Our Daily Bread, Proverbs 18

Lord, thank You for this day.  Thank You for the small things.. allowing us to eat, helping me to get up early and not be too tired, helping me to have patience as i share the mornings, this beautiful house, being able to play guitar in church, and even singing.  Lord, there are so many things i need to thank You for.  Thank You for our friends, and thank You for this opportunity with Elevation Church.  I pray that i will remain thankful no matter what the circumstances.  Even if they don’t pursue me any further.  Lord, You are my solid rock, not my employment.  I know there were times last year where that fact felt shaken in my life, but i thank You so much for showing me the truth, and i thank You so much for providing a great job that i have now.  Lord i love You so much.  Lord, please help me to be a better steward of my time where i am… That i would get back to representing You, and not be selfish with what You have given me. I love You.

Tags: thankfulness

Lord, thank You so much for such an exciting weekend for us.  It was such a great opportunity to go and worship with Elevation Church, and see their passion for You.  It’s clear that You are doing things there, and i thank You that You are.  Thank You for keeping Your hand on Pastor Stephen, and giving him people around him to keep him strong.  Lord, i pray that You will be with this situation and i pray that my hope would be in You, so that if my hopes are crashed in this opportunity, that i would not fall, but be on the right foundation.  Thank You so much for Pastor Stephens message that spoke to that.  That being said, Lord You know how badly i want this.  I want it so bad, to be able to go work in such a creative environment, and not only that, but in an environment that’s vibrant and growing, and can’t point to anything but You for their success. Lord, i want to be there.  Lord, but You also know, i only want to do it if it’s right, and i trust that You will make it clear if it’s right or not.  Lord, i thank You again for my incredible job, and life situation the way it is now.  You have provided so much for us, and we love You for taking care of us.  Lord, i love You even if You don’t “take care of us.”  At least i hope that would be true.

Tags: church, elevation church, life, work

Our Daily Bread, Proverbs 13

Wow God! So far the outpouring of support for this possibility has been incredible!  Thank You for the friends and family that we have, and that they are so supportive.  Also, thank You for the Elevation staff praying about this decision as well.  Lord, a lot of us are praying, so i KNOW that whatever decision becomes clear is the one that You will bless us in.  Please give us wisdom in the decisions that need to be made, and help us to do the right thing.  Also, no matter what happens, thank You for making me see that dreams can be reality, and that those verses really are true.. that if You seek first the kingdom of heaven, all these things will be added to you, and that You really do want to give us the desires of our hearts.  Lord, i love You so much.  I pray that You’ll help me to be a testimony to my company even in leaving if i do.  Lord, i love You and i love what You are providing for my family!

Tags: big decisions, career, job, support

Our Daily Bread, Proverbs 12

Dear God, thank You!  Thank You for the flattering and encouraging phone call from John at Elevation.  Thank You for this opportunity even if it doesn’t work out.  Lord, i pray that You will give us wisdom in this decision.  I want do what’s best for our family, whether i see it or not.  Lord, You know i want to do something for You that’s significant, and You also know how i’m burnt out on how us humans do ministry.  Lord, You know my heart, and You know that I don’t want to move my family away from the great situation we’re in, just to pursue something selfish for myself.  Lord, You know my heart.  Please help me to write the right questions in my email, and to be completely honest.  Please help them to be honest as well.  Please give Meagan peace with whatever decision You have for us!  Lord, You are completely in control, and i trust You!  Lord, i love You!  I pray that You’ll bless my lunch with Keith today, and help us to encourage eachother!

Tags: career, elevation church, family, job

Our Daily Bread

Good morning God!  Thank You for a great weekend, and for allowing/equipping me to sing and play guitar in church… It is such an incredible feeling! Lord, i just thank You for so many answered prayers.. specifically for my prayers about playing guitar and singing, and playing and singing at the same time.  I thought that none of those were possible 5 years ago, and look where You’ve brought me!  Lord, i pray that You’ll help me to continue to improve.  Lord, what i would really love would be to have  the skill, passion, voice and ability to lead worship sessions, or crazier even.. to lead worship in church.  Lord, You know my heart, and i pray that You’ll make it so, if my heart is pure.

