Eating Elephant and other Ramblings..

Finally, a moment to record a few thoughts. It's a shame, really, that I've missed so much blogging lately. God has been doing some incredible things in my life and I just haven't had time to write them down.

For starters;

I am working on my Beginning Ministerial Internship. This is a class that I am working through with Pastor Doug, and also starting a mentoring relationship with a woman pastor in our section. I'm halfway through the internship and it's already been impactful on my life. One of the biggest issues we've learned about is the issue of pride, and how this can be such a huge stumbling blocks, especially it seems for pastors. I've been praying about this issue in my own life for several months... It's always exciting to see how God prepares you before He schools you. :)

The biggest highlight thus far in this experience was definitely getting to preach on Women's Ministries Sunday. That was such an honor; terrifying, exhilarating, and addicting all at the same marvelous time!

I'm simultaneously finishing my last certified level course; Prison Epistles. This is proving to be another difficult course. But the challenge is always rewarding. The crazy thing is, as I finish this class I'm applying for credentials and starting the testing/interviewing process. (eeee!) Nothing makes you analyze every past mistake and misstep like applying for ministerial credentials! Just filling out that application was a lesson in humility!!

I honestly can't believe I'm already to this point. It seems like just a couple months ago I received my calling at youth camp and nervously phoning Berean to enroll for classes. The past nine months have been challenging and overwhelming at times.. In fact I reached a breaking point in November where I really had to receive a pep talk to keep going.. But God is faithful and He proves Himself over and over to me!! He sent just the right person to speak into my life and refresh me. I finished that course strong, and even accepted my only sad little B+ on a harder than average class.

I seemingly gain momentum with each course and at the halfway point I could begin to ascertain my progress. It's a bit like eating an elephant, you just have to keep eating elephant, one bite at a time, even if there reach's a point that you begin to wonder why you like elephant in the first place. LOL.

The reality is, as you near the end of the process, (or at least the first level in the process) you realize how very worth it it's been. I'm there. I look back at the last nine months and am floored, amazed, and blessed by the personal spiritual growth that God has done in me through these classess. It makes me so grateful!! I'm excited that I have two levels to go, because I am not ready to say goodbye to this season of my life. I say that, and some days I am ready to pitch a textbook to the wall, but most days I love it!!

Beyond school...

Photography has been really awesome lately. Thus the missing blog posts. All my spare time has been consumed with editing. I had six photo sessions last weekend. I've busted my rear and edited 3 of them, have a good start in the fourth. Last night (after about 9 nights of five or hours of sleep) I hit a wall and laid on the couch at 7:45pm. Rob looks at me and said "what are you doing?" I said "I thought I'd watch some tv." and he replies "You don't do that." He was so surprised to see me set down for a few moments, I guess because I never do. At 9:30 I crawled upstairs and into bed, out within a few minutes. I think it all caught up with me, slept like a baby last night.

I've got another session this weekend, so another week or so of insane editing and I should be caught up. But it's so worth it. You see, a couple weeks ago we paid off Rob's car. That's right, now we own two fully paid for vehicles. :) Again, I sing God's praises, He is so faithful! We started paying extra on his car in October. We had $7000 to go. And God honored it. Six months later it's finished. Now we are working on building our savings back up. This is unbelievable if you know anything about Rob's and my financial history. We got married extremely young and have made just about every insanely stupid financial choice you can make. The year that Ike hit we were taking Financial Peace University classes - one week in and Ike passed right over our home. We evacuated with $200 to our name and a credit card that was too close to credit limit. I vowed that week that we were going to turn things around. And by God's grace we have. I give Him all the praise and glory for that!!

I don't know why I am being so transparent today. I guess it's just reading all this scripture about having our lives point to Jesus. If you look at me and see anything worthwhile, I implore you, it's because of HIM..

I exist because of His mercy. I have talents and giftings because of His creativity. I serve out of love for Him. I work and love and photograph and smile out of thanksgiving and appreciation for all that He has done in and for and through me.

I pray that this is the case for you as well. And if it isn't, it's not too late. Take a moment to understand your sin, your depravity that separates you from His righteousness. Realize His tremendous sacrifice on the cross, that paid the price for sin. Understand that He is reaching out in love and offering you relationship with Him. Repent, turn from your sin, cast it aside, and accept the new, better, life that He offers; both now and with the hope of glory. And let Him flood your life and heart and mind the way He has mine.

A Wild Ride..

Gosh, the past few months have been amazing and it's sad that I haven't been on here, recording it all. Sometimes I just feel the need to stop and pinch myself to make sure it's all real. And it is. God has been so good to us, and either as a result or a precursor, I only find myself longing for more of Him.

Feeding that need right now:

*daily time in His Word. This has been a staple in my life for years now, but never before to the point of intensity that it has been this past year or so. The Bible has come alive to me in such a real way, I'm beginning to better distinguish the scarlett thread that runs through it from Genesis to Revelation, and it's so marvelous to discover that for myself!

*getting my groove back on with Berean and Acts; The Holy Spirit at Work in Believers. I can tell that it's going to be a tough course, the first chapter alone took me over two hours this morning, but that's a good sign that I'll learn a lot!

*LOVED getting to preach last Sunday, it was scary and fun and nervewrecking all in the same breath! Can't help but wonder how God is going to use these next steps in my life. Still not really sure where I am going with credentialing, but being faithful to step forward in the process. Can't begin to describe the thrill when Pastor Doug said '2 classes away from credentialing', eeeee!! On one hand, the past 9 months of classes have crept by, but really, they've flown. It's been a tremendous amount of work, but I've loved the process!!

*discovered the book Jesus Manifesto by Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola. It's currently rocking my world, even though I know better than to try to read a textbook and a non-fiction discipleship book simultaneously. It's simply too good to put down and wait for until summer.

*getting psyched for photography season. After this weekend, it really amps up and I have several large projects I'm working on. Yay!

*THRILLED to realize that with our tax return, and a little out of savings, we will be saying forever goodbye to Amegy and our car loan! Thank you, Jesus! God is so faithful, we got intense on this loan in October and have been kicking it to the curb ever since. It is our goal (and prayer) to never have a car loan again.

*Women's Convention is starting on Thursday, and my dear friend Jen is joining us this year. I can't wait to see what God does! The last two women's events I attended were phenomenal, God moved and it was awesome. I fully expect it again this time around!

*We attended Acquire the Fire last weekend, bringing 35 people with us. It was pretty awesome, our students really experienced more of God and were challenged in the area of purity. It was a perfect wrap up to our February purity focus.

Anyway, you can see it's crazy and good and we are just loving how God is using us. I can't believe this is our life and I'm so glad God brought us to CT. It's incredible.

Photo 365 12.29.10

This photo is a bit celebratory... even though it may not look it. I just finished up the final questions on my Unit 4 exam in "Evangelism in the Local Church" which is my 5th course towards credentialing. Five of nine completed, I'll take my test tomorrow and then have pushed myself over the half way mark towards the first level of card-carrying A/G preacher. I'm amazed at how far God has brought me in just six months. I am also insanely grateful to be finishing a full ten days before my next class begins. I've accomplished my personal goal of 'catching up' with the classes I missed with the district, since they began in May and God called me in June. His grace and strength are my refuge. I could not have made it even half this far without His Holy Spirit empowerment. Feeling very blessed and encouraged right now. Of course, I haven't checked to see what that next course will be...

amazing quote

just read an amazing quote by John Wesley in my Herm class - which I'm almost through, praise Jesus!!

"I was saved, I am being saved, and I will be saved". John Wesley

pretty profound, very true. I love Jesus so much. :-)