Higher Ground Family

The "joys" of parenthood

2011-10-10T09:01:00.000-07:00

There are many joys of parenthood. Some of them unexpected and some of them not the "ha ha" joy we typically think about. There's the joy of watching your baby roll over for the 1st time or the joy of watching them smear icing all over their face from their 1st birthday cake. This week we celebrated with our niece as she pooped in the potty for the 1st time. Then there's the joy of watching them as they finally "get" something you've been trying to teach them for a long time or the joy of seeing them stand up for what they believe in front of their peers. We glow with thankfulness and pride (probably should be just thankfulness, but I have to call it what it is for me sometimes) for the children we see them becoming.

The joys I don't expect (and don't really want) are the ones that happen because of lessons learned during time in the trenches. I have several dear friends going through time in the trenches with their kids right now, and my girls have spent some time there recently as well. We want our kids to continue behaving the way we've told them they are supposed to behave. We want them to continue to want to climb onto our laps and tell us we are the most important person in their world. But part of the growing up process, as we all know, is figuring out who you are as a human being. Unfortunately for parents, this sometimes means they pull away from us for a time, they go beyond limits to see what happens, they cry themselves to sleep, or they live in what seems like a state of utter confusion about what is right and wrong. And we are sometimes left standing by watching it all happen.

I wish I could say I have all the answers to help your child survive these times. What I do have are the promises from God's Word.
Prov. 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go, and even when he's old he will not depart from it.
Romans 8:26 "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words."
Isaiah 40:29-31 "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Micah 6:8 "He has showed you... what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."
And we could go on and on and on...

God's grace is enough for your child and for you. His arms are big enough to hold both you and your children through the trenches. When you run out of parenting options, He's still there. He's still loving your child and offering His grace to them. Pray earnestly for them. It may not seem like enough, because you want to DO something to help them. But it truly is enough. We have to trust in Him. We have no other choice.

And so many parents "on the other side" of these trenches have seen that the joy that comes in the morning after the darkness is so much greater and deeper than any joy they experienced before. That's where we truly find the joy of parenting. I wish they could get there without the pain, but it WILL be worth it.

Constant motion

2011-09-12T09:29:00.000-07:00

Robbie has one of those gadgets (one of many) on his desk at work where if you get it going, it won't ever stop unless someone physically stops it. Have you ever felt like that? That's me lately. I feel like my head never stops swirling with the "to do" list and times of when someone has to be picked up or when I have to be here or when this has to be delivered here. It has gotten out of hand.

But never fear! God places things in our lives to force us to slow down. One of these for me was a new ladies mentoring group I'm a part of that meets once a month. We had our 1st meeting last week, and it forced me to slow down for a few hours and just enjoy the fellowship. How nourishing for my soul this was. Of course, as soon as I left, I was back at it. Fighting deadlines, returning phone calls, going through training classes.

Then the weekend came, and I got sick. Well, that will slow you down in a hurry. I've now spent the past 2 days resting. It is difficult not to feel lazy in these times, but I know it was God's way of slowing me down for a bit. It has been a precious time of seeking His Word and praying for people who He brings to mind. A lot of time to listen and be still. So good.

Now, why don't I do this when I feel okay? Not sure, but it needs to change. I need to commit time to being still. Hold me accountable for this, won't you? This is a struggle for me and has been for a long time. I think I grew up thinking if I wasn't "doing" for Christ, then I wasn't doing my job as a Christian. I didn't understand that it's more important to "be" in Christ and to learn from Him than to do. I need to take more time just being with Him.

Let me know how you make sure you have this much needed time on a regular basis. We can all learn from each other.

Higher Ground News Update

2011-04-27T13:02:00.001-07:00

We wanted to let everyone know that we are in the final stages of the creation of the family devotional. Many have been asking for this for a while. It has taken over a year, but the songs are being mixed and the devotionals are going through their first edit. Our goal is to have the Family Worship Night book and companion CD available right when everyone is going back to school. That would be a great time to commit to spending time together as a family, even with all of the craziness of school and activities.

Heartbreak

2011-04-08T09:55:00.000-07:00

Do not let your heart be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. John 14:1

Has your heart been troubled lately? Broken? I'm feeling a little that way today. Okay, a lot that way. It seems like something our family has been hoping for for a long while is not going to be possible, at least not at this time. It makes me naturally feel troubled and heartbroken. But that goes against what God says in John 14:1, so what do I do with that? I'm going to be real here. I would like to scream or cry right now and just wallow in that for a while. But this is one of the verses our family has learned recently, and we've asked God to help us apply these verses to our lives.

So, as much as I don't "feel" like it, I am going to ask God to take the brokenness out of my heart and fill me with joy and peace and trust. I know God has a plan for our family, and He knows what the future will bring. He also is walking with us through this time. I have to cling to that. Because of that, I can find His peace (that is above all of my understanding) and keep seeking Him.

Do not let your heart be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. John 14:1

God loves sinners

2011-01-18T06:55:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Happy mid-January! Ok, well it's rainy, cold, foggy, and the temps have risen all the way to 38 degrees today in lovely Indiana, so it's a little harder to be happy. I heard recently that the saddest day of the year is January 15th. That's when the bills starting coming in from Christmas, no more holiday get togethers, it's cold and nasty outside, and everyone has the winter blues. So I've been a little more focused on praying for joy this month, because I'm always one to fight the "going" trends especially negative ones. I guess I want to prove them all wrong or something like that. And I have so much to be thankful for, how can I not have joy?

I was watching one of those shows where they give away a house to a family, and the sister of the recipient said it had been a long time since she'd seen her sister really smile like that. She said, "She's happy all the time and always smiling, but this is a cheeks cracking, face splitting in two kind of happy." I want that kind of joy all the time, and I know we don't always live on those highs. But I can still be overflowing with that kind of joy. After all, God loved ME, a sinner!

Over Christmas, Robbie created a mini-home theater in our loft area, and we have enjoyed watching all of our favorite Christmas movies up there. Do you remember the part in Polar Express when Santa comes out and all the elves go crazy? The noise is deafening. It's just like a roar of millions. (Side bar: Robbie loves that part with his new sub-woofer, because it makes you feel the roar in your heart.) I was thinking about that noise and where else would that be heard. You know that when a sinner turns their life over to Christ, all of Heaven rejoices. Imagine Michael and Gabriel hi-fiving each other, and all the cherubs singing out. There could be millions there. We don't know. But I bet the sound is a little like that deafening roar. After all, they all are there to worship God, and God is rejoicing when a sinner repents because He loves that sinner so much. So there's a huge party going on!

It makes me think about the day I came to Christ. I wish I could have heard Heaven that day. I wonder how long the party lasted and how loud they all cheered and sang for my sinful heart that had been made new. Maybe that's something I'll ask if God will share with me when I get to Heaven.

Thanksgiving

2010-11-26T11:20:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving! I'm so embarrassed that it's been 3 months since I posted on here. I'm almost thinking what's the point, since everyone has just written me off by now. I really thought things would slow down a bit after the traveling this summer, but it's just been a different kind of busy. Movie premieres, caring for a failing grandma, a few trips, just "stuff" that we all deal with on a regular basis. So I apologize for not getting back on here. Maybe God knew I didn't really have anything important to say :)

I recently wrote a devotional for my friends at Sisters in Scripture on Facebook and wanted to share it with all of you here, too. It's taken from Philippians 3:13-14, which are our ministry's key verses. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

When was the last time you had one of those "mountaintop" experiences? You know the ones I'm talking about, right? Going on a missions trip, being involved with a major outreach event, or attending a retreat or conference where you felt free to experience Jesus and His love and really spend time with Him without any distractions from the outside world. You felt changed, more spiritual somehow, and couldn't keep from smiling from ear to ear.

As a teen, I attended church retreats often and usually came back feeling like it was me and Christ against the world and nothing would beat us. Then I'd get back into everyday life and slowly the things that bugged me before would start getting on my nerves again and the relationships that hurt me would start attacking again, and I would get to the point where I forgot how I felt back at that amazing retreat. I'd feel so guilty, because everyone would say "don't lose that feeling" and "keep up what you learned at that retreat." I didn't know why I couldn't stay on that mountain and felt I had done something wrong.

