Introducing...

My newest favorite rockband...PickleHeart.


Check this out. My friend and I went out to Jim and Nick's Barbeque a few weeks ago, and the waitress apparently really liked us. Not only did she give us free cheese biscuits and an extra chicken finger with our order, but she also gave me this pickle on my sandwich:

My friend and I, who both have an interest in coming up with rock band names, decided that this must be the start of something great. I have since designed PickleHeart's first album cover...

Photoshop, with a little extra time on your hands, is a beautiful thing.

I am not a college student anymore...

Haven't posted in a while, so I thought I'd let y'all know what I've been up to this week.

Let's start with the most recent thing. Last night, I went to see my friend Matt's band (Pawnshop Radio) play at the "Dark Room" downtown. It used to be called Bar 145, but they changed the name so it wouldn't sound so sketchy...I don't think it worked. Anyway, they didn't get done playing until 1:45am, which means I didn't get home until 2:30. I don't remember the last time I was even awake that late, let alone out driving...and I am paying for it now. It's noon, and I'm about to go back to bed. At one point, I told the people I was hanging out with that I was "living" because I was drinking a Coke at midnight. I am soooo not a college student anymore...it's kind of sad, really.

This week has been busier and a little more stressful than usual. I think it all started on Monday night, when I sang at a memorial service for Braedon McBride, the daughter of two good friends of mine. They went to the hospital on Thursday morning to deliver her, thinking everything was fine, and found out that during the previous night the umbilical cord got a knot in it and cut off Braedon's air supply. I cannot adequately describe this nightmare...but Monday night, Jim Miles and I rallied and did our first funeral together.

Now, I've sung at many funerals--probably more than weddings--but I have never had to do the whole service before. My boss, Jeanne, came and sang backup to support me--can you believe that? I have the greatest boss and mentor in the world. It was also really good that she was there because no one really knew how to do a funeral, so she ended up kind of directing the whole thing...anyway, it was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do in ministry. And I realized, this is my job now. This is what I signed up for, although I didn't know it at the time...this is part of the deal. I was honored to be a part of this precious baby's memorial, but man. Why did that have to happen?

So that started my week, and the rest kind of followed. And now there's a chance I may finally take the plunge and move out on my own--friends, I need some prayer here! I got some interesting confirmation of it last night (at least, that's what I think it was), and I just really need the wisdom and courage to "step out of the boat" and really trust God if this is what He's calling me to do. I think He's taking me into a new phase of growing in maturity and dependence on Him...

So, lots of things going on this week! How are you? Let's catch up sometime.

Pictures of worship

Check out picture #1:

This is my friend Demi's daughter Alana. I think she's about three years old...and worshipping for the first time at a Mosaic service. Can you believe this? This is so great and beautiful...this is how we are to be. Like children, dancing before the Father. What an inspirational picture!

This weekend, I got another picture of true worship. There's a man at my church named John who is involved in the Cleansing Stream ministry--a very intensive ministry that relies a lot on heavy intercession and prayer. In the past 6 months, John has lost both his youngest daughter and his wife (these tragedies occurred less than 5 months apart). One was unexpected, the other resulted from a longtime illness, and both were obviously major blows to this man and the rest of his family. I cannot imagine the grief John has had to endure in such a short period of time. I think I would hide from the world and forget my ministry for a while--whatever it may be.

But he didn't.

The week after his wife died, I saw him at church, worshipping God and serving as usual. It blew my mind. How could he do that? How could he show up, worship, and carry on with his ministry, let alone function at all? And yet, there he was, raising his hands to our faithful God, declaring that He is indeed faithful and merciful and just.

If that isn't a picture of true worship, I don't know what is...and from where I stood on the stage, I felt like maybe we needed to trade places.

So today was the last day of the Cleansing Stream Retreat. I went as a participant this time, and the last session was on the baptism of the Holy Spirit. As I went up to receive prayer for a fresh filling of the Spirit, it just so worked out that John, whom I had not formally met, was available to pray with me. And as he anointed me with oil, I felt honored--truly honored--to have this man, this true worshipper, pray for me to grow in my own worship.

God, let it be so! Let me have the same dedication, the same connectedness, the same soul-knitted bond that John shares with You. Thank You for this example, and please, please restore back to him a hundredfold what has been taken away. May he know peace, joy, and safety as he truly rests in You. Amen.