Radiant

So yesterday, I went to Radiant Church here in Visalia. Ironically, I had honestly never heard of this church until about two or three months ago. Okay, first off, I love stepping out of my comfort zone, and going to a new church is definitely out of my comfort zone. But it was exactly how a church should be.

After stepping away from my church about a month and a half ago, I've been trying to find something that I fit with. I tried out one that I had heard nothing but good about, and it was good, but it wasn't home. It didn't fit. I didn't fit. It just wasn't right.

Radiant was definitley what a church should look like. It's just a normal building, filled with people from all different backrounds who are simply there to love God and worship him. There was no structure, no instructions, and no pressure. I didn't feel judged. I didn't feel the pressure that I had to stand when worship started. I wasn't told that if I was a Follower of Christ that I had to take communion. It was just there. There was invitation to join in, but it was not as if it was wrong if I didn't do what everyone else was doing. It was just a raw, real, authentic service. Like church should be. It felt like what the original church would have felt like. Just people getting together for community and to learn and hear about God.

And the list keeps growing of reasons for me to stay in Visalia.

White Horse

So as much as I hate country music, and I hate pessimism (and I am the biggest pessimist I know), I heard this song on Grey's Anatomy, and loved it. It fits so well with life right now. I like it.

White Horse - Taylor Swift
Say you're sorry
That face of an angel comes out
Just when you need it to
As I pace back and forth all this time
'Cause
I honestly believed in you
Holding on,
The days drag on
Stupid girl
I should have known, I should have known

That I'm not a princess
This ain't a fairytale
I'm not the one you'll sweep off her feet
Lead her up the stairwell
This ain't Hollywood,
This is a small town
I was a dreamer before you went and let me down
Now its too late for you and your White Horse,
To come around.

Baby I was naïve,
Got lost in your eyes
I never really had a chance
my mistake, i didnt know
to be in love, you had to fight to have the upper hand.
I had so many dreams about you and me
Happy endings;
Now I know

I'm not a princess
This ain't a fairytale
I'm not the one you'll sweep off her feet
Lead her up the stairwell
This ain't Hollywood,
This is a small town
I was a dreamer before you went and let me down
Now its too late for you and your White Horse,
To come around.

And there you are on your knees
Begging for forgiveness,
Begging for me
Just like I always wanted,
But I'm so sorry

Cause Im not your princess
This aint a fairytale
Im gonna find someone, Some day
Who might actually treat me well.
This is a big world,
That was a small town
There in my rearview mirror,
Disappearing now.
And it's too late for you and your White Horse
Now its too late for you and your White Horse
To catch me now.

Oh whoa whoa whoa-oh
Try and catch me now
Whoa-Oh
It's too late
To catch me now.


And it's funny that life still goes on, and I can still dream, and still believe in this crap. But sometimes life doesn't seem like a fairytale. Sometimes life feels like a comedy. Sometimes it feels like a tragedy. Sometimes it's a comedy of errors. But I just remember that God's the only one that can see the whole picture. This is just a small part. This is just a glimpse.

Beanie Bash

This Saturday at New Hope Church, we are hosting the Beanie Bash!!! By December, the Beanie Project hopes to complete 1,000 beanies to give to the homeless/impoverished around Tulare Country. If you want to come make beanies with us, it starts at 3:30 pm. New Hope is on the corner of Tulare and Linwood. (The one with the Hershey Kiss roof.)

So cool

A friend emailed me this video, and I can't get the thought out of my mind...

What if every church in Visalia took part in this...

What if even the major churches in Visalia took part in this....

Think of the impact this little city of just over 100,000 people could have on the rest of the world...

If there were even a dollar for each person in the city, think how much that could help.

Compass

About a year and a half ago, I started writing a children's "Sunday school" curriculum. I gave it up about a two months ago, and didn't ever want to start it again. But I think I'm going to do it again. Basically, it's a theater based curriculum, so it's interactive, and the kids can learn as they watch a live performance. I can't wait to get started again!

Catalyst

So this last week, I made a big decision (well, for me it is anyway) to go to the Catalyst conference in Irvine next Spring. I'm super excited, yet a little anxious about it anyway. It was supposed to be an event attended with another individual, but as that won't be taking place, I'm going on my own. By myself. To L.A. For four days.

Alone.

Totally alone.

Now, let me back track to how this all took place.

A former acquaintance had informed me this was an amazing event. All the best innovators, authors, speakers, etc. to getting a ministry going, and to help lead the church. Something I've always been interested in. So the plan was to go to this together. Then we broke ties. Great. Among all the other hopes and dreams lost, now this one two.

But over the past few weeks, I've become pretty involved with 210 and Elevate. By involved, I mean I don't just come and leave every Tuesday night. I actually stick around and partake in community. In doing so, my desire to devote a lot of my life to ministry has returned.

I also decided on a college major. Costuming. Theatrical Costuming. Now, I want my Academy Award, but I also want to finish writing the children's "church" curriculum I began writing about a year ago. I want to partake in a drama ministry at a church, and help out with that.

So...after that rant....Catalyst. The Catalyst Conference is meant to help visionaries seek out their visions and to apply it to the world today. Basically, it is to help church leaders and followers of Christ who want to make a change, make it.

There's a lot more to it, but it's something I'm seriously stoked about. I haven't been this excited about something in a VERY long time. And I can't wait.

http://www.catalystwestcoast.com/