Two Homes

This past weekend, I went down to the bay area to do some missions support networking, and also spent a lot of time with friends and family. Even though it's been five years, I still miss the bay area so much, and some of the strongest relationships in my life continue to be two hours away from my every day life up here in Sacramento. It can be really difficult, but I know the Lord has a plan for it all, even when it isn't MY plan in the least.

I had a meeting with Pastor Rob, who recently became the pastor of the Neighborhood Church in Santa Clara. We have so many random connections to this church - our current senior pastor used to be a youth pastor there, my family bought Christmas trees from them for years, and Frank and I got married in their church building. Even though we've never attended a service, it feels familiar in a lot of ways because of these things! Anyway, Pastor Rob was incredibly nice and has a heart for the arts himself. He showed me some dramas and plays he had been a part of, and then instead of just the typical "yes or no" support response, invited Turning Point to come dance in Santa Clara in August. He's going to give me time to share my vision with the congregation, while we also have a window to perform some dances.

Me = waaaaaaaaaaaay excited! :)

So hey all you bay area people who have always wanted to see the creative arts ministry but haven't been able to make it up to Sacramento...ta-da! A solution free of confusion!

The other really cool ministry related thing that happened this weekend is that a wonderful gal I know named Monique decided to have an auction to raise support funds for creative arts. She makes super cute baby girl stuff, and here is a link to the Turning Point auction.

Thank you so much, friend! What a totally sweet gesture!

So now I am back in Sacramento again. I was a little weepy over it this morning - I got a chance to see a lot of my friends this weekend, got to visit my home church for a little while, and really tried to take in the valley views that I miss a lot.

But then, I came back here and was so happy to see my husband and friends here, and know that Harvest is home, too. Maybe I will always just need to have two homes, two lives....I always feel so torn, but at the same time, I seem to have the best of both worlds.

Right Jen? Like in the wise words of Miley Cyrus? ;)

Bright and Shiny, Artist Tiny

I could go on and on about how much I love everyone who participates in creative arts ministry. From those who have been insanely loyal and loving to Turning Point since its inception, to my Craigslist jewels who have come in and just made an amazing impact in unexpected ways, the teens and adults just continually brighten my life. But these past couple of weeks, I have just been continually blessed by the number of kids (37, to be exact!) God has brought to our performing arts summer camp.

The day camp is really casual, "come just as you are" style, and the kids learn dance, music, acting, creative writing and visual art. I've already told you all of this....so here are some pictures instead.

Jordan loves ballet, it is so awesome to see a little boy embracing dance. Jordan is not in this picture....his brother Jacob is on the left. He does not embrace dance, but we embrace him because he is so sweet and has energy that is just waiting to do good in the world someday.

Jennifer has the most amazing singing voice, and Julie is just the sweetest, most compassionate little thing. Jennifer is a child from the community who doesn't go to Harvest, and Julie's family just started attending. Bronte has been our kids program for awhile. She played Snow White last spring in "Snow White....Reimagined" Her whole family is artistically gifted, and as a bonus, she is a die hard Sam fan. :)

The kids all take one dance class a day, with some days offering an option of up to three. I have no idea what Zach is doing in this photo, so let's just pretend it is choreographed that way.

These are the "littles", who are 5.5-8 years old. There are a lot of them! In this picture they are doing their vocal warm ups. Michael = Energy, energy, energy! He loves to be challenged and work independently. He made a robot out of cardboard boxes today and asked if we could hoist it up the cross that is in front of the church. The robot itself was actually quite impressive. I told him I'd get back to him on that cross idea;)Miss Amber with some of the "littles." Almost all of the kids get way into her class and are twirling around all day. Elliot likes to sleep on the floor. The "bigs" (9-11 yr olds) practicing at the barre.
McKenna started at Turning Point when she 4 or 5 yrs old. She is such a big girl now!

Frank has to work all weekend, and so Sam and I are heading to the bay area so I can network with some churches there and spend time with friends and family. I am looking forward to taking him for a walk at the park I played at when I was little, eating some Stan's Donuts (yum!) and escaping the Sacramento heat.

It was a very rewarding yet LONG week, and I am looking forward to spending some extra time with my little boy <3

A Successful Summer Begins!

I must admit, I am rather enjoying that "God amazes me!" is becoming a running theme on this blog. Here are some June re-caps, though I will write a more deep, meaningful, philosophical entry later on today or tomorrow probably :)

Last week our Pre-K creative movement class began. Michele got to teach a bunch of lovely little princesses between the ages of 3 and 5, and they had a blast! I am especially happy that roughly half the class is made up of families that have yet to get involved in creative arts, and so that blesses us with growth and new friendships, which is always so much fun.

Feel free to leave a comment about how cute they are,
some of their parents may be reading ;)
K decided that she was going to create her own class and
curriculum during baby ballet time. But there is something
about watching a little kid dance around so joyfully in a studio
located inside of God's house, that it is totally okay to do so :)
Then, this past Monday, our children's summer camp started. I was praying for 40 children, God gave us 30, and you know....when there are actually 30 children in the room....I realized the beauty of God answering our prayers in his OWN way. THIRTY. IS. PLENTY.

