Prayer Request Continued again...

Currently Listening Passion: Everything Glorious By Passion Worship Band see related

Prayer Request Continued...

Hi Friends,

Ok, so here's an update on my job situation.  I don't really know much, but I can share what I do know.  Ok, so there was this big church business meeting on Sept. 10 and it was awful!  The congregation was completely divided and people were bitter and had bad attitudes.  So, after like 2 1/2 hours of people getting up and talking and making motions, and tabling things, and amendments (all so confusing to me), the congregation took a vote to approve or not approve the new budget of $2.2 million.  Now, I could go into major detail of how the $2.2 million came about and blah blah blah... but it would bore you... but, it pretty much came from a member and not even the actual Council (leaders of the church).  So, we do NOT want the $2.2 because that means an extra $293,000 cut from what we had already cut $200,000 from.  See, last year's budget was about $2,693,000.  Departments were asked to make cuts, and we cut it down to $2,493,000.  Then this guy said it should go down to $2.2.  That's like $500,000 in cuts from the original budget.  That is a TON!  Anyway, so at this meeting, they voted... and "we" lost by 2 votes.  So, the $2.2 got approved.  Well, because this is a congreational ran church (which does NOT make sense to me, but I do not attend here), members could now start a petition to increase the budget.  So, that's what some members did, and they only had to have 5% of the member's signatures, well they got way over that!  So, then Council has to meet again to try and increase the budget... so, we had another big church business meeting last Sunday and vote once again!  This time though, people's attitudes were different and people were really trying to resolve this issue without arguing and bitterness, so that was encouraging.  Well, Council submitted a new budget of $2,346,000.  This is pretty much halfway between the other two.  So, it got voted on and passed.  So, now there is $100,000 in personnel cuts rather than $230,000, which is good, but there are still going to be some sacrifices and NO ONE knows what these are yet.  But, the new budget has to go into effect by October 1st, so we will know more then.  This has been an extremely stressful time for me, and I do not deal with stress very well... I don't want to lose my job... I love it!  Hello, I got to meet Go Fish, Sara Groves, Andy Chrisman, Michael W. Smith, Bebo, Aaron Shust... well ok... that's not the only reason I love it... I just love doing what I'm doing.   

So, please continue to pray... thank you so much for your prayers, they are very much appreciated.  More than you will ever know.  Also, pray for my living situation... not that it's bad... but I had been looking at apartments with Tracy Theissen, we're going to be ROOMMATES (so excited), before this whole budget thing happened and we had found one and we loved it but we had to let it go because I didn't know if I would have a job and I didn't want to get into a lease and then lose my job.  So, just pray that we will find an awesome place to live, we are both anxious to be out on our own and have our own place. 

Have a great weekend!  Mine is going to be awesome!  This weekend is the missions fair at my church and I'm on the missions committee.  We have Chris DeWelt coming to preach in both our services, which is going to be great, I'm super excited.  And I'm going to have information and applications for the missions trip to Italy that I'm leading available for the first time for people to sign up... pray that lots of people are interested and want to go, I'm so nervous!  And I'm singing on praise team, and teaching Sunday School, and helping my aunt cater the missionary dinner thing tomorrow night and I have a cookout at my worship minister's house tonight... busy busy! It's gonna be a great weekend!

Prayer Request

Hi Friends ~

I know I haven't updated in awhile and I need to do that, but right now I have a pretty important prayer request.  As most of you know, I LOVE my job!  I'm working at a church here in Rockford as an administrative assistant in the worship ministries dept.  The church that I work at (not my home church) is having to do some MAJOR budget cuts (like $293,000).  No one exactly knows what this means yet, but people's jobs could be in jeopardy, including mine.  This makes me extremely nervous!  I just bought a new car, I'm making decisions about apartments... and I honestly do not know where I would go from here if I happen to lose my job.  So, I'm asking that you, as my friends, to please pray for me and First Free.  It has been a very stressful week with everyone here on staff (there are about 45 staff members here).  Just pray for wisdom for the church leadership and congregation, pray for me to trust in God.  I know He will take care of me, He always does.  I just love my job and want to keep it...

Thanks Friends!

Currently Listening How To Save A Life By The Fray see related

The concert last night at Summerwood was amazing!  We had Michael W. Smith, Bebo Norman, and Aaron Shust here... Aaron is the guy that sings "My Savior, My God" which has been really popular this summer pretty much everywhere.  We had a packed out house... it was awesome, probably around 4,000 people!  Ok, so I was mostly excited about Aaron Shust cause he's been like my new favorite all summer... well, his plane was late getting into Chicago... it didn't get there till like 5 and he was supposed to go on at 6, so we were like all getting nervous because if he wasn't there at 6, then he probably wouldn't get to go on.  So, I'm like freaking out cause that would have been a MAJOR bummer... But, before Aaron this guy Cody Clausen went on (he won this Christian American Idol thing), so we kinda stalled with him and he sang an extra song... So, at 6:08, Aaron's car shows up and I'm standing back there by the stage... and they literally get out of the car with their guitars and run right past me up the stairs and onto the stage... it was kinda funny.    They were awesome and while they were on stage, Aaron's wife came and stood by me, so I got to meet her... and then when Aaron and his band were done, I got to meet them and chatted with them for alittle bit, which was fun... so, I'm standing there talking to Aaron and my aunt walks up and I'm like, "Hey, take a picture with my phone." So, Aaron puts his arm around me and we're looking all cute and he's being funny and making fun of my aunt trying to figure out my phone... so I show my aunt what button to push and everything... and we take the picture and it turns out my aunt pushed the wrong button to actually take the picture... so, I have NO picture!  And now I'm bummed!  Once in a lifetime opportunity!    Oh well... I'll get over it.  But, if I would have done that with her and Michael, she would be so upset with me!  (even though I didn't take one of her and Michael, but if I did...).  So, now Bebo is performing and he's really good... and towards the end of Bebo, Michael's vehicle pulls up... and Michael's manager is a little over protective, so it's this huge deal about Micheal getting off this vehicle and to the stage without the audience seeing him... ridiculous... remember we are in an outdoor venue... anyway, so Michael gets out and walks right past me (and up until this point, I didnt really think anything about Michael except that he's been around forever and he's kinda high maintenance)... so he walks right past me and looks right at me, says Hi and shakes my hand... HOLY COW THOSE EYES!  He's hot!  I'm telling ya... he's the hottest old guy I've ever seen!  ha ha!  I never really thought he was cute until I actually saw him close up... I've been making fun of my aunt all summer talking about how hot he is and blah blah blah... but Ladies... he's good looking!  Ok, enough about that... So, the concert was awesome, one of the best I've been to... it was such a great night of worship... and there's just something about being outside, under the sky, worshipping... I don't know.  It was great! 

3 days till Joplin!!!  I can't wait!

New favorite band is "The Fray" - they sing the song "Over My Head."

9 Days till I go to JOPLIN!!! 

I'm going to be in Joplin from Aug. 10-15 if anyone wants to hang out, CALL ME!  I am so excited to see everyone, I haven't been down since December and I am in need of some quality friend time.  I can't wait!  I'll be staying with my amazing friends, the Puentes family.  Can you tell I'm excited? 

I know my colors on my xanga aren't cute right now... but, I can't find colors that I like together and I don't have time right now to try and fix it.