Even If No One Else Does

We've been wandering through Romans on Wednesday night for 14 weeks now, and we hit a bump in the road two weeks ago. I knew going in that the passage was going to be tough, because it has some of those words that cause the normal Baptist's ears to tingle - "foreknew" and "predestination." Well, I backed up last week and tried to clear it up, but as I get ready for tonight, I'm still not sure I did. So let me try once more.

Here's the meat of the passage from the Message.

So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God’s chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger?

What you need to know about this passage is this.

Even if you don't believe you can become more like Jesus, even if you can't see any way the old you will ever fade away, even if your family and friends don't believe this Christianity deal is anything more than a passing fad with you and that you will fail...

Even if no one else believes in you...       God does.
In fact, He can already see you changing, already picture you becoming more like Jesus.

29-30God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him. After God made that decision of what his children should be like, he followed it up by calling people by name. After he called them by name, he set them on a solid basis with himself. And then, after getting them established, he stayed with them to the end, gloriously completing what he had begun.

He knows you can do it. And he's planning on your seeing it through - walking with Him, relying on His Holy Spirit to guide and direct your paths while he is working everything together for your good.

So we shouldn't end this passage doing anything but praising God.

Because God will see us through to completion through the power of His Holy Spirit.

God believes in you, beloved. Even if no one else does.

Grace and peace,

David

Christian "Baggage"

Our friend Allan in front of New Hope

From a really good article in "Relevant" magazine today.

Marcus Mumford got one thing right—the Church is something you enter at your own risk.

Because you might actually bump into humanity there. You might hit up against something you disagree with. You might have to listen to music you don’t like. You might get asked to share your stuff. You might learn from a tradition far older than you, and realize how small you are standing before such a legacy. You might even be asked to worship something other than yourself.

I agree with every single thought expressed above. Maybe it just hit a nerve but I wanted to jump up and say "AMEN!"  

The article was about how people like the lead singer for "Mumford and Sons" choose not to be identified as Christians because (supposedly) the term has so much " baggage."

We do carry a lot.

Those folks that we "carry" by delivering free meals to each week.

Those who live because we sent money overseas to help them receive clean water due to the wells we have helped dig.

Those who have hope and a future from the support we give as we sponsor orphans and children literally all around the world.

Those who have benefited from our food bank, who we have bought gas for, put up in hotels, or in some other way met them at the point of need.

And each other as we lean on our faith and love for God and for each other. Yep, we do carry baggage, but it's what our Leader told us to do.

 Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. Gal 6:2

 So we'll keep on keeping on. If you want to be a part of something gloriously imperfect, come join us at New Hope as we carry our "baggage" and follow Jesus.

Learning

“You can get help from teachers, but you are going to have to learn a lot by yourself, sitting alone in a room.” 
― Dr. Seuss

We are one month into the great adventure of teaching 18 third AND fourth graders at Eglin Elementary School located on the base. It has been intense. I have put a lot into getting a handle on all the myriad of little things I need to know and DO in order to not just teach but motivate my kids to learn. There are days - like today - where I get up early and work late in order to make darn sure that I am as prepared as anyone teaching tomorrow. There are some things that would make my work easier - a projector, document camera, and a Mimio would change my instruction and make it far more engaging. But here I am.

On days like today I leave school and go directly to church to help with the supper. We are now sending out 70+ meals every Wednesday evening all over Valparaiso. When Pam Roberts came to me with the idea I was concerned that we wouldn't be able to do 30. And yet here we are. Not only that, but we are feeding five families for Thanksgiving and helping with their Christmas. Once supper is loaded and gone, then I go help with music. That used to mean playing guitar but now it's serving as another pair of ears to get the sound right and occasionally filling in for the media guru, Michael Weech. Once that is over I head over to lead prayer meeting and teach.

So yeah, Wednesday is a long day - and it gets extended now so I can get ready for school tomorrow.

