First day of School!

I'm so Excited!

 Today was my first day at Ivy Tech!

 Another step in doing what God has Called me to do!

My first class is Introduction to College Writing  @ 8 am ( I have no clue of what I was thinking scheduling a class that early!)

I am especially excited about this class because I am looking forward to it improving my writing skills!

Which will improve my content, which ( I'm hoping here) will improve the frequency that I blog! ( no Guarantees on that one though!)

I am hoping to share some of my papers on here, again, hoping it will fuel my desire to blog more frequently!!

The one class I am just wanting to get threw is my algebra class! I Despise Algebra!! UGH! but, its required!

So, that is the one class that I would definatly covet your Prayers!!

Songs that Inspire me & otherwise Light my Fire!!

Sometimes, You Hear a Song that Lights a Fire Underneath you & gets you SO excited you want to Jump Up and Down!! Well, This is One of those Songs for me!! You'll notice that if you have been following this Blog for very long that This is a Heartbeat Passion of Mine!!!!

I Refuse!! This Song Pretty Much Sums up How I feel about Serving Others!! ( I Will List the Lyrics on the Bottom)

I Refuse

Sometimes I, I just want to close my eyes

And act like everyone's alright

When I know they're not

This world needs God, but it's easier to stand and watch

I could pray a prayer and just move on

Like nothing's wrong

But I Refuse

I don't want to live like I don't care

I don't want to say another empty prayer

Oh, I refuse to sit around and wait for someone else

To do what God has called me to do myself

I could choose not to move

But I refuse

I can hear the least of these, crying out so desperately

And I know we are the hands and feet of You, oh God

So if You say move, it's time for me to follow through

And do what I was made to do

And show them who You are

I don't want to live like I don't care

I don't want to say another empty prayer

Oh, I refuse to sit around and wait for someone else

To do what God has called me to do myself

I could choose not to move

But I refuse

I refuse to stand and watch the weary and lost cry out for help

I refuse to turn my back and try and act like all is well

I refuse to stay unchanged, to wait another day to die to myself

I refuse to make one more excuse

I don't want to live like I don't care

I don't want to say another empty prayer

Oh, I refuse to sit around and wait for someone else

To do what God has called me to do myself

I could choose not to move

But I refuse

Here's the Story that Inspired this Song!!

Yes! I am Still around!!! Where the Heck have I been you ask??( Im Still gonna tell you even if you dont care! HA!)

Cover via Amazon

I have been INSANELY BUSY!! Working 2 part time Jobs Thru  the Holidays is No Small Feat!! That Plus the Fact that my Laptop Died & there is something so much easier about wanting to Blog on a Laptop as opposed to a desktop computer.

But, Woohoo! I have a new Laptop... so YAY!

Anywhoo,

My Totally Awesome Pastor is Preaching a Series  that is TOTALLY up my alley!

( Yeah, he started it 2 and a half weeks ago... So what??)

Its from  Book called "The Hole in our Gospel"

Its Written by Richard Stearns ( who is the CEO of Worldvision BTW!! Cool Tie-in my Second Job huh??)

So, Starting tomorrow, I am going to be sharing my Thoughts on what I feel God is Speaking to me thru this series.

If you have been following my blog for any length of time, ( or just read all of my posts) You'll know that Is this a Area of Ministry that I have a very strong burden for!

I will be Including Links to this Book & The Study Guide I am using.. Plus the DVD that is the 6 week Quest that my Pastor is Basing his Sermons on after each post In case any of Ya'll Want it!!Search Amazon.com for the hole in our gospel by richard stearns

YouTube - Hillsong-Devotion

I am a Youth Leader at the Youth Group at my Church called the Warehouse. The Warehouse is held every Wednesday Night & this is one of the Songs that we did during Worship Last Wednesday.  I really love this song. You could say its one of my favorites :). But, that night I really felt that God was using this to speak to me. Here are the Lyrics: (they are attached to the Video as well.)

