Here we go…a catch-up post!
Funny how life gets a little hectic and blogging becomes less important. I thought I better post soon before someone thinks I’m dying or depressed. I actually became concerned over a friend who stopped blogging for a few weeks…so let me try to prevent that.
- God answers prayer. It’s amazing over the last 2 years how when we as a church have gotten focused and specific we’ve seen God answer prayer. It’s not always everything we ask for at the time we want it…but in His timing…and His timing is always perfect.
- So, it looks likes we are finally getting our own professional OFFICE SPACE! We are pumped about this. 6 years of working out of my home has been convenient, but it’s time to take it up a notch. We found a great office space at truly a perfect location on Opitz Blvd for a great price. If all goes well we will sign a lease on Friday and take possession next week. We’re going to do some cleaning and painting before we move in. But it’s going to work great for us. It has 2 offices, 1 large meeting room which will work great for meetings, small bible studies, etc. and it has a large reception/work space area. 1,250 square feet altogether with 2 bathrooms. The timing is perfect with my wife and kids coming home from school a month later…and the baby coming before we know it. I’ll be posting more about the office space and the WISH LIST to furnish it. I know somethings already we’d like to get donated: a vaccuum, a fridge, a microwave…We just need a $5,000 giftcard to IKEA
- My wife is now 24 weeks pregnant…can’t believe it. He (his name will be Nicholas) is very active. Zac and I got to watch him kicking a few days ago…amazing! Sherri is a trooper…still teaching 1st grade and doing all the other mom stuff…pray for her strength!
- Anxious to get to the ball field tonight as my son’s team has it’s first game of the Spring season…Go Dodgers. Zac is the starting pitcher tonight…I’ll be coaching 3rd base…I love it…
- Last week’s service was great…we had a new drummer and he did a great job…way to go ALEX!
- I talked about LUST (David & Bathsheba). Amazing how much is out there (web, tv, etc) to pull us off the right path. Many men thanked me for talking openly about this subject. HEY - we are ALL dealing with this…let’s ADMIT it!
- Oh yea…my Baltimore Orioles are still in first place.
- It’s TAX FILING DAY…I did my own taxes and filed online around February 1st. I heard a radio guy today saying that our goal should be to have someone else do our taxes…why? Because that proves where you are in life…you own so many properties, have to many streams of income, etc, etc…to possibly be able to do your own Yea…that sounds nice!
- Today at 3 pm is our last staff meeting at Panera. Yea, Panera is nice…but seriously? No privacy, hard to hear, squished around the table…and NO WHITEBOARD!
- Speaking of Whiteboard…looking forward to the Whiteboard Sessions on May 22nd.
- Back to my series on Relationships from David’s life…this week I’m talking about the Dysfunction in his family due to his horrible parenting. Read 2 Samuel 13 and following…OUCH! and you think your family is messed up?
Recapping the weekend
Wow…forgot to do my Sunday night post…a busy, but great weekend!
- Sunday worship went great. Convicting message on jealousy. Music was great…the 2nd set was especially worshipful.
- Great news on the worship band…a drummer tried out Sunday and will be starting next week!
- 3 new families on Sunday…which always pumps me up.
- My 7-year daughter won our family’s March Madness competition…she’s got Kansas beating Memphis tonight. She’s won the most games while watching least (which would be none).
- My Baltimore Orioles are in 1st place and 5-1. I may not get many chances to write this…so I thought I’d better do it while possible.
- Our 1 of 100 Campaign is steadily moving along…but it’s time to finish what we started. We’ve raised over $20,000 for this project…we’ve got about $9,000 to go. Our goal is to get office space by this summer. Read more here.
- Our youth missions trip roster is now complete…we’re taking 20 teens and adults to Maine this August. Begin praying for them now and read more here.
- Interesting trend…more people are becoming e-givers…it’s almost 50/50 now…50% of our offerings coming in the Sunday collection and 50% online…pretty cool tool. Check it out here. It’s pretty easy to sign-up.
Food Drive Report!
LCC did a great job in response to the LCAC Food Drive. Thanks to all who gave!
Below is the email I received today:
Dear Pastor Steve:
We weighed in all of LifeCC’s donation and the grand total is: 603 LBS!!! That gives LCAC an additional $603 from our donor who will match every pound donated by one dollar.
Please pass on my deepest appreciation and may God bless your congregation!! Those who share their bounty will receive grace tenfold! And a special thank you to Rod for filling up our van with gas!!!
