Branded Phoenix

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Lead Me To The Cross

"everything I once held dear, I count it all as loss.

Lead me to the cross, where Your love poured out

Bring me to my knees Lord, I lay me down

Rid me of myself, I belong to you

oh lead me, lead me to the cross."

Philippians 3:7-11 "But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead."

Last night was a powerful evening as my church community gathered to remember the cross, and to partake in the bread and wine (His body and blood.) As our time together began we sang the above song, Lead Me To The Cross. This song has special meaning for me, especially the line, "everything I once held dear, I count it all as loss." I was so deeply reminded of Paul's words in Philippians about this journey we're called to.....To die to self. To live for the cross. To love one another, To pursue the heart of Jesus, because HE IS OUR ONLY SOURCE OF HOPE. Without Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God's sacrifice on the cross for our sins and Him conquering death on the 3 day by raising from the dead, we would have NO hope in this life. But HE did! He did rise on the third day and He has invited us to join Him in THE story of His life.

John 3:16 "For God so LOVED the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him, should not perish, but have eternal life."

My Mission (missio vita)

Below is something I wrote about 6 years ago with my mentor and friend, Ken Curry. Ken and I have a pretty incredible relationship and we gave and give each other freedom to speak truth into each others lives. We actually pursued living the statement below for sometime as Adrienne and I lived in Denver. As I have weeped, prayed, cried out to my Lord the last few weeks for our dear friends CJ and Renee, I have realized, that I have been lacking something in my life for some time. Community.

"Imagine a gathering of sojourning and rescued people on a quest to deepen their love of God and others. They are a family centered on one person, Jesus Christ. They are captivated by the idea that the story is not about them, but all about Jesus. His story has interrupted their lives and they cannot escape His deep love and His hold on their hearts. They are comforters, and forgivers, sowers and reapers, radicals and resolute doing small and extravagant things with great love. They embrace Christ’s mission to live among, to listen to, to love, and to fight for the hearts of people in this turbulent world. They are willing to risk life itself for the freedom of others, so they enter the fray linking arms with anyone who tells the story of Jesus.”

All I Can Say

Lord I'm tired
So tired from walking
And Lord I'm so alone
And Lord the dark
Is creeping in
Creeping up
To swallow me
I think I'll stop
Rest here a while

And this is all that I can say right now
And this is all that I can give

And didn't You see me cry'n?
And didn't You hear me call Your name?
Wasn't it You I gave my heart to?
I wish You'd remember
Where you sat it down

And this is all that I can say right now
And this is all that I can give

I didn't notice You were standing here
I didn't know that
That was You holding me
I didn't notice You were cry'n too
I didn't know that
That was You washing my feet

And this is all that I can say right now
And this is all that I can give

I think this sums up Matt and I's day today and actually many people who we know and love are probably having this kind of day. Tonight at 6:30 we will go cry and grieve for the Bergmens' and rejoice and praise God that Titus is with Him.... and that is all that I can say right now

Rylands Dedication

Learning To Trust

"All I have seen teaches me to trust the creator for all I have not seen."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Show me the Belly!!!

Thank you to my wonderful friend Renee' who took these amazing photos the day after almost having her first baby...what a trooper. They were well worth the wait!!!