<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502853919199653231</id><updated>2011-12-09T15:34:35.355-06:00</updated><category term='Andy Stanley'/><category term='Worship'/><category term='spiritual journey'/><category term='baby swensen'/><category term='Joy'/><category term='Leadership'/><category term='Mark Driscoll'/><category term='bible'/><category term='strength'/><category term='food'/><category term='Christmas'/><category term='Music'/><category term='psalm'/><category term='random'/><category term='South Tulsa Campus'/><category term='On TV'/><category term='LifeChurch.tv'/><category term='North Point Community Church'/><category term='hillsong'/><category term='Tulsa Campus'/><category term='God is Good'/><title type='text'>@aaronswensen</title><subtitle type='html'></subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default?max-results=100'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><author><name>Aaron</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/SYoPp5jDYFI/AAAAAAAAAIs/xkGyEE39ABg/S220/head+shot.jpg'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>32</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>100</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502853919199653231.post-3158331616102212467</id><published>2011-12-08T09:10:00.001-06:00</published><updated>2011-12-08T09:54:49.791-06:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Leadership'/><title type='text'>Do You Have Leadership BLIND-SPOTS?</title><content type='html'>&lt;div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.leader1ship.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/leadership1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"&gt;&lt;img border="0" height="225" src="http://www.leader1ship.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/leadership1.jpg" width="320" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"&gt;As a young leader wanting to be apart of the GIANT picture of what God is doing in the world I am always looking for insight, tips, challenges, and really anything that I can get my hands on to glean wisdom from people that have gone before me. &amp;nbsp;There are some consistent voices that I listen to and have learned a ton from. &amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"&gt;One of those voices - &amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="http://perrynoble.com/" target="_blank"&gt;Pastor Perry Noble&lt;/a&gt; from &lt;a href="http://newspring.cc/" target="_blank"&gt;Newspring Church&lt;/a&gt; in the great state of South Carolina nestled in the town of Anderson. &amp;nbsp;Do you remember the movie "&lt;a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLybxmgq6Ww" target="_blank"&gt;Radio&lt;/a&gt;"? &amp;nbsp;Anderson, SC is where they filmed that movie. &amp;nbsp;Anyway, he hit on some big temptations that my generation are facing and will face as we continue to lead out in our jobs, ministries, families, and any other arenas that God opens up for us. &amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"&gt;Here is Pastor Perry's Post - &lt;b&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"&gt;&lt;a href="http://tinyurl.com/7odm5w9" target="_blank"&gt;7 Temptations Leaders Face&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"&gt;(*Note - I have copied the points below to save you the reader time...but click on the title above to read this post on Perry's Blog.)&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 22px;"&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px; vertical-align: baseline;"&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"&gt;&lt;i&gt;#1 – &lt;u&gt;Wasting Time&lt;/u&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"&gt; – We live in a world where it is easier to waste time than it ever has been before. &amp;nbsp;Comment wars on blogs, tweeting arguments, browsing through random facebook pages and numerous other things can absolutely distract us from what we were put on this planet to do. &amp;nbsp;(BTW…I don’t think the world will EVER be changed because of the comment section on a blog!!!)&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px; vertical-align: baseline;"&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"&gt;&lt;i&gt;#2 – &lt;u&gt;Cruise Control&lt;/u&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"&gt; – Leadership is exhausting, and so we must constantly battle the desire to just allow things to be the way they are. &amp;nbsp;This mentality will put us on course towards an&amp;nbsp;iceberg&amp;nbsp;that will sink even the largest ship! &amp;nbsp;(”I won’t ever let go Jack!”)&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px; vertical-align: baseline;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: normal;"&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;b&gt;#3 – &lt;u&gt;Excuse Making&lt;/u&gt; – &lt;/b&gt;When a problem/difficult situation arises we can either deal with it or simply excuse it away. &amp;nbsp;And people who make excuses rarely make a difference because they are way more obsessed with doing what is easy rather than doing what is right.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px; vertical-align: baseline;"&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;b&gt;#4 –&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b style="font-weight: normal;"&gt; &lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;u&gt;Being Passive&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b style="font-weight: normal;"&gt; – &lt;/b&gt;This is a cousin of #3, but passivity has no place in leadership. &amp;nbsp;Ignoring a problem does not make it go away; in fact, it often makes is become larger and, in many cases, overwhelming. &amp;nbsp;If a problem comes to your attention DEAL WITH IT, don’t deny it. &amp;nbsp;God brought it to your attention because you are the leader and you are the one called to make the tough decision.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px; vertical-align: baseline;"&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;b&gt;#5 – &lt;u&gt;Copying&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b style="font-weight: normal;"&gt; – &lt;/b&gt;We should NEVER be ashamed of borrowing ideas from others! &amp;nbsp;I honestly feel that there really aren’t any original ideas on the planet…and even if the idea is “original” that person was given the idea from the Holy Spirit…so it actually isn’t original in the first place. &amp;nbsp;However, when we build a ministry based on the imitation of others rather than revelation from God we do so out of laziness…and God NEVER honors laziness.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px; vertical-align: baseline;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: normal;"&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;b&gt;#6 – &lt;u&gt;Meaningless Fights&lt;/u&gt; – &lt;/b&gt;Someone IS going to attack your church/ministry…and one of the easiest ways to get sidetracked is to begin to fight with people who don’t know you, care about you or care about your church.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px; vertical-align: baseline;"&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;b&gt;#7 – &lt;u&gt;Playing It Safe&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b style="font-weight: normal;"&gt; – &lt;/b&gt;When a leader stops taking risks because there is too much to lose…he is closer to losing everything than he actually realizes. &amp;nbsp;We don’t follow a Savior who played it safe, if He said “take up your cross and follow me” then we need to understand that sacrifice and risk WILL be involved if we want to go where He is leading.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px; vertical-align: baseline;"&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"&gt;As I come out of reading all of this there is one...if I am being honest that nails me in the teeth. &amp;nbsp;I have been so guilty of seeing what God is doing an another ministry and desiring that some thing to happen in my ministry. &amp;nbsp;If I were to be more honest...I would say that there have been times where I see what God is doing something incredible in someone else and I say, "&lt;i&gt;whatever they are doing...I have to do...because I want the same thing!&lt;/i&gt;" &amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px; vertical-align: baseline;"&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"&gt;God doesn't want me to be the next __________ (you fill in the blank). &amp;nbsp;He want's me to be the best version of me...that he has created me to be. &amp;nbsp;Paul said to young Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:5, "&lt;i&gt;but as for you, keep a clear head about everything, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, &lt;b&gt;FULFILL YOUR MINISTRY&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/i&gt;." &amp;nbsp;That deeply challenges me to stay in lock step with God and to keep his pace and to stay tuned in to what He is saying. &amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px; vertical-align: baseline;"&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"&gt;So, what about you? &amp;nbsp;&lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Which of these temptations do you see in yourself? &amp;nbsp;Why do you connect with that particular one? &amp;nbsp;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3502853919199653231-3158331616102212467?l=aaronswensen.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/feeds/3158331616102212467/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3502853919199653231&amp;postID=3158331616102212467' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/3158331616102212467'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/3158331616102212467'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/2011/12/do-you-have-leadership-blind-spots.html' title='Do You Have Leadership BLIND-SPOTS?'/><author><name>Aaron</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/SYoPp5jDYFI/AAAAAAAAAIs/xkGyEE39ABg/S220/head+shot.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502853919199653231.post-9182174912978288781</id><published>2011-11-17T15:59:00.001-06:00</published><updated>2011-11-17T16:45:00.282-06:00</updated><title type='text'>Thoughts On Preaching</title><content type='html'>&lt;div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jI1EQtl7LHg/TsWDvV8DI-I/AAAAAAAAAMA/dRwMQSdTn4w/s1600/Bible3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"&gt;&lt;img border="0" height="73" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jI1EQtl7LHg/TsWDvV8DI-I/AAAAAAAAAMA/dRwMQSdTn4w/s320/Bible3.jpg" width="320" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Preaching is an awesome responsibly and an unbelievable calling. