Espresso His Love

A Matter of Perspective

2009-10-28T14:16:00.000-06:00

It was time. My little-league-toting, gas-guzzling SUV was making a noise that let us know its days were numbered. After de-mucking and grieving, we traded it in for a sedan. I am still getting used to feeling as if I am sitting on the ground and miss all the space of my SUV, but my gasoline budget is happier.

Taking the highway to my husband's work last week, I noticed another big difference between the two vehicles. In my old SUV, the speedometer topped out at about 85 miles per hour. So, going the legal limit of 70 on the highway meant the needle was almost as far as it would go. In my new little sporty sedan, the speedometer goes to something crazy like 140 miles per hour. Now, going the legal limit of 70, my needle is barely halfway around. I feel like I need to catch up!

It's all a matter of perspective, isn't it?

Like that outfit I put on this morning that seemed a little revealing, but when I look at how the other women at the office dress it's not too bad. Besides, extra attention it gets me from the guys on the third floor is nice.

I don't put my husband down too bad compared to the other ladies in my Bunco group. Besides, it's only for laughs. I don't really mean it.

I'm not really talking about those people. I'm sharing my feelings. That's completely different, right?

It's all a matter of perspective.

We are called to be "in the world, not of the world," and to "be holy as your heavenly father is holy." If I'm using anyone on earth as my "speedometer," I may be going way beyond what is safe and reasonable for a child of God.

Hear what God's word has to say:

Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy" (1 Peter 1:13-16 NIV).

Safety, Beauty, and Power

2009-10-14T14:11:00.000-05:00

originally on Heartlight

It had been a hot, difficult week of work for the teens on the mission trip. The other sponsors and I were just as eager as the teens for a fun day — an excursion to a water park in a nearby coastal town. The park wasn't large, but was a well-planned water amusement park.

We enjoyed the rides, slides, and boogie boards. There was no need to leave your inner tube to stand in line — you could float while waiting for the various rides. Rapids and a conveyor belt hauled park-goers the circumference of the park as they enjoyed enormous buckets of water dumped at random times and various waterfall spots. It was a good way to relax after a long week of hot mission work for the teens and sponsors.

When we gathered for lunch, almost as an afterthought, several of us made plans to venture out to the beach. With admission to the park came access to the adjacent beach. We cleaned up our area, left the shady picnic spot of the park, making our way toward the beach.

Up a flight of stairs and across a lengthy, narrow, rickety, wooden bridge we trudged through the heat of the glaring sun. The bridge seemed forever long as it stretched across sand overgrown with weeds. Finally the bridge emptied the group onto crystal white sands with the thunderous ocean beating down at our feet, still steaming from the trek over the bridge. The air was a cooler temperature here as the wind blew in off of the ocean.

As the teens began to play like toddlers in the surf, shedding the cloak of ambivalence they try to maintain at all times, I surveyed the scene. With all respect to the architects of the water park, it simply couldn't compare. If it had been a photograph I would have claimed it to be photoshopped, with too-perfect tinting of blue-green water rolling in on the white sand. The brilliant azure of the sky was punctuated with soft puffs of white. The picture was perfectly accented by a lone ship floating regally on the horizon.

As my eyes took in the beauty, the rest of my senses were overwhelmed with this awe-inspiring scene. The faint smell of salt rolled in on the cool breeze that refreshed my sun-warmed skin. The call of the gulls could be heard sporadically over the faithful roar of the waves.

The whole of the scene filled my heart, as well as my eyes with tears, as I considered the One who created it all. How could any of this compare to the man-made park we had just left? The beauty was breathtaking; the peace that the scene brought was beyond compare.

My eyes continued to survey the wonder while watching the teens and enjoying the sound of their laughter. I began to notice another enormous contrast to the water park: where were all the people? A couple of love birds holding hands in the surf, a young girl with a scorched back building a sandcastle, and a small family seemed to be the only people at that section of beach. Where were all the people?

Back at the water park floating the lazy river, I suppose.

I grieved over how many people were missing this breathtaking sight, just feet from where they played in man-made fun.

Of course, there were no lifeguards on the beach, and warnings were posted about a dangerous current. With the majesty of the ocean came amazing power, dangerous if not respected.

When we finally wearied of jumping and playing in the surf we began the long walk across the footbridge back to the park. I glanced back at the beach, wondering how many times I have missed a scene so majestic by playing it safe. Majesty may be waiting just beyond a long, lonely walkway, through thorns and weeds.

Have I ever traded a walk with the Lord on His breathtaking beach for the safety of a go-nowhere lazy river, overcrowded with other safety seekers?

I recalled a scene in the book "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe," by C.S. Lewis where Mr. and Mrs. Beaver are trying to explain Aslan the lion to the children:

"Safe?" said Mr. Beaver. "Don't you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you."

Is walking with my Lord safe? No, not always. Like the beach, there may be danger and trials my earthly eyes can't see or understand. I've certainly suffered my share of scrapes and bruises. But he is always very, very good.

I've Become the Other Woman

2009-07-27T19:42:00.000-05:00

originally on heartlight

"This is how we know what love is ..."

I have frequently requested a weather forecast for my church. Not for the town the church is in -- for the auditorium. I have suggested a running scroll on the website: "Current temp in the auditorium is 58° and breezy. Dress accordingly." or "High of 84° in the auditorium today." I have yet to be heeded.

Recently it was 58° and breezy. On Easter Sunday. The children were precious in their Easter finery and blue lips. My daughter, Ashley, and I were in "spring-ish" type clothes, but not sleeveless. When I sat down, I got quite cool quickly.

I was sitting next to my husband, Troy, while Ashley was on the other side of him. He finally put his arm around her trying to warm her up a little. I sure would have liked that warm arm around me, but I made do tucking as much of myself under the other arm at his side trying to warm up. Eventually, he leaned forward to remove his jacket. "Good plan," I thought, "Leave your arm around Ashley, and give me the jacket -- or vice-versa, whatever. I'm good." Oh, no. He handed Ashley the jacket so he could have both of his arms back.

Let me be honest -- I sat there shivering. And beaming. It pleased me to sit by while Troy took care of his girl the way she needs to be taken care of. I want my daughter to know her daddy is crazy about her. As she seeks out a husband, I want her to know how she should be treated, and know what it's like to be the apple of a man's eye.

Having a loving parent helps a child understand the love of God -- well, as much as we can understand it on this planet. Having loving parents helped me start to get an idea about the unconditional love of God. I want Ashley to know that as crazy as we both are about her, it's just a tiny drop compared to the abundant, never-ending, perfect love of her heavenly Father.

I spend plenty of time shivering for her while watching tennis, I don't mind a little more shivering while her daddy takes care of her. It's why I picked him.

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 (1 John 4:11-12 TNIV).

Is your religion worthless? James 1:26

2009-07-27T07:54:00.001-05:00

When you pray what do you ask for? Depending on what is going on in my life I might ask God for strength, His strength, discernment, always ask for wisdom, scripture says if we only ask for wisdom God will give it to us, that meant a lot to a young women whose wisdom was nill. (James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.)

