Seriously????

I took this picture today on my iPhone! There aren't really any words to say...

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I've Been Strobel-ized!

This weekend Lee Strobel preached at Central Christian Church in Vegas. If you get a chance, go to Central's website and listen to the message. It's a good one. For those of you who, like me, can't imagine sitting down and listening to a sermon on the computer I thought I'd give you some highlights. I think it's especially important for church planting wives.

The theme of the sermon was based on his new book, "The Unexpected Adventure." He posed the question, what if Jesus physically lived in my house? Would He treat my neighbors differently than I do? What would He and I do the same? What would we do differently from each other? He had three points:

1. Before Jesus talked to his neighbors about God, he talked to God about his neighbors. He talked about how important it is to bring our relationships before God. He used the example of Jesus being crucified and how, even during His agonizing pain, He prayed for those who were crucifying Him. "Father forgive them..." Even on His deathbed He was talking to God about the very people in his life that were killing him.

He also told a powerful story about the importance of praying for our lost family and friends and not giving up...ever!

2. Jesus would make it clear that His door was always open for questions. It's pretty clear in the Bible that Jesus doesn't mind people asking him questions. We sometimes get the idea that God is annoyed by us and our questions, lack of faith or understanding, etc. In Luke 7 John the Baptist questioned Jesus' identity. Jesus didn't get mad at John for his questions, and later even said that no one was greater than John.

He shared an awesome story about a debate between a Christian and an Atheist that took place at Willow Creek. Click here if you want to watch the debate.

How open is your "door" to questions about God? We don't have to have all the answers; we have to listen, pray and be available to our non-Christian friends and family.

3. Jesus would be authentic in His relationships with His neighbors. He would be 100% authentic, full of integrity, with no signs of hypocrisy. He talked about how non-Christians scan the lives of Christians (especially those in ministry) for discrepancies and in-authenticity.

He shared a story about a girl named Maggie who hated church because she had been abused by people who called themselves Christians. After joining a small group and hanging around Christians she became a Christian. She said that she decided to become a Christian because , "I ran into a bunch of people who were like Jesus to me." They were humble, gentle and they loved her.

So a few questions ran through my mind during the sermon. I thought I'd share them with you.

How's my prayer life? Do I regularly pray for my lost friends and family? Is there anyone I've given up on praying for?

How accessible am I to people? Is my schedule so full that I don't have time to sit down with a neighbor and talk? Am I known as someone who is a good listener? Am I approachable?

Are there any signs of hypocrisy in my life? Is there anything I do that I would be embarrassed if people knew? Is my private life consistent with my public life?

Do I live a life of love?

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Various Updates and Ramblings!

This has been a really busy week! I'm so excited for a nice, relaxing weekend. Just wanted to update you on a few things:

* I have potential meetings with two different organizations in Vegas that work in the sex trafficking industry. Please pray that I'm able to meet with them next week and that it's productive and that God really gives me wisdom about getting involved.

* Logan Sekulow has started a new ministry called the Be Heard Project. You donate $4 a month and 4 different ministries get $1 each. I'm pretty sure the ministries change every month. Verve is one of the 4 featured ministries this month. Go to the website for more info.

* I started leading some girls in Jennifer Rothschild's book, "Me, Myself and Lies." It's a 6-week study. Beth Moore is facilitating the study on her blog. I'm super excited.

* Any girl born in the seventies has a special place in her heart for both Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson. Charlie's Angels made me believe that I could fight crime and still look hot. Thriller made me believe that I could dance and destroy monsters at the same time. Both died this week; what a bummer. I saw Michael Jackson in concert in 1984; that was one of the highlights of my childhood. I also collected Charlie's Angels trading cards (they had a piece of a puzzle imprinted on the back of every card. If you collected all the cards, you were able to finish the puzzle. As hard as my sister and I tried, we never completed the puzzle).

* I went on a field trip with my son today. There's something unsettling about driving in a bus full of kids past billboards of Holly Madison's boobs and strippers in thongs. I'm definitely not in Kansas anymore.

