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I’d love to share some ways that the Furr family has been experiencing God this past year.

Matt - I’m about to finish my 3rd year on staff at The Chapel.  I love the Campus Pastor gig and believe I’m growing as a leader, husband, father, and Christian.  This past year, I’ve lost about 50 pounds (about an Izak) and am working for another 30 or so.

Heidi – At the end of 2008, Heidi’s work with an agency dried up – hospitals weren’t using agency nurses like they once were.  After a few months with no work, she ended up as a registry nurse for Loyola in Maywood, IL.  She loves, loves that hospital and generally works in ICU or Recovery.  She’s an amazing nurse, mother, wife, and exudes Godly character.  I love seeing her gift of mercy at work in the lobby at The Chapel, where she has opportunity to love people walking through and praying with those who need it.

Izak - This fall he started 1st grade and going to school for a full day.  I wasn’t sure how that would go – it’s been awesome!  He loves school and is such a good friend to the kids around him.  He’s also started reading chapter books this year.  I’m so proud of his character.  He also started piano lessons, which he loves!  He has a soft heart toward Jesus and is eager to tell the people around him how important God is.

Liberty – Lib continues to be a joy.  She walks around the house freely singing as she draws and pretends to be a kitty.  She is soft-hearted and loves to stay up late and sleep in (my kind of girl!).  She also has a growing love for God and desires to be with Him forever.  As a Kindergartner, she loves school and is making great friends.  She’s a wonderful reader!

Levi – He started pre-school a couple days a week.  After the first day, he explained to Mom that she could just drop him off – he doesn’t need her to walk him in.  He doesn’t lack confidence at all!  And he’s just a cool kid.  He loves super heroes and Darth Vader.  And please don’t mess with the race that he’s creating with his Cars cars…he spends hours putting them in just the right order.

That’s a quick update from the Furr clan.  I can’t believe we’ve been in Illinois for almost 5 years…seems impossible.  In that time, we’ve experienced God’s hand of provision, protection, grace, and strength.  We’ve grown some amazing friendships and experienced serendipitous love.

As 2009 draws to a close, I think back over the past 10 years and realize that God has been leading in some crazy ways!  Here are some pretty big ways that Heidi and I have experienced His leadership…

- Move to Buffalo, NY – ok, I’m cheating a little on this one…we actually moved there in late 1998…but it was a huge thing for us.  God was clearly bringing us there.  And it didn’t take long to believe that He had brought us there for the long haul…or so we thought.

- Kids – In the past decade, Heidi and I followed God’s leadership into expanding our family.  And I could not be more thankful!  Through our kids, He has brought us so much laughter, joy, love, and understanding about His character.  He literally redeemed us through out kids in so many ways.  Izak, Liberty, and Levi are gifts of obedience to God.

- Chicagoland – As I stated above, I thought we were going to be in Buffalo, NY for the long haul.  We were seeing ministry impact, strong relationships, and a vision for the region develop in spades.  About that time, God waved us on to Chicagoland.  First to Northwest Christian Community and then to The Chapel.  We’ve sensed His hand on us as we have responded in obedience.  We’ve grown.  We’ve been blessed with incredible friends.  We’re a part of an amazing mission to bring Christ to those who are far from Him.

- from 20s to 30s – It’s been a shift in my mind as I’ve gotten older.  Because of my father’s early death, I have an internal clock that reminds me that I don’t have forever to do what God put me here to do.  It’s not always a healthy clock, but it ticks nonetheless.  As I’ve grown into my 30s, I’m reminded that I can’t live out the mission of God in my life through potential only.  My potential doesn’t matter in eternity – only what I allow God to accomplish in/through me.

As you look back over the past decade of your life, what are the things that have changed you the most?

Well, it’s here…2010!  I hope you had a great celebration this evening and are excited about what lies ahead.

I spent the evening with Heidi at my campus in Libertyville.  We had the chance to pray with people, serve communion, and baptize some folks.  What a great way to celebrate the turning of the year!

Here’s what I hope to see happen in 2010:

- stronger marriage/family – We’re already in a great place as a family.  I just want to see us grow stronger.  We’re coming into the “thaw” of children who need constant attention – and we’re realizing that we have some life yet.  It’s a good place to enjoy them; but I also want to make sure that I’m creating and working a plan to shape their lives in the image of Christ.  I want the same in my marriage – never to grow complacent but to strive for the best ever.

- ministry effectiveness – I believe this will be a year to experiment with teaching outside The Chapel and also doing some writing.  I’m not sure how it will go, but I believe God is stretching me.  I’m eager to be an effective communicator of the message of God for the people He loves.  I’m also eager to see many people come to him through my church.  I hope I get to baptize 100 people next New Years Eve!!

- continued pursuit of health.  I’ve lost about 50 pounds in the past year.  I’m aiming to lose another 30 before my birthday (July 18).  I’ve started a good course and intend to continue it.  I’m under no illusions as to the ease of this goal – the first pounds were hard; I’m imagining these pounds to be brutal.  But we’re going forward anyway!

- great friendships – I’ve written about friendships on this blog.  As I better understand them, I’m eager to experience powerful, fun, and transformational friendships.  I believe this will be a year to solidify that vision in my life.

There is much to hope for in the year to come.  What are the things you hope to see God do in the year to come?

