More Pics and a Vid of Ripley

We took some more pictures and a video of Ripley being adorable.

Ripley enjoying seeing the flying bears.

Ripley at 9 weeks old.

Ripley feeling the burn doing baby push-ups; 1 and 2 and 3 and 4.

Daddy making Ripley smile.

Ripley telling Daddy about about her hopes and dreams.

Ripley hearng how bad all boys are except for her Daddy.

Priorities



Today I was able to surprise Teresa. It was Ripley’s 2 month check up (that means shots), and Teresa wasn’t looking forward to it. The appointment was scheduled for 9am, and I work 20 minutes from the pediatrician’s office. At 8:15, I noticed that I would be finished with my work early so I took off at 8:30 telling my boss that I will be back (love being salary). My boss knew the reason and she thought it was a nice idea. I beat Teresa to the office and waited. She was surprised and thankful. Ripley did well; she cried when stuck with the needles (two shots) but I held her until she stopped and then I carried her to the car. Of course, Ripley fell fast asleep as I carried her to the car. I know that moments like that will go by fast and I want to make sure Ripley knows that daddy is here for her; and I want to make sure Teresa is reminded that she is high on my priority list as well.

As Christians, there is an order of living that is to help give you a fulfilled life. Its call the J.O.Y. Principle; Jesus (God) first, then Other people, and lastly Yourself. There is a similar one for ministry; God, family, and then church body (or business). If a minister goes by this, he will have a healthy family life that will bring glory to God. But the sad thing is that many tend to put church business before their families or worse yet, the church body feels they should have higher priority then the pastor’s family. That is just wrong. I’ve seen too many times the result to the family of a pastor who has put the family in last place; it’s not a pretty site.

I truly wanted to make an impacted in both of my ladies’ day today. With the new responsibilities at Common Ground and the huge task at hand, there will be times that I have to miss being with them. I will not miss events if I can help it, but it may happen. My first priority is to limit that as much as possible. If people get their feelings hurt because my family came first, they will have to get over it. For me, God comes before everything, and then Teresa and Ripley, and lastly the body of Common Ground and/or any other church I may have the honor of leading in the future.

Rolling Up the Sleeves; It’s Time To Get Busy



This past weekend, I was asked to take the role of Executive Pastor of Common Ground Community Church. The church truly loves the community and the Lead Pastor preaches in depth sermons, but we have never been too organized. The 4 plus years I’ve been working with CG, we have had hit and miss moments of organization but nothing constant. Lord willing that is about to change.

We’re looking at the children’s ministry first to see what needs to be done. I’ll be honest; I don’t have a clue on what we currently do with the children we have. We have scheduled a Question and Answer session after church on February 14 to hear from our current children teachers and leadership to see what is being done and ask what changes they would like to see. After this, we are looking at having a workshop in early spring; possibly March.

There is a lot that need to be done to get Common Ground where I feel we can do the most good, but I don’t have all the answers or all the ideas. This will be the work of God. Rick Warren put it best in the introduction section of “The Purpose Driven Church” that programs do not make churches grow; God does the growing. I see it as we need to keep our eyes on Him and see where or how He is working and get on the bandwagon. Rick said it was like seeing a wave and catching it to ride it; we can’t create waves but we can ride them when they come around. My desire is to ride the wave God has for Common Ground.

Getting our church where it needs to be will take the work of God. I am only one man who works a full time job and has a wife and baby, who are my top priority, so it will be a team effort. God has brought a great group of men who are the Elders of CG with a lot of experience. Most churches don’t have paid staff with their experience and God has put us all together. Roger Allen (Lead Pastor and founder of the church) has a degree from Centerville College and experience in the ministry; David Harris who has been a full time missionary overseas for many, many years and has worked with several churches in the U.S.; Phil Wirtz who has a degree from University of Maryland and experience with leading worship/music; John Allen (no relation to Roger) is a Coast Guard Academy graduate (retired as Commander), has earned a masters in counseling from Liberty University, and is currently the Vice President of a non-profit organization. He’s our Administration Pastor who calls himself the “Sr. Chief Bottle Washer.” We have a great group of men who love our God and Savoir who want His direction for our church.

