Who can know the mind of God? Who can foresee how He will take a near tragedy and turn it into a miracle?
This past Wednesday night, on the way home from youth group, one of our seniors was in a very serious car accident. Jason received the call while he was still driving home and immediately went to the hospital. Apparently, the student hydroplaned, flipped his car, and hit a tree. Thankfully, another one of our students was on his way home as well and was driving right behind him when it happened. The scene was pretty gruesome and it looked fatal. The car was in a tight little ball and the paramedics had to work awhile to get him out.
Of course, with modern technology, the news spread fast. Our phone was ringing like crazy and everyone in the youth group was very very scared!!! The last we all heard...before getting to the hospital...was that the student was completely unresponsive and bleeding pretty bad.
But like I said, God worked a miracle. The accident was two days ago and amazingly enough...he was discharged from the hospital this afternoon. He has several scratches, a couple of bruised (if not broken) ribs and a very sore back. But he is alive...and dreaming about his next car!!!
Why does God choose to save some but allow others to come home to Him? Why did this student escape basically unscathed? Does it really matter if we pray or not? God's will is ultimately accomplished...so does it change anything?
These are the questions that the youth are facing now. There is a tangible relief amongst everyone...but a new appreciation for God's sovereignty!!!
Thank you to those who knew and were praying. Please continue to pray for these students as they work through these different concepts and questions!

Since we have been back from Tucson, Tyler and Amy have taken on new characters in their make-believe fun. Being around their many cousins introduced them to some new faces in the fantasy world.
This past week they were trying to "out-do" each other in their pretend fighting. It wasn't going so well for Amy so this is how the conversation went:


Amy: Oh yeah, well I'm going to call Spiderman.
Tyler: Oh yeah, well I'm going to call black Spiderman
Amy: Oh yeah, well I'm going to call Batman
Tyler: Oh yeah, well I'm going to call the mean Joker


Amy was stumped on this one. She thought about it for a minute...went off to the corner and pretended to get on the phone. Then said, "Hello, Jesus?" That did it...game over!
They have never seen any of those characters before...they've only heard about them from other people. They have also never seen Jesus...but He is more real to them than any of those super heroes.
Soon after this little show down Amy went upstairs and came downstairs walking regally into the room dressed like...



Can you figure out who she is?

I was tagged by my friend, Jenny, to do a photo meme. I had to go to her blog to truly understand what I was supposed to do. Here were the rules:

This is a picture of my wonderful Dad holding Amy a few hours after she was born. I remember so clearly that day...especially now that I'm anticipating hospital rooms, epidurals, antiseptic smells, and cranky nurses. Time seems to fly by but when you stop and look at a picture it all comes rushing back. My dad is amazing and completely doted on Amy (still does). I have so many pictures of him holding her and looking down at her with complete adoration. He is the best grampie and the best dad. I love you, Dad!!! Okay, I don't have that many friends that blog...but I tag: Johnna, Kim, Erin, & Allison

Can't wait to see your pictures, girls!!! :-)

I am sitting here laughing at my newest fashion faux pas...its called "in-between-pregnancy-clothes"! I am at that stage in my pregnancy where my regular clothes don't fit and my maternity clothes are too big. So today I am going more for comfort than fashion....warmth more than style.
We are staying at home all day today and just doing chores and hanging out. So, I opted for warm comfy clothes and its not a pretty picture. Whatever fit today (no matter the color) is my choice outfit! There are only two pairs of jeans that fit and a few nice shirts. I will save those for days when I actually see people older than five! Please do not stop by unannounced to see this new fad...I will not be stepping out to Harris Teeter for just one item...and there will be no web cam conversations today! :-)

Hidden in the book of II Chronicles chapter 20 is a story filled with inspiring truth and a convicting challenge. In my devotions this morning, I spent quite a long time just sitting...reading the chapter over again. I'm sure I've read the passage before...but this morning it actually hit home and found its way into my heart!

The story is about King Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. The Moabites and the Ammonites had set out to conquer the kingdom of Judah. Jehoshaphat's first response was to seek the Lord and asked that all the cities of Judah seek the Lord and fast. Every single person stood before the Lord and sought His answer...even down to the wives and the little children. (vs. 13)

The Spirit of the Lord came upon the prophet Jahaziel and gave this answer, "You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, STAND STILL AND SEE THE SALVATION OF THE LORD, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!" (vs. 17) The Lord asked them to do the easiest...and yet also the hardest thing...be still. Jehoshaphat responded to this by bowing and worshiping the Lord. The next morning Jehoshaphat reminded them to believe in the Lord and His promise. He also gave them something to "do" while standing still, he told them to sing to the Lord and praise the beauty of His holiness! Wow! What a leader!

When God asks us to "be still", we kick and squirm and think of so many different ways the situation could turn out. We offer our advice, our alternatives, our plan B...but that is not what God wants. Salvation and sanctification are not accomplished through our efforts. Rather, when we are still and focused on the beauty of His holiness...that is when the work begins, in our hearts and in our lives.

We just got back last night from the winter conference with the youth group. We took about seventy high school kids and there were about fifty junior high students that went. We loaded up three huge buses and went up to the Smokey Mountains for three days.
It was AWESOME!!! The conference is held every winter in Gatlinburg and several other locations. The speakers were Josh McDowell, Tony Nolan, Ergun Caner, and Johnny Hunt. The bands included Third Day, Newsong, Relient K, Barlow Girl and the worship band Unhindered. It was an amazing conference.
I was a little hesitant about going on this trip as I have not been feeling the greatest. I knew there would be a lot of walking and standing (and knowing that the majority of the students were girls - I knew there would be some "drama" on the trip as well! :-) But through different circumstances God made it clear that I was supposed to go. Thankfully, my nausea was kept at bay for the most part...and only crept up several times on the trip.
It was such a blessing to spend so much time with so many of our students. And it is always very interesting when you take them out of the "church" environment to watch how they interact, worship, grow, etc. It was a very fruitful trip and I am so very very blessed to have been a part of it!There were about five thousand students from surrounding states that attended the conference...so, needless to say it was a little crazy in Gatlinburg. But we only had one hospital run, one student loose her money, several pranks on Jason and even some on me, and zero students lost!!! That is a huge praise!
God definitely kept His hand on our youth group. I am praying for all of our students as they return to school this coming week and back to reality that the seeds planted and the decisions made these last few days will take root and grow. Its easy to get caught up in the emotion of the moment and stand boldly for the Lord...in front of thousands of other believers. But now is where the true test begins...the fiery furnace of our ungodly world and its influence!