New Blog Post

Please note - that beginning next week my blog will move to www.mikelinch.wordpress.com

I am working to have it forwarded to my www.mikelinch.com account.  Working on getting that done!

See you at the new spot!!

Thanks.......Giving

When I look back on this past year, I have so much to be thankful for.  The funny thing it all revolves around someone else "giving" to be bless my family & my life!  I have so much to be thankful for.....in fact, I feel sort of guilty for being so blessed!  An incredible family - an unreal church - the best friends in the world.......a relationship with with God that is like a spring "of living water".........Thanks to all that "give" to my life - I am truly blessed!!

Rearview Mirror

• Incredible Sunday wrapping up "Still Standing"
• Expected low crowds due to holiday....was I ever wrong!! Place was packed - standing room at the late hour!!
• Left after service and went to a "cabin" in Topton, NC on Lake Nantahala. No cell service, no tv, no computer access......it was just what we needed!
• Maybe the most beautiful place I have ever been!! It was NOT quite a cabin - more like a castle nestled in the woods on the lake and it was absolutely incredible!
  
• It has been so long since I rested and just enjoyed the family....just what I needed! We played games - fished - and basically just chilled!! I ate way to much - but it was so good!!
• Came back today and sort of hated to leave! Hated to see how many e-mails & phone calls I had missed and guess what I learned........Life had moved on just fine without me for a few days.
• Got home to watch some good TV that we had DVR'd
• The return of 24 was SOLID and it was good to have Jack back!! Should be a great season!! Good stuff - new story line but same Jack!! Welcome back 24!
• The Unit once again did not disappoint - what a great show!
  

Last week of Still Standing

Tomorrow we will wrap up our "Still Standing" series!  It has been super timely in my life and I think in the lives of a lot of others!  

My prayer for today is that my faith will be in "who God is" not "what God does"......The easiest time to quit and get out of the race we are in is when God does not come through like we thought He would.....or He should!

I pray that I will trust Him no matter what and seek His best not just mine!!

Hard....you bet

Worth it.....no doubt!!

Can't wait for Sunday!!

I am off to watch my favorite little girl, Mary-Michal, cheer in her 6th grade football superbowl!!!  It is going to be COLD but totally worth it!!

Crazy week

I can't even describe what a crazy week this has been!  I am so behind on my post....Here are a few highlights:

• Great management team meeting on Monday.....It is always great to meet with sharp leaders who help me in guiding NStar.  Their servant hearts but great business & leadership minds are a blessing to be around!
• Spent the rest of the day of Monday planning our next 8 months of sermons with Steve Roach.  It is always a blast to hang with Roach and plan!!  We have been best friends since 2nd grade and it is incredible that we get to do life together now!!
• Tuesday AM - We had our early morning executive bible study - room was totally full!!  Some of these guys are really hurting - it is so cool to see them be there for each other. 
• Spent the next few hours planning the next 2 weekends and going over what we did from the week before!
• Every year our team at NStar helps the City of Acworth sort canned goods....It is a ton of work but a ton of fun!!  Watching everyone pitch in and work together is great!!
• Came home to find the house completely decorated for Christmas!!!  Annie is amazing!!
• Tomorrow is my last day in the office before taking some time off next week.....I sure need it!  Can't wait to get away & chill for a little while!

Rearview Mirror

• May be one of the greatest days we have ever had at NorthStar.......We were in part 3 of Still Standing....talking about "Knowing" God personally
• We had Rev. Clarence Jett there live - it was pretty powerful!  I brought him out about 10 minutes into my message and he received a standing ovation in both services!  Nothing like seeing a young cutting edge church embrace a 94 year old man!
• I interviewed Rev. Jett and it was beyond incredible....His wisdom was so on the money and the way he could recall scripture blew me away!  I interviewed him for over 25 minutes in both services and it was totally unscripted and he nailed every answer!
• Check out our some of the video footage that we had shot previously with Rev. Jett...
• I would never encourage to listen to our podcast but I would REALLY encourage you to hear this one!!!  Check our site to dive in to the great AM!
• Steph & our band nailed the last song - a remix of the Old Hymn "Give me Jesus"....it said it all!
• It was an incredible AM all the way around!  Major packed house both hours and big crowds in True North!  My son (who thinks his old man) came down and said, "Dad, you would have loved it upstairs in the Student Area - it was packed"......Love that boy!!
• Lindsay Arnold did the welcome in the Compass and was "spot on".....Lindsay used to be in the college group that met in my house.  She is now a wife & mom and I was SO proud of her this AM!  She will be one of the host of our new "In the Know" Sunday video segment that is coming in December!
• I got to take Rev. Jett & my mom and dad to lunch - it was so fun to spend time with them!
• The Falcons battled so hard today - I love pulling for that team!  It was so close to being another Falcon win!
• Tonight was "The Gathering" - Daniel & the band introduced their 2nd CD "Things Unseen"....It was slammed and a ton of fun to watch NStar people engage with God!  The team did an amazing job putting on the night and it was a blast to just sit in the crowd & enjoy!!  I got to sit with my little girl and watch her worship.......watching her was worth the whole night!!
• Now I am settling in for "The Unit"!!!  Love that show!!
• Short night sleep - early morning Management Team meeting.  I love meeting with these wise men who help stand beside me and lead NorthStar into the future!

