Luke's 3 Yr. Old Pictures

International Quiz Night

Well, I'm back from my travels in New York. It was good to see some old friends and enjoy the change of scenery. We have known Tim & Suzy since college and they we're really great with having us stay with them. Luke loves hanging out with them. I just hope we didn't drive them too crazy with a 3-year old in their house for the week!

We got back really late Saturday night so I was pretty tired on Sunday but we still had a great service and a great International Quiz night. They are really challenging questions but everyone did really good and had a lot of fun. It's turn out to be a really good event just to get people talking to one another and getting to know each other better. It's nothing more than getting the family around the table and enjoying a good family game night.

This also promotes one of our important values at rH - We are a family working together.

Working In New York City

So today I woke up and walked to the train to go into New York City. I'm happy to say I only got turned around twice, once in and once on the way out. Although on the way back if you get lost in NY there is at least a Starbucks on every corner to allow to you to gather your senses again. Thankfully Suzy came and picked me up. Also, it's cold up here! Which I have to say is kinda of nice since its been so hot in NC.

Headway's offices are located on Madison Avenue right outside Grand Central Station. It's pretty cool. I'll be here until Friday and then head back to the South.

Last Sunday we had our first Sunday services at rH. We had five families represented. I'm really excited as we continue to move forward and grow rH. I hope to see you sometime there on Sunday's at 10:30 AM. Our core group is also meeting on Sunday's at 6 PM which is another great time for fellowship and planning for rH.

Team Efforts

Honestly there are nights I lay awake thinking this will never happen. There's not enough time in the day to get it all done. And somewhere in all of these rushing thoughts of things that I need to do for work, church, and family it all hits me - I can not do it all. And this truth is really quite a relief once you accept it. It's just getting to that point.

There is a lot going on this week. This Sunday we begin Sunday morning worship services at 10:30 AM, we have a cook out this Saturday, and there are so many things that need to be accomplish for both of those things. The good thing, is there is a good team of people at realHope that are ready to work hard to make sure things are ready. It is nice to know that when I realize I can't get it all done, they have already realized that weeks before I do. So everyone is busy getting things done this week and working hard.

If you are in the area I hope you will join us this Sunday morning at 10:30 AM. It will be a great time of worship and fellowship. And I promise you'll find more than just a church, you'll find a family.

Owner's Breakfast

Once a month at rH we have what we call Owner's Breakfast. This is an opportunity for us to come together and fellowship, pray, discuss, and dream about our plans for the church. We are calling our members 'owners' because we want our members of rH to understand that we are heirs of the kingdom of God and each have a role to play in His kingdom. Membership in our culture has come to imply a consumer attitude - get your membership card, enjoy the services, and leave. At rH we want people to really to participate in the body of Christ. Christie and I came to this term after visiting Vintage 21 a church in Raleigh, NC. I'm excited that we are creating in our DNA a place where people we not just join but really become a part of the body and use their unique gifts to serve God's Kingdom.

This week at rH we continue our study in Colossians, You've Got Style. Hope to see you there and stop by Saturday at our Owner's Breakfast (9 AM).

The Gospel for Today

At thegathering I was reminded of one of my favorite quotes from author Leonard Sweet.

"The mystery of the gospel is this: It is always the same (content), and it is always changing (containers). In fact, for the gospel to remain the same, it has to change. The old, old story needs to be told in new, new ways. In fact, one of the ways you know the old, old truths are true is their ability to assume amazing and unfamiliar shapes while remaining themselves and without compromising their integrity."

My son Luke loves milk. I can pour his milk into different cups for him. Some cups are easier for him to drink out of while others are more difficult for him to handle yet. I personally enjoy the harder cups to drink out of and would not enjoy drinking out of his sippy cup. But Luke is able to understand, enjoy, fully take in all of his milk, and not spill any out of his sippy cup. If I choose the easier cup over the harder one have I altered Luke's milk any? Absolutely not! I have only allowed him the opportunity to really enjoy all of his milk.

