...the end is here...

After 159 posts, I am saying "goodbye" to blogger. Yep, it's official- we have our very own domain!! MeghanandChris.blogspot.com is gone after fourteen devoted months. From now on, check out chrisandmeghan.com!!!!

Bare with me as it will take a lot of playing around to figure out what looks good. While wordpress has a lot of options, those options can be confusing to non-nerds like me! So change your links, your netvibes, your everything- so we can all be on the same page!!

Peace out, blogger!!!

Great word for the day!!

This is Chris here. Since my wonderful wife has already posted something for the day and posted yesterday, I won’t be very long.

I just want to share a point with y’all from this weekend’s FUSION retreat. Mike really brought the word and this was just one point from one of his messages this weekend. If you weren't there, you really missed out! Here goes:


The purpose of influence is to speak up for those who have no influence!!

Can you say Huuuuuge?!! This is definitely my life mission!!

The scripture reference with the point is Psalm 72:8-14.
Check it out and let me know what you think.

Happy Daddy's Day!!

I am surrounded on a daily basis by the most amazing men on the face of the planet. I have my incredible daddy who has always been there to love and support me throughout my entire life (no matter what I put him through). I have a great step-dad who has given so much of himself to me and my family over the last few years. I am married to a man who blows my mind everyday and who I know will be the best father to our kids. And I have a precious brother who grows up a little more everyday and constantly surprises me with his maturity. Here are some pictures from my day yesterday with all my favorite men!!

If you weren't there... you missed out!

Fusion was incredible!! God showed up in a huge way and made it all happen. People experienced Christ and we made so many new friends. There were 107 people there and I had never even seen at least 30-40 of them before yesterday. It was awesome!!

I can't wait to see what God has in store for this ministry. There are thousands of college kids and twenty-somethings in the area that are so hungry for a deeper relationship with Jesus. I wish I had pictures from the retreat to show you, but I will get some up soon. Steve shot some great video of Fusion Field Day: Battle of the Sexes! There's nothing funnier than watching people spin 8 times around a baseball bat and then try and run straight, or watching a 25 year old athletic male hula hooping, or seeing someone potato sack hopping and completely bust it! (It was definitely a spiritual weekend, but we had some serious fun, too!!)

Props to Mike and the Late Nite team for making it happen. Mike delivered some life-changing messages and the whole team created an amazing weekend. I am so proud to get to play a small part in this ministry and in this incredible church. And to everyone who came, thank you for your commitment to know the heart of God a little better.

If you weren't there, you missed out!

I love this...

The other day I was reading in this book called "Jesus, Life Coach", and a few paragraphs have really rocked my world. I won't over-explain... just read slowly and let the words sink in.

"...Don't hang around negative people. Don't believe the lies that you are worthless or unimportant. Don't buy for a minute the illusion that your money will comfort you more than the relationship you can have with me. Shift your orientation away from sorrow and pain and toward the light of laughter and dance and joy...

Follow me, and I will take you places you never even knew existed...

Follow me, and I will cause you to leap like deer in the dawn...

Follow me, and we will climb mountains and get through valleys and come out of them on top, laughing, living, holding each other, into eternity..."

FUSION TONIGHT!!!!!

Online registration is now closed, but if you haven’t registered, we still want you to come! Meet us tonight at 5:30pm by the outreach building at the back of the Highland campus. Don’t forget a bible, notebook, pen, towel, toiletries and a couple changes of casual clothes. We can’t wait to see all of you tonight… this weekend is going to be slammin’!!!!!

Totally inspirational...what else can I call it?

Last week I had the awesome privilege of meeting a girl named Chelsey and her amazing family. Chelsey was in a terrible car accident a few weeks ago and lost most of the feeling in her legs. She also has lost her fine motor skills, but her gross motor skills are still in tact. Her parents are staying at a home in Dutchtown (they are from Eunice) and noticed a guy next door working on the fence. Assuming it was the neighbor, Chelsey's dad struck up a conversation with him and ended up asking about good churches in the area. Well, the guy working on the fence was Joey Laird (Tweez's brother) and he told them all about Healing Place. That Sunday they came to the 12pm service and were totally blown away. They fell in love with the music, the message, and the heart of the church. They met Pastor Dino and he assured them that the HPC family would be there for them...

