Birthday

Today is Joseph’s 5th Birthday.  It’s really hard to believe that much time has passed and he’s growing so quickly.  Victoria just had her 11th birthday and that one is even scarier because she is pre-teening already.  I was thinking today how much these dates mean to me and how we celebrate them so much out of love for our children.

When is your spiritual birthday?  Can you remember when you met Jesus?  All of heaven celebrated.  It means more to your heavenly Father than you could possibly imagine.  If you don’t remember a date, just make sure you know Him and celebrate the gift of everlasting life you’ve been given!  Happy Birthday.

Friday with Family

We’re cleaning house today and hanging out.  I’m having lunch with a friend and taking the dog to get his shots.  I’m wearing a T-shirt that my kids made for me for father’s day and watching my one year old work on walking.  These are the best kingdom times I’ll experience.

Why?

Because these are the kind of times where I get to sow the gospel into the lives of my family.  The times where I invest moments that create memories for my children.  It’s in these regular tasks that they will see Jesus manifested in the everyday things.  I don’t want my children to be hungry for the spectacular spiritual moments.  I want them to be able to stand and live with Jesus in the everyday things of life.

We live in a time where people want to see a spectacular move of God and I believe God is looking for a people in these times that will live spectacular lives of faith in the everyday things.

Do we forget him when things are quiet?  Do we forget him when we are blessed?  Do we curse him when we suffer or things don’t go our way?  Or do we only feel like God is real and moving if there is some spectacular miracle?

Remember the Kingdom is at hand, it is here, it is now.  I want to be the example of Jesus to my family today as we clean house.

The “R’s” Part Eight

Rest

Exodus 20:8-11 – “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy . . .”

I just returned from a week in South Dakota where I was one of the speakers at a camp.  The surroundings were amazing (I’ve never been to the Black Hills before), the ministry was refreshing, but it was the rest that may have saved my life!

I have been running at a break neck pace for a long time now.  Just before I left for this trip, I was having anxiety problems, struggling to complete basic tasks, and I was down right irritable. I needed to rest!  I have mentioned before here and it bears saying again, “if the devil can’t kill you, he’ll keep you busy”.  You know why?  Because you’ll kill yourself spirituall, physically, and emotionally.  Rest is not something that just happens to us!  We must, as Exodus 20:8-11 commands, “remember” and “keep” the Sabbath.  It is a discipline.

Remember

We must keep a constant eye on our habits.  We’ve got to acknowledge that if we don’t dicipline ourselves to watch over our schedules and commitments, then they will get out of hand.  So many people plead for our time and attention.  Tasks and emergencies each plead to be number one on our to do list.  Oswald Chambers calls it “the tyranny of the urgent”.  We must remember that rest is a non-negotiable in our lives.

Keep

It is not enought to to recognize our need to slow down.  We must choose to do it.  It isn’t just going to happen to you.  I have heard myself say, “I’ll take some time next week”.  And all the while, as work becomes my idol, my relationship with God, my family, and those I’m called to serve gets pushed to the side and I wear myself out.  We’ve got to schedule it and be obnoxious about keeping it.  When Paul tells us to “press on” and “run the race”, what is included in that is proper rest.  You can’t set your eyes on the prize and win the race if you are not taking the time to rest in the mercies and grace of God.

Celebrating Life

My Granny Hobbs just celebrated her 90th Birthday.  All of our family has gathered to surprise her for her Birthday.  She has lived an amazing life.  She has spent most of her life pouring it into all of us.  A single mother, only a third grade education, and determination to do what was right for family.  That is something to celebrate.

We spend so much time wanting and striving to achieve things that don’t matter much in the light of eternity.  People are the only thing we will invest in that will have lasting impact beyond death.  Not buildings, not cars, not retirement funds.  These things are important, but they should never recieve our primary focus.  Jesus told us, as I often quote, to love God and love people.  As we celebrate Granny Hobbs this weekend.  Who in your life needs to be celebrated?  Are you celebrating the life you found in Christ every week at church?  Jesus came to bring you life.  Celebrate Life.

Merry Christmas!

From Higher Place Ministries and the Hobbses as a whole, we want to wish you all a Merry Christmas!  It has been an amazing time of God’s favor and massive change over these past two years in Delaware, but Christ has come and He is faithful!  May God’s peace be poured upon you this day as God is with us and wants to dwell richly within us!

Be looking for a special newsletter from us the first of the year and we ask that you join us in prayer as we pursue the next amazing steps for Higher Place.  We look forward to seeing many of you on the road this year (check the schedule) and we look forward to what the Lord is going to continue to do in life of Eagle’s Nest Fellowship!

Blessings to you all this amazing day!  Happy Birthday Jesus!

Scott, Lisa, Victoria, Joseph, Olivia, Flash, Socks, Slippers, Strawberry, and the Hermit Crabs

Catch Up and Great Quote!

Hi gang, We’ve been a little swamped as of late.  We pray all is well with all of you!  We’ve been watching the Lord do amazing things at our church, preparing for the events coming this Fall, and we spent some time in NC over this past weekend at Mike and Sarah Blair’s “The Happening”.  Good times!  Head over to Facebook and check out the photos all tagged up from the event.

Here’s a great quote from a book I was reading this Morning:

“…life’s great moments evolve from simple acts of cooperation with God’s mysterious promptings – nudges that always lean toward finding what’s been lost and freeing what’s been enslaved.”

~ Bill Hybels from: “Just Walk Across the Room“

Praying for the Coopers

Our heart goes out to the Cooper family.  Please be praying for Jim, Will, Andrew, and Hunter.  We love them deeply and know that God is more than able.

The Hobbses

Crazy Week – It’s CFO

Sorry I have been a gonner for a week.  I was at Georgia Mountains CFO, a family camp, as a speaker.  They had internet access, I just was swamped by camp, God, and – well – more God!  So I just didn’t get to hop online all that much. What an awesome time.  You know God is always doing some more that I really didn’t expect!  I came into the week fairly well planned and every time I stood up to speak, I mean every time, God absolutely gave me different stuff to say.  Keeping me on my toes!  I got reunited with a friend and fellow speaker from California.  I had a wonderful elderly lady that kissed me on the cheek all week.  I played ultimate frisbee (it ought to be an olympic sport by the way).  I ate camp food, eeewwww. I got in the lake to baptize folks and was swarmed by little fish that chewed on the hairs on my legs.  AND – I got to watch God just do some crazy amazing things in the lives of folks!

Live life.  God makes it more than you can imagine.  ”To Him who is excedingly and abundantly able to do more than we can think or imagine . . .”

Love you guys, more to come this week,

Scott

The Package Has Arrived!

Here she is!  Thanks to all of you who have prayed so much!  Olivia Sinclaire Hobbs (means Peace and Heavenly Minded); 7.9 lbs and 21.5 Inches long.  She’s great!  Lisa is doing awesome and Victoria and Joseph adore thier new sister!

Love Ya’ll

And the hits just keep on coming!

Well, the contractions at least.  It’s Wednesday, and we’re still having steady contractions (not painful but slowly getting stronger).  Olivia is doing her thing and will be ready when she’s ready!  Thanks for all of the prayers!  Any time now, any time.  We’ll keep you posted!