Sunday Blitz

> Contrary to how it feels, our attendance is actually up a bit from June of last year...it feels down because we know that tourism here is down, but the enthusiasm of the worshippers and the numbers, especially the kids, speak for themselves. July will be the real test, as it's always the busiest month here at NHC.

> After a few weeks of rough starts for the band, yesterday morning flowed really well from start to finish. A few minor bumps, as always, but no major frustrations like we've been having the past few weeks.

> Great message about leaders...being a good leader and praying for and supporting those who lead us...can never hear about that stuff too often.

> Our First Impressions Team may have the toughest assignment each week...while our other teams have a plan in place with little variations, the FI Team is basically always adjusting and reacting to what comes at them...big crowds, small crowds, late-comers, cranky tourists, bad weather, small parking lot, etc....they do an incredible job of meeting the challenges of a growing church during tourist season.

> Speaking of cranky tourists (and, just in case you're coming to our church soon from out of town), I really wish there was a way to explain to our out of town guests why we do everything we do...some people come to church thinking that we're here to cater to their every need, putting aside the needs of everyone else, and that's just not the case. We do everything we do for a very specific reason, and although we love our out of town guests, our target is our local, unchurched guests, and we will make the most sacrifices for them and our regular attenders. Although, we will do it with a smile on our face, even when people are cranky...

> We've yet (knock on wood) to have a bad weather Sunday this summer! Nothing better than walking out of the church building on Sunday afternoon with nothing to do and blue skys! Yesterday, we spent some time with family and friends at the beach...first time my wife and I have been in the ocean together in a few years!

> It was just one of those gatherings yesterday at 9am...a ton of little children in the auditorium (somebody explain to me why so many parents don't send their kids to do their own thing?)...which also meant a ton of distractions...once we've got our Kids Zone finished and can shuffle some things around, I'm hoping those distractions will be minimized.

> Speaking of kids, my daughter may be experiencing her first bit of separation anxiety...the past two Sundays, at 11am, when I hand her off to our awesome nursery team, she's cried. She never crys...I'm hoping it's just a combination of hunger, nap time, etc. and not real separation anxiety (although it does make my heart melt).

> Stoked to have my great friends Matt and Sylvie Glock (and family) in town with us over the next few months...I love all of our missionaries, but especially Matt and fam. Matt was in town from France a few years ago and we went and saw the Transformers movie together...hoping to see the sequal with him sometime soon.

> Now it's time for me to chord out a few new songs for the band, finalize plans for our 4th of July outreach event, and find some lunch!

Rock on!

Nate

A Few More Thoughts About That

I've been thinking about That all day...not like every second, because I did have a great day with my wife and daughter...but it's been, at least, on the back of my mind all day. Maybe getting a few more thoughts down on paper may help me to move on and focus. Again, although this is related to the particular situation that went down this past weekend, I'm trying to think and write in generalities that will help me keep my nose clean.

> I have no idea why any man in church leadership (or in any leadership outside the church, for that matter) would invite a woman to be his "personal assistant". If a pastor absolutely needs a personal assistant, isn't the obvious choice to invite a guy? Beyond all of the sexual crap that can be avoided, church leaders should be looking for opportunities to mentor younger men, and what better way to do so than to have a personal assistant (maybe that's what we used to call "disciples"?) at your side? Not to mention, I couldn't imagine having the guts to tell my wife that I'd just hired a woman to spend hours a week "assisting" me in my ministry...yikes!

> I must be so careful how I communicate with the opposite sex, especially via the internet. Again, big screw ups don't happen overnight, and often, in this modern culture, they begin and are fueled via online communication. Whether email, twitter, facebook, texting, etc., I've got to be willing to limit who I communicate with on a very personal level and how I communicate with them. I know some church leaders who even have a personal policy not to have any facebook friends who are young, single females, just to avoid all appearances and temptations of evil. As a former, single, college student, I know how easy it is to flirt, even "innocently", with the opposite sex online...not something I want to even come close to as a married man. If my wife wants to look at my facebook private messages, I shouldn't have anything to hide.

