Fun Times at Tir Na Nog...

Last night was Davo's b-day... Bunch of us went downtown to hangout at Tir Na Nog as one of our own companions (Arron Chappel from Alabaster Suitcase) was doing a little acoustic rock set...

Thanks to all that made it out... I had a blast...

Happy Birthday to Dave ...


-Holla

Need Help???

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Anything going on this weekend...

Feel free to "post a comment" and let people know what you've got going on... It would also be good to let people know how to get in touch with you if they want to meet up...

Rescue...

Our discussion last night at hungry took us to place of "understanding a rescue"... It's pretty obvious that there is something about a book, a movie, or story that gets our heart pounding when a dramatic rescue is taking place. Someone giving up something or risking something just for the sake of something or someone else... That gets us going...

Jeff pointed out there has never been greater "giving up of something" than when Christ left his place in heaven... I really do wonder what that was like when The Father turned to Jesus and they both knew what lied ahead. I mean he had heard all the prophecies... He new exactly where this road led... All for a people that would in large reject Him... Can you imagine for the first time feeling cold... Hungry... Reliant completely on the very humans he created.

But then the rescue... not just death on a cross for the forgiveness of sins... But also teaching us how to live... how to care for one another... to restore fellowship between us and God... So that we could somehow know this "mystery which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" - (Colossians 1:26-27)

Hopefully we can go into this Christmas season not just celebrating a birth... but celebrating the greatest, most sacrificial, most life-changing rescue of all time...

Loving our neighbor...

Just this past week I have been overwhelmed with hearing of people, everyday people doing amazing things for people just because God is working in their lives and His goodness is showing... People giving money to single mothers, spending time with her children, guys going to work on computers at house for the less fortunate, college kids taking homeless guys out to eat, friends using their Christmas money for other friends... I gotta tell you it is moving to see God move in peoples lives...

Not that anyone here on earth has it all together but it is so encouraging and God glorifying to see people "Loving God and loving their neighbors..." There is something magical about making a small decision to put someoneelse in front of yourself... And it is almost just as magical to see someone else do it... It is amazing to see God moving in a community... I gotta beleive this is what is meant by "they will see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven"... (Matthew 5:16)

Hungry (last night's gathering)

Wow, what a night... We are going through a series on Colossians and Jeff started last night in verse 9 of the first chapter. The focus was really on prayer for each other in our community. In the passage we see Paul praying for this community that is about the size of ours within Hungry. He goes on to say they are praying for "God to fill them with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding." Paul must have had it in his head that praying for people really does have a purpose. Jeff's point was "What if other people's spiritual wisdom and understanding did have some sort of dependence on our prayers for them." What if our prayers or lack there of really impact people's lives.

He used a great illustration of his children. He made the point that he could only imagine how much it would mean to him if one of his children came to him in concern for his brother (which would be Jeff's son also - in case you didn't catch that - hah). I have to think that God's love for his children is so much greater than anything we will ever know in this life. God must smile when He sees his children, His creation passionately pleaing for one another. Personally I think that is a large part of God's dream for His church.

We actually went into a deeper discussion of what all that means but personally I was challenged just by the idea of us praying for each other. I mean really praying. And praying with the mindset that I am making a difference in the life of our community and our world.

We left the night with an opportunity for individuals write down prayer requests and to take others with the challenge to really be a community that pleas and prays for each other. The hope is that this will become a natural value of our community that we will constantly "pray without ceasing" for each other and for our world.

Thanks for reading...