The results are in...

There are so many people out there who don't believe they can make a difference, who think problems are too big to tackle. They think to themselves "Someone should do something about that." I feel so blessed to be a part of a community who doesn't sit back and watch things happen, they run after city change, after world change. My church community ate cheaply for ONE WEEK, and donated their extra cash to change the world, we raised $497,975.77. One week of sacrifice. This is what God can do. This is what His church can do. This is just ONE church community. Thirty other churches joined us this year, their results are not in yet, I canNOT wait to hear the total amount raised. I get so excited about what the church could do if it didn't stand divided. If all Christians decided to set their interpretations of the bible aside and they worked together to show EVERYONE God's love and the message of Christ. Just look what we can do...

Where does the money go?

The initiatives are in for Beans and Rice week!

Poverty: CityLink Center surrounds Cincinnati’s unemployed and working poor with a team of expert, integrated services and holistic care. It’s a bold organization taking on poverty in our city. Learn more at citylinkcenter.org.

Heroin: This drug is ravaging our local communities. And that is not okay. We’re investing in great local organizations that are doing anti-heroin work in the backyards of each of our sites.  For more information on the epidemic click here.

Youth Programs: We will help provide meals, education and recreational programming for low-income youth during summer vacation. This is a time when many students lose knowledge and skills, and don’t have access to healthy meals and safe environments. Learn more at whole-again.org.

Job Creation: The Ocean Accelerator is a business incubator program to help launch sustainable, job-creating companies. Its mentor-ship program is built on biblical wisdom and principles, helping entrepreneurs start successful Kingdom-focused businesses.

LW

I always love the sunrise, although it's way better on the beach...

Today we had an ice cream social at work.  Not exactly sure what for but I don't ask questions when there is Graeter's ice cream, caramel and cherries involved.  Yum.

There's a storm rolling in!

I almost didn't go to Last Wednesday service at Crossroads tonight.  I had a few erronds to run, had to run home and shower but I made it right at the end of the beginning music.  I snuck in the back and sat all the way in the last row in the corner and I kind of loved it.  It was nice to just sit back by myself and enjoy the service.  No distractions.  I'm going to have to start doing that every once and a while.  Maybe just for LW services.  Great Service!

Who will do that work?

This is the video they showed at church on Sunday about what the additional money given to our church is doing in India.  This is the mission trip I am working toward being a part of. 

Finders keepers

Thank you Kitty's coffee for getting me through every morning.  Who would have thought that I would actually be drinking anything but Chai Tea from a coffee shop. 

My headphones also get me through the day.  I listed to a lot of sermon and a lot of Jesus music yesterday.  Andy Stanley and Ascend the Hill are pretty much always coming out of those.

This is my view from the printer at work.  I've been copying docs for 62 new accounts.  Mind blowing stuff.

I realized today how much I do not know what is going on in the world.  I have absolutely no idea why this is flying at half mass.  I think I might like it that way, the news is absolutely depressing. 

It has been so long since I've been able to enjoy some sushi.  Well....

Steak rolls!!  With cream cheese, avocado, asparagus, tempura, and spicy mayo.  Soooo good

Abby Girl Sweets Cupcakery has done it AGAIN.  Root Beer Float Cupcake.  So friggin good.

I confiscated these from the ground at the Jason Aldean concert.  Don't judge me.  Finders keepers!  And their Michael Kors too.  I think those are expensive.  Maybe.

I haven't been in this building for over a week and a half!  So happy to be back...

It was one of my small group member's birthday Friday so we had a yummy ice cream cake to celebrate.  So blessed to be in this group!

Last night out!

I came across this post in my draft section today while cleaning out my blog a little bit.  My last night in New Orleans 2010.  Love the memories, move the experience.  Love it all...

Go Cincinnati Update

Yesterday I got the privilege to meet with the organization I will be serving for Go Cincinnati. I was looking over the paperwork that I needed to, to be prepared for the visit and noticed that I was allowed to bring a wingman (score!) So I asked my mom if she wanted to be my wingman and we made the journey an hour south to Falmouth Kentucky. We will be working with an organization called Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission or NKCAC.


NKCAC serves the community by helping people find jobs and the skills they need to become self-sufficient. It reminded me of a much smaller scale citylink center (with less funding.) This location clearly didn’t have a lot in the way of resources. We were greeted by a very sweet woman, she is the only employee that the Falmouth branch has. Due to budget cuts her only co-worker was laid off a couple months ago. She occasionally gets the help of volunteers, which is great but you can tell she absolutely runs the whole place herself. There were 4 or 5 rooms in the building and we are going to be tasked to move their food bank from one room to another. Luckily they’re food stock is growing and they need more room!

I was really impressed and inspired by what they do. It’s basically a place that anyone in Falmouth to go to for food if they’re going through a rough time. They have no income requirement and it really seems that the people of Falmouth really don’t abuse that fact. You could make enough money to support yourself and if you have any kind of financial difficulties (medical, home, any type of unexpected bills) and go to this community center for a few can goods, baby supplies, cleaning, personal care items, etc if you needed to.

A few years back there were some tornados and flooding in the area and NKCAC made care packages for people and sent them where they were needed. It’s such a small outfit in Falmouth but it has done so much good for its community and communities surrounding them that are in need. I’m so excited to work with them because you could tell how sincere they were and how much they cared about helping people in need. I asked them if they needed anything since I do have a budget to work with for this project and all they wanted was food to stock their shelves to be a blessing to others. I feel like if I donated money myself to NKCAC that money would truly go and help families 100%.

I can’t wait until May 18th! I was so nervous about leading a team having never done this before. I am so happy I went with it, I feel like God is showing me what it can be like to be love, to be a blessing and there’s really not a better feeling. There’s really no reason not to. It will be great to help such a sweet woman, a great organization so that they can continue to be a blessing to their community!

First Impressions

This week was my first week serving at Crossroads as a part of their First Impressions team and I absolutely loved it!  I’ve been wanting to get more involved with my church for a while now but always found an excuse not to.  This year is a year of sacrifice and reprioritization (I checked and yes that is a word.)  I went to an orientation a week ago and everyone was so nice.  Today was no different.  I showed up to a room full of smiling faces, coffee, tea, and donuts.  The volunteer team leader showed me around and I learned about each station I could possibly work at on any given weekend.  I was assigned to hold open the door to the auditorium, the door that my family goes into, so I was happy to see them, and be the one to greet them in the morning.  Once I took up the offering I was basically done for the day, but I stuck around since Jenna and I go to the following service together.  It gives me time to journal and then when my family comes out of the early service I can sit and talk to them until the next service starts.  It’s easy and its fun and it absolutely makes me look forward to Sundays!  I’m hoping it will eventually get me involved a little more behind the scenes and at some point I can become a little more involved.

Go Cincinnati

I’m really excited this year for GoCincinnati!  an event that takes place on Saturday May 18th 2013. As described on Crossroads’ website:

“Each year, an army of volunteers impacts our area through service projects in a one-day blitz of compassion. Working with our families and friends from Crossroads and other churches, we show love to hundreds of community and faith-based organizations throughout our region.”


I have never been in town to even be a part of the volunteer initiative but this year I will be in town and I’m excited to be a part of the team! I’ve signed up to lead a team and have been assigned to a Community Center about 40 minutes south of the city.  The team and I will be cleaning and organizing their food pantry and stocking it full of food.  I get to meet with them in a couple weeks to go everything they need.  This is the first time I’ve ever led anything like this so it’s exciting and a little bit nerve wracking at the same time!  The day I received all of my paperwork for the project I was completely overwhelmed but luckily I got a smaller project to start out with.  More to come!