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?

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...

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.

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.

"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.

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."

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.”

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

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

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.

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.

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. :-)

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.