More than listening

One of my the highlights of the semester in the ministry of CCF has no doubt been the tutoring. It was a crazy God idea that there was no way it could be pulled off without a group of people willing to give their knowledge and time. We knew we had time and knowledge to offer and we also knew one of the greatest needs is the knowledge to graduate. This area has seen the greatest success and the most response on campus. Thanks to the 30+ tutors we truly couldn’t do it without you.

Just found this funny for so many reasons.  Not sure which part made me laugh the hardest. Colbert’s lyrics or dancing. Enjoy

This entire adoption adventure has really been about obedience. It has been far from logic or reasoning and a total “God thing.” From when it first came into our hearts individually then talking about it together to going to the classes filling out novels of paperwork, agreeing to foster first and now actually fostering 3 children under the age of 4 have all been steps of faith. There was something in me that believed that our faithful obedience would end with reward. Not just with any reward but some reward of easiness. That this would all just come naturally and smoothly. I actually have caught myself the past 2 weeks questioning God on why this is so hard and not just questioning at times but actually complaining at the challenge this life change has brought.  As I was praying the shower this past week God reminded me very clearly that this step of obedience did not come with a promise. That our step of obedience was not for our reward rather for His glory. If anything as I get over myself more and more, daily I look back and see how past steps of faith and obedience actually have put me in a place of greater dependence and the lasting reward is not ease rather a deepening relationship with my heavenly father.  The “reward” is far from ease and it is so much greater. There is no greater result I would ever want in this life of mine than a deeper relationship with my heavenly Father.

As a ministry one of our greatest weaknesses early on was never stopping to say thanks. As we all worked together as a rather small ministry it was pretty much a collective effor. Now though as we have nearly quadrupled  in size we have learned we have to be more strategic with our communcation and thanks to the volunteers of CCF. This year we decided to steal something from Northpoint and Crosspoint church(I am sure there are others). We decided to do a banquet of sorts where the volunteers were served as best a staff of three could do. The goals for the night includeded each volunteer feeling loved (not all feel loved the same way) , appreciated, and much needed at CCF. To make this clear we included notes, delicious food, and a few videos to show what CCF would be like without them. Overall a night like this is one of the most challenging events for a staff of three to pull off in planning, cooking and serving and it is the most expensive of the year. Doubts we had included:

“Can we really do this by ourselves?” Well no we couldnt but we have amazing alumni in Matt Heimann, Kathy Gartley, Hillary Campbell and Erica Simonian.

“Can we afford this?”  Yes you can by cooking your own food to save on catering, using a church. Yes  a church for your space can work great with the right amount of directions and Christmas lights.  Also by spending a little more here it reminds your people that you value you them more than you do just the average student. They have gone above and beyond to help serve in your ministry and as  a staff it is important to go above and beyond to thank them.

“Isn’t that a lot of people?” Well hopefully you can say its a lot of people. In CCF it is almost 2 thirds of our ministry with 60 invites sent out between residents, small group leaders, worship team, setup crew, tutors an office masters.

Ultimately as a staff we were reminded how there is no way this movement of God could happen through CCF without all of CCF catching that same vision for campus and serving with broken hearts. Here is one of the videos put together and stay tuned for more in the coming days.

Its hard to believe the semester is over. With an abrupt and earlier than expected end to the semester (due to my sickness) I dont have so many thoughts. I know sad, right? The good news is there are a lot of posts on the horizon. I am not just promising I will write some with a little more free time but I have actually already written them Look for them to start popping up this week. Any ways back to the mind dump.

• With so much life change Christmas has kinda snuck up on us
• THANK YOU CCF FAMILY for the Christmas Cash.
• “Christianity is not an identity to add to your list of identities, you are a new creation is your identity” ~Mark
• Evidence #1276 that Katie is an amazing mom: When confused over 4 wash clothes no need to worry they are in age specific order.
• The song “We will Overcome” by Desperation Band is still in my hand.
• How come iTunes doesn’t even come close to the great offers Amazon has on mp3s?
• I am amazed how many diapers we go through with 3 kids in diapers
• People ask how MP is “handling it” I wonder why no one ever ask how good it is for him
• If you can buy all your “gifts” from one stand at Publix then you aren’t really buying gifts just paying off your guilt
• Still cant believe how well the CCF “Night With the Stars” went last week
• I am loving seeing all those CCF hoodies in facebook pics.
• Cant wait to get the videos up from Night with the stars. They were hilarious
• I am lovign 1 John still from Crossbridge. John is just black and white and for that I love the dude.
• “Some times we need to hear things again” ~Mark
• “Sin is a question of loving God” Mark
• “When we live obediently to what God has called us to, we are living in our sweet spot” ~Mark
• Its powerful that John not only wanted us to know where we stand with God but he believed we could
• Dorothy B Oven Park in Tally during Christmas has got to be one of the best kept secrets.
• Thanks to Tomoka Christian Church for the $50 gift card, way to support your missionaries!
• As I work through Luke I cannot believe how amazing Mary was. Just amazing

FSU nabbed another nasty defensive recruit late last night. It is amazing what a staff at half capacity is doing right now snatching down one 5 star recruit after another. FSU already has the #9 recruiting class according to ESPN. The latest is CB Lamarcus Joyner of St. Thomas Aquinas. Joyner is said to be a taller version of Greg Reid. Check out this highlight real.

This is one FSU’s newest recruits thanks to ian thomas for the link. Recruit Jeff Luc is one nasty linebacker that is sure to make an immediate impact. Luc also runs a 4.6 40 and can squat 700 pounds!

