Overwhelmed...in a good way

It's Saturday morning which means it's the day sandwiched between our 1st launch services for The Community Church!!!! It also means that there are a group of awesome volunteers helping my husband pass out invitations to Easter morning launch services tomorrow morning as I type. Last night's service was nothing short of a God moment and miracle! In case you didn't know already, we serve an HUGE and INCREDIBLE GOD!!!

We have prayed for years about planting a church. We have prayed for months about this specific church. You never know going into things like this if you'll even have people show up! Last night confirmed yet again that God has truly called us to this and it's so exciting and humbling to be a part of something so awesome as unworthy as we are.

We go into tomorrow with huge expectations from a huge God! If you don't have a place of worship we'd love for you to be our guest! Info is on our website. He is risen!! He is risen, indeed!!

Inspiring Lyrics...


I had downloaded Casting Crowns new one on my iPod "Until the Whole World Hears", but confess that I haven't had a chance to listen to it yet. I decided that as my treadmill music of choice for that reason today during my lunch hour. I still haven't gotten through the whole album because there was a song that hit me like a ton of bricks and I had to keep replaying it. The song is called "Always Enough" and I almost started weeping while jogging on the treadmill (and sweating...sorry for the visual). I'm glad I didn't being the clutz that I am because it would have probably ended badly, but I wanted everyone to see the lyrics:


In a dry and weary land
LORD You are the rain
In a sea of shattered ones
Your love comes rushing in
You hold the world within Your hands
And see each tear that falls
Through every fire and every storm
You're Always Enough, Always Enough


Your love is peace to the broken
Faith for the widow
Hope for the orphan
Strength for the weak
Your love is the anthem of nations
Rings out to the ages
And You're Always Enough for me


In the watches of the night
LORD You are my song
Hope is in the morning light
Your love shines like the dawn
You keep my heart in perfect peace
My life is in Your hands
When confusion hides my way
You're Always Enough, Always Enough


Your love is peace to the broken
Faith for the widow
Hope for the orphan
Strength for the weak
Your love is the anthem of nations
Rings out to the ages
And You're Always Enough for me


I rejoice for my Saviour reigns
I rejoice for He lives in me
God on high He set me free and Worthy is the LORD
I rejoice for my Saviour reigns
I rejoice for He lives in me
God on high He set me free and Worthy is the LORD


Your love is peace to the broken
Faith for the widow
Hope for the orphan
Strength for the weak
Your love is the anthem of nations
Rings out to the ages
And You're Always Enough for me


I rejoice for my Saviour reigns
I rejoice for He lives in me
God on high, He has set me free and worthy is the LORD


In a dry and weary land
LORD You are the rain

Shooting the Wounded

I simply don't understand Christians sometimes. I realize that is very bold of me to say especially as a Pastor's wife, but it's true. Sometimes we're quicker to shoot our wounded rather than show grace as Christ showed us so that they can move toward Christ's healing of their wounds.

I had already begun a draft of this post and then I read Rick Warren's devotional for today which had to do with the same topic somewhat. Please click on that hyperlink (scroll over 'Rick Warren's devotional' - hyperlink doesn't like my background apparently)...it's really well written (shocking that a best seller would have a well written devotional...LOL).

These thoughts and his devotional reminded me of a VERY old song in Christian music called "Don't Shoot the Wounded" by Chuck Girard. It was somewhat controversial when it came out because I believe that people would rather hear positive things than be confronted with things that might be uncomfortable. How will we grow in our walk if we don't deal with the uncomfortable? It wasn't the greatest musical score ever done, but the lyrics are certainly worth posting in light of this topic:

(chorus) Don't shoot the wounded, they need us more than ever

They need our love no matter what it is they've done

Sometimes we just condemn them,

And don't take time to hear their story

Don't shoot the wounded, someday you might be one

-------------

It's easy to love the people who are standing hard and fast

Pressing on to meet that higher calling

But the ones who might be struggling, we tend to judge too harshly

And refuse to try and catch them when they're falling

We put people into boxes and we draw our hard conclusions

And when they do the things we know they should not do

We sometimes write them off as hopeless

And we throw them to the dogs

Our compassion and forgiveness sometimes seem in short supply

So I say...(chorus)

We can love them and forgive them

When their sin does not exceed our own

For we too have been down bumpy roads before

But when they commit offenses outside the boundaries we have set

We judge them in a word and we turn them out,

And we close the door

Myself I've been forgiven for so many awful things

I've been cleansed and washed and bathed so many times

That when I see a brother who has fallen from the way

I just can't find the license to convict him of his crimes

So I say...(chorus)

That doesn't mean we turn our heads when we see a brother sin

And pretend that what he's doing is all right

But we must help him see his error, we must lead him to repent

Cry with those who cry, but bring their deeds into the light

For it's the sick that need the doctor,

And it's the lame that need the crutch

It's the prodigal who needs the loving hand

For a man who's in despair, there should be

Kindness from his friends'

Lest he should forsake the fear of almighty God

And turn away from God and man

So I Say...

©1982 Sea of Glass Music/ASCAP

Truly - we can't shoot the wounded because one day we might be one. As is stated in the song...I've been forgiven and shown grace by my Savior...I certainly don't have license to convict anyone. Praise God for His amazing grace...it's not just a song title...it's a gift freely given but rarely understood. I have lived Psalm 103:1-12 so who am I to judge?

