FBC Millington

D's first day wasn't until Sunday but I had been invited to a women's dinner Friday night and I thought it would be a great opportunity for me to go and meet people. It was set up kind of like a spring market. Lots of tables with people selling fun things. Natalee (the jr. high minister's wife) and I worked the girl's ministry table.Well, she insisted that I walk around and enjoy myself so I did but then came and helped her publicize this....

 

I almost peed on myself a little when I saw this. I mean I had talked to Natalee and I knew what we were doing, but to see it for real was cool... and scary... and so fun!

Then we had a nice dinner and then a lady, Lisa Leavell, spoke. She happens to be the pastor's sister in law, but she has an amazing testimony. She was raped in her church parking lot 20 years ago by some random men from the community. She shared the amazing "coincidences" that God clearly orchestrated, how she has overcome that, forgiven the men, and encouraged us all that we can overcome tragic things that happen in our lives as well. Even when we don't understand why, we must trust Christ and in Him alone.  It was really good.

It was neat to meet so many different ladies. It was quite overwhelming. With 500 women in attendance, you can imagine all the faces and introductions, yet it is was good.

Sunday was weird... not bad weird just different. It was D's first official day as a FBC Millington staff member. It was a different routine and different people so it was clearly a very different Sunday morning for us... which we knew and expected.

There are 2 services and 2 sunday school hours. (9:00 and 10:30)
We have to be at church at 7:30 so we leave the house at 7:00. The 11 ministers get together and pray first. Then the minister's meet with their interns and set up for their sunday morning stuff.

This Sunday was different because they had special guests from Lifeway come and speak to the youth and youth leaders. All the students were combined. Jr. High Sunday school is at 9:00 so we went to the service then. 10:30 is the senior high Sunday school so that's the sunday school hour we'll be part of. Because it was our first day, we basically did a walk through, met people, and so for sunday school they had us just stay with the youth leader group. Normally, I will go from class to class each week and get to know the girls. I assume D will do the same depending on what his responsibilities are. There are around 100 senior high students active on Sunday mornings so we'll have our work cut out for us as we learn names and get to know them!

After church us and the Jr. High pastor, Jay (and Natalee) took the Lifeway guys to lunch. Then we came back to the church to set up D's office. We got almost everything done except to move his couch in and he still has to organize his desk. I mean I knew my husband was OCD, but when he spent what felt like over an hour categorizing his books, I thought I might keel over and die. I'll post some pictures soon.We worked all afternoon... but it was worth it because his office looks great. Even though he didn't even break out the tape measure or level for hanging the stuff on the walls... this is when I knew he was tired. Before long it was time for the evening service. We didn't have very many students there for the evening service, but hopefully that will change soon.

As we got into out car pretty worn out from our very long day, I was reminded how fortunate I am that God has chosen to use us at FBC Millington. It was a different Sunday, but soon it will seem normal. The people will be more than just people, but friends and the students more than just students but ours.

Please continue to pray for us as we transition into this new adventure.

Matt Redmon: Never Once

My friend, Ashley, posted these song lyrics on her blog and I just had to share them. I've never heard this song, but I love Matt Redmon so I will soon enough. I found this most fitting for our life right now... and always. Whether you're going through a tough time now, have been through a tough time or get ready... because you will go through a tough time... this song is for you. For us its new adventures, decisions to be made, transitions, goodbyes... yet never once were we, are we or ever will be alone.

 

Never Once

Matt Redman

Standing on this mountaintop
Looking just how far we’ve come
Knowing that for every step
You were with us

Kneeling on this battle ground
Seeing just how much You’ve done
Knowing every victory
Was Your power in us

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Yes, our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Kneeling on this battle ground
Seeing just how much You’ve done
Knowing every victory
Was Your power in us

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Yes, our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Never once did we ever walk alone
Carried by Your constant grace
Held within Your perfect peace
Never once, no, we never walk alone

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Every step we are breathing in Your grace
Evermore we’ll be breathing out Your praise
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Enough emotion

Man, I feel like everything I've blogged about lately has been a huge emotional cry fest. Thank you for bearing with me. I do use this blog as a scrapbook for us so I of course have to include the ups and downs, happy and sad... although the happy stuff is much more exciting so hopefully you'll get to read more happy stuff in the near future as I update you on our new adventure.

