The Pursuit of a Life of Praise

2008-11-18T11:56:00.001-06:00

This is just a test to see if anyone really even reads this thing or not....I'm considering deleting it and I really don't have the time to post anything, but I consider starting again, if I knew someone read this. Anyway, this is a test, this is only a test!

2008-06-16T11:57:00.001-05:00

2008-05-29T11:54:00.000-05:00

YAY Praise Report!

2007-12-19T11:43:00.000-06:00

Praise Jesus Christ! God is awesome! Well, all the time, but specifically, I have a reason for such praise...my husband got a job! This was such a cool story. Ok, so, Chad's in flight school and he quit his job in February/March so that he could go to flight school full time. When we met with the school orginally, they told us that it was feasable to expect that Chad would be done in 9 months if he didn't have a job. What they forget to mention was also, if he didn't have a wife or a child, or go to church, and if he lived at school and always had the perfect weather to be able to fly every second as well.

So, we're in month 8 of flight school and we're definatley not seeing that 9 month prophacy come to pass. Since we planned for this, financially, we've realized that we need to look for a job. Chad has had like 4 interviews and put in like a million applications for a part time position since the beginning of November, even ridiculous things like the gas station up the street....we were desperate for anything! He got the run around from lots of places that said, "Everything looks great! We'll call you tomorrow and let you know!" (with no call ever....What happened to integrity?!)

Anyway, all that to say that he's been talking with the owner of his school, Irv, for a couple of weeks now about working at his RV storage place. Irv kept saying, "Call me and we'll schedule something for you to come in and talk." Well, after phone tag and Irv's goose hunting, Chad finally went in on Monday to see what could be set up. Pretty soon, Chad's shoveling snow and getting a schedule for the rest of the week! Isn't that awesome?! Praise God!

Yesterday was his second day and he came home so happy. I could just tell that he was tired and worn out, but he felt accomplished in it. It was good! He went right to sleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow. And he tried to even use the excuse for not doing the dishes! (It didn't work, by the way ;-)

This morning I took a call on the prayer line for a woman with a job need. She explained how she had tried and tried to get a job at a temp agency and never receieved anything, with anger in her voice. I tried to encourage her with, "Well, that must mean that God has something else for you."

She didn't want to believe that and responded, "No He doesn't! I needed those jobs!" Of course I knew that this wasn't true and began to pray for the words to speak. The Holy Spirit began to move and she said, "I'm sorry. I guess He does, I just really need a job now."

I began to pray for her and I know that God heard it and will meet her and exceed all of her expectations, if not for her benefit, but to prove Himself "faithful even when we are faithless bc He can not deny Himself!" (2Tim. 2:13) I could feel this woman's pain, discouragement, and hopelessness and I knew that God was touching me through all that too. The lesson ended up being more for me than her, I imagine.

God, THANK YOU! Thank you for your faithfulness. Thank you that you meet my needs according to your glorious riches, perfect timing, and perfect ways. You are more than I can think, ask, or imagine. I am sorry if I doubted any of your ways. I am sorry if I doubted your perfect love. I am sorry if I didn't believe that you were working for my benefit. Thank you for your forgiveness, mercy, and endless love! Thank you for Chad's job and I ask that you bless it. I pray that you cover him and allow his giftings, talents, and abilites to shine for your glory! We love you Lord and give you all the glory and praise! Amen.

My Christmas dilemna!

2007-12-14T11:03:00.000-06:00

Well, well, well...there are only 11 days left until Christmas! Are you ready? Everyone asks that, do you hear that question alot? How are you even supposed to answer? Do they mean, "Do you have all your presents?" or "Are you done wrapping?" or what? What I really think it is, is the filler question! What I mean by that is, ya know....the social question to fill the time. Who knows what I mean? Another example of this is the famous, "Hey! How are you?" but walking away before they answer. Or the "Hey, how's it going?" Instead of the normal, "Hello!" greeting. Or maybe the "ready" question is just a secret status update...like, "Did you get a present for everyone yet, bc I want someone else to tell me that they aren't done so I'm not the only fool not done!"

Either way, I think in all of these aspects of whatever the real meaning of this posed question, I'm not ready. I don't have everyone done, and I really don't think I'm going to get everyone done, and to be honest, I'm not that ok with it. I have a couple of people done and that's probably all I need. Of course, if I had a million dollars, I could think of 9 other people to get presents for, but I think that this year, I'm drawing the line.

This is the first for me, to be this confined in my giving. I am dealing with that. I know that might sound weird, but I used to get this and that for so and so and then get another present for them from Caleb, but this year's different AND I refuse to go into debt just to be a people pleaser. I am being delivered from this mentality and this is just a tiny step Jesus in taking me in so that my mind can be renewed and I can be set free. Anyway, I think there are alot of us "People Pleasers" in the world. I know my house is full of them. I married one and we are trying to keep our son protected from learning it, but already you can see the signs in him.

Here are only 3 ways to find out if you fall into this "People Pleasing" category:

ARE YOU COMPLETELY HONEST WITH OTHERS?
DO YOU DO THINGS OUT OF DUTY VS. DESIRE?
ARE YOU CONSTANTLY SACRIFICING YOUR OWN LEGITIMATE NEEDS?

Well, my answers are "no, most of the time duty, yes and then getting bitter with the person or thing that I am helping." I'm a total people pleaser. God is helping me. Anyway, Christmas is just one area that God is using to deliver me. I appreciate that, but it really sucks, just to be honest with you. I know for a fact that people are getting me gifts that I can not get gifts for in return and I know that this is not the purpose for Christmas anyway, but in my own warped mind, that's always been the way that it is. I also know that I am going to hate being completely uncomfortable opening and taking these gifts knowing all this. I hate that awkwardness! Anyway, this is the post today...am I alone? Any thoughts to share?

I have to stop . . .

2007-12-11T05:25:00.000-06:00

Well, I have decided that my addiction to CNN.com needs to come to an end. It's totally affecting me. I'm getting totally freaked out at home. I'm even more scared of the dark and wondering if an unidentified black clad gunman is going to break into my house and kill me with an assault riffle.

Yesterday morning, my alarm went off. Usually, at this time, I snooze at least once. (It's not easy getting up at 3am.) But, oh not this day....this particular morning I smelled coffee as soon as I woke up....COFFEE?! So, I'm thinkin, "Why do I smell coffee? I did NOT set the timer until 4:30! Who in the world is out there messing with my coffee pot?! They must be real sickos to try to lure me out there with coffee so they can rape and pillage my body before the shoot me in the head!"

So, I roll over slowly and quietly, as not to make any creaking bed noises. I lean over towards my warm, sleepy husband and whisper, "Honey! Do you smell coffee?! I didn't set the alarm until 4:30! Somethings wrong!" He's kinda non-responsive to my life threatening emergency, so I tip toe to the bathroom to put my robe on and get my glasses, so I can quickly identify the perpetrator's face in case Jesus mercifully saves my life after my near-fatal head shooting.

I open the door as silent as possible and wait to see if I hear anything. I'm waiting for the man to jump out and grab me or to see if maybe he's waiting in the living room and I can hear heavy breathing. I slowly and carefully walk my fingers up the wall to turn on the hall light. I look both ways to see if he's right outside the door frame. I see nothing, so I proceed down the hall. I come to the bathroom door. I stop and wait again. I lean on the opposite wall and peer inside the dark room so see if his figure is looming nearby. I see nothing, so I move across the hall to look past the corner down the stairs to see if that's his hiding place. Nothing again. Next I stretch over to make sure that he's not trying to crouch down behind the counter. Again nothing. Nothing in the living room. Nothing in the kitchen.

So...who messed with my freakin' coffee maker?!

I walk over to the small appliance to make sure that I am not crazy and that I DID set it for 4:30am only to discover that the clock read over 2 hours fast! So, all that to say I'm a paranoid freak and that I did set it for 4:30am and that indeed my house was safe and free from any coffee criminal masterminds. The more and more I thought about it, the more and more I thought, "I'm ridiculous! Who in the world would try to beckon me out in the kitchen with coffee only to shoot me in the face when if they were really that twisted anyway, they could have just shot me and my family while we slept helplessly in our bed?!"

To top it all off, I have never had so many bed dreams in my life then when I started to CNN.com. The whole reason that I stopped watching the news was because it was depressing and sad. I got sucked into CNN.com bc my friend directed me to a news story featuring a 22 lbs newborn in South America. It was over then! I thought, "Ok, well, this way, I can still read the news and only pick the stories that I want to read." Next thing I know, I'm reading about a serial killer pig farmer from Canada wondering how in the world someone can be so full of the devil.

I wish there was a news cast where all they did was give praise reports. At work, we get monthly emails about how people received prayer from someone at the ministry and called back or wrote back and said how God answered it. We should have something like that instead. Anyway, maybe I'll post some of those instead. So, I can't read CNN.com anymore. Pray for deliverance for me in the mean time.

~Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.~

Wait -

2007-12-07T14:37:00.000-06:00

1. to remain inactive or in a state of repose, as until something expected happens (often fol. by for, till, or until): "to wait for the bus to arrive."

2. (of things) to be available or in readiness: "A letter is waiting for you."

3. to remain neglected for a time: "a matter that can wait."

4. to postpone or delay something or to be postponed or delayed: "We waited a week and then bought the house. Your vacation will have to wait until next month."

5. to look forward to eagerly: "I'm just waiting for the day somebody knocks him down."

6. to continue as one is in expectation of; await: "to wait one's turn at a telephone booth."

7. to postpone or delay in expectation: "Don't wait supper for me."

8. to be in readiness for; be reserved for; await: "Glory waits thee."

9. to attend upon or escort, esp. as a sign of respect

10. an act or instance of waiting or awaiting; delay; halt: "a wait at the border."

11. a period or interval of waiting: "There will be a long wait between trains."

12. wait on, (a) to perform the duties of an attendant or servant for, (b) to supply the wants of a person, as serving a meal or serving a customer in a store, (c) to call upon or visit (a person, esp. a superior): "to wait on Her Majesty at the palace. "

13. wait up, (a) to postpone going to bed to await someone's arrival. (b) to halt and wait for another to join one, as in running or walking: "Wait up, I can't walk so fast."

I suppose that everyone is waiting for something…”breakthrough” I guess. I really hate that word. People call in for prayer all the time and say, “I need a breakthrough!”

I usually follow with, “Breakthrough for what?!” I don’t want to sound uncompassionate or heartless, but that phrase is so overused and most of the time, by people that don’t mean “breakthrough” but “hand out.” Even myself! I find myself in a season of waiting for a “breakthrough” but really…why should I believe that I deserve anything! Christine Cain said once, “…what we really deserve is eternal damnation!” How true! Who am I that I should expect anything from the Lord based on what I DESERVE?!

I’ve been thinking about what it is that keeps us in wait. Maybe it’s disobedience. Maybe it’s a lesson from God. Maybe we are not ready for what we are waiting on and in the end, it will be a stumbling block for us instead of a blessing. Maybe we don’t know how to pray for it. Maybe God’s working behind the scenes the whole time! I find that usually it’s the last one.

This past week at church, Pr. Shawn taught on expectation/hope. It was a wonderful teaching. Just researching the God of hope, you find SO many verses where the Lord is trying to teach us to have hope in HIM through waiting. In the Amplified version, Psalms 42 and 43 teach us to wait expectantly, nonetheless! Isaiah 30 gives a blessing to those that wait on the Lord. Hosea 12 teaches us to wait in Him always! And the list continues . . . Here’s just a few . . . my favorite is the last . . .

Psalm 25:5
“…you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.”

Rom 5:5
“And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”

Psa 42:11
“Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”

Isa 30:18
“Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!”

Psa 62:5
“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.”

Rom 15:13
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Psa 38:15
“I wait for you, O LORD; you will answer, O Lord my God."

Jud 1:21
“Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.”

Mic 7:7
“But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.”

Does God Use Cracked Pots?

2007-12-06T08:05:00.000-06:00

by Joyce Meyer

Do you have joy in your life every single day? This is God's will for you, and He has provided the keys that will bring happiness, contentment and joy regardless of your circumstances.

Are you convinced that your particular circumstances make happiness and enjoyment impossible for you? Well, it’s not true! The keys that God offers you are designed to open doors that you may have thought were locked forever.

Learning to be happy with yourself is a very important key to enjoying your life. If you know that God wants you to enjoy life, why does it sometimes seem impossible? Could it be that you’re unhappy with yourself because you're not perfect? God doesn't require us to be perfect—He made us, and He knows we’re human and will make mistakes. Our job is to get up every day and do our best to use the keys He has provided for us. And when we fail, we must get right with God, receive His forgiveness and go on. We need to quit being so hard on ourselves and enjoy our lives right where we are.

Many people feel that God can't use them because they’re not perfect—this is a lie. God (the Potter) uses cracked pots (that's us) to do His work. As Christians, we are containers that God wants to fill with His goodness and light. Then we’re to carry that goodness and light to a dark world, sharing it with people everywhere we go. Don't be afraid of your flaws; acknowledge them and allow God to use you anyway. Quit worrying about what you're not and give God what you are.

I once read a story that beautifully illustrates the value of cracked pots:
A water bearer in India had two large pots hanging at the ends of a pole that he carried across his neck. One of the pots was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house. The other pot had a crack in it, and by the time it reached its destination, it was only half full. Every day for two years the water bearer delivered only one and one-half pots of water to the master's house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments—perfect to the end for which it was made. The poor little cracked pot was ashamed of its imperfections and miserable that it could accomplish only half of what it had been designed to do. After two years of what the imperfect pot perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer and said, "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you."

"Why?" asked the bearer, "What are you ashamed of?"

"Well, for these past two years, I have been able to deliver only half a load of water each day because this crack in my side allows water to leak out all the way back to the master's house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all this work without getting the full value of your efforts," the pot said.

The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, "As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path." Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot noticed the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because half of its load had leaked out once again.
Then the bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path and not on the other pot's side? That's because I've always known about your flaw and took advantage of it by planting flower seeds on your side of the path. Every day as we walked back from the stream, you watered those seeds, and for two years I have picked these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just what you are, he would not have had this beauty to grace his house."

Like that cracked pot, you too can accomplish wonderful things. You can make somebody happy. You can encourage, edify and exhort those around you. You can use your gifts and talents to serve God—and as a bonus, you’ll learn to have joy in every area of your life.

My day . . . .

2007-11-30T11:42:00.000-06:00

Did I mention that Catherine and Josiah are getting married? I think so, but regardless today I am going to David's Bridal to get the dress. Here's a pic:

I am sure that I will look as stunning, or maybe more without that weird leg crossing pose.

I also gave blood today. I am wearing a sticker that says, "Be nice to me, I gave blood today!" So, please heed the sticker. What else can I tell you...I'm addicted to CNN.com. Actually, I really want to get off and go look at it, but I made a commitement to do more blogging, so here you go. I get paid today...God is SO good to me...I have to go to the prayer line in 10 minutes, so if you call in before 2, I might get your call. The number for prayer is 1.866.349.3300. I doubt that you will get this in time, but if you do, great! Hum....Oh yeah! I'm going to TN next weekend with Gina! This is something that we have aspired to do for YEARS! For real! And so we are going to see Jamie in TN. I think we are going to be visiting with her for Saturday afternoon, but we will be staying with Glo, so we will be visiting more with her and Jackson. (For pics of her and Jackson, visit G's blog.) Jamie also has a website and you can visit G's blog for that link too. She's a missionary to Turkey. Anyway, I have just 7 minutes to feed my addiction...so signing off for now! Outtie 5 G!

Senator Grassley's Letter

2007-11-30T11:35:00.000-06:00

Hey, JMM is under some persecution, but God is good and I trust that His truth will prevail. Please be in prayer for the ministry and for the Meyer family. If you want to check out our website and see what's going on visit this link.

2007-11-20T17:25:00.000-06:00

U P D A T E !!!!
I feel like if I don't title it huge like that, people won't get it. It's true...here's an update for ya.