As a slightly more mature Christian, I've realized that each experience in our lives shouldn't be seen as a mountaintop, but just as another step in our journey. Each of these steps helps us grow and molds us to be more like Christ (if we allow it). But we need to let go of that expectation that it has to be some huge step and light coming down from heaven kind of experience. That is based on feelings, and feelings fluctuate so frequently, especially in women.

Being a part of a recent "Get REAL, InC. missions trip to the Bahamas reminded me about this problem we sometimes have. I know many of us were very moved and changed by the trip, but I want to be sure we don't try to make it about that week. That was a step toward the prize for which God has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus. We need to take what we learn from the experiences God allows in our lives and use them to help us take another step toward our Savior.

As the year starts to come to an end, we are tempted to look for the "highlights"-the mountaintop experiences. I challenge you to instead look for those quiet, subtle moments in your year where you look back now and can see that God was working on your heart even then. Count each step toward Him as a significant blessing in your life.

School's here...again

2010-08-26T10:44:00.000-07:00

Wow, where did the summer go? Everyone always says that, don't they? I catch myself saying the same thing, then I answer myself (yes, I do that alot once everyone goes back to school) with "you had the same # of days you've always had. You need to take a minute and enjoy each one." And I'm right :) But now, whether I rushed through my summer days or not, it's over, and where does that leave me? Well, swamped with work that's piled up for one thing. And alone, for another thing.

A friend of mine said to me the other day that she doesn't do alone very well. I, on the other hand, love my alone time. I love getting lost in my thoughts and whatever I'm doing and not have to answer questions or talk to anyone for a while. What I'm not good at, however, is being still. So even when I'm alone, I feel like I need to be "doing" all the time. I'm not sure why I have so much trouble being still, but it definitely carries over into my time with the Lord. I can be easily distracted by my work, my jobs at home, and my volunteer time at the girls' school and excuse the fact that I didn't kneel before the throne of the Almighty today because what I was doing was important stuff too that needed to get done.

Yes, I know. It sounded really pathetic when I said it out loud, too. But that's way too often the way I live. Psalm 16:11 says, "You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." How do I know the path of life and joy and eternal pleasures if I'm not seeking Him? He can't make known something to me if I'm not even listening. He can't give me joy if I'm not spending time in His presence.

I'm not sure why it is such a tough thing for women to stop multi-tasking and just be still before Him. But I know one thing. I'm going to sign off, so I can spend time with Him right now. Do you need to do the same?

Giving up YOUR Desires

2010-08-05T05:18:00.001-07:00

We went school shopping yesterday--always a fun day for me to take out the girls and let them pick out their paper, notebooks, folders, etc. I'm not sure why that's such a blast for kids, but it really is. Then we go to lunch somewhere fun and spend the afternoon getting their tennis shoes for the year and a couple of outfits. We had such a blast, and the girls actually remembered to say thank you after we left EVERY store. It was really unbelievable!

Our last stop of the day was the Bible bookstore to spend gift cards they had received. They were so excited to see what they could get for their money. As soon as we walked in the door, Jadyn saw a book she knew I wanted and immediately offered to use her money to buy it for me. She argued with me for a minute or two, then was convinced she should use it for something she wanted. They went through the store choosing several items, and for once, Courtney was ready well before Jadyn. Courtney wasn't aware of the conversation with Jadyn, but she saw the same book she knew I wanted. Without my knowledge, she put back a CD she had been wanting for over a year and purchased the book for my birthday. Unfortunately, I didn't know and when I asked to see the CD in the car I was rewarded with tears and "I didn't want you to know. I wanted it to be a surprise!" I felt terrible, but also so grateful for such unselfish little girls.

I'm not telling you this to brag on my kids. Really. Today, she reminded me what totally selfless giving is all about and got me thinking about how often I act that way in my life. Of course, I would give up anything for those I love, but what about those I don't know? What about those who don't like me or treat me well? The Bible says to love our enemies and bless those who persecute us. Do I act like that?

And let's take it a step further. Am I willing to give up my own desires for my Heavenly Father? If I really want to do something, would I give that up if I know God would have me do something else? Even in small matters, like how we spend our extra money. Do I use it all for His glory and good? I hope so. It's easy to say I would give up my own desires for Him, but when we're in that specific situation where it's something we really, really want and it seems soooo "right", do we give it up for Him?

Wrecked Still...

2010-06-10T11:05:00.000-07:00

Well, we're back from our missions trip to Guatemala and trying to get back into the swing of "regular" life. The trip was way too short for us to emotionally grapple with everything we needed to while there. So now, we all keep revisiting different issues and emotions and processing and praying through things together. The word we keep coming back to is "wrecked." People have asked us to share about the trip, but to be honest we don't really know how to put the experience into words. Let me start with the praises...

Our travels were safe and without complication. One couple on the team missed their flight and had to arrive by way of LA, but finally made it the next morning. No one was injured or sick while there. We all received the food and nutrition we needed and had warm beds to sleep in at night. God was able to use the resources and talents we brought with us to accomplish several things including a mini-makeover in the baby house, new paint in one of the teen boys' houses, new meds in the clinic, new shoes on some feet, craft and story time with the toddlers, doing nails and hair with toddlers and older girls, and helping feed and care for the babies. We experienced a beautiful church service with freedom in their worship like I've never seen before and sat in on youth group and a school music class.

Even with all God allowed us to accomplish, we felt very inadequate when compared to the vast needs at the orphanage and the country as a whole. We saw some of the destruction from the recent natural disasters and the extreme poverty the country deals with every day. In one view, we could see the poverty in the valley, and the great wealth in the mountains above. The staff at the orphanage are doing an amazing job with the resources they have, but they need so much more. The delays in the development of the children are very evident, and there are nutrition deficits. But the saddest thing for me was looking into their eyes and seeing a detachment there that is indescribable. If you can engage them, their whole face lights up. But many times there is just a stare with...uncertainty or fear, I'm not sure which. It's as if strangers come and go so much that they don't want to attach themselves emotionally to anyone.

God allowed us to get "close" to a few of the children, including a 2 yr old little girl who we'll call Y. We would love to bring her home one day, if at all possible. As well as a 3 yr old little boy we'll call J. We also were able to form relationships with a couple of the house parents and plan to continue to keep in touch and support and pray for them. They asked us to pray for loneliness and acceptance among the other staff, more male house parents to give the children a father-figure, health concerns, and of course the children.

We still are shedding tears off and on as our hearts ache for the little ones we left. We're grateful for all He's given us here in the States, but we would love to be able to share it with them.

The pictures tell the story probably as well as, if not better than, we do. If you would like to take a look at the pictures, we'll have them up on our Facebook page in the next day or two (http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Higher-Ground/62792533430?ref=ts). Thank you so much for your prayers.

Wrecked

2010-06-05T07:16:00.000-07:00

Day 3 of the trip: The word for the trip is "wrecked". It's heartbreaking to see these children in need of fathers and a real home with a forever mommy. Courtney (and thus I) broke down last night as her heart broke for these little ones. I feel constantly in a state of near-tears, but also at the same time want to give these children fun, love and laughter while I can. We've talked about as sad as it is for us to see what these children are lacking, they have FAR more than many, many others in Guatemala. When we arrived at the airport, a little boy no older than 6 (if that), asked to carry our luggage so he could make a little money for his family. He just wanders around the airport asking to help all day.

God has answered so many of our requests while we're here. He's given us weather that's not too hot, taken care of Robbie's arms, allowed us to really serve, and opened our eyes a little more to the needs of others. Our major goals were to be selfless servants and to build a relationship with at least 1 person that went below the surface. I've been able to encourage the English-speaking staff members, but it's been hard with the Spanish-speaking staff.

The most frustrating part for me of the whole trip has been the inability to communicate well with so many of them-staff and children. Many know a little English, but still I can't understand what they're saying to me or each other. It's been really difficult. Of course, the kids don't care, but it kills me. So I'm praying that God will release me from this barrier I'm feeling and allow me to feel effective despite this barrier.