Hillsong United - Devotion lyrics

Verse 1
I've been running, trying to be one who sees
I've been working salvation out on my knees
There is nothing better than knowing
that we are redeemed
I'm believing, trusting in creative hands,
I am praying for our world to bow to your plan
And this one thought is unmistakable:
I take up my cross and follow you Lord

Chorus
When you stand the tall trees and mountains bow
When you speak the fiercest of oceans is still
And I see the sinner seek devotion
The lost become chosen, and I fall to my knees

Verse 2
I'm forgiven; my Savior who did not deserve death
He was blameless and I was lost in shamefulness
I'm delivered, but it doesn't seem right
unless I keep my eyes focused on the savior who gave his life
In the middle of a world that denies it believes
It is breaking apart at the very seams
There is one thing to be alive for
And it's to take up my cross and follow you Lord

Bridge
I will take up my cross and follow Lord where you lead me
And I will take up my cross and follow wherever you go



Lyrics | Hillsong United lyrics - Devotion lyrics

WOW! These are some very POWERFUL Lyrics!!! 

 From a Very Powerful Song! But, when we were almost thru the Song, the Youth Pastor Exhorted the Youth saying " Listen to the words we are singing....

I will, Take up my Cross &  follow Lord where you lead me,
I will take up my Cross & follow where ever you go.

He asked them to search themselves and ask themselves, " would  you really go where ever God asked you to? If he asked you to go to Africa, would you go?

He asked If he asked you to go to a Place like they went, ( a Group from  the Youth  group just came back from a mission trip to the Dominican Republic) where there was no air conditioning, & the Living conditions were poor. "would you go?"  He asked if God Asked you to work just a 9-5 Job and influence people by the way you Live your Life would  you  do it?

WHOA! I felt an Instant check in my Spirit!

I Have been REALLY  frustrated with things in my life concerning work. I haven't felt like i have been getting enough Hours at work,I have Mentioned something about it, but, it hasn't changed, so, I have Started Looking for either another part- time Job, or a Full- time one that Pays more. Both of those efforts have Been very UN-fruitful. I have also Been frustrated with things in my Personal Life and Church life relationally. But, when The Youth Pastor said what he did, I felt like the Holy Spirit Nudge me, as if to say, "Yeah, what he said!"

I needed to Remember what Paul said in Philippians 4:11-12:

11 Actually, I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances.12 I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty.

Just Because we aren't where we think we should be, or where we are trying to be, doesn't mean that we aren't doing  what God wants us to do.

Sometimes all he wants us to do is to set the example for someone he's trying to reach.

It's that simple. We are the ones that make it so Complicated.

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Give me Your Eyes...

This is the song that I remember being the First song God used to show me what/ where my purpose Lies.... it was Very Cool!! It was Just a song on the radio, on my way home from Church one Sunday afternoon. I remember thinking " Oh this is really a cool song!!" Then it was like a nudge from the Holy Spirit saying " are you really  hearing the words to this song?" " Stop and listen to them!" Then it hit me, WOW!! Like reading a verse of Scripture over and over again. Then one day, you see that verse in a  totally different way! I Felt SUCH a strong need to do exactly what this song was telling me!





This Song Totally Fires me up every Time is Listen to it!! Here's the Lyrics:

Give me Your Eyes- By Brandon Heath

Lyrics | Brandon Heath lyrics - Give Me Your Eyes lyrics

Group Blogging Project- Real - Time Connections Chapt 7 Serving Together

Serving Together Chapter 7



This Chapter has relevance in 2 areas of my Life.


1.) My Church is Also a Missional Church, similar to Bob Roberts Northwood Church, Focused on reaching outside the 4 walls of our Church, to Reaching the world for Christ, locally, and globally = Glocally

My home church is Lifebridge Church, In Fort Wayne, Indiana.


My Church's Mission Statement is: Connecting to God, Each other, and the World thru Christ.



I have been a member of this church since the very beginning,but, it  has only been within the last 11/2 -2 years that i have begun to realize what our mission statement truly means. More than just connecting to God. More than just connecting to each other,( which is not a hard thing for me to do by any means!) but, connecting to the community, and the world,to help people find the life in Christ that we have!



When I first Re-dedicated my life to Christ, I  had heard of the Great Commission, but, it was a Foreign Concept to me.


