Keith Thompson

Louie Schmitz, a mentor, a coach, a local hero.

2011-12-26T14:57:00.000-08:00

From my earliest memories of growing up in Farmington, MN, skating and hockey were a part of my life. I grew up next to my grandparents and just two blocks away from the outdoor hockey rinks. Both places would become extremely special to me. Every winter my dad, Harris, would flood my grandparents garden. I spent hours skating outside, enjoying the day with all of the neighborhood kids. If you didn't find me in my grandparents back yard I would be playing hockey at the local rinks. There was hardly a time I would be there that Louie Schmitz was not also there. Fire hose in hand, nose running and eyebrows iced up, the cold didn't seem to bother him. He was investing his time in all of us "rink rats". To me, this place was the "sandlot" of hockey.I, on the other hand, was greatly affected by the cold. I can't count how many times I frost bit my fingers and toes. Neither can I count how many times Louie was there to help warm them up. With tears running down my cheeks, he would first have me get off my skates and socks and run barefoot out into the snow. It didn't make much sense to me but he knew that it was quite painful to have them warm up too fast. After I would come into the warming house he would have me take a seat on the old bench and he would place his hands on my feet, keeping them there until color began to slowly come back.A man like Louie teaches you more than the fundamentals of a game. He taught many of us "rink rats" what it means to invest in kids, in community, in what's important. He taught me about caring for others, about putting others before yourself.On November 25th Louie and his family were told that he had stomach cancer and later found out it was Stage 4. Please keep Louie and his family in your prayers as he fights this battle.Louie, as you held my feet in your hands, I am praying that you will know that God is holding you in His hands!

The Joys of Hunting

2011-11-05T12:32:00.001-07:00

Nothing like sitting in the deer stand with my girls.

We got an eight pointer at 7:45. Waiting for a few more.

Sent from my HTC Touch Pro2 on the Now Network from Sprint®.

Blizzard of 1991

2011-10-31T09:02:00.000-07:00

20 years ago today Darla and I ventured out into the Blizzard to take the Living Hope youth group to the White Heart concert at the St. Cloud Civic Center. It was crazy. Cars in the ditch every mile. We arrived safely for the concert, they sang two songs to the 30 people there and said, "We're outta here".

Two weeks later Darla gave birth to our first child, Mark. When I look back now, all I can think about was how stupid that was. Taking my wife out in that storm, risking all of our lives and Mark's. We really liked White Heart but no band was worth that! :)

What's your memory of that day?

Act Normal Series

2011-10-06T13:24:00.000-07:00

Living Hope Church is currently doing the series "Act Normal". This series is based on the small group material by Pastor Scott Wilson.

I invite you to join us for this 7 week series and discover how compassion becomes normal.

The topics include...

1. What Is Normal?

2. Compassion is Normal

3. Sharing Your Faith in Christ is Normal

4. Struggles and Difficulties in Life is Normal

5. Expecting to Hear from God is Normal

6. Divine Intervention is Normal

7. Giving is Normal

We invite you to be a part of our 50/50 challenge. What is that?

Our goal is to have a minimum of 100 people from Living Hope Church that will sign up and commit over the next year to give at least 50 hours of compassionate time and $50 to a neighbor in need, church, missions, food shelf...however God leads you. Click on this 50/50 Challenge link to sign up.

Together, we will make a difference!

Soul Print

2011-05-10T09:57:00.001-07:00

I just finished reading "Soul Print", my twelfth book of 2011. Mark Batterson, Pastor of National Community Church in Washington, D.C., is the author. I have read his other books and have had the church I pastor, Living Hope, journey through the material in our Life Groups. Well, Living Hope, get ready because this will definitely be another series and Life Group topic in the near future.

In "Soul Print", Mark shares about the joy of discovering who you are and who you're not. By focusing in on God you then discover who you are created to be. Mark shares about five defining moments in your life that will determine your destiny. I love the sentence on the back cover of the book that reads, "God would like to introduce you to yourself".

If you attend Living Hope Church I strongly encourage you to go out and purchase the book today. Don't wait until we start "Soul Print" as a church, enjoy it and live it today.

Kelsey's Prom

2011-04-30T14:05:00.000-07:00

Today is prom for Little Falls. It's hard to believe that my daughter Kelsey and her friends are juniors and old enough to go to prom. The picture is of my daughter Kelsey and her date, Mitch. They all converged on Maple Island Park. It was cold with occassional sunshine. Thankfully no rain.

This is another reminder to me of how fast time goes. Cherish the moments!

Sent from my HTC Touch Pro2 on the Now Network from Sprint®.

Packer Coat

2011-04-06T07:31:00.000-07:00

I am not sure which way to read into this Packer coat that was left at the church. Either the Packer fan has decided to abandon their team and become a Viking fan or they are trying to taunt the staff. I prefer to believe that God spoke to them in the service and they went to the altar where they released their first love (Packers) to God and put the Lord back into their life as #1.

Sent from my HTC Touch Pro2 on the Now Network from Sprint®.

Can We Change?

2011-04-01T18:13:00.000-07:00

Most people would admit that they want to change something about their lives.

We all know deep inside that we’re not yet who we were intended to be, right? We all know, if we’re honest, that we’re not as loving as we could be; we don’t have peace or patience or compassion like we long for; our self-control is often out of control. Truth is, we all have room for improvement.

When asked, most people would admit that they want to change something about their lives. But for lasting, fulfilling change we must understand the process...

Join us on Sunday, April 3 at Living Hope Church as we talk about change. Come and hear an inspiring story from a couple whose marriage was nearly over.

Can We Skip this Scene?

2011-03-26T09:37:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, Sunday, March 27th, the topic is "Can We Skip This Scene"?

I love movies or tv shows where the characters face incredible odds only to overcome them by the end of the show. Some of you dislike watching certain characters face hardship and you have said, "Can we skip this scene"?

When it comes to our own life, we would often like to do the same. Have you ever asked God, "Can I skip this scene in my life"?

Join us tomorrow at Living Hope Church as we discover how to not only survive these times, but thrive in the midst of adversity.

Happy Birthday Darla

2011-03-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

March 23rd, 196_, my wife was born. It was a day much like today. There was so much snow that the neighbors had to help shovel the road so her parents could get to the hospital which was about a mile away. Fortunately, word got out and the snow plow came to their rescue.

I am so blessed to have her in my life. She is an incredible inspiration to me.

Happy birthday Darla!

Sent from my HTC Touch Pro2 on the Now Network from Sprint®.

Minnesota Twins Tickets

2011-03-19T18:38:00.000-07:00

This morning Minnesota Twins single game tickets went on sale at 10 AM. Before heading to the computer I turned on the tv to catch a little news and the screen was filled with snow. No picture! Immediately I knew, no picture, no internet, no phone. Ugh! Finally, at 10:05, Charter had things up and running. Six hours later I was finally to the front in line of the online mass of people. The real panic sets in when they put you on the clock. I was able to get tickets to two games, one of which I now realize may not even work out. I just might have some tickets for someone to the July 15th game vs. KC.

When I go to Target Field I will be on a mission. Last Fall I learned that my great-grandfather and his brothers have a picture of their "Fredrickson Baseball team" on one of the walls at Target Field. It's my only claim to fame. :)

Merry Christmas from the Living Hope Staff

2010-12-20T09:26:00.000-08:00

How to reinflate the Metrodome

2010-12-12T12:51:00.000-08:00

You have probably seen the video of the Metrodome in Minneapolis deflating. If not, here is the link to watch it on youtube.

I thought it might be fun to have people suggest some creative ideas to inflate it.

My thought is since many of my pastor friends in the Twin Cities canceled their Sunday services they could all gather together and preach in the dome. All of that hot air would certainly have it back in operation in no time. jk!

Anyone have an idea to share? We have one week to get it ready for Monday Night Football.

Art Durene Featured in Morrison County Record

2010-10-14T15:49:00.000-07:00

There is a great article in the Morrison County Record about Art Durene. Art is a member of Living Hope Church, where I pastor. He is an incredible man with a lot of wisdom. I have gone to him more than once with a question and he always seems to have the answer.

Hopefully the article will challenge and inspire you to learn some new things.

Hamilton showered with Ginger Ale

2010-10-13T07:37:00.000-07:00

Hats off to the Texas Rangers. Last night they celebrated their first post-season series win. On their team is the winner of the American League batting title, Josh Hamilton. Josh is a recovering alcoholic and in consideration of this, the team chose to use ginger ale so he could be included.

