It’s been a while since I’ve written because of this little fella in the picture here …and all that encompasses transitioning with a new baby. Well, I wrote about overwhelment …the good kind, actually …in my last Ministry Update, but God brought this home to me in a whole new way today. You see, I have this horrible respiratory cold thing going on, which kept me from a worship leading engagement. I can’t tell you the last time that happened …I don’t miss engagements like this.  I’m a tough cookie that follows through with what I’ve committed to at 110%! But for some reason, God allowed this cold to flare up in the wee hours of the morning today, and I was left with no other option. But just like God, as I’ve tackled the crazy and seemingly overwhelming details of canceling appointments, finding a replacement for the worship engagement, finding help with the kids, a trip to MedExpress, etc. I have been reminded of how richly I am blessed. God removed me from the every day to show me how HE is at work and in control …and there is so much blessing going on because of it! If it wasn’t for this day, sweet friends and fellow worship leaders may not have seen His awesomeness in how He shows up because they responded to the challenge. If it wasn’t for this day, Nana and Papa wouldn’t have had the extended time with my almost 23 month old, and I wouldn’t have had the (extremely rare these days) opportunity to soak up precious one-on-one time with my 10 week old as he smiled, cuddled and cooed in the recliner with me most the day. And if it wasn’t for this day, I wouldn’t have been able to deeply rejoice via text and Facebook with a dear friend of mine who just had her baby! It’s like the Lord let time stand still for me …for one day …so I could sit back and recognize the way He has blessed me so, while I’m in pain, and the overwhelming aspects in my life need not be so. This begs the question, How have you been blessed in the overwhelment of this life? He’s blessing you even amidst that painful past …and you will see it someday. Maybe today’s the day. Do you need to take inventory? Stop for a minute. Look around at the ways HE is working in your midst, ask Him to overwhelm you with His peace, and thank Him for the way He has blessed!

Hey Picture Peeps! Here are a few pics (click on them if you’d like to view in larger form) from the Illuminate services held December 23rd and 24th at Cornerstone Ministries in Export, Pennsylvania. Thousands of people from the surrounding area attended for the six special services. I’ve gotta extend my deepest thanks for all your amazing love, encouragement and prayers for each service and rehearsal. Being 34 weeks pregnant, it sure was quite the experience (to say the least!) to participate in these services!

Thank you for all your prayers and support, folks; today’s the day …Cornerstone Worship LIVE (A Studio and Live Recording) is now available on iTunes. Click this link to check it out! It was quite an honor and blessing to be a part of, and I pray it’ll be helpful to your personal times of worship too!

I am blown away by the feedback from Cornerstone Worship LIVE’s debut CD which, released this past weekend at Cornerstone Ministries and is set to be available on iTunes November 15th. God has a way of using music to reach a place in our hearts that’s truly unexplainable. I was incredibly honored to be a part of this worship project.

A friend of mine purchased a copy the other day to listen to during her driving time in the car which her job demands. She texted me this message:

I am listening to the CD …OMG! Awesome! Didn’t know what I was expecting, but WOW! I actually cried when I heard your voice …do you know how hard it is to drive while you are crying? Yikes! I am soooooooooooooooo impressed. You will have to tell me more about the people behind those marvelous voices! There are no words to describe how the music made me feel.

Though I hope you’ll most certainly take advantage of this awesome worship tool for your own self, I even more so say all this because you never know how God is working behind the scenes in someone’s life and how He’ll use you to do something wonderful in a part of their story. Be faithful in what He’s created and given you the opportunity to do. You have the opportunity to make a powerful difference by being YOU and shining Jesus in what you do. I challenge that for you today!

My daughter’s uninhibited expressions in this short video helped me along the laughter path the other day. Life can get so ‘heavy’ and hard, that I’m once again reminded to make sure I take the time to breathe deep, rest, and laugh. Here’s something that might be able to help ya with that laughter part too.

Sure, we all have needs -very real ones at that …I am well aware. Gas prices are high. Groceries add up and aren’t always in abundance. And we may wonder how we are gonna pay that bill the mailman just delivered. As hard as it sometimes is in the day to day, can you imagine loosing your home and the contents therein??? I don’t know about you, but that really puts my grocery needs or minimal balance in the bank account in perspective.

My “home away from home” church family at Liberty Christian Fellowship, are seeking hard to meet the needs of so many who were devastated there in their own backyard on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. If you would like to tangibly help, here’s a message from the dear leadership at Liberty:

Anyone who is willing to give can mail their check or money order to Liberty Christian Fellowship, 244 Williams Drive, Kill Devil Hills, NC, 27948, earmarked Hurricane Relief. We have a team of volunteers as well as Christ in Action helping us with hot showers, meals, tree removal, etc. One of the biggest and most widespread needs are for food replacement, cleaning products, and clothing. The funds will help us get some of things we need. Thanks so much. The encouragement and prayer alone are keeping our heads lifted so our hands and feet can keep going.

Rana Dillon
Executive Secretary
Liberty Christian Fellowship
(252) 441-6592

Please consider going above and beyond your means of service and love, friends …here’s a chance to truly be ‘Jesus with skin on’.

This certainly was a weekend I”ll never forget.  Once a year, our church cancels it’s typical weekend services and decides to serve the community in an UNcommon way, above and beyond what we typically should be doing in our day to day as Christians. Click here to see some pics I put up on Facebook from the Children’s Hospital project I had a privileged of having a part in, and this video shared at a special evening service we had last night will give you an idea of some of the ways so many people became ‘Jesus with skin on’ right here in the very place we live; honestly, I don’t know who’s hearts were changed more …those served or ours!

I’ve been reminiscing about the time I had to share at New Derry United Methodist Church’s outdoor community event this past weekend, and the phrase “HUGE blessings in small packaging” is what rings true!

This church’s story in a nutshell: Mere months ago, the attendance was so low it looked as though the church as they knew it would be no more. And you know, church as they knew it was no more, as God had HUGE plans for these faithful folks! Attendance has jumped from it’s 5 attenders to 250 people coming to this community event …and I must tell you, the people I met and mingled with are the real deal! They are seeking God with their whole hearts, serving Him with all they’ve got, and the joy all over their countenance speaks volumes that God’s HUGE blessings abound, no matter how small the packaging might appear to be.

And this gets me thinking …if I honestly look deep enough, I dramatically see God’s HUGE blessings at work in the small packaging of little ol’ me. He is so faithful. How are you doing in noticing HIS blessings in your what may seem to be mundane packaging in the day to day??? He looooooooooooongs to bless you BIG, and already has in so many ways. I challenge ya …be real, seek God with your whole heart, and serve Him with all you’ve got. You won’t regret it. And I have a feeling that these folks at New Derry UMC have my back here too. (big smile)