Snow, Snow, Snow!

Wow, I cannot believe it has snowed almost a foot in the last couple of days! Starting late Friday afternoon it started snowing and continued to snow until it snowed most of the evening and unto the night until it amassed a total of 10 inches or so. Of course Friday was the night we had planned our big outreach event. We usually have a movie on the third Friday of the month and call it 3M Night which stands normally for Monthly Movie Madness but in the case of this month we were going to call it 3M Night for MEAL, MESSAGE, and a MOVIE. So we were really looking for an exciting evening and hopefully getting the word out so we could perhaps gain some more people for the new year. But then again God couldn't have been more clearer when he dumped about a foot of snow on us so when we had to cancel our event, that was ok, I know God must have a better time for us to have a big 3M Night! Maybe January is a better month, so if that's the month God wants, then that suits me just fine! God also gave me and Andy time to finish out school work due for Liberty University by bringing the snow so He is so good especially when it couldn't be anything or anybody but Him, and when it snows a foot, that has to be God!

New Beginnings!

Since we had several folks show an interest in Life Pointe Church this past weekend, I am wondering just want new series to speak on for Tuesday night Bible Study. I have spoken on different things such as using the Andy Griffith Show for our example of Godly items such as honesty, truthfulness, sacrifice, etc. to practice by watching a bit of an episode and then studying about it in the Bible. And then we went through the Book of John. And lately we have been discussing the Temple and how it was built along with a special emphasis on the Ark of God that was in the Holy of Holies area of the temple. Last week and the week before we talked about David and how he danced before the Ark right after another man died before the Ark. But now I am thinking of BACK TO THE BASICS so new converts, new attendees, and even us old times can be refreshed or learn for the first time, the very simple foundations we need to practice daily. So this Tuesday should be interesting as we see who comes in from the Fall Fest we had this past Saturday! Look out, we may just start growing! It's exciting but a little scary too! I just need to keep trusting and looking to God as He grows us!

Fall Festival!

Just because it has been months since I have written anything on the blog page certanly doesn't mean God has not been working! I just get busy doing things and soon forget to post and then when I try, it sometimes seems that I have computer difficulties, so anyway, while it's working, I wanted to post some things. I know one day I will look back and even though many people may never see this blogpage, I will use it as sort of a spiritual diary to recall so many of the things God has done for us and especially Life Pointe Churc. This past Saturday we had our second Block Party and this time we called it our Fall Fest! We again had the Liberty U. students come down and help us with the blow up houses for the kids to play on plus provide games, etc. for the kids to play. We (that is Ginny) made delicious funnel cakes from all the equipment we borrowed from the Pizza Den and we were able to give away a lot of prizes that we had donated from the local businesses. God was good to us in that over $300 worth of donations came in and it was all absolutely free of charge with no strings attached. God gave us the items so I praise Him for that! Most importantly we had several decisions for Jesus!! Only time will tell if those decisions are real but I certainly hope and pray so! One couple even expressed to me that they wanted to start coming to Life Pointe and join the church! I have never had anyone say that yet, so that was great! And then yesterday I got to go and preach at Craig Valley Baptist Church in Newcastle for Bill Grindstaff, whose church also came this past Saturday to help us. It is good to have a "partner" in our labor to plant Life Pointe. Craig Valley Baptist has some really good member who have encouraged us greatly! So God is good and we continue to plant and settle the church that God has called us to plant!

Innovate Conference

Wow, it was so good to be able to go to the Innovate Conference last week, I was just so blessed to be there! The music, the speakers, the messages, and I also got to take a class at the same time, an intensive, which helps me to know more about being a church planter, so the week was just great! I was so humbled the first night, God just grabbed my heart and humbled me to remind me that it truly is all about Him, and that I should maybe just sit my ideas aside for awhile and just go back to the basics, that is winning souls to Him. He refocused my thinking, encouraged my thinking, and helped me to be extremely thankful for the church planting team, (my family of Ginny, Andy, and Ashley) that He has blessed me with. By the end of the week I was ready to charge ahead and it was all because of God! I am so glad when He is so clear! And He even provided me a room to stay up there in Lynchburg all week to keep me from having to run back and forth from Roanoke, so God indeed was so good! I look forward to what He is going to do, for He already is doing so much even before I get the chance to put my feet into motion! Thank you Jesus for such a good week!