Thank you for your prayers and support. Only 2 more full days left. It's going very quickly.

Blogging

2010-06-01T18:18:00.000-07:00

We're going to try to blog while we're away, but we may not have a chance until we get back. We appreciate your prayers for safety, good health, and that we will stay strong the whole time we're there. Also pray for servants' hearts in each of us.

Heading out

2010-06-01T18:04:00.000-07:00

It's been a bit of a roller coaster this past week. We've been preparing our hearts and lives to serve the precious orphans at the Casa Bernabe orphanage in Guatemala since last fall. All the funding came in, the passports arrived in plenty of time, and we were all set to start the packing when the country was hit by not 1 but 2 natural disasters in a matter of a couple of days! The Pacaya volcano (about 20 miles from Casa Bernabe) erupted and spit lava causing the area to be covered in ash. Then just a couple of days later, there was tropical storm Agatha, which was responsible for well over a hundred deaths in Guatemala. The storm also caused the black ash to harden into a concrete-like substance.

At first we were pretty sure we weren't going to be able to make it, then we were, then not so sure. Now, it looks like the airport will reopen, and it will be safe for us to travel into Guatemala on Thursday.

So I'm thinking about these disasters and the people who have lost their homes and/or their families. It reminded me of Job and how God allowed Satan to take everything away from Job. God knew Job would continue to remain faithful to God. Job lost his land, his living, his children, and his health. If I was in Guatemala with my family, and they were taken from me in an instant, I think I'd be devastated. If He also took my way of living, my home, and my health, would I want to go on living? Would I remain faithful to God? I hope I would, but I don't know. Thankfully, I've never had to suffer that kind of loss, so I really don't know. I hope I would remember that Job stayed faithful, and God rewarded him with more blessings for the rest of his life than he ever had before. But I don't know. What about you?

Give Thanks in all circumstances

2010-04-30T04:59:00.000-07:00

Be joyful always, pray continually. Give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. I Thess. 5:16-18

So this was our family verse to memorize a couple of weeks ago, and this morning I realized how often God kept showing this verse to me since then. Different people keep posting it on FB, it is stuck in my head all of the time, and finally today (I'm a little slow) I realized there may just be a reason for that. You see, we sold our house on Monday, and I haven't been super excited about it. I know I can be joyful without being "Woohoo" happy, and I AM very grateful that He brought a buyer for our home. I've thanked Him in between bouts of pouting. But I'm also pretty sad to leave this house and the neighborhood I've grown to love. We have no new home to go to yet, and in the back of my head I keep thinking that it can't be as good as what it is now. I've prayed about it a lot and keep giving it back to Him. I know that's wrong, because we've done this 3 times and it keeps getting better and better. But those are my honest thoughts.

So this morning I realized this verse was getting placed before me over and over to remind me of the part I'm missing. The Always, the Continually, the ALL. That's God's will for me. Not in between my own selfish thoughts and pouting. Not alongside the thoughts of never having it "this good". But I am to be joyful, praying, and giving thanks Always, Continually, in ALL circumstances. I need to cover my life, my talk, my walk, everything with joy, prayer, and thanksgiving to God for all He has done and for who He is. God is good All the time! And I need to live like that!

Are you Ready?

2010-04-15T06:33:00.001-07:00

We have the blessing of singing with a dear friend on Sunday. His name is Brandon, and he is an amazing vocalist with a heart for the Lord. His only fault-he is a Southern Gospel follower. Just joking about it being a fault, but he knows every Southern Gospel song ever written, really. We're going to sing a couple with him on Sunday, and one we've been working on is called "Are You Ready?" It talks about being ready when Christ returns.

For unbelievers, it means deciding today to stop living for yourself and start following Christ. Commit your life and all that you are to living for Him.

If you already have committed your life to Christ, are you ready? has a different meaning. I was walking to pick up my girls from school a couple of days ago, and the sky had this odd crease down the middle from a plane or cloud. It looked like it was about to split in half. I thought what if it did? What if in the next moment I would be lifted up through the sky to meet my Maker and Savior. Was I ready? What if today He said, "Welcome home, how was your day? How did you bring me glory today? Did you live in My grace today or try to survive on your own works?" I had to go through my day and figure out the answers to these questions, and some moments of my day weren't so pretty.

Here's the verse I'm singing in the song: The Bible speaks of two men who were standing in a field. Where one is taken, and one is left behind. Two women in the kitchen. One goes and one remains. So get your house in order while there's time. In the cross there is salvation. Through the blood there is a way to secure your destination on that resurrection day.

It's not about me. It's about Him. His blood, His power, His grace offered to me to live in victory every day. What if it was today? Are you ready?

Update on Robbie

2010-04-12T06:58:00.001-07:00

We haven't posted an update on Robbie lately, because progress at this point is pretty slow. He went to PT last week and was told he was doing great as far as mobility and motion, but needs to "stop trying to be Superman" and put the brakes on a bit. Because he is moving quite a bit, there is popping and clicking and sticking going on that shouldn't be. He was really hoping to be able to do some yardwork by now, so please pray for patience for him, that he doesn't get discouraged by having to slow down, and that he doesn't do anything that will impede his healing. He still does not have full range of motion and is continuing to gently work toward that goal.

You don't realize how much everyone works together in a family until someone can't do their part. I'd ask that you pray that the girls and I can get done what needs to be done around the inside and outside of the house, especially with all the showings on the house we've been having and the busy schedule we are jumping into for the summer. We have a summer packed with events, and I am needing to focus my attention on getting the props and sets ready for the video in July and preparing for all the various concerts and camps this summer. I am feeling quite overwhelmed and often have to stop and just pray for help to relax and not stress about the timing of everything.

We knew it was going to be a long road ahead, and we're not in crisis mode anymore. For that we are very thankful. But there's still a lot of healing time ahead. Thank you for your prayers!

On the Surface

2010-03-17T06:33:00.001-07:00

Some of you may know we are trying to sell our house right now. I was cleaning our house like a madwoman on Friday for a showing we were having, and I realized how good I was at making things look clean on the surface. I have the ability to "stage" a house so that it looks like it is immaculate. I hide away the bills, school papers, pictures, and dog bowl. Other things sometimes get thrown in the dryer. I wipe up the wall marks and dust really quickly with those new wipes. It lasts at least until after the showing. And I know to put away half of my kitchen counter so it looks like a hotel. Please don't think I'm bragging, because those thoughts quickly led me to the realization that often I do that same thing with the other areas in my life. For so long I wanted to look like I had it all together and wasn't struggling with self control, perfectionism, pride...

I read a book called "The 12 Steps for a Recovering Pharisee...Like Me", and it changed my mindset. I am a recovering pharisee, too. I have worried about how what I say makes me look. I have worried about what I wear and what others will think of me because of my look. I have thought too much about impressing others. I have to work hard at stripping back the layers of pride and perfectionistic thinking that have been built up and really let people see the real, vulnerable Denise. I almost said "weak", but I am not weak. I have weaknesses, but I am strong. My strength comes from the Lord, and it is only when I allow myself to be real and vulnerable that He can make me strong!

I would suggest the book if you haven't read it. More importantly, I would highly suggest trying out the "being real" thing. Don't wear makeup for a day. Don't worry about making sure you look or sound just right to others. Just let people see you for who you are. Zits and all. As hard as it is to start, the freedom it allows is pretty amazing.

Staycationing

2010-03-13T12:11:00.000-08:00

We love to hear fun ideas from families about them spending time together without spending a fortune. We know there are many who love to hang out together but are on a tight budget. Last year we were trying to figure out what to do on Spring Break and wanted it to be amazing but had little money to work with at the time.

I saw someone talking about staycations on the news and googled it. From there the ideas started flowing, and we ended up having what my girls say is "the greatest vacation ever." We wanted to share some of the ideas with you and hope that it spurs new ideas in you that you will share on our blog (www.highergroundfamily.blogspot.com) or on here. We're working on some for 2010 right now, because Spring Break is only 3 weeks away! We thought we'd be filming our children's DVD, but since that's not happening until July we are going to surprise the girls with a few special days. I'll share those days later, but here's a glimpse of 2009's Staycation.

