what I learned today....but now,

As I read the beautiful day 3 in my advent devotional, these words were pointed out by the author as 2 of the most powerful words in scripture....BUT NOW....

But now we are justified freely by his grace.... Powerful - eternity providing words!

My study today talked about how Cain killed his brother Abel and his blood cried out from the ground for justice and the new born Savior was born to offer his blood as our final sacrifice.   The answer to injustice.  The only sacrifice that forgives all sin and injustice forever.

Moving into this season - viewing Christmas through this lens changes everything.  The lights are pretty, the gift-giving a fun way to say 'I love you', but unfortunately unless we're VERY intentional about our God focus this year, it will just be another holiday.

I am going to try my best in Him, to remember within the holiday it's become - a reminder that the real cost of this time of year goes way beyond the cost of gifts and time - it cost a baby everything and a Father the sacrifice of His only son to give us eternal freedom.

the church

Today I got to watch 'the church', the real church as God intended.

The volunteers praying before beginning

Our GoMissions team has worked under the leadership of my precious friend Darlene, and organized the distribution of
the gifts that our congregational members had contributed for the neediest families in Richland County.  It was definitely a blessing to witness.

People sat and prayed and discussed their lives with Crossroads volunteers and I saw more tears of joy in one day's time then I've seen in years.  One lady said she had just told her children there would be no Christmas this year, but that she would try to take them shopping as soon as the holidays were over and she saved up some money by working overtime at the gas station.  Her husband had left her and she was trying to keep the family together. 

She was overcome with tears of joy as she watched the volunteers bring her children's gifts to the table where they sat.  They then prayed together and after sitting for nearly an hour talking, she made her way back home to her tiny house and 3 kids and unknown future.

The circumstances that were shared with our volunteers are stories that bring perspective to our own lives.  Days we feel sad or disappointed usually have no foundation when measured against the hopelessness of those we served today.

The Lord permitted us to serve people today that society considers less fortunate, but I don't know...  Sometimes those who have too much, who never have to wonder about having enough or the ones slighted I imagine.

I have to be very honest and say there are seldom times in my life that I've worried about going without something, and today I saw people that spend their lives feeling hopeless.  They needed help, and somehow the Lord allowed the people of Crossroads to fill that need.

As always with this event, we are the ones blessed the most.  Such a privilege!

Crossroads at it's most amazing

Adopt-A-Child is happening right now at Crossroads!  Many think this is just a chance to meet the physical needs of some of Richland County's most needy children which is EXTREMELY needed but unless you attend this event you miss seeing and feeling how God is honored in this, and how far reaching this event is.

I have to give a shout out to one of my closest friends and one of Crossroads greatest assets!  Darlene Rudrick heads up our Missions area both local, national and international while working a full-time job!   She has one of the greatest 'Jesus views' of people that I've ever known.  She sees people as God sees them - never judgmental, never caring what it costs her physically, mentally or spiritually.  she challenges me with her life!

During Adopt-A-Child we send people home with gifts for children who may not otherwise have Christmas - we send people home with gifts that may have entitlement attitudes - we send people out that may be walking through the doors of a church for the first time - and we send people out that accepted the Lord while here, whose lives just changed forever.

You see it doesn't matter if we're thanked, or met with excitement, we do this out of obedience to the Savior that came as a child so that we could accept this precious gift - the ultimate gift of eternal life!

This morning one of our volunteers got to lead a young adult woman to the Lord!  i immediately ran to the cookie room and told all the volunteers' there that their serving allows them to share in the eternal celebration!  They said, "that's true, we're one big team no matter what our 'job' is at the Adopt-A-Child event"!  Awesome to see that realization come across their faces …

We are here until 3:00 or 4:00 today - stop in or call the Crossroads office and ask how and when you can help!!

 I wanted to show you some pictures of our day here at crossroads…

Crossroads auditorium

every gift is placed in gift bags

a precious time of prayer with all the volunteers

Eric - Alyssa and Oliver chatting with a young mother who came for her babies' gifts
This makes me more proud than anything they could do!

precious hand-made tags by a dear lady on every single package

when evil takes lives

I woke up thanking the Lord for a wonderful nights sleep - the best I've had in weeks.  Just what I needed to get the day going.

Now however, I'm finding it's hard to begin.

 It feels wrong to organize and begin to wrap gifts for my kids right now.  Waking up thinking of such trivial things soon brought a sense of guilt as my mind recalled yesterday's tragedy.

 All I can picture are the gifts intended for the diseased that now lay forever unwrapped... so I pray

When evil takes lives, especially the lives of young children it diminishes the value of all that's normal around me as my heart aches even though I have no personal connection.

The enemy, the evil one, has not only succeeded in destroying lives forever, but has also possibly managed to remove the ability to ever celebrate the Savior's birth again for these families - maybe even turning them totally against the only true God, blaming Him for allowing this tragedy.  Evil appears to have won, but think with me about what will happen next.,,

Pray diligently for these communities  -  Churches that haven't been full in years will be this weekend and beyond.  We must pray for opportunity for the believers in that area of the country to minister to these families and help them make sense of the senseless.  Every tragedy I've ever followed closely allows you in the end to see God's hands, and what the enemy intends for evil God uses for good.  Every single time.

