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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 you are in a funk, you may want to try this....

I snagged this from a friends post- If you're in a funk or rut, these are some great ideas to get your wheels turning.. 

-Pray out loud.

-Write your prayer out.

-Read your Bible out loud.  Start here.
-Apologize to someone.  Even if it’s not primarily your fault.
-Talk to someone you trust.  If you don’t have someone, hire a professional.
-Rest.
-Exercise.
-Start eating better.
-Drive around listening to a sermon.
-Turn up some worship music really loud.  Shut the door.  Sing along.
-Go back and do the thing you know you were supposed to do.
-Get organized.
-Repent.
-Encourage somebody who would never expect it.
-Get back in church.  Serve somewhere.
-Quit complaining.
-Go on a date with your wife.
-Tell somebody thank you.
-Give some money away.
-Call on the name of Jesus.
-Remember how far He’s brought you.
-Realize that He’ll never ever leave you.

Just a few ideas to get you started.

You can take it from here…

www.ryancook.net

If you are in a funk, you may want to try this....

I snagged this from a friends post- If you're in a funk or rut, these are some great ideas to get your wheels turning.. 

-Pray out loud.

-Write your prayer out.

-Read your Bible out loud.  Start here.
-Apologize to someone.  Even if it’s not primarily your fault.
-Talk to someone you trust.  If you don’t have someone, hire a professional.
-Rest.
-Exercise.
-Start eating better.
-Drive around listening to a sermon.
-Turn up some worship music really loud.  Shut the door.  Sing along.
-Go back and do the thing you know you were supposed to do.
-Get organized.
-Repent.
-Encourage somebody who would never expect it.
-Get back in church.  Serve somewhere.
-Quit complaining.
-Go on a date with your wife.
-Tell somebody thank you.
-Give some money away.
-Call on the name of Jesus.
-Remember how far He’s brought you.
-Realize that He’ll never ever leave you.

Just a few ideas to get you started.

You can take it from here…

www.ryancook.net

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

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

Embrace

I came across this quote the other day and wanted to share it. I hope it challenges you as it did me≈

‘An embrace involves always a double movement of opening and closing. I open my arms to create space in myself for the other. The open arms are a sign of discontent at being myself only and of desire to include the other. They are an invitation to the others to come in and feel at home w/ me, to belong to me. In an embrace I also close my arms around the others- not tightly, so as to crush and assimilate them forcefully into myself, for that would not be an embrace but a concealed power-act of exclusion; but gently, so as to tell them that I do not want to be w/ out them in their otherness. I want them to remain independent and true to their genuine selves, to maintain their identity and as such become part of me so that they can enrich me w/ what they have and I do not.’ – Miroslav Volf

How many people that are different than us do we embrace, or better yet, do we bear the pain to love those who are not like us? Whether skin color, social, educational or economic differences?

As a people, are we changing our community toward a good change or do people perceive us different because of our actions towards others, or lack of action?

Loving one another can be messy, ugly, unnatural, and sometimes not fun, but we ALL have been called to ‘love our neighbor.’

www.ryancook.net †

 

 

What are you Doing?

Do you ever think to yourself, what am I doing here or why am I here? What am I supposed to be doing here for this 60-80 years on this earth?

I know this question haunts many people that I know and I get asked all the time about how to find ‘purpose’. Well, todays blog will not actually be about finding your purpose, but maybe rather what should you be doing in the meantime that will lead you to your purpose.

Some of my prayers over this past week have gone something like this:

God, I need you. I want you to have ALL my life. I want nothing to be between us. Stir my heart in desire and desperation for you.

God, make my heart desperate for the things you are desperate for, show me just a glimpse. Fill my soul with the love you have. Help me to love people like you do. I desperately need your love today.

God, move and shake my life anyway you want, I am yours! Open my ears so I can hear, my heart so I can feel, my mind so I can know and my eyes so I can see.

God, I allow you to blow my mind today!

(Ok, I want to stop here and dare you to say that prayer, but don’t say it if you don’t mean it or want to allow God to move in your life)

Today, I see many Christians, Leaders, Businesses, Pastors knowing what to do, but just sitting around wasting this short time we have here to make a difference, letting life go by, and just watching as it passes.

