Doyle's Thoughts

2007-06-14T08:05:00.000-07:00

Kauai – Saturday

Whew we’re tired…we’re going to need a vacation to recover from our vacation!!! But we are having a blast!

Today started by going to look for this lady selling Malasadas (Polynesian Taro donuts). The book said she would be set up in front of the Nappa auto parts store in Lihue…so we went to search her out!!! She wasn’t there. I hope she’s ok!

So we headed up to Wailua Falls. This was a “double” fall with a huge pool at the bottom. This was another one of those “tourist spots” so it was very crowded and you couldn’t actually go down to the falls (well I think you can but we decided against a big hike this morning and I think you have to break a few laws to get there!). The falls were beautiful…I think they must have been in some movie because there were a couple of “Movie Tour” buses at the falls. Oh yeah...these are the falls that were in "Fantasy Island".

After snapping some shots at the falls, we headed up the north shore to Ke’e Beach. You get to this beach by going up the North Shore until there is no more road. No kidding…this is the beach at the end of the road. The beach is has a reef starting 20 or so yards off the beach that protects it from the waves so it is nice for swimming. But the cool part of this beach is the snorkeling. This was some of the best snorkeling we’ve don’t the whole time. After swimming out 20-25 yards, you get to the reef and soon you are in ankle deep water…well the water is probably actually 30-40 feet deep here but you can stand up on the reef and the water is ankle deep. Navigating through and over this reef is a chore but the reward on the other side is well worth it. The fish are beautiful…incredible colors…the water is so clear…and we swam with turtles. They weren’t little turtles like you see smeared in the middle of the road in Texas….these were huge…3 ½ to 4 ft. across. You could just float and watch them eat. At one point I was standing on part of the reef with one foot on one wall one on the another and a channel below me…trying to dump the water out of my mask. Then a huge turtle swam right between my legs!!! SO AWESOME. At one point I was swimming along the surface and there was a turtle swimming less than arms length underneath me. I could have reached out and touched it but I didn’t want to spook it.

Ok, then…as if the turtles weren’t enough, there were sharks!! Yep…reef sharks…only a few feet long but nevertheless…they were sharks!! To see them you had to swim down hard 6 or 7 feet and look under this little cave in the reef and they were laying down in the sand. It was so cool!!

We forgot to take pictures of the beach from the beach!! However we got some cool (hopefully cool, we’ll see when we get them developed) underwater pictures. I’ll post them when we get them developed.

We also took some pictures of the mountains from this beach and some caves around the beach...here are a couple of them.

View from the beach up the mountain.

We spent a lot of time in the water here and were pretty exhausted and decided to go in. While walking over the reef, I slipped, my flipper came off, and my leg went down in this whole up to right above my knee…and I landed on my butt!! Dude it hurt!! I now have wounds to prove I was out there. A huge chunk from my foot and several bleeding scrapes down my lower leg. Now that I think of it, it probably wasn’t so good to be out there bleeding with the sharks so close!!!

From Ke’e beach we headed back to Hanalei for some lunch. Lunch today was at Bubba’s Burgers….and excellent little burger joint! Their motto is “We cheat tourist, drunks, and attorneys”!! Then we headed back to “Queen’s Bath” (from Monday). This was one of my favorite parts on the island so we were going to go back one more time (plus Christy lost her first snorkel set there and I was hoping to find it). Then we ran into a new phenomenon on the island…weekend crowds. When we went to Queen’s Bath on Monday there was hardly anyone there…this time, the parking lot (only holds about 10 cars) and all around was packed so we decided to go to a beach we had not visited yet.

We headed down south to “Larson’s Beach”. This is another one of those out of the way beaches that you would never go to if someone didn’t tell you how to get there. The last mile or so is on a (very rough) dirt road and then we hiked down a trail for 10-15 minutes to get to the beach. The book said this was a good snorkeling beach but when we got there, it was pretty rough seas so we didn’t snorkel (plus we were worn out from the morning!). So we just relaxed on this beach. At one point, we were the only two people on this beach. Then this guy came walking down the beach (he had been a few hundred yards up the beach when we got there) to right be hind where we were. Evidently he was a homeless man. He had a few bags there with him and had dug out a small hole that he was resting in. He had several cats with him that he was giving water to. Pretty strange…I wondered what his story was. What kind of luck do you come on that leaves you homeless (if that is what he was) in Kauai.

Then the hike back up to the car….whew! It was a lot farther up that it was down!

This was our least favorite beach of the trip but still beautiful and nice just to kick back and relax.

Here are some pics:

From Larson’s we headed further South (toward home)…did some shopping then had dinner at Kauai Pasta. We ate here a couple of nights ago and LOVED it. The guy that owns it is a Christian…he has DVD’s of sermons from his church, Kauai Missionary Church, for you to take at the front desk. He also gave out “Scripture Mints” as after dinner mints. He seemed like a real cool guy and you could tell from when you walked in that he was…different! You know by different….I mean a Christ follower.

From supper we came home and started packing up for the trip home tomorrow.

Tomorrow morning, we are going to worship with some brothers and sisters here in Kauai. I remember singing at this church both times I’ve been here before and remember their preacher. It’ll be fun worshiping with them but I know we will miss our faith family at home.

After worship, we’re going to do some final shopping…maybe hit another tour…even thinking about another round of golf…and then off to the airport.

More later…

2007-06-13T12:04:00.000-07:00

Kauai – Friday

Another great day in a great place…

Again, we slept in this morning…for me, that meant up at 7 a.m…I just can’t sleep here!!! Oh well! After breakfast we headed out to the golf course. I can’t remember the name of it and I don’t have enough energy right now to go find the book that has the name of it in it!! It was a pretty cool little course. This story is that this man living in Kauai built this nine hole course (in Poipu) and then when he died, he donated the course and money to keep it up to the island. This dude is buried in this little garden between 6 and 7. So, since it is donated, the greens fees are only $8!!! That’s my kind of greens fee. Ok, so it wasn’t the Princeville course but it was still fun. There were awesome ocean views all through the course and the fairways are wide and strait…unfortunately, not wide enough for me most of the day!! You may be asking…what did Christy do while you played golf? This is the really cool part of the story. Christy knew that the last time we were here, one of my favorite times was when I got to play one of the other courses here in Kauai. She had told me before we came that I could go play one afternoon if I wanted to but I told her that I didn’t want to without her (plus, I needed someone that could actually see my ball for me!). So…before we left Amarillo, Christy arranged a 30 minute golf lesson with one of our friends from church…nothing big…just teaching her how to hit the ball. (You can see her form below!) She did this just so I could enjoy and round of golf…with her. Pretty awesome wife huh!!! She did great too!! She didn’t hit the ball real far or up in the air but it was always strait! We had a lot of fun playing. We also got lucky that we got paired in a foursome with a couple that was worse than us!!! They were a lot of fun too!

I’ve now played two golf courses in Kauai…one more than I’ve played in Amarillo!

View from the golf course.

Check out this swing!!
And this form!

After golf and lunch at Brick Oven Pizza (again!!), we headed up to the North Shore to another beach we hadn’t visited yet. This was another very cool place. You can only get to this beach by taking this path between a parking lot and a tennis court at the Princeville Resort and following it down to some rickety stairs to another STEEP path and finally to this very cool secluded beach. There is no way you are going to find this beach unless you read about it in a book like ours or someone gives you directions…I think that’s one of the things I loved about it. It wasn’t a beach that everyone goes too….you have to know it’s there to get to it. The sand part of this beach is only 100-150 yards long and has huge trees for shade just 20 yards from the water. On each end of the sand is outcroppings of lava rocks….it’s just a beautiful place. Oh yeah…it’s called “Hideaway Beach”. And the sand here was awesome…very big grains of sand but very soft to walk on. The reason we went to this beach was because the book said it was great for snorkeling…and the book was right. We spent a few hours here snorkeling and relaxing. The snorkeling was incredible…there were huge rock formations that started about 30 yards from shore and went as far as we dared to go out. Lot’s of coral, lots of color and lots of beautiful fish. Just incredible fish. We took some underwater pictures here that we will have to get developed when we get home. At one point I got about 250 yards from shore and found my self in the middle of a school of fish. They were on every side of me…beautiful. At one point while I was out there, I stopped and stood on a big rock where my head was barely sticking up above the water. Christy was back at the shore but I couldn’t see her…that’s how far away I was. She said she couldn’t see me out there either. So I just stood out there on the rock for a few minutes…very humbling…when you are out there in the ocean…big cliffs in front of you, hundreds of miles of ocean behind you, you begin to get a glimpse of how small you are. It was cool….I don’t even know how to communicate how cool it was.

Here are some pics from Hideaway Beach:

From the hike on the way down

From the beach.

Christy, after the shark attack!!

After the LONG trek back up the trail to the car, we headed in to Hanalei to pick up some more souvenirs for the kids and to get some more Shave Ice. Ok, it was good, but the Shave Ice at Jojos is SO MUCH BETTER.

After Shave Ice we headed to the Hanalei Bay Pier to watch sunset. Beautiful is the word we use but it doesn’t do it justice. This was a cool beach…the sand at this beach was the opposite from the sand just a few miles South at Hideaway…it was so fine…like powder. There were several people fishing at this Beach too…with nets or poles. I still haven’t seen anyone catch anything. It was also cool here because you could drive your car right up to the water. Several had backed there cars or trucks up to within feet of the shore to picnic or fish or surf or whatever.

Like I said…the sunset was just incredible…the pictures turned out pretty good on these too.

Hanalei Bay

Locals backed up to the water.

Sunset at Hanalei. Nice huh?

Another great day!!! God is so good to me…this scenery, the beauty, and the reason I have taken this trip…my wife. I remember 16 years ago being here and being “so in love”…and I was. I loved her then…but today, I love her even more. Thank you God…You have been good to me.

2007-06-12T16:11:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the not posting lately...the internet connection in the condo was not good so...anyway, here is Thursday

Kauai - Thursday

Wow!! Today was busy, we saw a ton of stuff on the West Shore of Kauai and up in Waimea Canyon. Here’s a quick run through of the day…

We started the day with a trip to Christy’s favorite spot in the mainland…Walmart!! Had to stop there and get some Benadryl for those nasty mosquito bites. We ended up spending a little time there looking at novelties and I bought me a sweet Hawaiian shirt!! From Walmart we headed to the West Shore.

Our first stop was JoJo’s Shave Ice. JoJo’s was highly recommended by the book we are living by here in Kauai (The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook) and we wanted to go there because…well…it was JoJo’s. JoJo’s was a cool little hole in the wall with GREAT shave ice (with Macadamia Nut Ice Cream underneath it). It was so good. The guy that served us had no shirt and board shorts on…only in Hawaii!!

After walking around for a little we headed up to Waimea Canyon. The drive up was very pretty. The West side of the island is the “dry side”. It is SO different from the side we are staying on and have stayed on for the first few days. It is not humid but very dry (hence the description "the dry side"!). The grass is all dead and yellow, and the dirt is RED. It looks a little like Oklahoma! Start up the mountain and things begin to change. We drove up the mountain for 15-20 minutes and it looked like we were in the middle of Colorado. We traveled all the way to the top of the mountain to the Puu o Kila Lookout. This lookout was from the top of the mountain out to the Na Pali coast. The Na Pali coast can only be seen by boat or air or from this lookout – there are no roads to it. It was so awesome!! Unfortunately, there were clouds rolling in so the pictures didn’t turn out great. Here are a few pics from that lookout.

With the clouds!! Pretty huh?!

Less clouds.

Even less clouds...the pictures again don't do it justice.

From there we worked our way down the mountain to several different lookouts including quite a few for the Waimea Canyon. This place was UNREAL. I can’t begin to explain how incredible this Canyon is…you just wonder at it’s beauty. From the main lookout you can see this BEAUTIFUL double waterfall (the one from Fantasy Island!) but I think the little off the road lookouts were even more spectacular. Here are a few of Waimea.

Almost as pretty as Palo Duro Canyon!!

Incredible!

Check out this cool waterfall!

We also saw a family of mountain goats from one of the off the road lookouts. Here’s the Billy!

The drive back down the mountain was also incredible. The views of the Ocean coming down were…well…they were incredible. No pictures!! You’ll just have to trust me on this one.

After a quick lunch (great Calzone at a little hole in the wall), we went to a few other sites on the West side. We went to 1 beach where the sand is a real dark green. This is where the Waimea River runs into the ocean….it’s real cool to watch. The sand there has olivine (green) and black flecks of lava in it to make it dark green. Very pretty but not good for swimming or playing on the beach.

Green Beach

We then headed over to Pekala Beach.

Pekala beach again is not for swimming and there were only a dozen or so people there...mostly surfers…well all surfers accept for us. This is a beach known for it’s surfing but not good for swimming or snorkeling. You get to it by parking along the highway, going through this fence then along a “pig trail” for a couple of hundred yards. Then down the beach and past the wall that says “private property”! All beaches in Kauai are public but sometimes you have to cross private property to get to them. We spent a little while at Pekala watching surfers do their thing and kicking back on the sand. Very relaxing!!

From Pekala we went to another beach…kinda weird beach…Glass Beach. Our book says that Glass beach was created from millions of pieces of broken glass washed in from broken bottles and auto glass. Behind it is the industrial part of the west side with huge gas tanks…you have to drive down this dirt road and then you come up on it. Again, not a place to swim but the “sand” was very pretty and cool and interesting.

Glass Beach

We spent some time then at the Harbor and watched some team kayaking and surfers then headed over to Spouting Horn at sunset. Spouting Horn is pretty cool. Spouting horn is essentially a hole in the lava shelf where water from waves is forced through forcing out water…and air. This is what the “blue book” says about spouting horn. “This particular site distinguishes itself from other blowholes around Hawaii in that it has an additional hole that blows only air, causing a loud moaning and gasping sound”. That's funny...me too! It was cool. Especially at sunset. When the sun was setting, every time the hole would blow (ha!) it would create a cool rainbow. We also saw a turtle and a seal at Spouting Horn. We spent quite a while there taking pictures and just enjoying the view.

Spouting Horn

A couple of Blowholes

Check out the Rainbow

We ended the day with a sandwich and some fresh pineapple at the condo…pretty tired from the day.

Today, we didn’t do any swimming or snorkeling or zipping…just a lot of enjoying God’s beauty. It’s incredible. It reminds me of how creative our God is….he is the creator! The beauty he made is AMAZING…and as I was sitting on the rail looking out over the NaPali coast, what came to my mind was…as beautiful as this is…outstanding colors, peaceful in every way, etc, etc, the most beautiful thing God did was on an ugly mountain with no flowers…just the blood of his son. This caused me to worship today…again. God is good in every way. Thank you God for the beauty you created in nature…thank you for the love you show every day to me.

2007-06-07T01:23:00.000-07:00

Kauai – Wednesday

This morning started early…but we had a blast. We started this morning with the “Zip-line Tour”….very stinking cool. Christy and I both have ridden ziplines at Blue Haven and Ceta Canyon but NOTHING like these. They were long…I think the longest was 350 yards or so….and some of them VERY high…I think about 80 feet above the ground. A couple of them were very low too which was cool. There were 7 different ziplines in all that we got to zip. We zipped over what used to be a crater created by one of the volcanoes that made Kauai. At one point, we were at the foot of the mountain (can’t remember it’s name right now) that is the wettest point in the world. It had rained last night (of course) and you could see 10 or so waterfalls from the first place to zip. It was lush and green and a TON of fun! We ended at this little pond and had sandwiches then road back up to the city. Yeah…we had a lot of fun!

Here are some pics:

Before the Zip

Christy Zipping

Doyle Zipping

More pics of this when I get to a faster Internet connection!

After the zip tour we were pretty tired so we headed into town for a little shave ice…then back to the condo for a bit.

After a little rest, we headed out for some beach time. This afternoon we went to Lydgate Beach. It’s a pretty cool beach…nice for just relaxing and playing in the water. They have created this rock circle to protect this beach from the waves so it makes a nice serene pool. We snorkeled for a little but the snorkeling wasn’t great. Not a lot of fish in this area. Then we just vegged!! It is so nice to be able to just relax and do nothing if you want to! This was a very pretty beach and we are hoping to get back to this beach to watch a sunrise.

Lydgate

We went from Lydgate to see Opaeka Falls. These aren’t falls that you get to actually go up to, you can only view them from the road. They are beautiful though! Here are some pics.

After the falls we were just driving up this little road and ran into a Hindu Monastary. It was pretty cool. We didn’t get to go into the temple…it’s only open in the morning. But reading some of the history of the monastery was pretty cool. One interesting thing they had there was a place you could write down all of the things that were bothering you and burn them in this urn. They said that your problems were taken away when you burned them in this urn….pretty interesting. A lot of interesting stuff in their tenets of faith…more on that later. No pictures here…if I get to go back to the temple, I’ll take some pictures.

After the monastery, we went to eat at a great little Italian place, then shopped a little, then went for a stroll on the beach. Again, it was a great day. We are pretty tired but having so much fun.

More later…

2007-06-06T00:26:00.000-07:00

TUESDAY

Wow…Tuesday was fun but WE ARE TIRED!!! This was a day that we planned to “sleep in”. So, I got up about 6:30!! Wow…what a sleep in. I just couldn’t sleep. We lounged around the condo for a while, then had breakfast, and hit Kauai!

We started at Hilo Hatties looking for souvenirs and stuff. Shopping…woohoo. Then we headed to the South Shore to do some snorkeling and boogie boarding. We started at Poi’pu Beach and did some snorkeling there. There were a lot of fish and urchin and stuff to see but the floor was VERY rocky and hard to get around in. The hardest part was getting back to shore. The beach was beautiful though and we had fun just people watching. We laid on the beach for a while DOING NOTHING. Doing nothing is so good! No pictures of Poi’pu…sorry.

We headed off for some lunch…a very good burger and chicken burger at Tropical Burger, and then looking around in some shops at the Market in Poi’pu.

After lunch it was time for some boogie boarding at Brennecke Beach. The waves were pretty awesome. However, neither of us will soon be asked to join the national boogie boarding team. We had fun and took most of the sand from Brennecke Beach away with us in the many hiding spots in our swim suits and other crevices on our body! Here are some pics of Brennecke Beach.

