Top Ten

Hey Gals,
I was thinking today about my top 10 moments of 2008. It has been a ruff year for many of us. We have had many experiences of loss and gain of great proportion this year. For those of you who have participated in Women's Ministry at Harrison this year I pray your testimony of 2008 would be of total GAIN in your relationship with Jesus and with other women at Harrison.

One of my greatest joys in my life is sharing in relationship with you ladies! I consider it a great honor to do life alongside each of you. I can only thank you for your willingness to open your lives to me. We have shared much this year together. Some moments I will never ever forget.

One of the dearest to me was when each of you held me up while I have grieved the loss of my mom. I am forever grateful for your prayers and encouragement. They have made all the difference in my ability to move forward. And, not only did you encourage me- but my dad as well! Oh, how I thank you! I cry and laugh just thinking about it! For those of you who don't know- we have several 'Secret Angels' among us who lavished my dad in secret gifts and cards for months after my mom's passing. If you haven't heard the story about how I found out about these 'Secret Angels' I must tell you- that is why I laugh thinking about it!

It was only recently when sharing with my Monday night small group that I found out who these secret angels were. I was sharing my heart about a friend that came into my dad's life immediately after mom's death. And the secret gifts and cards began to show up in the mail at the same time. My dad was sure these gifts were coming from this friend (and, yes, she is a lady friend that my dad went to high school with). Being the protective daughter that I am, I began to think this lady friend was trying win my dad's attention with these gifts only to find out it was my Monday night small group gals that had been sending them all along! We laughed our heads off when the truth came out!! Bless their hearts for caring so much about me and my family!

Another moment that would fall in my top ten was seeing my dear friends, the Phillips family, have a dream come true in their life and getting the opportunity in some small way to share in the joy of that dream. The dream come true was mostly for Robbie but I believe the family wouldn't mind me testifying for each of them that the whole experience has been a true blessing to each of them. Robbie's acceptance into the Doctor of Ministry program at Asbury Theological Seminary was such a wonderful blessing for each of them! It was a privilege to help the move & settle into their home away from home as well. These are moments I will never forget!

Another joy for me this year has been seeing several of the women of Harrison take new risks and new roles in the church and else where. I have done a Praise Dance in God's honor and on their behalf several times this year! (Below is a very brief summary of these new roles).

Several women (and men) have stepped up to the plate of mission work! Here are the names of the ladies who have either attended a trip or have committed to one: Lori Shepherd, Tracy Bennett, Brenda Colonnel and Daisy Sanders. As for our men: Robbie, Carter and Will Phillips, Josh Shepherd, and my man- Chad Drain. You go fellas (and let me mention that 3 of these men are under the age of 17!)

We have a group of ladies that serve faithfully in the Melting Pot Ministry each month: Mary Ellen Collins, Ada Street, Marge, our wonderful church secretary helps out when she can and Lowell and Carol Haan not to mention Robert Curry. There are also many women who make sure the food items are purchased each month!

We have a new small group leader among us who I just cry when I think of how God is working in and through her life this is Tracy Bennett. Who not only took a role in leadership in our Women's Ministry but is also heading to India with me. God be Praised!

Another special lady who just blesses my heart is Shirley Crowe. I don't know if you realize it but Shirley is a published poet! She has written poetry for years and thanks to the ladies of our Thursday morning Bible study group who have encouraged her every step of the way- Shirley has gotten even more serious about her writing! You go Shirley! I'm so proud of you! Shirley says if her poetry would just draw one person closer to God than it is all worth it! Shirley also may become the next Small Group Leader among us-- so watch out for the great things God is doing through Shirley!!

Let me mention two other ladies who have stepped up to the Leadership Plate this year- Kelly Mooney and Dawn Webb who have both taken part time jobs at Harrison to fill the role of Children's Minister and Worship Leader. They both are doing wonderful jobs and I am so very proud of them!

Our ladies are serving in multiple roles within the church and in my opinion are under girding every ministry there! We have ladies teaching in Sunday School classes, leading Small Groups, serving on the Missions Committee, Bereavement team, Serving in the Nursery and Pre-School areas, Worship team, Hospitality team etc., etc. The list goes on and on! There is no way I could list every lady who has stepped up to the plate in leadership and service but please know that you are noticed and appreciated! God is using each of you in powerful ways to spread His love and care for others!

Another moment which ranks number 1 in my top ten list was Kim Whitmore's baptism. I believe Kim would testify that our Sunday morning services as well as our Women's small groups played a huge role in helping Kim come to this decision. You should know as well that Kim came to Harrison by way of invitation by the Phillips family.

Number two would have to be building two churches in India and supporting 30 homeless children in India. Thirty children now have a home, three meals a day, health care, education and a safe environment because of you ladies! Thirty children are learning about Jesus Christ because of the ladies of Harrison Christian Church! I cry just thinking about it! We call this monthly financial support the 'James 1:27 Ministry' and every month Harrison faithfully sends a check to support these orphans. To God be the Glory! You should know that our India Mission Team will get to meet in person these 30 children this January. We will also be holding 2 church dedication services in the new church buildings built through the hard work of the members of Harrison. Our team will dedicate those buildings for the work of the Lord for HIS GLORY! The people of Harrison has made this possible! On a side note-Shirley Crowe wrote a poem about these orphan children & the poem has been painted in their native language on the dining hall at the orphanage! Yet another praise!


Our 2nd Annual Women's Retreat was yet another highlight of the year! We let God out of the Box we so often put Him in over that weekend and I've been utterly amazed at the answers to prayer that each of you have shared with me as a result of the work we did together through God's Word! He is FAITHFUL! There were so many special moments over that weekend. I'll never forget them!

As always, weekly Small Group Bible Study has been such an ongoing blessing. There is no way I could recount all that has been shared, learned, prayed over, and praised over! But you know and so does God! Those of you who constantly make and keep the commitment to dig into God's Word and relationships through small groups have my highest esteem. Many of you have been meeting faithfully for six years now! Some of you wouldn't miss your meeting for anything short of a life altering emergency! Our lives have been altered by our time together, hasn't it?!! God has been transforming us from 'glory unto glory' closer to the image of His Son!

I'm not sure if I've reached 10 or went over 10 but if you haven't figured it out- my point is this: Women's Ministry at Harrison is making the difference in the lives of others- including myself! Someone told me several weeks ago that 'I had a tremendous ministry here at Harrison.' I appreciate the thought but I would like to say 'GOD HAS A TREMENDOUS MINISTRY WORKING THROUGH THE WOMEN AT HARRISON!' There is no way on earth I would begin to take any credit whatsoever for the work God is doing! I have said it time and again- Women's Ministry at Harrison is a TEAM effort and God is in the center of that team! May we all fall flat on our faces in Praise and Thanks to the ONE from which every good gift comes!

I hope you have enjoyed my rather long stroll down 2008 Memory Lane! Please stop and say a prayer of thanks to Jesus for all He has accomplished in and through each of us this year! And, may I say thank you to each of you for allowing Jesus to use you, teach you and love you!

I love you all,
Lori Drain

Pursuit...

Dear Sisters,

I have been reading Matthew and Luke's account of the birth of Jesus this week. I am utterly amazed at the lengths God has taken to pursue us.

