team lies

Last night after a 3 hour nap, my husband and I went over to our good ole’ friend Matt Leonard’s house for some movie time. (We watched “the hurricane” an amazing Denzel performance…but that is beside the point.)

As usual, the guys and Sasha (Charles’ dog) were there. As usual, they decided to be jokesters by telling me a big fat lie to see if I would fall for it. As usual, I did. As usual, they are unaware of a disability I have that makes this child’s play so dangerous.

Here goes: Once I have believed something, it is forever locked into my memory even if I discover it’s untruth. What make this disability unconvienient for pranksters is that I am as boldly inquisitive as I am trusting.

So here’s how it usually goes down. I am told some falsehood in jest to which I respond with full belief. Then I find myself in a conversation with the subject in question to which I ask questions about this new info to which they respond with much confusion to which I respond with “well Charles told me that…” to which the prankster is unexpectedly forced to explain the original ” joke” which has now become awkward and more trouble than it was worth.

On that note…Britta, I have a question for you.

come thou fount

Well, Brandon and I are feeling really blessed in our life right now. Have we moved up to the next tax bracket? No. Have we gotten any promotions at work? No. Have we suddenly come into a large sum of money unexpectedly? No.

We are still driving a red sentra named Ruby that likes to invite the rain inside every chance she gets. This makes for a wonderful smell that fills your being when riding during inclement weather. We still have a 70’s house with a few small unfinished projects like installing doorknobs, shutters, mirrors, hanging a couple doors and one bathroom that still needs some help…okay maybe more than a few projects. We still have a box tv and this was donated after our 19 inch-bubble from college finally gave up the ghost.

But amidst all of our average-ness, we have had the unusual pleasure of walking beside some friends as they experience a very un-average opportunity.  Brandon and I have been able to encourage, advise, calm, and support two good friends as they see the hand of God opening doors they could never have imagined for themselves.

We get to help someone walk out their full potential with the eyes of the world watching. I don’t know that this thing we do at church, you know, being part of people’s lives, encouraging the best from them, and seeing them grow and walk in their gifting has ever been so satisfying.

So, LA here we come.

awake yes

Okay…well as my husband sleeps deeply in the next room, here I sit blogging out of my caffeine-thinking-driven sleeplessness (as usual in the shatswell household). I felt nostalgic tonight as we once again had friends over to enjoy my husbands cooking, sit by the fire, and play a few games until our attention spans would lead us to other creative forms of self entertainment.

What was on the menu tonight? Chicken tenders, stir fryed vegetables, mashed potatoes, coffee, warming by the fire, hoodies, new game called “last word,” marble slab run, gin rummy, coldplay, more coffee, more music, singing, hip hop dance party while at the table, self-made music video, more coffee, more fire, sugar crash, the end.

Working less and enjoying relationships more…i love project completion.

continued

Ok on my last post I talked about something God is stirring in my heart right now. It is an ever growing conviction that I am to fight every day to take risks because the paralysis of ease is all around. I am seeing how I can live a normal, easy, safe, bland, repetitive life. But, this is so below what God has for me and for all of us. He has called me to participate in an adventure, a story that tranforms from my typical reality into something where the unexpected and supernatural are always just around the corner. But it is my choice. I can stay safe and planned or I can choose to walk through the wardrobes in front of me.

So enough of the babble…what am I really talking about? I am saying that every day presents us with the things we expect…the things we planned for…the things that are common. But within such ordinariness God places the opportuntity for so much more. We have opportunities to leave our surroundings and step into faith (risk); the place where the supernatural comes to life. But we must see those opportunities and we must step into them.

I am trying to train my mind to look for those moments and my will to act on them. The other day it was in a phone conversation where I knew God was asking me to move beyond just checking on someone to praying for their healing over the phone. I thought “is this really necessary?” And I could hear His voice loud and clear … “Take a risk” and so I stepped into the wardrobe.  And you could hear the surprise and appreciation on the other end as if I was the first person to stand with her in the midst of this. I did not know the encouragement that would bring.

So what wardrobes have you stepped into lately? I would love to know and maybe… just maybe…. we can sharpen each others senses and build up each other’s nerves until the extraordinary becomes our new ordinary and we train for bigger things.

take a risk

So lately I have been evaluating my life…what I am doing with the time, talent, and resources I have been given. I have been thinking about the great men and women of faith in the Bible and throughout history. One thing that characterized their lives is that they all were risk-takers.

And isnt that what “faith” is all about? The verse says, “faith without works is dead”…meaning that if you are not doing something that requires God to show up, say something, or make a way,  then your faith is not active… it is not even alive. It remains a lifeless concept that you agree with in theory. Just knowledge. Like understanding the horror of the holocaust by reading an encyclopedia. It is an idea that has made an impression but hasn’t really changed the way you live…it is a fleeting thought or emotion.

Faith comes to life in our actions. This is where the power of God lies. But because the word is over-used within the Church,  I prefer the phrase “taking risks.” This is the essence of faith.

I risk something and God comes through.

