Because my husband is the one who is so cleaver to come up with these mystery dates for our adorable littles, this post is in honor of him. My Husband ROCKS!
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Wordless Wednesday :: Big Screen Debut
September 26, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Play Dates: Helpful or Hurtful {continued}
September 21, 2012 by 2 Comments
Yesterday I share with you about a group of friends I observed having a play date at the park. There was desirable community but it came with bumps and bruises on the kid side of things. We got some conversation started yesterday! Head over there and chime in or speak up on this post!
Having experience the pros and cons of play dates and then watching this one has me thinking. Are play dates really worth it? Are they more helpful for the family unit as a whole or are they more hurtful? Am I selfish for desiring that mom time? Am I neglecting my child's needs by engaging in adult talk time? Is it worth the "get out the door" fuss? Are my children benefiting form this in anyway?
YES! was the conclusion God helped me land on. Fellowship is not always convenient but it is necessary! People in general have a need for human interaction no matter how introverted the person. That's how we were created. As believers even more so. We need like-minded fellowship. Just Look at Acts 2:42-47 where it talks about the believers in the early church.
The Fellowship of the Believers
42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Now we’re going to do a little Greek lesson today. When it says “they devoted themselves to the fellowship.” the Greek word that’s used there for Fellowship is the Greek word “koinonia” {coin-a-knee-a}. This is the first time we see that word used in the New Testament, but it’s used over and over and over again to refer to fellowship. Now what does that mean? It’s a word we sometimes throw around in church, but what does it really mean to have fellowship? Basically it means they devoted themselves to the things that held them in common. The root idea here is commonness or commonalities. And it’s used many different times in the New Testament to describe the way the church related to each other.
- An uncommon foundation- they belonged to each other in Christ.
- An uncommon social concern- they shared everything they had.
- An uncommon mission- they unified in their worship and then they multiplied through their witness
Let's figure out how that practically relates to Play Dates! We mom's need play dates! Now, all of us would say that but few of us are really making this a priority. You know, the kind of priority that says, "This weeks play date is as essential as this weeks grocery shopping!" I am beyond guilty of this. I value church attendance {sitting in a pew listening to a sermon} and even bible study {a group sitting around dissecting a passage of scripture} WAY over fellowship. I don't really think "hanging out" is all that important. If I have to scratch something off my to-do list because I'm strapped for time.
The challenge for you and me the same: make "koinonia" priority!
- Meet a group of people in the same phase of life. For me this means a group of women. 25-35 years old. Preferably with kids. Keep in mind, there is NO ONE exactly like you. Hanging out with men and women is cool but never 1 on 1. Someone around your age group will most likely be in your stage of life and if you have kids don't think someone has to have kids to relate to you although it can be helpful.
- Pick a time that works for everyone most of the time. There will never be a perfect time and there will Always be times when not everyone can make it. Try and be consistent. This should be something reliable for all involved.
- Hang Out! There does NOT have to be a theme, bible study, or agenda at these things. Living life together just means being in the same physical space regularly, talking about day-to-day things, and being there. If your Christians, Christ will come up because He's part of {your entire} life not because you were supposed to talk about Him or His word.
Are you with me and have a hard time making fellowship a priority? What are some ways you do or will start "devoting" yourself to "koinonia"?
Women of the Year: Readers’ Choice Award 2012 Elite Eight (Vote NOW!)
September 18, 2012 by Leave a Comment
KATIE DAVIS age 23
BRENTWOOD, TENNESSEE / UGANDA:
Katie Davis' book Kisses from Katie details how a 2006 church trip to Uganda inspired her to move there, adopt 13 girls, and help create Amazima Ministries, which has matched 600 orphaned and vulnerable children with sponsors and feeds an additional 1,200 each week.
Please go vote for Katie! Just scroll to the bottom and click the box next to Katie Davis. They say it's perfectly exceptable to refresh and vote over and over again!
