IT'S A BOY!

Dearest Friends, our Pastor Lili and Edwin had a beautiful healthy boy last night. Remember them all in your prayers as they recover and the entire family bonds with its newest member! Let's celebrate!

Friends are extensions of God

Got this pic on a morning that my heart was hurting so much, for different reasons...the message read "L is for Love ya Lili". My heart smiled, as tears overflowed...I thought how amazing our God is, and how HE will send you a reminder of HIS love just in time...to let you, you're not alone...and to tell you..."its going to be ok".    Love you beautiful people!

Are you tapping your POTENTIAL?

We are trying to raise the value of one of our BEST leadership resources here at Flamingo, the Potential Podcast.

Here's why... Every week you have the opportunity to learn leadership principals and many of you are currently missing it. Many of the answers to your challenges may be answered on the podcast FOR FREE!

Remember two things: Hunger and Freshness. We've sat down with over 50 leaders from all over the country, and you get to sit in as well. Don't miss out. I know sometimes listening to the same voice can get old but these are fresh voices that can speak into your life and the life of your leaders.

Remember, the Potential Podcasts exists to partner with leaders to help them reach their God potential. And as leaders here at Flamingo, this is a great opportunity to listen and learn. So don’t wait subscribe, rate and listen to the most recent podcast TODAY! 50, 100, 150 are only achievable if we continue to reach out toward our potential. God won’t trust us with 50, 100, 150 until we are the kind of leaders that can take care of his most precious possession PEOPLE! Start Today!

Below are instructions on how to subscribe to the FREE podcast, rate the podcast and review the podcast.

You will need iTunes and an Apple/iTunes account. You can download iTunes here http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/

To Subscribe: -Go to http://www.troygramling.com/podcast-Click on "Subscribe via iTunes" on the left panel-iTunes will open up to the podcast page-Click "Subscribe" (did I mention its FREE)

To Rate: -Scroll down the Potential Podcast iTunes page and locate the "Customer Rating" section. -Submit your rating-Login with your Apple/iTunes account or "Create New Account"
To Leave a Review: -Scroll down the Potential Podcast iTunes page and locate the "Customer Review" section. -Submit your review--Login with your Apple/iTunes account or "Create New Account"

No space at the Inn!

Ever been overly pregnant with a project, dream, a baby?

Its been a looong 41 week journey carrying around this little "world-changer"....while an honor, at times a bit painful, somewhat uncomfortable....the waiting seeming endless.

My due date came & went. And at 41 weeks (that's 10 months and 1 week) I would have to hear the words today...."you are both finally ready to go, but I'm afraid we have NO space at the hospital today!? (confirming Pembroke Pines is perhaps a bit overcrowded :)

My 1st immediate thought was, thankfully God will never say..."there is NO SPACE IN HEAVEN FOR YOU!" HEAVEN WAS CREATED FOR ALL OF US, and there's plenty of space so keep inviting folks to Flamingo :)

My 2nd thought was that of Mary...who like me was probably eager to bring in the life that grew within her....but was turned away b/c there was "no space at the Inn."

How many of us are pregnant with something??? A dream, a project, goal and have been turned away...or told not yet, or we have no space for your dream. You have got to stay the course, and give birth, understanding, like I have today, that the pain & sacrifice are worth it, and that it will be in HIS time.

Here are the 5 other powerful lessons I've learned these past 10 months:

• God is still the God of miracles, as it was only the other day, Doctors assured me after years of infertility treatments that I would never conceive. Hello?


• God's plans are sometimes not our plans...but you gotta trust as only HE sees the bigger picture.


• NO mopping, at 10+ months pregnant as you can provoke a "slip & fall" - rather be obedient...and "be still".


• Be grateful for the love & support system God has placed around you...they are an extension of HIM.


• Stay away from yummy "cheeseburger wraps" - as they can add 5 lbs a week!

Some of the greatest Treasures in my life have come with pain & have taken great sacrifice & time....but you know what? Sometimes the longer they take, the greater the pain, the greater the reward & feeling. Don't stop believing. Give birth to whatever it is God has placed within you.

Upcoming Connections Leader Meeting!

Save the Date! Our next Quarterly Connections Leadership Meeting is Monday, March 30th, at 7:30pm.

FULL hour, Vision for next Quarter, New Leaders, Easter & much, much more...further details to come!!

Facing our GIANTS

Recently, Pastor Ricky Garcia, Cooper City Worship Pastor/Creative Arts Director shared a passionate message during Staff Celebration Meeting about stepping on the court, facing our GIANTS, and regardless of our shortcomings, challenges, or obstacles, taking it to the HOLE!!!