In reading the events surrounding Jesus birth one story of pursuit caught my eye and my heart. The story unfolds in Matthew's Gospel (chapter 2) as a group of men travel hundreds of miles in search of a king. These men were astrologers we call 'wise men or maji'. The Bible dose not tell us how many men came in search of Jesus. We typically assume three because of the three gifts they brought but really we just don't know. What we do know is they saw a star and packed their suitcase and headed for Jerusalem. They traveled many miles in pursuit of a king. And why? To worship Him!

There is much to learn of this story but for today I want to focus on their pursuit of the King. These men left their homes, work and lives to seek after the promised King, Jesus. Their travel was no doubt hard and long. They sought Jesus for to worship Him and bring Him gifts. They wanted to see this promised King for themselves.

I'm so often saddened at the lack of pursuit we Christians have today. How many of us really take the time to pursue Jesus with the energy and sacrifice these men made? As A.W. Tozer says "we have accepted one another's notions, copied one another's lives and made one another's experiences the model for our own." Instead of individually seeking hard after God we have come to rely totally on someone elses experience instead of working hard after our own. Tozer calls this the 'great sickness' and I believe it has invaded many Christian lives today. Many of us have settled for second hand experiences of Jesus passed down to us by those who make the effort to really be in relationship with Him.

The miles you and I must travel in pursuit of God may seem like a journey to hard to take. But let me say to each of you today- God is here! He is not a distant God but an active God. He is so worth the pursuit! I want to encourage you not to settle for seeing God through someone elses eyes this next year but look for yourself! Be willing to travel the miles it takes to know Your God at a deeper level. Commit to a long obedience in the same direction! Experience Your Savior first hand!

My prayer for you, Dear Sister, is more of Jesus! Truly He is 'Emmanuel, God with us'!
Lori

The Old Has Gone....

Hello ladies,
The pictures you see here are of Kim Whitmore's baptism last night! What a precious evening it was! I wish each of you could have been with us. Kim's baptism was with our Monday Night Women's Small Group. Most everyone was present and we had a wonderful celebration! God be praised!!


I have to tell you this moment was the highlight of my year! Is there anything more precious than a daughter (or son) coming to Christ Jesus? It was an honor to play a very small part in this special moment in Kim's life. I have had the privilege of seeing God at work in Kim for many months now and I can only boast in Him for the work He is doing! What a refreshing thrill it has been to see the new discoveries Kim has made by reading God's Word and through sharing in small group. I was reminded (thanks to Linda B.) of how often many of us become stale in our walk with the Lord because we've known Him most all our lives. We forget or choose not to marvel over His creation, His goodness, His love, His mercy, His forgiveness, and the ultimate sacrifice He made on our behalf. Shame on us!

I was reminded last night, as I took Kim under the water, of several things. First, of the beautiful symbolism of our sins being washed clean by Jesus as we are immersed. Second, of how Jesus himself was baptised by John. Third, of how Kim had to trust me to hold her up under the water without dropping her- what a beautiful illustration of how baptism is a proclamation of trust and faith in God. Lastly, Kim arose from the water as a new creation! Glory to God! The old has gone and the new has come!



Let me leave you today with a few scriptures that speak of this glorious occassion:

"Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with that we should no longer be slaves to sin- because anyone who has died has been freed from sin."

Romans 6:3-7

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them."

2 Corinthians 5:17-19

Indeed the Lord has done great things for us! My prayer for each of us this Thanksgiving Holiday is that we will be still long enough to meditate on the many blessings God has given us! We have much to be thankful for!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Lori

Ding Dong....the Mouse is Gone!

Hello gals!
Yes, I know these pictures are a bit much- but I just had to share!!

These pictures are of a little Friday afternoon fun here at the church. Yes, Stuart Little was ensnared in a trap in my office last week. I feel sure Stuart (if he were still with us) would repeat the words from Lamentations saying "He drew his bow and made me the target for his arrows." ha!


Please notice that our Dear, Sweet, Brave Church Secretary, Teresa, did the duty of retrieving Stuart for me
and made sure he had a proper burial. Teresa is the best! She does tons of things outside of her job description that keeps things running smoothly around here. She ministers to me and many others everyday. She is, what I believe, the nut that holds all us bolts together! (no pun intended! LOL!) She is sooooo underpaid!! And why is it that there is NEVER a man around the building when things like these happen? God really does know how to strecth us dosen't he! Ha! Just kidding- but it is the truth- 2 years in a row this very thing has happend! And, 2 years in a row- Teresa has done the dirty work! I, however, stayed nearby to offer prayer and moral support! I'm such a big chicken!

This year I decided it was time to get proof of the above & beyond work Teresa is always doing around here! Not only for me but for many others! Please take the time to shout out a big THANKS to her for the many ways she ministers to each of us every week!

Love to all on this wonderful Monday!
Lori

A Clean Wash
===========

A young couple moves into a new neighborhood.The next morning while they are eating breakfast, the young woman sees her neighbor hanging the wash outside."That laundry is not very clean," she said. "She doesn't know how to wash correctly. Perhaps she needs better laundry soap."Her husband looked on, but remained silent.

Every time her neighbor would hang her wash to dry, the young woman would make the same comments.

About one month later, the woman was surprised to see a nice clean wash on the line and said to her husband: "Look, she has earned how to wash correctly. I wonder who taught her this?"The husband said, "I got up early this morning and cleaned our windows."

And so it is with life. What we see when watching others depends on the purity of the window through which we look.

It Is Finished....

Yes, my Jesus in the Gospels paper is officially finished! Hallelujah to the Lord!!!!!!!!!! He is so Good! Thank you all for your prayers! I'll let you know how the grading turns out! (Maybe you should continue to pray!!)

Love to all,
Lori

Help.......

Hello ladies,

I am knee deep today in writing a paper for my 'Jesus in the Gospels' class- which by the way is due Friday. (And just so you know- 'knee deep' equates a paragraph and a half completed!) Needless to say, I began my morning with a very loud shout to the Lord which went like this: "Help!" I know the route to Biblical scholarship takes not only deep study, thought and learning a new language but it also takes the ability to write deep thoughts and the results of study down on paper for others to see.

I LOVE to write. I have secret dreams (which aren't so secret anymore) of writing a book one day. However, I only enjoy writing for pleasure (journaling) and only for the audience my home girls! You know- the ones that look at your writings with grace filled eyes! And, my home girls (that's you) know that I speak Tennessean and write Tennessean too! I absolutely cringe at writing newsletter articles and papers for school! Why- well I believe if you've been a blog reader of mine for very long- you'll know why- Proper grammar and writing skills are not my forte! Honestly I'm horrible! That is why my dreams of writing a book have been so secret- I totally lack the skills needed! But if skills weren't required- goodness knows I'd be a writing fool!

I've shared this with you in hopes it will invoke you to give a loud shout to the Lord on my behalf this week! I sure could use the intercession and deliverance from my creative writing block! Oh the writing woe's.......

On another note- totally unrelated. "You know your getting old when....." I had this moment yesterday. I totally got excited to find out that an area funeral home gave FREE burial's to those serving in full time ministry! Chad had no idea the perks he would receive when he married me! ha! My personal motto has always been "If it's free, it's for me!"


Yet on another note- totally unrelated. "You know your too busy when....." I had this moment Saturday. I bought socks at the grocery store! No joke- didn't even know they sold socks! But they do! And I purchased 3 pairs! Why? Because every pair of black socks I own have holes in them & I haven't had a minutes worth of time to go to Walmart to buy any! To my very pleasant surprise-Whites has them! I am now a lot less holy! ha!

