Encouragement Galore.
Life has thrown me many curveballs lately that just haven’t seemed fair. So a pastor friend, Pete just happened to have a book, his first, coming out right in the middle of my depressive, alone state of being entitled “Plan B”. This book is literally subtitled, “What do you do when God doesn’t show up the way you thought he would?”
Does that hit home for any of you? It sure as hek hit right where I was.
I wanted to cuss God out to be honest. My new marriage was rocky because of all the stress that I just didn’t get why God has put in my life. I felt alone, like why did I leave our friends and family to move so far south and know no one. Everything was changing and FAST.
So I picked up a copy at Crosspoint since my preordered copy was weeks away and it was available to all of the campuses during a “Broken Dreams” series (How fitting right?). God was about to touch my life hard and fast. This week will have similar posts to this one. I want to share different things that I’ve been shown through my time reading “Plan B”
I’ve always loves two guys in the Bible, Peter because I can relate to that guy so much. But my next favorite is Joshua. He is an amazing leader, one that stepped up for God in many different times. Many parts of his story are just simply an encouragement to me as a leader. That’s who we’re talking about today.
In Ch.4 of the book, Joshua has center stage. Let me set the story for you a bit like it is in the book.
God has got His chosen people, the Israelites waiting to get into the promise land. Moses and that generation passed on and Joshua took over as leader of God’s people. He was called to go into the land. FINALLY right? Well there was one thing. He had to cross the Jordan River with specific instructions and the people were to follow him, the priests, and the arch of the covenant. Problem was, the river was in flood stage! So Joshua, as many leaders, was nervous about this one.
How many of us have a Jordan river? Something that’s got us at a halt in our lives, that we just need to cross to move on into the promised land, the plan that God has for our lives. Now here’s where I get stoked. Check this passage from pg. 47.
“I think God’s words for Joshua as he stands beside the Jordan are also for each one of us. God says, ‘I’ve already gone ahead of you. I’ll be there every step you take; I’ve occupied the land. But you’ve got to choose.’ And because stepping into the Jordan, whatever you Jordan is, always involves overcoming fear, God keeps repeating what he told Joshua over and over again: ‘Don’t be afraid, Don’t be afraid, Don’t be afraid’.”
That’s just stinkin’ awesome. Did you catch something important for us all. “I’ve already gone ahead of you!”
God has already paved the way. We may not see it yet, there might be some seriously dense fog blocking at the moment but he’s already marked out a path for us. Might be some huge bumps in the way. But just think, he’s saying this to YOU, TODAY….
“I’ve already gone ahead of you!”
Remember that today! Be encouraged. God is watching over each and everyone of us. Even in these hard times in life. He wants us to succeed, not fail. So crack a smile today and be encouraged!
Nashville Flood 2010.
I hoped to make it out to meet up with some of the Crosspoint.tv folks that were all over the greater Nashville area in hopes to lend a small bit of help in what will be a LONG clean up/rebuild process.Unfortunately I had to work this afternoon rendering me useless for any way of assisting in today’s clean up.
However right next to where I work part time happens to be Drakes Creek Park. This is home to many great ball fields for the locals to play their hearts out in America’s greatest past time. I also usually ride my bike through this park but here’s what it looks like now. (Pictures aren’t great because everything is flooded and its my cell)
Many of you probably have seen all the flooding and sheer devastation across the Nashville area and are just blown away. There are many ways you can help. If you’re available tomorrow you can meet the awesome crew at Crosspoint Bellevue Campus @ 9AM to get going on another day of serving the Kingdom. They will be working all day again like they did today. I am so glad I have found this church. They are simply a huge family looking out for all those around them. Simply Amazing. Check out Pete’s post from today HERE.
If you are in the area and can’t help personally and have some extra camping equipment such as: Sleeping Bags, Tents, Backpacks, Pads, etc. you can assist keeping Tent City (Nashville’s Homeless City) alive and well. They need your help too. Click HERE for the details and drop points.
