Staff Retreat

Well, tomorrow is the big day....the start of our staff retreat! I have to admit, I am a little nervous. This is our first time away with our new staff (we have only been here for a little over 4 months!), and we don't know what to expect. It will be fun, and challenging, and nerve-racking, I'm sure!

So, for the next few days, I will be off-line. This is my short post to say, there will be no post for a good week or two, because we are going away.

If you happen to think of me this week, pray for me. I want to be myself, and have fun, and not be nervous and worried about what I'm saying and what everyone else is thinking the whole time. Thanks!

Wordless Witness

"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." ~ Matthew 5:14-16

God has really been dealing with me about this subject lately -- Am I an example of His love and power in this world? Can people see Jesus in me when they walk by me in Wal-Mart? Do I need to actually open my mouth for others to know that I love Jesus, and Jesus loves them?

I have to say, I honestly don't know. And that disappoints me. I want to be so full of the love of Christ, that when someone walks by me, they can tell there's something different about me. I want to be able to smile at someone and change their life. I want to be able to look at someone and make them feel like they are worth a million bucks! I want a continuous flow of the love of Christ to be coming out of me!

There are so many hurting, hopeless people in this world, and we come into contact with them EVERYDAY! How are we, as Christians, making a difference in this world? These are the questions that have been bothering me lately, and I don't have any easy answers for them. I do know, that for the first time in my life, I really care about them! God has been changing my heart from being selfish, and self-centered, to begin looking toward others. I know how good I can be at hiding when I'm having a bad day, so how many people do I run into that are even better at it than I am!?! And how many of those people have it so much worse than I do? Dear Jesus!

The world we live in is so desperately wicked, and produces many who are living in survival mode - not the blessed life! I said in my last post, I really don't know how people can make it in life without Christ as their focus and stability...especially when the going gets rough! I wanna be an agent of change! I want to be able to be effective in seeing the brokenhearted restored, and full of love, and then sharing their love with others! I want to see a drastic change in the world we live in!

So, I am going to challenge you, who have taken your time to read this post, and I include myself in this challenge, and say - be the light in this world! Be the example of Christ that can't be mistaken! Be the only love that someone may see today, and make a difference in your community! Let your light shine before men!!

Crazy Week

(this is Smooter the day we brought her home....she is now over 25 pounds!)

Hello friends! Sorry I have been a bit absent...I am amazed at times that I made it through this week alive! It has been eventful, to say the least. Let's do a quick recap....

Monday - I went to the doctor, diagnosed with kidney infection, made it through the day, had a great small group meeting at my house at night, went to bed

Tuesday - went to work, left 10 minutes early in extreme pain, did nothing the rest of the night, I was done

Wednesday - horrible pain + fever = emergency room visit....the infection was gone, and they could give no explanation for my pain except that my kidneys were irritated and hadn't caught up to the antibiotic yet....not fun

Thursday - our day off, actually had a pretty good day!, finally watched The Blindside (great movie!), got bit by dog (my Smooter!) that night....and she drew blood

Friday - back and forth all day about whether or not to keep Smooter, decided we can't trust she won't bite again....have to take her back to the Humane Society tomorrow.....have very mixed feelings about this

So, that's my week in a nutshell! Aren't you jealous!?!? :o)  Thank God I have a sense of humor, and his grace is sufficient for me - otherwise, I'd be a cooked goose right now!

This whole week has just been an all out attack of the enemy on our church staff and leadership! I went to the ER, another staff person's son was hospitalized, there have been several different-household cases of a stomach bug, a sinus infection, an unidentified rash, power outages, and financial strain to the breaking point! And that's just the stuff we know about!! It's war time!!

I am thankful that I have a God who is strong when I am weak, who is my joy when I am sad, who gives me grace to make it through the day when I don't think I can, who meets my every need! I have said it before, and I'll say it again....I don't know how people survive in this world without a personal, intimate relationship with the Lord! It seems impossible to me!

So, myself and the rest of my church staff would appreciate any prayers you would like to send our way! My personal, immediate concern at the moment is the children's reactions to giving up the dog. Gabe has totally bonded with her, but does get sick of her pretty quickly, and they all lock her out of the room that they are in more often than they play with her. Libby did admit to me today, that after seeing Smooter bite me, she is a little afraid of her. So.....please pray for us! Thank you!!

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." ~ Psalm 91:1-2