Monday Morning Perspective

Ok, I know it's not Monday but it's been a hectic beginning of the week. I have to tell you I am still pumped from Sunday. What an incredible day in the life of our church. I have heard so many positive comments from people, so many who chose to attend both services. Everyone, at least those I was talking with, was so excited. It was absolutely heart pumping to look around and see such a crowd in both services. The new time helped add to our sunday school attendance, it certainly helped in my household. Just can't wait to see how God is going to show off and we get to be a part of it. Isn't He good?
Eddie kicked off a series on the fruit of the spirit. Great message on love, hope you didn't miss it. It was fab both times. Just a sideline, not meaning to use so many football phrases however with the SuperBowl approaching why not, anyway, have to say I loved Eddie's stye in the 11:11 service. I guess that's just how I know him best, relaxed in his casual wear. That's how he is when we sit and talk and he shares where the sermon is going with me. It just kinda seemed like we were sitting there talking about God's love with 800 people listening in. Ok, enough of that. You prob don't want to hear all that.
I am bummed that I will miss this Sunday. I'm going skiing with our high schoolers and college kids to chaperone. It's kind of last minute, but sometimes those turn out to be the best. I will be checking it out on podcast when I get home. I know it will be great so don't let anything keep you away. Invite! Invite! Invite! Let someone else in on the blessing that I know awaits.

I have to say that last night was true highlight of my life. Stephen, my 17 year old, preached his first sermon. Jacob, our student minister, has a real heart for teaching kids how to do ministry so he gave Stephen the opportunity last night to preach the message at the middle school worship service, LiveWire. I had talked to Stephen several weeks ago about knowing God's plan and the call on his life. One of the things I said to him was just keep taking the opportunities God brings your way. And that's just what he did last night. I'm so thankful for a student minister who sees potential in his youth and allows them to serve as he walks alongside them. I have an incredible amount of respect for Stephen as a baseball player. You see he's a pitcher and I can't for the life of me understand how someone throws a ball that hard and by the way they throw it make the ball do all sorts of things. It's beyond me I guess cause I'm a girl and I don't get it. I love to watch him play the game, his calmness, the way he seems so "in the zone" and comfortable on the mound. I'm just amazed by it. But I have to say my amazement at him went to an entirely new level as I sat and watched him preach. I've watched his dad preach since I was 17 and 26 years later I am still in awe of him and how clearly he presents God's Word. But let me tell you... to sit there with his dad and watch our 17 year old open the Word and preach his heart out to what is probably the hardest audience to speak to, middle schoolers, it's just beyond words. I have to admit, I am so excited to see how God is going to take his love for baseball and his talent to play the sport and his call to ministry and his love for the Lord, bind it all up and continue His good work in Stephen's life. I love to see God show off in the life of our teenagers.

A New Day

Inauguration Day. What a special day in the life of our country. I hope that none of us take for granted how blessed we are to live in America. Yes, I know there are problems. People are out of work, economy is bad, we have corrupt leaders in places, so on and so forth. But God has placed us here. He could have placed us in a lot of other countries, but praise God He didn't. He put us here with a purpose in mind. He has called us to be salt and light and make a difference for His kingdom. Are we doing that or are we just complaining about how bad things are? Are we busy fussing about our past president or our new president or are we praying for them? I heard a lady say the other day that she didn't vote for this new president and she wouldn't support him. How horrible is that. He's our president and God's Word commands that we pray for him and we trust God as He holds our leaders in His hand and He turns their hearts any way He chooses. I think sometimes we limit God and think that our well-being is based on who is in the white house or how the economy is going. Friends, God is limited by nothing and noone. He rules and reigns and He is the only One who can bring true change. Maybe that change needs to begin in our own hearts with our own attitudes. Let's pray for our country and our president and cling to God knowing that He is truly the one in charge. A shout out to former President Bush... thanks for all you did to keep us safe for the past 8 years. You showed leadership even in the toughest of times. And thanks for giving us a First Lady who always appeared to act like a First Lady. This new year may we all pray for President Obama and his family.

