Monday, December 31, 2007

Happy New Year!!! 2008

I don't usually make new years resolutions, because I am already a very goal oriented person, but this year I think I'll post my resolutions/goals for some accountability and, well, because it's just fun. So here goes:

1) I want to become a more loving, encouraging, forgiving, and submissive wife. ("Submissive" meaning knowing when to keep my mouth shut and not try to change my spouse... I know many of you women are smiling because you have the same issue :-)

2)To become a more patient, encouraging, positive, and organized mom. (The "organization" is also a little bit of a stretch for me)

3) To really enjoy running and training, and run a marathon sometime this year. It's very easy to start getting competitive and want to go to the track and do speed work and it's not really where I want to be right now in my life. I want to do long runs out here in the country about every other day, one really long run once a week, and then spend the rest of the time with my kids. I love my kids!!

4) To read a few more books.

5) To write more letters; encouragement, thank you, birthdays, etc. when I am just thinking about someone.

6) To pray and listen to God more.

7) To pray specifically for family and friends and situations that come across my mind and then keep watching to see what God will do.

Okay, so that's all I can think of for now. So how about you? What can I pray and believe for you?

Sunday, December 30, 2007

A Life Lived Radically for Christ: Part II

My husband told me I never completed the story of the baptisms, and when he read my blog he was waiting for me to get back to the beginning story... So I will finish it, because it is really awesome. So awesome that we went back to church (Journey Church) this morning to just be there; to worship; to fellowship; because our kids had so much fun Saturday night they wanted to come back again.

So last night Jimmy (our pastor) continued his description of baptism of what it was and what it was not. He explained where the word baptism came from; and basically the word came from what people back in Bible times did when they dyed a fabric. They totally immersed it and brought it back up. It represents the dying of our old nature and the rebirth that following Christ brings. It let's the world know who you belong to and who you follow, because you follow Christ's example when he got baptized.

He then said who it was that needed to be baptized. He said those who follow Christ but have never been baptized; those who maybe got baptized before they were really following Christ; those who maybe got baptized as a child but did not remember the significance of it or even remember it to be significant; and sometimes those who are just making a renewal because of some significant event of coming back to the Lord or some other event.

He then explained that he realized that many people did not come to church this weekend ready to be baptized, so the church had prepared by providing shorts, dark t-shirts, running bras, underwear, make-up, blow driers, slippers to wear, towels, showers, etc. Anything you could think of, they had thought of. They also said they had someone who would make a professional video in case there was not family there who you wanted to see it. And they also had someone taking pictures. It was really amazing how they were taking this step of faith to open up the baptismal for anyone who wanted to follow Jesus, or who wanted to make their baptism something significant that they could remember.

After Jimmy had explained all this and that they were going to only play one song, so if anyone was going to do it they needed to move then, I wondered if anyone would get baptized. It just seemed like a spur of the moment thing and maybe a little awkward...

So Saturday night I sat there and cried through all 13 baptisms. It was just overwhelming. So this morning when we went back, it was amazing how the same sermon, on a topic I have heard hundreds times (because I was a preacher's kid) could still be used by the Holy Spirit to move me. So just like Saturday night they played one song and people started to get up...

Now something I have not mentioned in this post was that Saturday night the one thing that kept coming to my mind was that I did not remember my baptism. I "walked the isle" (meaning I went down front in a church and made a public profession of giving my life to Christ) when I was 7. I can never remember not following Christ, and I got baptized because, well, I "walked the isle" and I was suppose to. It was definitely significant, but it really broke me last night that I could not remember it and that I really wanted to know what it was like to experience baptism and the public profession of following Christ.

So this morning, after following Christ for some 34 years, served in churches, been to the mission field, preparing to go again, have lead many to Christ and discipled them, I almost ran to the back in tears wanting the world to know that I followed Christ. I went to the back, changed my clothes as fast as I could, went back to the worship center, and was the first one to get baptized this morning. I couldn't stop crying. This morning to me was as significant as my wedding day. I can not explain why, I just know I felt like the prostitute who didn't care who was looking at her as she washed Jesus's feet with her hair. It was me showing the world at a time when I comprehended everything that I am a follower of Christ. I wanted to do this for Christ and noone else.

So there, I finished the story... and I can hardly wait for the next chapter...

Saturday, December 29, 2007

A Life Lived Radically for Christ... what does that look like?

Wow, tonight was amazing...

We went to church thinking we were going to have a great time of praise and worship, listen to a great message from our new pastor, chat with a few people, meet a few others, and go home... but what we got was God showing up and about 15 people got baptized to profess to the world that they are followers of Him. Now to preface this story... this is our "new" church (Journey Church in Raleigh, NC) at their 2nd ever Saturday night service. There were probably 150 in attendance. They run about 500 in two services Sunday morning.

The service started with awesome worship... and then Jimmy unveiled what looked a little like a tall large bathtub or maybe a coffin. In actuality it was a large "bathtub like" contraption that a minister can baptize people in without getting wet. Anyway, Jimmy spoke on "Stepping Out" and showing the world, just like you might wear a teams Jersey or put a bumper sticker on your car supporting something you believed in, that you are a follower of Christ. Both because Jesus did it as an example for us to follow, and also to exemplify our dying to ourselves (our old sinful nature that controls us) and being raise in the newness of Christ (in everything beautiful and perfect and right). Now we know we will never be perfect, but in those moments that we turn everything over to God... when we stop before we speak or act, and cry out to God for help and repentance... when we don't do what our human nature is screaming like it's dying within us to do... that is when Christ shows up and and can do the greatest miracles in us, in someone else, or in the most bleak situations.

I have read about and admired and have known a few people like this in my life. I have watched quietly and taken notes and wondered what they experience when they sit still with Christ. I have sat from a distance and wondered how they got to be where they are. I have sat quietly with my heart aching to be like that...

but all I know now is that I just pray
with everything of Christ that is within me
that I will become like this someday.
I have always wanted to change the world,
but I have never wanted to do it for some sort of vain glory.
I don't even care if anyone knows.
I just want the world to be radically different because I let Christ
live out His life in me.

Thursday, December 27, 2007

Merry Merry Merry Christmas!!!!

I only say that three times because I am a few days late.

Christmas has been so awesome here at the Witcher household. We spent a very laid back yet festive last few days.

Saturday night before Christmas we attended the first Saturday night service of a new Church we have started going to. It is called Journey Church, and Ken and the pastor have built a great relationship over the past couple of years while we have been raising support. It is a new church plant in Raleigh, NC, is about two years old, and has about 500 who attend two Sunday services every week. It is closer to where we live than our old church, and we have many more opportunities to serve while we are in the Raleigh area. Anyway, it was an awesome service with amazing rockin' worship and a powerful message. There were so many salvations and it was just overwhelming to be there.

The night before Christmas Eve we went Caroling with some very good friends. They invite us every year because... well they just love us and we love their family... but they also say they invite us because they can't sing very well, and they make me lead all the songs. I don't get to do that very much because I live in a family of singers and music leaders, but I really enjoy leading others in worship. We then go back to their house for lots of food and fellowship. We love that part.

Ken and I then get up Christmas Eve, like we do almost every year and shop. We say we have everything bought, but we always find an excuse to get out. We love the holiday atmosphere at the mall and other places. It was so fun because we did not run around frantic, we just leisurely shopped and watched the other frantic people while drinking Starbucks of course. It is one our favorite times of Christmas.

We then spent Christmas Eve with a good friend of mine who has 5 kids; 4 of them exactly the same ages of my 4. It was so much fun watching all the kids play, meeting some new people (I love meeting new people!), watching The Polar Express, and just being in an atmosphere of people who you connect with.

We then went home, put the kids to bed, and stayed up until 2am cleaning, preparing white chili in a crockpot (so I would not have to cook a single thing on Christmas... just enjoy my kids) and of course wrapped all of our presents, and helped Santa put out all his gifts. :-) The most awesome thing was that we did not spend that much money on our kids this year. They got two small gifts, some stocking stuffers, and they had no idea that we didn't have much money to spend. They played with everything they got all day for the next three days and actually weren't overwhelmed with too many things. It was just an amazing Christmas all around.

I almost forgot to tell of the two friends of ours who got our kids presents. God has been so awesome and has shown up in so many ways and blessed us more than we could imagine. We are so excited to see what God has in store for us this next year.

Sunday, December 23, 2007

"Christmas Eve in Sarajevo"

Don't you just love Christmas music! Okay some of you are sick of hearing it for the last 4 weeks, but I am not!, and "Carol of the Bells" is one of my favorite Christmas songs (which is actually titled "Christmas Eve in Sarajevo"). Check it out here at Community Christian Church in Chicago. A church we may be partnering with in the future.

