Sunday, January 25, 2009

I LOVE MY WIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes! Yes! Yes! In fact the love grows, and with each passing year we feel more at ease and more content than ever! Which leads me to a story: Right before the New Year, Lenya and I went to Billy Graham's 90th birthday party back East. I spoke the next night to his staff and board. The next day, Lenya took a plane to New York City (one of our favorite places to hang) for a brief visit.

What a great time! We walked around, took pictures, ate, took in a Broadway show, ate some more, held hands, and ate a bit more.

Based upon the recommendation of my friends Greg and Cathe Laurie, we went down to SoHo to a little restaurant called Mercer St. Café. Purported to have great food. We walked inside to a cozy and hip (and packed) cafe. All the seats were taken expect a little "corner seat" in the lower level (the basement).

Sitting there in that little spot, alone with my wife I realized, "This is all I need and there's no place I'd rather be than next to her." I said something to the effect that being there in that basement seat down at the Mercer Street Cafe was sheer contentment, and then I immediately thought, "There's a song in that!

So, when I got back home to Albuquerque, I started writing the words and melody that became a special edition CD entitled, The Royal Road of Love. My close friend and musical partner, Kenny Riley, recorded it just in time for a Valentines release. We're trying to compose original songs for every season of the year. The first was the Christmas CD project and this Valentins Day marks the second.

The video will give you glimpse into the recording process, with all the fun fellow musicians can have working on a recording. Enjoy it and around Valentines Day look for the special edition CD. (BTW February, for you GUYS, Valentines Day is February 14).

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Happy New Year

A New Year: God is with You

Wow! What a year. I mean that. It was a wild, crazy year. Think of it: the economic crisis, a historic election, financial bailouts, more California fires, heavy winter storms, and to end the year- a new confrontation in Israel.

Yet through all the hardship and trials, God promises to be with His people.

I recently taught from Psalm 139: 7-12 at Calvary of Albuquerque. In this message, I spoke on the omnipresence of God (God is ever present). I concluded the message by looking at three conclusions one can draw from this passage in the book of Psalms. One, death can’t separate us from God. Two, distance can’t separate us from God. Three, darkness can’t separate us from God.

This past year we saw a lot of death through wars, natural disasters, and the like. Some people may have even tried to distance themselves from God. And even more people have seen dark times: 401K are loosing ground, lost jobs, home foreclosures, and such.

But the good news for the believer, even in difficult times, is that God is with you; He is guiding you, and leading you closer to him.

So here we are at the beginning of a new year; a time to look forward to what the Lord has in store for each of us, to trust Him more, and to wait for Him in all things.

And remember through all this: God is with you. He loves you, and yearns for a deeper, more fulfilling life with Him. So trust the Lord this year as never before

New Year's Service

We even had a crazy year here at Calvary. I mean “crazy” in a good sense. It was quite a year. As you will see in this short video, we had many of my friends speak: Lee Strobel, Greg Laurie, Franklin Graham, Time Lahaye, and others.

We also had a fun time at the New Year’s service, itself. As you will see in the video we had a mariachi band, a gospel band, called Voices of Purpose, and communion together. It was a wonderful time.

Now we look forward to what the Lord is going to do in the upcoming year.

I can’t wait!

May the Lord bless your New Year in Him.