I told Steph after we left church this morning that this was the best exhausted feeling that I've had in a long time. Making the shift to preaching twice on Sundays has been a great thing for the church and has really helped me in developing as a preacher, but it also makes for a really tired Dale on Sunday afternoons. Here are some of my thoughts on this weekend at BridgeWay:

• "You've got to be kidding me!" That's what I was thinking after the band got done with their opening song in both services. That could have been the best I've ever heard the band play on one single song...the rest of the morning was awesome as well. After hearing them open with "Everybody Praise the Lord" (Lincoln Brewster style)...I knew that it was going to be a great day at BridgeWay!
• It was great to have Sean playing today...good to hear you playing again!
• It was great to have Steve Haynes playing bass today...I loved watching that guy play...real great spirit and love for God and the music he's playing.
• The band did a song from Steve Fee called "Burn for You"...the lyrics are powerful...check some of them out:

“There’s a stirring in my heart; unexplainable

There’s a calling on my days; undeniable

And there’s a fire in my bones; uncontainable…

And it’s causing me to burn for You.”

I'd go anywhere

I'd do anything

At any cost

For you, my King.

• If you do not own Steve Fee's most recent album "Burn for You"...stop reading this and go here and buy it right now!
• I loved having the opportunity to dedicate Chris and Connie Borth's youngest son Isaac in the 11:00 worship experience today. God was all over that moment...holy ground...powerful presence of God in that act of worship.
• I preached my heart out in both services today. I had planned on preaching on vocation earlier in the week, but Wednesday night/Thursday morning God woke me up at about 2 a.m. with a message that spoke to the issue of identity and where we find our identity...I'm so glad I got up and took the time to write it down. I love it when God calls an audible!
• It was great to see so many new people at BridgeWay this morning. We had 120+ people in the 9:30 worship experience (the most we've had yet)...and another 183 or so in the 11:00 experience...after taking out the handful of us that do double duty...we had between 280 -290 people in worship at BridgeWay today! Hold on church...God is on the move...be sure to get your friends and family here to see what happens next!
• Speaking of what's coming next: Two big things happening this week.
• 1) I'll be going on a prayer and sermon planning retreat Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. To get ready I'll be fasting from noon Monday to noon on Tuesday...I'd love for you to join me in seeking God's direction for our church and the upcoming year of messages that God has for us.
• 2) Next Sunday we'll be kicking off a new series called "The Real Jesus" and I can't wait to see what God does through it. So many people I meet see Jesus as a really nice guy, who taught some nice stuff that will make our life better. Our goal in this series is to introduce people to four pictures of Jesus that most people have never considered before. Our text for the series is Revelation 19:11-16. Yup that's right I'll be preaching from Revelation for the first time in my life...should be some great stuff!
• Okay, I'm really tired now...going to bed! Have a great one!