Help - I'm overloaded with reading!!

Have you ever found yourself looking at a bunch of resources, books, and videos and wondering where to begin?
Have you ever been crushed under the deluge of top ten lists of things to do concerning family to leadership?
What to do?

I have been talking with God during my quiet times lately about simplicity. How can I simplify my life and focus on the things that God wants me to focus on?

Truly if the Bible is really what we know and claim it to be, then shouldn't that be our primary focus? Shouldn't we be spending more time learning about our Father Creator and His pursuit of us than pursuing so many different things in this world?

I find myself being distracted by so many good things - that I have missed the Greatest thing - or should I say - the Greatest One of all.

I wonder - we get so caught up in the Bible for theology, for end times information, for day to day living, for guidance and hope, but yet miss the relationship it was intended to draw us to. Don't get me wrong - I love the Word of God and want to teach others how to read the Bible for themselves. I just don't want to miss the forest for the trees.

My encouragement to you - is to take a hard look at what distractions may be happening in your life that keep you from the Greatest One of all. The best resource is the Word of God. Will you take the journey with me?

Prompted...Update

I just wanted to make a quick update concerning Prompted, the affordable option to prom expenses.

To date:
- about 60, yep, 60 prom dresses have been donated or loaned.
-several adults have stepped up to offer their homes as "restaurants" for fine, intimate dining
-monetary donations to serve as seed money have come in

How can you help?
-continue to donate or loan prom dresses that you have sitting around in your closet.
-consider hosting a meal for a prom going couple
-Pray!!

Important dates:
-Mass dress drop-off day is this Saturday, February 21 from 9-12 at Pleasant Valley Baptist Church-Liberty Campus East Entrance
-Fashion Show is March 7th to show all the dress and tuxedo options
-Benefit concert April 4th at Staley High School featuring Ottoman Repair and other bands to be announced

All proceeds from these efforts will go towards the goal of collecting $10,000 to build a medical clinic in Kenya.

KCI Super Bowl 09 Party

What a blast! Here are the pictures from our first SuperBowl Party at the KCI Campus.

Click HERE

Prayer

Here is my prayer that I have started praying based upon Col. 1:9-14

Lord, I will not stop praying for those whom You have given us to shepherd.
Lord, please grant us complete knowledge of Your will, as well as spiritual wisdom and understanding.
May the way we live Lord, always honor and please You, and
May our lives produce every kind of good fruit.
All this Lord, while we continue to learn to know You better and better.
Reveal Yourself to us - please!
Lord, please strenghten us with Your glorious power so that we will have all the endurance and patience we need.
Fill us with joy.
We thank You Lord and may we continually thank You.
You, Lord, have enabled us to share in the inheritance that belongs to Your people - those who live in the light.
Lord God Almighty! You have rescued us! You brought us back from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of Your Son!
Thanks be to Jesus Christ! who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins!
Thank You Lord! All glory, honor, and praise belong to You. Amen.

Opportunities to use your gifts in Student Ministry

The Student Ministry at Pleasant Valley Baptist Church-KCI Campus is on the grow!! Last week the number of students attending almost doubled and more will be coming this week. I am committed to keeping the ratio of students to adults at 5:1. In order to do this, we need a lot more volunteer student ministers than we currently have serving.

What kind of people make great Student Ministers? Here is a short list:

- Senior Citizens -- College Students
- Introverts -- Mechanics
- Young Marrieds -- Single Parents
- Musicians -- Accountants
- High School Dropouts -- Mature Christians
- Bowlers -- People with Rough Pasts
- Bikers -- Computer Nerds
- New Christians -- Athletes
- Ex-Cheerleaders -- Entrepreneurs
- Parents -- Busy People
- Blue Collar Workers -- Cooks
- Artists -- Administrators
- Old Marrieds -- Professional Wrestlers

In other words, it takes all kinds of people to meet the relational needs of our Students. Meet us in Room 206 at 9am and see if you can meet the need of student.

Pictures!!

Here are some pictures from Sunday. There are more on the way!

Click HERE

What a great start!! God is good!!

Hey Gang!

First off - here is my prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank YOU so much for your presence yesterday at our launch!! You are faithful in answering prayers! What a great and wonderful group of people you have brought together for such a time as this. All glory belongs to You Lord. You brought the people. You helped things go picture smooth. You rewarded our hard work and efforts. Thank You! Lord, we know that apart from You, we can do nothing. Please help us to continue to abide in You. Grant us a hunger for You as we journey forth in Your will. Please keep us with Your presence and help us never - ever to get so busy 'for' You that we neglect our time 'with' You. You are our God. There is no other. May Your name be praised, In Jesus' holy and precious name - Amen.

Second - here are the numbers (for those who like #s)
9 am - 87 (seated in service), Grand total (children, volunteers, connection center) = 193
10:30 - 147 (seated in service), Grand total (children, volunteers, connection center) = 228
Total of 421!! This represents a 50% increase from last week. God is good!!

Third - stories
I heard from several people how much they enjoyed the atmosphere (the excitement and 'vibe'). I noticed that many were people who had visited the Liberty campus in the past and appreciated the shorter distance. Many were invited by friends - I also met many neighbors of our core group. Also, I received great feedback on our mailer that went out this past week. PLUS - someone left a wonderful note:
"I was surprised with teh warmth comfortness felt coming into the church. It seems like an easy place to make yourself at home."
Yeah God!!

Thank you so much for your prayers and continue to praise God during your quiet times on His faithfulness and love and also that we continue to share His love with the people of Platte County.