HOPE DEALER In Amishland

Chad, one of our staff pastors, gave me this quote that he found today. Here is the quote, "There are 5 cent problems and $50,000 problems. Don’t ever spend $50,000 (of money, people,time or energy) on a 5 cent problem. Likewise, don’t apply 5 cents worth of effort to a problem that needs $50,000." What are the top three problems you're facing? What “size” problem are they? How much woul each solution “cost” you? If you could only solve one problem, which one would move you light years forward?

We are concluding our series called, "Simple," with an emphasis on healing. Our key thought for the morning will be that God never wastes a hurt or a pain. It's an extra- special morning because I have some special guests. John & Theresa Decker, our former Pastors here at Freedom Life, are joining us and will be dedicating my son, Colby. They have dedicated each of my children and are truly wonderful people. My other guest is a great friend by the name of Kent Jacobs. Kent is an awesome man of God and is getting ready to plant a church in Manayunk (Philadelphia), Pa. He will be sharing about his new church and how God is using his past to reach others with the healing power of Jesus Christ. It's going to be a great day and I know God is going to do some great stuff!

Headline of the day, very funny! courtesy of FOXNEWS.COM Oregon Hospital Tells 71-Year-Old Grandfather: 'We Know You Are Pregnant' Friday, September 26, 2008 PORTLAND, Ore. — John Grady Pippen of Gold Beach doesn't look pregnant. And he's not. But after a hospital visit earlier this month, the staff gave the 71-year-old grandfather pain pills and paperwork explaining his delicate condition. "Based on your visit today," the paperwork told him, "we know you are pregnant." The retired mechanic and logger had sought help for agonizing abdominal pain at Curry General Hospital in Gold Beach. Hospital administrator William McMillan says an errant keystroke caused the hospital's computer to spit out the wrong discharge instructions.

This past week was a big week again with my kids! My wife and I continued the belief that Colby has special power with his long hair (ala samson), or maybe I'm compensating for my lack of hair vicariously. Anyway, Carter is potty training once again. We are hoping by the time he hits Jr. High that everything will be figured out. We wrote on his last diaper (cleverly), "my last diaper." We celebrated his big moment and then realized that pull-ups are more expensive. It may not be his last diaper but the symbolic gesture was meaningful nonetheless. A big week, again.

Great devotional that I received this week. I personally practice confessing (agreeing with) God's word over my life each day. My favorite verses that I have memorized & that I remind myself of daily are: Galatians 2:20, Galatians 5:22-23, 2 Cor. 10:4-5 and a few others. I would encourage you continue to meditate on and confess God's living Word over your heart and mind so that you can keep the toxic thoughts from the enemy from poisoning your life. Detoxing Your Mind Today's Scripture “Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life” (Proverbs 4:23 AMP). Today's Word from Joel and Victoria When something is toxic, it’s poisonous; it can destroy you. When we go around dwelling on the wrong thoughts, thinking about what we can’t do or how we’ll never get ahead, those thoughts are toxic thoughts. Toxic thoughts left alone become like toxic waste that sinks into your heart. It will eventually contami

Renovations have begun at Freedom Life. As we head back to 2 service on October 5th we are busy updating our facility. Painting will begin on the exterior of our building and on the interior next week. We donated our pews to a growing hispanic church in Connecticut that were in need of seating. They were very gracious and thankful. The picture above is me with the Pastor. The second picture shows the work that we have gotten done so far this week on the drop ceiling. New drop ceiling, lighting, sound, video, paint and chairs will be in the sanctuary by late October when we move back upstairs. Lots of great stuff going on this fall and I'm excited about what God has for the future of our church!

