Christy and the Giant Spider

So it was Saturday night when the whole thing went down. If you know me, you know I am NOT a fan of spiders. I can handle little bitty ones, but anything over an inch and I'm gone. I had just finished a 4 hour band practice and couldn't wait to get home and get in the bed. As I always do, I tried to call my husband to let him know that I was on my way. Every time I tried to call, it went directly to his voice mail. So I cranked up my music and went on my merry little way home fully expecting him to be up when I got home as he is ALWAYS the last one to go to bed. The porch light was on to welcome me as always since it was however 11:00 at night, but I was not expecting the giant size of my hand black spider that was glaring at me now as if to say "my dinner has finally arrived". I looked down at my half naked, yet perfectly pedicured feet as they are always found in 80 degree weather on the first day of summer and decided that it was just too risky. The spider would surely mess up the polish on my toes (not what I was really thinking, I'm just trying to make this story as interesting as possible). I tried one more time to call my husband to no avail.... straight to the voice mail. In my desperate attempt to get into my home, I began to yell at the top of my lungs... ADAM!!!!!!!! ADAM!!!!!!!!!!!! HONEY?!!!!!!!!!!! ADAM!!!!!!!!!!!! HELP ME!!!!!!!!!!!! SPIDER!!!!!!!!!! My desperate attempt was just met with silence and the darkness of the night.... and now maybe the distant bark of a dog trying to join in my cry. The spider didn't move. Just sat there licking her lips just waiting for her moment to enjoy the feast before her. I could have gone out into the yard to look for a stick, but we have only lived there for a month, and the neighbors warned me about snakes so there was NO way I was going to do that. I would just be asking for my death sentence and nightmares for the rest of my life.... not that I wasn't already living out one at the current moment. As I was standing there looking around my yard for a possible solution, I realized what my weapon would have to be. Luckily, I am a hospitable person and just happen to have a nice little welcome flag in my garden. I pulled it out of the ground and reluctantly went to face my Goliath with whimpers escaping my mouth frequently. I raised my welcome flag weapon and with a shout unto the Lord, I landed perfectly on my enemy spitting that spider in half......just like David. What happened next was the most horrific scene of my life as about a thousand baby spiders went scattering everywhere. I began to scream bloodly murder just sure that someone would come running to my rescue.... but again.... silence and darkness ruled the night. So finally I had to make a decision, I would have to jump onto the porch and ring the doorbell and jump off, so with crawling skin over the sight that I was seeing, I asked for bravery and did just that. Still, silence. By this time, I was sure that the spider had eatten my entire family, including the child who was sleeping over since no one would come to my rescue. Finally, with everything in me, I ran onto the porch and with dancing feet, I unlocked the door to my safe haven and ran inside only to see the sleepy face of my husband coming around the corner..... thank GOD you're alive! I grabbed the wasp and hornet spray from the cabinet and proceeded to hopefully save my neighbors from ever experience the same horrific episode that I just faced.
Matthew 8:26 says that He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
I know that I was bigger than that spider, but fear had overtaken me. Now that I think about it, I get sucked into that frequently don't I? Maybe you're like me and it's easier to see the hugeness of your situation rather than the invisible promise that God has given to us. He hasn't given us a spirit of fear but of Power, Love, and a SOUND MIND!!! Think about that... sound mind. That's hard to come by in our world nowadays isn't it? We need to remember that there is a God who has paid the ULTIMATE price for us and will protect us, we just have to claim it sometimes. Don't be afraid to rebuke the enemy when he throws fear and failure our way.. in fact shout it out! My friend Todd, recently reminded me that if we try and rebuke the enemy with our mind, it won't ever work. He can't read minds. Sooo.... open up and yell at the enemy. Let him know you are serious about it. He has to flee. You're covered by the blood.

