A long sabbatical

Hey friends,

Many of you probably don't even read or look at my blog anymore after I seemly gave up on it a month ago. This month has been extremely awesome...and crazy! My responsibilities have always been quite daunting since being asked to join the Lake Hills Church downtown campus team. However, I am so encouraged every day to be surrounded by such great people, amazing hearts, and such great talents and gifts to use. I get to take a front row seat everyday as I watch God unfold His great purposes and plans in and through people. We serve a great God. He is faithful and He is more than good.

I wanted to take a moment and just share with you a few things that God has done in our Lake Hills Church community in this past month alone.

Over 200 people have been added to our LHC singles database

Over 15 people have committed their lives to Christ in downtown services

76 people registered for our 1st core class

141 people are involved in launching our Mobile Loaves & Fishes ministry (clothe & feed poor)

161 people are involved with Fusion

Over 100 people are getting involved with Life Groups (48 of which are single adults)

We have averaged 350 people or better in the last month of attendance...almost 100 up from the fall.

5 LHC singles leadership staff have been added (non-paid, but deserve everything God does bless them with)

These are just a few things I get to be a part of day in and day out. God continues to move in our community and in our city. It is never too late to be part of something that is bigger than yourself. I have to thank God, He lets me be a part everyday.

I've missed my friends! Glad to be back!

Austin Music Hall...church?

This past Sunday morning we did a run through of all set-up for a church service in the AMH.  We did everything from chairs, lobby environments, sound, lights, video screens, band rehearsal, video message playbacks, etc.  We even talked through a lot of these processes to try and fine tune them.  Up until this point, Lake Hills Church: Downtown has just been an idea.  Now it is taking shape and a GREAT SHAPE if I can say so and I will.  We even had a few emails from volunteers who were a part of this Sunday's beginning.  

Below is an email message from one huge hearted LHC Downtown launch member:

Guys,
Wow, what can say besides that I am amazed by everything that you all have been doing for the downtown campus. Today, was such a treat to be able to be a part of and to start experiencing what is to be LHC downtown and it is because of the tremendous effort and passion that you all have put into this church.

I have a confession that I have been in a huge drought on really getting involved in a church the past 2 years (besides showing up on Sunday mornings) and that lack of serving has really made me feel a distance from the church that has been very disturbing. In God's amazing ability, which is completely unfathomable, I had the opportunity to sit down today look around and see the empty hall and then see a church seemingly flawlessly coming together. I finally felt that this is it! I am ready to dive in head, feet, side, which ever direction God wants me to go to be a part of this church. I am ready to serve his Kingdom wherever I am needed and that is so exciting. I am uplifted with all of your warmth in welcoming every person who walks through the doors and all of your willingness to make sure that every person who walks through the door whether they have been there since the beginning or walking though the first time feels so welcomed and that they are a part of the church, that we are a community of christ not just a place to worship. We are here to be a family no matter what your story is, you are a part of our community.

You all are doing such an amazing job of thinking of everything when it comes to making this church resemble the perfection that is Christ (The chairs straight, the kiosk in the most welcoming spot, the music, the video feed etc..). I am praying for each one of you and your leadership during this exhausting yet amazingly exhilarating time. I guess to sum things up, I want to say Thank You for being you and for having such Christ like hearts to lead the church that I am proud to say is my church home.
Thank you,

(For the sake of this blog I am keeping the writer anonymous.)

CAN I GET AN AMEN!  THIS IS GREAT FUEL FOR MY NEXT 30 YEARS OF MINISTRY! 

Students Reinvesting

Today, 4 former students of our ministry returned to reinvest themselves in our current students.  Taylor, Tyler, Adam, and Breanna have finished their first years in college.  Texas A&M, ACU, and UT were all represented today, my favorite of course being UT since it is my alma mater, but that is neither here nor there....

Taylor, Tyler, Adam, Breanna, and I put on Road Trip t-shirts, grabbed 200 or so flyers and stickers (featuring the logo above) and went off to Lake Travis High School where we spent two hours during lunches to talk to kids about our summer camp known as Road Trip.  You have no idea how proud I was to watch these former students in action.  All of them told me how awkward it felt to return to high school and to be there under the circumstances.  However, what I saw was absolute love and selflessness.  My prayer has always been that students would leave our ministry as ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Today, was a beautiful day and an inspirational one for me personally.  Today was a day that God truly showed me that what I do matters.  I cannot wait to see the response from students that we spoke with today.  I am so proud and humbly ecstatic to know that God has worked through me with these kids and that He is continuing that work now...through them!  

If you read this, please think about this for your own life and if you have a moment, share it with me!