His voice

Today we are in part 3 of "Still Standing" and talking about knowing God personally!  I am praying today for 2 things:

• Those that do not know Him at all....to meet Him for the first time and give over their lives to Him
• Those that do know Him but for what ever reason have not followed Him passionately - to "Hear His voice" and follow Him with all they have!

In the craziness of our times - if we have a relationship with God and we follow Him and not just what we want to chase.........We will Stand!!

Can't wait!!

I cannot even tell you how excited I am about this coming Sunday!  Week 3 of "Still Standing" is going to be one of the most unforgettable services we have ever had at NorthStar!!  I hope that you are making plans to be with us!

On another front, I have an idea for something that if it comes through could be HUGE!  

I am off to spend a day with Annie.....I love our Fridays together!  We have had a crazy few months with one in high school & one in middle school and going different directions - we always enjoy our Fridays!!  Today we are going to catch a new movie.......!!!

Still Standing - week 3

I absolutely cannot wait until Sunday @ NorthStar! We are talking about a personal relationship with Jesus and how that will always keep us Still Standing! We have something so incredible planned.....if you are a regular at NStar, you absolutely have to make plans to be there & bring a friend with you!!! If you don't normally come & you are one of my, I guess, 5 readers......make plans to either come or listen in next week!!

Can't tell you any more - just know - you can't miss!!!

Rearview Mirror

• Great night Friday night for Allatoona Football, the team finished their first season by beating the Varsity Team from Murray County!  These guys came so far this year - I was so proud of them!!
• Tough day in the College Football World on Saturday with GT and WVU taking big losses.....Not a lot of smiles around the Linch house!!
• Incredible week 3 of Still Standing!!  Packed house at both hours in our Compass Room and at True North at 11am!!  I talked about "Truth" and God's word.  We gave out bibles to anyone that did not already own one.....WOW....we ran out!  Hard to believe in the world today there are still people who have never owned a bible!  Met a couple that just moved here from Cuba and it was their first time ever in church and they had never had a bible of their own!!  Pretty awesome!
• We did a video of Rev. Jett, the 94 year old pastor I interviewed, mixed in with "Word of God Speak".....it was strong!  Visit the NorthStar site to catch up on the video interviews....they are pretty awesome!
• Started talking about our 5pm service beginning in January - great feedback so far!!  We are praying for 500 people to make the move from Sunday AM!  I can't wait!!!
• Baptized after our last service - nothing like closing the morning seeing people take their faith public!!  One of our staff, was able to baptize his mom & dad......pretty special!!!
• Enjoyed being outside yesterday afternoon with some good friends....playing a little cornhole & football and going back inside to keep up with the Falcons who spanked the Saints!!!  How bout the Falcons!!!
• We had Newcomers last night and had a full crowd!!  Hearing the stories of how people got to us never gets old!!  Long night but a fun one!!!

Allen Hunt

Yesterday, Allen Hunt, from the Allen Hunt Radio Show led our staff meeting!!  He was incredible and right on the money for the challenge that we needed!  Allen was a super successful pastor at a great church in Atlanta when God laid on his heart to start a talk show on a secular station that deals with faith & life.  The show is going huge across the country right now and is currently on weekend (Saturday & Sunday) evenings!!  In Atlanta, you can catch on WSB 750-AM.....!!!  Allen eventually resigned his senior pastor position and left for the vision that God had laid on his heart!!

The challenge for me was the passion he has to reach "lost sheep" and to do whatever it takes to stay connected to that world!  The main strategy in putting it all together was....prayer.  Amazing when prayer takes front & center, how much power there is!!

Make sure & listen in and I promise, you will not be disappointed!

Happy Birthday!!

Today is the 1 year birthday for my little niece & nephew (John David & Lucy Linch)!!!  They are two little miracles!