When Texas clinched the AL West, Josh chose not to be a part of the team celebration with the traditional shower of champagne and beer. As Josh walked into the clubhouse this time, all of his team mates were prepared. They all yelled "ginger ale" and started to pour it on him.

Way to go Rangers. That's what a team is all about.

To see Josh's story of overcoming his addiction and restoring his marriage with his wife Katie, check out a video on Bluefishtv. Josh and Katie tell about their faith in God and how He has turned lives around.

I'm cheering for the Rangers to dominate over the Yankees!

Prayer for Pastor Todd MacDonell

2010-09-21T19:23:00.001-07:00

A dear friend of mine, Pastor Todd MacDonnell has just been diagnosed with

CJD (Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease). This disease has to do with a mutation in protein, and is a rare, progressively degenerative, brain disorder.Unfortunately, CJD is not treatable or curable. Todd has been given weeks to live.

I want to ask all of those reading this blog to lift Todd, his family, Fellowship Bible Church and the Pierz community to the Lord.

This Saturday, September 25th there will be a prayer gathering at 6 PM at the Pierz Healy High School football field. If there is inclement weather it will be held in the gym.

Please join us and please spread the word to everyone you know that will pray.

Moving Day

2010-08-25T07:13:00.001-07:00

The day that seemed to be forever away has arrived. Mark, our oldest, leaves for college today. We are sure going to miss him around here. He is an absolute joy. I am already looking forward to going to the Twins game and state fair with him next week.

Sent from my HTC Touch Pro2 on the Now Network from Sprint®.

The butterflies emerging

2010-08-16T10:09:00.001-07:00

The office staff is waiting for the final butterfly to emerge. We missed the first two so they put it on my desk in hopes that I would catch it. Unfortunatly I am getting hungry and am going to leave for lunch. I am sure that is when it will break forth into freedom. Stay tuned for any updates.

Sent from my HTC Touch Pro2 on the Now Network from Sprint®.

Pool

2010-08-06T10:47:00.000-07:00

After a lot of leveling our 1 hour pool is up. Is 62 degrees warm enough for swimming? ;-)
The frustrating part is that our pump is leaking.
The company is sending a new one but it takes 5-7 days.
Will my pool be green with things coming to life? If anyone has a filter (Krystal Clear model 635T) that I can borrow, please let me know.
The pool is 15x48. Mark and Kelsey leave for Sweden tomorrow. So we may all have to take a polar plunge tonight.
Sent from my HTC Touch Pro2 on the Now Network from Sprint®.

Stick with It

2010-07-01T19:25:00.000-07:00

About four years ago we planted some raspberries. The first year we only got a couple, the one, then nothing. After threatening the plants that they would be removed this year we are finally getting several. Wow are we excited.

Persistence pays off. Don't quit. Stick with it.

The Bible says you will reap a harvest if you faint not.

Overcoming Crisis

2010-05-13T12:14:00.000-07:00

This Sunday at Living Hope Church I am going to being sharing a timely message about "Overcoming Crisis/Disaster". If you live near Little Falls, MN I want to encourage you to come. I really believe the Lord is going to help a lot of people.

I was just reading the Brainerd Dispatch and saw the story of a band called "Scattered Trees". I know one of the band members and their latest cd actually fits in well with my message. Their cd is molded by the crisis of band member, Nathan Eiesland. His father passed away August of 2009. I got to know Nathan's family through their relatives at Living Hope, Jim and Sandra Carson. Sandra passed away November 27, 2002. Doing some of the special music at her funeral was Ben & Nathan Eiesland. Sandra was an incredible servant and loved children very much. My kids were and still are blessed by her and her family.

I want to put a shout out for Scattered Trees newest cd and let you know that for the next month they are letting people download it for FREE! just go to "Scattered Trees" website and let their songs bless you.

Econ Contest

2010-04-19T07:58:00.000-07:00

I want to congratulate my son Mark for being a finalist in the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Economics Essay Contest. Mark and three others from Little Falls are among 7 finalist in the Standard Economics category. He will have the opportunity to tour the Federal Reserve Bank on April 30th after which they will announce the winners.

Pinewood Derby

2010-04-10T14:33:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to my son Andrew. Among the boys he finished in 1st place today in our church's pinewood derby. His car is shaped like a carpenter's pencil.

Congrats to Flyer Basketball Team

2010-03-19T10:50:00.000-07:00

For the third year in a row, the Flyers win on a last second shot. They defeat Apollo and are on their way to state.

40 Days of Love, day 2

2010-02-22T13:04:00.001-08:00

Yesterday, Living Hope Church began a new series, "40 Days of Love". We strategically placed this series between Valentines day and Easter, two days that emphasize the demonstration of love.

There are three key things that we are doing to help us grow in our love for God and for others.

Along with our Sunday morning teaching, we have many Life Groups (adult small groups) that are meeting all around the Little Falls and Rice area. The third thing we are doing is reading from Tom Holladay's book, "The Relationship Principles of Jesus". This book walks us through forty daily readings focused on six foundational relationship truths taught by Jesus.

Allow me to highlight a couple of thoughts from the day 2 devotional.

Are you letting the unimportant intrude on the truly important in your relationships?
"A healthy relationship with God and healthy relationships with others have the power to keep our commitments to the things and the tasks in our lives from getting out of balance".

Here is today's Point to Ponder: God does not demand of me that I accomplish great things. He does demand of me that I strive for excellence in my relationships.

If you were in church yesterday, I concluded the service with two challenges, both dealing with putting love into action.
The first thing was an offering to help two families in our church. All I can say is WOW! You came through big time. I know they will be blessed.
The second thing was to commit at least 5-15 minutes every day, giving focused attention to every family member. It doesn't seem like much but it is probably a lot more than many are doing now.

If you missed the message, you can listen to it on our podcast.

Enjoy your journey!

Missionaries Coming, Millsaps on Sunday

2010-01-29T18:46:00.001-08:00

This Sunday, January 31st, Living Hope Church in Little Falls and Rice will be having David and Kandra Millsaps. They are missionaries to Lithuania. As you can see from the picture, they will be working with Teen Challenge while doing church planting. Wow! That sounds pretty awesome.

Invite your friends for a challenging and uplifting service. 9 AM at Rice and 10:45 at Little Falls.

Mark is "Student of the Month"

2010-01-14T12:36:00.000-08:00

I want to congratulate my son Mark on being named the Little Falls Community High School male "Student of the Month". Darla and I are so proud of him. Here is a link to read the article in the Morrison County Record.

Surround Yourself by Truth-Tellers

2010-01-13T07:47:00.000-08:00

Today I read an article regarding leaders surrounding themselves with people that will tell them the truth. Part of the article stated, "It is extremely important for leaders gather people around who are willing and not afraid to tell them the truth. It can be deadly for a leader to be surrounded by individuals who will blindly march in lock-step. This usually because those kinds of team members are either too fearful, timid or really do not care what happens to the ministry. They are also easy to find and few organizations need any more than they already have. Leaders need to be secure enough in who they are to seek to gather around them people who give them diverse and honest opinions so the leader you can make the best possible directional decisions".
Ralph Heath, Leaders Must Surround Themselves With Fearless People, 4/17/09

After reading this article I took some time to evaluate who is currently surrounding me, speaking into my life. Do I give them the freedom, the right, the opportunity to tell me the truth, from their perspective, without facing any negative consequences? Am I afraid to hear the truth?

I realize that everyone has a blind-side. There are things that we just can't see or perhaps refuse to see. It is a real blessing to have people that care enough for me, that feel our relationship is secure enough, that they will share with me things I don't see.

Whether you view yourself as a leader or not, we all need to have people in our lives that will have the freedom to speak the truth to us.

"Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ". Ephesians 4:15 (NIV)

Take a moment and ask yourself, "who surrounds me and have I given them the permission to speak truth into my life".

Baby It's Cold Outside

2010-01-06T16:23:00.001-08:00

This picture says it all! I hope it puts a smile on your face. Tell me again why people think global warming is happening.

Day 4 of One Month to Live

2010-01-06T12:34:00.000-08:00

The church I pastor, Living Hope church in Little Falls and Rice, MN has just started the series, "One Month to Live, 30 Days to a No-Regrets Life", by Kerry & Chris Shook. The book by that title is a New York Times bestseller.

Today is day #4, "Power Surge, connecting with the ultimate source".

