Tuesday, November 17, 2015

2015-11-15_12-01-33.wav

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Friday, September 11, 2015

Expanding promotions

It's been interesting of late how God has provided more an more opportunities to get the word out there concerning the ministry and the books that He has led me to write. I can only assume that eventually this will take and people will start to respond in higher numbers. Praise God for the opportunities. Now, I pray Lord, your will be done. P. Dan Stevenson New Heights Fellowship, Life Station, The Moment: Blood Bowl, Think Again: Finding Happiness and Wholeness, How To Be a Great GM, and more...

Sunday, June 7, 2015

Awesome Sundays

The bottom line is, if God shows up, it's going to be a great day. I feel like God shows up at New Heights every Sunday. That pleases me very much. We may have our difficulties and sometimes we have to figure out how to get through but we always do.

Those who won't quit have this going for them- they won't quit. Steadfast they stand... Fusional, they walk, we walk together. Our church needs to grow and she will add the Lord sees fit and we are wide open to new people joining us.

The people that are with us now, that are us, are so very committed to doing the work of the Lord and to hearing from the Lord and as He sees fit serving the Lord. Together He will allow us to Change the world!

Pastor Dan Stevenson
New Heights Toledo


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Saturday, June 6, 2015

Book signing

So I went to the book signing in Akron at the nervous dog. It was awesome. Not because I sold a bunch of books. I did not. Not because I met a bunch of people. I met some but not a lot really. It was awesome because I met one really cool young lady. Lindsay was her name. She's ex army. She works at the mall now. More importantly Good sent her to the coffee shop today for a divine appointment with me.

We had a long talk and she wants to start living out her faith now the way she committed to when she was twelve. I encouraged her to find a church home and to live unleashed for Christ. She committed to try.

That one decision, that one commitment made the effort worthwhile. A few people committed to buy the book which is now available electronically. But Lindsay's bold acceptance of and Commitment to live out the truth meant much more. Praise God for another day serving and another day here for Him. Another victory for Jesus!

Pastor Dan
New Heights Fellowship Toledo



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Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Aaarons project.wmv

Daniel Stevenson has shared the following video:
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Wednesday, March 11, 2015

March 2015 current facets of Stevenson ministry

I'm excited to be looking forward to my first book signing at the Book Nook in Monroe. The Life Station is in the middle of NE5 which is all of our partners helping to find new partners. We have a $5554 gap in projected giving to overcome before the end of the year if we are going to keep functioning at current levels and actually we expect the levels to increase. We keep seeing people get saved and recommitting their lives and that's awesome! However, many new people come all the time to get help which means more people hearing the gospel but it also means more people to feed and serve. New Heights has just moved into her new building and we are working on final inspections.The net step is getting the multi-purpose room ready and then getting the sanctuary ready. Walking the hall is a blessing. Anyone who's interested can check out our facebook page at facebook.com/newheightstoledo.

Monday, February 2, 2015

Empty Praise and Spiritual Warfare

When you are in a conversation on spiritual matters especially one that borders on evangelism or might call the other person to repentance beware of praise. It has been my experience that 'empty' praise is a defense mechanism. It is orchestrated by the enemy in the situation to set you back and slow you down. If you glance over it and do not give the glory to God you look petty and as if the conversation is somehow about how neat you are. If you give the glory to God at every empty praise then you will slow the conversation down and perhaps be distracted or the person you are talking with will be distracted. It feels good to be praised by those we are talking to but better we put a stop to it and stay focused on what we are about. Remember Peter imploring Jesus. He told Jesus how awesome He was and that it should never be allowed that HE would be sent to die. Jesus answered, 'Get thee behind me Satan.' Bottom line is, if you need praise, you aren't ready for evangelism or at least you have forgotten what evangelism is about. If you love the Lord an allow Him to use you there will come a time when the enemy tries to use praise to slow you down. Do not allow it. Pastor Daniel Stevenson New Heights Life Station Toledo

Monday, January 12, 2015

Temptation a Christmas Tree

It strikes me that temptation is sort of like a Christmas tree for evil spirits. They know the usual culprits and how we sometimes give into them and hover around waiting for an opening. They know how foolish people can be to yield to temptation and do those things that we know are wrong or to fail to do this things that we know are right.

