Thursday, January 31, 2008

What if....?

1. What if God calls you to do something you appear to be an unlikely candidate to accomplish...?
2. What if God really does use the foolish things to confound the wise....?
3. What if following God's call means you are doing something you have never done before and you have no idea if you're qualified to do it or that it will work....?
4. What if your passion for something is greater than your knowledge of it...?
5. What if you put off what God has called you to in order to find a safer way first that makes more sense....?
6. What if this is exactly where God wants you to be so He can display HIS power in an unmistakable way...?

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

I Want It...

I must confess....when I saw the commercial for this....I became very envious...and now I really do want one...but I'm extremely poor, so it ain't happening. My cracked Gateway will have to survive as long as it can for now.

Sick Day

I woke up Monday morning around 4am extremely sick....I am pretty sure it was food poisoning. I ate at one of my favorite places on the planet Sunday night....Zaxby's. Unfortunately, something went terribly wrong and the toilet and I became very close friends Monday...nothing is worse than throwing up....probably won't find me eating Zaxby's anytime soon...which is kind of a sad thing....

Woo HOO!

I am looking forward to tomorrow night....the season premier of LOST!!

Thursday, January 24, 2008

More Baby Hannah Pictures

Pretty in pink....
Nice and cozy....
Watchin' the idiots on American idol...
My first visit with my big BUBBA....
Finally home....

My Sister Is Home...

...so I'm getting prepared!!



Now that's good stuff!!

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Welcome To The World Hannah!!

Hannah arrived today....1/22/2008 somewhere around 8:45pm. She weighed in at 9lbs. 3oz. stretching out to 21 inches long. She has a head full of brown curly hair just like her mommy. She is stunning...like her mom. Mommy and baby are doing just fine...Thanks to all for your prayers!!







Monday, January 21, 2008

MLK Day

This morning on the radio they played arguably the most popular speech in American history...the "I Have A Dream" speech my Martin Luther King Jr. I love that speech! It gives me chills every time I hear it. MLK was a man of vision, passion, and resilience. He was willing to sacrifice everything for the CALL on his life...and in the end he did...and it was most definitely a noble cause. The people on the radio station asked the question...would he be proud today about the progression we've made since his movement. No doubt he would indeed be proud....but I'm convinced that if he were here now he would be just as zealous for the cause he gave his life for...never being satisfied, but always moving and progressing forward with the same enthusiastic passion, and even bigger dreams.

MLK went against the mainstream, and for that he was met with much resistence and criticism...but it never slowed him down...he was committed to what he believed. The questions of the day are...am as committed to the task God has called me to? Am I willing to sacrifice everything and become the target of resistence and criticism? Will I end with the same passion and resilience that I'm beginning with? Is the task I'm committed to so great that I'm willing to lose everything in order to see it come to fruition? Well......?

Thoughts From Sunday...

1. Visited Oakleaf yesterday for the first time...they are doing an awesome job...way to be brave Michael!!
2. Freedom...you guys are so awesome!!! I can't wait to see the transformation that God does in Acworth through your influence!!
3. I'm really disappointed in Brett Favre and the Packs...can't believe he choked in OT...
4. I can't wait to attend Evolve...and Unleash...I also want to attend C3 and Drive...after Perry's rebuke...I'm gonna do my best to make it happen...
5. My son Noah is the coolest....Jason captured him in all his handsomeness....thanks Jason...can't wait to see the rest!
6. Sorry Teri about the Packs losing...I really was pulling for them...
7. Snow....maybe next time....

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Freak Out

I'm sitting here watching the news and wondering where the snow is....it's really funny to me how all the people are freaking out and nothing is happening. Flights are cancelled, GDOT is standing by ready to de-ice, events are being cancelled, yet nothing is happening. I find it funny how we freak out about the POSSIBILITY of 1 to 2 inches of snow. I'm pretty sure the people from the North think we are insane....

Friday, January 18, 2008

Please Let It Snow...Please!

I love snow. In my opinion...unless it snows, cold weather is useless. I know that it's Saturday and it's the worst day for it to snow for a church planter...especially those who are just starting...but I really do want to see about 5+ inches of snow. Snow is so much fun!! So....I am hoping for one awesome snow day like we have not seen in years here in GA...

I Know The Plans...

Jeremiah 29:11 is a rather popular verse in the Bible. "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

This is an awesome verse...but today I read it in its context. God makes this promise to the people of Israel just before they were going to be taken captive by the Babylonians. For the people of Israel, I would imagine losing all their possessions including their homes, and having to be under control of the Babylonians did not really fit this description that God gives about them.

God's plans and purposes might not be packaged exactly how we think, but He always has our best in mind. The path that leads us to "prosperity" just might very well be through the valley of difficulty. No matter what, God's purpose and plan is greater than are circumstance. God is beyond our current situation. He is not going to destroy or harm us, but there may be pain, hurt and difficulty involved. Whatever the case He has a purpose, and ultimately that purpose means something greater for us than are current circumstances allow us to see. Through it all....He does promise to hear us and listen when we call, and when we search for Him in our most difficult times He can be found (Jeremiah 29:12-13). Hold out through your circumstance and take heart...because the promise of God is that the future is bright!!

Monday, January 14, 2008

I've Waiting For This...

I've been waiting to post the information in this blog for a long time. I've been referring to the big announcement for the past couple of weeks. Well, today...I am making it. Perhaps it's not as big to some of you as it is to me...but that's ok. Several months ago I posted about God's call on my life to start a church. I then posted about the 2 big obstacles I was facing in the beginning of our journey. Those 2 obstacles where a place and a name. Well, we have overcome those obstacles. We did this about a month or so ago, but we've been holding out because when we made the announcement...we wanted to do it right. Well....I think we are doing it right. Here is the announcement...

