Riding along in my car today, worried about this and that. Asking questions like, “How?” “When?” “Where?” and even “Why?” When suddenly I became overwhelmed with the sense that God was with me, right here right now in the middle of my life. It was the strangest sense of peace, calm and assurance that He is in control. When I stopped to really take notice of the fact that HE was with ME, I felt like I could take a breath so deep that it went to the very bottom of my feet and filled right up to the top of my head.

As Christmas approaches, some will need Him to be their Prince of Peace, and others their Wonderful Counselor. Some will focus on the fact that He is Mighty God.

But today, to me, He is Emmanuel, God With Us, right here in the thick of it all.

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold the virgin will conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel – Isaiah 7:14

Church planting has been one of the biggest endeavors our family has  ever taken on.  The cool thing though, is that our entire family has been committed to the process.  Makenzie (8), Madilynn (4), and Josie (3) absolutely love RiverChurch.  They can’t wait for Saturday night to roll around; they love helping setup, they love the worship and they love the people.

Kristia has dreamed with me, stood beside me, encouraged and challenged me throughout the whole process.  Her commitment to RiverChurch and its growth has been nothing short of phenomenal, in fact she’s willing to go the extra mile to see our church grow.  She informed me this week that next summer we’ll be bringing another family member to RiverChurch as well.   Yep, not only is our church growing but our family is too.

July 27.

And yes. . . I know how that happens, and as I heard someone else l say onetime, “We’re just not willing to give it up.”

We wanted you to be one of the first to know.

I remember my first Halloween costume being Casper the Friendly Ghost.  As a kid, Halloween was one of my most favorite holidays, for obvious reasons; dressing up in a costume and getting gobs and gobs of candy.  I even remember our church having halloween parties, bobbing for apples and the whole bit.

Then somewhere down the road my parents and a few of the good Christians around us discovered the evils of Halloween.  They learned that it was a holiday “dedicated to Satan and his demons.” So in an effort to diminish any extra attention being given to old Lucifer, we no longer celebrated it.  No costumes, no candy, no trick or treating, no bobbing for apples, nothing.

I kind of wonder if there wasn’t a collective thought among the people we knew who began to boycott Halloween, that if they refused to celebrate it that it would eventually go away.  I don’t know if that’s the case, but Halloween is still here, and people celebrate it.

A few years ago I heard about a couple who were actually deacons or elders at a church we were attending.  I heard that Halloween was the biggest holiday of the year for them.  I even heard that they put more lights up at Halloween than they did at Christmas.  Now I don’t know how true that was, but when I heard the reason why they went all out on Halloween I was truly impressed.   This couple lit their house up on Halloween like the Milky Way!! And every year they gave away the biggest and best candy bars or treats they could find.   Attached to each piece of candy was a verse of encouragement from Scripture, and as I understand it their house became somewhat of a favorite place to visit every October 31st.

Their brilliance was nothing short of inspirational for me and I began to wonder:    What would it look like if a church didn’t turn off the lights and hide on Halloween night?  What would it say to our community if we didn’t have a “christianized” event that was a sanctified costume party in our fellowship halls, but actually went out to where the people are and took the light of Jesus with us?  That’s when City on A Hill was birthed in my head.

I went to a school just down the road from where our church meets and talked to the principle about doing something for the students of that school and the kids in our community on Halloween night and she loved the idea.  I shared it with the people of RIverChurch and they got behind the idea as well and now City on A Hill is just over 24 hours away.

Tomorrow night we’re going to Hillcrest Elementary School, which sits up on a hill and beside one of the busiest freeways in Chattanooga (Hwy 153).  We’ve rented an spotlight to shine up high in the sky.  We’ve got about 12 90watt flood lights that we are going to use to crown the hilltop, and tons of lights, lamps & Christmas lights as well.  Our people are going to park their cars in the parking lot on top of the hill, and each car will represent a store or place in a city.  They’ll give candy to the kids who arrive, play a game or two with them, and drop a verse of encouragement in their “trick or treat”  bagsbefore they leave.  We’re even giving away free food from “Frank & Furter’s Hot Dog Stand.”

Now some might say we’re giving in, celebrating Satan’s own personal holiday, doing our own “christianized” event or a “sanctified costume party.”  I prefer to think that instead of cursing the darkness, we’re lighting a candle.  If you live close by, you should come shine with us.

“You are the light of the world, a city on a hill cannot be hidden” – Jesus

- Woke up this morning thinking about what a great night we had at RiverChurch last night!

- Went downtown Chattanooga to the Chattanooga Market.  This place is always fun.  Each weekend is a different theme, with different vendors.  Fresh fruit & vegetables, artisans, photographers, craftsmen, kettle corn, and always great entertainment.  Today’s theme was Oktoberfest.  Loved the music and just mixing with the people of this city.

-Got to hang with some of the great people from RiverChurch, laughed a whole heckuva lot!!!!

