Good News and Bad News...

The GOOD NEWS is that Emilee, Jacob, Sam and I are all fine. We walked away untouched.

The BAD NEWS is that I can't say the same for my van. We're pretty sure she's totalled.

But, if I had to have an accident in the middle of one of the busiest streets in Florence, scaring my kids to death, and almost giving myself a heart attack...

If I had to call Chris from work to come and get us because the van was undriveable (is that a word???) due to the fact that the front end folded, and there was transmission fluid leaking all over the highway...

And if it all had to be MY FAULT because I was looking at my daughter and her braces (we were headed to the orthodontist) and didn't realize that the car ahead of me had slammed on breaks (that sweet lady and her son are fine, too...in fact the only damage done to her LandRover was a busted tail light!)...

If I HAD TO HAVE a horrible, terrible, no good, very bad day...

Well, at least I got to drive home in this...

Yes sir-ee. The Caddy purrs like a kitty. The only other sounds you heard were the oohs and ahhs coming from the driver and her three little passengers. I told the kids not to get too used to it though, she's only on loan. But we can dream can't we???

A Lifetime's Not Too Long to Live as Friends

Just wanted to take a minute today, to give a "shout-out" to some great girlfriends.  I am so thankful to have each one of you in my life.  Each of you, in her own special way, encourages me and inspires me to be a better wife, mother, sister, daughter, and friend. 

Two are better than one,
       because they have a good return for their work:

If one falls down,
       his friend can help him up.
       But pity the man who falls
       and has no one to help him up!

Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
       But how can one keep warm alone?

Though one may be overpowered,
       two can defend themselves.
       A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

(Ecclesiastes 4:9-7)

Jennifer - My advisor; no matter what is on my mind or heart, she listens.  She lets me vent, cry, and cheer. (Even when she has to turn the volume down on the phone because I am so wound up!) ;-) And then she tells me what she thinks about it.  Sometimes the truth hurts, but she is never afraid to give it to me! Sometimes I think she knows me better than I even know myself.  The miracle of that is, that she still loves me...in spite of that knowledge.  She is truly one of my heroes...and she always will be.

Donna - My champion; she doesn't have to know what is going on...she just offers a warm hug, a gentle smile, or an encouraging squeeze of my hand. Her giving spirit, and love for the Lord are contagious.  She's big in heart, not words... She's there.  That's all that matters.

Priscilla - My partner in crime ;-); she's my accountability partner, who also has no problem speaking truth into my life.  When I have good weeks, she cheers me on.  When I have bad weeks, she encourages.  Most of all she keeps me on the path, and keeps me from quitting.  And that, dear ones, is a big job...but she's not afraid to take me on...and for that, I love her dearly!

Tammi  - My kindred spirit; my "sister" in Canada!  I never knew you could feel such an instant bond with someone you've never physically met.  She and I were talking about this the other day, and it seems we have a new appreciation for online dating! ;-) She has become part of my every day life, always there to encourage, and ask how she can pray.  Sometimes it's so great to have one that is completely objective to share my heart, thoughts and feelings with.  On top of that, she is way dang funny, and keeps me in stitches!  What a breath of fresh (even if it is arctic!) air!

Betsy and Karen - My life-mates; When we were teenagers, Betsy gave me a card once that said "Always Sisters and Forever Friends".  That has become our motto.  We are thick as thieves, "we roll mad deep, yo"...and no matter how busy life keeps us, or how far apart we may be in miles, I know they have my back, and I have theirs.  As soon as we get together, whether for a family dinner, or a girls night out, it's like we've traveled back in time.  We have so much fun together!  We have our own language, and "secret" names for each other.  We sing, we talk, we laugh, we cry.  I cannot imagine two other people on this earth that I would have rather grown up with, and shared my life with.  As sisters go, I've got the cream of the crop!

Cookie and Erika -  My new friends; we haven't known each other very long, but I do so enjoy their company.  They don't even know this, but these ladies sharpen me...inspire me.  Such hearts for God, and His will for their lives, and for their friends, and neighbors, and yes, even this town! I am so glad that I have gotten to know them, and I look forward to deepening these friendships in the days ahead. You gals ROCK!

I am so thankful to be "doing life" with each one of these ladies. 

