One Person at a Time...

Stepping Back...

Yesterday afternoon I was 20 feet off the ground--literally--as I put the siding on the southeast corner of our new house.  This is the end of the house with the gable and the walk out basement, so by the time I had set up the scaffold to reach the soffit and fascia near the top, I was 20 feet off the ground.  I was also only about a foot from my work, so as I applied the siding, soffit and fascia it looked good, but I couldn't really get the full effect.  My perspective was off. I was so close that I couldn't see the "big picture." When I had nailed up the last piece of fascia, and torn down the scaffolding with Nancy's help, we took a walk down the driveway, (which is about 280' long), and down the road a couple hundred yards so we could SEE the southeast corner of the house.  Wow!  It looked great.  After seeing OSB and blue house wrap on that corner of the house since November, what a difference to see brand new "pebblestone clay" siding with white soffit and fascia.  Stepping back made such an impact! 

That's often the way it is in our walk with Jesus, isn't it?  We work on some aspect of our lives--prayer, a specific relationship, bible study--but we can't tell how we're doing in our overall growth, because we're too close to the work. So how do we "step back"?  I've found that sometimes all it takes to step back and get a view of the work is to spend an hour with Nancy, Abby or Emmy and talk about life.  Usually, a comment will come up that let's me know whether the "house" looks good, or still needs some work.  Another way of stepping back is taking half a day or a day in retreat.  It doesn't have to be formal.  I've taken my Bible and headed to Moraine Park and just sat along Lake Arthur thinking, reflecting, even dozing off.  For me another way is putting on the running shoes and heading to "rails-to-trails."  You probably have your ways of "stepping back," too.  Aristotle said, "The unexamined life is not worth living." He was right.  When was the last time you stepped back so you could get a benchmark of where you are with Jesus?  If it's been a while, why not take a "walk down the driveway," and see how the "house" looks!

Peace in Heaven

Join us tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. as we celebrate Palm Sunday AND consider what it means to experience the peace of heaven in our lives today!  Come with expectancy and be ready to experience a "Palm Sunday Parade" as we imagine what it would have been like to actually be there when the crowds recognized--if only for a brief moment--Jesus as King of kings!  The peace of heaven is reserved for those who follow Jesus, so come and join us as we follow Jesus together!  (For directions to New Life's worship: www.newlifexn.org)

What Lion are YOU Chasing?

Last night Mark Batterson challenged us with this question, "What 'lion' do you need to chase in your life right now?"  Mark's question is based on the life of Benaiah, a biblical character who CHASED a lion into a pit on a snowy day, and lived to tell about it!  In fact, Benaiah's life was one of "chasing lions." God honored Benaiah's faith and he ultimately became the commander of the Israeli army under King Solomon.  Not all lion's are literal--thank God!  Some are intensely personal.  Some are corporate--they are lions that a whole business or congregation needs to chase down and destroy.  Right now one of my lions is simple, but powerful:  the legacy of anger left me by my dad.  New Life folks have heard me speak of it on Sunday morning's from time to time over the years, but the reality is I'm nearly 50 and that lion needs to die.  This week he's been on his last legs.  The "weapon" that has beaten him down is continually reminding myself that Jesus is in control of my life, and that HE is in charge of my life today.  I haven't raised my voice for three days now, and there have been reasons to raise it (at least if the lion was still having the upper hand.)  I can't wait for this lion to be dead, so I can move on to face the rest of the lions waiting for me!  With Jesus in charge, lion-chasing becomes something to look forward to each day rather than a cause for fear.  What lion are YOU chasing?  I'd like to hear about it---victories and defeats, because the fellowship of lion chasers is bound to ground as we put Jesus in charge!

Mark Batterson: Chase the Lion Tour

If you want to read the "notes" from Mark Batterson's talk last night, just click on Jeff Leake's blog!  He did a great job of summarizing Mark's comments not only from last night, but also from Mark's morning talk with pastors.  Jeff's blog is great.  You'll want to check it out regularly!

Everything's an Experiment!

Mark Batterson (www.evotional.com) was in town last night, joining our pastors' group for dinner and discussion. He also presented gleanings from his book In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day to a larger group afterward.  He has incredible insights, but the most important principle I took away from our time together was:  EVERYTHING IS AN EXPERIMENT.  When they launch a new ministry, program or process at National Community Church in Washington, D.C. they always launch a new "experiment." That way if it works, they continue it, and do it better. If it doesn't work, they stop and try another experiment.  The benefit of such an approach is that they never get overly emotionally attached to any one approach, and they don't get hung up on "failure". 

