March 18, 2009
Just a few thoughts before heading off to bed…
- LONG week… Why is it the weeks that we think are going to be easy and enjoyable turn out to be a pain, and the weeks I dread or think will be difficult are never as hard as I thought!
- The week ended with a lot of meetings.
- Friday night the team and I got to look around the building we are planning on using as a new location for our Sunday Services and community outreach.
- The weather has been beautiful the last few days and our family cannot get enough of it.
- We have been enjoying long walks, cool breezes, and the grill!
- “If you cannot be tested, then you cannot be trusted”
- Trials and tribulations will come, so we must ensure our attitude is one that embraces the trials as opportunities.
- Many Christians say that God would never test us or allow us to go through trials
- Umm… please read Gen 22, Matthew 4, and James 1, 1 Peter and get back to me.
- The last seven days have been a pretty down time for me and the family. My family needed the rest time and a little more family time.
- I put in 8 or 9 hour days instead of the normal 11 or 12.
- I also took most of Monday off and we went out to lunch and to Monkey Joe’s play center.
- It may sound a little contradictory to say that the week was long, and restful at the same time.
- The warfare and pressure this week was immense for me, but Ashlee and the kids needed my attention more and needed me around more during the last few days.
- So through out this restful and enjoyable time, there was some intense times of prayer and warfare.
- Don’t Get it? That is okay. When someone is working full-time, raising a family, and church planting the roles and days seem to get very mixed and very complex.
- Today I broke through some of the warfare and I feel much less discombobulated. PRAISE GOD!
- I don’t get the NCAA selection Saturday process, but at least NCAA basketball has a play off system. The NCAA should glean some information from basketball to set up a football playoff system.
Enough Random thoughts for tonight!
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Posted by kevinjbradford
February 18, 2009
A few thoughts from the last week.
- Thursday Night I took the family out to Disney on Ice. It was a blast. We went to dinner at Margarita’s in Green Bay before hand. The entire experience was a lot of fun, and my girls were so excited and cute.
- Saturday was filled with errands, building jewelry boxes with the girls, and birthday parties.
- Our service Sunday was powerful. Many people were ministered too, and several people were responding throughout the message. In the end three people gave their life to Christ, and a couple renewed their commitment to Christ. Amazing!
- God has continued to bless our family with some amazing stuff the last several days. We have been able to buy gifts for people we care about, pay for the things we needed, and put some money in savings.
- God is still pouring out revelation at a rate faster than I can find places to preach or teach it.
- Our House of Prayer “The Flood” was very powerful on Monday Night. The best night of prayer and intercession this year hands down. God really showed up. Two women in particular were ministered to in a very personal way.
- I still cannot believe we have a new sound system, a worship pastor who plays guitar (she did not 3 months ago), and some partners becoming more committed.
- I have been begging God for some Young Men and Women to join our church that were already walking with Him, to help round out a team for growth. I believe God is starting to do that very thing.
- We have a young man that is quitting his day job, and heading to Appleton to help us advance the Kingdom. YEA GOD!
- Some young couples that have become interested in Overflow, and some high school & college students will be attending Life Groups for the first time this week.
Well that is all I have for tonight, probably much more I should include, but…
Leadership Lessons Via Dora 3 coming in the next couple of days, along with a special guest blogger.
In His Favor
2 Comments | Church, God, His Kingdom, Jesus, Overflow, Prayer, Tuesday Night Reflections | Tagged: Dora, God, Leadership, Overflow, Tuesday Night Relfections | Permalink
Posted by kevinjbradford
February 11, 2009
If you have been around the blog for long, or if you went back and read the last few Tuesday Night Reflections then you would know that God has been really blessing my family and I. This includes my immediate family, and our church family at Overflow Church.
God has not disappointed these last seven days either. Below are a few of my reflections from the past few days.
- Our Wednesday Night Life Group had some wonderful discussion. The topics in our Renovate series has really been inspiring some good dialogue.
- On Friday some people that we knew as acquaintances through our home school co-op came over for dinner and an evening of games. After the night, I could say that they are some good friends, and I am excited to continue to get to know them. (And John saved me $1000…seriously)
- Overflow Church’s Men’s Ministry (OCMM) kicked-off the 2009 schedule with men’s breakfast on Saturday morning.
