what I didn't miss

I had the opportunity a week ago to get away and spend time in NC with our daughter and son-in-law.

What I didn't miss was all the hatred being spewed in the news.  I never remember a time in my lifetime where hatred was stated with absolutely no regard for another's feelings or well being.  I never watched any of it or listened to any of it the whole time I was away.  And I have to say I feel more rested and so thankful!

This is our son-in-law with his mom Trish
working at the donut window.

This is an picture just of their event center and Market - 
there are over 400 acres of orchards and property.

What I got to experience instead was family coming together around a dream and countless hours of hard work, and I got to see that dream become reality while being surrounded by a family that ALL love the Lord!  

Refusing to watch the news however, doesn't mean I am unaware of what's taking place or all the injustice going on.  We've been told that to keep silent on the maters behind the beginning of all of this violence is wrong, and then criticized again when doing the exact opposite, voicing our opinion.  I can't imagine what the family is going through that lost their son and brother - and having it replayed over and over.  And I'm also sad for the innocent businesses that are being destroyed and robbed.  Some family businesses that have poured their finances and endless hours into - only to be lost forever.  Are these actions justified due to racism.  Of course not, I believe the opposite is true, it's probably creating even more hatred and fear between law enforcement and those breaking the law.  So what are we to do as believers?

During a commercial last night,  I caught a glance of people including law enforcement 'take a knee' in remembrance of the loss of life and it brought this verse to mind. 

Phil 2:9-11

Therefore God has highly exalted himself and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of JESUS every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father!

Can you picture that?  EVERY KNEE - good and evil - every created human being will take a knee in confession to the sovereignty of God!!!  Admitting that Jesus Christ is Lord!!

I believe what we need to do as believers is saturate ourselves in scripture and prayer for our country and watch diligently for God opportunities to make Him known to people that are desperately searching for reason and hope right now.

Ron was approached by a young man as he was doing yard work the other day who said, "I hear you're a pastor, can I ask you a few questions?"  He went on to describe his life and that he doesn't know how to decide what he should do with his life.  Ron talked to him for quite a while and suggested some materials that might help him too.  This conversation may not have happened if there wasn't fear about Covid and all the violence going on, only God knows...

So, we must show everyone around us that Jesus is the only answer, we must watch for chances to serve those who are mistreated or scared - this could be the greatest period of evangelist opportunity in our lifetime if we stand confident in Jesus!!

thankfulness and reaching the lost

We've just come through a wonderful Thanksgiving season during which we got to love on our children and grandchildren as well as extended family!

We ate...a lot!

All together and very, very thankful!

We played games...

We decorated Grandmas home for Christmas and hugged reindeer!

Adults were too stuffed to play!

Precious grand-baby playing with great grandmas decorations!

I'm more thankful than ever before in my life for my family and my precious friends, and my heart is burdened like never before for the lost in our community.

Recently, wherever I go I wonder who around me is without a savior?  I wonder what Christmas means to them...more debt?  disappointments?  loved-ones that no longer visit?  missing peace? Without Jesus I can't imagine going through the holidays.  Let's all pray right now for the Lord to show us who we should bring with us to Christmas at Crossroads!

A tiny Christmas baby came, He is the missing peace so many people are still searching for!

our Easter celebration

Our worship of the risen Savior began long before the public viewing of our work.

It began with ideas that we weren't sure would even work or how we were going to do them.  It began with prayer over those ideas asking the Lord to make it clear to us what He chose.  It began with casting the vision and convincing others to join the work.  It began with a commitment to whatever it required to be ready in time.  And it began with a hope that God would use it to change lives for all of eternity...and He did!!

We gave out over 50 Believers Packets as Pastor Dave carefully explained what it means to make a decision for Christ - to Empty ourself of all the shame, guilt and past regrets to simply follow Him!

It was obvious in our world that's so FULL of stuff and choices that people still feel so EMPTY.

Isn't it ironic that we have to be willing to give up our junk, to EMPTY ourselves in order to truly feel FULL?  Only the death and resurrection of a Savior fills us.

This is what my Easter season looked like!

I loved this picture, it's perhaps the one that sums up everything!  From children to
adults writing on the empty tomb - writing what they wanted Jesus to empty their lives of!

Behind the scenes at Crossroads with Justin our actor!  He worked hard to memorize
the drama for our video!

My precious son Eric our amazing videographer
working on behind the scenes pieces of the video drama.

Eric video taping Justin in his office.

Willow Creek was so generous to explain to me how
to make the 'oil concoction'.  

