CIMG0155

Having lunch at chipotle with friends from church.

Need A Little Perspective?

I don't know about you but for me anytime there is a major disaster like the earthquake in Haiti, I tend to get a little more perspective about my own life. As an artist I think a lot about perspective. Perspective affects a composition dramatically, especially if it is wrong. In life I think of perspective as Attitude. My attitude gives me good or bad perspective, my choice, regardless of circumstances. I am getting ready to speak on Perspective/Attitude this weekend in my teaching series called "Life Palette". My friend and artist Phil Starke will be demonstrating as I speak as he continues to work on a 36x36 landscape masterpiece. He will be sharing a little of his story and talking about the importance of perspective in painting and in life. I know I need to keep a good perspective/attitude everyday of my life!

http://bit.ly/a3vmGb

Disaster Relief For Haiti

Knowing what to do and who to give to during a disaster like the massive, 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti can be overwhelming. Knowing who to trust and knowing that your dollars are getting into the right hands and really making a difference is very important. That is one reason until now that we have been cautious in recommending groups to donate to. Here are several groups that we recommend and that networks of churches we are a part of are recommending. There mission and integrity will assure that all of your dollars make a difference for the Haitian people as they begin to rebuild their lives.

http://www.willowcreek.com/giving/haiti.asp

Last Day Painting With Daughter Kadi

Early morning painting En Plein Air. It is a cloudy day in Tucson and I typically would not go out to paint, but it was the last morning to go with my daughter Kadi, blooming artist girl that she is, for 7 months. She is headed off on another around the world missions school, this time she is leading a group of 6-10 mission students. The painting needs some finishing touches in the studio - we got cold! I know, boo-hoo, from all of you in the Midwest and mountain states where it's really cold, but hey 55 and cloudy in Tucson is really cold for us desert rats!

Obeying God Can Be A Pain In The Neck

Sometimes obeying God is a pain in the neck! There are days when I forget that this spiritual journey is a war. (Seems like I remember a teaching on that recently: The Birth Of A Wild Thing. http://bit.ly/6HtrRe
The pastor said that Jesus came to destroy the works of the enemy (1 John 3:8-9) – I mean really – where do these guys get off?) Here’s the deal, the enemy doesn’t give any of us much attention until we start doing right things for God. As followers of Jesus, when we are obedient and living out God’s plan and purpose, the enemy notices. Suddenly we are on his radar and he wants to frustrate, discourage and stop us. (John 10:10) For us (me) at times it feels like: “so, I’m obeying God and this is what I get?” (Big fat whiny baby! Call the wambulance!!!) Forgetting I have lost perspective of the “one thing”. “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”
Sometimes obedience is a pain in the neck, but faith dictates that it is best, right and God does meet all of my needs according to His riches in Jesus! I hate speaking on having the attitude of Jesus (this coming weekend, Life Palette part 2, Perspective) because now Jesus is dealing with mine! Ya’all pray for me!!!

Weekend Update

This weekend we launched our new series; Life Palette. God desire to paint a masterpiece on the canvas of our lives! Eph. 2:10. It was great to have artist Phil Starke painting in the service as we talked about the “One” value that Jesus gives us as our primary focus. Phil began a painting this weekend that he will be finishing over the next four weekends as I speak and he will continue to talk about how it is a picture of our lives.

I have heard from many of you already about how the Lord has begun to speak to you as we begin Life Palette – let’s pray that this is a series that completely transforms us all to be more like Jesus as His followers and for those who are considering following Him to take the next step.

I wish you could all hear all the stories of changed lives that I hear. This weekend I talked with a couple of different men who God is radically changing their lives. As people share these incredible stories of transformation and thank me I know what they are saying. They are thanking me for all the ministry that YOU do Alive church and for the impact you all are having on their lives and how you are allowing God to use you as His followers. I am so honored to be your pastor and to serve with you in “leading people who are far from God to be followers of Jesus.”

I hope you will carry your value scale with you this week and prayerfully ask God to guide you in your life as to whether or not you are “seeking” His kingdom first. Follow His lead. If you were not able to get a value scale at one of our weekend services take a moment and Google one and print it to carry with you this week.

We kicked off the weekend with an art event designed to unite artist in the Tucson area. There were several professional artists painting and demonstrating for the community of artist who joined us. A big thanks to all of you who helped put this event together especially the Girlfriends leadership team and to the artist who painted. It was a little cool but overall a nice day and a big success!

How about the set for the new series? Props to Doug and team – you guys are awesome!

Oh and by the way – did you hear who won the big softball game between Continental Ranch campus and Oro Valley campus? Yep – we did! Way to go Alive!!!

