He Is Still the Same March 6, 2008

Last night we had an awesome time at our Wednesday night church…I am not sure what to call it because it isn’t a service or Bible study really. We do a variety of things for the whole family. Anyway once a month we all come together for worship and then go our separate ways and last night the worship was phenomenal…The Holy Spirit was so there it was like you could reach out and touch Him!

We were singing this song about Jesus being our everything and it was as if He said “will I still be your everything if things don’t go your way?” It is easy to say “yes” but He wanted to know will you love me the way you do right now will you trust me the way you do right now while you are signing this song? I think we need to work on this It comes from spending time with Him and learning that He wants us to love him the same regardless of our circumstances or how or when He may answer us in a situation because He is still the One who Died and Rose again for our sins!

Last night during worship I was convicted by my inconsistency in my relationship with the Lord…not that I haven’t loved him but just that I haven’t had that passion that I once did. I want to do what I know I need to do to keep that alive. It does come with a price…TIME!

What A Privilege! February 23, 2008

This week has been so busy but it has been a good kind of busy. We are doing our first ever wedding in our building today…we don’t have the most glamorous building to do these kinds of things. When you have the kind of people that we have the tremendous pleasure of walking with it makes doing this kind of thing possible…first you have a couple who are just so excited about getting on the journey with Jesus together that they are humbled by what He is doing in their lives and what the Church family is doing to bless them and second you have a body who is willing to just jump in and do what ever it takes to make it possible for this family to get their lives going in His direction and have VICTORY. This combination makes a building that isn’t that great for these kinds of things and a wedding with virtually no budget exude with as much excitement, joy and beauty as any big budget wedding I have ever attended or been a part of. I just want to say it once again we have the most AWESOME people at Crossway Church it is a privilege to serve with you!

We Can Do This! February 21, 2008

Rodney and I just returned from a church planters conference in Atlanta and as many of you know I don’t like to travel but this was well worth it. We were able to be together and I love spending time with my husband even if it is at a conference with hundreds of other people. We also were able to be with other pastors who are going through or have been through the same things we are going through and what a comfort to know we aren’t alone and to be able to hear from some of them and glean from their wisdom.

God is so faithful…He knows just what we need and when we need it! It was amazing to get the opportunity to be with so many people who have the same heart and vision that we have for taking a city and similar thoughts and ideas on how to go about it…I felt like the Lord was just once again renewing our vision and letting us know we aren’t crazy! We can do this thing and we can do it with the vision He has put in our hearts and minds!

We are very blessed here at Crossway Church to have Awesome teams and an Awesome church family and it is going to take us all and even more. We believe that there are people out there that aren’t even saved yet that the Lord has yet to bring into our body to help us take this city…the way that this will happen is evangelism. We must invite our unsaved Friends and family we must tell them what the Lord is doing in our own lives and what He has done in our lives. If we have nothing to tell then I think we better do some soul searching…possibly make a gratitude list think back to our own salvation experience recall the last time we received some prayer ministry and how the Holy spirit moved in our heart. We need to be able to share what God has done for us or how can we expect for the lost to see a God who moves on our behalf. It is this kind of thing that will begin to stir up the excitement in us and that will in turn spill out in a natural flow so that others will see a difference in us and want what we have…this will grow the Body of Christ!

Valentines Day for Our Family February 15, 2008

I know I have really been slacking lately with my Blogging and I am truly sorry…things are just a bit overwhelming for me right now.

Yesterday was Valentines Day and in our Family we have tried to keep things in perspective…by that I mean we don’t go too overboard with all the gift giving or getting stressed out if the day doesn’t go perfectly. I have come to the conclusion that we have bought into a lie…and that is that life on certain holidays or special occasions is way too romanticized. Now don’t get me wrong I am not saying that we should not make them special and work at making our spouse and family feel they are important to us but we must remember we live in the real world with real issues and we have to sometimes just make the best with what we have at that moment. I have seen marriages that were in trouble because one of them did not get the perfect gift or perhaps the night was not planned out as the perfect romantic surprise…lets face it some times finances, childcare,time or just not knowing what to do stand in the way of us being able to pull off the perfect romantic evening. We realized several years ago that Valentines day was one of those days for the Thrift family…we had three young children at the time no money and no one to babysit so we began the tradition of making Valentines Day a special occasion for us all. We use the fine China the wine glasses (with non-alcoholic wine) candlelight and a nice meal. It has become something that everyone looks forward to so much that the kids start asking about it a week before. Rodney and I know that our time with these precious three is short and we intend to make as many memories as we can with them while we have them. I know you are saying “what about your time with your spouse?” I believe you must make time for that but it doesn’t have to be costly or some over romanticized occasion that no one can meet up to. I also know that we have seasons in our lives and in some seasons we are able to spend more time with our spouse than other seasons…I am a firm believer that we must have alone time with our spouse I am just stating that we must face reality and make the best out of what we have at the time. We must also be looking for opportunities because as I said our seasons change…I am learning to be thankful for the season I am in and what it is that the Lord has for me and my family in that hour.

