Luminaries Ministry

This week I came face to face with platitudes. You might ask what platitude means. According to Merriam-Webster a platitude is “the quality or state of being dull or insipid.” In other words, a platitude is a pointless or empty comment or statement. An example could be “break a leg.” For me the platitude was more about being an empty comment that really was not meant. In short, I got frustrated for the phrase being said to me when there was really no meaning to the words the person said. When I asked if they ever meant the phrase, the person claimed at the time yes. However, the actions since have left me feeling the statement was an empty comment with no intentionality. It hurt to realize that the person had just been playing nice to me rather than telling me the truth.   My main point is not to accuse the person who used a platitude, because a greater thing happened. As I was sitting getting more and more riled up about this person’s platitude, I heard a soft voice say,...

A phrase often said around Lighthouse is, “There is no house like Lighthouse.” Last week I got the chance to go to another Assembly of God church while visiting some friends. What I found is there really is no house like Lighthouse. There were similar qualities shared between the two, but I have become so accustom to Lighthouse. After the service at the other Assembly of God church, I even found myself writing the altar call that I thought should have followed the sermon if I had been at Lighthouse.   Another significant moment this week was on Saturday.   There was a new member breakfast held at Lighthouse. Pastor Ralph and Kathy both said, in some fashion or another, there is no church like Lighthouse. They also said that more than likely there have been other churches in your past. However, you cannot bring the comparison game into the church because chances are that Lighthouse will do things differently. Churches are living breathing bodies of believers. No two chur...

Last Sunday Lighthouse had a half-time report of a two-year planned journey. There is a set of goals that in two years the church wants to accomplish. One year is done and there is still work to be done. The half-time report was a chance to commend the congregation on what they have accomplished toward the goals while also reminding the congregation what still needs effort.   While, I appreciated sitting in learning about Lighthouse’s met and unmet goals, what it inspired me to do is to ask the hard question of Kathy. On Monday, I asked her for a half-time report of this journey she and I are on together. By opening the conversation, I gave Kathy full permission to speak into me frustrations and even offered her the chance to say we have done as much as we can together let’s part ways. Part of my reason for asking this of Kathy is because I do not want her to keep me around just because I sense I am supposed to be here.   Two weeks ago, I reached out to my closest chil...

I'm now four weeks into this adventure. Last weekend I noticed that I have changed. Out of curiosity and having extra free time, I went to a Wesleyan church I saw advertised before a movie. I walked into the church and there was this sense of familiarity. Much like other churches I have been to in the past this Wesleyan church functioned in the way I have been raised. The prayer time sounded the same, the worship music was more songs you hear on the radio, no comments during the sermon, and the sermon was good and solid with take homes. I was out of church within an hour. All felt normal and even a sigh of relief to know what was going to happen next. However, what I noticed hovering around in my head was how I wanted the praise line (mosh pit), I wanted the sermon to go on as long as the pastor felt led, to hear people verbally agreeing with the pastor, and I even missed hearing those around me quietly praying in tongues...how far I have come in four weeks. On Sunday at L...

No week looks the same. This past week Kathy was out of the office.   Kathy and Pastor Ralph were preaching at a revival in another part of the state and then had grandkids. By Kathy being gone I was able to spend time learning from Pastor Josh and Pastor Dylan. Pastor Josh gave me some tasks to do like organizing videos with object lessons. After watching the videos, I have been amazed at how often the object lessons I watched have come to my own mind. From Pastor Dylan, the impact of the week was going to youth group to see Pastor Dylan lead the youth. While being in the youth group on Wednesday night I felt the most authentic altar call in my time at Lighthouse. I found myself moving to the altar by the Holy Spirit rather than just obedience. As I watched teens pour out their hearts and cry out to God, I felt my heart melt before God. If they could get real with God in such raw and vulnerable ways then so could I. Pastor Dylan kept asking me if I was all right after yo...

Praise: Thank you for the prayers this past weekend. As I stood at Vital in the praise line, I could feel your prayers rising and God’s peace descending upon me. It has been a huge step forward this week. I went to Vital with more questions and nerves than I can count. There is nothing worse to make a person feel less nervous than for people to ask if you are nervous. After my total shock of last week in Sunday worship, I feared I would not be up to the double fire hose of the Vital Women’s Conference.  But, God is so good and faithful. On Thursday before Vital I had a powerful worship time with God. I wrestled with my flesh and spirit trying to decide which one would win out. At Vital, I am happy to say the spirit won out. I got to spend time with Kathy’s daughter, Keilah, before the conference. Keilah is just a year older than me. We hit it off like we were old friends finally getting time to catch up, which is so much to do with Keilah’s very sweet and tender h...

Prayer Request: This weekend 27-28 is a big conference, Vital, that I have gotten to help with finishing touches. When people talk about this weekend it sounds amazing, but also like two fire hoses being stuck in my face. The prayer request is that my heart will be open, my walls down, and God will be glorified whatever the outcome. While the first few days in a temporary new place have not been as expected, they have been good. God is already refining me. I am learning just how much I came to Richmond with expectations. My prayers before arrival were that all unfair expectations from Lighthouse, Kathy (my mentor), and myself would be removed. What I have found is I am the one with unfair expectations on myself. I was told once by a friend I am too idealistic. So far, in Richmond I am learning the depth of my idealistic ways.  I came to Richmond bright-eyed. All my research and excitement about my new journey was finally here. I thought I could just assimilate into this new ...