Worship 24/7

Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever.” - John Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad 3rd ed.

This quote has impacted me more in my personal ministry than any other. What John Piper is saying is that worship is eternal. We will always be worshipping. Revelation 4:8 says:

“And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, "HOLY, HOLY, HOLY is THE LORD GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, WHO WAS AND WHO IS AND WHO IS TO COME." - (Revelation 4:8 NASB)

One thing I find is that worshipping something doesn’t come natural...or does it?

Someone once told me, “You always worship something.” He was right. Worship is all about where you place “worth.” The definition of worship means to “ascribe worth.” so whatever we value, is what we will worship and whatever we give the most value is what we worship most. 

Even though we don’t necessarily have little idols sitting on the mantle at home, whatever is most important to us is what we worship.

I had to evaluate that in my life. What could I not do without? Cars? Computers? Family? My wife? My career? God? When it came down to it, the only thing I couldn’t do without in my life was God. However, He wasn’t most important and therefore, not the object of my worship. That presented a problem, but not an uncommon one. John had to address this problem in his letter. John says:

“Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.” - (1 John 2:15-17 NASB)

In order to worship God properly, according to John’s letter, we have to do His will. 

“Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. "He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me.” - (John 14:23-24 NASB)

In order to show the world that I truly worship God, I have to do what He said for me to do. Sounds easy...but to keep God on  my radar 24/7 is a challenge. There are so many earthly things that want to get in the way. That’s why it is important to stay “close and clean” before God. It’s part of “renewing my mind” (Ephesians 4:22-23).

The way to worship God on Earth is to follow His will. It’s really the only “practice” we’ll have for when we get to His throne and praise Him forever.

God Bless,

Art Sauer - Choir Director

God Wants Us to "Chill Out"

or those that did not get to know me last Wednesday, my name is Art Sauer and I am your new Choir Director. I can give you details about who I am in person, but let me take a few sentences to charge my heart with you. My heart is for each of you to worship God and lead others in worship. In order to lead others in worship, you must be first worshipping the One true God first. Let me share with you what I believe God says about worship.

Worship is not necessarily music. Music is a clear tool to worship, but not all music is worship and not all worship involves music. There are a good many people that are serving in the preschool area that are worshipping just as much as the person on stage. One of my favorite passages in Scripture is: 

Psalm 46:10 - “Be still and know that I am God.”

Is it possible to be still and worship? Being still is not part of many people’s regular routine. I may need to explain being still. When I first read this verse I imagined a Buddhist monk, with his legs crossed, eyes closed, and chanting. That is a version of being still. Being still in this verse means to “drop down, sink, relax.” Ironically, the Bible tells us to “chill out” and know that He is God. So first we have to literally push “pause” on our lives to know God.

We are a busy people. Cell phones, laptops, clock watching, alarm clock people. We enjoy microwaved bacon, fast food, immediate emails, texts, Twitter, and online chatting. We want it fast and we wanted it yesterday! God tells us to relax. It is only through quiet, silent, slowing down of life that we can ever really know God.

Think of Elijah. 

[11] Then He said, "Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD." And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, [but] the LORD [was] not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, [but] the LORD [was] not in the earthquake; [12] and after the earthquake a fire, [but] the LORD [was] not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. - (1 Kings 19:11-12 NKJV)

God speaks often times so quietly in our busy lives that we cannot hear Him. The verse doesn’t say to hear Him, but to know Him. What does it mean to know God?

To “know” God in this verse is a personal relationship with Him. This isn’t a casual acquaintance. This is an intimate knowledge that only comes through spending time with God.

So what does “being still” and “knowing God” have to do with worship? If your not spending time to know who God is, or taking time to listen, you are worshipping something else. What is it that takes more time in your life, or more influence in your life, than God? It could be your job. It could be your family. It could even be the work of the church. 

As lead worshippers, we are expected to take time and prepare ourselves to lead other people to the throne of God. If we are not there ourselves, how can we lead people to somewhere we’re not regularly going? I pray, through the weeks and months ahead, that we give, not just time, but our lives to God so that we are able to take others with us each week as we stand leading in praise each week.

