Live the Dream!

I am very excited about the Women's Conference coming up this weekend! I cannot wait to see what it's all about. To be honest though, I have to admit that I wonder what it's going to be about. HPC never does second rate anything so I know it's going to be great. In preparation for the conference, I've been thinking in my 10 spare seconds I've had this week about "my dream". What exactly does it mean to "live the dream"? As I've contemplated this one thought, I have come to realize that I do "live the dream". There isn't much more that I would want to do than to pursue the dream God has placed in my heart. I am married to the best guy out there, have a wonderful family, work for a great group of guys, serve in the most awesome youth group around...get fed into by some of the most amazing speakers & pastors around...have great friends...most of all, I have an amazing relationship with Jesus...what more is there. I used to live in the shadows on the coat tails of others dreams. I felt so empty. THEN CAME JESUS! Since then, my life has never been the same. I feel so loved, confident and empowered! As I get ready for this weekend, I cannot wait to see what God does in my heart.

Broaden my dreams Lord. Give me Your perspective and view. I want to walk hand in hand with You every step of the way. I love You and need You. I don't want to do life without You or to live my dream. I want to live Your dream for my life. That's when there's real fulfillment! Move my heart this weekend! Bless the speakers and staff. May Your Spirit saturate this place!

When you just know...

I've been so busy lately. There's that 4 letter word: busy! Currently, I'm working on that. Some days you just know that you know that you know... Today's one of those days. Change is in the air. Fall is approaching, but I'm talking change in another season. Uncertainty is everywhere here except for one place (what the change is relying on)...JESUS. My family has recently made some incredible leaps of faith in our lives which require bold trust in God. The best part is I have complete peace. Overwhelming peace that I don't even understand. Thank You Jesus! Like I said, some days you just know that you know!

Like where I'm rooted...I absolutely LOVE our church and Pastor Dino. This is what church is supposed to be. Passionate! Creative! Fully Committed! No walls or traditions keeping people pinned in, but freedom to be who God purposed when He created each of us and using our gifts out in the community. No prerequisites to be reached out to. You don't have to be a member of our church or wear a certain style clothes or anything. We just serve everyone. Kinda reminds me of what I read about Jesus. Just reaching out in the community where there is a need. I wish every church in the world would grasp that concept. What an amazing world we would live in if that were to take root globally?! What is it that stops that from happening? What can be done to tear down that wall?

Tonight we had Vision Night! Pastor shared his heart about our future with the church. We had incredible worship (we are sooooo spoiled)!! Good wings and lots of fellowship! Awesome stuff!! I believe that God has purposely put me in this church for a reason. Unlike the above, I don't see this move being a season but a life time commitment. A daughter of the house. I never want to leave! (well, until Jesus comes to get me, of course) I am so very excited about what God is doing through HPC around the world. I am in awe at the fact that HE sees value and worth in me to plant me in something that is so beyond my capabilities and larger than I can ever be.

Thank You, Jesus, for loving me enough not to give up on me, but to wait patiently for me to realize that You are the only way. Thank You for giving up everything for me so that I could be free. Amazingly I finally get it! Please watch over our Pastors. Give them wisdom and discernment. Help them to see things from Your perspective. Give them ears to hear your whispers and eyes to see You view. Protect them from deceit and evil. Guide there coming and going. Lay out their steps and may they be nothing but obedient to what You desire. Strengthen their marriages (if they are married) and bless their families ...provide their needs...bless their socks off in a way that only You can do! We need You so very much! I love You more than words can ever express. Be my delight! May I never stop being in awe of YOU! In Jesus precious name!

"What Not To Wear"

Ok, so Maurices is definitely my new favorite store (tied with Chico's (love their jeans)). Tonight for Sparkle's October Event, we had a "What Not To Wear" night at an amazing store called Maurices in Tanger Outlet Mall. They have 'Splurge Parties' where they open the store for you & your friends after hours to give you fashion pointers and let you shop in the entire store (no fee for the party - it's free). THEN, as if that wasn't enough, they give everyone there 15% off their purchase (excluding sale & clearance items) and the party host gets 30% off. They allowed Sparkle basically take over the store. Jessie (the sales associate that helped out with setting things up & worked tonight) along with her manager are the best!! Go check out the store for yourself. When you go, ask for Jessie, tell her Sparkle sent you & that we said she's the best!

Jen & Ashley were transformed into Stacy & Clinton from the show "What Not To Wear". They gave the girls awesome tips on dressing modestly and age-appropriately with great examples of do's and don'ts! I'd have to say that they did an incredible job! I was so impressed. The entire night was very well thought/planned out (except for the fact that no one remembered to bring a camera to any pictures! Thanks to one of the mom's for the picture above from her phone!). All 33 of the girls really seemed to enjoy themselves, as well as the leaders, and were very into the whole night.

Oh, almost forgot! Hat's off to the waitresses at Cracker Barrel Restaurant (at Tanger) - especially Toni and Chelsea! They not only got us all in and out for 9:30ish, they did a great job of feeding all 41 of us and putting up with all of our insane requests.

In closing, it was another Sparkle win! Special thanks to all of the passionate leaders, Maurices & Cracker Barrel. It has to be my favorite Sparkle event to date. I love these Sparkle chicks and their heart for Jesus! They are all so precious!! Don't forget to check out Maurices.

“Character is the ability to carry out a worthy decision

after the emotion of making that decision has passed.”

- Hyrum W. Smith

Nuggets of wisdom from Bishop Jakes

Here are some nuggets of wisdom from Session 1 of the Joyce Meyer Women's Conference (Bishop TD Jakes spoke). It was very hard to come up with a few so I put what stood out to me the most. All I can say is SOMETHING's gonna happen!!!

1 Sam 3:1-11

If God called you/me, HE will keep calling me over and over and over ... until you/I answer Him. He will NOT give up!

We start out bossing God around (prayer goes something like “God give me, God move him/her, God do this/that…”). After we run that into the ground getting no where, our prayer becomes asking (prayer goes like “God, what do you want me to do?”). The response is we need to do SOMETHING!

We need fresh ideas. Sometimes we don’t have fresh thoughts because of what/who we are around. God moves in despite chaos. His Word has so much power, independent of anything else…what He speaks HAPPENS! What He has spoken in and over you will happen and will come to pass. Not because of a degree or what anyone thinks, etc, but because HE spoke it!

Take authority over what was given to you. Get out there and make something happen! If any man gets in the way, God will move them out of your way. God is greater and more powerful!

Many times God has to get our attention to get us out of our comfort zone. Busyness doesn’t make you closer to God. (.......convicted myself here!)

No need for jealousy – there are no duplicate fingerprints, voice prints, etc. God made you unique. There can never and will never be another you. He gave you every talent or gift you will ever need. Don’t envy anyone else’s talent!

You are not defined by your past, but prepared by your past. You were being prepared for a purpose. You have the personality for what you were created. Personality!

***Warning: What you cannot stand, you WERE called to fix!***

That’s why you are so passionate and fired up about 'it'!

God is gonna do a “thing” that will cause both ears to tingle. The “thing” will make people see God. Things are about to shift! A transfer of authority is about to happen. The baton is about to be passed. When runners are in a relay, they do not stand still waiting for the baton, but when it gets close they take off running while looking forward. The receiver is getting ready to get the baton. The receiver is ALREADY running when the baton is handed off! Things are shifting! Earth as you know it is about to shake!

GET READY…GET SET…GO! GO! GO! ...... Now, GO get your baton!