Sleeping With The Pastor

Holy Confidence

2010-03-31T16:40:00.004-04:00

The following is a re-post of a blog by Mark Batterson:

Self-confidence is two inches deep. I don't care about it. I don't want it. It typically undermines my raw dependence upon God anyway. It's unhealthy. It's unholy. There is a higher, deeper and truer confidence that comes from God. Think of it as God-confidence. And it's the byproduct of two things.

First, God-confidence is a byproduct of humility. The more your humble yourself before God the more favor you expect. It sanctifies your expectations and it builds a holy confidence that God is in control. Humility is the way we stay out of the way of what God is doing. Holy Confidence is confidence that finds it's locus in Christ alone. The confidence for salvation. The confidence of favor. The confidence for miracles. The confidence for grace.

Second, God confidence is the byproduct of authority. We grossly underestimate the authority that is ours by virtue of the fact that we are "in Christ." He has given us "all authority." As long as we are functioning in the will of God, all things are possible. If that doesn't give you confidence nothing will.

Humility + Authority = Holy Confidence.

The Simplicity of Following Jesus

2010-02-22T10:21:00.006-05:00

We had Jonathan David Helser leading worship this weekend at the Branch. It was an intense time of worship, and I found myself back in that place of just loving Jesus. I kept thinking to myself, that this is what it's all about - loving the One who first loved me.

I love times of intimate fellowship with my Father. The only commandment He has given us is to love Him and love others. It really is that simple. God just wants our heart. We can so easily complicate things. I want to get back to that place of just sitting at His feet. Everything we need is found in Him. We need direction - He's got it. If we need finances - He said He would provide all that we need and more. If we need peace - He is the Prince of Peace. He really is our all in all.

Matthew 6:6 says, "Here's what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace."

It is vital that our focus shift from ourselves to God.

Living for the Glory of God

2010-02-17T11:31:00.006-05:00

The last few days I had really been struggling with some people who had gotten offended with me (or the church) because of a complete misunderstanding. I found that it was the first thing I thought about when I woke up, and the last thing I thought about before sleeping. I knew this was wrong. I knew that I needed to let it go and just trust God. But I just could NOT shake it. I would pray, but it was still lingering thought in my mind.

Until this morning... I sat down to read a daily devotional by Joseph Prince. An excerpt from today's date says the following:

When you live life above the sun, your thoughts are heavenward and you become Christ-occupied. You live for Him because you know that "all things were created through Him and for Him" (Colossians 1:16). When you live for His glory, your life takes on a new meaning and purpose.

Wow- that's exactly what I needed to hear (or read) this morning. God is always faithful to meet us right were we are, right when we need it most!

How often, when we are faced with a challenge, we become challenge-occupied rather than Christ-occupied. It becomes the only thing we think about. God is telling us, to look unto Him. He wants to take these weights and concerns from us, but if we can't let go of them - He can't do anything with those weights.

I truly want to live for the glory of God. It really doesn't matter what others say or think, the only thing that matters is that my Father is pleased with me. How freeing it is - to live for the glory of God and not the glory of man!

You Confront- Let God Enforce

2009-11-16T11:15:00.006-05:00

The following is a repost of an article by Jimmy Evans:

This is something all wives need to know: the number-one need of a man is honor. Ephesians 5:22, when it says, "Wives submit to your husbands as to the Lord," and the way a wife can serve her husband in this way is to honor him.

First, though, I want to clear up a popular misconception. Often people read Ephesians 5:22 and get the idea that it's saying men are superior to women.

That's not the case. The verse right before it says, "Submit to one another in the fear of the Lord." Submit to one another. So women are not spoken of as unequal or inferior to men. All of us are to serve each other, in the name of Christ.

			Another way to honor your husband is to confront him, when necessary, in love. But when you do, let God be the enforcer.

So submitting in this way "as to the Lord" is not to be put down, but to be given the key to your husband's heart. As a wife, the only way you'll ever relate to a son, a father, a brother, or a husband is to recognize his need for honor.

We live in a very dishonoring society. The culture around us is rude, disrespectful, and smart-alecky. It's all over television and the movies. In fact, the worst thing a wife can do is treat her husband like she sees husbands being treated on TV.

The question wives need to ask themselves is "How would I treat Jesus?" Literally, if you were married to Jesus, how would you treat him?

The most common answer to that question is "Well, if my husband acted anything remotely like Jesus I would treat him that way."

That's a good point, but men are sensitive in their egos. They are very aware of whether or not they are being respected or made to feel significant. Honor is oxygen in a man's world. He will gravitate to the place where he has the most honor.

In the same way, he will move away from the place where he does not receive honor, because it's painful for him.

How do you show honor to your husband? One way is to allow him to fail. I'm not talking about self-destruction, but simply about allowing your husband to get some things wrong without shaming him and nagging him.

A lot of people--women included--have a need to be right, which means they can't let an instance of wrongness pass by without correcting it. We're all human. Every husband is going to make some mistakes. But if you're in the habit of pointing out every single mistake your husband makes, the way you treat him is severely lacking in honor.

Let a few of his failures escape without comment. What's more important: being right or being happy?

Another way to honor your husband is to confront him, when necessary, in love. But when you do, let God be the enforcer.

As your husband's equal, you have the right to tell him anything you want to tell him. But it's not your job to brow-beat him and constantly make his life miserable until you get your way.

Say what you need to say, then let the Holy Spirit take over from there. Pray for him. Ask God to change his heart. But don't take it upon yourself to punish him.

Your job isn't to change your husband. Your job is to honor him.

Let the Lord Be Your Defense

2009-09-26T10:20:00.002-04:00

This is taken from the Joseph Prince "Destined to Reign Devotional"

Psalm 94:22 - "But the Lord has been my defense, and my God the rock of my refuge."

Imagine being a poor widow, a stranger in the land and holding one of the lowliest jobs in society. That was Ruth's situation, so it would have been easy for her to feel vulnerable and defenseless. But because she trusted the Lord (Ruth 1:16), He placed her under Boaz's protection.

Boaz, the owner of the field she worked in, commanded his young men saying, "Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her" (Ruth 2:15). What he was saying to his men was this: "She might be a gleaner, but because I care for her, treat her with respect and make sure she is not put to shame."

Boaz is a picture of our Lord Jesus. If you are feeling vulnerable and defenseless right now, imagine Jesus commanding His angels, "Watch over this one who belongs to Me. Make sure he is treated with respect and not put to shame because he is someone I love and someone whom I died for."

God's Word tells us that if God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31.) No one who has set himself against us can prevail because when God is for us, His protection is upon us. That is why I have never answered any of the poison email messages which I have received in the course of my ministry.

My attitude is this: Jesus is my defense. If He does not defend me, it means that there are things in my life that are not to be defended, and I would be glad to find out about them now rather than later. On the other hand, because I take the Lord as my defense, and He defends me, what can those who are against me do to me?

When you defend yourself, you have only your two hands and your own human resources. But when you let Jesus take up your defense, He defends you with His nail-pierced hands and His legions of angels! The results will be amazing.

Beloved, the Lord is your defense and refuge. Trust Him to defend and protect you!

Quit Trying to Please Everyone

2009-09-23T16:23:00.012-04:00

The following is a repost of Rick Warren's blog:“It is dangerous to be concerned with what others think of you” (Proverbs 29:25 GN)
When we worry about what other people think, we let them control us. We waste a lot of time and energy trying to figure out what other people want us to be. Then, we waste a lot of time and energy trying to become like that rather than just being what God made us to be. You're manipulated and controlled by somebody else. Worrying about what other people think is dangerous because we’re more likely to cave in to criticism. It means we don't always do the right thing; instead, we do the thing that everybody wants us to do. And we’re in danger of missing God's best because we're so worried about what other people what us to do that we can't stop to think about what God wants us to do.

• Fact #1: You cannot please everybody. Even God can't please everybody. One person prays for it to rain; another prays for it to be sunny. In the Super Bowl, both teams are praying that they will win. Who is God going to answer? God can't please everybody. Only a fool would try to do what even God can't do. You can't please everybody.

• Fact #2: It's not necessary to please everybody. There is a myth that says you must be loved and approved by everybody in order to be happy. That's just not true. You don't have to please everybody in order to be happy in life.

• Fact #3: Rejection will not ruin your life. It hurts, sure. It's not fun. It's uncomfortable. But rejection will not ruin your life unless you let it. Quit trying to please everybody! Remember that nobody can make you feel inferior unless you give them permission. The Apostle Paul says, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31 TEV) This means we can think like this: ‘God likes me, and I like me; if you don't like me, then you've got a problem. If God likes me, who cares that everybody doesn't approve of everything I do.’ Remember, nothing you ever do will make God love you less. Nothing you ever do will make God love you more. He loves you completely right now.

