New Bra? Yes, please!

CGgirl...you can't pull one over on me.  Summer is winding down.  One trip to Target and I see school supplies are out in abundance,  kids back-to-school clothing sales are everywhere -- I know a wind down when I see it.

In so many ways, it feels like summer never even started this year.

Looking at the calendar I see a special date coming our way.  October 17th  will be our next CommonGround event.   This one really touches our hearts.

Why?  Because we want all women to win.  We see so many women living in defeat through bad choices and broken hearts.   I bet one or two popped into your mind as you read that -- maybe it's even you.

If we can help girls change lanes; we want to help! 

In October our outreach spotlight will be Alternatives for Girls.

This wonderful organization helps homeless and high-risk girls and young women avoid violence, teen pregnancy and exploitation, and helps them to grow strong and make positive choices.

We're collecting the following items:  Construction Paper, Crayons, Colored Pencils, new bras (all sizes) and new socks (all sizes). 

Recently, a woman contacted me and shared with me some good insight.    She grew up very poor most of her young  life and when she would get bras they would always be used, worn out of shape.

She said she never forgot what it was like when she finally got a new bra.    It made her feel like a million dollars.

A good reminder, huh?

What do you say?  Let's go find the prettiest bras for these young ladies and let's make them feel like a million dollars!

CG events are open to all women (ages 13+) and if you've never experienced a cross denominational event before where women from over 30 Detroit-area churches
gather together to worship the Living God you are missing something....really special.   Spread the word and join the party on October 17th, 7pm at Connection Church in Canton.

Hope Clinic : Thank YOU!

At our last event, 80 women from 8 different churches came out in subzero temps to give Hope Clinic 657 items!  We received this THANK YOU today from them. This will warm anyone up on a cold day -- way to go CGgirls! 

WOW, you make miracles happen!  Thank you so much for your very generous donation of personal care items.  Our shelves are well-stocked with these very important items that are often forgotten by donors but so important to the recipients.

On a personal note, I had a great time at your event.  The women were so welcoming and warm.

Thank you again, and God Bless you and your mission.

Peace,

Mia Moyad, LLMSW

Patient Advocate
The Hope Clinic

Grace. Me?

"O what love
No greater love
Grace, how can it be
That in my sin
Yes, even then
He shed His blood for me."

Sitting in my office listening to Kari Jobe singing...

...such stinging words of grace.

It's the day before our 19th CG event.  Unbelievable to me.

We weren't sure we'd get through one let alone nineteen!

What a privilege it has been to serve God through the gathering of women (CGgirls) who love Him, who are unsure of Him, who are disappointed in Him, maybe even disappointed in the women you see in the mirror.  No matter what you think, the seats of CG are filled with women who fit all of these.        You are ALL welcome to CommonGround tomorrow night.

Is that you today?  Even if you go to church every Sunday but you know church has turned into a club.   Are you wondering how did I get here?  Is the path you are now walking heavy with compromise, shame and guilt?

How did a once surrendered heart get so stinkin far from God?

If that's you, please come tomorrow night?.   Let the One who knows you (not just the you others see, but the real you) be your Healer.  Will you let Him close enough to caress the hair from your eyes,  lift your tear stained cheeks upward, and remind you: It's you,  It's always been you.

"Yes, even then He shed his blood for me."

I Didn't Know.

"I didn't know. "

As I continue to walk out my journey towards heaven, I'm learning a lot.   Mostly,  I'm learning that I have no idea what people are going through.   The quote,  " Everyone you know is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind to everyone."  needs to be sandblasted on my head and heart.

It's true.  It's so true.

Did you know that October is National Infant Loss Month?    Me neither.    "I didn't know."

Well, I'm discovering that many, many, many women DO know.    They have been asked to carry a working knowledge of a wound so deep that some days they think they may drown from it.     Chances are you have a woman in your sphere of influence that is carrying that wound.    In fact,  if I was a betting kinda gal, I'd put my money on it.

Just the other day, I was sharing with a volunteer at Connection Church about our next CG outreach:  Jack's Day The Giving Project.   She mentioned to me that many, many decades ago she gave birth to two stillborn twin daughters.   Her confession took me off guard.