Last year's journey around the world (the key to each day is the costumes and characters you create complete with fictional names):

Day one (or the nicest day): Camping at Yellowstone National Park
Restaurant called the "Canteen"
Cereal in a box for breakfast and fruit
Free exploring time in the am; lay and read; Google Yellowstone and identify the various animals living on our campgrounds
Hotdogs and chips for picnic lunch
Fishing-afternoon activity and bike ride to search for "footprints"
Go Fishing
Freshly caught fish for dinner (have back up fish if needed)-serve on tins and in thermoses
Build a fire, roast marshmallows/smores, sing campfire songs & tell stories
Sleep in sleeping bags in the family room-everyone!-or borrow a large tent
Buy glowsticks and play hide-and-seek or tag with them

Day two: Hawaii
Restaurant called the Copa Cabana
Buy leis and have a few decorations (shell centerpieces)
Breakfast is coconuts, bananas, and Hawaiian sweet bread french toast
Morning activity-make a lei or fly a kite
Lunch-ham sandwiches and pineapple
Afternoon activity-free time then make your grass skirt with paper strips…, watch a movie set in Hawaii
Dinner is build your own grilled skewers and grilled corn on the cob
Have a luau party with dancing, grass skirts and umbrella drinks and invite a few friends to join you

Day three: Wild West party
Restaurant called the Chuck Wagon
Buy red bandanas, gingham checked cloths and burlap sacks for decorations; make a horse with 2 sawhorses and a long broom covered with a big blanket and a horse head taped to the front
Breakfast-eggs and bacon
Morning activity-Go to the “Sheriff’s office” and make wanted posters-dress up with vests, cowboy hats or bonnet, frilly dress, etc; take picture & put picture on brown paper bag paper, print out “Wanted! And Big Reward” with a statement at the bottom “If you have any knowledge of the whereabouts of this despicable criminal, please call the Local Sheriff.”
Lunch is sloppy joes and fries
Afternoon activity-barrel racing outside with trash cans; lasso stuff; horseshoes
Dinner-b’bque ribs, chicken, mac n cheese, salad, and horseshoe biscuits, root beer or other bottled drinks-sassafras
Play card games

Day four: Kids plan
They loved getting involved and making the plans
Ours ended up being the Indianapolis Children's Museum (where grandma is a member and got us all in free)
Make your own pizzas for dinner

Day five: Spa Day
Relax at home
Take baths while reading books
Do nails, hair, makeup (probably won't work with the boys :)
Stay in robes all day
Order dinner in and ice cream for dessert
Finish with a movie

I hope this gets you started on your own creative staycation experience!

Update on Robbie

2010-03-09T05:04:00.000-08:00

The prescription pain meds are now completely out of Robbie's body. Yeah God! While he's in quite a bit of pain with just Advil and Tylenol, he's very happy not to be sick and hot anymore. No major side effects from going off the meds, which is great. He is realizing how much he doesn't remember about the past 4 weeks, which is kind of sad. He's having trouble sleeping, and we're not sure if it's the pain or the Tylenol PM that's having the opposite effect on him.

His therapy has been bumped up a notch too. He's now hanging a bag with a 2lb container of peanut butter on his left arm to try to pull it straight. It's a pretty painful process, but for whatever reason his left arm isn't progressing quite like the right. So they're trying to help it along a bit.

He goes back to work 1/2 days a week from tomorrow. Pray that he feels comfortable driving by then and opening doors. Also pray that he can sleep, because his body really needs it to keep healing. And finally, pray for more opportunities to share Christ and bring glory to His name through this. We feel the prayers from everyone and know that God is going to use this small trial. We may not know how, but as our verse from our 2nd DVD promises, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).

Update on Robbie

2010-03-04T09:42:00.000-08:00

Robbie had his 1st follow up with the doctor today. The doctor called him a "rockstar" and said he is making great progress. He also saw the PTist, and she is encouraged by his progress as well. As a matter of fact, she is presenting his case at a conference where she is teaching doctors. I guess having 2 arms broken gave her 2 case studies in one patient :)

Robbie has another week and a 1/2 off work after this week, then he'll be able to go back 1/2 days. He also decided to stop taking the pain meds yesterday and has started just Advil and Tylenol. Please pray he does okay with the pain. He was on one of the highest-powered meds out there.

He's worn out and now sleeping soundly. But he's not been nauseous since he went off the pain meds, so he feels 100% better.

Thank you all for your prayers and concern for Robbie. We treasure all of you!

Update on Robbie

2010-03-03T04:33:00.000-08:00

Thanks for checking in here to find out what's going on with Robbie. He is slowly but steadily improving in motion. He is extremely tired from the physical therapy and has been sick the last couple of days again. Not sure why this time. Maybe from starting to wean off the pain meds, or maybe from the pain itself. Don't know, but that makes it more difficult to get the needed exercises in each day.

It's a long road, you know? Kind of like life. This is a marathon, not a sprint. And there will be days when things are really rough, and we feel attacked from every direction. Or days when we feel like God could never love us after what we've done. Then there are days when we are soaring and truly living in His grace covering for us. But why don't we live like that every day. We can. The goal is to live in that covering all the time, because that's the way God sees us. His perfect, holy children covered by His grace, because of Jesus' love and sacrifice for us on the cross. We just need to keep going, keep pressing on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus (Phil 3:14). Run the marathon.

Update on Robbie

2010-02-24T09:07:00.000-08:00

Another physical therapy visit this morning. He threw up on the way there and has been in bed since we got back. Still making progress, although his left arm is not straightening quite as much as they'd like to see. They'll reevaluate on Friday. He gets really sick when he's riding in a car, so that just compounds the issues. God has been so good to us. The PTist he sees is the director of the program, and she is amazing. She is just the kind of personality Robbie needed. Also, we've been able to share about Higher Ground and all of the people around the country praying for Robbie. A couple other therapists have overheard our conversations and were asking questions about the ministry as well.

Keep praying specifically for Robbie not to be sick, for the full range of motion to come back, and for God to change us and use us through this.

Elbows

2010-02-23T05:12:00.000-08:00

I promise I have a really good excuse for not being on here in such a long time. Elbows! Robbie broke both of his about 3 weeks ago, and it is amazing how many things you need your elbows to help you do. And no one really thinks about elbows. We have received so much love and support through this little trial in our lives, and many cards expressing concern and prayers. One in particular has really touched me, and I wanted to share it here. I pray it's an encouragement to you as well.

"I can't think of a single Scripture passage about God using His mighty elbows, although He surely has some, or His mighty arm would have been directionally challenged. His Word, Jesus, has elbows, or He'd have difficulty with the delicacy needed to divide between flesh and spirit, bone and marrow as He performs surgery on our hearts. God provided elbows, surely to Adam and Eve in the garden, and returned them to the great host He put back together in the Valley of Dry Bones.

Robbie, I may not remember your face, but I doubt that I will ever forget your elbows, and I look forward to what God has to teach us all about how essential is that rather obscure part of the Body of Christ. Surely there are many of us who are hard at work every day behind the scenes, helping the arms to be effective, and the hands to do all the creative and amazing things they do with the full power of the arms behind them.

I am sorry for your suffering, rejoice in those victorious moments when you rise above them. Thank you for your honest and transparency as you-and your whole family-pass through this fiery trial. Know that my thoughts and prayers are with you all..."

So many times in life, I want to be the face of Christ or the arms of Christ doing the "big" jobs. But this was a great reminder to me that we need elbows. If you have been serving and feel unappreciated, unnoticed, or like your job is not important, know that you are needed and that God appreciates your effort and it does not go unnoticed by Him!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year, right?

2009-12-03T15:36:00.001-08:00

Are you going crazy already with all of the lists of who's getting what, what you still need to find, who you need to figure out what to get, what you still need to wrap, and when you are getting together with which family and friends? It gets so overwhelming trying to keep track of it all, and inevitably you forget that you planned the party with Aunt Fran on the same night as the one with Cousin Joe from the other side of the family. And the present you bought for your sister you accidentally give to your daughter's teacher, and you can't give the other one to your sister. Doesn't seem like the most wonderful time of the year, does it?

