This image is a reflection of what we are praying for our new Connect Groups.
All of us have been influenced in one way or another. Music, cinema, the media, people (whether past or present) have profoundly impacted our lives. We can be inspired, encouraged, challenged or motivated by these various forms or we can become jaded, critical, and even judgmental. I have been thinking lately about some of the people who have helped shaped my life.
How has your life been impacted? Who is impacting your life and why right now?
For me, here are a few…
1. My children
2. My wife
3. My parents
4. My pastors (Blake & Adrienne Joiner)
5. George Glover
6. Stephen Brown
7. My sisters (Micheline & Tricia)
8. Music from the 90′s
What about you? Who has influenced your life?
There is nothing hidden from the sight of God. He knows all. He is in all. He is God. One of our deepest needs is a revelation of the Father’s love. Today, I am thankful for the deep abiding presence of Jesus. What freedom there is knowing you are loved. There is such safety knowing you are secure in Him. His presence brings peace. He truly satisfies.
God is a God of invitation.
Isaiah 55
Matthew 11:28
He invites us to be friends
He invites us into his presence
He invites us to be partakers
He invites us into mission
God is a God who tells His people to GO!
Preach the Gospel
Heal the sick
Cast out demons
Make disciples
Matthew 28:19
I was raised in the Presbyterian Church. There I said it! I am not ashamed that my parents “raised me in the church” (whatever that means), to be honest, I am very thankful. As I grew older I began to think for myself, I began to rebel from organized religion. Here are some words that came into my mind the other day when I was thinking about my childhood experiences in church.
Can you believe my name at birth was James Allen Mullett! I am so thankful God changes names. When I was 10 weeks old I was adopted by Ray & Pat Sabourin because my biological mother was sent to prison. She wanted a better life for me, and did what she felt was best which was to put me up for adoption. Lately, I have been reading a lot of blogs from various people who are considering adoption or are in the process of adoption. I think that is fantastic! I wanted to share a few thoughts regarding what it is like to be adopted, some of the issues I had growing up and hopefully, if at all be a help to someone or a family out there. So over the next couple of days I am going to write and even try to do a vlog or two which may be helpful. If you are reading this and have any questions, please feel free to contact me. I hope that in someway what I have to share will be able to help.
You Are Adopted | The day I found out I was adopted!
I remember the day vividly! I was playing in my room when my mom and dad came to me and asked if I would come to the living room as they had something to tell me. I left my room reluctantly as I wanted to continue to play and proceeded to the living room couch. Without any hesitation, my dad (with a piece of paper in his hand) asked me if I knew what it meant to be adopted. Now, you have to remember I was 4 years old at the time and the only thing on my mind were the toys in my room; so I nodded my head in agreement and from that moment on my life was completely altered. I had no idea that I was adopted before this day. My mom and dad were my mom and dad and my two sisters were (well, I better not say) no really, they were my sisters. Although I didn’t know completely what was happening, my mom and dad told me I was their God chosen son and that I was a gift. They didn’t go in to detail about the reasons behind my adoption or why I was adopted that day, but I remember for the first time I felt as though I was different. In some weird way at the age of 4 I felt as though I didn’t belong and that there must be something wrong with me. Why would a mother give up her child?
This is just the beginning of my story and I hope you come back over the next few days. I know my story is one of many but I want my story to help families who have adopted or are considering adoption. I want to be an encouragement but also help families be aware of some of the issues they ‘may’ face while raising an adoptive child. If you know of someone who may benefit from this, please pass it on.
How many remember the game Sim City? It was a game I first played when I was a teenager and I honestly couldn’t get enough of it. I always wanted to be on the computer watching my city grow and seeing city’s bank account grow. Then there was the time where I wasn’t patient enough and wreaked havoc on the city I was creating and utterly destroyed it.
Lately I have been giving some thought about building cities. Dream with me for a second. What if you had the opportunity to be the architect responsible for building a new city. Where would you begin? What would be important for you? What would your vision be for the city? The questions could go on and on.
I have a firm conviction that we are to play a role in the development of culture in the city which we call home. What are you doing to make a difference in your community? If you had the opportunity to build a city, how would you do it? I would love to hear your thoughts about ‘building a city.
The truth of Who I Am In Christ has been something close to my heart as of late. I am amazed by the amount of individuals who truly don’t understand or have never had a revelation of their position ‘in Christ.’ Many people are aware of the ‘Who I Am In Christ’ sayings and even quote them on a regular basis. I thought I would display a document which I hope will serve as an encouragement to those who read it. Blessings!
Vision can be defined as: the act or power of sensing with the eyes; sight or the act or power of anticipating that which will or may come to be. There is so much talk amongst people regarding vision and the part it plays in a person’s life.
Proverbs 29:18 says, “where there is no vision, the people perish.”
Why is VISION important?
1. So you know where you are going.
2. Moves us from being spectators to participants.
3. It empowers.
4. We won’t perish.
Here are some hindrances to vision:
1. A lack of clarity
2. The past
3. Comparing
4. Fear
What do you have your eyes fixed on?
Let’s be honest, praying doesn’t always come natural to us. It can be hard work sometimes. It takes discipline. One of the issues I see with prayer is that we try too hard. We use big words and often pray from our heads and not our hearts. He is not impressed one bit by the size of the words we use or even the length of them. All He wants is our hearts. How is your prayer life? Do you even pray? What are you praying for right now.
God is a God of restoration. Ever since Adam and Eve were banished from the garden, God has set in motion a plan of restoration. To restore means: to put back again. Throughout the Bible, it is filled with stories of how God restored people and places. That is who He is. That’s what He does. There are many fascinating Scriptures that reveal the heart of God to restore. They are passages that cultivate hope in a people. Truths which carry families through difficult times. Listen to what Joel 2:25 says,
“So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, The crawling locust, The consuming locust, And the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you.”
What a promise! Doesn’t that inspire hope in you? We have all experienced brokenness. It manifests in our relationships, it wreaks havoc on our emotions, it can hinder our decision making, and distorts our view of God. His desire for us is that would we would be brought to a place of complete restoration. Nothing missing. Nothing broken. You need to know He is for you!
Let me close with this one last Scripture which I hope will be a source of encouragement to you. Psalm 80:3 which says,
Restore us, O God; Cause Your face to shine, And we shall be saved!
May this be the cry of your heart.
