Did I find a rope or lose my horse? (from Douglas Poole)

Dear Cypress Family and Friends,

Ever hear the saying: “I’m so busy...I don’t know if I found a rope or lost my horse”. Ever felt that way...sure you have? Well welcome to Cypress world this week. This weekend we have an Orange X-plosion family night on Friday. Saturday brings a half day meeting of the Governing Board, a church service, the Kenya trip fund raiser and oh did I mention that a candidate for the student ministry staff position will be with us as well. Sunday is just the usual two morning worship services and student ministry that night. And lest I forget we are in full prep mode for the 30^thCelebration on June 5. As if that is not enough, personally my daughter, Bethany has her Senior Prom on Saturday and I leave for Haiti early thirty Sunday morning.

So this rope I’m holding...did I find it or lose a horse?

It’s a really good thing I am surrounded by and work with some really smart and capable staff and volunteers who do the heavy lifting on all this.

My prayer mantra as I head into this weekend is...”fully present, fully engaged”. I want to be fully present with the people around me and fully engaged in everything I’m doing. “Fully present, fully engaged”.

Just two quick things and I’ve got to go back to solving the mystery of this rope I’m holding:

1.     The service for the 30^th Cypress Yea God Celebration is shaping up to be a powerhouse. In a recent planning session for the event, everyone around the table had a moment where God’s Spirit moved close enough to us that we all got goose bumps. Don’t, and I repeat, Don’t miss it! Sunday June 5, 5:30 at Countryside High School auditorium.
2.       Support the “Meadowers” going to Kenya this summer by attending the chili cook-off and auction after the Saturday night church service. You can view items to be auctioned at: http://cypressmeadows.org/blog/kenya/2011/05/11/auction-items-saturday-chili-cook-off-and-auction/

Blessings,

The guy holding a rope and mumbling.

Trust Your Horse (from Douglas Poole)

Dear Cypress Family and Friends,

Anybody going through one of life’s transitions these days? Well we certainly are in a season of transition at Cypress...two well-liked staff members, Chris and Jan Cox, are moving out of vocational ministry and into the marketplace...we are also fast approaching our 30^th anniversary together at Cypress and continue to morph in our ministry. Let’s just come out and say it, transitions can leave you feeling a bit off balance and a tad uncertain can’t they? What will Cypress look like next year at this time? Who will be leading our students and who will be leading us in worship? I don’t know that I want all this change? Will I like the end result of all this?

I’m reminded of the words my Father-in-law once said to me as we were riding horses on a very narrow trail next to a couple thousand foot drop, high up on a Montana mountain. “Trust your horse” he told me, “She doesn’t want to fall anymore than you do.” I was on an experienced mare who had walked this trail more than once and since she didn’t seem to be suffering from depression and since she had a boy friend back at the barn...I reasoned she had reason to want to live too! So I relaxed, eased off the reins, enjoyed the crazy beautiful view and trusted my horse. Now that I am older, and have a few of both life and ministry transitions under my belt...what my Father-in-law said about the horse I say about our Lord. His power is unlimited. His presence is ever near. His plans for us are to give us a hope and a future. So “Trust your Lord...He doesn’t want you to fall anymore than you do.” Really. This transition you are facing in your life and your church may be new to you...but not to Him. He has walked this way countless times before. He will see you and He will see us through. “Trust your horse”.

That said, let me give you a quick update. We have a couple of candidates for the director of student ministry position who will be with us the weekends of May 15 and 22. (More than 150 people have applied for the job). Jan’s last day on the clock will be Sunday May 29. Staff member Chuck Deitch and a team of more than capable volunteers will make sure everything and everyone is taken care of during the transition. Next transition...worship leader. Next party...’Yea God for 30 Years Celebration’ June 5, 5:30 PM, Countryside High School Auditorium.

“Trust your horse...”

Blessings,

Douglas

PS  See you this weekend for Part 2 of “ The Best Question Ever”

Sometimes (from Douglas Poole)

Dear Cypress Family and Friends,

Sometimes I stagger under the weight of God’s amazing love for a wretch like me. Sometimes  my mind reels at the thought of my God dying for me. Sometimes hope explodes in my spirit. This upcoming weekend is one of those ‘sometimes’. Tomorrow is Good Friday...Sunday is Easter.

I hope you will join me at the Cypress observances of Good Friday and Easter. Good Friday is an intimate, quiet and personal time of reflection on Christ’s great sacrifice of love on the cross for us by partaking of communion. (Just show up at any time during one of the three blocks of the day: 7-9; 11-1; or 5:30-7:30).

The Easter Celebration  will be just that...unleashed joy coupled with untamed grace. This will be the 30^th Easter teaching I have given as a Pastor and I can’t remember any other Easter teaching I have been this amped to deliver and this sure that a God-thing is about to happen. If you have people in your relational world that you want to introduce to your Jesus...do anything short of sin to get them here! Really! (Pray that I may be clear...bold...and spilling over with God’s favor.)

All of earth couldn’t stop Him from going to the cross. All of hell couldn’t keep Him in the grave. All of heaven rejoices at a resurrected Savior. And may all of Cypress honor Him this weekend. Come to His table...honor the one who died for you. Come to a Saturday night or

Sunday morning Easter Service. Bring others with you...He is risen...He is risen indeed!

Blessings,

Douglas

PS. Bring your Haiti H20 offerings from lent.

Holy Week Devotionals

During Holy Week use the following reading plans to prepare your heart for Good Friday and Easter.




The Events of Holy Week Reading Plan
Monday: Matthew 26:1-16
Tuesday: Matthew 26:17-35
Wednesday: Matthew 26:36-56
Thursday: Matthew 26:57-75
Friday: Matthew 27:1-66
Saturday: Matthew 28:1-20


Additional reading plans:

Words of Jesus During Passion Week

Family Activities for Holy Week

Big Deal (from Douglas Poole)

Dear Cypress Family and Friends,

“I want to do something crazy big for God!”...so someone outside of Cypress began a conversation with me recently. Now I love it when people want to make their one and only life count and I love it when people are willing to trust God for big things in this life...as long as that desire is tethered to some action. Otherwise, it’s just some kind of spiritual sounding talk. So I pressed them as to what that ‘crazy big’ thing for God is...to which I was told “I don’t know yet”. I pressed further, asking what they are currently involved in doing for God...to which I heard “Well nothing yet, I’m waiting on God to reveal my crazy big thing then I’m all in”.

How would you have responded to this person?

I encouraged them to keep listening for heaven’s voice, start searching out different things God is doing in this world but to also be sure to do the next right thing big or small. I mentioned the words of Mother Teresa who once said: “Don’t look for big things, just do small things with great love...the smaller the thing, the greater must be our love.” I think she did something crazy big for God by simply doing small things with great love...wouldn’t you agree?

Does this world need more people with an audacious faith...yes! Should you trust God for things which are impossible for you...absolutely! This world desperately needs people like that. Just don’t forget to also do the small things that often go unnoticed or unrewarded this side of heaven. And do them with great love. At the end of the day how would you rather be remembered...as someone who did a big crazy deal or someone who had a big crazy love for God and others? Both preferably right? But if I had to choose between the two... it’s big crazy love.

I close by asking you to do something with great love for someone outside your family, friends or church. And in the process extend them an invitation to attend one of the Cypress Easter services (April 23,24) where we will talk about the big crazy love of God that caused Him to do a big crazy thing for us through His Son Jesus. You tell me what’s bigger than a life and eternal soul experiencing God’s saving grace? The weekend after Easter we launch into a series called ‘The Best Question Ever’...a really great series for people looking to lead a bigger, more loving life!

Blessings,

Douglas