As I was running this morning I noticed it started sprinkling and looked up and saw a very bright rainbow. I saw it and just smiled. I couldn't help myself. I just thought of God's magnificent power and mercy. I though of everything he has given me and blessed me with.
It makes me feel horrible that I continue to fail Him. That I can take everything that He has given me and still forget about it and turn my back on Him at times. The blessing is knowing that I will still receive God's grace and he will continue to forgive me. When will I stop relying on this grace and stop doing thing that are not His will?
I can go on and on with how God has blessed me but I must give praise for my family. They are so supportive and amaze me continually. Another blessing is our Sunday school class. Thank you Lord for giving us friends that are supportive and will help us grow and server you. We talked today about head heart and hands and I am so excited about this upcoming year. We have some great lessons and we have lots of opportunities to server.
Thank you Lord for all the blessings you have given me.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
My Church Background
I was asked a question in another blog. The blog is for my Sunday School class and I was just sharing my church background. I figured I would post it here so more people can read it.
I grew up attending church. My mom is Catholic but we went to a Covenant church. I just found this link to their website. As I saw it my dad was anti-catholic and was very persuasive about us not going to a Catholic church.
Church was just something we did on Sunday morning. I went to a very small church in a very small town. About half my schoolmates went to this church and we all went to Sunday school. When I was given the choice I avoided the sermon as much as possible. As my brothers grew up they didn't have to go to church but I still went until high school.
I was saved when I was fairly young and still remember this as a very important event but don't consider it a turning point in my faith. I remember wanting so much to learn more and remember doing better for a little bit but then just went back into my same routine and old habits.
High school was pretty much the same. I went to church occasionally but it never really mattered if i went or not. I remember learning the stories but it never hit home.
College didn't change me at all (for the better). I did, however, start dating a girl and through this relationship started attending church with her and her family. I then was invited by my sister to go to her church. It was a startup church that was renting the sanctuary from another church. The pastor was a friend of my brother-in-law's and I went only because my sister asked me to come. I enjoyed it! I really like the message and Pastor Mark seemed very down to earth and connected with me. This was all new to me. We alternated between her hometown (boring Methodist) church to my sister's (more fun) Baptist church.
I learned more and had times of being closer to God and then straying. I didn't have any friends that I felt really close to that were Christians though. I wanted to be part of this but didn't want to be weird. I was superficial.
That relationship ended and I spent a lot of time 'being free'. I wasn't too crazy but a friend and I did spend a lot of time at bars for a while. (We spent a small fortune playing darts!). I wasn't happy with myself and knew that I needed to change but wasn't strong enough to do it on my own. Poor me was all alone and I didn't want to go to church by myself.
Chris (my friend) and I got jobs at the same company and moved up here to Kansas City. The partying continued for a bit but I was ready to be done with it. After a few months I started looking for a church. I went around and tried out a few churches and always had to go by myself. I was the only one of my friends that would go. Chris' favorite quote is "I don't have to go to church to believe in God and be a Christian." I have had conversations about this with him a few times. That will be another entry.
After attending one church I decided to join a bible study. I went a couple times but it was a group of about ten older (old old) people and I felt very weird.
A buddy gave me the number of a friend who went to church in Olathe. I called him up and went to his church a few times. I was still going just for Church and then going home. I wasn't able to get more involved. But I felt more comfortable. Now Kristen was introduced into my life.
Wow. What a change this made. She took me to COR and I went to a big church for the second time in my life. The first time ended up being a very bad experience (also a topic for another entry) and I wasn't too excited to come. I absolutely loved it. It was enormous but beautiful and exciting to come to. The video screens and production didn't feel cheesy or overdone. I am a tech nerd and this was awesome to see...at church! We came back more and more and my faith continued to grow. Kristen's faith was so strong I had no choice but to believe. She was an answer to my prayers.
Since we have been at COR we became members, got baptized together and joined Couples In Christ. God has continually blessed us in all aspects of our lives and has provided so much for us. I can't wait to see how this story goes from here!
I grew up attending church. My mom is Catholic but we went to a Covenant church. I just found this link to their website. As I saw it my dad was anti-catholic and was very persuasive about us not going to a Catholic church.
Church was just something we did on Sunday morning. I went to a very small church in a very small town. About half my schoolmates went to this church and we all went to Sunday school. When I was given the choice I avoided the sermon as much as possible. As my brothers grew up they didn't have to go to church but I still went until high school.
I was saved when I was fairly young and still remember this as a very important event but don't consider it a turning point in my faith. I remember wanting so much to learn more and remember doing better for a little bit but then just went back into my same routine and old habits.
