From our hearts to yours...

Merry Christmas...

Hope 4 Western Wayne County 2012

CGgirls!   Remember all of those school supplies you so generously donated and bagged?

We collected 943 bags filled with school supplies.   WOW!  That is pretty amazing, isn't it?!

God came through with the difference.   I'll share that in a moment.

Serving at Hope4WWC was a tremendous blessing. 

Hats off to the early birds who met at 7am to load up all the school supplies!

We saw many other CGgirls serving at the event as well!   That was exciting to see...truly taking God's love from the pews to the pavement.  Amazing!

It was a beautiful day filled with beautiful people. 1, 100 guests came through and it was wildly fantastic!

When you choose to serve something wonderful happens.   You think you are going to help others but what happens is we change when we serve.  God is brilliant isn't He?   It's a beautiful thing to serve God by serving others.

Here's what some of the CGgirls had to say about Saturdays event.

"It was the most touching outreach I've ever served in, and each of us were there for the very same reason - to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Little did I know how much each guest would bless me! Hearing their stories and to see how thankful they were for what we were doing.... truly an unforgettable experience."  Beth Woodard, Connection Church served in the Grocery area.

"We serve a mighty God. I met a lady that was so pleased with her family portrait, she wanted to came back to the welcome area just to show me -- tears filled her eyes as she explained how she never had been able to afford a photo like this -- as she was walking to her car, she continued to look at the portrait -- I asked the other ladies to look as she was walking --- tears filled our eyes as I told her story --- her children were teenagers -- priceless -- it was my honor to serve with Harvest Bible Church --- Thank You Lord"   Cheryl Jones, Allen Park Nazarene Church served in Guest Services.

As for me, one of the highlights came when a young man visited our School Supply area and said, "I heard you were short some bags from your goal of 1000"  quickly followed by, " Tell me what you need and I'm going to get them for you."   This young man (in his 20s) went out and bought items to fill our remaining 57 bags.

Ladies, we got the 1000 --  we got the 1000!  Praises to God from whom all blessings come -- what a day!

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you to all of you who brought items to donate, who came and served, who prayed for this wonderful outreach.  100 people gave their lives to the Lord on Saturday. 

Life is beautiful.  Isn't it?

Extraordinary life? Yes, please! Pick me!

Hello CGgirls!

We have some catching up to do...so grab a seat and let's do what girlfriends do...

How are you?   I hope you are reminded today what a wonderfully made woman you are.   Even if you don't "feel" it... you are.    Who says?  He does.   In fact, God says that you are fearfully and wonderfully made.    Maybe you needed that reminder today.   I know I did.

You know what I've been thinking lately?   I've been thinking about how God invites us into a story (His by the way) that is so stinkin' more exciting then the one we would have created for ourselves.   I saw this and thought... yeah.. that's perfect!

I'm so thankful  God calls us to do things that are "other focused" and  "out of our comfort zones"  it makes life so much more of an adventure.    Who needs normal?  :)

Here are some highlights of what's going on in and through CGgirls:

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  I had the tremendous honor to serve and speak at a Women's Retreat for the wonderful ladies of  Allen Park Nazarene.  What a fantastic group of women!    I've never seen such an atmosphere of bonding and great community.  It was so great to share God's Word with them.  Upon arrival I was told, "These ladies won't run from Truth, so if you bring Truth, you'll do just fine."  WOW - they were not lying.   I love this group of ladies -- and to top it off - they are coming to the next CG on Friday, July 27th!   They said their goal is to bring 27 ladies on the 27th!    Meet my new friends:  
  Speaking of our next CG event (can you believe, its our 13th!!!)  So excited to be partnering with Hope 4 Western Wayne County.   CGgirls are walking by faith and have committed to bringing 1000, (yes, you read correctly - don't rub your eyes you'll ruin your makeup) O N E T H O U S A N D school supply kits.  We've got a big God and we believe very strongly that where you find unity, you find power.   Women from all over Metro Detroit will be coming to the next CG event (Friday, July 27th 7pm)  and bringing with them the following:  Glue sticks, No. 2 pencil packs, 24 pk of crayons, pack of washable markers and 2 pocket folders.    Wanta join the fun?  Who doesn't!  :)    Apparently we aren't alone in this:
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  A big shout out to the fine folks at Ask-Services for collecting school supplies for our outreach!

A box of school supplies mysteriously showed up in my office last night.  CGgirls are wildly generous!  Love, Love, Love seeing God's activity in your lives!

If you are available on Saturday, August 18th and would love to serve during this crazy good day of outreach called HOPE 4 Western Wayne County - they could use your tender hearts that day.  Or maybe your heart could us some tendering?
Over 5000 families are being invited to participate in a day (in Westland, MI) that includes: groceries, health fair, Kids Zone, a BBQ Lunch, family portraits, hair cuts, school supply kits, and live entertainment.  