Then if you can’t do either of those, Crosspoint.tv has made a way for you to donate since MANY of those affected by the flooding DO NOT have flood insurance meaning that it will be incredibly expensive to rebuild. Please donate funds to assist over 90% of people in Nashville who are flooded. You can donate to the FLOOD FUND. (I promise this fund WILL make sure your money goes to those in need!)
Nashville Flood Relief
[This Post is directly off of www.withoutwax.tv, Thank you Pete.]
If you’ve been watching the news you probably have a pretty good idea of the devastating floods we’ve experienced here in Nashville over the weekend. I’ve been here my whole life and I’ve never seen anything like this!! There are entire subdivisions submerged underwater. Check out this video CNN showed that illustrates the power of this Nashville Flood.
We literally have dozens of families in our church who either have lost or are dangerously close to losing everything and hundreds more who are going to have serious damage from these devastating floods.
We’ve closed all of our Cross Point offices for tomorrow and are encouraging our staff to help with local flood relief.
If you can make it please feel free to join us. We’re going to meet at the Bellevue Campus at 10 AM to divide into teams and start helping with clean up.
If you can make it please bring a broom, shovel or anything else you can think of that might be helpful in our clean up efforts.
For those of you around the country who have asked how you might help we’ve set up a special FLOOD FUND where you or your church can make a donation. Many of our families who are losing everything DO NOT have flood insurance. Any donation will be extremely helpful as we try to help our families put their lives back together.
[Again want to thank Pete & the Crosspoint.tv gang for trying to help in any way. They are out in boats by Bellevue Campus. North Campus is out thanks to Kevin and the gang here at North. Hopefully joining them later today]
Keep Nashville in Prayer!
Identity vs. Activity.
Yesterday at Crosspoint, Pete delivered a slam dunk. God’s laid some awesome insight on that man’s heart. I hope to sit down with him one day soon over coffee and discuss more. (He technically owes me coffee, and yes, Pete I hope your reading this. 
)
We love to base our faith in God around what we physically see as evidence that He loves us.
We tend to “spiritually give God the middle finger” when we do not see His provision.
We ask every day for things that WE want vs. what HE wants.
When will we wake up.
The question was asked, “What would you do if you were absolutely confident that God was with you” in your life?
I know personally, this question was something I dealt with recently and let me tell you, its just simply amazing what God does when you give everything over 100%. When you begin to let Him handle your life, you have a peace, a joy that you’ve NEVER experienced before. To the normal person looking into your life, they would go “dude, your life sucks.” But you get to respond to that by saying, “No, dude, my life ROCKS!”
Quit confusing yourself.
Choose to put your faith in God’s IDENTITY not His activity.
Thanks Pete for delivering God’s Word & Truth this week.
I share this to all of you readers out there to challenge you.
The A-Team.
In our lives, whether you believe it or not, we have an A-Team.
Your A-Team consists of all those people close to you.
Who love you.
Who pray for you.
Who encourage you.
I am so grateful for my A-Team.
God has blessed me with great parents, a sister, a wife, & great friends.
They have all had an incredible role in my life and I don’t know what I would have done without them.
Today is just my day to give them all a huge THANK YOU!
Awakening.
This past Sunday was Easter, and I was broken. Life hasn’t been easy for me for a while. Just down right painful at times, a time that I honestly never wanted to be at in life. God was showing me things, teaching me thing, preparing me for a life He has vs. what I had planned.
Sunday I was able to just be somewhere where I was refreshed and heard this, with the words just flashing on a screen.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
In a broken state, on a joyous day…this resonated in my heart! I just was ready to break down, just scream out.
“For You and You alone, awake my soul, awake my soul and sing,
For the world You love, Your will be done, let Your will be done in me.”
This was and IS my prayer now, every day! How in each moment or hour can I just be 100% for God? I’m broken, down on my knees wanting more and more.
I have never felt so ready to just give my ALL to the Lord.
How can I stay in this awakened state?
How can WE stay in an awakened state? Letting God’s will be done, not ours.
Let HIM speak into your lives today.
May you begin to become a servant, no matter your past, or present.
Let HIM speak into your lives, with HIS love.
May you let God’s will be done, bringing light into your lives.
Let HIM change you, FOREVER.