High school was pretty much the same. I went to church occasionally but it never really mattered if i went or not. I remember learning the stories but it never hit home.
College didn't change me at all (for the better). I did, however, start dating a girl and through this relationship started attending church with her and her family. I then was invited by my sister to go to her church. It was a startup church that was renting the sanctuary from another church. The pastor was a friend of my brother-in-law's and I went only because my sister asked me to come. I enjoyed it! I really like the message and Pastor Mark seemed very down to earth and connected with me. This was all new to me. We alternated between her hometown (boring Methodist) church to my sister's (more fun) Baptist church.
I learned more and had times of being closer to God and then straying. I didn't have any friends that I felt really close to that were Christians though. I wanted to be part of this but didn't want to be weird. I was superficial.
That relationship ended and I spent a lot of time 'being free'. I wasn't too crazy but a friend and I did spend a lot of time at bars for a while. (We spent a small fortune playing darts!). I wasn't happy with myself and knew that I needed to change but wasn't strong enough to do it on my own. Poor me was all alone and I didn't want to go to church by myself.
Chris (my friend) and I got jobs at the same company and moved up here to Kansas City. The partying continued for a bit but I was ready to be done with it. After a few months I started looking for a church. I went around and tried out a few churches and always had to go by myself. I was the only one of my friends that would go. Chris' favorite quote is "I don't have to go to church to believe in God and be a Christian." I have had conversations about this with him a few times. That will be another entry.
After attending one church I decided to join a bible study. I went a couple times but it was a group of about ten older (old old) people and I felt very weird.
A buddy gave me the number of a friend who went to church in Olathe. I called him up and went to his church a few times. I was still going just for Church and then going home. I wasn't able to get more involved. But I felt more comfortable. Now Kristen was introduced into my life.
Wow. What a change this made. She took me to COR and I went to a big church for the second time in my life. The first time ended up being a very bad experience (also a topic for another entry) and I wasn't too excited to come. I absolutely loved it. It was enormous but beautiful and exciting to come to. The video screens and production didn't feel cheesy or overdone. I am a tech nerd and this was awesome to see...at church! We came back more and more and my faith continued to grow. Kristen's faith was so strong I had no choice but to believe. She was an answer to my prayers.
Since we have been at COR we became members, got baptized together and joined Couples In Christ. God has continually blessed us in all aspects of our lives and has provided so much for us. I can't wait to see how this story goes from here!
Monday, August 06, 2007
Wedding, Wedding, Wedding
It's crazy that there are 32 days left until the wedding. Kristen has done such a beautiful job with everything. I can't wait to see how it all turns out. It's crazy to think that I am getting married! I Love Kristen with everything that I am. Its just an awesome feeling to know that in just over a month we will be husband and wife. Because of how crazy everything has been lately it hasn't really sunk in. I can't wait to share everything with Kristen again as my wife. The first Thanksgiving and the first Christmas. It feels like we get to start over as our own little baby family.
I think my excitement comes mostly from the fact that my parents split up when i was in sixth grade. I wholeheartedly love my mom and dad but ever since they split up I rarely felt like I had a complete family. I have gotten extremely close to my siblings over the last few years and that helps a lot. But when Kristen and I get married I get to start over. We get to have kids and we get to do things right where my parents faltered.
I am so happy that Kristen and I have the same beliefs about God too! My mom is Catholic and my dad wasn't a strong Christian and I think that really hurt them. Through our premarital counseling at the church and our Sunday school class, along with our church membership and the little that we have given our time to help others together has been such a rewarding experience. Its such a wonderful feeling to know that God has blessed us with each other and that He has his hand in our relationship.
Since its past my bedtime I better sign off and go to sleep.
Scott
I think my excitement comes mostly from the fact that my parents split up when i was in sixth grade. I wholeheartedly love my mom and dad but ever since they split up I rarely felt like I had a complete family. I have gotten extremely close to my siblings over the last few years and that helps a lot. But when Kristen and I get married I get to start over. We get to have kids and we get to do things right where my parents faltered.
I am so happy that Kristen and I have the same beliefs about God too! My mom is Catholic and my dad wasn't a strong Christian and I think that really hurt them. Through our premarital counseling at the church and our Sunday school class, along with our church membership and the little that we have given our time to help others together has been such a rewarding experience. Its such a wonderful feeling to know that God has blessed us with each other and that He has his hand in our relationship.
Since its past my bedtime I better sign off and go to sleep.
Scott
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)