Surrounded By LOVE!

I am so blessed to have the family, related and church, and friends that I do.  To live a life without a godly surrounding and influence would make life a lot harder.  Being surrounded with Love gives you a peace knowing that people are there to pick you up when you fall down and put you back on the proper path.  It is also an amazing feeling to have people who truly celebrate life's good times with you. In all of this wonderful LOVE, GOD is at the center of it all.  I truly do not know how people go through life without having that support system let alone a life without the Love of a heavenly father. 

Like the Nationwide Insurance commercial says "Life comes at your fast".  When life happens and catches you off guard, having a solid foundation truly helps you react in a godly time and manner.  But when the world comes at you fast and you give in, the love that surrounds you can bring you back to where you should be, surrounded by that love that keeps on flowing unconditionally.  For that Love I am forever grateful.

So it is very true that who you surround yourself with will shape who you are and how you act and react to situations and God is the only true way to be saved for the worldly temptations and struggles.

Keep your head up and remember surround yourself in LOVE!!

Grace and Peace
Ben

Not My Will

My prayer is that in times when big decisions are needed to be made that we can put aside our earthly desires and let the one who created us and knows us guide our decisions. We are human but we serve an all knowing God who only wants what's best.

NOT MY WILL LORD BUT YOURS BE DONE. Today and Forever!

When you let Gods will prevail you don't have to worry about the outcome because your path is set before for you with someone leading the way!

This is my prayer.

Grace and Peace.
Ben


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A Great Leader

I am so blessed to be in a church with a Great Leader.  Matt Johnson is the lead pastor at LCC in Lancaster, OH where my wife and I attend.  We have gone through some changes at the church and are now on a new journey and the future looks bright!

I am so glad to finally be in a church where I get fed every week and also am challenged to live my life in a better way. The teachings are all scripture backed and there is no dancing around the issue.  Because everything is backed by scripture I feel that you can be straight forward and honest with current issues but still bring it across in a proper manner and Matt does that ever Sunday. We don't like to miss a Sunday but when we do it's normally because we are up north visiting the in-laws. Even though we have a great time we wish we were at LCC on Sundays.  My father-in-law has never really done the church thing and for some of his reasons I don't blame him.  He loves going on Sundays when they come to visit.  I think that speaks greatly to Matt and his transparent and relevant teachings.  He always says after a Sunday "I wish we lived closer".   I am blessed to have a church where you are not shy about asking people to come to church with you and check things out.  You know that every Sunday will be a quality service with relevant teachings.

I have also been blessed to take over one of the worship leader positions and also help my wonderful wife who leads the Junior High class every other month. I know it blesses her to be able to teach because that is her calling in life. She has that passion and I get to see it every day.  Leading worship is such an honor. To lead people into a atmosphere of worship is like nothing else.  To see how the Holy Spirit is working through people blesses me every Sunday.  I see people starting to open up and let the worries of the day and the worries of those around them fade away and enter into a spiritual encounter with the Holy Spirit.

Life is good at LCC and because of that my life is blooming with the Hold Spirit. He is guiding me and giving me strength that I could never have had on my own and it all starts with a Great Leader.

Grace and Peace
Ben

Old Memories

Well I am gearing up for a week of bachelorhood!  My wife is leaving tomorrow for a weeks vacation to Tennessee with her Mom, Grandma, and Aunt Beth to visit her cousin Rachel.  I guess its time for the cloths to stay on the floor, the dishes to pile up in the sink and a lot of pizza.  Or not.  I would have thought that it would be easy to go back to your old ways but when you have someone counting on you, it makes things different.  The cooking will not be a problem due to the fact that I do the cooking anyway and plus we are watching what we eat which has been going great by the way.  Down 5.5 lbs from Monday.  It's definitely getting easier but there are still temptations around. The true test is when there is no one in the house with me to keep me accountable.  I think I can, I think I can. 

I am so happy that my wife is getting to go away for a week with her family.  I know its hard for her to be away from her family and I try everything I can to make sure she gets to see her family as much as possible.  The good thing is that I enjoy being around them as well so it's nice for me as well.  I thank her all the time for the sacrifices she has made for us and I know I can never say thank you enough to express how much it means to me.  Also a big thank you to her family for allowing her to move my way.  I know they struggle with the same thing and again I appreciate your flexibility.

Well off to finish my Friday and get into the weekend.  Hopefully some things will get done on the house this week so the wife can come home to some nice changes. 

Grace and Peace
Ben

The Holy Spirit and Marriage

I am in such shock and awe of how much the Holy Spirit has been giving me strength in the past few weeks.  I knew the power that was available and up till now had only tapped into a small portion of it.  After releasing self-control over to Him completely, life just seems to be a bit easier.  I am eating better, exercising, filling my mind with the word and it makes for a much better day.  I have always been a laid back and happy person but this just gives you that extra boost of energy and confidence that was apparently never fully there. 