Um, some details for ya...I'm still at JMM (Joyce Meyer Ministries) and I still love my job. We're going through a trial right now, but God is good and I trust that His truth will be revealed through it and that instead of the breakdown that people are attempting to throw at the ministry, I am confident that they will see the integrity and honesty of JMM. So, it should be good. We're not doing overtime any more and that's bitter sweet...bitter for the paycheck and sweet for the time's sake. God has increased my territory there and I am so grateful. He has given me more responsibilities and privileges and my job has become even better. I just celebrated my 1 year anniversary and it seemed to fly by for me. I am doing an early shift from 5am until 2pm and it's freakin hard! Caleb gets off school (that's right I said school) at 3pm and so it gives us more family time. It makes issues like bedtime at 7:30 and mid-week services at church impossible, but I really thought it would be great and sometimes it still really is! I don't so much appreciate it when the alarm goes off at 3 am, but I sure do when I clock out at 2:02pm! Ok, so moving on . . .

I'm still married . . . ha! And I still really love that too! We actually just went on a marriage retreat with our church and it was really cool. Chad and I were so I am glad to get away for the weekend and stay in a lodge. We haven't gone away since the honeymoon, so we very excited! It was awesome! We were the "youngest" couple there with 9 months under our belt. When we arrived there were rose petals on the bed and (plastic) champagne glasses with a bottle of sparkling grape juice (yuck!)...and chocolate covered strawberries (yum!) The teaching was very cool too. The speaker was Ted Cunningham, from the Smalley Relationship Center. He spoke on conflicts that marriages face are never the conflicts but reflections of one's heart. It was challenging and funny! We enjoyed it! It does get sweeter though, even just after 9 months.

Chad is still flying high. Right now he is working on his instrument and commercial rating. Right now, we are looking into a part time position and believing God for the right schedule, location, and pay...God's faithful like that I we trust that it's going to be perfect. He took me and Caleb up a few weeks ago and it was beautiful. The leaves were perfectly peaking in color and it was such a blessed time. We flew up to the U of I airport and hung out there for a little and ate a snack...awesome FBO! (That's a pilot term. It basically means a place in the airport were you can chill, eat, relax, and get updated info about the weather.) So, that is going pretty good. There are slow times and busy times depending on our schedule and the weather, so that's why we're looking for a part time position to add more "structure" to our lives and add to the income. He did a night flight last night to Sikeston and ate at Lambert's. (He brought me a roll, isn't that nice?! And they actually threw it to him ;-) Anyway, so he is still going strong with that and of course it has it's challenges, but God is awesome and it's through those challenges that He completes something in us. So, we remind each other of that.

Caleb! Oh Caleb! He's great! He's SO funny! He just says funny stuff all the time. The other night we were praying before bed and he went to pray for me and he said, "God I pray you just bless this food...wait, let me start over!" I asked him if he was going to eat me. He's so great! He is in kindergarten and he is doing very well. He just got him report card and I am glad to report all O's (outstanding) and S's (satisfactory) and where he could get actual grades, he got all A+. So we were excited for him. He's reading everything...he loves to read and I love listening to him. He is learning stuff that I remember learning in 2nd grade. I guess they just do things differently now, but I think that he will definitely be smarter than me very soon. He's growing so much too...he grew 3 - 4 inches in just the past 9 months! Anyway, so that's the scoop on the monkey! I love having him!

What else? Oh yeah! Josiah is getting married too, to my oldest (still) friend, Catherine. We got pregnant with our sons at the same time and Jayden and Caleb are 3 days apart. Cat started coming to our church almost 2 years ago and it was love at first sight, right Cat?! Josiah actually at one point went up to Cat with a list of reasons why she would not like him and they ended up talking most of the evening and scheduled a coffee date the next week. It was a done deal from then on and they are getting married April 4, 2008. Chad is Josiah's best man (Chad calls it "pretty good man") and I am a bridesmaid. So that should be cute! It's exciting too bc Catherine also has a little girl named, Janey and Josiah is going to be the best dad. It's fun that both Chad and Josiah now have kids the same age. Well, we don't have plans for a little girl yet, but we'll catch up someday ;-)

Also, I am hanging out with Gina and Elise more. We're trying to get stuff together more. It's been hard sometimes with our schedules so opposite now, but we're trying everything we can to squeeze it in there. The other day Gina and I attempted to put a desk together and that didn't work, bc we stopped to go get a couch and then we got sidetracked again bringing it in bc we cleaned Elise's room up and so it just felt like the "old" days when we would just hang out and do whatever and just be together. I was so giddy just thinking about how excited Elise was going to be when she came home to her room. It was a wonderful warmth that I haven't felt in such a long time. I remembered doing that kind of stuff for her and her for me and so it was awesome to be able to connect that way. I hope that makes sense...it just felt normal. That's the best way to describe it. Since I got married, it's been hard to figure out what "normal" means bc before I was married what would have been "normal" was impossible now and so all three of us have been trying to figure out how to be friends all over again. God's been helping us and I think He's bringing us into a new season. Anyway, so they both came over last night and we made "Chocolate Balls." This is a highly technical term for some crazy dessert with Oreo cookies and melted chocolate (sorry for the semi-sweet, G!) I think they turned out pretty good and I brought them to work today to share and I didn't bring any back, so I guess they didn't mind that it wasn't milk chocolate too much.

So, that's a long post for now. As you can see, I'm still figuring life out after the wedding compared to before the wedding. I apologize that I haven't posted much, I hope that you enjoyed what you read so far and I'll do what I can more in the future. Alright...peace out!

Thank you for calling Joyce Meyer Ministries! This is Jennifer speaking...how can I help you?

2007-07-05T11:28:00.000-05:00

Oh boy! What a month June was! We've had overtime for like the past 4-5 weeks. Sometimes it's been 1 hour and sometimes it been 2 hours mandatory, and it's always been as much as you want voluntary. So, I've taken advantage of it and we've tried to earn some extra bucks. Money's been tight lately with one income instead of 2 very comfortable incomes. It's been fun!

Weird to say, but it's amazing to know that God is using me to help Chad fulfill the destiny God had for him, and when it's all finished God is going to use Chad to help fulfill the call God placed on my life. That's a ginormous revelation of the partnership of marriage. I thank God for that. His helped us throughout it all too, providing everything that we would need, the second that we would need it. SO faithful, this God!

Caleb is doing well. He turns 6 on Saturday. SIX! That seems crazy to me that I have a six-year-old. I am enjoying this growing up thing more and more. I used to want him to be young forever, but he just keeps getting more and more fun! He says that funniest stuff! Chad and I just look at each other and just smile. It makes me fall more in love with my child. On top of it all...we have family dinner almost every night and Caleb eats it! That is a miracle from the Lord! His favorite food is polish sausage...weird, I know?!

Chad has taken rightful ownership as a "daddy" and God is redeeming the time that they were apart. Caleb is all boy and he loves that Daddy meets him right where he is. It's been the easiest transition that we have had to make. We thought (and were told) that it would be the hardest. Somethings that we thought would be the easiest are proving to be the hardest, but still through the trials, we learn and we grow together. It makes me excited about what we are going to look like in 25 years into this!

Well, that's what I've got for now. I don't blog much any more. I just don't have the time and what time I do have, I want to spend on my family and friends. Face time is extremely scarce and therefore, very valuable. I love you all still and I do miss you, the comments, and even the debates that got carried away at times :-) But, at least Gina's still going strong. "The first shall be last and the last shall be first!" Twisted, but so true in this blogging instance.

Quote of the Day . . .

2007-06-25T17:56:00.000-05:00

"So, since you are so beautiful Mom, I was thinkin's that we should all play a game together!"

~ Caleb Sebastian (He's pickin it up early, huh?!)

2007-05-12T13:47:00.000-05:00

So, it's been awhile, like a long while, since I have really given you an update. Please don't hold your breath, bc this really isn't one either...it's just a nugget. My husband quit his great paying job at STL Honda and became a full time flight student to become a pilot. This was (is) a leap of faith! We believed (and still do) that God ordained all of this and that He will manage the details. He has gone above and beyond so far and I know that what He leads us to, He will lead us through all for the glory of His name. Moses fully understood this too when God wanted to kill the Israelites and make a great nation out of Moses bc the people's hearts had turned away from God. And he actually told God (I'm paraphrasing), "He God, you don't wanna do this. Then the Egyptians are gonna here about it and it's totally gonna look bad on you and that's not cool. This is about your glory, so don't do that, ok?" And God was like, "Geeze, Moses, I sure gave you a lot of wisdom, didn't I?! Ok, I won't. But, just bc you said so!" Now, how intimate in relationship do you have to be to remind the Creator of the ENTIRE UNIVERSE about something like that? Crazy! And on top of that, Moses had a humble enough of a heart to think like that, when I am sure that his flesh wanted to be like, "Yeah! Burn them all! They've been nothing but disobedient and they keep whining to me too!" I am sure that he wanted to get out of that freakin' desert and see that promise fulfilled that he had been waiting for.

I want that with God and I want to have that outside perspective where it's not about me, it's not about my plan, it's not about me getting past this season of "waiting" and get back to "what I'm really supposed to be doing with my life?" Do you ever catch yourself thinking that too? What is that? Why does "really living" have to be only the good things in life? Why can't life be both? The flesh is so fickle. This is exactly why God wants us to rejoice in the trials.

Anyway, reading further into that story of Moses, you find out that because he broke faith - HE NEVER ENTERED INTO THAT PROMISED LAND! And that is downright scary. I can see this same story played over and over in my life. Details totally different, but this faith journey totally the same. Some ended in victory, some defeat. Regardless, mercy let me find the lesson in it all. What an encouragement for me and my family.

All that to say that I am very happy to announce that Chad flew is first solo today...I'm so proud of him! To God be the glory that once again He has proven to be our LORD!

Shining as Stars

2007-04-29T19:31:00.001-05:00

"Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing."

Wow! This is powerful! What a challenge! So, I guess that includes things like working, driving, parenting, marriage, frienships, and even being in this country. I wonder if Paul had the gift of prophecy?! Well, shine away!

Palm Sunday!

2007-04-01T19:41:00.000-05:00

Hosanna

Praise is rising
Eyes are turning to You
We turn to You
Hope is stirring
Hearts are yearning for You
We long for You

When we see You we find strength to face the day
In Your presence all our fears are washed away
Washed away

Hosanna Hosanna
You are the God who saves us
Worthy of all our praises
Hosanna Hosanna
Come have Your way among us
We welcome You here Lord Jesus

Hear the sound of hearts returning to You
We turn to You
In Your kingdom broken lives are made new
You make us new

‘Cause when we see You we find strength
To face the day
In Your presence all our fears are washed away
Washed away

(words and music by Paul Baloche and Brenton Brown)

Finally . . . an update!

2007-03-19T12:59:00.000-05:00

SO I GOT MARRIED! I'm sure that most of you already knew that from Gina's phenomonial blog, but for you that didn't - there ya go! I did it. It's done. I'm living it now. And let me tell you people . . . it's the greatest! People were right - IT'S WONDERFUL!" And, oh boy, is it hard! Amazingingly hard! I think that's how it should be. Constantly denying the flesh to raise and lead by the spirit is not natural, so naturally, it's going to be hard.

Gal. 5:17-18, "My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God's Spirit. Then you won't feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why don't you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence?"

My husband is great! He is even more incredible as a husband than he ever was a boyfriend/fiance. He is gentle, kind, and patient. He is encouraging and challenging. And he loves me! This may seem like a weird statement, but when you've been doubting that your "fairy tale" will ever come true, this truth is mind-boggling. He tenderly loves me the way that we should love and always through the filter of the Holy Spirit.

AND he's the best dad in the world! We recieved so much advice on parenting and how difficult of a transition is was going to be for all three of us, espcially Caleb. However, God's grace has once again proven that it's readily available in it's abundancy and there is no situation that it can not cover. Caleb is TRULY a "daddy's boy!" Praise God!

We've had our share of sickness, trials, tests, and paperwork (there is always SO much paper work when you get married) but God has proven to be the Healer, Forgiver, Guider, Lover, and Giver. We are always learning and always seeing God in new aspects and situations within each other. Chad gets to see our God through the eyes of "Daddy" and "Provider." Caleb gets to see our Father through the eyes of a child who has seen the "Hero" answer his every prayer for a daddy. And I get to watch creation unfold through their beautiful relationship. I can see that God has truly made a masterpiece from a lump of miry clay and that He is constantly molding and shapping more until this family looks exactly like the body of Christ. Hence the next post to maybe help someone learn something that we pursue daily in our home.

Well, I know that this is short, but I pray it was sweet. We have to put our creative monkey to bed now . . . I love you all!

The 16 "NEVERS" of Communication with Your Spouse

2007-03-19T12:08:00.000-05:00

NEVER speak rashly.
NEVER confront your spouse publicly.
NEVER confront your spouse in your children's presence.
NEVER use your children in the conflict.
NEVER say "never" or "always."
NEVER resort to name-calling.
NEVER get historical.
NEVER stomp out of the room to leave.
NEVER raise your voice in anger.
NEVER bring anyone into the discussion unless they are a direct part of the problem being addressed.
NEVER win through reasoning or logic and never out-argue.
NEVER be condescending.
NEVER demean.
NEVER accuse your spouse with "YOU" statements.
NEVER allow an argument to begin if one/or both of you are overly tired, if one of you is under the influence of chemicals, or if one of you is physically ill.
NEVER touch your spouse in a harmful manner.

2007-01-11T12:53:00.000-06:00

I don't blog much, just for the record!

2007-01-05T13:59:00.000-06:00

Count down is to 22 days . . . that not much, but it's all I got for now! Love you guys and miss blogging!

2006-11-30T21:46:00.000-06:00

TO GOD BY ALL THE GLORY AND HONOR! Elise Katherine Mullins was hit in a head on car collision last night. There are crazy pictures on the way, but fact alone that she is alive is a miracle, and how much more so that she's only suffering major cuts and scratches, brusies and she's obviously very sore. She's in alot of pain, but we are praying her through and God is so good that I know that she's completely in His ministering hands. Please continue to pray for her and for the conintued restoration after this event. THANK YOU JESUS!

2006-11-30T21:34:00.000-06:00

Gina, is crazy talented, isn't she! Not only did she take all these pics, but she put together this amazing layout! I love this girl! ALSO, she has started a website for us and the wedding stuff, so take a look for more details www.dittmannandtrost.weddings.com

GINA - I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

You wanted details huh?! Well, here it goes . . .

2006-11-30T20:13:00.000-06:00

Alright, well, I started my new job. I work for Joyce Meyer Ministries in the Call Center. I take calls from all her partners, donations, orders, answer questions, etc and I pray with people that need prayer and then specifically pray with people that call into our prayer line 2 hours out of the day. It's great! I still love my job and I have been there over a month now. It's amazing to work with people that love the Lord. In our meetings, everything starts in prayer and everything ends in the call to pray for whatever it is that we talked about. When people have a stressed phone call, they pray. When there is a problem about the computers, we pray. We talk about the Lord all the time....that's the best part. I am surrounded by believers and I've made some great friends too! It was mind-blowing at first, bc I wasn't used to being in constant fellowship. People read their Bibles in between phone calls and everything! It's awesome! That doesn't mean that it's not a job. That doesn't mean that we sit around and pray in tongues all day, and talk about how great the Lord is....but it does mean that in all that we do, we give glory and honor to our King and give Him the best work of our hands possible. It's a job that's a ministry. That's the bottom line. It isn't just a job and it isn't just a ministry. I love it all in all and I am blessed to work there. That has been a constant thought in my mind.....I am blessed. Dave and Joyce really take care of their employees. So, now you're updated on the job situation. Let's move on . . . .

I'M GETTING MARRIED! Oh boy! God is the coolest ever! Chad Trost asked for my hand in marriage on Oct 15, 2006 and I sqealed "YES!" (about 3 times, just to make sure that he heard me!) He took me back to the very spot that we had our first date. It was beautiful and it was so tender. It was good to see him get so nervous and so giddy! And the ring........oh my goodness! Sometimes it's still hard for me to believe that life is really like this. A single mom can really be Cinderella and God (not a fairy god-mother) still works all things out for the good of those that love Him and are called according to His purpose. I serve a God like that?! In spite of myself, He loves me and is my good Daddy who wants to give me good things from the Heavenly lights above!

