We live in an age of auto-correct. We type, we do not proof and then we hit post, just to find out the Auto-Correct Genie has struck again (at least this is the story of my life.) The good thing is that we can normally figure out what people meant to say and simply blame it on the auto correct genie.
I find it funny that my phone changes God to good and good to god. The word Instagram got changed to undrafted on Facebook the other day, but I think Facebook did that one on purpose. I have to admit I have had some very embarrassing attacks from the AC-genie that I won't share here (hence, the word embarrassing.) But, sometimes I find the irony of the AC-genie quite inspiring. She makes me look at things differently. One of my favorites was when I was emailing a friend of mine discussing the fact that someone threw the verse about women are to "remain silent" in church at me regarding me sharing and "teaching" (NOT going to go into that now, because that's not the point, so don't get me started.) However, it auto corrected/spell checked itself to: women are to "Remain SENT." When I replied to my friend about what I meant to type, he pointed out that the truth was that we ARE to remain SENT! So thank you to the AC-genie for reminding me that I am to remain sent to do God's will, to answer His call. Hard to do that with my mouth shut and without the Word of God. Now, what really got me rolling on this today was the latest AC-genie attack. My friend commented on Facebook about the fact that I was so excited to see her last night that I (literally) picked her up. She said it was "do special." I'm guessing what she meant was that it was "SO special." I like DO SPECIAL! My motto for this day is DO SPECIAL. Special is as special does. Special moments are created when we act, when we love, when we do. That, my friend, is pretty special. So as it says in James 1:22 "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." Let's go DO Special! Do Love! Do what it says! God Bless!
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Hope Fest Arizona 2013! It happened, now the day is over, but the work continues. The work to bring hope, to serve, to love, to clothe our neighbors and so much more. I want to share just a few highlights of the day. I am going to skip over the part where I got extremely frustrated with the man who stood in a parking spot right where I wanted to unload my gear and wouldn't let me in because he had been standing there saving the spot for 15 minutes. Yes, God dealt with me on that by saying these words (which sounded a lot like my husbands voice) "Mia, do you want to be right or do you want to be righteous?" To be right would mean to argue over a parking spot to be righteous which my husband is, means to move on, forgive, love and find a different spot, even if it means a longer unloading trip. I am always amazed how sneaky my sin is when it creeps in my mind and I don't even recognize it until I've opened my mouth. Can I remind you, I am a work in progress!! After the Lord dealt with me on that issue and forgave my repentant heart, I was off and able to experience an amazing day! Walking among all the vendors, I had a great chance to talk with them and hear their hearts through their stories of faith, strength and hope. I re-connected with Monnie, who I first met when I was arranging vendors for a festival that I was involved in and she was just getting re-started and had not acquired all the supplies she needed. By God's design, my husband and I had the canopy, table and chairs that she needed and she re-launched her business. Now I got to see her at Hope Fest with an amazing booth, non stop traffic and a huge smile. She is such a great encouragement to me. I admit, I kinda felt like a Mamma who had birthed a baby and watched her grow into an amazing women! Check her out at faithwearforever.com I met up with a facebook friend (now an in face friend), Deni, who embraced me with tears as I walked by. As she shared her heart we both rejoiced that God is a God of restoration and healing. Now she sells jewelry with Compelling Creations! The jewelry was so powerful that just reading the descriptions of the designs made my heart full. There were so many other amazing vendors, it is hard to name them all. I guess you will just have to come to Prescott, AZ next year and visit them all with me again! Throughout the day, there were baptisms, prayer tents, testimonies, outreach to the homeless, free hugs and music. Lots of music. It was a blessing to see bands, that I now call friends, like Faith by Fire, Covenant 31 and Brian Weaver. A big thank you goes out to Brian for letting me bum a ride up the mountain with him, his 2 dogs, Chris the guitar player and all the gear. He wasn't kidding when he said there might not be room. So I sat in the front seat with my two bags packed between my feet and legs and a dog on my lap. Just like that, we made the trek. I have to