My Blog For You

We had no problem with the kitchen, living room (Great Room) master bedroom, master bathroom.  I would take one of the other bedrooms to house my office/studio and the other bedroom for guests or a grandkid sleep over.  But we had “bigger fish to fry”.  We both loved having people over to have a meal or a meeting.  “Home Group”, was in our blood.  Mine from the Vineyard influence and Tamm’s from the great experiences she had had years ago in churches she was involved with that did a similar kind of outreach.  We tried a few times to get that to start to roll and get some traction, but nothing got “legs”.  With all our efforts there was very little fruit to show for it.   It seemed like it was on the people of this church or the distance from the Longview area that they would have to come each week to meet, we thought was the major hurdle.  We began to lose heart and finally we just stopped offering the meeting time by way of announcement at the church during the weekly Sunday service.  It had started strong, with lots of excitement, great worship times, sharing and teaching but it had dwindled at the end where Tamm and I were the only ones attending.  Twenty or so people came, each week and the count after three to four weeks started to dwindle slowly, slowly, slower till it was just Tamm and me.  Why do I share this part of the story?  It is because we together still have a fire for the idea of “Home Fellowship”.  A place where people of a local Body of Christ can meet, sing, and worship their God, come together, share needs or concerns, talk about their hurts, their hopes, their dreams, their relationship with the living and true God, the creator, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  I knew deep in my soul that it was where I wanted to be.  Tammy had shared this desire as well, so I knew we were on the same page in our pursuit and hope to be in ministry together to the Body of Christ.  I feel now in these difficult days and especially in these crazy times we need to lean into and depend upon each other, being ever accountable to each other more than ever.  “The Church” like in the book of Acts was the beginning of the church that Jesus spoke about.  After Jesus had returned to the Father the apostles and those who were there learned how to and became accountable to those, they were seeking God with.  Tamm and I even today after this unbelievable year need this.  We continue I think on an individual level to ask God to help us find a church where this is important, where this is vital, where this is needed and where it is practiced.  I have said before if you want to be a musician you must practice.  You must fine tune the tools of your craft.  

Having the desire to be a great “whatever” is the beginning or start.  Training your body, your thoughts, your mouth to speak then listening back to what you have either played, said or thought by writing then implementing over and over again, circling-back and repeating whatever it is you have passion for to me, teaches your body, your mind and your spirit how to come closer to Almighty God, the Father of Lights, The one who has no beginning and no ending, the Alpha/Omega, the one we all long to worship as we are in pursuit of Him as well as excellence or talents or abilities, comfortableness with whatever your pursuing “your chops” for whatever you are trying to make an impact with in this world is also being honed.    Why did I go on this trail?  Because it is my belief that if God gave us this house, he would require us to use it for His Glory and Honor.  We got this home in 2017 and have had both sides of our joined families, our children, our grand-children and even in the future great grandchildren.  We have had friends over and others either of whom we know from the past.  Now it is 2021 and we are still reeling from a year of the” pandemic” trying to figure out how we can best use the gifts, talents, possessions, and abilities for the Glory of God alone.  Like I pray often in my time alone with God, when I am not sure what to pray for, I often say this…“Lord, I give You ALL that I have, ALL that I am, ALL that I hope to be…I name off by name each of our children and their children, then Tamm’s children and their children.  All of this, Dear God, I offer to You as my sweet sacrifice, an aroma of praise and worship to You my King…I just want to be…Small change in Your Pocket, that You are all that I need.  Philippians 4:13

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