Greg Loves Sarah

My Father is SO faithful! He put together the perfect team to reach out at Calvary Baptist in Gladewater last Wednesday night! I am amazed at His goodness! AND praise Him for providing the crew pictured below!

Meet Aaron, Sam, Me, Josh, Kevin, Brooke, Cherith, and Grace! These guys are the bestest!!! Thanks y’all for everything!

His strength is made perfect in our weakness. To God be the Glory!!!!!!

Wow! We had an amazing night! I wish y’all could’ve been there! The Lord did a truly beautiful work! We all left SOO excited! :-)

We’ll be at Calvary again this coming Wednesday (with a couple of changes in our crew) – prayers appreciated!!!!! :-)

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”

I Thessalonians 4:16-18

I pray that this Wednesday finds you comforted…

They say that “home is where the heart is.” Well, I’ve given my heart to Jesus – so wherever He is, is my Home. That said…….There is no place like HOME.

For the next week and half or so, my home is at the Col. and Mrs. Tanner’s. They are out of town for their son’s wedding in D.C., so I am official house sitter, dog sitter, and hummingbird feeder filler.

World, meet Tasha: My foster dog. Actually, I am more of the “foster” since I moved into her house. :) She and I are getting along quite well. We haven’t run into any trouble. Well, ok except for last night. I locked myself and Tasha out of the house. Yup, there she and I were with no way in…I needed a key (mine was inside). Made a couple of calls to potential rescuers – but all I got were answering machines :-P Fortunately, of all people, my own brother-in-law had a key. I think he’ll remind me of this incident for the rest of my life. So…one weekend down…a ways to go (Note to self: Check the knob before you pull the door behind you.)

Following a really tough week (tough from every direction, it seems), this has been such a nice weekend! Friday night, my department here at ALERT went to Olive Garden for a little time together away from the office. Capt. Herring’s warning was basically that anyone to mention work would die. :) We had a great time…One day I need to introduce y’all to the people I work with. They are all so great! We have fun. God is building a super team! Here is a not-so-great shot of most of us from Camps and Conferences…

Yesterday morning, I went to the Rotary Club’s waffle breakfast. T’was fun and delicious t’boot. After that Catherine, Savannah, and I shopped. Wow, that was so nice. Just being together, doing something girly and sisterly, not having to hurry or have a point, was just like…like…perfect. Thanks for the sweet afternoon, Cat! Love you oodles!

Last night, after I was let back into the Tanner’s house, Chris, Cat, and Savannie-Annie came over to watch a movie. :) Sometimes, doing nothingness is grandness :)

‘Bout lunchtime today, I headed to Longview – bound for a grande, raspberry (1/2 pump, please) mocha, extra shot frappachino. Lately, I have been having in my bones to travel a new way to get to a known place. So far, I have done quite well braving back highways rather than the standard Hwy 80 to get to Longview. There is just something about getting in my little car, driving down a new road, riding its curves and hills, feeling the sunshine or the breeze…Does my spirit good. :) Even if I am only going to Walmart or back to ALERT.

So that’s what I did today…took a new road…Next thing I knew, I was in Gilmer. Which isn’t exactly on the way to Longview :-P, but the drive was lovely…And I bought I map there… :) Lord, thank You for sunshine, breezes, and rolling Texas countryside. Thank You for little roads hidden below a canopy of green trees. Thank You for the way the sunshine peeks through on those roads and then bursts out on the other side.

There is something exciting about a new road, a new scene, a new patch of sky, a new ray of sunshine that has never touched my face before. There is something about me that loves to think BIG things, beyond what I can see with my own eyes. To believe in great things happening because I serve a Great God. To HOPE, because HE IS.

