A friend lead me to this song today and I've fallen in love with the message!
Change my heart oh God, make it ever true. Change my heart oh God, may I be like you!
Are you being intentional about "being a part of someone else's story?
Be A Part
April 5, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Every 24 Hours…
April 4, 2012 by 6 Comments
EVERY 24 HOURS…
17, 297 students get suspended from school
7,883 students are reported abused or neglected
4, 248 students get arrested
2,861 students drop out of school
1,329 babies are born to teen moms
367 student are arrested for drug abuse
180 students are arrested for violent crimes
9 students are victims of homicide
5 students commit suicide
1 student dies of HIV infection
*based on calculations per school day (180 days of seven hours each) C Children’s Defense Fund
via Barry St. Clair’s “Jesus focused youth ministry”.
Yes, we know these are horrible stats but what are we going to do about it. We don’t need more programs. We don’t need more punishments. We need more relationships; Relationships that mean something; Relationships that are not manipulative but intentional; Relationships that lead to THE relationship with Christ. Not just to change behavior but to change the belief systems that affect actions. We don’t need a better acting world. We need a world transformed by the love of Christ fleshed out in His followers who trust His guidelines for a healthier, safer, fulfilling life.
What are you doing with your 24 hours?
Incarnational
March 31, 2012 by Leave a Comment
What do you think of when you hear the word incarnational? This is my husbands new favorite term! {the picture...my idea}
Jesus with skin on. That was the 90s term along with other phrases like living for Jesus, what would Jesus do, being Jesus to the lost.
All of those are true. Incarnational is the newest description of the concept of dying to yourself and committing your life to the advancement of the gospel of Christ.
What is your God-given personality? Excluding your sinful habits and temptations your prone to. What are your interests? What makes you laugh, cry, hide, dance? Where did you grow up, go to school? Who did you marry? Where have you chosen to live now?
All of these things God want to use. He has created you a specific way and placed you in a particular way. All "for such a time as this". {Esther 4:14}
The body of Christ needs you to be Jesus with your skin on. How are you doing that?
Guest Posts!?!
March 30, 2012 by Leave a Comment
I've been reading this new book by AmyBayliss called Pursuit of Proverbs 31. Love It! {slow reader though, still at it}
In the book it discusses who Proverbs 31 is really taking about and what is really expected of us. Without spoiling the entire book I'll just say it's super insightful and I'm learning a lot. You get get a copy HERE {warning: affiliate link}.
Slightly connected but disconnected is the fact that the women mentioned in that 31st chapter is listed at "having help". Yep, lil miss thang didn't do it all on her own.
With that being said, I need help ;o)
I love writing but with all the stuff going on in my life I'm falling short on being consistent {as much as I'd like}. I want my readers to find fresh posts that are encouraging, up lifting, real life, helpful, and fun. Just like those of us who read blogs are.
I've said in the past that I don't want this to necessarily become a demand on my time or a nagging job but there are too many awesome ladies out there with so many jewels to share that I'd like to give them {maybe YOU} a chance to share them here with us.
If you are interested shoot me a message at Jules Rothacher at yahoo dot com! Thanks!!!
Recovery?
March 27, 2012 by 4 Comments
This past week Matt and I took some of our Relentless students to St Louis on a
Spring Break trip while our children had a 5 day sleepover at their Nanna's house.
Limbo doesn't even begin to explain where I'm at right now. Our family is not playing a simple game of see who can keep their balance while crawling under a pole. No, we have been on a full-blown roller coaster with an end beyond the horizon filled with flips, tight turns, giant loops, and hills that take your stomach away and force out feelings you didn't know you had. All this since October of 2011. Going and going and going...
Preparing to travel. Traveling. Preparing kids to be away from home. Readjusting to being home. Preparing to travel again. And the cycle starts over.
Where is the recovery in this cycle?
We're all running in circles.
Where is the rest?
We're all tired and sick.
Where is the peace?
We're all on edge; our bodies sore with stress.
Our poor home has felt the wake of this coaster. It's winds blowing through reeking havoc in every corner of clutter. Filling trash cans with debris. Tearing our home to pieces, literally.
We need time to stretch the aches out of our inner most muscles. Time to rest our eyes not just in sleep but from the hustle and bustle of looking for what's next. Time to regroup, reorganize, clear out, clean up, settle down, have a seat, Enjoy one another.
I'm ready for a smaller house. A smaller yard. Less maintenance. Less responsibility. I want a to-do list diet: fewer things on my plate that are making me chubby with anxiety.
I'm ready for routine. I'm ready for predictable. Not just knowing about the millions of things that are filling up our calendar but a standard. I'm ready for almost dull, monotonous, SLOW way of life.
I'm trying to find peace and enjoy this stage. I don't wanna miss life as we are traveling through it. I'm so glad I have my camera back so I can remember to stop and capture each moment. Not only to remember it later but to notice it now.
I know God did not build us to run as fast as the machines we've created. I want to get back to the pace of the garden. Walking in the cool of the evening! Chatting with our maker. awe...
