We just got home from Vegas after catching a red-eye last night. Needless to say, I am exhausted. Our air conditioning is broken and so I'm also sweating!
I have so much to share with you about my trip. However, we will be on sabbatical until Sept. 2nd, so you're going to have to wait!
Forefront is so cool. The leadership team decided to give a sabbatical for every 7 years of employment. Vince is on year 11, so we're overdue!
Please pray for this time away from everyone and everything. No work, computer, people, etc. It's going to be amazing.
Stay tuned for some pretty funny and challenging Vegas stories!
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Friday, August 15, 2008
Monday, August 11, 2008
Vegas or Bust!
Today we are flying to Las Vegas to check out our new hometown. We are meeting with a real estate agent and Vince has a few meetings. I'm feeling excited and nervous at the same time. I was in Vegas in 1993 with Vince and his dad. We took a helicopter ride to the Grand Canyon; it was amazing, except that I was extremely motion sick. I don't remember much else, except for the slot machines EVERYWHERE, including the airport.
Please pray for our time there. We are bringing the kids in hopes that this will help them to visualize where they are going to live. We want the transition to be really healthy for them and we want them to have some idea of what we're talking about when we say, "Las Vegas." Hopefully their excitement will continue after seeing it.
I'm sure I'll have a lot to share with you! I'll keep you posted.
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Please pray for our time there. We are bringing the kids in hopes that this will help them to visualize where they are going to live. We want the transition to be really healthy for them and we want them to have some idea of what we're talking about when we say, "Las Vegas." Hopefully their excitement will continue after seeing it.
I'm sure I'll have a lot to share with you! I'll keep you posted.
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Saturday, August 9, 2008
Confession Time!
Ok, here's the truth...
Yesterday my family and I were at JcPenny's. They had huge sales and we bought a butt load of stuff. One of the things I bought was a new purse. I had it on my shoulder when we checked out and I totally forgot to pay for it. We walked out to the car, bags in hand, and when I reached into my purse to grab my keys I realized it wasn't my purse.
I ran back into the store to pay for it.
The girl at the check-out counter was so impressed that I brought it back and paid for it. She kept going on and on about how cool it was that I was honest and brought it back. I was like, "Of course...it's not like I'm going to shoplift!" Somewhere deep inside I thought, "You should tell her WHY you wouldn't shoplift...because of your relationship with God." Sadly, I ignored the thought. I kept telling her that I would never steal something and that I couldn't believe someone would actually not come back and pay for it. I never gave God any recognition. As far as she could tell I was just a nice, honest person. I took all the credit, leaving God none.
As I spent time with God this morning, I was trying to figure out why I did what I did. Was it pride? Embarrassment? Stupidity? Shame? I think it's all of those things and probably more.
How often, as Christians, do we miss the opportunity to show people that God is real and that He makes a difference in our lives? I'm ashamed to say that for me it happens more than I'd like.
God forgave me. I forgave myself. But I hope that I learned from this mistake.
And I hope you do as well.
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Yesterday my family and I were at JcPenny's. They had huge sales and we bought a butt load of stuff. One of the things I bought was a new purse. I had it on my shoulder when we checked out and I totally forgot to pay for it. We walked out to the car, bags in hand, and when I reached into my purse to grab my keys I realized it wasn't my purse.
I ran back into the store to pay for it.
The girl at the check-out counter was so impressed that I brought it back and paid for it. She kept going on and on about how cool it was that I was honest and brought it back. I was like, "Of course...it's not like I'm going to shoplift!" Somewhere deep inside I thought, "You should tell her WHY you wouldn't shoplift...because of your relationship with God." Sadly, I ignored the thought. I kept telling her that I would never steal something and that I couldn't believe someone would actually not come back and pay for it. I never gave God any recognition. As far as she could tell I was just a nice, honest person. I took all the credit, leaving God none.
As I spent time with God this morning, I was trying to figure out why I did what I did. Was it pride? Embarrassment? Stupidity? Shame? I think it's all of those things and probably more.