Sign Up to serve that day!

• 
  
  Remember our PCL girls?  Project Crazy Love?   We adopted 14 girls in foster care for Christmas last year and God absolutely blew our minds with providing over 1,100 gifts for them.   Well, we're continuing the conversation with our monthly PCL Birthday Club.  We go to their home bringing birthday love each month:
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  We would love for you to get involved with this monthly outreach!  You can stop by the CGgirls: Serve! table at the afterparty to find out more info!
  
  
  
  
  Who wants a normal life?  Not us!   
  
  
  
  
  We're excited about Friday Night.  I hope you call a girlfriend or two and bring them along with you.  We'll have dynamic live worship, giveaways, an afterparty with great appetizers, coffee/cocoa bar - all free!     We call it a Girl's Night with a God Focus.  Be there?
  
  
  
  
  With deep appreciation & affection,
  
  
  
  
  Tami
  
  

Recap: April's Event - A M A Z I N G!

We are still glowing from all that God did in and through CGgirls at Friday Night's event.  Here are some highlights from Friday Night!

• Our spotlight focus was on Royal Family Kids Camp.   Amazing ministry for foster kids ... RFKC is a camp held each year for foster kids.  Crazy good stuff is going on through RFKC!    CGgirls collected 505 items for RFKC and really blew us away.   There were enough items to cover 5 years (Yep, FIVE years of camp!).    When the body of Christ works together something really wonderful happens, doesn't it?


• 150 women from 32 different churches gathered together at CG  and it was incredible to see so many new faces!  Really, really cool!  Thank you ladies for getting the word out about CGgirls!  Invite, Invite, Invite!


• We had four churches represented in our Worship Band -- Connection Church,  Trinity Church in Lansing,  Oak Pointe Church and Rivers of Living Water.   Isn't that fantastic?


• We announced a very special outreach focus for our July 27th event.   CGgirls will be partnering with Hope 4 Western Wayne County  -- a HUGE outreach happening on Saturday, August 18th in Westland.   H4WWC will be providing incredible outreach to 5000 people.   Stay tuned...more on the blog this week!


• We had 14 women sign up for the CGgirls:Inspire! Women's Leadership Network  that we are creating.  Very excited about this!  Leave a comment on this blog if you'd like to receive more info!


• Talk about a full circle moment...our PCL girls were in the front row on Friday night.  How stinkin' cool is that?!

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CGgirls: April Event's Roll Call!

Ya know whats beautiful?  Women from 32 different churches gathering on their common ground to worship the Living God!

   It was exciting to see so many new faces!   CGgirls are continuing to get the word out about CG and that is wildly fantastic!  Love, love, love!

1.  Faith Assembly - Belleville
2. Connection Church - Canton
3. Community Baptist
4. N.Monroe Church of God
5. Church of Jesus Christ
6. Immanuel Lutheran
7.Detroit First Church
8.Southpoint CCC
9. Allen Park Church of the Nazerene
10. Gilead Baptist
11. Newburgh United
12. Northridge Church
13.Rivers of Living Water
14.  St. Mary's
15.Metro South
16.Downriver Christian
17.Harvest Bible Church
18. St. John's Lutheran
19. Vineyard Ann Arbor
20. Ward Church
21. French Town Missionary Baptist
22.Elevate Church Monroe, MI
23.Oak Pointe Church
24. Calvary Baptist Church
25. Bethel Community Church
26.Westland FMC
27.Detroit 1st Church of the Nazerene
28.Mr. Hemon Baptist Church
29. Solid Rock - Plymouth
30. St. Isidore - Macomb Twp.
31. Ressurection Church
32. Faith Baptist - Dearborn Heights

Generous. You are!

Something really cool starts to happen the week of CG -- a spark of generosity occurs within the women known as CGgirls!  I just spoke to a CGgirl and she said very excitedly, "I went a bit crazy on the crafts and the princess barbies!  They should be delivered tomorrow from Amazon!"

Another CGgirl, dropped these off this morning:

I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be tomorrow night then here! 

Invite your girlfriends and let's have a party!  Connection Church 3855 Sheldon Rd. Canton, MI 48188 7pm

Pink Toes optional!

 

January Event Recap: Project Troop Care

Were you at the last CG in January?   Here's a chance for you to relive it or see what you missed!   Our next event is on Friday, April 20th!

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PINK isn't just a color...

An ordinary Tuesday, turns into an extraordinary day...when kindness is involved.

Not just any kindness.  But a PINK kindness!

A CGgirl dropped by today with a little pink kindness...she gets it -- and apparently me, too!  :)

She is excited about what God is doing in CGgirls and so are we!   Have you marked your calendar as BUSY for Friday, April 20th at 7pm????   We hope so!   Click here to find out why!

 

CGgirls @ Sea with Karen Kingsbury!

