Jesus is the party!!!

James One: The Results Are In: JOY!!!

2012-01-12T11:54:00.014-05:00

James 1:2-3 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

Happy Nu Jeerth! We all love to embrace the new because it is so freeing to let go of the old! For the past six months I have been in "learn to persevere" mode so I, for one, was super ready to cross over into 2012 in hopes this particular training period would cease. God has been working on teaching me how to respond to a lot of different situations (trials of many kinds if you will) through perseverance training. It wasn't until October when I finally asked "what are we working on, LORD?", when He responded with this word in my heart: "perseverance." Then it all made sense. Perseverance training is sort of like a boot camp. It can be super intense for a season. But God is relentless and insistent that we stick with Him through it. Remaining under (Greek word-hupomene) His authority and cooperating with ample grace is our part. Actually, it's quite simple if you really consider what He is after. He is after our submission!!! And He sets us up to succeed. But we must choose to walk His way. Like a wild pony that needs to be broken, trials of many kinds are His way of "breaking" us while teaching us His way of holiness and making us strong in Christ along the way. Learning to persevere is a big deal to Him as is learning to follow! Glory is at stake and our joy hangs in the balance.

These are just a few of the trials He used on me. In June, right after we had just celebrated two college graduations within 20 hours of each other with one in Nashville and the other in Chicago....then throw in a canceled flight to Chicago due to weather and add an 8 hour drive instead to the second graduation, I was convinced that my summer would be calm and easy as I was completely ready to sip lemonade in a rocking chair on a porch. Not. Two weeks later, my 32 year old nephew who I love, moved in and the LORD allowed him to detox over an 8 day period of a hard core drug addiction in my very home. Honestly, I did not see that one coming! Probably best! We didn't know he had not already been delivered from his drug addiction when he moved in. But the LORD was HUGE and we made Psalm 23 our deliverance verses.....He makes me lie down in green carpet (vs. pastures)...the carpet in the bedroom in which he "layed" was hunter green so we just changed the wording up a bit to make it our own. God also lead him beside the "still waters" (it rained almost the entire week and his bed was right beside the window). We were making spiritual apps all over the place! God was leading him OUT of his past addiction even though he was flat on his back most of the time. MAKE NO MISTAKE. Even though he was still, HE WAS BEING LED. This was by far one of the most God-glorifying times I have ever experienced. I learned of a power of God through this that I had never known. Boomer, his yellow lab/golden retriever had also moved in with us and several vicious dog fights broke out between him and and our boxer, Boaz. This alone about drove me nuts! But God was enough for all of us and victory did come to all. PTL!

Various smaller trials ensued as they tend to do on earth. But then my dad experienced a sudden illness (sepsis, gallbladder pancreatitis) and nearly died. And after 7 days in the ICU plus 3 regular room days, his long recovery that began with a four week pit stop in the nursing home.

The trial for me at this point was being "there" for my mom. The week he got sick, I remember I had nothing written on my calendar. It didn't take long to figure out why God had cleared my schedule that entire week! She needed support! Mental, physical, emotional you name it. But she was a trooper and prayed voraciously for dad. She was not ready to let him go. Her real trial began when he came home and she became the numero uno caregiver. Talk about hard labor. But she was willing and able although it took a huge toll on her and she was in the thick of her own "trials of many kinds." But I learned that so much of how we "learn Christ" is also by being subjected to other people's trials. How we respond to situations and family issues and whatnot is as much our training as our own personal trials. Frustrated people frustrate people. Of this we can be sure. But God was teaching me how not to respond and it is most certainly by taking the "high road." Long story, long, Christmas came and we celebrated Jesus' birthday with "His" cake and with way to many presents for ourselves. Molly and Jason helped me "undeck the halls" the first week of the new year. All the ornaments had been removed from the tree and I decided to view it one last time before I turned the Christmas lights out. But, alas, I noticed one last ornament that hadn't been removed. I looked closer and there it was all spelled out in gold----JOY! I couldn't believe it. I knew God had made sure Molly left it there just for me. I asked her if she knew she had left one last ornament on the tree. She nonchalantly said she thought she had them all. I said to her, "You won't believe what was left! It was JOY!!!" I was sooo excited because I knew God was giving me my end of semester grade. It wasn't an A. It was better. I had gotten a "JOY." In school I was an average student and I didn't necessarily prioritize grades but this was a important to me. Joy does come when we stick it out with Christ. That's why James tells us to consider "it" before hand. It's because he knows it's coming!! We might do well to remember that.

Penn State Peril

2011-11-12T23:08:00.004-05:00

   I was on the Music Boat Cruise Wednesday night when all the details surrounding the Second Mile/Jerry Sandusky/association with Penn State and the longstanding sexual abuse scandal unfolded. I remember hearing earlier that afternoon on a scuba diving excursion that Joe Paterno had "retired" and didn't really think much about it assuming their season had ended or something normal had prompted his decision. But as I later watched the news conference and realized ALL that was going on, I was sickened and shocked by the disaster and felt so disgusted by the thought that a "program" was protected at all costs while the abused children were not. This, to me, says a lot about our spiritual health in America as a society. And we are VERY sick.

   For me, it was a pivotal moment as I assessed the sanctity of a young life and realized that the value was deemed inferior to a superior "white washed" football program and as a society, just how "sin sick" we actually are. As I processed the info, I quickly made a spiritual app regarding hidden sin and the time bomb it becomes when not dealt with. Sin that is not dealt with promptly and properly (confession and genuine repentance all the while getting to KNOW God through His word) will ultimately be exposed in a hot mess such as this. The opportunity to deal with the situation presented itself 10 years ago. But unfortunately, it was swept under the astroturf. But sin management doesn't work for long! Hello, Christian America?!! God was always right!! Why are we so prone to unbelief?! Can't we learn anything in the classroom?! I wonder how many times the Holy Spirit convicted those involved, however "indirectly," and the Holy Spirit was ignored. That is so dangerous because the Scriptures speak of this and the results are horrendous! Perpetually hardened hearts are eventually given over to depravity. I know that all of the "innocent" bystanders would have been miserable if they in fact chose to ignore the Spirit. Surely the "thought's" came; thoughts of calling the police and righting the wrong on so many levels. But then you block them and try to ignore them by distracting yourself or justifying yourself or whatever it takes to move on. We've all done this to some extent or another.....entertain doing the right thing but choosing not to. Failure to deal with your sin will always cost you and those closest to you more the longer you postpone it.

   As Penn State now knows all too clearly, what may have been a slight bruise to the program 10 years ago, is now a mortal injury. Actually I think exposing Jerry Sandusky and the sham at THAT time would have deemed Joe Paterno and all of Penn State University as a heros. But THEY chose to believe a lie from the pit that it's better to keep such things in the dark....out of sight out of mind. Doubtful! I bet it crossed everyone's minds that knew about it more than they will admit.

   As a Christian, I know that sin exposed to The Light is how the healing begins. Light heals. God gives us the opportunity to TURN from our sin but when we choose to continue down the path of rebellion and deceive ourselves into believing that it will all work out just the same with no dire consequences, we are genuinely deceived.

   Good News: Before the Penn State vs. Nebraska game today, both teams came together mid-field and got on their knees in unity as Nebraska assistant coach, Rob Brown, lead a time of prayer. I was praising God for that prayer time for the abused children. I know that bringing it out into the light in humility and unity was a huge godly step. I am not going to use this opportunity to bash or criticize how Penn State handled this horrible ordeal. But what I can do is examine my heart and ask the LORD to shine His light on it and reveal to me anything offensive, hurtful or damaging to His character that might be dwelling in me. I am learning that it's easier to deal with sin upfront than to sweep it under the rug and pretend it isn't there.

Oh, LORD, pour out Your Spirit on us and may we return to you and the fear of the LORD.

Luke 8:17 “For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light.

John 8:12 "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

Love Is The Greatest Commandment

2011-08-26T08:55:00.000-04:00

Most of us know the Greatest Commandment and if you don't, no worries. Here it is.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." Mark 12:30 NIV

In April 2009, I made a road-trip to Nashville where my daughter was a junior in college at Belmont University. The following day, I dropped her off at school as I had planned to head over to the Opry Mills Mall and shop for a couple of hours while she was in class. I told her that I would be back to get her. Only as I began to leave, I felt compelled to stay and pray on the campus. The only way I can explain it is that I had trouble walking away to my car because I didn't have peace about leaving. I wrestled it out for a moment as I really had my heart set on quality shopping time. But the LORD had a different agenda for me. He wanted me to stay on campus and pray and walk and pray some more. Lord knows the prayers that are needed on our college campuses today so I obeyed the Spirit and did just that. I basically began to pray whatever came to my mind in regards to possible things that the students could've been dealing with such as various strongholds, temptations, secular verses Christian worldview issues plus other various petitions. I kept waiting for the Spirit to release me to go to the outlet mall. After all, Pastor Ken spoke once in a sermon about the importance of having outlets!! Surely this is what he meant!! Haha. At least that's how I interpreted that particular sermon! But He did not release me. So I stayed and prayed what was on my heart for the students of that campus. After a little while, I walked to another section of the campus and began to ask God if there was "anything in particular He wanted me to pray?" He immediately spoke to me and said, "Love," to which I retorted, "Oh, pray that they would love each other." And He said, "No. Pray that they would love ME." I immediately had an "aha" moment because it became clear to me that if they loved HIM, they would love each other as well. Loving God would have a domino effect that would topple over to others. Our capacity to love others as well as ourselves would depend on our supernatural agape love for Him. So I quickly began to cry out, "Oh LORD, I pray for them to love YOU!" Over and over I prayed this. And it was so simple! God boiled it down for me when I asked Him. Imagine that! Ye have not because ye ask not! What if we asked God for His prayer requests? Maybe some of you do. But this was a new revelation to me. Up until this point, I assumed I knew what ought to be lifted up in prayer. Hmmm. God taught me something that day. And I realized that had I ignored His prompting to stay and pray and shopped instead, I may have come away with a cute dress or darling top but nothing of real eternal value. I believe by faith that the students and professors must have benefited from my obedience that day. Although we often don't know or have the ability to measure the outcome of our petitions and prayers, God does. And sometimes He does give us a glimpse of how HE IS answering. When I returned in the fall for another visit, two particular girls told me on two separate occasions how God was working in their life and how they had been growing in their faith. They knew nothing of my prayer time back in the spring. They went out of their way to enthusiastically share this with me. Both had been prodigals for quite some time before that. Later, after pondering what they had shared, it occurred to me that God was letting me in on something! He wanted me to know that my prayers had made a difference!!

Bottom line. There is a time for everything under the sun; a time to shop and a time to pray. Also, we would do well to ask Him on occasion if HE has any prayer requests and PRAY TO LOVE GOD over the next few weeks. Let's ask the Father of Love to give us what we lack and teach us how to honor His Greatest Commandment. This IS His Will.

Why Jesus IS The Party!!!

2011-08-17T10:12:00.001-04:00

Jonathan (L) and Jordy (R)

In the fall of 2005, my step-son, Jonathan, moved into his dorm room at Marshall University. After carrying multiple loads of "freshman stuff" up and helping him to get settled in, it was time to say goodbye. I wanted to say something profound that would stick in his brain for-ev-ah! I grabbed his Bible and wrote, "Have a great time, but remember, Jesus IS the party!!! I had never used that phrase or even thought of it until that moment. But in remembering what I knew as a college freshman myself back in the Fall of 1980 at the University of Kentucky versus what I know now, that was the best way I could think of to articulate what I wanted him to know from me. I gave him a phrase that just boiled it all down. Granted it took me many years to come to this conclusion, I had higher hopes that he would not flounder in the desert for as many years as I had before I came around. The Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years. I suppose that is the average time it takes for Christians to come to their senses!! Fast forward six years, Jonathan, like I had, has done some serious false partying. But I can honestly say today that he is way ahead of where I was at his age and is earnestly seeking the LORD. PTL!!

Dr. McDreamy (from Oct. 20, 2010)

2011-07-22T14:08:00.000-04:00

March 27, 1999
Molly, Lauren, Sophie, Me, Mike, Jonathan, and Jason

Show Us Your Life at Kelly’s Korner is asking for bloggers to submit their best marriage advice and although I wrote this back in October of last year, I submit this post today as my best marriage advice evah!

Today I wanted to share about something Mike and I do whenever we have an argument, disagreement or any type of conflict or strife. Approximately six or seven years ago, we started a conflict resolution solution that seriously works to the point of healing all grudges, bitterness, friction and gunk! The Lord taught this method of conflict resoulution to us and it is completely failproof because it is of Him.

Whenever the "fight or conflict" occurs, the "bigger" Christian (a.k.a. most willing to humble them self) at the time will encourage the other to walk together to a quiet place (bedroom) where we both get on our knees and pray something like, "Father, we have sinned againstYou. We ask for Your forgiveness in dishonoring You by how we have spoken or treated each other. Then we look at one another and ask forgiveness of each other. We tell each other we are sorry. We ask the LORD to completely heal the hurt and pain we've inflicted upon one another (and we mean it! If not, repeat the process!!! This takes humbling oneself). By humbling ourselves before the LORD, He has never failed to come through and completely heal our wounds. This way, we never carry unforgiveness into the relationship and thus, our marriage remains healthy. I am not saying this is easy. Pride is stubborn and admitting our wrongs is terribly hard at times. But if you choose to trust God and go with Him here, HE works!! He heals!!! Usually within one hour, the feeling of hostility subsides toward my mate as God supernaturally displaces it with love. This IS supernatural!!! I completely forget the angst or inner turmoil that previously consumed me. Then when I see or hang with him as our day progresses, he is back to "Dr. McDreamy" to me in my heart and in my mind. Only the supernatural power of God's Holy Spirit can do that kind of divine work.

Hanging onto unforgiveness can kill a marriage! We know. This is the second marriage for both of us. Oh, wait, one more tidbit of advice......PRAY TOGETHER. Push through any awkwardness and do it!!!! Pray, pray, pray!!!! That is all.

James 4:7-10 says it perfectly, "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you......Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up."

Also, 1 Peter 5:5b says, "All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

Psalm 51:4a "Against You, You only, have I sinned." (NIV note: David acknowledges that his sin was preeminently against God)

May Oh and June Oh

2011-06-20T17:36:00.000-04:00

May began with the Greenup County National Day of Prayer walk and quickly followed were two college graduations within 20 hours of each other.....one in Nashville and the other, Chicago. No problem we thought. We can just fly everywhere we need to go. RRRRrrrrrrightttt! Except that every time we went to the airport, there was an issue about getting from A to B. "Your flight is delayed, you will miss your connection in Charlotte, we don't have seats to accommodate you on a later flight to Nashville, Your Chicago flight is canceled, blah, blah, blah, capeesh?! No problem. We know somebody. So we prayed to the LORD our God and every time, He worked it out! We arrived at our destinations in time and we KNEW who was on the throne! He even worked it out so we could drive to Chicago in order that Molly could join us. Long story short, He works!!

