Spiritual Leadership...

Uh oh. Craig's not blogging for awhile. Where will we go for spiritual leadership?

Just kidding, of course. If this were a lesser homegroup, we'd have to worry, but there are so many amazing people (and, no, for once, I don't mean me). So keep on posting here. People do read it (and, this time, I do mean me).

Good luck, Craig. I'll be praying for you. I know that God wants to tell you great things, so I pray that he'll open your ears to hear it.

Things on my end are good. It's cold out here, though.

I will be off the Blog (for awhile)

Hi group,


As the title of this post says I will be off the Blog for awhile. The short version (if that is indeed possible for me) is that I need time with God. The last month has taken alot out of me emotionally and spiritually and I need time to refresh, away from the everyday stuff. I want to let you all know that this is something I do periodically anyway and it just so happens to be more public with the Blog and being a Home group leader. I need to take this time and figure out what exactly God would have my next step to be or what HE wants done. It's a time of spiritual inventory taking for me and it has become a necessity in my life. Please rest assured that I will check the Blog every few days to read prayer requests and other things that may be going on. I am still available by phone if you need anything and if there is a need that arises that needs to be communicated from me I will post that on the Blog. I don't know how long I will be off the Blog, it could be a few days or it could be much longer? I really want to encourage everyone to continue to use the Blog and to post new thoughts or ideas that you may be thinking about. This Blog has the potential to be a great tool in building community and friendships as well as stirring conversations and thoughts. BUT IT CAN ONLY DO THAT IF YOU USE IT!!! I hope that we will see others posting that have not been as active on here, as well as those of you that have. Please keep this Blog up and running while I am away, it's an important tool. I love you all and I will be back.

Where to begin?

I just want to thank everyone for thier great response to the call to bless our Missionaries in Brazil. You know as I was sitting here thinking about our group I couldn't help but think that this is what Heaven is going to be like. This group of believers we have are truly a community and I am in awe of how much you love one another and how much you are in love with Jesus. Never in my life have I experienced anything quite like this. I think about our community which now extends to three countries and I know without a doubt that God has knit a group together that not time or distance can ever tear apart. You make me want to be a better person and you keep me uplifted and encouraged even when I want to sink into a state of depression or when I want to pull away. I want you ALL to know that I pray at all times for all of you, I can't wait to see what our Lord is working out in your lives. I know there will be times of great trial and that our group will have to endure them but I am confident that the people in this group will band together and triumph under the banner of Jesus. Keep pressing in, keep trusting in the Lord, keep building community, keep praying, keep loving one another, and never forget that Jesus dwells among us and it is for HIS glory that we are the community that we are!!!

Do you want to be a blessing to someone?

Hi group,


I received a e-mail from the church that the Toths and the Joellenbecks have asked for some items in hopes that we as a church would be able to provide for them. As some of you know we are sending a team to Brazil in March and we are hoping to have the items needed by Friday March 3rd so that we can send them with the team. I signed us up for the purchase of 5 bottles of Multipurpose Solution for contacts (Equate brand- you get at Walmart). I need 5 volunteers to provide 1 bottle each and bring it to the home group next Wednesday. So the first 5 that respond will be able to bless both the Joellenbacks and the Toths. I only need one bottle a piece from 5 different people. If the church still needs more items then I will pass that information along to you. Right now other home groups are getting the opportunity to bless our missionaries by purchasing or supplying other needed items. Please respond either to this Blog post or to the e-mail I sent out a few minutes ago so I know where we stand. God bless you and thank you for your service to the Lord.

