I Think I Can.....

So, it would appear that I am moving to Kansas to help plant a church. And for those of you who are reading this or hearing about this for the first time, let me fill you in. I am moving to Kansas to help plant a church. There. Feel filled in? You should!

I have known this time would be coming for almost six months, yet now that the time has arrived, I find myself wishing that it was a little further away. Don't get me wrong, I love the idea of planting a new church and am very excited to be a part of something like this from the very beginning, but I also have to admit that I am really gonna miss this place! I love my friends and my church family. I love the youth that God has blessed me with, and the staff that I have had the utmost privilege of working with.

Therefore, I know that God has something huge planned for me. I know that this move will prove to be one of the best and most amazing decisions and adventures that I have ever been on. I trust in the promise of God that says that all things will work out for the good for those who love the Lord. I believe with all my heart that God has great plans for 33 Church, and I, for one, cannot wait to see what happens with all of this.

Do you remember the story from back in the day about the little engine that could? That's what I feel like. I feel like I have been heading up this really long and hard hill that has one of the steepest grades I have ever encountered, all the while I have been trying to remind myself, "I think I can. I think I can. I think I can." My friends have surrounded me with love and encouragement saying, "We know you can. We know you can. We know you can." I know that as December comes to a close and January begins, there will be times of tears and times of hugs and having to say goodbyes and see you laters. There will be moments of remembering all of the good times I've had here and probably some of the not-so-good times, too. And through it all, I cling to the promise that I will finally crest that hill (mountain?), and as I begin my descent into this new adventure, I will call out with new resolve, "I knew I could! I knew I could! I knew I could!"

Before/After

So, our church just got done going through a series on "Just Walk Across the Room" by Bill Hybels. We spent four weeks working the four sections of the book. Because I am putting together the worship services for our church, I borrowed the book to get a feel for what each week's sermon was going to be about, and I'm glad I did. It has been a long time since a book has not only challenged me to move beyond my current state but has also encouraged me that where I am is ok, as long as I continue to move.

One of the sections is all about stories. Hearing someone else's story. Sharing your story. Sharing God's story. In the book, Hybels challenges his readers to write down their before/after in 100 words or less. His reason? We spend too much time talking to people about things that don't really convey God's message and God's actions in our lives. Instead, we spend time on the minute details that don't really matter to anyone else but us. I decided to take this challenge, as I am aware that I can be rather long winded when telling a story. :)

Below are two examples of my before/after in 100 words or less. I am posting this, not only for my benefit (accountability), but also for my Unchained students at NHCC. We have given them this same challenge, and apparently, they don't think they can say what needs to be said in such a small amount of words. But they can! And they will! (Below my two examples are some examples of from the book. Take a look Unchained and then take the challenge!)

"I used to live a life based on my own wants and desires. I wanted friends, and I was willing to do just about anything to make people like me, all the while claiming that I was a Christian. Finally, there was a moment when God said , “My way or no way”—no more hypocrisy or two-faced lies. I had a decision to make…follow Him or me. Since I made the decision to follow Him, I have had the desire to help others see that it is not about people liking me, it is about people loving Him." --Jess

"I love Jesus. I love Him with all of who I am. Not just because the bible tells me I need to, but because I have seen the pattern of what it looks like to have Him in my life, and it far surpasses the life I used to live. Before, I was not ultimately happy. I was always trying too hard to get people to like me. Now instead, of trying to get people to like me, I am focused on trying to get people to love the person of Jesus." --Jess

"For years, I felt empty. I had a hole that I needed to fill, so I searched for things that could fill that hole: a new house, children, new friends, clothes, a new job...My emptiness would be filled for a short time, but never found the 'it' that kept the hole filled. One day I heard a message about having a relationship with Jesus. Once I understood, I accepted, and grew in my realationship with him, my emptiness was filled--for good. Today, I am no longer seaching for things to fill my life."