The other day, I had a funny conversation with one of the guys here on campus. In case y’all don’t know it, I am slightly visionary and optimistic. :) In talking with this guy (who is…well…great…but different from me :) ), I was explaining that it is not good to get stuck in a rut – that we must be faithful where we are, but keeping looking ahead and moving forward. I quoted to him, “A rut is nothing more than a grave with both ends kicked out.” He said, “Yes, or a ‘path well travelled leading to a sure destination.'” Sigh – I have my work cut out for me. :)

The next few weeks are gonna be FULL. The last weeks already have been. :) This coming Wednesday and next Wednesday, I am organizing children’s programs at Calvary Baptist in Gladewater. The plan is to do a CI-style large group each night – making it last an hour and half. Funny doing something like this without having CI folks around me – Guys, I miss ya!!!!!!!!! :(

I’ve talked to a few folks on campus who’ll be helping me and am trusting the Lord to do something glorious! Prayers appreciated!!! Lord-willing, I’ll have Aaron Miller (a cool guy here who has great personality), Grace Moulton (sweet gal with the heart of a world changer – I can see it in her face), Josh Wychopen (a dear friend who loves the Lord and loves people), Cherith Hendrich (very sweet and joyful, I am looking forward to working with her), and Kerzdenn Kowalchuk (great guy, friend of Jorgie’s, who I’m hoping- hoping-hoping can come and tell the Captain of My Ship story)

Y’all things have been SOOOOO busy – with work, living, and everything else. I am ready for a vacation!

Family Camp is just around the corner – and that corner is coming at me faster that I would like! :-O We are planning for about 1,400 people this year – exciting stuff! I am a bit overwhelmed and very excited all at same time. Father is doing AMAZING THINGS!

Ok, I think I have this post out of my system :) Hmmm…I’d rather if it were a “sit-down-over-a-warm-cup-of-joe-with-each-of-you-one-at-a-time” visit. But alas…..SO, here’s me thinking that y’all should all come visit :) How about tomorrow? Ok? Ok. :)

So, what is the Lord working in you? What have you been up to? How is your heart?

Lord, encourage my friends and family, I pray. May they sense Your Presence, know the delight of Your Countenance, and have their “socks-blown-off” by a realization of Your Love.

May HE be your Home…

Have I mentioned that I love this little gal…She amazes me :) Is “Little O” cute or what?? :)

Recently, I had a tough day. A really tough day. My heart was overwhelmed. I was frustrated – mostly with me.

You know how they say that when you see an iceberg floating in the ocean, it is only a small evidence of something huge under the surface. It’s the proverbial “tip of the iceberg”.

On that day, someone sort of gave my little iceberg-tip a slight shove. And then IT happened. The whole thing capsized. I knew there was a colossal glacier under there, so it was no surprise to me. But it was still hard to see and admit to it.

I was so frustrated with myself – tired – of desiring things that I cannot have. Of failing where I should succeed. Of not being truly satisfied in Christ the way I know I can and should be.

I cried. I laid it out before the Lord. I asked for mercy.

And then, that very evening, someone that I greatly admire said…

“Every struggle I’ve had in life has come when I have had more than One Desire.”

One Desire.

I knew it was true. I have desires competing with Lord almost everywhere I look. He IS my greatest Desire. But there is so much competition in this heart of mine. And there is so much struggle.

I know in the deepest part of my heart…that in finding Christ I find all things.

My dad said something really meaningful to me tonight. He pointed out that Scripture says, Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Its a promise. My God is not going to go the other way. He will draw near to me. And the drawing near to Him part, that is a work of His Spirit too. That’s how good our God is……..

My dear sisters and brothers, may He be your One Desire. May He be mine…

I hear the Savior say,
“Thy strength indeed is small;
Child of weakness, watch and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all.”

Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.

For nothing good have I
Whereby Thy grace to claim,
I’ll wash my garments white
In the blood of Calv’ry’s Lamb.

And now complete in Him
My robe His righteousness,
Close sheltered ’neath His side,
I am divinely blest.

Lord, now indeed I find
Thy power and Thine alone,
Can change the leper’s spots
And melt the heart of stone.

When from my dying bed
My ransomed soul shall rise,
“Jesus died my soul to save,”
Shall rend the vaulted skies.

And when before the throne
I stand in Him complete,
I’ll lay my trophies down
All down at Jesus’ feet.