Thursday, May 29, 2008

Looking Back

It's funny how some days are so packed that you lose all conception of natural time. Two weeks ago seems like ancient history. :)

May 16th marked our 2nd Annual Night Walk, which was such a fabulous memory. A group of about 30 of us walked around Fallbrook, California while other groups were walking around the world at the same time. It was so fun to hear the other teams cheer on our group conference call; I felt such unity with everyone in knowing we were joined together for one cause... :)

The very next morning (God bless Kayce for driving me to the airport,) I headed off to Pennsylvania. On Sunday I went to my home church and afterwards spend some time with some friends. The rest of the week was spent hanging out at home, visiting more friends, and taking trips to a lake, a nearby garden, and downtown Philadelphia.

One day my Dad and I took the train down to Philly and walked around the Reading Terminal Market and Chinatown. In Chinatown, I introduced Dad to my favorite bakery called KC Pastries Inc. We bought an assortment of some yummy rolls then walked a few blocks to The Gallary and ate our snacks. After every bite we took of our pastries, we kept saying how good they were. Finally I said, "Dad, do you want me to go buy some more to take home?" He said no, but then added how good the roll was. I re-offered to walk a few blocks back to the bakery and buy some more sweet rolls then came the quote of the day...My Dad said, "No, it's fine. I mean, these are good, but I don't need any more...(5 second pause)...well, how far away was it again?" haha! Needless to say, we went back and got more. :)

On Saturday in the wee hours of the morning I drove with my friends Kyung, Ali, and Suzanne to Louisville, Kentucky for the New Attitude Conference. My time there was so faith building, and I left with my heart feeling very full and encouraged. Mark Dever's message about the Autority of Scripture was one of my favorites, as well as messages by John Piper on the Fight for Faith and CJ Mahaney about the Father's love.

Now I'm back in the office wrapping up some things for the Night Walk. June will be very full. I am blessed with a full schedule and what seems to be lots of responsibility so please keep me in your prayers.

Have a great day,
Kristen

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Home again, home again, jiggity jig

Hey all,

I got back to Cali late last night after enjoying a week and half in both Pennsylvania and Kentucky.

The trip was a blessing and very refreshing, so I am grateful for the break. :D

I will definitely write more soon...

~K (a very tired yet content girl)


Friday, May 23, 2008

I'm off to Kentucky...and I get to see the sunrise very soon ;)

T-Minus 8 hours until my friends and I leave for the New Attitude Conference in Louisville, KY!

We'll have a long drive ahead of us, but I anticipate lots of meaningful and goofy conversations along the way. :)

Please pray for safe travel, as well as my time at the conference. In the past, pulling away from "normal life" for a few days has been so refreshing. Though I know the enemy wants to keep me distracted and will try anything to keep my eyes off of Christ. So please pray against that. I'd so appreciate it.

Pictures to follow once I'm back in SD, of course. ;)

Well, off to bed...
~K

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

a lil update from pa

I feel very blessed sometimes because I get to enjoy the best of two amazing worlds (or states rather)...Fallbrook, CA and Philadelphia, PA. I've spent my week thus far at the later and it's been so great.

The rain here is so refreshing, and it's fun to get cozy in sweatshirts when going outside. It's been fun watching the trees dance in the wind when I take my dog for a walk in the woods. It felt so refreshing to be at my home church on Sunday. And no price-tag could put on the time I've been able to spend with my family and friends...

When I'm living or traveling away from "home," I think of the comforts of being in PA. Yet even though I am enjoying my time here, I am reminded that ultimate comfort is found in God.

That makes me long for heaven...a lot. :)

Anyway, so yeah, I've been enjoying time here tons. It's nice to see my friends haven't changed too much...at least they will still play spoons and the sign game. :) My parents continue to be the awesomest ever, though that's no surprise to me.

And though I'm officially off of my work email, I have looked at some of the photos that people have sent in from their various Night Walk locations. We've gotten a really great response! :)

Anyhow, I'm off. Dinner time!

Peace and love,
Kristen

Friday, May 16, 2008

Tonight's the Night!