God Bless,

Art

Operation Inasmuch

One of the greatest mission opportunities that I have been involved with is our “Operation In As Much” here at SHBC.  It is a one-day community blitz where the church goes out into the community to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

Matthew 25:40 “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”  

A couple of years ago as we were participating in this one day mission blitz, we were able to do some yard work for a very sweet lady.  She had a beautifully landscaped yard and it was in need of a little TLC, so we donned our gloves and hedge clippers and headed out!  One of the jobs we needed to do was put out some fresh pine straw and remove any old, dead bushes.  Someone asked where the dead bushes were and she said that we would definitely notice them in the bunch.  Well, she was right.  In the middle of all those beautiful bushes and trees were two bushes that were dead.  No leaves, dry, brittle branches, yep! They were dead.  We took an ax and started at the bottom.  As we pulled on the branches to bring it out of the ground, they just started breaking off.  What an eyesore to such a serene setting.  They were of no significance to that setting because they did nothing.  They could not produce any flowers or leaves and they just caused the others to seem dull.  Once we removed the dead bushes, the landscape was once again a place of serenity and beauty.  The same is true with our lives.

John 15:1-2 “I am the vine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”

Are our lives producing fruit for the Savior?  Jesus’ words here distinguish between those lives that are producing fruit, they will be cut back to promote new and more fruitful growth, and those that bear no fruit, they need to go.  They will be cut off at the trunk.  Ouch!  This is serious stuff!  I want a tree that is beautiful and bountiful with fruit!  Sure those times that God prunes my branches can be painful, but oh so necessary to strengthen my character and promote new growth that will bring him glory.  Those that choose not to follow and lead unproductive lives will be cut off in order to keep the rest of the tree from being infected.   How do we produce this fruit for him?

John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches.  If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

We need to remain in him.  There is no way to produce fruit without him.  We have it plain and clear and I am so grateful that he guides me and shows me everything I need.  His Word is my source of guidance!   I choose this day to follow and obey my Savior, to produce fruit that is sweet and pleasant for him.  

Have a blessed week~

Allison Jordan

 SHBC Praise Team

5/1/11 worship set

You, You Are God
All The Earth Will Sing Your Praises
Give Me Faith
Awakening
Break Through

Stop Doubting and Believe

What a blessed day it was!  Easter Sunday is such a time of celebration as we praise our Risen Savior!  The whole weekend was a time to focus on the ultimate love of our Jesus as he suffered and died for us but then conquered death and the grave and rose again!  It literally makes me want to shout!  I love this special weekend and I think that most of us can say the same things.

Now that Easter Sunday has come to a close for this year, what do we do now?  I was studying through scripture as all the disciples began to see Jesus after his resurrection; it says, “they were overjoyed” (John 20:20).  As you read a little further and realize that Thomas was not with the other disciples when Jesus appeared, you can almost hear the conversation as the disciples began telling Thomas what had happened.  I have to chuckle a little as I can imagine Thomas’ response to the disciples telling him that Jesus was alive!  There was probably some “NO WAY!” or “Ya’ll are crazy!” (by the use of ya’ll, I’m assuming Thomas was southern like me!  Ha-ha!)

Of course, scripture records Thomas as saying in John 20:25 “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

No wonder he is nicknamed “Doubting Thomas”.  He earned that nickname! Lol!  Oh, but the best part is yet to come as a week later and the disciples were all hanging out at the house and Jesus comes through the door.  Now, mind you, Jesus could have knocked on the door that was locked, but instead he came through the door…that was locked and looked at Thomas and said, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” (John 20:26-27)  I love it!  

Though Thomas had been with Jesus before his crucifixion just as the other disciples, and had listened to all that Jesus told him would happen, he still did not believe it.  He wanted physical proof that it was Jesus before he believed.  But as Jesus walked right through that locked door and stood before him he told Thomas “Stop doubting and believe.” You go Jesus!  Thomas no more doubted that it was Jesus, no; instead he looked at Jesus and said, “My Lord and my God!”  He knew it was his Lord!  And as Jesus looked at this disciple, this friend that walked so closely with him, he said, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:29

What struck me about all this, is if Thomas could doubt even walking all that time with Jesus, knowing Jesus as he did, how many now still doubt Jesus? We have his Word, we know the whole story, and we know what happens at the end!  We say, Yes! Jesus is alive! But how many times do we doubt his presence in our lives? How many times do we ask, “Where is he?” “Are you there, Lord?”

Well, my friend, Jesus is ALIVE! Jesus is here and active!  He says right here in scripture that “blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” It is time to put away doubts, get into God’s Word, and spend time talking and listening to your Savior!  His love for us is so great!  It is hard for me to fathom the vastness of his love for me, but I know that he stretched out his arms and died for me, rose again, and IS alive and active in my life! Hallelujah!

Easter Sunday is over but a new day is here and life to be lived for our Risen Savior!  Celebrate this life that he sacrificed for!  There is so much to do!  Souls out there that don’t know, don’t believe that we can share the good news to!  The time has come!

I pray that you all have an awesome week of celebrating and serving our Lord! And in the words of my Jesus…”STOP DOUBTING AND BELIEVE!”

