Christmas Review

It was a great Christmas! Our Christmas Eve service was successful, and my family had our traditional Mexican food afterwards (a Texas thing!). Christmas morning was fun because we had five children under age 7 in our house. We had a Christmas Dinner with 16 people, and it was a great time of fellowship and laughter. One of the highlight of this Christmas was the opportunity I had to preach at the Gallatin Outreach on the 20th. I am amazed each month at the poverty that is evident at these outreaches. I was able to share Christ with these beautiful people, and several responded to the invitation. What a privilege - nothing was a significant as this night during my Christmas. Now will be several days of reflection and vision casting for 2008.

Good News about Missions

This week we received some great news from our missionaries Phil and Katja Zarns. After months of raising money, Phil and Katja have raised all their monthly support. They are on their way to Stockholm, Sweden to start a ministry called “Stockholm Life.” Sumner Life sends this couple $200 a month on a continual basis. In addition to this, Sumner Life was also able to send them at $200 Christmas gift for their enjoyment this Christmas.

We are so proud of what Phil and Katja are going to do in Sweden. Check out their ministry at http://www.zarns.com/. Keep this family in your prayers.

Rudy

On November 11 I was in Manhattan. Standing on 5th Avenue, Rudy Guliani walked by me. He was all by himself - no wife, no aides, no security. He went into a tie store. He came out and took a picture with me, Peg Blair and Melony Burgess. It happened so fast. To say it was a cool moment is an understatement. This was huge for me, because I get excited when I take pictures with local politicians - the type that are so local, they give out their cell phone numbers. This was a whole new level - a thrill for me and my friends. Rudy was a very nice man.

Break My Heart For What Breaks Yours

A song that has meant a lot to our church this year is a song titled Hosanna by Brook Fraser. One of the lines in that song always grips me.

Heal my heart and make it clean

Open up my eyes to the things unseen

Show me how to love like you have loved me

Break my heart for what breaks yours

Everything I am for your kingdom's cause

As I walk from earth into eternity

The phrase “Break my heart for what breaks yours” is a bold prayer and declaration. I sing this line with energy because I want this to be true. But, I am not so naïve to believe I understand what this prayer means.

Here is what I understand so far. The things that break God’s heart are the things most people have no interest in. God’s heart is breaking for injustices. His heart breaks over the greed of the nations. His heart is breaking over the systems of power that keep people in oppression. His heart is breaking over genocide. God’s heart is breaking over the condition of His church. God’s heart is breaking over the weakness of His people.

God’s heart is breaking over things we aren’t concerned with. God’s heart is breaking over things we won’t honestly admit. So, I keep sing that line with hopes that I have the capacity in my heart to live out the reality of this prayer.

God's Compassion Doesn't Run Out

For the first time in years, I am slowly reading an excellent novel titled Peace Like a River by Leif Enger. The narrator / main character is a teenager who struggles with some form of congestion problems in the cold North Dakota winter. In reference to his young sister’s immature response to his illness, he wrote, “It is one thing to be sick of your own infirmities and another to understand that the people you love the most are sick of them also. You are very near then to being friendless in this world.” This comment stuck with me as I read them last night because of the sermon I had preached earlier that day. My last point about the healing power of God was this: God heals today because He has compassion on his people (Mark 1:40-42, Matthew 20:29-34). The comment from the novel reveals that people’s compassion can often run out or fall short. Yet, the compassion of the Lord is sure and secure. He will not run out of compassion for our physical ailments, but His compassion will lead to our healing.

Elizabethtown Quote

I know Elizabethtown is an old movie now, but I saw part of it tonight and heard this quote - left the room and heard it again. It made me think. The quote is: Success - not greatness - is the only god the world serves.

E-3 Project Review

On Sunday we had the E-3 Project, which was a night of worship and prayer on the church property. It was a magnificent night. The sun was setting, there was a gentle breeze and the peace of God was present on the property. Tim and Elliot Parry led us into the Lord’s presence through worship. After some remarks we opened up a time of sharing, and the Scripture was shared with great insight:

-I opened with observations from nature. As the wind had gently blown, I stated that we wanted the Holy Spirit’s breeze to continually blow over our congregation in a consistent, steady way. As the sun was setting we were reminded of the Scripture that states, “As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.” – John 9:4.

- Tim encouraged us to fight spiritually through worship and prayer with a great Scripture (and he had a cool sword!)

- Barbara read Psalm 84
- Sherry gave a beautiful spiritual observation about the big oak tree (some say that we cannot cut it down now . . . but that is yet to be determined . . . ha!) - Ann shared some encouraging comments from Psalm 112
We walked the land and prayed. We gathered again, held hands in a circle and prayed. Simple. Real. Powerful. Memorable.