What a BIG BOY!

Caleb is now an official First Grader at JF Burns Elementary. Can you believe it? His first day was Thursday and he did GREAT! He handled the lunch room like a pro. Friday started off really rough at home but once at school he mastered the first grade (day 2) like a pro. We are very excited for him and proud of him. We took him to Abuelos for a celebration dinner, it was a blast. I cannot believe that my baby is in first grade. He has a great teacher! God is good to us. JF Burns has been a blessing and answer to our prayers. Lauren will start preschool on September 2nd, but as you can tell by the first day pictures, she is ready to go NOW.

Enjoy...

View Beyond The Pew

It is Wednesday and I continue to think about all that God did for us this Sunday. If you missed it, you missed a "once in a lifetime" experience. I know that I say that more than I should, but trust me, this won't happen again...













You see it, I was handcuffed by a chief of police at all three services as I began to preach. Why? What did I do? What was the point? Take 20 minutes CLICK HERE and listen for yourself.

Some other observations...

• Laurie Miller played guitar and added her voice into the mix in the praise band for the first time, WOW, what an awesome job! Great new blessing!
• Attendance was a good even distribution, but continues to be much lower than years past. Is it a summer slump? Is it laziness? Is it sickness? If you know, let me know.
• Operation Christmas Child drop-offs were overflowing with school supplies. Thanks to everyone who is taking part in this incredible mission. Thanks to Tom and Katie McGee for your presence at the drop-off table.
• I actually saw a line of people waiting to sign up for the women's Bible study this fall. How cool is that?
• New families and friends continue to be led to LCC each and every Sunday. The cool thing Sunday was 85% of the people who were brand new last Sunday came back this week! PTL!
• We announced that LCC has been chosen from all the churches in America by Children's Ministry Magazine to receive a complete Resource room CLEAN SWEEP! They will be here working sometime between September 5-9!! Look for some media coverage.

Have a blessed week and I pray to see you on Sunday!

smile on a preachers face

This kind of stuff is what keep me going. A member of our church recently ran into a mutual friend who drives by our church building on a regular basis and he asked a question about our church logo "loved to love". Pick up the e-mail here...

Brian, he asked me about something that he has been wondering about since it's existance....... What in the world does loved to love mean ??? He says that everytime he passes the church and looks at the sign he starts wondering what it is supposed to mean. I thought and said "here is my easy explaination". We are loved by God so we too are supposed to show our love to others. So, loved by God, love others. He said ok that makes since. He seemed pleased with my answer. How did I do ???

YOU DID GREAT! Way to go! I love it when folks "get it". Come on Church, let's not only "get it" but let's "live it"!!

Have a blessed day!

twice adopted

Take a moment and read why I called my blog "Twice Adopted Preacher" in my profile.

Today I received the following e-mail from a lady in my church who recently lost her father and it really blessed my socks off. I received permission to share it with you, so enjoy...

I didn’t expect or think about how much I would miss dad while I am at church. Wow I am only having a hard time there! I think one of the reasons is I associate the church with safety and love. So when I am there I can’t hold back, I have to feel what I feel. I have always related to you when you have said you were twice adopted. I have to tell you a story. Of course you know I came by myself until I got married to Rick. I was 26. The day my dad came to church I was so overwhelmed, I had to get up and leave to control myself. All those years of not understanding a lot of what I was being taught. Of feeling alone, and not sure of myself, because I didn’t have an adult here to tell me, it was amazing. It is awful as a child to learn about Christ and what we all must need to do to be saved and KNOWING that my dad was really lost. It is a pain that is hard to carry. Eventually when I learned it was not in MY hands, but Gods and I gave it to him- it was a short amount of time really, between that and my dad coming back. But before that happened, I remember, sitting in the third pew left side on a Sunday night. I was very crushed because my parent’s marriage was falling apart and I had just decided, and I remember the moment, that I could no longer have contact with my dad until he was sober. I didn’t call or ask him to visit or visit him. It was because I knew he had to do it for himself. I wanted him to get sober so bad- but at my age of 34 and him not sober I knew he couldn’t do it for me, I was sittingin the pew and thinking “I don’t have a dad anymore. Will I ever get him back again? Oh my gosh I don’t have a dad”. And then it was unbelievable- I heard a voice in my head say “I will be your father, I will take his place”. I actually sat up really straight and looked around to see if someone was talking to me!!! I then sat there and realized, after hearing it for years and years without really GETTING it- that God is the ULTIMATE father. He doesn’t disappoint. He is always the same. He doesn’t hurt me, embarrass me or do anything except what is best for me. It was at that point that I truly understood God- the Father. And from that day on, I really have had a closer relationship with him, and it’s such a deeper and loving relationship. When hard times come, it’s not SO hard because my Daddy is looking out for me. Abba, Father. I would never be able to have the father that I needed. My dad just wasn’t capable of it. I understood that, and it helps me get through some really tough times when he wasn’t such a nice person to be around. It was OK because I still had my daddy. And I know that I will always have him- even whithmy earthly father now gone, it’s not such a hole in my heart because God has help fill it up with what was missing. Praise him.Thats why I think I am twice adopted too.