So, even now as I write this, we are 58 days away from the wedding and I'm freakin' getting antsy! It has become increasingly difficult to leave him at the end of the day and everyone tells me that it's supposed to be that way and that it's a good sign, blah, blah, blah....but God is helping us out. That's all I can give you for now, but just keep praying if you feel led. I know that God hears it and answers accordingly....otherwise without prayer, this entire post wouldn't exist.

2006-10-28T09:49:00.000-05:00

I am so sorry that I have been so crazy busy with life that I haven't had time to post about the 2 biggest things ever on this blog....but it's coming! Meanwhile, know that I started my job this week and it's awesome! Every prayer that I have been praying and prayer that has been prayed over me HAS been answered with this job. It's incredible and the Father is amazing! Praise Him, HE is worthy!

As far as the wedding, we set the date for Jan 27th of this upcoming year, so plans are already in motion for that. We are super excited and again God has soon us amazing favor in so many ways. Please continue to pray for us, pray for our family. I will write a detailed post soon. I love you all! Thanks for your prayers. God hears them and answers always above and beyond!

BIG NEWS!

2006-10-19T01:26:00.000-05:00

I'm getting married! I know that you all want details, but I'm so crazy busy and I promise that it's on the way! Stay tuned.....

2006-10-13T16:42:00.000-05:00

I GOT THE JOB! Thank you for your prayers. God is incredible! More details to come . . .

My interview

2006-10-11T19:52:00.000-05:00

Ok guys...my interview is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 13 at 1pm. So, please go to the throne of grace on my behalf if you feel so led. Also, BOTH Caleb and I do not feel well. I just have a cold, but Caleb's cold has turned into Bronchitis. So, while you are lifting that job need up, please pray for our health. I really appreciate that you would take the time to pray for me. God is going to hear your prayers and bless you for even praying for me. I pray that He does so in double portion. Thanks so much and I will keep you posted on the job, of course!

Update...

2006-10-09T17:00:00.000-05:00

A lot of people have been praying for my job situation for quite a long time, actually. Well, I recently had an interview with a position that I really want. The benefits are incredible and the list continues with how amazing this job would be. Today I recieved a call from the HR lady that interviewed me and she wanted to let me know that they want to have a second interview with me. Praise God! Thanks you for your prayers and support. I really appreciate that you have taken the time to pray for me and for my son. I am humbled by your love and amazed that the Creator fills my life with people like you. I love you all! Thanks again!

...random...

2006-09-27T11:00:00.001-05:00

Ya know, I just FREAKIN' love VARSITY! I just do! They are incredible. I love just being in the same room with them. I love just watching them interact. I love listening to them. Not enough people listen to High Schoolers. Well, not enough people listen overall, but especially to the High School age teens. There really is no point to this post except to say that. I love them! Also, guys, get ready...VARSITY is moving onward and upward and we are about to see major changes in the coming months with our group. So, get on board and get involved even more because we want you all to have a hand in it. We need you guys and we want you guys...We'll talk more about it soon, but be prepared!

quote of the day . . .

2006-09-22T09:33:00.000-05:00

"...God's supernatural provision for humanity is most recognizable when we find ourselves in a wilderness devoid of self-sufficiency...Our own insufficiencies are only invitations to experience the supernatural sufficiency of a universally powerful, personally responsible God!"
~ Beth Moore

"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
~ 2Cor. 12:9 - 10 (NIV)

"Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am."
~ Phil 4:13 (MSG)

A couple of points from last night's meeting . . .

2006-09-22T08:53:00.000-05:00

I really have a hankerin' for some strawberry water and some Belgian cream-puffs! Anyone with me?
October, Novemember, December, January, and 2 weeks in February. That's only 4 and a half months!
Some people missed the memo about the dress code of long shirt underneath short sleeved shirt!
Get your REVOLVE tickets and no one is allowed to take smoke breaks.
Kristi G. was very comfortable with her friends last night.
Jamie did not drop Lily!
Eli James wears the COOLEST shirts!
Lily-Pearl is the cutest sneezer!
Lightning McQueen may ALWAYS interrupt.
Hebrews 12:11 - No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
Revelation 3:19 - Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.
1 Corinthians 11:32 - When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.
Proverbs 15:32 - He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding.
Psalm 94:12 - Blessed is the man you discipline, O LORD, the man you teach from your law...

Caleb is a genius

2006-09-21T12:17:00.000-05:00

Caleb had this sweet idea this morning to be a little bit more efficient with his time (as it is obviously necessary with most 5 year olds). Two tooth brushes! Why would you not?! How is it that we haven't thought about this before?! Also, he is sporting his new hair cut. He likes to call it a "mole-hawk." I think it's a WAY better name
than the original, don't you?

2006-09-20T12:01:00.000-05:00

I had the pleasure of spending an evening with my precious friend Jenny, from high school. We had coffee at the Starbucks, then met Chad and Josiah for dinner at the Chevy's. I'd never been to Chevy's, it was ok. We tried to get a picture, well, Jen and I tried to stand there and be ready and Chad tried to attempt to take our picture with my new camera. THIS was as good as it gets...as you can see, Jenny is beautiful and even more captivating on the inside. I really can't explain what's going on with my face, but I figure if I put that picture of Katie up, then I better be willing to put one of me that is equally dorkish. I wish that we lived closer to be able to get together more often. I love you Jenny!

THINGS I WANT TO DO...

2006-09-19T13:12:00.000-05:00

Do a 40 day fast
Be encouraged and challenged by the walk of my own children
Tour Europe
Design my own home
Own land with a creek
Build a tree house with my kids
Work in a homeless shelter
Lead a complete stranger to Christ outside of a Church setting
Go on a missions trip
Speak another language fluently
Bungee jump and sky dive
Vacation on a boat that I sail
Lead a woman's prayer group
Write a book that get's published
Take pictures that would make Gina Crawford proud and display them in my home
Watch my children, my mom, my dad, my brother, and my sister be baptized
Give an alter call
Run a marathon
Plant a tree with my family and watch it grow throughout the years
Have a dog that has puppies
Milk a cow
Sing in front of a crowd
Go to Chicago, New York, San Fransisco, and Alaska
Wear a "southern belle" dress like Scarlett O'Hara
Kiss in a corn field
Get a tattoo
Display soemthing that I drew or painted in my home
Sew a dress that I would wear
Play a musical instrument
Play in and behind a waterfall
Take a helicoptor tour
Ride in a limo
Pet a lion
Scuba dive in the ocean
Grow a garden
Dance in the rain

What color are your eyes?

2006-09-18T13:35:00.000-05:00

Try this out. It was fun. Do you think that God has a standard for our "uniqueness" that He gives us?

Mine said:

that my eyes should be brown
My eyes reflect: Depth and wisdom
A tender heart is hidden behind my eyes

Is that what YOU see?

"Would you rather . . . "

2006-09-17T13:08:00.000-05:00

I have this "Would You Rather" book. It's pretty interesting. It's supposed to help you understand each other better as you discuss each person's opinion in a group setting.

One of the most controversial ones was the question "Would you rather spend 3 hours with Jesus or 3 years with the apostle Paul?" It sparked much debate and it was alot of fun.

Anyway, in addition to that question -
would you rather . . . . be married to someone who can't speak or someone who can't see?

19 Ways to Maintain a Healthy Level of Insanity

2006-09-16T12:18:00.000-05:00

I got this in an email one time and I thought it was blog worth. There were 20, actually, but I didn't like one, so I took it out and then when I did a copy-paste and numbered them, I discovered that there were only 18, huh...someone else might not have like one too. Enjoy and remember to smile! Life is pretty funny!

At lunch time, sit in your parked car with sunglasses on and point a hair dryer at passing cars. See if they slow down.
Page yourself over the intercom. Don't disguise your voice.
Every time someone asks you to do something, ask if they want fries with that.
Put your garbage can on your desk and label it "in."
Put decaf in the coffee maker for 3 weeks. Once everyone has gotten over their caffeine addictions, switch to espresso.
In the memo field of all your checks, write "for smuggling diamonds."
Finish all your sentences with "in accordance with the prophecy."
dont use any punctuation
As often as possible, skip rather than walk
Order a diet water whenever you go out to eat, with a serious face.
Specify that your drive-through order is "to go."
Sing along at the opera.
Go to a poetry recital and ask why the poems don't rhyme.
Put mosquito netting around your work area and play tropical sounds all day.
Five days in advance, tell your friends you can't attend their party because you're not in the mood.
Have your co-workers address you by your wrestling name, “rock bottom.”
When the money comes out the atm, scream "i won!, i won!"
When leaving the zoo, start running towards the parking lot, yelling "run for your lives, they're loose!!"

2006-09-14T10:21:00.000-05:00

Com'mon...this is a way cute couple!

2006-09-14T00:12:00.000-05:00

Here are some fun pics of the Service tonight...

A "Hurry up Jen!" face by Katie Russell!

Dylan Verret catching a little snack before P & W.

Look at these handsome gents, Josh and Josh!

The future of our church...Caleb, Tommy, and Zachary.

Happy Birthday to me!

2006-09-13T16:51:00.000-05:00

Okay, this year was definitely the best year ever! I can really say that. It was the best birthday! Let me tell you all about it! It first started with Saturday night. I got home from work and on the kitchen counter was a package. Inside the fabulously decorated package was a card, Kona coffee, and some snazzy pink flip flops, all straight from the paridise of Hawaii from my sweet G! Okay, well, Elise spent the night on Sunday and I woke up to a sweet birthday hug and she prayed over me and let me go back to sleep. That was kinda difficult because SO many people kept calling me to wish me HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Anyway, so I eventually stopped trying to fight everyone's love and got up. Caleb and I went through our normal routine (bible study, exercise, reading, showers, laundry, etc.) Then, Elise came back to my house after her classes and brought me a present! Who doesn't love the Old Navy!? She gave me 2 amazing shirts (which I have already worn both!) AND Subway chocolate chip cookies AND a package of Doubleshot light. I think that these girls love me like the dickens!

So, it continues...people texted me all day too, including Josh Kluge. AND he asked if He could watch Caleb so that Chad and I could go out! How great is that! I love this kid! Well, we didn't go out, but he did still watch Caleb so that I could go to Corporate Prayer.

I really didn't want to go to prayer actually. Elise and I were running late already and I wanted to go DO something. I was just in one of those moods to be active and to do something out of the ordinary. So, I didn't want to go. I also have this thing about being late. I hate it and when I am late, I usually would rather not go than to be late, for instance, if I am not early to see a movie, I won't go. I know that sounds weird, but that's ok, God made me that way. So, we're late, we didn't want to go and somehow felt entitled to that because it was my birthday (which is stupid) and we're pulling into the parking lot. I told Elise, "Leesie, I really don't want to go to prayer right now." She agreed. But, then I grabbed her hand and told her that the days that I don't want to go are the days that it ends up being the best. So, we invited the Holy Spirit to take over our hearts and invited Him into our evening...He delivered, just as He always does.

Prayer was so darn good! Thank you Jesus! Every time that my heart wanted to get distracted or bored, I pressed in and relied even more on God to hear my prayer and answer it. It was a great faith builder and the whole time I kept thinking, "God, I want to give you my everything. Meet me here. I don't want to pray right now, but I'm gonna press in. I want to see your hand move because of these hearts uniting together and coming before your throne." I rejoiced then thinking about how God was going to honor that. I was filled!

After prayer, Chad went will me to pick Caleb up and that was great. I got to steal a few minutes alone with my man. The drive is only like 6 minutes (tops) but I just adored that he would go with me and drive nonetheless! (I hate driving!) So, we picked Caleb up and the Kluges gave me some birthday blueberry muffins and a way sweet card. I love that family!

We drove back to church to meet up with Josiah, Katie, Elise, and Matthew. By the time that we arrived they already had a plan of what we were eating and everything, which, I loved because usually you have to wait like at least 10 minutes before a group can decide anything together. But not on my birthday! They left to go get the goodies and Chad, Caleb, and I played in the church parking lot for about 20 minutes. When they got back, we had Imo's in the Youth House followed by an incredible brownie chocolate ice cream for desert. Awh...it was so good! Jamie came up a little while later and we all got to be together and bawk like chickens and do crazy and silly stuff. It was great fun!

The next day, Tuesday, my mom and I had dinner and shopping plans. We went to the Applebee's and went shopping. Also, she gave me a wonderful present - a camera, so expect new and exciting pics to join the post. After we went shopping we went to go visit my Grandma. She is the cutest ever. She gave me all kinds of cute, old jewelry and told me great stories about when she was my age and how she met my Grandpa and great stuff like that. I could have listened to her all night!

So, that was my birthday! I still have dinner plans with a friend from high school, Jenny Block and with my dad, so it's kinda like a have a birthday week, so to speak! I got other great gifts too! Chad gave me a Bible commentary - I recommend it for everyone! It is enhancing my Bible study in so many ways. I am doing this Beth Moore study and it's recommended time of 45 minutes to devoted to the study is turning into hours as a result of this commentary. It's rich! I love it! Momma Lyn and Grandma Addie gave me a gift certificate to the Old Navy. I love that store! And sly Shelia slipped some money into my hand as she was leaving prayer. How cute is she!? So, it was a phenomenal day! Thanks you all so much for blessing me on this day! I love you all!

update about the conference

2006-08-30T12:06:00.000-05:00

Ok, I went to this IHOP conference a couple of weekends ago and I have been putting off the update about it because well...it’s hard to describe. I really can’t find the word (or words) to really express my thoughts or feelings about it in the way that I really feel. I am glad that I went, very glad, but it was just A LOT. I mean A LOT! It was very challenging teaching! For instance, I started taking notes and by the time that we were about 10 minutes into the teaching, I had to stop because I couldn’t really get all that they were saying and take notes about it. It was like if I didn’t write the exact way that they worded it then it wasn’t going to have the same affect. Have you ever felt like that? Like all you could do was just listen? Well, that’s what happened.

It was everything that it said that it was going to be, specifically this part – “…Only when the church returns to our "first love" will we regain our spiritual authority and once again become an agent of change in the earth." So, that’s been the main thing that has stuck with me from the conference teaching. To say that it was good seems kinda weird, it just doesn’t fit, but I am so glad that I went. There was a call to fast and pray in deeper measure and that is always a sobering, yet challenging message. Who couldn’t do more in that area? Who couldn’t claim that is an area in which we all could weaken ourselves to see God’s strength enrich and empower our lives? I know that God challenged me in this area of self-discipline.

There were also classes offered for the children. Not baby-sitting services, but real classes for the kids! They learned about praying for the nations and seeing God moving through cultures and countries that haven’t seen the gospel. I saw two-year old toddlers praying for India! It was amazing! Very encouraging!

So, it was a “wake up” kind of conference. Not at all like anything I’ve been to in the past. I recommend it to all but I just wish that I had been more prepared to receive all that was a part of the teaching. Thank you for praying for me, if you did!

God's Names

2006-08-29T17:01:00.000-05:00

"And those who know Your NAME will put their trust in You, For You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You."

~ Psalm 9:10

If you know who God is, maybe it's easier for you to call out to Him based on His character. Yield to who God is and it will change the way that you live and how you pray!

El
This most fundamental form of the word "God" in Hebrew appears in the Tanakh or Hebrew bible. It is typically used in the poetic passages, and appears over 200 times in the Old Testament, mostly in Psalms and the Book of Job.

Elohim
This word is a plural noun. It appears over 2,500 times in the Old Testament. It is most associated with God as "The Creator" and appears as the third word in the Hebrew text in Genesis and throughout the Hebrew bible. God as the Creator, Preserver, Transcendent, Mighty and Strong. Jonah use Elohim almost exclusively.

El Elyon
The Most High God. Referenced eight times in the Psalms as well as numerous times in other books of the Old Testament.

El Olam
The Everlasting God, or God Everlasting. Forever.

El Roi
The God Who Sees. Hagar, in Genesis, used this name for God.
El Shaddai:The All Sufficient One, or God All Sufficient.

