Oh Chicago, WHY?!

Chicago's sports teams are historic, no doubt about it. Wrigley Field is one of the last great baseball facilities left in the big leagues. Who can forget Bobby Hull leading the Blackhawks to a Stanley Cup win? Michael Jordan's famous dunk, tongue and sweaty bald head. The likes of Mike Singletary, the Fridge, Walter Payton, Jim McMahon playing in Soldier Field inside the iconic columns. And yet, with such a rich history behind us, the Bulls are in a loosing season, Cubs havn't been able to do ANYthing in years, the Bears are killing me right now as Bret Favre and the Vikings (ew) might as well be playing a high school defense and o-line. Thank heavens for hockey, the least famed sport in our city, which is currently holding the lead in the Central division... but we still have months to play in the schedule.
Yet I remain a loyal and devoted fan.

Enraptured

This is a worship song on a worship cd put out by one of Liberty University's campus praise band called Exodus. It's a FANTASTIC song. Jennie and I are in the process of learning it to do on a Sunday morning.
I'm excited. Here's the verses and the chorus.

In Your splendor, I surrender, I’m in awe
All consuming, how you move me, and I fall
Into the arms of grace, as I seek your face,
My world fades away

I’m enraptured, you have captured my heart
Never changing, never failing, and I run
Into the arms of grace, as I seek your face,
My world fades away

Until nothing else matters

Until nothing else matters

Until nothing else matters
 
Until nothing else matters
 
But you.......

Turkey Day

Thanksgiving is an awesome holiday. I hope that you were able to stop for a few seconds to recognize what you are thankful for. To me, this is a holiday not just to look at what we have and feel good about ourselves. I really think in order to be thankful, we have to be thankful TO something. I'm thankful to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, of the Old and New Testaments. The one that Jesus Christ is a part of along with the Holy Spirit as The Triune God, the Great I AM. Just incase you needed further clarification.

I'm thankful for SO many things right now, and while it is and should be obvious that I am thankful for the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for my eternal salvation, for my family who are the most important things to me on this Earth, and my friends, many of whom I could not survive life without. Those things are ALWAYS true, every year. This year, I am specifically thankful for the support, financial and otherwise of friends, family, and strangers, who believe not just in me, but in what God is calling me to do in ministry. I’m thankful that there are those who are willing to sacrifice so that I can do what I’m passionate about.

What are you thankful for?

Psalm 34 and fear.

Interesting thing... fear. It binds us, it grips us, it stops us, and somehow for many of us its always there! I know I've been dealing with it. The fear that God isn't going to do as he promises, the fear that I won't measure up, the fear that people don't care about what I'm called to do. The interesting thing about fear is that its not always (in my case rarely) grounded in reality. (one author I read suggests that my issue isn't really fear as much as anxiety... but that's all semantics) Psalm 34:4 stopped me dead in my tracks the other morning...  "I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears."

The answer to fear is seeking the face of God! Doesn't it SOUND easy? TOO easy. So easy in fact, that I often write it off and try to find a way around it myself. Silly, I know... because those times I find nothing in myself but more fear. But when I DO seek the Lord... the fear does infact subside, and the strength and realization that what Ephesians 3:20-21 says is true comes through. (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.)



This dance is from "So You Think You Can Dance" (a favorite of mine) and it's about a woman dealing with the issue of Fear in her life. Kathryn is the woman struggling and Legacy is the character of Fear. Its absolutly beautiful!  (don't feel like you have to listen to the judges comments, just watch the dance!)

G4

Now don't get me wrong... its not my favorite cable television channel. But there's this show on it called Ninja Warrior. Basically its this crazy Japanese show where these men try their hand at a string of insane physical challenges. They either finish by pushing the big red button at the end of the course, fall in the muddy water, or get the challenges but not within the time. G4 apparently thought that the show was awesome (and it is) and bought rights to show it here in america. So they have english subtitles. its hilarious! some of these guys are amazingly athletic. A bunch of them are olympians and other quasi-legit athletes. Every once in a while G4 will hold tryouts to send americans to go compete in the show.  Rarely do the americans pull it off... sad day.
Nagano is deffinetly my favorite. I'm pretty sure he's a real ninja.

Christmas in Our Home Town!

Tonight is our annual Women's event at our church and I am so excited! Don't get me wrong... Every year is GREAT, but I'm particularly excited about this year. I'm not really sure why. I think it's just because i'm on such the cusp of my own life change at the moment.