It's a balancing act and once I get established in the teaching side of things, I hope to be able to spend more time on the pastoral side again. I've rediscovered the tricks I used to use when I was just starting out as a pastor to get the preparation done when time is available, whether it's planned or not.And I'm praying. praying for me to learn and grow deeper as a Christian and more able as a teacher. I'm praying - for every child every day and for their families, just as I pray for the members of the congregation.

Hardest thing I have ever done. I remember times when I was growing up that my Mother would have me doing something I felt was too much work. She'd tell me that she knew it was a lot of work, but it would make me a better person and she was doing it because she loved me.

God must love me a whole lot. :)

When It Rains, It Pours

Seems like a good time to write that line, given the weather right now consists of a deluge of rain accompanied by thunder and lightning. But most of us would use that phrase to describe those times when circumstances in our life are already tough, and life serves up a double helping of misery. Toothache PLUS head cold. Car trouble AND dishwasher dies.

Well what about poverty AND losing the $12/day fleabag "home" you had, maybe along with everything you own?

The residents of the "blockhouse", also known as "Smitty's" suffered just that Saturday as a fire took what little "home" they had away. They were already living in the grimmest conditions I have ever seen. Now they have nothing. The Red Cross has put them up in local motels for a brief period, but what then?

Two of those residents in particular, in the short period of time we at New Hope have known them, have made an impression on our hearts. Richard and Rhonda were doing "the best we can" coping with Richard's medical issues (100% disabled) and Rhonda's pregnancy. But last week when Joe Stoy and Pam Roberts delivered the Wednesday meal and talked with them, they found out that someone had slashed the tires on their bikes - their only means of transportation. So Joe volunteered to come back and put new tires on Friday, as well as provide some more minutes for their cell phone. A pregnant Mom needs to be able to get help. Joe made sure she could.

We are trying to find out what we can do for our friends at the blockhouse through the Red Cross and folks involved with Suppers On Saturday. In the meantime, will you pray for them - for Richard and Rhonda, and their baby? They've already named her Graci.

Lord, in your mercy, show all of those displaced from the blockhouse your grace. Provide what they need. And show your people - New Hope and everyone else - what we can do for these and others in need. Help us pour out your love.

You Are More

It's been an interesting day.

-Beans and rice day 2 and I'm just overwhelmed with how blessed we are here and how little we get that.
-Wound up praying in Food World for a man who suffered a seizure.
- Finished "The Jesus Manifesto"- one of the best books I have read this year.
- Fended off a telesales person who really, really, really wanted us to try - just try - a $187 Max Lucado small group study on his upcoming book. "It's really moving," she said.
- No, what's moving is sitting here thinking about the people who are in some way attached to New Hope and what they struggle with everyday.
- Or about the families of the kids who come here on Wednesday. How those families could be radically changed if they'd only hear and respond to the gospel.

-Was praying for them, and then checked my email and saw a link to this band. Normally wouldn't check them out but "10th Ave North" is the exit to two things I love - The Varsity, and Georgia Tech.

-Awesome song and you can download it free here by letting others know.

Tenth Avenue North - You Are More from Provident Label Group on Vimeo.

Friends, it's Jesus who believes in you, even when you don't believe in yourself. he didn't die for perfect, straightened out, flawless specimens of humanity.

"While we were still sinners, Jesus Christ died for us..."

You are MORE.

Come see us at the church of second chances - New Hope

Just Can't Get Over It

Last Sunday's message centered on the actions of Jonathan, son of Saul, prince of Israel as he decided that the status quo was not acceptable to God and decided he'd find out if he, Jonathan, might be God's instrument of change.

He had received no clear direction - "Thou shalt go!" from God.

His superiors - his father the king and the religious leaders - were laying low and had not given him permission.

Nothing about the situation had suddenly changed. The Israelites were still outnumbered - 30,000 to 600, and outclassed 2 count 'em 2 swords to thousands of them.

And yet on that day, something stirred in Jonathan.

