In today's culture it seems as though every time you flip through the news stations there is a continuous conversation about profiling. The TSA is profiling. The CIA is profiling. TMZ  is profiling. The Republicans are profiling. The Democrats are profiling. The Church is profiling. EVERYONE is profiling! Including you!

So the big question is - who should you really be profiling?

There are a lot of options! It takes about 30 seconds at the mall, or Target, or Wal Mart, etc. and the profiling begins! But here is my suggestion - begin profiling immediately! I did! Whom am I profiling? ME.

Here are some of the tough questions I began with:

1. When people see me, who do they really see?
2. Is my behavior suspicious? Do people see me being nice when I could have been mean?
3. As people eavesdrop on your conversations (and they do) are they intrigued by what they are hearin ... Read More »

When Robin was pregnant with Caitlyn she began having contractions at 13 weeks!!! She would spend the rest of her pregnancy on complete bedrest to protect the precious child that God had concieved, and birthed.

As I reflect on my life one of my shortfalls is premature labor. I get so excited about what God is creating, birthing, and doing, that I want to share it with everyone! How can that be bad?

I have found out over the years that it is bad! When you get to heaven ask Joseph how it worked out for him. He was so jacked up about the dream, but he birthed it prematurely. He went running out sharing what God was going to do, and it created some pain.

There is no doubt in my mind that God is doing some truly miraculous things at, and through, Journey. There is no doubt in my mind that God desires to do some miraculous things in you. And there is no doubt that sometimes we run ahead of God and give birth to the dream prematurely.& ... Read More »

Yes, I know the title is probably a little offensive, but it is so true!!!

I can't tell you how many times over the years I have done marriage counseling with people and one of the complaints is, "My wife is boring and mean". Okay, I hear you, but here is my question - was she mean before you proposed or did a devil just jump in her one day and make her mean?

My observation is that most mean people, men and women, are selfish in their teen years. They were probably mean to the Mom, Dad, brother, and sister, but you were the new hero, the love, so they wouldn't dare be mean to you. Selfishness drives their whole mentality and when they decide you are not meeting their selfish needs anymore, watch out! The mean little devil is about to come after you!

My suggestions: Don't marry a mean woman, or man! Don't date them, don't flirt with them, don't think you can change them, simply run from them! I don't care how hot you t ... Read More »

I'll never forget in my late 20's getting so frustrated at older people when they would say, "We are just waiting on God"! It drove me nuts!!! One day I finally had enough of "waiting", so I began to try to figure out what in the world it meant to wait on God. Sitting in the "Mitchell mini-van" at a soccer tournament in Ponca City I looked up Isaiah 40:3, studied the orginal text, and it changed my life forever!

I have never been more excited about what God is doing through Journey! Our vision is to see a city transformed, one life at a time — and it is happening every day!

While it the vision is lived out everyday through the church, we have some pretty big thoughts on some things in the future that will help shape the culture of communities. They are thoughts that are so much bigger than anything we could pull off in our own strength, but they are thoughts that we believe were birthed by God. They are thoughts that will take months and years to unfold, but every moment of patiently waiting will be well worth it!

That being said, as we begin a separate non-profit to chase these dreams, we have stated the goal that it will all be "faith based". As I have thought about that statement it has challenged me to begin define what it really means. While I don't have the complete definition, I do know there is a big difference in "faith based" and &qu ... Read More »

Everyday I read the news and there seems to be a story about being "Environmentally aware". Some say that Global Warming will cause the earth to cease as we know it, and others say that the earth is cooling.

My stance: I have know idea!

But here is what I do know: Everyday I spend on planet earth I need to be environmentally aware!

I need to be aware of the environment that I create at home. I need to be aware of the environment that I create at work. I need to be aware of the environment I am creating in our community. I need to be aware of the environment that I create in our church. I need to be intentional about the environments I influence.

There is a good chance that  we will never know all the truth about global warming, or cooling. There is a good chance we will never know all the truth about how we, as humans, affect the "environment". So in the meantime, let's fo ... Read More »

Last week I was having a conversation with someone about some of their needs in life, when all the sudden the question popped out - when do you say thanks?

I think we would all agree on gratefulness as a character quality, but the question is, when do we use it? Especially with God.

My observation: Most people like to thank God after they physically see Him do things that enrich their level of comfort. We ask, knock, and seek for Him to do those things that make life easier on us. Our response to Him after he does is a simple - Thanks!

My question: Is gratefulness a response to what has been done in your life or an act of faith of what God will do?

For me, I am trying to make gratefulness an act of faith instead of a response to the selfish things I want God to do.

Here is some info we got from the medical team in Haiti. Grab your kleenex!!! Commit to pray! I am so proud of our church!

Pretty big first day.  All the medical people are busy at the mission--a lot of patient care.  A person died today in the ward that my mom is working in.  I have jumped in the ambulance all day.  We went into Port au Prince.  Crazy!  Crazy!  Crazy!  I saw hundreds of amputees today, so sad.  I'm in the ambulance right now.

I am just helping when I'm needed.  I help move/carry people-I wish I could do more, so much of the day has just been me being available to be an extra hand.  We have a Haitian guy  with us too--a driver and translator."

On the way in to the MOH they had driven past two of the huge mass graves where they have been burrying bodies.  Ruben said that they containe ... Read More »

This past week has been an absolute blast with all that God has done!

• First, and most importantly, a lot of people (I don't have the count yet) gave their lives to Christ yesterday!!! The 11:30 at the North Campus had hands everywhere! Really cool!
• I had a blast yesterday kicking off the series on the Holy Spirit!
• The First Impressions team yesterday was rocking on all cyclinders! Way to go Courtney!
• The EC (East Campus) had a huge turnout yesterday! Record turnout in the kid's area!
• Working with the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition was fun, and interesting, this week.
• I am so proud of the Journey Team for the way they rallied over 5,000 toys for the Skaggs Toy Foundation!
• What was really cool was how the team involved the whole community! They did a great job!!!
• Personally, I had ... Read More »
  Comments (0)

This Sunday will be one of the most memorable days in our church's existence!!! I have been so humbled by all that God has done in the past few weeks, and this week is setting up to be amazing! To think that we have had the opportunity to partner with ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is truly remarkable! I am going out the the house tonight to check things out. (I'm sure they need my input!)

So what am I asking you to do? BRING AS MANY TOYS POSSIBLE THIS SUNDAY! Load up the kids, go to your favorite store, and part with a little bit of cash. It doesn't have to be anything major, but bring 2 toys for each of your family members and it will make a big time difference! We'll be loading the toys after the 11:30 worship experience and driving them out to the job site!

Second thing I'm asking - BRING AS MANY FRIENDS POSSIBLE!!! I don't understand how God works all the time, but I can tell you that He is changing people's lives in a big time way right now! Ma ... Read More »