With that, I figured I'd jump on the "Top Posts" bandwagon. Of the 31 blogs I posted in 2011 here are my top 5. (For clarification, I ranked them by my favorite and most read... enjoy!)
#5...
Over the last couple years God has really been working the importance of gospel community into my heart and mind, but it’s only been this past year that I’ve REALLY got to see it played out. Over the past year I’ve been fortunate enough to see this group of young adults (that I was blessed to lead within Element Church’s college/20 somethings ministry called theSHIFT) form this community of believers where the accepting & fulfilling love of Jesus Christ was actually experienced and lived out.
Never before had I had the opportunity to be part of a group that lived and experienced life together, but these people did. They shared in each other’s successes and failures, in love and anger, gain and loss…they lived life, together, across the entire spectrum. Now, I’m not typically a formula person, but I’ve been so taken by what I got to be a part of that I have spent the last year trying to figure out the nexus between biblically guided community and gospel centered community. Before I get too much into it, I think it’s worth mentioning that community IS church and church IS community. At least that’s how it’s meant to be. They are synonymous with each other. FULL POST
#4...
I am currently in the process of buying the house that I currently rent. First off…holy junk, I’m gonna be a HOME OWNER!!! As I make the transition from renter to home owner I started thinking about how it applies to so many of us as Christians. Here’s what I mean…
As a renter there is no real investment. Your commitment to the house you live in is limited to the contract you signed. You pay the rent you are obligated to pay, but beyond that you don’t have to commit anything else to it. If the water heater goes out, it’s not yours, so you call the owner and they fix it. Anything that breaks or needs attention outside of normal care taking isn’t your responsibility. FULL POST
As a renter there is no real investment. Your commitment to the house you live in is limited to the contract you signed. You pay the rent you are obligated to pay, but beyond that you don’t have to commit anything else to it. If the water heater goes out, it’s not yours, so you call the owner and they fix it. Anything that breaks or needs attention outside of normal care taking isn’t your responsibility. FULL POST
#3...
First, let me open this post by saying this is about men being Men…and I get to write this post for two reasons: 1 – It’s my blog and I get to post what I want and 2 (and more importantly) - I’ve been this or should I say, not been this. I’m not proud of it, but I was and I’m not anymore. The fact that in the past I’ve struggled through this, skirted responsibility to lead my family and often chose the selfish and highly immature road to personal comfort qualifies me to relate to this sad & pitiful way of life, but does not qualify me to write this post. What qualifies me to write this post is the fact that Christ has called this out in me, led me toward confession and repentance and drastically changed what I understand it to mean to be a man and to lead.
It used to be that I thought a man was the guy that pushed his way through others. FULL POST
It used to be that I thought a man was the guy that pushed his way through others. FULL POST
#2...
This last week I got the awesome opportunity to attend Desperation with our youth group (Fusion Student Ministry – Pastor Andy’s blog HERE & twitter HERE). Desperation is a youth conference put on by New Life Church in Colorado Springs, CO. Really it isn’t JUST a youth conference, it’s more than that. Now I know that may seem cliché, but there is such a focus on prayer and obedience to the Holy Spirit, that it isn’t just an event. I loved being able to go. I went as one of the leader/chaperons. Realistically I probably required a chaperon more than the students, but Andy let me lead… I even got to drive the 12 passenger van.
When we arrived Pastor Andy gave each of the leaders a journal that he had wrote each of the student’s names on their own page. FULL POST
When we arrived Pastor Andy gave each of the leaders a journal that he had wrote each of the student’s names on their own page. FULL POST
And #1... (Mainly because it's MY favorite, but it IS also my #4 ALL TIME viewed blog. And because ALL the best things are about her.)
Today…I write about HER!!!!
She is an amazing soul. First and foremost, she loves God; she has a deeply intimate relationship with Jesus and her anointing by the Holy Spirit is readily apparent. Her heart for people is incredible; she extends grace the way that God gives it to her. She is creatively brilliant; she writes (if you want a peek into her psyche check out her blog Daily Offensive…she signs her posts with a heart [update: Her new blog is called sarahmichal, and it's AMAZING!]), she makes jewelry, she’s a photographer, and has an amazing eye for art (I’m pretty sure her brain operates in art mode most times). She has the best sense of humor (she gets my sense of humor so that may not be saying much), a laugh that’s SO infectious, the best Eeeeee!!! ever, and she’s an amazing mom. She is also absolutely gorgeous; she has THE most captivating eyes I’ve ever set mine on and that smile…oh that smile, it melts me every time. FULL POST
She is an amazing soul. First and foremost, she loves God; she has a deeply intimate relationship with Jesus and her anointing by the Holy Spirit is readily apparent. Her heart for people is incredible; she extends grace the way that God gives it to her. She is creatively brilliant; she writes (if you want a peek into her psyche check out her blog Daily Offensive…she signs her posts with a heart [update: Her new blog is called sarahmichal, and it's AMAZING!]), she makes jewelry, she’s a photographer, and has an amazing eye for art (I’m pretty sure her brain operates in art mode most times). She has the best sense of humor (she gets my sense of humor so that may not be saying much), a laugh that’s SO infectious, the best Eeeeee!!! ever, and she’s an amazing mom. She is also absolutely gorgeous; she has THE most captivating eyes I’ve ever set mine on and that smile…oh that smile, it melts me every time. FULL POST
There they are, the Top 5 of 2011... enjoy. See you in the new year.
Headed toward 2012,
Bruce
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