We're doing Big Stuf!

On Monday, three teenagers piled in my car and our caravan carrying 16 more headed south to Daytona Beach for Big Stuf Camp.  It was an awesome week and I really enjoyed the quality time with some of my favorite teenagers!  Andy Stanley spoke at the majority of the sessions. Donald Miller (author, Blue Like Jazz) and Jon Acuff (author/blogger, Stuff Christians Like) each spoke at one, too.  We got to preview the new movie based on the book, Blue Like Jazz.  All are great communicators and I got a lot from their talks-- so did our students!

One of our students connecting with a student in Kenya! As part of the "konnekt" theme, Big Stuf paired each person at camp with a child in Kenya to write letters to all week!

Looking for letters from our Kenyan students!

Daytona Beach

Enjoying the beach!

Enjoying church group time!

Our students with pictures of their Kenyan students!

"You make beautiful things, You make beautiful things out of the dust."

More "konnektions" with students in Kenya!

Ravenn and me after session

Aren't they so cool? (ha ha!)

some of my favorite people! (me, Sam, Shad, Jacob & Sara)

I really enjoyed getting to connect with my students, visit with Jacob and Sara, be challenged and worship freely in each session!  The memories are treasures I'll keep close while in Alaska the next couple years!  So far, I've reached 10% of my support raising goal.  I am so excited to see how the vision for this mission and ministry is catching people's hearts!  Let me know if you would like more information on the ministry, on partnering with me, or if you know of someone who would like to hear more about it!

Words from the Wise...

You can only        
          become truly
accomplished
at something you love.

Don't make money    

        your goal.

Instead,  

pursue the things
               you love doing,
and then do them
so well
that people can't take
      their eyes off you.

-Maya Angelou-

P.S. Backpacking was amazing.  I will post about it soon!  

Forgiveness

Tonight at small group, the concept of forgiveness came up.  My small group has a blog that we use as a communication tool (it's set to where only members of our small group can access it, though)...  Anyway, I posted this about forgiveness, and decided to post it here, too.  Just my thoughts :-)

Forgiveness is to set a prisoner free, and to realize the prisoner was you.

-Corrie Ten Boom

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times."

-Matthew 18:21-22

From what Jesus says, I think that forgiveness is not a one-time choice and then we automatically live in a state of forgiveness ... maybe instead Jesus meant that forgiveness may require a lot of forgiving. We know it is important to the Lord, and I believe it is important to our relationship with God. We gotta continue forgiving until the matter is settled in our heart.

Why do we have to forgive?  The best reason I can give is because Jesus said to.  And, if you want to know why I think He told us to forgive... it's not because it's about the person we're forgiving (though that can be an amazing gift to them).  I think it is because He understands what unforgiveness does to us.  And WE are precious to Him.  WE are His creation.  WE are His beloved.  He wants us to experience HIM... His love, His mercy, His compassion, His grace, His forgiveness.

the me I WANT to be.

On Saturday night I had the privilege to hear John Ortberg speak at Buckhead Church... I just thought I'd share some of the notes I took. He shared some great insights from his new book!!

- What does maturity in Christ look like? (everyone shouted out words: humble, disciplined, Christlike, loving, generous, secure, etc.)

- Churches tend to develop churchy people... not people who are mature in Christ; increased activity does not equal increased growth.

- We know that there is separation between God and man, a gap bridged only by grace through Jesus' sacrifice, not by our own ability. There is also a gap between the "mature me" and the "current me." Why do we think that gap is bridgeable by our own efforts? It's not, that requires grace, too. Grace is BIGGER than the forgiveness of sin.

- We get ourselves into a nasty cycle while trying to "grow" ... we see what works for someone else (like journaling) and we feel guilty that we don't do it, so we try to do what they do. When that doesn't work, we try harder... get fatigued... give up... and then feel guilty. And the cycle repeats... Guilty... Try Harder... Get Fatigued... Give Up... Feel Guilty... etc.

- How do we live by grace? John 7:38.

- To be thirsty is to be driven by an unsatisfied desire.... Where there is water, life around it flourishes.

(Next was my favorite!!)