I decided a few years ago that I needed to be done with all of that by Dec. 1st, so that I can actually enjoy the month of December. I start in September making the list, figuring out what everyone needs/wants, and setting a budget and plan for the next 3 months. Three months later, it is Dec. 3rd, and all of the presents are wrapped and under the tree, the house is decorated, the Dec. schedule is set (with flexibility for changes of course), and the cards are sent. A little anal retentive, I know.

But to be honest, it is my way of committing the month of December to the Lord. Not that every month isn't His, but I really want December to be about Jesus' birthday. Family is important, fun times are great, but putting Him 1st is more important than any of it. I know myself well enough to know that I can not put Him 1st if I'm focused on people, buying for them, pleasing them, cooking for them...instead. There's nothing wrong with pleasing people, but if it comes at the expense of my Savior and Best Friend then it is wrong and not pleasing to God.

Let's commit to making this CHRISTmas be about CHRIST, shall we? Then it really will be the most wonderful time of the year.

pushing through

2009-11-03T06:47:00.000-08:00

Welcome, November! It's a crisp (a positive word for cold-I'm working on that), sunny, beautiful day here in Indy. Change is definitely in the air. The leaves are gorgeous, but many are starting to fall. Winter will quickly be upon us. Change. I don't do very well with it, but it is necessary both in the seasons outside and in the seasons of life.

I've been plugging away for several months now with what I 'do' and studying my Bible and taking needs to God, but I am needing a change. Has your Bible reading ever gotten a little too routine or stale? Maybe you do it just to check it off the list, because you think you're supposed to or God won't bless you? The change I'm talking about is stepping out of your comfort zone (for me that's Psalms, Paul's books, and the gospels) and leaping into a style of the Bible that may not really be your cup of tea. The legal and the prophetic portions are not parts of the Bible I'm particularly attracted too, if I'm being honest. But a couple of times a year, I force myself to take on one of the books that is primarily one of these styles of writing and push through it. It's not always been easy, but I have never been disappointed. It's during these times that I remember more often to ask God to show me something about Him as I read and that I rely on Him more to help me understand the words and apply them to my life.

Now I started this all by saying I don't like change. I like to stay in my safe little area, but growth happens when we step out and ask God to do something for us instead of relying on ourselves in our own safe little world. So here we go. If you'd like to join me, I'm traveling back to visit Ezekiel for the next couple of months. I pray God shows YOU something new today from His Word, too.

Christmas is in the Air

2009-10-06T15:29:00.000-07:00

I know, I know. It's only October. How can Christmas be in the air already? Well, have you walked into any stores lately? I haven't heard the music playing there yet, but the aisles are quickly filling with red and green. Our house is already filled with Christmas music that we're learning for our upcoming Christmas concerts, so my mind is thinking about Jesus' birthday and what that means to me personally and to those I love and to the entire world.

I've been thinking a lot about those who are away from their families for Christmas this year...soldiers, wayward family members, those who've lost a loved one. The loneliness they must feel not to have their loved ones near them. As sad as that makes me, the good news is Jesus is always near. Deut. 31 says He will never leave us or forsake us. But you have to be willing to open your heart to Him.

When we are with our family for Christmas, we feel warm and loved, even cherished. We know we can be ourselves, and we'll be accepted just as we are. When we open our heart to Jesus and allow Him to come and reside within us, we are loved, cared for, and accepted just as we are. But He goes a big step further than anyone on earth can go for us. He promises that no matter what is going on in our life, what we have done, or where we are He will be with us. And we can carry that love and acceptance with us wherever we go, because of His amazing grace.

If you are facing being alone this holiday season, remember you don't have to be. He wants you to come home to Him this Christmas, and He'll welcome you with open arms. He wants to be your everything.

Denise's Dailys

2009-09-01T15:46:00.000-07:00

I can't even believe it's September already. The leaves are starting to fall here, and it's really beautiful. But I gotta be honest with you. I hate the cold. I know God gives the cold and the warm weather, and I know there's a purpose for it all. But I still hate it. So if I'm griping on here come January or February, you'll know why.

It has truly been a remarkable summer, and I will miss the beauty of summertime. But it is nice to get into a routine again. When you're on the road for a long length of time, it's easy to get really worn out and feel displaced. That's what I was feeling a couple of months ago-displaced. We had a week or so break between traveling, and we were able to attend our home church, which we love more than words can express. I was feeling so displaced that I geared myself up for this grand homecoming where I would hug everyone and tell them all how I missed them and they would do the same, and I would get all filled up to go back on the road again.

Well, let me tell you how that worked out. It didn't. I came to worship with my church family with the thought, "What can I get out of this time today?" Instead of "How can I give back to God today in my worship?" Big difference. I left feeling still displaced, because my expectations didn't match up to the experience. It never could, because I was placing my focus on myself. Our worship is for one purpose and one purpose only-bringing glory to God. That's it. In everything we do.

So end of the story. We were able to go to our church this past Sunday, which was our first time back after that experience. This time I went in with the mindset of "How can I worship the Lord today? Who looks like they need encouragement? Who can I serve today? How can I bring glory to my God today?" Big difference. This time I was bouncing off the walls when we left, and my joy was complete. I had several opportunities to encourage folks, help out, listen, and oh, the worship was grand. If I keep my focus off myself and on Him, I will be filled up and He will be glorified.

How can YOU bring glory to God today?

Denise's Dailys

2009-08-18T16:28:00.000-07:00

Holy time travels, Batman! This summer has completely flown by. I can't believe it's August 18th-my birthday by the way :) My last post was in June. The main reason for the delay was we've been on the road most of July and August. God has given us safety, good health overall, and many opportunities for ministry over the summer. I'd like to share just one story from the many stories from the summer so far and lessons learned from this story.

Just last week we were at a family camp and had taught the kiddos some during the week as well as leading the adult worship times and doing a concert. In our concert, we did a skit called "Pray About it" that goes through several family circumstances and how no matter what the situation, big or small, we should take our needs to the Lord together as a family. Later that night, Jadyn fell and hurt herself (while running around like a crazy girl I'm sure), and a little boy trying to comfort her looked around at the other kids and yelled, "We need to pray about it like they said in their skit!" Wow! It really got through. I wonder how many adults "got" the lesson and actually will apply it like that. We have to pray about everything, and we need to take it to God before we talk to others. My initial instinct in the past whenever something would happen was to call Robbie or my mom, but I became very convicted that God wanted to be FIRST! That means we go to Him FIRST whether it's good news, bad news, a little situation, or a huge boulder of a problem. Try it for a week. Go to Him first about everything. A pattern will slowly develop. It also helps me keep my mouth shut a little better and think before I speak.

Thanks for checking this every once in a while. BTW, please share on here. I'd love to hear from you as would others who read this. I've met several folks lately with great stories to share about how God is working through the trials He's placed in their lives whether it's an autoimmune disease or their house burning to the ground. Please share here how God is working in YOU. We can all learn from each other. If you think you're the only one who's going through or has gone through something, you're wrong. We can help each other.

Denise's Dailys

2009-06-25T16:20:00.000-07:00

Yikes! Almost a month since my last post. I would say I've been working so hard since we last chatted that I haven't had a chance to get on here, but to be honest I have been enjoying my family for a couple of weeks and slacking a bit. I'm not apologizing for that. Just telling you all like it is. As a matter of fact, I started to be apologetic about it, then realized that's what we as women do. Apologize for taking any time to relax and hang out with family, friends, whoever. If we're not doing and going 24/7, we feel like we're failing. Well, I have a tendency to feel that way anyway. But I know my Heavenly Father is all about allowing me the opportunity to rest and refresh myself under His care. And I've enjoyed my time feeding myself on His Word and stocking up on some good family time.