Today at Thankful Thursday, Iris has chosen the theme of "Glory".  Each one of us has been made in the image of our Creator.  HE IS GLORIOUS!! And that makes us glorious!!! More than that, we have been charged with revealing His glory to the world.  I can honestly say that every single one of these girls embodies the glory of God in my life. I praise Him for them!!

What are you thankful for today?  Stop by Sting My Heart to share your thankfulness, and be inspired by other thankful hearts.

Attention All Church Planting Wives

I just finished an incredible book that was given out at the Evolve Conference, to all church planter's wives.  (Notice that my title says "Church Planting Wives", not "Church Planter's Wives". There's a reason for that...I'll get to it in a minute...) The book is called My Husband Wants to be a Church Planter...So What Does That Make Me?  It is an EXCELLENT resource for any of you ladies who, like me, are in the beginning stages of this wonderfully wild ride!  If you are even considering the possibility of planting a church, you should read this book!

It is a compilation of essays from several different wives of church planters giving advice on many topics like time management, our role as the planter/pastor's wife, how to deal with criticism, and how to cope with the loneliness that often comes to us when our men are so busy.  There is even an article by Dave Ramsey on managing money, and one by Bob Lepine on keeping ourselves spiritually fit for the journey.

At the end of each chapter, or topical section, are letters "From Someone Who's Been There".  I found these notes to be very personal and encouraging.  It's almost as if they know you and the specific situations that you are encountering.  Each one speaks right to the heart.

Here are a few quotes from these essays and letters:

In broadest terms, each church planter wife should protect her husband.  Protect his heart by being the love of his life...    - Joyce Jackson

First of all, let's get one thing straight.  I am not a church PLANTER'S wife.  I am a church PLANTING wife.  I am not just the wife of a church planter.  I am the wingman.  The journey is mine just as much as it is my husband's... - Amy Colo'n

Boundaries aren't just psycho-babble.  Boundaries are important.  They are vital to you and your husband having a healthy, vibrant ministry that has a lasting impact on the lives of people. - Debbie Millman

Some things in life are inevitable and unavoidable.  Pain, heartache, tough times--these are all going to happen.  The question is, 'What will you learn from these things?'  When faced with life's curveballs and letdowns, you can run from them or grow through them.  I agree with motivational speaker Zig Ziglar who once remarked to my husband, "Make failure your teacher, not your undertaker." - Teresa Merrit

One of the best ways to fight off feelings of isolation and loneliness is to have a true heart friend... When you find a real heart friend, you have truly received a gift from God.  While your husband may be your best friend, you can't expect him to meet all your needs.  There are times when you just  need to have a good heart to heart talk with another woman who loves you and cares about you. - Niki Roberts

The final chapter of the book is called "We Said Yes" and it is written by Kim McManus.  Kim is the wife of Erwin McManus, whom you've heard a lot about here, because I have been reading one of his books.  They planted Mosaic, a church in Los Angeles,  California, where he is now the lead pastor and "cultural architect".  Kim's essay blew me away!  Every single word exudes her passion for Jesus, life, The Church, and her husband, as well as her refreshingly honest heart.  Here is a specific quote (actually, a series of questions) that really grabbed at my soul...

If "he" is your husband and "you" are you and "it" is church planting, here are my questions.

Can he do it alone? No.

Do you wan to do it, really?  No, yes, no, yes.  YES! or NO!

Can you stop him? Yes.  Can you make him miserable? Yes.

Can your marriage thrive? Big yes.

Can you plant this church and love it? Yes.

Can you move away from security and even safety? Yes.

Are you stronger than you think? Yes.

Are you strong enough to burn the bridges back to home? Yes

Are you scared? I was.

Is it wild and unknown? Yes.

Can you live with the discomfort and inconvenience of a whole new life?  Absolutely.

Can you move at the speed of light? Yes.......with naps.

So, if you are a church PLANTING wife, and do not already have a copy of this, I urge you to get it and read it...NOW! ;-) (You can download it, or request a hard copy, here.) There is such wisdom and inspiration here.  Personally, it has helped to ground me and prepare me for my journey.  I'll leave you with one last quote that has had maybe the most impact of all on my heart.  It's the final sentence of the book...