How often, as Christians, do we miss the opportunity to show people that God is real and that He makes a difference in our lives? I'm ashamed to say that for me it happens more than I'd like.
God forgave me. I forgave myself. But I hope that I learned from this mistake.
And I hope you do as well.
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Friday, August 8, 2008
The Big Announcement
It was one of the hardest Sundays of my life. Vince was announcing that we were leaving. We started the morning at our Chesapeake campus where Vince had a special meeting for all the key leaders before service. He told them about our decision to go to Vegas and all that led up to that decision. I sat in the front row and cried. One of my best friends missed the meeting so we had to tell her and her husband after the meeting got done. She cried and said, "Just when I was going to go off my anti-depressant..."
We drove to our Virginia Beach campus where Vince dropped the bomb in his sermon. Again, I was crying my eyes out. The church gave him a standing ovation, which was so encouraging. I would have missed it because my face was buried in my hands, but our Executive Pastor tapped me and said, "You might want to look up." How cool is that? We're leaving and they're clapping. Wait, maybe that isn't a cool thing! Ha Ha!
I walked out of the service knowing that people would be sad. I wasn't prepared for the weeping and wailing that I was about to encounter. All my girlfriends came up to me with tears in their eyes saying, "No...tell me this isn't true!" Even people that I'm not really close to came up crying in disbelief. Again, I was crying my eyes out.
We decided to announce our departure long before we are actually leaving. We thought it would be best for the church, so they could feel like they were sending us, as opposed to us deserting them (remember, we did start this church...think mom and dad abandoning their child).
My biggest fear in all this is that I'm going to be left behind far before we leave. It's just human nature. If you know someone is leaving you mentally prepare yourself for them to be gone. You start living life like they are already gone; it's a self-defense mechanism. Only time will tell how this is going to play out relationally. I'll be sure to keep you posted!
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Thursday, August 7, 2008
Encouragement for all of us from Nikki...
My friend Nikki commented on my last blog, "Whispers." I thought what she said was so encouraging that I thought I'd share it with you (in case you don't read the comments).
Sweet Sister-Thanks so much for sharing your heart about this. Sometimes I feel like if I could get my husband (or some other human) to tell me, "It's going to be O.K." that I would feel a zillion times better. Well, my friend, it's going to be O.K. You're going to make it. Your heart and head are going to line up with your reality. Our God is too good not to let it.
I went to Beth Moore's live simulcast (from Southeast actually)this weekend and she said three things that were profound to me that I will share here b/c they may encourage someone else's heart as well.
The first is: She gave a shout out to all of her missionary sisters (that's you!) and cited Mark 10:29-31 says (w/ my emphasis), "I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or field for me and the gospel will fail to receive A HUNDRED TIMES AS MUCH IN THIS PRESENT AGE (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and field - and with them, persecution) and in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first."God promises you, my missionary friend, that He will revisit His blessing upon you a hundred-fold (!) as well as in THIS PRESENT AGE (!). We're not talking treasures in heaven. We're talking the here and now. Your obedience will be rewarded in this present age. His Word is good. I can promise it.
The second is: When I am anxious or fearful, it tips the Enemy off that I am not fully surrendered and fully bowing my knee to what the Lord has called me to do. When the fear creeps in, I am reminded that I AM fully submitted to (or at least I need to get my heart there and fast) what God is calling me to and I will not believe lies that tell me otherwise.
The third is: She said, "When you see Him face to face, you will wish you had dreamed bigger." The task before any of us in church planting seems so daunting. It's pull-the-covers-over-your-head, I-think-I-want-to-throw-up kind of overwhelming some days. For me, this quote made me think, "Gosh, instead of being overwhelmed, I will dream bigger b/c this thing that seems too big to God really is not and He wants to do so much more (Eph. 3:20). It reminds me of the Scripture in Habakkuk 1:5 that says, "Look at the nations and watch - and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told." Bring it, God! We can't wait to be utterly amazed! In fact, we are already! Hang in there, my sweet sister, and navigate these waters with your head up. They are not rushing over you. You are overcoming!