I pray that if you are having a hard time letting something go due to self control to truly give it over to God and let the Holy Spirit give you the strength that you can't muster on your own. I promise you that a fully submitted heart will produce good fruit and fruit is good for you!!!

It helps have a loving wife that is there to support me through whatever goes on in my life.  She is my encourager and my best friend.  I wish everyone could find a wife that is as supporting and selfless as she is.  There would be a lot less divorce in this country. I don't think the vast majority of America takes the idea of marriage as serious as we should.  Some people just take the lazy way out and get divorced because they don't want to give their part to the marriage. It's 100% and 100% in my book. We have a lot of desires that turn into expectations when we get married and that can be very dangerous.  Sometimes those desires turned expectations are never voiced so the other person never knows what you are expecting.  Open communication is key.  Men please don't get the mentality that your "THE MAN" and the woman must submit to you. Leave your ego behind and help out with things around the house.  Do laundry every once in a while or sweep.  It's the little things that matter to women.  And don't go around saying "well I did this and this and this".  Kinda ruins the whole effort.  I have heard guys say that once you are married for awhile the woman doesn't want to be intimate anymore or its not that often.  My question to you guys is, what are you doing in the relationship?  Is she giving, giving, giving and your taking taking taking?  That doesn't sound very welcoming to me.  I know I have only been married 11 months but to me its a constant effort that has to be made even when you don't want to.  At times I don't want to come home and cook dinner but that's what I do for my wife.  I cook and she cleans.  That is what we have discussed and it works.  That doesn't mean that I should never pick up a broom or dust or do laundry or sweep.  It's the things that we do out of love not expecting anything back that gives us the best return. There will be ups and downs but with a Christ centered marriage and a willingness to put forth an effort, I am looking forward to the next 65+ years!!

Well this started out as a Holy Spirit Blog and Turned into my take on marriage.  I had to go and change my title.  I hope this made you think and you can take out of it what you would like.

Grace and Peace
Ben

My life, My wife

I am laying in bed trying to go to sleep so I thought I would post something.

I am laying beside an amazing woman I get to call my wife. She is the best thing that has ever happened to me and I thank God that He brought us together. It will be a year of marriage for us on April 10th. Best year of my life. She loves me for me and it makes me want to be a better person.

I better wrap things up so the light from my phone doesn't wake her up!!

Grace and Peace
Ben



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At Home

I love relaxing at home with my beautiful wife. Life has been great the past week and a half and I love going through life with her. I never realized how much strength you can gain from letting the Holy Spirit lead your life.

I am eating better and spending more time in the Word!! God is doing great things and I am so excited to see what he has in store for me!!

Grace and Peace
Ben

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Life is Good

The past week of my life has been wonderful.  I have a renewed sense of the Holy Spirit working in my life and I am back on track with a lot of things that I have let slip.  I am trying to constantly be in a state of prayer and give God the glory for all He is doing and will do.  I know at times we try and fit God in when we have time because we thing about prayer as an activity.  Something we have to stop from our daily routine and pray.  In my devotion this morning it talked about prayer and thinking of it less as an activity and more as an awareness of God.  Now don't miss take what I am saying.  You still need that quiet time with God every day, but being in a state of prayer doesn't mean stopping what your doing. It means to be fully aware that God is walking with you and thank Him for all He has done.  I have found that when I am trying to keep myself aware of God presence in my life that issues that arise don't seem to be as drastic because I am not relying on my own strength to get through it. The Holy Spirit gives us that ability to have within us the power to overcome things through Christ. You need to have it well conditioned within you so it can be outwardly used in times of need.  I also think that having that conditioned body filled with the Holy Spirit lets you enjoy the happy times in your life as well because you are able to let go of the issues that are holding you back from, well, the fruit of the spirit.  Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control.

I am blessed the have a lot of Love, Joy and Peace in my life and it truly does help the rest of the fruit to grow.  I have been seeing a great deal of strength in Self Control.  I give all the credit to the Holy Spirit at work in my life right now.  He has empowered me to do things outside of my physical strength and I am so grateful for that. 

I pray that your weekend is filled with good times with friends and family and that you keep an awareness of what God is doing in and through you!!

Grace and Peace
Ben

God Loves You

I hope everyone is well.  Not a long one today but wanted to let you know that God Loves You.

