I am off and running-literally! But I want to encourage each of us (me) to take moments and ponder Jesus. I feel all caught up in the "have to do" modes of life, work, home, to do's...I kind of think that I might have been one who could have "missed" the moment in Bethlehem of God With Us-Christ come down to earth, to dwell with His people. I don't want to miss it!!! So, this blog post may be just for me-but I kind of think that some of you are just as "busy" we may need a gentle reminder to slow down and remember the "why" and the "who" it is we celebrate. Jesus, King of kings and Lord of lords-Emmanuel

Merry CHRISTmas!

WENDY means WANDERER

I always thought that was kind of cool that my name meant "wanderer". Truth be told, it fits! However, I am literally feeling like a person with no home, a little like those who wandered the wilderness for 40 years-okay, it's not that bad...but it does give a whole new perspective to being in a home, one place. Our new Church facility is almost ready for us to enter-it is SO exciting to think of...I pray that we are one big hub for everyone to come as they are and feel the love of Jesus!!! I pray that the building is not for those of us already in attendance, but that it is for those who have yet to enter any kind of Church, that they will feel loved and cherished and hear the TRUTH of who CHRIST is! You know, come to think of it-our Savior had no home to call his own, He was a wanderer...hmmm...maybe wandering a bit is good for all of us...

ANTICIPATION

I've been humming the Carly Simon tune "Anticipation" (in my head) a lot lately! Our Church is moving very soon into a location that will allow us to do ministry 24-7, this is SO EXCITING!!! We are patiently waiting (well, maybe not too patiently) to open the doors and welcome everyone in to this new home, right in the heart of the city!

I am not such a great student of patience...I am a hurry up and go sort of girl, but I am ever so slowly learning to wait, trust and move at the pace of HIS leading!

...IS...

He IS Consistent
He IS Strong
He IS Faithful
He IS Loving
He IS Full of Grace
He IS Holy
He IS Truth
He IS A Promise Keeper
He IS The Same Yesterday, Today and Forever
He IS The Way
He IS Merciful
He IS True to His Word
He IS For You
He IS Constant
He IS Singing Over You
He IS Waiting...

FOLLOW ME

Who do you follow?
Jesus said two simple but profound words: "FOLLOW ME".
We live in a culture that thrives on telling us, what to do, how to do it, just do it...and on and on.  Who is leading you today?  Who has your ear?  I confess that more than not this world and its leaders, or bosses or friends has my ear-I find myself following their voice.  It DRIVES ME CRAZY!!!  I have to put my hands over my ears and say NO!  I then, need to be quiet, and listen to the calm, sure, confident and leading voice of my Savior say "follow Me"-
May I challenge us both to follow the heart of Jesus, His words, His ways and learn to drown out the voice of this world and the noise of "just do it"?
Who do you follow?
Who are you listening to?

Casting

I have not done a whole lot of fishing in my day-but I have done some, enough to know that "casting" is a big part of the process. Think about it; you take a bobber, sinker, tie it to the line-place the hook on and "cast" it away from you into the waters surrounding you.

There is a bible verse that says
CAST ALL YOUR CARES ON HIM FOR HE CARES FOR YOU 1Peter 5:7

I'm not sure I'm the best example when it comes to casting my cares (anxieties). To take my worries, woes, fears, sorrows and throw it away from me is not so easy. Why is that? I am hanging on to something right now that I have no reason to-it's like I'm standing on shore with my rod and just staring at the line and bobber saying to myself "do I really want to "cast" this away from me?" And then what"

Truth be told-I can be a slow learner. I desire to be a great "caster" and to throw with out hesitation the line that holds all my "anxiety" far, far away from me and onto the ONE who promises me that HE CARES FOR ME

How is your cast?

The Last of The First Five

I have the wonderful privilege of working at the MINNESOTA STATE FAIR!!! A family in our Church has a business that they promote every year in the Home Improvement Building. Well, the other day my son and I were a bit early and so I decided to wait in line for a KARE 11 bag (crazy I know) they were giving them away at 10:30 and so I hopped in line at 9:30. I was 5th in line and then the crew from KARE decided to line people up in a sep section. There we were-the first five in line, and I was the last of the first five. We were all a bit crazy truth be told :D
About 45 minutes in to our “wait together” a gentlemen came up to ask me what street we were on-now keep in mind that I was asked to NOT LET ANYONE ELSE STAND BEHIND ME (I am WAY too much of a people pleaser for that role)-I told him which street and he continued to stand near the privileged five and wait for his party. A lady who had been part of “section two” jumped over the gate and told me in no uncertain terms to “watch that guy, he may try to just sneak in right behind you” I think I gave her a ‘WHOA NELLY’ Look. WOW, I thought to myself it is crazy what we invest in, myself included, things that really do not matter in light of eternity…time to ease up and invest what will last. On a side note-I did get my really nice blue backpack bag :D and it reminds me how crazy I am and that life is too short to worry about who may or may not be cutting in line!

Always a Pupil

There is an old song that features people of different ages singing the same chorus-the chorus goes like this:
HE'S STILL WORKING ON ME
TO MAKE ME WHAT I NEED TO BE
IT TOOK HIM JUST A WEEK TO MAKE THE MOON AND STARS
THE SUN AND THE EARTH AND JUPITER AND MARS
HOW LOVING AND PATIENT HE MUST BE
'CAUSE HE'S STILL WORKING ON ME
Picture a 4 year old, a 30 year old and a 90 year old all singing!
Not one of us has learned all there is to learn on this journey-there is always something to glean if we are willing to keep learning and growing in the process to be more like Christ~
I for one feel like I HAVE A WHOLE LOT MORE to learn in each day I'm given-
Did you know that the word "pupil" has two meanings? It is the opening in the center of the iris that receives light AND it is also a student learning from a teacher or mentor-I think it is kind of cool that light allows one to see better or something anew-kind of like learning wouldn't you say? ;D

AWEsome!!!!