That's where I come in. Pastor asked me to go to the Healthsouth rehabilitation hospital to meet Chelsey and serve her in any way I could. You know how sometimes you think you are going to bless someone, and they end up blessing you a million times more? That's totally what happened here. Chesley, her mom, and her boyfriend were some of the greatest people I have ever met. She had only been with her boyfriend, Slade, for three weeks before the wreck, and he has been at her side ever since. Can you say "true love"? Her mom poured her heart out to me about how her faith has grown through this tragedy and how she truly believes Chelsey will walk again and be made whole. They beamed with the joy only found in Jesus. Chelsey shared all that God has taught her since the accident. Slade was just happy to play with her hair and hold her hand.

I just keep thinking about Romans 8:28- that God will use everything for His good. This family is a shining example of that. They have grown closer to each other and have drawn into a deeper relationship with Jesus through all the craziness. They could have been angry, but instead they chose to be grateful. They could have given up, but instead they have hope. Like I said... totally inspirational.

Just gotta brag...

Ok ladies, do your best not to be jealous right now... I have got to brag on my man. This weekend he helped me with all my errands, volunteered at all four services, and stayed for 6 extra house on Sunday to set up for Pamper Night (totaling 10.5 hours of volunteer work that day). Then Monday he worked a 9 hour day at his wonderful job, went home and cleaned our apartment, then came to HPC to help tear down after Pamper Night. Plus, his blogging skills are incredible and he challenges me to a deeper relationship with Christ everyday.

All day I have been astounded at the blessings that God has poured out on me. Chris is by far the greatest gift I have ever received (besides salvation, of course). For all of you out there who haven't yet found "the one"- keep waiting. Don't settle. Take it from someone who has been there and done that- it is SO worth the wait!!!!

Here I go...again!!

Hey guys, this is Chris checkin' in again. Many of you may have forgotten about me already or possibly most of you may just not care that I'm actually contributing to this blog now, as noted by the multitude of you that commented on my post last week. Thanks Gered, for your one lonesome comment!!! It was much appreciated.

Anyway, I was reading through this book that I read during my quiet time alone with God and I was struck by one of the statements that I read in the pages. The title of the chapter was "Be a voice, not an echo!!" What a strong statement! I could stop there and we could all go about our merry little way and be extremely blessed, but I must share a more compelling thought from later on in the chapter. The author goes on to tell the story of how the CEO of a large hospital system in Texas changed the state of the business by his attitude towards it. His attitude is contrary to the that held by most in business, which is, "No Margin, No Mission". His attitude is the opposite, "No Mission, No Margin." In other words, "If you are Living your mission, you Will make a profit."

I just thought I would share this with all of you. It was really a compelling thought to me. We all have a purpose from God and it is crucial for our success. Pursuing your God-given purpose in life will provide you with more fulfillment than you ever thought possible. You should try it!!

Do you need a little margin in your life? Start living your mission!!!!

What are your thoughts? (insert comment now)

New Children's Cup Site

Children's Cup has a brand spankin' new website that I love! It's more accessible, has great curb appeal, and though it's technically a blog- it's not at all bloggy!! The new format will make it easier for them to update it regularly, so we will have all the latest info on what's going down in southern Africa. My favorite part is the media gallery, where we get to check out stories, pictures and videos all about the kids.

My heart is in Africa. My heart is with these kids. Praise God for Children's Cup and all that they do to feed, clothe, and share the love of Jesus with families on that continent.

Don't they deserve it? Didn't Jesus die for them, too? We can't blame the children for the actions of their parents, and we can't blame the parents for not knowing any better... It's time to change the world. You in?

Referrals

As much as I love to blog, today I just really need to direct you to few posts that really shook me.

Here's the one from today from Pastor Dino.

And here's Rob's blog. Check out the one entitled "A Little Thicker."

And my constant favorite, Mr. Dan Ohlerking.

Little miracles along the way...

First miracle: My husband posted a blog yesterday. Isn't he so great?
Second miracle: Doug Musso got a blog.
Third and most important/ amazing miracle: A man walked in the office today and asked Stacey if anyone was taking a mission trip to Italy this year. Stacey told him about Late Nite's trip and told him I was going and that I am here... I go up there, talk to him for a couple minutes, and he writes me a check for $45. God is so random and so amazing and I love how He works! When I went back to tell Mike the good news, he said, "God is giving you the money in small increments so that you will see little miracles along the way... Signs and wonders follow those who believe."

