My most read blog posts in 2012

"Busy" would be a pretty good summary word of my 2012. Traveling with Logos, pastoring New Life Lincoln Park, teaching at Moody and having an amazing family pretty much fills up every second of every day (and then some). So though I wasn't able to blog anywhere near as much as I would like to, below are the top blog posts from my blog in 2012

What Christmas is all about...

God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.
- 1 John 4:9-12

So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness - John 1:14

Some free Christmas music for you!

Last year our awesome worship team at New Life Lincoln Park recorded a Christmas CD for our church family. It is incredibly well done and a great download for your next couple days of festivities. Though obviously biased, our fam has been jamming out to it in the car the last few days and love it!

Here's the link to download it for FREE: MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL.

It's completely for free however in the spirit of Noisetrade if you'd like to make a Christmas donation to New Life Lincoln Park then just CLICK HERE. While following the instructions make sure to choose "Lincoln Park" under the locations. Thank you!

It's the end of the world as we know it...

...and I feel fine. 

Of course I do. And for the most part slept like a baby last night or at the least like an exhausted, slightly overworked kid-at-heart. And once it arrives in the mail I'll proudly wear my new t-shirt:

Take that Mayans!

And I'm sure R.E.M. wants to thank you for the increased bump in their royalties check this month:

“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. " Matthew 24:36-37, 42-44

Praying for 26 families

Whether or not today is a day of worship for you, please remember to pray for the families and friends of these 26 victims from Friday's shooting. They are still in deep, intense mourning and need our prayers.

Tears for Newtown

Of all He has given us there is nothing
more powerful than choice.
It is a hammer, full of potential and danger,
able to destroy or to build. 
Yesterday someone used it to shatter.

Anger and grief are predominate 
and in my solidarity with the parents 
I think I can safely say that we don't want 
to see adolescence interviewed about their 
experiences and we don't want to hear 
why you think you still need your gun.

Apologize for my anger?
I don't think so. I hope not. 
He trashed a temple because evil men
took advantage of innocence 
so my feelings right now seem to resonate.
Trashing a temple today would be worthless
but putting a hole in drywall 
would probably feel pretty good.

Brokenhearted implies there are pieces
that can be taped together or cracks
that can be sewn up for mending.
When the moments we dread come to be
our hearts become dust
so typical sympathetic band-aids
become worthless and slightly insulting. 

So I grieve for the parents in Newtown.
In their beyond understanding pain 
I beg God to bring His beyond understanding peace.
Though with much smaller tears, we weep with them.

Now is the time for tears

I went to pick up Baylee a little earlier than normal from school today. Rushed a little faster from the car to get to the door. Squeezed a little harder than normal when she ran to me. Because my heart shatters right now for the parents who lost their little ones in Connecticut today.

Words are pretty much unnecessary at this point. Tears speak everything.

So hold me Jesus, 'cause I'm shaking like a leaf

You have been King of my glory

Won't You be my Prince of Peace

- Rich Mullins

Thankful for my beautiful, sweet daughter

Everyone has dreams about their future. On December 4, 2006 a nurse said to me, "here you go daddy, meet your daughter." And for the first time I was able to hold this dream come true: 

And now today, six years later, she is still that dream. I am so thankful for my beautiful Baylee, my sweet daughter:

We went to Jewel this morning to buy cookies so she can celebrate with her friends at lunch. As we were walking the sidewalk to the main door I picked her up and prayed...

"God - thank you for this awesome little girl. (She interupted me at this point and whispered, "Big girl") ...for this awesome BIG GIRL! For giving mommy and me such an amazing daughter. I am so thankful that I get to be her daddy and I am so incredibly proud of who she is. Thank you for making her so much fun, for making her so caring, for giving her so much energy and with a sweet spirit, that she is helpful, that she tries so hard, and that she is growing up to be such an amazing BIG girl. Give her a great, fun, amazing birthday"

And now back in my office writing this, with somewhat watery eyes, I pray the other prayer I do every Dec 4th...

"Dear God...please slow down the time"