He is jealous for me
Loves like a hurricane
I am a tree
Bending beneath
The weight of his wind and mercy
When all of a sudden
I am unaware of these
Afflictions eclipsed by glory
And I realize how beautiful you are
And how great your afflictions for me

Oh how he loves us so
Oh how he loves us
How he loves us so

We are his portion
And he is our prize
Drawn to redemption by the grace in his eyes
If grace is an ocean we're all sinking
So heaven meets earth like a unforseen kiss
And my heart burns violently inside of my chest
I don't have time to maintain these regrets
When I think about the way
He loves us

Grace and Peace
Ben

A New Outlook

Today has been wonderful so far.  I have a new sense of purpose and focus on life.  I am trying to let the Holy Spirit work in and through my life.  I just want to be a good witness to others and have my body as holy of a temple as it can be.  That comes with praying, reading the word, exercise and eating right.  I feel that it's more than just a mental thing as far as the body as a temple goes.  I think a physically health body is a desire from God as well.  I have been lacking on that and I really think that it's tied to my lack of digging into the word.

I am praying for the Holy Spirit to help me in those areas so that I may be a better vessel for Him to work with.

Grace and Peace
Ben

Post Summit

All I can say is I serve an awesome God.  If you didn't get a chance to make it to the Summit I pray you will attend the next one.  It was a spirit filled evening with a lot of people truly seeking the one true God.  I witnessed people worshiping with no reservations and and an outpouring of their hearts to God.  We had several stations set up for prayer, communion, an art station and a prayer wall.  I think it was well needed for everyone! 

I am hoping to carry the energy from the Summit into my everyday life.  I know at times after an event like this we are good for a week or so then we go back to the same routines.  I pray that we can keep that fire going.  I know for me its digging into the word and truly seeking after God with unhindered passion.

I hope you all have a great weekend and light that fire inside you with the Word of God!

Grace and Peace
Ben

Humbled by a Loving God

Sometimes I don't think about it enough...... 

At times I go through life and don't take the time each day to recognize it...........

I am humbled by it......

God so loved us so much that he sent his one and only son to die on a cross for OUR sins. I am so humbled by the fact the God wants to love us after what we have done to him over and over again.  I, as a human, can't imagine someone doing something to me that effected my life in a negative way over and over again and not look at them different.  God has new mercies for us every day.  His love never fails.  He has stayed the same through ages and will continue to.

God, who breathed out stars, knows us by name.  I have been stuck on that concept for awhile.  The star breather, creator of the universe knows me, cares for me and wants whats best for me.  Humbling to say the least.

Take time to be humbled before The King.  Recognize that all things come from Him and he will provide if you put your hope and trust in Him.

I am looking forward to The Summit this weekend to give God all the glory that I can give.  It's nowhere close to what He deserves but I want to give Him my all.

Grace and Peace
Ben

The Summit - Brokenness:The Pathway to Worship

Alright enough time off.  Back to the blogging.

I had a great weekend with leading worship to celebrating my wife's birthday with my family to relaxing at home.  I have a very blessed life and give all the glory back to God.  He is the one who has made all things possible and opened doors for me when He knew I was ready.  I hope everyone has been well since I last blogged.

One think I am very excited about at my church LCC (Lancaster Community Church) is The Summit- Brokenness: The Pathway to Worship.  It's going to be an evening of worship.  Worship through music, art, scripture readings just to name a few will be on the agenda for the evening.  Sometimes we focus to much on the aspect of worship through music that we forget that worship can take all forms.  We are looking forward to have all of the worship leaders leading music together for the evening and a variety of worship stations that you can participate in however you feel moved.

It's going the be Sunday March 6th @ 6 p.m.

LCC is located at
230 N. Columbus St
Lancaster, OH  43130

http://yourlcc.org/2011/02/the-summit/


Even if you don't attend LCC it will be a Spirit filled evening and I hope you all can attend.

Grace and Peace
Ben

Birthday

Well today is my beautiful wife's birthday. I am so blessed to have such an amazing woman in my life to share everything with.  Life is so much more enjoyable when you have someone to come home to, to talk with, to laugh and cry with,  to have arguments with that you know will still love you in the end. 

It will be a year on April 10th and I can't believe so much time has gone by already and it excites me because I have already learned so much about her and we have the rest of our lives to figure out the rest.  It can only get better from here.  I always say marriage is what you make so I plan on having a long, happy, loving marriage. 

I love my wife with all I have in me and I can never say it enough. Sometimes we as guys think we say it enough but I have never heard a women say that "he tells me he loves me to much".

My challenge to you is to tell someone you love them today. Make sure its a person you know pretty well or else you will have a very awkward moment.  Actually if you come across one of those post back and let me know!!

Grace and Peace
Ben
 

Quality Time

Spent a good day with my father-in-law. We always have fun hanging out and just being guys!! BW3's and Home Depot. That's how we role! It know it's nice for him to get away and have some quality guy time. He has a lot of estrogen around him and doesn't get much guy time. Poor fella!

