Suitcase of Songs

it's worth repeating that God wants us to sing a new song...

Songs carry baggage... have you ever been scanning through the radio and you heard a song that brought back such vivid memories it was almost as if you were back in that moment in time. i've heard songs that have instantly changed my demeanor based on what they remind me of...

in the church, songs carry baggage, too. there are songs that are many years old that people still love to hear because it was the first song they sang after they were saved, or the song that was played the day of their baptism... sometimes, though, a song will trigger memories of a bad pastoral situation, or a hard time in the church... or if you are like my husband, you often change old songs into new songs and then no one else can ever sing them again without laughing... (there is none like me....)

God wants us to sing, write, produce, create new songs... songs for today, songs with new words.. God wants to give you a song to sing for when you are facing a trial and have nothing left but your song... God wants to move you to a new level, which sometimes means there will be new songs that go with that level...

As a worship pastor, I see all the time how people react to different songs... one person can love a song while the person next to them is not so thrilled with it... i heard that after you sing the same song 30 different times that it begins to lose it's original powerful meaning, and it just becomes a wordless melody. this has happened to me even in church, if the same song is sung over and over and over... i don't realize what the words are saying anymore, i am just singing along.

i love to listen to my kids sing some of the older songs i used to sing...it has total new meaning to them... and they make it fresh again...

We need new songs... We need fresh worship...

Is God giving you a song?? By all means, share it with the world...

Blessings!

Temper Tantrums

it's worth repeating that your reactions speak a lot louder about your character than your actions do...

i actually hate this thought, because often my reactions are not in line with where i think i should be spiritually.  it's much easier to act like a child of God, and some of us are really good actors, than it is to REact like a child of God...  

OUCH!  I really want to respond to my husband, my children, my parents, my in-laws, and everyone i meet the way God would have me respond even when i am frustrated or having a bad day... 

as a pastor, and pastor's wife, i am sometimes under immense pressure to perform, it seems, as if my life is perfect, and everything is just fine.. anyone who has ever spent any length of time with me can tell you that i am not perfect, my kids are not perfect, and i don't have it all together.  there are days i feel like throwing in the towel, like throwing a fit, and like throwing some object at someone else!  see, i told you i am not perfect at all...

God has really been challenging me to look at my reactions to people, and stop making excuses, like i am tired, i have had a bad day, my kids are just driving me crazy.. and to let the fruit of His Spirit shine through me in ALL my reactions...

I tired of "act"ing a role...I want all my actions and my reactions to glorify God and to point people to Him...

anybody with me??

Blessings!

this little light of mine

it's worth repeating that God desires for us to become brighter and more beautiful every day...

Today I was reading in 2 Corinthians..the chapter just escaped me...it is 3 or 4..in the Message Bible.  it rocked my world.  the verses leading up to the final verse of the chapter talked about how we have been set free from legalism, and the law of condemnation.  it talked about seeing God face to face...and then the kicker..the final verse spoke about becoming brighter and more beautiful every day in the Lord...

wow!!  i don't know about you but there are many times i feel more burned out, and not brighter, and more aged, and not more beautiful every day... i look at new Christians and remember how bright I once was..I look at those who have been forgiven of all their sins for the first time and see how beautiful they suddenly are...and I envy them.

As Christians, long-time followers of Christ, we have to shake off those things that cause us to become dim, foggy, and critical... we have to shake off the attitudes, the entitlements, the self-righteousness, the sarcasm, and become more beautiful every day..

what a challenge... the end of the verse tells us how... when Christ comes in, we become brighter and more beautiful as time goes by.. we don't rot and break down like the world around us...

have you invited Christ into every part of your life today??  let your light shine!

Blessings!

don't give up on love

it's worth repeating that God calls us to love without stopping....

wow...love has really gotten a bad rap in our culture.  people use the word so flippantly, and even about stupid stuff... i LOVE him, i LOVE her, i LOVE this, i LOVE that... then the very next moment they change their minds and don't love anymore...

i am so thankful to God for His unconditional, unstoppable love... so many times I haven't deserved it at all, so many times i didn't treat God and live for Him as if i loved him...so many times God could have rightfully turned his back on me and taken his love somewhere else...but He never has...and never will..

