I know for many of you, dear friends in ministry, this is an extremely busy time of year. I pray that you would be able to enjoy Christmas, enjoy your families and get refreshed between Christmas and the new year. Get some rest, friends. I’m taking the rest of the week off.
Below is a picture of my precious family taken this week. I’d appreciate your continued prayers for my wife.
Tuesday we met with a surgeon at UT Southwestern and praise God, he doesn’t want to do surgery, yet. He wants to watch things for 3 months and then do more testing then. So for now, we’re not having surgery and there’s always still hope for healing.
IF YOU’RE IN DFW:
We’re having a prayer, worship and healing service this Friday night (tomorrow) at 7pm at Fellowship Dallas. If you’re in the Dallas area, you’re welcome to join us. If not, just pray from where you are. Thanks!
IN OTHER NEWS:
YouVersion launched http://onebillionminutes.com to celebrate people reading over a Billion minutes of the Bible on the JUST the YouVersion mobile apps. Pretty crazy to think how engaged people are in the Bible through their phone!
This is a big week for a lot of reasons. I have a very important meeting that could change my future. Tuesday is the end of the “option period” for the contract on our house – meaning if we make it past Tuesday we’re moving. Thursday and Friday my wife has 3 doctors appointments – 2 with surgeons. This is when we find out if they want to do surgery, yet, or not. Big week. Need prayers for wisdom, direction, guidance, discernment, healing and provision. Thank you!
This week we have 2 doctor appointments (Monday/Tuesday), then an MRI on Wednesday. We’ll go see family in Houston for Thanksgiving and then return for an appointment with 2 different surgeons the following week. Please keep lifting us up in your prayers.
The latest is that we have an appointment with a kidney specialist on Thursday and will be doing several tests to try to diagnose what disease is causing cysts in both of my wife’s kidneys. As you can imagine, it’s tough to wait ’til Thursday. We should know more after that visit. Thanks for your prayers. We can feel them.
Yesterday was an emotional day. My wife got her test results and they weren’t good. We’re now looking at a future surgery on her kidneys and dealing with the big “c” word – as it looks like she has cancer in her right kidney.
The amazing part of yesterday were the hundreds of Twitter responses that I received (plus text messages and phone calls from family, friends and ministers around the country). I saw the Body of Christ acting like the Body of Christ. I know we’re covered in prayer and we move forward with hope and trust in our God who heals.
We still have more tests, doctors and weeks of waiting to make sure we approach everything right. When you think about it – please lift my wife up in prayer. Her name is Chrissy (seen below) and she means the world to me.
***PERSONAL:
Today is my oldest child’s birthday. Grace turns 9 years old today. She’s a blessing beyond words. One of the emotional parts of yesterday was taking her on a walk last night to tell her that her mom has cancer and is very sick. She said she was sad, but knows that God can heal her – just like we pray for others to be healed every night.
Yesterday my son Tommy had surgery. All went well and he is recovering. Today my wife is seeing a kidney specialist – I’d appreciate your prayers as she gets some tests results and we find out what’s ahead of us. In the midst of all this, we’re also trying to sell our home.
Life can be crazy, but I (we) know we have a Rock to hold on to. He is faithful and we place our hope and trust in Him. Thanks for your prayers.
My son, Tommy (age 7) is having surgery today to get his tonsils taken out. This is our first child to have surgery so pray for mom and dad, too. Pray that Tommy isn’t in too much discomfort and heals quickly.
While you’re at it, pray for my wife – she’s having issues with her kidneys and may need surgery soon, too. Thanks!
This past Sunday my son, Tommy, (our middle child) got baptized. Check it!
“When the music fades, all is stripped away and I simply come…” – Heart of Worship by Matt Redman. For the last 6 months (wow – that’s half a year!) I’ve not been on a church staff. This has been a first for me. I’ve served on a church staff for the last 15 years.
I’m still involved with “ministry” as you know – speaking, writing, consulting, secret shopping, coaching church planters through ARC, etc., but for the first time Sunday doesn’t come every week – if you know what I mean.
It’s taken a while, but God is starting to capture my heart again. For the first time I’ve truly realized that my first ministry is to my family and I’ve started to take action to really be the spiritual leader of our family – leading family devotionals and prayer, etc.
In the past, I didn’t seem to take this privilege seriously or consider it my ministry. Now, I see with new eyes and God has given me a heart and vision of raising Godly kids to love, serve and honor Him with all their hearts. This is not just a new ministry, it’s my first ministry. I think I had to get out of the game for a bit to see what’s most important.
This is what matters most to me:
I’m also starting to dream again and God is planting vision and ideas in my heart for the first time in a long time. My desire is to live a life of worship and please God. That’s a little of what’s going on in my world. What’s going on in yours?
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