Merry Christmas from the Burns Family!

Vickie and I along with America's most adorable grandsons,

our 2-year-old Gavin and 5-year-old Joey,

pray that this is a blessed, Christ-filled season

and that the upcoming year be a testimony of the 

goodness of our God!

A Milestone

This week, allow me to deviate from the normal type of blog entry and do something that is extremely rare in this blog. Of the 270+ blog entries posted over the past 5 years, I've only written a handful of blog entries that deal with my personal life. I am keenly aware that I have readers from all over the world that each week look forward to the entries sharing insights for working together with the Holy Spirit. I rarely stray away from that type of entry. But, an important event has taken place this week that is far too important to ignore. So, I'll gladly pick up the Holy Ghost thoughts next week.

Yesterday, August 26th, I had the privilege to celebrate a milestone that few experience any more. In a time where marriage vows are ignored and few marriages survive for any length of time, I had the joy of marking my 35th anniversary of being married to the most beautiful, sweetest, godliest ladies in the world, Vickie Lee Segelquist Burns.

This easily could be the longest, wordiest blog entry that I have posted in the last 5 years. There is so much that I could share about this wonderful lady. For some 12,775 days (thank God for a calculator to help me with the arithmetic) we have walked together loving each other, honoring Christ and His assignment for our lives, family, and ministry. Together, we have traveled around our great nation and some 29 nations as evangelists, pastored several thousand children as children's pastors at the same church for 23 years, raised three incredible sons, fallen in love with a beautiful daughter (we don't use the phrase "in-law"), enjoyed 2 beautiful grandsons (a third grandchild is on its way), laughed and sometimes cried together, and loved each and every day that God has allowed us to share. Vickie is the reason for my first smile of the morning and my last sigh of fulfillment and joy at the end of the day. I am truly a blessed man.

Thank you Vickie for 35 wonderful years. I believe that our best days are yet to come as we continue to walk hand-in-hand, side-by-side. I love you.

Merry Christmas from the Burns Family!

Let me introduce the Burns family ...

Our 4-year-old grandson, Joey, is standing in front of Jason's beautiful wife, Elisabeth

Our oldest son, Jason, is holding our 19-month-old grandson, Gavin

I don't know of anyone I'd rather stand beside than my beautiful wife Vickie

Standing to our right and completing the Burns' household are our sons Michael and Aaron.

Vickie and I pray that this is a blessed, Christ-filled Christmas season

and that the upcoming year will be a testimony of the goodness of our God.

The Law of Sowing and Reaping

We knew that this day would eventually come. It was inevitable. Yesterday, Vickie and I walked away from Southeastern University with tears rolling down our cheeks and aching hearts as we left our youngest son, Aaron, to begin his freshman year of college. Even now, for fear of another gullywasher of tears, I push aside the memory of me giving Aaron a final hug and turning my back towards him as Vickie and I began that long walk back to our car. You would think that after going through this experience with our oldest son, Jason, and then our second son, Michael, this wouldn't be a major trauma. WRONG!

In my rollercoaster ride of emotions, I find a peace in knowing that while Aaron is out of our home and even our watchful eye, God is attentively caring for our son. We know that God has already placed people in strategic positions that will be at the right place at the right time ready to be there for our son. In Aaron's time of need, someone is already positioned to be there to provide what is needed.

How can I know this? In our conferences, I teach that one of the greatest reasons for being in this ministry is that the Law of Sowing and Reaping applies to what we do each and every week. Because we are faithful in ministering to and loving on other people's children, God is honor bound to minister to and love my children. For 31 years of children's ministry, Vickie and I have given our lives to being there for child after child. Now, as Aaron is at Southeastern University, we can expect God to have people ready be there for Aaron. That's enough reason to make me keep on keeping on in this ministry. How about you?

Merry Christmas from the Burns Family

Three Generations of Burns at Christmas!
Billy and Vickie and our FAVORITE grandson, Joey
Directly behind me is Elisabeth and Jason, our second son Michael
and to his right is our youngest son Aaron

Rarely am I a person of few words. Circle this blog. You'll never read another posting from me that is this short! But, today all that I can share in this blog is that Vickie and I wish you and yours a merry, Christ-filled Christmas!

A Family Moment

As I write this week's blog, it is Monday morning August 25. One year ago on this date, God placed the most beautiful baby boy into our lives, William Joseph (Joey) Burns. What a difference a year can make! Allow me to use this week's blog to celebrate this gift and show a few pictures of our favorite grandson.

I'm Only Human

Please forgive me. I'm only human. I know that pride comes before a fall. So, hopefully, you'll push aside the possibility that I've fallen into the entrapment of pride and consider this to be a mild case of being a grandparent.

