Deposits

Prior to planting Passion Ministries, my role in ministry allowed me the opportunity to speak to youth all over America. In fact, in 7 years I preached in almost 400 different services to teens. It was a blast and I saw thousands of teenagers on their faces seeking God and heard countless testimonies about the life changing power of God. I strongly believe that what you make happen for others God will make happen for you. I made a deposit into the lives of youth! I am anxiously awaiting the return on that deposit. I am praying that what I had a part in making happen for that sea of adolescents will now come back to my own family! I long to see my two sons impacted beyond imagination by God. I long to see them on their faces crying out to God for their generation. I know it will happen. I trust the One to whom I have committed. I know my sons will benefit from the seed that has been sown. God is good!

What are you waiting on to come back around to you?

Monday's Muse

1. We are finally feeling the summer a little on Sundays. We have had quite a few traveling. it is what it is.

2. Had a good Father's Day yesterday. Julie and the boys got me some cool t-shirts.

3. Boys are at camp. Julie went with them. This is Devin's first year at camp. I am praying their lives will be changed forever.

4. One Prayer has been great again this year. Yesterday's message was incredible. Looking forward to blowing people's minds with this week's message!

5. Looking forward to Rocky Revelations that begins on July 5th. Almost hate to start it on July 4th weekend, but have to because of what is going to take place on July 12th. The July 5th message sets the stage for what will happen on the 12th. I promise you won't want to miss either service. I am so pumped about the 12th I can hardly stand it!

6. Trying to get some projects at the church done this week. May actually finish all tiling at the church. That will be a major accomplishment. Couldn't have done this without a ton of help from Woody Burpo (our youth pastor) and Jon Chasteen. People are constantly amazed when they walk into our church. They just don' t expect what they see! It looks awesome.

7. Had a thought yesterday that really excited me. We need to purposely go after 20 families this fall. If we can tie them in by the end of the year we would crush the 250 barrier which is one of the major barriers churches have to break through. Continue to help me pray for this breakthrough!

Dream Catchers

I see them all the time in Oklahoma. They are called "Dream Catchers". It is an American Indian creation. They generally are made of a round wooden frame with string crisscrossing the inside of the circle. I often see them hanging from people's rear view mirrors. When I was a youth pastor I took my youth on trips to help them see bigger and better youth ministries. I called them "Dream Catching" Trips. Julie and I are visiting the Ark Church. We are getting an all access look at the inside of this church and how it works. Their growth has been awesome (from 24 to 3000 in thirteen years). The building is awesome. The people are awesome. We are fortunate to be able to get this peak. As always, I feel like I am trying to take a drink from a fire hydrant. The information and principles that we are trying to take in during a short period of time is difficult at best. Nonetheless, I love being stretched. Taking dream catching trips like this is an essential part of growth!

Have you gone anywhere that causes you to dream?

Monday's Muse

1. Last week was very busy. A lot of ball games! The boys played in 4 ball games and their teams won them all. I screamed too much at Saturday's double header (I coach 3rd base) and I was hoarse all day yesterday.

2. Worship at Passion was awesome (that is an understatement) yesterday. You can listen HERE! We had a special worship team in that Julie has put together and will be leading at General Conference in July. However, I think the coolest part of the whole deal is that when go back to our regular worship team this Sunday there isn't very much difference! I have been at churches that after they experienced what we did yesterday would have seen a huge momentum loss by going back to "normal". We are blessed with great worship each week. Our Passion Team rocks! It was and always is, however, great to have new faces on stage and to do a couple of new songs.

3. We had a very productive (at least I think it was) All Leader Meeting after service yesterday. We mapped out what a perfect day at Passion would look like. We discovered that just about every area needs to tighten some things up to make this possible. First the natural then the supernatural!

4. Every time I meet with our leaders I am amazed at the number of volunteers we have at Passion. I am also blown away by the quality of leaders we have. Again, we are blessed!

5. We had our highest ever online viewers for service yesterday! 45 people joined us for worship! Passion knows no boundaries!

