Stuff Your Stocking …
Posted by Lori Wilhite
Today we are excited to launch the Leading and Loving It Store. It has been a long while in the making … but it is finally here. Yippee! (A huge thanks to Sonya for all of your hard work getting everything ready over the last few months.)
We now have available the much requested “Nacho Average Pastor’s Wife” shirts that Brandi, Jessica, and I wear. They are white print on black American Apparel women’s cut shirts. Please consult the size chart at the store since they run small.
We also have a new version of the shirts that we had at retreat. If you weren’t able to join us in Nashville last year, you can still be “Armed and Dangerous Pastors’ Wives and Women in Ministry” as well. These retro graphics are printed on brown American Apparel women’s cut shirts. Again, please consult the size chart at the store since they run small.
If you are one of our amazing Virtual Community Group Leaders or Local Event Leaders, please contact us at leadingandlovingit[at]me[dot]com for the discount code to receive 10% off your purchase since you are part of the Leading and Loving It Team.
The store will be added to the top of our website soon, but until then CLICK HERE or go to http://leadingandlovingit.storenvy.com/
So grab a little something for yourself. Stick it in your stocking. And sport around in a little Leading and Loving It apparel in the New Year.
Fun Friday…Christmas Morning!
I discovered, shortly after getting married, that not all families do Christmas morning
the same way…or actually not all families do Christmas the right way!:) Now my husband would tell you that I only think it is the right way because it is the way my family did it. However, after very thorough investigation, I still conclude the way we celebrated Christmas is the correct way. Let me give you a breakdown of an Evans family Christmas morning:
We were not allowed to enter our family room until the Christmas tree was on and my dad was ready with his camera.
Santa gifts were ALWAYS unwrapped (Santa is extremely busy Christmas Eve and has no time to wrap gifts!)
MOST IMPORTANTLY we then unwrapped gifts ONE AT A TIME…youngest to oldest
Needless to say, the first time I celebrated with David’s family and the room suddenly turned into a confetti storm of wrapping paper as everyone ripped into all their gifts at the SAME time, I was traumatized! I mean…NO ONE took turns!
It turns out David says he felt traumatized the first time he realized gift opening was a production in my house that could go on indefinitely.
What are your Christmas morning traditions? PS…After 14 Christmas mornings together, we still open the gifts one at a time…David is a trooper!
Plugged In
Posted by Tiffany Cooper
Today I want to share a great blog post that made my heart super happy! Jody Glazner, one of our incredible Virtual Community Group (VCG) leaders, wrote about her VCG on her blog yesterday. Not only does she speak to the power of friendships in her VCG, she speaks to the heart of Leading and Loving It.
Jody’s Blog Post
I’m so blessed to have community both locally with friends and the people I ministry with in Springfield AS WELL AS finding community with some awesome new friends.
Friends from all across America. (and 2 that split their time in Kenya)
Friends that are all single (and 1 newlywed).
Friends that are all involved in ministry. Some with students. Some with women. Some with college. Some volunteer staff. Some full-time staff.
It’s a beautiful friendship that we have developed. We are able to have honest conversation. Share laughter that almost makes you pee your pants. Share hurts that cut to the core. Share wisdom that someone wiser than us has passed along at some point. Share prayers that continue past our scheduled meeting times. Share passions, dreams and situations that can’t be shared locally.
I love my virtual community group. And here is my shameless plug
For all my ladies in ministry 0r those married to men in ministry…get plugged in over at Leading and Loving It. New groups start at the beginning of the year. Consider which group you could join – or if there isn’t one that fits what you need, start one.
It’s the easiest group I have ever led/been a part of and it’s fabulous! I look forward to my hour. The girls in our virtual community group have truly become tight-knit and true friends…..girls meeting up for coffee when they are within hours of each other, people taking vacation to go meet VCG members, the dream to go on a VCG mission trip together to love on babies. Cool things are happening in our online community.
Thankful!
Want to experience this kind of friendship too? You can! Simply register for a Virtual Community Group here. New Groups will be posted in January!!!
