What a week at Journey. I’m still on an emotional high from the buzz of activity this weekend. Night of Worship rocked the house Sunday night.
   Momentum Student Ministries is serving more students than ever. Wednesday is rocking at Journey. Many young people are making decisions to follow Christ. Rachel and her team launched a new ‘Girls Only’ meeting just for teenagers. And dozens of adult leaders have joined the MO team.
   This Thursday marks the beginning of a new semester of small group classes. We are offering Bible studies for men and women as well as Financial Peace University and an all new class called ‘I 12’. I 12 is focused on taking your knowledge of God’s Word to new depths. Fusion is offering a discipleship class for Elementary students and we will be training young leaders for Momentum. All on Thursdays at 7 PM. On Friday morning Girlfriends Unlimited is sponsoring a study of the book of Esther at 9.30 AM  in the Conference Room. And new for this semester, the Journey membership classes(Steps 1-4) will be offered on Sunday morning during the 9 AM Experience, followed by a class for new followers of Jesus called, ‘Enjoying Your Journey’. This class meets in the Conference room during the 11 AM Experience.
    You can now watch Journey online. The Sunday 11AM Experience  is being live streamed from the Lacombe campus. Log onto journeyfellowshipchurch.com and click on the ‘Watch Journey’ link. Great way to be at Journey even when you’re out of town.
     Our final foreign trip of the summer is preparing to depart for the Amazon soon. A team of Journey’s finest will be taking the Gospel and clean water to the villages along the great river. This is one amazing trip. Pray for our team heading to the Amazon.
    The Band of Brothers will be partnering with the Journey Ninth Ward Campus in a Friday night outreach to the streets of New Orleans. We call this ministry ‘Ground Zero’ because it goes to the heart of the inner city.
    Our three weekend worship services are booming. So, we are busy preparing to launch a fourth weekend service. The plans call for a new schedule to begin in January 2010. At this writing the new weekend Worship Schedule will be Saturday at 6 PM and Sunday at 8:30, 10:00 and 11:30. All weekend worship Experiences will be identical in music and message with full Children’s Ministry offered from Nursery through Sixth Grade.
   Finally I want to brag on the leaders of Journey who serve thousands of people with love and respect. The ministry of Journey is done in large part by these men and women who show up early, stay late and treat each guest as a VIP. Rachel and I love and appreciate each of you. You make Journey a great place to be. Thanks…
Also congratulations to all you who were baptized at the Night of Worship and hats off to the more than 50 new leaders who graduated from the Step Classes. Welcome to the Journey.

I’m writing this post in PINK because it’s Chris’ favorite color.
   Today my little pony-tailed girl became a woman. These 18 years just up and flew away. For the last 3 days Rachel and I have been moving Chris into her apartment and finishing up her registration to begin her studies. It’s hard to believe but she is all grown up.
   I haven’t been able to swallow this lump in my throat for the last few hours. My mind is racing through the memories of the last 18 years. It seems like yesterday I held her for the first time. Those big blue eyes stole my heart the first time I saw her. I remember the first step she took and the first time she called me daddy. I remember the day she learned how to ride a bike. I remember reading to her at night and holding her little hand until she feel asleep. I remember celebrating her birthday during family vacations in The Smokys. I remember the day she was baptized and I remember the first time I watched her lead worship at Youth Group. And I will always remember the day she moved away to start college.
   Raising kids is the toughest job on the planet and it’s the most rewarding. The Lord trusted us with 5 incredible children. Two of them are adults now and the other three are growing up way too fast. I could not understand how a father’s love worked until I had children of my own. Not that I fully understand it now, but my children expanded my understanding of God’s love. There’s this amazing bond between a parent and a child. A bond that is probably spiritual.
   I really didn’t want to let her go after that last hug on Sunday. Because I knew that hug marked a major change in our life and things would never again be the same. But maybe life shouldn’t always be the same. Life is about seasons and transitions and holding on and letting go. My little pony-tailed girl is off on a great adventure. She will discover her destiny, grow closer to her Maker and find her place in this world. And I will be standing here watching and smiling and cheering her on.
    Chris, your Mother and I are so proud of you. Everyday. We thank the Lord that He let you grow up in our home. We can’t wait to see you again girl. I know you’re all grown-up now but in my heart you will always be my little pony-tailed girl.

Love,
Daddy

 Journey is hosting the Ironman Conference on Friday night August 21st and Saturday morning August 22nd. This event is designed to encourage, equip and empower men to reach their destiny. The event kicks off Friday night with some great music followed by a keynote talk that I will be presenting called, ‘Ironman’. Then on Saturday morning after breakfast we will present 6 workshops. (you can pick any 3).  The workshops are called;
A Man’s Identity
What Every Father Should Know
Wealth and Wisdom
God & Sex and Marriage
  Purpose and Strategy for Life
  Integrity (presented in Spanish)

  You can register at journeyfellowshipchurch.com Click on the ‘Ironman’ link on the homepage and follow the instructions. Registration is complimentary. The cafe will be open all weekend.

   Journey is hosting a back to school event for teachers in our parish. The school board is staging a two-day workshop here and we are loving it. The Journey team arrived at daybreak this morning and we haven’t stopped since. We’ve parked over 1,000 automobiles and served at least that many educators today. It has been a blast to say the least. We love our schools and we have the best teachers on the planet. Thanks for the honor you bestowed on Journey, to allow us to serve you.