Thursday, April 28, 2005

Spotlight on. . . the Grace Juvenille Hall Ministry

As we seek to not just believe, but also live the Gospel on the Central Coast and beyond, it is so exciting to see our congregation getting involved in the community. Neat things are happening at out at the Juvenille Hall. Here's an encouraging report from Pastor Scott, our Pastor of Care & Community Ministries. . . .

God continues to grow the Juvenile Hall Ministry of Grace Church. Two years ago one man, Armand Boutte, started faithfully visiting the kids at the “Hall” once a week, building relationships with the kids and sharing with them the life-giving message of the Gospel. Today we have three teams of four to five people from Grace and Calvary SLO going Monday, Tuesday and Friday nights.

And the ministry continues to grow. Just last night (Tuesday April 26th) eight more people from Grace attended a Juvenile Hall orientation and facility tour to find out more about the ministry. God is opening doors for His people to reach these forgotten kids and His people are faithfully responding to His voice.

I can personally tell you that most of the kids staying at Juvenile Hall respond very positively to someone taking an interest in them. They want to hear about God and how they can be saved. It’s not always easy to relate with the kids and sometimes they ask tough questions but just being there tells them they are loved and not forgotten. Many young people have come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior over the last year and they continue to express a desire to live for him long after they’ve made a “decision” for Christ.

Recently one young man who had been convicted of murder was baptized by a member of our team. Just eighteen years old and headed to a maximum security prison this young man spoke boldly of his faith in Jesus in front of the other kids as well as six of the guards at his baptism. It was truly an awesome display of God’s redeeming power found in the gospel.

As you pray remember those in Juvenile Hall and the County Jail. Remember also the team from Grace and Calvary SLO who go and visit the prisoners. If you have questions about the ministry call me at Grace (543-2358) or e-mail me at: scott@graceslo.org

For His Kingdom,
Pastor Scott

Wednesday, April 27, 2005

Our Terrific Administrative Professionals at GraceSLO

It's Administrative Professionals Day today, which gave our ministry staff an opportunity to take the Administrative Staff to lunch at NOVO in downtown SLO. It was a nice time together!

Paula, Paula, Robbin, Nancy, Debbie, Kathy, Karen, Cindy, Craig, James and Jason are an invaluable part of our "team" here at Grace. We couldn't do it without them. They are responsible for keeping the rest of us together, running our weekly publishing center, representing Grace to the broader community, and a thousand other unseen tasks and projects.

I give thanks to God for these folks as they do what they do in service to the Lord and His people here at Grace Church, SLO!

New GraceSLO Bus. . . Praise God!


Some of you know the old "John 3:16" church bus was recently retired because it was deemed to be unsafe. We've been looking for a new used one in time for the busy youth group summer.

Well, we just found one and bought one! It's a 2001 56 passenger bus with only 60,000 miles. It looks to be a great bus that will serve us well for years to come. It has yet to be partially painted and we'll need to put the church logo on it. We should have it in a couple of weeks.

Thanks be to God for His faithful and gracious provision!

Thanks also to our in-house vehicle experts, Larry Iunker and Lyle Baker, for their tireless work on this important project. These guys have been travelling all over the state in search of just the right bus. (Both Larry and Lyle are vehicle inspectors for the California Highway Patrol. How Providential is that?) Join me in thanking these men when you see them.

I understand our old bus will be donated to Hume Lake, where it will be used to just transport folks around the conference center.

Our hope and plan is to also find a smaller passenger vehicle (smaller than a bus, bigger than a van) that will be more comfortable for transporting adults. Our Young at Heart seniors group is sure ready to use it. I would also like to see us provide an on campus pick-up service on Sunday mornings for Cal Poly students who want to worship at Grace, but don't have a way to get here. Wouldn't that be neat? (Join me in praying for this!)

God is so good!

Tuesday, April 26, 2005

Grace Family Conference '05

I am really looking forward to this year's Grace Family Conference happening Sunday, July 24 through Tuesday, July 26. (Put those dates on your calendar!)

This year our keynote speaker will be Dan Haakenson, who serves as the Pastor of Spiritual Formation Ministries at Valley Evangelical Free Church in Vacaville, CA. (Dan is the father of four, including a "Zeke"!)



Dan's topic will be "Keys to Communication: Practicing the Principles of Proverbs" where he will focus on communication in the family, between spouses and with children. Count on it to be Biblical and practical!

Dori has also got a few tricks up her sleeve related to the "break-out" family time that has been such a big part of past conferences. Get ready for something different!