I know that many of you receive the monthly Billy Burns Ministries Ignite Connection and see pictures of Joey. I just couldn't wait for the next email newsletter to be sent to you. If you don't get the newsletter, send me an email at billy@billyburnsministries.com.

If deliverance prayers are in order for me, go for it. If congrats on having one gorgeous grandson are in order, go for it!

God's Faithfulness

If you have ever attended any of our Ignite Conferences, you have heard me talk about how I love to circle important events and days on my calendar. This week one of those red letter days is occurring. On Saturday, Vickie and I will be attending our son Michael's graduation from Southeastern University. Michael is graduating with a degree in pastoral ministry and a minor in music. I will be doing my very best to hold back the tears of pride and try to refrain from shouting at the top of my lungs as he walks across the platform to receive his diploma.

I am proud of Michael in so many ways. Michael is a worshipper. He has a sensitive heart to the presence of God. You can see Michael leading worship at Southeastern by going to youtube.com and typing "thembx964" in the search engine. He has worked hard to pursue and prepare for the call of God upon his life. In fact, going to Southeastern has been a challenge in that he has had to pay his entire school bill. With some scholarships and a lot of hard work, Michael will be walking across the platform Saturday with his entire school bill paid. There aren't too many college graduates that can make that claim.

The reason for this blog (in addition to bragging on Michael) is to testify of God's faithfulness. In my 10 Reasons Why I am in Children's Ministry & Don't Plan to Quit teaching, I share in Point #10 that because of the Law of Sowing and Reaping, God is honor bound to take care of my children. For over 28 years, Vickie and I have loved on and ministered to tens of thousands of children. We have sowed into so many children's lives. Now, we can expect God to sow into and provide for our children. Michael is living proof of God's faithfulness!

Want to hear more about this? The 10 Reasons teaching is available on CD at http://www.billyburnsministries.com/.

I'm Thankful!

It's Thursday, Thanksgiving Day. I know that I promote that the blog will come out each Monday. I felt bad for a few minutes about being so late this week until I spent time checking out the other children's ministry blogs on the web. Most blogs that I found are as regular and predictable as a snowstorm in Houston. It does happen, but not too often. So, the feelings of regret and remorse didn't stick around for too long.

It is Thanksgiving Day. Vickie and I are up in Lakeland, Florida having the times of our lives. We have so much to be thankful for. Vickie and Elisabeth cooked a meal fit for a king. I guarantee that NO ONE can make a better turkey and dressing than Vickie! I won't even begin to brag on her pies. I'll just say that my waist was a whole lot smaller when I married her. Michael and I slept through the first quarter of the Cowboys/Jets game which proves that the Cowboys can win with or without me. I guess that Jason and Aaron were enough to motivate the Cowboys to another win. Our grandson Joey has been cranking out the smiles for us. What a day!

I need your help. We just mailed out over 1,500 brochures for the January Ignite the Supernatural Conference. While that is a lot of brochures, each of you knows someone that has yet to hear about the conference. Help us by pointing your friends to the website www.ignite-conference.com. There's not another conference like this in the nation. Let them know that they can register before December 1 for a special discounted registration rate.

One more thing. Help us get the word out that we are offering free registration to Senior Pastors. For details, Senior Pastors can visit www.ignite-conference.com/pastors.

A Parent's Dream Come True

The Burns Men

Michael, Jason and Joey, my Dad Bill Burns, me, and Aaron

After this past weekend, I've come to the conclusion that I need a face adjustment ... no, not plastic surgery ... just an adjustment. Why? Because I've grinned and smiled so big that my ears have become misaligned. Let me tell you what caused my facial disfiguration ....

First, in our Saturday night and two Sunday morning services, I watched my 15-year-old son, Aaron, do an awesome job communicating to Trinity's boys and girls. Believe me, in doing the object lesson, he outdid what I've seen many seasoned children's pastors do. That afternoon, Vickie, Aaron, and I drove to Lakeland to witness and participate in the baby dedication of my grandson, Joey, which was being held at Access. At the service that night, I watched my second son, Michael, lead the 80+ people into God's presence through praise and worship. Michael is a true worshipper and knows how to usher people into His presence. A young girl stood behind me with tears streaming down her face as she worshipped. Then, I sat and heard my old son, Jason, effectively communicate to the Access community (that's congregation for us older folks) about the call of God. I really can't put into words what I witnessed that night as the community of 20- and 30-year-olds, people who had at one time felt disenfranchised by the church, were connecting with God and each other. (You can learn more about Access at http://www.accesslakeland.org/.) And then we wrapped up the service by dedicating Joey to God. No wonder my Texas-size smile has discombobulated my face.

Proud? Probably. Thankful? Most definitely. Thanks God for three sons who love You, love Your Body, and are making a difference in their generation.