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There is no doubt in my mind that God has called me to preach. &amp;nbsp;My father-in-law told me early on in my ministry, "&lt;i&gt;Aaron, if God's called you to preach...you won't be happier or fulfilled doing anything else.&lt;/i&gt;" &amp;nbsp;For a while I didn't really connect with what he was saying...but now after being able to preach week in and week out in my current role for nearly a year I totally get it. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;One preacher that I have been listening to and reading lately is &lt;a href="http://jamesmacdonald.com/"&gt;James MacDonald&lt;/a&gt;. &amp;nbsp;This dude can bring it. &amp;nbsp;He has a way of being able to preach through the Word in a systematic way that isn't &lt;b&gt;BORING&lt;/b&gt; or &lt;b&gt;DULL&lt;/b&gt;, but &lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;ENGAGING&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; and &lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;AUTHENTIC&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;James challenges me in his preaching but also in his writing. &amp;nbsp;Here is a blog post that he wrote in early September titled &lt;b&gt;&lt;a href="http://jamesmacdonald.com/blog/?p=8789"&gt;Thoughts On Preaching&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/b&gt;. &amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So, is preaching a big deal?&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3502853919199653231-9182174912978288781?l=aaronswensen.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/feeds/9182174912978288781/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3502853919199653231&amp;postID=9182174912978288781' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/9182174912978288781'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/9182174912978288781'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/2011/11/thoughts-on-preaching.html' title='Thoughts On Preaching'/><author><name>Aaron</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/SYoPp5jDYFI/AAAAAAAAAIs/xkGyEE39ABg/S220/head+shot.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jI1EQtl7LHg/TsWDvV8DI-I/AAAAAAAAAMA/dRwMQSdTn4w/s72-c/Bible3.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502853919199653231.post-3293895679828074871</id><published>2009-02-15T09:21:00.002-06:00</published><updated>2009-02-15T09:25:19.506-06:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Mark Driscoll'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Leadership'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='On TV'/><title type='text'>Mark Driscoll on CNN</title><content type='html'>What are your thoughts on this piece?  &lt;script src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/js/2.0/video/evp/module.js?loc=dom&amp;amp;vid=/video/bestoftv/2009/02/13/hughley.cussing.pastor.cnn" type="text/javascript"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;noscript&gt;Embedded video from &lt;a href="http://www.cnn.com/video"&gt;CNN Video&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/noscript&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3502853919199653231-3293895679828074871?l=aaronswensen.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/feeds/3293895679828074871/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3502853919199653231&amp;postID=3293895679828074871' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/3293895679828074871'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/3293895679828074871'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/2009/02/mark-driscoll-on-cnn.html' title='Mark Driscoll on CNN'/><author><name>Aaron</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/SYoPp5jDYFI/AAAAAAAAAIs/xkGyEE39ABg/S220/head+shot.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502853919199653231.post-6892509797362603498</id><published>2009-02-07T12:27:00.007-06:00</published><updated>2009-02-07T13:09:32.264-06:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='baby swensen'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Joy'/><title type='text'>Sorry To Burst Your Bubble</title><content type='html'>&lt;div&gt;We went to the doc yesterday to check on baby &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"&gt;Swensen&lt;/span&gt; one last time before our induction and we got our bubble &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"&gt;burst&lt;/span&gt;!  We had to reschedule our induction for Wednesday 11&lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"&gt;th&lt;/span&gt; at 8:00AM.  There were a couple of reason for the decision and honestly at the end of the day both Joy and I feel comfortable with where we landed! &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;So, I will be updating here as soon as we have more &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"&gt;details&lt;/span&gt; with baby &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"&gt;Swensen&lt;/span&gt;. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Thank you all for your prayers!!! &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3502853919199653231-6892509797362603498?l=aaronswensen.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/feeds/6892509797362603498/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3502853919199653231&amp;postID=6892509797362603498' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/6892509797362603498'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/6892509797362603498'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/2009/02/sorry-to-burst-your-bubble.html' title='Sorry To Burst Your Bubble'/><author><name>Aaron</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/SYoPp5jDYFI/AAAAAAAAAIs/xkGyEE39ABg/S220/head+shot.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502853919199653231.post-7498684044818374739</id><published>2008-03-09T22:46:00.003-05:00</published><updated>2008-03-10T00:24:38.863-05:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Music'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='random'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='hillsong'/><title type='text'>Random Weekend Wrap-Up</title><content type='html'>Wow, what a weekend!  Chris took the weekend off and it was game time for me doing the 180 and the close.  Some pretty funny things happended...I will get to that in a minute.   &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Our Experience was off the hook this weekend.  We got it all started with our walk-in song by Rihanna's super hit &lt;a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?i=259595224&amp;amp;id=259595222&amp;amp;s=143441"&gt;Umbrella&lt;/a&gt;, sung by none other than the Tulsa Campus' LifeKids Ministry Coordinator, Nicole Brown.  Let's just say that Rhinna better watch out cause Nikki - B is droppin it like it's hot! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://derrickhenslee.blogspot.com/"&gt;Derrick&lt;/a&gt; and the band introduced a new song this weekend, &lt;a href="http://profile.imeem.com/j3-SXO/music/v7sviVQB/david_crowder_band_can_you_feel_it/"&gt;Can You Feel It&lt;/a&gt;.  Then a classic from &lt;a href="http://www.delirious.co.uk/flash/"&gt;Delirious&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?i=200045569&amp;amp;id=200045100&amp;amp;s=143441"&gt;Now Is The Time&lt;/a&gt;, followed by a great &lt;a href="http://www2.hillsong.com/"&gt;Hillsong&lt;/a&gt; number sung by Allie,&lt;a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?i=254039605&amp;amp;id=254039253&amp;amp;s=143441"&gt; Lead Me To The Cross &lt;/a&gt;(BTW - you got to get this song on your worship sets for Easter...you wont be sorry!), rounding out the set with &lt;a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?i=211811286&amp;amp;id=211811046&amp;amp;s=143441"&gt;Gazing&lt;/a&gt;.  It was a great set and I could tell that the band was having a blast and our people loved worshiping with them. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We landed at 1963 for our total weekend attendance and we had 389 kids and 11 people stepped across the line and gave their life to Christ this weekend...that is all worth it! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Thank you GOD that I get to be apart of this!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3502853919199653231-7498684044818374739?l=aaronswensen.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/feeds/7498684044818374739/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3502853919199653231&amp;postID=7498684044818374739' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/7498684044818374739'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/7498684044818374739'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/2008/03/random-weekend-wrap-up_09.html' title='Random Weekend Wrap-Up'/><author><name>Aaron</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/SYoPp5jDYFI/AAAAAAAAAIs/xkGyEE39ABg/S220/head+shot.jpg'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502853919199653231.post-4225889982666535593</id><published>2008-03-03T11:38:00.002-06:00</published><updated>2008-03-03T11:48:36.537-06:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='spiritual journey'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='bible'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='psalm'/><title type='text'>Journey Through Psalm 119</title><content type='html'>"&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href="http://net.bible.org/verse.php?book=Psa&amp;amp;chapter=119&amp;amp;verse=6"&gt;Then I would not be ashamed, if I were focused on all your commands&lt;/a&gt;."&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;verse 6 &lt;/em&gt;NET&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Is is me or is it totally hard to stay focused on God's Word?  In this verse the phrase, &lt;em&gt;if I were focused&lt;/em&gt;, literally means to gaze, look intently, to favor or care. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Man, I read in &lt;a href="http://net.bible.org/bible.php?book=Mat&amp;amp;chapter=7"&gt;Matthew 7&lt;/a&gt; that I am not to judge...period, but I still do.  