VISION 2013 - GROW

As the Lord continues to speak to me concerning the Vision of the House for CCFC for 2013 and beyond, I am confident that He wants our Intentional Focus moving forward to be on GROWTH! The three areas of Growth will be: WORSHIP, OUTREACH AND SERVING (THROUGH OUR GIFTS)! It my earnest desire that we as a Church pursue Growth in God through these areas and bring Glory to God in all that we say and do! I'm so excited about the souls that will be saved and those whom God will raise up to begin Serving in Ministry. This will be the year of God's Divine Perfection as we "Take the Limits Off".

G. - GOD
R. - REWARDS
O. - OUR
W. - WORK

-- PV

FRIDAY THOUGHTS

Well we've reached another Friday, which means for many of us we've reached the end of another Work Week. For some of us it's been challenging and even chaotic, but through it all we've made it! Through all of the disappointments of the week it's great to say we've made it. So take some time this weekend to reflect and remember everything you have to be thankful for, it'll cut down on the complaints as we exit the week and enter into the weekend.

Do something fun, safe and exciting this weekend, you deserve it! Spend time with family or great friends, visit a museum, eat out at a great Restaurant, go see a Play or a Movie! Then go to Church on Sunday and Praise God that you have made through another week of challenges!

Be Encouraged until we talk again!


- PV

MY FITNESS JOURNEY

Back near the end of August 2012 I made a purposeful and determined decision to begin giving more attention to my Health. At that time I was in the worst shape of my life, I was the heaviest I'd ever been and the most unhealthy as I'd ever been and I was starting to really feel it. One of my problems was I was eating heavy meals late and then going straight to bed (that's a no-no). \

I was also eating very unhealthy foods (Fried, greasy, sugary foods, etc.) So I decided to get me a personal trainer and begin a Fitness Program that will help me to get back down to my ideal body weight as well as help me to get off of the current BP Meds that I take daily. I'm by no means a Fitness Guru or Professional but I do understand the importance and significance of being healthy.

Since August I've dropped 22 pounds! Now I'm not that impressed with that number, but I am grateful because that's 22 pounds less that I have to lose. My goal date to be at my ideal body weight is Thanksgiving 2013. I'm looking to lose 100 more pounds. Some of you may say Wow that's a lot of weight and yes it is, but it's the personal goal that I've set for myself and I'm determined to get there.

When I tell people I was more than 100 pounds overweight, they're almost shocked because I didn't look like it, mainly because of my 6'1" frame. Nonetheless, I know I was more than 100  pounds overweight and it was literally killing me (emotionally and physically).

So as I continue on this Fitness Journey I want to encourage someone who needs to set a goal for your life, whether it's fitness, educational, spiritual, relational or financial set that goal and stick to it and don't stop until you see the end result...no matter how long it takes! My Motto for my Fitness Journey is "If you Believe, You can Achieve" and I encourage somebody to embrace this same saying, if nobody else is going to be believe in you, you believe in your Yourself! Listen, although I have a long way to go and no, it isn't EASY, BUT I'm determined to make it to my goal!

Let me leave with a scripture...Ecclesiastes 7:8a. (NLT) says, "Finishing is better than starting...", bottom line, FINISH WHAT YOU STARTED!

-- STAY STRONG!

PV

iCare

There's a saying that goes, "People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care". Well in my time in Ministry and Spiritual Leadership, I've discovered that there is so much validity and truth to this statement. The more I serve people the more I understand how important it is for them to know you care. Caring is a visible tangible action that is carried out in the life of others while serving and doing ministry to them.

People don't mind following Leaders who care! I believe that my effectiveness as a Leader centers around my willingness to care and love the people that I lead and those God allows me to encounter outside of the physical structure of the Church building. It doesn't matter if I can preach well,  if I can teach well or if I am fluent in quoting scriptures, unless my love and care for people is genunine, authentic and pure then all of that means absolutely nothing. If lives are going to be changed, I must Care. ICARE!


-- Be Strong!
P.V.