On yet another note- related to the previous paragraph. I was editing this post when I pulled out my trusty Webster's Dictionary to make sure I was using the correct form of the word 'hole' to find the definition to the word 'hole' as 'opening, a deep one'. I don't know if you find that funny at all but I laughed my head off! Yes, the holes can go deep can't they. And I know what your thinking- "Lori is just about to turn her funny side off (if you can call it that) and go into a spiritual sermon on deep holes and what can happen if they are left unfilled!" I'll spare you today Dear One!

The last 'on another note' for today- You wouldn't believe this but when I went into vocational ministry one of my fervernt prayers to the Lord was for a sense of humor! I wanted to be able to tell a great joke & just be funny! I'll let you decided if He answered that prayer or NOT! HA!

So sorry for the bad jokes today! I'm feeling a bit silly- too many hours with my nose in the books! Maybe you need a bit of comic relief today. How about sharing some stories with the rest of us! Had any funny moments lately?

Love to all,
Lori

The Path I Feared (continued)...

Hello ladies,
Please take time to read the previous post before this one! This is just a brief continuation of the one before. I wanted to let you read a poem by George McDonald called 'The Path I Feared'.

I said, "Let me walk in the field."

He said, "No; walk in the town."

I said, "There are no flowers there."

He said, "No flowers, but a crown."

I said, "But the skies are black, there is nothing but noise and din."

And He wept as He sent me back.

"There is more," He said, "there is sin."

I said, "But the air is thick and fogs are veiling the sun."

He answered, "Yet souls are sick, and souls in the dark undone."

I said, "I shall miss the light and friends will miss me, they say."

He answered, "Choose tonight if I am to miss you, or they."

I pleaded for time to be given.

He said, "Is it hard to decide? It will not seem hard in Heaven to have followed the steps of your Guide."

I cast one look at the fields, then set my face to the town;

He said: "My child, do you yield? Will you leave the flowers for the crown?"

Then into His hand went mine;

And into my heart came He;

And I walk in a light Divine,

The path I feared to see.

Yielding to my Guide,

Lori

The Path I Feared....

Hello gals,
I spent this morning rereading chapters 3 & 4 of our Bible study book, 'God as He Longs for You to See Him'. I was reminded of the word we discussed in length at our Women's Retreat on Sunday, 'Submission'. Webster's Dictionary defines the word this way "offer, as in surrender, surrender or yield oneself, obedience."

It is hard to yield ones life totally to another. It takes trust and faith. At the very core of our resistance to yield ourselves to God is the sin of unbelief. Allow me to use the words of a dear friend about this very topic - let me paraphrase what she said, "If I really yield my will to his (God's) I'm afraid he might send me to Africa." I have to laugh every time I think about her words & even more so now that she is taking a trip to India with me in January! Just let me say when she yielded-God didn't send her to Africa like she feared- just India! ha! And let me just testify to the work that God has done in and through this dear friend when she finally began to let go & let God! Don't mishear me- yeilding dosen't always mean a trip overseas! But what I love about yeilding is the more we do it the more God builds faith in us to do the things we never thought possible- like going on a mission trip to India!

J.Wilbur Chapman once said "the greatness of a man's power is the measure of his surrender." He said these words after having a conversation with General Booth. Allow me to tell the story to you.

When J.Wilbur Chapman was in London, he had an opportunity to meet with General Booth, who at that time was past eighty years of age. Dr. Chapman listened reverently as the old general spoke of the trials and the conflicts and victories.

The American evangelist asked the general if he would disclose his scret for success. "He hesitated a second," Dr. Chapman said, "and I saw the tears come into his eyes and steal down his cheeks, and then he said, "I will tell you the secret. God has had all there was of me. There have been men with greater brains than I, men with greater opportunities; but from the day I got the poor of London on my heart, and a vision of what Jesus Christ could do with the poor of London, I made up my mind that God would have all of William Booth there was. And if there is anything of power in the Salvation Army today, it is because God has all the adoration of my heart, all the power of my will, and all the influence of my life."

I have to agree with Dr.Chapman, the greatness of one's power is in the measure of surrender! I believe the words of the Apostle Paul sum up today's blog post well:

"But whatever was my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness that comes fromt he law, but that which is through faith in Christ."

Philippians 3:7-9

May God have all the adoration of our hearts, all the power of our wills and all the influence of our lives!

Love,

Lori

It's Kick Off Week....

Hello ladies,
This week is Ladies Bible Study Kick Off Week! I always LOVE and look so forward to Kick Off Week! Each time we Kick Off a new adventure through God's Word and relationships with one another I just get sooooooooooo excited! There is nothing in this world like sojourning together in God's Word! I hope I'm not the only one out there that gets this excited about Kick off day! Sunday night's Ladies group met last night, Monday nights group meets tonight at 6 and Thursday's group meets this week at 10 am. I hope to see each of you there!

We will be reading and discussing together Chip Ingram's book 'God As He Longs For You To See Him'. Our women's retreat last weekend was based off of the first three chapters of this book and two others ('The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer and 'Knowing God' by J.I. Packer both of which I recommend you read sometime!) If you missed out on the ladies retreat you can catch up on the content you missed by joining in Ladies Bible Study. We will discuss two chapters per week and will meet a total of five weeks. So please come join us!

I am still trying to recap our Ladies Retreat by sharing comments from those who attended. Below are comments from Kim Whittmore (Thanks Kim!):

I saw God working through the way everyone cared, loved and nurtured each other all weekend.
*Getting to know everyone better in the mornings and evenings outside the meeting room. (even though I enjoyed every moment of your
presentation and the music too)
*A+
*It helped me get down to the nitty gritty of my issues by seeing others perspectives.
*Loved the video! I definitely keep pushing Jesus out of the chair even after I give it back to Him.
*1)I hope to let him stay in the stool and make better decisions than the ones I come up with
2)I need to make myself get up and start my day with prayer and devotions. That's a real tough one for me. I'm a big push the alarm delay button
person!

If you are wondering about the 'chair' Kim is speaking of you can go to the link below & watch the video I used on Sunday morning when we were discussing the importance of submission to God.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_o2Afq6Tm3s

Blessings to all,

Lori Drain

Here is a picture of Sophie & her darling boots that light up! I'm so jealous!

And, Olivia's shoes light up too!

Visitors...

I just had to share with you ladies the precious visitors I had today. In the picture to the right you will see Olivia & Sophie Young- Mark & Allison's two girls. They stopped by the church today to 'Trick or Treat' me & our secretary, Teresa. TOO CUTE! They brought us each a back of candy corn with chocolate chip cookies in them. They spared no expense & had the cookies decorated just for Halloween! These two darlings visit me at least once a month (if not more) when there precious mom comes to work in the 2's & 3'S room where she teachings on Sunday mornings! I always look so forward to their visits but today was just flat out priceless!

Sophie had on the cutest pair of cowgirl boots you have EVER seen! Pink & White AND THEY LIGHT UP! (see the picture above this post) Just what every cowgirl needs! And let me just ask- WHERE CAN I GET A PAIR???

I was completely prepared to 'Trick or Treat' them right back! If you will notice in the picture Olivia is holding a pack of mini-M & M's she chose from my bag of goodies! Now granted I didn't take time to personally wrap bags of candy & make cookies- but I did purchase 90 pieces of chocolate for any and all children who will stop by my office (Lina Burchfield who is my favorite adult chocolate lover- I'm prepared to Trick or Treat adults too- so if your thinking you need to stop by today- bring it on!!)

