Hello E-News Friends,
The whole world is aware at this time of the year of the little baby who was born 2,000 years ago, whose name we know as Jesus. Not enough know that he came full of grace and truth, wrapped in a life love. A powerful, faithful, forgiving love. It is our privilege and honor to share that knowledge with our family, friends, and community.
Christmas gives us a great opportunity to do just that.
This Sunday we celebrate that birth and His love! I hope you are as excited about that as I am. It should be a joy-filled time as we gather together once again to lift high our Savior! Now is a great time to invite someone who is missing out on the best relationship possible. This might be the season they meet the King! You just never know.
I’ve heard we have some special music and a drama to look forward to. I am always amazed how each week God works at Oak Bridge.
It only gets better as this is Christmas cookie Sunday. I’m partial to snicker-doodles and oatmeal cookies and will volunteer to taste-test yours for flavor and freshness. You can trust me; I am a professional in this area! Our leftover cookies will be taken to our friends at the Towers to help ruin their holiday diets as well.
May you have much of our King’s love in your life as you remember His birth this Christmas week!
In His awe-inspiring grace.
A fellow Love Doctor in training,
Tom
PS Our Open House for Volunteer Celebration is at the Oak Bridge Center tomorrow (Saturday) between 9:00-12:00 AM. We want to say thanks to all of you who serve our King so faithfully through the various ministries of Oak Bridge! We have a little surprise set up for you that you will enjoy! (No it’s not just coffee and doughnuts, although we will have those as well.)
One last question, what clothes have you been putting on this week? It does make a difference. Love Wins!
Friday, December 18, 2009
Monday, December 14, 2009
E-News from Tom: 12/14/09
Hello E-News Friends,
I know this is an early e-mail from what you are used to or depending on how you want to look at it, late since I didn’t get one out last week. But I wanted to urge you to be a thermostat during these next two weeks. Emotions will be running on high for many people. A thermostat sets the temperature. People that apply the love of God are thermostats. They change the feel of a room. They change the attitude of the people in a room. Jesus was a thermostat. His love certainly set the temperature of many rooms.
Thermometers reflect the temperature of the room. They do not set it. Many times we are just thermometers. If the room is full of complaining, gossip, and arrogance, we join right in. We change nothing. There is no win in that.
It will take each of us to “CK (check) our G (growth) H (health) P (plan)”…(Compassion, Kindness, Gentleness, Humility and Patience.) Put each of these on so we can remove our short tempers and learn to forgive others to allow love to win; which over time it always does! While I can’t see you, if you’re following our King, I at least know what you are wearing this week. Love is the best set of clothes possible!
From one Love Doctor in training to many others, you all look really sharp in your new clothes! Your red and white bracelet is stunning as well!
In His Grace,
Tom
PS Start inviting those people God has put on your heart for this weekend. We don’t want them to miss a great divine appointment with the King!
I know this is an early e-mail from what you are used to or depending on how you want to look at it, late since I didn’t get one out last week. But I wanted to urge you to be a thermostat during these next two weeks. Emotions will be running on high for many people. A thermostat sets the temperature. People that apply the love of God are thermostats. They change the feel of a room. They change the attitude of the people in a room. Jesus was a thermostat. His love certainly set the temperature of many rooms.
Thermometers reflect the temperature of the room. They do not set it. Many times we are just thermometers. If the room is full of complaining, gossip, and arrogance, we join right in. We change nothing. There is no win in that.
It will take each of us to “CK (check) our G (growth) H (health) P (plan)”…(Compassion, Kindness, Gentleness, Humility and Patience.) Put each of these on so we can remove our short tempers and learn to forgive others to allow love to win; which over time it always does! While I can’t see you, if you’re following our King, I at least know what you are wearing this week. Love is the best set of clothes possible!
From one Love Doctor in training to many others, you all look really sharp in your new clothes! Your red and white bracelet is stunning as well!
In His Grace,
Tom
PS Start inviting those people God has put on your heart for this weekend. We don’t want them to miss a great divine appointment with the King!
