It's About The First Step Forward

Each day, like you, I face a ton of choices of where to begin. What project to work on next, what school to begin to pray for strategically and much, much more. 

In the midst of that I am filled with waves of emotions, thoughts and outcome possibilities. If I am being genuine that wave, can quickly turn into a tidal wave and cause me to pause or even stop positive forward motion completely. Thoughts of fear, what if, can I, should I, then what, can cripple even the most emotionally intelligent human being. 

As a leader in my community, especially one that is for the Kingdom of God here on earth as well as in heaven. I am well aware that "leadership itself begins and ends at the feet of Jesus" (Dr. Brent Crowe). However, as surprising as it sounds, until I take the first step forward, that tidal wave continues to grow. 

There is something relieving, almost stress negative about taking the first step forward. Even if at some point I need to adjust my path one direction or another, that simple movement is profoundly helpful to all of us. And frankly adjustment when i am moving forward, never seems as difficult as the first step was. 

I have never met Nik Wallenda, however like millions of others, I did watch him on live TV as he walked across the Grand Canyon on a tight rope with no harness in 2013. If you did not get to see it, i recommend it, go here and watch it, it’s truly a wonder. 

One logical question after watching this is why were so many of us moved by Nik’s choice to try such a crazy thing. I think the next logical question is how did he keep moving forward. As I review my memory of this event, and watching him, I remember thinking, that first step forward, what guts to take the first step forward. 

Which frankly is the answer to most of our questions in life. “How in the world am I going to do this?”  "This opportunity is huge! where do I begin?” Which as a leader draws me back to the feet of Jesus. In the scriptures it says in Psalms 37:23 The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way.  Simply put, when our lives, the good, the bad, the ugly and the fortunate are laid at His feet, then the next logical place, is the first step forward. For He has already established your steps, AND He delights in you going His way!

If you are a parent of a student and reading this and you are burdened to help them grown in their burden for their school, then the next logical step forward is to pray with them for their campus. Not just once, but daily and with repetition. 

If you are a student who came home from a winter missions trip fired up for the gospel, and not sure what to do now, the next logical step forward is to share that burden with some friends and start a gospel movement on your campus. 

Whatever your place in this world, in the name of Jesus I pray that you are moved today to take the first step forward. 

Celebrating Wonder - The Yellow Butterfly

This Saturday morning we packed our family up in our van and drove to be a part of the Youth Production at Barefoot Republic just outside Scottsville, KY. Our 8 year old son had just completed his first year of overnight camp so joining him for that celebration was an awesome opportunity for us.

After we found Nate and exchanged hugs & high fives with him, the rest of our children settled in with their friends and the Youth Production when on very normally.

That is until a wonderful event occurred unexpectedly in the midst of the production. One of our friends, Candace was leading the dialogue on stage. Candace was getting ready to discuss the next "award" to be given, when most of us in the back noticed a very large butterfly making its way through the room. This yellow butterfly had approximately a 6" wing span, and seemed to be thrown around by all the fans in the room. As a number of us noted the butterfly from the back of the room, from the stage with the mic in hand Candace also noted the butterfly, then paused her dialogue and said "what a beautiful butterfly, isn't it amazing." At this point the whole crowd looked up to the center of the room and noted the butterfly. Here is where things get wonderful, and frankly if I was not there, I would not believe it.

Following all the ooh's and ahhh's from the crowd as Candace brought the attention to it, the butterfly seemingly changed directions and headed straight toward Candace on stage. Then she did what any person who had just called out a butterfly from stage in front of 200+ people, Candace switched the mic out of her hand, and held her hand in front of her for the butterfly to land... and it did just that.
That's right, not only did it land there, it stayed on her hand, and the room paused to take in this wonder. About 10 seconds later a elementary aged camper walked up to Candace to retrieve the butterfly from her and the butterfly switched right to his hand. As if he was a dog owner, walking up to a neighbor to get his pet. That wonderful butterfly walked onto his hand and he walked it out of the Youth Production room and set it free.

I looked at my friend who has led this camp for over 17 years and simply stated "Only at your camp Tommy Rhodes, would such a wonder occur." That of course is where I fail. The reality is that every day wonder is all around me. In fact I have a few friends that are in constant search of it, they are relentless that even in the midst of all 'hell' breaking loose in the world we live in, God's creation is still releasing and experiencing wonder.

These thoughts take me to Proverbs 8, where wisdom is reminding it's readers of creation and finishes with this thought in verse 30 "then i was beside him, like a master workman, and i was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always, rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the children of men."

No doubt the world feels broken right now. Media and technology has made sure we are thoroughly aware of those things that are broken. With that said, let me challenge you and I that this unusual story is not unusual at all. Instead let's consider Candace's view from stage, that there is wonder happening all around us each day. As Christ followers we must fight the urge to view the world through it's own eyes of brokenness. Instead we have the right to choose to live like Proverbs 8, to view, to rejoice and to delight in all that is around us, through God's eyes.

That may start simply by choosing daily to celebrate wonder...

God is NOT out of our Schools

This past week I was conducting an interview for the local newspaper, The Tennessean. As the reporter and I talked, he made an interesting statement, "that God was no longer allowed in schools." I have been in multiple meetings and even listened to other press try to push this agenda. However, like I did with this conversation, I whole-heartedly disagreed with this thought.

Schools, like churches, are made up of people. If there were no students to teach, then there would be no reason for the school building. The same goes for a church, you can call the building a church all you want, it is only when praying and believing people fill it up that it becomes the Church. The brick and mortar simply provide a meeting place or a tool to make it happen. So what happens when those same praying and believing people fill their school? Well no doubt God is found there, too.

I am very aware of the legal implications associated with saying God is in our schools. I can quote much of the law that is written regarding the Separation of Church and State or the Equal Access Law of 1984 (just a couple of the many rulings about God and the school system). Yet, no law has the authority or ability to remove the presence of God from any building containing two or more followers of Jesus.

Because of our faith in Jesus Christ, we are guaranteed that God is NOT out of our schools. For God's spirit doesn't require a physical location as it did in the Old Testament; rather, He dwells in the hearts and minds of all who choose to follow Him.
1 Corinthians 6:19

First Priority exists in a community to unite local churches around their schools. We build networks of adults who support believing students. This support system allows students to stand united in their faith and become what is inside of them, one of the most influential, important and grace-filled organisms in a school. That is the Body of Christ, alive and well, and definitely IN our schools.
1 Corinthians 12:27

First Priority Greater Nashville

As most of you who follow this blog know, I have had the good fortune of being part of First Priority of America for the past six years. Through some ministry and professional shifting, my focus has been turned toward relaunching First Priority Greater Nashville. In my 21 years of ministry, majority of them have been spent in Nashville. I have been a part of fantastic local organizations like Salama, Bethel, Christ Church, On The Go, Barefoot Republic, Fellowship Bible, MyLifeSpeaks, Oasis and others. Nashville attracts a diverse group of people who are desperately in need of the Gospel and I am passionate about seeing them reached. 