Monday morning perspective

What a Sunday! Had a great sunday school class with the 10th grade girls, just love them more and more. They are a great group of girls with so much potential.
We had the Lord's Supper in the morning worship service. That service just never loses meaning. Eddie does such a great job letting the elements speak for themselves. I also loved the story he shared of Tim Tebow and how his mother was counseled to abort him twice during her pregnancy. Just think what we would have lost if she had done that, not just a great quarterback who entertains many but a strong man of God who uses that athletic platform for the glory of Christ. Thanks Mrs. Tebow for following the counsel of the Lord.
What can be said about Elevate, our new worship for high school students?! WOW! The band did a great job leading in worship and the sermon was, in a word, powerful. Jacob held nothing back as he spoke to our students about leadership and living out in the world what they live within the church walls. There really is no room to be fake. That is a disastrous witness on all levels. All of us, adults as well as students, need to drop the mask and be real. It's not difficult at all to spot fakes. They tend to flounder around between living for God and living totally different when they don't think anyone is looking or "it won't get back". Problem is someone's always looking and it always gets back. Christ never takes his eyes off of us. Thanks Jacob for bringing it in such a challenging way.
Looking so forward to this week, so much going on. Spending lots of time on my face this week as several huge things are going on. Just seems like it's going to be one of those weeks that needs lots of prayer coverage. Thanks to those of you who have been so encouraging to me to continue on. I love you all and it is a joy to minister where God has placed us for such a time as this.

Sweet Reminders

Today has been one of the sweetest days. It actually started pretty rough. We were awakened about 3:30 this morning by our normally sweet dog, Allie barking and whining. She hardly ever does that but once she starts there's no stopping it and since I rarely go back to sleep after waking up, I thought this would be one long tiring day. Thankfully, I made Christ Lord of this day early knowing there would be no good thing in me without my much needed sleep. He has a way of making these days very sweet when I just yield to Him and trust me I don't always yield. Many times I give way to my tiredness and just allow myself to be grouchy thinking I've somehow earned the right to be that way. Oh well, Christ came through.

Started in to cleaning my house. I know that probably doesn't sound very enjoyable but I actually kinda like it. I am a self proclaimed neat freak. I always feel good when everything around me is clean. Satan was really trying to get his way, Allie peed on the kitchen floor right after I mopped. Soooo I remopped. Day got a little better. I got to have lunch with one of my favorite people in the whole world. She is actually the mother of the young man my daughter is dating and talking about marrying. We may get to be family one day. Had a great time with her just pouring over family and all that God is up to.

Got home and had a message from another friend. She shared with me what the bible study had meant to her that day and how she had overcome some obstacles to even be there. She told me of how God was working in her life and how He was faithfully seeing her through. It reminded me why we offer these bible studies. God's Word truly is living and active. It changes lives when we allow God to work His will in our lives in His own way and His own time. I feel so blessed to hear what God is doing through these studies. Please keep sharing them with me. I promise to keep them confidential unless you want them shared. You just bring such encouragement to me when you allow me to hear your stories.

The day ended with John's team winning their basketball game. I would say it's been a very good day. Hope you have had a good one as well.

Flashback to the past

Where to start with this one...The Lord put a friend on my heart the other week that I haven't caught up with in years. Our families were friends when we were growing up and we spent lots of time together. She was actually my brother's age, which was a little older than me, but we were extremely close. I decided to search her on facebook and of all things, facebook, we reconnected. Only God can bring friends together after so many many years and it feel like they were never apart. Must be Christ in us as she loves the Lord wholeheartedly. I began to read her journal and weep as she expressed all that the Lord has done in her life. You see her little girl who has Downs Syndrome has now been diagnosed with leukemia. She's fighting for her life and God is doing miracles in and through her. It was amazing to read how weeks before this diagnosis God had given her a vision of how she was going to be going through a very dark time but in the midst of it all she has been overwhelmed by His peace and felt His embrace as He has walked through this with them and at times carried them. She's felt His love and grown more in love with Him like never before. She's learned it's not about our actions or what we do or don't do. It's all about this love relationship and clinging to Him like He's all we really need...and isn't He? It

is times like these that the Lord just throws me down on my face before Him and I realize even moreso how blessed I am but also how He really never will leave us or forsake us. I can't even imagine what Keleigh's day to day life is like as she has 5 other children who need her as well, but when I see her walking this out with the Lord it has such a profound effect on me. Her testimony is so powerful and she has gotten to know Christ in a way that I cannot possibly know Him because I haven't walked this one out. Isn't it awesome to know how our relationship with Christ is so personal that we all can know Him in our own personal way, depending on what we're going through at the moment. I think about all the different names for God and how each one means who He can be for us, our healer, our redeemer, our salvation, our comforter. We serve an amazing God and the fact that He allows us to be in relationship with Him is a mind-blowing thing. I would love to ask you to pray with me for this family, the Collins, their daughter is Hannah Cate. Thanks in advance for adding them to your prayer list.

