- Feels like summer is here.
- I know it’s not really, but something seemed to change last week and it feels like a bunch of us are shifting to “summer mode.”
- Pulled the cover off the pool the other day and have been having some fun as a family in there.
- Never wanted a pool really, but now that we have one I’m so thankful.
- A cool dip is sounding pretty good this afternoon.
- Kind of hitting a bit of a Monday afternoon wall at this point.
- Doesn’t happen every Monday, but it’s pretty common after sermons that seem to come from a deeper place in me.
- Yesterday was like that for me.
- I’ve seen so much confusion among Christians about the role of good works that it was fun to be able to speak about.
- I used to only really see confusion with folks who thought their good works would earn salvation.
- But as the gospel-centered movement has taken root (thank you, Lord), I see the other confusion that believes good works are irrelevant.
- Makes me so thankful for some godly, wise men who have put some time and scholarship into a well-rounded look at what the Bible says about it — you can read and watch their stuff here.
- I’m also thankful for the preaching collective we have where 10 days before each sermon, all the preaching pastors come together to study and discuss the text and sermon.
- It was especially helpful this week and a few of my illustrations were formed and shaped in that meeting.
- Had a great meeting today with our architect.
- Chipping away at our schematic design for the new property.
- It’s a fun process — especially since we’re not in a hurry.
- Will be rolling some things out this fall about it, which I’m looking forward to.
- Meeting tomorrow night with a team of people who are going to help with our vision initiative this fall.
- Really nice to have months to prepare instead of weeks (like we did with Roots).
- Stay tuned.
- Despite some of that fun and exciting stuff, I’m also grieving this week.
- A man in our church, Jack McCann, passed away suddenly this weekend.
- He’d had some heart troubles over the years and a heart attack took him.
- He was a guy who often wanted to talk after my sermons and I always found it stimulating conversation.
- He also had an amazing ability to connect with a wide diversity of people — and was just a really fun, interesting guy.
- Heard about his passing on Saturday night and thought about it a lot before and during our services yesterday.
- Though Jack was a Christian when he came to Gateway, I think he was better prepared to meet Jesus as a result of his time with us.
- That makes me happy.
- Not sure when services will be just yet, but I imagine we’ll know soon.
- Life really is a vapor.
- Have to make it count.
- That’s probably a good way to finish this thing.
- All of life is all for Jesus.