Enough talking…what are you doing about it?

You see the problem or issue or opportunity or challenge. You’ve talked about it with your friends. Perhaps, if this issue concerns what others are—or are not—doing, youve gone over the line and gossiped about it. The question is, “what are you going to do about it?” Or, if you are talking to yourself like I am right now, 'What am I going to do about it?' If the answer is 'nothing,' then why even talk about it? Why do we waste our time talking about something that we have no intention of making better when theres plenty in our lives that needs our attention? 

Why do we go sit Sunday after Sunday to a Pastor or Leader try to lead us, then we go home and do just the opposite? Or even better yet, go home and gossip about the message, what the Leader was wearing, instead of getting the point and do something about it? If you aren’t going to do something about it, why even go? Leaders spend thousands of dollars to go to conferences, go back home and do the same thing he/she was doing, why?  There are people around us who need our help and there are plenty of opportunities for us to contribute to our families, co-workers, churches, clubs, etc.

Yet, many of us, will just sit and complain about something…and never lift a finger to change it. We are all messed up, so it is no wonder we spend so much of our lives focused on things that dont amount to much at all. 

I pray that God gives me the vision to spend my time helping others meet their challenges. I pray that my focus is on things I can actually influence for good and that I DO actually influence that situation for good.

Talking is good if it pushes your life or the lives of those around you forward. But, the real question is 'what are you talking about doing?'

If you are reading this via email or feed and want to leave, go to www.ryancook.net - click on the comment tab at bottom of blog.

-Peace

 

Homeward Bound

SERVING @ HOMEWARD BOUND---SERVING @ HOMEWARD BOUND---SERVING @ HOMEWARD BOUND
Today was a great day. It seems everyday I am alive, it gets better and better. Seriously!

Chayce and I along w/ a group of friends were able to go to Homeward Bound and serve tonight. This is part of our 'Be Christmas' serving program. We showed up and was able to do it all, from food prep all the way through the serving stage. Everyone got involved all the way down to the 4yr olds. It was awesome to be able to serve along friends at the same time helping serve some less fortunate in our community.

Everyone enjoyed the food, thought it was the best dinner in a long time and was very thankful that we served them. In fact, about 75% of them personally thanked each of us for serving.

Homeward bound shelters about 100 adults a night plus kids, so a total of about 120 nightly. They check in around 5:30-6pm nightly and must be out by 8am the next morning. Although in one big room, families have priority and a 'safer' section for kids and families so they can somewhat of a tiny bit of privacy.

The shelter is supported by local donations and supporters. I encourage you, if you want to get involved in serving, this is a great place to start.

We wrapped up the night w/ all us who served w/ a little meeting an prayer. Part of our prayer was that we not only impact during this time and season, but it becomes threaded through our lives and who we are as people.

Here are a few pics. If you can not view the pics from the email or rss feed or if you would like to leave a comment, please click on my site @ www.ryancook.net and if you want to leave a comment, click the comment tab at bottom of blog.

Be Blessed!

Peace!

Love

Jesus

Friend

Giver of Life

Joy- Peace- Love- Humility-Forgiveness

Indescribable

 Love is:

-The man who stands out on the corner of 4^th/Grand and hands out snack packs to those less fortunate.

-The smile from my 2-year-old daughter as she wakes up and yawns in the morning, followed by,‘get up dad, the sun is up.’

- The drunk, stinky people that come to your church wanting to escape the heat, only to find Christ.

- The glimmer or twinkle in your kids eyes when they get good grades or excel in sports.

- The skipping heart beat that flutters when you see your spouse walk into a room.

- Being able to provide shelter/food to those in need.

- Just finding out you have 2 relatives that made a decision to follow Him.

- Collapsing your head into your hands, crying for hours, seeing no daylight, knowing His arms are wrapped around you tightly.

-Dropping off homemade jellies, jams, juice, breads and peanut brittle.

- Making time to find out other peoples stories and invest in them.

- The strength to carry on..........

- Freedom from addictions and bondages.

-Knowing we must forgive others in order to be forgiven ourselves.

 Love your neighbor- Love your enemies

www.ryancook.net