They make me proud.

It’s hard work.

Don’t misunderstand this one truth: taking risks is very hard, but that makes the outcome worthwhile.  Even in failure lessons can be learned and a person can grow in some way, shape, or form.  It happens.

Taking a risk takes a lot of guts to get over yourself, because taking risks means overcoming not your circumstances or surroundings or another person, but fighting a battle with yourself and winning.  But the rewards are amazing.

So, what are you waiting for?

Life is full of risks.  The risk a baby takes when learning to crawl then walk.  The risk a kid takes when going to his/her first day of school.  Learning to drive. Etc. Etc. Etc.  What’s one more risk?

In the end, don’t you want to have tried something instead of never doing anything with your life?

Where did that hole come from?

Apparently, water beneath the pavement had washed away the foundation so the girl’s weight made it cave in.  Luckily for her, there were people willing to stop and help; especially a taxi driver.

Here’s a thought: Even when everything looks normal, something expectant can happen.

Congrats to The Bosses, the scavenger hunt winners.  By-the-way, the students were great.  Thanks for coming out: Brittany, Bryce, Cole, Donovan, Dylan, Edna, Justin, Kristin, Lauren, Meggie, Melissa E, Melissa M, Ryan, Sam, Tyler, Wesley, and Victoria.  And, to my leaders, you’re amazing for helping.  Thanks, Bridgett, Jason, Lisa, Phil, and Shane.

But Easter was amazing, too.  From church, to a family dinner, to just hanging around the house.  It was simply amazing.

God is way too good to me.

Ever had this morning?  The alarm goes off.  You get up, and go about your morning routine (shower, clothes, brush teeth, leave for work, and maybe breakfast).  Without noticing, you’re already at work, and you don’t even remember the drive.  You go about your morning work, lunch, and afternoon trudging to find that the day has flown by and it’s time to go home.  By the time you realize, it’s time to go to bed before starting the next day.

Hmm…been there.  Done that.

How much do we miss by simply not paying attention?

Probably way too much.

It’s easy enough to do.  We all have priorities and obligations and routines.  We have things that take our minds away from what’s going on around us.  It happens.  I completely understand.  At my job, my co-workers and I wear headphones that help us focus on our tasks by drowning out the noise around us.

Acts 3 shares a story of Peter and John healing a crippled man at the temple.  This man was placed there every day so a question must be asked.  How many times did Peter and John pass by this man without doing anything for him?  Or did they ever see him?  Were they even paying attention to his begging and pleading for help?  Hmm.

Casting Crowns recorded a song entitled “While You Were Sleeping” that gives this same impression.  The chorus is sang as such to Bethlehem:

Oh Bethlehem, what you have missed while you were sleeping
For God became a man
And stepped into your world today
Oh Bethlehem, you will go down in history
As a city with no room for its King
While you were sleeping
While you were sleeping

And to Jerusalem:

Jerusalem, what you have missed while you were sleeping
The Savior of the world is dying on your cross today
Jerusalem, you will go down in history
As a city with no room for its King
While you were sleeping
While you were sleeping

And finally to the United States:

America, what will we miss while we are sleeping
Will Jesus come again
And leave us slumbering where we lay
America, will we go down in history
As a nation with no room for its King
Will we be sleeping
Will we be sleeping

Maybe we should get out of our funk and pay attention.  There just might be someone waiting on us to be Jesus to them, and make their lives a little bit better.

Kind of makes Revelation 3:20 stand out, right?

“Look! I stand at the door and knock.  If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.”

We didn’t want to lose the feel of what Life Givers is all about or try to do a complete overhaul.  So, we decided on two simple changes:

1. Remove the hyphen from Life-Givers Ministries to make Life Givers Ministries, and
2. Redesign the logo to something a bit cleaner, modern, but still traditional to match the overall image of our church.

This is what we came up with.

We like it, and are happy to have it represent our church.  Now, we have a simple and uniform image to display to our community.

This was Tyler verses Ashton.  Tyler is a really good drummer, and plays on my church’s praise team. Ashton hasn’t played much, but is really good, too. Give it up for the winner.

God, let me glorify you.

O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you.  My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.

I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory.

Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you!

I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer.

You satisfy me more than the richest feast.  I will praise you with songs of joy.

I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night.

Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.

I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely.

But those plotting to destroy me will come to ruin.  They will go down into the depths of the earth.

They will die by the sword and become the food of jackals.

But the king will rejoice in God.  All who trust in him will praise him,
while liars will be silenced.

Here’s what I got out of it:

1. David was in the wilderness when he coined this psalm.  Possibly in a literal dry place his real “dryness” comes from a lack of God’s presence.  It’s a reminder of Matthew 5:6, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”
2. He cries out many of God’s great characteristics, and how he longs to worship and will fully trust the one true God.
3. He also states the inevitable victory he will have in spite of those plotting against him.
4. Finally, he firmly states his place yet how dependent he is on God.  David is the king, but God is the King of kings.

Here are my observations:

1. Why can’t we want God this strongly?  Why can’t we find ourselves looking to God to quench a thirst that nothing else can satisfy?  As Psalm 42:1, 2 states, “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.  My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.”
2. When we want God so strongly the natural urge is to find any way possible to get his attention.  David mentions prayer, worship, praise, and meditation.  These are key to a life of being close to God.
3. With God, you can’t lose.  Without God, you can’t win.
4. As children of God, we are kings and queens, but that doesn’t give us permission nor make us greater than God.  We are still dependent on him for everything.

Now tell me what you think?