Blogerton by Josh Agerton http://www.joshagerton.com Real life on the faith journey Mon, 10 Nov 2008 15:38:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 en © josh@cornerstonebuzz.org () josh@cornerstonebuzz.org() 1440 Real life on the faith journey josh@cornerstonebuzz.org No no http://www.joshagerton.com/wp-content/plugins/podpress/images/powered_by_podpress.jpg Blogerton by Josh Agerton http://www.joshagerton.com 144 144 Oh’ Blog Where Art Thou? http://www.joshagerton.com/2008/11/10/oh-blog-where-art-thou/ http://www.joshagerton.com/2008/11/10/oh-blog-where-art-thou/#comments Mon, 10 Nov 2008 14:58:22 +0000 Josh Agerton http://www.joshagerton.com/?p=153 Just a note to say I’m still alive.  And I still love blogging contrary to popular belief.  Just having a little competition right now from some more important things in life.  So…more to come.  But for now here’s a quick update.

  • Went Bowling on Friday with Benjamin and had a great time.  We had to bowl with every color bowling ball they had in the place.  It’s all he talks about now…and he wants a pair of bowling shoes soon.
  • Went to the Auburn game this weekend…the closest Homecoming game I’ve ever been to.  Took Benjamin there also.  Lots of fun.
  • During all this game stuff Leslie and I also went to the 30th Aubie Reunion.  It was an incredible glimpse back at what seems like an entire different life I lived.  Sometime can’t believe that I did that.  If you want to see something interesting, check out this clip below…a shot of my former life.  Had a great time visiting with old friends and remembering all the crazy stuff we did together.

  • Having lots of fun watching Liza and Grace grow up (now 2 and a half).  We just moved them out of their cribs to “big girl” beds so we have had a lot of fun trying to get them to go to bed.  Here’s a pic of these little cuties.

  • Had an awesome time with our youth last night talking about making decisions.  We heard a testimony from on of our youth volunteers, Mack Henderlong, and then studied Matthew 4:1-11…Jesus being tempted by Satan in the desert.  Saw some amazing things happen…building some great foundation for the rest of the kids lives.
  • Today back at work…and looking forward to taking Benjamin to swimming lessons this afternoon.
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]]> http://www.joshagerton.com/2008/11/10/oh-blog-where-art-thou/feed/ Getting Away http://www.joshagerton.com/2008/10/12/getting-away/ http://www.joshagerton.com/2008/10/12/getting-away/#comments Mon, 13 Oct 2008 02:59:03 +0000 Josh Agerton http://www.joshagerton.com/?p=152 Looking forward to this week.  Will be spending time with two of my best friends, Brandon Frenzel and Joe Nader.  The three of us have been meeting together each week for over a year now…growing as followers of Christ, challenging each other, keeping each other out of trouble, looking out for blind spots for each other, telling each other when we mess up, praying for each other when we preach, calling each other when in crisis, celebrating victories with one another…just sharing life together.  It’s accountability that just happens naturally out of friendship.

So this week Joe is flying in from Texas to Birmingham.  I’m picking them both up on Tuesday morning and we are heading back to where our friendship all began…Wilmore, Kentucky-home of Asbury Theological Seminary.  We are going to stay at one our friend’s retreat center through Friday.  We will also spend a day over at the Abbey of Gethsemani.  Sure to be a good time together again.  In a way I feel like I’m taking a break from the front lines and going back to spend a few days in the infirmary before heading out again.  So thankful to Leslie and their wives (Mary Kathryn & Alison) for letting us get away like this.  A much needed break.

And if you’re wondering how I meet every week with a guy in Texas and one in Birmingham, check this out below.  It’s a picture I took during one of our weekly Thursday meetings.

It’s the amazing world of iChat.  But sometimes it doesn’t work so good so we resort to a 3 way conference call.  That’s Brandon on the left and Joe on the right.  Both are great Pastors and great friends.  Could not make it without them.

PS…We are not meant to do life alone.  Do you know this?

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]]> http://www.joshagerton.com/2008/10/12/getting-away/feed/ I Love These People http://www.joshagerton.com/2008/10/12/i-love-these-people/ http://www.joshagerton.com/2008/10/12/i-love-these-people/#comments Mon, 13 Oct 2008 02:48:32 +0000 Josh Agerton http://www.joshagerton.com/?p=149 J

Just a normal Friday out running errands with the family.  Van was in the shop so we all took off in Daddy’s “Big Truck”.  A good weekend all around.  Love these little people!  (Thats Benjamin, Grace then Liza in the back seat…and of course the beauty in the front seat…Leslie!)