June was supposed to be a low key month as we didn't plan many activities in order than we would be available for the birth of Silas Jason Tucker in Louisville. We did host a community kitchen fundraiser dinner "A taste of New Orleans," which was a blast and a blessing!! We did all the cooking ourselves and since this was our signature food, it was easy.......bayou spicy shrimp appetizer, uptown salad with red leaf lettuce pears, pecans, blue cheese and homemade balsamic vinaigrette. The soup was a French Quarter chicken, andouille, and oyster gumbo over rice and the entrees were chicken and sausage jambalaya as well as craw fish etouffee. The dessert was my fav bread pudding recipe with whiskey sauce and, of course, pralines with cafe' a lait. The community kitchen held dinners in 5 other homes, all of which had different themes. They raised approx. $6000 to help supply food for the year

Then, Molly left for Camp Hollymont, Silas was born, Jason, my nephew moved in with us to get free (detox) from a serious drug addiction, seven difficult but sacred days PTL, as the LORD was His Shepherd who made him lie down on hunter green carpet, we adopted his dog, Boomer (named after Boomer Esiason), who loves to pick fights with our boxer, Boaz. Both are currently bitter and holding onto unforgiveness, jealousy and stubbornness. Why, LORD, can't they just love one another?! Jonny turned 25!!

But in all of this, God revealed His unequaled greatness and we knew He was with us and ordaining our months according to His will. We embraced what He had arranged for us. Galatians 3:11 says, "The righteous will live by faith." (NIV) But the Message translation says it best, "Those who live in right relationship with God will do so by embracing what He arranges for them." He taught me that verse at the Opryland Hotel back in 2005 via a sub-par room.

King Of The Road (Trip)

2011-04-18T09:13:00.001-04:00

As I was reading The One Year Bible for March 31, 2011, I was a bit frazzled trying to get my act together to leave town for Nashville by noonish. Molly's senior sorority brunch was on for Saturday and I had never attended so this was the year to make that happen. But Mike was on call for both hospitals and as always, when he is on call, I might as well be on call because my week is notoriously just as hectic. This has been the case for many years now. But that particular morning, I wanted peace to reign in my heart and mind but guilt and chaos were clearly at the helm. Guilt loves to mess with me by saying things like, "Probably isn't the best time for you to leave your domestic responsibilities and such and don't forget the difficulties you mother is experiencing with your dad and wouldn't it be easier if you stayed here to help out? Blaty blaty blah...." So the war wages on in my mind to quench my road-trip excitement. But low and behold, God's Word came in like a superhero to save the day!!! As I read from Deuteronomy 16, the passage spoke of the Festival of Shelters or Tabernacles. When I got to verse 14, it read, "This will be a HAPPY TIME of celebrating with your DAUGHTER....and in verse 15, these words leapt off the page. "You MUST CELEBRATE this festival to honor the LORD your God at the place He chooses, for it is He who blesses you with bountiful harvests and gives you success in all your work. THIS FESTIVAL (celebratory trip to Nashville) WILL BE A TIME OF GREAT JOY FOR ALL." I knew that God had spoken to me from an unlikely place in Scripture but it was Him and I knew it. Woo hoo! I had been given a " divine guilt-free hall pass" to go to Nashville and celebrate with Molly all that the LORD had done over the past four years. He had brought me through empty nest-hood and revealed Himself in a mighty way in Molly's life as well. I needed to know that He was sending me on this road-trip and He revealed that this was His will. So now I could tell the enemy to back off and shut thee up! I was headed to Nashville to have a blast with my daughter for her AST parent's weekend. To sum up His message to me, "Now go have fun and reflect on all I have done for you both!!!" Yes Sir!!!

If anyone thinks that reading the Bible doesn't make a difference in your day, weekend or life, I beg to differ!!! God used Deuteronomy 16:14-15 to fight the enemy of my soul and to prevent him from stealing a precious time that was meant to be celebrated and enjoyed. John 10:10 says that, "The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy but Jesus came that we may have life and have it more abundantly." God's Word to me on that particular day was a loss prevention word. I had an amazing time of great joy with Molly in Nashville. Thank you, LORD!!!

Jason M. Goodwin: Five Years Since You Went To Heaven 2/19/06

2011-02-20T14:41:00.000-05:00

I remember it like yesterday, February, 19 2006. My brother called and said, "Hey Sis, are you gonna be home for a while 'cause I need to come and talk to you?" I told him that I was on my way home from church and that we would be there all afternoon. I remember thinking immediately that something was wrong but I erroneously assumed that it was something that had to do with mom or dad. So I told Mike what Jim had spoken to me and immediately proceeded to call mom and dad to check on them. They were both fine. So I waited. The next thing I saw was surreal....my policeman brother, Pastor Ken and a state trooper walking down our driveway. I shouted out to Jonathan, "Did you get into any trouble last night?" He shouted back from the basement, "No." By then they were at the door. Mike answered it as I procrastinated heading that way by fidgeting with some groceries I was putting away in the fridge. It was as if I could prevent hearing what I was about to hear by avoiding the door. But I slowly walked over. Jim looked at us and asked us if Jason lived on Sheridan Drive in Lexington to which I replied, "Yes." He then said that he had been killed in a car wreck earlier that morning. Our jaws dropped and we were in a state of disbelief. Jason had just been at our house earlier that morning on his way home from snowboarding at Snowshow as he headed back to U.K. He and two buddies, Justin and Peter, stopped in around 5:00a.m. to let us know that they were traveling on back to Lexington instead of staying with us and going to church later that morning. I didn't even get up when Mike told me that the guys were down in the kitchen. Vanity I guess. But I asked Mike to get a picture of them and then said never mind because I knew Jason would kill me for requesting a photo shoot at 5am. Mike gave them McDonald's money and told them to be careful. Approximately two hours later, the driver fell asleep just past the Mt. Sterling rest stop. The jeep veered off I-64 westbound milemarker 109 and flipped over and eventually landed right sight up in a ravine. The driver managed to crawl up the hill to the interstate where a passing motorist stopped to help. They called 911. Justin was airlifted to UK Medical Center in critical condition and Jason was pronounced dead at the scene.

In the meantime, we went about our Sunday morning as usual looking forward to worshiping at our home church, FBCR, because the weekend before our new sanctuary had opened while we were on a trip to the Bahamas and had to miss it. Mike was finishing up his last day of call week for both hospitals and it had been an unusually hectic call. I was so looking forward to resting and chilling out after church. We always eat out after church but on THIS DAY, we decided to go home. Sophie, Molly and Jonny were all staying with us that weekend.

Upon receiving the news, Mike and I broke down and cried and I remember Mike praying and asking God to be huge for us right then. I remember thinking the thought of how could someone so healthy and large be gone just like that?

The kids were all downstairs and weren't aware of what we had been told. Mike called them up to the kitchen and had them sit down and gave them the news, "Jason's dead." It was profoundly difficult to not only receive that news but then have to tell the kids those devastating words was almost beyond bearable. The kids listened. Then they cried. My brother, Jim, and Pastor Ken were still there but the state trooper had left. God had surrounded us with two people who knew and loved us to tell us what no parent or sibling ever wants to hear.

I immediately began to evaluate what had taken place on the last day I had seem him which was Friday, Feb. 17. He and his friends stopped in to spend the night as they traveled to ski and snowboard at Snowshoe, WV. Jason bear-hugged me like never before when he came in the door and then we laughed because Calvin , the Jack Russell from next door, was wearing a cone because of an injury and he wouldn't stop jumping at the door. The thought that I should call the kids to come home popped into my head. I now know why I had the wherewithal to call Molly, Jonny, and Sophie, as they were all out with friends on a normal Friday night. The Holy Spirit had prompted me to! So when Jason showed up, I immediately called all three of them and said, "hey your brother is home. You need to come home so you can see him." And within like 15-30 minutes, they all showed up(a miracle in and of itself). We all hung out together in the TV room and talked. Mike bonded with Peter which would be an important detail two days from then. Jason had asked me if we were still thinking about medical missions somewhere. He told me that he would be interested in going with us sometime. And Mike laughed at the thought of Jason being a mechanical engineering missionary. After Mike and I had gone to bed, they all stayed up and played pool together. God had orchestrated a "goodbye" if you will.

Molly and Jason talked about the Brad Paisley/Dolly Parton song, "When I Get Where I'm Going," to the point that when it came time to pick a song for the funeral slide show, she knew exactly the one it would be. After a few minutes of trying to process the news, we each went into action mode as best we saw fit. The kids got out photo albums and began looking at pictures of Jason and talking about him. Mike had the task of calling Jason's mother, Mary, who was in Lake Charles, Louisiana, visiting her elderly mother. I listened to him speak to her on the phone. I knew giving that news to her would be horrible. Mike doesn't mince words so when I heard him say, "Jason's dead," I cringed. I guess I would have worded it differently maybe hoping to soften the blow a bit by saying, "Jason was in a car wreck and has passed away." But in the end, he was right. Jason WAS dead. Poor Mary. She was at lunch with her mother and she fell to the ground. Then she had to make arrangements to travel from LA to KY. It took her two days to get to our house. Lauren was next. She was a senior in college at Warren Wilson in Asheville, NC. He gave her the news and thankfully, Joel was with her and was able to drive her home. My brother called my parents and sister. Dad was in Russell and mom was at the beach. After that, I don't remember how people found out. I don't think I called anyone. But within the hour, the youth group from our church was at our house which was also a good thing for all of us. Then people started bringing food. It's sort of a blur. But not really. Had we still been drinking, we would have popped open the wine and begun to medicate. By God's grace, that didn't happen. He was enough. We felt the pain of it instead of becoming numb to it. We made arrangements to fly mom home the next day. We began to think about the funeral service. Just when you don't want to have to think, that is all you do when something like this happens. You make decisions. Times, dates, places, etc. And you have to write. Obits. Everything it seems is all about making decisions. Maybe God wants it that way to keep the family talking. After all we had been through with Jason......drugs, alcohol, arrests, rehab, salvation, walking in victory with Jesus Christ, this was how it was going down?! In the blink of an eye. And we had to trust God. So we did. Thankfully, we had some history with Him and we KNEW He was good, merciful, loving, compassionate, affectionate, and so much more. He was our loving Father. We knew Him. We trusted His decisions. A time to be born. A time to die. Not our will but His was done. So we committed to glorify Him through Jason's funeral.

When a young person dies, people in the community notice. It beckons them to question their own mortality. If I died today, what would happen to me? This is an important question and most of us avoid it like the plague. But God's Word says that it's better to go to funerals than parties(Ecc. 7:2 NLT). They force us to look at our lives and examine our eternal destiny. This is a GOOD thing.

Jason had made a decision for Christ 4 years prior to his death. And he lived the last 4, for the glory of God. He was an awesome young man of God. And God used him. Bottom line: Jason loved God and people. The two priority commandments he followed. As you can see, it's not how you start but how you finish. We are so proud of Jason's finish. I hope the testimonies by his friends will prompt us all to examine ourselves and what we are living for. Jason wasn't perfect. But His Savior was.

By the way, my brother never works the "beat" he worked the day he got the call to go and help a state trooper find an address to deliver a death notice. But God ordained it for THAT day so that HE could deliver the news to us by people who knew and loved us. When Jim found out who the death notice was for, he immediately called Pastor Ken. God is so loving, even when He gives us bad news.

A Siesta Hello and a Happy SMT Update

2011-01-13T20:37:00.000-05:00

A Siesta Hello and a Happy SMT Update

Help The Haitians, With Your Prayers

2011-01-10T17:54:00.000-05:00

I was invited by a local church recently to go to Haiti at the end of February and participate in orphanage work and speak at their ladies day event. Needless to say, I was excited and humbled to receive the invitation and wondered if God was leading me to do something so radical. I knew I needed to hear clearly from Him ASAP in order to make preparations to go seeing as the trip was just around the corner. I asked Mike to pray about it. I also asked one other friend to be in prayer. I knew that we had other ministry obligations going on but I told the LORD that I wanted to do His will. A couple of days later, I got on my face and asked God to speak to me and give me wisdom about the trip. Within a minute or so, I sensed Him say, "Help the Haitians." At first I thought I got a green light to go. But He continued a few seconds later with the words, "with your prayers." So then and there I had my divine instructions. I would not be going to Haiti. But I would be praying for them and thereby helping them.

It has been almost one year since the devastating earthquake struck that country and I have prayed for the people there off and on since. But now I will be listening for specific prayer prompts in response to this new mandate. Lord, teach me how to pray for those precious people. The thing I love most about hearing from God over ministry assignments is KNOWING that IT WAS HIM, so that I don't ever have to second guess myself. I am just free to pray and serve. And that peace that surpasses all understanding will guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus is priceless!!

Cash Express

2010-12-26T16:10:00.000-05:00

Processing this CHRISTmas has begun as I clean up boxes, tissue paper and bows and put them in their proper places. We aren't into saving whales and such at my house but everyone knows the importance of and often shouts out while people are opening their gifts, "save the bows." Bows are not on the extinction list or anything but it is an important cause and everyone in my house knows our position on this. As I sifted through the "stuff" to discern trash from treasure, I came upon an envelope that was specifically designed to hold money. I opened it up knowing that more than likely the receiver of this gift had in NO WAY forgotten to grab the loot and sure enough, it was empty of cash that was most likely tucked away safely in said wallet. But as I pondered why the actual card and envelope were not worthy of keeping as well, a thought occurred to me. I, too, have made sure to grab what was inside while disregarding the message my heavenly Father had given me. What I mean to say is that I am so very quick to receive a gift while leaving behind the card it came in which is just as much a part of the gift. God blesses us frequently and we are quick to get the blessing out of the package while leaving the card. In other words, all we want is what HE can give us without getting HIM. In this scenario, He is the card and the money is the blessing. My point is that all we really want is His cash. We open the gift, grab what's inside and quickly move on to our other gifts. But if God is represented by the card and message it speaks, we discard the true Gift. Joy, hope, peace, and love were the words that graced the front of this particular card and infer that He is willing to give that away as well. A relationship with Him would be characterized by joy, hope, peace, and love would it not? So if all we want is the loot, we forfeit the divine joy, hope, peace, and love. What if God was speaking to me through those words and I just glossed over them to see the $$$, then tossed the card aside but grabbed the cash, thus never receiving the most valuable part of the gift. It happens all the time. We miss the greatest gift of all, a relationship with the Giver, when all we really want is what He can give us. LORD, change my heart and that of my families to want YOU more than anything! Don't let us miss the greatest gift of all.....a relationship with You. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Eli Stone.....Not Gonna Watch It Anymore

2010-12-06T08:46:00.000-05:00

Mike and I have been enjoying the series Eli Stone for the past month or so as Molly owned season 1 on DVD and got me season 2 for my birthday. The show's characters were so likable.....Eli(a prophet who gets visions from God on what cases to take although more like Balaam than a true disciple), Patti the secretary, Maggie, Taylor, "The Dowd," the acupuncturist and Mr. Wolensky, and law cases they represented were always on the side of doing the right thing in a totally secular sort of way that you couldn't help but get sucked in and intrigued by the entertainment value and the way the show was presented. On Saturday, we were up to episode 7 on Season 2 when (although many of the episodes had questionable topics regarding unbiblical viewpoints on sex, morality, relationships, the environment and whatnot) the subject matter crossed a line that we could no longer tolerate. Without going into too many details, the topic was about a female methodist minister who was suing her church because they fired her due to the fact that she had a sex change operation and became a man. At one point, this minister formerly know as Michelle who was now Michael, led a Bible study with mostly transgender people and read Scripture from Galatians 3:28 upon which he totally took out of context. "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." It was at this point that we began to feel super convicted because of how they were applying the verse. Of course, Paul is speaking about Believers in Christ here but the writers of the show spun it to read how they wanted it to. We finished the episode shaking our heads believing that it is wrong for us as genuine Believers to watch such blatant blasphemy and misinterpretation of the passage. Galatians 3 is clearly talking about people who have put their faith in Jesus Christ and His shed blood on the cross for the atonement of sin. One of the ways Satan's agenda is being accomplished is by subtle suggestion about our belief system and by getting us to agree with him about "seemingly" good things. When he maligns God's word, we cannot continue to stand (or sit) by a TV and watch. As we headed upstairs to get ready for bed, I picked up a gray polar fleece blanket I had put on the floor for Boaz our boxer who recently lost his best friend and sister boxer, Emma. I had never noticed before that this particular blanket had a cross appliqued on it but as the cross caught my eye, the thought "trampling on the Son of God" came to my mind. I knew it was in the New Testament but didn't remember the entire verse. I knew God was speaking to me about why it was wrong to watch the show any longer. A new conviction came over me as I didn't want to personally trample Jesus. I knew better and knew that God was serious. He cares about what we allow to enter our minds and perhaps inadvertently condone via a TV show that is all in the name of "entertainment." And His standards are clearly for our own protection. The next day, I found the verse He had highlighted in my mind. It was Hebrews 10:29. "How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace. By watching the show Eli Stone, we were in essence treating as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified us. In the Message, the verse reads that "If we give up and turn our backs on all we've learned, all we've been given, all the truth we now know, we REPUDIATE CHRIST'S SACRIFICE and are left on our own to face the judgment." To repudiate is to deny or to reject.