* We've had Matt Caron living with us since the beginning of February. He's from Virginia Beach and attended Forefront. He's headed home to spend the rest of the summer with his family and then he's coming back in August to go to UNLV, where he'll live in the dorms. He took Vince and I to dinner last night at an amazing restaurant that overlooked the whole city. The food and view was out of this world!

* My new "best" Vegas friend's name is Melissa. Her son and my son are in the same class (and both their names are Dawson...how crazy is that?!) and on the same baseball team. I went to a Pampered Chef party at her house on Tuesday night. I got to meet lots of women; it was so cool. I decided to have a Pampered Chef party at my house for my neighbors. Vegas is known as one of the most un-neighborly cities in America. It's weird...everyone drives up, opens their garage doors, pulls in, and closes it behind them. People don't hang around outside; it's not very easy to get to know your neighbors. So, my idea is that I'm going to invite all the ladies on my street to my house for a Pampered Chef party (with no obligation to buy, of course) and hopefully we'll all get to know each other. Please pray that this actually happens and that people actually show up. It's on July 22nd.

* Vince is headed to Sacramento, CA this weekend to preach at Adventure Christian Church. One of my oldest and dearest friends lives there; I'm incredibly jealous of Vince!

* Tickle (A.K.A Junior) died a few minutes ago. He was a darkling beetle that my daughter raised from a mere larva at school. She loved that beetle (and even held it, which makes me want to barf), but got over his death within a few seconds. Which makes me wonder why our world has revolved around that stupid beetle for so many weeks. And, the number of cockroaches that enter my house on a daily basis is enough to make me throw up. If Tickle entered my house uninvited I would have killed him. Which again makes me wonder why our world has revolved around that stupid beetle for so many weeks.

* If you have an iPhone and haven't downloaded the free update, do it now. It's awesome!

* The fact that most of my friends and family live on the east coast makes telephone calls a little challenging. For instance, I didn't call my Dad on Father's Day. What kind of daughter am I? I kept reminding myself to call him and when I finally decided to dial, it was after 11pm on the east coast. Unbelievable!

* One more thing...I am in the middle of Beth Moore's, "Esther" study and it's awesome. I am a Beth Moore addict and have literally done every study she's ever put out. This one is one of the best. Go buy it!

Have a great weekend!

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A Little Perspective!

I came up with this phrase several years ago: "People come in and out of your life like underwear!"

If you've ever started a church you know that one of the places that this happens the most is in your launch team. People get excited and join your team. Some are there for the long-haul, but a lot of people come in and leave shortly thereafter. Some people join your team and then realize that it's not the place for them. Other people stay with you, but as soon as the church launches they take off. There can be theological differences, personality conflicts, schedule conflicts, and a multitude of other issues that cause the person to leave.

As a church planting wife, this can be really hard on us emotionally. We invite people into our lives, we open up our hearts and homes to them and then they leave. Unfortunately, it's just par for the course.

We've already had several people leave our launch team and we're not even launching until February. We've still got a long way to go...

I thought of a few things that have helped me along the way. I'll share them in hopes that it helps you. Please feel free to add to the list by adding a comment!

1. Stay close to God. He's really the only person that won't leave you. He's with you for the long-haul. In the end, He's the only one that will stick with you. Make your relationship with Him a priority now. He's also great at comforting the brokenhearted. So when you are struggling emotionally, He is not only there, but can help you in a way that no other person can.

2. Love people, but don't cling to them. Obviously we need to love people. But because people come in and out of your life it's important that you love them with boundaries. If you put all you've got into a person and they leave or let you down, you're in for a heap of pain and trouble.

3. Don't put heavy expectations on people. Don't expect them to fill a void in your life, meet your every need or be your "saving grace." They are just a person who is flawed and broken like you. They will disappoint you in some way at some point. No one will love your church like you do; it's your baby. Don't expect people to love it like you and be as committed as you are. You will be sorely disappointed.

