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December 30 Coffee Church Highlights

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December 31, 2012
Inspiration, Ministry
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Well, my first highlight is that North Creek went REALLY multisite yesterday as we met in hundreds of home all over Clark County!  We cancel our regular services on the last Sunday of the year and encourage people to BE the church to their family, neighbors, and friends.  It’s awesome!

One of the best parts of cancelling our services is to give our team a break.  Most of our team volunteers or works for small stipends week in and week out.  Although we let them have Sundays off regularly, they are still wired to plan, think, and wonder how their ministry is going when they are gone.  There is something so refreshing about knowing that everything is on hold and they can decompress for a week.  Rest is spiritual!

Several babies to celebrate!  Tatiana (from Battle Ground) had a baby girl last month and I think it never made it to my blog!  Also, this week at Hazel Dell, Chrystal and Rene Arellano had Royce on December 26.  Just a day later on December 27, Sarah and Will Sherland met their own little girl, Hanaye.  Someone asked me how many babies North Creek grew by this year….I really don’t know as I lost count.  It’s over a dozen and we are considering buying all of our nursery workers new cars in deep appreciation for their ministry!

We prayed for miracles and what is more miraculous than a baby?  On that note, I have several ladies on my prayer list who want to get pregnant.  My prayer is that God will give them the desires of their heart!

Mark and I were in Montana all week.  Something happens when you spend time away.  It clears your head, gives you the ability to pray, think, and dream  We are ready for 2013!

While in Montana, we got to hang out with one of my long-time friends, Jenny Woods.  She’s the author of my guest blog a few days ago.  We were friends in high school, roommates in college, and now we are both in ministry.  I am grateful for her ear and friendship!

We also hung out with Kevin Geer, whom I wrote a blog to a few weeks ago.  He recently became the lead pastor at the church I went to as a teenager.  He will do great things for God there!  I am excited to watch his new adventure unfold!

My email exploded while I was on vacation.  My new year’s resolution is to empty my inbox by the year 2014…

We are addicted to starting and restarting churches.  Lives are changed all around us everyday and there is no greater joy than being a part of Jesus’ first love, the Church.  Let’s do this!

Enjoy your last moments of 2012!  It may have been a difficult year or one filled with blessing.  Either way, Jesus is in the midst of it and if you will put your faith in Him, He will work all things out for good.

Be blessed!

 

Christmas “Magic”

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December 25, 2012
Inspiration
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Today I wanted to share a guest blog post from my dear friend, Jennifer Woods.  I hope you have a blessed Christmas!

As I was sitting in the quiet wee hours of the morning, looking at our Christmas tree, my eyes fell on one of the ornaments that holds great significance to me.  It may not look like much to anyone else’s eyes…a little porcelain, a little paint…but the story, the reminder behind it all is something I will never forget.

It was about 5 years ago, around the beginning of December.  It was a time in my life where I was busy and ‘on-the-go’ keeping up with the youthful energy and antics of a 3 year old boy and 5 year old girl.  Being an avid reader and book lover, I took time each month to meet with a group of friends as part of a book club. It often became my saving grace as it was filled with ‘intellectual conversation’ and laughter.  At our November gathering, it was announced that we would be doing an ornament gift exchange for December.  Everyone was to bring one ornament to share.

The Saturday before the gift exchange, I left my two sweethearts at home with their daddy so that I could go search out an ornament.  I saw it as an hour of bliss – the chance to wander around a store aimlessly without having to dole out gummy snacks or wipe runny noses.  Ahhh….sweet freedom.  Wanting to support local businesses when possible,  I had heard that Hoopers was having their annual Christmas craft fair  – lots of unique ornaments to choose from, right?  Normally I would run to my favorite, quick and convenient “go-to-store” Target, but today was about LEISURE.  So I left the house with a grateful heart and only $6 in my wallet.  There was something inside of my heart that liked this challenge.  To find what I needed within the budget that I set…nothing more, nothing less.  I reminded myself that the trip wasn’t going to be about purchasing for me.

