People don’t learn what you preach, they learn what your passionate about

Last week I was following the twitter hashtags from a conference in North Carolina. D. A. Carson said this, “Students don’t learn what your teach, they learn what your passionate about.”

This doesn’t just apply to professors… It applies to: pastors, elders, parents, coaches, supervisors, and anyone else trying to lead. It’s not what we PREACH, it’s what we’re PASSIONATE about. Dont get me wrong, content matters, doctrine matters, but just because you communicate something doesnt mean people get it. You can’t tell your children to ______, unless your passionate about doing the same thing. We live in a translucent society. People can see right through us.

The next time you want to get your point across, ask yourself this question: “Do I believe this? Do I believe it enough to DO what I’m asking others to do?” Dont just tell them, SHOW them. As Johnny Hunt says, “Things are better caught than taught.” Maybe the reason others aren’t living up to your expectations is because you aren’t.

When they see you doing the same, they’ll follow.

Team Luke BBQ!

Sunday afternoon my family and I headed out with our “Team Luke” shirts to a Fundraiser BBQ for Luke. The Fund raiser was put on by the Ortega United Methodist Church. There were TONS of people there to come show their support for TEAM LUKE! At one moment the MC of the evening said that we sold and ate over 700lbs of BBQ. There was STILL a line… This family is LOVED by the Jacksonville community & beyond!! They raised around $8,000 Sunday night!

Pray with me for Luke and his incredible family! If you still havent heard about his story, you can read about it here: www.prayforluke.com

The park with my kids & an invite to East Coast

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Today after church I took the kids to Landon park in San Marco. They played on the swings, monkey bars, and the slide. While we were there I met another guy with his kids. “You live down here?”, I asked. “No, we used to, this is my kids favorite park”, he replied. The conversation gravitated towards inviting him to East Coast and I extended an invite, handing him the new series invite card.

 

It’s as easy as looking for opportunities East Coast. God is working all around us, we just need to listen to the Spirit, and join in. You have the life changing light of the gospel inside. People need that! God wants to use you to bring it to them. Don’t miss God and walk right past Him. Pray for an opportunity this week to pass out an invite card and extend an invitation to East Coast Church. After you pray: look for it. expect it. go with it – watch how God uses you.

Yesterday: Mike, Madi, & Luke

I started a new shift on Monday (930-6) & I am incredibly thankful for it! It used to be 1230-9. You don’t know how excited I am to be able to meet with people, hang with my kids, and eat dinner with my family!

Yesterday as I pulled into work, Mike Lewis called me and offered to meet up w/me on my lunch break for coffee. It’s always good to meet with another church planter. Rarely do I not walk away encouraged (unless he’s grown by 100 that week). After work, I picked up my daughter from the house and went to Chuck E Cheese. We had a blast racking up tickets together playing skee-ball (most games she beat me).

When we got home, I dropped my daughter off then drove up to Baptist Hospital. After a brief time with Magnus & Luke, I headed down to the Chapel. Our church leadership had planned to meet there to pray together for Luke and his family. I enjoyed the time with these godly men as we sought Gods healing and favor for this five year old. After I left the hospital at 10:15, I went to help my father-n-law. He was waiting on me to help him move a granite countertop vanity from the garage to the bathroom.

I slept good last night

Jumping the cracks

Tonight my family gave me a surprise birthday dinner at Maggiano’s. Afterwards, Lily and I went to window shop at a few stores. On the way we played her favorite game, “Jump the sidewalk cracks”. Its much easier when you are holding dad’s hand.

We all come across broken sidewalks, cracked pieces due to the stress of life. Though we cant jump over them, it is much easier when we’re holding our Heavenly Father’s hand. He said, “I will never leave you or forsake you”(Heb 13:5). It our choice. We can go it alone or walk through it with Him. He is enough. His grace is sufficient. His strength endures.

Pray for me

I have been developing a prayer team for the past few weeks through venues such as Twitter, Facebook, and Email. Which I am fully aware that this blog will bleed into those venues. I am asking for 90 days of prayer.