From Brennecke we went to my favorite spot of the day…Kipu Falls. This was awesome. Kinda in the back country of the South Side, you park by a bridge and then take a “pig path” through some grass fields where the grass is taller than me. You walk down this path and over some rocks for about 10 minutes and then come up on this awesome waterfall and huge pool. The waterfall is probably 20-25 feet high and Christy and I both jumped off a couple of times. IT WAS AWESOME!!! Then you can swim over and climb back up and do this huge rope swing. Very cool too but not as cool as jumping off the waterfall. Again, I think this was our favorite part of the day. We like these places that are off the beaten path and VERY COOL. Here are some pics:

Christy Jumping

Doyle Jumping

Rope Swing

After Kipu Falls we were beat and ready for some supper and rest. We spent some time at the store buying souvenirs and food for tonight. Then we came back to the condo and Christy cooked supper. It has been a nice relaxing night.

Tomorrow is our Zip-Line Tour!! We can’t wait!!!

More tomorrow.

2007-06-05T11:20:00.000-07:00

Day Two: Monday

I woke up this morning about 4:30 a.m…body telling me it’s 9:30, so I couldn’t go back to sleep. So, I got up, made some coffee, took a shower, and headed to the beach for some pictures of sunrise. Unfortunately, I’ve been greeted by a “Garden Isle” rainstorm this morning. Oh well, maybe tomorrow morning. The walk on the beach was superb (after it quit raining on me for a while).

At one point I stopped, looking out into this vast ocean…thinking about how incredibly huge and powerful it is and thinking…my God is in control of all of this. Then I look down at the sand going through my toes and think…my God knows every grain of sand. I couldn’t think of a word to describe God. So I worshiped him. This is a GREAT way to start the day!!! I’m looking forward to many more of these!

Now I’m sitting on our balcony, watching it rain, listening to the %#$*%#@ roosters, waiting for breakfast. Christy is still sleeping off the jet-lag. After breakfast, I think we’re going to go snorkeling or swimming…who cares, we’re in Hawaii.

First morning!!

This was the most sun we saw all day!

More later…

So when we got here they told us there was a free breakfast on the first morning we were here…we went. Note to self…anything free here, they want something from you. It was a sales pitch for all different kinds of Luau’s and stuff. We ate, listened for a little, then left!

After renting snorkel and boogie board gear, we headed to the “Lighthouse”. It’s this bird sanctuary place on the East Shore. Pretty cool…very beautiful views….and red footed boobies. Yep…we came to Hawaii and saw boobies on the first day. We even took pictures. While the Lighthouse isn’t just crazy exciting, the views are absolutely gorgeous. Do you ever just get used to this and not pay attention to how gorgeous it is? Like we do with Amarillo!!!! They say from this point you see a lot of whales…in season…it’s not season so we saw a lot of water…and boobies!

See!

Those little white specs in the green are boobies.

After the lighthouse, we headed up to the north shore…grabbed some lunch and then went on up to “Tunnels beach”. To reach this beach…you drive north until you nearly run out of road, then park on this little dirt road…and walk up the beach what seems like forever to get to the place where the snorkeling is good. It was SO worth it. The snorkeling was awesome….fish of every color (doh! Forgot to take pictures!). You just swim around and notice new fish after new fish…no kiddin…awesome. Then back to the car and on to my favorite place of the day…”Queen’s Bath”.

This place was so cool. Again, it’s a little out of the way place that I don’t think a ton of people know about or go…but it was awesome. You drive through this cool resort then park and hike for about 15 minutes. Down a steep muddy trail to a cool little waterfall, then down further to another little waterfall…then…for about 300 yards you go along the waterfront (cliffs kinda) on lava rock…with the waves crashing. IT IS SO COOL. At then end you get to this pool of water…about the size of a backyard swimming pool. On the front edge the waves are crashing in over the rocks and you can swim and snorkel…oh my goodness it was amazing. Just so cool. We swam and snorkled here for a good while and then hiked back up (ok the trip back up was a little harder for these out of shape people but WELL worth it!).

Waterfall on the way to Queen’s Bath

Part of the hike to “Queen’s Bath”

“Queen’s Bath”... pictures don’t do it justice (at least not ours!) The pool was about 12 feet deep at the deepest points.

Cool huh! This is another place that you see on the hike to "Queens Bath"

After a little shopping, we headed back to get cleaned up and then had some supper…very good but pricey BBQ. When we got to the BBQ place (with a spectactular view of the beach) we realized that we were on the same beach (give or take 100 yards) where I popped the question. VERY COOL! Then we went and walked through the market in Kapa’a for a little while. This is the market that we walked through over 16 years ago the night before I proposed to Christy. I remember going by a jewelry store acting sad because I couldn’t buy her a ring when I had bought the ring months before!! It’s a cool little market.

Then back to the resort for bed and relaxing.

The sun hasn’t been out more than 10 minutes today but it has still been fantastic. I understand it’s supposed to be like this tomorrow too. I hope at some point we get to see the sun!!! Even if we don’t, this place is fantastic.

More tomorrow…

2007-06-05T11:14:00.001-07:00

I hope to be able to update daily but as of now I can’t get an internet connection in our condo (oh well!!) If not, I’ll post this all when I get back to the mainland.

Kauai Travels Day 1: Travel Day

Not much to report from Sunday. Travel day started early and ended late. Not so much good traveling in between. It started with us in DFW EARLY (to try to get an exit row seat). We did get the exit row seats booked for our flights all the way to LAX…but then, right before we were going to get on the plane, DFW had a bad lightening and rain storm and delayed our flight about 2 hours. Since this would make us miss our connecting flight, they then moved us to a direct flight to LAX. So, we ran to the airport and got on our flight to LA. Not too bad…no exit row…but not too bad.

At LA we got settled in for our flight to Kauai. The flight was packed so there was not any hope of getting an exit row. This was a United airlines flight. They boast “more leg room than any other airlines”. I have one thing to say about this….Liar, Liar, pants on fire!!! NO LEG ROOM. Oh well we made it to Kauai…long flight….tired booties…but we made it…

However, our luggage didn’t!! Because of all the flight delays and us last minute switching flights to LA, our luggage went on and made the trip through Denver and then to LA missing our flight to Kauai. The very nice man at the luggage place told us that we were on the last flight for the day so our luggage wouldn’t get here till today at noon. So…after checking in at our cool condo, and driving across the Island to “Brick Oven Pizza” (at the recommendation of Pill Hackler), we headed to Walmart (broke Christy’s heart to have to go to Walmart!) and bought a few things to tide us over till we got our luggage. Then, we got back to the condo…EXHAUSTED…our bodies still telling us it is 3 a.m. and we had a message from the office telling us that our luggage is here!! Woohoo!!! It was good to have our luggage with us again, although they did destroy my suitcase. Not sure how we’re going to deal with that!

Anyway…we were pooped and hit the hay.

Oh yeah…Brick Oven Pizza was good…not great…service was actually not good at all…but the food was good. I think we were too tired to enjoy!

2006-06-30T12:40:00.000-07:00

SE Chronicles… - Last one…I promise

Two weeks ago, I was traveling with Josh to Lubbock right now, getting ready to enter into a great week. Just wanted to reflect on some of my favorite things of SE 06

Family – It is so cool to get to work with blood family at SE. From nieces and nephews as students, to brothers working along side me….it was just excellent. It was cool to get Elven indoctrinated to SE this year. What a great help he was. I love my brothers and sisters…every one of them!! The best thing I love about them is that they love God!!! This week was just a reminder to me of how blessed I am with family that loves God. One of these days, we’ll get Twila to come and help!!!
Family part 2 – It was awesome to have Everett there with me. He is the son I don’t deserve!!! He is way too good for me. My favorite times of the week were when he would sit next to me at the computer and worship with me. There were several times I was so moved I couldn’t sing because I was watching my son lift his hands to the Lord and worship Him. That was priceless!!!!
Family part 3 – Laci Richardson – She is not blood kin but married into the family. It is such an honor to work along side Laci for SE. She is perfect for SE!! She is such a great woman of God and wants so badly to be in His will. She gives herself sacrificially so that others will know the love of God. She is a great Mom and wife. Laci is just awesome. AND….her favorite joke is SO funny!
Family part 4 – Josh Watkins – Ok, Josh isn’t “family”…he didn’t even marry into the family, but he is a brother to me. What a great partner in ministry. He is fun to work with, he challenges me, I think I challenge him. When we are together, I laugh (a lot), I am challenged to grow in Christ, I am encouraged…It’s just one big pile of cool!! Love this guy. On the way home the other day we talked about planting an SE church (more on that later). And we talked about our Dream Team of SEers to be at this church. That would be too much fun.
Family part 5 – Quaker Ave. Church – this is the church I grew up in in so many ways. It is just cool to get to go back there at least once a year and be a part of that family. I love worshiping with them on Sunday a.m. I love seeing how they serve SE because of their love for Christ.
Confession – much healing happened this week because of confession. Let’s hope we can all be real enough to never let this stop.
Long rides in the golf cart with my girlfriend…..ok just kidding

Top Ten Things I Miss About SE

Rainbow Celebration – not necessarily the worship…just saying the words!

Cookie Crisp with Chocolate Milk

Riding around in a golf cart….I gotta get one for the house!

The nurses….Charmaine and Lanna are the COOLEST

NO SLEEP

Pizza and a Hamburger (and cookie crisp) EVERY DAY for lunch.

Mbale

Kick-ball

2. Mbaleball

Late night hugs from Jake!

Make sure you check out the SE website for all of the pics! www.summerexcitement.com

OK, for all of those (both of you) who are reading this….WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SE 06 memory? Or…..what is your favorite SE memory of all time? Or…what would you add to my top ten list.

OUT!!!

2006-06-30T12:39:00.000-07:00

SE Chronicles… - Friday, June 23, 2006

Ok, it’s actually Saturday morning. I didn’t have time Friday to journal so here is the recap of Thursday and Friday. Thursday morning is always the hardest day for me. We are in the home stretch…the end is near...but I don’t want to lose energy or power at all. I was tired Thursday morning…bad tired….I’m getting way too old for this! Now I understand why Richard would head out in the middle of the day….NAP TIME!! But God gave me the energy to get through the day!

Thursday was another great day though….people continued to respond to the call of God. Thursday night Rainbow Celebration was great…at least I thought it was. I love the “Lonely People” video….because of the message, “you have never been unloved”. What a powerful message for kids….for everybody…to hear. Then I loved how the Deans connect all of the school themes to the overall SE theme. It just worked great. One of the cool parts for me was getting to sing with Josh. We sang “If You Say Go” over the students as they prayed…I can’t begin to tell you all of the coolness that happened within that…just trust me…it was awesome.

The awards time was kinda anticlimactic for me. So many great things had already happened. Although….I LOVED recognizing kids for being Christ-like. We need to do that EVERY DAY. I loved the ovation that Josiah Shelburne got. I loved the ovation that Amber got….and that Justin got….all deserving…for totally different reasons…but everyone in the room knew why.

I think the most rewarding time of the week though was yesterday (Friday) lunch. As we sat around with TLs, TLCs, and Staff, and shared victory…God gave me a picture of what he is doing with SE. I just saw these stories…these victories for Him, multiplying over and over across this nation, and to the nations. As I listened to victory after victory, I praised the God who made all this possible. The God who planned this before time began. I just sat and worshiped as we shared with each other. (And I got to play with Leah for a lot of that time!)

SE 06 was a great success. Thanks to so many people, but primarily thanks to God. And now, we continue our Journey. I told the TL/TLCs yesterday...”don’t let this be the greatest day in your life.” I want that for myself, I want that for all who attended or volunteered at SE. Don’t let this be your mountaintop experience. Let this be another incredible stop on your Journey…but let the mountain top experiences be the everyday decisions we make to follow our Rabbi, Jesus.

Father, you took care of us again. You answered prayers before we even prayed them. You brought people together that needed each other. You put people in leadership positions that needed to lead. You are truly and awesome God!!!! I don’t know how else to say it. God protect SE from the evil one. Protect our students and TLs as they go home. Remind them with Your Spirit of the things they learned and the promises they made to you. Bring yourself glory. We pray that our work has been fruitful and is producing “fruit that will last”. If we are not fruitful, prune us so fruit will grow. We love you God and depend on you not just for SE but for our lives. Continue to amaze us as we go back in to our “normal”lives….make our lives abnormal!!!

Your Son,

Doyle

As I read back over the last week’s blog entries, it makes me sad that I missed so much. So many stories, so many God honoring victories…there is just no way to cover it all. I guess this is why for the last 22 years, we have all been saying, “I can’t describe it, you just had to be there!”

My summation is, if I can ever describe everything that is happening perfectly….it probably isn’t of God.

2006-06-30T12:36:00.000-07:00

Sorry, I forgot to post these when I got back....HERE YA GO!

SE Chronicles… - Thursday, June 22, 2006

Oh….wow….am I tired. Just when I think I can’t get any tireder (ok, I know tireder isn’t a word but for me it is what works right now!!), I get even more tireder!!! And then when I think I can’t give any more….God gives me this incredible burst of energy! Sometimes I’m afraid to act on that burst of energy because I’m afraid people around me will think I’m on drugs!!! What gives me the most energy is things like last night…..no matter how tired I got, live giving….true life giving energy was returned to me through watching as people’s lives changed.

Wednesday night is always special at SE. But last night was different than any SE Wednesday night I have been a part of. First….I loved how it started. We were all sitting there before “starting time” and just started singing…and before you know it…we were worshiping!!! I loved watching as the “old people” came in to this atmosphere of worship. The looks on their faces were priceless. Our worship time together was excellent…at least in my estimation of what excellent is!! Ian’s analogy of Tumbleweeds and Fencepost was very cool and thought provoking. Are we being blown by the Spirit as we spread seeds everywhere….or are we a dead piece of wood, stuck in the ground, trying to keep other tumbleweeds from spreading their seed? Good question. Then came the invitation…a time where in years past so many kids responded to what was going on in their heart. And as we sang the “invitation song”….nobody “responded”. Well, I’ll take that back….I think many of us were responding…just not in the traditional way of coming down front. As we guided the students into their families….I watched as hundreds of kids responded. I saw the tears begin to flow…not necessarily a sign of response but many times it is an outward sign of what’s going on in the heart. I watched as kids confessed to each other and prayed for each other. I counseled with kids as they looked to God for help. While some might have thought, “Oh no, nobody responded!”, the truth is…so many responded…and are still responding to what God is doing in their heart.

It seems to me that we have created some kind of monster with our response times in churches. It’s like you can only “respond” to what God is doing in your life at a certain time on a certain day during a certain kind of song. That is so wrong. What I saw the kids doing all week was respond as they were going along the journey. As we journey, there will be many, many times where we will be responding to God and to the holiness we are called to. I loved seeing that all this week. I loved seeing that last night….I will love seeing it tomorrow. Father, thank you for the gift you gave us last night of “no responses”. Teach us through this that our journey with you is just that…a journey. Not a destination that we arrive at and are never called to more..but a journey where you continually call us to follow you. Give us more of this teaching Father.

Then the baptisms started happening….yeah we had responses!!! Praise God for drawing those to Him. I think we had 5 baptisms last night and two decisions to be baptized when they get home. Awesome. You know…that’s not our primary goal at SE…to get the students here to be baptized….but it happens every year. I’m sure there are deep lessons in that….too tired to expound on it now!!

Then there was the party...Quaker Church is so awesome. They help in so many ways with volunteers and financial support. They pray for us like crazy (including a 24 hour prayer vigil before SE), but the most visible way they help is with Jailbreak (the party). When I first saw what they were doing I thought….”Oh my…this is over the top!!” But the kids loved it. It was over the top!!! The kids loved it, the volunteers at Quaker had fun. Last night in the dorm, someone told me that Jailbreak was “the best dance I’ve ever been too. Even better than prom!”. Then someone said, “It was even better than the FFA dance!” That cracks me up. So…the church of Christ throws a party and kids come away saying it was the best dance they’ve been too!! Too funny! I love this time because it gives the kids time to release….to just be themselves and have fun….with no worries of what others think. Life should be like jailbreak!!

Then in the other room, kids were still responding….we would take a break for a baptism here and there. God was glorified last night.

God, thank you. That seems so small to say…but I don’t have words to praise you right now. Thank you. I love you.

Doyle

2006-06-21T08:46:00.000-07:00

SE Chronicles… - Wednesday, June 21, 2006

I’m getting to the point in the week where it is very hard for me to remember what I am doing from one minute to the next!! I think it is a combination of lack of sleep, lack of coffee, lack of um….I can’t remember what I was saying!!

Yesterday was an incredible day at Summer Excitement. God is doing so many fantastic things!! God is totally using the testimony of Amber to change lives!! Yesterday, both Josh and I were lead (at the same time but in separate places) to Amber to ask her to share her story with us last night in worship. At the very same time, Amber was in her quiet time….wrestling with God of where she needed to go. All that came together last night when Amber bared her life to us in worship time. She did something that all of us as followers of Christ must do. She walked directly into the thing that scared her the most. She confessed sins that were scary to confess in front of people who thought she was something different. She was real….she didn’t tie up the end of her testimony with a tidy….”and now everything is alright and I’m not sinning any more” type statement. She made it very clear that she is in the midst of a journey with God. She is not perfect and she hasn’t arrived…but at the same time….she is perfect and she has arrived. Today…Amber is FREE….she no longer is a slave to hiding who she is….PRAISE GOD!! And now…all over this campus, kids are experiencing freedom for the first time. They are able to be real with each other a deal with real issues….they are FREE. Isn’t that what followers of Christ are supposed to be doing….living in freedom and delivering freedom to others??? God, I praise you for Amber. Thank you for bringing her to SE this year….even though she did not want to come….did not want to follow you here….you delivered her…thank you for orchestrating all of this….thank you for delivering us and cleaning us up over and over and over again. Thank you God for all of the others that are experiencing freedom today. You are amazing God. Let me continue to walk around today and be amazed by you!!

