This baby was born deaf.
8 months later, through surgeries and modern technology, he hears the sound of mom’s voice.
It’s the first time he’s been able to hear anything…

Incredible.
When was the first time you could hear? I mean, really hear?
When did you begin to notice the sound & things around you?
Was it beautiful? Frightening? Distracting?

In life we have a variety of chaotic noise pollution pulling & vying for our attention.
What are you hearing?
Is there anything at all… or just static?

The first time I really heard was age 19.
Life was great, I had it all planned out, but things began to not fit. Kinda like a Tetris game gone awry. I tried with all my will and strength to produce results on my own accord. But, to no avail the static and noise continued. When I finally thought it was the end and relented to the fact I couldn’t do it on my own- I finally heard. I felt the presence of God stepping in. I peace and calm came over me. My anger, frowning, negative nature turned to joy. He led me to be better, think clearer and provided direction.

I love being able to hear.
Can you hear… Him?

*jdel

(ht: to my sis for the video)

“3:30 a.m. is just too early” is what I thought to myself as I began day 2 of riding & giving up my vehicle. Day 1 was cake. Ride to work, ride home- done. The second day, well… let’s just say it wasn’t “ideal.” 20-25 mph winds, rain, gusts, it was a mess. I’m not quite sure my body was ready for the conditions. The riding, yes. But not the weather.

The thing is, that’s the point of this journey.
To learn how the other side lives.
Begin to get a glimpse into the lives of others.
God did that for me in day two.

To read more, head over to http://www.rideforwater.org where I’m sharing my daily journey in raising awareness for Ta Phin, Vietnam and the 600+ people living with unclean water.
You can join me to change all that.
Click over to the site and learn how.

*jdel

This is Jessie Kay.
She has been through quite a lot in life.
Jessie & her husband Tim attribute the stability in their lives to God and the help of Forefront.
Check out Jessie and her special moment of surrendering to God.

Forefront Baptisms: January 24, 2011 from Forefront Church on Vimeo.

The “sheet” Jessie is talking about is a worksheet we give to people after we’ve discussed baptism, the biblical concept, etc. If you’re thinking about getting baptized and want to take a look, here is the link to the worksheet: http://www.brandedwithlove.com/media/baptism-sheet.pdf

*jdel

UPDATE: ALL THE KIDS ARE SPONSORED!

And with 10 minutes to spare. If we can do that in just a few hours, I wonder what we can do with a week or month? Hmmmmm…

For the last few years we’ve worked with a local elementary school’s special ed department in providing Christmas gifts for the students and their families. Each year we’ve taken on more and more children and Forefront has delivered. This year we sponsored 75 children! Unreal. It gets me so pumped.

In getting all of the gifts, not all of them were turned in with the complete list of items given to purchase for the children. So, we still have need for the following items by THIS SUNDAY!

Here’s how you can help: Comment on this post saying what item(s) you’re looking to pick up and bring Sunday. As they come in, I’ll cross them off the list. Our goal is to have all the items sponsored by 10PM TONIGHT!

I know you guys can do it! C’mon and show me what you’re made of Forefronters! And now for the list…

