Saturday morning, the woman who Jesus loves was determined that she would stand in line for coffee no matter how long it took. The woman who Jesus loves had gotten less than five hours of sleep and checked out of the hotel at 6:45 am without any coffee. The woman who Jesus loves took a walk around the coliseum to find the shortest coffee line and check out the resource tables on the way. The woman who Jesus loves turned a corner and almost ran into the woman who Beth Moore loves. One of the funny things that Beth Moore talked about was how John refers to himself as "the disciple who Jesus loves." She said, "Oh, John. He's so humble he never calls himself by name. He just says that he's the one that Jesus loves." Well, that's exactly how I feel about Big Mama. She doesn't shout it from the rooftops that she sat in the front row in between Beth's assistant and Travis and the praise and worship team and Beth called her daughter by name. I was so excited that I got to meet her although I stammered out a dorky greeting and my cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Oh yeah, one more thing. She's not "big" at all.
I didn't want to return back from my weekend in Richmond with nothing to share with others. My scribbled notes are all I have to offer. I figured you probably weren't interested in my damp wads of tissues. If you read my blog, you know I have a big, tender spot in my soul for Beth Moore and her bible studies. They are what got me into God's Word in some of the darkest times in my life. Her studies showed me the excitement of learning and studying and finding what God's will is in my life. I will always appreciate what she has taught me. In other news, she is the cutest little Bible Cheerleader that you have ever seen. She has little stick legs, (not so big) blond hair, and big love flowing out from her. She praises God wholeheartedly, prays humbly, and appeals to the hearts of everyone in her audience. Go to a conference if you ever have a chance. Just to be clear, I don't worship HER, I just worship the same God and Savior as she does!
After determining how many women in the audience had been raised in church and had been studying the bible for many years, Beth Moore decided that we needed to return to an old, familiar chapter. She lead us to John 1. Her desire was to bring new life to an old chapter and bring forth a revival in Richmond. One of the main themes in the gospel of John is BELIEVE. He uses the word 98 times where Mark uses it 11 times and Matthew uses it 14 times. "We don't have abundant life until we have abundant belief."
The theme of the weekend revolved around Travis Cottrell's keyboard in which she walked over to and hit the middle C several times. To get from one octave to another (middle c to high c) there are eight notes. Middle C is Christ. All things point back to Jesus. In the first chapter of John there are eight titles to Jesus.
Middle C: The Word ( verse 1) D: The Life (verse 4) E: The Light (verse 9) F: The Only Begotten Son (verse 18) G: The Lamb (verse 29) A: The Messiah (verse 41) B: The King (verse 49) High C: The Son of Man (verse 51)
To find Jesus, (High C) we have to go back to God's Word. (Middle C) The way to do this you must go:
1) Back to the Word
Starts with eternity... before time began. Word = logos, which means divine speech, expression of God before all men and creation.
2) Back to the genesis (beginning)
John 1 and Genesis 1 begin at the beginning. We don't have to prove God's existence, the burden of proof falls on the atheists. Our beginning begins with the Word of God and begins again with Jesus Christ.
3) Back to the exodus
God came to make His dwelling with us, literally, pitch His tent among us. All of us need a mass exodus from something. We have a stumbling block that needs to be left behind. Christians are meant to be as contagious as a virus in spreading God's Word.
4) Back to the ultimate exegesis
The goal of Biblical exegesis is to explore the meaning of the text which then leads to discovering its significance or relevance. (Wikipedia) If you and I want to know theology, KNOW JESUS! No one has seen God at any time, but His Son will exegete Him to you.
5) Back to grace and truth
There are two camps in Christianity. The Grace camp forgets the truth, believes that they are already saved so they have the license to do anything. The Truth camp is the religious police, the ones who "share the Good News in a bad mood." The balance between the two camps is JESUS. One camp without the other cuts off an arm of Jesus and makes no reason for his death on the cross. For every truth there is ample grace to cover it! A truth doesn't become THE TRUTH until His word is applied. THE TRUTH takes a truth and turns it into a testimony! The only time that you cannot handle the truth is when you detach it from His grace!
6) Back to the gospel
We would be in error to assume that everyone who cracks open a bible or sings a praise and worship song is saved. She did an invitation at this point.
7) Back to one blessing after another
It is not our job to be Jesus. It is our job to be examples of His love. We need to regain our wonderment for his Word.
8) Back to the future
Now it is time to go back home and jump into our jobs as wives and mothers and daughters. We need to return back as a people that have rediscovered the Word!
P.S. Travis Cottrell is an awesome praise and worship leader. Go to iTunes and download Victory in Jesus, In Christ Alone, and In the Sanctuary. That's an order.
I am reading a 50 Day Devotional by Kara Davis, MD called Spiritual Secrets to Weight Loss. I have been trying to do this type of study on my own for years, so when I found this book at the library I grabbed it. Basically, she runs through healthy eating, BMI's, exercise, and covenants in the first chapter and then has a scripture and prayer for every day. There goes MY dream of writing a book like this, but I have thoroughly enjoyed every day's reading. It would be great material for a weight loss class at church or as a bible study for dieters. It's like an amped up Weight Watchers. She hit every nail on the head in just the first chapter.