Either way it gives therm an in. It's like a gift, so when you are in that moment and tarry there it's no wonder it gets more difficult to resist. If we understand this principle we would feel like we are standing on the edge of a pit of yuck in our best dress clothes. We would be careful or even more wisely, just move away.

They are waiting for people to come along and give them a gift, an inlet, a moment of free reign. I wonder if they are snickering. Maybe they sing a little ditty thinking how superior there are and how foolish their prey.

I say, let's leave them waiting. Don't go, let them wait expecting us to be lured and to yield. Meanwhile, let us live a life more abundant, seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Clean, we will be usable by God in so many other ways. If we should find ourselves standing on that edge, rebuke, refuse, retreat but whatever happens do not give them what they want.

  • Ooh, I'd bet they'd hate that. Snicker, snicker.

Pastor Daniel Stevenson

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Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Eyes of faith


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Friday, December 19, 2014

Allegory, Analogy, Algorithm

Okay, I'm going to try to give the snapshot of Allegory, Analogy, and Algorithm from this last Sunday. An Allegory is a story, poem or really any device that conceals a deeper meaning. An analogy is a comparison between two things wiht the purpose of revealing the nature of one or both things. An Algorithm is a process of dealing with certain variables. When a set of steps is automatic when a certain thing occurs that is an alforithm. It's common in mathematics. 2 Sam 14:14 The people of David's day had this understanding despite the lack of full revelation of Gods plan. The woman says (and David does not disagree) that all people die and are spit out and done. God is no respecter of persons meaning all have an end and none are spared or receive special treatment based on their lot in life or their race, age, sex, etc. God however, is a God who devises plans for the banished to return to Him. So the allegory led them to to a conclusion. The allegory was their own life experience, the temple sacrifice, and the scripture which included the histories of their people and spoak about God and His plans. The conclusion was an analogy. The analogy was man's holiness versus God's holiness and the need for a sacrifice but the allegory of the temple revealed that the temple could not be the permanent solution because eventually there would be no way for a temple sacrifice to be made for all people in the world. What's more, the temple sacrifces had to be repeated all the time proving that a future sacrifice of a uperior nature would eventually have to become available. The analogy lead them to the see/understand the algorithm. The algorithm is one perfect sacrifice to end them all, a means devised by God to bring any back to Him that would be willing. All of the previous and all current circumstances point to Jesus and truth about God. So, look deeper, look for the meaning behind the events. I'm not saying to judge people's motivations but to look at what the events of today say about the God of every day. It's his story after all and it always has been. Satan tries to hide the truth behind the allegory and even perhaps fails to see it himself. If you let that revealed truth point you to the comparison between you and God you will see you need a savior. Once you have Jesus as savior you become able to see beyond the veil to some extent, better able to understand the allegory and the truths behind it. Accept Jesus, live in earnest for the Christ. Seek out others who will do the same. Because, we all die. We all re poured out and done eventually. God is no respector of persons. But he does devise means for His banished to return to Him and the one final, perfect means is Jesus! Pastor Dan Stevenon Newheightsfellowhipchurch.org facebook.com/newheightstoledo facebook.com/lifestationtoledo

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Running up bills and paying off debts

I'm thinking this morning about how every act of selfishness and correspondingly every act of kindness is like a pebble, cascading down the slope of time so that a collection becomes a rain and a large group becomes an avalanche until a person is buried under the effect.

There are no real superhumans that can stop bullets or jump in front of speeding cars and even the great power of government fails to legislate proper behavior in society.

