Andy is on the Radio

The head pastor of my church was on the Burt Show this A.M... thought you may like to hear it yourself!

Not a bad song to have stuck in my head...

And it has been there since Drive.



I won't complain.

My current favorite song...

This was sung on Sunday at church and I loved it.  I tried to find the exact same version as what they did on stage at Buckhead Church but couldn't find it.  So, the original will have to do.  If I ever do find the BC version I'll quickly upload it!

PS.  The original rocks too!

My current favorite playlist...

Thought you would like to see my current favorite playlist.  This is almost in constant rotation when my computer is open.

Enjoy!

God's Love

I hit on the fact recently that I have a personal journal. Well, there's a lot of raw material in there.   The me that I like to keep hidden in the pages that no one else will see.  In there I fight with myself and ask God lots of questions that as a Christian woman I feel I shouldn't have the, well, balls to ask.  And I've been asking God to open my heart and to show me trust.  Today he showed me a little bit.  I what may be a reverse prayer (and yes, I tend to write out my prayers in the pages of my journal, I feel that I have a stronger voice in written word... maybe that why I have continued to blog when so many other things come and go).

I have been struggling with the idea that God, who is so right and pure and true would ever want to have anything to do with me.  I believe God is who he says he is and that Jesus his son came to earth, lived, died and rose again.  I believe.  That's not where my struggle has been.  Mine has hit more on trust.  Why would God love me?  Who can love the mess that is me?

And in my private journal I found something, this reverse prayer, that I feel like I'm not the only one who needs to hear it.  So, if you read and it touches your heart, maybe you are the one that its been put it on the blog for.  If not, feel free to skip over it...

Yes, you are mine.  I created you and I love you not just the way you are or in spite of the way you are but bigger and deeper and wider and longer and so much more unconditional than you will ever comprehend.  Even if you were to never open the door I'd still continue to knock.   

There is no one more special, more important to me than you.  Even if you never change and the ways you hate so much about yourself stay the same for the rest of your life I don't care, Ill never leave you.  I see you as good, as pure, as lovely, as noble, and admirable.  You are so breathtaking to me.  I am ENTHRALLED by your beauty.  I am yours, my sweet child, and you are mine.  Remember the woman by the well?  Remember Mary and Martha? I didn't condemn them.  I love them. And I love you too.   

I am literally willing to go to the ends of the earth and to die to protect you.  In my death I set you free.  Free from guilt and agony and shame and pain.  I set you free from the constraints of sin and of this world and I placed a power in you to do such mighty things.  Because I know you are capable.  I know you are strong enough and you have me by your side to always encourage and honor you.  No matter how narrow the path, I'm with you.  I may even carry you.  No matter how heavy the backpack, I'll carry the load.  No matter where you run or where you hide I'll be with you.  With the most pure, faithful love.  You are my beloved.   

See all the beauty on the earth? Its there for you.  Bask in the colors of the sunrise, in the smell of the ocean breeze, in the ease of a lazy Saturday and the sound of the music you listen to, in the feel of the warm sheets in the winter and the sun on your face.  Enjoy the taste of food.  Enjoy the love of friends and family.  Enjoy everything I've made, because I made it for you.  Because you are worth it all and so much more.   

I have a plan for you.  And don't worry about it right now.  When I want you to know I'll tell you.  Right now work on experiencing my love.  Just be there and rest in that.  Just like you must just be when you are in yoga.  Just be in me.   

Remember the unconditional love in Cambodia?  That's real.  That's a reflection of my love.  Its not forced or manufactured.  And it's not mass-produced. It's personal, its relational and it's just yours.  You are so uniquely made.  And your life is unlike any others.  DO NOT COMPARE your life to others.  Don't measure successes and failures the same way others do.    

I've created you with a purpose in mind that only I know and it will be fulfilled.  And to do it and to prepare you for it and to ultimately show you my love and how strong it is I've allowed you freedom to experiment and to try and to run and to learn.  And slowly I've brought  you back to me.  Because I need you and you need me.    

Open your heart to me.  Understand it's a slow process.  When it's tough lean into me.  I'm unbending and can support you.  When it hurts know I cry with you.  Know when its scary I protect you.  Know no matter what the circumstance I'm with you, I'm in you, I'm surrounding you.  Just like the wind you may not always feel me or see my but know I'm there.  I'm touching and surrounding you because you mean so much to me.  And there will be a day when we stand face to face and we will embrace.  Where ever you are, you are home and you are with me.    

The love I have doesn't even understand or comprehend the words stop or quit or end.  It doesn't understand limits.  Even when you would be willing to quite or give up, know that in that moment my love just got stronger.  Because it in your weakness that I'm made strong.  I get to hold you and wrap my arms around you.   