"People who know their lives will soon be over tend to feel a desperate urge to change. But a desperation to change is not enough. In order to sustain the changes, we have to be connected to a power source beyond ourselves-a power source that never wavers, flickers, or leaves us in the dark. We have to move from willpower to the real power that comes from a connection to our Creator." p. 26

As a pastor I have witnessed several people who have had a "death-bed conversion". Upon their reflecting on life and the final days that are nearing, there is a realization that something needs to change. Their life without God has been incomplete. This has always motivated me to evaluate my connection to God. We all know it can be easy to "drift" away or at the very least, loose our motivation. Power for living, whether it is one day or 100 years comes from our connection to our Creator.

Take a moment and ask yourself, "What is one thing you can do today to connect with God in a greater way?" Now...enjoy the power surge.

2010 Bible Reading Plan

2009-12-30T13:39:00.000-08:00

When I come to the end of a year, one of the decisions for me to make is, "how will I read the Bible this coming year". I like to go into the year with a plan. I may choose a translation that I don't often read or I may choose to try and read the entire Bible in one year. Some years I like to slow my reading pace way down to give me more time to reflect on fewer things.

If you need some help in determining a plan for 2010 and if you wouldn't mind doing some of your devotions by using your phone or computer, I have an idea for you.

If you go to youversion, there are about 20+ reading plans that they offer. Choose one that seems to fit and enjoy spending time with God in 2010.

Primal, by Mark Batterson

2009-12-22T12:13:00.000-08:00

I just completed “Primal, a Quest for the Lost Soul of Christianity”, the latest book by Mark Batterson.

If you are a part of Living Hope Church, where I pastor, his name will be very familiar to you. In the last couple of years we have gone through two books authored by Mark; “In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day ” and “Wild Goose Chase”.

I love the fact that this book draws me back to the heart of purpose, why I was created, to love God and love people.

There are certain books that when I read them I must have a highlighter in hand. This is one of them. Nearly every page I found myself marking at least one phrase or thought. It had me thinking, “this is good, this is something that I need to remember and apply”.

Let me share just a few of the many with you.

“Going back to that most primal place helps us find our way forward”.

“You cannot listen to just half of what the Holy Spirit has to say. It’s a package deal”.

“…it’s much easier to act like a Christian than it is to react like one”.

“The most primal form of love is not doing things for God. It is receiving with gratitude what He has already done for us. And then reflecting it in our lives”.

I highly recommend this book to you. This is the first book you should read this year. You can purchase the book at RandomHouse.

Dan Kornbaum Reaches Milestone

2009-12-09T16:38:00.000-08:00

My son Mark's friend, Dan Kornbaum, reached a great milestone in his high school basketball career. Last night he scored his 1,000th point.

Goals and milestones are significant in life. Without setting goals most people tend to drift through life aimlessly.

Take a few moments in these closing days of 2009 and establish some new goals and reevaluate any past ones to see if you are still on track. As Dan needed others, his team, to help him, realize that you will need others to be a part of the process of making milestones.

Dream big and enjoy the journey.

givemn.org

2009-11-17T07:16:00.000-08:00

www.giveMN.org is a new website that allows online giving for non-profits as a no-fee service. They just launched this website and today November 17th, their funding partners have created Give to the Max day. TODAY from 8AM to Wednesday at 8AM, GiveMN.org will match any donations up to $500,000.

So, please go to: www.GiveMN.org and type LIVING HOPE ASSEMBLY OF GOD into the box on the right (find a non-profit). On the right is a green donate box. Click on it! On the next page you can make a donation and designate it. Our church youth group, Motion Student Ministries, is doing a big end of the year push for Speed-the-Light. Today would be a great day to help them out. To designate to Speed-the-Light, just type " Speed-the-Light" in the box.

Remember, that for Today only, your dollar could be worth $2! Go to www.givemn.org today!

If this doesn't work for you today, there will be an opportunity for you this Sunday. During the service we will be taking our annual offering for Speed-the-Light.

Pray 4 Your Block

2009-11-02T12:07:00.000-08:00

I came across an interesting website today. It is called "Pray 4 Your Block".

The following is a copy of their description of this ministry.

Imagine what could happen if your community was covered in prayer!

Prayer will open your eyes to what God is doing in your neighborhood.
Prayer will ready you to act as He moves in your neighborhood.
Prayer will prepare your neighbors to experience the transforming love and power of Christ.
All this happens as a result of your prayers!

Together we can form a virtual prayer network across communities… across the country… around the world! Simply follow the 3-steps above to raise a “prayer flag” above your residence as a visible banner to the world that your block will be regularly covered in prayer. Your “prayer flag” will be posted on a Google Earth map for the world to see. Together, we are praying for a sustained Christ-awakening that transforms people, churches and communities!

Take a few moments to:

Create an account
Post a (virtual) prayer flag at your address.
Pray!

Your flag indicates you've committed to pray regularly for your block. Your registration also entitles you to receive e-mail updates with testimonies of answered prayer, resources and more.

As you can see from the picture below, I am the first one signed up in Minnesota. I think it would be awesome to get in on this in the early stages and watch the number of red flags pop up.

Let's cover our neighborhoods, communities and state with prayer.

A Visit to North Central University

2009-10-23T20:30:00.001-07:00

Today was a strange day for my wife and me. We took our eldest, Mark, to North Central to check out the school. He is a senior this year and is in the middle of one of the biggest decisions he has ever made.

As I sat in chapel today, I encountered a moment of shock. 22 years ago I graduated from North Central. Never did I think back then that my wife and I would be sitting in chapel, with one of our kids, on the verge of becoming a college student.

The other crazy thought is that in 22 years from now I will be at the age of retirement. If these years go as fast as the last 22, I have no time to waste. I have so many things to still accomplish.

Pray earnestly, dream big, work hard, have faith, do it all for God's glory!

Go Twins!

2009-10-03T19:40:00.001-07:00

Me and GM Ron Gardenhire

No matter how the Twin's do tomorrow they sure have inspired me and others to never quit! I love the fact that the Twin's always play 110%. If Jesus was physically walking this earth now like He was 2,000 years ago, I'm convinced He would use them in one of His parables.

When it seems like your down and out and there is no way, keep believing. Tomorrow I am preaching about this very topic. We will be talking about Abraham and Sarah, having their first child after it was physically impossible. Remember, with God nothing is impossible. Expect a miracle today.

Me and Mn Twin's great, Tony Oliva

Outrageous Joy!

2009-09-12T08:29:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday at Living Hope Church we started a brand new series called "Outrageous Joy". The idea of this series started because of where I was at in life. I tend to be a very positive, happy, laugh a lot kind of person. The last few months things have happened that have robbed joy from my life. I can't even put a finger on what those things all are. Just life.

I came to a point where I thought, this is enough. Ministry should not drain me of joy. Life should not bring me down. I have Jesus Christ in my heart, an awesome family and serve a great church. What's going on?

Needless to say, I am really looking forward to this fall series, because I need it!

Last week I gave everyone an assignment. Throughout the week they are to look for and jot down the things that occur that make them laugh or put a smile on their face. Come back on Wednesday prepared to share, even if it is embarrassing to them. We promised not to laugh at them but with them.

How about you? Are you looking at the glass half full or half empty? Does how you feel about life depend on the events of the day or upon things that change? The Apostle Paul was a person that experienced unbelievable trials and still continued to walk in the joy of the Lord.

I hope you can join us for this fun series as we look at Paul's life and his letter to the church in Phillippi.

Let's reclaim that "Outrageous Joy"!

What's A Great Day?

2009-09-07T20:24:00.001-07:00

Today my family experience a "great day". We started the day by biking the Soo Line Trail from Little Falls to Bowlus. This is one of the things that I've had on my bucket list for a couple of years now. I know it may be one of the less significant things on my list, nonetheless, it was something that I desired to do with my family.

We are overlooking the Mississippi River at the Blanchard Dam.

We had lunch at Jordie's Trail Side Cafe in Bowlus. I loved the outdoor eating area. It was so relaxing.

Later in the day we played Bocce Ball; guys vs. girls. The guys won! Then we grilled some steak and had some awesome veggies from the garden. Following the meal we played croquet and then had a fire and ate smores. This is what I would call a great day.

What does your great day look like? Are you making some decisions that will create memorable moments in your life and the life of those around you? I want to do one thing every day that will cause me to say, "this was a great day".

Meeting Tony Dungy

2009-09-01T18:36:00.001-07:00

Andrew and I were so excited to meet Tony Dungy. Tony came to the Assemblies of God General Council and did a book signing along with speaking at a luncheon and in a youth service.

