Stand By Me .... and smile.

I read the blog by Collide Magazine regularly in Google Reader. They posted this today. I agree with them, if this doesn't make you smile I'm not sure if anything will make you smile.

Well done!

Have a great weekend!

EasyWorship - Latest Update Now Available

Get the scoop on the new EW release over at www.churchtechmatters.com

Jump into the forums and join the discussion.

Myrtle Beach Wildfires

This raw video of the wildfires near Myrtle Beach, SC really give you an idea how bad this fire really was at times.

Dave Ramsey - Town Hall for Hope

Oh...the excitement!

Dave Ramsey's Town Hall for Hope is coming up this Thursday, April 23rd at 8 PM ET. Our church is a host site and we are excited to be able to offer this to our community. I urge you to find a location near you that's hosting the event. If you're in the Rock Hill/Fort Mill/York/Chester area of SC, please come join us. We'd love to have you!

Thanks to Google, we can get you there from anywhere:


View Larger Map

We look forward to seeing you on Thursday, April 23rd at 8 PM.

Easter...What's The Story

As I was searching my favorite content sites for media to use this Easter, I came across the following video from Floodgate Productions posted over at WorshipHouse Media. As I watched, something dawned on me about how we view Easter.

Give the video a view and I'll continue.




The Easter story is familiar to many. Jesus took on the sin (wrong stuff) of everybody in the world (alive and yet to be born). He paid the ultimate price and died a death he didn't have to. Then, through his death, defeated death and opened the door for us to experience true life.

Here's the kicker - I'm guilty of it too. So many times we put the torture, death and resurrection of Jesus in the past and keep it there. We forget that Jesus' offer of Life...with Him...is still valid today. Very valid. It's not just a historical event. Remember what Jesus said?

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

John 15:12-13

Did you catch that? It's not just a historical event, it's a personal sacrifice. An invitation to a friendship.

Challenge? This year, take Easter out of the past and put it into today.

God is "By Your Side"

I believe we've all been through some rough times lately. Times are tough. As time goes on, the struggles and loss become more personal. Events that were happening to others begin to happen to us. Then it becomes way too personal

In the last week or so, this song struck a chord with me. It's "By Your Side" by Tenth Avenue North. I found the video below on YouTube which gives you a chance to listen and read the lyrics at the same time.




The lyrics that stood out to me are deeper in the song:

And I'll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you call
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Look at these hands and my side
They swallowed the grave on that night
When I drank the world's sin
So I could carry you in
And give you life
I want to give you life

No matter what happens - loss of retirement, job, house, friends, family - whatever it may be, God IS with us!

When we need God the most, we fight the ONLY ONE that can truly bring us peace. Why do we do that? Pride. We don't want to admit that we need help. We don't want to admit that we are helpless.

God promised us this:

We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.

We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.

2 Corinthians 4:7-10

and from my favorite passage, Psalm 121:

I look up to the mountains—
does my help come from there?
My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth!

He will not let you stumble;
the one who watches over you will not slumber.
Indeed, he who watches over Israel
never slumbers or sleeps.

The Lord himself watches over you!
The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.
The sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon at night.

The Lord keeps you from all harm
and watches over your life.
The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
both now and forever.