What you may not know about me is that I shamelessly bribe the toddlers (or any child for that matter) every Sunday to come by my office and see me. I keep a stock of goodies in my office here at church and if the children will stop by after the morning Worship service they can take home an item from my candy dish! Yes I know- Shameless! I'll do just about anything to get a little time with these darlings & from time to time I even bribe a hug or kiss out of them! I have been threatened with a dentist bill from a parent or two before- but that hasn't stopped me!

Well enough of that! Be sure to read the past posts about the retreat weekend! There is more to come later!

Happy Halloween! Enjoy your families today!
Love to all,
Lori

Retreat......

Hello ladies....

Today I would like to share with you Leanne Phillip's and Jane Birchfield's follow up remarks on our 2nd Annual Women's Retreat. See there notes below:

• How did you experience God at the Retreat? What ways to did you see Him working? Through the messages we received from Lori and also the music. I saw a group of women becoming closer to God.
• What was your favorite part of the weekend? Lori’s messages, the music and the campfire
• How would you rate the level of Godly service you received? Out of possible 10 I give it a 9
• What did you like most about your small group experience? We really got to know each other
• What was the most important thing you learned? Get out of the box and try to make a difference
• How do you plan to apply what you learned? Trying to feel God’s presence with me at all times. Not just in prayer, not just in church. Everywhere
  Jane

(Jane- I'll pay you later for the sweet comments about the messages- just stop by my office! ha! Just kidding!)

Below are Leanne Phillips comments:

It was a wonderful weekend of fellowship with dear women and spiritual growth. We all were on such common ground of wanting to seek the Lord in all areas of our lives and encouraging each other through small group time and free time. My group was so transparent with each other and therefore such an encouragement with my walk with the Lord. The Godly service was such a treat!!!!!! I am grateful for the chance to renew friendships and laugh until you cry. I love you all. Thanks for letting me join you. Leanne

Thanks Jane & Leanne for your feedback! My prayer is that their comments will encourage others to dive into Women's Ministry here at Harrison!

Love to all,

Lori

Hello ladies,

I'm not sure if this picture explains anything to you or not. So let me put into words what I think this picture expresses.

Those in this picture (less our wonderful praise team & cooks) are those who put tons of work into making our 2nd Annual HCC Women's Retreat a huge success! This picture was taken at the end of our weekend and I think it shows how very tired we all were! But if you will notice the peaceful looks on all our faces....God took our efforts and used them for His glory! We Praise Him for any good that came about! He deserves the Glory! And we were all astounded at what God did in our lives and the lives of those who attended! God was there!

I have asked the ladies who attended the retreat to write up what the weekend meant to them so I can post them on the blog. I will post some each day but for today I would like to post Susan Hale's. Please read her words below:

"I am still reeling from the experience of this past
weekend. I would start to tell Alan about it and start crying all over again. He was very happy for me and I truly believe that I will look at things differently from now on. It was my first retreat but not my last! Thanks to you and all the
team that helped with it!"

Reeling from the experience- yes that describes me too!
Thanks Susan! I am so thrilled that you had a positive meaningful
experience!

Blessings to all!

Lori Drain

A Vision to Love

Hello ladies,

I only have a few minutes to post (I have a quiz today for class that I haven't studied for & I have class in 2 hours!!). I did want to let you know that I will be posting this week details about Women's Retreat so that those of you who weren't able to attend can be in 'THE KNOW'! Plus I want to debrief, so to speak, what I experienced over the weekend!

For those of you who attended the weekend would you please take time to write either by email or in a post what you came away with so that I can post it for others to see?

For today the only detail that I will share is God meet us fully there just as we prayed for expectantly! He alone deserves the Glory for the wonderful things that came out of the events! Let's just give Him some Praise today!

Blessing HIS Name!
Lori

Retreat!

Hello gals!
I took the liberty of looking up the word 'retreat' in the dictionary this morning. I was sadly disappointed with what I found. Webster's 21st Century Dictionary defines 'retreat' this way "withdrawal, as from danger, secluded place, withdrawal". Obviously, Webster hasn't attended a Harrison Christian Church Women's Retreat before! For those of you who have- you know what I'm talking about!

I will agree retreat is a time to withdraw. When we choose to lead such busy lives for so long without withdrawing- we can be treading on dangerous ground! If I could give Webster a little help in his definition I would personally add these words 'worship, meditation, prayer, Bible study, fellowship' and for Heaven's sake-let's not leave out the 2 F's 'FOOD and FUN!'.

Last year's Harrison's Women's retreat was one of the most special events of the year for me. I don't believe I will ever forget that weekend for as long as I live. God meet us there- didn't he!!! It was such a privilege to wash the ladies feet with the Word of God and then to end the weekend literally washing their precious feet! What a memory! Jesus just baptized us with his presence and anointing! I've never ended a weekend more tired or more humbled! He did a work that carried us into the new year with renewed vision and purpose for our lives. And the purpose- living to please Him! I've watched you ladies all year work to do exactly that! You stuck it out in small groups, studied & prayed hard and served Jesus like mad! I'm so very proud of you! Thank you for allowing Jesus to do a work in and through you!

This week I'm knee deep in the Word and prayer as I'm preparing the lessons for this blessed event called 'retreat'! I'm so excited about what God has been teaching me through his Word this year and I'm looking forward to sharing it with you. I've had some hard lessons to learn this year (and many more to come) but I'm sold out to allowing God to do whatever he needs to do in me to produce fruit for his glory (2 Cor. 3:18)! As the song says "Whatever you need to do, Lord, do it in me. Fall like fire, soak like rain, flow like mighty waters again and again!"

For those of you who are taking this journey called 'retreat' with me next weekend please know how very thrilled I am to serve you. The retreat team has been working so hard to prepare an event that will encourage you in your walk with the Lord. They are just as crazy about you as I am and nothing gets them pumped up more than seeing women walking humbly with their God!

For those of you who are not able to make this journey please know you will be thought about and prayed over! We will miss you! Also know it is NOT TOO LATE to climb on board! Let me know if you are interested! Please know nothing would please me more than to have you join us!

Lastly, please be in prayer for myself and the team as we put the finishing touches on the weekend! We so want to please the Lord with this offering! We are asking him to meet us fully there!

Blessings,
Lori

Just a quick Howdy!

Howdy girls! (Yes, a greeting in true Tennessean style!),

I am so sorry for the delays in writing! I have been out all week with my youngest son, Gabe, who has had pneumonia. He is feeling much better but is still home from school. I left him with GREAT-grandma to run to the office to get squared away for this weekend's worship service. I wanted to take a moment & tell you that I haven't forgotten you!

I have much to catch you up on but no time too today! I do want to leave you with something however. I have been thinking a lot lately about a word that I personally have taken for granted many times and I see it being thrown around a lot in our christian circles. The word is GRACE. The Biblical meaning of the word is 'unmerited favor'. We all have received grace from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ but nothing illustrates more beautifully Christ's grace than when we receive grace from another brother or sister.

I have to say that I have been the recipient of grace many, many times from others. Forgiveness when I deserved paybacks. Love when I deserved a cold shoulder. (Basically receiving something totally different that what I really deserved!) I would never truly grasped Christ's grace for me had I not experienced it from others here on earth. I have come to appreciate and love Jesus so much more through the actions of others. Please don't get me wrong- Christ's gift of grace compares to none other! He is the ultimate GRACE GIVER! His death on the cross and forgiveness of sin is the ultimate act of grace. But if you are anything like me you need many experiences to learn the lesson and appreciate the gift! So it is through God's children that I have seen and experienced first hand how this blessed gift is given- unselfishly and lovingly. For today and always I will be forever grateful to those who have lavished me with the gift of grace and who have helped me understand more fully what this precious word really means and how wonderful Jesus is.