I'm so glad for the past couple of weeks with my kiddos (and hubby some of the time) before we are on the road a bunch. We've had a few pool days, some bike rides, a couple of movies, a mommy and daddy night out, and a few 4H projects. There's been work here and there to prepare for the upcoming events, but God really blessed us with 10 days of nothing scheduled to just be together.

In light of some recent events in our community and in the country, time together seems more and more precious to me. There have been several deaths in our community in the past week, and it reminded me again how brief our time on earth is. Father, may I never take for granted the sacred gift of family you have given me. Help me to cherish each family member and shower them with grace and love, as You do every day with me.

With all that's going on in Iran and several recent celebrity deaths in the news today, I am also reminded that there are many lost souls who need to know their Savior. Oh God, may I be used to show others Your great love for them. Allow me to be a part of Your plan to reach lost souls for Your Kingdom, and help me not to miss any opportunity You lay across my path.

Well, this post has been all over, but that's the way things go sometimes. Know that wherever you are today, God is okay with that, and He wants to use YOU right there. You don't have to become "different" before He's ready for you. He wants you just as you are!

Denise's Dailys

2009-05-26T18:12:00.000-07:00

What a tremendous weekend we had. Everything that was borrowed has now been returned, and what we purchased has now been put away for another event down the road.

But the memories made will last a lifetime. There was a moment on Saturday when we were all in the motor home getting ready to pray with our pastor, and Robbie turned and looked at all of the people enjoying their time with their family. He broke down, and my heart was right there with him. For us, there is nothing greater than seeing a family together having fun, making memories together, and serving together as many families did on Saturday. Our challenge to the families was to commit to spending time together and being a part of each other's lives. Our other challenge was asking each individual to see God bigger than they did before and to ask Him to show Himself BIG to them. This is a prayer request that is absolutely within His will, because His Word tells us that if we ask anything in His name, He will answer. And we know He wants to be first in our lives (making Himself bigger than anything else). So, we know He will answer this prayer. We also know He'll answer this prayer, because we asked Him at the beginning of the year and He has answered with a BIG YES!

So even if you weren't there on Saturday, the challenge is the same for you. Ask God to show Himself BIG in your life today, but be ready. He'll blow your mind!

Denise's Dailys

2009-04-29T16:17:00.000-07:00

What a few weeks we've had at Higher Ground central (aka our home office and garage :). We've had several CDs going out and are already receiving encouraging words about how God is using these songs in people's lives. We're so thankful for the privilege to share these songs and know each CD is in God's hands, and He carries it to each recipient and allows them to hear what they need to hear. Wow.

We're also going crazy (good crazy though) getting ready for the Family Fun Fest where we invite our community to join us in celebrating this really amazing God we love and serve. This God who gave us our families and wants to be at the enter of our homes. He has answered every one of our prayers for this event and is blessing abundantly. We're still waiting on all of the volunteers to step forward, but we know He's not going to leave us now.

With all of that's going on, I've been seeking time to be still with God. To be candid, often it's in the bathroom where I can actually be alone...sometimes. But there are times when I need to be with my friends, you know? My favorite song to sing on the new project is "What a Friend We Have in Jesus." This song does something for me as a woman that I don't think men necessarily get. I think we ladies need friendships. Sometimes I get to the point where I tell Robbie I am starving for time with friends. He doesn't really get it, but he supports that need in me. I need to have that time just hanging out and feeling supported by my friends. So when I think about this song, I'm thinking of filling that craving with Him. "May we ever Lord be bringing ALL to You in earnest prayer." That's what I need in my alone time to fill me up. To bring it all to Him and dump it earnestly on my best friend's lap. He will bear the whole load for me. All of it. No one else will agree to that. Even my very dearest friend on earth doesn't want me to dump all of it on him. He can't handle that load. But my best friend Jesus can.

My very favorite part of the song is the last verse. It says "Soon in glory bright unclouded, there will be no need for prayer. Rapture, praise and endless worship will be our sweet portion there." Never again will I need to be filled up or to dump my burdens on anyone else. I will remain eternally full with Him.

Easter with kids

2009-04-09T06:14:00.001-07:00

I can't believe Easter is in just 3 days. We've been spending time this year preparing our hearts for Easter morning and focusing on the cross. Sometimes Easter is tough for parents with kids. You want to do the basket and the egg hunt and have fun, but it's easy for kids to get too caught up in those things because let's face it, they're selfish beings. It's our job as parents to work hard at keeping Jesus as the main thing at this holiday especially. This is the greatest day of all for Christians. Easter shows us not only the greatest sacrifice, but it is also the greatest demonstration of power over the evil one. The resurrection is mind-boggling to me, so I can only imagine what it does to my kids' brains as they try to wrap their minds around that great day.

So I showed my girls a 5 minute trailer from Passion of the Christ this morning as a part of our devotion time. Not sure if it was time yet, but they handled it well. They asked several questions, and it got our discussion going. I pray it sticks with them today as they go through their day and that they talk to other kids about what they saw and heard as we read the crucifixion story from Mark. I'm certainly not saying I've got it all right, but I know it takes time to develop a relationship with Christ. And I know it's my job to foster that in them. Allow them opportunities to see Him in a new light, give them the time they need for prayer and private devotion time, and live it out in my own life.

I want Easter to be the holiday my kids look forward to the most, because they know their Savior died and rose again for their sins and that He's coming back for them someday. Now that's something to celebrate!

Denise's Dailys

2009-03-23T06:28:00.000-07:00

I realize this should say "Denise's every other weeks", but that doesn't sound very good and I'm committed to this not becoming another thing I 'have' to do. I love sharing my thoughts with you and don't want it to be a burden on me or on you to have to come back every day. We have too many of those already in today's world. How many jobs do you have besides the one that may (or may not) bring in a paycheck? I think I could probably list at least 5 or 6, and that doesn't count all the mommy jobs. Why do we continue to do this? Afraid of failure? Afraid of not living up to a standard set by our culture? Or set by ourselves? We hear Satan telling us that we are not a good mom if we don't have the house clean all the time and fresh-baked cookies on the table when they come home from school. We're not a good wife if we don't look perfect when our husband comes home. We're not a good employee if we don't do everything to perfection at work and receive the highest honors and praise.

Let's get rid of Satan's lies here and now. Here's the simple truth. We can not be everything to everyone at all times. We are not God. Ahhh, the truth does set us free. Then get back to what God desires from us-to bring Him glory and to worship Him in our daily lives. That's it. Don't complicate it by putting tasks with that. It's less about doing and more about being. Kind of like me at my favorite kind of Spring Break-sitting on the beach with a great book or just watching people pass. Just being. As we approach Spring Break, think less about what you need to do in your life and more about who you are in Him. Focus on just being with Him and getting to know Him more. That would be a truly successful day.

Denise's Dailys

2009-03-12T08:54:00.000-07:00

Hi ya'll! It's been a while since I've been on. Sorry. Does time ever seem to just disappear for you? Listen to my great idea. I'm not into this Daylight Savings Time thing. I'm from Indiana, so we've only been doing it a couple of years. I think it would be a lot better if we just added an hour to the day instead of moving it. Wouldn't that be awesome? And we could keep that all year long. But I know there's only One who has control of the days and nights, and we all have the same 24 hours. So I am responsible for making the most of those hours. That's why Robbie and I pray every morning together that God would help us see what it is He wants us to get accomplished today. My list is meaningless if any of the things aren't on His list for me. Sometimes my "best" days or biggest "accomplishments" for glory are when I get nothing done that I had planned. It's all for His glory and praise and for His purpose. Have a great day in the Lord today!!

Denise's Dailys

2009-02-27T10:02:00.000-08:00

I've come to find this sort of like my personal journal, except instead of being able to close the book and hide the thoughts from everyone I have you to hold me accountable for them.

I've been studying James and several themes are emerging. 1. Truly living what I believe in the Bible, because if I don't live it I don't really believe it and 2. Mercy not judgment. I always get a little scared when I start studying something new, because I know my generous God is going to give me many opportunities to practice. And boy, he sure has. I can't tell you the number of times I have been presented with the decision to show mercy or judge in the past week. The choice is mine. Do I really believe what I'm saying I believe in the Bible, or is it just talk? If I believe it, I will live it. I'm not going to lie and say I have made the right choice every time, but the Holy Spirit is definitely working on me right where I am, in every situation in my life. Some are very simple situations and some are as complex at it gets, but the decision is the same-mercy or judgment, believe and live it out or don't.

