Extreme Makeover: Buckhead Edition

Happy almost Turkey day folks!

I have written a blog for today, but you wont find it here!! Today I was the guest blogger on our Buckhead Church Blog to tell about an awesome project that I got to be a part of with some of our amazing volunteer leaders! If you like any kind of show where a room is madeover into something awesome, you'll like this story! :)

To read my blog for today, click here: Buckhead Church Blog

Happy Day o' Thanks followed by Happy Day o' Crazy Shopping!! :)

Gobble Gobble!

Crazy Love

I've been back in the states for about two weeks now. All my bags have long been unpacked, but I am just beginning to unpack all that God has revealed to me through the amazing experiences I had in Sydney. He has grown my heart for students even more than it already was. He has given me a heart and a desire to truly love and pray for the people of Australia. I hope that one day soon I get to see all my new, sweet friends there again. But even beyond the actual experience, God is (and has been since April) stirring up something in me. Something big. Something different. Maybe it's multiple something(s). I'm not 100% sure what it is either. But I do know one thing...

...I am stinkin' FIRED UP!

I haven't felt this alive in a while, and while it excites me, it also scares me a little. Partially because I know myself - I can get super excited about the potential of something or what's to come, but get distracted by the "tyranny of the urgent" and lose the wind in my sails...then get mad at myself for losing focus, and so on and so on. It's a vicious cycle. Part of me is scared/excited because I feel like I might be venturing into uncharted territory in my life. But seriously God, no matter how much I might kick and scream at times, bring it on. I need it. I desire it. We're called to it, by you.

My small group is reading an amazing book right now by Francis Chan called "Crazy Love." I'm not kidding when I say this book is seriously rocking my world. If you haven't read it, go get it. Now. Seriously, stop reading this blog, go order it on Amazon and come back.

Go ahead, i'll wait.... :)

Ok, did you do it? Good! Anyways...In the book, Francis makes a great point. He says:

"Life is comfortable when you separate yourself from people who are different from you. But God doesn't call us to be comfortable. He calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doesn't come through."

Then Francis asks a great question that I realized I need to be asking myself DAILY:

"What are you doing right now that requires faith?"

As I hashed this question out with my small group tonight, yes, I realized that there are some big things in the past year that I have done that required faith, but how much am I asking myself that daily, in the small things AND the large things to come? I think I have been missing out on tons of opportunities to do so, simply because I haven't been consciously asking myself this question on a regular basis.

Back in April, I honestly prayed hard that God would make my 28th year a "year of transformation." So far, He has seriously answered my prayer in ways that I would have never imagined. But I think there's more to come. I know there's more to come. So what's next, you ask? I'm not quite sure yet...but I do know that i'm ready.


And i'm excited...not because I know what's on the horizon - because I have no idea what's to come.

Soaking it all in

I can't believe this week has already come and gone, and I have just over 24 hours left in beautiful Sydney. I've spent the morning soaking in the sights as much as I can...grabbed my staple Vanilla Latte at Starbucks and headed over for a gorgeous walk across the harbor to the Opera House where I sat on the steps, journaled and just enjoyed watching all of the people pass by for a little while. It's so weird to think I may never get to see this city again in person, but who knows. I pray that one day God will bring me back to Sydney.

We're packing up now and heading out to Bondi Beach for the night. A little change of scenery sounds fun, and the beach on a beautiful day like today...who could ask for more? I am unplugging for the rest of the trip - so likely no internet. If I don't get a chance to blog again before I leave, i'll see you all back in the states!

Cheers!

God of This City

Wow.

I don't think I could write an entire chapter and adequately describe to you all the amazing night that we had last night here in Sydney. I am so humbled and amazed to be here, to see and experience first hand the work that God is doing through the Passion team all around the world.

And it wasn't about the fact that I got to travel around the globe to one of the most beautiful places ever, it wasn't about the fact that God filled the auditorium with over 8,000 students. It wasn't about the cd's that were sold, or the songs that were sung. It was about uniting the body of Christ and students from over 86 universities all under one roof for His renown, and hearing and seeing what He was doing in and through that...from the moment we started planning months and months ago, till the very last person left the arena.

Stories are already pouring in about God at work last night, both inside and outside the arena, and I was blessed to experience one of these moments first hand. At about 2 hours to go before the beginning of the event, hundreds of students were already in a line that stretched halfway around the entertainment center. As I walked outside to check on the status of things, I was approached by a guy named Mike who walked up off the street. Mike is from Germany, and he is in Australia on a work visa. Our conversation went something like this:

Mike: "So what is going on...why are all these people lined up out here?"
Me: "It's an event for University Students"
Mike: "An event? What kind of event?"
Me: "It's a Christian event - we'll have worship and teaching and all that fun stuff...it's gonna rock."
Mike: "It's for Christians? You mean all of those students are lined up for an event for Christians?"
Me: "Yep."
Mike: "You have to be kidding. Are you kidding? Something like this would NEVER happen in Germany where I am from. There's just no way."

We continued to talk about the event - I told him it was a free event and asked if he would like to come. His eyes were as big as saucers, and he shouted "YES!" I handed him a ticket, and then he realized that it started at 7pm, and he was scheduled to be at work at 7pm. He thanked me, and then asked me to give the ticket to someone else who could use it...and then he just stood there for a moment looking at the students, somewhat speechless. Then he said that even though he was not going to be able to attend, God was speaking to him. He told me, "you have no idea what this has just done for my walk with God - seeing all these students in a time when I have been questioning things...you just have no idea." I prayed for Mike for the rest of the night as we worshipped there without him...I don't know anything else about his story, and it's likely I never will, but it was so cool to see God using this night to reach people in this city who never even set foot inside the arena doors.

I was reminded then that, even if everything else the rest of the night went wrong, it didn't matter - God was already at work and He would accomplish His mission anyway!

The rest of the night was great - it was so amazing to just stand back in the arena and watch 8,000 university students just worshipping the Lord with all their might - unified across campuses, across cities, and even in some cases, across continents. I pray that something sparked in the hearts of those students last night that they will carry out back into their campuses and homes and just be alive in Christ to all those around them. I pray that they become a generation who will not hold back when it comes to proclaiming the name of Jesus!