However, this avalanche when properly applied results in adjusted behavior as people are carried along or buried under. Therefore, we could actually stop a bullet or perhaps an out of control car by doing acts of kindness now.

We could take this thought one step further by considering how our selfish nature, lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, and pride of life lead us to be focused on collecting and dreaming of our own goals rather than considering how loneliness for example leads a Person to desperation.

Just as with financial principles we would do well to address these issues before they mount up to that avalanche of selfish needs pursued prompts an action by someone that is harmful. In this sense it is logical to assume that almost every evil action could have been prevented with an avalanche of small good deeds conducted, initiated, and/orchestrated before the evil act.

In other words, when a person says I've earned it. And ignores the needs of the less fortunate while giving in to some foolish desire for another quick fix feeling of health like consuming convenience, they have written a check against tomorrow resulting in a tomorrow that maybe leads to even more evil.

And so we moan that things aren't right in the world and it's true. We complain that the problems of today are too big to handle today and it's true. But it's true because they were the problems of tomorrow when today was yesterday and humankind failed to address them or even exacerbated therm by pandering to their own desires.

Bottom line: we should be working today to make a difference for tomorrow not just today. Realized that when we defeat evil even in the form of poverty and/or loneliness, we remove pebbles of destruction and put into motion pebbles of creation so that tomorrow can be a better day.

And Jesus for the joy that was set before endured the cross. He didn't fight against it, grasp for a"better" end or cannibalize those around him. He knew that tomorrow would be better if he denied himself and accepted the cup of wrath himself. He stood fully under the avalanche of evil intention and it killed him but he do not stay dead thereby overcoming evil and death to the point that he secured a great future for all of us at some point. We can see how following that example of denying ourselves on a daily basis could result in a better future for all those we touch. You can make a difference and it can be in the things you often overlook as each is a pebble. Rise up Christian. Rise up. Jesus has made you a visitor in this land to fight against evil and reconcile all those who are willing to be reconciled to God.

Our ultimate future in Christ is certain if we have accepted him. Society's future is heavily affected by present day choices. Change the small things to overcome great big future evils that when the time comes people will feel powerless against. Just being willing to see this possibility should encourage us all to take a stand against evil today.

Suffer a little. Give more than you think you can. Step up for the hurting. Encourage the downtrodden. Even if you don't see it now, know that you are securing a better future.

Pastor Dan Stevenson




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Wednesday, November 5, 2014

I'm wondering why and then suddenly it hits me.

The world's action plan:

1 shoot self in foot
2 limp and complain all the way to the finish line.
3 spread this action plan to any others whenever possible.

I hereby veto this action plan.

Thank you Jesus!

Young men growing up

So several things amaze me about kids.

One, they don't need much to excel. They need good shelter, food, a bit of nurture and a little discipline. The things seem to provide the necessary soil for growth. Children do well in many environments where supposedly healthy adults would fall down and maybe not get back up.

Foster children go through wondering every day whether they will ever be part of a loading family. Worse than that children who live with one parent have the same questions. It is forgotten often that children can smell the same death that anyone else can smell on those that are perishing.

Without understanding it many people, children included have to experience those smells every day not understanding why what appears to be alive smells like death.

I feel for the children. For the adults, they should know better and are without excuse.

The children amaze me and go on after the hit so much better than adults. That is what I was just saying.

Then here's the rub. Maybe, just maybe the real pain that strikes an adult so hard that they can't hardly get up and give it another shot is not the smell of death or the hurt of recent circumstances but the reafforestation that they knew, that they should've or could've known if only.

Oh boy, if only...

Maybe we need to come to God like that. lord, I don't need a lot and I'll thrive. I'll continue in you if you shelter me, nurture me and feed me a little. I'll need a little discipline but I'll keep on going even after three hard his. I'll do and be my best and leave the rest up to you.

