My Love and me


I had the privilege of speaking to potential leaders from a youth group over this past weekend. What a blessing!

It is so easy in this world to get caught up in the stuff that happens in life. It is a huge blessing to be able to be used for one of the purposes that the Lord has me on this earth.

I have such a sense of peace when I have the privilege of bringing the Word. I confess, sometimes, it can feel like I am saying the same things. Even when it's a message I know I haven't brought before, it can follow familiar paths.

That isn't a bad thing!

I amazed at how many times I sometimes need to hear something before I actually get it. I've heard from others that they struggle with this too.

I have a friend who preaches the same basic handful of messages all over the country. I am blown away at how the Lord will use those messages to have a deep and profound impact on the lives of others. Many of those people have heard him before, and even heard some of his messages before, yet, God impacts them in a new way with the latest hearing.

I am not suggesting that pastor's bring the same sermon every week. Although, I know of pastors who have done basically that, and been confronted by a congregant or two, who wanted to know why. Their response was along the lines of, "the Lord will let me bring a different message when the body starts to respond to this one."

I wonder why that is.

Why do we hear powerful, impacting, anointed messages and sit unmoved? In some cases, we then blame the pastor for the lack of growth or depth of the body.

I wonder if we still know what conviction is?

I wonder if we are able to sense the Lord's presence any longer? Or if we are so used to shutting Him down, that we can no longer tell what is of Him? Therefore, we blame pastors for pushing their own agenda, when it IS the one the Lord has brought, but an unyielding congregation is waiting for the one that makes them less uncomfortable.

God continues to do most of His best work in situations where we are least comfortable. It brings us to rely more on Him and less on ourselves.

My daily failures prove my need to rely upon Him. I am fooling myself if I believe something different.

I am so thankful for Him! I love His Word! I need to go immerse myself in it!


dad