What R U Thinking???

THE Y IN THE ROAD

2012-01-27T14:05:00.000-05:00

01.29.2012 YOUTH SUNDAY

We started Youth Sunday a couple of years ago and I am so impressed in how these future leaders have changed and grown. They have put so much hard work into each Sunday. This past Sunday they put in about four or five hours preparing for this day. We have some very talented kids who are becoming quite good instrumentalists. These kids have hearts to serve, wanting to learn and work at doing the best they can. This is part of our Church’s hope, is to train people to be servants of God. We are training these young people so that when the time comes for them to make decisions at that Y in the road. When they need to decide to follow Christ and His teachings or the ways of the world, they will be prepared. They will remember the times they spent serving their Lord and all that they have been taught about His grace and servant-attitude.

They will remember the investment that people have made in their lives. Then they will be able to make decisions about which way to go when they reach those forks in the road. There will be mistakes, but they will have a strong foundation. That’s what we have to do here at Geneva Church of Christ. We must invest and train so that each of us has the strong foundation of Christ.

Join us this Sunday....AMAZING!

The time is NOW for our TEENS.

2011-11-15T08:23:00.002-05:00

From my wife, Angel:

What is vision without movement? We began this incredible, risk taking, stepping out in faith to begin a coffee shop for teens. A place where they can hang out, a safe place. There have been snags along the way, yet our LORD has been so faithful and steady. We are now in the throws of opening....yet we NEED YOUR HELP. Tonight 2 pastors labored in sweat as they began painting the walls of this safe haven for teens. So, I am now calling on all teens! Please come and make this place your own. CALL PASTOR MATT (440.415.5465) and set a time to come and paint! We want this place to open before the end of November and we know YOU ALL DO TOO. Parents, singles, EVERYONE.....CHURCH....we are calling on you to HELP. We need your movement.

I have a new friend who came to me last week and shared that her teen ran away. She contacted her mom and stated that it was not what she thought and she was afraid, but did not want to tell her mom for fear of her life. Today she was found. Beaten, possibly raped and was kept "doped" up for over a week.

The time is NOW. Our teens need a place, a safe place to hang out. A safe place to come if they are scared and need a mentor....HELP US GET THIS OPEN. We need your physical strength....and, if you are so led, drop a donation at donate@thegrounds4u.com

NOVEMBER'S LADIES BECOMING CONFERENCE @ GCC

2011-11-04T16:51:00.004-04:00

The FALL Conference is going to out of this world. I have invited two incredible ladies to speak and you will find from the moment you meet them that their hearts passion for Jesus oozes from their very being. They are RADICAL Women for Jesus.

I met them both when Matt and I were planting a multi church in Wooster. I remember the first time I heard Penny sing and then years later speak. I have been blessed by her heart to be open to God and where he is leading her daily to be HIS and what that might look like.
Kim and I first sat together in her office at the old church book store. She thought we would only talk for 10 minutes, yet 2 hours later….This woman has a fervent, passionate, all or nothing relationship with Christ.

I have asked them to come and join me as we look at and challenge you with the thought of being QUIETLY SCREAMING RADICALS. Honestly, I am excited to see what God does and how He speaks through these vessels that are open to His calling to be TOTALLY His.

I do hope you join us. There will be impactful worship as I have asked Penny to share her hearts voice with you along with laughter, tears and of course….food. Please bring your friends and join us November 18th for this Fall’s BECOMING CONFERENCE.

CONFERENCE SPEAKERS:

Penny Swindall
My life is a mixture of mundane & wonder. Each day I choose whether or not to see my glass as 1/2 full or 1/2 empty. No matter what, I know that the Creator of all continues to shower His blessings on my life, either by storm or by refreshing shower. ~ Penny

KIM MORGAN
Child of God. Wife, mom, grandma (aka nana). Passionate about prayer & the Word of God. Love taking care of my family, a good deal, a bold cup of coffee, a good book and any kind of chocolate. ~ Kim
http://graftedbygrace.blogspot.com/

Here at GCC’s BECOMING, no matter where we are in our walk or our life....this is what we are striving to be daily. That our very essence of being...Him pouring out of us is BECOMING and drawing others to want to know more about HIM.

BECOMING is a time where we as women can come and find encouragement, refreshment, laughter and grow together while listening to great speakers, DVD's and impactful worship. Come join us, bring a friend...you will not leave the same!

Please RSVP: email: tina@genevachurchofchrist.org

www.churchofsecondchances.com

Labor Day Thoughts....

2011-09-05T16:40:00.002-04:00

He meets HIM in a yard filled with dandelions...

An excerpt from:

Life Inside the Box of a Jigsaw Puzzle

Finding God’s Grace, Strength, Hope and Understanding inside the Spectrum of Autism.

By: Angel S. Thompson

My son has this unique relationship with God. I could sit here and say that I am envious and that I long for that, and yet the truth is...I can have that...I do have that...one that is individual and totally and fully “ours”. (Mine and God's)

The other day as I drove around on the lawn mower cutting our "field", I could not help but to be captivated by my son who stood in the grass,

dandelion “fuzz” flying around him, arms stretched upward with his face towards the sky. He would stand still and then spin and then stop and sway as if hearing some sweet sound of music only known to him.

Later he asked to ride with me and as he nestled his head on my shoulder I asked what he was doing with his arms up in the yard and he said, “Talking to God and praising Jesus.” When asked what they talked about he said “I cannot tell you, because that was God and I talking.”

He had found his “prayer closet” and went there to talk with Jesus. Uninhibited by what was happening around him, he was able to “sift” through it and find solace with God.

To understand how profound that is....individuals that have an Autism Spectrum Disorder have a hard time “sifting” through all the noises and sensory things that invade our lives daily. As you are reading this there are sounds happening around you and yet you are able to sit and concentrate to comprehend what is on your screen. For people like my son, it is like the GRAND FINALE at the 4th of July happening inside their head all the time and they have to “sift” through it...so...you can understand why I sat in awe as God and Joshua met in that yard and he and Jesus talked and sang together. It was so intimate that Joshua did not want to share the details, only that they "met"...because it was HIS TIME with HIS KING.

My son grasps the meaning of Ephesians 3:19, 20. He knows the power Jesus has in his life and he soaks up the fullness that he has been given because he belongs to HIM.

Do you know that you can know that fullness....that power....if you are HIS...it has been promised to you because HIS SPIRIT lives within you! I challenge you today to read Ephesians 3:14-21. Meditate on it, soak it in....then go find your “yard” and meet Him there.....He’s waiting!

2011-08-11T21:54:00.001-04:00

Food, games, school supplies, prizes....seriously you don't want to miss this!

Bring your kids and make your way to

1007 S Broadway

Geneva, OH 44041

If you have a car or bike, bring it, register for the show!

You cast....He sustains

2011-07-12T19:51:00.001-04:00

Join us at GCC as I begin a new series from Psalms 55:22 "Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you he will never let the righteous fall."

With the question posed: What does "God sustaining you" mean to you in your walk walk with him?

@ THE GROUNDS THIS THURSDAY AND FRIDAY

2011-06-23T12:47:00.003-04:00

Hey All! The ball is rolling for THE GROUNDS!

Have you heard we have our permits???

Come on out this Thursday night, June 23rd at 7pm to hear more, see more and how you maybe able to help! Invite a friend and help us hit the GROUNDS running!
Signing up tonight for Jobs to complete.

CALLING ALL TEENS!

This Friday, June 24th at 8pm

we will be hanging out at the future TEEN HANGOUT, THE GROUNDS! United Methodist church has some teens coming from Michigan who are on their way for a missions trip. They are making a stop here in Geneva and we thought it would be awesome to HANG OUT! So, grab a friend, BRING SOME GAMES, Stephen Moore bring your Gnome and head to THE GROUNDS for a great hangout of fun! We have one or two projects that we will complete.There will be food and some music

Genetics Do Not Define Us.

2011-03-21T13:25:00.003-04:00

From my wife.

LIVING IN THE WORLD OF AUTISM…BEING A MOMMY LIVING OUTSIDE THAT WORLD TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HER SON WHO LIVES WITHIN.

Author: Angel Thompson

Life Inside the Box of a Jigsaw Puzzle

When I was young I can remember my older brother doing what people would say as “strange
things.” He was just my brother, I was used to it. As I watch my son today I see my brother when we were kids.

Walking into my brother’s room I would find things lined up and in a certain order. He would be sitting at his desk taking a computer apart that he just purchased and then making some changes and would put it back together. He would build radios and sit for hours trying to talk to other people. He made strange noises in his mouth and with his nose. He would “twiddle” his fingers or fidget with hisbuttons and pant cuff. We were born in the 60’s so to say the 70’s and 80’s were good to him would be reaching. He was made fun of, had only 2 friends and lived his life talking above the heads of his peers and often time adults. I remember asking him to write me a computer program for school. (this was when you actually had to program your computer to do what you needed instead of pushing a mouse and clicking on an icon) He sat down and
after 15 minutes had written a math program that would take a student from 1st grade – 12th grade. If you made a mistake it would show you the mistake and give you another problem until you mastered it and “graduated” you to the next level. He wrote this with his number 2 pencil on lined paper.

He struggles with the concept of money, yet has the heart that just wants to be loved and wants to love. I remember at his graduation party…he had worked
the night before on this incredible computer program to have displayed at his party. No one
showed up. Just me and his 2 friends. As he took down his computer display he looked at me and
said, “Sis, I feel like I am standing outside the window looking in…I just want to be inside with
everyone else.” My brother has learned to live in the spectrum. Successfully, with a marriage and a wonderful job doing what he loves…computer programming. He still talks above your head and has a deep passion to love and be loved. He has a strange sense of humor
that can only be him…and I love him.

I watch my son. I walk into his room and see things lined up and in a certain order. He carries papers in boxes and in his pockets. “Receipts” he calls them. He will take them out and line them up and say “I’m working” and then replace them. I showed him how to work my old Macintosh lap top from grad school…that’s all it took. One time and now he knows how to get to his favorite game, “Spin Doctor”.

I wish I could enter his world to truly understand. I wish I could take all the overwhelmedness for a day so he could focus…yet he has learned to love who his is. Last night as he was praying this is what he said, “Jesus, thank you for my autism.” He knows. As long as we support
him, encourage him and help him to unleash that incredible potential God has given him…he will
continue to live out the purpose God has for him.

Joshua has memorized this verse after we read it one night. He says it everyday…it is truly his life verse.

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do and your plans will succeed.” Proverbs 16:3

May we all learn from this 5 year old and from the others who live in the spectrum of Autism to
persevere, find joy in every little thing we see and believe the promise of Proverbs 16.

Photo by Kimberly Brunsman

BECOMING.....NO GRAZING ALLOWED

2011-03-10T20:51:00.003-05:00

When we live life for instant gratification we will view every irritation as a tribulation. Sisters....may we be sowers, firmly rooted and not grazers. ~Angel

GCC’s BECOMING…
Spring 2011 Gathering
BECOMING is a time where we as women can
come and find encouragement, refreshment,
laughter and grow together while listening to great
speakers, DVD's and impactful worship. Come join
us...you will not leave the same!

Join us as we explore what it means to “leave the grazing field” to becoming truly
ROOTED in HIS Word that sustains us through all life’s circumstances.

MARCH 18TH @ 7PM

LOCATION: GCC 1007 S Broadway

Geneva, OH 44041
______________
Please RSVP to:
1007 S Broadway
Geneva, OH 44041
Tel. 440.466.7689
or
tina@genevachurchofchrist.org

Oh yeah....did I mention there will be food? COME HUNGRY AS WE WILL FEAST!

www.churchofsecondchances.com

Face Down...and not drowning

2011-01-05T15:31:00.004-05:00

Hey all. This is Angel. In 2007 I wrote the entry below. It just seemed so...well appropriate today.

Thursday, June 28, 2007
Face Down...and not drowning

I have learned more about what it truly means to approach the throne of grace with confidence from my children than all the education I received in seminary.

A few weeks ago Matt went to speak with someone about our finances. With our son’s autism, my health issues and now Matt’s heart it has become an “interesting adventure.” That morning I found myself standing in the kitchen crying out in my heart to God and then all of a sudden I foun d myself face down on the floor, arms stretched out, sobbing to my Father. As I laid there praying I heard my precious daughter say to our son, “Joshua, mommy’s dead.” I then voiced through tears, “No, mommy’s just praying to Jesus.”There was silence when all of sudden I felt Faith lay down beside me, face down with the her hands over mine and then Joshua laid face down in front of me, his hands also on mine and Faith’s. There we were lying at the foot of Jesus and all I heard were my children saying, “Thank you, Jesus, thank you, Jesus…” So, together we came, face down and thanked the Lord for everything.

I want to share one last thing in this entry regarding what trust means, what it means to come before His throne with confidence knowing that He will show mercy and grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)

Below Section copied with permission from

The True Intimacy of Becoming a Water Walker

Author: Angel Thompson

EPILOGUE

It was unseasonably warm for March as we drove into the driveway after Joshua’s therapy. He had been asking for French Fries and I tried to explain that mommy did not have money to buy French Fries that day. As he exited the van he cupped his hands over his mouth like a mega phone and began calling out…for Jesus. “Jesus, Jesus, where are You? I need French Fries…..Jesus….give Mommy money….Jesus.” With that, he then walked quietly to the door with a smile.

He had come to the throne seeking Jesus. He knocked, asked and left his request there, trusting in the Lord who brought him snow months earlier. Joshua is a Water Walker, and has a unique understanding of Jesus.

Often times in our lives, as we grow older, our sense of “knowing” that Christ is our source becomes less. Whatever the reason, it happens and it takes work and effort to look beyond everything that comes at us and trust that God is truly in control. Daily Joshua reminds me of that incredible child-like faith. Something I know he will carry with him always and I am a bit envious of that, and so I choose to learn from my son as he truly trusts “Jesus” to meet his every child like need, and even mommy’s as we pass the fast food store and he says without hesitation, “Jesus, give mommy money for French Fries, please.”You see, to be a Water Walker takes a “child like faith” to step out onto the uncertain waters of life and seek HIS face, the true source of life.

I honestly cannot end this book without mentioning our daughter, Faith, in which she is named appropriately when it comes to being a Water Walker.If there is one thing Faith loves to do, it is to stand at the top of the steps and fall into my arms. She knows that I am not going to let her fall. She trusts me, and that relationship we have gives her the comfort and sense of love that allows her to “fall”. It has been through my son and daughter that I have continued to be challenged in my own walk as a Water Walker. To be a Water Walker honestly takes trust. However, your trust is meaningless unless you have a relationship with the One you are stepping out to walk with.