Dreaming Again

2009-09-19T14:35:00.001-04:00

Many times, we get caught up in just doing life; going around just taking care of our responsibilities but not really living. I have gotten caught in that place at times. I get tied up in other people's problems, helping them, giving everything I can. I also realized that, at times, I have been just trying to get by. That was never the way God intended us to live.

We are here for a purpose. Each one of us has been put here for a reason - Jeremiah 29:11 says it best, "For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

The Power of a Lemon

2009-09-02T18:30:00.000-04:00

I found this on the Real Simple website and thought you might find it handy.

Sure, there's a million-dollar industry that thrives on offering all-natural cleaning products for your home, but did you realize you could get one of the most natural cleaning agents in the fruit section of your local market? Lemons are acidic and packed with antibacterial properties; here's how to transform the fresh fruit into a universal cleansing solution:

Cut one lemon into two halves, sprinkling baking soda on the first half. Use the lemon itself to scrub dishes, countertops and sinks. Next, squeeze the second half into a clean bowl to mix with vinegar for a natural cleansing spray. Clean your appliances and wooden cabinetry with the solution.

When finished, simply drop both lemon halves down the garbage disposal for a fresh scent that will fill the kitchen. Amazing, right?

So, when life hands you lemons - clean your house:)

Believe the Love

2009-09-01T12:27:00.005-04:00

Most of us know the verse John 3:16, but do we really understand the implications of that verse? "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life." I also MUST include verse 17 - "God did not send His Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it."

Do we really understand how much God loves us? Oftentimes, we look at what is going on in our lives, and that causes us to question God's love for us. We must interpret God's love for us based on the cross and not our present circumstances.

We have to let the Bible shape how we view God and His love for us, rather than an event or a person's opinion. The Bible is FULL of verses about God's love for us. One great example is Ps. 52:8 - King David says that he will trust in God's unfailing love forever and ever. Unfailing means NEVER ending. God's love for us never ends, never gives up, never looses hope. That's how God sees it.

She's Singing the Song...

2009-07-24T14:35:00.004-04:00

Kate loves her bath time. The other night, she was supposed to be cleaning up her toys in order to get out of the tub. I heard her singing the Barney "Clean Up" song, and just assumed she was doing what I had asked her to do.

When I looked in the tub, her toys were all still in the water. It hit me, that as believers, we are often "singing the song" but not living the life. We all know what we are supposed to say. It is so easy to talk about it, but the hard part comes in living it.

James 3:17 in the Message puts it this way: "Real wisdom, God's wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor."

My Girl

2009-06-24T19:51:00.003-04:00

OK, I realize I have been slack with my blog as of late. There has been so much going on these days, and I really need to tell you guys all about it. We'll just have to start with what is currently on my mind,and I'll try to catch all of you guys up in the next few weeks.

I just got back from dropping Caroline off at our church's youth group. Tonight is the first night that the rising 7th graders join the rest of Evergreen. I was not prepared for the flood of emotions I would experience today. I'm pretty sure I was more nervous than she. I was feeling the same way that I felt when I took her to kindergarten on the first day of school.

I mean, I know she'll be fine. She knows almost all the other kids, and she is the pastor's daughter - so people have to be nice to her. Right?!

I am just more determined than ever to enjoy every phase of my daughter's lives. I am realizing how quickly it all goes by.

We Always Have Joy

2009-04-08T10:53:00.005-04:00

When we launched out to start The Branch, our main focus was helping hurting people. We didn't consider everything else that comes along with pastoring. I think we were "blissfully ignorant". Oh my, how we have learned that there is so much more that goes along with the role of helping to lead a body of people.

There have been decisions that we have had to make that haven't been the easiest, and my heart was heavy this morning. My good friend, Pastor Scott shared a Scripture with me that I found helpful, that I thought I would pass along.

2 Cor. 6:4-10 "In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love. We faithfully preach the truth. God's power is working in us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense. We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors. We are ignored, even though we are well known. We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but we have not been killed. Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything."

WOW! There is so much is these verses, I don't think I can really add anything to it! I am so thankful that God always has a word for us. I hope this passage blesses you as much as it did me.

Potty-Training

2009-03-31T17:08:00.002-04:00

Oh, the joys of having a toddler!!

I realize that I have been slack in my postings, and am a little disappointed that my first post (in a while) is nothing spiritual. There really is no teaching, no deep thought, just the happenings of my world. I feel as if lately, someone has pushed the fast-forward button on my life, and I just haven't taken the time to blog.

So, this is what is going on at the Turner home these days - potty-training!! It has been 9 years since we have entered this beautiful phase of a child's life. To be quite honest, I have not been in a hurry to get Kate out of diapers - they are just really convenient!

When Kate goes potty on the potty, she gets a little treat. Caroline had the great idea of putting the treats in a play toilet. So, I thought I would share this picture of Kate holding her toy potty as she eats her treats.

This may be a long road. Kate doesn't seem to be in much of a hurry to get out of the diapers, either. We'll see how this goes. I just feel like it's time because she is over two, and Caroline was potty trained by the time she turned two. I know every child is different. We'll see...

I Never Knew That Was in There

2009-02-21T20:41:00.004-05:00

One of the areas I need to work on, is speaking before really thinking. I'm sure I'm not the only one out there with this particular issue, but that doesn't make it right now, does it? One thing that I do that drives Derek crazy is I sometimes have a way of saying "I TOLD YOU SO", but not in those exact words.

Well, I was doing my daily Bible reading the other morning and came across a most interesting Scripture. I am reading the Bible through in the New Living Translation, and it is amazing what I am seeing because I am reading a Bible I can actually understand. (Yes, I am admitting I don't always understand King James English) Anyway, I was reading in Acts chapter 27, when I came across Paul saying to a group of men, "MEN, YOU SHOULD HAVE LISTENED TO ME IN THE FIRST PLACE..." What?!? Did Paul just say what I think he said. Now, I totally forgot the context in which it was written, but I just saw where the Apostle Paul said to a group of men "YOU SHOULD HAVE LISTENED TO ME IN THE FIRST PLACE".

So, now I have a Scriptural backing to say to Derek or anyone else - YOU SHOULD HAVE LISTENED TO ME! IN THE FIRST PLACE! As a matter of fact, I think that will be the next verse my children memorize:)

A Change in Perspective

2009-02-04T08:36:00.005-05:00

This year has been much different than I had anticipated. God has been amazingly faithful to our family, and I have experienced a wide range of emotions. (If you don't know what I am referring to, just read my previous blog). I feel as if I am just now beginning my year. I want to thank everyone for their prayers, cards, calls and just general kindness.

It has been challenging for me to get the accident out of my thinking. I didn't drive for almost 3 weeks, and the first time I drove at night and saw headlights coming at me, I nearly freaked out. It has been amazing to see God's grace through it all. When I experience various emotions, I just call out to God to help me, and He does in such amazing ways.

One of my challenges is that I drive by the sight of the accident every time I leave my neighborhood. There is charred grass on the left side of the road, and skid marks and orange spray paint where my car came to a stop. I have looked at it every time I drive by, and there has been a sense of sadness and loss. That is until I got a call from a good friend.

My friend called to say that every time he drove past the scene, he would think of our family. He was wanting to spray paint the charred grass green but was unsure how to get rid of the skid marks on the road. Then he heard the Lord say, "No, that is to serve as a reminder of my protection." As soon as he said that to me I realized that I had been looking at that scene the wrong way. God saved my life that night! That's an amazing thing. All the paramedics and the policeman at the scene were shaking their heads in amazement that I had walked away.

It was astonishing to see that nothing on the outside changed, I just needed to change the way I was looking at that night and at the scene of the accident. It got me to thinking about so many things in our lives; we will see something that God has done, but not fully appreciate it. Maybe an answer to prayer didn't look the way we wanted it to look. I am now more aware than ever to be looking for what God is doing, to be thankful for all He has done. I have so much to be thankful for - I am alive!! God is good.

Where Do I Even Begin?

2009-01-19T19:05:00.005-05:00

So, it's been over a month since my last blog. First of all, we had a great Christmas, just enjoyed spending time with family, excited about all that God had in store for the new year. Everything seemed to change, though, on New Year's Day. We had several families over, and I remember at one point, just stopping to thank God for the amazing people He had brought into our lives. Caroline had a friend over, and I had promised Caroline that I would take her to see a movie. We loaded into the car and headed to the mall.

We were almost out of our neighborhood, when I saw headlights coming directly at us. Having no time to respond, the car slammed into us. I just screamed "Jesus". The girls were also screaming, and then Caroline (who was the most calm one) asked "is everyone OK?" I tried to get out of my door but couldn't open it. I was telling the girls we needed to get out of the car. We got out and people were running toward us asking how we were. I was making sure the girls were alright, and they were fine. My back was really hurting. I just wanted to have Derek with me, so I called him and then called 911. The man's car was on fire, and people who heard the crash from their homes had come out and were attempting to get him out of the car.

