What a great weekend! I am sooo thankful! I have been so excited all week from Tony Cecil's sermon and the reminder of great our God is and living like i believe it. We had the most excellent fellowship on Friday night, even better than the Alice SPrings Chick. with Lisa and Ernie Banks and getting excited with them about their Acts 29 church plant in Savannah, Georgia, in about 40 days. We had the privlige to help out at the Pumpkin Festival in downtown Frankfort at the Venue and 'see' the people of Frankfort. Then we finally transitioned from being a one car family to a two car family when Steve found a great deal on a work van in just the right time in Lexington last night! Then another encouraging sermon this morning about God being glorious and how HE fills all our needs and the need to turn from being a man-pleaser. A quote from last week says "What you believe impacts how you live" and "When GOd is small people and problems are big. When God is big people and problems are small." So true! Then to top it all of, at this point, had a great lunch at Chili's with the fam, Darren, Isaiah, and the Gambino's (how can anyone even spend a moment with them and not be excited about Jesus???). I am very thankful for God's grace and a weekend that made me feel like am me, the person God made me, and what He has made me to enjoy!
I enjoy God's provisions and the blessing of knowing HE cares. I enjoy the times of watching my kids grow, enjoy life, and even enjoy being little missionaries as they did at the Pumpin Fest. I enjoy car rides to civilization with just my husband, where we can talk or just enjoy the music. I truly enjoy being in fellowship, sharing hearts, with my family in Jesus, and feeling that 'starving feeling' satisfied.
May this attitude of gratitude carry me through this week of schooling and loving my family. May we all be mindful that God does not sleep or slumber and He is ALWAYS at work around us. May we always have willing hearts to join in!
I feel the joyful expectancy come back! What's next, Lord?
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
missing....
I miss my mom and dad. I miss my sister. I miss the Bartosch girls. I miss our Aslan family. I miss our Coast family. I miss the Schwartz family. I miss the DeSanti family. I could go on and on and on because JESUS richly blessed our lives with friends/family TO DO LIFE WITH!
Our friends/family have always been here to rejoice with. Our friends/family have always been here to cry with. It was always mutual and never just one sided.
What is doing life together? It's benefits are amazing! It keeps you strong through trials because you have celebrated God's blessing together in a way that carries you. There is something about knowing you can share your heart, unconditionally, and will be loved still and forever, that only GOD can develop that is just not of this world. It is like it is Jesus loving and encouraging and being there through this amazing koinonia (true fellowship). When you are doing life together as the body of Christ it is not something of ourselves but is the grace of God.
Life without this stinks. Challenges become failures. The need to fight making this an 'idol' becomes intense. The yearning for developing this in a new land makes me 'freaky', as in I just lay myself/heart out there and scare people. Then I recluse. Then I have to learn to be intentional for the first time ever. True heart fellowship when Jesus' love is shared through a meeting of eyes or a touch from another is priceless, and necessary.
I don't know what God is doing in me and my family's life but sooo glad I can trust, rest.
Our friends/family have always been here to rejoice with. Our friends/family have always been here to cry with. It was always mutual and never just one sided.
What is doing life together? It's benefits are amazing! It keeps you strong through trials because you have celebrated God's blessing together in a way that carries you. There is something about knowing you can share your heart, unconditionally, and will be loved still and forever, that only GOD can develop that is just not of this world. It is like it is Jesus loving and encouraging and being there through this amazing koinonia (true fellowship). When you are doing life together as the body of Christ it is not something of ourselves but is the grace of God.
Life without this stinks. Challenges become failures. The need to fight making this an 'idol' becomes intense. The yearning for developing this in a new land makes me 'freaky', as in I just lay myself/heart out there and scare people. Then I recluse. Then I have to learn to be intentional for the first time ever. True heart fellowship when Jesus' love is shared through a meeting of eyes or a touch from another is priceless, and necessary.