> I must be incredibly careful how I talk about the opposite sex, especially via the internet. Living "above reproach" means that I don't give anyone any reason to doubt my character should a rumor or slanderous piece of gossip start going around about me. If I'm ever accused of anything morally questionable, I never want anyone to be able to say in honesty that they heard or read me say/write something innappropriate about a woman. If you ever hear me say that any woman is "hot", I'd better be talking about my wife.

> I have got to learn how to kill (ie. let God kill) my ego if I'm going to be in ministry. Again, if I'm ever accused of anything, I don't want arrogant and insensitive things I've said and written (and the stuff I say and write comes out of my heart and mind) to come back and give people reason to question me further. From emails, to twitter updates, to blog comments, I've got to learn to say everything with love and grace and encouragement, even if what I'm saying comes from great conviction. Transparency can be a good thing, but not if my heart is always filled with ego and pride.

Thanks for listening...I think I can get to sleep now...

Nate

It Could Have Been Me

This post is about me...not about anyone else, although I will express a few opinions about others so that you can better understand why this is about me. Also, I seriously doubt anyone I know who has dealt personally with their own public moral failure of this kind is reading this blog, so don't think that I'm thinking of you as I wrote this.


I heard the news today
That another soldier tumbled
A fragile warrior slipped and fell from grace
The vultures swooped to tear his heart
And pin him to the ground
And from the shadows someone took his place

I won't name names or link blogs, although some, if not many of you reading this will know who and what I'm thinking about as I write this. Another pastor, a pastor that many would call a "Christian celebrity", has resigned from his church by admitting to a sexual sin. I heard about it yesterday afternoon, just a few hours after the "story broke", and, as usual, it has left me with a sick feeling in my stomach...but this time, it feels a little sicker.

Today we talk amongst ourselves
We never bought his words
We say we've seen the madness in his eyes
Tomorrow he's forgotten as
We've scrubbed him from our hearts
And as he bleeds we slowly turn our eyes

To be honest, I haven't had much of a liking for this particular pastor. I have followed his blog and his church website for a few years, and have had some personal interaction with him via the internet, which may or may not give me a better idea of what he is really like. The church he has led is doing amazing things to connect people with God (mostly for the first time in their lives), and I really believe that God has been glorified through their mission. And, because of that, I have chosen to never bash him or his ministry. But, I have never felt right in my heart about his personality and the way he communicates his passion for reaching those who are far from God.

So, to be honest some more, one of my first thoughts when I read about his confession yesterday was, "I'm not all that surprised."

Then, I quickly was reminded, for several reasons, how disgusting and shameful a thought like that is.

Firstly, no matter how much or little I knew or liked about this pastor, I never had any real reason to doubt his authenticity or character. Yes, sexual sin is not something that just comes out of nowhere...it is, indeed, often a "slow fade", and one that always begins with a choice to pervert priorities. But, I've heard almost nothing but great things about this guy from others, including from several pastors who I do greatly respect. Just because he says some stuff that makes me cock my head to the side doesn't give me any real reason to be able to rightly judge his character as a third party over the internet. He is my brother, one whom God knows as a son, and I can and should love him without having to love everything about him.

I'll be the first in line to acknowledge that I say and do (publicly, privately, etc.) some pretty crappy things, on a fairly regular basis. And, I have no doubt that, when I say/do something that seems flawed, there are some who would have reason in their own mind to not be surprised by my words and actions. I'm thankful for grace, and forgiveness, and for the wisdom to realize that I'm as imperfect and as capable of the lowest of the low as the next guy.

But, what gets me the most...what really gives me that extra sick feeling in my stomach today and makes me stop and question my own priorities is the thought that, it could have been me....

But it could've been me
I could've been the one to lose my grip and fall
It could've been me
The one who's always standing tall
For unless you hold me tightly, Lord
And I can hold on too
Then tomorrow in the news
It could be me, it could be me...

I'm not saying that I'm contemplating having an affair, or that I've got a list of x rated websites hidden away somewhere. I am saying that, unless I'm constantly checking my priorities and motives and habits, seeking to love God in all I do, and allowing others to do the same for me, I'm really not much further from a big failure than if I were already committing it. I'm guessing that every decision that leads to the fall is a "big" screw up in hindsight...again, these failures don't happen over night, and are always preceded by wrong, "small" choices.