- God had Abraham take a walk, Elijah take a nap, Joshua take a lap, and Adam take the rap... He gave Moses a 40 year time out. He gave David a harp and a dance, and He gave Paul a pen and a scroll, He wrestled with Jacob, argued with Job, whispered to Elijah, warned Cain, and comforted Hagar. He gave Aaron an altar, Miriam a song, Gideon a fleece, Peter a name, and Elisha a mantle. Jesus was stern with the rich young ruler, tender with the woman caught in adultery, patient with the disciples, blistering with the scribes, gentle with the children, and gracious with the thief on the cross. God never grows people the same way. God is a hand-crafter, not a mass-producer. God has existed from eternity--but he has never had a relationship with me. He wants to do a new thing with me. The problem we often face when it comes to spiritual growth is that we listen to someone we think of as the expert, talk about what he does, and think that is what we are supposed to do. When it doesn't work for us -because we are all different- we feel guilty and inadequate, and often give up.

- The main measure of your devotion to God is not your devotional life-- it is simply your life.

- My life is God's project; NOT MINE.

- A tool is not the same thing as a measure. Tools, if used improperly, can actually be quite dangerous. Good questions to ask about your "God time" (1) Am I growing more or less irritable? (2) Am I growing more or less discouraged?

- "Should" often is greater than "Want to." Don't you think Jesus prayed because He WANTED to? Not because He SHOULD?

- If you get discouraged because you're doing something you think you should... Quit doing it for a while and see what you're missing... see if it is something you want to do.

An Unexpected Christmas

I will update my blog soon, but for now just a quick thing to say... Go to iTunes Store (on iTunes) and search for the "Buckhead Church" podcast. Or, if it is easier for you, go to the website. Andy just did part 3 (all 3 are available FREE) and this series is incredible. For real, it could change your life.

LeConte Weekend

My momma always told me (at least from the time that I started driving) that even if I did everything right, even if I always paid attention, always wore my seat belt, always kept an eye on what was in front of, behind, and across the road from me, even if I did everything right... doesn't mean that it would always be enough.... doesn't mean that other drivers would do everything right, and in this case, doesn't mean a stupid raccoon would stay off the road... Yep, I'm the one who would (unintentionally, though) risk her own life to save a wild animal's. It is just my natural reaction to swerve to keep from hitting something. There was a very, very narrow shoulder and then very, very soft/wet/muddy grass ditch. When I swerved, I went into the grass a little bit and my car jerked out of control. It has been a long time since I have been that scared. I tried to regain control of the car (thought it would be a bad idea to slam on my brakes) and slowly pushed the brake. I remember thinking I can't believe this is happening. One second later, I felt like the car was under control and put a bit more pressure on the brake, and then it started spinning, out of control again. I was leaning against the door, thinking I was for sure going to flip my car, and then all of a sudden I stopped. I took the picture (above) only after the towing truck was there and I had quit shaking... and took it only then because I was amazed nothing worse had happened. The sheriffs that arrived there said I was lucky to not have flipped it. I'm not sure why they felt the need to tell me that (only shook me up a bit more)... but I assured them it was not luck that kept me safe!! It only cost me $1 to "fix" my car. There wasn't a scratch on it, but I needed to pressure wash the mud out of the tires to make it safe to drive.

Now, on to happier things... I couldn't have asked for a better weekend to go up the mountain... The weather was delightful, even chilly at times, and the fall foliage was beautiful. Emily & Caitlin  were going up this weekend as well. Because of my delay getting to the trailhead...I just met them at the top. I had a great solo hike up. I bought some hiking poles and completely love them. It made the trip up so much more enjoyable, and easier, truth be told. As always, I met several hikers on the trail and hiked with some for a bit. I really enjoyed going my own pace/enjoying the views and made it up in about 3 hours.

Around dinner, four guys who were hiking all the LeConte trails in 1 day stopped in the dining hall to warm up. One of them looked really familiar, but I couldn't place him. Being the not-so-shy person that I am, I just stopped him and asked him his name... Bo. Hmm... that didn't really trigger any recollection, but I thought of Katie and Ryan... and asked if he knew them--he did! I must have met him at their wedding or something. Anyway, as we were chatting, one of the guys (who had had his back to me the whole time) turned around and I knew who he was right away-- Philip, a guy I worked a summer camp with in college. RANDOM. Good to meet/see them...

