Yesterday we enjoyed our first snowfall of the year and we received at least 3 inches of beautiful snow. It arrived in huge flakes that fell softly. The fact that the snowflakes were falling as people were getting ready to head to church certainly had an impact on attendance. As for my musings…

-Yesterday was a difficult day for me. There were several things that did not go as planned and some of them forced me to change my Sunday morning preparations. I am generally a flexible person so it bothered me how much this bothered me yesterday.

-I was both very excited and very burdened about yesterday’s sermon. I was excited because it was one of those times where I felt I really heard from God during my study time and knew that this message was very applicable for many people. I was burdened for how relevant this message was for people and I desired for people to hear and engage with this message. I was pleased with how well people were listening and with some conversations about the message following both worship services. I was disappointed not to see some specific responses to the message. But my call is to present and attempt to persuade, I cannot choose for others.

-My wake up time the past 3 mornings has been 3:30, 2:30 and 4:30. These times were earlier than my alarm was set. On 2 of the mornings I did get back to sleep for a few minutes, after going out to the living room. All 3 of the mornings were times when I woke up suddenly with eyes wide and mind racing. I did not enjoy it at all. Here’s hoping that trend ends tonight.

-I am broken by the large number of people I know who are going through difficult family turmoil. It is magnified because it is taking place during the Christmas season.

-My fantasy football team won this week. It still looks like I will be on the outside looking in for the playoffs.

-My wife is awesome.

-This year I am praying for something I have never prayed for, a grandson as he takes his college final exams for the semester. How did he get this old? Especially considering I am not aging at all. (Yes, I am delusional at times.)

-Our new church website is almost ready to go live!

-A unique experience for me this year will be having a Christmas Eve service at my 9:00 church and a Christmas Day service at my 10:30 church.

-I was a part of a District wide strategy meeting on Church Planting. It was exciting, humbling and it prompted a lot of thoughts for the future.

-My clothes have convinced me that it is time, more accurately it is past time, to make some changes concerning my food consumption and the quantity of my movement. I am going to ask some pastor friends to hold me accountable and join me if they feel so challenged.

-From my reading and prayer time this morning, “One of the great dangers we face spiritually is learning how and forgetting why.” (Mark Batterson in Draw The Circle)

Here’s hoping that you remember your “why” this week and pass it on.

Dennis

Yesterday was a wonderful day. It was a day I had been looking forward to for a long time and I was pleased with the day. Let’s get to the musings …

-Our son and daughter in law spoke at both churches yesterday. They shared about their ministry in Kenya the past 3 years and then told us about the new ministry they will begin in Central Africa Republic when they return to Africa. This new ministry will be with a Muslim group of people, they will be part of a team of 8 adults and a few children who will begin this new work. They did a wonderful job of sharing and of giving us a great picture of the ministry, of the need and helped spark a burden in all of us.   

-We had a carry-in meal following the worship service at our 10:30 church. There were people from both churches who were a part of the meal and it provided a chance for our son and daughter in law to have a time of questions and answers about their ministry.

-Our oldest granddaughter, who is about to turn 12, sang one song with my wife during the worship service. That was so neat. She was our first granddaughter after 3 grandsons. She also was born on my wife’s birthday so they have a special bond.

-It was so special for us to have our churches get the opportunity to get to know our son and daughter in law a little better. They have been praying from them without knowing them, now they we will be able to put a face and voice with the prayer requests.

-There was a good spirit in both churches during the entire service.

-We had good attendance in both churches again yesterday.

-We have needed to upgrade the computer that we were using during worship at my 9:00 church. Yesterday was the debut of our new computer and it worked well.

-My son and I are visiting with my Dad (he lives 6 hours away) for a couple of days. My son hasn’t seen his grandpa for 4 years so this will be a special visit.

-Next Tuesday we will make another trip to O’Hare Airport to take my son, daughter in law, and their 2 youngest kids (2 of our 10 grandkids) to begin their return trip to Africa. As I wrote a few weeks ago this will be difficult. Not because I don’t want them to go. I am pleased that they are going because I know that they are being obedient to the call on their hearts from God. The difficult part is not because of the fact that the new place they will be going is not as safe as where they have served their first 3 years. (That fact will just increase the fervency of our prayers a little more.) The difficult part is because now we know what 3 years feels like. We know what missing 3 years of birthdays and Christmases feels like. This time we know as they depart that it will be 3 years before we get to hug them again and we know what 3 years feels like.      

-I am really looking forward to next Sunday as I begin a new series of messages entitled “I Choose Hope”.

Here’s hoping that you will choose hope this week.    