I don't know what God is doing in me and my family's life but sooo glad I can trust, rest.
Good Morning
Is it a good morning? I know my God is great and as i step outside of myself and look to Him my perspective changes. Yes, it is a good morning. Psalm 19 rejoices my soul. I will fight this feeling of 'blah' and let who GOD is change me!
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
The Start
I have been thinking of starting a blog lately to share stories and thoughts that may not be appropriate for facebook (and so i don't drive all my fb friends crazy!). So, this is the start!
I have a lot on my mind lately that i would love to put to written word. This Sunday at our church the message was on how great our God is. God really reminded me of this perspective and to seek to keep it. This is something that i think i remained in always being of aware of in years past. Over the past 18 months it has been a very difficult challenge to keep my mind focused on this, to my fault. My peace and joy have been robbed of me in result. I know i need to fight to keep my mind focused on this and not things of this earth that surround me.
I am inspired, incredibly, by both my dear friend, Kari Wandrey, and my Dad's growing faith. As for Kari, over the past ten years or so now, i have always needed a shot of what i call "Wandrey stories". Kari has had a very consistant view of God's greatness and expects nothing less of showing it with her life. I remember at a retreat about five or so years ago she sharing her dreams, one of them being a writer for games for the show "Survivor". At the time i thought that to be a wierd dream. As i got to know Kari more i saw that almost everything she talked about revealed the greatness of God and others were drawn by her excitement. Then one day, as she was cutting a girl's hair in her home salon, the girl mentioned that her hair was really dry after just spending time on her dad's South Pacific island. They had just been filming "Survivor". Within a couple of weeks Kari was in contact with the producer and eventually did sit on staff writing games for a season. It was very exciting but Kari almost didn't expect anything less than her story to unfold that way. Within the next couple of years Kari and her her friend Kim shined brightly for Jesus after following a dream to be on "Amazing Race", to which they made it several time to the final round and runner's up team once. They boldly gave glory to Jesus and their lifestyle said even more.
Kari goes to a church which is called "Newport Church", in Newport Beach, Cali. A couple in leadership from Hillsong, Australia left to start a church there. The pastor's wife echos Kari's attidude. She believes that if Oprah can affect the world in such a way, why can't we, as christians. She does these special nights of fun called "Imagine" and people are blessed and Jesus is glorified. It is nothing short of amazing and intended to be that way. The name says it all. What can i imagine for the glory of God, i ask myself?
My Dad is a fairly new christian and has experienced God is some incredible ways lately. You can read his latest story on his wesite at www.michaelcorneiller.com/all-becomes-clear. Seeing my Dad learn how great our God is in inspiring, to say the least, and reminds me that God is at work around me.
Sometimes as christians we (I) tend to lack vision. We had such a different out look for what we expected in moving to Kentucky than what has actually happened. I have got my eyes off of seeking God for vision and often have felt in the wilderness, forgotten by God. I was reminded on Sunday that is just my view and not the truth. Yes, raising kids and impacting their lives is a huge job but often i get lost in that and forget to think bigger. Do i believe that God can use me, or my family, to reach the skater kids of Frankfort and surrounding cities, to give them Hope? When we first moved here and i heard that no one wants to reach out to these kids considered 'rifraff' i was fueled! After spending time at the skate park and talking with a bunch of them i find that the opposite! They know they are labelled as trouble and just live as those fallen by the wayside. Our great God cares. What vision is God giving us for them?
There are many many other avenues that this topic spurs in my heart that i wish i had the time to sit and just write and write and write my heart's thoughts and feelings. What about you? Do you have vision? What has God called you to? Are you selling God's activity in your life short? Are you letting His love flow abundantly to those our great God brings you in contact with? Are you in a time of wilderness or are you dreaming big? What is God doing in your life or should i say what we always asked each other in our high school youth group, "How are you doing with God?" I don't know if people are allowed to comment on bloggs but if you can i would love to hear comments of stories of what is going on, no matter where you are at.
