Ready for Easter...

For Some reason this past week has not really felt like preparation for Easter.   Going to our Maundy Thursday service and the walk with the cross helped some, but I don't know...It's hard to put into words...it just doesn't feel like Easter to me.

Last night after my wife went to bed and my daughter was sound asleep I decided to read a book I picked up the other day by Lee Strobel called The Case for the Resurrection.  It was $2.99 at the local Christian Bookstore.   I also picked up  The Case for Christ Study Bible.    They were both what I needed.   I'm a nerd at heart and I love to read.   I love how Lee writes and really enjoyed the book.  It really made me think.  I also was reading at the same time the verses in the study bible along with the investigative stuff too.  I read for at least two hours straight.  I was in tears.   I was in the story.   I saw all the outside evidence of non biblical history as well as the accounts of the final hours of Christ from the Gospels through the Resurrection to over 500 people seeing Christ afterwards.    My world got rocked!

It is sometimes so hard for us to grasp that almost 2,000 years ago this all happened.  With society and the media, we often lose focus and miss the story.   I challenge you before you go to your Easter Service tomorrow and have a big family lunch, to sit down by yourself with the Bible and read it for yourself.  Read Luke Chapters 22-24.  Then reread it.

Tomorrow HE IS RISEN!

Happy Easter!

Good Friday

On of my best friends from church and growing up made this in high school.   Matt Jennings was  two years older than me and was a guy I really looked up to.   On this Good Friday, I want to thank him for being a spiritual leader in my life.  He led our small group every Saturday.  We would go to his house have our small group, order Little Ceasers Pizza and then watch Tommy Boy every Saturday after we finished up.  We were the Marvin Boys.....

I also went with Matt to my first real concert.  It was in 1989, we went and saw New Kids on the Block with his mom.   But our music taste changed.  Matt was the one that I can help credit for my 4,000 + Christian Songs on my Ipod.  Matt introduced me to Bands like Newsboys, Third Day, Skillet, Grits, Jars of Clay, and many others.  We got the chance to see most of the bands before they were big.  We saw them at churches for free for for a couple bucks.   And since then that Music has really changed and molded who I have become.

Matt also took a step out while I was still in high school and he was starting college by becoming a part time youth pastor.   I never told Matt, but that helped me to finally accept my calling into ministry.   We both had the same youth pastor, and at the time I felt called, but wasn't 100% sure and didn't know how.   After seeing Matt take the step, I knew I could.

Matt now lives in Alabama with his wife and son.   We haven't seen each other in several years.  But we still keep up thanks to Facebook and Twitter.   We also read each other's blogs and comment on them.   Even though we are so far apart, I know I can count on my fellow Marvin Boy and brother in Christ.

Who is someone that has made an impact in your Christian Life?

As youth we made up a drama to this song.  I wish I had a copy of when we did this.  So if anybody has an old VHS copy from Awanita 1997 that would be great to get it and convert it to digital.