Thursday, January 30, 2014

abiding

Any place becomes the Promised Land when the blessing of His presence becomes the gift we receive  — and give.

I found this beautiful sentence in a book I'm reading.

It explains how a person in love with the Lord can rest in Him even in the worst of circumstances, how an earthly trial can be viewed as the Promised Land when we abide deeply in Him.


When we accept this gift from Him - we can also give this gift.  With eyes never wavering from Him we show the world our true Savior - taking a step away from the busy world and abiding...

Looking deeply into others' eyes - really hearing them - really caring, demonstrating to them in a very small way a glimpse of His love.

This is the place in which I long to abide.

Sunday, January 26, 2014

weekend report

I got to be at Crossroads for one of the 3 services this weekend and it was great!   A bad cold kept me home part of the weekend and I really missed being there!  But our teams and choir carried on and were amazingly strong this weekend!!

Our setlist:
Blessed By Your Name (with an original opening)
All My Fountains
10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)
Oceans
One Way
Message:  Pastor Tim Armstrong continued JOHN series
Ending Song:  All My Fountains

To watch our services on line go to www.crossroadswired.com

To see what other ministries used in their services go to www.theworshipcommunity.com

May the rest of your week be amazingly blessed by our Lord!!

Saturday, January 25, 2014

good and bad

As I looked out my window this morning, so happy to be inside with a warm fire burning and coffee in my mug - I realized that most things could be both bad and good.

This breathtakingly beautiful snow can be good in the sense of yet another demonstration of God's nature performing as He designed.  To give rest to the animals that sleep, the plants that go dormant and even allowing the lawn mowers to be put away for a time.

It provides hours of play for children sledding down the hills and building forts and snowmen while at the very same time being a bad thing as well.

The cold has caused everyone more financial cost than normal to heat their homes and to clear the roads.  The schools have been closed more meaning the students will probably lose some vacation in the warm weather.

Good and bad.

That applies to almost everything I can think of.

People
Food
Governments
Religion
Business

I choose to enjoy the snow today to see the 'good'  - it makes me slow down and stay home and focus on Him.  I could never live where seasons never change - I would find it boring - so I'm very thankful He gifted us today with a bounty of snowfall! 

I will try to remember the 'good' in the snow as I try to make my way to church later today...enjoy the beauty of this day everyone!


Friday, January 17, 2014

worship = thankfulness

Worship can manifest itself in many different ways.

When we lift our voices in praise to the Lord we worship.
When we study scripture and apply it to our lives in obedience to Him we worship.
When we serve one another we live a life of worship.

But I had never really thought about my thankfulness in response to His provision as worship.

As He provides all the ridiculously generous things I have I worship Him with thankfulness.

Can you imagine creating the entire universe and the very creatures you created assume their provisions are of their own doing and offer no thank-yous?

How sad He must be with me as I enjoy all that He's given me and He watches me lay my head down without even a word of thankfulness some days.  If a day goes by where no thankfulness is offered in worship to Him - I wonder whether that day has worth at all?




Tuesday, January 14, 2014

another day almost done

I cannot believe once again it's almost evening - seems like I'm always evaluating, looking back instead of making forward progress!

Eternal things today?

Served another ministries' worship team.
Took food and medicine to someone sick.
Encouraged a friend.

Non-eternal things?

Bought large cafe latte - when I stopped to get vitamins and left it in car, Vern drank it. 
Guilty face

Looked at Facebook.
Took pictures of friends.
Dusted furniture.
Ate candy.

Now off to see if I can fill my evening with eternal things instead of trivial non-important nonsense!

What filled your day?


Monday, January 13, 2014

friends

I can't imagine my life without my friends!

I got to spend the past 2 days with 3 friends that I love dearly!  We have eaten at least 20,000 calories each and spoken 1,000,000,000 words each.  And we're not done yet!

I am a blessed woman.

I know some people feel like they don't have friends, I would encourage you to put yourself in any situation or gathering that would give you opportunity to talk with people - and pray for Godly friends that can fill your life!  God did not intend that we would do life alone!

There are most definitely times that we need to pray and study and reflect on God's Word alone, and times to rest and withdraw.  But, the church was intended to be the place where we gather to be with one another, to get to know one another and to grow spiritually closer to God.  We'll spend eternity together - our lives here are what comes before that eternal time, and I want all my friends to be there with me!  An eternal celebration and worship service - that sounds fantastic to me!

I love all my friends - the different life experiences we share - and the anticipation with which we face our future together in Him!


Sunday, January 12, 2014

weekend report

As Pastor Tim got into the first several verses of JOHN it quickly became apparent that this was going to be an amazing series!  Our attendance is busting at the seams which makes us praise the Lord for the opportunity to proclaim His Word!  We are truly blessed in Him!