I have been getting slightly impatient with the speed at which the funds have been coming in. I don't doubt that they will come, but I have to admit- I wanted them to come faster. Isn't it so cool that God sees my impatience and gives me little reminders along the way that He is still in charge and still faithful? I love the God that we serve- the One and only true God. If anyone doubts His existence, I dare them to ask me why I believe.

A Take from the Other Side

Yes, ladies and gentleman, this is Chris. I know many of you have wondered as to what the Chris of the meghanandchris.blogspot.com has to say about things. Well, I’m here to tell you that I’m making the commitment to share my thoughts at least once a week (possibly more). It will most likely be on Mondays since that seems to be the day when my wife tells me she is least likely to post something. I hope to share something insightful with you each and every week but I cannot promise that will always be the case. Please bear with me as I learn and grow in my blogging skills as I have never been one to put my thoughts onto paper.

So without further ado,
I would like to share with you a simple thought that Mike Haman shared with us at the Go Big Men’s Bible study last Friday morning. It goes like this: “The most important thing about you is what you think about when you think about God.” By A.W. Tozer. I don’t know about you but that really shook me when I heard it! What do I think of God? Who do I think He is? Is He just simply some higher power up in the sky? Is He just some go-to guy that we go to when we’re desperate? Is He just some guy who is keeping score of all the good and bad we do? Or is He the Lord over all of our life? Our Creator! Our Heartbeat! Our Best Friend! The One we live for! Our Abba Father!! He is all of these things and so much more to all of us! I pray that He is always number one in our lives!

What do you think about when you think of God?



PS: There may be times when my posts have random blurbs or rants about football. Like this one, we are only 87 days away from football season!!

Led by grace

On Monday, my devotional wrapped up the story of Joseph. I have to say, I was a little disappointed. I have learned so much from studying his life. The last entry was entitled "Led by grace". What a perfect three word summary of Joseph! Here's an excerpt from that page- it rocked my world.

...Guard your heart when you have the power to place guilt on someone else. Refuse to rub their nose in the mess they've made. Remember the father of the Prodigal Son. Best of all, remember Joseph. "Don't be afraid," he comforted them kindly. "I will provide for you and your children"...

...Joseph was led by grace. He spoke by grace. He forgave by grace. He forgot by grace. He loved by grace. He remembered by grace. He provided by grace. Because of grace, when his brothers bowed before him in fear, he could say, "Get on your feet! God meant it all for good"...

What else is there to say?

I love these girls!!

I am SO fired up this morning. Last night's life group was such a huge success!! From the beginning, I have felt like this was a total God-thing, and last night just confirmed that in my heart. I know that "Surrender" is going to make this a summer that will change lives, including my own. These girls are amazing, and Nicole was totally led by the Holy Spirit. She changed up the format a little and it made such a great impact on the whole dynamic of the group. Check out these pictures, and be jealous you weren't there... hope to see all you girls out there next week!!!

Surrender life group

To all the ladies out there, we would love it if you would join us for our life group tonight at 6:30pm at the home of Mollie White. It's called Surrender, and we feel that God is going to grab hold of our lives this summer so we can live the amazing journey He has called us to live. Email me at meghan.matt@healingplacechurch.org or call me at 413.0463 with any questions you may have. We love you and can't wait to get to know you better this summer!

Chris and I had a glorious Memorial Day weekend. It was such a treat to get to spend 3 straight days together. The celebration at church Saturday night was a blast and the fireworks were incredible! God totally hooked HPC up, as usual. Chris and I fall more in love everyday. It's really a wonderful life.

On a sad note, check out Charles and Kristen Young's blog. A little boy that they have been ministering to in the local hospital has passed away, but God is going use them in a huge way to share the love of Jesus and His gospel to the boy's family and friends. What an honor and privilege to serve Him!

My little brother is graduating!!!

Ok, it's crazy. My brother is graduating from high school. I'm completely weirded out right now. We went to lunch today with Mom, Mr. Dan, Grammy and Chris to French Market Bistro in celebration of the big day (Chris is my brother's name, too, so this might get confusing). Chris K. (brother) got SO much great stuff- all of which I picked out. He is going to be so cute this summer!

Here are just a few of the reasons my brother is so terrific:
He is- selfless, caring, loving, respectful, intelligent, talented, humble, gorgeous, sweet, grateful, funny, just plain wonderful... the list goes on.

