Happy New Year From Steve and Brenda

Here we are again on the cusp of another new year.

So we’re approaching the unknown, and who knows what’s in store for us?

But, if you want to know what God can do in 2011, look at what He’s already done for you and you’ll start feeling better about your future.
And that’s not all; listen: He tells us “Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth.” Isaiah 43:19
After feeling like you’ve waited forever, God will move suddenly. If we’re not ready we can miss the next open door, the next great idea or the next relationship He has for us. We’ve got to be sensitive to His voice in 2011, alert to His movements and live in expectation and anticipation of a fresh new beginning.

God says He wants to “do a new thing” for us, so disregard the negative circumstances and believe the God who cannot lie! The rubbish can be cleared and the bruises can be healed. Just make sure that when the smoke clears you’re still standing. You’re too important to God to be destroyed by a trial that was just meant to give you character and direction.

Happy New Year.

Steve and Brenda

“Cleanse me, and I will be clean; wash me and I will be whiter than snow.” – Psalm51:7

Life Goals, Ministry, new years

QUESTIONS ABOUT 2011?

I don’t know about you, but 2010 was a very challenging year for a lot of us to say the least.

The temptation I have when things get tough is to hold back and be reserved or reticent about goal setting for the future.

Unless you are a quitter that is not the right approach.

Here is a great way to approach this next year.

Start by asking some questions.

Questions for the New Year!

It’s miserable trying to play a part for which you’re ill suited. It’s like walking in shoes that don’t fit. So this coming year ask yourself: What am I good at? What do I enjoy doing most? What accomplishments make me feel best? List 5 moments in your life when you were acutely aware of this sensation. Does this reveal anything about your purpose? If money was not a consideration what would you want to do to fill your days? How does this compare with where you are now? What one small step can you take right now – one phone call made, one letter written, one e-mail sent – to move you toward your true calling? What have you learned about your purpose through failures? Are some areas clearly not a part of your calling at this point? Who do you admire for the way they’ve applied their talents? How are you like them? What can you learn from them? How would you describe your vision for your life this year? Five years from now? Ten? Who are the people in your life who really “get” who you are? Have you asked them what they think your purpose might be? Have they given indications of how they think you should use your talents? If you could write you own obituary, what would you want it to say? What would you like to be remembered for?
While we never arrive at our final destination in this life, we can get on the right path, with the right tools, making the right choices along our way!

WRITE OUT TEN TANGIBLE GOALS FOR 2011-

1. ______________________________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________________________
4. ______________________________________________________________
5. ______________________________________________________________
6. ______________________________________________________________
7. ______________________________________________________________
8. ______________________________________________________________
9. ______________________________________________________________
10. _____________________________________________________________

With God’s help I will see these Ten accomplish this year
signed ____________________________________
Remember to be SMART about setting goals

S – specific, significant

M – measurable, meaningful, motivational

A – attainable, achievable, action-oriented

R – realistic, rewarding, results-oriented

T – time-based, tangible, trackable
New Years Day is a great time to settle down a write down some tangible goals for 2011.

“GOD SAID…’BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY.'” GENESIS 1:28

Or a friend of mine used to tell me – Hey Steve, “Set your goal, know your roll and pay the toll.”

Happy new year.

Blessings.

Steve Lummer

LEWIS AND CLARK

LEWIS AND CLARK DECEMBER ENTRY

Here we are with Lewis and Clark in December.

The pups are 9 months old now and we enjoy them more and more every day.

Here are a few pics of them in December.

Clark is a fan of hats …no really, he loves to wear my hats. Eat my hats and run through the house after he has taken my hat off my head.

Louie loves his walks – now he demands them.

Bella and the pups favorite trail.

Merry Christmas 2010

The first big snow for the pups December 30.

This is how we wear the boys out.

Merry Christmas 2010 from Lewis Clark Bella Steve and Bren.

family

DAD UNIVERSITY

Today is my son’s 28th birthday and I wanted to post a few pics on this blog.

Caleb was born in Davenport Iowa five days after Christmas .

When the Doctor Mc Fadden handed my son to me and said, “here is your baby boy”, I was a bit stunned as a young adult.

I remember the feeling as a 20 something not being ready for the responsibility of being a dad.

That might have been the same feeling my day had years ago when the same doctor delivered me at the same hospital where Caleb was born (pretty cool)…..