He reached out his hand to shake hands with Andrew and had a little conversation with him. I think Andrew was pretty pumped. For all of you Viking fans, I did encourage him to come out of retirement and coach for the Vikings. If you read his book, "Quiet Strength", you know that will probably never happen. When he was our assistant coach, his wife couldn't tolerate our cold winters. Who can blame her.

I received an autographed copy of his new book, "Uncommon". It is the next book on my long list of books waiting for my time and attention. There is a Bible study that goes along with the book. I hope to have a group of men go through that some time this next year.

What I appreciate about Tony is that he is a man of integrity and character. He has certainly had his share of disappointments, heart-ache and success. In the midst of it all he has stayed anchored to his relationship with God and his family. I also love the fact that he loves to pour his life into others. Check out his website, All Pro Dads!

Influence Conference

2009-08-04T12:36:00.000-07:00

The A/G General Counci began with a two day conference entitled, "Influence". I want to share one thought from each presenter.

Mark Batterson, "I would rather have one God idea than a thousand good ideas".

Reggie Joiner, "When you refuse to upgrade your systems you loose your capacity to support a more relevant approach".

Beth Moore, "Our biggest influence comes when we have a different approach to the same storm".

Keith Craft, "There is nothing great about being better than somebody else. True greatness is achieved by being better than your normal".

Ed Young, Jr., "We are serving samples to those who are already eating the food".

Vacation

2009-07-31T15:30:00.001-07:00

Mark and Kelsey just returned from a week of camp and now we are taking a little family vacation. We got all packed up, took our places in the vehicle and went to start it. Nothing happened. Dead battery. After jumping it, we drove to Bill's Standard where they tested it. It failed the test. After a new battery we are on the road. Mark is driving next so he is getting some sleep.

For A Good Cause

2009-07-28T20:45:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday at Living Hope Church we had a special offering to raise money for children's Sunday Schools in a country I can not disclose. Our goal is to provide money for 10 Sunday Schools at $762 each. A few weeks ago I added a little incentive to the offering. With every dollar a person gave they would get one vote to go towards the pastors or their wife. The losing, or is it winning, person would receive a pie in their face.

(Elene Tonder, from our missions committee, enjoying the anticipation)

As you can see from the Pictures, my wife Darla was the recipient. She was a great sport. Thanks to everyone who gave. We raised enough for 2 Sunday Schools. Just 8 more to go! If you would like to donate towards this awesome project, please contact me.

Ross Turner Worship Concert

2009-07-22T11:57:00.000-07:00

Join us tonight at 7 PM at Living Hope Church in Little Falls. It's going to be an awesome night of worship.

Summer?

2009-07-16T21:01:00.000-07:00

It's July 16th, the middle of summer and we were at Andrew's baseball game. You would think it would be a beautiful night, a warm night. Not so!!!!!

As you can see from the picture of Jeni Kornbaum, Darla and Jen Loukinen, it was anything but summer. There is no way anyone will ever convince me of global warming, not even, or especially, Al Gore. Florida in the summer is sounding really good.

Grandma's "Plot"

2009-06-19T13:45:00.000-07:00

On our way to my parent's cabin in Pine City, we stopped in the small community of Bock. It is here where my Grandma Lovlein and her parents are buried. Certain memories flood through my mind. My grandma use to work at Tonka Toys. I always thought she had the coolest job, making the toys I played with.

My other memory is of her visits to our house. She always brought us a bag of m & m's.

I am inspired to make this weekend a memory filled one for my kids and their grandparents.

Facebook Username

2009-06-13T20:12:00.000-07:00

I just set up my facebook username. Unfortunately my top choices were already gone. You can now go directly to my facebook sight by typing in the link www.facebook.com/revkeiththompson If you are on facebook and want a username, I would do it asap.

Grilling...not

2009-05-24T19:24:00.000-07:00

Today after church I was thinking, "Memorial weekend, I've got to grill at least once". I thought I would check to make sure I had enough propaine and that everything was working fine. Was I suprised. As you can see from the picture, everything was rusted out. I went to buy some "universal" parts only to find out my grill must not be from this universe.

Have you ever been saving up for a certain item, only to have something break down and need to be replaced. Sometimes it's so hard to get ahead.

If anyone knows of a good grill that you are happy with, please leave me a comment.

Happy Day!

2009-05-22T19:35:00.001-07:00

It's a happy day! For over a month my phone has not been syncing with my computer. To say the least, I have been out of sync. Today I was brave and decided I would do a hard reset. A hard reset means that I delete everything on my phone and start fresh. That is a scary thing. My phone has become my brain. Instead of keeping things in my head, it all goes to my HTC TouchPro.

A miracle happened. Everything is working and my phone and computer have reconciled. They are now talking again. Life Lesson Learned...every relationship is fixable.

Perhaps it is time for you to do a "hard reset". Somebody wronged you and you are not talking with them. As hard as it is, forgive, let go, reconcile. It's amazing how freeing it is to let go of the past and start fresh. If your life is out of sync, it's time to get it back in sync. HAPPY DAY!

Yard WORK!

2009-05-20T16:28:00.001-07:00

Last summer I began a huge undertaking. I removed about 60 trees from the back yard. I just hauled in 48 yards of black dirt and have it spread out. After picking out 1,000,000 rocks I am now ready to seed. I'm trying to decide if I should put in a sprinkling system first. One thing always leads to another. "I might as well...."

Have you ever tackled a project that eventually tackled you?

If any one is available to help in the next week let me know. I am offering a steak dinner. Cooked to perfection by yours truly.

Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser

2009-05-08T13:25:00.000-07:00

I serve on the board of Healthy Communities Collaborative (HCC) of Morrison County which began its roots with the support of CHI - Catholic Health Initiatives. St. Gabriel’s Hospital is a Market-based Organization (MBO) of CHI.

Catholic Health Initiatives has strong feelings of ministry surrounding creating “healthier communities.” Communities in which good health describes lifestyle, environment, social and economic as well as physical health and wellness of its community members.
The leadership of St. Gabriel’s hospital understood that building a healthy community in Morrison County would depend upon gaining the support of others in the community.

Key stakeholders and community members met together in the spring of 2002 and accomplished the following:

• They further defined what health meant (physical, spiritual, social, environmental, economic)
• They defined community as: government, recreation, housing, education, natural environment, medical, arts, media, churches, residents, culture, and heritage.

On Friday, May 15th at 5PM, there will be a spaghetti dinner fundraiser that will take place at Camp Ripley. If you would like to purchase tickets (which include entrance into the Battle of the Band competition that follows the dinner) please email me at kthompson4585@gmail.com by Sunday, May 10th.

The cost is only $9. Proceeds go to build a healthier Morrison County!!!

Brett Favre a Viking?

2009-05-06T19:11:00.000-07:00

The chatter in the sports world today is all about Brett Favre and the possibility that he will come out of retirement yet again, this time to play for the Minnesota Vikings.

Last night I saw a news reporter interviewing some packer fans in a Wisconsin bar. Most of them were appalled to think that their god, Favre, could be dressed in Viking purple.

I have never liked Brett. It's not because of who he is as an athlete, to deny his talent would be ridiculous. It's not because of who he is as a person. From what I have read, he is a great family man. I respect him for that. I have never liked him because he played for the Packers. Growing up in Minnesota, there is no other team to cheer for than the Vikings. There has been times his talent beat the Vikings but there has been more times that he was simply lucky. That always frustrated me. It seemed like the majority of times he would somehow pull out a victory.

I can't bring myself to the place of cheering for Favre as a Viking. Somehow my brain just doesn't allow me that option. If the Vikings do get Favre, and they do happen to win the Superbowl, all the Wisconsin cheese heads (and the Minnesota ones) will all be saying something like "The Vikings couldn't do it on their own. They had to have an old, retired Packer".

Red Green closes his show with the guys at the lodge saying something like, "I'm a guy, I can change. If I have to".

There is a small chance I could change. I did come around and start cheering for Darren Sharper when he took a step in the right direction and turned from green to purple.

Andrew's Bday

2009-05-05T13:52:00.001-07:00

At 3:45 today, Andrew turned 10. I can't believe my baby is getting so ols. We knew years before he was born that we would have an Andrew. He is an awesome kid that brings our family a lot of laughter and joy.

Alyssa Gets Braces

2009-05-05T13:27:00.001-07:00

I just returned from St. Cloud where Alyssa had braces put on. I could buy a decent used car for the same amount of money. The good thing is that we just made the final payment on Kelsey's.

