The Space...

So my husband is amazing.  We have been married for almost 6 years. May 28th.  *Insert loving sigh*  So he has been reading a lot of things by a guy named Bill Johnson.  He is the senior pastor at Bethel Church.

Now I have to digress and say some things about books.  

I used to hate them because in high school they were annoying.  

Then when I started reading in college for pleasure, I liked them.

Then I loved them.  I read all kinds of things.

Then I became a mom.   Sigh.  With this comes almost no time to yourself.  I, even today, was telling a friend how I only shower every other day (unless I get sweaty or gross) because it is a luxury to shower when you have 2 kids under 2 1/2 and under, a husband and a cousin living with you.  Plus leading worship, a small group (with my husband), and cooking and cleaning... and the list goes on.

By the end of the day I am just so ready to not think.  About anything.  Nothing.  Maybe stupid TV or something- but that is about all for me some nights.  Can I get an Amen?!  

SO- Reading has become a task.  Books stare at me, I have a list that is SO long of books to read... I do really want to read them.  But also-  I don't want to read them.  It's time and effort.  Two things that I don't have much of.  I would rather be listening to, writing or participating to worship music.   Or having great conversation with my friends, family and especially my best friend (my hubby).  

So all that to say-  I haven't read as much Bill Johnson as my husband.  But I have heard many of his teachings.  They are really great.   Love everything he is about.  

He is about God's presence.  I actually had the pleasure of going to a round table with Jeremy Riddle. We discussed things about worship, and as worship leaders certain things that we encounter.  I really basically asked him, how do we better usher people into God's presence?  I just want to be such a conduit so that I can give people a way to express their true hearts to God and approach his thrown.  So that heaven opens up and reigns down.  I want God to use the talents He gave me so that breakthrough and healing happens.  

Can you tell I am ALL about this?! But I digress.  Jeremy was talking about how he doesn't know any other single person that wants the presence of God for himself and for everyone more than Bill Johnson. I love that.  Brian had me watch this AMAZING (yes that good) part of the new Bethel Live CD that just came out.  It has a DVD part that is SO amazing.  (Really the whole CD is amazing...) I love it so much.  

Anyways, I loved what one of the singers Steffany Frizzell spoke about this amazing concept here.

If you continued to read without watching the link up there.  Please go back. It's not long.  But will stay with you I really think. 

It talks about the love our Father has for us.  The fact that he did everything he could to get to us.  He went to a cross and paid it all for us by dying and becoming the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.  So now, if there is any space in worship (this is musical as well as an everyday worship lifestyle) between Jesus and us, it is created by us.  So in worship our goal should be to move anything in that space that isn't Him.  Any distractions, sin, unbelief or anything... we should just meet God where he met us.  Face to face and really soak in that presence.  

So that is my goal.  God, thank you for doing your part and coming all this way.  I am going to do my best to do mine and come meet you there.  I love you.  You are my life.  I want to do all I can to show you that.  

Hosanna!

So this week I am co-leading worship with a very dear friend of mine.  Josh Scott and I have been friends since we were kids.  In fact, my older sister even babysat for him and his family.  So our history is great.  He has also grown up in the same church I have, Vineyard church of Augusta.  


So this week we were trying to find a song we both liked and we talked to our main worship leader, Eben Brusco.  He suggested a few, one of which was Hosanna.  He said, "...since it is Palm Sunday."  I thought to myself... 
Oh yea.  It IS Palm Sunday.  *thunk*  That (if you were wondering...) was the "Should have had a V8" slap to the forehead.  


So I decided to read the passages and look up the info on it. Yes I have read the story... many times.  But how many of you can correctly account EVERY story.   Plus, who reads the Bible through just once, and is satisfied with that.  Good refresher, really.   :)  So of course I turned to Wiki pages to get some info and exact passages.  It tells me where it is in all 4 gospels.  Nice.  
So I turn to Matthew 21:1-11 and read the story.  
So here's the short version:


Jesus was coming into Jeruselum.  He asks two deciples to grab him a donkey.
They do. He gets on it and rides into town.
People put down palm leaves and their cloaks on the ground as he comes in. 
They start shouting "Hosanna" and other praises.  
People ask who it is, others reply to them: "Jesus".  


So simple story, really... but some things I never read never understood before today was what "hosanna" really meant.
Wiki states:
The word Hosanna is derived from the Hebrew word: "Hoshana" (הושענא) is a Hebrew word meaning please save or save now.


Hmmm... please save?  Save now? Wow... I have sang this word hundreds of times... literally.  I can honestly say that I never knew that before now.  
It makes so much sense though.  At that time they knew Jesus was their Savior, however, some people thought Jesus would save them from the political oppression they were under, or some other oppression... however Jesus came to save them from themselves... from the sin we as man created.  These people were calling out to be saved but really didn't know what they would truly be saved from.