admit it was fun cuddling with his sweet doggy! FLASHBACK MOMENT Hope Fest Eve. The night before Hope Fest, Brian Weaver played at the Celebrate Recovery at The Heights in Prescott. Always a joy to watch him and even be able to help him out with his merch table. FLASH FORWARD Not only is it great connecting with bands I know, it is a blessing to meet new musicians. My merch table was right next to a young couple that travels full time in music ministry. It was fun to talk with them, but to watch them do what God has called them to do, blew my mind. Dusty is a Hip Hop artist (AND A GOOD ONE) and his wife Krystal is a singer and paint artist. They incorporate it all in their ministry and set. LOVED IT!! My greatest compliment (at least I think it is) when I meet a hip hop artist is this "I'm not really a hip hop fan, but I LOVED that." Dusty was so kind to see my heart through that ridiculous comment as I hadn't yet mastered the art of political correctness or tact. They are so gifted, called by the Lord, sent to share their testimony and lift up the name of Christ! They are "Irregular4Christ" and ready to travel! Check them out! With all the independent artists that were there, many of us rely on help. We can't do it alone. When someone says that they are willing to drive up to Prescott, get a hotel and volunteer at your booth to watch and run your table so that you are free to sing and meet with people, there is only one answer...YES!!! I'm not sure if there are words that can adequately express how grateful I am to these two ladies. I kept saying "I don't know what I would do with out you." It was true, they were amazing, selfless and willing. They really are not volunteers, they are partners in the ministry. They are friends! Thank you Deby! Thank you Lisa! As you can see by the photo, they didn't just help me, but also Brain Weaver, Faith By Fire...all of us! With my table in good hands, I was able to go and do the main thing I came to do...SING! This is where I get blown away (again). First off, I was blessed to have Jerry sit in with me on base. He was so great. It takes great skill to play with me. A midst the wrong chords (played by me), playing the song in a different key (me again) adding or subtracting a bridge here or there (give you one guess who did that), Jerry was a pro and able to follow my every crazy move and mishap. (so thankful to Karmen for the photos, always the last thing I think about when playing) One of my favorite parts of the set, especially because this was sponsored by Celebrate Recovery, was being able to share bits of my testimony, what God has done in my life, how awesome our Lord is and the song I wrote for the Celebrate Recovery inspired Home Run Movie CD ~ "You Are Not Alone" (looking forward to recording my own version soon) I also sang a new song I wrote with Mark Snyder called Jesus Loves Me (ok, actually I haven't named it, but lets just go with that for now) I Choose To Praise You - Rags - Shelter In The Wind - Oh Lord You're Beautiful It's what happened after the set that blew my mind. The rush of people who were there waiting and had beaten me to my merchandise booth and the fact that they all waited after they bought CD's to talk and share their hearts was overwhelming. To talk with a man who received hope through the songs because he was just diagnosed with cancer that week, to hear from a man who is praying for a marriage restoration, a woman who even 20 minutes after I was done was still weeping because of what the Holy Spirit moved in her through listening to the music and words I shared on stage..... to have people come up to me in tears because the Spirit spoke to them through the songs.....a lady who was telling her friend on the way there, "I just wish some one would sing a Keith Green song" and then to hear it at the end of my set and worship to the words of that amazing man, blessed her heart and blessed my rejoicing heart as well. It overwhelms me. Story after story, hug after hug, prayer after prayer, I stand amazed at what God does when we simply obey. Amazed at what God does through broken, imperfect people who stumble and fall, but people that know the voice that lifts them back up. It is my joy to sing, to share my testimony, to be used by God as He has gifted me, but more than that it is a responsibility. When God has done an amazing thing, my response and responsibility is to go and tell. Yes, it is a joy. Yes it is a responsibility and Yes it is also an Honor. An honor that I do not take for granted or take lightly. Whatever vocation we are given, we have a story to tell. It's the beautiful story of the redemption of mankind, the story of redemption in our lives. We all have different ways of doing it, but we all are called to do it. Hope Fest Arizona answered the call. They just did it and they will continue to do it, even when the music stops playing. Hope Fest is more than a festival it is the hands and feet of Jesus serving God through broken people who celebrate all that God has done and will continue to do. It is because of the hearts of the Hope Fest team, that I count it a joy and honor to have partnered with them to share the story. ~Hope Serves~