May your days be filled with tropical breezes, the word "yes", romance, imagination, and supportive love.  Be a storm of love all your precious days on earth and do it with all your heart.    - Kim McManus

Fearless For You

I waxed nostalgic today and decided to take a trip through the entries of my old blog.  I found this post (from October of 2006), and it resonated with me very strongly.  Not just because I have been battling with these same issues again (and I have) but because of two young women that I have had the opportunity to talk to over the last couple of weeks at church, who are fending off these same arrows.  I thought I would repost it here, so that if either one of them happened by, it might touch their hearts and encourage them.

Fearless...

I was listening to Building 429 when I came across this song.  The second verse made me stop in my tracks...seriously, it gave me goose-bumps!

The verse says "That the world may see, that the captives are free, that you have been heaven sent to us".

I am reading a book by Beth Moore called BREAKING FREE.  I may have mentioned it before, but it bears repeating.  The first memory verse for this study, and the basic premise for the whole book is Isaiah 61:1-4.

"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners;

To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn,

To grant those who mourn {in} Zion, Giving them a garland instead of ashes, The oil of gladness instead of mourning, The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.

Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins, They will raise up the former devastations; And they will repair the ruined cities, The desolations of many generations."

Did you know you were captive?  I used to think (like Beth) that this was only referring to lost people.  But even Christians can be kept in bondage by the devil, and not be truly victorious in our faith as God intends for us to be.  But there is GOOD NEWS!!! Jesus has been "heaven sent to us"...to SET US FREE!!!

Jesus himself, quoted this verse in the temple (his first "sermon", if you will) in Luke 4:18-19.   He knew this was his mission!  He has lived for thirty-three years on this earth.  He has experienced the same doubts and discouragements that the devil is tying you down with. He wants to release you!  Don't listen to the lies of the enemy that tell you "it's too late"..."you're too far gone"...IT IS NEVER TOO LATE!!! Come to Jesus with whatever is burdening you and weighing you down. Bring him your broken, wounded heart. Leave it at the foot of the cross.  Ask him for healing and restoration.  HE LOVES YOU AND WANTS TO GIVE YOU VICTORY!! This is the only way you can be truly FEARLESS for him. 

Our mission as those who have been set free is to PROCLAIM it to a lost and dying world.  If you have been truly set free from sin, and the doubt and despair of this world, why would you not want to tell the world!!

But I know for the cross
I'll consider it all lost
In an effort to tell of the truth
That the world may know
That the world may know
You have been heaven sent to us
(Chorus)
I'll be fearless for You
I'll be fearless for You
Take me I'm Yours
I'll be fearless for You

I have decided to make these beautiful words my daily theme song.  To live my life in such a way that others come to know this Jesus who can truly make them free!!!  Jesus, I give you all the glory!!!

So Much To Say...

...yet no words to accurately express what is so full in my heart. 

It's been a great day.

I've truly been ministered to by some wonderful friends.

But alas, that post will have to wait, because I am physically and emotionally spent.

So, I thought I would share a few posts that have really spoken to me today. 

Maybe you will be blessed by them, as well!

(If you're like me, you may need to secure a box of Kleenex before you read these...)

    Jenny Pruitt on "Living Freed"...

    Vince Antonucci's last post from Israel...

    Chris Elrod's post concerning Pete...

    Perry Noble's post concerning Chris Elrod's post concerning Pete...

Well, that's it for me.  Good night, Sweethearts!   

Oh the Glory of it All - DCB

I was listening to this song while cleaning up the house yesterday.  It spoke volumes to my heart!  I hope it speaks to you...

Tag I'm It!!!

Little Miss ValleyGirl has tagged me for the Middle Name Hoopla Meme. 

Here are the rules:

(1) You must post the rules on your post before you answer the questions.
(2) You need to list one fact about yourself using each letter of your middle name. If you don’t have a middle name use your maiden name instead.
(3) When you are finished with your answers, you tag one person for each letter of your name.

Well, Susanne is actually my middle name, and Holladay is my maiden name (which I think also, has previously been established).  So in order to go along with some of the "shock factor" associated with a meme like this, I am actually going to use my FIRST name given to me by my sweet and loving parents...although, I have always HATED the name...sorry if you are named this, it's just never been one of my favorites!)

P ::  Passionate  - as in extremely emotional, give it all you've got...not always a good thing, but when I love someone or something, I champion them.  It's just who I am.