-Went to Buffalo Wild Wings with some friends downtown, and ate some great wings, played the trivia game & lost.  Listened to a couple ladies next to us griping about some other lady, and laughed some more.

-Walked downtown for a while to a cool new bookstore, played a little while with my girls.

-Went to the RockCity Enchanted Corn Maze and got lost inside.

-Finally made our way out and went on a hay ride.

-Got whacked in the eye with a branch and laughed at myself.

-Left the Corn Maze and went back downtown for some ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery.

-Had some off the chain ice cream, and laughed even more.

-Loved listening to the Cold Stone Crew sing every time someone dropped a tip in the tip jar, “Tip, Tip!  Hooray”

-Came home and now laying in the bed watching the Yankees (hopefully) move on to the World Series.

Don’t want to forget one memory from this amazing day.

Hope yours was as good as mine.

I’ve been in “pastoral ministry” for three consecutive years.  Only in the role as lead pastor for 5 months now.  So when one of the ladies at our church told me last week that we would be having a soup dinner after our Saturday night service, for Pastor Appreciation month, I had to chuckle.  “We haven’t been doing this long enough to be appreciated yet,” was the first thought that went through my mind.

But last night our friends and family at RiverChurch brought in their slow cookers filled with some of the best Vegetable Soup, Chili, and Mexican Stew and we ate and ate and ate.  Then, to the joy and elation of my wife they brought out this cookie cake with the church name and logo on it.  The folks there, left us cards and gifts, and all of it was so overwhelming, humbling, and exciting all at the same time.

But the thing that meant the most to me, which almost brings me to tears just thinking about it now, was the sound of laughter, and conversation that took place around the room.  I took a minute to look around the room just to take it all in, and it was beautiful.  All kinds of people from all kinds of backgrounds just being together.  Being a community.  Being the Body of Christ. Being the church.

It was a sampling, a small sampling of what I imagine heaven will be like some day.  Just a bunch of people, forgiven and loved, standing around with one another laughing, actually liking each other. . . and oh yeah eating cookie cake.

I stopped by the 58 commons today and spent a couple of hours there.  58 Commons is the place where RiverChurch is currently meeting.  This location has been an absolute Godsend to us.  Its actually rented by another congregation that has been there for the last year.   They meet on Sunday’s at noon.  They’ve been so gracious to allow us to come in and set up and use whatever they have in this particular suite in this rather sparsely populated office complex.

A couple months when we started meeting there, we set the room up with about 32 chairs, to accommodate our group of people that gather together each Saturday night.  We’ve yet to fill the seats up that we have set out, but tonight I had a very sobering experience.

As I sat in one of the 32 chairs we have set out, I felt as if God wanted to have a conversation with me.  I can’t really say it was audible, but I am pretty sure He was trying to talk to me.  I had been studying for this weekends sermon, praying for the service for the worship, actually walking through the room praying for the people who would sit  on of the 32 chairs we had sitting out.  When suddenly this question came through my mind, “What if God wanted to bring more people?”

I have to be honest, it was almost like a field of dreams moment, that question had the same haunting sound as “If you build it, they will come.”  I was almost driven to tears.  You see I’ve been praying that God will grow RiverChurch, but in that moment I was hugely convicted by the thought that maybe I had not really be expecting him to answer my prayer.  I began to feel like that those 32 chairs symbolized a lack of faith for me.  You see there were another 28 chairs sitting in the closet.

I say “there were” because conviction overwhelmed me and one by one I went to the closet and pulled out the other 28 chairs and prayed for the people that would sit in them too.  Tonight we have 60 chairs setup and ready for whoever God wants to bring to RiverChurch.  Yeah, its a little crowded, but we’re ready.

Is it possible that by only putting half of the chairs out in the room I wasn’t really trusting God to do “exceedingly abundantly above all I can think or ask?”  It is.  Is it possible that those seats will miraculously be filled this week, or the next or the next.  Sure it is.  Only time will tell.  I certainly don’t want my lack of faith or expectancy to be the thing that keeps it from happening?

So can I ask you, what prayers have you prayed that you really haven’t expected God to answer?  Are you hoping for the 60 but really only expecting 32?

⁶But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. – James 1:6-8

I can’t believe how long its been since I last blogged here at “Living the Dream.”  The process of settling into our new life, has been nothing short of an amazing adventure.  Unfortunately the process has been so fast paced, that I’ve barely had time to.  .  . well . . . process the process.

RiverChurch is running full steam ahead.  If you haven’t been to our new website you need to check it out at riverchurch.me.

I’m working a part time job at a local coffee shop, which incidentally was voted the best coffee shop in the city of Chattanooga.  I love working here, because it keeps me from being isolated in my little Christian bubble, where the only people I ever interact with are other Christians.  I’m having fun at my job, and I like that.

So things have been moving along at a comfortable pace and life has been good.  Until  . . .

This past weekend.

I can’t really tell you all that happened. Because the details are literally too disturbing to go into.

All I can really say is that through a series of events, a very intense conversation, and some very painful words that were hurled at me, I entered into a new phase in the process that has been very difficult to walk through.

