Archive for January, 2011

UPDATE ON ALL THINGS BEING PREGNANT

Posted: January 31, 2011 in Family, Life, People
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It’s been a few weeks since I’ve given an update on all things being pregnant.

This is definitely a brand new experience for us. You can read books, google “things to expect when you’re having a baby”, and talk to other people who have recently gone through a pregnancy, but nothing can really prepare you like experiencing the day-to-day happenings of being pregnant. Plus, everybody has told me that every pregnancy is unique/different.

Officially, we are already at 13 weeks, which means that the first trimester is OVER (praise Jesus). I am amazed that we are already 1/3 of the way through this thing.

For over two months, Heather has been experiencing the typical sickness and exhaustion for over two months. I’m not sure why they call it “morning sickness”. From what we have experienced, it’s more like “morning/mid-morning/noon/afternoon/pre-dinner/evening/late night sickness”. She has been an absolute champion throughout this process. Sure, she has experienced times of exhaustion and not wanting to do anything but curl up in the fetal position and sleep. But she has been a rock star through this process. She has gone above and beyond to stay on top of all of her job and church responsibilities. The past week she has been feeling way better, so we are pretty pumped about that.

And you can definitely start to see that baby bump now.

As for me, I am trying to step up my husband-game. God is really teaching me about patience and selfless. My heart is to serve Heather through this process. I want to take as much off her plate during this pregnancy. That means I am cleaning more, doing dishes more, and (God help us) cooking more.

We have only had one doctor visit since Christmas. Everything looks good. The heartbeat is strong, which reduces the odds of miscarriage to under 4%. Our doctor is really cool, calm, and chill. She is really good at putting things in perspective and telling us not to freak out about every little detail which has been our approach anyway.

Right now, little BC (what we have started calling the baby) is the size of a lime.

Also, we have been asked a lot of questions about names. Heather and I have not started talking about names. We are going to wait until we know the gender so we don’t waste time on 50% of them.

We have another doctor’s appointment this week but it could be interrupted by the quickly approaching blizzard that’s about to ghetto stomp Oklahoma City.

That’s all for now. I’ll keep you updated.

REVOLUTION SUMMER TOUR 2011

Posted: January 27, 2011 in Faith, Life, Ministry, People, Spirituality, Travel
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Every summer REVOLUTION offers a variety of mission trip and camp experiences that we call the REVOLUTION SUMMER TOUR. I am pumped to announce that there will be six stops (four mission trips and two camps) this summer.

Here the official stops and details of the REVOLUTION SUMMER TOUR 2011:

SULPHUR SPRINGS WORKCAMP | SSWC2011

  • facebook.com/eat.sleep.serve
  • For ALL middle school & high school students (current 6th-12th graders)
  • June 5-9, 2011
  • Sulphur Springs, Texas
  • SSWC is a low-cost, close-to-home mission trip, founded and directed by me, where students from different denominations come together to paint and restore homes in the Sulphur Springs, TX area. There will also be nightly worship experiences where students will intimately connect with God. Our annual Six Flags trip will also be combined with this experience.
  • $150 (includes Six Flags)

LOS ANGELES DREAM CENTER MISSION TRIP

  • dreamcenter.org
  • REVOLUTION students ages 15 and up
  • June 20-27, 2011
  • Los Angeles, California
  • The LA Dream Center serves the city of Los Angeles with over 273 ministries and outreaches to reach thousands of people every week. Students will be given the opportunity to work alongside the ministries of the Dream Center and to attend services at one of the largest churches in the country.
  • $1000*

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC MISSION TRIP

  • missionofmercy.org
  • All NORTHchurch Mission Trip
  • July 16-22, 2011*
  • Moca, Dominican Republic
  • This will be a NORTHchurch Medical Mission Trip with a full medical & dental clinic.
  • $1500*

HAITI MISSION TRIP

  • mohhaiti.org
  • All NORTHchurch Mission Trip
  • July 16-22, 2011*
  • Port au Prince, Haiti
  • This will be a NORTHchurch construction mission trip with special ministry to orphans. We will be rebuilding homes and ministering in the area of the epicenter of the January 2010 earthquake.
  • $1500*

