Every year around this time I reflect on the sacrifices that so many have made for our freedom. John 15:13 says, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” Wow.

Consider for a moment all of the freedoms you and your family enjoy today and those honorable men and women who had such love for their families and their country that they sacrificed their lives. Consider also all of the men and women still defending freedom around the world. I am so thankful to those who serve and those who have served.

This weekend, we have a chance to honor the sacrifice of those among us and those who are no longer with us. Please join us this Sunday for our morning services and then for our special evening service at 5 pm where Colonel Pete Ford will help us honor our troops.

Colonel Ford has served in the United States Air Force since the early 1990s and has flown combat tours in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain, and has also served in Egypt, Japan, and around the United States. He is now stationed at Nellis AFB here in Nevada and is in Command of the 57th Adversary Tactics Group, responsible for nine squadrons. He is a command pilot with over 2900 hours of flying time and over 400 combat hours.

He, his wife Jennifer, and their children have been a wonderful addition to our church family and I am so grateful that he'll be joining us as we commemorate the sacrifices of our troops and veterans and pay tribute to them and their families. I look forward to seeing you there!

Vision Meeting & Volunteer Banquet

I'm really looking forward to our Vision Meeting & Volunteer Banquet on Thursday, May 30. It's going to be a wonderful and entertaining night as we reflect on the past year, look forward to the future of our church, and honor our amazing volunteers with some special awards.

As a leader in the church, we look forward to seeing you there. All members (those who've completed our membership training and have been ratified) will receive a special card that is good for special discounts and savings. If you are a member, please come a few minutes prior to 6:30 to check in. Then at 7:00 pm we'll honor all of our amazing volunteers who serve and make ICLV what it is. Full childcare will be provided.

We've also got two upcoming events I want to let you know about.

The Sound School of Worship

The first is The Sound School of Worship starting on June 28. Mike Leyde has been putting together a crazy talented lineup of anointed musicians, including Ray Hughes, for this week-long intensive designed to train and equip worshippers spiritually, emotionally, and practically. It's a great chance for anyone with a heart for worship to get mentored and reinvigorate their creativity.

Transform 2013

Another chance for you to renew your spirit is Transform 2013, our 20-day intensive where you'll receive teaching on spiritual, emotional, and relational health from ICLV's top leaders. You'll also get to take part in some in-depth, small group teaching sessions with Bill Johnson, Banning Liebscher, and Rachel Hickson. It's a unique chance to be poured into by the ICLV team and some of the world's top leaders while being saturated in worship and prayer on a daily basis.

Weekly Growth Opportunities

I encourage you to take advantage of these radical opportunities to grow and connect with God in a new way. And don't forget about our weekly opportunities with Growth Groups throughout the week, our Sunday morning services, and The Pursuit on Sunday night. I look forward to seeing you at church!

I want to take this opportunity to thank you so much for all of your prayers, notes, cards, and encouragement during my sickness. Your support meant so much to me, and I'm grateful to serve alongside such a supportive church family.

The infection is out my system and I'm currently on antibiotics to make sure it doesn't return. I'm feeling better and better every day, but I still need your prayers. Please continue to pray that this infection will not come back. Also please pray for my husband as he is currently in France ministering to leaders and others.

This Sunday at ICLV Summerlin I have the privilege of speaking in both morning services at 9 and 11. We'll be honoring mothers all day and giving gifts to each mom. And one of my wonderful kids, Samuel, will be preaching Sunday night at 5. We'll be releasing the prophetic teams to prophesy over families, especially moms.

It will be a great day to honor your mom or the mother figures in your life, and — if you are a mother — a great day to receive an outpouring of love and gratitude. I can't wait to see you there!

This weekend I've been reflecting on God's goodness as my wife and I celebrate 33 years of marriage. I'm so glad we decided all those years ago to make Christ the center of our relationship. Through all of the ups and downs of life He has drawn us closer to Him and to each other.

He's also given us the gift of our wonderful children, soulmates for our children, and our truly adorable and promising grandchildren. The future is bright and it's all thanks to His abiding love in our lives.

Denise and I are also grateful for the love and prayers you've poured out on us over the years. Through good times and bad you've had our backs and we couldn't be more humbled and blessed to be your pastors.

Speaking of anniversaries, our Hispanic congregation is celebrating their fourth year this weekend! Our good friend Sergio Scataglini will be back and sharing powerful messages Saturday and Sunday night at 6 pm in the chapel at ICLV Summerlin. Additionally, he'll be preaching at ICLV South Gate on Sunday morning at 10 am.

You can also join us Sunday at ICLV Summerlin and live on iChurch at 9 am, 11 am and 5 pm. I'll be preaching both morning services as Michael Leyde preaches at the Pursuit on Sunday night. Be here this weekend as we celebrate God's presence in our lives. I'm looking forward to exciting and Spirit-filled services at all of our locations.

As always, it was such a blessing to be in the house of God this weekend. John Bevere shared some great words and God moved in a powerful way. My wife Denise also returned this weekend after a bout with a very serious infection. Thank you again for your love and prayer support for her and our family. We feel your prayers and know that we can count on you to have our backs.

We've got another big weekend in store as we prepare to welcome back our good friend Sergio Scataglini. He's in town to celebrate the 4th anniversary of our Hispanic congregation ICLV en Español. Join the celebration Saturday and Sunday night in the chapel at 6 pm. He'll also be preaching at ICLV South Gate on Sunday morning at 10.

Plus, I'll be preaching at ICLV Summerlin and live on iChurch at 9 am and 11 am, with the Pursuit and Michael Leyde at 5 pm.

Finally, did you know we currently have missionaries from ICLV all over the world? A small team of them are currently in Africa and they've just sent us an update. Check out our missions blog to find out about the amazing work they're doing on your behalf and thanks to your support. Please give if you feel led to help missionaries like these continue reaching souls around the world.

I pray you and your loved ones have a blessed week! See you at Growth Groups tonight at 7.