Adonai
Lord or Master. Used over 300 times in the Old Testament.

Jehovah (Yahweh or abbreviated YHWH)
LORD (all capitals), the covenant name of God. It occurs over 6,800 times in the Old Testament.

Jehovah-jireh
The LORD will Provide. In Genesis 22:14: "Abraham called the name of that place "The LORD Will Provide", as it is said to this day, "In the mount of the LORD it will be provided."

Jehovah-mekoddishkem
LORD whom Sanctifies. From Leviticus 20:8: "You shall keep My statutes and practice them; I am the LORD who sanctifies you."

Jehovah-nissi
The LORD is my banner. In Exodus 17:15: "Moses built an altar and named it "The LORD is My Banner;"

Jehovah-raah
The LORD is my Shepherd. From Psalm 23: "The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want."

Jehovah-rapha
The LORD as your Healer. In Exodus 15:26: "And He said, "If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the LORD your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the LORD, am your healer."

Jehovah-sabaoth
The LORD of Hosts. From Psalm 46:7: "The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold."

Jehovah-shalom
The LORD is Peace. In Judges 6:24: "Then Gideon built an altar there to the LORD and named it The LORD is Peace. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites."

Jehovah-shammah
The LORD is There. From Ezekiel 48:35: "The city shall be 18,000 cubits round about; and the name of the city from that day shall be, 'The LORD is there.'"

Jehovah-tsidkenu
The LORD is our Righteousness. In Jeremiah 33:16: "In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will dwell in safety; and this is the name by which she will be called: the LORD is our righteousness."

Yesha:(Y'shua)
"Savior" Isa. 43:3. Jesus is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew "Joshua." The latter is a contraction of Je-Hoshua. ("Christ", the anointed one is equivalent to the Hebrew Maschiah, or Messiah).

Immanual
GOD with Us. From Matthew 1:23: "BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL," which translated means, "GOD WITH US."

The WORD
The WORD is God. In John 1:1: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

Alpha and Omega
The Beginning and the End, The First and the Last. From Revelation 1:8: "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." In Revelation 21:6: 'Then He said to me, "It is done I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost." From Revelation 22:13: "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." In Revelation 2:8: "And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this."

JESUS
THE NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES!!

2006-08-10T17:03:00.000-05:00

What a wild past couple of weeks it been on the blog! That is an understatement! Well, as Josiah would say "Onward and upward!"

This weekend I will be attending an IHOP (International House of Prayer) conference here is St. Louis. I'm totally excited! There are still available spots. It's free but you must register! So, if you are interested click here to register. Here's the just of the conference:

"There is a desperate cry emerging today in the barren, Western church for intimate, tangible, and life-changing encounters with the living God. Status-quo Christianity has hopelessly failed to answer broken and empty hearts and despair-filled communities. Orchestrating within the church a radical return to passionate love for Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit is paving the way for unified prayer, unprecedented revival, and glorious transformation of hearts, cities, and nations. Only when the church returns to our "first love" will we regain our spiritual authority and once again become an agent of change in the earth."

Sounds awesome right? Well, I'm anticipating it to be. I'll let you know how it goes . . .

We have a new YOUTH PASTOR!

2006-07-13T11:55:00.000-05:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, after 1 year and 5 months, South County Christian Center is no longer youth shepardless!

Praise the God of Heaven!
Blood that never fails me!
Jesus' Blood, Jesus' Blood!

Pastor Ryan Stoops has been announced as the NEW youth pastor of the Upper Room! I couldn't be more excited that God has chosen you, Ryan and I couldn't be more thrilled at the thought of moving forward and working with you. You have so much to teach and so much vision and I can't wait to catch it and grab a hold of what God has ignited in your spirit!

Thank you Jesus! Thank you Lord! You alone are awesome and you never cease to amaze and humble me at your grace, goodness, and faithfulness. God please continue to guide us. We need your help now with this joyful transition. God give Ryan boldness. Give Ryan fresh perseverance, fresh vision, fresh love, and fresh annointing! God, I pray that you help our team. Continue to unite us by your Spirit. Father God, I pray that both Ryan and Katy will become to us like the missing piece of the body that you envisioned for the Upper Room. Help them both to take up the role of leadership with great respect, honor, and ownership as you have given it to them with the same. Help our leadership team to accept with great privelage the oppurtunity to serve you and our new leaders. Help us to make their service a joy so that you recieve great honor and glory from this part of your bride.

I pray against conflict that would try to separate us. I pray against the authorities that would try to overwhelm us or try to inflict worry or strife. I pray against pride in our group and I pray against division. I pray against miscommunication or assumptions. I pray against confusion and against hidden agendas. I pray against anything that would try to inhibit us from moving forward towards new goals, new lessons, new ideas, and new organization within our group. I pray against the idea of personal ministries that do not uphold the vision of the house. And I pray against the resistance of change. All in the mighty and sovereign name of Jesus Christ!

Father, overwhelm us with your peace and joy that will be our guide through this new season. Help us to iron out details and make ourselves readily available to welcome our new leader in as a king settling in his throne room. Call on your servants to pray for Ryan and Katy and their beautiful children. Protect us all from the evil one and his evil schemes. Thank you again Father God and praise you for always knowing what is best and always helping us to trust in your unfailing love and mercy. Father, I adore you and I love you with everything in me and I ask all of this in your Son's sweet name, AMEN!

Follow closely . . . Definately more to come on this!

Girl Night!

2006-07-10T11:24:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, the UPPER ROOM planned a GUY/GIRL Night. This doesn't mean that the guys and girls couple up and hang out! In fact, it means the very opposite. We all met at the church and then broke off into two separate groups. The ladies went over to Mandi Gummel's house to swim and the guys went over to the Cocos' to play paint ball. We had such a great time! When I was not a Christian, "girl time" was not always fun. It was full of back-stabbing, gossip, popularity contests, constant comparison of bodies, clothes, hair & make up, who's dating who talk, and the ever present struggle of "who's your BEST friend?" It was like stepping into a war zone every time there was a slumber party, when you were young enough to have slumber parties. Then, when you got older, like high school - it was even worse! Girls were down right EVIL! I won't even go into the horror stories of it all.

Anyway, so I was just lounging by the pool, talking with Jamie Brown (Ladies and Gentlemen - Jamie Brown! Clap, clap, clap . . . applause, applause, applause!), looking at all my little sisters in the pool, doing hand-stands, racing across the pool, making George Washington hair-dos, and giggling and laughing like 5-year-olds! I was so joyful about this season of the Upper Room. Then of course, that got me totally excited about the new youth pastor (God speed that time) and the NEXT season that God's going to bring us through and I was filled! It's just so awesome now and then it's going to just get more awesome, so I started freakin' out wanting to do the "sk, sk, sk, sk" sound and move my fingers in joyful anticipation. (SOME OF YOU WILL NOT UNDERSTAND THAT SENTENCE, AND THAT'S OK. SOME OF YOU DO, AND THAT'S FUN TOO! Either way, it's a good thing! My girls get me, right ladies?!)

Ladies, I love you! I think you're amazing and I am so glad to know you all! You bless my heart and give me encouragement to be a better example for you always. I hope that I have the opportunity to teach you all as much as you teach me everytime that I get to be with you all! I love you so much and I love the way that you love each other!

2006-07-08T20:08:00.000-05:00

Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday dear Caleb,
Happy birthday to you!

Caleb Sebastian Dittmann turned 5 years old yesterday! 5 years old!

"That's a whole hand!" - (quote by Travis Dittmann)
Anyway, so I have a 5 year old son. That amazes me that I am old enough to have a son that is that old. What seems wild to me is that it doesn't seem that long ago that he was little (like just learning how to walk or putting him in the car seat kinda little) but it seems like longer than 5 years ago when I was pregnant with him. Maybe that's because God has taken me so far away from that place that I was in when I was pregnant with him. I dunno! Hmmm . . . something to think about!
Well, my dad took us (Caleb, me, my sister, Nicole, Chad, Elise, and my dad's girlfriend, Kelly) all to Chuck E. Cheese's. Caleb kept referring to the mouse as "Chuck" and we got a kick outta that . . . why, I'm not sure because that's really the dumb mouse's name! Anyway, so dad spent way alot of money on mediocre pizza and cheap token prizes, but Caleb had a blast, so it was probably worth it in a grandparents viewpoint. I am grateful to have a dad like that and I hope that I can raise Caleb to appreciate a birthday like that. After going over to "Chuck's" we went home. Actually, dad took Kelly home and Nicole went home too, so Elise, Chad, Caleb, and I met Josiah at my house and we celebrated some more. We sang "Happy Birthday" over some homemade cake that I helped Caleb make earlier that afternoon. We sat out on the deck and enjoyed summer's finest - strawberries, bing cherries, grapes, fruit dip, chips and dip, and COFFEE all surrounded by the cool of the evening and the aroma of citronella. Chad had to be at work early today, so he called it a night and went home. (Way to be disciplined Baby!) We wore Caleb out, so he headed to bed with Papa and left the "big kids" out on the deck to sit and enjoy the starlit sky. We talked and laughed about old times and about how we all became friends. Gina even called and we all got to hear about how God is moving in amazing ways in her life and how He answered our prayers for her. It was awesome! Eventually, the coffee ran out and we were FULL on strawberries, so Josiah helped us clean up and then ventured out on the lonely road to his own home. Elise and I crept upstairs and caught a few Z's before the morning sun found his way through my bedroom window. It was a great day!
Today is Papa's birthday and he's out "partying it up" with family and friends. It's good to be able to celebrate another year given to us by the Father!
God, thank you for my family. Thank you for my friends and thank you that so often, there is no distinction between the two! Lord you are so amazing to me and with the coming of every year with my son, I get to see your plan continuing to unfold before my very eyes. I thank you especially for my son and for my daddy and I ask that your pour out the very spirit that was present in your own son over them both. I ask Father that you continue to mold and shape both of their lives to be more like your son and that you help them to recognize your presence in that process as well. I pray that through that both of them magnify you and give you all the glory that you are deserving of. Thank you for saving my life and saving me a seat in the royal places with you and that through saving me, you have allowed that example to touch both my son and my daddy that same way that you have touched me. I thank you and love you Jesus! There is no one like you and no one that can make me feel the way that you do and I love that about you! I humbly ask all this in your sweet son's name, AMEN!

Meet Chad . . .

2006-07-05T16:30:00.000-05:00

Well, I didn't have to kiss a frog to find Prince Charming . . . I just had to look right in front of my face. This is my friend Chad . . .

He's my boyfriend. He's amazing . . . he's handsome . . . he's kind . . . he's passionate . . . he's dangerous . . . he's talented . . . he's encouraging . . . he's intelligent . . . he's wise . . . he's patient . . . he's brave . . . and most importantly . . . he loves the Lord with his whole heart and life! I could go on and on and on . . . I won't because I don't have to. What I mean is, that he's awesome, just plain and simple - HE'S AWESOME! I am blessed to have him as a part of my life and he's a great challenge to my spirit, I love that about him. I just wanted to give you guys a little status update. Actually we've been together for 2 months now, so sorry that I haven't been keeping you too up to date, but you know now . . . so that's good!

METAMORPHOSIS

2006-07-05T13:06:00.000-05:00

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

You have waited long enough to hear about camp . . . I apologize for that . . . I've been busy, but more on that soon . . . Anyway, CAMP WAS AMAZING! Not only was it soooo fun, but God moved in a mighty and fierce way.

This year camp was held at Lake Williamson in Carlinville, IL. For the past 2 years before, we've had camp at Taylor U. in Upland, IN. So, from the very get-go, camp was set apart to be completely different. Monday we arrived and that evening service exploded and set the tone for the rest of the week! Worship was powerful and the Spirit was free to move and got to work immediately setting inhibitions aside. Tuesday and Wednesday followed with the same rushing wind. Prayer and fellowship only dug the roots deeper as youth sought after more of the Savior.

Thursday . . . AWESOME! Thursday was my personal "break free" day. Camp was alot of work. Emails, phone calls, messages, paper work, meetings, details, etc . . . it wore me thin. Working away had me in a place were things were getting done, but not in my heart. Rest is what the heart needs, not work! Thursday I felt my God whispering, "Come away with me Daughter! Let's dance . . . let's play . . . come drink from my quiet pools. I know that you are thirsty and I want to be that rest that your soul is longing for. Put it all down and come be with me awhile." And I did . . . Sarah sang the words of my Father's heart and it was beautiful:

You dance over me
While I am unaware
You sing all around
But I never hear the sound

Lord I’m amazed by You
Lord I’m amazed by You
Lord I’m amazed by You
How You love me

How wide
How deep
How great
Is Your love for me

God was so faithful to answer our prayers above and beyond every expectation that anyone had for camp and I am so grateful. I still have girls coming up to me talking about their lives since camp. Truly it was a great example of 2Cor. 5:17 - "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"

THANK YOU JESUS! Lord, I am so amazed by your power, by your faithfulness, by your sovereignty . . . by you. Thank you for all that I was able to witness and be a part of with YouthIMPACT and I can only be in wonder that you would have allowed me to be of any service to you through it. Thank you for allowing me to serve you, God. Please give me more oppurtunities to bless your name and to serve your people. I love you Lord and I know that you love us. Thank you for being the strength and unity for us to see you work through this transition and through the trials. Please, Father, send us a youth pastor and please help us through that time as well. Your faithfulness has me assured that you have someone incredible lined up for us and that you are divinely working for the good of those who are called according to your plan for the UR. Thank you for that trust that I have in you Father. The glory is yours and yours alone and we long to bring you more and to always bring it to you fresh and in abundance. Please accept the work of our hands as a pleasing and sweet offering unto you. You are amazing and worthy, Daddy!

Camp update!

2006-06-16T01:29:00.000-05:00

Well . . . I'm overwhelmed, completely speechless as to how good Our Father God is. I plan on telling you all about it after I get back and get some rest. But, I just wanted to let you know that I appreciate all of your prayers and your sweet encouragement. We will be heading home in 8.5 hours . . . and I'm looking forward to leaving completely changed, renewed, restored, refreshed, and well . . . overwhelmed! More to come!

2006-06-13T15:07:00.000-05:00

Ok, Ya'll! I'm here at camp . . . boy, oh boy! This is amazing stuff! Jurgen is blowing our minds and challenging us like the dickens! I just wanted to give you a status update. People are responding to alter calls like the dickens too! God is on the move! Thank you thank you thank you for your prayers! Keep it up because so is the devil. People are getting sick and hurt and crazy things are happening as well. But our God perseveres still and prayer is annointing us all. I can feel it! So, thank you!

Outtie 5 G!

2006-06-12T01:02:00.001-05:00

Well, it has certainly been awhile since that last post! Ok, guys, I'm tired! I'm so freakin' tired! We leave for camp in like 10 hours and I'm still packing and doing laundry. It's way too late to be up doing this kinda stuff, but it's gotta get done, right?! Anyway, I'm gonna finish packing and get to bed to get some much needed rest, but I wanted to post to ask about your prayers. Camp can only be a success with God and if we invite Him into our lives at camp. Therefore, I ask that every believer pray, with intercessory prayer power over our time at camp this week. I believe that mighty prayer is incredibly effective and when backed by intense faith, we invite God into our lives to transform and radically move as He longs to do! So, please pray for us. Pray for open hearts. Not just hearts that can emotionally move. But hearts that break and rebuild on the foundational rock of OBEDIENCE to the Lord! Pray for our safety. Pray for our unity. Pray for our pastors and speakers. Pray that we get rest, both physically and spiritually. Pray that all the preparation that has gone into camp will now be taken into God's mighty hands and that He use it for whatever His plan is for camp. Pray for a fierce ourpouring of the Holy Spirit. Pray for our services and things like the band, the lights, the tech crew, etc. Pray that souls are saved! Pray that relationships start to grow. Pray that we will be a family! Pray! Pray whatever you want. Just pray for us, PLEASE!

I appreciate it greatly! That's all I got for now . . . more to come! I will let you know all the crazy stuff God did when I get back!

update!