I read in &lt;a href="http://net.bible.org/verse.php?book=Eph&amp;amp;chapter=4&amp;amp;verse=29"&gt;Ephesians 4&lt;/a&gt; to watch what I say, and I continually cross the line.  I read in &lt;a href="http://net.bible.org/verse.php?book=1Pe&amp;amp;chapter=5&amp;amp;verse=7"&gt;1 Peter 5&lt;/a&gt; to give everything to God, but I still worry!  Is anyone with me on this? &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I can sense God calling me to focus intentionally with Him and to not be ashamed of it! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;God help me and help us all to focus on you and what your Word calls us to do!  &lt;/em&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3502853919199653231-4225889982666535593?l=aaronswensen.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/feeds/4225889982666535593/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3502853919199653231&amp;postID=4225889982666535593' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/4225889982666535593'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/4225889982666535593'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/2008/03/journey-through-psalm-119.html' title='Journey Through Psalm 119'/><author><name>Aaron</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/SYoPp5jDYFI/AAAAAAAAAIs/xkGyEE39ABg/S220/head+shot.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502853919199653231.post-3367284038815384514</id><published>2008-03-02T19:03:00.004-06:00</published><updated>2008-03-02T20:01:31.995-06:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Music'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='random'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='LifeChurch.tv'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='food'/><title type='text'>Random Weekend Wrap-Up</title><content type='html'>So, lets wrap up this weekend. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.derrickhenslee.blogspot.com/"&gt;Derrick&lt;/a&gt; and the band totally rocked it out!  Their walk-in song was &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href="http://jzep1.imeem.com/music/dzfeJpZ-/midnight_rider/"&gt;Midnight Rider&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;.  The worship set kicked off with &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href="http://nimrod.imeem.com/music/3TuQOCzZ/chris_tomlin_let_god_arise/"&gt;Let God Arise&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;, then &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Delirious%3F/+videos/+1-w7oUbHBGOGs"&gt;Solid Rock&lt;/a&gt;, followed by &lt;a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Sarah+Brightman/+videos/+1-gk4o5yqRhDk"&gt;Deliver Me&lt;/a&gt;, and ended with &lt;a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Charlie+Hall/+videos/+1-qemKftwHX5Y"&gt;Marvelous Light&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;.  18 minutes of pure splendor...good job guys. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I did our pre-message announcements...we call it the 180.  It is 3 minutes of talking between worship and the message, hence calling it the 180...creative!  I talked about LifeQuest - new believers class and our next MicroMission to the Day Center for the Homeless.  Did you know that on any given night in the US the homeless community hovers around a million people!  We filled this MicroMission in one weekend.  Our people at our campus loves reaching out to people!  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I also did the call to hands...our "alter call."  I always love doing this.  Seeing people give themselves to God is the coolest thing ever! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Here is where we landed for the weekend:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;total attendance - 2246&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;LifeKids - 346&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;decisions -  19 (this is freakin awesome!)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;LC.tv total - 21,368&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;You have got to try out the game Rock Band...this game is ridiculously fun!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Did I mention that I am tired.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Our staff meeting in the morning is at &lt;a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&amp;amp;rls=GGLD,GGLD:2006-19,GGLD:en&amp;amp;pwst=1&amp;amp;resnum=0&amp;amp;um=1&amp;amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;amp;q=savoy+restaurant-&amp;amp;near=Tulsa,+OK&amp;amp;fb=1&amp;amp;view=text&amp;amp;latlng=36076874,-95904293,14916269992354251298"&gt;Savoy&lt;/a&gt;...killer cinnamon rolls...I wish I could have one.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Did I mention that I am tired....wrapping up and I am going to chill with Joy and Syd!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3502853919199653231-3367284038815384514?l=aaronswensen.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/feeds/3367284038815384514/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3502853919199653231&amp;postID=3367284038815384514' title='3 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/3367284038815384514'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/3367284038815384514'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/2008/03/random-weekend-wrap-up.html' title='Random Weekend Wrap-Up'/><author><name>Aaron</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/SYoPp5jDYFI/AAAAAAAAAIs/xkGyEE39ABg/S220/head+shot.jpg'/></author><thr:total>3</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502853919199653231.post-9156661870354825074</id><published>2008-02-29T19:08:00.001-06:00</published><updated>2008-02-29T19:14:33.078-06:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='spiritual journey'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='bible'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='psalm'/><title type='text'>Journey Through Psalm 119</title><content type='html'>"&lt;a href="http://http//net.bible.org/verse.php?book=Psa&amp;amp;chapter=119&amp;amp;verse=5" mce_href="http://http://net.bible.org/verse.php?book=Psa&amp;amp;chapter=119&amp;amp;verse=5"&gt;If I were predisposed to keep your statutes&lt;/a&gt;."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;verse 5 NET&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"&lt;a href="http://http//net.bible.org/verse.php?book=Jer&amp;amp;chapter=31&amp;amp;verse=33" mce_href="http://http://net.bible.org/verse.php?book=Jer&amp;amp;chapter=31&amp;amp;verse=33"&gt;But I will make a covenant with the whole nation of Isreal after I plant them back in the land, says the Lord.  I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts and minds.  I will be their God and they will be my people&lt;/a&gt;."  Jer 31:33&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Have you ever heard someone say, "unleash your hidden potential?&lt;br /&gt;As a follower of Christ my hidden potential is Christ's character, the &lt;a href="http://http//www.youversion.com/reader.php?startverse=Gal.5.22" mce_href="http://http://www.youversion.com/reader.php?startverse=Gal.5.22"&gt;fruit of the spirit&lt;/a&gt;.  Sometimes it is so difficult to tap into that!  I know that when my actions consistently reflect the character of Jesus...God is honored by my life.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Unleash your hidden potential - Jesus' character - today!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3502853919199653231-9156661870354825074?l=aaronswensen.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/feeds/9156661870354825074/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3502853919199653231&amp;postID=9156661870354825074' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/9156661870354825074'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/9156661870354825074'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/2008/02/journey-through-psalm-119_29.html' title='Journey Through Psalm 119'/><author><name>Aaron</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/SYoPp5jDYFI/AAAAAAAAAIs/xkGyEE39ABg/S220/head+shot.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502853919199653231.post-3684190807645115849</id><published>2008-02-27T11:10:00.003-06:00</published><updated>2008-02-27T11:32:07.563-06:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='spiritual journey'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='bible'/><title type='text'>Journey Through Psalm 119</title><content type='html'>"&lt;a href="http://net.bible.org/verse.php?book=Psa&amp;amp;chapter=119&amp;amp;verse=4"&gt;You, God, prescribed the right way to live; now you expect up to live it&lt;/a&gt;."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;verse 4 Message&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A week or so ago Joy, my wife, got this nasty head cold.  She laid in bed and just tried to rest it off.  This is the way she has always medicated herself..."if I rest, it will go away!"  After a week goes by she is still feeling like crap.  Finally, I call my drug dealer...&lt;a href="http://tentmakin.blogspot.com/"&gt;pharmacist&lt;/a&gt; and he told us call the doctor and get him to write Joy a prescription for some medication that I cannot spell.  We did this and 1 hour later her drugs were ready!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;After a few days of taking her prescribed medication...letting it get in her blood stream killing off the sickness...she was a hole new Joy! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;God has shown me the right way to live in His Word.  When I allow His words to run through my veins it begins to kill off all of the things that conflict with who he is. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;After His Word is in me it becomes apart of me and now I am more like Jesus!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3502853919199653231-3684190807645115849?l=aaronswensen.