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Mastering the Art of Progress

Saturday, June 13th, 2009 by 2 Comments

Happy Saturday Everyone!

I hope you’re all doing so well these days. Our meeting here in Kentucky was BEAUTIFUL last night… the rain seemed to keep some people away, but it did not hurt the MAGNITUDE of our time together. It felt to be a significant moment for Trinity Harvest Church AND for Pikeville Kentucky! I pray BLESSINGS over Pastor Richard and MaLeah Holmes… BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE, AMAZING PASTORS… and BLESSINGS on the people of THC… BEAUTIFUL CHURCH, GLOBAL DESTINY! They lavished us… now I pray for God to LAVISH THEM BACK!  

We travel home today, will minister at Destiny Family Center tomorrow morning… hope you can come for a visit. There’s no time like tomorrow… having a picnic fellowship right after church on the DFC campus. Volleyball, bocce ball, horseshoes, and a bunch of other FUN things… not to mention all the CHILLIN time with GREAT PEOPLE! 

Tomorrow morning, we’re honoring our high school graduates AND our Life Christian University graduates! I’m so proud of all these AMAZING people and their GIGANTIC achievments! Emily (my wife) is receiving her Bachelor of Theology Degree tomorrow… I’m SO PROUD OF HER! Emily has worked so hard the past 4 years and deserves all the honor she will receive tomorrow! 

There is a such a BLESSING that comes to people on their GRADUATIONS! When we make LARGE commitments… and then FINISH what we BEGIN… there is something MIGHTY that COMES ON US at COMPLETION!

Matthew 25:21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, GOOD and FAITHFUL servant! You have been FAITHFUL with a FEW things; I will put you in charge of MANY things. Come and SHARE your master’s happiness!’ 

Think about a High School Graduate… 12 years of DEDICATION all the way to a GRADUATION. What an accomplishment! And then college… 2 years of intensive studies for an associates degree, 4 years for a bachelors degree… another 2 years for a masters degree… another few to several years for a PHD. 

Whenever we FINISH anything we BEGIN… God REWARDS our faithfulness, and he PROMOTES us! Be faithful to your commitments friends… weather the trials, endure the boredom, never quit! 

Who knows what’s next for these graduates… I just know that TOMORROW MORNING will be a significant moment for each of them at Destiny Family Center! We’re going to talk about the Element of Achievement and MASTERING the art of PROGRESS. See you at 10am… it’s gonna be GOOD! 

Have a super saturday… see some of you tomorrow! Cant wait!

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The Gift of Love and Family

Saturday, June 6th, 2009 by 7 Comments

Happy Saturday!

God is so GOOD to us! I thank him so much for everything! He has lavished us with LOVE… love FOR HIM and love FOR EACH OTHER. Last night was Coree’s high school graduation… and it was even more than I ever thought it would be! 

Since Coree and Heaven go to a private school, the graduation ceremony is designed differently than an ordinary High School graduation. All students are honored for their various accomplishments, not only the seniors.

Heaven and Coree were not the cookie cutter kids… as we are not a cookie cutter family. Our kids have caused a LITTLE grief for Principle Spencer and the school administration at times. Nothing anything super bad… they just had a little bit too much SOCIAL FUN at times when they were supposed to be LEARNING. Therefore, until this year, NOBODY would ever imagine Coree or Heaven receiving any kind of academic recognition.

Out of the entire High School, Heaven was recognized for two awards, as being the student with the HIGHEST GPA and for being the student who completed the MOST WORK for the year! If one only knew what Heaven had to overcome to receive such an honor… GOD DOES MIRACLES!

Then Coree shocked us as his Principle got teary eyed, introducing Coree as the MOST IMPROVED STUDENT of the year for the entire High School!

The whole thing was so surreal to me… so many emotions running through my body… my baby boy graduating… where did the last 18 years go? I was so proud to watch him up on that platform in front of all those people smiling so big… he looked so confident and accomplished! I captured a photo at the exact moment one of his FRENZIED FANS blew the fog horn… Coree was LAUGHING PRETTY HARD! Oh… and notice the SHOES!

For me, the highlight happened AFTER the graduation ceremony. When my kids didn’t ask to go out with friends or to some graduation party… but they WANTED to be with US for the rest of the night! Just thinking about this now brings new tears to my eyes.