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

- My Rabbi….Jesus

Then there was Kyle Hutton….I have to admit…I was very nervous about this. I knew Kyle was going to be very talented…I knew that he was cool…but I was worried that some of the kids wouldn’t like his music (country music). I was worried they would check out…and hate it. Of course…Kyle was great…he was real…he was authentic…he told stories about his journey….God did more than we asked or imagined. What an incredible gift. Then he sang with Brooks (his son). He sang a song with his son that his wife wrote….HOW STINKING COOL IS THAT!!! There is so much more to that story that is just plain glory to God in the highest….maybe one day I will blog about it. Thank you God for how you orchestrated Kyle being here. How you put him in community with Brian…how you put me in community with Brian…which lead to Kyle ministering to us…and us to Kyle last night. This is a true picture of who you are…always taking care of your children. Thank you God. I am still amazed by you!

So many things yesterday that allowed me to see more of God…those were just a couple of them…but there were more…and will be more. It seemed like all day…all day…I was praising God for what he was doing. I want to walk every day like that!!

Looking forward to what God is going to do tonight. Wednesday night at SE has always been special….but something seems to be building…the Spirit is very thick today around here…it’s like God is going to blow the doors off tonight. Father, protect us from the evil one today….I know he’s scared…your children are getting real and confessing and loving each other and praising you and satan is scared….we depend on you to defeat him. You are a MIGHTY WARRIOR…crush the darkness. Amaze me once again tonight. Speak amazing things through Ian and Josh. Anoint them with the fire of your Spirit tonight. Cut everyone in the room…students, staff, non-se, EVERYONE…cut them to the heart so that you may be given glory. Bring us to You. Father…will you let confession be our language tonight. Don’t let one person leave the room with a mask on…totally change who we are. I praise you for answering this prayer already. YOU ARE GOD!!

I’m also looking forward to jail break. Jail break is always fun but Quaker goes the extra mile. Quaker is just so awesome at this. I’ll report on this tomorrow!!!

Last thing….here is a picture from Wild n Crazy Games yesterday….courtesy Carey Jones.

God is even working through “noodle hockey”!!!!

Doyle

2006-06-20T09:40:00.000-07:00

SE Chronicles…Day ??? (I’ve lost count!) - Tuesday, June 20^th 2006

Didn’t write yesterday. Not that it wasn’t great…just didn’t take time!

I just got out of a great time with our staff where we talked about some of the great victories that are already happening. I want to share just a few. Not so you’ll know what’s going on (if anyone is reading) but so you can join me in Praising God for his goodness.

Josiah Shelburne – wow, this kid is incredible!! He is “handicapped”…whatever that means. Yeah, he is physically different but he is already a huge blessing to SE. Yesterday morning, he was feeling sick, a little scared, maybe a lot scared at how people would treat him because of his physical limitations. I love what Charmaine told him. She said, “This is the safest place in the world.” Praise GOD!!! Oh, that we could say the same thing about our churches. Anyway, this has been awesome with Him. He is totally bonding with his family. His “Dad”, Justin Osborn, has been incredible with him. Sarah Hendrix, his “Mom”, has also been incredible. His family has been incredible. Yersterday, Josiah played flag football and got knocked down and had a BLAST! I watched as his family cheered as he helped drive in the nail at WNCG. God is blessing Josiah with SE and maybe more so….he is blessing SE with Josiah!!!
Worship last night: God answers prayers!! DUH! Worship last night was incredible. Josh was great….GOD WAS GREAT. Many times I was here at my computer just weeping as I watched kids lay the masks down and worship…including my own son! Josh’s testimony touched so many hearts. Awesome. Dave’s message…right on target. “LET’S GO!!!”
Cleto – Sometimes people are sent so they can bless others. Sometimes they are sent so we can bless them. Cleto was a great comedian and we had a lot of fun. What I loved though was that he needed to be in our worship time…so God brought him here. He said, “I thought angels were singing during that worship time.” I said, “THEY WERE!!!”. Cleto was moved by the worship and by David’s lesson. Thank you God for orchestrating all of this.
Leader’s popping – Uh! Isn’t that what this is all about? Training leaders. We were talking a minute ago about how God uses all of these things….from shooting coco-puffs out your nose, to tying cherry stems in a knot with your tongue, to sports, to worship, all of this to pop leaders. God’s recipe for leaders: Take a willing disciple of Christ….add cereal up their nose, wrap them in toilet paper, have the tie cherry stems in a not, cover them in sun screen and sweat, don’t let them sleep, add a lot of pizza and grilled cheese, focus them on your Word, put them in community with other disciples….cook for 1 week at high temperatures in Lubbock, Tx…..and out pops a leader. A leader like Laci Richardson…who is speaking God’s truth through poop analogies! A leader like Josh Watkins…what a great man of God. A leader like Steve Gomez….shining Christ into the world of Basketball. God’s plan….WOW!!!

If your reading….Give God praise for these victories and all of the others that I don’t have time to write. Father, give me eyes to see even more of what you are doing this week. And let praise always be on my lips as I see what you are doing.

I better get back to the office…..they probably think I’m taking a nap!!

Doyle

2006-06-20T09:22:00.000-07:00

SE Chronicles…Day 3 - Sunday, June 18^th 2006

Oh man…this morning was incredible….at least for me it was. God was praised. The most meaningful time for me this morning…all of it was so great I hate to point out one time…but the most meaningful time was during the singing of “Amazing Grace”. As I stood in the place…in the church where I “grew up”….I sang, “Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.” That’s all it took. That took me back to may wretchedness. It took me back to all the times I stepped into 1701 Quaker as nothing but a wretch. And had it not been for the Lord, the anger of the enemy would have swallowed me alive. But GOD DELIVERED ME!!! That all hit me during that phrase yesterday. Tears flowed….not tears of sadness…tears of joy. I once was lost…BUT NOW I’M FOUND!!!! PRAISE THE LORD!!!! The pushed my heart to its knees in praise to God for saving a wretch like me. Thank you God!!!!

Yeah…a great morning. Everybody there seemed hungry…not just for great pot-luck…hungry for more of God. I loved looking into the eyes of the worshipers as they looked into the eyes of God. Incredible. God, you bless me beyond my wildest imagination this morning! Thank you Father. Thank you Father for saving me…delivering me from my sin. Amazing Grace. Thank you Father for allowing me to stand in that building and lead those people in Praise to you. What a wonderful gift you have given me today!!! Thank you.

So, how can God do even more now? Well he’s gonna! Kids are on campus now. They have know idea what God has in store for them. Many of them will go home forever changed by God. There parents won’t know what hit em!

The Worship Time tonight was pretty cool. Just kinda down from what we expect. I pray that that will increase through the week. The “Quaker Baker” kids did a great job tonight. God, bless our worship times together throughout this week. Take off the masks of all the kids. Help them let down their guard and worship you with all that they are. Use Josh in a way that will even amaze him! Use his love for you to lead the kids. Use his life with you to inspire all in the room. Use the technology and the tiredness and the energy….use it all for your glory! Thank you for already answering this prayer.

Your Son…Doyle

Tomorrow…Quick Start, 1^st Teaching, WnCG, Cleto…God, use it all for your Glory!!

2006-06-20T09:09:00.000-07:00

SE Chronicles…Day 2 - Saturday, June 17^th 2006

Not much time tonight to write!! Need to get to bed and get ready for tomorrow. Today was excellent!!! The TL’s are starting to bond and come together. We are already seeing great victories. I’ll have to admit, when I first thought about us teaching Jonah, all I could think of was this VBS like teaching with lots of whales and singing “Jonah, Johna, in the belly of the whale” over and over again. Not the case. This teaching is going to be incredible for everyone who will let God speak to them through it. The Jonah story is SO good. Just reengaging with it a little today has been a blessing to me.

So…tomorrow, the kids come!!! I have incredible peace about that tonight. I trust everybody will get the jobs done that they have been gifted to do or asked to do….I trust that God will use all of this to change lives….AGAIN!!!

Tomorrow morning…that’s what I’m excited about right now. It’s one of those nervous excitements. I LOVE leading worship…anywhere!! I love worshiping God in such a way that others are lead to the throne. But tomorrow will be special….tomorrow, I will worship at home. That brings both nerves and great excitement. I can’t wait till in the morning with Christy and Devon and Kendra and Julie and Kevin and Ross and Josh and Heath….I can’t wait till the crowd starts rolling in…I can’t wait till we speak together, “What a wonderful God we have”….I can’t wait to see what God does….to me. It never fails, God does something to me in these times. I know that he uses our corporate times of worship to bless many…but I think I get to be blessed more than all. I not only get to worship….I get to watch others worship. I get to look into the faces of people whom I’ve grown up with, and see the reflection of our Lord as we worship Him. I can’t wait to remember Christ with them. I can’t wait to look back in the back corner and see my parents singing “Here I Am To Worship”. What a great Father’s Day gift that is for me…to worship my heavenly Father with my earthly Father. I can’t wait to sing “There’s A Stirring”. God, do something amazing as your people gather to praise you in the morning. Anoint this time with your Spirit. Remind us of who you are. Let us make a LOUD noise to YOU!!!! We love you God. I love you God. In the morning, make me invisible so that you may be seen. Make me visible only when I am reflecting Your Glory. I love you God!! I can’t wait to see what you are going to do. AMAZE ME!!!

Your Servant…Your Friend….Your Son,

Doyle

Tomorrow is going to ROCK!!!

2006-06-20T08:38:00.000-07:00

Note: For the next week I will be in Lubbock at Summer Excitement (www.summerexcitement.com). Throughout over half of my life, Summer Excitement has meant so much to me as I have grown both spiritually and physically. Over the next few days, I will be journalling about my SE experience....I hope that this will be an every day happening...we'll see how it works. Please do not expect these writings to make sense at all! As the week goes, I will be functioning on less and less sleep...so...if your reading out there...enjoy the ramblings. By the way...someone asked me the other day, "Who are you writing this for?" The answer....ME!! I'm writing this as an act of Praise. This journal is a way for me to continually be engaging with what God is doing in my life. So, if somebody else reads it...I hope it blesses you. However, if no-one else reads it...and God continues to reveal to me what He is doing here...that's totally fine by me!!! God, do it AGAIN. Change lives through this great event called Summer Excitement. Show your Glory!!

Your Servant,

Doyle

SE Chronicles…Day 1 – Friday, June 17^th 2006

TL Training

I love this feeling….I don’t know how to describe this feeling…It’s kind of a not in control feeling combined with an absolute confidence that I know that whatever happens this week is God ordained and going to reflect His power…not mine….thank God for that. Let me tell you, if the week of Summer Excitement reflected the power of Doyle or Laci or Josh or John, etc. WE WOULD BE IN TROUBLE. But what we expect, what we expect is this…we expect that “the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in [us], he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to [our] mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in [me].” Romans 8:11

True wisdom for me this week is not to have all the right answers and to keep everybody on schedule and all that stuff….true wisdom is believing scripture. Believing that the Spirit of the living God is in me and is giving life to me and is the power that will lead this week. When I believe that….SE will be incredible.

I love this feeling!!!!

What I want so bad is for our TL’s to claim this feeling. Last night was incredible. In our prayer time, we had so many TL’s who said, “I’m not ready for this”, or “I’m not good enough for this”. I want them to get this truth….without the power of the spirit of the living God in you….you aren’t ready and you aren’t good enough. But Paul said…where I am weak, then HE is strong. I want to be weak so that HE is strong!! These TL’s are going to be incredible this week. Right now, I’m watching them go through their first family time with Mike. I see them…already…going deep into their hearts….looking at who they are. God, continue to draw them to each other and to you….for the ones that I see that are checking out, not wanting to be a part of the team….bring them in. For the ones that are loving this and eating it up….draw them deeper. Most of all, for all of us…God teach us what it really means to GO this week. Teach through Jonah, teach through your Son’s words, teach through your Spirit speaking into our hearts. God, I believe you are going to do INCREDIBLE INDESCRIBABLE things this week. I believe…forgive me when I don’t believe. Father, these TL’s need more of You and less of themselves. Break the ones that need broken…build up the ones that need healed. God we depend on you for this!

I LOVE THIS FEELING!!!

This is going to be such a cool week. I love talking about “Going”…because it means something different for each person…this is going to be great. Jonah is a great story, all of us can identify with Jonah. God, teach us all this week. Show us all what you want for us. This is all for you.

Your Son,

Doyle

2006-05-17T14:28:00.000-07:00

Here it is….I’m stepping back in to it whether I want to or not. I’m back into my blog.

Why do I stop blogging. I wrote about this in my last post…5 MONTHS AGO!!! Why would I go 5 months without a post. I love when I sit down and write….but I always put something else first. Why…..

There’s always “something more important to do”. ALWAYS. I think this is the source of my frustration lately. There is always something more pressing or more important to do than to do the very things I need to be doing. There is always the things that are expected of me…overcoming the things that are life giving to me. Now don’t get me wrong…I don’t think “blogging” has any saving power or anything! That would be funny…church of BLOG….you can’t be a member unless you blog at least 3 times a week. Truly faithful members blog more often than that. Great members actually have comments. Then we would have different groups….of course my group would blog without instruments….there would be a group that would blog only in KJV…and a very conservative orthodox blog which wouldn’t use computers at all…stone tablets!! Sorry…I digress!

Seriously…this journaling thing…not a big deal….but it is a representative of something for me that happens a lot. I get into doing something that is really good for me….daily worship habbits, scripture study, quiet, time with kids, etc. etc. etc. and it NEVER fails….something more “important” comes along…and those things die….and so do I. The deal is…there isn’t anything more important than some of those things….they are the very things that give me LIFE.

Here’s the deal I think….I AM WEAK AND I AM DECEIVED!! I am so easily convinced that the minors are the majors. I am so easily distracted from the One I love and the ones I love.

Father, give me the courage to focus…give me the ears to discern….give me the humility to learn…give me more of YOU.

Ok, #1 was long…the other reason I think I don’t blog is because….well…..let me say it like this. When I think things in my head, but I don’t ever put them out for anyone else to see, then I don’t have to be accountable for them. When I put them out there…then I have to be accountable. So…it’s just easier to not do anything!!!

SO much like our Christian walk!!! As long as we don’t act on the things that are in our hearts…then we don’t have to be accountable for them. Hmmmmmm….guess it’s just easier to do nothing.

So…I’m going to try again. Why…well….2 reasons. 1, it’s good for me…2, it’ll make Mom and Dad happy!! Those are 2 great reasons!!

Just a few things…..

Yesterday was my 14^th anniversary. Wow! I know that to many…that’s nothing. To me, that’s HUGE. I think of the couple that we were 15 years ago. Praise God that we have and are transforming. I remember thinking back before we got married, “How could I ever love her more than I love her now?”…I can say now, that my love for Christy Corder has increased exponentially. She is a fantastic wife. She loves life. She loves God. She loves her kids. And Praise God, she still loves me. God sending her to me….someone that could put up with all of who I am and am not…proves His infinite wisdom! Next year….for our 15^th anniversary….we’re going to HAWAII!!!!!!!

Father, thank you for sending me Christy. You knew I needed her…and I think you knew she needed me. Father, put your hand on our marriage so that we will love each other even more this time next year….and bless us that we will both continue to love You more and become more like your Son. Release all of your blessings on Christy. Thank you for her God….Thank you for the wonderful gift I have in Christy. Thank you.

Your Son, Doyle

Later blog….but not so much later!!!

2006-01-08T05:43:00.000-08:00

So....it's been a while....again!!!

I don't know what has been up with me lately. Every time I sit to journal…I am interrupted. Admittedly, most of it is self interrupted. It’s like I don’t want to write…like I’m scared to write…I don’t get it. So, this morning…just for a second…I’m going to walk in to this stupid fear and write…just to get back on track a little.

Last week we started the “Restoration Discipleship Challenges” at Southwest. If you don’t know what this is, go here, www.southwest.org, click on challenge, and check it out. I don’t care if you are a member of Southwest or not…this is a fantastic thing for any disciple of Jesus to be doing. The challenge is just this:

Read….read the gospels over the next 3 months. Read solely for the purpose of knowing Jesus more. (not for knowing more about him…but for knowing him!)
Listen…spend thirty minutes a week in “silence” listening to God. More on this later.
Look…look to those around you who are more like Christ. Talk to them and ask them how they did it!

Real hard huh!!! Real stinkin hard! SEEK JESUS!! That’s all we are doing here. What is so difficult about this.

What is difficult about this is…

It is very hard for me to read scripture for myself. What I mean by this is that I am constantly reading scripture for others…to teach others…to prove others wrong…to have a good scripture that “fits” in our worship service. Father, help me read your word to know the Word who became flesh. Give me ears to hear YOU. I want to know more about who Your Son is. I want to be more like my brother Jesus. God…I want to know You more.
It is very hard for me to be quiet. I am constantly “interrupted”, mostly by myself, with….things I need to be doing, ideas for later, songs, tiredness, etc. By the way….Rob Bell has some GREAT teaching on this!! Why is it so hard to be silent before God? I think I figured some more of that out this morning. I was reading Scott Simpson’s blog. (http://facenorth.blogspot.com) He was talking about weeds. Read it if you want to….here is what I figured out. I don’t like listening because I WANT TO BE IN CONTROL. Just like my kids. If they don’t want to do I what I am telling them to, it’s simple, they don’t listen. Then, I can’t get mad at them because, “they didn’t hear me!!” So, my problem with listening is not a ADD problem or a finding enough time problem…it is simply a control issue. Father, I offer myself to You. Take control. I surrender. I open my hands to you. Take control. God, you know me, I will take control back…correct me when I do. You know me, I will ignore your voice…silence me when I do. Lord, be my lord.
Look. This one may be the easiest for me. God has surrounded me with Christ-like people. He has put me in close community with them. Now it is my job, my pleasure to learn from them. Not learn more scripture or cool ways to do cool stuff…learn more about being like Christ. Last night was one of those. Brian called me at about 9:30 (I was in bed…I’m old!!) and said, “I need you to go with me on a trip.” Long story short, there was this guy who had stolen something from the church, and Brian wanted me to go with him to see him. Not to scold him, not to tell him what he was doing wrong..but to heap blessing on him (he was going to give him money). Ended up we didn’t get to see the guy…but Brian still taught me a little more about being like Jesus. Father, give me more of these opportunities. Let me be You to the world TODAY!! Show me Jesus in the people around me.