Now that stirring wasn't even a clear call as far as action goes. Jonathan looks out and lays out a plan that would take into account the very real possibility that his plan and God's will did not coincide. The strongest word Jonathan used to describe the chance that he might be in sync with God's plan was "Perhaps..."

But here's the thing. The thing that keeps beating me brutally about the head, shoulders, and heart. Jonathan knew that doing nothing wasn't an option for him, or for his people, and he was willing to be a test of whether the time was now.

It was.

And you know what?

It is.

Love IS the Answer

Accept one another (No matter what)
So reach out and welcome one another to God's glory. Jesus did it; now you do it!Romans 15:7 (MSG)


Admonish one another (Build our faith up, not tear down)
Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God!
Col 3:16 (MSG)

Bear one another's burdens (Compassion, helping each other)Share their burdens, and so complete Christ's law. 3 If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived.Gal 6:2-3 (MSG)

Bear with one another (Right or Wrong - Love!And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love,  alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences.
Eph 4:2-3 (MSG)

Build up one another (Don't stand by - get in the game!)
So let's agree to use all our energy in getting along with each other. Help others with encouraging words; 20 don't drag them down by finding fault.Romans 14:19-20 (MSG)

Care for one another (REALLY care, not lip-service The way God designed our bodies is a model for understanding our lives together as a church: every part dependent on every other part, the parts we mention and the parts we don't, 26 the parts we see and the parts we don't. If one part hurts, every other part is involved in the hurt, and in the healing. If one part flourishes, every other part enters into the exuberance.1 Cor 12:25-26 (MSG)


Be Devoted to one another (True friendship/brotherhood)
Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.Romans 12:10 (MSG)

Encourage one another (If you can't say something good - quote something good)
11 So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you'll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind. I know you're already doing this; just keep on doing it. 1 Thess 5:11 (MSG)

Forgive one another (So God CAN forgive you…we all need it)
32 Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you. Eph 4:32 (MSG)


Be Honest with one another (No such thing as a white lie - tell the truth)
9 Don't lie to one another. You're done with that old life. It's like a filthy set of ill-fitting clothes you've stripped off and put in the fire. Col 3:9 (MSG)



Love one another (You owe it to each other to love like you were loved)
8 Don't run up debts, except for the huge debt of love you owe each other. When you love others, you complete what the law has been after all along. Romans 13:8 (MSG)

Members one of another (You are part of something bigger than yourself)
5 The body we're talking about is Christ's body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn't amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ's body, 6 let's just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren't. Romans 12:5-6 (MSG)

Be of the Same Mind with one another (Pray that God will give unity)
5 May our dependably steady and warmly personal God develop maturity in you so that you get along with each other as well as Jesus gets along with us all. 6 Then we'll be a choir—not our voices only, but our very lives singing in harmony in a stunning anthem to the God and Father of our Master Jesus!
Romans 15:5-6 (MSG)


Serve one another (Real servants have no agendas or selfishness)
13 It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don't use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that's how freedom grows. 14 For everything we know about God's Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That's an act of true freedom.
Gal 5:13-14 (MSG)

Submit to one another (Trust God to Speak To Your Brother Too)
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Eph. 5:21)

Happy Birthday Dear Allan, Happy Birthday To You

Allan is 28 years old now. His birthday was actually Monday, but New Hope always celebrates it on the Wednesday closest to the date. I'll bet that two weeks from now, Allan will begin telling us when his birthday will be NEXT year. Tonight we had TWO cakes for him, presents and birthday cards and he got wished a happy birthday by everyone.

How much is Allan a part of our little Valparaiso community?

When I went to order the cake, the young woman at the counter figured out who it was for. She said "he wants the Niceville High School logo on his cake." I laughed because that is classic Allan. Then she said, "since it is for Allan, we'll throw that in for free."

New Hope loves Allan, but so do many others in our community. And whether they know it or not, they are showing just how big God's love for Allan and for all of us is. I remembered what the apostle Paul wrote to another church:

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Eph 3:17-19 (NIV)

Haven't grasped it yet, but days like today help. And I think everyone at New Hope would tell you that Allan helps us learn how God loves too. So Happy 28th birthday Allan.

