Isn’t it interesting how things work together?

Here I am on vacation in Colorado. The good news is that the wild flowers are in full bloom, the hummingbird wars at the feeder are astounding, the  lull of the rushing Crystal river a few feet away doesn’t even drown out the beautiful bird songs, and the views of the beautiful red stone mountains never becomes dull. We’ve seen a fox, an elk, dozens of chipmunks and butterflies, and a mountain lion! 

The bad news is that I’m studying for a systematic theology exam. 

The interesting part is that as I’m studying about God’s universal revelation, and how through general revelation He is revealed through His creations, I have this vivid example in real life all around me. 

Prayer requests.

- Pray for wisdom as I prepare for the upcoming state leaders’ wives conference

- Pray for understanding as I stretch my brain for today’s systematic theology exam

- Pray for safety for Steve and Tylor as they fish the Crystal River. Those two are having a blast, and it’s such a very major blessing to spend time with Ty. They’re catching their limit each day, relaxing and enjoying vacation as it should be! That’s Steve in the top photo.

- Pray that these hummingbirds learn to get along and share my unending supply of sugar water. (just kidding!)

Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Isn’t this a fun theme? At last week’s deacon wives conference in Ridgecrest North Carolina, we used “No Miniblinds in a Fishbowl” as a theme. One breakout class was titled “swimming lessons” - with tips about how to minister to church members in crisis. 

Steve used a fishing theme with the deacons, too:  “What’s In Your Tacklebox?”  They had an excellent challenge to keep evangelism at the forefront of ministry - “Wishing I was fishing!”

As we head off for vacation time in Colorado, Steve and our son, Tylor, will be doing lots of fishing.  They’ll spend every day in rubber boots in the middle of the Crystal River, fly fishing and enjoying the beauty of God’s creation and some great father-son time.  And I’ll be sitting on a rock surrounded by beautiful wildflowers next to the Crystal River, working on my laptop on a manuscript for a book for pastor wives.

Pray for great weather and great fishing. 

Pray for those wonderful deacon and deacon wives we enjoyed at Ridgecrest last week.

And pray for me as I write — for God’s wisdom and inspiration. It’s going to be a fun vacation! 

Psalm 37:37a
“Watch the blameless and observe the upright…”

Marriage matters…

Our daughter, Autumn, is engaged to be married to Yale Wall!  Marriage matters.

Aunt June and Uncle Ferris celebrated their 67th wedding anniversary last week.  Marriage matters.

Steve and I will celebrate 37 years of marriage this month.

Marriage matters.

I just spent a week teaching the Deacon Wives track for Ridgecrest’s Evangelism/Discipleship week. Each of those women in the class spent the entire week learning how they can serve alongside their husbands. As I observed their commitment and excitement about serving God AND encouraging their husbands, I was reminded again…marriage matters.

Exciting days area ahead for Autumn and Yale.

And June and Ferris.

And Steve and I.

And all those deacons and wives. 

I’m so thankful that God gave me the gift of marriage to my husband. 

Proverbs 5:18
Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.

LifeWay Christian Store in Oklahoma City hosted a book signing for the new Fresh Ideas for Women’s Ministry book. Travis, the manager, created lovely signs and arranged all the details beautifully.

It was such fun! I saw old friends, met new friends, and since my sister lives in Oklahoma City, got to spend some time with Nancy! (see photo below)

 Isn’t God good to work “all things together for those who love Him” ?!

See that handsome man in the photo? That’s my husband, Steve. Since the Southern Baptist Convention met in Indianapolis this week, he had the privilege of offering a formal “welcome to Indy” to the convention attenders.  The photo is from Baptist Press (baptistpress.org) and you can read lots of reports from the SBC convention there.    

You’re going to love this!  My daughter is a missionary in Sheffield, England. She is youth minister at a new church there, and is reaching out to gothic teens. It’s so exciting to see how God has used her to reach many for Him!

So here’s an idea she did last week.  They sewed together four queen-sized bedsheets and painted a gigantic Twister game on it. Then she took her teens to a place where teenagers hang out in a downtown skate park, and just began playing Twister.  They couldn’t believe how many joined in!  I can guarantee you those new kids will hear God’s plan of salvation.

Get creative. 

Get outside the church walls.

There are people, old and young, in your community

who are waiting

for someone to show love

and share Jesus.

