covid-19

COVID-19

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Two lines from a song I heard last week just keep playing in my mind...

Things aren't falling apart...
They're falling into place!

The inconveniences that have occurred in my life due to this pandemic are annoying.  Some friends are positive it's strictly political, others are sure it was caused by another country, and still some think it's just a matter of the US spending money on the wrong things and not being prepared themselves.  The only conclusion I can draw safely I think, is that it is a life-threatening virus combined with other physical weakness/disease.

But it has not touched my extended family, so I've listened to the news but gone about my 'socially distancing way'.

This morning was one of those mornings when as I read updates I was overwhelmed with just a small glimpse of what this is causing regardless of origin.

Requests for prayer talked about a gentlemen with a life threatening illness that was also found to have covid-19 when scheduled for a much needed surgery.  Other family members tested positive too.

And as our Missions' Director described how completely helpless some of the foreign villages are right now that our Crossroads teams have served before  ...  no way to get food - no way to get life saving supplies, I felt deep, deep sympathy and it drove me to prayer.

I see what the Bible teaches about God's people running back to Him when troubling times occur, and that's what's been happening with me.  Every time I get overwhelmed with sorrow and go to prayer instead of worrying or complaining about anything in my life - it's proof again - tough times draw us back to the Savior.

Wouldn't you think, especially those of us who are now considered "mature believers" would just stay there - praying and worshipping and not even notice the trouble around us?  It's embarrassing to see the depths we must fall to remain in fellowship with the Lord.  It's what He designed us for.

Our country is broken - this is when believers need to be the church!  Things aren't falling apart...they'll falling into place!  This is the exact place God's needs for His plans to be complete!

We aren't physically together but have enjoyed uninterrupted teachings and worship for years -
TIME TO USE IT!

weekend report

I don't remember a better Easter.

First of all - it was a simple proclamation of who Christ is and what He did for us.  Pastor Tim explained perfectly our need for Him and that no one has done anything that is unforgivable.  He came to forgive every hidden and every public sin.

Our first Galion, Ohio service!

Secondly - we launched our first Crossroads multi-site in Galion, Ohio.  We had a response from that community that exceeded our expectations when 450 children and adults attended our first service there!  It still takes my breath away to speak of it.  God showed up in a big way there!

On the very first day of Multi-Site almost to capacity!

Third -  we gave out 237 new believers kits (212 in Manfield, 25 in Galion)- which tells us the possibility is that there are 237 new believers who will one day share eternity with us!!!  For all of us who worked and volunteered on Easter weekend - this is why we do what we do and are highly honored that God would allow us to help in any way in the process!!!  He is Risen indeed!!

Our setlist:

Video ads ran at top of hour leading to the awesome Sermonspice video "This is Our Church"

Alive In You
Be Lifted Higher
Stronger
Cornerstone
Message:  This Changes Everything - Pastor Timothy Armstrong
Closing Song:  We Fall Down

To watch our services go to www.crossroadswired.com

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

fellowship:  I also had fun watching people enjoy one another between our Easter services this weekend and found it really fun to take pictures of people taking pictures of their families all dressed up - this is church - fun and fellowship!!  I've posted just a couple of examples...have a blessed week!

laughter in the office

My dearest friends are those who make me laugh the hardest! I LOVE to laugh!

Today I heard laughter many times, this is GOOD!

Our Technical Coordinator, Steve Browning had me rolling when he showed us this weekend's parody he shot. SO funny! In fact, even during the final work on Christmas which contained the MANY details of programming today we laughed a great deal! So much fun when it is not tense with important decisions and hard things to work on!

Then as I walked through the office I heard various staff members enjoying one-anothers company. This is sweet fellowship indeed.

We have gone through different seasons with our staff, just as any business does, some seasons of struggle, some seasons of sweet fellowship. And, that is the season we find ourselves in right now.

I am serving with people that have a common vision and purpose. People that understand the pressure of ministry but feel called to be there. People that I dearly love!

I think maybe some of our work and laughter today may have caused God to smile just a little!

our staff preparing

Easter takes a lot of preparation to make sure the incredible message is clearly proclaimed - we take this very seriously!