And in our hearts we fear the ones
Whose lives are like our own
Whose shadows dance like
Demons in our minds
We think to push them far away
We exercise our souls
We make them play the tune for all mankind

Perhaps, when we hear of stories like this one, the greatest danger for church pastors and leaders is to not realize that it really is not a far fetched thought that, it really could have been me. Anyone in ministry leadership who believes they are further than one quick decision away from falling hard is insane. If we were to have asked this pastor, just a few months ago, about his commitment to sexual morality, I'm guessing he would have had no idea he'd be in this spot now.

So, today, I'm asking myself...

Are there thoughts I'm thinking that are not of pure and holy things?
Are there words I'm speaking that are breaking down my fellowship with God and others?
Are there things I'm doing that are leading me away from God?
Are my motives about God, or about serving myself?
Are my passions for the things that make God happy?

More than just about anything else, the thing that keeps me wanting to know and love God more is the healthy fear of falling hard and crushing my God, my family, my friends, my ministry and my reputation in front of those who are far from God. I know, from past mistakes, what I'm capable of, and I know how much I can hurt other people (my wife, foremost) when I say or do something even sightly embarrassing and questionable.

And I've seen enough of our "Christian celebrities" and even a few personal friends publicly screw up huge to know that, even in my small realm of influence, my failure would have a huge impact on others.

I believe there is a place
Where (I) can run and hide
When (I) know that (I) can't stand
For one more day
And I believe You're waiting, Lord
To hold me very close
For You know without Your love
I'd lose my way

I pray for humility to acknowledge and confess my shortcomings. For wisdom to see the future consequences of my words and deeds. For discernment to pause and check the smallest of decisions with God's Word. The blessing of having others who love and care for me enough to ask the tough questions. For love and grace and forgiveness to help me get up and and dust off and keep moving forward.

Nate

The lyrics above (in italics) are from the song "It Could Have Been Me" by Phil Keaggy.

A Place for (the) Community

Part of the vision we had when designing and building our newest facilities was that it would be a place where our community would feel welcome...not just on Sundays. Several organizations (not directly affiliated with our church) in our community have used our church building in the past few years, and a few community groups use it on a weekly/monthly basis, including the local AA Group who meets here once a week.

As I was sitting in my office earlier today, one of the women who attends the AA came in looking for something that she thought she may have left here after their last meeting. After a quick search, she was on her way out, she stopped, turned, and said, "By the way...we just love being able to meet here...it is so nice and disabled accessible, and we just feel very comfortable and welcome here." I smiled and thanked her for sharing that with me, then she left.

That comment totally made my day...I had spent an hour or so this morning helping to clean out one of our huge storage rooms, taking for granted the space we've been given and even grumbling a little under my breath about the other work that I needed to do today. Being reminded that this is God's building and I'm partly responsible for being a good steward of it by keeping it a welcoming place for our community was a great kick in the pants from God.

I think I'll look a little differently at the handful of AA folks who meet here every week, and maybe go out of my way sometime when I see an opportunity to serve them. I am the church, and I am here for those who don't yet know God...this building is simply a tool for me to use to share God with others...

Nate

Gag The Worship Leader!

One of the HUGE things I've learned over the past several years of worship leading is, the less I say while up on stage leading worship, the better. I used to feel like it was my responsibility, as a worship leader, to really help move things along by attempting to read a scripture, share a thought, or lead in a prayer before every/most song(s)...I'm a bit older and wiser now.

And, it's not like I'm a shallow thinker or a poor public speaker. Most of the time, when I say something from the stage, I think it's something that is really important, and, I am a pretty good communicator...but maybe not so much when I'm improvising. I discovered that, most of the time, even though I was attempting to add something to the worship, I was actually detracting from it. A .300 batting average is good for Major League Baseball, but not so much for communicating while leading worship.

One of the methods that helped me wise up was to video record some of our worship gatherings and watch/listen any time I would say anything from the stage. It's amazing how, when I was speaking on the fly, what seemed like 30 seconds actually amounted to 2 minutes, or what seemed like a short encouraging statement actually turned out to come across as something of a sermonet.