Today was a wonderful, and also bittersweet day. I felt a huge relief that everything that our team has been working on for months and months had finally paid off, but i'm also a little sad that it's all over and that i'll be going back home in just a few short days. My heart has grown very attached to the people and the students in the city of Sydney. It was a cold and rainy day today....and I was so thankful. Thankful that the rain held off until today, and that the students stayed dry last night. As I type this, I am looking outside my window at quite possibly the most beautiful rainbow I have ever seen, sweeping over the Sydney Opera house and touching down into the Sydney Harbour. It's colors are brilliant - the brightest i've ever seen in a real rainbow. I'm listening to Tomlin's song "God of This City," and looking at this rainbow - a symbol of God's promise - couldn't be a more fitting end to a perfect day. Just as the song says "greater things are yet to come, greater things are still to be done in this city." That's my prayer tonight. That God will continue to do great things in the city of Sydney, long after we are gone. Who knows if i'll ever get to come back here again. But I can assure you - the people of this city will remain in my heart forever.

Here's a little glimpse into Passion Sydney, with some of my photos and videos, and also a few photos from our amazing tour photographer, Jeremy Cowart (you can tell which ones are his -they are the phenomenal pics. I'm not that great of a photographer - he's stinking amazing with a camera!).

Cheers mates!
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It's almost here!

Hello again from down under!

I can't believe that we are just 24 short hours away from Passion Sydney! The excitement is building as the team is making final preparations for tomorrow. We've been scurrying all over the city for the last few days finalizing details, picking up last minute items, and praying for the students who will ascend on the SEC tomorrow night. Please pray that the weather holds out!! Before we left Atlanta, the forecast for Sydney showed blue skies...but since we've arrived, that forecast has changed to rain. Rain, rain, go away!

I haven't really done any sightseeing since we got here this time (besides the quick jaunt at the markets) because we've been working around the clock to get everything ready for tomorrow night. However, Mark and I did witness the strangest (and coolest) thing yesterday as we were running some errands in the city. We were waiting at a busy intersection to cross the street, and when the crosswalk sign came on, instead of crossing from one side to the other like normal, everyone just crossed right in the middle! It looked like a fun version of fruit basket turnover! We thought it was so cool that we made a little video of it, check it out...(embedded video)



Isn't that bizarre?! We thought it was so cool, that when we ran errands the next day we decided to do it. :)

Ok, time to run...gotta go do our last visit to the venue to make sure everything is in place! I'll leave you with a few of my favorite pics from this trip so far...more updates to come soon as we prepare for the big night tomorrow! Keep praying!

This is the cool shot of the full moon from the plane..

A fun fountain in Darling Harbour...

More of Darling Harborur...

The Queen Victoria Building...

More fun than the Queen Victoria building... :)

Passion Sydney: Day 1

Hello mates!

I apologize in advance for the lack of length in this post, but it's now 9pm Sydney time (which is 6am our time), and I am barely still functioning...trying to hold out a little longer to adjust to the huge time difference.

We made it here safe and sound, with two great flights! I got a good bit of sleep on the 14 hour flight, managed to watch 2 & 1/2 movies, and made a new friend....all in a day's work! When I got to the Sydney airport though, it was like deja vu of my last trip here all over again....picture me standing at the baggage claim waiting....and waiting...and waiting. Suitcases revolving over and over as one by one their owners claimed them and went on their merry way. Guess who was the last one left...again. :) Apparently my luggage never made it onto my flight! I couldn't help but laugh at the situation...I mean, things happen - there's no use getting upset, plus I got a $100 supplement to cover my "necessities" while I waited for them to track down my bag...not too shabby! My luggage finally arrived at the hotel just about an hour ago, so I am a happy camper.

We had a great start to our journey here - we hit the ground running with a prayer meeting amongst some of the Uni leaders in the city. It was so great to just sit in a room together, all praying and lifting up the students of this city all in the name of God's glory...I couldn't think of a better way to start our trip and align our minds and hearts to the reason we are here in the first place. We made a few other stops and now we're back at the hotel resting and getting ready for a busy day tomorrow.

That's it for now...Passion Hong Kong is going on as we speak, so please pray for the students there and also pray that God will just continue to make everything fall into place here in Sydney as we countdown to the big event on Tuesday.

Must get sleeeeeeeepppp....good Thursday morning to you all at home, i'll update again soon!

Cheers!

The Process

"Between the promise of God in your life and the payoff is a process."
-Steven Furtick

I'm sorry that I haven't written in a while. I'm still smack in the middle of a season of sifting and pruning from God. I've found that often times it's better to get well into the process before you pause and try to assess or analyze why you're there in the first place, and what exactly it is that God is trying to teach you in the midst of it all. But we'll get to than in another entry.

I just experienced my first Catalyst Conference over the past three days, and it couldn't come at a better time. Three solid days to sit and soak in wisdom, insight and inspiration from some of the world's most anointed church leaders...without having to worry about getting all the volunteers in place to open doors, setting up and tearing down, or making sure that all of the lower thirds are spelled correctly. I was able to sit and observe - to be fully present and fully engage in what it was God wanted me to learn.

And boy did I learn. Reggie couldn't have phrased it better - it was like "taking a sip of water from a fire hydrant." So much wisdom, so many personal challenges and convictions. It's going to take me days to unpack it all - but it is too important for me not to. See, that's been my problem before - I'll go and learn and in the moment, think "wow, that's great insight that I need to take home, process and apply." Then what happens? Life. I get caught up in the busyness of life and often put process and application on the back burner until I've forgotten what was so important in the first place.

There's no way I could even begin to explain or describe to you all that I learned over the past three days, but I would love to share some of my biggest takeaways from the week:

Wisdom from Perry Noble about Passion and Calling:
"To be good leaders, we must be excellent followers."
"Are you more concerned about being discovered, or being developed?"
"We cannot expect the spirit to lead us professionally if we are not yielded to Him privately."
"In order to attain God-sized vision, it takes God-sized risk."