The only wise choice I made at that time in my life was to know I had no wisdom, and wanted some. So I started praying each day for wisdom, and I might not be as wise as many, but compared to my wisdom 18 years ago I have been blessed richly. One consistent prayer, I ask God each time when I pray on my own and when I pray with my kids is to make me more like Jesus tomorrow than I am today. That probably sounds cliche but that is what I want and that is what I want for my kids. I don't want to be rich, I don't want a fancy home, earthly things just seem to keep me as their possession not the other way around. I just want to love with a love that comes from Christ. I want to love those who other's either don't see, or those who for whatever reason are not easy to love. I want to love people as they are, no strings attached, but I want to see them through the eyes of Christ, for what they can become. For what they can overcome if they will just follow the path God has for them. A friend helps a lot in those circumstances.

God has many times in my life brought people with same-s*x attraction into my life. I have several times written of my friend Carey here who passed several years ago. I have recounted Carey's story several times in the last couple of weeks and each time I am caught off guard with tears. God might have used me in Carey's life, but truly God used Carey to teach me more than I ever taught him. He just needed a friend. A friend who could bring food when he was sick, or a friend who could answer questions from scripture but not spout off scripture as a deadly weapon, mostly Carey just liked to laugh and be a friend.

The study by Barna cites that most Christians are defined by non-Christians as h*m*s*xual haters. That is how we are defined. I would say that many who represent Christ by holding a sign, and saying ugly words, hateful words outside a funeral, do not represent Christ at all. Christ was very clear in scripture that we are not to judge the world, but by our love they will come to know Him. Hate never changes someone's hearts or desires. But love does.

It was Christ's unconditional love that brought me from drug and alcohol abuse. It was never someone telling me I shouldn't be participating in all the mess I was in. The people who helped me along the way were kind, loving and authentic with their own struggles. The spirit of condemnation that many have repulse and put walls up between them and others.

I am writing this today because I heard someone speak words that would have been hurtful and possibly turned someone away from Christ if they had been present when spoken. I have a news flash for everyone out there, people who you hang out with have baggage, if they don't have baggage their family has baggage, there is baggage somewhere.

It is time that God's people start talking like God's people, acting like God's people, loving like God's people. Not just choosing what sin's we can accept in those around us and bash the rest. A great man of faith who I am blessed to know, M.C. Cranfill used to make a business card up to carry with him. He might still have some in his wallet. He put the name of our church, then underneath, Hospital for Sinners. I wonder if there are certain sinners some don't welcome with open arms into our church? We will answer to God on how much we love, and the pain we cause others who are searching for Christ. Would our words or actions cause them to just leave and give up for there is no hope for them even in Christ, for His followers make that very clear?

James 1:22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.

26If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.

We're Fresh-Brewed!!!

2009-03-19T09:25:00.003-06:00

Check this out:

A few months ago I (Sarah) finished reading Nicole Johnson's book, Fresh Brewed Life. (It's splendidly awesome and you need to read it. Book review. The end). As a writer, it touched me how the tone of it is very conversational and enjoyable. I went to Nicole's website and sent her a little note of appreciation for the book, telling her that I received it when my Coffee Group spoke at one of our events.

Well, lo and behold, Nicole's assistant Michelle cruised over to our website, (which has recently been updated and you should go cruise, too) checked us out, and decided we sound pretty fresh brewed.

There were a few email exchanges, a conference call interview, and here we are!! Check us out over at Nicole's Fresh Brewed Life!! (I can call her Nicole because we have gotten to be SO close... not really, but Michelle? Michelle rocks out loud!)

Thanks, Michelle and Nicole for the shout out! We can't wait to see what God will do with this publicity!

Are you worried? Rx below.

2009-02-17T18:01:00.000-06:00

By Tammy M.

Belief. I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief. Words I say to God every day. Words taken from scripture Mark 9:24. I asked Jesus to be my Savior when I was in the 7th grade. After studying and making the choice I asked my dad to baptize me in our swimming pool. That very day I had been saved, but it took me 20 years to make Him my Lord and Savior. What's the difference? By submitting myself under His Lordship I have been given a gift. A gift to trust Him to guide me where He wants me to go. For much of my late teenage life and early adulthood, I trusted no one, I was trying to check out of my life mentally and emotionally by using drugs and alcohol and searching for love in places where there is only darkness. God saw me through that time and called me to Him, gratefully I felt I had no other options left so I followed. Fast forward a couple of years, been living a Christian life, working in a church, doing all the 'right' things. But still not submitting all I am to Him, how do I know that? Because I allowed worry, anxiety, and need for control to be my lord, and I thought that was normal because it was everywhere I turned. Many people (not all) were worried themselves, worried about money and the lack of it, worried about health, worried about their kids, worried about their jobs...I fit right in. Did I really believe and have faith that God was in the details of my life? Did I just believe that He was to be worshipped on Sunday and then real life happened after that?

When I began in depth bible study a number of years ago my eyes opened a little to this lack of faith I was struggling with. I longed and still long for the faith of a champion of God. Although the hall of faith in Hebrews 11 show me people who had faith to be recognized by God, but many struggled to gain that faith through difficult circumstances and their faith was grown through those circumstances. God uses broken people, that is when His strength can be seen. Last week in bible study there was a quote, "God is drawn to weakness." Thanks be to God for that because I am weak, but God calls me to grow stronger in Him each day, to move from milk to meat, to move from a faith that is easily shaken to a faith that has been tested and can weather a storm that might have toppled it just last week. Growth.

The gift of trust and faith in God is the greatest earthly gift I can think of that I don't want to waste any longer here on earth. I think it is one of the traits that shine the light of Jesus through Christians. How does one get this faith? God grows faith, we just need to seek Him with all of our heart and He will increase it. The way I seek Him? Prayer, bible study, scripture...I take scriptures that stand against whatever I am struggling with and I quote them through the day. Keep them with me. Over and Over. There is the amazing example in scripture where the man cleans out his house of the 1 demon that is living there, but he leaves it empty, and the demon brings back friends who take up residence. What that means to me, I can push out the fear, worry or anxiety, but if I am not rewallpapering my mind with the promises and faithfulness of God and His scripture, then the fear and worry come back fourfold or debilitatingly more. God is with me, I am never foresaken. Does my life always look like I want it to? Hardly ever. Are there hardships? Absolutely. Those hardships are where the rubber meets the road, that is where I can shine for Jesus or whither like a lilly in a drought. Call on Him in the hardships and if you are willing He will give you peace and show you the way.

Our faith is refined by fire, the more fires we walk through the stronger our faith grows. Fire burns, but what it burns away is our pride, greed, selfishness, and what it leaves is a humbled servant of God ready to say "here I am Lord, I will go where you lead." To be content in our circumstances and trust God that we are part of His great plan are gifts that brings tears to my eyes. Thanks be to God.

I pray for the faith of Mary the mother of Jesus. When the angel Gabriel came to her and told her that through the Holy Spirit she would become pregnant with Jesus, she said "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said."

Whatever my lot in life, may it be to me as You have said Lord. And may I be an encourager to others along with way, with a smile filled with love for You, and a smile and love for others that shine peace and contentment that can only come from you.

Considering Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T07:47:00.000-06:00

originally on heartlight

My family experienced some minor medical drama the week between Christmas and New Year's while traveling out of state. On one of my many trips to the drug store, I had to stop dead in my tracks. I was perusing the Christmas decorations and wrapping paper on clearance. I turned around to look for more, and was faced with a shelf full of boxes of Valentine's cards that children will use to declare love for classmates. Before the confetti of the New Year's holiday is swept up, the shelves in stores are fully stocked with hearts, balloons, and all manner of Valentine props and paraphernalia.