Thank you, Jesus, for the blessings of an amazing family. I'm SO glad Chris K. is staying in town for college- my heart would hurt without him here. I love that kid!!! (Yes, he's 6'1, but he will always be a little brother to me!)

FUSION- be there!

It's official.... Late Nite is having our first EVER retreat on June 15-16 at Tall Timbers!!! You do NOT want to miss this. The cost is SO small- only $50.00 per person or $115.00 for married couples. This includes food, lodging, and all of the retreat fun. If you are between the ages of 18-30, you need to be there! We are designing it especially for you and it's going to be an amazing time to gather together and see God show up in a huge way. Call my office at 753.2273 ext. 257, email me at meghan.matt@healingplacechurch.org, or check out all the info here and sign up online!!!

I also want to congratulate all the graduates... Elevate graduated Tuesday and I had the honor of serving at the ceremony. I cannot fully express my gratitude for them and everything they have added to my church, my community, my world and my life personally. Those guys inspire me to work harder, love stronger, have immovable faith... just thinking about them makes me tear up. I love them so much!! Please be in prayer for Katherine's mom. She is battling cancer, but we all know she is going to come through victorious in Christ! We miss you, Kathy! :) Of course I have to give a shout-out to my favorite Elevater of all time, Ms. Lauren Best. Not only is she smokin' hot, but she's one of the best friends I've ever had. She blows my mind, honestly. This post says it all.

And saving the VERY best for last, my amazing brother, Chris, graduates tomorrow... Because talking about him will be very lengthy and I don't want this post to go on much longer, I will save my gushing on him for another day or two!

Psalm 92

Lee Domingue dedicated his first book to his family and wrote something sweet about each of them. Of his wife, Laura, he wrote that she was his Cedar of Lebanon. Delynn has been stuck on the scripture Psalm 92:12-14 and has sited it the last few times I have heard her speak. Here's how is goes:"But the godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon. For they are transplanted to the Lord's own house. They flourish in the courts of our God. Even in old age, they will produce fruit."

Here's the significance: Palm trees are known for their long lives, so to flourish like them means to stand tall and live long. Cedars of Lebanon grew to 120 feet in height and up to 30 feet in circumference. They were solid, strong, and immovable. Those who place their faith firmly in God are upright, strong, and unmoved by the winds of circumstance. It refreshes me today to know that if I stay rooted in His Word and in His House, I will be able to stand strong and flourish, no matter what is thrown my way.

Last night I was reading over old notes and saw something that Zhenya Kasevich said in Late Nite. He was talking about faith, and said that God will sometimes give us problems so that we will spend more time with Him. While Elizabeth was doing flow at HPWomen, she reminded us that we don't have to always spend 3 hours a day in our prayer closet, but that we do need to regularly pause our lives and acknowledge God in our circumstance. I pray that I spend so much time with God that I become like a palm tree or a cedar or Lebanon, and that God doesn't have to give me problems just so that I will hang out with Him!!

Do I love like this?

So, I am sitting at my girl LB's desk at the Annex before Women's Night, and she has Ephesians 5:33 taped onto her computer. As I read it, I was taken aback by the way I am commanded to love Chris, and how I too often fail.

Here's the whole verse from the Amplified Translation:
However, let each man of you [without exception] love his wife as [being in a sense] his very own self; and let the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband that she notices him, regards him, honors him, prefers him, venerates, and esteems him; and that she defers to him, praises him, and loves and admires him exceedingly].

Thank goodness for my eyes being opened to this verse. I love that the Amplified went into so much detail and really outlined how I should be living and loving. God is so cool... back to getting ready for service now. I already got some "rev" and church hasn't even begun yet!

A Tribute to my Mom(s)

So, I think we would all agree that I have the most amazing mother ever. (It may be a toss-up between her and Mary, mother of Jesus, but it's a close race) Rob Gros may have a cool graphic with his mom's name, but my mom's the hottest, so I am showing pictures!

Not only is she drop-dead gorgeous, but her insides far surpass her outward beauty. She honestly lives "It is better to give than to receive." She would literally give the clothes off her back. She makes sacrifices every single day so that Chris, me and Chris can have better lives. My mom loves Jesus with all her heart and shows that love to others every minute of every day. She never ceases to amaze me with all that she does for others and with the kind words she gives at the moments we need them most. Thank you, Lord, for bringing her into my life to show me the way. I am so blessed to have a woman of such integrity and character in my life! I am also very grateful for my beautiful grandmother. She brings such joy to our family!

