Chaching$$$

If I had a penny for every time someone visited this site this week to read what I would post after our "meeting with the mediator" I'd be able to drill a well for the kids of Africa to have fresh drinking water in a poverty stricken village. If only you were here for good intentions. I hate to disappoint you.

Its kind of a sad to think that instead of emailing me or one even better, giving me a call to see if we are doing OK. You'd rather click here to see me vent. So sorry to disappoint you... I'm still me. Remember, this is Walking in Love, a journal of my journey. I refuse to sell my soul for anyone. Pastor, family member or boss. In my eyes, I have only ONE whom I report to, and without a doubt, He's cheering me on this week. I can hear Him now..."Way to go daughter of mine!!!" :)


I want you to know that...I pray for you, I pray for the Pastors, I pray for the leaders, I pray for the elder board and advisers, I pray for the congregation. I pray for those who have decided to depart and especially for those yet to walk in. I pray especially hard for you, if you came here for gossip and hatred. I hate no one. I only feel hurt and discomfort. A reality our Lord deals with each and every day on a level I could not fathom.

I could quote scripture. I could remind you that God demands us to live in love. You know that already. A man or woman right with God knows very well when he or she disappoints Him. The Bible is the greatest rule book ever written. If you muck up, pick it up, God will lift you up.

This is my blog, and I'm sorry to disappoint you in saying that I am still me. The same Dawn that would be there to help the same person who stomped on my heart this past Sunday. The same Dawn that will pray each and every day for the lost, lonely and unsaved. I will lift up those already saved that they too will do what God demands of us and not give more people a reason to turn from Him but to Him.

Sorry for the boring blog..... sorry to disappoint you. I'm still praying for you, harder now than ever. May God's Blessings Not Only Shine Over You but Through You!!!!!!

Let me walk away being known as ....Dawn, the woman that loves an amazing man, not for what he once was, but for the man he is each and every day. Please remember me as God's daughter, a true Carpenter in mind, body and soul.

"As far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath." (Romans 12:18-19)

Do you know someone who just walks around every day with nothing but hate spewing from their mouth? It's exhausting to hang with them, isn't it? I can't imagine being them.

God's word it quite clear in the verse above. Let it go!

If you need a reality check, this one's for you! You're not God!

So, hang up that ego trip you're on and let the God who made you deal with you and others like you. How's that for reality?

Late Nites...

Last week I blogged of our Youth Pastor, Tucker and his amazing ability to convey a message. Well, I believe that behind so many strong men, are inspiring women. Tucker has one of the best. Her name is Cherie. She's a beautiful wife and loving mother. She just has this all around beauty about her. It's really great!

Well, we finally, after many failed attempts, made it to Perkins after Ignite (Starbucks was the original plan, but it was already late). It was a great night! Huge thanks to Justin, a family friend, who brought my girls home and Tucker who took care of bedtime rituals in the Hibbs house. It allowed Cherie and I to just sit there and share, as God intended us to. We laughed and laughed. We also shared on so many levels. Our lives, passions, loves and dreams. One of the highlights was introducing Cherie to fries with brown gravy and mozzarella cheese. I thought it to be sad that she had never experienced them before. She's a fry lover and this just kicks it up a notch!! BAM!

I had to laugh to myself on my way home. Fries and late night gatherings have always been part of my life. Back in the day it was after a night of drinking and dancing and those fries just seemed to go well at the craziest of hours. Sharing the night with Cherie was one night that has left a true mark on my heart. It blows my mind how times have changed. A dozen years ago or so, I was drunk and giddy and searching for happiness. And now, all these years later. I shared a night with an awesome woman, who is a true inspiration of God's love and had a great night just being me.

Thanks Cherie for being you and allowing me to be me!

Wearing Your Heart On Your Sleeve

For the first time in a while I was captivated by the message in church. Kudos to Tucker! He just shines with God's given talent when he is preaching. It's so his thing! I don't know if he would agree or not, I am just a fan of his passion. We are fortunate to have him preaching to us the entire month of January. I have been looking forward to it for some time now. It's a great way to start the year! You should come check it out at Carpenters Community Church.

