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The Lady in the ER

A couple days ago I had another spleen scare. My doc had some bad results from an ultra sound. He called me in and sent me for blood work and CT scan. God healed my spleen from the time of the ultrasound until the CT scan! The CT scan results showed an alive and functioning spleen, which is amazing in itself, chance were low after the procedure.  I thank God for His healing!

There is another issue from all the internal bleeding and clotting, but God is able to heal that too. I have faith!

Don’t take me wrong for the next few statements I am going to make. I am thrilled for the healing. I believe God sent me there to show me that He is healing me. I am thankful that God is still in control and has given me a 2^nd chance to live, and that is sooo cool, it’s all in His hands.

I believe most of this visit to the hospital was for a girl named “Marie” (name has been changed) Marie works in the ER admitting offices. Renee and my relationship w/ her started 6 weeks ago.  She was the first person we saw on my first visit to the ER. She was kind & nice, but as we looked into her eyes, we knew she was missing something.  We all hit it off.  For some reason, she thought we were ‘cool’ pastors, (not so ‘cool’ in the ER, LOL) So after the 1^st visit, Renee and Marie exchanged numbers and we were off.

The next night when I was dying, we went back to the ER. We asked for Marie by name. She came out not expecting to see us again, but here we were. God is so cool how He plans things out and aligns our schedules!!  If you ever forget, remember His timing is perfect.

So Marie got us taken care of quickly and rushed into a room.  A couple days later, after the spleen procedure, I was resting in a bed, Renee by my side (yes, she was actually by my side in the bed, she was tired of sitting in the chair) when in comes Marie.

We were totally shocked she came to visit. We had just met her a few days prior, in the ER of all places. She said even though works there, she has never even been to the floor I was on, and added, she had never came to check on any of the patients she admitted. Something was drawing her in.

I think Renee had texted her once since then and we had continued to pray for her. So Tuesday evening while we where waiting for test results, we were strolling the halls and decided to go ask for her. We bumped into Marie in the hallway. I can’t begin to explain the look on her face, loneliness, scared, confusion, not sure what step in life to take next.... The second we started to talk to her, she teared up. She is going through some hard stuff in her life right now. We all exchanged a few words. I think she was still in shock that we remembered her name or that we cared. Renee stepped up to hug her, Marie tried to hold back the tears, but it wasn’t working too good. Renee encouraged her that things are going to be OK and that we have been praying for her. She was at work and had to go, but asked us to be praying for her. 

I love how God works. We do not know her from Adam. She does not have a relationship w/ God. Just a girl we met while at the hospital. We don't know anything about her life, except for what she has told us, that she is hurting. 

I believe w/ all my heart, this is the main reason we were there was for Marie. God is starting to move in her life and has allowed our paths to cross.

One of my prayers is for God to let me cross paths to help someone find a relationship w/ Him and to use me in anyway possible, it doesn’t matter, this whole thing is bigger than us, bigger than you could ever imagine. I challenge you to do the same, ask God to let you cross paths w/ the people you need to cross paths w/. Whether it’s for ministry purposes, job markets or just friendships, He cares and wants the best for you, more than you do.  He knows us and our needs better than we know ourselves!

www.ryancook.net 

This IS What MOP's is About

This letter was emailed to me from our MOP's (mothers of preschoolers) leader. MOP's is close to my heart because my wife Renee got our MOP's group up and going for the first 2 years. 

Kim's experience is what MOP's is about. What reaching out is about. What letting people see Jesus in us is about. What seeing people as Jesus see's them is about. It's about living out your life and walk w/ Christ in a way that others see and want what you have. Check out this awesome letter:

To all my MOPS moms,

I was never very girlie. I caught spiders, frogs and snakes and asked to keep them. I wrestled and played football. I didn’t wear makeup until I was 16. I bought my first “pretty” bra when I was 20. Slowly I learned it was ok to just be a girl.

Years passed and at 25 I moved here (to Grand Junction) I met Sara (a steering team member in our group) and came to MOPS. Here I found beautiful, strong women. They weren’t prissy or elitist. I didn’t feel like an outcast because I wasn’t “girlie”. Quite opposite. I was encouraged. I became more and more comfortable with attempting to be fashionable. I learned it was perfectly fine for me to like lace and flowers and even pink. And I liked feeling accepted as me, but encouraged to grow. All from women that I was sure, at least in my mind, would have never given me the time of day.

Mops has changed my life. This group has changed my life. Sharing our stories gave me strength and let me know that I wasn’t a bad mom for being frustrated, I wasn’t a bad person for not being perfect all the time. Being around positive women, sharing coffee and decorating picture frames somehow brought me peace. I could leave energized and enlightened with new ideas on how to help my family. I wasn’t stuck alone in my four walls anymore. I had a place to go where I was understood.

