Troy H. Jones

 Sit back and relax.  I love writing the New Life ramblings.  These are just random thoughts on life, church, my family, God and faith.

• The ladies event tonight will be incredible.  They have 400 preregistered.  Wow. Yes—you can show up at the door.  Eileen Hunter is the guest speaker.
• This has been one of the most powerful weeks of my life.  To watch New Life stretch their giving muscles. After I left the service on Sunday I felt a supernatural strength words can’t describe.  Just an amazing day.
• Sunday we begin a two week series called “Relentless Compassion”.  I am so pumped about these next two weeks at New Life.  God—break our hearts for the marginalized, the poor and the broken of this world.
• We are doing a blood drive at New Life on Friday, November 13.  Sign up here.
• My favorite moment last Sunday—I had some parents say, “Our kids want to give you the money for our Big Give.”….three kids had saved $100 and wanted to give it directly to me.  I couldn’t help but think about the impact this would have on these kids.
• We will celebrate the “Big Give” offering on Sunday. We received the largest offering in the history of New Life on Sunday.
• In August we announced our Big Give goal of $800,000. As of Sunday we are at $600,000.  (this includes cash, commitment cards and some verbal commitments).  I am confident in the next 8 weeks we will bring in the remaining amount.
• We gave the green light to the general contractor to finish the chapel. Very exciting moment. Some trust in chariots and some in horses…but we will trust in the name of the Lord our God.
• In a couple of weeks we begin a series over the Lord’s Prayer called “Our Father”.  We are going to challenge everyone to pray the Lord ’s Prayer everyday for five weeks.  Life changing.  Lord, teach us to pray!
• Strawberries have more vitamin C than oranges.
• On Sunday, November 15, Missionary Alan Johnson is speaking in the morning.  Then he will be available at 5:00 PM for a question and answer time with a missionary.   
• The chapel will be used for Softer Sundays, The Well, Senior High Axis, Simply Worship, Renton Christian School, Funerals/Weddings, Community events, etc. 
• I love Simply Worship.  Something breathtaking about spending an evening in worship and prayer. The next three Simply Worships are: February 3, 2010, March 3, 2010 and April 7, 2010.  Mark these on your calendars now.  This means we only have two more Simply Worships in this current building. 
• Last weekend we had a church plant in Vancouver, Washington receive an offering for our Big Give.  Their lead pastor Mark Newell is a great friend of mine.  We helped plant their church.  They brought in $1,100 for us. Amazing.
• The Big Give offering was over 10 times larger than any previous building offering ever received on a given Sunday. 
• Someone even gave some jewelry to the Big Give….I am not sure of it’s worth…but amazing.
• Read Luke 6:27-38 to prepare for Sunday.