I've also learned how to plan and prepare more. The Worship Director at Willow Creek explains how he trains/equips his worship leaders to "speak" as they lead worship (thanks to Fred for this):

1 - don't speak at all.
then, once you mastered that...
2 - write down what you will say, let me approve it, and read it.
then, once you mastered that...
3 - write down what you will say, let me approve it, then memorize and share it.
then, once you mastered that...
4 - write down what you will say, and memorize and share it.
etc...

I wish somebody had shared something like that with me a long time ago... Why do we prepare so much for the music (our band spends about 3-4 hours every week just practicing together), but leave our speaking parts totally up for improv? Why do we expect our pastor to figure out (and even script out) what he's going to preach, but the WL thinks it's cool to speak on the fly?

I realize that many churches place a high value on being free and open and "spontaneous", but that doesn't mean we can't plan ahead...I've seen and heard (and have even said) a lot of really stupid, irrelevant and confusing things because people didn't plan ahead...unfortunately, I have also heard some rally bad and cheesy stuff come out of the mouths of those who did plan ahead.

I've also discovered that, when I get the chance to not be up on stage and can simply participate in worship without leading, I get really distracted and frustrated by worship leaders who are constantly interjecting their own personal worship in the middle of a set or song. If I've got something personal to say to God while I'm leading, I now almost always step away from the mic so that I don't distract others. The bottom line is, it takes a really special worship leader to say something intelligent AND relevant that clearly helps encourage and edify those he/she is leading. As Abe Lincoln put it, "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt."

At Nags Head Church, we've developed a culture in which we give people the freedom to worship and respond to God in their own way...although we spend a lot of thought planning out our worship gatherings to focus on a Big Idea, we also don't want to box people in by telling them how to respond to God and the truth(s) that He's showing us. Usually, when I'm on stage and attempt to interject my personal thoughts and feelings about what is going on right in that moment, I get the feeling I've actually done more to squelch what other people were thinking and feeling in that same moment than to actually help them worship.

We've also developed a culture in which our people tend to love to sing, a lot...so much so, that, if we end a few minutes early, people will sometimes shout out for us to play another song. The more I talk, the less we get to sing together, and since we only get to do corporate worship/singing a few times a month in a big group like we do on Sunday mornings, I figure, let 'em sing. Most people need all of the responding-to-God time they can get. I rarely get comments about anything I say...I DO get a lot of encouraging comments about how a song really connected with people.

All that to say, I still do speak as I lead, but 95% of the time, it's something I've either planned to say, or something that I say every Sunday (like, "Welcome to Nags Head Church...we invite you to stand and worship with us."). But, most of the time, I now just prefer to get the corporate worship ball rolling and then step out of the way as much as possible.

So, what do you think? Have you, as a worship leader, found yourself putting your foot in your mouth because you thought you had something good to say? Have you, as a worshipper, ever been distracted and confused by a worship leader who won't shut up?

Nate


If you enjoyed this post, you may also want to read the other posts in the Rethinking "Worship" series:

Fire The Worship Leader!

Terminate the Worship Team!

Death to the Worship Service!

Burn the Sanctuary!

Overcome

I've been really burdened the past few months, and especially the past few days, for the people in our church family (and extended to the thousands more in our community) who are hurt and scared and unsure of their future because of the current economy. I have close friends who are facing foreclosures, who haven't worked in weeks, who are having to make life-altering decisions. I can't explain why I've felt so strongly about this, other than God is calling me to become more sensitive to the needs of those around me, seeking out ways that I can invest what I posses in the lives of others.

Just a year ago, January of 2008, I was experiencing the most emotional and uncertain time of my life. Both my wife and my new daughter were teetering between life and death, and was hurt and scared and unsure about my future. I'd love to tell you that my faith was strong, but it certainly was not. Although we are now in a place where we feel much more secure and safe, looking back, I know that we are, right now, no closer or further from God's plan for our lives than we were then. And, though I can't totally relate to those who are really experiencing the crunch of the economy right now, I can understand the feelings that come with knowing that you're not in control when things don't look good.

I recently came across a song called "Overcome" that has really helped me put the past few years of my life into perspective. The first video below explains the circumstance surrounding the writing and recording of the song...the second video shows the recording of the song. I hope that this song might remind those who are hurting today, no matter the reason, that there is hope and purpose in every situation for we who trust in Jesus.

