One of my proudest moments as a father -- maybe ever!
My wife Becki called me at work earlier this week. She usually has something she is thinking about or something she wants my thoughts on. This time she shared with me what my eight year old daughter, Gina, wrote at school on leadership. This is what she said.10-29-09 Gina Nored 3rd Grade "If I could be a leader in any area, I would be a Christian leader. I would teach others about god, and try for them to believe in him. I would also tell bible stories, and read memory verses. If there was a bad time, I would try my best to fix it. Also I would make bible classes, and bible studies. I would be just like my dad."

A wonderful smile!
Diabolic smileOriginally uploaded by ElishamsHere is a great picture I found on Flickr. Doesn't this smile warm your soul?Also check out James' website at www.storyofredemption.com.

What a Church, What a Day! - Serving Our Community
Today was a great day for High Pointe. Wednesday is the day that our food pantry and clothes closet are open. And today was also a day in which we were taking applications from families for the Angel Tree ministry. The church was flooded with people who needed help. People with real hurts and struggles. One wom

Spiritual Gifts Seminar at Enterprise Boulevard Church of Christ
Yesterday I flew out to Lake Charles, Louisiana, to give a Spiritual Gifts Seminar. (As a side note, American Eagle somehow lost my luggage on a direct flight. That is hard to do.) We had the first night of the seminar last night, and will conclude tonight. Everyone has been very welcoming and has received me--and most importantly--the Spiritual gifts material--very well. One of the members, Jason Poynter, has been helping to start many good things at Enterprise Blvd., including life groups, a children's worship hour, and most recently, Spiritual gifts.

Suburban Christianity Leads to Spiritual Death
I came across an article on Digg.com today called, Why Does Hollywood Hate the Suburbs? The article points to movies like Revolutionary Road that paint the suburbs as places of "spiritual and mental death." They are also stigmatized "materialism, lack of imagination, and conformity."I am largely a suburban kid. I went to high school in Edmond, OK, suburb of Oklahoma City. I ministered in Liberty, Missouri, suburb of Kansas City. And now I'm back in McKinney, suburb of North Dallas.It is no coincidence that I have stayed in suburbia. I am comfortable there. It feels like home. I know the homes, the