As I drove up to the store, I said a quick prayer of thanks and asked the Lord to help me find what I needed, and to help me stay faithful to my small budget. Walking up the sidewalk to the front of the store, I see a ‘fresh baked mini-donuts’ stand and was immediately captured by the smell of fresh donuts.  Oh man!  They smelled SO good.  $3 a bag.  Mmmm…the kids and Jamie would LOVE those… It could be a ‘thank you’ treat for letting me go out.  I could use $3 on donuts and still find an ornament with the remainder, couldn’t I?   Decided!  That is what I would do.  On the way out, I would go home with donuts!

Upon entering the store my senses were overloaded with Christmas festivity – holiday music playing, the heavy smell of pine and peppermint, and trees dripping with ornaments of every kind!  So many things to look at.  After browsing for a bit, I came across this little tree near the corner.  It’s branches weren’t heavily flocked with ornaments like the rest.  Maybe that’s what drew me to it.  It had a quiet charm about it.  A handful of about 15 ornaments rested upon it’s tiny branches.  And then THE ornament caught my eye.  A little porcelain shepherd boy with his sheep (which for some reason reminded me of my little guy at home), with the saying underneath, “It took the heart of a child to reach the soul of the world.”  I took the ornament off of tree to look at the price…$2.99!  Of course.  A smile broke on my face, as I reveled in the Lord’s faithfulness.  $3 for the donuts.  $3 for the ornament. Can it get any better?  Feeling grateful and satisfied with the ornament in hand, I got ready to leave the tree to make the purchase – until another one caught my eye!  Equally as moving, a porcelain Mary holding a baby, with the saying, “What Mary knew by sight, we know by heart.”…also $2.99. Ugh.  I couldn’t decide.  I loved both of them.  I WANTED both. …to keep…for myself. I begin to justify…I could get one ornament for the gift exchange and one for me.  I’d still in my $6 budget.  Victory, right?  No one even knew about my donut idea yet  – they wouldn’t know what they were missing.  After all, donuts aren’t great for their health.  I’d be a GOOD mom, by NOT giving them junky donuts. Ha!

This self-talk continued on for a few minutes as I walked around the store with both ornaments in my hand.  And then a word struck me …”obedience”.  Oooh.  Not the word that I wanted to hear. I knew what I had to do.  I chose one, put the other back on the tree with a longing sigh and left the store with my $6 purchase: one beloved ornament (that I had to give away) and one bag of donuts. Sigh.  When I got home and presented the donuts, they were gobbled up without much thought or appreciation.  A dark cloud of pity formed in my heart as I mentally stewed…What a waste!  I should’ve bought both ornaments.  “Obedience” – ha!  It’s SO overrated.

As the week went on, my heart and perspective gradually softened and I was able to move on from my disappointment.  I went to the book club gift exchange later that week.  People arrived with their brightly colored wrapped presents.  The hostess had an extra wrapped’ present – just in case someone forgot theirs.

The exchange began – white elephant style with numbers being picked, and the ‘trading up’ banter beginning.  It came time for me to choose a present.  I picked the small, shiny, red-foil papered box.  Still being a kid at heart, with secret, hopeful excitement I quickly peeled off the wrapping paper.  A little cardboard box.  I lift the lid and peel away the tissue paper…..Mary.  THE Mary ornament from Hoopers!   Possibly the very ornament that I held in my hand, longing for.  How could it be??  I hadn’t told ANYONE about the ornament.  Out of all of the stores and ornaments in town that could’ve been chosen – and here she sat, cradled in my hand.   Tears filled my eyes.  I was absolutely speechless.  No one at the party understood the significance of that gift.  But I did.  With tears in my eyes and a silent prayer of thanks, I had some quick explaining to do.  Needless to say…at the gift exchange, my present didn’t get stolen.  And the extra gift?  Turned out that the person that received the ornament that I brought (the little shepherd boy),  received the ‘extra’ in a game and gave me the other ornament. That day I went home with the shepherd boy and Mary…and a heart that will never forget the faithful, extravagant, detailed, love of a Savior.