1. Tavian (boy), age 8, shirts size 10-12, skateboard, helmet, cars, trucks Sponsored

2. Lieghanna (girl), age 12, hair items, board games Sponsored

3. Josephine (girl), age 8, board game, baby doll Sponsored

4. Reanna (girl), age 9, Barbie doll, baby doll Sponsored

5. Shamya, age 6, blanket Sponsored

6. Kanya (girl), age 10, Disney things Sponsored

7. Jaden, age 7, action figures Sponsored

8. Kairo (boy), age 3, musical toys Sponsored

9. Ranigia (girl), age 5, pants and shirts size 5T Sponsored

10. Aiden, age 5, action figures Sponsored

11. Quintanna, age 6, musical toy Sponsored

12. Hugo (boy), age 5, pants and shirts size 5-6, board games Sponsored

13. Joseph, age 10, pants and shirt ~ size 10, remote car or truck Sponsored

14. Jason, age 10, pants and shirt ~ size 12, action figures, football Sponsored

15. Jonathan (boy), age 8, pants and shirt size 10 Sponsored

16. Tyrell (boy), age 11, pants size 12, shirts size 14-16 Lg. Sponsored

17. David (boy), age 7, pants and shirts size 12-14, action figures Sponsored

18. Joshua (boy), age 9, pants size 12 Sponsored

19. Alexis (girl), age 12, Disney hoodie size 12, pants size 12, Disney radio Sponsored

20. Raven (girl), age 9, pants size 10, shirts size 12-14, High School Musical, Disney things Sponsored

21. Nina (girl), age 10, pants and shirt size 16 Plus Sponsored

22. Derek (boy), age 13, pants size 28×28, shirts Men Size Medium Sponsored

Let the Christmas shopping begin!
*jdel

So I posted the other day about our student ministry serving at P.I.N. during there “Destination Unknown” event. Well, here is a little video from their serving. So cool to see students and leaders helping others.

Destination Unknown 2010 from Forefront Church on Vimeo.

*jdel

Last night our Student Ministry met at our warehouse space. All the kids were told, was that they were to meet at 7pm and bring $5. They had no clue what they were doing. When they arrived, they were informed they we going to be making care packages for homeless people at P.I.N. (People In Need, website). They gathered in cars, went with an adult leader, and made their way to the space where they were going to serve. Not only were they making packages for 100+ people, but they were hand-writing letters to the homeless men and women who would be receiving the care packages. Afterwards, they took over The Skinny Dip with 53 people. Craziness.

Just an awesome glimpse into the lives of these middle and high school students. You parents have more than enough reason to be proud of your kids. And parents, make sure to give a big thanks to all of our adult leaders in student ministry and our Student Pastor, James Davis. They work so hard to be an example for your kids and pray for them daily.

Here are a few shots of the evening last night, as they served at P.I.N.

I say it all the time, but man- I love being a part of Forefront Church.

*jdel

Bonhoeffer by Eric Metaxas

I absolutely love history, especially when I can gleam a better understanding of the church and the men and women who came before me. With “Bonhoeffer” by Eric Metaxas, I was so excited to jump in and learn about the life of such a strong Christian man. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a pastor in the states who went back to Germany to serve the people during Hitler’s reign. His passion for the Gospel motivated him to not just sit there and watch the horror take place. He conspired not only in a plot to kill Hitler, but helped with saving the lives of Jews by getting them out of the country. He stood up for those who had no voice, and ultimately paid the price with his life.

I really enjoyed this book. While at times it was tough to push through, because of the painful things that were happening- it was an opportunity to be encouraged, challenged, and inspired. If you enjoy coming into contact with stories of God’s love and grace, this book is for you. It’s a longer read than many are used to, but it went by so quickly, I forgot how big the book was. Eric Metaxas has provided a window into the life of a humble man of God who would stop at nothing to help those in need. Take a moment, pick it up, and enjoy a time of being inspired.

*jdel

This book was provided for review by Thomas Nelson.

I talk to guys all the time and I would say 7 out of 10 guys have struggled or are struggling with some type of sexual addiction. It’s a huge deal. It wrecks you from the inside out. From personal experience in battling back w/ God’s help over something like this… it’s can create such a stronghold on your life.

But what about the ladies?
My wife and I have talked to more and more couples who are being torn apart. But, I’ve begun to see a trend that increases every moment… women are diving into pornography and sexual addiction like never before. The truth is- if you’re dealing with this… you’re not alone. There are thousands of other women out there struggling with the same thing. I recently watched the testimony of Anne Jackson. It is very moving. Check it out:

If you or someone you know is struggling in this area, please email Carrie or I so we can help point you to the resources to aid in battling back against that addiction with God’s help.
Carrie’s Email
Jason’s Email

Whenever I would catch a glimpse of a brick, I used to begin singing/humming “Brick” by Ben Folds Five. I love Ben Folds and his writing style… but after yesterday, I will no longer look at bricks the same way. Check it out:

Listening to God can be difficult for me at times.
Especially in sermon preparation.
“God, what do you want to say to your people?”
“What do they need to know that will bring them closer to you?”
“What if I totally drop the ball and wreck it completely?”