- After the OCMM breakfast I went with a couple people from our church body and we purchased our first PA/sound equipment.
- We used the equipment for the first time on Sunday. We got great reviews from those attending.
- Sunday… that is a whole topic for itself. I could blog an entire series on the firsts, deep revelation released, and the worship experiences created this weekend.
- Overall it was our most powerful service of 2009. (I was really worried that it would not be very good. I was struggling with how things had come together.)
- The worship on Sunday was really great with the new sound equipment, the message was a little meaty (deep). God proved one more time, if you will unashamedly speak what He leads you to say.
- I know at least 2 people that got really touched, and very, very effected by the Word.
- On Sunday I cast vision to remind our church about the vision and goals for 2009.
- This Sunday at Overflow will be a very special Sunday Celebration Service entitled “The Message”. I am pumped about the message being prepared, the worship, and some of the exciting things going on during the service.
- We currently have more visitors confirmed to attend, than we have in our church. This is going to be exciting.
- Please pray for our service, our team, and that God moves powerfully in these peoples lives.
- Tonight was a good night. I went to buy 1 new shirt to wear on Sunday for our service. I wanted something new and fresh to wear. I ended up with 8 new shirts, and I paid less than I had expected to pay for 1. (PRAISE GOD)
Well, those are all the thoughts I can get out tonight. Check back in the next few days for the following blog topics: Leadership Via Dora 3, Lessons Via Parenting Part 2, Inadequacy, Forgiveness and more.
In His Favor,
Leave a Comment » | Family, Inspirational, Life, Overflow, Random Thoughts, The Message | Tagged: awe, Family, gospel, Jesus, Leadership, Life, Overflow, Tuesday Night Relfections | Permalink
Posted by kevinjbradford
February 4, 2009
I cannot believe how quickly the last few weeks have flown by. I have not blogged as much as I have wanted to due to pouring every spare minute into developing the first few series in the Renovate Semester, and outlining the 2nd half of Renovate. Now that the majority of that is done, I can blog again.
Tonight, I will put down a few thoughts, and then I want to link some blogs that I read recently, and thought I should recommend them to you!
- Life Group on Wednesday Night Rocked! Maybe best Life Group Ever! Some people really got touched by God!
- Sunday Morning…. What can I say, God showed up in a powerful way! I believe some people really got set free, and some fuel was added to others fire!
- The SuperBowl did not disappoint. (The Game or the commercials) What was your favorite commercial?
- God is so good! He has been showing me things each day. I honestly do not have enough outlets to teach all that I am getting. Reason for blog!
- Today I realized that a lot of people I work with are really getting attacked by sickness, strife, and such (Satan, basically). Then as I was praying about it, God began to speak to me about what can be shaken. At that moment Ashlee called to tell me during her prayer time today God spoke to her about what can be shaken will be shaken! How awesome is God, using my wife to confirm what He was speaking to me like that!
- This Sunday’s sermon will blow people’s minds. I finished re-drafting the first half of the message today. Oh..My… It was really ministering to me.
- Sunday February 15th will be a new series title “The Message” and it will be awesome! Designed for those who do not attend church for what ever reason, and those Far from God!
- I have a hectic schedule the next few days. I have worked 8 AM until 8 or 9 PM since Sunday, and it will last through this Saturday. Please pray for my family!
Those are my reflections for tonight! On to some blogs you should read! These are great reads.
- Please read this post if your pastor is married! To read go here!
- This post by Lisa Shea on how to pray for your pastor.
- Another great post on Stevenfurtick.com about worship. Read Here!
2 Comments | Appleton, Challenging, Church, Family, Jesus, Leadership, Life, Overflow, Random Thoughts, Uncategorized | Tagged: Family, Jesus, Leadership, Life, Overflow, reflections, Tuesday Night Relfections | Permalink
Posted by kevinjbradford
January 30, 2009
A few days ago I posted Leadership Lessons Via Dora. I had some good feedback and a few people who thought it was a good lesson. The next morning I was praying during my quiet time, and God began to speak to me about another leadership lesson that can be learned from Dora. So over the last couple of days I have been asking God about it.