#BloggersforSandyHook Tribute

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December 21, 2012
Family, Inspiration
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Today bloggers across our country will be posting cookies and crafts in honor of the children lost a week ago at Sandy Hook Elementary.  It is with great honor that I will participate this morning.

As a child, I will always remember my mother’s infamous sweet tooth.  She loves anything with sugar in it, and so, very often, I would come home from school to freshly baked goodies.  She would proudly offer them as a gift to us, but I knew that she was making them as a double blessing for both her children and herself.

My mother’s name is Sandy.

As a family, we understand mental illness, violent tendancies, and fear.  As a Christian, I understand that Jesus Christ is the hope of the world.

 

Chocolate Cookie Sheet Cake

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1/2 t. salt

1 cup butter

1 cup water

4 T. cocoa

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk with 1/2 t. vinegar added

1 t. vanilla

1 t. soda

Combine flour, sugar, and salt.  Place butter, water, and cocoa in a pan and bring to a boil.  Pour hot over flour mixture.  Beat eggs and add soda, sour milk, and vanilla.  Add to chocolate mixture.  Pour into 12×18 cookie sheet.  Bake 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Combine 1 stick butter, 3 T. cocoa, and 2 T. milk.  Heat, but do not boil.  Remove from hear and beat in 2 cups powdered sugar and 1 t. vanilla.  Frost cake immediately.

 

They are all OUR Children

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December 15, 2012
Family, Inspiration, Uncategorized
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Last night I crept into my 6 year old’s room and laid down next to her.  I could hear her deep breaths as she slept and feel the warmth of her next to me.  I began to cry for all of the parents in Connecticut who will never get the opportunity to do that again.

And I know that today, yet another face will appear on the screen of a young, angry person who committed the ultimate terror spree.  It seems like it is always a similar story: He enters a public place armed with a weapon and rage.  We wait to hear the fallout and guage the horror of his actions.  We ask the same questions, we get the same nonsensical answers.  We look into the faces of our children and try to imagine them living in a world filled with fear.  Some days the shooting spree is halfway across America and we attempt to pretend that would never happen where we live.  Some days it happens down the street.

As all of our hearts break over the two shootings this week in Oregon and Connecticut, we often ask ourselves how we can stop this.  Although we can never eliminate hatred in our fallen world, I do think we can make a difference.  I believe, even in the face of evil, that the love of Christ still changes things.  We will never erradicate all of the horror that free-will can create, but if we pour out love on the unlovable, the wounded, the lonely…we may save some.

So, what can we do?  It may be simple, but here’s where I think we start: Dive headfirst into the lives of children and teenagers.  Volunteer in children’s ministries, youth ministries, or outside organizations devoted to our young people.  Walk the streets of your neighborhoods and get to know the young people who live next door to you.  Look into the eyes of kids and teens and tell them they are LOVED, VALUED, and WORTHY.  We live in a world that is full of hurt, pain, and rejection.  Our voices, as Christians, have got to shout above the awful voices and BE the love of Christ.  And the best place to start is with “our” children.  Not just the ones you birthed, but all of them.

There will undoubtedly be an anti-gun debate that quickly errupts in the media, but I think the greater issue is that we have tried to create an America that is anti-God.  At this crossroads, it is quite evident that we must openly, loudly, and proudly proclaim Christ as the answer to this situation and our nation.  He is the HOPE of this world and right now, we need hope desperately.

Bottom line: We may grieve deeply, but we must act daily.  Fear is not an option.  Failure is not an option.  Forgetting is not an option.

We love you Clackamas and Connecticut.  We are praying.