God has used two very small vessels to remind me of my need for the deep and intimate relationship with Him, and the trust in Him that allows me to face the uncertainty of life. Do I have moments where I feel like I am sinking? I am not ashamed to say yes. It is in those moments that I am gently reminded of my position in Christ, one that was established the moment I gave my life to HIM. I am His daughter…standing at the top of the stairs and on the edge of the boat looking out at my Lord with His arms reaching out telling me to “jump, trust me…I will not let you drown.”

Do you know your position in Christ? If so, don’t be afraid to walk out on the waters of life’s uncertainty.

Isaiah 42:3 “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”

Life Comes At You Fast...a Note from Pastor Matt

2010-12-27T09:57:00.003-05:00

Hi all, this is Pastor Matt. What a journey it has been since my family and I arrived here in Geneva. We have witnessed God moving in our community as He has allowed us to love this town with HIS love in unique ways. I personally have seen God in action here and have watched lives and families changed and I stand in awe. As God has used my family to touch your hearts, know that He has also used you to touch ours. So, speaking of hearts I need to share something with you. Most of you in the church know that I have a BIG HEART. However, my physical heart has been failing and I have been in heart failure since June 25th. It became apparent to the doctors at the Cleveland Clinic that my aortic valve is weak, narrowed and that it must now be removed and replaced. What this means is that Elders have placed me on medical leave as I will be going in for open heart surgery for them to replace my valve.

This in no way means what we do at the church of second chances is also on “medical leave”. We have an amazing group of leaders that you can trust and this body has a hearts passion for our community and will continue to reach out and serve our community even through my time off for surgery and recovery. Please do not hesitate to contact the church with any needs or questions you may have. Here at GCC, the Church of Second Chances….you matter.

See you all when my medical leave is up…I will be back to dancing, as will my family.

I want to challenge you with one thought as I think of this amazing journey we are all on. You all know the commercial for allstate: "Life comes at you fast....are you in good hands?" Jeremiah 29:11

Love,
Pastor Matt Thompson

This Moment

2010-12-14T20:23:00.000-05:00

Simply...from us to you this December.

2010-12-04T23:08:00.000-05:00

GCC...what's happening...family style

2010-11-23T13:11:00.003-05:00

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of the year and I would like to yell out a quick, “Happy Thanksgiving to all of you at GCC, the Church of Second Chances.” Due to some interesting adventures this past summer with my “health”, our family will be doing something different. Traveling is very hard on me, so we decided to stay home, conserve our energy and relax before the upcoming Christmas season here at GCC. Another great season where we here at GCC pull out all the stops and take no detours as we do everything we can to share the gospel with our community.

As I think of Thanksgiving it causes me to think of “family” and how important the thought of family is, even in my own personal life. I remember there have been many times in the past that my family has had conflict and many of those times were centered around Thanksgiving moments. Some of those Thanksgivings I would love to forget, however through it all I love my family, I am proud of my family and could not even imagine my life without them. With 9 brothers and sisters, 30 some nieces and nephews and up to 16 some great nieces and nephews we are bond to have conflicts as all of our different personalities and views come into play; yet as I reminisce about times we have argued I also remember times of incredible blessing to have such a family. This summer, when I was ill, I cannot even begin the outpour of love from my family through notes, cards and how some of my family traveled via car and plane to spend time with me.

Just as we all have immediate families, we are also a FAMILY here at GCC, the Church of Second Chances. Our desire is to love God, our community and beyond. Within our FAMILY, just like any family, there will be moments of conflict which may overflow into areas in your life, in your life of worship. Something to remember as followers of Jesus and members of the ROYAL FAMILY of God is that, just as we give those in our immediate families second chances, we need to be willing to do the same with our church family….to show and give them second chances, or as our son says….”Daddy, can I have a fourth chance?” We all have weaknesses and moments where we struggle. In those moments when we see a brother or sister struggling, we need to be willing to love and encourage them…encourage each other during our times of struggle and uncertainty.

Church family, I love you and these are areas I believe we should always be thinking about, be on guard about, and be aware of as it states in His Word, “Satan is like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.” May we not be his next meal.
This past weekend we had an incredible Elder’s retreat where we spent time making some changes for the better; steamlining and organizing things, and I am excited to share that over the next month we will be spending time sharing about the churches future and what is in store for us here at GCC, the Church of Second Chances. WOW, I am pumped!
In a final note, we want to rejoice in the Hundred Grand Dash and the work God is doing here. I know our number is up in the amount needed per person, but I still believe God can do anything and He can provide so that our church no longer has a mortgage by the end of 2010. Stepping out on faith, we will be having a mortgage burning party on January 16th. We’re also going to be praying and thanking God for watching over us in December. I look forward to see what God has in store for us.

I remember as a young Senior Minister one thing I never wanted to give up was “the pulpit”. In my “older years” I have come to believe that you should hear from your Elders from time to time as they stand behind “the pulpit” or on the level as Paul does. We were blessed with Paul Brunsman’s teaching last week and I am very excited to hear Dave Ray, one of our Elders, preach for the first time today, and what God has to say through his heart.
December 12th we’ll have our Children’s Program, so please invite all your friends and family to this event. I read in our church history that the record attendance was 167. Since I have been here it’s been 123. Let’s break both of these records as we celebrate Jesus and share His love for us and those who are lost. We have so many chance, through many venues to invite our friends and family over the next coming weeks to hear about THE ULTIMATE GIFT! First, December 12th through the Children’s play. Second, December 19th at our “Christmas Sunday” with a dinner following. Fourth, experience at the Christmas Eve Candlelight Service December 24th and fifth, as we come together for another wonderful celebration of the season on December 26th.

So, can it be done? Can we break 3 or 4 records during this season of events at GCC as we attempt to “out do” the next special event? Please invite everyone you know, friends, family and even strangers to this special worship time. Let’s reach out to our community and enjoy this opportunity to share the Gospel.

Leadership....there is NO cookie cutter! 10.31.2010 YOUTH SUNDAY!

2010-10-26T22:26:00.002-04:00

sckrt jrnl to God

2010-10-03T19:51:00.001-04:00

What is leadership? Quick thoughts from Angel Thompson

October 8 & 9 there will be a leadership retreat at Blue Rock. Many believe they are NOT leaders, yet I believe that we all LEAD by example. The other day I was humbled knowing that my children watch me intently, especially JT. I have a private journal to God. Just for me and HIM. JT saw me typing in it the other night and asked me what it was. Guess what he began the next day? His began his own "scrkt jrnl to God", as he typed it.

You don't need the title "LEADER" to be classified as a leader. You don't have to have the position title as "director of...supervisor of...leader of..." because at some point in your life's journey there is someone watching you and your example.

Our son has autism and he looks to others for social cues on how to live in our world. As ambassadors of Christ, people are looking at us....what Christ cues are we leaving?

I really hope you come to this retreat next weekend...and bring your "scrkt jrnl to God", there is no telling what God will show you and challenge your thoughts during this weekend.

Angel Thompson

Posted by Matt at 6:15 PM 0 comments

The Month of September @ GCC, the Church of Second Chances

2010-09-04T15:00:00.003-04:00

Worship.
What does that word really mean?
It is an word of action, but is it only done on Sundays...with music? What is it you are passionate about that consumes you...is that worship?
What draws your thoughts and then actions...is that worship?
So, what does this word, Worship mean? Join us this month as we explore and discuss the LIFE MEANING OF WORSHIP.

Join us Sunday, 09.12.2010 for the BACK TO CHURCH SUNDAY!

NO TICKETS REQUIRED!

What is BIG 2....IT'S COMING!!!!!!

2010-09-02T21:04:00.001-04:00

IT'S COMING THIS OCTOBER 2010 AND IT'S GOING TO BE BIG!

Click BIG 2 to see what it's all about!

Life is....fragile

2010-07-02T16:42:00.002-04:00

Life is truly fragile, isn’t it? Because we are young we have this strange feeling of invincibility at times; as if anything could bounce off of us. Nothing could possibly harm us…as if we could truly conquer the world and all of it’s elements. Then something happens and you realize how fragile you really are. How you truly rely on people in your life, and when they are gone God shows you that your source of dependence needs to be on HIM. That your trust cannot be in the “fragile”. Not saying that we should not “trust” those around us…but remembering that our Sustainer is not a spouse…or a relationship here on earth. How the only ONE who will sustain us through the most difficult of situations in Christ.

This has truly been a testing time for our family. Four years ago Matt was diagnosed with a heart condition. A condition that is a birth defect, yet a part of his condition is still unexplainable….his weakened heart. His doctors are now working with him to strengthen his heart, with us knowing the reality that he will have surgery at some point to replace that valve…just not now. I wish I had more to tell you regarding his physical heart, yet they continue to run tests and are looking at 2 procedures to help his heart function. (When he stands up and can do the happy dance I will "dance" with joy)

So, here we sit in “fragility” knowing the only sustainer is Christ. My “strong man” having to find his strength from within and not with the physical. What a journey this has been. God has His time frame. Could He heal Matt tomorrow? Sure. Yet during this time our dependence on HIM is growing. Faithy and Joshua pray for daddy every night. With Joshua’s Autism, and now PANDAS D/O he is having a hard time with daddy not being home. Yet I am amazed with how God has been comforting him in unique ways. (Thank you Kimberly for taking him to play legos with Ben!)

Life is so fragile, isn’t it? So, here we are…in our fragile state….standing….no wait, face down at His throne. Knowing that only there will we find rest and comfort during these moments of uncertainty….moments of fragility.

There is a truth I know…God is never fragile, He has never left us, He has His timing, He is our Father….I hold tight to his promises…even in the midst of this fragile life.

No matter where you are in your journey I urge you, and I can almost hear my grandfather in my voice when I say, don’t take any breath or moment in your life for granted. I love something that Jim Elliot once said, “Walk as if your next step would take you over the threshold of Heaven.”

Life is fragile. I am glad there is one who walks before me planning my course. One who walks with me and at times carries me. I am thankful for how He has expressed Himself through people and how I have seen and experienced Him in some truly unique ways this year. I am learning so much how life is fragile...and so precious.

Take time this week and reflect on how He walks before you and what it truly means to depend. Has anything happened where He is telling you to sit, rest, be still and just trust Him and not react to what is happening around you?

Know you are all loved. Know that you are ever in our thoughts and conversations with God. Know how much we appreciate all you do and how you are truly an expression of THE BODY!

Much love,
Angel

FREE FAMILY FESTIVAL & CAR SHOW

2010-06-08T21:23:00.001-04:00

Event Registration Online for GCC'S FREE FAMILY FESTIVAL powered by Eventbrite

From the THOMPSON'S to our Family @ GCC

2010-06-06T09:38:00.004-04:00

My wife writes:

There truly are no words to describe our love for you. You amaze us as a family, how you have accepted our son with his Autism and now with his additional diagnosis of PANDAS D/O. To put it simply, Joshua had Scarlet Fever last year and then he ended up getting strep throat at the beginning of the school year. The “strep” never left his body and ended up going to his brain which has caused him to have difficulty functioning. He has been fearful, anxious and sad. He has had an increase in impulsive behaviors and irrational thinking. He has not wanted to leave my side. He has had thoughts that people are wanting to hurt him and kill him, which happened a few weeks ago at church. He has had hours of crying, screaming and asking me, “Mommy, what is happening to me?” Faith has been such an incredible little sister, yet it has been hard for her to see her big brother withdrawing from her. Joshua began treatments with preventative medication and just finished a week long intense treatment of steroids to which I took a leave from work to be home with him to monitor the treatments. We have spent many nights without sleep, feeling drained and yet God has worked through your cards, letters, text messages, meals, cleaning our home….you have touched our hearts. You truly are living the scripture when we are exhorted to “lift one another up”, to “encourage one another”. Thank you all for your love and support during this PANDAS D/O journey that has gripped Joshua’s life and us as a family. You ARE our Family, and we love you.

Love, Matt, Angel, Joshua & Faith

If you would like to follow Joshua’s journey, you can at http://www.4jart.blogspot.com/

reCAPTCHA 101

2010-05-31T11:18:00.002-04:00

My Wife writes:

Over the past several months I have longed to be able to go back and recapture moments with my grandparents. To sit with them, hear their life stories and learn how they faced trials and somehow glean from their life journey wisdom. The sad truth is, all I have are memories and a few nuggets of wisdom written down on paper from my grandfather about life.

Our spiritual journey is such a parallel. I have heard some say they wish they could go back to when they first found Christ. I have heard others say they feel like they are in a rut where they just feel complacent as if they are just keeping up the status quo. However, unlike not being able to talk with those who are gone, we have a God who is still with us today and He gives us incredible nuggets of LIFE WISDOM. Where? He has given us LETTERS that are incased within the bindings of the Bible. Within those pages we can reCAPTCHA what HE has for us in our relationship with HIM and how to journey in this life. Join us for the next 60 days for our new series, reCAPTCHA 101: Getting back to the basics.

Did our property line used to be lake front???

2010-05-07T19:15:00.000-04:00

What makes a life coach?

2010-04-30T21:36:00.004-04:00

What is a LIFE COACH and is it possible to learn how to LIVE as a committed follower of JESUS from a murder? What about a prisoner? A radical? Come and join us for the Month of May as we begin our new series:

JESUS WHO?

2010-02-23T20:20:00.003-05:00

How many of you know Jesus? Beyond the knowledge of knowing that he was born of a virgin, that he was born in a stable, that he taught in the temple when he was a kid, that he turned water into wine, that he healed the sick, made the blind to see, the deaf to hear, saved and released the demon possessed, walked on water, calmed the see, fed over 5000 with just a few loaves of bread and fish, brought Lazarus back to life, was beaten, had his beard and hair pulled out, thorns crushed upon and into his head, walked the dusty road carrying the wooden beam and hung for hours on a cross for you and me. Died, buried, alive again and is now in heaven preparing a place for us. With all of that....how many of you KNOW HIM. Have an understanding of Jesus, who He is and how that knowledge brings true freedom and power in our every day breath of life?

Be sure to join us over the next month as I talk about JESUS WHO? We are going to explore HIM hopefully in a new way of understanding that not only challenges our walk with HIM, but brings HOPE, ENCOURAGEMENT AND IGNITION to share HIM!

Dinner & a Movie Slide Show

2010-02-16T17:35:00.001-05:00

I don't know about you, but our Dinner and a Movie Night was incredible and fun.
Check out the slide show from our event! And...that was great PORK!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

LET'S ROCK THE CHURCH!

2010-02-05T15:45:00.001-05:00

COMING MARCH 7TH! Are you ready to...ROCK!?