These are the observations God has brought to my attention from Dora the Explorer, and especially Wii Dora saves the Snow Princess.
- When Dora begins an adventure she is always with that special someone, that sidekick, Boots. Boots is who climbs all the trees, goes into all the holes, or catches balls in the show and the game.
- Who are you going to call when you don’t know where to go? The Map! The Map!
- When Dora needs something to accomplish a her quest, she calls upon backpack.
- The Fiesta Trio celebrate and congratulate Dora each time she accomplishes a portion of her quest.
Can I tell you that I was completely blown away by why God was showing me through Dora.
This little girl “Dora” is showing some leadership skills that few leaders in the corporate world possess, let alone in the church!
- Dora is definitely the leader, but she has no problem delegating tasks to someone that is better at them than her. A monkey is always going to be a better tree climber, hands down. So why should Dora even attempt it.
- Dora does not even attempt to act like she knows where she is going. She always seeks out the map on what direction to take to accomplish a task. Then along the way, she checks it often. (Vision for your life, company, church?)
- This chick has one cool backpack. It carries ladders, snow boots, coats, etc… Dora never leaves for an adventure without the right equipment. How many times as leaders do we set out on a path, without even asking what tools will be needed.
- Dora is surrounded by people who will cheer her on as she accomplishes parts of her quest. In the corporate and church world, we rarely find those that are there as an encouragement as we see parts of our vision accomplished. Typically we only here about the negative stuff.
The final and maybe overall lesson God was trying to teach me was this, Dora maybe the star of the show (game), but there are several other characters that are equally important in accomplishing the quests they set out on.
Romans 12:4-5 says, “For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.”
In the body of Christ we need to build a caste of characters (not shady) around us to help us accomplish the quest that God has set before us. Each one of us, just like in Dora, do not have the same function but are equally important in accomplishing God’s will for our church.
1 Comment | Challenging, Church, Family, God, Inspirational, Leadership, Life | Tagged: Dora, Family, Inspirational, Jesus, Leadership, Life, Wii | Permalink
Posted by kevinjbradford
January 28, 2009
The last seven days has been extremely amazing. God has been so good in the past few days.
- God has been setting me on fire this last week.
- We launched our 2009 Life Groups this past week. Wednesday Nights will be every week, and Saturday Nights will be the 1st and 3rd Saturday’s of each month.
- Friday the girls went to have a Diva For A Day Treatment at a local kids Spa! So I had to take them out for a Night Out with Mommy and Daddy. We went out to to El Azteca a local authentic Mexican restaurant the girls love.
- Saturday we spent the day playing Wii and me reading and praying through various things that have been on my heart.
- Sunday was awesome! I preached a message called “The Kingdom of God” which was the first message in a series called The Design For Life!
- I was really unsure about this message, because it was a hard-core teaching and not the inspirational, practical type of preaching I normally bring on Sundays.
- Can I tell you, people got touched on Sunday. God proved that if you simply speak what Father says, people will be rocked.
- God continued His faithfulness yesterday. I got the scriptures and basic outline for my next two sermons during my prayer time.
- The next two services are The Kingdom of God – Refine & Align and then Define & Design
Well those are my reflections for tonight. Overall, the tone of the week has been that God is good and we are in a season of recieving His blessings.
Check back this week for blogs on: Leadership Via Dora 2, All things are lawful but may not be helpful, and things God taught me through parenting.
Has God lit a fire in you lately about something?
1 Comment | Family, Inspirational, Jesus, Leadership, Life, Random Thoughts | Tagged: Dora, Jesus, Leadership, Life, Random Thoughts, Tuesday Night Relfections, Wii | Permalink
Posted by kevinjbradford
January 27, 2009
About a week ago I was playing Wii with the kids (big surprise I know).
We played several different games, and finally ended up playing Dora Saves the Snow Princess Wii game. There is a portion of the game called Dora’s Forest Adventure. It is basically snow sledding down hill for coins. You can also race with a dog sled. At the end of each race the game counts your coins and gives you either a bronze, silver, or gold medal.
I had to go and spend a few precious Facebook moments and the girls were playing with the dog sleds and at the end of each race my youngest was upset that she only had a few coins and would only get a bronze. While my oldest daughter would have a ton of coins, and get a gold medal.