He dissected David's character, and the many aspects we could learn from him on being determined, relentless, and acknowledging the GIANT before him, but more importantly, seeing beyond that...there is no doubt that we all face GIANTS in our daily walk, in the groups we Lead, in our roles as spouses, parents, or Singles, and in our Ministry lanes as we run after the VISION God has given FLAMINGO.

But lets be reminded to step onto the basketball court of life, with the confidence David had...facing our GIANTS, being reminded that God is with us...therefore who can be against us.

Pastor Ricky (Our newly branded Shaq Pastor said "We have a choice to quit, or be relentless, do all we do with a fire & passion, and embrace who God created us to be". So when you come in this weekend, or step into your small group to lead out, grab your ball with CONFIDENCE, remembering WHO'S behind you...and take it to the HOLE!!!

And whenever doubt tries to set in...remember we were each created with purpose:

"I will trust & NOT be afraid, for you God, are my strength & song" Isaiah 12:2

I'm counting on each of you to carry Connections in my absence, to live out our ETHOS, and be thinking & praying about each weekend. Come EXPECTING, come ANTICIPATING, stay HUNGRY & FRESH, & come ready to connect lives!

And for you new Connection leads, pick up your new RED Connector Shirts from Alice or Barby this weekend!!

Easter Team being formed!

We are preparing for our SuperBowl - EASTER WEEKEND!!!! and will need ALL hands on deck...or every Small Group & Connection Leader to serve at least ONCE, pre & post service at one of the services at your campus.

Contact Alice or Barby today to be scheduled.

And keep in mind....serving at the Connections Corner in your Campus atleast once a month is one of your monthly metrics as Leaders in the Connection Ministry.

Together we can make a kingdom difference guys!

Email Alice.Aschbrenner@flamingoroad.org to get on the schedule today!!

604 Lives mattered

The intensity seemed to mount by the second as we headed into the weekend, ready to battle Hell and all its principalities itself as we went after LIVES!!! We were all feeling it, and even as the 1st service approached, the anticipation had some of us bursting at the seems...

Here are some of the phrases that still resonated in mind even early this morning as the sun began to rise:

HELL IS A PLACE, WHERE YOU ARE NOT IN CONTROL

HELL HAS A WAY OF CHANGING YOUR PRIORITIES...

DONT JUST RUN AWAY FROM HELL....RUN TOWARDS GOD!!!

HELL WAS NOT CREATED FOR YOU, STEP TO THE CROSS, NOT AROUND IT, AND ONTO JESUS.

ONCE YOU ACCEPT CHRIST, GOD NO LONGER SEES YOUR SCREW UPS, HE SEES PERFECTION (my favorite ;)

At the end, 479 in Cooper City, 604 Lives across all campuses, stepped to the cross...you can see, sense, feel Pastor T's privilege in leading them in prayer in that moment. I was overcome with emotion in every service to see the lives coming...

man is IT worth IT guys...ITS worth ALL WE DO, and DON'T DO! IT SO MATTERS!!!

Just a few more hours...

Here's a sneak peak to the Weekend Team getting ready for what will be an INCREDIBLE weekend. We kick off in just 3 hours!!! Its not too late to invite...

We got Eternity on our minds!!!!!

God the Artist

Everytime I glance at the moon...I think, what an Artist God is. I don't understand how people can see this soft lit beautiful glowing ball, hanging just perfectly above us, softly lighting our sleep, and doubt there is a God?

He is so real in my life. I feel Him, see Him all around, sense His unconditional love, hear & see His direction for my life...I just wished everyone knew Him as I did.

This is a perfect weekend to invite people to Flamingo that are living far away from God. Their eternity at stake...so my suggestion? Do what ever it takes to get them there. They will thank you one day!

Eternity at stake

There is no doubt we are relentless about the lost lives doing life without Christ...to prepare for this weekend, Pastor T held our Global Leadership Meeting at a local cemetery for the full sense of death experience. Talk about Environment!

Death surrounds us on so many levels...there are some dead people in our midst with heartbeats...as some people choose to just "exist", rather than LIVE their lives. Others choose death over life when presented with the gospel...and the ones we really hurt for our those waiting to hear the Gospel - the lost. You may know some...

We all have an opportunity to impact people's eternities...by modeling a Christ centered life, by showing His love & mercy, and by inviting folks to hear the message...this is their weekend.

INVITE, INVITE, INVITE this weekend guys...people's eternities are at stake. What are you doing, or NOT doing to make an impact?

