I Love Books!

Since so many people tell me I read way too much and way too fast (I'm looking at my husband specifically), I've decided to keep track of my reading this year! Here's the list from January, and what I've finished so far in February:

Books for January: 6
The Circle Trilogy by Ted Dekker (Red, Black, White)
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
Joy in the Morning by Betty Smith

February
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok

Working On...
The Gift of Asher Lev by Chaim Potok

Books for the year: 8

Book Review

At the end of this week, I'll be receiving a book by Scott Wilson called Steering Through Chaos. I'm excited to be reading it (for free! yay!) and posting a blog review about it during the week of March 16th.

Since we are going to be planting churches in just a few short years, I'm always glad to find books to add to our library. From the reviews I've read, not to mention he's one of my favorite bands' pastors, I think it will be a great read and an even better resource.

Can't wait!

SNOW.

That's what we woke up to this morning after false hopes of several inches last night! We went over to Michael and Brittani's at about 9:30 or 10 for just a few minutes. When we walked outside, it was drizzling rain. We left there no more than 15 minutes later and it had already snowed about half an inch. No joke! It must have changed over right as we went in. We woke up this morning for Les to go to school, and he checked the closings to see if Clear Creek was out - they weren't. He came back to bed for a few more minutes of sleep, and right as he got under the covers, I got a text saying campus was closed. Hooray!

We got up much later and I made french toast. Then... we prepared for... POLAR PLUNGE '10! I didn't participate, but basically all of the single guys did along with Brittani, Sharon (a single girl), and Les. I did get to drive in the snowy-ness though! Polar Plunge pictures to come soon!

So here's a situation I found myself in tonight. I found out that a new church plant back home has decided to let someone I know be their interim worship and creative arts leader.

What this church doesn't know is that this particular person is basically a viper and has caused major staff and layperson problems in multiple churches, in addition to abandoning ministries and his own family to further his own musical career. The church "advertises" him as one of the best worship leaders in the area, but I know from several personal encounters with this person that he has no right to be called a worship leader. In fact, I'm positive he knows nothing about leading God's people in any kind of worship except the worship of him, his band, and his own music.

This bothers me not only because I have a feeling that this pastor has no idea about this man's past (mostly because he is a complete snake in the grass), but that he has been put in charge of leading God's people into His presence. I believe that it is a sin to lead worship with an unclean heart and motive and doing so will seriously hinder the congregation's worship. Even more, I have dear friends at this church, specifically one of the great boys that I student taught last year along with his brother and parents.

What should I do? Should I let my friends know or should I keep my mouth shut? There's no way I would go to the pastor... it would only make me look like a Pharisee. :(

To Seminary or Not to Seminary... That is the question

When Les and I first started talking about marriage, we decided to pray about whether or not it was a good idea. It was February 2005 and he had figured out that he was going to Clear Creek in the fall, so naturally I had to take that into consideration. The week of Valentine's Day basically sucked because we had to make the decision to either break up or stay together and work toward a marriage and a ministry together. Obviously the answer was stay together since, well, here we are.

We ended up getting engaged in July 2007 knowing that after I graduated college and we were married (in May 2009, goodness!), I would move to Clear Creek and he would finish out his degree. But that's sort of where the plan ended until about a year ago. Of course. Because all plans either go wrong, expire, or have a complication..

We've looked at seminaries, which is the logical next step if we are to be church planters (see: Church Planting Village for more info) or work in any ministry field. If you're going to be something for God, you should be the best at it, or at least that is our thinking. We went to Southeastern Seminary in North Carolina back in September with Brittani and Michael and absolutely loved it! Especially me. I really miss civilization, mostly a healthy downtown and places to shop and eat at. Again, most plans either go wrong, expire, or have a complication.

Suddenly the youth group we work with is positively thriving, with kids getting inspired and learning left and right! They're coming to Bible studies, they're requesting prayer for their friends, they're bringing their friends to church. Like I said - thriving. Here in Kentucky. Seminary is in North Carolina. Baahhhhh. Therein lies the complication.

So now... to seminary or to stay?

Making Memories and Such

We've had the Graenings over for two nights in a row, and it was so funny yesterday. Right before they came over, I asked Les if the house looked clean enough, then immediately said never mind. I guess I realized that we've seen their mess, they've seen ours, and we've been together at each other's houses for the majority of the time Les and I have been married. I can't believe how God has provided for us (mainly me) in the friend department. It was really hard to leave Tennessee knowing I was leaving my very best friends behind. You know, the kind that you've known basically since birth and have experienced every childhood and adolescent experience with. The kind who know your mom... call her mom even. Who knows where you keep the plates and cups.

But God has given me that here. Brittani and Ashley know where my cups and plates are. They share their love, their food, and their time with me. They're sharing experiences with me too, like being married, grocery shopping, and cooking dinner for our husbands. I am so glad we have these kinds of friends here and that God has put such great people in our lives.

To start things off with a bang...

Let's talk about something controversial. Specifically Brit Hume's hugely protested statement on Bill O'Reilly about Tiger Woods needing Jesus Christ is his life. I am so proud of that man and his confidence and forthcoming. I am so incredibly glad he stood up for the truth--on national TV nonetheless! I read some of the reactions and cannot believe the gall of some people. If the tables were turned, and Hume had announced that Buddhism, Hinduism, or any other religion in the world was the answer, everyone in the public and liberal arenas would have jumped for joy and ran into the streets to celebrate his open-minded views and politically correct-ness!  I loved the way one poster on the Huffington Post worded it: "If you're dealing with Jesus Christ, you're dealing with God. If you're having to deal with God, you're having to deal with your own sin problem, and that instinctively offends people."  It's amazing the kind of reactions you pull out of people when you bring up God or His Son. Goodness.

If it has only been a little over 24 hours and this kind of hatred is being put out on the internet, what is it going to be like when it is perfectly legal to drag people out of their homes and beat them to death on the streets for saying things like this? There are AT LEAST 35 nations in our world right now that have anti-Christian laws that lead to Christians being harassed, imprisoned, deprived of possessions and liberties, or killed because of their witness. They are also prevented from obtaining Bibles or other Christian literature.

Who knows how long it will be before America becomes one of those places?