Leading a family through suffering

Matt & Lauren Chandler talk about leading their family through suffering. Matt has been going through Chemo for a brain tumor.

Yet another wonderful family facing a Plan B situation. Cancer was not on their agenda and not what they were expecting but now they are walking through their suffering as a family with God.

I am sure its not how they expected God to show up in their lives at this time but they are walking through Plan B with eyes fixed on their saviour.



HT Resurgance

Top Posts

Some the posts that have rocked my world. I suggest you read them too.

Pete Wilson asks have you ever been bored?

Steven Furtick on the ultimate what could have been.

Shane Duffey hits it out of the park for control addicts like me.

Plan B - Another real life story

Open Your Eyes from Chris Weatherly on Vimeo.

Laminin rocks

Yesterday as part of our Highlights series at MKCC we showed some video teaching by Louie Giglio. It was titled "How great is our God". It really is an amazing message.

Judging by comments after each service and the vibe on facebook the rest of the day. The message messed people up well and Good and gave us a better perspective on the awesome God that we serve.

It reminded me of Gods Transcendence and Immanence. This old hymn sums it up for me:

"Lord of all being throned afar, Thy glory flames from sun & star, Centre & soul of even sphere, yet to each loving heart how near."

Here is a little snippet of Louie talking about Laminin the stuff that holds us all together.



Louie quoted on of the fathers of the church Augustine which sums it up for me:

"Men go abroad to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of
the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the
ocean, at the circular motions of the stars, and they pass by themselves
without wondering"

Oh and one last thing yesterday at MKCC showed me yet again that video teaching works in church yes even in England! It is never the medium it is always the message!

10 reasons you don't want to be a leader

Being in leadership is something that so often is aspired to by many of us. Be it at work, in church or in families. Of course leading companies, work colleagues, a family, a ministry, a small group or a church can be very fulfilling and a rewarding thing. But one thing leadership is not is easy.

So here are some reasons you don't want to be in leadership. If you still want to lead after reading these then maybe you are just about mad enough to do it.

1. You will feel the weight of responsibility.

As has been said with great power comes great responsibility. In the old Testament the watchmen on the city walls carried the responsibility for the safety of the whole city. The blood of the city was on their hands. Before God we will all give an account for ourselves but leaders will give an account with what we did with the gift he gave us.

2. Your authority as a leader will continually be questioned.

I know the use of the word authority causes concern straight away. But leaders have authority and it is important to use that as a servant leader. But every leader has their authority questioned. Even Jesus see Luke 20. So get used to it. And just because people question your authority it does not automatically make them rebellious and bad people. They are just asking a question and you can show your maturity as a leader by winning them with your answer. (Although I know there are the few, the very few, who will never submit to any sort of authority and they are not really following you anyway so by deduction you are not their leader. So ask them to find a leader they want to follow.)

More tomorrow.

God took a poor scared kid and put in him a new dream

Gary gives his incredible story to Eminem’s “Not Afraid”. Awesome!



HT POTSC

Its the treasure that makes a difference not me

7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all‑surpassing power is from God and not from us.8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. - 2 Cor 4 v 7 - 11

The craziest thing about the Christian life to me is that God decides to move in with me.

Into this body that is ordinary, weak, sinful, rebellious, aging and fragile, God takes up residence. To me and everyone else it looks as crazy as taking the crown jewels and keeping them inside an unimpressive clay pot. But that is what God chooses to do. And very often I can do a good job of keeping Him hidden.

But this fact has incredible consequences for our lives. Although we face common things to all mankind they will not destroy us. Not because of my power, motivation or positive thinking, but because of His power living inside us.

Pressed not crushed
Perplexed not despairing
Persecuted but not alone
Knocked down not destroyed.

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. - 2 Cor 4 v 17

In us we carry the weight of Glory and a I need to let others have a glimpse of its wonders.

Choose worship not worry

One of my many hangups is a bent to worry. I am a past master at taking some small problem and by examining it from every angle I can think of end up with a potential life crushing crisis.

The Bible tells us not to worry. But telling me not to do something just does not work for me. I need an antidote. And for worry that antidote is worship.

Instead of worshiping the problem I need to worship God. What I worship dictates what looms larger in my life.

I read an old hymn today:

I’m sitting in His presence, the sunshine of His face
And with adoring wonder His blessings I retrace
It seems as if eternal days are far too short to sound his praise!

And it seems that the Apostle Paul discovered the same thing:

We all with open face beholding as in a glass, the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. - 2 cor 3 v 18