My hope for you today is that you will think deeply on this word grace giving praise to Jesus for this unmerited gift of favor that you and I have been lavished with. I also pray that you will come to appreciate those brothers and sisters who have given you the opportunity to see grace at it's best!

Grace and peace to you,
Lori

Conversation Peace.....

I thought since our ladies study this fall is on the power of transformed speech you ladies might enjoy a video which demonstrates several different thoughts relating to our study. I think you moms will particularly appreciate it. So click on the link below:

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=c85f84940326843a2126

Enjoy!
Lori

Delight.....

"Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives

the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance?

You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.

You will again have compassion on us;

You will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea."

Micah 7:18-19

I read these verses this morning and couldn't help but imagine 'delighting' in showing mercy to someone who had wronged or hurt me. I looked up the Hebrew meaning of the word 'delight' and here is what I found- "to desire, want, take pleasure in, be eager, to have a fondness or affection for an object or an experience, to be willing, to do something not by force, implying a voluntary choice". I was so blessed by this definition and I hope you are as well. God delights in showing mercy to his children. He is eager to forgive our sins. He has a fond affection to the experience of throwing our iniquities into the depths of the sea.

I can't speak for your feelings but these verses give me reason to Praise God today! How thankful I am that He is eager to forgive me! Eager- not slow in forgiving! Anxious to forgive! How thankful I am that He takes delight in showing me mercy! My prayer today is to follow in his footsteps and be eager to forgive those who sin against me! May I too have a fond affection for the practice of forgiveness against others!

Blessings,

Lori

Hope

Hello ladies,
Today I wanted to share something with you by Max Lucado. It is great food for thought!

"Our problem is not so much that God doesn't give us what we hope for as it is that we don't know the right thing for which to hope....Hope is not what you expect; it is what you would never dream. It is a wild, improbable tale with a pinch-me-I'm-dreaming ending. It's Abraham adjusting his bifocals so he can see not his grandson, but his son. It's Moses standing in the promised land not with Aaron or Miriam at his side, but with Elijah and the transfigured Christ. It's Zechariah left speechless at the sight of his wife, Elizabeth, gray-headed and pregnant. And it is the two Emmaus-bound pilgrims reaching out to take a piece of bread only to see that the hands from which it is offered are pierced. Hope is not a granted wish or a favor performed; no, it is far greater than that. It is a zany, unpredictable dependence on a God who loves to surprise us out of our socks and be there in the flesh to see our reaction."


I don't know about you but I personally need to 'hope' in something bigger than myself- something bigger than my eyes have seen my ears have heard or my mind has concieved. And, I want to be one who is willing to try something so big that if God isn't in it, I will fail. I would much rather fall flat on my face trying to do something for the Kingdom of God than sit and do nothing! What about you? When is the last time you hoped like that?


I truly believe that for the many of us there is more life to be lived than we are currently living! There are surprises to be had that will just knock our socks off! There are dreams to dream and work to be done! There are failures to be had and successes to be won! Ask God for a hope that dreams bigger and a hope that is willing to step out on faith and take a risk!

Blessings,

Lori

India Orphans

Hello ladies,
For those of you who wanted to see pictures of the 30 orphan children supported financially through the Women's Ministry here at Harrison- I have posted a slide show here on the blog. Look to the right of the page towards the bottom and you will see a pictures of each of them.

Thanks to each of you for your generous support. Just so you know we will continue to take donations throughout the year to help with any added expenses the children may have.

Blessings to all,
Lori Drain

The Other Side of the Fence......

****Update---I went home yesterday after writing this post & during the evening we had 2 cows get out! Go figure! (Also, I've edited and added to the post below).

Good-day to all!

I feel sure by now each of you are getting sick and tired of my living life as a cowgirl stories- but I would be amiss if I didn't share this new one with you! The Drain family has been having a bit of trouble keeping our cows from getting out of their protected (fenced in) area. Every month we have at least one or two get out and within the last two weeks it has happened multiple times.

On a side note -let me just say they rarely ever get out when Chad is home. Usually this blessed event happens when I have just showered, dressed, fixed my hair & makeup and am on my way down the driveway for work! And it usually happens on the most humid days of the week! So, there have been mornings that I have spent anywhere from one to two hours chasing cows around the neighborhood and through one field to the next- and in my good clothes to boot! I feel sure you are unaware of the time it takes to get this old gal fixed up in the mornings. Believe me-nothing makes for a bad hair day like humidity and chasing cows! (Need I say more?) Really- somedays I had to have a 'get ready for work' DO-OVER! And, oh, does this ever make for a really bad morning! By the time I get to work I have had three to four confession times with the Lord over my bad attitude about cows (and not to mention my husband- because they are HIS cows)!

Just so you know my answer to the chasing dilemma is 'Beef- It's What's for Dinner"!

Okay- enough of the complaining! There is something out of all this that God gave me in the midst of my frustration and I want to share it with you. When our cows get out they do so because the grass is truly greener on the other side of the fence. And- if you know anything about pasture fields you know because of drought issues many people are having to feed their livestock hay instead of grass- the Drain's happen to be one of them! So the cows get out and go about eating the greener grass on the other side of the fence (because our property is surrounded by pasture fields that don't belong to us).

What amazes me most about this situation is the cows left inside our fence begin to bawl for those on the outside. I haven't decided whether they just want the greener grass too and are too scared or stupid to figure out how to get through the fence themselves. Or if they realize that their family members are in an unprotected area and are now subject to the elements that freedom offers. They are no longer within the safety of the herd or of their master's fence (or protection). All sorts of things could happen (and has happened) to those who have captured their freedom like getting chased by dogs (or coyotes), getting in the road (and almost getting hit by a car) and not to mention getting tangled up in the fence in their great escape!

The next thing I have noticed is while I am out looking for the cows that are out is many times I will find them along side the fence surrounding our property looking for a way back in and bawling. And here is where my compassion comes in. It just breaks my heart to know they so desperately want back in but can't figure out how. You see, even though the grass appears greener on the outside there is nothing like being within the safety of their home embraced by the protection and love of their family.

In seeing all this I realized when the body of Christ works as it should- life for us ought to look a lot like my cow issues. When a member of the body ceases to join in on corporate worship and fellowship the other members of the body should be bawling for their return. Why? Because we are a family- and families love and care for one another. And, because we know the longer you stay outside of fellowship (the fence) the more unsafe life becomes.

Have you heard the song by Casting Crowns called 'Slow Fade'? The lyrics of the song totally reminds me of what can happen when Christians stay outside of fellowship with those in the Body of Christ. The chorus goes like this:

"It's a slow fade when you give yourself away; It's a slow fade when black and white turn to gray; Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid- When you give yourself away. People never crumble in a day- It's a slow fade. The journey from your mind to your hands is shorter than you're thinking. Be careful if you think you stand- you just might be sinking."

This song was actually inspired by the idea that we can fade away from Christ and obedience to him through one little compromise at a time. And, many times the first compromise comes with one Sunday service here and there- next one small group meeting here and there and so on. And all the while we 'think' we are standing on solid ground.

