Ministry Update

Wow!  So sorry it's been so long since I have shared anything with you all thru the blog. 
There have been many verses and truths that I have wanted to share, but simply have not had the time to sit down and write them down for you.  Hopefully, I will be able to go back and revisit those truths for my own personal appropriation and continued application, as well as, sharing them with you as well that you might benefit from some wonderful truths God has shared with me. 

Before I get back into regular blogging I want to share with you a ministry update for the purpose of:
1.  Explaining why I have not been faithful to blog and that I do not intend to be an unfaithful blogger.  I consider blogging a ministry whereby I can continue to personally disciple others by opening up my life for them to see my walk with God.  I want to pass along to others everything I can that might help others grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ as a Servant, a Parent, a Pastor, a Leader, a Soldier, a Christian.  Therefore, I will continue to seek to be faithful to you that you may continue to grow up into Him, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.
2.  Expressing all of the things that have been going on in my life so that you can see the demands of ministry to the church and my family and that you would help me thru your prayers for me that I would be fruitful in every good work, not grow weary in well doing, and that I would minister according to the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ by His wonderful Grace.
3.  Extending an invitation for you to join with me in serving others and praising God for what He has been doing in our church. 

Okay, so, here's what I've been busy doing.
Preaching thru 3 different books of the Bible each week (a.m. Mark, p.m. I Tim., Wed. Hebrews)
Reading The Discipline of Grace, Prayer by Philip Yancey, and listening to a multitude of sermons for my own personal growth and devotion.
Personally Discipling:  Kyle Parrish and Ryan Sellers
Evangelizing 3 men in our community
Serving: 2 homeless families in our community.  Praise God both have places to live now and we are continuing to help them spiritually, financially, emotionally, and in every other way.
Ministering to the 3 precious people who are in the latter stages of terminal cancer and 2 other members who have recently become homebound.
lining up 4 different couples for premarital counseling
enlisting and equipping new youth workers and planning for graduate recognition, weekly services, summer camps and activities.  (thanks Chad, Amber, Sheila, Pam, Celeste, and others for your help)
meeting, praying, and searching for new youth and family pastor...need to draft Job Description by May 16th our nexe meeting
Starting a new young married's class
working towards reestablishing Wee Praise choir (Thankful for those who have faithfully served and those who God is given a passion and vision for the future)
Getting prepared for Sr. adult trip May 11, SBC annual conv Jun 17, and D6 conf in Sept.
Working out the details of Son power, VBS, Homecoming, and a special July 4th emphasis.
Men's prayer at 6:00 a.m. on Thurs.
Meeting tonight to continue to develop our vision for missions in Honduras.
Collected money for 220 Bibles for unreached people groups in West Ghana Africa

While at home:
Attended 2 honor roll assemblies, 2 field days, and 2 field trips (Wild Adventures and Sea World) Wouldn't miss it for the world. 
Celebrated Nancy's Bday and Chloe's Bday. (Disney on Ice in J-ville)
Mother's day coming up
Got the car fixed, got the lawn treated, working on addition to the house, and Nancy's getting ready to paint and replace carpets. 
Bella's is Amazing, but is hyperactive and can't entertain herself.  She's unstoppable and eat's 14 times a day.
Nancy and I have both been to the dentist for the first time in 3 yrs and they were so kind they invited me to come back 4 more times.  (seriously)
Anyway, I won't continue to share all the details of our lives, but I want you as my friends to sincerely know what life is like right now because I need your prayers.  Prayers that I will not lose my first love; prayers that I will be faithful to Pastor my wife and children; prayers that I will not be a Martha, but a Mary; prayers for strength and grace and wisdom. ( A big part of the reason for this post is to make that request for prayer.)  This is a busy season and I need help.  Be sure not to receive this as whining, complaining, or arrogance, but rather, this is my life and I could use your prayers and any other way you can help in serving the church.
I want to be found stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.
I want to be busy about my Father's business.
I want to be laboring as much as anybody, but I want to be laboring in the grace of God and power of the Holy Spirit. 
Thank you to all of those who watch our kids, thanks to kp for mowing my grass, thanks to Randall who takes soooo much off of my hands and exemplifies true deacon ministry.  Thanks to Stephen who adds so much to this ministry and serves this flock well.  Thanks to my wife who is a faithful helper to me. Thanks to Vick and Clay who keep the grounds up and Mr. Bill who keeps the flowers up.  Thanks to Karen who's been a tremendous blessing as Mrs. Preschool Director and to all the other many servants and teachers who make ministry happen every week. 

Just a few more things to get to and I think things will return to normal.
David, we're going to jump on Men's Ministry soon
Get parsonages renovated
Have a leadership training and prep for the fall
work on a formal membership process / recovery of inactive members.  (We recently had 7 people complete our membership class and were voted in as new members and we have approx. 15 about to go thru our next new members class)
I'm sure I'm forgetting something, but this will keep us busy.

Before I go, I want to thank the Lord for Graciously providing laborers for the Harvest, the baptism of Ryan and Will, Ralph's new s.s. class, our women's study that avg. 50 on Monday nights, The young married's new s.s. class, our new H.S. girls teacher, Our new M.S./H.S. boys teacher and Wed. night teacher, potential Wee praise directors, Barbara Riherds Baptism and teaching role in Preschool, our upcoming Children's Musical, our prayer times last night during Natl. day of prayer, The Bibles collected for Ghana, West Africa, and so much more....gotta go for now
Blessings to all and stay posted