Welcome to the Houston Minister Services Blog.
Our site provides families in the greater Houston area with services to meet their spiritual needs including wedding ceremonies, funeral services, baby dedications and baptisms.
These days there are many families who are unaffiliated with a particular house of worship, some are of mixed faiths, and some practice their spirituality on a more individual basis. We offer a wide variety of services from traditional to non-traditional, as well as customized ceremonies to fulfill your requests. Let us customize your ceremony according to your beliefs values, and your faith.
The Houston Minister Services Blog includes information such as wedding checklists, wedding ceremony options, information on baptism and baby blessing ceremonies, funeral readings and poems as well as unique reception ideas. Additionally please browse through our photo gallery and our video gallery to see ceremonies we have had the privilege to officiate. You can also read more about what we do at Minister Services as well as contact us for a free phone consultation if you find yourself in need of our services.
The minister you choose will play a large part in shaping the overall dynamics of your ceremony and we would be honored to take part in this significant time in your life. We feel confident that our professionalism and compassion will enhance the quality of your ceremony.
We are happy to travel anywhere in the greater Houston area including Galveston, Katy, Pearland, Conroe, Spring, The Woodlands and Baytown. (Nationwide service also available) Whether your ceremony takes place at a formal location, beach park or private home, we can customize your ceremony to meet your needs.
Budget Concerns?
We provide Houston Minister Services to fit most budgets. We offer services of value that will fit your needs and that should fit your budget. You will find that our cost is comparable to other minister services in the greater Houston area.
You can read more about who we are in the about us section of the Houston Minister Services site. You can also call us at 713-208-2025. We would appreciate the chance to speak with you regarding your needs.
And it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)
The only path to true success comes when we daily take up the cross of Jesus Christ. Even a self-centered generation knows that self-denial is the path to success. But listen. There is a catch. Self-denial will not bring us fulfillment if we only live for ourselves. We may say, “I am not doing this for my husband or my wife. I’m not doing this for my children. I am doing it for me.” Fine. That may help you stay on your diet. That may help you keep up your studies. But it will not bring you ultimate fulfillment. Ultimate fulfillment comes only when we say, “I’m doing this for God and God’s people.”
Imagine a person carrying two buckets, one of them filled with oil and one filled with water. Now they are completely filled so that you cannot pour the oil from its bucket into the water bucket because there is no room and besides oil and water don’t mix.
Now imagine that one of these buckets is you and your will and your purpose and your plan for your life and the other is God’s will and plan and purpose for your life. Before you can know God’s will and plan and purpose for your life you’re going to have to empty your bucket to receive what God has to give. Now whom do you trust the most to know where real purpose and joy, satisfaction, and peace lie with you, or with the heart of God?
The key to truly successful living is to deny ourselves in order that God may fill us to overflowing with God’s presence and power. As Paul said in Galatians 2:20, “And it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.” There is the path to real success. If we who are followers of Jesus would learn that one simple truth, we could turn this world upside down.
Dear God, fill me with the saving power of Jesus Christ, as I pick up his cross of salvation everyday. In Jesus name, Amen.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (I Peter 2:9)
There are lights that flood a room and reveals that which is hidden. There are lights that shine as a fixed reminder of eternal truths. There is another kind of light, however. It is the search light of compassion and concern. It is the light that moves out into the darkness to seek the lost. This is the light of the shepherd who leaves the ninety and nine and goes out on the hillside to find the one sheep who is lost. It is the light a woman shines looking for a lost child. It is the light of a loving God who will not let us go. Halford Luccock asked his two granddaughters what they wanted for their birthdays. “Give us a world,” they responded. Soon he deduced that what they were asking for was a globe. So happily granddad went shopping for a nice large globe that would spin and would be an attractive addition to their room. Expectantly, he waited their pleasure o n their birthday as they opened their gift from him. Somehow when the present was opened, however, he sensed they were disappointed. “What is the matter?” he asked. “I thought this is what you wanted.” “Well, yes,” said one of them, “but we were kind of hoping for a lighted world.” Immediately he understood that what they wanted was a globe with a light inside.
“I can fix that,” he said. “Let me take it back and exchange it for a lighted one.” Unfortunately the store where he bought the globe did not sell lighted ones. So he got his money back and set out to find a lighted world rather than a darkened one. Finally, he located a globe with a light in it, bought it and presented it to his granddaughters, who were delighted. Telling a colleague about this, he was asked if he had learned anything from this experience. He said, “Oh, yes. I learned one thing. I learned that a lighted world costs more.”