FAITH

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.
Hebrews 11:6

I remember learning this verse at a very young age. I had an album (yes, an actual album...for those of you under 25 that is a large round piece of plastic that you put a needle on from a player that spins around and plays music and things) named The Music Machine. There was a song on there called "Without Faith" and it was basically this verse put to music. As a young child I never realized what all was involved in that word "faith"...or really I didn't realize how much of that word involved me and my mind and choices.

Faith can be hard to put into action. Beth Moore in "Believing God" talks about belief being where your theology and reality meet. I can say that I believe and have faith all I want because I know that verse that I memorized is true, but my actions might show something totally different than what I say I know from my theology. I was convicted of this when I recently went through "Believing God" so I decided to put feet to my faith when it comes to my house.

In total faith and belief in God, I haven't registered Jackson for his old school. I am trusting God to sell our house so that he can be registered at his new school and not have to be moved in the middle of a semester. Guess what? That means that our house has to sell this week!!! I have to have everything done by the beginning of next week because registration is on the 30th. This is where you come in. I'm asking that you believe in faith with me and pray to that end that our house sells THIS WEEK. God can do ANYTHING. I know that He can certainly sell our little house this week. He could sell it today. I believe that and I'm making sure that my theology and reality are communicating the same thing so I haven't even picked up registration papers yet. I want to please God by my faith and not fail Him like I do so many times.

Thank you for interceding on our behalf if you choose to do so. It's humbling to have people pray for you and we are grateful. Praise God that soon we will be in our new house with Jackson in a new school making new friends. We desire to serve our church family FULLY that we've been called to and feel we can't do that to the best of our ability until we are immersed in the community. May God bless you as you hopefully earnestly seek Him!

There's something about Christmas time...

I truly love the sounds and fun that come with Christmas. I love seeing my boys sing in Christmas musicals and catching up with family and friends. I love taking the boys to the mall to see Santa and tell him what they want for Christmas. Most of all, I love the reason for this holiday which is to celebrate a little baby that came to earth so that He could die for you and for me. He loved us so much that He wanted to take our punishment for all the wrong things that we do and have done so that we could believe on Him and live forever with Him in heaven one day! How incredible that Someone would love me that much to look beyond my faults!! I don't deserve it, but I'm so grateful...so now I desire to live my life for Him! Merry Christmas!!!

Quick wisdom from a 6 year old...

The other night (after Jackson had thrown a major fit and we had a long discussion about it and consequences, etc.) Ernie and I had a little disagreement shall we say? Anyway, we were in J man's room discussing things with him and I had asked several times for Ernie to hand me the book that we read at bedtime. I apparently snatched it from his hand according to J man (the little Holy Spirit at our house...except when he does anything wrong). He says to me, "Mom, you're not supposed to snatch. That's not being Jesus-like". I guess he has a point...*sigh*

Friendship

Friendship is a word that encompasses a lot of things...probably different things for different people. Friendship is a very important word to me. I was having a conversation the other day with someone saying that they don't keep in touch with any of the bridesmaids that they had in their wedding. I was shocked! I had seven bridesmaids in my wedding over 15 years ago and I keep in touch with every single one of them. It may not be every day or every week, but on a regular basis we all keep in touch via email and some phone with the out of town people and I get together with the local ones.

I've also added to those friends over the years. I have friends from different stages in my life. I have friends I grew up with, friends from high school, college, church, ministry and work. I'm blessed by God to have a lot of friends. Some friends are closer than others, but I'm grateful for all of my friends. I've even had friends that weren't the best influence on me. Those friends I eventually had to separate from in order to become the woman God wants me to be, but I'm still appreciative of the things that I learned through those friends as it drew me closer in my walk with the Lord.

My prayer is that I'm a good friend. They have all certainly been good friends to me through all of the things that we journey through in life. I'm grateful that we've journeyed through them together. I'm a people person...an extrovert...I have a problem doing ANYTHING alone! I certainly couldn't have handled life's challenges and changes alone. God knows just what we need and at the right time. I love Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 which says, "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work; If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!" That reminds me that I need to befriend the friendless too...ouch - I don't like for my toes to get stepped on like that!

I can truly say that my husband is my best and closest earthly friend who shows me unconditional love every day. He supports me, prays for me, listens to me, encourages me and most of all...has put up with me and my dysfunctional self for over 15 years! He deserves a medal on earth and an incredibly large, ornate and beautiful crown in heaven one day! Those of you that know me can insert a hearty *AMEN* here.

The book of Proverbs talks about the ultimate friend...a friend that sticks closer than a brother - His name is Jesus. He's a friend that is safe; He will never let you down or wound you. I wonder if I'm a good friend to Him. I'm challenged today as I post about friendship to be a better friend...keep in touch better, speak more constructively, enter into intercession on their behalf more often, encourage more, but I'm also challenged to be a better friend to the ultimate friend. I need to talk to Him more and do that constructively as well. He longs to meet with me so that I can get to know Him more intimately. Just the fact that He wants to spend time with me is hard to comprehend...but He loves me so much that He sacrificed His life so that I can spend eternity with him. That should motivate and inspire me to be the best friend that I can be...to people here on earth and to my ultimate friend in Heaven!