So it’s been kind of a rough weekend.  Seems kind of like we’ve been rushing to put out one fire after another.  In the midst of it all, our car broke down and we found ourselves staring down some pretty nasty circumstances in the lives of some close friends of ours. Through it all, we’ve ended up pretty tired, with a borrowed car (Josh and Heidi are great) and trying to make the most of every minute to catch up from our weekend.

As I’ve been thinking about the weekend, I know there is purpose in what we’ve been through. It’s funny to me that all my “true church experiences” are often terrible while I’m in the midst of them but I remember them fondly years later. When we were leading our house church in KC, I had such a hard time with it that I had to take a picture of our house church and put it on my computer with the words “Why I Love My Job” plastered over it, just to remind me that we were doing a good thing.  We’ve been asking the Lord to restore New Testament Christianity and to begin to develop true community here in Cedar Rapids.  Looks like He’s starting to answer our prayers.

If you are the praying type and you’re reading this post, pray for Christy and I right now.  We really need grace to keep our vision high while in the middle of all this warfare.  Ask God to help us see the supernatural realm and partner with it to see breakthrough in this season.

So, I’ve been listening to IHOP’s Limited Edition CD (Volume 4) in the mornings, and it’s been bringing a smile to my face.  Every time I listen to the Cd, I’m reminded of a little trip Bryan, Sean, Christy and I took to Kansas City in January. 

I had just finished preaching a Sunday Morning service at the Car Barn where Kansas City Christian Fellowship meets.  The four of us were en route to John Gross’s house for an afternoon of fellowship.  Someone popped in the Limited Edition CD and skipped to track three where Misty sings about God’s unfailing love that will never let us go, even if we try to escape it.  The song is rejoicing in God’s persistent, pursuing love even in the midst of our running from Him. 

Picture this: The four of us are in a new car, listening to this great cd.  All of the sudden we all start worshipping to the song.  The car fills with worship and it just so happens that someone in the car had an djmbe and began playing it with the song.  It was a moment so good, that if you saw it happen in a movie, you’d say, “No, that could never happen…” But it did. God is the only one who could plan something like that. And the thought of it is making me smile.

Yesterday we spent the day with my Dad.  We had the day off of work for Labor Day and my Dad’s Birthday is today, so it worked really well for us to celebrate.  We had a lot of fun, got to catch up, I got to save them a couple of hours of headache by fixing the computer, etc. 

But as I was talking over lunch with my Dad I began to realize how much he’s given me.  I don’t know if I’ve ever realized how much of my personality comes from him.  My whole style or relating to people sometimes is uniquely from my Dad.  I definetly am my own person, I’m walking a different road than I think he is walking down, but I love my dad. He’s given me more than I think he or I will ever know.

So dad, here’s to you, on your birthday.  You’ve been a blessing from God my whole life, but I’m finally starting to realize it.  I love you dad.