Insight from Jim Collins on Good to Great:
"Good is the reason so many things don't become great."
"The presence of a to-do list without a stop-doing list is a lack of discipline."
"Greatness is not a function of circumstance."

Inspiration from Craig Groeschel:
"There is more in you."
"It's about having your heart break for the things that break the heart of God."
"If not you, then who? If not now, then when?"
"To reach people no one else is reaching, we must do things no one else is doing."
"To stretch you, God has to heal you, and to heal you, God has to ruin you."

Points from Dave Ramsey on Unity:
"By definition, gossip is when a negative is discussed with anyone who can't help solve the problem."
"If we're going to be Christians, we'd better have an excellence that is stunning."

Wisdom from Andy Stanley on Leadership:
"Pay attention to the people who are breaking the rules."
"No pain, no change."
"Success breeds complacency, and complacency breeds failure."
"Become preoccupied with those you haven't reached as opposed to those you are trying to keep."

But perhaps the moment that grabbed my heart the most was when I witnessed the Daraja African children's choir come in and lead us in worship. I watched these children, who came from absolute poverty, come running in with the biggest smiles on their faces, singing and dancing their hearts out for Jesus...quoting His scripture in a language other than their native tongue.

And then I thought about my own life. I have never known what it is like to not have a roof over my head, clothes on my back and shoes on my feet, a comfortable bed to sleep in, or any kind of food I could ever want. I drive a nice car to my amazing job where I make more money than some of them will ever see in their lifetime. I get to serve God and His people for a living. I have more friends and family than I know what to do with.

And sometimes I feel so "weary" that I have to find the energy to worship the God who gave it all to me?

Father, stretch me.

Roomie Spotlight: Welcome K-Schlag!

I'm so very excited to welcome my newest roomie Kristin to the CG Family! (that's Colonial Grand for those of you not in the know...it's only the coolest place to live this side of the Mississippi) Kristin and I have been buddies for several years and now I can't wait to embark on many crazy roomie adventures with her! We're going to have so much fun!

Welcome to the hood K-Schlag!

(PS....watch out boys, she's single and fabulous...better bring your A game!)


Jamie

It's like watching paint dry...

Well....sort of.

Thanks to the great suggestion by my buddy Erin, and with a little help from the ever fabulous Carlos, getting ready for a new roommate turned into a fun video experiement...enjoy!
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Jamie

The fasten seatbelt sign has come on...

Buckle up ladies and gentlemen, it's about to get bumpy around here.

Sorry that I haven't written since I got back, God has really just been stirring up so much in my heart that I really just had to take some time to sit on things, process them, and attempt to figure out what it all means. I'm heading into some unfamiliar territory in my life currently, and since I just recently returned from some world travels, I thought the turbulence analogy would only be fitting. :)

Right now my heart and my head are in a place of uncertainty. For the first time in my life, i'm learning how to truly surrender multiple desires close to my heart willingly before it is my only option... that leaves me a little nervous, but definitely willing to rely on God's faithfulness to honor my actions that I feel Him prompting me to act upon. God's gentle tug that i've felt to get out of my comfort zone has only been countered by satan's attempt to distract me with other heartaches and frustrations, and I find myself incredibly vulnerable and stuck in the middle of what seems like a battle between good and evil.

But I do know one thing...I never want to put God in a box.

I never want to limit Him to the sometimes ridiculously insignificant ambitions and plans that I might think up for my life. I have learned that His plans always far exceed anything I could ever dream of. They always will. And I also have to remember that my life is not my own...I was bought with a price and I am not here on this earth to serve my own selfish desires of the flesh. I am here to serve a God that loves me beyond comprehension. And that's what I have to give back...trust beyond all comprehension.

My dear friend and prayer partner, Shae was just reminding me tonight that in times like these we must constantly cling to God's word and bury his scripture in our hearts as a tool to battle the enemy and charge on towards whatever it is God is calling us to do. Tonight I am clinging to the words in Isaiah 41:10 that say:

So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

So now I go into this bumpy season of life...I don't know how long it will last, and I don't know where i'll be when I come out on the other side...but I am trusting that God is my seatbelt...He will keep me secure and in His will as long as i'm willing to trust, obey, and not be afraid to follow Him at any cost.

Jamie

Rice-A-Roni...

Hello from the west coast!

We survived the 14 hour flight from Sydney to San Fran, and we're now waiting in the airport for the last 4 hour flight home. It's noon here, 3pm at home and 5am in Sydney, so right now my body cant tell if it's coming or going. I'm so tired, yet still awake and hungry as all getout. :) We should be landing in Atlanta around 8:30pm, so here's hoping that I can sleep tonight. It's back to work for me tomorrow, and i'm sure i'll need Starbucks in hand!

I'm sad to have left such a beautiful city, but also glad to be almost home. Oh, they're calling us to board now...i'll see y'all in the ATL. (and yes, I was laughed at for saying y'all in Sydney.) ;)

Jamie

Meetings, Greetings & Sightseeings...

Our time is winding down here at Sydney, and it makes me sad. I have fallen in love with this city and especially it's people. I am already counting down the days until we come back, and I haven't even left yet. I am so very excited in anticipation for the things that I know God is going to do through Passion in October!

The last two days have been a whirlwind of meetings. We've met with church and campus leaders, media distributors, radio stations and on and on...it's been crazy, but great! We are leaving feeling very optimistic about the relationships that are being built and the potential to get the word out to a ton of the university students in the city. I could write so much more about all of this, but right now it's 1am here and I am absolutely exhausted. The bottom line is that we have a lot to do over the next 4 months in preparation, but we are very excited about what is to come. To quote the song that's resonating in our hearts right now..."greater things are yet to come, greater things are still to be done in this city." I'm so humbled to be a part.

Today we also had a prayer gathering with some of the Uni students here on the steps of the Sydney Opera House. It was so great to meet some of the students and actually be able to pray with them for their campuses and for the city. I am excited to be able to remember their faces and pray for them and all their peers specifically over the next few months. What a privilege!