Thursday, December 20, 2007

A 6 year old boy

As you sit comfortably in your home with heat and no bugs, worrying and stressing about things that are really not that important this Christmas season, please pray for this little 6 year old boy in Swaziland. A blog I follow from a missionary in Swaziland helps me keep my eyes on the things in life that are important, and the masses amount of suffering that is so easy to shut out when you live in the U.S. or other Westernized country. Pray for this missionary family and all the organizations that work with those who live in desperate places, where hundreds die while family members sit around helplessly watching. It's hard for me to sit here in my comfortable home feeling so helpless knowing that I also will forget when I turn off my computer and lay down on my very comfortable bed with lots of warm blankets.

"... Why them and not me, Lord? I know you hear their cry and see their suffering. Please bless that little boy with healing. Heal him in such a way that everyone will know it is You who did it. Bless these missionaries who have given up their lives to live among these hurting and dying. Bless their work and their hands. May the laying on of their hands in prayer heal thousands. And may the masses come to know You through the work this missionary couple and their organization are doing in Swaziland."

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

God & the Media - Should we care?

I know this is long, but is well worth the read if you have time. It is the heart of our ministry (Catalyst France/ Europe) and it is why we listen so closely to these churches that have gone before us in the U.S.

- By Tim Stevens, from column in Collide Magazine, issue #2, Nov/Dec 2007.

Hundreds of millions of dollars are at stake right now. Careers are on the line. Thousands of actors, producers and writers are waiting to see what America thinks. Yep, it’s the season of the fall sweeps—those few weeks when network TV introduces their lineup of new shows and then waits on pins and needles to see what you and I decide to watch. Last fall thirty-nine new shows were introduced—only nine of them survived. In the past six weeks, we’ve been introduced to thirty-five new shows. And it is anyone’s guess as to which ones might still be on the air by this time next year.

As followers of Christ and church leaders, a good question to ask is, “Who cares?” There are songs to write and messages to preach and Hazel Rasmussen’s great aunt to visit in the hospital, so why pay attention to what Hollywood puts on the air or what advertisers choose to support? Why does it matter which shows make it and which ones don’t?

Richard Leonard, a Jesuit priest from Australia who wrote Movies That Matter: Reading Film Through the Lens of Faith, had some very insightful words about why this matters so much. He said, “We cannot speak to a culture we do not know or one we despise…we have to learn its language and discover how Christ has already gone ahead of us, inculturated in some of media’s values, stories and style.” He is suggesting that if we are paying attention, we can see where Christ is already at work in the culture. Looking at new shows introduced this fall is evidence to me that Mr. Leonard is right.

One year ago we experienced the launch of Heroes which quickly became the most successful TV show of the year. It’s appeal? Average people struggling through life make a difference with extraordinary gifts. This fall there is a whole slate of new programming that picks up on the same theme. Chuck features a computer nerd that becomes a top American spy when all of the nation’s secret intelligence is downloaded into his brain. A struggling writer suddenly becomes a hero as he travels back in time on Journeyman. And we can’t forget to mention Bionic Woman, whose surgery-gone-awry gives her incredible superpowers and great responsibility.

It is an innate, God-given, human desire to want to make a difference. For most people, it is a desire that exceeds wanting to make money or become famous. At Granger Community Church, we recently completed a series based on the show Heroes with this lead in: “Have you ever had the feeling you were meant for something extraordinary?” Even those far from God have a desire for significance. Addressing that desire gives us an inroad to their heart…a path to introduce them to Christ.

A fascination with good, evil, and the afterlife has also long been a winner in Hollywood, and this year is no different. New shows like Reaper, Pushing Daisies, and Moonlight all delve into the supernatural. This fascination with death and what comes later seems to indicate an awareness of our mortality. Even in Hollywood with the money for botox and microscopic lasers to extend youth—there still is this impending, ever-closer reality called death that no one has been able to avert. The culture is ripe for the church to address the here and now and the choices we make that have an impact in the after-life.

And Samantha Who? features lead actress Christina Applegate as Samantha, a materialistic, shallow, philandering liar who gets in a car accident, develops amnesia, and then slowly realizes the error of her old ways. In a recent Entertainment Weekly interview, Applegate says, “We set up this duality of her good and evil. People really relate to righting wrongs in life.”

Yes they do. It’s called redemption. And even though Samantha isn’t looking to give her life to Jesus Christ to right the wrongs of her past—we can start with where she is. Which, by the way, is where people in your community are—aware of their bad choices and relational mistakes, and trying so hard in their own power to do better. Yes, they are looking in the wrong place for the answer. But let’s celebrate the seeking, and help them find their way to the open arms of a God who says, “You matter.”


Thursday, December 13, 2007

My Little Elves

I just had to post this again. Meet my children Phelicia age 3, Austin age 5, Caelan age 2, and Levi age 7. I taught them how to dance. Click here

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

What kind of pie are you?

I don't normally post these types of things, but I felt like it described me pretty well.

***You Are Cream Pie***


You're the perfect combo of simplicity and divinity.
You are a secret hedonist. No one knows how indulgent you can be.
You don't indulge often, but when you do, you go for the best.
You have expensive taste - even if you aren't rich.

Those who like you live for understated pleasures.
You're not flashy or trendy, but you have a depth that most people lack.
Interacting with you makes most people feel incredibly satisfied.
You are gentle, super sweet, and in harmony with those around you.


What Kind of Pie Are You? Click here to find out

Monday, December 10, 2007

Be Unstoppable

I read this article from the New Thing network newsletter sent to my husband and I was very inspired by it.

By Aaron Monts (a New Thing leadership resident)

There is a dream within all of us that sparks our passions and our desires; dreams that keep so many of us up talking late into the night, brainstorming and picturing a different world, a different community or a different church. Yet, for so many, those dreams never become reality. They remain simple hopes that we eventually throw into the trash heap as nothing more than ideological delusions of grandeur stashed alongside the deceased dreams of days gone by; deceased dreams that could have truly changed the world and made a difference for the Kingdom. Every time we allow a dream to die, we also send along a portion of our idealism and a piece of our soul.

Why do so many dreams die? Are we not fostering the types of communities that allow us to take risks? Are we uncertain of our own abilities? Are we allowing fear to rule instead of jumping forward into the faithful arms of our Heavenly Father? Why do so many potentially revolutionary dreams go by the wayside?

Six years ago my wife, Tracy, and I had a dream of planting a church and, like so many others, we held the dream inside, not sharing it with a single soul. Time passed and the dream began to flicker and fade away as the notion of “someday” was quietly being replaced with “probably not gonna happen.” Fast-forward a couple years to today where we are making preparations to move to San Francisco to plant a church with Stadia and the NewThing Network. So, how did we get from “probably not gonna happen” to “we’re moving to San Francisco to plant a church”? Great question!

1. Tell Somebody. This may be the most difficult proposition, however it is vital. I had no intention of telling anyone until Tracy finally challenged me to, “put up or shut up!” I may have been haphazard in whom I told and whom I confided this dream in, but in the end, a few strategic people helped bring me to NewThing’s Reproducing Church Experience, which ultimately led to a Leadership Residency at Community Christian Church and a future NewThing church plant in San Francisco.

If I had never revealed my dream and desire to plant a church, I wouldn’t be where I am today. This may sound strange to some, but it’s important to leverage your relationships in positive ways so that the dreams that God has placed within your heart can have the chance to become reality.

2. Take Risks. For some, the notion of telling someone your hopes and dreams is an extremely risky endeavor, but the risks don’t stop there. It’s not only important to tell a trusted friend, but to also tell organizations. Tracy and I took a major risk by attending the Church Planting Assessment Center (CPAC) on our own dime and without the backing of any organization or group. It was extremely expensive for us to undertake on our own, however we believed that if God had really placed this dream within our hearts then he was going to begin opening doors. But not unless we were willing to take some initial first steps of faith.

I truly believe that many dreams die because we play a cosmic game of chicken with God. We sit waiting for God to take the first step while, in turn, He is waiting for us to take a risk and put our trust in Him.

3. Be Unstoppable. Our 6-year journey to this point has been met with numerous challenges in the shape of closed doors, rejections and disappointments. We’ve had plans fail and have experienced major heartache and setbacks where it seemed we would never recover. Yet through it all, God has been faithful. We have not allowed the difficulties of the present to change the course of our future. There will be challenges, there will be closed doors, there will be rejection and there will be major disappointments, but the only way your dream will ever see the light of day is if you are unstoppable. Keep pressing on, keep pushing forward and know that God will guide you to the end that he has in store.