UNBREAKABLE PROMISES...YEAH RIGHT! Begins February

2010-01-25T19:40:00.002-05:00

Many of us are familiar with the famous quote from the movie, HOOK, when the father makes the statement, "My word is my bond." However, this father's words, his promise to his son ended up being no more than air that fills the bubble wrap we all love to pop.

In Webster's dictionary the word promise means: 1a: a dedication that one will do or refrain from doing something specified b: a legally binding declaration that gives the person to whom it is made a right to expect or to claim the performance or forbearance of a specified act.

Too often, because of our lives and how we have experienced relationships, the very world promise does not hold much in our eyes, so when it comes to believing that our God would keep to HIS promises...how many of us have a difficult time grasping or believing?

The definition of covenant in the Bible is a "promise". God's covenant is His promise to us. Wherever we find a promise of God in the Bible, we find God's everlasting covenant.

The Bible is filled with the history of God's promises...FULFILLED!

Come along with us in February as we explore God and see that HIS promises have been, and are, UNBREAKABLE!

WHAT? WHAT? WHAT?.......

2010-01-16T17:23:00.002-05:00

Ever get a late night call and in the morning you are not sure if it was all a dream or you wonder what you said? Ever hear something in the middle of the night that wakes you up and you get that "hot" adrenaline feeling that goes through your body? I have been there, my wife has even gotten out of bed so quickly after being awakened abruptly that she did not know her leg was asleep and fell straight on her face. What an awakening.

This Sunday we are going to talk about a guy who kept being awakened, what happened when he finally realized what was happening and how it applies to us. Join us this Sunday as I talk about CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?!

-Pastor Matt Thompson
matt@genevachurchofchrist.org

2010-01-09T10:33:00.003-05:00

CURIOUS, aren't you?!

Come on over and check it out!

A 2009 THANK YOU...GCC STYLE

2009-12-26T13:24:00.005-05:00

You know what I love about finishing a year? There's a next one just around the corner. A new year to see what is going to happen as we reflect back on what happened. A new year to see where God is going to ask us to join HIM and we remember where we were with Him the year before. A new year to say THANK YOU. Thank you's are never the end, they are the beginning!

Come and join us this Sunday at GCC, the Church of Second Chances as we say thank you to 2009 and anticipate 2010 and what God has instore! I can hardly wait!

MY GREATEST CHRISTMAS GIFT EVER!

2009-12-14T14:10:00.001-05:00

I loved waking up early Christmas morning and sneaking downstairs to peek under the tree. I would look for my name and try and guess what was hidden inside the delicately wrapped boxes. Do any of you remember the greatest gift you ever received? For me, is was not the coveted Red Rider BB Gun. As I grew older and looked back over all the Christmas’ past I can think of one gift that was the greatest and that is why I have titled Sunday’s message, MY GREATEST CHRISTMAS GIFT EVER! Come and join us Sunday, December 20th for an incredible worship service at 10:30am and be sure to not put on the crock pot because we will have a special Christmas Lunch following the service.

Be sure to also come out December 24th at 6pm as I continue to talk about My Greatest Christmas Gift Ever! Invite your friends and family to come and sit with you for a night that will impact your life forever.

A Gift From God

2009-12-05T20:38:00.002-05:00

EEG

2009-12-01T03:58:00.003-05:00

An electroencephalogram (EEG) is a test that measures and records the electrical activity of your brain. Special sensors (electrodes) are attached to your head and hooked by wires to a computer. The computer records your brain's electrical activity on the screen or on paper as wavy lines. Certain conditions, such as seizures, can be seen by the changes in the normal pattern of the brain's electrical activity.

So, at this moment my wife if up with Joshua and I am on my shift of sleeping. Amazing how I can type while I am asleep….nah, actually my wife has access to my blog and so she is imputing this for me.
Life is such an incredible journey as well as an adventure. Tonight is just another paragraph in this years chapter. Ah, Matt is waking up now…I can hear his feet coming down the hall and Joshua is asking me to do the “tickle hand joke” that makes him laugh.

As our son’s brain is tested this morning with an EEG for seizure activity I cannot help but think that we walk around with a spiritual EEG. That our “brain” activity is an open record to all of how we respond and act to our thoughts and circumstances. (And, if I were not so tired I could come up with a great acronym for EEG…but alas…it is now 3:55am.) And Matt is now back to sleep.

(Joshua just came up to me and said, “MOMMY, GOD LOVES YOU.”)

May each of you have a blessed 1st Day of December!

You can read more about this interesting journey by clicking AUTISM

WOW

2009-11-22T17:57:00.001-05:00

CURIOUS? Stop in and find out what the WOW is all about!

The BIG Gathering.

2009-11-04T17:48:00.001-05:00

The BIG Gathering.

What's it all about? What does "break 113" mean? This photo above makes me think of the thousands of people who followed Jesus to just sit and hear the words that would change their lives. They were so thirsty for what He had to offer that the crowds increased in number.

This "break 113" is more than a number. It will not prove that we are successful at "what we do". It's about being willing to be open to share where we found the water we thirsted for and our lives were changed. And maybe, just maybe our stories of transformation and second chances will touch someone's life where they are drawn to HIS WATER for eternity and choose to live life forever changed.

Will you come? Who will you bring?

UNO SERVICE EAST

2009-10-10T17:52:00.005-04:00

Hey ALL!
Today GCC along with other Area Churches did an outreach into our community. To say that I was pumped was an understatement considering what God did this week with my wife. He sent her to the same place that we are reaching out to and she did not even know where we were going today. When she called me the first thing she said was, "Can we have a mobile soup kitchen?" Here is part of her heart she wrote in her blog:

I know that people “use” the system. I know that people buy what they want and beg for what they need. I know people “use others” to gain and remain in their own pit…and yet there is this one phrase within a commission given to all of us who say we are followers of Christ. Not even a phrase but a word…GO! Go therefore into all the world…..

Don’t you find it interesting that He did not say, BRING THEM TO THE CHURCH. WAIT FOR THEM TO COME. HAVE A GREAT PROGRAM AND THEY WILL…..

If my memory serves me…CHRIST WENT TO THEM…He walked right up to the woman at the well. He walked up to the adulterous woman. He walked up to the tax collector. He walked up to the hungry, bleeding, poor, sick, desperate, suicidal, homicidal, lost, in search of meaning, drug addict, alcoholic, user… He walked up to….me and He walked up to you.

Today we GOT GOING and brought chili, hot dogs, beverages, games, prizes of flash lights, batteries, winter items like scarfs, gloves, hats, socks, as well as cleaning supplies, toiletries and more to the families God had called us to join Him today in showing His love in a practical way. The above clip is what our day entailed...it was AMAZING!

LIFE INSIDE THE BOX OF A JIGSAW PUZZLE

2009-09-30T21:53:00.000-04:00

NEW DEVOTIONAL BOOK!

We all have a plan in our heads of how we “think” life ought to be when we marry and have children. When those plans are shattered, it is like someone came up to your card table while you were putting together a jigsaw puzzle and the pieces went everywhere. Yet, your puzzle did not just hit the floor, it scattered to the winds and you now stand there with an empty box.

Life Inside the Box of a Jigsaw Puzzle is a book about finding God’s Grace, Strength, Hope and Understanding inside the Spectrum of Autism. I am a parent who is inspired daily by our son who was born and blessed with Autism. May you find blessing, hope...and a new look within the puzzle of Autism.

Publisher: Angel Thompson/Unleashing Potential Ministries

Language: English

Country: United States

Edition: First

Version: 1

You can order a copy today by clicking LIFE INSIDE...

Imagine Your Life Without Fear....

2009-09-21T20:14:00.003-04:00

TERRORISM, LAYOFFS, FORECLOSURES…

The world today can be a scary place.

Now, close your eyes and imagine your life…WITHOUT FEAR.

Imagine your life wholly untouched by anxiety. What if faith, not fear, was your default reaction to threats? If you could hover a fear magnet over your head and extract every last shaving of dread, insecurity, and doubt, what would remain? Envision the day when you can trust more and fear less. Can you imagine your life without fear?

Join us September 27th as we begin our new series: FEARLESS

smallness = bigness, largeness, magnitude.

2009-09-16T20:30:00.008-04:00

As I sit here looking out the window, watching the clouds pass over the lake side of our house...I am in awe again at how small I am in the grand scheme of this world and yet He has called me to do something HUGE in this town, in this state, in this country, in this world.

My wife accepted a position on the 31st of August working at Children Services. So many hurting, angry people who see life as hopeless and that everything is overwhelming. Nothing helps...or they don't know where to go or have refused to go to find HOPE and HELP.

As I think of that, I sit here humbly pondering what is coming this weekend with our leadership retreat. How often times, in our smallness, we feel that everything is either too big, that we cannot possibly meet the needs of a world that is SO huge and...well...dying.

Yet, I know that smallness can have an ENORMOUS impact.

I want to encourage you to come this weekend to "small churches, BIG OPPORTUNITIES." A leadership retreat that will leave you impacted and viewing smallness in a BIG way!

Let's not let our smallness stop us from making an EXTREME, HUGE impact for the kingdom!

See you this Friday and Saturday @ Blue Rock!

To learn more email: matt@genevachurchofchrist.org
Or click: BIG

TOO BUSY?

2009-09-05T19:44:00.004-04:00

What an adventure this past week has been. Kids in school, my wife started her new job, on Tuesday evening as she took our daughter on a bike ride she ended up putting her foot down to keep Faith from falling and "popped" her heel. She and I spent 6 hours in the ER. It was after 1am when we arrived home. To say that my schedule for the evening was disrupted would be an understatement. As I think of what my mind schedule was and how it changed the moment I heard her yell for me, I cannot help but think about something incredible that will be taking place, not this Sunday, but Sunday, September 13th.
Our lives are packed with schedules. Everywhere we look there is a calendar on the wall, the computer beeping at us or our alarm going off on our phone reminded us that we need to be somewhere or that we missed something. Life can get so busy that at the end of the day when everyone else is sleeping, our minds continue to run through our “schedule” for the next day and if we have money in the bank to pay our scheduled payments. Here at Geneva Church of Christ, the Church of Second Chances, we would like to invite you to a day that could change your life. I really want to say, “Mark your calendar for this date…September 13th”, a day just for you to come, rest, be refreshed, encouraged, and welcomed no matter who you are, where you come from or what your “schedule” may hold. Join us for the National Back to Church Sunday….we’ll leave the coffee perking!

Don't wait until the 13th...join us this Sunday at the Church of Second Chances!

What does a second chance look like?

2009-08-26T13:10:00.003-04:00

We have just finished our series:And with that we have challeneged the people here with something and I want to challenge you with the same thing:

It is not uncommon to see someone standing on a corner today with words drawn in black marker on a piece of cardboard. The very words read brings to reality and a summation of a person’s life and where they are, where they have been or where they are going.

If given a moment…what would your sign read? What would be your CARD BOARD TESTIMONY! How has God given you a second chance? Take a moment and share your CBT…let’s share the reality of our lives together and the joy He brings us through and to!

What R U Thinking....not blogging for so long?!

2009-08-14T10:13:00.004-04:00

Hey all! Can you believe that Summer is nearing an end and Autumn will soon be here? So much is happening here at GCC that my hands have not touched my blog in quite awhile and I know that you all are just sitting on the edge of your seat to hear what is happening!

First, we are in the throws of an incredible series:The term second chance is almost unheard of today, yet each one of us at some point in our lives desire to have a second chance in life. For the next several weeks we are going to be going through the book of Philemon. Even though it is a small book, it is filled from top to bottom and in between about not only what it looks like and means to RECEIVE a second chance....but what it means to GIVE a second chance and how it applies to us today. Come and join us at the Church of Second Chances and experience the second chance that Christ has for you!
________________________________________

Second, can I just say that this has been an amazing summer? I am so thankful for how God blessed my family this year with a trip to Florida through Pastoral Rejuvenation Ministries and our hearts are overjoyed and humbled as they asked us to come back next year. Angel and I want to thank all of you for your gift to us. You will never know how much that touched our hearts.

As I sit in my office with the window open, watching two young fawns in our yard, I am amazed at the reminder through them how God provides for us. God, You amaze me.
We are in the throws of summer with UPWARD Soccer, which means that Fall Activities will soon be upon us and I am PUMPED! Why am I pumped and excited? We have a Back to School Carnival coming up, the Grape Jamboree and an incredible Leadership Retreat that we are having at the Blue Rock Christian Camp.

I want to share a bit about this retreat because I am extremely excited to see what God does through the lives of those in ministry leadership during this retreat on September 17 and 18. In a nutshell we will be talking about and breaking through the mentality that Small Churches can only have a “mediocre” impact, to realizing that even in the “smallness” of places, BIG opportunities can happen.

As I share about this retreat I am aware that we will be needing some help not only at the camp in the kitchen with set up and tear down, people to be at the registration table, but we will also need each of you to do something powerful and that is pray. “Where two or three are gathered together….” I am asking you to begin praying for this retreat. For the speakers, the classes, those attending and traveling, that God will reveal to each of us that “small churches” can and do have BIG OPPORTUNITIES just beyond the door stop.

Instead of Krazeee Family Fun Night, we are doing a Free Back To School Carnival open to the public on August 22nd. There will be hot dogs, chips, games, ect. What we need is a lot of people to man the game booths, hot dogs, hot dog buns, people to grill. When you walk into the church across from the office (in our future coffee café) there will be sign-up sheets to signup.
We also have planned what we are doing for the grape jamboree. We will have a float in both parades on Saturday and Sunday. We will have 2 baby changing tents. We will also have the “bounce house” there with a tent where you can have your pictures taken with grapes. We also want to hand out ice pops at the Parade. What we need again are a lot of volunteers to man the bounce house, walk in the parade, ride the float, and help set up and tear down the tents. Also, if you could buy a box of ice pops while at the store, we would greatly appreciate your help. When you walk into the church across from the office (in our future coffee café), there will be sign-up sheets to signup.

As you can tell...things never stop here at the Church of Second Chances! With that....I am off and running!

See you this Sunday!

CALL 2 FALL

2009-07-02T21:23:00.001-04:00

Call 2 Fall is a national prayer effort taking place on July 5th, where Churches and believers gather together to pray for our country and repent before God.
Click: CALL2FALL to learn more.

Hope you all can join Angel and I across the Globe on July 5th...wherever you are!

Viva Leviticus, GCC!