I did not know how to be a father when I was 25 years old but some how I got the hang of it.

Father and son December 30th, 1983.

I remember one guy telling me, “A father is a thing that growls when it feels good–and laughs very loud when it’s scared half to death.”

I also remember getting as many books that I could on “How to be a good father”. All good stuff but nothing compared to the scriptural insight the Bible gave me as I read it each day in my attempt to be a good dad for my new son .

Here are a few thoughts and scriptures that meant so much and helped me big time in my new responsibility as a father.

Well-trained is the son who can hang onto his father’s words (Prov 4:4).
Happy will be the child who cries because his dad loves him (Prov 10:12)
A wise father hates sin in order to love his son.
A good father shows the value of a book as well as a buck.
The dad who wonders how much of a teacher he needs to be would do well to go to the school of Solomon.
The man who finds a good woman should show his son how to avoid a bad one (Prov 2,5,6,7,9).
What a father knows about sex might help his children as much as surprise them (Prov 23:26-8).
A wise son makes a glad dad as much as a foolish one makes a glum mum (Prov 10:1).
Thank God for Fathers who not only gave us life but taught us what to do with it.
If you’re amazed at how hard your dad can make it for you, try it without him (Prov 15:5).

There are so many support tools for families today that we did not have back in the 1980’s.

http://www.familyfirst.net/

I think one of the keys to being a successful parent is having the mindset of not just “spending” time with your children but rather “investing” time with them.

My son Caleb has become an amazing young adult and his mom and I are very proud of who he has become.

http://three23.net/

http://dribbble.com/three23

Thanks Caleb for all you have taught me.

Happy birthday.

Dad

Christmas Eve, family

Twas The Night Before Christmas In Cincinnati

It was a snowy winter Christmas Eve 28 years ago tonight in beautiful Cincinnati Ohio.

Our daughter Natascha was born at Christ Hospital.

I remember how amazing the city looked at Christmas with the snow falling and my emotions full of joy.

As a young father of a new born baby girl I was full of gratitude and a sense of MORE responsibility.

Yes, a daughter was a whole new ballgame for me.

Here are a few pics of that Christmas Eve night that our family cherished together.

Hospital Santa, Brenda and Tash.

An amazing mother and child. (Natascha means “born at Christmas” in Russian)

Caleb’s first glimpse of his “baby siser”.

28 years ago holding the best gift a dad could ask for.

Thank you Natascha for your amazing abilities, gifts and love you bring into the world and into our lives.

Happy birthday Tash.

Love you ,

Dad

Christmas Eve, Ministry

Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion

Just wanted to post this opportunity for you to join me in a celebration of Christmas Eve Communion – Friday night December 24th.

Christmas Eve Communion Service in Beautiful Prescott Arizona.
6:00 – 7:00 PM Christmas Eve
Prescott First Assembly
1455 Willow Creek Road.
Prescott, Arizona

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl
Celebrating Christmas Eve with family and friends.

A time to reflect, restore and a time to rejoice.

Unless we make Christmas an occasion to share our blessings, all the snow in Alaska won’t make it ‘white’.”
~ Bing Crosby

See you there for a warm gathering of celebrating God’s gift to us.

Pastor Steve Lummer

Prescott First Assembly of God

Ministry

Today

I just had to capture this moment today while taking a few minutes of prayer in the forest.

The photo was taken today from the forest floor and as you know, a picture does the view I experienced NO justice….but it was a try.

When talking about “Today” – Jesus says, in Matthew 6:34 ” Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Its like he is saying, Don’t barrow from tomorrow’s troubles and place them in to today, because today has enough trouble of its own.

So how should we approach each day? How do we handle the troubles and frustrations of each day.

I for one need peace to replace my problems each day. (easier said than done right?)

Catherine Marshall writes “A king once offered a prize to the artist who could paint the best picture of peace. Many tried, but there were only two the king really liked. One was of a calm lake. It was a perfect mirror for the peaceful towering mountains all around it. Overhead was a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. The other picture had mountains too. But they were rugged and bare. Above them was an angry sky from which fell rain, and in which lightning played. Down the side of the mountains tumbled a waterfall. This did not look peaceful at all. But when the king looked closely he saw behind the waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock. In the bush a mother bird had built her nest. There, in spite of the rush of angry water, she sat on her nest – in perfect peace. Which picture do you think won the prize? The king chose the second picture. Why? ‘Because,’ explained the king, ‘Peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. Peace means to be in the middle of all these things and still be calm in your heart.'”

