Let's Have a House Party

Is it Sunday yet?! Seriously! I don’t know if I have ever been as excited for a day of the week to arrive. This Sunday, I will be hosting my first ever Sunday in the Shed: a time for bringing friends together through fellowship.

The idea of hosting this gathering of friends first came about a couple months back. So, to see it become a reality is truly amazing. 

On a TAD more faith there is a section devoted completely to Sunday in the Shed. It is a vision that I felt needed its own focus. To read the history of Sunday in the Shed and how it all came about, just click here.

As a member of Cross Point Church, I have grown accustomed to participating in the many message series that we do throughout the year. I get excited for a new series to begin. Of course, there are series that mean more to me than others. But what I love about my church is that each series, each message is available to watch over-and-over again online. Some of you are probably thinking that I’m a complete weirdo for being excited about this. However, it wasn’t until a couple of years ago that I went to a church that had this option. While I may be new to jumping on the Jesus technology train, I am here now, and I love every minute of it! 

Sunday in the Shed is a way for me to share my favorite messages with friends and family. My hope is that these messages will spark conversations that might not normally take place.

We did a series a while back called House Party. Yes, of course, Sam Hunt’s song opened the series each week. And it was quite the party as beach balls were tossed around while the song blasted through the speakers. There were even kegs of ROOT beer in the lobby. While all the special effects and musical accompaniment were memorable, one line from Pastor Pete really stood out: “Most people like a good party. This house party is a party that Jesus calls us as a church to throw.” 

So that is what I am doing. Throwing the ultimate House Party—in my backyard—for Jesus. Who knows what it could bring? Maybe it will be full of laughter. Maybe it will spark a conversation. Maybe it will encourage someone to go to church.  Or, better yet, maybe it will encourage someone to invite another person to church. The possibilities are endless.

I hope you will join me in this adventure of throwing house parties for Jesus. I can’t wait to see what He does. 

-Taylor Ann 

The power of words

I love wedding season. How can you not? You get to dress up, see friends, dance all night, have a glass (or two) of champagne, etc. This past weekend, Adam and I went to our first of four weddings for the month of APRIL.  Yes, you read that correctly. Four weddings in one month. I will love every second of it. Adam, on the other hand, will probably freeze the credit cards thinking that I am going to buy a new dress for each one (the answer to that question is, YES)! 

I found this little number at Nordstrom, and I couldn’t wait to wear it. It was super comfortable, and it fit perfectly. I’ve linked this dress here.

While I enjoy the picturesque settings and excellent musical entertainment typical of most weddings, my favorite part is always the exchange of vows. Cliché, I know, but I love it. The couple from the wedding we went to this past weekend wrote their own vows, and they were beautiful. I was thankful they wanted to share that part of their heart with family and friends. Even though I love to write, writing my own vows would have been a near impossible task.  It’s not because I don’t have enough to say about my love for Adam.  It just feels like words couldn’t do it justice. (Insert cheesy grin).  I imagine Tyler and Emily felt the same way.  So, props to them for making it happen. And causing me to tear up along the way!

Photo by Katie Norrid

Vows are a set of words in which two people outwardly commit themselves to one another for as long as they both shall live. How powerful is that?

We are fortunate as Christians to have the gift of the Bible, which contains another powerful set of words that helps guide us through life. It teaches us lessons, offers us comfort, and gives us encouragement. It is so much more than printed letters on a page.

Words are our oxygen. They can give us life. They can make your heart skip a beat. They can make promises. They can open doors. They can greet new friends. They can lift you up. They can make you feel unstoppable. They can tell stories. But, words can also bring you down. They can cause moments of defeat. They can break promises. They can break hearts. They can make you feel like you are not good enough.

God left us with the words of the Bible, which, among other things, reminds us of our worth. He tells us over and over again that he loves us. And because he loves us, we are able to love others… and, like Tyler and Emily, even profess this love in the form of marriage vows. 

Photo by Kay English

Words are a powerful tool that we have been given. How will you use this tool today? 

- Taylor Ann 

What I'm Reading Wednesday

How clever is the title for this blog post? Pretty catchy, huh?  I thought so. In all seriousness, though, I just love to read. And some books are definitely worth sharing with others. Hence, my inspiration for this week’s post. 

The book I’m writing about today makes the cut for one of the funniest books I’ve ever read. It’s that kind of humor where you catch yourself laughing out loud and blurting out expressions such as, “YES! So true!”  The author, Jen Hatmaker, writes the book in such a way that you think she is literally sitting next to you with a glass of Chardonnay saying, “Listen. Hun. This is how it is.”

As it turns out, the treadmill is not only good for increasing your heart rate. It’s also one of my favorite places to read. So, when I recently worked out at the local YMCA while reading Jen's book, you can only imagine the looks I got from the people around me when I busted out a loud, “HA.” I really wanted to turn and read them the part of the book that caused me to make this (and possibly other) unusual sound(s) of joy mid-workout. I mean, we all know that laughter is best shared with others. That said, the more rational side of my brain told me to remain normal and not engage in such outbursts!

While this book brings lots “ha ha” moments, it also brings those “ah ha” moments. This is an excellent combination.

Photo from The House of Plaid Fuzz

When I first started reading the book, I wasn’t sure I was going to actually finish it. There was a chapter about yoga pants and youth fashion. I now realize the point Jen was trying to make, but it confused me at first. Honestly, I was so close to texting my friend, who provides me with most of my reading material, and saying, “Have you read For the Love? I am not sure how much I like it.” 

Yes, this book does talk a lot about “mom things.” But that wasn’t the reason I wanted to stop reading. I am a teacher after all, and I can relate to any kid topic in a story since I share my office each day with 23 of them. Reflecting back, however, I can now say that even if you don’t have kids or are no where close to having them, this is still a great book for you to read. If you have kids, you will laugh even harder. 

So, anyway, I was about to put the book down and call it a loss. But, I had about 12 minutes left in my workout and had unknowingly fought for a machine with a TV that didn’t carry Bravo! (oh, the horror)! So, what do I do?  Keep reading. 

I am so glad I did. 

It was the very next chapter that hooked me.  I first started reading this book while in the midst of my biggest “NO battle” regarding my hopes and dreams for the future. “NO, you don’t have time for that.” “NO, that will never be you.” “NO, this isn’t going to work.” I was feeling defeated and confused.  I was reaching the “I’m about to quit” stage that we all have entered at some point in our lives. 

Yet, in those last 12 minutes, I read this:

Gosh, we were just born to to do stuff, weren’t we? God truly built gifts into our lives. Everyone is good at something…. God created an entire package. It all counts. There are no throw away qualities…How many trot out that tired cliché – "I’m waiting for God to open a door" – and He is all, "I love you, but get going, pumpkin, because usually chasing the dream in your heart looks surprisingly like work. Don’t just stand there, bust a move." (God often sounds like Young MC).

Sometimes a little tiny sign from God that we are moving in the right direction is all we need – a small push towards that next step. Reading those pages gave me the strength I needed to defeat the NO battle and push forward. It also caused me to complete the book and be truly sad when it ended.  Thank the good Lord that I had those 12 minutes left. 

What are your gifts? Have you ever stopped to think about that? Where can they take you? 

I hope that whatever it is that you are running towards, you are doing so knowing that God is running right next to you. I need that reminder everyday. As Jen says, “We were made to run. RUN. I’m grinning at you. We all are.”

And For the Love, give this book a try.

You can purchase this print from MOTIDEA at Etsy.com