This year was my first with my two mother-in-laws. They have added so much value and love to my life and I adore them both so much! There are many people on this earth who don't know the love of one mother, and here I am with three. I am so thankful for their love and support in our lives!

What a weekend!!

Friday night, Chris and I watched the LSU baseball team lose by about 13 runs with some old and new friends (Jason, Grey, Drew & Gretchen). The game was lame, but we cut up and had so much fun! Then on Saturday, about 70Late Niters gathered for our second annual "Mudbug Mowdown"... and we definitely mowed down!! Props to Grey for planning and organizing that event!

We had an amazing Mother's Day on Sunday. We got to serve at 2 services, and then had a fantastic lunch at Primo's (P.S. I have the GREATEST mother in the WORLD!) After Mom opened all her presents, we headed off to Target where we were blessed with free groceries and kitchenware, courtesy of Mr. Dan. That night we got to hang out with Chris' mom and her side of the family... it really was a blast. They grilled some steaks and slammin' baked potatoes... then we had Grandpa's homemade ice cream. What else could a girl ask for? Plus we got to talk to Chris' family in Texas, which capped off an already great day.Yesterday was Kristin's lingerie shower/ bachelorette party! WooHoo!!! After a great shower full of awesome girls, some of us bridesmaids all rode out in the Excursion to Hello Sushi (we polished off all the rolls in about 5 minutes). After some TCBY, we headed back- the car rides were definitely the most fun of all. Check out these pics from dinner. Our stomachs hurt from laughing so hard and our waitress probably thought we were nut jobs!!!

Yes he is...

Isn't my man the most beautiful being ever created by God? Yes! Yes he is!!!!

A Vertical Focus

When Joseph's brothers were traveling from Canaan to Egypt to get Simeon and meet with Pharoah's first-in-command (who they didn't know was Joseph), I wonder if they were thinking negatively or positively? We pretty much assume that they were in panic mode- they had discovered money in their bags so it appeared that had stolen all that food during a severe famine, they didn't want to let Jacob down, they were scared for their lives, and they were beginning to really feel guilty for what they did to Joseph so many years before. Would we have an upward focus during a time like that in our lives?

When we're on a journey from Canaan to Egypt, we tend to view life horizontally rather than vertically. We tend to be resistant rather than open. The first step (according to Chuck Swindoll) is to recognize and admit your negative mentality. It seems that admission is the first step to breaking any bad habit. Next, force the vertical focus until it comes naturally. No habit just lays down and dies, especially if the devil's got anything to do with it. We have to make forced, conscious decisions to think positively. And lastly, stay open to a new idea for at least five minutes. (This hits home for me big-time!) When something new and unexpected confronts you, tolerate the possibility of it for at least five minutes. You will be surprised at the benefit of staying open.

Keep me accountable on this!! I want to dream bigger, live with more faith, and expect more from my life and my marriage. Chris has huge goals for his life and for us, and I need to enlarge my dream capacity to match up with his :)

A Horizontal Viewpoint

So, God rolled me up this morning about my lack of trust in raising funds for Italy. We have trusted Him with so many huge aspects of our lives, why are we not trusting Him with this little thing? First, one of the most amazing women in the world, Lauren Best, helped me put some things in perspective. Then, I went to read my devotional that I missed yesterday, and it was about a horizontal viewpoint. Jacob had it when his sons left Simeon behind in Egypt. He was supposed to be the patriarch of the clan and instead of rising up in faith and trust in God, he froze in fear and assumed the worst. He was looking horizontally instead of vertically!

It's easy for us to judge him and say we would trust God, but if that's the case, why didn't we trust Him last week? When we think of our most recent test (in my case, Italy), did we rest calmly in Him? Or did we push the panic button out of fear? I think my finger was on the button much too often.

Humanly speaking, we have been programmed toward defeat. We all too often leave God out of the picture. We rationalize around it by calling it something else. I am the Queen of Rational Thinking Land. God has been definitely working in me about this!!! I am starting to really be able to truly, honestly, completely, fully, and with my whole entire heart trust God in things I never thought possible. I know this money will come because He wants His word spread in Europe. I finally have peace. Praise the LORD!!!

(And for the record, my amazing husband has always had peace about this... these things just take me longer. That's why he's the leader of the house!)

Missions trip...

