Thoughts - Prayer - Boxes

Well. Today was our first Sunday here in Olive Branch. I decided to step out in faith and instead of going to visit another church that I would rent the civic center here and just trust God to fill the seats. I started praying at 6AM and by 10AM the seats were all still empty. I kept praying. Then people started coming in by the droves! Several thousand people stated coming in it was amazing! I started praising God and shouting for joy. Then a guy came and asked me to leave because it was the 5th annual gun and knife show and I didn't have a ticket.
Okay so I didn't really do that but it sounds like a good story. We did visit a church today and got to know the pastor which was great.
Also I just got off the phone with Shana. You guys who are reading this need to pray for them. They [plural due to the fact that Shana is actually a group of three girls:Shana, Liz, and Cyndy] need to rent their house. They are moving here in 23 days and a wake up and still no one to rent it. They have lots of traffic so pray that one o these lookers will stick. These chicks SO want to come and help plant this exciting new kind of church. So pray for them vigorously!
Did I mention we are still unpacking? We are so excited to get our stuff outta boxes! We only have about 15 more boxes to go and then some furniture stuff and wall hanging stuff. We are working really hard on the house so we can be finished with it so next week we can be 100% focused on SouthPoint. Pray for us this week we travel [more traveling can you believe it?] to Atlanta fo an ARC [Association of Related Churches] meeting. So pray for safe travels and a good meeting.

They're heeeerrrreeeeee!!!!! Do you remember that movie, Poltergeist? Freaky. If you do remember it you probably wish you could forget it. Of course that movie has absolutely NOTHING to do with this blog entry except for that one line.

Anyway, we are here. We arrived in Memphis Tuesday night and unloaded our trailer. I would say the trip was uneventful but that would not be true. Get this:

I was driving my truck pulling the trailer and Patti and the kids were behind me following. I was driving minding my own business driving across I-40 when we came upon an entrance ramp. In the right lane was a slow moving semi. A car got on the interstate and was obviously Inpatient because she cut over in front of me. I mean she totally cut me off to the point that I had to slam on my brakes so hard that they locked up. Ah nothing like the sound of big ole truck tires squealing at 70mph. Wait; did you forget that I was pulling a trailer? I did too, until I felt it begin to slide around the truck headed for the infamous jack-knife. Somehow [God] I let off brakes just enough, and just in time to correct the trailer and yet not hit this woman who was merely inches from the front of my truck. Yea God! Okay that is kool wanna hear something even more kool? Behind me, remember, was Patti and the kids in the van. Patti also had to lock up her brakes and swerve to keep from hitting me. So what is so kool about that you ask? Well 5 minutes prior to all of this excitement, Phoebe [my 4 year old] said out of the blue, "hey mom, did you know you're gonna hit dad's trailer?" Man! I sure am glad somebody in our family hears form God. Isn't that kool! Man, I love that child like faith. Those child like ears, and that child like love.

God make all of us more child like. Open our ears to hear not only the answers to our own wants desires and needs. But open our ears to hear your heart, your desires and the needs of the Kingdom. Help us to love the unlovable, touch the untouchable, and actually make a difference where we are.

You Make Everything Glorious

“You make everything glorious.” That is a line from a song that I can’t seem to get outta my mind this morning. I’ve been humming it since 6:15AM. It is a little annoying since that is the only line I know. But I think it is valid this morning since this is this morning of my final Sunday here at Mosaic Church.

I’m sorrowful.

Sorrowful is an old term that we rarely use today; but today it seems appropriate. Today I’m sorrowful. But God makes everything Glorious! Even my sorrow he can, and wil turn to his glory. I mean think about it. I may be leaving Mosaic, but I’m also leaving behind incredible friends that I did not have a few months ago. I’m leaving behind an exciting environment and real, true community. So what is so glorious about that you ask. Well how about the fact that I have more friends now. I have more knowledge now, I have more sense of community now. And on top of all of that I can take and transport this kingdom dynamic where I am going. Yes today is a sorrowful day, but it is also a day that God makes glorious.

I know that today is also the day that Mike and Judy (launch team members) are leaving Florida. This is their last Sunday at Tree of Life Church. I’m sure their sad. I’m almost positive that tears will be shed and they will be missed. Sorrowful. But God will make it glorious. Their sacrifice will drive, bring, and attract a whole new group into the Kingdom of God. Just their willingness will advance a positive flow in the kingdom.
I got an email this morning from another girl who is sorrowful that she mad a change. She moved and is being messed with. Sorrowful. But God can, and will make it glorious.

You make everything glorious.

Whatever is plaguing you this morning…….He can and will make it glorious.

I almost cried. Patti came closer than me, but still, I almost busted a tear gland. Once a man cries it's all down hill. I must admit, I cried at me wedding. I cried at the adoption of Sierra, I cried in the delivery room with Phoebe, and yes I even cried when Noah came into my life. So as you can see I'm not scared of crying it's just that I prefer not to do it while standing in front of people.

Wednesday night I almost cried.

Naeem and the crew from Mosaic did a going away party for us and it was spectacular. They showed a video that Jacob put together for us, they did a photo album for us to remember them by and they all stood and spoke really nice things about us. It was great. Even if all the nice things were lies, it still felt good!

