New Beginnings.

Rhys —  May 14, 2013 — Leave a comment

As some of you may know Hannah and I have had a fun filled almost 4 years of marriage. We’ve moved a bunch. Been apart of so many great churches and teams making great friends along the way. But recently we returned home, well home for me here in NH. This was to strictly be a season of rest and prayer to find where the Lord was taking us in ministry.

Almost 7 months in now, we’ve been absolutely blessed. Our faith has been tested. Our willingness to listen has been tested. We’ve ultimately just been rocked from head to toe about where/what “ministry” is. This has ultimately taken our plans out of the picture and His plans put in place, slowly but so perfectly.

We recently found a church where we feel right at home. Every Sunday we’re up helping to set up & tear it all back down into the trailer but we love the direction of this particular campus, and the church as a whole wants God’s will and work to be done over their own. I cannot stress how awesome it has been. The love from the staff is incredible, the people each and every Sunday are just remarkable. It’s just great…come see for yourselves. You’ll agree.

But in this process I’ve not stepped out of student ministry, but understood that it’s not necessarily all about a position of status, but of service. I’ve told our campus pastor that however Hannah and I can serve and help grow a youth ministry at the campus being newly launched, use us. I will always want to be in “full-time” ministry where I can devote my undivided time to it, but it’s not in God’s plan for me right now and I’m ok with that. He will obviously move in His timing and in the mean time, wreck me of what “ministry” is all about, His Kingdom!

I’ve recently accepted a job which has just been incredibly. I’m a few days in and just love the team and organization. God opened this up for me, I know it. It’s a perfect fit. I’ll be able to do ministry and work full-time.

So, in a nutshell, lot’s of change but I wouldn’t change the last 4 1/2 years for anything. The lessons I’ve learned, people I’ve met, tours I’ve almost been on, states I’ve lived in, I now know…God was preparing me to come home, serve in a new capacity of complete surrender.

I look forward to what He continues to do with Hannah and I in the months and years to come.

His will, NOT mine.

How are you letting God wreck you and work in you lately?

In Lessons Learned, Life, Ministry
permalink

Journals, Coffee, & God

Rhys —  April 17, 2013 — 2 Comments

I haven’t fallen off the face of the planet or forgotten about this awesome time speck of the internet known as Rhysiepoo.com but I have taken the past few weeks to venture into something amazing.

Growing up I was never a fan of journaling. To most boys, journaling sounded girly and wasn’t something we would be caught dead participating in. But about a month ago I received an invite to a journaling group at our church and at first was like, this dude’s kidding right?

Oh no, he was serious.

That next meeting I went, Bible, pen, journal in hand at 7:00am, ready to figure out what this was. Now, I’ve journaled important words down or obviously share stuff on here with you all but this, taking a word I’ve read meditate on it and journal how the Lord is moving and showing me things through it…Mind blowing!

It was remarkable that just this simple invite to do something not so manly was exactly what I needed to help bring my personal time in God’s Word alive. I absolutely look forward now to my morning/afternoon time in the Word and jotting down everything I’m feeling or seeing pop off the page.

Seriously worth considering.
Friday I will post some journaling tips for those that don’t necessarily know where to begin.

So…

Do you journal through your journey with God?

In Lessons Learned, Life, Ministry
permalink

History Channel, The Bible, & Hollywood.

Rhys —  March 20, 2013 — 2 Comments

So I gotta ask this because I’m curious.

Now the Bible is THE best book ever written.

Romance, Crazy Battles, Kings & Queens, The Son of God…
you name it, word for word, that book is crazy awesome!

But…

How about what most of us have been seeing on Sunday evenings?

Accurate?
Too many liberties taken?
Have you even watched it?

I want to hear your take…

In Church & Religion
permalink

No Limits.

Rhys —  March 20, 2013 — 2 Comments

For years now, I’ve never realized how important it is to know my limits.

Really, I had NO limits.

I would try to do everything, be someone that I wasn’t by trying to accomplish things I had no skill set for.

I needed to say, “No”, “I don’t know”, and “I can’t”.
Maybe you need to say, “No, “I don’t know”, and “I can’t”.

God has made us each unique, gifted and beautiful in His image. Only problem is we think we need to be like Joe or Sue and we were never created to be that way. I know for myself to many times I’ve wanted to be like someone or do something that I am in no way gifted or capable of and that is just ok. We can certainly stretch ourselves here and there but God has uniquely crafted us and gifted us to be who we are.

This past Sunday, my wife and I had the privilege to check out a church here locally in NH and the pastor talked briefly about why they are the way they are as a church and staff. He said, (paraphrase) I am gifted differently than my staff and they are gifted differently than me and thats perfect. See we don’t need to teach every sunday, or try to lead our families like Joe does down the street. We need to live to the limits and gifts that God has gifted us with.

Trying to understand this for me has taken years. Unfortunately I’m sure I am NOT done either. I’ve sacrificed my marriage by being to busy, friendships because I’ve put on fronts, you name it. And for that I’m deeply sorry. But I can’t change the past, I can certainly change what’s next.

Knowing our limits is incredibly important.

“While our culture resists the idea of limits, it is critical that we embrace them. They are like a fenced-in yard that protects young children. They are the hands of a friend, keeping us grounded so that we don’t hurt ourselves, others, or God’s work.

- Pete Scazzero

Basically we need to be careful, watching whether we have limits or understand our limits, otherwise we’ll become anxious, rushing, hurrying, maybe even getting short tempered. It comes from the fact we’ve moved away from the God-given life we are to be living.

Utilize those around you, know your limits, and seek God….take time to center yourself around Him and begin to KNOW your limits.

In Church & Religion, Family, Life
permalink

Getting Away.

Rhys —  March 19, 2013 — Leave a comment

There is something to be said for just up and leaving for a time away with your spouse.

I’ve now been married to the love of my life for a little over 3 years (8/16/09) and we haven’t really ever been able to truly get away for a weekend away until this past weekend. We’ve obviously gone away but it’s always to visit family for the holidays or for a event in the family. Never just to escape the world and be with one another.

This weekend we asked my parents to watch their grand-dog so we could skip out and celebrate my wife’s bday.

It was fantastic. We just walked around a cool town on the coast of NH and had a fantastic dinner. (see my Instagram to drool over what I ate) Then just spent the night away.

There is something important I’ve been seriously lacking and missing.
I’ve been missing the opportunities to truly just show my spouse that, I love her.

All you married folk out there that may read this, this is just a post to share how awesome it was to just get away. If you have kids, find friends to babysit or invest the $$$ to get a babysitter and get away. There is much to be said about being able to invest in the ones you love.

I can’t wait to see where God takes us on our journey together both as spouses, parents, and pastors.

Are you investing in your marriage?

In Family, Relationships
permalink