You are loved!
You're friend.... the Spider Slayer

Christy

Attitude of Gratitude

I've been reminded lately how very important having a positive attitude can be. Back in September of last year, I began a new chapter in my life. I became a Worship leader. My church was feeling led to reach our community in a new way. Instead of planting a new church, we decided that the Lord was calling us to plant a church satellite. The great thing about that was that we're get the benefits of all the resources in a large church while still being somewhat small. Needless to say... I didn't understand fully what I was saying yes to when I became that Worship Leader. In fact, the identity of the word "leader" had NEVER been on my radar. I was a follower, a people pleaser, and a doer, but for some reason, God called me leader. We began the church at the end of September and it was awesome. It was great meeting new people and getting to know people who I may not have ever had the pleasure of knowing had I not taken on this new adventure. What happened along the way was unexpected. I guess I never thought of how much I would miss the people at the other campus. In fact, there were many mornings that I would cry all the way to church, just longing to be back there for just a moment. I could have given in to that longing and given up, but God has called me to a new thing. , It would have been the easy way out to just resign and say I can't do this, I want the easy way out. I want to go back. but I didn't. Can I just tell you how much more I got out of every one of those mornings by choosing to follow the Lord than my own way? It was during those times that I have experienced the most amazing growth as a Worship leader. I chose to have a right attitude and press on despite how my emotions felt. I've watched people along the way become discouraged and a negative attitude rises up out of them. What is scary about that negativity is how poisonous it can be. It kills and destroy people all together......especially the one that it's coming from. It's so important to not get sucked into that kind of thinking especially in our new church atmosphere. That is EXACTLY what the enemy wants us to have. He doesn't want to see Southside Church Midlothian grow. He wants to destroy it and if he can get us to point our arrows of anger and resentment, bitterness and hatred at each other, than maybe he has a chance at making us go under. I'm going to fight for all it's worth to never let that happen. What we have got to remember is that we have alot of people watching us as leaders. The question that they are asking is...why should I want to step into a role of serving? What is your life showing? Is it a poisonous attitude? One that says...don't step into a role of serving. No one will be grateful for all you do. They will use and abuse you. Or do you have an attitude of gratitude? One that says... this is not about me. It's about doing everything I can to assure that the people around me experience the same freedom in Christ that I have found. The joy in the reward of following Him? I can assure you of this....if you will choose to have the latter of the two attitudes, we will NEVER have an issue of people wanting to step up and serve. What kind of attitude do you have? I choose joy.

Count it all Joy

I believe it's in James where the Bible tells us to count it all joy when you encounter various trials. The testing of your faith produces endurance. I left work early today because I just couldn't take any more pressure, you see, I'm in about 3 different trials and just when I thought the waters were about to settle, BOOM, out of nowhere a phone call comes and my day is ruined and I am reduced to tears literally in front of an entire office of people. I don't feel very joyful right now. The only good part that I can see at this moment, is that I'm able to sit outside on a very peaceful deck and write out what I'm feeling and going through. God, Thank you for providing a peaceful place. The amazing thing is that I'm watching my husband go through it all as well, but f.or some reason, it's not seeming to scar him up too much. How does he do that?
I think I've come to one conclusion and that's the fact that I've not made any time to really pray and seek the Lord. He's constantly in the word because that's part of his job. He's writing new material all the time and is learning more and more about the Bible, me... I'm too busy planning music and services and all the logistics that go along with what the preacher has to say. Don't get me wrong, I love what I do.... more than any other job I've had, but this job comes with a cost. The one thing that I know is that Satan is doing his very best to try and keep me distracted. So as for the drama today...We're all in money crunch time with gas prices and food cost on the rise, it's hard to trust God. In an effort to have a better living situation for my family, we moved to a new house 2 weeks ago. The landlady at the old house was crazy and hard to live with I did everything I knew to do including fix things in the house that were not done prior to us living there four years ago. I was so proud of my efforts and I just knew I would get my money back. Instead, I got the call of a screaming voice and now the voice in my head.... You will NEVER get out of renting. You are stuck for the rest of your life. I know it's a lie, but it's SO loud in my head right now. I am never good enough. I'm always going to dissapoint people even though I practically kill myself trying to make everyone happy. I'm never going to get to a place where I have enough money. As of yesterday, my phone was shut off because I couldn't pay that bill, I owe for my current rent payment and I have to choose. I just threw a beautiful wedding for my mother this past weekend... don't even get me started there. I just don't know what God is trying to teach me right now. I don't know how we're going to eat this month. I just feel sick and wish so badly that I had more faith than I do at this moment. I just feel like a beat up soldier waving the white flag that I can barely hold in my hand because I'm so very broken right now. In the meantime, I'm just going to HOPE that something good is coming my way. That God will increase my strength to get through it despite how I feel right now. Today, I walked into my husband's office where he was playing video from Winter Retreat of this past year and there I was singing with my friend Mike on the screen and I broke. I don't know why, I just did as I am once again at the memory of my day right now. Pray for me.