Just for fun, here's a little snippet of some campus visits we made in the city....enjoy. I'll see you all when we get back to the states!

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Jamie

Adventures in public transportation

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Sunrise in Sydney

Magnificent.

It's 6am here, and I have been awake since 4:30am...courtesy of jetlag. :) But if it means that I get to see amazing sights like the one above, i'm ok with that. This is the second amazing sunrise i've been privileged to see since I embarked on this journey. The first was from my plane as we were about to touch down in Sydney. It was amazing...to see the fiery colors just above a layer of marshmallow clouds. For a split second, I thought I caught a small glimpse of what it might be like to be God every morning..basking in the beauty of creation, and looking down on the world where things that seem huge to us, really in His grand view of things, are very small. Here's a glimpse of that one as well...



I'm excited about the day today...we will get to experience worship at two different churches - Hillsong and Christian City Church. We've made some great friends at both of these places, so it will be a treat to get to worship with them. The next two days will be hectic, we have back to back meetings all day, so I am thankful for today, to be able to take in some time to praise our creator who sent us over here in the first place!

My heart for the Uni students of Sydney (i'm picking up the terminology here!) grows more each day...even though i've only met a few of them so far, just the fact that I am being given the opportunity to play a very small role in helping unite them for the glory of God humbles me beyond belief. There are some great leaders doing some great things here, and I am so grateful that we can come here in October to create a space where they can take off the planning and teaching hats, and just come in to worship and praise with their students. So cool.

Well, that's all for now...I need to go and get ready for the day. Happy Sunday, by the way! I know it's Saturday evening at home, but I just thought I would send you a little preview for what tomorrow looks like! Weird, huh? :)

Jamie

Sydney Update: Part 2

We are now half-way into our second day here….yesterday was a long but exciting day. As soon as I rolled off the plane, I went straight to the hotel, dropped off my carryon luggage (sans my actual suitcase) and went straight downstairs to meet with my team for our vision cast meeting. We met with church leaders and campus pastors from all around Sydney in order to give them a better vision and purpose for why we want to bring Passion to their city. It was really great to see all of the leaders across the various ministries and denominations in the same room interacting, connecting and praying together. It’s a rarity here. Please continue to pray for the unity of the body of Christ here.

After the vision cast meeting, it was off to lunch with a few other leaders of campus ministries in the area, and then time for a little sight seeing before dinner. Jen and I walked all around Circular Quay (pronounced key) taking in the sights of the Harbor Bridge, the Botanical Gardens and of course, the infamous Sydney Opera House. It was so cool just to walk through the streets of the city and see all of the diversity amongst the people of Sydney. I’ve also decided that I want to trade in my southern accent for an Australian one…they just sound way cooler than me. ☺

A few minutes back at the hotel trying to catch up on a few emails, then it was off for a team dinner at Wolfie’s on the harbor. I will say that so far, the food here has not been my favorite part, but then again i'm picky. :) The 14 hour time change caught up with me about halfway through dinner, and I could barely keep my eyes open to walk back to the hotel. I passed out at 8:30pm (which would be 5am at home) and got a good solid 12 hours of sleep so I could start off today ready to go.

We got an early start this morning with an awesome breakfast, then after stopping at Starbucks for a little taste of home, its off to an afternoon of brainstorming with our team and a trip to Bondi beach this afternoon just to think outside of the box. Tomorrow will bring visits Christian City Church and Hillsong Church for two of their services, and I am very excited about that…stay tuned for more updates!

Thanks again for all your prayers and encouraging emails…that means so much! Keep praying for the students of Sydney!

And just for fun, this is my favorite pic so far...

Jamie

Sydney Update: Part 1

G'day Mates!

I have arrived here in Sydney! It's 4pm here, but 2am at home and i'm just now starting to struggle a little bit. Bring on the coffee. :) I have so much to tell, but not a lot of time right now, so here's a quick video update and some pics...I had a GREAT 26 hour journey if you can believe it - smooth flights, met some great people, and even had a quick layover in Tahiti. More on all that later...stay tuned!  (RSS Readers-embedded video)



And a few pics...

A layover in Tahiti!
The view from our room..
A closer look at the Opera House...
Me & Jen checking out the city..
Sydney!

Australia Bound

Tomorrow is going to be a busy day.
Tomorrow I get another stamp in my passport.
Tomorrow i am going to embark on the adventure of a lifetime, all in the name of serving our great God and making Him known!

Tomorrow I head off to Australia to continue planning and preparations for the last leg of the Passion World Tour. It's absolutely unbelievable that I am even getting to be a small part of this. It's opportunities like this that remind me I should never again doubt God's plan for my life, because it is waaaay better than anything I could ever dream up. :)

Right now I am a mix of emotions. I'm excited about the opportunity to get to travel abroad, and to do so with a purpose. I'm a little nervous because this will be the longest flight i've ever been on, and i'm going it solo. I'm amused at the fact that I have a layover in Tahiti. Yes, Tahiti. (it's a tough life, but somebody's got to do it) I'm a little overwhelmed at thinking about how much needs to be done between now and the actual event in October. And i'm also feeling an overwhelming sense of responsibility to make this event the best it can be so that the students of Australia will walk into an awesome environment, ready to encounter God in a way they haven't before. The thought of it all is a little daunting, but I have no doubt that God has me here for a reason, and I am more than willing to take on the challenge.

Right now I am praying that our team makes it over safely (Jennifer & Garrett tonight and me tomorrow). I pray that God will focus my heart and mind, taking away any distractions that would keep me from doing what He is sending us over there to do. I pray that He will open doors for us and give us multiple opportunities to connect with the students, the church leaders and the campus pastors around Sydney in hopes of spreading the word to as many University students as possible. I pray that I will constantly be reminded that this is not a personal vacation to Australia...that while I can enjoy the trip and the scenery, I am there to do work...God's work, and I will not let myself or my personal desires get in the way of accomplishing the task at hand. And finally I just pray for His hand and provision over any and all plans that are made.

Will you partner with me in prayer for the students of Sydney? I sure hope so!