A ::  Amiable (friendly) - I try to greet everyone I meet with a smile.  You never know what kind of day (or even life) someone is having... there's enough tough stuff in life, I try to be encouraging to everyone.

M :: Melo-dramatic  - Seriously, what else could it mean when your eight year old daughter's Sunday School teacher comes up to you at church and says,  "Emilee asked for prayer for you this morning.  She said you are stressed out about going out of town because you are such a drama queen!".  True story - I kid you not!! ;-)

E ::  Excited - I am so excited about the awesome work that God is doing in my life.  By submitting to his will and his plan for my life, I am never bored.  There are twists and turns, ups and downs, but no matter what...life is a grand adventure!

L ::  Loving - Well, since Pamela actually means "loving" what else am I supposed to put here! Ha ha!! Just kidding, I really do see myself as one who loves quickly, and deeply.  There are pitfalls to this however, because I am a lot more apt to having my heart broken...

A :: Affirmative (optimistic)  I try to always remember to find the rainbow in every storm.  Sometimes it seems as though the storms will never end, and it's hard.  But with my mind focused on Christ, I realize that "all things are working for my good", and that's what gets me through.

Since Tammi already tagged my whole dang family (hee hee), I am going to tag Priscilla, Robyn, Alycia, Nise', TKH, and Erika (she's new to the blogosphere, so be sure to stop by and tell her "hello"!).

Friday Five (On Saturday)

Here are the top five highlights of my week... (in no particular order)...

1.  Getting to spend three days and two nights of quality time with my KISA.

   

2.  Being able to attend Evolve Conference; meeting and connecting with so many great people, being taught and inspired by some awesome leaders, refueling our vision, and reconnecting with the One who called us out and burned this vision in our hearts. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, it was AWESOME!!

3.  Meeting and talking with Sheila (one of the "great people" above).  I've said it before, but she really made my day... Here's a picture of my sweet new friend and me!

4.  The looks on my children's faces when they woke up Wednesday morning, and realized that Mommy and Daddy were home! Nothing warms your heart like those precious little faces, so excited to see you and love on you... I'm going to cry just thinking about it!

5.  Family night!  I played Dora's Candy Land with Emilee and Sam, while "the big boys" worked on a Lego Project. Then, while watching The Pink Panther with Sam, I got my hair braided, and my feet massaged with peach lotion! (Thank you Emilee for pampering your Mama!) I have to agree with Chris, our kids are da' bomb! ;-)

 

On Living Well, and Being Thankful...

Here you go...another Two-For-One Special! ;-)

So I mentioned on Monday that Shawn Lovejoy challenged us at the Evolve Conference to be healthy leaders.  By healthy, he meant physically, spiritually, emotionally, and relationally fit.  He challenged us to practice self-discipline by submitting ourselves fully to God's discipline (2 Timothy 1:7).  As I processed this over the last couple of days, I have come to the conclusion that this is my problem.  In a nutshell, I lack discipline.  I have known this for a while now, but instead of quieting my heart and submitting to God's leadership on the matter, I continue to keep "taking the bull by the horns" by trying harder to do better.  While it is true that "God does not bless our intentions, he blesses our actions" (Bil Cornelius) I believe that he can only bless what I surrender to Him, and if I act alone, I am acting in vain.

So that being said, here's my plan of action for the next week.  Each day I will...

• Wake up thirty minutes earlier to have a quiet time with Jesus.
• Eat healthier: more whole grains, fruits and veggies; less sugar & carbs
• Drink 8 glasses of water, and limit my sodas to one per day.
• Exercise 5 days a week, with the following schedule:

Monday - One Mile Walk (Video)

Tuesday  - Pilates (Video)

Wednesday - Two Mile Walk (Video)

Thursday - Pilates

Friday - One Mile Walk

The good news is that since I last weighed (two weeks ago) I have lost 4.5 pounds!  I am ready to take this fresh start and build momentum so that I can achieve my wellness goals.  If you would like to join in the journey of Living Well, check out Darlene's Blog, or just post a comment/link here.

 

Now on to my thankfulness...