Believing~

Allison Jordan 

SHBC Praise Team

4/24/11 Easter worship set

Alive, Forever, Amen
     **choir special
Let God Arise
Christ Is Risen
O The Blood
All Because Of Jesus

4/10/11 worship set

Arise *choir special and worship song
My Savior Lives
How Great Thou Art
Christ Is Risen

Directing My Path

It is hard to believe that I am coming up on my 20^th anniversary of graduating high school!  Whew, just saying that makes me feel old! Haha!  I took a little walk down memory lane recently and started flipping through my senior yearbook.  I had a good laugh as I relived all those memories.  I also shed a few tears as I remembered 2 very special friends that have both gone to be with the Lord leaving behind their husbands and small children.  We had a small graduating class of 15 so we were all very close.  I was sharing with my kids all the wonderful memories we had and also giving them some tips because they now have some of the same teachers that I had when I was there.  Oh, the joys of school!  

As I read through my “last will & testament” from my senior yearbook, I got a big smile on my face.  You see, I am a planner, and I knew my senior year just what direction I felt the Lord was leading me and I had no problem putting that in print.  To some of you this may come as a surprise, but, Matt & I became engaged the first week of my senior year and we knew without a shadow of a doubt that God intended for us to be husband and wife.  Of course, our wedding would not come for another year and a half, but we knew it would come.  So, my “last will and testament” declared what my plans were.  We also, as seniors, documented where we thought we would be in 5 years, 10 years, etc.  That was a lot of fun looking ahead and making all our predictions.  My predictions were in 10 years, I would be married to Matt and have 3 kids.  I also loved working with children and doing accounting but chose my college major in accounting because I knew I would have my own children one day and decided to go that route.  Well, today, 20 years later, I am still married to Matt, have 3 kids, work at a preschool where I get to do accounting as well!  How great is that!  I am by no means saying that can I see the future.  I believed, and still believe, that God is in charge of my future, but it is also my belief that we are to have a plan.  

Proverbs 16:9 “A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.”

My senior year was a turning point in my life!  I recommitted my life to the Lord that year and really looked to the Lord for direction and discernment.  I made decisions that some looked at as “crazy”, but God’s will for my life was my focus and I desired a life that honored and glorified him and him alone. Though I had a “plan”, I see how God was really directing my steps.  Matt & I did get married 9 months after I graduated from high school and we began living a beautiful life as a married couple.  I finished college, got a job working in accounting and then it was time to start a family.  Everything was going according to this master plan of mine, but the steps to that plan began to take a different path.  When I look at the difficult steps that encountered my path, I can see those opportunities that God had for us to draw closer to him.  These painful, but oh so precious, challenges that came drove our marriage into a place that made us even more dependent and thankful to our God. Never in “my” plan did infertility and miscarriage have a place, but there it was.  Painful and heart-wrenching, but such a growing experience that brought me to the very throne of God to see his comfort and healing in ways I had never experienced.  God brought us through and as we welcomed our 2 blessings, Ben & Callie, we decided that we were done.  God blessed us with 2 and we were thankful and DONE!  Well, guess what, God was not done.  He opened our hearts to adoption and directed our paths in that way.  Through that adoption to our precious Caleb, he reminded us of his great and perfect love as he adopted us as his children.

Ephesians 1:5 “In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will”

Through the blessing of my 3 children, God brought with each one of them, a special attribute to grow me into a deeper relationship with him.  After years of infertility and miscarriage, God blessed us with Ben and through that process God brought healing.  God worked in my life through that very difficult circumstance and healing came not only physically, but spiritually as well.  When Callie entered our home without years of doctors and medication, God brought hope that not everything in life had to be hard.  When Caleb came into our home, God strengthened our faith.  We, in obedience, took a step out of faith and God carried us all the way.  Our faith was strengthened in a mighty way. Though 3 kids were part of “my” plan, God had bigger plans and used each one of them to grow me in my trust of him and brought healing, hope, and faith!  Only my God can do such amazing things!

God has shown me that having a plan is great, but he is in control of my destiny. He is the “Master” planner!  I trust the Lord to know what was and is best for me and I will continue to look to him for direction in my plans.  When the plans we make don’t exactly take the path we think, do we still have that complete trust in him?

When life’s challenges arise, will that trust waiver? Or will I still trust him completely because I know from experience he loves me and knows what is best for me?  Even now as I type this, there are challenges in front of me.  Were these challenges part of “my” plan?  Absolutely not! But as God’s Word tells me; 

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

What comfort I have in his Word!  What I learned my senior year of high school is right here in front of me.  God loves me and his desire is to prosper me.  My love for him has grown so much over these last 20 years.  It took the challenges to really know his love and I am so grateful to him for that.  So I trust him completely through the joys and the difficulties because he is God and I am NOT!  A verse that became so special to me as an 18-year-old senior and is still so sweet now is;

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

This week as you go over your plans, remember that God directs your steps. It is only in his steps that spiritual growth happens and love becomes deeper and sweeter than ever!