2006-05-26T09:21:00.000-05:00

Good morning my fellow bloggers! I have been slackin' in the post department, due to an increase in demand of my time and a low supply of it, therefore making it very valuable! So busy lately, but not minding it too much. God is so awesome to give me friends and family that help and pray for me, so I am grateful for that.

Camp is right around the corner, I mean right around the corner, like 16 days, 20 hours, and like 37 minutes around the corner! That's way fast, super fast! So, preparations for that are flying down the pipe. I started to feel way overwhelmed with all that and someone gave me phenomenally wise advice - DELEGATE! So, I asked for help, thank you Lord, and He gave me amazing people to pitch in and totally help bear the burden. Now, I feel a complete handle on camp preparations and that I gained much closer bonds with two amazing women of God. Thank you Father God for Angela and Katie!

Hmmm . . . what other updates can I give you? Well, Caleb is doing very well. Growing up like crazy! It's wild to see just how caught between worlds he is right now. He will turn 5 in July, so he's in that between stages where sometimes he wants me to hold him (which I am not strong enough to do for very long) and sometimes it seems like he didn't even notice that I had left and we spent the whole day apart! It hurts sometimes, but I understand that it's just a phase. I love being a mommy amidst the war instead of my heart!

The things that he says amaze me too! I think to myself, "Where did this kid learn that!?" Children are like little sponges, so be careful of that responsibility! Lately he has been telling me, "Mommy, I love you, but I love Jesus more." Of course my heart soars when he tells me that! Is that not the goal of every Christian parent? Thank you Lord! I need you to help me be a better parent always. Teach me to be the parent that you are.

GIRL TIME - I am spending more time it seems like with my girls lately and LOVING EVERY SECOND OF IT! Elise just got a job that she will be working full time for and that means less Sissy Time. So, I've been trying to soak up every minute with her possible before her job starts. We have to do alot of catching up right before bed and it makes for sweet late night talks. I still feel like I haven't gotten enough Leesie time and definitely our time to pray together has been cut short, so Father God please help us to deal with that. I love investing, especially in prayer, myself into Elise's life and love that she invests herself into mine. It is a sweet relationship and complete blessing! Thank you Lord!

My dearest Gina will be leaving in days so that too has been another reason that we are wringing out the clock, squeezing every last minute of our time together. Tuesday, the three of us huddled on the couch talking about girly stuff then eventually got reedy for bed. We prayed over Elise and finally fell asleep. When we woke up, more talking, breakfast, and then Elise headed home to get some things accomplished while Caleb played with Gina's dog and Gina and I got cozy on that couch again and put in a girly flick. God, thank you that I love girly movies and that you've given me Gina so that I have someone to watch them with! This is something that I treasure about being a girl. I love lying in Elise's lap while she plays with my hair. I love that two full grown women cuddle on the world's smallest couch, sharing a blanket. I love that it isn't even a question that we are going to sleep in separate beds or that it's weird that we don't. WE'RE GIRLS! I love that! God, thank you that I am a girl and that you've given me the most awesome friends to be girls with!

What else . . . Hmmm . . . well, lots actually! God is just working like crazy in my life and I love it! God is speaking to me often and we communicate about lots of things. I am humbled that the Creator of the entire universe wants anything to do with me! How cool is our God!? He has been answering prayers like the dickens and it seems like everywhere I turn He is showing me just how faithful He really is. This season is filled with wonder! I try to figure God out alot and the more that I try, the less that I can grasp what He is doing or why He is doing it! His ways are truly higher and His thoughts are beyond my greatest capacity of thinking! Just yesterday Chad asked me to tell him something crazy about my day and I told him about how God used a dream to communicate to me that He has a great purpose and promise in my life. When I finished telling him about it and hung up the phone, I sat in my car for a couple of minutes thinking, "Wow, that really was a cool story! God you amaze me!" Then I got to carry a sleepy little boy inside and rub his back and kiss his sweet cheeks goodnight, falling more in love with my child and my Father.

So, as you can see there is lots going on right now, and so much more that I haven't even gone into. I am in a sweet season of my life right now and loving every second of it. So much of me wants to hurry time along in so many ways, but the sacrifice of missing anything or not treasuring the precious moments of right now would pierce my heart more than I could even imagine. Spring has always been my favorite season and this spring is overflowing with blessing . . . I feel like a dove.

Thank you Jesus that you are working in my life in ways that I don't even know fully. My life is so full right now and my schedule is busy and packed, but I thank you that in all the chaos and hustle I can find you and be at rest in any situation. I love that you have place people in my life that long to help me, pray for me, love me, and spend time with me and I thank you for these relationships that you have ordained in my life. Help me to manage my time and be a good steward over it. Help me to be productive according to your purposes and your will. Thank you for giving me responsibilities that invest in your kingdom and allowing me to be a part of what you are building at our church. You bless me that you would entrust such responsibilities into my hands. Please anoint my relationships and anoint that which you call me to be your vessel and help me to wisely care for them, all in your Son's sweet name. AMEN.

2006-05-15T16:02:00.000-05:00

I just thought that I would post a real life photo of Josh Kluge just so you can see how close the resemblance is between Caleb's picture and photo of Josh . . . as you can see, Caleb may have quite a talent here!

2006-05-15T14:41:00.000-05:00

MOTHER'S DAY!

I had the bestest mother's day ever! God is so awesome to give me such a wonderful day! This is how it went . . . It really started out as a phenomonal Mother's Day the night before. I had to work a double at work and it was quite hard. I was so tired and just worn out. I physically was tired. Not to the point that I was going to crash on the way home from falling asleep at the wheel, but like running all over the restaraunt and serving every person's whim was not as joyful as it usually is, in fact it was becoming quite like work! So, as I am getting checked out to leave, right behind me comes my brother, Chad with a tender and charming smile. I buried my head in his chest as we hugged and found such a release of the work day. Then, not 5 minutes later, my sister shows up! Elise just comes walking up to me ready, willing, and able to take the weight of my tackling hug, as well as the rest of the work day that I couldn't give to Chad! We had dinner and talked about our days and Jesus was so good to us! Then, it gets even better . . . I head to Gina's house to spend the night and she's there waiting to give me my Mother's day presents! After I took my shower, I just sat there for like 15 minutes just soaking up the day and how Jesus brought me through just as He always does, then pours out amazing blessings like my friends and my beautiful son! I just sat in wonderment of His splendor and how much He loves me - I was overwhelmed! So, Gina gave me my presents catered specifically for my longing heart and encouraged my weary soul and then we had a girly sleep over. Thank you Lord for my friend and sister!

So, then we slept and I got up at 6:30am to a tired monkey asking to sleep with me. I thanked God that He gave me such responsibility and fell back asleep with my precious son in my arms. There is nothing like kissing a sleepy child's cheeks! Caleb later that morning gave me the best card ever! Here's a pic of it . . .

I love it! Caleb drew the whole front all by himself, that's a big deal for a 4 year old! (Thank you Gina for spending that time with Caleb to help him make me that card.) By the way, the "Josh" in the picture is Josh Kluge with big muscles. Caleb loves that kid . . . who can blame him?!

Anyway, we went to church later and Pastor Shawn had such a great message and an announcement that HE'S GETTING MARRIED ! God bless their marriage! At church I loved hearing all morning, "Happy Mother's Day!" It was such a blessing! My friends also gathered around me to pray and anoint me as a mommy, so it's not like it could have been better!

After church, I went to the Old Navy and bought a new zip-up thing and then headed to lunch with my family, my brother Travis, my sister Nicole and her boyfriend, Spencer, and Caleb. It was fun and so good to see them. Our time is so short but I am so thankful when we do get together. Caleb adores all of them, so it's such a blessing to get to spend time with them.

After lunch, Caleb and I headed home. I haven't seen my dad since tuesday of last week, and he had just gotten home from a business trip, so it was so good to hug him! I missed him so much! Well, after that I went to the Border's and the park with Chad. Great coffee, great company, and great conversation, a great untypical date! Who knew that John Deere tractors could become a topic of conversation?! Here's the best part about the day is that - Jesus is King!

Father God, thank you so much for such an incredible day! Thank you for giving me the oppurtunity to be a mother and most importantly your daughter. I pray your abundant blessings over the mothers and grandmothers in my life and ask that you protect them always. Please continue to teach them and me about what it really means to be a parent and show us how we can all be more like you, the PERFECT FATHER! This day was ordained by you and you are so amazing to bless me with it! I love you Father and I long for more and more of you. Thank you for never running dry, never witholding from me, and always seeking out more intimacy with me. Jesus, I am yours, take all of me! Amen.

quote of the day . . .

2006-05-11T13:12:00.000-05:00

"There is an enchanted place where tender cacao plants thrive in the shadows of hearty coffee trees. Their slender pods are gathered and transformed to create Starbucks chocolate-captivating with coffee, delightful on its own."

~ Starbucks Dark Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans

Starbucks quotes are sounding alot like Dove Chocolate and Oprah lately! Wouldn't it be amazing if Starbucks was a Christ glorifying company and hosted hourly Bible studies!
I can't wait to go to Heaven . . . Do you think that Jesus liked coffee?

MAY MANIA!

2006-05-08T15:46:00.000-05:00

Okay, every year in May, the UR has a blow out bash of extreme events and crazy games! This year is going to be even more awesome! We've got stuff planned out that before we'd only dream we would do. Thank you Father for your vision! Please pray for us during this time. Pray that hearts will be changed and that unity will continue to be the pursuit of our hearts in this transitional period with our youth group. (While your at it . . . pray that God sends us a youth pastor, huh?!) Here's some fun pics:

quote of the day . . .

2006-05-08T15:39:00.000-05:00

How nice to wake up to this in the morning!

"Mom, you have a gentle spirit!"
~ Caleb Dittmann

YEAH . . . I think I lost some weight!

2006-05-08T00:10:00.000-05:00

People wondered where those 25 lbs came from, well, these pics can help you tell. The first one is dated around November 2005 and the second is last week. Haha ;-)

2006-05-02T11:54:00.000-05:00

"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."

Monday marked a major end to a major season of my life. Sunday was the last day of my commitment, thus monday was a new day marking a new path in my life. God was so awesome to allow it to be a day of resting and meditating. Elise and I had breakfast first, then she went off to school to take a final while I took a nap with Caleb. Later, the doorbell rang, and standing on my front steps was my first date! Complete with a rose and presents! Praise God! I got my favorite candy (Heath bars), chocolate covered coffee beans, a pound of Arabian Mocha Starbucks, and the new United Live CD UNITED WE STAND! It was so awesome! Oh yeah, I forgot - Elise also gave me 2 stuffed bunnies and some cherished momentos that I had to sacrifice for awhile . . . priceless! So, our date started out with a quick run up to church, then to drop Caleb off with my Dad, then we headed out to dinner at the Bread Co. After dinner, we went to Cliff Cave park and walked along the cliffs and trails, taking pictures, being silly, doing cartwheels on the train tracks, talking about the faithfulness of our Father, and getting bitten by red ants - ouch! We collected train track nails and talked about the cross. We just sat there for the longest time looking at the barges passing on the river. We watched the birds soaring in the air over the cliffs. It was peaceful and relaxing . . . SO NICE TO JUST REST! After that, we headed to the Coldstone for some ice cream . . . yum! By that time it was only about 8:30 and we thought about getting a movie, but we decided we would just fall asleep anyway. So, we headed back to church. Corporate prayer was just about to end, and we wanted to say hi to the Brothers. It was good to surprise them and we gave them each a nail and told them not to take the cross for granted and to remember what God had done for each of them. I think that it would be safe to say that they liked it! It was a good time. They headed to the Denny's to eat a late night dinner, but we decided to be disciplined and headed for home. The day was full and blessed! It was amazing, actually! I had things planned and things that I thought that I would want to do for "May 1st" but God broke every plan apart that I had and basically said, "I've got something better in mind!". . . . . . . . . . The story of the past 6 months! Here's some fun pictures that captured the day:

2006-04-20T15:33:00.000-05:00

No sacrifice
Jason Upton

To you I give my life
Not just the parts I want to
To You I sacrifice
These dreams that I hold onto

(Chorus)
Your thoughts are higher than mine
Your words are deeper than mine
Your love is stronger than mine
This is no sacrifice, here’s my life

To You I give the gifts
Your love has given me
How can I hoard the treasures
That You designed for free?

(Chorus)

To You I give my future
As long as it may last
To You I give my present
To You I give my past

"We are now in your hands. Do to us whatever it seems good and right to do."

~ Joshua 9:25

2006-04-06T14:33:00.000-05:00

“For the creation was subject to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.”
~ Rom. 8:20 – 21

Have you ever been hit with revelations about yourself that you didn’t want to hear and didn’t want to face? Well, God is opening my eyes to things that still live inside of me that are not from Him and do not glorify Him, and in fact, do the opposite! To be quite honest, it’s really hard to face that these things still live in me and everything in me wants to say, “Nah! It’s not that big of a deal. Don’t worry about it!” But, a revelation from the Creator of the entire universe is quite a BIG DEAL indeed!

I’m not going to go into all of it, after all, this is a public blogsite! But, here’s the thing that mystifies me – even though it’s frustrating and it’s painful to go through and completely not something that I even want to deal with, God is showing me this stuff so I “. . . will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom . . .” He wants me to live in complete freedom as His very own child! And, I’m not walking through this alone. He’s covering me in grace and mercy as He shows me all this stuff AND His arms of strength and LOVE are wrapped completely around me in protection – NOT CONDEMNATION! So, really, who’s losing? Not God, not me!

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
~ Rom. 8:28

That can’t be a bad promise! I guess I just need to change my perspective about His revelations. Josiah gave an incredible message last night about being authentic. One thing that he talked about was that God only wants us to come to Him. He’s not going to get mad at us for coming to Him with our sin and shame. He sees it already, why wouldn’t we just admit our brokenness? Thinking about it, it sounds kinda ridiculous, actually . . .

My Pursuit For BEAUTY

2006-03-29T15:28:00.002-06:00

For the past 5 - 6 months or so, I have taken up the priority to have a healthy body. I lost some needed weight and started a healthier lifestyle. I exercise several times a week and maintain a healthy eating habit. People always ask me how I lost the weight and what I did. My answer is always - DISCIPLINE! Hard to do! Sometimes when I answer that question I feel like I am answering like this - HELLTHY LIFESTYLE! It's hard! However, so rewarding and not only do I feel better, I feel like I have accomplished something and that discipline over food and my health has led to a considerable increase in my spiritual discipline, too!

Anyway, the reason that I am writing this post is not to give you some health inspiration or trainer tips. It's because I have learned so much along the way. I started this "health kick" out of insecurity. I felt fat and disgusting and hated the mirror. I felt unworthy and I already felt sorry for my future husband. I did not feel beautiful or enthralling in any way, not just physically, but not in any way. I felt like a failure as a woman. I always had a picture of what I assumed beauty was. I pictured a beautiful woman to be graceful, elegant, gentle, tender, poised, slender, and toned. I pictured her to be soft-spoken and fun with a twinkle in her eyes that suggested so much wisdom behind them. I pictured her to be thoughtful and careful with her words, always with the understanding that anything that fell from her lips represented a piece of her soul and that she guarded it by her caution with her words. There are many other things that come to mind when I think about a beautiful woman, but all of them, I felt I couldn't establish myself in or couldn't even think that those characteristics described where I was. So, insecurity drove me to strive for the "beauty" that I longed for and the first goal was to attain the "perfect size."

Months later, I can go through this above list and it makes me think. I fall over my own two feet all the time. I run into people because I'm not looking where I'm going. And I get embarrassed! So, walking in grace and elegance, kinda flies out the window at times . . .

I have a son. He's all boy! I love that about him. So, we play. We are rough and rowdy. I wear tennis shoes almost everyday and when I'm not wearing tennis shoes, you can catch me in flip flops. I can't stand heels. They are uncomfortable and hard to walk in and since I'm already prone to embarrass myself by tripping over everything in my path, it's probably not wise to put myself through it all anyway. Plus, they really don't go with my jeans and hoodies . . . So, gentle, tender, and poised - nah! There are times that boxing with my son and running holding hands takes precedence over those traits.