If only you would view yourself in the way I  view you.  But my view would frighten you because I have you on such a pedestal.  You are my child and I see your potential.  I know your capabilities.  I know how strong you really are.  And right now, in days like today, you're learning a little bit about your strength too.  Most 'normal' people couldn't go thru what you do and have your attitude.   

You are finally learning to be honest with me in who you are; and be honest with yourself.  You aren't coming to me with perfection saying 'look what I did' but coming to me in humbleness saying I need you.  You have fears and doubt and trouble and sadness.  The walls you built up to try to keep all that out... how are they working for you? You've managed t trap yourself inside of them haven't you?  With my help they won't just be removed but we will tear them down and build and build a bridge out of those bricks.  These bricks will pave a way to a world  you can't even fathom on your own.  Because I know what your capable of and remember, I know your strength and I'l never ask you to do anything you can't bear.   

My love, my beloved, you are amazing, outstanding, and I'm simply overwhelmed by you.  If only you could see you in the way I see you, ahhh, what a change that would be.  What a paradigm shift.  Your focus would forever be changed.  What you deem important now you would look at like yesterday's garbage.  Because what I have for you is so much bigger. 

But don't be overwhelmed, we'll go at your pace.  Remember, I have all the time in the world.  And I'll use it all with you.  Use me to fill you up.  Use me to get what you need.  I'm always here.  Always.  You will never need an appointment to see me.  Don't worry about having the right answers, keep asking the questions.  Never give up and I promise I'll never give up on you.   

I love you.  Abba.  Your Father.

I saw the First Lady

She actually came to North Point.

First Lady Michelle Obama was traveling the country talking about childhood obesity.  She had some very interesting information to tell.  But I was more impressed with the production of everything.  From all of the security in the church, to getting her into the building and back out, to the music before hand.  I thought that was really cool!  I didn't have a role or a volunteer post to manage so I was just able to watch, which was cool.  But I would have loved to see more 'behind the scenes.'  Can't say it was a typical day at the office, thats for sure.

Check out the (very few) pictures I took here.

Fusion Halloween

In Fusion we celebrated Halloween by breaking up into teams and carving pumpkins.  My team did all the work and they were amazing!! All I had to do was supervise... what I'm best at!  Ha!!

Fusion

I'm in a Fusion group this Fall with Buckhead Church.  What is Fusion?? Well, it's a smaller group (50-100) singles in my area of town and in my age group that get together outside of church either on Sunday for the group or other days of the week for socials and have a lot of fun.  A great way to get to meet new people and shrink the size of the church. Here are some pictures from our first fusion gathering...

With Dominick (who is going to Cambodia with Me)

and Valarie (one of our fearless leaders)

Christina, Dominick, Erin, Pho and ??

I had a great time as a volunteer for F1 (or Fusion #1).  I got to greet people as they came thru the door and hand them a paper to play human bingo.  Everyone was so talkative and social... how much fun! And it was great to see existing friends and new ones.

And then on Wednesday we met again for our first social at Fellini's Pizza.  I, of course, had a slice of cheeseless pizza and great conversation with the people who sat around me.  

 The Group

More of the Group

 Those making it until the end...

Ladies!!!

Drive - Taking It Off-Road

Busy would be an understatement for me this past few weeks.  One of the major highlights was the Drive Conference at work where we hosted church leaders from all around the world. They came, they saw, and hopefully they are taking it home with them.  What is 'it'?  It is what we do at North Point Ministries.  How we do what we do.  It was a lot of fun hosting but it also meant a lot of long days (wearing the same outfit... meaning when I post the weeks fashion it will be a very short post.

Want to see some of the fun I had...

Here I am getting ready for check in.  Hard work, but someone has to do it :)




This is part of the Drive opener from Monday.  Yes, they lowered a singer FROM THE ROOF!  It was craziness and I loved it...




And finally, here is a clip of the church leaders worshiping...



I loved it!! Thanks for letting me be a part of this every week!! Lucky to call this my 'job'!

Here are some pics from Drive that I took with my iPhone...

Getting Check In Set up

View From Where Staff Sat

Wishing this was my ride to drive...

Enterance

My Post for Drive

Do.Justice

On Saturday thousands of singles in Atlanta gathered together to serve for an annual event called Do.Justice.  How cool is that?? 

I was lucky enough to be one of the masses and cleaned up trash in Adamsville.  Here are some of the ladies that I served with.  I enjoyed meeting some new people and doing it again next year.  I can't tell you all the stats of all the work that was done however I'm sure that Buckhead Church will soon have the info up on their blog.

Awake on SALE!!

Have you been thinking about buying Awake for you or for a friend?  

