Who said jogging wasn't spiritual?

I've recently taken up a new sport. Jogging in the Spirit! A hybrid of prayer and exercise...you gotta love that. I've realized that prayer isn't limited to a closet or an altar....so I'm taking the wings of the Spirit to where the rubber meets the road! It's really been a great time out there on the open road with Jesus, listening to the I-POD and downloading God's presence as I fight to catch my next breath! Happy to say, that my longest run is logged in officially at the 8 mile marker! For those athletes out there who are laughing at me right now, I consider that a great accomplishment.

What I've learned so far from these prayer runs:
1. Look forward. Unfortunate trips or accidents usually happen when you're distracted and not paying attention to what lies ahead of you.

2. Warm up. A little stretching is good for you and helps make sure that you don't get sidelined with injuries.

3. Push through. When you want to quit, call a taxi and stop by DQ....DON'T. What you are doing is worth it. Persevere.

4. Slow down. You're not competing with anyone out there. Enjoy the scenery. Feel the blood pump through your heart and be glad that you're able to run at all.

Anyway, just felt like blogging about my jogging! Hope you're encouraged!
Catchya soon,
Tad

Reaching the University!

Last year I re=launched a XA group on the campus of Ball State University! XA (Chi Alpha) rocks! Although I'm the lead pastor of Rock Church, God has called me to the university to lead an incredible generation of young adults back into a right relationship w/ God through faith in Jesus Christ!

Today was "move-in" day! 20,000 students carrying everything they own into university dorms is a sight to behold and at times a little comical! :) I was able to assist an incoming freshman, Shaun, with his gear. We unloaded all of his stuff onto the curb, waved goodbye to his ride, and started carrying his clothes, frig, tennis racket, and computer into his spacious 12x15 dorm-room! I'm guessing at the dimensions! Not the biggest bachelor pad in human history but it will do for four years! :)

Watching all of those students move in, say goodbye to parents and try to assimilate into their new life on campus moved me to blog tonight before I fell asleep! I want you to pray for our XA group! We're small, we're just getting started but we have a vision, funds and some great people on our team! So I'm expecting great things! Will you pray for us! I need to know that you will stand in the gap on our behalf and pray for BSU!

We meet every Monday night at 6:30pm. We'll be developing a worship team this year, focusing on getting real with each other and with God, reaching out to the campus in tangible expressions of God's love and servant evangelism and building a spiritual community of rockin' Spirit-filled young adults that will impact their world and beyond! This is going to be an awesome school year!

Reach the U!
PT

Prayer Walking!

I love to walk! Actually, I'd rather ride a motorcycle but since that's not going to happen anytime soon I decided to prayer walk our city this morning.

After several miles of walking through the city streets my heart was broken! Our little town is a "picture perfect" village with well manicured lawns, clean streets, historic homes and material blessings however no matter what the "curb appeal" looks like on the outside the residents of our little town need an encounter with Jesus and the power of God!

Physical needs may not be easily assessed but there are deep spiritual and emotional needs in this city.

It's a hard place! People here are insulated! Insulated from God.

I've asked God to strip away that insulation and lay our hearts bare before Him. Expose our hearts to the living God. Expose our lives to the manifest presence of God. Break our hearts to weep over our sin, our worldliness and our living without God.

I believe that something is breaking in the heavenlies, right now!

ROCK/700

This is a call-out to intercessors and prayer warriors who will join me in praying 1 hour
each day/7 days a week for Rock Church! If you choose to join ROCK/700, I'll send you an email updating and encouraging you to STAND IN THE GAP for the 15 major areas of ministry, vision, and growth of Rock Church. We are in need of 100 Spirit-filled and Spirit-led intercessors and warriors to man their battle stations and PRAY! Please consider this request prayerfully! Send me an email at pastortad@gmail.com to enlist in ROCK/700. I'll be waiting!

Listening to the Holy Spirit

I have a tree that sits outside my office window and today I sat underneath it's shade to listen to the Holy Spirit. I was reminded of the story in John 1 when Jesus told Nathanael that he had seen him under the "fig tree" before Phillip called him. Nathanael was amazed at the ability of Jesus to "see" him. Jesus promised Nathanael that he would "see" greater things than these! He told Nathanael that he would "see" heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.

What has God promised you that you would see? Have you prayed that your eyes would be open to see spiritual things more clearly?

Paul prayed this prayer in Ephesians 1:17-23; "...that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened..." What does God want you to see with respect to the "hope of His calling", "the riches of the glory of His inheritance", "the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe"?

Ask the Holy Spirit to show you! He will do that and so much more!

No distractions!

This morning, I was taking an early morning prayer walk around our church! I was having a great time with God and noticed that during my prayer time that the groundskeeper had arrived to work on the small pond in front of our church. After he finished his project, he came over to me and asked if I was praying. After a short conversation he affirmed that seeking God early in the morning is the best way to hear from God without any distractions! Without me asking, he said that he meets with Jesus at 4am for prayer everyday. He followed up by admitting he goes to bed at 8pm too! :) It's good to know that someone has the 4am-6am prayer shift covered!! :)

Lovin summer break with the kids!

Last night, we built a raging fire in the backyard, ate dinner outside and made Smores for the kids! I love summer break! No one had to get up and get ready for school this morning however I still had to get up and come to work. I had a great time with my family last night and a great time with Jesus this morning! I loved reading through Acts 1-8 during prayer time and soaking in His presence! Psalm 34:8, "Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him."