All Staff Meeting Today

Today we had a Marathon All Staff Meeting. Kip made some good points that I would like to share. He had us think about why we do what we do on a daily basis. In a normal person's life 95% of what we do can be replaced by someone else but what is the 5% that we do that cannot be replaced by someone else? What is it that you do that no one else can do? Good question... You would want to say your job but honestly someone could do it. My answer was "be the mom that I am to my children". Now that probably got you thinking. "Be the husband to your wife", "or wife to your husband", "parent to your children", etc... What about no one else could have the relationship you have with Christ but yourself? How is your relationship with the Lord? Have you taken time for Him?

Another good point Kip said which it just came out with out him thinking, is we are all like Heart Surgeons. We each are there on Sunday to help change people's hearts.

So my challenge to you this weekend is to think about what you are doing and why you do what you do. You are making a difference in people. Let God shine through you and let's work together to change hearts.

For The Race,
Crystal

Recap from Sunday 2-15-09

Prayer Requests for This Week:
Robert Fortner's son Kirkland double ear infections
Now Robert is sick so keep him in your prayers
Ken King - received clean bill of health from cardiologist, eye surgery rescheduled for 2/27
Melissa Kennedy's friend just found out she has breast cancer
Brad Williams’ close friend Jeff Smoak, has a daughter, Macayla Smoak, that has a rare disease known as Batten's. She is 7 years old. He has put together a website, www.smoaksignals.com, regarding this.
Also Brad has a prayer request for Shawnee Boyle. Her website is http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/shawneeboyle. She has a large mass on her brain.

Always remember Eddie in your prayers

I will not be here this coming Sunday the 22nd. Robert will be holding down the fort so please see him if you need anything.

Have a wonderful week and weekend!
Love,
Crystal

A Thank You For My Teachers

A lot of times we look at people in the Bible and we think that they're so different from us. But when we look at the things we all share in common, we find it's very profound. The fact is that people are people regardless of the time or place in which they find themselves. When we dig down beneath those temporal issues, this is what we find - that God Loved them, and that He Loves us. To me, there is nothing more riveting.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom and we were created to fear God, it's not a fear like a fear of the dark. It's more like a fear of the Grand Canyon, the awe inspired by standing on the top of Table Rock when the wind is blowing. Every Sunday morning, as I go around and speak to all of you and try to find out more about what is going on in your lives, I find myself marveling at God’s perfect plan. It is a small moment of awe that overcomes me each week.

Whether you realize it or not, God uses you every week to teach me things that I need to know, and I am grateful that you are willing to be The Teacher’s assistants (even if you were unaware that was what you were doing).

Sometimes my lessons are immediately obvious: Sometimes, due to my stubbornness, they take some time to sink in. Regardless, a lesson is there for me each and every week, and you are the ones who show me the way.

Thanks Guys!

Robert

Prayer Requests

Hi guys,

We didn't get a chance to post the prayer requests from Sunday. Would anyone like to add some? If so, comment...

Thanks,

Robert

Forgetting, Serving, and Growing

It was great to see all of you this morning. I want you to know how much you are appreciated. Quite simply, Marathon would not work without your dedication and service.

Brad Williams and I were talking the other night about how we tend to live our lives in a self-centered fashion. I told him that sometimes when I stop to think about it, I realize that I've been living as if life were a book all about me, and everyone else is just smaller characters in the book that were written in to give it more color.

People who become self-centered lose contact with the outside world. They spend all of their time and energy worrying about bills, friends, work, or even play. If we were to take the time to stop all of that, we could see that it's a big world out there - and it reflects the character of God.

The wonderful thing about service at Marathon, is that it allows us to forget about those things once in a while, and allow ourselves to become involved in the lives of people who have equally bad situations, to our own. To open up, look outside of our tiny little worlds, and let other people matter.

When we take a bigger view of things, God will give us more of His Grace and Love to share with others. We'll find ourselves responding to their needs; we'll find ourselves angered by injustice to others, and perhaps we'll even be moved enough to do something about it.

Self esteem is overrated. Christ never asked us to esteem ourselves. I think that if Christ were asked, He might say that it would be a wonderful thing if we forgot ourselves.

Christianity isn't about being self-sacrificing - it's about being self-forgetting. Forget yourself once in a while, and open your eyes. Focus on this big, beautiful world God has made. As you walk around, learn to identify some of the plants that you pass. At night, learn to identify every constellation in the sky. Get to know birds by their feathers, flight patterns and songs. Introduce yourself to your neighbors, or the lady you're in line with at Bi-Lo. It really is a big world out there - and it really does reflect the character of God. Let go of yourself - and God will show you a whole new world.

Be God's!

Robert