We read in Acts that the early church had a pattern (Acts 1-8). They would come together for the "apostles' teaching, for fellowship, for the breaking of bread, and to pray" (Acts 2:42) then they would go back out into the world and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They didn't go back out into the world because the grass was greener- they went back out to tell the wonderful story of Jesus Christ who had died for their sins, rose again and is coming back one day. You see meeting together became a time to refuel- to encourage each other and learn so that they could go back out into the world.

All this leads me to this conclusion- I see two problems within the church today- first, some have stayed too long inside the fence. We like our fellowship and protection but we've forgotten to bawl over those who are lost on the outside of the fence. We no longer bawl for those who don't even know about the 'inside' of the fence or for those who know about it but can't seem to find their way back inside. Beloved, even cows are sometimes lead outside the fence by their masters.

Second, some have stayed too long outside the fence. We have those who have named Jesus Lord but never come inside the fence for teaching, prayer, encouragement, accountability and fellowship. They have lost the balance that the early church modeled in Acts 1-8. And, if we listen- we might just hear them bawling because they've been on the outside so long - they've forgotten the way back in. And, don't forget those who are bawling because they are just totally lost and don't even know why and don't know the way home to the safety of the Master.

I don't know if this makes any sense to you at all but I hope it will help you to stop and think. Maybe even bawl a bit over one who is outside the fence- over the one who has lost his or her way or the one who never knew the way inside to begin with.

Blessings,
Lori

Thought for the Day

Good Morning to all,
It is said that "God inhabits the praise of his people" and I believe that to be true. We praise God for not only what he does-his creation, his blessing, his forgiveness- but also for who he is- loving, faithful, good, just, righteous, patient. When we are praising God the focus of our thoughts change-our focus is moved from our self (our problems, our worries, our fears etc.) to the One who is worthy of our every thought (and the One who can handle our self stuff). Praising not only exalts God but it also encourages the believer to trust and hope in him for our future.

Remember what Philippians 4:8 encourages us to do? "Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things." What could be more excellent, pure, noble, right and lovely than our God? Considering all that God has done for us, what could be more natural (more right) than to Praise him?

"When life is seen as the gift of God, praise and thanksgiving are inevitable....A constant attitude of gratitude is life-giving. In the face of such amazing grace and generosity, the only possible response must become that of continuing and ever-deepening praise."

Ester De Waal, The Celtic Way of Prayer

"Praise the Lord, O my soul;

all my inmost being, praise his holy name."

Psalm 103:1

Praise the Lord!!

Lori

What If.....

Hello ladies,
I would like to share a link to a YouTube video with you today. The video is called 'Cardboard Testimonies'. I have pasted the link below & all you need to do is click on it & it will take you directly to the video.

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=8616c1559ab4221b3910

Enjoy!
Love to all,
Lori

The Cowgirl Within.....

Hello ladies,

I promised a couple more pictures so here you go! I'm wondering if anyone of you have picked up on what a terrible speller I am! I feel sure every post I have ever 'posted' has had grammar & spelling errors galore! But, last post was one of the funnier ones! In case you missed it- my new babies name is not spelled 'Poke-O' but Pocco!! And, if your thinking I figured that out all on my own- well think again! My sweet husband clued me in after he had a good laugh! Oh well, if you get a good chuckle over my poor writing abilities- laugh on sister! Because I promise you- if I ever figure out that I've made a huge mistake in the area of spelling etc. Believe you me- I'm gonna do some laughin' at my own self! Ha! Sometimes we just need to 'not' take ourselves too seriously!

Well, in case you were doubtful about the 'cowgirl' waiting to come out in me- hopefully the pictures I've posted today will prove it to you! In case you all aren't aware- the Drain's live out in the country where real country folk live. And not only real country folk but real cowboys and cowgirls! I've decided it must have something to do with the name of the place we live because most everyone in our community either have farm land, a tractor, cows, sheep, horses, goats, and if not any of the above they own a really over-sized lawn mower! The only thing I can figure is it's all in the name-'Harmony'! (Now I know your laughing!) To tell you the truth it is not always harmonious in Harmony! (I'm not going to elaborate on the harmonious thing just yet.) But in an effort to fit into our community- the Drain's are working hard at 'becoming all things to all people'. No- really- I'm joking! We have great neighbors who have all been very supportive in helping us to ease into this cowgirl adventure! But, let me just tell you a few of them got a real belly laugh out of my riding attire! Shorts & books with white knee socks poking out of the tops aren't 'in' when it comes to the cowgirl way! (at least the shorts were denim-right? And I did wear real cowgirl boots- thanks to the best mother-in-law in the whole wide world!) I learned real quick that real cowgirls wear blue jeans no matter how hot it is! I figured that out when some of my neighbors drove by and blew their horn at me-and I turned to see them laughing their heads off! Plus, they took the time to call me & have a good laugh at me & with me at my expense!


Just so you know Shelby & I enjoyed our first ride together Sunday afternoon. We had a blast! Shelby is so much better at this cowgirl thing than her mother is! The only speed she knows is FAST and FASTER! Her mother, however, is still having a few issues! Do you have any idea how far away from the ground you are when your sitting on the back of a horse? And, not to mention how strong & powerful they are? And, we won't mention their big teeth or how tall they are when they stand on two feet!

You would have been so proud of me though- I actually got Pocco into a flat out run (for about 30 seconds- that was as long as I could hold on! ha!) And, to the Praise of God's Glory- Pocco slowed right down when I asked him too! He didn't even spook when I started screaming uncontrollably for him to stop! Do you know how hard it is to remember horse language when your going around 10 miles per hour on the back of a horse? I found out 'stop' isn't the proper response! ha! Really- he was great & I really didn't scream once. I slowed him down with a pull of the reigns and when I wanted him to speed up- I just spoke horse language to him. And- I would tell you what I said to him if only I knew how to spell it! I won't lie to you- during my ride & when I was just working with Pocco- I had a few moments when total fear took over! I just kept pushing through it & I did a whole lot of 'self talk' and everything worked out just fine! Praise the Lord!


Well girls- today all that is left to say is that God is Good! I've been looking every morning into our front field to see 2 amazing creatures that our Lord designed personally! Not to mention one quick gander at my children and I'm reminded of what an amazingly creative and unique God we have! And a God who has blessed us beyond measure! Enjoy your God today sisters- fill up! He is life and life to the full!

Love to all,
Lori Drain

Poke-O

Good Evening to all,
I'd like to introduce you to the new man in my life! This is Poke-O (see his pictures to the right). For those of you who may not know- my dear sweet husband gave me a birthday dream come true. And, I'm so excited! And- don't you know -I've been dying to tell you the whole story! Cause that's what girlfriends do! So here's the scoop:

The morning of my birthday I woke up and headed for bathroom first thing (as I do every morning) only to find 'Skinny the Stick Horse' waiting for me with a note attached to him. And here is what the note said:

"Hello, my name is 'Skinny the Stick Horse'. As a special gift for your birthday- you may trade me in at any time for the special horse of your choosing."

Chad told me later that he had so much fun purchasing Skinny. He said the lady at the check out counter said "Awe, you must have a little one at home you are getting this for?" Only to hear Chad say, "No, its for my wife." About that time the lady just gave him the strangest look. So he went ahead and said "Well mam, you know how high gas prices are these days. The way I figure it this stick horse will be a whole lot cheaper on me than my wife driving a car". Needless to say she really gave him a look then! Just so you know he did take the time to tell her the real truth and of course she thought he was just the coolest then!

