Girls, Listen Up!
Girls!!!! Listen up!!!! Let me give you one GREAT piece of advice…hold out for a GREAT man. Not just an ok man, but a GREAT man! My husband, Hal is such a great man! I have felt lousy for a few days now with sinusitis and a bronchial infection. When you feel crappy and tired and worn out, you need a great man to make things feel a little better.
So, my husband came home today with dinner, but not just dinner; dessert, but not just dessert; but movies to keep me occupied, but not just movies; but flowers as well. Isn’t that the sweetest thing?! My sweet, great, wonderful husband took the time to show me love and graciousness in the midst of me looking awful, feeling bad, and being too tired to show him much attention. That, my friends, is truly sacrificial love. He knowingly took time to consider what he could do to make things better for me….not having to cook or clean or be bored.
Girls, men like my husband are out there! Be patient and hold out for a GREAT man! It’s so worth it!
Just a little shout out to tell my husband how much I appreciate him!!!!! Love you, Hal!!!!!
Who God is…
So, yesterday I wrote about who God says we are. I did not realize that this can be a difficult concept for people to grasp when they don’t know WHO GOD IS. So, I have compiled a list of who I believe God is, using my own experiences and some resources I have at home. This is obviously not a complete list. Review it and let me know what you think:
Lord of Lords, King of Kings, Creator, Redeemer, Rock, Fortress, Alpha & Omega (beginning and end), Savior, Messiah, Friend, Mighty God, Strength, Emmanuel, Great I Am, Lamb of God, Prince of Peace, Living God, My Portion, Saving Grace, El Roi (God who sees), Leader of Nations, Everlasting God, Provider, Eternal, Healer, Consuming Fire, Father, Shepherd, Husband, Dwelling Place/Shelter, Strong Tower, Judge/Just God, My Only Hope, God Most High, My Joy, Comforter, Bread of Life, Teacher, Deliverer, Son of God, Servant, He is Faithful, Great I Am, Full of Wisdom, Righteous & Holy, Forgiver, He is Sufficient, Shield, Counselor, The Trinity, Holy Spirit, Yahweh Shammah (The Lord is There), The Only Way, Truth, He is Life, Living Water, Husband/Bridegroom, My Song
Who do you say God is? He is all these things and so much more to me. My prayer today is that you would begin to recognize God for who He really is. That He himself created you and formed you in your mother’s womb, that he loved you enough to send his one and only son, Jesus Christ, to die upon a cruel Roman cross so that my sins and the sins of the world could be forgiven. By this act, we are not only forgiven, but we are redeemed. We choose, then, to live lives that are pleasing and obedient to the Lord. We seek His guidance in our lives each day, as we die to ourselves a little more and grow in the Lord. And at the time of our death, if we have chosen to accept Jesus as Savior and Lord over our lives, we will get to spend eternity in heaven worshiping our awesome God! What a privelege! What an incredible, FREE gift! If you don’t know God as your Savior or if you have questions, please let me know, I’d love to talk with you about it!
Who You Are
I had an interesting conversation with a good friend yesterday about some issues she’d been facing in the last few days. Some issues that were burdensome and bothersome, but probably worse, she felt as though her identity were wrapped up in who she was told she was by someone else. How sad! How sad that she felt that her identity could be named by someone other than the Lord. So, I reminded her how I believe the Lord sees her: as a beloved daughter, as a co-heir, as a friend, as a lady of conviction, as a leader, as a source of encouragement to others, and on and on the list goes. I told her to spend some time this week asking the Lord to reveal her identity, to reveal who He says she is, to remind her that she is a glorious creation that He loves completely and without excuse.