Children are awesome. Now it's true I've seen the worst in children as well. But then again it's easy to become confused with the standards adults are setting. Also there the smell and no explanation...
Good help us be better care givers and representatives of you as we teach and lead the next generations and the remnants of the past generations that didn't get it when they might have, in Jesus' name, amen.

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Fwd: Fatigue doesn't stop the victorious

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Fatigue doesn't stop the victorious
From: Pastor Dan <afamilyofgod@bex.net>
To: Sms Blog <go@blogger.com>
CC:

When a person gets tired they need to rest. This isn't technically stopping. It's more like preparing to go on. I guess it's a point of view thing but if your effort is as much about going forward as it is about where you've been and recovery then you have the possibility of victory when Victory lies before you. So then it's in attitude and agenda.
If you can simply make your time spent resting productive for kingdom advance you win.

It's like those pumps for kids balloons that blow on the movement in or out. Either way they are sucking in air and sending it where it needs to go to get the job done and the balloon just keeps getting better and better bigger and bigger.

I know the victorious get up and get back to work fast. They get up more often and they learn from their mistakes and claim victory from the jaws of defeat when someone else would just give in. While these things are true I think it must not be forgotten that the truly victorious are victorious in that their time spent recovering is by no means wasted time. It is spent winning and preparing to win some more.

If you want to battle the victorious you will find that they never quit prematurely. They start again when you are not ready and they rest to win and even win while resting. It doesn't make any sense really. It takes a miracle and it's a miracle that God does every day. Start over fresh in Christ and have the victory.

Pastor Dan

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Thoughts

I lay me down after a long day. Today was the Lord's day. Every day is but today was as much as any because it was Sunday and the day of the week upon which we celebrate his resurrection. We worshipped in the name of Christ. we served in the name of Christ and we celebrated in the name of Christ. we know that we are a people with the power to do his work upon the earth and that even our enemies the world, Satan, and our selfish nature can not hold us back.
The house was not empty. There were a number of servants gathered there. We could always hope for more and there were even a few who are on the fringe and reluctant to be sold out for Him.
It's always an encouragement for me when there are some of those present as it sort of marks the footsteps of the Lord as he is at work changing mankind from the inside out. Perhaps someone was profoundly affected though none said so.
Technology struggled. We had a hard time doing some of the simple things that we have done well before. This partly because we are meeting in a sister church building and not a building that is prepared for our use and our methods.
We managed to record the service though I have not inspected the quality of the video recording yet. We use to do this every week. Once upon a time the recordings were on vhs. I remember a runty, pimply Josh Mitchell setting up every week and making sure the camera ran and recorded onto a vcr the entire service and he almost never missed. He grew up, the air force was hard on him. He's back with u now but he is changed. He is a servant of the Lord but now works full time and has trouble finding the disposable time to do all the things he might for God. That seems to be the state of affairs for a lot of God's servants. In some cases it is worse than others and a few cases the conflict is manufactured to be an excuse from service.

Roans 15 reminded us that God's people must find and utilize a surplus of grace. With a few other points of I think of value it took us an hour plus to hear these truths clearly. i'm resting wondering whether some heard or not. It is not my place to say or to worry. It's in the Lord's hands but I am passionate to see others grow.
The annual meeting is this week and so waiting on the contractors and on those who might donate on the heat estimate is going to be particularly hard and in at least one sense easier. I'll be distracted. That will make it easier. However, I wonder whether there will be any movement if i don't push for it which makes the situation seem hopeless as I am going to be busy and I think maybe Friday will come and little will be accomplished.. Lord, please pull this together.
I am concerned for a few of my flock that seem to miss the fact that all of what we are trying to do is rooted in the Love of Christ his blood shed for us. They have a great discipline and seek to serve him sometimes more faithfully than anyone else but somehow they just miss the love part. The actions speak love until something gets in a strike and the next things you know the reaction seems to be more anger than anything else. That's not love and the end of that road is not grace.
Help me God. Help us all. Help us stand firm to make our community and the kingdom better than ever. We can work for something so much bigger than ourselves and accomplish something that others will never even think to try. I know God is hard at work and I just don't want anyone to miss it.

