At the beginning of the year, Blake and I put some "guidelines" on our life. We want to have a happy, healthy, thriving marriage. We don't want to live in mediocrity.
Below is the list of things we came up with to help us move in the right direction:
1. Read our Bible daily.
Even though I work at a church, and read the Word for work, I don't always take time to just stop and be with Him. This has become the number one priority for us.
2. Praying together.
Way.
More.
Often.
About anything. About everything.
3. Read a book together. One chapter each week and discuss.
4.Exercise at least 4 days a week. This has turned into 6 days with P90X.
5. Cook at home more. Even though life can be crazy working at a church, we waste money and
eat more unhealthy when we eat out.
6.Individaually hang out with a friend at least every other week.
7. Hang out with another couple at least every other week.
8. Get out of town once a month, even if it is for a day. To stop and just be with each other.
9. Walk the dogs 3 times a week.
And for me:
Days that I don't have evening commitments...get my butt out of bed and to work by 8 so I can be off at 5 so I can spend the most amount of time per evening hanging out with Blake and doing whatever I want.
Journal at least once a week. I haven't been good at this one, but I know I need to do it. Prayer journaling helps me to get out all of my thoughts on paper to God, the good, the bad, the ugly. It helps me to process everything.
For the lifestyle changes we have made with each other, we have consequences put in place for when don't follow through.
So far, 2010 has been one of the best years of my life :)
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Saturday, February 6, 2010
P90X
2 weeks ago, hubs and I started P90X. We already eat pretty healthy, so the real change was the intense exercising.
P90X is hard, but for the most part, I have been able to keep up with good ol' Tony. Tony Horton reminds me of Michael Scott from The Office. He says awkward things at awkward times....which makes me laugh.
The best part of doing P90X right is the fact that we are already seeing results. We aren't sticking to the meal plane precisely, but if you can't have a little fun in life what's the point?
P90X is hard, but for the most part, I have been able to keep up with good ol' Tony. Tony Horton reminds me of Michael Scott from The Office. He says awkward things at awkward times....which makes me laugh.
The best part of doing P90X right is the fact that we are already seeing results. We aren't sticking to the meal plane precisely, but if you can't have a little fun in life what's the point?
Monday, February 1, 2010
Missions Month 2010
The Bridge Church is celebrating our 23rd year of Missions Festival Month. Below is the article I wrote for our "Bridge to the Nations" magazine.
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For Missions Month in 2010, we are partnering with a local agency that starts in the heart of Fresno but touches the world. We have an organization here in town that instills the heart of God in His people as they choose to follow Him and learn to love like He loves us.
Fresno - 55 violent gangs in Fresno with 7,000 members.
Fresno - Where 30% of families are below the poverty line.
Fresno - 5th poorest city in the nation.
Fresno - Largest refugee population in the United States.
Fresno - Where 50% of the nations' meth is produced.
Fresno - 22 neighborhoods of concentrated poverty.
Fresno - 3,000 children in the Fresno Unified School District have been identified as homeless.
Fresno - 4th highest teen pregnancy rate in the United States.
Fresno - 35% of adults don’t have high school diplomas. The dropout rate exceeds the state average by 36%.
Based upon the above statistics, Fresno seems like a lost cause. This past year, however, we have seen Fresno in a whole new light. There is beauty in the brokenness. The brokenness that is our lives, that is our city, that is our world. God came to live amongst us. In John 1:14 it says, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”
None of us is worthy of the love of God, yet He gives to us generously. We look, we judge, we turn away. God looks, he loves, he embraces. He left his home, his comfort, He incarnated himself to be one with us. The incarnation of Jesus is the means which Christ reaches out to us, the message he wants to communicate to us, and the model for how we are to minister.
What if God’s heart for the least of these and the City of Fresno infiltrated your heart? Did you know that there are more than 300 verses in the Bible about God’s heart for the poor and for justice? God desires for us to love like he loves, to see as he sees, and to do as he does.
We are partnering with InterVarsity’s Fresno Institute for Urban Leadership (FIFUL). It's an organization that seeks the Shalom of the city. Our city. Fresno.
Join us in helping to transform inner-city Fresno from the inside... by equipping builders to expand the kingdom.
------------------------------------------------------------
For Missions Month in 2010, we are partnering with a local agency that starts in the heart of Fresno but touches the world. We have an organization here in town that instills the heart of God in His people as they choose to follow Him and learn to love like He loves us.
Fresno - 55 violent gangs in Fresno with 7,000 members.
Fresno - Where 30% of families are below the poverty line.
Fresno - 5th poorest city in the nation.
Fresno - Largest refugee population in the United States.
Fresno - Where 50% of the nations' meth is produced.
Fresno - 22 neighborhoods of concentrated poverty.
Fresno - 3,000 children in the Fresno Unified School District have been identified as homeless.
Fresno - 4th highest teen pregnancy rate in the United States.
Fresno - 35% of adults don’t have high school diplomas. The dropout rate exceeds the state average by 36%.
