In Christ Alone

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In Christ alone, my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm

What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my all-in-all
Here in the love of Christ I stand

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious day
Up from the grave He rose again

And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny

No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand

Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand

Owl City’s cover of In Christ Alone - link

This isn’t everything you are

I love having songs that sort of echo the soundtrack of my life. Do you ever hear an old song, and it totally transports you back to another time and place, and circumstance?

One of my favorite bands, Snow Patrol, just came out with a new album last week. GREAT timing, as I was needing some new tunes to fill in the background track of this season in my life! And one song, and one chorus in particular, has been ringing in my ears/heart for the past week. The title says it all: This isn’t everything you are.

(Note: The track embedded above is a radio edit.)

And in one little moment
it all implodes.
This isn’t everything you are!
Breathe deeply in the silence,
no sudden moves.
This isn’t everything you are!
Just take the hand that´s offered
and hold on tight.
This isn’t everything you are!
There’s joy not far from here, right?
I know there is.
This isn’t everything you are!

It goes right along with something I heard from Pastor Craig Groeschel last week:

‎”You are not who others say you are, you’re who I [God] say you are.”

In other words, my circumstances do not define me. Other people’s opinions don’t define me. It’s my identity in Christ – what HE says about me – that defines who I am.

If you’re a Christ-follower and you’re tempted to believe the lie that anything other than your identity and position in Christ is the sum total of who you are, may you hear the words of this song loud and clear! And let these words of truth from the Scriptures redeem your thoughts.

To the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence. (Ephesians 1.6-8)

It’s not over

This is a song by Stellar Kart that I heard the other day and can’t stop singing in my head. I believe it’s a reminder from God, and I want to pass the reminder along to my incredible wife – not because our relationship is hard, but because life is hard.

I’m so thankful I get to share life with you! It’s been so good thus far, but I know our best days are still ahead of us…

It’s Not Over

I remember all those nights
Your voice would shake from
The tears you cried
What’s the meaning of this life?
Guilt can bring you to your knees
You can’t escape the memories
When shame is all you feel inside

Don’t look back
Leave what’s broken in
The past, take my hand
And understand

It’s not over
The best is yet to come for us
Come for us
Night has faded
A brand new day has come for us
Come for us

A million miles from
Where we’ve been
Hope’s a road that has no end
I pray to God that we would make it through
Forgiveness always finds a way
Of letting love replace the pain
Just take a look at me and you

Don’t give up
We’ve only just begun
I believe
I believe
I believe

It’s not over
The best is yet to come for us
Come for us
Night has faded
A brand new day has come for us
Come for us

It’s not over

140 characters #generous

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Week 2 of 140 characters focused on generosity. This is one of the defining actions of a growing Christ-follower. The closer you grow to Christ, the more you understand the grace you have received from him – and the more likely you are to share that grace & generosity with others.

We wrapped up the morning with a personal challenge to show generosity. We gave out generosity cards for folks to use at restaurants or in drive-thru’s. Check out the image below, and listen to the message to hear how we use them. (If you attend New Community, we’ll have more at the Welcome Center if you need them!)

140 characters #immersed

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Week 1 of our June series, 140 characters, focused on baptism. This was a monumental day in the life of New Community Church. This was the FIRST baptism ever inside the walls of our building! For a midwestern boy, that seems like such a strange thing to stay! But every baptism at NCC for the past 24 years has taken place at the river…until June 5, 2011.

It was also an incredible day because I had the privilege of baptizing my eldest son! Isaiah placed his faith in Christ back on December 20, 2010, and I loved being able to not only witness his baptism, but to perform it (pics in next post). So 13 baptisms plus 1 young lady who placed her faith in Christ – what an amazing day!

Carolina in my mind…for now

Carolina In My Mind / James Taylor

In my mind I’m goin’ to Carolina
Can’t you see the sunshine
Can’t you just feel the moonshine
Ain’t it just like a friend of mine
It hit me from behind
Yes I’m gone to Carolina in my mind

Need I say more? ;)