Disassociation

I've officially asked that the editors at worship.com remove my name from their list of contributors on their blog.

I have observed several posts recently that have little to nothing to do with the purpose of worship.com, which I find confusing but inconsequential. But, This Post is what has really made me think long and hard about my association with worship.com, and I have decided that I no longer wish to be associated with an organization that deems that post suitable content (which basically means, I find that post, among others, to be incredibly off-base and completely contradictory to many things that I believe fundamental to true, Biblical worship).

I only post this because I have mentioned my involvement with worship.com on this blog, and I don't want anyone to continue to believe that I endorse everything that is communicated at worship.com.

Thanks...back to your regularly scheduled program.

Nate

I Went To High School With This Kid

This song is pretty mild for what this kid can do. I remember seeing him in a high school talent show...he blew us all away...that was almost ten years ago. Too bad none of his talent rubbed of on me as we passed in the halls...

Nate

Sorry, Andy

For Our Youth Pastor, Andy...

HAHA!

Nate

Sick People

Having dealt with this exact same issue (played out in a very different way) just this past week in blog land, I hope that THIS isn't true (although, it completely appears that it is). If it is, I am, once again, disgusted that people could do this type of thing.

My wife is dealing with cancer (along with several other very real, and very life-threatening health issues). Stories like Michael Guglielmucci (author of the song "Healer") are amazing, which is why, if it turns out to all be a lie, they're incredibly detrimental.

I first heard of his song "Healer" probably 6 months ago while my wife and daughter were both in the hospital. Several people sent me links to the lyrics and/or recording, thinking that I would find something special about it. I admit, it's a good song, but, for whatever reason, I never really gave it much notice. Maybe it's just my personality, or maybe it was God trying to protect me from even greater disappointment. Either way, I'm thankful that, other than being frustrated at what this guy has done in the Christian and Cancer communities, I have no real personal investment in this.

Unfortunately, thousands of believers do (have a personal investment), and I pray that Michael's confession of his lies will not cause those who found great comfort and strength through his song to doubt God or those of us who are affected by cancer...

Nate

Today Marks...

...One Year of incredible blogging by yours truly. Actually, if you consider that I didn't blog at all for a few months while my wife was in the hospital, I really haven't been blogging for a year, but who's counting?

My archives tell me that my first official post was on July 12, 2007, and since Practical Worship was my first blog (I now have a few other blogs), today's the day.

Now, back to your regularly scheduled lives...

Nate

$18.11

I have an $18.11 credit with iTunes to burn...help me decide what to buy. My last purchase was the new Coldplay album.

Leave your suggestions Here!

Nate

Sunday Blitz

> Today was sweet! Only my third Sunday in the past six months at NHC, but one of the best in my two years there.

> My guitar sounds so good! Especially compared to my old Ventura. Several people noticed the difference as well. It was very cool getting to show our church family the gift (money to buy the guitar) they had given to me on my one year anniversary over a year ago.

> Speaking of which, two Sundays ago was my two year anniversary at NHC! I'm praying that these two year are just the beginning for us here. We love our church!

> It's hard to figure out the attendance pattern in the summer. One week we're packed in both gatherings, the next the first is packed while the second has several empty seats, and the next might be the opposite. Our favorite is when both are packed and people come to church already worshipping, ready to experience something special. We finally stopped trying to figure it out and decided to just go with the flow.

> That having been said, despite the unpacked house today, both gatherings were ready to worship! The last song ("I Stand Amazed") was especially cool...I love it when the band/vocalists drops out and lets the church fill the auditorium...very cool...

> We introduced Fee's "Glorious One" today for the first time...people seemed to dig it, so I guess we'll keep it around.

> First Hukilau Surf Camp of the summer this Saturday!

> We pulled out a boy band song today...actually, we played a song without the keys and female vocals, which means it was just the guys on stage for one song. Lot's of manly sweat and guitars. "Grunt!"

> I'm pretty tired, being a new parent and all, so that's about all I can think about right now. Here's hoping I won't miss any more Sundays for a very long time!

Nate

My New Guitar

Doyle Dykes is one of the most respected fingerstyle guitarists in the world. My dad and I got to hear him play a few years back in Southern CA before either of us knew who he was. Simply amazing.

