I hope that you were able to enjoy a fantastic Christmas with your family! Many of you know that I came down with the flu Christmas Eve day. It has made for a very adventuresome couple of days!! After being sick all day, somehow preaching 4 services and being filled with adrenaline; I found myself starving after the last service. At around 10pm Christmas Eve my wonderful wife went and got me what I was craving (it is hard to believe I was craving anything at that point but I was) 2 double cheeseburgers and a large fry from Burger King. She brought them home and I inhaled them (if you were doubting if I am crazy, I suppose I just removed any doubt you had) before that I had not eaten anything for 24 hours and exerting the energy to preach left me famished. Needless to say, when the adrenaline wore off my body kicked into rejection. Yesterday I managed out of bed long enough to open presents and then went back to bed and slept until almost 1pm (perhaps that is why I got up at 4 o’clock this morning). Yesterday afternoon was obviously a lazy one! Denise, Seth and I just hung out together. My prayer has been that Denise would not get the flu – Seth is the one who started this fun:) He has been a real trooper. It has been hard for Denise and me watch him be so sick during Christmas. I doubt it was hard for you to top having a better Christmas than the one we had! Yet still, our hearts rejoiced over the birth of our Savior!! I did not begin this email with the intention of sharing that saga (guess I needed to get that off my chest, it has been a little frustrating) so allow me to move to the original topic:

December 31st is only a few days away and I wanted to simply send you a reminder that you have until midnight Saturday, December 31st to make all year-end financial contributions to Parkview Baptist Church. You may make contributions online by clicking here to connect to our secure giving site. You may also stop by the church Mon, Tues, or Thurs (the office is closed Wed and Fri this week) from 9-4 and leave your contribution for our financial secretary, Penny King.

2011 served as a phenomenal year of Life Change! The reason so many tremendous things happened and the reason so many lives were changed is because so many that call Parkview home were generous and sacrificial in their giving. The giving contributed by every single person is what makes everything we do possible. I want to personally thank you for the kingdom investment that you made in 2011 and I look forward to the dividends it will earn in 2012.

If you have any questions about year end giving please feel free to email Penny (penny@parkviewlife.com). Thanks again for giving generously!!

May this new year find our family healthy and your family blessed!!

We had a phenomenal launch to our new series, Unstuck! Last weekend many people experienced Life Change at the level of salvation. This weekend we explore, How to get Unstuck in your Family. The choir will be leading us in worship, our awesome volunteers will serve the children, the environment will be filled with love and we will be looking for your arrival!!!

Last week we announced that we are offering 3 mid-fall classes. Each class is distinctly different and each provides a great opportunity for fellowship and spiritual growth. You can sign up using your communication card or you can email john@parkviewlife.com right now to register.

Victory with Your Eyes

A four-week men’s study on the book, “Every Man’s Battle”, begins Saturday, October 29th, 8:30-9:30am at Parkview. As many of our brothers are crashing down, we owe it to ourselves, our families, and our God to learn how to prevail against sexual temptation. The cost is $10 and you can register for this class with your communication card.

New Believers’ Class

Are you new to the Christian faith having recently received Christ as your Savior and wondering what’s next? This class meets on Sundays at 4:00pm for six weeks, beginning Sunday, October 30th, and is led by Pastor John Williams. You can register for this class using your communication card. Simply write New Believers Class on the back next to Other.

End Times Study

This two-week study will help you understand the war Satan is waging against God and how that conflict affects us. It will prepare the church for what is to come and give us tools that we can use to prepare for this time of distress.   Sundays, October 30th & November 6th, 2:00-4:00pm. Join us for this eye-opening study, “What, on earth, is God Doing Today?”. The cost is $5 and you can register for this class with your communication card.

Be blessed and come ready to experience God at Parkview this weekend!

I have always loved the definition of an authentic man – a man who rejects passivity, accepts responsibility, leads courageously and looks for the greater reward – God’s reward. That definition was originated by Robert Lewis of Men’s Fraternity.

There are a number of things that appeal to me as a man. I do not consider myself Randy Macho Man Savage macho yet I would like to see myself as a man’s man. As a man, here are some of the “tough things”(in no particular order) that I want to be a part of my life and the men around me:

• Lead strong
• Love hard
• Committed to God’s Word and prayer
• Shake hands firmly
• Not be overly consumed with style – every once in a while I love walking out in an outfit that doesn’t meet social standards – what do I care I am a man:)
• Sing loud
• Love the smell of fresh cut grass
• Tackle the next hill because it is a hill
• Face the tough stuff
• Own my marriage responsibility
• Father strong – love more than a father “should”
• Pump gas and not care if it drips on my hand
• Take a fish off the hook and eat a sandwich before getting back to shore to wash my hands
• Cut my finger and suck the blood until it stops bleeding
• Exercise until my whole shirt is soaking wet

Yet, while the above is my style of a man’s code – I realize one thing – amidst all the testosterone and bravado, I am fragile. Just making that statement seems to mentally undo all that I just said, but I must be honest. In fact, I am being honest for all men. While we don’t like to admit it, we are all fragile. By the way, not only do I feel fragile, I also oftentimes feel abused. Yes, abused! The world tends to chew me up and spit me out. Plus, living the “man code” is not always as easy as it sounds. In addition to the world, I recognize I am squaring off daily with the Enemy. As a striving devout Christ follower I am on the front line and am getting shot at by the Enemy all day long!

Because I am abused and fragile here is what I need (this is what all men need):

• Friends who walk in when most others walk out
• A wife that understands how fragile I am (mine does)
• A wife/kids that respect me (mine does)
• The Word to speak into my heart
• A mentor that is open, honest, vulnerable and encouraging.
• Exercise
• Time by myself
• A hobby
• God’s strength!
• God’s grace!

Men, agree or disagree? What would you add or take away?