Thankfully, it’s not on me. God can use a great delivery or a sloppy mess to communicate His love.
He does the work.
I just get to humbly be a part of the process.
Yesterday we talked about judging others. I used two scales and had bricks with words I used to judge the other person. The passage we kept coming back to was Matthew 7:2 “For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” We cannot put that weight on others, we’re not the ones to judge the heart, God is. We need to bury/kill that kind of thinking. We gave everyone a brick. Told them to take it home, write the things they are judging others about on the brick, and bury it.

Here’s one couple’s story…

“I’ve always been quick to judge. Especially when I feel threatened. My husband and I have been through A LOT the last year. I’ll spare the details, but it’s a year I’ve been wanting to forget. Because of things that happened, I put a lot of labels and judgment on my husband and other people. The judgment I passed on them has done nothing but make me expect the things I judged them on. I thought bad things, therefore I expected bad things. Which in return has made everyday a nightmare. It’s a horrible life to live expecting the worst everyday. And even when things are going good, it sucks when you manage to find or make up something bad about it because you’re convinced that’s how it is. Point being, when you tell yourself someone is bad, you start to believe it. I’ve been praying a lot lately for help letting go of the past and the judgments I’ve placed that I held onto. Finally, today you gave me the extra push I needed to stop thinking about doing it, and actually doing it. As I was writing on my brick it honestly felt like a weight was being lifted. Every time I wrote a word, it was like a little anxiety went with it. By the time I was done, I felt so calm and at peace. It feels good to let go. Really good. Here’s to a fresh start, a clean slate, an open mind, and a compassionate heart.”

Thanks be to God.

Jason *over and out*

Hey Gang, it’s Carrie. I’m coming to you live from my living room in the heart of Kempsville (woot woot). Each Sunday Jason gives his side of the service, message, and how things are going. Well, here’s… The Other Side.

The service yesterday was inspiring.

I am so excited that weekly now people are getting baptized and giving their lives to Christ.  That is definitely a testimony that God is working through Forefront Church. If you hadn’t heard, 5 people came talked with Jason yesterday about getting baptized (That’s 10 people in the last three weeks. So cool.)

The bible passage in the message, Mark 7:31-37, was eye-opening. How Jesus, even in the midst of healing a deaf and mute man, thought about all of the temptations and trials that man would now endure in life- it was a change in perspective for me.  Up until being healed, he had never been influenced by a dirty joke, curse word, or angry rant- he couldn’t hear it. He had never been tempted to say an evil thing, yell at someone, or speak in gossip- he couldn’t physically do it.

Lady Gaga, via Google Images

In thinking on that, it reminded me of the “innocence” of children. How they are slowly being exposed to all the negative influences we see in culture/society (as is everyone else who interacts with society). And it only took jumping into our car right after service to see it all go down first hand.

As we drove to lunch, we had the radio on and Lady GaGa’s “Poker Face” started up.  Jason went to change the radio station and our 22 month old angel in backseat became unruly as she started screaming “NO! Song! Song! Daddy! Song!” She wanted to listen to Lady GaGa (seriously? she’s 22 months old!).  Definitely not the influence we want Chloe to seek.  But even at that young an age, she is already being exposed to the negative influences all around us.  I am not saying that we shouldn’t listen to the radio or watch TV.  I love TV (speaking of TV, any LOST fans out there? I love that show).  But, we need to stay focused on God constantly so we do not become desensitized to the things around us.  Once we become desensitized, we more easily give into those negative influences and the temptations they bring.

Wasabi Gospel by Shawn Wood

I finished a pretty good read recently, titled Wasabi Gospel by Shawn Wood.  He takes a deeper look at key Bible passages that some of us have read 100 times and never thought much about, or maybe some of us have never read ever before.  The main themes revolve around “true forgiveness” and “overcoming sin.”

At one point Mr. Wood discusses Matthew 5:27-30, where Jesus is teaching on sin and our actions, “If your eyes cause you to stumble, take it out, for it is better to loose an eye than for all of you to end in destruction.” The point the author gets to is that at the root of all sin- is our heart/mind. What we fill them with will ultimately be what we give and show to the world and others around us.

I was challenged on Sunday…
To share my story.
To live a life that makes people go, “Do you follow Jesus?”
To be a better woman of God.

Until next time, Carrie