This is today's entry from Oswald Chambers' My Utmost For His Highest. Have a blessed day...and enjoy the PROCESS.
July 28, 2010
He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side . . . —Mark 6:45
We tend to think that if Jesus Christ compels us to do something and we are obedient to Him, He will lead us to great success. We should never have the thought that our dreams of success are God’s purpose for us. In fact, His purpose may be exactly the opposite. We have the idea that God is leading us toward a particular end or a desired goal, but He is not. The question of whether or not we arrive at a particular goal is of little importance, and reaching it becomes merely an episode along the way. What we see as only the process of reaching a particular end, God sees as the goal itself.
What is my vision of God’s purpose for me? Whatever it may be, His purpose is for me to depend on Him and on His power now. If I can stay calm, faithful, and unconfused while in the middle of the turmoil of life, the goal of the purpose of God is being accomplished in me. God is not working toward a particular finish— His purpose is the process itself. What He desires for me is that I see “Him walking on the sea” with no shore, no success, nor goal in sight, but simply having the absolute certainty that everything is all right because I see “Him walking on the sea” ( Mark 6:49 ). It is the process, not the outcome, that is glorifying to God.
God’s training is for now, not later. His purpose is for this very minute, not for sometime in the future. We have nothing to do with what will follow our obedience, and we are wrong to concern ourselves with it. What people call preparation, God sees as the goal itself.
God’s purpose is to enable me to see that He can walk on the storms of my life right now. If we have a further goal in mind, we are not paying enough attention to the present time. However, if we realize that moment-by-moment obedience is the goal, then each moment as it comes is precious.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Surprised By Worship
Release date - October 8, 2010.
You can currently pre-order at Amazon.
My heart beats a little faster and my palms get all sweaty looking at this cover and writing this to you.
That's all I have to say about that.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Some Dates
Hey, friends. I hope you all are doing well. All is well in the Cottrell household. Mommy's happy. Daddy's happy. 2 kids are happy at music camp this week. 1 kid is happy at middle school camp this week. I'm in Nashville for a couple of days, finishing up an Easter choir musical, and leading worship for a Media Directors gathering. (Side note: I found it very funny that I used Powerpoint for my worship words at the Media Directors' conference. Here comes tech-savvy Travis with his Powerpoint. HAHA. Just a nerdy worship ministry fun fact for anyone who cares.)
I have some dates swirling around in my head that I want to bring to your attention here, in case we may be coming to your area. I have so been in church mode that these dates have slipped up on me, and I haven't mentioned them here yet.
1. THIS WEEKEND! The team and I will be at Crosspointe Baptist Church in Millington, TN on Saturday night, and Whitesburg Baptist Church in Huntsville, AL on Sunday night. Both of these nights are rescheduled from the Nashville flood weekend a few months back. We are super excited about being at both of these great churches. I hope you can join us.
FYI - For all of my Englewood family, I will still be at church this Sunday morning. Pastor Ben is finishing up his series on Healing. I CAN'T WAIT FOR SUNDAY.
2. The next 2 Sundays after this week, we will be going back to 2 great churches where we've been before. August 1, the team and I will be at Westside Baptist in Jacksonville, FL. And on Sunday night, August 8, we will be at Tillman's Corner in Mobile, AL. WIll we see any of you Florida or Alabama peeps?
3. We have a Living Proof Live in Lexington August 13-14. Lexington is a great city, and is close to so many places. All you KY, TN, NC, WVA, VA, and OH peeps need to come!
4. That same weekend, we are having an event at my church called We Will Remember: A Worship Celebration. It's on August 15, at 3:30 and 7pm. It's the first worship event for me at my new church home. I would capitalize this whole sentence, but THAT WOULD BE OBNOXIOUS. Needless to say, I'm pumped. If you are close by, come worship with us! Call the church for (free) ticket info.
5. We are booking 4 Christmas concerts this year. If your church is interested in having the team and I join your choir for a Christmas Night of Worship, give Kimberly a shout at info@traviscottrell.com.
