What a Wonderful Week.....

Let me tell you about my excitement of this week...it is a glorious week.

Monday: Ryan and Jamie start looking for a new bike for me!!! My last bike bought was when I was 18. from WalMart. Enough said. It's had a good life and ran a good run, but it was time to begin looking for a replacement

Tuesday: WE BOUGHT ME A NEW BIKE!!!!!! I am now the proud owner of a TREK 7100 hybrid. It is so very very cute and such a great bike!

I just love my new bike and have an incredible itch to take it for a ride. But there's not time just yet because.....

Thursday: Double Date night with Alan and Stephanie. Steph and I have no idea what's planned...we just know festiviities kickoff at 5 pm!!! What great husbands we have!

but then there's Friday. Let me tell you about this Friday. This should be a national holiday. Hands down a celebration. This is the day when my dreams come true, and come to an end. A day of rejoicing and weeping. A day of remembrance to be specific:

THIS FRIDAY HARRY POTTER AND THE DEADLY HOLLOWS WILL BE RELEASED.

Let me explain. No other book in the history of the world has caused the phenomenon that it to be Harry Potter. People refuse to read them because of the craziness that has swept up the world. Preachers will speak out against it this week, some may even try to ban it...But let me tell you, it's uncontainable. Some of the most brilliantly written literature of our day and I get to read the final conclusion THIS FRIDAY. AS IN TOMORROW. It all ends this weekend. Years of dediation and excitement. Tears and victories for little Harry and it concludes in 26 hours. A weekend of pure reading and enjoyment. A night of Harry Potter parties and friends. This is the day to go all out people. This is a day of rememberance.

What a glorious week this will be.

A Beautiful Picture:

Community Flourishing

Based on Romans 12:3-16, 1 Corinthians 13:1-7; Colossians 3;9-17

Picture a community, a church, a group of friends that is so conductive to life change and development, full of truth and grace, and overflowing with love. Here's what we could look like...

We would be full of kindness and love, patient, not envious, not boastful, not proud or rude, able to compromise, working to meet the needs of each other and allowing our needs to be met. Using our different gifts and abilities and encouraging others in theirs. A community based on finding our value in the faith God has given us and not in others opinions of us. A place that is abounding in forgiveness and hope. A place where we are all faithful to each other and to God. We are truthful, enduring, continually being renewed, growing in Christ, accepting of all, merciful, kind, humble, gentle, teaching and counseling each other, worshiping together, giving together and to each other, and continually giving thanks for all things!

That's the community all would long to be a part of...

Vacation has been wonderful…I think Spring Break is even better once your out of school than when your in school. The slowness of the days has been intoxicating. And I don’t use that word lightly. Sometimes I ponder ever having to go back to work again.

                I’ve spent the last three days doing absolutely nothing except reading, napping, enjoying the beautiful weather I’ve been given and simply enjoying life…ah, sweet Spring Break. Tomorrow the plan is to bike up to Rocheport, my favorite town. The quaintness of it reminds me of Stars Hollow in Gilmore girls and I love it. Did I mention I’ve been catching up on Gilmore Girls as well? I love it, let’s not forget my garage sale browsing, library book sale, and a night of generous fun with Alan and Stephanie. Yep, it’s pretty much settled, I’m not going to work ever again.

                I also finished my last cake decorating class, got a certificate and everything. Woo Hoo, I must say my cake was fabulous. Sadly, we didn’t have work today for me to take it into the office so I am not sure who is going to eat it. I only make the cakes, I don't eat them although, Ryan and I had a devilishly good time last night eating cupcakes and making new types of frosting to spread on them. My favorite ended up being vanilla frosting with peanut butter chips drizzled with caramel over the top. Absolutely divine! Man, this has been a great week! So completely refreshing and it’s only 1/3 of the way over! To top things off I’m going home with Ryan to see our family Thursday – Sunday as well as some great Saint Louis friends and I can’t wait. Then next week starts launch week where I go to Lindenwood, Rolla, and Flo Valley to start Crusade movements there...how great is that! It’s going to be the perfect transition back to work. I love starting movements and doing outreaches and I have a whole week of it. I already miss the girls I meet with so I know I’m going to be completely excited to get back to Mizzou after two weeks, I’m just savoring my time off now. ..

This is what God has been teaching me. It's life changing and I can't get enough of it. I've been reading the book "How to be filled with the Holy Spirit" by Bill Bright and I'm convinced it's a classic in my collection and my walk. I am saddened by the lack of abundant life that Christians today live and my soul yearns for the adventure that I know abides in Christ through depending on His Spirit.

J. B Phillips; Letters to Young Churches:

    "The great difference between present day Christianity and that of which we read in these letters (the New Testament) is that to us it is primarily a performance, to them it was a real experience. We are apt to reduce the Christian religion to a code, or a best a rule of heart and life. To these men it is quite plainly the invasion of their lives by a new quality of life altogether. They do not hesitate to describe Christ as "living" in them."

1.  Who is the Holy Spirit? (See John 14:26; 15:26.)

            The Holy Spirit is God. He is not an “it”. He is not a divine influence. He is not a fleecy white cloud. He is not a ghost or concept. He is a person possessing a will, intellect, and emotions. He is the counselor whom the father sent to teach us and remind us of what God has said. He is the Spirit of truth who abides in us and testifies about God.

How do you know that He is a person and not a force or impersonal power? (See 1 Corinthians2:11; 12:11; Romans 15:30.)

            He is God’s Spirit within Him and knows all of His thoughts. He is active and is the same Spirit in every person. He gives gifts to people (continually) as he determines, meaning that He has His own mind, will, and emptions.

2. Why did the Holy Spirit come? (See John 14:16, 17, 26; 16:7,13,14.)

            The Holy Spirit came to glorify Christ and to lead believers into all truth. He came to teach us all things and remind us of all God has said. It is for our good that Christ wanted us to have a counselor to be with us at all times, to guide us in all truth, to speak what He hears from God, and to tell us what is yet to come. He continually brings glory to Christ by taking what is Christ’s and making it known to us.

3. What does it mean to be "filled" with the Holy Spirit? (See John 14:16, 17, 26; 16:7, 13, 14.)

            To be filled with the Spirit means to be filled with Christ. The Holy Spirit came to glorify Christ; therefore to be filled with the Spirit is to be abiding in Christ. I am walking in the light as He is in the light, and the blood of Jesus Christ will cleanse and keep on cleansing me of all unrighteousness.

I am controlled by Christ because the word “filling” means to be controlled. and if one is controlled—not as a robot but as one who is led and empowered by the Holy Spirit--the Lord Jesus will walk around in my body and live His resurrected life in and through me.