judi free!

Lorenzo Lamas - for the ladies!

Years ago, I was bound up by so much jealousy and insecurity, that I would blow up at Mark if he even talked to a girl - any girl - yes, I realize this is crazy. It was so consuming that we couldn’t go anywhere without this overwhelming feeling of jealousy rise up. I was miserable, UNTIL I got some help! I went to prayer couseling 5 years ago and completely confronted the root of the issue in my life.

Skip to now: Mark and I went to Lamar for the long weekend to go to a wedding. It was a wedding for my husband’s ex-girlfriend (she is also my sister-in-law’s sister….if that makes any sense at all).

The wedding was filled with beautiful young women from Mark’s past. Some were ex-girlfriends, some were just friends - they were all beauiful, sweet and accomplished.

Then, I had an amazing realization at one point this weekend…

I didn’t feel insecure. I didn’t feel ugly. I didn’t feel fat. I didn’t feel JEALOUS!
I was free, and I finally felt it in it’s fullness.

I was happy to get to know these women and make some genuine friendships this weekend.

Even more, if I didn’t get prayer counseling 5 years ago, Mark and I would not be able to be in youth ministry. You see, Mark and I are always talking to the students - girls and boys. We have a heart for them and want to see them succeed. I see now, that God was preparing me for this time in our lives.

If there is an area in your life where you need to experience freedom - get help, get prayer, do it and don’t wait. God needs you to deal with this so he can use you in a bigger way.

How was your weekend!?!

…listen to Mark’s song which has been revolutionizing our worship at church:

It’s simple, beautiful and so full of what God has done for us. Listen til the end - it’s worth it. 

Mark wrote this song about our great loss back in February and it captures what God did for us during that difficult time.

Happy 4th Ya’ll!

I really, really do!

• Wednesday is Catalyst night.
• Wednesday is when we get to worship God with every ounce in our sweaty bodies.
• Wednesday is when we get to see all of our awesome friends.
• Wednesday is when we stay up late.
• Wednesday is when we play rock band.
• Wednesday is when we eat pancakes, tomatoes, salads, omlets, and club sandwiches at iHop.
• Wednesday is when we realize that we love what we do!

I’m positive that Wednesday nights at ORCC is exactly what God had in mind when he created us and told us to love each other and commune with each other.

Counting down to 6 pm…

I love technology. I love that I can blog and tell complete strangers what my life is all about. I love that some churches have been able to incorporate technology to aid the congregation.

I have a dilemma every week when it comes to tithing. I write a check on Wednesday or Sunday and then it takes a week or two for the check to clear - ALOT can happen in a week or two when it comes to my bank account. Meanwhile, I’m spending money, paying bills online, and completely forgetting that my tithe check has not cleared. We haven’t bounced any tithe checks - but we have come CLOSE!

Yes, I realize that I can tithe with cash and this wouldn’t be a problem, but with direct deposit - Mark and I haven’t been to a bank in MONTHS!

So today, I have switched to online tithing. Our church offers it, and it’s incredibly easy and effective. It is truly a first fruit gift (meaning that I give to God before I give to anything else). I don’t inadvertently spend all of the money because a check hasn’t cleared and then my tithe is actually a last thought and makes me grumpy!

Does anyone else experience this?? Does your church offer tithing online?

Every Sunday, I take much care and time to get myself ready for church. I pick out my clothes the night before, I wash - dry - and style my hair, I put on clinical stregth deodorant, and I meticulously do my makeup.

Mark and I always have to be at the church before 8 am so I consider it a great sacrifice to get myself primped up for church.

Every Sunday, without fail, I worship so hard during practice that I sweat. Not just a little bit, but I sweat to the point of my makeup running, my hair soaking and my armpits staining. It’s quite unattractive and uncomfortable for me. Then, when it’s time for service, I feel like a damp, smelly puppy-dog.

Every Sunday, I think of a quote from my pastor from Roswell, NM - Pastor Jon Ogle:

You should come to church looking like heaven and leave looking like hell

Meaning - WORSHIP YOUR FACE OFF. Worship from your gut. Your outer appearance means nothing to God (even on stage). Let the tears pour and the sweat drip from your brow.

Last night, Mark and I came home after band practice and we had a dream session.

Do you ever do that? We talked about the things we are excited about in our church, our lives and our future. We got all pumped up - it was 9 pm at night and we were jumping up and down and talking as fast as we could.

I love these moments. These are defining moments. Sections of time where you have so much clarity and so much direction. I wish I had a recording of last night to replay when I’m feeling down, depressed or lost.

Here’s a few things stirring in our hearts right now:

1. Our church is amazing
2. The volunteers at our church are even more amazing. Guys like Sean and Josh are writing music, leading worship, faithfully (and joyfully) serving - and not getting paid a dime to do it! AWESOME!!!
3. The music at our church is transformational and needs to be heard worldwide
4. We can step up RIGHT NOW and be every change that we wish to see in our lives, church, and world!

