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Neon Faith
Do you still dream big? Many of us had big dreams when we were little...
A PERSONAL THANK YOU FROM A VOLUNTEER
My name is Ashton, I have been here for almost three weeks. S...
With forever gratefulness and love
Tracey I have been meaning to sit down many times to write my stor...
Great Leaders Hover!
It is breath”giving” to sit outside, hovering over God&rsq...
Take Your Discussions To The Next Level
Well, your Small Group has been meeting now for a few months and ...
Silence Can Be Golden
The other day I was talking to a Small Group Leader and they were a li...

Oct 28th, 2009Neon Faith

Do you still dream big?  Many of us had big dreams when we were little.  When we were young, some of us wanted to be firemen, or astronauts, or maybe even President of the United States.  Not me!  When I was young I wanted only one thing ... to play Major League Baseball for the Chicago Cubs.  Well, like many of our dreams when we were young, it kind of faded away.  Mine was erased completely when I threw my arm out at 14.  Little did I know the true adventure that awaited me!

What are you trusting God for today?  Our Creator wants us to know that dreaming isn't just something for little kids.  He still wants to use us in a mighty way ... no matter where we've been or what we've done.  He can still use us, in spite of (and sometimes because of) the tough experiences we've been through.  The question isn't whether we're worthy (who is?), it's whether we'll allow God to be the real leader of our lives.  It's about sliding over into the passenger seat and allowing Jesus to take the wheel.  It's about realizing that life really isn't about us at all.  Then our dreams become His, and that's when REALLY big things can happen!

What are you trusting God for?  So many people are just happy to be alive, but God has bigger plans for us than that.  He wants us not just to be alive but to thrive; not necessarily for money or health or worldly success, but to be used by God in a cool way that will give glory to Him. Then our lives will shine in the darkness like a Neon sign beckoning all those who are tired of the mundane and the addiction of sin to step up to what their Creator is calling them to do and to be.  

What are you trusting God for?

Sep 17th, 2009A PERSONAL THANK YOU FROM A VOLUNTEER

    My name is Ashton, I have been here for almost three weeks.  Since I have been here I have experienced such greatness. I have been gratefully volunteering at central, and have never been happier.  What more could you ask for, serve God and be around great people.  I have had the privilege to do many different things, from painting the church Monday through Friday to the Friday night recovery, and even Saturday mornings feeding people with needs.  My life has made a 360 and I owe it all to God, and the people he has surrounded me with.  I look to today instead of yesterday or even tomorrow.  I am going to continue to volunteer here at central until God takes me on another adventure.  What a better way to start coming to central when we are doing ALL IN.  

Thank you once again, I love each and everyone here.  

 

Aug 4th, 2009With forever gratefulness and love

Tracey I have been meaning to sit down many times to write my story to either inspire others or just for someone at Central to know that I truly appreciate them for all they have done.

 
Jack and I started dating in March of 2007 and I told him I wanted to find a church with him where we could share the experience together. I didn't want a relationship with someone who I had to fight with because I wanted to go to church. Church seemed so important to me since my divorce.
Jack had no problem with going to church. Jack attended Central. He told me about what I would experience however I could never be prepared for what happened next. I began to attend regularly in June of 2007. My first service I was in tears. I wept and wept in the bleachers (the nose bleed seats). I watched everything from a far. 10000 people were beyond my wildest dreams. The worship, the people (all smiles and welcomes) then there was JUD. I was totally blown away. Remember I was from a catholic church where a man preached about a family that he didn't have and here Jud was talking about his wife, his kids, like I was part of his family. I wanted more.

I told Jack from this day on I was ready to start attending Central. I bought every book Jud had his name on. I read them over the weekend. I bought Centrals music and learned every song within two months. I bought the DVD series because finally this is what God has been wanting in my life. I was home. I was home for good.

Jud talked about taking the next step. Well Jack said I misunderstood what the message was saying because I told Joe I wanted to get married. NEXT STEP!! That is what it had to mean. :) Then the bad news hit. I was diagnosed with Cancer. I was given six to twelve months to live. How could this be? I was devastated. My mom had just passed away a few years ago with cancer. I was still not over her death and here I might be joining her sooner than later. For a few weeks I didn't tell Jack. I didn't want to disappoint him.


I prayed and asked God to help me. Joe had never been married before so why would he want to get married to woman who was going to die. I opened the bible for the first time since my childhood years. Before opening it I told God I was putting my life into his hand. Whatever he wanted me to do I would do. I couldn't believe where I opened to. I had never read about this before in the bible. Was this a sign? Was this where I suppose to go? I knew he had a plan? I read 1 Corinthians 13. I read the whole chapter. I cried. He has a plan for us.
So that night I told Jack......and he held me. He held me tight. We cried together and he said you know what. Let’s get married anyways. You will beat it. You're a fighter. God has a plan for us to be together. The next month a few days before Christmas Jack and I got married.


