I knew it had been a long time since I blogged . . .but when I logged on and saw it had been over a year . . . really?? I had no idea it had been that long. It actually took me awhile to remember how to log in to post a new entry. The main reason I haven’t posted for so long . . . truthfully . . . is I have felt a bit of a mess lately. You know, those periods of time when you can’t make sense of your own thoughts or emotions, let alone share them with someone else? But the other day I was going back and reading old posts by one of my favorite authors/bloggers, Ann Voskamp (www.aholyexperience.com) and read this:  “This is what I blog. Because this is who I am. I am a mess – who often doesn’t want to get out of bed.  Who struggles and preaches ugly self-sermons to herself and some days just really doesn’t know how to go on. I don’t have it all together. I blog about not having it all together. And you know what? I’m almost willing to hazard a guess that there are a whole lot of others out there like me who are a bit of a mess and who don’t know how to get out of bed some mornings and who have to fight. Hard. For. Joy.” (Oct. 23, 2012)
So I decided to just go ahead and write.
If you are still reading, would you make me a promise? Will you read this entry to the end? Because my biggest fear right now is that you will get halfway through and think “This girl is way too depressing. How quickly can I press that little “x” box that will get me out of here?” And if you do that, I will be really, really sad.  (okay, I won’t even know that you did that, so it’s not true that I will be really sad, but you will have missed my point if you stop halfway, and I really don’t want that to happen). So if we have an agreement that you will read until the end, then you can continue reading . . . . . . here it is . . . my own personal “mess” and the sense I have made of it so far . . .
I’m pretty sure I might be having a midlife crisis. I haven’t gone out and bought a new sports car, or scheduled a facelift. My crisis is more internal . . . you see, I’ve been thinking a lot about death. There, I said it out loud. Well, actually, I wrote it, which is the same as saying it out loud. . . or maybe worse. . . anyway . . .
I envision some of you wanting to stop reading now. Perhaps even deciding, subconsciously, not to ever go to lunch with me again, at least until I’m over this little preoccupation.  And that’s why I haven’t written about it before now. But it has gotten to the point where I can’t not write about it. (does that mean I’m actually becoming a real writer?)
As I reflected back on where this preoccupation began or was coming from, I thought back to one of the first psychology classes I ever took. The teacher had us take a bunch of personality tests and quizzes, and one of them was Hans Selye’s stress scale.  You may be familiar with it — you are given a long list of life events each assigned a point value based on how stressful they are perceived to be. You end up with a final total that gives you a numerical idea of how stressed you are.
I decided to evaluate the last 18 months or so of my life in light of specific events I have experienced. Here are some of the things I came up with — some are wholly positive, some wholly negative, and some a mixture.  (This may seem slightly self-indulgent — but bear with me, I do have a point. And remember, I’m having a midlife crisis, so if you stop reading now, I may cry, throw something, or go ahead and schedule that facelift.)
          1.  January 2012 — I turn 50 years old.  Enough said.
(by the way, somewhere around my 50th birthday, I told my husband I thought I might be having a midlife crisis and his loving reply was “Well, technically, you’re already past midlife.” Gotta love a good reality check.)
          2.  May 2012 — Our only daughter graduates from junior high. Not a big deal for some families.  For us it was big. She had attended the same small school from Kindergarten through 8th grade and literally grew up with the same group of kids, families, and teachers. Graduation meant many good-byes for her and for us, and the closing of a chapter of our lives.
               2a.  The decision of where she would attend high school was not clearcut.  There was some significant stress involved in thinking through and praying through where the best place for her would be. God has proven incredibly faithful in guiding us in this area.
           3.  June/July 2012 – my husband underwent extensive testing for a rare muscular disorder and the diagnosis was confirmed. I camped out in denial for quite awhile . . . and I must admit I still visit my campsite there every once in awhile when things get a little too hard.   
          4.  Feb./March 2013 — my Mom moved to a beautiful retirement community. We are in the process of going through belongings and memories in the house where we grew up and where she lived for over 40 years.
          5.  Feb./March 2013 — my dear friend Wendie was diagnosed with cancer and began treatment. She is one of those friends who you can go months without talking to, and then the second you hear her voice, it is like no time has passed at all. She called to tell me she had undergone a hysterectomy and was getting ready to schedule chemotherapy and radiation. She has three young children. I told her “If you need me to come and help you, there is no place I would rather be.” I meant it.