Dennis

Yesterday was an outstanding day on many levels. It was exciting to see joy on many faces and to see some movement toward real revival. That is what I call an outstanding day. As for my musings …

-Kids singing enthusiastically always make for an uplifting time of worship. Yesterday my 9:00 church had most of the children from our just concluded Vacation Bible School share memory verses and sing in the worship service. The joy on the faces of most of the kids was so encouraging and the smiles on the faces of parents and grandparents was priceless. 

-The best part of the morning at my 9:00 church was having a family that lives by the church building in attendance for the very first time. Their child attended each day of VBS and loved every moment of it. We are making progress in connecting to our neighborhood.

-The spirit in my 10:30 church was once again outstanding. God is really speaking and I firmly believe we are seeing the early move of a revival. Oh how I am praying and pleading for revival. 

-Attendance was outstanding in my 9:00 church and it was good in my 10:30 church.

-Yesterday was also our city’s annual Back to School Bash and Backpack Giveaway. Several churches in town purchase backpacks and fill them with school supplies for students from Kindergarten through 8^th Grade. My two churches participated and filled 40 backpacks. The city pool is rented out and kids and their parents can swim for 2 hours for free. They also receive a hot dog, chips and drink all for free as well. This year each church provided gift cards or gift baskets for teachers. Names of teachers were drawn and they could choose which item they wanted. Several hundred kids are helped through this event. It is done with our local police department who organizes it and takes care of all the registrations and some other giveaways while mixing with the kids and families. 

-Our 10:30 church recognized my wife and I’s 41^st wedding anniversary. They gave us a card, a gift card and some cash. I am so humbled by their loving and giving spirit and their care for us.

-Many people also responded to a need for a family we have been in contact with outside of our church who needed some significant help with school supplies and clothes for a high school student. I love their generous spirit. 

-There were new people in both churches yesterday.

-On Saturday our District of Churches had a TEAM Day. It is a time of training for everyone. The main speaker was outstanding. He shared with great power and practicality about discipleship and the power of prayer. There were workshops for other areas of ministry as well. It was an outstanding day and we had 8 laypeople in attendance.

Here’s hoping that you find time to encourage someone today.

Dennis

Yesterday was a wonderfully difficult day. Many a Sunday could be described in a similar manner. I loved the wonderful stuff and the difficult stuff was more on me than anyone else. As for my musings …

-One of the highlights of the day was having 5 people show up for a baptism class last evening. I am excited for our next baptism services.

-Another humbling and wonderful part of yesterday was standing near a middle schooler during the music part of our worship at the 10:30 church. He was so unashamedly worshipping while he sang that it both encouraged and humbled me. May that connecting with the Holy Spirit increase in our times of worship. 

-Once again we had some technical issues in both churches. It appears that we need to replace one of our projectors in my 10:30 church.

-I was battling myself throughout my preaching at both churches, but especially at my 9:00. That is not a rare thing but yesterday it was a real battle.

-I loved that a young student in my 9:00 church invited me to join him, and his family, for breakfast following the worship service. I thanked him for the invite but said that my 10:30 church was expecting me to show up and attempt to preach so I had to decline. I loved that he invited me.

-Yesterday was an emotional day. On Saturday our son and family who are missionaries in Africa left our place to begin traveling to share at a few churches and see some more family. The difficult part of that was that it likely was the last time that all of them will be with us for at least 3 more years. Some of them will be back with us for a brief time but not all of them together. The emotions of that seemed to hit me harder yesterday than it did on Saturday as they drove away. 

-Tonight we begin our Vacation Bible School at my 9:00 church. Praying for changed lives. Praying for all of our workers. Praying that the weather forecasts of rain 4 of the next 5 days is wrong.

-I loved hearing a little about each person’s journey of faith in the baptism class last evening. Learning about people’s story never gets old.

-The next couple of weeks will involve a lot of brainstorming and planning for this fall. God is up to great things in Canton. We have only just begun to see what God plans to do in us and through us. Buckle up churches, it is going to be an exciting ride! 

-We had new people in our 10:30 church and their response seemed to be very positive. In one case they were actually planning on trying a different church yesterday but they ended up with us instead. One of them told me that they couldn’t believe what I was preaching on because they just had a discussion about that at home. God is moving.

-The attendance was good at both churches. We have had a very positive month of July at both churches spiritually and numerically.

-School begins in just over 2 weeks.

-Our house sure seems quiet and I have not had to wait in line to get into the bathroom. I sure loved the noise, the pile of shoes by the door and beauty of family we experienced over the past week and a half. I sat back in awe as I watched and listened to all of our children and grandkids. We are blessed beyond what we deserve. 

-Thought for the day: Change your prayer life and you will change your whole life.