Now I'm sure your wondering how many rides around the field with Skinny I took. Just so you know- I really felt like he was more my speed than a 'real' horse ever would be! And, I did consider several times just keeping Skinny & not trading him in! But what woman can turn down her own real horse- I mean- wasn't it every little girls dream to have a horse? And, aren't we all still just little girls trapped in women's bodies? Okay-I'm joking on that one!

Well, as you guessed it- I jumped at the chance to own my own horse! I didn't waste any time waiting around! I went straight to lookin' and gettin' the word out! And, it just so happened a week later some friends of ours had one to sell and after checking into it and checking him (Poke-O) out- we brought him home last night! We went ahead and paid for Poke-O with a 30 day return policy! If we find out we are not a match- we can take him back! But- Girls- I'm telling you- I'm absolutely nuts over him already! Head over heels for him! He is the sweetest, calmest horse I've ever seen! I just can't imagine ever taking him back! Nope- he has made is way straight into my heart & it has only taken 1 visit and 2 days!

The pictures really don't do him justice. Hopefully, I will get a chance to take some better ones over the weekend. In the first one he was moving around so I caught him without his head down! Even though he is a quarter horse he tends to keep his head up more than most do when he is moving about! He is sixteen years old and stands sixteen hands high. When I saddle him & get on- I feel like I'm sitting on top of a tall building! He is huge! He is solid black with a white patch on his face. And, he is a prince. Very well mannered and sweet! I hope sometime you all can come out & meet him!

Well, I just had to share with you today! Obviously, I'm about to bust with excitement and I couldn't wait to share my blessin' with my friends! Thanks for allowing me to overflow with you!

Love to all,

Lori Drain

Don't Miss Out on the Fun!

Good day ladies!

I hope each of you are having a great week thus far! I myself have been rather busy but I've made the time to think about each of you this week. I have been working on plans for this fall & thinking deeply about what's next for Women's Ministry at Harrison. I'm thrilled to tell you that we have another exciting fall on the horizon! I want to take a minute today to highlight some upcoming events in hopes that you will join me!

First, we are in the pre-registration stage of our Fall 2nd Annual Women's Retreat which will take place Oct. 24, 25, & 26. I personally can't wait for this weekend! There is nothing more fun than spending a weekend with the Lord and your favorite girlfriends! And as if that is not enough- add in a lot of DELICIOUS food cooked by our very own Chef Carol Cross, some awesome entertainment, and add a few games and you've got yourself a weekend of pure bliss! If you joined us on lasts years retreat you know what a special time with the Lord and each other that was had! Well, this year is shaping up to be even better than the year before! We even have some special guests lined up to join us for the weekend (and you have to come in order to find out who these guests will be- but I can assure you- your going to LOVE the surprise!)

We have had the pre-registration sign up sheet out for 2 weeks now & only a few of you have signed up. I have to tell you that if our numbers don't reach at least 25 we will need to cancel the weekend- so be sure to sign up. And, just know we have scholarships available so never let finances keep you away from an opportunity to kick back and enjoy Jesus & some great gals!

Secondly, we will kick off our fall small groups with an 'All Ladies Quarterly Event' on Sunday, August 17. This will be a night of food & fellowship so go ahead and mark your calendar & bring a friend!

Lastly, we will begin our fall Bible Studies & small group meetings on Sunday, August 24th. Small groups will be meeting on Sunday night, Monday night and Thursday morning. You may pick any of these 3 meetings to join in for our next Bible Study.

My prayer is that each of you will join in on all three of these events! As always it is my deepest desire to see every lady at Harrison (and beyond) connected with a small group of believers & growing deeply in God's Word!

If you have any questions please feel free to call me at the church office or email me!

Blessings to you all,
Lori Drain

The Queen of the Kingdom of Self

Good day Ladies,


I have been reading a book by A.W. Tozer called, 'The Knowledge of the Holy'. It is a marvelous book. Each word has pricked my heart in more ways than I can count. One idea inpaticular has stuck with me the most and it is what Tozer calls the "essence of sin". Sin at it's very core is the battle of wills. Our will- or God's will. Tozer says it this way:

"A moral being, created to worship before the throne of God, sits on the throne of his own self- hood and from that elevated position declares, "I AM". That is sin in its concentrated essence;"

When we choose our will over God's will we've climbed upon a stolen throne. We have elevated ourselves above God. How often do we steal His glory? How often do we try to orchestrate our own lives without even giving God a second thought? When we do Tozer says we have "dethroned God and made ourselves supreme in the little kingdom of Mansoul".


All this is a lot to take in. I've been going over it in my mind for days and weeks now. I would be ashamed to count the times that I personally have stolen God's rightful throne & place in my life. If you would allow me I would like to share a small storyline that I've been playing over in my head since I read these thoughts from Tozer (Keep in mind this is not really print worthy- but I pray it is thought worthy!):


"I climbed upon my throne first thing today. I placed the Royal Crown upon my head and put the Royal Scepter in my hand. Not only do I look the part- I can play the part well -for you see I have no need for help- I can do and rule things myself because I'm the Queen of the Kingdom of Self.

My job as the Queen of the Kingdom Self is to patton my world the way 'I' think it should be. And just so you know- everyone else in the Kingdom of self will want things my way too- because they are sure to know that I rule as the Queen of the Kingdom of Self. The first thing on my to-do-list is to get the Kingdom of Self in tip top shape- making everyone obey the rules I have made. And of course they'll all obey for I'm the Queen of the Kingdom of Self. Each person will bow to my opinion and fulfill my needs. In case they've forgotten I'll be sure to remind them that I'm the Queen of the Kingdom of Self and of course queens should be honored and obeyed.



Walking around my Kingdom today I'm beginning to get a bit dismayed for everyone is not bowing to my commands or even seeing things 'my' way. Trouble is beginning to brew in the Kingdom because everything is not going 'my' way. Oh, what shall I do? It's not supposed to be this way. Shouldn't the Queen of the Kingdom Self have everything her way? I'm really not sure what is going on-it seems that everyone else who lives in the Kingdom of Self wants things 'their way'. Weren't they told? Don't they know that I am the Queen of the Kingdom of Self? To my dismay I can't have things my way for it appears that in the Kingdom of Self everyone has their own throne, crown & scepter. How can this be? It seems that in the Kingdom of Self everyone is out for their own self."



The sin of self. When I really got to thinking about it in God's Kingdom there is no room for all of us to be wanting our own way. Just think how many things would go undone if we were all looking out for just ourselves instead of looking for God's best for ourselves and others- which in case you didn't know has everything to do with self denial. Remember the words from Jesus that goes like this "Anyone who wants to come after me he must deny himself pick up his cross and follow me".

Can you think what our families and churches would look like if we all took on the attitude of the Queen of the Kingdom of Self? Think through your average daily routine- who are the people you have contact with, think of just the normal stranger you meet in the grocery store, think about your co-workers, family and church family. Now, think for a momenta if every person you had daily contact with only fulfilled only their own interests and never the interests of another. What would your world look like? Scary when you really get to thinking about it! But, you know- our culture at large is teaching us that we deserve to have things 'our' way. Think for a moment about what television is like today, what advertising is like and think of the corporate world & how ruthless climbing the latter of success can be. We live in a world that many times can drive us to believe that we really should have things just the way we want them. God's Word tells us something completely contrary to what our world is dishing out. God's world tells us self denial and servant hood is the way to climbing the Kingdom latter of success. How opposite this is to our natural nature to look out for our own!