It definately is worth it. I always wished that I had them when I was young.

I'm a Winner

2009-04-30T20:06:00.000-07:00

I have a few blogs that I like to follow. One of those is The Mobile Spoon. It has a lot of helpful tips for my HTC TouchPro cell phone. The blogger was encouraging people to follow him on Twitter. He was doing a random drawing for everyone that signed up, giving away Calendar Touch.

I WON!!!!

This program would have cost $24.95. It combines my calendar and task list into one, besides a whole lot more.

By the way, you can find me on Twitter. www.twitter.com/keiththompson As of now I do not have a prize give away. I'll do some thinking on that though.

Happy Birthday Kelsey

2009-04-28T19:17:00.000-07:00

Today was a very productive day. I worked on my Sunday message, finished my report for our churches annual report, had lunch with my wife, looked at lawn mowers, drove to Brainerd to watch Alyssa's 7th grade softball game and Kelsey's 9th grade game.

Kelsey is celebrating her birthday today. After supper (at 8 PM) she opened up her presents and we sang a "Thompson Family" version of happy birthday. Before bed we will enjoy some dessert!

I can't believe my baby is old enough to get her driving permit. It just doesn't right. She will be a fun one behind the wheel

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KELSEY! We love you!

Marian Nichols

2009-04-03T17:35:00.000-07:00

Last Friday night Marian Nichols attended our volunteer minister's appreciation party. On Saturday morning at about 4 AM, Marian passed away. This was certainly a shock to our church.

When I became the Lead Pastor of Living Hope, I began attending a Tuesday morning prayer time. It consisted of several older ladies of the church. When these "saints" prayed, it was as if God put everything else on hold and gave these ladies His full attention. I know that's not theologically correct, but that's what it felt like to me. My life has been greatly impacted by these ladies. Over the years, one by one, they entered heaven. Over the last couple of years it was mostly Marian and I that met for prayer. I calculated the estimated number of times that we would have prayed together. It came to just over 700!

We would always end our prayer time with a song, mostly the old ones. There was a few times she would stump me, but to my surprise, on a few occasions, I was actually able to pull and old song out of the hat that she didn't know.

As a Pastor, I realize that I am called to impact the lives of those in my church and community. Often times, this gets reversed and they impact my life. This is certainly the case with Marian.

The negative -My Tuesday's will never be the same.
The Positive - My life will never be the same!

Thank you Marian.

Wild Game Dinner

2009-03-24T19:46:00.000-07:00

Tonight was Living Hopes annual Wild Game Dinner. It's always an adventure to eat the variety of food that is brought in. I love it!

Our speaker was "Walleye Dan", a professional guide out of Brainerd. He also loves to hunt turkey. I loved his turkey calls. If I was a turkey, I would have responded.

This is a night for us to not only enjoy as men from the church but to create a none threatening open door to church for men who are not yet following Jesus. Hopefully they can see men that love adventure and Jesus.

Use Your Gift

2009-03-23T10:43:00.000-07:00

In yesterday's message I shared about Jesus' passion for His bride, the church. How every follower of His has been given a gift, a ministry, that He calls us to. It's amazing how lives are truly impacted and changed when every part of the body works together, as a team.

The video helped me to drive home the point that no one person can do it on their own. I hope you enjoy it.

Happy Birthday Darla!

2009-03-23T10:36:00.001-07:00

I want to wish my wife Darla a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY! She is the most incredible woman ever. Most men "marry up" and I am certainly no exception. God is so good to have given me someone who loves me the way she does. I value her above no other. She is my best friend and I enjoy spending every moment I can with her.

Happy Birthday Darla!

Flyer Boys Basketball Headed Back to State

2009-03-19T22:27:00.000-07:00

In dramatic fashion, the Little Falls Flyers Boys Basketball team upset #1 seed Apollo Eagles 63-62. If you were at the game you might have been thinking, "deja vu". Last year the Flyers beat the Eagles with a tip in by Danny Kornbaum, just as the clock expired. This year it was again, Danny, this time he drove the base line and made a lay up with about 5.5 seconds to go. That basket gave the Flyers the lead. Apollo had one last shot that hit the rim and bounced off, ending the game. (Video of last three minutes)

Ron Kornbaum is being interviewed by a reporter from the St. Cloud Times.

Danny is on the phone, making reservations for Disney World.

Another one point game!

I was so impressed that the Flyers never quit. In the last four minutes, trailing by 10, they fouled as quick as they could, sending the Eagles to the free throw line. At first it didn't appear to be working, as Apollo kept making the shots. In my opinion the game started to turn in the Flyers direction when Nick was fouled from beyond the three point line. He made all three free throw attempts.

The Flyers will play at the state tournement on Wednesday, March 25th at Williams Arena.

GO FLYERS!

American Idol

2009-03-16T19:52:00.000-07:00

For all of you American Idol fans out there (Lisa S. especially), I want to strongly suggest the person you should vote for, DANNY GOKEY.

Above is a picture of Danny with friend's of mine. In the middle is Danny Gokey, on the right is my friend, Pastor Chris Castilleja and on the left is his wife Jen.

Danny recently lost his wife and was encouraged by Pastor Chris to try out for American Idol. If Chris ever has him come to his church I am going to try and book him at Living Hope.

VOTE GOKEY!!!

The Scary thing about Facebook

2009-03-16T13:21:00.001-07:00

I recently became friends on Facebook with my former youth pastor's wife. It didn't take long and she was uploading photos from the past. This is perhaps one of the scariest things about Facebook. You never know what others might dig up on you. (I hope you've lived a clean life :) )

I know, you are dealing with a little jealousy right now. You are wondering how Darla and I still look so young, just like this photo taken in the early 80's. We really haven't changed much, Hah!!!

I absolutely love Darla's smile in this picture. When she saw it, she let out one of her infamous laughs.

I think Living Hope should have a little fun by doing a "blast from the past". It would be hilarious to go through old pictures of everyone and catch a glimpse of our transformation.

Thieves Take Church Equipment

2009-03-15T19:29:00.001-07:00

A friend of mine, Trent Redman, who pastors Valley Creek Church, discovered all of the equipment for their portable church was stolen.

Every week they set up and tear down just like we do for the Rice campus of Living Hope.

It looks like the thieves stole the trailer that was stored throughout the week at another church. It was found early today on Springside Drive in St. Paul.

Trent estimates that more than $50,000 in equipment was stolen. The only thing they left behind were the bibles.

Despite the lack of equipment, church went on this morning.

An article/video on Kare11's website written by Julianna Olsen said, "With most everything stolen, packing up the trailer after services was a whole lot easier Sunday. Valley Creek Church may be portable, but its members know the church's most important parts are permanent.

'It's not about a building. It's not about equipment,' Redmann said. 'All of those things can be replaced. It's about people.'"

Please pray for this church that God would provide the equipment needed by next Sunday. Somehow I think that what the Devil meant for evil, God is going to use for good. I believe God will provide new equipment and the publicity will bring people to the church.

Tourney Time!

2009-03-13T10:46:00.000-07:00

I am at the xcel energy center for the state high school hockey tournament. Little Falls plays Breck today in the semi-finals.

This brings back great memories for me. As a kid and teen I would always get out of school to watch it on tv. This is the fifth year in a row Little Falls has made it. It's fun to watch it live and make new memories with my family.

GO FLYERS!!!!!

Men's Advance

2009-03-06T12:10:00.001-08:00

In just a few hours I will be on the church bus with 20 other men, heading to Lake Geneva Christian Center for Men's Advance. This is always a great time for me to go deeper in my walk with God as well as my relationship to the men of Living Hope.

A fun thing we have done since we attended Promise Keeper's in Iowa is to have a "girlie pillow award". Usually the winners pillow is pink, has lace and a flowered print. What teen- age boy would have ever dreamed that when they became a man and were married that their pillow would look like that?

Along with the pillow award is the "snoring award". We have some guys that cause the richter scale to warn of an earthquake. I usually pack my earplugs or headphones. It does help, but if I don't get to sleep before they do it's hopeless.

My favorite part of Men's Advance is the opportunity for us men to be real. We share our struggles, heartaches, short-comings, dreams and passions. We share our hearts in a way that makes us vulnerable yet stronger.

If you have a moment, I would appreciate you praying that God would do a great work in our hearts.

Life Groups

2009-03-02T16:21:00.000-08:00

I like to read the blogs of other pastors. I often find that I am challenged, encouraged and gather great insight.

Craig Groeschel, pastor of Lifechurch recently wrote something in his blog that I want to pass on to you. It really echoes how I feel about Life Groups.