So here's the deal. If I am not schooled in the whole counsel of God's Word, I could hear the show recite that verse and agree that it makes sense the way they meant it to. But, because I know the Word of God well enough and I have God's Holy Spirit to guide me, I heeded God's warning to me as did Mike and now know that He is calling us to not watch the show any more. We will not finish the series. That is the obedience He is calling us to. We are more interested in honoring Him and will heed this word.

Dr. McDreamy

2010-10-20T09:37:00.000-04:00

March 27, 1999
Molly, Lauren, Sophie, Me, Mike, Jonathan, and Jason

Whenever the "fight or conflict" occurs, the "bigger" Christian (a.k.a. most willing to humble them self) at the time will encourage the other to walk together to a quiet place (bedroom) where we both get on our knees and pray something like, "Father, we have sinned against You. We ask for Your forgiveness in dishonoring You by how we have spoken or treated each other. Then we look at one another and ask forgiveness of each other. We tell each other we are sorry. We ask the LORD to completely heal the hurt and pain we've inflicted upon one another (and we mean it! If not, repeat the process!!! This takes humbling oneself). By humbling ourselves before the LORD, He has never failed to come through and completely heal our wounds. This way, we never carry unforgiveness into the relationship and thus, our marriage remains healthy. I am not saying this is easy. Pride is stubborn and admitting our wrongs is terribly hard at times. But if you choose to trust God and go with Him here, HE works!! He heals!!! Usually within one hour, the feeling of hostility subsides toward my mate as God supernaturally displaces it with love. This IS supernatural!!! I completely forget the angst or inner turmoil that previously consumed me. Then when I see or hang with him as our day progresses, he is back to "Dr. McDreamy" to me in my heart and in my mind. Only the supernatural power of God's Holy Spirit can do that kind of divine work.

Psalm 51:4a "Against You, You only, have I sinned." (NIV note: David acknowledges that his sin was preeminently against God)

Beyond My Wildest Dreams: A Display of His Splendor!

2010-09-02T10:12:00.000-04:00

Planting For Eternity In A Topsy Turvy World came and went. A few highlights from Sat., Aug.28th, and my spin on what God was speaking through Tina Hutchison.

Do you want to be woman who is never able to acknowledge the Truth? Just what kind of plant are you in God's garden? Wilted? Dead? Plastic? Flourishing? Are you bearing fruit? How do you know if you are in the center of God's will? Are you in the desert? Are you growing as a Christian? Productive, rootful, fruitful? See: photosynthesis......light, air, and water. How's your soil? Does it need to be plowed up... how 'bout allowing God to break up your unplowed ground? Our soil is in the unseen realm of our lives. While the roots are growing, fruit is not; while the fruit is growing, the roots are not. Harvest must come in its due season. Soil must be prepared to house healthy roots. How's your soil? Path, rocky, thorny, good? Ephesians 3 speaks of being rooted and established in love. How do we get there? We must be grounded in God's Word by spending time of intimacy with Him daily. This is where we are fed and watered by the Master Gardener. Our roots must be connected to the source that sustains and breathes life in us. Deep roots secure and hold us in times of drought and storm. The root ball feeds and holds us in place. The deeper your roots are, the harder you are to uproot! Oaks of righteousness? A display of His splendor? We were meant to be. But ya gotta cooperate!! Then your life's meaning, experience and impact will go beyond your wildest dreams. You got this!

Tina looking stunning in her custom made Ray-ban's.......Lisa a.k.a. Miss Sunflower!
Tina and me.......this one's for T-Rav
Cindy and Tina.......a.k.a. Naomi and Wynona.........a.k.a. Billy Ray!!!
Paige, Me, Lisa, Tina, Paula,Katherine, Doris and Alissa (minus Mary)
Me, Paula, Tina Hutchison, and Cindy Ellis standing by the "inspiration piece."

Failure To Acknowledge God...What's It Look Like?!

2010-08-17T09:22:00.000-04:00

Up until today, whenever I heard the phrase, "failure to acknowledge God," I believe I mostly equated it with those who were not Christ followers....a.k.a. unbelievers. But after planting myself in the first few chapters of Jeremiah since I returned from the Beth Moore Living Proof Live Event in Rupp Arena this past weekend, the LORD is showing me the true meaning of this phrase. It actually means that the relationship with God is ignored but the Christian continues on as though it weren't. I believe this is speaking of refusing to get with Him and listen to Him and ultimately refusing His will and plan for your day, week, month, year and life!! People can speak His Name and still fail to acknowledge Him. Jeremiah 7:13 says that , I spoke to you again and again, but you did not listen; I called you, but you did not answer." Why would we as His people refuse to listen and ultimately fulfill His plan and purpose for our lives. What the heck 'o pete is up with that???

I believe that the "failure to acknowledge God" is actually an epidemic in our churches today just as in the days of Jeremiah. Jeremiah 9:3 says, "They make ready their tongue like a bow, to shoot lies; it is not by truth that they triumph in the land. They go from one sin to another; they do not acknowledge Me", declares the LORD. This scenario would be where someone would make up their own "god agenda" and follow it as if they were actually following what God had spoken to them. This is tragic because we do this to our own harm and defeat!! Dang that sneaky snake!! He is playing the same ol' game he has been playing since the garden. Why won't the dude go play some Scrabble or something new like Cranium? But he won't because his game still works. If it ain't broke, don't fix it applies to him as well.

I understand the frustration of the prophet Jeremiah because I know this is going on in my church and all around me. I am on guard against it in my own life and would be foolish to believe that I am exempt from this type of deception. Jeremiah 7:8 says, "But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless." The NIV note in reference to this verse as well as verse 4 says that the deceptive words are spoken by false prophets. Jesus warned of false prophets and the Bible is replete with references to them. Their books sit on the Christian Book Store shelves along side the legitimate authors and unless you are bent on following the Truth, you may easily get sucked in. So I guess the question for us all is this: Do you want to know the Truth? Do you want to follow the Truth? Do you want to live the Truth?

I know in my own personal journey that seriously began back in 2000 (even though I was saved in November 1975), that I did not set out and say that I was on a Truth search. But I was because God was searching for me. It was my own personal, Eat, Pray, Love story. I began to get into God's word via Sunday School and my first in-depth Bible study....David, A Heart Like His. The more I got into God's Word, the more I was fascinated by it. I looooved it. It made sense to me for where I was on my journey in this life. I was broken and needed fixing. I didn't actually know how far I would let this "Thing" go but I kept letting Jesus in little by little, study after study. I remember praying to have a hunger and thirst for God's Word because Beth Moore said she had prayed that. Come to find out, God will answer that prayer! But as the journey trekked on, it got a little harder and by harder, I mean "warmer." The Refiner began to crank up the heat. Scripture is clear that He can and will mature us and skim off the dross by turning up the fire. That's when I had ample opportunity to "FAIL TO ACKNOWLEDGE GOD." Was He really asking me to go visit my sick ex-mother-in-law in the hospital and apologize for something I did that hurt her 15 years earlier. I mean we still had a good relationship so shouldn't the past be left in the past? No!!! I heard CLEARLY from Him that morning in my quiet time. It was as if He had written me a prescription like a physician and said, "Take this and you will get well." I didn't want to take it. But I did. As quickly as I could get ready, I headed to OLBH where she was staying and battling colon cancer. I did what the LORD asked because He asked me to and anything less would have been a "failure to acknowledge God." By the way, she received the apology with gladness, almost as if God had told her I would be coming. It was a God moment of gargantuan proportions! And I knew it. BUT IT WAS HARD. Why is it we are so quick to go to an earthly doc (NOT CONDEMNING DOCTORS FOR CRYING OUT LOUD) and get the Rx and run to the CVS pharmacy as quickly as possible and get that sucka filled? Why don't we take God's prescriptions seriously and run just as quickly to the nearest "PHARMACY OF DO WHAT HE ASKED" and fill them/it? His Rx's are the ones that are actually going to heal our souls. Just sayin'. Well, it is true.

My point in all of this is what He taught me and clarified for me this morning. When we go with God and go with God and go with God and then stop, we are beginning the early stages of failing to acknowledge God. Jeremiah 6:28-30 speaks of this refining process. Actually, if we refuse to get up and get with God in the morning for our beloved "quiet time," we are failing to acknowledge God for that day. The greatest insight He gave me this morning is this: "If we don't trust Him and ultimately refuse His Refiner's fire because it is too hot or too hard, we are guilty of "failure to acknowledge God." And although He gives us tons of grace in the form of time and mercy to agree with Him (I wrestled with him for over 2 years when he ask me to lay down alcohol which was clearly a stronghold and false god to me before I acknowledged His request on 2-3-04, not to mention me bringing this up on the K-Love cruise 3 years later in Jan. 2007, when I asked him "How come they get to drink?" as I walked passed the bar and got bitter for a sec as I saw other Christian's sitting on barstools. His answer: "You were a prisoner there." Oh yea. True.) But this is a huge testing point where God's people decide if or when they are going to follow Him and take His prescriptions. I am afraid that most people back down and that is when the enemy pounces!!! He is totally aware of our estate and he will come crawling with his alternatives to God's "ridiculous and did He really even say that" plan. CHRISTIAN BEWARE!

Back in January 2010, I did an upward basketball devotional at half-time and the verse was from 1 John 2:3. "By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments." When I looked up the greek word for commandments(entole) it actually said the word "prescribed" which reminded me of the word, prescription. I knew back then that whatever He spoke and asked of us better be "taken" if we were going to get well and become whole. Maybe that's why we have a pharmacy on every corner in most cities......even Flatwoods.....because most Christians won't take their Scripts from the LORD and are counting on counterfeits that only act as bandaids!!! But that is another talkshow. I mean post! Healing from God is as simple as getting with Him, listening, and doing what He asks. I did not say it was easy. In fact, it can be very hard. But it is simple if you want the Truth. If you've fallen for the classic lie, "Did God really say?" Turn back and admit it!!! Repentance is one of the greatest gifts God will ever give!!! Receive it and begin the journey anew. Beth said in Rupp Arena that if we haven't been delivered, let's admit it so we can be!!! No more pretending. Acknowledge God!! And by all means, finish the entire Rx!!!

Planting For Eternity In A Topsy Turvy World

2010-08-03T20:10:00.000-04:00

This is the theme for the Women's ministry event that will be held on August 28 at the church. Tina Hutchison is the guest speaker and as I spoke to her on the phone last week she asked me and the team to come up with a phrase or word that she felt God was speaking to us. I had shared with her that He had been speaking to me out of Isaiah 58 about being a "well-watered garden." We also talked about my new landscaping that was planted in early June and discussed the importance of good soil, sun and watering the new bushes until deep roots were established. She mentioned the verse in Isaiah 61 that speaks of a garden harvest that becomes "a display of His splendor." The parallel is this: God has been calling the WEM team (women's enrichment ministry) to become that garden in order to authentically and genuinely minister to women in the church. We have been at a crossroad that actually began when our former leader, Pat Shrewsbury, passed away in July 2008. At our "meeting" last monday night, we did not come up with a phrase except to laugh and say that we were all cracked pots that needed sealing. This meeting per say was so much more in that it was a time of confession, repentance, forgiveness, and restoration as we were recognizing that as a team, we had not cried out to the LORD after Pat had died and asked Him where we go from here. Big mistake, actually, because he generally sets up new leadership even before the transference is to take place (ala Moses.......Joshua, David......Soloman, etc!!). As a result, we had struggled for quite some time with disunity, relational issues, power struggles, lack of honest confrontation among other serious things that had not been addressed. And God let us go. And go. Things got worse. I began to trace back our path when I realized that we had moved ahead without even checking this out with Him. Finally, it hit me that our sin as a team was "not stopping to inquire of Him." This was all brought up, addressed and agreed upon, confessed as sin, not to mention forgiving one another for hurts and such at the Monday (7/26/10) meeting and it was now time to move forward as per the LORD's instructions.

Long story long, when it came time to call Tina Hutchison back last Tuesday (7/27/10), I had nothing concrete. I googled a few words and did a searchedgodsword.org to get the greek word meanings to help me come up with an appropriate theme. I wanted it to be profound yet funny. I had mentioned to Tina on the phone the day before that my gardening skillz consisted of planting two topsy turvy tomatoes from my deck for the second year in a row. We both laughed so I had thought it would be neat to use the topsy turvy reference. After coming up with nothing that seemed "theme-ish" enough to be official, I did what I should have done hours earlier....go to ye ole prayer closet, get on my face and inquire of the LORD. After just a few minutes of asking Him what to call it along with some moments of silence ala "be still and know" from Psalm 46:10, the phrase, "Planting For Eternity In A Topsy Turvy World" just popped into my head. And I knew it was Him!!!! I was so excited that I jumped to my feet and thanked Him. Then I leaped down the stairs continuing to jump and leap some more before calling Tina with our theme. God had come through!!!! He rocks that way. Yes He does!!!

A Thank-You Note To God

2010-07-14T17:54:00.000-04:00

Dear God,

I just wanted to take the time to thank you for helping Molly through her tonsil and adenoidectomies. At post-op day two, she is already breathing better and can truly tell that the surgery is making a difference.

Your timing was impeccable as usual as her two week recoup time is the exact amount of time she needed off before heading back to camp for counseling "C" session. We didn't even know she was going to be asked to come back for the last session due to the extra-large enrollment but, of course, You did. I know we struggled a bit in the more faith/less worry department as You worked out all of the details and I just wanted to make sure you knew how awesome Your plan and timing is. I guess panicking and beating myself up because I hesitated for a day to schedule the actual surgery wasn't necessary after all. But when Dr. Brinkman's office said they no longer had a Friday the 16th appointment available, I assumed that my hesitation cost her the friday slot. As it turns out, Dr. Brinkman's son is going to state for the little league baseball tournament and he is not doing any surgery on that day. If she did happen to have her surgery that day, she would not have been able to return to Hollymont for the C session when they asked her just last week. I love how you know best always!!!

Well, again, thank you so much for Your love, mercy and kindness to me and my family. You never cease to amaze me in any area!

Love ya, Dana

p.s. Thanks also for working out my flight home from Florida and for orchestrating Molly and her dad and Becky moving her bedroom furniture into her Nashville house. Again, brilliant!!

Psalm 69:29-31 – I am in pain and distress;
may your salvation, O God, protect me. I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving. This will please the LORD more than an ox, more than a bull with its horns and hoofs.