Karlene Webster
LCAC Nutrition Program Coordinator
9518 Richmond Hwy (behind Lorton Library)
Lorton, VA 22079
703-339-5161 x15
Favorite Easter Candy
Taking a break from my final touches on my message…it’s mid afternoon and my mind is thinking chocolate right now. So I ask…what’s your favorite Easter candy? I enjoy the good jelly beans - such as the Starburst jelly beans. You gotta love the Marshmellow Peeps. I’m not crazy about the Cadbury Creme Eggs. But my favorite Easter candy is my mom’s homemade chocolate peanut butter eggs. She’s bringing them down Sunday. Last year I had to settle for the Reeses Peanut Butter Eggs…not bad, but not like the home made.
Ok…back to work.
Easter Week is great for Pastors
Truly…the most exciting week of the year for us preachers. Why? Kind of obvious, but
- it’s the celebration of the most important truth of our faith - the our SAVIOR LIVES!
- church attendance basically doubles - who doesn’t love that?
- lots of new guests at church - love to meet people looking for a church
- the music is always great - so many incredible songs about the resurrection
- we just get fired up when we preach on Easter Sunday - how can you not?
- the preparation is also fun…making sure you teams are on task…do we have enough ushers, greeters, donuts, bulletins, etc? not knowing what to expect is part of excitement.
TGIF?
I couldn’t sleep last night…not because I realized I hadn’t blogged all week :-)…but I had “church on the brain” going on. This is a disease I contracted in 2001. It got worse in 2002-03. It comes in waves. It flares up around Easter and Christmas. My mind sometimes just won’t shut down and I lie in bed wide awake thinking of mostly church-related stuff. It’s mostly creative ideas, dreaming big about growth and buildings. Last night (remember this didn’t actually happen), we actually were given 10 million dollars and we purchased prime property on Smoketown Road in Woodbridge and renovated a warehouse type of building into an amazing meeting facility. We were running 2 services and overflowing with people. I was hiring additional full-time staff. LCC was making a huge impact on the community.
OK…sometimes I get going like that in my head and I just cannot sleep. One thought leads to another…you get the idea.
Anyway, it’s Friday. I know for many it’s TGIF because you just want to get through the work week. Being in the ministry is all whole different ballgame. The ebb and flow of the weeks are so much different. I try to get most of my work done so Friday is a somewhat easy day…sometimes that happens and sometimes not so much. Regardless, even with the stress of the ministry, I do love what I do each week. I don’t really think I have a TGI__ day.
This was one of those weeks filled with meetings, planning, advance preparations, administration and more…and I’m kind of shocked it’s already Friday…
the Frosty Temptation
We, the Markles, are at day 20 of our 40 day fast from ice cream. As a family, we love ice cream. It’s our favorite treat. 
But we wanted to give up something for the 40 days leading up to Easter. Something we’d really miss. So yesterday, my father-in-law was at church and we went to Wendy’s for lunch. He got a Frosty with his combo. He offered to buy each of us one…but we had to say no…because our fast includes milkshakes and frosty’s and the like. It was tough to watch him eat it.
But every time that desire comes up, we have an opportunity to remember the sacrifice that Jesus made for us…and our little sacrifice of ice cream is ridiculous in comparison.
We are going to have an ice cream party on Easter to celebrate. We were discussing each of us getting our own pint of Ben & Jerry’s this year instead of Easter baskets…
Weekend Recap
A great weekend. Love the changing weather. God is good!
- Yesterday’s worship service was awesome. Great crowd and great music with our band.
- At the end, I challenged our people with handing out invite cards for Easter Sunday. I had a few people after the service talking about personally bringing 50 people for Easter. I’m psyched about March 23rd. It’s going to be a record day in the life of LCC. I’m praying for many people to come to know Jesus on that day. Please pray for that!
- Some of my favorite time each week is 10:10-10:30 in the lobby and then 11:30-11:50…I love catching up with people and meeting our guests. I love what God is doing at LCC.
- My wife is now 18 weeks…close to halfway…she and the baby are pretty healthy so far…thanks for the prayers.
- The kids and I spent the entire Sunday afternoon outside…basketball, softball…popsickles…what a great day to be out…man does my body ache today!
No Starbucks for 3 hours…will we survive?
Starbucks is shutting down all their stores nationwide to retrain their baristas. The quality of their product depends upon the drink masters…so this is a good deal.
But what about all of us wanting our evening pick-me-up?
Do you think it’s any coincidence that Dunkin Donuts is selling Latees for only 99 cents today?
Story here
