Category Archives: Personal

A personal letter from Pastor Jeremy & Jen to Rockford First

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Dear Rockford First,

Christmas is an expression of God’s love and generosity.  As John 3:16 states, “For God so loved the world that He gave…”  In the spirit of Christmas, allow me to write a personal letter to our amazing church to say that Jen and I are so very grateful for you.

As I look back on 2011, I cannot help but thank God for all that He has done.  Hundreds of people have found faith in Jesus Christ and publically proclaimed their faith through water baptism.  Attendance on Sundays is increasing, as the sanctuary has been steadily filling up.  Over the entire scope of our ministries, from KidsLife to retirement centers, God’s blessing has been evident in 2011.  For this we are immensely grateful.

Jen and I have personally experienced a blessed year with the addition of Paxton James to our family.  We are so appreciative of the cards, letters and gifts that have come our way from the congregation.  It is such a great thing to be a part of the family of God at Rockford First.

Now that 2012 is upon us, we look forward to what God has in store.  As we launch an additional Sunday morning service, we are making room for God to bring us more people who are far from faith.  We believe the Holy Spirit will lead people from Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin to our weekend services, and they will find forgiveness and relationship with God.  As thousands are watching our weekly television show, we know that seeds are being planted in the hearts and minds of those who will someday make Rockford First their church home.

Thank you for your prayers, volunteerism, generosity and partnership in 2011.  I believe 2012 will eclipse anything we can imagine…God is moving at Rockford First!  What a great church!

God bless and may you have a wonderful Christmas season!


Jeremy and Jen DeWeerdt
Lead Pastor, Rockford First

I Doubt There Were Any Atheists After United Flight 729

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The whole day was bad.  Jen, Pax and I left for the airport late.  I unloaded the luggage, parked the car and ran to meet Jen at the ticketing counter of United Airlines at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport.  After two planes with mechanical issues and seven hours of delays, we finally stepped on to (the soon to be infamous) flight 729.

As we lifted off over the city of Chicago, little did I realize the ride we were about to take.  It all started about 250 miles outside of LaGuardia Airport.  I have never, in all my years of travel, experienced turbulence like that.  Up, down, and what felt like upside down we went.  The turbulence got worse and worse.  We tried approaching the airport multiple times and the pilot would have to pull up and climb back out for another try; over and over again.

Then it began… whimpers.  Screams…and like an epidemic, the chain reaction of people losing their lunch.  Then more screams and tears.

One thing I noticed as I tried to remain composed were the faces around me… everyone was scared.  The million-mile flier next to us, the businesswomen across the aisle, the young person two rows in front of me, the older gentlemen in the seat ahead… all trying to calm themselves.

We were so small and equally out of control.  First class and economy, young and old, affluent and lower class… not one of us had an advantage over the other.  People had no inhibition to pray out loud.

For a brief moment, it was like there wasn’t an atheist in sight and everyone believed in prayer…and then we landed.

The List

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I Thessalonians 5:16-18 – “Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances…”

In less than 24 hours, it all begins. People will be getting up at ungodly hours of the morning to get in line and find a few bargains. I’ve never been a person who participates in Black Friday. (Ironically, the “crowd-thing” stresses me out.) I’d rather enjoy a day at home and possibly, if I feel really adventurous, head to Starbucks for an americano.

Black Friday has sort of become the official shotgun start to the season of joy and peace. So before we, as Americans, dive into the pursuit of finding the best deal, let me take a moment and share a few things I am thankful for. Like many others, I really don’t NEED to buy another thing…I have enough and I am thankful.

I am thankful for…

  • My God, who extends me more love and grace than I could ever deserve.
  • My amazing wife, who is much better than any of you know.
  • My incredible kids…Caden, Connor and Pax.
  • The journey of the last seven weeks…from discovering Pax has downs to every doctor we have had to go to. I am truly thankful for the journey we are on and the fact we live in a nation where we can “go to the doctor.”
  • The people who I get to work with at Rockford First. We are much more than co-workers…we truly are friends.
  • For Rockford First! What an amazing group of people who gather each week to worship. I am thankful that I look forward to church each week.
  • For great parents, who did their best to provide me with a great upbringing.
  • For the last 10 years, where I was forced to navigate some seasons of great frustration, which in turn have produced resilience and stick-to-itiveness. (Did I just say that?)