I hope you'll plan to be a part of this year's Family Conference. Be praying now about others you might also invite to join us for this special and significant week together.

Monday, April 25, 2005

Pastor Steve Leonard

I am pleased to inform you that last Thursday evening, the Elders unanimously approved the calling of Steve Leonard as our new Adult Ministries Pastor here at Grace. We are excited for Steve to start as soon as possible and will be working out the details to see that happen. Please be in prayer for Steve and his family as they prepare to relocate to the Central Coast. I commend Steve to you and pray that the Lord will knit our hearts with His for the advancement of God's kingdom and the good of His people. I believe that Steve has much to offer us and that we have much to offer him.

With great expectation and thanksgiving. . . Pastor Tim

Saturday, April 23, 2005

Hazard's Canyon & Santa Margarita Lake

I had a chance to sneak out and surf Hazard's Canyon in Montana De Oro this morning. Low to mid-tide, glassy, just over head high and a light crowd. Beautiful, but its been a while and I was dogging. Good to catch a few. I need it! (I'll blog about the surfing as a spiritual experience another time.)

Later in the morning, we all piled in the car with a picnic lunch and headed up to Santa Margarita Lake, just up the Cuesta Grade. I had heard about it and wanted to see it. I had to sell the rest of the family on the idea. We found a quiet park on the south side near "Kid's Cove" where we played soccer, wiffle ball and had lunch. (You should see Susie whack a wiffle ball!) Fun stuff. A good time had by all. Neat place, but no swimming in the lake is allowed. The Central Coast has so much to do and see.

Each weekend, the Theule's try and set aside a half day for "Family Time." We'd love your suggestions for "family time" activities or places to visit here on the Central Coast. Got any ideas?

Recommendation: World Mag: The Catholic Moment

Perhaps as an Evangelical, you've been wondering what to make of the Pope's passing and all the media coverage surrounding it? Because we've been busy with other things, we haven't talked a lot about this as a church, but I've sure been thinking a lot about it. Gene Edward Veith has some insightful thoughts in a recent World Mag editorial, The Catholic Moment.

Here's the final paragraph, but I recommend the whole article. . . .

Evangelicals should take advantage of Christianity's current visibility in the public square. They can learn that moral absolutes are persuasive when presented in a spirit of love and that recovering Christian spirituality, not modernizing the faith, is the way to cultural relevance. But none of it will matter without the proclamation of the gospel.

Thursday, April 21, 2005

Upcoming Events at Grace SLO

This is the congregational email that was sent out this afternoon to many of you in our Grace family. If you didn't get it and would like to be included in our email data base, please email my assistant, Debbie Johnston at debbiej@graceslo.org.

Dear Grace Church Family,

Were you able to be with us in worship this last Lord's Day Morning? What an electric morning together! It makes me anticipate our next time together in the Lord's presence!

I thought I would send you this e-update and highlight some of the many upcoming events here at Grace. There's a lot going on and I want to make sure you are informed so you can plan ahead. . . .

This Sunday, April 24th: Baptism & Mexico Dinner
Our morning services will be dedicated to Baptism and our awesome Grace Youth will be leading our worship. These are always exciting days of worship and celebration where we recognize God at work in lives of our church family. This time around we are baptizing 17! Be praying for these folks as they near this important day where they give public proclamation of their faith in Jesus. Be praying, also, that others who don't know Jesus as Savior and Lord would see the power of the Gospel and the glory of God in our morning together.

In the evening at 5:00 PM, we will re-gather for our annual Mexico Burrito Feed & Fundraiser. This is a great time of fellowship and a chance to "lean forward" into our Annual Mexico Trip in June, when as many as 160 folks from our congregation will travel to Mexico to build houses for those less fortunate than we are. We sense that many of you have not yet RSVP'd for the dinner. If you did not fill out a Worship Tab this last Sunday, but are planning to be there, we need to hear from you NOW. Can you take a minute and email the church office now at info@graceslo.org and let us know how many are coming? (DO IT NOW! DON"T WAIT! JUST CLICK THE LINK AND GET IT OVER WITH!)

May is going to be wild and fun. . . .