Be sure to check back often in the days to come, more updates will be on the way! See you on the other side of the world!


Jamie

Making the Video: LDR Style

Just a little sneak peak at the making of the Singles Labor Day Retreat promo video for this year...
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I love the fact that this is part of my job... :)
Check back later for the actual finished product!!

Jamie

Learning to swim

Today as I laid out by the pool I watched a man with his son. The dad, holding his son (who looked to be about 6 or 7) was backing slowly into the deep end of the pool. As the son began to realize where he was going, he immediately began to protest and attempt to squirm his way out of his fathers arms. As the boy panicked, I could see his father whisper something very calmly into his ear and then he tossed him out about 3 feet in front of him into the water. At first when the boy popped up he instinctively began to flap his little arms, but when he realized he wasn't paddling quite hard enough to keep his whole head completely above water, panic set in and he began to flail and scream for his father. The dad continued to coax and encourage him as he calmly made his way over to get his son. As soon as he was close enough, the boy, in tears, latched on and clung for dear life as his dad told him over and over "its ok son, its ok." The father held him out and showed him how to kick, and then how to float.

Half an hour later, the boy was jumping off the side of the pool into his father's arms, into the deep end...with a smile.

As I watched this scene unfold right in front of me, I couldn't help but flash back to an almost identical situation with me and my dad at about the same age. I was terrified of the water, and refused to take swimming lessons. As soon as my dad even began to loosen his grip on me, I remember freaking out and clinging on for dear life. The difference in my story though, is that my dad didn't toss me in. Maybe it was the fear in my voice or my little claws in his arm, but my dad opted to heed my panic and hold onto me. Even though it would have scared the life out of me then, and even though I know he didn't let go because I was begging him not to, now as a 27 year old who is still afraid of the water...I kind of wish he would have just thrown me in.

This little moment between father and son and the reflection of my own moment with my dad made me think about how many times in my life i've been in this same situation....but with my heavenly father. There have been so many times that i've been scared to death of what lies ahead, or terrified of a challenge or burden at hand...but God, all along, is standing there saying "it's ok, it's ok" right before He throws me in the deep end.

Why?

Because sometimes the fear will overcome you. Sometimes the anticipation of stepping out into unfamiliar territory will paralyze you and keep you from completing the task at hand. Sometimes we need to just be thrown in the deep end, under the watchful eye of someone who knows how to save us if we were to start to drown.

There are a few areas in my life, two in particular right now, where I feel like God is holding me out over the deep end. Even though I barely know how to keep my head above water, I'm ready Lord, and I trust you...toss me in.

Jamie

It's the little things

Here's a great thought for the day that I found...

"We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily differences we can make which, over time, add up to big differences that we often cannot foresee."

– Marian Wright Edelman

So don't forget to...
... hold the door open
...say thank you
...make eye contact and smile at total strangers
...write a thank you note or a note of encouragement
...pick up the phone and call the friend that's been on your heart
...give a couple extra bucks to the homeless man on the corner
...tip well
...hug someone
...ask the cashier at the counter how their day is, and genuinely be interested in their response
...let someone go first
...go the extra mile, even though you don't have to

To you or I these may be small gestures...but to someone else, it very well could just turn a bad day into a good one. :)

Jamie

Happy Birthday Tat!

Just a little birthday shoutout to one of our favorite security guards here at Buckhead Church...Tatiana!

Chances are, if you've been at Buckhead Church, then you've seen the fabulous Tatiana (or "Tat" as we call her) doin' her thing. She's a rockstar...always has a smile on her face, and always taking care of us staffers as well as the entire church. I'll just say it....if you get outta line, she isn't afraid to lay the smackdown on you...so watchout. We are so glad that she's a part of our Buckhead family.



Tat...we love you and we're so thankful for you - hope you have the BEST birthday ever!! :)

Jamie

Passion Sydney

It's coming....

Are you ready? Stay tuned....

10 years and a million miles

Tonight was my 10 year high school reunion. It made me remember just how much some things never change...and how much some really do.

I won't lie, I wasn't overly excited about attending in the first place. Maybe because most of the people I wanted to see, I still keep in touch with. Maybe because I feel like I was a completely different person then...one who was often shy, fairly insecure, and wet behind the ears in terms of the realities of the "real world."

I'll admit - there was about an hour of the day today when I genuinely panicked just a little bit. Fearful that my old insecurities would come back out, and fearful that the reunion would be just like high school...a popularity contest. The old me back then would have never dreamed of braving an event like this alone. But here I am...27, single, and happy to attend date-less. By choice. No longer do I feel the need to constantly show up accompanied. I learned that through experience...multiple years of having no other choice. In high school you can take your buddies every where you go, but in real life, not so much. I've grown comfortable in my own skin...not that i'm 100% satisfied with it, but comfortable with who God made me to be, nonetheless.

The crowd there tonight was an odd mix...probably about 1/4 of our graduating class. It was an eclectic intermingling of the old "cliques," and I felt like the only people there not drinking were me and the 4 pregnant ladies. It felt as if I had pressed pause on a movie (we'll go with Fast Times at Ridgemont High just to give you a visual), and came back to that same scene ten years later. It felt like everything in the scene was exactly the same...everything except me. I can't really explain it. I know some people have changed (some for the better, some not-so-much), and some are exactly as I remember them...but I felt somewhat like Marty McFly watching himself have a conversation that had already happened.

I think tonight just made me grasp that I have grown a lot in ten years....more than I realized, I think. Don't get me wrong...I'm still a work in progress, but I feel like i'm lightyears away from the girl I was at EPHS.

And then I realized that the next time I will see a lot of these people, we will all be close to 40.

Wow.

I can't imagine how much will have changed by then....and how much will still be just the same.

Busy is an understatement...

Do not adjust your screen. This is not an illusion. Yes, my Red Bull can is practically the size of my head.

And that's a good thing. :)

It's a good thing because yes, I may be tired sometimes and yes, my calendar for the next several months is ridiculously full...but it's full with so many exciting options that I feel overwhelmingly blessed. 2008 is turning out to be a year full of incredible journeys, experiences and once in a lifetime opportunities. I think that I have walked into probably the most complex "busy season" of my entire life, and I intend to savor every moment of it.

