Ahhhhh Moment

Hey!  Just have to share an Ahhhhh Moment I had yesterday with you.  (Not to be confused with an Ah Ha moment!)

It was one of those times when everything stops.  I completely stopped in my tracks, took a deep breath, and listened intently to the sweet, sweet sound.  It was one of those moments where a flood of good memories poured forth from my memory bank.  It was one of those moments that made me long for what I used to have.  It was one of those moments when I just had to sit down and soak up the memories the sound consumed me with.  It was one of those moments that I was happy for those able to truly participate and listen and sad for me b/c  I had moved on to a different season in my life.

Okay.  I know you are dying to know what I heard that totally overtook my senses!  Just to let you know…it was definitely a “Jennifer” thing.  Probably only a few of you will be able to relate.  That’s okay…I want to share it with you nonetheless.

Yesterday (Monday), I walked into the Student Activities Building to take care of receipts, etc. with the student ministry assistant, then headed through the game room to my husband’s office, and it was there that my ahhhh moment occurred.  Through the wall coming from the classroom next door, I heard the sound of Beth Moore bringing the Word!!  In that next room the Esther Bible study was taking place which is Beth’s newest Bible study.  This is my very first time not participate or lead the newest Beth Bible study!  I can’t express to you how much my spirit and soul miss Beth and her newest Bible study.  Her studies fill me.  I am truly “full” after doing a daily lesson and from the weekly DVD.  I am happy for those able to participate and know that my time will come again soon.   In the meantime,I will get my spiritual food from God’s Word directly and from reading other books.  For all those who are participating right now in the Esther Bible study….soak it up, absorb it, hear God, and enjoy!!

Revolve Tour OKC

So pumped about taking 20+ girls from our youth ministry to the Revolve Tour Jan.30 & 31!! We have actually had tickets for over a year!  Great bands will be there as well as fantastic speakers.  I know we will have the time of our lives.  The best part is I get to take my oldest daughter, Braelyn, who is a 7th grader.  She doesn’t know it yet, but I have put her in the same hotel room as me!  I hope she won’t mind.  Truly our time at the hotel will be so limited…we will be at the Ford Center for most of our waking hours.  Can’t wait to tell you all all about our experience.  Hope each one of you will have an opportunity to attend one of the Revolve Tour events in your state.  We do have one ticket available…going for a mere $68 if anyone is interested!! 

Happy New Year!

Exciting News

I have a cool story to share.  My family and some friends of ours went camping over Fall Break to Greenleaf State Park near Muskogee.  We had a blast!  While we were there, I ran into a friend from church who I hadn’t seen in months!  In fact, she was my roomie when we went to Ethiopia 2 yrs ago.  Anyway…we started chit chatting and catching up on each other’s lives.  Out of nowhere, she told me she saw my book in Mardel’s.  I then said, “Is it blue?” She said “Yes”.  I said “Did it say ‘Royal By Blood’”?  She said “Yes”.  Needless to say I was in disbelief.  I mean, how could I not know this?!  Anyway I left the conversation in big time curiosity as to whether my book was really in Mardel’s or not.  So…when we got back into town the next day, I hurriedly took a shower then loaded the kids back up and headed straight for Mardel’s.  I searched my book on the shelves where I thought it would be located.  I couldn’t find it anywhere.  Then a sales clerk asked me if I needed help.  I told her I had heard they had the book “Royal By Blood”.  She knew exactly what I was talking about and quickly showed me where it was.  She then said, “They must be all sold out.”  But, then she found one.  She handed me the copy.  Unbelievable.  I asked her if all the Mardel’s carries this book.  She said that the people in OK City buy the books then send them to all the stores.  I then told her I was the author and that I wrote the book for college age girls.  She explained that since it is for college students, they are considered ‘adult’.  So, my book is located in the adult Bible study section under “non video”.

Wow!  What an answer to prayer!!  We have been praying that a Christian bookstore would carry Royal By Blood and praise God Mardel’s has agreed!!  What fun! 

