life changing

Alright, last night was a life changing experience for me. Let's start by putting it into perspective:

• I made my first communion at about age 7
• I took communion every Sunday from age 7-18
• That is approx. 600 times
• We never used the "blood of Christ"
• I came back to church at age 29
• I have received communion once a month since then
• That would be about 150 times

Last night I had my first opportunity to serve communion at GCC. The missions team that is going to India in December was chosen to serve and since Don is on that team I got to serve with him.

Wow is about all I can say - I will never ever look at communion in the same way again. I offered people "the body of Christ broken for you" - they looked into my eyes and accepted, they offered an "amen" or a "praise Jesus". One women towards the end even looked straight into my eyes and almost into my heart and said "thank you Jesus" - I almost started to cry - I was so overwhelmed with emotion! We even got to offer and share communion with some of our friends - like Rob, Michelle and Maddie :) Sharon and family, Wes and Amy and a few others. Talk about a personal, intimate moment.

God, I can't imagine sending your son to die on the cross for my sins - I am and will be forever thankful and grateful for your sacrifice. Thank you for the sacrament of communion to provide us the opportunity to focus directly on Jesus!

survive or thrive??

So today God filled me in on the fact that I have the choice to survive or thrive! Yes you heard that correctly -- it is up to me. Wow I have to take responsibility for it -- sometimes that is no fun - it is so much easier to blame it on someone else.

I want to thrive! I am not going to spend the summer in survival mode like I have the past three days. My kids are at each others throats - bickering about every single thing. You say black - no its white, you say tab they say no its tab -- they are doing this with eachother, with me, with my husband and sometimes even with grandma. Just the past three days - the first 10 days of summer break was awesome - I was so excited and thought wow this is going to be a fun and relaxing summer. Hold the phone - monday morning it was like a wildfire had roared through the house - grumpy, mouthy and down right irritable children - which doesn't necessarily make for a joyful mom.

So today in the midst of a conversation with my hairstylist (Erin:) about another whole issue I said out loud "I am the problem and I am the solution". Well tonight after dinner the kids were crabby and I got crabby and then I remembered (ok no, the holy spirit reminded me) what I had said about the other thing and it totally applies here.

Time for me to step up and be acountable for my joy! Time to dig in to the word and into the spiritual disciplines!

I am going to thrive this summer and I will not settle for just surviving. We have an awesome God who can do so much more than I can imagine and I know he is the one to nourish me!!!!!

are you a loving person?

I learned a few things about great teachers last night from a great teacher at GCC New Community. Here are 3 main things:

• they ask a lot of questions
• they give tough tests
• they give plenty of experiences to change lives

Wow at first glance these may be the teachers we don't immediately like - I mean lots of questions, tough tests and field experience - does not sound like my idea of fun but...... this is describing Jesus! This is how he did it with the disciples and this is how God wants to do it with us.

The first question Dr. Bob Laurent asked of us last night was "Are you a loving person?"

So what questions is God asking you lately? Not what are you asking him. Are we really getting quiet with him to see what he might be asking us? I know I am not - I don't really know what quiet with God looks like in the midst of the summer chaos with 2 kids. However I am willing to take some steps to find out. I am starting on a journey about the spiritual disciplines you can check it out here.

So how are you being tested lately? My test is with my brother - and so far I think my midterm report would say pass:)

What experiences are you in the midst of that God will use to change your heart and your life?

God teaches us this way so we can see what is in our own hearts - and I know what is in mine isn't always pretty. Dr. Bob said "It is easy to love those who love you back - but what about those who don't??"

We sang a worship song that said: "Break my heart for what breaks yours" I think that is the journey Granger is on and I am right on board, pointing my feet toward Christ and waiting to see what my next step is............

What is your next step toward Christ?

crisis

Some of you are doing the "read the bible in a year" thing with me :) some of you are just doing it and some of you probably have done it before. For those of you that have never done it - I highly recommend it!! Really -- this is my first time and I absolutely love it!

I feel more connected to Jesus than I ever have been in my life and I am seeing the fruit of it in some difficult times with my family (sisters and brother). I AM NOT super human -- I am just cultivating my relationship with God and so in tough times I am seeing that He is carrying me through - He is putting a guard over my mouth and He is helping me be more like Jesus in my relationships. I am so thankful that I know him -- it is about this life on earth - not just about my eternal life in heaven.

I dont just have a desire to grow and be connected - which is a great intention - but I have a passion inside of me to find the method that will help me do just that. I have to thank my church for that. From my observation - each of the pastors is full and overflowering with a passion to see people get to know Christ and continually develop their relationship with him. It is like a burning fire that is out of control - one of those sweeping forest fires that burns acres and acres. It is sweeping through Granger, South Bend, Elkhart, Niles and all the way to India :)

I have been infected with the burning passion. I am reading more than ever - I have continued with the daily bible reading, I am going to core class 301 that our church offers about finding your shape - I am embarking on a book for a group, led by one of the pastor's wives, on the spiritual disciplines (an area that I don't know much about) and I am trying to be more like Jesus with my family.

I am refusing to feel guilty, get angry, try to FIX them, or change their thinking - none of that is my job. I am trying to love them and understand them. Does that mean I agree with them - no not always - does that mean I take sides - no I try not to be devisive - does it come easy - no however the more I stay connected to Jesus the better I am getting with my walk.

I really can not believe the difference in my responses to circumstances lately - not usually like me:) - and I have to give God the glory - he is the one changing me and I kinda like who I am becoming.

I got a long way to go and I know he will be right beside me all the way!!