Waiting Is Loving God

2010-06-18T10:20:00.000-04:00

Just a quick word I got from God this morning......"waiting for Me is loving me." I have been praying about a particular situation that involves people in addition to me and praying for God to destruct, rebuild and restore this team. "Wait for Me," was a word He had given us several months ago (in Nov.) even though waiting can feel and seem senseless and purposeless. I am elated to hear that I am actually loving Him as I wait. Wait is a verb. There is action taking place in the spiritual realm.

My Daughter, Molly's, Post From South Africa With Belmont Univ.

2010-05-26T17:53:00.000-04:00

MAY 17, 2010

Reflecting on Robben Island

Today's post is brought to us by Molly Tarr:

Well, we made it to Cape Town! We spent the first day touring the city and trying to get acquainted with their currency, the Rand. That task was definitely easier said than done for me. While we didn't get to the Team House until really late last night, we were still up and ready for breakfast by 7 a.m. On the drive to our first stop we got a chance to see zebra, which was pretty amazing considering we were driving on a major road. Due to major traffic we literally had to run to the ferry for Robben Island, and the boat was taking off when we got there. Being the friendly people they are, the crew, thankfully, lowered the bridge so we could get on the boat. We took a bus/ walking tour of Robben Island. We then got a chance to eat lunch and explore the Waterfront area. After that we headed over to Table Mountain where we got to take a cable car up to the top of the mountain. In my 21 years of life I have never seen a more beautiful site. I was just in wonder of what the Lord had made and realized how small we, as humans, really are in this world. We were so high up that we were looking down at the clouds in most areas. Definitely an experience I will never forget.

Robben Island became famous during Apartheid for the imprisonment of political leaders such as Nelson Mandela. I have always heard from my friends who have visited concentration camps that when you enter the gates this presence or feeling just overwhelms you. I never really understood what they meant until today. Throughout the tour I felt a heaviness on my heart and felt like the Lord was trying to show me something. The first part of the tour was just riding on a bus, but our first stop is a moment I will remember forever. Robert Sobukwe was the founder of the Pan Africanist Congress in opposition to the Apartheid regime. Sobukwe was arrested and placed in solitary confinement for several years. During his imprisonment he suffered severe punishments, including very limited visitation with his family, and the only time he was allowed to speak was when the priest came to visit him once a week. Through his work for the anti-Apartheid movement, he was a big reason why a change finally came.

As we toured Sobukwe's housing confinements at the prison, we saw a life-size picture of him hanging on the wall next to some letters he had written over the years. A South African woman in our tour group was standing next to the photo to have her picture taken. She looked at me and with a huge smile said, "I am free because of him!" The joy radiating off her is a scene I will never forget. In that moment Apartheid became so real to me. This lady was older and had lived through this time, so I was touched to see how Sobukwe's hard work and suffering really made an impact in so many lives. It is hard to believe that Apartheid ended only 16 years ago, and I am sure those feelings still resonate in the older generations. Throughout the rest of our tour of Robben Island and even on the ferry ride back I watched this woman and her daughter tour this facility. Just to see the look on her face when seeing these sights and hearing the stories of what these leaders suffered through in order to bring about freedom for her made me feel like I got a little insight to how this affected her personally. I feel like I am still trying to process the emotions I experienced today. In my life I have never been in a situation like Apartheid, so to see someone who had and just watch her was truly an eye opening experience. I thank the Lord he gave me that opportunity to see woman in a moment that was so special for her.

MAY 26, 2010

Looking Forward, Looking Back

Molly Tarr brings us Tuesday's report:

After a short flight and a six hour drive, we made it to Gaborone, Botswana! We were all sad to leave the Team House and our experience behind, but during our drive I finally had time to process everything that we witnessed and participated in while in Cape Town. In Botswana we are staying at Modoloki Backpackers which caters to the needs of game hunters, so this is truly a unique experience. At the airport we were met by our new guide Kieffy and driver Patrick. Today was more of a day to rest up on the bus and reflect on our time in Cape Town.

One experience that stuck out the most for me occurred on our second day of working at Noordhoek Educare. While class time had just begun and we were trying to settle down the children somewhat, Pat--the leader of Educare--pulled us volunteers out of class. I was kind of confused at first, thinking maybe we had done something wrong, but those fears were quickly dismissed. She told us that, while walking across the play area that morning, she had felt an overwhelming presence from the Lord. Pat proceeded to tell us how she felt the Lord was giving her a message to give one of us, but she had no idea who. “One of you has been praying for some time about your future but got no response because it wasn’t your season. Now is your season so keep seeking Him,” Pat encouraged us. This really hit home to me because it was the place in my life where I feel I am currently. I am about to start my senior year and know that many important decisions will be soon coming my way, but this word from her gave me assurance. The part of her conversation with us though that struck me the hardest, though, was about the World Cup. “Everyone is excited for the World Cup to come here, but not me. I wish all these people were coming here to help South Africans because there is so much to do,” said Pat. This really hit home because she made such a valid point that people are willing to spend so much money to watch one game of football, but nothing for these people who so desperately need it. Of the children we worked with, one third either have HIV/AIDS, or their parents are afflicted with this disease. Also, two to three children from Noordhoek Educare die each year from preventable diseases. After developing relationships with these people it really struck a nerve in me. I wish there was a way I could help more, but for now I can do one thing: pray. I challenge you to do the same. Whenever you take your time to pray just say an extra blessing for the people--and especially the children--of South Africa.

2010 National Day of Prayer.....For Such A Time As This!!!

2010-05-25T09:15:00.000-04:00

Doris helping decorate.
Me (FBCR), Pastor Wells (Abundant Life Church), and Diane Dunlop (Bridges Christian Church)

The Fletcher Family from FBCR
The Harless Family from FBCR

6 Denominations represented here!

Half way point water station provided by Flatwoods First Pentecostal Church

Every church on Diedrich Blvd. had this message posted!!! Unity!!!

The 5th annual Greenup County "National Day of Prayer" walk was held on Thursday, May 6, 2010. We met at Bridges Christian Church for a time of praise, worship and prayer before we walked the 1.5 mile route along Diedrich Blvd. to the Advance Memorial United Methodist Church. Prayer guides were passed out for the prayer stations along the way that included government, military, media, business education, church and family. We had 305 people sign in to participate and a total of 29 different churches were represented and a total of 9 different denominations. This year we moved inside to the Bridges sanctuary for the opening ceremony where all pastors in attendance were invited to come to the alter to signify unity in the body and to pray whatever God had laid on their hearts. The theme verse for the 59th observance for the National Day of Prayer was from Nahum 1:7. "The LORD if good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him."

Livin' Out Isaiah 58!

2010-05-13T10:44:00.000-04:00

Calvary Episcopal Church Community Kitchen has a new volunteer group from FBCR. The Tuesday morning Bible study group finished up the Breaking Free (new edition) 11 week study by "spending themselves in behalf of the hungry and by satisfying the needs of the oppressed." (Isa 58:10) "Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and YOUR healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard." (Isa 58:8)

I think we get it into our heads that when we serve others we are doing them a huge favor but according to the Scripts, we are doing ourselves the favor. We are actually the ones who benefit the most by humbling ourselves and serving because only then can we experience the love God has for people and begin to see with His eyes. Brandon Heath has a fabulous song out called, "Give Me Your Eyes," that begs God to help him see people that way HE

does. Lord, that is my prayer......for me, my family and the Tuesday morning Bible study rockstar gals!!! Glorify Your Name in our service. Lead us and guide us into all you have for us. Make us profoundly effective ministers of Your gospel of grace. Give us your love for humanity. In Jesus' Name!!!

Trying To Explain To Men Why You Love Beth Moore So Much

2010-05-07T13:44:00.000-04:00

This is my response to the Blog by Jenny Acuff...........Stuff Christians Like

http://stuffchristianslike.net/

How do I love thee Beth Moore? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height........
Ok, seriously, back in 2000, a great friend named Marian Baldock took me kicking and screaming to my first in-depth study, David, A Heart Like His. Within days, I was getting into the Word like I never had. I remember praying what she said she prayed on one of the videos......that i would have a hunger and thirst for His Word!! And He answered!!! That was almost 10 years ago and the Lord has transformed me into someone I never new existed. I must say that she has been my mentor over these past 10 years and I love everything about her but most especially her sense of humor.

I would also like to add that my husband needs no explanation of why I love Beth Moore. Back in 2002, I randomly asked him if we could go on the "Beloved Disciple" tour with her to Greece and Turkey and he simply said, O.K., sure. He didn't quite understand what he was in for as there were probably 700 women on that tour and only 75 men. He got to witness the cra cra(crazy) she stirs up in women firsthand for 10 solid days.....teaching/filming sessions, touring, and whatnot and he will tell you that he is a better man for it. He jokes and calls me a "Beth Mooron" but he respects and appreciates her ministry and studies as much as the next gal even when he refers to her as the 13th disciple. He closes down and sends his office staff to her Living Proof Live events when she comes within a 250 mile radius of our town. Let's just say their ain't no greater conference to send 10 women co-workers to than a Beth Moore conference!!!

My challenge over the years has actually been explaining to my kids why I love Beth Moore so much. But now they, too, are starting to get it. My college daughter went to a SLI book-signing a couple of months ago. She said it was really "chill" and that there were only like 25 women there. She thought Beth was hilarious. She told me I couldn't have handled it and behaved properly and that is why the Lord didn't allow me to be there. Then, I get a call 2 weeks ago from my 23 year old stepson requesting the Praying God's Word book be mailed to him "if we had it." If we had it? It went out first thing the next morning!!!
Bottom line.......She is filled to the brim with God's Spirit. I love Him. That's why I love her.

So Long for now, Tessa

2010-04-25T13:43:00.000-04:00

I found out yesterday that my precious friend and personal trainer, Tessa Harris, was killed around 11:00 a.m. in a tragic car accident on I-64 around Owingsville, Kentucky, at mile-marker 119. I include the mile marker number because Jason was killed just a few miles down on that same road at around mile-marker 108. I don't know exactly why the news of her death hit me so hard but it most certainly did. I am so devastated because I guess I felt that our relationship still had some miles left to go. She was my fitness trainer at the Vitality Center and for some reason, we had an incredible bond that centered around me whining and her not budging to my pleas for mercy. She was a hardcore chicka who took her job seriously. But the thing I loved most about my time with her was how we could laugh our heads off and the dumbest stuff. She always lost it when I did my dismount off of the big green ball. I was a mess at times and she always had the best time making fun of me. We always lost track of the number of reps I had done because we talked incessantly and assumed the other was counting. I would always guess higher and she would call me out every time. I guess the personal training aspect of her work was why we we had such a personal relationship from day one. I knew that God had strategically placed her in my life for a season. We began to share our "stories" pretty much from the first time we met. I knew she had lost her father to a motorcycle accident when she was in high school. She knew we had lost Jason in a car wreck in 2006 and had remembered him as they were close to the same age. I remember telling her that they would have made a great couple because they were both "extreme" people and would have gotten along fabulously. Based on all that God has done in my life over the past ten years, I knew He expected me to share the real "Him" with her. She and I both shared salvation birthdays at 13 years of age. She revealed to me that she had asked God to comfort her at a difficult time some years before and that she KNEW God had sent her Jessica Baldridge as an answer to that prayer. She connected those dots which gave me peace that she had a relationship with Him. I believed she GOT IT. Her job was to encourage me in my physical training. My job was to encourage her in her spiritual training. I always quoted that 1 Timothy 4:8 verse that said "physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." She didn't necessarily buy it but I always told her to look it up. For about 9 months, I met with her on a fairly regular basis. I didn't want to be obnoxious with my godly advice but I rarely hesitated to speak it. We had numerous discussions about God, His love, and His ways such as the power to pray for your enemies. She did put into practice some of what we talked about and she would be so excited to tell me so the next time we met. I looooved her so much and I looked forward to getting back to the gym and catching up with her while shaping up. When she started a FB account last fall we became friends and stayed in touch that way. The last time I talked to her on the phone, I asked her opinion about the Ab Pro Circle. She wasn't convinced it could do all it boasted but I told her I wanted to try it. I did. But now I want my Tessa back!!! On April 14, she commented on my Facebook "From Russell With Love" photo album and said she missed our times talking together. She told me to come back if I wanted. I still had like 3 or 4 sessions with her that I had paid for so I had full intentions of going back. I had planned to do it soon. But God had other plans. His ways are higher than ours. I trust Him but my heart truly aches. I would have loved to mentor her. I know God will use her death and funeral for His glory. That's how He works. Use it LORD!!! Pour out your Spirit of grace on her family and may they see your love literally surrounding them now. Draw many people through her death. John 11:25-26 says, Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" So Long for now, Tessa.

SLI Simulcast Commissioning Statement

2010-04-24T19:16:00.000-04:00

SLI Simulcast Commissioning Statement

Serina......My Housekeeping Friend From New Orleans

2010-04-09T13:43:00.000-04:00

So Long Insecurity Book in the Sheraton Hotel gift shop!!!!!!
St. Louis Cathedral and Jackson Square

French Quarter, I-10 and Lake Ponchetrain
Central Business District of New Orleans (Super-dome is behind the Capital One building directly in the center of the photo)

When Mike and I were in New Orleans for the AAOS annual meeting, we stayed at the Sheraton on Canal. I always love staying there because the views are spectacular from the higher floors. The last time we stayed there in Nov. 2008, we had a marvy Mississippi River view. I am totally ecstatic with great views and I'm not really sure why (prolly something from my dad). But when we fly, I will fight for the window seat if not assigned to me. If I fly with any of our kids and they have an assigned window seat and I do not, I make it crystal clear that if they are seated in a window seat, certain conditions must be met which include peering out the window pretty much the whole time. I would be the window monitor!! If they do not plan to comply, they would lose their window seat privilege. We must honor the integrity of the seat. This is a big deal. Thankfully, they are cooler than me and don't really care that much so they usually just surrender it to me without any trouble. But anyway, we travelled to New Orleans again last month (March 2010) for said meeting and this time we were assigned a room on the 4oth floor only this time we would be facing the French Quarter and the CBD as well as Lake Ponchetrain. It was a spectacular view and I was mesmerized by it. I have also come to realize that with opportunity comes responsibility. Anytime God gives us an "overview" view, I presume He expects us to pray over the city and surrounding area. The first time I felt prompted by the Spirit to do this was on a flight to San Diego back in 2005ish. As we descended, it was so beautiful and the homes were so numerous and I began to think how cool it was that God knew everyone who lived in each house. I just felt compelled to pray for salvation's and for an outpouring of His Spirit over them all. After that trip, it has pretty much become a special time of prayer for me and to pray over the areas I fly over, not knowing anything about the people I am praying for. Back to the hotel story.........As I prepared to do my thing each day while Mike faithfully attended his "meeting," I would hang out in the room until it was time to get out and shop, eat, tour, shop, eat, etc. One day I got frustrated because I had been out all afternoon and when I got back, my room had not been cleaned. A few minutes later the housekeeper (young black woman) knocked and I let her in but not without some inner whining. I always prefer to be out when they "do their thing" but that would not be the case on this particular day. Within 15 minutes, she was finished and out the door without any significant conversation whatsoever. The next morning, I was finishing up my "quiet time" when she knocked on the door and said, "housekeeping." I was a bit perturbed because I was in the room and I really did want her to service the room with me there. My preference would be for her to "magically" come when we are not around. Again, that wasn't happening today. I asked her to come in. While I sat in a chair and finished reading my Bible and Updated Breaking Free, she (exact same girl from yesterday) began to make the bed and whatnot. I was still annoyed in my spirit that she was crashing my "alone time" party, but I began to ask God if there was a reason that He put this same young woman in my path two days in a row. It was becoming too obvious that He was up to something because the times of her cleaning were so inconsistent....one day she came late, the next really early. Vat the heck was up with that?! I tried to be still and listen to any word from God. I sensed that I was to have a conversation with her so I asked her if she was in town when Hurricane Katrina hit. (Everyone from NOLA has a Katrina story and all you have to do to get them to open up is ask them about it. They still want and need to talk about it). She began to tell me that she was indeed in town and did not evacuate until she was put on a bus from the Superdome and bused to Dallas. She told me that after a month in Dallas, she found out she had a cousin in the Atlanta area and arrangements were made for her to go there for three months. It sounded to me like she had no immediate family to speak of. She said it was the worst thing she had been through and not knowing if she would get to come back to New Orleans was very stressful. I thought about the Franklin Ave. Baptist Church where Beth filmed the re-taping of Breaking Free. I am currently doing that study and had been working on my "homework" when she interrupted me. I asked her if she was a Believer in Jesus Christ and she said she was. I asked her if she had a church in NOLA and she said no. I then asked her if she had ever heard of the Franklin Ave. Baptist Church and she said that she knew of it because she lived right down the street from it. She said she had never visited it because she thought that you had to be a member to go. I totally corrected her and said that she didn't have to be a member to visit and that she should find a Biblically sound, genuine body of believers, church. I told her that FABC was the real deal and that it was predominately black but that I would go there if I lived here. I told her that they could help to mentor her in her relationship with Christ as well as encourage and support her and be a family to her. I warned her about the numerous false teaching churches out there and that this one could be trusted. She told me that she goes past it everyday and that she would check it out. I told her that the Bible study I was currently taking was filmed there and that she should go there ASAP. I repeated that if I lived in this city, I would go there!!!

