eph.3.20

This is a great verse to stand on…so I’m standing on it!

i.miss.the.office.(.not.the.one.on.nbc.)

Yesterday, for the first time in a very long time, I spent the entire day in the office (at Glendale Nazarene Church). From first thing in the morning until around 8:30 in the evening.

…and I completely LOVED every second of the day!

BTW, thank you, Jesus for yesterday…seriously, thank You!

I was reminded just how much I love being a part of what God has called me to do and be.

I’m only part-time at this church, so I’m not here in the office a lot, but being there for a full day makes me miss, so very much, being full-time in ministry. It renewed my desire to be back in the saddle full-time. I really simply can not wait for God to reopen that door in my life.

I hope and pray that He does this sooner—rather than later.

this was my view yesterday from my seat at my desk

shopping.carts

I have been a worship leader/pastor/director for over 20 years now.

It’s my life calling!

It’s what brings me joy/meaning/fulfillment/purpose in life.

It’s been a tough few years of ministry (I’ve been laid off 3 times over the past 3 years)! I SERIOUSLY can’t wait for the economy to turn back around!

Right now I’m working part time as a worship leader/director at Glendale Nazarene Church (and I’m thankful for the opportunity to lead God’s people into worship each weekend). I’m also working part time at Total Wine & More (hey you do what you have to do to get by).

Part of my job at Total Wine requires me to go out in the parking lot and gather shopping carts. I’m gonna be brutally honest here…it’s a very humbling experience for me. Don’t get me wrong, in NO WAY do I think I’m above getting carts. It’s just, here I am at 45 years old working for “not very much an hour” gathering shopping carts in a parking lot…it just seems so meaningless. Gathering carts has no impact on anyone’s life (other than making it easier for a customer to get a cart when they are ready to shop).

Part of me is saying, “Come on God, I could be doing so much more than this right now!”

Then I’m reminded of this…

God uses the weak to mess up the strong / He takes those who are first and makes them last, and those who are last He makes first / Pride comes right before you fall flat on your face / He knows what’s best for me, even better than I do for myself / He loves me…so very much that He sacrificed His One and only Son to pay the price of my salvation.

So who am I to question God about gathering shopping carts?

Later today as I go to work…and no doubt gather some shopping carts, God help me be the best shopping cart gatherer that Total Wine has!!!

also.standing.on.this.today

This may very well be MY MOST FAVORITE worship tune of all time!!!! The lyric is AMAZINGLY simple, yet AMAZINGLY powerful! If you’ve never heard it, take time to listen…you can thank me later.

standing.on.this.today

1 The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need. 2 He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. 3 He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. 4 Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. 5 You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. 6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.

Psalm 23 (NLT)

first.day

Today was my first day at Glendale Nazarene. I loved being up front leading the church in worship once again…leading worship truly is my heartbeat and passion! Thank you God for opening this door for me to do what I do!

new.church.pictures

my desk

sanctuary

stage

view from stage

cleared.for.landing

We’ve accepted the position of Worship Pastor at Glendale Nazarene Church (Glendale, AZ). We are very excited to see what God has in store for our family and for the church…and can’t wait to get started! Our first Sunday will be, Sunday, January 8.

A big shout out and thank you to all of our family and friends who prayed for our family. We appreciate your prayers so very much…and we ask you to continue to lift us up in your prayers and for God’s blessing to be on our new ministry position.

Now…Let’s Do This!

thankful.thursdays.part.03

Today I am thankful for the fact that God has always been there for me and my family, and will always be there for us!

I’ll be honest, today I may feel like this: “God, where are you, are you really there with a plan for our lives?”

Yet, even though I may have these feelings, I am still very much aware of the fact that YES, God does have a plan for us, and He will show us that plan when His timing is right…and when we look back on this period in our life (even though I may not see His hand working now), I’ll be able to see just how much He really was in control and leading us in His ways.

Thank you God for having our backs!

i’m.thinking.arby’s

Last night we decided to run to Arby’s for a quick dinner before the kids went to their young adult/youth service at church. We ordered our food and I tried to pay with my debit card. It would not go through. The young girl working the register called her manager over, who also tried to run my card, it would not go through. Next we tried Star’s card, it too would not go through. The manager mentioned that the error code she was receiving was one she had never seen before. They tried running my card through the drive through register and received the same unknown code.

At this point, I began to think something is wrong with our account and we will NOT be getting dinner at Arby’s tonight.

I ask Zach, my son, to try and run his card through. While his account is at the same bank, it is his own account and not connected with ours. His card as well received the same error code.

At this point, I’m apologizing to the manager and coming to the realization that we won’t be eating dinner here when the manager says to me, “We’ve already got most of your food ready now, I’m just gonna give your food to you tonight. I’ve never seen this code and I’m going to put a call into our IT department.” I thank her for her offer and decline, but she insists that we take the food.

After dinner I stopped by a gas station to fill up Star’s car with gas – my card worked just fine, I also stopped by the grocery store to pick up a few items, my card again worked just fine.

My girls and I where chatting about it after and we decided that this was just God’s way of smiling on our family and letting us know that He is still with us and watching over our family during this time that I’m not working and looking for a church to serve at again.

It’s the small things, but they don’t go unnoticed, thanks God for caring for our family!