Take a breath and be thankful

2009-02-12T06:36:00.000-08:00

Did you ever have one of those days where you are made aware once again of the blessing it is just to be alive? Last night, a dear friend had a tree fall on her car and was trapped inside the car. Miraculously, she survived with no serious injury to her body. In another part of Indianapolis, another friend had a generator running through the night and her baby boy woke up screaming with a very high fever. They called 9-1-1, and now the entire family has been admitted to the hospital for carbon monoxide poisoning. The baby's cries saved all of their lives.

Both of these incidences could have easily produced far more devastating results, but for reasons we don't understand, God spared them. I'm thankful this morning for His provision and care over them, but I'm also reminded how short our time on earth is and that we don't know when we will take our last breath. It has reinvigorated me not only to be right with God and seeking His will for my life, but also to share with others while I can.

If there's someone you're supposed to talk to about Christ and what He's done for you, don't wait until tomorrow. If the Holy Spirit has been tugging at your heart and telling you to say something, don't put it off another day. As we tell our kids, obey immediately and with an attitude of joy. Maybe the tugging at your heart has been to surrender your life to Christ. Don't wait. You really just don't know about tomorrow.

Denise's Dailys

2009-02-05T05:08:00.000-08:00

Energy suckers-sometimes that's what my kids are. They can suck all of the energy out of me, so I have none left for my husband. Don't get me wrong. I love doing things for them, loving on them, taking care of them, but sometimes as mothers AND wives it comes at the expense of our husbands. Sometimes I just have no energy left at the end of the day and just collapse into bed. God made me to be a nurturing caretaker, but not just for my children. He made me to care for my husband and his needs as well. One mom said, "It's ironic. Romance gave us our children, and our children took away the romance."

I need to make sure he's my priority, because let's face it, he's going to be around long after the kids are gone. Song of Solomon talks about saving up all the choice fruits for our beloved. Not the leftovers? Oh.

God, help me today to make Robbie a priority, so he knows how much I love him.

Denise's Dailys

2009-01-27T09:37:00.000-08:00

What a great weekend we had! We were able to spend the weekend with a precious body of believers who desire to have God use them to reach out to others. It was amazing to see people listening to the Holy Spirit and many making renewed commitments to reach out to their neighbors, friends, and family. Robbie and I went home praying that these decisions weren't made out of "peer pressure" or out of emotion, but that these folks will truly allow the Holy Spirit to guide them to open doors with folks around them.

There were a couple of truths that came home to me anew this weekend as well. The speaker at one point said that we won't just be accountable for what we say and do in front of others, but what we do, say, and think when we are alone is what matters most to God. Ouch.

The other thing was that I could be doing more. Sure, I'm in front of people every weekend telling them about Jesus, and I try to reach out to my neighbors with various activities. But what if today was the last day I had. What would I be saying to the grocery store clerk and the dry cleaning lady and the mail carrier? Now, I'm not saying we should cram the Bible down all of their throats, but are we looking for open doors to serve and love people? Are we ready when God sends someone our way who is as our pastor would say "ripe for the picking"?

I want to be ready. That is my heart's desire, and so I ask for the Lord to prepare my heart.

Chronic Illness

2009-01-12T05:56:00.000-08:00

I promised to be vulnerable on here, and I ask you would be too. I'm going to hold up my end of the bargain. I've been going through a struggle the past week or two. You know that back and forth in your head thing we all go through where one side says, "But it's a good idea" and the other side says, "But I'm scared" and so on. Well, here's my dilemna. Let me know if you can relate.

My feet, hands, and legs have been hurting really badly over the past month. I think mostly due to weather (and probably stress if I'm being totally transparent here). At the same time I'm re-reading an email I received a few months ago from some dear friends in New York who have found a specialist in irisology (I can explain this later if you want) who would like to see me when he's in town for a conference in February. I have his number, and I'm supposed to call him. Doesn't sound like much of a dilemna, does it?

You see, I haven't been to a doctor in over 2 years, because I got to the point where I was completely spent and done with having to tell the story over and over again only to have them say "huh, that's weird." You think I'm kidding, but if I had a $1 for every time a doctor has said that to me in the last 5 years, I'd be able to pay for my kids' college by now.

So the thought of opening up that door again makes me want to run the other way. Yes, I do want to get better, and I know there is a slim chance that could happen with this doctor. But the roller coaster of emotions you go through when they think they've figured it out and they put you through another round of tests, then on yet another medicine that either does nothing or gives you awful side effects...well, it's really hard to gear yourself up for that after 5 years.

Sometimes it's just not worth it. On the other hand, if God has brought this doctor across my path to allow healing in my life, I certainly don't want to miss out. So I guess the moral of the story is, sometimes you have to step out and be uncomfortable and vulnerable and trust that God will not give you more than you can handle, because He may just have another miracle waiting in the wings. I'd appreciate your prayers for courage as I call him...maybe...today.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-05T12:29:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone! Wow, what an interesting past month. We had the opportunity to meet a bunch of new folks at the Christmas events we had. There are a lot of hurting folks right now. It's easy to assume everyone's okay and happy at the holidays, because that's how they look on the outside. But that's so often not the case. Some are just barely making it. Don't assume the pain is over just because the holidays are. Seek out people who are hurting and show them Christ's love. Take the time. Believe me, I'm preaching to myself as much as anyone. I talked with person after person who shared stories of burdens they are carrying around every day. People are hurting. And if as a follower of Christ, we do nothing, we are quenching the Holy Spirit big time. Instead, ask the Holy Spirit to lead you to someone who is hurting today and pray that you will be guided as to what to say or do to be an encouragement to them today and to point them to the One who CAN help.

Denise's Dailys

2008-12-02T06:45:00.000-08:00

It's already December. I can't believe it. Sorry it's been a week since I've been on here. I'm feeling a little frustrated, because this is not turning out how I thought it would. I really didn't want it just to be a place where I ramble on about life and no one is out there. Maybe it's the format or the way it's set up. I'm going to pray about it and think about how to make it more interactive. Please share on here, guys. You have important things to say that God wants you to share to help someone else. We need each other.

On to more exciting things. We have our first weekend of Christmas concerts starting on Friday. 3 of the 4 of us have colds, so we're praying them away this week. Please pray God would work in a big way this weekend and next and that we'll have the endurance we need to get through 5 concerts in 10 days plus school, activities, work, etc.

Oh, and Happy Belated Thanksgiving. We all have a lot to be thankful for, don't we? I'm really unhappy with how I hear people on TV using the term "grateful" instead of "thankful." I've heard it a lot this year, and I can't stand how society is purposefully changing terminology to exclude God. We can be grateful about something, but if you're thankful, you have to thank Someone. People continue to push Him out of the picture, but let me just say--He's not going anywhere!

Chronic illness

2008-11-24T14:53:00.000-08:00

When I was first started experiencing symptoms of my chronic illness, I had a lot of prayer and support from others. Many offered me encouragement through cards and phone calls or emails. One of the most precious things I received was a copy of a song written by a dear friend. He had written it during a very difficult period in his life and wanted to share it with me to encourage me. I hope it is an encouragement to you today.

Grace for Just Today

Wouldn't it be wonderful if up ahead I'd see
All the hills and valleys, curves and stops that wait for me.
But my loving Father knows that would be a mistake,
So gives me Grace sufficient for the NEXT step I must take.

We were made to live and bear the burdens of one day
Yesterdays' mistakes and hurts will all soon pass away
Tomorrow with it's wonder and it's mystery all unknown
Is more than we can bear today and known to God alone

It seems that when we're filled with worry over what's ahead
Or pining over yesterday, concerned with failures dread
That we are drained of Grace and strengthen that's given for today
God's Grace was not intended to be "used up" in that way.