Maybe it's age, maybe it's motherhood, maybe it's global warming, but I don't think of Valentine's Day the same way that I did as a young, single woman or newlywed. Valentine's Day is a fun, light-hearted opportunity to lavish love on those around you, but life has shown me that love rarely looks like the front of a Hallmark card.

Love is not running along a beach hand in hand. Love holds the flashlight in the middle of the night, make-up long gone and tempers flaring, holding your tongue while your sweetie attempts an emergency home repair. Love isn't demonstrated by dewy eyes across a candlelit meal, but rather by one more run to the doctor or pharmacy when you are exhausted beyond reasonable or rational thought.

Valentine's Day lends itself to romance. Romance is wonderful and exciting, but won't take you very far when the stomach bug hits, or your "Love Shack" floods, or one of your parents is critically ill and/or dies. Romance will not be found in any of those situations, but love is there larger than life. Love brings the cool wash cloth again and again for the stomach bug, and mops and covertly repairs damaged keepsakes during the flood, and cries and holds and works and loves with an ill family member.

Love is not rose petals and champagne, but aching backs and work gloves. Love at my house never dances in an evening gown or tuxedo, but love supplies the elbow grease, the patience, the encouragement, and the clean clothes to face each day and, Lord willin' a comforting place to come home to when the day seems to come out on top. Love is holding tight when no words will fix it, and tears the only language uttered.

Love is not a polished, glimmery state. Love is messy, inconvenient, and frustrating. Love is giving up the last ounce of energy, sleep, time, or chocolate for the well-being of another. Love isn't found in romantic restaurants or destinations, but in hospital waiting rooms, the lobby of funeral homes, and kneeling in prayer next to race-car or princess beds in the middle of the night. Love is less about flowers and cartoon hearts, and everything about the value of another soul on this planet. I guess that's a little harder to put on the side of a coffee mug.

I will play along this Valentine's Day, like all the others, and I certainly hope for you to feel cherished on that day. But, later in the year when the toilet overflows while the drama at school comes to a boiling point and work causes too many demands to keep everyone civil, love will be there with a plunger, Kleenex for the tears, and hugs, pats, and kisses for all the things the plunger and Kleenex won't fix. Consider that your own Valentine's Day -- but don't look for Hallmark to make a card for it anytime soon.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NIV).

Focus On the Goal

2009-01-10T12:02:00.001-06:00

by Sarah Stirman
on heartlight

It happened again. Out running, my foot landed squarely on ... something ... a pecan ... a rock? Whatever it was, it rolled my foot right off, twisted my ankle, and sent me sprawling. Now I'm sporting an oh-so-fashionable walking cast and have a few weeks to rest the foot before I can take off running again.

Having a "poor me" moment, I started thinking, "Well, how am I supposed to run? I guess I'll have to focus on the ground around me to keep this from happening again ..." That would slow me down considerably, and cause me to hate running as I would spend each run scanning the road at my feet for obstacles or jeopardy instead of enjoying the scenery and running toward my goal.

Well, what do successful runners do? Successful runners run smart by not running on obviously treacherous landscape, but run with gusto enjoying the scenery, scanning the road for obvious pitfalls and dangers but keeping an eye on the goal, knowing that injury is an acceptable risk: it just might happen and you deal with it when it does. You can't run a successful race worrying about and focusing on obstacles and injuries; you run a successful race by knowing your goal and running toward it.

What if this race I run in life were the same way? What if I spent most of my time enjoying the scenery and focusing on my goal of heaven instead of trying to tiptoe my way around obstacles and worrying about what I will do if I get hurt? I tend to hyper-focus on people that may (or have) hurt me, situations and arguments that hold me back or frustrate me, and obstacles and stumbling blocks that only serve to keep my eyes off my goal.

In the same way that the road I run on is my reality, and perils along the way will likely be a problem at some point, this world that I live in is my reality, no matter how perfect my goal destination is. Focusing on my goal of heaven won't keep this world from affecting me, twisting my ankle and scraping my knees on occasion. But I can't let the fear of that injury keep me from running this race with all I've got, loving and living big and loud, spilling God's love and sharing my goal of heaven along the path. I must run smart, and avoid obvious pitfalls, but I have to accept getting hurt as acceptable risk: it will happen at some point and God will continue to be faithful, providing His people and His comfort in my time of recuperation.

So I'm ready. Ready to get back to road running as well as running through life with my eyes on my goal, not on the pettiness and mess around me. If you see me sprawled along the way, I may need help to my feet, I may need a ride home, and I may need some encouragement and comfort while I recuperate. But I'll invite you to run alongside me, running this race with perseverance, fixing our eyes on Jesus, striding together toward the goal.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:1-2 NIV).

Update from The Coffee Group

2009-01-08T12:08:00.002-06:00

Ola! from 2009!! Coffee Group realizes we have been remiss in updating our blog, or website! We know some of you are still out there, still praying for us even, and we would like to keep you updated on us.

The biggest, most heart-breaking news is that our precious Judy lost her 24-year-old son, Ben, to an aortic aneurysm November 10, 2008. Judy, her husband Tom, her remaining two children, Cade and Lori, as well as dozens of other family members and friends were thrust into grieving and are now walking a journey there is no map for. Ben would have turned 25 tomorrow, January 9. Please keep all of Ben's family in your prayers.

Sarah wrote about it here.
Tammy wrote about it here.

As God is prone to do, He really protected Coffee Group's schedule for this spring. Now we are not able to minister to ladies far and near as we love to do so much, we are caring for one of our own. We still have some speaking opportunities that we are trying to confirm and work with every schedule. As soon as that is confirmed, we will post it here! We appreciate every prayer brought before the Father on our behalf.

As we look to 2009, we pray that each of you continue to make time with your Father a priority, a daily cleansing of your mind from what the world and Satan throw your way! We pray, too, that you will come to cherish His word and the truth and words of love it contains. May you trust HIM to grow you into the Princess you are!

Coffee Group Defined

2008-12-16T13:33:00.000-06:00

A few of us in Coffee Group have received this video in an email from different sources. It is BEAUTIFUL, well-written, and beautifully defines and illustrates the friendships that are forged through time and trial. The woman who wrote this obviously doesn't have the bond that comes from having Christ as your savior, so there are a few minor noteable differences in what our actual Coffee Group looks like, but the similarities make it amazing how universal friendships among women are.

The Magnificat

2008-09-20T08:39:00.002-05:00

I love to sing scripture. I have trouble memorizing scripture but put to music I can memorize all the day long! That's why I'm always happy to find some new song that has scripture as its lyric and this week I did.

We had a meeting for our HIP Praise Team (at SoHills) and our fearless leader, Bubba Luke, gave us some new music. One of the songs included was Magnificat. It has a lovely soprano part and all the voices work together singing different tunes and words to create the Magnificat.

So often in our tribes we leave out the ancient prayers and music that has been praising God for centuries. One of those is Mary's Song in Luke that is often referred to as the Magnificat. We love our contemporary music, rhythms, and harmonies - not that there's anything wrong with that! I have come to see the benefit of the ancient words and sounds for worship. Praise God for all the music and words the LORD has inspired over the centuries.

Like the Psalms and these words of Mary.

