7 Days of Gratitude....Day 6 (New Beginnings)

They say the average person eats somewhere between 5,000-7,000 calories for Thanksgiving! Its fun to have everyone over and share some special moments. This Thanksgiving we had 20 people over to our home including 8 kids under the age of 10. It was fun watching them enjoy one another. It was fun listening to my dad tell stories. And it was fun listening to the laughter as we played uno. Every Thanksgiving we share what we're grateful for in our life. And I am always reminded how much can change in one year. We aren't promised tomorrow but we do have today. As I listened to people share what they were grateful for I thought how grateful I am for new beginnings. Every day we have the chance for new beginnings. This year choose to give thanks in all circumstances. Create a new beginning and be thankful for it, we aren't promised tomorrow so make the most of today!

7 Days of Gratitude....Day 5 (Community)

Tonight we start a new ministry called Connections. Its a place for people to belong, get connected and grow in their relationship with the Lord. I believe three things at my core. I believe every one of us desires to be known, desires to belong and desires to be loved. I believe God created us to be in community. In other words we were NOT designed to be an island. I am grateful that God has invited us into special relationships with people that mark our life. At times these people are involved for a season and other times for a lifetime. No matter what, these people that enter into our life are precious and gifts from God. What do you appreciate about the friendships God has given you? If you are looking for community come join us tonight at 6:30pm at The Crossing and find a place to belong, a place to be known and a place to be loved. Life change happens best through community!!

7 Days of Gratitude.....Day 4 (Our Faith)

What does your faith mean to you? When I was a kid it was a religion but over the past 15 years it has become a real relationship. I don't mean a theoretical relationship, I mean a life changing, heart moving, soul transforming relationship. Its not something I simply believe in, its something that drives every decision I make from my finances to my marriage. When Jesus entered into my life, I mean for real, it wasn't just an image entering into my life. It was as if I had cancer and Jesus was the cure. I knew it like I know today is Monday. I just knew. And since that day some 15 years ago I am constantly in awe over God's miracles. He shows me things about His character and His mercy each and every day. I've watched marriages restored, addicts set free, people redeemed and hope be found. All I know for sure is that Jesus Christ changes lives, He has changed mine and He has the power to change yours. For that I am so very grateful!

7 Days of Gratitude.....Day#3 (Our Marriage)

This weekend my wife and I are helping teach the pre-marital workshop with our senior pastor Tim Celek and his wife Sue. I remember taking their workshop almost 13 year ago. When I met my wife there were 3 things that struck me, she had a spirit of adventure, a love for people and a passion for Christ. I was moved by how her life had been built on integrity. As a pastor I have the honor to preside over many weddings and I am convinced of two things, marriage is designed by God and only God can sustain it. I am grateful my bride said yes when I proposed. I am grateful my marriage is absolutely precious to me. But most of all I am grateful that with the Lord ALL things are possible. I love that God loves marriage and continues to challenge me to never settle for anything less than His best. Are you grateful for your marriage?

7 Days of Gratitude......Day#2 (Our Family)

Blessing are all around us. My parents recently celebrated 50 years of marriage. I was struck by how much they have experienced in their 50 years of marriage and 70+ years of life. As a kid my dad had to deal with the challenges of WWII, living in Germany and wondering if his family would have enough food for the family. My mom lived in Ecuador, wanting a better life but making the best of a hard situation. My parents were immigrants when they arrived to the United States and came to this country because they wanted a better life for their kids. They endured the realities of learning the language, understanding the culture and working non stop in order to live their dream. I am so very grateful for the sacrifices my parents made early on for us as a family. I am grateful for how they endured to believe in a dream and because of their determination we live that dream. What has our family done that fills you with gratitude...............

7 Days of Gratitude....Day #1 (Our Life, a reminder from Peyton)

Peyton Carter was in a car crash on Friday November 5, 2010. He was a passenger in a car driving home from a friends house. The driver swerved and lost control of his car. He swerved into a brick wall, hitting on Peyton's side in Huntington Beach. There were no drugs or alcohol involved. He immediately went unconscious after the impact and is now in a coma. Peyton is in junior high and fights for his life every day. You can go on facebook at Pray for Peyton to see how he is doing. As a church and as a community we are praying for Peyton every day. His life and the recent events are a reminder that each and every day is a gift. The bible tells us that we aren't promised tomorrow but we do have this moment. I ask you to do two things. #1 Pray for Peyton and his family right now! And #2 say a prayer of THANKS for your life. The breath you take in this moment is a precious gift. This day and all the highs and lows are gifts. Choose to be grateful today for your life and the lives of those you cherish!

#5 What If......we weren't afraid to fail?

Yesterday I finished my 4th triathlon! It was a blast and my first Olympic style where the course is a bit longer and bit tougher (about a mile swim, 34 mile bike ride and 5 mile run). The bike portion was brutal, with tons of hills. I swam in high school and college and I did my first marathon this year. But I am NOT a biker, never have been. It is by far my weakest part of the race and happened to be the longest part of this race. I was a bit nervous about it, even found myself questioning why I was doing this. Then I remember a conversation I had with God about a year ago. I told Him I would try things that I have never tried before because I didn't want my life characterized by fear. I found myself not trying things because of the fear a failure. What if I couldn't finish, what if it was too hard, what if I embarrassed myself...what if? But instead I started to ask what if failure wasn't bad? What if falling forward was just as important as succeeding? What if I lived with an attitude that simply said, 'why not?!?' So many times we don't move forward because of the fear of failure. What are you afraid to try? What if this next season you risked and were willing to do something you have never done before regardless of the outcome simply because you weren't afraid of failure. What if....

#4 What if.............(We were grateful)

This is the season that we consider gratitude. It always fascinates me how a season is intended to replace a way of life. Maybe its intended to be a personal reminder or at least a wake up call. During this season we are reminded of how blessed we are even in times of trouble. James 1 tells us to 'consider it pure joy whenever we face trials of many kinds'. I can understand enduring trials, persevering through trials, maybe even tolerating trials but joy. Really? How does that happen? But what if it could? What if gratitude wasn't based on circumstances? What if gratitude wasn't dependent on your marital status, your finances or your personal goals achieved? What if gratitude had nothing to do with the end result but rather the trial? And what if we could truly find joy whenever we faced trials of many kinds? Would it change what we are enduring? Maybe not but what if the trial was intended to change us?

#3 What if....we could forgive?

I believe one of the most powerful words in the English language is forgiveness. We know the pain it causes when we don't receive it and the pain it extends when we choose not to give it. Even though I may not know you personally, this is what I do know about you. Forgiveness has the power to change you. It has the power to change me. When we forgive someone it doesn't necessarily mean we forget but we choose to no longer keep them hostage to our pain. As a pastor over the past 12 years there have been very few things as moving than when someone forgives another human being. As followers of Jesus we know the power of God's forgiveness extended to us not because we deserve it but because He chose to love us. What if you lived a life of forgiveness? What if the people that wronged you were released of needing to repay you? What if the pain that was inflicted on you could be healed? What if this week you chose to forgive...could it change you? What if it did!