How often does our identity become identified by someone else, by our jobs/career, by our spouses, by our families, by our friends? When I’ve looked back on my life I often see how I was SHAPED by these influences, but I often rebelled against being IDENTIFIED by this influences. Why? Because I am not merely the daughter of David and Cheryl, nor am I merely the wife of Hal Weber, nor am I merely the Office Administrator of CrossRoads Community Church, etc. I am who the Lord is making me to be, who He has created me to be. A verse I learned long ago that reminded me of this idea…Hebrews 13:21 says, “May God, who puts all things together, makes all things whole, who made a lasting mark through the sacrifice of Jesus, the sacrifice of blood that sealed the eternal covenant, who led Jesus, up and alive from the dead, now put you together, provide you with everything you need to please him. Make us into what gives him most pleasure, by means of the sacrifice of Jesus, the Messiah.” This verse reminds me that I am constantly being re-formed. Much like the image of our God being the potter and I, being the clay, the Lord is constantly changing who I am as I grow in Him. He is molding me into what would bring Him glory and honor. So, in that, I recognize that I am of value. That the Lord who created me, knows every hair on my head, and sent a son to die for me….helps me identify who I am as He reveals that to me over time.
So, may you who are struggling with who you are turn to the loving arms of our Savior who knows EXACTLY who you are and loves you without excuse. May you be courageous enough to ask the Lord to reveal to you who you are to Him. May you find the strength to stand up under persecution to boldly proclaim who you are in Christ and to stand firm on His promises to you.
Are You Thirsty?
This Sunday, Rich Butler, Pastor of Connections at CrossRoads spoke on the following verses, “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.” Isaiah 55:1-2
The one thing that I kept hearing in my own spirit was the idea of spiritual bankruptcy. When I say “spiritual bankruptcy” I mean that place where we, as Christ followers, find ourselves being spiritually dry, lacking intimacy with the Lord, finding ourselves being unable to pray or to study God’s word, having an inability to love other people. As I look back over my walk with Jesus Christ, I have definitely seen periods in my life of spiritual bankruptcy. But I love what is said is Isaiah 55:1-2, “Come , buy wine and milk without money and without cost….”
Do you see the correlation? It says that even if you are poor and have no money, the Lord’s desire is for you to still come and drink and be satisfied. You don’t have to come with anything other than a willing, obedient heart. That’s it! Now, does this mean that you’ll be fine and wonderful as soon as you choose….maybe, maybe not. But the choice must be made. I love the fact that my God loves me enough to say that I can bring absolutely nothing to the table, and yet he still longs to bless me. He won’t just give me water, which will satisfy my thirst. He also longs to give me milk, which gives me nourishment, all the additives I need for the journey. Not only that, he also longs to give me wine, that little extra abundance, the thing I don’t ask for or expect. So, the question is, Are You Thirsty? Are you spiritually bankrupt and need a drink of living water?
If you are, Jesus Christ has made a covenant with you…a life-altering, lasting commitment to you. Here it is, “1-5 “Hey there! All who are thirsty, come to the water! Are you penniless? Come anyway—buy and eat! Come, buy your drinks, buy wine and milk. Buy without money—everything’s free!Why do you spend your money on junk food, your hard-earned cash on cotton candy?Listen to me, listen well: Eat only the best,fill yourself with only the finest. Pay attention, come close now, listen carefully to my life-giving, life-nourishing words. I’m making a lasting covenant commitment with you, the same that I made with David: sure, solid, enduring love. I set him up as a witness to the nations, made him a prince and leader of the nations, and now I’m doing it to you: you’ll summon nations you’ve never heard of, and nations who’ve never heard of you will come running to you because of me, your God, because The Holy of Israel has honored you.”
So, run and freely come to the Living Water, who is Christ Jesus. And you who are thirsty, will be satisfied. My prayer today….
Whew….
What a long week it has been, and such a roller coaster too. I think I’ve run the gamut from being overjoyed and excited to tired and discouraged. But as I look back on the week I’ve discovered that each and every day has been an opportunity for me to learn something. So, I guess it’s all had a purpose. HOWEVER, I am ready for those purposes to be over so that I can simply just relax this weekend.
So, tonight is date night! YAY! I’ve decided to make shrimp and grits for dinner….I know that all of you southerners’ mouths are watering!!! I am super-excited! It’s frozen shrimp, but it’ll have to do. I’ll probably end up making cookies or something. I love date night. I get to focus on my husband and our relationship and just simply enjoy each other’s company. Good times… Saturday I’ll get to go check out my twin brother’s new home. He and his wife-to-be just closed on the house and are working on getting it organized. Steven will probably live there until the wedding and then Kimberly will move in when they return from the honeymoon. I have a feeling I’ll get sucked into peeling wallpaper with them. 