Read More and VoTe HERE: http://www.glamour.com/inspired/blogs/the-conversation/2012/09/women-of-the-year-readers-choi.html#ixzz26sZlrh8w
So…my husband went back to prison yesterday…
September 14, 2012 by 2 Comments
It was his second time to grace the threshold of that place. Yesterday they wanted to see if he could walk, talk, & chew gum as my dad would put it. Really he had to climb stairs, drag around a limp body, and not die; pretty much the same thing.
I wish I could remember all the details leading up to this incarceration but basically Matt is being charged with loving his family too much and wanting to provide for them at any cost. Matt's been "self-employed" since the the May. Matt has been going to his "office" {McDs} and working via their WiFi as well as helping out TONS at home. With lots of travel and preparing our house for sale, Matt's been a busy man! Matt and I will be planting a church in Vilonia, AR. Our target launch date is Easter 2013! Until then, Matt is looking for work to supplement our income. The prison unit in Tucker is now hiring! Yesterday was the second 1/2 of the interview process. We'll keep ya updated on if Matt will be a permanent part of the Tucker unit ;o)
You can learn more about The Valley church HERE. Many of you have ask, "What does that mean." Well, let me try and answer the thousand different things that means:
Finances:
The Valley will be a part of the AR Southern Baptist Convention. All that means is we agree with the "Baptist faith and message" and agree to give a percentage of our tithes and offerings as a church to the convention to use in furthering the gospel in even bigger ways. We currently get $1000.00 from the state as "church planters." The state convention has a budget set aside to help supplement church planters income during the prep time of launching a new church plant. The rest of our income comes from our savings that God so miraculously taught us to obtain over the past 2 years. It's not much but with a tight budget we are always provided for. We also have a few friends/sponsors who give either monthly or when they can. We don't budget any specific amount from these because they are not always guaranteed but God knows exactly when we need that boast. Birds of the air right, Jess?
Location:
The Valley church is currently live in White Hall. The "Church" are the believers/Christ followers, so yes, it's current "location" is White Hall, which is about an hour and 1/2 from where God has ask us to plant. I know it may seem odd to some that we are not just planting where we are but God has already done so many seemingly random things in preparation for our coming that we have no doubt that's where we are supposed to be. If you know anyone who wants an awesome house for a great deal, send them our way! I love this house and would take it with us if we could put it on wheels. It's great for hosting, entertaining, and ministering! I can't wait to see how God will provide a new home base to minister out of in Vilonia.
We are also traveling weekly to One Church in Conway, AR. They will be a sponsor church when we launch. That just means we are enjoying doing life with, worshiping along side, and getting to help minister to those God has called them to until we launch and get to focus all our energy on those in Vilonia. One Church exist to make disciples, and part of doing that for them is helping plant churches. They are planning to help us financially when we launch as well as with people {the most important thing}. That means some people will help us on our launch day with simple logistical things; some people will commit to help us for 3 months {nursery workers, parking lot help, greeters, etc}; and some will commit to Go and Stay with us and The Valley.
We are working on and praying through where God would have The Valley church meet for weekly worship together. We still having landed on that yet. ;O)
Current steps in the Process:
I know it may be confusing that we "aren't working", haven't launched, and seem to just be siting. There are lots of things we've already established...Let me try and briefly tell you some of the things we've been doing/praying through in preparation to launch The Valley in a quick list.
- Vision
- Core Values
- Structure
- Sermons/outlines/series {lots of them}
- Logo
- Community involvement ideas
- Possible ministry opportunities
- Building a core team {leadership}
- Learning/studying what God has for Vilonia
- Meeting with contacts/
- Web design
- Formulating nursery processes
- Sharing our vision within individuals & churches
- Viewing options for space to meet
- Obtaining PO box
- Waiting through legal things
- and probably lots of random things I don't remember right now
So...my husband went back to prison yesterday to help provide for our family until we secure more consistent sponsors. I'm sure I didn't fully answer everything. If you have ANY questions about what we've been doing or more about church planting, Please, ask away or click on one of the gazillion links to the website I've hooked to the words The Valley!
Do you want to find out more about being a part of The Valley?
Just wanted to give an update on The Valley!
Books, Pretend, Sunshine, Dirt, & Engagement {Wordless Wednesday}
September 12, 2012 by Leave a Comment