True Worship

While talking with many different people at church I realize what a impact this latest series has had. It seems that it has "kicked everyone's butt" (Angie's words) and I would have to agree. I am still trying to figure out what my "episode" meant and what my life is going to look like going forward. You know it seems that the Holy Spirit has shown up at Grove City Vineyard and is not leaving anytime soon! For months now I have felt a different feeling there, it's as if God is speaking directly into the lives of those willing to obey Him and placing a nugget of truth in thier hearts. At the same time He is directing the fellowship as a whole into a new "revelation" of Himself, combining the path of the fellowship with the path of the individual so that a birthing may take place at some time in the near future. For those who have had the "experience" I believe you/we are the people that will be asked to sacrifice and obey a call that is greater than ourselves and we may soon find ourselves in a position that we may not have dreamed of. For those who didn't necessarily have the "experience" I believe you have been called to sacrifice in another way. You will have to pray and support those "called" and you may be called to step into the roles left vacant. Your sacrifice is every bit as important and in many ways much more difficult to obey. The GC Vineyard is a living, breathing organism and the life of the church must be upheld and strengthened and many are called to that task. With that said I want to share a little about my "experience" and what I believe I have heard since. On Saturday night,last week,I met for prayer before the service as I do most of the time and during our time of praying for the service I kept getting the impression that God was calling us into a time of "true" worship. A time that is not manufactured by man and not necessarily created by singing songs or teaching or even praying,but a time of fellowship with the only one worthy of praise and worship. The feeling gripped me at first but then it was time to leave the prayer meeting and go into service. Most of the time when I get those "impressions" it doesn't turn out to apply to the service, but 10 minutes into the saturday service I felt a feeling come over me, I couldn't tell you what Tom said for the rest of the service because I couldn't concentrate on him. I can only tell you that as we began to sing at the end of the service I began crying (I am not a person who cries in public) then I heard Tom say that there were people there who want to worship God with thier tears. Now let me interject here for a moment, left on my own I would never go to the front of the church and ball my eyes out.I wasn't left on my own, I had to go up and I couldn't stand there I had to get face first before the Lord and I sobbed, and sobbed and my whole body was shaking. I couldn't control it and I really didn't want to. I couldn't stop crying for two days and even now I find myself in a more emotional state than I usually am in. While up front Tom asked for a couple of volunteers to tell the congregation what was going on with them. I began to arise but I couldn't stop crying and I couldn't verbalize what was going on, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW!!! Only after the crying stopped, two days later, was I reminded of the prayer meeting before the service. "True Worship". I began to get it. God is calling us to true worship and he wants us to find that place where we are naked before him, where we can't hide behind singing along with everyone else, we can't pray "the right" prayers, we can't take down the notes from (Tom's) message or sit there passively and listen. We must, without fail, get NAKED before the Lord our GOD and we must do whatever it takes!!!! We must continue to press in to Him and Him alone and not lean on the understanding of men. Only by seeking Him and His will, will we be able to transform our lives into something of eternal significance and in the process we ourselves will be set free from the bondage that we are in. The chains we have placed on ourselves.We have for far to long conformed to the world and sang the songs of this world and prayed the prayers of this world and listened to the teachers of this world without giving a second thought as to what true worship looks like to GOD.

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in thier hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!" All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshipped God, saying: "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever Amen." (Revelation 7:9-12)

What is God saying to you?

(note to Craig)

Craig - can you help me move that desk to my apt. on Thursday sometime? It could even be during the day?

Prayer meeting tonight!!!!

Hey guys,


I want to encourage everyone who is free to come to prayer meeting tonight. We have a home group leaders meeting tonight that coincides with the prayer meeting and I think Tom is going to take a opportunity to pray for the leaders. I can always use prayer and at this point in my life I really need it. I may try to call a couple people to remind them of the meeting.