"I didn't know. "  

So,  what do we do with this?   We do what we know to do and that's gather on our commonground.    God has been so gracious to bless each of our events with an outpouring of His generous spirit.  As we walk in unity with one purpose and for ONE LIVING GOD,  fantastic God-sized things happen.

CommonGround!  This is where you need to be on Friday, October 25th at 7pm.     We are going to take God's love from the pews to the pavement.   How?   We're going to bless and by bless I mean: LOAD, Emily Hughes  THE FOUNDER of Jack's Day the Giving Project UP with the following items:

• Disposable Cameras


• Journal


• Votive Holder with Votive


• Purse size Kleenex

Emily will take these items, box them up in pretty boxes and give them to local hospitals in Metro Detroit.   In the near future, those boxes will find their way into the trembling hands of  broken-hearted women.

Will you be an instrument that God can use?    This is a great way to minister to these broken-hearted women and in a real sense,  wash them from their foreheads to their feet with a cup of grace,  a cup of comfort and a cup of compassion.

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Do you need to be reminded today?

In Christ

 

Kara Spence shared the Word with us at Friday's event and many of you asked for the list of scripture that she used in her message.    This is a great dose of  Truth in a world that offers a non-stop offering of counterfeit.

Rom 3:24 – In Christ I am justified as a gift of His grace

Rom 6:3-4 – In Christ I have died to the power of sin over my life and have been raised into a newness of life

Rom 6:11 – In Christ I am alive

Rom 6:23 – In Christ I have eternal life

Rom 8:1 – In Christ I now cannot be condemned

Rom 8:2 – In Christ I am set free from the death that comes from sin

Rom 8:10 – In Christ my spirit is alive with righteousness

Rom 8:11 – In Christ the same Spirit that rose Jesus’ dead body from the grave lives powerfully inside of me!

Rom 8:39 – In Christ the love of God is in me, a love that cannot ever be separated from me

Rom 12:5 – In Christ we are all part of one body and belong together with each other in unity

Rom 15:17 – In Christ we now have a reason to boast because God is so incredible to us!

1 Cor 1:4 – In Christ I have the grace of God in me

1 Cor 1:30 – In Christ I have wisdom, righteousness, sanctification (set apart as pure and holy), and redemption

1 Cor 15:22 – In Christ I will be made alive

2 Cor 2:14 – In Christ I will always be led in triumph

2 Cor 5:17 – In Christ I am a new creature, my old life is completely passed away and I live in new life

Gal 2:16 – In Christ I am saved because of faith and not the religious rituals of the old law

Gal 3:14 – In Christ all of God’s promises are fulfilled

Gal 3:26 – In Christ we all become His children

Gal 3:27 – In Christ He has clothed me with Himself, I am not exposed the Savior of the world covers me!

Gal 3:28 – In Christ no one is better than the other, we are all equally valued

Eph 1:3 – In Christ I have been blessed with EVERY spiritual blessing in the heavenly places!

Eph 1:10-11 – In Christ everything is complete and I have a massive inheritance waiting for me

Eph 2:6 – In Christ I have been given a position of honor with Him, I have been seated with Him in the heavenly places!

Eph 2:7 – In Christ I am given the riches of God’s grace and kindness

Eph 2:10 – In Christ I am created for good works that God has already prepared for me, I don’t have to do anything but just walk in them

Eph 2:13 – In Christ I am no longer distant from God but have been brought in close to Him

Eph 3:6 – In Christ even the outcasts are accepted as God’s own!

Eph 4:32 – In Christ I am forgiven

Phil 2:1 – In Christ I find encouragement, consolation by His love, fellowship with the Spirit, affection and compassion

Phil 3:9 – In Christ I don’t have a righteousness of my own, I have His righteousness instead!

Phil 4:7 – In Christ I have peace that cannot even be comprehended which protects my heart and mind

Phil 4:19 – In Christ ALL of my needs are met because of the riches of His glory

Col 1:4 – In Christ I can cultivate an atmosphere of love for others

1 Thess 5:18 – In Christ I can be thankful

1 Tim 1:14 – In Christ I find an abundance of grace and faith and love

2 Tim 1:9 – In Christ I find the grace that God has been preparing for me from the very beginning, I was prepared for!

2 Tim 2:1 – In Christ I find salvation and eternal glory

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:

• 
  
  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
  
  

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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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!