2009-06-02T09:27:00.001-04:00

We are a people who were created to celebrate. The book of Leviticus has lists of different celebrations for the people because God knew His people needed to celebrate. Nothing has changed since those days…we are still a people who not only need to celebrate, but we crave for times to get together. How many of you celebrate birthdays, graduations, births, anniversaries…my wife has even come up with special days to celebrate just for our kids and they love it. This June 14th we are going to celebrate! Another reason to get together to praise God for 35 years of what He has done through Maplegrove & Geneva Church of Christ. Come and join us in our celebration…our LEVITICUS moment! Our worship service will begin at 10am followed by a picnic!
VIVA LEVITICUS GCC!

HIS "Call Number" Responds

2009-05-18T18:11:00.003-04:00

This past Sunday we honored our men and women who serve in Law Enforcement. Those who protect us daily and those who have lost their lives protecting us.

There was one video that we shared that really hit my heart.

Let me share a bit.

When an officer is killed in the line of duty his call number is retired.
Before I say any more…listen to the video below.

Wow! As I sat and listened to this video the day before my message something struck me. She said his call number 3 times. Why is that significant? We have a Lord who was in the grave 3 days…but on that third day…when his “call number” was called out HE RESPONDED by leaving the tomb! No matter where we are we can still call on HIM and He will hear us and He will answer and He will protect and He will be our refuge….

Because of His blood…guess what that means for our “call numbers”…those of us who belong to HIM, who are HIS followers? Death has no hold on us. Our “call number, our name is written in HIS book and cannot be retired! (Revelation 3:5)

How powerful is that?

I don't know about you, but there is a peace in knowing that HIS "Call Number" responded and STILL responds today...all we have to do is ask, knock and seek! Matthew 7:7,8; Revelation 3:20

Revelation 22:7 “Behold, I am coming soon!”

An Attitude of Abigail

2009-05-14T09:29:00.005-04:00

I find the story of Abigail intriguing and powerful. There are so many facets to that story and yet I want to briefly talk about Abigail and her actions as we prepare for an incredible Sunday.

In 1 Samuel 25 we read about the story of Abigail, Nabal and David, and in this story we find David and his men had been watching over Abigail’s husbands land and those who worked in the fields.

“Night and day they were a wall around us all the time we were herding our sheep near them.” (vs. 16)

If you read the story you will see Abigail’s actions when her husband Nabal refused to thank David and his men for their protection. Abigail did not lose any time after she heard what Nabal did. She quickly put things together to ride out to David and his men to show her thanks for what they did for her husband and their land.

I challenge you to read what happened in 1 Samuel 25.

This Sunday, May 17th, we have a unique opportunity to thank the men and women who serve us in Law Enforcement. Those who serve to protect us daily and those who have lost their lives in the line of that service.

Today and always, may we express an attitude of Abigail.

2009-05-04T22:09:00.005-04:00

I am really excited about this coming Sunday. One, because my kids love doing stuff for their mommy and I enjoy it because they are old enough now that they can come up with the most interesting, mind blowing ideas to make her feel loved. Joshua sat the other day and saw the "Open Heart" ad for "Kay Jewelers" and said, "That's what I want to give mommy." (apparently this is an innate thing for guys because my wife doesn't ask for jewelry) I see what my wife does daily for us and tonight I even told her, "I'm glad you are the mommy." I realize that she holds a place in our house that I cannot fill and it is unique, vital, has purpose and is treasured by us!

So, Once a year we “celebrate” Mother’s. We give them special gifts and flowers, but do we really see the race they are running?

I ask you Mom's, "As a Mother, do you ever ask yourself “what am I doing?” What kind of race are you running? What makes it…AMAZING?

Well, this coming Sunday is Mother's Day and I want to encourage you to invite all your friends and family join us as we celebrate Mother’s and talk about this AMAZING RACE.

Rib, if you are reading this...Know I love you and you are treasured!

Pastor Matt

WOW...heart PLANS!

2009-05-02T19:13:00.003-04:00

Wow! What can I say? How can I not start a sentence without my “signature word”?

Thursday was another amazing day; it is the day I turned 37. Another birthday to reflect back on the past year and remember some amazing things God has given me and has taught me. One of the most significant things I have thought of this past year is my relationship with my kids and how thankful I am that God entrusted them to me, and how much we have grown together. Lately, one of the most enjoyable things I get to do is sit with my daughter and share in her little girl movies. She has allowed me, her daddy, to enter her little world that is important to her and I have found that my presence in her life…even watching a movie with her touches her life. Today, as she sits with me, giving my hugs and blowing kisses…I have found that her movie GIGI has taught me something about my own life. In this story, it is GiGi’s birthday and she really wants a Pinkie Star Castle, however, in her dream the King has plans to build her another castle. When she saw the plans she decided that this could not be what the King planned so she gave them the castle she wanted…after all, isn’t that what the King would want, for her to be happy? When it was finished there was a HUGE pink castle with a chocolate milk moat….which now attracted bees. It also had a bath tub that was far too big for her to sit in and the mirrors were so high she couldn’t even see herself. It was then she began to realize that the King truly knew her and knew what was best for her. That his plans had her best interest at heart and the castle He wanted to build would be perfect.

As I look back over my own life, I can see times where I thought my plans were what God would “want” for me. I have been learning yearly, monthly, daily, every moment that God has plans for me that are His…that are what is best for me and they are not to harm me like attacking bees around a chocolate moat, but are like the trees He plants by streams of living water. Thursday I turned 37 and I am so grateful that He is in charge of my life…not me.

Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.

Stones of Pain Weighing Heavy...

2009-04-29T16:28:00.005-04:00

This week will be the end of our series, Yes, God Still Moves Stones. I could think of no better topic than to talk about the STONES OF PAIN. Why, because we all feel it, experience it, see it, touch it, and walk in it. Some of us experience pain because of others, some because of illness or loss. Others, well, we just plainly walk straight into it. And, at some point in our lives…we will experience each path with the road name, “PAIN”.

My wife shares that when she was in track that her coach always told her that pain speaks. It tells you when your body is in distress, when it needs something or for you to stop doing something. Often times, however, we have become accustomed to the pain that we don’t seek out the one who can move the STONE off our foot, leg, arm, head, heart, eyes…you get the picture. Did you know that you can have freedom from pain, and you can have freedom in pain? Maybe the Stone of Pain He needs to move is something spiritual rather than physical.

A year ago my wife woke up on a Tuesday and was pain free. She could hardly believe it. She was full of energy, praising God that she could sit up and walk without pain. For three straight days she was without pain and for the first time the Motrin bottle did not move from the shelf. Yet, on the fourth day…it all returned. I was so discouraged, after all I had been praying and asking God to release her from her pain. I learned something that day when she looked at me and smiled and said, “He gave me three days…a small glimpse of what it will be like in GLORY when the pain is gone…I am going to cling to that HOPE.”

I don’t know what your pain is? I do know He can move the Stones of Pain in your life. I know that He can give you freedom from the pain in your life and I know that he can give you freedom and joy in the midst of pain.

I’m excited to explore the STONES OF PAIN this Sunday. Come and explore with me here at GCC @ 10:30am.

A Stones Throw Away....

2009-04-23T11:56:00.004-04:00

Over the past two weeks we have been talking about Stones in our lives…stones that God can and still moves. Easter Sunday, we talked about the Stones of Death and Doubt, and last week we looked at and explored the Stones of Worry and Fear. This Sunday we are going to continue our series, Yes, God Still Moves Stones, as we focus on and talk about the Stones of Anger in our lives.

Anger is such a real emotion. There are some people who express anger openly, while other will express anger inwardly. Some people express anger on things or people with hurtful words and sadly there are some people who express their anger physically and end up harming the person or themselves.

Anger can be a strong hold in our lives where it is consuming and has control over us. Now, hear me, anger is not a bad emotion, yet how we deal with it, how we express it and what we do in those moments of intense emotion….is crucial. Did you know that the Bible mentions the word anger between 234 - 270 times?

Our kids know that when mommy says something once, it is important, but if she repeats it...you KNOW it's important and you need to stop and listen. The fact that God mentions the word anger over 200 times...I think He has something we need to know to engraft into our lives to move those stones of Anger that are weighing across our chest.

I hope you join us this weekend @ GCC as we talk about the stones of anger and our incredible God who can and does move them! Freedom truly is just a "stones throw away."

What is your stone?

2009-04-14T21:20:00.006-04:00

This past week began our new series, "Yes, God Still Moves Stones.”
I ended up kicking over stones that read death and doubt. Seeing death crumple, and in a pile and doubt as stepping stones to the cross was rather sobering and freeing. A great reminder of what Jesus did for me.

This week we are going to talk about the stones in our lives that bring worry and fear, and apply Gods Word in a relevant way to see how He can and does move those stones…. we just have to be willing to “let HIM.” What are some of the worries in you life, some of the fears that are “weighing” you down as if someone has placed a boulder on your back? Are there fears that feel as though they are taking your last breath with the weight of them? Whatever they are, I hope you join us Sunday because it does not matter what that stone is…HE CAN AND WILL KICK THEM OVER!

Goo Goo Outreach!

2009-04-10T18:47:00.007-04:00

How exciting is it when you get to act out scripture infront of your kids and that they get excited to join you in the adventure? God called our family today to join Him in an out reach adventure....so, what did we do?

We made up special invite cards and gave people and businesses all over Geneva Goo Goo Bars to invite them to GCC this Easter. I was amazed at my kids! They totally blow me away and inspire me daily!

Check out these pics of our day....hard to believe we gave away over 100 Goo Goo bars in 3 hours! It was a fun way to get my "sandals dirty for Jesus."

Stones....Move....Really?!

2009-04-06T19:03:00.004-04:00

No matter who you are, where you’ve been, where you are going; there will be a moment or moments in your life where you experience something that makes you feel as though you are either stuck, weighed down or that the “dark feeling” will never end. Sometimes we feel so empty and yet our cup is full, just not with what we would desire and after a period of time we realize we cannot move our way through to move the “stone” we find that has somehow attached itself to us. What is the stone in your life? Pain, guilt, anger, loss, bitterness, pride, lust, abuse, addiction, doubt, worry, fear… You are right, on our own we cannot move those stones, yet did you know that there is ONE person who can and still does move stones today? Join us this Easter as we begin a new series, “Yes, God Still Moves Stones.” May you find a new freedom in the “moving”.

The dirty sandals of Jesus...

2009-03-30T21:41:00.002-04:00

Today, most of us drive from one destination to the next. We very seldom walk. I even saw a person once get in their car to drive to the end of their driveway to get the mail and drive back. My wife and I have been so happy to finally have a garage to put our vehicle in so we don't have to walk in the snow. It's nice having clean feet.

Christ and his disciples, like everyone back in New Testament days, walked everywhere. Dusty roads, sand, mud...dirt.Yet there was one moment in time where he did not walk a dusty road, where his feet did not collect the dirt & mud. What was that day? What significance does something from that moment of more than 2000 years ago hold for us today?

Join us this coming Sunday, April 5th @ 10:30am to find out....What can we learn from the dirty sandals of Jesus?

How To Break "Unwritten Rules"

2009-03-18T15:14:00.001-04:00

Do you have “unwritten codes” that establish how you walk your life and how you respond to situations and people? In the book of John, chapter 14 we read about an unwritten code of that time and how Christ stepped over that code and wiped it away in one conversation. In verses 1-26 we read that he had been walking for a while and found himself in Sychar which was a city in Samaria. He was thirsty, hot and sat down at Jacobs well. Here is where the story picks up for the unwritten rule was that Jews DID NOT speak or associate with Samaritans. Jesus looks at her and asks for some of the water she has pulled from the well. Now, not only is this woman a Samaritan, she is living with a man that is not even her husband. She even tells Jesus the “unwritten rule”, “How can you ask me for a drink for Jews do not associate with Samaritans.” Why do I love this story? Because it is one of many that describe hope and that you can have a second chance.

This past Sunday I shared that there are times I want to share my faith, but the fear of what they will think, at times, hinders me. There is an “unwritten rule” today. A “politically correct” rule that we can share our faith as long as it is not about being a Jesus follower. Maybe we don’t share our faith because of other reasons…they look different, smell different, and are not from my neighborhood. What are our “unwritten rules” that keep us from sharing with those who are seeking and hurting the greatest gift we have been given, the gift that will quench their thirst, heal their pain…bring them eternal freedom. How many people do we come in contact in any given day that we just walk past and look the other way?

By the well of Jacob, Jesus ignored the “unwritten rules” of society and gave hope to a woman that was filled with no hope, longing for freedom. I can only imagine what her heart did when He shared with her that He was the Messiah. Do you remember what your heart did when you heard about Christ and what He did for you? Do you remember what happened in your life when He set you free?

This week, let’s lay down those “unwritten rules” at His feet and live by the example of Christ at Jacobs well.

Imprint of "Smokin' in the Church"

2009-03-15T20:34:00.002-04:00

Many of you may remember the illustration at the end of our service last Sunday. Within a clay pot, we burned pieces of paper that had written struggles that people came up placed in the pot. An illustration of giving up our struggles to God.Now, my original plan was to stand outside the door by the parking lot to burn them while I spoke, rain never entered my plan. So, as I stood in front with the clay pot I had to think quickly, “Stand outside with the mic on and fry or….” So, I switched doors and had the pot half way in and half way out the drive way door as the rain poured down.

Before I go any farther I want to apologize to anyone who struggled with the smoke, it wasn’t anything that I had intentionally planned to do.

I do believe that God had rain on His agenda for our illustration for as I walked out of church that day Dave Foote shared that the smell of that smoke will always remind him of this day and the struggle he gave to God no longer has to be in his life. What a powerful statement and reminder. Just this week Satan tried roaming around in life, trying to remind of things that I had given up to God, things that I no longer wanted to have reign over my life. As I began to think of them a strong “fragrant reminder” came to my nostrils, reminding me that God freed me.

Do you want to know what I believe? I believe that just as those pieces of papers were destroyed, God can destroy the struggles in our lives. We need to trust and have faith in that truth.

I want to challenge you today, that when you think about the smoke smell, you don’t think about the “odor that stunk you out of church one Sunday in March”, but rather you remember it as a fragrance that has set you free from a burden.

Pray God blesses you and keeps you this week.

Parasites and Forgiveness

2009-03-11T18:41:00.007-04:00

If you have been to our services lately you will find the cartoon above humorous.

Our current series is VOWS UNDER FIRE and we have been looking at some pretty indepth areas in our lives. Our focus in this series is not on the other person, but rather looking at ourselves.

There is a very powerful illustration in the movie, Fireproof. If you have seen the movie then you remember at the beginning the chief exhorts another firefighter about the importance of never leaving your partner behind. This illustration is seen throughout the movie in relation to marriages and how when things become overwhelming, heated, intense, scary…we never leave our partner, our spouse behind. Sometimes it is easy to give our best in our jobs, but difficult to act that out in our marriages and yet we need to be spiritually healthy and taking pride in our marriages as we do everything else.