Check Bob's Blog

AHHHH! Robert called this morning and I got to talk to him! (she writes as she runs around the apartment waving her hands in the air ala Home Alone and screaming with joy). hahaha! Check out his blog - he had a chance to write some stuff today. Craig and Barb - seriously - after reading it - the idea of "You really mean all they need is PEOPLE!? just gets worse... are you sure you don't want to go? ;-)

say a prayer please

Hey guys,

I just wanted to ask that you would say a prayer for me. There has been a couple of things that have happened the last two days that I could use some intercession for.
1)Yesterday I discovered that my debit card/MC number had been stolen and someone over seas has drained my account. This was the money that I have been running on until I get the job that God has in store for me.
2)Today my grandmother called me and asked if I could come over so she could talk to me. When I got there she told me that she didn't have anyone else to talk to and then she broke down into tears. My heart is breaking for her and I was extremely humbled by the fact that my grandmother had broken down in front of me. Don't get me wrong I am glad that I was able to be there for her but to see her in that condition was awefully hard to take.
The short version of why she broke down has to do with my Uncle who is in the nursing home who she has taken care of for over 10 years. He is complaining that they are mistreating him there (we have found no solid evidence of that yet), and he keeps saying that he wants to come home. My grandmother has no way to take care of him but she wants to bring him home. As she said "I just can't let another brother or sister die alone, it's to hard!" I am very concerned that her health is suffering due to the stress on her, she just doesn't look good.

I am praying that God would give me wisdom for this situation and peace for my grandmother.

What's your calling?

OK , I expect to hear from everyone on this subject.

As you know Tom has started a new series with Sunday night clinics based around this subject. We are exploring the opportunities and giftings that God has placed within our lives. Now I was greatly moved and encouraged by those of you there that the Lord has spoken something into your lives. As you friend and as your home group leader I am not going to allow you to give me superficial answers here. I really feel strongly that a couple of you already know what the Lord is telling you to do and you are apprehensive for one reason or another. I can fully understand and relate to that, but, you must know that I will do my best to keep you accountable to what the Lord has spoken into your life. We (as a home group and church) will not let you go thru this alone and we will be with you every step of the way.
As most of you know my heart is in missions. I am talking about cross-cultural missions (is there any other kind???). I have for a couple of years now had this vision that at some distant "family reunion" there would be a gathering of people from around the world that would reunite at this church for that occasion. Now I fully realize that not everyone is called to missions. Let me rephrase that, not everyone is called to GO, everyone is called to missions!!!!! With that stated I want you to earnestly seek the Lord in what it is He would have you do, do not be afraid to fail. If God is calling you to do something He will both make a way and equip you for that.
With that I hope to see a lot of activity on this thread. Thank you and God bless.

Happy B-Day Barb

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BARB!!!!!!!


I hope that you and Rick were able to have a great celebration. Thank you for everything you do for the group, I truly appreciate your enthusiasm.

Quote...

" If you can't see far ahead, go ahead as far as you can see"

- Dawson Trotman, Founder of The Navigators

Hey!

Hey gang,
Thanks for the invite Craig. Finally got around to checking it out. Hopefully, I'll have something good to say sometime (ha ha). But, right now, I got nothin'. See Ya, Tim

Welcome home Robert!!!!

Welcome home Robert. I look forward to hearing more about your experiences and your expectations for Iraq. God Bless.

What a turn out!!!

Hey group,


I was so happy to see the great turnout for the family movie night last night. There had to be over 100 hundred people from the church that turned out to see the Chronicles of Narnia movie. I am also so grateful to be a put of this home group. We had 100% attendance from those in the state, or country, and we had a great time viewing a movie that hopefully will let Hollywood know that Christians will go to the movies and watch "family friendly" movies with a Christian theme.

Happy B-Day all you December babies

I wanted to take this time to wish all the december babies a happy birthday.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Joel
Trevor
Scott
Angie
Brandy

oh yeah to me also.


I hope I didn't miss anyone?

