Just Between You, Me, & God 4/23/2012

So who is qualified to serve the Lord? Like any other profession, there are schools and universities that offer courses and degrees in Philosophy, church organization and leadership, evangelism, and church planting. Those are all great and they supply a wealth of knowledge that is important in holding to the truths of organizing, efficiently running, and leading a church from the pulpit. But what about the rest of us, who is qualified to serve the Lord? Actually; none of us. We all fall short of the Glory of the Lord, even the most seasoned of Pastors, because we are all sinners. The great Apostle Paul even struggled in Romans 7:18-19, “I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do---this I keep on doing.” The truth is that all of us, as believers, are called to serve the Lord. The fact that we are not qualified only brings Glory to God when we serve. In his book “The Apostles, Becoming Unified Through Diversity”, Gene Getz takes a look at the 12 Disciples that Jesus picked to learn and carry on the Gospel message after He was gone. In the introduction he looks at Jesus’ choices from the eyes of an imaginary management consulting firm. “To: Jesus, Son of Joseph, Woodcrafter’s Carpenter Shop, Nazareth 35922, E-mail: Jesuscarpenter.com. From: Jordan Management Consultants, Jerusalem 26544, E-mail: JMC.org. Thank you for submitting the resumes of the twelve men you have picked for management positions in your new organization. All of them have now taken our battery of tests; and we have not only run the results through our computer, but also arranged personal interviews for each of them with our psychologist and vocational aptitude consultant. It is the staff’s opinion that most of your nominees are lacking in background, education, and vocational aptitude for the type of enterprise you are undertaking. Simon Peter is emotionally unstable and given to fits of temper. Andrew has no qualities of leadership. The two brothers, James and John, sons of Zebedee, place personal interests above company loyalty. Thomas demonstrates a questioning attitude that would tend to undermine morale. We feel it our duty to tell you that Matthew has been blacklisted by the Greater Jerusalem Better Business Bureau. James, the son of Alphaeus, and particularly Simon the Zealot have radical leanings, and they both registered a high score on the manic-depressive scale. Thaddaeus is definitely sensitive, but he wants to make everyone happy. One of the candidates, however show great potential. He is a man of ability and resourcefulness, meets people well, has a keen business mind, and has contacts in high places. He is highly motivated, ambitious, and responsible. We recommend Judas Iscariot as your controller and right-hand man. All of the other profiles are self-explanatory.” It’s not what you can do; it’s what God can do through you. Your application has been turned in and approved and God is just waiting for you to get started. Accept His call and get started today. Not sure what you can do? Ask your pastor, he’s been waiting for you. God bless you for all you do for the Kingdom, Pastor Dean.

Pastor Dean Hanssen is the Outreach & Ministries Pastor for LHF.

Review: Wildflowers From Winter

To be released on May 8, 2012, this debut novel from Katie Ganshert takes the reader into the story of Bethany Quinn, a professional girl in a professional world, who seems to have it all together: great job at a busy Chicago architectural firm, fabulous lawyer boyfriend, and the promise of success ahead. She believes in “standing on one’s own two feet,” and has no use for God or the church Then she gets a call from her mother back in Peaks, Iowa, that sends her life in a tailspin. Her grandfather’s illness, her childhood friend Robin’s tragedy, and the prospect of returning back to the place she worked so hard to escape all combine to frustrate, irritate, and sadden Bethany as she makes her way “home.”

I must admit that I am not one for romance novels, Christian or otherwise, and only read this novel at my husband’s request, as he received it as part of Waterbrook Multnomah’s Advance Reading Copy Program*. I had very little expectation, aside that, until I read the back cover synopsis, I thought it might have a frontier or Amish setting.

I was very wrong, on every count. Ganshert’s characters are believable and though not always loveable (by her design, not poor writing), they are memorable. I personally can relate to Bethany’s desire to “never go home again,” as I myself wanted to “escape” my small hometown. Her story moved me, and I could see why she had no use for the God that she’d known as a child through her mother and Pastor Fenton (a deliciously despicable character). Each character was well-written and the story had a constant forward momentum, with many twists and turns but still realistic. Robin’s story is incredibly touching, and your heart will ache with her in her struggles. You will feel sympathy and disgust for her mother, swoon a bit over Evan, the farm hand on her grandfather’s farm and the ultimate love interest for Bethany, and laugh along with Evan’s humorous family. By the end, my near-disdain had made a 180-degree turn into delight, and I found myself so absorbed I literally couldn’t put it down. I laughed, cheered, and cried rivers of tears, both joyful and sad. I was completely blown away by Ganshert’s attention to detail, and when the “big secret” that had been brewing in the plot and stewing in my mind was finally revealed, I was completely surprised. All this takes place in a modern-day setting, in a place that anyone who’d lived in “small-town America” can relate to easily.

