Communication - a life saver!

There is a tool that God has given to us all, yet too often we either don't use it or misuse it - communication.  It is amazing what is released, opened, cleared, and relationship-saving when people communicate with one another in honesty, openness, and clarity.  Whether it is in the environment of marriage,  friendship, or working with someone - communication needs to be the beginning and the end - and we need to use this more than we do.

Obviously, there is a filter of God's Spirit, His Word, and wisdom to use restraint - and patience to not have a "knee-jerk" reaction, but open communication - used correctly - is a life saver for relationships! 

To mommy from Hope and Addie!

Happy Mother's Day!

I want to wish my mother Happy Mother's Day today.  Mom, I love you and I am so grateful to you for all that you have done for me.  You gave me the privilege of growing up in a home where my mom loved me, cared for me, nurtured me - and most of all - YOU led me to faith in Jesus!

Happy Mother's Day mom!

Always learning, never "done", never satisfied!

I have been at North Point Community Church the past few days for their DRIVE '08 Conference.  Last night, they had a fun "surprise" night for us at their Browns Bridge location - it was kind of a "ho-down" with hot dogs, burgers, fries, sausages, ribs, funnel cakes, etc., some games, a look around their facility, a blue-grass band played - and then the surprise came with a special appearance by Jeff Foxworthy - it was incredible!  

This conference gave nuts and bolts with breakout sessions - which all included Q&A - and it was great through exposure of the North Point ministries.  Also, Andy Stanley taught great principles of leadership and a healthy staff - and then ended it today with the final session on about 5-6 great "random recent issues" that he is working through.  I truly appreciated this final session (along with all of them) because it was through the lens of "we are not there yet" - he just shared some things that keep him thinking, challenged, and burdened.  

This is great for guys like me to hear and see that we are all in process and hopefully we will always be learning.  It also makes me respect people that can appear to "have it all down" or "have arrived" - because they are still learning and growing and not satisfied.  

My father-in-law Johnny Hunt is an incredible example of this principle.  Recently, we were talking and he was sharing about some new things that he is doing - really to ultimately reach people.  Some might think he is satisfied to have a large church and a global ministry, but he is such an open person who wants to keep learning and is not satisfied!  I can learn a great lesson from that!

Bad Medicine..........

Wednesday night, Hollie and I went to the Bon Jovi concert at Phillips Arena.  Daughtry opened up for him - It was a great time.  Here are my thoughts:

• Hollie and I were probably some of the youngest people there
• Lots of soccer moms
  
• the concert went until about 11:30pm
• Too many women!
• Even though he has a full on mullet, Bon Jovi still rocks!
• Daughtry has a voice that is SO massive!

Flip video now working!

Get ready - I got the Flip Video working tonight - the audio was working w/o the video - but now I have both............more to come!

Not boring....

There are many things I love about what I do - and one of them is that it is not boring (except for my blog, I know - I keep promising and not delivering!!!  I just can't get this Flip Video to work!).  I am constantly learning - even when I don't realize it.  Today, I had the opportunity to get together at Northstar Church with several pastors from the area - and it was great to meet and get to know them.  Mike Linch was a great host to us!  Then Brian and I had the opportunity to connect with a guy from North Point named David McDaniel - he has been a big help to VL.  I am enjoying the journey and process of all that God is allowing me to be involved in - and it is surely not boring!

So while I am on the "not boring" kick - here are a few other random things that aren't boring......feel free to comment and add some (although I will not promise to publish all of them!)

• Living in Atlanta
• Being married to my wonderful and beautiful wife!
• Being a dad of 2 amazing girls
• People watching
  
• Living in a house with 3 females
• Living in a house with 3 females
• Living in a house with 3 females
• No, the top 3 statements are not a mistake - it is very much on purpose!
• Owning a Mac
• Now owning an iPhone (which I love!)
• Learning all of the amazing features on my new iPhone while driving in the "not so boring" Atlanta traffic!
• Filling my car up with gas these days
• Remembering Chris Farley (that sure is random!)
• Eating at all of the incredible restaurants around Atlanta
• Reading my wife's blog
• Vinings Lake Church!
• Drinking coffee

Ok, that's it for now. 