Love Dare Discussion Guide

40 Day Love Dare Discussion Guide Week Six

1. "Joined together, you are greater than your independent parts. You need each other. You complete each other." Have you let your spouse know that you value their input and want to include them in upcoming decisions?
2. "You are one of the most influential people in your spouse's life. Have you been using your influence to lead them to honor God, or to dishonor Him?" Find a specific example when your spouse demonstrated Christian character in a noticeable way - and commend them for it!
3. "Everyone needs wise counsel throughout life. Wise people constantly seek it and gladly receive it. Fools never ask for it and then ignore it when it's given to them." Did you find a marriage mentor? If not, are you working towards it? Discuss in the group the benefits of having someone like that in your lives.
4. "The Holy Spirit, who now lives in your heart by way of salvation, is an illuminator of truth. And because of His internal lamp, the Scriptures are now yours to read, absorb, comprehend, and live by." What parts of your life are in the greatest need of God's counsel? Have you committed to reading the Bible on a daily basis?
5. "...if told that shared prayer is a key ingredient in marital longevity and leads to a heightened sense of sexual intimacy, they would think you had really gone too far." Have you found a time to begin praying together? Have you faced obstacles when you try to pray together? Share some of these experiences with the group.
   
6. "Dreams and desires come in all shapes and sizes. But love takes careful notice of each one. Love that is from God is unending, unstoppable." Did you write a letter of commitment to your spouse? As you went through the process of writing it, how did it affect you?
7. "In marriage, your wedding ring represents your covenant vows - not merely commitments you hoped to keep but premeditated promises, publicly spoken and witnessed by others." As you reach the end of the 40 Day Love Dare, did any couple in your group choose to renew their wedding vows? Why or why not? Did you write out a renewal of your vows?

This is the last week of the Love Dare. Make sure every couple has a chance to reply to at least one of the discussion questions. Take a good amount of time to pray for one another as couples. Commit, as a group, to supporting and encouraging the marriages of the people in your lives.

Are you Hungry?

Pastor Troy (PT) challenged us in our Monthly Staff Meeting Tuesday night to get hard heads and to STAY HUNGRY!

Ive been craving cheeseburgers alot in this pregnancy...and naturally, my mind goes to O'Brady Cheeseburger Wraps, but PT encouraged a different kind of relentless insatiable hunger that interrupts even your sleep!!!

Passionate hunger, discontentment, and anger even over the lives we are not reaching for Christ. My Pastor spoke with such passion & hurt, it hurt to see him hurt. What are you doing to reach the lost? In your groups, in your daily life....time is running out & more & more churches it seems are becoming ineffective in this battle.

Pray for hunger of the lost type...pray for hard heads...meaning no matter what you encounter or the enemy throws your way, & how many times you hit your head on the ceiling, you will continue to jump & SOAR HIGH above the noise for Christ.

We start a new series this weekend....Heaven Yes, Hell NO!!! Because IT matters. Each life matters.

Love Dare Discussion Guide

40 Day Love Dare Discussion Guide
Week Five

1. "You must choose to live by encouragement rather than expectations... Instead of putting your mate in a position to rebel, love teaches you to give them room to be themselves." Were you able to communicate with each other regarding areas of unrealistic expectations in your relationship?
2. "Instead of sitting around upset that they're not treating you the way you think they should, let love pick you up out of your self-pity and turn your attention to their needs." Did you find new ways to meet your spouse's needs this week?
   
3. "In fact, this mystery is so compelling - and the love between husband and wife so intertwined and complete - that God uses the imagery of marriage to explain His love for the church." Did you isolate one area of division in your marriage? Without revealing too much, do you feel you have made progress in that area?
4. "Unity is a marriage quality to be guarded at great cost... If you're too tightly drawn to your parents, the singular identity of your marriage will not be able to come to flower." Discuss why it is so important to commit to your spouse and to God that you will make your marriage the top priority over every other human relationship, including your relationship with your parents.
5. "You are the one person called and designated by God to meet your spouse's sexual needs. If you allow distance to grow between you in this area... you are taking something that rightly (and exclusively) belongs to your spouse." Share what you learned from Day 32 of The Love Dare.

Remember to take time to pray together as a group as you finish your discussion this week.

Be still....how???

My devo verse this morning would read..."Be still in the presence of the Lord, and WAIT patiently for God to act", Psalm 37:7 NLT

For those of you who know me, know I have the HARDEST time "being still"....the hardest! Unless its by a cozy fireplace :)

I mean, don't get me wrong...I treasure my quiet times early in the mornings before beginning my Amazing Race with the kids...and look forward to watching most sunsets out in our backyard by the lake...those are moments you savor, but "be still", actually just be still for looong periods of times, or even harder yet, wait for God on a decision that is constantly on your mind.

Its soooo hard. But at the end of the day...like today, I am reminded that only He sees the bigger picture for my life, He knows His perfect plan, and waiting is the least I can do while I wait & trust that He will act.

-L

Psalm 40:8

"I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart"...may we never lose that JOY.