I like my coffee double/double with a few tears, please!

CG Girls,

All that's missing from today is the beach.  Today has SUMMER written all over it.  A lot of sunshine!   Before I start my Labor Day weekend (tick, tock...in minutes!)  I wanted to share with you a note I received  from a teenage girl who comes to commonground events with her Mom.     If you've been around commonground any length of time you know that our heart is for girls (13+) to come,  engage and take their place on commonground.    CG is definitely a cross generational event and we are thrilled about it!  We really do love that CG is a place where Moms and daughters can worship and serve together!  Please read this note and invite a young woman in your life to the next CG on Friday, October 21st.  We really have no idea what kind of impact we make on each other's lives do we?  I am thankful for all of you!  Oh and yes, its true, when I read this I did cry in my coffee.   :)

Hey Tami, I just wanted to say how thankful I am to have you in me and my mom's life. I can tell you've made a difference in my life, as well as my mom's, and I'm glad you did. My mother and I didn't have a very good relationship and we tended to bump heads a lot. However, since we've started going to the CG events I've noticed that we've gotten closer as mother and daughter. Though we still have our days, we don't fight as much as we used to. The CG events give my mom and I something to do together and it doesn't just bring her and I closer to each other, but also to God. I'm looking forward to maybe becoming a CG Girl like you and my mom in a few years ;-) Anyways, I just had to let you know how important you are to me because without you and the rest of the CG Girls, I wouldn't be where I am today....

commonground roll call: 32 churches!

Our event on Friday, April 8th was amazing!  I could list 100 different reasons why but I'll start with the first 32...(in no particular order)

1. Bethel Baptist


2. Dearborn Free Methodist


3. Northridge


4. 1st Baptist


5. Connection Church


6. Church of Jesus Christ Belleville


7. Metro South


8. Community Baptist


9. Southpoint CCC


10. Rivers of Living Water


11. His House Christian Fellowship (EMU/UM)


12. Wallace Street Full Gospel


13. First Assembly of God Chelsea


14. St.Mary's Wayne


15. South Redford Christian Church


16. Fair Haven Baptist


17. Life Church


18. Kensington


19. Vineyard


20. Metropolitian Tabernacle


21. Mosiac


22. Westland Shekinah Glory Ministries


23. STAB  Catholic Canton


24. Calvary Baptist Church


25. Huron Hills


26. United Lutheran Church


27. Plymouth Nazerene


28. St. Michael Livonia


29. Parkside Church of Christ


30. Sturgis Baptist


31. Woodland


32. NW Church of Christ - Detroit

Our most diverse crowd yet,  close to 200 women ages 13- 75 -- gathered together to worship the One, True, Living God!

CG girls are spreading the word -- what I loved most is we had 5 women who aren't plugged into a local church.  They are trying to find their spot just like all of us at one time.    We hope CG will be a safe place for women to come, get involved with taking God's love from the pews to the pavement and meet some fantastic women.

Were you at CG?

commonground...um...toes!

Yep.  Kelly Bates, one of our CG girls got her toes done just for CG.  Now that's something!

Jesus came for the rose.

Reflecting on January's event has been a particularly sweet experience for me.  In approximately 72 hrs I will be on my way to Israel to walk where Jesus walked.   Over the last few weeks,  in many ways, God has been preparing my heart to take it all in.  My prayer has been that I will be profoundly different when I return.

I'm not sure where CG is going this year.  I know God is driving this pink bus, thats for sure.  Girls, I know its unchartered waters for most of us.   Determining to take God's love from the pews to the pavement can be a really messy thing sometimes.

Worth everything?   Yeah.



Remember those pink roses we received that night?  Jesus really did come for the rose.  Every single color, size and shape rose.   That's you, me, women who are close to God and women who are very far from God.

All of us.  It's really scandalous isn't it?   That a love so pure would ask each of us to dance?

I think often about the women we helped with sister2sister project. I wonder if they know as they put on the nail polish we collected at the last CG event - that a group of women have been going to the Lord on their behalf.  Not only in words but in action.   Praying that they will know the love of Jesus.

Welcome Spring!