We have some Harvest kids dancing, but we also have children from the community who are joining in on the fun as well, including some kiddos from a local Korean Catholic church, and some kids who have never heard the gospel. It was a really special week, and I am crazy honored to be part of it.

One of the most refreshing parts of the day camp has been that I have GOOD, SOLID, LOVING leaders working with these children. We have had quality leaders in the past, undoubtedly, but this summer God has really delivered in terms of a team that has the time and energy to focus and provide quality instruction and a positive environment. I am so humbled to know them, and when I was observing one of the singing classes, I actually got a little teary eyed :)

Pictures to come next week.

On a completely separate note, I just love a good flash mob. I really want the old man with the sweatband for the dance ministry.

Why Do I Do It?

The ministry partner building continues.....wow, what a process AND what a blessing. This week I have just been so weary and tired. Our kids performing arts summer camp is starting on Monday, I'm facilitating five auxiliary dance classes every week, and then there is regular Turning Point rehearsals and the final preparations for our missions trip. 15 of us are leaving the country in 5 short weeks, and I'll be on that plane before I know it!

Someone from my leadership team emailed me the other day and said "I'm glad you do all that you do, and am grateful I get to help out from time to time and try to be you, and realize that I could never do what you do." That comment made me laugh, because really, is it absolutely crazy that I love what I do? Everyone always comments on what a jam-packed life I have, but I just love it. And as long as Sam is happy and healthy, and Frank keeps on keepin' on alongside me....well God, let's make this even bigger and better than it is.

I see so much potential in creative arts ministry. I am excited for those of you who are joining our support team so I can go more in-depth with our newsletters and meetings with you. But I feel so blessed that even when I am down in the dumps, in the depths of despair...I get to see miracles all of the time :)

I have a dancer right now who has overcome the challenges of verbal, physical and sexual abuse and she is just blossoming. Actually honestly, there is more than one or two of them. There is another who has learned to become ferociously committed to family, even when it is very difficult and cramps her style. A third has applied the idea of modesty in dress and humbleness of spirit to her life - and this has been an amazing transformation to watch. I am honored by the sacrifices that the dancers make to participate, and I am humbled even further by the outside instructors who come in and bless us with their time as well.

Our touring dates are so much fun, because we get to see creative arts ministry speak into the lives of strangers, which is such a different experience than what we see at home. I just got off the phone with the pastor's wife of the Sacramento Dream Center. They are going to be opening up their church parking lot to people coming for the 2nd Saturday Artwalk downtown, which always has HUGE parking problems. They want to have a coffee bar with entertainment and outreach, and it looks like Turning Point is going to get to participate.

The head of the low-income apartment complexes in the area also contact Pastor Scott recently and wants to coordinate Turning Point coming to teach classes on-site and possibly perform an outreach show too. There are so many opportunities to spread God's love this summer, I am so excited! I am almost bummed to be going to Trinidad because there is so much to do right here at home! (wait....did I just call Sacramento HOME? What has become of me! Remember you can take the girl out of the bay area, but you can't take the bay area out of the girl....)

Sometimes I think there is a small group of critics here or there that probably look down on us because we accept and embrace everyone, which doesn't always give us a flawless, high-calibar show. Because we are far from the "big time" and sometimes we can be awfully goofy and silly.....but I am so crazy proud to be a part of this group. There is something very spiritual and bonding about the whole "come just as you are" mentality that the Bible talks about.

This is a group of Christians that are truly practicing regenerative love, and I am looking forward to seeing that grow even further through continued Project 365 tasks, the kids summer camp, and the relief work we are going to be doing in Trinidad. We're going to be ministering through dance too, but as the trip draws closer, the service projects seem to become more and more meaningful in my mind.

I'd love to have all of my blog readers partner with us in ministry. It is simpler that you may think, and I KNOW you will be blessed because of it. Comment or email me for details if you feel even an inkling of interest. There's always room for another prayer supporter, monthly sponsor, and/or actual participant. <3

Our ministry is like a fun little chia plant lately - pour the refreshing water of God's promises on us, and watch us grow! :)

Blog Love

My dear friend Emily gave me this blog award :) I am honored because that chick reads a lot of blogs!!! Thanks Em! If you found my blog through Em's award, then take a moment to say hi! I love to meet new people through this whole crazy blogsphere.

I am now awarding the following blogs that are definitely worth a read!

**How to Eat a Cupcake - I get a lot of my recipes off of here, especially the uber yummy cinammon toast cupcakes that I have sabotaged many a diet within my circle of friends.