I went through my first Chemo session on Friday and we always attend service on Saturday at 430 but now we have moved closer. We now sit a few rows behind Jud :). I had never met JUD up-close before, he never new my story, but it was really weird that I went up to him to ask him to sign my Stripped book and he signed "Keep looking UP JUD" Wow. Really.......rely on God when I am down. Okay I can do that. I continued to pray for help during the treatments.
Jack and I went through the Making the Change seminar, we went through starting point, we found two couples to go through each week. We continued to share our prayers with them for their families never telling them about us. All of a sudden in week six of starting pointe; the couples asked what is something we can pray for you guys? Jack broke down. He told our small little group about my cancer and how hard it has been on my body. That night one of the members reached out of their pocket and gave me 200 dollars to help pay for a treatment. I was blown away. We needed it so bad and yet we had never asked anyone for money. We haven’t seen this couple since. Was this another sign? We have tried to contact them and there is no answer. How strange? The other couple we have stayed friends with. They always ask about how I am. The husband golf’s with my husband. The wife I had no idea was a social worker who had connections to money to help cancer patients. This lady had a grant to pay for a month of my rent, my electric bill, and my gas bill. Once again blown away! I continued to pray. God is sending me people that I had no idea would help me. I never thought I needed help.
I had always been a kind person who never burned my bridges. I always helped out others and when people were mean or cruel to me I knew they would get it in the end. Now I was finally seeing good things happen to me. I embraced everything God brought before me. If God is for us who could ever be against us was being put in my head every weekend. This was my first memory verse.


Jack and I decided to get baptized together. Unfortunately that night I had to do a treatment before I went to church. I was told that my cancer had spread. It was now in both breasts. I cried all the way home. When I got home I told my husband who just hugged me and said okay now we need to go to church. Get your things together and get in the car. We need to praise him no matter what news we got. We went to First Wednesday to get baptized. It was a happy time and a sad time all in the same night. Once again I ran into JUD what an amazing man. After service I forgot my towel in the bathroom and Joe was waiting for me in the church. I just happened to walk out as Jud was walking towards the back. I told him my life story in probably two minutes. He prayed for me. When he touched my back I believe God was putting his hands around my back. I could feel his presence through Jud. I knew it would be okay. My heart felt healed.

I told Jack about meeting up with Jud and he laughed saying I bet you told Jud everything in ten minutes not two. I told Jack I wanted to do more. So I signed up to be a Renew Host. I had no idea what I was doing but I thought God will be there and Jud is on the DVD so I have this covered. I was prepared. The house was clean, the food was hot, the kids had toys, the dogs had bones, and I had read ahead, I answered all the questions, I was ready. The only thing I wasn’t ready for was our group would last four or five hours and not the 130 that it said in the book :)
After Renew I began to service in Family Ministries with the babies. I knew I wanted a baby again but couldn't because of my cancer. I thought this was a way I could have both. My husband now helps with the new Starting Point group.
Then I didn’t feel Gods presence. I felt alone during my treatments. What was I doing wrong? I felt like I was honoring him. I felt cold. I felt alone. I felt every ounce of pain in my body. So I told Jack I need to go to church. I feel good there. I get renewed there. In the aisle Jack and I sit every weekend now sits a row of older people. These people we have never seen before. I smiled at them and said welcome. The Jud did it again. He had all the people get on stage. Jud made me cry again!!! This row of people was the PIECEMAKERS. WOWIE WOW WOW. God was there all the time and I just didn’t see it. They gave me a blanket the next weekend. During my treatments not only am I warm but by the time I touch each and every piece, say each memory verse on the quilt, my treatment is over. God is there. God is good all the time!!! I just didn’t feel him and I got scared. But coming back to Central regained my focus.

I don't know what God has planned for me and I don't think anyone does. But ever since I have been attending Central God has been working in wonderful ways for me and my family. My children and I talk about the service, the bible, pray; I talk to people at my work about God and about Central. I have brought my parents in my classroom to Central who now started to attend. Jack and my families are so happy that God isn't only in my life but in our marriage. I have grown to love the Central family in many ways. Central is a place to call home and a place that it is okay to not be okay. I love each one of you from the bottom of my heart. Many of your Central Staff know Jack and me. We are going to do our very best to pray that God touches you all in a special way that he has touched our hearts and life. I appreciate each and everyone one of you for all the sacrifices you make each day to do your job. Your amazing and want to say thank you.

With forever gratefulness and love,

Kristin

 

Jun 3rd, 2009Great Leaders Hover!

It is breath”giving” to sit outside, hovering over God’s Word and instantly be called to attention by the sound of a hummingbird delivering a subtle reminder that God also hovers over me at all times. 

Leaders and teachers of God’s Word should all be asking the same question, “What Word does God want me to learn today and share with those I lead?”  We pray, we listen, we read, we study, and we wait.  If we’re willing to hover for a while, the message breaks through with all of God’s glory.

The actual word “hover” is only used three times in the Bible. 

1.   “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters (Gen. 1:2).”

2.    “
. . . like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them on its pinions (Deut. 32:11).”

3.    “Like birds hovering overhead, the LORD Almighty will shield Jerusalem; he will shield it and deliver it, he will 'pass over' it and will rescue it (Isa 31:5)."

In each of these contexts, God is characterized as present and protective; two characteristics of not just a good leader, but a great leader. 

The unexpected visitor (i.e., Hummingbird) who came to me on this special morning carried in its beak a feather as another subtle, but powerful message for times when I feel overwhelmed  . . . “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart (Ps. 91:4).” As leaders, we can find comfort in a hovering God. 

I encourage every Small Group Leader at Central to utilize the benefits of our new Small Groups Website as one more way to protect and care for members.  Like the eagle, you can stir up the nest with a Word from God in a blog, hover over each one with personalized care, and encourage them to take new steps of faith.  As always, your wings are spread wide-open to catch members in success, or be there when the need arises to carry them for a distance.   Be reminded that the members of your group will feel cared for as you hover over them while encouraging them to step out of a very comfortable nest!

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