I could go on and on about the world of the Queen of the Kingdom of Self and how the Kingdom is a mess! How when we work against the will of God to push our will- we hurt God, ourselves and others. How destructive self can be!

I hope you will take some time to think about the ideas from this post! I've written them at a rather hurried speed but hopefully you can use them to think even deeper about the subject of self and its rightful 'crucified' place.

Blessings to all,
Lori

Dreams Really Do Come True

Hello ladies,
I hope each of you had a wonderful 4th of July. The Drain family had a rather laid back 4th after a very busy July 1,2, & 3!

I wanted to share with you how very full my heart is over getting to see a couple of dreams come true over the past week. First, the Drains got to help our dear friends & co-laborers in the Lord get settled into their new home away from home. We left Tuesday morning with the Phillips and Haan family and traveled to Wilmore, KY complete with U-Haul, 3 vehicles packed full, and 5 kids! We arrived late Tuesday afternoon & began unloading & unboxing. I wish you all could have seen us- we worked as if we were trying to put a fire out! We all knew the sooner we got done- the sooner we could commence to having some fun!

What stirred my heart over this trip is getting to see Robbie so excited over what is to come. It has always been a dream of his to get a Doctorate degree and he was in the beginning stages of seeing that dream come to fulfillment. What was even more wonderful is that the program is scholarshiped- an education for free! I have absolutely no doubt that God himself orchestrated this dream come true for my friend! How like our God to bless his children when their dreams include His dreams!

Secondly, my daughter had a 'dream come true' moment on this trip as well. As many of you know Shelby loves animals! Horses in particular and we managed to fit in a day at the Kentucky Horse Park just for her! We had a blast! Shelby was awestruck at all the different breeds of horses! And so were the rest of the Drain family! Shelby has asked for several years to make our vacation spot Kentucky so she could go to some horse farms- and we finally made it! It was a sheer pleasure watching her enjoy the day! As a mom nothing pleases me more than seeing my children enjoy life.

All of this dream stuff got me to thinkin'! I believe God has a dream for each of us. One He wants to work out in our life here on planet earth. This dream is a plan. It is a plan for our good- one that places us in a position to live life to the full. It is a dream that if we would let go and allow God to work the thing out in us- it would blow our minds!

I've wondered this weekend how many times I have lived out God's dream for my life. And, how many times have I totally NOT lived out his dream for me??? I've imagined what it would be like if one day God were to show me a Heavenly video tape, so to speak, of what my life would have looked like if I had only lived it out His way instead of my own. What would that look like? How many experiences would I have missed out on? How many relationships would I have had- if only?? How many people would have come to know Jesus -if only?? Beloved, God does have a dream for you. If only we would let go and let God. If only we would place Him before self! If only we would give in and trust Him with everything fully knowing that what He has in store for those who believe is far beyond anything our minds can fully conceive. If only, dear one, if only!

I hope this has given you something to think about today! I'm personally tired of living in the world of 'If only's'! I want to live life to the full with Jesus in full control of my destiny! Letting go is hard work- I believe, for me anyway, it is a daily decision. I can testify that the times in my life when I have fully given myself over to God for his purposes & will- He has proven time and time again that He is so very worth it! And, yes- He has totally blown my mind!

I'll end today with the words to a song by Avalon called "Dreams I Dream For You":

"Someday, I hope to completely let go of the reigns of my so-called destiny and allow God the opportunity to blow my mind."

You taste the tears

You're lost in sorrow

You see your yesterdays

I see tomorrow

You see the darkness

I see the spark

You know your failures

But I know your heart

You see your shame

But I see your glory

You've read one page

But I know the story

I hold a vision

That you'll become

As you grow in the Truth

As you learn to walk in love

The dreams I dream for you

Are deeper than the ones you're clinging to

More precious than the finest things you knew

And truer than the the treasures you pursue

Let the old dreams die

Like stars that fade from view

Then take the cup I offer

And drink deeply of

The dreams I have for you

Drinking Deeply,

Lori

Stuff....

Hello to my favorite group of gals!
I just wanted to stop for a few minutes to say hello before I say goodbye for a couple of days! I'm off to Kentucky with the Phillips and Haan families as we help the Phillips family move into this new chapter of their lives. I'm looking forward to spending the time with them so much before having to say a final 'see you later'! And on Wednesday we are all heading to Ohio for the North American Christian Convention. I am so very excited about this part-- I've never been to the convention before and from what I have heard it is ministry heaven on earth! Lots of great speakers, lots of great worship, lots of great materials! Don't you know I'll be like a kid in a candy store! Look out Ohio- here I come!

I hope you enjoyed Sunday's message as much as I did. Luke Erickson did a wonderful job of speaking to us as a church. For those of you who were not with us he spoke about being 'in between'. And, how we as a church are 'in between'. He used the story of Jonathan from 1 Samuel 14 when he with his Armor bearer attacks the Philistines. Luke asked us some tuff questions about how we as individuals will choose to live during this time of being 'in between'. Will we be like Jonathan and charge ahead knowing that God 'may' choose to bless our efforts as he did with Jonathan or will we stay in a safe pattern and do nothing to further the cause of Christ and just wait on someone else to come in and take the lead for us. You see Jonathon charged ahead and attacked the Philistines without his leader- Saul. He went forward knowing that God 'could' in fact act on his behalf or he could not. But, Jonathon acted in faith and with that faith God joined his effort! Yep-Luke asked some mighty tuff questions! But- worth the asking! I hope that if you heard his sermon you have given it some thought. I have a copy if you would like to read it. It's much better than my pitiful attempt of retelling it for you!

I sure hope each of you have a wonderful week and an excellent 4th of July! I'll see you all on Sunday!
Love,
Lori

Thanks to all....

Hello ladies,
I just wanted to say "Thank you" to all who helped with our Mission Possible Garage Sale. I appreciate the donations of items & of your time to help price, organize, and sell them! The sale was a huge success. We collected over $2500. Please know that I truly appreciate each of you and your willingness to serve!
Love to all,
Lori

Garage sale woe's

Okay gals- it's 2:49 and we just finished wrapping up the last of the garage sale stuff. I'm absolutely beat! I've never in my whole life embarked on such an adventure! And, for those of you who worked the sale today- you know what I'm talking about! And, for those of you who are coming out to help tomorrow-- hold on to your hat!

Just to give you a quick update on where we stand- we are close to $1400 (now- I'm way tired so my count could be way off- but I think that is a pretty close estimate!) So, with that being said- Praise the Lord!

Now, if you got an email today from our darling church secretary asking for more donations of stuff (people really do love the stuff you would never think they would love!) we could use more stuff! So, feel free to do some cleaning out tonight if you haven't gotten the chance & drop it off either today or tomorrow morning early. Leanne Phillips & the Haans are on church door duty (meaning if you come by to drop off stuff tonight- stop by the parsonage first & they will unlock the fellowship hall door for you). We have had so many people come by before & after the sale ended so we didn't want to leave the door unlocked.

For those working- we will meet at 6:45 am. Come by and check things out! You just might find a treasure you can't live without!

Love to all (I'm going home soon to soak my tired feet!)
Lori

Grage Sale

Hey gals! It's grage sale insane here at HCC this morning! The crowds were out before 7am & the fellowship hall is full of people! Praise the Lord! I snuck upstairs to make a few signs & just thought I would let you know how things are going! We are selling so quickly today- so go home tonight & clean out those closets! We may need to stock up with some new items!

Love all of you!
Lori

No time to spell check!