Ok, so my last mind dump is going to be a memorable one if only because Silas Joyce was born today! So happy for Kevin and Shaina. Let’s just go ahead and get right to it…
- Text received at 7:31A: “Hey guys! Shaina is in labor…going to take her to hospital, check her in, and then come speak” WHAT?!?!?
- Phone call at 7:36A, it’s Kevin, “Hey man, can you preach this morning so I can stay with Shaina?” Me, “Uh, yeah!”
- So I get up, walk to the office and start to go through some notes on a passage I had been reading for the last two weeks or so. I knew exactly what I wanted to speak on.
- So I read the passage four or five times, wrote down some notes and more notes and more notes, and then we’re off to Imagine.
- I didn’t set up with the guys this morning and I sort of regret it. Setting up with all the guys at Imagine is one of the best things about being part of this church. There’s nothing like making fun of them and getting made fun of.
- I wasn’t worried about set up because my guys are good! I got to the Palladium at about 9:35 and it was all good! Band warming up, media is done, everything was perfect.
- I should probably point out that today is our last Sunday at Imagine. We attended the second service Imagine ever had back in November of 2007 and we’ve been hooked ever since. We went on staff a few months later and my life changed more than I ever thought possible.
- One of the things I’m going to miss most about Imagine is the band! They rocked the house like usual. I always love it when first time visitors walk out with that “wow” look on their faces.
- The relationships we’ve made over the last two years are what make Imagine special. When I was getting ready to speak in the first service, a number of people shared that they were happy I was getting to speak and I felt honored to be able to address such an amazing group of people.
- Even with only a few hours to prepare, I feel like I preached really good. Thank God for his grace and mercy. We (preachers) just get up there and try teach what we’ve studied and hope we don’t screw it up too bad.
- I spoke about how we respond when crisis comes. Here’s the amazing way God works and how this message came to be…
- About three months ago, the Jims’ Bible study guys and I started studying about the friction between Saul and David.
- We’ve studied 1 Samuel all summer long and this week we wrapped it up with 1 Samuel 31, a passage I’ve been reading over and over for the last few weeks.
- Shaina goes into labor this morning and I’m called on to teach, and so naturally I wanted to speak on the passage that hasn’t let me go for a while.
- God worked all of those circumstances out so that I could talk on a subject that really resonated with a number of people in both the first and second services. It’s always nice when people let you know that what you spoke about affected them.
- There are few things I enjoy more then realizing that God used me as part of His bigger plan.
- I love Kevin like a brother. I enjoyed so much the fighting, debating, praying, and learning. He’s been an incredible influence on my life. They say that imitation is the best form of flattery. Last week I noticed that Kevin had cleaned the inside and outside of his car. His car’s usually a wreck so the change was obvious. What did I do? I washed and cleaned my car the very next day.
- I’ve never met anyone that wants to see people introduced to Jesus more than Kev.
- Today was the first time I’ve ever preached back to back services and it was a little weird to do it all over again in the second service. Hats off to Kev for doing it every weekend.
- I started this post in San Antonio. I finished it in Las Angeles. I’m in Denver now finally uploading it. I miss home.
- It’s 3am in San Antonio and 2am here in Denver so please excuse the typos.
- We are moving because my oldest daughter Kaitlyn lives in Corpus with her mom. Now that I’m done with law school, it’s time for me to be as close to her as possible.
- Not sure when we’ll be back but I can’t wait to be visitors at Imagine.
- I expect great things from Imagine Fellowship. You’re job is to fearlessly trust God and follow Kevin where he leads you.
- A few good friends got baptized today. So proud of them. I wish I could have been there but just know that I’m amazed at what God is doing in your lives.
- Kev would never say this but the most frustrating thing about leading a church is people who “love the church” but are unwilling to do the simple things that are asked of them.
- Three things, pray, read your Bible and show others Jesus in the way you live.
- If you haven’t gotten into a mentor relationship, you absolutely need to! The biggest catalyst to the change I experienced in my life over the last two years was having someone to personally challenge me. Having a person who would be brutally honest with me and who invited that same kind of honest was the difference.
- I’m gonna miss you guys. Farewell for now.
Tags: mind dump, Ralph Perez
