The Mountain of Stress

Seventh Day Slumber Concert: The stress of planning a concert by word of mouth.

1) I hate, loathe, despise talking on the phone. Case in point making phone calls to churches to talk about our upcoming concert.
        a) Even though I have sent fliers, they seem to have no idea what I'm talking about. Which leads me to believe they threw them away without even looking at them!
        b) More than half the phone calls had no answer, and had messages left.
        c) Those that did answer less than half were actually the people I needed to talk to. The rest
promised to send the message along.
        d) I get a phone call back from a youth that is rude and short asking the cost. What made that even
better was hearing the adult in the background say, "It's a professional band, right?"

2) Emails... more than 100 sent back, and I know they are valid emails. So, now... figure out why they came back.

3) Word of Mouth: The fact that the town of Arcadia knows more about this concert than Wauchula
boggles my mind. sigh...

It is at moments like that I stumble across something like this: Louie Giglio "God can take the very worst and accomplish through it the very best. #thecrossisproof" My biggest concern is the cost to bring the band here that is due the day of the concert. I have a deep down peace about the whole thing. I KNOW this is what God wants us to do. I just have to realize that it has to be done in HIS timing, and not mine. There's the venting for this moment. 

Good News! Michelle Tellone of LightForce Radio on the JoyFM is planning on pushing the concert big this week. I'm hoping that this is the break that we have needed. Thank you, Michelle!!!


The Mountains of Stress, I'm ready to hit the calm plains, thanks!

I think we forget...

as Christians that forgiveness is NOT earned.  It is given, and when it is given it is the trust that needs to be earned back. Man! I'd be burning in HELL IF scripture said that, or my life depended on others. Could you imagine? Every time I got "right," I know I would fall. We also forget that we are to love. There are people that do terrible wrongs today, but the beauty is God's sovereign grace, His endless mercy, and His unconditionally love. We must take the log out of our eye before we can even think to pick at the splinters in others. That means you are not to judge others when you have plenty to be judged for. I'm glad that I know. Do I struggle with it in my life, yes. However, I realize when I do it, I repent, and I start anew. I only wish that others that claim Christianity would do this same thing. Unfortunately, we think that being dipped in baptism, and growing up in church is enough. The scripture is TRUTH, not what you think should be true, but this below is truth. Recognize it. Soak it in. Live it. Stop thinking Christianity is judgment or disliking someone to the core. That is not truth, that is sin, that is not the Christian walk.

"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.... On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets." Matthew 22:36-40

But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. 

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
 "No one, sir," she said.
      "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
John 8:-11


"Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
"Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you." Matthew 7:1-6

In Love

I know I already wrote today, but there is something that is happening right now that I don't want to ever forget. I have banned the TV today (at least until after nap). I told Luk he has to realize he doesn't need the TV to have a "fun" day. He kept saying he would be bored with no TV, which is funny because he never just sits and watch. It is literally background sound all day long, that I HATE!
So... I banned it. Luk is here just talking back and forth with himself as he fights dragons and other creatures. He has such an amazing imagination, and I love that he is using it. Logan is having a good time wondering. It has been a great morning of just listening to our JoyFM!

The Joy FM

When Reson and I lived in Louisville, KY, we missed one huge aspect in our lives, our Christian Radio station, The Joy FM
Technology has changed in the past three years, and I can sit here listening on either my computer or on my phone. I am blessed by this station. Last year, Reson and I became partners with them, and it is the best $30.00 a spend a month. I encourage you that if you rely on your Christian Radio Station give to them when they do a Shar-a-thon. It is like what Carmen said the first day of their giving "Here's the cool thing, the reason you give is so we can give it right back--The JOY FM is just a funnel."
I'm all on that!!! Okay... so don't hesitate to support a thing in your life that makes a difference in your daily life, it will bless you!