Ok, gotta run. I get to go lead 800 or so people in worship to our Creator!!! What a great life!!!

DOyle

2005-10-28T13:44:00.000-07:00

God is so good to me. Last week I got to reconnect with a couple of old friends. These are guys that have had a great impact on my spiritual life. Reconnecting with them just reminded me of all the people God has sent me in my life to shape me into who I am today. From my parents, to my kids, my sis, my brothers…all in different ways, my wife who may have saved me, my grandparents who were and are all followers of Christ, friends like Josh, Steven, and Jeremy who influenced me as a worshiper, Darrell, all those old people at the hotel, all the people who I worked with at the hotel, all the people growing up at Quaker like Russell, Jared, Kevin, Corbin, Chris, Elizabeth, Susanna, Karena, Tracy…so many of those guys…older people like Tommy, Herb, Joe, Elmore, Bro. Bobo, Sister Bobo, people like from my growing up years at SE like Richard, Dave, John, Ted…oh and Ricky and Craig, and who could forget Michelle, and then people that are such a great influence on my today, Brian, Brad, Kyle, Landon, Jerry, Tomtom, Mary….the more names I think of the more names I think I’m leaving off. This is overwhelming me…how many people have influenced my life to make me who I am today. Not all of them were even necessarily good…but all of them made me who I am today….and who I am….is GOD’S. Father, today I thank you for all the people who have made me who I am. Thank you for all the people you have used me to influence to make them who they are. You are sovereign God. I praise You that you care enough about me to know every hair on my head…you knit me in my mother’s womb…I praise you God. Thank you for making me in Your image.

My sport’s weekend last week. Amarillo High smacked Coronado (my alma mater), Texas (evil) smacked Texas Tech (my alma mater), Angelo State beat undefeated WTAMU (my new favorite D2 school!), Cowboys lose, Astros lose, the only redeeming factor is that my 2 fantasy teams (Fightin Woolly Mammoths and the Choir Boys) eeked out Monday night victories. Moral of the story….um….there’s not one really.

Yesterday, I ordered a new guitar. I thought it would be delivered in less than a week then found out it won’t get here till the MIDDLE OF NOVEMBER!!! Grrrrrrrrr. Oh well, patience.

Quote I read yesterday:

“I can talk to anyone about anything. What I don't know, I make up. What I know, I'm not certain of. What I'm certain of is that everyone seems to enjoy illuminating my dark little cranial cavity, and I always enjoy seeing things in a different light.”

Nothing to say about it just thought is was cool.

Last thing…Summer Excitement news…..We met couple of weeks ago and decided on the SE 06 theme. GO! When I type it, it doesn’t seem real exciting but I’m jacked about the teaching this year. God always wow’s us. Because, God is GOOD!

More info coming soon.

So…if anyone has read this far. Who are the people who have influenced you the most in making you the person you are today?

Out

Doyle

2005-10-10T19:04:00.000-07:00

Just some thoughts from the Zoe conference…some good memories…some good teaching…etc.

Who is eating at my table with me…who is not. Who does Jesus want me to have table fellowship with?
Magdeline Ministry…wow…THAT may be what healing looks like in our culture. What is it that our church needs healed from? I believe pride is the root of all the sin that keeps our body from being healed?
LEN SWEET REBUKING THE NO VOMIT GUY WAS SO COOL! I don’t want our church to be vomit. I don’t want my worship to be vomit. I’m tired of vomit…….
Seeing Lori and David hug…and cry…Praise God for that. Now there’s the start of some healing.
Thursday night praise with Brandon….don’t know why..but it was way good for me! Thank you God.
Along with #5…”Sing to the King” is a great song to sing. Praise God!
Mike Cope…wow…the message of Jesus…sermon on the mount…very powerful reminder of what it means to be of Christ.
In Christ Alone….with tears running down my face…knowing that I NEED NOTHING BUT CHRIST!!
The add for old songs dvd by Mike might be the funniest thing I have seen in church in a while!
I learned the people of the continent of Antarctica don’t pray for Mike Cope’s son. Evil people!
John Chisum is a very talented, very spirit filled man.

While I loved his “concert”/worship time…his classes weren’t my favorite. I want more interaction I guess.

Remembering my good friend Steven as I worshiped tonight with John and last night with Brandon. Forgive me God for my arrogance when I said that there was only one way to worship you that is acceptable.
Amos teaching me…Will God really bless us while we sleep in fancy houses and eat fancy foods and meet in fancy buildings and children are dieing of hunger? What will we do? I will choose to listen to God, not America on this. Can the church overcome being American? Disclaimer…I love America…but I love God MORE!
John Chisum: “I’ve been overcome by the spirit of buffoonery!” Wow! How many times have I been there?
Great talk with Candace….”If this is what the church of Christ is about (arguing about ‘stuff’), I don’t want to have anything to do with it.” Is that what I am communicating to the next generations of followers? Will my kids reject Christ or the “Church of Christ” because they see that all we do is argue about being right? Are we talking about good news or right rules? Rules aren’t bad…but I want my children to know Christ, not the right rules. I’m not saying that righteousness is bad…I’m saying that righteousness ONLY comes through the blood of Christ…now I’m preaching to myself!
Michael Card Concert – That guy plays his guitar upside down but is just down right fantastic. I think I like him so much because he is so REAL. I love real people…like JESUS!!!
Jeff Walling…can’t describe it…hope I always remember it!
The Commissions …yeah…I want to live the commission every day, every minute of my life.
William Eudy!! What a great time getting to spend time with him, his friend Jackie, and his Shepherd JP. Sounds like God is doing great things in Mineral Wells.
Otter Creek Sunday a.m….as good as it was to be there….I was homesick!!! I love worshiping with my family.
Brandon’s bathroom story in the Saturday afternoon session. Too funny!
Spending 5 days with my wife…man I love her.
Spending 5 days getting to know the Mize’s a little more. They have been so stressed…May God give them peace.

Them matching!!!

Picking up the hitchhiker in Elk City. Thank you God for sending Him our way…lead him to You now. I wish I had a cool story to say we picked up this guy and fed him and gave him a ride and lead him to Christ and baptized him and now he is living with us leading our neighborhood to Christ. We just picked him up, and gave him a ride, and gave him some food, and he slept in the back of the van while I prayed for him for about 2 hours!
Getting Home…kids hugging…spending the day with the kids…all that stuff. I love my kids. God, thank you for protecting my kids while I was gone. Thank you for Scott. Continue to draw him to You. Give him CLARITY in everything.

I guess that’s it. I’m sure there was a lot more. It was a good weekend. One of the things I realize when I leave is how good things are at Southwest. The things churches are just now starting to get…we’ve at least been talking about for a while. That’s not ego or pride…I’m just thankful to be in this place. It is so good for me to go…but even better for me to come back.

This week, I start preaching on Sunday nights!! Wow! I can’t believe I’m doing this. If you read this blog, please pray for me. I’m gonna need it. Begin praying that God give me what he wants me to talk about in a quick way. I want to be more and more and more and more about people…with people, not just planning for people. That is gonna be hard…I will lean on God for this.

Yesterday, my dad turned 70…wow…I used to think 70 year olds were really old. I guess they are!! (sorry Dad!). I love my Dad so much. I see so much of Him in me. Good and bad! Most of all, I love that my Dad depends on Jesus just like I do. He knows that when he’s sick, or Knee-knaw is sick, or the church is doing something he doesn’t like, or he doesn’t have enough money, or...well…whatever is happening, he is dependent on the blood of Jesus just like me. God, thank you for giving me a father on earth that would lead me to You. Thank you for his love for you. Help him to continue to be transformed by you, into the likeness of Your Son. Help him love you more tomorrow than he does today…even when that doesn’t seem possible. God, give him relief from being sick. Give him relief from Knee-knaw being sick. Give him peace. Give him YOU! Thank you so much for putting Mom in his life. He deserves her. God, even as he ages, do Dad the honor of using him to bring You glory. Let him see how useful he is to Your work. Thank you Father, for my Dad!

Ok, tomorrow, back to work…lots to do. My prayer is that God interrupt me or allow me to make a priority of people in some way tomorrow.

Father, thank you for the weekend, for Zoe, for BST, Mike, Jeff, etc. For people who love you, for my time with Christy, for my time with YOU. Grow in me the desire to be more like Your Son. Let the words that have cut deep in my heart be loud as I walk around in this foreign land tomorrow. I love you Father.

Your Son,

Doyle

1 more thing...the Astros won in 18 innings last night....that's 2 games...how incredible would it have been to be AT that game...the highlights alone freaked me out!!!

Ok…who knows how much of this makes sense. I can’t believe I just wrote this much…if you are reading, and it doesn’t make sense…sorry, if it does make sense…then you should believe in miracles!! If you are reading and were at the Zoe conference, leave comments, what was your favorite part? If not at Zoe…what is the song that connects you to the Kingdom of God more than any other.

Doyle

2005-09-20T20:54:00.000-07:00

PRAISE GOD!!! HALLELUJAH!!

God is so good!! God has been so good to the church at Southwest. He has blessed us, I think he has disciplined us and pruned us, and I believe all that he is doing, will bring him glory. Our body has been so gracious to me after our announcement a couple of Sundays ago. Our senior adult group was awesome to me. Thank you God for affirming me through your Son’s bride. It was just awesome…one sweet little lady (I think it was just one) told our elders that they finally made a good decision!! I think that was supposed to be a compliment to our elders. Anyway…I am looking forward to how God is going to use me in this ministry to this very special segment of our body and to what he will teach me and my family while we serve him and the body in this way.

One of the things that struck me the most as I was leaving the church building Sunday morning on my way to Bob and Caron’s house was how loved and needed I felt. I KNEW I was loved by the church last Sunday…there was no doubt in my mind (well, maybe with a few but I guess that is always the case)…what a GREAT feeling…knowing that you are loved! But, at the very same time, I felt needed by our church body…I knew that I was a very important part of what God is going to do at Southwest. Not that God can’t do it without me…even better…God has chosen to use me…his servant…his friend (John 15:15)…wow I am loved and being used by God (my friend) to glorify him by serving…and loving back…the very people who love me!!! THIS IS AWESOME!! So, I began to pray and ask God to bless our church in a way that every person….EVERY PERSON…who calls Southwest home would leave every gathering with no doubt in their mind that they are unconditionally loved…AND…know that they are needed by their Father in heaven…that they are useful…that God has a special place for them to bring Himself glory. I want that for me…for Christy, for my kids, for my parents in their church, for EVERYONE who calls themselves followers of Christ. God, will we ever see this. Will you bless Your church with this and then accept our worship to you…not to each other for what WE have done but to YOU for who you are and what you have done. Until you have done this will you never let me forget the way I feel now…never let me forget that I am chosen and loved…even when I am being persecuted, I will rejoice to be persecuted for you. Thank you Father!!

Then what can I say about our “Town Hall Meeting”….it wasn’t perfect…but it was so much better than I thought it could have been. Jerry and the rest of the elders did a great job…and the best part of the night was when our elders were blessed with a standing ovation by the members of our church. I watched as many of our elders just cried…I think they were very humbled by how God is using them. I know that many of them feel inadequate to do what they are doing. I say…we are ALL inadequate to do what we are doing!! Praise God!! Where I am week…Yahweh is strong. Father, thank you for showing up again. Thank you for using our shepherds to speak truth. Thank you for blessing them and for the men and women who showed their love to them. Bless them with more conversations with sheep about You and Your business. Take away anything that distracts them from Your vision for the church.

Now a little rant….I watched the Cowboys last night…bad enough that they lost but I’m a little put out with the whole Katrina telethon thing. Not so much that they have MULTIMILLIONAIRES on the phones asking us for money…not so much that they have waited about 3 weeks too long to start raising money because it happened to fit with the NFL schedule…here is what really tweaks me. The NFL is patting itself on the back for flying in hundreds of displaced Saints fans to NYC for the game last night. I just think that is ridiculous. There are people who are hungry, homeless, still stranded, dead still being found, families still lost from each other…it is going to take billions to rebuild homes of victims…and the NFL is spending money on bringing people to a stinking football game. Don’t get me wrong…I LOVE FOOTBALL…but that seems like our priorities are way out of wack. I also know that our priorities have been out of wack for a while regarding our sporting events but this one really tweaked me! That and the report that I heard that Bourbon St. business owners are trying to get money given to them first so they can have things going for Marde Gras. YEAH….that’s what we need…forget the hungry dieing people…let’s get the floats going and the bead making machines fired up…let’s spend some money shipping in liquor by the truckload…who needs potable water and electricity…what New Orleans need is a good football game and a slammin party!!! God….help us!! Heal our land!

Sorry about the rant.

One final thing….what do I do when my kids act like me and it frustrates the living hookie out of me??? Oh, I love my kids. Father, thank you for teaching me about You by the way I deal with my kids. Thank you for continuing to show me mercy…I want to be as merciful as you. I love you God.

Your Son,

Doyle

2005-09-11T05:18:00.000-07:00

Today is a day that I have been both dreading and looking forward to for a while now.

Let’s start with the dreading!

I hope that 9/11 doesn’t end up being an appropriate day for our “Town Hall Meeting”. I hope that we are not expecting a nice peaceful evening and we are going to end up at the end of the day looking around at the rubble of a church. I say that somewhat joking but even as I say it, I get this churning inside my stomach. It just bothers me on a day like today that we (this group of people who follow Christ together and call ourselves the Southwest Church of Christ)…well, first that we would have the audacity to call ourselves “of Christ” and then proceed by acting nothing like Him. Father, no matter what happens today, let me act like Christ. And then that this evening, as we sit in the same room that we worship in every Sunday, are we being a bride for our Savior that would be something He is attracted to? I pray that we will be. I have full confidence in our Shepherds. I know that they will handle all of this with the attitude of Christ. And even in their suffering, the will rejoice that that can suffer for the cause of Christ. Father, protect us from the evil one today. Protect us that the father of lies can not twist our words to be hurtful or even confusing. Let all that we speak be clear and for your glory. Bless us that EVERYTHING we do today be for your glory. Please Father, save us from our own self-centeredness. Save us from the evil that grips Your church. Have mercy on us.

Now for the looking forward to…..

By the way, I am also looking forward to tonight’s town hall meeting to the extent it will allow me to be Christ in circumstances that are hard. Thank you Father for this opportunity. But also I am looking forward to the “big announcement” today. Today we announce that I will be taking over our ministry to the “Senior Adult” segment of our body. I haven’t written in a while because this has been so much in my heart and on my mind and I knew I couldn’t risk writing about it here (not because I’m hiding anything but because sharing it too early could have been hurtful). I am both excited and SCARED TO DEATH about this ministry!! On one hand, I know that I have been uniquely prepared for this ministry. I know that God has called me to this ministry (more on that another day) . I know that His will will be done…no matter what…He is the Sovereign God. I know that I love the people I will be ministering to. I know that if I am true that last statement, they will know that I love them by my actions, not just my words. On the other hand…wait, there is no other hand….I know that even in my “scared to death” God is working for my good and for the good of the kingdom (which happens to include this body known as Southwest Church of Christ). So, yes, I am a little fearful…and yes, I have FULL CONFIDENCE that God will win!!!! WOOHOO! I love being able to say that.

Saying that about the ministry change…sure helps me in looking forward now to the town hall meeting.

Father,

I now look forward to everything you will bring today. I look forward to our worship this morning, I look forward to the sermon…I look forward to my prayer time this morning…I look forward to the town hall meeting, I look forward to cookies and punch afterwards…I look forward to the announcement and all the ministry that follows it. I look forward to seeing my kids run down the isle and hugging my leg like they haven’t seen me in weeks. I look forward to whatever comes because I KNOW MY REDEEMER LIVES AND I KNOW THROUGH YOU WE HAVE ALREADY WON!!!! Thank you Father for that promise!! Thank you for the confidence I get in you. Don’t just protect us from the evil one…let us see Your victories over him. I love you Lord!!

Your son,

Doyle

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!

O what a foretaste of glory divine!

Heir of salvation, purchase of God,

Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

This is my story, this is my song,

Praising my Savior all the day long;

This is my story, this is my song,

Praising my Savior all the day long.

By the way…my Red Raiders (boy were they red last night) won last night. I know it was just FIU…but let’s hope this score is a sign of things to come…

wreckem Tech!

Doyle

2005-08-11T13:49:00.000-07:00

Today, my wife turns thirty something again. Yes I do know how old she is but I am told that it is rude to tell how old a woman is. By the way, I don’t understand that AT ALL!!! Why can’t women just be happy with their age and proud that they have made it this far. I mean…my wife has bore 3 amazing kids, she is an amazing mother and wife, she is a gifted musician and teacher…who cares how old she is?

My wife does truly amaze me. She is so awesome. It seems like the older I get, the less energy I have. The older she gets, the more she has and the better she is. She takes care of our house, she is a fantastic mother to our kids, she makes sure they have clothes (I have come to realize that if it wasn’t for her, Everett would still be wearing onsies!!), she goes through the good and the bad with me, she has an amazing voice, she wants to share joy with others, she is a good friend, she even likes to watch live baseball (man, there is nothing better than a woman telling you she wants to go see a baseball game). I think the most important thing about Christy is that she loves God. She is not afraid to share her faith with those that she works with. She is not afraid to express her love for God in the way that He gifted her. I love my wife.

I want to make sure that anybody that reads this knows…I’m not saying these things because she’ll read this. In fact, I don’t think Christy even knows I blog!!! I’m saying these things because they are true and because God has blessed me with the exact woman I needed and that I need.

Father,

Thank you for Christy. Thank you for giving her to me and me to her. Thank you for putting the heart you did in her. Help her to continue to discover more of her heart. Draw her closer to you. Continue to use her to spread good news around her. Use her to reach Scott for you and so many others that she makes friends with all for Your glory. Heal her foot. Take the pain away. Continue to draw us closer together so we can be more effective for you. Thank you that she laughs at me when I try to be funny. Thank you that she cares for me when I’m scared and tired. Help me be the man she needs. Help me lead her closer to You. Thank you God...thank you!