This week Awake is featured on iTunes and you can get it for only $7.99!

Me!!

We had to take some pictures for our ministry services division retreat that is coming up and here is the one taken of me...

 

I love it!!  I had a lot of fun taking the picture and thanks to Rachael Stanley's amazing camera it made a really good still shot of my jump!  Fun times!!

September All Staff Note - Joshua

I wanted to take notes of our staff meeting.  And I thought the talk that Andy Stanley gave was so amazing that it needed to be shared.  I probably won't do it justice here but here is my take away:

• None of us know in the moment when we are making our mark.  We only realize the significance of the moment when we look back.
• God's greatest concern for us is that we will become so successful that we will forget the Lord.
• When Jesus prayed 'give us our daily bread' he was referring back to the time God fed the Israelites daily manna from heaven. 
• What do you do when you don't know?  When I am waiting for God to decide how He is going to use me? How do I position myself to be used for God's glory?

Joshua was 110 years old and reflecting on his life when he said the following statements :
Joshua 23:8 - 'Cling' to the Lord your God...
Joshua 23:11 - Take diligent heed to 'love' the Lord your God...
Joshua 24:15 - As for me and my household we will 'serve' the Lord.

What set Joshua up to say this at the end of his life?  Joshua 5:13-15

¹³ Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, "Are you for us or for our enemies?"

• There were usually guards & laws preventing someone armed in the presence of Joshua.  This man would have been considered an assassin.
• Essentially Joshua asked "are you for ME or against ME"
  

 ¹⁴ "Neither," he replied, "but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come." Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, "What message does my Lord ^[a] have for his servant?"

• The literal translation of 'neither' is 'no.'  Joshua asked the wrong question.  The question was not big enough. 
• When he said commander - that was actually Joshua's title.
• Joshua had authority over the Israelites & he was considered their greatest authority.  Joshua realized the angel had more authority than he did.
• There are 2 question you can ask:  

1. Do I have authority?
• are you for me or against me?
2. Am I under authority?
• Who am I for?
• What side am I on?

• Joshua demonstrates he is uner authority by bowing down.
  

 ¹⁵ The commander of the LORD's army replied, "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy." And Joshua did so.

• The angel didn't answer any big question or give any big instruction.  He didn't tell him the future or how to handle any major issue.
• Instead, Joshua was tested to see if he would surrender/submit to God.  It was more about making God's name great.

My takeaways:

• Live as a women who is under authority.
• Obey God, trust him with the outcome.
• God takes responsibility to the life that is fully submitted to Him.
• It doesn't matter who is for me or against me.  It's about who I am for.
• It's not about who is on my side but who's side I am on.
• If I win I win.  And if I lose I win.  Because I trust God with the outcome.

We never know our defining moments until they are long gone.  Position yourself so God will make his mark thru you.

Rainy Day Weekend

Well, I am exhausted. At work I have been working hard on upgrading the bookstore inventory software and I have to say I am disappointed on how un-well it is going. I just keep working and praying and I know that it will all work out. And, I guess we learn a lot from things going wrong so I have had a lot of practice this week at learning. Hopefully next week I can implement the lessons that I have learn and make it go a little bit better!!

On a better note, Preston and I are having a ton of fun!! He is an excellent walker and we love to play around. Thru our first (and so far only) fight he learned that I am alpha! Ha! He loves sitting next to me and will follow me all around the house. I have learned that he doesn't like baths (I think this is typical for dogs) and he doesn't like wearing the cone around his head (he has had to wear it when I am not around as he got fixed about 10 days ago). But, he does like the food and dog bones I bought, getting petted, sitting on the couch, but toys he is pretty indifferent about!

Last night Lynette came over and we watched Kiss Me Kate, ate dinner and had Pink champagne. I usually am not a huge champagne fan but Pink was amazingly good! It was fun to drink while watching old moves! Now I need to go antique shopping and find a few old champagne glasses to drink them out of. We just drank them out of my big red wine glasses... just not the same! Ha!

For dinner I made the Baked Thai Corn Fritters but this time I doubled the recipe and added edamame and peas. We had thme with brown rice mixed with Biryani (curried rice with peas, red pepper, apples, raisins and spices) that I bought from Trader Joes and chicken apple sausage. Lynette brought over Stacy Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips and Mint Oreos. I over-indulged with the pita chips and I did have a (couple) mint oreos. Totally broke my general ban on dessert! But, after the week I had I really just wanted some good junk food! Ha!! I also loved Kiss Me Kate and had a blast chatting with my good friend. It has been a while since we been able to get together. We keep making plans but schedules and sheer exhaustion have kept us apart!

