Miracles

Today Layney and I went in for a doctors appointment to check her BP after being on a bed rest all week. The doctor sent us down to labor and delivery for some tests and decided that we needed to induce and bring Matthew into the world now.

I am amazed because Prior to this week we weren't finished we had no car seat we had a todo list and would have been super stressed sitting her now. Accept we had a warning on Monday and Layney's sister is in town to save theory day. And now here we sit calm with everything ready for Matthew. And God is good.

I am amazed because of the way the body works the way life is created and the way God ordains it all. It is awesome.


For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. Psalm 139:13

this while process is exciting and awesome. God is at work and it's cool.



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I Love This Church

A lot of really cool things are going on at Happy Hill right now. I have to say I love this church.

This Sunday was the first time most of our members saw the work that has been going on in the children's wing. It is really looking awesome. (pictures below)

As she was leaving Bonnie Medford one of our wonderful seniors looked at the decorations in the children's wing and exclaimed, "I bet there is not another baptist church like this in all the land!"

While I am not sure our children's wing is the most unique or creatively decorated around I have to agree with Bonnie, there is no other church like HHBC.

HHBC is the kind of church that will step out on faith make a $12,000 renovation to the sanctuary and see God provide every penny without explanation in a troubled economy. HHBC will completely demolish the church, without complaint, to build VBS sets and make sure VBS is awesome for the kids. HHBC takes care of their staff and supports their ministries, thank you! HHBC is an amazing church filled with committed people who are willing to do anything to follow God and join Him in His work. HHBC is a place where people are more concerned with Gods will than tradition, more concerned with working for God than their comfort, and more concerned about God working through us than we are about what we can get from church. It is a place where you can be excited about what God is doing every day. Truly there isn't another church like this in all the land.

Happy Hiller's, I just want to say thank you for being you.

Below are some pictures of our sanctuary and the current projects in the children's wing.

Get ready even more is yet to come!
Eph 3:20-21







































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Location:Farm-To-Market Road 917,Alvarado,United States

Why do I do it?

I have this problem. It has plagued me most of my life, although I haven't always viewed it as a problem. But I am an emotional eater. I will eat for any and every emotion, joy, sorrow, and especially boredom.

For the last year, accept for the last few weeks, I have conquered this problem. My victory has enable me to lose approximately 100 lbs. However, I still seem to make stupid mistakes especially, in the past few weeks.

I don't understand. I get ready to eat. I think mmm, I want ice cream, Mexican food, chicken fried steak, or whatever and I decide to give in. Not just once or not just a little but a full on 7 bowls of salsa old fashioned gorging. The really funny thing is that I have been eating good long enough that I know eating like that is going to hurt me. I know I will feel sick for days after eating like that. I know I will see the weight gain on the scale I know I still have 40 more lbs to lose. I know I don't want to be that emotional eater any more. But I do it anyway or at least I have been doing it anyway.

Temptation is a funny thing. In itself it is powerless it only has the power we allow it to have over us. What is true of my vises with food is true of all of us in the temptations we face. You say I don't want this anymore, but then temptation rises and you choose to give in. Afterward you look back and feel sick, guilty, and weak. The result is usually that you just give in easier next time because you have already been defeated.

But the bible says, "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you." If you resist the devil, resist temptation, then he will flee from you. For a year I have practiced resisting the temptation to eat poorly. Sure I had treats but I made good choices and didn't allow myself to eat emotionally (which is my real problem). The more you practice resisting temptation the easier it is. "resist the devil and he will flee from you."

It is possible to fall back into temptation, to stop practicing resistance, however the answer is the same as it was the first time. Resist, it gets easier from there.

So if you have been giving in to temptation. Offer up stubborn resistance it sternly say no. Resist and you can over come.

(Inspired by my ice-cream belly ache and a renewed desire to get my diet back on track.)

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Gratitude

And now, friends, we ask you to honor those leaders who work so hard for you, who have been given the responsibility of urging and guiding you along in your obedience. Overwhelm them with appreciation and love!  1 Thess 5:12-13 (Message)

This past Sunday my church surprised me!  It was the third anniversary of my coming as pastor here at Happy Hill and they planned a surprise party like no other.  It was truly great.  They took up donations and went together to buy me a Weber Gold 26.75 Charcoal Grill.  This is the Cadillac, no Roles Royce, of charcoal grills.  It has been all I have talked about to my wife for several months, since my previous grill became to rusty to enjoy using. 

