Student Leadership, Cupcakes and Me.

I had the privilege to spend some time with some fantastic young women on the UNDIVIDED Leadership Team today.

Want to meet them?

Aren't they just fantastic?

They are all uniquely and wonderfully made...

...and they all screamed in the parking lot when we pulled into Just Baked!

Yep, I got points!! :)

Who in the younger generation can you spend a few hrs with?

You'll be the one who learns.  :)

Girls who love God? You Bet!

CG Girls!

I know some of you are getting ready for your children to start school in a very short time from now.   Or maybe you've been ready for a while?? :)    My nephew goes away to college next week and my sister has already unashamedly said, "I'm going to be a wreck!"    :)

Whatever camp this blog post finds you in -- its time to get our 10th COMMONGROUND event on Friday, October 21st on our radar screens!    The CG outreach team is meeting tonight to discuss the details and start putting the plans into action!

If you were at the last CG event you know the exciting news that two women gave their lives to Christ that night!  This has been a source of such joy for us.    We are also excited that Camp Kesem received:

• 75 Sunblock


• 59 Bug Sprays


• 166 Coloring Books


• 5,169 Crayons


• 2, 037 Individual Snacks

CG girls are some of the most fantastically generous women we have ever met.   You continually blow our minds!

Also announced that evening was our support of Laban Ministries.  Laban Ministries is bringing life-changing hope of Jesus to the Congo!  They run a Women's Literacy Center in the Congo - teaching women to read using the Bible.  48 out of the 94 female students accepted Christ last year!    We are committing to send a portion of our offering from each CG event to this ministry.   Very Exciting!   Check it out for yourselves:

We are really excited not only about the focus of our October 21st event Project Crazy Love but also we'll be celebrating our 10th commonground event that night!

To add to the celebration that night, we'll be having 10 giveaways!  

Yep, 10!!!!! 

We can't wait!  Invite your girlfriends -- this is going to be a blast!!!

Women of Faith: Go!

Just returning from Women of Faith: IMAGINE in Indianapolis...I wanted to jot down type out my thoughts before the busyness of Monday knocks on my door in a few hrs.



I could sum up the entire experience in one word:  GO!

But that might leave you hanging a bit...so I'll give you a few more words...

This was my first WOF event and I want to say, "WHERE has it been all my life!"  Seriously...WOF started 16 yrs ago and I'm just now hearing about it?   (note to self: I need to get out more)

Here are some nuggets for you:

• 7,000 women attended Friday event.  10,000 on Saturday.  Yeah, thats right...LOTS of chicks!  It was so cool to see women from all different churches gathering together.  It was REALLY cool!  :)   I enjoyed meeting so many different women.  That is definitely a true statement.  Anddd...keeping things real on our blog...here is another true statement: I enjoyed looking at all the different shoes, purses, scarves and absolutely fantastic haircuts!)


• The WOF theme this year is IMAGINE.   And before the John Lennon song gets stuck in your head, it's based on this scripture...

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,  to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.   Ephesians 3:20-21

• Sheila Walsh who is outrageously funny and tenderly loving.  Spoke very openly about where her journey in life had taken her and how God met her there.  Some of her nuggets:










• Nothing will make you more beautiful than the word of God.


• You need to read the word,  with the times as they are, you need to know what you can stake your life on.


• You have not lived an unloved moment in your life.


• I'm (God) going to take her to the very place she fears most but I'll be going with her.


• The Shepherd knows where to find you.


• The Good Shepherd has a job and that is to make sure you get home. Let Him lead you.


• Jesus is the good news, we are not.










• Henry Cloud is just plain smart.  Nothing else to say.  Except this:










• When the co-dependant dies; "someone else's" life flashes before their eyes.


• If your gifts aren't showing up in the world, you need to correct that.


• Anything circumstantial only accounts for 10% of our happiness. Once that 10% peaks you'll return to who are you as a person.


• What really will bring you the happiness you want is a set of life practices and attitudes.


• Three things to put into practice: become a GIVER (not only $$ but with kind words, helpful tasks, etc.)  CONNECT to others (Baby, be my monkey! You need a band of monkeys in your life), Goals (even if its two a day!)






• Live life in the ZONE (getting pushed a little more that what you think you can do)


• If you begin to live in the ZONE of what GOD has called you to do what you don't even believe is possible today will be your life.






• A good gardener prunes the rose-bush with the future in mind.  Letting God remove the good from your life to make way for the best is sometimes necessary.


• His preschool daughter responded to the question "What type of man do you think you'll marry?"  I know what I don't want.  I don't want a 40 yr old living on his mother's couch.  She's already a pruner. :)










• Angela Smith:   Amazing testimony of God using her deepest wounds to touch thousands of lives.  She really is a gifted communicator.  Honestly, I cried so much during it - I didn't take many notes.  This is what stood out then and stands out now:










• In life's terrible storms you can choose to listen to man or Christ:  The One to Whom I belong.










• Lisa Harper:   Incredible testimony of her life including her father's salvation.










• All addictions are a disorder of worship...a running to the wrong things for fulfillment.


• He sees us.  He sees where we are bruised, where we have been hurt. I have been there and He answered me.  He will answer you.


• You are marked by the King.










• Nicole Johnson:  Heart tugging dramas.










• Do everyone in your life a favor and interview your anger.








• "Where does it hurt?"


• Deal with where it hurts.








• Trust that the tragedy will be made into something beautiful.










• Luci Swindoll:   There is more life in this 78-year-old woman than most 50 year olds I know. :)  She is just amazing!










• Live Now, Love Now, Give Now, LIVE today!


• "I am NOT going to sponsor any children from World Vision"  She went home with 14!


• "I do things because nobody said I couldn't"


• Take the opportunity when it comes.


• Don't live out of regret because you didn't walk by faith.


• "Oh! You who sits with their cup overflowing...why aren't you drinking?"










• The WoF worship team were so stinkin' good.  They harmonized so well I kept asking, "Is that really them singing?"Two artists joined the speaking team,  Natalie Grant and Erica from Mary Mary.   I'll let these videos show what a 1000 words can not.  (video HT: Todd Smith )
  










• Natalie singing,  "It is well..."


• Erica singing,  "Something Big"

What an amazing two days!

Thank you Women of Faith  & BookSneeze for giving me this great opportunity!

The most wonderful news is this:

 Ladies, Woman of Faith is heading back to Indy in August 2012!

Now that's something to CELEBRATE!

Women of Faith in Indy!

CG Girls,

Sometimes news comes that is better than a hot cup of coffee.  :)

I'm excited to be selected as a blogger for the Woman of Faith 2011 conference in Indianapolis!  I've never been to a WOF conference before so I am very excited to see what all the buzz is about!

The speaker line up has some very familiar names:

 Sheila Walsh, Luci Swindoll, Lisa Harper, Angie Smith

Musical Guests:  Mary Mary, Natalie Grant

Drama: Nicole Johnson

Special Guest:  Henry Cloud

Wait.. what is Henry Cloud doing at a Woman of Faith conference?   :)  This should get interesting!

This year's theme is Imagine.  It reminds me of one of the scriptures that is near and dear to me:

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,  to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.  ( Eph 3: 20-21)

CG Girls, have you ever been to a Woman of Faith conference?  What was your favorite part?