It was good to be away last week. It's good to return home. I love driving back on Hwy 90 at Midnight last Friday and rolling up on the EBC sign. As I pulled into the city, I had such a rush of thanksgiving and love for what God is up to in our little hamlet. A few amazing things happened this past week while I was away.



- a new friend of mind, who has recently embraced Christ, is on day 5 of addiction recovery. She was so pumped to tell me about her steps during Weekend Encounter. Yeah, I love that Christ is an amazing redeemer.

- I love listening to worship back at home as I ventured away for the weekend. Our students are simply amazing and leading us in worship. It is beautiful for me as I am led to the cross by the generation behind me. I thank God for Doug Whitaker. He challenged our fellowship from the Word and left me with the desire to experience Christ. (and also to eat a bit of cheesecake!) We have an incredible staff team at EBC. Simply amazing!

- a team of 15 went to New Orleans and changed a home.... a life... restoration happened. It was beautiful! We partnered with Operation Noah (www.namb.net/noah) and I expect that we will partner quite a bit more. Check out our team.... they changed a bit of the world last week!

I'm still a bit challenged by the idea that I am biblically compelled to live a life that is congruent with the worth given for me. I have no idea how to pull that off. I love that Jesus will strengthen me and fill me and live through me. I find it a weighty responsibility to live worthy of this amazing gospel. The running passion of my heart is to hear the words of Christ, as I enter eternal glory, 'well done, you have been good and you have been faithful with all that I gave you.' Those words, flowing from the lips of Christ to me, are consuming and hope-filled!

I hope that your week is filled with the desire to pursue Christ... to know Christ.... to experience Christ...and to spill His life onto the lives of those around you.

By Grace... For Glory,
Mark