Public Image.
Last week I read an incredible post by local pastor, church planter, Pete Wilson mainly in response to John Piper’s statement on leaving for 8 months to rekindle and embrace his relationship with God and his wife Noel.
Pete continued and highlights a section about “public productivity”, take a look:
“I got a bit of a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach when I read “In 30 years, I have never let go of the passion for public productivity.” Those words cut me deeply because they echo the words of my own heart. I make no bones about it that I often struggle with an addiction to public productivity.”
Read the whole post here, if you’d like. But I want to turn our attention to the issue of our public image.
I’ve got a confession to make. God has begun to humble me for years of trying to be something, someone I’m not. Just recently, have I begun to understand that even though I have a dream to become famous in the Christian circle like Carlos Whittaker, Andy Stanley, and even Pete it may not be God’s plan.
So it started with this blog actually, I at first made it look just like Los’ and that was back in the 2ndChance days. Quickly I would try to be who I wasn’t. It wasn’t just with the blog. My look, my speech, my passions, etc would all be a part of the equation to my “Public Image”. Us, Christians, all struggle with this ego problem. We want everyone to accept us, love us, want to be us. But why do they want to be someone who is already just like someone else? That’s just not original.
My latest dream now, whether I make it big or not, is to just be REAL! I want to be the most authentic I can be in my faith, no matter what that means. If it means completely just jumping out in faith, then I will. If it means doing something not “cool” in the “public eye” but for God, I’ll do it!
I am speaking to myself here too, but QUIT caring about what others think! Let’s care about what GOD thinks.
Your “Public Image” should be all based around your Lord & Savior.
What is your confession about being obsessed with your “Public Image”?
All “Lovey Dovey”.
Recently I’ve begun reading Gary Chapman’s “The 5 Love Languages”. I’m totally excited about this. However if you were to ask me to read this book back when it was the hit thing to read, “like so 5+ years ago” I would have laughed at you and run the other direction.
I’m excited however to figure out my love language and then my wife’s primary love language because I know we struggle at times to truly communicate in love. Something I have really been praying and yearning for is the best marriage possible in Christ. This is of course not easy in a society that just thinks love is such a whimsical emotion that can just be tossed around like a small ship out at sea in a huge storm.
I think I know what my love language is if I had to guess right now, and that would be Physical Touch. I’ve always been that kid that would snuggle with mom to just be comforted and I will admit this here and now, I am a sucker for when why wife just lets me curl up next to her and I rest my head on her shoulder….I’m OUT! J
But my guess may not be what the test determines so I’m interested to see how it compares. I am a bit interested though to hear from all you out there.
How do you communicate to others in love?
Check out these links:
Love Language Test
5 Love Languages [Buy a Copy]
Church & Religion, Daily Living
Dependency
Last week I spent an evening away from my wife, first time in a long time that I was away from her. It’s just simply amazing to see just how dependent we become on each other as we grow in our intimacy together as a devoted married couple.
I’ve lately been thinking about the imagery used in the Bible describing a very similar relationship. The Bride and the Bridegroom.
God wants us to be just as dependent on Him. The Church, the Body of Christ, Christians everywhere are to enter into an Intimacy that NO ONE will EVER top. That intimate relationship or dependency is in the Bridegroom!
I challenge you, even if you’re married or not, think about that relationship, and how dependent the two of you are together that you miss them so dearly when apart and long for that togetherness.
Don’t you want that in Christ?
I know I do.
I’ll Be Back.
In the great words of Arnold, “I’ll Be Back.”
I’ve been just resting in the Lord last week and want to continue doing that this week.
I look forward coming back next Monday with some fun new thoughts.
Enjoy being in the presence of God this week.
ABOUT RHYS
Rhys Searles is a Husband, Son, Brother, Pastor, & creative social network junkie. 
-
georgestull: Praying for you bro. Debbie and I love you guys....
-
Sarah Belanger: sigh, I wish I could. My bike was tragically beat ...
-
-
danielle: Great post and lots of thought. My season now... I...
-
John Wallace: Great post bro! I love the honesty and transparenc...
