Recharged Batteries

My amazing church sent me to Missoula this week,
to the Rocky Mountain Shepherd's Conference.

As a rule, I am not much of a "meeting" kinda guy..... ever.
However, the good Lord was clearly nudging me to go so.... I go.

I arrived and crawled into my motel room and took a nap.
For me, that is unheard of.
My mother never could get me to take a nap.
So I have either entered a new "season" of my life
or I "needed" to attend this conference
(perhaps both options are correct).

I got up this morning and attended every session.
Each session simply got better and better.
Finally, tonight at 7 pm, I attended the keynote late session.

The late session began with Pastor Joel Bahnam playing his acoustic guitar and singing.
My heart softened as he sang and the good Lord began his "restoring" ministry in my soul
(Psalm 23).

Then Pastor Rick Weinert opened God's Word and for an hour, travelled from Genesis to ..... well, Ephesians 4 (if he had more time, I am sure we would have visited Revelation).
He is a highly challenging speaker that focuses on introducing people to the Gospel and moving them immediately into a lifelong transforming process called "Discipleship".

Tonight I sit in my room, rested, my soul restored, my mind focused on the tasks ahead, and my spirit in a healthy relationship with my Lord. How cool is that?

Thank you Garden Valley Community Church.

And the icing on the cake is, the Rocky Mountain Bible Mission (www.rmbible.org) is a group of a couple hundred pastors that minister in small country towns (mostly in very small churches).

Once God moved me past my preconceived idea that these were mega church powerhouse types..... I found myself surrounded by men & women that love God and are serving in churches much like ours. I am not alone.


"....you are a chosen people.
You are royal priests, a holy nation,
God’s very own possession.
As a result,
you can show others the goodness of God,
for he called you out of the darkness
into his wonderful light.
Dear friends,
I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners”
to keep away from worldly desires
that wage war against your very souls.
Be careful to live properly
among your unbelieving neighbors.
Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong,
they will see your honorable behavior,
and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.
1 Peter 2:9-12