by David Alexander on February 5, 2010
One of our church staff members, Charlene McKinzey will be having surgery today in Dallas. Last Friday, Charlene was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Today, they hope to remove that cancer.
Charlene is one of our longest tenured staff members serving our church in multiple ways. Currently she works with our 5th & 6th grade program which means that Confirmation, something she cares very deeply about, will have to start this weekend without her. Charlene has helped lead our music program and for a very long time gave direction to our youth choir.
Charlene is a servant, a spirited and committed follower of Christ, and a dear friend and mentor to many in our congregation.
Today, I will be praying for her and I want to encourage you to do so as well.
If you find yourself searching for the words, here’s a sense of my prayer for this family today.
Lord, I pray your blessings upon Charlene today and ask that your peace would surround her in this hour. May your grace calm all her anxiety and remind her of the many who gather around her in prayer today lifting her up. We give you thanks God for the hospital that provides her care and the doctors and nurses who will serve Charlene today. Lead them Lord as they seek to bring healing to Charlene.
Bless her husband Kyle and their two children as they support Charlene. Surround them with your presence in this difficult time. God, we thank you for this family, for their faith and life which has served many, and their dedication to one another in all seasons of life. Bless them Lord, in Jesus Name. AMEN.
by David Alexander on February 4, 2010
During 2009, our church made an intentional effort to be more invested in personal Bible study. The resource that we used to read through the Bible in 2009 was the Transformation Journal. In 2010, we made the decision that we wanted to not only continue that emphasis, we wanted to take it to the next level by providing a daily Bible reading guide for our entire congregation that would be a supplement to our sermon series and seasonal emphasis.
Last week, I started writing the first week of what we are calling our GPS guide.
This guide will officially launch on February 20th with the start of the Lenten season and our “24 Hours that Changed the World” sermon series. In the bulletin that weekend, along with your sermon notes, you will find this new resource. You will also be able to subscribe to receive the Bible passage and reflection questions each day via email as well.
We’ve set up a blog, www.growpraystudy.org where you can find out more info about the GPS guide and also sign up in advance to receive the GPS via email. If you choose to do that, you will receive your first day’s reading on February 22nd.
I am really excited about sharing this new resource with you, and I think it’s going to be a powerful motivator for each of us as we share the journey of faith together. If you have any questions about GPS, feel free to email me or visit www.growpraystudy.org.
by David Alexander on February 3, 2010
This last weekend during the second message of our sync series we talked about why “kneeling” is an image we have for prayer. Prayer always involves, “kneeling” before God, submitting our hopes and dreams in order to take up God’s hopes and dreams for our lives. It is always, “not my will, but yours.”
John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement understood that very well, and modeled that in his own prayer life. If you were to visit Wesley’s house today [a historical site in England] you would find two kneel holes in his closet where he knelt to pray everyday. He also carried this emphasis into a famous prayer that is an important part of our Methodist heritage and tradition.
During this year, one of my goals is to pray this prayer every day.
I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee,
exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
thou art mine, and I am thine.
So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven.
Amen.
by David Alexander on February 2, 2010
Tonight, one of my favorite shows returns to primetime TV for it’s final season. Somehow I’m going to have to squeeze in two hours tonight for the season five wrapup show and the first episode from season six.
Last night, in preparation for the season premiere, I read a book I got for Christmas from my brother entitled, “The Gospel According to LOST.” Chris is a great writer, thinker and pastor of Ecclesia Church in Houston. Formerly, he was the founder of University Baptist Church in Waco, Texas. [David Crowder Band's home church]
I had previously read Chris’, “The Gospel Reloaded: Exploring Spirituality and Faith in The Matrix” which I really enjoyed. His new book on the hit TV series is an excellent read and I would highly recommend it to any LOST fans out there.
In each chapter, Chris explores each of the main characters and does a marvelous job unpacking the emotional and spiritual journey each character has taken over the first five seasons.