Blessings~

Allison Jordan

SHBC Praise Team

4/3/11 worship set

Shout To The Lord
Our Love Is Loud
Center
Mighty To Save
My Jesus, I Love Thee

3/27/11 worship set

All Because Of Jesus
Let Creation Sing
Open The Eyes Of My Heart
  (this song will be tagged with chorus and bridge of Our God)
Reaching For You
  (choir special with Tim and the band)
Trust and Obey

Joy

As I began my day this morning at 5:00, I so got excited to welcome SPRING!  This was a beast of a winter here in the coastal part of the state but the warmer temperatures have started making their way in and today officially began the spring season!  What better way to spend the first day of spring than to be in the house of the Lord singing his praises and listening intently to his Word!  I love this time of the year!  Flowers are blooming, grass is turning green, the weather is just about perfect and it seems as though everyone has spring fever!  We have so many things to be thankful for and many things to look forward to.  It almost seems as though many of us have revisited some goals that we made at the beginning of the year.  Summer is just a mere 3 months away and our motivation usually takes a giant leap forward when the weather turns warmer!  Spring has a way of bringing in fresh excitement, anticipation, motivation and lots of goals.  What struck me though was how to keep that excitement and motivation going when the newness wears off and things start getting harder and not so exciting anymore.  We all know that those times do come.  We start feeling a little less joyful and less motivated and all those things that were so “wonderful” and “fresh” at the beginning don’t look so promising anymore.  Situations arise and stand to steal our joy!

I thought about the passage of scripture in I Thessalonians 5:16-18 that says; 

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

My joy should not falter because of my circumstances.  My joy comes from the Lord!  I should be in a constant attitude of prayer and be thankful for my every breath; even when that breath is hard to breathe.  We will all face a lack of motivation and enthusiasm at some point, but we should bathe it in prayer and give thanks to God because we DO have so much to be thankful for.  

As we spring forward into this beautiful season, may we “be joyful always, pray continually and give thanks in all circumstances.”  God is so good and I pray for growth in each and every one of us like never before!

I am so thankful for you all!  You each have a special and unique quality that brings such joy to our Heavenly Father!

Have a restful evening and know you are loved!

Blessings~!

Allison Jordan

SHBC Praise Team

Gardening

As a young child going to Sunday school, I learned all kinds of great songs of Bible truths.  One that has stuck with me is a song that I still sing with my own kids and one that I love to hear the preschoolers at SHCA sing.  It goes like this: 

“Read your Bible, pray everyday, pray everyday, pray everyday, read your Bible, pray everyday and you’ll grow, grow, grow”. 

Pretty simple words, big concept!  I have never been a person who has a “green thumb”.  As a matter of fact, if I walk by a plant in the store I believe I can hear faint cries coming from them. Cries of fear that I might take them home where they will die a slow and painful death! LOL!  Plants in my care have such a short life span so; I leave that up to my husband.  He has the green thumb in the family and I am grateful for that!  He can tend the plants and help them grow and flourish.  He knows exactly the water and sunlight they will need to grow.  I really admire people with that quality.  Matt & the kids have decided to plant a small garden this year and they are already looking to see exactly what goodies they want to grow.  This is a big moment in our home!  A garden is a big responsibility and my husband has made it clear that I am to stay away from it! HAHA!

I began to think about the care a plant needs.  Well, first you have to plant the seeds, and then make sure they get the water, sunlight and care they need.  If any of those things are missing, or not given enough of, then the plants cannot maintain their beauty or essence and they will in most cases, die.  When you begin to think about our lives as Christians, we need the same things.  First we start as little seeds in our Christian lives, but as we begin to infuse ourselves with God’s Word we get nourishment.  As we pray to our Father and trust him completely, we get more nourishment and we begin to grow.  Growth is necessary to further the Kingdom of God. 

Jeremiah 17:7-8 “But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.  He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.  It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green.  It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

I want to continually grow in my walk with the Lord.  I want to always have leaves that are green and never fail to bear fruit.  That means I need to put all my confidence in my Lord.  I can only have confidence in him if I know him.  That comes through his Word and through fellowship with him in prayer.  When times of drought come, I want to bear fruit because the Master Gardener has tended my garden.