Sunday, May 8th: Mother's Day Child Dedication
We've had a bunch of babies born into our congregation this year. Lots of new folks have also jumped into life at Grace over the past 12 months. We believe children are a gift from the Lord and it's our privilege to dedicate our children to Him and ourselves to the task of Biblical parenting. Are you planning to have your child dedicated this year on Mother's Day or Father's Day? We need to hear from you. Will you please contact the church office at 543-2358 and let us know which day, Mother's Day or Father's Day, and which service, 9:00 or 10:45 AM? We will try and spread out dedications over those days and times, so please be flexible. . .. and bring your cameras!

Sunday, May 15: Teacher Appreciation Sunday & All Church Picnic
This is our annual opportunity to appreciate our wonderful adult & children's Sunday morning teaching staff. We will do this publicly as part of our Worship Services on that day, but we are encouraging you and your family to get involved and express your appreciation personally.

After our services, we will enjoy our first All Church Picnic of 2005! This is not just for families, but for the whole Grace Church Family. . . an afternoon across the street from the church at Mitchell Park to relax, have fun, and enjoy one another. Lunch will be served and I'm hearing something about hot BBQ roast beef sandwiches and other good stuff. The cost will be $4 per person, children under 5 years old are FREE. You can't beat it! If you want to bring your own lunch, then feel free to do that. Look for the opportunity to RSVP on the Worship Tab beginning Sunday, May 1st.

Sunday, May 22: Annual Congregational Meeting & Dessert, 6:00 PM
This is a must-attend meeting for all those who call Grace Church, SLO their church. We will give thanks for God's faithfulness this last year and look forward to the next year, considering our 05/06 budget and vision together. Topics will include the Annex Renewal Project, the 75th Anniversary Celebration in 2006, plans for a 3rd Worship Service, as well as a few other surprises. I want to URGE you to not miss this valuable meeting. If you are new to Grace, this is your opportunity to learn more about who we are, how we function, and where we're going. To top it all off, we'll even feed you dessert! Put it on your calendar!

We have so much to be thankful for. We have so much to look forward to. I hope you are feeling connected and a part of all that is happening. It's going to be a great Spring here at Grace!

I am blessed to serve as your Pastor. . . Tim

Lifewater looking for a College-age Intern

I just received a letter informing me that Lifewater International, based right here in SLO, is looking for a Christian College student for a part-time internship position. If you were around for our 05 Missions Conference, you remember that Dan Stevens, the Executive Director of Lifewater, was our keynote speaker.

The position pays $8-10 per hour, depending on experience. If you're interested, you can email me or contact Lifewater directly.

Monday, April 18, 2005

3rd Service Thoughts: What about Saturday night?

Earlier posts have mentioned our vision to add a third worship service here at Grace Church, SLO. Several comments have asked about the possibility of a Saturday night service. Here are my thoughts. . . .

I do believe that a Saturday night service is the best pragmatic option from a "market" perspective. As far as I am aware, there are no Saturday night services in SLO proper. I believe this could work and and work quite well. Why not?

A Saturday night service is the worst option for me personally. Every pastor I have talked to who preaches both Saturday and Sunday services says its BRUTAL on family life. With a fourth child on the way, my family must be my number one priority. At the present time, I am not comfortable with having another teaching pastor who preaches Saturday night, while I preach Sundays. My understanding is you are basically creating a church within a church, which eventually leads to problems in the future. I am trying to stay open to this possibility somewhere down the road, if absolutely necessary, but for now I am committed to building and protecting our unity.

(OK, I'll admit it I also am kind of a "Lord's Day" guy. I am not real fond of catering to the convenience of our consumeristic culture. Don't tell anybody.)

So the plan is to do a third service on Sunday. Morning or evening? I'll share my thoughts after I hear some of yours.

Steve Leonard Feedback

Many here at Grace, SLO had an opportunity to meet our Adult Ministries Pastor candidate, Steve Leonard, in Growth Groups and/or to hear him teach in the College Ministry this last Sunday. Between now and the Elder's meeting on Thursday, we are inviting you to share your thoughts, comments and feedback about Steve. You are welcome to leave comments here at "life together" or email me directly. I have heard only positive feedback thus far. Steve and Lisa are excited about the possibilities of serving the Lord and His people here at Grace!

Thursday, April 14, 2005

Steve Leonard, Adult Ministries Pastor Candidate

After a long and very slow search, we are pleased to present a candidate for our Adult Ministries Pastor Position at Grace Church, SLO. . . . Steve Leonard. Steve and I served together for a short time at the Evangelical Free Church of Laguna Hills a few years back. Since that time, we have kept in touch and developed a stimulating friendship. Steve and his family spent a weekend here with our Elders and staff in March. After thorough conversation with Steve and an extensive check of his references, the Elders believe that Steve will make an excellent addition to our staff.