Sunday Recap April 18 2010

Great day at New Hope! It took us a little while to get rolling in 2010 but we've hit our stride for sure. With the Kidmo kid's ministry really reaching out into the neighborhood and  touching some excited kids with God's Word.and the excitement building for Saturday in the Park I was really pointed toward the insight provided by Mark Batterson in his book "Primal." So we worked on putting the worship set together to help us get started.

Couple of things I did yesterday that I have never done before - read the focus Scripture before the opening prayer. I felt so strongly that God was going to use His Word to change us that I wanted to get the text out there immediately.

Second thing was I called on someone from the congregation to read Scripture during the sermon. And our Bible Drill star Ian Anderson did an awesome job. I love his "I'm paraphrasing this but..." - To me, it felt like family worship yesterday, where we are all engaged and sitting at Jesus' feet. Having Ian do that just seemed like we were all being involved in God's work during the sermon.

Music we used yesterday - Arise, Blessed Be Your Name, Be Thou My Vision, Still, and I Surrender All

Then last night we had our preview for Saturday in the Park. Pam Roberts and her crew put the booth we are going to use up and it looked great. All the items we'll be selling to support other ministries were on display and available for purchase. We sold over $600 worth right there!

What does that mean?

• Families in Malawi have a more secure future and a real hope that they can make a better life for their children. 
• Three people are going to have clean water for five years who wouldn't have had it.
• From HIV 2 Home will be able to provide part of the funds for an adoption or use the funds to keep children cared for and loved until they are adopted. 
• Love 146 would be well on the way to saving another child from being trafficked into slavery.

God DID SOMETHING GREAT yesterday and I can't wait to see what He's going to do this week in and through the people of New Hope.

It's Almost Movie Time

Last year we were able to partner with the City of Valparaiso, Valparaiso Communications, Turner Classic Movies, and the NW Florida Heritage Museum to offer free nights at the movies to families in our area. Well, we're a little behind the curve right now - a lot going on - but our friend at the Valparaiso Communications HQ is checking with Turner to see if they are offering summer movies again.

If they are, we'll try to renew the partnership. If they aren't, then we'll look for movies we can show under our license. The only catch to that is that we'll have to show them at church instead of in the park.

So- any movies that you think would be great draws for families to come, hang out, eat somefree popcorn, have some free sno-cones and just enjoy summer?

Let me know your nominees.

If the City Prospers...

4 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the captives he has exiled to Babylon from Jerusalem:
5 “Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens, and eat the food they produce.
6 Marry and have children. Then find spouses for them so that you may have many grandchildren. Multiply! Do not dwindle away!

7 And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.”

Jer 29:4-7 (NLT)




When this was written, the Jews were in captivity in Babylon. They had been ripped from all they owned and transported to a culture whose values, religion, and status was radically different from theirs. You'd think that God would tell them to go underground, form an insurgency, or something.

But notice "where I sent you..."?

Where New Hope sits is no accident. God has placed an outpost of His Kingdom right here at 108 Aurora St. Call it a Forward Operating Base. It's the jumping off point for us as we work to bring the peace of God to Valparaiso Florida. For a long time, Christians tried to find peace in the city by withdrawing from the world around them into a holy huddle. But that's not what we are put here to do. We are to work and pray for the peace of the city.

So what can we do to see God's shalom peace come to Valparaiso?

First, we are to pray. Pray for the spiritual condition of our neighbors here. Pray for their economic well-being. Pray for the leadership,and all the public servants. Pray for the safety of people here.

Then we are to look for where God would have us work, and join Him there.

Sunday Night Reflections

Great Sunday at New Hope!

- Lots of jazzed people who came in knowing they had made a difference for God this weekend.
- Visitors came in and immediately felt at home. Heard great things about how welcoming we were.
- Bethany did AWESOME on the solo that kicked off my new favorite song "I Will Rise"
- Praise team didn't mess up! Just kidding guys.
- Pastor believed in the message and I think brought it.
- The after-glow with people hanging around was incredible. People were swarming over the community garden plot, hanging with the visitors, talking in the parking lot. Signs of a healthy church.
- Heard that one of our classes voted to sponsor a child in Africa. Way to go guys!