Even though we’ve completed only 9 years in this decade, it seems like a great opportunity to look back 10 years at the way technology has changed.  Here’s the technology that has impacted my life the most in the past decade:

- blackberry – I got my first Blackberry when I joined the staff at The Chapel.  I’d seem them before but never used one.  It’s been awesome!  I love that my scheduled is up to date to the minute – my assistant can make a change to my schedule and I’ve got the change in my pocket within seconds.  I also love the web feature, which allows me to browse the web from my phone (sure bberry isn’t the best web out there, but it’s new to me and still pretty great).  Some people resent the connectivity of a bberry because it means they are tethered to work.  I’m the opposite – I think it gives me freedom to be out and about while still remaining connected.

- DVR – now I watch tv on my terms.  I can record the shows I want to watch and then watch them when I want to, not just when the network wants me to.  And it’s easier than my VCR used to be.

- wireless internet.  Ten years ago, I was online and it was becoming increasingly important to me.  But in the past 5 years, wireless has become almost necessary.  It allows me to work from a variety of places.  Like the bberry, it gives me freedom that I love.

- social media – I started blogging about a 7 years ago.  That was my first try at staying connected in a way other than email.  It was a great experiment that lead me to Facebook and now to twitter.  I love the easy connection with old friends and the way it fosters newer friendships, too.  I don’t know that it will last forever (as a matter of face, I’m pretty sure it won’t), but it has changed expectations when it comes to connectivity.

- simulcast technology – the ability our church has to stream 3 video and an audio via the internet to multiple campuses has been huge.  The technology package that The Chapel installed about a year ago was so new that one of the pieces of equipment was the first to be shipped from the manufacturer.  It’s why I’m able to be a Campus Pastor and why The Chapel is able to be the kind of multi-site church that it is today…and will be tomorrow.  We’re just getting going!

That’s me…how has technology impacted your life in the past decade?

The solitude day is frustrating – not because of it’s nature, but because of it’s elusiveness.  Imagine, a day away from the normal routines, with the sole purpose being to connect with God.

I am given the gift of a monthly solitude day where I work.  I’m pretty sure that most other people don’t have that built into their work – not even other church leaders.  It’s a gift that I don’t take for granted.

But let’s say that there may be some options to take a solitude day while on vacation – or a half-day a couple times a year.  Day-share with your spouse – you take 4 hours in the morning, and she takes 4 hours in the afternoon.  There are ways to be creative.

The best thing a solitude day gives me is time to soak in the presence of God.  My daily times range from 15 minutes to an hour (at best).  Several hours affords me the opportunity to slow my pace and begin to listen…

While listening, I ask God to speak to me about some of the most pressing issues in my life.  Maybe one day it’s about my marriage or parenting.  Another day, I need to hear from Him about my work.  Whatever is at the top of my mental list, I bring to Him.

If you’ve never taken a day (or half day), give it a go.  Set aside the time, even if it’s months from now.  Put it on your calendar (it’s worth the cost of a PTO day).  Bring a journey, your Bible, and a heart that is eager to hear God speak.

If you’ve taken a solitude day before, share some of the things that have helped you encounter God.

It seems like an old-fashioned word…sabbath.  And I guess it really is.  The concept has been around since creation.  God worked for 6 days to create all that is.  And on the 7th day…he rested.  It was his example that birthed the notion of a weekly sabbath.

There are some religious traditions that lay out very stringent rules for observance of the sabbath – no work (including making meals), no shopping or going out to eat (because that would force others to work), no yardwork…nothing.

There is a bit more of a grace-filled definition of sabbath that has been helpful to me.  It’s this: to live for 24 hours as if my to-do list was complete.

In practice, I take from mid-day Sunday (I work Sunday morning) to mid-day Monday to live as if my to-do list was complete.  I don’t check email.  I stay away from the office.  It’s got to be the last resort before I take a meeting on a Monday.  And I use that day to connect with my family and to change the pace of my life.

And therein lies the secret gift of sabbath…it’s a time to reconnect.

- I reconnect to my family.  Even our young kids know that Monday is “family day” and they look forward to it.  It’s a great day to catch a date with Heidi.

- reconnect with God.  Time with God anchors my relational connection with Him.  But weekly, I try to take a bit more reflective time.  Just like my relationship with Heidi – I need some times when we’re not rushing around trying to accomplish anything, but get to just be together.  I need that to foster a healthy relationship with God, too.

- Change my pace.  I’m wired to run at a pretty aggressive pace in life.  I like to work hard.  Sabbath creates a day when I let off on the gas pedal a little bit and remember that I have value because God created me, not just because of my work.

- reconnect with God’s power.  The drive to work hard every day often flows from the belief that “if I don’t, no one will.”  My sabbath reminds me that God is in control and that I’m not.  The world won’t tip off it’s axis just because I take a day a week off.

I do the work around the house.  I mow the lawn.  I fix stuff (or break it more before calling a real handy person).  But I try to do it later in the day on Monday.  And if, for some reason, I can’t take my sabbath when I normally do, I find another day in the week to do it.

God put the cycle of rest known as sabbath into our lives for our benefit.  Receive the gift.  Put your to-do list away…pretend it’s all accomplished.

Now I’m off on my sabbath!