Heading to FIJI...

Sorry, once again that it's been a while from the last post! Things are pretty 'amazingly fast' right now in my life!

Today, I am heading to FIJI to a very small location in the jungle regions called "HOMES FOR HOPE". Myself, our Outreach Pastor (Mat Balgaard) and three others from COC (Rob & Amber Dolson - Brad Dandurand) will be leaving today with about 7-8 others from some sister churches (Sun Valley Community / Superstition Spring Community / Rock Point Church).

'Homes for Hope' is a strategic mission that is dealing directly with the rescue and restoration of Women and Children out of the Sex Traffiking Industry! We are doing our best to completely be ready to be used by God in seeing WHERE it is that COC can be involved in righting this injustice!

Our passion has always been have our heart that breaks with the same things that break the very heart of God! VISIONABOLITION.ORG (ck it out)

Please keep us in your prayers (AUG 25-SEPT 02)!

Keep our families in your prayers as well!

You can check our progress and pix at... TEAMFIJI.ORG & GOCOC.BLOGSPOT.COM

SUNDAY SNAPSHOT...

Started a new series this title I AM NOT BUT I KNOW I AM - featuring many excerpts from Louie Giglio's book - I AM NOT BUT I KNOW I AM

Louie Giglio writes in his book…I Am Not But I Know I AM, ‘If you see your life as your own one-act play and history as your story, you could be in a for a rude awakening when the curtain finally closes on your tiny tale – and you discover that life wasn’t all about you after all. The real story of life is GOD – “I AM” – the main character and true star of time and eternity. He is at center stage in all of Creation, and He wants you to know Him by name. Knowing “I AM” means celebrating your smallness in light of His Greatness!”

This series deals primarily with PERSPECTIVE! Identifying how HUGE GOD is, and how REALLY, REALLY, REALLY SMALL - we are!!

Finally coming to understand what God's Name is... "I AM"

And coming to terms with what our name is... "i am not"

Come check it out!!

WHERE HAVE I BEEN?

Where in the world have I disappeared to? Between the worlds of FB & BLOGGING, add into the mix of Husband, Daddy and Lead Pastor -- sometimes TIME FLIES!!

Well, the kiddos headed back to school yesterday, Big "I-Man" is in 2nd grade and had a great day! Little "C" is now a Kindergardner and LOVES SCHOOL! His back pack is about HALF his body size and he won't let you take it off of him!

Charis is my little 'Chunky Monkey' right now, she is really developing her 'Girlish Curves' - love her to death!

GMA & POP are here from Missouri, spoiling them all absolutely rotten and then will do something Evil -- LEAVE!!! We actually are heading to San Diego tomorrow for Isaac's 8th Birthday (LegoLand / Sea Life Aquarium / Padres Game) - we'll be hanging out with Ginger's Family (Brown's/Partida's) who live in San Diego and also we'll be meeting my Bro (Jeff), Sis-In-Law (Ally) and neice (Summer) and nephew (Jake) as well - they are coming down from LA - my mom is out there as well - she also will be coming, then she's heading hear to AZ (next week) for a week to stay with Ging while I'm on the FIJI MISSIONS TRIP (more to come on that next week)!!

CK OUT THIS "CHUNKY CHICA!"

GREAT FORM...

SUNDAY SNAPSHOT...

Finishing up our last week of LAW & ORDER!

COMMANDMENT #10 - CONTENTMENT

Exodus 20:17 "Do not covet your neighbor's house. Do not covet your neighbor's wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else your neighbor owns."

THE PROBLEM TODAY… WE HAVE A NEW RELIGION!

CONSUMERISM!
-We are constantly preached at to buy…
Newer . . . Faster . . . Bigger . . . and Better!
-We’ve changed Scripture to read…
“Seek ye first the kingdom of ‘stuff’ and ye will find happiness!”
-The modern Latin conqueror proclaims…
“I Came . . . I Saw . . . I Shopped!”
-The ‘Religion of Consumerism’ has…
Theologians as Marketers…
Priests as Ad Men…
Temples as Shopping Malls and…Worshippers as Shoppers!

The Tenth Commandment is a major change from the previous Nine Commandments…

-The first nine deal with BEHAVIOR in general!

-The last deals with INWARD ACTIONS such as lust and greed!

WE VIOLATE OR BREAK THE FIRST NINE – BECAUSE OF THE TENTH!