Rearview Mirror

• Incredible AM at NorthStar.....HUGE crowds - great energy to start our Still Standing series!!  
• You could have heard a pin drop while we were talking about what it means to be "forgiven"
• Anne walked in the 9:30am service and said it was the wildest she had ever seen it trying to get on campus!
• I sat in a meeting a few years with Rick Warren and he said the 4 biggest attendance of the year are:  Christmas, Easter, Mother's Day & Time change Sunday in the fall!!  He is SO on the money!
• The band nailed "It's not my time" by Three Doors Down.....pretty rockin!!
• Went out and enjoyed the afternoon with Mary-Michal....she is SO fun!!  I love that girl - she has more energy than anyone I have ever met!
• Got home to watch the Falcons smack the Raiders!  It is a new day in ATL!  Way to go Birds!! 
• Matt Ryan is the Rookie of the Year and Mike Smith should be the Coach of the Year!
• New Polls are out in College Football and GT is at 22 and WVU is at 20....Anne is thrilled!
• Great day yesterday with GT surviving FSU and UGA getting slammed against UF!  LOVED IT!!
• Big week this week - have tons to get done getting things ready for our new Sunday night service in January.....It is going to be awesome!!!
• Watching the Amazing Race right now and getting psyched up for "The Unit".......after I pick Casey up from Satellite Groups at NStar!
• Great weekend - sad it is over already!

I am Forgiven!!

Today we begin our "Still Standing" series at NorthStar talking about what it means to be "forgiven".......this is true "debt-free" living!!  When we get what it means to be forgiven completely - it will give us a freedom we have never known!!!  

Heading out....can't wait for the morning!!!

Still Standing begins this week!

With the economy being up one day and down the next, the election next week, and everything in the world appearing to be so uncertain - we wanted to take a few weeks and talk about the things that are unchanging and the things in life that can keep us on solid ground!  This Sunday we begin a series called Still Standing, which will take a look at God’s eternal foundations, and how they outlast everything the world tries to hold onto. I hope that you will not let fear rule your life during this time, but rather come and discover the principles that will keep your life "still standing" when everything else is crumbling around you!!  This is a great series to invite a co-worker or neighbor to attend with you since we are all facing these uncertain times together!

 

Hope to see you - and a friend - this week!

 

Mike 

PLEASE CLICK THIS LINK TO VIEW A SNEAK PREVIEW OF OUR UPCOMING “STILL STANDING” SERIES

Bobby Richardson

I got to go over at lunch today with a good buddy of mine Barry Nash and see one of my heroes again!!  Former NY Yankee great and 1960 World Series MVP Bobby Richardson was in town speaking for FCA.  He is one of the all-time greats in Yankee history and played from 1955-1966 during the peak of the Yankee dynasty!   Beyond his remarkable playing career....multiple all-star appearances....gold gloves.....world series rings......world series records.....he is one of the kindest, most humble men that I have ever known!

One of the highlights of my life was getting the incredible opportunity to play for Coach Richardson from 1987 - 1990 at Liberty!!  I learned a ton of baseball from him but really more than that....I learned a ton about life!!  

It sure was great to see him today!!

Rearview Mirror

• Anne & I went out Friday night to Maggiano's and then stayed down by the Galleria - awesome night!
• Casey went on the CLOSER student retreat from NorthStar - heard it was unreal!!  I am so thankful for our student team who are creating an incredible ministry that my kids & hundreds of others get to grow up in!
• Watched Tech go down against UVA....I put the game on our DVR since I had a wedding..came home & watched it - fast forwarding through it and then they lost!!  What's worse is the "Dawgs" won and the fans are getting a little cocky again!!  Maybe they will break back out the black jersey's against UF!
• Incredible AM at NorthStar talking about forgiveness.....tons of people stood that said that there was something in their past that they were holding on to that they needed to let go of!!  
• The band knocked out of the park the Tim McGraw tune "Let it Go".....I have heard that song a 1,000 times but the words were dead on for what we were talking about!
• Quote I used from Max Lucado "Resentment always begins as a hurt but then moves to hate"....strong stuff!
• Came home & watched the Falcons....SO close to pulling off the game against the Eagles!  Coach Mike Smith is an amazing coach to rally those guys after the year they had last year!!!  They are going to be a solid group in years to come!
• MM had a good friend over and they had so much fun playing!!  I thank the Lord for my kids good friends!!!
• Picked up Casey from the retreat (he was so TIRED) but tons of homework...
• Watched "The Unit" late last night - THE BEST show on TV right now!!! Love it!
• The Phillies are smoking the Rays.....a little surprising actually!  Hate the Phillies but like the National League (dilemma)!
• Can't get over how much I enjoyed being at Liberty last week!!  What a place - it has come so far since I was there!
• Video shoot today for our "Still Standing" series which begins next Sunday! In the times we are living in - how do we withstand all of the "storms" around us and "stand"......It is going to be an incredible series!!!  
• Full week ahead!!