“You will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand.” Philippians 4:7 TLB

At some point we all discover that there’s no safe harbor free from storms; that peace is not the absence of storms, but

1. The assurance of God’s presence and protection in the midst of storms and problems;

2. The growth of our faith and character because of them;

3. His rock-solid promise to bring us through them stronger and wiser. (I like that!)

Remember:

TODAY IS ALL YOU HAVE.

TODAY IS ALL YOU NEED.

TODAY IS ALL YOU CAN HANDLE.

Steve Lummer

Lead Pastor

Prescott First Aseembly

Books I'm Reading

The Teflon Rhino

Just ordered this newest book by Pastor Bill .

Bill Wilson writes in his book The Teflon Rhino – “Its hard to drain the swamp when you’re up to your rear end in alligators.” – Bill Wilson

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. – The Apostle Peter (1 Peter 5:8 KLV)

The first rule of living in the jungle of real life is you have to survive, which means staying off the lunch menu. The rhinoceros (rhino) is a great example. It lives in contented solitude that does not completely exclude, but selects its companions carefully. It does not rely on the herd for protection. It is not the fastest, strongest, tallest, or smartest animal in the wild. It stays off the lunch menu due to its protective skin that is over one-half inch thick. It is extremely difficult to penetrate.

Teflon is a slick coating that has transformed the world due to its nonstick properties, thus The Teflon Rhino. The rhino’s skin is slick and thick. It is not swayed by the crowd, coerced by opinion, or motivated by the popularity. It does not flinch in the face of adversity or succumb to the fear of the unknown.

My greatest attribute as a leader and a citizen of the real world was birthed in me as an abandoned child.

I am a survivor, and I have written this book as a survival manual for you.

I pray that the survival skills I have learned over six decades of life and ministry will help navigate you through the trials, heartaches, adversity and attacks that the real life will bring into your jungle.

Whether or not you believe it, you can be a survivor of the rarest kind. Like me, you can be a Teflon Rhino.

http://www.metroministries.org/

Can’t wait to start into this ministry survival gem

Steve Lummer

Books I'm Reading, LEWIS AND CLARK, Ministry

HOW TO GET UP AND OVER YOUR PROBLEMS

UNDAUNTED COURAGE is Stephen Ambrose’s best selling account of the Lewis and Clark expedition

….After two years of battling nearly insurmountable problems – hunger, fatigue, desertion, hostile enemies, severe illness, and death – the party had reached the headwaters of the Missouri river. All their advance information had led them to believe that once they reached the Continental divide, they would face about a half – day potage, and then reach the waters of the Columbia River and float safely to the Pacific Ocean….They were on their way to hero status…The hard part behind them…OR SO THEY THOUGHT!
Meriwether Lewis left the rest of the party behind him to climb the bluffs that would enable him to see the other side, hoping to see the waters that would carry them the rest of the way…IMAGINE WHAT HE FELT WHEN RATHER THAN SEEING A GENTLE SLOPING VALLEY AS EXPECTED, HE WAS INSTEAD THE FIRST NON-NATIVE AMERICAN TO LAY HIS EYES ON THE MASSIVE ROCKY MOUNTAINS IN FRONT OF HIM.
What do you do when you think you biggest problems are behind you only to find out you are really just getting warmed up?

…….I picture Lewis looking at the rest of the party climbing up the hill IN EXPECTATION…..AND HE IS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW HE WAS GOING TO BREAK THE NEWS TO THEM…..”he guys hang on just a minute…Don’t come up here just yet!….I have a little surprise for you when you get up here.

Yes, eventually the Rock Mountains would perhaps be the most amazing part of their entire trip….the challenge would call for enormous courage and creativity and perseverance….it would lead them to sights they would never forget and experiences they had never known before……it would get them to a point where if they had CONQUERED THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS THEY COULD TACKLE ANYTHING NOW…

THE SAME HAPPENED TO PETER OF THE NEW TESTAMENT…HE WAS ON HIS WAY TO HIS DESTINATION ON THE WAY TO HIS DREAM …THEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN IT HAPPENED…HE WAS IN A STORM, HE WAS NECK DEEP IN TROUBLE….THE BIBLE EVEN SAYS “HE COULD SEE THE WIND”.

