our guests on Christmas Eve

Father I pray that our guests on Christmas Eve would continue to feel your presence and allow you to draw them into fellowship with you. Let your Word dwell in them richly and Holy Spirit, draw, draw, draw them to yourself through that time they had in your presence. Don't let the accuser and liar steal away that seed, or bring confusion to it. Cause their steps to be ordered toward you every day. Bring them back this week and cause many of them who are not attached to a church, to become attached to Freedom Valley.

And bless those who brought them to know how to minister to them and encourage them. Help them see you at work in that bringers so that they too get hungry to feel you at work in their own hearts more.

And thank you again for trusting us by bringing them.

praying about being a good Father-in-law

The Heartland song that I heard on my road trip today said it best, and left me remembering, praying, and appreciating God so much today. I really love my daughter's fiance, and look forward to him becoming a son to me. Aaron Pringle is a good man and someone I appreciate very much for character, vision, and integrity. He treats my daughter very well and makes her very happy. Together, they make a good team. I am excited about their future!

But read this, and tell me the words alone don't rip out your eyes when you think of your kids...

Look at the two of you dancing that way
Lost in the moment and each others face
So much in love your alone in this place
Like there's nobody else in the world
I was enough for her not long ago
I was her number one
She told me so
And she still means the world to me
Just so you know
So be careful when you hold my girl
Time changes everything
Life must go on
And I'm not gonna stand in your way

But I loved her first and I held her first
And a place in my heart will always be hers
From the first breath she breathed
When she first smiled at me
I knew the love of a father runs deep
And I prayed that she'd find you someday
But it still hard to give her away
I loved her first

How could that beautiful women with you
Be the same freckle face kid that I knew
The one that I read all those fairy tales to
And tucked into bed all those nights
And I knew the first time I saw you with her
It was only a matter of time

But I loved her first and I held her first
And a place in my heart will always be hers
From the first breath she breathed
When she first smiled at me
I knew the love of a father runs deep
And I prayed that she'd find you someday
But its still hard to give her away
I loved her first

From the first breath she breathed
When she first smiled at me
I knew the love of a father runs deep
Someday you might know what I'm going through
When a miracle smiles up at you
I loved her first

Blessing for those generous givers

Father, I pray that every one of those ministries and individuals that gave so generously to Freedom Valley would be mightily blessed! Let them see your great faithfulness and blessing, and how you honor those who honor you.

I pray that Freedom Valley would develop skill and excellence at raising up people who can handle great wealth and be entrusted by God with great increase. Let abundance come in waves, and our ability to make a great difference be increased by it.

so much to appreciate

I find it so overwhelming to thank God. Where to start? There is so much to say, and to appreciate.

Last night my oldest daughter, Candace announced that she and Aaaron Pringle are getting married! I am very happy about this and look forward to figuring out how to be a Father-In-Law. I hope I can be as good at it as my Father-In-Law is to me. I also hope that I am better at it than I was at getting used to haviong my daughter date in the first place. I am notr proud of how I acted in that role at first.

Christmas Eve services were so cool. Blow out crowds at Hanover and at York Road. In fact, York Road was way too full. We set up every chair and brought in more stacks of chairs, finally giving up and just allowing the poor late comers to just stand. I felt sorry for them, even while feeling happy to have that problem.

It was so good to have the Keith and Karen Welsh family back. God, in His never ending mystery, for some reason did not allow us to support them financially this past year. But this year will be different I think. I love Him for allowing us to help. I think a lot more people will spend eternity in heaven becauyse of their work, and I get a little of that credit.

This week I spent a whole lot of time thinking about how one year ago I had my last conversation with my good friend Malcolm Workman. I must have reviewed that last conversation in my mind a hudred times since that. I wish it could have gone differently. I wish I could have thought of an other way for it to turn out. I guess I am still waiting for my ridiculously gracious God to bail me out of this one some how. Not that I deserve it. Just that it is what He does so much. And it would be so cool if He did it again. I think He probably will.

And this year, I cannot stop thinling about how good God has been to me. I love my job. I have an incredibly gorgeous wife, who is my best friend. My kids are my friends too, and most importantly, they love God, sometimes more than I do, maybe. I wish I had grown up as good as they seem to be growing up.

Freedom Valley people are sowonderful and kind. They have blessed me in more ways than are fair. They take care of each other so beautifully, and follow me so kindly. They put up with my faults with a lot of patience, and allow me to grow at my own pace. I see so much Jesus in them, and hope they sometimes see a little of Him in me.

I was going to get around to some more prayer requests here, but it seems wrong right now. There is just so much to thank God for right now, I probably ought to stop there, just appreciating how much he has done for me already. Maybe tomorrow I can start asking for things already, if I remind myself often enought that He likes it when i ask for things so that I can use it for His glory.

I'd be surprised if anyone actually read this far in this rambling thing. But if you did, I pray a blessing on you for caring.

call to humility

We need a fresh spirit of humility and servanthood. Please pray that God will find us quick to humble ourselves under His mighty hand, and allow Him to exalt us in due season.

This weeekend, I am asking for God to help us reach those who seek Him in the Christmas season, and to attact some of them to become part of us permanently. We are asking for growth and effectiveness in ministering Jesus to those who seek Him.

I am also Asking God to send us someone who desires to give $5000 to help us finish the renovation of the sanctuary, and $20,000 in year end giving of other kinds to catch up on our pay for staff, some of which have only been partially paid this year.

fine tuning Hanover

Father, today I really need to hear from you on how to go to a new level at Hanover. You have helped us do well, but we need to do a lot better. I am asking you for at least 150 people a week there, and effective disciples being formed.

In addition, I am asking you God for about $5000 more dollars to finish our sanctuary renovation project.

Thank you for so generously providing and giving us so many opportunities to try so many things and reach as many as we have. But if you don't mind, I'd like to find ways to reach many more and contribute much to our community and our nation.

Help us reach this culture with your message, Oh God. Help us turn people from self destruction, and learn skills that even help others reach their communities more efectively.

I need to update this thing

Prayet team,
This blod should be helpful to me, but somehow I just do not get it updated often enough. I'd appreciate your prayers on that.
And also, financial breakthrough for Freedom Valley. We need at least $12000 a week these days, and 1500 in attendance weekly.
Thanks for praying!