CGgirls from Rivers of Living Water showed some pink love while cruising with Karen Kingsbury!  Way to rep girls!

April Spotlight: Royal Family Kids Camp

Ideas usually start as an answer to a question.

In 2009, we asked this question:

What would happen if women left their generational and denominational differences at the door and just became girls who love God?   We would find our common ground. On our common ground, we could harness that unity and take God's love from the pews to the pavement and change our world!

No longer just an idea, it's happening.  See how God is doing remarkable things through CGgirls. Up for an adventure?

Our next event will be on Friday, April 20th 7pm at Connection Church in Canton, MI.   Our outreach spotlight will be Royal Family Kids Camp!  We are collecting the following items that night for children attending this year's camp!

• Barbies & Clothes (all ethnicities)


• Sports Balls (footballs, basketballs, and nerf sets)


• Craft Kits (Jewelry making, art kits, play doh)


• Building Toys (Legos or Kinex sets)

Here is a quick video showing a glimpse into Royal Family Kids Camp!

Made in Michigan

 

****Drumroll please...we have a winner!  Stacey from multi-purpose mom blog is the winner of our Made in Michigan giveaway!  Stacey check you inbox!  :)    Thank you ladies for sharing with us about your studies.  It's so cool to see women growing in their knowledge of the Lord! 

 

My dear friend, Katy Reitz, is the talent and treasure behind lil' alice. I have been a fan of lil' alice from the very beginning.  I believe in the quality and care that Katy puts into every piece. Needless to say, I own alot of lil' alice goodies.  To top it off, Katy is a CGgirl and has been a supporter of this ministry since day one.

I know I'm no different from other CGgirls who dig into bible study or reading the Word with an arsenal of highlighters, colored pencils or "special" pens. I grew weary of fumbling through my purse or drawers at home to find them. Am I alone?  I knew that giving them a home, where they could live in peace and harmony was the answer. :)

I asked Katy if she would create a pencil bag for me.  It's wildly fantastic.  See for yourself:



I can't keep this kind of goodness to myself.  No ma'am.  Can't do it.   Soooo....we are going to give one away on the blog this week. How can you win?

Tell me, tell me!  Okay, okay...

1.  Leave a comment on this post stating what bible study or book of the bible you are currently reading.

2.  Deadline will be Friday, March 9th at 6pm.

3.  We will randomly select a winner and notify you!

Ready, Set, Go...

Heart 2 Heart

Yesterday, we surprised our PCL girls with some special love on Valentine's Day!    Our hope is that these precious young ladies would stay connected to CGgirls and this is just one way to remind them they are loved!

Each bag was filled with some valentine goodness for each PCL girl!   Big Pink High FIVES go out to the CGgirls who donated the items!   We think the staff at GirlsTown is pretty special too, the tray of heart cookies went to them!

Each PCL girl got a special note to remind them how much they are loved.

We love what God is doing in and through CGgirls.    Don't you??!!

Love is in the air...

and in our mailbox!  We received several thank you notes from our Project Crazy Love girls in the mail!  What a tremendous honor to know those sweet young ladies.

    Here are some of the highlights:

* I loved the lunch - especially the chocolate fountain!
* The gifts were awesome!
* I have never had that many gifts or that  much love.
* I felt like I was with family; something I have never had.
* CGgirls made a big difference in this time of my life!
* I appreciate so much what you did for me, there aren't words.
* You could never know what you did meant to me.
*  I don't know you, but I love you!
* CommonGround gives me hope.  Thank you!
* I love everything I got!  Thank you so much!
* Thank you so much for the slippers, I really needed them!
* You people are wonderful!  God Bless you all!

Don't you love it?  I am so amazed at how God works.  We're excited to continue the conversation with these wonderful young women.   So much potential.   The world overlooks them, but God sees them.

Love is in the air...

CGGirls: Roll Call!

 

Rollllll Callll.... on Friday Night, women from 29 different churches gathered together for a Girl's Night with a God Focus!

1. Detroit First Church
2. Pineview Church
3. Connection Church, Canton MI
4. Allen Park Nazarene Church,  Allen Park MI
5. Life Church, Canton MI
6. Metro South Church
7. Northridge Church, Plymouth MI
8. Rivers of Living Water, Taylor MI
9. St. Paul's Lutheran, Livonia MI
10. His House Christian Fellowship, Eastern Michigan University
11. WFM - Westland, MI
12. Huron Hills Church
13. Garden City Presbyterian, Garden City MI
14. Westland Free Methodist, Westland MI
15. Elevate/Frenchtown Missionary Baptist
16. Faith Baptist
17.  Downriver Christian Church
18. Northwest Christian Church
19. Calvary Baptist Church
20. Faith Baptist Church, Adrian MI
21. NCA
22. Parkside Church of Christ
23. Faith Assembly, Belleville MI
24. The Crossing, Farmington MI
25.  Downriver Church of God
26. Harvest Bible Chapel
27. Southpointe Church
28. Beacon Baptist
29.Cornerstone Christian Church,  Jackson MI

CGGirls: Inspire!