Monday, November 30, 2009
E-News from Tom: 11/28/09
Hello E-News Friends,
I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving getting together with some family and friends. Maybe you had to remember a time or two that love is patient and you applied it. If you did, I am sure that today you can look back and see how that was a “win” in the love column. Applying love the way God designed it always wins even though at the time it often doesn’t feel like the thing to do. Trust in it! It never fails!
Here is a phrase we want to apply to our love lives. I think it holds the key to us loving one another the way God wants us to. Here it is… “Love is more action than affection.” Read it again. Say it to yourself. Say it aloud.
I feel affection for Kathy. That is a good thing. I show her I love her by how I act towards her. That is a better thing. That is a God thing. Love is patient. Apply it! That is how it wins.
This week we continue our LOVE WINS series as we learn more about this love that never fails. You won’t want to miss any of this series. It is just too important to your life and the people you come into contact with. I hope to see you Sunday!
A Fellow Love Doctor in Training,
Tom
PS I have been trying to stay near 2000 calories a day to maintain or possibly lose some poundage. After Thanksgiving (and five pieces if pie), I can’t eat for the next 8 days to make up for it. It was great though! Thanks mom!
I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving getting together with some family and friends. Maybe you had to remember a time or two that love is patient and you applied it. If you did, I am sure that today you can look back and see how that was a “win” in the love column. Applying love the way God designed it always wins even though at the time it often doesn’t feel like the thing to do. Trust in it! It never fails!
Here is a phrase we want to apply to our love lives. I think it holds the key to us loving one another the way God wants us to. Here it is… “Love is more action than affection.” Read it again. Say it to yourself. Say it aloud.
I feel affection for Kathy. That is a good thing. I show her I love her by how I act towards her. That is a better thing. That is a God thing. Love is patient. Apply it! That is how it wins.
This week we continue our LOVE WINS series as we learn more about this love that never fails. You won’t want to miss any of this series. It is just too important to your life and the people you come into contact with. I hope to see you Sunday!
A Fellow Love Doctor in Training,
Tom
PS I have been trying to stay near 2000 calories a day to maintain or possibly lose some poundage. After Thanksgiving (and five pieces if pie), I can’t eat for the next 8 days to make up for it. It was great though! Thanks mom!
Friday, November 20, 2009
E-News from Tom: 11/20/09
Hello E-News Friends,
Thanksgiving is a great holiday! Not just because of the turkey and football, although those are good, but just the main idea of expressed gratitude to God. Saying thanks to Him for the many things we take for granted. It is good for your heart, mind and soul! It honors our Heavenly Father—something He fully deserves!
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.“ Psalm 100:4
“Praise the LORD. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.” Psalm 106:1
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.” Colossians 3:16
You won’t want to miss this Sunday’s Thanksgiving Service! It is packed with gratitude and love! What a combo! This service is sure to stay with you for a long while! How about showing some love to a friend by inviting them to Oak Bridge this weekend. Maybe God has a divine appointment scheduled with them. You just never know!
Kathy tells me she will have some Pumpkin pie available to all that want to get a jump-start on Thanksgiving Day! Oak Bridge and food, they seem to go together!
Let’s bring grateful hearts to our Father and pour them out in song and thought this weekend as we prepare for the coming Thanksgiving holiday. See you then!
In His Grace,
Tom
PS How about bringing a pie this Sunday for our friends from The Towers downtown. Many are disabled and need a little kindness this time of year. Remember our saying “LOVE WINS”. Let’s show them some. It makes a difference!
PSS New OBCC videos are posted at http://www.youtube.com/blptv4u
Thanksgiving is a great holiday! Not just because of the turkey and football, although those are good, but just the main idea of expressed gratitude to God. Saying thanks to Him for the many things we take for granted. It is good for your heart, mind and soul! It honors our Heavenly Father—something He fully deserves!
