Rich & Nick, Co-workers!

Last but not least I want to introduce you to Rich & Nick! I met these guys 3 years ago at a conference in the states and remember enjoying them right off the bat! Looking back I never would have guessed I would be working alongside of them here in the UK. God is good I must say!

Rich & his lovely wife Lizzie

Bossman Rich - there are lots of reasons why I respect and appreciate Rich. For starters he's a great visionary leader that's easy to follow, primarily because I think he's great at invitation and challenge - encouraging you with where your at and yet pushing you into more of what God wants for you. To be honest getting to be under Rich's leadership was a big factor in deciding to move here. I know I have much more to learn from this man!

Classic Nick Clare

Where do I begin with this guy?! My first hangout with Nick included wine and cigars and rocking chairs - the best way to get to know someone as far as I am concerned! I remember immediately loving Nick's banter and his desire for good conversation. Since being here I have been challenged by Nick's passion and desire to be always going after the lost. Because Nick and I operate quite differently I am hoping more and more his strengths will rub off on me!

Both great guys that I am thankful to work with!

Weekend Goodness

Many of you have been asking what I do on the weekends...ahhh the same things I did before!! :) But in case you, state-side folk think I am backpacking around Europe and not doing a thing - here's a bit of documentation from the weekend! :)

Diet Cokes at a Pub with Beth - LOVE this Lady! You can all pray she sticks around to do Form - the best discipleship program in all the land!

S.K.M. - my initials backwards. Looking back I am not sure why that was picture worthy!!!??

Saturday morning I got to meet with these lovely ladies! We all have similar hearts to want to see women healed, empowered, and released into their calling. Great time of discussing and seeking the Lord with what He wants!

I got to spend the afternoon with Pippa - having coffee, watching the Rugby, and making this crumble! Not a bad Saturday as far as I am concerned! :)

We were pretty proud of this crumble, so we thought two pictures were necessary!

Our Young Adults team -which means lots of my favorite people in one room! :)

Just enjoying Sunday lunch together!

Sunday night church - what's up Jesus?!!

It looks like nobody was there because so many people went to the front to worship!!

This is Ally Proudfoot, if you can't tell :)

She drives me everywhere, so of course she automatically is one of my favorite people! AND I didn't get pictures of it BUT she made me an American feast (burgers/fries) on Friday night - there really seems to be no limit to the skillz of this lady.

Wonderful Women!

These past 2 years I have had the privilege of having two lovely ladies invest in me as not only as a disciple of Jesus but also as a woman. Both their challenge and encouragement to me was a breathe of life that I needed at that time.

So without further delay, I give you....

Jo Saxton

Just looking at Jo's life I see the mark she has made on so many and the path that she is paving for women everyday! She reminds me that I am a leader and that I can be powerful, passionate, and bold. I feel blessed that I have had the opportunity to learn from her and have her call out who God has made me to be. She inspires me to go hard after my dreams and not hold anything back - something we all need as women.

AND I couldn't help but include her two lovely children - does it get any cuter than this?!

And next up....Rebecca Lindsay

Even just thinking about this lady makes me smile! I remember from the first day I met Rebecca she was challenging things in my life that made me go back and really think - so of course instantly I loved this lady! I was and still am today deeply encouraged by her ability to prophetically call out who I am as a woman - whether it was a simple one-liner or lengthly word from the Lord, Rebecca was pivotal in helping me grow in my ability to hear from the Lord. She inspired me to be exactly who I was made to be and enjoy every minute!

The Lindsay's :)

It saddens me that I can count on one hand the number of women who have deeply impacted my life, but my prayer is that the generations below me will not have that problem but will have lots of examples of women who have gone ahead of them and fully lived out their calling upon their life.

Shrove Tuesday w/ My Peeps

Every Tuesday I meet with my community which is PROBABLY the best community in the world - just throwing that out there. This past Tuesday was Shrove Tuesday, the day before Lent where you are suppose to eat pancakes or crepes as Americans would call them.

Here we are - life is good when you eat pancakes!

The Gang - Jon, Helen, & Ally (minus Anna, who was missed of course)

Just a bunch of silly goof balls we are! :)

Ally was so kind to bring some American pancake batter as well - she's always making me feel at home here!

Here I am practicing the pancake flip - let's just say it took a few tries! AND not quite sure why my hoodie zipper lights up for the camera!?!

I happened to be flipping through Jon & Helen's calendar and noticed my birthday was ALREADY on their calendar. DUDE, I have only been going to their community for 3 weeks. I am impressive.

PROBABLY the best community in the world....I think YES! :)

Raising up Mary's...

About a week ago I felt the Lord say that my focus needs to be on raising up a generation of Mary's. So for the past week I have been diving into the verses on Mary and Martha.

You know the story - Martha was a busy bee serving the Lord, questioning Jesus why her sister Mary wasn't helping her, only to have Jesus rebuke her saying that Mary has chosen what is better.