The rest of the weekend was pretty normal as far as the weekends go up there. Sunset at Cliff Tops was gorgeous, sunrise at Myrtle Point was amazing, and lunch on Sunday was so yummy.  It was kind of hard to leave, knowing this was my last trip this season, but I was happy to have the company of Caitlin, Emily & Phillippe on the way down. I'm guessing most of you won't be hiking LeConte anytime soon, so enjoy these pictures :-)

Any doubt in your mind why they are called the Smokies?

Beautiful moonrise.

Incredible sunset!

Glorious sunrise...

ASHAN ... Hebrew for God's presence in smoke

Caitlin, me & Emily

Gorgeous view of foliage from Gracie's

Quick stop on the way out of the park to enjoy this overlook...

Brain Cramps?

Came across this... it made me laugh! Hope you enjoy today!

Question: If you could live forever, would you and why?
Answer: "I would not live forever, because we should not live forever, because if we were supposed to live forever, then we would live forever, but we cannot live forever, which is why I would not live forever," --Miss Alabama in the 1994 Miss USA contest.

"Whenever I watch TV and see those poor starving kids all over the world, I can't help but cry. I mean I'd love to be skinny like that, but not with all those flies and death and stuff." --Mariah Carey

"Smoking kills. If you're killed, you've lost a very important part of your life," --Brooke Shields, during an interview to become Spokesperson for federal anti-smoking campaign.

"I've never had major knee surgery on any other part of my body," --Winston Bennett, University of Kentucky basketball forward.

"Outside of the killings, Washington has one of the lowest crime rates in the country," --Mayor Marion Barry, Washington, DC.

"I'm not going to have some reporters pawing through our papers. We are the president." --Hillary Clinton commenting on the release of subpoenaed documents.

"I don't feel we did wrong in taking this great country away from them. There were great numbers of people who needed new land, and the Indians were selfishly trying to keep it for themselves." --John Wayne

"Half this game is ninety percent mental." --Philadelphia Phillies manager, Danny Ozark

"It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's the impurities in our air and water that are doing it." --Al Gore, Vice President

"I love California. I practically grew up in Phoenix." --Dan Quayle

"It's no exaggeration to say that the undecideds could go one way or another" --George Bush, US President

"We've got to pause and ask ourselves: How much clean air do we need?" --Lee Iacocca

"I was provided with additional input that was radically different from the truth. I assisted in furthering that version." --Colonel Oliver North, from his Iran-Contra testimony.

"The word "genius" isn't applicable in football. A genius is a guy like Norman Einstein." --Joe Theisman, NFL football quarterback & sports analyst.

"We don't necessarily discriminate. We simply exclude certain types of people." --Colonel Gerald Wellman, ROTC Instructor.

"If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure." --Bill Clinton, President

"We are ready for an unforeseen event that may or may not occur." --Al Gore, VP

"Traditionally, most of Australia's imports come from overseas." --Keppel Enderbery

"Your food stamps will be stopped effective March 1992 because we received notice that you passed away. May God bless you. You may reapply if there is a change in your circumstances." --Department of Social Services, Greenville, South Carolina

"If somebody has a bad heart, they can plug this jack in at night as they go to bed and it will monitor their heart throughout the night. And the next morning, when they wake up dead, there'll be a record." --Mark S. Fowler, FCC Chairman



....Feeling smarter yet?

What do I know of holy?

I made You promises a thousand times,
I tried to hear from Heaven, but I talked the whole time.
I think I made You too small. I never feared You at all. No.
If You touched my face, would I know You?
Looked into my eyes, could I behold You?

What do I know of You, who spoke me into motion?
Where have I even stood, but the shore along Your ocean?
Are You fire? Are You fury? Are You sacred? Are you beautiful?
What do I know? What do I know of holy?

