk in the wonderful light of Jesus.

"Then Jesus told them, 'You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light." John 12:35-36 (NIV)