The scene was crazy. I was just holding the girls, all of us crying, while wives are screaming at their husbands to get away from the car because they are concerned it is going to blow up. We were just praying for God to help them get this man out of the car. It seemed like an eternity, but they finally got him out. I hear a man yelling for his family, and I realize it is Derek. He runs to us and holds us all. The paramedics arrive, and the scene calms down a bit. I am just thankful that we are all alive and not seriously injured. I have to go to the hospital so they can check-out my back. Caroline is fine, but her friend complains of chest pain. So she is wheeled into the ambulance next to me. I look at her while we are both laying on stretchers, and tears are falling down her sweet cheeks.

We get all checked out, and we are fine. They give me prescriptions for pain and tell me to prepare to be sore. The next day, Derek has a wedding, so my sister-in-law takes care of the girls for me. I am home alone when the doorbell rings. I reluctantly get out of bed and go to the door. It is a police officer. He comes into the house to give me the police report and tells me that the man was drunk. I just lost it, and started crying in front of the policeman. My husband's first wife was killed when they were hit head-on by a drunk driver. The night before, I just assumed he had a heart attack, it was 7:30 - who is drunk at 7:30? They think he was passed out when he hit me. The policeman then tells me that the man was going 45 and I was going 35. He says that I am lucky to be alive, that usually it is the drunk person who walks away and the victims die. He also tells me the man is in critical condition at the hospital because of smoke inhalation. WOW- lots of emotions swirling around. I tell the policeman about Derek's first wife, and he just looks at me and shakes his head.

I could go on and on with more details, I already shared more than I had planned. I am not the best at putting into words everything that has gone on. If you want to see pictures and videos, you can check out Derek's blog. To be honest, I am kind of tired of looking at any pictures from that night, and I don't really like talking about it. I am ready to move on now. It has been quite a ride these last few weeks. I feel like I am just now starting my new year.

I only anticipated being sore for about 3-4 days. I then learn that it actually takes about 6-8 WEEKS until a person is back to normal after such an accident. All I could do to get better was rest. Initially, that sounded just fine to me. I could use some rest, but after several days in bed, I was starting to get a little frustrated. God has done quite a work in me with all of this, but I will save that for another blog. This is already shaping up to be my longest blog yet. One of the things I have been most thankful for in all of this are the people that we have in our lives. Our church family and neighbors have been amazing! We have had food, cards, flowers, calls and e-mails galore. WOW, people are really thoughtful in a time like this.

One tidbit on what God has been teaching me in all of this is to want what God is doing on the inside more than I want things on the outside to change (thanks, Sherrie). Yes, I am ready for the pain in my back and neck to be gone for good, but I want to be so content with who God is and with what He is doing. I want to be more aware of Him and who He is than I am of my circumstances.

Choices

2008-12-16T11:30:00.003-05:00

For those of you that go to our church, you know that Derek says things at times that embarrass me. I always felt sorry for pastor's wives because of how they would expose their families to everyone in the church - and now I am one!! Most of the time, it doesn't bother me, I am able to laugh a lot of things off. However, this past Sunday was a little different. So, here's the scoop.

Derek has been teaching on serving the last few weeks, and he really is a servant in our home, most of the time:) He was talking about how sometimes we don't feel like people deserve us serving them. He said that sometimes we may feel like that in our homes. I was a little confused and a bit taken aback, thinking - so Derek is JUDGING me and won't serve unless he feels like I DESERVE it. What is that about?? I'm just being honest here!

So, the rest of the service, I didn't hear much of what he said because I was so upset with him. And then, I finally came to my senses and realized that it really isn't a big deal and I need to make a decision to believe the best! Love covers - right?! It took a little while, but by the time the service was over, I was good. I did have to stay for the second service so I could really hear the message.

I just thought it was good to share this moment because I realized that it really is a choice to believe the best. He didn't mean anything by what he said, he was just being real. Let's make choices to cover each other's weaknesses or faults, especially in this busy season.

Christmas Tree Debacles

2008-12-09T20:12:00.008-05:00

The Christmas season is my favorite time of the year. I'm sure I'm not the only one with that sentiment. I love to decorate the house with all my festive decorations. We always have some sort of holiday gathering at our home, so inevitably there has been some stress in decorating the house - in years past, that is.

For some reason, since we moved to Charlotte, we have had some issues with our Christmas tree. I am a traditionalist, so I have to get a live tree each year; I just love the smell and the experience of going to get the tree itself. The first year that things started going downhill, it had been raining and our tree was soaking wet. We were having the church party at our home (that when the church was much smaller) so Derek had to get the tree out of the rain so it would have time to dry before decorating. Just so you can get a good picture in your head, I LOVE large trees, so ours is about 10-11 feet. Derek and Pastor John (he was a willing helper) pulled the tree into the house using a wagon. They were barely able to fit it through the front door, so there was lots of tugging and little sprigs were flying everywhere.

Meanwhile, I am counseling someone in our living room - this was also the time before we had a church office. The woman was pouring out her heart, and I was doing my best to be totally present because I knew that Derek was getting frustrated. They finally got the tree through the door and shoved it into a corner, where Derek was wedged with the tree between his legs showering him with rain soaked pine. They got the tree situated, Derek came into the living room, pulled a sweat shirt over his wet t-shirt and announced that he was going to the mall!

The next year we were a little aggravated while decorating the tree; I don't even remember why. We finished with a great sigh of relief, sat on the couch to watch a little football. We then hear a huge thud, and I knew what I had heard, I just didn't want to admit it to myself. So, I just sat on the couch; I didn't even want to look at the mess. When I finally summoned up the courage to go survey the damage, I was a little upset. There were broken ornaments strewn all over the room. And I will have to admit, I cried a little.

The NEXT year, I decided I didn't want to deal with any stress, so I was going to hang the lights myself. Derek doesn't enjoy it, and I always have a certain time frame that I want it done, so I thought I would just take care of it. I had never strung lights on a tree - there can't be much to it, right? Well, I proceed to string 9 sets of lights together. I just keep plugging one strand into another, on and on and on. I DIDN'T KNOW!! Well, it worked for a day. Then it came time for our staff party. We had about 20 minutes before everyone was to arrive and the lights went out. They were ALL blown. The tree was already all decorated, so to pull off the lights would have taken forever, so we never had lights that year. It was sad.

I could tell you stories from every year, these are just the highlights. So far, so good this year. I strung the lights, only connected 3 strands together. I did my research this year! The tree is a bit crooked, but I'm acting like it doesn't bother me. I will keep you posted, hopefully there will be nothing to share!

Photos of the Fam

2008-11-25T20:15:00.009-05:00

We had a recent photo session with the fabulous Richard Israel. I had spent time preparing Kate for the "event" making sure to have plenty of snacks on hand for our squirmy two year old. We arrived for our session and began talking, but as soon as we settled in to take the pictures, Kate started fussing. So, the family picture you see above is the only one where Kate is close to smiling, so it didn't matter what the rest of us looked like, the baby is smiling - so that's the one.

Although there was a little stress involved, it was MUCH BETTER than last year's session. I will give you the condensed version because if I get too into the story, I get a little emotional. I had spent days thinking of what outfits would coordinate best; I planned Kate's naps so it would work with the time that we had set to have our pictures taken. We go to meet our dear friend Richard at a really cool farm. He gets great shots of the girls, and then starts on the family. Derek is spinning Caroline around, and he gets some cool shots. Then he asks me to spin Kate, so I begin spinning with my one-year old. Meanwhile, Derek thinks Richard had asked HIM to spin again, so he begins spinning Caroline. We are on a slight incline, so while I am gazing into my baby's eyes, laughing and thinking Richard must be getting some GREAT shots of this. All of the sudden, I feel something slam against my face, and I see a bright light. I scream thinking Kate has gotten hurt, only to realize Caroline's shoe has SLAMMED into my lip and jaw. Derek and Richard come running over saying that I need ice on my lip to stop the swelling. SWELLING?!?! What SWELLING?!? My hair is fixed, my makeup looks great and I have a FAT LIP. Photo session is officially OVER. I wait until I get to the car to begin crying. I was so upset with Derek, not only did my head hurt, but we didn't get a family picture for our Christmas card!

Well, this was supposed to be a short version of the story, but apparently I went into too much detail as I am now all of the sudden angry with Derek again. Not really, but it was not one of the finest moments in the Turner home. Richard happened to be checking his lenses, so he didn't even see the impact. We also are the only injury to have occurred during one of his sessions. So, needless to say, the fact that Kate fussed for a few minutes this year - it was nothing compared to last year's fiasco.

Ladies Weekend

2008-11-14T08:50:00.002-05:00

This past weekend our church hosted a ladies meeting with one of my favorite speakers, Gina Lynnes. Gina taught prayer school for years at the church my husband and I attended for almost 10 years before launching out on our own. We had 66 women, and it was an amazing time.