Based upon the above statistics, Fresno seems like a lost cause. This past year, however, we have seen Fresno in a whole new light. There is beauty in the brokenness. The brokenness that is our lives, that is our city, that is our world. God came to live amongst us. In John 1:14 it says, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”
None of us is worthy of the love of God, yet He gives to us generously. We look, we judge, we turn away. God looks, he loves, he embraces. He left his home, his comfort, He incarnated himself to be one with us. The incarnation of Jesus is the means which Christ reaches out to us, the message he wants to communicate to us, and the model for how we are to minister.
What if God’s heart for the least of these and the City of Fresno infiltrated your heart? Did you know that there are more than 300 verses in the Bible about God’s heart for the poor and for justice? God desires for us to love like he loves, to see as he sees, and to do as he does.
We are partnering with InterVarsity’s Fresno Institute for Urban Leadership (FIFUL). It's an organization that seeks the Shalom of the city. Our city. Fresno.
Join us in helping to transform inner-city Fresno from the inside... by equipping builders to expand the kingdom.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
P90X-day 6
Dear Tony,
Although the excercise on day 5 (which lands on Friday for me), legs and back, is a good workout, on day 6, I can barely sit down.
Can you cool it on the squats?
Thanks.
Although the excercise on day 5 (which lands on Friday for me), legs and back, is a good workout, on day 6, I can barely sit down.
Can you cool it on the squats?
Thanks.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Franciscan Prayer
It is my desire for my life to be lived out as the Franciscan Prayer below:
May GOD bless us with discomfort at easy answers, half truths and superficial relationships, so that we may live deep within our hearts.
May GOD bless us with discomfort at easy answers, half truths and superficial relationships, so that we may live deep within our hearts.
May GOD bless us with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that we may work for justice, freedom and peace.
May GOD bless us with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and war, so that we may reach out our hands to comfort them and to turn their pain into joy.
May GOD bless us with enough foolishness to believe we can make a difference in this world, so that we can do what others claim cannot be done.
And may the blessing of GOD, Who creates, redeems, and sanctifies, be upon you and all you love and pray for this day and forevermore.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Grandparents
On December 27th, 1940, my grandma and the man she was going to marry got in a truck, each of their oldest siblings and spouses in tow, and went to the preachers house. When they arrived at his home, he was on his way into the barn to feed his pigs, wearing overalls of course. Once they got the preacher out from the barn, he came inside, and 8 of them stood in a room and my Grandparent's committed their lives to each other before God. Once they were married, the 6 of them drove to Birmingham to have dinner at a hotel.
No fancy wedding ceremony, no fancy reception. They stood before God with a few people they loved dearly.
They had an honest, God fearing marriage. My Grandpa went home to be with the Lord when I was only 2. I look at pictures of him and wonder what it would have been like to know him here on this earth. All I can live by are the stories Grandma tells me about him, about his childhood, about how hard he worked as a farmer to provide. And it makes me proud to be his granddaughter.
I can't wait to meet him in heaven.
No fancy wedding ceremony, no fancy reception. They stood before God with a few people they loved dearly.
They had an honest, God fearing marriage. My Grandpa went home to be with the Lord when I was only 2. I look at pictures of him and wonder what it would have been like to know him here on this earth. All I can live by are the stories Grandma tells me about him, about his childhood, about how hard he worked as a farmer to provide. And it makes me proud to be his granddaughter.
I can't wait to meet him in heaven.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Haiti-The Earthquake and Our Response
These past couple of days have been chaotic. With our church's connection to Haiti through our short term trips and Missions Month 2009, a deep sadness came over me. I have been there. I know the names of these individuals.
Right after we learned of the earthquake we began making as many phone calls to whoever might have information. Cell towers were down and those that weren't were being bombarded with phone calls finding out the condition of loved ones. After hours of waiting, word came to us that all were ok. Which was a relief, but I was once again grieved knowing all those that were suffering.
Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. It is a neighboring country. Abject poverty is something that can not be ignored. Yet, we decided not to pay attention until this tragedy occured. Now a country that had very little has even less.
Anne Jackson blogged about Rachel Evans on a different subject, but I came across her latest post titled "We Already Failed Haiti" She hits it right on.
So now that this tragedy has occured and the world's eyes are on Haiti, what is going to be your response....what is going to be the response of the church?
Right after we learned of the earthquake we began making as many phone calls to whoever might have information. Cell towers were down and those that weren't were being bombarded with phone calls finding out the condition of loved ones. After hours of waiting, word came to us that all were ok. Which was a relief, but I was once again grieved knowing all those that were suffering.
Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. It is a neighboring country. Abject poverty is something that can not be ignored. Yet, we decided not to pay attention until this tragedy occured. Now a country that had very little has even less.
Anne Jackson blogged about Rachel Evans on a different subject, but I came across her latest post titled "We Already Failed Haiti" She hits it right on.
So now that this tragedy has occured and the world's eyes are on Haiti, what is going to be your response....what is going to be the response of the church?
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