Our women on fire

Wow! You cannot believed how jacked I am over our women's ministry bible studies. We started a new Beth Moore study today on the book of Esther. Get this, we had over 100 women sign up for this study. I am just blown away. Not to mention we also have Disciplers going on Wed. morning with over 100 along with a childrens and teen program. God just continues to blow me out of the water when it comes to women hungering for His Word. I have said over and over it's not for the head knowledge alone, it's about His Word changing lives and impacting lives. Bible study was, is and always will be the foundation of our women's ministry. I have to admit at times being very discouraged at the number attending different things that we have done but as long as we continue in bible study I don't care if we do anything else. Keep it up ladies. Let me encourage you as well to practice memorizing scripture this year if you've never made a practice of it. We are called to renew our minds and we need to hide his Word in our hearts to draw upon it in times of need. I know I am going to try harder at this this year as well.
Well I have been homebound today and probably tomorrow as well. Jessica had her wisdom teeth removed today. She's done very well at times and felt very bad at times. Just praying a little extra mercy over her. I do like being home though. This is where my calling has always been and I love it. Got a lot of projects done and actually enjoyed nursing my baby girl. Praise God my kids have been relatively healthy so I don't have to play nurse too often. Well, since I will probably still be home tomorrow I will probably blog again. I'm getting pretty consistent at this. God Bless.

Monday morning perspective

Have to say that Sunday was an amazing time. Eddie did a great job with the first sermon of the new year. I don't like sermons that don't stomp on my toes a bit and this one definitely did. He talked about putting off the excess weight that drags us down, things that we need to lay aside such as fears, anger, envy, and doubt. He discussed establishing a new standard and setting some spiritual goals. I especially liked the part about maintaining a proper perspective and allowing Christ to live His life through us. Too often I have tried to do it on my own and it never turns out well. Being a Christian should never be about what we do but should always be who we are thanks to Christ living in us and through us. Homerun message, honey.
The kids went back to school today, at least three of them. It felt like the first day of school all over again. I miss them already I get so used to them being around. At least I still have my college child around, but only til tomorrow. Cannot believe it's time for her to head back to school. Did the holidays fly by for everyone or is it just me?! Oh well, gotta get on with my monday. Hope you all have a great one.

Happy New Year

2009 already. You must be kidding me. I know I am so bad at updating this, but it has been a busy end of the year. We have lived at the basketball games between John playing, Jessica playing and then cheering. It has been a great November and December. Thanksgiving was fabulous with family, and December has been without a doubt, awesome. Christmas is just amazing as we think of what God did sending his son, leaving all that heaven offers to come here for us. I never cease to be amazed. Getting to spend a week with family in Spartanburg was great as well. God has given me a true appreciation for making the most of those opportunities. And now here we are in Jan. I took a computer fast over the holidays. I just hate feeling controlled by anything like that so I just closed it up and tried to focus on the moment. So glad I did. I can't help but get excited about 2009 when I have been looking back at all God did in 2008. He did some amazing things and there were lots of changes. I have to say probably the most change in a years time that I can remember. I've tried to embrace more change, the last thing I enjoy is a rut. What can be enjoyable about a rut?! One of the things I ask every year of the Lord is that He would continue to change me and mold me into what I am to be for His glory. Change can be painful but only when you don't trust the one in charge of the change. My goal this year is the same as last year and probably the years before that and that is that I would just grow more and more in love with Jesus, not in love with what He can do for me, or give me but He Himself. I need to be more diligent in seeking Him and give Him more time and focus and let life be less and less about me. I want Him to work in my kids lives and as I see them grow closer to Him it really keeps me on my toes. I'm so thankful that nothing in our lives takes Him by surprise...how comforting is that. My other goal is that I am more accountable to this blogging thing. I just get started and I don't know when to end but I guess this would be a good place. Happy New Year to all.