4. Stick close to your husband. Talk to him about how you're feeling. Share your sadness and disappointments with him. If you don't feel like you can be honest and open with him, consider getting some marriage counseling. Open and honest communication with him is so vital on this journey. (Side note: Sometimes your husband is the reason why the person has left. He has said or done something or didn't do or say something that has made the person leave. Take sides with your husband, at least publicly. Nothing can ruin a church like a divisive marriage. Trust in his leadership. If you totally disagree obviously share your feelings with him, but at least support him in public.)

5. Talk to one or two close friends who you know will respect your privacy and protect your heart. Vince and I are going through a bunch of stuff right now and to be honest I miss my girlfriends in VA. I want to get some coffee and verbally barf all over them. For now I have to rely on the telephone. Either way, talk to them.

6. Realize that God will fill the void the person has left. He knows that people come in and out of our lives. He provides for us when people leave. Ministry areas get filled, new friendships form, etc. Try to see the big picture instead of focusing on the loss.

7. Don't let bitterness creep in. It's easy to allow resentments to build when we've been hurt. We've got to live in forgiveness-mode. We've got to give people grace!

8. Along with number 7, don't build emotional walls around yourself. We've got to give God the opportunity to knock down the walls we've built. In order for you to have healthy relationships you've got to be wall-free.

9. Have a life outside of your church. Do things that are fun to you. Sometimes we just need perspective. It's easy to allow the church and the people in the church to consume us. Take a break, go on vacations, join sports teams and clubs that have nothing to do with your church. I guarantee you'll breathe easier!

10. Enjoy the journey. How many people can say that they were part of starting a new church? You're part of an elite group of people that, if the Bible were still being written today, would probably have a few verses written about them. Don't get bogged down with the negative stuff and the drama. You're on an adventure of a lifetime!

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What Happens In Vegas...

It's so weird living in Las Vegas. This place is insane. I've heard a lot of local people say that living here is just like living anywhere else in America, with the exception of the Strip. They are liars. Let me give you some examples:

1. One of my new friends, Melissa, owns a gym. They gave me a one-month free trial membership. I've been working out and getting ripped! Ha Ha! We work out with strippers, porn stars, cocktail waitresses and dealers. These people don't look like normal people. They wear practically nothing to work out in, and they are "perfect" looking; think Greek gods and goddesses. I bet that if I went to a gym in VA Beach it would be hard to find someone who was a stripper or a porn star.

2. Vince and I went out to dinner on Saturday night. We got dressed up and hit the town! I have never seen so much butt and boobs in my life...at dinner! The stiletto heels were causing so much pain. These poor girls were practically limping. The price we pay for fashion! I've been out to dinner plenty of times in VA Beach and have NEVER seen women dressed like this.

3. My kids go to a good school in a good neighborhood. From the distance it looks like a totally normal school, with pick up and drop offs by lots of parents. The difference is that a lot of the moms don't look like regular moms. You've got moms in Daisy Duke shorts, cut off shirts and I'm pretty sure the majority have boob jobs. Again, not typical to anywhere else I've ever lived.

4. Billboards are a normal sight in America, but billboards in Las Vegas are a frightening sight. There is a local internet porn company that pays people $500 to "drop their trunks" for their website. According to a recent article, they get 200 calls a day. They have billboards up all over the city. I guess that explains all the phone calls. There are also hundreds of billboards for casino night clubs and topless swimming pools.

I say all this not to bash Vegas, but to ask for your prayers. Because this is unlike anywhere else we've ever lived, our ministry needs to have aspects that are unlike anything we've ever done. Starting a church by simply sending out some postcards isn't going to work here.

We had lunch today with a pastor from a large church in town. He kept calling us "missionaries." At first I was like, "What are you talking about? I'm not a missionary. Missionaries are people who leave their country and immerse themselves in a foreign culture." Then I realized that except for leaving my country that's pretty much what we're doing.