Here are just a few highlights of my adventures to come over the next 6 months:

1. DRIVE - next week I get to play a small role in helping our staff teach over 2100 church leaders from around the country all the in's and out's of how we do ministry...what has worked for us, what hasn't, and most importantly, help equip and encourage them to go back to their parts of the world and create irresistible ministry environments where people can come to learn about God and experience His love and grace. I can't even describe the coolness of this conference - you'd have to see it for yourself.

2. The continual opportunity to pour into the lives of 25 high school girls that i've been leading and tracking with for 3 years now. They're almost juniors, i can't believe it. I'm so honored and humbled (and sometimes terrified) that I get to be a person of influence in their lives. Someone who gets to love them, laugh with them, cry with them and invest in them...and hopefully keep them from making some of the mistakes I have growing up. We get to spend a week at the beach this summer again for our annual camp, The Walk. It's always an incredible time of bonding, sharing and learning. LOVE IT. LOVE THEM. These girls continue to challenge me in ways I could never imagine.

3. The honor of walking alongside and standing at the altar as two of my best friends, Rosie and Cristin marry two amazing men that God has clearly chosen for them. It has been such a privilege and blessing to watch these two extraordinary women meet, fall in love with, and now prepare to share the rest of their lives with such great guys. And I am so blessed to be able to have witnessed all of it. I couldn't be happier for them and I feel so truly honored that they have asked me to be part of their special days!

4. LDR...one of the biggest catalysts in my life four short years ago when I was desperately wanting to get 'connected' and do life with other singles who were on the same page as me. I have met so many people and been touched by some incredible communicators who have taught me and challenged me...and now i'm blessed to get to be on the planning side of this event. I'm always so excited that I get to be creative and help put this event together with my dear friends in mind - knowing that it's such a great weekend for connecting and growing. Just plain awesome.

5. And for this last one, I barely have words. I'm completely blown away by the fact that God is going to use me to hopefully play a small role in helping connect college ministries for students on the other side of the world. This year I will be traveling to Australia. Not once, but twice! I'll be part of a team that's leading the Sydney leg of the Passion World Tour. I could write an entire book on this, but i'll just wet your appetite for now. MUCH more on this in blogs to come.

Fasten your seatbelts folks, it's about to be a crazy ride. And i'm rollin' full speed with the top down...care to join me? ;)


Jamie

What's A Girl To-Do?

If you don't see or hear from me over the next 5-7 days, this is why...


That's my to-do list for the next few days. Yes, it's long but i'm super excited about every single event on there. And yes, it's blurred for a reason. We can't be letting out ALL our secrets for the cool stuff at 7|22 that is coming down the pipes soon....you'll just have to wait and find out!

But trust me...you DON'T want to miss it.

Jamie

Don't spoil your dinner...

I remember one Saturday afternoon when I was about 10, I came in from playing outside all day and I was starving. It was late afternoon, and mom was already at work in the kitchen beginning to prepare dinner. I asked her if I could have a snack but of course, her answer was an emphatic "no, you'll spoil your dinner."

I almost walked away in defeat, but my stomach wouldn't take no for an answer. Inevitably I began to nag my mom, confidently proclaiming that I would just die or at best, wither away to nothing if I had to wait a whole hour for dinner. Afterall, I knew best the needs of the stomach that was attached to me, not her. The more I begged, the more frustrated she became until she eventually said ok, knowing full well what was going to happen.

With the green light in my court I proceeded to help myself to a rather sizable amount of junk food, undoubtedly stuffing myself silly and meeting my seemingly "urgent" need for sustenance. Shortly thereafter, mom called us down for dinner. Wouldn't you know, she had made my favorite -mom's world famous (ok, maybe not world famous...but it sure is #1 in my book) spaghetti. Just the sight of it though made my full little stomach ache. I knew that there was no way I was going to be able to put one single bite of that in my mouth without getting sick.

My mom was right, I had spoiled my dinner.

At first I was just sad because I was missing out on something great, something I loved. And then I felt guilty, when I saw the look on my mom's face...she had worked hard to prepare a good meal for us, something far better for me than all the chips and cookies I filled myself up on, and what did I do? I wasted it.

I thought about this moment today, and it made me wonder...how many times have I done that to God? How many times do I want something so badly, that I beg and plead with Him until He gives me what I want, knowing all along what I will miss out on as a result - rather than waiting for something better that He is preparing for me? He created me, why do I sometimes lose sight of the fact that He knows my every need, and knows when they need to be met?

I'm not sure I really know the answer to that. Maybe it's the fact that we live in a "get it faster" society. Maybe it's the fact that patience is often a learned trait for me - I don't always execute it naturally. Maybe it's because we live in a fallen world and we are all tempted by the enemy who knows our weaknesses.

Maybe it's none of these.

Maybe it's all of them.

Lord, it is my sincere prayer today that you withhold from me selfish or impetuous desires that I might 'think' I want for my life right now, especially if receiving the means that I might miss out on an opportunity to better glorify or serve Your kingdom. I ask that in times when I want something before you're finished preparing it for me, don't just tell me no...shoo me out of the kitchen. :)


Jamie

Reason #153 why I love my job...

For my readers who have ventured over from other blogs and who don't know me, I work at a church. Yes, I said a church. It might not be obvious from the video above, but it's the truth. I work at Buckhead Church, a campus of North Point Community Church. We are located right in the heart of Buckhead and I love it.

I love that I get to serve God for a living. I love that I get to serve my friends. I love that I get to serve the community. I'll admit, sometimes I feel guilty for loving my job so much. I love the fact that although we work hard, we are also encouraged to play hard, have fun, and build community. I feel so fortunate to have a job that I love, I wouldn't trade it for the world!

If you could have any job in the world, what would it be?



Jamie

Music Videos: Part II

Ok, yes I have noticed that there is a bit of a boy band theme for my last two posts, but I couldn't help posting our latest video....just some fun with the girls a few weeks back. What can I say, we may be drifting out of our 20's, but we're never too old to shake a tailfeather...

