Can't believe it!

I still can't believe it was 2 months ago, it still feels like a dream. Oh wait...I did have nightmares for weeks about that plane ride home...LOL. I am ready grab Steve and go back! Lord willing...someday...(thanks to Kristi K...these are pictures at Hillsong Church and the recording.) specials friends...special memories.

They're BACK-Stryper!

Well tonight, I was able to go see Stryper, their acoustic tour. To answer any questions...yes, back in 1982, my brother Steve and I were HUGE fans and we would go and see every Stryper concert that came to Detroit. Did we fit in ?? not at all...I would try to get my hair as big as possible...and wore dark clothes...but other than that...we were odd balls, but always had a blast.

So needless to say, I was WAY excited about this concert. I dragged my husband Steve with me. (please note: that he was and is an alternative music lover...so back in the 80's he was into Depeche Mode, Echo and the Bunnymen, U2-NOT heavy metal) so you know how excited he was to be there.

But it was unlike any "Stryper" concert I had ever been to. NO special effects, no light show, no spandex (thank GOD! LOL) and no electric guitars. The one thing I LOVE about acoustic concerts is that you actually get to see and hear true musicianship with no special effects, and lead guitar lics with no reverb...and the Boys from Stryper did not disappoint. Michaels voice was as pure as it was in the 80's. Michael and Oz...let me say, they are some serious guitar players! (Oz...who knew you were so nice looking under all of that hair! ? LOL)

They opened and closed the night with 2 things, they've never done before. Prayer and worship. They walked out with no introductions, and Michael said, "Lets Pray"...he prayed for quite a while and went right into worship. I knew right then this night would be different. They lead 4 worship choruses and then went into some of their older songs and new songs.

Then they totally did something out of the blue. They took almost a half an hour to answer questions, about their lives, their walks with God, etc. I don't know if the audience was ready for all of the changes. We saw quite a few "interesting' people who were ready to ROCK...These guys were NOT here to entertain they were here to minister (and to be ministered to)

They closed with some older songs and then some more worship songs and a prayer time.

They sang one of my favorite songs, Honestly. This song means a lot to me. As many people attached themselves to it as a 'love song'...It became an anthem for a friendship.

I actually sang it at a close friends (Renee) 16th Birthday party, back in 1987. I broke down during the song. (to this day Renee's grandmother will bring that up..."I still remember when you started to cry when you sang that sweet song to Renee"-thanks Grandma...LOLOL but if anyone has ever had one of those friends, (especially in High School) that knows you better than you know yourself. They are there for you at all times. Who's been with you through moody times, good times, boyfriends, breakups, mission trips, etc. and still love you...those friends you treasure with all you've got. And even though afterall of these years, and our lives have taken different journeys...she still has irreplaceable spot in my heart.

So as cheesy as some would say this is to do...I leave you with this.

" And through the years I will be a friend For always and forever ..Call on me and I'll be there for you I'm a friend who always will be true And I love you can't you see That I love you honestly I will never betray your trust in me And I love you can't you see That I can say I love you honestly"

Love ya Ren...

Pray for Ed Horn

This Blog share a little bit about an incredible guy, with an amazing testimony for God. His name is Ed Horn. He and his wife have endured quite a bit. He was diagnosed with cancer in October 2005...below is a little bit of his story. Currently he is back in the hospital (unexpectedly) and is NOT doing well,...


Edward and his wife Kelley live in Westland, Michigan and have two beautiful children, Aidan (7) and Kya (5). Ed met Kelley 11 years ago in Watertown, Wisconsin at a small, private college, & the rest is history! They were married Friday, July 11, 1997. Throughout their (almost) 9 years of marriage, Ed & Kelley have endured many trials (as many families do). They've lost 3 babies to miscarriage, moved 5 times, gone through several big career changes, & faced Kelley being diagnosed with Graves' disease last year.

Up until September 2005, Ed worked full-time as the Director of Technology for the Romulus School District while Kelley was a full-time wife and mom. Everything changed for them on October 6, 2005, when Edward was diagnosed with Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma in leukemic phase. After a series of ups and downs, including a brief remission in November and near-death experience in December, Edward has managed to fight his way back to a full remission. The fight has not been without a price however, and Edward has been off work since this journey began. While he is doing better, he is by no means in good health. The current rounds of chemo have left him with severe mucositis and neuropathy in his feet, as well as complete fatigue.

He is in God's Soverign Hands. He has touched the lives of people all over the world.

Below I have included some pictures from a Benefit for Ed to help raise money. We had such a great prayer time. I would love to ask you to pray for Ed and his family, and in looking at the picture of us praying for Ed....I can only imagine what it looks like for those across the globe praying for him, what it must look like from heaven...what a beautiful thing... Prayer changes things...

WE are praying for you Ed. You continue to inspire me. Thank you for your testimony, your continued love of Christ and others. http://www.edhorn.info.

These are pictures from the benefit.

We had a tremendous prayer time for Ed, Kelley and the family.

