Today my bride turns ….. (there’s no way you actually thought I would finish that!). 

Angie, for 23 years now I’ve watched you as you have walked through life.  I’ve experienced your love, and listened to your thoughts and dreams and passions.   I’ve been captured by your laugh and drawn into your tears.  You have such a strength and maturity and yet, at the same time, such a child-like faith and tenderness.  You feel things deeply and you’re not afraid to be real.  And, all of who you have been and are has forever shaped me.

Thank you for the way you love Jesus.  Thank you for the way you love our kids.  Thank you for your compassion toward people and passion in worshiping Christ.  I pray you have nothing less than a fully blessed year!  Happy Birthday!

The closer we get to this weekend, the more pumped I get about what God’s about to do.  So many people are just “hanging on by a thread.“  It hits us in different areas of life and at different seasons.  In relationships, with our job, in our health, with our finances… some are just barely hanging on.  Psychologist say that “burnout” is a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress… and we are all in danger of going there at times in our lives.  As we talk about “Burnout,” there are some simple steps we find in Scripture about how to move out of burnout and into what God has for us.  This series is going to be very “freeing“!  (You may even be in or near burnout and not even know it!).

As we think about the weekend, remember that there are people that you and I know who are experiencing burnout.  They are close to loosing all hope, and in desperate need of knowing the love of Christ.  There’s never been a better time to invite someone to C3… so dive in, have the conversation, make the phone call, send the email… found people find people!

I really don’t know how to say everything I’m feeling.  It hits me in waves.  My oldest daughter is getting married in 4 months.  4 months!  She’s ready.  She’s mature and beautiful and loves Jesus like crazy.  I admire her strength and passion for life.  And, I couldn’t be happier with her choice.  Barry  loves my daughter, and I will forever love him for it.  He loves Jesus and he’ll make a great husband and father.  He’s like another son.

But, here’s the deal.  My little girl is ready to get married… she’s ready, but I’m not.  I’m really not ready to let go in the way I’m going to have to.  I knew from the moment she was born she wouldn’t be all mine forever, I just didn’t know how quickly it would fly by.  It was just yesterday that I was the only man in her world and she needed me for everything… and now…  I know she’ll always be my little girl, and I’ll always be her Daddy but this is really hard.

I guess I’m just glad it’s not hard because of who she picked, or how she’s living, or a million other reasons that cause parents to pause and hold their breath.  She’s fully prepared and she couldn’t have picked better.  It’s just hard because I love her so much… and yet it’s really exciting because I love her so much.  It hits me in waves….

Tuesdays kick off with staff meetings.  It’s just the way I roll.  Monday’s I’m to dead emotionally and mentally to accomplish anything really productive (and sometimes I deal with anger issues on Mondays ) so Tuesday’s work for me.

Today we talked through our Fall message schedule at C3 Church – I’m really pumped about what I believe God’s going to do in people’s lives through it.  There’s really something special about working with people you like… I wouldn’t have it any other way.  I love our team and how God uses each of them in my life and the life of C3 (the banana bread from Amanda rocked too – thanks!).

One thing that continues to be on my mind is how so many people who, in one way or another, are really struggling right now.  If that’s you – and there’s anything I can pray for you about feel free to comment (I won’t publish prayer requests) or shoot me a facebook message or if you “tweet” a  direct message on twitter.  Seriously, I’d love to pray for you this week.  Peace.

It changes you.  It ends careers, kills marriages and wrecks lives.  Many fade into it and some never come out of it.  It’s not something that happens in an instant, but it takes time.  However, it doesn’t take as much time as you might think.  You wake up one day and what you feel in the moment has been a dark, growing happening in your life.  Stress increases, pressure builds, worry sets in and then… you just can’t take it anymore.  You find yourself hanging on by a thread.  Its Burnout.  It’s no respecter of persons.  It happens to rich people and poor, successful people those who struggle, married and singles, young and old.  In this series we’ll unpack the spiritual truths that bring life back to those who feel it slipping away.  Don’t miss “Burnout,” beginning this week at C3 Church.