And Mary said:
"My soul magnifies the Lord,
And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant;
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things for me,
And holy is His name.
And His mercy is on those who fear Him
From generation to generation.
He has shown strength with His arm;
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
And exalted the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
And the rich He has sent away empty.
He has helped His servant Israel,
In remembrance of His mercy,
As He spoke to our fathers,
To Abraham and to his seed forever."

Luke 1:46-55

Watch Out for Number 3!

2008-09-05T15:41:00.000-05:00

by Sarah Stirman

on heartlight

At a recent youth basketball game, I found new joy as a mother when I heard an opposing coach yell to his players, "Watch out for number 3! Watch out for number 3!" Since her first team as a 6 year old, my daughter has always requested to be number 3. Now at age 12, God has blessed her with height and talent. She has become a force to be reckoned with on the court. To hear the other coach acknowledge it and warn his team about her made my heart swell.
Shortly after that game my daughter chose to claim Jesus as her savior and be buried with Christ in baptism. There are no words to describe that particular joy as a parent! Watching my daughter become my sister in Christ, I thought back to the coach's warning to his team: "Watch out for number 3!" I pray that I have trained her to be a force to be reckoned with in His kingdom. I hope that Satan acknowledges her as a strong opponent to his evil. Above all, I hope that I model that for her: keeping my sword sharpened and ready for battle, ever kneeling at the throne to hear His word, knowing my "play book" better than my opponent does, and walking in the faith that will extinguish the enemy's flaming arrows.

The Holy Spirit breathing fresh life into her has given her a tangible passion and fire for the Lord and His work. As I send her off to school today, I know in my heart Satan is warning his team, "Watch out for number 3!" Wonder what Satan tells his team about me?

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints (Ephesians 6:10-18 NIV).

Who Am I?

2008-09-02T14:44:00.001-05:00

As most of us mentioned in our blog posts about our time hearing Beth Moore, the theme/ idea of the whole conference was to remind ourselves (DAILY): "I am an heiress." She told us to get up, first thing in the morning and look in the mirror and say to ourselves, "I am an heiress. I may be a little rough around the edges, but I am an heiress!" (keeping in mind it's first thing in the morning). I loved that she mentioned that she tells her husband Keith, who leaves for work before she is "fixed", "Remember how cute I was last night when we went to dinner? Or last week, in that precious skirt? I want you to think of me that way today. Not like this." I told Troy that last week when he left for work while I was staggering out of bed when Riley had a stomach bug. Glasses, furry robe, disheveled hair, and who-knows-what kind of breath. I told him to remember me cute! I'm sure that was a stretch for him -- and it was especially hard to look in the mirror and declare: "I am an heiress!"

That whole concept has been a struggle for me since Beth introduced it. Through words she said over that weekend, I came to realize that I don't doubt God's love for me in the least. I KNOW He loves me beyond what I will ever imagine. HOWEVER, I have come to realize I do doubt His ability to do things in me and through me. My doubts place my own human limitations on the creator of the universe. No, you don't have to do it: I'm 'tsk, tsk-ing' at myself. I evidently need to read this book. God able to use ANYone to do ANYthing is an idea/ concept that I have given lip-service to all of my life, as well as even seen in action, but my flesh, fears and doubts override that too often. I have de-valued my place in His kingdom. I have traded my birthright as an heiress for a little bowl of security stew here on earth.

With this thought in my head, God has really been hammering me with who I am in Him. And, being like He tends to be, He is ever-so-subtle about it. I was just plugging away, daily Bible reading, going in my little order, and here I land in 2 Corinthians this week. Love both of the Corinthian letters. And God used 2 Corinthians, letters that have been in His word for thousands of years, to remind me who I am through Him.

I first thought of it when I hit one of my all-time favorite verses, 2:14:

But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and
through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.

So... I am the fragrance of the knowledge of Him.

Verse 3 of chapter 3 says:

You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written
not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but
on tablets of human hearts.

I am a letter -- from Christ himself!

3:18:

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.

I reflect the Lord's glory.

4:5:

For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your
servants for Jesus' sake.

I preach Christ as Lord, and preach myself as your servant.

4:10

We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus
may also be revealed in our body.

I carry the death of Jesus in my body so that the LIFE of Jesus may be revealed (this one is HUGE to me).

4:16:

Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by
day.

I am being renewed day by day (it doesn't matter that I am STILL screwing up -- I'm also still being made new!!)

5:17:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the
new has come!

I am a new creation (can I get a 'hallelujah'!!)

5:20:

We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal
through us.

I am an ambassador for Christ.

Oh, gracious, I am overwhelmed with all that the Lord has entrusted to me. Oh, and I was reminded yesterday: God is not just good, he's smart. I really had to think on that one... and since he's smart, I guess it's okay to trust all that He has entrusted to me. And KNOW that I will mess it up. And KNOW that He will forgive, and bless, and grow me, for I am being made new day by day.

May you find who you are in Him.

San Antonio, Sunday Naps, and Scolding

2008-08-28T18:05:00.000-05:00

Okay Sarah, I heard you loud and clear that I need to post on "The Coffee Group" blog instead of just my own. So I have copied and pasted my blog entry about our weekend in San Antonio. I loved your summarization about the weekend. You are some writer girl!

What a Weekend!

I have just awakened from a marathon nap--it is Sunday afternoon people! I don't awaken well after a deep sleep nap. My brain is not fully functional and I have learned that because of this, my mouth can sometimes say things that people (my family) sometimes misunderstand. I need to be awake so that my "be nice" filter is in place because I tend to be somewhat grumpy when I awake. So while I am in my "no filter on brain and mouth mode" I thought I should quietly write about this weekend and leave my precious family alone.

The reason for the marathon nap is because me and my "Peeps" went on a road trip to hear Beth Moore speak God's words to us in San Antonio. There were around 10,000 ladies from all over the world-even Japan in attendance. The worship was incredible. Hearing all of these ladies praise God was something I won't soon forget. Beth visited with us about our inheritance in God. It was powerful.

I loved seeing Beth-we all got our picture made with her. She had her two girls with her and we bloggers got a special chance after her last talk to sit in a question and answer period. Very fun! I have to tell you all that even though I loved seeing and hearing Beth, my favorite part was before and after the picture shoot with her. You see, I got to visit with "Boo Mama"

Boo Mama has always been one of my favorite blog sites. I love her writing style, precious stories about her comings and goings, and her incredible testimony on the internet. I also felt somewhat connected because she and my husband and about 10 others went to Africa together in February with Compassion International. (My husband, Phil, got to meet our little adopted girl there-Doreen which was so precious) Anyway, I and my Coffee Group friends just marched ourselves up to Boo Mama and before I knew it, I was in a big bear hug with her. I just love that woman even though it was the first time we had officially seen each other in person. Isn't it neat that those that love the Lord have such a common bond that we can't help but love each other.

So to recap the weekend:

Cost of hotel: $244, plus $38 to park; Drive to and from Abilene:12 hours (we had lots of potty breaks); loss of sleep: 4 hours; Friday night supper time: 10 pm on the river walk; Grossness: huge rat on said river walk; Hair: wet and dripping from rain in San Antonio; Walking to and from and all around the Alamodome: three hundred miles (I am exaggerating somewhat, but I didn't have my pedometer so I had to estimate), water for sale in Alamodome: warm and $3.75 a bottle.

Hearing Beth and meeting BooMama: priceless!

