//mytwocents

//baby.food

Last Friday, we put out the need for baby food for orphans in Haiti, and you responded in an amazing way!  We were able to drop off over 100 lbs of baby food and many of our Growth Groups have jumped on the bandwagon as well... thanks for your amazing generosity in response to the needs that were presented to us!  Your response shows your incredible kindness!

//baby.food

On Friday morning, July 22nd, we were informed through social media that there is a team from our area heading to Haiti this coming week, and that they are in serious need of the following items:

• Jars of Baby Food
• Boxes of Baby Cereal
• Cans of Baby Formula

This is SUCH A SIMPLE thing for us here in the United States, but could literally save the life of an orphaned child down in Haiti.  So here is what I am proposing...

WHAT IF EVERY PERSON WHO ATTENDS SERVICES AT WESTBRIDGE TOMORROW BROUGHT SOMETHING WITH THEM TO SHARE?

With the number of people who call Westbridge their home church, we could do SO MUCH for the orphans of Haiti, and it would be at a very small price or inconvenience for us!  So DO WHAT YOU CAN... every little single jar of baby food helps!  We will have an area to drop it off at Westbridge Church this weekend between 8am - 12pm!

ALSO... SPREAD THE WORD!  Put it on your facebook status or tweet about it, and help us get the word out to your followers so that they can help out as well if they would like to!

"What if I don't attend Westbridge?"  NO PROBLEM... just swing by Middle School East in St. Michael (It's on Naber Avenue right off of County Road 241) between the hours of 8am - 12noon and drop something off! 

CLICK HERE FOR A MAP TO THE SCHOOL

CLICK HERE FOR THE WESTBRIDGE FACEBOOK PAGE

//golf

This last Tuesday evening, I had the chance to go play 9 holes of golf with one of our Growth Groups from Westbridge!  This is a Group that meets once a week for 8 weeks during the summer to hit golf balls at the driving range, improve their swing, make friends and pray with each other!  In spite of the 105 degree heat index, I had an absolute blast with this group of guys!

It was also incredibly meaningful for me to have a couple of the guys pull me aside just to say "Thanks" because God has used Westbridge to change their life in some significant ways!  That is SO EXCITING to me!  (WAY more exciting than killing my first 2 drives flawlessly... of course the rest of the night was spent in bunkers and water hazards...) 

Every single moment of every single day, LIFE IS HAPPENING!  Some of it is exciting and celebratory and compels us to smile as joy overflows!  Some of it is difficult and trying, and begs us to grow through the mess!  We live every moment of every day in the tension of beauty and brokenness, but we do it TOGETHER!  Watching my golf ball splash with incredible force into yet another water hazard, I couldn't help but be so grateful for those God has brought into my life! 

Don't make the mistake of living your life alone!  Surround yourself with those who can laugh with you when things are good, cry with you when they are tough, and smile in nodding approval as you lose yet another golf ball!

PS - One of my all time favorite bands is getting ready to release a new album in a couple of months, and this is their first single... it seriously ROCKS!  Enjoy...

//hot

Yesterday, it was 104 degrees with the highest humidity possible, and we still had church - WITH NO AIR CONDITIONING!!!  It was hotter in Minnesota yesterday than the Amazon... and although we did our best to make it comfortable with large fans sucking from the parts of the building that did have A/C, I'm not going to lie, it was a little uncomfortable.  I felt more like an instructor for bikram yoga than a pastor, and yet - this may shock you - but we were still able to gather as the body of Christ and worship God and enjoy community and receive teaching on how Scripture applies to our life!

I want to say a huge THANK YOU to all of our serving teams yesterday!  You set up, and played in the band, and served kids and families, and served ice cold water, and greeted our guests, and directed parking, and took everything down when we were done - and you did it without a SINGLE COMPLAINT!  I saw joy on your sweaty faces and love for our community displayed through the discomfort!  You were the very picture of Jesus to our community!

Fortunately, we were able to move to a building with A/C last night for our Worship Night where we dedicated several kids to God, expressed our love and gratitude to God through music and generosity, and celebrated God's grace through communion and water baptism.  If you missed it, I would highly encourage you to come and check out the next worship night in the fall! 

We will keep working on doing everything possible to make our current facility a little more comfortable, but in the meantime... keep being faithful... keep showing up... keep serving... keep giving... don't give up or get discouraged!  Lives are being changed every single week because of your faithfulness!

//baptism.faq

Got questions about Water Baptism?  Watch the video below...

Click here to sign up for water baptism!

 

//baptism

If you have made a decision to follow Jesus, but you have not yet followed his example in Water Baptism, please don't miss the opportunity to join us THIS SUNDAY NIGHT as we celebrate together outwardly what God is doing inside your heart and life!  There are so many people who are a part of the Westbridge Family who want to CHEER YOU ON as you take this next step!  So I want to make it VERY simple for you to sign up:

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR WATER BAPTISM

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR CHILD DEDICATION

This week I will be posting a video on FAQ's about Water Baptism.  If you have not been baptized, make plans to TAKE THE PLUNGE at our Worship Night this coming weekend.

If you HAVE been baptized, please make plans to join us and cheer on those from the Westbridge Family who are taking this next step!

//random

• My wife recently returned from a trip with her mom to a cancer treatment center, and I was home with our 3 kids for 11 days!  I have a BRAND NEW RESPECT for single parents!  I had to operate at a VERY high capacity just to pull it off, but I had a finish line.  Single parents are AMAZING!!!

• During the last couple of weeks, I have blogged very little because I was being a single parent!  (see above...)  Had a blast hanging out with my parents for a couple of days - even though they live in Wisconsin.

• Grew a beard while my wife was gone, and I have to tell you that if I wasn't married, I would probably look like a mountain man all the time!  BEARDS ARE AWESOME!!!

• We are in a series at Westbridge Church during the summer talking about the "fruit of the Spirit" as found in Galatians 5:22-23.  Having a great time with this series, and excited to share the speaking load with some of our staff during the summer!

• During the last 2 weeks, I celebrated with a couple who had their first child, and performed a small ceremony for a couple who lost their first child.  I celebrated with a couple who has had their marriage healed by God's grace, and I met with a couple on the edge of divorce.  I welcomed home a soldier on leave, and said goodbye to another on his way to deployment.  This thing called life NEVER STOPS and I am thankful for the chance I had last week to rest.

• Our Growth Group on Wednesdays is seriously SO MUCH FUN!  We are getting to know other people and enjoying multiple games of Bean Bag Toss!  This week, we will decide on a community service project together that we will complete in the next few weeks.  If you are not already involved in a Growth Group - DON'T MISS YOUR CHANCE IN THE FALL!  Don't do life alone!

• Westbridge Worship Night is on July 17th @ 6pm... Make plans to join us and cheer on those whose lives have been changed by God's grace!

• We are doing a training for our Team Leaders in August... excited to talk about the future! 

• We are making plans right now for a party for our Growth Group Leaders and also a church picnic at the end of August!  We have never done that before, but I think it will be a great way to reconnect after a summer of everyone kind of going their own ways for vacations and cabins!

• Working on my talk today for this coming weekend as we talk about how to have peace when the pressure is on.  Invite a friend to join you if you are in town!

• I am performing 3 weddings this month!  This has been my busiest year EVER with weddings, and I love to do them!

• Had a great time tubing, swimming, grilling, and hanging out with family over the 4th of July!

• Okay... thanks for checking in, and my blogging will resume at its regularly scheduled pace.  Have a great week