Throughout it all know that this is a journey and that the plans that God has for you and your dreams are not there to fade away and land in the trash heap. Be faithful to God, follow hard after Him and the One who is most faithful will take those dreams to places and heights that you never before thought possible.

Saturday, December 08, 2007

Please Pray for Dax



As many of you may remember from many many months ago, I mentioned a boy named Dax (him and his mom on the left). He is adopted by a wonderful family that knew he had some serious health issues when he was born. He is only 2 right now and is in desperate need of a kidney. His mother posts updates about him on thier blog. Please pray for this family and for God to do a miracle in this little boy's body. The mother recently posted a blog about her struggle to comprehend happens when a kidney comes along for him and how hard it will be to let him go into surgery not knowing if he we survive it.

"Heavenly Father, I lift up this family right now... just thinking about how stressed our household was this morning just getting ready for our "first parade" (our son Levi was walking with the Cubscouts) and now thinking about the Ottinger family, really puts things into perspective. Please strengthen Dax and prepare him for a liver and bring a liver into his life that is compatible and before his body is beyond being able to handle a surgery. Prepare his mom to lay him at Your feet and in the hands of capable doctors that will do the surgery. If you so choose to give Dax a liver prepare the family that will have to lose someone. It's so hard to think about this type of situation... so we ask that You will get amazing glory through it all.

Thursday, December 06, 2007

The Best Santa Ever

As my kids and I stood there in line after the local Christmas parade, we were waiting to see Santa at the local park under the large gazebo. I was hoping to get a picture since the local mall had made talking to Santa a portrait studio and actually banned people from taking their own pictures... okay that is another story...

...But as I stood there this situation seemed to be different. I began watching Santa like people watch celebrities and I was very intrigued by him. Now to preface all this, my husband and I have struggled a little bit trying to decide what we wanted to say to our kids about Santa. When our oldest child began to come of age where he "understood" who Santa was, I felt like I was lying when we talked about Santa. When I was growing up though, I loved Jesus... but I also loved "playing" Santa (even though I didn't know we were playing at the time). It didn't change my view of Christ or cloud what I thought Christmas was. I knew it was celebrating the birth of Christ at Christmas time... I just loved waking up to a surprise Christmas morning.

With all that said, my 4 kids and I were standing in line (dad was out of town) in the freezing cold. The line was extremely slow moving. It seemed like it was taking forever... but I noticed as I was rubber necking at Santa, that with each child he took as much time as he thought they needed to feel comfortable and really listened to them. He asked them about school, or a brother or sister standing nearby, or sports they were involved in, and then he would ask them specifically about what they wanted and and detailed questions to get more specific answers. "Mrs. Clause" would help with the kids that were scared of this big fat hairy man who wanted them to sit on his lap. Santa would finally ask them what their favorite cookie was and tell them not to forget to leave some out for him Christmas Eve. He and "Mrs. Clause" sat there and took pictures or waited for parents to video, just really loving on people the whole time.

With one family, though, I saw something I have never seen before. Santa actually got up and hugged a few of the grownups that had brought their child to see "Santa". It was obvious they knew this man when he wasn't "Santa", and both he and one of the young men were wiping tears from their eyes. It seemed as if "Santa" was hugging someone who had lost a loved one. It even took "Santa" a few minutes to compose himself to get back to the children. He then went on to spend just as much time with every child making them feel like they were the first child to see him that day. He even got my 7 year old who has alot of anxiety in these types of situations to sit beside him and talk with him for at least 5 minutes.

I have to say He, Santa, was absolutely amazing. He made me wonder if I took this kind of time with the people I came across in my life. I reminded me of what I think Christ would be like if He were walking on this earth today. I made me wonder if I am very much like Christ. I don't know any Santas that have ever made me think of Christ, but this one made me evaluate my life. He made me, even as an adult, "believe" in Santa. Hey maybe I'll have a surprise waiting for me beside the fireplace when I wake up Christmas morning. :-)

Tuesday, December 04, 2007

My Husband and Vince Antonucci


My husband actually got to meet Vince Antonucci! The guy I have blogged about many times (he is the guy on the left); the guy that has an actual church service in an open bar; the pastor who wears a gorilla suit around town just to get attention for his church; and the pastor who will do just about anything to get a hearing from a lost person.

Also my hubby also didn't just get to meet Vince Antonucci, he got to stay at his house, and Vince took many hours over two days to just talk and listen and hang out and give him advice and mentor him. Man, I have to say out of all the successful church planters I know, this guy has not let success get to his head. He not only had Ken stay at his house, there was another church planter that was staying at his house also who Vince is mentoring. Vince was so down to earth and is so willing to spend time with anybody who wants to learn how to reach the lost especially the extremely unchurched. He is so willing to listen to "nobody's" and encourage and mentor them because that use to be him and he wants you to be successful for the sake of the lost. Check out my hubby's blog for his version of his visit.

My Little Elves

I hate that I have not blogged in almost two weeks, but that means that my priorities are in the right order right now in my life. Life is good. God is growing me so much. He is becoming first in my life again (thus the lack of blogging), and I have so many great things to share, but right now I want to introduce you to my children and send a little cheer at the the beginning of this Christmas season: click here.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree...

Check out my bubby's blog if you want a humorous look into our typical Christmas tree tradition

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Bi-sexuals and church... What would you do?

I know I have been on this Vince Antonucci kick, but you have got to read this post. If you say you have a heart for the lost, read this and think again. Do we just have a heart for those people that are like us, or how far out of our comfort zone are we willing to go. This story is actually really funny. I do fear Ken and I will probably deal with a lot of this type of ministry in France. I know God will give us the grace to love and minister to them, but I have to admit, it is scary to think about.

One time I was standing in the lobby after a Sunday morning church service when a couple I had never seen before walked up. I said, “Hey! Is this your first time here?” They both smiled and she said, “Yes.” He immediately chimed in, “We loved it!” “Yeah,” she added, “We didn’t know church could be like this. It was great.” “We have a question for you,” he said, “but first, I’m John, and this is Michelle.” “Nice to meet you, I’m Vince.” “So anyway,” he continued, “here’s our question. We’re both bi-sexuals, and when we got married, I promised Michelle I wouldn’t sleep with any more women.” “And I promised John I wouldn’t sleep with any more men,” Michelle added, right on cue. “But we still both sleep with people of the same sex,” John continued, “That’s okay, right?” . . . I said, “That’s a really good question. Would you want to get together some time and talk about it?”

They said sure, smiled, shook my hand, and left. As they walked away, I thought, “Why do I have to deal with this? It’s personal. It’s their business, not mine. I don’t want to have to tell them they’re wrong. I don’t want to make them mad. Why do I have to deal with this?” And then I realized, it’s because I’m following Jesus, and God has never really changed much. If Jesus were here, he’d hover around in the lobby a little, and then dive into the dark, chaotic messiness of that bi-sexual couple’s lives and he would bring light, order, and beauty. So, if I’m following Jesus, of course that’s where he’ll lead me. And so the question was: Well, do I want to follow Jesus or not?

Pretty soon I was meeting with that couple, trying to explain that God loved them, and that his primary concern was not to get them to stop sinning, but to experience his love. Once they experienced his love, it should lead them to stop sinning. And then their lives would be marked by light, and order, and beauty, in places now dominated by darkness, chaos, and messiness. Surprisingly, they weren’t mad. They were curious. They wanted to talk more. Eventually they wanted to change. They struggled. They fell back into old sin patterns. They asked for accountability. Michelle requested that my wife and I drive by the “Rainbow Cactus” every Saturday night to make sure her car was not in the parking lot of her favorite gay bar. If it was, she said, please come in and drag her out. The Rainbow Cactus was not a place I was excited for Jesus to lead me into.

In many ways following Jesus during this time and in this couple’s lives led my wife and I into darkness, chaos, and messiness. And we didn’t want to do it. But we did. And we learned that although it seems easier to just hover in the lobby, it’s always better to follow Jesus, even as he dives into the sin of other people’s lives.

We have to jump in the chaos and deal with people’s messiness (because that’s where God is and) because otherwise, we can’t follow Jesus.

Monday, November 12, 2007

OBX Half-Marathon 2007... I did it!!!...okay... God did it!!!