Here’s hoping that you sense God’s presence in your life today.

Dennis

Yesterday had some great moments and some difficult ones as well. It was a holiday weekend Sunday with the usual assortment of people being gone and others filling in for everything to go well. As for my musings …

-There was a very good response to the message yesterday. Nearly 40 people made a declaration to use the freedom Christ has provided to “shake free” from anything that is holding them back from the life Christ has for them. And to share with someone what freedom in Christ can mean for them. 

-Our technical issues are getting much better at my 9:00 church thanks to the work and knowledge of our new Assistant Pastor. Way to go Pastor Matt.

-My 10:30 church is looking a lot like a journey through some caves. Makes sense because our Vacation Bible School begins in a week and it is entitled “Cave Quest”. The place is looking great and many people have been, and are still, putting in many hours on the decorating. I love how our people give so much of themselves to reach kids for Christ.

-My 9:00 church is just beginning the preparation for Vacation Bible School later in the summer and people are responding to serve. One of the greatest results of VBS every year is the community that comes from the adults serving together for such a significant time.

-Attendance was way down at my 10:30 church. My 9:00 church almost had their normal attendance.

-We are now 16 days from hugging my son, daughter (in law) and 5 of my grandkids as they arrive back in the states for a brief visit after 3 years of ministry in Kenya.

-This week I get to spend some time with 2 of my daughters and 5 of my grandkids. We will also get to visit my dad and stepmom. This will be fun.

-Looking forward to a relaxing day today. Stuff to get done but no agenda. If they get done great, if they don’t get done great. 

-Had a great time of prayer this morning. Even on a holiday 3 other people joined me for our 5:30 to 6:30 am prayer on Mondays and Fridays.

-It feels like we are on the edge of something. It seems that we need to break through something and if we do then we will start experiencing a great move of God. It is time to keep pressing forward and to especially ramp up the passion and amount of our prayers. 

Here’s hoping that you are seeing God at work in your life.

Dennis

Yesterday was a very encouraging and inspiring day. It was one of those days that carries you forward for quite a while. It was one of those Sundays that was encouraging for nearly everyone, those are the best kind of days. As for my musings … 

-There was a great spirit in both of my churches yesterday.

-In my 10:30 church I had the joy of baptizing four people! I love baptisms. Each one shared part of their faith journey as part of our service. There were many smiles, tears and cheers as well. 

-In my 9:00 church we had someone pray to receive Christ as their personal Savior. How awesome is that? Are you seeing why it was such an inspiring and encouraging day?

-I have already heard from 3 people who are interested in our next baptism class!

-It seems that even on the great days there are some bumps. I received an anonymous note complaining about 2 areas of ministry. I will not spend time trying to deal with it because the person did not put their name with it, so I cannot dialog with them about their concerns.

-My son, daughter(in law) and 5 of my grandkids will arrive in the states in 23 days!!  They are in need of a mini-van for 3 weeks when they arrive. Would you pray with us for this need? If you have any ideas I would love to hear from you.

-Our 5:30 to 6:30 am prayer times on Mondays and Fridays continue to be powerful and vital times for me. Also, there have been other people come and pray each time. I am absolutely convinced that these times of prayer are critical for our church to see the next move of God in our community.

-Part of my prayer for the Vacation Bible School (VBS) at both of my churches is that there would 3 or 4 students who hear from God about a call to full-time ministry for their futures.

-I came across this statement recently “God does not answer vague prayers”. I don’t know who to attribute the statement to, but it really got me thinking about my prayers. I don’t advocate “name it, claim it” praying, but I believe that as we seek and know God’s desires that we should pray specifically and confidently about those things. Is it possible that my vagueness in praying robs me from seeing God’s mighty move in my life? In his book “Draw the Circle” Mark Batterson wrote, “To be honest, I was subconsciously hedging my bets. My lack of faith didn’t allow me to go out on a limb and lay my true request on the line. And because I was afraid God might not answer, I didn’t even give Him a chance to answer!” I am really chewing on this right now.

-I love the energy in our building as decorations for our Vacation Bible School are going up all over the building.

-Looking forward to spending a few days with my 2 daughters and 5 grandkids who live here in the states. We will gather for a little while next week.

-I can’t believe that it is the end of June and I have not gone fishing once! What is wrong with me? A combination of busyness, a lot of heat and poor planning on my part. 

-Very thankful for the skills and ingenuity of some people in my church. Last week in preparation for the baptisms I discovered that our baptistery was leaking and that our heater for the baptistery was broken. 2 guys came and got the leak fixed and thought of a creative way to heat the water.

Here’s hoping that you find something to encourage and inspire you today and that you take the opportunity to encourage someone else as well.

Dennis