That's all I got for now. Time to get this day going. I hope it's a great day for you. Here's a good word for your day.
LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup;
you have made my lot secure.
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance.
I will praise the LORD, who counsels me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
I have set the LORD always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure,
because you will not abandon me to the grave,
nor will you let your Holy One see decay.
You have made known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Psalm 16: 5-11
I have some dates swirling around in my head that I want to bring to your attention here, in case we may be coming to your area. I have so been in church mode that these dates have slipped up on me, and I haven't mentioned them here yet.
1. THIS WEEKEND! The team and I will be at Crosspointe Baptist Church in Millington, TN on Saturday night, and Whitesburg Baptist Church in Huntsville, AL on Sunday night. Both of these nights are rescheduled from the Nashville flood weekend a few months back. We are super excited about being at both of these great churches. I hope you can join us.
FYI - For all of my Englewood family, I will still be at church this Sunday morning. Pastor Ben is finishing up his series on Healing. I CAN'T WAIT FOR SUNDAY.
2. The next 2 Sundays after this week, we will be going back to 2 great churches where we've been before. August 1, the team and I will be at Westside Baptist in Jacksonville, FL. And on Sunday night, August 8, we will be at Tillman's Corner in Mobile, AL. WIll we see any of you Florida or Alabama peeps?
3. We have a Living Proof Live in Lexington August 13-14. Lexington is a great city, and is close to so many places. All you KY, TN, NC, WVA, VA, and OH peeps need to come!
4. That same weekend, we are having an event at my church called We Will Remember: A Worship Celebration. It's on August 15, at 3:30 and 7pm. It's the first worship event for me at my new church home. I would capitalize this whole sentence, but THAT WOULD BE OBNOXIOUS. Needless to say, I'm pumped. If you are close by, come worship with us! Call the church for (free) ticket info.
5. We are booking 4 Christmas concerts this year. If your church is interested in having the team and I join your choir for a Christmas Night of Worship, give Kimberly a shout at info@traviscottrell.com.
That's all I got for now. Time to get this day going. I hope it's a great day for you. Here's a good word for your day.
LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup;
you have made my lot secure.
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance.
I will praise the LORD, who counsels me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
I have set the LORD always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure,
because you will not abandon me to the grave,
nor will you let your Holy One see decay.
You have made known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Psalm 16: 5-11
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Me And My BM's
It finally happened. I was finally with both of my BM's at the same time.
Beth Moore. Ben Mandrell. My two bosses! My two leaders. My two friends. I love both of these people so much. It was important to me for them to love each other, too. (Too bad I don't look happy in this picture.)
High five on that one.
I have had the great joy of serving in a lot of cool places and for many different great events. I've had a wide array of deep-meaning ministry experiences. But what I've come to realize is that when I step away and look back at the things in my past, it's what the Lord does between people that matters the most. Not the cool locations, or delicious food, great recordings or busy schedules. But people to people. Person to person. Heart to heart. God often reveals Himself to us in the ins and outs of how we love one another. I dig it.
And I love serving with two people whose hearts I can trust with my life.
I can also trust that Beth will always look cooler than us. Always. Even when she's getting like 3 feet of air. GOSH.
Beth Moore. Ben Mandrell. My two bosses! My two leaders. My two friends. I love both of these people so much. It was important to me for them to love each other, too. (Too bad I don't look happy in this picture.)
High five on that one.
I have had the great joy of serving in a lot of cool places and for many different great events. I've had a wide array of deep-meaning ministry experiences. But what I've come to realize is that when I step away and look back at the things in my past, it's what the Lord does between people that matters the most. Not the cool locations, or delicious food, great recordings or busy schedules. But people to people. Person to person. Heart to heart. God often reveals Himself to us in the ins and outs of how we love one another. I dig it.
And I love serving with two people whose hearts I can trust with my life.
I can also trust that Beth will always look cooler than us. Always. Even when she's getting like 3 feet of air. GOSH.
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