"I still love small groups because:

They follow the early church model of meeting in homes.
They are a tremendous tool for discipleship. I prefer small groups to Wednesday night large group teaching because it gives people a chance to interact. I prefer small groups to Sunday School simply because you don’t have to build the expensive extra classroom space.
They get more people involved using their gifts of hospitality, teaching, exhortation, etc.
They engage the body of Christ in pastoral care. Instead of the pastors being the only ones who care for believers, small groups spread the load and utilize gifted lay people.
They build leaders.
Done well, they become a tremendous tool of retention. People want to be needed and known. Small groups make both possible.
They have unlimited meeting space. You can’t run out of homes, restaurants, apartments, or coffee shops in which to meet.
They have unlimited meeting times. In today’s busy world, a once-a-week discipleship opportunity will not work for the majority of your church. Small groups offer unlimited times to meet.
They have changed my life. My family’s small group is like our extended family. God has used them to bless us in untold ways."

At Living Hope Church, we have found that Life Groups have brought just that, "Life"! People connecting, sharing, growing, worshiping, loving and reaching out. I am so blessed by the leaders and those who open up their homes. The leaders of these groups have become an extension of our pastoral team. It has provided an avenue for us to carry out much of the mission of our church and a way for people to be ministered to and to minister.

Ben Hanowski Ties and then Sets Record

2009-02-20T06:28:00.000-08:00

Little Falls Flyer, Senior Forward, Ben Hanowski ties and then sets the record in Minnesota High School Boys Hockey for most career points. The goal that tied the record came when the Flyers were skating short-handed. St. Cloud Apollo had a five on three advantage. At first it appeared that a save was made on Hanowski's shot, as if in slow motion, the puck trickled over the goal line. Moments later, in the same video, the flyers scored a second short-handed goal.

Hanowski's record setting point came on a well placed wrist shot over the goalies glove, into the upper corner. The crowd, estimated by some to be around 2,000, went nuts.

Hanowski, who will be playing for St. Cloud State next year, started the season 108 points behind Johnny Pohl's record for most career points. Pohl set the record when he played for Red Wing High School from 1995 to 1998. He accumulated 378 points during that time.
It took Johnny Pohl 112 games to reach his long standing record of 378 total points. Hanowski did it in 111 games.

Although the record is a great achievement, Ben would be the first to tell you that it doesn't compare to the team goal of heading back to the state tournament to bring home some hardware.

Congratulations to the entire Flyer hockey team on their perfect regular season record! The Little Falls community is proud of you.

Blog for Mobile Phones

2009-02-17T09:34:00.001-08:00

If you would like to follow my blog by using your phone, you can click here and it will bring you to a more "cell phone friendly" website that will not use as much data.

Sermon Length

2009-02-15T12:50:00.000-08:00

I was reading another pastor's blog today and he was asking the question, "How long do most pastors preach for"? As I read the comments I noticed that most were around 30 minutes. I generally preach for about that time also. It wasn't always that way however.

Mark Batterson's blog got me thinking about the first time I ever preached. I was in high school and my youth pastor had asked me to preach to my peers in a youth group setting.

I worked hard on my message for a couple of weeks and when the night finally arrived I was done preaching in about 5-10 minutes. My youth pastor had to come up and add on another 20 minutes. I laugh now thinking, "It takes me five minutes just to introduce my message".

I don't know if there is a right length of time for a pastor to share a message. There are many factors to consider such as the audience, the topic, consideration for the children's workers, being obedient to God with whatever He has given you and if there are time restraints because of multiple services. I think the attention span of most allow for around 30 minutes.

At Living Hope Church, where I pastor, we meet in two locations. On the Sunday's when I am preaching at both, I am more conscious of the length in our first service because I need to allow time to visit people after and still get to our second service on time.

I am curious about your thoughts. Jot me a note.

Rice Campus Appreciation Night

2009-02-09T13:59:00.000-08:00

Hats off to all of our ministry volunteers at Living Hope Rice Campus. We had a great time last night with the "50's" as our theme. I haven't laughed this hard in a long time. Some charades with 50's topics brought out some very unusual gestures.

Serving God in ministries can be very hard but it is also rewarding and fun. We should always have a blast serving God.

Special thanks to Pastor Bobby and Jen for all your hard work on this great night.

Godrev.com

2009-02-05T08:35:00.000-08:00

There is a great website that I want to introduce you to. It is called godrev.com. GodRev’s vision is to use the latest technology to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ worldwide, in partnership with Christian organizations and churches. Their desire is to expand the ministry to the thirty-five most-used languages on the Internet in the next ten years, exposing 250 million people to the Gospel, and helping 25 million people come to Jesus as a result of this effort.

When someone finishes going through the pages explaining God's love and desires for them, they are presented with a written prayer. This prayer expresses a desire to change their life from one in rebellion against God, to one living with God. When a visitor decides to pray this prayer of repentance, they have the option of clicking on a button labeled "Yes, I have just prayed this prayer." At this point, they are listed as having made a decision for Jesus.

It is a website where you can watch in real time the people who are praying to receive Jesus-Christ through there web ministry. It works in conjunction with google. Google will fly you all over the world to the persons location in 3-d.

When you watch it for a while, you can't help but say, "Praise the Lord". It is so cool to see people from China to Russia, Africa to the U.S. giving their heart to the Lord.

Bob Hope Classic

2009-01-23T08:55:00.000-08:00

Darla and I have had a great time in Palm Springs. We went golfing twice and went to the Bob Hope Classic. It was fun to watch the pros, amatuers and celebrities. We were right next to Kurt Russell, Alice Cooper, Dan Quale, Chris O'Donnell, Bo Jackson, William Devane and many others. Darla even talked to Yogi Berra. How cool is that.

We got up at 3 this morning to drive from Palm Springs to LA. We arrived early and went to see the sunrise at the ocean. After we were there a while several surfers showed up. It was fun to see them ride the waves. Much like snowboarding only sharks are out there with you.

Palm Springs

2009-01-18T13:57:00.000-08:00

Darla and I are enjoying our vacation in beautiful Palm Springs. It is 80 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. Tomorrow and Tuesday, plans are for some golf and on Wednesday we are going to the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.

Tim Tebow

2009-01-09T14:45:00.000-08:00

Last night I watched the second half of the BCS Championship Game. I noticed that Tim Tebow had John 3:16 painted underneath his eyes. The national champion Florida quarterback during his post game interview said "I want to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." I anticipate that he will have many more opportunities to share his faith in Jesus as he turns pro (Sounds like he will stay in college for one more year though). If you are sports fan, go to this site Beyond the Ultimate, it tells the story of his spiritual journey and has video from his spring break trip where he served at an orphange in the Philippines. From what I see, he's the real deal!

2009-01-08T21:29:00.001-08:00

See the #1 Inspirational Movie of the Year!

Friday, January 9th at 7 PM there will be a free showing of the movie "Fireproof" at Living Hope Church in Little Falls. This is an inspiring movie that will be sure to touch your life.
Refreshments will be available for purchase with proceeds going towards "Speed-the-Light".

We will be showing the children the movie "Sunday School Musical".

Living Hope Church is located 2 miles north of the Dairy Queen in Little Falls on Haven Road. 320-632-4365.

Maralyn Mathias

2009-01-06T14:10:00.000-08:00

I just heard that Maralyn Mathias, a missionary that our church has supported for years, passed away on Sunday. Just about weekly I would receive an email from her letting me know that she had updated her blog. I have copied her last entry here for you to read. I believe her perspective will challenge you as it did me.

Thirsty for Jesus

[Written early on New Years Day 2009]

Water is essential to life, and even though food will no longer propel down my throat, I’m still drinking. Amazingly, I don’t feel hungry … but I am thirsty, and I’m drinking as much as I possibly can. Without divine intervention, I will get to heaven some time within the month.

These 18 months since my ALS diagnosis have been the worst and best of my life. Worst because of my deteriorating body … best because of my relationship with Christ.

And I’m beginning to see my friendship with Jesus like water when I’m thirsty … so essential to life. He is the real “living water” referred to in John 4:1-26.

I have many lovely friends, but I’ve never before known a Friend SO close. Every day we have smiled, laughed, and cried together. And he has comforted me. I’ve asked his opinion, and he has nodded one way or the other. His close friendship has given me many new perspectives on this earthly life that I had never considered before. He’s been closer than my skin.

