Take a Seat

Take a seat. Learn and hear what God really wants you to know.

It's grace.

A word I've been hearing a lot lately.

SIMPLE RECAP:

Saturday night- revival at Harvest Outreach with guest speaker

Sunday morning- normal services at Manley Baptist

THE REAL DEAL:
Saturday night- intense, yet relaxing, encounter with God. BTW, the guest speaker was a prophet. Not Simon Baker in The Mentalist, but an empty vessel of a person whom God spoke through. How do I know? He read our (my husband and I) book. He did not speak specific people's names, but he touched on every aspect of our lives outside our home. He also spoke to the entire congregation about love. Not the conditional and disciplinary love we often give each other (even to our kids and family), but the kind of love that is full of one word--GRACE.

Sunday morning- our head worship leader confessed to our congregation that he and his wife, the night before, confessed to each other all their sins against each other and others throughout their 10-year marriage. Neither one of them felt mad at the other. The word he used? GRACE. And that morning? Guess what our congregation experienced--GRACE.  We worshiped in surrender, in adoration and whole-heartedly... even when the enemy tried to ruin the moment by taking out the mics.  We just sang that much louder.  Showed him... ;)

The spirit is always around us, always there, available at every single time we ask. But so often we forget that, above all else, God LOVES us. He is not mad at us. He does not want to constantly catch us in sin, and punish us as a result. Above all, he loves us. Does he want to help keep us on the right track? Yes. But I believe, even through the simplest glimpses like an incredible stripe of piercing white light in the midst of clouds in the sky, he is there, shining so bright, just waiting for us to accept his love, even when we find ourselves failing over and over.

That's all we have to do. To God, you are worth it. You may not see your worthiness. Maybe no one around you sees you that way. But I promise, God does. You who believe in and love him? You are worthy. You are righteous.

YOU ARE LOVED.

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As you prepare for school next week, guys and gals (and even parents), take a second to give yourself a good, hard look in the mirror. Teens, I know you hate it when you hear someone say this, but I'VE BEEN THERE. I know what's about to happen. I am a public school kid, ok? Here are some things I wish I would have repeated to myself on a daily (or even hourly) basis:

-What you wear matters. You are the future church. You are a REPRESENTATIVE OF CHRIST! Don't let the hormones tell you your outfit isn't too bad inappropriate. If you feel you look hott in it? CHANGE. Change your outfit and your goal for going to school that day. Remember, you're not there to impress a guy or girl. You're there to get an education, and BE a Christ education.

 -What you post on facebook? Everyone sees. "Oh, it's no big deal. Me and my girlfriends were just playing around." Nope. That doesn't cut it, and I (and especially God) can see right through that load of crap. It may make you feel cute, loved or important because you make some guy fawn over you, but that kind of attitude is selfish because you are trying to find love and affection in the wrong place, and you're trying to hinder those boys that see you in pics like that. Don't be that girl who plays all innocent, but secretly wants all the boys to think she's sexy. YOU WERE CREATED FOR MORE THAN THAT!

-Your focus should be people. When you are working in groups together, (i.e., teams, labs, groups), think just as much or more about your relationships with these people as you do your high score. I am reminded of this famous movie where, the leading guy treated the leading girl like crap because she wasn't as good a dancer as her, and she had a miserable time. To this day, people think she was amazing, but she had the toughest experience of her life making that movie. Don't be so focused on goals that aren't as important to God as the person.

-Put on your armor. Even though your fellow Christian girls and guys SHOULD be clothing themselves with modesty as the bible COMMANDS us to, not everyone will, Christian or not. So you've gotta be prayed up every day before school. Put on your whole armor, and also pray a hedge of spiritual, mental and physical protection around you and all your family and friends. Pray for them by name. Your prayers are powerful, especially when coming from a repentant heart.

I am praying for you this week! Please email me (tk@2911theplan.com) or text me if you have specific prayers you need, my family and teens at Manley, LSB&D and Encore. I love you, and want you to succeed in the way that GOD wants you to, not the world!

Much love, TK

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I'm a Lover

Today I write as a lover. Sometimes we need to put ourselves in the view of what the Christians call, "the world." Christians take a "stand" by picketing for "sacred marriage." But how sacred do these same Christians consider marriage, while the Christian divorce rate is at 32%, and the non-Christian's rate is at 30% (according to Barna).

Notice how yelling at someone does nothing but either make them mad, turn them away, or both. Do we really want to turn those away from the church who we would like to see come to Christ most? When Jesus said in conclusion of one statement, the greatest of these is love, I think he was talking to us today. We live in a world, where, you either tolerate or hate. There is never any trace of give grace and love.

So today, instead of picket (tolerate or hate), choose the greatest commandment-- LOVE.

HINT: It comes by giving grace (and seeing that very large log in your own eye...)

All in love, TK 2911
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Whaddya Gonna Do Abowd It

I ran across these lyrics today. Hadn't heard them in a while. In a new place now where these words are more real. Maybe they will stir your spirit too. There are people like this everywhere who have never even heard the beautiful name of Jesus. Should we not give them the best news they'll ever hear?

Even people who have never heard the name or story of Jesus still know God is there. It is instilled in every human being whether recognized or not. God commands us that it is our job to take to them the gospel. If we did, they would not have questions like these...

From an outcast to God:

Disney's God Help the Outcast
Hunchback of Notre Dame


I don't know if You can hear me
Or if You're even there
I don't know if You will listen
To a humble prayer
They tell me I am just an outcast
I shouldn't speak to you
Still I seek Your face and wonder...
Were You once an outcast too?