This whole process of writing a book and watching God place it in the hands of those He wants to have it has been fascinating and glorious.  It gives me just the needed motivation to continue writing my second Bible study!

For those of you who have been praying the same prayer over and over again without any answer in sight…KEEP PRAYING!  As my mentor keeps reminding me – God is working even when we can’t see what He is doing.  I believe that.  He truly has something “up His sleeve” for you.  He is waiting for just the right time to hand it to you!

Confidence through Christ

My time in Arlington, TX for the SAGE Girls Ministry Conference was well worth my time.  I met some of the neatest ladies ministering in their local churches as a volunteer or as a paid staff person.  It is unbelievable the growing number of full-time/part-time girls ministers in churches across the nation.  When a church focuses their resources, time, money, energy, and love toward this generation of girls – I believe that is being on the offensive side of this battle we face with the enemy of our souls. 

The best thing I gained by attending the conference was confidence in myself to minister to girls.  I realize even more that my past, my experience in being a Student Pastor’s wife, and mother of 3 girls has much to offer the church.  So…that is what I feel challenged to do.  Offer more of my life experiences/wisdom to the church by serving the youth group girls and the women youth workers through the power of the Holy Spirit within me!

I will meet with the ladies currently serving as a youth worker in our church as either a Sunday School teacher, Wed night volunteer, Sunday night small group leader, or college student on Sat. Oct.25th for a night of fellowship and discussion and encouragement.

What do you feel God has specifically called you to give of yourself in the body of Christ, the church?

SAGE Ministries

I get to go to a girl’s ministry conference called Outfit 2008 with SAGE Ministries!  It is this weekend at Lamar Baptist Church in Arlington, TX.  I am excited about meeting real-live ladies whose real-live job is to be a girls minister at their church – what a dream job!  Seriously, how fun it would be to get to be involved with girls and their families as they are in the journey of discovering who they are and what their purpose is as God has ordained.  I would love to know if you happen to be attending this same event?!  I would love to meet you!  Pray for me as I seek the leadership of God in His direction for girls ministry at Arrow Heights Baptist Church.   I will be sure to let you know of the events of the conference!  In the meantime, enjoy the beautiful fall weather!!!

God wants to find me

In my research for my Bible study I am currently writing, I am reading The Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri Nouwen.  It has now become one of my all- time favorite books!  The book is deep to say the least.  It is absolutely fascinating that for years the author concentrated on the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15) that was inspired by a painting of the father and the son painted by Rembrandt.  I have never heard or seen of an inspiration like his!  I want to share some thoughts of Nouwen’s.  Please read slowly and embrace the revelation God, the Father, has to say to you. 

“It might sound strange, but God wants to find me as much as, if not more than, I want to find God.  Yes, God needs me as much as I need God.  God is not the patriarch who stays home, doesn’t move, and expects his children to come to him, apologize for their aberrant behavior, beg for forgiveness, and promise to do better.  To the contrary, he leaves the house, ignoring his dignity by running toward them, pays no heed to apologies and promises of change, and brings them to the table richly prepared for them.”

Nouwen raises a poignant question that I, in turn, ask you (as well as myself) – “Wouldn’t it be good to increase God’s joy by letting God find me and carry me home and celebrate my return with the angels?”

I don’t want to be like the older brother who didn’t want to join the celebration.  I join you in your celebration!  Will you join me in my celebration?

Marlee

I want you to meet someone very special to me…her name is Marlee.  I began babysitting her twice a week when she was 2 months old.  She is now 17 months old.  She is the granddaughter of a godly couple in our church.  Marlee has 3 older brothers!!  When she comes to my house she gets a house full of girls except for Rich, of course!  The most beautiful thing to me about Marlee is that she has never resisted my love and care for her.  She receives my love everytime!  Since she was 2 months old, she lets me rock her, cuddle her, feed her, hold her, and kiss her.  She doesn’t try to push me away or cry.  She lets me love on her!  I can’t begin to tell you what a gift she is to me!  She blesses my soul.  I wish I could be more like Marlee when it comes to my relationship with the Lord.  He has so much to give and bless me with.  He has so much He desires to share with me.  What keeps me from His embrace?  Why do I resist Him sometimes?  Why do I doubt that He has my best interest at heart?  I believe the more I spend alone worship times with Him I will understand more of who He is and actually want more of Him!  His door is open and His arms are filled with hugs and kisses!!

