Hey, Everybody! I hope you’ll have a chance to watch the video about something exciting God has placed upon our hearts at Living Proof but I wanted to make sure that you also have the information confirmed here in writing. Questions are usually answered better in print and I want this to be so clear that we can respond to God with tremendous praise and prayer.

Many of you are familiar with the Passion Conferences that God has used wildly among 18-25 year-olds for well over a decade. (If you’re not, see 268generation.com to learn all about it. You’ll love it.) God placed the vision in the faithful hands of Louie and Shelley Giglio and they have continued a long obedience in the same direction to see God’s name and renown become the desire of many hearts in the rising generations. God has shown outlandish favor on these events and He alone knows exactly why but this is the feeling that I get every time I observe a Passion gathering: He likes it. He likes coming to it. He likes brooding over it. He likes filling it. His glory is jealously guarded and His fame is generously spread. God also has the open invitation to reach into lives at one of the most strategic seasons of all. At what age are people more inclined to make completely life-altering plans and decisions?

Imagine what would happen if God completely captivated thousands of lives in that 18-25 year range and ruined them for settling for less than God had in mind when He created them. What if nothing less than the flagrant fame of Jesus Christ became their life ambition? That’s what has happened thousands of times over at Passion Conferences through the years. At these events, the wholly surrendered life in Christ is captured for what it really is: the most exhilarating adventure available for human flesh and blood. It is the offer to live for something so much greater. It is the offer for a life that matters here long after we’ve vacated this planet.

Last year at Passion 2011, Louie announced that God had challenged him to ask for the Georgia Dome for Passion 2012 (January 2-5 in Atlanta). That means we don’t have to sell out of seats and can open the doors to tens of thousands more. We were ecstatic. Within that first 24 hours, God moved on my heart to sponsor 1000 young women to attend in 2012.

1000 women who’d never been before.

1000 women who could not otherwise go.

I’ve waited all these months to tell you about it and, finally, the time is right. These next couple of months will be the time frame for the conference to climb on the radar of many young lives. LPM is launching this 1000 Women campaign in your honor and we would love to do it with your participation through prayer. It is my great hope that you would take ownership over the campaign, too, and get completely involved. What could be more fitting than for a women’s ministry to sponsor young women to attend something that has the very real potential to change the course of their lives and the rhythm of their hearts?

Here’s how the eligibility works for these 1000 scholarships. Each applicant must meet the following requirements (and, so sorry, but no exceptions!):
*A woman between the ages of 18 and 25. (Next week you’ll see that we are going to issue a challenge to other ministries, churches, and organizations and hopefully many of them will also scholarship young men. God seemed very clear in His leadership that our 1000 LPM scholarships were supposed to be entirely for women. It’s a form of mentoring and mothering, so to speak, as we seek to be intentional in investing in the next generation according to Scripture.)

*She has never attended a Passion gathering before. (This does not include concerts. I’m just talking about an actual Passion gathering on this prerequisite.)

*She would be completely unable to attend without a scholarship. In other words, if the young woman or her parents can come up with the money – even if sacrificially – let’s please retain these 1000 scholarships for others who cannot.

If this is resonating with you, here’s how you can get involved:

*Help get the word out to young women who meet the exact criteria for the LPM scholarships to Passion 2012. Please think about those who could not attend otherwise.

*Start praying for the event right away. These are tomorrow’s leaders and they will powerfully impact our lives as well as those who come up behind them. Also be watching for an opportunity to “adopt” one of our scholarship recipients to pray for throughout the event. We will give you an official way to sign up as an intercessor for a specific recipient after our scholarships are largely filled and we’ll also suggest some ways to direct your prayers. Look for these sign-ups to pop up here on the LPM blog in November but I will keep you very up to date on the progress of our 1000 Women campaign as we go.

And that’s all there is to it! You’re such a gracious people that I already know up front that some of you will ask if you can give financially toward this fund. If God undeniably presses that upon your heart, you are welcome to. (It would be part of our Siesta Scholarship Fund.) HOWEVER, we have already joyfully made the financial commitment at LPM and we are not asking for any donations. Since we’re deeply committed to these 1000 scholarships, if you do have extra dollars in your pocket in these hard financial times, we’d more readily suggest that you go out there and find someone – male or female – of that age group who wants to go to Passion 2012 but can’t afford it. Send them! And, remember that many could use the extra help for travel and lodging. Our 1000 Women campaign is limited to ticket scholarships and not for further expenses, as much as I wish we could do the whole megillah.

You game?? Wooohoooo! ME, TOO!!!!!