Pastor Dan Stevenson
newheightsfellowshipchuch.org
faacebook.com/newheightstoledo

Thursday, October 30, 2014

wondering where the next miracle will come from

Faith
When you are walking in faith and fairly regularly seeing God do things that are almost to awesome to be believed except that they are just true, you stop wondering whether God will continue to remove barriers and do amazing things but. You wonder instead where the incredible thing will come from this time. You think, Well it has to be somewhere that will bring God the necessary Glory. It will be someone or something that there can be no other explanation except that God did it.

Needs

You may know what you think the need is but you begin to wonder after only a slight delay whether even that is correct.


Keys

I lost my keys last week, As I searched and searched for them I began to second guess myself as to where I had seen them last and how I could possibly have remembered things so inaccurately that I really had no idea at all where they might be.

Then I was searching even the most ridiculous places for the lost keys when there was such a small likelihood that they would turn up that way that I should really have restricted my search to those areas that made sense and I could not because I had lost the trust in myself.

Found

Ultimately the keys were found in a place where I might have suspected but they had been covered by something that I had not move in the original losing of the keys or in the finding and searching.

The bottom line is you van look and look and the more you look the more you are likely to begin to doubt. Soon you are thinking the thing may not come at all. Rather, I think we should focus ourselves on the things that God has done and His blessings and spend time recalling past victories in his strength. This seems like the best course and seems that we will less likely begin to doubt and we know what the bible says about that....

Monday, October 27, 2014

Thoughts on purpose

So why were we born? I know the text book answer for believers is to have a right relationship with God and while that is definitely a desired outcome I think it's just to simple an answer.

Then again it occurs to me that the actual answer may be just as simple and even more easily overlooked. Adam and eve were given the "purpose" and don't we often equate our task with our purpose? Anyway they were given the "purpose" of maintaining the garden.
They were to multiply and fill the earth. It is three purpose of the earth to be or place of residence at least for the length of our lives. Therefore it is our purpose to be good stewards of what's been placed under our care. Find a way to keep it and improvise it. Little differences become huge when you realize that this is what you were made for.

Don't like what has become of God's creation or your little piece of it? Work to change it. You are empowered by his to make a difference. If you have accepted Christ you have become an ambassador for him and not only have you been given the task of keeping your little part of the world under His care but you can and are called to recruit others to do the same.

When the world becomes filled with people doing this we will see the true purpose of crayon fulfilled just as we begin to discover our own true purpose.

It can be done in a myriad of ways. Some even seem insignificant. They are not. Do all things as if you do them into the lord means you can do anything that's not sun as if you are doing it for God. So do whatever you do to place the resources God has given you stewardship of under his control.

Make things go his way and you have achieved that which you were created for. It isn't always easy because thanks to Adam our wires got crossed. For have is the opportunity for a fresh start and having taking it we now are free from soon and able to figure as way to spend our lives glorifying him.

So let's do it. Let's submit our self,, or stuff, and our hopes and dreams to God. In Christ you can do it. You are not broken. In Christ you are new and able.

Thank God.

