GNO|GlowBowl Recap

rbcgirls rocked and glowed Friday night at GNO!

We had a ball! Here's a glimpse of our time together.

Make a scrapbook

I'm already excited for our next GNO time together!

Stay tuned for details! :)

Love,

Jessie

GNO Update!

I'm so excited that Girls' Night Out is this week and I've got an ever exciting update for you...

GNO| GlowBowl will be complete with BUMPERS for those who need 'em.

Let's face it: some of us just need a little more help with getting that ball down the lane (myself included)! There's no shame in that!

This will SO be me. :o)

Photo taken from: http://bowlcedarlanes.com/images/elements/KidBumperBowl-Photo.jpg

See you Friday at 6:30 at Lighthouse Lanes!

Don't forget your glow-in-the-dark gear!

If you have any questions or need more info, call/email me:

885.5275 or jstone@ridgecrestbaptist.org.

wait.

Monday mornings always begin with a staff-wide prayer gathering. I simultaneously love and not-so-love this.

Here's why I don't love it:

1. There's no wiggle room for tardiness. This is actually a good thing, I know. With my tendency to run ever so slightly behind the rest of the world combined with the lethargy that accompanies a Monday morning, chances are I would arrive late every Monday, were it not for the prayer gathering.

That said, the reasons I love the gathering vastly outnumber and outweigh the reasons I don't.

Here's why I LOVE it:

1. I get to join with the brothers and sisters with whom I serve as we bow before our Creator.

2. Connecting with the Lord and other believers is so energizing.

3. It starts my week off the right way.

4. I get to hear the burdens of other brothers and sisters and find out exactly how I can support them.

5. Inevitably, I walk away with some sort of insight that wasn't on my radar prior to gathering together.

6. I'm sure there are other reasons too, but that list will suffice for now.

Since today's a Monday, we gathered promptly at 9am in the Chapel for a few minutes together. Nate prayed today, and as he prayed, he quoted from Isaiah.

"...but they who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31

As many times as I've heard and read this verse, it struck me in a new way today, and it's haunted me ever since. It makes more sense to me than it ever has. Waiting on the Lord renews our strength because it frees us from having to plan, worry, and scheme. So often I find myself in the midst of trying to orchestrate things MY way. Inevitably, my plan fails every time. (And I'm thankful it does, by the way.) Then I'm left to deal with the broken pieces and the heartache and disappointment that accompanies them.

While waiting may seem like a passive move, it's really an active step of trust. Waiting, being still, hoping in Him, mandates the physical and tangible release of MY plans. As I let go and wait on His timing, His plan, His will, I am free to be and go as He sees fit. I'm free to be me the way the Lord intended me to be. And I'm relieved of the burden of trying to organize and orchestrate on my own.

Today I'm choosing to let go. I'm choosing to trust. I'm choosing to WAIT on the Lord.

What about you?

GNO: Glow!

Hey girlies!

It's time for another Girls' Night Out. So let's take it glow-in-the-dark style with Glow Bowling! Meet at Lighthouse Lanes from 6:30-8:30pm on Friday, November 12, 2010.

Grab your glow gear and let's get together for some quality girl time!

How He Loves.

Hi lovelies,

How are you? I hope you're having a wonderful week. Lately, I've had a song on replay in my head, and I can't quite seem to shake it. The tune? "How He Loves," written by John Mark McMillan. The lyrics have hit me at a new level lately and I've been caused to really contemplate the love of our Father. I love it because I've just been marinating in it. So much freedom comes through being enveloped in His love...

When was the last time you stopped and contemplated your Creator's love for you? Take a few minutes and just soak in Him. He loves you. He loves you BIG. Bigger than we can fathom or imagine. Bigger than the stupid thing you said to that cute boy, or the way you yelled at your mom this morning before school. He loves you greater thank your failed Bio test and greater than the ugly thing your BFF said about you behind your back.

He loves you.

Listen to this and soak in the Truth.

Love,

Jessie

seeking love.

Recently I began a journey with a dear friend through the book of Jeremiah. When she suggested Jeremiah, I wasn't sure why, but my excitement grew. Within the first two chapters alone, the Lord spoke to me.

"Why do you beautify your way to seek love? Therefore you have also taught the wicked women your ways." Jeremiah 2:33

The words practically jumped off the page at me.

Why do you beautify your way to seek love? I wasn't reading the verse anymore. Instead, I was listening to that still voice in my soul. And it hit me. Hard.

I do beautify my way to seek love. Chances are, you do too. It seems to me that there are two ways we beautify our way to seek love. We're either looking for love in all the wrong places and by using the wrong vehicles, or we're seeking the wrong kind of love, which ironically, isn't really love at all.