Today's message was based on the TV series, Heroes and entitled "Just Go." Tucker called us on the carpet about our faith. He asked us where we stand on it. What defines and inspires our faith and how willing we are or are not to get out of our comfort zone and share it with others.

Last year this time I got an amazing tattoo on my back of an Icthus. (Latin word, meaning fish. The letters stand for: Jesus Christ, God's Son, Savior) I just love it! I did it because I wanted the opportunity to share my faith with others. It's kind of funny when co-workers will catch a glimpse of it and judge. I look at them, tell them to get a life and explain that it's a permanent reminder to me and all those who see it how GOD is amazing and with me always. Well this week, Tucker got an pretty freaking (shhh, it's not a bad word) cool tattoo, offering him a similar opportunity. You'll have to check it and his story out at his blog. I hope he doesn't mind.... Tucker Hibbs.

I'm not much of an actress. I can't lie to save my life. (ask my mom, dad or Mark) I wear my heart on my sleeve. I consider myself a "What you see, is what you get" kind of girl. I can only hope that my love of Christ is apparent in my words and actions. As for the tattoo, it's just another heart on my sleeve. It's an opportunity to share my testimony. The key is, not allowing it to limit me. Being a Christian has tested me. It's not easy but it's so worth it. Tucker called being a Christian "not boring" today.... so true! It's very possible to talk the talk while walking the walk. I'm honored when co-workers point me out at a Christian. It's one label I wear proudly! Thanks Tucker for the amazing morning!

What a year...

2007 has been filled with so many ups and downs. It's been a year of lessons. Lessons that I know I will look back on and appreciate one day.

Some of the things I've learned are:

• God puts you where He wants you for a bigger purpose, whether you want to be there or not.
• Trusting God, trusting others, trusting myself, means defeating satin at his cruel games and I can't do it alone.
• True friends are a gift from above. God has a funny way of leading us to amazing people.
• Unfortunately, I've learned the true purpose of this quote "The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips then walk out the door and deny him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable." - Brendan Manning
• A church is not the 4 walls but the people within them.
• Prayer is awesome and powerful!
• If your heart and mind are not with God, don't drag others down with you, but ask for help.
• The world is full of loving Christians.
• The world is full of hypocrites.
• True love is the very bestest!
• Telling your boss the your job is both challenging and entertaining will make him/her giggle.
• My girls can be so loving and goofy at times; My girls can be beyond challenging at others.
• Healing only happens when you stop hating.
• When you lead your life with God's love, you find true happiness.

Wishing you a year of love. Happy 2008. May God's hand guide you.

What's your key ingrediant?

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." (Ralph Waldo Emerson)


So, what defines you? Are you true to the person you want to be? Or do you alter who you are to please others? And who are the others? What really matters in life? What if GOD knocked on your door today and asked you this...

"Do you really think I would have done that?"

The Christmas Story
From the Revised Standard Version Bible
Luke, Chapter 2
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. 2: This was the first enrollment, when Quirin'i-us was governor of Syria. 3: And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city.4: And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,5: to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.6: And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered.7: And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.8: And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.9: And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.10: And the angel said to them, "Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people;11: for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.12: And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger."13: And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,14: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!"15: When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us."16: And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.17: And when they saw it they made known the saying which had been told them concerning this child;18: and all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.19: But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart.20: And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.21: And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.22: And when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord23: (as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord")24: and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons."25: Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.26: And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.27: And inspired by the Spirit he came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law,28: he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,29: "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word;30: for mine eyes have seen thy salvation31: which thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples,32: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to thy people Israel."33: And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him;34: and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against35: (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed."36: And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phan'u-el, of the tribe of Asher; she was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years from her virginity,37: and as a widow till she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.38: And coming up at that very hour she gave thanks to God, and spoke of him to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.39: And when they had performed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth.40: And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.41: Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover.42: And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom;43: and when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it,44: but supposing him to be in the company they went a day's journey, and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintances;45: and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking him.46: After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions;47: and all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.48: And when they saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously."49: And he said to them, "How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?"50: And they did not understand the saying which he spoke to them.51: And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart.52: And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man.
Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition (RSV), copyright © 1965 and 1966 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. and are used by permission of the copyright owner.
Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition (RSV), copyright © 1965 and 1966 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. and are used by permission of the copyright owner.