A taste of what is to come...

Traverse City, Michigan



Castle Farms, in Charlevoix

Grand Mountain Lodge, Boyne

.....and Kansas City-Liberty...here we come....

Lord protect us...we give this trip to YOU...be honored and glorified in all that we do!

Love y'all...

August-October

Reflecting back on the the last 3 months...
(...Being sick off and on for 2 months, kind of left me in a fog...I need to be reminded that God's delights are still all around me. He hasn't stop being God, just because I have bronchitis...you know ?My life is so stressful and busy, that I NEED to stop and Thank God for the blessings I have encountered lately-and remember the good and the bad) -my CD of choice the last several months? Third Day's new one...it's an anthem, a soundtrack for so many I love...

August...
Said Good bye to my friends Tod & Amber (they have huge blessing in Nashville-praying for ya's)
Hung out at Ray's House...and laughed until it hurt-:) xo

I was BLESSED beyond measure, when I was given 2nd row/center for Third Day and Michael W Smith...
*after years of paying BIG MONEY to sit in nose bleed seats to see Michael W Smith...I got these seats for FREE!! God truly gives us immeasurably more than I could ask for**God's timing is perfect...thank You Jesus! (and Bonnie)

Was sick for 2 weeks :(

I was able to sneak in a special night with Kristi on the 31st -xoxo love you more than you know...






September
-Nephew Connor surgery
-Steve's Mom's surgery & her Blood transfusions a week later...Ruth you gave us quite a scare!





-Ron Boardways 40th Birthday...You are an amazing man! a great husband to my friend, a great daddy...and God uses you in Elevate!!! happy birthday and many more!!
-Luhtanens Labor Day Fest

-SICK AGAIN-missed hanging with some special girls
-God provided a voice when I had NONE for LifeShare-Nancy played piano for me...and did a fabulous job :) xoxoxo

-Bettinger Baby Dedication -Cameron & Caleigh...gifts from heaven






-My friends sister Vickie said goodbye to her husband Matthew of 10 years, who passed away from a brain aneurysm. (my prayers are with you & the girls)






My JoJo's shower (for this child I have prayed) if you know anything about my friend Joanna and her health conditions and the YEARS we have prayed for her to have a baby...THIS IS A MIRACLE!!! I love the REBBS!!!





October-
-Lori Whitaker's birthday was Friday the 6th... (birthdays sure have changed for us, huh? since we are broke! hahahah we exchange phone calls now...hopefully we can go out and celebrate our special days together, real soon-YOU ARE Lavishly Loved by the KING-YOU Are His Princess)

-October 8th-My KATHY and her husband join a church and dedicate their sweet children to JESUS!!! words can never express what I felt this day...(tears)...don't EVER stop praying for your friends and family...

The month's not over...miracles are around every corner, God's Delights ARE all around us...in the people we love, the change of the colors, a phone call, a text message, even the silence...

Steve & I have our 11th Wedding anniversary on the 27th...

The 22nd we are going up to Boyne Mountain, Lake Leelanau (pictured)and Traverse City...and then (LORD WILLING) to Missouri...I'm gonna get to you BRO! :) xoxo returning late at night on the 29th-and back to work on Monday...UGH...It's gonna be a whirlwind...but I can't wait...:)

Psalm 5:3 In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.

I will Trust YOU LORD!! even with Steve's impending lay off..YOU ARE STILL HOLY

Happy October Everyone..I know it's cold here in Michigan, but get out and enjoy some cider and donuts...enjoy HIS GLORY in the changing of the colors...

The Gloves Are Off

Pain & suffering is no respecter of persons....we all experience it one way or another...the loss of a loved one, the loss of a dream, betrayal, disappointments...etc. But what is our perspective as we go through it...

When those I love hurt, I want to be there....even though I know I can't fix it...but that's where I want to be....

In the past several months I've had 2 friends under the age of 30 lose their husbands. I have a sweet & beautiful friend in Georgia who is hurting, another friend who is an amazing singer but has lost alot of her voice due to some health issues...she so desperately longs to sing again....then I have several friends with parents, and in laws that are sick. (with heart trouble or cancer of some kind)another friend going through a horrible depression ( I love each of you so much! and will NOT stop praying)

When I love...I love deeply, and when those I love are hurting, I hurt deeply for them.

For example, on Monday, one of my dear friends was hurting so BAD and there was not one thing that I could do or say to make it better. My heart grieved so much for her, that it showed in my behavior and my face...to the point that my boss asked me why I was so sad looking. I didn't realize
that it showed...I guess I really do where my heart on my sleeve :) love ya KK...

I know that God is refining us as silver to see HIS reflection AND that satan & buddies have their evil schemes... We know the verse that "we wrestle not against flesh and blood but of principalities"...We know their is a war happening all around us.

Recently I talked with a friend and I said to her, " there is so much "warfare" happening"...and she said in her sweet voice, I am paraphrasing..."sometimes warfare is just a Christians polite way of saying, that some people are just not acting or behaving the way they should"...it's a people thing. Sometimes satan barely gives a little nudge and we as humans run with it and do far worse than what he ever expected. We are such suckers some time.

Another friend said, "I think we give satan far too much credit...God is bigger, SO MUCH BIGGER...we need to exalt HIM"

All of this to say...

I am now faced with someone that I treasure with all of my heart, that is hurting so deeply and lives in a different state, and it is tearing me up inside that I can't get to him, touch them, hug them & pray with them.

So as I sit here with tears streaming down my face...and I pray...I pray hard, on my knees... With a fire in the core of my being... I will worship with or without a voice boldly for My King of Glory!

I am singing over you beloved, even if you don't feel you have a song...I will sing for YOU!

..The Gloves Are Off-...I stomp In The Name of Jesus!...He has given us power to trample over snakes and scorpions...I want satan to tremble in fear, when my feet hit the floor...because I am a worshipper of Jesus Christ!


I want my reaction to be like that of Job's...YET I WILL PRAISE HIM!....I may have questions...but I WILL praise HIM, I will fix my eyes on the eyes on Christ, I will press in...I will lift my eyes to HILLS where my help comes from.

Psalm 66:10 For you, O God, tested us; you refined us like silver.

Psalm 121
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber;

I am praying for you and I will get to you somehow bro...one way or another! I love you...

There is a new song by Bebo Norman, called I will lift my eyes...I wish you could hear it...


God My God, I cry out, Your Beloved needs you now
God be near, calm my fear, and takes my doubt
I will lift my eyes to the Maker of the Mountains I can't climb
I will life my eyes to the corner of the oceans raging wild
I will lift my eyes to the healer of the hurt I hold inside
I will life my eyes to YOU