With a Freedom Fighter

With David Batstone. Honored to know him and call him friend.

OEM Staff Retreat 2010

Our very hard working staff had a great time at our staff retreat. I'm thankful for the wonderful team that God has placed in OEM :)

Just the Guys

Thankful for the partnership and friendship with the guys on our staff. From L to R [JC, me, Isaac, Mike and Hermann]

Proverbs 17:17

Thanks Sam and Jodie for stopping by to visit today. The friendship and support you've offered to me over the years have meant so much. A friend in need is truly a friend indeed. Sam - you are a huge brother but a gentle child in your heart. Thanks for weeping for the times when I weep. Thanks for rejoicing the times that I rejoice. And thanks Sam and Jodie for always laughing at my jokes - you guys make me feel like I'm funny when I'm with you :) "A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity." (Proverbs 17:17)

Seeing the Face of God

Update

I guess just to get the logistics out of the way before I share from my heart, I just uploaded today's sermon onto my podcast. I added a new feature (on the right ... look for the thing called "My Offering to God") so you can just click the media player to hear the latest sermon, but for those who use iTunes and still want to download the MP3, you can visit my iTunes podcast link here (it might take a day or two to show up on iTunes though). And now to what I really wanted to share ...

Surprise Gifts

God really ministered to me today even though I was the one called upon to minister. I was SOOOOO happy to see so many old friends come and visit during the morning and afternoon services. Some of them I haven't seen for months but seeing them today made me realize how much I missed them ... their fellowship, their friendship and simply their presence in my life. Worshiping God together again was sweet ... and spending time in fellowship afterwards confirmed that they still hold a very special place in my heart.

Seeing the Face of God

I've missed being in a close-knit community for so long (almost a year and a half) that having so many loved ones around me was almost an emotional overload (in a good way) =) I understood in a new way what Jacob felt when he was reunited with his brother and declared, "to see your face is like seeing the face of God." [Genesis 33:10] The love, care and support symbolized by their simple presence was a manifestation of the kindness of God through them ... to me. The message of kindness I was preaching about today, was the same message God was speaking to me. It was a reminder that "the LORD has not stopped showing kindness" to His people ... to His children ... and even to me. [Ruth 2:20]

Hesed

He has showered over me with His "radical kindness" [hesed] ... and for that I am led to run to God again ... to find my rest and shelter under His mighty wings. And with my heart at peace, I can say with confidence that "surely mercy and goodness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." [Psalm 23:6] So thank you to everyone who came to visit. You were the "hesed" of God to me today.

Currently Listening Window in the Skies, Pt. 1 By U2 Can't You See What Love Has Done