Sometimes we all struggle with being there for our spouse, something has happened, something has infiltrated our marriages. In the Fireproofing Your Marriage Small Groups Participants book he talks about parasites and how they can latch onto you and your spouse and begin to “suck the life out of your marriage”. Some of those parasites as they are labeled can come in the forms of addictions like, gambling, alcohol, drugs or pornography. They can even be things like adultery, lust, eating disorders, bitterness, anger, greed, envy and even jealousy.

So, what does the Bible tell us about sin, temptation and consequence?
James 1:13-15 states, “When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”

In the book, Fireproofing Your Marriage Small Groups Participants book, they show us what the pattern of temptation looks like:
Temptation leads to sinful thoughts, which leads to sinful actions, which ultimately leads to consequences.
Those consequences can and most often include feelings of guilt. Relationships that are either damaged or destroyed. Areas of loss in finances, reputation, home, job, friends and even divorce. Reading these words is very sobering, however did you know that God’s plan is not for us to “hopelessly fall victim to temptation?”

Romans 7:21-25 says “So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.”

What a powerful passage. Here is a man of God who expresses his own struggle with temptation and his intense desire to obey God. That is not what makes this passage powerful, what brings it home is that there is a “solution” to this area of temptation that we all struggle with. The thing we get out of this passage is not that Paul also struggled, but that we CAN HAVE “victory and salvation through Jesus Christ". God has a plan to not only strengthen us, but to also “rescue us from sin and death.” .(Fireproofing Your Marriage Small Groups Participants book)

In the beginning I shared about the powerful illustration of never leaving your partner behind and how parasites can eat away at our marriages and lives. It is time for us to be free and take God at His WORD and accept His solution for our lives and our marriages.

Be sure to join us this week as we continue our series VOWS UNDER FIRE as we look explore the Marriage Armor of Forgiveness.

Vows Under Fire!

2009-02-04T17:23:00.003-05:00

Can you guess one piece of gear that is important to each of these areas of life: Police, Firefighter, Military.

Have you guessed? Armor. For the police officer it is a bullet proof vest and other armor if needed. For the firefighter his entire clothing is made to withstand the flames of a fire, and for those in military…I have heard their body armor is extremely heavy.

Did you know that marriages also have and need armor? Now, I’m not talking about armor you put on to keep your spouse at a distance. I’m talking about things that you both need to do in order to protect your marriage. Those in law enforcement, firefighters and our military look out for one another; the very armor they put on protects them so they can protect those around them. They work as a unit….leave no one behind. Our marriages should be the same way.

So, what is this marriage armor that we should put on? Join us for the months of February and March as we talk about “Vow’s Under Fire”, and what that marriage armor really is.

State of the Church...

2009-01-29T20:56:00.005-05:00

Wow, wasn’t Sunday amazing? I can tell you as Joshua’s daddy…I’m still floating pretty high. Six months ago Joshua started sharing with Angel and I that he wanted to be baptized. Now, I have to be honest with you, my first thought was, “He’s too young”. I just pushed it off, however he continued coming to us and asking questions. So, we began talking about baptism, studying the Bible with him and as we continued we found that he was able to share with us what he needed to do and why he needed to be baptized. Angel and I knew it was time, God was pulling on his heart. How, one of his sensory issues that is part of his Autism was having his face in the water, and he knew that to be baptized his face would not only get wet, but would need to go under the water. So, during our vacation, our friend’s son, who has Aspergers, helped Joshua learn to put his entire face under the water. As Joshua popped up from the waters surface, guess what he yelled to me? “Now Daddy, can I be baptized?” He overcame an incredible fear, trusted God with it. His desire was to be baptized and nothing was going to stop him, not even his Autism.

This past Sunday, as I prayed for Joshua, as I was privileged to baptize him….I rejoice because I know he has the joy of hope and that is something to rejoice about! Luke 15:7 states, “…there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents…”

As I think about my son’s discussion to follow Jesus I am reminded how much God has blessed my life. Yes, He has blessed me with physical things in my house and outside. He has blessed me with an incredible wife and children. He has blessed me with all of you. However, there is a gift that far out weighs all of those mentioned, and that is my relationship with Jesus Christ. You see me do the “happy dance” on many occasions since our arrival here almost a year ago. That dance is an outer expression of the joy I have that fills my heart. The joy of the promise he has given to me that I cling to every day. Yes, I do have moments in my life that are difficult, situations and circumstances just like each one of you face daily. What God is teaching me daily is that those “moments” are temporary and what I have with Him is eternal. The book of James has become my life book for remembering that I can walk through those “moments” and dance with joy on the other side.

This past Sunday there was so much on my heart that I wanted to share with you, and over the next few months I will continue to share some of my heart thoughts to you regarding 2009 and what is in store.

I shared on Sunday that I believe God is calling us here at GCC to be a CHURCH OF SECOND CHANCES. I know there are questions as to “How to we offer second chances to people?”

I believe there are many ways and avenues to show God’s second chance. One way is through counseling. The leadership and myself have a desire to have a counseling service here at GCC so when people are struggling with issues and moments in their lives that are overwhelming, they have a place to come and find healing and hope.

Another way is through our Impact Groups, which I shared about briefly on Sunday. Impact Groups are a unique way to connect with others, find support, encouragement, grow in Christ together, walk life…together. I want to challenge you to find an Impact Group to join. Within this newsletter you will find a list of the different groups and what they will be talking about. Trust me, you WILL NOT regret it.

It is time for me to get off this blog and spend some time with my wife. I just want to leave you with a small clip of a little boy who decided to follow Jesus.

DINNER AND A MOVIE...GCC Style!

2009-01-19T22:46:00.009-05:00

INVITE, INVITE, INVITE all your friends, neighbors and family toSaturday, February 14th @ 5pm

Hosted by your local GCC Thespian Movie Chef’s,

Matt and Angel Thompson.

It will be a night that you will not want to miss! We will be playing the movie, FIREPROOF, starring Kirk Cameron. For men you will see action, for women you will see drama and romance. This will be a great night for all adults, so mark your calendar and make your way to GCC for DINNER AND A MOVIE. You must have a ticket, so be sure to contact the office to secure your ticket soon. If all 100 tickets are taken…I...Matt, will take a pie in the face…..so be sure to secure yours NOW!

Pie photo: fotosearch.com

GOING GREEN, STAYING GREEN 2009

2009-01-16T22:32:00.004-05:00

I am very excited about 2009 and what will be happening within the GCC walls and outside our walls.

I am sure you all have heard the environmental phrase, "Going Green". How all over our country communities are working towards becoming environmentally friendly and conscious and how we are using the resources that God have given us to take care of our planet.

As I sat and thought about what is taking place all over our country and globe I began to look at this in regards to our spiritual life…our "spiritual environment", and how in 2009 what we can do with "Going Green, Staying Green" as we explore and utilize the resources that God has given us to grow a healthy spiritual life.

Often times, we as people, look for a "quick fix" in our spiritual life and if something we have struggled with for years isn't "fixed" quickly it is easy to throw "trash" on our spiritual growth by finding fault with something or someone else. "It's the pastor's fault…it's the elders fault…it's the churches fault…the worship service is too contemporary or not traditional enough….the preacher is not funny….or….they don't have the right programs, they are not meeting my needs."

I believe we make spiritual growth a lot more difficult that what it really is. Not only do I believe, but I also know that God has given us the items, the resources to not only help us "go green" in our spiritual life/environment, but that those resources, when utilized and "engrafted" into our lives helps us to "stay green" in our spiritual life. They help us grow.

Some of you heard the passage of Romans 12:9-21 this past Sunday. This will be our key passage for the year 2009 of "Going Green, Staying Green." as we grow in Christ. Throughout the year we are going to also focus on 3 key elements to growing a healthy spiritual life: 1. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, 2. Love your neighbor as yourself and 3. Love your enemies. We are not only going to look at those elements, but we are going to talk about how we can do that individually, as a family and as a church.

As I think of this statement, "Going Green, Staying Green. Growing a healthy spiritual life.", I have to admit I am pumped. Why, because we are going to offer some incredible resources here at GCC that we all can utilize and "engraft" into our spiritual growth!

One resource is through our small groups which we call Impact Groups that will be starting at the end of January. A great opportunity to meet with other followers of Christ to fellowship, learn and grow.

Thrive Today is our online resource that you can access from our website. Thrive Today is weekly writings/devotions to help you Thrive Today in your walk with God. Entries that you will read and study will be from our Senior Minister, Matt Thompson and other guest writers from Geneva Church of Christ. An online place where you explore and study God's Word.

Another exciting and life altering resource will be my February Marriage Series. Just like a garden needs tending, so do marriages. I have found that no matter how many years a couple has been married, we can always learn something new to enhance or even heal hurts. To embrace His love and what that means in our marriages. This series is even beneficial to those who are still single and anticipate finding their counter part.

Youth Activities for 2009 are in the planning with Family Night Activities, Youth Group and our Children's Church Program. Incredible resources to grow, connect, learn, fellowship, encourage, walk with….

Another fun resource in "Going Green, Staying Green", is our vision for Outreach. Throughout the year we continue to plan for KIA's and even Block Parties to show our community God's love in a practical, relevant way.

As we enter into fall, we will have a Leadership Retreat at Blue Rock for area churches where those who have a desire to grow in their spiritual life in the areas of leadership.

Can I also share that I am excited that as people here at GCC have heard the continued vision we have for our community and the impact we pray God makes through us, that people have embraced the goal of having our building paid off in the next 3 years. Can you imagine what God can and will continue to do through the lives here to reach the community in Geneva?

This short list only scraps the top of the resources here at GCC in 2009 with a goal of "Going Green, Staying Green. Growing a healthy spiritual life."

See you on the "GREEN"

Love,

Matt

Thanks to Hollie Goines for her graphic design

Warmth of HIS presence!

2008-12-22T18:08:00.005-05:00

So today is our daughter's birthday. 5 years ago I watched her enter this world. It has been amazing to watch her grow and to see God's moving in her life, even from the moment she finally took her first breath and we knew she would be okay.

She was a miracle birth.

As the snow falls here in Geneva...and it does not seem to show any signs of stopping, I'm reminded of another miracle that happened thousands of years ago and the words of my son ring in my ears as he shared before the Church Christmas breakfast prayer yesterday, "We need to follow Jesus because He came and died on the cross for us and now He is alive."

It is so easy to get either lost in the material moment of the season, or lost in the pain of loss, whether physical or financial. We hope you are able to come out to GCC on Christmas Eve to hear about the HOPE we have in this season. It's not emotionalism, it's not the "seasonal high"...there is something so incredible that happened that night....to grasp it, breath it in, and experience it....well, you won't leave the same.

Well, the snow if really falling here. My wife has started a fire in the fire place, the driveway is shoveled and covering again which means I need to make a quick run to the store.

I hope...this Christmas...wherever you are...that you experience the unique love of God and that you lavish in the warmth of HIS presence!

BROKENNESS...TRANSFORMATION

2008-12-19T13:34:00.007-05:00

I cannot think of one person who loves brokenness. How many people have broken items on display as proud treasures, something of value. In our society, if it is broken the value either depletes or becomes null and void.

We are a people who are full of brokenness. Since the fall of man our value to God has never depleted. He actually pursued us over time and then paid the highest price to pay for our brokenness that we might choose to be reconciled to Him and to be transformed in Him.

My wife says that a clay pot can take in water, but a broken clay pot can accept and give water. He takes our brokenness and transforms it into something amazing, something of purpose. He doesn't "take us back" so we look like nothing has ever happened. His touch of transformation allows for the world around us to see our brokenness and how we live through it. It gives you the opportunity, through your brokenness to share how His transformation gives you hope.

There is a verse found in the Song of Songs, and it is a true mirror of how our Lord views us through our brokenness that He has transformed through the blood of Christ.

Song of Songs 4:7 "My darling, you are all beautiful to me; I see no flaw in you."

TRANSFORMATION

This mirror represents something unique and it will be to each person that looks through the reflective glass. The piece itself represents to all of us how we are all broken and how God can take something that has been smashed either through illness, loss, drugs, alcohol, abuse, bitterness, jealousy, abandonment, distrust…whatever has caused brokenness in your life and transforms it, changes it, and gives it purpose. How instead of walking past the preverbal "dumpster" of our lives, God looks deep into it and says, "That is My masterpiece", and gently takes the broken pieces of our lives out and cleans, reshapes, molds and transforms it to reflect Him.

(For those wondering what happened to the pot I broke during our BROKENNESS Series)

Posted Sorry!

2008-12-19T10:22:00.002-05:00

Hey all.
Last night we posted a really awesome video about God being in your life, however, the video that we posted was from You Tube and when the video was finished they had other inappropriate video's show up to click on. We do apologize. I did not know that was there until someone emailed me this morning.

Blessings.

Matt

Strategic Christmas Planning

2008-12-03T09:30:00.004-05:00

How may of you have a plan for Christmas? How many of you were already planning, setting aside and even set up one of those Christmas accounts right after last years Christmas celebration? Now, how many of you are the late, Christmas Eve shopper?

No matter which one you fall under, we are all strategic when it comes to the Christmas Holiday. We are not surprised that it’s coming, we gear up for it, plan for it. We know where the deals are and usually have a list in hand. Some begin in Summer to pack away items, others go on black Friday and I heard that yesterday was “Cyber Monday” where you could find deals on line. Everyone is strategic in their planning when it comes to this holiday…whether young or not so young.

However, we are not the creators of strategy when it comes to the Christmas Holiday. There was strategy on the first Christmas when God sent His son. The strategy was set in motion and miraculously a young woman found herself in the middle of God’s planning. Today we have that same opportunity to be part of God’s strategic planning to reconcile His children to Himself.

How? Christmas is a unique time in our society; a uniqueness of giving and a thirst for HOPE. I am sure it is no secret that all over the country church attendance increases on Christmas. When I think of that my heart is drawn to this unique opportunity we have to strategically share about the love of Christ in a relevant way.

Here at GCC this Christmas season we have 3 strategic days that we will be reaching out to our community and I want to encourage you all to invite your friends, family, neighbors to come to at least one of these events.

Our strategic week begins Sunday, December 21 with our Christmas service. Our morning will begin with a Christmas breakfast at 9:20am followed by an incredible, awe striking worship service.

