oh hello

today has been pretty unproductive for me. i woke up this morning feeling like a few bags of sand were resting in my head. i really hate feeling this way because it keeps me from things i love doing like waking up.

the beauty of my marriage is i am married to the most selfless woman on the planet. i know this because  she got up much earlier than i did to attend to the latest lowrie addition and the first words out of her mouth, after i woke up and told her how i was feeling, were, "you should go lay back down for a bit." i love that woman. sadly, the pressure in my head kept me from being able to relax.

around 9 everyday we leave for the student base where i prepare to lead worship and teach in our discipleship school. today, of course, the last thing i wanted to do was sing and teach. i love that god's presence and praise is more important to me than how i feel.

is experiencing communion with your heavenly father more important than what you feel like doing? unless of course you feel like experiencing communion with him right now then i would say that there is no better feeling.

i will now leave you with a few of my brilliant wife's photos...

i'm loving this

paris has become quite a place of opportunity. this last weekend the opportunity expanded even further. connecting with jeff slaughter here in brussels we were invited to participate in a converge event.

converge is a worship teaching seminar. leading worship, teaching song writing, leading band members in practical aspects of worship, and fellowship are just some of the things that make up these wonderful all day meetings.

we held the event at assemblée chrétienne du bon berger. the turnout was fantastic with nearly 80 people in attendance. allyster and laetitia held a songwriters workshop while danny lankenau and myself took care of the band workshop. it was such a wonderful opportunity to teach the band practical ways of serving their worship leader and imparting just a few ideas on how they could make the worship less about them and more about leading people.

the day was packed from 9 in the morning til 11 in the night. with no room really to rest or have an official reflection on the days activities. the next day we kept it in high gear as we served the local church of the bridge in paris.

the bridge is an international church that meets in a hotel. this 75+ community was such a great experience for our team. meeting new faces and joining with people who literally are from around the world under one roof. one guy i met, named chris, is from australia, married a swedish woman and has a coffee shop in downtown paris! talk about reaching the world in one discussion. i was really impacted by the servants in this church. the situation of the church requires that they set up hours before and tear down moments after the completion of the service. it is not a job for those who are lacking commitment.

after a wonderful chipotle experience we headed home. thankfully we arrived home early enough to gain a great night of sleep. the next day was right back to the grind. meeting with a german pastor who is married to a dutch woman in antwerp. he has a heart to unite the churches in antwerp and it is a massive undertaking. he has connected with me and my friend here helping with the summons discipleship school. he has such a big vision for this, i can't say no to help him.

god is doing some amazing things in europe!
keep praying,
keep supporting, and
keep looking for what god is doing.

hey europe, watch out

this last week masters commission europe held their annual conference. it was especially exciting because it took place right here in brussels, belgium. i can recall the amazing presence of the lord last year, in rome, moving my spirit as i witnessed 200 young people opening their hearts and giving the lord everything they had during worship and intercession. this year it didn’t skip a beat!

young people all across europe and even beyond are recognizing that god is moving in this continent and they are overwhelmingly longing to be a part of it. i have such an opportunity to witness this unfolding right before me.

the students of the summons, were in participation. the great thing about their situation is they have the ability to make a vast impression upon leaders and their peers. many, if not all of the other programs have been functioning for well over 6 months already. the summons has been operating for nearly 3 months and yet the engagement, interaction, and response was a solid reflection of a seasoned individual. this was such an encouragement for me as their director.

there were a few times i witnessed them behave in such a way that only could have been prompted by the holy spirit. i remember sitting in the back observing their responses to the message and just weeping with joy as i knew god was touching them in a deep way.

many times i am excited to impart to young people and hold a special place of attention, it is important for them to lean on a leaders words. there are also moments when i must challenge them to let go of my attention and put into practice what they have been taught, this is biblical. the small request from one student to another for prayer was an awesome example of what god is doing in the student’s hearts. i witnessed them beginning to open up and tearing down the walls that have been built for security and comfort from the rest of the world. the fear of man is breaking!

there wasn’t anyone who got out of a wheel chair, or blind eyes opening, but i did get a glimpse of the potential of Europe and all that these young people are capable of when they completely abandon themselves to their maker.

Psalm 2

why the big noise nations?

why the corrupted plots?

people and earth leaders push for positions

delegates and demagogues meet for summit talks

god deniers, jesus christ defiers, "lets get free from this god!"

you can't lose the messiah

heaven throned god breaks out laughing

amused at first by such an opinion then responds with holy fire

furiously, he shuts them up

haven't you heard there's already a king in zion

a great feast a coronation banquet, a spread for him

he resides eternally on this holy mountain

as if god isn't love enough

he gives his son, emmanuel's birth 

god gives him what he wants

name it, proclaim it!

continents as a prize and the nations as a present

they continue to adore power, fame, and cash

tell them an unconditional love and unmerited favor, show them forgiveness is my pocketbook stash

invite them all to dance with you

or let them out with tomorrow's trash

hear this loud and clear judges and kings, learn your lesson

worship god, embrace, and celebrate in adoration

come to this messiah king who began life in a manger

our very lives are in danger and with no need to know his anger

make a run for god there is too much talk for a song

don't try to calculate it, speculate, or contemplate it

learn from a witness of life and satisfaction

i promise you won't regret it

not this morning

this morning was unusually tough for me. not because i had to get up. not because i had to go to work. not because i had to drink a bad cup of coffee. not because of traffic on the way to the commission prayer room (although any kind of traffic is a very tough place for me).

this morning my five year old son told me he didn't need my help walking all the way to his classroom door!

our routine is very regular...i guess the fact that it is a routine makes this obvious. we enter the front doors for his school, he precedes to the bathroom where he still does the little boy pee-pee. you know, when little boys have to pull their pants all the way to the ground exposing their butt. i'm trying to teach him not to do this anymore. he then comes out where i proceed to walk with dutch and tites to the front door of dutch's class through the schoolyard. it is about a 20 yard walk.

not this morning : (

he looks up at me when we walk in and says, "daddy, i am going to go potty and you can just take tites to his school now." i was in shock and stood there just to make sure everything actually was going to be ok. he turned to me and said, "can you go please." i have to admit i was crushed on the inside.

i will also admit that some mornings i am eager to get him to school and get tites to his class in order to get to what i need to do. not because i don't want them for the day but because they too need to be on time for things. but the actual day he doesn't want my help...well, it's pretty sobering.

my little man is not so little any more. every night when i pray for him and his life i can't help but know that god is in control of his life. i'm excited for this new adventure of maturity for him.