Get out there and find those women, Siestas! Here is the link for scholarship registration. Make sure they know the qualifications! All applicants need to go through this link for Passion 2012 scholarships. It is a separate feature that we’ve created in partnership with the Passion staff. Applicants will receive an email confirmation directly from Passion, letting them know that they have received the scholarship application and that it is being processed. Within a matter of days, they will receive another email informing them whether or not the scholarship was available and accepted. If they meet the criteria as listed in this post, the only reason for a decline will be numbers exceeding 1000.

Ready, set, GO!

Bring them, Lord!

I’m honored to do ministry with you, Siestas. Isn’t this a blast?

I love you dearly.

Well, it finally happened! After 2 years of God stirring up Curtis and Amanda and spooning them onto the same ministry page and after six months of praying and planning with a core group of believers, Bayou City Fellowship blew open its doors last Sunday, September 11^th. On so many levels, it was the Sunday of my life…and, just so you know, I’ve loved me some Sundays. You’ve got no hater here. Ink can’t convey what growing up in the church meant to a child who’d come from early victimization and was all but paralyzed by fear and insecurity. I know my story is not everyone’s but, for me, church was a safe place. A happy place. A lively place even long before the days of praise bands and raised hands. It was there in that small circle of Sunday school chairs in Arkadelphia, Arkansas that I met the love of my life. It was there that I memorized my first Bible verses and, there, my head plunged beneath the waters of baptism at the ripe old age of nine.

If I’m counting them right, I’ve belonged to about 6 or 7 churches in my 54 years and most of those changes were necessary because of moves. I can’t say that a single one of them was intolerable. If you’ve been around the LPM blog very long, you may know how dearly I loved HFBC and what tears I shed in saying goodbye to the church where I’d worshipped for almost 30 years. At first the sense of lostness was palpable. Then, suddenly, as I crouched with other believers way out on that limb, in the throes of desperate prayer, and complete dependence on God for this infant church, it was like quart of Red Bull started coursing through my veins. People would ask from time to time, “Are you guys scared?” Well, alive is more like it. Alive and AWAKE.

It’s been one of the most exciting things I’ve ever been part of. Many of you who have been involved in church plants have said the same thing. I guess one reason is because it’s just so out there. History can’t make it float. Heritage can’t make it float. Habit can’t make it float. Only Jesus can make it float. If He does not shine His face upon us, we will fizzle out like a year-old sparkler on the 4^th of July. The other big thing from a personal standpoint, making it so exhilarating is the band of new relationships. How often does somebody make 50 new friends without getting on Facebook? I know at least 20 children’s names and they know mine. OK. So I have candy in my purse. Is that against anybody’s religion??

Sunday two weeks ago, we had our BCF dress rehearsal. Everybody on the core team has at least one job to do so we got there early and into our places. (The first wave at 7:00 AM. The second wave at 8:30. That’s my wave. Service begins at 10:00.) I’m on the host team so we mostly practiced welcoming each other at dress rehearsal and we taste-tested the coffee at our makeshift coffee bar. Other teams were practically as busy at dress rehearsal as they’d be on opening day. The utility team and the children’s team require the most hands on deck because they have to set up and tear down every week. God graced us lavishly with space to rent at Houston Christian High School (Beltway 8, close to Hammerly – a gorgeous school and a great one). So, on these Sundays, halls and gyms transform into children’s areas with bright primary colors, songs, sounds of laughter, and stories about a great big God and a Savior who could walk on water. A Man who could take one boy’s lunch and feed thousands. Someone who said, “Don’t hold back those children from me! They’re what the Kingdom of God is all about!” We feel like God gave us one of the most gifted couples in our entire area to head up our children’s ministry. I pray for Dustin and Cassi second in line only to Curtis and Amanda. I wondered if they’d be overwhelmed on opening Sunday but their team was prepared, all the children welcomed and well cared for, and I saw nothing but smiles as I picked up Jackson and Annabeth.

Oops. I’m getting ahead of myself. I’ll back up and give you a short run-down of our first Sunday from the pitifully biased point of view of Blonder Than She Pays To Be:

I got there a few minutes behind schedule because I’d asked special grace from the pastor’s wife. Saturday’s simulcast in Lubbock made for a pretty late Saturday night so, by the time I got to the church, everything was already in high gear. This was the scene at the welcome center for the children. As you can see, we were getting a few things ironed out before our guests arrived.

