The Big Table - Thanksgiving Video

"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" 1 John 3:1 (NIV)



This video shows how good ol' fashioned tradition is lost.  Deeper than that, we forgot how exciting it is to sit at the big table with the "boss".  When we position ourselves to sit at the table with God, there is a feast waiting for us- the good stuff.  God doesn't hold back, He always shares His best with us. 

Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate with God all the earthly things He has given us along with the spiritual treasures He has blessed upon us. Stop worrying about the small stuff. Stop whining about what you don't have. And realize the amazing truth that you are God's child and He wants to lavish you with His great love.

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours!

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Steve Jobs Bio

Late at night, I was watching a Steve Jobs autobiography on one of the news programs last week.  They said, and I am paraphrasing from memory, "Steve Jobs is a modern-day inventor. We need to realize Thomas Edison invented 3 major products that changed our world. Steve Jobs invented at least 4 major products that changed our world."  I was thinking, "What a privilege it is to be living in the same decade with an innovator, inventor, and inspirationalist, such as, Steve Jobs."

One of Steve Jobs' life quotes has been echoing in mind, "Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life... Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice.  And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.", states Steve Jobs.

Even in our Christian lives, we allow opinions and past voices define who we are.  Instead, we need to "have the courage to follow [our] heart and intuition."  We need to focus on how God designed us, not how people have defined us.  Our close conversations with God will reveal who we truly are.  Once we discover our calling, we will understand better what our purpose is in life.

Our time on earth is limited and we only get one. Are you going to waste each day worrying, second-guessing, and coming up with excuses as why you are not ready for the great call God has stamped on your life?  As you allow days, weeks, months, and even years go by, you will be missing the blessings that God has for you, because you are "waiting" for the perfect time to do something innovative and inspirational.  In a blink of an eye, you will wake up realizing you are too old or too feeble to do what God intended for your life. 

There is no greater regret on Earth than to ignore God and His calling on your life.  Look back and realize how many people missed out on learning about Jesus Christ and His forgiveness and grace, because you did nothing but doubt and wait.

God has something BIG for your life. Ask Him what it is and He will fill your life with awe and wonder!

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Life is Like the Fall Season



Life is like the fall season. It's like you wake up and things have changed rapidly. The green leaves have changed to reds and yellows. The once warm air has changed to cold and crisp.

Our lives are like the leaves. One day it is green, healthy and strong and then the next day it changed to red, like stress. Your job is asking too much of you. You have kids that will drive you up the wall, and a family matter that can cause you to lose your patience.

Maybe your life is yellow. It's going good, but it feels meloncholy. There is a certain average-feel to your life, your job, and your relationships. You don't know what it is, but you feel like there's more for you than this average life your living. You feel like it's time for a change.

We are in constant change-mode. The only way to combat the stress, the meloncholy, and the uncertainties is to lean on the One that never changes. The One who remains steady and promises "to never leave us or forsake us." Hebrews 13:5. He is called the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. He is the one who created time and who knows our future.

No matter how tough our lives can get, there is assurance in knowing the Creator of our lives is still in full control. Realizing who God's is, that's when you realize your value in God. Father Time is on your side. Jesus is weathering through the storm with you. You are not alone during these seasons of change. You have allies. You have the best of the best walking through it with you!


Read this passage and see God's promise to you. You can make it through this season called, life.

The Lord will keep you from all harm- He will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
Psalm 121:7-8 (NIV)


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"Surprises in the Storm" - Ron Hutchcraft

                                                                       Photographer Ian Britton

"It was some years ago, but I remember when they closed our local airport. Yeah, there was a violent storm at Newark airport, and thousands of people had their plans suddenly changed. Storms have a way of doing that. Did you ever notice that? There's a snow storm, for example, and schools and businesses oh, they all had their plans made for the day, and suddenly all those plans are out the window. Meetings that had to be today are amazingly rescheduled. Planes and ships are diverted or blown off course. You see, a storm is a classic embodiment of that familiar phrase, "Due to circumstances beyond our control..." Maybe you're in the middle of a storm right now. Your life, your plans are being blown around, and it seems like everything is out of control. I've got good news for you today.


Now, our word for today from the Word of God is going to come from Acts 27 . It's about surprises in the storm. Now, I don't know where your storm is right now, but maybe there's something that is just blowing your life out of control. By the way, if you're not in a storm, well just stay tuned; you'll have yours pretty soon. That's just the way life is. You're just waiting and yours is on the way, because we all get them. Now maybe in your life right now things are just suddenly out of control financially or at work. Or there's a family situation that you just can't seem to change. Or it could be that your health has suddenly become turbulent. Somehow there's an out-of-control time in your life. Well, you'll be able to relate to Paul's storm in Acts 27.


What was happening was that he was being taken by Roman soldiers on a grain ship from Israel to Rome. They had a lot of water to cross to get from where Israel is and to cross the ocean and to get over to Italy where they needed to be, and in the middle of all this they encountered a terrible storm that lasted for fourteen days. Hurricane strength, we're told in Acts 27:20 , "When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved."


Now, if you've ever felt like all your points of reference were gone, you couldn't see the sun, the moon, the stars—all the things you usually count on, the storm was that bad. The things you were able to hang on to before, they're not there. Well, maybe you're there right now, and you know what, it is easy to give up hope. Well the outcome of the story you need to take note of. It says, "Everyone reached land in safety." They were blown into the rocks after two weeks, but it says they were on an island. And in chapter 28 we found out the island was called Malta. Do you know where Malta is? It's on the southern coast of Italy.


It's right where they had been heading all the time. Oh, they'd been out of control for two weeks or so it seemed, but the whole time they had been out of control they had been right on course and so are you. Nahum 1:3 says, "The Lord has His way in the whirlwind and the storm."


Now it may feel like you're either going nowhere right now or you're on the verge of disaster; maybe on the verge of being blown on the rocks. But remember, the surprise in the storm is this: that God uses these out-of-control times. He uses them to blow His children right where they were supposed to go all along. I know it feels like your life is out of control, but you know what? You're really right on course."
A Word With You - Ron Hutchcraft

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Evangelism Linebacker - Don't Try This at Home!

Derwin L. Gray, former NFL star, now hails as the great Evangelism Linebacker with a special message for you.  He loves you...but it might hurt! This video is definitely a big "hit"!

Always Remember:  You can't tackle people into the kingdom. 

Christians, if you are slacking on sharing your faith, look over your shoulder because Big Derwin might be right behind you!  :)


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