Hey guys... we need your help! You gotta pray for us to be able to raise this money for our mission trip in the fall. I have been busting my booty with support letters, house cleaning, baby-sitting...everything I can possibly do short of going crazy. I have been working 7 days a week to get this cash raised. We are still 6000 dollars away from our target, and I am getting a little concerned. I know God will provide, but I am just wondering when! Hehehehee.....

God-willing, we would love the opportunity to minister to the people of Italy. Please join us in prayer for this... and for me to have patience...ok y'all are the best!

P.S. For all of you who have given financially and with prayer already, we are SO GRATEFUL for you. You have given us such peace and joy. Thank you thank you thank you so very much!!!

Calm before the storm

... I have recently felt like my life was too good, too calm, too perfect. I knew a storm was coming...

Hurricane Life has arrived. Thank God I trust Him with it.

It's great to wait...

God has really been speaking to me through my daily devotional and bible readings. (I know, that's kind of the point, eh?) The story of Joseph is killer. If anyone ever had to wait for anything in life, it was him. In periods of waiting, I find myself getting restless, even sometimes thinking God has forgotten about me, or that He won't fill the desires of my heart. What I have been taught the last week or so is that it's in that time of waiting that He is refining me. (And boy... I definitely need to be refined) It's amazing to know that He will lead me through the fire, and I will be brought forth as gold!

It's when it seems like nothing is happening that God is at work most inside of us. All whom God uses greatly are first hidden in the secret of His presence, away from the pride of man. Abraham waited for the birth of Isaac. Moses didn't lead the Exodus until he was eighty. Elijah waited beside the brook. Noah waited 120 years for rain. Paul was hidden away for three years in Arabia. The list doesn't end!

During the waiting period, trust God without panic. It's God's job to deal with the cup-bearers of your past. It's your job to be the kind of servant He has designed you to be. Be faithful during the waiting periods of life. God will not forget you or forsake you.

Kickball Tournament

We had a blast on Saturday at the Kickball Tournament. Almost 40 people showed up- some played, some spectated (like me). Check out these pics:


My man's got nice form, huh?

Family reunion & KICKBALL!!!

So I realized this morning I haven't gotten to tell you about last weekend when Chris' family came in town! We went to Slaughter for a family reunion, and I met a lot of people. Chris' Granny is one of 13 kids, so there were tons of people there. The best part was getting to hang out with Lauren and Chase. We had such a blast! Check out some pictures:


Also, don't forget about the KICKBALL TOURNAMENT tomorrow from 1-3pm at Highland Road Park. It's going to be so fun! (I will only be watching, of course, and partaking in free snoballs!) Check out Mike's blog for some hilarious videos. I'll post some pictures of the festivities soon!

Lessons from Hosea

Johnny Green tore it up last night at Life U with some great lessons from the life of Hosea. If you want to hear the whole message, order it from the product booth... but I have to share some things I learned. Hosea is killer!

God told Hosea to marry a prostitute. Hosea's entire life was an illustration of God's relationship with the Israelites (they were unfaithful time after time, and He always took them back and showed them unending compassion). I got rolled up with this verse: Hosea 6:6- "I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings." It's not about what we do for God or His people, but it's about our relationship with Him. He wants us to be familiar, intimate with Him. I can't be so busy serving God that I don't know Him! Sometimes it's easy to get wrapped up in the "ministry"- we see all the acts of service we do and we think that's enough. God just wants true relationship with us- that's what we were created for!!

Something else Johnny pointed out was great: The pathway to idolatry is through your greatest need. Satan tempted Jesus with bread, because that's the thing He needed most. What does the devil tempt you with? What do you feel is your greatest need? Financial security? Then money will be your god... Companionship? Then you'll fall for the first person who walks through the door... Power or recognition? Then you will do or say anything to be noticed or promoted. We have to quit worrying about fitting into culture and focus on fitting into HIS standard.

The greatest lesson of this whole story is God's compassion and unfailing love. He has a passionate desire to take us back when we drift away. He doesn't act out of impulse or anger, but out of His purpose for us. He sacrificially faithful, no matter how unfaithful we are! He blows my mind!!!

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier

Several people have walked by my desk and seen the book I'm reading, with the immediate response of, "That's the Starbucks book!" God bless Starbucks for getting people interested in this story, but they have nothing to do with this. You HAVE GOT TO read this book. Yes, I love Africa and people might say I am biased, but if you are human, this story will affect you. Go here to check out more info on this amazing book. Here's a excerpt from the website.