This week, let God tend your garden through his Word and through your intimate time with him in prayer.  Just as this sweet preschool Bible song says, “Read your Bible pray everyday and you’ll grow, grow, grow”!  We can be beautiful for him and produce that sweet, delicious fruit that brings him glory!

Have a blessed week!

Allison Jordan

SHBC Praise Team

3/13/11 worship set

Better Than Life
Let God Arise
Alive, Forever, Amen  *choir special
It Is Well
I Bow Down

Down A Country Road

I love living out in the country!  Now I am, by no means, a country girl, but I do love the peace and serenity of living out here in the country.   I can look out my front window and see a beautiful field that grows different crops each year. The first year in our home, the field across the street was growing cotton and it was spectacular to watch it go through the different stages. At dusk you can see the deer congregating in large groups and it is just a beautiful sight! You see for me it is win/win situation.  Out here in the country I have the beauty and peace of nature and spacious landscape but in as little as 20 minutes I can be right in the heart of the city shopping at Target or sipping my “cup of joy” at my favorite little coffee house, Starbucks!  How perfect is that?

As I ride down these country roads, I pass a number of old homes that have been abandoned.  Some of those homes have been demolished recently and some are probably next in line for it, but I can only imagine that at one time, those homes had life in them.  When I pass I try to make up a story for that home based on its character.  I know, this may sound crazy, but I can’t help but think that at one time real people lived there and that home had a story.  I just think one up myself.  I passed a particular home one day that really caught my attention.  It was so adorable and had so much character that I’m sure it had beautiful memories.  I could almost here the laughter of children and picture a big family kitchen table where lots of family dinners were shared.  I even imagined that the front porch definitely saw it’s share of guests as people congregated there maybe swinging on a porch swing and sipping sweet iced tea on a warm summer night.  I could see families gathered there as they sang old hymns and prayed together to give God glory!  I just knew that home had such happy memories!  What a warm cozy feeling I had as I let my imagination run wild!

As I got home that day, the Lord started pricking my heart about the homes I pass by everyday that do have life in them now.  From the outside that home could look completely normal.  Beautifully manicured yards, white picket fence, nice cars in the driveway, but what really goes on behind those doors? Behind those doors, there could be heartache, pain, and lost souls.  Do those souls know the real joy of living? Do they know my Jesus?  I found that as I rode by I was convicted to pray for those who live in those houses.   So many times we see people that look “normal” on the outside but on the inside could be in real pain and in need of a Savior.  Appearance can be deceiving and I began to pray that God would open my heart to be more sensitive to those I pass everyday.

We live in uncertain times.  Jobs are scarce, money is tight, futures are not guaranteed but my God is a God of hope, joy, comfort, provision, compassion, love, forgiveness, and on and on I could go!  What I do know is that my God loves the hurting, the broken!  He desires to see those lives come to know him and love him.  In these uncertain times, the ONE thing we can be certain of is that God has our futures planned for us.  It is a plan of hope and joy. One of my favorite passages of scripture is:

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Oh, if only people would know that they have real hope!  That hope is my LORD!  We need to be the ones that tell them!  We who have experienced this hope, this joy, this forgiveness, should be the ones who shout it from the rooftops that there is HOPE and his name is JESUS! Hallelujah!

From a drive down my country road the Lord showed me that those I pass by daily need this hope. 

Sweet Heavenly Father, may I be the vessel that shares and prays for those in need of you.  May the hope and love that I have experienced through your forgiveness be the light that touches souls and helps them see that hope is there for them as well.  Lord, mold my heart and use my words as a testimony of your unfailing love! You are the breath I breathe and life is so much sweeter being filled with your Spirit!

Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

As you go about your week, stay open to the Holy Spirit’s leading of a home in need of him.  As you pass those homes daily, be in prayer for the souls that abide there.  What awesome power is in prayer!

Have a blessed week!

Allison Jordan

SHBC Praise Team

3/6/11 worship set

You Are Holy (Prince of Peace)
Hallelujah God Is Here
Give Us Clean Hands
Give Me Faith *special during offering ~ Tim Bridgers
From The Inside Out

RUN

 I have never been a “runner”, but when I began my weight loss journey 3 ½ years ago, I set a personal goal to run a 5K after reaching my weight goal.  Matt and I started training in March of 2009 to run in the Burgaw Blueberry Festival 5K in June of the same year.  I can honestly say that was one of the most difficult things, physically, I have ever done.  Now keep in mind that I have also given birth twice, and that was still one of the hardest things I had ever done!  I had never been much of an athlete.  I did cheerleading in school, but as far as running and real endurance sports, I steered pretty clear of those.  So, I decided to challenge myself to run that 5K.  My wonderful husband so sweetly offered to run with me and I was very grateful he did.   So, that March, we laced up our running shoes and off we went.  We started out doing a walk/run (more walk than run) and I can tell you that at the beginning, I thought there was no way that I could do it.  I would get about ½ a mile and then have to walk.  It was very frustrating for me, but we kept going.  Everyday we would get out there and challenge ourselves to go a little bit farther.  Well, finally got up to about 2 miles running!  Was it still difficult? YES, but not as much as in the beginning!  We were training our minds, as well as our bodies to keep going.  We had our eyes on the goal of 3.1 miles and with perseverance, training, and determination we got there.  