I never saw myself in ladies ministry; I have always loved the kids. That is where my training is, and I just love 'em. I have to be honest here - I haven't always loved being around large groups of women, or even small groups for that matter. I had not had a good experience in ladies ministry. When Derek and I moved to Charlotte to start the church six years ago, I thought I would be running the children's ministry and was excited to do it. As we got the church up and running, I found myself wanting to be with him in "big church". I began to pray over what God's plan looked like, and I vividly remember one day while vacuuming, I sensed God saying that I was to start the ladies ministry. He even gave me the mission statement - it was to be a safe haven where women can grow in their relationship with God and one another. And then the Scripture Eccleciastes 4:9-12 is an important aspect.

We need each other. A dear friend of mine always said that women need other women to teach them to be better wives, better mothers and better friends. The relationships I have formed with other women have been invaluable to me. That is why I love when the women at The Branch get together. It really is a safe haven, and I love it.

My friend Val took pictures of the weekend, so if you want to take a look, here you go http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fflickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fcharisalexandra%2Fsets%2F72157608777973765%2F&h=4e27a0c7339594b39107ae21d2411439

Wide Range of Emotions

2008-11-13T12:15:00.005-05:00

I am in the process of getting rid of clutter. After living in our house for six years now, we have accumulated a lot of JUNK!! I went up to my daughter, Caroline's room to begin the day's work. I was getting so upset with her as I was finding sucker sticks crammed under her bed, along with all kinds of mess. I began to carry on a conversation with her in my mind that wasn't very pleasant. Then I find a stack of pastel colored note cards. These note cards had her writing on them so I began reading. They were prayers to God that she had written on her own accord. I had no idea that she was doing this.

Caroline just turned eleven years old, and is a wonderful girl - she just needs to clean her room! As I was reading these notes to God, I began thanking Him for His faithfulness. I got to get a glimpse into my little girls heart this morning, and I liked what I saw. I thought of a Scripture "man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart". If I had to choose between a neat freak who was cold towards God, or a little girl who was messy but had a tender heart; I would choose the messy girl any day.

Not to say that I will excuse her from cleaning her room; I was just reminded to stay focused on her heart. I would love to share some of her prayers, but I will need to get her permission first. It is great to see that God is moving on our children's hearts when we aren't looking!

The Holy Spirit is My Life Coach

2008-11-11T19:35:00.001-05:00

There seems to be a trend these days to have a "life coach". First of all, what qualifies someone to be a life coach? Are they just really good at life, so they are qualified to tell other people how to live their lives? I'm not meaning to rant here, but I believe that, if someone is a believer, they have a coach living on the inside of them.

Jesus told us in John 14:16-17, that He will give us another advocate (comforter, encourager, or counselor), who will never leave us. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into ALL truth. We have someone inside us who will lead us into ALL truth.

I think it is easier for people to just ask someone else what to do then to ask the Lord and get instructions from Him. People see things from a very limited perspective. God sees the entire picture. It is wonderful to know that I don't have to wait to get an appointment to get some wisdom on where to go from here. The Holy Spirit will lead me into all truth, all I have to do is ask.

Update on the Candy Corn

2008-11-06T08:53:00.001-05:00

I never realized so many people felt so strongly about this confection until I wrote my candy corn blog. It was hysterical! I have a friend who went out and bought a package of candy corn that had the little individual packages and would give me them to me one at a time when I would see her. Portion control is what she called it! Thanks, Sherri!

I have another friend who made this candy corn costume for her little girl. Little Emma was supposed to come up to me and say "Don't eat me, Miss Sarah", but was too shy!!

My daughter Caroline's birthday is on Halloween, and as I was shopping for her class party, I thought - this is the perfect excuse to buy a bag of the good stuff:) I bought the Autumn Mix, and amazingly, this was the first bag I had purchased. I kept it sealed until her party, and passed out generous amounts to each of the children. There was still plenty left over! I went home and put Kate down for a nap. I sat on my bed, ordered a movie and ate some candy corn. I ate just enough to make me a little queasy and enough to make those little bumps that come up on your tongue when you've had too much sugar. It was nice to indulge! As long as I don't do that everyday.

God is Faithful!

2008-11-04T20:23:00.006-05:00

This is my friend Melody. Melody has been praying for a baby for years. She and her husband have pursued various avenues of adoption, but no doors were opening. Melody stayed faithful to pray while preparing the baby's nursery. For years she stood.

She and her husband Sam got involved with the Foster Care system, helping troubled children, even mentoring a set of twin boys. All the while, they knew that God had a child just for them. They got to know a woman at the church who needed a job, and they helped her get a position within the foster care system.

This woman came upon a case with a newborn who would be coming up for adoption. She called this family to see if they were interested. Now, Sam and Melody are parents of an eight week old baby boy named Henry.

It is amazing to watch God connect people and answer prayers. He is faithful!

Who Are You Voting For?

2008-10-29T21:09:00.003-04:00

I always thought the above question was off limits, and I myself have never posed this question to anyone. The other day I was talking to some of the children at our school during lunch - which is something I love to do when I have the opportunity. One of my favorite kids called me over, he says "Mrs. Sarah, who are you voting for"? This child is in the first grade!! I am pretty sure that I didn't even know who the president was when I was in first grade, let alone who was running for office. I was quite shocked but managed to maintain my composure. When I answered his question, he was not pleased with my answer because his parents were voting for the other guy.

When did this become a topic that first graders discuss over their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches?? I was amused.

I Like Pie!

2008-10-24T16:19:00.002-04:00

In order to read the title accurately, you must say it with the best Southern accent possible because that is how I say it in my mind. Now onto the good stuff.

As you may have noticed, I have a major sweet tooth! When we went away recently, I had THE most amazing pie I have ever tasted. Because I must share a good thing, I thought I would pass along the recipe. I think it would be a fabulous addition to your Thanksgiving meal or really ANY meal. Derek has been asking when I am going to make it, but I am trying to hold off so I don't end up eating the entire thing!

Here is the recipe, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

Crust:
1 1/4 cups pretzels - finely crushed
1/2 cup sugar
1 stick butter - melted

Pie filling:
6 mini peanut butter cups - chopped
1 pint whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
8 oz. cream cheese - softened
1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla

Crust;
Combine pretzel crumbs, sugar and butter. Mix well and press into a 9" pie pan.
Bake for 6-8 minutes. Remove and cool completely.

Pie Filling:
Spread peanut butter cups into cooled crust. (The way they served it, they sprinkled them on top of the pie filling).
Whip cream until soft peaks form.
Add 1/2 cup powdered sugar and whip until peaks are stiff. Set aside.
In large bowl, cream peanut butter and cream cheese.
Add one cup powdered sugar and combine well.
Add vanilla and beat for one minute on high speed.
Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture until completely blended.
Spoon into pie shell.
Chill well before serving.

Note:
Garnish with peanuts and/or chocolate syrup.

48 Years!!

2008-10-22T16:01:00.000-04:00

These are my parents. Today is their 48th wedding anniversary. They have six children, three girls and three boys of which I am number five. As I get older, I realize what amazing people they are, because growing up I thought they were the most strict parents, ever! I always thought I was missing out on so much, and now I realized how they protected me. They are a picture of strength and stability. I honestly never heard them raise their voices, and we were not subdued, quiet children.

I thank God for the privilege of having such amazing parents. One of my favorite memories of my father is when, in third grade, I had to draw a picture of my father and his hobby. I went home and asked my father what his hobby was and he answered "my children". That does a lot for a little girls self-esteem! My father was my soccer coach and my track coach, and both my parents were at all of our ball games, even if I was just cheering. One year five of us were playing soccer and my oldest brother was playing football, and they never missed a game. My mom would just carry her chair from one field to another.

I remember those times when I am thinking about everything I need to do when needing to attend one of Caroline's game, and I realize how selfish I am being. I realize that not everyone had the opportunity to grow up in a loving, Christian home. I have a friend who was telling me that she wished she had parents like mine, and I realized that none of us can go back and change anything about our childhood or our parents. We can just BE the best parents, so our children can grow up in nurturing environments, and nothing will be impossible for them!

Ahhhh

2008-10-20T11:35:00.002-04:00

We took our pastoral staff and their wives on a retreat last week, and this was the view from our room. It was refreshing to get away and just have fun with everyone. Many times people get away to plan or strategize, but we went away to pray, talk the Word and just hang out together.

I believe that it is vital, as ministers, that we get away. We are always in a place of giving out and we need to step back and receive from God. I reflected on Psalm 116:7 (NLT) -"Let my soul be at rest again, for the Lord has been good to me." It was refreshing to have the opportunity to reflect on the goodness of God. I often go through life at such a busy pace that I am not taking to time to see His faithfulness. It was good for my soul to take a momentary step back and just enjoy.

Ummm...

2008-10-12T19:52:00.002-04:00

I love Sundays! First of all, I love seeing all my friends and family at church and worshipping together. After being at church for two services on Sundays, I am always ready for a good nap (which is my second favorite thing about Sundays). I come home, grab some lunch, lay Kate down, and then I get the comics, Parade and Target insert and head to my bed.