Sometimes I get so caught up in seeking the approval and affection of others and I completely miss seeking the Lord and His love. Then even as I realize that, I try and justify it or rationalize it, usually in the name of serving or ministering. Even when I have the approval and affection of others around me, I'm still left unsatisfied. We weren't made to find fulfillment in the love of anyone other than the Lord Himself. Really, seeking the love of anyone else above or before God is sin, and is therefore unproductive to our quest. I've talked before about my struggle with doing versus being, and fighting to find my identity and worth in works. Sometimes even if I'm seeking love from the right Source, I still go about it the wrong way. It's easy to get caught up in the checklist mentality and expect that once our list has been cleared, we should find fulfillment and satisfaction in love. In reality, God loves us not based on anything we could ever do to earn His love, but rather because He Himself is gracious and chooses to love us because of who He is.

Take a minute and let that sink in. I need to marinate in that for a minute too. The Lord loves me--and you--because of who He is, NOT because of anything that you could ever do or not do.

So what do you think, what's your story? Where do you seek love and affection? How do you beautify your own way?

God, forgive me for trying to make beautiful that which ultimately separates me from you. Help me remove the masks that I use to make my sin beautiful, and show me how to seek love, affection, and approval from You alone.

JH Memories

Lesson 9: Miriam

Did you ever see the Prince of Egypt? That was a while back, but it is the beautiful story of the life of Moses. The clip you watched shows Moses' sister, Miriam watching over the baby as he floated down the river. Miriam was a young girl with a big job, not to mention watching out for crocodiles. Can you imagine first of all putting your baby brother in a basket and sending him down the river in hopes the ladies of royalty would save him  and then having to dodge crocodiles. You see, the Egyptians were killing the male Jews during this time and Moses was in danger. Miriam's courage and boldness not only saved Moses life, but allowed him to live in the palace with his mother and sister taking care of him.

Most people forget about Miriam after the baby in the basket part, but read on in Exodus 14:21-31. Miriam was there when Moses parted the Red Sea for the Israelites to cross and the river drowned the Egyptians. In Exodus 15: 20 it says she was a prophetess and she was a role model for women. She led them in praise and worship. Wow! Miriam continued to grow in her faith through the years. Are you closer to God today than when you were younger?

Want to be a leader? Here are three traits of Miriam you can follow:
1) Be faithful in little. Be faithful in any task God has for you and in the day to day living we have to do. God will bless you with more opportunities to lead when you are faithful in the small things.
2) Live a life of praise. This means not just on Sunday, but everyday giving praise to God.
3) Lead others to God. We lead others because we are following the Lord ourselves.

Everyone makes mistakes. Miriam was a typical woman.. she had problems with her mouth. It is so easy to say the wrong thing or say too much. Miriam criticized Moses and his new wife. God grew angry and gave Miriam leprosy. It seems like a pretty severe consequence to running her mouth, but it is an important lesson for all of us. When we are concerned with something we need to take it straight to God in prayer, rather than discussing it with everyone we meet, or even just our close friends. Since we as ladies love to talk, we quickly can find ourselves becoming critical of others or passing on stories that don't build others up. This lesson speaks straight to the heart of us talkers.. that even when we have grown a lot in the Lord, we have to constantly be on guard about our mouths. We have to stay in prayer so that God can guide our thoughts and words.

As a happy note, Miriam was healed after a week and let back into the camp. The Israelites were then able to move again toward the Promised Land. God loves us so much that he does discipline us. What have you learned from the life of Miriam? What a great example of God's love and grace for us even when we fail him.

Lesson 8: Esther

Esther, one of my favorite stories in the Bible. A poor, common girl rises to power as Queen and stays true to her faith and beliefs. In the end her bravery saves a nation of Jews. Pretty awesome stuff, and I forgot to mention the mushy love part in between when she marries the king. Does God still do things like this today?

I believe He does. Our lives may not be quite as romantic or dramatic as the life of Esther, but I do believe God has a plan for each of us and when we trust Him He makes the perfect path for us.

Part of Esther 4:14 says, " And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" When things are rough and we don't understand why we are in the middle of them, how about thinking that maybe God placed us in a situation at just the right time for us to learn something or to serve in some way. For Such a Time as This! Will this school year be that time for you? Esther prayed and acted in faith when she knew of an evil plot to rid the country of Jews, even her own relatives. She was bold to do the right thing and tell the king. Faith is doing the right thing while trusting God to work it out for the best. She saved a whole nation because of her boldness. Are we willing to be that bold in our everyday lives?

This chapter lists character traits of Esther. Take a little quiz and see where you are with these traits in your own life.
1) She valued obedience more than comfort.
2) She sought wisdom.
3) She cared more for others than saving her own neck.
4) She was available to God to be used in His world.

Esther was a beautiful woman inside and out. It is pretty obvious from the story that she spent more time working on her inward beauty, rather than just the outward appearance. Are we spending quality time working on our inward beauty with the Lord? I hope you enjoy reading about Esther this week. Her story is full of romance, drama, and happy endings. What character traits will you take from Esther and apply in your own life?