Someone to Believe in Me!

For every mountain You've brought me over, For every trial You've seen me through. For Every blessing.. hallelujah. For this I give You praise. As I write this blog, this is the music being played on my tv by a choir, and I am so overwhelmed right now at the presence of the Lord. I'm watching the INSP network as they talk about the legacy that Dr. Horton from Lee University (a choir director), who recently passed away, left the world. He was not a big celebrity, he never asked for fame and glory, he just spoke into the lives of college students, many of whom are friends of mine. He taught them what worship truely looked like and just influenced them to be better.
For me, there have been many people who have influenced me over the years, beginning with my dad who taught me how to have joy in EVERY circumstance. Nothing is too hard as long as you have the Lord leading you along the way.
About 3 years ago, I ran unexpectedly into someone who would have great influence in my life in the area of Worship. I never ever would have seen myself as a worship leader today if it weren't for the incredible experiences of worship that I have had with him. He has shown me how be honest and vulnerable and real before a congegation leading them into the presence of a Holy God who knows and sees every heart and every hidden place. I believe when I am real, when I am honest in front of the congregation, it's easier for them to get real before the Lord and break down barriers that might get in the way of their own worship. I am thankful for my Worship mentor and incredible friend Mike Cowart. I know that God has GREAT things for him still....

Just one year after Mike and I met, he introduced me to someone that I can't even talk about without choking back tears. OMGosh.. if you could see me right now.... I can barely write this blog because the tears are already flowing down my face. From the moment I first saw her,I was drawn to her. I don't know why, it's almost like there was an annointing on our friendship even before we became friends. Her friendship was the very gift that I needed at the perfect time. I'm pretty sure she would say the same thing. It's funny. Even though we live so far away from each other, just knowing that she is praying for me and cheering me on, makes her feel so close. I think she was the one who said it a long time ago... "there is no distance in prayer." We've only been friends for a short time, and I believe that I can truely say that in that short time, no one has challenged me more than she has. She is a reminder of the parts of God's promises that I sometimes forget. She is an amazing mother. She is putting values into her children that challenge me to do the same. She calls me beautiful when I can't even look into the mirror. Her strength is amazing. She is going to fight to the end for what is right... she loves Jesus FIRST. She doesn't take herself seriously...which is one of my favorite things about her. I'm the same way. We love to laugh together. Jayne knows how to LIVE the zoe filled life (life to the fullest). Just a couple of weeks ago, she finally earned the right to be called Dr. I know that many things in her life will change as she begins her ministry of healing, but I am confident in this... God is going to use her to touch SOOO many lives. Not only in a physical way, but she also has this way of speaking into people's lives to challenge them to be better. She did to me and still does. I also look forward as our friendship grows this year and as I watch God continue to chisel away at both of us into what He wants us to be.
It's so great to have people who influence you. Who believe in you. Who cheer you on to be better. I'm thankful for those kind of people and can only hope that I pay it forward into someone else's life the way it's been paid into mine. I love you my friends!

