Looking forward to next Wiikend

Good evening faithful reader...

I must confess I am looking ahead to next weekend already. On Saturday night, I get the chance to spend the evening with my daughter. We are going to a father/daughter event called the "Harvest Ball". Both of us are getting dressed up for an evening of dinner and dancing. She has picked out a special outfit that I haven't seen yet. I am ironing my suit and choosing a tie. I can't believe she's 7. I used to just nod and chuckle at people that told me to enjoy her while I can... now I totally understand. She is an incredible blessing and I cherish her so much. I'm sure many life-long memories will be made Saturday night.

Then, on Sunday, the Nintendo Wii is released for me to pick-up. I won't get to play it much on Sunday, naturally, because I'll be serving at church. It is a big weekend for FRC...commitment weekend. Mindy and I have made our commitment to Tears. Coming up with that number was not easy...but I feel in my heart that God wanted us to wrestle with the amount for awhile. Praying for a great weekend all around. Troy is talking about Failure....I know that I will be listening. I honestly haven't failed at too much in my life. But the areas where I have still sting once in awhile. But that's another blog post altogether.

Please pray for me, faithful reader. I have been struggling the last few days with incredible anxiety and fatigue. Not sure of the exact cause, but I know that it has made me a little cranky and scatterbrained. Not sleeping much these days. I know that this is directly from the enemy and it is my weak spot. I worry. I try not to...but I do. This is just a hyper-dose of anxiety that I was not prepared for or rested enough to handle. I will beat this...it's just a matter of time and prayer.

Well, lift up Pastor Troy as well tonight. He braved through this weekend hardly able to move due to back pain. If you didn't get the chance to see this past weekend's teaching it is online and available through podcast. Pastor Troy shared his story during the teaching. In a church of 5000+ it is easy to put the Pastor up on a pedestal and just figure that God has been better to him than to you. Listen to his story. If anybody is due some success it is Troy. However, pay close attention to the emotion in which the story is shared. Troy is a shy, humble, and determined person. He has overcome a lot to be where he is and is still not finished pushing himself and others to be their best. I respected Troy before I heard his whole story....now I have a deeper understanding of Troy's heart...and I respect him even more. This isn't Pastor-to-Pastor sucking up. He is my friend and I treasure our friendship. Spend some real time this week praying for him and his family. Everything helps.

Well, better pack it in for tonight. Gotta carry my daughter to bed and kiss her goodnight. Treasure the relationships in your life that go the deepest. You know the ones...that fill your heart with joy. Life is too short for shallow.

Peace and Love,
BV