Lord, i really need to bring this Elevation job opportunity before You.  There are so many things to consider, that i am having such a hard time figuring it out, and i can’t tell if i’m asking too much of Meagan.  Lord, You are completely capable of helping us make the right decision, in the right way, so i pray that You would totally guide us.  Make our paths straight, and our path enlightened.  Lord, again, You know my heart.  You know why i want to stay where i am and You why i want to work there.  Lord, please don’t let me move/work there if it’s going to be a lot of heartache for my family. Lord, i want to protect them from damage.  Lord, i want You to protect them from damage.  I pray that You would make the correct path abundantly clear. ok, i’m placing this in Your hands and trusting You.  i love You!

Lord, i pray for my conversation with Keith today, that You would bless it, and that You would allow me to be an encouragement to Keith.  Lord, i pray that he is finally ready to come back to You and to worship You.  And i pray that as a result of that, that full and complete healing would happen.  Lord, You know his heart.  You knew him from the foundations of the world.  Lord, i also know that You love him more than i do.  Lord, again, i place him in Your hands and trust that all things will work out for good for him like you stated in Romans.

Lord, i love You!  Please help me to have a good productive, alert day. (Jewel screaming for an hour at 4:30 – i’m so tired!)

Tags: career, Elevations Church, guitar, job, Keith, music, paths, singing

Dear God, thank You again for my job and for the money that it’s bringing in right now to help us pay off our debt.  Lord, i can’t describe how excited i am to be paying off our bills!  Thank You again!  Please help sustain me and the family as i’m working long crazy hours these days.  Just help me to be a good dad, and to be a good husband.  Thank You for Meagan for understanding and being so helpful.  Please help us reach our goal today of completing 300 sites for LexisNexis.  I know You can help us.  Please Lord.  Thank You!

Tags: debt, work

Our Daily Bread

Dear Lord, thank You for the things in this world that make us think of You, including Steve Jobs’ passing.  Lord, I pray that You have shown Him mercy, and that His soul’s in heaven.  Thank You for the things You allowed him to create and bring into this world.  Lord, I am extremely thankful for my job, and the overtime i’m getting is just incredible, so thank You so much for Your generosity.  I pray You would give me wisdom about my next job, and that You would help me to be content where i am if this is where You want me.  Lord, that Elevation job seems so tempting and ideal, but what I have here is like perfect for my family.  Lord, i just want to say that I’m yielded to Your will, and want to whatever it is You want me to do.  While the Elevation job looks extremely tempting, i’m going to leave it alone, unless You orchestrate it differently.  Lord, i love You so much, and want to be Your servant.  Wow, sadly that was hard to type.  Where did my servanthood go?  Lord, i really do want to be Your servant whatever that means.  Please help me to be what You made me to be and that i would bring You glory.  I pray that You would give me strength to do and say the things the i’m often afraid to say, if it’s right saying it.  Lord, i Love You and thank You.  Lord, please make Mia well, as she just got a pretty nasty cough, and please protect our family from the sickness that she has.  I Love You!.

Just read “Our Daily Bread,” and it was pretty poignant, the verses being Matthew 5:14-16 and talking about being a light on a hill and letting our light shine before men.  Lord, that’s my prayer, that whatever i do that i would shine.  Lord, I admit that i am weak in this area, and want to be stronger.  i pray that You’ll make me stronger.