I completed my first half-marathon and did it in 1 hour and 31 minutes (pictures here). It was such an awesome experience. After spending the last 4 weeks feeling horrible because of a flare up of my arthritis, I was really concerned about this race. The Saturday before this race I ran a 5k (3.1 miles) and my hips hurt, and even my muscles were affected. I felt the worst I had ever felt running, and that was the week before I was to be an invited masters runner at this half-marathon.

So, last Sunday I dug into my "natural remedies" and started drinking lots of specific herbal teas, eating organic, eating mostly only raw vegetables, and taking specific supplements that had helped me cure arthritis inflammation before. I wasn't sure there was time for all this to really clean out my system, but I just prayed and did what I could.

I did a few runs in the water last week. One was about an hour and 15 minutes mimicking an 11 mile run, and I was able to do one long run on Wednesday (11 miles) proving to myself that I could actually finish this race.

After getting to the race and hanging out with all these elite athletes, being wined and dined, and housed at a luxury beach house, my heart was not just to finish, but to run a great race. When I crossed the line I actually broke down and cried. It was really interesting how emotional I was. I ended up in 12 place over all the women, but at the 10 mile mark I was in 9th and cruising. After hurting pretty bad for the first 4 miles and after a non-invited runner (girl) came up and passed me something just kicked in and I picked up the pace and passed her and never slowed down.... until the 10th mile and "the bridge". My legs had started tightening up, but even with that I kept telling myself, "it's going to hurt whether you go slow or fast, so keep up the pace"... but at the bridge with 3 miles to go my legs were rocks. My muscles were so hard I continued in much pain gritting out the last 3 miles. 3 girls passed me, but I knew I was laying every ounce of me out there, and I was so happy when I crossed the line. I just conquered one of the biggest physical and mental challenges of my life and I won, and the tears flowed to show it.

It was such an awesome weekend. But not only was I blessed with an awesome race, Ken & I got to know a lot of amazing people and share with them alot about us. I am really going to miss many new friends who really understand my love of running (and now the love of marathoning), yet continuing to live life in a real world. For pictures and my husband's take on the weekend, go to my hubby's blog.

Ken will also want me to tell you that I was the overall Masters Champion and the NC Masters Champion and that I broke the Masters record by about 10 minutes. God was so awesome. Because of those two things I actually won enough money for us to buy Christmas presents this year and a Christmas tree, and all the other fun things that go along with the Christmas season.

Saturday, November 10, 2007

Priorities, Trick or Treating, and a Half-Marathon

I can't believe I haven't blogged in over a week. There have been so many great blogs in my head, but not enough time to sit down and blog. I praise God because He is really helping me get my priorities in order: God, husband, kids, church, then friends/blogging/running/TV watching/cleaning house/organizing.... Not: kids, getting and keeping house clean and organized, blogging, church, running, and then God and husband.

I once again look forward to my quiet times early in the morning (something that hasn't happened much in the past 7 years when we started having kids)... which then in turns helps me organize the rest of my day.

We had a lot of fun trick or treating... and I did look up the history of it to see why many Christians are so against it, and I couldn't really see what all the fuss was about. We just treated it as a celebration of "All Saints Day" and celebrated all the saints that have gone before us in serving the Lord with their life. So we took a princess (of course), Spiderman, a train engineer, and Bibleman, door to door to beg for candy in hopes that they would get the kind that we like. (Admit it parents... you eat your kids candy)

Well, there have been a number of other great posts I have forgotten about, but the best one now is that my husband and I are sitting quietly in a really nice beach house at the Outer Banks (OBX) in NC preparing for me to run my first half-marathon. I am an invited masters runner and have had everything paid for, and get lots of special treatment. I say all this not to brag, but to say how humbled I am to get to be a part of all this. Our kids are also not with us, so it's a little bit of a marriage getaway. I have to laugh thinking I have to run 13.1 miles just to have a vacation with my husband, and he just gets to enjoy all the perks without doing a thing.

So if you are up at 7am eastern time, pray for me. I will be running hopefully no longer than an hour and a half (8:30am). The reason I really ask you to pray is because my knee has been hurting alot lately, and my arthritis really went wacko a couple of weeks ago. I have been going organic and taking lots of supplements in hopes to be able to show up and make a decent showing in appreciation of being an invited athlete. I have run very little the past few weeks, and just want to honor Christ with my race because we have gotten to share with most of the people we have been hanging out with (all the elite athletes and a few others) what God has called us to do, so they know we are Believers. I want them to see Christ in us in conversations, but also in just knowing that God wants His people to succeed and are blessed when they follow Him.

Well, I guess I better get to bed, I have to be up at 5am. The race is at 7am. I don't know why they feel they must start these races before the sun comes up. I mean we are already proving how maniac we are by running 13.1 miles, or (for those running the marathon) 26.2.

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

A Church like no other

Vince Antonucci continues to amaze me with his bar ministry:

Things went awesome tonight. We had our most people ever - 120. It was packed! When we arrive there are 79 seats available, we put out extra, there were a total of about 115. 112 seats were taken, and about 8 people were standing.

No protestors, which is a plus.

Lots of cool things happened, cool conversations ... One girl decided to give her life to Christ. God is doing something special there.

I also love his discription of his type of church:

For seventeen years now I've been searching for churches that are truly reaching people who are seriously far from God. Not churches reaching people who go to church, or used to go to church and stopped for awhile and now they're back. I want to see churches that are reaching people who are shocked that they're going to church, and reaching those people in large numbers. I'm sure there are churches like that out there, but I have found very, very few. Sometimes I'll hear about one, then go check it out and return home disappointed.

I never really thought about it before, but that is exactly the kind of church I have always wanted to be a part of. I do want "unchurched" and "dechurched" people because I want anybody who needs Christ, but I agree there are not many churches out there who are reaching those that have never darkened the door of a church or reaching the last people you would think would enter a church. The more I thought of it, the more I realize that that is who we will be reaching in France, because you have a whole generation that has had no contact with church (mostly Catholic) and the ones that say they go to a church (usually the older people) only go on Christmas, Easter, or when they get married.

We hope to learn so much from Vince Antonucci because God is blessing him with ideas that you don't find many churches willing to do. Read this to get a feel for his Sunday morning service.

Sunday, October 28, 2007

The Holidays on a Budget

I have found this great new website called "Living On A Dime". It has some great ideas on organizing yourself for the Holidays, and how to buy Christmas presents and just enjoy the whole holiday season when you don't have much money to spend.

If you're like me, I come from a fairly large family, especially with all the nieces and nephews, and many of my family member are very blessed financially. I really struggle this time of year because even though we draw names, I usually spend much more than we have because I don't want to look poor or not be involved in the gift exchange. This website gave me much hope for this holiday season. Not only is it going to help me be organized, but it has given me great ideas for decorating and gift buying on a budget.

So as of November 1st...LET THE FESTIVITIES BEGIN!!!

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Hanging on to nothing but Jesus

Has something ever been so heavy on your heart you have a hard time blogging about all the other great things going on:

We went to the fair last week: spent 10 hours walking around; seeing lots of exhibits; riding a few rides; saw a magic show; saw the pig races; ... basically we wore our kids slam out. We had to carry the oldest two the last couple of hours of walking because their feet hurt so bad (This is the first year we only had one double stroller). It was a blast though. I have to say my husband was so sweet in helping me do a scavenger hunt I printed out for my kids (which they could have cared less about). Of course, once I start something there's this competitive thing within me that needs to prove I can finish it, and he went to every out of the way exhibit and never complained once to help me complete my sheet. Sadly I did not get two of them, but my sweet husband was willing to run across the park and find the last two answers for me as our last deed for the night. I know he sounds pretty awesome, but knowing how much alike we are, he probably felt a small challenge to want to finish our scavenger hunt.

Also... It has rained!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! not at the fair, bu the past two days. And it was not just a drizzel. It has down poured... it also thundered and lightninged so much and so close by I really thought it was going to hit our house. It was so beautiful!!

I have also been very content and happy homeschooling, training my kids up, organizing my house, and loving my husband....

Ken and I have loved getting more involved in our church and leading a home group...

...but I have to say contentment does not overwhelm me. I mean I am very content, but my heart has been so heavy for France. Even as God continues to make the path clear and do some awesome things... my heart is heavy. The smiles I see in my kids eyes I think of all the millions of kids that have no opportunity to hear the gospel. In the quietness in my home, I think of the spiritual quietness across Europe that is droning into the empty hearts of Europeans that is sending them to an eternity separated from Christ. I can't help but think who died today never hearing that Jesus came so that they may see, hear, and experience life...