It's The Lamb They're Are After!!!!

2010-03-25T11:44:00.000-04:00

Revelation 17:14 says, "They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because He is Lord of lords and King of kings---and with Him will be His called, and chosen and faithful followers." Ephesians 6:12 says, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Why is it that we love movies that portray action such as this but fail to recognize that it is our reality in real life?.......Accountability to the one True God would then be necessary? Out of sight out of mind? Or we lack the spiritual understanding because without the Holy Spirit, we cannot understand the things that come from the Spirit of God. The capacity to understand is not available unless we have accepted Jesus, the Lamb of God, as our Savior, and then, subsequently, His Holy Spirit takes up residence in us. The veil is lifted and true spiritual understanding is possible. Then the maturing in Christ process can only just begin. This is real life. We are the video game.

Pinkalicious!!!

2010-02-15T09:45:00.000-05:00

Margeaux is 7 months old!!!!!!!
Pink tulle seems to enthrall her
sweet and sassy in her pearls
7 months old -- she is blowing some bubbles
5 months old here at the time of the pics
5 months old at the time of this pic
Margeaux Sophie is now 7 months old. These pics were actually taken around 5 months.

Siesta Memory Commissioning Jan 23, 2010

2010-02-03T18:12:00.000-05:00

Siesta Memory Commissioning

"My dear Siesta, you have honored your God by treasuring His word. You have been through a rough year but here you are, the delight of your Father’s heart and a thorn in the devil’s side. As we go our separate ways, hold fast to God’s precepts. Let him use his decrees to put iron in your soul. Let no sin have dominion over you and when you stray (and you probably will) and you feel like you can’t find God, cry out to Him with all your might and he will come find you. Because never forget that the son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost. Now girlfriend, go out there and do that thing!"

-Beth

Siesta Memory Team (SMT) Celebration!!! Wit Woo!!!

2010-01-27T07:53:00.000-05:00

Let the games begin!!!!!
Pink boas.....check!!!!
birds of a feather..........are geeks!!!! And Psalm 119 has 176 verses...that's 176!!!! Also, best quote of the conference from Beth was, " Though I am like a wineskin in the smoke, I do not forget your decrees." Psalm 119:83
2 Beth Moorons!!! At least that's what my hubs calls us! She is the 13th disciple ya know!!
Me, Amanda, and Paula We draped her in a boa.......she was thrilled. She is precious!
At the airport Sunday morning....me, Paula and Alexia from Champaign, IL
The money shot!!!!!!!!! With brand new friends Kelly and Karen.
Delta Dawn in light blue vest and friends
Beth and Trav
Paula, me, Stephanie, and Tina.......... also from KY........they were on our plane and suspected we were Siestas!!!! We had dinner with them Thursday night at the hotel and lunch with them at the Galleria on Friday!!!
Sandi from Minnesota............love her!
Tiffany who has an awesome testimony......and from Dallas..........looooove her, too!!! (For His glory is her blog name)
Sidewalk Sue drove on the sidewalk to get to the Chocolate Bar.....hence the name!!!
Our new BFF's from Morehead, KY.....one hour from Ashland!!! They practically live in our back yard!!! We already made plans to go to the "So Long Insecurity" simulcast together!!! They drove us from the Galleria to the Chocolate Bar and I knew I was in a special place at a special time. I got video of that adventure which is posted on the FB page 2010 Siesta Sisters Celebration Site. Honestly, 4 sisters giving directions in a town of which they no not of is just down right hilarious. I don't think I have ever laughed so much in my life, REALLY. Maybe you had to be there.....but I don't think so.
We looooove Travis.............we are proud stalkers...............we are not a risk............no we do not need an intervention....well, maybe I do. I saw him at Deeper Still in Orlando in Sept.............Lifeway Leadership Forum in Nashville in November............and the Siesta SMT Celebration in Houston last weekend. He told us he would be in Lexington this summer and we said, "Yeah, we know. We are going. We've had our hotel reservations for 8 months now."

White House Black Markets!!!!! Brigette, Rhonda, Belinda, Paula, Robin, and me.
Four Amazing Sisters from Morehead! I loooove these siestas!!! Brigette, Belinda, Robin, Rhonda
Me and Paula Our Siesta "prom" pic.
Me, Nicole and Paula. She came by herself. We "friended" her. She rocks!
We passed our final!!! 24 Scripts for 2009!!!

...but be transformed by the renewing of your mind...... This is what Romans 12:1 looks like...not just memorizing Scripture for Scriptures sake but knowing when to recall it as it pertains to your personal scenario. Lies are displaced when Truth shows up. I love meditating on Truth!!!

When God Plans Your Trip, He Doesn't Cancel It!

2010-01-18T18:53:00.000-05:00

Back in June 2001 Mike and I made plans to travel with Beth on the Beloved Disciple tour to Greece and Turkey. I was soo excited to have that opportunity. Then, Sept. 11th came 3 months later. It totally freaked me out and I definitely wanted to cancel the overseas trip. I wrestled with this practically every day until a couple of months later, I went to hear Beth speak for the first time in Evansville, Indiana. I went with my friend Lezlie Phillips and we had a wonderful time. Everything was still so new to me....worshipping with 20,000 women, I even raised my hands for the first time evah! This is also the trip where the deaf woman and her friend asked to trade seats with me and Lezlie so they could have a better view and we said, "NO!" Also, at this time I thought Travis was just an O.K. singer.....for just a few minutes........until he did a solo and really opened his mouth and belted out his pure gift!!! Anywhoo, as Beth began to speak, one of the first things she addressed was how Satan would use fear to capture us and keep us from traveling. She said, "Do not let him win. If you have travel plans, GO." I immediately new I had gotten a word from God and right then and there I settled it agreed that I would not let fear prevent me from doing anything God ordained for me. As the time came near for us to go to Greece at the end of March 2002, you better believe I had to pray like crazy as the enemy came after me often. But I persisted because I knew I HAD A CONFIRMATION WORD FROM GOD THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO GO ON THIS TRIP. It made all the difference in the world b/c when Satan taunted me, I didn't listen to him for I KNEW what God had told me. But it was still difficult as I had to resist the devil and draw near to God on an ongoing basis. Satan, unfortunately is relentless! But God got the victory. Mike and I went and it was a HUGE step in our spiritual growth in so many ways. Also, before we left the country, God gave me more "ammo" and reassurance in the form of concert tickets to a Plus One/Natalie Grant show in Columbus Ohio. These were front row tix!!! The concert was scheduled for early May which would be AFTER we had returned from our "Beloved Disciple" trip. Molly was sooo excited that we had been able to get these premo tix b/c we were just beginning to listen to Christian music and she loved Plus One. We didn't really care about Nat Grant so much (didn't really know who she was...haha now she is one of my favs) One thing that kept going through my head to counter travel fears and leaving my family for 10 days and all the possibilities of how something bad could happen but just as I would begin to speculate such possibilities, I would remember via the Holy Spirit that God had given us front row tickets! Now why would He do that if we weren't gonna make it back to use them. It was like He was saying, "You can trust Me 'cause I gave you and Molly concert tickets as a deposit of this proof!" So He used the tickets to help me to grow in my trust of Him. One thing I have noticed about God is that He is not really One to cancel out on trips. When Lauren was first pregnant before she miscarried, her due date was when we were supposed to be in St. Bart's for our 10 year anniversary trip. I remember thinking, "Why would God let us plan to be out of the country when our first grandchild would be born?" I wondered if Mike was presumptuous in planning it ( he planned it like 11 months out so we could use our miles) but then I just resolved to trust God no matter what. Then she miscarried, got pregnant again and delivered Margeaux on July 10th when weren't out of the country. What I've learned is that He is completely in control. He calls us grow in out trust for Him and He puts us "out there" to grow us in this. I am learning to ask God what He wants me to do. It helps to get the confirmation so that when the enemy comes to taunt me, I will know with 100% assurance that GOD SPOKE TO ME. It makes ALL the difference and empowers me to stand up, fight and win!!! His will be done.

Hurting for the Haitians

2010-01-15T17:30:00.000-05:00

Oh, my! Lord be HUGE!!! The earthquake disaster in Haiti is so unfathomably unsettling. But yet, God is Sovereign and in control. I have prayed for mercy, comfort, miracles, deliverance (spiritually and physically) rescues, rescues, and more rescues. God, we know that YOU WILL BRING GLORY TO YOUR NAME through this.

a 17 year old girl was found alive 15 days out!!! Thank you, LORD. (1/27/10)

Prayin' for Prof. LJ Pays Off!

2010-01-14T12:20:00.000-05:00

Back in September 2009, Molly took an Asian Humanities class to fulfill her link cohort requirement at Belmont Univ. Within a couple of weeks, she began to struggle and complain that she wasn't doing well in the class nor on her papers because the professor "hates women and is bitter from his divorce." I immediately had compassion for this man because I, too, had been through divorce. I suggested that she just continue to study the material and write her papers as best she could but also to begin praying for Prof. LJ. I reminded her that sometimes people are placed in our life in order that we may be intercessors for them. She agreed to pray for him and I also began praying for him. (mainly Eph. 3:16-20) As the semester moved along, her complaints diminished regarding him. Approximately one week before the semester ended, she mentioned casually that she had done well on one of her papers and that Prof. LJ loved her!!! She said she may even get an "A" in the class! I was shocked to hear those words come out of her mouth but then, I wasn't. I KNEW God had answered our prayers!! I said, "Molly, are you serious? Do you comprehend this situation and how God is blessing you for caring enough to pray for this poor guy? She said, "Yes, I made that connection." We weren't praying for a good grade. We simply prayed for Prof. LJ to know the love of Christ. But God was so merciful and poured out His favor on Molly that she did end up with an "A" as her final grade when early in the semester she was concerned that she may not even pass the class. Wit Woo---the power of prayer!!!! I believe that Prof. LJ's life is surely being touched by God. I don't know him or anything about his spiritual walk but I truly believe that we helped him in some way.

Be Joyful and Believe

2009-12-29T21:31:00.000-05:00

I will believe LORD that You hear me,

I will believe LORD that You care,

I know You love me in this moment,

I ask You please, O LORD draw near.

Be joyful and believe, that You are with me,

so I am free, LORD set me free...

I Have Been Too Preoccupied With Facebook to Post!

2009-12-28T21:30:00.000-05:00

Lifeway Women's Ministry Forum in Nashville!!!

2009-12-02T07:55:00.000-05:00

Lisa, Paula, Kelly Minter, Alyssa, Dana, and Paige
Me and Margaret Feinberg
Sophie a.k.a. "Boomama" and me-- Love her!!!
The team plus Molly at Cantina Laredo--tableside guac and best chips evah!!
Paige, Paula, Me, Lisa, and Alyssa

We're "Basptists" ya know...according to our shirts (Bright and shiny people trusting in supernatural Truth!)

T-rav, always a fan favorite. He blessed us with an unscheduled "meet and greet."

MOMENTum! Ephesians 5:15-16 "Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk--not as unwise people but as wise--making the most of the time, because the days are evil." This was my 4th year to attend the forum. Wit Woo!!! My take home message and goal for women's ministry summed up in a sentence (or 3) would be to build a bridge for our women to cross over from the church into the community in order to be the hands and feet of Christ. Yes, we will continue with bible study as the anchor for the women but we have to "hook 'em up" so that they can use their gifts in profound ways. Ministries are waiting to be birthed. Maybe the WEM team members are just midwives/labor and delivery nurses! LORD, give us wisdom and show us where to plug in. Isaiah 58 says in v. 7, "Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter--when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? v. 8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn and YOUR healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. v.10b And if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday."

Solid Foundation!

2009-10-03T15:37:00.000-04:00

This summer/fall season (2009) has been strange yet amazing at the same time. We found out in June that our house (the original part was built in 1948 and the addition in 1992) had a SERIOUS problem. The older section was about to undergo some "cosmetic" work on the wood trim and whatnot....or so I thought. When our construction person begin to remove some of the wood trim, he unveiled a MAJOR problem. Water had been flowing under our house to the point of moving the foundation an 1 1/2 inches and the wood that protects it was completely rotten from old termite and new water damage. We were looking at a big restoration project that needed immediate attention. We agreed with Matt and gave him permission to do whatever needed to be done. Spiritual application? I actually began to pray and ask God over the next few days exactly what He was trying to teach us. I asked Him if there was something in me and Mike that needed restoring or what problem in us might He be exposing. The answer I got as I prayed face down in my closet was this: the church. Wowsa. The church? The church. My church. It actually made sense because of some "things" that I had sensed, perceived and seen over the last few weeks and months. Without going into detail, let's just say that I began to pray for a work of restoration to be done in my church in order to eradicate the "serious problem" and to be restored to original condition or as close to it as we could get. I have continued to pray fervently over the months and as my house has been completed with foundation restoration, new drainage system to keep water and moisture from collecting under the house, new replacement windows, new cement siding to replace all of the wood, new deck railing with timber tech product, new landscaping......well actually we are still waiting on the landscaping. I believe God has shown me that He will not plant until the WEM has recognized its problem, confessed it, repented of it and been healed. Then He will replant. It is His way of keeping me in tune with the work that He is doing so I am not left guessing. It is a spiritual parallel in order to show me the progress. I met with the landscaper last week to go over the new plans. He thought he would be able to start today (Thurs., June 4th). I knew, however, that he would not be able to start until WEM leadership had been addressed and as of today that has not totally happened. It has helped me to be supernaturally patient with the landscaper because I know that God will not release him to plant until which time God is planting the new, restored WEM. Your timing, LORD. Not mine.

Deeper Still -Orlando! We are living in epical, critical times. But God can do beyond beyond what we ask or imagine. Spiritual discerment is key!!!!!!

