Monday Morning Recap

Well, it's Monday...it came again. It's like once every seven days, it happens again, and let me tell you, I am not a fan of Monday's. However, after a great Sunday, and an awesome dinner with my wife, and two of our students last night, it was easy to hop into the bed early, and get some seriously needed shut eye. It felt good to wake up this morning early, and head to the gym...trying to get myself back on track! It's going to happen!

Anyways, to recap yesterday, it was an incredible day with our graduates. The class of 2011...a very special class in our church. They will be truly missed. They're not the most outspoken group, well with the exception of one or two, but they were incredibly influential in so many ways. They will be greatly missed.

I challenged them from the book of Colossians on what to do now, now that they have graduated, what is next? Colossians 2:6-7 provides great insight on this question! If you'd like to hear the message, you can listen to it on iTunes, or at this website: www.northsidebaptist.org/belong/students. To briefly sum it up, I challenged them to walk in Him. It is now their time to make their faith their own. They can only live off of their parents faith for so long, and it is now time for Jesus to become real to them. For all of His mercy, His grace, His goodness, His glory to be revealed to them, and become real to them. I challenged them to know that God is enough, and He is always with them. Then we challenged them to continue to build off the foundation that has already been laid...we have done our best to lay the foundation of the scriptures in their lives, and its our prayer that they would build off of that daily. Read the Word. The Word can only change you if you read it! Study it! Memorize it! Live it! Love it! Nothing has changed my life more than an active love relationship with the word of God. Think about a love relationship in your life...how do you handle it? You pursue it. You think about it. You spend time trying to be with him/her. You are constantly doing anything you can to love that relationship- and that should be our attitude not only towards Jesus, but towards His Word as well. We should always be in a love relationship with His Word.

You want to see Jesus radically change your life, and your world? Read the Bible! It will change you!

Graduates, you are amazing. We are proud of you and we love you! Praying for you that God would do great things in and through you!

Be Blessed,
Toes

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Location:Professional Dr,West Columbia,United States

Class of 2011

Each year, in a youth pastor's life, comes a time when they have to say goodbye, good luck, and thanks for being apart of our ministry to several students. That time has arrived for myself, and our ministry. This Sunday, we will be honoring our graduates of the class of 2011. I wanted to dedicate this post to them, and let them know how proud I am of them, and how excited I am to see what God is going to do in their lives over the course of the next several years, and many years to come.

This is going to be short and sweet, but please understand, and know: I am very proud of you, it has been an honor to serve you, and do life together with you for the past two years. You have been a blessing to have around our ministry, and each of you has added so much to our ministry. I am so excited to see what YOU are going to do for the Kingdom.

My encouragement to you is this: Stay strong, hold the faith, and lean on Christ in all things. Never trust yourself more than you trust Him. Never allow your pride to overshadow what Christ, and His grace is doing in your life. Never neglect your Bible reading time, always get in that Word, consistently. Pray, pray, pray, and when you think you've prayed enough, pray some more. Allow the power of His Word to change you, daily. Become more like Him, and less like the world. In the good times, praise Him, seek Him, and love Him. In the crappy times, praise Him, seek Him, and love Him. In all things, HE IS ENOUGH AND HE IS WORTHY. NEVER FORGET THAT!

Thanks for all you've done for me, and for our ministry, you will be missed.

Love you guys, and Congrats!
Be Blessed,
Toes.

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Smith

Well, my first wedding as the officiant is officially in the books! It was an incredible time of worship, commitment, and celebration of two people's love for one another, and for our creator. It was in a beautiful setting, with beautiful families and friends, and I was honored to be apart of it. I will be honest, I was incredibly nervous. I usually do not get nervous speaking in front of people, ever, no matter who, or how many people...however, someone's wedding day is a completely different idea than preaching! If I screw up while preaching, or really blow it, I get to try it again next weekend, however, with a wedding, for these people, it's their only shot! Therefore, the pressure was on! Prior to the wedding, I found myself making joke after joke, I guess to keep the mood loose, and my mind off the magnitude of the opportunity that God has provided me with, and my friends had entrusted to me!

Well, the time came, and the door opened, and it was time to make our way to the banquet hall where people were waiting, and expecting a beautiful ceremony! And you know what, that is exactly what we gave them! Michael and Megan, and their families, and friends, did amazing! It was beautiful!

To one of my best friends, Michael (not sure you'll ever read this) but it was an honor to be apart of your special day. I am incredibly proud of you, and proud to be your friend bro. Megan, (who probably will read this), you looked beautiful, and Michael is incredibly blessed to call you his wife! \

To the both of you, we are praying for you, always here for you, and remember- never lose that joy of your first date! :) Proud of y'all! Thanks again for allowing me to share in your day! Love ya'll!

Be blessed,
Toes


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A friends wedding !

Well, as I sit in the airport today waiting for a flight to Columbus, OH, I am reminded of the grace and mercy God continually shows me in my life! I am heading home to perform the wedding of one of my best friends from high school, Mike Smith. It is a completely humbling experience to be asked to perform their special day as they enter into their marriage. As I sit here with my lovely wife, it reminds me of our wedding day just under two years ago! I remember the nerves, the anxiety, the stress, the joy, the laughter, and the love that was celebrated at our wedding! I cannot wait to see what God has in store for Mike and Megan, but to y'all, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for allowing me to be apart of your special day! See you in Ohio peeps!



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