Day 2: Tour Orientation

This morning I awoke, ran a couple miles at the park, ate a very interesting breakfast of rice, eggs and cheese, and headed over to "The Foundry" to lead worship (just me and my piano) for about 12 young adults who are doing an internship at the Thunder School here in Nashville.

It was being put on a stage first thing in the morning, before tour has actually "begun," that sobered me up last night.  Realizing I had wasted a lot of my van time yesterday.  But God has been so gracious to me in that He's been doing a deep work of love and consecration in my heart.  So I was able to pull from what He has been doing in me in order to minister to the kids here.  And He was sweet to meet with us this morning and encourage the kids with His presence.

Elsewhat today, we had our tour orientation meeting with the whole team, establishing rules and protocol and all things useful for maintaining a spirit of unity and accomplishing all God has ordained.  

And now, we're practicing music.

As you can see, I'm working really hard... ;)

Day 1: Drive to Nashville

I have just now been reminded that the life I now live is not my own.  When I'm at home, or just living my regular comfortable life, I can get away with living pretty much for myself, sad to say.  I mean, there's give and take, and I get to navigate relationships, but for the most part, no one's depending on me to be spiritually overflowing.  I can live life and get by with the little revelation that I glean from day to day as I'm going my way.  

But on the road, as things begin to get uncomfortable, I realize why I'm here.  Why I'm spending 12 hours days in a 15 passenger van, and then being thrown into social situations that are out of my comfort zone.  Why I'm eating fast food and gas station food and no food at all.  Why I'm living for weeks at a time out of a suitcase.  It's for the people God loves.

And all the sudden everything comes into perspective.  And now my time in the van becomes a time of preparation, where I am clearing my spirit and moving in closer to the Lord, rather than a time where I'm just looking for something to keep me busy so the hours pass more quickly.

My time is not my own.  God, teach me this lesson of love.  How to lovingly use the precious resource of time, and not squander it.

Pics from LA

TrEd in LA (Louisiana...)

Well, the combination of location (Texas) and trEd (dancing, in an a/c-less studio) has left me a few pounds lighter, but don't worry, I will get it back as I drink water.  All the blood, sweat and tears (well, minus the blood and tears, for now) is definitely going to be worth it.  

We've been gearing up for ministry in Lafayette, LA, and we think it's gonna be awesome.  We'll be doing both spontaneous dance and choreographed pieces on Friday night, Saturday night and Sunday night.  Then we'll drive back home very late Sunday night.  Please keep us in your prayers as we go out.

A couple days at home to recover, and I'll be off again on a Radiant East USA Tour 2009!  Woohoo!

My goal before leaving for tour: Finish getting all Radiant's finances in order from 2008 and then create systems for this year.  It's been a great project for me, researching and learning how to file taxes for a 501(c)3 and how to keep proper records.  I'm excited about us getting our Radiant "house" in order financially; I feel like the Lord will be able to entrust us with open doors and greater opportunities for ministry if we are faithful and excellent in stewarding what He has already given us.

On the Hannah EP:  Sad to say, though we had played with the idea of having it ready by this month's tour, Richy and I decided to wait until after the tour to get it done.  We wanted to wait til we had time and money to do it excellently.  So stay tuned for updates on that!

Much love to ya all!

Hannah

Texas, Driving, Missouri, and What's Next

Tuesday the 7th:

Well, we did it.  We finished up our Texas ministry and drove back to Missouri yesterday, stopping only a few hundred times to change dirty diapers or buy beef jerky.  Made it back around . . . eh, 1:30am?  Woke up a few hours later to lead our intercession set in the JPR this morning.  

I now feel quite energetic as I have not crashed from caffeine and exhaustion yet.  Mmmm, I'm gonna sleep good tonight.  :)

Texas

So our little Texas circuit was such a blessing, even more so than we expected.  We got so many testimonies of lives changed and hearts blessed, and we Radiants were blessed and encouraged to be doing ministry together as a team.  And we were blessed by the love and support we felt from the churches we ministered at.  We appreciate you!

I would love to post pictures on here of each event, but alas I have none.  If anyone would like to donate a digital camera to the cause, I will put oh so many pictures on following blogs.

Driving

Fairly uneventful, if you don't count all the stops.  I did drink coffee at 11pm, and still fell asleep when I got home.  Somebody put that on the record.  I must have been tired!

Missouri

Settling back here in Kansas City, where I will be busily working on practicing and playing with our JPR team, praying with our JHOP friends (the ones we went to Wichita with), finishing 2008 taxes and 1st quarter 2009 taxes for Radiant, working (possibly) on recording my music (I said possibly), and all manner of other things.

What's Next

And in 2 weeks I head out to Texas again to get ready to dance with trEd at a conference in Louisiana, and immediately afterward Radiant leaves for a 2 1/2 week mission tour to the East Coast.

This is when life gets nice and busy!  Here we go!!!  :)