MY BIRTHWEEK

I have NEVER been shy about my birthday. Ever. I tell anyone who might care and most who don't. I can't help it. The birthweek all started when I celebrated my birthday for longer than just one day. I would have a dinner w/ my grandparents on my mom's side. Then dinner w/ my paternal grandparents. Then dinner w/ my parents and brother. As I got older then there were celebrations w/ friends. Then add a boyfriend. So because having one huge event every year didn't work I developed the "birthweek".

My week officially kicked off last night when my awesome husband booked me a room at the Ballantyne Resort. A king size bed, a million thread count sheets, perfectly fluffy and way too many pillows and uninterrupted sleep. This all came after my favorite dinner of sushi. What followed this morning was breakfast in bed. Then a 50 minute Swedish massage. Her name was Lisa too, not Sven.

I forgot my cell phone and the internet hook up was $10. A rip off for what you pay for a room there. So it was me and my book and iPod and I was one happy camper. Mike and I had such a great time hanging out together last night and then he left so I could SLEEP AS LONG AS I WANTED!!!

You may think that is crazy BUT he is an early riser and I can't fall back to sleep if I awaken anytime after 5 hours of sleep. I slept until 9 am and did not HAVE to get out of bed. All moms know you HAVE to get out of bed eventually and usually sooner than we'd like.

As I was relaxing during my spa treatment I was overwhelmed with the feeling of love and deep appreciation. Love for and from my God who has been so AWESOME to me in this last year (my whole life really but I am reflecting yearly right now) to the over flowing love I have for my husband. He STILL, after 16 years makes my heart jump. Then the realization of where we were several years ago and how THANKFUL I am to God for restoring our marriage. Then I felt deep grief for those people who don't have faith that GOD will do ALL HE promises. Back to complete JOY for all that HE has given to me. HE HAS restored the years the locusts have eaten! I wonder if the masseuse thought it odd that tears were trickling. I sure did. Thank God it was dark in there!

Father,

I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I thank you for all you have done in me and through me. I thank you for my husband, my family, my pastor, my friends. Thank you for the challenges I faced that made You more real to me. Thank you for sending the women You entrust to me as I yield myself to your power. I do not take the role of child of God, wife, mother and mentor lightly. To whom much is given much is expected. I can not and will not do it without You. I humbly wait in eager expectation of all that You will do in this next year of my life! In Jesus name, Amen.

The Thumb Blast

I am quite proud of myself. Today they had a women's thumb blast event at work. How funny to say "work" when I actually get paid to do what I love...hmm

What is a thumb blast? Apparently it was a daring event shared by only the staff men at Elevation Church.....until.....TODAY!

That is right. Lisa Shea stepped up to the couch, along w/ Lori, Shannon and Jennica. Some bizarre hot sauce in a bottle, dabbed on the thumb. OF COURSE I got the chunks of some cayenne insanely hot pepper thing. Anyway the rules: Dab your thumb, rub your tongue w/ it, hold it for 30 seconds, then drink water. Oh and DO NOT TOUCH the eyes!

So with cameras flashing and video taping the three extremely tough girls blasted away. It wasn't so bad....at first. Tears rolled down a few cheeks...Lori said she was drooling, I was fine. Until...I ....swallowed it.

HOT FIERY strep throat burning feeling for about 30 minutes.

But I did it. I am almost old enough to be their mom, which is depressing....but I hung tough with those kids!! It was fun reliving those "double dog dare ya days".

TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY!!

Well it is our church's 2nd anniversary. We are celebrating by baptising over 100 people and finishing off with a live recording of our worship experience.

I can not believe God brought a church like this to my city. I can't believe that He gave me the desires for the vision and anointing and I longed for this church for 2 years before they moved here to start Elevation. I can't believe in 2 years God has grown us from the 750 when we began attending in Nov. 2006 to 4000 last week.

I can't believe I got to lead a special group of women and then was asked to lead the leaders of the wives group. I can't believe God uses me here to mentor women.

I can't believe I am now on staff, doing whatever needs to be done to make Elevation inviting and ready so that people far from God can be filled with life in Christ.

What I do believe is the Word of God. I have said before that I have a verse I said and believed MANY times in my struggles. It says that God will do more than we can think, ask or imagine...It is true. I am living it every day.

The other thing I "can't believe" is that one of our Pastor's favorite scriptures that he refers to often is this. God never ceases to amaze me.

A Slave to Sin

I have been bombarded this past 2 weeks with some strange stuff. I brought some of it on myself. This morning I actually said "I feel like a slave". Orders being barked at me with the expectation of me jumping to everyone else's need. I have been SO busy. I can't think straight. (side note: YES I KNOW God is teaching me boundaries...the hard way). Someone once said that BUSY stands for "Being Under Satan's Yoke". Well I fell victim to that yoke and all hell broke loose. I certainly was not walking in the fruits of the Spirit last night or this morning.

Then, because my God is SO good to me. He showed me that I have not been connected to Him. My obsession w/ accomplishing the goals I set for myself (even if it is a shower and a load of laundry done) should not be done until I have been with HIM. See I know this, I teach this. This week I did not live it.

So as I was about to flip my cork this morning God sent my friend unannounced (one of my squad..see earlier post)to "drop off something". She had to catch her flailing friend AGAIN. But she prayed and I felt a bit better. Then a call came in from my mentor. I sought her wisdom and she told me to walk in victory. The war is won! Jesus did it. Stop acting like the enemy still has a chance. Load my rifle and shoot out "In the Name of Jesus....(add what you need to overcome)." I KNOW that, but I forget at times too. I was too overwhelmed to get my self out of the pit. I'm feeling much better now.

Then I called my armor bearer. I THANK GOD for him!! Don't leave home without one. If you are a stay at home mom, don't stay home without one! I'm Feeling almost back to victory by this point!

Then I read this quote in a devotional:

"The man who has no inner life is a slave to his surroundings" Henri Frederic Amiel

Yes I was a slave this week to my surroundings. I did not spend time with my source, my God, my protector. I fell slave to circumstances and demands that are easily overcome by the name of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. God showed me my error. I asked forgiveness and am grateful for the reminder! I now put my "gun" back in my holster for the next time and I walk out of this week's mess in freedom!

Check out Romans 6:16.