 

Iris has chosen the theme of Prayer for this weeks Thankful Thursday post.  It's interesting that she chose that topic, because that is another thing that God has shown me I am seriously deficient in:  Time alone with Him...not just talking, but listening.  God is not Santa Claus, and I am sure He gets absolutely sick to death of my laundry list of prayer requests, at times.  I am constantly going to Him and telling him what I need, or asking him to intercede on the behalf of others without the intimacy he longs for from me.  That would be like me going to Chris for money, car problems, household issues, or problems with the kids, and never spending any time with him telling him how much I love him and letting him love on me.  This is what Jesus wants from me.  And I am thankful that he is teaching me so many things regarding intimacy and prayer.  Prayer is a conversation; it is real, and genuine, and like the air I breathe, I cannot survive without it. 

If you would like to participate in Thankful Thursdays, please visit Iris at Sting My Heart. We'd love to have you!

Home!

Chris and I made it back to Florence at 11:30 last night.  We  literally snuck in  the house (everyone else was long asleep) dropped our bags in the floor of our room, and fell in the bed! Another jam-packed, wide-open, glory-filled day + an almost 6 hour ride = too pooped to pop!

Thanks to all of you who prayed for us on this trip.  I can honestly say that this was one of the biggest blessings I have ever received at a conference.  And that is major, considering how much we enjoyed Unleash last year! (Speaking of which, have you registered yet? I hear that space is limited!)

Thank you Shawn and David for offering such a great experience to Church Planters and their wives. And thank you to Shawn, Steven, Mark, and Bill for speaking the anointed words that this Church Planter and his wife needed to hear! Thanks to all the guys and gals we got to meet and hang out with that blessed us with great words of encouragement, and promises of prayer. And finally a huge thank-you to all the Mountain Lake volunteers that took time out of their busy schedules to help make this conference happen.  You guys (and ladies) were awesome! 

I will be posting more about our experience a little later.  For now, I have some beds to make, laundry to do, and coffee to drink! Man, I'm glad to be home! As great of a time as we had, I sure did miss my babies!!

Hey Y'all...From Cumming, GA!

So when I posted yesterday, I did not realize that Chris was planning on bringing the laptop with us!  ;-)  Isn't that cool? Now you don't have to wait until Wednesday to get "the scoop"!

We are here attending this conference, and all I can say is WOW!! What a day!!! I don't even know where to begin!  Well, actually I do.  I'll begin with a God Stop (even though it's not Friday). 

We came into town last night and checked in at the Hampton Inn, and got a wonderful night's sleep (which we needed after driving five hours and through an awful storm to get here).  This morning, we got up early and went to get breakfast before registration began at Mountain Lake Church.  As we walked through the door of the church, a pretty little blue-eyed lady approached me and said "Are you Captivating?" Realizing she was talking about my blog, I said "Yes...I am...", to which she responded, "I have got to tell you a story you are not going to believe!"  Her name is Sheila and she has just begun reading the book Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul by John and Staci Eldredge (which is where I got the idea for my title).  Unable to sleep last night, she got up and decided to Google the book and find out all she could about it.  Well...she found my blog! Not only that, she saw where I had posted about coming to the conference at HER CHURCH!  (How is that for a God Stop, Patti???)  It truly made my day, and in her husbands words, it was "God in motion"! TOO COOL!!!

As awesome of a start as that was, the day only got better!  We met some really great guys in varying stages of church planting, like Chris and J.R, and we got to hear from some awesome pastors/leaders!! Shawn Lovejoy spoke to us about being healthy leaders and really challenged us to get disciplined by submitting ourselves to God's authority in our lives.  In our break-out session, Devin Hudson challenged us to trust the power of the gospel to transform lives in a Post-Christian culture.  And Steven Furtick tore it up when he preached from Joshua 10, on being a Courageous Audacious Leader. (Check out Chris' "Evolve Day 1" post for some "quotable quotes" from these messages.)

Throughout the day we were lead in worship with great music by the praise team, and got to watch some of the guys from the Church Planting Blogosphere compete in a Guitar Hero Tournament.  The conference kicked off with the band playing "Born to be Wild" and David Putman entering the stage on his motorcycle.  Wild it was!  Wild and crazy and energizing and uplifting!

As we sat talking over dinner at a quaint little Italian restaurant, Chris looked at me and said, "What are your thoughts on today?".  My answer?  That I am exactly where God wants me to be. And that, my friends, is an awesome feeling!

