Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Friday, July 9, 2010
Embracing Therapy
One of the tough things about managing life well is the fact that you aren't always able to do the things at one stage in your life that you were in another.
Young adults scoff at this and feel invinceable until they tear their ACL or have some other injury while playing some kind of pick up game of sports or a similar type of accident.
Recently I stretched the tendon in my right elbow and have discovered that the therapy for such an injury is rather long and very tedious. As much as I'd like to say that it doesn't bother me, every time I shake someone's hand pain shoots up my arm and I find myself having to say "praise God" rather than something less honoring.
However, this also reminds me that I'm just a "clay jar" as Paul said and the real glory is the inner glory of God's Spirit. And so as I'm taking therapy and trying to be restored in a couple parts of my slowly fading external body, my inner man is rejoicing at God's goodness.
May it be so for you as well.
Blessings,
Dr. Jay
Young adults scoff at this and feel invinceable until they tear their ACL or have some other injury while playing some kind of pick up game of sports or a similar type of accident.
Recently I stretched the tendon in my right elbow and have discovered that the therapy for such an injury is rather long and very tedious. As much as I'd like to say that it doesn't bother me, every time I shake someone's hand pain shoots up my arm and I find myself having to say "praise God" rather than something less honoring.
However, this also reminds me that I'm just a "clay jar" as Paul said and the real glory is the inner glory of God's Spirit. And so as I'm taking therapy and trying to be restored in a couple parts of my slowly fading external body, my inner man is rejoicing at God's goodness.
May it be so for you as well.
Blessings,
Dr. Jay
Thursday, July 8, 2010
A Man of Influence
I had a great visit today with Emanuel Pothen, founder of Influence International, Inc.
Check it out at http://www.goinfluence.org!
Check it out at http://www.goinfluence.org!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
What a Great Team
Despite the brutally hot day, we had a "cool" time just being together as an all church ministry team today!
Some of our guys championed the grilling of burgers and dogs for lunch and the conversation around the tables was friendly and positive. Make no mistake, that isn't a given in today's culture and is something we cherish here at North Way.
The real icing on the cake was the nearly 30 minutes of water bombing out in the parking lot where, in the 90 degree temperatures, everyone from our worship leader in Oakland (Kassi Hemerka) to the big guns such as Chris Fitting tried to bring down "Hugs" the mascot. Amazingly it was Doug Melder who provided the accuracy and the distance to win the award and also bring the most joy to the crowd.
I count each member of this team as a blessing and pray for many more such days as we continue to navigate the opportunities and joys God has given us.
Blessings,
Dr. Jay
Some of our guys championed the grilling of burgers and dogs for lunch and the conversation around the tables was friendly and positive. Make no mistake, that isn't a given in today's culture and is something we cherish here at North Way.
The real icing on the cake was the nearly 30 minutes of water bombing out in the parking lot where, in the 90 degree temperatures, everyone from our worship leader in Oakland (Kassi Hemerka) to the big guns such as Chris Fitting tried to bring down "Hugs" the mascot. Amazingly it was Doug Melder who provided the accuracy and the distance to win the award and also bring the most joy to the crowd.
I count each member of this team as a blessing and pray for many more such days as we continue to navigate the opportunities and joys God has given us.
Blessings,
Dr. Jay
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
God Save Our Country
The past two days have been both humbling and rewarding to me. Your expression of appreciation for this weekend’s patriotic service and challenging message has been overwhelming. (If you missed the weekend service, you can watch it here www.northway.org/videos )
Let’s all listen to God’s Spirit and do what He tells us to help save our great country!
Blessings,
Dr. Jay
Let’s all listen to God’s Spirit and do what He tells us to help save our great country!
Blessings,
Dr. Jay
Friday, July 2, 2010
4th of July!
Well, in just a few hours we start our 4th of July festivities with the launch of the Starlite Car Cruise! Already there are about a hundred cars in the parking lot and there are a number of special events tonight including a color guard, a tribute to our troops and the moment of dedication and prayer of our nation along with comments from Congressman Jason Altmire.
Such things really stir me up because I realize that for lots of people this will be their only recognition of what the 4th of July is really all about. It's sad in a way, but it's great that we will have 7 or 8 or 9,000 people here tonight to celebrate with us and perhaps even those few moments will have an impact on them and soften their heart for the gospel.
I believe there are great days ahead for us and look forward to the weekend that is a mixture of lots of responsibilities for me but also a time to celebrate God's amazing faithfulness.
Blessings to you as you celebrate and give thanks on this 4th of July!
Dr. Jay
Such things really stir me up because I realize that for lots of people this will be their only recognition of what the 4th of July is really all about. It's sad in a way, but it's great that we will have 7 or 8 or 9,000 people here tonight to celebrate with us and perhaps even those few moments will have an impact on them and soften their heart for the gospel.
I believe there are great days ahead for us and look forward to the weekend that is a mixture of lots of responsibilities for me but also a time to celebrate God's amazing faithfulness.
Blessings to you as you celebrate and give thanks on this 4th of July!
Dr. Jay
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Stopped in My Tracks
I'm not sure if this will be a preview of my 4th of July message but I was "stopped dead in my tracks" this morning when I read the following in William Federer's book "America's God and Country."
"At the beginning of each session of the court, as the justices stand before their desks, the crier opens with the invocation:
'God save the United States and this Honorable Court.'"
The picture in my mind of those nine justices standing in front of their chairs with the Ten Commandments behind them and the crier before them, calling upon God in a nation that has turned it's back on God in most every way, is an incredible contradiction which I believe is symptomatic of the depths of the problems that we face as a nation.
We really must take this seriously and pray earnestly for God to save America, because I believe that left to our own devices, we will most certainly destroy her.
I'm not trying to leave you with a heavy note, but just something that I found really challenging today.
Blessings,
Dr. Jay
"At the beginning of each session of the court, as the justices stand before their desks, the crier opens with the invocation:
'God save the United States and this Honorable Court.'"
The picture in my mind of those nine justices standing in front of their chairs with the Ten Commandments behind them and the crier before them, calling upon God in a nation that has turned it's back on God in most every way, is an incredible contradiction which I believe is symptomatic of the depths of the problems that we face as a nation.
We really must take this seriously and pray earnestly for God to save America, because I believe that left to our own devices, we will most certainly destroy her.
I'm not trying to leave you with a heavy note, but just something that I found really challenging today.
Blessings,
Dr. Jay
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