With all of those good organizations in place, a question could be asked, "Why relaunch a nonprofit organization now?" The question is not only valid, it is right. 

As I wrestled with my focus on Nashville, I could not shake my call to the mission of First Priority. My heartbeat revolves around uniting the local Church (Methodist, Baptist, Charismatic, Presbyterian, Nazarene, Catholic….) to empower students to reach their peers with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. First Priority Greater Nashville is not a new organization. It is a 17-year-old movement in schools across Nashville and a 5-year-old NPO. The decision to take the lead as it's executive director was less of a decision and more of an "IT IS TIME!"

Which leads me to this thought. In the six Greater Nashville counties with whom i am working, there are over 140,000 teenage students in public and private schools. I am moved daily by the thought, "WHAT IF?":

What if amongst the 1,500 local evangelical churches in Greater Nashville, many began to unite as the prayer of Jesus urges in John 17:23, specifically around schools?

What if every student in these schools had the opportunity to intersect with the love and message of Jesus Christ through one of their peers? 

What if 1,000 students who never experienced Jesus, heard and responded to that message during the 2014-15 school year? 

For me the answer is easy, the body of Christ in Nashville would be reaching, discipling and launching an army of Hope. Not just any army, but an army of young people the world is currently watching. An army that would have the resources Nashville offers and could seriously bring the Hope of Jesus to the world. As a father of three, students aren't just a passing interest for me. My oldest son will start Jr High in two years. Which means, reaching the schools in Nashville is not only a ministry for me, it's personal.

Back to my "WHAT IF" questions: "What if it worked?…" The answer is simple: our community, our state, our nation and this world, would never be the same!

If i can buy you a smoothie or cup of coffee to discuss further how we can come together to see this Kingdom reality, please email me at stevecherrico@gmail.com.

A Proper Response to Burden

It is not hard to look at the world around us today and see that much of it is broken.  As conversations grow about these issues and individuals or groups begin to respond. I often wonder if their response is a biblical one. I also wonder if the things that I am trying to fix is for me, or for the good of the world around me. This discussion has brought me to a new perspective on response which i would like to open up to you. 

Nehemiah 1 : 1-4

Nehemiah 1 is one of the most beautiful responses to a burden that I know of. Nehemiah is a government worker who, as far as we can tell, is having a simple conversation with an old friend. What comes out of that conversation is a reality that strikes Nehemiah to the core. For days following that conversation Nehemiah spends time praying and fasting. As I consider his first response, I am hit with this thought, "What if I spent half the time praying about burdens I have, that I currently spend talking about them?" In our world, communication is key. Clear communication is always a good thing, but what if it is supposed to be the secondary thing?  In the case of a burden, I believe that Nehemiah's response teaches us so much about what we are called to do. We are to be the type of people who know how to pray and fast. Then, after communicating with God, we need to communicate that burden to those around us.

Nehemiah 1 : 5-7

As we read on into Nehemiah's prayers, I am struck by another incredible thought. Nehemiah did not live in Judah at this point; yet, as we read the text, he immediately begins to take ownership for what has happened with the walls and gates. Instead of casting blame for sin, or pointing fingers at everyone else, Nehemiah owns it and repents. What a beautiful thought for a leader! I may not be the cause of this burden; however, I will take responsibility for it with the Father.

Nehemiah 1: 8-11

Finally, as Nehemiah finishes, he begins to speak the promises of God over this issue.  Like us, Nehemiah knows God does not need to be reminded of what He said. No doubt God is fully aware of what He promised His people. I believe Nehemiah is reminding his soul (the same one with the burden) of what God promised.

So I ask you, do you have a burden? I mean, one of those unshakeable God-given burdens. Where have you landed in your response to that burden? What if you took time to learn from Nehemiah and view your burden through his perspective? Only one way to find out, try the ways of Nehemiah, there are great God-given responses ahead.

Please take a moment to share in the comments section of this blog your burden. Our family, our team, and this community will agree with you as you respond to the Father. 

Calling & Character

I am geting ready to speak this weekend at a crazy worship experience call "awakening my city" in south Nashville, TN.

As i have been seeking the Lord about what to share, I have been spending time with the leadership of this movement which consists of mostly passionate Jesus disciples in their 20's. I have the good fortune of spending other time with this group, so they know me, and I know them fairly well which creates plenty of trust in our discussions.

The topic that has arisen out of these discussions is the tension for a young believer between Calling & Character.  As I dive into this thought, let me pre-load your brain with two viewpoints to remember as you enter in.

First, we all have a background, faith driven or not, spirit led or not, poor, wealthy, old, young, all of these items will effect they way you consider the tension we are talking about. So be honest about where you come from it will help the discussion.

Second, I have yet to find anyone who has arrived in this discussion. In fact, as you are going to see in a moment, even as I prepare to speak about this biblically on Saturday night, I desire to have enough strength to be honest with those I share with that I too am still tangling with this tension.  Quoting one of my modern day hero's Andy Stanley, "I believe the tension is good." (Catalyst Leadership 2010)

For time's sake, let me make the case that I think for the follower of Christ, 'Calling should be assumed.' To bring clarity to that statement. If we are truly born again believers filled with the spirit of Jesus inside of us, then our Calling is the same as Jesus. To bring life and life to the fullest to the world around us. (John 10)

Let's assume that every time we tell people that God is in control and knows what He is doing that we believe it. Then we consider all the broken-ness around us, how could that be? I believe this falls under Calling. We are called to speak life, bring life, act as Jesus would act towards all mankind especially in it's mess.

With that said, I know of a thousand times that my experience did not match my Calling.  This failure or lack of living out Calling is found in my Character.  Character is a place where I do what I say I am going to do, and act as I say I believe.  The problem for me is that Character depends so much on me. Right? Or does it?

I want to suggest to us that Character is found in the same place that Calling is; "in surrender of our lives to the Spirit of Jesus.'  No doubt I will daily battle my desire to find Character in who "I" am. Paul speaks often about his personal battles against the flesh (Romans 7).  However despite that letter, Paul admits with the same pen "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me." (Galatians 2)

For the follower of Christ then, both Calling & Character are found in daily life in Christ. Calling is no longer in question, it is my reality. Character is no longer a list of to do's it is the gracious gift of overflow and how I live my life. I am called to be a worshipper of Jesus, it is a gift to make time each day to worship him.  I am called to speak life over others, it is a blessing to speak the words of Jesus over them in conversation. Both are found in Christ!