Happy Sunday!

Good morning!

I just wanted to post a quick note to let you know that I will be out of the loop for the next couple of days. Chris and I will be attending the Evolve Conference (sponsored by ChurchPlanters.com) in Cumming, GA. We are very excited about all that we are going to learn and take in over the next couple of days. We are leaving after church today, so please keep us in your prayers for safe travel. Also lift up my sweet Mama, because she will be here taking care of the children in our absence. Thanks!! ;-)

I'll be sure to fill you in when I return!

Oh yeah...Happy Sunday!!

Valentine Greetings

For God so loVed the world,
         That He gAve
                   His onLy
                     BegottEn
                               SoN
                              That whosoever
                         Believeth In Him
                                Should Not perish,
                                 But have Everlasting life.”

                                              –John 3:16

I found this acrostic in my email inbox this morning, and thought it made the perfect Valentine's greeting! If you think about it, God sent the very first Valentine when He gave us His Son.  I am so thankful that even though I didn't deserve it, Jesus gave his life for me! I honestly don't know where I would be today without Christ in my life.  My prayer is that each person who reads this would have a wonderful, love-filled day, and that you would know with every fiber of your being that YOU ARE LOVED (1 John 4:9, Romans 8:38-39, Psalm 136)!!

Since it's also Thankful Thursday (you can join in here, if you'd like), I also want to take a minute to share my gratitude for these special people.  People who fill my heart with joy, and my life with love.

• My KISA - I chased you until you caught me...and I am SO GLAD I DID! I cannot imagine sharing my life with anyone else... You complete me!
• Emilee - My Sunshine, I love your tender heart and giving spirit!
• Jacob - My Sweetheart, you can never ever kiss any other girls but ME!
• Sam - My little Love-Bug, you give the best hugs in the world!
• Mom and Dad - Thanks for being shining examples of what TRUE LOVE is!
• Betsy and Karen - Nanny was right! No matter how much we fussed and fought growing up, we are "Always Sisters, and Forever Friends"!!
• Phillip - My kids sure do love their "Uncle Buck"!!! (And your big sister thinks you're pretty awesome, too!)
• Margie, Ralph, Misty, and Chris - for loving me as a daughter and sister
• My Friends - Always there... loving me in spite of myself!
• My Blog Buddies - Thanks for all your notes of love and encouragement over the last couple of weeks.  You'll never know how much that meant to me!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!!

Enquiring Minds Want to Know...

I found this little application over at ValleyGirl's blog, and thought I would give it a try. 

 

 

Here's the deal.  Ever since the day she was born almost everyone we meet/know has said Emilee (Princess) looks just like her Mama.  My Mom's best friend went so far as to say "I could see that child in China, and know who her Mama is!" 

And most people say that Jake (Jedi) looks just like Chris.  I've always thought so...when he was born I considered changing the name we had chosen to Jacob Christopher, but Chris wanted to use his Grandpa's name so we went with Jacob DeWitt. 

We get mixed reviews on Samuel (Monkey).  Until really recently most people thought he looked like me (as a baby he looked so much like Emilee it was scary!), now more say he looks like his Dad. I think he looks more like Chris now than Jacob does.

According to this, though (and I tried it with other photos getting virtually the same results) all of these kids are a good blend between Mom and Dad.  What do you think?  Do you agree?? Who do you think looks most like whom?  Leave a comment and let me know.

No matter what, we sure do make some good lookin' kids, don't we????

Sabbath

Having been cooped up in bed for the last three days with the flu, I've been able to do a little light reading.  Well, okay...I read a whole book! It wasn't a large book, but very entertaining, and I just couldn't put it down.  So I finished it. (Between doses of NyQuil and Theraflu.)

This little book spoke to me on many levels.  I have to say, I am not glad that I got sick, but I am glad that I had the opportunity to read it at this point in my life, when I was looking for rest and perspective.  God's just awesome like that isn't he??  He gives us exactly what we need when we need it. (Even if that means knocking us flat on our backs in bed!)

So, dispensing with the (un)pleasantries I'd like to get to the point of this post, and share an excerpt with you concerning Sabbath, and what (or rather who) it is....