Kevin Max

Saturday night plans changed, and I was able to go see Kevin Max (from DC Talk) in Concert.

I was also able to hang with one of my best friends, Aaron. (who is leaving the Michigan area in June..which stirs up a ton of emotions for me…but that is a whole different blog, for a different day…
I love you bro! xoxo

It was good to see Kevin. I can remember the first time I saw him in 1989, at Cobo Hall in downtown Detroit…. He was this HOT “roady” for this band Degarmo & Key. I didn’t even know he was a singer.

Then he’s introduced with this up and coming band called “DC Talk”. (Which became one of my favorite CCM bands in college) I thought Kevin was great…for numerous reasons…He’s quirky (those who know anything about him…totally know what I am talking about.) He’s beautiful…I am mean, those eyes…WOW!. … ! and then his unique voice! ( I have a thing for guys who can sing higher than me Hahaha.).

God used that band in a very pivotal point in my life; in 1992…(let’s just say those were my dark days) anyways…I will never forget, sitting up in nosebleed seats at the Palace of Auburn Hills, (I had not been to church in forever) while other church friends had front row seats.. then DC Talk walked out on stage, and began to sing..”Some people gotta learn the hard way…I guess I’m the type who has to find out for myself, I had to learn the hard way Father..I’m on my knees and I’m crying for help”…my eyes are welling up just thinking about it. God is SO gracious and forgiving isn’t HE ?! whew…and guess what song is playing right now…HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD!..

Anyways…Kevin has been someone I’ve admired from afar, since the departure of DC TAlk. He's recorded several solo cd's, was Joseph in the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat. He has had some highs and lows. He has been through a lot in the past 7 years. Life is hard enough, and he had to live his life in the ‘public eye’…the “Christian Judgmental” eye can be so much worse, at times. (below is an excerpt from Kevin's Blog)

...".How do i make it in the music business?...i tell them realize what it is and what it means...music Business...is just that...music with a small m, Business with a big B.. and it takes sacrifice...sometimes at the cost of everything around you.......i now know this......for many years i traveled the wide successful road with a band of brothers that new little else.....we reached a pinnacle of success that so few can ever aspire to or even dream of.....but that road found its end for me a long time ago....i began to smell of complacency... judgment and self-righteousness.....it became a home of beaurocracy and politics....a place of religion and fear....i became one with it.....i became the poster child for it.....and then i needed to get off.....i needed a break.....i needed to find myself all over again....and at the cost of a marriage and many friendships.....i made my way across the great divide with dreams of finding the truth....of finding my spirituality.....of finding revelation through experience and learning through humility.....i have found a new life....one that is free of all the confines but is a harder road....one that is more difficult to walk....but when i walk....i walk upright.....and when i sing, i sing with a passion not found in quite some time.....thank you to all my friends for supporting me through my period of learning.....thank GOD for the grace and mercy you continue to bestow in spite of myself.....i needed to find my spirit again, YOUR Spirit......after being bruised and kicked in the ribs for quite some time i have found it again.....and the spirit of a thing..........is what keeps it, intact."-Kevin Max

But I have so much respect for him. He has moved on. His latest CD…you can almost feel the change. He’s older;(heck I was 19 when DC Talk first hit the scene. Kevin was 21!) he’s wiser (he’s still quite a character) and he has embraced who God has designed him to be. (which is something I struggle with every day) He is totally comfortable in his own skin.

It was good to see you Kevin. Keep rocking! Keep seeking HIM. You are the apple of His eye. He makes all things new!

Spring Cleaning ?

We should concentrate more on being a blessing than trying to be blessed.We need to look for opportunities to share God’s Love, His gifts, and His goodness with others. Let’s get practical. If you have things lying around your house or in storage that you are never going to use again, why not give those things away to someone who could use them? Those extra things aren’t doing you any good stacked in your attic, basement, or garage. If it’s not meeting a need, turn it into a seed!-Joel Osteen.

He is Risen

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18

“Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:5-11

He left Heaven for you and I.

He Chose The Nails for you and I...He rose again...for you and me!!!

Truly the passion and the resurrection of Christ changes everything. He is risen; He has risen indeed.”

Movies

Movies...I was asked recently while in Australia...what type of movies I like.
I'm simple...depending upon the type ( comedy, horror, suspense, romantic, etc)...it's GOT to have a good ending!

If the main star dies! forget it! I want a happy ending! Life is hard enough as it is...if I am going to sit down and watch a movie...MAKE IT GOOD :) make me laugh, make me cry, make me hide my face behind a pillow...but make it good.

If it's a horror flick? someone has to live..preferrably the good guy. Suspense ? something that's gonna stir up my ulcer is always good...

and romantic ? there are 3 requirements...it's gotta have a good love song! the guy gets the girl or vice versa..and thirdly and most importantly...the kiss (single guys listen up! okay...and married guys too)...the guy HAS to grab the girls face! has to! has to, has to!

*don't ya just love Kristy McNichols fem mullet!! hahaha


lately most of my blogs have been pretty serious...decided to have some fun today :) hee