Thank You Jesus Responses

Thanks to some of you for responding to our Back Door Guests blog, in conjunction with our Thank You Jesus Party. You will find a couple of responses to the Back Door Guests in the comment section under the blog. A few of you wrote to show specific ways you show hospitality to others. Many said you go to lunch with others, write notes, pray for, invite over to your home, etc. Some made plans to specifically carry out an "extend your hand" to others act this week.
The overarching message I hope you take from this is that no matter what you do, or for whom you do it....I'll pause to borrow a popular slogan....Just Do It! We could get caught up in feeling left out or that no one includes us in their group, but the point is when everyone is extending a hand all around them, people don't get left out. The only warning would be in the process of all of this that you not put yourself in a clique, but rather you are always looking for opportunities to extend yourself to others that may not be a part of who you normally associate. If you think about it, it's easy to have people over to your home that you find it easy to connect to, but how about try inviting someone that's recently visited LifeSong. That may just be what they need.
It's in those times that I, personally, have really gotten to know someone a little better. The truth is, we need to work at this like busy little bees....everyone together. One person can't do this all by themselves. This is why I like to hear your testimonies...to see how we are succeeding at reaching out to others. It's easy to get caught up in thinking you are all alone sometimes, but when you hear the opportunities that God gives us individually, it's cause for a....help me out here....THANK YOU JESUS PARTY! So, press on, my friends. Let God continue to use you to build relationships that last.
Finally, I want to post a very profound response to our Thank You Jesus Party post. It specifically outlines just how great of a God we serve. It encouraged me and let in encourage you, too. This, my friends, is the real deal. Jane writes the following.....


"Since your Thank You Jesus Party blog I have been thinking about what I could write. I feel unqualified to even start, but here goes, I’ll step outside my very quiet, secure box …

Since the death of my husband in 1999, I have been feeling a little lost (really very lost). We had a lot going for us. He was in a managerial position that he worked very hard for, I was in my 26th year at my job, one child living on his own and one child graduating from high school. We had talked about retiring, playing golf, traveling to play golf and spending quality time together. He lived two years, 3 months after his diagnosis. I often wondered why him? Why not me? He was a good husband, father, manager and just a good person. He was always working, providing, making our life and the life of our community better. After his death, I knew I was missing something else, but didn’t know what. I grew up in the church so I thought I knew what church was about. In 2003 my grandson was born, my daughter divorced several years later, my mother had a stay in the hospital with several critical issues and then finally my son got married at 37! I dealt with each issue with prayer and God answered. I was invited to Life Song Church in the spring of 2007. I had tried several churches that had a different style of worship (not traditional as I had grown up in) but they just didn’t fit. I said OK, I’ll bring my grandson. He will love being there learning about God, Jesus, the Bible, etc. And, the rest is history. Thank you Jesus for showing me what church is really about…not just attending church, but how to show your love to everyone I come in contact with, even those who have hurt me.

I learned more in 2 months at Life Song than I learned in my 60 years of being. Thank you Jesus for Life Song, my pastors and my new friends."

Have a great weekend, Ladies. I love you wholeheartedly!

Back Door Guests are the Best

I'm sure you have all seen or heard the phrase, "Back door guests are the best." I personally like it's meaning a lot. I love for people to come to my home and feel comfortable enough to go to the back door, come inside and make themselves right at home. I have been thinking alot about "being hospitable" to others lately. I can remember a day (don't I sound old saying that!) when families were at their gathering places - grandparents' homes, aunt's/uncle's homes, church social halls - just enjoying being together. Today, however, things seem constantly in fast-forward and no one is bothering at all to push PAUSE. I am guilty of it, too. I get so preoccupied with myself and my life that forsake doing what I love the most - just hanging out with people. I have a theory that all too often we don't see people returning to church or to Aroma women's ministry because we choose not to let them into our personal lives. We keep them at arm's length. All too often I hear excuses people make like, "my house isn't clean or good enough"; "my cooking skills are not up to par to have anyone over"; "I'm just too busy to take time to have lunch with anyone"; "I have to work too much"; "I don't have anything to say when I spend time with people." The list could go on and on. I don't think any of us, however, think of so many excuses when others do extend a hand to us and desire to spend time together. Of course, sometimes schedules conflict and we can't make plans, but doesn't it light up your day for someone to be hospitable to you? 1 Peter 4:9 says, "Be hospitable to one another with out grumbling." Hey, there's nothing that says "I love you" more than someone saying, "I can't have you over to my house right now, but one day I will...when it's clean, or when I live somewhere else." (That was a hint of sarcasm...sorry). By then, you may have lost your opportunity to extend the hand of fellowship. Let me tell ya....I have never been to someone's home, or gone out to fellowship with others and thought of the trivial. I find myself thinking of how much that person must love me - that they would want to spend time with me...no matter what. However, I've been to plenty of homes and done plenty of activities with a grumbler (I'm sure I've been the grumbling host a time or two, too.) where I left feeling like my cup had not been filled. On the flip side, too, I've seen a lot of people take, take, take...never to give, give, give. That might bother me a little because I see the purpose of giving to others is to also instill in them the notion of "paying it forward." Hebrews 13:2 says, "Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly, entertained angels." Wow! I don't know about you, but I don't want to miss an opportunity like that! You may be reading this with the argument, "I just don't have the gift of hospitality." Well, maybe not in the physical, visual ways we think of it sometimes, but Ladies, if you know Jesus as your Savior, you have something so very precious to offer another!
You've got LOVE. That is all I want people to say when they leave our home, or leave from spending time together doing whatever! I just hope and pray they felt loved and wanted.
There are still several days left in our 30 Day Give. Maybe someone needs you to pick up the phone and show hospitality to them. Maybe it's telling them you love them....write them a note...take them out to lunch....invite them over for burgers on the grill...go for a pedicure together. Get creative! So, I'm asking you again to post. I can tell ya, you didn't respond a lick on our Thank You Jesus Party, so I'm showing some mercy and giving you a second chance to give God some praise. Share with us how you show hospitality, and that, my friends is part of our Thank You Jesus Party. He deserves praise for bringing people in our lives that we can show a little hospitality to. If you need an idea of who needs some encouragement right now, write me. I happen to know someone that needs a little pick-me-up. Once again, you can write me at jeffamy111@netzero.net