"My life was filled with shame and fear. I was all tied up inside and isolated. Loneliness led me to a place of hopelessness. But then I met Jesus. Now I am free from my self-inflicted prison of fear and shame. I am forgiven and loved! I am peaceful about who I am and who God is making me to be. The void inside is now filled with joy--joy in knowing that I am a precious child of God."

"I was angry and depressed all my life, thinking that the world revolved around me, and I wasn't getting my due. I was cynical and isolated. After finding Christ, though, I felt an amazing love and acceptance for the first time. I began to be liked for who I was by the people around me, and my whole life changed. I came to know the joy of relating authentically with people--opening up with honesty and truthfulness about my life."

Change is a Comin! :)

Well, I have been waiting to tell everyone this until the appropriate time, and I suppose the time is now.

I am moving to Olathe, Kansas! WAHOO! :) I am going to be helping two of my very best friends start a church in Olathe, KS called 33 Church. And it is gonna rock! In fact, I believe the mantra is, "We are gonna change the world!" Which may seem a little steep, but hey, I am all about changing the world around me, however small or large that might be.

Now, hear me on this. I am terribly, awfully sad that I have to leave. This was most certainly the hardest decision I can remember making in all my 26 years. I cried many a tear in the process of making this decision. My poor friends got to hear about it almost every day, at least twice a day, and it was, I am sure, not always a pleasant conversation.

The story is long, and since I have already told it about 300 times this week, I just don't feel like getting into all the nitty-gritty right now, but suffice it to say, it has been quite the summer!

I am sure that in the future you will hear all about my students that I am so terribly sad to leave, my friends that I can't imagine living without, and my family, whom I am just pretending right now are coming with me! :) But for now, I just wanted to type it for the world (or both of my readers) to see. As of January 2010, I will be moving to Olathe, KS! Wow. OK. Good deal.

Change is on the Way

Ok, so this week has been filled with meetings! Meetings. Meetings. Meetings. I am not a huge fan of meetings, to say the least, but it is safe to say that sometimes, these meetings are a necessary evil. These particular meetings have been exceptionally excting. You see, our church is getting ready to make some pretty cool and important changes to our weekend services.

See, we realize that God intends for us to not only be in relationship with Him, but in relationship with each other as well. And, to be honest, we just aren't providing that kind of opportunity at our church right now. But soon, we will! And that is very exciting!

I don't want to get into all of it right now, since we are busting out the good news this weekend during our services, but suffice it to say that it is going to be an amazing time for the people of New Hope to really connect with each other. I am very much looking forward to seeing how this will impact our church and the Kingdom of God! It's gonna be awesome! :)

Well, off I go to meeting number 3 of 4 for the week. Wish me luck! :D

Como Esta!

Well, we're back. And what a great journey it was. I wrote before we left about hoping and praying that we would be able to show the people at the Casa what it truly means to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our God, and in my humble opinion our kids (and amazing sponsors) did God proud.

From the moment we stepped on the bus at New Hope on August 25, our students proved over and over again that they are willing to get their hands dirty for Jesus. Whether it was sitting in the parkinglot at Maid Rite for 2 hours waiting for a new bus because ours broke down, or holding a child who had recently peed his pants; whether it was painting the same stinking flours for the fourth time just to make sure, or filling holes til the ground was once again level; whether they were walking around with their buddies in the middle of Mexico, or holding a child who was on the verge of falling asleep, our students proved that they are willing to love with the love of the Lord. I enjoyed watching them worship Jesus through song, of course, but even better than this was watching them worship Jesus by tying a child's shoe, swinging them around for the 100th time or just holding them when they skinned their knee.