Matthew 28:18-19 (NLT)

Jesus came and told his disciples, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations,s baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

I read that and thought, " I  how am suppose to do that??"  But, I now realize that i am not necessarily suppose to do what that literally says, but, by meeting others needs by reaching out and showing that you care, with no strings attached, it  allows God to open doors that wouldn't otherwise be opened. It allows God to transform lives and make disciples because it really isn't about us at all! its about Him and  weather we are going to allow God to use us to bring him glory, and now that I realize that, The Great Commission doesn't Seem to be as foreign to me as it once did. When I love God and love on people, he takes care of the rest!


Making a Difference in the Local Community


The part of this chapter that resonated with me the most was in this part:



The Author heard a Question and asked it to his Congregation.

    "If this Church were absent from our community, would anyone miss it but, your members?"

The author said that he wanted his church to be a church That would be missed,  and I think that  any church that wants to focus on being a Missional Community, needs it.


I have an AWESOME Pastor named Bill Campbell, who just recently preached a sermon called "Together #We Can"


In this Sermon, Which was Quite Similar to this chapter,one of his points was that Our purpose was to function as a "Missional Community" and as a Missional Community we needed to make a difference in the World we live in, and how important that was. He stated why it was important, was because "IT ISN'T ABOUT US! ( Recurring theme isn't it?) Its about Being God's Hands and Feet.!



Matthew 25:34-36 Says this :

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation.

35 And here’s why:
I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,

36 I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.’



"When we Allow God to use for his Glory, together we can produce lives that are changed,so that they can find the Life in Christ that we have" -Pastor Bill Campbell


That's what its all about! There have been SO many times I have felt God speak to my heart about this topic over and over; I have seen the Mathew 25 Verse pop up over and over. when that happens I know that this is something important that he's trying to get across to me.


The Second Area that this Chapter that this Spoke to me on was Actually in my Job. I Truly Believe with all my heart that God has me working when i am for a Specific Purpose, and that Purpose i believe is to Learn to Serve Selflessly.

I work as a Team Member at a Chick-Fil-a. I can Honestly say that, this is NOT your Everyday Fast-Food Place!

I thought i knew how  to serve others before I started working there, but, boy was I wrong!


At Chick-Fil-A, they serve customers and expect customers to be served on a Whole Different Level!



 S Truett  Cathy  The Founder of  Chick-Fil-a,

"Illustrates to readers that significance and success come when one exhibits servant leadership in all areas of life, seizing everyday opportunities to help others" .



Working at Chick-Fil-A is not just a job to me. its also a Ministry, and I really feel that its preparing me for the ultimate purpose God has for my life,which is  to be used by God to Serve Others.

Purpose

This is My Purpose in Life.... This Type of Ministry... This is What I was Made for!
I will Mainly be Blogging on things of this Nature, and Other Missions related Things from now on.... But, You never Know what Random Topic I may decided i need to Blog about!




I am So Glad I finally figured Out what What my Purpose is!! :) Its Awesome!!! I cant Wait to See the Ways God Uses me, and The things He has for me to do!!! :)

Which Bibilical Character are You?

I Have Been Thinking Alot about which Biblical Character  Resembles my Life. When I first Rededicated My Life To Christ, I really identified  with David.

David, A man after God's own heart, a King, most of all, a Worshiper!

I still Identify with David, but, as i have Been really Seeking God's Purpose for my Life, I have found myself Identifying more and more with Joseph.

Lots of times in my life i have had, things happened  that I Couldn't figure out why i was being Treated the way i have despite Doing the Best i possibly could at a job. My motives were misunderstood time and time again. I really Felt that God had a HUGE purpose for my life, But, I had hit one road Block after another, after another and i felt like i was stuck!

I just reciently Decided that I was going to do my Job for God's Glory, Not to Impress a Person. I decided to do, The Absolute BEST  job I could, regardless of the Circumstances at a Workplace.

I have Felt Like God has been saying to me" be Faithful in the Small things so i can Promote  you to bigger things and that is Scriptural!
Luke 16:10-12 says:

 10 "If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won't be honest with greater responsibilities.11 And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven?12 And if you are not faithful with other people's things, why should you be trusted with things of your own?
I have gained a Greater and Greater Understanding of these verses  more than i  ever have before in my life!!

This Brings me to what I am feeling more and more is my Calling and Purpose in life Missions work!!