God help the outcasts
Hungry from birth
Show them the mercy
They don't find on earth
The lost and forgotten
They look to You still
God help the outcasts
Or nobody will

I ask for nothing
I can get by
But I know so many
Less lucky than I
God help the outcast
The poor and downtrod
I thought we all were
The children of God

I don't know if there's a reason
Why some are blessed, some not
Why the few you seem to favor
They fear us, flee us
Try not to see us

God help the outcasts
The tattered the torn
Seeking an answer
To why they were born
Winds of misfortune
have blown them about
You made the outcast
Don't cast them out

The poor and unlucky
The weak and the odd
I thought we all were
The children of...

God


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Change of Pace: New Year

Well, well, well. Welcome to The Near Year of 2011. And snow. Lots of snow. And loss of work because of the snow. But you don't hear me complaining. It's nice to have more time with the fam and that fun little baby. Lots have been happening here at my household including Toy Story. Lots and lots of Toy Story. I can quote them now. Moms, you know what I mean.

So what are your resolutions? Or have you just stopped making them because it is completely pointless because you never keep them passed February, right? Well, I almost didn't make mine from last year- to read the New Testament. I had to finish it the first week in January. I announced to the great world of facebook that I wouldn't be back until I did. It's amazing what a little encouragement that can do for ya. Sad, really. And once I got back on facebook, I realized I hardly missed it at all. Funny how that happens, eh?

I guess sometimes it's just healthy to step back from things you do on a daily basis. You just might find that they're taking up too much of your time, how small or large that time may be.

Happy New Year. Here's to The Old Testament. (I think I'll try it in The Message Remix...)

PS. http://www.2911studios.com is now open!

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To the Spiritual. To Me.

BTW, it's been a while. I know... :D

Once upon a time, you were considered a Man of God if you told people you were religious. Over time, and through much hypocrisy, people now tell others that they are spiritual instead, because that is what their faith is about. And now, I am starting to see the disgust in non-believers faces when we throw out such religious jargon such as this. I'm sure they don't even enjoy the label, non-believers.

What I want to say to you today is this: We are not to judge anyone. If you must judge, judge yourself only. You can't even judge your own spouse, sibling, cousin, mother, or father. You have no idea what their spiritual life is like.

Let us not become content in what we do. For example, when you finally find the perfect skin care line, after much hard work and a lot of searching, you become content with your beauty secret. And it becomes just that. Your little secret. Another example: The church has searched and searched for music to relate to people, and Contemporary Christian Music has come about. It took a lot of effort to get there. And it is reaching so so so many people. But now what? Do we become content in our search, and make it our little secret? Or do we begin a new search, and a new search, and a new one? Why do we become so sure of ourselves in the way we relate to the public?

I ask you this not to judge our Sunday morning worship sets. I absolutely love worshipping with my fellow believers on Sunday mornings, and I always enjoy it. I am a music fan. You give me just about any song, and as long as it has a good beat, and is not offensive, chances are, I am gonna relax and enjoy it.

If you are a fan of that country music song that talks about how special life is, and how you think your wife is just the sweetest, but you are afraid to let your pastor in on your secret favorite song, please. Come on. Our so-called spiritual life, and our regular, everyday life, are the same. How you treat people that know you're a Christian and those who don't... It's all the same. Jesus did not die on the cross just for us to rejoice only in the fact that He died on the cross. Get me? He died so that we might have life! Life!!! Not just enjoyment in that one event. He wants us to enjoy our spouse, and tell everyone just how much they mean to us. Hey, why not even sing a song about it? He wants us to enjoy our children, our jobs, our friendships. And if we so feel led to rejoice in those things, then rejoice in those things! If you are rejoicing in these things because they are personal accomplishments, then no. If you are rejoicing in these things because God has given them to you to enjoy? Then, by all means, yes! Tell the world about your loving family. Tell the world that Jesus lives. If you make them two separate parts of your life, you're not going to impact many. So many people miss out on church because they despise the hypocrisy in it all, and how none of it relates to real life.

Judge your own spiritual intentions constantly. Stay on the ball. Your ball. Not on anyone else's. How dangerous a place to be, judging others' spiritual lives.

IMPORTANT NOTE: I almost did not write this blog because by doing so, I criticize those criticizing. So what does that make me? So I say these things to you in conviction of my own judgement. May I live what I teach.

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The Cleaning Process: Dance, The Example

Sorry it's been so long, my peeps. I haven't been able to login to my blogger in quite some time...

So. What up? With me? Well, my dance classes are coming to a close as Recital 2010 is drawing near. A couple of my classes have been finished with their dance for two weeks now, which is one week ahead of goal. They have worked their buns off on memorization, and now it is time to make 'em look, sound and move like the gems and team they are. My other classes are notsumuch there, but if they pick it up and work hard the next 3 weeks, they'll rock it out in recital too. They have the potential, let's see if they have the drive.

I love this process, especially this part of the process... THE CLEANING PROCESS. I love it. The cleaning process is where we take the dancers as individuals, and make them look and sound like the whole. Get it? Working together to be one! Hmmm... Sounds like something we were assigned to do, as Christians, am I right?

So today I encourage you to work with one another, rather than against or close to. Let's not judge, diminish or put down one another for our lack of religious disagreements and misinterpretations of God's law. Let's live out in love and as imperfect people ourselves.

Here's to you and that goal!

Much love, Tara K

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