Hello From Georgia

I failed to mention at the end of last week that I was going out of town and I have not had internet access until now, so I thought I would give a brief update.

Gene and I left for Georgia on Sunday morning for an entire week without the girls. We needed the time away together and I needed a break from being mom 24/7. I have not been away from my children overnight since before I got pregnant with Gracen and she is now 15 months old. I was due a break. I have truly missed my girls and cried when I had to hug them good-bye, but I more than "survived" the week without them.

Gene has been working with a close friend Tim Williams and Williams Evangelistic Ministries for some time and he was asked to come along side Tim and a guy named from Allen Scroggs to do the first ever Red Line Students Events Youth Camp. Gene wrote all the curriculum for the week, designed the graphics, and preached every morning to a group of about 200 teenagers. He also did whatever Tim needed him to do.

We got the pleasure of staying in a beautiful 3-story cabin close to Helen, GA, complete with beautiful views and a hot tub. We stayed with Tim and Joy Williams, great friends of ours from our church, and new friends Tony and Cheryl Samples. Tony is a minister in Georgia at Pickett's Mill. They have all been so much fun. We have laughed and truly enjoyed each other's company.

The camp has been work...for Gene...not me...but we have had a good bit of free time together as well. Gene had to be over at the camp, which was about 15 minutes away, at 8:30 for breakfast. I stayed in the bed, ate breakfast in my bed, and met him for praise and worship at 10:00. We ate lunch at 12:30 and then had free time/couple time from 1:00 until 6:00. We all had dinner together at 6:00 and then headed over to the next praise and worship service at 7:30. Our nights have been late. We haven't gone to bed before midnight, but it has been so worth it. It has been wonderful to hang out with such wonderful Christian friends, to start and end each day with such powerful praise and worship, and to have so much undivided time with Gene. I love that man! (Sorry that was kind of random, just felt I needed to say that.)

The most powerful thing I have taken from all the preaching is that I want more passion in my walk with God. I need to have a passion for souls and a passion for sharing my faith. I get so wrapped up in the busyness of my own life and the lives of my kids that I forget to share my faith with lost people. I minister to people in church all the time because that is where we are, but God places people in my path all the time that I should share with and I miss so many opportunities. Sharing the gospel is more than sharing with those who come to church, but going to people who would never enter the church doors.

God forgive me for not being more of a light, for hiding the wonderful gift of grace and mercy that you have given me as I walk through Wal-Mart or as my kids play in the yard and a new neighbor walks over.

I need to remember that God has a purpose for my life and He has placed me where I am for a reason.

Oh, how He loves me! I want to Love Him with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. I want to be fully surrendered to Him...whatever that means.

Well, it is almost midnight on Wednesday evening, but I wanted to update my friends and family with what is going on in my life this week. I came back to the cabin, while Gene is still at the camp helping two contemporary bands load up...Seventh Time Down and December Radio. It sounds like work but he is loving that! He called and said he would be at least another hour so that is my cue to go to bed.

Until next time...