God Singing

As most of you know, in an effort to try and keep healthy and do something for "me", I have taken up running. I have become a HUGE fan of accomplishing goals. Actually setting out to do something and finishing it. This is kindof a new thing for me as I used to be somewhat lazy and unmotivated. There just isn't anything better than a big pat on the back or knowing that you can do something that someone else wouldn't even begin to dream to do. This morning, my favorite running partner, Ariane, and I met at 6:30 in the morning to run 6 miles. This would be my first really long run by her side. We haven't run more than 4 miles together at one point so I was excited to set out on this adventure. Also, as most of you know.. I'm very motivated by music. I have a whole set of running music on my ipod to push me along. So, as we prepared for this run...(a new path to take for me), I had my trusty ipod ready to go, but decided to not play the music until I really needed it. As we ran, we talked. I recommend this for anyone who wants to make new friends. My friend and I have only known each other for a couple of months, but the time that we have spent with each other, for me, has been truely priceless. It's become a safe place for us to vent about our struggles as well as encourage each other to grow closer in our walk with the Lord and in other relationships. So we're running, talking, the tempature is PERFECT! She ran me around a lake and under a tunnel and through the woods. As we ran, there were times that we were quiet just trying to focus on breathing, and I never turned on my ipod. I am SOOO glad that I didn't because I would have missed it. I know with all of my heart, I heard God singing. The very sound of nature all around me. I haven't paid attention to that sound in such a long time. A duck landed in the water as we ran over a bridge at the lake and the sound that it made as he hit the water. Have you heard it lately? The sound of worship of God's creation all around us. It happens every day, we just have to slow down our busy lives and stop for a moment in order to hear it. I feel like God placed a new song in my heart for Him because of it. He gave me a gift this morning. I've felt SOO very alive all day. If I would have stayed in bed, I would have missed it. The song of friendship and encouragement, the sound of nature praising a God who deserves every bit of it and OH so much more, the sound of a friendly hello as someone passes us by. I could have drowned it all out and missed the song by turning up a different sound in my ears. Instead, I went away encouraged by the run. Feeling stronger for it, having someone elses perspective on weaknesses that I see in me but mostly knowing that I want to sing the loudest praise song to the Lord that I can. I want every part of my life to be worship to the Lord and I want to encourage you in that same way in your life as well. I encourage you... sometime soon... wake up early in the morning. Take a walk with a friend, or a run, whatever you want, but stop and be quiet for a moment and listen to God singing for you. Remember, He sings loudest over you. Zephaniah 3:17. I can't wait to Worship with you tomorrow! Christy

Run the Race

Earlier this week my daughter asked me “Mommy, other than Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, what is your favorite day of the week and why?” Without hesitation I answered Tuesday. I love Tuesday because Tuesday is the day set aside to pray for the members of our church. One of my favorite things about being on staff at Southside Church is the fact that we are a staff who truly prays over the cards that are filled out each week. It brings me such joy to learn that a prayer has been answered. It thrills me to know that the people are trusting us with sometimes really intimate details of their lives because they just want someone to stand with them, and believe me, we are. Isn’t that why we’re in this thing in the first place? We need to know that we’re not running this race alone?
I’m currently in training to run the Ukrops 10K race. Last Saturday morning, I met some people to run. That was my 6 mile day. The people that I was running with were much faster than me. I’d never run more than 5 miles before, but I was ready and determined to do the 6. I started off and quickly fell way behind, but they kept coming back for me so I knew that they weren’t going to leave me behind to do this on my own… not knowing the right way to go. My favorite part was the very end when my friend JoAnn ran beside me as we ran the very last part of the run… one lap around the track at Thomas Dale High School. She cheered me on telling me I was doing a great job and don’t give up. When we were all done… I cried. I cried because I had set a goal for myself and I kept trying until I did it, but I was also thankful that someone was there along the way cheering me on to not give up. I am SOO lucky to have a lot of cheerleaders in my life. I would have given up years ago, but we have a promise from God.
I love the way this is said in Hebrews 12 from the Message Bible
1-3Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!
4-11In this all-out match against sin, others have suffered far worse than you, to say nothing of what Jesus went through—all that bloodshed! So don't feel sorry for yourselves. Or have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as his children? My dear child, don't shrug off God's discipline, but don't be crushed by it either. It's the child he loves that he disciplines; the child he embraces, he also corrects.God is educating you; that's why you must never drop out. He's treating you as dear children. This trouble you're in isn't punishment; it's training, the normal experience of children. Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend for themselves. Would you prefer an irresponsible God? We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God's training so we can truly live? While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God's holy best. At the time, discipline isn't much fun. It always feels like it's going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it's the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God.
12-13So don't sit around on your hands! No more dragging your feet! Clear the path for long-distance runners so no one will trip and fall, so no one will step in a hole and sprain an ankle. Help each other out. And run for it!
Whatever you are facing today… don’t do it alone. You have a church who will cheer you on and you have a Father who sometimes will discipline you even if it hurts a little bit at times. It’s all part of the training and in the end… the prize will be WELL worth it!
I love being a part of your team and I can’t wait to lead you into His presence this Sunday. Pastor Hancock will be with us at Midlothian and Wynne will be preaching. Invite your neighbors and friends.
OUR TEAM WINS!!! WOO HOO!
Christy