"If I am going to get serious about living the Jesus life, I need to slow down.  But sometimes that seems impossible, because my life just keeps getting crazier and crazier.

And I've tried to make some self-initiated attempts to slow myself down, but any success they bring is brief at best.  So I have started turning to God and asking him how I'm supposed to slow down.

His answer is...Sabbath.

God has a plan for slowing me down and it's called Sabbath.  The idea is that, with his help, I will discipline myself to slow down on one day each week, and then it will start to spread to the rest of my life.

Sabbath is a commandment of God given in the Old Testament, but it's not meant to bind us.  Rather it is meant to give us the freedom to really live.  It's meant to slow us down so we can really love God and love people..."

"I used to think I had to live out the Sabbath so I could live life with Jesus, but now I believe I have to live life with Jesus so I can live out the Sabbath.

When I first encountered the idea of Sabbath, I thought of it as just a command to follow. So it was sort of like a jail cell...it felt very confining, like I was bound up in rules and boundaries.  But then I moved to a slightly more correct and somewhat healthier view of Sabbath, thinking of it as a day off or a brief chance to escape life's demands.  But I have moved on from that as well.  Now I think of Sabbath as a person.

I've come to believe that Jesus was not only God in the flesh; he also incarnated Sabbath."

(All emphases, mine!)

Wow!  Can you say "THUD"??? 'Cause that is the sound I heard when it felt like God had taken this "neat little book" and whomped me in my "dense little head" with it! ;-)

Yes, I need to restructure and re-prioritize... Yes, I need to say "no" to a few good things in order to say "yes" to the best things.  But mostly, and I alluded to this in my "Feel the Need" post, I just need JESUS!  He is rest!!

Talk about your confirmation!  It's like I could hear Jesus saying.  "Baby Girl, you are on to something here...now quit talking about it and JUST DO IT!!...and don't make me have to whomp you like that again!" ;-)

The author of the book concluded that chapter with this verse...

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Matthew 11:28-30 (The Message)

Yeah, seems like I've read that somewhere before, too.  (Like maybe that SAME POST I referenced earlier?...) Just the version is a little different.  But I think I like this one even better. 

So here I go... learning the "unforced rhythms of grace"...learning how to live "freely and lightly".  That's Sabbath.  That's JESUS!

_____________________________________________________________

Silly me! Would you like to know the author and title of this "neat little book"?  I bet you would.  I suggest you get yourself a copy.  And while you're at it, get one for a friend...or two... or three.

Let me also add the disclaimer that I was not taking NyQuil and Theraflu together, lest you think I was trying to O.D. The first didn't work very well, so I switched to the latter.  Which I am now renaming "The Miracle Hot Toddy", because I feel like I've been raised from the dead!! ;-)

Big Stuff...

Hey y'all...

Just wanted to stop in and ask for prayer tomorrow at 2:00 pm. Chris and I have a very important meeting in Columbia. God is continuing to do BIG STUFF in our lives, and this is another step in the process for us. Thanks!

Good Night! ;-)

Just a Quick Note...

I know...I know...

I am supposed to be on a "Bloggy Break"... ;-)

But I just had to let everybody in on ValleyGirl's Winter Giveaway!!!

Just click on the button (right) to find out all the details...

Be sure to tell her I sent ya! ;-)

My Heart-felt Thanks

Wow!! I am so humbled by and grateful for all of your sweet comments! Your love and encouragement has touched my heart in ways I could never express. Thank you all for your kind words, wishes, and prayers. I can feel them at work, through Christ, in me...

Just wanted to check in and let you know that I am doing better. Still not where I want/need to be, but getting there...

...One day at a time!

I am diving into The Word, and as my sweet Mama so sweetly inscribed in one of my Christmas presents, my goal is to "Read it! Inhale it! Soak it up!! Let it fill you to overflowing!!"

God is teaching me so much!!

He's showing me that it's not about "perfection" but BEING PERFECTED (James 1:2-4)...

...it's not about the destination, it's all about THE JOURNEY (Philippians 3:10-14)...

...it has nothing to do with my worth, value, or abilities, but it's ALL ABOUT HIM (Daniel 7:14)...

...and what HE can and will do through a life that is TOTALLY SURRENDERED (Luke 1:38) to Him!

(To Be Continued...) ;-)