As I have been thinking about raising up women who are like Mary, I realized I first must be a Mary. I can't lead someone into something I am not doing myself. A lesson that's true for so many things.

Martha was distracted by the preparations and worried and upset about serving Jesus and yet at the end of the day Jesus just wants our undivided attention.

It's disheartening for me to think about how many times have I been distracted, worried, and/or upset about something that I think is all for Jesus, when really He's probably saying to me STOP put down the preparations and sit with me.

All simple truths AND yet as I look at my life as I am starting to get stuck into life here I realize how quickly I can pile on "duties" without really knowing if it's what Jesus want of me.

So BAM! - put on the fire, get a blanket, make a cup of joe, and get me some time at those sweet smelling feet of Jesus!

Prison Ministry

Last weekend I had the opportunity to travel to London with two of my friends, Pippa & Ronan! We went to attend a concert to support people in England who do prison ministry which is what Pippa & Ronan do!

All excited for the 3 hour car ride! :) It was sweet to hear these guys heart for the boys in the prison and the challenges they face as they enter into their lives.

Of course we made a stop along the way for Starbucks! :)

AND Ronan (a personal trainer) got some KFC - do as he says not as he does I guess!

Here's a taste of the concert! Let's just say we were the minority - a great experience to get me out of my element! :)

4 hours later when we were ready to leave we walked outside to this! We were hoping this was our car as we began to get all the snow off AND 5 hours later we arrived back in Sheffield at 5am!

I had a great time with these two and loved learning more about how God is working in the prisons - pretty sweet!

What makes you cry?!

This past year God has been showing me what it means to show honor to those who have gone before us.

Lately my heart has been breaking for the older generation. A generation in my mind that has been disregarded by the younger generations. So much emphasis is put on the next generation – as it should be BUT not at the expense of dismissing the wealth of wisdom that lies in the many people who have gone before us.

Each week I get the privilege of meeting with some older AKA wiser ladies. Our purpose in meeting – to sit in the presence of the Lord. I have learned SO much by LISTENING to these ladies and by WATCHING these ladies. My heart breaks to hear their stories and the heartache and hurt they have experienced (often times by the church.)

The other day I got the opportunity to share my heart with them - telling them that I honor them, I respect them, and I value them. With tears in my eyes and theirs as well, I told them we NEED them – our generation desperately needs spiritual mothers and fathers that have gone before us and can teach us what it means to walk with the Lord in the good and hard times, to teach us discipline, and to train us in the ways we should go.

My heart desires to see the generations mixing it up – real discipleship happening AND as sit and listened once again to hear these ladies hearts and have them pray for me as God begins this work, I walked away being reminded of what this "work" must look like. It’s so simple yet so foreign to so many. I heard the Lord say...

We must raise up Mary’s.

Generations of women who sit at Jesus’s feet.

This older generation whom I have grown to love have taught me what it means to desire nothing else but Jesus (I know I still have a long ways to go) BUT I know why they need to be leading the charge, it’s because they know what it is to live in the presence of the Lord.

What a challenge BUT as they say, COME ON LORD!

Co-worker, Josh Cutting

Next up is my co-worker, Josh Cutting.

Josh is our Young Adult Missional Communities Champion! It's been a huge blessing getting to team up with Josh and think strategically about how we can raise up young adult men and women who are on fire for Jesus.

Church worker by day - Rock star by night!

Josh is a natural leader and someone that people easily follow which is probably why his missional community won't stop growing! He's an apostle at heart but I think has great pastoral gifts as well, as he is able to love people and help them grow deeper in their walk with Christ.

Josh & his lovely wife Beth!

Josh & Beth are a huge asset to have on our young adult team - paving the way for rebuilding generation to step up and step out - leading by example as all the great leaders do!

You both are greatly appreciated!

Co-worker & friend, Ally Proudfoot

I want to take a few posts to introduce you to my lovely co-workers. Ladies first, I thought I would start with Ms. Ally Proudfoot - what a gem!

Ally is on the Young Adults team and heads up a Form - a year discipleship training course for young adults. Right now she leads a group of 14 students, along with training 3 huddle leaders. As I tell her almost daily - she is a big deal! AND she reassures me that I am correct! :)

I am get to share an office with Ally and get this lovely view everyday! I feel blessed to get to work alongside such a stud of woman - someone who is genuinely going hard after it and keeping her eyes on God - a continual encouragement for me.

BUT don't let her leadership gifts fool you, she's domestic at heart. More than once I have enjoyed some of her delicious freshly baked cookies! I have also received one of her creations on the sowing machine! This lady has skillz!

AND I haven't even mentioned that she can preach too! I am sure you will hear her at conference at some point!

She's a big deal indeed! Thankful God has given me the opportunity to get to know her and learn from her.