The same things happen to us…. We launch into a great adventure, star o new job, take on a stretching ministry assignment, begin a family…In the initial days we are filled with hope and faith…We are out of the boat on our way to our dream and achieving something worth while with our lives…THEN REALITY SETS IN WE SEE THE WIND, WE FACE THE OBSTACLES , CONFLICT SAPS OUR SPIRIT…PLANS GO AWRY…THE ECONOMY TANKS…JUST WHEN WE THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE SMOOTH SAILING WE ARE LOOKING AT THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS.

WHAT NEXT….. WHAT DO WE DO NOW?

1. FOCUS your life around the one who can to save you.

Matthew 14:30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”

Why do most people FAIL? Not because of a lack of FRIENDS, or a lack of FINANCES …but most people fail because of a lack of FOCUS..

How do you kill a man with a great DREAM ? …..give him another one!

Soon he will be DIVERTED …DILUTED AND DISCOURAGED RIGHT OUT OF HIS DREAM …

2. Break free from WRONG PEOPLE

And when He had sent the multitudes away, Matthew 14:23

And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” 28 And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” Matthew 14:26-28

If God wants to bring blessing into your life he will send a person
If the devil wants to bring destruction into your life he will send a person …ALWAYS!

“Continue to do the right things and eventually THE wrong things and THE wrong people will eventually leave your life” – David Blunt

Rick Warren writes, “when people leave you, don’t try to get them back into your life….it is probably God saving you from something.”

3. Don’t let PAST mistakes keep you from your PRESENT possibilities.

Isn’t it funny that life is understood by looking backwards but must be lived looking forward.

But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” 31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Matthew 14:30 – 32

Focus your life – Break free from wrong people – Don’t let your short term problems shorten the length of your vision.

Reach out to God, he will pull you up and over and even out of your problems.

Steve

Lead pastor – Prescott First Assembly

books I'm reading again, leadership

28 QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF

John Mason emailed this to me this morning and I just had to copy it to my blog.

Steve,

Here are some important questions to ask yourself today.

Both enthusiasm and pessimism are contagious. How much of each do you spread?
If someone were to pay you a hundred dollars for each kind word you spoke and collect fifty dollars for each unkind word, would you be rich or poor?
Are you a creature of circumstance or a creator of circumstance?
Are you ready for your opportunity when it comes?
Do you make others feel bigger or smaller when they’re around you?
Are you spending your life answering questions nobody is asking?
If you have God’s promise for something, isn’t that enough?
Why worry when you can pray?
How old is your attitude?
Do you acquire the doubts of others?
Are you willing to follow the truth no matter where it leads?
What progress are you standing in the way of? (Tim Redmond)
How much has fear and worry about things that never happened cost you?
Do you go through a problem—or try to go around it and never get past it?
Do you say, “There ought to be a better way to do it” or do you say, “That’s the way it’s always been done”?
Are you deliberately planning to be less than you’re capable of being?
If not you, then who? If not now, then when? (Hillell)
Are you willing to give up what you have in order to become what you can be?
What do you believe in the depth of your being?
What is the first, small step you can take to get moving?
“If you don’t have a dream, how are you going to make a dream come true?” (Oscar Hammerstein)
Do you look at the horizon and see an opportunity, or look into the distance and fear a problem?
Do you put off until tomorrow the things you’ve already put off until today?
Has failure gone to your head?
Are you traveling or going somewhere?
Do you see difficulties in every opportunity, or see opportunities in every difficulty?
How many people of great potential have you known? Where on earth did they all go?
Ten years from today, what will you wish you had done now?

I love John Mason’s wealth of wisdom. He is the author of An Enemy Called Average and other amazing books that are a must for your personal library.

Have a great day.

Steve

stevelummer.com

Author Archives: Lummer Steve

Happy New Year From Steve and Brenda

QUESTIONS ABOUT 2011?

LEWIS AND CLARK DECEMBER ENTRY

DAD UNIVERSITY

Twas The Night Before Christmas In Cincinnati

Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion

Today

The Teflon Rhino

HOW TO GET UP AND OVER YOUR PROBLEMS

28 QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF