martha

Wow!

This week, even in the craziness of company,  Christmas,shopping, returns...I have been totally moved and challenged by worship! Brandon, one of our worship dudes, has put together an amazing set.  As I have prepared to sing tomorrow at LifePoint, I am humbled and stretched at the challenges and encouragement from these songs. 

I am not big on the 'new year's resolution' thing.  I do however pray with all my heart that I can pursue God with more, fall in love with Jesus more, and partner with Him more to change our world!  I have to share bits of these songs with you and hope you get the "Wow" that I got!

SMS (Shine)-David Crowder Band:  "Shine your light so I can see you, Hold me up, I need to be near you; Hold me, I need to feel loved; Can you overcome this heart that's overcome".

Take What's Left Of Me-The Glorious Unseen:  "Will you be my eyes when I cannot see; will you be my voice when I cannot speak; will you be my hands when I cannot reach; Father, take what's left of me."

Reign In Us-Ben Glover, Jon Neufeld, and Tim Neufeld:  "Oh great and might one, with one desire we come; that you would reign, that you would reign in us; We're offering up our lives; a living sacrifice; that you would reign, that you would reign in us...We need your perfect love, we need your discipline; we're lost unless you guide us with your light...we cry out for your life to revive us, cry out; cry out for your love to define us, cry out, for your mercy to keep us blamesless until you return...".

I can only pray that I can have such desire and discipline to allow God to reign in me and purify me, and be more like Him in 2010 than I have ever been.  Wow!

"I'll Pray For You"...really? seriously? have you?

Just a thought.  We hear so many prayer requests.  People who need prayer for their marriages, for their children, for their sister, for missionaries, for healing...etc.  We share openly and usually hear and/or say those words, "I'll pray for you".  I am sure we always mean well, and we honestly want to.  But do we?  In the busyness of our own stuff, do we forget?  What if people asked us, "have you prayed yet"? 

I am really trying to be intentional to keep my word and really pray when I say I will.  Maybe we would stop and think before we commit if we aren't going to take the time or remember.  Even if we have to jot it down to remind us.  I need to get back to prayer journaling.  I used to do this a lot.  It is cool to look back and see things that I prayed for years ago.  It is a good tool to make each day for something/someone.  Monday-pray for my family, Tuesday- pray for my church, Wednesday-pray for requests...and so on.

Pray continually!  I can pray for families as I cook dinner (well, that wouldn't be very often!).  Pray for my kids when I do laundry (that would be alot!).  You get it!  I'm just saying!

good stuff!

I am re-reading a book I have had for quite awhile.  "Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World", Janna Weaver.  My mom got it for me years ago, because I tend to be a 'Martha'!  Do you remember the verses in Luke?  "Martha, Martha, the Lord answered, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.  Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."  Luke 10: 41-42.  See, Jesus and the disciples came to their house, and Martha is going crazy getting stuff done, running around, freaking out...and Mary sits at the feet of Jesus and listens...is still. 

Some great quotes from the book: "How incredible to be so in tune with God that not one action is wasted, not one word falls to the ground!" 

"That is the intimacy that Jesus invites us to share.  He invites us to know him, to see him so clearly that when we look upon him, we see the face of God as well."

"In obedience to his invitation...we begin to be changed.  This Savior who accepts us just the way we are-Mary or Martha or a combination of both-but loves us too much to leave us that way."

good stuff!

Egypt

Wow!  Bob goes to Egypt tomorrow!  I am so excited for him.  This is the first time he has been out of the country.  Unless, of course, you count walking from Texas into Mexico! I wouldn't count that!  Anyway, he will be traveling with a group of about 10 from Mountain Lake, a church in the Atlanta area.  He has done pastor conferences there and has met some great pastors and friends.  I think they kind of like him!  They invited him to go along!  He will be going to Atlanta, meet up with them, fly first to Germany, then on to Cairo, Egypt.  He hasn't even left yet and I already miss him!  Bob will be speaking to Christian pastors there that are starting churches.  He will obviously be speaking through a translator, which makes him a little nervous.  Please pray along with me for Bob and the entire team.  I pray God keeps them safe, God stands in their body, thinks in their minds, and speaks through their voice.  I pray they would have fun, make good friends, and make memories.  I pray they will be encouraged, motivated, renewed, energized, and come home with even more of a passion and vision to change the world.  Have a blast babe!  I love you!

happy birthday, Bob!

Today is my husband, Bob's birthday!  Not, just any birthday!  A great one! 

I hope you have an amazing day today!  You are my best friend in the whole world!  I know you don't like the birthday stuff, but you deserve such a great day!  I hope and pray you feel good, are encouraged, motivated, renewed, and energized!  You are more gorgeous today than ever!  You still play a killer game of basketball!  You are a great husband and dad!  You are an incredible communicator, leader, and pastor!  I was attracted to you first for your good looks, but then to your spiritual passion and your love for Jesus.  You have always had such a vision for loving God and loving people!  You are only getting better with age!

