coming soon...

so Testimony weekend is over...

summer is ending...

so what does that mean for us?

:)

there are some big things coming up...

God placed the dream to grow this ministry in us a few years ago...and its been forming and changing and it still is in process...it probably always will be - 

but while most of the dream has seemed so huge and unattainable - for whatever reason, right now, it seems doable.

and that - has to be God.

so i'll keep you in suspense for the moment - 

but just a preview...

a pretty epic dance...to a variety of songs.

leadership meeting...gonna nail down some logistics...VERY exciting.

shopping for hardwood floor very soon.

a schedule of every wednesday in my email and lots of room for "creative elements".

'bout to order canvas for an upcoming wedding.

lots of stuff.  and so much more.

soooooo excited.

this - finna be a GOOD, challenging, stretching, exciting, different year...

:)

as long as God gets all the glory - i'm up for anything ;)

we're also looking for people interested in joining us!!!

we're going to be doing lots of arting and dramas and writing and videos and just anything that comes up...anything we can do.  

SO - anyone out there who is interested in art of any form - let us know!

(did you notice the "contact us" tab at the top?  use it!!! :) )

we would LOVE to talk to you!

so keep us in your prayers!

that we can allow God to bring our gifts to life to reach our world!!! :)

-ALIVE

Testimony!

WHAT A WEEKEND!!!

so cool!

God showed up.

it. was. amazing.

i'll blog more tomorrow - i'm officially sick of my computer today :)

but all the video and pics have been uploaded...

so its been productive.

for now - i leave you with a million pictures...:)

just a glimpse of a really great weekend...

started each day with some really awesome prayer time...love it.

lots of hair-curling...

love it.

they all looked GORGEOUS

art gallery :)

group pow-wow

stage set up!

so cool to see it all real for the first time...

God is TOOOO good

the show went FLAWLESSLY...only God could have done that...

amazing

backstage...always an adventure

everyone all together...actors and essentials :)

our AMAZING cast!!!

love these people...

some awesome ladies :)

...and one way to get pics of people onstage during the show?  give the extras a camera for the party scenes ;)

so fun to have these!

God truly showed up.

and we got to see Him so clearly...

such a blessing.

and some of us leaders were talking and truly just in awe of the

11 youth who spent SO much time on this...

the people willing to come and do stage set up at the last minute...

the people willing to come and run sound for 11 main characters using a 100 page script...

the people willing to give us the freedom to follow God's will and put this all together...

of how God honored our willingness to let Him work - 

He gave us scripts, a cast, everything and everyone we needed...

incredible.

and ALL the hours spent answering emails and scripting and rewriting and practicing...

all worth it.

its amazing how "work" in God's ministry doesnt really seem like work...

its been an awesome adventure working on this show and its sad to see it end.

but i really believe God is just getting started...

-ALIVE

a sneak peek

so...

tonight - 

we saw what happened when we get to the end of ourselves.

when we see what we can do and see that its not gonna cut it...

so we have to surrender and let God do it.

and HE DID.

it was amazing to see.

it usually makes for a crazy time - but ALWAYS worth it to see what God wants to do...

oh man.

really - so great.

so in case you're still wondering if you should come or not - 

here's a little sneak peek... ;)

hope to see you there!!!

-ALIVE

performance day!

performance day 1.

crazy?

only slightly.

i was feeling a little (a lot) overwhelmed this morning,

just anxious and nervous and frustrated because i couldn't get the day off work...

just lots of emotions and not all happy ones.

so from the moment i woke up (about 6am) until about right now i've just been praying.

praying, praying, praying.

and God is so faithful to show up...

not only to give peace...

but encouragement.

i opened up Acts 26 to read...

and i love love love what Paul says here -

"Now I am on trial because of my hope in the fulfillment of God’s promise made to our ancestors. In fact, that is why the twelve tribes of Israel zealously worship God night and day, and they share the same hope I have. Yet, Your Majesty, they accuse me for having this hope!
 Why does it seem incredible to any of you that God can raise the dead?"

so i asked myself that...
why does it seem SO impossible and out of the question that God can just take care of every detail of today/ tonight?
He's God.

theres a WHOLE lot of comfort in those words.
He's going to move...
this is HIS project - without a doubt.
He's got this.
and i'm excited to see what He does!
:)

so make sure you come out to one (or both) of the performances and just see what He's been doing!
:)

 



-ALIVE

a little fun before the crazy begins...

disclaimer: the artwork in this post may or may not be representative of the opinions or views of the ALIVE ministry.

