Daryl Strickland

The devil (that just sounds weird to say, I here Bobby Boucher’s mama when I say devil) anyway, the devil has many tools in his workshop that he uses to do his dirty work. I am sure you have heard the saying that “idle hands are the devil’s workshop” and I believe that to be true. Jeff had a good post on laziness today .

I feel strongly that another favorite of his is the inverse of idleness which is busyness. This is one that kicks my rear end. This one steals my joy. This one robs from my quite time with God. This one drains every bit of creativity out of me. This one makes me work late and arrive early. This one makes me skip the gym (is anyone feeling me yet?). This one is the one that has kept me from blogging that much over the last two month.

So, how do you unplug this powerful tool of the devil? I don’t know what it looks like for you but for me here is the plan that works (when applied):

1. You have to write down what means most to you (family, God, friend, health, etc.) and those things must get the priority in your schedule.
2. You have to say NO!!!! No to things that are sideways to your values. This means no to good things as well as bad things. The enemy of great is good.
3. You have to have gauges that let you know somethings is out of whack (a gym partner that says where are you, blog readers that say what’s up, a spouse that has the freedom to say your working to much, etc.).
4. You have to plan, prioritize and most of all you have to work the plan diligently daily.
5. You have to realize that the world will still turn if you go home.

There are tons of other lethal tools in this place like:

• Selfishness
• Pridefulness
• Lust
• Envey

I would love to hear some of the tools that get used against you and how you have learned to unplug them.

If you do, you know it and chances are God uses you as a conduit to fund all kinds of ministries. Here is one that I will vouch for and that I will give too personally.

I got an email today from our creative director Brad who can flat out put together videos and graphics. He has been ask by one of our members, who has been in Bolivia since December, to fly down there and shoot a documentary on some of the homeless street kids where he is.

Skip’s heart has been captured by these kids who sniff glue to numb the pain of life and they are so hopeless. He believes that there is hope for these kids and he desperately wants to help them in Jesus name

Read more on Skip’s Blog and read Brad’s Email here.

Brad only needs around $1300 to make the trip and that thirteen hundred will echo into eternity, so if you want to get in on this effort, email me at daryl@lifepointnow.com or brad@lifepointnow.com .

Week five of “God At The Billboard” - Home

Attendance: 349 - same week last year 145 (140% increase)

Songs:

• Salvation Is Here
• Mighty To Save
• Home - Chris Daughtry

Moment/s to remember:

• Another totally whack promo video for Red Rover (Lifepoint’s Next Series).
• Jeff showing us what we need to pack for our trip Home. (it’s not what you would think… listen to the podcast tomorrow).
• Reading the response cards after church and seeing even more people give their lives to Christ.

Bottom Line: When it comes to heaven: 1. Everyone is invited, 2. Everyone gets in the same way (Jesus)

We got one today. For about 2 hours, you would have thought, Hurricane. Lighting that not only shook the house and lit up the sky but hurt your ears and set buildings on fire (over 80 fires).

Our entire 911 system got knocked out. Kelli talked to one of our Lifepointer’s that lives around the corner and one of the buildings in their apartment complex got hit and burned. We ventured out and all the lights were blinking. If you know Wilmington at all, College Road and Oleander is not a good intersection to have a blinking light.

Here is a pic near that intersection.

If you know me or read this blog, you know I love football. I also love coaching. I got my feet wet last year, coaching at Myrtle Grove Middle School and this year I am excited that I will have an opportunity to coach at John T. Hoggard High School. I love everything that I have seen of this school, their kids and this coaching staff.

I got to sit in on a coaches meeting last Thursday night and I love coach Braswell’s intensity. I can’t wait to see how this season goes.

Here is why I love this time of year:

• Football is here (the only real sport).
• Nascar gets good this time of year (football and nascar on Sunday’s, sweeet!).
• Fall is huge growth time in the church.
• Dream Team Experience - August 25th
• Lifepoint has some huge plans and announcements about this fall.
• My kids play football and cheer.
• I get to sweat some of this weight off.
• I live at the beach and it’s summer.
• I get paid to serve God (I would do it for free)!

I keep checking my blog stats thinking that they will eventually go to zero because of my lack of blogging but they have stayed steady. I promise to pick up the pace in the upcoming weeks. I have a lot in my head that I need to get out, so hang in there.

Week four of “God At The Billboard” - Before He Cheats

Attendance: 354 - same week last year 154 (130% increase)

Songs:

• One Way
• Marvelous Light
• Surrender
• Before He Cheats - Carrie Underwood

Moment/s to remember:

• Pastor Jeff inflating a balloon (a six foot one) representing how we let anger build up in us and then popping it (representing how we tend to explode).

Bottom Line: When it comes to anger, we need to slow down and listen up.

Week three of “God At The Billboard” - What I’ve Done

Attendance: 297 - same week last year 142 (109% increase)

Songs:

• No One Like You
• Jesus Paid It All
• What I’ve Done - Linkin Park

Moment/s to remember:

This was an interesting week for me. I was not in either service and spent this week in the Elementary ministry. So my moments to remember are skewed this week a little.

• Hearing the band during practice (they brought the lumber this week). Checkout this attenders view of this week.
• Seeing a friend that I invited show up for the first time.
• Seeing that same friend indicate that he gave his life to Jesus!!!!
• Seeing the potential that we have in children’s ministry.
• Hearing about the service from excited parents as they pick their kids up (makes you want to be at church).

Bottom Line: There is nothing that you can do to make God love you less.

Next Week: Week four of God At The Billboard: Before He Cheats .

There are six people from Lifepoint in Brazil right now and my guess it that they will never be the same when they get back. You can read some of the crazy things that God is doing right now on Joe’s Gospel for Brazil page here G(i)FB(o)