friends to family

it's worth repeating that friends are the family you choose for yourself...

I have so many amazing friends! I am so thankful for the people God has put in my life...

As I am preparing to leave Bowling Green to go to Delaware, Ohio, the hardest part for me are the people that I am leaving behind. The friends. The students. The pastors. The pastor's wives. The moms from momtime.

Tonight, we went as a family to an 8th grade football game where one of our students was playing quarterback, and one was a cheerleader. Everytime I see our students, I am so proud of them. I get sad because I want to be around to see more of their lives and see how the chapters will unfold.

Today, I texted a friend who told me that she is just having a hard time with me leaving. I know how she feels. I am having such a hard time leaving, knowing that spontaneous coffee runs, and midnight movies, and late night dairy queen cravings will be no more. I will miss seeing her at church and at momtime, and at softball games, and everywhere. Someone asked me the other day if we were sisters. Biologically, we're not, but as far as being tied together, we are definitely sisters!

Another friend gave me a song that reminded her of me, and I have listened to it over and over to feel the encouragement...

Tonight, my mother (in-law), emailed me to let me now she is praying for me, and it meant the world to me to know that she is thinking of me during this time...

People keep me going... God has put some of the best people in the world in my life... my husband. my kids. my family. my friends.

Don't forget to tell someone how much they mean to you tonight... it will probably make their day and help them get through whatever they are facing.

Blessings

Get some sleep!

it's worth repeating that a good night's sleep can cure almost anything...

I have had a few rough days...with thinking about leaving our youth ministry, with packing, with thinking about leaving friends, with trying to find a place to live... just thinking a lot about a lot of things.. and the enemy was really getting the best of me..

Monday, my sweet little Kaitlyn created amazing artwork with PERMANENT marker on our carpet, our rocking chair, my son's dresser and crib, not to mention herself and her brother...

Today, she locked herself in the bathroom and I had to call someone to come get her out...

On top of that, I barely slept for two nights in a row...

I am a person who NEEDS sleep to function. I need sleep to have the strength to deal with the little surprises and BIG messes that my little blessings make! I need sleep to have the perseverance to fight the enemy when he is trying to devour my soul.

Sometimes we can overspiritualize things and think that if we just prayed more, or read our Bible more, or memorized more scripture, or said more faith statements, we could make it through anything...prayer does help, the Bible is our food, faith is good...but we are also human and need rest. Last night, I went to bed early, fell asleep reading my Bible, and then woke up ready to face the day with God's help and a rested mind.

If you are tired or worn out, maybe it is not because you are a failing Christian with not much faith..maybe it's because you are a tired human who needs some rest...so get some!!


Blessings!

When I am gone...

it's worth repeating that as a leader you will reproduce what you are...

Wow! Reproduction is a whole other subject that I don't ususally talk about until February when it comes up in the dating series!

I am sitting at an XLR8 worship practice just thinking about how much the students of XLR8 have grown in their gifts and talents for music and worship-leading...AMAZING!

I have tried to give my all and teach them everything I know while I have been one of their youth pastors. I have tried to pull confidence out of them and make them believe that God can use them! Some of them have grown so much!! And I am so proud of them! Soon, they will surpass anything I have ever done...I know that for sure!

I can remember how timid some of them were, how worried they were that they would mess up, and now I sit back and watch as they not only make it work, but they LEAD each other, and are training other musicians!

Now, I am off to a new mission. I will be starting with a new worship experience, and working with new musicians, and raising up new worshippers! It is an overwhelming task to start over again...but as I sit here and listen and watch these students, I know that God can give me the strength to do the work He has put before me... I want to leave a legacy wherever I go...

What legacy are you leaving?? What will people say about you when you leave?? Are they better for knowing you?? Or are you just exisiting?? What are you using your influence to accomplish?? Are you training the next generation to take the reins when it is their turn??

These are tough questions to ponder..but I know with God's help we can do the work He has asked us to do...

Blessings!!

A Cleansing Change

It's worth repeating that change is a necessary evil...