So, tonight, I’m going to pick up our new Dishwasher (since Christy is getting old!!!HAHAHAHA…man I’m funny) and attempt to install it. Every time I start a project like this at our house, it turns out to be SO MUCH MORE than it should. I hope I don’t through it out the front window!

So…if anybody reads this blog…what is your favorite thing about Christy Corder?

Doyle

2005-08-09T18:51:00.000-07:00

Man it’s been a busy summer. We have had so much going. I used to think Summer would be a time to relax with my kids…too bad we just fill our lives so we can’t enjoy each other. That’s not right…we have enjoyed each other…we went on a great vacation..we spent a week at Camp Blue Haven together and had an incredible time but since we’ve been home, it’s been one thing after another. Some times I just like to settle down and enjoy being a dad and a husband. Some day, I’m gonna look back and miss these days. Even next week, when the kids start to school and all of that starts happening…I’m gonna miss this.

Although, I do look forward to school starting. I like the routine. I like knowing what is going to happen next. That’s why walking as a disciple of Christ is sometimes so hard for me. I like routine and knowing what is going to happen. Being a disciple is an adventure. I do love the adventure too!!!

Yesterday in my adventure I preached a funeral for a baby. Stillborn at full term. MAN THAT STINKS. The good thing about this is that the mom was a member who is not “faithful” (most of you know what I mean by that). She was baptized at Southwest about a year ago but has been back and forth so much…so, when she lost her baby, she called the only family she could trust that would love her through all of this…her church family. I was so proud of our family…we did. Even though she wasn’t a member who is at every event or even any events. Even though she has more tattoos than I have…well she has a lot. Even though she lives a life that we don’t agree with or condone, we loved her and are loving her like Jesus would and does. Yeah, it was a hard funeral to preach…but when you have good news to tell people, when you get to tell people that there is more to life than what they see going on around them, when you get to talk about Jesus…it makes it so easy. I love that I have a message of hope. Who else has this…who else? No one!!! No one has good news like we do!! Why aren’t we all telling everybody we know about this great news? Probably because we are so much like “them”…we only remember our hope…we only look to God for strength…we only look up when we are knocked down.

Father, thank you for using me to speak good news yesterday. Father, I pray that you use word or hugs or just that we are available to turn this entire family to you. I believe you can use this tragedy to bring them to you. Father, I pray that if it takes breaking us down to get us to remember what you have done for us…that you break us down. I want to speak your good news as passionately to a rich “got it all together” guy as I do to the hurting. Just use me to speak your good news.

Thinking…maybe this is why Jesus said he came for the blind, sick, imprisoned, enslaved, etc. They are the ones that will listen to a message of hope. Hopeless people need hope. People who think they have it all together…I don’t guess they need hope. Father, open our eyes to our sin and to our hopelessness without you.

Big things have been happening in my life over the past couple of weeks. God is working in my life and there may be some big changes on the horizon. I feel more dependent on God through this than I ever have in my life. I’m scared…I’m excited…I’m dependent…I love this adventure!!!

Father, I am Yours…use me as your will. I’m totally depending on You. I can fail….YOU CAN’T. You are sovereign and holy. You can’t mess up. So, if I depend on you…no matter how hard it is, I won’t fail. Thank you for the confidence I get when I follow you. Forgive me when I seek confidence in me and do it on my own. Forgive me often because it happens often. THANK YOU FATHER!!! YOU ARE MY ROCK!

Your Son,
Doyle

2005-07-28T20:01:00.000-07:00

It has taken me so long to get all of these posted but I’m finally through these! It’s taken a while because I’ve been gone so much…more on that later. Here’s the closer.

SE Chronicles 05 – Friday…last post!

I am once again amazed by what God has done this year through the ministry we call Summer Excitement. It is so amazing how God uses our crazy ideas, our stupid skits theme days (oh, some of those were soooo scary this year!!), he uses the sports times, meal times, well he uses everything for His glory. I am so blown away with this. You would think, after 21 years of SE…forget that, you would think after seeing the way God has worked his miracles in and on my life, that he would stop surprising me. Father, thank you for continuing to amaze me. I want to be like the disciples who were continually amazed at your wonders as you walked on earth. Thank you for using me for Your glory. I am honored to be your servant. I am honored to be your son! Thank you God.

Here is what truly amazes me every year but it seems especially this year. Our TL’s and TLC’s. They were absolutely amazing. Who would think that a group of young, some immature, not necessarily bible scholars, just normal kids could make such a difference for the kingdom. Come to think of it, isn’t that what Jesus did. He took a group of young, sometimes immature, not necessarily scholars (fishermen!), just normal guys who were willing to give their lives to him…who were willing to make mistakes…and he turned the world upside down with them. Do we have the power to do the same thing? YES!!! Imagine if just this group that is here at Summer Excitement this year…imagine if just half of those, just a quarter of those who were here this year, imagine if they would sell themselves out to be fully devoted followers of Christ…imagine what God could do with that. The faith of a mustard seed can do so much…how much more could we do with a group of fully surrendered disciples only concerned with following the greatest commands…Loving God and loving each other…what could God do? Father, thank you for our TL’s and TLC’s this year. Thank you for their honesty, there humility…thank you for the mistakes…thank you for the way you used them. Continue to bless them as they continue to walk with you. Help them…no, help all of us be more this year than we were last. Help all of us look back this time next year and give you praise for how much closer we are to walking as Your Son does as we did last year. We want to be yours Father. We want to be all Yours.

Well…memories of SE 05. Things that will stick with me for a while….I loved Bob Smiley…I loved Devry…Danna on Friday night and Wednesday night…My times with Josh…time with my brother Dean…serving God with my wife and kids by my side…”Heart of Worship”…”Lord, I Give You My Heart”…Wednesday night Celebration…Wednesday night party…the baptisms…God speaking to Thomas…God speaking to so many more that I don’t know about…”It’s Not About Me”….Sabbath… the altar…grilled cheese (WITH JALAPENO)…Sunday morning worship at home…SO MUCH MORE… Father, thank you for all that you’ve done this year…all that blessed me…and all that I don’t know about. Thank you for all of the great things that I’ve already forgotten!! Thank you for what you’ve done this year…and thank you for -already planning SE 06…may it surpass all we can ask or imagine, according to Your power that is at work within us. To You be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout ALL generations, forever and ever!! You are the GREAT I AM!! It’s all for You Father.

Your servant, your son, one that you have chosen,

Doyle

NOW, for those of you that are reading this blog…WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE SE MOMENTS. Post your favorite moments or testimonies about God has done through SE here on the comments. Give glory to God for what He has done.

2005-07-28T19:49:00.000-07:00

Pic from SE 05

For more pics....go to http://www.summerexcitement.com/2005photos.html

2005-07-18T09:46:00.000-07:00

SE Chronicles – Thursday

Another great day!! This is crazy though…as hard as I have been going, I should be worn out tired. Yes, I’m tired, but during the day I have an energy that I can not explain. Must be a God thing. Father, thank you for sustaining me. I need nothing but you!!

Yeah, today was a great day. Lots of fun stuff. I think one of the most impactful things I have seen at Summer Excitement was the time this morning in Sabbath. A little good and bad for me. I enjoyed it…but not from a Sabbath point of view…from a watching people in Sabbath point of view. The art room was IN-STINKIN-CREDIBLE. I was blown away by all that they were doing…just down right incredible. I stood there with the camera, watching Kyla paint “Your Word is a Lamp Unto My Feet” and wept. I watched as Dana (baptized last night) wrote with her dirty fingers “Clean”. AWESOME. The guy with the deer and the water. The guy with the man on his knees and the sword. SO MUCH COOL STUFF. Too little time to write!! Father, thank you for giving us this time of Sabbath today. Thank you for changing lives through rest in you. Thank you for what you did with Thomas…and so many others…but thank you for speaking to Thomas. Speak to more tonight as they sleep Father. I believe you can do that. You amaze me Father…you continue to amaze me. I love you so much for what you are doing this week.

Then the worship time tonight…OH MAN! I love seeing the rocks come from spelling out me to the alter. I love how God brought all the themes together. That was awesome. May we all remember what has happened this week. May God never forget the commitments that have been made. Thank you God.

OK, I’m tired now…going to bed...

God, all I can say is THANK YOU…You have blessed me beyond my wildest imagination. Wow! I love you.

Your Son,

Doyle

OK, after I read this…I don’t know that it does justice for the day…but…it’s what my brain was doing tonight. That’s what I get for staying up with those wacky TLC’s till so late. I LOVE THOSE TLC’s. Can we get any better than that??

Doyle

2005-07-08T13:04:00.000-07:00

Oh man tonight was fun!! Where should I start??

I don't think I have ever been more nervous than I was tonight. I lead worship and speak in front of 850-900 people every week. I have sung in front of thousands of people. Played drums in front of thousands of people...but tonight, I had this nervous energy going on in me like I have never remembered. I wanted so badly to communicate what was in my heart in a way that gave glory to me. I wanted so badly not to "perform" but just to share my heart. I wanted so badly to not be prideful but to be humble before my God as he guided me through the evening. I was dancing. Yeah, I had notes and ideas of what I was going to do but God kept leading me through different things. Things I hadn't prepared to say but that I think God was speaking through me. I LOVE IT WHEN HE CHANGES MY PLANS SO HIS WORD CAN BE HEARD.

The response time was amazing. I don't for a minute think it was because of me. I think it is because God has been working on hearts. I think I could have gotten up and said banana fruit salad over and over again and still gotten the same response because God has been doing some major work....MAJOR WORK. If God did use something I said to encourage kids to make decisions...glory to Him. Father, thank you for letting me be useful for your glory tonight. Thank you for giving me words and stories to connect. I am humbled to be your servant. You alone are worthy of all of what we did tonight. YOU ALONE!

Then there was the party. Oh man!!! I have to admit...I was terrified by those clowns. They are just down right creepy!!! Especially Mel Carter. I don't know why him but whew he was creepy. We had a blast though. The kids seemed to love it (except the one girl who was so terrified of clowns that she couldn't go in...I feel her pain!). They danced and ate and danced. John and his ping pong balls. Thomas dancing....things that make you go hmmmmmmm. Macarena. The kazoos? Who'da thunk that a bag full of kazoos would be so much stinking fun!! Joy was thick in the room. And it's weird...it's not just a fun party...it is true joy happening in the room. It's like for that certain time we have incredible freedom to just have a blast because we know we are ok with our Maker. Father, teach us to live every day with the freedom that we had tonight. The freedom to be full of joy, the freedom to repent, the freedom to dance, the freedom to act stupid, the freedom to just make noises to you, the freedom to know that we are yours and we are loved no matter what. Help me to live every day like that. You are the GREAT joygiver...no doubt in my mind about that. Thank you Father for tonight. You have again taught me so much about who you are. Tonight, you were the I am when I needed you so much. Thank you Father.

Your Son,

Doyle

2005-07-05T14:25:00.000-07:00

SE Chronicles - Tuesday Night

I am beat tonight but at the same time have an amazing amount of energy. It's wiered...there was one point today where I felt so energized that I felt self-conscious about it. I felt like if I showed that much energy, somebody might think I was taking drugs. It was real wiered...yeah real wiered. But I think I can explain this paradox of being beat and still having an amazing amount of energy. I prayed for that last night. I prayed that God give me more energy than I can imagine...and I think he did. I mean, today, I drove to Amarillo and back, made it back for WNCG, had a long night, it's about 1:15 right now, and although I know that I need to sleep, I know God has provided for me all day. OK, I did have a couple of Mountain Dew's on the trip home but it's not like I shot up heroine or anything!

So, the funeral this morning was awesome. I couldn't lead worship because I have no voice (should've prayed for it!) but it was still awesome to be there. Charlene Sweeney was such a sweet woman. My last memory of her was in Oasis not even a week ago singing with all of her heart with a smile on her face. Tonight, I praise God for making Charlene. She is just so awesome...her memory lives on because she was a follower of the Son of the living God!!! God, thank you for Charlene...she rocks cause she follows you. God, comfort Phil and her family. I know they are sad because she isn't here. Give them the peace that passes understanding that is only of you.

Tonight's Rainbow Celebration was awesome too. Devree played the cello. Oh man! I just cried. First, she is so talented. But, more important than that, she worshiped through that cello tonight. Father, thank you for Devree. Thank you for showing us your glory through her tonight. Thank you for showing her how much you love her tonight. Thank you for the gift of music that transcends all language. Thank you for your presence tonight. Thank you for bringing us back to you over and over again.

Last for tonight...I love my wife so much. She is too good for me. Much more than I deserve. Much more than I deserve. That's it about that...she's just too good.

God,

Thank you for Christy. Thank you that we can share in this ministry and that she supports what I do in you so much. God, make me a better husband for her and a better dad to our kids. I want to be a Christlike father and husband. That means I have to think less of me and more of them. Help me kill the selfish part of my flesh.

God thank you for a great day and for sustaining me through this day. Give us a better one tomorrow. Give me your Word tonight. Fan the flame of your Spirit in me as I prepare to speak tomorrow night. God, you are so good to me. Thank you for loving and setting me FREE.

Your son,
Doyle

2005-06-30T14:12:00.000-07:00

SE 05 Chronicles - Monday

Boy do I feel beat!!! I am amazed at how tired I can get at SE. As I write, I fall asleep between letters! This will probably be a short entry.

Today went great...of course...God was here. John taught on commandment 1, "You shall have no other God's in my presence" or in the DLC translations. Just me guys don't worship anything else! Sometimes when I think of this commandment I think....DUH!!! Why in the world would we want to worship anything but God. Why would we want to be in the presence of anything but God.

In His presence, there is comfort.
In His presence, there is peace.
When we seek the Father's heart,
We will find such blessed assurance.
In the presence of YHWH.

Why do we seek the presence of other things with the presence of the Lord is so sufficient for us. He provides light when we need it (not just talking about the sun). He provides direction, he provides protection, he provides the energy, he provides...EVERYTHING. Why do we then seek other things? I don't know the answer to that. Or maybe I do but my brain is dying as I speak because I am so tired!! Father, give me the energy I need tonight and tomorrow. I want to be a light for you. You are all I need. Cover me YHWH with your presence. Hide me in your presence so that I will be safe and that I wil be strong and that I will know I'm yours. Thank you for continueing to remind me that I'm chosen by you. Thank you.

I guess the question is still there...why do we seek other things when God is clearly enough? I'd like somebody to answer that when my brain can get around it!

Entertainment tonight, tonight, was great. Josh was his usuall funny self. He is such a great man of God. Father protect him this week. Take away his headaches. Take away the stress and let him totally depend on you and your strength.

Josh was great and Mirrored Souls was great. I was a little worried at the beginning because the kids weren't really getting into it and they were good. Finally they started getting into it. The highlight for me was when we started worshiping together with them. There's a Stirring is such a powerful song to me. I WILL RISE UP!!! Yes YHWH, I will RISE UP!!! The picture of me laying at the wounded feet of Jesus, my Savior, brings tears to my eyes everytime I think about it and especially when I sing about it. I can't wait for that day. Lord, come quickley. Anyway, the band was great and I think Ross had a great time playing for his friends. I know how special it is to perform in front of SE. What a rush. Everybody there wants you to succeed. Everybody there is engaged in what you are doing. It's like the best congregation ever. I wish all of our churches were that engaged in worship all of the time!!

Oh, I almost forgot, Wild n Crazy Games (WnCG) today was crazy (and wild I guess!). We made Ice Cream. I have to admit, I never thought this would work. I thought the students would think it was stupid and not participate. Well, they might have thought it was stupid but they did participate and seemed to have a lot of fun. I heard that 1 family actually made real ice cream. I wouldn't be suprised if someone was sick tonight from eating rock salt laced ice cream...man that was nasty!!! Worked great though and we had a lot of fun!

Tomorrow, I get to go home to a funeral for a great lady, Charlene Sweeney. I'll write more about her tomorrow.

Father,
Keep me safe on my trip tomorrow...keep me awake. Please continue to change lives in the students here as you already are. God you are the director of Summer Excitement. Thank you for letting me serve you. Give me rest now. Let me wake up in the morning with more energy than I can imagine. I love you God. I WILL RISE UP!! WOO HOO!! Can't wait to be TOTALLY in your presence. Forgive me when I look to other "gods". I love you God.

Your son,
Doyle

2005-06-29T08:21:00.000-07:00

SE 05 Chronicles - Sunday Evening

Wow, what a day!!! Over the last 3 years, SE Sunday has become one of my favorites. There is something about being home No, Lubbock is not home anymore to me but deep in my heart, it is still home somehow. It is such a blessing for me to look out over the crowd at worship on Sunday morning and see the faces of my history joining together in worship.

I lead worship well over 100 times each year but for some reason when it comes to leading on Sunday morning at Quaker...I get anxious. I'm sure it's just some stupid fear of not being good enough. Why should I fear that? I know that I’m not good enough and at the same time know that where I’m not good enough God is GREAT enough.

Anyway…this morning was awesome. The presence of the Lord was thick at 17^th and Quaker this morning. Thank you Father for using me for your glory this morning. I am honored that you would choose me and use me to bring some closer to you. Thank you for the present you gave me in seeing you on the face of the worshipers this morning. There is no better gift you can give me. Thank you.

It is so cool to see SE rookies come into our first session. When we are being stupid and yelling for colors and everything. I loved seeing look on their faces when Cole and Devon rode in on their “horses”. The best line of the night was during the fight scene with Devon and Roger. “Side parry, side parry, stop….thrust” or something like that in a very bad British (French) accent! All of the TLC’s did an incredible job of presenting their themes. They are going to do a great job this week…every one of them.

So…tonight was awesome. Kent was so good. The painting was so cool. The power of art rocks! I can’t believe how cool that looks with the black light on it. While we were worshiping in the dark, I kept hearing Him say to me “peace, be still”. I found out that a close friend at church died today. Charlene was worshipping with us last Wednesday night, had a stroke late Wednesday night, and died yesterday. She has been such an encouragement to me over the last 5 years. So tonight…thinking about all the things that need to happen, trying to make sure I don’t forget to do anything…worrying about Phil and the rest of Charlene’s family…thinking about going back to the funeral on Tuesday…worry…worry…worry…He said to me “peace, be still”

Thank you Father for speaking peace to me.