Is your church building or renovating?  It’s a painful process, I know! But it’s worth all the effort to create new space to reach people for Christ. Two examples:

Last Sunday, I went with Steve to Keck Avenue Baptist Church, Evansville IN, where he was preaching. The church is totally renovating the entire church facade, the sanctuary and the fellowship hall. In order to have a place to meet during this major renovation, they took several adjacent Sunday School classrooms, burst out the walls, and created a large meeting space for temporary worship.  They moved in a keyboard and projector and sound equipment, and are gathering for worship each week in that temporary space. Very creative - and it works!

No, it’s not perfect. But yes, it’s exciting and worth all that effort.

When my daughter went to college, she was especially attracted to one church because the people in the rear of the sanctuary sat on lawn chairs. The church was paying for the seating as money was collected. It created a unique kind of challenge and enthusiasm. And people could worship from lawn chairs just fine.

When our church once did a major renovation, the sanctuary was closed for several months and we met in the gymnasium.  It was an exciting summer of evangelism, and we had many new people who had accepted Christ during worship or VBS or youth camp. Since there was no baptistry available, my pastor/husband went to the local feed store and borrowed a feeding trough. We had quite a few large baptismal services that summer–in a feeding trough! 

Don’t stop worshipping Him and sharing Him during renovations!  

It was an amazing trip!  We went to the “Super Shoot” bench rest shooting event near Wadsworth Ohio.

Steve’s Uncle Ferris and Aunt June Pindell were quite influential in his childhood. They practically raised him!  Uncle Ferris has been bench-rest shooting (precision) for 64 years, and this is his favorite shoot. 

He actually invented the PPC cartridge, used by precision shooters everywhere, and he held the World Record in bench rest shooting for a decade. 

Although Uncle Ferris is unable to compete because of his                                                                           age and health, he wanted to attend the shoot, so we were the “chauffers.” 

It was amazing! As we walked around with Ferris and June, it was like escorting royalty!  Shooters from dozens of countries around the world were ecstatic to see him, asking for his autograph, taking photos, and a shooter from India even bowed down in honor of him! 

We met shooters from Canada, France, Germany, Ukraine, Austria, Russia, Dominican Republic, New Zealand, England, Australia, and lots more! It was like traveling the world.

We met a plethora of important people in the shooting world. (See my photo below with Jim Carmichael, editor of Outdoor Sports magazine.)

The scenery, the weather, the people — it was a perfect trip. But the best part of the trip was the smile that was stuck on Uncle Ferris’ face the entire time. 

I just returned from Texas where I’ve been helping my son, Tylor, move to Fort Worth.  What a fabulous time we’ve had!!  I’m thanking God for all His blessings. What a great Mother’s Day!

While there, we attended Fellowship Church in Fort Worth with my brother’s family. Here’s a great idea they did for Mother’s Day:

They set up several photo sites for mothers to have their portrait taken with their family. It was quick and lines were short. The free photos will be available in the atrium the next Sunday. 

Great gift.

     Great family encouragement.

          Great enticement to come back to church next week.

I’d shared a similar idea in my book, Fresh Ideas (B&H 2007) to use for a church’s Fall Festival. You set up a cute photo backdrop, take a quick photo of each costumed child as they arrive, and give the parents a note that they can pick up their free photo on Sunday morning. 

Everybody loves a photo…especially on Mother’s Day!

Personal “Mom” stuff -

Isn’t God so good!  We’re had great news that our oldest son, Tylor, is moving to Fort Worth next week, where he’ll be working with my brother and living near family.  We’re praising God for this huge blessing. The whole family is so excited! I’ll catch a plane on Thursday and spend some days in Texas helping him get settled. Pray for Ty as he makes this move — for great new friends and peace and joy. 

Bonus: I’ll get to be with my Mom on Mother’s Day!

And pray for our younger son, Justin, who is in Pau France teaching masters level business classes for a couple of months. He’s also playing on a rugby team - so pray that he lives through it!  Below is a photo of Justin and Steve when we saw him off at the airport.

And pray for Autumn as she continues to serve as a missionary in Sheffield England. She just returned from a fun trip to California to visit her boyfriend’s family, and she’s back hard at work.  Here’s her website: http://www.antiochsheffield.org/youth.html

And I thought I loved those little-kid parenting days…

It’s great being a mom.  Happy Mother’s Day.