ADEC Breakfast

This morning we joined one of our own Gracies at 7AM for breakfast at ADEC in Elkhart. it was a hoot to hang with Ruth Ann. I love her heart and the way she loves Jesus and others. We were able to get a tour of where she works and many of her friends.

Ruth is part of Dream Ministry that was organized by Connie Walters here at Grace. She does a super job mentoring and pouring into the ladies at her home.

Also in the Spirit of Christmas jump on this link and type in any Christmas song and watch what will happen. It might be exactly what you need to get through your day.
http://www.sundog.net/carolofthechins/flash/card.swf

Squeeze em tight

In a kid's mind there seems to be something sacred about squeezing your eyes tighter during prayer. It's as if, it seals the prayer, or makes it more fervent. I love this little guy that was caught under the lens this weekend at Grace.

Look at his face, he is doing his best to seal that prayer. I wonder what God's perspective was as he watched this little guy bow and listen, as someone else prayed!

Or could it be that he was peeking out of the other eye? Whatever the case, I love that our children are taking time to pray. Prayer unleashes the power of our mighty God!

Kickin Kids

This is our chance to tell the world about Jesus! Every paper, store, radio and TV is covered with Christmas Ads. The church, more than ever, should lead the way and celebrate the birth of Jesus.

At Grace we take that mission seriously because people are at the crossroads of life and death everyday. And we want to introduce them to Jesus. The message remains God became Man!

We kicked off our Christmas series called Adventastic! The Adventure and The Adventage.

Our kids helped us on Sunday as they led in a song. They were some kickin kids! I trust you are taking the call to share the Gospel seriously too. Take time today and tell the story again and give people a chance to cross from death to life!

it's official

Okay, my daughter Hannah made it official. She passed her examination for Indiana's Driver's License. She poses here with her new ID.

On one hand I'm really excited, on the other I am sad. All those car trips where we got to talk about school, sports, Jesus, tests, friends and more will now lesson. My hope is that those life talks that connected God and life, will make a difference as she continues to grow in her relationship with Jesus.

But, I am very proud of her too! Now she can drive on her own and even take her siblings with her. In fact, her first solo trip included her younger brother Isaiah, as they headed to the Library last night.

I'm confident in her driving skills too, she has been riding an ATV for many years and she has BROWN DNA! But all those stories about me driving fast were meant to stop with me. Remember do as I say, and not as I did!

Out of this world

This is the video that we used in the introduction of my message on Sunday. It will blow your mind! I love how it pulls you in, and how it was developed in such a creative way. Take a few minutes and let it bless you.

Jesus turned Christmas Upside Down.

Dreaming of a BROWN Christmas

We found this in our front yard Saturday morning. Check out the sign ... I'm dreaming of a Brown Christmas.

The pranksters brought a post hole digger, dug through the frost, and planted this dead tree, fully decorated in our yard. There is some history behind this tree if you check out an earlier blog entry. It seems that this tree was destined to become the Real Charlie Brown Christmas Tree.

We are going to attach some lights to it and enjoy the brown glow for the whole season. Seems appropriate for a Brown Family. Oh yeah, thanks to our friends from an earlier blog who did this. It must have been, quite a conversation as they drove back to the tree farm and loaded this up for the owner to see. Word has it, that the owner said this one is on the house!

Wall Art

Ghost-town, Post-rapture, Gang-takeover, those are the words that came to mind, as I entered St. Joe Medical Hospital last night.

I was visiting a patient and as soon as I entered the lobby, it was obvious that this hospital was on the way out. Rooms were vacant, walls were covered with graffiti, furniture was missing and people were absent.

So, we soon received the scoop that the hospital would be closed in a few days, and the staff had handed out Sharpie Pens, so that people could scribble graffiti on the walls. This is a kid's dream to write on the walls.

Hannah jumped right in, as did Isaiah. Besides, when is the last time you got to show your artwork on a wall, other than what you scribbled in a bathroom stall?

Well, as we were trying to find our way to the room, we looked down the hallway, and were pleased to find some wall art for us. I must admit it was a hoot to have such personal directions.

At least, I didn't have to ask for directions. Before we left the room of the hospital, Hannah said you better watch out mom and dad, "I might wake up tonight and scribble on our walls."

I wondered as I prayed with the individual, if this might be the last prayer offered in this hospital, before they tear it down?

Vision

This is a quote that I have posted on my whiteboard in my office. It sure does ring true with me.

So how do you get the vision to unfold in your life, ministry, marriage, or business? I believe it comes from time spent with God in prayer. And out of that comes an action plan. Goals are then established and used as a tool to play out the vision.

Otherwise it is a bunch of movement, with no target to hit! Jesus was clear in his vision and it was evident in the way he played it out. Plus Jesus constantly grew in four areas; Luke 2:52. He grew in wisdom, and stature, and in favor with God and man! These are four areas that I set personal goals in.