You are my strength when I am weak. You are the treasure that I seek. You are my all in all. Seeking you as a precious jewel. LORD TO GIVE UP I’D BE A FOOL!!!!

You are my all in all.

Thank you for being everything I need. I offer this next week to you as a sacrifice of praise. Give me peace tonight as I sleep. Thank you Father for taking the small amount of faith that I can muster up and moving mountains. You are my Rock!

Your Son,
Doyle

Must sleep…..!

2005-06-27T14:58:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to post a pic of my kids because THEY ROCK!

DC
And Libbey!

2005-06-27T14:31:00.000-07:00

SE 05 Chronicles - Friday Night

Tonight it happened. It happened like it has happened for the passed how many ever years...I got to SE and realized that all the work I have done...all the hours I have put into thinking and praying about this year, all the thought we have put into the theme...all the conversations that the TLC's had with the TL's and the TL's with their students...no matter how good or bad we trained tonight and will train tomorrow...no matter how much Laci did...no matter how many volunteers we have that will help...no matter how much the deans have worked and studied...no matter what (get the picture!) it all doesn't matter if God doesn't show up. It doesn't matter if God doesn't do His thing...it doesn't matter if God doesn't soften hearts. It doesn't matter if God doesn't intervene and take over. It doesn't matter if God doesn't send His warriors to battle for us against the evil one as we seek our Father's face this week. Nothing matters without YHWH. That's right...nothing at all will be good or bad or whatever without YHWH being here.

That's so true for everything we do in life. None of it matters unless God shows up. None of what we do is worth anything without God getting glory and fame for it. It's been true throughout all of time. Adam wouldn't have...well...been, without God. Abraham, just another drifter. Moses, just another wanderer. Israel, just a good nation of slaves. And the stories of God go on and on.

The great thing about tonight though is that I have no doubt. I have no doubt that all we have done to prepare for this week is not just good, it is God's. I have no doubt in my heart, mind, or soul that God will show up and that he will take our efforts and multiply them exponentially for His glory. He always has...and he always will.

At SE it is easy for me to remember that....for some reason, other times in my life...it's not so easy. I want to depend on god for every breath that I take. I want to give Him glory with every breath I take. I want to be fully alive in HIM.

Right now, with all the doubts I have... all the fears I have about "will this work this week"...It doesn't matter...because I know God's will will be done this week. PRAISE YHWH.

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Tonight we met the TL's, got to know them for a little, went through our first family time and training, and had our reconnect time. Reconnect was great for me because I got to have a great conversation/prayer time with three of our TL's.

The first one was awesome with Danna. God is working on her in such incredible ways. Thank you Father for working on her in such a cool and awesome way. Thank you for tearing down walls and drawing her closer to you. Use her this week for your glory.

Next was with Randy Wesson. What a cool guy!! I didn't really know him until tonight. He and Roger are dealing with the sickness of their Mom and Dad. Wow, this must be hard. But,they are so strong...so in love with their Savior. Yeah, they have their struggles but they are pretty stinking awesome. Father, thank you for sending Randy to me. Thank you for his love for you and his desire to do what is right. Father, hold him this week. Let him know who he is in You. Let him know that it's not his fault. Heal his mom and dad. Yeah, just heal them!

And then Greg. Pretty cool. Greg was in my youth group in Pville. He has grown into a man seeking God. Greg just wanted to pray. Father, thank you for Greg. Thank you for guiding him through his life. Thank you for putting in his heart his desire to pray and seek you. Use him and his story for your glory this week.

So...it's gonna be a great week. I'm tired....gonna try to sleep now.

Father,

Bless us this week. Thank you for always being here...in my life. Thank you for always loving me...even when I don't deserve it. Accept everything we do this week as a sacrifice to you. I love you Father.

Your son,

Doyle

2005-06-25T15:06:00.000-07:00

Over the next couple of days I am going to post from my journaling over the past week at Summer Excitement. But first I want to just write about SE in General...be sure and make comments if you are an SE student or alumni.

Over the last 21 years Summer Excitement has meant so much to me as I have formed spiritually and as I have...well...just grown up. There are so many memories that are permanently etched in my brain and that have meant so much to me or made me laugh over the years. There's the very first year...the painting, wow that was awesome...the girls!!!...the pizza man...the shaving cream baseball...the football/cokecan...the worship that formed me (Thank you Stephen Polk)...the broken toe...Josh...Kirk...well, so many names of people that have influenced me...Watermelons...the car race...the best news west of the pecos..."Say So"... Bart Rocket...so many Rainbow Celebrations...the worship time with Between Thieves...The burping contest, I think my girlfriend at the time nearly won!...Karioke...Green Thumb...Arrrrgh you hooked....the Hotel.....that nasty dorm. KRED...Blues Brothers... Siyahamba... Wrestling!... worshiping at the branch...worshiping at Quaker... conversations with the nurses.... my first baptism... Richard Seymour.... Boy Do I Feel Great! ...I've Got Joy... Swell ... Kid Prov ...the guy that said that Richard Flipped him off... Laci and Tina... Wolfman ... AND SO MUCH MORE

God has worked so many ways and for so many years through Summer Excitement.

Father, thank you for using SE to mold me and shape me. Thank you for continueing to bless us...year after year. You are so awesome. Just thinking about what you have done drives me to my face in humility before you. You are my Rock! Thank you for using me in this way. Continue to raise up leaders in your bride, the church. Continue to reveal yourself to us in new and exciting ways. Continue to show us how much you love us. Father, bless what has happened at SE 2005 that the fruit will multiply beyond our wildest imaginations. Remind us with your spirit of the things You have taught us and of the conversations that you were a part of. Thank you for John, Dave, Brook, Kenneth, Josh, Laci, and so many more. Bless them with energy from you to invest in and love their families as they return home. Thank you for the TL's and TLC's. Thank you for speaking through their strengths and weaknesses this week. Give them energy to replace what they lost this week. Show them fruit from the time and energy they put in this week. Thank you for the lives changed this week. Protect them for the evil one. Protect all of us. Stand by us like the mighty warrior you are. Thank you Father, you are my Rock and my Salvation. You cannoned to restore the joy in my salvation. Thank you for reminding me of the joy this week. Thank you for reminding me not to limit you this week. You alone are worthy of the energy expended this week. Please accept this as my worship to you. I love you God. I love you. Thank you for loving me.

Your son,
Doyle

So, if anybody reads this...What is your favorite memory of Summer Excitement. What was your favorite theme, favorite entertainment, favorite TL, favorite Dean and teaching, or just other favorite memory?

2005-06-03T12:29:00.000-07:00

What a week this has been. I absolutely hate it. I hate the wierd looks I get when people see me in my glasses. I don't particular enjoy having the same conversation over and over again about why I'm wearing my glases. But most of all, I'm sick of the headaches and not being able to see and not being able to drive.

Tuesday is the first surgery. Father, please see fit to let me see perfectly from this surgery...please. And Father, let me keep my sanity until then!

Last time I blogged, I had quit...not really quit...but yes gotten very frustrated with people's perceptions. I think God is teaching me something about myself...saying, it could be worse...so much worse...and it can be so much better. I am praying for the better to come soon.

It seems to me that in churches, we latch on to some very basic truths that make us blind to the other very basic truthes. For example, we got the "obey God" thing going. When he tells you to do something...do it. Then we took it so far as to say, "if you think he might have said something maybe or implied it or infered it...you better do it (or not do it..you know?) While we do all of this, we overlook His direct commands. "Love your neighbor" "When someone wrongs you, go to them" "Forgive your enemies" etc. God, forgive us and empower us to take those commands to the EXTREME!!

---------------

My kids have been so awesome lately. Yeah, they have there little problems, but they are awesome. They have been running around all of creation, defeating the world with their light sabers in the name of the Jedi. They are so funny! Thank you God again for them!

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2 weeks to SE. Nearly done with the book but not nearly done with the rest!!! OH..got to get to work!!

2005-05-29T06:05:00.000-07:00

I quit my job on Friday! I went in to Brian's office, and told him that I was quitting. I have never said this. I've said...I'm going home, I'm tired of this., but I've never said, "I quit". I hope it doesn't become a habit.

Over the last 2 weeks, 2 rumors have come back to me that just drive me nuts. The first one was that we all decided at our ministers retreat that we were "going instrumental" (sounds like "going postal"!). What do people think we do at retreats? Sit around and play "How to split the church". Good grief, is there really that much distrust. (yes Doyle, there is). Then last week, the rumor was that we were going to drop the "church of Christ" off our name. This came about after we changed our primary domain name from "southwestcofc.org" to "churchsouthwest.org". COME ON PEOPLE! I gues we brought our "how to split the church" game home with us and played it at staff meeting. Do people really think that if we had the hidden agenda of taking the cofc of our name, we would go about it by taking it off the website first. Next we'll take it off of our letter head, then our sign....THEN WE'LL TALK TO THE CHURCH ABOUT IT! How ridiculous of a plan would that be if that was even what we were talking about doing! Can you tell this ruffled my feathers a bit!

Now that I'm writing, I guess it boils down to 2 (or 5) things.
1. I hate that people I am giving my life to don't trust me.
2. I hate being misunderstood.
3. I hate being thought of as stupid.
4. I hate being "persecuted" for doing nothing wrong.
5. I hate it when people are focussed on the things that are seen around them instead of the huge spiritual battle thatis going on within us.

Wow, looking at that list....Thank you Father for giving me the opportunity to live the life of your Son. I'm such a whiner. I'm sorry. Your son got all of those things and more...you are just giving me the opportunity to be like Him. Help me love those that don't trust me to the extent of giving my life to them. Help me not worry about being understood for my sake of looking right but only seek that You be understood. Help me forgive. Help me rejoice in "persecution" for the joy set before me. Help me have pitty on those when they are seeing the seen and help me realize that in my frustration, I have become focussed on the seen right along with them. Take away my fear Father and let me just trust you. Give me wisdom in dealing with this.

I really didn't quit. Probably because nobody ever takes me serious! I just want to be Christ. I want this church to be a church that is of Christ SOOOOOOOO BAAAAAD.

Enough of that.

Tomorrow....no contacts for a week. Father, give me patience...let it be so much better than what I am expecting. I love you Father...thank you for this time in my life that you are teaching me how to be more like your son.

Doyle

2005-05-26T06:54:00.000-07:00

Last night was awesome. In Oasis, we used "psalms" that some had written in Oasis the week before as a launching point for our worship. It was cool, interesting, powerful, etc., to see the different places we are in our walks with God. Some saying "God, where are you" and others saying, "God, you are here". It was pretty powerful for me. I pray that God was honored.

Sunday, we break ground on the children's wing. Break Ground? How lame is this tradition! Usually, it's a few old men with a shovel...like they are doing anything that makes a difference. Sunday, we will have 150 kids or so breaking ground with plastic shovels. My prayer is that this building will do more than make a difference in our parking. God, use this building to draw kids and their parents to you. Father, this building is nothing without YOU. We need you for this.

Last night when I got home, we had a bird in the house. I thought I had heard it earlier in the day and then saw the poop (of the bird variety) in Avery's sink. So when I get home last night, Everett was running down the stairs saying, "Dad, I found the bird". How is it that something as little and harmless as a sparrow makes me so jumpy. As soon as I started to get it (with a huge flashlight in one hand and a dust pan in the other, with Everett backing me up with his light saber!) it started flying around and flapping and stuff. You would have thought it was a flying snake the way I reacted. I'm such a dork!! Finally got it trapped in a box, took it out, and set it free. Freedom...hmm...there's a lesson in that. I wonder what was going through that bird's brain as it flew around my house for the day?

Ok, finally, here are some of the "psalms" we read last night.

Doyle

You are a great, awesome,
powerful, loving Father.

God, you are love. And Your love is shown through Your Son. You offered up your one and only son for me…a sinner.

O Praise God for loving me, showing me mercy, and compassion. You, O God are my refuge, my tower, my rock in whom I put my faith, trust.

I honor you with all my heart, with all my mind, with all my soul.

Thank you for being faithful. I love you, God my father who reached down and picked me up from the depths of my sin.

Thank you, thank you , thank you.

2. You have all my praise God – You have been so faithful to me and my family! I praise you for wanting me to be part of your family, loving me enough to send your Son so you could wash me clean each moment of my day!

Praise to you for wanting to dwell in my unworthy body – filling, guiding and strengthening me to meet all challenges! You help me see the beauty of life and the beauty of living for you. Thank you!!!

Please continue to give the courage to proclaim your glory in my life. I will proclaim you to my family and people that I come in contact with. I can only do this because ofwho you are when I submit to you!

Great is your understanding and faithfulness!

3. O Lord I praise you. You are a Mighty God. You are a just God.

Where are you now? I can’t feel you. I can’t hear you. I don’t want to feel this way. I don’t want to disappoint you. I don’t want to hurt you with my sin anymore.

Show your face to me. Show me your power. Show me your mercy. Help me to own it, to know it to belongs to me.

Make me feel strong. Make me sure that you want me…a broken spirit, a lowly undeserving nothing. Make me something, a someone to you.

Make me yours. Le me feel your presence.

4. I feel like you are hiding from me. I don’t know where to find you. You! Who are you? How do I get to know you? How do I know you are really there? Who am I? Am I your daughter? Do you really love me? Why do I feel so alone? Why do I have so many questions? Shouldn’t I know all of this already? Is it just enough to believe you are the Son of God, be baptized, and now I am part of your family, saved from death? Is that all I need to do? Is there more?

God, how can I be sure?

5. Forever, Oh Lord, I will sing of your wonderful love.

You have delivered me from the pits, you save me from myself and from others, if I will only lean on you. Help me to lean on You, Oh Lord!

Help me give you all that is in my life. I don’t want to hold on to anything that is not of you!

Free me. Thank you for your love Oh Lord. Thank you for your peace.

You alone are my God.

Oh Lord, my heart is full of turmoil and stress, deliver me, give me your peace.

Oh Lord, my only hope, at times I feel hopeless, fill me with that hope of you. You make me forget my trouble, you alone fill me up with joy.

When I have you in my mind, and on my lips.

You alone can fill me with complete joy, complete peace. Fill me up Lord. Leave no small space totally filled with you!

I love you, Oh Lord, forever you will be my all.

You are my all!

6. LORD, I Know that You Hear Me, I Know that You Listen, I Know that You Care.

My Lonely Times, Oh LORD, I Know You are There.

My Times of Longing, You Fill Me,

My Strong Desires, You Temper Me and Direct Me In the Right Way.

In the Times When I Am So Aggressive to Pursue and Conquer Out In the World that I Exist In, Please Keep Your Strong Right Hand on My Shoulder to Keep Me from Fooling Myself.

Times of Testing and Trials, You Rescue and Deliver Me, Oh LORD,

Times of Agony and Grieving, LORD, You Comfort.

The Times of My Self-Centered, Prideful, Self-Reliant, and Arrogant Nature, You Humble Me.

My Times of Restlessness, You Calm Me,

When I Am Weak, You Bolster Me and Give Me the Strength and Power to Continue On; You Refuse to Allow Me to Become Discouraged.

In My Times of Straying, You Set the Boundaries,

When I Succeed, You Rejoice With Me and Allow Me Honor Only As Much As I Deserve and Can Handle.

The Times that I Wonder, You Answer, Oh LORD; The Times that I am Amazed, You Exalt Your Own Name.

The Times that I Need, You Provide.

When I Sin, You Discipline Me, But With Grace,

In Trespasses, You Forgive,

In My Iniquity, You Cleanse; For Me You Did What No Other Could Do, You Gave for Me Your Only Son. I Owe . . . I Cannot Repay. I Pray that You Continue to Teach Me, to Let Me Understand, and Let Me Live Grace.

Through and By Your Very Nature, You Do What Should Be the Impossible . . . You Love Me, Your Created One.

In Your Image, I am Created, A Thought Staggering to the Mind.

I Hold Within Me, Your Own Spirit, Your Breath of Life, Your Love.

Oh LORD, Please Bless Me and Keep Within Me What I Already Possess, that Being the Drive and Desire

to Be What You Want Me to Be.

Cause Me to Love and Reach and Teach and Live as Only Your Child Should, to Be Totally You.

2005-05-24T20:14:00.000-07:00

Man, I hate it when I am this busy. I think I hate it even more when Christy is so busy. When Christy is so busy, she just doesn't seem like she is enjoying life. I hate that for her because "when mama's not happy, nobody's happy!!". I just hate that for her.

While I'm hating...I don't know why, but I have worried more about Southwest the past couple of weeks than I ever have since I've been here. Not because I think we're doing anything wrong, in fact it might be because I think God is doing some incredible things. But when God works, I think Satan works too. It seems like people are being misunderstood more and more. More rumors, absolutely false rumors happen. More people are angry at each other, even though they want the exact same things. Maybe this is the pain of growing...getting in a real battle with Satan. If we can't love each other...the evil one wins.

Father,
Lead us through this. Let our words be heard for what is said from the heart. Don't let your enemy use our words of love to drive wedges between us. Give me peace about what you are doing Father. I love you so much Father. It is only for You that I would care about any of this. I love you, and I want to love who You love. Father, continue to shape me into the man you want me to be. Continue to tell me that I am worthy of calling you Abba. You know me and you still love me.

I love you God...use me for Your will.

Your son,
Doyle

I am so proud of my wife and kids today. My wife because in her way she shares her faith with those around her (SR). God, thank you for using my wife to run after SR. My son Everett because while he is so good and mature...he is still a kid...and I love that. God, don't let him grow up too fast (or too slow!). Avery, because she asked SR to pray with her...and God used her to run after SR. True...because he's just True right now.

Thank you Father for my family.

OUT!!!