So I told her I would sit and watch the following race to give her some desperately requested advice in the game. The following is the list of my observations.
- She simply set there with the remote and allowed Dora to slide down one side of the course for 1/4 of the hill, then she would change sides.
- She would not move toward the coins.
- Then she would get 3/4 down and just sit down the remote completely and run for a drink of water.
- My older daughter however had an intense grip on the remote, game face on, and determined to get as many coins as possible.
Later that night I was praying and asking God about our leadership team at Overflow. During that prayer time I began to realize that many Christians out there are living the same way my daughter was playing Dora.
- They simply went one direction with no specific goal or plan, until they decided they were tired of going that way, so they change direction.
- At some point many Christians get discouraged or bored with the path and they abandon it completely.
- Another thing I have noticed is that many of those same people are very frustrated that others seem to be winning or doing well in this life.
- They get frustrated and seek advice on how to be like, act like, or achieve what those successful Christians or people are doing.
The reality of the situation is this, all they have to do is simply grab the reigns and begin to go for it. They need to understand what they are trying to accomplish and then pursue it with intensity.
1 Corinthians 9:24 state, ” Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.”
You see in this life, we must seek God’s plan and destiny for our lives. Once we hear God and understand the prize (goal) we must pursue relentlessly so that you can obtain it.
The concept is really simple. Hear God, and pursue it!
LEADERSHIP VIA DORA!
3 Comments | Challenging, Church, Family, Inspirational, Jesus, Leadership, Life, Random Thoughts | Tagged: Dora, Family, Leadership, Life, Random Thoughts, Vision, Wii | Permalink
Posted by kevinjbradford
December 30, 2008
Tonight I am going to be busy most of the evening, so I decided to post something this morning.
Early Morning Reflections
- Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.(Matthew 5:6) Woe to you who are full, For you shall hunger. (Luke 6:25)
- God has been rocking my world lately with these simply verses. Am I filled with things that are curbing my hunger?
- 2008 was a year of extreme blessing in my family! Don’t get me wrong, the year was full or challenges and warfare, but it was a very blessed year by God!
- In 2008 our family grew stronger, our church has grown, God has done awesome things, many material needs and desires were fulfilled, and God has increasingly been speaking to Ash and I over the last couple of months!
- I am expecting 2009 to be an amazing year for the Bradford family, and the Overflow family.
- In 2009 our church is going to stretch those in our body like never before, God is going to become real to more people in our midst, and our church body will double in size!
2009 Goals (Not Resolutions)
- To work out 4 to 5 days a week!
- To eat healthier all the time!
- To ride my bike 2 days a week over the spring, summer, and fall.
- To read 14 books.
- To stay caught up, and maybe ahead in school.
- To be a better husband, father, pastor, and friend!
What things have you been blessed with in 2008? Was it a blessed year?
What are your 2009 goals?
Leave a Comment » | Appleton, Challenging, Church, Family, Inspirational, Jesus, Leadership, Life, Overflow | Tagged: Family, Inspirational, Leadership, Life, Tuesday Night Relfections | Permalink
Posted by kevinjbradford
December 19, 2008
Have you ever been in a situation where you were just being a sponge, and suddenly you realized your soaking a lot of it up into your spirit (which is good), but in your mind your not learning a thing?
That is the realization that hit me today. (Wednesday Dec 17, 2008). I realized that God has been taking me to the woodshed for 2 weeks now, and He has been disciplining me, counseling me, comforting me, and breathing life into me. My spirit has loved it, but my soul (mind, will, and emotions) was still lagging way behind.
NOT ANYMORE! PRAISE GOD! Today, I had breakthrough revelation that will shape the way I spend the rest of my life.
Today I got free from conforming, doing things to please _____, selling out my calling in order to recreate someone elses vision, among other things. In the future this blog will consist of my Tuesday Night Reflections, and hopefully some entertaining blogs, but most importantly it will be used to let you guys know what God has been speaking to me, doing in me, and directing me into. It will also let you know my weaknesses and the things I am struggling with, so that you can go to war with/for me.
To start:
2 weeks ago today God gave me a prophetic word for the church today. It was a prophetic word for Overflow, but also, I believe a word for THE church. So this past Sunday I lent my time for preaching to the battle that is going on in the heavenlies for those Christians who have fallen away from faith.
