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.

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)

God did so much this past July when I was at Incubator’s headquarters out west. If all you picture people would like to see some fun pics of crazy ol’ me with some of my dear Incubator Family, here’s a link to some of my favs posted on Facebook:

Judy’s Summer Summit 2011 Pics

Bless you!
Judy

Well …she did it! Little Miss Evangelina kept the ear protective muffs ON at Creation East this past week, and loooooooooved the concerts to boot! (Tenth Avenue North and Skillet were her favorite …though she did end up falling asleep half way through Skillet.  All the pyro must’ve been stimulation overload, poor thing!)  We met Eric Allen from the K LOVE morning show and shared how she sings along with certain songs already …’Oh NO’ with Matt Redman in “You Never Let Go” and ‘Aaa-MEN!’ with City Harmonic, to name a few, and it also delighted my heart to hear her yell, ‘Amen’ from the tarp one evening too.  Ya can’t tell she’s the daughter of two ministry leaders, can  ya? Naaaaah, she’s just excited about Creation and can’t wait to go again next year.  Yeah, that’s it.  Ha ha, just had to share.

God is so faithful!  What a joy and privileged it’s been to be a part of the Cornerstone Worship LIVE cd recording this past month.  After many hours of preparation and numerous rehearsals, the evening came and the Lord’s presence was so incredibly sweet.  I can only imagine how His heart was filled with delight, as I was beside myself too in hearing the amazing sound coming from hearts and voices so passionately singing and worshiping Him. Thanks for the prayers and coming out to worship with us, click here to check out some pics from the Cornerstone Worship LIVE Recording on Facebook, and stay tuned as more details unfold for the Fall cd release.

Don’t you just love it when God does something unexpected just to make your heart smile …right when you need it? I have been having a crazy few months with things right and left going wrong, computers crashing, schedules bombarded; you know, things that I know are just the enemy trying to thwart what God is doing and doing his best to shake me up. Well, I had the opportunity to just step back from the day to day pressures for a couple days as I traveled with my hubby and sweet baby girl to visit my out of state in-laws. En route to their home a few states away, we broke up the trip by staying overnight with my sister, who happens to be an avid Chris Tomlin fan.  I couldn’t have asked for a more fun girl to go to concerts with! Since Chris Tomlin was going to be near her home, my sister purchased nose bleed tickets for his concert and we were just tickled pink that it was the weekend I would be traveling to see my in-laws and we could spend some time enjoying music with great company.

My sister too, like any of us if we are being completely honest, has been through a lot of pain and difficulty in her past, and it’s been so sweet to see how, as she’s kept her focus and dependency on the Lord while working hard to do what was right, He has been more than faithful to bring her through the pain into a place of joy, hope, and has given her a beautiful life. She had such a great reason to worship Him, and at this worship concert, as we climbed to the highest section of the arena, she and I were focused on doing that indeed!

Four minutes before Chris was to come on the stage, I ran into a friend of Travis and mine (from back home of all places,) who surprised my sister and I with FRONT ROW CENTER tickets! We raced to get to the front of the arena and, as the lights dimmed and music began, we reached our seats. What an amazing gift and delight! We were as two little kids, giddy and snapping pictures right and left. The couple sitting beside us too, (whom the wife was expecting a few weeks from now!) were on the highest row in the arena and were surprised with front row seats too. Ha ha …we formed an instant bond with them.

The music played, the worship was sweet, Louie Giglio challenged us all, and as we literally touched the stage at the end of the concert, jumping and worshiping with everything in us, God reminded me that through the rough day to day that sometimes presents itself, HE is good and has such good things in store …as I focus on Him in the midst of trying times, and do what is right no matter the circumstance, He will continue to bring me joy and help me live with that faith as a child. And as if to bring that fact even more ‘home’, we were then surprised with passes to chat with Chris Tomlin and Louie Giglio. God just kept delighting us!

I know they are people just as you and me …serving God in their brokenness and dependent on Him with every breath, but we felt so honored and blessed to thank them for the way they are obeying Him and faithfully living out their lives as His example. God unexpectedly delighted our hearts that night. Like He always manages to do …when our eyes are open to His leading, and our hearts are anticipating His best.

So thank you, sweet sister for being an example of a life dedicated to living Christ out. Thank you, dear friend who surprised us with tickets and passes to meet Chris and Louie. Thank you, Chris Tomlin and Louie Giglio (and band!) for faithfully living a life of worship and dedication to Christ in front of us. May we all be challenged to look at the hardships we face as opportunities to rely on the One who never gave up in dire circumstances ..to worship Him amidst the pain and remember that we too can be victorious!

Click here to see some of my Facebook pics from this fun night!

While visiting some family for the Thanksgiving holiday, Travis, Evangelina and I took a detour and spent a day in Nashville, Tennessee.  It’s been a decade since this artist almost packed her bags and moved there and wow, how my perspective and life has changed since back then!  Rather melancholic that day in Nashville, God reminded me of how He has surpassed my musical dreams and given me more than I could imagine with now my husband and baby girl to boot.  And He surprised us with a little present that day too; on top of a time to simply soak up some Nashville music, I ended up closing out the evening’s festivities at the legendary Bluebird Café by performing one of my newest original songs!  I was honored to be on the stage where many great artists in Music City perform, and even more tickled to see/hear the response after sharing the only Christian song played/sung that evening.  God is so cool how He works like that!

My husband splurged and spoiled me good for our Anniversary! We revisited the place where we had our rehearsal dinner six years prior, and then we had seventh row seats to see AMY GRANT at a beautiful, sold-out venue! I’ll tell you what, there couldn’t be a more influential singer/songwriter to me as a young girl to the present. God has used Amy to really spark the desire for music ministry in my heart way back when, and I’ll tell you what, being at her concert was so surreal for me; and something this still-busy-adjusting-new-momma needed for her creative self! Amy’s career spans over 30 years, and God’s done beyond her wildest dreams with her life …even amongst pain along the way.  Thanks, God, for the joy you’ve given me as I’ve revisited this delightful part of my past, in giving hope out of the painful stuff too.  And here’s to hopes that I’ll still be singing at 50! =)