Coree wanted to eat at Chili’s with Mom and Dad and Heaven, and Nanny and Poppa, and Drew and Liz (they came to the graduation-so nice of them). Then to top it all off… Temple Huffer (graduate of RHS last night) and her boyfriend joined us at the end of the meal… and we laughed together for a long time before heading home.  

In this time of national and global hardship, we should hold on to what is most important in life… the things that money cannot buy! Things like, fulfilling our divine purpose, and the beauty of loving relationships with family and friends… enjoying REAL LIFE as we walk with God and he blesses us with HIS AMAZING LOVE!

I love my family… EVERY SINGLE MOMENT WITH THEM IS THE BLESSING OF THE LORD! Today, I thank God… I HONOR HIM AND PRAISE HIM… in front of you all… for he has been good to us! When life is challenging and cruel… and nothing seems to turn out like I dreamed it would… in times like these, I go home, shut the doors, look around, and realize that I already have the blessing of LOVE and FAMILY… and this is the greatest human blessing besides the great gift of salvation.

This morning, I feel compelled to pray for you guys… that God will BLESS your families even more… that he would BLESS your key relationships… and LAVISH YOU WITH HIS LOVE… so that you too can always say with me that GOD IS GOOD… no matter what the future may bring!

Hug someone close today… let them know you CARE, and APPRECIATE the care they have for you! Don’t forget church at Destiny Family Center tomorrow morning 10am! Then Coree’s graduation party at our house 1pm! Love you all…

John 13:24-35 So now I am giving you a new commandment: LOVE EACH OTHER. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

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Metamorphosis: Abrupt Change in the Animals Form

Friday, June 5th, 2009 by 7 Comments

Happy Friday!

This is a pretty big day for my family… our son Coree GRADUATES HIGH SCHOOL at 7pm! Raising kids has to be one of the scariest things to do in LIFE… especially in todays world. There are so many THINGS pulling at their heart strings… so many pressures pulling them towards the dark side of the force.

So this morning I want to THANK God… for answering our prayers and GIVING us a son that loves Jesus and his family! Coree is such a beautiful person… has one of the most creative spirits I have EVER encountered. He is hilarious and HAPPY, bringing so much JOY to our family! Not all the time… he certainly has his MOMENTS. LOL

Over the past few months, I have noticed strengths in him that I never knew he had. There were so many things I wondered about… fearing that just maybe he hadn’t caught some of the principles we had been modeling for him these past 18 years. And when it seemed that he wasnt paying attention in the least… out of nowhere, he METAMORPHOSISED into this AMAZING butterfly!

I think that’s how it is with kids… PRAYERFUL PARENTING is the cocoon that turns our creepy crawly monsters into beautiful winged creatures.

This is also how it is for ADULTS… PRAYERFUL mentoring, modeling, coaching, training, and teaching… mixed with the supernatural help that comes from Gods Word and Gods Spirit… creates the cocoon that turns us into BEAUTIFUL and FAR MORE BEAUTIFUL CREATURES… and we are always being changed from lower glories to higher glories until the day we leave earth! 

METAMORPHOSIS:

  • Is a biological process by which an animal physically develops after birth or hatching, involving a conspicuous and relatively ABRUPT CHANGE in the animal’s FORM or STRUCTURE through cell growth and differentiation.
  • The process of transformation from an IMMATURE form to an ADULT form in two or more DISTINCT STAGES.
  • A change of the form or nature of a thing or person into a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ONE, by NATURAL or SUPERNATURAL means.

So then, God is working in us as we walk with him… bringing about ABRUPT changes in our form and structure through growth and differentiation. We are in the process of transforming from an IMMATURE form INTO and ADULT form through MANY DISTINCT STAGES! We are changing from one form into a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT one by natural and SUPERNATURAL means! 

2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, ARE CHANGED (same Greek word we derive our english word, METAMORPHOSIS) into the same image from GLORY to GLORY, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye TRANSFORMED (same Greek word we derive our English word, METAMORPHOSIS) by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Philippians 2:13 For God is WORKING IN YOU, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

So don’t get discouraged all you creepy crawly monsters… you’re turning into beautiful winged creature… and this takes a little time! Just know that when you CLIMB out of this current phase of transformation, you’re going to notice STRENGTH and BEAUTIES you’ve NEVER HAD BEFORE! 

And YOUR FATHER will want to TELL THE WHOLE WORLD HOW PROUD HE IS over how well you are turning out! 

Have a super day everyone… don’t forget church at Destiny Family Center on Sunday at 10am… and then Coree’s graduation party at our house starting at 1pm!

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