GirlTalk: Pamper.

Ok, chicas, it's time to wrap up our summer GirlTalks. I can't believe that summer's almost gone! Let's go out with a bang!

You're invited to GirlTalk: Pamper

When: Thursday, August 5th, 6:30-8:30pm

Where: Lori Elliott's house

It'll be a night of relaxation and pampering just for you!

Bring your friends and any nail polish colors you may want to use or share!

To ride the shuttle to the Elliotts', meet at RBC in front of the FC at 6pm.

The shuttle will return to RBC by 9pm.

For directions to the Elliotts' house, click here.

Contact Jessie with any questions: jstone@ridgecrestbaptist.org or 417.885.5275.

See you Thursday!

Week 7: Mary, the Mother of Jesus

While I was in Las Vegas I got to go see the Lion King. I love theater, especially musicals. When I was a teenager I thought about pursuing a career in the arts, but God had other plans. In fact, His plans far exceeded anyting I could have dreamed for myself. It is a great thing to be a Daughter of the King.

This lesson is about Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Read Luke 1:26-55. What is the best news you have ever received? Did you get your dream date? Did you win something or make it on the team? Did your character and walk with God shine in the process?

Mary had an upstanding lifestyle. God saw her heart and knew she could do something very special for Him. She was not perfect, just like we are not perfect, but she was willing to serve. I doubt that being the mother of Jesus was in her life plan. You probably have your goals and plans also. That is great. We all need to have direction, but how much or do we include God in our plans? If I would have just listened to myself I would have gone down a much different path, not the one God had just for me.

Did you notice in the study that Mary had a mentor in Elizabeth? She needed someone to listen to her and give her Godly counsel. Do you have anyone in your life that fills that need? Do you have someone that you can be accountable with and you know the advice they share is based on God's Word, not the latest gossip? If you don't pray that God will put that person in your life to help you grow spiritually.

Do you consider yourself to be special or unique? God does. I love this verse, Psalm 139:14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

Mary probably saw herself as ordinary, but God saw her talents and gifts. Each one of you is wonderfully made. God has a special plan just for you. It won't magically happen. It takes commitment to Christ and following Him daily, but He will guide your steps if you follow. I may not ever be on Broadway, but I know I am right where God wants me ande there is such joy in being right where God wants me to be. Blessings are flowing in the center of God's will. I just have to trust Him. I pray that you will seek to be right where He wants you to be also. You may not understand it, but His plan is so much better than anything you could create for yourself. Trust Him.

Week 6: Letting God Heal Your Hurts

So, I was in Las Vegas for a week doing conferences for teachers. Let me tell you that a week in Vegas is a long time. People can make all kind of choices in Vegas. Where to eat? Where to shop? What show to see? Lots of choices. But even with all the glitz and glam of Las Vegas, people are often there to hide hurts. They want to escape their real lives and act in ways that may not be healthy for them in order to fix the hurt.

There are great things about Las Vegas also, like In-N-Out Burgers. You can only get them out west, so when in town I make it a point to hang out there at least once. Yummy burgers and fries. While I was there this time, I overhead a disturbing conversation of a teenage girl and her 2 college friends. Someone had left a Gospel track on the table where they sat outside. I was a few feet away. The girl started reading it aloud and making jokes along the way with each step of the salvation plan. I wondered what could have happened to this girl that she had such a jaded view of the Gospel and Christians. I prayed in that moment for the Lord to let me know if I was to approach the students, but God instead had me lift the three up in prayer. I don't think that words were what these 3 needed at the time. Why do people reject Jesus? Why do people make bad choices? This lesson is about Tamar. It is a tragic story and one that brings out the need for a Savior to heal all our hurts.

Read 2 Samuel 13-1-19 to find out the terrible plot against Tamar.  Tamar was the victim of a violent crime. Something she believe she could not get over. She considered herself a desolate woman because of the event. We have all been hurt in some way or the other. It may be in a physical manner or something more emotional. How do you get over something like that? Or do you? God has the power to heal. He sees our hurts and does not make fun of them, but wants us to cling to Him when we are hurting. It may also mean you need to talk to someone about your fears and experiences. I hope you know you can come to me or Jessie to talk about whatever is on your heart. There is no judgement, just love and a caring heart.

Tamar was tricked and hurt. Can good come out of tragedy? How has God used a hurt or tragedy to bring good out of it for you and others? Jeremiah 29:11 is a great promise for us, For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Make this a memory verse for you to hold on to when things are rough.

GirlTalk: Splash!

Summer is wrapping up, can you believe it?! Wow! What better way to beat the heat than with a little splash and sun?

Join us at Bentwater Pool for a pool party hosted by Lori Matthews on Thursday, July 22, from 6:30-8:30pm.