2 Years at Vinings Lake!

I can't believe it has been 2 years since VL has started!  We had a wonderful day Sunday as we celebrated victories and cast vision - to Be The Church TODAY and to See The Church TOMORROW.

On Sunday, I celebrated my wife being such a big part of VL to me personally - as she fulfills her role to love and support me.  I privately told her this before Sunday as well.  She is my best friend and the greatest partner anyone could ask for as a pastor's wife.  I would never even want to do what I do without her!

I got an extra special gift - 2 incredible gifts to be exact - from my wonderful staff.  They got me my very own iPhone - and a Flip Video!  I am pretty sure that they are trying to kill me b/c I had to quit the Blackberry due to an addiction - and now by getting me the iPhone - it will probably damage me and many others on the roads around the ATL!

The people at VL are truly amazing.  I love them - they are the best.  VL, your love for God and love for the people of our community and around the world is evident by the way you serve and value others!

I have made a Flip video but I am having some issues in trying to connect it - it will be coming soon.......

A LOVING God - is to be feared.

God is love - full of love - and mercy, grace, compassion - MORE than our human minds could ever grasp.  AND He is our creator, sustainer, source of power, the ONE TRUE LIVING God.  And He is to be feared, revered, and respected - not to be reckoned with.

I have been reading through some of the book of Numbers lately.  In some of the chapters - around 14-16, we see some rebellion that the people of Israel were walking in - against God's servants (Moses and Aaron) - and ultimately against God.  

I think it is always healthy to be reminded, as I was reading this, that God is to be feared.  Look at what He says in 14:34-35, "you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.....They will meet their end in this desert; here they will die."

It is also amazing to see how Moses and Aaron stood to be the mediator between God and man - and what a foreshadow of Jesus Christ - who stands - READY to mediate us to God through His incredible grace, love, mercy, compassion - not because we deserve it but because He loves us!

If you are like me, you might even think this thought, "it seems like God and Jesus are different - one is judging, ruling, powerful and the other is mercy, grace, loving...."  The truth is both - God is our creator, ruler, and a JUST God who will judge the living and the dead.  However - He is FULL of love because He BECAME a man and BECAME sin for us - through His Person of Jesus Christ.  

God MADE Himself the fulfillment of His love - because He knew we could never do it on our own.  That is TRUE LOVE!

And the winner is...........

*After we got in the car - we ended up NOT going to eat at Chili's or to eat sushi...................we went to the other Hixson favorite - MEXICAN!  So a little chips, salsa, guacamole - and our favorite mexican chicken soup.

It was a fun night together!

What will it be....Chili's or sushi?

We are back - and not the same!

We arrived back to the ATL last night.  Can't even begin to say all that took place but I want to thank our Father for answering our prayers - and thank YOU for all of your prayers for us and the team and the people there.  We prayed specifically for unity and safety for the team and for God to work in the hearts of the people we ministered to.  He did ALL of that and so much more.

I will probably blog more later - but just a couple immediate

 thoughts.....

• Our mission TEAM was #1!  They ALL did great - even the kids!  What a privilege to do this together - we all fell in love with each other!

• I have been reading through Romans during my quiet time and the very first day there (Saturday) the exact passage that was next for me to read was in Romans 10 - where it basically says "how can they hear unless someone preaches, how can someone preach unless someone goes, how can someone go unless they are sent....beautiful are the feet that bring the good news!"  What a START to the week we had!  What a prophesy for what we got to do all week!

• Go to Hollie's blog (click here) for a few GREAT photos of Hope ministering (she did awesome) and of a lady that is LITERALLY 116 years old!  She was puckering up to give me a kiss - seriously!  (what happens in the D.R. stays in the D.R.).  This was the first mission trip that my wife and I have taken together - I love you babe!

• Go to my good friend Cody Deese's blog (click here).  He has some amazing footage and videos from the trip - from the first day until the last - Cody, you and Katie rock - it was awesome to experience this with you both!