The only complaint I have regarding the writing is that from chapter to chapter, the story point-of-view, and therefore, narrative voice occasionally changes from third-person omniscient (the most common voice of novels, where we see and know everything, including what is not purposely revealed by the characters) to first-person (specifically Bethany), without warning. The first time I thought pages were stuck together. That being said, the copy I read was the ARC program copy and had not gone through the very final stage of editing. Still, after the first time, it wasn’t hard for me to shift my brain with the following changes.

I am very pleased that Wildflowers From Winter has changed my mind about Christian romance novels. This novel is the first in a planned series, and I am eager to get my hands on the next novel, Wishing for Willows. Thank you, Mrs. Ganshert, for a truly uplifting, delightful experience!

www.katieganshert.com/books/wildflowers-from-winter (You can read the first chapter here)

 *For more information about Waterbrook Multnomah’s Advance Reading Copy (ARC) Program, visit them online at www.waterbrookmultnomah.com. 

Melissa McGinnis is the Children’s Ministry Director for LHF, and is a huge fan of Waterbrook Multnomah. Her husband Erin McGinnis received this book as part of the Advance Reading Copy Program (not the Blogging for Books Program). Neither was compensated in any way for this review. Opinions are strictly those of Melissa McGinnis; Erin’s opinion is that “it must be good, because she didn’t surface for three days.”

Every Life is Beautiful

Our Miracle Baby came to into this world on November 2, 2006, a sweet little girl with intense blue eyes.  My hand was the first thing her little fingers wrapped around as  I stood with our family looking through the glass at the first granddaughter.


Now let's jump back six years to a young newly-married couple living a typical college town in East Texas.  I had just taken my wife to see her "lady doctor."  I was a fish out of water in this place.  They had done blood tests and were talking with us about them.  My mind was spinning as I heard the doctor say things like "you will have to try drugs therapy, or adoption."  In short, we couldn't have kids..Now, to be blunt, I had thought to much about having kids; at that time I was more worried about grades, classes, and bills.  Something in you changes when hear those words--You're not supposed to have children.


Fast forward five years where we had relocated to Austin and had gotten involved in a small group for married couples.  Through working in the church kid ministry my wife and I had taken care of most of the couples' children.  We knew both the parents and their kids quite well.  God granted us a miracle that year.  As the topic of children came up my wife said to the other ladies that she couldn't have children.  By my Lord's grace we found out that she was pregnant the very next week.  So in short, while my wife's tongue had professed what the tests and doctors had drilled in to her head, at that very moment life was growing inside her.  For me, every life is beautiful.

Erin McGinnis is the Media Arts and Services Coordinator for LHF.

Fearless: A Warrior Story

This morning I was asked via e-mail by Waterbrook's Blogging for Books, with respect with our partnership to share this video with you.  I feel this a story that needs to be told and shared.   This man was a real hero.  Below is the text from the e-mail about the Fearless project.


When Navy SEAL Adam Brown woke up on March 17, 2010, he didn’t know he would die that night in the Hindu Kush Mountains of Afghanistan—but he was ready.
In a letter to his children, not meant to be seen unless the worst happened, he wrote, “I’m not afraid of anything that might happen to me on this earth, because I know no matter what, nothing can take my spirit from me.”


Fearless is the story of Adam Brown, a man of extremes, whose courage and determination was fueled by faith, family, and the love of a woman. It’s about a man who waged a war against his own worst impulses and persevered to reach the top tier of the US military. Always the first to volunteer for the most dangerous assignments, Adam’s final act of bravery led to the ultimate sacrifice.




If you would like to read the first chapter of this book prior to release date of 05/22/2012 click the link below.


click here to read first chapter

Please check this out and as always please pray for our troops.

Erin McGinnis is the Media Arts and Services Coordinator for LHF.

Just Between You, Me, & God 4/16/2012

There is a show on TV called “Undercover Boss” that has a President, owner, or CEO of a company go out into the workforce with their employees to see exactly what is going on with them, the company as a whole, and how that all relates to their customers. In order to get the most honest responses, the boss has to wear some sort of disguise or look different from normal so that they can’t be recognized, then they are worked in as a trainee. Most of the encounters are pretty eye opening, from how little the executives know about how the basic jobs are done to how unrecognized the plight of the employees are to anyone outside their immediate sphere of workers. It’s pretty scary to see how simple some of the disguises are and that some probably don’t even need one. Communication flow up and down the ladder is rarely about peoples’ lives which leaves them with a feeling that nobody cares or that they personally just don’t matter in the whole scheme of things. When you stop to think about it, we all have an undercover boss and His name is Jesus. He is a boss who is in touch at all times and is aware of exactly what we are going through and how tough it can be and is willing to help. Look at Matt. 11:28-30, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” He is well known by His people and they are protected by Him. John 10, 27-28, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.” He is clear about what is most important. Luke 16:13, “No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” He is clear in His directions and fair in His judgments and is righteous above all and, is forgiving to the repentant. If you don’t know Jesus as your boss, your Lord and Savior, then read the Bible, get to know Him, your eternal boss, Jesus Christ. God bless you for all you do, Pastor Dean.