Recap of Beth Moore's San Antonio Event

2008-08-28T06:50:00.000-05:00

Anytime I want to 'summarize' something (in quotes because y'all KNOW I don't do brief very well at all) I sit for 10 minutes with my fingers on the keyboard not knowing how to start. And you can be sure that a weekend with my Coffee Group peeps listening to Beth Moore is HARD to summarize.

For the record -- our trip wasn't intended to be a Coffee Group trip. It was intended to be 'friends-that-could-make-it' trip. And it ended up being Coffee Group and Robin -- who we consider to be our publicity manager, anyway. So, it turned into a Coffee Group trip. But we invited many other folks to go with us. No doubt, the weekend before school starts is a horrible time to be gone. I had to get a friend to take my kid to 'Meet the Teacher'! How much of a crummy mom am I? Oh, but the word I heard from Beth tells me I am NOT crummy, I am an heiress. (I'm not exactly sure that my son's teacher was thinking an heiress wouldn't even stick around to go with her kid to school).

For me to say it was AMAZING to be in a ginormous arena with thousands of women is a miracle of the Lord in the first place -- y'all know I'm not about the crowds or the huge factor. But, truly, for 10,000 women to be worshipping together -- just a little taste of what the book of Revelation says is coming, friends. Can you just not wait? Okay, Beth did talk a little about heaven, but my life NOW is what really stuck with me.

Many of the things that really touched me have already been mentioned on this blog:

We must never allow ministry to take the place of intimacy with God. It occurred to me today -- if we're doing that, we are making it ministry to OURSELVES, not God. If He isn't in it, it isn't for Him. hmmmmm...

Your boundary line will never go any higher than our intimacy with God.

That last one really got me, since that is where I am suffering right now. Beth put up the following illustration for Psalm 16:6: "The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance." The box represents our own personal boundary lines, the whole of our lives. All of the 'outside words' are what create our boundary lines -- that are in pleasant places! Boundary lines that are the way God would have them! But our bondary can never go any higher than our intimacy with God.

In talking about our past, Beth also mentioned that we cannot become the identity of our past pain. That really struck a chord with me -- because it's so tempting to do: to drag around hurts that life has burdened us with. But that isn't claiming the victory over those things that God offers.

She also said, "We worship out of the reality of our present." Whether that's pain, doubt, joy, or praise -- we worship where we are. Loved that. And, before I go away from the box illustration, she also mentioned that any place inside your boundary that you haven't fully given over to God, Satan is on. "Satan is on your LAND!!" she yelled! :-) Think about THAT!

In thinking back over the weekend I just have a smile on my face -- not only for my word from the Lord via Beth, but time with my friends. What a wonderful time. So amazing. I do have to say that in my notes, I took A LOT of notes in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS. Because, BETH? Have you NOTICED??? She TALKS in CAPITAL!! LETTERS!! A LOT!!!

We were also able to attend a 'Fiesta' for bloggers (although chips, salsa, and festive colored crepe paper were all conspicuously absent from the fiesta) that Beth and her two girls came to. We took pictures with them by groups, then they sat and "chatted" (much like The Coffee Group does when we speak!!) with the crowd and answered some questions. I did love hearing the 3 Moore women interact. Amanda is SO precious and sweet and soft-spoken, and what I would LOVE to be, and Melissa let me see that 'telling-it-like-it-is' (like I tend to do) can be funny and beautiful, too. She and I are alot alike. Other than the fact that I'm probably 40 pounds heavier, 6 inches shorter, and have strawberry blond to her rockin' brunette hair -- we're EXACTLY alike! :-)

And, since I tell it like it is, I'm gonna throw this out there: we have all heard how awesome it was, and I would venture to say that every woman in there was nodding with Beth and loving what she was bringing, but girls, we have got to be Jesus out in the crowds, too. I was saddened, and in one instance that I won't detail here, apalled to see us 'scratching and clawing' our way to the front of lines and in prime spots in the crowd. What hurt my heart most was that we were all wearing armbands that let all of San Antonio know what we were doing. One man stopped Denise and me and asked what in heaven's name was going on at the Alamodome. When I told him it was a Bible study, I dearly hoped he hadn't been trampled by an armband-clad woman on a quest for her grande caramel latte'. Oh, you knew I couldn't leave here without preaching!

Here are thousands of women (and about 7 brave men) praising the Lord, arms outstretched, and the words on the screen (that we are singing) are, "Here in the power of Christ I stand!" Amen and amen...

See You On The Beach

2008-08-27T07:30:00.001-05:00

Yall, know I'm not as eloquent as Tammy. Or nearly the writer that Sarah is but I still wanted to put down some impressions from this weekend.

1. Beth Moore is good live! She is funnier, more real, and smaller. I teared up when she touched that baby's head Friday night. I would want to be her friend no matter what.

2. My girlfriends keep me honest. We don't pretend with each other. We can show our insides and the world doesn't fall apart. I can hear Beth talking about crisis in some one's life and think of one of us. It will bring me before the throne everytime.

3. Our Theology Hasn't Become Our Reality. When Beth said this, I wrote it down in BIG letters. I'm pretty sure it isn't original with her but this is where I live alot of the time. I'm praying for the LORD to change my heart cause my cynicism is funny but sometimes it gets in the way. It can leave me feeling empty and wondering why.

4. Get in your Word, Girl! Like Tammy, I want more God. I want more intimacy with the LORD. Beth told us this weekend that our anointing will never go above our intimacy. I want the Anointing! I want the Intimacy! I need to be with Him to receive either.

5. BooMama almost made me cry when she talked about Phil and how much he loves Donna. Yes, it was that tender (no cynicism intended.)

6. When I get to heaven, my property will be on the beach. I've been saying this for years and Beth confirmed it! Yall will come to me to get your cabana, chaise, towel, water bottle, whatever.

I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Psalms 34:1

The Fresh Word God Gave Me

2008-08-25T07:17:00.000-05:00

Two days of studying the Word with Beth Moore in San Antonio. There was a river made for walkin' but I would have rather been in my bible with my friends than anywhere else. The catch word was Inheritance, one of the really cool things that she showed us in scripture is that we, God's people, are His inheritance. It reminded me of Sally Fields accepting her Academy Award, when she said, "You like me, you really like me." That was how I felt about hearing that of all the things God loves, He loves His people most. He loves each one of us enough to call us His inheritance, and really mean it.
------
I learned so much this weekend, have about 10 pages of notes and many new underlined scriptures that mean so much more to me than they did just 3 days ago. I had told my friends to anticipate the fresh word God would give them this weekend. I knew He had a word for each of us. He had a place in our hearts that we needed to give over to him with finality. The word He laid on my heart was discipline. The words at the top of my In the Grip of Grace Blog are, "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power, of love and of self discipline." 2 Timothy 1:7
I chose that scripture to head the top of my blog because I knew I would see it each day and it would call me to places I have not been to. I love each word in that scripture, but what it says to me is that to reach the intimacy with God I strive for, never being complete until He calls me home, but seeking to be closer to Him each day I need to be self-disciplined.
What does self-disciplined mean to me? Jesus must be first in my life in every way. Self-disciplined means to me that when it is easier to go along with a crowd I must not, it means that when I want to sleep in and for go my quiet time with God first thing in the morning, I must not, it means that when I am faced with a difficult situation I must choose the path that God is on, probably harder, but much more everlasting. Most of all it means to me when someone is unlovable I must love them, because that is what loving like Jesus is about. Very importantly it means that I must be disciplined enough to pass on what God has taught me to my own children.
Most of this is out of my ability, but if it doesn't require a supernatural intervention for God then it would be from me and who wants to settle for that, my kids and family need more than I am able to give them, I need to call on God to guide me through this and with His power I can do all these.
--------
Self-Discipline is tough. I loved what someone told me a couple of weeks ago, they were relaying a story they had heard. A man and a wife were in marriage counseling and the counselor asked the woman if she was committed to work on her marriage and she said she would "try." The counselor then asked the woman to go "try" to pick up a chair across the room, she did, she walked right across that room and picked up that chair. With a sense of accomplishment on her face she looked back at the counselor and he told her to put the chair down, she did it wrong, he asked her again, "try" to pick up the chair, so she picked it up again....the story finishes up that there really is no trying, we either do it or we don't. She was either committed to her marriage or she wasn't there is no trying, that is just a wimpy way of saying I really don't want to do this but I want to save face and say I will try.