Wow!! There are not many people who like, and even embrace, change. Most people order the same things at the same restaurants the same night of every week! We rarely try new foods because we are not sure if we will like the taste. We don't reach out to new friends because we are comfortable right where we are and don't want to risk rejection.

I am in the midst of HUGE change right now. The Lord has asked me to step away from everything that is comfortable to go into uncharted territory. I don't know exactly what lies ahead, but I am going to go on this adventure with God and with my family.

Matt and I and the kids will be moving next month to Delaware, Ohio to become lead pastors of Lifepoint church! We are excited for the opportunities, but also struggling with having to leave where we are.

I am going to be blogging about the feelings that come with change and also giving you updates on what is going on with our move and new opportunities.

Today, I am just feeling a bit overwhelmed with having to pack up our home and move again. Since we moved to Bowling Green a little over 3 years ago, we have added two children and a hamster and a whole lot more stuff to our household. So the organizing and sorting and purging has begun.

You know, it's good to sort through all the stuff in our hearts and minds sometimes and purge those things that don't belong. We carry around past failures, current fears, unconfessed sin, and all kinds of hurts and wounds. Those things can weigh us down so heavily that we forget what it means to serve the Lord with joy...life becomes a chore.

What do you need to give God for good?? THe Bible says to throw off all the things that weigh us down and keep us trapped... So it's time for a change!!!

Blessings!

it's worth repeating that perfect love casts out all fear.

fear is such a gripping emotion. it is one of the strongest emotions humans can feel..ranking right up there with anger.

fear can be legitimate. when i am going up the first hill of a roller coaster, i feel fear. when i almost get in a car accident, i feel fear. when my husband tells me he is cooking dinner, i feel great fear!!

fear can also be irrational, though. we fear that we are going to fail in life. we fear that we are not good enough to have God's love and forgiveness. we live with the fear that something awful is lurking around the corner. we can even fear feeling fear and anxiety!! talk about a trap!

i have felt the trap of fear before. it consumed my mind and wouldn't let me enjoy the special moments of life.

life can throw many curveballs our way. we have to choose to turn away from fear and turn ourselves to see God's face!

don't let fear hold you captive. take risks! enjoy the abundant life Christ died to give you!! make those thoughts of fear bow down to the Prince of peace!!

Blessings!

it's worth repeating that kids grow up TOO fast...

today i had a bittersweet moment. i have known for a long time that i have to cut my little Nash's hair..he is our youngest baby and turned one in june. his hair was getting longer and longer and i just didn't want to cut it because i didn't want him to look grown up. every baby boy i had seen that had gotten their hair cut just all the sudden looked like little men and not babies anymore.

so as i started cutting nash's hair today i had a hard time. it took me a while to make the first cut. after about10 minutes i had to call matt to come home and give me some support, both emotional and physical. (it is not easy to keep a 13 month old sitting still for very long and i didn't want to cut off his ear!)

our oldest daughter annie couldn't handle it. she just started crying and wouldn't stop. she kept saying that he looks too different now and she doesn't recognize him. she was mad at us for cutting it....

in the end, we cut off a lot of hair, and we made some memories, and my little baby now looks like a toddler...

time is such a gift..we can't get minutes, hours, days, months or years back... once my little kids become big kids, and then young adults, and then old adults, i hope i can look back and know that i gave my time, one of the best gifts i can give, to my children...

where do you spend the bulk of your time?? make time today for the people you love!

blessings!

it's worth repeating that man was not created to be an island to himself....

so often i have told people that they need to reach out for help if they need something. they can't expect to be able to dolife on their own. God intended us to live in relationship with one another and to bear eachother's burdens... sounds like i am preaching... TO MYSELF!!

isn't it interesting how easy it is to use cliches and quotes to help others but to totally overlook them for yourself...

sometimes we don't even realize how much we are sinking until someone pulls us out and we remember what it was like to stand on solid ground again...

i thank God today for people who recognize when I am spent and need a break... so many people make my life better because they make my well-being their business...and they reach out to me even when i am too proud to reach to them...and to them i say thanks in a big way!!!

do you need others around you to lift you up?? don't be afraid to ask for prayer, support, encouragement, and friendship...

let someone be a blessing to you today..you will be glad you did...

Blessings..