First, the video I didn't show this morning because of time constraints that shows pretty graphically how fast change is occurring across the world. It might give you a little bit of perspective and offer some understanding of just why we are looking for new ways to tell the Bog Story of how God's plan is unfolding.





The message relied heavily on James Choung's concept of presenting the gospel in a fresh way. Got some great feedback after so I hope it resonates some more during the week. Great resources are out there, and I'm going to use whatever I can to help all of New Hope be as effective as we can be.



If you'd like to know more about the method used in the message this morning, much more information is available at James Choung's website - Tell It Slant including an explanation of the method in booklet form.

You may have the opportunity this week to take a napkin and a pen and show a friend just how God's Big Story can help them live lives with purpose in harmony with God.

How cool is that!

I LOVE THIS JOB!!!!!

Community Garden - featuring a celebrity you know

Our community garden will roar into life this week, and will feature the famous "Bob" of Veggie Tales fame. Carol Stoy took the Veggie Tales seeds we bought for the girls and has raised them to the point where they are ready to be planted in the soil.

The idea behind the garden is to grow vegetables that can then be given away to people in need as well as providing space for people within the community who would like to raise their own produce. If the tomatoes thrive, we should be able to give everyone in Valparaiso a basket full sometime during the growing season. I really hope we get some of our neighbors working alongside us. That would be awesome. But energizing people to use their time and talents to love their community in Jesus' name will be a win too.

Passivity Is Death

There's so much swirling around us in our culture today. North Korea has nukes and is getting ready to test an ICBM. Iran is close to having them too. Pakistan is unraveling. Europe seems to be ignoring external and internal threats. Here in America we have an economic crisis, a leadership crisis, and cultural challenges continue to rise.

Even in our little corner of the world, Valparaiso Florida, we have our city suing the Air Force to stop the F-35 from coming. We have a rising tide of crime, of homelessness, of poverty - and not just material poverty - poverty of spirit. People are drifting from "shiny thing" to "shiny thing." They seek life and fulfillment through experiences and possessions.

A phrase jumped off the pages of a book I was reading this morning.

"Passivity is death."

The world, our nation, and the people in it cannot sit back and wait to see what the outcome is from all the threats we face. We cannot wait for someone else to come and fix the problems. And those of us who follow Jesus must act to change the status quo. We cannot just be a Christian, we must act in ways that show that we are - that sync with what Jesus would do.

I'm reading the gospels again and again this week as I prepare for Palm Sunday and Holy Week. One thing is apparent - Jesus was a man on a mission. The man was not without the reality of fear and anguish, either. But he chose the hard path because not doing so would have left things as they were, and they were rotten.

7 The Lord God will help Me;
therefore I have not been humiliated;
therefore I have set My face like flint,
and I know I will not be put to shame.
Isaiah 50:7 (HCSB)

It was an act of His will, out of His love for the Father, and for us.

So here's the question.

Do we love God and our neighbors enough to fight the urge to sit on the sideline and let someone else handle the problems of our communities? Are we asleep in the light, or ready to push back the darkness?

Passivity is death.

Crux

Working today on a series that strips as much as possible of the layers of tradition away from the radical calls of Jesus on His followers. It will come from Matthew's gospel, which originally was used to help converts understand what was required of them. I'll also be sourcing from the "Didache", an early church manual for disciples of Jesus, and some of Dallas Willard's work on discipleship.

My working title is "Crux"

Maybe you'd like to begin reading the gospel of Matthew again(and again) in preparation for what God is prepared to do within our hearts during the coming weeks.

I am so excited that we have some baptisms scheduled for the first Sunday in February and that we will be beginning our small group study of "Experiencing God" the week after that. There's a movement of God approaching and I can feel it in my bones.

