another thing off the checklist...

so...

one thing about leading a drama/art team

is that you get to buy some of THE most random things off of craigslist.

first 5 huge mirrors.

and now?

a 5'x5' set of lockers.

:)

for $15.

love it.

we're also learning judgment of space and physics of some sort...

for example - a huge set of lockers will not fit in a mini-van.

but it will fit in a truck bed that is 5' long.

and you can use bungee cords to hold it in...

but its probably heavy enough that its not going anywhere.

we used the cords.

so we don't know for sure - but maybe some day.

;)

but we are ONE step closer to being ready for our upcoming show!!!

did i mention its on August 12th and 13th?

at Edinbrook?

at 7pm?

cuz it is...

;)

-ALIVE

if we're willing to share...

I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before…

But every time we put on a Project, God seems to have us live out the lesson we’re sharing.

Spiritual warfare, faithfulness to Him no matter what…

And now as we get into looking at what God has done.

At the power of the word of our testimony.

I’ve been reading in Acts over the last few weeks – and I’m in Acts 20.

Paul is traveling to all these different places, telling his story – sharing what God has done for Him…

And all along the way the believers he spends time with prophecy that he is going to be bound and captured and he’s going to suffer –

And Paul takes it all saying – I have to go. I have to do God’s will…

And I was just struck by that…he stands up and shares his story over and over again – not always to people who necessarily want to hear it – but he does it. because God wants them to hear it. because he’s so impacted and so aware of what God is doing that he can’t help but share it. and because if he shares it – God will be glorified.

Earlier in the book, Paul is telling the believers about all that God has been doing in one of the cities and it says “they were amazed and glorified God”.

Its not just a story to tell. Its not just something to talk about and impress people with.

Our testimony is hard evidence that God is working. It’s a reminder for us and for others

God’s been speaking to me lately that if we are really willing to share what He’s done…then He’ll give us something to share.

He’s willing to do big things in our lives, He’s willing to show us His power – He just wants to know that all the glory will go to Him.

Because that’s when people are impacted.

Paul did suffer. He suffered because people heard his story and they didn’t like it.

But he shared.

And as the believers warned him of what was to come and were afraid for him –

Paul just said “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

It won’t always be easy. It won’t always be fun. but in the sharing of what we’ve seen God do – people will be impacted. We will be impacted and used by God. we will be free of anything the devil will try to do to trip us up – because we know who God is.

We know what He can do.

We know He’s the truth.

And its all worth it.

You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
Acts 21:18-24

-ALIVE

The Project: TESTIMONY...done.

oh hey - have you heard of The Project: TESTIMONY?

cuz its fnished.

like - its all written.

some slight editing to do - but its a whole story.
all there.
our FIRST full show/play/project - ALL scripts.
here it is...

crazy.

this is months in the making, friends.

and as of 2 weeks ago we were basically starting from scratch - we had to rework the whole story,

rewriting a lot of the scripts we'd had

but it all just came.

in a matter of hours. 

only God can do that.

and He just keeps putting it all together.

so we've been writing and editing and just busting all this stuff out and after so much work...(and typing, by Austin) its ready.

:)

a couple things i've learned in the process so far...

if you ever need a three-hole punch...erika has many.

if you ever need a quick answer from a leader via phone or text...austin is your man.

if you have a 50 page script to pass out to 11 team members...sarah will think of getting binders and making cover sheets.

and if you need someone to highlight your lines in your script...absolutely, no question, for sure come to me.

i got you.

:)

and mark your calendars for August 12th & 13th!!!

TWO performances.

Edinbrook Church.

all focused on what God has done -

on the power of the word of our testimony

and how it can impact more than we can ever know.

so make sure to come to one of the shows :)

MORE DETAILS TO COME SOON!

-ALIVE

UPDATE...

welcome back!  

:)

i didnt intentionally wait a month to come back to this - but it worked out that way.

kind of a fail.

ANYWAYS - 

no worries...

i'll update you.

so last you heard -
we performed at Revolution,
we had auditions for The Project: Testimony (its name, by the way)
and i was off to miami.

update -
still working on getting the video from Revolution dance (hopefully soon!!!)
we chose parts for Testimony...
and spent the last few weeks working on it.
praying about the timing and trying to work it all out -
and in the past week,
EVERYTHING changed.
so now -
we have a slightly different team,
a little more than slightly different story,
and we're still working on it.
team.
God is faithful.  and He is just really giving us peace about moving forward and He is totally taking control of it.
its a little intense, its different than what we've done in the past...
but He's doing it.
haha

and miami - i could write for a very long time about Miami.
but i wont
it was one of the most challenging trips i have ever been on...
in the sense that we CONSTANTLY had to be figuring out what comes next.
we would plan...and the plan would change.  so we'd redo the plan.  and it would change.
and that cycle went on - literally the entire week.
and somehow - it worked.  God did it.
it was hard, its hard to constantly surrender your ideas and plans...
but the biggest thing i learned through it all - is that if we're truly willing to surrender our ideas and listen to what GOD wants to do and give Him all the glory -
He will absolutley, 100% take it and show up in BIG ways.
very very cool.
so it was tough, but it was a huge blessing.
and God is so faithful!
i didnt plan on going on the trip...but at the last second God gave me the go-ahead.
and i wasnt SUPER excited about doing a VBS and working with kids...
but we got there and found out there was a bunch of youth that was a part of the VBS.
(i happen to enjoy youth :) )
and so i, along with some others, took charge of that.
and we ended up letting them choose between drama, art, sports or music "classes" for the week.
so i not only got to work with youth, but i also got to teach drama!
it was so fun!
jordan even got to step out of her comfort zone and teach a dance class ;)

and choreograph a dance...then teach it...then perform it.
all in one day.

and i got some of the team together to do a drama w/paint they learned in about an hour.

and some of them even did some dramas on literally a 2 minute notice.

gotta love ministry!
:)
but God did it all.
awesome stuff.
i love being a part of seeing God's creativity.

and i'm really excited to see how Testimony turns out.
for now all we can do is pray, keep writing and keep practicing.

and that's what happens in a month of ALIVE.

-ALIVE