When I first moved here, I didn’t pray anymore. I didn’t like religion or church or any organization affiliated with church. I remembered God but didn’t know how to fit HIM into my life. I was uncomfortable even having a religious conversation. I had never even prayed with my kids. Slowly, MOPS helped me remember. MOPS gave me a positive interaction with a church group. I saw a group of happy, healthy families, church goers who weren’t hypocrites. People that put positivity back into religion for me.

My children pray every night. They pray before meals. I pray as I lay down to sleep. And when all answers are exhausted my children hear “Because that’s how God made them”.

If you had met me three years ago, you would not have heard me say those words.

I am grateful to all of you for helping that change.

I say all this because before I say goodbye, I want to say thank you. Thank you for every part you’ve played in my journey. For helping me become more feminine, for offering advice when I was at wits end, for playing and talking when I wanted someone to hang out with. Thank you for helping me find God again.

I won’t promise to remember all your names or all your faces. I will promise to remember the good you’ve helped create in me and the wonderful 3 years we’ve shared. You will all hold a special place in my heart.

ryancook.net

if only...... Significant

I was reading the other day, yes I do that from time to time :-), and ran across an article about being significant, worth and meaning.

I was not surprised by any of the responses, in fact it made me think about it a little more.

Here are some of the responses:

• If only I could be more disciplined and lose all this excess weight….then I would feel more significant.
• feel completely confident in my own skin…
• seize the opportunity and show who I am
• Be a better wife, mother, housekeeper, friend, daughter, sister…Child of God,…
• If I could only make my in-laws care about me genuinely..then I would feel more significant.
• If I could only have a life 100% free of the devil and his tricks, then I would feel more significant.
• Be who I know God has called me to be in ministry instead of living in the depression of my failure’s
• leave my hang ups behind and go full steam ahead following God’s plan for my life
• kill the demons that I can’t seem to get away from and live successfully as ME, and not a clone of someone else
• If I could only get *that* job, then I would feel significant, important. Until then I continue to feel useless.
• If I could only (make some money) and not be “just a mom” I would feel more significant. ugh. 

There are false beliefs – beliefs that lead us to believe our significance comes from things and people within the world. It doesn’t. I have personally struggled w/ this for many years. Trying to please others to feel significant, do something that would "wow" others, but I have come to the conclusion that in the big scheme of things, none of that matters. As long as you are exactly where God wants you to be, that should be enough. He will take it from there and add to you.

My significance comes from God alone and nothing else. If I base my significance on my acceptance in Jesus, and dedicate myself to pleasing God, my confidence will be unshakable. My strength will be spiritual.

I’m here for a purpose. God’s purpose. That’s all the significance I need.

www.ryancook.net

Interview w/ by bro Lawrance Lybarger

Last night at Awaken, P Mike spoke about Defining Moments in life & turning your moment into a lifestyle. Basically, taking your moment and putting action behind it.

A few weeks ago, God spoke to Lawrance and he started changing his life from the inside out.  Last night he wanted to get rid of an outer persona that had been w/ him for a while, actually for 6 years, his hair.  Interview w/ Lawrance and pics below:

Name : Lawrance Lybarger, Age: 17, The kid w/ long hair, big gauges and tight pants. L= Lawrance & R= Ryan

R: When did you start growing out your hair?

L: 6 years ago, I was 11 years old.

 

R: Why did you decide to grow out your hair?

L: I had friends w/ longer hair. I started skating. I wanted to blend in.

 

R: Can a person skate w/ out having long hair.

L: Yes, for sure

 

R: So what was the draw?

L: Listening to hardcore metal, a lot of people in the bands I listened to had long hair. The band members where cool, I want to look like that.

 

R: Do you think you are cool now?

L: Of course, just w/ short hair.  

 

R: Did you have an attitude w/ your long hair? 

L: Rebellious. I like the book, “The Outsiders” I wanted to be rebellious like them.  I started doing stupid things, breaking in, drinking, smoking,.

 

R: What about God during that time, did you believe in Him?

L: Yes, but denying it because of the people I was hanging out w/. I came across as not believing in God.

 

R: Your hair was long and silky (LOL) - What made you want to cut your hair?

L: A few weeks ago, P Mike spoke about Mary breaking her alibaster box, it was her most prized possession.  God started dealing w/ me. I have been wanting to change. So one day the thought came to me to give my hair up for God.  Some of the attitudes and things I have done were centered around my hair.  My hair was my prized possession. Would want to hit people for messing w/ my hair.  If my hair wasn’t fixed right, I wouldn’t go to school.

 

R: I know what you mean.

