Tennessee....

is where I am at right now. We had to make a trip up here because of a death in the family. Tom's step-dad passed away on Thursday so we headed out on Friday evening. It wasn't a bad trip, we made really good time, only took about 10 hours. We will be heading home Monday after the service.

The kids have been making the most of the trip, taking pictures and cutting up and having a good time. I know it is not going to be fun for them at the services but I am glad that they are having a good time right now.

Tom's new job is going well. I have to say it is a little weird him going to work by walking down the hall but he is loving it.

Well I will try and post at least one more time before we leave but for now it is time to relax and enjoy the Tennessee view.

I'm ready......

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Philippians 4:6

This verse has been bouncing around in my head today so I thought I would share it with you.

This is my year to learn to "let go and let God" and it can sometimes be alot easier said then done. But as you always hear,'if it was easy then everybody would be able to do it', and that is true. God has so much in store for me this year and there may be some battles that I have to fight and then there may be times I have to sit back and let God fight it for me and I am OK with that. I am not saying it will be easy but I am ready. This year is my year to stand firm on what I believe and to not back down or run away when it gets hard.

So what ever you are in need of take it to God and let Him take care of it and TRUST that He has your best interest at heart

Trust....

In Life Coaching again this year we are supposed to choose our "word of the year" and again mine is TRUST. Last year is was more about trusting others and myself but this year it is about trusting God. This verse really spoke to me today:

O Sovereign LORD, you are God! Your words are trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant. 2 Samuel 7:27

Why do we ever doubt that God has good things planned for us. It says right in the bible that He has promised good things for us but I think sometimes we believe that is for everyone besides ourselves. It says right here in this verse that God is Trustworthy but yet we try to keep things from Him (like He doesn't know any way) because we think that He will not understand or that our problem is way to big for God. Think about that.....the God who created everything can not handle our problems....when you really stop and think about that statement it is laughable, well at least to me it is.

So that is my plane for this year...to trust God in every situation not just the ones I think He can handle but in every aspect of my life.

I know things happen for a reason and I really believe with all of my heart God is going to use me and my family this year to bring about some big changes.

I am asking all of you out there that consider me their friend to stand with me in prayer that I will allow God to walk and talk through me this year in all areas of my life and that He gives me the courage to stand for what I believe in....no matter what.

Guess what....

it is finally here!!!!!!!!!!!! The launch day of Celebration Church!!!!!!!!! It has been one of the most exhausting weeks of my life but it is all worth it.

We had the unveiling of the sign this morning which was amazing, then we headed to Florida Ave and Bearss Ave to hand out chocolate, that is something that I have never done before, but it was alot of fun (we defiantly need to do it again).

After that I headed out with Candy and Heather to get all of the things for tomorrow nights Celebration launch party. We had a blast, it felt like we were all over the Tampa Bay area. We got back to the church at about 6:30 then I had a couple more errands to run myself so I finally made it home at about 8 or 8:30. Now it is relaxation time before bed.

So if you are anywhere never the Tampa Bay area at 10:00 am tomorrow morning join us at Celebration Church for the start of something great!!!!!!

Out with the old.....

in with the new!!!

That has been the "theme" at work for the last 3 months or so. We are just days away from launching a BRAND NEW church in the Tampa Bay area and it is sooooo exciting. Like I read in one of my favorite blog (Michele's) it is kind of bitter sweet. I thought I would recap all the wonderful things that have happened in my life while I have attended Northside:

*God finally got a hold of me, and I mean really a hold of me

*My husband was miraculously saved

*My girls have all 3 given their heart to Christ

*Everyone in my family was baptized

*I am learning to TRUST people and let them "in"

*I have met some of my very very best friend in my life at Northside

Wow, God can do alot in 8 years!!!

Now I can hardly wait to see what God is going to do at and through Celebration Church. Pastor Deanna always says the best is yet to come and boy I believe it.

If you live anywhere remotely close to the Tampa Bay area and believe that no church will ever accept you or that you have gone to far for God or anyone else to ever love you again, I invite you to Celebration Church this Sunday. As soon as you step on the property you are among friends that will love you and I mean truly love you no matter where you are at or where you are coming from. We are here for you and I mean that from the bottom of my heart. We are a church that will accept you and we can introduce you to a Savior that will love you through all of your past and be there with you to show you around in your future.

If you have any question about us look us up on the web: www.celebrationchurchtampa.com

What a ride...

but you gotta love it...........

It has been a little nutty around here lately.

Last week the girls had mid-terms so the older two got out of school at 11:30 on some days and 9:45 on some days....depending on what classes they had that day. So it was a little crazy having to get tham at different times everyday. But we made it through it and they all think they did pretty well on their exams.

We have been going 90 to nothing with the launch which is just around the corner...literally. You never realize how much there is to do until you jump in and start doing it. But it will all be worth it in the end...when we open those doors on January 31 and start this new chapter it is going to be amazing...trust me!!!!!!!!!

The week of prayer was amazing.....it is hard to pin point one things but I think by far my favorite was Prayer and Pancakes. We have had them in the past and they were great but there was just something different about this one. There was just such a spirit of unity and acceptance and love....it is hard to explain unless you were there. I tell you this though if that is even just a small sample of what heaven is going to be like then all of the crap we have to go through now is definitely worth it.

Now this week....well I should of expected a tough one after the week of prayer and it has been a challenging one. The week started off pretty good but Wednesday we were thrown a curve ball. Tom went to the doctor for a lump he has had on his leg since around Christmas time. It has gotten bigger over time so we wanted to get it checked out. Well the doctor looked at him and said that he didn't know what it was and sent him to the ER, so we were in the ER all day yesterday. The only thing we know right now is that it is an abscess, they sent him home with an antibiotic and want him to follow up with a surgeon. Right now he is sore because they did cut it open and try to drain it. But we are believing God for a healing and that we will not have to go to the surgeon.

So now it is Thursday night and am trying to recoop from all the craziness. Life Coaching starts Saturday and I am sooooooo excited about that. Life Coaching has been so amazing and has helped me so much...it has brought me out of my shell and taught me to TRUST people the way I should. It has taught me to let go of the past and to look forward to the future and to treasure the present. The ladies that are in that group hold a special place in my heart and always will!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well time to relax...don't get that opportunity very often so I am going to take advantage of it.

May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.

Psalm 33:22

What's going on.....

the first things that's going on is it is COLD here in sunny Florida!!!!!!!!!!!!! There is a possibility of snow...yes I said snow..here..in Florida...can you believe it?!?!?!?!?

Secondly...I am feeling sooooo much better and so is Tom. Thanks everyone for all of your prayers...it is greatly appreciated.

We had one of the last work days at church today before our launch on the 31st of this month. It is amazing what God is doing among His people. I just love to sit back and look at all the people in the church right now...I can look at each person and see how much God is doing in them, through them, and what He is accomplishing through their willingness to serve. I thank God everyday for allowing me to be apart of His amazing church and allowing me to serve right beside some of the most unbelievable loving and caring people on the planet!! You guys will never fully understand what you mean to me and how much I love each and everyone of you.

Just as lotions and fragrance give sensual delight, a sweet friendship refreshes the soul. Proverbs 27:9 (The Message)