So where is the tension? In fact if we are submitting both to Christ daily then there is no tension between the two.  Since I have yet to arrive in my complete submission to Christ daily and would guess most of you are the same, the tension will exist.

Calling & Character, in Christ you have the right to both! Now go live Full!

By the way, want to join us Saturday night?  Here are the Awakening Details:

Awakening My City

The Little White Room

I came to Christ pretty radically when I was 15. A friend who had listened to my miserable, lost state, decided to share the gospel with me. He was only a freshman in high school; however, his relationship with Jesus, and my desire to have that too, caused my response. Over the next few years, the local church in Cedar Rapids IA, raised me, discipled me, and loved me deeply as I worked through what it meant to be a Christ follower. 

After my first year of college, I returned to Cedar Rapids, and took a break from university. I knew that I was not supposed to be at that school; yet, I did not know what was next. So, I took on a few jobs, worked and waited on the Lord.

There came a point that the Lord began to do something new in my life. My days went like this: I would wake up (no alarm) around 4-5am, and begin to read scripture, pray, worship. Around 7am, I would make my way towards my first job.  I would work throughout the day, one job to the next, and then get home around 10pm, in bed by 11. This was new because I was, and still am, a 7.5-8 hours of sleep sort of guy. To have this daily routine and still be able to function was worth taking note.  

About a month in to this time of pressing in, I had an incredible vision. I was worshiping and found myself inside a little white room. The first time I found myself there, I was kneeling at a pair of feet. My spirit knew instantly who this was, I was at the feet of Jesus. It was a defining moment. Grace poured out, holiness poured out, and I sat, worshiped and soaked it all in.

Over the next 4 1/2 months, I found myself often at the feet of Jesus. Other times I would lay on His lap, like a young child. He would speak life over me in profound ways.  

During this time, I began to understand what the Lord was doing in this period of closeness. In the little white room, I could confess all that weighed on me. Jesus would pour out His spirit on my wounds from childhood. His Holy Spirit was like a salve that removed the arrows, healed the wounds, and made the cracks in my soul, whole.

Often during my times of worship, I would hear Him remind me of the promises that I had studied in His word. Also, I heard Him speaking His plan for my life. Serve, love, give, are just examples of things I remember Him sharing with me. I knew them to be true, because they were all reflections of who he is. As a disciple, I just wanted to be like him.

Birthed out of these intimate moments, I began to feel drawn to Nashville, TN. While I had few acquaintances, there were no real friends; yet, when the time came to obey and go, I went. That obedience step is now coming up on 20 years.  

Over the past 20 years the little white room has come up multiple times in my life. Sometimes I go there in my worship, other times, I am just there in the midst of prayer. Each time, I know that the Lord brings me to this place because he needs to solidify some things in my life. Through intimacy with Him, He prepares me for the next step I am to take on this journey.

As I speak about this place, I want to ask you the question. Do you have an intimate place where you can go and lay in the arms of Jesus? If the concept of a little white room will serve you, then by all means, take this and make it yours. For many of you it is less about a location and more about a position. Sometimes it is the posture or position of one’s heart that causes lack of intimacy with Jesus.   

So let me ask the question another way. Do you trust Jesus enough, not just for salvation, but to give him your whole self, starting with your heart? I can assure you, when you make this choice, your life will be radically altered and transformed by the Spirit of the living God.

My prayer for all of you is that you find a place, where you can be intimate with your King, a place like The Little White Room. 

Echoes

I have been in my share of youth pastor gatherings and trainings where the question was asked, "Why do you do what you do?", not necessarily just to me, but to the group as a whole.

As I consider one possible answer to that question, I am brought to this thought; we exist to produce echoes.

As you all know, an echo is a fairly simple concept. Someone speaks and then pauses to hear its reverberation in the room, cavern or canyon. The truest joy in the echo, is the number of times in row we hear it repeated. 

Now consider the lives of an American student: rich, poor, black, white, middle or high school. Our teenage students are bombarded by noise throughout the day. In the midst of the thousands of messages that are resounding in the mind and hearts of teens, we find our responsibility to produce something that echoes for the sake of the Gospel.

The scientific research and evidence is overwhelmingly clear that humans do not often intake information as transforming or changing unless they receive it multiple times. Consider the forming of a habit, or the memorization of facts; both of these require repetition to be effective. The same is true in a student’s life on his/her journey toward the gospel. I believe our call is to produce echoes in the hearts and minds of teenagers.

There are other layers of consideration when it comes to echoes.  Early in my time as a YP, I realized I was spending 3-5 hours weekly conveying the gospel message to my students. They would return to a home where real discipleship “should” be happening over multiple hours of interaction. It was evident when parents would echo the messages. My heart broke for those who went to a home where there were no echoes, just silence. Echoes are crucial to the development of true discipleship in a student’s life.

Hopefully, if you are reading this, you are not a "one man" or "one woman" show in the youth ministry you serve. In fact, returning to my original question asked in this article, "Why do you do what you do?". Often the right answer is that our job is to be an equipper of the saints. And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, (Ephesians 4:11, 12 ESV). 

Our job it seems often boils down less to direct contact with students, and more often to the enablement and equipping of adult and student leaders. In this case, as we pour out a consistent message and cast vision of re-stating that message, we once again produce echoes. When it comes to equipping, the reverberation of the vision is crucial. For what we are doing is creating, echoes of echoes.   

For now, I would ask you to take a few minutes, pause ('Selah' if you will) and consider how are you using echoes to the benefit of the Kingdom in your ministry.  Bottom line, like anything, echo is a choice. So make a plan, share it often, and watch the power of echoes work. "The truest joy in the echo is the number of times we hear it repeated."

BIG or little...

As Americans, we like to think BIG. BIG ideas, BIG visions, BIG dreams, make for a BIG splash. As I consider this thought, let me state clearly, I do not believe that any of these are wrong; however, BIG in itself has become another religion in our western world. The BIG play, the BIG hit song, or the next BIG thing, BIG is in.

Even in church we celebrate BIG!! More often than not the general population likes to hear from teachers and communicators who lead the largest groups of people.

I would, however, like to throw some caution up in the air and see where it lands. Reality is most of the overnight BIG splashes that I know of do not last very long. One hit wonders, 15 minutes of fame, and other cliché sayings come to mind. So what does the Kingdom say about BIG?