Pastor Dean Hanssen is the Ministries & Community Outreach Pastor for LHF

Cups vs. Pitchers

You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. (Psalm 23:5 NLT)

Most people know this verse (or the latter part of it). They talk about their cups overflowing when they feel blessed. And that's okay. It's a good thing to be blessed. It's even better to be grateful for it. But why stop at a cup?

Consider the shape of a cup. I often think of a "coffee mug," straight-sided and smooth. Many of us have accidentally poured too much coffee into a mug. The liquid runs over, runs down the side, and pools underneath or right around the cup. It doesn't go very far.

I prefer to think about overflowing like a pitcher. When a pitcher overflows, the liquid goes out and away from the pitcher. It doesn't stay pooled under the pitcher. The spout makes it pour, makes it flow away to what's around it.

Exodus 25:29 talks about special preparations for the dishes used to pour liquid offerings. Pitchers are mentioned, as are bowls, pans, and jars--but not cups. When a cup is poured, the liquid runs down the sides, clinging to the cup until the last minute. Therefore, it doesn't make a good container for outpouring.

When we cling to our overflowing blessings, not allowing them to spread out and touch those around us, we are the cup ("coffee mug"). We immerse ourselves in our "selves" and do not affect our world as effectively for Christ.

It is better to be a pitcher, to allow our blessings to pour out and touch those around us. When we do that, we make ourselves truly fit to pour out an offering.

Even if we look funny with a spout.

Melissa McGinnis is the Children's Ministry Director for LHF.

Just Between You, Me, & God 4/9/2012

What a beautiful Easter Sunday in Northeast Texas yesterday. I live near Lake Gladewater and there is a sunrise Easter service at the lake each year and I was there at 7AM. Listening to the singing echoing across the lake, I watched as the sun slowly peeked over the tall pines and the mirror still water began a slow ripple to the shore. I closed my eyes and tried to put myself outside the tomb wondering how I would have reacted. Having heard the Easter story for as long as I can remember it’s hard to imagine the discovery of the empty tomb with fear and disappointment that something had gone terribly wrong as Mary and the others originally had. The turning point for them is the same as it is for all of us, the acceptance of Jesus as He becomes real and alive in our lives. The dark feelings of abandonment, confusion, and hopelessness, following the crucifixion, evaporated as the dew does in the new morning sun. Jesus changes everything. The disciples that cowered behind locked doors became bold and daring, stopping only with their last breath in spreading the truth that they knew deep in their hearts, that Jesus was the Son of God, that he had died on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins, that He had been buried for 3 days, and that He was raised from the dead and would live forever, just as we as believers can. Where did the boldness come from? The conqueror of death told them that He would be with us until the end of the ages. How could they not go forth and share this life changing Good News with everyone in order to offer them what had been freely given to us at such a great cost? So why, after the Easter resurrection, does the Church go back inside and close the doors behind them, afraid to go out into the darkness with the light that was given us? It is time for the Church of Jesus Christ to once again do as we were instructed in Luke 9:23-26 and pick up our crosses and follow Jesus. Jesus walked out of the tomb and too many of us walked in and took up residence there. Just as Jesus arose from the grave, the Church today needs to arise and stand up for the truth of the Gospel no matter what the cost. What have we to fear in this life when we have an eternity with Christ waiting for us? Arise from your slumber, awaken for you sleep, put aside the things of this world and begin your work for the Lord. Romans 13:8-14. I’ll see you in the mission field of our communities. God bless, Pastor Dean.