As we were saying our goodbyes to the kids at the Casa, I was moved to see God at work in the lives of our students. It never ceases to amaze me when God works His way into a semi-hardened heart and helps them see that with His help and love, they can do anything he asks of them. The tears rolling down the faces of our students (both guys and girls!) was a friendly reminder that God uses small children to break our hearts for what breaks His. I am reminded of a song by Brooke Fraser called Hosanna. The lyrics to the bridge go like this:

Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like you have loved me
Break my heart for what is yours
Everything I am for your kingdom's cause
As I walk from earth into eternity

I feel like our kids really lived out the words of this song as we moved through this week together. Their hearts were broken; their eyes were opened; they learned what it means to love like Jesus; all of this for the Kingdom of God.

Thank you, Jesus for teaching our kids what it means to love and be loved. Thank you for showing them that they can do ministry for you. I pray that these students would not soon forget the things that they saw, heard and experienced at the Casa. I pray that the faces of the Casa kids would filter through their minds and their hearts and be imprinted there forever. Break their hearts for what breaks Yours, Father, and all for Your Kingdom's cause.

Thank you to the sponsors who took a week out of their very busy lives to not only love on the kids at the Casa but the kids from New Hope. Your examples and leadership will not soon be forgotten and your time spent with the Casa kids will forever be something etched into my memory. You are an example not only to the Casa kids and the kids from New Hope, but to me, as well. Thank you for allowing me to look into your lives as you interact with your own children and those that God placed in front of you to love.

I love you all! :)

Over There, Over There

So, have I ever told you how much I love doing missions things? I mean, there is just something about flying half-way across the world and putting your own wants and desires on hold for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Earlier in the year, I posted a blog about God of Justice from Micah 6. At the risk of being redundant, I would just like to say a few things.

Our youth this year did a project called "Teen Arts Project." It's all about the arts. They do video, dance (slow and fun!), singing, playing instruments, painting, drawing, acting, etc. It is so much fun to watch them take a theme and really work it out in these different ways. The purpose is to teach them that worship is more than just singing, it is serving God in your area of giftedness--whatever that might be.

This year our theme was "God of Justice." It was amazing. I love to watch the youth of today talk about helping those that have been less fortunate in life than they have been. And then to watch them live that out at High School week of camp as we went into nursing homes, weeded rockbeds, painted buildings, scraped buildings, washed windows and cleaned out toilets was amazing. But then, to be able to travel to a foreign country and watch them yet again love on people? Well that is just the best summer ever! I cannot wait to watch eighteen teenagers and eight adults love on children who don't have parents, give people food for their hungry stomachs, and teach them about Jesus and His love for them. It is going to be AMAZING!

I am proud to say that I am a Youth Coach at New Hope Christian Church. The teens that we are privileged to work with challenge me to be a better woman of God, a better Christian, and a better person all around. They stretch me day in and day out. The keep me accountable without even knowing it. They make me laugh, cry, yell, smile, and dance (stinking running man!). They really are a joy to be around. I am very excited to get to spend a week with some of the most amazing kids to ever walk the face of the earth (Too much? I don't think so!). Thank you, NHCC Youth for allowing fallen, mistake-making, less than perfect people like me to work with you and minister with you. May we truly show the people we are about to serve what it means to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our Lord.

Do you validate?

So, have you ever had one of those decisions that you have to make that you just know is going to be the utter and complete demise of your life as you have known it? Ok, so maybe it wasn't quite that bad, but still...it can be a pretty big decision. And in the midst of those moments when the decision making is at it's worst, all you need and all you want is someone to tell you that you are doing a good job making that decision. That you are approaching that decision with maturity and logic, with just the right amount of faith. All you want is for people to recognize that the decision is stinking hard and give you a hug on a rough day.

Well, I would like to take time to encourage both of my readers to validate. Take a few moments and tell someone you know is struggling with something like this that they are loved. Tell them that they are doing a good job. Tell them that you are proud of them. These words may be the thing that gets them through the hardest day they have ever faced up to this point in their lives.

Please, oh please, take these words I have typed to heart. Share with someone you love how important they are. Share with them how much you love them. You just never know what it might mean! :)