I lost 25 lbs. but gravity does not ignore me and I can not overcome my DNA, so slender and toned - well, I supposed that's up for interpretation. Sometimes I just can't do enough sit-ups and I get so tired of jump roping. I'm the size that I am and I will never be a size 6 with "perfect" measurements. I will never look the way I did in high school. I will never get rid of my stretch marks or scars from my pregnancy. I will never undergo surgery to have anything lifted, tucked, or sucked out, so really, there is not much that I can do anymore . . .

Let's continue through the list. I love to laugh! I have been told that I laugh too loud and I have many bouts of girlish giggling. So, soft-spoken, well, maybe I don't fit that bill either. Fun? Sure, maybe there are times that I can be fun. But, what about the wash, the car, the dishes, the bible, the bath that Caleb needs to take, the toys that need to be picked up, the lesson that I need to plan for Sunday? The list could continue. What about that stuff? How fun is all of that stuff? Thoughtful, careful, guarded? I do not think that the desire to immediately clasp both of my hands over my mouth after almost every sentence to certain "free" people qualifies me for the Proverb 4 award winner. So, what did that leave me with? The search for my description of "beauty" showed me that in every area I still came up short!

Well, that left me with the option to either change my perspective of "beauty" or to do the extreme with surgery and attempts to change every behavioral pattern that I had. And to be honest, I actually considered all this! But, when it came down to the decision, I chose to pursue what God thinks "beauty" is and that leads me to now . . . a wonderful journey of healing and acceptance!

It didn't take me very long to figure out how to understand "beauty" in God's eyes. I found it in the very first place that I looked. I opened the Bible. It said amazing things! It spelled it out so clearly for me that I was using the things of the world to dictate my thinking on "beauty" instead of going to the Creator of "beauty" and asking Him what He really made. I found wisdom in things like, Proverbs 31:30, “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.” The Book of Ezekiel, specifically chapter 16, sheds new light on beauty and its abuse of it, as well. It’s really long, so you’ll just have to read it for yourself. But, here’s the kicker! 1Peter 3:3 – 4 says, “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful." Holy cow!

So, God what you are telling me is that my beauty really has nothing to do with how I look? That’s amazing! AND that definitely takes the pressure off to pursue and be this image of what is ingrained into our thoughts of beauty. These scriptures also challenged me to find out where my validation comes from. Is it from God or from the world? When I read Psalm 45:11 “The king is enthralled by your beauty...” who is my king? Am I making my Father God the “King” or the guy in the pew behind me? So, after I read all the above scriptures, He hits me with the big, fat, KO sucker punch with Colossians 3:1 – 3, which says, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” Reminding me to look to God for the ways in which my thinking needs to be renewed and I praise God that daily He reminds me of these scriptures and His lessons. I wrote 1Peter on my bathroom mirror so that every time I look in it and think unkind things against God’s Holy vessel, I am challenged. Well, these are my challenges and I have recently discovered that I am not alone in these struggles. I want to continue to pursue God’s perspective on all kinds of things. Isn’t that our goal always, to be more like God, to have our minds renewed constantly in that of Christ Jesus’?

2006-03-22T14:59:00.000-06:00

THIS POST IS DEDICATED TO THE DEMISE OF THE EVIL ONE. DEVIL - YOU ARE GOING DOWN!

Alright, I hope that has caught your attention. That was the point. Basically, I am sick and tired of the stupid Devil. That's really it! He is real, he is really there and he is really out to get you. He's got your number and he’s out to kill you (and me), steal from you (and me), and do everything he can to destroy you (and me). He is actively fighting against us. We are human; we are flesh and blood still. We aren't in Heaven yet, so, although we are reborn of the Spirit, we still inhabit this body as long as God sees fit. So, we are completely susceptible to the Devil and his active work of demise against us. But, now we know and that’s the first step in any battle – being aware of your opponent. You should know his strengths and weaknesses, his provisions and equipment and his tactics and strategies. You should go into battle with knowledge in all this or you are not prepared and not very wise. Prov 20:18 says, “Make plans by seeking advice; if you wage war, obtain guidance.” Prov. 24:6 says, “for waging war you need guidance...” And trust me – rising up against the Devil is WAR!

But, Jesus said, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." See, we don't have to be scared of the Devil or his ploys. WE HAVE TO BE AGGRESSIVE ABOUT OUT FREEDOM IN CHRIST! We have to be just as active in fighting him otherwise we will be defeated. We can not shrink back in complacency or in fear – NO! We have to take ground and vigorously assail the Devil. We have to call out to our Creator to reveal with His Holy Spirit all that we have been attacked with and we have to tell the Devil where to go and guess what? HE WILL! I love The Message version of Jam. 4:7, “So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud NO to the Devil and watch him scamper.” He won’t just shrug his shoulders and look at you with a look that says, “Are you really serious this time, because this worked the last time that I tried this on you?” NO! He will flee like the coward that he is because the name of Jesus and the fact that you used the authority of that name causes him to tremble in fear! Demons shudder at the name of Christ and His authority.

If we know this with our heads, if we have the knowledge of this, then why aren’t more people using it to dispel the darkness? Why aren’t people rebuking lies that they have been told? Why aren’t people stopping the Devil at his first word? Maybe it’s possible that people don’t realize that it’s an attack from the Devil. Think about it. Do you think that maybe you have been told lies? Do you think that you believe a lie right now? Do you think that it’s possible that you are captive by the Devil? He has attacked me with a quiet and cunning voice that has led me to believe that I am unworthy, that I will never be good enough for the things that I was designed for, that forever I will be inadequate. Have these thoughts crossed your mind? I am sure that they have.

One sure way to tell if you are under the assault of the Devil is to contrast them to the thoughts that God has towards you. Think about scriptures like these:

Isa. 54:10, “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed."

In Jer. 31, He tells us, “I have loved you with an everlasting love, I have drawn you with loving-kindness.”

John 17: 22 – 23 “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

This is profound! Not only did God love us so much that He would send His only beloved Son to die as ransom for our sins, but He loves us, just as much as He loves Jesus! That’s crazy, isn’t it!

I challenge you to get aggressive about your freedom in Christ! Nailed to that cross was every insecurity, every fear, every worry, every pain of your heart, every shameful thing that the Devil reminds you of, every sleepless night, every inadequacy, everything that hinders, right next to your sins! It was all crucified with Christ! He has already overcome every one of these obstacles. Praise God! So, start reminding the Devil of that and see what happens!

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
Eph 3:16 - 19

quote of the day . . . kinda!

2006-03-20T15:17:00.000-06:00

This is hilarious! Katie Russell is not only incredibly beautiful and a glorious princess, but she has the most dynamically unique personality that I have ever known. She is amazing and she has a blogsite. So, if you go look at her blogsite profile, you will see this question - You're trapped in a well with a goat and a slinky. Describe how you will escape.

This is her ingenious answer:

"I would milk the goat until the level of milk had risen to the top of the well and then I would sell the slinky to my brother. "

See! She's hilarious! Check out her REAL, Godly inspiration. Kate, you are genuine and there is no one like you. I admire you and when I think of you, my heart is filled with joy and desire to see your captivating smile. I want to be more like you and you challenge me in so many areas. God is going to bless your socks off because you put Him first. You are truely His open vessel and a miraculous role model to so many young people. You bless my heart and I love you just the exact way that God made you. I hope that even when God has you move throughout the earth to show people His glory, that you and I will never, ever lose touch. Keep on keeping on, Girl, 'cause the God of all wants to use you!

waiting to see your smile!

2006-03-20T12:37:00.000-06:00

"Those truly linked don't need correspondence. When they meet again after many years [or months] apart, their friendship is as true as ever."

~Deng Ming-Dao

I can't wait to see you! Hugs . . . oh, the hugs! Wrap my in your loving arms like you haven't seen me in 3 months! Sunday . . . God speed Sunday!

2006-03-17T15:27:00.000-06:00

I haven't had a real heart to heart post in some time - so if you were holding your breath, first of all, please don't ever do that again, and second of all, here ya go, but really - don't ever do that again! Anyway, I've been thinking a lot lately about stewardship. Have you ever thought about stewardship outside of the context of just money? I know that often times there are churches that park too long on this topic and send out a wrong message that says, "Hey, we don't really care about you, but give us your money!" But, really, stewardship extends past just money. It includes money, but it includes a lot of other things too, for instance, things you own, relationships, TIME, ministry, your health, jobs, well . . . everything, really! I am completely challenged in this area of my life. I want to be a good steward over everything that God has put into my hands.

God's Word is very clear about these things. Ecclesiates 9:10 says, "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might . . ." What does that mean to you? To me, it is very obvious that it means I need to examine ALL that God has put into my hands and ask the Father to help me to best manage it! Let's dig deeper! 1Cor. 10:31 says, "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." This passage isn't just about your diet, but it does include your diet. (Side note: PEOPLE - God gave you this one vessel! Take care of it! Be good to your body and it will be good to you!) Notice that we see the same word ALL! Just as God wants our everything, our everything should be given to God for His glory! The only reason that God gives you anything is because He wants to bless you and in turn you should use it to glorify Him! WHAT IS IN MY HANDS, OH LORD, THAT YOU WANT ME TO USE TO GLORIFY YOU?!

Think about this passage. Luk 16:10, "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much." Think about that for just a second, let is really sink in. Do you think that it's possible that you are waiting for God's blessings to pour out over you, but He's waiting to give them to you because He wants you to take care of the little things first, so that you can be trusted to be a good steward over the larger blessings? Is it possible? I think that is definately is in my own life! I can picture God just standing over me with His hands FULL with my hearts every desire as I sit here trying to make the simple decision whether or not to get out of bed and accomplish something or just lie there for a few more minutes. That may not sound like that big of a deal to you and maybe it's dramtic to say that fullfilling God's destiny for me hinges on the time that I wake up in the morning. It probably doesn't, thank you Lord, because His grace covers things like that. BUT! This is just an example of the way that I see this passage being illustrated.

God has SO much that He wants to see me accomplish for His purpose in my life and for His name to be exhalted by that purpose, but until I can manage success in the little tasks that He gives me, I am not qualified to take on the bigger roles that He has for me later in life. So, pray for me, Brothers and Sisters! Pray for each other. God has a purpose and a destiny mapped out in each of our lives - it's our job and mission to fullfill that to the fullest, otherwise God can't recieve the fullest honor, praise, and glory that He is fully deserving of! God bless you all!

quote of the day . . .

2006-03-12T00:12:00.000-06:00

"STOP SAYING I'M SORRY!"

~ Chad Trost

SISSY'S!

2006-03-07T11:41:00.000-06:00

GOOD MORNING BROTHER! HAVE A GOOD LUNCH!

2006-03-02T15:10:00.000-06:00

DANCE! DANCE WITH YOUR GOD TODAY! He loves you so much and He is waiting, just waiting! It doesn't matter if there is music on, because He has already put a song in your heart! Let yourself go - no one is looking but the Lover of your soul! The King is entralled by you today! Be free . . . .

" . . . Again you will take up your tambourines and go out to dance with the joyful . . . Then maidens will dance and be glad, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow."
~ Jer. 31:4, 13

Coal Basket Bible

2006-02-23T12:02:00.000-06:00

The story is told of an old man who lived on a farm in the mountains of eastern Kentucky with his young grandson.
Each morning, Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading from his old worn-out Bible. His grandson who wanted to be just like him tried to imitate him in any way he could. One day the grandson asked, "Papa, I try to read the Bible just like you but I don't understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I close the book. What good is it to read the Bible?"
The Grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and said, "Take this coal basket down to the river and bring back a basket of water." The boy did as he was told, even though all the water leaked out before he could get back to the house.
The grandfather laughed and said, "You will have to move a little faster next time," and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again. This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was impossible to carry water in a basket, and he went to get a bucket instead.
The old man said, "I don't want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You can do this. You're just not trying hard enough," and he went out the door to watch the boy try again. At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got far at all. The boy scooped the water and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty.
Out of breath, he said, "See Papa, it's useless!"
"So you think it is useless?" The old man said, "Look at the basket." The boy looked at the basket and for the first time he realized that the basket looked different. Instead of a dirty old coal basket, it was clean. "Son, that's what happens when you read the Bible. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, it will change you from the inside out.”

That is the work of God in our lives: to change us from the inside out and to slowly transform us into the image of His son.

Rom. 8:28 – 29, 10:17
~ We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
~ Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.

Dork, by definition

2006-02-22T11:28:00.000-06:00

noun; Someone who's love has not yet grown cold enough to support a false image of themselves as always being poised and in control of every situation. Someone who is unable to consistently counterfeit a "been there done that," attitude in the face of new and wonder filled situations. Someone who when alone with those they love refuses to act as though they have just met in order to preserve everyone's false sense of dignity. They are not "tough" or "cool" or "hard," and no one would ever mistake them for a movie star. They show a distinct inability to take the human creature, and all of its nonsense, with the same gravity and seriousness as those around them do. They persevere in this lack of decorum even after repeated threats and warnings by the well meaning that they will never "make it" if they won't fall in line.

author: JOSIAH SERRA

2006-02-22T11:20:00.000-06:00

I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST JESUS WHO STRENGTHENS ME.

~PHIL. 4:13

The road to success is not straight. There is a curve called FAILURE. A loop called CONFUSION, speed bumps called FRIENDS, red lights called ENEMIES, caution lights called FAMILY. You will have flats called JOBS. But, if you have a spare called DETERMINATION, an engine called PERSEVERANCE, insurance called FAITH, a driver called JESUS, you will make it to a place called SUCCESS.

Trust in the LORD and do good.
Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
Take delight in the LORD,
and he will give you your heart's desires.
Commit everything you do to the LORD.
Trust him, and he will help you.
He will make your innocence as clear as the dawn,
and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.
Be still in the presence of the LORD,
and wait patiently for him to act.
Don't worry about evil people who prosper
or fret about their wicked schemes.

quote of the day . . .

2006-02-21T15:15:00.000-06:00

"God keeps slowly igniting people about prayer and taking away all of there "normal" lives..."

~ Josiah Serra

I HAVE BEEN TAGGED?!

2006-02-21T14:20:00.000-06:00

I have gathered that this means that I am supposed to blog about myself and where I was 10 years ago, 5 years ago, and then I year ago. So, here it goes:

Well, 10 years ago, I was 14 years old. Oh, thinking about this place in my life, to be quite honest with you, makes me cringe for several reasons that I do not feel comfortable blogging about. But, I will say this, I was in 8th grade. I was not at all focused on the things of God, even though I was attending a Catholic grade school. I was focused on the things of the world – including boys! Well, maybe not included boys, it probably was the focus. School, well it was there. It was never difficult for me to get good grades, so I didn’t have to try that hard. I lived for recess and talking with my friends about boys and talking to boys and really anything that had to do with boys. I’m just being honest here! I was in a “serious” relationship (“serious” meaning that, that boy had more influence on me and my mind, heart, body, time . . . you name it, than anything else.) He was 16, so he could drive and this was the biggest thing ever in my “circle” that I had a boyfriend that could take me places or that would pick me up from school or soccer practice. AHHHHHHH! God thank you for opening my eyes and saving my soul!

Moving right along . . .

5 years ago, I was pregnant! HA! I was actually getting ready to have surgery to remove a cyst on my ovary while I was pregnant. Jesus is so good because it was through this situation where I really realized just how precious my pregnancy was. I got engaged back in September, found out that I was pregnant in December, and then by January, he was gone. So, up until this point in my pregnancy I had not really found a reason to get excited about this coming bundle of joy. However, when life had begun to lay it all on the line and my baby’s life was at stake, God showed me just how much I truly did want this beautiful baby. I was still a praying, dutiful Catholic and left God where “He belonged” at church on Sundays, but never had the personal relationship. It was also this pregnancy that started the questions in my spirit to surface again about God and religion and how I disagreed with the doctrine of man in the Catholic Church and just how I planned on raising my son to understand the things of God. Needless to say, my son is alive and very well! AHHHHHHH! God thank you for opening my eyes and saving my baby!

