Time for my "other" family

I'm thrilled to link up with two great blogs today.  Of course, I'm linking-up with my buddies through  Company Girls. (see link at end of post).  These ladies are my sisters-in-Christ and like "other family" to me!!  (Hey Company Girls,  how cool would it be to have a Company Girl conference where we can all come together, meet and have Rachel Anne speak for us like she did at CiCi's?)   


The other blog I am linking with is over at Kelly's Korner for this post.  Kelly has asked us in Blogville to talk about our church.  Yay!  This is super exciting to me.  Not only do I think my Pastor is a hot, I also think my church (Community Christian Fellowship) is simply amazing.  (**insert a shout out to all my CCF'ers:  hey ya'll!!**)  As for the Pastor comment, no need for me to repent because I'm married to him!!  


I am reposting a blog post that I wrote for our church when we celebrated our 5th anniversary last year:

20 people + 2 dogs in a den = A church

Today is January 9, 2010.  It is a precious day to me.  Today is Community Christian Fellowship’s 5th anniversary.  So what’s the big deal?  Many churches have anniversaries.  That is true.  Yet-today finds me misty eyed and filled with gratitude for all The Lord has done.

About eight years ago, The Lord started speaking to me and Jim about starting a church.  To be quite honest, it freaked us out!  This was not the avenue of ministry we had seen ourselves serving in.   Missionaries in a foreign country, quite possible.  But a church?  Really God?  “Yes, really”, He said.    God had spoken and we must go forth.   Like the story of Abraham we had no idea where we were going or what would happen (and we still don’t!).  We just knew we were to leave what was comfortable and what we had known and “go”.  Regardless of the cost, we wanted to obey The Lord with everything in us. 

After years of praying, seeking Godly counsel, praying, praying (and did I mention praying)  on January 9, 2005 a group of 20 people and two dogs met in our den.  Community Christian Fellowship began.   The verse about God choosing the “unwise and lowly” of the earth instantly had new meaning!   A small group of people coming together with a vision.  We had no denominational support. No resources. Nada—not even a building.  But the one thing we had was the only thing we needed and that was The Lord.   This little group of 20 people believed that prayer was the engine that drives the church. No amount of planning or strategizing mattered if we were not on our face seeking what The Lord wanted from us.  So, together we cried out to Him for His guidance and direction.  He answered.

As with any church we have experienced our ups, downs and in betweens.  We have seen miracles, healings and provisions too numerous to count.  In October 2008, CCF  had everything we owned (in a trailer) stolen that was never recovered. However,  The Lord provided and replaced above and beyond what was stolen.   This is just one of many stories I could share of His faithfulness.

The Lord has shown us things that have left us in “awe” of Him.   Lives transformed, addicts delivered, people healed, babies born, marriages mended.   Of course, we have experienced loss.  Loss so deep our hearts broke.  Loss so deep we didn't think we would be able to keep going.  There were times we have asked “why?” but we still believed.  Through these times, once again, The Lord has left us in “awe” of Who He is.  He has kept us under His protective wing. 

I am thankful for the amazing group of people The Lord has placed at CCF.  Just a group of real and transparent people:

Men  and  Women

Old  and  Young

   Black and White

Married and  Single

Hearing and   Deaf

Tattooted and non-tattooted

Bald and Mohawks

 Educated and Uneducated

People from all walks of life.  Each with a testimony to share. Our common denominator is that we are all sinners in need of a Savior’s grace.  It is the bond of our Lord and Savior, Jesus, that ties us all together.  This is my family and I love them!   We laugh together, cry together.  Rejoice together, hurt together.  We bear with one another in love (thank you for bearing with me!).  I know if I have a need for anything that I can call on my CCF family and they would be here for me.  Why?  Because the love of Jesus is in them.  The Holy Spirit is guiding them.

Five years has come and gone.  Five years later we are still a group of people who believe in the power of prayer.  We continue to cry out to God for direction and guidance.  What an amazing journey it has been.   Even though we now have more than 20 people (no dogs--though an occasional one show up from time to time), we still have no denominational support, not many resources and still no a building (we meet in a school).  But these things are okay.  Together we have unity through Jesus Christ.  And He is the only thing we need. He will not fail us, nor forsake us.  He is faithful. As the world seems to have gone mad from time to time, we have each other to encourage and love on. 

Community Christian Fellowship is His work and He alone receives all the praise and glory.   As Jim has said many times through the years, “It is ALL God’s work and we just have front row seats!”

It is an honor and privilege to serve Him at CCF.  I am so thankful for the past five years. I look forward to the next five.  Thank you Jesus!