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The Trophy Wife #2

On June 6th our newspaper printed an article about the wife of the UNLV (University of Nevada, Las Vegas) president. It goes along so well with the last post that I couldn't resist sharing it with you.

"Bonnie Ashley, the wife of UNLV president David Ashley, apologized Friday for her clashes with campus staff that have been characterized by others as abrasive, rude and intimidating. In an email to the Board of Regents and Chancellor Jim Rogers, Bonnie Ashley-who had referred to herself in emails as the university's 'first lady'-said she did not realize she was 'causing so much distress' in her efforts to carry out her hostess duties."

It turns out that the Board of Regents is going to meet later this summer to determine whether or not to renew her husband's contract. I'm sure there's more involved in the decision, but I bet his wife's behavior will play a part. Can you imagine if your behavior cost your husband his job?

We know someone whose wife would sit in the car on Sunday mornings while her husband went to church. He was the pastor. She sat outside and waited for him.

Let's take a minute and evaluate ourselves (me included). Do you act in a way that negatively reflects on you or your husband? Could your actions or words cost your husband his job? In the article Ashley said, "I am most apologetic, as in my quest for improvement I was not always as gracious as I could have been in the carrying out of those plans." Are people turned off by your treatment of them? Could you be described as someone who is gracious?

After reading the article I don't think that Ashley intended to hurt people. She was just a woman on a mission who lacked tact. So often we don't realize how we come off to people. Which is why I think it's important to ask the people closest to us to answer the above questions about us. Prayerfully consider their answers and make sure that you are "gracious" in your response :-)!

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The Trophy Wife

I just started a new Bible Study by Beth Moore on Esther. Today I was reading about Queen Vashti and her refusal to literally be a "trophy wife" before the King and all his drunk guy friends. The king requests her presence so he can show her off and she says, "NO!" I can't say I blame her. It'd be like your husband having a bunch of guys over to watch a football game. They are all drinking and acting like dorks, when your husband calls you into the room and asks you to put on your old high school cheerleading outfit and perform a cheer for them. Just the thought of it makes me want to slap someone!

So the king is infuriated and calls together his closest friends and asks them what to do. The voice box of the groups says, "Queen Vashti has done wrong, not only against the king but also against all the nobles and the peoples of all the provinces of King Xerxes. For the queen's conduct will become known to all the women, and so they will despise their husbands...There will be no end of disrespect and discord." (Esther 1:16-17, 18)

I have to admit that this story makes me angry on so many levels. But along with that anger comes conviction. As a church planting wife I am an example to other women. There's no way around it (I wish there was). Because of my "position" I am watched. If you are a church planting wife, the same holds true for you (or a pastor's wife, ministry leader, or pretty much any woman in some kind of leadership capacity). Queen Vashti's behavior had an affect on the women of her day. So much so that they made a law in response to her behavior that "all women will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest." (Esther 1:20)

How many times have I done something that totally disrespects my husband in front of others? How many times have I said something that completely cuts him down while others are listening? Unfortunately, when I act like a jerk and other people are watching or listening it has an impact on them. Whether they verbalize it or not, someone is probably thinking, "I can't believe she just said that!" or worse yet, "Jen talks to her husband that way. Why can't I?"

I'm not saying that we have to be perfect and act like robot slaves to our husbands (or prance around for our husband's friends...yuck). I'm just saying that given the choice I would rather be a positive example to women than a negative one.

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I Need Some Help!

I've been praying about what my ministry will look like in Vegas. How will I best be used by God here? Every time I pray about it "broken women" keeps coming up. It makes sense because there are so many women here who are broken, and also because this is what my background and ministry experience is in. I'm praying about getting my Master's Degree at UNLV in the area of counseling, social work, etc.

Here's where I need your help!Edit

1. Can you recommend any ministries that deal with broken women that have volunteer opportunities in Las Vegas?

2. If you have a Master's Degree in Psychology, Counseling, Social Work, etc., can you tell me what degree you have and what sort of job options are open to people with that degree?

3. Would you please pray for me and for direction and clarity?

Thanks!!!!

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