Steve will be visting a variety of Growth Groups this week and also teaching in the College Group this Sunday, April 17th. At least a couple of other Adult Bible Fellowships will be joining the College Group to hear Steve open God's Word. You are also welcome. We hope many will have an opportunity to meet Steve, his wife Lisa and their two sons this week while they are here.

If you would like a copy of our position profile/job description and Steve's resume, please contact my assistant, Debbie Johnston at debbiej@graceslo.org. Your feedback is welcome and invited as we together seek the Lord in these matters.

Pastor Tim

Wednesday, April 13, 2005

3 more worthwhile World Mag articles

One of the things I enjoy most about World Magazine is their sharp and insightful editorial staff including Gene Edward Veith, Marvin Olasky and Joel Belz. Here are 3 more recent (and brief) articles that I think are worth reading. . . .

1. Conformity Enforcers: some interesting statistics about university professors and their political views compared to the general public . . . relevant for our own college town environment. . . how would Cal Poly, SLO compare?

2. Strangers & Pilgrims: an intersting interview with a PCA pastor named Glen Parkinson about the power and impact of living the gospel in a hostile world instead of campaigning and waging cultural warfare. . . . our struggle is not against flesh and blood. . . .

3. Exiles and Patriots: this one is obviously a follow up to #2 above and the two should be read together. . . . Olasky argues Christians would do well to compare themselves to exhiled Israel instead of national Israel. . . . this resonates with me. . .. the U.S. is not the Holy Land. . . may we be faithful Daniels in our own generation.

If you only have time to read one, read the third one. I would love to hear (read) your thoughts.

Tuesday, April 12, 2005

Recommendation: World Magazine

Perhaps you've noticed on the list of "Other Blogs and Sites" on the right, the link to World Magazine Blog.

World Magazine is a weekly news periodical (ala Time, Newsweek) published from the perspective of a Biblical worldview. They also publish a blog. I subscribe and read World Magazine and recommend both the mag and blog to you. I just read this article about the value of classical music in this week's issue and discovered it was available online. Check it out. . .

Timeless Music

What style music do you listen to?

Sadly, I have no formal music training, but have learned to enjoy a wide range of styles, including classical. I have been pleasantly surprised at the availability of live classical music here on the Central Coast.

By the way. . . .Grace Church, SLO is privileged to be hosting a couple of events of this summer's 35th Annual San Luis Obispo Mozart Festival. (Unfortunately, these events are a bit pricey!) This is one more way we are trying use our facilities to serve our community. After all, music is God's thing!

Monday, April 11, 2005

On the Lighter Side. . . .Sleeping @ Your Desk

I mentioned my Monday "delightful exhaustion" in yesterday's message. I received this from dear Liz Cardenas and it made me laugh. (This is in no way an encouragement to put me on your email joke list!)

TEN things to say when caught sleeping @ your desk!

10. "They told me at the Blood Bank this might happen."

9. "This is just a 15 minute power nap they raved about in the time management course you sent me to!"

8. "Whew! Guess I left the top off the Whiteout. You probably got here just in time."

7. "I wasn't sleeping! I was meditating on the mission statement and envisioning a new business strategy."

6. "I was testing my keyboard for drool resistance."

5. "I was doing a highly specific Yoga exercise to relieve work-related stress. Are you discriminatory toward people who practice Yoga?"

4. "Darn! Why did you int! errupt me? I had almost figured out how to handle that big accounting problem."

3. "Did you ever notice sound coming out of these keyboards when you put your ear down real close?"

2. "Who put decaf in the wrong pot?!?"

AND THE NUMBER ONE best thing to say if you get caught sleeping at your desk........

1. Raise your head slowly and say,

"...in Jesus name, Amen." 

Lord's Day Morning, April 10, 2005

Gorgeous day and a wonderful experience with the Lord's people hearing the Lord's Word and partaking of the Lord's Table yesterday. Message title was "What Will Heaven Be Like?" and centered on Revelation 21:1-22:5. We noticed 5 things about heaven in this text. . . .

1. Heaven will be a place of God's Presence.
2. Heaven will be a place of Joy.
3. Heaven will be a place of Matter.
4. Heaven will be a place of Relationships.
5. Heaven will be a place of Activity.

Sermon Audio should be posted by Tuesday morning at http://www.graceslo.org/grow/mp3/

We tried to use the Lord's Table to look forward to our promised heavenly feast with Jesus ala Matthew 26:29. . .