If you are involved in leadership at your church we encourage you to stop by the CGGIRLS: INSPIRE! table at our event on Friday Night!   We're developing a network of leaders that can share ideas and inspire one another!

Ever wonder what to do with those overstock flyers, postcards,etc. from your events?  Wonder no more!  Bring them to the next CG Event and drop them off at the CGGIRLS: INSPIRE! table.    Other leaders can learn from our bright ideas and notsomuch ideas.    We're in this together!

 

 

 

 

My coffee isn't the only thing brewin'!

The week before a CG event...something starts to shift in the air.

My team feels it.   I feel it.  It's coming.  We know its coming!

Anndddd...its not every day (like never) you would find this in my office:



A CGgirl dropped this off and so it begins...  :)

Excited?  YEAH!

We're supporting our troops in Afghanistan and think it would be wildly fantastic if you would join us!

Details?  CommonGround is happening on Friday, January 27th at 7pm at Connection Church in Canton, MI!

It’s our first event of 2012 and we can’t wait!  CGGirls will be partnering with Care Packages for Troops Michigan Chapter and collecting the following items for troops in Afghanistan:

• Individual powdered drink mixes (kool-aid, crystal light,etc.)


• Socks for men/women: white or green crew socks


• Puzzle Books


• Healthy snacks (protein bars, nuts, beef jerky, crackers, etc.)


• Ramen Noodle Cups, Microwaveable Mac & Cheese Cups

 

CG Girls, are you in it to win it?

Oh.....this is exciting!

Did you know that at each CG event, we have giveaways during the fantastic after party!  Please check out one of the giveaways that has been donated for the next commonground event on January 27, 2012:




Is that cool or what?  I am so excited to see which one of you wins this PINK camera and case!

I know you are yelling at the screen saying, "PICK ME! PICK ME!"  and I hear ya, I really hear ya.  :)

This is how you can really be in it to win it...

1.  Come to the event. (Yep, you need to be present to win your present!)

2.  Head straight to the giveaway table. (no pushing or shoving, please!) :)

3.  Fill out your form and place in the pink bucket. (Saying "HELLO" to Nora who runs that table is an okay thing, too!)

The greatest thing about doing CG is that all of you are in it to win it.   Finishing your race of faith -- strong!

Have an amazing weekend!

I saw the snow and immediately missed my flip flops.
Only a few more months until we are reunited!   :)

Happy New Year!

CG Girls,

I'm enjoying some afternoon coffee with Casting Crowns piping through the speakers and realizing today is winding down quicker than I expected.  What are you up to?  I was thinking...and you know I like to think...if I could have you all over to my house tonight for coffee I would.  I'm in the mood to talk about my favorite subject: Jesus!

If you came by tonight ( admittedly that would be ALOT of coffee but we'd manage somehow!) I think I would tell you this:

• I'm stinkin' excited about getting together with all of you in just a few weeks!   I want to celebrate what God is doing in CG with the women He is choosing to use to do it!  Yep, thats you!


• Over Christmas week, a CG Girl drove past the house where our Project Crazy Girl's live and guess what she saw?  She saw a Christmas Tree in their window -- with ALL of the note cards that you wrote hanging on the tree! Is that not totally amazing?  When I got the text with that msg on it -- it absolutely made my day.


• Tomorrow's to-do:  going through over 400 photographs that our beautifully gifted CG Photographer,  CaSandra Maynard took at PCL.    We're putting together video to show you at January's event.


• Which reminds me to buy waterproof mascara.  Why can't I remember to do this? :)


• I'm really digging the fact so many of you are inviting your friends on FB to come out to the next event in Jan.


• Have you been flickin' your BIC in the new year girls?   Because. Ignite. Consume.   Have I ? Yes ma'am.


• I hope you have January 27th inked on your calendar!   It's our first event of 2012 and we can't wait!  CGGirls will be partnering with Care Packages for Troops Michigan Chapter and collecting the following items for troops in Afghanistan:
  
  
  
  
  
  • Individual powdered drink mixes (kool-aid, crystal light,etc.)
  
  
  • Socks for men/women: white or green crew socks
  
  
  • Puzzle Books
  
  
  • Healthy snacks (protein bars, nuts, beef jerky, crackers, etc.)
  
  
  • Ramen Noodle Cups, Microwaveable Mac & Cheese Cups
  
  
  
  
  
  

Knowing how incredibly generous CGGIRLS are -- I can't wait to see God move through you!

Only a few more weeks and we will be having a Girl's Night with a God Focus....we call it CommonGround!

Be there?  Me, too!