In the Kingdom, the least are the greatest, the first is the last (Mark 10:44). In many of Jesus’ teachings; the general sentiment is the Kingdom is at hand now. Then, followed in the same breath, blessed is the outcast, the last, the least of these. The little, or seemingly insignificant seen to be most important.

If all that is true, then why do some many of us "Christians" celebrate BIG? Or better yet, does celebrating BIG fall in line with our true discipleship in Jesus?

Jesus fed 5000 men one day, probably 13,000 or so people including women and children. With what? A little boy's lunch of 5 loaves and 2 fish. This story has been celebrated thousands upon thousands of times around the BIG things Jesus can, does and will do. Considering what we know about this boy, think about all the little things that had to happen in his life that day. The Mom had to give permission for him to go. She had to make a decision to not let him run to this gathering without food. She had to know something about Jesus or the little boy wouldn’t have been allowed to leave. Without the little, this BIG may not have been recorded.

As Christ followers, I believe we are called to focus on the little things. In fact, I would suggest we are called far more to the little things then the BIG. I can believe BIG, and dream BIG (ask my family, I do). When it comes to how our family chooses to live in our home, it’s the little things that matter most. For in our faithfulness to the little things, starting with focusing on Jesus first each day, BIG, long-lasting, enduring things are built.

Our faith is built on a daily desire to seek Jesus in spirit and truth. Our children are discipled based on daily worship, family scripture-reading, and Sunday church attendance. None of which will probably ever make the news as BIG, but be assured, our family's faith in the living God is huge.

For with God ALL things are possible (Matthew 19). So as you move into this next season of life, what little things need to be aligned or re-aligned in your world? For I am convinced, stay focused on the little things, and the truly BIG things will take care of themselves.

EPIC Resource Group

EPIC is a coaching ministry for local churches and communities across the US. Our resource group believes the hope of America is the local Church and it's heart to reach this generation.

EPIC's goal is to be a catalyst for churches and communities with a passion to serve the secondary schools in their communities with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

In America, there are approximately 25 million public secondary school students. According to EPIC's research* there is a gap of 12 million unreached students with the gospel of Christ. We believe this group of students is an 'Army of Hope' waiting to be reached and released to influence the world for Christ.

The local churches or communities that surround these 12 million unreached students are filled with a burden to reach their communities. Many are under-resourced (urban + rural) which has often stalled or hand cuffed the efforts of the message of Christ. The average local church in America is 75-150 people. Most churches this size do not believe they have the resources to provide life changing resource for the students in their community. EPIC's coaching helps churches regain perspective and provide them with hope, strategy, and curriculum to do so for years to come.

EPIC accomplishes this through intensely coaching and resourcing 3 local churches or communities per quarter (12 for the year). Follow up with each local group occurs quarterly for the 9 months following.  All resources will be provided through partnerships with EPIC and the costs associated with their coaching are covered by the EPIC Resource Group.

The outcome is local churches finding new perspective to surround their public secondary schools with the gospel of Jesus, students coming to Christ, and local churches serving their communities in greater ways due to the influx of teenagers being touched by their local ministry.

If you are in a community or part of a local church that EPIC Resource Group could serve, please contact us at stevecherrico@gmail.com.

* Through a conglomerative discussion between multiple national youth programs, it is believed that approximately 13 million of the secondary school students in America have a Christian movement reaching out to them with the Hope of Christ each school year. This leaves a 12 million student gap with no plan in place to reach them. 

Steve Cherrico - Nashville TN

Steve Cherrico was born in the inner city of Denver, CO and raised in the greater Washington D.C. area. He came to a realization of his need for a Savior after a new friend shared the gospel with him age 15. Within a few short years he was heavily involved in a local youth group, and during his senior year due to unforeseen circumstances, was put in a position of leadership with 3 other high school seniors running the youth ministry they were involved with. 

In 1993, after one year at Iowa State University, he was given the opportunity to move to Nashville, TN. While in Nashville he was heavily involved with Salama ministries, taking 40+ inner city children to camp each summer in the Appalachian mountains, overseeing the camp and leadership team. 

Steve and his wife Jessi, met in the beginning of 1997, and were married about a year later in 1998. While continuing to pursue other endeavors locally in the music and fitness industries, he began to run camps for Christ Church, and came on staff with them in April of 1998. He was added to full-time staff in 1999. 

During his tenor with Christ Church, he was often used as a rebuilder, or reorganizer of student ministries and also had the fortune of leading a church plant for two years in one of the most diverse areas surrounding Nashville, called Antioch. Steve’s wife Jessi was also the Director of Children’s Ministries at Christ Church, from 2000-2003. He has been blessed to oversee just about every facet of ministry from 4th grade to college ministries, keying on raising up leaders to replace him in each area. He is passionate about seeing the next generation walk in the purpose and calling they have been given and coaching them through that process. 

Steve also has a heart for Africa and Haiti, engaging some of the world's toughest 3rd world countries. He is heavily tied to multiple ministries in Africa & Haiti serving orphans, street children, former prostitutes, and students. In 2007, he had the great fortune of leading a group of 27 adult and student leaders on a trip to Kampala, Uganda in partnership with On The Go Ministries and Gaba Community Church in Uganda. He has also taken groups to Ghana through Adopt One Village. In 2012 he lead a group of adults to the brand new My Life Speaks campus in Neply, Haiti. All of these experiences have shaped his heart to reach this next generation for Christ.

Steve completed his (3.5 year) self-study ordination program through the Christ Church / Oral Roberts University partnership in May of 2004. 

In March of 2008, Steve and Jessi, felt the Lord releasing them from Christ Church, and moved to a national staff position with First Priority of America. He serves as a trainer for the local community movements across the country, coaching them through their work locally.

Since coming on staff with First Priority of America Steve has been able to serve the local church across the US through coaching. Locally he has been able to help multiple local churches re-launch their leadership perspective. This includes pastoral and lay leadership training & coaching. As well as student ministry training & coaching. 

This coaching model has allowed him to create a network called the EPIC Resource Group. EPIC strives to serve local communities that believe they are under resourced however as the local church have a desire to impact the secondary schools in their community. Most of these groups are found in very rural or very urban settings across the US. 

Steve and Jessi have 3 multi-racial children, Justus (8), Nate (5) and Corina 15 months, all three are local adoptions from the greater Nashville TN area. As a family they love to play games indoor and out, read together, and enjoy all kinds of music. Steve is also an avid reader, loves to play most sports (especially; basketball, football, tennis, disc golf), and spend time investing into current and future leaders for the Gospel's sake. 

Its a simple faith, 3 minute reminders...

Well i have one of those stories tonight, that only a Father could make real.