I’m not asking you to “throw up a prayer” for me. I’m seeking a team who will consistently & boldly approach Gods throne on my behalf. I am looking forward to what GOD is going to do through East Coast Church. Count on it, opposition will come, I need Gods people praying for me. If we are going to accomplish GOD’S vision, prayer has to be a vital part.

I am finalizing my prayer team by the end of this week. If you would like to pray for me and can commit to that for 90 days, let me know by emailing me here. I am compiling an email list in which I can send out a specific prayer focus.

Kevin

Dont run or you’ll fall & bleed

This morning I was a little late dropping the kids off at school. On the way I told them that we were going to park and walk fast. Lily piped up and said that you can’t run because you will fall and bleed. I immediately thought about the pace of life we run in. Most of us aren’t doing enough ( in other words, were lazy, not living up to our potential). Then there are some that do way too much. You know how it is, 20% of the people doing 80% of the work… to those people I say –> Are you taking time for yourself?Are you taking time to unwind? Are you taking time to be with God??

Is the rate at which you

are doing Gods work,

destroying the work

of God in you?

When I see my children run, I get nervous. It’s only a matter of time before their speed can’t sustain them, their body gets ahead of their feet, they trip, stumble, & fall – then comes the bleeding. Suddenly they are forced to slow down.

Has God been telling you to slow down? If you don’t listen, a fall may be in your future…

How can you tell if you are running too fast?

• Do you find yourself over committing & under delivering?
• Are you making the time to spend with your Creator?
• Is your family getting your leftovers?
• Are you spending time on things that matter?

Answer this question honestly… that which consumes you, be it one big thing or many small things –> does it REALLY matter??

Again, many are lazy & don’t do enough to help carry the load, but for those who do too much…

For your sanity and your safety, take some time to evaluate. Take some time off.  Take courage. Take some advice… you may have to tell a few people the one simple word you hate to say… “no”

Top 9 of 2009

These are the top nine blog posts of 2009 for me. They in no way reflect how many hits they got or how much my readers (what few I have) liked them. If I had to pick my favorite posts of 2009, these would be them…

• Spontaneous trip to the zoo
• Pirates in the backyard
• FNL 3.13.09
• What I learned in 1 Kings
• Kinds Camp ’09
• What if we made church all about the guests
• It’s only a matter of time
• Protect the space with your family
• What happened on Nov 15th

I am really looking forward to 2010. One of my goals is to be more consistent in blogging. Thanks for taking the time to read, I pray it is helpful. Happy New Year!!

Thanksgiving ’09

This weekend we loaded up the car and headed up to Fayetteville, Georgia. It was wonderful to take four days and be with my girls! Along with some incredible food, we had a great weekend being with family. Madi & Lily made some gingerbread cookies with Mimi & they also got to fed some deer that my father has trained to come into his backyard. This was Lily’s favorite part of the weekend – Trust me those deer ate very well this Thanksgiving. I know everyone says it every year, but this year I am truly thankful for my family – God has been too good to me!

Protect the space with your family

This picture was taken on Lily’s favorite ride, The People Mover. Shortly after it was over, we made our way to find a spot for the parade. 90 minutes before it started we had tons of space, as time passed by it got more & more crowded.  People inched in to personal space trying to get a good seat. I don’t know how it happened, but when we got there we had 8 ft of space on Main Street… when it finally started we had about four at best.

If you’re not careful, without knowing what happened, people will edge themselves into your personal space! People care more about themselves then they do about your family. We have got to do what we can to guard our space, our time with the family that God has entrusted to us. If we are successful in everything else, but fail in our family – WE FAIL!

Satan will bring along many “good things” in order to steal time away from your family. Can I be transparent?? This is an area I struggle with. God nailed me on this subject at Catalyst in October. Message after message, God was showing me how precious my family is. Rob Bell reminded me that my children deserve more than scraps  from my schedule! If we let Satan take that from us… what else is there? Seriously -  what else?!? Sadly, many “pastors” think there are more important things than their families. As the space on the sidewalk so quickly shrunk, so will our precious time with our family if we were not careful. Watch out, be on guard, & protect that space!! There are no excuses that are good enough for your spouse, your children, or God who holds you accountable.