The leaves on the trees are almost gone. The air is crisp and has a bite to it now. Fall is now almost gone, and winter is nearly here. Soon we should have the first snowfall of the year. As a kid, I loved the snow. Now it seems that I enjoy the warmer climates. Though I do love making a snow fort with the kids and having the annual snowball fight.

God is good. I have been spending a lot of time in the word lately. I have been studying the book of Acts and the book of Romans. My study in Romans has been especially encouraging. I am so glad that God is soverign. I find it a comfort to rest in His soverignty, when life seems to be tough.

I am excited about our summer mission trip this year with the youth. We were planning on going to Virginia, but with costs, it does not seem beneficial to go such a long distance. Instead, we are looking at going to Clovis, California and serve with World Changers. They are such a great organization.

Today, my little girl went potty on the toilet. She has been running to us more and more saying "potty." This means she has to go right this second. So we put her on the pot, and she does her thing. Then she gets a candy. I can't believe how fast she is growing up. She is not even two years old yet.

Alexander had his birthday this last Saturday. I can't believe he is six years old already. They grow up so quick. We went bowling for his birthday, then we went to his favorite place to eat, McDonalds.

Our kids are such a huge blessing to us. They make us laugh in so many ways. Driving home awhile ago, we were talking to our kids about the "f" word. Caleb said he knew what it was, but it was bad he couldn't say it. I gave him permission to say it just one time. "Dad, its flick." "Thats right!" I said, "Don't ever say that word again." Joanna and I gave eachother a smile.

Later we were driving down the road in my truck, and Caleb had a booger on his finger. I told him to "flick it out the window." "Dad!" He said, "you just said the "f" word!" The look on his face said how much trouble I was in.

"Your right, just wipe it on your pants. Sorry I said that."

"Thats better." Caleb said wiping his booger on his jeans.

I just smiled. They are such good kids.

18 years...

Since October of 1989, I have been conforming my life to the image of Jesus Christ. There are times when I look back on who I was, and I am so grateful that person does not exist any more. Then there are other times that I feel as if I am the same person I was back then. I can't believe that I still struggle with many of the same things that I struggled with back then.

As I look back on 18 years of being a Christian, I am so grateful for God's blessings. He allowed me to know a wonderful Christian family, and be discipled by them (Jerry & JoAnn). He has blessed me with a wonderful wife, whom I do not deserve. He has given me four wonderful children, who are an absolute delight. He has given me a wonderful job working with teens, that I absolutely love. He has given me so many things that I can't imagine what kind of disaster I could have done to my life, if He had not intervened at just the right time.

I came to Christ in a wonderful church, with an incredible pastoral staff. My first understanding of Scripture came under Stu Weber's teaching. I could not wait to hear Alan Hlavka get up and teach, because the man made sense to me. I grew up without a father, and Stu was teaching on Biblical Manhood. Before Tender Warrior ever came out, it was a sermon series. You should listen to Stu & Alan online at http://www.goodshepherdcc.org/

As time moved on, I too moved (physically) to another church. There I sat under the incredible teaching of Rick Elzinga. Rick is a wonderful teacher, and a good friend. In fact, he was the pastor that married my wife and I. His wisdom and insight was and is so valuable to me. I cannot thank him enough for the blessing he has been to me. Again, God was putting me under good authority.

From there, my wife and I moved to Montana. In Montana, we were so blessed to be under the teaching of Joel Banham. Joel has blessed me in so many ways. He has encouraged me to be a pastor. I know that I have made a lot of mistakes in my life and that on my own, I could not be a pastor. Joel has shared with me about how God takes lives that are filled with garbage, and makes something beautiful out of it. He has shared that, God can take a past like mine, and redeem it, and use it for His glory. If it were not for Joel Banham, I do not think I would have the desire to be a pastor today. To this day, I still consider him to be one of my closest friends.

After almost six years at the Bible Chapel and being under Joel's authority and teaching, God has brought my family to Eastern Washington. I am so blessed to be where I am now.

I do not deserve any of God's blessings, but then again, none of us do. As I reflect on my past and where God has taken me, I am grateful for my loving Savior, who died on the cross for my sins. There is now no condemnation in Christ. I now have eternal life, because He rose from the dead, and gave me new life. My sins were dealt with on the cross, all of them (past, present, and future). God's word guides me, and His Spirit convicts me. He has given me everything I need for life and godliness. I have never been for wanting in my relationship with God.

