Team Rasmussen is thinking about getting rid of cable TV.  I am scared to death about it.  Wondering how my life would change.

I came across this via email today. For some reason I thought this was uber cool. Check them out. They are coloring pages for kids to color and give to Daddy.
Maybe for his desk at work or hanging on the mirror for when Dad gets ready in the morning.
Snap a picture and send to me at: jake@jakerasmussen.com for via Twitter @jake_rasmussen when they are hanging up somewhere in your life.

http://ministry-to-children.com/fathers-day-coloring-pages/

Like the business world the church could have a laser focus on what Jesus has called them to. As a friend/mentor of my said recently, “I don’t want to be like light diffused, which has no power. Rather, I want to be focused like a laser.”

Are you focusing on what Jesus has called you to do?

For years, Nordstrom’s Employee Handbook was a single 5×8” gray card containing these 75 words:

Welcome to Nordstrom

We’re glad to have you with our Company. Our number one goal is to provide outstanding customer service. Set both your personal and professional goals high. We have great confidence in your ability to achieve them.

Nordstrom Rules: Rule #1: Use best judgment in all situations. There will be no additional rules.

Please feel free to ask your department manager, store manager, or division general manager any question at any time.

During this time, Nordstrom had the highest sales per square foot performance in the retail industry – by almost double.

Our drive was great Sunday. It was so much fun to be with just my family. Do you ever have those moments in life where you just “know” you are doing what God has called you to do? Well, I had one of those moments yesterday.
It was shortly after we had arrived in Southern California. We unpacked at the hotel, which is pretty nice for $45 a night (good pick JenBean). We then loaded back up and drive to the beach. It was amazing! We found a great parking spot and then walked to the beach.
Madison was totally in love with the water and sand. Riley didn’t know really what to do with this giant sand box and really didn’t want much to do with the water. It was pretty scary for a 3 year old.
Anyway with my beautiful wife hanging with my sand loving son and me holding the sweet hand of my 7 year old with every wave, I had a moment when time stood still. I mean it was as if I had left earth. It was the best feeling. All of Team Rasmussen was laughing, smiling and enjoy what God had created.
Do you ever have those moments in life? Just a moment when you know this is what you were created for? I had one! I hope I have many more.
I am created to be a follower of Jesus and to be deeply in love with Him and his Word. I am created to be the best husband in the whole world to Jennifer. Although I fail at this calling often I desire to be a better husband each day. I have messed up for sure as a husband but with grace of God and a wife who desires to see me as a man of God I have new beginnings all the time. And for this post I am ending with my role as a father. I LOVE this role and i don’t want to mess it up.
Ok time to finish my reading in Habakkuk. Trying to read the book each day for the next month.

Then off to Disneyland!

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Small Group Expectations

Worshiping. Gathering. Serving.

Give a summary of a previous small group experience either at Epic Church or elsewhere.

Share a few of your thoughts about the next statement:

“Small Groups at Epic Church are for both the believer and unbeliever.”

Name two of your expectations for your small group.

What is one thing you will bring to your small group?

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It is something that cannot be fully understood. To an outsider it looks as if we are talking to thin air. If we are praying in “our head” (as my 6year old daughter says) we often think, “Are we going nuts, talking to ourselves?”

I am preaching a series on Prayer at Epic Church. I am taking some of my conversations with my daughter about prayer and preaching about them. This week I am preaching about, “Praying Like Jesus Prayed”.

Can I be honest here? Ok. Even though I am a pastor I mess up. Sometimes I mess up big time and others they are small enough that no one really notices. But, when I mess up and yell at the crazy driver in “the other car” my daughter is quick to point out. “Daddy, Jesus loves that person too. You really should be nicer to them.”

She is 100% correct. Well, when it comes to prayer and me teaching my daughter how to pray and the importance of prayer she insightfully asks, “Daddy, how did Jesus pray?” And my theologian of a daughter also cocks her head and asks, “If Jesus was God then why did he pray?”

These are the questions I am wrestling with as I prepare this weeks sermon on prayer. I hope you are seeking your Father in Heaven this week though prayer. Drop me a line if you have any insight into these questions or even how you have dealt with them with your kids.

Just about to play hide and go seek and waiting for Epic Church to start online.  Here is a short video blog post.

You can find more about Epic Church HERE or check us on on:

Well, we made it to OKC at about 3:30am this morning.  I woke up and went for a run.  HUMIDITY is of the devil for sure.  47% here today.  Anywho, we are helping my Sister-in-Law (Lyndsay) and Brother-in-Law (Alvin) with housing projects over the next few days.  I have NEVER textured drywall but I am going to give it a shot today.  And if it works out, I have YOUTUBE to thank.  This is were I got all my training:

Video Blog Post – 05_05_2009 from Jake Rasmussen on Vimeo.

Great Job John!  I am happy I got you hooked on Jedidiah Stuff!

Jedidiah Community: John Houchin from Jedidiah Clothing on Vimeo.

A Vulnerable Brotherhood By John Houchin

Vulnerability has devastated my life, and built it up again. I told the truth. I shined light on the darkness in my life and exposed parts of me that no one knew. I spent years covering up my problems, careful to never let anyone see the parasitic creature that was embedded in my soul. I believed the lie that I could get rid of it by myself. So I tried. I made promise after promise to be better and to change. And each promise was met by a depressing failure. I could not do it on my own. I was exhausted. Then, in an instant, I was faced with a decision: let loose the pain of the truth or keep living in darkness. A miracle happened. I confessed to someone whom I loved and trusted. What I told this person was extremely painful for both of us, but I was set free from the ever-present torture that I clung to for so long.

I set out on a slippery journey towards freedom. This isn???„?t the type of freedom where one is suddenly free forever; instead it???„?s a continuous battle that I must fight for the rest of my life. Confessing to someone was only the first step. There were a few others placed in my life that I knew I could confide in. After I shared my experience with them they began sharing their own similar stories with me. I suggested for us to start meeting weekly to check up on each other and continue sharing our struggles, and they agreed. Now that I am not alone with my junk, it???„?s become harder to fall and easier to make good choices. When we fall, unconditional love picks us up.

This has inspired me to seek out others who are hurting and let them know that it is ok to be vulnerable. Now I pass on the grace that I???„?ve been shown and the love I???„?ve been given. Because of a strong community I have found my true identity. Through vulnerability I am no longer a slave to darkness. Through vulnerability I am finally seeking things that I am passionate about. Through vulnerability I found brotherhood.