I will leave with a great quote from Beth, "We must never allow ministry to take away from our intimacy with Jesus." I have to set aside that time to give to God. For me it should be the very first thing, not after I get a couple things done around my house or on the computer, but first means first. The first fruit of my day belongs to God, not something I have left over in the middle of the afternoon. That is a great time for me to study on top of my first fruit offering, but not in its stead. Instead of fitting God in He gets the prime spot. He is so worthy.

Thank you God for calling me to a spirit of power, love and self discipline.

Summer Slacker

2008-08-16T10:35:00.000-05:00

Have you been Slacking for the summer? Laid off the exercising? Not made a menu or planned a meal? Picked up your Bible for church only? Forgotten where the vacuum is kept?

Yeah. Me, too.

I had been very good about reading my Bible everyday and spending time in prayer. I had my clock set to get up before everybody else and put God at the beginning of my day. Then summer hit and sleeping in sounded really good. So I did. Hit the snooze and slept instead of talking to the Father. Turned on the Today show instead of reading about Jesus.

Think of this as a confession - I've been on a better path for 1 week now. I would appreciate some accountability from my friends.

Now I'm encouraging you. It seems like the beginning of a school year is always a good time to start over or begin a new project. You can make a decision for your growth, get someone to be accountable to, and get moving.

Forgiveness

2008-07-31T07:47:00.000-05:00

today on heartlight

Years ago in the days of small children in diapers, car seats, sippy cups, and pacifiers, I learned a valuable lesson of forgiveness. It was one of those ridiculously busy times in our life. My husband was drowning in work and church obligations and I was going stir crazy with the little ones at home and had my own share of church obligations.

In the middle of one of those weeks, we were trying to all get out the door for our mid-week service at church. Of course, at church, we all had what seemed to be 437 different obligations, and my husband had a meeting after church. I was still rushing to finish cleaning up from dinner so I asked him to go ahead and take the kids to church since we needed two separate cars there anyway. I thoroughly enjoyed a few kid-free moments and took my time finishing up.

I wandered up to church and stopped and visited with some friends in the hall. As I was passing the classroom where my younger child should have been in class, I quizzed a dad standing outside the class, "He's in there, right?" He seemed baffled, "No, I saw your daughter and her friend taking your son upstairs." Well, that's weird. Maybe I should go check on that.

I climbed the stairs and began walking the hall. The first classroom I came to had the lights on – and one very dejected almost-two-year old alone in the room. It was the classroom he attended on Sunday nights. It was Wednesday. I can still see his chubby little cheeks and sad eyes that must have wondered what in heaven's name he had done to be left alone for Bible class. I got him all squared away where he should have been, and tried to go on with my evening.

But I was angry. Actually, I was FURIOUS. Knowing it would be a very long time before I had an opportunity to talk to my husband, I did a very thoughtless thing. I went to the door of the room where he was in Bible class and asked him to meet me in the hall. When he got there, I unleashed with both barrels about how I couldn't believe he would let our 3 1/2 year old take our 1 1/2 year old to class and not CHECK that all were where they should be. Strangely (or not) he didn't respond very well to that particular approach at conflict resolution. He failed to apologize, muttered something about "Well, that's just one more thing I've messed up lately!" and stormed off.

Fine. I finished all I needed to and took the kids home. I got them all tucked in bed and collapsed on my bed. I prayed and prayed and prayed. I KNEW that the Lord would want me to forgive and I hoped my will would roll out of my head with the tears rolling down my cheeks.
However, stubborn soul that I am, I really thought I had a fairly good argument for NOT forgiving: "Lord, I have felt ignored and cast aside from him lately. I can forgive that. But, Father, that is my baby boy. He ignored him. I vow to you, Father, that I will honor my vow to you and my husband. I will not leave him, but, Lord, I don't think I can ever forgive him. It's my baby boy!"

As the sobs quieted and the words of rage finally left my body, I heard it. No, there was no audible voice in my room. But words came into my head. Words that were not at all in line with my will, but His word: "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" (Mark 15:34)

I gasped and cried some more. For His message was clear to me at that moment: "That was MY baby boy. If I can forgive YOU for all the things you have done to put him on that cross, you can certainly forgive the man you love for something your baby boy will never remember."
I was humbled, repentant, and sorrowful. With a few words the Lord reminded me of His holiness and my humanness. How could I possibly be so unforgiving of another human when the Lord of the universe was willing to watch His own baby boy suffer and die to forgive me for everything – every thoughtless sin, every willful sin, sins he knew I would commit later, all of them!

I wish I could say that was the last time I have ever been tempted to draw a line in the sand and tell God, "I will love this person, but I will NOT forgive them." I still have those fleeting thoughts, but they are just that – fleeting. I can be incredibly stubborn and a generally slow learner about life lessons, but it's hard to ignore or forget being reprimanded by the Lord of heaven and earth! "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you" (Matthew 6:14).

Interview with William P. Young, the author of the Shack

2008-07-31T06:26:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was the blogger's phone conference with William P. Young, the author of The Shack. The way it worked was; 10 bloggers were asked to submit questions for Mr. Young, who goes by Paul, not William. Then the coordinator organized a schedule of who would ask their question when. Each of us were given a phone number where we would call and punch in a code number that would enter us into a huge conference call. We could hear each other speak. It was very well organized and so much fun to be a part of. There will be a link to hear the call yourself and when I get that I will post it.
My question was first, thanks to Jana B. for suggesting it. Where did the inspiration come from for heaven and the garden of your soul? Mr. Young responded that over the centuries garden's have been used in literature to represent the soul...he took his inspiration from past literature.
Some tidbits of info I learned yesterday. The first printing for The Shack was for 15 copies. Mr. Young's wife had suggested he write a story for his kids that shared with them his thoughts. He wrote this book for them. He has 6 children, gave a book to each child and one to his wife, then others to some close friends. When he started receiving feedback on the book from his friends, they suggested he publish the book. No one would publish it, so together they formed a publishing company and published it themselves. The total advertising budget thus far on The Shack has been $300.
2 million books have been sold.

Mr. Young said that the characters of MacKenzie and Missy were really based mostly on his life. He was abused as a child and he said that he takes Mackenzie on a journey in the Shack that lasts one weekend, but it was based on his journey in his own shack, the place of healing for him which took 11 years.

