BodyBugg

I know there are a few things I do that drive my wife crazy and not just a little bit. One of her issues with my behavior has to do with the opening of Christmas presents.

Case in point: My BodyBugg. You may have seen this product on The Biggest Loser. All the contestants wear and use them. Sometime last Fall, while watching the show (The Biggest Loser) on a Tuesday night, I mentioned in passing, 'Hey, those BodyBugg's are pretty cool.' Next thing you know... that was my Christmas present. Now one would think that I would have been excited and eager to get this gift. So what did I do with it? Nothing. It sat on a shelf in my closet, unopened, for the next 4 months. However, in the month of May I decided to give it a try and do you know what... I love it. I mean I really LOVE it! But here's the thing... I would have loved it sooner if I had just opened it and used it. I would have been so much closer to some of my fitness goals, had I taken this great gift out of it's box.

There's a spiritual principle and parallel here. At least there is in my life at times. I think, no, I know God has given me gifts. Gifts of abilities, gifts of relationships, gifts of opportunities. But I also know that instead of taking advantage of and using some of these God given gifts, some of them have done nothing more than sit on a shelf. Why? Because I placed them there and forgot all about them. It's a sad and yet common story of neglect.

Neglect. Is there anything or anyone you are neglecting? Is there a gift that God has given you that sits neglected on some shelf?

There is a verse that comes to mind when I consider this subject of neglect.

Joshua 18:3 (NKJ)

Then Joshua said to the children of Israel: “How long will you neglect to go and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers has given you?

I love my BodyBugg. It's been my accountability partner when it comes to working out. But I almost missed out on what it had to offer me because of neglect. The same can be true of our God given promises and our God given potential. Now is not the time for neglect. The time is now to possess the land.

Pastor Gwen Lipke

Almost 2 weeks ago Renee and I loaded our 3 kids (4 if you count Kenzington Raine, who is due to arrive in 6 and a half weeks!) in our mini-van and headed to the Great White North, my home country of Canada. We were going to Waterloo, Ontario, the city in which we pastored for 6 years. We were excited about this trip because we were going to get to see and spend time with some of the best friends we have ever made.

While we were there Renee and I both were given the opportunity to minister at Waterloo Pentecostal Assembly, our former church. It was a wonderful thing just to sit in the Sunday morning service and sense the presence of God and to see and hear Pastor Marshall preach the word of God. One of the greatest gifts God ever gave to WPA and to the Matchetts has been the friendship and leadership of Pastor Marshall and Merrie Eizenga.

On Monday, June 7th, we went to go see Pastor Gwen Lipke. Pastor Gwen served on our staff when we pastored in Waterloo and if you ever met Gwen you knew she had a pastor's heart. Her love of people, in my opinion, was without an equal. She reminds me of Mother Teresa. Her commitment and compassion towards those who are hurting is something that I always admired and I have asked God to give me more of that which she had.

Back to Monday, June 7th. We went to see Gwen. For the past 2 years she has been fighting a battle with cancer. Although when we arrived you would have never known it. She was the same old Gwen. Positive, smiling, pleasant, and praising God. There was no bitterness. There wasn't any blaming God. There was only gratitude and thanksgiving. Man, that hit me.

As we left we took pictures. Little did she or anyone else know that within 48 hours her battle would be over. On Wednesday evening of the same week, Pastor Gwen passed away. She will be missed but her legacy, her example, her love for God and for people will live on because it lives on in all of us who knew her. For all of us who knew her were changed because of her. Thank you Pastor Gwen.

Pastor Gwen Lipke: A Class Act.

A Chosen Vessel.

A Life Well Spent.