6. Summer Slump?? I always hear pastors talk about summer slumps because of everyone traveling. I am sure there will be a week or two that we have a bunch of folks gone, but at least right now we are growing during the summer! I am summer pumped! Keep praying and fasting for 250!

7. I have to brag on my boys. They are great. Tal went two for two in his game on Friday. He hit 2 singles and the 2nd one ended up allowing him to score the winning run! Devin is a stinkin' ball hawk. It doesn't matter where he is positioned if the ball is anywhere in his area he is gonna get it and throw a laser to the right spot. Devin cracks me up. He is in his own little world. Yesterday after church he was headed out to play for a few minutes. Julie and I were sitting in the living room and as he walked out the door into the garage we heard him say (I guess to himself), "Look out here comes Devin Ely!" I would like to repeat that prophetically . . . look out devil here come Tal and Devin Ely . . . Mighty Men of God!

Honey Hole!

Last weekend I took the boys on a special fishing trip. We went on a guided Striper trip on Lake Texoma. It was awesome. When we finally located the fish, an interesting phenomenon took place. Tal (my oldest son) was sitting in the honey hole. Even though there were fish under the whole boat and we were fishing right next to each other with the same bait, he kept catching fish while others did not. I am not sure why it happened. I have seen it happen before and it will happen again. It just wasn't fair.

Have you ever met anyone whose life seemed like a honey hole? Everything they touch turns to gold. What takes you great sweat, blood, and tears comes with no effort for them. You strain while they slide into success. You cry while they are laughing. You fight while they finish. Just like in fishing, I can't explain favor. Honey holes aren't fair, but they are a reality. I think the lessons I learned on the fishing trip will help us in life.

1. Celebrate the other person's catch!
I was glad Tal was catching fish! It would have been a miserable day if he had not. We have to learn to celebrate our friends and co-workers when they seem to be in the honey hole if we want them to celebrate when we get there.

2. Eventually the honey hole changes.
That's right, near the end of our trip, the honey hole changed to the back of the boat. In fact, the biggest fish was caught from the back. Favor isn't fair, but favor does fall to others. We just have to wait for our season. We have to be careful not to be jealous because it keeps favor from coming our way!

3. If one isn't catching, no one is.
When you are fishing for Striper, you want everyone to catch fish. Something happens when one fish strikes. It sets off a feeding frenzy. So when one catches everyone stands to catch. We should want everyone to be successful! When they are successful, we all benefit. It may be to varying degrees, but there is a ripple effect that we can tap into.

Are you in a honey hole? Is someone next to you there? As the old saying goes, "Favor ain't fair!", but it is certainly fun! Good fishing!

Monday's Muse

1. Still amazed every week by our worship team. They rock! The power, sensitivity, and of course passion they exhibit weekly is simply incredible. I have decided that if you can't worship when our team is leading then you simply can't worship.

2. The new song that we did called "I Give Myself Away" is awesome! It sticks in your head for days! The message is very powerful. You can listen to it here: http://passionchurch.tv/messages.php?p_id=14 (click on the music not on yesterday's service).

3. Yes, I did say "Get your big girl panties on!" yesterday. Still thinking about starting an international ministry called, "Get Your Big Girl Panties On" Ministries! It is simply time for those of who have been saved for more than a year to grow up! Just as a parent expects their children to mature, God expects us to mature and grow up. What derailed us and depressed us last year shouldn't still be kicking our tail now! Growth is not an option.

4. I have been wiped out all day. The weekend was long! A special fishing trip with my dad and boys on Saturday, a softball game on Saturday night, 2 services on Sunday morning, an incredible time at the Palesano Family Reunion on Sunday afternoon (I think I am an adopted son), and to wrap it all up, three softball games last night! Whew!!!! Too much in one weekend. Felt it all day.

5. I am excited about One Prayer 2009! I am looking forward to hearing from some great communicators!

6. Baptizing people never gets old! It is an incredible opportunity to celebrate life change with folks.

7. One of my youth group members from my days as a youth pastor in NC watched our online service yesterday. That is so cool!