Praying for the Family

First of all, thanks for all the prayers as I continue to recover from knee surgery. I'm on the road to full recovery - it'll only take a couple of weeks. I just have to be patient - that's really, really hard for me.

I'm praying for lots of friends in real need. One of our deacons lost his mother-in-law last week. It was a sweet homegoing but a sad time. I have several folks that are my friends who are having some real financial difficulties.
I'm praying for them - please join me.

Our daughter, Heather, and her husband, Andrew are about to have their second baby -- this time, a girl -- any day. Please pray with me for a safe delivery, and a healthy baby (Rylee) and quick recovery for Heather.

On the church front - I'm so pleased with this past weekend's parenting conference. Dr. Richard Ross was awesome. He brought wonderful communicating skills and great content on teaching parents to make an impact on their children for Jesus. I'm just so sorry more of our parents couldn't/didn't attend - their loss. I hope I just don't have to help them pick up the pieces with their kids who walk away from the Lord.. I'm already praying about that.

May is our family month. I've been working on the sermons for this month for awhile now. I love to preach on the family. My family means the world to me. I thought the family changed the most when the kids were young, but I'm not so sure anymore. My wife and I have seen our family change more in the last 24 months perhaps than anytime in our family's history. It has been all good - just dizzying to say the least. I love my kids, my in-laws, and my grandson. I'm praying for them all.

Do you make it a regular practice to pray over and with your family? LuAnne and I have said for years "the family that prays together stays together." You've probably heard me say that in nearly every May sermon since I came to McGregor. I absolutely believe it's the truth.

I guess the theme of this blog - let's pray. We have alot to pray about.............

Much "Knee"ded Prayer

This is really uncomfortable for me, but here goes...

I want to ask something from you. I want to ask you to pray for me. Yesterday, I had (minor) knee surgery on both knees to repair some cartiledge tears. This surgery is quite common and insignificant, but doing both knees at the same time makes it a bit more difficult.
With the consultation from my wonderful doctor (Dr. Ron Gardner, a member of our church) we decided to go ahead and get them both done and get it over with.
So, please pray for the recouperation time and physical therapy for the next few days. Hopefully, I'll be up and "better than ever" in just over a week. For those of you familiar with my schedule - it looks like I won't have any problem making my prior commitments. Mark Bricker is preaching at Wednesday night's FOCUS service, but I'm still planning to be there to give the "First Quarter Operating Report," as promised.

McGregor's "Flip this Family" Parenting Conference is this weekend. Lu and I are still leading one of the breakout sessions. If you haven't signed up, it's going to be incredible -- visit www.flipthisfamily.com for details on registration.

Also, pray for my sweet wife, LuAnne, because I'm NOT a good patient. I'm stir-crazy already.
Great time for lots of Bible reading!!

Family Matters

Family matters to everyone. Family really matters to the Powells. I love my wife, we love our kids, our kids' mates, and our grandson - bunches!!
As with all parents, we are so grateful to the Lord for the way our kids are living for the Lord and serving Him - in lots of different ways.
Heather and Andrew are in Tampa. Andrew is on staff at Idlewild Baptist church as the Minister to Middle School students.
Kayla is at Liberty University in Virginia and right now doing 12 shows of the musical theatre production "West Side Story." It's incredible.
Alan and Brycie have been in Los Angeles for 18 months as he "tries to take the light of Jesus to the darkest place in our nation."
God has opened a door for him and his music. That's where YOU come in.
His recently-released "single" is available on his MySpace page. Here's what Alan says about the song:

"As of today March 31st after only a week of putting out my first single I have already been blessed with the opportunity to be featured as an unsigned artist on a major radio stations website! The radio station is 104.3MYfm Los Angeles, Ca. I’m featured on the NEW! section which exposes my music to more than 10 MILLION PEOPLE PER MONTH on nearly 500 radio station web sites across the country! Spread the word and help me rise to the top of the NEW! charts! Artists with the most plays get special homepage placement and are considered first to have their songs played on air! Just click the link below to play my song! God bless. Alan"

So, if you would, please click on the link below, listen to the song and therefore "vote" for Alan's song to be played by the LA station.

I'll keep you posted as to how it's going.
I really appreciate your help. Most of all, pray for Alan and Brycie in their ministry.

CLICK HERE to listen to Alan's song "Just Let You Go."

