A Plot Change 10 Years in the Making

There have been few moments in my life when I've been open enough to stop talking and listen to God speak. It is not an audible voice I hear, but an overwhelming realization that He is with me and whatever He has placed on my heart & mind screams, "PAY ATTENTION!"

2 months ago, I experienced one of those moments. A passion & what I considered a calling I received at 18 collided with my 28 year old self. 

At 18, I was the same spunky, creative, goofy blonde. During that season, my heart raced for God. I sponsored my first Compassion child, spent time in solitude with Him daily and was about to begin college as a psychology major, hoping to be a counselor. My experience with my parent's divorce inspired me to help others. The death of my uncle, who was an alcoholic plagued by bi-polar disorder always haunted me. I wanted to help people who were stuck, controlled and eaten up with mental disease or addiction. I had a family friend tell me he was certain God would call me to be a missionary.

I told Jason and a few of my friends about the crazy plans I felt God had laid on my heart. But as time went on, my path changed and I thought God had shifted those dreams to someone else. 

In the Dominican this Summer, the Lord brought these dreams back to my heart. I shared them with my friend Alysha and confidently she said, "I believe this is still something God wants you to do. Don't give up."

So I didn't. 

And during a meeting when our Pastor was casting vision and sharing dreams of where Cross Point is headed, the dreams God had given me were awakened, given purpose & points of action. 

God was speaking loud and clear. 

Today, I began a new adventure at Cross Point, a place that has been our church home for 6 years & my employer for almost 4 1/2. I am now serving as the Missions Coordinator alongside Ryan Bult, Missions Pastor. I will be assisting Ryan with administrative duties, coordinating local mission opportunities in the middle TN region, & making sure the word get's out about ALL opportunities, local, regional & global that Cross Point is connected to. I will get to begin and strengthen partnerships with local ministries to meet the needs of God's people. 

My former boss jokingly says, "Miranda's leaving the creative department to be a missionary." I guess that prophesy was true. :)

  

I am completely confident about where God is leading me. I have been watching doors swing open and God has been pushing me to walk through them while my heels are dug in the ground! What I've learned most during this transition is that dreams, desires & instructions God gives you, demand obedience. 

And when He speaks, you don't want to miss it.

What I Learned About Love from The Help

Who You love I'll love, is a line from Chris Tomlin's song, "I Will Follow." This is hard to live out when it comes to your enemies and those you love that have hurt you.

I witnessed this lived out in the movie, inspired by the book, The Help.

The Help takes place in the 60's during the time of segregation. It tells the story of how the black maids felt & what they experienced during this time in our history. One of the most emotional parts of the story is when one of the main characters, Aibileen is explaining the main role of the maid's job: To love and raise the children of the white families they are working for.

A recurring scene is Aibileen telling the 2 yr old, Mae that she raises, "You're kind, You're smart, You're special." She has Mae repeat this phrase back to her in the mornings and in moments where she knows Mae could be doubting these truths.

Aibileen, like all of the maids, had to leave her own children behind each day to work for these families.

-It would be easy to say, "This child is not my responsibility, their parents should be raising them!"
-It would be easy to take out your anger and frustration on the children.

Aibileen chooses to love a white child that is a product of her hateful, disrespectful parents and a stigma that should have NEVER existed. And I believe that many women loved like Aibileen, without condition or restriction.

Are you tired of fighting love? Is there someone you need to forgive and through that forgiveness you can love them again? Do you need to accept the abundant, unconditional love of God?

Treat yourself and go see this movie or read the book. It is a beautiful story of how far we've come as a society and how much more we could love.

He Stole My Heart

Now love is like an ocean
Take it down to the depths
Yeah I'm taking you with me
Taking every step to steal your heart

I'm gonna steal your heart away

Life is like a shadow
It never stays in one place
I'm standing here anyway
However long it takes to steal your heart

Gonna steal your heart away

"Steal Your Heart," Augustana

Thankful He never gives up on us. Even when we choose to steal our hearts back. 

But for today I willingly leave it in His hands.

Why Did I Wait?

Pouring sweat

Cement boogers

Dust boogers :)

Dirty hands

Undrinkable water

Cold showers

Little sleep

Germs

Sore muscles

Bug bites

These things didn't bother me a bit. I spent so many years thinking they would.

Poverty

Hunger

Orphans

Sickness

Lost Souls

Racial Conflict

Sexual Predators

Abuse

Tragedy

Abandonment

These things kept my mind and heart broken. I saw and heard about these things from the people of the DR and the family from Cross Point that went with me.

But COMMUNITY and HOPE. Those are the two things I can't get off my mind and learned so much more about. 

COMMUNITY: Through hearing some of the stories of God's faithfulness and love from my Cross Point team and the G.O. Pastors and leaders, I experienced community like I never have before. G.O.'s mission statement is all about changing the world through relationships. I left this week knowing all of G.O.'s staff in Santiago are family now.

"G.O. Ministries seeks to empower passionate, Local Leaders serving inside their cultures to Redeem people, Renew communities and Restore Creation by developing dynamic International Partnerships in Ministry that result in mutual transformation."

HOPE: It was everywhere. To see the church and feeding center Cross Point has spent years building, COMPLETE! Oh, what a feeling. Kids were flooding in to get a hot meal and love. The church was nearly full on Sunday with Haitian families, Dominican children and Americans, worshiping together. The kids understood the Good Samaritan story when we did our skit. They listened. God was speaking.