Tags: career, family, job, Steve Jobs

Our Daily Bread

Dear God thank You for all of the overtime You allowed me to get, and thank You so much that we were able to pay off our first bill!  Lord, i pray that You would just help me to stay focused and to keep working hard so my paychecks will keep being good.  I pray that You would help us to knock out our debt as quickly and efficiently as possible, and that You would also help us to be wise with our money after we do.  I pray that You would give Meagan and i wisdom when it comes to parenting.  I also pray that You would give us both patience for both the kids and for eachother.  Please forgive me for my impatience, and bad attitude that i’ve had, and please help me when i get in those moods… I don’t want to feel like having a family is prison… It’s just ridiculous sometimes.  I pray that You’d allow our family to have an extremely tight bond.  Lord, i pray that You would hold both of my children (your children) in the palm of Your hands, and that You would never let them go.  I pray that You’ll help us to model Your love so that they see You through us. I pray that Mia would accept You as her savior if she hasn’t.  Lord, i love You so much and thank You for the amazing family You’ve given me!

Tags: debt, family, work

Our Daily Bread, Proverbs 29

God, thank You for my conversation with Dave, and specifically for the reminder that waiting a bit before discussing something with Meagan that is frustrating is wisdom.  I pray that You’ll help me to be gracious with her, and not impatient and unkind.  Lord, i pray that You’ll make me a better husband in the small things.  I pray that You’d help me to remember to do these little things occasionally rather than just going about my own business.  Thank You that Meagan is so gracious to me.

Lord, i pray again for Keith. Like i said to Dave, mental illness is in my mind such a big barrier, but to You it’s nothing.  Lord, i pray that You would cast out any demons in Keith’s life, and that You would restore a right spirit within him.

Lord, i also want to pray for Kellie and for my relationship with her.  Lord, i know that You are making her into an incredible person.  i pray first of all for her, that You will bless her and keep her.  I also pray that You would gently teach her about humility, generosity, kindness, and all those soft intangibles that a young Godly woman should have.  I pray for Vic and Cindy that You would give them the wisdom to help guide her in the right direction.  I pray that You’ll be with her relationship with Jackson, and that if he’s the one that they would just fall deeply madly in love, but for all the right reasons.  Lord, i also want to pray for my end of the relationship.  I know that i can barely stand her, and i also know that a lot of it is because she reminds me of me. First of all, thank You for putting people in my life who could put up with me when i was that way. Lord, i just pray that You would give me a compassion for her, and not be so al judgmental and hateful.  I just want to love her unconditionally the way a family should, and not shun her.  Lord, i pray that You would also use the compassion that You give me to open up opportunities to talk to her about whatever You would like me to tell her.  Lord, this relationship really is a significant burden in my life and probably hers as well.  I pray that You would completely turn it around.  I trust  that You can do it and will do it.  I love You!

Tags: family, healing, husband, restoration

Our Daily Bread

Lord, thank You again for a great night last night, and for having fun with my family.  I’m so grateful for my family, and especially when You allow us to have fun together.  I pray that You’ll do the same for us tonight.  Lord, i just want to pray for Keith.. I don’t know what he’s going through, but i have a small idea i think, and i’m guessing that Beaver movie was very similar to what he’s going through.  Lord, i pray that You would push Him to see You as his sustainer.  That he would find this help comes from the Lord.  I pray that You’ll entrench Psalm 23 in his head.  Lord, I don’t understand why You chose for him to go through this, or why You chose for me not to, but what i do know is that You’re in loving control, and “all things work together for good for those who are called according to Your purpose.”  I pray that this would manifest itself in a way that’s absolutely undeniable, and that You would use this all for Your glory in a way that shines out to the world.  Lord, i love You. Please help me to do the right thing as his friend, even if it’s uncomfortable.  I want him to know that he has me if he needs me.  Lord, i pray that his pain would coming to an end.  I know You are in control, and i want You to do what glorifies You most, but You told us to ask, so i’m asking for Keith’s benefit, and for his family, and friends that You would bring closure and healing to the episode, and that You would use this episode to bring life-long changes.  I pray for an absolute miracle in their lives.  Lord, thank You for caring and loving and providing for all of us.  Thank You so much for this job that You’ve provided me.  I love You!