Here is a cliché that is true, prayer works.  About three weeks ago, as we were walking through the book of Jonah, God convicted me of something.  It is a lesson that I have learned repeatedly but I always seem to require a refresher.  That lesson is that nothing godly happens without prayer.  That week, we arrived at Jonah’s prayer in chapter two and I felt the weight that I had not mobilized my people to pray.

This all became even more painfully obvious when I met with another church planter and heard him tell his story about how his church prays together each week.  I was crushed, embarrassed, and ashamed.  But I took my spank’n and made some changes.  The next week our church gathered for prayer before the service and guess what happened . . .

Out of nowhere (and I mean nowhere) twenty new people walked in our door.  Now this is pertinent because our little church of forty just grew by 50%.  We kept praying and the next week twenty new people, on top of the twenty from the week before, showed up to worship God with us.  If you haven’t done the math in your head, our church doubled (from 40 to 80) in the course of two weeks!

There was only one variable that changed, Prayer.  Please keep praying for us.  God is doing great things down here and we are asking Him to do even more.  Would you ask God, on our behalf, to do great things in our midst?

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This was a great weekend!  The kids had Friday and Monday off from school, so my parents decided they would keep our three kids so that Tarah and I could spend Valentine’s Day together and a few days following.  We needed this time desperately.  We saw a movie, went to dinner, talked about future plans, and got some important things off our chests. 

We have taken on so much in the last year or so.  Adding three kids in 6 months, selling one house and buying another, living with in-laws for two months, teaching two kids English, planting a church, working two jobs, and having friends live with us for a few months, all takes a toll on a marriage.  Honestly, I failed so many times.  Somewhere along that road, Tarah and I lost focus but this weekend was a chance for us to readjust.

 Tarah expressed to me that she needs some time to herself each week.  We are planning that, two days each week (Wed & Fri.), Daddy will take care of the kids so that she can do whatever Mom wants.  We are committing to going on two dates each month.  We’re unsure of how we are going to pay for childcare and the date but we are asking God to provide.  Third, Tarah and the kids are going to guard Daddy’s time of studying, reading, and meditating on God’s Word.

 The one thing that I learned from all this is:  I love my wife!  Tarah loves me, she loves my children, she loves that I am a pastor, and she loves being right next to me on this road that God has called us to.  Thank you God for sending me the perfect partner.

Will has been asking me to enter another blog and besides I am so sick of the "Man Cold" clip! 

The other night Piper and I were having some girl time and putting lotion on each other's feet.  She is awesome at massages and I wanted to have some one on one time with her.  Before we knew it, here came daddy wanting in on the girl party and begging for his feet to be rubbed.  (Unfortunately, Piper made a deal with her dad to trade one piece of bacon for a one hour massage.  I know.  It is not a fair deal and I warned her.)  Anywhoo, as Will began to settle in for his moment of relaxation, there was such an eagerness in Piper to serve her dad.  It was so exciting to observe and quite unbelievable if you ask me.  I am all too familiar with the funk that lies beneath Will's toes and yet our daughter wasn't the least bit concerned.

What a lesson for me to learn.  Who have I served lately, in spite of their dirtiness or messed up life?  If the creator of the universe could humble himself for me, what's holding me back?  Serve.  Love.  Give of yourself.