By Josh Weidmann on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 8:27 AM

Here I am in Wichita , Kansas. I am tired and totally weary for a week-long camp of speaking to these youth. My distracted heart believes there are other things I’d rather be doing and places I’d rather be, but I am trusting that this is exactly where God wants me.

This morning I am going to speak on “The three things that happen when God writes your story.” This is a bit of step backwards for these teens, especially after where I took them last night, but I have to remember that it is still important for them to hear. They need to understand that the Gospel is a daily letting go of them selves and accepting of the call to salvation.

My brother is with me, and even now as he is getting ready he is telling me how great he slept. Thank you Lord for giving us good rest. Yesterday was a long day of driving and a late night after speaking.

Nonetheless, this morning is painful. I am lacking energy and passion. I am preoccupied with things back home. God, narrow my mind. Wake up my soul.

Time to go get some coffee and preach my little heart out…

By Josh Weidmann on Monday, July 07, 2008 11:05 PM

Today I was grieved to hear of yet another man in ministry that flirted with the line of immorality.

 

God has placed so many of us over specific parts of His Kingdom. Under our responsibilities are souls that need tending and many eyes that are looking to see the reflecting of Christ in our every move. Yet, we are sinners. We are broken, wretched, filthy sinners who do not deserve God’s grace and forgiveness, yet alone His call to greatness for His glory… but he so faithfully give this all to us; how humbling.

 

Sadly, many leaders get comfortable – too comfortable – and they forget the slippery slope of their own sin because they are too concerned about helping others out of their sin. Tragically, when they have grown comfortable they begin to flirt with boundaries and live in gray areas which will set them up for moral destruction or at least hypocritical behavior.

 

I have faced great temptation in ministry and even made mistakes that I wish could be reversed. However, I daily stand before God begging for His grace and mercy so that I will not make mistakes in the future and can have the faith to accept the forgiveness of my past.

 

We must never underestimate…

…the power of our God’s forgiveness

…the vitality of accountability

…the importance of moral boundaries

…the constant observation of our lives by others 

…and the power of an unstained life

 

Please pray that I continue to stay clean, uphold standards, submit to accountability and remain focused on the prize. I will pray you do the same.

By Josh Weidmann on Sunday, July 06, 2008 8:59 PM

Wow, it’s been awhile since I’ve written. It seems like the days have come and gone much quicker here… but I haven’t minded it. I do wish they would slow down for the sake of capturing the many lessons that seemed to be birthed within every minute. But perhaps some of those lessons are best kept in my own soul and never exposed on paper.

Recently I enjoyed a day at the local amusement park with a few friends and family. The property of that park seemed to be a playground for a myriad of lessons God wanted to speak to me. One thing that I remember of my time there was the feelings that flooded my body right before the rides would begin. As one of the rides in particular pulled us back only to launch us into an exhilarating track of twists and turns, I was overwhelmed by both the feelings of excitement and terror.  In that one instant I remember thinking – as if the Spirit Himself was prompting me – “A life of service to the Lord is both exciting and terrifying.”

That statement rang ever true this week. I stated my new role in God’s Kingdom work; I am now the Associate Pastor of Colorado Community Church. This role is much bigger than any position I’ve had within the Church before. I feel the weight of its requirements for a sharp mind, tender leadership, and most of all Christ-centeredness.

As I walked into my freshly painted office this week and began to settle in, I was reliving the feeling of stepping onto a ride at the amusement park. As my journey at this church was about to start, I was filled with excitement beyond words! God had brought me here… my circumstances over the last few months make it so evident that God had prepared me and move me to this place. I was also filled with terror; this is no small calling! But the feelings of fear are not the kind that would keep you from doing the terrifying thing before you. Rather, they are the feels that make you run into it all the more excited, but maintain your right view of Who is really in control.

As I emerge from the cave I am reminded that we serve a terrifying God who asks us to do terrifying things. My sincere prayer is that I will be a man of great courage, but one who always is filled with the fear of our Lord.