I guess I thought that I had figured You out.
I knew all the stories and I learned to talk about
How You were mighty to save.
But those were only empty words on a page.
Then I caught a glimpse of who You might be.
The slightest hint of You brought me down to my knees.

What do I know of You, who spoke me into motion?
Where have I even stood, but the shore along Your ocean?
Are You fire? Are You fury? Are You sacred? Are you beautiful?
What do I know? What do I know of Holy?

What do I know of Holy?
What do I know of wounds that will heal my shame?
And a God who gave life its name?
What do I know of Holy? Of the One who the angels praise?
All creation knows Your name, on earth and heaven above, what do I know of this Love?

So what do I know of You, who spoke me into motion?
Where have I even stood, but the shore along Your ocean?
Are You fire? Are You fury? Are You sacred? Are you beautiful?
Lord, what do I know? What do I know of Holy?

"What Do I Know of Holy" - Addison Road

The Thing About Drivers In Atlanta...

I was telling my sweet friend, Katie (who came to visit the city this weekend), about how selfish Atlanta drivers are... So often, if you are at a green light (with no green arrows) the driver (from oncoming traffic) wanting to turn left will assume the right of way and turn at a green light even if you are going straight through an intersection.

On Peachtree Street traffic was getting a little heavy and at an intersection, the car in front of me couldn't quite make it through the traffic light without blocking the intersection, so it waited. Then a car to our right (on the intersecting road) has the audacity to TURN RIGHT in front of the car (that had paused to make sure he didn't block the intersection)!!! The light turned yellow and the car in front of me scooted on through the intersection, while we waited for the next green light. (And, sure enough, the light turned green for the intersecting road and that car could have gone then!) When it was our turn again, we drove through the intersection to only to discover why traffic was getting backed up... Two cars were blocking two left lanes of traffic... I snapped a quick picture saying, "Case and point!"

The two cars' back ends were wedged together...

Flight Plan

How does a pilot get where he wants to go? ...He gets behind the controls of an airplane and guides it to its destination. And you might think, especially on a one-man flight, that this is a solo endeavor. But the truth is, a pilot is never flying alone. He has constant companions guiding him, even when he is out of radio contact with the tower. We call these guides instruments. Every good pilot has learned to control his thoughts, feelings, and natural instincts and to rely on the instruments in front of him for guidance. If he decides to override his instruments and go with his gut feelings, he can easily get off course. But his decisions are only as good as the guages are accurate, for if they are off even by a small margin, the pilot could be in trouble. A small difference of a few degrees in a flight path can make a huge difference in where the plane ends up.

In life, as in flying, it is easy to get off course. And this can happen even when you know where you are going. So, we'll try to convince you that in order to get where you want to go, you must have the right instruments in your life. You need something to give you an objective perspective on where you are and where you need to go from there. Even when things are going relatively well, your perspective can easily become skewed by uncontrolled emotions, regrets, wrong desires, or a lack of information. The result is drifting far from your intended destination.

That is a small section of the Introduction of "Community" by GroupLink/North Point Ministries. It goes on to explain that the instruments are the people in our lives. I was reading this yesterday and I just had to stop... I am so incredibly grateful for the quality of people in my life. My parents have truly gotten me to where I am today with their unconditional love and support. I am me because of their love and guidance. Shad and Mary have been a huge, integral part of my life since high school. And, I have had more quality friendships and relationships than some people experience in a lifetime, much less in a couple of years. ...Thanks to all the aforementioned and those left unnamed, I've really begun to appreciate and enjoy my journey... I've said before I'm a destination person-- I just want to get there. But I've realized that the future is going to be what it is going to be. All we've got is today! :-)

Willing to Wait

We will always wait for things that are important to us. We'll stay by our phone waiting for a call about a job opportunity or a report from a doctor's office. We'll wait in line for groceries or a roller-coaster ride. We are willing to wait for the excitement-filled days and weeks before our wedding & the nine long months for a baby to arrive. The value we place on something is in direct proportion to the amount of time we're willing to wait for it.

If we value hearing from God and if we are equally as certain that we will hear His voice, we will be determined to wait patiently for God to speak. There is a direct correlation between your level of anticipation to hear from God and your willingness to wait.