Here is the notes from Part 2 of our series, "Simple." Week 2- Simple Life (God’s answer to busyness) “28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you (learn from me), because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG) Take these steps REALIZE MY WORTH “He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.” James 1:18 (NLT) ENJOY WHAT I ALREADY HAVE “...every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God.” Eccl. 3:13 (NKJ) LIMIT MY WORK “Only someone too stupid to find his way home would wear himself out with work!” Eccl. 10:15 The Bible calls it the Sabbath. Sabbath means a day of rest. What do you do on the Sabbath? - It may look a little di

Here is a great devo that I got today! Today's Scripture “Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (Romans 5:5) Today's Word from Joel and Victoria Even Christians can sometimes feel hopeless and powerless to overcome adversities. Maybe you feel trapped in your job, or your marriage is in trouble and there doesn’t seem to be an answer. You may have a child who is on the wrong path. Or maybe you are single and have given up any hope of ever meeting the right person. But no matter where you are, God can turn your situation around—and it could start happening today! If you believe with all your heart that God has something great around the corner for you, then hope will take over. God’s hope is such a powerful thing that it can keep you going when practically nothing else can. That’s because God’s hope will never fail or let you down, even if everything else does. A Prayer for Today A P

I recently began to pay attention to my facebook for the first time. I've had it for about 6 months or so. I"ve had a ton of connections with old friends and that has been a blast. There are some pictures that friends have posted from college. Here is one that proves that I had hair!

Great devotional that I read today from Joel Osteen Ministries. Giving is the Way Today's Scripture “Be easy on people; you'll find life a lot easier. Give away your life; you'll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity" (Luke 6:38 Message). Today's Word from Joel and Victoria God has set up a system to bless you abundantly. He loves you and longs to pour out His favor upon you and increase your resources. In the natural, it’s easy to think that the way to increase is to keep what you have, but in God’s system, it isn’t about what you keep, it’s about what you give. We read about the example that God set for us in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave…” He gave His Son and received many sons and daughters as a result! When we love others and give out of the overflow of our hearts, God promises that He will repay us; and Luke 6:38 in the Message Bib

We had a few hundred people come out to our comedy night and we collected a lot of food for our community food bank on Sunday. Bob was hilarious and it was just a great time all around. This week is pretty packed. Lots of meetings and planning. I guess it is a good week to write a message on God's antidote to busyness. Funny that the 2 coincide this week. I must stop typing, lots to do and I must get busy.

The evening comedy show with Bob Smiley is at Freedom Life Christian Center @ 6 p.m. The doors will open at 5:30 p.m. The address is: 447 Noble Rd. Christiana, Pa 17509 or you can follow the directions on our website at www.freedomlife.tv! The event is free but we are asking everyone to give a donation to our community food bank of one non-perishable item per person. For more information about Bob, go online to our www.comedynight.tv website. I hope to see everyone there and don't forget to bring a friend!

A great devotional that I received today. Take a moment and let God speak to you! Clothed in Righteousness Today's Scripture “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness” (Isaiah 61:10). Today's Word from Joel and Victoria Have you thought much about what you are wearing today? You probably took time this morning to select the right clothes and shoes in the natural, but have you thought about what are you wearing spiritually and emotionally? Just like wearing a coat, we can take off wrong attitudes, emotional heaviness, guilt and shame. We can exchange our garments of sin and failure for His garments of salvation and righteousness. Notice that this verse doesn’t say you have to make the robe of righteousness before you put it on. It doesn’t say you have to work really hard in order to earn righteousness. No, it’s His righteousness that He gives as a gift

Join us this Sunday morning for our annual fall kick-off at 10 a.m.! We are launching our new series, "Simple, a simple guide to surviving your stressed out life." Our special guest that will be doing a short segment on Sunday morning is Christian comedian, Bob Smiley. (www.bobsmiley.com) In the evening we are having a special comedy night with Bob that is free and open to the general public. It all begins at 6 p.m. and we are asking each person to bring a donation of one non-perishable item for our community food bank. Childcare will be provided and it's going to be a fun night to de-stress for this fall!

Yesterday's service was awesome! A bunch of people made decisions to follow Christ or to recommit themselves to living a life of worship! It was a rock'in day! Today was a blast as well. I loaded up the fam to visit my sister Cheryl in the Pottstown area. It started with loading up the kids and it ended with a very special moment. I CAPTURED THE RESIDENT GROUND HOG THAT HAS BEEN IN MY BACK YARD. CADDYSHACK IS OVER (UNLESS HE HAS FAMILY) AND I HAVE FINALLY TASTED VICTORY!! IT HAS TAKEN ONE YEAR. That was not a typo. I know I'm not a very good trapper but... We ended with eating chocolate cake and putting the kids to bed all sugared up. I am now watching prison break and chill'in out. Lots of details in between, but today was a great day.