A lighted world does cost more. It cost God His Son. If we are serious about letting our light shine in today’s world, it will cost us something as well.
God of love, with Jesus as my inspiration, may my light shine brightly in this often dark world. In Jesus name, Amen.
If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. (Luke 9:23)
Former Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz once said, “I’ve been on the top and I’ve been on the bottom. At Arkansas my first year, we won the Orange Bowl. Then everybody loved me. “They put me into the Arkansas Hall of Fame and issued a commemorative stamp in my honor. The next year we lost to Texas, and they had to take away the stamp, because people kept spitting on the wrong side of it. Life is full of highs and lows, and for many of us it is hard to be humble. But when we deny our own pleasures and desires, and put God first, then we begin to understand what is really important. Being filled with God’s desires of love and hope.
Jesus tells us today, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” The cross here is a very important symbol. Carrying the cross means we carry a burden of helping others, it means God is important, it means we have hope, it means we have forgiveness, it means we use our financial resources to help others, and it means we want to share God’s love, forgiveness, and hope with our family, our friends, and our co-workers.
When we deny ourselves, we put God first.
Heavenly Father, you gave up so much for me. Now, guide me as I deny my wishes for yours. In Jesus Name, Amen.
The Biker world & the Christian world juxtapose around “Brotherhood”, a term that is often used & abused; leading, logically, to the question:
Who, really, is my Brother?
A Brother is honest with me regardless of circumstances.
Proverbs 24:26, An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.
Proverbs 27:6, Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.
A Brother will go to war at our side & make no mistake, we are in a war:
1 Peter 5:8, Be sober and self-controlled. Be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
1 John 10:10, The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.
And, in this war, we are to fight together – with no one left behind. Satan doesn’t quit. He uses whatever he can to ensnare us. That’s why we need to keep connected.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!
A Brother will sacrifice for his brother.
1John 3:16-18, This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
A Brother will walk the walk, not just talk the talk.
1 John 3: 23, And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus, and to love one another as he commanded us.
Luke 10: 29-37, But the expert in the law asked Jesus, “And who is my brother?” In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
“Which of these three do you think was a brother to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
What are our responsibilities to our brother?
When our brother is down, restore him.
Galatians 6:1, Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.
The Greek word for Restore means fitted, complete, perfect. The verse isn’t saying we need to help our brother out of the sin, but instead we need to complete him, perfect him, equip and strengthen him.
A spiritual person is one who believes in God and renews themselves through forgiveness of sin by God’s grace. A spiritual person is one who has learned to trust in God; one who knows that Restoring with ease takes divine intercession. You cannot restore your brother by yourself.
A Brother carries his brother when he is weak.
Galatians 6:2, Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
We should be indulgent to the infirmities of others. Our brother’s infirmity may be his burden; and if we do not choose to help him to bear it, let us not reproach him because he is obliged to carry the load.
A Brother acts selflessly toward his brother.
Galatians 6:3-5, If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load.
It is easy for someone to become depressed about his bad doings just as it is easy for one to become big headed about his good doings. As a Brother we are to restore and carry our brother, but we are to give God all the credit and not be tempted to take it for ourselves. By doing this it becomes evident that we weren’t looking for praise from anyone in this matter, but instead we actually wanted to help because we genuinely care for our brothers and sisters.
Brotherhood is evidenced in actions, not words, especially in difficult situations.
A Brother stands with you while others turn their backs.
A Brother is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.
A Brother is one who believes in you when you have ceased to believe in yourself.
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
The proper office of a Brother is to side with you when you are wrong. Nearly anybody will side with you when you are right.
A friend is someone who will bail you out of jail. A Brother is the one sitting next to you saying “boy was that fun.”
Commit to Brotherhood!
Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.
(1 Corinthians 12.27)
Experts tell us that one of the most accurate means of discerning communication is to watch body language; a nod of the head, a shrug of the shoulders, crossing the arms over the chest, all may tell us what the other party is thinking far more accurately than the words that come from his or her lips. In fact, some business books advise people to feign interest by deliberately using specific body language. For example, one source states that “steepling” of hands is usually interpreted as a sign of deep thought. Doctors and psychiatric professionals traditionally steeple when listening to patients. Result: Someone who deliberately steeples tends to be considered a deep thinker and powerful, intelligent person. This expert recommends that business people steeple in meetings, or while listening to colleagues one-on-one.”
St. Paul uses body language in our lesson for the day when he is trying to describe how a church is supposed to operate. Oh, we don’t know if he steepled his hands or not. He used body language of a different sort. What St. Paul does is compare members of a church to parts of a body. Some of us are eyes, some ears. Some of us are mouths, some feet, and some of us noses, etc.
