My church family.
I wish I would have had a love month instead of a love week, because each and every person at my church is near and dear to me and essential at theSpring.
My pastor and his wife, Tim and Kim Rutledge, felt the need to plant themselves in Franklin, TN at the exact same time that I chose to leave my comfort zone behind and search for a new place to call "home".
To say that God's hand was on the situation is an incredible understatement.
The first week that theSpring team met, we took turns explaining how we ended up in the Vienna Coffee House in Cool Springs, TN at 11 AM on a Sunday morning. I have never encountered a group of people who were so confidently pursing God's will and risking everything to live it out.
Not only are they passionate about creating a church, each one is equally if not more passionate about reaching the people around us.
I know this small church will soon be a large church, not because of any one person, but because of the faith and the passion that our church feels.
Because of them I am a confident Christian, because of them I have a safe haven to commune with people and refresh each week.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
Love Post #1
An old friend turned me onto Pastor Steven Furtick from Elevation Church a few years ago. I used to listen to his messages each week (And still try to catch it) but I became an even bigger fan of his daily blog. At the time I was aspiring to be a pastor's wife, so I figured I should probably listen even closer to his wife, Holly Furtick.
My aspirations have changed a tad, but I still read Holly Furtick's blog daily. She is so normal and yet so wise and godly (something to be admired). I love the little window into her life that she allows her readers to peek through.
Anyways, this week she started a "love post" and each day is dedicated to the people she loves most. So I am taking her example.
Today is about my mom. To say that she is a great mom is such an understatement. She is not only a great mom, she is a great woman and a great friend. She is by far the hardest working person I know and has accomplished so much- as I get older I realize just how much she done, for herself, her co-workers, her family, and the people she loves.
My mom is from a small town in West Virginia where very few speak correct English and most never leave their coal-mining towns begins. I am almost positive that rotary dial phones are still the main source of communication and satellite television is a "new" feature.
However, my mom is one of the most educated people I know and the woman has more connections than most politicians haha. (It comes in handy when I need a favor ;)
Not only does she know people, but I have yet to meet a person who didn't just love her. She is the most giving person I know and would do anything for someone in need.
She is also the strongest person I know. She has gotten out of bad situations, even at the risk of being unstable or insecure for a season. She has lived on her own and parented me single-handedly all these years.
I am so thankful for her guidance and her love. The older I get the more I respect her and the happier I am to have her around. I know I have been everything but easy to raise and she stuck around when anyone and everyone else has left me to fend for myself.
Happy Valentines Day Mom.. I am so proud of you and to be your daughter.
My aspirations have changed a tad, but I still read Holly Furtick's blog daily. She is so normal and yet so wise and godly (something to be admired). I love the little window into her life that she allows her readers to peek through.
Anyways, this week she started a "love post" and each day is dedicated to the people she loves most. So I am taking her example.
Today is about my mom. To say that she is a great mom is such an understatement. She is not only a great mom, she is a great woman and a great friend. She is by far the hardest working person I know and has accomplished so much- as I get older I realize just how much she done, for herself, her co-workers, her family, and the people she loves.
My mom is from a small town in West Virginia where very few speak correct English and most never leave their coal-mining towns begins. I am almost positive that rotary dial phones are still the main source of communication and satellite television is a "new" feature.
However, my mom is one of the most educated people I know and the woman has more connections than most politicians haha. (It comes in handy when I need a favor ;)
Not only does she know people, but I have yet to meet a person who didn't just love her. She is the most giving person I know and would do anything for someone in need.
She is also the strongest person I know. She has gotten out of bad situations, even at the risk of being unstable or insecure for a season. She has lived on her own and parented me single-handedly all these years.
I am so thankful for her guidance and her love. The older I get the more I respect her and the happier I am to have her around. I know I have been everything but easy to raise and she stuck around when anyone and everyone else has left me to fend for myself.
Happy Valentines Day Mom.. I am so proud of you and to be your daughter.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Life as a Soap Opera
There is something to be said for the cast of shows like Jersey Shore, The Hills, Laguna Beach, Real Housewives of *name that city*.
And here is what I have to say, "I am so glad that I am not you."
Call me crazy, but I would rather be bored out of my mind in a world of simple than to spend a day in the "he said, she said.. did you hear about ____?" world that so many girls, teenagers, and sadly to say grown women, find themselves in.
I found myself in a situation similar to the above recently and two days later I found myself driving with the radio off, shaking my head and thinking.. "what just happened and how did I get here?"
And as I thought, I just got more and more disgusted with myself to the point where I decided that it was more important (and profitable) to have 2 or 3.. maybe even 1 great friend, then a whole group of friends who don't really act as friends.
That is a tough pill to swallow for someone who genuinely loves meeting new people, making new friends, and creating a connection and bond with each and every one of them. However, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it is literally biblical. How many men of the bible had hosts of friends that defended them and loved them deeply that they actually trusted?
Coming up pretty empty-handed? I did too.
So- consider this a challenge to myself and to you: Cultivate the great relationships you already have. Don't let those slip, because they are so rare. Instead of trying to please everyone and make some people like you even more, spend time with the people who already think you're great and don't make you work for a friendship.
It might not be reality TV-worthy, but it could be life-changing.
And here is what I have to say, "I am so glad that I am not you."
Call me crazy, but I would rather be bored out of my mind in a world of simple than to spend a day in the "he said, she said.. did you hear about ____?" world that so many girls, teenagers, and sadly to say grown women, find themselves in.
I found myself in a situation similar to the above recently and two days later I found myself driving with the radio off, shaking my head and thinking.. "what just happened and how did I get here?"
That is a tough pill to swallow for someone who genuinely loves meeting new people, making new friends, and creating a connection and bond with each and every one of them. However, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it is literally biblical. How many men of the bible had hosts of friends that defended them and loved them deeply that they actually trusted?
Coming up pretty empty-handed? I did too.
So- consider this a challenge to myself and to you: Cultivate the great relationships you already have. Don't let those slip, because they are so rare. Instead of trying to please everyone and make some people like you even more, spend time with the people who already think you're great and don't make you work for a friendship.
It might not be reality TV-worthy, but it could be life-changing.
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