The tenth deals with Motives (i.e. violating the law before breaking them)

The tenth reveals the dark regions of our heart!

NO WONDER WHY GOD ENDS WITH THIS PARTICULAR ONE!
It’s linked with “ALL THE ABOVE!”

Ck us out this weekend - should be a GREAT CLOSER!!

Taking a break...

Hey all! Can you believe the Summer is almost over!? CrAzY!! God has been doing some pretty amazing things at COC this Summer! Once again - WE ARE ON THE GROW! It is pretty remarkable to sit back and watch God do what He does!! Thank you all for your prayers!

It's been a great 'Journey' this Summer! We've added to our family with a new baby girl - Charis Leigh! Boys have become water logged with the amount of swimming they've done - get this...CALEB IS SWIMMING BY HIMSELF!! We broke through early in the Summer with him swimming with a life jacket, and the other day Ginger discovered rather quickly that he doesn't need it anymore, HE'S SWIMMING with nothing at all! Now...if we can just get him from 'taking a dukey' in the pool, we will have accomplished the unaccomplishable!

CK OUT THAT GRIN!!

SUNDAY SNAPSHOT...

Heading into our 4th week of our series...LAW & ORDER

Commandment #5 - Honoring God By Honoring Mom & Dad!

Our GO Pastor (Mat Balgaard) will be speaking this week as I'm out for a brief sabbatical weekend! This is a week that you don't want to miss!

Mat is truly a HERO of mine! Several years back his Mom suffered a Stroke in which has dramatically effected her life! Mat has risen and HONORED her and his step dad like a true miracle! He is a MIRACLE - and his willingness to care for and HONOR her is a story of HOPE, ENCROURAGEMENT and INTEGRITY!

Come and here this great story!

IT'S HEATING UP!!

AZ is getting HOT!! As I mentioned last week, we got some RAIN in the JULY! Humidity blew a gasket last week, and now the TEMPS are rising!! The next month to month and a half in AZ will be SCORCHING!!

Family is doing good this week, CHARIS LEIGH is developing her own little personality each and every day! Demanding constant attention from Mama, who willingly submits!

Isaac & Caleb are about 3 weeks away from School starting - 'Back To School' shopping will occur soon for our 2nd Grader and Kindergardner!! BIG DOGS in a BIG YARD!! They're constant need for Mom's attention has made this Summer a bit more interesting around the house with 3 little 'Yahoo's', while Dad is at the Office! You can keep Ginger's SaNiTy in your prayers these days!

How about these shots...

SUNDAY SNAPSHOT...

Week #3 in our Current Series...LAW & ORDER

The Third & Fourth Commandments…Honoring God In Speech & Schedule

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

In Paul Dickinson’s book WHAT’S IN A NAME…
He has taken his hobby of collecting actual names and has shared them with us. Some names are strange and unusual. Others he says are names that seem to be prophetic.
For example, here are some real names from his book…

-Joe Bunt became a baseball coach.

-Dan Druff became a barber.

-Jeff Treadwell became a podiatrist.

-Two men by with the last names of Goforth and Ketchum became police officers and actually became partners.

-Two other men became partners in church equipment…
Mr. O’Neill and Mr. Pray.

-Will Crumble became a plaster contractor.

-Mr. P.P. Peters became a urologist.

In the Old Testament God reveals Himself by these names…
-Yahweh means I am that I am.
-El-Elyon means God most high.

-El-Shaddi means God Almighty.
-El-Hai means the Living God.
-Emannuel means God is with us.

-Jehovah means Lord.

-Jehovah-Jireh means the Lord my Provider.

-Jehovah-Tiskenu means the Lord my Righteousness.

-Jehovah-Shalom means the Lord my peace.

-Jehovah-Shammah means the Lord is there.

-Jehovah-Rapha means the Lord who heals.

In the New Testament we know the Name of God as Jesus Christ!
Jesus means Savior!
Christ means ‘Anointed One, Messiah!’

GOD'S NAME REQUIRES REVERENCE & HONOR!

In the KJV - Most of the Commandments begin with the words…THOU SHALT NOT…
Interestingly…The Fourth Commandment does not!

It begins with a simple REMINDER!
"REMEMBER to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy."

It’s not Legalistic in its approach!

The purpose of this Commandment is to TEACH PHYSICAL & SPIRITUAL REST!