A few updates on us:

The Jerkins' have the workout bug. We are slightly obsessed. Ok, that's kind of dramatic... we both have really found a love for working out. To know our insides are healthier is great but the outside difference definitely makes me love it all the more.

My goal this spring was to run a half marathon. Unfortunately, with my foot injury and then my hip injury that didn't happen. My next goal is a 10k in June. With weather being so nice, I've been running a lot lately. Its too pretty outside to be sitting inside on my butt so I've laced up the running shoes and hit the pavement. Thankfully I have great running buddies that will get up before the sun to run in the mornings and then sacrifice an hour or 2 on Saturdays for our long runs. Last Saturday Allie and I ran 6 miles in 60 minutes with which I was thrilled. I'm so glad to get back to building my miles up again. I was running 10 miles when I got my stress fracture... and its been so depressing to see how quickly you lose it. I am so glad to be back.

Speaking of injuries...You know how I dislocated my should twice in 2009 and then had surgery to repair my torn labrum? Well sister convinced me to play basketball with her this spring. My first bball experience back since the dislocation and you know what happened? Yep, went up for a rebound with another girl, our arms got hooked and my should came out AGAIN. Thankfully I was able to pull it right back in, but talk about scary... not to mention it happened the same week D was in Ukraine. I contacted my shoulder doctor the next day with which his nurse replied, "Yea that's not suppose to happen. He's going to want to see you." You think?! A few weeks ago I had an MRI (more on that story another time) to make sure I hadn't torn anything as well as to see if the labrum restoration? was still in tact. Thankfully yesterdays doctors appointment confirmed that nothing was torn and the labrum stuff was still good. The problem is overstretched ligaments. He recommended physical therapy for a few months and hopefully that'll tighten them back up. If not... another surgery. Boo. Please pray the PT does the trick. The yummy food people fixed was fun to have around but not worth another surgery.

And you know how much I love food.

Clearly so do all of the sweet ladies from FBCHW. My house has been crawling this week with our favorite sweet treats. We've enjoyed texas sheet cake, homemade choc chip cookies, and I made myself freeze this enormous container of THE. BEST. COOKIES. This lady will not give me the recipe with which I replied, "That's fine as long as you fix them for me." And boy did she! So, I've been running a lot to burn off the fabulous junk we've been eating.

Hope you enjoyed my non-emotional blog post. Sister, was that better?

I hate goodbyes.

Last night was the night...our final night as youth minister and wife at FBCHW. I had prayed and prayed that God would prepare us for it because I knew it was going to be tough. I dreaded last night more than I care to admit because I hate goodbyes.

My goal last night... because I assumed I'd cry... was just to keep from going into complete ugly cry mode. I'm happy to say I succeeded. We had so many people praying for us. The best way to put it is I could feel it. I had such perfect peace. My heart still ached and I still hated to leave, but I had composure that I know wasn't my own. I took in every moment. As we hung out over the yummy food our leaders prepared, as we sat together while D spoke, as we played volleyball afterwards... I took it all in. These students. Our students. They captured our hearts. As crazy and loud as they are, as much sleep as they deprived us, as much teasing was made at our expense, as much money as we invested in them... they are ours and always will be. We may not see them often. We may not talk to them often. But those students, we will always love. We will cherish the moments that we had... and we had lots of them!

As we stood before them at the end of our service and said our final goodbyes I could smile not because I was happy to leave them but because I was so thankful to have gotten to know them. I was so thankful they shared their lives with us these past 3 1/2 years. We were immediately welcomed and loved in 2008 and that never changed... even with our announcement 2 weeks ago.

