weekend report

Some weekends are just more personal ministry while others are more corporate in nature.  Boy was this one super personal.  Each person I talked to really needed to talk, each discussion was all about encouraging one another and catching up on what is happening in their lives.

Our ministry was filled with so many hurting people this weekend.   Maybe the level of hurt is always there and some weekend's I'm just moving too fast to notice, but I noticed this weekend.

I spoke to siblings who were motherless and trying to manage,  several ladies who are widows and I know I could see loneliness in their eyes - I thanked God right there for my hubby.  I talked to two people facing serious surgeries this week and next and saw another single mom who is trying to survive financially.

It made me realize anew why the church exists, to be the hands of Jesus, to give the only hope that exists in the entire world and to connect us to one another as we all walk through different struggles - through life.

I loved the teaching Pastor Dave taught this weekend, I could have listened forever.  The glaring evidence that God's Word is flawless, that no one can dispute the historic documents, archeology and eye witness accounts that will stand the test of time - just gives so much confidence that we must stand strong - we must lead others toward the only truth that exists for whatever time we have.  We must be the church!

I walked all around the church today giving the Lord praise for all I saw...so blessed!

Our Praise Team lead us to the throne!

Pastor Dave teaching on God's Word!

The Valet Parking buggy - ready and waiting!

We have solutions when the kiddos get rowdy!

The 4th and 5th grade room enjoyed popcorn while they learned important truths!

The Student Ministry worship team was so engaging when I stopped by!

Our Setlist:

Announcements on video:  Pastor Dave encouraged everyone to hurry and get their tickets for the Global Leadership Summit before the price increase July 11th and then gave us an update about our new City Center and the progress of our 20/20 campaign!

Glorious Day

This I Believe

What A Beautiful Name

Your Love Awakens Me

Bumper Video

Message:  Origins Pt. 3 - Pastor Dave Vance

To watch our services on line go to crossroadswired.com

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

weekend report

Despite snow and cold we met together - as the church...  as our We Are One series came to an end.

It's been a fabulous time of discovering what the Lord had in mind when He created and chose the church as the vehicle to tell others of Him and as the place of community that would help us to do life together.


Our Setlist:

Instrumental:  My Girl

Announcements :  Aaron Nicolas - FOH Engineer

A Mighty Fortress

Our Great God

We Believe
Video:  This is My Family - Asia's Hope   https://vimeo.com/104507094

Prayer for Cambodia Mission's Team
Message:  One Heart; Community - Pastor Dave Vance

Video:  We Are One 

Exit Song:  We Believe

As I walked the halls at Crossroads today, these were just a few things I saw that made me proud, and thankful and excited for the future of The Church!

Student Ministry worship

It would be interesting to find out how many years Doug has taught in the Elementary area of Crossroads!

Doug Wolfe - loving our kids

Many behind the scenes things are going on
during our services.  This morning I found a room
with quite a few people learning about what it
means to become a Member at Crossroads!

To watch our services go to www.crossroadswired.com

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

my day off

I'm finished with all the Christmas decorating I will do this year.  It's simple - consisting mainly of twinkle lights and old items saved from years past.  I added nothing new.  I like that.

Now I sit, which I haven't done in a while and reflect on the whirlwind of the past couple of weeks.

Just days ago you heard me describe my communion with the Lord on a level that I hadn't experienced in a while - while we were on vacation.  Not because He did anything different or moved closer toward me.  But because I was available.

I came home fully rested, renewed and ready.

The blessings that I've experienced since vacation have been too numerous to count.

The ones that come to mind are my job at Crossroads - working with people I adore, and last week working with Dr. Kevin Leman.  This man is a riot while being a wealth of knowledge and accomplishment yet remaining very approachable and Godly.  I LOVED my time working with him.

Following that weekend event, we created our Christmas set design discovering things I didn't know our Environmental Projection was capable of doing and continued working on Christmas@Crossroads.

This was a very special weekend, as I got to watch the young worship adults from the Student Ministry at Crossroads lead our congregation in worship!  Knowing we have this kind of young adult base gives testimony to the fact that we have a very healthy ministry.  Of course the biggest blessing to me personally was that my son and daughter and son-in-law were part of that team.  There is perhaps no greater earthly blessing than to watch your kids serve their Lord!

And finally yesterday we celebrated Katie and Garrett's wedding.  These are both Crossroads young adults that discovered one another after being at Crossroads together for years.  What a great night it was as I watched one of the girls that I got to build into during times of single girls groups and doing ministry together!  She deserved a great guy like Garrett!

And now, on my day off, we get to meet with a beautiful lady from across the world, who is here in the states for a short time.  Tutu is one of the most giving - loving - Godly ladies I've every known.  She serves with Asia's Hope in Thailand.  She hosted our kids years ago when they served 2 weeks with her.  So we'll all get to be with her in just a couple of hours!

The Church is not a building, it's God's people serving and caring for one another.  Gathering on the weekends to learn and to fellowship with one another.

If all you do is attend a church, but your life isn't connected to what God's doing during the week through that body of believers, then you're not partaking in what God intended for His Church.

I invite you perhaps as a New Year's resolution to get involved, really involved and begin not only to serve others, but to experience God's family in it's fullest!  It will change your life...forever!

The North American Church

I told my hubby just the other day -something is stirring within me - I don't know what it is....

When I hear a visiting GYMN leader talk I cry, when I read one of Jocelyn or Aaron's posts about Cambodia I cry, when Savorn reveals another 'basic need' in Cambodia I cry, when I think back over my day and the lack of eternity within it I am convicted....I don't know...

One of my favorite authors is Ann Voskamp and she recently wrote an article about the North American Church  and our willingness to be content to focus internally  (article link is found below).

 My stirring may just be in response to Crossroads' awakening toward missions.  I'm part of that awakening - for years I was convinced all I was called to do was to give to missions.   It's not enough.  I understand God has chosen where I'd live and how I'd live - and has blessed our family so that we can give to the poor and help the poor.  And I don't believe our response should be to 'sell everything' and leave the country because then we could not offer the help we can by working and remaining here.  But, it feels like it's not enough.

I am trying to remain in His will and His will only.  I am trying to lead and trying to serve as He calls me but I sometimes still feel distance between my days and any eternity accomplishment...I don't know..

This quote from Ann's article captured my feelings and gave me something to pray over, something to put before the Lord and to invite His evaluation...

You don’t wait until you have more before you give to God – you give now so you get to become more in God.


The North American Church

My prayer is that as you read this article you personally evaluate what you're doing with your life, with your everyday, with your resources and remember,  God refers to each of us who claim His name as "the church' - we are the church.

what I learned today

As I read today I came across the idea that perhaps one of the most telling signs of an Authentic Child of God - someone who has REALLY,  REALLY known the riches of God - is they cannot hoard it - cannot keep it to themselves.  Convicting.

Is my mind and soul so full of HIM that I cannot be silenced?  I don't know.

I'm surrounded by the church and all the believers I love so much.  Easy to talk about the things of God there.  But outside...I don't know.

My occasions to rub shoulder with those outside the church sadly have become more limited  now that my kids are gone. They are the great evangelists - I was never sure who they would bring home with them.  They showed love and compassion to all.  They busted into my safe little world with very lost kids many times and that is what I am the most proud of them for - they find opportunity to witness constantly.

So - are we affected by the one we call Savior?  Does He permeate every part of us so much that we just cannot keep silent?

I want to live that way where God has placed me, I really do.