We'll provide pop and pizza; you just bring yourself, your swimsuit, a towel, and whatever water toys you need/want! :)

Click here for a map of Bentwater. Once you get there, follow Bentwater Dr. to Myra and turn right. Follow Myra around to the clubhouse. For questions or more info, call, fb, or email Jessie at (417) 885-5232 (office) or (417) 861-8143 or jstone@ridgecrestbaptist.org.

See you soon!

8th Grade Recognition Sunday

Lifestyle Bible Study Week 5: Sin

Free scrapbook design personalized with Smilebox So last week I was in Chicago. I love the feel of a big city. There is so much to do like shopping, restaurants, shows, etc. But it is easy to look around and also realize how small we are and that we are just one of millions of people on the planet. But God sees us very differently. He loves us for who we are and he cares about our future.  This week the study is about the Woman Caught in Adultery. She must have felt very alone and ashamed. She was caught in sin and drug in front of everyone to see Jesus. How embarrassing. Have you ever felt that your sin was on display or mistakes you made were known by everyone? The verse in Numbers 32:23 has always haunted me in a way.. Be sure your sins will find you out. We aren't very good at hiding our sin. Eventually, like the woman in this week's lesson in John 8, someone will find out our mistakes and more importantly God knows our sin. So, what can we do about it? Keep sinning or as Barney Fife says, "Nip it in the bud"?  I think getting to the root of our sin is what we are called to do, but we can't take care of our sin issues alone. We need God's help.  Are we confessing our sin daily to God, or moment by moment? One of the hardest things to pray is for God to show us our sin. Be ready. It is going to hurt. So often we cover our sins with excuses and blame it on our personality or it is a habit, but to truly grow with the Lord we have to be willing to ask God to show us our sin and remove it from our lives. Think root canal or removing a splinter from your hand... it needs to be done but it can be painful.  But here is the great thing. God forgives us when we repent. When we turn away from our sin and ask His help, he is faithful to forgive us and lead us into a much better path. That path includes us asking God to help us guard our minds when we face temptation. I remember a DNOW lesson from high school. Yes, they had DNOW way back when I was in high school. Anyway, I remember our leader asking us why we as Christians sin. It kind of stumped everyone. Some said because of Satan, others blamed situations or people. But the real reason he said we sin is because we choose to sin. Ouch! I had never thought of that before. I actually chose to lash out when I was angry or I chose to have a bad attitude or mistreat people. We have to guard our hearts and mind in Christ Jesus because in our flesh we will choose sin everytime.  As you study this week's lesson, I encourage you to get real honest about your sin and where you are with God. I know I  am. These lessons keep speaking to me each week. How will you face temptation based on the scriptures? What will you do if you fall into sin again? I suspect as you stay close to the Lord and accountable to trusted Christian friends, you will know just what to do.

gearing up for CAMP.

So tomorrow's the big day. That's right: CAMP 2010: 3D is finally here! I can't hardly believe it. I'm so ready and pumped. In fact, I'm currently not feeling even remotely sleepy. That's how stoked I am! I hope you're excited too!

With all the CAMP planning and preparation, things have been a little hectic around the office. (The whole FC renovation thing seems to be a tad bit of a contributor to the mayhem too, but we're super excited about that as well!) In the process of all the busyness, I've finally forced myself to slow down tonight and really take it all in. I don't want to miss anything. It's really easy for me to get caught up in the details of what I'm doing and forget about the details of what God wants to do.

So, I thought I'd take a few minutes and just share what's the Lord has laid on my heart for CAMP 2010. Here goes.

1. I want to see God move. Not just a, "Oh maybe God did some things below the surface" kind of movement. I'm asking to see Him and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He's moving.

2. I want to see God move big. Not just half-way or a little bit. I want to see Him do BIG things in rbcstudents this week. I'm asking for a revolution.

3. I want to see pride broken down and relationships restored. Both in rbcstudents' lives and in my own. God's bigger than all of the junk we let distract us. I'm asking Him to help us let go of our own agenda and unite for His glory.


What about you? What are you asking God to do at CAMP 2010? Care to join me in these prayers?
I'm praying for you and I can't wait to see and hear what He does!

Love you!

GirlTalk |Create: Tie-Dye Fest!

Well, I don't know about you, but I thoroughly enjoyed our tie-dye time together last week! What a blast! I could not be more thrilled with how my shirt turned out. How does yours look? I wanted to share some pics from the evening, so here's a little slideshow I threw together. Enjoy! :)

Personalize a digital slideshow

Week 4: Mary & Martha

Hello, my name is Martha and I am so busy serving that I don't have time to sit and listen to God. Zing! This week's study hits me where I live. I am always busy. Busy traveling and training, busy working on projects or degrees, busy trying to be the best wife and mom. But unfortunately, sometimes too busy for spending quality time with the Lord. Why can't I be like Mary? I mean Mary is relaxed and she just listens to Jesus. She even took her all time favorite perfume and washed His feet with it and her hair. Whoa.