Tonight as a family we were all hanging in the bonus room of our home, enjoying a simple time together.  Justus and I had played some basketball at the gym earlier, and quite frankly he smelled like a  boy.  So i directed him off to the shower and went back to the rest of us playing in the bonus room.  A little while later, as Justus finished his shower, we heard a small "crash" and then Justus cry for help, Jess made it to his room first, i was with Corina.

However Justus kept screaming, so i gave Nate quick instructions how to stay with Coco, and as i raced down our hall way, Jess began to yell for me as well.  Justus had opened up his large dresser in his room in such a way, that it fell on him, and onto the lower half of his right leg. As i entered into his room, the dresser was still there on top of his leg. Its about 50-60 pounds and Jess had just started to work to get it off of him.

I grabbed the dresser and threw it off of him, saw his right leg and instructed Jess to leave to get Coco as i assessed the situation.  His right leg was out of joint at the knee for sure. Unfortunately, this is not the first time in my life i had seen a leg that was popped out of joint.  I looked in Justus' eyes, he was scared. I asked him to show me where it hurt, and if he could move it.  Through tears he touched his right knee on the outside, and no he could not bend it. Now i was scared.

He kept apologizing over and over again, "i am sorry daddy, i am sorry, i did not mean for it to fall on my leg."  I looked him in the eye, loved him with my words, and reassured him, he was going to be ok.  I then took a look at the leg again, and it was crooked bad.  I explained to him what it mean to have a leg out of joint, and that we were going to need to go to the hospital.  This freaked him out, but again, we worked through what that meant through tears and hugs.

I immediately called the local non-emergency number, explained to them that this dresser had fallen on my son's leg, and it was out of socket.  I asked them to tell me if i should call an ambulance or not.  The person on the other line, explained they could not make that recommendation, that was up to me.  Not satisfied with that answer i hung up on them and i called a friend who was a doctor.  Richard understood quickly my concerns of moving Justus and explained to me, how to do it so that i could protect his leg while taking him to the hospital.

Slowly, through much pain, Justus and I worked to get him dressed in some shorts and a tshirt.  Then just before i was going to pick him up, i looked in his eyes one more time.  I moved in close and held him as tight as i could with my hand gently on his leg and prayed a very short prayer, "God please protect my son's leg as i move him, and please heal him in Jesus name."  As i moved away to position myself to pick him up. Justus immediately looked at me with this dazed stare, "um daddy", yeah buddy i replied. "I don't know how but i can move my leg" he said.  Sure enough i looked at it again, and something was hugely different, almost like his leg was straight.  I asked him, are you sure, he said "yeah it feels totally different."

And then without command, he bent his knee, no issues.  I screamed for Jess in such a frantic voice, she came running from the other room. Later she told me she figured i either had found more damage, or something else had happened. She was on the phone with a friend, who was headed our way to care for the babies as i was going to head to the hospital.  As she came in, i was weeping all over my son.  God who is able to exceedingly and abundantly more than i ask had popped his leg back in place.

Jess looked at if a few times, and told her friend, "um, i don't need you now and will call you back."

You have to understand this all happened in like 3 minutes.  It was crazy. I asked Justus to walk with his mom around the house to be sure.  And "thanks be to God!" it was and is. I called Richard back and explained to him what had happened, he celebrated with us, and then confirmed my thought of icing it and getting Justus some tylenol for the pain just in case.

As Jess and i put the boys down tonight for bed, we were reflecting on that 3 minutes. And i recounted my time of prayer with Justus.  To be really honest, i did not pray with expectation of a supernatural healing of his leg right there and then.  I just prayed with trust knowing that God can do anything, and that i am to ask. So my prayer was short and simple. And God showed up in a way that even surprised me.

Tonight was a reminder, that even in the midst of what is a scary moment of life, our faith is a simple one. "Trust me", says the Father. "All your cares, cast them on me.  Not in majestic new-religious terms.  Honestly, authentically, simply trust me."

I pray that our testimony will be a simple reminder to you as well, that God is not absent. He is not only fully alive, He is fully present. He is calling all of us to a simple faith, in everything "Trust Him." Thanks for celebrating with us God's hand on our family.

Stay On The Path

Like i am sure a few do, i tend to find plenty of quiet time while on the elliptical.  So i devour the scriptures and then worship a bit.


This morning, i was given a gift.  The Lord provided me with a vision.  I was a 5yr old child, and was walking on a narrow dirt path.  In front of me 20-30 feet was the Lord.  He was in all white, brilliant, yet not overwhelming.  I ran to catch up to him, as fast as my little legs would allow.


As i reached him I joyfully danced around Him, like a small boy does when they are telling their dad about an amazing adventure they were just on.  As I danced and ran around Him, He continued to look on me with gracious, loving eyes.  His face was so kind.  


Then He grabs my hand and brings me to a stop, He comes down on one knee and looks me in the eyes.  His face turned to one of warning. Though i could not hear what he said, I was understanding none the less. He kept pointing towards the narrow path we had been walking on, looking ahead.  It is then that I saw, large wolves on either side of the path.  Not just 2 in one place, but up the path quite aways, I would see them pop their heads towards the path and then run off.  The one thing I knew from Jesus words was that "no matter what" I was not to leave the path. 


I then asked Jesus a question, assuming i was alone with Him, "Jesus what about all your children, how can I reach them if i just stay on the path?" It was at that moment that i looked ahead again, and there around me were hundreds of thousands of children, all dancing in full joy around Jesus.  And yet all were in full joy, but on the path. It was not chaotic at all, instead very peaceful, and right.


As I wondered at this sight, and joined in, I noticed that along the path ahead there was a clear (almost bubble like) wall between the path and either side.  As i danced, I would see a child come through the bubble and into the path with us. Joining in immediately with the rest of us in the dance.


I then understood from Jesus what he was saying.  If i stay on the path, my life, in full child like joy, will attract those who have yet chosen the path. So I continued to dance.


This time, I began to look back to see who else was coming on the path, again there were children as far as the eye could see dancing around, I could also see some coming through the bubble wall onto the path.  However, Jesus again grabbed my hand, this time I could hear what He said, and He did not need to get down on my level. "Don't look back, your life's worship of me attracts for eternity. Long after you have passed the point you are at on the path, other children will be attracted to the path by your worship.  However, you are to stay focused on the now, and the future. There is nothing you can do to effect what has happened earlier on the path, that is for me to care for."


So once again i returned to dancing around Him, and enjoying walking on the path. It was an amazing end to the vision.

I am reminded of Romans 12: 1+2 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

As you live today on the path, may you find the child like faith enjoy the dance, and be fully present. Not worrying about yesterday, but instead focused on Him now and forever. Whatever you do, "Stay on the Path."