As we got into d's tahoe... the only 2 people left at church... he grabbed  my hand and we just sat there. He was quiet. I was quiet. We took in our last moments at FBCHW... and that's when I lost it. Not an ugly cry, not even a sobbing cry, but simply a goodbye cry. A cry that symbolized the closing of a wonderful chapter that you didn't want to end.

And as we pulled away, I couldn't help but thank the Lord for the precious time he allowed for us to serve at FBCHW.

Sweet Sunday

Yesterday was our last Sunday at FBCHW. It all began the night before really as we took our students out for one last youth event. We already had a Grizzly game planned so off we went. After the game 2 of our girl students, whom I'm very close with, spent the night. Both of their moms had called last week to ask if their daughters could spend the night because they were going out of town. I happily agreed to the first and laughed at the coincidence the next day of the second. They were thrilled (and I mean this sarcastically) to learn that there was a men's breakfast at 7:30 Sunday morning that d had to attend. So rather than taking 2 cars, we dropped him off and then went and had breakfast ourselves. I was so thankful for this extra time with them.

It was by no coincidence that the special music for both services yesterday was about following God in obedience. The funny thing is the lady who sang that morning wasn't even suppose to. She did it at the last minute because the lady scheduled to sing was sick. As she sang each verse and chorus, I couldn't help but tear up to know it was yet another confirmation from the Lord that we are doing what He has called us to do... we must go... no matter how hard it is to say goodbye.

 D was asked to preach both the morning and evening services. He loves to preach so he was honored to be asked. With that added responsibility, he ended up speaking 3 times yesterday... that's not including the 2 meetings he also led. He preached the morning service on obedience... a topic we know all too well now. It was a great reminder that when you're called to obedience there are only 2 options: obey or disobey. I mean we all know this but how many times do we procrastinate... slow obedience is still disobedience. I'll write more about his messages another time.

At the end of the service the church presented us with a plaque, love offering and a gorgeous picture to remind us of the journey we're on and to remind us... that He will direct our path. The pastor was also pretty bold in stating that he believed that FBCHW would see us on staff again. We of course have no idea what God has in store for us, but we were honored that he would want d to fill his pulpit.

That night D preached again and then they had a fellowship time for us after the service. I was really good all day until then. People coming to say final goodbyes.... Wednesday is actually our last day but many of the people we won't see because we'll be with our students. So they cried, I cried... it was a sight for sure. As everyone was leaving, D had to go counsel with some students in his office so I sat down and read some of the letters that we were given. That did me in... I was in full ugly cry mode. I was so humbled and honored to be reading the sweet words that were so thoughtfully written to us.

Yesterday was no doubt a very hard day. It was a challenging day. It was an encouraging day. But it was indeed a sweet day.

School Fun Days

Ok my teacher friends... or creative friends, I need your help. We have 5 weeks of school left. I was hoping that 2 days out of every week we could have a fun day. Now it would be a normal school day but add a twist of fun... out of the ordinary kind of fun.

One of our ideas was Beach Day. Each child could bring a beach towel, hat, sunglasses and a snack and we could go into our back field for a fun morning snack time. Normally we only have afternoon snack so this would be a big deal, yet so easy and fun.

So... I need more fun ideas like this but I'm coming up short. I have some ideas but they're not really great ideas... and I want greatness.

So help a sister out... let the creative juices start flowing. And no idea is dumb. :)

Senior Led Fusion

Fusion is what we call our Wednesday nights... although no one really calls it that. Because we are leaving, we wanted to cram in our special events that we do with our seniors... like a senior led fusion.

The seniors got to plan it. They chose the opening funny video, made the announcements, planned a game which they led, sang a special music with a guitar accompaniment, chose the music video, chose the country of the week, and then D interviewed each one. It was a sweet night of honoring them. They did a great job. The feedback we got was nothing but positive... we especially enjoyed hearing how encouraged the under class men were to hear the seniors give their testimonies, tell what God was currently doing in their lives as well as give practical advice. I think a challenge from a peer can be so much more effective sometimes than a challenge from an adult.

I am so proud of all of our seniors and can't wait to see what God does in and through their lives.