This may not be extremely helpful, but the word from the guys I've heard from for gifts is books, shoes/boots, thick boot socks, video games, fire pits, and clothes. Cash is good but I enjoy giving that about as much as I enjoy giving bad news. I always want details, and links are preferred, so everyone gets exactly what they want. That goes for guys and gals I'm shopping for. You may enjoy more the surprise gift giving, I used to as well!
Happy FRIYAY to all!
How appropriate that my husband has been leading us through a study in Philippians on joy. Christmas brings so much joy if we focus on the true meaning.
In Philippians 3:12-16, Paul speaks to us using athletic imagery. As we run the race of the Christian life, we want to be at a certain place at a particular stage of life. We need to be growing and developing.
The first and most important part is starting the race. Salvation is where we start, it's what qualifies us for the race. Paul had a holy dissatisfaction, meaning he was always wanting to know Jesus more. That should be our goal as well.
Eddie challenged us with the art of being focused. To stop dabbling in so many things and focus on that one thing we are called to. As Jesus told the rich young ruler "one thing you lack". As he told Martha "you are bothered by so many things".
Paul was obsessed with Jesus. Not with sports. We pour our money into worldly stuff, our energy into worldly pleasures, load our cars to go all kinds of places...what do we do for Jesus? What is our obsession?
As we raised our children, we would tell them be concerned with what you're supposed to do, not others. I've heard Eddie challenge staff to focus on your ministry and what you're called to do. Let's agree to focus on our calling and run our own race well. Let's not dabble in too much. Let's invest time, money, and energy into kingdom causes, things that will last.
Let's be obsessed with Jesus only.
Rise happened at 6:00. It was the normal, a tremendously great kind of normal, Rise gathering...the Holy Spirit was thick, there were tears, glory bumps, intense worship, great preaching.
When the young man leading worship begins by sharing his heart in such a transparent way including struggles and desire to follow Jesus more closely, you just know it's gonna be good. And it always is.
My son John preached from Acts 20:17-24, Symptoms of the Sent. It was challenging for all of us. I know it will cause me to continue examining myself to see how I line up with all Paul preached in those few verses.
John shared 5 symptoms, what it looks like to be one who is sent. 1)they're servants, 2) they're givers, 3) they're unashamed of the gospel, 4) they have a mandate, a sense of "I have to" not just "I want to", 5) they live to make much of Jesus. Jesus is their obsession.
Paul served with humility. Pride says serve me. Kingdom culture celebrates humility and making the kingdom priority will always be inconvenient.
From church folk and those so steeped in religion they need to be freed by grace to the lowest of the low, we all need Jesus.
Paul's "have to" was proclaiming Jesus. What is our "have to"? We are right here, placed here by God, at this particular time for a purpose, for such a time as this. What we do and where we are is our vehicle.
If you're looking for a planner, I can't live without one, check out Erin Condren and Anchored Press. I used Erin Condren this year and loved it. You can design it and personalize your cover. I'm going to try anchored press this year. It contains devotions and offers a spiritual taste to the planner.
One of my favorite places to shop is Dress Up. It's located downtown Greenville. The prices are very affordable and the style is suitable for all ages. I love their look. If you go by, speak to Noelle. She'll be my newest daughter come march 11th!
If you haven't heard, Rack Room has buy one get one free boots for a set time. I LOVE their boots. Hoping to get some over-the-knee SOON!
If you're shopping for jewelry, you don't have to leave your house. Jump online and shop Stella and Dot. It's my new favorite jewelry and my favorite stylist is my own daughter Chrissie Hux. If you shop by Saturday, you can shop my trunk show and I believe there's some sale goodies still available.
https://www.stelladot.com/ts/thsl6
And we LOVE books around our house. The Best Yes by Lysa TerKeurst is fabulous! People are raving about Beth Moore's new fiction The Undoing of Saint Silvanus. I haven't read it. Confession...I read very little fiction. I may read this one. Jennie Allen is one of my new favorite authors. She's not new. I'm just new to her books. She's the founder of If if you want to do some research.
If you need a break after shopping or between shopping, stop by either of my favorite coffee shops. My favorite barista Stephen will serve you something at Bella Latte in Duncan (actually he may be off but he'll be there throughout the season) or if you're in the Greer/Taylors area take a break at Due South where my other favorite barista will be happy to serve you something hot or cold.
If you're like me you may need an extra shot of espresso to get you through the day!
Coffee from both places is a great stocking stuffer or gift idea and both have super cute, very soft T-shirts! Another gift idea.
Some of my favorite gift ideas if you're looking for ideas for the hard to buy for:
Blanket scarves Warm fuzzy slippers like these Vera Wang
Naked eye shadow
Extra soft pjs for cold months ahead
I hear you!! What about the guys?!
I'll have to think about the guys a little more. They're the hard to buy for in our family. Maybe I'll do a post next time for them.
My own personal wish list...a new mattress, a fireplace console, our outdoor porch closed in...No!!! Just kidding everyone!! Here's my real Christmas list...