I am so glad that I have a father-in-law that I get along with. So many things that involve the typical "in-laws" are usually a bad thing. Not in this this case. I married into a great family.

A day and a half left with the in-laws so I am going to enjoy every minute I can. I hope you all are having a great weekend so far and that it continues in that pattern!!

Grace and Peace
Ben


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Friday

Well I kinda ran out of time today to do a decent blog so I will just wish everyone a wonderful holiday weekend.  For those who didn't know, Presidents Day is Monday. I would hate for you show up to work on Monday and realize you didn't have to wake up that early!! I don't like it when that happens!!  I work for a local government so they make me observe the holiday.  OK if I have to!(deep sigh) LOL

I am sure I will have time this weekend to get a few more thoughts down on here.  There are a lot of things that go through my head.  Its getting the time to get them down before they disappear to wherever random thoughts go.  Be safe and keep on the Kingdom journey.

Grace and Peace
Ben

Approaching the Weekend

As the weekend approaches, I am reminded that we serve an loving God.  He is so gracious to us and gives us what we don't deserve.  We deserve death but He gives us life.  We deserve to walk through life alone for what we did to Him but He wants to walk with us in everything we do.  He forgives when we mess up, loves us enough to run after us when we stray away and longs to guide us in our journey towards His Kingdom.

Does this sound familiar?  .

"I ____________ so I deserve__________".(FILL IN YOUR SITUATION.) 

"I WORK HARD so I deserve TO HAVE A COMFORTABLE LIFE"
You are privaledged to have a job that God has placed you in to shine a light for Him.
You get a paycheck, from the job God placed you in, to first of all give back to Him, then to use as you feel necessary.  Also God never promised life would be easy. He did promise not to give you anything you can't handle and He is always there beside you!!!
Romans 8:28 And we know that in ALL THINGS God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

"I GIVE MORE IN THIS RELATIONSHIP so I deserve MORE ATTENTION"

A relationship isn't about who gives what, it's about caring enough about the other person to give unconditionally.  There is no rating system in a relationship.  It's 100% to 100%.  I hear a lot of guys that say "Man I give and give and my wife doesn't respect anything I do.  I ask them "are you just  doing it to get something you want?"  Women can see that.  If you are genuine in what you do, a woman will recognize it and respond accordingly.  They are very wise with that.  I have always tried to have a  mindset of "never do anything to get something in return"  You always set yourself up for failure.

Our fill in the blank should be "I SINNED so I deserve DEATH"

Luckily we serve a God who took our place on that one.

If we could ALL get the "I deserve" mentality out of our heads, this world would be drastically changed.  We thing we deserve a lot of things in our lives so we push some people aside and pass by situations to get what we think we deserve when God could have placed them or that situation in your life for Him to work through you. 

We don't deserve anything

We get focused to much on earthly possessions that rank us in our status as a person.  Why not focus on a God that died for our sins so we wouldn't have to face that punishment.  With the access to a Heavenly Father, what can out rank that!

I challenge you to think of yourself as Privaledged not Deserving.

Grace and Peace
Ben

Great Weekend and Valentines Day

Well as you can tell I took the weekend off of blogging.  Had a good weekend and Valentines Day.  To my wife and I it's just another day.  She would rather get flowers on days other the days your "Supposed to" get flowers.  We have almost been married a year and try and keep the honeymoon going.  People keep telling me, "wait till you have been married awhile, things will change."  I agree that things do change but marriage is what you make of it.  God didn't design something to be wonderful for the first year then fizzle out.  It takes hard work and I think those people who make those comments have become lazy and are expecting things but not giving anything in return.  We can become selfish in our wants and forget about the other person that is there who needs just as much attention as you do.  I am sure things will get tough at times but if we are living a life and imitating God in our lives, it should be easier to think not of ourselves and focus on the other persons needs. 

God needs to be involved in everything we do. 

My prayer this week is we include God in on everything we do and say. Listen for his Holy Spirit to guide you in all your decisions, then step out in faith. If its of the Holy Spirit, He will not lead you astray. 

Grace and Peace
Ben

FRIDAY

Well the week is finally coming to a close and I can take the time to look back over the week and see how I did.  Life was pretty busy this week.  A lot of running around and various projects.  This week had me occupied.  Didn't read as much in my bible as I should have.  Didn't sit down and take some quiet time with me and God.  Didn't tell my wife I love her as much as I should.  Life, even life as a christian, can get a hold of you and take charge.  I didn't do anything "bad" this week, just got busy.  But I think getting busy to the point that you don't have time for God an issue that I know I need to work on and maybe you do too. 