Taylor Guitars partnered with Doyle several years ago to create a personalized guitar for Doyle based on his own specifications...the Taylor Doyle Dykes Signature Model Guitar. They began producing Doyle's guitar in "black" and "natural" (colors) for the public shortly after.

Beyond his specific musical, electronic and stylistic requests, the most identifiable feature of Doyle's guitar is the white rose of mother of pearl inlaid in the guitar head. Everywhere Doyle travels, he always plays a song he wrote for his daughter called "White Rose for Heidi". Before playing the song, he tells the following story...

When my oldest daughter, Heidi, was four years old, I asked if she wanted anything special from God. We were saying our bedtime prayers. She replied, "Yes Daddy, there is one thing I've been thinking about." "What is that?" I asked. "A rose," she said. "I'd like God to bring me a rose."

The next day, I'd forgotten about it. That night at prayer time, she again asked, "Daddy, how come God didn't bring my rose today?" I felt bad, as well as bewildered. I was really at a loss for words. Suddenly, I said, "Well, maybe you need to tell Him what color rose you want." She said, "Oh, well I've been thinking about a white one." We then asked God to deliver a white rose for Heidi.

The next night, after a concert a few hours away, a little lady, who apparently was "special," walked up to me after everyone had left. She asked, "Are you Doyle Dykes?" "Yes," I replied. "God told me to bring you something from my garden today." She handed me what I thought to be carrots or some other vegetable from her garden that was wrapped in aluminum foil. "Thank you, I'll enjoy eating this," I said. She giggled like a child and said, "Uh...You'd better open it."

I peeled back the aluminum foil to find a beautiful, solitary "White rose for Heidi."

A little over a year ago, on the second Sunday of June, my church presented me with a gift of money that they had collected, telling me to buy a new guitar. I've had the same guitar that my parent's bought for me as a Christmas gift about 15 years ago. It's been a solid, wonderful guitar for many years, but has never been something that was well suited for use on stage, especially in our church building playing with our band...in fact, I've been using a borrowed guitar on Sunday mornings for the past year (thanks, Rich!).

My dream has always been to own a Taylor guitar, and the church's gift not only allowed me to buy a Taylor, but to buy one that I would never need or want to replace.

However, partly because I'm lazy, but partly because I knew owning a new Taylor would be as much a curse as a blessing while we lived in Durham (because I would not have been able to play it very much), I put off making the purchase.

All this past year, Tricia has been bugging me about buying the guitar, but I've just been reluctant to do so until we were home again. I shopped quite a bit, looking for exactly what I wanted to buy...I just never bit the bullet. A few months back, after Gwyneth was born, I remembered Doyle and the story he told about his white rose guitar, and mentioned to Tricia how it would be cool to own one of those guitars. We even looked up a few on the internet.

About a month ago, she began telling me about how cool my Father's Day gift was going to be. I couldn't imagine anything better than her Christmas Gift and Birthday Gift for me this past year. But in the back of my mind I thought that maybe she was trying to get my guitar for me, which was a little scary because I knew the specifications I wanted, and I knew that Tricia didn't know much about guitars.

Despite my best efforts, including some intense questioning when she was coming out of sedation the other day (haha), she wouldn't tell me, even when father's day came and went last week. All she would say is that it was the best ever and that it was waiting for me when we got home.

Well, needless to say, Tricia is basically the best wife ever. She found a brand new, natural white rose guitar for an incredible price. She and my mom had it laying open in it's case for me when we got home yesterday, just in time for me to drool for a few minutes before packing it up and taking it to band practice. It is just about the most beautiful guitar in the world, it sounds incredible (especially compared to my old guitar), and it has some very rich and sentimental significance to me (hi, Gwyneth Rose!).

So, without further ado, here are a few pics of my new White Rose Guitar...




I've named her Emma Claire (or, E-Claire, for short).

I have a few more pics of the guitar posted on my Photo Blog. I'll let Tricia post, on her blog, the pics of me actually seeing it for the first time (I'll let you know when she does that).

A HUGE thank you to my Nags Head Church family...I pray that I can use your beautiful gift to continue worshipping God with you for many years to come!

