I am pleased to announce to you that my fourth child, Ashlynn Elaine Powell was born on Wednesday, May 27 at 11:45 pm. She weighs 8 pounds & 13 ounces. Jane and Ashlynn are doing well. Please pray for a speedy recovery for Jane.
As my mind has obviously been on the subject of “birth” this past week, there is another form of birth that I have also been thinking about – it is the birthing of new, healthy, small groups. For approximately 12 weeks now, two prototype groups have been meeting. Some leaders are getting ready to multiply out of these original 2 groups to form their own.
Allow me to share some of what we have experienced through the life of these two small groups…
1. Fun – we have laughed and just had plain fun in a wholesome environment.
2. Ministry – tears have been shared, burdens carried, and life received through prayer.
3. Sharing – we have discovered things about each other that we would have never known otherwise.
4. Disappointment – yes, not every group meeting has gone as planned and not everyone invited has come.
5. Growth – each week we have sought to apply the word of God to our lives as we have discussed Biblical truth together and as a result we have grown in our walk with Jesus.
As new groups begin to “birth” be sure to link up with one so that you too can experience the joy and reality of being connected to a life-giving small group!
Loving and Leading,
Jeff Powell
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Thursday, May 21, 2009
You, God and Babies...
On Monday of this past week I was able to accompany Jane on one of her last doctor visits before the birth of Ashlynn. As we waited for the doctor, there on the wall was a bulletin board with pictures of many smiling parents with their newborn babies. This got me to thinking about one of my favorite passages in the Bible, Psalm 139.
This beautiful Psalm clearly declares some powerful truths about life. Let me summarize some of the wonderful truths found in this passage…
1. God knows you – everything and all there is to know about your past, present, and future – He knows it all. (Psalm 139:1-3).
2. God knows every word that you have ever spoken and that you ever will speak (Psalm 139:4).
3. You cannot escape from God’s presence (Psalm 139:7-12)
4. God created you and ordained the steps of your life (Psalm 139:13-16).
5. God’s thoughts about you are more than all the grains of sand on the seashore (Psalm 139:17-18).
Wow – how awesome of a God we serve! His ways are wonderful, true, and altogether lovely! Give Him the praise that is due Him!
By the way, unless Jane goes into labor before Wednesday, May 27 her doctor plans on putting her in North Florida early that morning. Please pray for a safe and sound delivery process for both Jane and Ashlynn!
Loving and Leading,
Jeff Powell
This beautiful Psalm clearly declares some powerful truths about life. Let me summarize some of the wonderful truths found in this passage…
1. God knows you – everything and all there is to know about your past, present, and future – He knows it all. (Psalm 139:1-3).
2. God knows every word that you have ever spoken and that you ever will speak (Psalm 139:4).
3. You cannot escape from God’s presence (Psalm 139:7-12)
4. God created you and ordained the steps of your life (Psalm 139:13-16).
5. God’s thoughts about you are more than all the grains of sand on the seashore (Psalm 139:17-18).
Wow – how awesome of a God we serve! His ways are wonderful, true, and altogether lovely! Give Him the praise that is due Him!
By the way, unless Jane goes into labor before Wednesday, May 27 her doctor plans on putting her in North Florida early that morning. Please pray for a safe and sound delivery process for both Jane and Ashlynn!
Loving and Leading,
Jeff Powell
Thursday, May 14, 2009
The Power of Your Words
This past week, I received a devotional from Pastor Ed Young (Fellowship Church - Grapevine, TX.) that really caught my attention. I thought I would share it with you…
When you are around people who believe something different than you, are you aware of the power of your words? Jokes, insults or snide comments can create fires that burn bridges. And they can be destructive to the work God wants to do through you.
While our words can do a lot of damage, they can also do good. Wise words are described in the Bible as having the ability to heal. When we have conversations with people of other faiths, we have the opportunity to share God's love with them. The right words can actually help lead them to a decision to heal their relationship with God. But those words don't always come easily.