I am so glad that we have a small group to get together with and talk about life and how things are going.  As well as dig into the word of God and really try and wrestle with the things that He teaches.  Small group for me is another way to gauge how my weekend went.  Our group is on Monday so as we sit in small group I think back and see if I read my bible to prepare for group or really thought about what the study was saying.

I am also starting to lead on of the worship teams at church.  We had a meeting last night to talk about what we have planned for the worship at LCC and Carrie mentioned that we need to be striving to better ourselves as musicians but also better ourselves with our time in the word.  If we are not focus on glorifying God in all that we do, play, and sing, I feel you are robbing congregation of an opportunity to truly glorify God.  I know that God can work through all things but we need to be genuine in what we say and do. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, we can't help but show it in all we do and say.

Today I a making a pledge to not let life take control of my schedule.  I need to allow God to use me as He needs and then I will schedule my life in after that.  Life is good for me right now but I know that it can be so much better when I start to give God more of my time and effort.  I pray that He forgives me for where I have cheated Him out of my lack of devotion and attention.

I pray that we all make sure we let God do His work in His time and allow our life to fit in with that.

Have a wonderful weekend full of relaxing and fellowship and remember that God, that created the universe, wants to walk with you through it!!

Grace and Peace
Ben

Interesting Evening

Wednesday night is our game night with the guys!!  I always have a good time hanging out and ratting on each other while we play Xbox.  Midway through the night I heard a knock on my door.  I yelled "COME IN".  No one came in.  Another knock, "COME IN".  Normally if it's someone I know they will just come in.  Finally I heard a "Hello".  I walked down stairs and saw a kid about 12 years old covered in snow.  I asked him what he needed.  He said he needed to call his dad to come and pick him up. He said they got in a fight and he ran out of the house.  I let him use my phone to call his dad.  He told his dad where he was and left. 

Ok, back to game night...............

5 minutes later............ Knock, Knock.

Same kid.  "I need to call my dad again because he drove right past me".  He called his dad again and as he walked away he said thanks and God Bless.

I thought to myself, I hope his dad finds him. 

So we went back to playing Xbox.  8:30 came and we wrapped things up.  The guys left and I relaxed on the couch until I got my normal text from Stacey that she is on her way home from youth.  That always makes me happy.  About 5 minutes before she got home my friend Brent, who was at my house for game night, called me and said that his wife was at their Wednesday night activities at church (Antioch Alliance just down the road from me) and a kid was dropped off by his foster parents.  When everyone went downstairs, he decided to take off because he was mad that he doesn't get to see his dad. He said that I should probably call the sheriff because they are out looking for him. 

So I called the sheriff and they stopped by.  I gave them the cell phone number of the kids dad and talked with the officer for a few minutes.  He left and I headed to bed. 

Needless to say it was a very interesting evening.

I hope that things got worked out and they finally found the kid and got him back with his foster parents.

Have a good end of the week and keep striving towards living for the kingdom.

Grace and Peace
Ben

Mid Week

Here we are again.  Mid Week!  We have pushed through the rough part of the week and now it's all down hill from here.  I'm kinda without words today.  It's one of those mornings that you are just thankful to have a job, a house, a wife and most of all a loving heavenly father who is ALWAYS there for me.  I find a lot of comfort in that.  For me it's easy to grasp and loving heavenly father because I have a loving earthly father who has always been there for me as well.  You may not realize it now, but loving someone unconditionally can really have a large impact on their future views of a heavenly father so THANKS DAD!!

I pray that we love unconditionally or at least make an attempt to show people love.  If we are to be living a life that reflects God, God is Love. Please don't claim one thing with your mouth and void that with your actions!

Have a Holy Spirit filled rest of the week!

Grace and Peace
Ben

Small Group

I love every other Monday night.  That is when our small group meets.  We are going through a book called Forgotten God by Francis Chan. 

Francis Chan contends that we’ve ignored the Spirit for far too long, and that without Him, we operate in our own strength, only accomplishing human-sized results. It’s time for the beloved church of Jesus Christ to reverse the trend of neglect. Let’s pursue the Spirit-filled life of effectiveness God desires and we desire.

We have had some of the best conversations in our small group so far over this book.  I have seen some lives already starting to change as the Holy Spirit is working through them.  We previously went through the book Crazy Love by Francis Chan and said last night that we think it's better to go through this book first before Crazy Love.  Just some thoughts if your looking at the two books.

I hope you are all having a wonderful spirit filled week so far. 

Grace and Peace
Ben

It's a new day, It's a new day.

I hope everyone had a good weekend and a festive time with friends for the super bowl.  I know my wife and I did.  There is something about having good quality friends to hang out and fellowship with.  I am looking forward to this week.  Taking it one day at a time and really trying to focus on God and what he has in store for me.  Trying not to get taken in by the world and all the negativity that is around. 