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/feeds/3684190807645115849/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3502853919199653231&amp;postID=3684190807645115849' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/3684190807645115849'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/3684190807645115849'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/2008/02/journey-through-psalm-119_27.html' title='Journey Through Psalm 119'/><author><name>Aaron</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/SYoPp5jDYFI/AAAAAAAAAIs/xkGyEE39ABg/S220/head+shot.jpg'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502853919199653231.post-1309801999618128180</id><published>2008-02-26T10:08:00.003-06:00</published><updated>2008-02-26T10:33:54.325-06:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='spiritual journey'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='bible'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='psalm'/><title type='text'>Journey Through Psalm 119</title><content type='html'>&lt;div align="left"&gt;"&lt;a href="http://net.bible.org/verse.php?book=Psa&amp;amp;chapter=119&amp;amp;verse=3"&gt;They do nothing wrong; they follow His ways&lt;/a&gt;."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;verse 3 NIV&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Do you remember as a child your parents saying to you, "if you do what I ask of you we wont have any problems..." ?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There is absolutely nothing wrong with simply doing what God asks us to do. There are times where God has asked me to do something that I know I should do but I am not very comfortable with, i.e. &lt;a href="http://net.bible.org/bible.php?book=Gen&amp;amp;chapter=22"&gt;Abraham and Isaac&lt;/a&gt;. Then there are times when I am so sure I heard the voice of God that I &lt;em&gt;must&lt;/em&gt; move, i.e. &lt;a href="http://http//net.bible.org/bible.php?book=Gen&amp;amp;chapter=6#n64"&gt;Noah (6:9-22)&lt;/a&gt;. This reminds me of &lt;a href="http://www.imdb.com/media/rm1340840192/tt0413099"&gt;Evan Almighty&lt;/a&gt;!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I know that it may seem difficult, but there is nothing wrong with doing what is right...following God's Word!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;What is God asking you to do that is right?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;What would it look like if we all took God at His word and did what was right?&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3502853919199653231-1309801999618128180?l=aaronswensen.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/feeds/1309801999618128180/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3502853919199653231&amp;postID=1309801999618128180' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/1309801999618128180'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/1309801999618128180'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/2008/02/journey-through-psalm-119_26.html' title='Journey Through Psalm 119'/><author><name>Aaron</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/SYoPp5jDYFI/AAAAAAAAAIs/xkGyEE39ABg/S220/head+shot.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502853919199653231.post-218243745767979927</id><published>2008-02-25T06:30:00.000-06:00</published><updated>2008-02-24T20:45:21.582-06:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='spiritual journey'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='bible'/><title type='text'>Journey Through Psalm 119</title><content type='html'>"Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek Him with all their heart."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Psalm 119:2&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Have you ever lost anything?  Maybe it was your favorite San Diego Padres hat, maybe the jeans that you know look the best on you and you want to wear them tonight, or perhaps you have misplaced your car keys (just lost mine last night!).  Loosing these things are SO frustrating to me.  I will turn the house upside down looking for these things until i finally find what it is I am looking for.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;God is asking me to SEEK HIM.  Not for some personal gain so that I can say to people, "hey, I spend time with God...that qualifies me to say this...or that to you..".  No, it is for the love of the chase.  God loves it when we are chasing after Him with everything in us just because we want to.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;God, I am looking for you in your Word, speak to me......&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3502853919199653231-218243745767979927?l=aaronswensen.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/feeds/218243745767979927/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3502853919199653231&amp;postID=218243745767979927' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/218243745767979927'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/218243745767979927'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/2008/02/journey-through-psalm-119_25.html' title='Journey Through Psalm 119'/><author><name>Aaron</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/SYoPp5jDYFI/AAAAAAAAAIs/xkGyEE39ABg/S220/head+shot.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502853919199653231.post-8033812454282179554</id><published>2008-02-24T20:10:00.003-06:00</published><updated>2008-02-24T20:25:21.807-06:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='spiritual journey'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='bible'/><title type='text'>Journey Through Psalm 119</title><content type='html'>"Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the Law of the Lord." &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Psalm 119:1&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I can always tell when I have drifted away from reading God's Word.  My life begins to spirial downward into a mud hole.  Sin usually creeps in...in the form of a negative attitude and leaks over into a ton of areas of my life not to mention a complaining spirit, out of wack priorities, and the list continues.  It is only when I reach a certian point doI finially come to the realization...i am here because of my choices and my choices are going to be generally far from God's best because my actions have said..."no, I got this God..." and on the shelf He goes.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Lifes journey is more...explainable, bearable, and quiet honestly worth it when I allow God's Word to frame my life.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3502853919199653231-8033812454282179554?l=aaronswensen.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/feeds/8033812454282179554/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3502853919199653231&amp;postID=8033812454282179554' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/8033812454282179554'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/8033812454282179554'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/2008/02/journey-through-psalm-119.html' title='Journey Through Psalm 119'/><author><name>Aaron</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/SYoPp5jDYFI/AAAAAAAAAIs/xkGyEE39ABg/S220/head+shot.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502853919199653231.post-4942621949485526590</id><published>2008-01-13T09:04:00.000-06:00</published><updated>2008-01-13T18:37:53.311-06:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Tulsa Campus'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='LifeChurch.tv'/><title type='text'>Tulsa Hope Academy</title><content type='html'>Yesterday we took a group of people from the &lt;a href="http://www.lifechurch.tv/p/747/Default.aspx"&gt;Tulsa Campus &lt;/a&gt;to the &lt;a href="http://www.tulsahope.org/"&gt;Tulsa Hope Academy&lt;/a&gt; for a one day MicroMission.  Check out the pics:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5155122129211612914" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/R4qsQ3Vp3vI/AAAAAAAAAG8/Q6iYgNNeUJY/s200/Tulsa+Hope+Academy+059.jpg" border="0" /&gt;&lt;img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5155122464219062018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/R4qskXVp3wI/AAAAAAAAAHE/y5RYzblgzXI/s200/Tulsa+Hope+Academy+062.jpg" border="0" /&gt;&lt;img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5155122816406380306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/R4qs43Vp3xI/AAAAAAAAAHM/MR0fScmQ0IM/s200/Tulsa+Hope+Academy+065.jpg" border="0" /&gt;&lt;img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5155123202953436962" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/R4qtPXVp3yI/AAAAAAAAAHU/o7AntEdgl8Y/s200/Tulsa+Hope+Academy+070.jpg" border="0" /&gt;&lt;img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5155123920212975410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/R4qt5HVp3zI/AAAAAAAAAHc/dKNxRLQLuEE/s200/Tulsa+Hope+Academy+081.jpg" border="0" /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;This motivates me to do more for Jesus! What about you?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3502853919199653231-4942621949485526590?l=aaronswensen.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/feeds/4942621949485526590/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3502853919199653231&amp;postID=4942621949485526590' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/4942621949485526590'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/4942621949485526590'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/2008/01/tulsa-hope-academy.html' title='Tulsa Hope Academy'/><author><name>Aaron</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/SYoPp5jDYFI/AAAAAAAAAIs/xkGyEE39ABg/S220/head+shot.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/R4qsQ3Vp3vI/AAAAAAAAAG8/Q6iYgNNeUJY/s72-c/Tulsa+Hope+Academy+059.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502853919199653231.post-6756371638169943907</id><published>2008-01-11T11:28:00.000-06:00</published><updated>2008-01-11T11:43:03.514-06:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='bible'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='strength'/><title type='text'>STRENGTH</title><content type='html'>I ran across this when I was reading this morning:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;em&gt;God is our refuge and &lt;strong&gt;strength&lt;/strong&gt;,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;em&gt;always ready to help in times of trouble.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Psalm 46:1&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;What does God's strength look like? When you have it do you know about it? How can I get more of it? &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;em&gt;What are your thoughts? &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3502853919199653231-6756371638169943907?l=aaronswensen.