Tailgate Tuesday

Last week Tuesday the I.T. team for all of North Point put on a grill out lunch in preparation for the upcoming football season. Well, it wasn't the only reason... we also wanted to get together with staff so we could get to know them better and they could get to know us better. And, this was such a great idea! Thanks to everyone in the I.T. team I had a blast and I had a ton of fun setting up the event! Big props to Elizabeth for coordinating everything, to Rachael for being the person I got to spend the day with setting up, and to the guys for all the grilling!! Here are a few pictures from the event...

Do you see Ellen and me in the background?!?!?

If you could say a quick prayer for me today... I have been managing a project at work and today is the first day of implementation. I have never managed a work project before (I have always been the one who works tickets out of a queue) so I have been blessed to learn a lot but I am nervous as all get out! I know God is leading and directing me in everything and I am not to worry but I still do. I have said a few prayers myself but I figure the more the merrier!

Check it out... Straight from Buckhead Church!!

North Point Online Promo from John on Vimeo.

Good Friday

I have been busy. As always right?!?! But, I wanted to stop for a minute and share with you what went down on Good Friday. I mean, at my church.

I was lucky enough to be able to volunteer with the SPD (the people who make the service happen at the church) team and get to be a stage hand. Something I have never done before. I got to be at church early, sit with the band (very intimidating), and eat dinner with the crew. Then service started... at 7:05pm. A little late, but we had to accommodate for all the people still arriving. Then about 10 minutes into the service everything goes black. I am on the team, I know this wasn't scheduled. The power goes out. Can you imagine?? What do you do?? Well, what our amazing SPD team did for a back up was get a bull horn. Could you imagine being in a crowd of 3,000+ listening to a pastor speak from a bull horn in the dark??

Good thing we didn't have to... the power came back on a minute later and we were able to go on as scheduled. At the end of service, all the people I ask said it was a powerful message and when I asked about the power outage they had all forgotten it. Why would they forget??? Check this out...

Good Friday 2009 - Ending from buckheadchurch on Vimeo.

Amazing stuff, isn't it! I love my God. I love my Savior. I love my Redeemer.

And I love my church.

Thankful

Today I was able to attend the Catalyst One Day held at North Point Church. It was an amazing experience and I am so thankful I was able to attend, hear Andy and Craig speak, and sit next to my co-worker. However, that is not what I am most thankful for. Truly, I am most thankful for meeting Lindsay. She works at NewSpring Church and is an assistant to their pastor. When I found out they were going to be there I even said, oh I want to see him. Really I was only hoping to walk by in the hallway or something, but God is always so much bigger than me.

To step back quickly, before I got my job at Buckhead Church I would work on Sundays at my old job at Cbeyond. While working, I would watch Buckhead church, listen to Rob Bell @ Mars Hill, and watch Perry Noble @ NewSpring preach online thru their sites. They all have such different styles and I appreciate each for doing what God has called each of them to do.

So when I heard that Perry Noble was in the crowd today I wanted to see him. Just to see if he looked anything like what I saw on my computer screen. I don't know why I thought he would look any different, but I never know.

As I was walking the halls, I decided to stop into the break room to eat a banana that Abby was kind enough to give me. I saw a bunch of ladies that I knew sitting down so I joined them and right away they introduced me to Lindsay. She and I chatted for the rest of the lunch break, found out about her life and about what she does at NewSpring. Before I left the break room I was able to see Perry. And yes, he looks exactly the same in person.

I was thrilled. Like rock star thrilled. I wanted to say to him thank you for what you do. Thank you for letting God use you. Thank you for listening to that small voice inside of you that I am sure is the Holy Spirit. Thank you for preaching to people like me who need to hear what you have to say. But, I always feel weird about saying that to someone I have never met. It's something that I have always wanted to say to Andy as well. God used them to plant a seed inside of me. To change me from who I was two years ago to who He has formed me to be today. I can't thank them enough.

I never thought I would get to see Perry, since he preaches in South Carolina. I never imagined I would meet a woman on his staff and find her so cool that we are now Facebook friends (cause your not really friends unless you are Facebook friends). I am learning every day that I imagine so small. God imagines so much bigger than me. I like His imagination so much more.

What an exciting day!!

Check me out...

I finally fixed up my pictures on here so I now have more room to upload more :) I got this picture today from Erin, who leads the host teams at Buckhead Church. Here is proof I used to work on the host team! But, how long ago was it... I still have my blond hair!!!


I loved it too!! It was a lot of fun greeting everyone as they came thru the door. It must have been summer... look, I am tan!

SNL

So, my church played the following SNL skit during the latest series, "Balanced," where finances were discussed. What do you think of the skit??

Update: I was given a link by my friend Tim for a better version of the skit. Check it out here...