First and Last pair...

This Christmas was my son's first Christmas and he hit the mother load! He got everything from his first teddy bear to clothes to all kinds of toys including a bango that speaks in english and spanish and finally to his first pair air jordan. My baby sister (his Tia "aunt") got my 7 month a pair of air jordan. It's amazing to me how Jordan is still this HUGE icon. I remember the days when air jordans came out and everybody wanted a pair but they were so freaken expensive so only the rich kids got them. It's amazing how things don't change. I was so happy for my big boy but I let him know that this was his first and last pair of jordans.

I'm really thinking about bronzing them when he out grows them:)

I LOVE my ipod nano!

I know that most of ya'll have an ipod already but I just needed to shout from the rooftops...okay blab on blogger that I finally got my ipod. Not just any regular ipod but an ipod nano! You see we recently had our baby and I just couldn't bring myself to buy an ipod so this Christmas my in-laws (that's right my in-laws) bought me one. I LOVE my in-laws not just because they bought me an ipod nano but because they have been an amazing support to me and my family. I have the greatest in-laws in the world! No joke! I am very blessed to have them in my life.
Anyway, for the last couple of days I have been downloading cd's, music, audiobooks, and podcasts. I love this thing! The best part of my ipod is that I can always have up-to-date pictures of my family! If ya'll know of any podcasts that I should check out let me know.

Viva Las Vegas!

My Vegas trip was amazing! The conference that I attended at The Church at South Las Vegas was awesome. Pastor Benny and his staff did an great job hosting conference. If you are ever in Las Vegas you got to visit The Church at South Las Vegas I promise you that you will leave with a new perspective of what church ministry is all about. I flew in a few days early to be able to experience one of the three services The Church has. I attended the 9:45am service and I was totally impressed with my whole experience. From the moment that I drove into the parking lot, to the moment I walked into their facilities, to the moment that the worship started, and finally to the moment that Pastor Benny preached blew my socks off! It was very clear that The Church worked very hard making sure that everyone that came to church had the best experienc possible. Everyone person serving had a smile on their face and genuinely welcomed every visitor with love and compassion. WOW!!!

As the service started you could feel the energy and excitement in the sanctuary. The music was rocking, the worship team and choir worshipped without care. I loved it! It was so refreshing to see a church worship Jesus with everything they got. Do you know what was really cool...Pastor Benny worshipped with everything he had. I was great seeing the Senior Pastor of one of the fastest growing churches in America relentlessly worshipping Jesus. The culture of this church is RADICAL!!!

The Sunday night service was the start of the A.R.M. Conference. The speakers for this years conference were Dr. Sam Chand, Bishop Eddie Long, Phil Cooke, and Pastor Benny Perez. Dr. Sam Chand did an amazing job teaching about leadership and preaching the Word with authority and simplicity. You got to check out his website he has some amazing material on leadership...for FREE. On Monday night Bishop Eddie Long brought the Word. I'm not joking when I say this I wept the entire time he preached. The presence of God was so thick and the Word spoken was strait to the point. Just what I needed. Tuesday was more of a workshop environment. Pastor Benny and Dr. Sam did a great job teaching on leadership. During lunch Phil Cooke spoke about culture and the church. He spoke on how the church can affect the culture around us by making simple and strategic decisions.

The entire experience were amazing! I highly recommend visiting The Church at South Las Vegas and attending the A.R.M. Conference. I promise you it will rock your socks off!!!

Going to Vegas!

It's been a while since I have blogged but life has been a little crazy for the last couple of months. Along with learning to be parents we are still in a ministrial transition. Exactly tomorrow morning I'm flying out to Las Vegas to attend a Pastor's conference at The Church of South Las Vegas. The Senior Pastor, Benny Perez, is an amazing man. He and his team are doing some awesome things in Vegas. They are truely changing the culture in Vegas. Other than attending the conference I have the honor of having lunch with Pastor Benny on Friday. I can't wait to sit down and hear what Pastor Benny has on his mind regarding church planting, networking, and pastoring in Vegas. I'll let you know what happens in Vegas when I get back!

Fall Back!!!

Don't forget the time-change tonight and to set your clocks BACK an hour! Enjoy your extra hour of sleep!!!

Transitions

Webster dictionary defines TRANSITION as; 1 a : passage from one state, stage, subject, or place to another : b : a movement, development, or evolution from one form, stage, or style to another.

So transition sounds like it's a great thing. Then why do we sometimes...okay most of the time label transitional times in our lives as seasons of hardship and frustration or a waste of time? The reason I ask this question is because lately it's felt like my life as been in a state of constant transition. We do everything in our ability to avoid transitional seasons?The reality is transition has to happen for us to move forward to our God ordained destiny.

It up to us if we are going to allow the season of transition that you and I are in to be a time of frustration, stress, and depression or a time of discovery, renewal, and joy.

Just a thought I had to get out of my head.

Am I Called?

Let me be transparent with ya'll. Laterly I have been really struggling whether or not I am called to plant a church. After I left the church that I was at for 4 1/2 years I wasn't sure what was going to happen but I knew that God was going to do something that I had never experience in my life.

Several months into this new season I find myself questioning my calling. I don't know if any one else has ever found themselves asking these questions;

• Will I be a successful church planter?


• Am I ready for this kind of responsible?


• Will people have faith in me and my wife?


• Will I be able to motivate the people around me?


• Will I be able to raise the money for this vision?


• Will our vision ever happen?
• Do I need more time?
• Do I need more training?
• Will people connect to the vision?
• Should I work with a church plant or another church for a season?

Pretty sad I know...the thing is that I know that God has called me and my wife into full time ministry. In the last couple of weeks I have had two conversations with people looking for a youth pastor. I love youth ministry...I love teenagers discovering their God ordained destiny but I sense in my spirit that I need to prepare for leading a church.

I know I shouldn't ask questions like these. I know it sounds like I don't have faith right now. But that's where I'm at...but earlier tonight I read this great blog called Be Secure in Your Calling written by Gary Lamb. It really made me remember how God called me into ministry as a teenager and reminded me that ministry has many seasons and one of them is where I am currently but I must remain faithful and secure in my calling. If you are questioning your calling YOU HAVE TO READ THIS BLOG. Thanks Gary for writing this blog it ministered to me and challenged me. For the rest of ya'll let me know what you think?