More pics from Passion Dallas

Passion Regionals 08 – Dallas, Tx

 

 Well… I have no excuses… I know I know…. it’s been awhile since I sat down to write. For the six of you who faithfully subscribe to my ramblings, I am terribly sorry! Let me explain…

This last month or so has brought deliverance and transition for my little family. I just came on as the Pastor to High School and College Students here at First Baptist Church in Odessa, Texas. It has been crazy and chaotic trying to get settled and find my bearings in a new place. Being able to look back and see God’s hand of provision and deliverance is extremely humbling. We had been praying for quite some time for God to deliver us out of what was probably the worst experience of my life. Why God allowed us to go through that may never be completely understood, but we do know God led us to the desert for a purpose. I’m just grateful that I didn’t have to spend forty years there like my brother Moses!! A year and a half was more than enough, I’m just praying and asking that God wouldn’t make me relearn those lessons again. I’ll spare you the details, but just so you’ll know where I’ve been these last days…

Meanwhile… back at the ranch….

I was the passion conference this weekend in Dallas… I’m not sure I can fully explain all that God did in my heart while I was there. I read through the book of Revelation and see the places that talk about the myriad of people that will gather around the Throne of God in worship. We were on the sixth row for a better part of the weekend, and to turn around and see 6,000+ people going after God with everything they had in worship… it was simply breathtaking. That was probably the most incredible, life-changing weekend of my life – and to think how incredible those worship times were, but there was only 6,000 people. What will heaven look like?? wow!! 

I have been praying for some time that God would birth not just a vision in my heart for this ministry, but also a personal awakening. I can honestly say that those prayers were answered this weekend. I’m not sure I could say there was a “theme” over the weekend, but God just fell on that place. It was so neat for me to hear my hero Louie Giglio speak, I’ve been such a fan of his for years. Francis Chan spoke for two sessions as well… he knocked it out of the park! I think the thing that hit me the hardest was during the last session of the weekend. He was talking about how we all want to be a part of something big, we all want our lives to count and matter – but we aren’t willing to be obedient in the small stuff. You could have heard a pin drop… but he was so right. We all want to stand on that big stage, or be a part of the next big thing, but for most of us, we won’t make the time to get out of bed in the morning and spend time with God, we won’t pray, we won’t give… and we wonder why ministry is so hard? Working with people is the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done, but it’s also the hardest. I guess the thing that I kept coming back to throughout the weekend….

I am so small.

What a wonderful reminder that it’s not really about me or my story, but about God’s story of Redemption. How crazy is to think that not only can we know this God, better yet be KNOWN by God, but that God Himself is inviting you and me to be a part of His story??? That changes the way we see church huh? All of the sudden the burden of the typical christian life changes and we find that we WANT to serve God, we GET to serve Him… we aren’t slaves… but sons and daughters!! (that’ll preach!)

In other news, for those of you who have been praying… yes, I was able to eat Taco Bueno (several times!). I am convinced that the manna that God fed the Israelites with came from Taco Bueno. Until next time sports fans! BCB