Kenny Hibbard

Many many many of us are bored with eating these days.  (Except for those wanna-be chefs who have spent hours making special meals from recipes they found on-line) Meals have turned into a time to just get some food and not feel hungry. In talking to people who are feeling this way I have shared with them that is how much of the world views food. Eating is not an exciting enjoyment for the people in 3rd world countries. They just eat to live……Americans Live To Eat! Eating for us is a recreation and added pleasure. For most in the world it is like daily hygiene…..you just do it because you have to.

I hope this fast has shown you how blessed you truly are! I hope that of the many spiritual lessons learned….you and I have learned that we are blessed people.

Speaking of blessing…..tomorrow I will have the privilege of saying the prayer and blessing over a new home that Team Church help to build through Habitat For Humanity here in Matthews. This past summer volunteers from Team Church teamed up with Habitat to build a beautiful new home for a needy single mom in Matthews!

Great job Team Church! That is part of our GO 2010! Another aspect of GO 2010 is that we start our Butler High School Team Dinner/Devotion this afternoon.  We are looking forward to another great season of helping to minister to these great young men.

We ALL have less than 3 days to go………keep praying, keep seeking and keep the faith that God wants to use this fast in a special way in your life and the life of our church.

Today, I had the privilege of taking Brady to his first day of Kindergarten. Wow …..time goes by so fast. My little man is now old enough to go to school!  As I walked him into his first day at Queens Grant Elementary School I felt like it was Sunday morning at Team Church. So many kids from our church go there and we also have a bunch of teachers, administrators, and volunteers that work there too.  It was a pleasant reminder to me of how our church has grown over the years.

Eight years ago, when the school first opened up, I would drop Peyton off for school and I did not recognize anyone at Queens Grant. I think we were the only family there from our church. Not anymore…………

The funny thing was that so many of the parents who were dropping their kids off at school and the teachers that work there are also on the Daniel Fast.  Many people were making comments about it as we all walked by the free coffee and doughnuts.  It was very tempting….but the amount of people walking around from the church made for great accountability.

How are you doing on your fast?  Here are some great and funny comments I have heard:

• I don’t even look forward to eating anymore. Everything taste the same…..eating is no longer fun.
• I can’t believe how much I miss Cheese!
• I am tired of the uncontrollable gas…..
• I want chocolate so bad…..
• Eating now takes to much work…..
• I am just eating the same thing over and over….
• I am so over this…..

However, the best thing I keep hearing:

“This has been the best experience for me. God is showing me so many things and my mind is always on Him!”

Stay Strong……..3 1/2 days to go!

Our church wide Daniel Fast has moved into the 10th day. We are in the home stretch!

However, the desire for meat, chocolate, dairy and Krispy Kreme Doughnuts is growing stronger each day. Yesterday, my wife sent me a text that read…“When Jesus fasted for 40 days…..he did not have to make snacks, lunch and dinner for kids all day long. If he had….the story may have ended differently!” I told her that was the funniest thing I had heard all day! However, it is true……fasting while having to watch others eat or making them their food is tough.  If you are struggling……..don’t quit. Stay firm and resist temptation. For many of us this is a great lesson on resisting the temptation that is there all the time.  Porn on the computer, cheating on taxes, lustful looking at someone else, gossip, and the list goes……..we cannot seclude ourselves from the evil that so easily can entangle us! However, we can discipline our mind, body and soul not to give in and bite the forbidden fruit.

The fast has been easier because hundreds of adults at Team Church are doing it together!  There is something about living a God honoring life together that makes it easier. This is one big reason we have Home Teams! I want to encourage you to register now for a fall season Home Team.  If you are looking to get relationally connected at Team Church….this is the place. If you are looking for a place to have weekly Bible study and prayer…..this is the place. If you want to grow in your faith…this is the place.

I am looking forward to seeing you Sunday morning! We are going to talk about a Lifestyle of Rewards.  You don’t want to miss this one!  Then on Sunday night we will have a worship concert and communion as we break the fast together and commit ourselves to the One Purpose of this place we call …..Team Church!