The Joy of the Lord: When pure love for God was found in cassette tapes, Barbies and diapers

Have you ever been around a Holy Roller? 

Okay, honestly that term probably has gotten a bad rap over the years. I remember many "God encounters" growing up. Special, anointed divine times with my God. Maybe I was a Jesus Freak or just a bit of a geek, but I loved planting myself in my room with worship music blasting. Would you believe that some of my earliest worship memories happened in my own room...with my dolls and barbies. Yup, God works in mysterious ways. My brother and I loved to play songs together and as we grew older, Joseph began a serious love of sound equipment and would record our songs. Somewhere these can be found on cassette tapes. 

Cassette tapes. Remember those?

I remember going through countless little "devo's." and would fill in the blank at every question. 

I was hungry. And I didn't find myself typical. 

I often didn't fit into my own age group. Adults were my friends more often than not. 

Then college happened in 2001. Bible College. I majored in Bible and Theology, minored in Journalism. In classes, I was the silent one. But get me in a conversation with my close friends or around a group in the dorms and I totally opened up. 

All-nighter's were spent at our 24-hour Starbucks up the hill. There were many times a wide smile would break out across my face while I was studying with a quad Venti in front of me (yup, college ruined me and began my coffee addiction). 

Pure joy ripped through every fiber of my being. I had never had to study so hard and remember so much. Call me lame, but papers were my favorite, even though I wasn't always good at them. I  soaked up the study time. I loved the research and digging deep. Tests have never been my strong suit, but I just simply and honestly fell in love with God. 

College life made God more personal than I had ever experienced. 

His still small voice could be found in prayer walks around campus, times of worship with  friends and a guitar on the grass and in so many conversations and shared life experiences. 

In all the churches I've attended growing up, I had never seen such a beauty in the body of Christ, like I had in college. 

I became friends with a guy who spent several months in between college, living in the middle of nowhere, in a cabin, in isolation. He would return to school and share his story. He met God there. 

I met with a small group of girls just about every week for a time of prayer and homemade treats in my dorm room, because I knew the Spirit could be found in our time together. 

Youth ministry was what I breathed in and out the most, climaxing in helping out with three youth ministries, many miles from each other, my senior year. I was crazy. And I wouldn't change a thing. 

I was beyond stretched and available more than ever before. I stepped up to the daunting tasks of mentoring a few teen girls, teaching for the first time to an age group I once felt distant from and even leading worship on multiple occasions. 

All around me were countless opportunities, with not much more than a crazy schedule holding me back. 

And my friends were so varied. Some where the more "hippie Jesus Freaks" and others were ultra conservative Baptists. I was friends with two girls who later came out as lesbians and roomed with a wonderful sister who grew up as a missionary kid in Africa. 

Simply said, I have found that the joy of the Lord is contagious and life giving. Once when you've experienced it, how can you settle for "normal?" 

I have found this joy in the faces of strangers I have passed a sandwich to on the streets, the homeless woman I hugged and prayed for healing in her body and in my own daughters sweet giggle. This joy is found in my those closest to me, inflicted with pain and disease yet who persevere despite the odds. And joy, pure joy of the Lord, found in my friends who advocate on behalf of those who have no voice, to make sure their rights are not taken from them. 

Definitely, as I've grown, I've been stretched. Many uncomfortable prospects have been set before me and I've had to choose to move thru them or find a way around them.

Without fail, more joy and life blessings have been found as I've chosen to move thru those decisions, with the guidance of the Spirit. 

A certain boldness arose deep inside me as I chose to be all that God would want me to be. Even in the moments I felt least adequate, he met me and equipped me, much better than I could do on my own strength.

God hasn't stopped moving in my life, even when my availability feels less than it previously did. 

God is still working in and through me because I'm learning to say yes to his timing. 

Life for sure looks like a different level of freedoms and responsibilities and I can't necessarily go and do as easily anymore...with many things. 

But what opportunities lay before me are endless and beautiful in their own way. Even the poopy diapers and interrupted Bible study prep time have their own sense of the pure joy of the Lord. Now I find God in countless interrupted parent moments and mommy play dates where we referee our kiddos while we talk theology and Holy Spirit moments.

