Trip to NOLA

My high school friend Rachel Hosan, who is now living in Chicago and soon to be moving to Germany, came down to visit me this weekend. It was so good to see her and to show my life to her. It was an introspective time for the both of us as we are both in very challenging seasons right now. While we were together, we stopped down to New Orleans to see the french quarter. It was her first time there and mine since the hurricane, and I must say I am impressed at how positive the atmosphere was there. Just like Louisiana, there was a festival there this weekend (this state has more festivals than I thought possible, sometimes several in one weekend) called the French Quarter festival so we got to listen to a lot of great music and the area was so alive. Here are some pictures. Enjoy!

Easter at the River Center

For Easter yesterday, HPC held service at the River Center, the large concert arena in Baton Rouge. We celebrated Jesus' resurrection with a family of over 7000 and hundreds came down to receive Christ at the end of service. It was awesome and well worth the preparation and prayer! All the glory to God for that incredible event!

Good Friday Fun

Last night there was a GOOD FRIDAY Celebration at the Dream Center and it was AWESOME! We had over 250 people there for food and fellowship. The kids enjoyed everything from the dunking tank to face painting, clowns and sno-cones! It was so great to see so much fun for the whole family! Props to Rachel Hymel and Carrie Yount for putting together such a fun event! Enjoy some pictures from this great night!

Choose your own adventure

I used to read choose your own adventure books when I was younger. I used to love them but I could never figure out how there were so many different combinations of endings! I began pondering the free-will vs. fate issue (I don't begin to understand or have a answer to that) but I would like to think that it is really like a choose your own adventure book. Of course, God is the author of the book (note: not any church, religion, denomination, or person) and knows ultimately how each path ends. We open the book and begin reading.

p.1- At each choice you can decide which way you will go (I do know that somewhere in that, God knows you well enough to know what your decision is- psalm 139).

p. 2 All of the choices end the same way before you reach the climax of the book. At this climax you can ask for forgiveness of your sins (Acts 5:32) and accept Christ into your life as your Savior and have eternal life (Mt.19:16) or not choose Christ and choose eternal death (Rom. 6:23). If you choose Christ turn to page 3. If you don't choose christ turn to page 6.

p.3- You have accepted Christ! First the best news, from here on out, NO MATTER WHAT choice you make, your eternity is stored in heaven with God. From this point on, you should look to Him for every choice you make. There will still be tests, there will still be struggles but if you ask Him first, He will ALWAYS give you guidance to the right path (Deuteronomy 31:8). If you choice the wrong path, follow the directions and He will get you back on the path. To begin this life of abundance (eph.3:19), turn the page.

p.4- Now God lays out a choice. Some of these are difficult, some are hard. All have footnotes and reference. (For hints: see My Word, the Bible!) Here is an example: at a party and someone says, "Hey I saw you walking into that church on sunday, you aren't one of those people who read the Bible and love God are you?!" Now you have a choice of how to respond. To choose this response: "No way, that must have been someone else you saw, I don't know what you are talking about." turn to page 5. If you choose this response: "Yup that's me. Do you go there too? If not, do you want to come with me next sunday?" then turn to page 7. For help on this one see the Bible verse: Mt 10:32-"Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven."

p. 5- Probably not the best choice, since it didn't really fit in line with My Word. Examine you heart now. Why did you do what you did? Why didn't you want to listen to God? Simply ask for forgiveness and God will forgive you (eph.1:7) . It will be forgotten and we can move forward in this awesome plan God has for you (jer. 29:11). If you don't want forgiveness, please read His word and reconsider (Mt. 25:41-42).

p. 6- If you choose not to accept christ, the book will go on but each way will direct to one of two ways: see page 2 and you are given another invitation or you can keep reading on but this book ends in eternal death (rom. 6:23).


Just some deep thoughts for a wednesday afternoon.

What haven't I given to Him?

So I went to visit the HPC creative team on friday (they are just the greatest, if you ever get to the annex you have to just spend some time laughing with them!). Anyway, somehow I brought up about my car being registered in PA still. After I left I was really thinking more on that. God wants us to give Him everything. He want to be involved in our daily lives and all decisions, not just the ones we want help on. He wants us to give Him the ones we CAN do on our own. There are definitely times when I say, "It's cool God you can sit this one out, I've got it." I imagine Him sitting back wondering how long we will make it before coming to Him. Praise God that He is not the type to say "I told you so."
So as I thought about that it brought me back to the car issue. I always drive to PA to get my car registered because I don't think (rather I don't want) to be in Lousiana the rest of my life. Have I given up my life plans to God or am I still telling him where I am moving next, how soon I am going there and how long I will stay? or do I trust that God wants abundantly more that I could ask or imagine (Eph. 3:19) and that he wants to fulfill the desires of my heart (Ps. 37:4).

What an awesome family I have!

Tonight Mom and I got home late from state college- our flight was delayed three hours. The first thing I really wanted to do was go get a digital camera (christmas present that I had yet to pick out). We went and got one (I can't wait to take tons of pictures in Swaziland). Then we were going to meet up with Vince and Joyce but I really felt it in my spirit to go see Grandma and Grandpa. I love visiting them (more than just the great food). They are just the greatest! So anyway, I tried out my new digital camera with them and we just had so much fun! It was a late night but so good to see them.
I am coming home again on Memorial Day weekend for my aunt Lisa's wedding so those of you I didn't get to see, I am sorry, but let's plan a big family get together that weekend if you are all free. I would love to see you and catch up on life!
Shout outs: Alicia- how was prom? David- how is baseball? Ryan- Good luck in Dallas! The rest of my fabulous cousins- What's going on in life? I LOVE YOU ALL!