"A gripping story of a child’s journey through hell and back. There may be as many as 300,000 child soldiers, hopped-up on drugs and wielding AK-47s, in more than fifty conflicts around the world. Ishmael Beah used to be one of them. He is one of the first to tell his story in his own words.

In A LONG WAY GONE, Beah, now twenty-six years old, tells a riveting story. At the age of twelve, he fled attacking rebels and wandered a land rendered unrecognizable by violence. By thirteen, he’d been picked up by the government army, and Beah, at heart a gentle boy, found that he was capable of truly terrible acts. Eventually released by the army and sent to a UNICEF rehabilitation center, he struggled to regain his humanity and to reenter the world of civilians, who viewed him with fear and suspicion. This is, at last, a story of redemption and hope."

This book will change your life. Period. Don't want your world rocked? Don't read it.

Eco-friendly? Not so much

You have to go to Carole Turner's blog to check out this great post. I didn't read it at first because it looked a little lengthy, but now that I have read it, I think everyone else needs to as well. Political or not, worried about the environment or not, if you care about anything that's going on in America right now- read this!

More awesome people servin' it up for Jesus!

Terry Olivier did a SLAMMIN' job preaching at Late Nite on Saturday. It was his first time to preach in that setting (he speaks at Refuge frequently) and he amazing. It is refreshing to see that this ministry really is secure and has a huge future with guys like him behind the wheel. His message on "What is Love?" was so strong, and he offered great insight that I had never heard before. You should order a copy from the products booth if you weren't there to hear it.

Also, Elevate full-time and Dan Ohlerking are in Africa right now. Check out their blog here. They also all have individual pages that they have been blogging on since they got there... you can link to most of them from my blog roll.

Finally, check out a blog by Jason Laird here and then see what Pastor Dino said here about the same guy. Marcel Terrebone and his family are a huge asset and blessing to HPC and I'm glad they are getting the shout-outs they deserve!!!

Need a cleaner house or a babysitter?

As most of you know by now, Chris and I will be traveling with Late Nite in October to bring the gospel of Christ to Italy. Together we must raise $7000- this amount covers airfare, transportation, meals, lodging, ministry supplies, and a care package for the missionaries. Through various types of outreaches, giveaways, and concert-type events, we hope to reach thousands of college students on campuses in the area.

We are making our babysitting and cleaning services available to you for the next few months in order to help raise the necessary funds for the trip. Chris and I will baby-sit together on various nights, and I will clean on Mondays during the day. Please contact me by email (meghan.matt@healingplacechurch.org) or on my cell (if you have the number) if you would like to employ our wonderful services. Y’all are the best! Thank you in advance for thinking of us!

Boys better bloggers?

Ok, girls... we need to step it up! I was organizing my blog arrangement on netvibes today, and I realized that I read way more guys' blogs than girls' blogs. So I did some looking around, and I discovered that I really do know more guys with blogs than girls. This upsets me! Of the blogs I read consistently, 6 are families and of those 6, the man in the family is almost always the writer. (This doesn't include the blog I share with my hubby who never posts!) In addition to family sites, I read 9 girls' blogs, and 15 guys' blogs!

Ladies, what's the deal? I realize that there a lot of girlie blogs out there that I don't read, but that's because they're either boring or rarely posted on. The fact is, there are a lot of random, funny, and spiritual blogs out there written by dudes who post very frequently.

Are there any good girl blogs that I am missing out on?
(P.S. The word "blog" was mentioned 12 times in this post, including the one in this sentence)

3rd time's a charm

Ok, so I know I have posted twice today, but I had to make sure everyone reads Ps. Dino's blog entry for today. It is STRONG!

Gettin' rolled up!

So, I am pretty much the most grateful person in the universe right now. Pastor Dino did an amazing job with Staff Meeting and Sub30 today, and some of the things he said really hit home. I won't give you all the points, but I want to share some of my favorites.

He first discussed Psalm 84:10 and what it means to be a doorkeeper. It's such an honor to just be on the edge of what God is doing! I would rather scrub floors in the House of God than be an honored guest in a palace of sin!

