T4G 2010!!

Imagine this... two brothers and their amazingly talented and beautiful wives... traveling hundreds of miles to sit and listen. It is pretty weird, I will admit... however the experience is life changing.

In April, Ryan, Brad, Jo and Myself along with Leonard met in Appomattox and set our sights on Kentucky for Together 4 the Gospel 2010. We were privaledged to sit under Mark Dever, John MacArthur, John Piper, CJ Mahaney, Al Molher, and Duncan Ligon. I am forgetting some and they were wonderful. But anyway, at the sessions we got a stack of books written by the speaker and a few of their favorites... FREE... we EACH came home with over 20 books. Our heads ached at the end of each day... okay well, MY HEAD ached at the end of each day...I didn't know that my brain could go so deep...I realized by the second sentence of the conference that I hadn't thought many deep thoughts about God in my life... but how grateful I am that some others have. What a blessing to my spirit. Their words of biblical wisdom still rings in my ears months later.

Before the conference began The Russell clan headed to the Creation Museum. Again another headache! But a blessed pain. The truth that pours forth about our Creator God and His care and precision of creation was AMAZING... it is a trip that EVERY believing family needs to take.

But perhaps there was something more... something more beautiful, more meaningful, more powerful than anything one of these men of God could communicate, more than a dinosaur could reveal. There was time... time to see with our eyes how God has taken four lives and turned them UPSIDE DOWN for His glory. There were words... holy words that were spoken by us all that healed wounds and drew us closer to each other and and our Savior. What a blessed time we had with not just our physical brother and sisters but our everlasting family that God has made for His glory! Thank you Brad and Jo for a GREAT week in the city. I love you both more than my words can express.

We hope you enjoy the pictures... if you will notice we all look glazed over... it is because as mentioned above we were thinking deep thoughts and really were overwhelmed with information!

Holland's Quote for the Day!

Walking through the house with swimming shoes on she asks "Can I wear these when we go to me?"

"Me" is Holland... and we are on the count day to take off 9 DAYS!!

The Worrier in Me...

Okay most of you know me well enough to know that on occasion you have gotten frustrated over my lack of detail, care, or thoughtfulness into some aspect of life. I have been know to fly by the seat of my pants and land where I may. However, things have changed. I have come to understand that with one phone call life can change. I see boys on tv confess to their fathers that they are drug addicts and my mind spins as I imagine that one day that could be Caedmon or Justin, as ministry opportunities arise to care for a 13 yr old girl who is pregnant due to no fault of her own, my heart races to think that one day that could be Athan or Holland. As we sit in a local restaurant, with every ding of the door my heart jumps as I look up expecting to see Justin's birthmother walk in the door. Or the thought as I scan the restaurant who in here knows him that I don't know. Our life this week as revolved around paperwork and emails trying to figure out what is best for Justin and again my heart worries. And I start to cry as I realize that I have ABSOLUTELY no control over these situations.

So to Scripture I go... there are multitudes of verses on worry and anxiety but this morning I needed to see the Greatness of The One who does have control over ALL of the situations.

Psalm 93 "The Lord reigns; he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed; he has put on strength as his belt. Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved. Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting. The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voices, the floods lift up their roaring. Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea, the Lord on high is mighty! Your decrees are very trustworthy, holiness befits your house, O Lord forevermore."

It is He, I AM, who has all these things established and held together for His glory. I must walk in holiness, that only He can provide, and be humble. There is no need to fear or worry, for who am I to change the plans of God, however, I can be quiet and follow Him so that he can teach and prepare me to be his servant in holiness as he allows me the privilege to minister to His people.

"Let us not fear the enemy till he actually comes, and then let us TRUST in the Lord."
Charles Spurgeon

I will blog through pictures today!!

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