As I would run, scripture would go through my mind and it was a great time to recite those passages that God brought forth.  One particular night, I had a moment of frustration on the road because I was struggling to keep going and I was about ready to “throw in the towel”.  I began to think about Paul and his last letter to Timothy.  As he sat in prison writing this last letter he was preparing for his death.  Not a death of disease or tragedy, but of execution for following his Master.  Now, I am in no way comparing my hardships with running with Paul’s persecution, but God did show me that no matter what hardships come my way, to finish what I’ve started and to finish strong.  Paul’s letter was so intimate and passionate about keeping the faith, holding firm to the sound doctrine, and how to endure hardships.  He encourages Timothy to find his strength in God’s Word and to tell the world.  He was “passing on the torch”.   What a treasure this must have been for Timothy from his mentor.  The verse that I kept reciting was:

 II Timothy 4:7 ”I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

Well, we did finish our first 5K and that was our goal!  Were we the fastest? NO!  But we finished what we set out to do and we finished strong!  Praise God!  Wherever we are in our lives, we are to finish strong!  In our jobs, our marriages, our families, our ministries and our relationships, we are to lean on God to guide our paths.  We will endure hardships, face persecution, and at times want to throw our hands up, but will we be able to say that we have fought the fight, finished the race and kept the faith?  It seems as though we are all facing challenges right now.  Whether they are personal, spiritual, physical or emotional, we all face them.  Just as our Pastor preached this past Sunday about the inevitable trials that will come.  For many of us, we are going through one at this moment.  What encouragement to know that we are not alone!  Don’t give up!  Just as our brother Paul finished strong in the race, we too can finish strong.  I am praying this week that we will all run the race God has set before us, and with his strength and power, we WILL finish strong. 

Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

Have a blessed week~

Allison Jordan 

SHBC Praise Team

2/27/11 worship set

Leaning On The Everlasting Arms
Holy, Holy, Holy
Our Love Is Loud
I Exalt Thee
Lord I Run To You

Extravagant Love

 When I was in elementary  school I couldn’t wait until Valentine’s Day.  It was so much fun decorating a shoebox to put all my Valentine’s in and of course eating all that yummy candy.  I would spend hours putting together Valentine’s cards for all my friends because I had to pick that special card for each one of them.  We would dress in “red” and have a party and then go home and read how special we were to each other.  Now, I get to help my kids pick out their special Valentine’s cards for their friends and see their excitement as well.  Callie and Caleb had fun going through and reading their cards and “love notes” from their classmates and of course overindulging in candy.  Each card they read brought such a smile to their faces to see how much they meant to the person sending them the card.  Isn’t it great to hear how special we are to others?

This particular Valentine’s Day, for me, didn’t quite end the typical way.  Typically, it ends with me reflecting on all the love of those special people in my life.  This Valentine’s Day ended extremely late as I was filing a police report for my work computer that was stolen right out of my van as I was working at Weight Watchers.  Needless to say, I wasn’t “feeling the love”!  I was feeling everything but, just to be honest.  I felt a whole melting pot of emotions from sadness to guilt because that computer didn’t even belong to me.  But as the next few days unfolded (and the nausea started to wear off), I began to see how God took that situation and showed me just how much he does love me.  

You see, through this situation I discovered a whole new appreciation for those around me every day.  My husband and his loving arms and encouraging words, my kids and their sweet giving spirits, my co-workers and their precious hugs, prayers, and help getting my office up and running again quickly, my family in their willingness to jump in and help out, a perfect stranger and his kindness in finding my computer bag (minus the computer of course) on the side of the road and bringing it back to me, a police officer who was so helpful and is now becoming a new friend and sister in Christ!  God has shown me at every turn that even in the midst of this trial, he will always be there with loving arms!  We have prayed for this person who stole my computer!  He may have been looking for electronics but, praise the Lord, he had to go through much of God’s Word to get it.  I have precious scriptures all over my van and as you open my computer, scripture and devotions of God’s greatness and love is there as well.  Our prayer all week has been that God’s Word will permeate their soul and that they will recognize their need of a Savior.  That Valentine’s Day could have been the day that they realized the One who loves them most!  