Every year about two to three hundred women gather in a banquet hall and enjoy some fellowship and focus before the onslaught of the Christmas season. The goal is to take a breath and dig in with the right attitude as Christmas quickly approaches.

There's Music, Crafts, Give aways, Silent auctions, and of course a Message.

My Mom does a FANTASTIC job every year at putting together what God puts on her heart and really challenges the women of NW Indiana to action. This year she's talking about Giving from the proper perspective. I'm so proud of her! Every year she speaks she absolutly nails it!

If you think about it, be praying for the event tonight :)

New Newsletter!!!

I'm so excited to finally have a publishable newsletter to present! It has been WAY too long. This is going out to a list of people whom I have mailing addresses for. If you'd like things from me via snail mail, please email me your address, I'd love to put you on my list.
Take a minute. Read my newsletter!

http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/view.php?id=1543055&da=y





love it?

Just another memory monday!

The last two Royal Servan'ts summers i've been on i've introduced what is called "Memory Mondays" The students don't always LOVE it because it has consequenses if the students don't have their memory work for the week done, BUT i know deep down they do love it. Its not just a mission trip... They work hard doing memorization  all summer! they also have regular teachings and time in the word. It's pretty fantastic. :)

UPDATE

Hello boys and girls. I'm pretty sure my "Goole Analytics" is busted because it's telling me I have ZERO hits this week,when I know for a fact that I have had at LEAST one.... (thanks Bryana). Oh well, I will keep on keepin on with the updates cause I know B likes them, and maybe someone will stumble accross my site and find something interesting. Right now I'm getting ready to send out a newsletter (I know... shocking) it's been way toooo long. So if you want to be on that list and think there's a slight chance you might not be.... please let me know asap.

Logger...

My dad is amazing. What doesn't he do? He got this HUGE trailer full of Oak trees and cut it all up into smaller, fireplace sized logs. He was a little (ok a lot) sore after all was said and done. But he's pretty buff and our family now has wood for the fireplace for the next few YEARS!
Which brings me to fireplaces. They're amazing. you ever just shut off all the lights in the house and sit and read in front of a roaring fire? try it.
Especially when its just you in the house and you've got your Bible open to whatever God's teaching you at the moment.... (if he's not teaching you at the moment, try Colossians 3...or just the whole book)

IT'S OFFICIAL!!!

OK. So I got the official word this morning that I will be helping lead the mission trip to Sierra Leone, Africa this summer with Royal Servants! I am so excited about this new challenge and ministry and the chance to team up with Matt Halseth for a second summer!! This trip presents for me new opportunities that I have never experienced before. I know God is going to be all over this team and I am begining to pray now for our ministry there and also the team of students and staff that we will be taking with us. read more about the trip on Reign's website, www.reignministries.org/mission-trips

Rockin' and Rollin'

I have a few thoughts for today.... first, and most pressing (literally) is TEA. i know.. I know "real deep Laura" but I love tea. In order to function on any given day I need at least a good 16-18 fluid ounces of some good English Breakfast tea with plenty of milk and sugar. Now this morning.... I did not have enough time to make my tea and therefore went without. I made it for the most part until around 5:15pm when my head started hurting and I thought to myself... hmm... why is my head hurting? I've drank plenty of water today. And then it struck me. DUH, no tea. So, I did what any normal person would do... I grabbed 2 Excedrin and poured a HUGE mug of tea. It hasn't kicked in though so my head is still kind of pounding, but I'll give the meds a little bit and hopefully by dinner it will have abated. Second. Support is movin forward. I'm feeling pretty good about my meetings and loving getting the opportunity to meet with people and share my passion and vision for ministry. It helps that I truly believe SO much in what I'm doing. Also, my car is STILL running! (thanks again daddio!!) and for the time being I am mobile. this picture proves it... kind of. Thanks for your continued prayers. :)

I'm not sure how he does it....

Several posts ago I had an ode to the dead car. Well I REALLY don't understand how my father is so skilled as to keep on reviving this thing! BUT he is. So I now have a vehicle to get to and from support appointments and work and other general runnings around with somewhat ease. The car is not allowed to go outside of about a 30 mile radius, but it RUNS!!!! HUGE answer to prayer. THANKS DAD FOR WORKING SO HARD TO GET IT RUNNING!!! I LOVE YOU!!!