God does not expect you to have all the right words all the time. But if you seek him out, he will provide you with the right things to say (Matthew 10:19-20). And as you seek to reveal his power through your words, you can begin to make an impact on the world around you as you reach out to others for him.
My prayer is that each of us will guard our tongue, resist gossip at all cost, and build up rather than tear down by what we say and don’t say!
Loving and Leading,
Jeff Powell
Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Proverbs 12:18
Have you ever created conflict by saying something you didn't really mean to say? It is easy to let an errant word or unintended comment slip. But even though they were not planned, they can still be destructive.When you are around people who believe something different than you, are you aware of the power of your words? Jokes, insults or snide comments can create fires that burn bridges. And they can be destructive to the work God wants to do through you.
While our words can do a lot of damage, they can also do good. Wise words are described in the Bible as having the ability to heal. When we have conversations with people of other faiths, we have the opportunity to share God's love with them. The right words can actually help lead them to a decision to heal their relationship with God. But those words don't always come easily.
God does not expect you to have all the right words all the time. But if you seek him out, he will provide you with the right things to say (Matthew 10:19-20). And as you seek to reveal his power through your words, you can begin to make an impact on the world around you as you reach out to others for him.
My prayer is that each of us will guard our tongue, resist gossip at all cost, and build up rather than tear down by what we say and don’t say!
Loving and Leading,
Jeff Powell
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Happy Mother's Day!
Happy Mother’s Day to all moms on Sunday! The older I get, the more thankful I am for the wonderful gift of Mothers. Your tender touch, gentle words, loving smile, and comforting guidance is needed more now than ever.
The gift of Motherhood is just that – a gift. And a gift is something to be celebrated, something to be cherished, and something to be appreciated. I encourage you to simply thank your mom on Sunday for being a gift to you. Sure she was not perfect, but you would not be here today without her – that alone deserves a huge “thank you” in today’s society!
For over 12 years now I have watched my wife grow and develop as a mom. I have watched her calm brewing sibling storms. I have watched her stop crying eyes. I have watched her comfort fearful children. Sleepless nights have been spent. Sicknesses have been healed. Clothes have been cleaned. And hungry, grumpy mouths have been fed thousands upon thousands of times. I guess you could say I am very proud of the mom Jane has become!
I am also proud of the fact that May 7 marks the two-year anniversary of Jane serving Fellowship Church as our Pre-school Director. She has served faithfully for two years as a volunteer staff member. Countless hours have been invested in our little ones through her efforts. And many wonderful, positive changes have been made in our children’s ministry through her leadership.
Even though she is a volunteer staff member, she leads one of the largest ministries in our church. This has been done because you have given her your support and your volunteerism. I want to thank those of you in children’s ministry for following Jane’s leadership. And thank you Jane for providing leadership to our Pre-school Ministry!
Loving and Leading,
Jeff Powell
The gift of Motherhood is just that – a gift. And a gift is something to be celebrated, something to be cherished, and something to be appreciated. I encourage you to simply thank your mom on Sunday for being a gift to you. Sure she was not perfect, but you would not be here today without her – that alone deserves a huge “thank you” in today’s society!
For over 12 years now I have watched my wife grow and develop as a mom. I have watched her calm brewing sibling storms. I have watched her stop crying eyes. I have watched her comfort fearful children. Sleepless nights have been spent. Sicknesses have been healed. Clothes have been cleaned. And hungry, grumpy mouths have been fed thousands upon thousands of times. I guess you could say I am very proud of the mom Jane has become!
I am also proud of the fact that May 7 marks the two-year anniversary of Jane serving Fellowship Church as our Pre-school Director. She has served faithfully for two years as a volunteer staff member. Countless hours have been invested in our little ones through her efforts. And many wonderful, positive changes have been made in our children’s ministry through her leadership.
Even though she is a volunteer staff member, she leads one of the largest ministries in our church. This has been done because you have given her your support and your volunteerism. I want to thank those of you in children’s ministry for following Jane’s leadership. And thank you Jane for providing leadership to our Pre-school Ministry!
Loving and Leading,
Jeff Powell
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