... we will focus on health rather than personal goals so that it will help to keep our motives pure. Our personal goals are usually just that - personal. Let's be honest; they are often based on such things as a desired clothing size, attractiveness to the opposite sex, and wanting to avoid embarrassment at high school reunions... But God is never glorified through self-centeredness. So we ought to set a goal to honor Him through living in a manner that reflects His attributes of discipline, self-control, temperance, prudence, and sobriety.
And also...
Along with emotions, we also have a flesh nature. It is the flesh nature that drives us to indulgence, excess, and gluttony. Food advertisers target out flesh nature through catchy slogans. Certainly you should "have it your way" and "obey your thirst," because the bottom line is you really "can't stop eating 'em." And the flesh, once satisfied, will always respond with a contented, "I'm lovin' it.
HEALTH FACT OF THE DAY DAY ONE The prevalence of obesity and being overweight is higher for Christians than for any other religious group. Atheists even weigh less than born-again believers.
What do you think? Are you surprised? Disgusted? Convicted to be different?
I have a theory on why we are overweight.
Christian = Church = Potlucks = Fellowship = Company = Homemade Ice Cream = 12 Milky Way Bars drenched in Sweetened Condensed Milk
I am praying about beginning a Weight Loss Journey on this blog in the fall since I have a few readers to be accountable to. Who's with me?
Welcome to the Bowman's New Orleans Grill. Tonight's Special is a Courtbouillon (pronounced coo - be - yon) of celery, onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, garlic clove, and tomato sauce served over long grain white rice. The cost is $25.00. Your chef is well trained in food preparation and takes his job very seriously.
Pardon? You are asking what kind of meat is in the dish? I'm so sorry, ma'am. I'll show you.
It has the texture and look of turkey. But it's not turkey. It's turtle.
After $7.00 in chicken livers and $18 in trot line hooks, Drew finally caught a snapping turtle in the pond.
WORD POLICE WARNING: The word "ain't" is used in this video twice. Sadly, the first time is me. I apologize. I'm blaming it on my nerves. I was a little jumpy.
WARNING: A turtle WAS harmed in the making of these videos.
She went all out. A NEW dress with tags hanging on it that has never been worn. It's from Ross clearance rack ($12.99) which isn't quite Anthropologie, but still.
Eve is getting nervous although she promised herself she wouldn't. Her class reunion (12th, since the 98ers skipped having a tenth 'cause that's how we roll) is quickly approaching this weekend and Eve is trying to figure out how to dress. There are many options...
Wear all black because then I will look skinnier and maybe fool everyone into thinking I weigh the same that I did in high school.
Wear something in my closet because no one has seen me for twelve years and possibly will never see me again.
Wear a classic outfit (black skirt and white button down) that will not look cheesy in ten years when I look at the pictures.
Wear something that I wore in high school so they can say, "It's weird, but Joni has not even changed."
Wear jeans to appease Mike Vondran who wrote in my yearbook "For Gosh sakes, Joni, please buy some jeans!"
Wear a mustard yellow dress that is 100% Cotton so that I can be a wrinkled up mess when I arrive at the bowling alley.
(I know, it's at the bowling alley. Tell me again why this is stressful?) Eve turned to her favorite designer, Anna Maria Horner, for help. "Please, Anna, what would you do to this dress?" Anna replied, "Add my fabric, dummy." (I know that Anna would never talk to me like this. She's just too nice. But it was midnight, and Eve gets a little pushy, you know.)
Eve heeded Anna's advice and added a panel to the bottom of the dress so that there would be no incidents when leaning over to pick up a gutter ball.
And then Eve gathered a ridiculous amount of fabric into a flower to pull it all together.
As Eve was cleaning up scraps, she spotted the apron that she found at Pier One clearance. Eve would never wear it to the reunion for fear of being mistaken for the waitress, but Eve went to bed with a smile, because it just looked so cute on the mannequin.
Thank you, Anna. I wish that I were you. Then I might have a job to brag about at the reunion.
Tearing up the garden...
Riding four wheeler and dirt bike...
Cleaning Nate's eye with toothpaste...
You know, the normal fall stuff.
One of the funny things that Beth Moore talked about was how John refers to himself as "the disciple who Jesus loves." She said, "Oh, John. He's so humble he never calls himself by name. He just says that he's the one that Jesus loves." Well, that's exactly how I feel about Big Mama. She doesn't shout it from the rooftops that she sat in the front row in between Beth's assistant and Travis and the praise and worship team and Beth called her daughter by name. I was so excited that I got to meet her although I stammered out a dorky greeting and my cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Oh yeah, one more thing. She's not "big" at all.
Welcome to the Bowman's New Orleans Grill.
Pardon? You are asking what kind of meat is in the dish? I'm so sorry, ma'am. I'll show you.
It has the texture and look of turkey. But it's not turkey.
And then Eve gathered a ridiculous amount of fabric into a flower to pull it all together.
As Eve was cleaning up scraps, she spotted the apron that she found at Pier One clearance. Eve would never wear it to the reunion for fear of being mistaken for the waitress, but Eve went to bed with a smile, because it just looked so cute on the mannequin.
Thank you, Anna. I wish that I were you.