As I think about Valentine’s Day and the importance of that day, (this will definitely be one that I won’t forget) I do think about the love of my Heavenly Father.  I have the most wonderful love note of all right in my very hands and every day he reminds me of how special I am to him.  

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!  And that is what we are!” I John 3:1

The word “lavish” also means extravagant, bountiful.  Don’t you just love that word, “lavish”?  It brings a smile to my face and peace in my heart to know how unconditional his love actually is.  It is hard for us to comprehend that kind of love because we do sometimes put conditions (maybe without even knowing) on our love for others.  But our Father’s love is the perfect love and every day we can read from his love note to us with the assurance that it is unending.  His love is extravagant and bountiful and he gives it to us every day.  Though my Valentine’s Day didn’t end with the “love” I expected, my Lord has shown me all week through his Word just how deep and far his love for me goes!  I am his child!  That will never change!  

Thank you Abba Father, for your love for me! That is has no conditions and that it has no end! 

As you continue your week in this beautiful weather, focus on that extravagant love he gives us and how we can show that love to others even when it is not easy.  

Love you all,

Allison Jordan

SHBC Praise Team

2/20/11 worship set

Let There Be Blessing
Love The Lord
My Jesus, I Love Thee
My Hope *special during offering
Awakening

Bear Hunting In Alaska

 We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

A Texan went with a group of men to Alaska to hunt the huge Kodiak bear. As the group walked the trail to their mountain cabin, one of the men noticed the Texan did not have a gun. All he had was a large, straight stick he used for walking. A few of the men began to make fun of the Texan. “What are you going to do,” they asked, “spank the bear with a switch?”

“Shucks,” replied the Texan, “that’s the way we hunt bears in Texas.” That was all he would say to their jeers.

When they got to the cabin the Texan said, “We’ve got plenty of daylight left. I’ll just go get us a bear.” With that he started out the door with nothing but his stick.

At first the other men thought he was teasing. After almost three hours, they started to get worried.

“What if he got out there and got himself lost or hurt? Maybe we should not have teased him so much,” one of the men said. They decided they had better send out a search party.

Just as they walked out the door to look for the Texan, they looked up the mountain and saw the Texan run across a clearing. Right behind the Texan was a ten foot tall Kodiak bear. The bear would almost catch the Texan and the Texan would use his large pole to vault down the mountain. It looked as if the Texan might make it to the cabin – with the help of his stick.

The Texan burst into the edge of the clearing near the cabin. The bear was right behind him. The men in the cabin yelled encouragement to the Texan as he came closer to the cabin. The bear got closer to him as he got closer to the cabin. The men in the cabin opened the door of the cabin and yelled for the Texan to close the door as he came in.

Just as the Texan got to the cabin, he sidestepped the door and stayed on the outside. The bear could not stop and charged into the cabin.

The Texan started to close the door from the outside and yelled, “You guys skin this one and I’ll go and get another one.”

Most of us have known that kind of feeling. All of us have felt like life has locked us in a cabin with a ten foot bear. In troubled times we realize we need a strength that beyond our own. When we have that trapped feeling in life, it is good to know that help is only a prayer away. God can give us the strength we need for the situation we are in.


By: Ed Handkins

2/13/11 worship set

Everyday
Our Love is Loud
Let It Rise
Children of God
   *special during offering
   *tagging after the message

Charge!

A couple of years ago, Ben was preparing for the big Bible sword drill competition at school.  During that time, we worked feverishly for a couple of weeks getting him prepared.  Every morning on the way to school or church we were having Bible sword drills in the car.  If you are not exactly sure what I am talking about, well, one person calls out a Bible reference and then says “Charge!”, then the first person to get to that reference in Scripture wins.  They have to hold their Bible on one knee and put the other hand on the opposite knee.  They have to wait until they hear “Charge” before they can begin searching.  I remember doing these when I was a child and they were a lot of fun.  Ben was so excited to compete in this competition! Well, we practiced non-stop in the car and I also required them to read the verse aloud when they would find it.  This not only helped their reading skills but also gave them even more time to read God’s Word.

I can’t even begin to tell you how wonderful that was for me as well!  It had been a very stressful couple of weeks and hearing my children read Scripture aloud as I drove was very peaceful and encouraging.  I would call out verses that I needed to hear especially at that moment or the verses that they chose really touched my heart.  During times of stress or discouragement, many times we are quick to “phone a friend” and ask for direction when we forget that we have the “Instruction Book” right in our hands.  Life changing moments happen when we dive into God’s Word with everything we have!  His Word is Life and encourages me to keep going for my Lord!  