Mark is a big believer in creativity in the church (makes sense since God is the most creative being ever, and we're a reflection of Him!), and the "everything's an experiment" approach fosters creativity.  Maybe you've been considering a change in your personal habits, your family's processes of relating, in your church or business.  Why not launch an experiment?  Thanks, Mark, for this great insight!

I Belong to J.C......How's it Going?

Okay, It's Wednesday.  Are you still starting every day reminding yourself, "I belong to Jesus Christ. He's in charge of my life today?"  This morning as I was walking Champ, I realized I hadn't started off first thing with that reminder to myself.  As I was walking up the driveway, I said, "I belong to Jesus Christ. He's in charge of my life today!"  It's a great prayer.  It's a great reminder. And yesterday, I only needed to pray it and remind myself of it a couple dozen times!  My mom used to say, "Let go and let God."  I know it wasn't original with her, but it was another way of remembering that if God is in charge of the day, the week, the month, the year or the life, it WILL be better--maybe not easier, but better! 

Eternity Is A Long Time To Be Wrong!

Just came across what looks to be a great blog by Ryan Us titled Reason to Believe.  (http://www.reasontobelieve.blogspot.com/)  His subtitle is:  Because Eternity is a Long Time to be Wrong.  Isn't that the truth!  I haven't checked out everything in his archives, but what I did is sound and he has great links to other websites and blogs. If you're interested in apologetics, it's worth your time to check him out!

Youth Staffing Process

The deadline for applications for our part-time youth staff position has come, and we have good news to report! Eight people have applied for the position.  Now, Elder for Youth Ministries, Dave Norris and I are scheduling interviews with the three candidates who we believe are the best match for New Life.  The goal is to hold those interviews on Monday and Tuesday, April 16-17, so please be lifting up the process in prayer.  As we seek to share the new life of Jesus Christ with the world--one person at a time, we want to be sure to do that as effectively as possible with our middle and high-school aged young people!

I Belong to J.C. He's in Charge...

Did you remember to get up, look in the mirror and say, "I belong to Jesus Christ.  He's in charge of my life today!"? If you attended worship at New Life yesterday that was my applicaton for each day this week.  I know it's simple.  I also know that if each of us will do it, the difference will be BIG!  Remember, every time a challenge comes, every time someone cuts you off in traffic, every time something doesn't go the way you want, remind yourself, "I belong to Jesus Christ.  He's in charge of my life today!" That'll turn your focus to Him, AND if you really give control to Him, the situation will immediately turn into an opportunity for Jesus to work in and through YOU, and the result of that has to be good!

Welcome(d) to the Neighborhood

It's been three weeks and two days since we moved into our new home and it is truly feeling a lot like home.  After a great morning of worship at New Life, we came home, ate lunch, and decided to take a nap.  About a half hour later Champ started barking, and we heard a knock at the front door.  It was our "back door" neighbors coming to welcome us to the neighborhood, with some fresh "Gobs."  Since we live out in the country and since the property we bought was part of a large farm that was sub-divided into 12 lots, our neighbors are more spread out than we've been used to over the years.  It was great to have Patti and Carly, her daughter, stop by and welcome us to the area. (The gobs were great, too!)  We've been wondering who our neighbors are and the best way to get to know them.  We've waved and said, "Hi!" to folks as we've walked Champ, but so far that's been about it.  We're grateful that Patti and Carly took the initiative to welcome us. 

As I reflected on that, it struck me that every Sunday morning during worship we have folks who stop in to "visit" for the first time, and that it takes a lot of courage to do that (especially since we're a non-denominational church meeting in a high school in western PA)!  The best possible response to such courage on our part is to welcome the folks and let them know how grateful we are that they decided to join us.  I realize that some folks sort of want to come in "under the radar," check us out and then go home, but most of us appreciate genuine fellowship and hospitality.  Whether your a "New Lifer" or not, the next time you see a guest at worship, take a few minutes and extend them a welcome to the neighborhood.  It may just be the beginning of something great.  Who knows, it may even be the avenue God uses to draw someone into His Kingdom.