Oh, that we would see our lives in this way. Like we are living in an adventure story where our superpower comes to life each time we decide to risk something. It could be our pride. It could be our money. It could be our comfort, our health, our success. We see an opportunity (an open door, a need, an unexpected moment). Next we see the risk (the cost, the fear, the possibility of rejection, embarassment, loss, or failure). The faith comes (the power comes) when we act anyways and trust that God will be there.

So, take a risk….and hold on. The adventure is just beginning.

Latest Project: EMERGE

Ok, If you would have looked me in the face three years ago and said, “Rebecca, you will work with the women’s ministry at your church,” I would have told you you were crazy. In fact a couple years ago one of the ladies over our church’s women’s ministry said that very thing to me and I told her then what I told you just now…”No you are crazy. I will not be leading events with our women’s ministry…women don’t even really like me. I was friends with boys growing up. I’m not very sensitive and I tend to hurt feelings. I will not be working in the women’s ministry.”

Yet, 2 years later, here I sit having moved from events where I came in and hung up a few decorations to make Michelle happy to now seizing the opportunity to revamp all aspects of of these events, making the most of everything we’ve been given. I dream of pushing the boundaries of what has been done to what is possible. I want women to be amazed, inspired, encouraged, lightened, and strengthened by absolutely everything they experience at these events.

Women can so easily forget their purpose, their worth, their abilities, their mission…so we use everything we can to remind, to rebuild. At this event, we made it our mission to let everything (all decor, all print, all videos and service elements) speak of the message Michelle felt was right for this time. The message that within each woman God has placed a fighting spirit willing to rise in dark times, overcome battles, and become a force on this earth.

This photo / graphic was just one of the many that communicated this powerful message.

Dedicated for a REASON

If you happen to be one of the 5 people that might stumble across this page today, I urge you to make your voice heard around america by voting for Kris Allen for 2 solid hours tonight. It may be a little inconvienient. HOWEVER, I have been doing some figuring…

The night Kris Allen was voted through 25 million votes were cast.

Let’s say hypothetically that 1/3 of the votes went to the 9 who did not make it and 2/3 went to the 3 that did.  This is 16.7 million votes for the 3 that made it.

Let’s also assume that the highest vote getter got 1/2 of those votes. That would be 8.3 million votes cast on the highest vote getter’s behalf.

Now, if only 5000 people voted for that highest vote getter, that would average out to 1667 votes cast per voter. GREAT NEWS! This means that we don’t have to have millions of voters to keep Kris in we really just need a small army DEDICATED TO VOTE THE FULL 2 HOURS. I know several who estimate their votes to be 1500 – 3000. (If you have AT&T service you are who i am talking to.)

Isn’t it crazy to think that 5000 dedicated voters could make their choice known to the millions of viewers around our country?!?! This is influence. DO YOUR PART!!!

Kris Allen has the opportunity to not just show America that a talented singer can come from Arkansas but more excitingly that a kind, team-minded, humble person can be synonymous with Christian, a truth which many people find much harder to believe. We need him to be around for many more weeks, so everyone can see just how amazing he is inside and out…and duh, he is obviously the best choice.

in memoriam

This weekend at church, Brandon and I got to be regular ole’ church goers. It was fantastic. We did not have to think once about time limits or vocal lines, all the things that can so easily fill your head when you lead worship. We were just worshippers. Rick spoke about the blood of Jesus. He talked about how the priests who went into to the holy of holies unclean often dropped dead and were pulled out by their ankles.

I thought of how unapproachable God’s holiness is by our fallen selves. It’s like I could see, as another priest dropped dead, God saying “I can’t stand this separation. I can’t stand that my people can’t come near to Me because of their sins. I made them so I could be with them. And even the men I have chosen to make the acceptable sacrifices cannot get it right. So I will give myself. I will allow them to kill my Son. It is the only sacrifice that will open the door to all my people once again.”

What a gift.

^{2 Cor. 5:21}He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

It worked!!! I just figured out how to post a pic…so tech inept.

the internal bloom

I think in pictures. Some tests call me a visual learner. I think I’ve said that one too many times. Nonetheless, I had the privilege of visiting a friend today who heard the words “you have stage 3 cancer” just under 3 weeks ago. I am not sure what I was expecting to see. Maybe a stiff, gaunt-looking, tired woman who was trying to seem happy to see me while fighting back her real concern about it all.

But the truth was so unexpected. Instead, today I saw hope. “I can already see the good in this,” she said. “I have been praying for several things. I didn’t expect Him to answer them like this, but I see things happening because of this situation.” Her smile was sincere and her energy was surprising. She asked about me like she always does and we talked as if nothing was different. I asked how she was handling it all and she said, “Rebecca, I have never felt the presence of God like I do right now.”

No, she is not cured, and yes she has a long road ahead of her. But today, when I looked at a woman who’s grim reality shook hands with her faith I saw an internal bloom. A beautiful blossom that was just beginning to show its petals.

“We rejoice when we suffer, knowing that suffering brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:3-5