Mosaic blessed SouthPoint with an offering that was stupendous and I was totally surprised and humbled. All in all it was a great, great, evening.

This Sunday is our last Sunday at Mosaic and I can honestly say that it will be very difficult to leave. To walk out that Sunday and say good bye. Not see ya later. I have formed many great friendships here that I know will last a long time. I would love to stay but I know God has called us to a different place to advance the Kingdom of Heaven. So I am sad in my leaving but at the same time excited at the possibilities that lay ahead of us. So here we come Memphis!

Inside Mosaic

THis is a picture of th etypical Sunday morning experience at Mosaic Church Charlotte. If you look real close you can see me singing. Okay NOT!

Book Review

I just finished Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell. Now Rob is a pastor in Grand Rapids Michigan. To be honest I was not sure if anything good could come out of Michigan (just kidding, I mean after all I came out of Michigan), but Rob's book is simply that, good.
I was challenged and intrigued. There were a few parts that I did not agree with, but I think if I agreed with everything I read I would be but a mindless drone looking for the next piece of literature to condone my way of thinking. Rob didn't do that. Velvet Elvis made me.....forced me....to view and look at things from the Bible in a totally different light. In fact he made me look at the Bible itself in a totally different light. Then on top of that I was running the other day and I was listening to Andy Stanley and he said, "The Bible is equally God inspired, but it is not equally applicable." It took me a few blocks to unpack that statement but it really made me think.
Rob's book did the same. It's a thinker. I will have to admit I liked the first half way better than the second, but it was definitely a good read. I would highly recommend it to anyone who wanted to consider the repainting of the Christian faith in the 22nd century.

It's a Journey

I had it all planned out. I was saving money, working all the time. I didn’t really make time for anything else, but that was OK. I was going to buy a house. Not just any house… my first house. And it was going to be CUTE. A garage, an extra bedroom, and decorated to the nines. I could see it. It was all I talked about, and it was all I was working towards.

Problem was (as I mentioned before), I was working all the time. And I didn’t have time for anything else. Of course there was the occasional night out with the girls, conversation with the parents, but work took precedence over everything. I loved my job and where (and what) it was going to get me. I was so focused on me. Me. Me. Me. There wasn’t time for good friends, good relationships, and most notably God. My God, who had been there for me through thick and thin, was missing from my life. Oh well. I was going to buy a house! Buy my independence!

Of course God was always in the back of my mind. Poking and prodding me here and there. But I pushed him aside, focused on what I wanted. Where I wanted to go. What I wanted to accomplish. I told him I’d come back - just to wait while I fulfilled my dreams.

Then I was thrown for a loop. The job that I loved so much suddenly changed. I worked for a relatively small company with about 20 employees. I had established a great relationship with my boss, who was also the founder and president of the company. From day one we had a great working relationship, were mutually trusting of one another, and made a great team. One day in late February, however, I learned that this man that I admired and respected was not all that I thought he was. Without going into too much detail, I will say that he showed me that he was not as trustworthy or respectable as I had imagined, and that he was not the “father figure” that he made himself out to be.

For the next few months I struggled with where that left me. As much as I loved what I did for a living, I couldn’t respect myself if I remained with the company. But I had my entire identity wrapped up in what I did for a living. And all of my plans depended on that paycheck - without it I couldn’t buy that house that I had dreamed so much about.

At almost the same time all of that was going on, I was invited to attend a church service at a new church called Mosaic with my co-worker, Cyndy, and her roommate, Shana. With everything that was going on, I was feeling pretty down, and that poke God was giving me was a little less daunting. So off I went one Sunday in February, and WOW did I find out what I had been missing. I became involved in the children’s ministry almost right away, and met an amazing group of people. And I discovered the compassion that God has for a hurting soul - even one that had been turning him away for the past few years. Through God, lots of prayer, and the support of some great friends, I finally found the courage to leave my job in May. I also finally stopped working towards things that were solely material. I learned that the greatest things come when fulfilling God’s will, not my own.

When I met Craig and Patti (on their second night in Charlotte), I was taken right away. Not only did they have the 3 most adorable kids ever, but they were such friendly, compassionate people - and passionate about God. When they told me they were going to start a new church in Memphis I thought, “How cool would that be?!” From that point on, every time I heard them speak about their move and their ministry I had such a desire to go along. Just a desire, though - I wouldn’t really move to Memphis. Away from my family, away from a place I’d just learned to call home over the past couple of years. But God had already cut my strongest tie to Charlotte (my job), and had prevented me from making another strong tie (the house). So after much prayer and the discovery that my two dear friends (the ones who led me to Mosaic) also felt compelled to go to, we all finally made the commitment.

So Memphis - here we come! To meet new friends, new family. To minister to other souls, just waiting for that one final prod that will bring them back to God. There is still a lot to be prayed about - for us and for everyone else making the move. But that which is done to fulfill God’s will, God’s plan, can only be good. So now we’re off to love on Memphis. See you there!

From some of the team

Mike Thompson said...