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]]> http://www.joshagerton.com/2008/10/12/i-love-these-people/feed/ Something’s Happening http://www.joshagerton.com/2008/09/18/somethings-happening/ http://www.joshagerton.com/2008/09/18/somethings-happening/#comments Thu, 18 Sep 2008 18:58:59 +0000 Josh Agerton http://www.joshagerton.com/?p=139 Something is happening with the men of our church.  We’ve had around 75 to 85 guys show up at Cornerstone at 6:15 AM the last two Tuesdays for this deal we started called MAN2MAN…and it’s been amazing.

These first weeks we’ve been hearing testimonies from guys in our church about what Christ has done in their lives (Mark Fuller and Stan Scroggins).  We’ve also been studying and talking around our tables about putting on the Armor of God to take our stand against the devils schemes…Ephesians 6:10-17.  And cool things are happening.  Guys are opening up and sharing their struggles with one another.  Men are starting to connect outside of this meeting to encourage one another.  Friendships are growing and guys are realizing that they are not alone.  All to be shaped into the husbands, fathers, leaders, workers, students, and friends that Christ desires us to be.

It’s been amazing to watch and I am so proud of these men.  There seems to be a real hunger with this group.  They are wanting more out of life.  They are wanting to get honest with themselves and God.  And if someone shows up at 6:15 you know they really want to be there…it’s important to them. They are COMMITTED.

So if you live anywhere in Lee County and have not made it yet…consider this our official invitation.  All are welcome…this is not just a Cornerstone thing.

So let’s keep it going guys!


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]]> http://www.joshagerton.com/2008/09/18/somethings-happening/feed/ Innovate 08 http://www.joshagerton.com/2008/09/18/innovate-08/ http://www.joshagerton.com/2008/09/18/innovate-08/#comments Thu, 18 Sep 2008 13:39:41 +0000 Josh Agerton http://www.joshagerton.com/?p=147 Day 1 of Innovate…a good one.  Much of the day revolved around the church leveraging the culture to engage the world with the story of Jesus. We heard about this, talked about this and experienced this ourselves.  The “experienced this” part was quite amazing and compelling.

Here’s a rundown from our session with Tim Stephens today, author of Pop Goes the Culture.

  • Most churches aren’t impacting their communities, often keeping our communities from seeing Jesus.
  • Spiritual interest is on the rise in our culture today.
  • How do we enter the spiritual conversations people really want to have? How do we practice the incarnational model of Jesus…”the word became flesh and moved into the neighborhood?” (Jn 1:16 The Message)
  • How do we celebrate the journey people are on to have their questions answered, to experience God, to be changed?

Providing for some very interesting questions and conversations.  And speaking of Innovate…one of the greatest innovations ever…the “Hot Doughnuts Now” sign at Krispy Creme. (By the way, that’s a chocolate covered custard filled doughnut.)


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]]> http://www.joshagerton.com/2008/09/18/innovate-08/feed/ Are You Still There Josh? http://www.joshagerton.com/2008/09/16/are-you-still-there-josh/ http://www.joshagerton.com/2008/09/16/are-you-still-there-josh/#comments Wed, 17 Sep 2008 02:28:58 +0000 Josh Agerton http://www.joshagerton.com/?p=138 Yes I am…although I’ve been away from the blog.  Been in a bit of a crazy season this last month getting our small groups kicked off but I’m ready to get going again.  Will be back soon.

Heading out tomorrow for Innovate with our staff.  Looking forward to the conference but more than that looking forward to hanging out with the rest of our cool staff.  Sure to be fun!

More to come.

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]]> http://www.joshagerton.com/2008/09/16/are-you-still-there-josh/feed/ Prayer of Surrender http://www.joshagerton.com/2008/09/03/prayer-of-surrender/ http://www.joshagerton.com/2008/09/03/prayer-of-surrender/#comments Thu, 04 Sep 2008 04:06:29 +0000 Josh Agerton http://www.joshagerton.com/?p=137 Just wanted to drop in this prayer.  I shared it in a sermon a few weeks back and have had several folks ask about it.  It’s one that John Wesley first prayed in 1780 with his early Methodist preachers.  This became part of thier annual covenant service they would do at the beginning of each year to re-commit their lives in service to Christ.  We have so much to learn from this.  This version is a little more contemporary but you can find it in it’s original text here.