Pastor Dan
Newheightsfellowshipchurch.org

Saturday, October 18, 2014

Needs Versus Wants

Thinking about needs met On the 17th of October I sat on the swing in my back yard and thought about how my every need is essentially met. I have lived on this side of the line, the line of having no unmet needs for a long time. In fact, it has been since I accepted Christ. There are just a few real needs in the world. They are the things you would strive for, ache for, if you were stuck in the mountains after a plain crash. They are food, shelter, warmth, clothing, salvation, and loosely, companionship. When you get saved you get the last two permanently. Overcoming evil My team runs a compassion ministry that inserts food and clothing into the lives of the needy. We teach them life skills and give them a place to reach out to when they are in trouble. We call it overcoming evil. See facebook.com/lifestationtoledo. If we are overcoming evil then these evils have been overcome in my life for some time. Still, at times I perceive that I am in need, though I now see that more often than not this is perception not reality. Desires So, then the evil that disqualifies me from absolute contentment is my own desire to have something more than what the Lord has given me. Do I trust Him or not? Now, I am not proposing we stop working for things, to change things, to make our situation and the situation of others better. I absolutely do not believe in a lazy gospel. What I am saying is that we work with another goal in mind. In God's kingdom things go backwardsly-yes I know that's not a word. Here it is. We are saved. We have a destination. Now, we should live accordingly to make our lives line up with our destination. If we shall be that way then, what manner of people should we be now? Born Again In being changed we find ourselves and our methods changed. Make's perfect sense. The more we discover this, being changed as we are changed, the more we are able to ferret out the perfect will of God. Romans 12:2 Man! God is so good. Even when I think I have an unmet need He is busy meeting my real need which is more of Him in me. Contemplate needs versus wants Stop and think. Which of the needs listed above are you lacking in? If you are homeless then do something about it. Let God help you do something about it. Let the people of God help you do something about it. Let's say you have food, clothing, shelter, warmth, clothing, and being saved you have salvation and companionship. Cry out to Jesus! Then when you throw back your head and cry out to God as in Psalm 56:9, do so not for the things you want that are not actually needs but for the needs of others who desperately need these needs met. It's time we got satisfied about the things that we should be satisfied about and got busy fixing the problems of this world. That would be His will done, His kingdom come. Pastor Daniel Stevenson newheightsfellowwshipchurch.org facebook.com/newheightstoledo facebook.com/lifestationtoledo Fogandmoon.com Think Again: Finding Happiness... https://www.createspace.com/4057159 How To Be a Great GM: Role Playing... https://www.createspace.com/3713325 Aubrey’s Run: Adventures... https://www.createspace.com/4009703

Friday, October 17, 2014

Is America losing the war on Terror?

Terrified There was a time when you could walk in your kids school, when signing in was requested. There was a time when you could volunteer simply by putting your name in a little book. If there is a war on terror then terror is the enemy. Here's the funny thing about being afraid. We say we are taking precautions so we don't have to be afraid when in actuality we are being driven by our fear to do the very things that will perpetuate that fear. Reacting to fear We hide. We run. We plan for ANY eventuality. We limit our liability and reduce our risk. We say we are doing all these things because it is the 'wise' thing to do but in reality we are doing them because we are afraid. We are afraid someone will find us or find us out. We are afraid someone will catch us or stop us from doing something we desire to do or find convenient. We sit and think what might happen and try to devise plans against the feared possibility rather than going out and doing something that will make a difference. Could it be that it is better for a person to die trying than it is for them to try dying? Sure it is. So, why do people insist on sitting around dwelling on, or to proactive enact such precautions that they lose some of who they are rather than to live taking the risk? Answer, Evil has proven itself as just what it claims to be. It has a sort of integrity about itself and a persistence. People will do that which will unsettle us and there are very real proponents of fear in the world. Buying stuff won't make you feel better. Fear sells. It sells anything that resembles safety. People pursue that ever-elusive feeling that you are perfectly okay and there is no one in the world that could change that. Oh, but it's a lie. One way There is only way to have that kind of safety. It is to invest in something untouchable. Jesus called it storing up treasure for ourselves in heaven. I have seen those who know that they are doing just that live as if they are not afraid. I now find myself wondering whether those enemies who hate Christianity, in their blatant attempt to generate fear in the world might not drive people into the hands of God. I suppose it would be more likely if the people of God were less about preparing for every potential bad outcome and more about sticking their neck out for Jesus. Sorry, bad guy. You can't touch anything that will affect me lasting. If you hurt my people I will mourn but not as the world mourns. If you kill me you will inadvertently give me everything I have worked for. In the mean time, I will live unafraid, out on a limb, taking only those precautions afforded me by scripture and safe and free. Are we losing? Are we losing? Have we already lost? Well, when people can no longer be who they are because they are forced to change. The person they were has become a casualty of war. The United States of America that existed before 9/11, came looking for answers after 9/11, and found living for Christ too much work or too confusing, has continued on its merry way, changing almost everything at whatever level the war on terror can penetrate the thoughts and plans of men. Free and brave C'mon, let's show them this is still America the land of the free and the brave. Stop enacting policies that overdo a pursuit of reduced liability. Stop being so careful that you hardly have an opportunity to talk to a stranger any more. Slow down a little and pay attention to what's going on around you- truth is you'll be safer that way. But, don't do it out of fear. Do it out of a concern for your fellow mankind. Then, do the most important thing of all. Let God decide the outcome of tomorrow. Trust Him. He's earned it. Pastor Daniel Stevenson newheightsfellowwshipchurch.org facebook.com/newheightstoledo facebook.com/lifestationtoledo Fogandmoon.com Think Again: Finding Happiness... https://www.createspace.com/4057159 How To Be a Great GM: Role Playing... https://www.createspace.com/3713325 Aubrey’s Run: Adventures... https://www.createspace.com/4009703

