Some things you never forget.  This weekend will be so memorable for so long.  The covenant initiating  and sustaining God we serve never ceases to amaze me.  The symbols we sometimes forget or in some cases never understood help me to understand God's heart on marriage.  I am so glad for a church that is willing to risk.  The weddings each service were so God honoring, and each couple so ready to get married.  I am glad we were able to tell a bit of their story and share in their moment.  I can't get over how big God is.  The moment for me was the covenant renewal for over 400 couples in five services.   I will never forget the look on the faces of so many husbands when their bride came down the aisle.  Priceless.  This weekend honored the heart of God, and I just want to say way to go husbands and wives for listening, and responding to God.  Never forget the covenant.  Write their name in blood on your heart.  Honor marriage!

Singles.  I want to say I am proud of so many of you, who chose to grow and learn during a difficult series (in some ways).  It is only when we surrender our plans to God that we get His plan and purpose instead.  I appreciate you all so much.  To be able to do a six week series about marriage and have (to my knowledge) NO complaints from singles is a good thing. 

Young people.  You are priceless. I am not sure if any teenagers even read this blog, but in case one does.  Stay pure before God.  Wait on His timing for a boyfriend and wait until marriage (you know).  This is God's plan, not a Living Hope plan.  When marriage works the way God designed it, we experience the best from it.  I am so glad to be part of your lives.  Thanks for being part of Living Hope. 

Priceless endings matter.  Let's end well together, shall we?

John

Sometimes doing the right thing isn't the easiest thing.  After last weekend, I had the nicest lady pull me aside and talk to me.  She told me how her husband had died months earlier and how the most amazing memory she had with him was ballroom dancing.  Ten years earlier they started taking dance lessons.  In the last few years before he died they were dancing sometimes four nights a week.  I stood there talking to her, but honestly, mostly I just listened.  She said how dancing was for them one of the most enjoyable things they did.  She was sooooo nice.  She just shared her heart with me.  In essence she was telling me "don't wait.  Today is the only day you have.  My husband had cancer, and I wouldn't trade the memories for anything." 

So, after collecting myself, the next morning, I called and scheduled a dance lesson.  We went today and danced our little hearts out.  Honestly, I am not sure if I can do it.  I am a two right feet kind of guy.  Honestly, if I "get" it, I am not sure I will even ever enjoy it.  Honestly, I don't own dancing shoes.  Honestly, where do I find "extra" time for dance lessons, let alone the money for it. 

Those are all real reasons, but if I stay true to the principle to always do the next right thing, there is no question what I should do.  Michelle is the only wife I have.  She loves, loves, loves dancing.  I did it for her, for us, for the sake of doing what is right.  I can't get the image out of my mind, I only have today.   So often we put off what is right, for what is convenient.  I choose not to.  Seeing her smile, while I tripped and laughed at my self (as did others) was worth it.

So dance we did.  It honestly wasn't that bad.  In fact we have our lesson scheduled for next week already.

Competition?  Not sure about that.  Dance with my wife, I am positive about that.

Do the next right thing

John

It is Saturday night, and I am just reflecting.  Thanking God, really for the way He has blessed so many people during this marriage series.  Tonight as Michelle helped me share the different "pieces" of love, I appreciated her insight.  She is amazing.  I so often wonder what my life would be like without her.  She has been so faithful in supporting the vision and ministry of Living Hope.  I got to see her share Friday night at a special dinner ceremony, where we licensed six new pastors and appointed three new elders.  Very good evening, but the highlight for me was seeing inside Michelle's heart. She so passionately talked to the pastors wives.  She talked about being the "Invisible Strength" to a husband that has been called to be a pastor.    As I sat and listened to her, I was so proud of her.  She struggles with speaking, and yet does such a good job.  She is an amazing wife, my best friend, an incredible mother and so in love with Jesus.  I don't deserve her, and am simply grateful to God for allowing me to experience marriage in such a blessed way. 

Thanks for letting me ramble about my girl.

Stay Grateful

John

This weekend was one of the most difficult weekends I can remember.  There were so many people allowing God to simply take the broken pieces of their lives and put things back together.  A bit draining, but so worth it.  Thanks to everyone, worship teams, campus teams, Teresa, Trinette and the programming and technical teams.  Thanks to the pastors of Living Hope, you do so much.

I often sit and think about so many people who make Living Hope what it is.  It is overwhelming to think about all that God has done, is doing and will do through our faithfulness.

So what about this week, "LOST in sex"   or maybe LOST in trust?  Thanks for your questions and your input to the series. 

Thanks for reading this blog, it will be completely revamped in the next two weeks, and I am excited about it, but until then I will do my best to put my thoughts down more frequent.

Overwhelmed and excited about the days that are ahead of us. 

John