"If you want to hear God's voice clearly and you are uncertain, then remain in His presence until He changes this uncertainty. Often much can happen during this [time of] waiting on the Lord. Sometimes He changes pride into humility; doubt into faith & peace; sometimes lust into purity. The Lord can and will do it." -Corrie Ten Boom

From "Discerning the Voice of God"
by Priscilla Shirer

My sweet friend Caitlin posted this excerpt (and a bit more) on her blog, but these few paragraphs have really caught my attention... Just thought I'd share it, too.

The Mountain

What an awesome weekend. My heart is all but exploding with joy. I traveled to one of my favorite places this weekend-- the Smoky Mountains! I spent the weekend working with SMRM at Ober Gatlinburg.

Through SMRM, we act as "Hosts" at Ober. We assist the staff and guests by helping direct the flow of traffic and answering questions about the resort, skiing, gear, whatever!! (As well as random things like helping lost children find their parents!) Also, on Sundays, we provide breakfast for the staff and give them a devotional. Sometimes the conversations are very spiritual and sometimes they aren't. SMRM opperates on an "earn the right to be heard" philosophy which is a cry of my heart when it comes to ministry. The idea is that Christianity is relational-- so, we opperate relationally. It's all about getting to really know people and what they are about, serving all... and then once your actions provoke questions, sharing with them the love we know and our story. So, Saturday was spent doing all of the above-- hanging out with the staff in my area when it was slow, helping guests with gear/directing traffic/answering questions when we were busy. (Which, truly was most of the day considering something like 2300 pairs of skiis -- not including snowboards -- were rented! That doesn't include the people that had their own gear, either, so maybe 3000 people went through Ober on Saturday!!)

Sunday we started a little earlier and took breakfast around the resort to the employees before they opened up. I got to hang out with a couple of guys from Brazil-- such fun talking to them! Then it was to the slopes to ski, play in the snow, and tell people about our church service at the top of Cub and Castle runs. Yeah, that's right. We did "church" on the mountain side. And, it snowed. Talk about a worshipful atmosphere! Shortly after church, I left the resort and headed back to Scott and Jenn's (where I was staying this weekend). I showered, loaded up my car, and was just about ready to leave... when I asked Jenn to hang out and have a cup of coffee before I left. It turned into a 2 hour conversation (and 2 cups of coffee haha). But, it was a conversation that no doubt God had His hand in. He's had His hands in my life all week! He prepared me for my trip to Gatlinburg, and blessed me while I was there. Through and through.

Gatlinburg and especially the Smokies have always held a special place in my heart. And it continues to! There is just something about those mountains... God really speaks to me there.

This picture was taken with my cell phone, through the tram window, on my way off the mountain on Sunday... The big peak on the right is Mt. LeConte.

God says, "Be alert, be present.
I'm about to do something brand-new.
It's bursting out! Don't you see it?
There it is! I'm making a road through the desert,
rivers in the badlands.
I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out--
plans to take care of you, not abandon you,
plans to give you the future you hope for..."
Isaiah 43:19, Jeremiah 29:11

love this song...

The pathway is broken
And the signs are unclear
And I don't know the reason why You brought me here
But just because You love me the way that You do
I will go through the valley
If You want me to
Now I'm not who I was
When I took my first step
And I'm clinging to the promise
You're not through with me yet
So if all of these trials bring me closer to You
I will go through the fire
If You want me to
It may not be the way I would have chosen
When you lead me through a world that's not my own
But You never said it would be easy
You only said I'll never go alone
So when the whole world turns against me
And I'm all by myself
And I can't hear You answer my cries for help
I'll remember the suffering Your love put You through
And I will go through the valley
If You want me to

--Ginny Owens (If You Want Me To)

Stop praying.

What a crazy idea, right? Please read:

What if I said, "Stop praying"? What if I told you to stop talking at God for a while, but instead to take a long, hard look at Him before you speak another word? Solomon warned us not to rush into God's presence with words. That's what fools do. And often, that's what we do. (crazy love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God by Francis Chan)

Guilty as charged. I'm a fool. Why is it that when I pray, "spend time" with God, and read my Bible, I rush into words? Prayer is supposed to be communication, right? And a very expensive piece of paper (my diploma) shows I'm proficient in the study of communication, and just about every definition in the discipline defines communication as a two-way interaction. All that to say, prayer is two-sided. It is an interaction.