This week you will be looking at 2 sisters. They both love Jesus, but one gets lost in being busy and forgets what is important. The other, Mary.. is a great example of how we need to put our daily quiet time with God as our highest priority. The scriptures for this week are Luke 10:38-42 and John 12:1-8.

I couldn't help but think about our lesson during Super Sunday tying together with this study. We talked about setting our goals as Christians and maturing in Christ. I loved the phrase shared today about staying in a constant conversation with Christ. How can we stay in a constant conversation with Christ when we don't take time to listen, we do all the talking and never stop to hear what Christ has to say? I know I am challenged by these lessons. What am I doing that is so important I can't spend time with the Creator of the Universe? What am I sacrificing to show my love for Him? I hope you will wrestle with these  ideas with me this week. Love reading the comments. We are getting there. Please jump in and share.

GirlTalk: Create!

Get your tie-dye on!

When: Thursday, June 8th, 6:30-8:30pm

Where: Jessie's house

Click here for directions.

Bring your own t-shirt, socks, or pillowcase.

We'll provide the snacks and tie-dye kits!

See you there!

Lifestyle Bible Study Week 3: DATING

This week is a great study! It is about dating and inner beauty. This last week I traveled to Nashville to train a great group of teachers. Nashville is pretty sad right now because of the flooding a few months ago. Everything is closed down for remodeling, but I had a wonderful time meeting the teachers there. I flew home and had to do another workshop in Nixa first thing the next day. Well, when I got home Tim opened my suitcase to find that the jar of Vaseline I took with me had exploded everywhere. It was on my clothes, my makeup, etc. I had no idea Vaseline exploded, so take that as a tip for your next trip.

Anyway, it was really late so I told Tim not to worry about it I would mess with it the next day. He wiped down things and I thought I could deal with it later. So, bright and early I get up, wash my hair and start getting ready. I grabbed my brush and took off trying to make myself look beautiful for the day. I mean I had to stand in front of a whole room of people and talk all day. I have to look good. I wondered as I dried my hair, why it was taking so long. It also seemed pretty flat. Then... it hit me. There must have been Vaseline in my brush because my hair was feeling weird. Sure enough I ran my fingers through it and it was everywhere. I of course was running late so I tried to wash the roots with shampoo quickly. No luck. I grabbed the Dawn because if it works for the Pelicans in the oily Gulf, maybe it would work for me. But I didn't have time to rewash, so I did the best I could. Needless to say, it was not my best look. My friends at the workshop were very sweet, but the next day they all commented how nice my hair looked after I got all the goop out. We laughed and laughed.

I was reminded again the verse in our study that Beauty is Fleeting. As quick as it took to run Vaseline through my hair, my beauty was lost, not that there was that much to work with anyway. But what mattered was my inner self. I had to rely on God to get through the day and realize what he is doing in my life is so much more important than always having the perfect hair day. I really hope you will spend a good amount of time jumping into the study this week about Ruth. It is one of my favorites. As always, please comment and share your experiences or thoughts on dating. Are you always chasing or dreaming of a guy to make your dreams come true? I am pretty sure God has it all taken care of for you. Trust him and settle for nothing less than His best!
Lori

on growth.

Recently, I've changed my quiet time spot. That's right, I said goodbye to my comfy chair and have situated myself on my front porch for the last couple of weeks. Let me tell you, that's the best decision I've made in quite awhile. There's something about meeting with the Creator while enjoying His creation. I love it. Why am I telling you this? Well, this week, the Lord definitely spoke to me through my quiet time outside. And I want to share it with you.

Right near my front porch is a beautiful--and currently overgrown--weeping fig tree. I love this tree. It's so peaceful to me. Often I find myself admiring it and just enjoying it. But one particular morning I noticed just how badly my weeping fig needs attention. Several of its sweeping branches are nearly kissing the ground, which is my mind is whimsical and oh so soothing. However, as far as curb appeal is concerned, my beloved tree really needs some TLC. This means I've got work to do.

As I broadened my view this particular morning, I realized that really, all of my shrubs and landscaping needs some serious attention. Why is it that months pass by and nothing requires my attention or effort, and then all of the sudden, everything needs cared for? Immediately my attitude shifted and I was overwhelmed with the work I had to do. But the Lord spoke. The issue causing my labor isn't really an issue at all, but a blessing. The cause: new growth.

Right away, I got it. (Rarely does this happen, FYI.) Isn't this the same with us? Don't we tend to take months off and just coast along, maybe casually asking God along the way to do something in us? But then once something happens, we immediately notice the discomfort that His growth in us causes.