There really is no good textbook answer on how to deal with someone questioning your calling, especially when they have known you for a very very very long time, and have been some of the very voices encouraging you to pursue that calling.

I can’t really find any good material to read about how to pull out the emotional daggers that were thrust into you by words of anger, hatred and bitterness spoken by one who was at one time a caring confidant.

So. . .  we, my amazing wife and wonderful little girls, are left to walk through this part of the process.

But I can tell you this, that even through this darkest season of the process that we must now walk through I know that God is with us.  He has comforted me, not with good ideas from self help books. But more like God ideas through His self help book the Bible.

I am finding comfort in His word.

I am finding direction in my more frequent times of silence, prayer and reflection.

I am finding that God will never leave me alone or forsaken, and the proof of that is seen by the countless friends that step up to offer a kind word or loving hug without really knowing about the storm that’s raging deep in my heart at this very moment.

I am learning that this difficult time is in deed part of the process.

I remember being a little boy and trying to walk in my dad’s shoes.  I thought I was so big, so grown up, but it wouldn’t be long before I’d fumble right out of his shoes and often times flat on my face.

I’m so excited about my life.  I know I’m truly doing what I’ve been purposed to do in life – plant a life giving church.

But I have to admit most days I feel like a little boy in my dad’s big shoes.

Some days I find myself picking up the phone to call somebody, anybody who’s been here before, who’s walked in these shoes, but “How Do You Do This?”  seems like such awkward question.

I tell myself, “They’re too busy,”  “They’re too important,”  “They don’t even know who I am.”

It can get scarey, and sometimes I think, “what if I fall flat on my face?”

But recently I came across one of my favorite Psalms -

“Hear my cry, oh God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint.  Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I.” – 61/1

Do you ever feel like your shoes are too big?    Lets encourage one another

A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to meet this guy, and I have to admit I didn’t realize who I was talking to at first.  But as the conversation progressed I learned that John Waller is the artist who sings, “While I’m Waiting,” a song featured in the movie “Fireproof.”  I instantly liked the guy.  I think he’s got the stuff.

About a week ago a friend of ours gave us a CD, and with it she gave us a note that said she thought this music would speak on so many levels to where we are in our life right now.  She had no clue.   Incidentally it was John Waller’s earlier recording, “The Blessing.”

Last night I had some time to listen to almost the entire CD without interruption, and I came across a song, that I just couldn’t stop listening to.  It’s called “Something Big.”  And I’ve decided this song will be my song for this season of my life.

We’ve been in Chattanooga for almost a month now.  Great things are happening for RiverChurch, absolutely great things.  Yet, I find myself waking up just about every morning somewhere between 2 & 4 a.m. and often asking God if I’m in over my head, to which He answers, “yes.”  I ask, “Can I do this?”  and He says “No.”  Then I ask, “God are you sure this is what you wanted me to do?”  He answers “YES, now go back to sleep!!!”  (well sometimes).

This song has encouraged me and I want to share the lyrics with you:

Something Big

I wanna see something I’ve not seen

Something so big

I wanna be a part of something great

Greater than me

It’s time to dream big dreams

To see Your vision

Become reality

‘Cause it’s for You, by You, those who

Love You wanna do

Something so big

It’s destined to fail without You, Lord

It’s gonna fail without You, Lord

Something so great

It takes a miracle to do

We, Your children

Wanna do something big for You

We, yes, we are gonna sing a brand new song

Something so strong

We will be the sound that wakes the dawn

Something so loud

It’s time for breaking through

‘Cause there are no limits

For he who holds the truth

When it’s for You, and by You, and those who

Love You wanna do

Something bigger, something greater

For the glory of Your splendor

Something bigger, something greater

Tell the story of Your wondrous love

Your wondrous love

Those who love You wanna do

As long as we live, let us do something so big for You

A lot of you have been asking for an update on Jojo’s trip to the Dr. this morning. Jojo did great. No crying and apparently no pain.

The dr. told us straight up that we could expect her broken leg to grow at a faster rate than her other leg because broken bones tend to grow faster. This was concerning because that means she could experience a minor impairment when she is able to walk again. But they told us that she should pass through this eventually and walk normal again. Still the dr. said that the next six months to two years could be very challenging for her, and that she may still require surgery at some point.

That’s what the doctor says.

But we know another Doctor who has the ability to work miracles. In fact He was there when Josie was growing in Kristia’s belly. He gave her life. He put her body together the first time and He can completely fix her leg this time.

As we sat at the Childrens’ Hospital this morning we were reminded how blessed we really are. We could, like many of the parents we saw this morning, be facing a much worse situation with our little girl. So in spite of what we heard that doctor say we are still thankful for God’s blessings and believe He can cause Jojo to heal quickly and her legs to grow normally. In fact we choose to believe that is what WILL happen.

So to all of you who have asked and have prayed for her, thank you. We can’t wait to tell you about the miracles through this situation as they happen.