Star Trek

Tonight I am going to to see the movie Star Trek! I know what you are thinking- "Is Mark a Trekkie?" The answer is no, but I have enjoyed Star Trek for the last 25 years and would not think of missing opening night.

I was not a big Star Wars fan, but when it came to Star Trek, I have always been fascinated by this show and all the movies that were made from the series. Tonight should be a great night because I get to share it with some of the guys from my small group but also because my son is going. This is actually the first movie he asked me if he could go and see with me. It helps that I'm paying his way! So tonight, I am going boldly where no man has gone before! See ya at the movies.

Cinderella

I heard a song on the radio by Steven Curtis Chapman yesterday called "Dancing With Cinderella" and it brought tears to my eyes. I was not expecting it to happen but it did. If you have never heard this song and your daughter is getting married, I want to warn you- "DON'T LISTEN TO IT!" If you do, it will make you cry.

It seems that it doesn't take much for me to get a little misty eyed these days. When I think about my oldest getting married next year and my son graduating from high school next month it just brings to my heart the realization that my kids are moving on in the next phase of their lives and leaving Pepper and me behind. I am not normally the emotional type but when it comes to my family I am. I love my kids and I look forward to what God has in store for them in the future, but I am in the process of letting go and I am finding out that it is harder than I thought!

Life

Life can change in an instant. Our friends from church had their oldest daughter in a terrible auto crash, and as I write this she is in intensive care with life altering injuries. My heart and prayers go out to her, her parents, and her family.

This has impacted everyone who knows them and many people are praying for the recovery of Savannah, will you join me?

As I reflect on this, I can't help but think about my own kids or wife. When they leave home in the morning I assume I will see them again, but life is short and who knows the future except our Lord. It makes me realize that I should not be in such a hurry, but take everyday as one more gift from the Lord with my family.

My heart hurts for Lee and Tami but I know they have a deep faith in the Lord and that He will sustain them through this difficult time. I am praying for you guys!

Canada

I love talking about small groups! This weekend I have the opportunity to share with people from the Canadian National Baptist Convention in Vancouver Canada about small group ministry! The conference I am doing is an all day event and then I will be teaching twice at Towers Baptist Church on Sunday. I look forward to meeting people who are passionate about building the kingdom through small groups. It's Acts 2:41-47 in motion and I am thankful to the Lord for using me in a small way. I am also blessed to be partnered with Serendipity by Lifeway and the opportunity to share my passion!

Opportunity Knocks

The old phrase "opportunity knocks" means different things to different people. For me, the opportunity to go forward through the "door of opportunity" has at times not turned out like I anticipated. Sometimes I fell flat on my face as I was going through the door and other times it has felt like the door slammed on my fingers. But through it all, God has always been with me and has opened opportunitys for things that I could never have imagined.

I love the unexpected but it can be a challenge. I am a person who like to know "what comes next" but it never seems to work that way. I am resigned to live day by day, trusting in Him, who knows the future and just keep walking and falling forward, and I can do this because I know Jesus is their to lift me up!

WOW!

This is the best word to describe my trip to Israel and Jordan! If you have never been to the Holy Land, it is hard for me to articulate and give you the best picture of what I experienced. It's like trying to describe the Grand Canyon to someone who has only seen it in pictures how awesome it is, but it just doesn't do it justice.

I will admit it, I have a love for Israel. It draws me in like no place I have ever been before. I realize that this region of the world is filled with challenges but I truly understand why this part of the world has been coveted by nations for thousands of years.

It was a blessing and privilege to be able to go again to Israel and I can't wait until the next time I take a group! If you come to church this Sunday I will be speaking in all the services and sharing some of our experiences on this journey to the Holy Land.

Aren't You Afraid?

I am leaving for Israel in less than 48 hours. Some people have asked me "Aren't you afraid of going?" I can honestly say that I am more at peace going to Israel than I am walking around downtown Phoenix! You see the only perspective that most people have of Israel is what they see on the news. Just think of it this way, if you lived somewhere and had never visited Phoenix and all you knew about Phoenix was what you saw on the news, would you still come for a visit? You would probably have the same question for me if I told you I was going to Phoenix for a visit, "Aren't you afraid of going?"

Just to put your mind at ease, any disturbance in the Gaza Strip is in the opposite direction of where we will be going. When people make jokes about "ducking for cover" when we are in Israel, they just don't get it. What they are really doing is stirring up emotions from others who are concerned about us going. I would ask them and you to pray for our group and for me personally as I lead this group of 21. I look forward to sharing some great stories about our journey in a few weeks! Shalom!