So, I wonder, what would happen if I stopped praying? ...if I stopped talking at God, and started realizing who He is and what He is about. God is infinite, omniscient, omnipotent… God is love. Francis writes,

I believe He wants us to love others so much that we go to extremes to help them. I believe He wants us to be known for giving--of our time, our money, and our abilities-- and to start a movement of "giving" churches. In so doing, we can alleviate the suffering in the world and change the reputation of His bride in America.

So what would happen if I, if we, if the church chooses to love people that much? I'm interested in finding out.

"There is no therapist in the world like a puppy licking your face." --Ben Williams

Anyone who knows me at all should have an inkling to how much I love my dogs. They're not dogs... they're family. We've done this to ourselves, I'll be the first to admit. Sure, anyone can have a dog. Buy a furry four-legged tail wagger, play with it while its young, tie it up outside when it gets older... and all you will have is a dog. However, it takes a rather attentive family to "adopt" a dog as one in the family. Buy that cute little tail-wagger, nurture it, give it attention, talk to it, coo at it, train it, play with it, and it will develop a unique personality. If you get the right breed of course, but that's another post. (Anyone who knows me at all also knows how partial I am to golden retrievers.)

Last Christmas holiday, I missed out on a trip with Sam and his family to visit some extended family because my parents had left town for the weekend and I was home taking care of the girls (Nike and Murphy). Now, please understand, when those dark, sad eyes glare up at you when they see a suitcase, it could make anyone feel guilty! So, after my parents departure the day before, the girls were still a little depressed, and I just didn't want to leave them at 8am and not get back until 11pm... (Sam's extended family lives north of Nashville, so it wasn't like I would be able to run home and check on them or feed them.) A joke was made that the dogs were more important to me than his family (and they were just kidding!) but honestly...... well, nevermind.

Then there is Montana... my sister's great dane... Danes are also apparently pretty sensitive to their owners' leaving. I've heard stories about danes "pouting" when their owners return because they left in the first place. (i.e. laying on a pillow on the other side of the room rather than on the couch beside their owner where they normally lay.) Montana finds her ways to "pout" and as an example... when my sister was gone to work all day, then went out to dinner with friends and didn't get home until late, Montana decided she would sleep with me instead of with Jennifer... You might think it's a coincidence, but it really isn't.

Those stories are only to preface this one: My cousins took a vacation last year sometime and boarded their chocolate lab, Cola. It took WEEKS for Cola to return to her normal, energetic, happy self. Cola was well taken care of, fed/watered, was able to stay in an indoor/outdoor kennel... but for whatever reason, the experience was traumatic. When my cousins planned their vacation this summer (a couple months ago) they asked me to stay and take care of Cola, as well as the newest addition, little Gunny. Sam is gone the first part of this week on a camping/hiking trip, so I haven't been able to talk to him very much at all... My close friend Meagan is taking a class, working, and has VBS this week, so I haven't gotten to see her very much... and Dad is working days, Mom nights, so seeing them is kind of sporadic, too! It would be pretty lonely.... but, as the title says... I have had so much fun already with Gunny.

Puppies are such WORK! But, so rewarding. She has already bonded to me a bit, and its so sweet the way I'll call her name from across the yard, and she just comes running! Even everyday things are still new and interesting to her. The garage door is still a little scary sounding... Puddles are such fun to play in!... and carrying the newspaper every morning just might be better than anything else in the world. It rained yesterday morning, and I just wish that I could have gotten a video of her... She would just walk around aimlessly, accidentally step in a puddle, and then she would just jump up and down splashing! It was the cutest thing. So, since I'm apparently long winded and if you've read this far, maybe you should just be rewarded with some pictures...

"We give dogs time we can spare, space we can spare and love we can spare. And in return, dogs give us their all. It's the best deal man has ever made." - M. Acklam