Plien Air Live: Artist Phil Starke

Don't miss this Plien Air Live tomorrow (Sat. Jan. 23rd) morning. Several professional artist will be doing demos, including Phil Starke, lots of give a-ways and hot coffee from Rock-N-Java! Join us as we unite artist in the Tucson valley.
If Weather is still bad the plein air will be moved indoors. Phil's demo is indoors to begin either way. Lots of live painting to enjoy and it's free.

http://pleinairlive.com/

You Are A Masterpiece

You are a masterpiece.
It may not feel like it at the moment, you may look at your life and see yourself as a complete failure, a person who is off course, headed in the wrong direction. For others, as you read those words, you have a sense of agreement with that statement. Not so much that you truly believe it but rather you know it is the right thing to believe. You read the first sentence of this book and you repeat to yourself, “I am a masterpiece”, as if just saying it will make it so. You are like the Saturday Night Live character Stuart Smalley, who looking in the mirror was always trying to convince himself; “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me!” Maybe you tire day after day of trying to pump yourself up, trying to self motivate. There is a better way!
If asked to describe a masterpiece the first thing that comes to mind for most people might be something along the lines of Leonardo da Vinci’s painting of the Mona Lisa. Hanging in the Louvre behind bullet proof glass in a controlled environment to preserve the pigment and the canvas, well protected. The furthest thing from our minds would be to respond by describing ourselves. It would be vain and arrogant, egotistical, haughty and conceited, to point toward oneself as a masterpiece, unless…Unless? Unless what? Unless we understand that we are not the creators of the masterpiece.
You are a masterpiece. Not because you are an exceptional artist who has painted every brush stroke of life perfect or because every choice you have made was the right color for your life’s canvas. You are a masterpiece, not because you stood before your life’s canvas at a young age and created a perfect composition that would fulfill your every dream, hope and wish. No it is much more and greater than anything of your choosing, in fact you are not even the artist. You are a masterpiece because God created you as His masterpiece.

Marketplace Margin

Want to do more in less time? Have less stress? Make more money? Learn the One Thing the Bible teaches us to do so. Join me this weekend, 5pm tonight or tomorrow 9:30 or 11am, www.alivechurch.com

This is Real

My daughter Kadi tried the curler thing last night and this is the result. When I first saw her this morning I thought sure it was a wig, but it's not!

Free Plein Air Event With Phil Starke

There is an awesome art event that will be happening in Oro Valley/Tucson area on Saturday morning Jan. 23rd. The purpose of this event is simply to unite the artist of the Tucson area. If you are interested in art or know someone who is interested you will not want to miss this opportunity. Artist Phil Starke will be doing a demo that will be recorded and made into a DVD. Several other well known artist will be painting in Plein Air as well.
Check out the website for info and pass onto a friend: www.pleinairlive.com

Five Lives Changed And More

Great News as the New Year begins! We just finished our first staff meeting of the year and the Campus Pastors reported to me that this last weekend we had 5 people make a commitment as a follower of Jesus – not a bad way to start the New Year!!!

While we have a couple of weeks left on this current series: Happy New You, we have been preparing for the next series called “Life Palette”. The theme is simple: “God desires to create a masterpiece on the canvas of your life. The Palette He has to work with depends on you.”

We are going to kick off this series with a big day of uniting the art world in the greater Tucson area on Saturday morning Jan. 23^rd. We will be having several well known artists, Phil Starke leading the way, doing demos that day beginning at 10am. Then throughout the series Phil Starke will be painting live during all of our services and interacting with me as I teach. Phil and I have had a lot of great discussions about how living our spiritual life as Jesus followers parallels life. If you know anyone who is interested in art you will want to make sure and invite them to the Plein Air Live kickoff event for Life Palette:

I am currently doing a lot of writing, trying to finish a book entitled Life Palette. Way behind on the schedule that we set out last summer, but none the less pushing on. I love writing. This is my second book, my first was a novel called “A Place Remembered”. I totally loved writing in fiction in a novel format. The discipline of writing this book is good for me.

My biggest job this week will be getting rid of our Christmas tree. Pastor Toby had a great idea; we should all gather our trees at the church invite the fire department and have a big bon fire! Sounds like a lot of fun to me. Plus, then I would not have to figure out what to do with ours!

Did some reading over the holidays: Sticky Church by Larry Osborne, started Developing The Leader Within You and one other Leadership book. Had a little time to do a few large paintings that turned out pretty good. The best part of all was spending a little extra time with Kathy and the kids. Jeepin in the snow and mud made for some great family time!

Follow Up: New Time

The New Year has begun! What a great first weekend as we started the New Year with a new weekend series: Happy New You.

Here are a few thoughts/questions to follow up with what the Lord spoke to us about during the weekend message:

1. What one thing would you do this year if you had all the time in the world?

2. Can you relate one time when you over scheduled yourself? If you were in a weekend service, remember my story with the Christmas concert weekend.

3. Read Psalm 5:8, Psalm 31: 15, Psalm 73:23-24 and Proverbs 16:9. In light of Job 14:5 what do all of these verses mean for you in your daily life?

4. Read Matt. 6:33 and consider what it means practically to see God's Kingdom above all else. How do you plan to make Him a priority this week/year?

Hope you all have a wonderful week - I am especially praying for all of you who are praying Proverbs 90:12 as you put your watch on/pocket your cell phone every morning this week.

New Weekend Series Begins Today

I am so excited to start 2010 off right with a new eekend series entitled Happy New You! Join me live at one of our weekend services or online alivechurch.com