**The Spohrs are Multiplying - Mike and Heather, I cannot even fathom the strength you have.

**C.A.L.I. Livin' - Connie's blog, my dear friend since 6th grade. And her kids are cute :)

**Kelli-Sho - Kelli was one of my sorority sisters in college. She has just such a joyful, positive outlook on life that continually inspires me.

I Need Not Despair

Now then, stand still and see this great thing the LORD is about to do before your eyes!
- 1 Sam 12:16

The road is rocky, the workers are few. That pretty much sums up the past couple of weeks. We've seen some miracles with our support raising, and we have seen some major frustrations. I've decided that the support team building process itself is going to cause me to get closer to the Lord than possibly the two years of ministry work will!

That may not be a totally accurate statement, but it feels true right now.....we are attempting to build our financial support team in a horrific economic climate, and while many have been uplifting and generous, all of the "we would love to give, but right now we can't..." statements begin to wear upon my soul.

I am so ready to serve with a joyful heart, with or without full support raised, but some practicalities need to be addressed:

**Sam needs childcare so I can serve full time
**We need a 2nd, permanent technique dance instructor because the ministry has too many participants for just one class.
**We do not have a large enough rehearsal space

All of these cost money, but I refuse to let money become the focus. I just know God will work all of it out.

These are just a few of the things to pray for if you are praying for the creative arts ministry. We really, truly need to raise our funds so we can move forward. A support building team is hard work, and it can be discouraging - but it is also amazingly rewarding, and I am so excited to see how God provides!

If you are reading this, please dream with us <3


The things which are impossible with men are possible with God. - Luke 18:27

When we were in Little Rock, though I mourned the fact I never got on that huge trampoline at Matt & Emily's house, I really loved the weather. They had thunderstorms all weekend and it was so cool. Yesterday I was reading my friend Melissa's facebook (she lives in Little Rock too) and she had a status update about thunderstorms.

I got all jealous, wanting to be away from the hot, stagnant weather that puts me in a bad mood for approximately 6 months out of the year. I randomly said a "thinking prayer" - God, it would be really cool if we could just have a thunderstorm here! And, I kid you not, only a few seconds later I heard a rumble.....soon the whole house was shaking and the lighting was so bright it made our street look like it was the middle of the day every time it flashed. It was incredible!

I called Nichole as buckets of rain poured on our house, and she said that they were at the church and some of the parents were trying to get the youth group kids off of the top of a giant inflatable water slide Amber had rented for that night.

So....yeah, yeah you can say it was in the weather report and none of us happened to read it (which is true) or whatever - but can I just have a moment of glory fooling myself into believing that just like how the bible says faith can move mountains - mine caused a thunderstorm in dry, gross Sacramento in June?! :)

Here are a couple of pictures of my specially requested thunderstorm that was served up by the Big Guy for about half an hour.

Thanks, Ami - who gets pictures of EVERYTHING, apparently!

There are, quite possibly, no words to describe how much fun Sunday night was. Quite honestly, I didn't want to go. I was tired, I had had an exhausting week, and on Saturday we ran errands all day, then went to Ashley's wedding and then to Kayla's 7th grade vocal performance, so...stick a fork in me, I was DONE.

We love Bethel Ministries. We found out about them after one of there sweeties, Olivia, came to Turning Point after seeing a Craigslist ad for our group. Through that, Bethel Ministries' liturgical dance team, GuiDance, came to perform at Artbeat 2008. They were the hit of the show!

Then that led to a joint church outreach to help the homeless, and then they asked Pastor Scott to come paint a cross at their church after seeing the one in our dance studio that he had made.

THEN they allowed us the blessing of coming to their church as part of the Project 365 tour...and IT. WAS. AWESOME.

It was technically a youth service, and a lot of their youth presented scripture, poems, and music, and then they gave us a 40 minute window to dance and give testimonies. I don't know how to say it tactfully so I am just going to say it - every Christian needs to go to a black church once a year.

Their worship is incredible, their spirits contagious, and their love and encouragement toward each other is just captivating. We were so welcomed with open arms, and I got to share Sam's story as my testimony that night. The girls did great, and everyone at the church seemed to really enjoy it.

Afterward, they fed us cake (another point for Bethel!) and took pictures with us. One of possibly the biggest praises of all was that one woman liked it enough that she invited us to come tour to a school she works at. And Diana, who has been desperately looking for a full time teaching position, happened to be one of our dancers that night. And this specific school is hiring! We are praying that God will open a door for her to work there soon :)

This is Bailey. She recently moved here from West
Virginia, and is one of the youngest (and spunkiest!)
dancers we have in Turning Point right now. She had
a little bout with homesickness this night, but she
overcame it and totally shined and made a lasting impression.

This is us in front of "the cross II", that Pastor
Scott painted for Bethel Ministries. The original
version lives in our creative arts room in Roseville.
Kinda like Disneyland and Disney World.......
This is us, full of cake, with some of the Bethel congregants.
Please note the Project 365 ribbons some of them are wearing,
courtesy of Sarah Giles, who loved our original performance so
much that she made a million of them!