February 1, 2008

Things have been really hectic for me this last week because of the time of year it is. I am responsible for getting all of our Tax stuff done here at the church and I won’t bore you with the details but it is very stressful! I must confess I don’t like this part of my job very much…I love it the most when I am ministering to people and helping with what we call “doing the stuff”.

 I am just in a season of my life right now that there are some things going on that if I am honest I would have to say that I am not happy with. I am not mad at God but I don’t understand why things are the way they are. I am kind of like my youngest child Emily was last night. She already had the clothes in mind that she was going to wear to the Hannah Montana 3-d Movie Concert…this is huge in the world of an eight year old! I asked her to start packing and when I realized what she was taking to wear and that the shirt was totally inappropriate I tried to reason with her to no avail. Then I had to just tell her she had to pick something else out…this did not go over to well either. I at this time could no longer stand the crying so I sent her to her room thinking she would eventually just pick something else out…didn’t happen! Next I enlisted the help of Hannah the big sister…I thought Emily might listen to the older trendy sixteen year old sister. Hannah tried every trick she knew picking all the cute little outfits and parading them in front of us all…nothing was working! After a good little while Emily emerged looking red faced and defeated. I told her to come and sit beside me and asked her to give me a kiss and a hug and told her I loved her…now one might think she would turn away but no she turned and wrapped her little arms tightly around my neck and planted a big kiss on my lips. Later that evening we were able to agree on an outfit for the event.

As I have pondered this I have realized that this is how I am with my heavenly father…even though I get really upset when I already have a plan and He says “No” or “wait”or about the way things might be going or what I am having to do at this time in my life the one thing that can make me feel safe and secure is to know that He still loves me even though I have acted wrong or ugly! Hearing Him say I love you can wipe away all those feelings of self doubt and anger. You might be asking how do I hear him or know that he still loves me…good question! Get in the word spend time with him, go to a good bible believing church, spend time worshipping him with some worship music…there is something about music it touches a place in your spirit that nothing else can seem to get to…there is an intimacy there that we all need!

What plans have made that the Lord may have put on hold or even said no to? Are you pouting or angry? Do you need Him to hug you or tell you how much He loves you? It takes something from you you must be willing just like my little Emily was willing to wrap her arms around my neck you must be willing to wrap your arms around the Heavenly Fathers Neck and Heart!

Friendship:The Joy and the Pain January 24, 2008

I know I talk about friends and relationships all the time. Well if you continue to read my blog then you will just have to get used to it because that is who I am! I am a firm believer that God created us to need friends and relationships. This past weekend we had the privilege to be with people that we have known for many years and the privilege to make new friends. I must tell you that when the Lord is in the midst of relationships it is one of the most fulfilling things you will encounter in your life here on this earth! When you allow the Lord to be at the center of all your relationships he will use them as a tool in your life. Because we are imperfect we will bring pain into our relationships and Jesus will use this if we allow him to teach us many things…forgiveness is one, loyalty is another, how to be authentic is also one the list is endless. The joys of friendships far out weigh the pain but there are many people who are not willing to put there self out there and take the chance of getting hurt. I finally came to the realization that I had to make the choice to be willing to be vulnerable even if it meant that I get hurt….I am doing it as unto the Lord because He makes it very clear in John 15:9-17 that He wants us to have friends and not just acquaintances but good friends. For me this has been so fulfilling and I will continue to disciple and teach the people that the Lord puts in my path that this is a must in the body of Christ!

Tough Times! January 17, 2008

Tough times we all have them…Christians are not exempt! In our ladies bible study last night we discussed this and much more. In Ecclesiastes 9:9 it talks about the fact that each day is a gift from God and making the best of each one it doesn’t say just if it is a good day. I am learning to have a thankful heart even though my circumstances may not be very good. I believe that if we as Christians could grab on to this truth and have joy through our trials knowing that we WILL come out victorious then the world would look at us and see something that was worth wanting! I don’t want to wear a mask or act like I have no faults or problems but I do want to have a inner peace and a joy that only comes from knowing that my heavenly father has made a covenant with me and that I have His peace in my heart and He will have mercy on me in my days of trouble! This is what I long to show those who are hurting and hopeless and the only way that is possible is if I myself LIVE IT!