But anyway, I’m so excited for them, but I have to admit I’m a bit jealous. I really want a home of my own. I’ve lived in apartments for a long time and I always feel so temporal. Obviously Hal and I have a good reason for not purchasing a home since we will eventually move…but still. So, yeah, pray that I’ll just simply enjoy this time with them and share in their excitement of a new home. Then Sunday should be a relaxing day.
Go ahead and be praying for CrossRoads next week (June 24-29). We will be hosting the WaterWorks Park for Vacation Bible School from 6:00-8:45 p.m. We’d love for your children to get signed up to come. We include ages K4-6th grade. Please pray for our VBS team led by Tisha Cullison and Renee Moore. We have over 100 volunteers, so pray for them as they lead and shepherd the children that come through our doors next week. And most importantly, please pray for every single child that comes. Pray that the Lord would become very evident to them and that they would all ask Jesus to be their Lord and Savior. If they’ve already made that decision, pray that they would grow in their faith and in their love of the Lord. It should be a great week!
Words Can Kill
Today, I am tired and weary, frustrated and discouraged, baffled and uncertain. Isn’t it amazing how quickly Satan works to steal our joy? Yesterday I seemed to be on cloud 9, and within 24 hours everything has changed. I think one of Satan’s primary tools to attack us is with words. Ever hear the expression, “Words can kill”? I definitely believe they can. Why do you think the Lord is constantly admonishing us to encourage one another, to love one another. Because I believe He knew how much words can hurt. For example, the story found in the gospels of Jesus hearing Peter deny him three times probably broke Christ’s heart. Here is Jesus’ pal, Peter. They have lived together, gone out to eat together, hung out, and experienced many things together, and still….Peter’s words devastated him. Even though Jesus knew it was going to happen, it still hurt.
As a kid I never believed that old saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” YEAH RIGHT!!!! Whoever came up with that was either seriously confused or delusional. Words can kill. And words lately, have seemed to break me down. People have a way, including myself, of innately knowing the right word, the right barb or the right tone to simply tear a person down. They use it to manipulate situations to their advantage, to hurt, and to cause guilt. And I’ll be the first to say that I’ve definitely been on that side. I have definitely been guilty of speaking horrible words to others. But being on the other side, the side the words are aimed at, really stinks!
So, this morning I studied what the Bible had to say about the tongue and found verse after verse on this topic. Here are a few. Words like those found in James 1: 19, ” My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, SLOW TO SPEAK, and slow to anger…” Or as Job was warned in Job 15:5-6, “Your sin prompts your mouth; you adopt the tongue of the crafty. Your own mouth condemns you, not mine; your own lips testify against you.” Or David in Proverbs 10:19-20, “When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise. The tongue of the righteous is choice silver, but the heart of the wicked is of little value.” Or these thoughts found in James 3:5-8, “Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell…It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” These are only a few verses that speak of the importance of watching what we say. I know that I am guilty of this same thing, so…
My prayer would be that we would be quick to shut our mouths if ever we find we have something negative to say towards ourselves or any other person. Or as my mama liked to say, “Watch your mouth!” That we would make the choice to honor and glorify God with our words, with our speech, with our tone. That we would think before we speak out in a negative way, because the Lord says this is absolute evil. Let us choose not to tear one another down, but to edify and encourage one another. That we would check our motives behind each and every thing we say in order to be sure that what flows from our mouths would be truth, honor, love, and peace. And for those of you who are like me today, feeling down and troubled by someone’s words….take heart, my friend. Fall into the loving arms of our Savior and Redeemer who longs to do more than comfort, He will cover you with his love and his grace, and will speak words of truth into your spirit. So, do that, fall into his arms, because the Lord says to you, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
Satisfaction
You know that satisfaction you get when you just know, down deep in your gut, that you’re on the right track…I’m experiencing that today. I’ve been serving in churches for a long time now. I’ve always left those experiences feeling somewhat down. Namely because I never really knew what impact I was making on the lives of those I was serving. That often happens in ministry…especially when you are living, working, and breathing ministry. You serve and serve and serve and never really feel like you’re getting anywhere. Well, today, I have been feeling so validated!!! For the past 2 years I have been serving as a high school youth leader and small group leader for girls. I started with the freshman, who grew into sophomores and they will be juniors this coming school year. I have had the privilege of walking alongside them over the last few years and have seen some radical changes in their lives. The great part…it has everything to do with the Lord and His ability to use me. Even better, it means that I am able to be used. Therefore, I am getting somewhere…I do have a purpose!!!