It was powerful. Even before that Sunday we started to see some fruit from me praying the declarations in my private time with God. Since, Sunday we have seen some fruit.
This week I have also been begging God and making some prophetic declarations over some of my friends situations, and I am anticipating the GOOD NEWS that comes from their testimonies about how God came through for them. Please guys, share any testimonies with me, I want to hear all the GOOD NEWS in the Kingdom.
Then today, I began to get the revelation that puts together all of these different things I have been praying for, hearing, and declaring into the heavenlies. It was absolutely amazing. God began to speak to me so clearly, and quickly I was almost dizzy. (Praise God)
God answered my prayers for a new vision statement to help define who we are. Out of it, came this amazing revelation. “I had to repent for trying to recreate something that was meant for Clyde, Texas. We are the same DNA, and want to build the same type of church, but to recreate it was simply selling out and being lazy to what God has called me to do here in Appleton. God began to show me how that has hindered our growth and more importantly His presence in some of the things we have done.
Here is a declaration of what I am going to be doing in 2009!
- I am going to “Dream Big Dreams ” – I am no longer going to cap the size of church I want, or the amount of growth I want. I have been limiting an unlimited God!
- I am going to beg God to come through on those dreams.
- I am going to walk a dangerous, risk taking journey toward my destiny, allowing God to build the bridges in my life.
- I am going to beg God to show up in a manifest presence that allows us to worship Him freely.
- I am going to pray “stupid” prayers
- I am going to ask people for commitment
- I am going to cast the vision of leadership and hold them to it!
- Invite everyone to something (Life Group, Sunday Service). I mean everyone. What have I got to lose?
- I am not going to be ashamed to just let people know that I am totally in love with Jesus. I just love Jesus!
- I am going to love Jesus without abandon (like a man/woman trying to win someone’s heart in a sappy love story)
- I am finally going to be ME!
Join me on this journey! I need you to partner with me.
God is about to do some awesome stuff. I am ready for the ride, are you? (Either way, buckle up!)
Leave a Comment » | Challenging, Church, God, Inspirational, Jesus, Leadership, Life, Overflow, Prayer, Vision | Tagged: God, Inspirational, Jesus, Leadership, Overflow, Random Thoughts | Permalink
Posted by kevinjbradford
December 10, 2008
It’s been a long week already, so here are a few thoughts before bed!
- Sunday I felt like I got hit by a truck. I slept most of the day!
- I am so thankful God knows what He is doing, and Ashlee was already planned to preach.
- The only hour I was up was the end of the Steeler’s Game! What a portion of a game to watch! It was awesome, and the Steelers were awesome!
- Still ranked # 1 in the Fantasy League with the play-offs starting Sunday!
- The snow is unbelievable this year. We are already 11 inches over average and it is only Dec 9th. I expected a lot of snow this year, but not this early!
- We had an amazing leadership meeting on Sunday. I am excited about where God is taking us in the near future.
- God is calling us to stand in Faith for the believers who have fallen away from the Faith. I believe that 2009 is going to be a year of restoration for those beleivers. They love Jesus, but simply do not attend church, spend time in prayer, or read His word for one reason or another.
- I believe there are thousands of these believers in every city, and God wants to bring them back into the fold!
- I am very excited about our new Life Group Format and the 1st semester that starts in Jan. I am excited to release the theme and message topics tomorrow night at our Wednesday Night Life Group.
- In the last 7 days, God has really been revealing some things to me, some good and some bad. He has used several blogs I read to really slap me up side the head. He has taken me to the woodshed a couple of times, and other times He has poured out His love.
- I am so thankful that we serve a might God who is willing to discipline us and love us in the same day, so that we can be more like Him.
- Jesus Christ is the prophetic picture of my destiny! I am Blessed, Blessed, Blessed.
What has God been speaking to you lately?
In His Favor,
Kevin
P.S. More from the book of Acts tomorrow.
1 Comment | Challenging, Church, God, Jesus, Leadership, Overflow, Random Thoughts | Tagged: Leadership, Overflow, Random Thoughts, Tuesday Night Relfections | Permalink
Posted by kevinjbradford