This joy is totally abundant when a friend chooses to embrace me, despite my horrible mess and crazy life and share in the madness with me, reassuring me that I'm not alone.

For this joy is found in the still small voice and in the thundering chaos of life. 

Jesus met people where they were at, without condition. 

And he called them from where they worked and labored. 

His timing is always on par and his joy is always complete. Without fail. 

A Heart-Cry for Women's Ministry

Something about "Women's Ministry" within the church screams: married, mommy, Jesus-lover.

Yet, "women" encapsulate so much of a broader spectrum: 

Single

No Kids

Unable to have kids

Dating

Married

Abused

Re-married

Divorced

College-Student
Widow

Homemaker

Career Woman

Intellectual

Recovering

And more...

What breaks my heart about many ministries programmed to accommodate "women" is that we tend to marginalize and pick and choose which women we want to include. 

I suppose we justify that maybe "we have a college ministry, so the college aged girls will just go there." 

For me, Women's Ministry is something every Jesus-follower female does every day. 

This sort of ministry is hard to package up into a church program because, by gollie, it's just too diverse. Think of the women you know in your own life. Even if their a "stay-at-home" mommy, they do anything but simply "stay-at-home." Their going in all directions. Some of them even work additionally part time within the home or out of the home. Yet, they all get lumped into a category. 

College-aged girls aren't opposed to mingling with women outside of their sphere. If anything, I see such a huge need for mentor-ship across the board. Yet, this sort of need is also hard to stuff into the perimeters of a program. Have you talked with college students recently? Their crazy busy! Not only do they have a full load of classes, but many of them work to pay off debt and rent. A good majority of them are also invested into some sort of ministry, serving where there are needs and where their own passions need to be used. Their just busy. 

And what of the career woman who doesn't perhaps "stay-at-home" at all but travels extensively and leads at her business or particular field? If we created a ministry for her within the walls of the church, what good would that do? 

Women's ministry as a whole, like many other ministries seem to be best suited within and out of the church. To expect all women to find their place within the walls of the church is difficult to say the least. 

What I love about females is just how diverse we are. And you know what, we know how to make things work! We can tango and dance around schedules and commitments like no body's business. Yes, it's hard, but I just gotta say many of us can make time for what is important. We'll go visit a friend and bring her a coffee when she is having a hard day. We'll schedule play dates for our kids to play but also for our own sanity. We'll forge ahead through a crazy school schedule and still make time to exercise and go out to Salt & Straw with a friend. We're just pretty diverse in our abilities and our commitments. 

Perhaps Women's Ministry is something that offers Bible Studies and events within the walls of the church, but maybe it's much much more. 

I think too often we within the realms of church ministry assume that ministry isn't taking place unless we hear about it or unless we initiate it as a program at church. I think that's a pretty broad assumption. 

Thank the Lord, I have countless examples of how "ministry" happens every day in my relationships with women, young and old. And the longer I live, I can testify to how much sweeter those relationships have become. 

I feel very blessed and so overcome with joy when I think about those girls I've mentored and loved when they were in middle school, who are now adults, pursuing their dreams and life goals. Some are hard-working students, some work full time, some are in church ministry, some are married or on their way to the altar, some are even starting to have kids. WOW! 

Talk about life coming full circle! It's very rewarding and perhaps my most favorite part of seeing relationships grow over the years. 

And, even though our relationships began within the walls of the church, it has advanced into so much more. I'm even seeing some of them take the initiative and lead a Bible study from their homes or schools or places of employment. 

"Ministry" in its essence is a fruit, a by-product of our faith in God. We love Him, so we share it with others. We want to know him more, so we do what we can to further that relationship. 

My heart-cry for "Women's Ministry" is to recognize the ministry that is all ready taking place every day. And then to encourage those ministries to grow and flourish, helping new leaders to rise up. Teaching them how to lead and doing it within their own spheres. 

How do we do this? 

Sometimes we can't expect all those categories of women to come to us. Sometimes we have to go to them, in their homes, helping them wash their dishes and talk about Jesus. Sometimes we need to show up at their school with a coffee in hand during finals week and pray with them, encourage them. Sometimes we need to give them tools to better their life and walk along side them. 

And sometimes we just need to listen, to be. 