Marks of an MVA (Most Valuable Assistant, because we are all assistants in the House)
*Get the job done without drama- can't be quarrelsome and must be able to contain emotions
*Address your ego- let go of selfishness and schedules
*Always be respectful- even though some people are really hard to be respectful to
*Tremendous people skills- can't say "That's just the way I am"- that's defeat!
*Be likable- can't be a barrier to what God is doing in someone's life or will do later

How do you keep loving what you're doing?
*Expect moments that aren't pretty- see the ugly stuff and still love it
*Receive and look for correction- correction is attached to anything life-giving
*Accept the litter you were born into- your family at home and your family in the House
*Don't take it for granted- God can do it without you, so be grateful!

Sanjaya has left the building!

YES!! My day was made yesterday when he was FINALLY voted off American Idol! Now the competition can really begin. My favorites are Jordin Sparks and Blake Lewis. Jordin has the best voice, plus in every article I read on her it portrays that she holds Christian values, which I obviously appreciate. Blake is the most talented overall musician and definitely has something that no one else on the show has ever had.

I know Melinda is a favorite to win, but if she does, she will end up just like Fantasia, Reuben, Taylor- one decent single that sells a decent amount of copies, then falls off the radar. Fantasia is starring on Broadway right now which is amazing, but she wasn't much of an "American Idol". Kelly and Carrie are the only winners who have had success and longevity, and it's not necessarily because they were the best singers, but they had the most star quality.

Who do you think should win? Who do you think will win? Why?

Hudson's off the ventilator!

Baby Hudson is now officially off the ventilator, and Gena is on the way to the hospital to hold him for the first time! He is still on the oxygen, but his lungs are expanding and collapsing on their own, so that's great news! There are a few more things he needs to do before he can go home, but we are believing God it will be sooner rather than later!!

Temptations of Prosperity

My devotional this morning was really good, so I wanted to expound on some of it with you. (The lessons come from the story of Joseph, specifically Genesis 39:1-6. )

The first great point is that God was the secret to Joseph's success, not luck. It also says that Joseph found favor with Potiphar- he didn't ask favors. This just made me think of times when I ask for blessings at work when I should be more concentrated on going the second mile for others instead.

It goes on to discuss the temptations that come with prosperity. For the record, Chris and I are not exactly "ballin' outta control", but we do have enough to pay our bills, get a few extras now and then, and give some away. We are blessed with amazing families and incredible jobs. We have some of the best friends in the world. I would consider that pretty prosperous. The temptations that come with prosperity are far greater (and far more subtle) than those that accompany adversity. No longer are we worried about just having faith that God will come through- now we are faced with greed, deceit, and all those ugly sins that creep up on us when things get "peachy".

Thomas Carlyle wrote,"Adversity is sometimes hard upon a man, but for one man who can stand prosperity, there are a hundred that will stand adversity". In other words, for every 100 people who face adversity and get through it, there is only one who is prosperous and maintains righteousness. That's rough!

What are your thoughts?

Why...

I got this off Dan's blog... (click on it to see a larger image) It definitely hits a nerve in me! What about you?

Praying in April

So Chris and I have been taking the month of April to really press in and seriously pray our hearts out about our future. Here are some questions we are asking God:

*Do we move to Africa or just do frequent short-terms trips there?
*How many kids to we adopt? From where? And most importantly- when?
*Do we adopt first or get pregnant first? And should I quick trying to control pregnancy by human means and just leave it all up to God?
*How are we going to raise $7000 for our mission trip in October?
*When should we begin the process of buying a house?
*We need patience!

As you can see, we have a lot on our minds. Ultimately, we just want clarity. Like Johnny said this weekend: God is the compass- He points us to Him and everything else falls into place. But we want MapQuest with step-by-step details!!! We will be attending the adoptions workshop at the end of the month and we pray that will help give us some of the answers we need.

We hope that you will join with us in prayer for these things! We could really use your support, prayers, and encouragement.

Hudson is here! Hudson is here!

Yesterday morning at 8:59am, Toby & Gena Bohl welcomed their third beautiful child into the world, Hudson Durant William Bohl. He was born 7 pounds 10.6 ounces and 20.5 inches long. Everyone is doing great! Hudson was 3 weeks early and his lungs were a little underdeveloped, so they had to put a tube in him to lubricate them. He's making improvements and should be out of NICU in no time. Keep him in your prayers. He is absolutely beautiful (what else would we expect from that family). Chris and I got to stay with Chase last night, and he's such a proud big brother. We love that whole family!!!

More pictures to come soon....