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/feeds/6756371638169943907/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3502853919199653231&amp;postID=6756371638169943907' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/6756371638169943907'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/6756371638169943907'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/2008/01/strength.html' title='STRENGTH'/><author><name>Aaron</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/SYoPp5jDYFI/AAAAAAAAAIs/xkGyEE39ABg/S220/head+shot.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502853919199653231.post-5642946838909523895</id><published>2008-01-10T20:14:00.001-06:00</published><updated>2008-01-10T20:14:21.652-06:00</updated><title type='text'>Champion</title><content type='html'>Joy and I were out tonight looking at houses. We had a blast!  We met this couple who just built their house (the builder just wanted us to see their floor plan) and they were the coolest couple. As we started to talk with them Jim, the guy showing us the house, walked off and Joy and I really start to engage with these people. After it was all said and done Joy invited them to church.  I think we should take them to dinner so we could get to know them better. My wife is a champion for meeting new people and getting them connected in meaningful relationships. I have a lot to learn from her!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3502853919199653231-5642946838909523895?l=aaronswensen.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/feeds/5642946838909523895/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3502853919199653231&amp;postID=5642946838909523895' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/5642946838909523895'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/5642946838909523895'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/2008/01/champion.html' title='Champion'/><author><name>Aaron</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/SYoPp5jDYFI/AAAAAAAAAIs/xkGyEE39ABg/S220/head+shot.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502853919199653231.post-5647633067041570068</id><published>2008-01-10T16:47:00.001-06:00</published><updated>2008-01-10T16:47:11.960-06:00</updated><title type='text'>Mobile blogger test</title><content type='html'>Test&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3502853919199653231-5647633067041570068?l=aaronswensen.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/feeds/5647633067041570068/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3502853919199653231&amp;postID=5647633067041570068' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/5647633067041570068'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/5647633067041570068'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/2008/01/mobile-blogger-test.html' title='Mobile blogger test'/><author><name>Aaron</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/SYoPp5jDYFI/AAAAAAAAAIs/xkGyEE39ABg/S220/head+shot.jpg'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502853919199653231.post-5247107224410660997</id><published>2008-01-10T10:40:00.000-06:00</published><updated>2008-01-10T16:43:26.926-06:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Music'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Worship'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Joy'/><title type='text'>Burn For You</title><content type='html'>Joy got the &lt;a href="http://www.myspace.com/stevefee"&gt;Steve Fee &lt;/a&gt;CD, Burn for You, for Christmas. Christmas has passed now and the CD just sat in the car never to be played. So, this morning I put it in after a pretty awesome run...I was blown away! Every song hit me right where I am at in my spiritual journey.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;Read these lyrics:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;there is a &lt;em&gt;stirring in my heart&lt;/em&gt;, unexplainable, there is a calling on my days, undeniable&lt;br /&gt;there's a &lt;em&gt;fire in my bones&lt;/em&gt;, uncontainable, and it's causing me to burn&lt;br /&gt;it's causing me to burn, it's causing me to burn for You&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;there's a &lt;em&gt;passion in my heart for the world to see&lt;/em&gt;, revival fires burning, great awakening&lt;br /&gt;there's a &lt;em&gt;raging fire inside this soul of mine,&lt;/em&gt; and it's causing me to burn,&lt;br /&gt;it's causing me to burn, it's causing me to burn for You&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;i'll go anywhere, i'll do anything&lt;br /&gt;at any cost for you my King&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;to the ends of the earth, to the ends of the earth&lt;br /&gt;to the farthest part till every heart has heard&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When I heard this my heart was stirred and I started to get excited about what God can do through me.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;How about you? Is there a stirrung in you?&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3502853919199653231-5247107224410660997?l=aaronswensen.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/feeds/5247107224410660997/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3502853919199653231&amp;postID=5247107224410660997' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/5247107224410660997'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/5247107224410660997'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/2008/01/burn-for-you.html' title='Burn For You'/><author><name>Aaron</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/SYoPp5jDYFI/AAAAAAAAAIs/xkGyEE39ABg/S220/head+shot.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502853919199653231.post-375691289020771072</id><published>2008-01-07T08:00:00.000-06:00</published><updated>2008-01-07T09:51:38.106-06:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Andy Stanley'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='North Point Community Church'/><title type='text'>Breakaway Living</title><content type='html'>Do you think that when you started your adult life you set out to be just like everyone else?  Think about this.  There are neighborhoods all over the country where your neighbor 3 houses down from you has the EXACT house!  Is it really the American dream for every 20-30 something couple to have a few of kids and live in one of those neighborhoods that I am talking about and drive a white Tahoe?  No not at all! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Stanley"&gt;Andy Stanely&lt;/a&gt;, Senior pastor of &lt;a href="http://www.northpoint.org/home"&gt;North Point Community Church &lt;/a&gt;in Georgia said this, "as much as we like to think otherwise, our lives have a sameness that can be stifling and leave us feeling hemmed in and trapped."  Incredible!  We don't even realize it...we just have a tendency to do life like everyone else! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If I am wondering how my life became the way it is, it is because of the decisions I have made.  My decisions are a result of my beliefs.  If you and I want to breakaway from the same ole same ole of life then we have to renovate our beliefs or the way we think.  We need some solid truth to renovate our belief system...lets use God's Word, Romans 12:2,  &lt;em&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:85%;"&gt;Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will&lt;/span&gt;.  &lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Your thoughts?  &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3502853919199653231-375691289020771072?l=aaronswensen.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/feeds/375691289020771072/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3502853919199653231&amp;postID=375691289020771072' title='2 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/375691289020771072'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/375691289020771072'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/2008/01/breakaway-living.html' title='Breakaway Living'/><author><name>Aaron</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/SYoPp5jDYFI/AAAAAAAAAIs/xkGyEE39ABg/S220/head+shot.jpg'/></author><thr:total>2</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502853919199653231.post-1338006891775335197</id><published>2008-01-06T19:22:00.000-06:00</published><updated>2008-01-06T19:50:59.060-06:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Tulsa Campus'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='South Tulsa Campus'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='God is Good'/><title type='text'>New Year - New Heights</title><content type='html'>It is always nice to start the year off with a bang. Well, that is exactly what happened. Over our 6 experiences this weekend we had 3002 people attend our campus. That is flipen awesome. This is actually a non-Easter/non-holiday record for us at our campus. There are several factors that contributed to this huge number this weekend. First, it maybe stupid, but the new year always causes people to assess where they are in life and in turn they make New Years resolutions and maybe some people said, "Hey...I need to be in church more!" Don't laugh, it could happen. Second, we had child dedications. That was totally cool! Joy and I dedicated Sydney this weekend and it was a great experience. Here is Syd...&lt;img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5152543649890426594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/R4GDJnVp3uI/AAAAAAAAAG0/HacQhHOssEU/s200/100_0046.jpg" border="0" /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5152542722177490642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/R4GCTnVp3tI/AAAAAAAAAGs/eMH2UXJSdq8/s200/100_0090.jpg" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p&gt;She was one of 29 kids being dedicated!  Needless to say, there were a ton of extra family members that attended this weekend.  Third, this is the weekend before our South Tulsa Campus launch.  I think that people that are going to this campus have talked it up to the people that they work with, their family, their neighbors...people that they just do life with and it looked like these people came this weekend to check out what all the hype is about.  Whether it is any of these three factors or not, I really don't care!  GOD IS GOOD!  