Let's welcome the diversity of all women into how we plan an event. Granted, not all will show up, but we can try. 

I once knew of a high-up woman, who worked in the business world. She was an inspiration to me because, even though she was insanely busy, she began a Bible study during lunch time in her office, for anyone who wanted to attend. She helped to provide any interested with tools to study the Bible and she wasn't afraid to discuss controversial issues that maybe the church shy'd away from. She was bold and yet willing to learn. 

So, let's plan those women's events at church, let's encourage them to attend that Bible study. But at the heart of how women do ministry is always more than meets the eye. 

And let's not forget those who don't neatly fit into our program for "Women's Ministry." 

One of my most favorite things to recognize about the character of Jesus, is how he conducted himself with women. He wasn't afraid to welcome the outcast, the unclean and the marginalized, even when the religious leaders of his time didn't. He even welcomed women to journey with he and his disciples as they ministered. And the fact that women are even mentioned in genealogies of Scripture would normally be unheard of. 

Jesus values women, no matter what their social status or past sin. He recognized faith in their hearts and ran with it. He spurred them on to be better than the social norms put on them. 

I think he's a fine example of how to minister to women. 

Small People and Gigantic Things!

I was thinking today that young people amaze me.

Last night we attended Josh's 6 year old sister, Lizzie's soccer game. They played two on two and it was absolutely adorable. But Miss Lizzie plays way beyond her years! She's fast, competitive, has great defense and team work.

My friend Steph is also potty training her little son today as well. I made the comment how remarkable it is that as adults we have to remind ourselves of how to do the things that we've been doing for years, something as simple as knowing how to go potty on the big chair!

And just today, I signed up to become a lunch buddy with a 6th grader at a local school. The girl I'm a lunch buddy with has had quite the background, loosing both her parents, being raised by her grandparents and just recently lost her Grandpa and her Grandma has some severe health problems. This precious little life has had to learn how to live life basically on her own and she has had more adult size decisions to make her short years than some adults ever experience their entire lives.

I'm convinced that God gives us little ones to teach us lessons.

Many of my friends from college are now parents! I just saw a few of them last week. It's amazing to see how much their children look and and even act and smile like their parents.

My brother and sister in law have a little son as well. The little guy has the most contagious and adorable smiles and as I hear that he is learning new words like "Starbucks" I'm in awe! I see little mannerisms and gestures in him that remind me of my brother and of my sis in law (exciting side note...their expecting a little girl!!! Yippee!!!).

Being around young children can keep us humble and give us an attitude of always learning. Children can also teach us patience and long suffering when we're on our last straw.

Being a part of many teenagers lives has also helped to give me perspective. Sure, their music, their hormones, their cell-phone lingo and their attitudes have their moments of getting to me, but it's all apart of learning and growing and knowing priorities. There have been many times when I find myself reminding these junior highers about getting back to the basics, back to the essentials of living life as a young person but also as a Christian in a very privileged, yet ignorant society.

I thank the Lord all the time for the little moments that help me keep perspective through these young lives.

Picking up where we left off...the sign of a fabulous friend

I have been so blessed and renewed lately to catch up with old friends. I've really been missing a lot of my friends from college and wish that we all lived in a close community again. Thankfully, these past few days, I've been able to catch up with some friends that I haven't talked with since the end of graduation.

Just the other day, I was reminiscing with a friend and saying how hard it is to promise to stay in touch after a week at summer camp or a few years at college. We all go our separate ways and life takes us on many different roads; sometimes we meet up again and sometimes we may not, until heaven at least. I'm finding myself thankful for social networks, like "Facebook" where I have been able to reconnect with many friends that I wouldn't be able to otherwise.

Lately, I've especially admired the kind of friends that you may not chat with all the time, but when you are finally able to reconnect, you can pick up where you left off. It's such a rejuvenating experience. Praise the Lord for those endearing friends who truly are kindred spirits.

I'm also so thankful for faithful friends who have stayed with me through life's ups and downs and for the friends I have in my life right now. I have a friend who is at a slightly different season of life right now, but she has been, in many respects, a mentor of sorts. She doesn't make me feel belittled but has been there for me to pray with me and make me laugh. I adore our friendship!