Friday, October 1, 2021

Life's Transitions

 Life has a way of taking us on journeys and takes us through twists and turns. 

Since 1990, We lived, worked, pastored a church and raised a son in Northern Oklahoma in a great city named Ponca City. We truly thought we'd be buried in a plot off Hubbard Road but God had other plans! 

We'd felt a shift was coming for a while but wasn't sure what....

In the summer of 2019, the Lord spoke to us on a Sunday morning while still pastoring at Victory Worship Center in Ponca City to reveal to us, "You are finished here!" Whilst we were surprised at the timing, we we not surprised at the message. We consulted our elders and our pastor. Each felt a witness of the Holy Ghost, which is to say, "We feel God is working in this transition." 

So, we waited at VWC for a year. A year. Did you read that right? Yes, a YEAR! 

Side note--many times, we hear a word from God and get overeager to see it come to fruition and we get find ourselves "AHEAD" of God's plan for our lives because we can't seem to WAIT on God and His timing.


More to come....


Bamboo Tea Box located so carry on....

Hummingbird migration 2021

Image copyright Emily Anderson 2021
New headshot for Kingdom Advance! 

New recipe for GF Almond & Cranberry Cookies 

New friend that we didn't know we needed...Molly! 

Excited to represent OK NextGen! 


Friday, April 3, 2015

Happenings

Life is moving at a FAST rate of speed! 

My last post was on December 26, 2014. 

Fortunately, I have experienced a LATTE of life since that post. 

Traveled to a minister's conference in Alexandria, LA in January. 
My great friend Celina Gleason 

Traveled to NYC to attend a Lucy Calkins Teacher's College Reading & Writing Project at Columbia university in February. 
Cityscape from my window 

Clock at 5th & Madison 

Delicious treats at "Eataly" 

Then took the bus to DC to spend time with my amazing friends, Matt & Elizabeth. Then, surprise!! My brother Dale showed up....not in San Francisco but, alas, DC!! 
Enjoying an awesomely, tasty dunner prepared by our friends, Matt & Elizabeth in DC!  That's my lil bro, Dale on the left. 

Traveled to Pensacola beach to visit my awesome sister, VeAna, in March. 
The awe-inspiring Gulf of Mexico white sand and clear water 


Have a LATTE-fun today! 

Friday, December 26, 2014

2014 in my rear-view Mirror

I am taking a journey of reflecting

over the past year before I leap into

making personal and corporate plans

for 2015.

from Pinterest 


I am inviting you on the journey. 


Lake Loveland, Loveland, CO

I am wanting my life to reflect evaluated experience and

not simply repeat another year without stopping

to really look at my life. 




 Click here to begin the 5-day reflection of 2014--it's from Melani Shock's blog




May you be blessed as you reflect and

honestly take stock of this past year's accomplishments

for His kingdom!



Live a LATTE in 2015 
all because you've taken great stock of 2014--
it's bumps, challenges, celebrations, blessings and gifts from God--
who is the giver of every good and perfect thing in our lives!  

Monday, December 15, 2014

Life Lessons from Sermons

LA CANN Gardens in Ponca City, OK 



I found this post in my DRAFTS--it's from October 2014 



As I have been processing through many things weighing heavily on my heart, I have come up with a few life lessons. 

At our church, we have Victory U which is a local bible school for the members of our church. This month, one class is entitled: EPIC Sermons of the Century. Sermons are shown via DVD from conferences, camps, other special services, etc. 

One, as I agonize over an apparent lack of life-accomplishments (an apparent obvious mid-life crisis moment, haha) , I realize that as long as myself and my family are saved, that's an accomplishment in itself. Even if my family chooses to go another way and not be saved, I cannot help them, only myself. 

I can't help the people in my life, especially since they continually choose to go their own way in spite of the warnings, teachings, meetings, etc. 

As I thought this over, I re-visited an EPIC sermon yesterday from BOTT (Because of the Times) several years ago: Royce Wilson was the speaker and Prisoner in the Land of Fulfillment, was the title of the message. 