I am sorry if this doesn't make any sence or doesn't flow. I try but have many interruptions, which i am glad to tend to. I pray that i am influencing little people towards God's greatness and fostering dreams with every one.....
I have a lot on my mind lately that i would love to put to written word. This Sunday at our church the message was on how great our God is. God really reminded me of this perspective and to seek to keep it. This is something that i think i remained in always being of aware of in years past. Over the past 18 months it has been a very difficult challenge to keep my mind focused on this, to my fault. My peace and joy have been robbed of me in result. I know i need to fight to keep my mind focused on this and not things of this earth that surround me.
I am inspired, incredibly, by both my dear friend, Kari Wandrey, and my Dad's growing faith. As for Kari, over the past ten years or so now, i have always needed a shot of what i call "Wandrey stories". Kari has had a very consistant view of God's greatness and expects nothing less of showing it with her life. I remember at a retreat about five or so years ago she sharing her dreams, one of them being a writer for games for the show "Survivor". At the time i thought that to be a wierd dream. As i got to know Kari more i saw that almost everything she talked about revealed the greatness of God and others were drawn by her excitement. Then one day, as she was cutting a girl's hair in her home salon, the girl mentioned that her hair was really dry after just spending time on her dad's South Pacific island. They had just been filming "Survivor". Within a couple of weeks Kari was in contact with the producer and eventually did sit on staff writing games for a season. It was very exciting but Kari almost didn't expect anything less than her story to unfold that way. Within the next couple of years Kari and her her friend Kim shined brightly for Jesus after following a dream to be on "Amazing Race", to which they made it several time to the final round and runner's up team once. They boldly gave glory to Jesus and their lifestyle said even more.
Kari goes to a church which is called "Newport Church", in Newport Beach, Cali. A couple in leadership from Hillsong, Australia left to start a church there. The pastor's wife echos Kari's attidude. She believes that if Oprah can affect the world in such a way, why can't we, as christians. She does these special nights of fun called "Imagine" and people are blessed and Jesus is glorified. It is nothing short of amazing and intended to be that way. The name says it all. What can i imagine for the glory of God, i ask myself?
My Dad is a fairly new christian and has experienced God is some incredible ways lately. You can read his latest story on his wesite at www.michaelcorneiller.com/all-becomes-clear. Seeing my Dad learn how great our God is in inspiring, to say the least, and reminds me that God is at work around me.
Sometimes as christians we (I) tend to lack vision. We had such a different out look for what we expected in moving to Kentucky than what has actually happened. I have got my eyes off of seeking God for vision and often have felt in the wilderness, forgotten by God. I was reminded on Sunday that is just my view and not the truth. Yes, raising kids and impacting their lives is a huge job but often i get lost in that and forget to think bigger. Do i believe that God can use me, or my family, to reach the skater kids of Frankfort and surrounding cities, to give them Hope? When we first moved here and i heard that no one wants to reach out to these kids considered 'rifraff' i was fueled! After spending time at the skate park and talking with a bunch of them i find that the opposite! They know they are labelled as trouble and just live as those fallen by the wayside. Our great God cares. What vision is God giving us for them?
There are many many other avenues that this topic spurs in my heart that i wish i had the time to sit and just write and write and write my heart's thoughts and feelings. What about you? Do you have vision? What has God called you to? Are you selling God's activity in your life short? Are you letting His love flow abundantly to those our great God brings you in contact with? Are you in a time of wilderness or are you dreaming big? What is God doing in your life or should i say what we always asked each other in our high school youth group, "How are you doing with God?" I don't know if people are allowed to comment on bloggs but if you can i would love to hear comments of stories of what is going on, no matter where you are at.
I am sorry if this doesn't make any sence or doesn't flow. I try but have many interruptions, which i am glad to tend to. I pray that i am influencing little people towards God's greatness and fostering dreams with every one.....
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