Now for some less important things…

  • For Steve Jobs and everything Apple. (Enough said.)
  • For my hair. (I still have most of it.)
  • For coffee. (I love coffee.)
  • For the American toilet. (You laugh, but have you been to other places in the world? – wow.)
  • For motorcycles. (Whoever invented them is full of awesomeness.)
  • For the Bears and the Cubs. (And in turn, for great patience.)
  • For airplanes. (I couldn’t imagine traveling by stagecoach.)
  • For chocolate chip cookies. (And a fast metabolism.)
  • For cell phones. (I remember when everything was connected to a cord.)
  • For good, clean, intelligent movies (They are few and far between.)
  • For good, clean, intelligent music (Also hard to find.)
  • For Logos software. (I remember having to search through volumes of Biblical commentary when preparing a message.)
  • For Chicago. (It’s just the coolest city.)
  • For my super-soft Rockford Master’s Commission T-shirt (Unless you have one, you won’t understand.)

I could go on and on…but for the sake of your time, I shall stop. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Have fun tomorrow. I’ll be watching you race to the store from a seat in my favorite Starbucks.

Retreat!

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I just finished talking to my oldest son, Caden, about the upcoming Rockford First middle school ministries (Fuse) retreat that he will be attending. The DeWeerdt household has been full of anticipation for the last couple weeks, as Caden has been counting down the days until he gets to go on his first retreat.

Our father/son talk was somewhat brief and to the point, because the attention span of a middle-schooler is somewhat diminutive…slightly shorter than that of a 42-year-old Lead Pastor.

“A retreat is your time to get away from everything and spend time with God,” I stated. “Should I bring a camera?” was his reply. “Umm, sure.”

After telling Caden that his mom and I were praying that this would be a significant time for him and Jesus, I walked out of his room thinking to myself how rare it is in our culture to actually get away from everything and spend time with God. For us adults, wouldn’t it be nice to get away from it all, eat lots of candy, attend powerful services, sit around a campfire with a glazy stare, and stay up all night laughing with your friends?

You might answer, “yes” (except now you wouldn’t stay up all night…you’d actually sleep.)

I miss retreats…

www.experiencethefuse.com

A Thousand-Yard Stare

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In general, the DeWeerdt family lives a pretty crazy life. Like many young families, we juggle work, sleep, kids, school, sports, housework, and the like. If only there were more hours in the day!  (Sound familiar?)

About ten months ago, Jen and I discovered we were pregnant! Interesting timing on God’s part as I was 41 years old and Jen was…well…younger (I’ve learned not to speak of a woman’s age). We didn’t see this one coming, but really believed God was blessing us with another amazing kid in addition to the two boys already filling our lives with amazement and joy.

Anxiously awaiting October 2011, we did what all expecting parents do. We picked out a name, had baby showers, tried to get a room ready at the house, and so on. Though I hadn’t changed a diaper in a decade, I was looking forward to the newest boy who was coming into our lives. Jen and I prayed and believed he was going to be a “light” in our family and that God had a BIG plan.

October 6th was a pretty normal Thursday as I sat in my home office, finishing the message for the upcoming Sunday. Then I got a call from Jen, who was visiting her OBGYN for her final series of check-ups before her C-Section scheduled on the 18th.

“Jer, Paxton is coming today.”

“What?!”

“The doctor is suggesting we take him today.”

The doctor saw signs that Jen’s amniotic fluid was decreasing and Paxton was ready, so it was a good a time as any. I rushed to the hospital and within hours, we found ourselves in the operating room, camera in hand, ready to go. The moment came and I heard that unique sound I had not heard in 10 years…the distinct cry of a newborn, only seconds old.  It immediately brought tears to our eyes.

Quite honestly, I don’t remember the next few minutes; they were a blur. However, something happened that I will never forget. The tenor of the professional staff in the room changed. As a person in ministry for 20 years, I recognize tenor changes; those moments wen you can feel something is wrong.

“Jeremy, we had concerns early in the pregnancy, and it looks as if your baby has traces of Down’s Syndrome.”

I had a thousand-yard stare.

A rush of emotions flooded my mind. Excitement, shock, hurt, joy, anxiety, fear, love, disappointment, guilt over the disappointment. It was all so surreal.  I was watching the story of our lives change…forever.

The next few days were filled with the cycle of emotions you would expect from learning that your son has Down’s. However, something happened. God spoke and brought peace to the storm. We felt his presence in the hospital room. Through the tears and laughter, we began to understand that this is our new story with God. This is our new normal…a new reality. There is a reason Pax was entrusted to us and we are all the more blessed because of it. We are to take care of Pax and he is going to take care of us.

We always knew there was a special reason this child was coming into our lives. The plan is unveiling and will continue to do so. Already, our church (Rockford First), our family, and our friends have been so impacted by this journey. It is only the beginning.

We are busy… like most young families. We juggle work, sleep, kids, school, sports, housework and the like. If only there were more hours in the day. However, God has spoken and brought peace to the storm.

Long before our new son’s birth, we decided on the name Paxton…which happens to mean “peace.”