Have a great, blessed day!

Jill

It is finally on You Tube

We have a tradition at Woodland lakes camp during mealtimes called "the hula". It came back while on our recent mission trip. I was called upon to do the hula, so I decided to give it 100%. Stand on a chair, jump to another chair, continue to hula and then finally jump to the front row....WHAM, through the chair, nail through my knee, blood and a crushed pride. Enjoy...

love your neighbor as yourself

We love our home here in Maineville, however, our plans had been to pack up and move to a place where we actually had neighbors that we could share life with and our kids could hang out with. Well, things have changed and changed fast. First of all, Brian and Roxanne and their son Avery moved in. They are great and we have enjoyed the last year together. Talk about people who can landscape and grow tomatoes, WOW! They have been such a positive addition to our street and to our lives.

Then in June Brian and Jennifer (yes, you read right) along with their kids Savannah and Cade moved in across the street. There was an instant friendship formed. We have been so blessed to share life day in and day out. Jen R has someone to talk with, shop with, go walking with. I have someone to help out around the yard, someone to talk with and someone to "kick butt" with in cornhole (we make a really great team). Caleb is a different boy because of the time he has spent with the kids. He actually rides his big wheel now and I imagine will ride a bike soon. Lauren loves to be outside and even cries sometimes when Savannah doesn't get in the car and go with us. She is also always talking about Cade and Savannah. We were able to invite Savannah to VBS and she even got slimmed with me. Now they have been attending LCC for many weeks and we could not be happier.

God truly answered our prayers. We are so blessed. Thank you Lord for sending us such great friends. We could not even imagine living anywhere else.

On Tuesday of this week Jen, Caleb and I got the honor of taking Savannah to Kings Island. It was her first time to ever walk in the park. We had an amazing day. We all had fun. Savannah has become an extension of our family and it was a day full of memories for all of us. By the way, she is now known as the RACER QUEEN! Enjoy a few pics from the day...

why we do what we do

Just a few e-mails received recently from folks God has sent to LCC

Pastor Brian,
Thank you for your email. Shirley and I agree that small touches like your email exemplifies what we saw at LCC. From the lot attendants to the greeters at the doors, we as first time visitors were not simply welcomed, but we were made to feel welcome. We enjoyed all aspects of your service music, meditation, prayers, and message. We did miss the Bible Study and hope to visit again soon. May God bless you and your congregation in all you do and say.
In Service to Christ
Michael and Shirley Carpenter

...Everyone at church was very friendly and our boys enjoyed themselves immensely. I attended a christian church while my husband was deployed and I felt very at home in your church as well...
Rachel Hathorn

Hi Brian,Our family really enjoyed the members of your church as well as the service. We will be back next Sunday...
Christy Brady

Hello. This is Jeremy Hunt. My wife and I spoke with you today at church. First, I just wanted to say we both really enjoyed ourselves and wanted to thank everyone there for making us feel like we are already apart of the LCC family...Again I wanted to thank you for a wonderful service today and my family is looking forward to another.