It is important to understand if changing methods change the message of the Gospel. Experiences change but the Gospel does not. And this is important for leadership to make sure that methods (containers) don't alter the message (content). We can begin to really understand what Paul meant when he wrote, "I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some." (1 Corinthians 9:22). What an incredible challenge for us today!

If we are to preach the Gospel for today we must contextualize the culture around us, discover the containers that the people use, and begin filling them up with the message of Christ. Our challenge is to understand our preferences and not to let them become prejudices that blind us from reaching those Christ has put in our paths to reach. I am convinced that the church today must explore the containers people are using and begin filling them with the Living Water. These are the containers they drink out of everyday. A great challenge and yet it may be one of the greatest opportunities for the church to preach the Gospel for today!

This Week @ rH

Tomorrow night Sunday at 6 PM will have thegathering, a place for anyone and everyone who is seeking out the way of Christ. We are starting a new message series entitled, "You've Got Style." It is a study through the book of Colossians, a New Testament book in the Bible. I'm really excited about it and hope you'll join us if you are in the area.

As I posted earlier we ran out of chairs last week, but got some more, so come and don't hesitate to bring along a friend. Make sure you check out the rH website for all the great events coming up (Scrapbooking night, International quiz night).

Hey, if you come by thegathering I'll make this promise, I won't tell you the ending of the new Harry Potter book! See ya then!

Record Attendance, New Job, Great Stuff

Yeah, it's one of those just 'great stuff' happening weeks. Those are good to have ever now and then. This week I started at Headway Corporate Resources as project manager of the Resource Center. I have a learning curve to get pass but confident that I swing through it. I'm excited about the company - they really seem to know their stuff and how to do it. They treat people with care - it's not just your normal staffing company, they are a mark above the rest. So if you need a job, let me know or your company needs lots of jobs, let me know. I can help.

realHope had record attendance Sunday night. We had a great call this week and well the short of it all....we're growing! We ran out of chairs and are not sure what we will do this coming Sunday! We gave the rH website a fresh update so check it out. I really please with the results so far. We are also working on a new feature to allow people to donate online, so yeah, you no what that means friends and family....

Christie's mom, sister, two nieces, and cousin are here for a couple of days so we have a full house! Also, last Friday we found out we are going to have a girl (I'm still not sure what to think about that one!) But, in the end of it all it's all really great stuff!

Time Off

Well this week I'm enjoying some rest and catch up on somethings around the homestead and for rH before I begin my new job at Headway. I started the week off doing some premarriage counseling and visiting the zoo with Christie and Luke. Luke just wanted to see Giraffes and luckily at the very end we saw them. It was a lot of fun but really hot!

I finally got a calendar put together for rH for the next couple of months and started putting together a preaching series calendar together as well. Our big project that we are starting to get underway is to get morning Sunday services going. We feel like more people will choose this time to visit us and well frankly we like to grow.
The biggest challenge is what do with worship. We really need a gifted worship leader so please pray that God will lead us to the right person to do this.

It seems this is the week for people from the past to check in. At least its been people I still like to hear from! Well that's all the update for now, maybe something of more interest later.

Some Last Things

Ahh yes, some last things that I will ever have to do have come. Today was my last day at the hotel, my last day standing on my feet for eight hours checking in people who don't understand rates and are to cheap to pay for parking, my last day eating the nasty food in the employee cafeteria, my last day doing airlines, my last day doing a room move, or taking luggage to a room. Ahh yes, some last feel good.

Today was also the last day in the week where I completed working out. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday's I committed to working out. Always feels good to complete the first week.

So on now to some first and even more familiar things, like having evenings back and weekends, and having more time for rH.

This Week at rH

So today I ran the mile again...well sort of. I thought it would be good to take Soleil, my dog with me. She likes to run...really she loves to run especially when you don't want her too. So off we went this afternoon, but surprise, surprise, she was slowing me down. She actually wanted to stop half way through. Guess I'm not the only one who needs to get in shape.

This week at thegathering we continue in our Revolution series searching for answers on how to face obstacles in our journey. The fact is everyone of us will face obstacles in our journey. Our aim is to finish the journey well. How do we do that? Find out this weekend at thegathering, Sunday @ 6 PM.