We started a series on the Holy Spirit at church and I am know that it will be life changing even to a person who has been a christian most of their life. At times you can almost get in a mundane type of living and worshiping and miss out on everything that the Holy Spirit is trying to accomplish through you.  I am so grateful to have a pastor that teaches from the bible and is lead by the Holy Spirit to deliver a relevant message that we can apply to our life practically and then in turn take to the world.

-I hope that if you have not accepted Christ and your personal Savior that you take a step in that direction and give your life to a God who loves you more that anything, who died on a cross to give you an eternal life with Him and who wants only the best for you life and who will walk beside you through it all.  You just have to let Him in!

-If you are a christian, I pray that you will not get set on cruise control and miss out of what God has planned for you. Dig into his word and challenge yourself to be a better person.  You are the temple of the Holy Spirit.  The world needs to see that everyday. 

I know I am going to try harder!!!

Grace and Peace
Ben

At Peace

There is nothing like being at peace with everything.  It's such a wonderful feeling to know that whatever happens, happens for a reason.  God has my life, current and future, in His hands. I can't imagine a person trying to have peace without God.  You have to rely on your own confidence and abilities to try and figure out how things will turn out.  I know that whatever happens, I don't have to worry about my future.  I know that whatever happens, God has allowed it so I can grow in my faith and/or rejoice in who He is.  When my time comes to leave my earthly dwelling, I know I will be living an eternity with the one who created me!  I have said it's not good to focus on tomorrow and miss out on what God has for you today but when you are talking about the future in the Kingdom it's a healthy "looking forward to" when it keeps your current perspective in check.

It's a good feeling having on a Friday.  Its makes the weekend feel brighter and gives you hope for the future.

End the week on a good note and thank God for walking beside you this week.

Grace and Peace
Ben

Day Off

Well I took a day off work to spend it with my wife. Time with her is so precious so I just wanted to drop in and say that God cherishes every minute you spend with Him. He loves to hear how your day is going and wants to work through your struggles with you!

Take some time with God today. He made something unique when He made you and wants to hear how your life is going!

Grace and Peace
Ben


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Tuesday (3 days till the weekend!!)

I'm unfortunately falling into the early week drone.  It's me being human and just trying to get through another day to get to the weekend.  Why do we get in these moods?  We serve a God that has amazing plans for our lives and has given us a life with Him to look forward to.  He has given us minds and mouths to speak His word into peoples lives so that they can experience the same peace we have in knowing that this is not all there is.  I wish we were all passionate the minute we wake up to the moment we lay our heads down to put an end to another day. 

Humanness!!!  That's our problem.  That's my problem.

I so want to have the passion outside of church or after a time of a spiritual enlightenment to worship with an unstoppable force.  I have those moments, but life seeps back in and makes me take on my humanness again.

Am I making excuses and just calling it humanness? 

Maybe satan is using our humanness to keep us in this lukewarm type of attitude.

Why do we say maybe?

I know all scripture is truth, so I should not have any doubt that it's not the way God wants me to live therefore it is satan working against me. We try and make things sound as if they are not that big of a deal.  We say:

"Well that's just my humanness coming out again.  God made me that way so I guess I'll just keep pressing on....... blah blah blah...........

I don't believe God made you that way. If you read in scripture, which I believe is ALL truth it is very clear on this issue.  God doesn't want lukewarm worshipers so why would He make you lukewarm.  He even says that because you are lukewarm, I am going to spit you out of my mouth.  I don't know about you but I don't want to be any part of God's spit.  Talk about an insult that will stick with you forever. 
 
Have you ever been around someone with a bad attitude? Makes you kinda feel grumpy right?

Isn't it a breath of fresh air to be around a person with a positive attitude on things? Makes you relaxed and at ease with whatever the situation is. 

Why would we then, not want to walk as close as we can to the God who knows all and made all and has our best interest in mind. To have that peace that everything will work out that way it's supposed to.
 I think a constant state of prayer and thanksgiving is the way to begin to break our humanness and live a life of praise and worship to the God of the universe.

I don't know about you but I feel better after putting things down on paper or a blog this time to see what is really going on in my life.  I am thankful that I serve a God who forgives us of our humanness and still wants to walk with us every day and lead us in the life He has laid out for us. 

So today don't make excuses anymore for your attitude or blame it on something or someone else.  Man up and be truthful to yourself and know that only you, with the help of God, can change the way you live.

I hope this has helped you or at least put some reminders or indicators out there for you!

Grace and Peace
Ben

Monday

Well it's a start to another week!  To take the theme of LCC's Youth Group Movement, LIVE A LIFE WORTH IMITATING. I think the world would be so much better if people would realize that their actions alone can do a lot to build someone up or tear them down.  If we are living as Christ followers, we should be living a life in a way that reflects God's love and compassion to everyone we come in contact with.  We are the only God some people will ever see so we have a big job to due.