I really am Drawn  to Mission's Work. Now, I Know for sure that this is God, and not me because when i first Rededicated when i was 32, the thought of  going into the Mission Field totally Terrified me.

If you would have asked me 7 years ago about Going On Mission trips, or being Missions Minded, I would have looked at you like you lost your mind!

Now i am an Adult Leader in My Daughter's Youth Group, Going on a Mission Trip to The Dominician  Republic in July!!!( I will be Blogging on this ALOT more later)

I cant Begin to tell you how PUMPED i am to go on this trip!!!!

so, which biblical character do you identify with?

Servolution Top 10: A Lesson From Ben and Jerrys (Servolution Group Blogging Project)

SERVOLUTION TOP TEN:
A Lesson from Ben and Jerry’s


This is an Amazing Book! I think that it’s SO cool how the Things that are the Heart of God are Being Placed in Believers ALL OVER the Country! For Several Months now I have felt a Tug in my Spirit That I had yet to Experience Everything that God Has called me to be. Up until now I have served in my Church’s Children’s Ministry, and have served in my Church’s Choir. Worship for me, was and Still is my way of really Connecting with God, and I had always Felt Called to Music Ministry. My Kids Loved the Children’s ministry at my Church, so, I volunteered in the Classes, and found that I really enjoyed that also, and I had started to build relationships with The Children’s Pastor and Her Assistant. They turned out to be People that really have been a constant, Positive Force in my Life Both as a Single Mom and as a Married Mom. As time has Gone By and Things have changed, I had begun to wonder if that was all there was. Then, I had been getting this Unction that God was going to be taking me in a new direction.


I prayed for Direction and Guidance since this was a Totally Unknown thing to me, all I knew was that Every time I saw People Helping the Hurting, it Struck SUCH a HUGE chord Deep within me. I always know that something is a “God” thing (something that God really wants to get across to me) when I see it confirmed in Several Places, My Pastor Preaches on it, I see it on a Show I am watching, or listening to a Podcast of one of my Favorite Teachers of the Word, My Husband talks to me about it out of the Blue Etc… Serving Others, People in Need Especially I feel is one of those things.


Now, I am not a Person that is really Spooky about my Beliefs, Meaning I don’t think that God Speaks to me in an Audible voice.
I think that if he did it would scare the Daylights out of me!! (it’s not that I don’t think he can, just that There is SO MANY OTHER ways for Him to Speak to us, that there isn’t really any need!) One Day, I felt that The Holy Spirit Speak to me that My Purpose Was to be a Servant to All. That was it! Just that!


My first thought was ok… So, what does that mean? As I contemplated this, God Made Sure that I had PLENTY of Ideas and a Clearer understanding of what he Meant, This Book was one of those Things that confirmed what my Actual Purpose was meant to be. As I was reading this Chapter and Preparing for this Blog Post, I felt that God gave me this Verse:


John 21:16-17 (New Living Translation)
16 Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said. 17 A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.


When we serve others by meeting their needs when they are in a time of need, we are feeding God’s Sheep and that to me is Very Cool!



CULTURE OF A SERVOLUTION

1. This is Our Mandate.
In the Book Dino Rizzo talks about his Church, Healing Place Church, Their Vision for their Church is to be a “Healing Place for a Hurting World” He States that if they are going to Say it then they need to deliver it. That if you are a “follower of Christ that your Mandate is to “love one another” and that reaching out to the World and Being Jesus’ hands and feet, Is how to deliver it, my Home Church’s Name Like Healing Place Church, Is Called Lifebridge. Life Bridge’s Vision Is Connecting to God, Each Other, and the World Thru Christ. Like Healing Place Church, Lifebridge is a Place that Anyone of Any Background, Denomination, and Walk Of Life can come in and Feel Loved and Welcomed and Cross a Bridge into Life in Christ.


2. We are not looking for a badge
This to me is the Ultimate Worship to God! It’s not something we can Claim ownership of Otherwise it’s for the Wrong Reason, and God isn’t glorified; only self is.


3. There are no Excuses
In the Book Servolution Dino Rizzo talks about the many excuses People have used to avoid getting involved, Such as: “The Problem is Too Big” and “we’ll never be able to make a Difference” or “we don’t have anything to offer” He Says they are just copouts, and I Agree with him! If everyone took this Mindset then nothing would ever happen. The point isn’t what you CANT do, but, what you CAN do, and EVERYONE has Gifts and Talents and can do SOMETHING! I like the way he puts that in the Book.

