Prayer...

Please pray for my mom as she is having surgery tomorrow...nothing too major, but of course I can't help but be concerned.

They (my parents) don't know Christ and we do our best to show them His love. I have learned so much in the past year about the right and wrong ways to reach lost people. I have learned if you just treat them like people...regular people...instead of "sinners" (which we all are) they are more likely to respond. If you just love them, not love them like you will pray for their "sins" but love them like you would anyone else. Show them that you are just like them....you make mistakes too. Don't judge them! That is so huge to me because I remember when I didn't know Christ and I remember the feeling I had when I walked into church for the first time. I remember feeling like all the people around me were looking at me funny and that they all had to know that I wasn't a "Christian." I felt like they were judging me. Maybe they were, maybe they weren't...but I just remember how I felt. In reality, all of these things apply to how we should treat all people, Christ-Followers or not.

By the way...I, by no means, think I know it all about reaching people nor do I think I do all of these things perfect always....I just wanted to share what I, personally, have learned. It seems like these things would be a given...who wouldn't know these things. I knew them...but how did I apply them to my life? That is the difference now. I am still learning and am thankful for that. I love being able to learn new things and correct mistakes I'm making.

Anyway...I just wanted to ask for prayer and share my thoughts for the night...Thanks for the prayers.

Much Love

Barbaric Grace

I cannot wait for this Sunday!!

C3 Rocks!

What a Story!

I was reading through some blogs today and I read a few posts from Vince Antonucci. I usually read his blogs but a couple I read tonight really encouraged me so I thought I would share one:

"Tonight is our service in the bar (and we wouldn't mind your prayers). Yesterday I heard about something I had somehow missed.

There's a bartender/waitress at this pub where we're meeting who is very pregnant. She used to be a stripper. (Let me make it clear that I have this information second-hand. I have seen her wait on tables, but I have never seen her strip.) Apparently there's not much call for pregnant strippers, so she had to find a new job, which is why she's now at the pub.

Anyway, a couple of our Forefront ladies decided to throw her a surprise baby shower. So a few weeks ago they showed up early on Tuesday night, with all kinds of presents for her! (How awesome is that?!? No offense to any one else's churches, but we have the coolest people on the planet!) So, as you might expect, this lady is all shocked and surprised and grateful. But then she tells our girls that no one else has thrown her a baby shower! Not her stripper friends, her bar friends, no one. The only baby shower she's had is the one a few Christian women from Forefront threw her; women who had met her just a few times.

Okay, seriously, that's one of the best stories I've ever heard (typically you have to hang out with Tony Campollo to get something that good), and it happened at my church (!), and I didn't even hear about it until a couple of weeks after it happened (!!)."


What an amazing story! If people were more like this...well if "Christians" were more like this they wouldn't have the negative stereotypes associated with them now. Anyway...you really should also check out the post of his before that one. You can read it here. That is another really great story.

Blogging is so awesome because although I have never met this guy or been to his church....I get to see the amazing things God is doing there! I love hearing about churches that will do what it takes to reach the lost! No matter what that might be...even if they don't do church exactly like C3, if they're reaching lost people that is awesome. These stories make me so grateful for having a church like C3...that does do what it takes to reach the lost and uses the best methods for our area. I love getting to see how God is working in lives and how He has changed so many people's outlook on the church and the way it can be done!

Love really does win

Childlike Thoughts on Love...

I got an e-mail from a friend the other day with some funny quotes from children on love. Well, some were funny but some struck me...here are a few:

"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening the presents and listen." (age 7)

"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired." (age 4)

"Love is when you go out to eat and give someone most of your french fries without making them give you any of yours." (age 6)

"If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend you hate." (age 6)

"Love is when mommy gives daddy the best piece of chicken." (age 5)

I thought these were so cute...it is amazing what kids know and what kind of faith they have in love.

Just wanted to share...

A C3 Sunday

It's so late and I am exhausted but I can't sleep. Sunday nights are like that for me. By the time we get back from Crave and start to wind down...I then find myself wide awake!

I heard this morning was awesome. Eric has such a great story. Pastor Byron wrote about his story on his blog here. God's grace and forgiveness is amazing! The work God can do in lives when it seems as if there is no hope never ceases to amaze me. I am so thankful we have a God who loves us so unconditionally that He will forgive us...no matter what. I hope people heard Eric's story and remembered that God does love them, no matter what the mistakes made in the past, and that there is forgiveness and grace in Christ.

I was in Powerhouse this morning which was amazing! I love being in there...our volunteers do such a great job of making it a fun and exciting environment for kids. I don't know what we would do without all of our awesome volunteers. God has truly blessed us with some great people with great hearts for kids. I will be posting some pictures soon on the Powerhouse blog.

Then we had Crave tonight. The band was so amazing! Our students were so pumped and into the music :) I teach high school girls at Crave and I love it. We had so much fun tonight just playing some games and getting to know each other. We just did some ice breakers and talked for a little bit. It is great to get to know these girls and I love seeing them get to know and trust each other. They rock :)

This Sunday was so C3...amazing morning services in Powerhouse and in the main service, Crave was awesome and we had a ton of students, and God is doing amazing things and changing lives...it doesn't get much better than that.

Well...I do have to work tomorrow so the bed is calling my name...with a little Man vs Wild on the side :) I love watching that show while in the comfort of my home...

Have a Happy Monday!

Stand

I love this song...The lyrics inspire me and the music video rocks. I'm just going to let the song do the talking...I'll just leave you with my favorite lyrics in the song:

Cause when push comes to shove
You taste what you're made of
You might bend, till you break
Cause its all you can take
On your knees you look up
Decide you've had enough
You get mad you get strong
Wipe your hands shake it off
Then you Stand

An Office Thursday!

It has been a long week, but what better of a way to end it than with another hilarious episode of The Office. If only Michael was a real boss somewhere...well he wouldn't be for very long. He would have been fired already and sued...probably for sexual harassment! Some of my favorite moments from tonights episode were:

* Jim with his mustache on.

* Dwight in the backseat of Michael's car...who would do that in car??!

* The finer things club and how desperate Andy was to get in.

* Michael and Dwight trying to break the copier...they just cared enough to fight for Stanley. :)

* Michael on the phone with a salesman from the other branch trying to persuade him to come to the Scranton branch...and then Michael proceeds to tell him he'll be fired soon.

Those are just a few...

I am so glad tomorrow is Friday! That means sleeping in and spending the day with Matt :) ...That makes for a great day...now I just hope the sun will come out for a bit.

Have a happy Friday!