Learning through Tough Times

I must admit it's been a little tough this week. With a PTA meeting scheduled this past Tuesday which is the normal night for our Bible study, this change cause some people not to be able to come so I found just "me" sitting in the library when Bible Study was to start. And tonight's movie night had just 8 people there. This is when we have probably averaged 30 for the past few months, with Fireproof bringing in over 50 people. So I don't know what God is teaching me, but if it's faithfulness I want to pass the test. God is good, all the time; all the time, God is good! I enjoyed the movie and I guess those folks who usually come just missed a blessing, but God has called us, so we push on. Who knows, just like the sky is opening up and pouring rain right now, God may just open up doors and pour His blessings in ways we never imagined, and maybe that might be soon. So again, we push on and press forward to see what God is going to do.

Possibilities Abound With God!

Yesterday I met with someone who is considering helping Life Pointe Church by being our sponsor. Wow, how exciting is that? Not only to have some financial support but just to have someone who believes in what we are doing and wants to help us accomplish the task that Jesus has given us to do. I must admit, months ago, I thought a lot of people might come alongside us to help, but so far, no one has. But for such a time as this, God has all things in control and will give us the help we need just at the right time, just when He deems it necessary. God is good and I think the "partnership" we will develop with this church and it's pastor will be a good one. So Praise the Lord, we are pushing along each day and seeing how God is at work in our mission.

God Continues to Bless and Open Doors!

Please forgive the following post for being a couple of weeks late, but I have been trying to put it on the Blog page for several weeks and just couldn't get it to post right, until tonight, so while it is a little "outdated" since it talks about Easter Weekend, it still nevertheless deserves a "posting" since God has been doing some great things in both our lives and in the life of Life Pointe Church. So, even though it's a bit late, here finally is the post I have been wanting to put on our Blogpage.

Wow, it's been so long since I have posted but it's certainly not because God isn't working! As a matter of fact God seems to be growing Life Pointe in just the way He wants! Ginny continues to be a blessing to a family from Nepal that she spends a lot of time with, helping with shopping, helping to locate jobs for some of them, and just in general showing the love of God to them. Just last weekend, we took them to see the Passion Play at Shenandoah Baptist Church, the special Easter play they present each year. God give me the idea to just "show" them what Christ has done for them, and I thought what better way to show them, than to literally show them with the Passion Play. They seemed to enjoy it and even had some questions about it later, so that was very good. To be able to witness to a family from a Hindu background just shows how God is giving us an opportunity to witness for His glory. And to make it so they could "see" how Christ died on a cross to pay for their sins and mine was just so good since it was so vivid. God is just so good in His timing! What better time of the year to show people whose religion doesn't really believe in a resurrection than Easter time? And just yesterday I was able to share the love of God with a family that seemed to be going through some tough times but also seeking to put God more into their lives, and I think just by showing the kindness that I did, God received glory and got even more of their attention so I was very blessed to be a part of God's plan to draw a family closer to Himself. God just confirmed every thing He told me to do by giving the person I shared with a receptive heart and an open heart to see how God is working. The person even expressed an interest in maybe coming to Life Pointe Church in the future, so again God is growing His church in just the way He wants to grow it and I couldn't be happier! So no, we may not have a 100 on Easter morning, but we are slowly reaching out to those families that God brings into our lives and I'm thankful that God uses us to touch one life at a time! Jesus often did the same thing when He was here on earth, so we are copying the Master's way of reaching out and blessing those we come in contact with, so we must be doing exactly what we are suppose to be doing! Praise the Lord, it's going to be a great Easter weekend with not only some good family and food time but good reminders that God is alive and well and working through us all the time! Praise His Name!