One very potent guard against this risk is basking in the beauty of art – music, poetry, animation, and everything made to express an emotion or idea. Don’t forget how to FEEL while searching for Christ. Don’t forget to desire, dream, love, sing, dance, spin, scream and cry. It’s a good thing to be moved and inspired.

Thank you Arcade Fire and Pixar for reminding me of this.

What inspires you?

Sometimes when we are reading our latest devotional, I tune out and think – “Haven’t I had enough of this today? Haven’t I been diligent enough today? Haven’t I been practicing discipline enough today?” The answer is a resounding NO. I imagine the disciples had the same thoughts at the Garden of Gethsemane – just as Jesus was rebuking them for being fatigued. Wait…pray…stay alert. Yes, these are the things I must be doing.

Isaiah 40:31 Those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength. They will rise up on wings of eagles. They will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.

I have been doing a lot of praying, reading, and praising – BUT, I have NOT done a lot of waiting. Now…it’s time to WAIT. What are you waiting for?

So, what am I going to do with this beautiful thing called inspiration? I’m going to hide it in my heart and make 3 changes today:

1. Pray more
2. Practice more
3. Love more

It sounds simple, but really, these are the things that I neglect everyday. I know that if I’m faithful to do these things, the Lord will direct my steps and my works to align with His will. Be inspired today and make a change now.

Besides the most obvious of having a baby this summer, here’s what’s also changing and brewing:

• We are leaving our beloved church family at ORCC to following God’s calling to help start a church plant – Life Song Worship Center. Kick off day is Sept. 13th.
• Mark will be leaving his job that he loves in order for us to plant this church. Appliance repair anyone?
• I have started to fervently pursue my Wedding Hair and Makeup business. I’m booked almost every weekend through the end of September (except for 6 weeks where I’ll be home with baby June.) Check out my humble beginnings: Wedding Hair and Makeup
• Every room in our house has been reorganized and flooded with baby stuff. June already has more belongings than Mark and I combined. It’s like we are living in a new house.

That’s really all for now. We desperately need your prayers. The things listed above are requiring a huge amount of sacrifice, tears, and commitment from us. We won’t give up, we won’t back down, we won’t relent.

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me if only I can finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me…the task of testifying to the gospel of  God’s grace. -Acts 20:24 (I have this verse tattooed on my wrist…it has never meant more to me than right now).

I think it’s time for some spillage, but I can’t seem to get my thoughts in order. Tomorrow, I will have a good post. I promise. I’m not a dead link. And I’m not a mom blog (even though I can hardly keep my mind of my precious little baby girl, June). Here’s what happened in the past 2 weeks:

1. We felt June kick on the outside of my tummy for the first time – magical.
2. We had house guests from Missouri.
3. We are welcoming Joshua White into our home tonight. This will be our first “face-to-face” with anyone from the internets.
4. My face has gotten fatter – I’m fairly sure of this even though my friends swear it’s not true.
5. French fries make my feet swell up, but I can’t seem to stay away from them.
6. I started watching the HBO series, Big Love. It’s just wrong.
7. We had a snow storm and 2 snow days.
8. God taught me some lessons.
9. I miss my blog friends.

The young couple that lost Mason never knew Jesus, attended a church service or even prayed before they found out about the fate of their precious child. When the doctors told them at just 5 months pregnant that Mason wouldn’t live more than 10 minutes after birth, they found the closest church (ORCC) and gave their lives to Christ.

I got to meet them shortly after they started attending ORCC, and they have radically changed my life. Their faith, their understanding of the Word, their hunger for the Holy Spirit – it all took me by surprise. How could such “baby Christians” already have such an amazing grasp on loving Jesus? Shouldn’t their faith be shaken? Shouldn’t they lose hope faster than I do? Even now, after they lost Mason, they are still an inspiration and encouragement to me.

It makes me wonder what I may have lost in translation being raised in church. Have I become numb by reciting “church-isms”, singing songs, and quoting scripture that I don’t fully understand myself? Did faith lose it’s true meaning as I was praying for my 10-speed bike to be fixed and my barbie to be found? Did Jesus become a character like Santa or the tooth fairy?

What would it be like if I heard the Word and accepted Jesus as my savior for the first time NOW as an adult? Lord, I pray that I can hear your Word and follow your Holy Spirit with passion as if today was the first day I ever knew you.

Thank you, Mason…

I say, the only way – ONLY WAY – is through the power of the Holy Spirit and the love of Christ which is the only thing that can compell a man’s heart.

If this is true, why do we have to spend so much time on programs, gimicks, get togethers, and great lighting? I challenge us to look at the great revivals of our past. Revivals set up in dirty tents with uncomfortable seating. The people were hungry and desperate to experience a move of God.

I don’t believe the people who attend Hillsong Church go for the amazing light show – the Holy Spirit is truly present in that place. If your church is dwindling in numbers, I promise, it’s not the hole in the carpet or the lack of a 30 something group that’s keeping people away.

The people are still hungry and desperate!

However, what Mark and I do on Wednesday nights is just a small part of what Mark does at the church. You see, Mark works at our church…and I don’t. He gets to plan, write music, and cast vision all day long while I’m sitting in my 6′x8′ cubicle blogging, preparing reports, and writing emails.

I’m still trying to find where I fit into the whole ministry since I don’t actually work there. And the hard truth that I am coming to terms with is – I don’t fit in all of it.

There is a portion of the ministry that Mark and I do together and there is a portion that Mark will do with other people. I am learning to share the load and share my husband with a team…but it’s proving to be quite a hard lesson for me.

Heal my heart and make it clean.
Open up my eyes to the things unseen.
Show me how to love like you have loved me.
Break my heart for what breaks yours.
Everything I have for your kingdom’s cause.

I have become so calloused. A beautiful 9 year old girl told me yesterday that she is moving to Mexico on Friday (and traveling by bus) because her dad is in jail in Mexico and he wants to see her for Christmas. I was shocked to hear it, but my heart didn’t bleed for her. It didn’t hurt . But it hurts now as I listen to this song.

Jesus, BREAK MY HEART FOR WHAT BREAKS YOURS. Your people are hurting…I want to feel the hurt and pain because I’m afraid that’s the only way I will ever do anything about it.

Ministry/leadership transcends personality and friendships – If you are only kind to your friends how are you different from anyone else. Matthew 5:47. You will have to minister and work with people that you may not “mesh” with. The twelve discipes were comprised of some fisherman, a tax collector and a revolutionary – and the only thing they really had in common was Jesus.

Worship transcends music preferences and music altogether - this explains itself

When your message is not received, you must move on – I’ll warn about the dangers of bitterness and we will review what the deciples did when they were not received.

We will talk about some other things like family, finances and priorities. Pray for me and pray that the Holy Spirit moves! Any thoughts on this issue???