Art is coming to Crossroads

NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT, February 22 @ 6:30 the Art Silent Auction begins at Crossroads sponsored by The Coffee House!

PLEASE pull out your cell phone right now and put a reminder on it to join us as we work to raise much needed support for Richland County Children's Auxiliary's - The New Store!


The New Store has a 15-year history of providing Christmas gifts,
school clothing, school supplies and personal hygiene items for the most needy children in Richland County.

Each child that visits The New Store is personally assisted by a caring volunteer to select outfits, undergarments, gym shoes and more.

Please help us continue this important service to our community by attending the Art Silent Auction next Friday, February 22.

Next Monday night we will upload pictures and descriptions of all of the art and you can begin bidding ahead of time!  It's going to be great!

See you there!

my day off

Today has been AWESOME just because I'm home!   I LOVE being home with no agenda except to enjoy and be thankful for what God has given me, and to spend time with my hubby, my puppy and maybe write a little...

As I go about my simple chores and mindless tasks (a blessing!), I think of all the people in my life right now trying to figure out opportunities before them - possibilities with new jobs, relocation or ministry choices... 

With the confidence of knowing that He would NEVER call them to anything that moves them away from Him they move forward.

Is it really that simple?

I believe it is if you live obediently.

My sister and her husband just announced this weekend at their ministry that they are accepting a Senior Pastor-ship in Dublin after many years in Ashland.  This was a HUGE decision, but I believe definitely the right one!  They prayed and waited and finally accepted it as God's next step.

My daughter-in-law began a new job today.  Another big decision, but it sounds perfect for her!

My son is getting buried by video project requests, commercials, promos and weddings galore -  and I assume he will soon begin to have a difficult time balancing everything!  A blessing.

And our daughter and son-in-law continue to be  constantly surrounded by amazing opportunities as well and seek to successfully complete the work they have before them.

So many people to pray for, and dream and help plan great things with. 

And now after all these deeply spiritual moments of cleaning and sorting and scrubbing and dreaming all in one day, the perfect ending everyone would agree....The Westminster Dog Show... 

I bet you didn't see that one coming!  ha ha - have a blessed night!

giving to get

I've been thinking and praying about the Crossroads Multi-site launches.  I think it's exactly the direction God is leading us, especially when I see the amount of attacks the enemy is launching at us!

I've noticed in the formation of the plan it includes a lot of giving.  I don't mean financial giving, although that is part of it as well, but we have to be willing as a ministry to give a lot of what we have here to get a healthy multi-site up and running.

I talked to one of the girls that I DEARLY love tonight who will be committing to help with the first launch.  I will miss her terribly!  I don't want to 'give' her to the off-site campus, but I must in order to help facilitate what God has called us to do.

Why are we called to give things up before we can get?

Nothing is worth having when there is no cost involved.  At least I can't think of anything.

Some of our most dedicated, more precious people will be called 'to go' and that is going to be difficult.

As I struggled over the anxiety of having enough people to remain excellent, I felt God's reassurance that the best is yet to come.  That some may have to go before others will come.  Some of the leaving allows emptiness that other can fill and so His provision will come in His timing.  My worry has no affect on what will be, in fact it shows Him my limited vision and lack of trust.

Please join us in prayer as our people give of themselves in ways they may have never done before!  Together we will reach the uttermost parts of the world !

living what we believe

If you grew up in church or attended a Christian school - it's very easy to know all the right words to say, to speak Christian-ese.    It's much more difficult to live it.

Although we cannot earn our salvation - our lives will broadcast loudly what our heart truly believes.

We all of course fall into sin and God extends His grace over and over, but if you are truly a child of the King then there will be a movement toward Him continuously as we seek to know Him more and more.  And as we seek to please Him.

If we REALLY know Him then our words, our temper, our choices will reflect our Father.

This is what I long for, to live every moment as if I really believe and know Him.  Do you think it's possible in this fallen world to live like that?

several reasons to get out

There are several reasons that it's good to 'get out' of your normal.

Yesterday I got to go with a team to Community Christian Church in the Chicago area loving called "the yellow box".  It was good to get out.

I learned new things, but the biggest encouragement was receiving confirmation from another 'larger' ministry that we are doing so many things well here at Crossroads!  That was a blessing.

You lose perspective when you are inside the same place all the time.  You begin to wonder what else you should be doing, or you become discouraged by no obvious benefit to others from your work.

We of course are called to serve, to obey the Lord whatever that looks like and I will always try to live within obedience, but, serving can become so routine - so required that you occasionally cannot see the reason.

So yesterday was refreshing and encouraging and informative and good!  Now...on to this day facing the normal with renewed determination and surrender!

new things

Tomorrow I get to visit a ministry in the Chicago area.  I'm going to see what new things I can learn.

I'm excited to meet new people, to see new things, go new places and learn as many new things as possible!

One of the ministry leaders whose work I follow will be there.  So I am very anxious to finally meet him and the staff with whom he serves.

What new things would you like to experience and do?  Why aren't you doing them?  I would encourage you to try - pick at least one and try to do it this year!

New things keep things fresh - and teach us valuable lessons and allow us to tap into what others know.  And, it moves us somewhere.  Somewhere new even if it's just a little budge.

So think of me tomorrow while you decide what your new thing will be and we'll talk about it later!

Have a blessed Tuesday!

can I say - it is well with my soul

A ministry contact from out West wrote yesterday about our 'calling'.  The article was very timely for me and much appreciated! 

Within his writing he named a book about the 'soul' of leadership.  I now own the book and cannot wait to read it.  It sounds like the exact study I need right now.  Finding his post was not just random timing yesterday - when I opened Facebook just as his blog post went up -  God timing indeed.

This quote is one of the first I found as I quickly looked over the book, "...the best thing I can be for the people I work with is to be able to say, 'It is well with my soul."  

So I asked myself point blank - can I say that?

I'm not sure...  

I don't feel that a book exists that can reveal or solve all the problems of the soul, but this question feels important, so I'll combine reading with prayer and study of the ultimate instruction manuel God's Word and we'll see if this strengthens my soul!

Today I pray that you too will take a look deep within to the depths of your soul...

-is it well with your soul?