CG Girls,

I don't know about you...but I AM READY for Spring!  :)  Come 'on!   :)

The next CG is coming around the corner.  Are you planning to join us on April 8th at 7pm?   We hope so!

Here are the details:

Will you join us?  Our last CG event in January had 190 women from 24 different churches.  Our biggest one yet!   We are amazed at what God is doing through the women of CG and we can't wait for the next one!   Penrickton Center for Blind Children is an amazing organization.  You can find out more about them here! The items we are collecting are on their much needed list because they use them everyday!

We invite you to the ultimate girl's night out...one with a God focus. Invite, Invite, Invite!

CG: sister2sister project update

Staying warm, CG girls?  

Me, too!  I'm sipping a hot mug of coffee and listening to the song Stay Amazed:

"Forever You will stand. Your kingdom has no end. Oh, Holy God I stay amazed. You are so much more than words could ever say.  Oh, Holy God I pour out my praise...on the One who never ceases to amaze me. " 

Our next CG is THIS Friday 7pm at Connection Church...our focus: sister2sister project.   We're collecting items and by faith filling 1000 bags for My Sister Song ( a ministry for women in strip clubs).   We are collecting lip gloss, nail polish, individually wrapped chocolate, lighters and dangle earrings.   

Big SHOUT out to Metro South Church,  Rivers of Living Water and Calvary Baptist Church for taking this sister2sister project back to their churches and promoting it!    AMAZING!

As if that wasn't blessing enough...guess what was delivered today?     

Someone donated 500 lighters to sister2sister project.   Is our God amazing or what?     This particularly touched me since I know for some of us buying lighters has been a source of inner conflict.  Here is my heart on this issue:  I trust the women of My Sister Song (who gave us the list of items) completely.  They are the ones who have been trained specifically to minister to the women in the strip clubs.   Secondly,  the gift bags we are putting together will no doubt show these women who are so far from God they are loved.  But you know what those lighters will show them?  They are accepted.   And they need to feel accepted before they'll receive love.   Just like you and me.  And I don't know about you but I remember where I was when Christ accepted me.  It was a rainy Wednesday night.    

 Where were you ?

Meet the Need – Providing the Feed

CG girls!  

I did a double take when l just glanced at my calendar.  Its O C T O B E R 1st already!   Can you believe it?

Crazy.

We're getting ready for our sixth CG in just 15 days!    We're pretty stoked about helping Open Door Ministry fill their pantry with canned goods for the winter months.   ODM is a local food bank in Canton, Michigan who feeds over 350 families each week.  Yep, you read right -- FAMILIES.   That's a whole lotta folks!    God has been using ODM to meet people right where their need is -- the dinner table.   Will you help put food on the table for many families in our communities?   

We invite you to Meet the Need & Provide the Feed with us on Friday, October 15th at 7pm at Connection Church.    We'll be celebrating God with dynamic worship from Christa Alberts and our CG band, and then we'll have some fun at an after party complete with a Coffee Bar (free Starbucks!), appetizers, and GIVEAWAYS!   You'll see some new faces and catch up with some old friends.  

Our giveaways won't disappoint!  Smart CommonGround girls will be sure to fill out a registration form as soon as they walk into the event!   That could be your ticket to win it!!

• Have you tried Tastefully Simple products yet?   Delish, sisters, DELISH!  Dalina Stephens, a TS consultant has graciously donated a basketful of Tastefully Simple Product.   You can check out the Tastefully Simple Product Line right here!!


• A hot pink winter scarf with $10 Starbucks gift card! Who wouldn't want to show some pink love while sipping a pumpkin' spice latte?


• Gable Chiropractic (Belleville, MI) is donating a free examination, Xrays if necessary, and 1st adjustment !

I've been at a conference this week on having a life of service.  I've really enjoyed the sessions on outreach to the community.  I have to be honest...I've had a blast bragging on this fantastic group of commonground girls from a bunch of different churches who gather together to worship their God, and who are jazzed about  taking His love from the pews to the pavement.  Yeah, that would be YOU!

We believe that 2011 will be an unbelievable year for CG girls!   We're getting direction to trust God for Big Things in 2011.   We're going to be stretched, challenged and encouraged to love who God loves.    Are you ready?

We'll see you in just 15 days.  Invite some friends, grab some cans/boxes of food and let's do this!!