That is my explanation.  God chose to bless us this weekend and it was amazing!  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;What blessings can you thank God for already in 2008?  &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3502853919199653231-1338006891775335197?l=aaronswensen.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/feeds/1338006891775335197/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3502853919199653231&amp;postID=1338006891775335197' title='5 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/1338006891775335197'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/1338006891775335197'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/2008/01/new-year-new-heights.html' title='New Year - New Heights'/><author><name>Aaron</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/SYoPp5jDYFI/AAAAAAAAAIs/xkGyEE39ABg/S220/head+shot.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/R4GDJnVp3uI/AAAAAAAAAG0/HacQhHOssEU/s72-c/100_0046.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>5</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502853919199653231.post-5659603973587993383</id><published>2008-01-06T19:00:00.000-06:00</published><updated>2008-01-06T19:20:05.920-06:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Tulsa Campus'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='LifeChurch.tv'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Christmas'/><title type='text'>Christmas Experiences</title><content type='html'>So, it has been so crazy lately.  This week will be the most &lt;em&gt;normal&lt;/em&gt;...whatever that means...week we have had in a long time.  The Holiday schedule has been lifted from us!  We saw over 26,ooo people attend our Christmas weekend experieces here at &lt;a href="http://www.lifechurch.tv/"&gt;LifeChurch.tv&lt;/a&gt;.  Now this is all of our campuses combined and probably the coolest part is that there were over 400 people that commited their lives to Christ that weekend.  That is what blows me away! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I thought that I would show you a little of what our experiences look like!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;object width="320" height="266" class="BLOG_video_class" id="BLOG_video-b2d669fa11732331" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"&gt;&lt;param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/get_player"&gt;&lt;param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF"&gt;&lt;param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"&gt;&lt;param name="flashvars" value="flvurl=http://v6.nonxt1.googlevideo.com/videoplayback?id%3Db2d669fa11732331%26itag%3D5%26app%3Dblogger%26ip%3D0.0.0.0%26ipbits%3D0%26expire%3D1329952016%26sparams%3Did,itag,ip,ipbits,expire%26signature%3D3E4B4CD43D7B9245835828A183BD59EA8A52FF6A.77EA581E36A676E93277B0123BC307CAB8B5B8BF%26key%3Dck1&amp;amp;iurl=http://video.google.com/ThumbnailServer2?app%3Dblogger%26contentid%3Db2d669fa11732331%26offsetms%3D5000%26itag%3Dw160%26sigh%3DQjG9G7iJtSA2jcOH7nCIP4kyymo&amp;amp;autoplay=0&amp;amp;ps=blogger"&gt;&lt;embed src="http://www.youtube.com/get_player" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"width="320" height="266" bgcolor="#FFFFFF"flashvars="flvurl=http://v6.nonxt1.googlevideo.com/videoplayback?id%3Db2d669fa11732331%26itag%3D5%26app%3Dblogger%26ip%3D0.0.0.0%26ipbits%3D0%26expire%3D1329952016%26sparams%3Did,itag,ip,ipbits,expire%26signature%3D3E4B4CD43D7B9245835828A183BD59EA8A52FF6A.77EA581E36A676E93277B0123BC307CAB8B5B8BF%26key%3Dck1&amp;iurl=http://video.google.com/ThumbnailServer2?app%3Dblogger%26contentid%3Db2d669fa11732331%26offsetms%3D5000%26itag%3Dw160%26sigh%3DQjG9G7iJtSA2jcOH7nCIP4kyymo&amp;autoplay=0&amp;ps=blogger"allowFullScreen="true" /&gt;&lt;/object&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;God is good!  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3502853919199653231-5659603973587993383?l=aaronswensen.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='enclosure' type='video/mp4' href='http://www.blogger.com/video-play.mp4?contentId=b2d669fa11732331&amp;type=video%2Fmp4' length='0'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/feeds/5659603973587993383/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3502853919199653231&amp;postID=5659603973587993383' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/5659603973587993383'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/5659603973587993383'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/2008/01/christmas-experiences.html' title='Christmas Experiences'/><author><name>Aaron</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/SYoPp5jDYFI/AAAAAAAAAIs/xkGyEE39ABg/S220/head+shot.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502853919199653231.post-479978362724565051</id><published>2007-12-21T20:42:00.000-06:00</published><updated>2007-12-21T20:44:21.595-06:00</updated><title type='text'>Christmas Experience - Friday, December 21 7 PM</title><content type='html'>Tonight at the Tulsa Campus we saw 238 people come and one person commit their life to Christ!  It was amazing.  I will post after every experience to let you all in on what God is doing.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3502853919199653231-479978362724565051?l=aaronswensen.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/feeds/479978362724565051/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3502853919199653231&amp;postID=479978362724565051' title='2 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/479978362724565051'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/479978362724565051'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/2007/12/christmas-experience-friday-december-21.html' title='Christmas Experience - Friday, December 21 7 PM'/><author><name>Aaron</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/SYoPp5jDYFI/AAAAAAAAAIs/xkGyEE39ABg/S220/head+shot.jpg'/></author><thr:total>2</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502853919199653231.post-7317778747398819639</id><published>2007-12-21T08:13:00.000-06:00</published><updated>2007-12-21T09:03:26.228-06:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='LifeChurch.tv'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Christmas'/><title type='text'>HE is so big and I am so small.</title><content type='html'>This weekend we will be having a total of 8 Experiences at our church.  Here is the line up:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Friday, December 21 - 7:00pm&lt;br /&gt;Saturday, December 22 - 5:30pm, 7:00pm&lt;br /&gt;Sunday, December 23 - 8:30am, 10:00am, 11:30am, 5:00pm&lt;br /&gt;Monday, December 24 - 1:30pm&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We normally have about 2500 attendees on the weekends.  This weekend we are projected to have 4000!  That is totally amazing.  I never thought that my first job as a pastor would be at a church of such significant size and ministry impact.  I am blown away at what God does here and wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We have 13 locations total and see roughly 25,000 people a weekend come to various &lt;a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.lifechurch.tv"&gt;LifeChurch.tv &lt;/a&gt;Campuses all over the country.  I thought that our vision for 4000 at the Tulsa campus was huge...listen to this...we are projecting 50,000 people in attendance for our Christmas weekend experiences LifeChurch.tv wide!!!  With all of these people coming I know that God is going to change lives. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;As I sit at my house right now and start to mentally prepare for this weekend I can already see the people walking in the door that have been jaded by the church in the past.  I can see people that got drug to church just because its a holiday (CEO's, as one of my friends call them...Christmas and Easter Only's) or people that have never been to church...which is amazing here in Tulsa, Oklahoma because there seems to be a crap load of churches here...a hyper religious culture.  All kinds of people will walk in to our lobby this weekend and each one with a different story.  They will probably get some coffee and doughnuts or tea and snacks and then walk in the experience room and make a connection with Jesus and they will give their lives to Him.  That is why I love my job!      &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I will give you updates throughout the weekend to let you know what is going on and how God is moving! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;What is God doing where you are at?&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3502853919199653231-7317778747398819639?l=aaronswensen.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/feeds/7317778747398819639/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3502853919199653231&amp;postID=7317778747398819639' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/7317778747398819639'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/7317778747398819639'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/2007/12/he-is-so-big-and-i-am-so-small.html' title='HE is so big and I am so small.'/><author><name>Aaron</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/SYoPp5jDYFI/AAAAAAAAAIs/xkGyEE39ABg/S220/head+shot.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502853919199653231.post-9099462466600239609</id><published>2007-12-19T21:53:00.000-06:00</published><updated>2007-12-19T22:02:45.906-06:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Christmas'/><title type='text'>What is Christmas?</title><content type='html'>Here is something that you might be interested in.  This website unlocked a new perspective on Christmas for me and it might for you too.  &lt;a href="http://www.adventconspiracy.org/"&gt;Check it&lt;/a&gt; out and let me know what you think.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3502853919199653231-9099462466600239609?l=aaronswensen.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/feeds/9099462466600239609/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3502853919199653231&amp;postID=9099462466600239609' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/9099462466600239609'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/9099462466600239609'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/2007/12/what-is-christmas.html' title='What is Christmas?'/><author><name>Aaron</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/SYoPp5jDYFI/AAAAAAAAAIs/xkGyEE39ABg/S220/head+shot.