Experience Week is officially over.

Tonight was the final chapel. Worship was incredible. There was no easing into God's presence. We just jumped right in. Ready and open to give our praise and adoration to our Creator, and receive what He wanted to pour into us.

It was phenomenal.

This group of students has such a hunger and expectancy for God. Ready to do His will, whatever the cost may be.

This is the song that we introduced in Ntense (youth) Wednesday night. It sort of became an anthem for this week. It's called "Commission My Soul" by Citipointe.

And it's just the beginning of what God is going to do in and through both the students that came to XPWeek, and our XMC students.

And in us.

Are you ready?

Radio!!!

So tonight, our local Christian station, KAJN, debuted "Stars" from my new worship project.

It played during the American Idol finale, so I understand not too many people heard it.

But still, it's very exciting.

My kids stopped everything.

"Mom!! That's you!! on the radio!!"

Witness their reaction here:

(Drummer Boy is singing along.)

Now to get them ready for bed, and myself ready to teach about 90 students on worship at XPWeek tomorrow.

Woohoo!

Experience Week

Starting yesterday, our Master's Commission (XMC) embarked on the yearly event known as "Experience Week".

To the uninformed, "XPWeek" is a week-long event for high school seniors and juniors interested in coming to Master's Commission.

It's like Master's Commission on steroids.

It's amaaaaazing.

Last night was the first night "Burger Bash" to welcome the new students. We had a time of worship, acoustic style, under the open sky as the sun was setting.

I just wanted to continue worshiping all night. Actually, I wanted to jump up and touch Heaven. To soar into the clouds reaching until I could feel Jesus' hands grasping mine.

I don't know if it was the simplicity of coming ready to enter into God's presence without pretense, or the expectancy of all the students who came ready to receive this week, but I felt an anointing like I haven't felt in awhile.

If last night is any indication of how this week will develop, these students are in for the ride of their lives. God is bringing them on a journey to discover their callings, and in the process, if XMC is right for them.

I can't wait to watch it unfold!!

Compassion

My little girl has a heart of compassion.

Not always demonstrated towards her brother, but it really kicks in when she sees someone or something hurting.

The above picture was taken a couple weeks ago.

Ellie found some baby birds that had fallen from a nest in one of our trees.

She attempted to rescue them.

By herself.

She didn't ask us or notify us before swooping down to pick them up from the ground where they lay, helpless.

Her heart was in the right place, but her mission needed some input.

By the time we found out, and tried to intervene with counsel such as, "Don't touch them, they're too fragile," or "The mother bird won't take them back if they smell like you've handled them," it was too late.

The damage had been done. Despite our best efforts, the little hatchlings only survived about a day.

Ellie was heartbroken.



I thought of how much more our Father is moved when one of His children is hurting.

Jesus was moved with compassion. Moved to act on behalf of the stricken, the needy, the poor, the lame, and the sin sick.

And I thought of His wisdom in acting on His compassion. Always just, always true.

And then I thought: sometimes, in order to act on our compassion, we should really seek out the counsel of those who have been successful in their endeavors to aid the needy.

Alone, we can only go so far.

Together, we are an unstoppable army.