1 year ago! Wow, well, only 1 year ago I found out that God was calling my pastor to resign from his position as the youth pastor. This rocked my world! I was in a serious relationship. (This time, I mean serious as in we had already been together for 1 ½ years and we were definitely believing it was God’s will for our lives to be married.) Caleb is now 3 years old. God has saved my life and my soul, but He is only first and foremost at highs in my spiritual life. He, often times, took a close second to whatever needed my attention most at that time. Like I said before, He was only first at moments, usually this meant like when I needed Him or during youth retreats or camps, and sometimes when the Spirit would move me during an incredible sermon. I was still a “good” Christian. I read my bible, I prayed my prayers, but never really took the full dive off the cliff to trust God with everything and really seek after Him and Him alone. Worry plagued me often and insecurity was always snapping after my heels (most of the time it got a hold and left me with a nasty wound.) I met a girl named Elise Mullins and began to develop a great dorky friendship with her. Mom and Dad were fighting like usual and there was no relationship between me and my brother and sister. My family thought I was a religious loony and I was a total approval addict with people at church. I was always fighting this feeling that “I know I’m not where I need to be” but I was leading and teaching the High School age group, so therefore, I could not go to anyone for help, because I was supposed to be a leader and self-sufficient and I would have to admit that I was weak and that I really hadn’t been doing things right! LIES, ALL LIES! THE DEVIL IS FULL OF LIES! So, that made me start to push Gina out of my life, because I began to run out of excuses and explanations of my complacency. But, even back then, God began to work in my life and mark out the steps that He was going to use to restore my spirit and bring me true freedom in Him. AHHHHHHH! God thank you for opening my eyes and saving me from the lies!

Today, I was able to sleep in. I made lunch for my brother and me. We talked for hours about the things of God and how He has saved our lives and shaken us up, poured out His amazing blessed above all that we could ever have asked for, and had coffee! It was a wonderful day! Now, I’m about ready to go to corporate prayer and get all “jacked up” about the things of God since He has taken His rightful place as number 1. AHHHHHHH! God thank you for opening my eyes and blessing me with the ability to hear your voice and to be your hands and feet!

5 songs I know:
- MERCY REIGNS – Shane & Shane
- EVERYTHING YOU ARE – Big Daddy Weave
- FAITH - Jason Upton
- SPRINGS OF LIFE – Ginny Owens
- BREAKDOWN – Jack Johnson

5 things I'd do with a million dollars:
- tithe
- give to the India Orphanage
- pay off debt
- take my family to dinner
- save the rest for my son’s college and our house

5 places I'd run away to:
- Canada
- Camp Mikaska
- TN
- Kansas City
- the Park

5 things I'd never wear:
- fur or any kind (fake or real)
- tube tops
- Bermuda shorts
- gobs of make-up
- Stiletto heels

5 favorite toys:
- I don’t know how to answer this

5 favorite books: (in no particular order)
- BIBLE – Mr. Jehovah Jeri Himself
- WHERE THE RED FERN GROWS – Wilson Rawls
- THE BOOK OF ROMANCE – Tommy Nelson
- BOY MEETS GIRL – Joshua Harris
- DO YOU THINK I’M BEAUTIFUL – Angela Thomas

5 greatest joys:
- Jesus
- LAUGHING!
- praying
- being with my son
- cuddling up with THE blue blanket and coffee, surrounded with candles, family, and the presence of God

So, I’ll attempt to tag 5 others:
- Gina Crawford
- Paul Taylor
- Katie Russell
- Josiah Serra - let’s make this a conversation for the next Starbucks!
- Kim – Gina you will have to pass this one on!

2006-02-16T10:40:00.000-06:00

After I blogged earlier this month about trials and suffering and how God used it, I found another blogger who shinned a new light on things. He starts by noting Psalms 66 again, particularly verses 8 - 12:

"David begins it by giving thanks and blessings to God. Why? Because God had afflicted Him, had tested Him, had put Him through FIRE and water. Wait a minute! God is the one who puts affliction on us? I thought God loved us. Well, He does. Part of His loving us is shaping us and molding us to be and to do what He has created us to do. He makes us go through trials and tribulations because He knows it is good for us."

That's good stuff! He continues later with this:

"There have been certain afflictions I have asked God to take away, and for some reason or other, He hasn’t. I’ll find out later I suppose. But look at Jesus. He suffered immense pain on the cross for us. Remember what He said in the garden of Gethsemene? He wanted this "cup to pass before [Him.]" He knew that He was going to suffer. If God had spared Jesus from all that pain, we would be lost.
God has a plan and purpose and all this. You may be going through trials (I do EVERYDAY) but God wants to bless you in those things. Take time to thank Him. Look at a Job for a moment. After all those things he went through, don’t you think that perhaps his walk with the Lord was stronger than it already was?"

Awesome! Thanks Man-Fish! (See http://themanfish.blogspot.com/ for the full post.) God has also taught me an even greater piece of this lesson of trials and sufferings and that is MERCY & GRACE and HOPE & JOY!

I learned this in December from Pastor Mundo from The Life Church in Memphis, TN. He talked about God's grace and mercy. He spoke on the fact that God loves us so much that He can not possibly leave us the way that we are. His great love compells Him to change us and mold us. Think about that for just a second! Really let that soak. God loves us TOO much to allow us to be infused with doubt, fear, selfishness, greed, lust, insecurities, etc. Yet, we get even angry that God would allow these test to come or that He would start to reveal these characteristics within us, because "we aren't ready for this."

Have you ever said that? "I'm not ready to deal with this?" Or my recent favorite, "I'm not strong enough to do this!" Ha, ha! I have! Truth is, I'M NOT, BUT HE IS! So, we've covered the mercy and grace part!

Let's talk about the hope and joy part. Let's first take a look at a few scriptures. Open your Bibles to Psalms 34. This is my favorite Psalm. It seems to encompass a little bit of everything. It seems like it always applies to my life, no matter what situation that I am facing or going through. Take a look at the first couple of verses. If you really, really, really understand these first couple of verses, I believe without doubt that they will change your life.

"I will extol the LORD at all times;
His praise will always be on my lips.
My soul will boast in the LORD;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
Glorify the LORD with me;
let us exalt His name together."

When should we praise God? AT ALL TIMES! When should His praise be on our lips?ALWAYS! Not in good times only, not only when everything is "smooth sailing" in our lives - AT ALL TIMES and ALWAYS! I remember a certain incredible song that goes a little something like this:

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name
Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say
Blessed be the name of the Lord

Whatever circumstance we face - God doesn't change! He isn't more or less faithful based on the good or bad things happening in our lives. He isn't more or less of a loving God towards us based on how great our days are or are not. Knowing all this, why do we treat Him differently based on these things? I know that my praise and worship changes based on the happiness of my heart or how much I like that particular song at that time instead of it being based on the things of God that never change! And I don't think that I would be alone in saying that comment.

1Thes. 5:16 - 17 says, "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

(Can anyone else hear Kevin Gerald here with a vibrating tongue, followed by a loud, "HELLO!"?)

I can tell you right now that this scripture is a convicting one. Thank you HOLY SPIRIT! Not only does it reaffirm what Psalms 34 says, but it goes even farther and tells us that to live this joyful and grateful life facing any circumstance is GOD'S WILL FOR OUR LIVES! WOW! In the words of a friend of mine, "Dang!"

In my previous blog, I was in the place where I was rejoicing in the end result of how God mold us in our trials, not in the now, not in the trial. I thought that hope part was looking to the future and how God was going to use the trials to lead me to greater things in Him or to be more like Him. Now, God is clearly speaking more of the lesson, "Not after the trial, but through the trial!" It is not the end result of the trial that we are shaped but through it! We don't have to hope in the end result, but gain a greater hope through what God leads us through. Thank you Jesus!

Lord, you are speaking! I am listening! You are leading and I am following. My eyes are open to your works and my ears are attentive to your direction. Work in me, Father! Work through me and never, never, never let my tongue be silent to speak your praises. In Jesus' sweet name, Amen.

2006-02-14T11:30:00.000-06:00

Deeply in LOVE

In my life you've heard me say I LOVE You
How do I show You it's true
Here's my heart, it longs for more of You
I've fallen deeply in LOVE with...

You have stolen my heart
I'm captivated by You
Never will You and I part
I've fallen deeply in LOVE with You

You and I, together forever
Nothing can stand in the way
My LOVE for You grows stronger each new day
I've fallen deeply in LOVE with...

You have stolen my heart
I'm captivated by You
Never will You and I part
I've fallen deeply in LOVE with You

Deeply in LOVE . . . Deeply in LOVE with You.

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We because he first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother."
~ 1 John 4:7 - 21

DOING WHAT JESUS DID by Fern Horst

2006-02-10T13:38:00.000-06:00

Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave - just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Matthew 20:25-28

What Would Jesus Do? We have many reasons to be reminded of this question these days as we see the initials WWJD on everything from bracelets to T-shirts to Bible covers to refrigerator magnets. Someone once said that the reminder should be "DWJD" (Do What Jesus Did) instead.

I tend to agree. By using the question "What would Jesus do?" to determine our actions, we may be in danger of acting out what we think Jesus would do rather than what He actually did. Our human perspective of Jesus and what He would do in our day is often sadly flawed by the influence of many of the world's values which He would never own.

One of those values that seems to have crept into my own thinking, and that of many Christians, is the idea that when I choose a church, a spouse, a career, or even a friend, that I should make sure that my "needs" are going to be met. If after making my decision I think they aren't, then I have the right to move on and find something different. Seems reasonable enough, doesn't it?

But wait a minute. If I'm going to be committed to DWJD (doing what Jesus did), I won't make my decisions by that criteria. I'll take a look back at the accounts of Jesus' life in the Bible and take special note that "the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many."

This changes a significant criteria by which I make the major and the not so major decisions in my life. If I am going to do what Jesus did, I will also be a servant and a minister to others as He was. When I choose a church, it should be a place where I can serve. My choice of a career or a job should be one that allows me to serve others. And my decision whether to marry or who I marry should be qualified by the criteria of whether I can serve better with this person or alone.

Before we think that Jesus ignored His own needs, though, we'd better take a second look at the Gospels. He definitely took steps to get His needs for refreshment and refueling met, but not through relationships with people. The Gospels say that, particularly after times of ministering to the multitudes, "he went up into a mountain apart to pray" (Matthew 14:23). If we are going to DWJD, we'll be sure to take the same steps in the midst of our lives of serving and ministering to others.

AHHH!

2006-02-08T14:56:00.000-06:00

Has anyone ever said to you, "You are such a breath of fresh air!" That's quite a compliment! I seem to be at a constant place of breathing fresh air from the people around me. I was just talking last night to Elise and I said that I always wanted to be one of those people always talking Jesus, ready to pray and equipped with the faith and boldness to pray for any situation, right there no matter if that person thought that I was crazy, and someone who was constantly speaking loving, encouraging words. I am far from it, but that is the goal - more like Jesus! Now, I can't think of anything else that I'd rather talk about! God is so alive and so real! His voice is so audible and clear. I can not encourage anyone enough to run, and I mean, full speed-leopard lungs running towards our Creator. I find myself so full of giddy joy that I can not contain this totally dorky permanant grin. I find myself jumping (this is literal) telling people randomly "Jesus is the greatest!" It's uncontrollable! But, I am not worried, because not only do I hope that it never ends, but that it only gets worse! Plus, my family is doing the same thing! And in some instances, it has even resorted to complete nonsense communication because words are so inadequate for what you long to speak. Chad sometimes speaks in tongues to us (don't read into that anyone - don't get legalistic on me!) However, because Josiah seems to opperate on a complete different verbal plane than me, I sometimes think that he does too! Chad has been threatening physical harm to my face! Elise and I just scream, I find that works best! We are just trying to find a way to get what's inside out! I know that this doesn't make sense to all people, but if Jesus has put this kind of joy inside your soul, if He has given you new life by bringing a fresh breath into your soul, then you get it! Search for it, it's there! I have to go scream now, so God bless and keep praying always!

quote of the day . . .

2006-02-08T14:52:00.000-06:00

"Mom, you know Jesus? Well, guess what? He's the bestest Jesus that there is! Did you know that, Mom?"

~ Caleb Dittmann

quote of the day . . .

2006-02-06T09:56:00.000-06:00

There have been so many quotes this past weekend. It seemed like anything that came out of my friends mouths was completely encouraging or hilarious. I know that you all don't get all of these quotes, but to those that do, please remember our family and pray for each other! I love you all and you all inspire me to be better, serve more, and love greater in the Lord!

Todays quote of the day is a tribute to Matt Maddox, an up and running with full force Holy Spirit vessel! Keep in mind that we were talking in reference to the Word of God and how it feeds our souls. Fuse (our College and Career Ministry) hosted a Super Bowl pary yesterday and there were a couple of us who hated the whole idea of the Super Bowl, but loved the idea of fellowshipping. We rebuked the Devil and his commercials and his television and instead talked about how much prayer has changed our lives, how much we love the Creator and the family of believers that He has given us, and read the Word outloud during the commercials! (We even read from Song of Songs to provide a more startling announcement . . . all of us singles had to stop shortly after and thank God for the plan He has for us in His perfect timing!) It was a great time after we started talking about God and eating strawberries, but getting full of the Bread!

~ "I eat breakfast every morning!"

such a weird power . . .

2006-02-01T17:15:00.000-06:00

Isn't it funny the power that email has over you? This was quite a revelation to me the other day. I went to this new job Wednesday and all day I was checking my email thinking, "Surely someone emailed me today! I mean, they all know that I started this job and they want to tell me how awesome it's going to be, right?!" Check the email - no new messages! What is this? Agh! Does your stomach sink everytime that you go online anticipating a little love note and you get the most disappointing feeling instead when you realize that you have no new messages? Am I the only one that this happens to?

The text messages are even worse. I recently added text messaging to my phone plan and this opened a whole new world to me, I kid you not! Texting someone just a quick little, "Hello, I'm thinking about you today!" message or "OMG, God is totally awesome! Look what He revealed to me just now while I was praying . . . ," or "God laid this scripture on my heart for you . . . " and creating a little mini-bible study admist that persons busy day! This is food for my spirit, I love it! But, the ridiculous little series of rings that I recieve when my phone notifies me of a new message of my very own - AHHHHGGG! It's too much to put into words or this blog. It's so powerful! Why is that?

Does the love of my friends and family shine through the email or phone system? I sure hope not! Father, help me! This is such a weird power. I can't wait to go to Heaven, where the things of this world will have no power over me and the only care I will have will be that of my freedom giving Creator!

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance."

2006-01-30T13:42:00.000-06:00

God never asks anything from us that He didn't already or wouldn't give. That is not is God's character. Our perfect Creator has sacrificed all and therefore it is our purpose in life to do the same. Romans 12:1 tells us to "offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship." God wants our everything! Every day He wants us to ask, "What do you want today, Father?! What do I need to give you? What would you have me offer today?" Sometimes He'll respond with, "Nothing! You're putting me first above all! Well done, good and faithful servant!" Sometimes He'll respond with a big, fat, giant list. Oh boy, those are fun days! Sometimes, He'll ask for the one thing that you never thought He'd ask for. You even question Him, as if to say, "Are you sure?" When He asks for these things you wonder, "Why, I don't understand?! I know that you gave me this as a blessing and now you want it back!" Those mornings you cry out in confusion and in part, even defiance because you know that either He has been asking for a while and you haven’t responded or that you already know that you have to give it up, but that this marks the beginning of the battle.

I am sure that Abraham felt the same way when he was asked to sacrifice his very own precious son, even though God also promised him that Abraham would see his offspring through that precious son. We don’t have any idea of the dialogue that went in inside his head after God asked for such a massive sacrifice. However, the word gives many indications that not only did Abraham put his trust in God but he trusted that God would provide a way out as well. In Genesis 22:5 – 8, we can see that Abraham told his servants to stay put while Abraham and Isaac went on and that both he and Isaac would be back. It goes on to say in verse 8 that when Isaac questioned about the offering, Abraham told Isaac that “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering.” In Hebrews 11:19, Paul writes that Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead. So, not only can we see that Abraham was a man of faith and trust, but that he was a man of great hope in the Lord and His promises. Abraham didn’t just believe in God – he believed God.

