2020

Midway through 2019 God decided to pivot our family. I had heard a message by Christine Caine urging people of the church to spread our tents wider and dig our tent pegs in deeper. I started looking, anticipating that God had something for me in this. Then summer rolled around and at the last minute I decided to take my kids to family camp. Then He spoke very clearly to me during one message at camp. Get into the Word. Devote yourself to me every day and I will direct you.

I came home and began reading the bible in an intentional and consistent way and, low and behold, it was exciting! I learned that the Word of God is alive. I learned how the Holy Spirit speaks very specifically to you when you read it. You can read the same passage two days in a row and one day you learn one thing and the next day something entirely different.  I began to lift my outstretched hands to Him and pray that He would use me. 

A few weeks later someone from church asked if I'd be interested in leading worship. We'd just lost our worship director to a big gig. I don't even play an instrument but Josh encouraged me to do it. The church wanted three months. I said yes. 

Life has changed since I began ministering in this capacity. While it hasn't always been easy, God has been moving and touching lives and really touching my life. God has put in my life new people to minister to and encourage. He has brought me my own army of encouragers. The body of Christ is truly beautiful guys. The community that we live in, it is messy and inefficient but oh so lovely. I'm getting a taste of heaven - to bear with one another, love another, take care of one another, rebuke in love, forgive each other, hold each other up. I can only say it is the deepest and most meaningful thing - and above all, authentic. Oh that's my favorite thing about it all, the authenticity pouring from our church. 

I've seen healing and growth, been privy to extraordinary giving and care, the recipient of forgiveness and have also lathered on my own forgiveness. This is where the rubber meets the road. The small ways that I lead the church in, I am held accountable for by this great cloud of witnesses and it spurs me on. 

Some Trueism's I've Learned This Year 
- God's promises and laws do not conflict. If He calls you to something, your life will be better for it.
- The Bible is alive, God breathed, and directed by the Holy Spirit.
- A black dot on a white piece of paper. All you can see is that black dot but, in truth, there is a ton of white all around it. There is plenty of time to put God first.
- We are made to do holy and hard things - because there is no other way to get to the happy & holy things. - AV
- 'The Word of God is always most precious to the man who most lives upon it." - Spurgeon

In 2 Samuel, King David had just recovered the Ark of the Covenant and it says that, "David and all the people of Israel were celebrating before the Lord, singing songs and playing all kinds of musical instruments. David sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. And David danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a priestly garment. So David and the people of Israel brought up the Ark of the Lord with shouts of joy and the blowing of rams' horns.

But Michal looked at him with contempt. "She said in disgust, "How distinguished the king of Israel looked today, shamelessly exposing himself to the servant girls like any regular person might do."

And here's the kicker. "David retorted, "I was dancing before the Lord..He appointed me as leader of Israel, the people of the Lord, so I celebrate before the Lord. Yes, and I am willing to be even more undignified than this, even to be humiliated in my own eyes!""

In the second half of 2019 I've tasted and seen of the goodness of God and now I'm hooked. I don't know what is in store for us this year but I'll tell you what, 'I will be even more undignified than this.'

Happy New Year!