Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

A year or so ago when I started this blog, it was purely for selfish reasons.  All of a sudden (or more like 9 looong months later), I had a super cute baby girl.  And I wanted to show her off, so it was blog time.  I love reading other friends' blogs and keeping up with what's going on.  I thought I would add ours to the mix.  Plus, it gives me an excuse to write for fun without starting with the phrase "So-and-so now appeals his/her conviction."

Reading back over the posts, I believe there was a bigger plan for this blog beyond my limited view.  A shift has occurred in our little family, taking us from a place of comfort and status quo to a place where we desire growth and ch-ch-change.  (That word is even hard to write.)

Change is hard.  It requires, at the same time, both effort and surrender.  We like our routines.  And from our experience with Riley, we are definitely born this way!  Just TRY to change meal time, nap time, whatever else time.  I dare you.

But in the last year we have felt a calling on our lives to change, to do something more than what we're used to.  And on Sunday, we made a commitment to outlive our lives.  What the heck does that mean?  Well, simply put, we're going all in and all out for God.  We committed to

1.  Grow like never before - through prayer and reading the word
2.  Go to the ends of the earth - by serving outside of our comfort zone, and
3.  Give sacrificially to help those in need, here in Jackson and the rest of the world.

This commitment is life changing.  The amazing thing is that very small changes in our lives can have a huge impact.  For example, I'm *trying* to sacrifice eating out for lunch.  Instead, that money will go to help support a care center in our community, plant churches around the state, and even impact the lives of orphans around the world.  It's amazingly simple, yet we get consumed with our busy lives and just plain forget.

So, through the blog, I hope to remind you and remind myself.  We invite you to join us on our journey and hold us accountable.  Tell us how you are outliving your life.  We can't wait to see what God has in store for us.

And if you're already itchin' to find out ways that you can outlive, go here:  http://www.pinelakeoutlive.org/.  Be prepared for amazing results and ch-ch-changes!