We met for prayer in the gym and, after our pastor asked us to get in small groups and agree in focused intercession, one of our team members also requested that we gather around Curtis, lay hands on him and call out to God in his behalf. It was such a powerful time that I don’t think I’ll ever forget it. I could get tears in my eyes just thinking about it. At this point, you realize that we didn’t even know for certain that anybody else was coming. We were “in the presence of the God in whom [we] believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.” (Romans 4:17 ESV)

After prayer, we all scurried to our places. Mine last Sunday was beside those at the front door to the chapel. I will work in the children’s area pretty regularly but, when I’m in big church, I get to be on the team that welcomes people. I always wanted to be on the welcoming committee at HFBC so I’m ecstatic about my new job. I get to serve in this capacity as long as I don’t clog up an aisle or a door so I intend to stay light on my feet on Sundays and move from place to place. (I have promised Curtis and Amanda that I will not let BCF become a place for signing books or taking pictures. I just want to be a fellow church-servant so badly. On our first Sunday, that’s exactly what I got to be! A good sign indeed.)

I wish you could have seen the host team and I staring through the glass doors for signs of guests. Sure enough, by 9:30 they were coming. To say that we tripped over one another to welcome people is an understatement. Mind you, we’d been planning this moment for 6 months. It might be safe to say that there were some among the host team who were willing to elbow others to get to the guests first.  I’ll not mention any names but, if I remember right, I think her initials were BM.

Side note: Someone who will remain nameless but is related to me had brought donuts for the team to dress rehearsal the week before and I couldn’t eat one because of a bread-fast I was observing for the simulcast. I could not WAIT to sink my teeth into a warm Shipley’s on our opening morning and, lo and behold, no one brought any. I said to my son-in-law Colin, “I’m starving for a donut.” (A sick exaggeration, of course.) He said, “I don’t have a donut but I do have some peanut M&M’s. Would that do?” In a pinch, YES!

At the exact moment I threw a handful in my mouth, our first guest walked through the door. Not to be outdone, I flew over there, chewing as fast as I could, and greeted her with great enthusiasm and with tiny chips of brilliant red, blue, and green lodged between the opening teeth of my lifelong overbite. In hindsight, I wish I’d waited. I saw a piece of peanut on her shoulder after I hugged her. I wanted to swat it off but I was afraid she’d think that I thought she had dry scalp. It was a lose-lose. Another of our team members was equally enthusiastic. She showed us later how she’d nearly wrapped herself like a pretzel around the first guest she got to greet. (Don’t be scared to visit. If we can’t bring ourselves to settle down some over the next few weeks, we overzealous ones are prepared to take medication. Or have it forced upon us. Maybe we could wear a relaxation patch of some kind.)

Then I looked inside the chapel – still about 25 minutes before the service – and spied two women from the back with really cute gray hair. I descended upon them like a seagull dive-bombing a surf. We are hoping to no end that God will build BCF into a multigenerational body of believers so gray was one of our favorite colors last Sunday. If we don’t turn out with many senior adults, I’ll pray about letting my hair go its natural color. And I feel utterly certain that God will say no.

Their names were Irma and Joanne. I’m talking about the two women in the chapel. Stay with me here. And, are you ready for this? They are SIESTAS. Yep. Siestas. They live in Houston and knew about Bayou City Fellowship through our blog. In fact, I do not doubt they are reading this right now. Hi, Irma! Hi, Joanne! I loved meeting you both! Are you coming back this Sunday? Huh? Huh? I, of course, asked them if they’d be coming to our SSMT celebration but Irma said she’d found so many verses to be a bit daunting. I bet many of you can relate. But I told her the same thing I’m telling you: it’s not too late! Choose a psalm with 20 verses and get busy!

Back to BCF. The host team got the chance to welcome many people on Sunday. We think we had about 500 in all, counting the children. We were ecstatic. It was the perfect size for our first Sunday because we had a room full of worshippers without being overwhelmed. Our praise to God knows no bounds. Our whole family was involved. I wish I could see your faces when I tell you that Melissa manned the coffee bar. She did a splendid job, but when she ran out of half and half, you’d have thought we were on the edge of Armageddon. The Texas Pecan coffee was other-worldly in my opinion but she quipped, “WITH NO HALF AND HALF???” I agreed. It was unheard of. I just adore her. No one on earth is like her. Colin, Melissa’s man, was extremely busy because he is on the utility team, setting up and tearing down. (She is, too, by the way.) During the service, Colin passed one of the offering plates and, honestly, if I loved him more, I’d throw my back out. I would not trade him for anything on the planet. Melissa sat on one side of our hard-working pastor’s wife. (Don’t get me going on the pastor’s wife. It will put me over the edge. She is taking her place right beside her man and I am so impressed with God through her that I hardly know how to handle it. I have begun to call her First Lady. She has failed to acknowledge the honorific, however.) My older sister, Gay, sat on Amanda’s other side. It is a picture that will be engraved on my mind as long as I have memory.  I sat on the other side of my sister and Keith sat next to me. And his handsome twenty-two year old nephew sat next to him. And it’s very likely that any unattached young woman within five years of him wished she were sitting hitherto.