                     5a.  On my way to the airport to spend a week with Wendie and her family, I realized that I have developed a pretty significant fear of flying. I started telling my husband that maybe I shouldn’t get on the plane, maybe I am not supposed to go. He calmly tells me that I am supposed to go and that I need to get on the plane. While sitting waiting to board the plane, I came pretty close to having a complete panic attack. More about that a little later . . .
          6.  March 2013 — my brother-in-law undergoes surgery. A call on a Monday night informed us the surgery went well.  On Wednesday morning of that week, there is a message on our machine from his daughter that says “It doesn’t look good.” My husband leaves work to go to the hospital . . . Tim is unconscious before John gets there and he passed away a few hours later. Tim suffered from the same genetic disease that John has been diagnosed with. He had several other significant health issues that John does not have, so at this point, it seems that those difficulties played more of a role than the disease itself. This may be the complete truth, or it may be complete denial on my part, or it may be a mixture of both. In any event, it is my way of surviving and I think I may be entitled to a little denial if it helps me keep going. (Sorry if that sounds dramatic . . . )
          I went to my writers’ group the night Tim died. I knew things did not look good at that point but had not yet learned of his passing. Every week, we are asked to journal about the topic of the sermon from the previous Sunday.  This week’s topic was about dreaming. When I had listened to the sermon the Sunday before, I had been inspired . . . dreaming big dreams for God . . .it all sounded good and hopeful and happy.
          But that had been before this last blow. Now things felt hard. And I found myself dwelling on things like disease, death, pain, goodbyes. And, honestly, I kind of wanted to shake my fist at God and ask Him “How dare You ask me to dream when there is all this mess going on?”  I wrote in my journal:  “My heart doesn’t feel much like dreaming tonight. Too much heaviness around me, too much sadness, too much pain . . . Dream, you say? Sorry but I am finding that difficult.”
          Then I turned my thoughts to My Father. He is always as close as the air I breathe, even when I am shaking my fist at Him. I wrote: “God, You became a man and walked this earth. You know what it is like to feel Your heart breaking, to watch loved ones suffer. To see pain almost everywhere You turn. But I believe You are a dreamer. So show me how to continue to dream. How did You do it?”
           I heard Him nudge me. “Start writing down reasons why you can still continue to dream.  Just start writing. You can find reasons if you look for them.”
(One of my current favorite worship songs is Matt Redman’s 10,000 Reasons. One of the lines says “For all Your goodness, I will keep on singing . . . 10,000 reasons for my heart to find.”  I have been intrigued by the idea that reasons to be grateful and dream do not always just jump out at us . . . . sometimes we have to search for them.)
         So I began to search my heart and mind for reasons to continue to dream. Here is what I came up with . . .
      –  I can dream because I know my Father’s heart is always good and always loving.  He holds my future in His hands.
     –  I can dream because I have a beautiful 14 year old daughter who is a dreamer herself. She has a gleam in her eye and a brightness in her voice whenever she talks about her future. She needs me to keep dreaming too.
     –  I can dream because I know ultimately, there is a Home we are headed toward where there are no more tears, no more pain, no more disease, no more sucky phone calls, and no more sorrow.      no. more.
     –  I can dream because I know the Author of this story.  And I know He wins. And I know He brings good out of everything.
         You see, if I choose to focus on what is wrong and difficult and painful in this world, I can easily, very easily, get stuck there. When I was trembling with fear that my plane was going to crash, I was thinking about all the things that could go wrong:  the engines could fail, there might be a terrorist on board (because L.A. to Denver IS one of those frequently traveled terrorist routes), there could be a blinding snowstorm, etc. etc. etc.  At some point in the midst of my panicking, I realized this one thing:  God has already determined the exact number of my days. If I had chosen, out of fear, not to get on that plane, but it had been my time to go, I would have gotten hit by a car or dropped dead of a heart attack. And if it wasn’t my time to go, there was no way there was going to be engine failure, or a terrorist on board, or any of the other crazy scenarios that my mind was rehearsing at the time. He is in complete control over how long each of us is going to live here on this earth. And it is the EXACT right number of years or days, no matter how it might appear from our perspective. How comforting is that?
          So maybe this preoccupation with death isn’t such a bad thing. Because in addition to giving me a new glimpse of His sovereignty, it is also teaching me how precious each day is. What a gift this life is. I don’t want to miss anything . . .
          And don’t get me wrong, I intend to live at least another 30 or 40 years. But whether I die tomorrow, or end up holding a world record for longevity, I want to be ready . . . ready to live and to grasp each wonderful moment . . . and when He does call my name, I want to run to His arms, and sit at His feet and gaze forever into the face of the One who has captured my heart, redeemed my life, and made every moment worthwhile.