L: Ya, you look you had long hair at one time (LOL)

 

R:So you gave up your hair for God?

L: Yes, it’s a way to start fresh

R: How is God moving in your life?

L: I have a bunch of new friends, I am doing better in school & I have a good relationship w/ God. Instead of blaming others, I taking responsibility myself, I am owning up to my mistakes.

 

R: You have made many bad mistakes, bad choices and had a bad life style, you have sold drugs & wronged a lot of people; How does Gods grace feel to you?

L: I feel his grace all the time, everyday. If I carried on, I would most likely be dead in a gutter.  He is w/ me now all the time.

 

R: Do you regret cutting your hair?

L: No, but I do miss it a little (as he throws his head sideways, out of habit, as to move his hair to one side, but has none to do that w/) I did it for a good reason.  I think it helped a lot of kids, maybe some of the kids saw God moving in my life and how big of a change I have made. Maybe He would make in others’ lives!  That would be cool, I’m stoked!

 

R: What do you think of other kids w/ long hair?

L: Not all people w/ long hair are bad.

R: I agree w/ you.

L: (Holding up the bag of hair) I am surprised how much hair I had.  I didn’t realize how warm that hair kept my head warm? Now I know how you feel.

R: Welcome to ‘beanie’ world! Smiles

Way to go Lawrance!

Successful Way to Share your Faith

Wanted to hit few of the notes from my message last night on sharing faith.

Paul was speaking @ Areopagus Acts 17:16-34

How did Paul Share His Faith

  ·      Didn’t matter where he was, seized opportunity- He was hanging around waiting for Silas and Timothy

·      His spirit was provoked or troubled by what he saw

·      He was just being himself

·      He met the people where they were, on their turf- spoke to ALL people, both Jews and Gentiles.

·      He didn’t judge them because they didn’t know any better- What if Paul went in and said, “you guys are stupid, your following false gods, you guys are ignorant” would that have worked? No, ran them off and shut down.

·      He believed in what He spoke about

·      He wasn’t afraid

·      He made known what was unknown_ He explained God to them

·      He got people thinking- they said “we want to hear more about this later”

·      Didn’t win everyone to Christ- Not a perfect conversion rate, but still some believed! And that’s what matters, they were not all ready, they weren’t all in the same place in their journey of life.

God orchestrates this. We might just be a step in the process. The first or opening step, maybe the closing step. Just because you don’t win someone to Christ the first time doesn’t mean it was all for nothing.

8 Easy ways you can share your faith

·      Talk to people: Just talk, be friendly, be relational

·      Ask & Answer and Listen: open your mouth and also be an active listener, people want to tell their story. Listening also earns credibility

·      Be Selfless- it’s not all about us

·      Open your mind and your eyes to others, spiritually & literally (I see lots of Christians walk around w/ there heads down, avoiding other people, Ohh there so and so, let's keep walking…..be friendly, what if one of those people are going through a hard time or just need a friendly hello?

·      Visit different places- we are a people of habit, eat at the same places, visit same places, try a new one, expand yourself

·      Don’t be afraid- Listen to what Acts 18:9-11 says-  ⁹One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. ¹⁰For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city." ¹¹So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God

·      If you have been a hypocrite, repent & ask for forgiveness- make it right w/ people- earns credibility. People wont care what you know until they know you care.

·      Ask and listen to the Holy Spirit- Act 19:21- says Paul was purposed or impelled to go to Macedonia

·      Be Yourself!! We have a lot in common w/ other humans. Don’t diminish that just because we attend church. We all feel pain the same way. 

·      Be yourself- Someone needs what you have. Some of you can't do what Pastor Mike does w/ the youth or reach students as some of our students can and so on and so on......

www.ryancook.net

Raising the Standard

Here are some notes and points on Pastor Ted's message on 1/3/10- Don't forget to click on the links for the scriptures before reading the notes.

1 Peter 1:13-25 NKJ & Message

God loves us the way we are, but He loves us too much to keep us that way.

• He wants and desires a progressive work in our hearts.
• God’s work starts at home.
• God doesn’t want you preaching on the corner if His word hasn’t had an affect in the corners of our own heart.
• God is calling us to a life, a move, of Holiness, not to be misinformed as legalism.
• Making a line in the sand and saying there are some standards we must live our life by.
• The world has adopted the saying that there are many ways, BUT, there are not many ways, but One way, which is Jesus.
• Many times we are trying to receive the message that God is sending and it is fuzzy. The problem isn’t w/ God it’s w/ us, we must adjust our lives to see and hear properly.
• He is referred to as Holy, Holy, Holy. We need to get to the place in our lives and hearts and settle the our God is a Hoy God.
• Challenge: Take your Christian life seriously.
• You do not build a house for chickens of the same foundation as a sky scraper.
• There are many times we build junky lives on the foundation of the cross- we allow so much junk into our lives, we can barley see the firm foundation of the cross.