 

  

Our miracle- SonScape

This is Rich’s and my new family in the Lord!  By God’s sovereignty and graciousness He took us to a minister’s retreat center in Divide, Colorado called SonScape.  We were there for a week with 3 other couples serving in the ministry from different states and a host couple from Kansas.  God took us to the mountain to be under the leadership, teaching, and mentoring of an amazing couple who serve as the CEO’s of SonScape, Larry and Barbara Magnuson.  If you desire to bless a couple in the ministry in whatever capacity they serve- church, organization, or mission field SonScape would be a present of a lifetime!!  Thank you to our church family, Arrow Heights Baptist Church for allowing us the awesome privilege of attending.

Collegiate Week in Glorieta, NM

 

 

My family and I always enjoy our time in Glorieta for many reasons.  This year we took 5 college students to the conference.  One of my highlights of the week was watching each one of these 5 students grow in their relationship with the Lord.  Seriously, they grew by leaps and bounds in one inspiring week.  The setting is so perfect with the Rocky Mountains as our backdrop, temperatures no higher than 82, and God-seeking students and leaders everywhere!

We participated in group worship twice a day with over 1,000 people gathered from so many other states including Washington, Louisiana, Idaho, Arkansas, Texas…just to name a few. The morning worship was opened with Pearl Merchant as they led us in song.  Michael Kelley, editor of Threads, proclaimed the good news of the Kingdom! The evening worship was also led in song by Pearl Merchant.   Then, Dr.David Platt brought the Word! One evening we did a “secret church” where we listened from 7 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. to life-changing material!

I have been inspired, challenged and encouraged to search the mysteries of God’s Word which is treasure to my soul.  Not only were we literally in a higher elevation, but spiritually we were taken to a higher level in Christ.

Thanks to those at LifeWay who did an outstanding job to bring us all together for a fabulous week!

Hope to see you all there next year!

Right Time

I have taken the opportunity this summer to read many books.  I have not done any writing this summer, just reading.  I thoroughly look forward to getting back to the writing of my second Bible study as soon as my girls go back to school.  One book I am currently reading is God’s Leading Lady by T.D. Jakes.  Oh my goodness…I love it.  I love to hear him preach, but who knew how talented of a writer he is!?  He uses more fitting analogies than any other author I have read.  I just have to share with you a few paragraphs from Chapter 3.

He writes:  When you know the timing is right, you must act boldly.  As the old folks used to sing back in West Virginia, “It may be the last time, I don’t know.”  When you know that life has given you another chance and that this could be your last time, you seize it, like a contestant on a game show who slams the buzzer trying to get the correct answer in on time and win the prize.  Yes, timing is important, and who can tell what time it is for you?  Others who judge your radical moves at this juncture in your life neither understand your past nor glimpse your destiny.  They see you now, don’t know much about “then,” and fail to realize that there is someday still humming down in your soul.  They will not tell time by the same life clock that God has revealed to you.  They’re still running on Eastern Standard Time while you’re set to a new future on Divine Saving Time.  What risks has the Lord called you to act on?  Certainly you must be attuned to the voice of His Spirit in the timing of your endeavors, but once you receive the calling and the opportunity lies ripe before you, then you must not hesitate.  Make haste, my sister, and move ahead, even in the midst of criticism.  Courage must be your companion, as you do not have the luxury to linger with the fearful.  not when you are called to receive the ransomed reward of a faithful woman.  There is only a split second between the winner and the loser.  Move ahead now!  The Scriptures are clear on this matter; God takes no pleasure in those who draw back.

 

Isn’t that awesome?  Don’t you love the “Divine Saving Time”!  So cool!

So… what risk has the Lord called you to act on?