I know it's been going around so it's nothing new, but I have been down and out with sickness since Christmas Eve. It has been nothing short of boring but I have gotten some much needed rest and reading done as I had planned. Then yesterday, for my first day out of the house I decided to play 18 holes of golf...haha!! It's was fun, and quite funny.
Anywho, its New Years Eve and its that time of the when Shelly and I go over our previous year and plan for the year ahead. We have been keeping a goal setting journal over the past year so we will look over that, rejoice in the accomplishments and strive for more! This year has been a big life change for us so we are anticpating even greater things for the year to come. So far we have planned spiritually, physically, mentally, fiscally, and adentury, if i can create a word to keep the affect:) This year in particular though we have been fiscally focused. We are excited about our plan in being great stewards of God's money and being able to give, save, and invest in the next few years to come. I have found that when we have a plan, we have a focus that is not present when we just randomly live out the future. You have heard it before, "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail." The extra focus is needed to make things happen in a very busy and ecletic world. So tonight, we'll finish our journaling, pray, and seal it with a New Year's kiss and look forward to greater things for 2009!!

As we celebrate Christmas Eve and prepare to go to church tonight, I came across a quote, by Bill Hybels, that puts the meaning of Christmas is a good perspective for me.

"Romans 8:20-21 reveals to us that the entire creation is frustrated, BUT, that by God's power, everthing that is broken and frazzled and wrong will one day be redeemed. In fact, if there is one thing that God is focused on every moment of every day, it's the idea of restoration. He is working right this minute-even as you are reading this sentence-to call our sorry and broken world back to it's original beauty and purpose."

This is the true meaning of Christmas. God sent His son Jesus to redeem and restore the world. It is by far the best gift that anyone could have ever given and will ever give. And it's never too late to receive this gift. That is the great news. It reminds me of one of our core convictions, "it's never too late to become who you might have been". So...receive your gift this Christmas and pass on the good news!!

I am off for the next two weeks. Its a great holiday for me. Every once in a while it is of upmost importance to take a holiday to rejuvenate and get those neurotransmitters firing and optimal speed again. I am going to do some reading & journaling for this two week holiday. Going to through through Philippians and read Bill Hybels, Holy Discontent. Pastor Mark recommended it to me, said it was a must read.
Today i am hanging with Shelly at her office. We are decorating, cleaning, and hanging a few photos. She got a new office in DC due to her job transition. Well, need to get back to cleaning and hanging pics. Enjoy this Monday, and take a few breaths.....it's time for a holiday!! I will post some thoughts from my readings over the break.

For all you control freaks out there!

The Live Nativity was so much fun.  It was amazing to see so many families come out to enjoy the festivities.  From the petting zoo, to the manger, to the choir, to the cookies, the night was an entire blast.  Shelly and I found ourselves jumping in as Joseph and Mary for the last hour...and NO that is not our baby, nor is it real.  Baby jesus was not live for the last hour:)

I am finding myself busy with "stuff" this Christmas season. I am not sure what is different, I just am.  I can tell ya, I don't like it.  I once heard an acronym for busy stated like this "Bound Under Satan's Yoke.  Who wants to do that?  So there is a good busy and a bad busy.  The good one produces much fruit and always involves people.  Bad busy doesn't result in productivity and rarely does it include people.  So...stop being so busy this Christmas season and just enjoy God's gift to you.  But, if you have to be busy, be good busy.

Llamas…and…donkeys…and wise men…Oh my!  Bring your family and friends to Lincoln Park on December the 13th from 4pm-7pm to experience the holidays through a walk back in time to the nativity scene of the 1st Century.  View live animals, a manger scene, and a beautiful choir while you enjoy some hot chocolate and Christmas cookies at this wonderful holiday event.  This FREE event will be sponsored by National Community Church and Ebenezers Coffeehouse, so mark your calendars and enjoy this night on the scene as we celebrate this Christmas Season!
  

My family ad I are here at Reading, PA Hospital.  My aunt had emergency brain surgery due to bleeding in her brain.  This came out of no where and thus came as a great surprise, or rather, shock.  If I am honest, one of the hardest things to do is wait and trust without being able to change any of the circumstances in my own strength.  Especially when it comes to a live or death situation of a member of your family.  However, even though it is the hardest, it produces greater faith and trust in the One who is in control.  It reminds me of the "no pain, no gain" method.  It also reminds of the scripture that reassures us that God will not give us more than we can bear.  So, God takes you on this intimate journey of waiting and trusting in Him.  Walking with you each step of the wait.  If you find yourself in a waiting period today, here are a few scriptures to bring you encouragement.  Do not be discouraged, but wait for the Lord.

We came up this ingenious idea at our staff retreat to create an amazing Christmas Catalog.  After all, its that time of the year and you probably do not have enough in your mailbox, right? Lol.. This catalog brings a bit more purpose into you holiday shopping. Check it out.  We branded a catalog to go along with our A18 series mission this year.  You can pick an item in the catalog to buy for one of the 10 countries we will be visiting this year.  You can choose anything from a brick to help build an orphanage, to a hut, to a van for a missionary.  We are so excited about this and hope you will be too.  Take advantage of this opportunity to give in a big way this season.  Maybe you can gather the family and see which item you can choose to make a difference this Christmas.  Give the gift that will keep on giving.  Check out the online marketplace.

This sunday we will show a documentary that we made from our missions trip to Thailand.  We will also have authentic good for sale from the women of the Well in Thailand.  All proceeds will goes towards rescuing women from the Sex Trade Industry.  We will be showing the movie at 1:15, 2:00, 2:45, 3:30, & 4:15 @ Ebenezers Coffeehouse. Come check it out to see how you can help make a difference.

Shelly and I had the opportunity yesterday to sit in on Saddleback's Global Health Forum at the Newseum here in D.C.  President Bush and Rick Warren discussed our progress on the initiative to fight against HIV/Aids.  Rick Warren described how there are more churches in any given area (specifically Africa, which was the topic of conversation) than there are hospitals or clinics.  Therefore, the churches, which are the hope of the world, should be the distribution centers for health across the nation.  This is ingenious! Then President Bush gave an update on the initiative and its measured progress.  So far, in a span of almost 5 years, over 2 million people have received a preventative drug.  Much work is being done with much work to be accomplished.  The forum concluded with Rick Warren awarding President Bush with a medal for his services towards this initiative.  Obama, Bono, Tony Blair, and many other world leaders paid their respects via video.  What an awesome time to be apart of the church.  This reinstates Jesus' plan that the local church is indeed the hope of the world.  How exciting!! Let's keep playing offense and take this cause by the reigns. For more info on how you can support this initiative check out the PEACE PLAN