Easter Surprise

We got our first dog last night.

Mozzie, our ten-week-old Goldendoodle puppy, has already stolen our hearts (and my sleep) and he has only been in the house for 20 hours.

The expectation was the best part.  My co-workers, Chelsea and Nate, helped me scheme to surprise our kids with the sweetest Easter treat ever.  I bought items so we would be ready, I read 100 articles on dog training, signed up up for doggy obedience school, and had trouble sleeping the night before.  I asked Chelsea to record the look on the kids' faces when they laid eyes on him for the first time in our home.

When the women went to the tomb to "see" Him, Jesus must have been so excited to reveal himself as the Risen Lord.  These were His friends.  His Father had been crafting this "surprise" for a long time, and although Jesus had predicted that which would happen, his followers did not fully grasp it.

I pray the expectation of Easter never goes away.  I want to be so excited to relive the resurrection each day that I get up early as the ladies did and tell everyone about it when I do, as they did.

Blessings on your week!

Amberly

Embrace "Embrace"

I have been given the charge responsibility burden honor of planning a women's retreat for UCYC, the camp for which I work.

I am scared spitless anxious thrilled at the thought of being responsible for such a task and its success.

It is planned for the third weekend in April, 2016 and I want it to be okay not devastatingly bad amazing.

The theme, "Embrace: Connection. Identity. Freedom." is a direct reflection of my needs my creativity my neurosis what I want for attendees to experience.

It is about embracing who God is, who we are, and who others are fully so that we can make political judgment calls create snarky Facebook posts find freedom and grace.  It is about admitting those messages we "cross out" and focusing on the truths of the cross...

Needless to say, the process has been terrifying convicting enlightening.

For my female readers, would you please pray about joining me that weekend?  Vocal artist, Holly Starr will be leading worship that weekend and I think God has amazing things in store.  Especially for the staff worship leader retreat planner!  Spots are filling quickly, so hurry up get a move on sign up today!

Don't judge me Sincerely Love,

Amberly

The details are as follows:
April 22-24, 2016
$159
www.ucyc.com

oLIMPic Athlete

Well, I really did it this time.  I hurt my knee.

Between activity at camp, FitBit challenges, training for a 15K, and not listening to my body when it communicated pain, I tore a ligament in my knee.

At this point, I am an oLIMPian.  I feel broken.

The orthopedist was honest with me.  He suggested that I should give up running completely and find another sport.  Ouch. His words hurt more than my knee does.

It is not that I LOVE running.  However, jogging (or wogging = walk + jogging) has become a normal part of my daily routine as I attempt to keep my body healthy.

The interesting thing is that at the same time I got injured, one of my interns did as well.  He was playing basketball and sprained his ankle.  His foot has turned colors I thought impossible.  Yuck.

But being injured at the same time has meant that someone else "understands" our plight.  We are the first to ask each other about the injured area, to have compassion, and to hobble slowly together.  It is true empathy.

Paul in his second letter to the church in Corinth communicated this type of empathy and how God can use it: "3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God." (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

We were made for connection through pain.  

Which is weird, but strangely comforting.

Somehow, God is going to provide comfort and then will ask me to extend that comfort to others who need it.

It will truly be my weakness that can display God's power to comfort others through me, in me, around me, and despite me.

Are you ready to be used by God - even if it means some discomfort?

Amberly