It's different now...

Francis Chan is my "Father of the Faith". When I was in 8th grade, I accepted Christ at a youth camp where he was the main speaker. If you don't know who he is check out Cornerstone Church, located in Semi Valley, California.

He has written two books now: 1) Crazy Love and 2)The Forgotten God. I just completed The Forgotten God which is all about how was have tragically neglected to REALLY invite the spirit into our churches, our homes, and ultimately our daily lives. It's not that He isn't there, it's that we don't know what it means to live in step with the Spirit so that every decision, thought and action is motivated by His leading. What would our churches, homes and daily lives look like if we honestly and truly did that?

As I was reading it, I was asking Him (the Holy Spirit) to show me a tangible way that I could follow His leading. One of the ways that we often "make it without Him" is by working hard to provide for ourselves. When you have a good job, enough in the bank account, and a stable-looking future, it is easy to think we have that part figured out pretty well enough on our own. I want to be provided for by the Spirit. I want to wake up every morning and be blown away by how he blesses and supplies our needs.

Based on all of this, talking to Him as I read through this book, I am convinced that He wants me to make my photography a donation based ministry. I saw an "Extreme Home Makeover" several years ago that I will never forget. There was a woman who's ministry as a photographer was to go into the hospitals and take pictures with couples who had a premature baby that was only going to live HOURS. Maybe a week? She named the organization "Tiny Works of Heart." She would go into those dark suffocating rooms and breathe life into them. She would make the parents laugh with each other as they held their newborn and take literally THOUSANDS of pictures for them to cherish forever... beyond the fleeting hours with their child.

I have always been inspired by that, but I wasn't sure that was what I was called too. It takes a very special personality to be able to talk into a situation like that and bring joy, hope and peace. I know that God wants to use my photography to bless others and now it is going to be completely by donation. Families come from such an array of situations and have innumerable other financial burdens that take precinence now-adays. I am hoping this will be an encouragement to many....so.....

Spread the word! :)

Love, Sarah

Word of the Day

"When we are at our wits' end for an answer, then the Holy Spirit can give us an answer. But how can He give us an answer when we are still well supplied with all sorts of answers of our own?

Karl Barth.

House Hunting

Mike and I have started the search for a place of our own. After months for me, and years for him, of renting... it is time to be "allowed" to paint the walls, install cool lights, and put our fingerprints all over :)

We have found a house that we love at a price that is INSANE. Insanely low, that is. It is a foreclosed house, but the only one in this neighborhood which makes it less of an issue. It is now on a bidding block, so the price that is listed really means nothing.

We keep going back looking for flaws wondering what the deal is....This would be a house we couldn't have afforded otherwise and this could just be our diamond in the rough...

Take a peak!

Love, Sarah

In your freedom, Hillsong

I have listened to the Savior, King Album by Hillsong many many times, but never really heard the lyrics of this song until this morning. Check it out:

I search for You
God of strength
I bow to You
in my brokenness
And no other King
could have so humbly come
To save my soul
and heal my heart

I have nothing more than all You offer me
There is nothing else that’s of worth to me

And I love You Lord
You rescued me
You are all that I want
You’re all that I need
I pray to You God of peace
I rest in You
my cares released

I have nothing more than all You offer me
There is nothing else that’s of worth to me

And I love You Lord
You rescued me
You are all that I want
You’re all that I need

In Your freedom I will live
In Your freedom I will live
I offer devotion
I offer devotion

Back to School Bash

We have been praying for this event for weeks, asking God to bring hundreds of unsaved students onto Northside’s Campus. With everything ready to go, from the inflatables, to the band, to the speaker waiting to share, students began to stream in. At first I was discouraged because we didn’t have the “amount” of students we were praying for, but as I walked around I realized that there were hardly any faces I recognized. The event was from 4-8 and at 5:15, an hour before the band was going to start playing, I went to the back and prayed with them that many more students would arrive to hear the message. In the next half hour, at least another 50 students came through our doors.

The Starlit Drive was a favorite band from our Myrtle Beach Retreat back at the beginning of the summer, and the students who are apart of our Student Ministries were extremely excited to remember how God had touched their lives at this camp. Others, uncertain of their faith, having spent little time in a church, welcomed this Christian Band with equal excitement. As Shawn spoke about John 10:10 and how Christ desires to give them FULL lives, I could feel the Spirit moving in the room. Many rededicated their lives to Him, and many were faced with the opportunity to make that decision for the first time. I am so thankful for all that God is doing in the lives of the students from all across our city. Pray that we continue to see brand new faces every week… :)

Run!

In light of all this, here's what I want you to do. While I'm locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run! on the road God called you to travel. I don't want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don't want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences.

You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. You have one Master, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness.

Ephesians 4:1-6

Imagine Campaign 2009

The team from Guatamala has returned safely! Mike is still processing all the experiences he had and I am sure that this will be something he will always remember and carry with him. He mentioned how sweet the children were there, which is something that always stuck out to me when to travelled to very impoverished places. I told him to bring home as many as he could carry, but i guess that's frowned upon... someday we'll snatch some of those little ones up.

Yesterday we had a church-wide picnic celebrating our vision for our new church location. We had it on the new property that has been paid off and now it's time to take a step of faith and pledge and start building. As our pastor said, despite economy, despite our own financial woes, if God has provided this for us and given us a word to move forward in faith, that is what we need to do. This new location will increase our influence greatly, not to mention we will be situated off of 2 major highways and next to 2 schools -- thousands will drive past every day -- thousands that we will have an opportunity to reach.

It's pretty exciting :)