Tory Farina

how do you know?

Making decisions is an art form... there are no two decision makers that are the same. Some take longer to come to a point of decision and some come to a decision almost instantaneous.

I take a little longer... I like to bounce my ideas or my plan off a few people let them kick it around and then use that to help discern how I feel about it and what God is saying.

E takes about  half a second. She is a master at knowing yes or no. Right or wrong. She knows definitively what she thinks about that.

I think that is what makes us work so well. I gather the background and she hits it from the front and together we have covered all the angles.

I think we make good decisions. Compare our decision making to 99% of the world out there and we are well above average. So how do we do it? What things do we ask ourselves and do we FIGHT through in order to feel confident in our decision?

This has taken time for us and is not perfected yet but Sunday I want to share with you some quick questions to ask to help uncover Gods best in your situation. I think it will really be helpful.

WoW I can not get over how hard it is to concentrate.

I a dealing with some sort of bug... flu or nasty cold or something.

I just can not concentrate for more then like 10 minutes. I am switching up my message this week. I need more mental sharpness to get the "Fight to  Fit In" to work so I am swapping it out for the "Battle for Good Decisions" This one is going to be really helpful to those trying to figure out what to do right now. I actually used the steps to work through a question I had recently. I will tell you about it Sunday.

Ummm... I just zoned out... sorry... back to sermon prep.

Lost...

I like Lost. I haven't watched it all the time but try and catch up when I can. Online you are ow able to watch HD episodes. Pretty cool! So as i am sitting here I decided I would watch the current episode on TV. It is so Trippy to watch a past episode and a current episode at the same time. I tell you if that is not the definition of ADD I don't know what is.

Try it yourself at... www.ABC.com

Olivia... My precious gem

I love this picture...

let there be light...

Last week E and I were at a friends house for dinner and they told a story of static electricity in there closet lighting up two fluorescent lights that were leaning against the wall and not plugged in. I found it interesting but was a little skeptical... Until i came across this on Wired.com.

1301 glowing fluorescent tubes, powered only by magnetic fields produced by overhead powerlines, stud fields somewhere in England.

5 Things God Says About Believers!

I wanted to Remind You Today Of 5 Things God Says About Believers!

• No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper (Is 54:17). 
• No good thing will be withhold from them that walk uprightly. (Ps  84:11) 
• I will never leave you, nor forsake you. (Heb 13:5) 
• Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. (I Jn  4:4) 
• Give, and it will be given to you. (Lk 6:38)

Live Vente today because our God is for you.

On my heart...

I get this way o Tuesdays... It might be that I have had a stretch of hours in rest mode or that I am caffeinated up to a level that makes lab rates shake but I think it is more I am being stirred by God. We had about 150 on Sunday and we had a lot of visitors. This week we had more than 2/3rds our adult weekend attendance in connection groups. People are constantly volunteering and getting involved.

SOMETHING IS ON THE HORIZON...    I have a couple things that are pretty big that I am praying over and trying to discern Gods will on b but even more than those things. I feel like God is getting us ready. I felt like this year is a year to get things prepared... do what we do better and at a higher level. get focused on what matters... People far from God... and go after them.

If we are not seeing people who do not have a relationship with Christ come through our doors on a regular basis then we probably should shut down! I am serious about this. thankfully this is not happening but I think we should always keep this thought front and center. To many Christians look for a church and attend a church and invite no one, want more head knowledge without using and implementing what they already have. I have to fight this in my own life as well.

This City needs God. I am called to spend my life's energy in pursuit of that Goal. High Point is meant to be a place where you can bring people at every level in there journey to faith and they will get a positive and lasting impression of Christ and his church.

My prayer is that you would do more than attend High Point. We don't need attenders because someday there will not be room for attenders. My prayer is that you engage and become a participant in the mission that is High Point. The church has always been about continuing the mission Jesus started. Lets put our shoulder to the plow and prepare this church for a great harvest.

If you want to get involved and partner with us email Elizabeth@myhighpointchurch.com.

Some day this will be our problem...

From my friends in South Carolina at SeaCoast here is a video they put together when there services got to packed.

Here is a link if the video doesn't embed properly.

Find Chuck Norris

I just came across this but it has been around a while. Go to Google.com type in "find chuck norris" hit i'm feeling lucky. Enjoy!

Slip and Slide...

Character is a jewel! We all have choice how we will live.

We don't walk in to our office one day and decide to rob the place out of the blue. What we do is we make one lapse in integrity. A small lie to get us through the budgeting season or a small fudge on the numbers so that we can look better than we really are. It gnaws at you. It makes you feel bad and anxious like you are going to be found out at any moment... But you don't. It doesn't take long before you make another choice to deceive and this time it is a little bigger and more important and before you know it years have gone by and you no longer feel the anxious feeling that you once felt. You feel justified and OK with your lack of integrity. Until the bottom drops out.

I have been reminded the power and pull of this slippery slop of Character creep. I was shocked to find a friend who I trusted completely with out question, got himself caught in a series of lies and misappropriation of funds. I cant tell you why he did it. I do know that we are all susceptible to the possibility of this.

I am sure the first time he lied was small, It was probably insignificant to some. It was the most significant because it was the beginning of boundary pushing .

Boundary Pushing is a problem that is so deadly and yet most who are in the middle of it are blind to its effects until it is to late. If you have been pushing boundaries... STOP! if you know you have been lying about areas of your life come clean... Stop the trend and ask Gods forgiveness. There is grace for those who ask for it.

I have put in a number of controls in my life to keep me from financial, sexual and emotional character Creep.

• accountability software for the computer... x3watch
• There are all sorts of safeguards we have at the church including an accountants regular eyes looking at our accounts.
• E and I have many boundaries we have set up so that she and I can trust one another will fallow our families guide lines
• I have an accountability friend who i trust and He trusts me....

But we all have to take regular inventory and ask. Am I doing everything ethical? Am I telling the truth? Am I honest to myself?

Are you living in freedom or in Hiding?