A morning at the gas station

While at the gas station last week I had the craziest thought. I was filling up Jess' car with fuel and wondered, "what would happen if someone drank all 18 gallons of this gas that i am putting in the car?" Of course, silly thought, just a small amount of octane would kill someone, i think :<).

Fast forward about an hour later that morning and i am worshipping for a bit, and a picture comes into my mind of a driving rain storm. The rain began to pour so hard, i was drawn to "like a child" open my mouth wide open and drink. Then out of no where, the rain turned into a water fall, gushing down my throat and into my body. It was truly awesome!

I asked the Lord, "what does this mean?", His response was, "only the Father can turn water into oil. Only the Father can take living water, and out of it produce fire." Remember the Old Testament story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal. I was stumped for only a second and then began to realize that this fresh filling was about the power of the tongue.

The bible says that the tongue has "the power of life and death." (Proverbs 18:21) I was then reminded of the gas that i was pumping today. Why did I need it, simple, to be part of an controlled explosive process under the hood of my engine.  This explosion creates power to move my car to its next place.

The Father's living water is no different.  Out of a fresh filling of "living water" we face opportunities to see God's power come through our mouth, which again "has the power of life and death." There is however a warning in this as well.  That same power which brings life, can if not controlled appropriately, cause death.  Remember the car, what if there was no fire wall between your engine and you as you drove?  Or no crank case to shelter you from the explosions that are constantly happening under the hood? Right, death possible, for sure lots of pain.

The same Holy Spirit that fills you with the living water, is also able to give you the wisdom on where and when to use this power for His Kingdom.  The real question is have you asked today? If it begins to rain or even pour onto you, are you willing to open up like a child to receive His overflow? Praying that for all of you today my friends.

There is "life" to be brought forth today, quite possibly in the next place you are headed. He is ready to fill you with it. Just ask, like a child receive.

Vision during Vertical Worship at tlcc

During worship tonight God gave me a gift of a very vivid vision. As I was singing my mind took me to a place where i was walking down a path, and I saw myself grow into an old man. I watched my transition from being an earthly old man to walking into eternity, there was no pain, no worry, just a very natural transition from this physical life to the continuation of eternal.

As I entered into eternity I saw Jesus in the distance, He was strikingly beautiful and I began to run to Him. I ran through a golden field ready for harvest, as I ran towards Jesus a remarkable thing happened. I began to see myself regenerate and my body began to get younger and younger. The closer I got to Jesus as I ran, the younger I got. Until I finally got to him, which I was about 3-5 years old. I can only try to put to words the amount of joy that streamed through my heart both in the vision and in my physical self as I got to Jesus. What happened next caused me to tear up and begin to cry while in worship. I (as a child) grabbed his hand and we began to walk, talk, laugh, I was consumed by His love, both in the vision and in my physical self as I watched this vision.

I was amazed that I had His full attention. This part of the vision though only lasting seconds in the physical world, felt as if was lasting for eternity. Again, no words can give accurate description of that feeling of being loved by Jesus. I will simply quote the disciple John who often called himself "the one Jesus loved".

As I composed myself during worship, I noticed that in that field where i was with Jesus, was hundreds if not hundreds of thousands of children who all were consumed by His love, and I was there as a child content with this eternal childhood.
The vision faded out naturally with that picture.

I have been reminded of two thoughts since the time of this vision. The first is the the story of Eli and Samuel in the Old Testament. God calls Samuel a few times, each time Samuel assumes the voice is Eli, but Eli did not call the boy. Finally Eli tells Samuel to say to the voice the next time it calls, "speak Lord your servant is listening." I wonder how often our adult minds get in the way of hearing God calling our name, like a loving Father calls his child. Instead we assume it is a man calling us, and we always turn to humans for council on things that God very clearly wants to speak on. What would our life on earth today look like, if an Eli stood up and said to us "son or daughter, next time you hear a voice, sit still, and say 'speak Father your servant is listening'."

The second thought is simply a reminder for a song that we sang allot in the past few years. The song is In Christ Alone, and towards the end of the song we find these lyrics "No guilt in life, no fear in death, This is the power of Christ in me, From a life?s first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny." 1 Corinthians 15:55 says it this way "Where, o death is your victory? Where, o death is your sting?" I have spent much of my life fearing my physical death, even knowing of my eternal destiny. What a great gift to see the 'lack' of sting of this physical death and the great joy in this life and the life beyond being loved by Jesus.

John 10:10 "The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but I have come so they may have life, and have it to the full"

The Lady in Red

I was given a gift tonight while traveling home from Nashville today. God seems to do this to me once in a while to remind me how much detail he truly is aware of in my life.

As i walked up to the local train at the PHL airport i was already an hour + late, and i knew i had to wait for 20 minutes before the next train. As i entered the holding area, i was freezing, and i only had one other person in the room with me. I decided to make the best of it, and said hello. The lady with me was in her early 60’s and dressed in plain khakis and a red sweater, i noticed immediately her obvious missing coat. She was shivering and looked like she had been there for a minute.

I decided to offer her my coat, knowing that i had another in my bag, and even expressed so. She said no thank you. At this point she was standing almost as far away from me in the holding room as she could. Then she said in a kind voice, however if you had a cell phone, i would appreciate if i could use it. I of course pulled my cell phone out and asked her for the number. She came closer as i dialed, and then when she was finished with her call, she did not walk as faraway.

I decided to strike up conversation again, so where have you been that you don’t have a coat for this weather? I have been in Peru, she replied. I then asked her what she was doing in Peru, she explained that she is part of the Sisters of Mercy (A order of Catholic Nuns, typically missionaries). It is summer time in Peru, and she did not have the proper clothing for her travel. I was obviously moved by her story, so i pressed more. What do you do there? She explained that she works with a village there, helping families understand equality for women. As we talked she continued to seem more comfortable with our conversation. She then asked me what i did, i train Youth Pastors to work together, and work with a group of local youth outside of Newark, NJ, I replied.

Next thing you know we are in full conversation, i shared with her the story about my buddy Katie Davis (http://blogspot.kissesfromkatie.com), another Catholic sister that i knew that loved the Lord and was serving him faithfully. She was very moved by Katies’ story.

We continued to exchange stories and that 20 minutes in the holding room flew, God had given me a gift of a new friend, really a new sister in the Lord. As the train arrived, i went to shake her hand and thank her, i had not even learned her name yet. Her name was Sister Marie and then she grabbed me and gave me a hug, she thanked me for my time and my stories of hope. I asked her when her train was coming, she did not know, so i went to leave and then the lady on the train deck began to yell to her that this was the only train, and that she had called out her destination. Almost instinctively i stuck up for my new sister, and in nicer words told the train attendant to “chill it”.