It's interesting in 2 Corinthians that God calls us to show love that doesn't stop loving... i guess i am the type of person that loves so strongly that i feel like i can't stop loving even if i try... i may stop trusting, and i may get hurt, but i have a hard time giving up on loving someone... or even something...  i have a hard time parting with things that hold special meaning to me....even if their better days were many days before...

as i think about the changes in our lives that we are going through, i know i will never stop loving the students of xlr8 and the people at dayspring who are like family to us... i know i will never stop loving my husband and children and walking on this journey of life with them, even when the going gets tough...and i know i want to stop questioning once and for all whether God loves me and has His best in mind for me... his love has never stopped for me..why would it now?

Blessings

i've been replaced

it's worth repeating that the Kingdom of God is so much bigger than any one of us...

sometimes, it's hard to realize that God doesn't need us...He desires to use us as vehicles for His glory, but He really doesn't need us. it feels good to be needed..it does something for our ego when people NEED us... but is also very dangerous, and can cause us enormous stress.

as most of you know, we are going through a major transition in our lives. tonight we walked over to our youth service (GOD's youth service)... someone else is in charge, some things have already changed, and nobody had an emergency or needed us to do anything...it was a very strange feeling. i felt sad, but also relieved to know that God has everything under control...

God positions us where we are most effective for Him, and when it is time for us to be repositioned it is not always easy, but He knows better than we do... however, if we forget that He is the one calling the shots, it's even harder...

There is another side to this though. when we realize that God doesn't need us, then it takes a lot of the pressure off us to perform. we just make ourselves available as living and holy sacrifices for Him to do whatever He needs to do through us...

God may not need us, but He sure wants to use us to bring glory to His name, and to reach as many people as we can for His Kingdom...

do you feel pressured in life to be perfect and be everything that everyone needs? don't put that kind of pressure on yourself... God wants to use you but He wants to move you out of the way so people can see Him...

Blessings

soon and very soon

it's worth repeating that it's easier to say see you later than goodbye...

this has been a week of goodbyes for me...we just finished our final youth activity with the students of XLR8, and what and awesome time we had! It was so bittersweet, and there were times my emotions overtook me (thanks, kati, for loving me) , but God used that weekend in spite of all the tough emotions to get His work done, and I thank Him for that.

last night was our farewell reception at the church, and it was so great (thanks to the greatest friends in the world)... at first i was so overwhelmed with emotion, that i just wanted to leave. i couldn't imagine saying goodbye to all of these wonderful people that have become like family to me, and have loved me, my husband and kids as one of their own... the reception was so personal..they made all our favorites, and even used my favorite colors to decorate...wow!! i could feel the love, and i t was amazing. I pray for everyone that one day you could feel that loved, and could know how much people care for you...

as i was saying goodbye, i was reminded that one of the most amazing things about being in the kingdom of God is that we never say goodbye, we only say see you later... one day, we will spend eternity with each other. my brain can't comprehend that right now, and my humanness does not want to let go, but i know that when i get to heaven i will once again get to be part of an amazing reception...a welcoming reception, and all these same wonderful people will be there once again...

be encouraged today, that we only see a very small part of the picture... one day, we will rest from this life's work, and have complete peace and joy... don't grow weary, and never give up... take risks, and live life to the fullest... God bless the people of Dayspring....

Blessings!

thank you, thank you

it's worth repeating that where God guides, He provides...

I know it sounds almost cheesy, and I am one who shies away from "corny", "rhymy" sayings because they don't sound sincere, but this one is true!

my husband, matt, and I, and our 3 children, are getting ready to embark on a new, crazy, scary journey with God to lead pastor a church that needs a new chance... i am scared to go, sad to leave where we are, and overwhelmed with moving our entire family, but God has still been very faithful.

we were in columbus yesterday for a sectional minister's meeting where our sectional presbyter (konan) said that his church was going to make a financial commitment to Lifepoint church (our new church) to help get it going again...that is so God because He is taking care of His church. That same day, someone bought our lunch, and then bought our coffees at Starbucks. The whole day God was just providing. That night (last night), we found a home to rent...we have been looking for a while and it has been very frustrating, but God has provided for us again what we need for our family.

we also talked to our new DYD (district youth director) and he was a great comfort to me. he was saying how when he left youth ministry that it was very painful to him and he would cry just thinking about it...i think he might have started to tear up just talking about it with us. anyway, it helped me to know that i am not just a crazy hormonal woman for feeling the way i do. he said that i am a great pastor because of the way i feel. it shows how much i love these kids and have invested in them...i will always love them so much and will always care that they are serving the Lord...

i guess i say all that to say that God sees where you are...and He is going to take care of you, too...

Blessings!