2009-09-28T14:12:00.000-04:00

Diann and Mom

Beth Moore My mentor!!!!!!

Priscilla "Beyond-say" Shirer

Me and Diann

Travis Cottrell, worship leader with the best voice on the entire planet!

"IAMtheWay" Arena a.k.a. Amway Arena

Mom, Me and Diann

Mom and Dad's 50th Wedding Anniversapalooza!

2009-09-01T07:53:00.000-04:00

   Married in 1959 and after all these years still lookin' fine!
   50 years of marriage--Congrats mom and dad!!!
   The Greenbrier
  Dad in the President's Cottage posing by a pic with General Omar Bradley (his former boss)
   chocolate milkshake bliss
   Mike, me, mom and dad at the "Spring House"

Margeaux Sophie!!!!!

2009-08-19T09:44:00.000-04:00

   Lauren, Joel and Margeaux on July 13th (3 days old)
   Mike is lovin' this! It's his birthday!!!   Mike's first grandchild! (3 days old)
   Muffy, Grand Pah' pa, and Margeaux
   After lunch on Sat., Aug. 15th, 2009 (5 weeks old)
   Auntie M and Margeaux
   The princess has her first wave!
   5 weeks old
   Such the punkin'doodle!
   Why do you take my picture so many times??!!!

2009 LPM Siesta Scripturepalooza!

2009-08-11T09:39:00.000-04:00

The perfect place to leave my index cards
Close-up of Aug. 1-15 verse Isaiah 55:10-11

The following is a list of my memory verses for the 2009 LPM Siesta Scripture memorization deal (a "palooza" of sorts) that is going down as we speak in order to foster accountability as we deliberately saturate our minds with God's Word! The following are a list of the verses I have chosen to memorize.

Jan. 1-15 Isaiah 33:6 NIV

"He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure."

Jan. 15-31 2 Corinthians 9:8NIV

"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."

Feb. 1-15 Romans 15:4 NIV

"For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."

Feb. 15-28 Malachi 3:16 NIV

"Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in His presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored His Name."

March 1-15 Hebrews 10:35-36 NIV

"So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised."

March 15-31 1 Peter 3:9 NIV

"Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing."

April 1-15 Psalm 36:507a The MSG

"God's love is meteoric, His loyalty astronomic, His purpose titanic, His verdicts oceanic. Yet in His largeness no thing gets lost; not a man, not a mouse slips through the cracks. How exquisite Your love, O God!"

April 15-30 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 NIV

"What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; those who mourn as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of this world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away."

May 1-15 Matthew 7:24-25 NIV

"Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. the rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet is did not fall because it had its foundation on the Rock."

May 15-31 Psalm 33:22 NIV

"May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you."

June 1-15 Psalm 112:1-8 NIV

"Praise the LORD. Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in His commands. His children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blesses. Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man. Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice.

Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever. He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. His hears is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes."

July 1-15 Ephesians 4:22-24 NIV

"You were taught with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires, to be made new in the attitude of your minds, and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."

July 15-31 Romans 16:17-18 NIV

"I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our LORD Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery, they deceive the minds of naive people."

August 1-15 Isaiah 55:10-11 NIV

"As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that is yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is MY Word that goes out from My mouth. It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."

August 15-31 2 Kings 18:31a

"Don't listen to Hezekiah-- he doesn't know what he's talking about. Listen to the king of Assyria--deal with me and live the good life."

(classic lie of the enemy!)

September 1-15 1 Samuel 15:22 NIV

But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams."

September 15-30 Revelation 17:14 NIV

"They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because He is the Lord of lords and King of kings--and with Him will be His called, chosen and faithful followers."

Oct. 1-15 John 14:21 NIV

"Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves Me. He who loves Me will be loved by My father and I too will love him and show Myself to him."

Oct. 15-31 Psalm 91:1-16

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust."

3 Surely, He will save you from the fowlers snare and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

5 You will not fear the terror of night nor the arrow that flies by day nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.

8 You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.

9 If you make the Most Hight your dwelling--event the LORD, who is my refuge--

10 then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.

11 For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;

12 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

13 You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

14 "Because he loves Me," says the LORD., "I will rescue him' I will protect him, for he acknowledges My name.

15 He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.

16 With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.

Nov. 1-15 Ephesians 5:15-16 HCSB Lifeway Women's Ministry National Leadership Forum

"Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk--not as unwise people but as wise-- making the most of the time, because the days are evil."

Nov. 15-30 Galatians 3:11

"The righteous will live by faith." (NIV)

"The person who lives in right relationship with God does it by embracing what God arranges for him." (MSG)

Dec. 1-15 John 1:34 (NIV)

"I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."

Dec. 15-31 Psalm 27:4 (NIV)

"One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek Him in His temple."

Crossing the Jordan River

2009-08-05T11:43:00.000-04:00

I love the visual map of thinking of my spiritual journey to the Promised Land as a trip that began when I left Egypt(salvation) and trekked across the desert. I am going to skip the trip details for now and concentrate on my journey just across the Jordan. Yes, how I got to that point is just as important but the decision to let God take me across that river into my earthly Promised Land is what I have been thinking a lot about lately. On February 3, 2004 (2/3/04) Mike and I flew home from Naples, Florida. On that flight we both signed a statement of resolve or a covenant if you will that basically said, "LORD, we promise to lay down alcohol for the rest of our lives on this earth. We know that this will be difficult but we know You are calling us to this. We will definitely need You to help us. We can not do this on our own. We sign this today not knowing what life will look like from here but we believe that you will guide us down this road." And we signed it. It was difficult to do and much thought and wrestling went into the decision. It was by far the scariest thing we had done to date with our God. All I can say five years later is that I have NO REGRETS WHATSOEVER. I know we have seen the favor of God in this new "land" and He has been undeniably gracious and generous. I truly believe that had we not "crossed over" we would have the love of God but not the favor and opportunities He has blessed us with. It seems to me that most likely in every one's life they will come to this river and decide if they will indeed allow God to usher them over. I think that it is a very difficult thing for each individual to exercise their faith at this place. I know it was for us. We actually wrestled for over two years from the first time I heard God calling me to lay the thing down. I was in Cincinnati with Mike's office staff along with some friends who were at the Living Proof Live Event with Beth Moore at the US Bank Arena in July 2002. At the beginning of the conference she talked about how God would have us "lay some things down." I KNEW He was speaking to me about alcohol. I also had just read how George W. Bush quit drinking on his 40th birthday. I was just about to turn 40. I whined in my Spirit about how I thought God was calling me to do the same at age 40. Yeeesh! Not what I wanted to hear at all. Mike and I cut way back after all of this and by Christmas of 2003 we didn't drink at all. However, we reserved the right to drink on very special occasions. We basically did what God wanted with some strings attached. But on our trip to the Ritz Carlton in Naples at the end of Jan., 2004, we had some wine with dinner. And God began to speak. Through food cooked in a clay pot (Lev 6:28), dolphins that came to within 5 feet of the shore, a mysterious fog that came out of nowhere as we walked on the beach. And an awful "oppression" that set in to the point that I knew something was not right. We made the connection and on our last night there and we did not drink. I was so stinkin' mad and in a horrible mood at dinner. The next day on our flight home is when we signed the deal with God. There is some kind of accountability factor when you make a promise or vow to God and then sign a statement of resolve to not drink EVER again in this lifetime. Literally, a reverence, respect and healthy fear of the LORD serves as a reminder of just Who you are dealing with. Enough said. We were motivated because we had signed on the dotted line. Very scary. The first year was the most difficult but we did it. Two months after our commitment we went to an AAOS meeting in San Francisco but not without traveling first to one of my favorite places on the planet--Carmel, as in Pebble Beach Golf, as in Spanish Bay Resort. I was concerned if we could resist out in Cali but we did it! On our one year anniversary of not drinking, God blessed us with a painting for our bedroom. I had seen this painting several months before at an art show in Central Park. But Mike was out of town and I didn't want to buy it without his opinion. Just so happened, God timed it so we would buy it and pick it up on the one year anniversary. And it just so happened to look like Naples, FL, but with a river which I am calling the "Jordan River" to symbolize our crossing. (No Transjordanian holding back here!) He is so into dates and anniversaries and "showing up" to reveal His love to us. Looking back, I know it was important for us to stop drinking alcohol. When Jason died in Feb. 2006, God was our sustainer. I know we would have headed straight for the wine upon hearing the news of his tragic death but it wasn't to be because GOD was all we needed!!! Psalm 4:7 says, "You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound." This, my friend, is soooo true!!

Psalm 18 Storm in Ormond Beach

2009-07-26T14:08:00.000-04:00

Psalm 18:18-19 They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the LORD was my support. He brought me out into a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me.
Psalm 18:16-17 He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me.
Psalm 18:15 The valleys of the sea were exposed and the foundations of the earth laid bare at your rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of breath from your nostrils.
Psalm 18:14 He shot His arrows and scattered the enemies, great bolts of lightning and routed them.
Psalm 18:13 The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded.

Me, Myself and Lies Bible Study Crew!

2009-07-03T22:58:00.000-04:00

WHAT NOT TO THINK!!!!
Christie, Me, Paula, Kathy, Julz, Connie (absent Tammy and Lisa)

Jennifer Rothschild's new bible study is the study of choice for the summer. It's all about a making over our thought closets. I'm only on week 2 and boy, is God exposing some things I really hadn't recognized I had been meditating on which are big fat lies!!! Here are a few examples just from this week: "I need help, I'm exhausted, I have too much responsibility, there will always be walls up between me and ______and_______." Lord, thank You for exposing these subtle thoughts of mine that are lies. I have all the help I need in You and I can do all things through You. I have all the energy I need in You and You are an expert in tearing down walls. Do it!!! Glorify Your Name in my life. May I be transformed by the renewing of my mind with Your truth. I guess that will make me a "transformer." Megan Fox what, what?!!

33 Miles/Kimber Rising Concert from May!

2009-06-17T09:14:00.000-04:00

Two Louisiana Boys! Geaux Tigers!
Kimber Rising (Amanda, Brianna, and Danielle) with my neice, Maggie
33 Miles With Maggie

The Condo Story

2009-06-02T08:59:00.000-04:00

In March 2008, we spent spring break at Ormond Beach where my parent's have a condominium. Mike had been prompting my mom to let him know if any unit became available in a particular building that he watched being built back in 2002 that had always peaked his interest. She made a call and arranged for us to look at some units in a couple of other buildings but not the one he was truly interested in. So we met with the realtor and had fun "looking" at a couple of condo's that were on the market. We inquired of Mike's dream building and found out that that there was one unit for sale in the 14 unit building. She arranged for us to see it later that afternoon. Molly and Kevin went with us and we were very blessed to see the beautiful 3 bdrm, 2 and 1/2 bath oceanfront unit. Honestly, we were not completely serious about purchasing the place because the price was extremely inflated and it did not make good financial sense. I had no peace about "investing" in such a place because it was so expensive and I ruled it out immediately. Mike began to ask God to take the thought of this place away from him as to not be preoccupied with anything that was not from Him. Over the next few months Mike said he continued to ask God to remove the thought of this condo from him and take it captive but it kept coming back to his mind. He asked for my support in prayer so I honored him and also began to pray for God's will. In July, he looked at the realtor's website and saw that the unit dropped $100,000. He mentioned it to me and I pondered it a bit and thought that was somewhat significant but still not really in our range. Nothing else was mentioned about it until four months later when I received a phone call from Mike in Nov., 2008, while I was attending the Lifeway Women's Ministry Forum in Nashville. Mike excitedly told me that he felt led to check out the condo scenario online and found that it had dropped in price another $100,000. I immediately felt some excitement as I believed that it was now in a reasonable range that could warrant investing in. He asked me to fervently pray. He was beginning to believe that God had not taken the thought from him perhaps for a good reason. After I got home from the conference, we discussed the matter and we both continued to ask God if He was leading us to do something like make an offer on the condo. At this point in our lives, we did not want to step outside of His will for anything after the work He had done in our lives. We wanted to be smack in the middle of His plan for us no matter what. We were not about to make a move unless we heard crystal clearly from Him. Well, He spoke on the evening of November 20th!!! I had driven to Morehead to have dinner with Molly on that day which also happened to be what would have been Jason's 27th birthday. God had always done something super special for us on significant "Jason" days. On what would have been his 25th birthday (11/20/06), He allowed us to get a new flat tv screen for the khaki room (Jason would have wanted us to have it we told ourselves, haha). And around Christmas of 2007, we wanted to get a wii but couldn't seem to locate one because at that time they were at the height of their popularity peak and there was a big supply and demand problem. But later we realized that we weren't supposed to have one yet because God wanted to bless us with one on the day He chose in order to reveal His precious love to us. So on the 2nd anniversary of his death, we found out that the South Point Walmart had 5 in stock. Mike even finished work unusually early that day so were able to go immediately and pick it up. By His grace, we connected the dots! Now back to Nov. 20, 2008! After returning home from my evening with Molly, I spent some time with Mike before I jumped on the computer to read the Beth Moore blog. Her blog that day was a video of her thanking the people who prayed for her and the "Breaking Free" re-taping that had taken place in New Orleans the week before. I took the "thank you" personally because I had just been in New Orleans the weekend before she and the Lifeway team came to town and I, too, had prayed. At the end of the blog video, she read from Isaiah 61. She prayed these words over all who had prayed. "Instead of their shame my people will receive a double portion and instead of disgrace they will rejoice in their inheritance; and so they will inherit a double portion in their land, and everlasting joy will be theirs." Isaiah 61:7 I immediately thought of the condo and that a condo could be a type of "double portion." I went upstairs to get Mike and I told him that I thought I had just gotten a Word from God on the condo. I replayed the video for him and after he heard it he said, "I think you might be right." Actually, we knew God had spoken to us through Beth's video. The Holy Spirit made sure that we didn't miss the word! We prayed and the next day Mike had peace about making an offer. I began to look into the "double portion" concept and my NIV study bible said this: the firstborn son received a double share of the inheritance which was interesting because the word came on what would have been Mike's firstborn son's 27th birthday. I knew God was blessing us but I didn't and still don't understand it all. But without a doubt, God gave us a green light to purchase the unit. It took almost 2 months before the deal was finalized but all throughout the waiting period we were patient. We didn't manipulate the situation by making phone calls when it seemed that the owners were taking a long time to respond. We had put it all in God's hands and really didn't think too much about it. In His time, they accepted our 2nd offer which was exactly the price Mike believed God had revealed to him that we would get it for. And it was actually below the market value so it was a good value as far as investments go. We closed on it in mid January of this year. We are ecstatic and excited to see how God is going to allow us to use it for His glory. He gave me a "condo" word to keep me in check as far as decorating and potential "overshopping" were concerned. It says, "The time is short.... those who buy something, (use it) as if it were not theirs to keep, those who use the things of this world, (use them) as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away." (1 Cor. 7:29b-31) Trust me, I needed this word to lead me through the process of furnishing the place and it did! I was able to make decisions without having to explore every option on the market which was uncharacteristic of me (I pondered new kitchen countertop options for our home in Ky. for 3 years before I finally decided to go with Ceasarstone quartz).

I also should mention that in my spirit, I knew this new place had a bigger purpose than just a great place to vacation and rest with family and hang out with mom and dad. I believe that God wants me and Mike to pray for a Daytona revival to take place in the area (from Palm Coast to Port Orange). I mentioned this to Mike on Feb. 21, 2009, which was the first time he and I actually stayed in the condo together since we bought it. The very next day at FBC Daytona, the guest pastor, Dr. Paul Vasquez spoke out of Jonah and talked about reviving this entire city!!!! Talk about confirmation! God gave us a place to live there because we will be working for Him there! We went forward that morning in church and prayed with Jerry Webb about the revival and our part in it.