REVOLUTION SUMMER CAMP – HIGH SCHOOL

  • Current 9th-12th grade high school students
  • July 7-11, 2011
  • Glen Rose, Texas
  • Students will have a blast as they grow in their relationship with God and others through a camp experience with hundreds of other students. REVOLUTION attends camp experiences with Gateway Church in Southlake, TX.
  • $300*

REVOLUTION SUMMER CAMP – MIDDLE SCHOOL

  • Current 6th-8th grade middle school students
  • July 29-August 2, 2011
  • Waxahachie, Texas
  • Students will have a blast as they grow in their relationship with God and others through a camp experience with hundreds of other students. REVOLUTION attends camp experiences with Gateway Church in Southlake, TX.
  • $300*

* = Estimated. Subject to slight change.

**Limited spots available on all trips. All trips are on a first come, first serve basis.

***ALL SIGNUPS BEGIN SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2011.

20 BILLION HOURS

Posted: January 25, 2011 in Books, Culture, Inspirational, Life, Ministry, People
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Recently I read a sentence that grabbed my heart and I have not been able to shake it.

“IN A GIVEN YEAR IT’S ESTIMATED THAT AMERICAN ADULTS VOLUNTEER ROUGHLY 20 BILLION HOURS OF THEIR TIME.” (from Holy Discontent by Bill Hybels)

20 billion hours! That’s 20,000,000,000 hours!

My only response to this unbelievable sentence is…

Thank you.

To all the people that so selflessly give their time to churches, hospitals, ministry programs, nonprofit groups, schools, charities, and all other volunteer positions – THANK YOU. The world is better because of what you do. You are appreciated.

Thank you.

ONE OF THE BEST EMAILS I’VE GOTTEN IN A LONG TIME

Posted: January 24, 2011 in Faith, Family, Friends, Inspirational, Life, Ministry, People, Spirituality
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On September 13, 2008 I wrote a post asking you to pray for my good friends, Ryan & Keeley White.

Ryan and Keeley learned in April 2008 that they were going to have twins. After checkups and doctor visits, they have found that one of their twin sons has a a congenital heart defect called “Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome” or HLHS. They learned about this condition after doctors realized that one twin had an underdeveloped left side of his heart. HLHS is a complicated condition that will require three stages of surgery all before their son turns three years old.

On Wednesday, November 12, 2008, Braden and Reed White entered this world.

That day Ryan and Keeley found out that Reed needed a heart transplant.

More than two months later on January 19, 2009, Reed got his new heart after successful heart transplant surgery.

Exactly two years later on January 19, 2011, I received this email from Ryan White (Reed’s dad). It was seriously one of the best emails I’ve gotten in a long time.

Here’s the email…

Friends,

Two years ago today, my life, and the life of Reed was changed forever.  Reed was 69 days old, and had never been outside the walls of Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital.  Looking back, those 69 days seemed like a life time.  Reed would not live w/out a new heart.  He was born with a heart defect known as Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS).  Around this time 2 years ago, we got a call from the hospital saying Reed was going to receive a new heart!  To this day, I don’t think I’ve had a better moment.  69 days of wondering if my child would live or die was so difficult…wondering why he was having to deal with this…why after losing Kyle, our family had so see Reed suffer, and deal with possibly losing him.  Today is a proud day for my family.  We are thankful to the Lord, we are thankful to the family who decided to donate their child’s organs so Reed and others could live.

I’ve learned a lot the past 2 years and 69 days.  The thing that stands out the most is a simple thought : “It could always be worse”!  The 69 days of waiting were the hardest, and most challenging days of my life. It was in those days my Faith was revealed.  It was in those times GOD revealed himself as Creator and Lord.  It’s was in those times I learned how much I’m loved.  It  was in those times I saw GOD was good, not because of STUFF, but because you know He has suffered too.  I am blessed not because Reed was given a heart, but because God sacrificed Jesus.   God sent Jesus knowing he would die.  God sent Jesus knowing he would suffer.  God sent Jesus knowing I would sin against Him.  God sent Jesus because he has a Love that words can’t describe.  God sent Jesus despite you & me.  It’s the sacrifice that makes God so good!  It’s the sacrifice that gives us Life!