Ex- Susan B. Anthony dollar vs. the quarter. Very similar to each other. The government took the Susan B. Anthony out of circulation because people mistaked the 2 so many times.  Many of us try to build a dollar foundation on an quarter foundation.

If we are named and called Christians, people should see a difference in our lives. Take the quarter and SBA dollar, there isn’t much difference in appearance.  People should be able to tell if we are Christians and not have to second guess what our foundation is.

• God doesn’t care about the outside, but rather the inside.  He wants to touch your heart w/ grace. Then after He touches your heart w/ grace, it shows in and through out your life.
• It’s ok to be different.  The church doesn’t need to look like the world or conform to it to attract the world.
• Be Holy for I am Holy- I am going to be like heavenly dad.
• I am going to be whole, I am going to be complete, I am not going to segregate certain parts of my life.
• God, I don’t want to be dealing w/ the same issues next year I am dealing w/ today.
• I want to move, I want to grow by embracing His holiness.

If we don’t embrace Gods holiness, 3 things can happen-

1. When we don’t embrace who are heavenly father is we become posers. (acting as if everything is ok, but it really isn’t)
2. We become uncorrected, and lack of correction produces a brat.
3. We become unfruitful, we lose the fruit in our lives. 

 www.ryancook.net

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hooters!

Ok, so we got a Hooters built in our city,  Grand Junction.  It has been the topic of many conversations in the recent past.

We all know what Hooters is about. It is a bar/restraunt that serves basket food by women in tight fitting provocative clothing.  Chili’s & Apple-Bee’s has the same thing, just not the name & provocative attire.

I actually just tried to put their hyperlink in this blog for Hooters, but was blocked by our web filter,  “This web page was blocked because it is considered inappropriate.”

I know where my wife and I stand on the subject, we would never enter the building, but wonder where others stand on this subject.

The reason I am bringing this up is because I have heard people say things like 'I don't have a problem w/ lust, so it's no big deal' and 'I go there for the chicken wings'.

So knowing what Hooters is about, what they stand for, the way the women ‘gazed’ upon & lusted after (lust is how they advertise) and taking into consideration the 'stumbling aspects' and fleeing from all looks of evil……

Should Christ following people visit and eat at Hooters?

Please leave a comment under the comment tab at ryancook.net or on my fb page.

 

 

 

Just Come Home!

Christmas Opener- Just Come Home!
This is one of the most powerful openers I have ever seen. A must see through the end!

Christmas Opener: Just Come Home from NewSpring Production on Vimeo.

For more information on Jesse Fisher, the lyrical talent from the opener, or to get a copy of this video visit kadence.tv and NewSpring church.
Be Blessed! ryancook.net

What do your kids watch on TV?

The local news did an interview w/ our MOP's (mother's of preschooler's) group at GJFA about what they let there kids watch on tv.

Here is the interview for your viewing pleasure....

If you are receiving this in an RSS email feed and can not view the video, log onto www.ryancook.net to view.

On My Mind

Unchurched people have been on my mind a lot lately, pretty much all the time.  How do we reach them? How do we teach ‘the church’ not to scare them off when they walk in the door? How do we teach the religious people to get out of their circle and have unchurched friends? How? How? How? Sometimes it seems like it is an uphill battle, but it really shouldn’t be. 

We were taught as kids what we should or shouldnt do as Christians, what was right or wrong in our parents eyes. -Which is good, dont take this out of perspective or take this the wrong way. But sometimes, the way we talk in our own homes carry over into the church and some of those prejudging thoughts come across and through our children.  The point is, those thoughts should not be in our home.  That is called hypocrisy.

We are here to reach the unchurched, the ones that dont know Jesus. We are all sinners reconciled and restored through Him. We need to be sure as a church and a people, we are communicating this, not only w/ our words but our actions as well.

For too long, too many churches have given off the vibe that they are for people that look a certain way, act a certain way and smell a certain way. In Gods eyes, He loves everyone. Ask yourself to see people how God sees them. He doesnt love someone less and you more just because you show on the outside you have it all together.

Our lead Pastor, Ted, asked the question last night: If all aspects of your life were placed on the video screen of (insert your church here) would there be unconfessed areas that would bring embarrassment to you or your family. Makes you want to think twice before pointing the finger, huh?

We are commissioned to give the world a personal presentation of our Jesus.

We are not here to judge, or rank others sins, but simply tell others about Jesus.

We all have a story to tell and have a purpose to fulfill.

Are you telling your story and living your purpose?

-Peace

www.ryancook.net