This intimate friendship was essential to the writing of this blog. He nudged me and said, “Don’t plan ahead” (totally contrary to my nature). “Let me teach you as we go. I will pick the topics. Just trust me! I’ll show you what to write.”

Let me tell you, for a “Type A” girl, that was tough … at first … until I saw that he really would supply the ideas and insights. It’s been an amazing ride. So if you’ve been blessed by this blog, thank him!

The only thing that makes me sad is realizing that this intimate friendship with him has been available to me all throughout my life, and I never chose it until now. I missed it … big-time! I guess I was always so busy with my lists, projects, plans and events that I was too occupied to be open to such an idea. Oh, I did my devotions, but so often because I knew I “should.” That’s a different thing. Now I long to be with him, to feel his hug, to hear his voice, to see his smile. It’s so different.

Here’s a piece of motherly advice: Don’t wait until you have a terminal illness to seek a true friendship with Jesus. He’s ready! It takes setting aside some less important things. It takes listening. It takes openness. But it’s so worth it! I hope you become literally thirsty for Jesus.

Soon I’ll be in heaven, and it will be great to see the scenery, gardens and mansions. It will be great to hear the singing and see what’s on the banquet tables. BUT! I can tell you, the thing I’m most looking forward to is meeting my Best Friend face-to-face for the very first time. I’m trying to imagine the thrill.…

Postscript: Seventy-two hours after writing this, Maralyn Mathias peacefully left this earth to meet her Lord. Her ability to swallow had stopped shortly after completing the above paragraphs. Nevertheless, she remained alert and even communicating with her husband, Jim, and other family members until her final 20 minutes of life. Her last breath was drawn at 10:35 a.m. on Sunday, January 4. She was 59 years old.

New Year Resolution

2009-01-01T11:40:00.000-08:00

It's day one of the new year. Most of us at least think about the desired changes that we want to see happen in 2009. The difficult part is moving our lives from the state of desire to the follow through that we long for. Whether its diet, exercise, paying off debt or spending more time with those we love, we must discipline ourselves to develop a plan of action that will allow us to carry out our great intentions.

As a follower of Jesus Christ, I have found that the foundation habit that affects all areas of my life is my time spent in God's presence. It seems like when this area is neglected, the other areas of my life follow.

Since it’s the time of the year that many of us make New Year’s resolutions, I wanted to encourage you to join me in reading through the Bible in 2009.

If you need a place to get started, you can follow the reading plan on YouVersion. It’s extremely convenient since you can read the Bible for free from an iPhone, iPod, BlackBerry, web-enabled phone, or any computer connected to the Internet.

Now that you're done reading my blog for today go ahead and click on the YouVersion link above. Why not start now?

May God bless you in 2009!

Snow Days

2008-12-30T08:50:00.000-08:00

It's snowing...again...or is it still? This winter reminds me of the ones I experienced as a kid. It's to the point where I can hardly get the snow piled higher at the end of my drive way.

If we're going to live in Minnesota we can complain about it or enjoy it. I am going to enjoy it. I think it's a great time to go sledding. My family likes to go to the local golf course. They have a great hill that if you go fast enough you can almost make it into the Mississippi River.

Maybe I'll see you there.

Life Goals

2008-12-26T09:41:00.000-08:00

It's the day after Christmas and we are at Darla's parents, Arvin & Shirley Kuglin. We woke up to the sound of Christmas music on an organ. Turns out that that they won some music lessons at the Dakota County Fair. It has been a dream of Arvin's for the past 50 years to play the organ. After a few lessons they bought this organ as a Christmas gift for each other.

In the video he is playing "Just A Closer Walk With Thee".

You may have had a dream for a long time and are wondering if you will ever accomplish it. Never give up! Keep the dreams alive. Arvin is 79 years young and just crossed of one more from his list.

Have you even made a list? If not, as you approach a new year, this would be a perfect time to put down on paper some life goals.

I need to cut this short as I'm going back to hear some more music.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-24T19:35:00.001-08:00

The Thompson's would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas.

Settlers of Catan

2008-12-24T15:29:00.000-08:00

One of my families favorite games to play is Settlers of Catan. We just finished playing two games and I am happy to announce that I won both.

I sound pretty humble huh.

Usually when I play and Darla also plays, she smokes me...in everything. I have to share this rare happening with everyone.

Go Packers?!

2008-12-22T12:11:00.000-08:00

Special thanks to Lisa for this bumper sticker. She is a huge Packer fan. She bleeds green & yellow like the guy in the commercial. I told Lisa that I would be a Packer fan for today but that would be it. The Vikings know how to make it suspensful for their fans. I don't know why they can't put it away when they need to.

Well,here it goes. GO PACKERS!

Weather Related Announcement

2008-12-20T10:13:00.000-08:00

Due to the weather, our 8 AM service for December 21 is canceled. We hope to see you at Sunday School at 9:30.

Christmas Program Practice

2008-12-17T14:26:00.001-08:00

It's that time of year. Kids in churches all over are practicing hard, preparing to share the wonderful message of Jesus Christ's birth.
"Godz Kids" from Living Hope will be presenting the Christmas program this Sunday. Our Rice campus kids will share in the morning service at 9:30 at Rice Elementary. Our kids from the Little Falls campus will be performing this Sunday night at 6:30. Their program is entitled "Ella - A Shepherds Daughter".

Refreshments will be served following the evening program and everyone in attendance will receive a gift.

This is also the night that we receive an offering for Hillcrest Children's Home. Come prepared to bless them.

Shorts during a winter storm?

2008-12-14T15:40:00.000-08:00

Today I had the excitement of preaching all three of our services. Traveling down to Rice was an adventure. I was glad I have four wheel drive. I love snow storms, but not on a Sunday morning. When I got to Rice I saw Gilbert, playing guitar...in shorts. He's from Hawaii! I had to take a picture after I was done shaking my head and smiling. If you were not able to make it today, we will upload the podcast tomorrow.

The Auto Bail Out

2008-12-12T16:09:00.000-08:00

I just thought of a way that the government could help the auto industry as well as the economy. Why don't they give us about $20,000 per household and then we can all go buy a new vehicle? What model and color would you like? If you're in Minnesota right now I would go for some type of four-wheel drive vehicle.

Points of Pain

2008-12-03T19:40:00.000-08:00

I just read this article on a link from our church's website to the A/G national website. It's about a former North Central classmate of mine. I just finished chatting with him on Facebook.

Points of pain and ministry

If you want to reach people for Christ, Senior Pastor Chuck Kish and his Bethel Assembly of God congregation in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, have determined the church needs to be found at people's points of pain - the point where people are asking questions and hurting the most.

In order to meet that need, the church decided to do what other churches have done - place chaplains with the police department and hospitals.

"Since the Vision of Transformation began and the local church was enabled to credential individuals," explains Kish, "it has opened the door to our church being involved in chaplaincy ministries."

However, about a year ago, the church went where few - if any - other churches had gone before. Placing a chaplain in a local bar. Having a chaplain available in a bar may seem to be a contradiction, but Kish explains it's a perfect place for a chaplain to be if his or her purpose is to be available at a person's point of pain and need.

"It's not uncommon for people to deal with their problems with alcohol, trying to bury or forget their pains," Kish says. "In one instance, a woman was contemplating suicide, but the bartender sent her to talk with the bar chaplain. The woman really opened up to the chaplain and was able to resolve some of her problems - she was open to the gospel message, and although she hasn't made a decision for Christ yet, we are believing she will."

However, as unique and forward thinking as having a chaplain in a bar is, the church has recently gone into a whole new area of chaplaincy that, according to what Kish has been told by Pennsylvania state representatives, is the very first chaplaincy effort of its type in the United States.

"I came upon a car accident where two 18-year-olds were killed," Kish recalls. "I saw the EMT pull back the sheet on one of the bodies. I saw his face as he turned away, and I thought 'he really needs a chaplain.'"

Due to the church's successful and overwhelmingly positive impact in other areas with their community chaplains, when the opportunity came for Kish to present his idea to the local Cumberland Goodwill EMT director, their chaplaincy program's reputation preceded him. The director surprised Kish by his eager acceptance of Kish's idea of placing chaplains in the cabs of EMS (Emergency Medical Service) vehicles.

"We now have chaplains riding in the cabs of ambulances - EMS chaplains," Kish says. "It's a true point of pain."

However, the chaplains aren't just helping the EMTs (Emergency Medical Technicians) "debrief" and deal with what they've witnessed, they make themselves available to assist the EMTs and ride with the victims - people who very well may be contemplating serious life questions and perhaps even facing death. It's possibly one of the most intense opportunities for a chaplain to meet a person at their "point of pain."