Our Setlist:

Welcome/Announcements

God Is With Us Now
How Great Thou Art
Oceans (Where Feet May Fall)
In Christ Alone
Message:  JOHN Pt.2 - Pastor Tim Armstrong
Closing Praise:  Indescribable

To watch our services go to www.crossroadswired.com

To see what other ministries used in their services www.theworshipcommunity.com


Saturday, January 11, 2014

Worth writing about

As my day draws to an end, I ask myself if there was anything within my day worth writing about?

The definition of worth is "the quality that renders something desirable, useful or valuable"

Desirable?  Yes, many aspects of my day at least I considered desirable!
I held my grandson
I talked to my daughter via FaceTime 
I watched my son sitting with high school students in the Crossroads service

Valuable? Yes, I learned truths from the first few verses of John taught expositorily by Pastor Tim!

Useful? Yes, I had the privilege of introducing a new worship intern to everyone tonight and began using her to help prepare the services! 

Was my day worth writing about? Yes, because by putting it in words I  praise Him for giving me all these things, it was another day with loved ones and small things accomplished and time to appreciate all that I had in my day!

Thursday, January 9, 2014

today and yesterday I talked

I had to laugh looking back at my past 2 days.  I spent nearly every minute of them talking.

I have been so busy preparing Christmas details and then regrouping to launch the JOHN series that I was way behind on meetings and discussions with staff members and friends.  So at the beginning of this week the talking began and just ended.

Now I have lots of notes, many new ideas, more assignments, the beginnings of solutions that need to be completed and more meetings to schedule.  A new year has begun...

The good thing about the amount of meetings and discussions concerning plans, work related changes, goals and ideas is I have plenty to work on.  The problem is I already had enough to work on!

My new strategy?

No more talking.

(my friends are breaking into gales of laughter)...


Monday, January 6, 2014

an excellent storm

I am sure that this cold snap has caused people problems, cost businesses money and is inconvenient in any number of ways... but, I consider it an excellent storm.
Vern's favorite spot...mine too!

Our home is quiet except for the loud crackling of the logs in the fireplace.

Our stomachs are full of crock-pot chicken wings and fresh salads and warm tapioca.

And my stress level is 0 as I blog next to our fireplace, the location that Vern has dedicated himself to!

God's weather has brought things to a stand still in some areas and at least a slower pace here, and I'm actually grateful.

What does it take to slow me down, to set me by a fire, to cook at home and write of my gratefulness?


Is the only way I obediently rest - when mother nature forces her hand or am I becoming smarter and more obedient?

I'd like to think the latter.

As I write tonight I praise my heavenly father for what surrounds me, for more than enough food, for warmth, for a husband of many years that I still adore and for His never ending love for me (even when I'm not as mindful of Him).

An excellent storm has brought a calm to my night and I could seriously
get used to this!


Sunday, January 5, 2014

weekend report

Excellence and simplicity are the words that come to mind in regard to our services this weekend.

Simplicity compared to the Christmas services.  Oh how it was good to be back on a regular schedule and involved in producing this weekend's services at Crossroads!

And excellence describes the quality that our staff and volunteers working together accomplished within the details of the services.

We celebrated communion and worshipped the Lord as one body.  It was awesome!

Pastor Tim began the JOHN series that we've all looked forward to and it was SO GOOD to be in the House of the Lord!

Our Setlist:

Announcements (we produce our announcements on video each week)  This week I invited Hannah Barnhill to be our 'announcement girl' for the first time.  She was excellent!

Financial Year-end report
Our Chairman of the Elder Board, Mike Sloan and our Mansfield Site Pastor, Wendell Anderson gave us a financial update and it was a blessing to hear about God's people's faithfulness this past year at Crossroads.  So good.

songs:
Alive In You
Rescue
seated crowd and gave communion instructions for congregations to take communion during Oceans song -
Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)
One Thing Remains
Message:  JOHN Pt. 1   -  John the Man   - Pastor Tim Armstrong
One Thing Remains

To watch our services go to www.crossroadswired.com

To see what other ministries used in their services go to www.theworshpcommunity.com

Thursday, January 2, 2014

should I ask

I really struggle with asking.

Especially when it comes to asking God.

He tells me to ask and still I resist. 

Here 's my struggle.  When I see the devastation of others, how little they have, how sick they are, how lonely they are...I feel I have no need.  I struggle with whether I'm just being spoiled or greedy if I ask for things and solutions.

Don't misunderstand - I have no problem praying for others.  When they ask me I pray.  I only struggle with my own requests.

But lately I've decided to pray much more specifically, even explaining to Him that I understand it may not be His will.

He's shown me in a couple of instances recently that He's just been waiting for me to ask.

And so my plan is to pour out my heart to Him this year and live in sweet communion with my Savior God as I never have before.   Instead of Him simply knowing what's in my heart and mind - my lips will tell Him.