I am overwhelmed with Love and appreciation.  Thank You church, you mean the world to me.  Your appreciation fuels my fire as I labor along side of you for the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Yes it is a lot for a charcoal grill, and some of you might not understand it, but I am just trying to be like Jesus, after all he was a charcoal man.  When he appeared to the disciples at the lake after his resurrection, and he told them to cast the nets on the other side of the boat so they caught a lot of fish, this is what the scripture says about what Jesus did next.  "But the other disciples came in the little boat, for they were not far from the land, but about one hundred yards away, dragging the net full of fish. So when they got out on the land, they saw a charcoal fire already laid and fish placed on it, and bread." John 21:9

Once again, THANK YOU church you overwhelm me. 

Check out the new option to subscribe to my blog via email.  Just visit my blog page and submit your address on the right. 

Time w/ Jesus

There is no Better way to start the day than spending a little time with Jesus. Especially if that time is accompanied by good coffee.

Christianity isn't about living a perfect life, it isn't about trying to do good, it isn't just about going to church. Christianity is about having a relationship with Jesus Christ. God doesn't say to us "be spiritual," but "walk with me."

"He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8

The most important thing you can do to build any relationship is spend time together. For the Christian this means spending time reading scripture and praying daily. There is nothing in your day more important than that. If your spending time with Jesus he will move you to make the changes you need to make in your life.

Are you just trying to get by, to be good, or are you living in relationship?

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VBS 2009 Monday night

Monday night was a hit at HHBC VBS 2010. Last night the effort and cooperation with our decorations really paid off. We had the most kids we have ever had on a Monday night and still things seemed to run smoother than ever.

I have huge expectations for tonight. If you weren't here last night you missed out. Please stop by and see what's going on at the best VBS in TX.


















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Something to read.

So yesterday I let my habits get the best if me. I way over ate. Really I guess it's ok because I at broccoli. But come on really five stalks of broccoli in one sitting that is rediculous. It was nit hunger but something else.

Then this morning I got this article. "Check Your Fuel Gauge Before You Fill Up"

It worth a read if you struggle with eating the way I do.


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Courage to make it to the top.

This past weekend the HHBC youth group went "rock" climbing. What I mean by that is that we went to a climbing club in town and climbed artificial rock walls.

So, I am a little afraid of hights, when I first tried out the climbing wall, my wife Layney was on belay. Now I trust my wife. I would never say otherwise. However she is very tinny and I…well I am not. So when I got halfway up the wall I began to fear. All the scenarios I could come up with that ended in death played through my head. I convinced myself that it was too hard I was too tired, Layney didn't want to belay, I would have another chance, anything else that would work and I stoped climbing half way up the wall. I gave up. Despite all the safety gear despite the trust I have in my wife I gave up.

We too often in life allow our reason and fear mix and talk ouselves out of taking risks. We let our fear stop us from going where God wants us to go. We give up when the blessings God has for us is right around the next corner.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The awesome truth is that we are more than conquerors because of Jesus. We have the ultimate safty harness, weapon, friend, guide, master, Lord, protector, provider, the ultimate God. There is nothing we should ever fear when it is directed by God. In fact our only fear should be getting out of His will.

I did get back on the wall and I fell. And then I got back on the wall and I climbed all the way to the top. (pictured below) I didn't have to fear I had safety. And it took a couple of tries but reaching the top was awesome.

In your life there are things that you have wanted to do things that you have dreamt of. Maybe it invovles your job, asking for a raise or trying a new project. Maybey you have wanted to chang something about yourself your weight or the number of books you read. Maybe you know there are risks that you need to take. Don't fear. If you are following God you can not fail. You may fall but he will always catch you.

Step out. Be bold. Climb to the top.

God is working at Happy Hill

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us... Ephesians 3:20

I never cease to be truely excited and amazed when God works. It's not that I don't expect it or know that God is going to work according to his will, but it always instills a sence of awe in me. It is impossible to become bored with what God can do because he "is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine."

God is working at Happy Hill. This past weekend we got an extention on our parking lot. For free! Not because of anything we did but because God is powerful and is preparing this church for growth.

Check out these pictures and as you do think about the things that God is doing in your life that instill awe in you. Thank him today for how he is working in your life.