I am no longer my own, but yours.
Put me to what you will, place me with whom you will.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be put to work for you or set aside for you,
praised for you or criticized for you.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and fully surrender all things to your hope and service.
And now God, my Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer,
you are mine, and I am yours.
So be it.  Amen.

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]]> http://www.joshagerton.com/2008/09/03/prayer-of-surrender/feed/ I Will Help You http://www.joshagerton.com/2008/08/11/i-will-help-you/ http://www.joshagerton.com/2008/08/11/i-will-help-you/#comments Tue, 12 Aug 2008 03:13:50 +0000 Josh Agerton http://www.joshagerton.com/?p=135 Here’s one of my absolute favorite Olympic stories. It’s Derek Redmond’s final run in the 400 m of the 1992 Olympics…along with his dad.

“For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, ‘Do not fear; I will help you.” Isaiah 41:13

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]]> http://www.joshagerton.com/2008/08/11/i-will-help-you/feed/ Power in Poverty http://www.joshagerton.com/2008/08/10/power-in-poverty/ http://www.joshagerton.com/2008/08/10/power-in-poverty/#comments Sun, 10 Aug 2008 13:11:00 +0000 Josh Agerton http://www.joshagerton.com/?p=133 Just wanted to drop this song in this morning by Jason Upton. It’s one I’ve been listening to as we have been in our current sermon series “Cha-Ching”…money and God’s intention for it in our lives.

I won’t write much about it…just want these words to stand on their own. May need to listen to it a few times…

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]]> http://www.joshagerton.com/2008/08/10/power-in-poverty/feed/ 1:49 Just wanted to drop this song in this morning by Jason Upton. It's one I've been listening to as we have been in our ... Just wanted to drop this song in this morning by Jason Upton. It's one I've been listening to as we have been in our current sermon series "Cha-Ching"...money and God's intention for it in our lives. I won't write much about it...just want these words to stand on their own. May need to listen to it a few times... Uncategorized josh@cornerstonebuzz.org no No A Father and A Son http://www.joshagerton.com/2008/08/08/a-father-and-a-son/ http://www.joshagerton.com/2008/08/08/a-father-and-a-son/#comments Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:13:33 +0000 Josh Agerton http://www.joshagerton.com/?p=130 Most Fridays I spend the day catching up on other stuff in life…paying bills, running errands, playing with the kids while Leslie gets a break, working in the yard and such. But last Friday I had all three by myself all day. Leslie had to go to some technology training deal for her new part time job she is starting with Auburn City Schools.

So got the day going…a trip to Wal-Mart, the Bank, dropped off stuff at church and then to a friends house. Then back home for some fort building, lunch (during a movie), naps for the girls and a short quiet time for Benj. Then Benjamin and I did some linking logs, (my absolute favorite when I was a kid) and some games on my laptop. Leslie came home soon after. Always good to switch roles sometimes and live in each others world…makes us appreciate each other so much more.

Later that night at bedtime I was tucking Benj in. We read his new Dr. Seus book from the library, The Sleep Book, and then did our usual ritual..prayers then some verses together. Then I asked him “What was your favorite part of the day?” Something I usually try to get him to talk about. He usually goes off and starts talking about the planets or some random thing. But instead he just said, “You”.

It took me back at first. So I asked again, “Benjamin, what did you say, what was your favorite part of the day?” His eyes squinted as he smiled and put his finger into my chest and said it…”You”.

I couldn’t believe it. I was expecting to hear how he had fun building a fort out of quilts in our bedroom, or playing linking logs, or pretending to be spy agents, but not this. I was surprised. I told him that he was my favorite part of the day also.

Days later I’m still thinking about this. More than anything I feel loved. I think this is the kind of love that we all long for from others. When we are loved for who we are and not necessarily what we do for someone else. And it also made me realize how much time with my kids means to them. It is so important and I need to be more intentional about having un-hurried time with each of them.

That word “You” really did something to me. It charged my heart. It broke through the surface stuff of life. It was a moment that needs to be remembered. And since then it’s been as if God is resonating that word in me…like it’s coming from him.  “You, Josh…You are the most favorite part of my day.” But the real deal comes in on if I will believe it or not. I tempted not to believe it but I know it is true. My mind knows it…I’ve heard it all my life. In church, from friends, mentors and from his Word. “God loves you.” But “Josh, you are the favorite part of my day” is different.  It’s deeper, not worn out or used up.  Like I said, this is a moment to remember.

And just so you know…this is not just a special Josh thing…he feels this way about you also. Will you believe it with me?

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