I write this posting more to help me not to get overwhelmed by the task at hand; taking a 9 year old church from a loose (anything goes) structure to a well oiled organized body. I’ve learned reading through Ephesians that any task God calls me to do, He has already accomplished it. Since this is the case, I’m not doing anything; God has done it already. Any success is all God’s doing. Pray that we are of one mind as we move forward in God’s direction.

Knowing His Voice



I called home this morning to check on how my ladies were doing. Teresa put the phone to Ripley’s ear and I said hello and that I loved her. Teresa shared with me that Ripley had a big smile on her face when she heard my voice. She knows her daddy’s voice. I’ve talked to her the entire 9 months she was in Teresa and I talk to her all the time. I even act like we are having a conversation (I do her voice). It put a big smile on my face when Teresa shared that with me.

This made me remember the passage in John 20:15-17 where a resurrected Jesus called Mary Magdalene and she knew that it was Jesus. She spent so much time with Jesus that she knew his voice. The more I spend in God’s Word, the more I know when it is God speaking to me through His Spirit than my imagination. The more we spend reading the easier it is for us to know our father’s voice. Just a short note of my thought on the subject.

Slow Moving Is Still Moving



I had an eventful week this week. I was offered an opportunity to work with a local church trying to revive an older congregation. The pastor needed a person who could lead and grow the teen department and lead the music. I’ve done both in my ministry career. The opportunity on the outside seemed great but I needed to stop and pray before doing anything. My first reaction was to say thank but no, but I wanted to make sure it wasn’t me saying that; I wanted to make sure it was the leading of the Holy Spirit. My desire is to follow God’s lead in my life; to go where He says go. Teresa and I prayed and asked many of our friends to pray with us and the end result was me saying thank you but no. After the decision was made and I sent an e-mail telling our praying friends, I had affirmation that the decision was of God.

A dear friend (in fact my adopted mom; Momma Love) shared something with me after I sent the e-mail communicating the end result. I want to share it;

“Joseph waited thirteen years for the LORD to show him why he was put in the hole, sold to the Egyptians, lied on by the man's wife, thrown in prison, forgotten by the cup bearer, remembered by the cup bearer and given the high position of running the Pharaoh's government.. . . We have to learn to "Be Still and know that I AM God!" by waiting patiently for Him.”

That will preach. Many people who are called to preach God’s Word want to hit the ground running; I was one of them as a 16 year old kid. It takes time to truly learn God’s Word and be able to share it. God has to fine tune the instrument (His people) to make sure it plays smoothly. It takes time.

The call on my life is to lead a church (equipping the saints to reproduce spiritually). I’m doing that now as an Elder along with Roger Allen and Floyd Whitfield and the other Elders of Common Ground. I know in time, God will open the door for me to be the lead pastor a church. That is the call of my life. I’ve learned several years ago that God has completed the tasks He has called me to do (in Ephesians). I’ve also learned that God’s timetable is not the same as mind.

In Psalm 119:105, we are told that God’s word is a light on our feet which lights our path. This refers to a lamp that people in the Bible times would put on their sandals so they could walk at night. If you have ever been in the middle of nowhere at night, it is pitch black where you can barely see. The people of this time would have these oil lamps that made it easier to travel. Since they used oil lamps, it was slow going so the oil wouldn’t spill. The lamp would only show maybe 2 to 3 feet in front so, again, it was slow going. God only reveals enough for us to do what He needs us to do. It can be slow moving but you are moving.

I maybe slow moving according to what I wish I could be doing but I am moving in God’s direction. He will have me arrive to the destination of his choosing at His appointed time. I need to be like Joseph and wait on Him.

I See Angels Daddy



Whenever I’m holding Ripley, she stares out into space. All babies do this but ever once and awhile I see her smile or frown at the empty space. It makes me wonder if is she seeing angels. You may never know. Mark Driscoll wrote in his book “Confessions of a Reformission Rev” that his daughter was acting out because she wasn’t getting enough sleep. If I remember correctly, she was 3 years old and when he asked her about it she told him a man would not let her sleep. That made Mark pray for protection over his daughter. You see, the man could have been a demon sent to disrupt the home life of Mark to keep him from his calling of proclaiming Jesus to his community. Here in American, we don’t think much of the supernatural other than in movies and T.V. shows. There is a war going on. Jesus Christ won the war on the cross but Satan isn’t going down fighting.

