BST's Blog

Happy Mother's Day to the best moms in the world...my mom and Sheryl! My mom has been a constant source of encouragement and renewal in my life. What an example she is! Thanks, Mom! We love you!

Sheryl is such a great mom. She loves our kids, plays with them, teaches them, and protects them. They are such blessed kids to have her as their mom!

One benefit to this "leave" is being able to experience other churches. This morning we went to church at Mosaic Nashville. Incredible!! Many of you have read Erwin McManus's book, The Barbarian Way: Unleash the Untamed Faith Within. Mosaic is sort of his brainchild. It started in Los Angeles. It was an absolutely incredible experience this morning. It is, to me, what church should be like. I needed that this morning. My mom and Lauren Gingles went with us. It was really fun!

Their pastor, Gary, gave a very scripture based, relevant message. It was about the implications of John 1:41 (Jesus changing Simon's name to Peter) on community. Did you know that Simon means "one who vacillates"? Doesn't that make his new name (Peter=rock) even more meaningful?

He talked about levels of involvement in community (church). He said we come in evaluating our likes and dislikes (making it about us). Then, hopefully we move to the next stage--evaluating whether this makes a difference in our lives or not (still about us). Finally, we should move beyond what church can do for us to that next level--investing in the lives of others...giving of ourselves.

It struck me that it seems that in so many churches the majority seem to camp out in that first stage. That's why we have so many complaints and gripes. If it's not just the way we want then we gripe. There are those who move on to stage 2...but it really does seem that we need to work on expanding the number of people in stage 3. I know I struggle myself with living in stage 3.

On so many levels, today was a blessing. Even in the worship, we sang a song that couldn't have been more fitting for where I currently find myself. Here is one section of lyrics from Robin Mark's song, "Jesus, All For Jesus"...

All my ambitions, hopes, and plans
I surrender these into Your hands.

Happy Mother's Day to everyone out there...especially to those who have so lovingly mothered me over time...Darla, Jeannenne, Kaye, Pat, Beth and Jeanette.