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.“ Psalm 100:4
“Praise the LORD. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.” Psalm 106:1
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.” Colossians 3:16
You won’t want to miss this Sunday’s Thanksgiving Service! It is packed with gratitude and love! What a combo! This service is sure to stay with you for a long while! How about showing some love to a friend by inviting them to Oak Bridge this weekend. Maybe God has a divine appointment scheduled with them. You just never know!
Kathy tells me she will have some Pumpkin pie available to all that want to get a jump-start on Thanksgiving Day! Oak Bridge and food, they seem to go together!
Let’s bring grateful hearts to our Father and pour them out in song and thought this weekend as we prepare for the coming Thanksgiving holiday. See you then!
In His Grace,
Tom
PS How about bringing a pie this Sunday for our friends from The Towers downtown. Many are disabled and need a little kindness this time of year. Remember our saying “LOVE WINS”. Let’s show them some. It makes a difference!
PSS New OBCC videos are posted at http://www.youtube.com/blptv4u
Friday, October 30, 2009
E-News from Tom: 10/30/09
Hello E-News Friends,
Sunday starts a week of big-time celebration for us. Obviously, we have the morning worship (I will talk about the scariest verse in the Bible.) followed by an “always great” Baptism Service at 4:00 at the OBC. Small Groups and the Toolbox make up some mid-week excitement. We’ll have our first ever “Night of Worship” on Saturday, November 7. (Bring a canned good to get in!) The doors will open at 6:45. That night the Oak Bridge Center will offer a variety of beverages and desserts for purchase to help support our young adults. (Kathy will have her amazing carrot cake. It is great and has absolutely zero calories!) Can it get any better than that!
It all concludes with our 6 Year Anniversary Celebration on Sunday, November 8! You don’t want to miss it! It is going to be a great service of stories and celebration!
God loves us! Jesus proved it! God guides us! Jesus is His pathway! God changes lives through His Son. We are carriers of that truth! Thank you God!
Let’s all celebrate these truths together!
In His Amazing Grace,
Tom
PS Don’t forget to turn your clocks back before you go to bed Saturday night!
Sunday starts a week of big-time celebration for us. Obviously, we have the morning worship (I will talk about the scariest verse in the Bible.) followed by an “always great” Baptism Service at 4:00 at the OBC. Small Groups and the Toolbox make up some mid-week excitement. We’ll have our first ever “Night of Worship” on Saturday, November 7. (Bring a canned good to get in!) The doors will open at 6:45. That night the Oak Bridge Center will offer a variety of beverages and desserts for purchase to help support our young adults. (Kathy will have her amazing carrot cake. It is great and has absolutely zero calories!) Can it get any better than that!
It all concludes with our 6 Year Anniversary Celebration on Sunday, November 8! You don’t want to miss it! It is going to be a great service of stories and celebration!
God loves us! Jesus proved it! God guides us! Jesus is His pathway! God changes lives through His Son. We are carriers of that truth! Thank you God!
Let’s all celebrate these truths together!
In His Amazing Grace,
Tom
PS Don’t forget to turn your clocks back before you go to bed Saturday night!
Friday, October 16, 2009
E-News from Tom: 10/16/09
Hello E-News Friends,
My hat is off to all of you who have taken the your next step towards Christ either through baptism, small groups, Toolbox, more consistent Sunday attendance, or signing up to use your giftedness to serve. I know your relationship with God is on a forward movement direction! You will be amazed by your growth in Christ and what it means to your life! It changes (for the better) so many things!
This Sunday we will look at a big “growth stopper”. It impacts all of us to one degree or another. But the good news is that we can do something about it. The problem is most of us are not even aware of how this “growth stopper” is working. And that is a danger to each of us.
It’s a great Sunday to bring a friend. We’ll supply the fresh fruit, bagels, doughnuts, and coffee. You send out the invite. (Tell’em it’s all you can eat.) That would work for me!
See you on the best day of the week!
In His Grace,
Tom
PS I hear a rap is going down in the E-Service, and Married Life Live is gonna be a “Off the chain”! I can’t wait to see both!