In closing, I ask you to consider being an Organ Donor.  This is a way we can give Life to someone who needs it.  This is way we can be a miracle to someone like Reed.  For more information check out: http://www.donatelife.net/index.php

God is good!

Ryan White

Our God is the God who hears the cries of his people. He is the God who listens. He is the God who heals. He is the God who saves. He is the God who provides.

Thank you for praying and caring for this family over the years.

 

CONNECTING WITH THE RIGHT MENTOR

Posted: January 20, 2011 in Faith, Life, Ministry, People, Spirituality, The Bible
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“Follow the steps of good men instead, and stay on the paths of the righteous.” – Proverbs 2:20 NLT

You need to connect with the right mentor. It is extremely important. Why? You NEED a mentor in your life to help get you where you cannot get alone.

A mentor is not a babysitter. A mentor is not a best friend. A mentor is someone worth following.

I encourage you to begin to establish relationships that will help you get to the next level in your relationship with God, in your marriage, in your profession, etc.

I encourage you to look for 5 things in a mentor…

  1. A person who loves and follows God.
  2. A person who makes right choices.
  3. A person who is where you want to be in life.
  4. A person who will push you to be a better person.
  5. A person who will pray for you.

_____________________

DO YOU HAVE A MENTOR?

WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN A MENTOR?

THREE HILARIOUS COMMERCIALS

Posted: January 19, 2011 in Funny, Life, People, Random, TV
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Because sometimes it is really good to laugh…

You’re welcome.

BEST MARRIAGE ADVICE I EVER RECEIVED

Posted: January 18, 2011 in Culture, Family, Inspirational, Life, People
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What is the best marriage advice you ever received?

This question has been running through my brain over the past few weeks. Over the holidays, two of my favorite people on the planet got engaged to their significant other. These are two people who I love deeply, pray for often, and consider family.

For both of these individuals, I feel very big brother-ish. Being a good big brother, I wanted to give them my best marriage advice. However, I did not want to sound too wordy or pastor-ish. (Think fortune cookie marriage advice rather than book on having a healthy marriage.)

After thinking long and hard, here is what I shared with them (which happens to be the best marriage advice I ever received)…

“PREPARE FOR YOUR MARRIAGE MORE THAN YOU PREPARE FOR YOUR WEDDING.”

If you google “average time spent planning a wedding”, you will find that the average person spends anywhere between 120-200 hours planning their wedding. That is 120-200 hours being intentional that things go smoothly during something that should last at max 1 hour.

If the average person puts that much time preparing for a wedding, how much time does the average person prepare for a wedding? How much time is spent in premarital counseling, reading books on how to maintain a healthy marriage, or being mentored by a couple that has a track record of healthy marriage? I am betting that even the best, most intentional on preparing marriage couples don’t even come close to 120-200 hours.

With 50% divorce rates, we all need to take a long, hard look in the mirror and ask if we’re preparing way more for the dream wedding than the dream marriage.

________________________

Agree or disagree?

What is the best marriage advice you ever received?

LETTER FROM ANGIE

Posted: January 17, 2011 in Faith, Inspirational, Life, Ministry, People, Spirituality, Technology
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Yesterday I got a letter in the mail. With today’s world full of email, text messages, facebook, and twitter, the hand-written note is almost obsolete today. In the past few weeks, I have talked to a person in China through Skype, sent a person in Mexico a facebook message, sent texts back-and-forth to friends all over the United States, and corresponded with my five best friends (who live in Nashville, TN; Montgomery, AL; Canton, OH; Cincinnati, OH; and Perth, Australia) on a private message board. In this amazingly fast technological world of communication, I still have one person that consistently writes me hand-written letters.

Yesterday I checked my mailbox at church and saw a letter from Angie. Immediately a huge smile came across my face. Angie is a ten year old Columbian girl who Heather and I have been sponsoring through Compassion International. We have been supporting Angie now for six years. Her letters, which she now writes herself (when we started her mom or dad had to write them), make my day.

