Good News…Twice

Sometimes I wonder if the “one day” I hope for will ever make it’s way into the present.  I wake up with dreams and passions and hopes… then go through the day with one step in front of the other hoping the pieces of each day make something beautiful and meaningful “one day”.  I believe each day truly is a new day and if I do it courageously, honestly, obediently, and lovingly, something will come of it.  Sure, some days may be a step backward or absolutely nowhere, but if my goal is to be somewhere…I will get there in God’s timing. 

God has ordained our days.  My commitment to Him proves my trust in Him with my life.  Without Jesus in my life, I know I would be one of the most self-centered women on this planet.  I am grateful I live for Jesus Christ.

I got 2 good news’ last week!  2 in one week…amazing.  I can go months and even years with no good news, then get 2 in one week.  I thought it would just be another day of moving forward, not knowing something beautiful really would come of my past days.

I am inspired by the song Forward Motion from Thousand Foot Krutch’s “Welcome to the Masquerade” album.  It says: Let’s keep it moving in a forward motion, If we can hold on, we can cross this ocean, There’s no sense in letting our emotions, Get in the way, until the door keeps closin.  If we sort this out, would we know how to live like we were different, I know we’ve both had some doubts, whether things would come around, And look at us now.

It inspires me to keep moving in a forward motion in my thoughts, actions, beliefs, and words.  As I work toward a particular goal…I am NOT GOING TO GIVE UP!

Okay…my 2 good news’….1. Randall House has decided to publish my second Bible study.  It is called Back From Captivity and is a 6 week study on restoring your identity in Christ.

2. I have been approved from LifeWay to write devotional material.  My first assignment is to write 12 devotionals for the student publication KNOWN .

I continue moving in a forward motion knowing it really does get me somewhere TODAY!

Tune-In Women’s Conference

My church, Arrow Heights Baptist Church, is hosting a Women’s Conference called “Tune- In“. It is an all day event scheduled for Oct.3, 2009.  Our guest key-note speaker is Jen Hatmaker.  Jen is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist Univ. and is a pastor’s wife in TX.  Our guest worship leader is Amy Hill.  I just had the privilege of meeting Amy for the first time at the BGCO’s SWEET conference on Sept.29.  I am so excited about worshiping with Amy!

I will be leading a break-out session called: Beauty: Redefined.

There will be several more break-out sessions to attend.

Arrow Heights is located in Broken Arrow, OK.

Love to see you there!!

Impress Girls Ministry

 

Arrow Heights Baptist Church’s Student Ministry has added a supplement ministry which is a girl’s ministry.  Ok, so how many times can I fit “ministry” into one sentence?!  Anyway…what has made this such a special addition is that we began it when the church was in a “budget freeze”!  Too cool what God will ask of us knowing we are completely dependent on Him!  Our main focus thus far is guiding and unifying the lady youth workers.  It has been so wonderful to see how much we are already on the same page.  We had a leadership retreat back in the winter where we came up with our name -Impress.  It comes from Deut.6:7 “Impress upon your children…” The word “impress” means “to goad” which means to teach and to prod in the right direction.  So…we as lady youth workers and parents desire to point our girls in the youth group toward Jesus Christ.  We haven’t had a “big event” yet, but are slowly building this vital ministry.  One thing we are currently doing is a Walk-n-Talk every Tues. and Thurs. at a local high school track where students, moms, youth workers, and ladies in the church can get some exercise and venting time!  My ultimate goal is to see some mentoring relationships formed…naturally!

Does your church have a girl’s ministry?  What is something you like about it?

Falls Creek

 

The girls and I went to Falls Creek with Rich and the youth group last week.  Yes, the whole family went to camp for a week!!  My 13 yr old wasn’t thrilled about all of us tagging along, but I think she actually enjoyed having us there…wasn’t as bad as she thought! 

This is a picture of myself with my small group which consisted of 12th grade girls and college girls.  We had a blast studying God’s Word together every morning.  We discussed Jonathon, David & Saul.  I miss seeing their beautiful faces!! 

I hope you get an opportunity to go to a Christian camp this summer!  Life-changing experiences happen!  Supernatural experiences happen.  God moments happen.  It is worth it!!

What is your favorite moment from camp?

Back From Captivity

I finally finished writing my second Bible study entitled Back From Captivity.  It is also a 6 week study about restoring your identity in Christ.  It is written for men and woman of all ages.  It studies the O.T. when the Israelites came back home to Jerusalem after being in Babylon for 70 years where they were exiled.  When they returned to Jerusalem, they came home to rubble.  The wall had been destroyed along with their homes and the sacred temple. The study also focuses on the prodigal who returned home to live in the same house with his Father and older brother.  He came home with a shattered soul, but not hopeless.  In fact, the best is only yet to come for him.  Discovering our true inheritance in Christ is our greatest reward!

Please join me in prayer as my publisher will be viewing the proposal for the study this fall.  Thanks!!

Have you accomplished something lately you thought you never would?

Paul Alan’s song: To Bring You Back

Just bought a new CD this week.  I heard a song on Air 1 and absolutely fell in love with it.  I had to call the station to find out who sang it!  So…I went looking for the CD.  The song “To Bring You Back” is on Paul Alan’s Drive it Home CD.  I found it at Mardel’s…get this…in the “Rock” section!  Too cool!

