Pastor Bruce’s blog

I really don’t like Christmas.  Yeah, I know, I’m a pastor and I’m supposed to like Christmas!  But if I’m going to be honest with you and let you know what’s on my heart, I’ve got to tell you that the period of time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is not my favorite!  Oh don’t get me completely wrong.  I love that Jesus was born and it’s right to celebrate His birth, that’s a no brainer!  And I love my family, natural and church family, that we spend more time with.  But all the expectations, the commercialization of the season, the disappointments many folks feel around the holidays and the way that many valuable pursuits get put on hold, just drag me down.  Do any of you feel that way too?  What can we do to change all of this?

Well, I think the first thing we can do is to focus on the Lord Himself.  So that’s going to call for some honest to goodness prayer time.  Time where we refuse to allow the busyness to pull us away from Him personally.  And the next thing we can do is to simplify.  I’m actually going to attempt to refuse some of the expectations of the season, especially the unspoken ones, and just do what’s meaningful in a Kingdom and family way.  And next, I’m going to laugh a little more and celebrate what the Lord has done all year long.  Our enemy wants to take away from us the taste of victory, the thrill of knowing that God has been and is working with us.  Like this weekend, for instance.  I’m hoping that we all are totally thrilled over the 11 water baptisms this weekend, young and older alike.  For another, we’ve got the Extravaganza next weekend and I’m believing that we’ll see the Lord change some lives through that production.  Bottom line?  We can’t let the enemy take away our joys over what the Lord has done and is doing.  Hey, I’m feeling better already!

So yeah, Christmas isn’t my biggest thrill.  But seeing Jesus work in lives is.  I think that I’ll try to get my eyes and heart in the right place this year and look to see a difference.  Join me?   Forget the cookies and let’s take His Presence in our world as our preoccupation.  PB

This is a great holiday.  It always brings good emotions to the surface in me and I just can’t stop being, well, grateful.  The fact that Jesus would have a relationship with me.  My sweet wife Robin.  Our kids and now we have a daughter-in-law, Chelsea, who is such a perfect addition to our family.  The church and the growing family that’s constantly impressing me and encouraging me to go on.  My partner in ministry, Mark DuPre. 

Isn’t the Lord good to us?  We have so much!  A few years ago Robin and I found a decoarative plate while vacationing in Indiana.  It simply says “Gratitude.”  Gratitude to Whom?  To the Lord Himself, the Source of all life.  No, the Pilgrims didn’t give thanks to the Indians, primarily.  They and we give thanks to the Lord.  For everything.  PB

Robin and I are home!  And we had a great time, albeit exhausting, with brethren in Washington, DC and in Vancouver, BC, Canada. The picture here is of the trees on the mountains outside of Vancouver. 

The bottom line is that God is faithful!  We shared our hearts out with all these wonderful folks and the Lord moved.  There were precious times with leadership and significant times with everyone.  Robin and I were able to give out some of what the Lord has given us and it really felt good to do that.  Rob and I tag teamed in Vancouver to share some of the principles regarding male/female relationships with a group of young folks in their church.  That was especially gratifying, as we have a passion in that area of life. 

We’re so glad to be home, however!  We were so happy to see the kids and to be with our friends here.  Rob and I took the girls out for breakfast the morning after we arrived home and let them go to school late so that we could catch them up on our adventures.  Thank you Lord for speaking to our hearts that we should go in the first place, for going with us and for taking us home, having made a difference in precious lives in other parts of the continent!  PB