That’s just a peek and I’m sure you’ll keep hearing about what’s going on and what God is stirring in us.

Are you pumped up about what God is doing?

All of the cars in the ProLogis parking lot are new and nice. We are a growing, thriving, and global company (one of the few in the world) and it shows.

I’m so blessed to work here. It’s so good to see the people of this company flourishing. I want the same for the people at my church. I want them to be blessed financially and I want them all to be able to flourish.  Can a church be growing, thriving, and global too????

Jesus talked about money and possesions all of the time and yet so many people squirm in church when finances or money is talked about. The CEO of my company, Jeff Schwartz, was quoted as saying:

We are striving to build a truly sustainable enterprise, one that delivers enduring value.

Now, that’s what I call a mission statement.

Have I been working at corporate too long??

Mark and I had a lovely time in Vegas celebrating our 5-year anniversary.

Here are some thoughts from Vegas:

1. Taxi drivers can save your life and tell you everything you need to know about Vegas (a whole other blog post)
2. Vegas is only fun if you have alot of money to spend.
3. It’s hotter than Hades, but you don’t burn - WEIRD!
4. There are CHILDREN EVERYWHERE in Vegas - WHY!?!?!?
5. One Vegas block = One mile
6. Do not walk on the sidewalk in Vegas in June at 3 pm in the afternoon.
7. Don’t expect anything.
8. You have to look for trouble to find it.
9. Don’t eat at the buffet at the Wynn.
10. Always buy the $1 bottled water from the lady selling it from a cooler on the street - that’s the cheapest item you will buy in Vegas and it can save your life.

Are you going on vacation this summer!?!?!

How do I know that Mark and I are ready to be parents???

We are researching earlier flights home from Vegas because we really miss our cats (and Bella-Free) - I think that’s a sign that we are ready to leave a life of cheap thrills for a life filled with beautiful memories at home with a family.

Can’t wait to see you all in moderate temperatures in Denver.

For updates on our awesome Vegas vacation, check out Mark’s blog: Denver In Translation

I didn’t really need any reminders, but being in a strange place where the only person I know is my husband, really makes me love and appreciate him so much more. He is a STUD!

This morning, after reading in 1 John 1:8 that says,

“if we claim to be without sin, we are deceived and the truth is not in us”

I asked God “What sin is possibly in my life right now???? What am I not seeing that is deceiving me???“

Well, not even 30 minutes later he revealed to me that my finances are not in such great shape and I am not financially devoted and stable as God would like me to be. My discipline SUCKS when it comes to finances.

Of course, He reveals this right before my big trip to VEGAS where I plan on blowing every last dime in my bank account on buffets, clothes, and Cirque de Soleil shows. WHY, GOD, WHY?!????!? Why do you have to tell me this now….oh yeah, because I asked….

ASK AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE! The word of God is true and just. If you ask God with a heart to listen, he will tell you the truth - be ready for it!

What are you asking God to tell you? Is your heart ready for the answer???

Today is the first day of my week-long, 5 year anniversary vacation!

Today, I am lost in love with my husband. 

Today, I know he really loves me back…do you want to know how I know???

We share a Sonicare electric tooth brush (one electric base…two brush heads). He ALWAYS ALWAYS changes the head to my brush for me. So at any time, I can pick up the brush and it always is ready for me. 

This may sound lame, but to me, this is a sign of love. Real love. Sacrificing love. Married kind of love. 

How do you know when it’s true love?

Mark and I have learned a very important lesson in blogging this week: don’t post in haste.

On separate occasions this week, Mark and I have hurt people through our blogs - people we love dearly. Hurt them to the point of tears and to the point where we have had to ask for lots of forgiveness from God and the people we hurt.

Even though a blog can be a place to vent our thoughts,
we need to run to God with those thoughts before we run to our blog. 

We are searching our hearts for any other anger or bitterness we might have in our hearts so that we can take it to God to deal with. We refuse to let these blogs be places for Satan to use for harm. 

What lesson have you learned about blogging?

Well, in my last post I forgot to mention that my hair was also in a side pony tail at my CEO’s house - A SIDE PONY TAIL. I was at my CEO’s house to babysit his daughter because he was having a private event at his home. Little did I know that the event included some of Denver’s most prestigious and prominent leaders - including some of my colleagues. I didn’t think I would be seen by anyone and I wanted to dress silly to have fun with his daughter. Well, I was seen by all…

This is me when I was 5…and this is how I felt on Thursday night:

I learned something very special through this experience: I am ME! That is a great thing. I will always be me - even when I feel like conforming.

I will never conform, I will never back down, I won’t stop telling people about Jesus and I won’t feel bad about who I am.

When I look at the picture above…I can’t help but smile. I hope you can smile today about who you are.

We are young and we are FREE! We can change this world and do things that make a difference….all of this from a side pony tail, some sequin, leggings and POLKA DOT thongs with more sequin on them.