God Works in the Midst of the Music

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December 13, 2012
Inspiration, Ministry
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This week we celebrated two very dynamic Christmas Concerts at our Battle Ground and Hazel Dell Campuses.  Over 350 people joined us to ring in the Christmas season.  The concerts were beautiful, but that’s never where God leaves our efforts, now is it?  He’s always got a bigger purpose for our work and He speaks to hearts at moments we may not expect.  I wanted to share the story below from a family that is quite new to our church, but have become quite important to our hearts.  Enjoy!

God first showed up in my life 29 years ago. I was active in my youth group, so much so that at 15, I went on a mission trip to Mexico. It was a moving experience in so many ways. My faith had always been strong as a youth, but this mission would touch my life in ways I would never know and it would take years to come full circle.

While on the mission trip, we crossed the border into a small Mexican town every day. I volunteered in an orphanage, handing out toiletries and food. I played with the kids and helped clean up and repair the building and grounds. The children were so happy to be with people who cared for them and wanted to help make their lives better. But it was one little girl, named Isabella, would touch my heart in a way that I had never experienced.

Every morning, I was so excited to see my little Isabella. Despite the deplorable living conditions in the small town she was living in, her smile made the world a very beautiful place. She was always full of spunk and life, holding my hand non-stop and never leaving my side. At the end of the day, when I had to leave and go back to California, we would hug so tightly and rub noses.

When I arrived at the orphanage the last day, I was greeted by that precious smile; the tiny hand, and warm heart. We spent the day playing and laughing. We did not speak the same words, but our souls spoke the same language. At the end of the day, the children were told that we would be leaving for home the next day and not coming back. My heart broke. As we were getting ready to leave, Isabella grabbed my legs and held tight. I got on my knees and held her tightly. I told her that I loved her and that I would pray for her every day. I told her God would keep her safe and she was going to grow up and do amazing things. I told her she would always be in my heart.

That mission trip forever changed my life. I have never forgotten that little girl. Every once in a while, over the past few decades, she has randomly come up in conversation. An anecdote…a memory….until a day in 2007 when another orphaned girl changed my life forever.

I had always wanted to be a mother…meet prince charming and have some children. However, that was not to be for me, at least not the natural way. I was resigned to that and had come to terms with the fact that I was never going to be a mom. I embraced the children of my friends and family. My life was filled with more children that I could imagine, but I was still a little empty. I still had THOSE pangs. I always pushed them back and moved forward with my life. I thought this was God’s plan for me and I was ok with that.

Adoption had never crossed my mind as a path to parenthood. It wasn’t until I reconnected with a childhood friend, that adoption became a possibility. She had recently adopted a baby girl from China and we were planning a visit to meet her and catch up. It was after that meeting that the topic of adoption became a serious discussion. After much prayer and investigation, the decision was made to adopt a baby girl from China. It was a long, paperwork filled process and, after a 2 year wait and a trip halfway around the world, a beautiful 9 month old baby girl was placed in my arms. My lifelong dream had finally come true. God showed up in my life and had blessed me with a miracle. I was a mom.

Twenty nine years after one little orphaned girl had so touched my heart and soul with such love, another had filled it completely with the same. Two little girls, left alone in the world, had changed mine so immeasurably. God had planted a seed all those years ago to prepare me for the life He had planned for me now.

Tonight, as I sat with my beautiful six year old daughter, listening to the story of the creation and music celebrating our Savior, my soul was touched again. After the concert was over, my daughter looked at me and said, “Momma, my favorite part was the story of God. He made the earth and made it light, but then it went dark for a long time. But then, he made it light again and for forever. I like that, Mom.” It was all I could do not to cry. We made our way home, and after brushing teeth and crawling into bed, I kissed my daughter and told her I was so glad that God had touched her heart…to which she replied, “Momma, God didn’t touch my heart, God is IN my heart.”  Tonight, God TRULY showed up in both of our lives.

 –Terrance, Kari, and Sophia