Here is yesterday’s letter (they translate literally – just in case it sounds funny):

Dear Brian Cromer,

Our Heavenly Father’s grace and mercy shall abound in you. I am very well and my family is healthy. Lately where I live it is very hot, because of this, these days we go to the pool and eat ice cream. Because I like a lot the one of rum and raisins, this is my flavor. Do you like ice cream, which flavor? These days I turned 10 years old and I enjoyed one more year of life God has given me. I am in the 4th grade in school. I am doing very well and soon I will enter the 5th grade. The subject I like most is math. When you studied, which subject did you like most? in the project I learn to be in communion with God in prayer, I learn verses and do crafts. Please send me letters and photos, because I desire to hear from you. Do not forget to pray for me and my family because we always pray for you that our Lord Jesus Christ’s peace and love will reign in your home.

I say goodbye with love,

Angie

Absolutely precious. The letter also came (like always) with one of Angie’s beautiful drawings.

I have never seen Angie face-to-face. I have never heard her voice. Even still, I love her with all my heart. I pray for her everyday and I know that an eight year old Columbian girl is praying for me everyday.

For only $34 a month you can make the same lasting impact on a child and develop a relationship like this. I implore you to seriously think about partnering with Compassion International to make an eternal difference in a child’s life. $34 a month is nothing for most of us – simply don’t go out to eat after church for one Sunday. For more information on how you can sponsor a child like Angie, CLICK HERE.

FRIENDS WHO WILL TEAR A ROOF OFF FOR YOU

Posted: January 13, 2011 in Faith, Friends, Life, Ministry, People, Spirituality, The Bible
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Friends are extremely important. In fact, your friends and relationships will determine the direction and quality of your life. Connecting with the right friends and making wise choices in your relationships is crucial.

The Bible speaks a lot about the importance of connecting with the right friends.

Check out Mark 2: 1-5 (NLT)…

When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home. Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God’s word to them, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.”

Let’s focus on the phrase “dug a hole through the roof”. Other translations say “made an opening”, “removed part of the roof”, and “uncovered the roof”.

It’s very easy to pass over this simple phrase. We often think the roof was some ancient, primitive, thatch roof. But that was not the case.

If you study 1st Century architecture, you will find that this specific roof was more than likely a mud clay (a lot like cement) roof with tiles. To lower the paralyzed man through the roof, they literally had to do major construction and demolition to the roof.

Can you imagine this picture? You’re in this packed house – wall to wall people – trying to listen to Jesus. All of a sudden you start to hear some banging on the roof. Then the roof begins to fall in on you. These friends literally tore the tiles off the roof, tore a hole in the roof, and lowered the paralyzed man by a rope into the house.

Imagine the people’s responses. I’d guess anger because they are there to listen to Jesus. They earned their spot. They got there early. He could have been in the middle of a life-changing sermon and they missed part of it because of the whole roof being torn open situation. What about that person who owned the house? That’s not a quick fix. That’s not a minor, cosmetic problem. That’s a huge hole in your roof.

Now look at Jesus’ response. “Seeing their faith…” Did you get that? The Bible does not say “seeing his faith”. No, the Bible says “seeing their faith”. Jesus didn’t rebuke them and say “Don’t you know how much a roof costs?” He didn’t say “Have you ever heard of a door?” No, he saw their faith and their lives were never the same.

Here’s the truth: the paralyzed man would have never gotten to Jesus or been healed without his friends.

DO YOU HAVE FRIENDS IN YOUR LIFE WHO WOULD TEAR OFF A ROOF FOR YOU?

From Week 2 of the REVOLUTION series CONNECT 4 entitled “Connecting with the Right Friends”.

 

THIS IS MY CHURCH

Posted: January 12, 2011 in Faith, Life, Ministry, People, Spirituality
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God did so many amazing things at NORTHchurch in 2010. Makes me even more excited to see what God is going to do in 2011.

This is my church.

(Great job, Matt Burleson, on making this video.)

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