So this week, keep your actions in the back of your mind and try and do as Christ would.  We are human, Yes. We make mistakes, Yes. But if we are living for Christ, he is there to help you overcome your humanness. 

Grace and Peace
Ben

Worship

Enjoyed leading worship with Nathan Hiltner, Jesse Barkhurst & Kevin Davies

God has given all of us gifts. I pray that we don't get comfortable in just using our gifts within a church or place of worship and miss out on all the people God wants to speak to through you!!

Step out in faith and have comfort in the fact that we are following an all knowing God that will never lead us or forsake us!

Grace and Peace
Ben


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Location:Newark, Oh

Saturday

Good morning everyone.  Another week has come and gone and the weekend if finally upon us.  I love the fact that I get to wake up next to my beautiful wife every morning.  On rare mornings we get to laze around in bed and watch TV until we absolutely have to get up.  Its nice to take that chance to just stop and take some time to do nothing.  Normally it takes us getting really hungry for breakfast to finally get the motivation to get out of bed.

Do you ever take time in your spiritual life to just stop and take in the things around you.  Stop from your busy life even just for a few minutes and look around at the world God created.  The same God that created you created everything you see and wants to walk with you through it all.  Our busy lives can make us focus to much on what's going wrong and why don't I have this or that and why do they have that life.  If we focus on the fact that the creator of the universe created you and has made a world for us to enjoy in this temporary, short life, we can then focus on the fact that this life is short and it's not worth taking things so serious when a perfect kingdom awaits us.  He made the sunsets and sunrises to see his artistic hand when you wake up and when you go to sleep.  He made to cool autumn breeze to feel it on your skin and make you realize that he is always there with you.  He made the cold winter snow to show he can cover all the imperfections that you think you have to cover up by yourself.  He made all things for you.  Take time to recognize His hand in everything.

Time to get up and enjoy the world God has created.

Enjoy your weekend.  I know we will.  We are heading to Winter Jam tonight with the LCC Youth Group.

Grace and Peace
Ben

Blind Ambition

My devotion this morning says it the best:

"Blind ambition. Success at all cost. Becoming a legend in one's own time. Climbing the ladder to the top. King of the mountain. Top of the heap. "I did it my way". We make heroes out of people who are ambitious.  We hold them up as models for our kids and put their pictures on the covers of our magazines.

And rightly so. This world would be in sad shape without people who dream of touching the heavens. Ambition is that grit in the soul which creates disenchantment with the ordinary and puts the dare into dream. But left unchecked it becomes an insatiable addiction to power and prestige; a roaring hunger for achievement that devours people as a lion devours an animal, leaving behind only the skeletal remains of relationships.....

God won't tolerate it...... Blind ambition is a giant step away from God and one step closer to catastrophe."

This came out of my Grace for the Moment Devotions by Max Lucado.  I would like to especially thank my mother in law for a wonderful Christmas present.

So why is unchecked ambition a step away from God?

I think it causes us to think that we did it on our own.  That God didn't play a part in our life or where we are today.  You take a personal claim to your accomplishments and leave out the part that matters most.  This is one reason why I think a good health marriage is crucial.  Someone there to communicate with and keep each other in check to the reality of who really provides all and guides our lives.

Sure you can be successful and not have God anywhere in the picture. You see it all the time.  We say "why is it that I work hard and pray and go to church and tith and live my life to God's standards but my life isn't like that".  Does God not love me?

When we have that attitude, we are looking at things from a worldly perspective which is a very hard thing NOT to do.You may have a wonderful marriage, good job, nice house, comfortable finances but when all of that is gone you have to say, "was it really worth trading for an eternity in heaven with a God who loves you more than anything"? To stand before the creator of the universe and be able to bask in His glory.  I will take a life of struggle and trials but with a God who walks beside me. A life not living for me but living for the kingdom. To be able to one day see my Savior and know I am truly home. And if God blesses you with good finances and a good marriage, recognize where that came from. I'll give you a hint, it's not you!. Of course you have to physically do the work and communicate and love and care etc... but those are the fruits of the spirit that God gave you.  Your the vessel God uses to do His work. 

I pray that God will keep us humble and guard and guide our ambitions.  If your not married and don't have that accountability partner and need someone to keep you accountable, ask around at church or a friend.  There are many people who would be willing to be an accountability partner.  They just need your permission to speak into your life and you never know, they may need you as well.

Grace and Peace
Ben

Guard Your Attitude

My devotion this morning was called Guard Your Attitude.  2 Thessalonians 2:16 - May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father encourage you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say. 