Passing the Driving Test! January 16, 2008

I know I haven’t been blogging as much since Christmas but it has taken me a while to get back on track. I am still trying to get caught up when the kids are home for so long I enjoy it but my schedule gets really off!

 Well, Rodney is officially OLD now we have a sixteen year old today! He married a much younger woman ( ha ha). I can’t believe it…it seems like yesterday that I weighed a ton and thought I would be pregnant for ever!

 Tomorrow Hannah will take a driving test that will last only a few minutes to determine if she can get her licence but in reality the test is only just beginning for all of us! I feel like our world is going to completely change tomorrow. I mean we have three cars now…we don’t have to do all the running back and forth. Already Emily is making plans for her big sister to take her somewhere Friday…it is much cooler than the grandparents doing it because we will be out of town and even if we were going to be in town she probably would rather her big sister do it. We don’t have to take and pick up from three different schools now and I don’t know where my baby is at all times. This driving thing is so very scary…I know we have to let go and we have instilled the word of God  in her and right from wrong but there is still the fear that faced with some of the choices that are out there she could make some very detrimental mistakes. It is times like this that we must rely heavily on instinct and the discernment from the Lord because I pray that He will show us when we as parents need to step in and pull back the reigns or check up on our children…which by the way we believe very strongly in! I must say we are very blessed with children that love Jesus and have a wonderful relationship with him and us! I am confident that we will pass this driving test with flying colors!

Some Things are Worth the Price When it Involves Our Children January 5, 2008

I am still not on track from the Holidays our kids are still out of school so there is really no schedule in the Thrift home at this time. I do enjoy spending the extra time with my children, things just seem to be more relaxed. We can stay up and watch a movie or lay in bed together and watch T.V. I am learning to enjoy these times because they go by SO fast! The lack of schedule for this season is worth the price!

Our oldest daughter Hannah will be sixteen in a few days and it seems to have happened over night. One of the priorities in our home is to enjoy our children and enjoy there friends… to make our home a place that there friends feel welcome and the love of Jesus! In this I have discovered that there are just some of MY preconceived thoughts of how my house should look or maybe the way things should go sometimes just aren’t reality. I would rather sacrifice a perfect house or having everything just the way I want it to make some memories with my children and to sew into some children.

When I was growing up my parents did this for me and my brother and I am so thankful because it has had lasting effects in both of our lives and many of our friends lives. When my Dad passed away 2years ago several of my school friends told me that some of their fondest memories were in my home. We still have lifelong relationships with most of our friends from youth group partly because of the on going open house that my parents have had through the years. I want to do the same for my children. It does come with a price at times one I am willing to pay because it has eternal value… some of the other things I worry about do not!

The Holidays are Over Some Thoughts for Next Year January 1, 2008

Well, the Holidays are officially over and I really don’t know where the days went. I haven’t blogged in many days because I just haven’t had time. I must tell you this has been one of the least stressful Christmas’ I remember. I don’t mean that all was perfect in the Thrift home because it certainly was not. I am just saying that I am LEARNING to try to do only those things that I know I can and the things that I can’t just don’t get done. There was a time that I did all the baking and made the rounds to give gifts to people and had the dinner parties and stressed about not having enough money for all the perfect gifts but I realized that this was not what Jesus was born,died and resurrected for. I feel that my role is better served if I am showing my family that the real meaning of His birth was to bring PEACE and that means in me too!
One of my favorite things about Christmas is and has always been a tradition that my Grandfather and Grandmother started in their home many years ago and it has been carried on and it does not just reach our family but many of our spiritual family. We gather late on Christmas Eve because this way everyone that has other obligations with other family can come…we play a game then worship and share the scripture together then we have communion and have a big breakfast together around 11:30 or 12:00am. When Rodney and I married and then had children of our own we realized that we wanted to keep this tradition and have some of our own so that is what we have done… this has become very important to us and now to our children as they are getting older they are inviting their friends to my Grandmothers on Christmas Eve. I am telling you this because I think it is important that you take a look at your family and if you don’t have some sort of Spiritual tradition in your Christmas you now have a year to think about it and to implement one. You may feel foolish at first but I am living proof it will be worth it in the end. It is not always easy to keep traditions going sometimes you want to give up but don’t because those next generations will reap the rewards. You can bring in other families like we do or keep just your family the choice is yours. For our family we have even seen people saved because of our Christmas Eve gathering…you never know who you may be entertaining you may be the only JESUS some people will see!