:)

so...earlier this week i was working on fine-tuning our ads for the show.

just getting in some details...

and so i was talking to Kris at church - asking how to go about editing...

and she said "well i can do it, if thats ok. i mean - i won't do anything obnoxious, but i know how people are about their art"

ok, now back up.  flag word in there is "obnoxious".  and of course i sent her an email saying -

right, of course.  but i do want some big flowers and bright green and deep orange if at all possible?

and apparently great minds think alike...

because soon after, i get an email.

and she says "pass this onto your team...i had some fun with it"

the top part is the ad austin created (well, the part underneath all the clip art)...

the rest - is ALL Kris.

so i pass it on...

with THIS attached

maybe a little mean...but SO funny.

and one of our leaders (who shall remain unnamed...) but HE responded back to me a few min later with...

"why does it say my name on it?  and...do you like it?"

to which, obviously, i responded - yeah.  i think it really captures the feel of the show.

wait 10 minutes...

(picturing a severe inner struggle trying to break it to me gently that this is THE ugliest poster ever created)

but all i get back is...

"i mean, i guess its just not really what we were originally thinking...i dont know if it really fits"

...just trying to be so nice...i felt a  LITTLE guilty...

but then i was DYING...trying not to laugh out loud at work.

OF COURSE it doesn't fit...haha

and i was gonna let it go - but then i got an email saying that maybe it was growing on him...

so i stopped it.

haha

can't have artistic discernment being ruined for a little joke ;)

so for anyone who still thinks its real - ITS NOT.  it was a joke.

its funny.

and we, as the ALIVE team, will never ever ever EVER use that many BRIGHT colors or pieces of clip art and fonts in the same poster. 

so rest assured...

you can still trust our judgment.

;)

and Kris'.

i just really enjoy the staff at Edinbrook.

but i will say - it made me laugh.  a lot.  like A LOT.

:)

ps.......we're about to enter crazy performance week!!!!!!

pray that we have energy and strength to survive :)

and that God blesses it all :)

-ALIVE

a prayer for the team...

Hey ALIVE team!
this is the prayer God is laying on my heart for you all...
so read these words and believe them...take in what it really means for you...and let Him love on you.
:)

love you guys!  thanks for all your hard work on this show and for being willing to let God use you!!!

May the reality of who God is and what He has done overwhelm you and surprise you anew every day. May that reality drive everything that you do. May you live out your life like you believe every one of your actions has an eternal impact. May God always provide someone to speak life and truth into you, encouraging you in your walk with Him. May you be willing to allow Him to do what needs to be done to keep you and those around you in line with His vision. May you always have the strength and love for God to stay far away from temptation. May your eyes be open and your spirit sensitive to discern what is of God. May you learn to trust Him, knowing His word is enough – even in circumstances you can’t understand. May God take the desires of your heart and multiply them beyond anything you’ve seen or imagined. May the fact that He truly knows you personally and cares about your every tear and smile never cease to cause your heart to beat faster. May God exceed every expectation you have of what He has planned for you. May He call you to great things and may you never hesitate to accept them. May you believe Him when He says He’s gone before you and prepared the way – that He’ll never leave you. May you embrace every moment with Him. May you always know the Truth and the depth of which He loves you. May the power of the truth of knowing that you are saved never fade. May your gifts and creativity be continuously submitted to Him and His cause…and may they fail without His Spirit making them work. May your gifts leave a deep impact on every single person affected by them. and May God get every ounce of the glory….

-ALIVE