This didn't happen because people have guns, I read recently about a similar tragedy in Japan, where a man entered a room of small children and killed I believe almost as many with a knife.  A HIDEOUS crime.  My point, don't get distracted by what or who to blame, this evil was planned by a disturbed human being.    It would have happened no matter what he had to use in order to commit the crime.

Join me in prayer for these families all day today.

.

                                                                      As you wrap your gifts
                                                                                   pray for the families' with
                                                                              unwrapped gifts in Connecticut.

                                                                 

anticipating tonight

What do you get when you cross a very gifted communicator-teacher,

powerful worship,

meticulously prepared visual backgrounds and technical work,

a warm inviting coffee house offering outstanding quality drinks and Christmas gifts for your family,

a beautiful new art show,

lovingly cleaned facility done exclusively by volunteers,

mission projects that provide gifts for the most needy children in our area,

outstanding care and teaching for children and youth?

You get CROSSROADS!!

This weekend begins our new teaching series, "The Road to Bethlehem",  join us please as we prepare as a congregation to wrap our hearts and minds around The Christ Child!

my day off

Today was quite the mixture of things...

First - camp out of sorts in our son's living room Sunday night which allowed us to work all evening and into the wee hours of the morning on his new house.  5 hours later the alarm announced it was time to get up much to our disappointment!

Following a quick trip to Lowe's and McDonalds - it was back to work we went.  My assignment, to remove 5 distinct layers of flooring in the current kitchen - soon to become an elegant 'sitting room', so that the current kitchen can be relocated in the former dining room...oh well, you get the idea - everything is shifting!  At 4:30 we called it quits and began to make our way to the car because we were supposed to be at a suitcase packing party at Crossroads by 7:00.  An hour later (delayed by a few last project details) we drove toward home!

Needless to say, we were late to the packing party - but arrived with plenty yet to do!

How exciting to watch as everyone worked to make sure every orphan would be getting and even amount of gifts!  I cannot wait to see the look on their faces when they open up all that the generous gifts that their Crossroads parents selected just for them!

With suitcases packed and organized, we each stood next to our assigned 'extra' 50 lb bag just to make sure everyone was clear on what they were responsible to get through the airport - checked in and safely to the hotel in Cambodia!  My husband and I had 3 - 50 lb bags with our names on them.  This was due to the fact that Ron assured the leaders that we could fit everything we were taking in just one 50 lb bag...  This is yet to be seen because I honestly think I have 50 lbs of just candy laying at home waiting to be packed, let alone my personal belongings!  We will see!!

Now after an exhausting 2 days I must sleep in preparation for our trip.  Please pray for all of us as we travel to work with the orphans and participate in out-reaches in Cambodia that we pray bring new believers into the Kingdom of our Lord, brothers and sisters for eternity in another land!

let the present begin!

Today we received our Christmas gifts today from Pastor Tim. They were each hand picked just for each of us chosen to be a good match for each of us.

Being the Director of the worship areas of Crossroads - of course I got musical instruments...quite high classed musical instruments - one plays by using your nose!

It is just the beginning of sharing gifts, well wishes and thanks to friends and family for the past year.

I just have a couple more things to pick up and wrap and I'll be ready for next week! Are you ready?

gifts: today's theme

It's funny that some days there just seems to be a theme. Today's theme, spiritual gifts. My first discussion concerning gifts took place at our programming meeting. We discussed making sure that each of us are spending our time in our most gifted areas. There is no reason for any of us to spend our time taking care of an area of programming our services that we are not gifted in. We continue to evaluate and tweak our processes to insure we are at our strongest.

I lead a similar conversation at the artists small group tonight. I posed this question to the artists, "why are artists so hesitant to share their work with others if it is clear that God has gifted them with this talent?" They talked about how personal art is, how scary it is to put it out there for everyone to see. It is scary for anyone who creates as they wait to see how their work will be accepted.

We put ourselves out there every time we create. But it is something we simply must do! God graciously gifts each of His children in some way. I love it when the church helps people discover their gifts and then provides opportunities to use them! This is as it should be!!

evaluated

I received my annual evaluation yesterday. It was very kind and affirming. As I sat with our Chief of Staff, I loved how every suggestion for minor changes were right on with my known weaknesses - no surprises. It always fascinates me to see myself through others eyes.

What surprised me the most was the fact that most areas I could be a little stronger in, were the very areas of strengths and gifts God gave me.

I am a relational leader. Team building, creative, relationships, keeping everyone affirmed and assured that their contributions are vital to this ministry, rah, rah, rah, (ok, so I was a cheerleader in High School, what can I say??) These same good attributes cause me to turn a blind eye to minor problems or put off confrontation.

Man, how can this be?? My greatest strengths are my biggest weakness? Do I use my gifts or don't I??

I THINK THIS MAY BE THE ANSWER: I work the hardest on things that don't come naturally to me. Sometimes easy = lazy.

So evaluation is nothing but good, it refocuses me, forces me out of my comfort zone. Some of the goals that were set for me seem totally impossible, but if others see possibilities in me I am blind to, I have to assume they could be right. It is no mistake I have been put under their authority to create and accomplish what God intends for my life.

I have been evaluated - and I fully embrace it!