Here are a couple of things I've learned about growth:

1. It doesn't come without grief. (Thank you, Pastor Hosea, for this one.) Embracing the new means that we have to get rid of the old. Just like with my shrubs and trees. In order for the new life to not get choked out and die, I've got to remove the dead and tend to the living, new buds.

2. Rarely is it convenient. Growth means change and change is hard for us as humans. But growth is essential to our life on every level. Without new life, we're dead, and if dead, we definitely can't fulfill the call the Lord has placed on our lives.

In reality, that growth, that new life is really what Jesus is all about.

Jesus says, "...I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." John 10:10b

So let me ask you this: What season are you in? Are you experiencing growth in any areas of your life? How are you reacting?

GirlTalk: Play.

Join us as we go girly on gaming!

This Thursday night, June 24th,

6:30-8:30pm at Mary Stone's house....

it's Girls' Game Night!

We've got your board games,

your card games,

your video games...

games, games, games!

Finger foods will be provided. Just bring yourself and a friend!

Click here for directions from RBC to Mary Stone's house.

memphis take-away and recap.

Rbcstudents Memphis team, ready to roll out!

Well, Summer Missions | Memphis has come and gone and I can hardly believe it! I feel like I spent so much time preparing and planning, that once it finallygot here, I was so ready...but I didn't anticipate it going as quickly as it did. Truth be told, there wasn't much that I actually did anticipate accurately. Despite all the careful planning and creating that our team did--and they did an OUTSTANDING job--many of the details did not go as expected.

As you can imagine, I stressed...not quite to the freak out level, but I did stress. In the midst of things not going right, at least according to Jessie's plan, I had a friend remind me of some invaluable truth. I received a text that said, "God's purposes may not be yours. Be sensitive to that." Initially, I was hacked. I know what God's purposes are, I thought. I've been planning for and praying over this trip for months. Believe me, I know what He wants to do!

But in my very next breath, I felt the calm reassurance of the Truth in my friend's words.

The truth is that I had no idea what God wanted to do in Memphis. And I didn't need to know. I just needed to trust and let go. I had done everything I could have possibly done. It was time to be. The truth is that the Lord accomplished so much more than I could have ever planned or asked for. Even several days after the trip has ended, I'm still trying to process all that He did. In the midst of what seemed to me like chaos, I learned a valuable lesson.

Isaiah 55:8-9 says this:

"'For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways,' declares the Lord.

'For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.'"

The Lord really does have it all together. And it's amazing how letting go, or even just loosening my grip (because let's face it: letting go completely isn't always realistic at some points), allows us to see things come together according to His plan, which is always, without fail better than my plans.

Here are a few of the many things the Lord did during our Memphis trip:

*Brought over 60 kids to the summer VBS kick-off at Impact

*Allowed us to see about 20 adults begin a relationship with Him

*Softened our hearts and spoke clearly to several students

*Strengthened relationships among rbcstudents

What have you seen God doing lately? Share with us! We'd love to know!

Here are a few pics from Memphis I thought I'd share. Enjoy! :)

Rbcstudents greeting the VBS kids in style and excitement!

Gettin' our groove on...Cha Cha Slide style :)

Rbcgirls working hard unloading and sorting for the thrift store.

The mighty Rec crew and friends.

Nothing like losing a tooth at VBS! :)

How beautiful are the feet of those who bring Good News!

Romans 10:15

Memphis BBQ: a perfect treat!

Have a great weekend! Don't forget to share your stories with us! Love you!

Week 2 Lifestyle Bible Study

Week 2 Bible Study posting is on the GROW tab at the top of the blog. You guys are really quiet, I need your feedback. What have you learned in the first 2 sessions? How can our lifestyles change based on the women of the Bible we have studied?

Lifestyle Week One: Jairus' Daughter

Check out the video and enhanced Podcast to find out more about Chapter One!

Lifestyle

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Hope you are having a wonderful summer so far. We have already been on vacation to Florida as you saw in the video. I am really excited about this online Bible study. I hope you will meet with me each week as we learn about these amazing women in the BIble. So, now that you have finished Week One... please share your thoughts about the Jairus' daughter. What did you learn about salvation and compassion? How can this example help us with our own lifestyles? Add your comments to the blog. Can't wait to read your responses and questions.
Lori

GirlTalk: Watch.

Summer is officially here! And not a moment too soon, eh?

Well, the first GirlTalk of Summer 2010 is here too! Join us this Thursday, June 3rd, from 6:30-8:30pm at Jessie's house for popcorn and a movie! Our feature film: Disney's "Enchanted," starring the lovable Amy Adams and McDreamy himself, Patrick Dempsey. We'll gab and much and enjoy some girl time together!

Bring your friends and your favorite movie candy! See you there!

Summer Study

Hey, girlies!