While reading the Parade magazine I noticed something interesting and thought I needed to share. This was found in the Personality section.
Question: I was fascinated to learn in your column that Queen Elizabeth II keeps good-luck charms in her purse. What kind of charms?
Answer: According to royal-watcher Phil Dampier, co-author of What's in the Queen's Handbag, Elizabeth "has always been superstitious and carries an amazing array of good-luck charms, mostly given to her by her children...often on an animal theme, including horses, miniature dogs, tiny saddles, and whips."

Now please understand, I mean no disrespect for the queen, but am I the only one that finds it a bit strange that the Queen of England carries around tiny whips in her purse?

Candy Corn

2008-10-07T14:12:00.003-04:00

I went to one of my favorite places today - SUPER TARGET. Just walking into the store sends a wave of happiness into my soul; it doesn't take much, does it. I was perusing the aisles, when I see the Halloween candy section. Upon seeing the signs I started craving the sweet candy corn. I immediately dropped everything else I was looking at and headed straight for the sweet candy.

When I walked into the candy section the aroma was almost too much to handle. I saw that they now have caramel candy corn and caramel, chocolate candy corn. The choices are just too much. But then, I regain my composure and recall that I have issues with candy corn. While it is one of my favorite candies, I have a love hate relationship with it. I can't just eat a handful of the corn, I just keep eating and eating and eating until I feel sick. Yes, I am 36 years old, and I can still eat so much candy that I make myself sick, it is sad. So, I wheel my cart around so fast that Kate says "weeee" and get away from the candy section as quickly as I can.

Really Bad Ideas

2008-10-04T16:09:00.008-04:00

I've had a few bad ideas in my life, some big, some not as big. While working at a camp one summer in college we counselors were encouraged to come up with creative ideas to introduce the weekly theme to our group of kids. As an extra incentive the winning idea each week got $20, which for college students, was all we needed to come up with something really great.

The camp was a nature camp that focused on protecting all living things and their habitats. My group of kids were four year-olds. The theme of this particular week was protecting ant hills. I know you are thinking, "what valuable information for a child... where can I join?" My co-counselor and I were thinking of how badly we wanted to win the challenge so we must come up with something creative. Well, we decided that I would be "Rob the Robber" who liked to stomp on ant hills (creative, no?). My co-counselor took the kids on a walk through the woods while I waited behind a tree. When the kids came around towards me I jumped out wearing a trench coat with hose over my head screaming, "I'm going to kill these ants!" All the children screamed in sheer terror and it took us about 30 minutes to calm them all down. Needless to say, we did not win the $20 for the week and I had to explain to the parents what had happened. That was one of those moments that left me wondering, "what was I thinking?"

Have you ever had one of those moments? I have had MANY of these moments, but I will save those for other blog entries.

Eat Cosmo Eat!

2008-09-30T13:43:00.009-04:00

Today I made Kate a wonderful lunch of peanut butter and jelly and seated her in a fun spot near Cosmo's dog dish. She sits on a Tupperware container of dog food, and her table is a foot stool (it sounds odd but it's fun for her). She starts eating and then becomes fixated with Cosmo NOT eating. She is yelling "eat Cosmo eat"; he pays no attention which just gets her going even more fervently. She even starts getting into his food trying to help him, which only gets her into trouble.

As I was listening to her yelling at Cosmo, I realized that is what we sometimes do with one another. We get so focused on what other people should be doing that we miss what we are supposed to be doing. We can even get dirty trying to show other people the way while we are missing our way.

Matthew 7:3 (NLV) - "And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?"

Indicators that our building is a school and not an office...

2008-09-29T13:42:00.007-04:00

1- Staff member walks into the restroom and child is sitting on the potty with the door wide open.

2- The sound of lockers opening and closing echoes down the halls.

3- Laughing and screaming from the playground is heard during meetings.

4- No smoking signs are made in art class!

5- A pastor has to unclog a toilet on a break.

6-At 3:15, our parking lot is dangerously full.

7- At any moment we could be interrupted to place a band-aid on a boo-boo.

8- The Sound of Music is blaring from a TV and children are singing along.

9- Staff members can and will be cheered for at various occasions!

10 - A child could come running in at any given moment!

It may sound a bit chaotic but I wouldn't have it any other way!

I've Got a Friend!

2008-09-25T00:40:00.001-04:00

A few weeks ago, our church launched Prayer School. It is something that has been on my heart for years, but it was just now time to start it. We had such a great turn-out, and I was thrilled that so many people wanted to learn about prayer and walk in deeper intimacy with God. Everyone there was receptive and excited about the class. On my drive home, I was so excited and immediately began thinking of who I could call. Right away, I sensed God saying to me "talk to ME", after all He is the friend that sticks closer than a brother, and He is the one who sent His son to die for me so I could freely fellowship with Him. I think He might want me to share with Him.

I then just began talking to God, just as I would a dear friend, and it was such an amazing time. God wants to share everything with us. I have been reading a lot in Psalms lately, and it is a book filled with David's conversations with God.

It was really great to do this in the good times, and as I was reminded the following day, we also need to go to Him in the frustrating times. The very next day, I was faced with something that really frustrated me, and first thing - "I need to call a friend." Once again, ever so gently, I heard the Lord saying, "come to ME". I love that God wants to hear about my highs and my lows.

I truly believe that the reason King David was referred to as "the man after God's own heart", was because God had his heart. David continually poured out his heart to God. I want to walk in that intimate place with God, where He truly is my closest confidant. After all, He is the only one fully equipped to do anything about my problems and concerns. Also, I don't want to go to God just when I want something, that's not a healthy relationship. I want to go to God because I want to be with Him, and the amazing thing is - the Creator of the universe delights in spending time with me.

Chipping Away...

2008-09-24T17:12:00.009-04:00

Don't be fooled by the picture, as this will not be a blog entry about art or anything intellectual (you should have known). I recently heard that someone asked Michelangelo how he sculpted his statue of David, and he answered that he chipped away anything that wasn't David. That is what the Holy Spirit does with us as we spend time in His presence. He chips away at anything that is not of Him.

2 Corinthians 3:15-18 (MSG) says "Whenever, though, they turn to face God as Moses did, God removes the veil and there they are- face-to-face! They suddenly recognize that God is a living, personal presence, not a piece of chiseled stone. And when God is personally present, a living Spirit, that old constricting legislation is recognized as obsolete. We're free of it! All of us! Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him."

I want my life to become brighter and more beautiful! It is amazing to see that all I need to do is spend time with Him. I need to let Him shape me into what I need to become. I am thankful that He is the one that is doing the work. All I do is yield.

Lip Service

2008-09-17T12:38:00.002-04:00

Tonight I am teaching prayer school at The Branch. Our topic for the evening is "The Prayer of Worship". As I have been studying for tonight, I have realized how often I will say things in prayer out of habit but my heart isn't behind it.

Matthew 15:8 (MSG) says, "These people make a big show of saying the right thing, but their heart isn't in it. They act like they're worshiping me, but they don't mean it." He called those people FRAUDS! I don't want to be part of that group.

We must worship God out of our hearts. When we get our hearts connected to our words, we will sense the Spirit of God behind our prayers. Matthew 22:37-38(NLV) says, "you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment."

If Jesus says this is the greatest commandment than it should obviously be a large focus of our Christian walk. Loving God with all your heart means your passions, your emotions, and your feelings. We can direct our feelings towards God as we are praying. How often are we praying and our minds are in a completely different place? The Holy Spirit is our helper in prayer, ask the Holy Spirit to help you make a heart connection.

Cover or Confront

2008-09-16T09:40:00.002-04:00

Proverbs 17:9 says, "He who covers and forgives an offense seeks love, but he who repeats or harps on a matter separates even close friends."

I Peter 4:8 says, "Above all things have intense and unfailing love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins (forgives and disregards the offense of others."

I have always heard how love covers, but then you see in the life of Jesus where He confronted people. He called one of His disciples the devil; that doesn't sound like love covering to me! At times, the Bible can seem to contradict itself, but God is "the same yesterday, today and forever".

Ephesians 4:15 says to "speak the truth in love". So now, when do we cover and when do we confront? I truly believe that many of the times when we want to confront something, that may not be what is called for. When your motive is to tell someone how wrong they are and to give them a piece of your mind, it is probably best to save it.

Romans 2:1 (MSG) "Those people are on a dark spiral downward. But if you think that leaves you on the high ground where you can point your finger at others, think again. Every time you criticize someone, you condemn yourself. It takes one to know one. Judgmental criticism of others is a well-known way of escaping detection in your own crimes and misdemeanors. But God isn't so easily diverted. He sees right through all such smoke screens and holds you to what you've done." *OUCH*

I recently had a situation come up, where someone messed up, and I wanted so badly to tell them about it. I kept hearing in my heart "cover", but I didn't listen because I let my emotions get in the way. We have to be led by the Holy Spirit and not our emotions. When we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit there will be no ugly messes we have to go back and clean up or relationships that are strained.