I know Gods timing is perfect... but have you ever hung on to your last thread of faith, and the only thing that makes sense is sitting at the feel of Jesus and hanging onto His Word. We know God loves the French and Europeans more than we do. We know what He has put on our (mine and Ken's) hearts and continues to develop.... It's just so hard to wait... and wait... and wait... and wait some more... which I know forces me deep into knowing Jesus... but it is still so hard.... and then you continue to wait... and wait some more...

"Thank you Lord that Your ways and Your time are perfect... and that you love me and the French enough not to let Ken & I go too soon, because we want the greatest harvest for Your kingdom. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for bringing me to this point so that I have nothing left to understand or believe in but You."

Friday, October 19, 2007

Kem Meyer - Less Clutter & Noise

I was blown away by this post by Kem Meyer. I'm not even sure I've grasped everything thing she has said it is so profound and true. I'm not sure how to take in and apply all this because after all we are only human... So how do we get there?...

She writes:

Here's an excerpt of an article I recently read in Fast Company.

"The human eye has a blind spot in its field of vision. The human mind has something similar. Sometimes you can't 'see' new information because you are bound by filters and lack the mental framework to make sense of what your eyes take in. People often see what they want to see and ignore information that doesn't fit their preconceptions. We default to the shortcut of seeing things the same way. People seek stability and security so seeing things in a way that confirms their beliefs gives them both."

It just doesn't come natural to actually get out of our own way. When we go on auto-pilot...

  • we fill in the blanks
  • which cause us to make assumptions
  • which leads to bad information
  • which leads to bad decisions
  • which, ultimately, leads to bad consequences.

Those consequences could be anything from a missed opportunity to a damaged relationship; an ineffective outreach to a dying church; a broken life to a fractured community. We have to be intentional about doing our homework. It requires stepping out of our comfort zone, but in the process, we learn something about ourself and others.

I'm passionate about minimizing this practice of 'filling in the blanks' in my own life and ministry. Really. It keeps me up at night (I've talked about it many times here, here, here for starters). It's amazing to me the simple wisdom, new impact and connection that's available to us when we open our mind and let go of preconceived notions. It's our responsibility to acknowledge that 9x out of 10, there's more to the story. And, before we leap to conclusions about a best practice...a person...a decision, we should learn about it.

Somebody recently forwarded me a link to this blog pedestal. A lot of untested assumptions are made in that post about good churches and good pastors.

"Help yourself see more by looking past your beliefs." Marcia L. Conner

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Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Can God really change lives in a bar?

Once again Vince Antonucci blows me away with the things he does and how God blesses. It is so radical that most of those on the edge don't have the guts to do what he does... and most denominations would kick him out or make a rule against the things he does... Ken and I learn so much from him and hope to be as radical as him in reaching the lost. Read here what happened in his 2nd bar room service.

Last night we had our second service at the bar. We had 3 less people than the prior Tuesday. However, there were less of "our" people there (regular Forefront attenders) so there were actually more "outsiders" there. The service went awesome.

The first week my highlights were: (1) During the message, some guy at the bar yelled "Bullsh*t!" There is some debate about whether he was saying it to me or not. Immediately after, someone yelled, "Shut up!" which most people think was directed at the B.S. guy, not at me. Either way, the owner of the bar grabbed the B.S. guy, put him in a headlock, and escorted him out. I have been preaching for about twelve years, and I've had all kinds of reactions to my sermons, good and bad, but never has anyone had to be put in a headlock and carried out of the room. That is too sweet! (2) After the service this kind of big, kind of tough looking guy came up to me. I realized he had tears in his eyes. He said, "Hey man, thanks for teaching me about forgiveness." Okay, that was seriously awesome.

So check this out: Last night (week two) immediately after the service I went up to that guy and said, "Thanks for coming back." He said, "No, thank you. I would never go to church on a Sunday morning. This is perfect for me. Thanks for doing this for me." I answered, "No problem, man, I'm glad to be here." So he says, "Can I ask you a question. How much would it cost me for a service?" I was like, "Sorry, what do you mean?" He said, "How much would it cost me to have a service?" Me: "Sorry, I don't get what you mean." Him: "How much would it cost to get the guys to come out?" Me: "Do you mean our band?" Him: "Yeah." Me: "Ohhhhh, yeah they do play at all kinds of stuff. I don't know how much it would cost. You'd have to ask Joe." Him: "Okay. See, I have a huge back yard, and I throw huge parties. Huge! So I'll buy all the food and all the drinks, and I'd like to have a service." Me: "A service?" Him: "Yeah, I'm going to invite all my friends, and then surprise them with a service. Just like what you guys did tonight. I want the sermon, the videos, the music." Me: "Wait a second. You mean that you want to have a church service in your back yard for your friends?" Him: "Yeah. Just like you did tonight. So, how much would I have to pay?" Me: "Dude, if you invite all your friends over and let us have a church service in your back yard, you definitely don't have to pay!" Him: "Really?!?" Me: "Really!" Him: "Welllll, then, I'll have you picked up in a limosine." Me: "Uhhh, no, that's okay, I have a car." Him: "So you'd come out and do church for my friends for free?" Me: "Yes!" Him: "Wow! Okay, then you can count on it! We'll do it on a Friday night."

How cool is that?!? This guy is not a Christian, and is going to surprise all his friends with a church service!?! Reminds me of a party some guy named Matthew threw in the Bible...

By the way, if anyone reading this has a bunch of non-Christian friends and wants us to come and do church for them in your back yard, we'll do it for free. (But if you live more than 60 miles from my house, send the limo.)

Monday, October 15, 2007

Life...

What a crazy week and weekend:

Car broke down in parking lot last Sunday... it's still there. Ken thought he could fix it, but it's going to need a tow.

Wednesday got a phone call from someone saying they felt God leading them to give us their van.

Thursday went and picked up a 2000 Honda Odyssey... It is so nice. They had it detailed... and it has more than I could ever have imagined. It is nicer than I would have ever bought for myself. When I was driving it home with the kids all sitting quietly watching a dvd, I thought, "I feel like a rich person." And I felt God saying to me, "You are rich because you are my child." I cry every time I get in the car or just think about what is sitting in my driveway.

Friday I frantically prepared for my oldest son's birthday party. We were going to be busy Saturday morning, so I had to do everything Friday. I even made his cake; it was a Star Wars ship with all the characters and a fight (and for those of you who really know me I know you are smiling).

Saturday I got up and went and ran a road race. Nothing exciting... for being 40 I did win a really nice pillow and two gift certificates. I laughed at the fact that the top 3 "20 somethings" did not get pillows... So what are they trying to say?

Saturday we raced home, I cleaned the house, finished putting out the food (did not have time to shower), so I just brushed my hair, put on nice clothes and went out to greet people.

The party was a blast thanks to our great friends Kim & David Broadwell. David created a whole theme around Star Wars where he created these light sabers that the kids got to make after they found a crystal in the yard wrapped in tinfoil. They then had to pass a light saber test to go from being "padewans" to "jedi knights". After they became a Jedi they had alot of time to fight with light sabers (and without light sabers) on the blow up jump around "thing". It all concluded with a pinata of Darth Vader where they got to try and kill him where he then would explode candy for all the kids to take home. It was an impressive party... and all I had to do was supply the food and location. Thanks Kim & David! You guys are so special to us.

We then kept all their three boys overnight only to have to get up (Ken & I and 7 kids) at 6:00am to get to church by 8am because we had a class we are taking for small group leaders. After the class I go into the service and they tell me I am singing at the 11 o'clock service (I am on the praise team). So without even getting to look over the songs, I went up on stage and praised the Lord with the best of them.

After church we went out to finally get to look at our broken down car from last week and while Ken was trying to fix a belt, a very large piece that I guess is important broke off... so the awesome thing is that God knew our more reliable car was on it's last leg and that we would need something else... and I didn't break down on the highway or in the middle of nowhere with 4 kids... our car died in the church parking lot where there were people to help us, and then from that church God put it on someone's heart, who I'm not sure knew how bad our car situation was, to give us the nice van they drove every day. I cry (even now) every time I think about what God did.

Thursday, October 11, 2007

God Is So Amazing!

Wow, I am so overwhelmed right now... God just put it on someone's heart to give us their minivan. I am just so surprised I am speechless... and it is not some old clunker that is ugly and the paint is wearing off. It is a 2000 model that looks great, and it doesn't just have a radio that works, it has a DVD player and all sorts of other bells and whistles... and it has airconditioning! I am just so overwhelmed... I am not sure if I am suppose to say who is giving it to us, so I will save that for a later date. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

..but especially thank you Lord for such an amazing gift, I was just hoping to get something that runs, but You gave us more than we could have imagined... and bless those who gave this to us, and their ministry, abundantly because I know they will bless others.