The Year of Reunions

Ok, so believe it or not, my 10 year high school reunion is coming up in just 2 short months. Yes. I know. You can't believe that it's my 10 year reunion because I look like I'm still in college, right? (well, at least humor me anyways...i'm a girl, we don't like to feel old) ;)

But I did find out one thing today that made me feel a little like a kid again...


That's right...my boys are reuniting and they've all grown up...


Looks like the years have been good to 'em. Can't wait to bust out a few of my NKOTB dance moves, no matter how silly I look...I mean, hey, who says you can't reminisce? I have a history with these boys. Finally got to meet Jordan (cough cough, at age 25, cough cough) That's me on the left (I am a recovering blonde)


And who could forget the fact that these boys are the inspiration to many of our musical video musings...



So here's to you Danny, Donnie, Jordan, Joey-Joe and Jon...you may have been "Hangin' Tough" over the past 10 years, but "Step by Step" you've shown us that you've still got "The Right Stuff."

Signed,
Your #1 Fan

Jamie

Strength Will Rise...

The last two weeks at 7|22 have been so good for my soul. Not only because Jeanne Stevens communicated two amazing messages of God's truth, but also because the topic of spiritual waiting is something that resonates intimately with my heart.

Over the past six years God has continually confronted me and challenged me to be patient and wait...wait for clarity, for understanding, for restoration, for wisdom, for healing and for HIS timing - not my own. However, Jeanne's messages reminded me that while I was (and/or am still waiting) for these things, the most important thing I am waiting on is for God to leverage this time to make some radical transformations in my life.

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord...

I have not always been at a place in my heart where I readily welcomed periods of waiting...especially long ones. I could go on for pages of how God pulled me out of a very dark time in my life, primarily through an extensive waiting period, but i'll spare you those detais...for now. I can, however, pinpoint one specific trial in my life during that time when God tested me more than He ever has, and at the same time, has never felt so close.

At the age of 22, God met me in a much needed period of restoration. I had been through a life altering ordeal that left me utterly broken, hopeless and crying out to Jesus to mend what was left of my shattered dreams. I remember the night I broke down and had it out with God...I finally understood and accepted what it meant to surrender my plan (not just say that I did), and I willingly did so - asking and welcoming God to do whatever was necessary in my life to break me down and build me back up into the person He created me to be.

And He did.

One by one, I experienced God completely break me in every aspect of my life...emotionally, relationally, mentally, financially, and in December of 2003....physically. I don't know why I never thought that this would be an area that God would use to reach out to me. I guess I just assumed that all the work He needed to do was in my heart and my mind. I learned to never underestimate the ways or the means in which God will get our attention and repair us.

That month, I started having really bad headaches...the kind that are so debilitating that I didn't want to get out of bed. I remember sitting in church one Sunday, as the headaches continued, and noticing big black spots that were blocking my vision. I had heard that people who suffered from migraines often saw spots, so I self-diagnosed that I was having migraine issues, and decided to make an appointment with a doctor to get it checked out. When Monday morning came, the pain was so bad that I could not wait to get an appointment. I had to have my mom drive me to the emergency room, for what I thought would be a quick visit. I thought that they would just do a cat scan, decipher that I had migraines, write me a prescription and I would be on my way.

Boy was I wrong...

When the doctor came back after hours of waiting for my test results, he very casually told me that they found something on my scan that could be an aneurysm or potentially even a brain tumor. The next few minutes were a blur as I heard words thrown around such as "emergency brain surgery," "radiation," and "permanent vision loss." For the record, the words brain and surgery should never be used in a sentence around me...the outcome is not so great.

In a matter of minutes I went from a girl with a bad headache to potentially a life threatening illness. Talk about a "where's God" moment. After running more tests that day, the doctors ruled out an aneurysm (to my relief), but could not rule out the potential of a brain tumor. At this point, we determined that I had lost a good portion of my peripheral vision in my left eye, and I was told that this vision loss would be permanent. The following week brought more tests, awful medicine that made me swell to almost twice my normal size, and word that I was going to have to wait 3 months before they could determine exactly what was wrong with me, and what to do. I can remember going home that night and crying out to God...

"I might have a brain tumor, and you want me to wait?!"

For the next three months, that's all I could do. I was told to go about my normal life (with the exception of no exercise), and just wait to see if new test results after the waiting period showed a change in the spot they found on my MRI. Yeah right...all I could think about was how in the world I was going to function normally knowing that at the end of the three months they could tell me that i'm going to die.

For the first week I went home every night and prayed for hours...prayed that God would miraculously heal me, and that God would make it all go away. I was frustrated with God for throwing this on me at a time when I was already at my lowest of lows, and couldn't understand why He could potentially want to end my life at such a young age. And then one night, I got it. In the midst of my prayers I felt this overwhelming peace consume my heart...and I felt Jesus there, wrapping His arms around me. I could hear Him asking me "Why are you trying to control something that you can't? I will decide when your time on earth is complete, and I will decide if you have more work to do. Whether or not this is your time, just trust me..."

God knew in that moment that I had no other choice but to surrender my life (literally) to Him...the control of whether or not I was about to die was never really mine to begin with. Praying for God to make it all go away over and over wasn't going to fix things. God is not a magic genie that has to grant my every wish. That night I began to change my prayers, and every day thereafter I prayed the same thing:

"Jesus, I know you are a loving father and you have a plan for my life for a reason. Lord, I feel in my heart that I still have work yet to be done on this earth, but if your plans say otherwise, I willingly accept them with open arms. Give me a peace to know that you know my next steps before I do, and that they are all part of YOUR story. I want to bring glory to you...in life, or in death. Thank you for every day that you've given me so far, and thank you for any that are yet to come."

For the remainder of the three months, I entered each day with a peace in my heart that no matter what the doctors said at the end of it, God was in control, and He ALWAYS knows what He's doing. It was an unexplainable peace that I still can't adequately describe to this day, but I know that in the midst of my suffering, my Jesus was there carrying me along the way.