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Who do you influence.

John Sawyer, one of our youth, and I have spent several hours together today while I have been teaching him the art of sermon writing. John is doing a great job and I am looking forward to the day he preaches at HHBC.



As he works I am reminded of the importance of leading by example. In first Corinthians 11:1 Paul tells the Corinthians to follow him as he follows Christ.

It is a monumental responsibility to say follow me, but the truth is that all of us are leading someone whether we know it or not.

There is always someone watching how you live and looking to you as an example. If you have kids they are watching, the people that you work with they are watching, who ever you are there is someone watching.

Pay attention to how you live because you never know when you are being watched and what you might be teaching those who are watching.

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HHBC Sunday School Retreat

This past weekend several from Happy Hill got away to Latham Springs Baptist Camp for our SS retreat. The camp and weather was incredible and we had a fantastic time. We were almost all up until 2:00 Friday morning playing games and getting to know each other better.

We introduced the group to the 3D Sunday School concept which we are adopting at HHBC. A Sunday School class should have three health dimensions working together. They should invite others to come to class and be excited about the class and there meetings, they shold discover God's word together, and they should connect to each other developing close relationships.

Pray with us that as we implament this strategy God will bless our efforts and blow our mind with how he uses us to reach people with his love.










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It is good to have fun.

With our endless todo lists, long days, lack of vacation time, and overpowering stress we often forget that we are intended to have full and abundant lives.

Having fun is a good thing. As Darren pointed out in our Men's Abassadors for Christ (MAC) meeting tonight, God created us for relationship. Relationship with Him first and second with our fellow man. One of the natural ways that we build relationship is through having good times together.

If I were completely honest much of the reason I am serving Christ today is because at many times in my life the most fun thing for me to do was at church. Our youth group was fun and we had wild times together.

I wonder how many more people would be a part of the church, or allow Christ into thier lives if they didn't think being a Christian was going to be boring. God is not here to take your fun away. He just wants to be a part of the fun in your life.

For your viewing pleasure here are a couple of clips from our MAC meeting. And no we don't restrict ourselves to only gospel songs.

Sorry if this is sideways. I am still trying to figure it all out. Thanks for being patient.


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To My Pastor Friends: Where the message comes from.

"We are not saved to be "channels only," but to be sons and daughters of God. We are not turned into spiritual mediums, but into spiritual messengers; the message must be part of ourselves." -- Oswald Chambers.

As a pastor it is more than vital that we stay in the word of God. Sermon preparation is never an acceptable substitute for personal devotional time and bible study. If you are finding that it is dificult develop sermons and a direction for your sermons, or if you always have to look outside of yourself for sermon ideas and direction; it is because you are not allowing God to work his will in you. Your sermons and what you preach should come from an outpouring of your soul.

"The natural heart will do any amount of serving, but it takes the heart broken by conviction of sin, and baptized by the Holy Ghost, and crumpled into the purpose of God before the life becomes the sacrament of its message." -- Oswald Chambers

If you are having a dry time in sermon preparation. If you are not deeply convicted about where to go next. You must get alone and get into the word. Find out what God wants in you, and from that your soul will cry out to your congregation through the Holy Spirit. Then your life and message will be a sacramtent to God.

Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 2 Timothy 2:4 (NIV)

I'm praying this for us all my brothers.

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Location:Vistaview Dr,Burleson,United States

Failures and Triumphs: They are all a part of life.

I have not done so well on my commitment to blog three times a week. Sure there are always valid reasons. There has been a great deal of work for me lately and I have been putting in longer hours than I should, but still these are excuses.

I have learned that life is full of successes and failures. They will come for us all however, what we do with them is what matters.

For instance I could give up. I blogged three times the first week of my commitment and now I have gone two full weeks without touching my blog. So I could say, "The commitment was wrong I underestimated how much was going on in ministry and life and I shouldn't make commitments to blog when there are so many more tangible ministries I am in." Then I could allow my failure to cause me to give up on the commitment I made.

Or, I could stay the course. Even though I have missed my goal and I am seemingly behind, I could pick up where I left off and keep on going.