But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.

I hope you enjoyed our time together as much as I did yesterday! What was new or fresh for you in our study? How was your imagination fueled by our study of God's Word? What kinds of thoughts came up in your Growth Group?

The second service was pretty full again yesterday. As I have hinted earlier, we are actively considering the possibility of a third worship service this coming Fall. I would love to know your thoughts about that. Let's get some dialogue going. In the meantime, there is room in the first hour and if you are able to adjust your worship time, we would encourage you to do so.

We also hosted our Spring Welcome Lunch after the second hour yesterday. How encouraging! We had 22 new folks at Grace join us for lunch. It was neat to see them take a step beyond the "porch" (Worship Service) into life at Grace. They felt welcomed, excited about the church and eager to get involved. I met more than 3 families who were invited to Grace by others in our church family. It fired me up that our people are excited about inviting their friends, neighbors and family. Many thanks to David and Dede Leece for their preparation of the tasty lunch and to our Greeting Team for their warm hosting.

There continues to be lots and lots of new faces here at Grace! We can't let up. . . . we've got to keep working hard to warmly welcome folks who darken our doors. . . . in our services and in the courtyard between services. Invite someone new over for dinner or out to lunch after church. Actively look for new faces. Reach out a hand and say hello. Refuse to settle in to your comfortable group of friends. Let's BE the church practicing hosptiality to strangers in obedience to the Lord. . .

Let love of the brethren continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it. --Hebrews 13:1

All in all, a wonderful, encouraging, exhausting Lord's Day!

Where's Grace, SLO?

Today's Tribune had an article in the Personal Tech section entitled "Google adds satellite maps to searches." Pretty neat stuff. Can you find Grace on the satellite photo below?

Google Maps - San Luis Obispo,CA

Hint: Find Mitchell Park with the big "x" in the middle. Grace is across the street in the northwest direction. Peach and gray roofs.

Thursday, April 07, 2005

We're having a baby. . . .

And its another BOY (which makes 2 of each. . . nice symmetry and convenient room sharing). We're giving thanks with joy. Susie is feeling much better and should be coming back around. I sure have missed her. We have appreciated the care and prayers from so many here at Grace Church, SLO.

Wednesday, April 06, 2005

Thoughts on Heaven #2: The Weight of Glory

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. -2 Corinthians 4:16-18


As we are thinking of heaven together, C.S. Lewis' famous sermon, "The Weight of Glory", is defnintely worth a read. Here's a quote releated to our longing for heaven. . . .

In speaking of this desire for our own faroff country, which we find in ourselves even now, I feel a certain shyness. I am almost committing an indecency. I am trying to rip open the inconsolable secret in each one of you—the secret which hurts so much that you take your revenge on it by calling it names like Nostalgia and Romanticism and Adolescence; the secret also which pierces with such sweetness that when, in very intimate conversation, the mention of it becomes imminent, we grow awkward and affect to laugh at ourselves; the secret we cannot hide and cannot tell, though we desire to do both. We cannot tell it because it is a desire for something that has never actually appeared in our experience. We cannot hide it because our experience is constantly suggesting it, and we betray ourselves like lovers at the mention of a name. Our commonest expedient is to call it beauty and behave as if that had settled the matter. Wordsworth’s expedient was to identify it with certain moments in his own past. But all this is a cheat. If Wordsworth had gone back to those moments in the past, he would not have found the thing itself, but only the reminder of it; what he remembered would turn out to be itself a remembering. The books or the music in which we thought the beauty was located will betray us if we trust to them; it was not in them, it only came through them, and what came through them was longing. These things—the beauty, the memory of our own past—are good images of what we really desire; but if they are mistaken for the thing itself they turn into dumb idols, breaking the hearts of their worshippers. For they are not the thing itself; they are only the scent of a flower we have not found, the echo of a tune we have not heard, news from a country we have never yet visited.

Do you think I am trying to weave a spell? Perhaps I am; but remember your fairy tales. Spells are used for breaking enchantments as well as for inducing them. And you and I have need of the strongest spell that can be found to wake us from the evil enchantment of worldliness which has been laid upon us for nearly a hundred years. Almost our whole education has been directed to silencing this shy, persistent, inner voice; almost all our modem philosophies have been devised to convince us that the good of man is to be found on this earth. And yet it is a remarkable thing that such philosophies of Progress or Creative Evolution themselves bear reluctant witness to the truth that our real goal is elsewhere. When they want to convince you that earth is your home, notice how they set about it. They begin by trying to persuade you that earth can be made into heaven, thus giving a sop to your sense of exile in earth as it is. Next, they tell you that this fortunate event is still a good way off in the future, thus giving a sop to your knowledge that the fatherland is not here and now. . . . Do what they will, then, we remain conscious of a desire which no natural happiness will satisfy.