Mr. Young refers to himself as an accidental author. He would write stories as gifts to people, but never dreamed that he would ever have a published work. He gives all the credit to the Lord, and said that he is happy to follow along and just carry the bags.

The entire interview process was very interesting. Many questions were asked about the controversy of the book, how he chose the name of Sarayu, why he chose to make God a woman. Each answer was articulate and the entire time Mr. Young was speaking of his love for scripture and the love of Christ. Once I get the podcast address I will post it so you can hear the whole interview.

If you haven't read The Shack yet, it is certainly worth your time. I think that I am ready for round 2.

The Original Transformer

2008-07-28T09:05:00.006-05:00

Who is who in the characature above? Left to right, Donna, Sarah, Judy, Denise and Tammy (me). Thanks again to Jen at Blue Yonder who made our blog beautiful and fun.

On Sunday nights at our church I am in a bible study called "Discerning God's Voice," by Priscilla Shirer. Each video has been exceptional and the homework has been simple but insightful. I love this study. Anyway, last night Priscilla spoke in the video about the importance of seeking God, she called it pressing into Him. As believers we have to ask ourselves do we seek God for what He can give us, our long list of prayer requests, or ultimately do we seek Him to know Him and His character. Priscilla uses an example of how she has 2 brothers. She and her sister would on occasion have girls befriend them with the ultimate reason being they wanted to get to know the brothers. She said those friendships wouldn't last, once the new friends discovered that they couldn't get close to the brothers, the friendship would end. Then Priscilla contrasted that with friends who just wanted to be their friends with nothing in return. Just get to know each other, spend time together, share each others lives. Those are the friendships that last.

I would have to say that the more I get to know God, my prayer list has changed. I just want Him, and I want everyone else to know and want Him too. That makes me want to devour His Word, be in scripture, make it my priority, be open to the Holy Spirit and pray. Priscilla quoted someone last night that said the more you know of God, the clearer His voice is. The bible is full of what God wants us to know about Him, we press into Him. Then it is up to God. For it is He who grows us and transforms us. Seek and ye will find. Knock and the door will be opened. Seek God with all of your heart. He does the transforming, answering, opening and finding. Peace. Out.
Tammy

New Look!

2008-07-25T16:44:00.002-05:00

Y'all! Check us out! Don't we look good?? Special thanks to Jen at blue yonder design for our awesome new look. WE TOLD YOU changes were coming! More on the way, and keep praying!

And a Need...

2008-07-21T14:20:00.002-05:00

As Coffee Group continues to forge new ground (for us) we are seeking people (men and women alike) who would commit to being on the Coffee Group Prayer Team. We don't know all that the Lord has in store for us, but we want to be sure to hear where He is taking us! Email me if you would be willing to be a prayer warrior for us -- and we will keep you posted about our prayer needs!

sstirman [at] gmail [dot] com

Change Is In the Air!

2008-07-19T16:23:00.001-05:00

No, it's not the weather. That is hot and dry with a forecast of hot and dry for the next two months or so. No change there. But while the weather isn't doing much exciting, God continues to lead The Coffee Group beyond anything we could have imagined! So, just a tease for now... keep coming by for exciting things!

Sent from my iPhone

A Word from The Word

2008-06-02T18:37:00.002-05:00

God gave me this verse this morning:

Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great wealth with turmoil. Proverbs 15:16

It speaks directly to a current concern and worry, and tells me, yet again, "Child, I have you in the palm of my hand. That's not only where I hold you, but where your NAME is engraved. I am caring for you, your family, and every need. No worries."

No worries.

Too Busy?

2008-05-25T17:46:00.004-05:00

Have you ever thought that you just couldn't do it all? That you can't add one more thing to your to-do list? Do you spend the day running from one thing to the next? Are you in charge of too many projects already? Are you doing too many projects already?

And then someone asks you to do another.

It's a good thing - teach at Vacation Bible School, make a meal for a sick church member, work at Field Day at your child's school, be the secretary for PTA, clean up a sick lady's yard. But can you add anything else? You start to think that you can handle it. You would even be really good at it. You may be the best at it.

Today Randy Harris told a funny joke in our Sunday School class. He stated that it was told to him by a hermit - and you always listen when a hermit tells a joke.

A man went every month to see his spiritual mentor and get guidance. It was a regular appointment but this day the man was just too busy! There were lots of wonderful things that the man just had to do! How could he make time to talk about his spiritual life?! So, the man decided to make it a quick visit - get in, get out.

The man went to see his mentor and the mentor asked how it was going. Fine, great said the man. Nothing to talk about today. Hmmmm. The mentor was somewhat surprised but accepted the man's explanation. Whew! The man knew he would have time to get to his next task, meeting, job.... Oh, but he did want his Bible verses - his mentor always gave him verses to meditate on for the coming month. The mentor gave him just one verse. Just one? This was unusual but the man had to go!

In his car, he wanted to know what the verse was. Of course, his dome light was out, but he needed to know that verse! So the man got out of the car to read it using his headlights:

Are you the Messiah or should we look for another?

Alta Mesa Pics

2008-05-06T14:19:00.005-05:00

Here are some pictures from our Alta Mesa Ladies Retreat. The decorations were so much fun. The Super 7 did a great job of planning and decorating!
Here is the goody basket that they put together for us! It was filled with awesome goodies, but the best part were the personalized notes to each of us from each woman on the planning team. It was such a blessing to have each note.

Here were just some of the drawing give aways for the ladies who came to the retreat. There were so many fun baskets and bags.

Here is one of the ladies who helped with the registration table. Her daughter, Diane, is a good friend of ours in Abilene.

This is my cousin's wife Karise. She was given a sweet gift from her friends and church family. Her husband (my cool cuz) took a job at a different congregation. I know that they loved their time with Alta Mesa and it was a very hard decision to move. Karise had quite a few surgeries this last year and I know that her church sisters ministered to her in so many ways. (Karise's doctor told her she no longer had any optional parts inside of her anymore, everything was a must keep)

This was a fun game. Each table had to come up with a "coffee themed" sentence. The best table won a prize.

Here are some of the Coffee Group. The top picture is of one of our friends' mom with Donna, "Anne's Mom", Sarah and Judy.

We had a great time with our sisters at Alta Mesa. One of the main messages that we try and impart is that we are all human, we all make mistakes, we all need each other. The importance of being real with our community of believers is part of the New Testament Church. Mourning and rejoicing with those who we walk along side during this time on earth is part of what we are called in to as followers of Jesus. Satan would have us just be too busy to stop and find a friend, and if we do find a friend, he would try and keep us quiet and not bare each others burdens. Don't fall for Satan's trap of loneliness, seek and pray for a godly friend.

Where Is That From?

2008-05-05T13:51:00.004-05:00

Well, I'm finally on the Coffee Group blog! I finally feel like I've got something to say....

While at the Alta Mesa retreat I mentioned a favorite quote from an old Acappella CD (cassette tape really.) On the CD a voice says,

"I have come that you might have life and you might have it more abundantly!"

And then it goes into a song. At the retreat Donna thought it might be Marshall Keebler, a rather famous African-American preacher. I decided to ask a, hopefully, trustworthy source -George Pendergrass.

George was singing with Acappella at the time and I thought he might know where it came from. When asked who had said it George told me Jesus Christ. Duh. Another smarty-pants in my life! I knew Jesus said it, George! (John 10:10) George told me that it was his voice on the recording and they had great fun doing it.