Want to know what other great events are happening at realHope? Check it out on the web (www.realhopechristian.org).

See you Sunday and if I don't lift up a prayer for us!

Health & More

Yesterday afternoon we welcomed our first new baby to rH. Steven DeVarne was born, Sunday around 4 PM, seven weeks early! Jen went into the hospital with complications earlier in the morning. We saw both Scott and Jen today and they both were doing well. Their son is doing well to and will have to stay in the hospital for a few weeks while he gets stronger. Overall both mommy and son are doing very well. We are excited that rH just grew by one! Congrats Scott and Jen!

And today I started exercising, ran over a mile today. Why oh why does working out have to be so much work...guess that's why they called it working out!

International quiz night went well. We plan to do another by the end of the summer. It was a great time of fellowship and fun. I was really glad I was the host because I didn't know any of the answers. They were really hard questions! Like what is the most popular candy to hand out at Halloween?

Well, only four days left at the hotel!

8 Working Days Left...

Today I got my last starhot rate for Christie and I to celebrate our 8th anniversary in August. I can't believe we will have been married for eight years! We will be staying at the Ballantyne Resort in Charlotte, NC. And how appropriate is the number 8 today because I now only have 8 working days left of the hotel.

Tonight Christie held our first Scrapbooking night at realHope. They had two guest show up! So this week we have had a total of three guest already and International Quiz night is this Sunday! If you know me at all, I completely suck at trivia. I am the guy you do not want on your team, the one you pick last unless your playing dodge ball, then I can play a pretty mean game. I am totally amazed at those of you gifted to hold useless trivia information until it becomes useful in the only event I know of - winning trivia games. It all happens this Sunday at 7 PM at realHope. Hope to see some of you there - and for the rest of you pray for a good turn out!

9 Working Days Left. . .

Really, the last few days always seem to drag out. This weekend at the hotel was crazy and I even had to stay over. You may think well that's nice that you got to sleep at the hotel, but when you've been there all day, smell like hotel, the last thing you want to do is go to bed at the hotel, praying they won't call you from downstairs.

We had a guest at realHope last night and a great Owner's meeting this weekend. That was really exciting! And this coming Tuesday night the ladies are having their first scrapbooking night and this coming Sunday is International Quiz night! It was nice to eat with Christie and Luke tonight and realize only 9 more working days and I'll get to do this a lot more often. Then my parents came over and we played hearts. That's a great summer evening. Only 9 more working days to I get to experience more of it! Do you understand, I'm on the count down. And if you must drudge on in a place you hate, I hope you can experience only 9 more working days soon too!

Moving Forward

First, I'm in the process of changing the look on my blog. I like visual change of scenery. Secondly, yesterday I signed my letter of offer with Headway Staffing Company to be their new project manager for their Call Center Division. So good-bye Sheraton on July 6th! (And yes, I'm sorry, no more great hotel discounts).
This position is offering exciting opportunities for us. I will help with Real Hope's financial flow, allowing us to use more money for ministry, equipment, and marketing. It will also give me back my evenings and weekends! I don't think Christie or I will know what to think about that!
So we are moving forward to good things!

Good Stuff

Ok, so it's been awhile since I've blogged. But I have to say a lot of good stuff has been taking place in the weeks that followed our 'near death experience.' Talk about really waking you up to life!

First, we are mostly behind the wreck. Still working through some insurance issues... blahh! But for the most part I have to give it to Erie, they've really done a great job taking care of things. And I'm now that average American father with the mini van, two pets, and soon two kids! The little one is doing great with a strong heart beat! We should find out the sex next time we go! Luke and Christie are doing well too. We enjoyed a week with Luke's cousins, Emily and Logan. It was nice to have the minivan with everyone here. So I might be somewhat dorky looking in the mini van but you can't beat the room. The other day I was cleaning it out and discover a whole drawer! Who puts a drawer in a car? Genuis idea!