Happy Birthday Levi!!

7 years ago yesterday, October 10th 2000, I became a mom for the first time. I was not one of those moms who broke out into tears when my child was born... I actually was in a little bit of shock. Being 32 and spending 30 years of my life single, marriage had already been a huge hurdle... so when they laid him on my chest right after he was born, he looked like an alien, and seeing that I was in a little bit of shock, the nurses finally said, "You can touch him."

...Those next 2-3 days in the hospital were some of the best days of my life though. Being cooped up in a room with the two most important men in my life, being waited on hand and foot by great nurses at Raleigh Community Hospital, and having people come visit me... I thought I was in heaven... so I did it three more times. :-) In fact I did it three more times so quickly the nurses at the hospital began to call me by my first name and would just laugh when they would see me come in.

Maybe in a couple of years I can talk my husband into doing it one more time. (Okay if he reads this blog I am busted)

Oh well...
Can I just say I love chatting with my blogging friends. You guys are so awesome! Thanks for such sweet comments. I hope to meet you all someday, and if it's not on this side of the ocean, please come visit us in France... You have a place to stay.

Monday, October 08, 2007

Miracle Weekend at C3

This weekend was miracle weekend for our church. Many people had joined the staff in praying and fasting (the Daniel Fast) for 21 days which lead up to this weekend... which is also leading up to the completion of our new building (you can go to C3church.org to read more about it). We have been praying for God to provide all the extra funds a new building incrues, and it will be done many months early, so we have been praying the finances would come in early also.

Our pastor has been going through a series call "Miracles" and many of us who have been walking with our church during this time are joining our church in praying for our own miracles. Many are praying for healing; many are praying for a financial miracle; many are praying for restored relationships and marriages, or lost loved ones... We want Jesus to show up so radically in our lives and and in the life of our church that the world will see and take notice and know that the only conclusion is that God showed up.

Well I have to say I am so excited to see what God does through all of this, but I do know that when Christians get serious about their faith and reaching the lost, Satan doesn't like it and will try to thwart God's plans and steal your joy in the process.

I had to laugh yesterday, because as we laid our sacrificial offering at the altar yesterday, and are believing God for a financial miracle, and also believing that God is going to fulfill the desire He put in our hearts; and that is to reach Europe with a relevant message of Christ in a radical way...

we went out to start the better or our two vans (this one only has 180 thousand miles on it, has a radio, air-conditioning, and the transmission doesn't slip)... Well, we now believe this may be the worst of the two vans. It is still sitting in the church parking lot maybe never to start again. So now I am driving the "other" van... the one we only drive in emergencies because it is hot, has no radio, and we are just waiting for the transmission to fall out on the road. Lucky for me I am a "the glass is half full" kind of person, and that just convinces me that God is doing something awesome, and I just sang praise songs and kept telling my kids how exciting this was because now God had to show up. :-)

Satan is not going to steal my joy... He is not going to steal our dream... He cannot thwart what God wants to do... so I just say "bring it on"... My God is bigger, He is more powerful, He is Healer, Provider, He is Comforter... there is nothing too hard or big or messed up that He cannot fix, heal, or restore. My God Is the Great I Am and nothing can keep him from blessing His children and using them to change the world.

Can I hear an Amen!?... boy things like this fire me up. I am definitely a David kind of person, because I just want to take my little sling shot and chase Satan down because I know when God wants to win He will!

Saturday, October 06, 2007

A gift for my son

I am not going to fill this blog with running stories... but I just have to share this because it is humbling yet shows how awesome our God is.

Now I have shared many times how old I am only because it makes the stories more understandable... So yes I am 40 which puts me into another category in the running world. I am now a "Master" which basically means you're old and they want to give you a medal for still getting out their and attempting to run fast. Well, I have run 4 races this years and I have won only one, but all three of the other ones I won money... only because I am 40 and am now a "masters runner".

At one of the races and old coach friend of mine who helps put on a number of these races emailed me about a number of races where I might could win some "masters" money. So I have jumped in a few, and today was one of them. Today, though, was a serious race with women being flown in from all over the country coming to run this race. It was called the "Women's Only 5k" and was a fund raiser for breast cancer. The winner of this race won $1,250 and there was money up to 5th place. I knew I was not in the running for that, but there was also money for the top 3 masters runners ($750 for 1st, $500 for 2nd, and $250 for 3rd), and last year there was one great runner, but the next three runners were pretty slow.

So my sweet husband who loves to cheer me on when I run, helped get all our kids up and dressed by 6:30am, threw them in the car and drove me and our 4 kids for 1 &1/2 hours to get to this road race... knowing that he would have to chase kids for the next 2-3 hours.

Well, still recovering from a strange virus I got and then dehydration, I went out too fast and did not run a blazing time, but when all was said and done, I was the 3rd Masters runner across the line, which meant I won $250. I have never won that kind of money in a race. I knew there were at least two ladies who looked like masters runners in front of me, but when my husband went and checked the race results and saw that I did get 3rd and was in the money, I cried.

Even typing this it makes me cry... I'm not really sure why... I guess because I really am not running good times compared to last year, and the next two ladies across the line after me were masters runners... but more importantly my 6 year old's birthday is next week and we did not have any money to throw him a party or get him a present. I am still struggling to get back into running after being sick I could very easily not have been in the money... but God chose for me to be the 3rd masters. The only reason I went to this race was because I wanted to win some money for my son's birthday and I knew it was a gamble... I even had to pay $30 to enter the race.

There are children starving and sick and dying, and people dying and going to hell who have never heard the gospel, and my God cared about me wanting to bless my son with a party where he could invite his friends and buy him a gift.

I don't know why He cares about the little things... but He does...

Thursday, October 04, 2007

Nothing is to hard for my God

Last night at our church was the most incredible night... and it was not because it was over the top for praise and worship (even though I am one of those who act just like I do at a football game - I can cheer and jump with the best of them)... and it was not because it was the end of a 21 day Daniel fast our church did because we wanted to see breakthroughs and miracles... and it was not because my two oldest sons got to watch an incredible baptism service with radical worship along side it... and it was not because our pastor (my brother-in-law) gave a great motivating message...

Nope, it was none of those things... It was because during one of the songs, my brother, who has never really walked with the Lord as an adult, who spent a year in Iraq and came home about a year ago and went off the deep end, our family not knowing where he was or if he was alive or hurt... He and his now wife both started coming to our church about a year ago. They had just met; her son went to C3 with his father, and well Thomas's sister was the pastor's wife, so they both had an "excuse" to come to church and not feel weird because they were coming together. Well, they both rededicated their lives to the Lord after accepting Christ as children, and have never been the same since.

Now to why last night was so awesome. During one of the slow worship songs I just happened to look over and my brother had both hands up in the air worshipping. I had to take another look to see if what I saw was what I thought I saw. I knew he and his wife were serious about their commitment to God and the church, but I never thought I would see my brother raise his hands in worship. We were raised Free Will Baptist for goodness sake. They then played some very exciting upbeat songs and of course I am up front jumping around with the teenagers, and while spinning around I see my brother who was sitting on the second row jumping just as much as myself and the others under 20. Now if you had met him before this, you would laugh at me to think he would show that much emotion. It was an incredible sight.

Now if I wasn't convinced before... I know there is a God in heaven who hears the cries of a family for their prodigal lost son or daughter.... So if you are one out there who is still shedding tears and praying, don't give up, ask everyone you know to pray and keep praying because God is working even when you can't see it, and He'll show up and do a miracle before your eyes when you least expect it.