One other part I feel led to divulge is that when Mike told me a few years back that he was feeling led to do medical missions, I thought in my heart that we would end up in Africa. Mike never got the Africa word. That was all me. I struggled with this for approximately 3 years before completely surrendering my life to God wherever He called us. At the Lifeway National Women's Ministry Forum in Nashville last Nov. 2008, I heard Kelly Minter speak on Abraham's "fear God" test in Genesis 22. Long story short, she talked about how Abraham had gotten some of the details wrong. For instance, he told Isaac that "God Himself would provide the lamb for the burnt offering." When in all actuality God, in Abraham's case, provided a "ram" for the sacrifice. Right then and there God spoke to me. When she said that Abraham had gotten some details wrong, the thought occured to me that I, too, had possibly gotten some details wrong. Maybe God had never said the "A" word. Maybe that was just me speculating. I believe God made sure that my detail confusion had been cleared up just in time for the "double portion" green light word so I would have peace to proceed. Because for the longest time, I kept thinking how could it be God leading us to buy a condo in Florida if we are eventually going to end up in Africa?! Didn't make any sense. But then it did and I realized that God had "passed me" on my "fear God" test. I agreed to go wherever and if it meant my death in Africa for His Kingdom, I finally said I was totally cool with that....similar to when Abraham agreed to sacrifice his one and only son, then God knew he had Abe's heart and Isaac was off the hook and Abe didn't have to go through with it. God only tested him to see if he would. Once he had made up his mind to follow God no matter what, the issue was settled. This was a huge work He accomplished in me over a 3-4 year period that delivered me from my fear of death. At a Michael W. Smith concert in 2008, he sang "Healing Rain" and on the chorus where it says, "I'm not afraid, I'm not afraid" I belted it out as God was driving the "fear" out of me. As it turns out, Mike is doing medical missions--from his very office. His practice is a mission field and He certainly points people to Christ and prays with them daily since God began spilling over into his practice back in 2001-ish. Open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest! (John 4:35)

Jeremiah 32:8-9a "I know that this was the word of the LORD so I bought the field."

Family Raincation '09

2009-06-01T14:30:00.001-04:00

Jenga, Jenga, Jenga! Notice the absence of beach pictures at the beach-- sort of sad reallyLauren, Sophie and Mike
Molly and me
Jonny

Sophie at Target--28 inches of rain can make anyone a little crazy!!!
Mike and Lauren---she is 7 1/2 months pregnant with Margeaux Sophie and due July 3rd!! Yes, Mike is going to be a grand-pop-paah and I will be a step-grand-muffy!
Seafood Gumbo was very yumbo!!!!!!!

American Idol Finale! Yea Kris!!!!!!!

Can You Say, "The Drought Is Over?!!"

2009-05-20T16:15:00.000-04:00

RAINFALL TOTALS

According to the National Weather Service, some parts of Volusia County have received more than 27 inches of rain since May 17.

Yes, the drought is officially over in Daytona Beach after receiving 20 inches of rain. Here in Ormond Beach, we've had 28 inches in 4 days. This is an all-time record. This is our family vacation week so on the bright side, no one is sunburned. There really isn't a downside because we've made the best of it by eating (alot), playing games(alot), watching movies(alot), and shopping at the Millenia Mall. I pray that God is pouring out His Spirit on this area in the same measure as the rains we've had this week. Daytona Beach revival from Port Orange to Palm Coast has been my prayer ever since God blessed us with a "double portion" in the form of a condo in Ormond Beach this past January. I know He is doing a great work here! Lord, be with those who are still experiencing the effects of the rain with severe flooding. May all of our hearts be soft to You and how You want to rescue us via the Jesus Ark!

National Day of Prayer (Greenup County Prayer Walk)

2009-05-07T23:22:00.000-04:00

The war we fight with the weapon of prayer is as real as the physical battle Army Chaplain, Captain Jeff Struecker fought in Mogadishu, Somalia, as featured in the movie "Blackhawk Down." Only our enemy is unseen. The battle in our county, state, and nation is ever-present. Onward Christian soldiers! This year we had 312 people participate with 23 different churches and 10 denominations represented. Imagine the power of the body united in prayer. Heal Greenup County, LORD. Just a week before this year's walk, Molly told me that we (Greenup county) made the NBC nightly news for our ginormous drug problems. I didn't see the broadcast but I told her that we were on it and would be "praying them out soon." Exactly one week later the local newspaper headlines read, "Drugs, money seized in bust." This "bust" took place in Greenup county!!! I was ecstatic because I knew that we were on our way! PTL! "May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in You." Psalm 33:22

We had 7 prayer stations along the 1.5 mile route and everyone had a prayer guide to help them focus on the 7 key areas--Government, military, media, business, education, church and family.
You gotta love a prayin' poodle!!
Leon is definitely worthy of two "I prayed" stickers
Praying for area businesses!

Hydration station and half-way point.
(Mike and me) God gave me the idea to organize a prayer walk for Greenup County back in May 2005 when a friend alerted me to the fact that we had no services for the NDP in our county and she thought it might be good if I coordinated something for the NDP for the next year. I actually laughed in my spirit about the possibility of starting something because at that time my plate was very full and the kids were all still at home and life was just plain hectic. But the next day when I just "happened" to be reading the account of Abraham and the Three Visitors when they informed him that "this time next year Sarah will have a baby." Immediately, I recognized that my reaction to my friend had been the same as Sarah's. (Laughing in my Spirit thinkin' "as if!!"). I was convicted right then and there! "No, LORD, nothing is too difficult for you," I said. I also quickly told the LORD I was sorry and that if He wanted me to do something with the National Day of Prayer for my area just to let me know. I went back to the Scriptures I had been reading when the idea immediately "popped" into my mind that had to do with people walking and praying on Diedrich Blvd. It wasn't really a vision but more of an idea and I knew that it was Him b/c I wasn't even trying to think of anything that had to do with the NDP. After months of nervous prayer and listening to God's leading and instructions as He shared with me how He wanted it done, I proceeded step by step with many other helpers and we launched the "1st annual Greenup County NDP prayer walk" in May 2006, only three months after Jason was tragically killed in an auto accident on the way back to U.K. from his ski trip to Snowshoe. At this point, I was right in the middle of planning the walk and I believed that God would clearly let me off the hook for this year in lieu of the bomb that had dropped on us. As we grieved and took care of so many details concerning his death, funeral and our new lives without him, I expected God to release me from my responsibility of planning the Greenup Co. event. Only He didn't. By now it was the end of March and again I waited to hear Him release me at least for this year. I truly expected Him to say, "Honey, in light of all that has happened to you and your family, why don't we just wait until next year to do a prayer walk," at which point I was prepared to say, "well, yeah, of course." That never happened so I rallyed and made some phone calls and God gloriously pulled it together.
Military prayer station along the route. Some stop and pray and others continue to walk and pray.

Praise and worship portion of the prayer walk. All ministers come forward and stand together to represent unity in the body of Christ.

6:30 p.m. NDP Greenup County Prayer Walk - We praised God, prayed and sang "God Of This County/City," "Holy, Holy, Holy," and "How Great Is Our God." We united our hearts in prayer and petition with 23 churches and 10 denominations represented for a total of 312 people!
7:30 a.m. NDP Prayer Breakfast at KDMC Jonny, Tony, Stephanie, Me, Kathy and Army Chaplain, Captain Jeff Struecker The movie "Blackhawk Down" was based on his rescue in Mogadishu, Somalia! What an amazing Christian soldier!!

Lovin' The Neighbors!!!

2009-05-02T16:49:00.000-04:00

It is really nice to actually know the neighbors and to be neighborly. But to study the Word of God with them?!!! Thank you, God, for orchestrating this awesome opportunity and bringing us together. Glorify Your Name on our street. After all, You are the Restorer of Streets with Dwellings!!! (Isaiah 58:12b)

GMA Dove Awards

2009-04-25T00:44:00.000-04:00

Chris Tomlin

I am so excited to get this pic with him. Thank you, Lord. We will sing "God of this City" at the Greenup county prayer walk for the National Day of Prayer on Thurs., May 7th!! I think we will change it up a bit and make it our own and start it with "God of this County."

Grand Ole Opry House

Michelle, Bobbie, Debbi, Me, and Molly

Molly got me Dove Awards tix for an early Mother's Day present (best present EVER!) and a couple of days after she bought them, Bobbie's 20 year old son, Jon Jackson, was murdered. When Molly came home for the funeral she mentioned to Debbi that we were going to the Dove's on April 23rd, and Debbi said she had it on her calander and that she also wanted to go. She was able to get seats in the same row as ours, PTL! A day later, she felt led to get a ticket for Bobbie and the seat right next to hers was still available. Well, after losing Jason on Feb. 19, 2006, in a tragic car wreck, I knew how intentionly and intently God had ministered to us. In addition to his funeral, we attended a memorial service at U.K., where the day after that service, his story and ultimately the gospel was preached on the front page of the University's school newspaper. Jason's goal was to "change the world" for Christ and he knew that the place to start was on his campus at the Univ. of Kentucky. He had just proclaimed this to a few of his CSF (Christian Student Fellowship) friends days before his death. We recognized that in his death, his story of freedom in Christ did go out. God also invited us to attend his graduation and accept his engineering diploma posthumously which we did three months after his death. I could go on but back to Bobbie for now and her grieving steps. This event would minister to her as will future events and moments that He will personally lead her through by His hand. She is doing amazingly well by God's grace and is believing Him almost nonstop. She knows that "all the days ordained for Jon were written in God's book before one of them came to be." (Psalm 139:17) But this is how cool God is and this is the gift that He gave her by inviting her to attend the Dove's. She was completely ministered to in her grief in so many ways. Stephen Curtis Chapman and Mary Beth and fam had also lost Maria Sue this past year. So many of the artists sang songs that inspired hope that evening and I knew Bobbie was taking it all in. At one point, the entire body of people at the Grand Ole Opry paused and prayed for the Crabb Family who had just sung in the pre-show only to find out that their two year old had fallen out of a window while they preformed. At one point she said to me, "I wonder how many other parents in this room have had to deal with the loss of a child in the past year." She is very aware of the suffering of others in her own ginormous loss. But the highlight for Bobbie came after the show when she looked down and saw Louie Giglio. She shouted out, "Louie," and made her way over to him and had an intense conversation about her murdered only child and his story. Louie gave her his email and said he wanted to know more about Jon. I didn't know this until after the awards but Bobbie had been trying to get in touch with Louie since Jon's death on Feb. 21, 2009. She felt compelled to tell his story to Louie. And how 'bout our God hookin' em up in His perfect timing!!! She had no idea that he would even be at the Dove Awards!! Turns out, he is also a song writer and has written many songs with Chris Tomlin for the Passion Conferences. Only God knows the plan for Jon's story and who it will reach for Christ. He was a mighty young man of God. I will never forget the first time I met him about five years ago outside my Sunday School classroom. His enthusiasm was unsurpassed! My whole family loved that kid. His life was far from perfect and he made tons of mistakes but He knew He was loved by God and He loved Him back. He was a classic "Israelite" in that he would turn away at times but always turned back. The good work that was begun in Jason and Jon by Christ, "will be carried on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Their stories aren't even complete yet! How cool is that?!

Oh, America, America

2009-04-21T09:06:00.000-04:00

Oh, America, America! "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace--but now it is hidden from your eyes." (Luke 19:42a) How He longs to take us under His wing like a hen gathers her chicks. (Luke 14:34) Jesus Christ is the answer to all of our problems!!! At this incredulous time in our country, what with all the "downturns" and such, I am in awe of all seemingly good solutions and ideas about how this country can turn around. But in God's economy, these ideas will be shown for what they are. He won't even allow them to work so perhaps in frustration, we might cry out to Him. We have only the Truth on which to rely and it is only the Truth that can set us free! 401k's have turned out to be a false god. The stock market and all sorts of funds and annuities have turned out to be false gods. Mutual funds, smutual funds! Turns out the rock in America was sinking sand. Ten years ago, I would have been right there with "them" easily solving all of the world's problems with worldly solutions. But by God's grace, not anymore. "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness!" Christians, it's time to "Christ up" and reveal His glory to a very lost nation. Start where you are! Your home, neighborhood, and community. Invite people to your church. The only way things are going to change is by leading people to Christ, one soul at a time. He is the answer to every problem!!!

More St. Barts 10 year Anniversapalooza pics!

2009-04-08T23:01:00.000-04:00

Our balcony with the view from which I took 400 pix of the same thing-the view of the beautiful baie St. Jean!
I LOOOve dogs. This is sache'.
I love this runway!!!
My favorite part of the whole experience is the runway at the beach. I could stand there and take pix of people as the prop planes take off. The danger sign didn't say anything about standing at the end of the runway-simply no parking or sunbathing. Just sayin'!
Although I'm not much of a name dropper John McEnroe I heard a familiar voice right beside me at the missing bag counter John McEnroe when I turned around and low and behold there he was. His daughter's bag had not arrived with her flight as was the case for Mike's. I didn't have time to whip out the paparazzi camera like I usually do when things like this happen. I was obviously not on guard like a good star stalker should have been. Game off. Molly would have been proud that I actually behaved. In reality, I simply missed the money shot. My brother said I should have had a fit myself over Mike's missing bag and said, "YOU CAN NOT BE SERIOUS!" Again, game off!

Beautiful St. Barts!

2009-04-08T21:36:00.000-04:00

The Lord cued the sailboats!!
Gustavia, the port town of St. Barts
Our infinity pool at LeVillage St. Jean Hotel/cottages with the caribbean sea in the background
The view from the restaurant "Le Cesar" with bougainvillea framing the bay!
Thank You, Lord, for the gift of this great vacation!!! Mike and I had the best time ever as we celebrated our 10 year anniversary at the exact same place (same cottage even) where we spent our honeymoon. Thank you for guiding us back there to rest, reflect and focus on our marriage. We are truly a second marriage miracle in the fact that God is transforming us into who He created us to be. The bulk of the "work" has taken place over the last 10 years when in late 1999 Mike had the sense to "listen to the pastor and have a devotion" together at home. I never will forget how rediculously odd it felt to pull the Bible out from the bookshelf and actually open it and read the few verses that corresponded with the "Daily Bread" devotion booklet and then have prayer before he headed off to work. But that was just the beginning of our life-changing experience. We noticed almost right away that we had a little more peace throughout the day so we continued this new daily habit! And that is where our God story begins and continues to this day. After months of having our devos together, I began my first Beth Moore Bible study in Aug. 2000, David- A Heart Like His. I actually went "kicking and screaming" because a good friend insisted and a bad knee from an old ski injury took me out of tennis. Turns out, I looooove bible studies and have not stopped seeking God through His Word!!! Mike began his own "quiet time" by reading the One Year Bible in Jan. 2001 and has read it through every year since then. We both began to "put into practice" what God spoke to us and stepped into whatever "assignment" or action He led us to do no matter how foolish or silly or scary it was. I could write a book on this journey but for now I will just say that GOD HAS WORKED WONDERS FOR US AND WE KNOW THAT HE IS THE LORD, THE ONE AND ONLY GOD OF THE UNIVERSE!!!

St. Barts 10 year Anniversapalooza!