Renewed Perspective

Today, I'm asking for your involvement. As I told you Sunday, one cannot go on a mission trip and not be changed, but one also cannot hold back praise when God works in one's life. To keep it to ourselves would be "beside the point." God has really impressed several things on me lately. Number one...His Word is alive and active among us. He is up to something! Number two...He is looking for us to be real. I may be blunt in saying this, but I'm a little tired of people coming to church just for what it can do for them. I hear, and yes...even at LifeSong...some say how they won't come to such and such event if it doesn't meet their needs or if it isn't in their realm of interests. As the old 80s saying goes, "well, gag a maggot!" Let's be challenged to live beyond that, ladies. How about let's get out of the mindset of what the church can do for us, and let's just start being the church. In the end, the result will be more abundant than if you are depending on your activities at church to make you feel good. The end result will be lives changed for the glory of Christ. I have talked about it before, but people are just looking for what is true and genuine if you call yourself a Christ-follower.

This morning, on the Today Show, a man spoke of his personal journey to find out why religion is so divisive, when it is supposed to be the chord that binds us together. He was challenged by a trip to Africa where he saw people giving their whole lives up just to see that one person might have a chance at life...a better quality of life. He said, in the end, he discovered that we here in America care more about being right than being genuine in our love. He, at the end of the interview, summed it up in a nutshell.
He reminded us that Jesus told His disciples that the greatest commandment is to "LOVE one another." (Does this sound familiar to you, LifeSong?) His challenge was to have us as a nation return to that. You know what the ironic thing is? This man was not saved. He is just a man searching for truth as to why Christians aren't real in what they say they believe. Ummm! That ought to shoot you square between the eyes. He really spoke words of truth, except for this. He did not talk of relationship with Jesus as being the difference. It's no wonder why. If Christians are showing no more than religion, then we are failing. We must be showing relationship, because certainly if we do, we would be showing love, right? Chew on that a little while will you?
I said chew on that! Don't read any further until you ask God if that was a word for you.

Number three...I believe that God is calling us to be change agents. We can't do that unless we have been changed by the One who gave His everything for us. He "loves us with an everlasting love," ladies. Doesn't that just wash over you like a refreshing spring? I can love ANYONE because of that great love.
I tell you...Being on mission in Las Vegas changed me. Maybe you don't care to hear about it. That's ok. I am always amused by the fact that if someone doesn't share your experience, then they really don't care much about what happened to you or what you learned. Not a problem. We share it anyway because we brag on the One that did a work in our lives. I want to celebrate with you when God changes you. That is what life is all about. We must share Christ's victories. We must thank Him for His great mercy and grace. What is Christ doing in your life right now that you want to thank Him for? Maybe He's given you victory in a particular area and you want to share it. Now's your chance. Write us here at AROMA and tell us how God is using you or working in you right now. We'll post these testimonies and have us one big "Thank You Jesus" party! Come on now. Write us and let us rejoice with you. Please specify if you would like to remain anonymous, and when describing your situation God is working in, use discretion in sharing names or places. We will proofread these for content before posting, so email me at jeffamy111@netzero.net We are so excited to hear what God is doing in your life!