I met with one of my girls today for lunch and the Lord really validated my passion for service and for the time spent. Because doesn’t the biggest frustration of not feeling validated in serving come down to all the time you spend doing it? You begin to question whether or not the time you put in, or the effort you put in, is having any effect at all. This is why maintaining volunteers in ministry can be difficult. Back to my story…here is a girl that when she first came to our youth group was one of they shyest people I had ever met, she stuck with her siblings like glue. Today, she is a leader in our youth groups, is very much open about her love for the Lord and others, she is compassionate and caring. And today, she told me what I had meant to her over the last few years. WOW! Talk about being humbled. All those moments of questioning why I continued to deal with teenagers week after week and year after year, came down to this moment. This time where one lady shared with me what I had taught her through my actions, words, and life. All the while coming back to the point that she recognized that as being the Lord in me! I was so floored! It’s definitely great to have someone pump you up and build you up, and it’s often really easy to take the credit for it. But I was so glad that she made a point to mention that she knew that it was because of the Lord working in my life that enabled me to show Christ effectively to her. TALK ABOUT HUGE!!!
So, for all you servants out there…BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS, KEEP FIGHTING, KEEP PERSEVERING! When it’s the Lord that is your focus in ministry, He will encourage you along the way. He will remind you time and again of his goodness. He will bring people, when you need it, to share with you what you’ve meant to them. I pray that you will all experience this moment because it sure left me feeling so good!
My Hooo-sband! :)
I thought I’d take a few moments to brag on my husband, Hal. He’s such a vital part of my life and I often feel that I don’t remind him often enough of how great he is! So, this will be my valiant effort, none of this is in any particular order.
My husband truly loves the Lord! It just seems to gush out of him. He trusts the Lord with his every need and relies on God’s direction in His life. He shares his passion for the Lord with all he comes in contact with. But I think most importantly, people don’t have to ask if he is a Christ-follower. They know by his actions, by his words, by his love. He seeks to pursue the Lord in all he does and in who he is. That to me is most important! Hal spends time in God’s word and uses everything at his disposal (commentaries, dictionaries, and Greek/Hebrew) to really understand the scriptures…to really make them part of who he is. He studies it, breathes it in, analyzes it,. Hal spends time in prayer, and this is often reflected in the changes I see in him all the time. More than anything, I see in him an unbridled passion for the Lord! I am so thankful for my godly husband. Hal is a good provider and hard worker. My husband works so hard. Currently he is working two jobs. The first as the Facilities Director at CrossRoads, second as a cashier at Home Depot. On top of two jobs he is also working on getting his Masters in Teaching. His desire is to teach high school math in probably the biggest mission field…public school. In order to reach this goal he is working so hard to be sure to meet our financial needs, but is also trying to better himself. In a typical week, Hal goes to his classes from 8:00-11:30 a.m. (5 days a week), then he comes to work at CrossRoads in the afternoons for 20+ hours a week, then he goes and works at Home Depot in the evenings for 30+ hours a week. All the while fitting in time with me, helping me do the dishes, doing the laundry, and keeping the house clean. I marvel at his ability to just keep on going despite how worn out he is. But he doesn’t complain…too often. He takes it in stride, knowing that this is what has to happen. I’m so glad I married a man that knew how to work hard in order to reach for his goals. He totally impresses me! Hal also is the best partner, my best friend. Hal loves me. Most people can tell the first time they meet us. He simply loves me. He treats me like a princess. I am a Daddy’s girl. He instilled in me what I should look for in a man by his own example with my mom. He set some pretty high standards. So the fact that I compare Hal to my dad is a big deal! Hal respects me and my opinions, he hears me out and shares his own thoughts. He’s a gentleman. In a day when chivalry is all but dead, I am so thankful that he loves me enough to respect me in this way. He opens doors for me, and even gets mad at me if I ever reach to open my own door handle!!! Hal makes me laugh and loosen up. I’ve always been a “nervy” person, a worrier. Hal has an uncanny ability to just get me to chill. He brings out the best qualities in me and pushes me to be a better person. He encourages and supports me in such an unbelievable way! And lastly, but most importantly, he pushes me toward the Lord. He’s willing to walk hand-in-hand with me through life’s stuff…and we sure have been through some major stuff this year!