I love you more than you will ever know and wish you the best day ever!

Happy Birthday Emmy!!!

My baby is turning 12!!!  I can't believe she came into this world 12 years ago, about 8:30am, on 9/8/97, weighing 9 pounds 8 ounces, 21 inches long! (she was the small one!).  She is the best girl!  We are so proud of her!  She is so beautiful!  She has the hair I have wanted my whole life...straight, blonde, soft!  She has her daddy's tan skin, and can talk forever!  She has gone through the "girly" stages; pink, ballet, dresses, etc., and now, not so much!  A good balance of girly/gym shorts!

She is kindhearted, caring, funny, and gives great hugs!  Emmy, we love you more than you will ever know!  I love you "as far as the moon...and back".  You know what?

Have a great day and enjoy 12...it will be gone before you know it!

remember

Most of you from the St. Louis area remember the horrific event in our community that happened March 9, 2009 at FBC Maryville.  Pastor, husband, and father, Fred Winters was shot and killed as he was preaching. I know we all remember the event and prayed so much for the family and the church.  Now, it has been a while.

I have really been thinking alot about Cindy, his wife, and their two girls lateley.  I also saw her on the news and Saturday my kids (almost the same ages as their girls) and I walked into Wal-Mart right behind them.  We saw them a couple of times inside the store.  They were shopping for school supplies.  I have really been praying for them this week.  Jesus is the only one who can give the comfort and courage they need to go on.  It reminded me:  the meals have been eaten, the flowers have stopped being delivered, and the cards are fewer.  Does time make it better?  Does it? 

We will never know their pain, hurt, sadness, and loneliness.  Cindy and her girls and that church have been an amazing example to Christians and non, clinging to God during tragedy and not blaming Him and being bitter! We have seen their courage, faith, and love through extreme circumstances. I pray God sized comfort be all over them!

I was reminded to not just remember the event when it happens, but remember the people in prayer when time has past.  My prayers and thoughts and concern are with Cindy and her girls this week.  Do you know someone that has had hard times?  Remember?  How about praying for them?  How about sending a card? (you know, in the mail, hand written, with a stamp!!).  Remember this week and the weeks after.

"...love you better.."

A good friend of mine sang a song Sunday at LifePoint that has a great message!  It has really impacted my heart and mind!  It is a Margaret Becker song called "All I Ever Wanted".  It says "I pray for hands that hold You, higher than anything else, and a heart that loves You, more than life itself...I want to love You better whatever it takes..."!

It is so true that if I can love Jesus better, I can love my husband better, my kids better, everyone better!  What more could I/we accomplish to change the world if we held Jesus higher than anything else in our life?!  I realize it is a process to fall in love with Jesus more and more everyday and a journey to keep Him 'higher' than anything else.  What a challenge to go after!  Cool stuff for me to keep on striving for!

'Lead Me to the Cross'

It is no surprise that I love to listen to Hillsong United.  They are a worship team/band out of Australia.  One of my favorite songs is 'Lead Me to the Cross'.  I like it not just because of the girl's voice, but mainly because of the words!  The chorus is absolutely incredible and it humbles me and gives me new perspective every time I hear it.  Check it out:

" Lead me to the cross
Where Your love poured out
Bring me to my knees
Lord I lay me down
Rid me of myself
I belong to You
Lead me, lead me to the cross"

I love to be reminded that it is all about God's love and what He has done for me.  I always need more time on my knees and the picture of us "ridding" ourselves of "us" and just being for Jesus is so humbling!  I want to be lead to the cross every day, but sometimes I am just too consumed with ME, MY STUFF, and I that I miss it.  What a cool prayer, huh?!

Experience

So, I just got back from a walk. I usually like to pray as I walk/run.  It makes for great times and I enjoy that, and for sure I need it!   Today, I had been going along for about 10 minutes and I just was prompted to "experience" my walk!  I felt like God just wanted me to listen, smell, see.  It was quite amazing and refreshing to realize all that I was hearing, smelling, and seeing are usually there...I just don't always take the time or effort to "experience" them.  Well, today I did.  This is what I experienced:

I could hear-kids laughing, dogs barking, an airplane, birds singing, trucks going by.

I could smell-fresh cut grass, flowers, someone's dinner cooking, and dog poop!

I could see-green grass, flowers in yellow, pink, red, and purple, cool cars in people's garages, dogs, birds, blue sky, bright sunshine, kids swinging, kids playing catch, a worm crawling.

What a great time to EXPERIENCE God's work and creation all around me.  I needed that reminder!