And, Curtis?

Well, Girlfriend. Curtis preached.

I do mean Curtis PREACHED.

And I got a word.

And many of us rededicated our lives. I’m not being facetious. I really did. 54 is no time to shove everything over to the young. They need you to stick with them. And, oh, Lord, have mercy, I NEED THEM.  I’ve hardly known what to do with myself since giving up Sunday school. I have a new job at church now: it’s called Whatever. I’ll rock babies. I’ll tell stories to children. I’ll welcome guests. I’ll help Melissa with the coffee. I’ll pass the offering plate (and probably try to peek in it). Whatever. I’m in.

Because I love church life. Even in all its imperfections and missteps. Even with its questionable reputation. Even though, at best, it can only point to Jesus and feign to replace Him. God used it to scoop me up when I was freefalling into an abyss. God used it to light a torch in me for missions and for the lifelong study of Scripture. God used it to teach me how to take a messy stab at teaching. God used it to show me how to love and to be loved. God used it to teach me how to forgive and feel forgiven.

Infinitely more than that, Jesus loves the Church. The big One. The one we’re only a speck on the face of. We – a people crouched on a tiny new dot on the Kingdom globe – want to take our place, shoulder to shoulder, with all the others who lift the Name of Jesus sky-high for any eye to see.

We want to take our place next to you.

And, if you happen to find yourself shoulder to shoulder with me, you might check your person for a rogue piece of peanut M&M. I’m a hugger, you know.

Good Morning, Siestas! If you were at the simulcast this weekend here is both the video and the commissioning that many of you have been asking for.

Also, don’t forget to check out yesterdays post below to see who our fifteen winners were of Travis Cottrell’s new CD. Congratulations, ladies!

Living Proof Live Simulcast Lubbock TX from David Lowe on Vimeo.

My Dear Sister
God has chased you down
And called you ALSO
You have a job to do
But you can’t really be you
Until you find a bigger “we”
You were created for good company
But never, ever forget
God never overlooks a single “me”
In that great big “we”
Let Jesus be the “He”
In your hermeneutic
Everything He teaches you
Is so that He can reach to you
Give Him open access
To every part of your life
Every struggle
Every temptation
Every aggravation
Every addiction
Every craving
All your caving
Give Him full authority
He’ll give you back your victory
As we go our separate ways
Always remember
That Jesus has passed you the salt
Shake some things up out there
To the greatness of Christ, the Son
Now unto Him who is able
To keep your feet from falling
Be glory and majesty
Power and authority
Forever and ever
Amen

We love y’all!

UPDATE! And the fifteen winners are…

(Drum roll please!)

Kim King
Colleen Hale
Traci Glasscock
Rachel Graze
Wendy McClellan
Brea Burelle
Vicki Harrison
Betsy Massoth
Sheryl Kline
Colette Pellegrino
Betty Bennett
LaDawn Skipper
Sharon Claassen
Connie Phelps
Debbie McFarland

Congratulations, ladies! If you will please email [email protected] with your name and mailing address we will get these CD’s to you asap! Of course, we wish we could give away 919 copies, but since we can’t, we are hoping that the rest of you (that would be 904 of you) will go out and buy it today. The link to do that is below. I promise you will not be disappointed. We love you, Siestas!

Update: Comments are now closed so we can do our drawing. Y’all are so fun! Check back tomorrow morning to see who the lucky winners are!

Happy Tuesday, Sweet Things! Something really fun is up today and I didn’t want you to miss it. Travis’s new CD is officially out and, let me tell you, it is my favorite of all his music YET. And, I guess you know, I’ve loved all of them. The mix of music on this thing is so incredible. They’re the kinds of songs you get in your head and you can’t quit singing (and you’re glad you can’t as opposed to those times when you can’t quit singing something stupid). If you participated in the simulcast last Saturday, you heard some of it. I’m trying to resist overusing the word “anointed” but you just see if you don’t sense the Holy Spirit all over it. To commemorate the release of “When the Stars Burn Down,” we’re going to do a random drawing and give away 15 copies. Here’s how you participate in the drawing:

*Leave a comment on this post with your first and last name

*In your comment, tell us your favorite song of Travis’s to date (if you’re familiar with his music. You can be part of the drawing even if you’re not. In fact, you’re the one we’d hope to win.)

We’ll do the random drawing this afternoon and post our winners tomorrow and make arrangements to get them in the mail to you.

If by any stretch of the imagination, you are not chosen in our random drawing of 15, go here to download or purchase it:  When The Stars Burn Down

If you’re like me, you love knowing about great new music out there that fills up and builds up your soul and brings you to the Throne of God. Enjoy! We love you around here, Siestas!