My hat is off to all of you who have taken the your next step towards Christ either through baptism, small groups, Toolbox, more consistent Sunday attendance, or signing up to use your giftedness to serve. I know your relationship with God is on a forward movement direction! You will be amazed by your growth in Christ and what it means to your life! It changes (for the better) so many things!
This Sunday we will look at a big “growth stopper”. It impacts all of us to one degree or another. But the good news is that we can do something about it. The problem is most of us are not even aware of how this “growth stopper” is working. And that is a danger to each of us.
It’s a great Sunday to bring a friend. We’ll supply the fresh fruit, bagels, doughnuts, and coffee. You send out the invite. (Tell’em it’s all you can eat.) That would work for me!
See you on the best day of the week!
In His Grace,
Tom
PS I hear a rap is going down in the E-Service, and Married Life Live is gonna be a “Off the chain”! I can’t wait to see both!
Monday, October 5, 2009
E-News from Tom: 10/05/09
Hello E-News Friends,
Fall is here. The air is cool and crisp. The leaves are falling off the trees. You can smell the occasional outdoor fire. Apple cider is plentiful in all the stores. Football games are on every channel. The Cardinals are still playing and the Cubs are going home.
Sweatshirts are making their appearance. A new season is in full swing.
Spiritually speaking, a new season is in full swing as well. Time to take some fresh new steps towards Christ. I am upping my time I spend in reflection. Asking myself questions like: What am I going to spend time on today? Who can I express love to more clearly? Am I looking for the hand of God in nature? Can I be the hand (or mouth) of God to someone? Am I taking steps towards Christ that make sense? Who can I learn from today? It’s made a difference and feels great.
Are you starting a new season that moves you closer to Christ? You can you know! Try out The Toolbox. Apply a teaching from Sunday’s message. Memorize the key Bible verses. Read a book from the Grow store. Go walking with some great praise music playing in your earphones. Sign up for the next class. Get baptized. Invite someone to go to Church with you. Get involved in serving. Go to a Small Group. Read your Bible. Pray for your love factor to grow. Attend Church with more regularity.
It’s a new season! Go for It! God is waiting!
Take a step towards Christ. You can do it!
This week we will learn about our talents and how God can use them if we choose to allow Him. The message is titled “You Got What It Takes?” I think it’s a topic God wants us all to understand.
Remember it’s a new season. Take some steps towards Christ!
In His Grace,
Tom
P.S. The Toolbox is Wednesday @ 7:00 at the OBC. (A great next step!)
Fall is here. The air is cool and crisp. The leaves are falling off the trees. You can smell the occasional outdoor fire. Apple cider is plentiful in all the stores. Football games are on every channel. The Cardinals are still playing and the Cubs are going home.
Sweatshirts are making their appearance. A new season is in full swing.
Spiritually speaking, a new season is in full swing as well. Time to take some fresh new steps towards Christ. I am upping my time I spend in reflection. Asking myself questions like: What am I going to spend time on today? Who can I express love to more clearly? Am I looking for the hand of God in nature? Can I be the hand (or mouth) of God to someone? Am I taking steps towards Christ that make sense? Who can I learn from today? It’s made a difference and feels great.
Are you starting a new season that moves you closer to Christ? You can you know! Try out The Toolbox. Apply a teaching from Sunday’s message. Memorize the key Bible verses. Read a book from the Grow store. Go walking with some great praise music playing in your earphones. Sign up for the next class. Get baptized. Invite someone to go to Church with you. Get involved in serving. Go to a Small Group. Read your Bible. Pray for your love factor to grow. Attend Church with more regularity.
It’s a new season! Go for It! God is waiting!
Take a step towards Christ. You can do it!
This week we will learn about our talents and how God can use them if we choose to allow Him. The message is titled “You Got What It Takes?” I think it’s a topic God wants us all to understand.
Remember it’s a new season. Take some steps towards Christ!
In His Grace,
Tom
P.S. The Toolbox is Wednesday @ 7:00 at the OBC. (A great next step!)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)