It's like being in a race and being behind but still doing your best to finish. A few weeks back I was watching the winter Olympics and the cross country skiing was on. They were showing the finish of the race and talking about the dramatic battle for the gold. The discussion continued long after the medals had been decided. As we continued to watch the goal line stretch a racer came around the corner and with a dramatic burst of adrenaline he pushed hard to overtake the racer in front of him. He battled down the stretch to edge him out of 32cd place.

As he collapsed from exhaustion I laughed and thought, "32cd place or 33rd place, does it really matter." But now I realize it does. It was his personal best that counted, his time to shine, his defining moment.

In life we aren't always in a race but Paul says we should always be racing, striving for the prize.  The only competition is against yourself, it doesn't matter if you fall behind as long as you keep going and finish strong.

So if you experience failure remember when I am weak, then I am strong, and keep on running.

A New Year a New Direction (Part Three: The Church)

A new direction in the church.

Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of
three strands is not quickly broken. Ecc 4:12

This year we are also planning some changes in the Sunday School
department. I am personally stoked about the upcomming SS retreat
march 12-13. Were we are doing training in the 3Dimentional Sunday
School. A healthy SS should invite, connect, and discover. It should
be both fun and inspiring.

God is amazing and has been doing amazing things at Happy Hill. I look
forward to see what comes next.

Ps. I'm also already getting excited about vacation bible school. And
yes I do plan to ride a horse.

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A New Year A New Direction (Part Two: My Personal Life)

New direction for my personal life.

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:15-16.

I am currently preaching a sermon series on being intentional in life, living by decision instead of default. To be perfectly honest I came up with the idea for this sermon series more than a year ago, but for a couple of reasons I didn't start until this year. The main reason is because I have never been comfortable preaching about something that I have failed to get grasp of in my own life. The other reason is that I wanted to do more research on the topic.  However, in the interim I have gained at least a moderate grasp on being intentional in life. Layney and I started with our finances, that was a tough one for me but it has been a real blessing. We have also focused on being intentional in our relationships, work, joy, spiritual growth, and health. Some have needed more work than others, but all have been a blessing in our lives. (for example I've lost over 60 lbs.)

For more information on being intentional join us on Sunday morning or
check out http://www.theintentionallife.com/
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A New Year and a New Direction (Part One: This Blog)

1 God is our refuge and strength,

an ever-present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way

and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

3 though its waters roar and foam

and the mountains quake with their surging.

7 The LORD Almighty is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Psalms 46:1-3, 7

2010  has been a hard year already for many people that I know.  In the last four weeks at Happy Hill we have lost two dearly loved church members.  While we know they are sharing eternity now with our Lord our hearts are still aching.  Yet still there are many more losses that our members have elt on a personal level.  I admit even Layney and I have experienced several deep personal losses in the past couple of months.  But even when times are hard and it seems the world is falling down around you, God is your refuge and strenth.  By leaning on Him you can get through any challenge. 

A new direction for this blog.

This year I planned several changes for this blog, however the hardships I mentioned above got in the way.  but now it is time to get started. 

While evaluating this blog and where I should take it this year I thought about all of the blogs I like to read.  Usually they are leadership blogs focused on encourageing and helping pastor's.  As a young pastor I need as much help as I can get.  So I thought about my own audience and asked what is the best thing I can share with you. 

God has instilled in me a desire to lead people to have a better life, by the practical application of God's word, helping them draw closer to God, and by sharing the wisdom God has given me through my experinces and by listening to His voice.  That is parially why I am a pastor, and the fact that I am called. 

With that desire in mind I thought it would be good to adjust slightly how I think about this blog.  So here are some changes you can look forward to. 

• I Plan to post more frequently.  My initial goal will be three times a week; sometimes they will be long sometimes short, sometimes they will be in a devotional style like I have done before and sometimes they will just be informative of what is going on for me. 
• I am going to be more candid in my posts.  Previously because I allways want to put my best foot forward I would not post a blog unless I had worked on it for a long time, reviewed it twice, and usually had my wife read it for grammer and spelling.  But since I am planning to post more often I will have to just post thoughts.
• I am going to do my best to share my passions, God's word, any wisdom I have, and lead us all (me included) to living better lives through Christ. 
• I want his blog to be relevant to where you are, and what you want to hear about, so for that reason I am listing my email address in my profile description.  I also get an email from every comment on here so please feel free to ask questions and make comments. 

My sincere hope is that you will enjoy and get a lot out of my blog this year.  I look forward to hearing your feedback.