Monday, September 28, 2015

weekend report

Every weekend that I get to stand and watch all of our staff and volunteers' weekly work come together to create the services and children's and student's classes- takes my breath away.  Why the Almighty God of the universe chooses to use any of us is one of the greatest mysteries known to mankind!  But, that's how He chooses to spread His Gospel.  
And this weekend we added a beautiful guest family and Executive Director from Asia's Hope to be part of our worship services.  There are perhaps no one I admire more then these people who give their lives to rescue children from horrible circumstances in Asia and India.  It was a weekend of taking account of our own lives as we worshipped with them and learned more from them.  Here's a few pictures from our time together!
guys
praise team
Savorn family
worship
eric
Our Setlist:
Announcements
Jesus I Come
Oceans
10,000 Reasons
Message:  Justice - Pastor Dave
Special Music:  Break Every Chain - John McCullom
To watch or listen to our services on line go to www.crossroadswired.com
To see what other ministries used in their services go to www.theworshipcommunity.com
We'll see you next weekend as we begin a very powerful message series on Nehemiah!

Monday, September 21, 2015

my day off

Today was a huge blessing as I got to be with my family all day.

Visiting places together, walking outside together, cooking, eating home made salsa that we made from a CRATE of tomatoes a friend left on our deck, cleaning, planning...

I will never take my family for granted or tire of spending time with them, and now I am ready to return to work because my heart is full.

If the Lord allows, later this week I'll be sitting by my dad's side yet again at a tractor pull I care nothing about, but I care about he and my mom, and I can never thank them enough for the sacrifices they've made over the years for our sakes.

I still remember not being able to fall asleep as a kid at night until I heard his car pull into the driveway following his night-time factory job.  A second job he was forced to take when everyone stopped getting their hair cut.  Just knowing he was home let me rest.

It's funny to understand we have the same affect on our grandkids.  Total trust.  That's weighty.  But it's also the best thing in the world.

I'm just full of thankfulness and I know the thankful is directed straight to the Lord.  Without the bond we have in Him - there would be no common love, care and commitments that bind us so tightly!

Have a great sleep - and let's wake up tomorrow all committed to loving our families well, with His love!  Good-night!




Friday, September 18, 2015

Christmas began this week

While people are still scrambling to get kids settled into the routine of school, and fall sports and all the rush that comes with this time of year, bits and pieces of Christmas began to come together at Crossroads this week.

Some bits were a result of generous volunteers working to cut all the pieces and parts out ahead of time so that individual hand-made gift tags can go on each gift given out at our Adopt A Child event this year.  People gathered in Town Square early this week to assemble 250 of the needed 1,000 gift cards.  The next opportunity to help us prepare for Christmas will be, October 12th when we once again gather to try to finish the tags.  
My most personal bits were the pieces of the Crossroads Christmas services.  For a long time I've been focused on one idea for our services that just was not coming together and I ended up staring at a blank screen for long periods of time, despite prayer and preparation.  I even spent countless time searching for a DVD I couldn't find, only to find it exactly where it should have been...sigh.

I had the pieces and parts saved in folders, segments I had researched and considered for a very long time.  But, when it came time to create the skeleton of the service to be handed off to the rest of the creatives to join me in completing - it just wasn't cohesive.  And so one can assume - not God's will.

I asked my daughter to let me bounce some of the main pieces and ideas off of her and she immediately could see the value in the main ones, but helped bring perspective and order to the remaining pieces and parts. And the next day we got the biggest assurance we could possibly have received.

My plan was to present Christmas to the creative team and then talk to Pastor Dave, upon his request.  But instead, we asked him if we could have a few minutes of his time and then we knew for sure it was right.  As we began to show him some pieces and read him some of the content - he walked to his computer to show us where God had directed him the night before. To a passage in Micah that used several of the very words we read to him in our concept.... we all just looked at each other in disbelief!

As I left that room, I thanked God for caring enough about our little plans to give His confirmation in such an obvious way, and so the pieces began to actually fit together and fall into place.  We have a long way to go, but, will proceed with confidence that we will once again get to tell His story to all that gather at Crossroads and will trust Him to change lives for eternity!  
What a week it was - Christmas, here we come!


Tuesday, September 8, 2015

weekend report

The students lead us in worship this past weekend and it was AMAZING!  It is so encouraging to see the next generation in the church stepping up - to prepare to lead in the future!

Take a look!

Panoramic shot of our amazing Student Ministry leading us in worship and running all the tech areas!


Worship was so strong!










Our Setlist:

Ethan Stuckey - our drummer gave the announcements for us.

Keely was the actress in the opening Prayer video - shot by our Senior High Pastor Eric
Holy Spirit
Dylan did our Scripture reading on the next video piece
Jesus I Come
How Great is Our God
Rescue 
Our God
Message: Pastor Joey
Exit song

To watch our service on line go to crossroadswired.com

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


Saturday, September 5, 2015

fear or love

As I sat and read in Daniel this morning, I found myself battling once again between the pit in my gut that is fear, and the first hand experience I constantly have with God's love.

I've spoken before about how easy I am to control with fear.

I grew up with 'end times' sermons being screamed from the pulpit and over-conservative adult relatives that monitored every word I spoke and move I made, and felt it their duty to constantly report to my parents.

I'm easily controlled with fear and intimidation.

Obviously now as an adult I understand that God never intended for that kind of misuse of scripture to be used to control people and especially not to terrify kids.

As I sit on my deck this morning, praising the Lord for who He is, I remember again that what God wants from me is to long to be with Him.

Instead of worrying about all the horrible sin and corruption I see all around me, it should point my focus toward Him - creating within me a longing I cannot suppress to spend eternity in His perfect presence.

This morning - with no news blaring from the TV, and newspapers laying in front of me - I worshipped Him, I longed for His return, and He gave me again the assurance that everything I see around me should be no surprise coming from those who are lost and simply seeking for what will satisfy them.  And it will be so until He returns.

Despite the turmoil all around me, I sit in His peace this morning realizing this world is just a quickly passing jot in eternal time.  He's given me a few years to serve Him, and I will continue to fight against my fear and the distractions and abide in Him - fully in He love.

 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?  Psalm 27:1

Friday, September 4, 2015

a week of perspective

It's been the kind of week that gives me clear perspective on what's important and what's not.

I was honored to be part of several important things this week.  Things that mean way more then getting work done or keeping up at home.  Eternal things, people things.

We were hugely blessed to have the opportunity to prepare a very special meal and service for people we love who are experiencing a huge loss to their family.  The sudden death of a daughter.

I got to meet with ladies I love to look ahead at what we can provide for the women of Crossroads, we planned some events but most of all we just loved one another as we ate together.

We then got to minister to a family who is facing the loss of an amazing mother to cancer.  So hard to watch but so much rejoicing even in the certainty she will spend eternity with her Lord.  She speaks of seeing her beloved grandmother again, and that wish will soon become reality.

And then the awesome partnership I experienced with fellow staff as we dream of tomorrow and pray for Crossroads.

All of these things bring perspective.

They bring focus and renewed intention to my day.  The week has again reminded me not to take anything for granted but to look at it as the gift it is and to live fully engaged in it.

I don't know why it often takes difficult things to bring perspective, but my desire is to maintain it to keep a God perspective~