“nothing will cure a bad attitude like gratitude.”

This is definitely a message that I need to listen to again this week, and then listen to regularly after that. Check out the message here.

I’m really praying that this series is the avenue by which revival and renewal comes to our hearts in a deep, real way. Because when these truths are allowed to simmer deep in our souls, there’s no stop to what God can do in and through us!

God’s Word is living and powerful and this text is just so rich! My husband extracted tangible truths from the text that are so good, and so easy to hold on to. I’ve already had opportunities to put into practice the first two points:

1. gratitude alters the atmosphere of your heart

2. the more you think about others the less miserable you will be

– being thankful in whatever situation I’m in, and thinking of others when I’m tempted to think selfishly – these two things can truly change the course of our hearts and our days and our lives!

* And don’t forget the homework my husband gave you! -> find someone this week to thank for something they’ve done. And then repeat that every week for the rest of your lives.

 “Teach your soul to be thrilled when others are blessed.”

a few shots from this weekend:

 

 

 

” What happens to you doesn’t have to control you.”

There was so much excitement and anticipation leading up to this weekend. With a new series comes a lot of new and fresh things, including, new design, new opening video, but we also decided to roll out some new over-all fresh life design as well as new worship experiences in Kalispell and Whitefish. And I love when we’re expanding borders and giving God empty vessels for Him to fill. I love giving God room to move in power!

I’m so excited for our Rampart series, and for being in the book of Philippians! My husband is a fabulous expositor of the Bible and God has gifted him in making known the truth and the gospel in a way that is easy to hear and to understand.  A friend recently told me that they brought a friend who said listening to my husband preach was the first time he didn’t fall asleep in church! Ha!

The message was so good as my husband introduced us to the book of Philippians and gave a little backstory and we studied the first two verses. You can catch the message here, if you missed it.

“You have the choice to rejoice.”

I love love love that we’re learning about the power of joy in a believer’s life. How “when joy surrounds your heart, it doesn’t matter what else is surrounding it.”

My husband challenged our church to be here every weekend, to lean into this series, and to all that God has for us. And I believe, fresh life, that as we do, we are going to see God change us and work in us in ways we never have before. Let’s lean in! Love you all!

a few pics from this weekend:

the new 1pm worship experience at the strand was SO fun!

I don’t know for certain, but it seems that heaven is on a different time table than what we’re experiencing now. I don’t know if for Lenya she’s been in heaven for eight months, but for us she has, and it’s been way too long since I’ve held her, snuggled her, heard her voice, held her hand, read to her, sang with her, danced with her, watched her be so sweet and silly with her sisters, watch her look up adoringly at her daddy.

The pain is still very much unbearable and some times more than others. But my husband and I have realized that although the pain is still very deep and real and in our faces every single day, God, in His grace, in His perfect love seems to be strengthening us in it.

We recently went on our yearly family camping trip, and while it was really difficult as it was our first without Lenya, I loved the constant reminder that this life is a camping trip, and we’ll be heading home soon and very soon. The things God taught me through our Breaking Camp series continues to help my focus every day.

Eight months may seem like forever, but our lives are a vapor, here one moment, gone the next.  Although it seems as if we’re getting further and further from her, we’re actually getting closer and closer to the day we will see her and our Savior face to face.  I think of the reunion on that Day every single day. Yearning, aching, seeing through the eyes of faith.  I need this comforting reminder every day:

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we will always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.”

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

“three things I miss about Lenya: 1) her laugh 2) her being downstairs when I would wake up in the morning 3) playing with her.” – Livie (7 years old)

“I love Lenya. She’s in heaven with Jesus and God.” – Daisy (3 years old)

Daisy’s prayers have been like this lately:

“Dear Jesus, I pray that everyone will go to heaven, and all the people will come to know You, and all the new people will come to know You, and we will say hi to Lenya and Lenya will say hi to us, Amen.”

“Jesus came to unchain us from the shackles of the fear of death, so we can look at death as a platform and not with panic.”

It was such a special weekend wrapping up this amazing series. My husband wanted to give a gift to everyone in fresh life. A little reminder that God has given each and every one of us a microphone. And it was really a precious thing to see people of all ages leaving  with this necklace.

This message hit home deeply for us. As death has proved to be a microphone in our family. My husband came up with four points to explain how this is true:

1) No words are listened to like last words

2) Things you have done live on

3) It forces people to consider their end

4) The crown jewel of our faith is put on display

He brought up how our lives make an impact, and sometimes even more after we die. It’s true for our sweet daughter Lenya. Although she had only five years on this earth with us, the impact that this girl continues to have on this world and eternity is far beyond what we can even see. My husband mentioned that the video of Lenya’s Celebration of her life the day after Christmas, has been viewed over 60,000 times, and that’s not normal for a five year old to have that kind of microphone. But it’s what God is doing, and we are honored to have any part in it, even as we continue to ache and yearn and miss her deeply.

“There’s no bad time to be a Christian, but there’s no BETTER time than when facing the grave.”

You can watch the message here:

http://vimeo.com/72611286

here are some shots from the weekend:

the historic Liberty Theatre in downtown Kalispell:

Casey’s in downtown Whitefish: