439 - Strokin' Out - recap

Dear Heavenly Father - what a wonderful weekend. I just don't know where to begin! Strokin' Out is quite a name for this post title, but let me explain. I woke up yesterday morning to take Lu Lu out to potty. Walking down the hall we have this huge mirror that you can't help but look into. As i got closer and closer I realized that I just might had have a stroke in the middle of the night. My right side of my face was a little droopy and really swollen. Oh no, I have stroked out or at least a touch of "Bells Paulsey". Then i begin to try to smile and notice that I do have some control of that side of my face. I then start to touch around on that side of my face only to discover a boil, boulder whatever you prefer getting bigger by the second. Clay, normally very sensitive, said - awe, you just look like you have a big "chew" in. No big deal. Just the look i was looking for on Sunday morning. At church everyone was kind enough to not say anything! ha!

My pastor did an outstanding job. He preached on evangelism, but from the perspective that it is our responsibility. Many preachers dance around that as responsibility because they don't want to put too much pressure on their congregation. Luke has such a way about him that everything comes across so humble and makes you want to get into action!! Oh it was great!

Yesterday after church we got a sitter and went to Evansville to buy facets, sinks, kitchen stuff, garbage disposal, etc.......... It was expensive, but fun!! I had not a lot of a clue of what I was doing!

Saturday morning Andrea and I walked in the town wide Faith Walk. There was a huge turn out - nearly 125 people or so. Then we made it down town for the Pet Parade. Lu Lu got too exhausted and had to be taken back home. Good grief!! We stuck around for the frog jump contest and Bubble Gum Blowing contest as well. SJ squished her frog as she was trying to make him jump - flattened him with her foot. It was sad. I won the Bubble Gum Blowing contest in the Adult division! Kelly Sutton came in a close second! We then road a few rides and then went to Fairfield for my niece's homecoming. She was beautiful!

Backing up to Friday is the most exciting!! After i got off work I received a call from our accountant wanting to talk over things about going non-profit. This is not the same lady that I have been talking with in Illinois. Anyway, he was asking me 1000 questions - trying to make me be as specific as possible. Finally I said James, I just don't know all the answers you are asking. I really need to pray about all this more. (I am not so much of a details person and he was really asking detail stuff.) So when I got home excited about our conversation I immediately started praying! God show me my focus, show me my intentions, show me my details that I just don't see, show me how I can be different than a Proverbs 31 Ministry or a Hearts at Home or even a Beth More Ministry... I was standing under the Mulberry tree outside and God clear as day - in my heart - asked me - What have you always loved more than anything about speaking. I quickly answered, I love the small church. I have always had such a passion for the small church - maybe because I come from a 17,000 member church in Charlotte. Then He impressed on me your ministry will be such that you raise funds for the small church to have professionally budgeted speakers, but at a ministry sized price. This is how I expressed it to Ashley over email....

God has placed a finite passion me about what to seek non-profit status in. I am going to establish Speaking Thru Me ministries as non-profit and we are going to raise funds for the small churches. What I mean by that - I love the small church, I always have. I love doing retreats at small churches, I love how they run, and I love how they are sooooooooooooo appreciative!! BUT many churches, the small ones, can not have speakers to their retreats and they end up getting someone from the church that doesn't want to do it, but just has to because no one else will. We want to help them change that. I am wanting to get a list of speakers that are very, very good, but not at the top of the pinnacle yet or may never be - just the way God has for them. Ones that would be willing to go to a church for a little less. my ministry would help foot the bill so that that little church gets a professional speaker for their retreat, but does not have to pay the professional price.................... it was beautiful when the Lord told me it all!!!

Oh Lord, thank you for being so specific. I do understand that where you are in ministry at this moment is possibly really going to be different in 10 years, but we have to have a starting point. Thank you for impressing my heart with how you want us to look different. I am excited to take this to the lawyer and then begin working with the accountant. I still have more funds to raise, but it will come too!!! I just know it will. Begin to speak to me more about that and how I can do that. Jesus - you are so faithful. Thank you for a great weekend and for speaking to my heart. Thank you for being so clear and giving me direction. I am going to begin taking applications for the speaker team - please help me in that area too. I love you Lord - oh so much!!!