Trusting Him with every tomorrow,

Lauren

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”  Ecclesiastes 3:11

“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”  Psalm 90:12

I used to attend a church that struggled with control. I was told by my superiors, that as a member of church leadership, I HAD to have a smile on my face when I was in the building. My appearance HAD to be neat, and my face HAD to reflect happiness, even if I was struggling internally.

Throughout the years, I was continually “called into the office” to discuss what kind of progress I was making with the look on my face, and I sat through countless lectures about the importance of showing the “joy of Jesus” so that people would see it, and be attracted to Him.

Hmmm….. okay, so can I just tell you, that I am NOT into being fake? I have always wrestled with and resented the concept of being forced to proclaim something outwardly, that isn’t coming from my core. I am EXTREMELY imperfect and human, and if God wants me to be transparent with Him and the rest of the world, unfortunately, that means there will be times when I struggle. And when I say struggle, I don’t mean just the little bumps in the road like being late to church, getting cut off by a rude driver, breaking a dish, accidentally washing a white shirt with a red shirt. I mean the real, deep, life-altering kind of struggle. Losing a loved one, financial crisis, homelessness, lonliness, depression…. the list goes on and on.

Though I would never claim to have analyzed the Bible word for itty bitty word, I have never read anywhere that Jesus jumped out of bed with a smile on his face on the morning of His death. I don’t see words that reflect fake public joy in His journey to the cross. On the contrary, according to the Bible I read, Jesus was so deeply effected by the impending events and the burden He bore, that it caused a physical reaction of sweat mixed with blood.

“And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”—Luke 22:44 (NKJV)

Soooo… why do we feel like we have to be so fake? Do we really think we’re attracting people with our paste-on smiles and our insta-joy? Yes, there IS joy in the journey, but golly gee whiz, I mean for goodness sake and jeepers, for crying out loud (hehehe)…..we’re human too! Why can’t we just be real with each other? Have we really become that protective of our pride, that we can’t let others see how we’re hurting?

I just don’t know about us sometimes.

Just think…. if we showed more vulerability and became more transparent with each other, we might actually be able to…. **GASP**…. help and support each other. Perhaps we could show the “rest of the world” that God doesn’t require perfection, and that, despite our bad days and struggles, He loves us more deeply than we know. Maybe, just maaaaaybe, Jesus could be reflected in our lives in a way that we never thought possible. Dare we take such a risk? Oh, swoon if you must, dear fellow mask wearers….. swoooooon.

All right… so I’ve always said, if you’re going to promote something that’s been “proven” to whiten your teeth, then go ahead…. SHOW ME YOUR TEETH. Show me that you’ve used it, and show me that it works. So…. below is a list of five things I struggle with. Read them, and then post five things of your own. Maybe we can help each other…..

1. I struggle with feeling like a resource instead of a person. The phone only rings when people want something from me.

2. I struggle with why people do or don’t get healed from sicknesses, and I’m not afraid to ask questions about it.

3. I struggle with mediocrity…. simply existing, and never really making a difference.

4. I struggle with fear about what the future holds.

5. I struggle a lot with rejection.

Wow…. that’s really not easy, is it? Still, I’ve opened the door. Now it’s your turn, and remember…. be transparent!

Click Here to read other messages from Michele

Pain changes us.

Pain messes with us.

Pain leaves us broken.

Pain makes us uncomfortable.

Pain humbles us.

Pain helps us to realize we are not in control.

Pain reveals our hidden struggles.

Pain challenges our faith.

The above is not so bad, right?  SO, why do we do ALL we can to avoid it?

Could the reason be more about what accompanies pain than the pain itself?   You see, pain will never come to us solo.   With pain can come fear, worry, anxiety, insecurity, depression, hopelessness, anger, guilt, shame, and so on.  Anytime there is pain these “trashy” emotions are not far behind.  SO, what do we do? How do we find treasure and throw out the trash?  How do we experience pain and keep our hearts uncontaminated by the garbage that steals the treasures that were meant for our benefit?