Love...

2008-09-06T00:19:00.004-04:00

I Cor. 13:4-8 (Msg)

"Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. Love doesn't strut, doesn't have a swelled head, doesn't force itself on others, isn't always "me first," doesn't fly off the handle, doesn't keep score of the sins of others, doesn't revel when others grovel, takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, puts up with anything, trusts God always, always looks for the best, never looks back, but keeps going to the end."

WOW! I really don't think I could ever attempt to say it any better than this. The very nature and character of God is summed up in these verses. The Bible clearly says that "God is love", He doesn't just have it; He is love. When we make Jesus the Lord of our lives, His nature is in us. So we have love inside us, it just needs to come out.

We have enough to work on in these four simple, yet profound verses for the rest of our lives. It is so easy to read these verses and see where I fall short, but rather than focusing on where I am missing it, I am choosing to focus on love. As I make love my highest goal, it will flow naturally out of me.

Good Friends are the Best

2008-08-11T19:25:00.003-04:00

It is rare that I have bad days. Well, today was one of those rare days. As I was walking to my car to go home, I was thinking of how I wish there was a "redo" button that I could press for the day. Just as I started to feel sorry for myself my phone rang, and it was my good friend Sherrie.

Sherrie and I have been great friends for over 10 years now, and we may go weeks, sometimes months without talking, but we are always connected. (Yes, that was a huge run-on sentence right there). As I poured my heart out to Sherrie, I realized that I should have done this a few hours ago with God. Ps. 142 says that King David poured his complaint out to God. God wants to take all the mess from us, but we first have to give it to Him.

I am so grateful to have a friend who prays, and when she kept thinking about me, she realized she needed to make a call. I guess God knew what I needed. He is faithful!

Lunchtime Fun

2008-08-05T13:23:00.000-04:00

After our Monday staff meetings, we all go to lunch together. As stated in a previous blog, Mondays is one of my favorite days because I love being with our staff. One of the guys had the brilliant idea to walk to lunch yesterday because it was such a nice day, and being right in the university area we are close to a lot of restaurants.

We all walked down to a Chinese restaurant, and I'm sure it looked a little odd to people driving past. When we realized that we wouldn't be able to all sit together we decided to go to Jersey Mike's but changed our minds because we ate that on Saturday during our work day at the school. So, we thought Panda Express! There is a short cut right behind Starbucks, that will be perfect. It was a little steeper incline than we thought. So, after scaling up the hill we went into Panda only to see that they had no orange chicken or egg rolls. We were all laughing hysterically at this point!

We ended up at Honeybaked Ham, sharing seats since they don't even own enough chairs for everyone. It was fun, we laughed a lot, but I was hungry about an hour and a half later.

The Best Group of People

2008-07-16T22:12:00.001-04:00

I love the people that God has brought to The Branch. The staff that He has surrounded us with is an amazing group of people. I work in the office on Mondays and Wednesdays, and I love it!

Derek and I always knew that we could surround ourselves with people we loved to be with personally AND we could work together. That is what we have at the church. We all love spending time together outside of the office, and we genuinly enjoy being around each other.

The school staff is amazing as well. I love that several different churches are represented in our school. We have teachers that attend three various local churches, and we have one heart - to eduacate, equip and encourage children!

God is amazing in this way. Derek had assembled a great team of directors at the ministry we had worked at prior to moving to Charlotte. That group of people was one of the hardest things for me to let go of when we left. But God had promised me that we would have the same unity here in Charlotte, and we do! God is faithful.

Oh, I didn't see you there...

2008-07-16T21:37:00.001-04:00

This past week was spent in Tulsa. Which if you read Derek's blog, you know that because he was constantly taking pictures on his phone and posting them! It was a lot of fun, but traveling with a 19 month old does have its challenges!

Kate has been an amazing baby, she is responsive to me and has been quite compliant. That is, until we were surrounded by strangers and she was not sleeping well. The wedding took place in a museum, which is gorgeous, just not the place to take a toddler. Kate was getting very fussy, and then we went to the rehearsal dinner at a very cool, hip restaurant. By this time I was ready to just go back to the hotel so I wouldn't have to wrestle with my baby any longer.

Everyone was getting in Kate's face, and at one point she literally slapped a woman in the face. I was mortified. I was so upset by her behavior, and then I started asking myself what was bothering me so much and I realized it was - PRIDE!

I didn't know, but there had been a great deal of pride lurking back in me somewhere. I am a firm believer in discipline, and I must admit, I have been judgmental when I see children acting like brats! That is, until my own daughter was acting like one. I realized that I can not control how my daughter behaves, and it is not about me looking good in front of others. Yes, I would have loved for everyone to see the amazingly sweet side of Kate, but unfortunately they did not on this particular occasion.

I actually did take an opportunity to thank God for showing me that ugly place where pride had come in! How do you know how you need to work on something if you don't even know you have a problem? So yes, I am admitting to all of you now that I have been in pride. Oh Jesus, help me!

Sweet Caroline

2008-06-09T21:35:00.001-04:00

For the first time ever, our daughter flew without us this weekend. She traveled to Texas for a training for a ministry trip in July. It is an amazing opportunity for her; I just really miss my little girl!

She is with Dana and Linda Johnson who are amazing children's ministers. They train children to lay hands on the sick and lead other children to Jesus. They don't have to wait until they are adults to minister! I love what they do, I am just ready to have her back.

I pick her up from the airport tomorrow and drive her straight to camp. My little girl is growing up. Am I ready for this?

The Art of Friendship

2008-05-31T22:17:00.000-04:00

Since we are on the subject of friendship here, I decided that I would share an excerpt from a book Derek got for me on Mother's Day. The book is entitled "The Art of Friendship", by Roger and Sally Horchow. It includes 70 simple rules for making meaningful connections. I just thought the rules were fun and insightful. I will start with rule number 1.

Reach out to someone you don't know
Discovery is a very exciting moment in friendship. It's that little light bulb that ignites when you learn something new about a person - a commonality that creates an instant bond. It can be as subtle as a similar sense of humor or as solid as a shared opinion. Sudoku, surfing, show tunes! Satire, stir frying, Saks! Discovering these things requires a little groundwork. Discovery requires being active about seeking out new friends.

So where can you unearth these like-minded individuals? A better question is, where can't you find them? The secret lies in truly being open to making the connection. If you are willing to strike up a conversation, you could meet someone in line at the post office, ordering a Decaf Java Chip Frappuccino at Starbucks, or scoping the decorations at an office Christmas party. Almost any spot has friend-making potential. The first step in making friends is simply to place yourself amongst people you don't know, or don't know well (something most of us do every day, without being aware of it) and then start talking. Good intentions and halfhearted efforts don't make connections; a genuine commitment to treating every situation as an opportunity to meet someone new does.

Speak to someone you've never met.

Friendship

2008-05-29T22:46:00.001-04:00

I have been thinking a lot about women and friendships lately. I have been blessed with some amazing friends, and these relationships are extremely valuable to me. I recently attended a ladies meeting where the women leading the meeting were trying to get us talking and having fun, but it was very strained. It was quite sad watching the meeting, and I thought, "these women just don't have the tools".

I believe that many people in certain Christian circles don't know how to be vulnerable. We see each other at church and ask how each other are doing and people shout out "I am blessed and highly favored", and their family is falling apart!

I love women that are willing to be vulnerable with one another. It takes trust and a willingness to put yourself out there with the potential of getting hurt. It also takes time. I am not advocating telling everyone your problems and deepest fears the moment you meet. I just think it is time we let down our guards and let others in. The rewards are great but it is risky. I guarantee there will be people that will let you down, but the majority of the time, people will pleasantly surprise you! Let some people in and decide to believe the best of them, and trust that others will do that with you. You only have to start with one person, and it will get easier as you go.

I'm Still Here!

2008-05-21T19:42:00.001-04:00

My life has been quite full as of late! When I have a quiet moment, I have not been sitting down with my computer to share my deepest thoughts with all of my (3) faithful readers. I will have thoughts throughout the day and think "that would be really funny to blog about", but I do not sit down and actually write out what I am thinking. God has been doing some amazing things in my heart, and I do want to share them with everyone who wants to read what I am thinking. It just takes TIME, and I have not taken the time. So sorry, I will get back on it!

So sorry it has been so long...

2008-04-19T14:50:00.000-04:00

We have been extremely busy lately, so please forgive my absence from the blogging world. Derek and I just returned from Nashville last night. We celebrated the 25th anniversary of Mercy Ministry. I honestly am almost more excited about what is going on in these homes around the world than I am about what God is doing here in Charlotte! God is just doing amazing things everywhere!

This girl in the picture with me has an amazing story. I first met her 6 months ago, and when I saw her yesterday I did not even recognize her. Her life has been completely restored by the truths that she has learned at Mercy. She is a totally different girl than the one I met 6 months ago! She told me that Mercy was the seventh treatment center she had been to but the only one that offered her real hope! That hope is that she can be set free from the bondage's of the enemy.