Several take-aways from the message: 

  • God will do what He said He will do. Quit worrying about NOT seeing WHERE you're going--sometimes God has to push us backwards into His will as we look to Him--not the situations around us. :) Definitely feel I am going backwards! :) 

  • Sometimes, God chooses to NOT answer inferior prayers that are based only on what I've seen and heard before, rather, God will deny ALL inferior requests in order to fulfill my greatest destiny. (What this is...obviously, I have NO idea...haha)

  • If Joseph wasn't in position, the world would've starved. God had to put Joseph in prison to keep him in position for the promotion. ARGH--prison--really? Yep, that's what this reality feels like! :) 

Another EPIC message that I heard last week, was from 2013's Campmeeting. 

Robert Tisdale's Mud on Your Face--Faith in Your Heart--a VERY impact-ful message about willingly being spent for the kingdom. 

A few take-aways I learned from his message, or rather, God's message to me: 

  • As long as we assign blame to others, we never allow God to move in the realm of the supernatural. 

  • God's going to use my brokenness for His glory and no, I don't have to have the right answers. God has a myriad of ways to work--He will bring me out of whenever and How ever He chooses because desperate people don't care how the miracle comes (Namaan, all examples of blind eyes in NT) 

  • In John 9, the un-named man doesn't argue. How many miracles have I missed because I opened my mouth? When I get my mouth right, the miracle follows. Lord, forgive me of my criticism, cynicism, defending myself, etc. 

  • Sometimes, when we receive a touch from God, our situation grows darker. Sometimes, an authentic touch from God will feel darker than lighter. Sometimes, the purpose of God is to make my situation worse. (Really?) Some are embarrassed by the mud on their faces, when all the while, God is positioning them for a miracle. How can God receive glory in private? 

  • Like Paul, I will gladly be spent in bible studies, Sunday school classes with snarky youth, writing endless lessons, teaching classes, etc. Because, sometimes when God spends us it costs us something very dear and great. 

  • Stephen was the currency which was used to purchase the majority of the New Testament. Could Paul have been Stephen? 

Here's the super TOUGH question: 

Can I accept where 
I am 
(in life) 
as the purpose 
and the hand 
of the Almighty God? 


Many were spent throughout scripture to purchase something much greater than themselves. 

  • Moses--was spent as he allowed himself to lead the millions of Israelites to freedom in Canaan. 

  • Jeremiah who was told to buy a field for a generation to come. He ministered to people who despised him...his ministry looked like a lost cause. 

that's my wonderings for this season--summer, fall and winter all inclusive. 

Live a LATTE today & tomorrow! 

Snow flakes from Dec 2013


May your Christmas be
Merry and Bright!  


Sunday, June 29, 2014

LATE Update on the Queen Bee's Brunch

What a time that was had by all who attended this wonderful event at VWC! 

Here are some pics as promised--way back in May--it's almost the end of June--yes, late, but nevertheless, posted! :) 


Table all decked out






Kevin and Sam ready to flip pancakes on the mighty-giant grill! 

Rigo serving Miss Jayda a pancake

Smiley Brent serving up a yogurt parfait

A crazy game called "Finish Mommy's Sentence" 
We ended up with over 70 people in attendance--mom's, kidlets, grandma's, etc. The photo booth was a huge hit as well! 

It was the hope of everyone who attended that VWC have a repeat performance in 2015. 

It was a LATTE of fun and laughs! Thanks for stopping back by to look at the pics! :) 

Saturday, June 28, 2014

55 Little Known Facts about Human Trafficking

Last week, I spoke to the Hyphen Camp of 20Somethings about social injustices and ways that the church is commanded to love their neighbor as themselves. 

This was an article I found and I wanted to share it with my blog world to bring more light to the plight of our fellow humans across the globe. 


Read it and then ask yourself this question--

Am I following what Micah 6:8 commands me to do?