It is a choice.  You and I get to choose whether we will allow trash or seek treasure each time we are faced with painful circumstances.  The trash will come to us easily…almost automatic.  We must intentionally filter out the trash from the treasure.  The Word of  God is our ultimate filter.  It will expose the garbage of our hearts. As we confess and surrender each piece to Him,  the blood of Jesus cleanses us and transforms us into  vessels of honor for His Glory. God is so amazing!

Not only that, but sometimes, God may use someone close to us to help us recognize when we have allowed trash to be thrown in.  Our stinkin’  attitude will, in no doubt, reveal what is in our hearts.  Our flesh is all about “me” and “my” happiness and “my” wants.  If we allow our flesh to be in control, it won’t be long before the trash of bitterness, anger, and unforgiveness, etc. turns toxic in the open wounds that pain has left behind.   What a waste, right?  This trash releases unhealthy thoughts and mindsets that spreads like cancer if not removed.  Everyone around is influenced by it’s stench. These things will never produce anything of value.

Treasure is quite the opposite.  As you know, treasures are rare and few find them.  Those who do find them usually don’t just stumble upon them.  They have searched with wisdom and courage on their quest.  With divine, empowered determination they have ignored the negative voices that speak to their wounded hearts.   Forgive him?  Love Her?   Pray for them?  They will not allow this kind of garbage to steal them of opportunities to find treasure in their trial and purpose in their pain. They fix their eyes on the true riches found only in Christ. 

Some have bought into the world’s selfish mindset that your spouse, family, and friends were placed in your life for the sole purpose of bringing you happiness.  This thinking can create enough trash to warrant a landfill!  The truth is, these dear people will sooner or later cause pain to our hearts. But there is beauty even in that.  ALL of the relationships in our lives are about transforming our hearts to be more like HIS.  They are not to define us, but change us!  As we allow that transformation to take place, joy happens. The trash of bitterness, anger, shame, offense,  guilt and unforgiveness is replaced with the treasures of love, humility, peace, and grace. It is in those dark places that Christ teaches us valuable lessons that we would otherwise miss. With each heart break, we get the opportunity to learn more about Him and His amazing love and grace.  We learn to be thankful for the relationships He has given us. We are free to love others because we realize that our true value, security and wholeness comes only from our relationship with HIM.   WE learn the valuable treasures of trust, surrender, and faith.  Don’t get me wrong, I don’t like to be hurt, I do not like pain. I have experienced my own accumulation of trash that needed a huge dumpster on occasion. Nevertheless, I can tell you, it is in those painful seasons, as I finally surrendered my stubborn self, that I have sensed my Father’s love like no other.

What about you?  Are you hurting, dear one?  Are there wounds on the landscape of your heart?  Please be assured that Jesus cares about your brokenness.  He says in Psalm 147:3 that He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.  Isaiah 61:1 tells us that He was sent to bind up the the brokenhearted.  My friend, your pain does not for one second go unnoticed by God!!  He sees, he knows, and he understands. What you are experiencing was allowed because God plans to use it for good in your life.  There is PURPOSE in your pain.  In Romans 8:28,  He has promised us that He will work ALL things together for good according to His purposes.  ALL things includes your pain and season of suffering.  What if, instead of being so preoccupied with our pain, we desired God MORE than we desired for the pain to be removed? I can tell you that there would be much less garbage to deal with and so much more beautiful treasures to share.  We must shift our focus from our pain to our Healer. Not an easy thing to do but so worth every attempt. Just remember, dear friend,  God takes and creates beauty out of our messes with His precise grace. What now may seem so difficult and so painful, will be used to create the pathway of God’s divine destiny for your life.  Thanks be to Jesus that in Him,  no pain is ever wasted.

So, will it be trash or treasure?  It’s a choice each one of us has to make.  It’s a choice we get to make over and over again!

James 1:2-3

Consider all joy, my brother(sister) when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.  And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing

Mindy Adams

Watch this short video from Steven Furtick from Elevation Church in Charlotte on approval versus acceptance in our lives.

To watch the video click here

So, what about you? What’s YOUR story? Are there things you’ve overcame?  Things you’ve endured?  Things that left scars. Things that humbled you?  Things that changed you?  Things that you STILL struggle with?