As it turns out, it wasn't a tumor - but rather an abnormal blood vessel on my optic nerve that burst and bled...which is what caused my partial vision loss...a loss that the doctors said was permanent. But even through this trial, I got my own little miracle...months later despite the doctors' prognosis, I got about 50% of that vision back! I still have a small blind spot in my peripheral vision on my left eye, but rather than be angry at the annoyance that it sometimes is, I am thankful for it as my daily reminder that God is in control, and when I wait, He WILL meet me where I am and reveal himself to me in ways I might have never imagined.

10 Random Things About Me

So, i've been tagged...by my friend Delane's blog, and I am supposed to list 10 random facts about myself. Here they are in no particular order:


1. I have to make my bed up every morning before I leave the house, if not it drives me nuts all day.

2. In the 4th grade I won 1st place in a rapping contest for a rap that I wrote about "Hugs Not Drugs."

3. I could watch reruns of Friends all day and never get tired of it - no matter how many times i've seen them.

4. I am working on writing my first book.

5. I don't drink alcohol, but I like to drink cherry coke or tea out of wine glasses because I think they're pretty.

6. I have a New Kids On The Block Super Hits cd....autographed by Jordan Knight. No, i'm not kidding.

7. I have a weakness for purses and jewelry...i'm an accessory girl!

8. I live 3 miles from the hospital that I was born at.

9. I love to fly (but i rarely get to do it) and I love people watching at the airport.

10. I love planning surprises for my friends or loved ones.


Now I get to tag some friends! If I tag you, then you must post a blog like this with 10 facts about you on your own blog then let me know! I tag Shae, Tiffany, Jerry, Allison and Jessica. Have fun!

Jamie

Happy Day of Love

I think this year was hands down the best Valentine's Day I have ever had. Period.

Not because I had a "valentine" in the traditional sense of the word, or a hot date, or even a secret admirer. But it was great because I was completely surrounded by love. The love of my family, love of my dear friends, and love of my savior. From the moment I woke up, I felt loved. I am so incredibly blessed to be surrounded by so many amazing friends and family that I love dearly, and that I can count on through anything. And I am speechless at the thought of my God who loves me so much that not only did he send his son to die for me, but he continually protects my heart and gives it just the right balance of joy and heartache that it needs to be the person he has designed me to be. There is only one true love that I desire in my life right now, and that is with my Jesus. Today was a wonderful reminder for me that just because my life may currently be without a boyfriend or spouse, it doesn't mean that it is without love in abundance.

And to wrap up a perfect day, I had a wonderful intimate dinner with 7 of my closest girlfriends...we had such a good time eating, praying, talking, and more than anything, laughing. What were we laughing about? Well let me just give you a taste...

We started with a little video warmup...


Then moved to a little JT to add to the comedic entertainment...


And wrapped it up with a classic favorite...


I love my friends...can you see why? :)

Jamie

Jamie's Travels

Lately i've had the insatiable appetite to want to travel...a lot. There are SO many places that I have yet to go. If it wasn't for such a tight budget, I would have hit a lot of the spots already. Here's my top 10 list of places I want to see at some point in my life:

10. Colorado...I want to see what it's like to try 'real' skiing.

9. Washington D.C.....sadly I have yet to tour our nation's capital.

8. Paris...the land of the Eiffel Tower and the french-kiss...my kinda place ;)

7. Hawaii...I want to learn to do the hula!

6. China...I'd love to see that many people crammed into one city - but i'd have to pack my own food - I don't eat chinese food. :)

5. Australia...let's put another shrimp on the barrrrrrby. haha

4. Tahiti...four words: over-the-water bungalos. Ahhh.

3. Ireland...i've heard it's one of the most beautiful places to revel in God's creation.

2. England...I want to see where my family came from, and visit the cousins i've never met.

and the number one spot I want to vitst.....

1. Florence - pasta and the city of romance...what more could a girl want?



Ok your turn...where is the one place you want to visit that you have yet to see?

Jamie

Bella

Yesterday my staff team and I went up to Camp Highland to take a tour and begin preparations for our upcoming volunteer retreat. What we didn't know was that we would be bringing a new friend back home with us.

Meet Bella...

After taking a tour of the camp, we came back to the main office to find this sweet little puppy, starving and thrilled to see an actual person.  From the looks of her, we guess that she hasn't seen anyone or eaten anything in weeks.  She reminded us of the Taco Bell dog...so we named her Bella. Even though none of us could keep her, we obviously couldn't leave here there, so she became our 5th passenger on the way back to Alpharetta.

We spent the better part of the hour and a half drive back calling and texting everyone we knew trying to find a home for sweet Bella...to no avail. And unfortunately, every single pet rescue and humane society office we called refused to take her as well.  In a last ditch effort, we stopped at an animal hospital that we saw on the way home...and we met a nice woman that worked there who agreed to take Bella.  We were so happy!

I mean seriously, how can you say no to a face like this...?

Jamie

Bless his heart...

Now I know that GPS is supposed to be the most amazing thing, but really...?


Man follows GPS directions onto train tracks, into dummy hall of fame
Posted Jan 4th 2008 2:57PM by Joshua Topolsky

Once again proving that "people be stupid," a Bedford Hills, New York man allowed his GPS to navigate him onto train tracks... while a train was approaching. Entering a long line of folks like Cherry Tree Guy and the Narrow Lane Invader, this mentat in question apparently followed directions to "turn right" onto a set of tracks, which he then inexplicably became stuck on. Upon noticing the speeding locomotive heading towards his car, the man jumped out of the vehicle and tried to warn the engineer by waving his arms frantically -- to no avail. The train slammed into the truck at 60 MPH and pushed the vehicle more than 100-feet, damaging 250-feet of track. The man was unharmed, though we understand his ego has filed for divorce.

Jamie

Helllooo 2008!

So how did you ring in the new year? This is how I did... (embedded video)



3 days + North GA Mountains + 27 of my closest friends + 30 rounds of Crazy Uno = PERFECTION

Happy 2008!!

Jamie