As you all know by now, Haiti was hit last year on January 12, 2010 by a devastating 7.0 earthquake. It’s been slightly over a year now, but the needs of this country are still great and they are just as much in need today as they were a year ago when the tragedy occurred. Even prior to the earthquake, Haiti ranked as one of the least developed countries in the world, and has an approximate population of 10 million, with most citizens living below $2 per day.  Our Ministry would like to give our community another opportunity to respond in prayer and giving as many of you did so last year.

We partnered with an amazing organization last year called One Days Wages, and we are grateful for the opportunity to be able to join with them again this time as well. What we appreciate most about ODW is their honesty and transparency. 100% of the over $5000 we received (minus c.c. transaction costs) went directly to the relief and rebuilding efforts in Haiti, and we want to extend our sincere gratitude to those who contributed to this need.

We showed a video this past Sunday (January 16th) from Eugene Cho, founder and director of One Days Wages, in which he shared where and how the donated fund were used and about the current state of need in Haiti. There is still much that needs to be done, and we want to ask you again to renew your commitment to Haiti through your prayers and financial support.

If you would like to give online, please visit our Haiti contribution page at www.onedayswages.org/binnerri.

*All donations are tax-deductible.

Click here to view the embedded video.

This is what they say about themselves on their Facebook group:

Project 10 is an event/ group that is making an effort to raise awareness of Blood Water Mission and finding ways to support it. So what we have done is come up with numerous ways you can get to know more about Project 10 or be a part of it. We will have merch. sales, benefit shows, tracks, etc throughout the year and all the donations and proceeds will go to Blood Water Mission. And to top this upcoming year all off, we will have an EP CD Release on August 9, 2010. So keep your ears/calenders open for we are gonna go for a ride!

Well, the CD is now out and is on sale for $10. You can either purchase it online or get one on Sunday after our services. Here’s even a music video of the cover song:

I was so encouraged by our college students and their desire to make a difference for the gospel of Jesus Christ. I pray that you would consider encouraging them by supporting them for the cause of Christ. Spread the news!

As we all know, the DFW commute/traffic is not something that we look forward to. DFW is one of the top 10 worst traffic cities in America. But even when the roads are clear, it still takes quite some time to go from point A to point B.

Many of us travel during the week for business, spending numerous hours at airports, in the air, or on the roads.

Or maybe we just can’t find the time to sit down and crack open a good book.

Well…maybe I can offer assistance to alleviate some of the difficulties associate with these things. I cannot control the traffic, your travel plans, or your lack of time to read a good book.

Every month, christianaudio.com gives away FREE downloadable audiobooks! Did I mention that they are FREE? The audiobooks are downloaded in three formats: WMA, MP3, or M4B.

Check it out!

If you sponsor a child through an organization, whether something like this happens on earth or whether it happens in heaven, the reunion WILL happen and it will be amazing. If you don’t sponsor a child through Compassion or World Vision, please consider doing so … today!

Gary Thomas in Sacred Marriage, invites the reader to see that marriage is more than a sacred covenant with another person. He poses the question, “What if God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy?” The goal of marriage goes beyond the pursuit of personal happiness to being a “spiritual discipline designed to help us know God better, trust him more fully, and love him more dearly.” God has given us our special spouse in order that we might reflect more of the character of his Son, Jesus Christ. God wants us to be happy, but expects us to be holy.

So, with it being Valentine’s Day Weekend, I want you to share your stories of how God has used your husband/wife to help make you more holy this week or weekend! Please take this opportunity to lift up your spouse of how he/she lifts you up closer to God.

Me first…

It isn’t easy having to live with someone whose time is all consumed by studies, work and looking at the latest gadgets. On top of that, I was sick for the last 10 days, which meant that she had to take care of me and our 6-week-old baby practically by herself. Throughout all this, she has not once complained or gotten upset. She has been ever so patient with me. So, you ask, “How did that make you holier?” Well, I was once again reminded of how much more Jesus is patient with me. When my mind, body, and heart is consumed by other things of the world, Jesus patiently waits. He doesn’t complain or get upset. He is ever so patient while taking care of His precious children, me and my wife.

January 2010 is almost over and I hope everyone is keeping up with their New Year’s resolutions. One of the key resolutions I made this year, as I do every year, is to be more consistent in my Bible readings and really making God’s Word a part of my daily life. For the few weeks we’ve been announcing an online Bible resource www.youversion.com, and what I’ve personally been appreciating the most about this resource is the wealth of Bible translations they offer. Oftentimes, I have the tendency to glance over or skim through familiar passages because I’ve read them so many times before. But with this resource, I’m able to read familiar passages in a variety of different translations at the click of a button, and this has given me a fresh perspective on God’s Word.

Just this past week, I read Ephesians 2:8-10, a passage I’m sure many of you are familiar with. However, I read it in the Message translation, and it was as if I had read these verses for the first time. Read how this version translates this passage:

8 Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! 9 We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! 10 No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.

This has not only given me a fresh perspective into God’s Word, it’s also given me a renewed desire to read and connect with God’s Word every single day. I look forward to what God has to say to me through His Word, because it feels like I’m reading it all over again for the first time.

And my hope and prayer is that you too would take a step this year in making God’s Word a part of your daily lives as well. Go and check out www.youversion.com, find a reading plan that works best for you, and rediscover the Bible again by reading a different translation. May 2010 be the year where we reconnect with God’s Word.