Here's a link to one of my recent studies given at CC Hidden Valley a few weeks ago.

Growing in Godliness

Blessings!

Pat

Update - August Part 2

Now for what's been happening and what's coming up.

As I'm sure is true for most of us, this summer is just zipping by! My grandaughters just started back to school yesterday. That almost seems unAmerican: having to go back to school before Labor Day - but I digress :-)

First, an update on my health. Lookin' good - thank You Lord! I am no longer dealing with that severe abdominal pain from my surgeries. There is occasional discomfort and I still can't do any crunches but I can live with that. I've been doing a lot of long beach/sand walks about three times a week and each for one to two hours in length. The only area that really hurt from all that was my feet!

Ministry wise I've done a little travel for Shepherd's Staff, met with a bunch of missionaries home on furlough, and been blessed to do some guest teaching for several churches in San Diego County, including the Men's ministry and Senior's Bible Study at CC Escondido, my home church.

There is also a lot coming up. My schedule for the next 10 weeks or so is as follows:

Monday evenings thru Dec. 14 - taking the Perspectives on the World Christian Movement course at North Coast Church in Vista

Sunday, Aug. 23 - Guest teaching at Calvary Chapel Mid Valley in Encino, CA

Tuesday, Sept 1 - Julian Oaks Youth Ministries Board Meeting

Wed. Sept 9 - Jury Duty

Mon - Wed Sept. 14-16 Representing Shepherd's Staff at the Central & Northern Calif. Pastor's and Leader's Conference in Santa Cruz, Ca

Mon - Wed Sept 21-23 Representing SS at the Horizon 'Huddle' at the Twin Peaks conference center in the San Bernardino Mtns.

Fri. sept 25 thru Sat., Oct. 3 Seattle area. Sept. 28-30 representing SS at the Pacific Northwest Pastor's and Leader's conference

Oct. 12-14 - representing SS at the 'Send the Message' mission's conference at CC Spring Valley in Las Vegas.

Oct 15-22 New England; teaching at the NE Huddle in New Hampshire Oct. 19-21.

Shepherd's Staff has also been growing. We've added another 20 missionaries since the first of the year and there are several more 'in the chute' preparing to be sent out. I've been tasked with assisting in the initial interview process for new missionaries, which could add to my travel - but would be an awesome way to develop relationship with both the missionaries and their sending churches from the ground up.

As always, I deeply appreciate and covet your prayer in all this.

Yes, I'm busy - but never too busy for a phone chat or cup of coffee when I'm home. By the way, some have thought I moved to Albuquerque where the Shepherd's Staff offices are based. Nope!

I'm still living here in Escondido and working out of my home. So still lot's of opportunity for fellowship and hang time with friends and family.

That's about it for now. Keep growing in His love!

Pat

Update - August Part 1

Before I fill you in on what's been happening and what's upcoming, let me share a few thoughts on a sweet verse in Psalm 46. This is a Psalm of comfort, hope, assurance and challenge. It speaks of God being our refuge and strength - a present help in time of trouble - certainly a challenge to us to trust and not be afraid no matter what comes our way. It also encourages us to be still and know - intimately - our God - that He might be exalted among the nations and in all the earth. Surely as we cultivate an intimate walk with Jesus, His nature and His character will be reflected outward through our lives to a terribly needy and hurting and lost world around us.

The 4th verse in this Psalm gives us great assurance that as huge as the challenge may be facing any of us, God is at work in us, refreshing, strengthening, empowering us thru it all!

It states: There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God. The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.

Now I'm sure the psalmist had in mind Jerusalem and the Temple and perhaps even the heavenly Jerusalem...but God gives us an amazing picture in the New Testament of believers like you and I being the temple, the tabernacle, the dwelling place of the Most High God. Check out 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 2 Cor. 6:16 and 2 Peter 2:5.

Jesus also told us in John 7:37-39 that the Holy Spirit would flow out from believers like 'rivers of living water'! So looking back at Ps. 46:4, my paraphrase, "There is Living Water, the indwelling Spirit of God, flowing thru each of us and bringing great joy to the people of God. We have been forgiven, cleansed, filled and set apart now as His own special people! We are those "holy places" not because of how perfect we are but because of how Holy He is! And He bought us with the price of His own blood that He might be glorified in and thru us!

Where am I going with all this? Sometimes I get down and defeated and feel like there is no way I can ever deal with the weight and challenge and responsibility of life and ministry. I stumble and trip and fail so often - and the enemy loves to rub my nose in that. I so often look in the mirror and say to the Lord, "You've got to be kidding! How can You possibly work thru a wretch like me?" Perhaps you have felt that way too. But HEADS UP here! We're wrong!

God has saved us thru the redeeming sacrifice of His Son and has made us a new creation! We've been born again by His will and He has filled us with His Spirit and has decided to move in with us! So rejoice in the Lord today! He still wants to use and I and He has given us, by His Spirit, everything we need that pertains to life and godliness! We are not scum - we are His Saints. And the Most High God is now tabernacling in us that the world would know how great His love really is.

Wow! So much for a few thoughts :-)

I'll post this and follow it up with my ministry update.

In His Arm's,

Pat

New post???

New stuff coming this week - really - I'm not kidding - it's gonna happen!! Pat will post to his blog this week....hopefully :-) for sure!

Love all you guys! Pat