Our week will continue with a LIVE NATIVITY on Monday, December 22 from 5pm – 8pm. No lighted plastic people in a stable. There is something that happens when you see life brought to the true story of Christ. We will have animals for the kids to pet and hot refreshments for all as we bring life to the incredible night that brought true HOPE.

Our week of strategic Christmas Planning will end with our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service on Wednesday, December 24 at 6pm. This service will be another avenue to impact lives for Christ. For some this may be the first time they have come to a Christmas Eve service. Others, this may seem like an "old hat" that they have put on every year. For others, the holidays are difficult because they have lost someone close. Our hope is that this year, when they walk into our building, is that they experience something new and exciting, and that they find the HOPE of Jesus.

So, as you strategically plan for this Christmas Season, I want to ask you to also become part of our Strategic Christmas Planning Team and invite your friends and family to come to our week of Christmas events.

(You can find special invite cards on the back table of the sanctuary.)

Grab a book...

2008-12-01T21:36:00.006-05:00

Okay, this entry is just something fun as the snow begins to fly!

My wife has a knack of finding some of the most bizarre quotes and items. The trivia that she has back in the corners of her mind…mindless trivia as she calls it, would amaze you. Which is why when a friend of hers sent this to her, she could not stop herself from sending it to her other friends.

I found it fascinating…the whole idea, and that she could actually get her friends to stop and do this. I also found it interesting what people wrote, and what people are reading or what is at least near their elbows.

The game is simple:
Grab the book closest to you.

* Go to page 56.

* Find the 5th sentence.

* Write that sentence in the comments section below.

* Don't go looking for your favorite book, or the coolest one you have -- just grab the closest one

Below were just a few of the sentences that her friends sent back to her.

Just for fun, because I want to do some off the wall things each day before Christmas…take a few seconds and grab a book and do this exercise. Then jot it down in my comment box below. My wife took the sentences below and made them into a short paragraph/story. I am going to challenge her to take yours and do the same.

Kitchen bags measuring 1/2 mil thick were sometimes tougher than bags twice as thick

It's frustrating, but good teamwork is the law of most high-functioning organizations.

Among the most dangerous personal care products are those that are scented, including cologne, deodorants, lotions, creams, bath salts, shampoo, cosmetics, soaps, body powders, and oils.

Do them today.

Every day the Lord himself is near me.

I just wanna say love you both like sisters...

"That is why it was called Galeed"

"When extension is complete the presenting part is the face, and the denominator is the mentum (chin)."

Her "story"

"When extension is complete the presenting part is the face, and the denominator is the mentum (chin)." "That is why it was called Galeed". So, remember your mentum as you consider that Among the most dangerous personal care products are those that are scented, including cologne, deodorants, lotions, creams, bath salts, shampoo, cosmetics, soaps, body powders, and oils….and the fact that Kitchen bags measuring 1/2 mil thick were sometimes tougher than bags twice as thick. When I ponder this I remember that Every day the Lord himself is near me and it causes me to sing out, I just wanna say love you both like sisters... Yet, when the sun goes down and the day is ending the truth remains that It's frustrating, but good teamwork is the law of most high-functioning organizations…so as far as teamwork goes… Do them today.

Finding Hope in Recession

2008-11-09T17:55:00.003-05:00

We wake up each morning to look out into a world of uncertainty. Even with the promise of change, we still face uncertainty. Where do we find HOPE when we face endless loss? Loss of a job, loss of a home, loss of loved ones…where we look at the cupboards and they are emptier than our generation has ever faced? Where the economy and Wall Street sit on a fine line of webbing that could snap and come crashing down. Where do we find HOPE from the physical emptiness we feel inside and see outside when we face daily uncertainty? Where is the HOPE in recession, something certain to cling to? Join us as we explore Finding Hope in Recession.
Series starting Sunday, November 16th.

http://www.genevachurchofchrist.org/

“Let’s get a little bit rowdy, R-O-W-D-Y.”

2008-11-04T18:18:00.001-05:00

I am sure you are all familiar with that cheer as we hear it yelled at many sports events. I recall yelling it myself when I attended Johnson Bible College and cheered our JBC basketball team to victory in many games.

As we began our TEAM series, it has brought back some interesting memories of being part of my high school basketball team. I recall one night in particular. It was our 4th game of the season and we were 0 in 3. The two seniors that played my position and were ahead of me had not been playing well, to quote a team phrase, “They were really stinking it up.” I actually thought that this was finally going to be my chance to play and I was excited. It was my senior year…a chance to play. Now, sitting the bench with me was an amazing sophomore who played JV ball. Have you guessed what happened? I was bypassed to play by this “Air-sophomore”. Not only was I bypassed, but another senior. Do you think we were cheering “let’s get a little bit rowdy” at that moment? If my memory serves me, we responded by getting rowdy in our heads and words as we sat there complaining.

The game ended with us getting blown right off the court. When we entered the locker room it wasn’t just this other guy and myself having a pity party…the entire team was having individual pity parties. We were focused on ourselves. It was then that the coach walked in and shared something that stuck with me that night and followed me right into ministry. He said this simple phrase, “We will never get anywhere with our individual talents as far as we could if united as a team. Take pride in being part of a team.” It was at that moment that I realized it did not matter what position I was in, where I was sitting or playing…that wherever I was placed I needed to do it with excellence. I made a decision that night to turn the focus off of me and onto the team and what was best. My goal changed that night. I wanted to practice harder, help this sophomore play better and chose to not just “sit” the bench, but to become an encourager, coach, crowd exciter from the bench! Something I learned was that no matter if I was a starter, coming off the bench or sitting the bench…I was still part of the 1st string because we couldn’t do it without each other…TEAM.

You are probably asking yourself why I am sharing this story with you. This very story falls into the church. Just as I learned in my senior season about walking and working as a team, I have learned as we do life together as a church body that we need to be willing to set aside “our” desires, “our” personal goals and be willing to unite, realizing we ALL have a part in the TEAM. That no one is greater than the other.

There are some things happening in the ministries here at GCC and I want to take a moment to share just a few of them.

I’m excited as our Fellowship Ministry is starting a CAKE DECORATING CLASS on Saturday mornings: 10am – 12pm starting, November 8th, November 15th, November 22nd & December 6th. We want to encourage all who are interested to come and learn a great skill taught by our talented Mary Lou Logan who also decorated the beautiful cake at Don’s ordination service.

Our Missions Ministry reaches our community and beyond our world beyond our city limits. It has been an incredible thing to see all the shoe boxes they have collect this past month for Operation Shoe Box and this coming month they will be collecting good for the food pantry in Geneva. Just another unique way of being Jesus here and beyond.

As you know we started our new children’s worship time, Reign Forest. I have been hearing great things from the parents and the kids about what they are doing and learning. I just want to encourage you all to keep up the incredible job you are doing to reach and teach our next generation.

Our Youth Group is starting up again and can I just say we are excited to see our kids grow and to also be here as encouragers to them in their journey!

Our UPWARD soccer program this summer had a HUGE impact in our church and community. It was amazing to see all of you who helped with this new ministry and it was humbling to see the impact it has made in our community…it has caused an incredible positive BUZZ and we are excited to see what God does next year through UPWARD SOCCER here in or community!

Through our Stewardship Ministry we are able to continue our care of our facilities, one being a new roof. Also, as some of you know we are beginning the rearrangements of classrooms and offices to create a better flow and provide a more secure area for our kids.

These are just some of the ministry happenings. I share this little taste with you to let you know that none of this could happen with just one person. It can only be accomplished with a TEAM. These ministries and those I have not talked about need your help and support. I started this article with the familiar cheer, “LET’S GET A LITTLE BIT ROWDY.” Okay, instead of ROWDY…how about this: “LET’S GET EXCITED ABOUT OUR JESUS.”

See you on His court!

V-8

2008-10-06T17:44:00.007-04:00

Our son turned 7 this past Sunday. I told my wife today that I wished I could stop time so that he and his sister could stay the ages they are. Yet, I know that it is inevitable that they will continue to grow physically, emotionally.... and I am excited as I watch them grow spiritually.

Just as my wife sends me off to get Joshua's vitamins for his "brain" as he calls it, I am reminded of something. Just as our physical bodies need vitamins, our spiritual bodies do as well. Okay, I know there isn't a "bottle" of nicely colored chewable tablets to feed our souls, yet God has provided “vitamins” for us. Vitamins as we study His word, vitamins as we seek His face each day and bring to Him our praise, our concerns. His vitamins also come in the shapes of corporate worship on Sunday’s, time spent with others in Bible Study, small groups, youth group, children’s church…and that individual worship as we live for Him in our everyday circumstances.
However, unlike vitamins and supplements that people say they can do without…God is not a supplement to our life, He is our life. When we choose to walk with Him, he puts to death the old disease ridden body and gives us a new one (2 Corinthians 5:17) and with that, He gives us the means to maintain it, help it grow, strengthen and continue this race He has set before us.
Wow. There are so many “supplement” businesses out there today trying to tell you that they are the only one who can bring you true health. Trust me, we know with our son and his autism as my wife receives emails and phone calls about different things they are trying to sell.

There are many “religions” out there that will say the same thing and lately it has increased with people saying that you can become your own god and find your own way to heaven.

Yet with Christ, what He has to offer is LIFE. He is not trying to sell it, pander it, prove it…(frankly, He did that on the cross and with his resurrection) He’s giving it away and people have and continue to find LIFE, joy, hope, grace, mercy… even in the midst of life’s circumstances that they face daily. We’ve talked about this over the past several weeks in our current series, HEROES, and I’m sure we all have witness and have heard of other lives that have been changed, made new, whole, spiritually healthy…alive!

In our everyday life it is easy to forget to take our vitamins. I know I do. It is also easy to forget to take in God’s vitamins that He has given us. Let’s make decision as we enter the month of October to really look at our lives and where we see God in it. Is He just a supplement to your life or has He totally transformed it that He is your life? Mind you, transformation is a process and will not be complete until we are on the other side of glory. Just as the gymnast continues to work out daily, so we must with our God.

Where are you today?

Impregnable...Invincible

2008-09-12T15:42:00.003-04:00

This past Thursday marked 7 years when our country was attacked and the twin tours plunged to the ground in New York. I remember where I was and what I was doing when I watched the second plane hit the tour from the screen of my TV. I remember sitting there in a daze and then fear struck as I called my wife at work. She was 7 months pregnant and all I wanted her to do was come home. It truly felt like the world was at war and my thoughts began to spin as I thought about the fact that our son would be born in a world that seemed "scary" and "touchable"…much more so than when I was a kid. Thoughts of fear began to sit in my thoughts as I thought about what kind of world would he live in, how could I protect him….what were we thinking?

When our son arrived a month early after 9/11, when I looked at his face as our country faced terrorism, reading the troops to go east…what calmed my fears was my trust in God. It came back to my faith in Him. I knew from experience, that no matter what the circumstances were that stared me in the face…He would continue to be with me as He had been in the past.

Today we are faced with an economy that is struggling financially. Families face foreclosures daily. People are losing their jobs, struggling to put food on the table. It is another time in history of fear and uncertainty. As we all face these circumstances, my thoughts and heart are drawn to what I know, and that is the trust I have in God. The trust in knowing His character and promise. If He can provide food in the dessert for a nation of people, He can do the same for us. (Exodus 16) He tells us to ask, seek and knock and it shall be given. (Matthew 7:7,8) He says that His plans for us are to have a future. (Jeremiah 29:11) I learned a great deal 7 years ago when our country felt the pain of not being impregnable. Alone that is terrifying, yet, knowing my God is impregnable, indestructible and that He has me under His wing….no matter the circumstance that attempts to stare me in the face…I trust my Invincible God.

Photo of the Pentegon Memorial

There is a Time to Mourn & a Time to Laugh...and OFTEN

2008-08-31T16:41:00.007-04:00

For those of you who know my wife, you know she loves to write. She told me the other day that she was going to begin finishing her 4th book. (I asked if she could wait a bit because when she begins...we will not "see" her for days as she pours over her computer and words.)
However, I opened her file of her fourth book and asked permission to print one of the sections. You will notice she has been working on this book a little over a year by the ages of our children mentioned.

As a father of a son who has Autism, it is good to be reminded of the humor in this spectrum life and to rejoice in every moment.

HUMOR IS ALL AROUND
Imagination and pretend play are things we often take for granted with our children. How many of you guys growing up had a fort and played army, cowboys and Indians, cops and robbers? How many of you ladies dressed up, twirled in your dresses, pretended to be a princess? I myself pretended to be a cop who was a princess.

Our typical kids pick up on pretend play so easily. My 3 year old daughter loves to pretend she is a cat and then a princess...telling me a story.
My 5 year old boy has a difficult time with pretend play. It has taken him a long time to grasp this "style" of play and still has a hard time. Things are generally black and white with him. Things he sees he believes are real and happening at that moment. When the bird blew up in Shrek he cried because he thought it actually blew up. When Ottie from Garfield was taken he wanted to go out and find him. When Violet swelled up and became a blueberry in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory from chewing gum he would not chew gum for a long time until he understood that it was not real.

Our son has autism. Many of you can relate to what I am talking about.

On that note I wanted to share something that my son did the other day that just made me fall down laughing. I was taking clothes out of the dryer and when I turned the corner he ended up getting in between me and the door jam and bumped his head. I quickly put the clothes on the bed, turned and said, "Oh Joshua, are you alright?" At that moment he looked at me, smiled and fell to the floor as if he had been knocked out. He laid there...still. It wasn't until I walked over that a grin appeared on his face. I then said, "Oh no, what do we do to little boys he fall? We tickle them." He began to laugh. We played this "pretend" game for a few more minutes.

Don't you just love it when a window opens and they grasp something and you are there to see it and rejoice with them?!

Make the most of those moments, write them down, keep a journal...for on those days when they are frustrated and cannot tell you what is going on or they become overwhelmed and fixated on one thing...those will be the entries that remind you how far they have come!

One more moment of humor. There is a phrase I say when I drop things or knock things over. I will quickly say, "Oops, that was me...that was all me." I never realized how much I say that phrase until this day. When Joshua finished playing the "fall down as if passed out game,"...he got up and accidentally knocked over the baby gate. From the hall I heard, "Oops, that was me...that was all me."

Rejoice in those moments, find support with us during those hard times...and find humor...believe me, it's all around!

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Author, Angel Thompson

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What happens when your wife knows your blog password...

2008-08-19T17:22:00.001-04:00

This is what happens when my wife gets hold of my blog:

Yield My Cares to Adoni

2008-08-11T23:23:00.004-04:00

When we moved here I decided to try and get into an exercise routine at the YMCA in Madison. It is so easy to find every excuse not to go, yet this week I decided it was time for me to find the time.