Want to lead a VCG? We say YES! Please email me to let me know of your interest, tiffany[at]leadingandlovingit[com]. I will assist you every step of the way!
After the Wedding Wednesday… Play-Offs and Perspective
Posted by Trisha Davis
You can see all of the After the Wedding series and contact Trisha here.
‘Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.
~ Alfred Lord Tennyson
Those closest to me know that one of my passions in life is to see others find their calling and help them find a path to live that calling out. I love stories in which the underdog wins, the guy gets the girl and justice prevails. Bottom line…
I love seeing people win!
My husband makes fun of me come play-off time of ANY sport because I may have a tendency to be a bandwagon fan. 
I can’t help it! When I hear a player’s story of the adversity they had to face to make it to the “big game” – for that day, in that moment, I feel like I’m their number one fan.
I think the same is true in ministry. There is no greater joy than to share in a person’s decision to follow Christ. We get to hear their story of God winning through the adversity they have had to face. It’s like the ultimate game and ultimate win!
But what happens…
When people loose?
When the bad guy wins?
When the friend you’ve invited to church for years comes and doesn’t like your church?
When a staff member is fired or leaves?
When your husband feels like the losses of ministry outweigh the wins?
When you feel like you’re in a competition with the church for your husband’s attention and affection?
It’s hard to keep perspective while facing adversity. Our excitement to cheer others on is replaced with a referee whistle as if to say, “I’m now calling the shots.” There’s a brokenness in us all to put rules, restriction and regulations towards people who hurt us.
When we lose sight of the fact that Jesus is in control we start a slow descent into a life of worry, fear, anger and bitterness. The most dangerous place to be is when we feel like the pain that comes from loving others is too great so we withhold loving them altogether. Eventually those feelings start to spill over into our relationship with our husband.
There is power in perspective.
The perspective “play-offs” provide is a clear view to see the bigger picture of another person’s story. Perspective provides a vantage point to see the story in its entirety and clarity of what is truth. The truth is…
People, friends and even your husband will disappoint you.
The story doesn’t always end well or how you thought it should.
There is a spiritual battle in which Satan longs to steal, kill and destroy your godly perspective.
So how do you do to maintain godly perspective in the ups and downs of life in ministry?
Over the past several years the week between Christmas and New Years we spend some time individually, as a couple and as a family dreaming for the future. We list out attainable goals in which some of those goals include how we want to love others and champion them in their own stories. It’s a time we can reflect and gain perspective on how we loved God and others over the past year.
It’s a time we get ready for the “Big Game” and celebrate who made it to the “play-offs” and why. But most importantly it’s a time in which we allow God to lavish us with His perspective. It’s a time to remember that He is in control and He has a purpose and plan!
We would love to know your thoughts and ideas on how you maintain godly perspective!
Who Are You Serving?
Posted by Brandi Wilson
Yesterday I got the opportunity to spend half the day intentionally thinking about someone else. Yep, Cross Point kicked off our “12 Days of Serving” initiative and my community group hopped in to help on day two.
“12 Days of Serving” is pretty self explanatory… we, as a church body, spend 12 days focused on serving our community and those around us. There are lots of different options that happen at different times of day hoping to have something that works for everyone. My community group worked in the warehouse for a homeless ministry in Nashville. We organized food to handout as well as wrapped gifts and wrote Christmas cards for homeless children.
I loved the time with my community group. I loved being in a different environment and away from our normal routine. And I especially loved that we were helping without any response. No one there recognized us as staff wives or high-capacity volunteers… we were just helpers.
Team Wilson is heading out to do our “12 Days of Serving” project next week. I love serving together as a family. We’re just another family mixed in with the many others serving alongside our church.
I think we’re all very blessed because with the life we live as Christians serving is a natural part. We all serve individually as well as organizations. In fact, I believe serving others is one of the best parts of our “job.” And serving can take many shapes and forms. From sponsoring a child overseas to becoming a lunch buddy with an inner city child. From donating clothing to a family in need to shoveling snow for a neighbor.
Never underestimate the impact made when you put others ahead of yourself.
I’d love to hear how your church or your family goes above and beyond to serve those in your community or around the world during the Christmas season.
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