We have a group of teens from our Church who are in Puerto Rico RIGHT NOW! They are being the hands and feet of Jesus and also God is doing some pretty amazing things in their own hearts! Our Youth Pastor has been giving us updates each night and let me tell you-they are inspiring!!!! If you have a moment-pause and take a look and then press on and run the race as to win!!!!

www.willowbrookchurch.org

Sheet Music takes a Stand

A few nights back I went to my daughter's sixth grade band concert. In our school district sixth grade is the first available grade to participate in the band program. Our daughter chose to play the saxophone and I remember the first time she placed that reed in her mouth-Whoa Nelly! As I sat and listened to all of the students play-I found myself captured in their perseverance to learn their instrument-to watch and focus on their conductor-to let the music play. I know it was only a group of sixth graders and what I'm about to say may shock you...but it was BEAUTIFUL!
To see on their faces the sense of accomplishment of what each individual added to the whole-to hear the applause of the crowd~
What a great picture of our lives in Christ.

Admittedly it is not an easy road to walk, this narrow road, but it is the road we are called to when we surrender our lives to the One who created us-letting Jesus take the lead as we learn to die to ourselves and give him ownership of all we are and all we have-as we learn to become new creations in Christ! The old begins to fade away as the new comes-it is a road of perseverance [Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.] Romans 5:3-5
-a road of keeping our heads up and our eyes FIXED on Jesus! (Heb 12:2)

Let's be an excited people living this life out loud-walking this narrow road unahamed sharing the GOOD NEWS of our Savior to all who will listen and be individuals who add to the whole!

Our Savior's Love NEVER Fails

Remember-

Even though we can't see the SUN-that does not mean it is not there-

Be the DIFFERENCE in someone's life today!

3 STRIKES

So Baseball has officially begun! Can you feel the excitement in the air as people dust off their gloves getting sunflower seeds in the mouth and humming "Take Me Out To The Ball Game"
Here in MN we cheer for the TWINS-but I'm always amazed at just how quickly the fans fall of the wagon. So far the MN have only won 2 games and the player they are paying A LOT of money for has already broken his leg...boy oh boy!

It seems we live in a culture in which the cheering fades quickly when the losing begins...but I find myself asking..."isn't that when we need the cheering the most?" When we are doing well or when our teams are doing well it's super easy to jump on the band wagon and cheer...Whooo Hoooo! But Yimminy Yackers-when things don't quite go our way, we fall behind or lose a few games-Silence and boos and man "how could they?"

Here is the GOOD NEWS! This life is a journey and we don't have to live it listening to people who cheer us on only when things are good because we have a SAVIOR who cheers us on in the Joyous moments and the Weary moments-in the laughing moments and the weeping moments...we are NOT forgotten!!! (Hebrews 13:5-6)
(Romans 8:31)PLUS Hebrews 12 tells us we have a cloud of witnesses CHEERING US ON...so that we can run this race with PERSEVERANCE! So Cool!!!

How great would it be to be a people of cheering-riding that wagon no matter the circumstance-cheering each other on-sharing a word of encouragement...let us not be silent any longer and please...don't give in to the "boos" of life but instead rise to the challenge of being part of the Whoooo Hooooo in the everyday~

Aisle sit there

So the Gordy Family decided to have a night out and see a new movie. We got to the theatre and quickly found out that we ALL like to sit on the aisle...I believe I was the only one who sacrificed and sat in one seat...unbelievable :D
Funny movie-good popcorn and we only took up 5 rows to watch it!

Do you KARE

One of the things I enjoy-for whatever reason-is watching the 10 p.m. news...crazy right? I really have found myself appreciating KARE 11 for the team they have put together-mornings-afternoon-evening...they are all great and the weekend team is as strong as the main anchor team. I've learned something from watching them.

1-BE YOURSELF Life is not an act, it shouldn't be anyway...we should live this life authentically...who you see is who you get...

2-LAUGH show joy...we who were lost and now have been found have the greatest JOY ever...how can we not live this out loud and tell others of our Savior

3-BE A PLAYER team player that is :D How boring to live this life alone or think we are the only ones to "do" what needs to be done...lonely and not fulfilling if you ask me...let's join together to do great things

4-WRAP IT UP lol...say what you need to say and then let it be heard and processed...okay, this one I'm still a little slower to implement (hee hee)

Big World

I am sometimes in awe some what I get to do for a living-I have such a passion for music and God is so creative as He give each of us our gift. Today we had the privilege to hear from Church Planters from Sweden. 4 Brilliant musicians shared not only their talents but more importantly their hearts and their Pastor spoke the Words of life.
It was a great Sunday to be reminded of how BIG our God is and that He is orchestrating His people to proclaim His life saving Good News-we cannot be silent. So lets join in and make a JOYFUL NOISE and be engaged in what God is doing all over His creation!

Willow Worship 2.20.11

Many people have asked what our "set" was after the service and so I thought I would just put our Worship Set on my blog each Sunday~

Songs We Did At Willow:

REACHING FOR YOU by Lincoln Brewster
SING by Josh Wilson
JESUS MESSIAH by Chris Tomlin
GLORY TO GOD by Fee
IN MY OWN LITTLE WORLD by Matthew West

Be the Hands and Feet of Jesus this week~
Wendy

Ever So Slowly

Things I'm learning:

Leaders Follow
To First Seek
Not to Blink
To Let "it" Go
Fixing my Eyes
Hiding the Word
Walk with the Wise
Run as to Win
Live out Loud
Be Still
Be in the Now
Cast my Cares
Love Deeply
Not to let the Sun Go Down
When all else fades only Jesus Remains