Terry and I will be moving out to assume our new position as the senior pastorate of Full Life Church in Fremont, Nebraska. We are really looking forward to the opportunity to serve God with this wonderful group of believers. God has directed every part of this call and process of moving to Nebraska. We will miss our grandkids who we are leaving behind, but we know that God will provide us opportunities to spend time with them.

Hi Friends,

Merry Christmas '07!!!!!!
My last post was months ago, but my New Years resolution is to post every week this year and make this blog a communication tool for ministry and for developing friendships with fellow bloggers. My prayer for everyone reading this blog is that this coming new year will truly be a year of 'new beginnings'. In biblical numerology the number 8 stands for new beginnings, and we are in a new millennium (the 2000's) so let's look to the Lord for the sprouting of new seeds that have been planted in previous years. Terry and I are looking forward to this coming year with great anticipation as we rest in God's promises to us. Our family is doing great, Ezra is still with us and preparing for Bible College in the Fall of '08. Levi and Jenne have moved just around the corner from us (walking distance), which puts our grandkids a stone's throw away!!!!!, and Jaci and Daren still live in New Hampshire contemplating God's will for their lives. The ministry God has placed us in is in transition as we begin this new year, we have just voted to change the name of the church from 'Hereford Assembly of God', to 'Crossroads Christian Fellowship'! We are believing God for a great harvest of souls for the kingdom of God this coming year and in the years to come. I think this new name makes a statement about us which I hope will be loud and clear to our region, that there is a sweet fellowship to become a part of if you choose the right road...Jesus (He said I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Talk to you next week.

Terry and I have been on vacation this past week. We went to Ocean City, MD and while we were there took a couple of days to go to Assateague Island National Seashore. What a great time we had on the island. If you are not familiar with it, the island has two herds of wild ponies that roam free all over the island (about 50 miles long). I was great walking on the beautiful beaches and seeing groups of ponies right there at arms length away! All over the park there are signs which tell you NOT to touch or approach the ponies, and you guessed it, everywhere we went people were appraoching and trying to touch the ponies. It reminded me of Paul's words in Romans 7, "the law came and sin sparang to life...". It just seems we humans can't resist rebelling. We have this "authority thing" that says no one can tell me what to do (or what not to do). God'as remedy for this aversion to the law is grace. In a nother place Paul says that grace teaches us to say no ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled and godly lives in this present age...". So what would grace say about touching ponies? I have a feeling it would say the same thing the signs said, "don't touch". What do you think grace would say?

Wow, it feels like forever since I have posted on my blog (actually a little over a month, please forgive me). Since I last posted I have become a grandpa again! Mikhaila Anne Washburn was born on February 19 in Concord NH to my son Levi and his beautiful wife Jenne. She weighed 6lbs 150z and was 21 inches long. It's really different for me to have a girl in the family. I was one of three boys, Terry and I had three boys, and our first grandchild was a boy. Mikhaila is as beautiful as a little girl can be (of course I'm slightly prejudiced). Terry and I got to be in NH for the birth, what a blessing from God! Today I went with my son Ezra to Valley Forge Christian College to get all the admission information for him to start college in the Fall, the empty nest is coming! Life just seems to rush by and if we're not careful all we will be are spectators as opportunities from the Lord just come and go. Enough of my personal news updates. I have been preaching the last few weeks on the authority of [King] Jesus and how He extends to us His benevolent power, His blessed peace, and His bold priorities (these three thmes are drawn from Matthew chapters 8 & 9). The question for us is how are we going to respond the the absolute authority of the King? Are we in the Kingdom if we are not subjects of the King? If Jesus has all authority (like He says He does, cp. Matthew 28:18-20) then do we havwe any options when He speaks to us? The wonderful thing is that He does not just arbitrarity bark commands and orders (priorities), but He extends His power on our behalf, and provides a peace that goes beyond our wildest comprehension as He molds us in ways that reflect His priorities. Years ago I used to tell people who told me they didn't like a particular Bible verse or truth...'read it till you like it'. That's still pretty good advice!
pastor mike

Its been a long time since I have been on this blog. The Christmas season and all that goes with it has broken my stride, or maybe I could say it has disrupted my rut! Sometimes we get so used to the way things are we just go on and on and on, unless there is an interruption. God send us divine interruptions! Terry and I traveled to NY and NH over the week between Christmas and New Years, it was like a whirl wind tour, we stayed in three places, four different beds and saw lots of people. I must say though, I am very grateful for family and friends...God created us for just such things. Everything was green up north, my dad (now 77) said it was only the third green Christmas he could recollect up in NY State's snow country. Our daughter-in-law is expecting our second grandchild the end of February, but when we got up to NH to see them she has been put on COMPLETE bedrest for 5 WEEKS! So Terry and I brought Benny (two year old grandson) home with us for a while so she actually could rest. What a blast he is! Well that's enough for now, this blog is starting to sound like some holiday newsletter.
PM

This week at our small group we studied a lesson called, 'Why pray when you can worry?'. Its true isn't it? How often do we spend our time and energy worrying (or some other fruitless activity) when we can connect to the Creator of the Universe and have a personal conversation with Him. The Lord has been teaching Terry and I over the past few months some great things about prayer, and how effective it really is. I would love to have you throw up on the blog some of the things God has taught, or been teaching you about prayer. Or perhaps, you have had some incredible answer to prayer recently. Jump on and let's inspire the faith of others by what God is doing in you!
PM

WOW I can hardly believe that it's December already! I guess the Christmas decorations all over my house are giving it away. Terry really gets into decorating for Christmas. I remember the first Christmas after we moved to New Hampshire (1983). I went out and cut a scraggly little Christmas tree from out in the woods near our house. When I brought it home I leaned it on the couch and there it stayed for a couple of weeks until we finally threw it out. Boy have we come a long way since then! Terry really makes the house look beautiful now. Maturity can be a wonderful thing. I hope as you get ready for Christmas this year that Jesus remains the REASON FOR THE SEASON in your life.
PM