So we got on the train, and had another few minutes to talk. I asked her why she was home. She explained that her 85 yr old father (Gerald) had fallen and broken his hip. She spoke to her sisters in Peru, and knew she needed to come home, as this likely is the beginning of the end for him. In the midst of this story, the attendant came to collect our cash for the tickets. Mine was $7 and hers $10, i explained to the attendant that i was to pay for both. In a moment you are going to find out why that was so significant for me.

As our time came to an end, i gave her my business card and asked her to email me, so that i could hear more about her 27 years serving the families in the village in Peru, and so i could send her the website about Katie that i mentioned earlier.

As i got off the train, the Lord began to speak to my heart. He rewound my last couple days, and showed me I was actually given about 20 gifts during my time since i hit the ground at PHL. Let me explain. On Monday during my meetings in Nashville we went out to lunch. After lunch i walked out but left my dishes. I was at a place where they clean up your table, but a tip is not necessary. However i felt the Lord say very quickly that i needed to leave a tip. All i have in cash is 2-$5 bills, so i left one of the two.

Today as i got off of the plane, i grabbed all my stuff and walked by the ATM in the terminal. As i got my bags, i went to check my cash. I only have $5, and i need $7 to get a ride on the train to central philly. Surely i had $2 somewhere in my bag. No such luck, man that is frustrating So I am in terminal E, outside of security, and there is no, ATM. The next 20 minutes i walked outside in the snow and cold from the last Terminal (E) to the first Terminal (A), stopping one by one trying to find an ATM. Each time getting more bothered by the fact that i am missing my scheduled train, and the ones after it. On top of that, each time the i found a Bank of America ATM it would not read my card. Finally, i am at the last terminal, and that ATM would not take my card or others who tried. Then an Asian man comes up, and his works. So i stood at that ATM and tried my card 40 times, determined that it WILL work. On the 41st time, it did. So i grabbed my cash (which was meant to pay for my ticket and hers), and headed to the closest SEPTA train. As i looked at the schedule, i had just missed that last train and had to wait 20+ minutes for the next. But God had a plan for that 20 minutes, just like he had for the tip i left on Monday, and for the fact that i needed to find cash, and for beging delayed as i searched for an ATM to work, and... you get the point.

Which bring us to where my story began, walking into the holding room at Terminal A, meeting Sister Marie in her red sweater.

What a lesson packaged in my gift tonight. “For i know the plans i have for you Steve, plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, plans to put people in your path, and interupt your life, so that you can be part of what i am doing. And if you will pay attention, you will find me. But if you won’t, be not afraid, daddy knows whats best, and I can altar your plans so that you will find mine.”

Tonight i was given the gift of interruption, so i could meet Sister Marie from Peru, and be reminded He has it all under control. I pray i continue to learn to pay more attention to the spirit so i can see Him at work. Amen.

My dream last night

I had an extremely passionate dream last night. It also seemed to last for much of the morning time of my rest. As i begin to remember and write it, I pray the Lord will guide my heart and my mind, so that i can remember what i experienced last night.

Interesting enough, as i began to tell my wife about the dream on the way to work, she explained to me that she woke up last night at 4:30am, wide awake, and did not go back to sleep til sunrise. So she prayed intensely for our family and others, which was most certainly around the time i was in the mist of my dreaming. Glory to God for a praying wife.

What i believe was a prophetic dream...

I was traveling in a city. I cannot say that it is a place that i have been before, however it was familiar. As i walked through the crowd, i was suddenly moved into years later in that same spot. The brick buildings that were so prominent in my first reality were broken, decayed, obviously something drastic had happened during these 2 time periods.

The other new reality was that i was not alone, i had someone with me. Better stated, though i walked beside him, it was him leading our team.

As we entered one of these buildings, i felt very sure i had been her before. The building was much like a large warehouse, with all sorts of closets, offices, and rooms off of it. All of it very dirty, very worn and broken.

Initially i remember a great empty room, as we moved through it around a brick wall, we met the first few people. They were definitely human beings, however there was a "zombie" like presence about them. I drew my sword of light quickly (not light saberish, more like a rod of pure light). It was almost instantaneous as we would be approached by these beings, our heart would break for them, some would seem to come alive and recognize us. If they did, then it was like family had come alive again, and there was much peace, and they joined us as we moved forward. On the other hand, others seemed aggravated to our presence and stayed in their zombie like trance. A few times as i would prepare to attack these aggravated beings and my travel partner would stay my hand, and his eyes would meet theirs and they would come out of the trance. It was a beauty and grace i cannot describe well, even now.

The ones that did not come out of the trance, I attacked with the sword of light, and defeated. I cannot say where they went when i defeated them, but they dissipated completely. What i can say is that each time they did not come back to human form, and i was forced to defeat them, i was hurting both during and after the fighting. Although i felt deeply for the loss i was experiencing, my counterpart was more broken than i for each one. And yet each time, we moved forward to the next crowd of people.

This process of moving through the building meeting crowds of beings, and using the sword of light, lasted for a long time. Eventually, we entered into one of the rooms off of the second main room. At which point we met what i knew to be the enemy. I neither feared him, nor was scared to speak to him. As we prepared to enter into what i assumed was his office, he made me take a pair of silver crosses attached to the top of my shoes off. At my travel partners approval I did so, and we moved into the room with him. As we entered, i noted what seemed to be a very long dark hallway with hundreds of doors behind him.

As we sat down facing the enemy, i realized that my travel partner was the Christ. The enemy was slick. He was dressed well, and spoke well. At moments his speech was tempting. He spoke to both the Christ and myself. He was telling us how late we were in this, and that our losses on the way to him were great. It felt as if he was trying to convince himself and us that he was winning this particular battle.

More than once in this discussion as the enemy would speak directly to me, i would hear the Christ speak to me as well, with the words to answer him. The enemy had no idea that the Christ was doing this, and became more and more aggravated at my strong responses to him. Also more than once i watched the Christ correct or remind the enemy of something. His words were strong as a bullhorn, and yet soft as a whisper.

At some point the conversation began to wind down, and the enemy in one last ditch effort looked right at me and said, "i see that he does not fear me, but you, i believe you fear me" at which point i stated to him "I fear the Lord and the Lord alone." It was one of those moments where truly i was scared, and yet in boldness i moved forward. At that the enemy was gone, and we were left standing side by side once again headed down the hallway.

This is how i remember the dream ending, and i woke up very rested and full of peace.