In case you haven't heard...summer is nearly here! (I know, I know...you've already had the countdown going for weeks!) Guess what that means! We have so much going on...lots of opportunities for you to be part of. Our newest addition to the summer line-up for rbcgirls is an online Bible study just for Y-O-U!

For the grand reveal, our summer study pick: Life Style: Real Perspectives from Radical Women of the Bible, by Whitney Prosperi. To be part of this study, sign up at the kiosk in the FC foyer or send me a message letting me know and we'll reserve a book for you!

All of us are busy and have plenty of scheduling issues to balance. So, what better way to work with all of our craziness then to meet online! We'll begin the study together in June and Mrs. Lori Elliott will be the lead facilitator. Everything for the study will be posted here on the blog, under the GROW tab. Stay tuned for more details to come!

We're definitely looking forward to this summer and we're excited to have you join us!

For more info on the study itself, check out LifeWay's website.

Wacky-Tacky Update!

GNO: Wacky-Tacky Runway is just a little over a week away, and I don't know about you, but I'm sure getting excited! So, I wanted to give you a few more details about the evening so you know what to expect, but rather than read any more, I'll let you watch.... Enjoy!

texting and driving.

Ok girls, here's the truth:  many of us are guilty of not keeping our full attention on the road while we drive.  But girls, we could not make a more dangerous decision.  The video at the link below is a Public Service Announcement created by a school/police department team in Wales, UK.

Please be advised:  This video is very graphic and intense.  

It was a huge wake-up call for me.  My hope is that it would provide the same revelation for you, as you girls are so dear to my heart.

I LOVE YOU!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0LCmStIw9E

relentless.

Lately I've been studying quite a bit in Genesis.  I had some preconceived notions about what studying Genesis would produce, and let me just say, I was wrong.  I've learned so much more than I had anticipated, and the great news is, I'm only in Genesis 5!  That means there's still so much more to gain!  I'm SO excited.  (In case you couldn't tell.)  :)

Anyway, what I want to share with you today is something that the Lord laid on my heart even today during lunch.  A friend and I ate lunch outside today and chatted away while the sun did its job of radiating warmth and delight into our lives for a mere hour.  Our chat started out lighthearted, but quickly progressed to a more challenging time of deliberation and wrestling.  In our wrestling (not physically, only metaphorically; no worries!) through ideas and theologies, I began to piece together ideas and themes from Genesis and this really beautiful truth emerged so clearly to me.  Are you ready for this?

Here it is:
God is relentless in His pursuit of His people.

Do you know what that means?  Do you know how that affects you?  I'm not sure that I can even grasp it completely.  But, if you will allow me, I will explain what I've learned about this topic in the following tidbit of type.

Ahhhhemmm...

In Genesis chapter 1, God creates everything.  Light. Dark.  Night.  Day.  Water.  Earth.  Sky.  Stars. Sun.  Moon.  Seed.  Plants.  Animals.  And finally, human.  The real kicker is that He creates all of this, all of these physical, tangible substances from nothing that we can understand.  Crazy huh?  (Check out Hebrews 11:3-6 for more on this.)  He gives simple life guidelines to human:  Don't eat from the tree in the middle of the garden or else they would die.  Well, we all know the story, right?  They eat.  And then they have to face the consequences.

This is what's so astounding to me though: they disobey God, blatantly, yet He doesn't condemn them; He asks them questions.  He pursues them...even after they've offended Him.  Beyond that, Adam and Eve make coverings for themselves to cover their sin, which turn out to be displeasing to the Lord.  But rather than strike them dead immediately for their severance of His commands, the Lord graciously provides a covering for them, one that He deems worthy and pleasing.  He provides atonement for them. Yes, they still suffer consequences.  They don't get to live in Eden, they experience pain and toil in labor,  and they do experience death in the end.  But, God shows mercy to them.  He still desires relationship with them.

Then in Genesis 4, when Cain and Abel present their offerings to the Lord, and Cain's is found unfavorable, the Lord goes so far as to offer Cain another chance.  Cain doesn't approach the Lord the way that He had established, so his offering doesn't cut it.  But rather than punish Cain immediately, God  again asks a question (a relational gesture), and offers an opportunity for Cain to correct his deed.  God pursues Cain, even when Cain's heart is jealous and caught up in his own affairs.  The Lord still desires to be reconciled to him.


Ok, so I know that's a lot of Bible stuff, and maybe I lost you, but don't miss this.  Here's the point in all my rambling:

God establishes the way that we must approach Him.  He gives guidelines that we are to follow and He doesn't work outside of Himself.  He never contradicts Himself, nor does He go back on His word.  But so often we get caught up in either the worry of legalism or in creating our own way to God that we miss His way.  And we miss the point altogether.  God wants us to approach Him.  HE WANTS US.  And He pursues His people relentlessly.   I just think that's overwhelming.  And I wanted to share it with you.