Tuesday, October 02, 2007

"Fishing For Sharks"

My husband and I have been following a new blog (or new to us) by a pastor Vince Antonucci. He is one of those people that was saved from a truly unchurched background and now has a passion to reach the unchurched, or those who would never darken the door of a church. My husband and I love this blog about "fishing for sharks"... oh, and one of his services meets in a bar, and he is answering the question that comes up over and over for him:

“Vince, why does one of your church campuses meet in a bar?”
(In case you don’t know, one of our church campuses meets in a bar. We have a service there on Tuesday nights. The bar is open for business when we meet. The service is basically identical to our Sunday morning service. So, yes, we sing songs, preach a sermon, offer communion, take an offering.) So why in a bar? Well, thinking back on last week … if you wanted to fish for sharks, where should you fish? You can go to the place where fish are, and hope some sharks are in the area. Another option is to hang out in your swimming pool and send postcards to the sharks inviting them to come for a visit. But I’m guessing the most effective place to fish for sharks is where the sharks are. And that’s why we meet in a bar. Ironically we’ve had a few Christians who go to bars complain, saying it's okay for them to go hang out in a bar, but it's not okay for us to have "church" in a bar. I barely think that deserves a response, but briefly I would say that I’m pretty sure the New Testament teaches that wherever a Christian goes, he or she has brought God there, whether someone calls it “church” or not. Other Christians complain, and these are the types who would never set foot in a bar. I understand their feeling cautious, and probably some of them shouldn't go in a bar. But saying that no Christian can, that's a bit extreme. Especially since Jesus hung out in drinking places with drinking people (to the extent that people accused him of being a drunkard). By the way, I get to talk to a lot of future church planters and most would prefer to meet in a school to a movie theater. And I’ve heard some planters who meet in a theater but wish they could meet in a school. Let me just say this: That’s crazy. Our church has spent years in a theater and years in a school. And if you’re trying to reach lost people a theater is a better option hands down. Why? Because lost people hang out in movie theaters, they like theaters, they go to theaters. If you meet in one, you are going to them, meeting on their territory. That’s a very good thing. On the other hand, who graduates from High School and thinks, “I hope somehow I get a chance to go back. I just loved going to school so much, I can’t imagine not getting to hang out in a school building again”? Sure, there are some challenges meeting in a movie theater, but they’re not nearly as significant as the challenge of meeting in a school, which is that lost people don’t want to go there. So that’s it. I'm going to add another two posts that show pictures from our practice service in the bar. If you've got a minute, pray for the service we're having in the bar tonight. It's our first "official" service there. See ya next time.

Monday, October 01, 2007

When it rains...

...it sometimes starts out like a mist... and then turns into a torrential downpour. :-)

Wow, the last two weeks have been absolutely crazy! Three weeks ago my youngest son had a slight fever which I chalked up to teething and sort of ignored it. He then threw up a few times which I also took lightly because he sometimes throws up if he cries too hard or has too much drainage in his throat. His eyes then began to have mucus coming out of them which I thought was just a cold in his eyes and still didn't get stressed out. (Can you tell I'm a very laid back person?) Well, after 4 days of a fluctuating fever that kept getting higher, and his eyes getting yuckier, we took him to the doctor on a Sunday morning. They said he had a double ear infection and pink eye. We then drug him around all day at a the Magnificent Mile road race only for him to break out in a strep type rash that evening. We didn't go back to the doctor to confirm it because he was already on antibiotics, but...

...needless to say there were lots of germs in our house that had been able to incubate for a few days, and therefore... two of my kids got strep, all of them got some other weird virus that was going around that had the high fevers later in the day and at night, and all the kids at some point threw up for a couple of days and nights and got pink eye... I got the weird virus, a horrible case of pink eye that looked like a disease and took a week to get over, and then got dehydrated which took me a week to recover from. I am the last straggler from all these viruses, and I have just began to feel normal again today.

Boy I'm glad God is in control because I lost what little control I had over my crazy household. So how are things out there in the blogging world? I feel like I've had a nice sabbatical. My husband and I both spent this last month really seeking God, and it was strange how God took our desire out and way from the blogging world... but we are now back and understand the importance of utilizing technology to reach a lost and dying world. I have still been keeping up with my "blogging friends"...and I am so blessed to have you guys in my life...

Friday, September 28, 2007

40 days of Fasting and Renewal

I am so proud of my husband... He just completed his second 40 day fast yesterday. He and I did a fast in 1998 along with many from the Campus Crusade for Christ organization founded by Bill Bright who sort of brought the idea of fasting back into the 21st Century. In 1998 Ken fasted all food and took in limited nutrients. I fasted all solid food, but kept my calorie intake up (soups, ensure, shakes, juice, etc.) because I was already very small and was coaching a girls track team and running with them. Anyway, it was an amazing experience for both of us.

You can read more about his recent fast on his blog... but the most amazing thing about it was that unlike 9 years ago, he has a family and he was around food all the time and could not take alot of breaks where he could just go hide and lay around when he felt tired or weak. I know humanly speaking it had to be unbearable temptation.... But during this fast instead of going and hiding when it was dinner time, he was often the one in the kitchen making some gourmet meal, often including dessert for the whole family. He was such a servant. He also went to a number of family functions where there was lots of food and desserts and people... and he quietly went about helping with all our kids at meal times so he would not have to announce to the world he was fasting. I know he doesn't want all this praise, but I am just so proud of him. I know how hard it is to fight "the flesh"... and he won (well Christ won).

It has been an interesting time for me though... I feel like I sort of fasted vicariously through him and grew spiritually in amazing ways. I did fast off and on with a "Daniel fast" our Church is doing, but for the most part I just supported him and cheered him on, watched God grow us closer together, watched God grow both of us, and am amazed at how He continues to clarify the vision He has given us.

God has definitely confirmed our hearts are definitely for Europe, not just for France... and we are not sure of all the details yet, but just as the last day of the fast came, God began moving in ways that we are excited to see the fulfillment of.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

From "Magnificent Mile" to "Battleship Half-Marathon" God is still in control

God has once again surpassed my expectations. Two weekends ago I opened the season with a 5k (March of Dimes 5k). Didn't run a great time, but I was thankful to win. This past weekend I ran the first race in the local Grand Prix road racing series. It was a mile race, the event I ran in college, but not something I was looking forward to. My college teammates and I have a saying, "As you get older you run longer because the short races are just too painful to train for and to race.

Last season I ran a 10 mile race, something I never chose to do on purpose because it just seemed too long and painful. But because there was prize money, and it was in a small town, and we needed Christmas money to buy presents for our kids, I decided to think of it as a long run day, hope no one good showed up, and see if God might just bless us.... Well, that happened. I actually ran a great time, won the race, and really enjoyed myself. The race was so much more relaxed than the intense mile and 5k races I have run for years.

After that race I began to set my sights on a half-marathon because... well all the real runners run marathons and half-marathons. As we began looking into it, we realized how much it was going to cost to enter a race... and then you have to pay for housing and gas and food... and where we were at in life (then and even now) that was just not going to happen. So I chalked it up to a good idea and decided to run whatever God opened up in our town and that we could afford.

So after this opening mile race of the Grand Prix series, and not really training for it, I found myself pleasantly surprised. I ran a decent time (5:26), won the masters, unknowingly broke the NC state masters record, got 8th overall right at the back end of the elite pack, and was very excited to experience the feeling of running fast again. Now after the race is where God showed up, and I believe revealed to me His blessing for waiting on him and not getting all stressed out because what I wanted to begin doing last season didn't happen.

A race director and coach from UNC Chapel Hill that I have known for years came up to me and asked if I'd be interested in running two championship races he was helping put on. One was a local 5k (The Second Empire 5k) and the other was a half-marathon (OBX Half-Marathon) at the Outer Banks in NC. He then said he would pay my entry fees and housing for my whole family, and that I very likely would win some prize money.

I sort of stood there in unbelief. Every runner wants to be an invited elite runner where the race director pays your expenses to come and participate in their race. So I stood there in awe of God's timing and His ways. I didn't try to force things to happen last year, and now God has gone beyond my expectations. I am being invited all expenses paid to do something I was trying to force into happening last year... okay, so now I have to train for a half-marathon I wasn't really preparing for, but I guess God also has a sense of humor in his surprises.

In all this God reminds me that when His timing is perfect, everything will fall into place for Ken and I and our kids to go to Europe and help plant dynamic radical churches that will reach this generation... all expenses paid.

Saturday, September 15, 2007

I Have Fought the Good Fight, I Have Finished the Race, I Have Kept the Faith

I love this post by Pastor Jim of Enon Chapel in Midway Park, NC... because my dream in life was always to make an Olympic Team as a runner.

The 1981 Oscar winning film, Chariots of Fire, tells the true life story of two men, Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams, and their paths to and involvement in the Games of the VIII Olympiad (1924) in Paris. In an early scene in the movie, Harold Abrahams, has just suffered his first-ever defeat in a race. Afterwards, he sits alone pouting in the bleachers. His girlfriend approaches him and tries to encourage him. He rudely rejects her efforts and bellows in rage, “If I can’t win, I won’t run!” Calmly and wisely she replies, “If you don’t run, you can’t win.”