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Sweet Sister-Thanks so much for sharing your heart about this. Sometimes I feel like if I could get my husband (or some other human) to tell me, "It's going to be O.K." that I would feel a zillion times better. Well, my friend, it's going to be O.K. You're going to make it. Your heart and head are going to line up with your reality. Our God is too good not to let it.
I went to Beth Moore's live simulcast (from Southeast actually)this weekend and she said three things that were profound to me that I will share here b/c they may encourage someone else's heart as well.
The first is: She gave a shout out to all of her missionary sisters (that's you!) and cited Mark 10:29-31 says (w/ my emphasis), "I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or field for me and the gospel will fail to receive A HUNDRED TIMES AS MUCH IN THIS PRESENT AGE (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and field - and with them, persecution) and in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first."God promises you, my missionary friend, that He will revisit His blessing upon you a hundred-fold (!) as well as in THIS PRESENT AGE (!). We're not talking treasures in heaven. We're talking the here and now. Your obedience will be rewarded in this present age. His Word is good. I can promise it.
The second is: When I am anxious or fearful, it tips the Enemy off that I am not fully surrendered and fully bowing my knee to what the Lord has called me to do. When the fear creeps in, I am reminded that I AM fully submitted to (or at least I need to get my heart there and fast) what God is calling me to and I will not believe lies that tell me otherwise.
The third is: She said, "When you see Him face to face, you will wish you had dreamed bigger." The task before any of us in church planting seems so daunting. It's pull-the-covers-over-your-head, I-think-I-want-to-throw-up kind of overwhelming some days. For me, this quote made me think, "Gosh, instead of being overwhelmed, I will dream bigger b/c this thing that seems too big to God really is not and He wants to do so much more (Eph. 3:20). It reminds me of the Scripture in Habakkuk 1:5 that says, "Look at the nations and watch - and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told." Bring it, God! We can't wait to be utterly amazed! In fact, we are already! Hang in there, my sweet sister, and navigate these waters with your head up. They are not rushing over you. You are overcoming!
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Monday, August 4, 2008
Whispers
I have no doubt that God wants us to move to Las Vegas. I'm more sure of it than just about anything. Just because I know it doesn't mean that I'm happy about it all the time. I was recently with my parents. The conversation came up that we probably won't be able to come home for Christmas anymore. My mom and I started crying and proceeded to spend the next hour sitting in a chair together bawling.
God is so sweet to me. Ever since the moment that I knew He called us to Vegas, he's been whispering to me. Even as I was crying in my bed, when I first realized that we were moving, He spoke to me. Nothing loud or earth shattering; just whispers. He's used songs, Bible verses, Bible studies, friends' words, etc. to give me peace. He knows this is a huge step for me. He knows I need him to constantly reassure me.
This morning I was doing my Bible study and read these verses: "Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, and in the desert. There you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place." (Deuteronomy 1:29-31)
The truth is that I'm terrified of this church plant. Everyone who lives in Las Vegas that Vince has talked to has pretty much implied that he's crazy and that we shouldn't expect more than 50 people...EVER!...Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them.
I'm also afraid of what lies ahead of us. I mean, who really wants to raise their kids in Las Vegas? The school systems sucks compared to Virgina's. This is Satan's playground, for crying out loud! We're entering his turf...The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you.
I have so many questions. My heart is broken. I'm really struggling with depression right now...the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went.
As I read these verses this morning, I was changed. I was filled with hope and encouragement. I'm like a hunting dog, looking for God. I'm on the prowl for encouragement and for His sweet words to comfort me.
How about you? When you are facing a daunting situation, where do you look? How do you deal with the dark days of depression and fear? Do you keep your eyes and ears open for God?
I've got to admit that sometimes my eyes are shut and my ears are closed. And on those days, it's darker. My prayer for me and for you, as church planting wives, is that we stay alert to God and allow him to carry us as a father carries his son....all the way we go.
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