Relentless:  "Showing or promising no abatement of severity, intensity, strength, or pace (merriam-webster.com)."

What are you pursuing relentlessly?  Do you follow and live in the relentless love of your Savior?  
May His relentless love be a tangible reality in your life today.  

You're invited!

Throw on your tackiest ensemble and join us as we explore how to embrace our own unique styles!

WHAT?  
A Girls' Night Out for 7th-12th Grade Girls & Their Moms
WHEN?  
Friday, April 16th, 7-10pm
WHERE?  
Ridgecrest's Fashion Central (the FC)

Tickets are $3 per person and will be sold March 28-April 14 in the FC Foyer.  

on dissecting drama.

Time after time I talk with girls that are dealing with relationship issues--particularly issues with other girls.  Really, relationship struggles are nothing new to mankind, especially to girls.  For quite some time I've struggled to figure out exactly why girls tend to struggle so much more than boys.  Other than the obvious "Girls are just different" kind of explanations, I hadn't found any concrete explanations that made sense to me....until this morning.  On my weekly blog check, I found this post by Pam Gibbs, Lifeway Girls' Ministry Specialist, that sheds some light on the reason behind all the drama.  I found her insights particularly helpful and truth-revealing.

I would encourage you to check out the article here, at Lifeway's Girls' Ministry Blog.  I'm interested to hear any and all of your feedback!

Here are some of my thoughts:

     For me, the greatest insight Pam offers is just the understanding that if we as girls are created to be so relational, then in makes perfect sense that Satan would attack us hardest there.  Duh.  There goes my search for figuring out why we as girls deal with so much drama.  Once we understand the huge threat that strong female relationships present to our enemy, then all of the struggles we encounter in our relationships make perfect sense.  The enemy is scared.  He doesn't want to lose.  But girls, we have to wage war.  We have to come to an understanding of what and who were dealing with so that we can properly equip ourselves and our relationships.


So, what do you think?  How does Satan try to trip you up the most in your relationships?  How do you deal with that?  What are you doing to see that the enemy doesn't get a foothold in your relationships?

I want to hear your thoughts.   Please, share away.  :)

DIRECTIONS FOR GNO

Well, GNO|Chocolate Fest is only 2 days away so I thought I'd send you directions to my Mom's house. In case you picked up directions on Sunday, please note: they were WRONG! I goofed. My bad. Here are the CORRECT directions from RBC:

-Turn RIGHT on Republic Road. 
-Follow Republic Road to Kansas AVENUE (NOT Expressway). 
-Turn LEFT on Kansas Avenue. 
-Follow Kansas Avenue to Village Lane. 
-Turn LEFT on Village Lane.  
-My parents' house is the first house on the RIGHT. 

1637 W. Village Lane, Springfield, MO 65807  

Mary Stone's cell: 417.861.8443 
My cell: 417.861.8143  

I'm excited to see you all on Thursday evening! Don't forget about Bible study classes (6-6:45pm) and 651 (6:51-7:45) on Wednesday night!

gno|chocolate fest

Our first GIRLS' NIGHT OUT of 2010 is here!

Thursday, February 11th from 6:30-8:30pm will be GNO|Chocolate Fest. Because, seriously, what girl can resist the goodness of cocoa? 
All you need to do is bring your favorite chocolate creation to share and come prepared for some serious girl time. (For any of you that don't like chocolate, just bring another sweet treat to share and come anyway!)

Directions will be sent out via facebook, photocopied maps, and here at rbcgirls.blogspot.com the week of the event!
Questions? Email/call me!
jstone@ridgecrestbaptist.org or 885.5232


What are you going to bring?
I'm planning a chocolate fountain and some chocolate truffles....mmm...

adjusting awkward.

Do you ever have a day that you just feel awkward?  Like you're completely uncomfortable and out of place in your own skin?  That has definitely been me today.  I've just felt a little off.

Just about the time I was beginning to really chew and start sulking in my self-proclaimed awkwardness, a friend stopped by my office and chatted for a few minutes.  In the midst of sharing his heart, he shared something that mine needed to hear.

"You are the light of the world," he said, quoting Matthew 5:14. "When the light shines, you can't hide."

Something about that struck me.  And it struck me hard.  No matter how much I want to just be swallowed up into my own awkward little (or big) hole, I still have a job to do.  No matter how invisible I wish to be, I still shine because of Christ in me.  Regardless of my lack of affections for myself, God still considers me worthy to be used.  Wow.  And when I'm plugged into the Source of that light, really, nothing else matters.  No one cares about--or even notices for that matter--my awkwardness or inabilities or inadequacies.  Nope.  Light shines.  And that's what matters.

So, for now, I'm forgetting awkward and donning some sunscreen.
Care to join me?

"You are the light of the world.  A city on a hill cannot be hidden."  Matthew 5:14