If you are not familiar with Mercy, please check out their web site. I have never seen anything like the program they have for young women. They treat girls who have eating disorders, unplanned pregnancies, drug and alcohol addiction, self harm, and many other life altering issues. They don't just teach the girls how to cope with these issues, they teach them how to be free and made whole. Our church is taking another trip to Nashville this fall to volunteer at the home for a week. If you are interested, just let me know. You would LOVE it!

It's Official...

2008-04-01T12:00:00.001-04:00

I'm a Mom! Yes, I know, I have been a mother for over 10 years now, but I don't often feel like a mom. That is, until last night. I was thumbing through the pages of a Land's End catalog featuring swimwear, and I actually thought "these are some cute swimsuits". It was a that moment that I realized I have become a mother!

Growing up, my mother would always lay out the Land's End catalog for me to look at the swimsuits because they are known for their modest apparel. I could never bear the thought of it. Modesty was of up most importance in my home growing up. I was never allowed to wear a two-piece swimsuit, and my mother would usually go with me to purchase my swim gear!

One time in particular, I begged my mother to let me go with my friends to shop. After all, I was 17 years old and oh so responsible. She did allow me to go unattended by her; however, she took a pen and marked on my leg just how far the swimsuit needed to come down! I was mortified! She does not remember the story, but it is etched into my memory and I will never forget that moment.

I am thankful to have had a mother who values modesty. When I went to college I bought a two-piece, but when I wore it, I felt like I was almost naked! It is funny to think back on those moments!

Who knows what kind of suit I will end up with this summer. Now, if I could just find that Land's End catalog...

Do you have a bruise?

2008-03-26T02:17:00.000-04:00

I have been thinking today about Luke 4:18. It says, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.

I had never really paid much attention to the last statement, to set at liberty them that are bruised, until a friend was telling me what that verse meant to them. Many of us have been hurt in our lives by people and circumstances. Those hurts have caused bruises. Sometimes those bruises go away with no trouble at all. Other times, it may get re-injured and cause more pain.

One of Jesus' jobs here on the earth was to set us free from those things. He doesn't want us nursing wounds from the past, He wants to set us free. Notice that it doesn't say that He came to heal them that are bruised. It says He came to set them free! That is because if we don't let go of those past hurts, we will be forever bound by our past.

Receive the freedom that Jesus provided! Stop rehearsing past hurts and move on! Hey, just so you know, I am talking to myself here as well. Release the people that have wronged you and be free! It feels oh, so good!

Happy Easter!

2008-03-24T22:55:00.000-04:00

Yes, I realize I am a day late! I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter Sunday. We had a great day of celebration. Great services, great lunch and then Tennessee beat Butler. Could I ask for a better day?! I thought I would share some pictures of my girls from the weekend.

The first picture is from the egg hunt. Kate put one egg in her basket, opened it and proceeded to suck on the Milky Way for the next 45 minutes. That was all she needed!

The second picture speaks for itself. I just should have wiped Kate's nose. Derek was taking the pictures while I was getting dressed. What a great weekend!

March Madness

2008-03-22T13:31:00.000-04:00

Yes, I have gotten into March Madness this year. One reason is, for once, Tennessee has a good men's team. And, as a church staff, we have all filled out our brackets and are competing against one another. The funniest thing of all is that the person who probably cares the least about all of this is winning! Pastor John is currently 8th in the nation!

This is driving Derek crazy! He keeps studying John's bracket looking for the weak link! It is funny! I will keep you all posted because it is early in the tournament. The best thing would be Tennessee making it to the Sweet 16 because that is hosted here in Charlotte. How fun would that be?

It's The Little Things

2008-03-16T17:00:00.000-04:00

Little things are important. How many times have you received a little note of appreciation from someone that meant a lot to you? I often find myself thinking about someone and then doing nothing about it.

Derek often talks about when you are thinking of someone you should do one of two things; pray for them, call them or both. It doesn't take a long time to give someone a quick call to tell them you were thinking about them. Or when you are out and you see something that reminds you of a friend buy it for them.

It may seem like a small gesture, but it means a lot to know that someone was thinking about you. Hebrews 10:24 says, Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. Look for ways to encourage other people, even if it seems small.

Hallelujah!

2008-03-11T21:39:00.000-04:00

I'm healed! Derek and I both had the flu for almost two weeks, and it was not good. But Sunday was the first day I felt like myself again. It got to the point where I was wondering when I would feel good again (yes, I was feeling sorry for myself).

It took me a while to get to the place of "counting it all joy". It is amazing how when you are not feeling well, it affects everything. It definitely made me thankful that I don't deal with sickness often. I hardly ever get sick, so this was quite a blow. But enough negativity, I am so thankful to get back to my normal life, and I am so full of joy! Woo-hoo!! Thank you for all your prayers!

What Are You Hiding?

2008-02-27T17:03:00.000-05:00

I spent so many years of my life trying to be one person for certain people and someone else for another group of people. That is a lot of work! I would also keep people at arms length afraid that if they knew the real me, they would regect me. Again, lots of work.

Something happened when Derek and I moved to Charlotte five years ago. I was no longer in an environment where I would feel judged. We were now at a place where we were creating the environment and we did not want judgement to be any part of it.

I think realizing how much God loved me, no matter what, made it easier to accept to accept people the way they are. When making that decision, it is easier to be who I am. Romans 12:9 in the Message says it best, "Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle."

I don't want to be fake any more! Who is with me on this? I truly want to love from the center of who I am, which means ditching the masks! Let's make a decision to love.

It's Only a Decision

2008-02-19T11:26:00.000-05:00

Last week I was taking an antibiotic, and the effects of the medicine were making me a bit grouchy. Notice it was the medicines fault and not mine. One morning I was being especially cranky and I kept thinking "I know it is a choice but some mornings it is just harder than others". Really, I was just feeling sorry for myself and making excuses for my behavior.

I went to work that morning (I work at the church office two days a week). I got into our office which, if you haven't seen it you must stop by one day. It is a completely shared work space, which is fun but we can get into each others space at times. Anyways, I was telling everyone there how my medicine was making me cranky and laughing about it. Then one of the pastors said that is amazing that the medicine only makes you angry at your husband. I laughed and then went to my desk and said "OUCH"!

I realized that while it was so easy to get frustrated with Derek, I was really kind to everyone else. Why is it that it is easy to be kind to everyone but those we are closest to? I didn't have to go into work and decide to be kind to my co-workers, I just was kind. Why couldn't I do the same with Derek?

It really is a decision. What are you going to yield to? Apparently last week I was yielding to a little selfishness and anger- but only around my family. God, please help me to be the same loving person to everyone I am with, not just those I am trying to impress!

Fun Things

2008-02-16T19:22:00.001-05:00

The world of blogging is still new to me. So today a spent a little time familiarizing myself with this new found land. There are some really fun sites out there with creative women that inspired me. I couldn't pass up this opportunity to share these sites with you. I hope you enjoy them. As I run across others, I will let you know about them.
I like fun and querky things. This is why the following sites appealed to me. If you know of some fun ones, please pass the info along.

hostess with the mostess

Ten Reasons Why I Love Derek

2008-02-14T11:08:00.000-05:00

With today being Valentine's Day I thought it was fitting to let you guys in on what makes Derek so amazing in my eyes. Here are ten of the reasons why I fell in love with him over twelve years ago, and why I am more in love with him now than ever before...

1- Derek has a passion for God.

2- He has a desire to serve people like no one that I have ever known. Well, my Dad is pretty amazing at serving and helping others as well.

3- He is an amazing Father. I love to watch him play with the girls.

4- He has NEVER said a word to me out of anger. Now, he has walked out of the room a few times when I have been pushing his buttons!

5- His entire life, he has wanted to be married. At the age of 25, he saw that dream taken away in an instant when a drunk driver killed his wife and unborn baby. Yet, he was not afraid to love again.

6- He has never compared me to his first wife and never made me feel like I was second best. I could write a book on these last two points.

7- He really wants to live what he preaches. He can not stand hypocrisy.

8-He can laugh at himself!

9-He treats me like a Queen:)

10- He is one handsome fellow!

7 Random Things...

2008-02-08T09:39:00.000-05:00

I have been tagged by a new blogging friend to write 7 random things about myself. So, here we go:

1 - I have eaten the same thing for breakfast every morning for the last 3-4 years. It consists of 2 slices of cinnamon toast, a fried egg and hot tea.

2- I have to sleep on my right side with a pillow between my knees. I can not stand for my knees to touch.

3- When I go to a movie I have to get a Coke, Milk Duds and popcorn. When I put a Milk Dud in my mouth, I will also put not one but two pieces of popcorn with it.

4- I get unusually happy upon entering Super Target and Sephora.