2005-05-10T14:46:00.000-07:00

Been a weird couple of days for me. Yesterday, I went to the eye dr...yet another one...with mixed expectations...not sure of what I wanted to happen. Here is what I got. Less than a month from now, I will have cataract surgery. I'm not even thirty-five yet and I am having cataract surgery!!! Their are two parts that kind of scare me (beyond puking all over the doc when he sticks an i.v. in me and then operates on my eye WHILE I'M AWAKE!!!) 1. is that it won't work. I'll still not be able to see because my eyesight stinks so bad. Nothing ever works right for me in my eyes anyway (what a downer!). I'm afraid to get real excited knowing that with my history, it might not be as good as the doc hopes. The other is that I will have another retinal detatchment. This surgery puts me at a higher risk than I already am. Both of these fears, I have to deal with. They are real fears but not anything that overcomes the good that can come out of this. God, I pray for healing again. Make my eyes work so good that no one has any doubt that it came from you.

There are so many lessons that I learn about human kind when I think about this. So many do the same thing with loving God as I am doing with this surgery. We say...I don't want to get my hopes up because I have been burned so many times before. Or, loving God like he wants me to love Him might make things so much worse than before. I don't know where I'm going with this...just thinking with my fingers.

Thursday, we go on staff retreat. This is one of these things that I both dread and look forward to. I look forward to time together with people I love. I look forward to being challenged by men and mostly by my Father. I look forward to Brian grabbing my shoulder and walking me closer and closer to walk like Jesus. I fear failure. I fear coming away with no answers. I fear having to be truthful to people when it might "hurt their feelings". And, I can't stand sitting in meetings ALL DAY LONG. Father, will you just show up. That will be so much more than enough. God, change us as a staff family more into what your son would love as a bride. Purify us this weekend...strengthen us...make us stronger...God you will be my rock through the good and the bad of this weekend. I love you so much God. I'm nothing without you.

Your son,

Doyle

Now off to watch E sing and CC direct. Woohoo..Elementary choir!!!

2005-05-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day,

Who thought this up???!!! The cynic side of me says it was just someone who wanted to make money selling 5 dollar Mother's Day cards. The other side...I guess that's the non-cynic side, says it's someone who had a mom like me. This morning, I get to lead a body of about 850 into a place to worship our creator. As I ready myself, and ask God to use me this morning for His glory, I think of all the ways Mom influenced me and prepared me for this.

Mom loves God...I can't think of 1 time in my life when I thought to myself..."well she's not acting very christian like." Mom has the heart of a servant. She always puts others before her. Jesus said, "If you want to become first, you must become last." My mom is going to be first in line in the kingdom of heaven. Mom loves her family. I know with everything that I am that my mom prays for me regularly. I hope she knows how much that means to me. I probably should tell her. Father, thank you for my Mom. Thank you for giving me the gift of her. Thank you for using her to lead me to you. Thank you for the day when mom nudged me down the aisle to join you in my new life by being baptized. Thank you Father, for my mom. Protect her from the evil one.

Father, this morning as I lead, let me lead this family like Mom leads ours. Let me lead in humility and in service to you and this family. Thank you Father.

Finally, here are the words to the song that we will be starting with this morning. Every time I sing these words, I am overcome with the power of the one who loves me. Father, use the words and music of this song to overcome others with the awesome love of You and Your Son.

Magnificent

Who compares to you?
Who set the stars in their place?
You who calmed the raging seas
that came crashing over me.
Who compares to You?
You who bring the morning light,
the hope of all the earth
is rest assured in Your great love.

You are magnificent, eternally, wonderful,
glorious, Jesus, no one ever will compare to you Jesus.

When the evening fades,
You call forth songs of joy,
and as the morning wakes,
we Your children give You Praise.

You are magnificent, eternally, wonderful,
glorious, Jesus, no one ever will compare to you Jesus.

------------------

Father,
Use me for your glory and delight this morning. I am yours!

Doyle

2005-05-06T14:37:00.000-07:00

Am I arrogant? This is a question I have been asking myself for the last couple of days. I remember back in the day (ha!) when it totally ticked me off to be around spiritually arrogant people. People who thought they had it all figured out, therefore I was an idiot. I don't want to be that person. I want to be true to myself and to God but not to the extent of the sin of pride. I think arrogance is just another form of pride. Father, if I am arrogant please expose that in me. Help me only be an humble servant of yours. When I speak to people I disagree with, let me speak to them out of love for them and you, not as a knowitall. Father help me not be deceived by the evil one in this.

Last night was the Junior/senior banquet. What a blast!!! Although their were some weired times...some kids and parents who just didn't want to be there I guess...Tim Hawkins was awesome. There were a few people there that gave off the air that they were too cool to have fun and just laugh. THAT DRIVES ME CRAZY. Christy told me today that 6 kids in her class got sent to the office by the substitute because they told the sub they "were too cool to do the hokey pokey". These are the kids that become too cool for fun, too cool for anyone or anything that is not their idea and I believe too cool for God. Too cool for the hokey pokey is definitely too cool for God!!! Good grief...lighten up and have fun...Tim was much funnier than the Hokey Pokey!! I think that is the way some get in church...just lighten up and ENJOY your salvation. "Restore unto me the JOY of my salvation." Yeah, that's what we need!

Last night while we were gone...the kids were with a baby sitter. When it was bath time, they all wanted to take a bath in our bathtub..not sure why. When Avery got out of the tub, her leg was bleeding...she had shaved her legs!!!! Oh man, you don't know how much my stomach hurts when I think of her even being old enough to shave!! Nevertheless, Ave took a razor to her legs. She still hasn't told us about it. I can't wait to love her and laugh with her tonight.

Father,
You are so good to me. Thank you for the encouragement I got from Terry last night. I hope that was from you. Thank you for the time with Christy at lunch today. Thank you for sweet Avery and how great you have made her. Father...protect Avery. She is gonna need you and so am I. God thank you for always being my Rock. Heal Kyle...be his Rock.

Let me always have the joy of my salvation on my lips. I love being your child. I LOVE BEING YOUR CHILD!!!!!

Your son, Doyle

2005-05-05T07:09:00.000-07:00

"Worship is something that happens when humanity and divinity come together. The intersection does not produce perfection, but understanding. We are only human, and worship is meant, among other things, to remind us of that. The main idea behind worship is that we come to a good understanding of who we are and who God is."

Great quote...that I had to put somewhere I would remember!!

2005-05-04T14:49:00.000-07:00

Ok, cool, I didn't know I could post pictures but now I can. Aren't I just the smartest dude in the world!!

Go Raiders!!

2005-05-04T14:04:00.000-07:00

Finding myself at a loss for words. And the funny thing is...it's o.k.

Today as I was thinking about what I need to say to the group that meets here tonight...that kind of thought hit me. I don't know what to say. Why should I get to say? Because God put me here to say. I must be faithful to him. So many times I struggle with confidence with what I am saying...that's just the evil one lying to me...telling me I'm not good enough or that God's word isn't important enough. I find myself changing what I am going to say...tiptoeing around people's feelings. Is that good or bad? I don't know. I want to save people from hurting but is that what I accomplish by withholding truth. Hmmmmmm...Father, please guide me as I speak and worship you tonight. Teach us to be like your servant David in having a "heart for God".

What are the important things I want to see done in my lifetime? Are they the same thing that would be God's important things? That is what I will examine tonight. Are my ways, His ways. If they are...I get freedom...if they are not....I get imprisonment. Hmmmmmmm...Father, make me more Free. You sent your Son for freedom. Make me free in His ways.

The other question I have roaming around in my little brain today is about "meeting people's needs". What is "meeting peoples needs"? Is making people happy, the same as meeting people's needs. Do I meet felt needs or real needs? If my son is hungry, do I give him ice cream to fill his belly or do I give him something nourishing. That is my struggle today. How long do you continue to feed milk? I hope I'm not arrogant in calling things milk and other meat. It just seems to me that in churches, so many are so happy drinking milk all of their lives. Is meat scary?

Father, give me discernment. Show me clearly what is meat and milk and when it is time to feed what. God, I'm so glad you know my heart because today my head doesn't sound right. Listen to my heart. Father, as I lead in worship tonight, bring me into your presence. If I don't encounter you tonight Father, it's just noise. I don't want to waste my breath on noise. God, change me in your room tonight. And then change others. I want no credit...only you to be known by this body. This my hearts desire....that this body know you...that I know you more. Give us more of you tonight. Please God...we know you love us in our head...tell it to our hearts. Reconnect our heads to our hearts. They act so differently sometimes. It's all about you tonight God....all about you...all about you. You are the only one that is worth singing. Give us the freedom that comes in knowing you and your son.

I will sing to You Lord because You are good. Your love endures forever.

Thank you God!!! Your son....Doyle

2005-05-03T12:55:00.000-07:00

About a month into this praying and fasting thing and here are some of my thoughts...
1. I am so spoiled. I get hungry and whiney and stuff....then I start thinking about those who get one meal a day a most...I am so spoiled!
2. God is so good to me. It's just true. He loves me so far what I deserve to be loved. I guess that's what a good Father does. That's what my earthly Father did. My heavenly Father is even better.
3. I am easily distracted. It has been amazing to me how much I have "planned" durring our prayer times. Why is it so very easy to put other things in front of God?
4. God is good to me....no kiddin.
5. God is sovereign. That seems to be what he is telling me as I am praying to him and depending on him. Son, I'll take care of things...you just seek me. Thank you Father for telling me that over and over.
6. God can change ANYBODY. He even changed me!!! Thank you Father for changing me...and continueing to change me.

Yesterday, I learned that a family that had been going to church with us for a long time has moved to another church. This breaks my heart. I love this family...probably don't agree with him on everything or even most things but I do love them. I just hate it when our humanness gets in the way of our unity in Christ.

My kids are so awesome. Last weekend was Avery's 7 year old birthday party/sleepover. Wow, was that interesting. It just takes a few minutes around "other" kids to remind me how special my kids are to me. The same night, Everett was at a friends house who wanted him to play a xbox game with him. E noticed that the game was "rated m for mature" so he told his friend that he probably shouldn't play. PRAISE GOD FOR MY BOY!!! Then True told me the story of Noah last night. That was so awesome!!

Father,

Forgive us...forgive me...you know how much I need it. Thank you for already doing that. Thank you for loving me so much. Thank you for my kids...you have blessed me so much...wow...how did I deserve them?? Grow in E the heart that he already has that wants to do what is right. Now grow in all of them just the yearning to know you....not just do what is right.

Thank you Father,

Doyle

2005-04-03T05:31:00.000-07:00

Oh man I hate daylight savings time. I'm pretty sure that whoever thought up daylight savings time as a good idea was the same guy who thought up that it would be a good idea for men to tie a silk rope around their neck as tight as possible to look nicer. How ridiculous is that?

Today, our staff and elders begin 40 days of prayer and fasting together. Why 40 days....because God did it! Why fasting...because I need to depend on God for EVERYTHING. Why praying...ditto. I'm usually not good at following things through like this. I'm thankful that I have brothers on this team who love me and will hold me accountable.

Why is it that I haven't even started fasting yet and I'm already hungry? It's because I depend too much on me. I hate that.

My friend Jeff lost his job today. I don't understand that. God, thank you for putting me in a place where I am loved and respected. Thank you for using me in the way you do for this body. Use me in a special way this morning.

Today, we also have our special offering. I had a dream last night that I got a call this morning that one person (that is a normal complainer) wrote a check for the whole amount we are behind. Why would that surprise me so much if it were true. Why am I so easily surprised by God being God. Father, help me expect the unexpected good in you. I want to expect Great things from you!

God, will you make me totally dependent on you. That scares me but it is what my heart desires. I want to know you more by being a fully dependent child of yours. Thank you for sustaining me where I don't even see it. Thank you for loving me when I am so unloveable. I want to be Holy, Set apart for you Lord. I choose to be Holy. Set apart for you my Master. Ready to do your will. LORD, I'm ready to do your will.

Your ever straying son....Doyle

2005-01-05T06:32:00.000-08:00

Elohim...
God the Creator....God of Gods...the one who created it all...made everything, out of nothing...made me in His image...I bear the image of Elohim...when people look at me, they should see the image of the Creator...do they?

What is it about us that reflects the image of Elohim? Is it His creativeness ( I know, not a word, deal with it). How awesome is our God who took nothing, a word that I can't even fathom, and created EVERYTHING. My God is awesome!

What does the world my God created tell me about Him? He is beautiful...he is SO creative...He is funny (duckbilled platypus)...He is practical when He needs to be but extravagant always...He is mysterious (most of the world is ocean that we can't even see!)...he wanted me...he created me...he wanted me to have a mate...he created Christy and I for each other...He breathed in me.

I want to live a life where I continually bear the image of my maker.

Elohim,

I can't think right now of how to praise you. Awesome doesn't work, because you are so much more than awesome. Thank you for choosing me, for breathing life into me, and for giving me your image. Let me live today with your image in my life. I'm sorry when I don't. Help me stop doing what is of You. I want to stop so badly but it is so easy to sin. I hate it God, please help me. Let me give up.

Thank you Elohim.

Your Creation,

Doyle

2004-11-19T06:51:00.000-08:00

The question I am asking myself right now is, "Do we focus to much on the death and not enough on the resurrection?" Ok, I'm not saying, "Is that why people don't get it, won't believe, etc.", I'm just wondering if that is why a lot of Christians are such downers.

Sometimes I think all we talk about is don't do this, you shouldn't have this, if you do this, it will lead to this. We talk about dieing a lot. No doubt you have to die to live....but if there is no living on the other side of dieing then what is the use of dieing??!! If I have a porn problem and all I hear is about how wrong that is and how I need to stop, but I never hear about the freedom that is on the other side of addiction, the freedom of not hiding, the blessings on my marriage...why would I EVER leave my old ways? Jesus, said, "I have come that you may have LIFE to the fullest." We are trying to sell DEATH to the fullest! YES, YES, YES, I understand still that you have to die to live. But if we don't understand or see or hear about the joy set before us, how can we endure the death that we must go through?

That's just where I am this morning...tomorrow is a new day.

I LOVE LIFE!!

Father,

Thank you for LIFE. I am sorry that I don't always choose life. Please let me see more of who you are and the blessings you want for me so that I can endure killing the things that I have learned to trust. Please let me shut out that that is of Satan that is only to kill and steal and destroy. Thank you for loving me this side of death. Thank you for promising me life.

YOU ARE MY ROCK!!

Your son,
Doyle

2004-11-08T19:20:00.000-08:00

I really do wish I could get in the habit of writing every day. I mean I do other stuff every day...you know breathing and stuff, why can't I get this blogging thing down? It's been nearly a month. Maybe I haven't had any thoughts in a month?

Yesterday was a cool day. Brian preached from the sermon on the mount. Well actually, he preached the sermon on the mount. There were times when I closed my eyes and I thought I was listening to Jesus. I know that sounds weird and hokey but the passion, the real, the "wow this makes sense" just made me think that is what the followers of Jesus thought.

Over the past few months, Brian has become one of the best friends I have had. Yeah we work together...but it seems more than that. There are times that I feel I can't do my job without him and he can't do his without me. I know this all sounds weird right. Some kind of man love thing going on here. It's not that at all. I just think this is what God intended for us. Sometimes I get kinda scared that he just puts up with me and that we aren't really friends. I guess that is my insecurity screaming.

Anyway, back to yesterday...the "sermon on the mt." I can't read that without just getting slammed in so many ways. Tuesday, it was "pure in heart/see God". Yesterday, it was the whole don't give where everybody can see you (right after we did the bring your cans to the stage thing!). Just everytime I read it...it both makes more sense and challenges me even more.

Will there ever be a day when I read the sermon on the mt. and say, "finally, I've got it all"? I doubt it. I do hope that next year, I read it and at least am closer.

This morning I saw a lady that was 78 and had just run her 35th New York marathon. Um...I don't think I could run around the block...much less... So that got me to thinking, at 78, what do I want the Today Show to interview me about. Or do I want them to interview me at all. At 78, if I live that long, what do I want to be my biggest accomplishment? I'm going to pray about that for a while.

Saturday, Everett, Avery, Truett, and I, along with Mom and Dad went to a TTU football game. What a blast. Truett absolutely LOVED it. It was a blast!! I hope that is a time my kids always remember as a fun day....I know I will.

Gotta go to bed.

Father,

You are so good to me. Thank you coming here and preaching and then leaving it in your Word for me to learn, and learn, and learn from. Father God, HELP ME CHANGE! I don't want to just know the scripture, I want to live the scripture. Father, help me do that. You have placed me in leadership...use me to lead in the right way. I love you...thank you for all you do for me.

Your Servant,

Doyle

2004-10-07T20:09:00.000-07:00

Been a few days since I posted so I better post.

I am the luckiest man alive. My wife loves me, I love my wife. My kids love me, I love my kids. And something that I have been reminded of this week...my church loves me and I love my church. I have to admit, there have been times that I have thought, "man, everybody at this church hates me and hates what I do". (I know, it's extreme, nobody loves me everybody hates me...blah blah worms!) But this week has been such a encouragement to me.

1st, I was gone last Sunday. I'm beginning to think that when I get down on myself, I just need to leave for a Sunday and a Wednesday. Because I do what I do, EVERYBODY at church knows I'm gone. And so many are the greatest encouragers. Young and old tell me how much they miss me and want me to be here to lead them in worship. What a great honor...I am at a place where they want me to lead them to the Father. How lucky am I?

Then last night...last night I had my evaluation with the elders at SWCC. I love these men and respect them in the Lord and...well...just...they are just awesome. Then last night, my evaluation...where most ministers sweat blood because the elders are going to rip them for what they do wrong, where they are going to give them more to do in there ministry...you know the drill. My elders though, they encourage me, the bless me by telling me that I am leading them (it's hard for me to think that God has gifted me in a way that I am leading these spiritual giants to worship Him). The only thing they told me I need to to better is do less. Brent's words to me were so good for me. I truly feel loved by these men.

one of the things that I am reminded of when I go to places like the Zoe conference is how much God has blessed me by putting me in this place. Great staff that loves each other. Elders that shepherd and love and support. Great family. God is Good!!

Father,

Thank you for putting me where you have. Thank you for getting past me and Christy and bringing us here. I don't know if we deserve it but I want to be faithful to this blessing. "Every blessing you pour out I turn back to praise" Blessed be your name. Father, give me the courage to do what I know by your word you would have me do. And if you take this all away....give me the courage and strength to still do what I know you would have me do. GOD YOU ROCK!!