So, for now this is my very favorite song.  If you happen to see me driving around with my windows down, I will probably be singing this song at the top of my lungs!

Here is a link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRZGoe31Isk

Hope you enjoy it as much as me!!

Happy Easter!

SHAPE Conference

Thanks Chisolm Heights Baptist Church(Mustang, OK) for inviting me to your SHAPE girls conference this past weekend!  How fun it was to fellowship with you all in the snow!  Who would have ever imagined 4″ of snow that last weekend of March?!

I really did enjoy meeting each of you and getting to know some of you!  What a great Chi girls ministry you have.  You all are so blessed with great women leaders and a church who believes in you!  I look forward to seeing you all again.

Thanks again for allowing me the privilege of joining God with you in His ministry!

Children Matter

I am currently reading a terrific book titled Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions by George Barna.  It is a book for parents as well as those serving in the ministry to children.  Middle school and high school students fall into the category of “children”.  This book truly edifies those who are investing their lives in the spiritual development of students.  And if you are not investing at this particular time in your life, the book inspires you to start!  I want to let you read a small portion. 

“Now, return to your true persona.  You are  lover and servant of God and therefore an enemy of Satan.  Given Satan’s single-minded purpose-destroy God and rule the universe-we can count on him to put his most destructive resources into play at the front lines of the eternal battle against God.  Where are those front lines? In the minds, hearts and souls of children.  Ever the strategic mastermind, Satan knows well that if you destroy the character and hope of children, you rule the world!  Satan is not omnipotent, but he is intelligent and clever-certainly sharp enough to realize  that if you win over children, you have won the war for at least one generation and probably more.”

Barna goes on to say:

“If we do a great job of training children to love God with all their heart, mind, strength and soul, then we will no longer have to invest time battling over moral and spiritual issues such as abortion, homosexuality, gambling and pornography.  The ways of God will flow naturally from the lives of the people who have embraced Him and His principles.  We could trust our children to do what is right, because entrenched in their heart, mind and soul is an unshakable understanding of what is right and a compelling desire to act accordingly.” 

So…off you go to do a “great job”!

See you on the battlefield!

My Granny

Wanted to take this moment to honor my Granny who passed away earlier this month at 90 years of age.  I got to speak a few words at her funeral at FBC, Shawnee, OK.  These were some of my words:

My favorite person in the world is my Granny.  Growing up in a home where our mother was sick 24/7  it felt like we took care of her more than she took care of us.  Our hearts were empty and longing for a mother’s love.  Granny filled the longings in my heart with her grandmotherly love.  My favorite childhood memories are in her home.  My favorite teenage memories are in her home.  My favorite college memories are in her home.  My favorite summer memories are in her home.  My favorite Christmas memories are in her home.  I think I would have to say that the best moments were when we spent the night in her house.  When it was time to go to bed she would pull down the freshly washed covers and turn on the lamp and tuck us into bed.  I can still smell the sheets.  She would sit on the side of the bed, hug us and remind us of how glad she was we were visiting.  When she left the room, I knew I was loved and safe.  We would awake to the smell of her homemade cinnamon rolls and hurry to the kitchen to indulge.  During the day Granny always made time for us by playing cards, taking us shopping, allowing us to bake in the kitchen with her, or taking an evening walk around the block.

She was my role model.  She lived her life as a godly wife, mother, friend, and child of God.  I can’t even begin to count how many times I drove in the car with her taking cinnamon rolls to families or listening as she delivered her Sunday School class lesson to and elderly woman not able to leave her home.  Granny had a deep love of the Bible.  Every Sat. you could find her in her back room studying for hours her Sunday School lessson for the next morning.

About 5 years ago when it was time for her to leave her home in Shawnee and move to OKC, I was able to help sort through her things and clean out her house.  I was also able to take some of the things she no longer could use.  If I could have only taken one item I would have chosen the front door.  I know that sounds odd, but the front door to her home represented the most loving welcome and good-bye I would ever know.  As young as I can remember, whether we were 5 or 25 she and Grandppa greeted us at the door with the warmest hug.  Then when it was time for us to leave she and Grandpa would stand outside the door waving good-bye till we were no longer in sight. 

I want to continue Granny’s legacy.  What she has imparted in me, I want to impart to my girls.  Her love for the Word, her devotion to her husband, her commitment to her community, her great cooking, her good manners, her ability to stick to a budget, and love for family and friends is what I want to pass on to the next generation.

See you at the front door in heaven, Granny!

Pics of Revolve Tour OKC

Revolve was awesome!  Natalie Grant was my favorite performance!!  I had a blast being there with my daughter, Braelyn, and all the other sweet girls from our church.  So cool to worship with godly girls!  The girls’ favorite performance by far was Hawk Nelson…I can hear them screaming now even as I type this!!  If anyone on stage mentioned “Hawk Nelson” the crowd would break out into this ear-altering, exuberant, piercing cheer.   To say the least, the crowd would go nuts.  It was fun!! If you notice the girls on the front row of the group pic, they are wearing the latest Hawk Nelson t-shirt.  I had read before I went to the event that there would be a “Parent Room”.  I just laughed and thought that was ridiculous.  Little did I know…the room ended up sounding quite appealing to me at one point!  I didn’t go, though…I lasted through the entire thing!  But, maybe next time, I may throw some ear plugs in my purse!

What was your favorite Revolve moment?