Ever have one of those moments where you have a goal, an idea that you want to do, yet you cannot seem to find the time…or better yet, the disciple to put it into your life routine?

The current series that I am teaching on is titled VISION. The first week of our series I talked about the LOST COIN, and how that relates to our VISION. When you lose something of value that you will stop at nothing to find it; it's very existence holds incredible value.

In our second week I talked to you about How God used 12 Misfits. Men who people looked at and labeled them as not being worth anything, that they were not good enough to even have the "dust of Rabbi's" touch them, yet Jesus saw something different and told them, "Come follow me and I will make you fisher's of men." The Misfits walking in the dust of the Great Rabbi.

In our third week of our series we looked at and explored the Bible to see the Beauty of Unity. We looked at the importance of being unified, and what unifies us is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. How Christ's passion is what unites us. Our desire that everyone around us would come to know Christ as their Savior unites us.

As I reflect on these three talks and the encouragement to share what God is doing in your life...and I want you to hear this and truly grasp it: If you grab hold of the passion of Christ…that passion for the person who is missing, becoming passionate about being united though we may not think the same, being passionate and realizing that God can do anything with anyone….yet do not make it a discipline in your life, then these 30 minute talks were just good talks.….it is like me having a card to the YMCA and never using it. Yet…if we put them into our life routine they can have a powerful life altering result for many.

Trust issues...

2008-07-18T07:55:00.003-04:00

I had the incredible opportunity to not only do vespers out at Blue Rock Church Camp this week, but also get to know some pretty remarkable junior high kids, 7 of which go right here at GCC.

The theme for this week of camp was “The Jesus Way”. As you all know, you cannot have a theme without a catch phrase, and the one that came out of our first night was “Trust is a must in your walk with God.”

This week as I taught I began to really ponder what trust means. To trust someone wholeheartedly means you have to know their character. God’s desire is for us to know Him, to know and trust His character.

So, if we know Him, why do we struggle in our walk with Him? I think we struggle because we don’t really know the character of God. The reason we don’t know His character is because we don’t spend time truly getting to know Him. How do we get to know Him? By spending time in His word, studying who He is. The problem is when we don’t do this it opens the door for us to be deceived by the evil one.

God’s character, who He is and who I am in Him is something that I daily learn more and more about. You want to know something; His character is not what the world is. It is not reflected by the thought of “If you do this for me, then I will do this for you.”

His character reflects something….ineffable, as my wife puts it. He gave His Son so that we, everyone, could have the opportunity for eternal freedom, live and relationship with Him. It is an ultimate love that I have trouble describing, or that I cannot find enough words to describe. All I know is that it is not like any type of character trait I have been familiar with, and that is what draws me to trust Him all the more.

Trust is a must in our walk with God.

John 4:1-26

God, The Great Optometrist

2008-07-12T08:49:00.004-04:00

My wife is forever pulling off my glasses to clean them. She tells me that she cannot believe that I can see through them and I usually don't notice until she gives them back. How often do we live life, viewing life, looking at our world through "glasses" that are smeared? We just get used to it, maybe we even like having "blurry vision and never think if we just "clean or maybe change" our point of vision we might see something different, something we never noticed before...maybe even something incredible, some blessing that we would have missed.

Our next series is called VISION: Church, life, family. Just like I shared above, it's easy for our vision to become blurry if we only feed it with what we like. Simply put: If you always do what you always did, then you will always get what you've always got.

Come on out this weekend as we begin to explore the VISION God has for us in our LIFE, in our FAMILY, and in our CHURCH.

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I'm excited to see where He takes!

The Journey has only begun....

2008-07-05T16:17:00.003-04:00

This is the final day of our study in Jonah and the Road Trip With God. However, the trip does not end here just because the study has. Maybe your journey has just begun. Maybe God has awakened a new path in your journey with Him. Wherever you are in your journey with Him remember to take time to be still and know that He is God. (Psalm 46:10a) To not just hear but to listen and act obediently to what He is telling you.

Remember to be aware of the storm around you. To put on the full armor of God to withstand the ever-increasing spiritual battle we find ourselves in daily. (Ephesians 6:10-20).
Remember that you cannot out run God, yet if you try…He is waiting with open arms to show you love, mercy, grace and compassion.

Remember that in your journey you need to be careful not to allow hatred and bitterness to cloud your vision and confuse you on the priorities God has set before you. Because hatred will not only blind you to what God is doing, it will also rob you of the joy He has called you to join Him in, just like what happened to Jonah.

Remember the importance of repentance in your journey. For you cannot stay where you are in your life and go with God. He is calling you to change direction, "to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." Ephesians 4:22-24.

Take time on this day to examine your journey with God. Where were you at the beginning of this road trip? Where are you now?

To Reflect...to PRAISE

2008-07-04T09:42:00.003-04:00

A day of praise! How have you experienced God in a new and unique way during your journey with Him this week? How has He freed you from strongholds in your life? When He asked you to repent and change your direction did you listen? What happened? Take time to write your thoughts of praise to Him today. Read Psalm 96 and write down a sentence of praise.

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A Thursday Moment on the Road

2008-07-03T11:38:00.003-04:00

" Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to You. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all you heart. I will be found by you…" Jeremiah 29:12-14

I love the FACT that God is not a fair weather friend, He is not fickle or wishy washy. He does not hold things over you to hurt you later. He is a God of compassion and mercy. He is ready to show compassion and grace to anyone who seeks Him.

You all know the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. Do you remember what God told Abraham? That if there were even 10 righteous people He would spare the city. In Jonah He had Jonah go into the city and take the message to repent or God would bring destruction. Now, am I saying that God's message is only for those who live lives of violence and sexual immorality? No, God's message is for everyone. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23.

Take time to reflect on the 2 passages in today’s devotion. Write down what God is laying on your heart regarding your walk with Him.

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Wednesday's Challenge: "IF YOU REPENT, I WILL RESTORE YOU…."

2008-07-02T09:51:00.005-04:00

I am reminded of something Keith Green once said: "Going to church doesn't make you a Christian, anymore than going to McDonald's makes you a hamburger."
For generations we have come to believe that being a Christian means we go to church, we listen to the message and we go home and live good lives. What a misguided belief!

The Israelites heard the message many times, yet acted in stubbornness and never repented. The Ninevites only had to hear it once. In Matthew 12:39-41, Jesus stated that “The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here.”

Are we hearing God's challenge to us and not listening? Are we acting stubbornly like the Israelites because we are hung up on our "rights" and feeling content where we are, or feeling as if we don't do any big sins so the challenge doesn't apply.

Go back to our first week of devotions titled, "Can you hear me now?" Are you listening, or just hearing?
I am reminded of the words once read in a study Bible where it said, "It is not our hearing God's Word that pleases Him, but our responding obediently to it." (NIV). Take a moment today to sit and listen, to be quiet and ask God what it is He is asking you to do. What is it He is asking you to change in your life? Is He calling you to repent and follow Him?

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Tuesday's Reflection: "IF YOU REPENT, I WILL RESTORE YOU…."

2008-07-01T13:35:00.004-04:00

"What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer." Romans 6:1,2

I can remember when I first became a follower of Christ and hearing someone say it was “okay to sin because all you would have to do then is ask for forgiveness.” He lived his life in sin and would confess and do it over the next day as if God were just a confessional box.

This is not how we are exhorted by God to live our lives. To "re-crucify" Him over and over to receive grace for purposely doing things we know are wrong and using God as a "piece" of soap trying to wash out the spot like a secret formula. No, He tells us that we died to sin……So, how can we purposely live in it any longer? To live a life that is repentant we must turn from our old direction and travel His course. To daily seek to live that New Life.

Take time to examine your life today. Are you treating God like a "secret formula", your own confession box? Read Romans 6 and ask God to open your heart to His teaching about what it means to be a Christ follower.

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Monday's Thoughts: "IF YOU REPENT, I WILL RESTORE YOU…."

2008-06-30T13:01:00.004-04:00

"IF YOU REPENT, I WILL RESTORE YOU…."
Jeremiah 15:19a

Repent (ripent) v.i. to grieve for sins committed or for things sinfully left undone//to feel extreme regret for what on has done or forgotten or omitted to do//to change one's mind and regret the original decision.

Above is the definition of repentance, but what is it really? We read that it is to grieve, to regret for wrongs one has done. I believe it is in the third section of the definition that we truly see what it means to "repent". It means to change. To turn from the direction you are currently headed in and go in another.

In Jonah 3 we read how the people of Nineveh did just that. Here was a people group who were evil, violent….Murderous. It would have been easy to say, "Oh, I am sorry", and not change, not be repentant, not to change ones course of direction. However, when the king of Nineveh heard the news of the city repenting he sent out a decree, "Do not let any man or beast, herd or flock, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence." (vs. 8).

The people were confronted with their evil, told of what would happen, they believed and repented. They changed their course of direction and followed God.

Do you live a "sorry" life or a "repentant" life? Is there an area in your life that needs a course adjustment? Seek God's face today. Reflect on this passage in Jonah and the actions of the Ninevites and ask God to show you were you need to repent.

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Reference:
Webster, Merriam. Webster's Collegiate Thesaurus. Merriam-Webster Inc., Publishers, Sprinfield, Massachusetts. Copyright 1976 by Merriam-Webster Inc.

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Saturday's Moment: “…SO A MAN’S HEART REFLECTS THE MAN.”

2008-06-28T09:52:00.003-04:00

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1

This week has been a look into the life of Jonah and how he allowed bitterness and hatred to control his life. Reflect back this week when you began your journey with God on Monday. What has God revealed to you? Was there an area of bitterness that was causing blindness where you could not discern God’s greater picture?
Write how, this week, God has been victorious in your life and how you have experienced His freedom.

Friday's Reflection: “…SO A MAN’S HEART REFLECTS THE MAN.”

2008-06-27T17:36:00.002-04:00

In the book of Jonah chapters 3 and 4 we see where Jonah’s bitterness and hatred for Nineveh took him. First, it caused him to be blinded to God’s bigger picture of showing mercy and compassion for the gentiles, which we studied on Monday.
Second, we find in chapter 4 verses 10 and 11: “You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend to it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?”

Not only had hatred blinded Jonah, but he could not discern proper priorities. He was more concerned about a plant giving him shade than the souls of 120,000 people.

Reflect on Jonah and examine your own life. Are your priorities tangled in the vines where you cannot see beyond them to where God is really calling you to act?
How is He calling you to change your heart this week?

Take time to ask Him to show you the area in which He is calling you to change and the strength to do so.

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Thursday's Reflections: “…SO A MAN’S HEART REFLECTS THE MAN.”

2008-06-26T11:53:00.003-04:00

The book of Proverbs was written by King Solomon. It is known as a book of wisdom and each chapter/proverb can be applied to our lives today.

Many of these proverbs talk about the tongue, how it can crush, and yet how it can heal. There are also some of the proverbs that talk about hatred and how it destroys. Today you are going to be asked to read a chapter in the book of Proverbs. Take time to truly reflect as you read it. If there is a verse that really jumps out, write it down. Ask God to show you how you can apply it to your life this week.

Choose from the list below, or you may choose your own chapter. Proverbs 10,14,15,18.

Wednesday's Reflection: “…SO A MAN’S HEART REFLECTS THE MAN.”

2008-06-26T11:42:00.002-04:00

I once heard a man say that we, as Christians, have made our own culture. The problem is we do not want to go outside that culture, or to even touch those we are called to share the Gospel with. We can take that even further in how we have built those walls even smaller to only contain ourselves, where we are only interested in what is good for “me”.

There is no better parable that depicts this more than “The Good Samaritan”, found in Luke 10:25-37. This parable shows the “culture”, and what happens when one person steps outside to touch another.

Read Luke 10:25-37.
Yet, before click the link above to read, ask God to reveal to you His Word and what He wants you to learn today.

As you reflect, which “culture” do you find yourself living in? The priest, the Levite or the Samaritan?

What are some steps God is laying on your heart to help you to move out of your comfort zone?

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Tuesday's Jonah Moment: "...SO A MAN'S HEART REFLECTS THE MAN."

2008-06-24T09:39:00.002-04:00

“As water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man.” Proverbs 27:19

Have you ever witnessed a person rotting away with bitterness? How hatred has imbedded itself deep within their hearts they no longer see it, but believe it to be righteous? I have no doubt that Jonah thought his hatred was justifiable and rational. I can only imagine what his face and body language looked like as he went down the streets telling the Ninevites about God and what God would do if they did not turn to Him.

Here, an entire people group turned to God….A time of rejoicing I would think, and yet Jonah was angry. To top it off, he asked God to take his life. Here was a man, a follower of God who had become so blinded by his hatred that he could not even rejoice with their repentance. His hatred and bitterness became the reflection of his heart.

Reflect on Proverbs 27:19 and the story of Jonah.

Has bitterness become the reflection of your life? Ask a close friend or spouse, whom you can trust, to honestly give you feedback.

Take time to ask God for freedom from the stronghold of hatred.

Monday's Jonah Moment: “…SO A MAN’S HEART REFLECTS THE MAN.”

2008-06-23T07:33:00.002-04:00

Where does hatred lead a person? I would venture to say that it can truly cause one’s thoughts and actions to become irrational, confused even to the point of missing the greater picture. It is in chapters 3 and 4 of the book of Jonah where we read how Jonah’s hatred for the Ninevites led him to irrational thoughts and how he missed God’s greater picture.
Read Jonah 3:1-4:11
What happened to the people of Nineveh?
How did Jonah respond? What did He tell God?
What was “the greater picture” that Jonah missed?
Now, think of your life today. Is there a “Nineveh” in your life? Have you missed God’s greater picture? How will you respond differently? Take time to reflect on the Scripture and seek God’s face today.

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Saturday Praise: Are You Tired of The Stench?

2008-06-21T19:08:00.002-04:00

This is a day of praise. David knew God's character. In the Psalms you read of David's anguish, however, you also read of him praising God as he remembers His character.

Take time today to read one of the Psalms listed below, then write down praises you read. Reflect on your day and how you have seen God's character at work and write your own psalm to Him in praise. Psalm 139, 145, 111, 46, 34

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Friday's Review and Challenge

2008-06-20T08:18:00.002-04:00

The book of Proverbs begins with a Father giving his son instruction. Showing him that there are two ways he can go. One path that leads to life, another towards destruction, and it becomes his choice.