17 Years!

17 years ago on a beautiful fall day in Charleston, WV I married the greatest woman in the world! She was more then than I could ever ask for: loved the Lord, funny, great friend, loved sports, (thought I was good at baseball), smart and absolutely gorgeous!!!! I remember standing there that day and thinking that I was the luckiest guy in the world!

Today, 17 years later, there is NO doubt that I married the greatest woman in the world! She is more than I could ever ask for: loves the Lord, loves to laugh, still drop dead gorgeous, my closest friend, loves sports, (still thinks I was pretty good at baseball), incredible mom to the 2 blessings in our lives, loyal to her friends, never misses a chance to give a holler for anything that has West Virginia on it, great sister, awesome daughter to her parents, believes the best about people, loves NorthStar and believes in me often more than I believe in myself, great Aunt, incredibly hard worker, can build or fix anything (thankfully), volunteers for everything and absolutely the 1 person in this world that I cannot imagine living life without!

She is more now to me than she was the day that I thought she was everything!!! I cannot wait for all of the years to come.....they just keep getting better!!! Happy Anniversary Annie!!! I would say yes again today and everyday for the rest of my life!

Home from the burg!!

After an absolutely slammed Monday & Tuesday of this past week - I jumped on plane (which I never do) and flew to Lynchburg, VA for 2 days. I was invited to speak at Liberty University (Go Flames) on Thursday and to share about the work that we do at NorthStar with business leaders! It was a blast to be back at LU!

After graduating in 91 - I have only been back a couple of times through the years. I am absolutely blown away at how HUGE the campus has grown and all that is happening there! I was so proud of the school and its leadership in continuing to expand & grow but not losing the focus of why they are there!!

I spent Wednesday going around the campus and just taking it in and remembering my 4 incredible years there......Some of the greatest days of my life were spent on that campus! Here are a couple of the highlights of the trip:

• Ran into Jeff Alder, Head Men's Soccer Coach, Jeff was a student & soccer player during my time at LU. He was a great guy then but it was so cool to see the passion he now leads the program with!! I was so proud of him!!
• Went by dorm 18 where I spent 3 years.....didn't go in however...it didn't smell good 18 years ago - cannot imagine now!
• Drove by Anne's dorm and remembered all the trips I used to make across campus to pick her up!
• Went to the area outside DeMoss Hall where we all used to hang out so much!
• Visited the spot behind Carter-Glass mansion where I proposed to Annie!
  
• Spent the afternoon at the baseball field...met the new coach (nice guy) and took a tour of the fieldhouse that we were promised would be there when they recruited me in 87...It was sweet! Watched an intra-squad game and just relaxed for a little while and took in the time!
  
• Sat behind Atlanta Brave favorite, Sid Bream - also an LU grad - who was there watching his son play who is a freshman!
• Ate at Shakers.....used to be the best spot in town!!
  

Liberty University is a one of a kind place! It was hard to be there and not think about Dr. Falwell and his larger than life personality! Doc - you would be proud of how alive your dream still is!!

Rearview Mirror

• Anne & I went out to dinner together on Friday night.....it was nice!!  We had some Japanese food at Sapporo's and met some super nice people!  Great to be out with my girl!!
• The Allatoona baseball team had a team "yard-sale" on Saturday at AHS - it was chilly - felt like fall!!
• Came home and watched GT hang on for a victory of Clemson.....I worried for a little while but the Jackets came through!!
• Thanks to the kindness of a good buddy from NStar, John Greer, we went to the new Cobb Energy Centre to see Lady Antebellum & Josh Turner!!!  We had a blast!!  Both Lady Antebellum and Josh were incredible - nothing like watching great performers hold a crowd in their hands!!  Great concert - great friends there - with my family - what a fun night!!
• Solid AM at NorthStar today..heavy topic on Everyday Joe "Loneliness"....it was so sad to look out in some people's eyes and see sadness.......Joseph left us some great lessons on how to defeat "loneliness"
• In the 9:30am service our drum shield crashed on the drummer during our intro song - it was crazy but it was funny!!!  Look out on "you-tube"
• I dedicated a child this morning that was related to former Atlanta Falcon great Tommy Nobis....he sat on the 2nd row.....one of the all-time football greats in this city!  I was a little nervous!
• Went to my in-laws for a good lunch!
• Spent the afternoon at Allatoona on the baseball field with Casey getting some work in!!  I am so proud of that boy and how hard he is working!
• Mary-Michal brought home incredible grades from school - she is adapting to middle school really good!!
• Huge week ahead - Management Team meeting early in the AM and a good full day ahead!!  I wrap up at Allatoona on the baseball field with the "Bucs" as they get ready for their final 2 weeks of the season
• On Wednesday, I fly to Lynchburg to speak at a Liberty University alumni function!  Look forward to going back to the place I had so many great memories!!