Life and a short sermon

Today has been a pretty good day so far. My beloved Ducks beat USC. I have been a Ducks fan for a long time, and through the last 10 to 12 years they have had a pretty good team. It would be great if they could get a national championship, perhaps this is the year. Then the Cougs beat UCLA.
That was the way a rough week ended. I think I am getting sick, or stressing out. Next week will be very busy. On Monday my daughter is seeing an Oral Surgeon to have a cyst removed, then on Tuesday my wife is having a cap put on a tooth that broke last week. Then on Wednesday (Halloween) Caleb is getting braces. On Friday, Joanna and her friend head off to a scrapbook retreat up in Sandpoint, Idaho, so I will have the kids.

All in all it is going to be a very busy week. On top of all of what the future week has in store, I think I am coming down with something.

Okay, enough whining.

This week I was looking at the church plant in Philippi. The story unfolds in Chapter 16 in the book of Acts, starting in verse 11 through the end of the chapter..

11So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, 12and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days. 13And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. 14One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. 15And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.
16As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. 17She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” 18And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.
19But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. 20And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. 21They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.” 22The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. 23And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. 24Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, 26and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. 27When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” 29And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. 30Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. 34Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.
35But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.” 36And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace.” 37But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.” 38The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. 39So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city. 40So they went out of the prison and visited Lydia. And when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed.

We see in verse 13 that there was no synagogue for Paul to preach at. Knowing there was no synagogue, Paul goes to the river and meets Lydia. His first convert in Philippi. The second convert is a demon possessed woman who taunts Paul for a few days. The third convert is the jailor that was ready to commit suicide upon thinking Paul had escaped. This is the beginning of the church in Philippi. Ten years later he starts his letter to the church with,
“Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:
2Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. 7It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

It surprises me with the people that God use to build His Kingdom. No one exempt from being used by God. We often put limits on ourselves, or feel unworthy or worse unusable due to our past. Yet that is not the case. He who began a good work in us will continue that work. It was evident that God began work in Philippi on the first day (Phil. 1:4), and when Paul wrote this, God was still using them.
If someone came to me with a proposal to start a church with a woman, another woman who was demon possessed, and a man in the prison system, I don’t know if I would take you seriously. But when it comes to God and His church, he uses even the most broken person for His glory.

God may not be calling you to a church plant, but if you are a Christian, God is asking you to be a part of His Church. It is God who is working in you, don’t sell yourself short when it comes to being used in the church. If you have the Holy Spirit, then you have a gift that you can use to help the Church.

Fall Retreat

My wife and I just got home from our Fall Retreat with the youth at the "Big Brown House." We had a great time and enjoyed the kids that went. There were some that were missed as they could not make it, and they know who they are. This year we had the biggest mud fight that we have ever had. Pics will be posted soon. Mud was everywhere. I have video of Michael Barrie rolling in the mud all over the place. The kids had to be freezing, especially the guys, as they had their shirts off.

My son, Alexander, managed to crack his head on the coffee table and put a good gash in his eye. He was doing fine until he saw his own blood running down his cheek. The face bleeds easily. He calmed down quickly when he saw his brothers getting their swimsuits on for the hot tub. He too quickly put a band-aid on his cut, and jumped into the hot tub.

I have four beautiful children, and they continue to make me smile. Though my daughter is terribly tired right now and is whinning about everything. She will be going to bed early tonight.

We had fun playing Texas Hold em. Though Kyle was missed, as everyone thinks he is the greates poker player in the world. I am horrible, as I can't bluff worth beans.

I spoke on who we are in Christ. The first night I shared about being forgiven. That God takes our sins, and casts them as far east is from the west. How God chooses not to remember our sins. Saturday night, I shared about how God gives us his Spirit to dwell inside us. How the spirit is sealed in us, and how it guarantees that we are going to Heaven. This morning, I shared about how faith and works go together. I used Jesus example of how good fruit bears good fruit, and how bad fruit bears bad fruit. I confirmed that the kids could know they are saved if 1.) they believe, 2.) They have the Holy Spirit, 3.) Their lives reveal their faith. I hope I encouraged the kids, and challenged some that are playing church.

All in all, I had a great time. Tyler was much appreciated as he played guitar for us, and Bill and Suzie were such a huge blessing as they are every year.

On our way home, we hit a road block. My oldest two have a teacher that has been helping them with their reading at school. She is a very sweet and wonderful lady, who has been such a blessing as a parent. Last week she fell into a coma, and this morning she passed away. We are pretty confident she is a believer, as she encouraged Caleb and Joshua in their scripture memory verses for Awana, and gave my boys opportunities to share thier faith.

This hit Joshua the hardest, as he really loved this teacher. His heart hurts for her, and he wanted to know if Jesus ever cried when people died. I shared that Jesus did cry when his friend Lazarus died. He took comfort knowing that it was okay to cry, if Jesus cried when people died.

God is good,

Shawn