Losing Life

Deja Vu in Kansascityland

When we opened the Romeoville campus of Community Christian Church it was like a Deja Vu moment for me.  I remember thinking I have been here before and I have done this before.  Then I realized that since the beginning days of planning for that campus, I had envisioned what it would be like to be hanging out there watching people find their way back to God, so when it happened, it felt like Deja Vu.

This week, I expect another Deja Vu moment.  On Tuesday we will be in Kansas City for the North American Christian Convention.  It was well over a year ago when Dave Ferguson and others met to begin planning for the convention.  Out of their meetings the idea of having the convention as a platform for a church to be planted were born.  And because of those ideas and plans Troy and I are 18 days away from relocating to Kansas City to add our leadership to the already great mix of leaders in Kansascityland believing God is orchestrating a movement for many to find their way back to God.

When I first learned about the idea of the convention and the church plant, I knew immediately that it was going to be Troy who would lead this.  (long story for another time)  I imagined the convention and what it would be like.  I've seen this moment in my head lots of times...and it's a good one.

I like Deja Vu...with a few surprises thrown in of course.

 

I really should always work...

There have been many times throughout the past 11 years when I felt guilty about working and being a mom.  Ministry really can take my best energy and leave me without much for the kids at times.  However, as ministry winds down for me at CCC...my phone is not ringing off the hook, my e-mail box is not jammed everyday.  Now THIS is different.  So I have all this energy to focus on the kids and they are like, "look, lady, get a job!"  I am making them paint the neighbors garage and run with me everyday.  They have had enough of my super attentiveness. 

ReachoutKC is going to kick into even fuller gear soon and I will be quite the busy mom again, I am sure the kids can't wait.  SHHHHH...don't tell my boss I am having a little down time lately, cause he seems busier then ever!

Our New Home

I was going to hold off posting about our new house until every "t" was crossed and "i" was dotted so to speak.  But, in the words of our new friends Nate and Jill, Troy said, "We are claiming it in the name of Jesus."   So in the spirit of "claiming it", here is our new house in Kansas City.  God is tremendously and completely faithful.

Home is where you run into people you know

Having spent so much time in Kansas City these past two weeks, it truly is starting to feel like home.  I told Troy the other day one of the sad things about leaving Naperville is every time we leave our house to go somewhere we run into someone we know.  Heck, we run into people we know just by getting the newspaper off the front lawn.  One thing about living on a busy street is when you go outside someone driving by honks and waves at you...cause they know you.  Well I figured it would take months of living in Kansas City to go somewhere and run into someone I know.  The good thing is I can go out in my pajamas and no makeup if I want.  Which I am always tempted to do, but never do because....after all, WILL see someone I know. 

Well, on Sunday afternoon as we were driving around looking at houses, guess what?  We ran into someone we know!!  How cool is that.  Kent and Cheryl Lynn are some of our new friends in Kansas City.  They are the kind of people we made an instant connection with...and they have truly been friends to us over the past several weeks. They checked out the houses we were looking at and gave their input into which one is a good choice for us....that's the stuff of friends. 

God has impeccable timing

It appears we have sold our house.  Provided the housing inspection and termite inspection are all agreeable to the buyer...we are sold.  God's timing is truly perfect!  Selling our home now puts us with a closing date of July 18th.  Registration for Park Hill High School is August 1st and Mitchell starts his football club on August 1st.  Couldn't be better.  I knew at the end of this journey I would have a great story of God's timing...I just couldn't wait to tell it.

The International House of Prayer

  I had to find this place.  It is in a strip mall...well it kind of IS the strip mall.  There is the prayer house...which reminds me of CCC's old Quincy Ave. space, and then there is a coffee shop and a bookstore, all of which are connected to the prayer house.  People have been praying at the international house of prayer in Kansas City, MO for 8 years, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

It was a Tuesday morning at 10:15 and the parking lot was packed full, .  We walked in and there was a band playing on the stage.  There were about 100 people in the room, walking around, sitting, reading the Bible, working on laptops, singing, dancing, and praying.  It was chaotic, but a good kind of chaos.  The main room is surrounded by glassed in smaller rooms that can be scheduled for individual or group prayer.  There is a web cam.  You can watch what is going on in the prayer room from your computer any time you want.  24/7.  Eight years.

I only had 15 minutes before I had to go and pick up Jake from basketball camp, which made me crazy because I wanted to stay much much longer.  Do you know that among other things, they have been praying for 8 years for a movement of God in Kansas City? 

It makes me realize that God has a much bigger plan then I am ever aware of.  It makes me think that perhaps the 20 people who are involved in ReachoutKC are part of a movement that is more then we realize.  I will go back, more then once I suspect.  I hope we go as a ReachoutKC team. 

It felt really good in that room.  Like nothing else mattered in a way.  It didn't matter who the people were or if they shared the same theology, they shared a passion for the creator and they shared a belief that prayer to the one and only true God is essential for changing things...perhaps it is the only thing that ever has.

A note about Troy

Troy is blogging.  Check him out at www.troymcmahon.org. 

Now begins the competition.  Who will get more hits in a day, me or Troy?  Hmmm...you decide.

Aside from the friendly competition and our on-going debate about who is funnier (neither one of us is particularly funny, so that is what makes this a ridiculous debate), you really need to read Troy's blog.  I think it will tell the story of God's anointing on an ordinary man who is doing his best to say YES to the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

I am married to him, so I suppose I am biased, but let me just say, Troy is anointed. That may sound weird, or hyper-spiritual...but it is what I see.  Sometimes when I watch him talk to people, when I watch him share the vision that he has for a movement of people changing the world, I see the hand of God. 

And if anointed means chosen, consecrated, set apart, then quite likely we are ALL anointed.  Set apart by God to do great works for the kingdom.  Live out your anointing...oh, and read Troy's blog as he tries to live out his.