Many of you have heard me talk about Matt Chandler and mention him even in some of my sermons. This is a preacher of the Gospel that I absolutely love. What I love is not just his theology or his preaching style but how he applies this theology first in his own life. Here is a perfect example as Matt was diagnosed with a two inch tumor on his right frontal lobe and went through a successful surgery on Friday morning. This video was filmed before the surgery and exemplifies practicing a sound theology of suffering in the midst of it.

So how do you think  you would respond to such news? Would love to hear your thoughts

Kinda crazy but after one of the busiest weekends of the semester, I have some of the least thoughts of the semester

• This past weekend was definitely more than a staff of 3 can handle.
• Then again this is more than your average staff of  3.
• Katie has done the most amazing job of becoming a mother of FOUR. She is AMAZING
• There are moments its hard to believe we now have 4 children
• For the most part though life without 4 kids now would seem almost weird and incomplete
• Kelsie and the worship team did an AMAZING job of leading worship at New Covenant Church
• God blew my expectations out of the water with the opportunity for CCF to invade the worship service
• Major MAJOR THANKS to The Michael Family(Andrea, Jordan and Ashlyn), Erica Simonian, Matt Heimann, Hillary Campbell, and Kathy Gartley for being such great servers at the “Night with the Stars” banquet
• “Night with the Stars”  was a huge success.
• I may have arthritis now from writing so many thank you notes.
• Those CCF hoodies have gotta be the best CCF gear we have ever given out
• Those same CCF hoodies are a ONE TIME deal only for our volunteers.
• Every penny spent on our volunteers and it was a lot of them was well worth it.
• I am still blown away that over two thirds of our students serve on a regular basis in so many great ways.
• There is no way our ministry could keep going at such a high level without the 60+ student volunteers
• For the first time ever I really believe we have a culture of serving at CCF
• Bonfires never get old
• Last week I asked ya to pray for Matt Chandler. Check out this video made before the surgery. HERE
• What is it about people that we can sit and stare at a fire and be so content
• 4 “ebenezers” of the semester: Tutoring on campus(what a way to serve), 1 John Series, Go Week (will never forget the start to serving campus), and the baptisms of Collin and Jamie (life transformation never gets old)
• “In Christ Jesus, then I have   reason to be proud of my work for God” Romans 15:17
• I am proud of CCF in what God has done this semester

Here is the official release from the Sports Information Department with some pretty standard somewhat biased questions from the university. I gotta be honest there is nothing, absolutely NOTHING that has gone well with this whole retirement fiasco. In hindsight I truly believe one more year with Bobby would have been more than fair. Let the 34 year coach leave with his senior quarterback Christian Ponder. Shame on the university for not stepping up to answer questions or face the media rather putting Dekoda Watson and Ponder up front to answer questions. It is clear from their input that they were not happy with the process either. If there is any positive to today it is that the media is giving it to the FSU Administration for doing such a poor job with the retirement of a legend.  The one thing I will miss most about Bobby was not his coaching or his records rather his charm, and wit with the media. Posted below is the official interview with the university. I can just hear the 80 year old talking about getting a job now. I am pretty sure Bobby might be just fine with all those zeroes in his bank account. Thanks for not just being a great Coach, but being a strong Christian witness who did not just say he was a Christian, rather lived it when the cameras were off and on

Opening Statement:
“Nothing lasts forever, does it? But I’ve had some wonderful years here at Florida State, you know it. Hadn’t done as good lately as I wish I could have, but I’ve had wonderful years, no regrets.”

On some of the players he has coached:
“There are so many players, I’d really hate to start mentioning them all. There’s been so many great players through our program. I’ve had quite a few calls today from them, who’s gotten wind of this. And then somebody says, ‘any great game?’ Well, they’re all great. Well there were some pretty dadgum big ones. We won our share, we didn’t win them all, but we did win our share.”

On the immediate future:
“I’ll coach until the bowl game. I think my contract is good until the fourth of January and so I’ll coach until the bowl. I met our players today at 2:15, told them and then we made a release. So it’s not like I’m telling them goodbye because I’ll be with them now until the bowl game.”

On how he is doing:
“You know something like this is going to happen. If it didn’t happen now it would be happening this time next year, but it’s happening now. As long as my family is happy, that’s the main thing. So I’ll go out and make a lot of talks now and tell everybody how good I was.”

Were the decisions over the last couple days an adversarial relationship between Florida State and you?
“No it was not, it was a case of the president (T.K. Wetherell) coming down to see me and talking. He and I had met earlier in the year and we said we’ll sit, after the season we’d sit and discuss it. Very amiable. I told him I’d go home and talk to Ann and decide what I ought to do, and so that’s what I’ve done.”

On the coach in waiting decision:
“I talked to Jimbo (Fisher) yesterday and told him what I was going to do, you know? And wish him luck and I’ll do anything I can to help him and Florida State. I’ll just be pulling so hard for Florida State, especially these boys next year.”

On his family:
“Well, you know, when you do something like this, you wonder how it will affect your family because they are all worried about their old man. They don’t have to worry about me. Of course I want them to be happy. We’re going to be happy. Now, you know I have to go out and get a job? Can you believe that? I’ve got to go get a job. I ain’t had a job in 55 years. But Ann and I will get a chance to spend a little bit more time together. Of course I want to go out and speak. Speak to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and different churches invite me and things like that. I think maybe I can do some good there.”

On his wife Ann being a head coach’s wife:
“It’s tough on her. You know because I’m gone so dadgum much. I mean, I remember when our boys were coming up and all of them were playing football, I’d be out 100 miles down the road looking at someone else’s son, you know? I regretted that. I wish I could watch my own boys play, you know? But Ann held everything together when I was on the road, did a tremendous job. Any success that my teams have had is because of my teams, and my coaches, and my family’s support.”