Wisdom (intellectually, read books, Bible,) Stature (exercise, eat correctly) People ( Set goals to lead people to Jesus, mentoring, discipleship with others) God ( Fasting, memorization, prayer, quiet times with God)

Jesus mission was right on!: Luke 19:10 The son of man has come to seek and save the lost! This is why he came!

Goshen Team

What a team! We ended our series on family by introducing the Pastoral Staff family in Goshen. As you can see we love kids! I get to serve with some of the greatest guys in the world.

What I love about this photo, is that it lets everyone see that we have families too. We live in the real world trying to make wise choices for our our families. The majority of the time Grace Community only gets to see the pastors, yet there is so much more to us.

We are blessed to do life together with our wives and children. We covet your prayers as we balance life, and ministry at the same time! Go Team!

Protection

One of the very best ways a husband can protect his family is to pray for them. I love praying for my family. When I pray, it brings immediate help to any situation my family is in. It ushers in the power of God.

This past Sunday, at the end of the services, I challenged men to pray for their families. All over the building men were praying. I too, joined in, by doing it with my family.

May Grace Community always be led by husbands who pray with their families! Oh yeah, in the middle of this prayer circle, is Isaiah. He really got covered in this family prayer!

It used to mean something

A name really meant something a while back. We would say a name of a store, person, broker and people would listen. Do names carry the same value they did back in the day? I think they should! When my name comes up in conversation, it should immediately bring a character trait to mind.

Well, when you sign your name and say count me in, you have a chance to build character. You get a chance to follow through.

This past Sunday we wrapped up our We are Family Series with a huge commitment. I challenged people to sign their family to a scroll, if they are determined to keep their family intact. I told them that we now have permission to come after them, and keep them accountable. WOW, what an amazing moment as people came.

As I sat there on stage with my family and watched it, I was overwhelmed with how that signature could resurrect our homes! Please God, help us to follow through, and may we have red-rover determination to stand and fight when the assaults come!

We Conquered

We began our annual hunt for our Christmas Tree, in the Beautiful State of Michigan. I love doing this with my family and other families. We have a tradition that we do it after our Annual Business Celebration Meeting at Grace.

So we joined the Pucketts and headed north. I love the drive back into the woods as it allows one to get away from the hustle and bustle of life. Once again the scenery didn't disappoint us.

We arrived at a spot that had tons of Fraser Fir trees. The Browns found a perfect tree for the Puckett Family, and loaded it on their truck. The really cool part is that it had been picked out months before by someone else.

This is the clan that joined us on our adventure posing with the beautiful, brown, dry tree!

Josh, Hannah and Isaiah cut our tree down and carried it out of the woods.

We posed with our tree for 2009. Sure glad we have cathedral ceilings! I can't wait to fill it up with ornaments. Wow,my kids are growing up! Thanks God for my family they truly are a blessing to me. We ended the night back at the Pucketts with Hot Cocoa and cookies. Thanks God for good friends and good memories.

Settle

I walked by this trailer this morning, while deer hunting. There it sat, bound to a tree. It no longer served the purpose it was intended to serve. One day, long ago it was parked, because it wasn't being used. One day turned into months, even years.

Now it is stuck, it can't be moved unless the tree is actually cut down that keeps it bound. You know this didn't happen overnight it was a long, drawn out process.

This same thing happens to people. They have these moments where they settle in their faith. They pull away,and they refuse to move beyond their comfort zone. And before they realize it, they are bound to this place in life, by their own choices.

The only thing that can get them out is for a major extraction to take place. I wonder how many of us need a chainsaw or two in our lives, to cut us loose, so that we can live the way Jesus intended us to? Don't settle because Jesus went through too much on the cross!

You're not guilty anymore

This song is a great reminder of who we are in Christ! Take 5 minutes, shut your door, get away and watch this and bask in this truth!

Getting It

What is the thing, the word, the explanation that causes us to get it? I mean we have all kinds of offers hitting our in-boxes, our mailboxes, and our tech devices. Why do people say yes to unloading their resources for one good cause, versus another good cause?

I think there are many reasons that this happens. On some level a need must be surfaced and it must grip our hearts. The Holy Spirit becomes the agent that determines this for us. When He does prod us, we want to do something about it.

I marvel at this process because week after week, I try to lay a challenge out before my people and ask them for buy in. Will they surrender, give, submit, obey, repent, sacrifice or consider?

On some level the presenter must have already bought in, and he must deliver it out of a passionate heart. Well, 15 months ago Grace Community Got it! They rescued 40 orphans in Asia. Take a close look at the faces of our kids and rejoice in the investment! Way to Get it Grace!