Have a blessed weekend!!  Feel free to join us at Company Girls!!  Here's our blog-party link:

Sunday Night Rambling

  This morning I taught our Ladies Bible Study Class from the book of Habakkuk.  (What a great book!  I may have a new favorite OT book.)  

 For some reason the Amplified version of Habakkuk 3:1 totally made my  week:

"A PRAYER of Habakkuk the prophet, set to wild, enthusiastic, and triumphal music."

Wild, enthusiastic and triumphal music?  Really?  No pipe organs?  No hymns? Now we're talking!  I love me a good 'ol hymn or two from time to time so please don't misunderstand me.  I'm just a gal that loves to clap (a lot!) and bust a praise move from time to time.  So this verse just made me giggle.  I couldn't help but wonder what would be on Habakkuk's Ipod play list if he were living in 2011?    Just a thought. 

Also, today was the 6th Anniversary/Birthday (still not sure which term I want to use) of  C.C.F. (our church).  Hard to believe it has been six years!!  As my man always says, "It is all God's work and we just have front row seats."

20 people + 2 dogs in a den = A church

Today is January 9^th.  It is a precious day to me.  Today is Community Christian Fellowship’s 5th anniversary.  So what’s the big deal?  Many churches have anniversaries.  That is true.  Yet-today finds me misty eyed and filled with gratitude for all The Lord has done.

About eight years ago, The Lord started speaking to me and Jim about starting a church.  To be quite honest, it freaked us out!  This was not the avenue of ministry we had seen ourselves serving in.   Missionaries in a foreign country, quite possible.  But a church?  Really God?  “Yes, really”, He said.    God had spoken and we must go forth.   Like the story of Abraham we had no idea where we were going or what would happen (and we still don’t!).  We just knew we were to leave what was comfortable and what we had known and “go”.  Regardless of the cost, we wanted to obey The Lord with everything in us.

After years of praying, seeking Godly counsel, praying, praying (and did I mention praying)  on January 9, 2005 a group of 20 people and two dogs met in our den.  Community Christian Fellowship began.   The verse about God choosing the “unwise and lowly” of the earth instantly had new meaning!   A small group of people coming together with a vision.  We had no denominational support. No resources. Nada—not even a building.  But the one thing we had was the only thing we needed and that was The Lord.   This little group of 20 people believed that prayer was the engine that drives the church. No amount of planning or strategizing mattered if we were not on our face seeking what The Lord wanted from us.  So, together we cried out to Him for His guidance and direction.  He answered.

As with any church we have experienced our ups, downs and in betweens.  We have seen miracles, healings and provisions too numerous to count.  In October 2008, CCF  had everything we owned (in a trailer) stolen that was never recovered. However,  The Lord provided and replaced above and beyond what was stolen.   This is just one of many stories I could share of His faithfulness.

The Lord has shown us things that have left us in “awe” of Him.   Lives transformed, addicts delivered, people healed, babies born, marriages mended.   Of course, we have experienced loss.  Loss so deep our hearts broke.  Loss so deep we didn't think we would be able to keep going.  There were times we have asked “why?” but we still believed.  Through these times, once again, The Lord has left us in “awe” of Who He is.     He has kept us under His protective wing. 

I am thankful for the amazing group of people The Lord has placed at CCF.  Just a group of real and transparent people:

Men  and  Women

Old  and  Young

      Black and White

Married and  Single

Hearing and   Deaf

Tattooted and non-tattooted

Bald and Mohawks

English and Spanish

 Educated and Uneducated

People from all walks of life.  Each with a testimony to share. Our common denominator is that we are all sinners in need of a Savior’s grace.  It is the bond of our Lord and Savior, Jesus, that ties us all together.  This is my family and I love them!   We laugh together, cry together.  Rejoice together, hurt together.  We bear with one another in love (thank you for bearing with me!).  I know if I have a need for anything that I can call on my CCF family and they would be here for me.  Why?  Because the love of Jesus is in them.  The Holy Spirit is guiding them.

Five years has come and gone.  Five years later we are still a group of people who believe in the power of prayer.  We continue to cry out to God for direction and guidance.  What an amazing journey it has been.   Even though we now have more than 20 people (no dogs--though an occasional one show up from time to time), we still have no denominational support, not many resources and still no a building (we meet in a school).  But these things are okay.  Together we have unity through Jesus Christ.  And He is the only thing we need. He will not fail us, nor forsake us.  He is faithful. As the world seems to have gone mad from time to time, we have each other to encourage and love on.

Community Christian Fellowship is His work and He alone receives all the praise and glory.   As Jim has said many times through the years, “It is ALL God’s work and we just have front row seats!”

It is an honor and privilege to serve Him at CCF.  I am so thankful for the past five years. I look forward to the next five.  Thank you Jesus!