And, here is a video of Doyle himself playing his beautiful song, "White Rose for Heidi".



Thanks!

Nate

Please...

My wife, Tricia is in the OR right now in surgery for the double lung transplant that will save her life. Please, pray with me that the next 7-9 hours will be everything they need to be to give my wife a longer life.

Thank you.

Nate

Please Pray For My Wife and Our Families

Tricia was listed and activated for a double lung transplant today.

We appreciate your prayers.

Nate

Just Checking In

Hey All...just checking in to say thank you for sticking with me through this "worship blogging sabbatical" that I'm taking. I really miss blogging here about church/worship stuffs, almost as much as I miss worshiping with my home church (which I haven't done in nearly 2 months...). I look forward to getting back into the swing of things here, but it may still be a few months away.

My wife and daughter are both doing well, but there both still in very critical condition, and we appreciate your prayers more than ever. In a way (and maybe more than ever before), I have been blogging a lot about worship over on My Other Blog as I journal the daily struggles and victories and big and little wonders that God has been blessing us with over the past few months.

For those of you who have followed me over there, Thank You! If you haven't yet checked it out, I encourage you to do so, maybe by starting with This Post. God has seriously been doing some amazing and humbling things.

Anyway, I have an incredibly strong urge to jump back in head first over here, but I know if I do that right now, it would only last for about 30 minutes, and I don't want to disappoint myself (and my 7 loyal readers). So, consider this a simple update to say thank and hi and I hope to be back soon.

Nate

Focused Worship

In light of the birth of my miracle baby and the miracle that my wife is still breathing, please take a few minutes to read My Uncle's Take on how this past week is shaping his worship.

Nate

I'm a Daddy!

1lb 6oz

She is stable, and I'm waiting to go down to NICU to see her. The delivery doc brought us a picture...she has hair (go figure with the two of us). That's all I know.

Tricia is sleeping in ICU. The next 24 hours will be critical for Tricia. She's doing well on the vent, but until she's awake, we won't know fully what the future looks like. I spent 5 minutes with her before they kicked me out to do some things.

I'll give more details later, but 75 people in the OR tells you something of the miracle that today has been so far. Lots of tears, both of fear and of joy.

Your prayers over the next few days will be the most treasured.

Nate

Tangible Love

(Originally posted at Confession Of A CF Husband)

In the middle of all this, as I walk the halls of this hospital, seeing people in mourning, pain and stress, overhearing bits of conversations between nurses and doctors and patients and families, I cannot imagine even attempting to go through what we are going through without both God and the people who are surrounding us who also believe in and know Him in a personal way.

We have a hope that cannot be explained or understood in this world alone...a hope that, no matter what happens to my wife and unborn daughter, it will be the best for each of them because God has them exactly where He wants them.

If they both survive the next few days, then weeks, then months, I will have much to be thankful for. And, if either or both of them do not live through this, I know that they will be in Heaven at the feet of a very real God, and that one day I will see them again, and that is truly the greatest joy. I can't imagine not having that hope.

I believe these things to be absolute truth beyond a shadow of a doubt. I don't simply believe that there is a God...I know that He is alive and working in our lives with love and mercy.

You all have been praying for us, and we have felt and seen your prayers in a powerful and real way. Tonight, I will be praying for you. I will pray that you not are not only "touched" by our story, but that you see it for what it really is...simply a small part of the Story of God.

If you already have a real faith in Him, I pray that your faith will be strengthened by our part of the Story and that you will realize your part of the Story can be just as powerful and world-reaching as ours is becoming.

If you do not have a real faith in God, I pray that you will see the truth in our story that goes beyond miracles and faith and compassion...that you will see this as pure evidence, no matter the outcome, of God's desire for you to know Him in a very real and tangible way.

And, I will pray that one day, we can take all of the blessings that you are giving to us and give them back to you and others twofold. We have beautiful friends, Jordan and Patience Leino, who went through something very similar to what we're going through not even a year ago. I have always believed that, if we allow Him, God never wastes a hurt, and that He will always use a painful experience to bless others going through similar experiences. Jordan and Patience (and all of those who have discovered us through them) have been blessing us in that way, and I believe that one day, we will have the opportunity to do the same.

Thanks!

Nate