New Braunfels, Texas

As I said in my previous post, I was in Texas, New Braunfels, Tx to be exact.

A little history about New Braunfels:
New Braunfels is a popular Texas tourist town that was founded in 1845 by Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels region of Germany and a group of German farmers and craftsmen. German names can be seen on the billboards and street names throughout the city. New Braunfels has a population of over 36,000 and is growing at a nice pace.

So you may ask, Why CoachK were you in New Braunfels? Well, it is a cute little town but I was there to help a friend of mine, Pat Layton. Pat, as most of you know has published a post-abortion healing bible study through Lifeway. She is going around the country doing training seminars to equip women in the church to help women who have had an abortion to be healed and whole using the priciples of her study called, "Surrending the Secret".
It was a truly amazing weekend...to watch women, especially in the church come to her seminars and many times for the first time acknowledge an abortion from their past and be in a place that offers love, grace and healing. There were many women who were ready to start post-abortion ministries in their churches.

I have worked in this type of ministry for 10 years and although pregnancy centers have always done a great job with post abortion minsitry, it has not been promoted and attended in the church. Well, after this weekend I realized that is changing. I believe the church is in a whole new place of realizing they need to be the primary place of restoration for this type of healing and many others. It is always such an honor to see God at work in His church and through His people.
If you would like more information about "Surrendering the Secret" or how to start a post-abortion ministry in your church contact A Woman's Place at 813-931-1804.
http://www.surrenderingthesecret.com/

Blog OCD

This is going to be short but I must explain a little bit of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder I am going through with my blog. I have found various templates that you can put on your blog to change the look and I keep changing then not liking the way it looks or I like the way it looks but then I find another one I like better.

Anyway, I have to go. I'm out of town in San Antonio, Tx or at least a small town near by and will blog on Tuesday about what I've been doing.

If you have any thought on how to control this Blog OCD let me know! :)

Sunday's at Nana's House

Sunday is family day at our home. After church Kaitlyn, Anna and Matthew come to our house for a day of playing, making cookies, watching a little more TV than usual and probably getting a little surprise. Debbie and Abel usually get a day out without kids but occasionally stay for dinner and games. Johnny and Sarah usually stay and watch the football game but occasionally go out for an hour or two. It a very fun and busy day for us all!
This is Anna and Pinky Bear......This is Anna and Papa watching the football game......or maybe Anna is watching Papa.

This is Matthew and Kaitlyn playing with Kaitlyn's dollhouse but don't tell any of Matthew's friends!

It was a good day......... :)

"For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation." Psalm 100:5

We are starting a new bible study with our couples group. The study is on the book of Daniel and the teacher is Tommy Nelson. I was reviewing the first video lesson today and He brought out some very thought provoking statements. I thought I would share some today.

Daniel as many know is a book of prophecy. The teacher is discussing the reasons for prophecy. He stated that the study of prophecy is not just about figuring out how it will all end, but it is about finding our place in this journey and understanding how knowing the end of the story now gives us even more purpose, peace and passion for living today.

His point was that as we study scripture and understand God's plan and purposes we may begin to more closely examine our own values in life. We need to examine who we are and how we are living today in the light of eternity to come.

An exercise he suggested to reveal our true values would be to first ask your self what your goals for the next five years are. Do this for a second before reading further.............
Next ask yourself what your goals would be if you knew Jesus was coming back at the end of this year. He suggested that if those two lists are not very closely connected in thought that we may want to examine our values.

We need to live as though Jesus is coming back tomorrow but plan and use wisdom as though we have the rest of our lives.

The point is not that we can't enjoy life....we should enjoy things but don't invest and trust in the temporal things of this world - we need to constantly aware of the eternal things to invest and trust in.

It's very easy to get caught up in all the things the world has to offer, not the bad things but even the fun and new things. It really is a matter of keeping our perspective in the right place and keeping balance with how much we allow ourselves to be consumed with all the stuff. Remember it's OK to have a little ice cream sometimes but for the most part you want to be putting the good healthy foods into our bodies. It's the same with all the material offerings of the world. It's OK to have a little here and there but we need to keep our spirit and mind focused on the things that have eternal value.

"So our aim is to please Him always, whether we are here in this body or away from this body"
2 Corinth. 5:9
"But let us who live in the light think clearly, protected by the body armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation." 2 Thess. 5:8

I have been listening to this song over and over. It's words so perfectly describe where I want to be in my thinking this year.

I want to be more aware of the needs of those around me, to see people as God see them and to be ready and willing to help when so lead to do so. I am putting the lyrics below to remind us all to have God's heart toward the people around us. It all goes with God's most important command to us - Love God - Love People.

Look down from a broken sky
Traced out by the city lights
My world from a mile high
Best seat in the house tonight
Touch down on the cold black top
Hold on for the sudden stop
Breathe in the familiar shock
Of confusion and chaos
Are those people going somewhere?
Why have I never cared?

Give me Your eyes for just one second
Give me Your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me Your love for humanity
Give me Your arms for the broken-hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me Your heart for the once forgotten
Give me Your eyes so I can see

Step out on a busy street
See a girl and our eyes meet
Does her best to smile at me
To hide what's underneath
There's a man just to her right
Black suit and a bright red tie
Too ashamed to tell his wife
He's out of work, he's buying time
All those people going somewhere
Why have I never cared?

Give me Your eyes for just one second
Give me Your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me Your love for humanity
Give me Your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me Your heart for the once forgotten
Give me Your eyes so I can see

I've been here a million times
A couple of million eyes
Just move and pass me by
I swear I never thought that I was wrong
Well, I want a second glance
So give me a second chance
To see the way You've seen the people all along

Give me Your eyes for just one second
Give me Your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me Your love for humanity
Give me Your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me Your heart for the once forgotten
Give me Your eyes so I can see

Give me Your eyes for just one second
Give me Your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me Your love for humanity
Give me Your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach?
Give me Your heart for the once forgotten
Give me Your eyes so I can see

"He felt felt great pity for the crowds that came, because their problems were so great and they didn't know where to go for help. They were like sheep without a shepherd. He said to His disciples, "The harvest is so great, but the workers are so few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest, ask Him to send out more workers for His fields" Matt. 9:36-38

As we know Jesus Better......

I am studying 2 Peter this week. This is a book I haven't gone to in a while so as I was reading out of the New Living Translation, I was as I always am, so amazed how the Word of God is always so applicable to our everyday lives and why it is so very important to put that Word in our hearts every single day.

A few key points in 2 Peter I would like to share:

1. As we know Jesus better, his divine power gives us everything we need for living a Godly Life.
2. He has called us to receive his own glory and goodness
3. He has given us ALL of His rich and wonderful promises.

As we apply the benefits of these promises to our lives this will begin to happen.......

• Our faith will produce a life of moral excellence

As we live a life of moral excellence it will lead to knowing God better which will lead to:

1. Self-Control
2. Patient Endurance
3. Godliness
4. Love for other Christians
5. Genuine Love for everyone

The end result of all this growth is:

• We will become productive and useful in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ

Amen.

2 Peter 1:3-8