Here's a link to a PDF version whole essay. . . .enjoy!

The Weight of Glory

Tuesday, April 05, 2005

Thoughts on Heaven #1: Redemptive Continuity

As part of our 4 part Heaven series, in cooperation with 40+ other Central Coast Churches, we have been encouraging folks in our congregation to purchase and read the book entitled Heaven by Randy Alcorn.



If you are reading Heaven, what are your thoughts and reactions?

Randy bases much of his thought and theology about heaven on the principle of "Redemptive Continuity" (pgs. 111-113). . .

Conversion does not mean eliminating the old but transforming it. Despite the radical changes that occur through salvation, death and resurrection, we remain who we are. We have the same history, appearance, memory, interests and skills. This is the principle of redemptive continuity. God will not scrap his original creation and start over. Instead, He will take his fallen, corrupted children and restore, refresh and renew us to our original design.

Not only us, but the creation too. Alcorn goes on to quote Herman Bavinck. . .

"God's honor consists precisely in the fact that He redeems and renews the same humanity, the same world, the same Heaven, the same earth that have been corrupted and polluted by sin. Just as anyone in Christ is a new creation in whom the old has passed away and everything has become new (2 Corinthians 5:17), so this world passes away in its present form as well, in order out of its womb, at God's word of power, to give birth and being to a new world."

Just like us, the New Earth will still be Earth, but a changed Earth. This is new for me, but it makes sense. This idea seems to account for much Biblical language. It puts together several loose end pieces.

What do you think? I have had a few people object to some of the ideas of Randy's book, but I haven't heard specifics. Do you have objections? What are they? Let's get a little heaven dialogue going over the next few weeks.

What other new or fresh ideas have you discovered in your study of heaven?

Monday, April 04, 2005

Vacation Reflections

It's harder for me to take vacation in this third year at Grace, SLO than it was the first two years. This scares me a bit and it scares Susie a lot. Here are some reflections. . . . things I am thinking about on this first Monday back:

Family Time: We had a great time as a family this week. . . going miniature golfing, going to the beach, playing games, watching movies, riding bikes, hanging out. Susie and I had a chance to go on a date (thanks Vallieres). Daily life is demanding. I miss out on so much in the grind. Taking work off the radar allowed me to savor these precious ones.

Unplugged: The Theule Family is very WIRED. It was hard for all of us to turn off that computer and stay away. The internet is such a great tool, but it's very valuable to unplug and disconnect once in a while. I think we need to be more disciplined in this area as a family. I love the dialogue that email and blogging makes possible, but I get pretty tied into it.

Renewed Perspective: None of us is near as important as we think we are. It's true, we are very important to those closest to us, but beyond that none of us is indispensable. Our significance comes from our identity in Christ, not from what we do or how we perform. Grace Church, SLO doesn't need Tim Theule. The Central Coast doesn't know or care who Tim Theule is. God doesn't need me. I need to be reminded of these realities. Stepping away from it all forces me to come to grips with these facts once more in a very real way. It (hopefully) enables me to come back and serve again joyfully, faithfully and sacrificially. . . to do my very small part in my generation to advance the kingdom of God here on the Central Coast.

Rebalance: This first quarter of 05 has been a challenge. Susie has been not been feeling well in the first tri-mester of her 4th pregnancy. Everything has been a little out of wack. The vacation has given us a chance to take a breather and look ahead to what hopefully will be a more balanced Spring. One area I am going to try and work on again is my need for regular exercise. I had a chance to get on my mountain bike again this last week. It felt great. Somehow this has got to be a priority. Ministry is never done, so I need to walk away. I do a pretty good job of taking my days off every week, but I could do a better job integrating exercise during the week.

Refocus: Easter week is intense. It is so good to get away immediately afterward. There is lots happening at Grace these days. I need to rest and rejuvenate just to keep up with it all. Spring is going to be great! I love the long days and the warmer weather. Glancing at the calendar, I see Mexico dinners, baptisms, child dedications and picnics on the horizon. I think I am ready to go again. By God's grace, let's enjoy. . . . .

Life Together.