Slow and Steady Wins the Race

One thing about staying up to date with the blogging, facebooking, tweeting world is that when you show up to a conference so many people already know things that have happened in your life. One of those that I forget I write about, is shedding pounds and switching jeans sizes. It was so encouraging this past weekend at my regional staff conference to have people say they had read about it, but also voice that they see a difference. What girl doesn't like that!

I thought about how something I've become super passionate about in the past couple of months with health is the idea of lifestyle change. I get a little skeptical and am not the biggest supporter of workout regiments that are super intense, every day for three months just to loose weight. I get a little skeptical of "eat only these three things and lose all of this weight" promises. I mean some people need that kick in the booty to get them going, but do they lead to a lifestyle change overall? Maybe, but maybe not.

I thought about how this relates to our relationship with the Lord. What we need in our lives are not periods of really high highs, no time with him, leading to despair, and then continue the cycle, but a life style change that daily makes Him priority. Sometimes that takes time to cultivate and we get frustrated when we don't feel this deep connection, but like working out, it takes time and patience. You aren't going to always have weeks of feeling super connected to the Lord. You aren't going to always have weeks of shedding pounds and seeing a difference in your body. Over time, though, with perseverance and patience you will realize your relationship with the Lord has become so much more important and deep, a vital part of your life. It isn't just something that feels super high after conferences, but something that is stable and steady continually.

There are so many thoughts still developing on all of this in my head, and I hope it doesn't make it sound like a relationship with the Lord is based on what you do, but I just think how valuable it is when your relationship with the Lord is not a 3 month intensive workout leading to burn out and reverting back to how you were at the beginning, but a lifestyle change that starts where you really are and grows from there with patience and perseverance.

Winter Conference 2010...Beat OU in broomball!!!!!

It's that time of year again for students to sign up for our annual Winter Conference. This year the theme is Revolution.

"Poverty, sickness, corruption, abuse, idolatry, evil, pride, hypocrisy. Something is desperately wrong with our world. Something is wrong with us. We long for radical transformation in us and the world around us. Is change like this possible? What would it take?
A revolution."

Besides the awesome speakers, day of outreach and incredible workshops all designed to help students grow in the Lord and be a part of something bigger than themselves, Texas Tech and OU get excited about their annual broomball game rivalry. In fact we had some Tech football players help us with telling you why you should come to Winter Conference 2010:Revolution.

Warms my heart

So for the past week I've been doing ministry in the Los Angeles area for something called Cross 09. I was able to visit a dear friend, do cross cultural ministry and experience staff life in a different part of the country.

What was so fun, though, was coming home. I'll talk more about why L.A. was so fun later, but I really did miss home. I missed the slowness of Lubbock. I missed the simplicity of living here. I missed my students and friends. Yes, I even missed the cotton fields.

What made it so fun, then, was when I walked into the door of our leadership meeting was a resounding "KATIE!!!!" as four students came up, hugged me and told me how much they missed me. It was so sweet!!!! What an awesome way to come home!

Maybe I need a break

So I always wonder if I need a break from things if I have horrible dreams about them. For example, if I have a dream that includes me sobbing at a Cru weekly meeting, does that mean I might need a break from running those things? Is too much of me wrapped up in that weekly endeavor? Who knows what a dream actually means, but it's somewhat comical now, so I thought I'd share.

Important background info - So for those who don't know, every week at 7:30pm TechCru puts on a weekly meeting. It's a time of worship, a speaker, a funny emcee with stories to share and other important info to let everyone know what's happening with TechCru. As a student I was able to help with the A&M Cru meetings and now I'm in charge of them here at Tech. I have a GREAT team of students that works with me to make sure all of the details work...powerpoint, speaker, worship, fliers, set up, take down, content, etc...Most days it is a joy and such an encouraging time, but there are some weeks that stress me out as I often forget until Wednesday night about a part of it I am responsible for getting done.

So now the dream. It's Thursday night, and I'm running late to the meeting to get our computer set up for the powerpoint slides. As I walk in the door, I realize I forgot the computer all together. As I debate whether I could make it home in time to get the computer I then realize I forgot to put the powerpoint together, so it'd be pointless to try and go get it. I start to freak out thinking "No one will have the words for the songs! We can't show any videos!!! I'm a failure!!!!" I try to go find the band to see what they think we can do or if they can just explain something about how we will just go old school without words, but I can't find the band anywhere! There are people getting restless as for some reason there are also no chairs in the room. I finally have the emcee come up with something and say something to the crowd at the meeting as I frantically find the band. By this time, I'm so flustered, and I realize that people are starting to leave because they heard there were not going to be words to the songs because there would not be a powerpoint. I finally find the band, but at this point everyone had left, so I just break into sobs feeling like a failure all because I forgot the computer. The student worship leader just gives me a hug to try and console the staff girl who has lost her mind and can't stop crying. The End.

Crazy dream, but oh so real! I've always wondered what would happen if I forgot our laptop or if I forgot to put the slideshow together. According to my dream, I guess I'd just freak out and start crying.

In honor of my attire

So last year you might remember the blog "What not to wear apparently." Well if you don't, you must go read it as today is the first day in a year I'm wearing the skirt that was the main character in the post. It's been so fun retrying on clothes that didn't quite fit last year, that now fit comfortably if not a little loose. The skirt is one of those. As I retried it on, the memories of the chaos and confusion that happened around one little $7 skirt flooded my mind and made me laugh all day yesterday. So green, $7 GAP skirt that I'm rebelling against the cashier by wearing, this post is in honor of you!