As a Christian, he cannot touch us but he can disrupt things if we do not keep our eyes open for him. My favorite print is titled “Spirit Warfare” where a father is praying over his child. Behind him through the bedroom window you see an angel holding back a demon (see the graphic which is the print). Now that Ripley is here, that means so much more to me. Because of Ripley staring at nothing made me think, I wrote on my “What Does The Bible Say Series” blog a posting on Angels. If you want to see what the Bible says about Angels, click on my profile and click on “What Does The Bible Say Series.”

Parents, always be mindful of your children and their spiritual journey. If they have not made a decision about Christ, pray that God will draw them to Himself. As a Christian and as a parent, my ultimate goal is first to bring glory to God the Father and secondly to point people to the cross which includes Ripley. Ripley is told everyday that God loves her and died for her; even though she is only 2 months old. You can’t start too early.

Don’t Be a Stuart



I enjoy watching Mad TV from time to time. They have pretty good characters, and my favorite is Stuart. The character of Stuart is a little kid but is played by a 6 feet plus guy easily in his 40’s (see photo to see the character) but that’s why he’s so funny. The idea behind these skits is that he’s being raised by a single mother who is bitter because her husband ran off with another woman and doesn’t discipline her son. In fact, Stuart thinks he is very talented but is just a brat. He tells people to look at him because about to do something great but all he does is jump up in the air and shakes his legs. He says, “Look what I can do” and jumps.

We all know people like that. They want people to pay attention to them because they are about to do something great or doing something great. They want people to think they are remarkable so they say “Look at what I am doing” or “Look at what I’m about to do” instead of just doing it without the attention. The reason I’m writing this is because with the earthquake in Haiti, I keep reading that Hollywood is giving money to help; Madonna is giving $250,000, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are giving $1 million, and Tiger Woods is giving $3 million. That’s great that they are helping but why do they have to shout it from the roof tops. Just give it and know that you did something good; not just for the publicity. Don’t be a Stuart.

The Bible tells us to give our time, money, property; everything to others. In the early days of the church, people were selling their stuff and giving the money to the apostles so they could help others. In Acts 5, a married couple saw that people who were doing so were getting praised by everyone else so they wanted some praise. They wanted people to notice them and their giving. It didn’t end well for them because they tried to deserve the Holy Spirit. They were doing Stuarts and saying “Look what we did” but in reality they were lying.

Christians opt to be giving of themselves in service, money, property; whatever as if no one sees them. We are called to give to all the glory to God and not ourselves. That is one of the snares that church people who are on the stage can stumble in; thinking that it’s about them but it is about God. The world likes for people to see them do good. We are called for something better; to bring God the glory. So do good and give all, but do it unto the Lord and not unto publicity. Don’t be a Stuart.

God’s Broken Heart



In my way to work this morning, I spent a portion of it in prayer. I prayed for my ladies (Teresa and Ripley), our families, the church, and other needs I know about. I started praying for a couple, husband and wife, friend of ours who are having some tough times and my heart broke with the idea of what might be the end result. I don’t know the end result because anything can happen; I’ve seen God repair marriages in a big way and this can happen. But while I was praying for the couple, I thought about all the times my actions must have broken God’s heart and how humanity as a whole did just that.

In John 11:35, the Bible tells us that Jesus cried when he saw where his friend was buried. I know that Jesus knew who He was, 100% God, and that He was going to raise him from the grave. So He knew that his friend was not going to be dead too much longer but why did He cry? I think that He saw what sin had done to His creation; to mankind. It is only because sin entered the world that death was born. I think seeing what sin had done to what He created caused Him to cry and broke his heart.

In John 19:34, when the Roman soldier pierced the side of Jesus blood and water came out. Literally, Jesus died from a broke heart on the cross. His heart ruptured so that is why there was a blood/water mix when the spear pierced his heart. Some may argue that it was the stress on the cross along with being beaten and having nails driven in Him that cause the rupture of His heart and thus His death. You can point all the medical ideas you want, but it was God’s love for mankind that held Him on the cross and caused Him to endure it. It was because our sin and the sin of mankind that broke Jesus’ heart on the cross.

