As I think about the message that I spoke this morning in Sr. High Insight, more and more I realize that I still have this unsettled feeling about how easy it is to dismiss the truths of God and continue living the way we have been and continuing to accumulate the lies of humanity and our culture. God’s truth really is powerful and will change you from the inside out, but you have to let it sink in and you MUST live in belief of it or we will continue in the same damaging circle that the lies lead us in…and this leads to our destruction, bringing others with us.

I always have more in my study that I don’t get to share…here’s one…we have to be careful that we don’t focus this significance and self-worth talk in the wrong place. The focus should not be on our selves…that is what has got us in this mess. Here is an article that has a lot of great observations about approval or love addiction, but doesn’t center the recovery solidly on God!

One other thing that I have been challenged in is how seriously do I take my “ministry of reconciliation”? In 2 Corinthians 5:17 it is another reference to Drink and Flow, blessed to be a blessing! All of this isn’t just so that we feel good about ourselves and are happy…it is so that we can bring the same to others and help them find God and get into right relationship with God and with others!

What did you think about the truths shared in the message today? Was it easy to dismiss as the same old spiritual mumbo-jumbo that you have heard before, or did something jump out at you or convict you that you need to have God change in your heart/mind? Would love hear how God is working in your life!

We celebrated Isabelle’s Birthday on Monday with a small backyard party. It was a great day that she really enjoyed! You can go to our gallery to see photos from the day. ENJOY!

Last night we went to an Open House at Addie’s school.  It was great to get to see all the work she has been doing in school!  We got to look at a book she had made on geckos.  She had researched geckos, brainstormed, written sentences, typed and printed them, glued on pictures, made pages such as title page…dedication…about the author and even had it bound.  She was really excited about it and we loved seeing it!  But I must say the highlight of the evening was seeing her hero project that hung in the hallway.  Each student had written a few sentences describing their hero and drawn a picture to go along.  So who did Addie pick…  Addie picked God!!  There Brian and I stood in a public school hallway reading our daughter’s words about her hero who loves her and offers eternal life.  It brought tears to my eyes!!  You might wonder what you should draw for a picture of God.   Addie says a big light of course!

It is a thrill to watch our girls faith grow and develop!  Yesterday Emma collected a few missionary pictures at church and asked me if that was ok.  I told her yes but that they were to help people to remember to pray for them so it would be good to pray for the families she picked out.  When we got home she looked over the pictures over and over and then prayed for each one.

The faith of children is like a drink of bubbling fizzy cold coke.  It tastes oh so good and tickles your upper lip in the process.

About a month ago I was on a plane returning from Texas to home with my family and an odd thing happened! Our two youngest children fell asleep and the two oldest were content by themselves (mostly) and I got to watch a movie! When I got to the end of that movie I was left with such a good feeling but it went deeper than merely feeling good. It stirred my thoughts about my life and God as the author of my story, but deeper than that the author of our story collectively together!!
The movie was called Stranger Than Fiction with Will Ferrell.
And this past Wednesday I gave a message to the jr. high and sr. high students at our church with the spiritual insights that I gleaned from watching that movie. You can listen to the message by clicking here. You can also subscribe to our ministry podcast through iTunes and hear the others on our team as well.
Don’t worry, I don’t spoil the end of the movie if you haven’t seen it. I would also recommend the movie** of course check out the PluggedIn reviews so you can be warned of any content you would prefer avoiding.

I was struck in a new way this morning by one of my favorite songs by derek webb titled “lover”. the song is all about how christ is our lover who pursues us to set us free to love him. there is a part in the song, appropriate to the weekend that just passed…easter…that talks about jesus coming to the temple in jerusalem and what he found there:

but i found thieves and salesmen living in my father’s house
i know how they got in here and i know how to get ‘em out
i’m turning this place over from floor to balcony
and then just like these doves and sheep you will be set free

the song’s correlation is that since we are now the temple of God as the spirit of christ lives in his people and he is ridding us individually and corperately of the thieves and salesmen that have taken over in us. It struck me that christ is doing this in me. the longer i live the more i realize how much the world’s system has set up shop in me and how much i need to keep letting christ turn over those tables of deceit, greed, and idolatry that are there. he knows how they got there and he knows how to get them out! and i will not be free to worship him as he desires until these things are gone. so what/who are the “thieves and salesmen” in your heart/lives that are robbing God of worship and you of his pleasures and joy? some of mine are greed/lust of the heart…always wanting more, seeking people’s approval, distraction with the stuff of this world (i could go into another one of my favorite songs on this one!) let’s be set free personally and together as a people who are pursing the God who is passionately pursuing us!!

*Just a quick note to say we have posted new pictures of Owen on our Photo Gallery!

This past winter, for our annual winter retreat, the student ministry staff did a little spoof off of The Office We always try to do something fun to give others a laugh and break down any barriers. In past years we have done boy-band parodies, red-neck routines, and made up super hero stuff.

This video ended with a live dance routine, copying the dancing guy…we didn’t get very good footage and have not been able to show the real end, but it was a highlight for many!

One of the things I truly enjoy about my job is engaging with the culture of today’s students and families. That’s how relationships are built and that is how God sends his good news all over the globe!

I want you to meet these treasured friends of mine!! In order from left to right in the above picture are Missy, Allison, myself, Tara and Kristie. These ladies have made such a difference in my life I don’t know if I can put it into words! For the last seven years we have been meeting weekly to talk about how we are doing in our relationships with the Lord and to pray for each other. It has been a safe place where we could share the struggles and joys of life. I consider each of them worth more than gold!! Two weekends ago I got to go out of town with three of them for a girls weekend. Kristie now lives in South Carolina and therefore was not with us (but she recently got to go to Italy with her husband so I am not feeling too bad for her ) So what do ladies like myself do on a weekend away?  We scrap booked, talked, ate, talked, crawled in an under the house crawl space to try to fix the heater, talked, went out to eat, talked, watched a movie, talked, read our Bibles, talked, and made chore charts for our kids   It was great!!  While there we started thinking about the fact that we represented 16 kids, meaning we are moms to 16 children.  And if you include Kritie’s it would make it 19.  Now that is a lot of people, and a little humbling to say the least.  During the seven years that we have been meeting there have been nine children born and one who should be born sometime soon (Missy’s third child).  Amazing!  I wouldn’t trade these friends for anything.  I am truely blessed with great friendships in my life and not just these ladies but several others, here where I live and around the country.  Friendship is a treasure!