This is one of my favorite pictures...my son and grandson shooting the 'hand shots'
from the video/drama.  Where God washed the dirt of our lives away...

Although holidays are the busiest for us in ministry, we always try to still make
it fun for our family!

We miss our precious ones in North Carolina, but the Lord is already using them
in amazing ways as a family in their community and church!

I LOVED the simplicity of Good Friday.  It was the first Good Friday service I've ever gotten
to create and it was one of my favorite services in 23 years!  I think our lives are starving for
simplicity in Jesus...a focus away from the emptiness of life.

We even had fun at rehearsal!

The boys in the band!!

I loved the simplicity of the set design and I LOVED they way it

connected Good Friday to Easter!!  (HUGE shout out to Eric Longstreth's work)

Our amazingly gifted Senior Pastor Dave Vance - our friend!!

Monica and Ernesto using what God gifted them to do!

Meanwhile leading up to Easter, our fearless Worship Pastor Ernesto,
was also playing the role of Jesus in a musical!  What??

Our lobby at Crossroads

People used the backgrounds exactly as we had prayed they would!
Both as a place to write the things the Lord was emptying them of
as well as a place to take pictures with friends and families.  These simple backgrounds
become part of their families' forever stories.

I stood off in the distance and watched a precious friend battling
cancer write Empty of Cancer on the tomb and wept when she
walked away - lifting her in prayer!!

In all the years I've been involved in creating things at Crossroads, I think these two guys by far have logged the most hours
helping me!  My amazing, perfect husband Ron and our dear friend Greg Crawfis!!  They roll their eyes but don't complain!  ha ha ha!!  A huge shout out to Dan Zachman for helping construct the tombs!

We decided at the suggestion of a friend to leave the walls from the EMPTY tomb up this weekend for people to see what was written on those walls during the other services of Easter weekend.  

As our new series EMPTY begins it will continue to be relevant as we examine our lives and submit them to the Lord!

To God be the glory - for His sacrifice for us.
And thank you to the leadership at Crossroads which gives us space to create, figure it out and ultimately be a team God uses to help spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ!!

what Christmas meant

As we get rested up from Christmas, I've had some time to consider what Christmas meant this year...

The emotions ran high!

I went from doubting that it would ever come together - to the excitement or progress, and then felt loneliness under the weight of responsibility  - I went from exhaustion to the exhilaration of accomplishment and then fell into a deep contentment as we were surrounded by family!  I just love the challenge to create and relish the years I've been involved with many other team members working on the details.  The enjoyment of creating doesn't lessen the emotions we experience, but this year when we gave out over 60 new believer packets to people that raised their hands indicating a decision to follow Christ, any worry we had experienced was immediately forgotten and turned to praise!

In the midst of preparing Christmas there were intentional moments of reflection on the true meaning of a Savior born for me...a breath taking realization!

I love the season despite it's hectic requirements - and realize what a privilege it is to try each year to tell the story in a true, compelling way praying it makes the story of Jesus come alive to someone for the first time!

You can watch our service here Christmas at Crossroads

I took many pictures that I'd like to share - they tell the story of the journey called Christmas!

Crossroads Artist Group created light-bulb decorations
for the Crossroads tree at Kingwood

Grandmas helpers with the Crossroads' Christmas
tree!

When your talented daughter writes a book...what a blessing to read this Christmas!
Jocelyn Hunsader, author.

This precious little one was part of our Christmas video shoot!

My talented son Eric Biddle shot the Christmas videos

Our precious friend Kristin playing the part of the doctor in our video

It was a cold video shoot day

Such generous Crossroads' attendees braving the cold for our video shoot

Family all together at the carousel! 

Ernesto brought the house down with "Mary Did You Know"!
It was a definite highlight!

Loved working with these hilarious, talented gentlemen!!

A whole row of my Ashland cousins - so thankful for extended family I love!!

Blessed to have the amazing group The Trio playing in our lobby!

Beautiful flowers for the talented granddaughter dancer!

A star is born!

Good friends for Christmas lunch - Dana and Sue!

Cousins so happy to be back together!

Not sure who likes legos more?

Oliver and grandpa carrying Grandma Forbes' new tv down to her!

Family helping to take all the decorations down and clean for the Celebration services!

Loving being together again!

I encourage all of you with grandkids to let them serve with you and see you serve in the church,
if they grow up doing it they take such pride in serving others and spending time at church!!

This about wraps up my blessed Christmas.  I can't thank all of you who made Christmas at Crossroads a possibility, and all of my friends that prayed for me and encouraged me as we planned and executed the services with our amazing teams!!  Happy New Year!