No more Limited Thinking, think outside the Box

One of the Biggest enemies to Progress is Limited thinking! I call Limited Thinking, Stale thinking! Limited thinking is detrimental to you seeing beyond what you've always known (the familiar). I've encountered some people that have been so programmed to think inside of the circle of the "Familiar" that when they've encountered something fresh, new or innovative they literally cringed at the thought of it. Limited thinking keeps one from experiencing growth on so many levels. Just because it's the way you've always seen or heard it done, doesn't mean that, that's the ONLY way it can or should be done!

So many have been almost intimidated into limited thinking, even in the church! Their are some who are made to feel that if they go outside of how they've always seen or heard it done, then they're going to hell or they're less of a Christian than they've professed to be. This almost becomes an insecure or fearful mindset! I say it all the time and I'll say it again, Our MESSAGE doesn't Change, but our Method can! As long as the Method doesn't compromise Biblical principals and standards it's ok to think outside the BOX! So whatever your BOX is (Church tradtion, home, school, family tradition, old habits, etc.) don't be "stuck" in your ways, it's time to start thinking outside the BOX!

Isaiah 42:9 (NIV) "See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you.”

 

~STAY STRONG

PV

DON'T SETTLE

Your Potential is always Greater than your Limitations! Don't Settle!

~Stay Strong!

PV

Some Personal Thoughts

I've come to a point in my life where I just don't expect the same things that I used to. More specifically I don't expect people to respond to my crisis as they would their own! I used to get upset when people would "Casually" responded to anything that I would go through. It really bothered me for others to be aware of the crisis, chaos or challenge but only respond in a way as to say, that's your problem and not mine! If I was bothered about something I would get genuinely upset when I shared my hurt, pain or just a problem with someone and they wouldn't give the response I thought they should.

One reason I was like that was because I know the type of response that I would give someone if they shared their burdens and problems with me. I by no means expect people to become emotional, but I did expect them to show some emotion (even if it was non-verbal). Well, the older I get the more I realize that I can't expect others to respond to my circumstances as I would theirs. I by no means want anyone to throw me a pity party, because I don't even do that for myself, nor I am BY NO means an attention-seeker! In some way I just believe what the Bible says over in...

2 Corinthians 1:2-4 (NIV) ^2 "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, ⁴ who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God"

I also believe that we should give what we expect to be given!

- Be Strong!

PASTOR V.

Worship Together Blog

Worship Together Blog

Message clip

Wanted to share a great snipet from a Message preached by Steven Furtick (http://www.stevenfurtick.com/)!

Click this link for Message, Enjoy and Be blessed!
http://www.stevenfurtick.com/sermon-clips/the-main-character-that-matters/

You're feedback is welcomed!

~ Pastor V.

TURN ON THE SPOTLIGHT

When I was in my late teens to early twenties, I used to go to an local Urban Musical Event called the "GO-GO" (to learn more about GO-GO, go here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go-go. I was a die-hard fan of the Go-Go Band "RARE ESSENCE". When I went to the Go-Go there was a popular phrase during the call-and-response portion of the Band's performance when they used to say "Turn on the spotlight ya'll so we can put (insert a name or neighborhood here) on Display". 

We used to go crazy when the spotlight came on trying to get the attention of the person talking/rapping on the mic just to have our name/neighborhood called. The purpose of the spotlight was so that the person talking/rapping could see us in order to know who to call out and put on display on the mic to the rest of the crowd and if your name/neighborhood got called it made you feel real good and you would be talking about it for days to come, not to mention we would go out and purchase the cassette tape (yes I said cassette tape, LOL!) of the actual show, so that we could hear them call our name/neighborhood all over again.

Well as I sit and think about those times I spent with my friends at the GO-GO trying to be noticed in the spotlight of the GO-GO among other go-go dwellers, it dawned on me that it's the same way in the Kingdom of God where we are called as Followers of Christ to be noticed spiritually in front of a spiritually dying world through the Light (spotlight) of Jesus Christ! There's a passage of scripture over in Matthew 5:14 (NLT) it says, “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden"

As Christians we're called to become shining lights as a result of our relationship with Jesus Christ to a dark and dying world. We should never hide our "lights" but should always be hungry and eager to be put on the light of Christ display in front of those who don't yet know Him. So keep shining don't allow the weight and pressure of the things of this world dim or put your light out, keep allowing Jesus to shine through you. YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD!

- Stay Strong!

Pastor V.