The Bring Me Hope Night Walk is tonight, and I'm so excited!

Managing this fundraiser has kind of been my life for the last few months, so I shouldn't have been surprised when distributing Night Walk shirts crept into my dream a few night's ago! :)

Anyhow, during the Night Walk people around the world walk for one hour while orphans in China walk to raise money for summer camp.

We also have a conference call planned for everyone where they'll hear from the children in China, as well as the other groups walking (in Australia, Kenya, the Philippines, and all across the USA.)

It will be so fun and it's really been on my heart that people walking will be provoked to help others outside of their immediate circles. Please pray for that as you think of it.

After the walk is over I'm looking forward to hanging out with friends and maybe even catching a late viewing of Prince Caspian. We'll see... :)

Tomorrow morning my friend Kayce is driving me to the airport so I can spend some time with my lovely parents before heading of the the New Attitude Conference in Louisville, KY. I can't wait for either. :)

~k

ps. some pics from last year's walks...








Monday, May 12, 2008

mr. phil wickham - benefit concert recap

the concert surpassed our expectations by miles.

we expected 150 people. over 600 came. chairs were being rushed into the auditorium by the minute to accommodate everyone.

some people responded saying they wanted to volunteer in China. others gave financially. only God knows the ultimate ramifications of the seeds sown saturday night.

the most amazing thing about the concert is how God's hand was all over it. we didn't do anything special promotion-wise more than we did for our last benefit concert; the Lord just drew many that night...and it was amazing.


stasia opened for phil...she's pretty awesome. and so is her music... http://www.myspace.com/stasiaconger


stasia's feet. plus wires, water, and set list.


steve k. sharing and david thinking about how cool steve k. is.


David , plus Phil tuning.


mr. wickham!


phil dancing/playing really loudly for jesus. i see this as more 'artistic' than blurry. ;)


and a few more photos here.

Thursday, May 8, 2008

this and that

I don't think I could ever complain about a lack of variety with my job.

For example...

Over the last few weeks, our team has been putting out advertising signs for upcoming benefit concerts. The signs were made out of corrugated plastic and were held up by rebar (aka rhubarb... ;) , and I even got my own tool box for the project. :)

During our last benefit concert, I helped set up the seats in the auditorium and the concession booth, and took some photos as well.

And for the last few days I've been boxing up and shipping out Night Walk T-shirts at a warehouse.

New experiences here aren't exactly lacking, and neither is humor for how wide-ranging things can seem at times, haha. :)

Anyways, here are some pictures from our last benefit concert...

Jason eating a perfectly good piece of paper, while there is yummy Mexican food in that bag he's carrying. Just one more thing to add to the list of things I don't understand in this world...


Patti & I, nearly done setting up the chairs in the auditorium... (Side note, Christy helped a ton with this too! She's just taking the picture I think. :)


No, this picture isn't blurry...Patti just is that fast... haha


Bouncers aka Samuel & Steph


Natalie getting a lesson from a pro on how to be tough... ;) Check those smiley face stamps now...no slacking I tell ya...


My friend Steph & I...our humor is freakishly similar. I think this photo was taken before Peter ran us around the building on a dolly cart and got yelled at.


Patti & her Mom, Laurie, working at the registration booth.


Kayce and Melissa Vaughn (who opened for Sean & Sara.) Check out her music here: http://www.myspace.com/melissavaughan


The concert! Here's Sara & Sean from Nickel Creek!



Again...

Monday, May 5, 2008

I'm a Fire Fighter :)

I've always admired fire fighters, but over the last few weeks I feel like I'm becoming one...

Maybe not literally. I think the only time I have used a fire extinguisher was when I 14 and our car tire was smoking.

But I have run into a few "situations" lately that take a little skill and a lot of prayer to handle. Even as I type this, I'm on hold with a advertising company who is wrongly claiming we made a contact with them and is trying to bill us. Goodness.

Yet as my friend David often says, "No mess, no ministry."

So I'll just sit tight in my red truck (which I actually do drive out here) and a heavy duty squirt gun just in case anything else comes up...I'll be ready. lol.

~k