Celebrating with Brittney!!
It's been incredible to have a front row seat to God changing Brittney's life in the front row! Literally! Brittney has sat on the front row on the other side of the aisle from me for most of this last year. To watch how God has wooed her, won her heart, and led her to yesterday's decision to proclaim far and wide that her life is devoted to following Jesus has been AMAZING! And to watch her son celebrate with her... LET'S GO!!!!!! We're celebrating with you Brittney!!!
Faith is realized outside the walls.
I've had the honor of coaching Preston and several of his friends on a 4th grade basketball team this winter. There an exceptional group of young men! About half of them attend CCC and it's been cool to watch their faith become their own. But yesterday, they reminded me of just how important "going outside" is to our faith development.
Between tournament games, on their own, they huddled up and had player led prayer. Not only was I a proud coach and dad, but it also reminded me how important living our faith out on the outside is. It's where we realize our faith is real. Check out the photo we grabbed..
"I've worked here 2 years and no one has ever asked me that."
Most Sundays I leave church convicted by my own sermons. I'm internally wrestling with whether or not I'm practicing what I preach.
So when we sat down to lunch yesterday, I felt compelled to ask our waiter how we could pray for him. Doorholder #3, right? Opening a door for faith, yes? But the inner dialogue was something like this.. "He probably gets asked that all the time. It's a Sunday. He's busy with lots of tables."
After I wrestled that down, I asked, "Hey, we're getting ready to pray for our food. Is there anything we can be praying for you about?"
He answered. We prayed. Check, right?
Well, as we were leaving he came back, stopped me, and said, "I've worked here for 2 years and no one has ever asked me that. Thank you. Where do you go to church?"
Be a doorholder CCC.
I love seeing kids up front at Christmas!
Like, I can't wait! So much life and joy in their faces! And, oh yeah, chaos! But even in that, the reminder of hope and joy and peace and love that comes from celebrating Jesus' birth with our kids is something I look forward to every year! It's only Monday, but Christmas Sunday with kids is coming!!!!!
The power of Christmas
I was also thinking about Christmas Eve and candlight service this Monday morning. It's another one of my favorites! The power of the candles and singing Silent Night together.. I CAN'T WAIT!
It reminded me of the true story of the soldier-led truce on Christmas Eve during World War I where soldiers sang Christmas carols and exchanged crude gifts and enjoyed time together despite orders from their superiors to do otherwise. That's powerful! That's the power of Christmas on display.
That's a picture of the power of Jesus bringing an end to the war against death and sin by coming as a baby, being the perfect gift, and giving himself so that you might experience peace with God.