Just wanted to set that straight. We had a great time working with George yesterday painting a little lady's house. It would appear that singing isn't his only talent!

Fellowship of the Unashamed

2008-05-03T20:16:00.002-05:00

Tammy reads this as part of her talk at almost every Coffee Group speaking engagement! And you will see why it strikes such a cord with people. She gets frequent requests for it to be printed, etc., so we are simply putting it one more place for people to see. Be blessed:

"I’m part of the fellowship of the unashamed. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I’m a disciple of His and I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still.

My past is redeemed. My present makes sense. My future is secure. I’m done and finished with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, cheap living, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, or first, or tops, or recognized, or praised, or rewarded. I live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by Holy Spirit power.

My face is set. My gait is fast. My goal is heaven. My road may be narrow, my way rough, my companions few, but my guide is reliable and my mission is clear. I will not be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice or hesitate in the presence of the adversary. I will not negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won’t give up, shut up, or let up until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and preached up for the cause of Christ.

I am a disciple of Jesus. I must give until I drop, preach until all know, and work until He comes. And when He does come for His own, He’ll have no problems recognizing me. My banner will be clear!

-Found among the papers of a young Zimbabwe pastor after he was martyred

Heading East...

2008-04-28T19:07:00.003-05:00

This Friday we are headed to Alta Mesa Church of Christ to do a ladies retreat for them. It's been very odd -- every time we mention at church that we are headed to Alta Mesa, we hear, "Oh, really? My (aunt/ sister/ sister-in-law/ dear friend/ mom/ obscure relative or friend) goes there! I think she said she was going to go to the retreat!" So, we can't wait to meet more of our family! Very exciting! (Check out their logo and video on that page!! I LOVE to see what all people do with their theme! Creativity -- as I've mentioned -- not my gift!)

As always, getting out of town is tough! Businesses and work loom over us about what all MUST be done before we leave, and if not before we leave, then before we return (which, in essence...) Families need to be squared away and daddies that don't usually do the 'cruise directing' are left in charge of shuttling and managing. Ministries are left to shuffle around and replace us. Just lots of life going on.

Say a prayer for us, as we get all of our lives settled and set in motion, while potentially hearing a word from the Lord that He would like us to pass on to the wonderful ladies of Alta Mesa. Kind of seems like a tall order, doesn't it? It is! Pray also for the ladies of Alta Mesa, some of whom are working so hard to prepare for this event so that those ladies may hear words from the Lord, as well as draw closer to each other.

As much as it is on our 'to-do list', it's always a little like Christmas: we KNOW the Lord will show up, and we can't wait to see what He will do with our time! You know we'll tell you all about it here!

A&M Church of Christ Ladies Retreat

2008-04-11T12:10:00.009-05:00

A week ago today the Coffee Group almost to the minute the Coffee Group was meeting to leave town to head to College Station. After we all gathered together, we realized that 4 out of 5 of us had not eaten anything that day, so we headed to Rosa's for a quick lunch. After a 90 second drive we all piled out of the car. Not even a 2 minute drive from our meeting place and we were already stopping. There is nothing worse than 4 starving and cranky women in a car together for hours, so you just gotta do what you just gotta do.

On our way to College Station we laughed and talked. God has blessed us with friends who embrace each of our similarities and love our differences, so there is always plenty of fun to be had. I don't know how Schwann's came up but it did, and Donna mentioned that her families favorite cold treat was a minty, chocolatey bar. Someone said, wouldn't it be cool if we saw a Schwann's truck in the next town. We stopped at a gas station/convenience mart to use the facilities and wouldn't you know it that a Schwann's truck pulled up as we were all getting back into the van. So Judy hopped right out and bought a box of frozen treats. There were 20 frozen treats in the box. There were 5 of us gals. Now although we all like us some chocolate, and those treats were ONLY 60 calories each, we couldn't even come close to finishing the box. We kept our eyes open as to who might like some frozen treats, after all it was a warm day and the sun was shining...who wouldn't want a frozen treat? Fort Hood jumped right out at us, and after asking Denise to turn the car around we headed into the driveway of Fort Hood. The security men asked us for our identification and instead we gave him ice cream. They were VERY excited. After they x-rayed the treats I am sure they ate every last bit. That was so much fun.

Then we arrived at our hotel and in our rooms were hospitality gifts from the church and a nice note to welcome us to College Station.

We went to the A&M Church that night to see where we would be speaking that next day, go over our seating and familiarize ourselves with sound and microphones. The place was full of hustle and bustle with women of the church getting the Aggies For Christ Gym set up for all the ladies the next day.

Here are some pictures of the Retreat Day.

Here is Donna, Essie Childers (one of the co-coordinators of the retreat) and Sarah. One of the ladies of the church embroidered aprons with the theme of the day for all the coordinators.

Here is Donna standing next to Yogi Bear on the way home.

This is a beautiful church that we have driven past to go to a couple of retreats. Each time we drive by Denise and I comment how beautiful it is. This time Denise stopped so I could take a picture.

Praise God for his faithfulness and blessings over the weekend of travelling and showing up BIG for the retreat.

College Station

2008-04-06T12:31:00.000-05:00

We returned last night about 10 p.m. from a wonderful day in College Station with the ladies at the A&M Church of Christ. What a precious and fun group of women! AND -- oh, my stars, the decorations! I love to see it when people are gifted with creativity in that way because it is SO not my gift! I could go on and on about the women we met and the connections we made or re-made as God had us forge new paths and cross old paths with women.

I'll be perfectly honest -- this schedule is hard on my body. I spent the last 7 days going to bed about 11 and getting up at 4:30 or 5 and on Saturday and Sunday I was blessed to sleep all the way to 6. I'm sure for some of you that's a vacation, but I can't keep that up for too terribly long. So, very soon I will be in my pajamas under the covers recuperating from the last week. And, yes, I am forsaking baby showers and gatherings to do that, which is very unlike me. But before I crawl under the covers, I will kneel in gratitude. I still can't believe that the Lord is using me to speak His word, tell His story, and witness His healing in women's lives again and again. I will give up all manner of sleep (for as long as I physically can) to be able to join in His work -- and then I will pray to be physically strengthened so that I may still continue.

To the ladies at A&M: thank you for allowing us as a group to join you in your day. Thank you for sharing your tears and laughter with us. Thank you for showing us a group of women who love big and loud with each other.

And: For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen the ladies of A&M church with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in all of your hearts through faith. And I pray that the ladies of A&M church, 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 each of you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Adapted from Ephesians 3:14-21

Inside Jokes

2008-04-06T12:00:00.002-05:00

When we traveled this weekend, Donna mentioned that we should write down all of the hilarious things that happen on a trip so that when we're too old to still travel or remember what happened, we'll have those memories! So, only my peeps will get most of this, but here is my list of what I most want to remember from the College Station trip of '08:

Accosting the Schwann's man in Hamilton
Giving away our Schwann's stuff to the guards at Fort Hood
Missing a photo op with Yogi Bear
TURN LEFT HERE! (screeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeech)
A surprise visit from Maggie
"Doesn't she know that I'm Judy Hampton-Suites?"
Judy's phone ringing IN THE MIDDLE OF US TALKING with the ringtone, "I'm too sexy for my shirt..."
"Well, I thought she was just name-dropping, but now it all makes sense."