Amazed

Last night we had the opportunity to hang out with some really cool people, got to meet some new faces and share the love of Christ with those in need of His love.  We shared a meal,fellowshiped and listened to a great teaching from God's word.  We all gathered at the Emergency Shelter of Benton Harbor, who were gathering to celebrate all those who were with the program and all their accomplishments in the last year.  Stories were told and shared, community was oozing from within and people were genuinely excited for one another.  There was no racial/social or economical walls anywhere to be found, people just doing life together and loving on one another, oh and by the way about 30 children had a blast playing with the volunteers, having snacks and learning about Jesus...as one kid put it, this was the best night they had in a long time, but was sad to see us go and wanted to go home with us. Needless to say this brought tears to all our eyes but we know that God is on the move in big ways, we are just trying to be where He is already at work.

New Home in Benton Harbor!

“...for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ¹²I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” Phil. 4:11-13

This is a scripture that has been LIVING in and very much so part of our lives for the past two years now, and we have seen and been part of the the awesome wonders of God, and now have come to know this verse to its fullest meanings in our lives. We have been living here in our new home for the past month now and have been really loving it.  Here are a few things that we have been loving about it...

• It's our first actual house to live in (even though we are renting).
• We are loving our block and meeting our new neighbors.
• Having a small yard for the girls to play in.
• Our good friends and partners in this church plant together are right down the road, the Bennett's.
• Learning what it truly means to follow Jesus at all costs and to live on mission everyday.

God has truly reshaped my paradigm of ministry for the last couple of years. Coming out of college I thought I had it all figured out and new exactly what it all should look like.  I had the picture painted and knew what was best for me and my family. I mean, why not? I did everything I should have done in the right way, right? God called me, saved me by His grace, called me into ministry, went to college, graduated with honors, plenty of ministry experience under my belt, married the most beautiful woman ever :) what else could a guy want or do...and so what "should" have followed just simply didn't. 

We didn't end up at "that church", you know the one I'm talking about, the one that could actually afford to pay us and give us a nice little package with all the benefits, etc. Nope, that was not what God had for us, He was calling us to be part of something different, not better or worse, just different.  As I'm writing this I am smiling from ear to ear, knowing that this is the best place I have ever been on my walk with God thus far in the last nine years of journeying with him. God had to show me what ministry truly is and what it really is all about, and that is people. Loving God and loving people, PERIOD. And what's most important is that we are living on mission, following Jesus, selling out our lives for Him everyday, recklessly abandoning all else and going hard after all that He's laid before us.

So that brings us to where we are currently at with Overflow, Benton Harbor, Urban Missionaries, SW Michigan, helped to start a church, not only that but a children's ministry of all things.... and guess what these are all things I never thought or dreamed of doing right out of college, especially the children's ministry thing :)  And now looking back on the last two years of our lives and where God is leading us now, I thank God for His grace and mercy that has been seeing us through and allowing us to be part of what He's been doing all along.  Thank you Jesus! We've learned what it truly means to be content, just your orindary radicals living in Benton Harbor, Michigan.

1 Year Celebration and Baptisms

This was from that night we had our celebration party along with a baptism service. It's amazing to see how God is bringing together all people from all walks of life, isn't that what the kingdom of God is all about? Praise God!

Here is a great picture of our 1st-5th graders in SPLASH childrens ministry, having a ball as usual.

This is Pastor Brian, he looks a lot taller in this picture than in real life :)

Bobby is a great friend of mine, he and his have been attending Overflow for about a year now, he was baptized last summer in Lake Michigan, by my and Brian along with 10 ft waves !!

So there are some great pics from our 1 year celebration! It's been an amazing year to be part of all that God is doing here in this region.

Experiencing God

"Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Hebrews 6:11 (NIV)

"Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple."
Luke 14:33 (NIV)

For the last 14 weeks now we have been facilitating a life group for young adults using the study "Experiencing God" by Henry Blackaby, if you have not heard of this study or have been through it, I HIGHLY recommend it! It's been a great tool to help navigate us through God's word and what it means to experience God in our lives and what a personal relationship live out in authentic community really looks like. I'm not going to recap the studies for you, but I do want to give some highlights of how we have been experiencing God in our lives lately...

• His lovingkindness and peace sustaining us through our move to Benton Harbor.
• His grace working and living through us each week as I work 2 jobs and Casey takes care of the two little ones along with everything else. (It's here that we have been learnning to be content and sensing His peace in every moment of our day)
• Last Sat. we were able to get out in the nice weather and meet a few of our neighbors through helping one another in some much needed yard work :) which was very nice. Since we are now living in a prodominitely black community, you don't know what its like to be in the minority until your in it and how cool it is to see God working all around us. Our neighbors are really great people! Looking forward to the BBQ's this summer!
• We as a church, Overflow, just celebrated our 1 yr birthday on March 16th...this year we have seen around 30 some salvations along with nearly 25 baptisms! But the coolest thing we have been seeing God do is transform lives! Like only he can do.

So there are some ways in the last month or so that we have been experiencing God. God is at work all around you, you just need to keep your (spiritual) eyes and ears open to notice what He is doing. So here is the challenge, anytime this week you know, think, see, smell, think you smell God at work around you, drop whatever your doing and GO BE PART OF WHAT HE IS ALREADY DOING. Then reply back to this blog to share your experiences with others and let's see God at work!

New Post, New Look, New Beginnings

Well, it is that time again... and man has it been a while! So here we go a new post, a new look, and now a new purpose. I really want to use this as a tool to help communicate with friends and family what we have been up to out here in Michigan and for all to keep a close eye on our two beautiful girls as they are growing up, really fast! Olivia turned 2 in April and Madeline is 6 1/2 months and as you can already see Olivia has no problem with being the big sister!

This picture is actually from back in probably sometime in Nov/Dec. We will be getting more pics and posts up real soon, promise! I plan on just sending out emails letting everyone know when I have a new post up. I'm really looking forward to this and being able to share all that God has been doing in our lives lately and man do we have somethings to write about.