“It is true that we cannot do everything. But, we absolutely cannot let that thought keep us from doing what we can. All of us have Gifts and talents to offer and all of us are able to do something to meet the needs of the hurting around us if we are willing to let God use us!”

4. Give with No Strings attached
About a year to two years My Pastor Started a Campaign in our Church Specifically Called No String attached! Seriously! He encouraged us to Do Random acts of Kindness for Strangers, for example, Paying for someone’s Meal in the Drive thru, Or like In the Book Dino Paid for The Service members Coffee anonymously. He gave us all Cards for the Cashier ( or Whoever)to give to the Person Being Blessed that Said No Strings attached on one side and it had a little map on the other side and Below the Map it said Lifebridge.cc That was it, nothing else. The Point is that Is made so Well in the book is that We Never want People to Feel Like that they owe us something in return, If they do, then We haven’t Done our Job, to Be Like Jesus. Jesus went around Giving and Healing Without any thought of what he was going to get in Return.


5. Be Ridiculously Generous!
In the Book, Dino Rizzo Talks about Being as Ridiculously Generous as God was with Us, when he Sent His Son to Die For Our Sins, Instead of Getting what we Deserved! I can’t truthfully say that I have been Ridiculously Generous in my Past Dealings But; this is something I want to Strive for.


6. Do Justice Intentionally
I think what they Meant Was To get out there and Intentionally Minister to the Homeless, the forgotten, and the broken, to Love them like God does, and To Leave the Changing of them to Him.


7. To Help People Be Overcomers.
In The Book Servolution it States “We Want to Help People Prosper in their Souls-to move beyond a culture of blaming the World, having a Victim mentality, and being addicted to handouts. We want to see them replace all of that with the Abundant Life Jesus gives.”



8. Increase Your Capacity
What I got from this Point was to Always Be challenging yourself to Step out of your Comfort Zone and to do something that you feel is WAY above your head. This Blog Post for me is one of those things! I just Started Blogging Last December, So, to be Participating in this Blogging Project for me is a Real Step out of the Boat for me!



9. Build the Local Church
This, to me, means something a little Different, than Dino Rizzo stated it. To me, it Means to Come Along side other Churches and to Link Arms with them, and work in Unity for the Body of Christ in our City to Share with the World Our Hope in Christ. That to me is Building the Local church, not making things out to be about one particular Church Body. Because we(the Body of Christ) are the Church, The Building is Just a tool.-(Pastor Bill Campbell, Lifebridge Church)


10. Remember the Poor
This to me is not just the Poor Financially, but, the Poor in Spirit, as well, The Broken people that No one wants to be bothered with, Loving the Unlovely, I have heard it called Before, I want to Pursue a Heart That Breaks at the Things that Break Gods Heart.


Get the book: Servolution: Starting a Church Revolution Through Serving

My Dream

This Has been Something that has been running threw my Mind a lot lately! I work outside the home and there have been things Going on at home that have really made Working the hours i want to work difficult. So, i have been thinking...What if i could get something going at home, (marketing, selling eBay etc..)that would supplement my contribution to our household finances, and Help my household in general.Then maybe someday hopefully i could do it most of the time. So, i could quit my day job and do something I really feel like is my Purpose in life . I really feel Called to Live a life of Service to others, Specifically, Women in need, Kids in need. My Church has a Ministry called Wings of Hope that attend my church, and its TRULY amazing. Wings of Hope is A Prison Ministry Dedicated to Helping women that have Been in trouble with the Law. They come from all different backgrounds and There is an amazing Woman Named Linda Kluczinske who is the founder of this Ministry. Wings of Hope is a residency ministry to women returning from jail or prison. Lives are changed..recidivism is less than 5%. Families are restored and the ladies become productive members of our community. So I guess that is it! My starting Place i suppose is with the help for Hurting Women Ministry that meets at my Church. I hope this is what i was suppose to Blog about. Either way, I'm glad i did because this is something i have been rolling around in my Brain for Quite sometime.