We went to a place called the hole one afternoon. It is a landfill slum where people live in extreme filth, danger and poverty. The kids litterally jump into your arms for you to hold them. Others tightly grasp your hand. We made sure to tell them all, "Jesus te ama." The words to this song came to my head as I was walking through the slum. I sang them to the little boy I was holding, 

"There will be hope for the hopeless. Rest for the weary. A day when ALL wrong is made right. They will see God."

Hope, not despair. 

We heard stories of how far the hole has improved. 10 yrs ago it was a much darker place. G.O. has built a church/feeding center there and Pastor Felix just opened a water purification building where people can get clean water. 

There are so many plans for more life change. I can't wait to go back and experience new things. I keep asking myself, "Why did I wait so long to go on this trip?" But I know this was God's timing. I cried a lot. It was a joke that if I wasn't crying then we weren't doing things right. :) I needed to see the World through the eyes of Jesus. I will truly never be the same.

Take a moment and check out all that G.O. Ministries is doing. Pray about how you can help. And enjoy this sideshow of our week, doing our part to change the World.

2011 Videos: Cross Point Church 2011: "Cross Point Church 2011 from Amanda Braisted on Vimeo."

It's Time for an Update Folks

My first post of 2011 stated 3 areas I wanted to cultivate, change and pursue.

-The Dominican Republic trip with the church was my pursuit. 

-Cutting down my spending habits on things I don't need was my change.

-Spending time with the women on our vocal team at Cross Point was what I wanted to cultivate.

PURSUIT: I'm all packed for the DR. Tomorrow will be a long day at work, then I'll come home, double ck that I have everything I need, and then try to sleep before we have to be at the airport at 7:30 AM on Tuesday. This is really happening. :) I can't wait to love on the people we meet, especially the kids. I'm excited to worship with the community on Sunday. And I'm thrilled I'm going with my husband, one of my sweet friends Alysha and several teenage girls that I love!

CHANGE: I was better about spending less money in January and February. I went shopping with my birthday money only at the end of February. But slowly through the busyness of March and April at work, I began to find myself in Target more often and a new obsession, Francescas. Shopping is something that gives me temporary relief from stress. Instead of giving it to God, I buy a new top, or two. When I was on vacation in June, I made an agreement with myself that I would not step foot in Target until after the DR, nor would I buy anything unnecessary for myself. Confession: I've been to Target twice since making this pact, but only to buy two birthday presents and shop (with Jason present) for the DR trip. :)

CULTIVATE: Finally, all of our Girls Night's (a small group I started for the women on our vocal team) were such a blessing. I handed over the reigns to several of our volunteers to speak and encourage the team. We saw the Lord work during our meetings and I have loved watching so many of the women grow as worship leaders. 

One of the best things I learned was from Lindsey Appiah, (Charge Student Minstry, Choir and Sunday Worship team volunteer): 

"We are not just worship leaders when we are on the platform. We have the responsibility to usher in the Holy Spirit every time we step through the doors of Cross Point."

Yes!

I've enjoyed getting to know some knock out women who inspire me. The one challenge I gave to the girls that I haven't invested in yet is to use my musical gifts outside of the church walls. To start singing at a nursing home, hospital, prison, etc. I hope to find an opportunity for our vocalists to serve in an environment like this together.

I ask that you continue to pray for me. Pray as I begin my journey to the DR. Pray as I work on realizing daily that I have all that I need, and a new item from the store won't make my worries go away. Pray that I will speak with truth and love as I lead the vocalists on the team at Cross Point! 

To the rest of 2011!

Singing before Bed

Last night I was laying in bed, talking to God & asking forgiveness for desiring the things of this world more than Him. Suddenly the words of a worship song I haven't sang in years popped in my head:

"You are the only one I need
I bow all of me at Your feet
I worship You alone

You have given me more than
I could ever have wanted
And I want to give You my heart and my soul

You alone are Father
And You alone are good
You are alone are Savior
And You alone are God

I'm alive, I'm alive
I'm alive, I'm alive"

I love the thought that through surrender, through realizing that He is all we need, we come alive! I began singing the song in my head. But then quietly sang it out loud (I didn't want to wake up Jason) 

:)

It was a reminder that I can worship God though song, anytime. Not just on Sundays. I want to make these moments a consistent part of my musical.

Today I challenge you to take some time in the car, in the bathroom :), when you get home and sing to Him. 

No matter what your voice sounds like!

If I Ever . . .

Last Summer my friend Hannah and I tried out for American Idol. You can read about our journey HERE. 

We didn't make it past round 1!

I used to love this show, but don't really watch it anymore. I feel in their attempts to find the unique, they end up settling for lots of mediocre talent and sound a-likes. 

But, I still like to day dream about being on the show. Not to get famous but to experience the rush of performing in front of an audience like that!

Here are some of the songs I would sing if I was on the show:

"Turn the Page," Bob Seger

"Mary Jane," Alanis Morissette

"Barracuda," Heart

"The Story" Brandi Carlile

"Stupid" Sarah McLachlan

*My Birth Year Song, "Dirty Laundry," Don Henley OR "Faithfully," Journey, but a broken down version like, Lauren Rose's. 

A girl can dream! :)