God is graciously teaching me the value of faith and that faith can only be purified by the testing of it. I am drawing strength from the bible in scriptures like 1Pet. 1:6-7, “. . . though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” and Psalm 66:10 “For you, O God, tested us; you refined us like silver.” What an incredible time in my life for the Lord to know my heart and know that I am ready for such trials! What faith in me the Lord must have to consider that I am ready for such a fiery test! I am banking on the promise of 1Cor.10:13, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

Father, I long for the faith, trust, and hope that Abraham had in you! I long to look to you and you alone in this trial. I believe in what your Word tells me and I know that you are doing a great and mighty work in me and that you promise rich blessings on the other side. Add to my faith, increase it in measure and then add to it goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love, Father! I am taking hold of so many promises that your Word teaches me. Renew yourself to me each day as I keep my eyes fixed on you while I run this race! Be with my family and bless them with everything that they need to give you glory and honor. Clothe them each with your righteousness and encourage them with your unending love. We need you Father! All in your Holy and Sweet name we pray. AMEN.

quote of the day . . .

2006-01-30T11:31:00.001-06:00

"If it weren't totally unhealthy to be fat, then I would be so fat! "

~ Katie Russell

2006-01-25T12:26:00.000-06:00

Live each moment like it's your last! When you say good-bye, pretend that it's the last time that you will ever see that person! Here's an excerpt from a poem that I found:

you never know
when your last hello will come
when your last hug will be
or when you will last see
those you love
you never know

check out the rest -

http://hehearsyourcries.blogspot.com/

joy . . .

2006-01-25T11:32:00.000-06:00

"The light of the eyes rejoices the heart, and good news refreshes the bones."

- Proverbs 15:30

What was I thinkin'?

2006-01-25T11:22:00.000-06:00

Who are these girls? I don't even recognize them! I bet most of you didn't know that I was Pentecostal before I came to know Jesus! Just kidding! But, seriously, what color was my hair? Thank you Lord for saving me from myself. Ah, old pictures crack my crack up!

quote of the day . . .

2006-01-25T11:00:00.000-06:00

"You probably can't tell, but I didn't go to preschool."

- Chad Trost

2006-01-23T17:10:00.000-06:00

Well, it seems like forever since I have last blogged. Maybe not forever, but so much has happened that it feels like forever! I feel like I could write, and write, and write so much, but it wouldn't give justice to what God's really doing in my heart and in my life! So, consider that a little disclaimer. Goodness, God is amazing! I mean truely - I am in awe of The Father. He is teaching me so much and I am grateful for the discipline that has been instilled in me to stay teachable and moldable. He is teaching me so much about the Body. I am in love with the concept of His Bride, His glorious Church and how much He gave up for her! I love being a part of the Family and wild horses can't keep me away from my brothers and sisters. I really mean that! My heart has been ripped out of my chest so many times this week from just leaving them that I am not really sure that I should be living and breathing right this very minute. But, God is graciously pouring out His mercy and I'm using every bit of it. Thank you Lord that it doesn't run out and that I get a healthy dose every morning! Well, I have lots more to say, but I will fill you all in a little while later! I'm a busy lady! . . . .

NO EXCUSES!

2006-01-23T17:02:00.000-06:00

We can be used by God only when we realize that we are weak without Him.
The next time you feel like GOD can't use you, just remember...

Noah was a drunk
Abraham was too old
Isaac was a daydreamer
Jacob was a liar
Leah was ugly
Joseph was abused
Moses had a stuttering problem
Gideon was afraid
Samson had long hair and was a womanizer
Rahab was a prostitute
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young
David had an affair and was a murderer
Elijah was suicidal
Isaiah preached naked
Jonah ran from God
Naomi was a widow
Job went bankrupt
John the Baptist ate bugs
Peter denied Christ
The Disciples fell asleep while praying
Martha worried about everything
The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once
Zaccheus was too small
Paul was too religious
Timothy had an ulcer
...AND Lazarus was dead!

...no more excuses now. God can use you to your full potential. Besides you aren't the message, you are just the messenger.

second quote of the day . . .

2006-01-16T17:54:00.000-06:00

God responds to faith, not to need!

- Elise Mullins

quote of the day . . .

2006-01-16T17:40:00.000-06:00

CHEMISTRY HEART!

God's trying to teach me "Chemistry Heart!"
- Jen Dittmann to Elise Mullins

The Bike Ride

2006-01-16T17:09:00.000-06:00

God is so amazing to give me the blessing of parenting! If you have kids, then you will understand how much they really teach you and if you don’t have kids, then when you do, include learning a teachable spirit in your prayer list. (Actually, that’s a good word for all of us, with or without children.) Anyway, so last Thursday was beautiful outside. It was a clear, bright, and gorgeous day of like 65 degrees. A wonderful breath of fresh air in the middle of this January blah! So, I took Caleb out for a bike ride. He rides and I can get an extra workout walking and running beside him. He always gets excited because he is allowed to tell me where we are going and is no longer confined to the boundaries of driveway. We circle the cul-de-sac and head up the street. We make our way up the hill and stop. Caleb stopped at the top of the hill and looked at me with those big blue eyes and said, “Mommy, will you put your hand on the bar?” Caleb fell once riding his bike and ever since, he hasn’t wanted to risk the bike going too fast and falling again. But, this time I wanted to teach him how to use the brakes and be able to control his speed riding down the hill. So, I told him, “No, Caleb I won’t hold on to your handle bar, but I will show you how to use your brakes to go down the hill.” He said, “Okay.” So, I started walking forward and asked him to keep up with me and told him that I would show him how to use his brakes. Immediately he said, “Mommy, NO! Will you please just put your hand right here?” and pointed to the handle bar. I said, “Caleb, no, I will not hold on to the handle bar. Trust me, I want to show you how to ride down the hill. I’m right here, Honey. I won’t let you fall. I’m not going to leave your side.” He said, “No, I don’t want to go down.” I said, “Caleb, don’t you trust me? Do you really think that I would let you fall?” He said, “No.” Suddenly, this conversation started to sound so familiar. I couldn’t contain it anymore! I started laughing hysterically! Every single word was perfect. Every single thing that Caleb said sounded like everything that I had been telling God for weeks now. Every single word that came out of my mouth couldn’t have been a more precise way for God to manifest His own words to me. He’s been screaming at me for so long, “Don’t you trust me! Do you really think that I would let you fall? I’m right here besides you and I’m not going anywhere!” Thank you, Lord, for teaching me through my stubborn son. Thank you, God, for revealing yourself in a new way to me. Thank you for reaching me in my point of need. Yes, God, I trust you! Yes, Lord, your word is very clear about the promises that you have for your children. Yes, Lord, you are right beside me and you will never, never leave me, even for one second. My trust is in you alone!

Isaiah 41:9-13 (MSG)
I pulled you in from all over the world, called you in from every dark corner of the earth, Telling you, 'You're my servant, serving on my side. I've picked you. I haven't dropped you.' Don't panic. I'm with you. There's no need to fear for I'm your God. I'll give you strength. I'll help you. I'll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you. "Count on it: Everyone who had it in for you will and up out in the cold - real losers. Those who worked against you will end up empty-handed-nothing to show for their lives. When you go out looking for your old adversaries you won't find them - Not a trace of your old enemies, not even a memory. That's right. Because I, your GOD, have a firm grip on you and I'm not letting go. I'm telling you, 'Don't panic. I'm right here to help you.'

Description of a Christian

2006-01-10T23:36:00.000-06:00

When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not shouting I'm clean living. I'm whispering, I was lost, but now I'm found and forgiven.

When I say..."I am a Christian" I don't speak of this with pride. I'm confessing that I stumble and need CHRIST to be my guide.

When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not trying to be strong. I'm professing that I'm weak and need HIS strength to carry on.

When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not bragging of success. I'm admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess.

When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not claiming to be perfect, My flaws are far too visible but, but God believes I am worth it.

When I say... "I am a Christian" I still feel the sting of pain. I have my share of heartaches and I call upon His name!

When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not holier than thou. I'm just a simple sinner who received God's good grace, somehow.

2006-01-10T22:08:00.000-06:00

I love to encourage. But, it's totally selfish! I can't even contain myself when I think about the smile that someone gonna get when they see that little note that I put on their car or how they are gonna look when they read that email! There is an immense amount of joy in looking at others through God's eyes! It's completely selfish! However, as someone who feeds on giving it, I also feed off of it, so I understand just how much it really is needed. Speaking life into someone's day is exhilarating. God is lavishing His love on us all the time, but the world is constantly putting us down. It tells us that we aren't good enough, or aren't smart enough, or don't have enough money, or aren't the sexiest thing on two feet, or aren't worth anything. In fact, the Bible even says that the power of life and death are held in the tongue and that the tongue is the hardest thing to control! We crave encouragement in our world today and the Devil knows it! So, he whispers really soft, so you don't know that it's him talking to you and putting you down. BUT, you can make that choice to listen or to rebuke, to accept the lies or to increase your faith! Advance the light! "Encourage one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness!" (Heb 3:13)

quote of the day . . .

2006-01-05T23:21:00.000-06:00

"I wonder if sometimes He puts you on your knees on purpose just so you'll realize what to do while you're down there, ya know?"

- Pete Cocos

I'm pretty much a dumb sheep . . .

2006-01-05T11:48:00.000-06:00

" . . . for my power is made perfect in your weakness." If I had a mantra to describe exactly where I am spiritually right now - BAM, there it is. Weakness - I checked it out and here are some synonyms: flaw, fault, failing, limitation, disadvantage. Interesting to you? I thought it so!

Weakness, isn't it ironic that what the world sees as a defect, God glorifies! Think about this for just a second. I have been all day! Last night, trying to quiet all the turmoil in my head was impossible. I tried reading the word, I tried replaying situations over and over, looking for answers and seeking my own direction, and I even tried talking with my sister. Talking with her gave me momentary peace. In fact, she was walking through her own weaknesses and talked with me about it. It was easier for me to encourage her in the Lord than to encourage myself. Why is that? It was so easy for me to rejoice in her sufferings and I'm thinkin' in my head about how excited I am that God is going to use all this stuff that she's going through to put her through the fire and that I can see all the faithfulness that God has shown her in the past couple of years and I believe God, not just believe in God, but fully believe God, that He will use this all to mold and shape her to make her more like He is and that in the end He will lavish all these amazing blessings upon her. (breath)

So, I got off the phone with her and felt a little better, then morning happened. I couldn't get out of bed. Caleb came and woke me up. He wanted to get up and start the day, but I wanted to stay in bed all day. He wanted to read, so we read in bed. He went downstairs to grab a quick breakfast and I stayed in bed. He even closed my door so that I could get up and get dressed and sure enough 20 minutes later, he came knocking at the door saying, "Mom, you are taking too long!" And he was so right. I needed to get my lazy behind out of bed and start me day, but there was this haze over my soul. There was this giant heaviness that was too much for me to carry around.

So, I hit my knees and I cried. I cried and cried until it couldn't come anymore. I felt alone, I felt tired, I felt weary. I felt defeated and discouraged. It all kinda happened at once, ya know? Life just kinda keeps piling it on until it finds your breaking point and it found mine. I immediately knew where I was supposed to go - I went back to bed, but this time, I was armed. I dried the tears, but kept the tissue box handy and grabbed the sword and my new journal. It was waiting, just asking to be marked up with all the desires, pains, and cries of my heart. Date at the time, complete with the exact time and I just went to work. I scribbled it all down. I sorted it all out. I cried, I laughed, I screamed and I moaned until it was all down on paper and all out in the open. As my friend Gina says, "I got naked before the Lord!" And boy, did it feel better! I'm weak, completely frail. There is not one strand of strength left in me. What a scary, humble, and wonderful place to be!

I was working out today. (Denise really sure knows how to make the muscles burn!) I'm holding this crazy "warrior pose" and my thigh is shaking so bad that it was risking pulling it out of the hip socket and burning so bad that my pants practically caught on fire and I'm thinking to myself, "I'm so weak! This is so hard. Weakness leaving the body, huh?" I have just been so alert to the weaknesses of me today. I've been thinking all day about just how much I need God. It's quite amazing! I've been such a fool! How foolish to depend on my own strength and my own decisions that obviously put me in foolish positions anyway! What a wretched human am I to have choosen my will over that of my father's AGAIN! What is wrong with me? I mean really, I feel like this is the story of my life. Go, go, go, and do, do, do until I fall, fall, fall and then wonder why I continue in this fashion, every stinkin' time! Do you ever do that? Do you know what I mean?

So, I'm weak, and I'm learning to love it. It's a learning proccess for me, but I don't recommend learning as I have (or as I am.) Because, here's the deal - God doesn't want only the hard stuff. He wants it all. He wants every minute. He doesn't want the tough times without the easy times too. It's kinda like the mini-sermon that everyone preaches before you take up the offering. "Be faithful with the little stuff and it will be easier to be faithful with the more that God gives you!" You heard that one before? Well, I'm applying it to life! Give God the little stuff and watch Him carry you through the hard stuff too. Had I learned to give God the little stuff before, then how much easier would it be to walk through the difficulties of life that I face now?! Get it? So maybe you are like me, maybe not. Either way, don't wait until you are forced to depend on God to start depending on Him. I'm sure it's much more fun to do it willingly.

God, I need you! I can do nothing apart from you. You've heard it before, because I've said it before, but here I am again. I know that you hear me and I know that you are taking care of me. I don't understand why you would want me, but here I am in all of my weakness and I'm giving it all to you. Have your way! I surrender, all of it, I'm not holding back. I'm done! I have nothing left. I need a job - so you work it out! You know everything and you know how it's gonna work out. So, I trust you. You've never left me with any reason to doubt. I need your healing - so come inside my heart and mend away! You have never done anything but make me whole. There are pieces missing and I'm trying to fill those cracks with other stuff. Take the presidence that you deserve and move the stuff out the doesn't belong. Take care of those insecurities while you're there. Elise will appreciate it too! I have worries that only you can quiet - so speak loud enough to reach where I am because I can't even imagine being worthy enough to meet you were you are. I need to know and take hold of your promises - so thank you for the people that you've put into my life that remind me of that everyday! You've got your work cut out for you, but I know that you are a big and mighty God, so here ya go! I'm all yours. I'm a dumb sheep, lead away . . . baaaaaa!

quote of the day . . .

2006-01-03T19:09:00.000-06:00

"You're making my heart hurt right now & that means that this is for serious!"

- Elise Mullins

quote of the day . . .

2005-12-29T22:37:00.000-06:00

"Mommy, don't you want to go to Heaven!?"

- Caleb Dittmann

Well, She's Gone!

2005-12-29T10:27:00.000-06:00

My, my, how time flies! It seems just like yesterday when I thought to myself, "What a dreamer she is! She really thinks that she's gonna go to Hawaii!" Well, sure enough, she is a dreamer and she did go to Hawaii, but even more fantastical - She is completely in His will and exactly where she is supposed to be! We sent her off today, well more like this morning even before the buttcrack of dawn. (Boy, I'm feeling it already and Caleb was knocked out by the first 5 minutes in the car ride home. He is napping soundly in the next room.) Surprisingly, I was able to withhold the tears through the last hug. I will save them to space them out over the next 3 months! Gina, it was quite possibly the most precious thing in the world this morning when you left. Caleb was a wreck! He was so depressed when you left from the gate and then when we called my mom this morning from the Starbucks he started crying because he said, " I am just gonna miss Gina so much!" Precious! Oh my little boy! You would have melted and I know that it was through the grace of God Himself that he didn't cry at the gate because if he would have cried like he did at Starbucks, at the gate with you, Angels themselves would have had to drag you on the plane! We tried to call you to tell you that we loved you but I think it was too late. Oh well! Know that you will be missed and loved and that the letter that he wrote on the back of the picture that he gave you was straight from the heart of your beloved Caleb.

quote of the day . . .

2005-12-27T23:02:00.000-06:00

"Caleb, you better remember or your butt will remind you when it hurts!"

- Gina Crawford