With a heart full of Praise,

Doyle

2004-10-03T19:43:00.000-07:00

What a great few days!! It was good to be away...it is good to be home!!

As Brandon said last night, I feel as full as a tick that has been on a dog for 5 days. I do feel full. Full of info, full of questions, full of ideas, full of things I know I need to do, full of the desire to follow through on those things...man I'm full. I've only been home for a couple of hours, but I'm full of love for my kids...it's so good to get back to people you love. It's good to be sitting in my own chair. It's good to be home.

One thing that stuck with me (so much, but this is the one that I must follow through with) was McLaren's talk on passing along the faith. Who am I teaching and what am I teaching them. Am I teaching those around me to be better people? Maybe. What about better worshipers? Probably. You know, I want them to be better people, I want them to be more in touch with who they are as worshipers. But most of all, I want them to know Christ. I want them to know Christ. I want the people that I am life on life to know Christ. I want the people that I am life on life with to be salt and light, and to be life on life with others who they want to know Christ. It's ALL about knowing Christ. I AM TIRED OF TEACHING RELIGION. I WANT TO KNOW CHRIST! Sorry about the yelling. I guess you could say I'm desperate for this. I want to be desperate for this.

I must be constantly asking myself these questions. Does my schedule reflect the schedule of a disciple maker? What can I say no to, so that disciples can be made? Am I making disciples or making good churchgoers? Those questions must be repeated to me often.

As I came home today, I was reminded by my two boys how this works. They act just like me. I hope they are learning to be followers of Christ. Yes, I want them to learn to be fun loving and goofy and....all that stuff. But more than anything, I want my 3 kids to know Christ!

Way too much rambling on this stuff...I'll probably read this later and realize that it makes no sense at all. I hope the spirit grumbles through my blogs too!

One last thing...SO Proud of Everett from the weekend. Saturday, he caught his first pass (first year of tackle football). Also Saturday, he had his first public piano performance. He played three songs at westgate mall (that's bigtime!). SIDE STORY! - As he was playing his first song, Truett (3 yrs old) stood up on the front row and said, "Everett, play that 'I Like Big Butts' song!!" Oh man....we gotta stop letting them listen to the Shrek soundtrack! Finally, today, Everett caught his second pass of the season and ran it in for a touchdown!! WOOHOO!

Father,

Thank you for the past few days. I give you praise for Brandon and Mike and Jeff and Brian, all your servants. Father thank you for speaking to me. Thank you for reminding me of my desperation.

Father, give me the courage to be who you want me to be. Will your spirit remind me of who I need to be. I want to know your son and live as he did.

Thank you for the refreshing and for the love that you pour out on me. You are my strength, my rock, my shelter...you are so good.

Every blessing you pour out I turn back to praise. Blessed be your name.

Your son,

Doyle

2004-09-17T20:27:00.000-07:00

So much on my mind!

I started reading "Desiring God" this morning. Wow!! What an incredible book. Why has it taken me so long to get to a book like this. "God gets most glory when you are most satisfied in Him". How awesome is that?! I want to bring Him glory by my joy in Him. Not just doing what I know He wants...not just being good so I wont get in trouble...bringing Him glory by being fully satisfied in Him. I want to seek that every day. What great worship came out of that thought process today. I want to lead like that. Not leading good songs or good services, just leading by being fully satisfied in Him. I mean, how much do I love seeing my kids fully satisfied, having fun, smiling. I love to hear my kids sing. Last night, they were all singing "I'll do my best, I'll do my best. Oh, oh, oh, I'll do my best for You" at the top of their lungs. I know that brought glory to God and I know that it made me full of praise for Him. God is good. Man I'm rambling! I have only read about 40 pages of this book so far...can't wait to get to the rest of it.

Had a great lunch today to. Why does it surprise me when people just want to be invested in? I love to see people hungry for more of God. I love getting to talk about that with brothers in Christ. I love getting to invite them into more of what God has. Some are just so hungry for more of God, just waiting for someone to invite them into the game. I have the great job of inviting people into the game. WHAT A GREAT JOB! Some will choose not to play. That's not my responsibility. I just keep on inviting people to play and keep on playing myself. Like Brian reminded me today, it really is much more fun to play than it is to sit on the sideline.

Finally, we are having a garage sale tomorrow. I am amazed at how much junk we have. Yeah, a lot of it is clothes that we have grown out of, but so much of it is just junk that we didn't need in the first place (but we probably thought we had to have). Sometimes I walk through my house and wonder, how cool would it be just to sell all of this and start over. No t.v., playstation, cable, computer, just a few pairs of jeans and shirts, and some food. How much more effective would I be as a minister without all of this clutter in my life? Well that's for another long discussion.

Father,

Thank you for rewarding me with what you did today. Thank you for letting me give of myself. Thank you for the 3 hours with Alvin. Thank you for his hunger for you and love for you. Father, thank you for letting me serve you in this way.

Father, I will seek joy in You. Help me not seek joy in things that are not of you. IN fact, would you kill all the joy that I get from things that aren't of you. Father, keep E safe tomorrow . As he plays, remind him that You are the creator of the joy that he has.

I am physically tired God, but my spirits is rejoicing in what you have done for me today. Thank you for that. I love you. Let me wake up in the morning with you in my thoughts.

Your son,

Doyle

2004-09-13T20:08:00.000-07:00

I just wish I could be "truer" all the time. I want to live in God's will all the time. It's so easy for me to talk the talk, and so easy for me to walk my own walk. I waste time...I don't do what I want to do....God, please help me have a pure heart.

The song that has come through my head over and over lately is "Refiner's Fire".
My heart's one desire is to be holy, set apart for you Lord. I want to sing that and MEAN that this is my heart's one desire. In truth, my heart has many more desires. I desire stuff for me, not stuff for Him. I want so much to be like Jesus, every minute of every day...but I can't. Should I be happy that I want that? I mean, at least I'm not happy with where I am. I know that God loves me...I just don't always know why. I'm tired of leading worship and just singing...I want to lead people into...I want to live in the throne room of my Father in heaven.

I do things that I don't want to do. I don't treat my wife/kids/neighbors/etc. like I want to treat them. God help me.

Father,
Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me. Please don't give up on me. Continue to give me your spirit...even when I deny it or go against it. Father, I do love you. I'm sorry I don't live my life like that every day. I want to go to sleep tonight with you on my mind and wake up tomorrow ready to life with the attitude of your son. Help me tear down masks that I put up. help me be absolutely real. I love you Father...will you grant me these things so that you may receive glory? I love you God. I tell you thank you for your son, and it seems so trivial. But, thank you so much for your son. I want a new language, a new way to say thank you for your son. Maybe you just gave it to me. I will say thank you for your son by running away from the sin that takes me away from you. Thank you for telling me that. I love you Father.

Yours son...thank you,
Doyle

2004-08-03T19:25:00.000-07:00

Today, our ministry staff spent about an hour in prayer. Prayer for our elders, our future, our future elders, and how that effects all ministries. As we were praying, I felt such great dependence on the Father. More than I have felt in a while. I always feel like I am in full dependence on God, but today, I felt the full church dependence on God. We CAN NOT succeed, unless God makes us succeed. I LOVE THIS FEELING!!! I can't make it happen. I can't be good enough, or smart enough...I just get to love people, and love people, and love people, and invest in people and.....GOD gets to do the rest.

As we were praying...I didn't want to stop. We were in His throne room with Him, and when we were there, I had great confidence. I didn't want to leave that. Now, I want to learn how to stay there....totally dependent, totally confidant, knowing that it is only because of His power. I want to stay there. That brings me Joy. And as it was reminded to me today...if it doesn't bring joy, it is not of Christ.

Praise God!!!

Father,
Thank you for being my provider. Thank you for the confidence that I live in when I am in your will. Let me only depend on you and your power....not what I can do, but what you have done.
I praise you sole for who you are. My king and master. I will serve you with all I am tomorrow.

Yours,
Doyle

2004-08-02T12:12:00.000-07:00

I'm such a bad blogger!! I start and never finish. Here' s for try #2.

So much has been going on. So busy....so busy....so busy....I ask myself, why am I so busy. Answer because I make myself busy. Why do I make myself busy, because I don't want to disappoint anyone. That's dumb. I want to be more about pleasing God and less about being pleasing to people. This doesn't mean that I will stop pleasing people, this means I learn to follow better boundaries. I'm horrible at that right now, but am trying to be better.

Preparing for Panhandle Praise...some don't like it because we aren't bringing in a special group...others hate the special group. This makes my ministry hard because, again, I just want to please people. When I can focus on being a God pleaser, people will be pleased. That is the hardest for me to do.

Father,

Hear me today. I'm sorry for worrying more about others than about you. I worry about others, because by pleasing others, I bring glory to myself. I commit myself to pleasing you, which may or may not please others, but can only bring glory to you. I will point to you and only you with all of my being. Thank you for being faithful, when I am not.

I am yours,

Doyle

2004-05-18T19:32:00.000-07:00

So much on my mind....

Celebration Sunday went great...I think. Why is it that I'm so easily swayed by what people think. I'm a people pleaser I guess! I felt great coming out of Sunday, not really because of people telling me that it was a great service, more because I believe our service was God honoring, that it was real, that people were drawn to God, yeah it went long but I thought it was great. Glory to God. Then today...one coment from one person and as bad as I hate it, I care. I want our services to be God honoring, I want them to be real, I want people to share their faith in God with each other...and Sunday we did that. Why do I care what one person thinks.

I think we do this all the time. We say we want to live lives that are true to our calling. The problem is, many times we care more about what people think than what God thinks. Even church people. It shouldn't matter. I commit to listening for, seeking, listening for, seeking, and praying that I recognize the voice of God and then I will follow that voice with everything I am. I commit to stop listening to my own worldly spirit, what the world want so hear, etc. and strive more to live truer to who I say I am. I AM A DISCIPLE OF JESUS CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD THE LIVING GOD. I will love people like he loves me, I will be patient with people (and what I view as their shortcomings) because he is patient with me. I want God to conquer my pride, and accept me as His humble servant.

Father,

I'm sorry....I'm sorry for not acting more like your son today. I'm sorry for the opportunities I missed today to love your people today. Thank you for being patient with me....thank you for loving me...thank you for giving me the opportunities I will have tomorrow.

Father, please take my pride...take it from me in all aspects of my life. Father, help me live a life that shines bright...not so people know my name but so you may receive fame and glory forever and ever.

I Love You,
Doyle

2004-05-16T05:18:00.000-07:00

Today is a big day for so many reasons. First, it's Sunday, Celebration Sunday, but it is also my 12th wedding anniversary.

I am so blessed to have the wife I do. Sure I get frustrated every now and then because she isn't perfect like me (!!!) but she is the greatest. I always go back to the thought that she chose me. If you knew me back then, you would know why this is such amazing fact. She chose me...ugly,skinny, dorky, no athletic talent, me...she chose me because of who I am. God did the same thing...HE CHOSE ME (PRAISE GOD), Not because of who I am, but because of what you've done....not because of what I've done, but because of who YOU are!!! Thank you God and thank you Christy.

Time to celebrate this morning....Don't know why but I'm a bit nervous about this morning. I guess when we do things a little different...I always get nervous. Probably not half as nervous as the rest of the congregation!!! What a great reason to celebrate this morning...we celebrate because God is on the throne...forever. Nuff Said.

Father,

Thank you for choosing me. I'm sorry for not being worthy of that choosing many times but I rejoice in the fact that you have chosen me and continue to choose me anyway. Use me this morning as your instrument. Play me like a virtuoso for Your glory. Draw people to you this morning because of our testimony of who You are. Forgive me. Forgive me. Forgive me. Holy God.

Thank you for Christy and the 12 years we have had together. May they be many many more in service to you.

I'm yours,

Doyle

2004-05-11T15:12:00.000-07:00

I'll be out for the next 2 days. Going to "Outdoor Education" with my wife and 150 5th graders. While that doesn't sound like fun to many (including me), I am praying that this be an opportunity for God to shine through me to some kids and some parents. I am praying that God use me. I am praying that I will not be so whipped that I kill a 5th grader.

Father,

Use me for your glory over the next few days. Help me look for ways to share your love with someone that is hurting. Help me be a servant most of all.

I Love You,

Doyle

2004-05-11T06:28:00.000-07:00

What a day....what a week....

Getting ready for "Celebration Sunday". Question I was asked yesterday, "Why do we celebrate before we make our commitments?" Here are the thoughts that have been going through my head regarding that.

Maybe our giving is in response to our celebration. If we celebrate after we give, are we not celebrating what we have done. If we celebrate before we give, we then give in response to what we are celebrating that God has done in and for us. Just a thought!

One other thing that came up during our minister's time this morning. Do I value all souls equally? Does God. Seems like we get real excited when someone who is very talented or rich or whatever comes to church, but when a "nobody" comes, somebody that we can get nothing from, then are we as excited. Are we glad people are coming to church/coming to Christ because of what they can do for us or because of what God can do for them.

Again...just a thought.

Father,

Help me love everyone equally today...not for what they can do for me but for what you can do for them. Thank you for loving me..even when I can give you nothing you don't already have.

I love you,

Doyle

2004-05-09T19:35:00.000-07:00

Couple of thoughts wrapping up the day.

1. Worship went great this morning. Thank you God for going beyond what I would ever do. When the Elders and their families were up on stage singing, "One heart, one spirit, one hope for tomorrow, We are the body of Christ." with the rest of the congregation...what a moving time....thank you Father.

2. Survivor....what a bunch of idiots!! Why is it that when things don't go your way, you become the victim. Do we do that in church? Well he doesn't like what I like so he must not be as good a person/Christian as I. How immature are we?

That's it...not much really!

Father,

Thank you for a great day....wow me tomorrow. Let me give it to you from the moment I wake up.

I love you God, I love you Jesus....help me change my ways.

Doyle

2004-05-09T04:59:00.000-07:00

Sunday a.m.........getting ready for our worship assembly. Today the elders do their commitments for our fundraising campaign. Just some thoughts that come from this.....

Why are we so afraid to give? My car had to have $1400 worth of work done on it last week. Stupid transmission. As bad as I hate spending money on that kind of stuff....as little as I trust some mechanics because I know they could charge me for anything and I'm to dumb to find it.....I don't even drive that car. Even though, I found the money to pay for it. We will scrimp and save over the next months. We won't have as nice a vacation. Why? Because that car is important to our family business. It is important that that car be safe...my wife and 3 children ride in it everyday. It is important that we have that car to get everywhere where they need to be. Yes, we could probably do without it, but we might be a less effective family.

For our building project, I wish people could see the same things. This building is something we could do without...but will we be as effective for the kingdom if we do without. If everybody saw this as important to the kingdom...there would be no problem for money. Maybe that's the problem......1 of 2 things. Either they don't see it as important for the Kingdom....or they don't care about the Kingdom.

To answer my first question.....we don't have faith in God providing for tomorrow.

Anyway...I hope today goes well....and next Sunday and the next.

............

E's Yankees lost yesterday. Got drilled. They aren't hitting. The more they strike out, the worse they get. (Sure there is a lesson there) Everett was disappointed. He didn't hit very well. Next time.

Finally.....Mom's. I have the best Mom in the world! I know everybody thinks that, but with me it's true. She loves me unconditionally. She prays for me and my ministry. She sacrifices for the family always. She puts up with Dad. Praise God for my Mom.

My kids also have a good Mom. SHe doesn't do it all like my Mom did...but she loves them, and cares for them, and takes care of them in totally different ways. Praise God for giving Moms the energy they have so sons and Dads like me can make it through life.

Father,

Use me today to lead your people into your presence. Make me invisible....or make me seen...whatever gives use the most glory. Use our elders as an example today of sacrificial giving. Bless them in their giving. Show your power. Change hearts. Change me. Help us all see the resurrected Christ this morning. Perform miracles in peoples lives today

Thank you for Mom and Christy. Give them a special blessing on this special day. God, reward them today for the sacrifices they have made for their families. Give them spiritual blessings beyond what any earthly gift would be able to do.

Thank you Father,

Doyle

2004-05-07T07:21:00.000-07:00

First Blog ever. Hoping to make this a daily or at least regular thing to help me process through some thoughts. Who knows, maybe some day I will let other people read these very random thoughts.

Been thinking lately....things I learn from Everett's little league baseball.
1. Why is it that I expect so much more from him. I know how bad I stunk at baseball!!! I loved it...but I wasn't very good. Everett loves baseball....he is still developing as a fielder but he is hitting the ball great. I guess I just want him to succeed. I really think I want him to be better than what I was.

I think we do this in church. I want people who are less mature in the faith to be so much better than what I was when I was their "spiritual age". I expect them to just be "there". I just want them to succeed. I just want them to understand. I wonder who is out there thinking that about me.

Last night I was so proud of Everett. He didn't get a ball hit to him, he struck out once, he had one great hit to right center field, but the thing that made me proud was his attitude. We have one kid on our team that is a great baseball player...probably the best natural talent in the league. HE HAS A HORRIBLE ATTITUDE. I told Everett last night that I would rather have 10 of him that 10 of the bad attitude. Why is it that people who have been gifted with the most are so often people who have the worst attitude.

Speaking of gifted. This Sunday, our elders begin our commitment drive for our fund raising campaign. All of this talk about commitment cards and sacrifice has got me thinking about my personal sacrifice. How much do I really sacrifice for the kingdom. What do I really give up? When it comes down to it, I really love what I do...I love my job!!! Sure, I give up time with my family, probably work more than I should, etc....but I love what I do. So my thought is, do I really have to dislike something for it to be a sacrifice. Did Jesus, dislike coming to earth, living among his sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, being tempted, loving people, dieing...for people. That's just something I have to think about.

Dear God,

Help me live Romans 12 today. Help me be a living sacrifice. I give you praise because you have made me yours. I give you praise for accepting me when I am wrong...even when the ball goes through my legs. Let me be a sacrifice to you today. Bless Billy, Brent, TOm, Jerry, Terry, and Ken as they are considering their sacrifice. Help our body grown in you as we examine our own lives lived for you.

I love you God. Use me for your glory...not mine.......please.

Yours