Even though our sin separates us from the Holy God, He still wants to connect with us. We can only connect with God (meaning have fellowship with) if we accept what Jesus did on the cross. When we accept what Jesus did on the cross, we are reconnected with God the Father in a way we cannot truly understand this side of heaven. Just like your little (or adult) children can break your heart; our actions (after salvation) can break our Heavenly Father’s heart. Since I struggle with sin, I cannot judge others who are battling with sin. As I walk with God, my spirit becomes strong and the flesh grows weak so I can overcome temptation but it is only through God’s power I am able. With that said, I am not judging my friends but am holding them accountable. I encourage them to turn to God and allow Him to work on both of them. Right now, it appears that only one of them is doing this but God can do great things. As Christians, we are called to point lost people to the cross and the Holy Spirit does the work. As Christians, we are also called to hold our brothers and sisters in Christ accountable with love. Because we all struggle, we cannot sit in judgment; only Jesus Christ is qualified to do so.

We all have broken God’s heart; with our sin on the cross, and when we go against what He has written in His word. Just as a parent, you forgive you child(ren) their failures; God forgives us.

Key Leadership Qualities



I received the below article that I thought would be useful anyone who wishes to read about leadership.

A leader with vision knows where the organization ought to be going and has a clear grasp on what the desired outcome looks like and how to achieve it. In addition to possessing a clear vision, leaders must also be able to effectively share it and decisively act upon it. A leader who is able to communicate clearly and do it with genuine passion will attract enthusiastic and willing followers. The best leaders have the discipline to diligently and single-mindedly work toward his or her vision and in doing so guide their team member’s efforts toward the goal as well.

A person of integrity has the ability to integrate their outward actions and inner values. It is an authentic “what you see is what you get,” situation. This kind of an individual can be trusted to never veer from or compromise their inner values. Leaders with integrity deal honestly, react predictably, control their emotions and are approachable by followers.

A leader with dedication spends whatever time or energy is needed to accomplish the task. Their dedication inspires others when they do whatever it takes to get the job done step-by-step.

Magnanimous leaders cheerfully give credit where it is due. He or she ensures that appropriate accolades are shared as widely as possible throughout the ministry. On the flip side, this type of leader will take personal responsibility for delays or failures. This quality helps build a closer camaraderie among team members. HR veteran David Hakala says, “To spread the fame and take the blame is a hallmark of effective leadership.”

Humility is the hallmark of leaders that recognize that they are neither better nor worse than their team members. Humility is not necessarily self-effacing but in reality is an effort to elevate everyone.

Openness means a leader is receptive to any valid new idea, even if they at first seem a bit off the wall. Good leaders withhold judgment while they listen to and frequently accept others’ ideas. This type of openness establishes and reinforces mutual respect and trust among followers and leaders, plus it creates an environment that is conducive to new ideas that can further its vision.

Creativity is the ability to think outside the traditional box. Creativity gives a leader the capacity to see and sense possibilities and new directions others have not yet seen. “What if...” is perhaps one of the most important questions a leader can ask.

A leader that practices fairness consistently and objectively checks all the facts before passing judgment on a person or situation. By avoiding jumping to conclusions, they end up making wiser judgments and their people feel they are being treated fairly. This nearly always benefits the leader, because it encourages team members' loyalty and dedication.

Good leaders are able to be assertive without coming off as merely aggressive. This allows them to clearly articulate their expectations so that there are far fewer misunderstandings later on. To get the desired results, a leader must be assertive. A companion characteristic to this is being able to understand what followers expect from their leader.

Even in ministry today, stress, tension, hostility and even boredom are commonplace. A leader with a sense of humor is able to relieve and diffuse these potentially damaging issues and to energize their team members. Properly used, humor can be a form of power that can positively influence the whole work environment.

Adapted from David Hakala, “The Top 10 Leadership Qualities,” HR World, 03/19/08

Best Birthday Gift Ever



Today is my 40th birthday, and I took it off from work. Mainly to be with Teresa as we took Ripley in for her one month check-up from her surgery last month. The surgeon told us what we already knew; God had given us peace regarding Ripley’s health, but it was good to hear it from the doctor. Ripley is fine and has no health issues due to the malrotation. I looked at Ripley after the doctor left and said, “Thank you for the best birthday gift ever.” She looked at me with her big blue eyes and smiled.

I know that it is due to the goodness of God that Ripley is doing so well. I am so thankful to Him for so much. Because of his goodness, today is the best birthday ever.

Tummy Time

Teresa is treating Ripley to some tummy time. Check out the video and the photos below.

Ripley showing the alphabet link who's boss.

Ripley is eyeing the tool but the sandman is upon her.