And so today I'll live my life with all that life will bring
And face each test and joy and learn to smile and sing
Because I know that Grace is there for what may come my way
And all my needs will be supplied with Grace just for today!

Chorus: Grace for just today
For the things that will come my way
Yesterday is gone, tomorrow I can't see
But for today there's Grace enough for me

Matt. 6:34...II Cor. 12:7-10

Written by Don Krueger

Denise's Dailys

2008-11-22T15:25:00.001-08:00

So it's Saturday and we have to leave bright and early tomorrow morning for a Thanksgiving celebration in northern Indiana. I'm especially excited for tomorrow, because it's our last "normal" concert of the year. Then we'll be starting Christmas concerts. I'd sing the Christmas stuff all year, but we may get some funny looks in mid-July. Pray with us that we can facilitate a spirit of worship and thanksgiving to our Father for the amazing ways He's blessed. We want it to be a real celebration of His goodness.

Chronic illness-today

2008-11-15T09:22:00.000-08:00

Chronic illness can be a roller coaster ride if you let it. There are days when the pain is great, even if it was for a great cause. Today is one of those days. The girls and I went to a museum yesterday and walked 1/2 the day, then we walked around a conference for an hour looking for Robbie. Later we were able to go to a Pacer's game and sit in a box seat, but I had to stand for most of the evening. We then had to walk back to a hotel room a ways away in the cold rain. One of these things alone would put me in a bad state physically, but all of them combined put me close to tears by 10pm. At these times, you can choose to wallow in self-pity and go the "woe is me" route (which I was definitely on the verge of doing), or you can pray for strength and comfort and focus on the fun that caused the pain. We did have a great time and made some wonderful memories together.

Chronic illness can consume you if you let it. Let's pray together that God won't let it consume us. In His power, we can conquer those feelings.

Denise's Dailys

2008-11-15T09:17:00.000-08:00

It's Saturday, and we've just spent a wonderful evening and morning together as family. Sometimes you're given opportunities to do things together that won't cost you any money. Okay, I know it's not a frequent thing, but occasionally it does happen. I urge you to jump on those chances. These are the memories that will stay with you and with your kids for a lifetime. For us, the best memories are the free ones-the walks around the neighborhood, bike rides to the library, family game night, and couch-bed movie night to name a few. I treasure each one of these times.

Enjoy your family. Don't think of it as a chore to entertain your kids. Just have fun, and if you're having fun, I guarantee you they will be too.

Denise's Dailys

2008-11-07T06:05:00.000-08:00

It's Friday! Yeah. The girls have a 1/2 day today, so we'll have some extra time together this afternoon. We're going to watch the musical "The Carousel." We all love watching old musicals.

We have music coming out our ears. We're working on Christmas music for our Christmas concert series starting in just 3 weeks. Yikes! We've got quite a ways to go. At the same time we're cramming in new music that we've written and are trying to learn so we can record the new songs. And trying to figure out what we need to do to finish the non-profit process. Lots going on, so we're hoping we can find some time to relax a little this weekend.

Please pray that we can figure out how to fit it all in and do what God wants us to get done. Do you ever find that you just keep doing, then sit back and think, "Huh, I wonder what I would have done today if I'd had God plan my day instead of just running around like a chicken with my head cut off" ? May God plan our steps today. May we only do what the Holy Spirit guides us to do, and please Lord, help us not get overwhelmed with the doing. But let us rest in You today.

Denise's Daily

2008-11-03T05:54:00.000-08:00

It's Monday. Often this is a down day. It's hard to get motivated on a Monday. But after the Lord's day I had, I can't help but be motivated to get this week going. As a friend of ours said, it's all about the Power Source. If our power to live each day comes from the Holy Spirit living within us, we CAN conquer Satan. We Can!

I ask the Holy Spirit to fill me today completely, so that I am controlled by His power. I can not do it on my own. I can't. I am at the end of myself. And that's exactly where He needs me to be to do His work through me.

Denise's Dailys

2008-11-01T05:43:00.000-07:00

It's Saturday. Yeah! We get to spend some time with some very good friends tonight. Unfortunately no concerts this weekend, but we get to go to our home church, have some much needed fellowship and be fed by the Holy Spirit as we dig into Ephesians. We're working through it in church, but the cool thing is that we also went through part of Ephesians at the conference we attended this past week. God brought different things to life from His Word in each situation.

We talked about Paul's ministry quite a bit at the conference and how exactly he structured his ministry. In church, we've been studying the passage more for growth as a church and as individuals who are part of a community. Isn't it amazing that His Word is living and so rich that we can read the same passage one day and learn a completely different truth the next day when we read it. I'd love to hear what passages you are studying and the truths God is teaching you. We can all learn from them.

Denise's Dailys

2008-10-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

So, I've encouraged Robbie to write on here, but he's a very busy guy. He hopes to get on later tonight. I really don't want this to be just a place I go to write out my thoughts. I have one of those places already. It's called my journal. :) We need you to get involved here, and share your thoughts, concerns, encouraging verses you've been reading in Scripture...whatever you want to share. Just keep it family friendly, of course.

For today, I feel like God's on the verge of doing something really huge around us right now. I don't mean just in the world-although He's definitely preparing the world for something ginormous right now with all that's going on, but I'm talking about in our little world. God is preparing our hearts and opening up our thoughts to think about Him in a bigger way than we ever have before. He's used our pastor, books we've read, and situations He's placed us in, and is gently urging us to dream Big, ask Big, and expect Big things! I think it may be called growing our faith, but it seems different this time. In the past, the faith-growing has mostly been out of hardships. Amazingly, our all-powerful God can also grow faith just by expanding our minds.

Oh Papa, expand our minds today. And may the gap between my little world and the huge world around me grow more narrow as I see Your hand in all of it, and as you place us in situations where we have opportunities to reach the world for You!

Random Thoughts

2008-10-30T08:51:00.001-07:00

One of the things we learned this weekend at our ministry orientation has to be shared with everyone. We were talking about "ministry" and how often we've said we have a ministry called Higher Ground. Well, we were wrong. That is one aspect of our ministry. Actually, every follower of Christ has a ministry-it's called life. Every breath we breathe is our ministry as believers. So if you are one God has sent to work in a business office or teach or work at the grocery store or wherever--you are a minister of the Gospel. Every hour. Every day. All the time. So live that way. And never feel you are not as worthy or as set apart as a pastor or missionary. God has set you a part for a special purpose that only you can fulfill-your calling.

And by the way, your calling isn't as much about what you do as it is about Whose you are! Great stuff.

Chronic Illness

2008-10-20T06:09:00.000-07:00

For nearly 5 years, I have been trying to connect people with similar needs. I would meet someone in New York with the same physical symptoms as someone in Michigan and say, "I wish you could talk to them, because you may be able to help each other." So one of the purposes of this blog is to allow people to share their needs and reach out to each other for advice, prayer, and support.

When dealing with chronic illness, it's easy to feel alone and like no one understands. We know we have a God who created our body, and He knows our body better than we could ever hope to. He is also gracious enough to give us other believers to walk with us through the struggles and pain and to help us understand our own bodies better.

Let's share together here. Feel free to let people know what's going on with you and how we can pray for you. If you have specific questions for folks, ask them. Let's love on each other!

Denise

Welcome

2008-10-18T18:38:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Higher Ground's blog. We've been wanting to start this for a long time. We are praying God uses this to bring together His children to share burdens, offer encouragement and support, make connections, and just love on each other the way we're supposed to be doing.

We've all got a lot going on with the economy, the war, and just trying to live out our faith in this corrupt, ungodly world. We are sinners just like you are, and we are thankful every day for His grace and forgiveness. Not only that, we're thankful for His presence in our lives helping us making it through, growing us, and stretching us. And even beyond that, He gives us a precious body of believers, our brothers and sisters in Christ, to help us along in the path. What a caring Papa. We are supposed to connect with each other. That's what the "church" of the Bible is for.

Please join us here frequently to share your hurts and triumphs, your prayer needs and questions, and what God is doing in your life. Maybe we all can help each other grow just a bit more.