Daily Read September 30, 2009

Isaiah 55:8-9 (New International Version)

⁸ "For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the LORD.

⁹ "As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

PDYM Community lunches here at FVCC...

If you like lunch (I do)...

And if you're a youth worker volunteer, part-time, or full time (I am)...

And you want to connect with other youth workers (I do)...

And you want to go home with some cool stuff (I do)...

Then I might have just the event for you. FVCC will be hosting a PDYM Community lunch on Tuesday, October 27th at 12:30 pm. The purpose of these lunches is to build community among local youth workers and learn from each other. And I'd love to have you come.

Here's the official information on the PDYM Community blog if you are interested. If you would like to come, shoot me an email. There is plenty of room! And FVCC is the only spot in Illinois with a community lunch!!!

Jim

Daily Read September 29, 2009

Psalm 68:19-20 (New International Version)

¹⁹ "Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,
who daily bears our burdens.
Selah

²⁰ Our God is a God who saves;
from the Sovereign LORD comes escape from death."

Spring Break 2010 Dominican Republic Trip

I'm pumped!!!

Yesterday we had our first 2010 Spring Break Dominican Republic meeting follow 2nd service.

Here's what I'm pumped about. Right now, we have 12 students committed to going!!!!! Last year we had 6 awesome students... but this year 3 of those students have returned and the group has grown! (We have 5 pretty radical adults too!!!)

I'm so stoked to see what God is going to do through them over the next several months as they get ready to go. And how God is going to work in their hearts while they're there!!

It's going to be a great trip March 27th - April 4th. Pray for them. And we are selling fresh pecans as a fundraiser... if you'd like to buy some, I could help you get connected with a student who would love to see you some!!

Jim

Daily Read September 28, 2009

Isaiah 45:22-25 (New International Version)

²² "Turn to me and be saved,
all you ends of the earth;
for I am God, and there is no other.

²³ By myself I have sworn,
my mouth has uttered in all integrity
a word that will not be revoked:
Before me every knee will bow;
by me every tongue will swear.

²⁴ They will say of me, 'In the LORD alone
are righteousness and strength.' "
All who have raged against him
will come to him and be put to shame.

²⁵ But in the LORD all the descendants of Israel
will be found righteous and will exult."

Daily Read September 27, 2009

Ephesians 3:17-20, NIV

"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

²⁰Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

The end of an era at Fox Valley Christian Church

This weekend will mark the end of an era at Fox Valley Christian Church.

(photo from Steve's facebook page HERE)

For the last 10 years, Steve has lead our congregation into worship. And it has been a great 10 years (I have personally been here for 5 of those years). Steve has a great way of drawing in the congregation and engaging them in worship. It is truly a pleasure to worship under Steve's leadership.

But tomorrow morning will be his final Sunday at FVCC. He is taking on new challenges at Southfield Community Church in Channahon, IL.

We will have one last opportunity to worship with Steve tomorrow. Hope you're there!

While I have appreciated his worship leading, wisdom, leadership and guidance, more than anything I have appreciated his friendship. It's truly a blessing to work with friends. We've been friends both in the office and outside of the office often watching Bears games, Cubs games, Ohio State games, Illinois games and spending a lot of time hanging out outside of the office. I will miss being able to go down the hall... sit on his couch and talk about anything from this weekend's worship set to the Bears or Cubs to the latest updates from Apple. Not that this is the end of a friendship, for sure. But it will certainly be a change.

I hope that if you are at FVCC this Sunday morning, you take a few moments and thank Steve for his hard work, dedication and leadership!

Thanks Steve!

Jim

Feed My Starving Children - All-FVCC Service Project

77 folks from FVCC joined in service today at Feed My Starving Children in Aurora. It was a great experience. If you have never been, it is truly an excellent place to serve. For about an hour, you work together as a team to package up meals to go overseas and feeds folks who are starving.

Each meal pouch contains enough chicken, freeze-dried veggies, soy and rice for six folks. When mixed with heated water, it provides enough nutrition for the day. And it takes, literally, about 60 seconds to put together a meal pouch.

Then they are sealed and placed in boxes, weighted and prepared for shipment.

The organization is non-profit and 95% of their work is done by volunteers (like FVCC). They are extremely professional. They know what you need to do and how to do it. It's a great experience.

Finally, the group gathered together in their warehouse and prayed over the meals.