From the West Bank to the West Side (Story)

LuAnne and I just returned with about 30 others from our church from a wonderful trip to the Holy Land. Honestly, I cannot even describe this trip. To see the places described in the Bible, and the places where our Lord lived, ministered, died, was buried and rose again - it just can't be put into words. The Bible comes alive around you!
I hope that many of you will make your plans NOW to go with us next time (we'll probably go again in two years) and receive a huge blessing in your life and heart.
When we returned (exhausted), we went straight to Liberty University to visit with our daughter, Kayla. This was a special weekend for her. She played the part of Anita in the musical theatre production of "West Side Story."
We saw the opening night performance - 3 hours and 10 minutes!! It was awesome. Heather, our oldest daughter flew up for the performance and that was tough on her. She is almost 9 months pregnant (due May 16) but it was great to see her. Rilee (our baby grand-daughter) will be here soon. We are sooooo excited!!
This morning was great. To be back home with our church family was a blessing. I am so excited about the things coming up in the next few days at McGregor. The "American Idols" series on Sunday morning, the "REAL" series in our FOCUS service on Wednesdays as we study the book James, the "Flip This Family" conference and then preaching series for May - and then a full summer of outstanding events for everyone in the church family.
It is good to see God doing what only God can do in the hearts and lives of so many people.
Keep praying - keep growing in your faith.
Keep reading the Word - daily.

Dispatches from Israel...

I'm am currently in the Holy Land of Israel with 32 of our church members.  I can't even begin to describe how wonderful it is.  Seeing the Sea of Galilee where Jesus performed so many of His miracles; He was raised in this area, called many of His disciples from here, and nearly all of the Bible's setting is within a few miles of this area.

Then, to drive into Jerusalem -- the City of David -- the Holiest City in the World, the city for which Jesus wept - unbelivable.  We have prayed where Jesus prayed (Garden of Gethsemane), stood where Jesus stood (the Temple of Jerusalem), walked where Jesus walked (the Via Dolorosa) and have been to the place to which Jesus will return when He comes again one day (the Mount of Olives).  Words cannot describe this experience.  I truly wish every one of you could be here right now.

Today, we will worship as you worship at McGregor.  We won't have incredible music as we have at McGregor, no huge crowds, no great Sunday School classes, but still -- how could we be more blessed? Today, we will worship in Jerusalem.  What a blessing!

 

I'm praying for a great day for everyone back at McGregor - I KNOW I'll have a great day here in Israel.

God is good - all the time.

Traveling

Hey everyone.

Traveling - I love it, and I hate it.  Airports, packing, foreign beds, being away from my wife and church - not so much.

The best part - going someplace really, really interesting.  For the next several days, leaving today, I'm heading to the Holy Land with about 30+ folks from our church.  Seeing the Sea of Galilee, the Upper Room, Golgatha, the Garden of Gethsemane, the place where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found, the Dead Sea, Masada, and especially the tomb of Jesus - it's an incredible trip. 

The part I enjoy the most is how acually seeing these places where Jesus lived and walked really makes the Bible come alive more than ever.  whether my devotional time, or my sermon preparation time or just sharing with Christian friends, it is so meaningful to have seen these places that I read about and talk about.

 

Please pray for our entire group.  Pray for my wife's health (she regularly has severe headaches that makes traveling difficult), pray for safety as we travel, for nerves - even real anxiety on the part of some travelers because of all we read in the papers...

Now Spinning...

OK guys - I got too many plates spinning - in my HEAD!! Here's what's on them...

• Get this: We baptized 60 - that's right 60 - wonderful people at church last Sunday. Thanks to all who made it a GREAT day in the Lord's house! Now, let's go personally disciple every one of them to become "fully devoted followers of Christ."
  
• The TRANSFORMED conference is coming this weekend. 4500+ registered - unbelievable. Praying for many people to catch the excitement of witnessing to lost friends and neighbors. We'll be in the Worship Center, the Fellowship Hall, Stage 1 in the Grace Building -- people will be EVERYWHERE!

• Palm Sunday with Ray Comfort speaking - will be awesome.

• EASTER - the greatest single Sunday of the year. I can't wait. The music will be awesome (always is!) and the expectancy will be off the charts. It'll be great. This year, Easter is March 23rd -- the earliest in the year it could ever be.

• Flying to Israel with about 30+ of our folks to "walk where Jesus walked" - it is a life changing trip. Wish every one of you could go - you would never be the same.
  

Again, I am so grateful to the Lord for the JOY of serving His - along with many of you - to the Glory of Jesus Christ.

Have a great day in Jesus!
rp