God has called us to launch REVEAL Church, a.k.a. THE REVEAL, in Flowery Branch, GA!!!! We are so pumped about God's call on our life to launch THE REVEAL!! Link over to our info. site and let us know what you think...Our desire is that you will pray for us as we embark on this mission in Flowery Branch to bring transformation by loving Jesus and people and REVEALing Him to everyone, everywhere!!

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Saturday Thoughts

1. Found out some interesting things today...these things have kept me
deep in thought
2. I'm happy for Brett Favre...I hope he and the Packs keep it up
3. I'm disappointed that my name for the Freedom truck didn't make the
final cut
4. Had a great time talking to Dr. Jerry Vines today...great preacher,
great leader, full of great wisdom
5. I am pumped about being a church planter!
6. My poor wife's feet have become severly swollen...she's ready for
baby girl to come

Friday, January 11, 2008

Friday 7

1. Yesterday was a day of much accomplishment...yet there's always more to do.
2. Does it really need to be so difficult to open up a PO Box at the Post Office?
3. I don't think winter survived the holidays...
4. I can't wait to move!
5. January 11...and still no baby...my poor wife
6. Wendy's brought back the 99 Cents Double Stack...good move Wendy's
7. I promise that the announcement I've been promising is coming Monday...PROMISE!

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Something New

Something new, but not borrowed or blue....I've had the iPhone for
several months now but have never succeeded in being able to blog from
it. I think I have finally done so. If your reading this I've
officially learned something new...blogging from my iPhone...this is
going to be fun!

Funny

I love God's Word. Sometimes when you read some translations things sound funny given our modern context. Today was one of those days where it was funny. The following is one of the first passages I read this morning out of the Holman Christian Standard Version....

"This is what the Lord said to me: 'Go and buy yourself linen underwear and put it on, but don’t get it wet.' So I bought underwear as the Lord instructed me and put it on (Jer 13:1-2)."

Pretty funny....

Wednesday, January 09, 2008

Stuff

There is a lot of stuff going on right now in the world of Mark...so much that sometimes its hard to wrap my mind around all of it. Yet in the midst of it all....its still exciting to be apart of this great thing that God has called me to do.

Monday, January 07, 2008

Announcement Postponed

The announcement I promised on Saturday will be postponed until later in the week....sorry, I promise it will be made known soon...promise!!

YES

Yes....I am seemingly risking everything to plant a church.
Yes....there is a lot of uncertainty.
Yes....I'm scared out of mind.
Yes....it's a whole lot of work.
Yes....it's crazy.
Yes....I'm stressed out about it.
Yes....there is an easier journey.
Yes....there is a safer path.
Yes....it does seem a little stupid.
Yes....I'm doing it anyway!

On the flip side.....

Yes....there is way more to gain!
Yes....God certainly CALLED me and will certainly provide!
Yes....God comforts me when I'm heavy hearted!
Yes....God will reward the faithful work!
Yes....God does extraordinary things when He calls you to do something crazy!
Yes....God meets me in my time of greatest stress!
Yes....God promised to be WITH me not that it would be easy!
Yes....God IS WITH ME...what could be any safer?!?
Yes....what seems stupid and impossible with us is a set-up for God to the EXTRAORDINARY!!
Yes....I'm doing it, and extremely pumped about it!!!!!

Excited For Freedom

I had the great opportunity to be a part of the first set-up and tear down of Freedom Church. It was awesome to be a part of something so incredible. God is about to rock the city of Acworth, GA...I look forward to watching what God does! I had a blast hanging with the team...they are awesome...and are the epitome of sacrifice! Great Job...thanks for letting me have the awesome opportunity of helping out!!!

Saturday, January 05, 2008

Saturday Thoughts

1. I'm learning that being a church planter means your mind never turns off....which changes the whole dynamics of sleeping.
2. My wife could go into labor at any moment now...which means I can't go very far from her.
3. I am going to have 2 kids under the age of 2 really soon...I'm pretty sure I'm never sleeping again.
4. Speeding tickets are stupid. I was on such a good streak. Dang cops.
5. I am going to make HUGE announcements on Monday so stay tuned!!
6. I am pumped about getting these HUGE announcements out in the open!!
7. Lightening rod....that is funny....if you knew why you would think so to...
8. I am so happy for Shea and Amber....welcome to the world Keegan!!
9. I'm excited about Evolve conference....I've told several people to go this week...you really don't want to miss it!!
10. Freedom is coming VERY soon....I'm so excited for those guys!!!

Friday, January 04, 2008

A Good Day

Yesterday was a good....but a very busy day. I had meeting on top of meeting in the afternoon, then came home for just a enough time to eat dinner and bathe Noah. We then headed out to visit my Executive Pastor, Shea and his wife Amber, at the hospital because they welcomed Keegan to the world, their 2nd baby girl. After that we rolled over to visit some friends who were in from England, who happens to be the smartest person I know. We didn't end up getting home until around 10pm. A long, busy, but very productive day.

Wednesday, January 02, 2008

Noteworthy Quotes....

"....Heisman Trophy finalist and catalyst for the nation's highest-scoring team....was sacked eight times, threw three interceptions and lost two fumbles."

GO DAWGS!!

"We've never played in this element....We got here and we tried as hard as we could to keep it as normal as we're used to, but it just seemed like we weren't used to this kind of venue...It was the fastest team I've probably ever seen..."
-Colt Brennan
GO DAWGS!!

A New Year

I am extremely excited about the new year and the adventures that God has placed before me. I pumped about transitioning full time to church planting. I have some big announcements coming real soon concerning the awesome work that God has called me to. This is going to be an AWESOME year!!