Altogether, FVCC packed 96 boxes, with 20,736 meals... which is enough to feed 57 kids for a whole year. And we worked about 70 minutes!!! That's awesome!!!

Way to go FVCC!!! and FMSC!!!

Jim

2010 Simply Youth Ministry Conference brochure

2010 Simply Youth Ministry Conference

I can't wait until the SYMC comes to Chicago. I am planning to take my team and it will be awesome to enjoy the conference and still sleep in my own bed!!! Check out the online brochure. It's gonna rock!

Jim

Daily Read September 26, 2009

Ephesians 2:19-20, NIV

"¹⁹Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, ²⁰built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. "

Daily Read September 25, 2009

Ephesians 2:8-10, NIV


"⁸For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹not by works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

Daily Read September 24, 2009

Ephesians 2:4-6, NIV

"⁴But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. ⁶And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, "

David Crowder Band - Church Music is out today!!!

So many great things happening today...

Zondervan joins Logos...
Fall officially arrives this afternoon...

And David Crowder Band's new anticipated album released on iTunes and other places.

I'm listening to it right now. And I'm liking what I'm hearing. It's a great blend of church hymns and music with the classic touch of the DCB!

If you haven't picked up a copy yet... march yourself right over to iTunes, Amazon or your favorite Christian Bookstore and pick one up for yourself. And then go follow DCB on Twitter!!!

Enjoy!

Jim

Zondervan joins Logos

This is a great day for Logos users.

I had heard last night that there was to be a major Logos announcement at 12 am (Pacific time) last night. There was no way that I was staying up for that. But this morning, I was blown away by the announcement.

Zondervan is going to publish some of it's volumes through Logos. That's great news for Logos users... and if you aren't a Logos user and you study the Bible, you should be. My shelves in my office are lined with Zondervan resources because they put out great commentaries and materials. Now, I'll be able to replace some of those physical books that are difficult to use with digital resources that I can access from anywhere with my computer.

Sweet!!!

Here's a snipet from their story HERE:
"Zondervan has some of the hottest reference material out there—in print and electronic formats. Retiring Pradis doesn't mean they are getting out of the software or e-book business, it means they are simply changing platforms. The announcement to retire Pradis comes in the same press release with the news that they will license Logos Bible Software as their new platform. In our typical book partnerships we license content from publishers to release it ourselves. In this partnership, rather than licensing their books to us, Zondervan is actually licensing technology from us."

This is an exciting day for Logos users. I'm not planning to pick up the initial 87 volume set (unless there's someone out there who wants to pick it up for me...). But I will be replacing some of my commentaries as they become available.

Way to go Logos and Zondervan!!!

Jim

a real life Jon and Kate... but doing it right!

These folks are living by faith in God as they raise their 8 children, two of which are adopted from Ethiopia.

"Home-schooling all eight of their children and surviving on one income, the Muellers have not sought the reality show spotlight that helped pop culture icons Jon and Kate Gosselin raise their brood and eventually broadcast the end of their marriage.
Still, there has been a fair share of drama surrounding the Muellers' adoption of two children from Ethiopia -- a process that started four years ago before anyone could have guessed Pete Mueller would lose his job.
The Muellers could have backed out of the adoption. But they didn't. They believed they were answering God's call in the New Testament to look after orphans in distress."

Check out the story HERE.

Jim

Daily Read September 20, 2009

Psalm 62:5-8 (New International Version)

⁵ Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.

⁶ He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

⁷ My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

⁸ Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.

Daily Read September 19, 2009

Isaiah 29:13 (New International Version)

¹³ The Lord says:
"These people come near to me with their mouth
and honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
Their worship of me
is made up only of rules taught by men.

Daily Read September 18, 2009

Isaiah 28:16 (New International Version)

¹⁶ So this is what the Sovereign LORD says:
"See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a tested stone,
a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation;
the one who trusts will never be dismayed.

See You At The Pole 2009

See You At the Pole is coming up next Wednesday. Hopefully you are planning to meet at the pole!

Jim

Check it out HERE.

Forgiveness!!!

I heard about this last night. Watch the video for yourself. But as I watch this, I couldn't help but think of God's forgiveness for us. God often gives us something so incredible and we turn around and immediately throw it away. Yet God is like the father in this video... arms open, ready to embrace, forgive, and as it turns out give us back what we threw away... as the little girl later got another ball.

I recognize that this guy isn't perfect but he does give us a good glimpse of God-like love!

Jim