So read. Pray. Prepare.

New Hope @ Worship 18 January 2009

Bunny and I got back from Macon about 8PM and she went straight to bed - exhausted from the weekend. I had been working on the sermon all week,and even got some notes in at the nursing home. But some of the experiences we had this weekend drove the message as much as anything else.

It was "Sanctity of Life" Sunday all across the SBC yesterday, and normally that guarantees a lot of pastors preaching against abortion. Thing is, that just reinforces our image as people who live their lives standing in judgment of others rather than kneeling to serve them.

So I was determined to bring a message about the worth of life being determined by God, not by man and challenge people to not just focus on abortion but on the whole list of life related causes - including the aged.

Satan must have not liked that plan, because I had a horrible time with the power point to support the message. In fact I never got the presentation I had crafted to work and had to copy and paste from my background notes during the 45 minutes immediately preceding the worship.

I used a visual prop of an old worn out file that used to belong to my father. He left it at my house once when he came over to look at my lawnmower years ago. I can still picture him sitting on the concrete sharpening the mower blade by hand with that file. It has a wooden handle he carved himself. The usefulness of that file is gone now, but it's worth will never diminish to me, because it was crafted by my father and held in his hands.

We are made by God in His image. Though we are weak and helpless as infants, or worn out and feeble in old age, our worth to God is still such that He calls us His masterpiece. To allow any society to cheapen the worth of a human is then to rebel against God. We as followers of Jesus cannot be silent.

Babies die from lack of medicine, food,or water when we have all the money in the world.
Old people are warehoused in nursing homes and want for basic human kindness and we are just too busy to care.

It has to stop. First within the church and then through our example and influence in society.

More later. But here's what we did in worship this Sunday.

O Worship the King - LOVE THAT SONG
Your Grace Is Enough - Likewise

Jesus Paid It All

We only did two songs because we just didn't have a good practice Wednesday on the others so I decided to only do what we could do well. God deserves our best.

Precious to us

 

Are these girls and those who lovingly share Jesus with them every Wednesday night.

New Hope @ Worship 11 Jan 2009

We're finally fully into the New Year and getting some of the folks who scattered for the holidays back into the flow. Continuing to examine what it means to follow Jesus.

Better Is One Day
Hosanna
Indescribable

Give Me Jesus - Emily and Sean

Come Just As You Are

I took a look at the parable of the treasure in the field and expanded to look farther out at just what Jesus was asking His followers to do.



Still resonating in my heart, and I hope the hearts of others.

Uh, no - not me,but...

Just had a great conversation with one of our members who was calling me about our idea of doing a community garden plot this spring. She was coming up with one good thought after another on who we needed to talk to, where we could get some expertise, and what it would mean to connect with people outside the church with this.

So I am thrilled to tell you that no, I am not the pastor who would do anything to get you to come to church. But I'm blessed to serve with a group of people who are always looking for ways to build bridges from where you are to the grace and love of Jesus.

Sunday night stream of unconciousness....

- Great to have the media guru back
- Should we ever plan on starting an early service we will need MASSIVE AMOUNTS of coffee
- Sean and I have decided that some songs we do... don't need keyboard and some don't need guitar, now all we need to do is actually stop playing on them :)
- Preached with a sense of urgency and passion born out of a tough week with God
- Honestly, I'm fed up with boring Christians making a mockery of what we are called to do
- Had a visitor rededicate her life to God and fling herself on His mercy
- Had a young girl publicly step out and identify with Jesus
- Had two visitors that I met at the back door after - two women who said "Darrell Eldridge said to say 'hello'." Dr Eldridge is the president of Rockbridge. He is their son and brother respectively. How cool is that!!
...and
- We need more adventure
- We need to take more risks
- We need to do things that will only succeed if God empowers them
- We need to create in all the folks that make up New Hope a sense of anticipation - a sort of "what's next, papa?" outlook to every day with God.

- and Bunny and I need to be involved in some hands on ministry outside New Hope that we are passionate about