And They're Off!!

Woohoo! Our Tuesday morning and Wednesday evening studies are off and running as they started up for the Fall this week. Pictured here are the leaders for the Wednesday night study of Esther - Karen Ransom and Linda Roeszler. And I'm thrilled to report that between these two groups, 93 women are registered. How wonderful! I loved being there at the kick off for both the morning and evening studies to see the devotion of the five leaders who have so lovingly and diligently prepared for this, and the enthusiasm of all the women who came to embark on a journey of study for the next few months. It was a beautiful sight. Warms the cockles of my heart! I pray that God will richly bless these students with ears to hear and hearts to receive all that His has for each person through these studies. And that new relationships will be formed and old ones strengthened.


It's not too late to join if you haven't already. Just let me know if you'd like to come, and I'll get word out to the leaders. The morning studies provide no-cost childcare, but let us know if you're coming with children so we can make sure we have plenty of helpers.

In other news, just a reminder that the Joyce Meyer conference is at Arco next weekend, Sept 30 - Oct 2. Admission is free - bring a friend! www.joycemeyer.org/conference.

Cappuccino Christmas is coming closer! (December 6) This is a fabulous event - if you have attended, you know what I mean. If not, trust me, I think you'll love it! Hostess tickets will go on sale the end of October and general ticket sales will run throughout November. Please be praying now about who you can invite and have some purposeful conversations with about God. Watch the bulletin for details about ticket sales.

Grind Time: What a wonderful summer it has been! For the last 5 months, I've been at It's a Grind on Friday mornings for whoever wanted to come and visit over a cup of coffee. I got to visit with so many of you, along with some women from other churches and even strangers. I've really enjoyed this experience - thank you! And if you came, I hope you did, too. With the Fall having arrived and ministries back in full swing, I've wrapped up Grind Time for now. But, I'm always game for a cup of coffee or a lunch, so let me know if you want to meet sometime and we'll make it happen!

Devotional: A friend of mine shared this from the study she's doing on Tuesday mornings:

"When a potter bakes a pot, he checks its solidity by pulling it out of the oven and thumping it. If it "sings" it's ready. If it "thuds" it's placed back in the oven. The character of a person is also checked by thumping.

Been thumped lately?

Late night phone calls. Grouchy teacher. Grumpy moms. Burnt meals. Flat tires. "You've got to be kidding" deadlines. Those are thumps. Thumps are those irritating inconveniences that trigger the worst in us. They catch us off guard. Flat footed. They aren't big enough to be crises, but if you get enough of them, watch out! Traffic jams. Long lines. Empty mailboxes. Dirty clothes on the floor..... Thump. Thump. Thump. How do I respond? Do I sing? Or do I thud? Jesus said that out of the nature of the heart a man speaks (Luke 6:45). There's nothing like a good thump to reveal the nature of a heart. The true character of a person is seen not in momentary heroics, but in the thump-packed humdrum of day to day living." (From Shaped by God by Max Lucado)

I don't know about you, but I want to be changed into more of a person who "sings"!

Be blessed,

Lorraine