Monday, May 10, 2010

FBC Gate City, VA Women's Teacup-Teapot Event

We had a blast with the women of Gate City!  Thank you FBC Gate City for hosting this event.  Our time with you and our Lord was so very special!  Many of us walked into the sanctuary Thursday night with very heavy hearts...so many problems...seemingly no solutions.  But the Lord was waiting for us there...our heart-mender...our strong and mighty tower...our Potter!  Many of us chose to leave with a new perspective...seeking His kingdom and His righteousness FIRST!  Enjoy some of the pictures of our time together!

These women could sing!

Our waiters and sound man!  Men cleaning up the dishes with a smile!  NICE!!!

Food and Fellowship!!!





Friday, April 30, 2010

Worry...Time to Go Watch Some Birds!

Worry...it is real...it can be paralyzing.  So what do we worry about?  Money or not having any...job security...health concerns...children...marriages...friends...what will people think...and the list goes on and on.  Trying to find solutions sometimes is like finding a needle in a haystack...you don't think it can be found? God has a word for us regarding worry.  Take a look with me in Matthew chapter 6.

25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?
26"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 28And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31"So do not worry, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

So we have a choice...worry or seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.  One choice produces more anxiety and the other choice produces a relationship with the One who values us.  What will we choose today?

Ladies of FBC Gate City, VA...next week we will spend some time on this topic.  

I encourage you to go watch some birds...God has some lessons waiting for you! 

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Taking Hold of Jesus

The "bus" broke down...but PTL it was only a battery problem that was easily corrected...thanks to the kind gentleman at Baysmont Inn in Brentwood.  Paige, Jenn, and I made it home safely.  Thanks for your prayers! 

Also a special thank you shout out to ANDY!  By the word servant in the dictionary is Andy's picture!  Lana it was a pleasure serving with you!  Thank you for your hard work to make this conference happen...we applaud you!!!

We had a MARVELOUS time with ladies at the Administrative Assistants Conference!!!  Our Hats Off to YOU!  You guys are so much fun!!!  Your expression of praise through song was a beautiful offering to our Lord!  Go TEAM!  Continue to be CHAMPIONS for CHRIST!!!

We met some champions this week.  Women whose journeys are not easy, but who are choosing to serve in the name of Jesus through their pain.  Their hearts ache because of grief, financial burdens, broken homes, straying children, and the list goes on. 

This week the Lord reminded us that in the midst of all the pain that He promises to never leave us or forsake us!  He tells us to cast our cares upon Him for He cares for us!  He binds up our wounds and heals the broken-hearted!

So to our new friends we made this week...Thank you for sharing your lives with us!  Thank you for trusting us with the stories of your hearts!  We will continue to lift you up in prayer to the ONE who knows you by name, values you, and loves you!  Take hold of Him because He is holding on to you!

Monday, March 22, 2010

Hats Off to Church Administrative Assistants

We are having lots of fun at the Tennesssee Baptist Convention with Ministry Assistants from all over the state.  We have discovered that they are fabulous singers!!!  Their sweet spirits and their enthusiasm for serving God in their churches is contagious!  How about those snacks during the break session...cream cheese and pepper jelly on a wheat thin...ever who thought up that idea should get a prime time spot on the Food Network Channel.  YUM!!!  It was a great day! 

Now to our friend Ms. Madge GPS.  Going straight .8 of mile will not work when there are curbs and trees in front of the vehicle. Any yes Paige typing in the word East instead of West can cause a vehicle to end up at a different destination than planned.

A wonderful surprise came to me while in Nashville.  Two girls (well they were girls twenty some years ago) who lived in my building at CNC came to visit with Paige, Jenn, and me.  I was their DORM MOM.  Kristi brought her scrapbook.  We reminisced...laughed...cried!  It was such a meaningful time for me!  Kristi had in her scrapbook a report notice I had written her...well I still write reports today...she stole my silverware...well you guessed it...I wrote her a report.  A mom is always a mom!  Kristi and Amy thank you so much for blessing me with your presence!

The Lord used that time with those two lovely women to open a possible door for my book Dan Dan Moved to Heaven.  Kristi has a contact at Thomas Nelson Publishing.  He made a contact and has someone interested in reviewing the book!  I gave Kristi a copy to give to Him.  Pray for His will!  Lord I trust You!

Sunday, March 21, 2010

A Story to Tell!

I’ve known Paige since the day she was born. Her dad and mom so graciously encouraged me along in my walk with the Lord through my pre-teen and teenage years. I got to watch Paige grow up. But my favorite part was listening to her sing. When I closed my eyes and listened to her sing…I felt I could touch God…I still feel that way today!


Jenn worked for me as a Student Resident Assistant at Carson-Newman College over twenty years ago. The first time I heard her sing, I knew God had something special in store for her. God placed beautiful music in her heart. God would send her lyrics that would give me cold chills when I heard them. I always cried…I still do today!

Paige came to Carson-Newman during that same time. She and Jenn became instant friends. Both children of fathers in the ministry…both outstanding musicians and singers…both loved the Lord. Way back then they had a dream of going on the road and singing for the Lord. Today we still laugh about their dream of getting on that bus and heading to Nashville.

Now let’s fast forward to today. All those years ago, God knew He was going to blend our lives together again. Now that is one amazing story! (This is still very surreal for us). This time we are…older…wiser (haha)…wives…moms…career women…all the while desiring more from our individual journey with our Lord. Out of that desire… takinghold Ministries was formed a little over four years ago.

We didn’t even begin to understand all that He had in store for us through takinghold Ministries. Man, has he ever been teaching us lessons…how not to be a control freak…learning to say I’m sorry…on letting go and actually trusting Him…how to wrestle with matters of the heart choosing to include Him in the wrestling match…job changes…and the list goes on and on. So for the three of us takinghold of Him has come to mean so much more to us.

In this blog I hope we all can learn from each other’s stories on how to take hold of Him. I hope you will join us on this learning journey.

Today we are getting on the BUS (really a van) and heading to Nashville…yes I SAID NASHVILLE!!! (God does give us the desires of our heart even if it is over twenty years later).  takinghold will be in concert and lead in worship at the TBC Secretaries Conference. Church Secretaries are some of the most gifted and loving women in our churches. It is an honor to go and worship with them! Paige, Jenn, and I have had some very special church secretaries invest a lot of time loving us! WE APPLAUD YOU LADIES!

Goodnight All!