A Year with God By R.P. Nettelhorst

I first must say, it is so very important to be spending time in God's Word, the bible and a devotional is a great tool to help us focus on His word and potential actions we can take to draw closer to God and to help others do the same.

A Year with God
By R.P. Nettelhorst

I honestly had hoped this book would not turn out to be like all other devotional books but I was wrong. I did enjoy various parts of the book but for the majority it was just another devotional book to put on the shelf or give as a gift.
The Plus Side:
1. I really liked the various scriptures used through out the book.
2. I enjoyed the lay out of the book itself.
3. I enjoyed the ability to go deeper with the content.
The Minus Side:
1. I do not thing the book cover lends any draw to the book. If this is in the book stand with other devotionals, I would not be drawn instantly to pick it up and buy it.
2. I felt the format was good but it was so much like most devotionals. Again, maybe I had to high of expectations for the book.
3. I really struggled to get into the book, it was a force to pick it up and read it. I did enjoy some points as I read but my demands and needs were so much greater than the desire to pick up this devotional. I have several devotionals that make me want to keep reading and studying it further. This one didn't.

If you are looking for a nice devotional to work through some powerful scripture, to draw you to think about life and various applications, this book might do the trick. But if you come from a long line of devotional use, I think you will be let down and feeling blah.
Good luck reading.

Comparing isnt ministry success

I was leading a round table for our denominational area youth worker gathering just recently and I discovered something very interesting. So interesting I had to blog about it. The plan was to have several youth workers, and those interested in youth ministry at the local church level have a general discussion over lunch.
I asked each person where they were as a youth group and where they wished they could be. It is a very good open ended question, but as the discussion progressed more and more floated to the surface. The real challenge was how do we compete with the church down the road as we save our whole community for Jesus.
So, why do so many churches fall into the compare game with those around them, or even those churches some where in the US that appear to have it all figured out?
I encouraged them, and encourage you to stop and ask yourself two questions.
1.) What do you do really well?
2.) What makes that thing special?
If we are honest we all fear not having something for every student who walks our halls and sit on our churches. It seems funny but true. We want to be all, for all, doing all so everyone gets all... I can't seem to find scripture that encourages us to do that. In fact, as Paul teaches on spiritual gifts, we are all gifted differently. Why doesn't this roll over to the ministries we oversee and love?
What would our world, community and churches be like if we began to focus on doing the things we do and doing them with excellence?
If you do worship well, Praise God. If you do small groups well, Praise God. If you do outreach well, Praise God. Then maybe we (the church) can get together with other churches and stop competing and begin working together to reach and minister to those in need of a Savior!
I know many churches out there are doing all the right things but for the average church, there are not enough resources, finances, volunteers and time to compete. So, stop competing and start doing what you can to reach people with excellence at what you do well at.
God will bless your efforts if you use the gifts and talents He has given you to reach His people.
Praise God for churches who do the work of Christ, without comparing and coveting the other churches in their communities.

Transforming church in Rural America

Transforming Church in Rural America by Shannon O'Dell

I think this book was extremely well written.
The Author was called into a new world of leadership, as he transitioned from big church youth worker to a senior pastor in rural America. This would be a difficult adjustment since they are totally different worlds. Shannon had several interesting points for all leaders to consider and implement in their particular area of leadership. Notice, I did not say anything about churches or rural America.
Each chapter and step into the book unveils several interesting leadership tools and steps one could use to grow their organization.
Shannon does a great job of taking the reader outside of his or her thinking box and offers some awesome leadership tools that will stretch their thinking and team.
I would recommend every church leader, secular business leader or striving leader to read this book, and gain some valuable tools to achieve exponential growth.
The reader will be drawn into the story of a youth worker reaching his purpose in ministry and walk a way with a ton of quality tools for personal success.
I am not sure the title really serves the book well since it is truly a complete leadership book no matter where the leader lives.

Living Life in the Zone intro

I finally got the book in the mail today. Living Life in the Zone: A 40-day Spiritual Game Plan for Men by Kyle Rote jr. & Dr. Joe Pettigrew
It begins with a brief intro to the main ideas and topics: Faith, Fatherhood, Marriage, Work, and Friendship
and a key point to me: "When God speaks; he doesn't stutter."
This is going to be a neat book because it gives thought for the day, the coaches corner, the game plan, playmakers, time outs, today's assignment and home field advantage.
I am encouraged that the book is so easy to pick up and read but has great substance for us to consider and apply to our lives.
Stay tuned for more challenges and thoughts from this 40-day experience

Mobile Blogging from here.

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The Test

This weekend I experienced a few tests, some were personal tests and others were tests I watched. I watched several football games: East Central High School played Batesville, Michigan played Umass and the Indianapolis Colts played the NY Giants ( the Manning bowl). I watched a few episodes of Wipe out which tests the participants ability to do the course ad fast as they can to win money, also watched some Minute to Win it.
the greatest test came in Sunday morning in church. we have been discussing the book Christian Athleist and this week we talked about giving something up that might have a hold of our heart in front of God. it is a hard test to pass since we live in a world consumed with self and wants. I am challenged to think through my day and determine what has a greater hd on my heart than God and then work towards releasing it.
I hope to continually pass the test of time and grow to be more Christ like. What about you?

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V - ABC Tuesday Night Showing

I have been enjoying the parallels between the hit show and a personal walk with Christ.


A brief History.. V is a show about these aliens coming to the US. They are presenting themselves as a helpful people but have different intentions. One group of people (aliens and humans) called the 5th Element are trying to stop them.
One of the main character's Erica's (played by Elizabeth Mitchell) son Tyler is being drawn into the V by another Alien.

As this unfolds over the past few weeks, I have been thinking about the Christian walk. We are often drawn into the lives of the world by the unknown, or seeing things are more fun, exciting or even new.

I will continue to blog about the V's in the upcoming weeks and would challenge you to think about what draws your attention and how does it effect your journey

Who will you serve?

I read in Joshua 24 this week. Joshua was speaking to his people about their history. He mentioned all the major life situations that impacted their lives, and often shaped who they were as a people. It was interesting as he mentioned all the big hitters as a set up for the big question: Who will you serve?
I feel Joshua was giving the people a reality check, much like life situations we experience or even little things like getting a warning instead of a ticket for speeding.
I ask you to spend some quiet time this weekend and reflect over the past days, weeks, months or even years and think about how those experiences shaped you. As you begin to reflect and process you will be challenged to choose in the future who will you serve?
I hope you will be able to then serve something bigger than yourself, that you will be able to help someone less fortunate than you, that you will realize there is a world outside of you and they need you to invest in them. In the end I pray you are able to serve the God who created you and all things.
Have a great time of reflection, challenge and action.

Have you ever wrestled to sleep at night?

Have you ever wrestled in your sleep during the night? You know, your sleeping sound and all of a sudden BAM! You wake up and can't fall back to sleep.
Well, Jacob in Genesis 32 had the very same experience. He was sleeping away and BAM he woke up, couldn't fall back to sleep so he went to a different space in the room. Jacob then began to wrestle with a man (Gen. 32 24-25) and it continued until the daybreak. I don't want you to focus on the guy (angel, Jesus or whomever) but focus on the reason Jacob was up.
I strongly feel God wakes us in the night to speak to us only to have us wrestle to get back to sleep tossing and turning. The next time you are woke up in the night maybe you need to follow Jacob's lead and get up! Go into another room, or sit on the floor in your bedroom and ask God what He wants to teach you.
We learn through Jacob's sleepless night that His name was being changed (new identity in God) and an entire nation would be changed as a result of the encounter.
I end with this question: What will you do the next time you are woke up in the middle of the night?