Abrahams took her counsel and continued his pursuit of Olympic gold. He qualified for the British National team and sailed to France to compete. At 7:00 PM (local time in Paris) on July 7, 1924, Harold Abrahams won the Olympic Gold Medal in the hundred-meter dash, beating all the American favorites, including the 1920 Gold medal winner, Charlie Paddock.


Eric Liddell, who grew up a missionary kid and eventually went back to China with his family, represented Britain in these same Olympics. He was known for his conviction not to run on Sunday even in the face of winning an Olympic medal. He therefore forfeited his 100m race, and ran the 400m the next day, beating the race favorite and setting a new world record. He is a hero of mine and made two of my favorite quotes: "When I run I feel God's pleasure." and "God made me for a purpose; that purpose was China, but He also made me fast."

Abram's was definitely faithful to continue his dream and not quit and his dream came true, but Eric was faithful unto death serving Christ on the mission field in China. He spent 18 years after his Olympic medal in China, his last couple of years at a rural mission station in Shaochang where they were desperately short of medical help and the living conditions were rough. He was then moved to a safe camp for missionaries when the Japanese took over the mission station during the Chinese and Japanese war. He died there of a brain tumor, many think due to stressful work conditions and malnutrition.

God gives so many of us dreams that we do not need to give up on, but do we keep on running when our dreams do or do not come true? Do we have a view of the lost as we chase after the dreams God has put in our heart? Can you really say, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. (2 Tim. 4:7)?




Friday, September 14, 2007

What would you do?

I read this post by Tim Stevens on his blog, Leading Smart. It's a real gut check on how many judgements I make every day about those around me. I would probably have ran over to see if I could help because I'm the ultimate "rubberknecker". My judgements do, though, keep me from sharing Christ every day in many situations. What would you have done in this situation?

On Saturday it was my goal to stay home all day, but just after lunch I had to run down to the corner nursery to pick up my fertilizer. I was on my way back when I noticed something very strange. There was a car that was pointed at a 45-degree downward with its back wheels in the air. The driver had tried to jump a curb not realizing there was an 18-inch drop-off between the gas station parking lot and the lot next door. His car was perched on the curb and he was in deep trouble. My first thought, which I said aloud, "Oh my. Sucks to be you."

I watched for a few minutes as two guys circled the car considering their options. The two guys circling the car were punks. They had body piercings everywhere, tattoos all over. I'd guess them to be about 20-years old. I'm just staring, amazed, wondering what these idiots were thinking when they tried to jump the curb. Then I noticed the car model. It was a newer model, luxury car. It was easily a $50k car. Then I got even more disgusted. These punks are driving around in daddy's car and just messed it up.

That's when I started realizing how wrong I was. There were three little kids still in the car and their dad was driving. I looked past the "punks" and saw a young Hispanic man and his wife, very shook-up, trying to figure out what to do.

These young white "punks" had stopped their car to help the Hispanic man in distress.

As I finished pumping, one of the "punks" called out at me. "Hey, can you give us a hand?" They had analyzed the situation and figured with 4 or 5 men they could lift the car off the curb and get this guy on his way. I would never have attempted that or even thought it was possible. But within about 10 minutes, 4 of us (through the very capable leadership of the "punks") got the Hispanic family on their way. The driver quickly grabbed his wallet and offered to pay the "punks" but they waved him off, got back in their car, and drove away. They didn't want money or recognition. They were just there to help.

I got back in my car feeling guilty for my quick judgmentalism. I wasn't happy I could help--I was aware that I would have just watched from behind my car if the "punk" hadn't called out.

Pride is so subtle. It twists its way through our hearts and makes us less than Jesus-like.

Proverbs 29:23- "A man's pride brings him low, but a man of lowly spirit gains honor."

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Are you following Christ or the Christians?

I got this quote off of a new pastor's blog my husband and I are reading. His name is Vince Antonucci. My husband heard this guy speak at a conference, and just recently started reading his blog. In this particular blog he is talking about physically becoming sick when he realized how far he had come from interacting with and reaching "lost people". At the end of this experience he summed it up with this:

We find God’s heart for lost people by being around lost people, and we lose it when we’re not. So here’s the question I continually have to ask myself: What can I do to get myself around lost people? Because if I’m going to improve at reaching lost people, I need to understand and have God’s heart for them.

His church is definitely on the edge, and we (Ken & I) love seeing how he continually has "the lost" in His head. His blog is a great read, and it has a different flavor than some of your typical pastor bloggers. He came out of a totally unchurched secular lifestyle and shares alot of himself in his blog, and has some great insight into reaching the totally unchurched... because he was one.

It's so easy as a Christian to isolate ourselves from the world as we try to keep ourselves and our families from temptation, but at some point we must come out... if we don't who will? Satan is already out there reaching them and enjoying watching the "Holy Bubble" or "Holy Huddle" so many of us live in.

"Father keep me open to anyone who may come across my path that may have no other opportunity to hear the gospel... Keep me out in the world so that I can be reminded over and over and over that it is for these that you came: the lost and dying and hurting and messed up hopeless people. They are still out there even if we ignore them... but you do not... You are just waiting for a willing soul to leave the Holy Huddle and become all that you created them to be. Thank you Father... for choosing to use me. I only hope I can be worthy of your calling."

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Giving Up To Get What's Best.

All things work together for good according to those who love God and are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

Have you ever given something up for God or allowed Him to take something away gracefully knowing that He who is able and is in control, has your best interest in mind. Isn't it so hard to believe that when you're in the midst of something that you have had to give up or had taken away. I think we all watched in great awe of how Jordan and Patience Leino gave up their son gracefully trusting that God who is able to heal knew what was best.

In a much minor but significant way, God has reminded me that so often if we will give something up we so badly want to hang onto, He will give us something so much greater. As some of you know about a month ago the night we got home from a long trip at 2am in the morning, I let our cat out, not sure how much he had gotten to be out while we were gone, and he got attacked by a dog and we had to put him to sleep the next day.

We had only had this cat for about a year, but he was the best pet. He loved the kids and slept at the foot of my bed or one of the kids beds every night. He would even wake us up if something was wrong with one of the kids. Anyway, I just didn't really understand why God had to take him away. I know there are so many things so much more important, but I really missed taking care of my cat and all the things you get use to doing with a pet. A few days after we had to put him to sleep, I called a friend to ask if she knew anyone who had any kittens because the kids and I were really wanting to get another one. She said her sister-in-law had a cat that had just had kittens and would be getting rid of them in a few weeks.

Well, we went over and visited her and played with her sweet kittens and planned to come back in a few weeks. Now I had met this lady before. She had had two kids at that time around the same ages as my two. A couple of years later we both had had a third and fourth about the same time, so we had 4 kids all within 3 months of each other in age. The first time I met her what I saw was a very attractive put together woman who seemed to have it all together, and her kids seemed very sweet and obedient. I thought, "I will have absolutely nothing in common with this woman, as my boys ran around wrestling and acting... well like boys...

There were many times her niece (our babysitter) would talk about how her aunt was at the end of her rope and how we should get together. There was always the thought of calling her, but I was controlled by my first impression, not what I know now was the Holy Spirit putting something on my heart to do.

From the first phone call asking about the cats... it was like calling an old friend. We talked about so many things without ever feeling like we were keeping the other one on the phone. Maybe we were so starved for adult conversation dealing with 4 kids, ages 6,5,3, and 2 all day long and homeschooling. We have since gotten our kids together many times, and they just click. I have had many friends as an adult, but none that just clicked like this. She is so laid back like me, and we struggle with so many of the same things, and our kids played great together (meaning they played and fought and played again like brother and sister).

A few days ago as I was thanking God for this friendship, and I began to think through that I would never had gotten to know this person if my cat had not been killed and her cat had not had kittens, and how God orchestrated the perfect scenario to bring us together. Now if God will go to the extent of bringing all this about to give me a friend, and maybe her a friend also, even when I ignored His attempt to get me to call her a year or two ago, how much more does He want to take all the good things in our lives and make them great. How much more does He want to orchestrate the perfect scenario to reach that one lost person or the millions who have never heard the gospel.

So next time when things don't seem to make sense, or maybe God has taken something away, or is asking you to give something up that is hard to let go of, don't let Satan get a foot hold by complaining or getting angry or getting depressed because things don't seem to be working out how you planned or wanted. Trust that God who knows all things, who is kind and loving and who only wants to bring people to himself, knows what is best. He may be wanting to give you something so awesome you can't even imagine, you just have to give something up to get what is best.

...Of course if you listen to Him in the first place He may not have to take something away to get your attention. :-)