My request would be that the next month would go extremely slow, be filled with lots of family time, and the winter bring us at least 2 good snow storms with at least one of them putting all of us back under one roof again. And here's what I want even more than that...
That everyone who claims to be a Jesus follower would actively lead others to follow Him.
That addictions of every kind would be broken: drugs yes, but also the addiction to grumbling, criticizing, gossiping, pride, pettiness.
That we could love and get along with those not like us and embrace differences and turn from belief that we are always right and others wrong.
That we would try change, something different. Who knows? We may like it.
And lastly, realize how blessed we are and focus on that rather than focusing on all we're lacking.
And yes, all of this starts with me and my house. And all of those things are FREE!
We were also blessed by my husbands message from Philippians 3:10-11.
Eddie challenged us by asking if we knew what our purpose is. What is our chief desire? What keeps us awake and what do we wake up thinking about? Some of us don't know and others of us know but are easily sidetracked. We get swept into the tyranny of the urgent, trivial things. For Paul it was to know Jesus. Not just know who He was, but to know Him.
That should be our chief aim; to know Jesus and make Him known. Maybe He hasn't called us to go across the sea but every single one of us is called to go across the street.
Eddie asked us another question. He asked what is going on at Fairview that we can say only the power of God could make happen? He named some things, more than a few things. My question is could there be more things to add to that list? Could there be more salvations? Could their be more healed relationships and more freedom from addictions? I believe there could and should be a lot more.
It's starts, again my thought, by getting out of the church building and into our neighborhoods, sharing the gospel in the workplace and as we go!!
Sunday night we had the tremendous opportunity to participate in a special young man's ordination to the ministry. We first knew Hamilton Mathis as a middle schooler playing football. His family wasn't in our church but we quickly became friends with them. Our kids became fast friends and played sports. He and our daughter Jessica were probably best friends. They later joined our church and Hamilton served as an intern. He's just one of our very own.
After Eddie opened the service, his charge was given by another special young man. Eddie hired Stephen Mcneill when he wasn't much older than Hamilton and he and Morgan were a few months from getting married. He gave a great word about humility and passion and running the race. Stephen learned and grew and became probably our best staff member ever. Eddie values loyalty and staff who catch his vision and help him run with it and not against him and Stephen perfected that art over time. We are so proud of him. He's the only one Eddie has ever hired twice.
Another great word came from friend and pastor Steve Cloud. He's been around a while and coaches and trains now. He shared the reasons why some don't finish well and statistics tell us many don't. He talked about focus and the dangers of distraction. He talked about keeping our eyes on the prize and not settling for temporary pleasures. He spoke of overcoming discouragement and how to keep from always being unsettled and dissatisfied. It was a great word for those of us in ministry as well as any follower of Christ.
Sundays are definitely Fundays!
It was an amazing message and our pastor was on fire! It was a new word for some and a great reminder for others of us.
We are in Philippians and Sunday came from 3:1-9. We looked at Paul's resume in the form of a plus and minus column. No matter how good the plus side looks, Paul labeled it rubbish, garbage compared to knowing Christ. We would do well to remember that from the White House to the jail house, whether we are in an exclusive subdivision or a homeless shelter, we all receive salvation the same way, through Jesus and Him alone.
The question we are left with is what do you trust in to get to Heaven? Your stuff or Jesus?
Rise happened at 6pm and another one was on fire as he brought the Word! Justin Broome challenged us to sensor what we allow ourself to see and hear as the Enemy seeks to distract us and cause us to lose hope and set our hopes on people rather than God.
We were reminded as we looked at Babylon from the Old Testament and our modern day Babylon that no one can unify the world. We put our hopes in and place pressure on a president to bring unity but we know that only the blood of Jesus can unify.
We can choose a predictable wasted life or we can follow Jesus and be pushed out of our comfort zone. Following God isn't normal.
Rise worship was phenomenal again. These worship leaders have an anointing of the Spirit that is real and powerful. The Spirit moves unhindered and unquenched as young and old worship together in that place. It's a time I find myself longing for each week.
It was a super long Sunday but I'm not complaining. It was full of good stuff and good people and centered around a good God so it's a good tired. We managed to squeeze in family pics near the house between services and a quick leftovers lunch, wrapped up Entrusted women's bible study before Rise and then dinner before calling it a day. Enough of that and on to the main course.
We continued through Philippians at all services and saw how to have joy even as a backup in 2:19-30.
Timothy was Paul's backup and he played the role well. Eddie challenged us with being willing to serve and have Timothy's attitude of anywhere, anything, and to have the willingness to pay the cost.
To be a servant, we must have genuine concern. The reason we don't care is because too often we are wrapped up in our own self. There's not a lot of glory or recognition for working in the nursery or serving behind the scenes therefore like most churches we are lacking help. When some of us are asked to serve, the most common response is "I just don't have time". Everyone makes time for what they care about. The problem is we just don't care. We don't take time to share the gospel with the lost around us. Why? Time? Maybe we just don't genuinely care. God has given us all the ability we need to do what He has called us to do at this church, the issue is availability.
Why this pic? I don't know. I just really like it!
