Balancing Ministry N' Work

Hey All, I got some not so good news today. I met with the Dr. about my hearing loss and to review the MRI results from last week. It seems that I have what is called Acoustic Neuroma. This is where a cyst form on the auditory nerve in the brain. I am waiting for a call from the specialist at University of Michigan to schedule an appointment. The ENT I saw today, believes the only real option for me is surgery. This is not an ear surgery, it is brain surgery. I will know more as I meet with the specialist, but their is a chance I will lose all of the hearing in my left ear. Please continue to pray for God's healing touch and for peace for Alexis, the kids, and I. Blessings, Pastor Robert

Please pray for me as I go to see the Dr. again tomorrow. I had an MRI last week to check out the nerve in my left ear, and the Dr wants to see me. All I can say right now is that means not everything is normal. Please pray for God's miraculous touch and for peace as we wait to see the Dr. Appointment is at 1:15 pm EST. Thanks and God Bless! Robert

Hey all, it has been over a week since I posted anything new, so I thought it would be good to do so right now. This last Sunday was great! I felt God giving me a message for NLC. The message was titled God's Love - Creation and Provision. We examined how we were created in Love and how God provides for us out of love. Even unto the ultimate sacrifice given by Jesus in order to restore us to our rightful place, being in fellowship with Him. I was excited and probably the most dynamic I have been ever. Alexis (my bride), commented that I was 'on Fire'. It was a great Sunday morning service. Work has been extra busy, which does not surprise me. First part of the year always is, and with God moving in my life I am sure someone else is trying to trip me up. Thankfully I know that I am on the WINNING SIDE!!! Even with that work can be tiring at times and it is sometimes hard to come home and work on the weeks message. I keep praying and start working on it, and God has been rewa...

It is only Tuesday and it has been an interesting week. On Monday I was diagnosed with a moderate to severe hearing loss in my left ear. Dr. can not tell me the cause. It can be related to heretitary issues or may even have been work related. No real way of knowing. As most know hearing issues are not new to my family. Chris (11 yrs old) has the same level of hearing loss in both ears, and has had it since birth. Now I just need to get used to it, and will be getting fitted for a hearing aid sometime soon. I know God will use it for His glory and I am looking forward to seeing what He does. Today was the first day of our strategy planning session at work. It is nice working through our plans to improve our plant in 2010. I already see areas that my department will excel in, and some opportunities for us to take things to the next level. There is a lot of hard work in front of us, but the results will be worth it. As I sit in these meetings I see some basic ideas and processes that can ...

I realized I have not jotted down my thoughts from my first Sunday as the Senior Pastor of New Life. So hear it goes! I was not sure what to preach it being my first Sunday there. I really felt God leading me along the same path I have been on about reaching the lost. So, I preached on the Great Commission, which in itself was a good message. Then I added to it explaining how following the great commission will automatically lead to church growth. After all the teaching and building up of disciples happens within the church and the lives of the church memebers. So that equates to growth within the church. For those wanting to know I did emphasize that we are not to be actively doing the great commission, just for church growth. We need to actively pursuing the great commission, because Jesus Told Us To! We don't need any other reason and we should only do it to be loyal followers of our Lord. The growth comes about as a natural side effect of continuing to be outward focused and re...