"Big Ol' Egg Drop" Pics

Thank you to all who came out and made "The Big Ol' Egg Drop" a huge success. Here are a few pics. If you missed it this year, make plans to be there next year!

Why We're Dropping 20,000 Easter Eggs

This Saturday, Peace Community Church has its 3rd annual "Big Ol' Egg Drop" (www.bigeggdrop.com). This event is something we love to do for the community, and it's always a blast for the kids. But there's a greater purpose for the event. This year's egg drop will benefit the "No Child Without Initiative"* of Sumner County Schools, a program committed to assisting the poor and eliminating homelessness in our community. Here are a few ways they help the kids in our area:

• Delivering weekend food packs
• Providing clothing
• Purchasing school supplies
• Tutoring
• Distributing donated items like gifts at Christmas

We've talked with Maureen Wright of Sumner County Schools, and she suggested that we receive monetary donations at the egg drop. So please come this Saturday. Bring the whole family. And please consider how much you may give to this worthy cause so that we can help defeat poverty in our community. We can make a difference--together!

*If you'd like to find out more about the "No Child Left Without Initiative," please click here or here. Also, I would encourage you to contact Maureen Wright for more info: maureen.wright@sumnerschools.org.

The Birthday That Really Matters

Today I celebrate birthday number 33. My folks are coming over tonight to watch the kids so that my bride and I can go out to eat. I can't wait to have some chicken fingers and a little carrot cake at J. Alexander's!

Over the last few years, my birthday has been a day for me to really reflect on the brevity of life and on what really matters in life. For my 30th birthday, I wrote a little piece called "In My Next Thirty Years." Everything I said then is exactly what I feel three years later.

Today, I also reflect on the birthday that really matters. Over and over again, the Bible talks about the need for every person to be "born again." What this means is that every person needs God to change them from the inside out. Until God changes our hearts, it doesn't really matter what we commit to do. Here's how Andy Stanley puts it:

“Until you’ve been born again, it doesn’t really matter what you try to do. If there’s not a rebirth experience, nothing else really matters. . . . Before you try harder. Before you try to turn over a new leaf. And before you try and change all those habits. And before you try and commit to be a better husband and wife and parent. First, you must be born again.”

Being "born again" is not something that we earn or deserve. It's a gracious gift of God that allows us to surrender every area of our lives to Jesus Christ. When we're "born again," we are never the same because our priorities, our desires, and our lives experience a radical makeover. As Ephesians 2:4-5 explains, we're spiritually dead, and nobody but God can wake us up:

"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved."

So yes, I'm thankful to God for birthday #33 today. But I'm much more thankful to God for the day that He woke me up spiritually--the day He rescued me from sin, adopted me into His family, and gave me eternal life. That's the birthday that really matters to me.

New Small Group Study

What do I do when I'm stressed? Where can I find true satisfaction for my soul?

These practical questions are just two of the many that will be addressed as PCC kicks-off a new Bible study in our small groups this week. It's a DVD-based Bible study on Philippians. The teacher will be Matt Chandler, a young pastor in the Dallas area. He's a passionate, gifted teacher who keeps people's attention and helps people focus on Christ in every area of their lives.

Here's the video promo if you'd like to check it out: http://vimeo.com/6971494

If you're interested in joining us for this study, please email me: michael@peacecc.org. We would love to get you plugged-in!

JustStayMarried.com

Peace Community Church has created a month-long blog for all couples who want to pursue a healthy, God-centered marriage. Check out these daily readings at www.juststaymarried.com. Our goal is to add much more content in the near future so that the website will be a great resource for couples who are serious about just staying married. For now, enjoy the blog written by the members of PCC!

Prayers for 2010

For many, New Year's Day is a time of serious reflection. It's a time to reflect on the past year. It's also a time to reflect on the year ahead--on where we are now and where we want to go. On this New Year's Day 2010, I got out my Bible and thought I would just look up verses that mention the word "new." As I read these verses, I also wrote down some prayers. Here are a few of them. Pray them for yourself if you feel so inclined. And Happy New Year!

LAMENTATIONS 3:22-24

²²The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
²³they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
²⁴"The LORD is my portion," says my soul,
"therefore I will hope in him."

PRAYER--

"God, Your mercies, love, and faithfulness are without boundaries. Your mercies are new every morning AND every year! Therefore, Lord, I hope in You alone in 2010."

2 CORINTHIANS 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

PRAYER--

"God, You are all about changing lives and giving people new purpose and new life. Thank you for giving me a new life even though I lived a rebellious old life. In 2010, don't let me get over the simple fact that You changed me 4-ever!"

GALATIANS 6:15

Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything;

what counts is a new creation.

PRAYER--

"At the end of the day, year, and life, nothing matters more than being a new creature who is totally surrendered to Christ and unimpressed with the world. Lord, in 2010, I just want to be attracted to You and Your cross and not distracted by the temporary, futile things of the world."

2 PETER 3:13

But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.

PRAYER--

"God, You promise us that history will come to an end when Jesus returns, and the world will be renewed to its original glory. I look forward to what You have planned for me in 2010, but I'm more eager to have unbroken and perfect fellowship with You and all Your children in the new world.

Until then, let my hope in that promise of eternal life be the means by which I persevere in this life."

16 Christmases Ago

16 Christmases ago, I was asked to sing a song called "Thank God for Kids" for the Christmas-themed service at my church (see video above). Little did I know then, but 16 years later I would be a father of two, making the lyrics much more meaningful and personal.

Christmas time can be crazy. But let me encourage us all to pause long enough this Christmas to thank God for who and what He's given us. All we have is because of His grace. May we respond with gratitude and gladness, just like the mother of Jesus did when she heard that she was going to give birth to the Savior of the world: "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior" (Luke 1:46-47).