5- I have two sisters and three brothers, and I lived in the same house until I went away to college.

6- When I was little my brothers and sisters and I would pretend we were the Partridge Family while singing to Kenneth Copeland albums! That's about all we could listen to, along with "The Music Machine".

7- I was a major tomboy as a child. I played soccer and would kick girls in the shins who weren't any good, sad but true. (That's not a very positive note to end on).

No More SuperWoman!

2008-02-08T01:01:00.000-05:00

I realize that my two most recent blog titles appear to contradict one another. While Jesus provided our way of escape, and everything we need to be in right standing with God is accessed by faith. It is not that way with our physical bodies. I can not receive "by faith" ripped abs! You gotta work at that. But you don't have to work at being made right with God.

I just want to shout it from the roof tops "the work has already been done"! God is so amazing in His love for us. I have been reading a book entitled "Destined to Reign" by Joseph Prince. In the book he says, "God's ways are contrary to man's ways. Man thinks that for God to bless him, he needs to deserve, earn, and merit God's favor and blessings by his own efforts. Man thinks that God's blessings are based on his performance and good works. However, this is not God's way. His way is not about achieving, but about receiving."

So, I don't have to try to be SuperWoman. Jesus did it all for me. Well, I don't know that He was exactly SuperWoman but you get the point. I have been trying for so long to do everything just right, say everything perfectly, when it has all been done for me.

I am so excited about where God is taking me right now. It is the truth of the gospel, and for the first time in my life IT REALLY IS GOOD NEWS!! I am going to be on this track for a while, so hang with me. I am so excited right now, I may just hop up and run a lap around my living room!

No Pain, No Gain

2008-02-06T15:04:00.000-05:00

It's not that I want to look like this woman - I just want to get in shape. I used to regularly attend a BodyPump class which is cardio/weight training, and I loved it but got busy. So, a friend and I decided that after 6 months of not working out, we were going to get back into it. I went yesterday and thought I might not make it. I made it through; I perserved until the bitter end.

The class basically takes a muscle group and works out that group during an entire song. It is one of the best ways to burn calories and build muscle. Oh, but the pain this morning was ASTOUNDING!! Yes, I said astounding. I have muscles that I didn't even know existed that are now screaming at me. I bend over to pick up Kate unsure if I will be able to get back to the upright position.

I guess I know that I got a good workout. Now I'm just going to have to keep this up! Eventually the soreness will subside...

Can it really be this easy?

2008-02-05T11:44:00.000-05:00

We have been talking a lot about grace lately, and I am so excited about the simplicity of this message. It is the message of the gospel. All we have to do is receive all that Jesus has done. The work has all been done for us.

We like to get credit for doing something ourselves. We didn't save ourselves, so why would we earn anything else in our Christian walk. In some cirlces, it is implied that if you say your healing scriptures enough, you will earn your healing. Since when do we earn anything! I do think it is important to speak the Word, but that is just so we can change our thinking, not so we will attain something that God has promised.

I am tired of the formulas for having what God wants us to have. It is not about formulas; it is about a relationship with your loving Father who wants to take care of you! Let's all just take a deep breath and rest. Trust God to take care of everything, and not because you have done everything just right! Jesus did everything just right for us.

I really hope that I don't sound like I am upset or ranting and raving! I am just excited about the goodness of God. His faithfulness does not depend on our faithfulness. Let's get our eyes off of ourselves and onto Jesus and what He has done for us. Yes, it is that easy!

Stop shouting at me!

2008-02-01T09:08:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I feel as though my circumstances are screaming at me. I want to be in a place so hidden in Him that my circumstances don't move me. Jesus was able to do that; He was asleep in the boat when the disciples came and woke Him up. They were so caught up in the wind and the waves, they became fearful that they were going to die. Jesus was asleep.

That seems like that would be irresponsible. There are times when I am not worried about my situation, and I begin feeling guilty about not worrying. How messed up is that?

So, these last few days I have been challenging myself to let the Word of God speak to me more loudly than my circumstances. The only way to do that is by spending time reading and thinking about the Word rather than letting my circumstances consume my thinking.

Isaiah 26:3 says "He will keep in perfect peace all who trust in Him, all whose thoughts are fixed on Him." That is so great because it is God's job to keep me in peace, and my job to trust Him and keep my thoughts on Him. I can not manufacture peace on my own, but I can control what I think about.

Learning to trust God even more...

2008-01-27T12:16:00.000-05:00

Derek and I traveled with our pastoral staff to Texas this last week. We were leaving the afternoon service on Thursday when I received a call from my mother. My mother informed me that Kate had just been taken to the hospital in an ambulance. She had a fever that had escalated to 104.9 and had gone into a seizure.

I know that God takes care of our children and that healing is a part of our covenant with Him. This was an opportunity to trust God. I knew that Kate would be alright; I just wanted desperately to hold my baby! Derek and I were with some friends, and we prayed over Kate and trusted God to take care of her.

As a mother, though, I just wanted to catch the next flight home! I realized then that I needed to trust God and trust His ability to care for Kate.

She was only at the hospital for a few hours while they got her fever down, and she is completely fine now. I am learning to completely trust in God and not in my ability to care for my children. We must trust God in every situation. Thank God for His faithfulness once again!

Too many shoes...

2008-01-20T17:00:00.000-05:00

I feel like so many of my thoughts are wrapped up in what I need or I want. When I realized last week that you can support a pastor and his family in Thailand for $100 a month, I was challenged to re-prioritize the way I spend my money.

My gym membership (which I haven't even used for 3 months) costs $80 a month. I looked in my closet and realized I have so much and need to be focused on helping others. What can I do without in order to help someone else.

At the Branch, we focus on loving God and loving others, and I don't want that to be just something that I talk about. I really want to live this in every way I can. I have worked on being patient and kind, but I have seen where there are areas where I can be self seeking. I don't want to spend the extra money that I have on the latest greatest shoes or handbag. I want to look for ways to help other people.

John 15:11-15 (The Message) - "I've told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. You are my friends when you do the things I command you. I'm no longer calling you servants because servants don't understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I've named you friends because I've let you in on everything I've heard from the Father."

Now don't get me wrong, I do believe that God wants us to prosper! However, I believe that we are blessed so we can bless others. God, show me ways that I can be a greater blessing to people.

The best day ever.

2008-01-19T23:18:00.000-05:00

Today was an amazing day. First of all, my baby slept until 8:30. I couldn't ask for a better way to start my Saturday!

At 7:45, Caroline came into our room, turned the light on and began singing. At first I was going to be a little irritated because I was thinking - this is my day to sleep in - what are you doing! She came to my bedside with a plate and so proudly stated that she had made me breakfast all by herself. She fried an egg and toasted two slices of cinnamon toast, which is what I eat for breakfast -EVERYDAY.

After she handed me the plate she was telling me to be honest and tell her how the egg tasted because this is the first one she had ever made. The egg was a little gooey, and the first bite had a little bit of shell in it. Other than that, it was perfect. I told her it was great, and I ate my breakfast in bed, enjoying my family.

God has blessed us with such peace in our home, but it hasn't always been that way. I used to be obsessed with everything looking just right. My home was always spotless, clothes always perfectly ironed and food prepared every evening. I took great pride in doing all these things, but I realized I was missing out on enjoying my family.

I would frantically clean, getting upset with Caroline if she messed something up along the way. God has helped me learn the balance of enjoying my family while still being productive. Today was one of those days where I got a lot done, and enjoyed my family in the process. I used to measure my day by how many things I crossed of my to do list. Now I measure my day by asking myself if I really loved other people that day.

I Cor. 13:3 sums it up the best "If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it, but if I didn't love others, I would have gained nothing." The way I bring this home at times is "I could clean my entire house, make dinner for my sick neighbor, but if I yelled at my children the entire day, I would have gained nothing!"

There is a way to walk in God's grace to do what you need to do and have a joyful attitude at the same time. Ask God to help you and just choose to enjoy what you're doing. Even scrubbing a toilet can be fun by changing your attitude. It has to be done anyway, you might as well enjoy it.

Whew, this is getting long. I didn't know I had so much to say this evening.

Why THAT title?

2008-01-16T23:31:00.001-05:00

Derek has been after me for some time now to create a blog. I don't know why, but it seems a bit egotistical to think that people would actually want to read my thoughts. So, I've been mulling it over for a few weeks, trying to think of a title for my blog, and this was my first thought, "Sleeping with the Pastor". Not for the purpose of trying to be racy or controversial, but because it was funny. When discussing the title, a friend asked me if I was indeed sleeping with the pastor, and if that was right before God. And I had to admit, he was right. So, just for fun, here we go.

Now, what can you expect from this blog? Well, I was a kindergarten teacher, so if you are looking for something deep that will be intellectually stimulating, you may want to look elsewhere. I am pretty simple and somewhat random, so who knows what you'll get. Oh, and in case you are wondering, due to the title, no I will not be sharing intimate details of the Turner home!