Thursday, July 31, 2014

New Friends

Resting Alone I rest with mixed emotions tonight. It's been an incredible two weeks. We spent the last two weeks serving with mission teams from Mississippi. We were literally all over the city serving and spreading God's influence. We saw over fifty people make first time professions of faith between the two weeks, baptized ten this week and thirteen last week. We gave away thousands of expressions of God's love, looked evil in the eye and triumphed in many ways. We packed up our church's belongings and prepared to move out of our Main Street location, we built walls at the Heffner building and did a dozen other construction projects there including an awesome sign out front. New Friends But here's what's hard. I met people I really like. When you meet new people you really like and then they leave you, it's really sad. I met people with a heart that beats with the same beat mine does. 

This seemed to be one of the constants the last two weeks. New Friends leaving Now it's over and we are praising God for all He did. Still, some of these people I will not see again until we are worshipping God together at the tree in heaven. We may cast our crowns down together. We will give Him praise and in some amazing way that begins now, fifteen hours apart, our praises are united because of the character of the one we praise. Just the same as I sometimes feel inadequate to praise Him and He helps me, I now feel inadequate to let them go, go back home to their families, to their sports teams, to their jobs, to their friends back in Mississippi, back home. New Friends lost to time... This hurt runs deep. In a way that I can not explain it makes me feel lonely. However, in my loneliness I always find comfort.

 I am comforted by my family that stands by/with me. I am comforted by my church which is small in number but powerful in God's power. I am comforted by the ache in my butt muscle that came back while I was running my home run in my last regular season at-bat in our last regular season game, which we lost, by the way. I am comforted by the thought of the rainbow that stretched across East Toledo seemingly from the Heffner area to the Northwood Baptist Church Building area where we will be meeting for a couple of months. It appeared in the sky just as we were finishing cleaning up the block party that was our last official event on Main Street. I am comforted by the thought of a future slightly more populated with professing Christians and Christians actually living for Christ as they should. 

Comforted Most of all, I am comforted that I am not alone at all. I know in whom I have believed and I know that He is able to keep until that day, that which I have entrusted to Him. Jesus is with me although it does not appear that He will do the miracle of freeing me from using the spell checker and who cares anyway. 

The spellchecker works fine. To the mission teams: To the mission teams that are leaving to go back to normal, if, I hope, changed lives, we will miss you more than you can imagine. God be with you every step of the way and reach for New Heights in Christ every day! Don't worry about me I'll be alright. See ya at the tree! Dan Stevenson newheightsfellowshipchurch.org Think Again (A book to buy...)