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502853919199653231.post-773695019143535962</id><published>2007-12-18T15:37:00.001-06:00</published><updated>2007-12-18T15:37:03.277-06:00</updated><title type='text'>Multimedia message</title><content type='html'>&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3502853919199653231-773695019143535962?l=aaronswensen.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/feeds/773695019143535962/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3502853919199653231&amp;postID=773695019143535962' title='2 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/773695019143535962'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/773695019143535962'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/2007/12/multimedia-message.html' title='Multimedia message'/><author><name>Aaron</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/SYoPp5jDYFI/AAAAAAAAAIs/xkGyEE39ABg/S220/head+shot.jpg'/></author><thr:total>2</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502853919199653231.post-6044540877871300359</id><published>2007-12-18T14:38:00.000-06:00</published><updated>2007-12-18T15:25:24.441-06:00</updated><title type='text'>Where Is Church?</title><content type='html'>&lt;a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/R2gwBXVp3qI/AAAAAAAAAGM/V9N3sVjFfII/s1600-h/LIFECHURCH+005.jpg"&gt;&lt;img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145415374273633954" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/R2gwBXVp3qI/AAAAAAAAAGM/V9N3sVjFfII/s400/LIFECHURCH+005.jpg" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Every morning at 6:15 I meet a group of guys at this trail in South Tulsa.  This morning I woke up at 6:00 by a fluke because I forgot to set my stickin alarm.  So I got up as fast as I could...got dressed and headed out the door.  As soon as I pulled up to the trail there they were...my running buddies.  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;We have all kinds of conversations throughout our runs.  We talk about sports, raising kids, being a good husband, church, God, life, and how bad we all eat between each run.  This morning as we rounded the corner to finish our near hour long run I couldn't help but think, where is church?  I know that seems random...just follow.  I mean I go to church...I am at church all weekend...that is &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.lifechurch.tv/"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;my job as a pastor.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;  What I get to experience every morning with my running buddies is real and honest biblical community.  We are accountable to each other, we encourage one another, we talk about our spiritual journey, we even pray together.  You know, I never leave a run without feeling physically challenged and even more than physically challenged but spiritually challenged.  This is my church...my community. Out on the trail we don't have lights (literally), haze, inspirational music, &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.starbucks.com/"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Starbucks Coffee&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;, or &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.krispykreme.com/"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Krispy Kreme &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;doughnuts to make us feel like we are at church.  All we have is the trail in front of us and conversation.  I have never been more connected in biblical community than this!  This is Church!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Where is Church for you?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3502853919199653231-6044540877871300359?l=aaronswensen.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/feeds/6044540877871300359/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3502853919199653231&amp;postID=6044540877871300359' title='2 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/6044540877871300359'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/6044540877871300359'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/2007/12/where-is-church.html' title='Where Is Church?'/><author><name>Aaron</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/SYoPp5jDYFI/AAAAAAAAAIs/xkGyEE39ABg/S220/head+shot.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/R2gwBXVp3qI/AAAAAAAAAGM/V9N3sVjFfII/s72-c/LIFECHURCH+005.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>2</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502853919199653231.post-1914686697355897177</id><published>2007-12-16T23:23:00.000-06:00</published><updated>2007-12-16T23:27:36.195-06:00</updated><title type='text'>Starting Fresh</title><content type='html'>I am starting to add more things to my blog in efforts to really use this thing. I am making a more concerted effort in the next year to adopt blogging  as a forum to bounce ideas around and get thoughts ought of my dang head!  Its almost a discipline you know?&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3502853919199653231-1914686697355897177?l=aaronswensen.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/feeds/1914686697355897177/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3502853919199653231&amp;postID=1914686697355897177' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/1914686697355897177'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/1914686697355897177'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/2007/12/starting-fresh.html' title='Starting Fresh'/><author><name>Aaron</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/SYoPp5jDYFI/AAAAAAAAAIs/xkGyEE39ABg/S220/head+shot.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502853919199653231.post-1722306854752946643</id><published>2007-10-03T16:56:00.001-05:00</published><updated>2007-10-03T17:11:32.523-05:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Leadership'/><title type='text'>Layers of a Good Leader (Part III)</title><content type='html'>&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A good leader's character is evident in his relationship with others.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Good leaders are nurturing servants.  It doesn't make any sence to be a leader that doesn't give a flip as to the growth of the people in the group.  This is what the discipleship process is all about!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;1.  &lt;em&gt;Nurturing.&lt;/em&gt;  These kinds of relationships involve two things.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Buy-in from the people you lead.  They must believe in you as their leader.  Secondly, atmosphere.  As the leader it is your job to create a place where people will open up and be themselves.  Allow them to share whatever in on their heart.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;2.  &lt;em&gt;Serving.&lt;/em&gt;  "the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve" (Mt 20:28).  We either serve others or we serve ourselves.  There is no middle ground.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So, what do you think?  Are you a nurturing servant?  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;(&lt;em&gt;Layers of a Good Leader was derived from 'The Big Book On Small Groups'&lt;/em&gt;)&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3502853919199653231-1722306854752946643?l=aaronswensen.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/feeds/1722306854752946643/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3502853919199653231&amp;postID=1722306854752946643' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/1722306854752946643'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/1722306854752946643'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/2007/10/layers-of-good-leader-part-iii.html' title='Layers of a Good Leader (Part III)'/><author><name>Aaron</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/SYoPp5jDYFI/AAAAAAAAAIs/xkGyEE39ABg/S220/head+shot.jpg'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502853919199653231.post-220218020190164383</id><published>2007-10-01T17:14:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2007-10-01T19:17:19.811-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Layers of a Good Leader (Part II)</title><content type='html'>&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A good leader's character is evident in his or her personal life.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Good leaders are aware of their strengths and weaknesses, are willing to take risks, and are concerned with the ethics of their leadership.  Let's peal back each of these layers a little more.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;1.  &lt;em&gt;Aware of strengths and weaknesses.&lt;/em&gt;  We all should be confident in our leadership but also realistic.  All of us need to be aware of what we do well and capitalize on it.  We also need to know what we don't do very well.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Take an inventory of those things you do well, and those things you don't do so well and get a true picture of who you arex.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;2.  &lt;em&gt;Willing to take risks.&lt;/em&gt;  There will be times when small group leaders will be called on to take risks.  In a time where group tension is boiling over, you may need to bring things in to the open.  Maybe your group talks about people, and you feel that it is time to confront the issue head on.  Perhaps it is time for your group to think about &lt;em&gt;multiplying&lt;/em&gt;, yet you know that bringing up the subject will create conflict.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;Strong leaders learn to assess situations, seek out wisdom, and act! &lt;/em&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;3.  &lt;em&gt;Concerned with ethics.&lt;/em&gt;  Why be concerned with ethics as a leader of a small group?  Because a leader's character is at stake.  Imagine a leader who expects his members of the small group to read a chapter of a certian book, say Velvet Elvis, by Rob Bell, but neglects to do it and then BS's his way through the talk.  Eventually, people will discover the inconsistency, and the group will suffer.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Now this is huge, healthy life traits create strong leaders.  