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
--2 Timothy 3:16-17

There we have it!  It is God-breathed and useful for everything!  God used my children to help me through a challenging couple of weeks through their reading of God’s Word.  The Living Word pierced my heart and nourished my soul in a mighty way.  It enabled me to find the blessing in the midst of the challenge I was facing at that moment and gave me strength to continue the work God had set before me that would bring him glory!  The challenges will come and go, but God’s Word is forever!  Hallelujah!  

Have some fun and do a few Bible sword drills this week!  The reward for winning is etching God’s Word deeper into your heart!  What better reward could you ask for?

Have a blessed week!

Allison Jordan

SHBC Praise Team

2/6/11 worship set

God is Our Refuge
Your Grace is Enough
Lord of All (w/Beautiful Jesus)
We Have Seen Your Glory
   *special during the offering
Here I Am to Worship/The Call

God's Amazing Love...

I am constantly in awe of God’s provision!  He meets each of our needs exactly when we need them.  Financially, physically, emotionally, and spiritually, all needs are met!  This week alone, God has amazed me, yet again, with his unconditional love and provision.  When I stop to think about all the ways God provides my every need, I get overwhelmed at how he is always concerned about me.  

“And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”
--Philippians 4:19

He knows my every need at the exact moment I need it, yet he also knows about each of your needs at the exact moment you need it.  He is such a “big” God!  Sometimes I think I take up too much of God’s time because I constantly long to talk to him and come to him for everything, that I feel like I get a little selfish.  But then, I remember: He is God!  He knows everything, at every second, of everyone, and still controls the universe!  WOW! That is why he is God and I am not!

You know, in thinking about all his wonderful provisions, I have to stop and marvel at the ultimate provision, his Son!  He took his only Son, and sacrificed him for a lowly sinner – ME!  God’s Word defines what true love is:

“This is love; not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
--1 John 4:10

On this 1st day of February, 2011, I want to begin this month of “love” and soak in every bit of God’s Word about his love for me.  He loves me so much that he does provide my every need and in turn we are to show that love to others.  What a great way to start the month! 

Have a blessed week!

Allison Jordan

SHBC Praise Team

1/30/11 worship set

Our God
Jesus Messiah
Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone)
   *during offering
More Than Amazing
   *communion elements
Revelation Song
My Savior Lives

Work of Art...

Have you ever looked at a knitted blanket or tapestry and seen how intricately those threads are woven together to form a beautiful piece of art?  I have never been able to knit or sew but I am fascinated and a bit jealous of people that can.  It truly is an art and I love to watch how a person can take several different color threads and begin knitting them together and the end result is a magnificent blanket or throw that can take your breath away.

At night when I put my kids to bed, the last thing I do is kiss them and remind them that God made them very special, that there is no one else just like them and that he has a great purpose for their lives. 

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;”

-- Psalm 139:13-14

This always brings a smile to their faces and is a very exciting thought!  When I look at my family I see how God took Matt and me with two very different color threads and began to knit us together the day we said, “I do”.  Then as we had Ben, the thread he carried was one that added another vibrancy to the work of art God was forming.  Then came along Callie and her thread was also full of color, a color that was needed to continue the work.  Now we have Caleb and his unique thread is being woven into the tapestry even now.  As God weaves and knits my family’s beautifully colored threads together it becomes a tapestry for his glory.  You see each thread on its own is very special and distinctive, but knitted together they become stronger, full of vibrant color and dimension that evolves into a work of art.

The same is true of us as worship leaders.   Each of us are very special creations and have different gifts and talents that on their own can do great things, but as God knits our threads together for his glory, we become stronger and unified in the call to serve and worship him.  I believe God is knitting this tapestry together with a smile.  I see God moving in our lives and every time we come together to worship and sing, we bond together more in him.  I am honored to be a part of this marvelous group.  Jesus is the center!  He has prepared us for this work.  Through him our lives have meaning and worth and together we are a beautiful work of art. 

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” 

-- Ephesians. 2:10

I want to personally thank you for your dedication and love for our Lord.  Our times of rehearsal and worship together are so special!  To lift up praise to our Lord and encourage each other in prayer are sweet, sweet times!  Sometimes we get so caught up with daily pressures and burdens that we lose sight of how special we are in God’s sight.  Read and meditate on both these scriptures this week, Psalm 139:13-14 and Eph. 2:10.  Find joy in the Word!  We are wonderfully made!  As the saying goes, “God don’t make no junk.”  I heard this many time growing up and it is true.  God has made us in his image to do great and mighty things for him.  

Please know how special you are to me too and I look forward to our worship together!  

Blessings~

Allison Jordan

SHBC Praise Team