2009-03-22T17:40:00.000-04:00

Bon Jour! By the grace of God, He has brought us back to the beautiful island in the French West Indies called St. Barthe'le'my. For this, I am greatful. Our view from the Village St. Jean Hotel is over the top spectacular!!! I can't wait to see what He speaks to us here. We know He wants us to focus on our marriage without distractions like beepers, phones, text messages, march madness, etc. My, my, my how things (we) have changed in ten short years. We are definitely not who we were (ala Brandon Heath) only by His grace!!! Oh yea, this time I will not forget to "get the T shirt" He is the great God of 2nd chances.

Jason Stories to be cont'd!

2009-03-18T10:38:00.001-04:00

At some point hopefully in the near future, I plan to download the entire video of Jason's friends telling some great stories about him. My computer keeps running out of space so that is why the videos are fragmented.

Condopalooza - Spring Break '09

2009-03-18T10:33:00.001-04:00

Jenni, Molly, Brittany, Emily and Vickie leap for joy!
Mom and her Esther Bible Study by Beth Moore!
Me and Molly

Jason Goodwin Stories 7

2009-02-20T14:12:00.000-05:00

Jason Goodwin Stories 5

2009-02-20T13:21:00.000-05:00

Jason Goodwin Stories 4

2009-02-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

Jason Goodwin Stories 2,3

2009-02-19T06:23:00.000-05:00

Jason Goodwin Stories 1

2009-02-18T22:17:00.000-05:00

Lauren, Joel and Margeaux!

2009-02-18T12:37:00.000-05:00

It's official! Lauren and Joel are having a baby girl. I really thought it would be a boy simply because they seemed more like "boy people." I am probably most excited about the "pigtail" possibilities or "pinktails" as Molly used to call them. Thank you, LORD, for this amazing blessing. May Your peace reign in this child. Shalom!

Knock Knock, Who's There?

2009-02-18T09:08:00.000-05:00

Our Neighborhood Bible Study for the spring semester kicked off last night! We are studying the book of Mark and our workbooks are from the neighborhoodbiblestudy.org people. We had 8 people plus me and Mike for a total of 10. PTL! We had 2 new neighbors who are originally from India and have no previous Bible knowledge whatsoever. They have seen changes in their daughter since she has accepted Christ and thought He was worth looking into. Way to go, God! Great job orchestrating this group for the 2nd time. In the verse in Revelation 3:20 Christ says, "I stand at the the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me." My spin on this is that as Mike and I open our door to them, we pray they will open their "door" to Him!!! 1Corinthians 16:9a confirmed, "There is a wide-open door for a great work here!"

Glory!!! We've Turned The Corner!

2009-02-14T17:49:00.000-05:00

Molly is now back at Belmont upon spending a semester in the "desert" at Morehead Univ. After much prayer and listening, God led her back but not without learning some valuable lessons in a short time. I would even dare to say that she passed the "Morehead test." She is extremely blessed and excited to be back on the floor in the exact room she was supposed to have been in had she stayed there last fall. God is so sweet. Lord, pour out Your Spirit on both campuses. Raise up young Spirit-led leaders that look just like Jesus and may their witness highly recommend Christ to this deceived, sin mismanaged, truth starving country. Glory is always just around the corner. Geaux Bruins!!!

A Look in the Mirror-Reflecting the Image of Christ?

2009-01-25T14:09:00.000-05:00

FBCR Prayer Retreat Jan. 23-24, 2009 Guest prayer retreat leader, Leighann McCoy, came and blessed us this weekend as God was and is calling us to reflect His heart through all our circumstances no matter what they may be. Is this possible? Only in Christ! Forty-three women attended, each at a different place in their walk but with the same desire to finish the race by pressing forth toward the prize. God is continuing the magnificent work He began in us as He is "HGTVing" our heart. He wants to continue the interior design work on the inside as we cooperate in the rebuilding process. Many need old wounds bound up. Many need their minds renewed. And many need to allow Him to touch their hearts in all honesty and get to some root issues like pride and selfishness for true healing. But we all have the same goal. We want to look like Christ and reflect His image to our husbands, children, families, friends, neighbors and enemies. "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."

2 Cor. 3:17-18. "How else will anyone know that You that You are pleased with me and with Your people unless You go with us? What else will distinguish me and Your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?" Exodus 33:16 Lord, make us over into the Spirit-filled women you desire. Make us distinguishable and give us the grace to cooperate!! Love, joy and peace in Jesus' name, Amen.

Happy New Jeers!!!!

2009-01-16T15:04:00.000-05:00

2009 is off and running! I can't believe January is half way over already. I just want to say that God has been amazing to me and my family thus far and seems to be in the mood to bless, bless, and bless some more. No wonder Jesus had to come to earth and show us the One True God. He is so amazingly nice, kind, loving, and over the top generous!!! People need to know the Truth. Nothing in all the universe beats a relationship with God through His Son, Jesus. Happy Jesus New Year!!!

He Has Done Great Things For Me, Too!!!

2008-12-26T12:03:00.000-05:00

Luke 1:46-50

And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my savior, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me-- holy is His Name. His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation.
Sophie, Jonny and Nicole
Sophie scored the wide-angle lens of her dreams

Molly rockin' the burb scarf the perfect apron for me-not that I've ever had a meltdown!
Cajun Kitchen Tree

Christmas Decor '08

2008-12-26T11:40:00.000-05:00

that giraffe spoke to me once (not literally, duh!) about medical missions in Africa

Nutcrackers "Hans and Franz"

Happy Birthday Jesus!!!

2008-12-26T11:30:00.001-05:00

all kindergarten reindeer popcicle stick ornaments and any other type are welcome on this tree after I was accused of and found guilty of making it too fancy a few years back!
The Nativity is my favorite of all!

Tokyo Comes To Kentucky!

2008-12-15T09:39:00.000-05:00

Molly's friend, Ranko, is spending part of Christmas with us since it is so expensive to go home. We are totally blessed by her and thankful to God for allowing us to host her. She is precious and I pray she will experience Christmas like never before. In Tokyo, the big holiday is New Year's. Lord, help us to throw down a month- long birthday party for Christ and glorify His Name in our house! Happy B-day Jesus!!!

Connected To Connect!

2008-11-21T10:05:00.000-05:00

While attending the Women's Ministry National Leadership Forum in Nov. 2007, I met Janice Viinalass at Leighann McCoy's prayer breakout session. We talked for a few minutes after the session and exchanged email addresses and I committed our spring women's Tues. Morning Bible study to pray for her family and mission ministry in Estonia (next to Finland, duh!). The thing that amazed me is how God connected us this fall. They came home to Columbus, Ohio, in early Nov. and worked out their schedule to come to our church on a Sunday evening, Nov. 2nd, and speak to our congregation regarding their work in Estonia. I knew God's hand had brought them to us and their testimony inspired and touched so many people at FBCR. Thank you, Lord, for introducing me to Janice and for how You are using them to further Your Kingdom and for the unseen work that is taking place as we speak resulting from their evening spent with us. God, has anyone ever told You just how COOL You are?!

" We're Just a Dirty Spoon"

2008-10-16T11:56:00.000-04:00

Mike and I were talking this morning before he left for work about living the Spirit-filled life and he ended the conversation with a sentence that I cracked up over and had to write down. He said, (after salvation) "we gotta be healed and know the Truth and until that happens we're just a dirty spoon." Of course, he was referring to the verses in 2 Timothy 2:20-21 and I recognized where this was coming from but it was so stinkin' funny for him to say it that way. Lord, make us holy and useful to You, prepared to do any good work!!!

Lovin' The Fireproof Movie!

2008-10-15T13:55:00.000-04:00

To date, I have seen this movie 3 times!!! I guess I love it so much because it is chock full of Truth which is such a rarity these days not to mention the drastic lack of violence ('cept for the baseball bat). I saw it the first weekend it came out with Mike. But, last week we went to dinner and saw the movie with our neighbors. Mike got the idea while listening to the Sunday sermon to branch out from our normal study and meet for dinner and see the movie. Six of the neighbors made it that evening and we had a wonderful time. At one point during the movie, I looked across the row and had to ponder how interesting, amazing and like God it was to orchestrate this date. I mean, I love my neighbors and all but to actually go to a Christian movie together was certainly not something I could've "thunk up." Praise You, Lord, for Your creativity and love. My third viewing was with Molly and Monica two days ago. They liked it as well and I know God will use it in their young lives to model "true agape love." Way to go God and the faithful brothers (Alex and Stephen Kendrick) who wrote this script. "Fireproof doesn't mean something prevents fire. Fireproof means you are able to withstand a fire."

Won't You Be My Neighbor!

2008-09-12T15:19:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to post on the Neighborhood Bible Study. We have met twice thus far and it is going quite well. Our first meeting was on Aug. 26, when we hosted a barbecue for the people on our street. We invited them for fun, food, and fellowship and to discuss the possibility of interest in beginning a neighborhood Bible study. Believers, seekers, skeptics and doubters are welcome the invitation read. Twelve showed up and we had an awesome time. After the dinner and non-cheesy ice-breakers, we began a discussion about what we would ask God if we could ask Him one question. Mike began by talking about Jason and how he would ask God about why he had to die after finally turning his life around from drugs, alcohol, etc., and living for Christ for four years. Then others began to articulate their questions and the discussion went well. One man shared that the day before we hand-delivered the invitations that he prayed and asked God, "that if he were to grow in his faith, how would he go about doing that and could God give him a sign."
He said that after we left his house, he asked his wife what we were doing and she told him that we had just invited them to a barbecue and bible study. He said that he was startled!! He recognized that God was answering him. We had no idea that God had orchestrated our timing in response to his question of faith. But, we were not surprised. Everyone that came has planned to meet at our house every other week. It is obvious that God has brought us together and we are truly getting to know one another as neighbors should. PTL!! We know He is doing an awesome work among us. <><

Restorer of Streets With Dwellings!

2008-08-21T14:34:00.000-04:00

Isaiah 58:12 says, "Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations. You will be called repairer of broken walls, restorer of streets with dwellings." Don't you know that God totally spoke to me on Tues. morning through this verse!! Mike has felt led to begin a neighborhood bible study ever since Bruce "Prayer of Jabez" Wilkinson spoke to our church in May and challenged us to fill the pews. I must confess that I had been complacent about inviting people to FBCR. And God exposed my complacency through Bruce. I personally thought that a neighborhood bible study (NBS) was a great idea and I knew I wanted to be involved. Over the summer, Mike and I prayed while he researched seeker group studies. God began to bring clarity to him about how to approach it only I knew I didn't quite have the vision Mike had for this ministry. I kept asking Mike questions like, "Do we invite random people from all over Bellefonte or how do we know exactly who to invite?" He told me a couple of weeks ago that we should start with inviting just the houses on our STREET (more specifically just those on our block). On Monday night, I wasn't sleeping well and was praying about all I potentially was supposed to be involved with for the fall and I asked God to give me a passion and confirmation for the NBS. On Tuesday morning during my "quiet time" I began reading Isaiah 58 which is my all-time favorite passage. When I got to verse 12, I got my confirmation. God spoke directly to me using the word STREET to confirm that I was to be in partnership with Mike in leading a study. I then became really excited about the NBS because the God of the Universe told me to get on board because He was ordaining it! Thank you, Father. I can and will trust You as we begin to point some people to You so that You may make some "home improvements." Serving You is my privilege. Ciao! Dana <><

"You'll See" Glory's Just Around The Corner!

2008-08-18T13:36:00.000-04:00

Well, Molly, Jonny and Sophie are officially moved into their respective college homes. On Friday, I helped Molly get moved into her dorm at MSU. It was somewhat of a hostile environment on the part of 2 of the 3 new roomies. Let's just say that it was quite obvious that "some" had settled in and really didn't seemed thrilled that 2 more would be joining them. But after all, it was a 4 girl room. I must say, that Molly took the high road in her attitude of heart. I was proud of the spiritual maturity she was displaying by the fact that she was responding in the spirit and not the flesh. I struggled a bit because I kept comparing Belmont Univ. to Morehead St. Univ. My flesh definitely wanted to make an appearance! But I know quite well that God is not into comparisons and so I had to pray, pray, pray throughout the day. But the cool thing is that He specifically spoke to me on Friday morning as I showered and before we even left the house. I asked Him, "Why Morehead, Lord?" He replied, "You'll see." "When," I prodded, and He said, "Wait." I then asked, "Did You just say wait?" "Yes," He said. So I totally got a "You'll see, wait, and yes," from the Lord. The next day I was watching Monk on the DVR and at one point on the submarine episode, Mr. Monk said, "You'll see, be patient." He was recreating a silencer out of a soda pop bottle. I asked Molly(she came back home with Kev Sat. morning for Shannon's b-day) to roll it back because those words reminded me of what God had spoken to me just the day before. It was as if He were reminding me again first of all because at that time, I NEEDED REMINDING. That moment also reinforced the point that something BIG was at stake. On Sun. morning in my quiet time I read from 1 Peter 4 in the Message. It talked about glory being just around the corner and going through what Christ experienced being a spiritual refining process-this was an answer to a question I had asked God on Friday night. (Lord, just what are we dealing with regarding the Morehead roommate situation?) We are to rejoice that we participate in the sufferings of Christ. I also loved what He spoke to me in my devo.-Just believe, trust Me, and let not your heart be troubled. Perfect words for my battle with #1 the transfer and #2 the unwelcoming roommates. God has been preparing me all week for what was going down. I wavered in and out of belief. I let the enemy get to me at times. I confessed my unbelief as sin and then chose to believe. I KNOW God is doing a BIG thing and that I will SEE it in His timing. This pumps me up! (ala Hans and Franz) Thank you Lord for loving me through this emo weekend. Above all love, each other deeply because love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Pet. 4:8 Love, Dana <<+><

Molly Has Chosen What Is Better!

2008-08-11T09:52:00.000-04:00

Today starts the grief period for me because summer 2008 is coming to and end. Molly and Jonny are both moving to Morehead on Friday so this week will be all about preparation and packing. Sophie is going back to Columbia College in Chicago on Friday as well! But the big surprise for me is how I have been an emotional wreck these past few days because Molly decided to leave Belmont and transfer to Morehead. I have known all summer that this was a possibility and we have prayed and sought God's will for her in this matter. Last week when she officially withdrew from Belmont, I became somewhat emo and I believe God was exposing a root of sinful self-interest in me. Why did I care so much about her transferring? Does it really matter what college or university her degree comes from? Well, he proceeded to expose pride in my heart. I honestly did not see this coming. But, sure enough, I was a wreck over her decision to leave precious little "Belmont" and transfer to Morehead. I mean Nashville has everything and Morehead has...what? Did you know that the road to the White House runs through Belmont? This little gem of a school has got it going on! So how could transferring to Morewho, I mean Morehead be a good decision? Well, this morning in my quiet time I believe God confirmed His will for her to me. The passage-Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38-42. When I read it I saw me "worried and upset about so many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better..." I knew immediately that God had spoken to me and confirmed that it was His will for this school transfer. Also, I remembered that the name Molly is a diminutive form of the name Mary so I knew that He was in essence saying to me, "Molly has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her. So there it was-Morehead was better for Molly than Belmont! Only God knows why but I will choose to trust Him and put this issue to rest. Luke 9:48 b (MSG) says, "You become great by accepting, not asserting. Your spirit, not your size, makes the difference." In other words, it's God's Holy Spirit in you, not the degree you receive or where you receive it from that makes the difference in your life. Thank you, LORD, for the delivering word. I needed it! Love, joy, peace... Dana <><

Jesusistheparty!

2008-08-09T15:10:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone out there in the blogosphere! Just getting started with my blog and am walking through the steps so bear with me! Thanks . Dana <><