Arriving at the scene of an accident with the EMT crew, EMS Chaplains Frank Poley (left) and Jack Rau of Bethel AG offer help as they calm the passenger and driver of a vehicle.

"It takes a special person to be an EMS chaplain," Kish admits. "They must have the gifts of helps, hospitality and a strong stomach. So, far, we've had numerous opportunities to pray with EMTs and victims - including praying with a man who was able to confirm his faith in Christ before dying."

Kish says that since this is a "first of its kind" effort, there are no training manuals for this type of work. In fact, he says they're keeping a log of experiences as they go through "on the job" training. In the future, they plan to use what they've learned to provide training for more chaplains from their congregation as well as from other congregations.

"Our chaplaincy program has not only received an overwhelmingly positive response," Kish says, "but the people involved have begun to see the city differently - they really fall in love with the community and have a passion for the people in it."

Although Bethel Assembly of God has already expanded ministry boundaries through their "points of pain" approach, they're far from done. Kish says that they now also have a funeral chaplain and feel like they've just scratched the surface.

"We're looking to put a chaplain in with 9-1-1 operators," Kish says. "I want us to touch our community at every point of pain where people are asking about life, death, purpose, the future . . . the power of the gospel brings change!"

Grandma's Quilts

2008-11-28T19:29:00.000-08:00

Darla's mom has been making quilts for her grandkids for a few years now. She started with the oldest and is working her way down to the youngest, Andrew. Wednesday night Kelsey and Alyssa received theirs. Nothing like grandma's quilt on a cold Minnesota night.

HTC touch pro

2008-11-21T19:24:00.000-08:00

I am attemping to use my new cell phone to do this blog. So far Iam really liking all of the features. I am attemping to upload a picture and will try a video later.

Husky Hockey

2008-11-14T21:15:00.000-08:00

Andrew and I had the opportunity to go to the St. Cloud State Husky Hockey game tonight. They won 4-2 against Denver. Special thanks to Rob for the two tickets.

I love sitting in the first row where you can feel the checks as they crash into the boards. It reminds me of my younger days.

WWF combines with hockey.

I especially enjoyed watching #11, Jared Festler. He was always exciting to see when he played for the Little Falls Flyers. It's nice to have him close to home. He had two assists tonight and nearly a goal if he wouldn't have been tripped up as you can see in the video.

Blizzard, the Husky mascot was having a good time.

Deer Hunters of Living Hope

2008-11-13T10:05:00.001-08:00

I am asking attenders of Living Hope to submit their 2008 deer hunting pictures. We want to celebrate with those who were successful. After a week or two of submissions, we'll have people vote for the top kill. Perhaps I'll even give out a little prize.

Ethan Alver #1

Ethan Alvar #2
Ethan Alvar #3

Chris Olin on left. A 5 & a 7 point buck. His nephew on the right with his 10 pointer. Don't worry, his nephew is not eligible for the prize :)

Gabi Drill and her nice doe

Callan Drill and his 6 point buck.

Linda Tatro and her 6 point buck.

Dan Olsen...three...wow

Dan Tonder's dream deer

Shelley Starz...10 point buck.

The Big Hunt?

2008-11-10T18:50:00.000-08:00

Watch the video first, then read the results.

No, I didn't get the 20 point buck. I did however get a shot at one. I was in the middle of my morning exercise routine while in the deer stand (actually, just trying to stay warm). Suddenly I noticed two deer running through the field just over 100 yards away. I managed one shot at the buck. It didn't appear that I hit it. It started to run in a direction that may have given me another shot. Unfortunately by the time I was ready to take the second shot it was behind some trees. It crossed the road and went into the woods that I was talking about in my video.

In regards to the book, "Sinner", by Tedd Dekker, I finished it. What a great book. I love this author. Tedd really foreshadows some great, and scary, thoughts about our countries belief regarding tolerance and free speech. It really is a thought provoker. The time may soon be approaching where a Christian with a Biblical world view will not just be considered intolerant, but illegal.

It's ironic how those who are angry and hateful towards Christians do not see their hatred as being intolerant.

I do believe that we Christians have brought on some peoples hatred, not because we are acting like Jesus, but because we have not loved as Christ did. He is the perfect example of how one can love people deeply, while maintaining and encouraging others to live a holy life.

Happy Birthday Billy Graham

2008-11-07T06:43:00.000-08:00

Today is Billy Graham's 90th Birthday!

Rev. Billy Graham is the most respected minister in America, perhaps the world. He has lived a life of integrity, is a man of great influence upon leaders and upon average people, and most importantly, has preached the gospel without compromise.

I appreciate how he always preached with compassion and on a level that all could understand.

If you would like to send him a birthday wish just click on this link.

The Pick

2008-11-06T17:03:00.000-08:00

My daughter Alyssa just had her first game of basketball for the season. As a father, I like to be involved in my kids athletic games, sometimes even coaching. One game I never played much was basketball. In my years of pastoring in Little Falls I have been to hundreds of games and have learned a little bit. You have to understand that I grew up playing hockey. I would spend hours OUTSIDE in the freezing, sub-zero temps, enjoying every minute of it.

I say all of this to simply set up this video. My daughter Alyssa was involved in a "pick" which allowed her teammate to score. I'm not quite sure it was a totally legal pick but it was sure fun to watch.

Speed The Light

2008-11-06T07:40:00.000-08:00

I just received this email from Mark & Janie. They are missionaries that our church supports and our youth have raised money for. Mark grew up in our church. We are so proud to claim him as one of our own.

"Janie and I just bought our new STL car, and understand that you provided part of the purchase price. Thank you so much for your continued support for us. We are so blessed to have such a solid, caring church behind us. We love and appreciate you. Please pass along our heartfelt thanks to the youth and anyone else that may have played a role in this.

We bought a Honda CRV as you can see in the picture. It will be a blessing to us and to the churches and people we serve here for a long time.

Blessings!

Mark & Janie"

I am not only proud of Mark & Janie but of our incredible youth. Under the leadership of Pastor Bobby, they have captured the heart of missions and know what it is to sacrifice to share the message of Jesus.

I watch my three kids that are a part of Motion Student Ministries here at Living Hope. I know they don't make much money, yet they continue to surprise me at what they give to Speed the Light. I pray that this attitude of giving will continue on in the lives of our young people even as they grow older and take on the financial reality of life as an adult.

Post Elections

2008-11-05T11:51:00.000-08:00

I am sure that most people are filled with intense emotions today. Whether the individuals you voted for were elected or not may determine how you feel today. Perhaps you're simply excited that the political commercials will now come to an end; at least for a few weeks. I heard a political consultant tell of how President-elect Obama started campaigning about two years ago. He stated that it could start a trend in the future. Could you imagine two plus years of these commercials. The couches at the psychologist offices would be filled.

No matter how you voted, don't forget that God has asked us in His Word to pray for those who are authorities over us. The Assemblies of God General Superintandant, George Wood, has a great video that you should watch. He addresses some key points that we be good for us to apply. George Wood

Vote

2008-11-04T09:30:00.001-08:00

I just returned from voting. It was good to see that there was a steady flow of people. If you are reading this blog today and have not made your way to vote, stop, grab your keys and go. You can finish reading this when you return.

I believe it is the duty of every American, certainly every believer in Jesus Christ, to get out and cast our vote. I also encourage you to vote based on Biblical values!

New Gadget Added

2008-11-03T12:52:00.001-08:00

Not that I'm egotistical or anything. I'm really just curious to find out if there is anyone that follows my blog. I have added a gadget on the right side tool bar entitled, "Followers". I would love to have you add yourself to the list.

Steak Dinner

2008-11-03T12:31:00.000-08:00

Thanks to a special friend of the church, those who attended church on Sunday were blessed by a great steak dinner.

Steak you could cut with a plastic knife

(Tim-our favorite butcher from Fergus Falls & his daughter)

Sunday was a fantastic day at Living Hope. We had our semi-annual, Combined Campus Celebration with about 320 in attendance. It was also our first Sunday that people could make a pledge towards our "Impacting Generations" capital campaign. So far, with 24 pledges in, we are at around $130,000+ towards our goal of $1.3 million. (If you would like more info you can go to www.ourgreathope.org or email me).

The church also blessed the pastors and their families for Pastor Appreciation Sunday. Thanks to everyone for the kind words and gifts. We are so blessed to be able to minister to an incredible group of people.