Hopefully you made it to the end of this post, because I am saving the best for last. None of this would have happened without the Lord. The few stories and miracles that I heard of and the countless ones I did not get to hear are testimony to God's hand and providence for this event. He really was there EVERY step of the way, providing it all. A huge blessing and thanks go to these two who heard the call and gathered God's people to action. Thank you Jaye Lene and thank you David. May God's blessings continue to flow over your lives! (and thank you Monika for this beautiful picture I snagged off of FB) What vocation are you in? Jesus at His baptism entered the vocation of "Bearing away the sins of the World." May we be encouraged in our calling knowing that Christ has equipped us with all that we need because of the vocation that He filled flawlessly. Live the Life~Live it Loud Share what God has called you to do and how He is equipping you. I would love to hear! "What's the point?" This seems to be the questions running through the Koehne household. I was approached by one of my children recently in a very tender moment where I was asked "Mom, what is the point of doing papers, going to school and getting an education? How does all of this glorify God and further His Kingdom? I just want to glorify God in all I do." I was also asked "What about a teenager or college student who does all this stuff and then dies, did they waste their time when they could have been doing Kingdom work?" Those are heavy questions from a young adult and one that ironically, I have been struggling with as well in a different context. The answer for me and the answer I gave lies in the Word of God. It is the only authority in answering this question "What's the Point?"
Crazy as it is, being asked this question was a healing moment for me as well. As I tell my children that it's not about the degrees, it's not about what college you go to, the papers, the games or in my case getting on the radio, getting music gigs or getting signed to a recording label. It's so much more than that. And since it's not really about the degree or the homework, it IS about the discipline that those things teach you in life which in turn teaches you discipline in your spiritual life and your walk with Christ. Sometimes we are asked to do things that we just don't feel like, but because we are people that have learned to honor and respect, when Christ asks us to step out in faith, we learn more quickly to trust, to walk, to hear and to listen. I believe that it's about the journey along the way. I believe it's about seeing your classmates and learning to love them, to be light, to show forgiveness when no one else does, to live one's walk daily in the classroom and to do it all for the glory of God... to look in our hearts, to examine our hearts in line with the Truth of Christ and that during the journey we see each day as a time to love others in the places that we have had the opportunity to be...in the classroom, on the job, at home and in our neighborhood. "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble,whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved." I Corinthians 10:31-33 My prayer today was simple. "Lord, I want to follow you." I want to follow Christ and love Him and love others. The rest....the music...the singing, recording, writing, working is simply a means of doing that and what I learn and share along the way is a blessing. For my children...going to school, doing homework so that, Lord willing, they can have more doors opened so they are able to impact more people for Christ is a part of their journey. It's all part of the journey in lifting Christ high..learning to decrease myself as He increases. "He must become greater; I must become less." John 3:30 So, what's the point? To Love God and Love others, to make disciples, to be a disciple, to be a faithful follower of Christ, What's the point?..to expand the Kingdom of God so that all might know His love and be saved...and sometimes you have to sit in a classroom, write papers and take tests to have the wonderful opportunity to do that. Praise be to God! And Now for your enjoyment....Homework helps us articulate clearly so that we can clearly speak the Truth of Christ Jesus so that others understand what we are saying. |
The BlogA collection of writings from a life based on the truth that about midnight anything can happen. AuthorAs an imperfect servant of the Lord, I often feel I am fumbling my way through life, looking upward for guidance and outward to love. So, I write about it, to break up the noise in my head. Categories
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