This is just the tip of the ice burg. God, please keep sending us folks who need a touch from you! Church, keep being used by God to be a miracle in the lives of people that He sends. From your preacher, thanks to everyone for the extra touches! Let's keep being Jesus to everyone around us. God is doing some really cool and supernatural things at LCC. I am soooooo excited to be a part of it, what about you?

VIEW BEYOND THE PEW

WOW it was so good to be "back in the saddle" again on Sunday. Thanks to Dan Ponchot and LJ Dozier for filling in while I was gone. I loved both messages. If you missed them or would like to hear any messages please CLICK HERE. Thanks to everyone who welcomed us home and asked us about our vacation. I Just love my church family.

It seems that God had some stuff to say to many of us on Sunday. I received several e-mails and have participated in many conversations about how powerful the message on attitude was Sunday. In this view beyond the pew, I would like to take the space to present a quick recap of the message.

Philippians 2:5 tells us to "have the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus". It is not only true in this context of humility and self-sacrifice but in anything that we do in life. We are "Christians" and that calls us to be "Christ-like". As a result, when it comes to anything in our life, we should mirror the attitude of Christ, even MONEY and POSSESSIONS! The main attitudes that seem to go along with any text that Christ speaks on money/possessions are 1)the attitude of a servant. We need to remember that we are slaves of righteousness and slaves of God (Romans 6:18&22) so we belong 100% to him. He is a master that loves us and has sacrificed for us, but we are still in that slave/master relationship. We have been "bought with a price" and we are no longer our own. 2) the attitude of a steward. Our master has given us a unique opportunity to "manage" a portion of what belongs to him. Because He owns us, He also owns all that comes with us. We are expected to "manage" everything (money, clothes, homes, body, family, stuff and even His Truth) well. In fact we are told in I Corinthians 4:1&2 and Romans 14:12 that we must prove faithful and that each of us will one day give an account as His managers or stewards. 3) the attitude of sacrifice. God gave the ultimate sacrifice in His Son for you and I. As managers of our master's stuff, we are called to the same priorities. God is a God of sacrifice and we are called to do likewise.

Sunday I prayed that each of us would adjust our attitudes to conform to Christ. I continue to pray that we are all taking inventory of each attitude and adjusting toward Him. This is essential for coming together next week and talking about DEBT! By the way, that sermon is done and God really is going to shake some foundations this week. Don't miss it!

A few other thoughts about last Sunday. First of all, it was refreshing to see a solid attendance even though several of our families were gone on trips, reunions and some even sick. God is really blessing us. Giving was above our need once again. We were blessed to hear about the world-wide evangelism that is going forth from Caracas, Venezuela from our own missionary Jim Dye. Some familiar faces returned after being away for some time. We were blessed to meet several new families for the first time. Lots of smiles, lots of hugs and lots of JESUS.

On a personal note, our D-group picnic in the shelter was incredible. Several new families attended and man, what a beautiful day. August 10th in Cincinnati and it was sunny, with a cool breeze and temps in the 70's! WOW!

Again, don't miss what God is planning to do this Sunday! Until later...
In Christ!
Gator out! :o)

I'm BACK and ready to GO!

Loveland Christian Church family and friends, I AM BACK! I am really excited about what God wants to say tomorrow to each of us. Just think ATTITUDE! Philippians 2:5! We start a new series and the final one of our Summer Smarts season entitled: "$$The ABC's$$" I cannot believe how excited I am to share this message with my family at Loveland. I was really getting fired up in my office today as I prepared for God to do His thing through me. You will NOT want to miss Sunday at LCC. In case you forget or don't know, service times are 8:45, 10 & 11:15. Bring your Bibles, get a seat early and "fasten your seat belts". We are going to go for it tomorrow.

Gator out!

God Tube Video by Julie Preston

Thanks Julie for working to put this video together.
FCC & LCC team, be sure to continue to blog and read them for the next few weeks! Pray for IDES and the work in the Gulf Region.