note to self: stay away from this diet pill.
Blog
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chapter outline of mad church disease
so…
let me bounce something off of you.
i am going to give you a VERY VERY BASIC outline of the chapters of mad church disease.
if you can even call it an outline.
the lack of creative titles is for this post only and does not reflect a lack of creativity in my book…promise.
clear over cute for this little bloggy assignment.
so…i’ll give you the outline. you give me feedback. are there any holes? do you have any suggestions?
foreword
preface
introduction (my story)
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defining mad church disease
how the epidemic is killing the greatest call
risk factors
symptoms
getting healthy (top level)
practical tips (more detail/tangible/action steps)
prevention/how healthy organisms work
forgiveness/recovery
living an abundant life/call to action(oh crap – i just realized – this post is post #666!)
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my satanic friends
ok, my friends weren’t really satanic, but some members of my family thought they were. i was 19, had just called off a wedding, was working 9037 hours a week, partying with two different crowds – my uptown dallas yuppie friends and my downtown dallas music friends.
even though these particular groups of friends weren’t the best influence on my faith (which at this point in my life, i had pretty much deserted) the friendships that existed were the strongest most intimate bonds i have ever experienced in my life. i sacrificed so much for my friends – time, money, sleep, my living space…and they sacrificed for me. i knew whatever happened – through births, deaths, and divorce, we all stuck together.
after moving to kansas city in 2001 and recommitting my faith, those intimate seasons with my friends slowly faded. i know i can still call or text some of them even today and they’d be on my doorstep as soon as they could if i needed them, but our constant involvement in each others’ lives has diminished over time.
several people i know have great relationships, and model great relationships.
but i still hear a consistent cry of so many other believers that we are lonely. we lack relationships. we lack REAL relationships.
so really….
what gives?
what do you think?
why is it so different?
is it so different? -
how does prayer work?
someone who comments frequently here, emailed me this question and wanted to get your thoughts…what do you think?
If you prayed for somebody (financial situation, grief, job stress, and other life issues), but you DON’T tell them that you’ve been praying for them. Would that make a difference in that person’s life especially if he/she is not a Christian?
I have a friend who is aware that she may get laid off/demoted in a month and she may have to move out of state. Along with that, she shared with me quite a few stories about past broken/failed relationships (possible abuse in one of them) along with other personal bad choices.
I think she knows I’m a Christian since I mentioned about playing music for the church.
Part of me wants to think that God can just nudge her at night, waking her up from her sleep and telling her something good is happening.
I’ve submitted a prayer request for her through my bible study group…..now, I may sound like I’m doubting God’s power now…but if I didn’t tell her that some people have been praying for her, would that prayer be less ‘effective’? OR Would God think “No…I don’t have plans for her.”
Your thoughts?
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uganda – let’s make some noise!!!!
ok…so, we are leaving for uganda in less than a week, and i would REALLY love your help. this whole “history making” trip is just that because of the influence of web 2.0 – blogging, more specifically – and that wouldn’t even be anything if it wasn’t for YOU GUYS!
i have said this before, but you, the people who share and comment and make flowerdust.net the community it is, are what makes this unique.
it would mean the world to me (and literally, would mean LIFE for many children!) if you could help us get the word out. we are SO excited and SO passionate about getting these children loving sponsors…
i will stop at nothing…i will beg you, plead with you, even pay you if necessary to show some link love to this trip. these children deserve it!
here are some images that you can link to…two that will send people to my blog for uganda videos/photos/updates, and two that will send them directly to sponsor children from uganda.please use them wherever you can, however you can…please just use them!
and please let me know in the comments if you are using these to link. if i can, i’d like to pick you guys up something while we are there.
i cannot tell you how much i am looking forward to sharing this journey with you!! for reals.
you can copy the code in the box underneath for the picture you want to use.
LINK TO FLOWERDUST TRIP:
LINK DIRECTLY TO SPONSOR CHILDREN FROM UGANDA:
YOU ARE JUST AS MUCH A PART OF THIS TRIP AS THE PEOPLE GOING…let’s use the power of blogging to change the world!
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kick in the bells
we live downtown, and there are several old churches…most have bells.
every sunday morning around noon, one starts to chime. it’s lovely. you can sometimes make out the melody of old hymns.
a few minutes later, another church’s bell starts ringing. another old hymn.
the problem? they’re ringing at the same time.
two beautiful bells.
two beautiful hymns.
one giant mess.
stuff like this reminds me of the importance of unity – celebrating our differences in love and humble respect.
more oft’ than not, we just like doing our own thing aggressively, loudly, clanging…one layer of belief on top of another on top of another, trying to be the loudest so our particular voice can be heard.
the dissonance is tragic…
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Blogging Ventriloquist – Gina McClain
i will never forget the first time i met gina. i don’t think i even caught a good look at her face. i was visiting the okc campus over the summer, meeting some people, and this lady comes up to me, gives me a big fat hug, and says something along the lines of, “hi anne i’m gina i’m so glad you’re here and that we can finally meet how was your trip are you having fun i hate to run but i have a kazillion kids i need to show jesus to see you later i’ll email you sometime bye!”
whoosh. she was gone.
gina is the lifekids director at the okc campus. she LOVES kids. passionately. she was kind enough to do a guest blog for flowerdust, but if you really want a good look into her heart, read here.
gina writes,
I like puzzles.
Mostly the small ones. 150 pieces or less. None of those funky 3D ones that require a set of blueprints and permits to construct.
The process of connecting the individual pieces to create the bigger picture engages me. You begin with a few pieces that fit together. The picture they create may not make sense. But as you add to it, one piece at a time? it starts to click.
I’m in the midst of a puzzle right now. I have a glimpse of the bigger picture. I’ve got an idea of the end product. But right now I only have a few pieces. Though these pieces fit together, the picture they create doesn’t make sense. It’s clearly incomplete.
In my anxiousness, I want to go in search of the additional pieces I need to complete the picture. But I can’t do that. I’ve got too many battle scars from stupid moves like that. Experience reminds me that this isn’t my picture I’m attempting to piece together. But rather I’m just one of the pieces that fit within a picture God is creating.
Where are you? Attempting to put the puzzle together yourself? or patiently waiting for the Creator of the puzzle to put you in place?
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making a difference. really?
i was reading something a moment ago about people making a difference.
i think the difference has already been made.
we just have to step up and into it.
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raw [trust]
certain things trigger painful memories. and then i do allow myself to feel them. deeply.
saturday night, i had one of those experiences.
a person i have been getting to know lately reminds me of someone in my past.
someone who i looked up to tremendously. someone who led me. someone who i cared for deeply. someone who pastored me. someone who i trusted uninhibitedly.
someone who had been living a lie. the entire time i knew him.
i have forgiven this person. i still love this person. but this person has forever changed me.
and tonight, as i was reminded of my old friend again; my heart, surprised me.
achingly raw.
bleeding.
tears well up even as i type now. for past pain. and present fear. of future trust.