Do you ever see people in public and without them even saying a word you know they are the type of people that always complain or don't have good attitudes about anything?  Just the way they carry themselves and even the looks on their faces really shows whats inside. I believe a good attitude can go a long way.  In my life I always try and look at the positive side of things.  Sometimes it's hard to see through the chaos but in every situation you can always know that a loving God cares about you and wants to see the best for your life.  I think at times when we are having a bad day and we come upon a situation that may not sit right with us., in our heads we say "well I'm a Christians so I guess I need to be kind and compassionate in this situation" knowing very well that your positive attitude is a false one.  People can see that on the way you carry ourselves.

What matters more than the type of service is the heart behind the service.  A bad attitude spoils the gift we leave on the altar for God.  I believe that God is more pleased with the quiet attention of a sincere servant than the noisy service of a sour one.  I think if we try and come across as a "christian" to meet the expectations of people and look or sound fake, then we need not say anything.  Sometimes the quiet prayers and thoughts please God more. 

My challenge for you today is to take advantage of those situations that come your way and see the positive.  Be uplifting and encouraging to others but if you feel the "act this way to meet my reputation as a christian" crosses your mind, please refrain and quiet your heart before God and ask him to give you a softened heart to show the fruits the Holy Spirit has given us to be a beacon of light to the world. 

Grace and Peace
Ben

Mid Week Music

Good Morning everyone!

I hope your week thus far has been a productive one.  Some of you may know that music is a large part of my life.  I have been singing since I was in grade school, starting picking up instruments just out of high school and began leading worship on occasion about 4 years ago.  Music hasn't always been a Christ driven passion.  When I was was young, I knew that singing made me happy and so that's what I did.  When I began learning to play different instruments out of high school, pride kinda took over and I was playing for myself.  I have taught myself to play by watching others and learning on my own so you take a personal attachment to your accomplishments and don't want to give credit to anyone that may take away your thunder.
 
That said, I'm glad the past is behind me....................

Looking back, it goes to show you that a person that is a Christian can be "talented" and do and say all the right things and play in praise bands and lead a godly life, but if they are not giving the glory back to the One who gave them the ability, then it's all done in vain.  Within the last 3 or 4 years I have begun to realize that the reason I was given the gift of music is not to brag and boast but to glorify the name of God in every aspect of my life.  My prayer is that whatever I do I point all the glory back to the one who created me.

That said, I have been asked to take on one of the worship leader positions at LCC. I am joining a great group of worship leaders that I respect and look forward to praising God with.  I went to my first meeting last night and am looking forward to what God is going to do through worship at LCC.  I am asking for prayer that our Worship Leaders will stay humble and know that the only reason they are leading worship is that God has given them gifts and abilities to praise His name through music.  I am fortunate to have a loving wife, Stacey, who gives such great support in the things of my life.  We were married on April 10, 2010 and have loved sharing in life together.  I have shared with her that the fear I have is that pride will take over and I will take it upon myself to enjoy the praise.  I ALWAYS want to give the glory back to God.  She the best one to keep me in check and on tract to glorify the name above all name and point the glory back to Him.

It's very hard as humans (especially me) to remain humble when you are given praise for a job well done but if we can keep in mind that we are created by a perfect God who gave us all our abilities, all the praise will get lifted up to Him.

I hope this has given you a little more insight into to who I am as a person and who I am striving to be through Christ.  I look forward to writing more and following in the journey God has set before me.


Grace and Peace
Ben

Time to get back on track.

Sorry it's been awhile since I have been on here.  I don't know how many actually read my blog but to the few of you out there I hope you had a wonderful holiday and your new year has started out well. 

I am just blow away every day by the awesome works God does.  With life always busy we don't take enough time to give God the credit He deserves for everything He does for us.  We wake up and don't thank God for giving us another breath, another day to serve Him.  We eat breakfast and don't thank Him for providing us a job that provides means to purchase food.  We are warm so we are in a house with electric.  Others in the world are waking up cold and hungry with no running water or electricity.  We are so blessed.  I am not saying that we never take time to thank God but I think it should be constantly on our minds.  Always have a heart of thankfulness and gratefulness.  This weekend at church I was blown away again by how God works through all situations and how He takes people out of their comfort zone to do His work.  My sister-in-law said "The last couple days I have learned so much about being a part of a community within my church.  When people are unable to carry out their part, someone is right there to help and the work of the church carries on even in the midst of sudden difficulties or illness.  People step up and make things happen.  I am so blessed to be a part of LCC".  I think its easy to see God in the big things that our attention is naturally drawn to.  My challenge for you today is to see God in the small things.  When we start to look for those situations, we will be in a constant state of thankfulness and be able to look at the positive side of situations more easily.

Until next time!!

Grace and Peace