Tonight my parents, Christie, Luke and I handed out close to 300 flyers announcing realHope and our events coming up. In July we are having our first Internation Quiz night which I'm really excited about. We hope this will become a real attraction to people in the community. At our first outreach event we got over 80 emails and address from people, so we were really excitied about those results.

I have other great news but I can't announce it yet...so check back and I'll tell you soon! And remember drop by realHope anytime, we love to see ya!

What It Really Feels Like to Be Hit By A Truck

Dear Friend and Family,

There are moments when you're life flashes before you and at the end of it all you can not help but to be thankful for the people God has placed in your life.

Last night at approximately 12:30 AM, Saturday night, we (Luke, Christie, and I) were heading back home from Atlanta, GA to North Carolina on I-95. Just an hour and an half from home we hydroplaned in front of a Semi-truck. The truck pushed us 200 feet down I-95 as we spinned out of control and landed in the median. All the windows we're gone and the bumper of the truck came very close to Christie. The State Trooper that later came to the hospital told us that none of us should have walked away alive.

By God's amazing hand we had only minor scratches and bruises. Luke didn't even cry! He thought it was cool that he got to ride in an ambulance. People kept telling us how lucky we were but we kept telling them God was in it all.

This Saturday we have our first outreach event handing out balloons, face-painting, and info. about Real Hope at the Celebrate Fuquay-Varina festival. Approximately 8,000 people will pass our booth. I am convinced that Satan would do anything for us to be shaken from this event. However, why shaken emotionally from the event, our resolved and faith to plant this new church can not be shaken.

Your prayers have been more important then you'll ever know. They protected us when we could not. And once again they have started something in heaven that we could not and it begins this Saturday as we reach people for Christ!

So thank you from the depths of hearts for praying and supporting us. You have no idea how much each of you mean to us. And please pray for our emotions to heal quickly and as we go out and reach people for Christ this weekend.

Peace and a prayer,
Jeremy, Christie, & Luke

PS The little ne owe are expecting in November is ok too!
PPS If your local in the area drop by our booth at Action Park in Fuquay-Varina this Saturday! We'd love to see you!

119 South Fuquay Avenue

Pictures of Real Hope's new home:

A New Day

This morning Luke crawled into bed to wake me up. I asked him what today was, and he said, "a new day." He can really make you feel positive about life, alive, and ready to conquer the day. There are a lot of exciting things taking place. Just a quick update about what's going on.

Monday evening we will be signing a lease for Real Hope's first home. It's located downtown Fuquay-Varina next to the DMV and Library. This brings a lot of traffic right by the building so I'm really excited about that. One of the best features is that the back door opens up to a community park with a children's playground, pavilion, and large grass area. The town also holds several events downtown each year and we plan to be involved in those. One festival brings in over 20,000 people.

We don't have anything for the building yet, but I love the spirit of our group. We plan to start meeting there next Sunday and they said they can bring there folding chairs. So who knows what kind of chairs we'll have for our first time there, but we are excited about the potential ministry opportunities that will happen and the impact we can have.

So keep all this in your prayers. I'll post pictures later this week.

Wind Changes

At night the wind has been blowing around our gray blue house as if it is giving up the old season and preparing for the new. Luke graduated to his 'big boy' bed tonight. How fast they grow. I grab onto his unmastered pronouns to keep him from growing up to fast. He says, 'hold you' instead of using 'me', although the other day 'me' slipped out. I couldn't bear to let him know he was right. I'm just not ready to let go of 'hold you.' He gets me everytime he says it.

My parents move to this beautiful state in eleven days. The reality of them being so close by hasn't set in yet. I may have to just stand in their living room for the first few days and just stare at them to know it's real. I don't know who will get tired of who first. But I remind them if they start acting old their off to my brothers.

Soliel keeps going outside and barking tonight. She's ready for the new season as well. Tired of the cold nights and the cold ground outside. Xander wants nothing more than to leave the cozy house and begin venturing outside. I think we are all a bit stir crazy for something new - something we've been waiting for awhile to happen. We just weren't sure how it would be ushered into our lives.