Amazing Nite

Well it's the first night of the conference and so far so good. Marlon's sister made it out here fine and she seems to be enjoying it. While work today was busy, busy, busy...there were definately times of calm and enjoyment. Dave was a sweetie and ran out to get chinese food for a bunch of us so we got our bellies fed before the conference started. Worship, the keynote and dessert are done and instead of heading to a seminar I decided to come back to my desk....write a lil, run through my talk for tomorrow a lil, read a lil...Dee Dee went to a seminar so she won't be done until 9ish.

The worship was great. Matt Guevara is the Children's Creative Director at Christ Community Church in St. Charles, IL. It was really awesome to see the 800+ leaders worshipping together. The Phil came up. It has been a longggggggggg time since a talk touched me in this way. Phil Vischer, created Veggie Tales and has a story to tell! He has so many amazing insights about how we hold onto things of this world, how we make the programs our "idols", how we worry about the "vision" instead of being in God's will. The worst question to ask is, "Where will you be in 5 years." He said that his answer now is, "That's not my business. I'll be in God's will." Whoa. Especially for Children's Ministry where there is always pressure to top the last program...create hoopla for kids...look to the future for how to "capture" them for Christ. We aren't called to "make" ministry....we aren't called to "be" our "thing"...we are called to walk with God and be content with him. If He never gives us our hearts desire---do we still love Him the same? If He gives us our hearts desire and then takes it away---do we still love Him? Do we live to please Him or to please ourselves? If we take our "ministry" do we cease to exist. It just so captivated me. I was talking with my co-worker who shares a lot of the same philosophy as I do and we both were like, "man...does God know how to bring it right when you need to hear it or what..." His sovereignty. Why do we forget that He is sovereign? Why do so many of us toss that word around and not even realize the magnitude of what it means?

The sovereignty of God: The supreme authority of God to work all things after the counsel of His own will.

I do not need to know where I am going. I only have to be close to Him...listen for His direction (because it will come)and then go when He says to go. He has the plan already laid out. I do not need to bring Him my ideas and my dreams. Does this mean not to dream--no, I don't think he's saying that. I think he's saying don't let the dream become who you are...don't let the dream dictate who you are and what you do. Never take your focus off of God and listening to Him, staying in His word, holding onto His truth. The truth is the truth. No matter how you try to justify, how you try to spin it to fit your needs. No matter how you try to pick and choose what you are going to believe and what you are going to follow. The truth is the truth. There is no grey. You either live by it or you don't.

Amazing. Thanks God for Your sovereignty and forgive me for ever doubting that I am in your tender care every moment of every day.