There are so many times I ask for my husband, or sister, or mom, or other family to save me.  Ha!  You think I am kidding... there have been so many times with my sister I called to ask for her help with things. Especially my kids!  I have a 2 1/2 year old, Hailee, and a 6 month old, Nathaniel.  When I was pregnant with Nathaniel there were times I wasn't sleeping and I was so exhausted I was doing all I could to make it to her nap time.  I then thought I would try and nap then.  So I would wait, and of course it would just so happen that that day Hailee wouldn't nap.  Or would scream... or something!  I would call my wonderful sister and she would ride up in her van (at the time I called her my knight in silver mini van) and take Hailee for a few hours.


I felt cared for, I felt loved.  I was able to rest.  Awesome.  
(Shout out: Thank Sissa! I love you!!! :D  )


Then it dawned on me.  This love of Jesus'... how amazing. We call out for him, and say, "Save us" and we think he is just going to help with some political unrest... and then dies on the cross for all of our sins.  Yours and mine!!! Amazing.  He comes through for us in so much more than we asked of him.
Isn't that just like our God?  Our Lord, who knows exactly what we need and when?  Ugh.  Wow.  He is so good.
So today Lord, we say Hosanna and you hear us.  We ask for your saving grace, Father... and you come through for us.  You are faithful. You are gracious and you are GOOD.


I will leave you all with the song we are singing Sunday:


Hosanna/Praise is Rising


Praise is rising, eyes are turning to You
We turn to You
Hope is stirring, hearts are yearning for You
We long for You
‘Cause when we see You, we find strength to face the day
In Your presence, all our fears are washed away
Washed away

Hosanna Hosanna
You are the God who saves us,
Worthy of all our praises
Hosanna Hosanna
Come have Your way among us
We welcome You here Lord Jesus

Hear the sound of hearts returning to You
We turn to You
In Your kingdom broken lives are renewed
You make us new
‘Cause when we see You, we find strength to face the day
In Your presence, all our fears are washed away
Washed away

Hosanna Hosanna
You are the God who saves us,
Worthy of all our praises
Hosanna Hosanna
Come have Your way among us
We welcome You here Lord Jesus

‘Cause when we see You, we find strength to face the day
In Your presence all our fears are washed away
‘Cause when we see You we find strength to face the day
In Your presence, all our fears are washed away
Washed away


Hosanna Hosanna
You are the God who saves us,
Worthy of all our praises
Hosanna Hosanna
Come have Your way among us
We welcome You here Lord Jesus

First one...

It's so hard for me to start one of these.  Blogs.  Is it a trend?  Of course it is.  I mean, people of course have been doing this for years and years.  I myself have had something of the sort (starting with open diary of course...) since about--- oh--- 10th grade perhaps? That sounds about right.  Then there was Xanga, which was out in the OPEN.   Dum dum DUMMMM.  People could see what you were writing?  Well, sure, people could see others passive aggressive posts since AIM.

stingray1051: (Away) Sigh.  I wish this guy would call me.  But I guess he's just into this OTHER someone, and not me.  I wish he liked me and not her.  I wish he would call me.

Then later pretending it wasn't seen by EVERYone on your friends list.
Oh I am soooo sorry!  Did you see my little rant?  Oops.  I was just venting.  I thought the computer was the only one going to see that.
Uh huh.  Right.

So then I went private.  Opendiary.  So good.  I would love to get back into mine and see what it said.  I wonder what my little high school mind thought was important.

Then there was Xanga in college.  Oh Xanga.  This is where so many good things happened.  It was where your diary was made SO open for everyone to see.

Then the fad fell.  At least some people tried to keep it going.... and perhaps did.   Then blogs boomed.  In what, 2007 or so?  But then in the last several years people have made some serious money off these things!  Which brings me back to 1.  
(Can you tell I digress?  If you are going to follow me here... get used to it! HA!)

I am not writing this blog for popularity, fame, fortune or money.  That isn't to say, those things wouldn't be half bad of course, but my main purpose here is elevate God.  Bringing glory to Him is my purpose in life.  I love to sing, play music, and participate in things that bring him glory.

I really don't feel like this blog will have much in the way of a direct focus of a singular thing, but many different sum of a lot of parts.  That's who I am.
A Wife.  6 years   :D
Mom.  2 kids.  <3
Singer. Lalalaaaa.
Couponer.   Cha CHING!
Listener.   *crickets*  <--- that's me being quiet and listening
Mentor.   Teaching!
Challenger.  I like to help stretch others!
Musician.  A passion.
Writer. (trying here...)
Friend.  Love you guys!
Foodie.   Delicious!
Just to name a few...

I won't type out and tell you how perfect I am or anything as I sit here with spit up soaked into my shirt from two hours ago I haven't bothered to even change out of.  Or a broken person to start off, who was just redeemed by God and His amazing grace. However, I want to share thoughts, ideas, questions with you guys and I just ask the same in return.
I'm sure this will start empty at first.   But I have faith God will bring me everything I need with this blog.  Even if it's just a quiet sounding board between Him and I.

I love you, God.  You are faithful, true and you never change.  You are worthy of all the praise I can muster from the bottom of my heart and soul.  Amazing, you are.