Our youngest cat disappeared for a couple days, we would call him, went looking for him, no luck. We had just about given up hope! I had been draining the hot tub, and had a side panel off, it started to rain one afternoon, so I put the panel back on to keep the rain out. Well, I was sitting on the deck one morning, and heard a scratching noise, this particular cat has never meowed or anything. So I opened up one corner of the hot tub, lo and behold, guess what sprung out, yep, Mr. Kitty.

I think we can be like that cat sometimes, God is calling, but we're not making enough noise for him to hear us. Sure, when things get tough enough, and we're scratching and clawing to survive, we can get through to God, but he wants us to answer him, and listen for him, long before we get to that point. Amazing the lessons we can learn from such a simple thing!

Dawn Whittington said...

Music is the same way. It has been years for you and your trombone days, but I'm sure you remember. Every piece of music is black and white, until a person adds character by performing it. The audience is waiting and watching to see what will become of this performer and piece. That's why music is so incredible and emotional. Each day is different when you pick up your instrument. The music is there, the spirit is there, but we must run with it, take a chance. Will the music glow and flow, or will it fall apart and become another piece of music in the library. Passion will make anything sparkle, and Craig has a passionate team with him at South Point.

Potential

Well, here we are in Memphis. Last night we met with Cory, Sonja, Ed, & Robin. They are the four adventurers that have come here before anybody else. We all went to the city park for the Fourth of July festivities. It was really cool. They had tons of stuff for the kids to do, and band stage with of course…….a band. They also had some really good singers, it was great. Then the fire works started. I must say I was impressed. They were really good. As I sat there I was in a great euphoric state, sitting with good friends, watching a beautiful display, smelling the gunpowder [guys like that kinda stuff], and basically just thoroughly enjoying myself. As I sat there and watched each fire work sail into the air waiting for the thunderous POP! I thought that is kinda how life is right now. I’m waiting for the pop.

Each firework that sailed into the air looked exactly the same until they popped. Before the explosion there was just a bright ember that sailed high into the air. All eyes on the lone ember waiting to see what color would come out, what sound, how loud, how big a dispersion? Will it sparkle or just explode? Will it be one of those kool double ones or will it be a dud? All eyes waiting and watching….each ember full of potential. Ah yes potential.

I kinda feel like an ember right now. A lot of people watching, waiting, expecting. Waiting to see what will happen.

I was reminded of this quote form Soren Kierkegaard [yes I really did think of Soren while watching the fire works. So I’m weird].

“if I were to wish for anything I should not wish for wealth and power, but for the passionate sense of the potential, for eye which ever young and ardent, sees the possible. What wine is so sparkling, what so fragrant, what is so intoxicating, as possibility.”

We are all embarking on an incredibly journey that will transform our lives, and the lives of many other people. It is not always easy, but it is always worth it.

Imagine.

Dream.

Just think of the Potential.

one step closer.

We are one step closer to Memphis. WE closed on our house in Naples the other day. It is no longer home. That was a difficult mind jump. I really didn't think it would be, but it was. I failed to realize how connected my heart had become. but enough of that past stuff let's move on to the good stuff. I speak at Tree of Life Church tomorrow and then Patti and I head out for Memphis! Yip-eee! In about 30 minutes I'm gonna go have lunch with the launch team that is still here in Naples. I have randomly talked to all of them, but now we are gonna get together. Everybody is so excited about going is awesome! And today I get to meet another couple that is interested in going. We will see what God does. Ya just never know. But at this point things are in full throttle forward. I trust that God will give us the rudder we need to go with this forward moment and we will not only reach our goal, but we will reach it well!

Team update:
Cory and Sonja are now living in Olive Branch and Cory got a job opening a business for a contract company. Go God!
Ed and Robin are now living in Southaven and Ed got a job at a plant in Olive Branch. Go God!
Mike and Judy have sold their house in Naples, bought a new house in Hernando. They close on July 12th (I think) and are chomping at the bit to get out there.
Marc & Nina are going to visit Olive Branch & Southaven in one week. They are scoping out the lay of the land so keep them in your prayers.
Shana Leonoviche is praying about whether she needs to sell her house in Charlotte or rent it. Keep her stoked in prayer. Her, Liz Stowalter, and Cyndy are planning on moving to Memphis by the end of August.
Dawn Whittington is transferring her job to the Memphis area and is planning on moving by the end of July, so pray for her for a place to live and a good settling.
How about Tony and Shirleen? The Alabama couple? Well, they are working on money, housing, and job. So keep them in prayer. Things are slowly falling into place for them let's just all believe that it will work exactly like it needs to!
There are a couple of mystery guests that are nameless at this point until they tell family so just keep them in prayer.
Jason & Christina need money. (Don't we all) Seriously they need certain amount of finances to make the move happen so really lift them up in prayer so they can make the move effectively by October.
Larry and Melanie Presnal are already in Memphis and are awesome people that are praying about joining in the fray! Pray blessings on them-their money-their jobs-and their family.
Okay there are more but as long as this entry is I'm sure no one is still reading. So to all those team members that I left off of this crazy list just remember, the last will be first. :)