So, here’s a shout out to the man of my life! I love you, Hal! From January 14th 2003 through today, I love you. I am so blessed by you. You’re wonderful! Don’t forget it! (Thanks for letting me get a little cheesy).
Weekends
Does anyone else out there ever feel like they NEVER get any rest on the weekends???? Man, during the work week I so look forward to the possibility of sleeping in and being lazy, and sure enough….it just doesn’t happen. Like this weekend, Friday night was date night with Hal. We had such a good time!!! If you ever want a great burger…I know, I know, it’s just a burger, but seriously get the Bonzai Burger from Red Robin, it’s incredible! After dinner we went to Barnes and Noble and grabbed some books, then to Wal-Mart to go grocery shopping. So, the rest/relax factor happened for a little while, but then work, work, work.
Saturday I had to go to Spartanburg to pick up my bridesmaid dress for my brother’s wedding, which is seriously cute! Then I wanted some quality time with Mom. If you know me at all well, you know that I HATE SHOPPING!!! I’m one of those people that knows what they want and where they need to get it from, in and out and done!!!! But I shopped with Mom for several hours on Saturday, EEK! Maybe if I had a lot of money to spend I would enjoy shopping, but since I’m borderline poor I don’t really enjoy it. But I did pick up 2 seriously cute skirts and a top for real cheap! Cheap, I love it! I’m such a bargain hunter. Anyway, so after morning shopping, there was lunch, then more shopping. Then, I had to get home to get dinner started by 4:00. Why so early you may ask? My mother-in-law had surgery on Monday morning and Hal and I decided to take dinner over there to help them out and spend some time with them. So, I get my amazing Glenn’s Beans recipe done. Hal comes home from work and we head to Easley. My nephew, Tyler is so stinkin cute!!! He’s almost 6 and is so full of energy that I simply marvel at his ability to keep on going! He’s also a serious flirt and craves female attention so I spent most of my evening with him playing cars and playing video games on the computer, and all this other stuff. I really do enjoy spending time with him, but he sure does wear me out.
Ok, so on to Sunday. I go to the early service during the summer because I serve in KidZone during second service. I work with 3-5th grade girls. It’s a lot of fun, but tiring because you pretty much have to get a dozen girls to pay attention to the high points, steer them clear from pointless conversations, and keep them focused on the activity at hand. Not so easy…. Let’s just say that by the end of the morning I had a raging headache. I got home, made a sandwich, and went to bed. Did I sleep/nap? NO!!! My head was pounding so hard I couldn’t relax and rest. So, by the time Hal got home at 8:30 pm from work, I was miserable and ready for a sleeping pill. Unfortunately, Hal dislocated his shoulder (it worked its way back into socket) and it was really hurting him. So, there was no quality time last night either since we were both miserable.
So, I wake up this morning only to be frustrated that I never got the rest I craved. On to another long week!!! Maybe next weekend will be better….maybe…possibly….
Date Night and Birthdays!
YAY for date night!!! As most of you have been married understand, being a newlywed basically means that you are poor, scraping by, barely/almost making ends meet. Well, guess what? Me too!!! But Hal and I decided that we were going to have date night once a week. It’s definitely made us get real creative! For example, buying a $3.00 puzzle and trying to put it together (yes, we’re old), renting a movie from Blockbuster and eating grilled cheese sandwiches, going to Barnes and Noble just to browse, etc. But tonight is different!! We get to go out to eat to Red Robin, go buy some books at Barnes & Noble with gift cards (thanks, Dustin), AND rent a movie to watch. WOO-HOO! I am super-excited! So, if any of you need me tonight…don’t bother. I’m on a date with my hubby!
Wanted to give some shout outs to some teenagers in the CRCC youth group with some birthdays today!!!!
Happy 16th Birthday to Abi Trone! Happy 15th Birthday to Brooke Miller! Love ya’ll!
