Girlfriends in God...

'Every time you cross my mind,

I break out in exclamations of thanks to God.

Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer.

I find myself praying for you with a glad heart.

I am so pleased that you have continued on in this with us,

believing and proclaiming God's Message,

from the day you heard it right up to the present.

There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that

the God who started this great work in you

would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish

on the very day Christ Jesus appears.'

~Philippians 1:6

 
There are things that define us… moments in time when a light comes on inside our souls & give us a sense of direction & purpose. One of these moments for me was on the evening of our first Elder’s Wives Dinner this fall…

God has really been working & growing me the past few years. He has given me good friends that hold me accountable & the people & culture of ACC have afforded me an amazing place to "find my feet" as a pastor's wife. While all of those things have had a part in where I am right now, these amazing women have had an incredible impact on me. 

When I first asked to begin meeting with the elders wives last year; it was out of desperation on my part. As Chuck & I began to see ACC grow, we were beginning to feel stretched & disconnected... It was about this time that Chuck read & committed to work through Chuck Swindoll's book, "The Church Awakening" with the elders. He found that it not only solidified & bonded their relationships on a deeper level, but as the men stepped up willingly to use their gifts to edify the church & each other, he began to feel the friendship & support he was needing. Today, he trusts them with his life... I can't tell you how uncommon that is in ministry. 

I was longing for this kind of connection as well.  So after sharing my heart with Chuck & spending time praying together, I called the elder’s wives & asked them to come for coffee. The way these women opened up their hearts & homes to me, gave me more than I had ever could have hoped for. Through those times of prayer & studying, crying & laughing together, I felt the kind support & love that I have needed not only to find the courage to be myself but to be able to give ACC the girl that God wants me to be with confidence.

This past summer, we as a group, began to feel God prompt us to create an environment for the women of our church to experience intimacy. Part of this prompting was for us to treat them to a special dinner. It was amazing to see, as the evening began to take shape, how God was using the gifts He has given each of these women to bring a unique & special touch to the experience. 

Oh what a joy is was to me to be part of such God honoring event… We experienced a beautiful evening, in a gorgeous place, while eating delicious food & enjoying fabulous service. Most importantly were able to connect on a different level as women, to share laughter & shed a few tears.  I know I came away changed in a profound way… & I am so excited to see how God is going to continue to work through the Elder’s Wives & the women of ACC.

It's from the deepest part of my soul that I say, thank you, thank you, thank you for ministering to me!