But today we took an hour to enjoy one another! Our staff is divided in half and every other month we take turns providing a carry in lunch! Our Easter lunch was SO excellent! Can you believe the talented chefs we have? Of course a certain unnamed - ornery pastor cut a rather large cube right out of the center of the gorgeous bunny cake!

Just when we thought it was time to get back to work, Jesse (youth guy) jumped up and said we were
dividing up on teams to go on an Easter egg hunt!

Now, we all knew who would win... Deering located one hidden egg after another and led the Directors to victory! And so after excellent food and fellowship we went back to our work and are all looking forward to what we pray will be a life changing weekend for many, many people!

I feel old

I just went for the 5th year in a row to a cookie exchange party with girls from Crossroads. I have been on vacation this whole week and haven't baked a thing. Nevertheless, I love the girl hosting the party so I went without cookies just to hang out.

I knew I was in trouble the minute I entered the house, turned the corner into the dinning room and almost knocked down two pregnant YOUNG women. As I continued into the kitchen I was surrounded by no one over the age of 29! Disgusting, then I found my girl Julie! Thank goodness!

We hid in the kitchen until the group was officially ready to eat, but that didn't prevent us from shoving 5 mushroom tarts into our mouths straight from the pan when no one was looking. This is one way to appear disciplined in your eating habits, hide. As far as the group knew, we only had the polite portion of 2 mushroom puffs that they saw us take later in the main dining room!

Our hostess Angie, (Julie's daughter) had a great variety of goodies that we all enjoyed. Ok, so this party basically is just to eat! The deal is you bake 6 dozen cookies, then everyone takes home a half dozen of everyone's cookies so you go home with a great variety. This of course only requires you to bake a single kind. The pay off is great. Did I mention I didn't bake any cookies...so I went home empty handed. But definitely not empty stomached. (I don't think that's a word).

Anyway, back to the subject, I feel old. These girls are all beginning or adding to families and talking about how overwhelming it is at times with young children. I remember those days, but I wouldn't trade my season of life for anything. It just made me feel really old, like they expected me to be able to give them advice or something! Ha ha! My advice is enjoy each season, they aren't really all that different. I still can't sleep when I know my kids are traveling, are sick or out on a date. And there still seems to be something going on at my house that resembles slumber parties similar to when my kids were in elementary school. The only difference is when I wake up in the morning, there are sometimes 6' 5" bodies all over my house instead small bodies.

So, I guess I really can't attach some deep spiritual truth to this event, it was just plain fellowship and a feeding frenzy. I ate too many snacks and I'm going into a sugar coma, so I better go to sleep like an old person. Maybe I'll go to the gym for an extended amount of time tomorrow...maybe.

ron rocks

I haven't said a lot about my husband Ron in my blog so far. I thought it was about time! (He's the cute guy in the picture! We've been married 30 years on Monday, and I still think he's cute!) Last night at Crossroads we had a good old fashioned ice cream social!

Ron became the Director of Membership at Crossroads just a couple months ago. Up to that time he had been the Operations/Chief of Staff guy. God has moved Ron "into the right seat on the bus" so to speak. Although he was amazing at his first staff position, moving us through a building project among many other things, now he is serving in his top gifted area! He loves to connect people, to build the body. He also LOVES ice cream - and so the logical first membership event involved both ice cream and the amazing people of Crossroads! Genius!

What a perfect evening... communion followed by an awesome time of prayer followed by ice cream and fellowship!

New Magnification Small Group

I will be launching a new ladies Magnification small group in September. I really want to know the girls that serve in our department better. I have very little time when we are preparing for or during services to get to know the volunteers on our teams personally.

I thought the best way to do this with the girls might be to begin a early morning coffee group. We will use journals to record one anothers prayer requests, pray for one another and celebrate answered prayers together.

Our meeting location will be Panera Bread at 2070 Walker Lake Road. We will meet the first and third Thursday of each month. The date of our first meeting will be on Thursday, September 4 at 7:00 a.m. See you there girls!