Is it possible then to come face to face with God and turn away? Is it possible to hear warnings and not heed and come to destruction? Sadly, the answer is yes. In the book of Genesis chapter 18 we read about the conversation Abraham had with God regarding the city of Sodom and Gomorrah. That if even 10 righteous were found He would spare the city and not destroy it. As you read you realize that there were not 10 righteous ones found. In chapter 19 we read how Lot, Abraham's brother, pleaded with his future sons-in-law to leave. He warned them of what was to come, yet they did not heed. In verse 16 we even read of Lots hesitation to leave. "When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them to safety out of the city, for the Lord was merciful to them." God rescued Lot, a righteous man, from destruction (2 Peter 2:6-9), "So when God destroyed the cities of the plain, he remembered Abraham, and he brought Lot out of the catastrophe that overthrew the cities where Lot had lived." (19:29)

Has there been a warning in your life that catastrophe is around the corner, yet you find yourself choosing to ignore the pleadings just as Lot's future sons-in-law did?

Let’s review: Jonah ran from God, came face to face with Him inside the belly of a fish and repented. The Prodigal Son came to his senses as he looked up from a pig's trough and repented. David was confronted with his sin and asked for forgiveness and grace. The adulterous woman stood waiting to be stoned yet received forgiveness. Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged God as the Almighty, and repented after 7 years of grazing with cattle. Lot's future son's -in-law perish with the entire city of Sodom and Gomorrah, even after hearing the warning.

Where are you? In the belly of the fish, eating with pigs, grazing? Are there stones waiting to be hurled? Have you been confronted? Or are you choosing to ignore Gods warnings, headed for destruction? Take time to reflect. Is there something that is hindering you from turning to God?

"Father, I know there is something in my life that is hindering my relationship with you. I come before you seeking your grace and compassion. Please reveal to me the area or areas that are keeping me distant from You. Forgive me and give me freedom."

Thursday's Ponder: Are You Tired Of The Stench?

2008-06-19T21:50:00.004-04:00

How quickly do we want to throw stones when someone's sin is exposed? In John 8 we read about a woman who was brought before Jesus, accused of adultery and how the law was quoted that she must be stoned. Now, as you read a bit further you realize this poor woman and her situation were being used to trap Christ. Many theologians believe it may have been one of the accusers who was actually the man she had the affair with, however, this is not the point of this study. Here was a woman, her sin exposed and these men wanted to have her stoned.

It is so easy to sit in judgment, isn't it? There are some sins that are so obvious, yet what about the sin that is not seen? Those sins kept in secret. We, I use this term generally, quickly forget our behind the scene sins and go straight for the biggest stone to throw against those who are exposed. I love how Christ responded to the men. "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Wow, what a reality check. Do you realize the only one who could have thrown the stone, didn't. No, instead Christ stood up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you? Then neither do I condemn you....go now and leave your life of sin.” Do you remember those attributes we studied on Monday and Tuesday? Jesus showed her grace and compassion.

There are two things to reflect on today. First, have there been times or are you currently in the midst when you have felt the threat of stones? What happened, or what is happening in your life that has caused this? Take time now to reflect on Jesus words to the woman above, go to Him and seek His forgiveness, grace and compassion. Second, are you getting ready to pick up a stone? Take time to reflect on this passage in John 8, and also, go back and read Psalm 51. Reflect and write down what God has revealed to you.

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Wednesday's Moment: Are You Tired Of The Stench?

2008-06-18T12:27:00.002-04:00

Have you ever committed a sin and believed that because of your sin God would ever forgive you?

There is a man in the Bible who is described as a man after Gods own heart, and his name was David. There were many things that David did in the course of his life, yet it is in Psalm 51 where we find him crying out to God for grace. David had murdered, committed adultery, and now here he was, after being confronted by Nathan, pouring his heart out to God and seeking forgiveness. David knew God's character, for he had witnessed it in action and he was calling upon it as he bore his soul and repented of his guilt. Guess what happened? God showed David grace.

Today you are asked to read Psalm 51. However, before you pick up your Bible or click on the reference in this blog, ask God to open your eyes and heart to His teaching in this passage. That His Spirit would show you what it is that He wants you to learn. When you are finished journal your thoughts and what God revealed to you about your relationship with Him.

Is there something in your life that you need to seek His grace for? Take time to pray verses 10, 11, and 12.

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Tuesday's Thoughts: Are You Tired Of The Stench?

2008-06-17T13:36:00.004-04:00

How many of you have children? How many of you have teenagers? Do you get frustrated when they choose not to listen and decide to do their own thing? Or, what about the 17 or 18 year old who leaves home with all they own to try and make it on their own and they fail.

As you are thinking about that, I want you to now answer this, with God, are we not just like those teenagers? Luke 15 talks about a young man who wanted to go out on his own. Keith Green wrote a version of the Prodigal Son. He describes how this young man walks into his father's room, sees him sitting on a chair reading and wanting to hold him, but instead asks for his inheritance so he can make a life of his own. He told his father that there was so much to see, and if he doesn't get his blessing he was going to leave anyway. As the story goes, the young man receives his inheritance, spends everything, fails and finds himself alone.

It was in a field, feeding pigs, longing to eat what they were eating when he came to his senses. What is so powerful about this story is not so much that the young man came to his senses, but how his father responded. It says in verse 20 that he was filled with compassion, and that he forgave his son. Two wonderful attributes of God are His grace and compassion as we see illustrated in this story.

We all can relate to this young man. Honestly, how many of us have found ourselves looking up from "the feeding trough" because of decisions we have made in our journey here, realizing we have failed in our relationship with God?

At this moment do you believe that you are no longer worthy to be called His? If so, I have wonderful news for you. We have a gracious and compassionate God who is waiting for you to walk that same dusty road home into His embrace of forgiveness. I challenge you today to read about the man who walked that dusty road home in Luke 15:11-31. Ask God to reveal to you areas where you may be in the fields. If He reveals something to you, take time to go to Him and accept His embrace of grace, compassion and forgiveness.

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Monday's Thoughts: Are You Tired Of The Stench?

2008-06-16T18:47:00.003-04:00

"But the Lord provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights." Jonah 1:17.

Jonah knew it was his fault the storm came upon the sailor's. He knew if they were to throw him over it would stop and they would be safe. I have always wondered what was going through Jonah's mind when he was thrown into the raging sea. Did he think, "Well, I deserve to die".

This wouldn't have been the first time for him to have these thoughts, as we read in chapter 4. He chose not to listen to God's instruction, and ran from Him only to come face to face with Him. However, the sea was only the beginning of being face to face with God. We read Jonah's words in chapter 4 when He tells God that he knew He was a gracious and compassionate God; and so, we see those attributes displayed on Jonah as God provided a fish to swallow Him.

I could think of better places to go to contemplate the sin in my life and repent, yet God provided a fish. How can you not rethink your actions as you are sitting in the belly of a fish? I am sure it did not smell like a Martha Stuart Christmas Special. It was in the belly of the fish were Jonah turned his face towards God, repented and praised Him. (Jonah 2)

Like Jonah, it is far too easy to continue sinning, not listening and believing we can out run God; until we come face to face with our disaster and find ourselves in the sea with a fish at our heels.

Reflect today on your life, past and present.
Has there been a time of “flight”, or are you currently running?
Where has it landed you?
Are you on the edge of the ship getting ready to be thrown in?
Are you sitting in your fish examining your life, realizing you need to repent?
If so, why not take the time to make it right with God, and get out of the belly of the fish?
Take time today to reflect on your life choices. Write down any changes you are going to make.

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Saturday's Reflection: In The eye Of The Storm

2008-06-14T09:22:00.002-04:00

Today is a day of reflection and praise.

Isaiah 43:2 states, "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze."

Since the beginning of this week we have been talking about the storm. Reflect on the passage above and list how God, this week, has been victorious in helping you stand firm against the storm, or how He has helped you become aware of the storm.

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Friday's Reflection: In The eye Of The Storm

2008-06-13T10:20:00.004-04:00

What is our first response when something terrible happens in our lives? Would I be correct in saying that we first respond in fear? Then maybe we will call someone to see if they can help. Usually our last resort is calling on God.

In Jonah 1, when the Lord brought a violent storm, the sailors became afraid, cried out to their own gods, and threw cargo over hoping to lighten the load. It wasn't until the storm continued that they called on Jonah's God. Verse 16 states, "At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to Him."

Here were men who, at the beginning were not followers of God, yet at the end of the storm, when they experienced His power, feared Him, sacrificed to Him and made vows to Him. They saw the storm and were afraid. As believers and followers of God, we often have a difficult time seeing the storm because our surroundings have become commonplace. In our society today we have been told that we must "take care of self", look out for "number one". We are in a time where self help books are quickly out numbering all other literature sections. Most often in today’s times, when we are in the midst of a storm, our fist inclinations after fear has struck is to do something ourselves instead of seeking God.

Think of times in your life when you have been faced with something that brought fear. How did you respond? What or who did you seek help from?
Take time today to write down a prayer to God asking Him for His help to aid you in changing your world view, to seek Him in the midst of storms, rather than what society says is right.

Thursday's Reflection: In The eye Of The Storm

2008-06-12T08:18:00.001-04:00

What has to happen in our lives for us to finally see the storm?
For Jonah, he was unaware of the physical storm until awakened. However, it wasn't until he was in the water, with the sea weed wrapped around him, pulling him down into the "depths of darkness", and being swallowed by a fish that he then realized the storm in his life. The Lord gave him 3 days and nights to contemplate his actions and it led him to his knees, praising God, making a vow, (which, in the book of Numbers, chapter 30, verse 2 states that when a man makes a vow to the Lord or takes an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said.) and voicing that salvation comes from the Lord.
Can you think of a time in your life where God had to bring you to the "depths and smelling like fish bait" in order for you to see the storm?
Write about that time. How has your walked changed? Are you currently in the depths of darkness? What do you think needs to happen for you to see the storm and seek His face for freedom and help?

"Father, I am sorry for living a complacent life, I have been unaware of the spiritual storm, the evil arrows of Satan as they have pierced my soul and have allowed it to take control of my life. I ask for forgiveness, and seek You for help to have freedom. I am tired of sitting in the depths, smelling like fish bait. I want to put on Your Full Armor so I can stand against it, be aware of it, and be victorious in You. In the Name of Jesus, Amen."

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Wednesday's Reflection: In The eye Of The Storm

2008-06-11T17:42:00.002-04:00

"WHEN THE STORM RAGES"

In 1991, some friends and I traveled across the States, up to Idaho, into the Rockies and across Canada camping most of the way. I remember being exhausted when we decided to stop in the Bad Lands of South Dakota. We put up our tents, and went to sleep before nightfall. It was in the middle of the night when we experienced why it was called "The Bad Lands". We were in the midst of a violent electrical storm and the area was flooding. My friends tried to wake me, but I was so tired, that I just rolled over and went back to sleep, unaware that the tent was filling with water. With a bit more prodding and encouragement, I was quickly up and we began to move quickly to store our gear and get to safety.

We, and I use the term generally, have become so focused on getting ourselves to safety that many times we leave our brothers and sisters behind to fight the storm alone.
Galatians 6:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:11 and Hebrews 10:23-25 exhorts us to stand with each other, carry one another's burdens, to not stop meeting together and to encourage one another.

In the Bad Lands of S.D., all I wanted to do was sleep because I was tired. My friends knew this, but they also knew I would not have made it alone, so they helped me see the storm.
Take time to reflect on the scriptures above. Is God calling you to encourage someone today as they battle in the storm? Maybe you know someone who is in the midst of the storm, yet they are unaware. Pray for them and ask God to use you to encourage them.

For those of you who are asking, "What if I am the one in the midst and feel alone?" My dear brother or sister, David felt the same and he wrote a Psalm about regarding his storm. Read Psalm 18, and allow God to use the story of David to encourage you.

This section taken from:

True Intimacy

Author: Angel Thompson

Tuesday's Reflection: In The eye Of The Storm

2008-06-10T08:30:00.004-04:00

What would you do if you heard that the path of a violent storm was headed your way and would hit in 24 hours?

When those who lived on the coast heard that there was a threat of a violent storm headed their way, they reacted in three ways: Some ignored the report and went about their business. Some took quick preparation and taped their windows and then continued their days work. Others took on the task of boarding their windows, doors, gathering food and water for the long after effects, and prepared the inside for safety because they knew they would not have time to leave and needed to act quickly. This preparation took them most of the day, and hen Hugo hit, it was devastating.

We read in Ephesians 6:10-20 about preparation for the spiritual storm that rages and how to stand against the devil's schemes. There are three ways that we can react to this continual violent storm: One, we can ignore it, as we become accustomed, numb apathetic to the storm where it becomes commonplace to us and we cannot see our way out because our style of life has become habitual…like Jonah as he slept. Two, we could put on just enough protection, or so we think, however it won't stop Satan's arrows from piercing our souls, much as the tape across the windows did not stop Hugo from blowing them out and destroying all that lay inside. Or three, we could put on the FULL ARMOR OF GOD, and stand against the raging storm. Not stand with our eyes closed saying there isn't a storm because we cannot see it, much like an infant will cover his eyes and think you cannot see him.

Reflect on the scripture today.
Has your life become commonplace where you do not realize there is a spiritual storm raging? Out of the three mentioned, how do you respond to storms in your life? Take time today to pray Ephesians6:10-20, to put on the FULL ARMOR OF GOD, to battle the raging storm. What has God revealed to you today?

Monday's Reflection: In The eye Of The Storm

2008-06-09T12:22:00.004-04:00

While you were asleep.

”Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep." Jonah 1:4,5

Have you ever been in the midst of a storm and were unaware of being so?
The island where I served as a missionary is a huge target for hurricanes every year. Those I worked with, who still live there, are faced with the threat yearly and, at times, in the midst of a violent storm.

If you have ever been in the midst of this type of storm the fear of not surviving is very real. The noise is deafening, the wind is so fierce that even though you have boarded up all of the windows and doors water still blows in and the wind is a deadly force, not something you should stand out in. In the midst of this type of storm it is impossible to sleep, you are awake, waiting for it to stop, and thanking God He brought you through it.

We read in Jonah how he was in the midst of a violent storm and was so unaware that he was in a deep sleep. We read that Jonah was physically in a deep sleep, yet he was also asleep spiritually. There was a storm raging around in his life and he was unaware, or rather, chose not to be aware. The storm consisted of hate, resistance and selfishness. He had not "boarded up his house", and the storm surreptitiously seeped into his life.

Is there a storm raging in your life? Have you allowed your ears to become deaf to its violent attacks in your life? Have you been having "Jonah Days" where there is a storm raging, yet you are in a state of oblivion?

Take time today to reflect on Jonah's actions and the questions above. Ask God to reveal to you the storm, and ask Him for strength.
Write down what He has been revealing.

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