Sloppy life traits undermine not only leaders  but the people they serve.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;What hits home with you all?&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3502853919199653231-220218020190164383?l=aaronswensen.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/feeds/220218020190164383/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3502853919199653231&amp;postID=220218020190164383' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/220218020190164383'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/220218020190164383'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/2007/10/layers-of-good-leader-part-ii.html' title='Layers of a Good Leader (Part II)'/><author><name>Aaron</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/SYoPp5jDYFI/AAAAAAAAAIs/xkGyEE39ABg/S220/head+shot.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502853919199653231.post-6261700858874876761</id><published>2007-09-30T11:55:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2007-09-30T22:40:59.310-05:00</updated><title type='text'>Layers of a Good Leader (Part I)</title><content type='html'>Listing out layers or traits of a good leader can be good and can be bad.  When doing this we face the possibilty of:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;1.  Imitation.  This is where leaders fabricate these layers in their life.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;2.  Perfection.  This is where we hold each other to a sort of legalistic standard...did we forget that God uses the broken to accomplish his purposes?  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;3.  Misunderstanding.  We might miscommunicate about one or two of these layers.  However, if you and I choose not to unpack what kinds of layers/traits God uses in people, we face the danger of &lt;em&gt;lost focus&lt;/em&gt;.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;layers of a good leader&lt;/strong&gt; start with a: &lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;Relationship with God&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;1.  Hunger.  A healthy leader is always in the discovery phase of his relationship with God.  We may not know all there is to know about God's plan , but good leaders are hungry to know God and willing to do whatever it takes to nurture their relationship.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;2.  Humility.  This is one of the most difficult virtues to understand; therefore, it is one of the most elusive to grasp.  Each of us are encoded, when we are born, with pride and selfishness, both of which are opposites of humility.  Truly humble leaders know what they have to offer and are not scared to give of themselves.  As a result, they have the confidence to help others find satisfaction, not in props or recognition, but in acts of love.  Humility finds its greatest joy in knowing the approval of God.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So...where are you?  Which layer do you see as your strongest and which layer(s) do you need to work on?&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3502853919199653231-6261700858874876761?l=aaronswensen.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/feeds/6261700858874876761/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3502853919199653231&amp;postID=6261700858874876761' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/6261700858874876761'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/6261700858874876761'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/2007/09/layers-of-good-leader.html' title='Layers of a Good Leader (Part I)'/><author><name>Aaron</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/SYoPp5jDYFI/AAAAAAAAAIs/xkGyEE39ABg/S220/head+shot.jpg'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502853919199653231.post-7929036020876186914</id><published>2007-06-21T22:05:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2007-06-21T22:09:23.830-05:00</updated><title type='text'>monday 6/18/2007</title><content type='html'>i want to share with you guys a blog that i posted earlier this week on the lifechurch.tv tulsa campus lifegroups page...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I was reading a blog this morning by Seth Godin called “Drivers.” He said that all successful organizations are driven by something. Figuring out what drives your organization isn’t always easy to do. So, I started to think as I was reading…what drives me as Pastor...a husband…a father…a LifeGroup Leader…what drives me? That is an excellent question for all of us to wrestle with. For me…I am driven by the spiritual 'ahh-haa' moments. I love when God opens my eyes to something that has always been so unclear. I love those moments in my life and I love seeing those moments happen for others. With that said…I want to challenge all of us to find our drivers and focusing on doing whatever it takes to accomplish those drivers. Tell me yours by leaving a comment...&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3502853919199653231-7929036020876186914?l=aaronswensen.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/feeds/7929036020876186914/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3502853919199653231&amp;postID=7929036020876186914' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/7929036020876186914'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/7929036020876186914'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/2007/06/monday-6182007.html' title='monday 6/18/2007'/><author><name>Aaron</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/SYoPp5jDYFI/AAAAAAAAAIs/xkGyEE39ABg/S220/head+shot.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502853919199653231.post-6689341593450417429</id><published>2007-06-20T22:17:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2007-06-20T22:51:27.511-05:00</updated><title type='text'>sinking or swimming?</title><content type='html'>man, let me tell you...there is just not enough hours in the day.  today it was one thing after another for me.  i started the day super early for the third day in a row...which actually i am not pitchin a fit about because i got to take my wife, joy, to work which ment a little extra time for us to spend together...and that is always nice.  then i came home and started to get ready for the day and then i make the biggest mistake...i got online and started to read swerve (lifechurch.tv blog) and got sucked in and totally lost track of time.  i finially broke free to meet my buddy josh for a cup of coffee and to talk about 'inside out' (lifechurch.tv new hire orientation).  so, from there we head to the big orange box...or Home Depot to get some things for a micromission that we are having this saturday...this is now some time around 10:30 am.  i have a lunch meeting from 11:30 to 12:30 and a video conference at 1 and then after that i have to plan for some things for this weekend  because our campus pastor will be gone. sinking or swimming?  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;the reason that i felt like i had to say all of that is recently i have been extremely concerned with the quality of my work on the job.  is what i am producing excellent?  is from the time that i check in first thing in the morning to when i leave for the evening being spent wisely?  i have seen that in the last couple of days of evaluation that in order for me to produce excellence i now have to wade through all of the half-hearted work that was already produced.  do you know how much it sucks to want to be excellent in all that you do and then look at something that you did and...well, it's not so...excellent? &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;so, what do i do?  i think that the solution is quite simple.  pick up the pieces and move on.  tomorrow is a new day.  start everyday with excellence in mind.  give everything i got to everyday.  be intentional about everything that i do with GOD, my family and my work.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3502853919199653231-6689341593450417429?l=aaronswensen.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/feeds/6689341593450417429/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3502853919199653231&amp;postID=6689341593450417429' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/6689341593450417429'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/6689341593450417429'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/2007/06/sinking-or-swimming.html' title='sinking or swimming?'/><author><name>Aaron</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/SYoPp5jDYFI/AAAAAAAAAIs/xkGyEE39ABg/S220/head+shot.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3502853919199653231.post-3392909162783575410</id><published>2007-06-19T22:40:00.000-05:00</published><updated>2007-06-19T22:52:42.899-05:00</updated><title type='text'>there is a first time for everything</title><content type='html'>i can remember the first time that i ever got to drive.  i had some expectations...basic ones...starting, stopping, turing right, turning left...just the essentials!  i had no idea how much freakin fun it was going to be till i actually did it.  the rush was absolutely vivacious...there is nothing in the world like it. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;hummm...i feel that way about blogging.  this is my very first blog and i have no idea what the heck i am doing!  one thing that i am sure of is that there are a gajillion people on the internet at a given time and i was thinking that i should contribute to this communication revolution and offer my take on life...or whatever.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3502853919199653231-3392909162783575410?l=aaronswensen.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/feeds/3392909162783575410/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3502853919199653231&amp;postID=3392909162783575410' title='3 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/3392909162783575410'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/3502853919199653231/posts/default/3392909162783575410'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aaronswensen.blogspot.com/2007/06/there-is-first-time-for-everything.html' title='there is a first time for everything'/><author><name>Aaron</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YzeSTFsk6-E/SYoPp5jDYFI/AAAAAAAAAIs/xkGyEE39ABg/S220/head+shot.jpg'/></author><thr:total>3</thr:total></entry></feed>