-Focusing our attention on WORSHIP!

Happy POST (lol) Independence Day Week!

Hope this post finds everyone well! The 4th of July weekend was GREAT! Incredible Steaks, Chicken & Shrimp on the Grill with some GREAT friends! Then off to another GREAT friend's house for the the Big Maricopa Fireworks Spectacular! Nice job Maricopa - GREAT SHOW!

Big week last week for COC - as we started a new series called...LAW & ORDER! It's going to be a fun one as we take a look at the Ten Commandments! I intro'd it last week, Mat (our Outreach Pastor) is going to be bringing the first 2 this week (Worship God and God Only!) this week, as I will be out Guest-Speaking at a Sister Church (Cornerstone Christian Fellowship) this weekend! He will do a GREAT JOB - always does!

Kiddos are hanging in there, having a Fun Summer! Isaac is BORED with 'No One To Play With!' as he puts it! Caleb is done with ESY (Extended School Year) and is getting up WAY TOO EARLY! Charis Leigh is still GROWING and BEAUTIFUL as ever! Swimming isn't exactly the funnest - since the pool temp is at 95 degrees right now! But it did do something AMAZING last night on JULY 10th, that it doesn't do a whole lot of in the Arizona Summer -- IT RAINED FOR ALMOST 10+ HOURS!! A great break from the heat, and a HUGE DRINK for my newly landscaped front yard - my plants & trees were 'HUNGOVER' this morning - they had a late night (lol)!! This means one thing - MONSOONS are arriving and HUMIDITY will be rising! The Heat is one thing, but Mid July-August or so, it becomes close to unbearable in AZ! HEAT & HUMIDITY -- OUCH!!!

Came across an INCREDIBLE PIC the other day of Ging & Isaac, last Summer, at the Grand Canyon! Thought you'd enjoy! As well as another of my "ANGEL!"

SUNDAY SNAPSHOT...

The Ten Commandments are Universal Biblical Truths that do not have an expiration date nor do they have a date of inception!

-The first Four Commandments have to do with our RELATIONSHIP with God!
-The last Six Commandments deal with our RELATIONSHIP with Others!

COMMANDMENTS 1 & 2...

Worship Me & Only Me!

Nobody Else But Me!!

The Bible tells us that GOD IS A JEALOUS GOD!
-God does not want to share you with anyone! -It’s not that YOU have something that God needs that He is Jealous - but He knows that He has something YOU NEED and wants to keep you from losing it by trying to find life from any other "god!"

How about these PIX...

FATHER'S DAY PIX...






Ck out this Bathing Beauty!





Great stuff happening in MY LIFE! Charis' Adoption was finalized this week (JULY 01st)! She is 100% OFFICIALLY OURS!! Birth Certificate is coming shortly! TY to everyone who has been praying throughout this process!! We love you all!



Summer is 1/3 officially through in the BIG 3 MONTHS that is (June/July/Aug)! We had a great time with my folks last week, who visited from Missouri! Dad played good golf, and didn't get heat stroke this time (I think it was 114 that day)!




COC is going GREAT! God is still doing some AMAZING THINGS - we really have a GREAT TEAM and INCREDIBLE PEOPLE!!


IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK - SEE YOU NEXT WEEK!!




SUNDAY SNAPSHOT...

You don’t need to not look any further than each day’s newspaper, or web-sourced news page, or any major News Correspondent to realize that we are in a world that desperately needs Law & Order! We have done our best to institute it where we think it need be applied or not applied! We have done our very best at removing this ‘Moral Code’ from anything of significant importance! I then would simply ask - Is life better now? Or does it appear that we still need assistance? I would offer that God was on to something when He gave us the Ten Commandments; I would also suggest that they were not just intended for the Israelites in the Old Testament, and that they have major significance for all of mankind, and that was what He originally intended! God forgive us for viewing them as Ten Suggestions!


Should be an exciting series - come join us if you're in town!

SUNDAYS @ 9AM & 10:30AM
Maricopa Elementary School (Alterra)

I'm Still Here...

Hey All!! Just wanted to briefly touch base and let everyone know that I'm still alive! So much for my promise of 1-2 posts a week!

Ever since we've gotten back from the Adoption - life has been INSANE! But we seem to be gaining ground on BALANCE once again - so I'll get some new 'Charis' Pix up this week as well as a SUNDAY SNAPSHOT!

See you all then...