Just Between You, Me, & God, Good Friday Edition

Jesus died for the whole world. We tend to think of Good Friday and Easter Sunday as traditional Christian holidays. The truth is; what Jesus did on the cross and what happened on the third day when He rose from the grave, was done for all of us. Jesus suffered and died for Muslims, for Buddhist, for Hindus, for atheist and agnostics, for Jews, for believers and nonbelievers alike. Whether you are in Church every time the doors are open or if you’ve never darkened the doors before in your life, Jesus died for you. Whether you’re politically correct or conservatively outspoken, whether you believe in the psychic or the astrological alignments or if you put your faith in the One who created the stars, Jesus died for you. If you think that you can do enough good works in this life to outweigh every sin you’ve ever committed or if you think that your sins are so heinous that you could never receive forgiveness, Jesus died for you. Whether you think that the laws of God are old and outdated or that God has changed His mind about His creation and that He is no longer in control and doesn’t care what we do as long as it feels good, then Jesus died for you. Whether you think that you are too rich or too poor, that you are too young or too old, and whether you just don’t care one way or the other, please know that Jesus died for you. If this just doesn’t make sense to you then you’re not alone. I often don’t understand myself. How can Jesus death forgive my sins, even when I continue to sin? Jesus explains in a conversation with Peter in Matt. 18:21-22, “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Here Peter thought he was going above and beyond with forgiving someone 7 times for the same sin against him but Jesus counters with an amazingly higher number. Before you start keeping track of the numbers, keep in mind that Jesus was trying to make the point that no matter how many times we sin, though Him we are forgiven. Remember also that the sin was not just against Peter or ourselves, but against God. We are His creation, so when we sin against each other, we sin against God. Listen again to why Jesus died for all of us. John 3:16-18, “For God so loved the world (that’s all of us) that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” Brackets are my words. Jesus died for you; the choice that remains is your own decision with God to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior. Please let me know how you decided. God’s love to you, Pastor Dean

To Boldly Go...

I admit it. I am a geek. A nerd. A dork. Pick a term. It’s cool (though I’m not); I don’t mind. I watch Star Trek, Star Wars, and have pets named after characters. I’ve attended Harry Potter midnight book release parties and snurl my nose at Twilight (no self-respecting geek likes that!).

And I wish more people were geeks…Gospel Geeks (yep, I Jesus Juked myself!). I wish that we were more excited about spreading the Gospel like we would be about a discussion on Darth Vader vs. Spock (Spock would totally win).

I know a few Gospel Geeks. I gave birth to one, and my sister gave birth to two more. These kids “geek out” constantly, telling anyone who’ll listen that Jesus loves them and died on the Cross for them, and sing “Every Move I Make” and “One Way Jesus” at the top of their lungs in Home Depot (true story; they made people smile). They are living out their faith in a bold way that would make Paul proud. They may not have Proverbs 28:1* memorized, but they sure can live it!

The three Gospel Geeks: my nephew,
niece, and daughter.

From a sweet elderly woman to someone who smells “smokey” (in the non-legal kind of way), if they are within earshot of these kids, they will probably get an earful, and among the diatribe about family pets, video games, and favorite colors, there will be “Jesus loves you and He died for you.”

These kids haven't read David Platt. They have never been overseas, and may only have a vague idea of what a missionary is (if any at all). They aren't ordained, educated in theology at a private Christian university, or holding leadership positions in church.They just know a basic truth about their Savior, and want everyone else to know it too. And, unlike most adults, they are less concerned about how they look or sound doing it, and they are less worried about rejection.

Now that’s boldly going…

Melissa McGinnis is the Children's Ministry Director for LHF.


*The wicked run away when no one is chasing them, but the godly are as bold as lions. Proverbs 28:1 NLT

Just Between You, Me, and God 4/2/2012

I’m sure you’ve all heard that “denial is not just a river in Egypt.” To deny something is basically saying one thing, when deep down inside we believe or know something else. For instance, I know that I’m not bald. I’ve got just as much hair as I always have. It’s just repositioned itself on the side of my head instead of the top. Denial causes us to avoid things or put them off. That can be real serious when it starts to ruin your health, your marriage, or other relationships. The Apostle Peter had a very strong personality and often became the unelected spokesman for the other Disciples. He was very protective of Jesus and spoke of how he would lay down his life for Jesus. Jesus however, knows our hearts, our frail human nature, and He knew that as strong and as loyal as Peter thought he was, he would still deny knowing Christ if he felt endangered or cornered. Mark recalls the story in Mark 14:27-31, “You will all fall away,” Jesus told them, “for it is written: ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’”… Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I will not.” I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “today – yes, tonight- before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.” But Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the others said the same.” Of course we know that Jesus’ prediction was true and at three different occasions Peter had the opportunity to stand up for Jesus and yet he denied knowing Him each time. How could he do that, how could he not admit that he was a follower of Jesus? Let’s ask some experts on the subject of denying Christ. Self, why do you deny Christ? Who me? I wouldn’t deny Christ, I would die for Him. Sound familiar, the river of denial is rising. When we know what Jesus has taught and commanded us to do, in the way we live our lives, in the way we treat others, in the way we are to worship and study His word, and we do the opposite or accept the way of the world instead, then we are denying Jesus. The laws of God have not changed and will not change. Marriage is to be between one man and one woman. Living together is not marriage. You shall not murder and that includes the taking of innocent lives through abortion. You cannot serve two Gods; you will love one and hate the other. Step out of your denial today and choose Jesus. Have a blessed Holy Week and a Happy Easter, Pastor Dean.