My Night With Dave Ramsey

Tonight I went and heard Dave Ramsey speak...which A) did not know he lived in Nashville and B) was pumped to hear him cause I missed his session at Catalyst West.

Have you ever had a scripture or a Bible story come up multiple times in a week, month....repetitive to the point that you KNOW God is trying to tell you something. That has been happening more frequently for me in the past few months. The most recent scripture that has been coming up a TON is:

"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men." - Colossians 3:23

So as you guessed...Mr. Ramsey brought this scripture up tonight...this would be like the 3 or 4th time this has come up in the past two weeks. This scripture is obviously applicable in ALL aspects of life...and a great challenge in truly living this out.

Here are a few solid points from tonight's talk:

* A real leader SERVES

* With much privilege comes much responsibility

* Playing for something bigger than me - how I react to people - what am I communicating and am I showing who God is in me or reflecting my faith...

* INTEGRITY = a whole person/no fractions - to always be the same person regardless of setting/circumstance

* “Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you.” - Augustine


Good reminders/food for thought as I close my eyes and enter into dream world (although I rarely remember my dreams) haha!

Snapshot Into SoCal Trip March '11

I recently went on a trip that kinda came together in nothing short of two weeks....as cheesy as it sounds...it felt like God planned this vacation for me. so blessed!!! I landed in San Diego on Tuesday night and was picked up by one of my besties Megan Benton...to which she whisked me away to wonderful dinner at El Camino accompanied by Alexis Ward and Kelli Larson



the next day I spent with Alexis up in Encinitas....catching up, riding beach cruisers, eating outside at Swamies, and watching a friends son play baseball at dusk. Later to be picked up by Amanda McMillan in which I indulged in some yummy In n Out and headed up to Catalyst West.

I have never been to Catalyst West before and definitely felt with the circumstances of this all coming about that God wanted me there. The theme of the conference was "Take Courage"




First session was with Andy Stanley...here are some highlights:

"Your single act of courage may be the tipping point for something extraordinary that God wants you to do"

"Secrets are dangerous...they can grow into something dark...secrets influence the way you lead...you compensate for it in your leadership."

Faces of Courage:
* courage to stay when it would be easier to go
* courage to leave when it would be easier to stay
* courage to ask for help when it would be easier to pretend that everything is ok

"Every day we should fear being out of God's Will"

...I mean....really?! first session in and God was totally speaking to me on so many things and things to come. Yea, definitely supposed to be here.


I'll highlight another session - Matt Chandler (stoked to finally see hear him speak):

“People do not drift toward holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord. We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith.

We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated.” - DA Carson


Grace Driven Effort - Colossians 3:1-11
*uses the weapons of grace rather than the will of the mind and heart
* fights with: blood of Christ (Eph. 2:15), Word of God (2 Timothy 3), and the
promise of the covenant (Hebrews 9:15)

"the Holy Spirit whispers to you but it's sweet and makes you run to God - the devil whispers to you things that make you run from God - hold you in condemnation."

"Grace driven efforts attack the roots not just the branches - behavioral mgmt - feel the weight of the heart of God"

"Grace driven effort ruthlessly pursues the heart of God"

"Transformed by the Holy Spirit not conformed"

"Grace driven effort goes beyond consciousness and peace - doesn't forsake sin but rejects it"

"developing an appetite for what is good...you will lose your appetite for what is bad"

"Grace driven effort is violent...it understands that any sin at any level will cause cosmic danger to the glory of God - puts to death evil"



I also got to meet up and spend quality time with one of my old youth girls/friends Jessica Mann. All I can say here...God is faithful and cares so much...He can use any and all things you have gone through for His glory. I love so much that God has been bringing a lot of my "old youth kids" back into my life...I have loved reconnecting and loving on them...that will never stop!



lastly, I got to spend some time in my "happy place" - La Jolla! Got up early so I could have my alone quiet time...it was a bit of a stormy morning, but I loved every second of it...followed by a solid catch up sesh with Tic Long...then back to "the ville" I went.

Anyhoo, wanted to give a quick snapshot from this trip...so thankful and so blessed to have been able to see so many that I never have enough time with. Sadly, I couldn't fit everyone in, but let's be honest...I'll be back out again soon!:)



so much more to share, but this gal is tired....