Paul’s message is a very simple one and yet it is also vital. Each of us is indispensable.
God of love, you are indispensable to me. In Jesus name, Amen
If we are mark’d to die, we are enough to do our country loss; and if to live, the fewer men, the greater share of honor…..
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home, will stand a tip-toe when this day is named And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age, will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbors, and say ‘To-morrow is Saint Crispian.’
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars, and say ‘These wounds I had on Crispian’s day.’
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot, but he’ll remember, with advantages, what feats he did that day.
Then shall our names, familiar in his mouth as household words – Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter, Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester – Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb’red.
This story shall the good man teach his son; And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by, from this day to the ending of the world, but we in it shall be remembered; We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile, this day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now-a-bed shall think themselves accurs’d they were not here, and hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks that fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.
As a Band of Brothers let us make the following commitments: I’ll cover your back, you cover mine
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10: Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him.
As a Band of Brothers: I’ll carry you when you are tired; you carry me when I’m tired.
Galatians 6:2: Carry each others burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
As a Band of Brothers: I’ll pray for you, you pray for me.
James 5:16: Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.
As a Band of Brothers: I’ll get in your face, you get in mine.
Proverbs 27:6: Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
As a Band of Brothers: I’ll be there for you, you be there for me.
Proverbs 27:17: As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.
As a Band of Brothers: I’ll encourage you, you encourage me.
1 Thessalonians 5:11: Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
As a Band of Brothers: I’ll meet with you, you meet with me.
Hebrews 10:25: Let us not give up meeting together, as some are In the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
As a Band of Brothers let us: Tell each other that we appreciate your hard work.
Thank each other for their service.
Encourage each other in their struggle.
Remember how blessed you have been by your brothers.
Tell your brother they are in our prayers.
Identify something positive about them.
Name their admirable qualities, now.
1 Corinthians 12: Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ … God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way. (Psalm 25:9)
Do you remember the story of a Texas man who was bragging on the “bigness” of everything in Texas? He was surprised when an “Okie” stepped up and agreed with him. “Yes”, said the Okie, “that’s right, everything’s big in Texas! Why, I once knew a Texan who was so big they couldn’t find a coffin big enough to bury him in when he died. “And what did they do?” asked the surprised Texan. “Well,” came the answer, “they just let the air out of him, and buried him in a shoe box!”
Being humble puts us in our place and, at times, may cause us some pain. But being humble also puts God first and helps us receive eternal life.
Dear God, remind me daily of the great gift of humility. In Jesus name, Amen.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6
Life has to be lived forwards but it can only be understood backwards.
If we could walk backwards through life, so many times of doubt and questioning would be erased from our path. But sadly, we would have missed those desperate moments of trusting in the Lord, and clinging to him for guidance.
“Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?” Job 12:12
Father, let me learn, and grow, from all that life has thrown at me and let me always remember that what the enemy has meant for evil, You have meant for my good; In Jesus name. Amen
“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:12-14
As we come to the end of the year, so often we look back with regret on things we did not accomplish or resolutions long forgotten. But sin is one thing we should never need to look back on with feelings of failure. If we have confessed our sins and asked God’s forgiveness, we simply need to keep a forward focus toward the goal of pleasing Christ.
Look not back on yesterday; So full of failure and regret; Look ahead and seek God’s way; All sin confessed you must forget.
“As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:12
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4.4-6)
Do you remember the Greek myth of Pandora’s box? In Greek mythology, Pandora was the first woman on the earth. Zeus wished to counteract the blessing of fire, which had been stolen from the gods by Prometheus and given to man. So he had Pandora created and given to Prometheus’ brother. Since she was stunningly beautiful, Prometheus’ brother did not object. But Pandora brought with her a box, also a gift from Zeus. They were warned to never open it. However, Pandora’s curiosity overcame her fear of what might lurk within the beautiful little box. She lifted the cover and immediately innumerable plagues flew from within its depths to journey all over the world plagues that afflicted the mind, the body, and the soul. In terror Pandora tried to shut the box, but it was too late. Only one thing remained in the box hope. Hope remained to comfort mankind in our misfortune. It is that hope we celebrate during this Christmas season.
The writer of the Gospel of John knew about the importance of hope. “The light shines in the darkness,” he wrote, “and the darkness has not overcome it.” And we are recipients of that hope.
Loving God, help me to share your hope in this sometimes dark world. In Jesus Name, Amen.
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