Connecting their pilgrimage to Biblical faith, Chris also examines the spiritual themes and questions that arise of the show as well as the mystery and wonder that underlies the entire LOST series.
If you are also on Twitter, you might check out Chris there. He was invited to the LOST premiere last week in Hawaii and has some interesting tweets/pics from his trip. You can find Chris on Twitter here.
by David Alexander on February 1, 2010
I received word today that one of my roommates from college is heading to Haiti. The year that we lived together, I rarely saw Kevin. He had a part time job as a phlebotomist [the people who stick you for an IV] at one of the local hospitals. When Kevin was not working, he was in the library studying. I was always amazed that he could spend the entire day at the library on a Saturday.
Why was Kevin so dedicated to studying? Kevin had a dream of becoming a doctor.
That dream came true for Kevin, and now that calling has led him to bring healing and hope to the people of Haiti.
When I received word this morning about Kevin’s trip, I couldn’t help but think about all those hours he invested so long ago.
Here’s just a small portion of what Kevin shared about his recent trip.
We are excited for all that God wants to do in comforting the people of Haiti and revealing His love to them. May His Kingdom come more fully in the wake of this devastation. I prayed for God to give me His heart of compassion for the people there, and as I was weeping at World Mandate, He gave me the sense that no one is hurting more than Him for the people of Haiti. I don’t feel that I have much to offer, but am thrilled at the opportunity to trust Him and allow Him to work through me. Please pray that I would not grow weary in doing good, and that I would present the Gospel clearly to the all, especially to the hearts God already has been working in to respond to His love and salvation. I am in a desperate place for Him as it should be!
I appreciate your prayers for my friend Kevin.
by David Alexander on January 28, 2010
Yesterday I posted about my most important task for that day which was taking care of my son. I didn’t realize what that might entail when I wrote that early Thursday morning while Jack napped in the middle of the living room floor. [Jack is 18 months by the way]
We went straight from our doctors appointment to Cooks Children’s Hospital for further tests after it was determined that Jack was showing signs of RSV and having a difficult time breathing normally. We had two breathing treatments done at the doctor’s office before heading to Fort Worth.
After several hours at Cook’s we were allowed to return home. Jack’s breathing had returned to a somewhat normal rhythm. We’ll still be on watch for the next 7-10 days and could return to Cook’s if his breathing becomes labored again, but we’re hoping we’re out of the woods.
We’ll see. I can’t wait to see him back to normal showing us his fake smile like this pic.
It was a whirlwind day, but I finish it with deep gratitude for my son and for the excellent care available to him in this area.
I appreciate your prayers for our little guy. The virus will have to run it’s course over the next week or so.
by David Alexander on January 28, 2010
Most days the first thing that I do when I get to the office is set my most important tasks for the day. That usually consists of 4-5 tasks that are essential to get done that day. I will end up doing more than that short lists of tasks, but the idea behind an M.I.T. list is to not let the five most essential tasks get lost in the midst of everything else your day demands. Once that list is written in the morning, I try to knock one of those tasks off the list right away.
What I appreciate about this process is taking the time to intentionally focus my energy for the day on what’s really important. On days like today, it helps me block out the other impending deadlines and stress and lock in to what’s really essential.
Let me explain… Here’s my list for today.
* Take care of Jack
As you can see, it’s a rather short list. It’s not my normal list for Thursday. I have other things that need to get done before the end of the week. [People do expect a sermon on Saturday] But for today, this is the only thing that is essential. My boy has been sick since Monday and we’re going to the doctor this morning.
Everything else can wait… and I will adapt to getting those things done at some other time. Those tasks are incredibly important to me, and I care deeply about doing them well, but today is about Jack. Beginning my day with that focus really helps me be present in what I need to do today, and also prepares me for what I will need to do tomorrow.
What steps do you take everyday to focus your energy on what’s really important?
by David Alexander on January 26, 2010
One of our youth snapped this picture of me after worship on Saturday night. Evidently, she was quite taken with the handbag I was sporting on Saturday Night!