Joey and Billy

I am really trying more to seek out the purpose of God in everyday actions. Why did sarah call me about the flyers since brad had aleady emailed me? Obviously God wanted to remind me about lunch for Michelle's birthday. I am sure there were more than just one reason because God is the most brilliant multi-tasker and multi-purpose planner but it is fun when He reveals the reasons of why sometimes. That was all a preamp to the two hour delayed flight from baton rouge to cincinnati. I had a tight connection, was not happy about possibly missing the only flight that would get me to PSU in time to go to the luncheon with my mom. ( I came home for the weekend to give away a scholarship in honor of my dad- quick 24 hr turnaround.) So I was trying to keep positive and relaxed (there were enough angry people there that I would only add to the noise anyway). Then I met Joey and Billy. They with their mom had been trying to get back to philadelphia since Wed. but due to complications they were still waiting to leave on Friday.We spent two hours having so much fun and I really got to speak encouragement in the mom's life. I gave them my number and hopefully we will get to keep in touch. They might even be moving down to EBR for the dad's job. Aren't they just the cutest?!

God's Glory

This morning in quiet time God spoke John 13:31-32 to me. In getting prepared for easter I thought this was an incredible scripture. It got me thinking a lot about God's glory and "what is 'glory'"? I have been stuck on this and reading a lot of verses that speak of glory. In all of this I have found that 'glory' is the nature of God. Is can be given and shared in part by us, but is truly who God is. He is glory. To go further, when we don't acknowledge this, or give glory to some one or something else, in essence we are putting the nature of God on something undeserving of it. How often do we do that? Or how ofteb do we simple fail to give Him glory. Just like Jesus, we have the opportunity to "farther glorify God" in the actions that we take today. Who am I glorifying today?

Easter at the River Center/ Raising up Leaders

Tonight I took three dream center volunteers to the Baton Rouge River Center to join the other campus volunteers as we planned and prepared for the one massive easter service that we are having next week. It was an incredible night on so many levels. First with the volunteers: Sandra, Chad, and David have been serving faithfully in their ministry areas for a year and have all taken all the classes we offer at the church. They are fully committed there and enjoy serving, but you can tell that they are ready. So I brought them to be the greeter, usher, and parking team captains for the DCC. It is a big responsibility becuase they are going to be overseeing the team of volunteers. It was really awesome to stand back as they listened to Ms. Ann Morrow, our volunteer coordinator for HPC, discuss what the day would look like. It make me realize that this is what it is all about, building up the next generation of the Dream Team. I am so excited to be working myself out of the job, not for me, but more so to see other people fully living into the life that God intended for them. It is just so rejuvenating!
Anyway, on another level, Easter at the River Center is going to be out of this World! You could already sense the presence of God in the place and feel the level of intensity. It was awesome! We are believing for 10,000 people to join us. If you are in town you should definitely check it out. If you are not, try watching it on the web live cam (www.healingplacechurch.org).
I am telling you, there will be nothing like it. The Holy Spirit is going to show up and show off and lives are going to be forever changed! If you aren't already excited...

My friend Jenny and I were talking this morning about how today would be a great day for shopping at the Madison Farmer's Market and drinking Ancora coffee. I just wanted to post a picture of how beautiful it is there! The picture above is taken from library mall on State Street toward the Capitol building.

Beginning in the middle of chapter three.

So I decided to get on this bandwagon of the blogging age and start one myself. It seems like a good way to share what's been going on down here in Baton Rouge, Louisiana for those of you who aren't with me on this part of the journey and also to input some deep thoughts along the way.
I titled this "beginning in the middle of chapter three" because this is far from the beginning of this book in my life. Just to catch you up until now here is the cliff notes of the book of my life: Being raised in Havertown, PA was an incredible chapter one. Experiencing college in Madison Wisconsin was also unforgettable and a huge turning point for me. I gave my life to Christ my senior year of high school but started serving Him my sophomore year of college. My dad passed away with pancreatic cancer Jan 16, 2003 and I stayed home that semester. I went back to UW and graduated with a math degree in May 2004. Then in chapter three, God drove me down, kicking and crying, to Baton Rouge Louisiana where I have been living for the past year and a half. I moved down to Baton Rouge and taught at Southeast Middle School. In that time I also got involved in my church, Healing Place Church (www.healingplacechurch.org) and served at the Dream Center Campus. I planned to start on chapter four in May after finishing my two year commitment for Teach for America.
But obviously God has different plans for me. During the hurricane, we opened the church as a shelter and served over 100 hurting evacuees. That was quite a turning point for me and not long after I felt God calling me out of TFA and therefore quit my teaching position. I volunteered at the church for two months and God provided me a position as the administrative assistant for the PRI grant (http://www.doleta.gov/whatsnew/new_releases/2005-11-08.cfm) in Church United for Community Development, the non-profit organization of Healing Place Church. That is currently where I am serving and learning and growing.
I hope that you will enjoy this blog and feel free to make comments anytime. I would love to hear from you and hope you will share in this journey. To read on just turn the page...