As Jess and I spoke this morning about it, the one reality that come to mind immediately was that the enemy wanted us to believe that this city was already defeated. Yet in a very short time we had seen many that had been deceived by the enemy, and the world's trance had come out of it, and there was much joy. And that there were still hundreds of rooms filled with hundreds more beings that needed to experience the presence of the Christ.

A way to live, thoughts from a conversation this week...

I have been marinating in a thought this week after a conversation i had with a brother in Christ. While in PA i took the opportunity to sneak over and see my friend in Lancaster, Geoff.

As Geoff and i began to catch up discussing God, family, and life. We were both awestruck on all that God was doing in our individual lives, and the lives around us. It seems obvious to say that God is up to a bunch of things, but maybe our awestruck emotions came more from our recognition of how the simple things are for His glory as well, not just the big moments.

As our discussion hit its mid way point, Geoff asked me a question. "Man how do you do it, how do you keep God first, your family second, and ministry/other third?" He wasn't asking because he did not know how, he was asking because Geoff wants to grow. So I pondered for a moment, and then said "I do my best to make small adjustments to my life everyday. Some people fear looking in the mirror and asking what else? I find great benefit in surrendering my life to God, and asking Him what is next? I don't spend much time in regret, rather repent."

Admittedly, i have tried to live this way for a while. You might say it is my form of living out Romans 12:1+2, paraphrased "that my life might be a living sacrifice holy and pleasing to God. And that by analyzing what part of my life is in the world, i might make small transformations so that i might live in His will".

The world we live in today, spends billions of dollars, hours of life, and every trick in the trade to tell us that the BIG moments in our life transform. And though i am for BIG moments, i do not find them transforming daily. Instead in my life i have found that the smallest decision towards my righteousness, builds on a daily basis, a foundation that is not sinking sand.

This was a beautiful moment for me during our conversation because i am not sure i had verbalized what i was trying to do by living this way each day. I just was, daily, in His Grace.

It reminded me of men and women all over the world that do BIG things; farmers, astronauts, fire fighters. Needless to say they face BIG moments in their lives. The planting and the harvest, the blast off and returning into the atmosphere, the 3 alarm fire in the middle of the night. But i would guess the majority of it is filled with small changes in their lives daily, so they can be ready for whatever comes their way.

I decided to share today, hoping that it would catch someone who is waiting for a BIG moment to change their lives. Maybe that is not what God is up to. Maybe today is about being honest looking in the mirror and making some small adjustments. So that as He transforms us, we will be ready to live. Then tomorrow and the next day we can do it all over again.

ROMANS 12: 1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual[a] act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. NIV

Selah - Pause and reflect - His Grace, His Peace, and His Power in you today -

6 Months...

Many of you are well aware of the story of our Niece Katy. Katy is the 14 yr old daughter of some very good friends of ours. This past Sept 30th, she was admitted to Vanderbilt Hospital with stomach pains, and then diagnosed with salmonella, which almost took her life more than once, while destroying a good part of her colon. Over the next 8 weeks we watched Katy fight for her life, and in the Lord's graciousness he restored her.

Well after 4 months of recovery, Katy returned for surgery this past tuesday to see if the doctors could repair what was damaged in her colon. I am happy to say that not only was it repairable but Ms. Katy is healing incredibly quickly.

My beautiful wife Jessi got to spend a moment with Katy last night at the hospital, and as i waited for her, i was struck by the resounding beauty of the celebration of the resurrection of our savior. While the world pauses for 3 days, or even 40 if we are gracious, to remember what Jesus has done through the cross.

As a follower of Christ, and a lover of Him, it is our great joy to live a life knowing that He is alive and still up to raising the dead, healing the sick, standing up for the poor, and holding little children. I am truly astounded by the number of ways that he shows His love for us. And that He has left us to also show His love to the world.

All of us know someone who has faced a illness or accident, and has not made it. We live in a broken world. However, without minimizing that pain, i do want to encourage Christians, aka people who live life as if Christ is still alive and busy loving the world. That we must be a voice of hope, and not of brokeness. It seems far too often we accept that brokeness, pain, illness, and such is "just part of it." And again in this world it is, but it was never His plan and still is not.

Today and tomorrow it is my hope that you (like our family) will celebrate the resurrection with a community of believers some where. As we do, let me encourage all of us to take a moment, recognize the awe of having a living active Christ in our world now, and decide that His life, not the worlds death is what deserves our time, talent, and calendar. For when the world stops their celebration, let us resound with ours, and as John 14 says, lets live that way til He returns or we go home to be with Him.

Customer Service is not dead...give credit where it is due...

Wanted to pass on some quick "UP's" where they are due. A week ago this morning, i arrived at the airport at 5am to fly out of town. As i arrived, i took one last look at my e-ticket, and to my misfortune, it seems that i had been Pricelined... Yes, i used this service to book my ticket, put that i was flexible on my travel times, but not on my dates of travel. And to my dismay, it booked my ticket exactly a week later than it showed me on the screen. (Now let me pause and say, there is a chance this is my fault, and i will accept that, however in this case, i am pretty sure, i saw the dates i was trying to book online as correct).

The lady at Continental could see the worry on my face. And smiled kindly as she heard my plea for help. Mind you at this point, i had my credit card out, and knew a fee of great proportion was coming. Never the less i had to get out of town today. After a few minutes of tapping and working, she had me on a flight a few hours later, and no upgrade fee. She even prepped me to fly standby on my connecting flight. She then directed me to another carrier to fix my return flight. I was stunned, and thankful.

As i headed over to the Delta counter, i saw a gentlemen, who just as kindly heard my plea for help. He tapped away, and i thought againn, better get my $ out. This time however, he explained that he could not help me. And if Continental was willing to help i should go see them about this flight as well. I asked one last time, "Even though this is a Delta flight, i should go back over there?" He said yes, and warned me of a $200 fee coming my way.

So i head back to Continental, where she asks me what else she can do for me. I explain what Delta said, and she began tapping again. Within 5 minutes, she had fixed my ticket completely, again, ready at NO COST. During our small talk while she was tapping, she told me she was still trying to wake up. So as she finished, i headed towards Sbux, and picked her up a Grande with half/half. The bible is clear, that we are to honor those, who deserve so. Priceline and / or my negligence could have started this day with much worry and unforeseen cost. But instead someone cared enough to spend 5 minutes and fix my day.

Admittedly more often than not, my expectations are greater than the customer service i receive. However, today, my expectations were blown away, and when this deal is over, i plan to make sure that Continental knows how good they have it with this Lady at the counter. And recommend her to moved to a CS trainer and overseer. To all of you who serve in the world of C.S., thanks today was a great reminder it is not dead!