I hope all your wishes come true!!!
Craig

Trials into triumphs

I wanted to take some time and go over our last meeting. As I told those of you that were there I really felt led to do a series of studies on the book of James. As with most of my discussions I am really looking to learn as much as possible about that topic as much as I am trying to lead and give opinions. I guess the reason why I am so fascinated with the book of James is that most historians believe that James is one of the earlier writings of the N.T. and (although there are some that disagree) most attribute it to James the brother of Jesus. James urged his readers to really try to look at trials from God's attitude. The trial itself was not an occasion for joy, but it could promote joy by becoming an occasion for producing stamina in the life of a committed believer.
This is where I find it so relevent for today's "American" society. Nobody likes pain or trials but we here in the U.S. have taken great strides to do away with any pain in our lifes and if you poll people on the street I would venture to say that most see absolutely no value in trials. With that in mind we could really turn to just about any book in the N.T. or the bible and see how trials are used by God for our good. I choose James, or rather I should say the Holy Spirit placed it in me, because it is one of those writings where the rubber meets the road. As I said at group it is about taking the lemons that life has handed you and making lemonade.When we studied chapter 1 verses 2-8 I saw four keys or imperatives.

1. In verse 2 we are told to "count it all joy when you fall into various trials"
2. In verse 3 we are told that "knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience"+
3. In verse 4 we are commanded "let patience have it's perfect work"
4. Then in verses 5-8 we read "let him ask of GOD"

So we need to have the knowledge and perspective that adversity can accomplish much good by letting the patient enduring of adversity accomplish its work. All the while using the wisdom God gives in answer to prayer to help put it all together. When this is dome, even trials can be a source of joy for the Christian!

I want to thank you all for your participation in group and I plan on disussing verses 9-11 and possible verses 12-18 at our next group. Remember that we are meeting at Barb's house at 6pm on the 13th to put together the "blessing bags" and to go to the Zoo. Thanks and God bless.

The Kurds and Us

Craig asked me to write a little bit about the differences between how I'm living here and how I live at home so that you'd have a better idea of how to pray for me.

It's a hard question, though, because things are very different, but very similar.

The family that I'm living with is wonderful to me and I really feel like I'm fitting in very well. They're pros at hospitality, and other than the language, they feel like members of my own family.

I think the thing that I'd like you to pray for is that they are all in various stages of belief about Christ. Last year, the youngest son, a Christian, passed away from cancer. He was so full of Christ's love that it spilled out to the rest of his family. he and his sister spent a lot of time praying with him and started going back to church at his request.

They're not your typical middle eastern family. They came to the US in the 1970s and were sponsored by the Lutheran church, so the younger children went to a Lutheran School. Many of them have accepted Christ or have taken steps to investigate Him more. It's all very interesting.

Anyway, it's clear that they're son who died left a lasting positive impression on the family. It's too much to explain now, but it's really amazing, so pray for that God will continue to reveal himself among the Kurds in Iraq and the United States. It's easy to see God's image in them and it's obvious that He wants them in His kingdom!

Also, please pray that my team continues to become unified in Christ!

I don't think I answered the question, but that's ok.

Hey, Homegroup!

Good afternoon everyone!

I know that you have home group this week, so I wanted to write and say Hi! I am having a good time here. It's hard being away from everyone and being in new place with new people, but God is really showing me what he has in store for my team in Halabj, Iraq and I am pretty excited about it!

The Kurds are really great people. My host family is absolutely wonderful and the food is great!

You should all sign up!

please pray

Hey guys,


Tuesday night while I was at the showing for Dennis' mother my Uncle had a stroke and was admitted to Grant. He is going to be transferred to Riverside to undergo some physical therapy but as of right now we don't know how severe the lasting effects are going to be. This is the Uncle who is a double amputee and lives with my Grandmother he is 80 years old and has many other health concerns. Please pray for him and my grandmother. She is really worried that she won't be able to take care of him if he comes back home to stay and she is equally as worried about putting him into a nursing home. The whole situation surrounding my grandmother needs prayer for as some of you know my sister (who lost her home) moved in with my grandmother earlier this year and has two dogs and a cat and never feels the need or responsibility to come home to take care of them.


Thanks and God bless,
Craig