Could it be that God may have brought you through the very same circumstances that the lady you run into today is going through?  She needs hope.  She needs to know that she is not alone.  You may be the answer to the prayers this sister has been praying…her heart cry for a friend who understands her, who really gets what it’s like to face what she is facing.  Please, don’t be silent.  Look deeper, past her smile and recognize the pain.  Reach out to her.   Love on her.  Bring light to the darkness the surrounds her.  She needs you.  She needs you not just to give her a hug and tell her how sorry you are, she needs to hear YOUR story. There is something divine that happens as we share with a transparent heart what God has brought us through.   As she hears how God transformed your brokenness to beauty, a flicker of hope ignites in the ashes of her heart.  God may use that very moment to whisper to her wounded heart that Jesus desires to bring healing to her heart, as well.

He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us.  2 Cor 1:4

Post by Mindy Adams

Last July, which was a little over a year since we started our journey of restoration, we had a divine connection. We shared our “story” with a gentleman who had a heart and passion for seeing others live a transparent life and find freedom from issues that hold them in captivity. He asked if he could share our testimony on a video so that others might be encouraged and find hope for their own struggles. My prayers, we at last, being answered and the vision our Pastor had shared with us was beginning to become reality.

We are honored that we were able to be a small part of what God is doing through this gentleman and the ministry he is involved with. Transparent Ministries (See link on side bar) is a ministry that encourages a life of transparency. Isn’t that the very thing we all desire…. to be real and to be loved at the same time?

Last month, by God’s amazing grace, our testimony was shared by video to our church family.

Before that night, my husband shared what was going to take place with a small group of men from our church. Their response was amazing. After praying and giving my husband encouragement, they told him they were going to sit around us that night to show their support. What love!! They will never know how very much their support meant to the both of us. Little did we know then, but their support was a glimpse of how our church family as a whole would respond to our transparency.

Most of the people at our church did not know about our struggles. We truly did not know what to expect. Thankfully, we have a Pastor who covered us with his support, prayers, and encouragement. Being team leaders at our church, we know or are acquainted with most of the people in our congregation. I couldn’t help but wonder….

Would we be judged?
Would we be rejected?
Would we be treated differently once everyone knew our story?
Would we feel the need to leave our church after this was all over?

Only God knew the answers that we didn’t and trusting Him is what got us through.

My husband and I went that night believing it was all about giving hope to others, but in reality, it ended up being so much MORE. God not only used it to bring hope to others but He used it to bring more healing to our own hearts.

The outpouring of love and support we received from our church family was overwhelming.

This body of believers exemplified the heart of Christ with their unconditional love and created an atmosphere for transparency and healing to take place. Many witnessed this gift of love that few find in our churches today. This church was transformed into a “safe” place that night. I am confident that walls began to come down as people saw that it’s okay to be real, to be transparent, and to admit to the messy parts of their life. The congregation’s response spoke a clear message within this body of believers; you will STILL be loved no matter what your “story” may be. It is such a beautiful picture of Christ, Himself. (I realize there are many who, unfortunately, have been hurt in church..I have many thoughts about that, but I will save it for another post!)

Living a life of transparency is not what most of us are used to. Nevertheless, I can testify to you that being “real” with others can be a catalyst to bring freedom from your past like you have never known.

Are there risks involved in being transparent? Yes, you know there are….that is why it is so difficult to be real. BUT those risks will only have the power to devastate you if you are more focused on yourself and your agenda than on God and His character being revealed in your life. Don’t get me wrong, I understand all about the worries and the insecurities that rule in a person who hides behind a mask.

What will others think of ME?
Will they still like ME?
Will they say bad things about ME?
Will they reject ME?

The truth is, dear friend, you will not know the answers to these questions until all is said and done….and even then, you will still wonder.

Let’s be honest. Living a life of transparency may cost you something.

You may be rejected.
You may lose a friendship.
You may get hurt.
Been there, done that.

However, in God’s Kingdom, the losses do not compare to what is gained by allowing Him to use your life for His Glory.

Having the favor, peace, and joy of God surrounding you
is worth the risk.
Seeing lives changed because of what He has done in your own life
is worth the risk.
Having relationships that go beyond the superficial
is worth the risk.

With courageous faith, you can determine that your fears will no longer be what keeps you from having the divine, heart to heart connections with others that God desires for you to have.

What I am saying is that being transparent is a lifestyle. You see, as you share with others as the Holy Spirit leads, you become a “safe” person for others to open up to. Sometimes, somebody’s step towards healing may be encouraged by you, as you give the gift of listening. BUT in order for that gift to be received, you must first be transparent yourself.

Life in Christ is meant to be all about community and relationships. Real relationships, not superficial. Without transparency, relationships never go deep enough to really impact or influence others for Christ. Why does the world think the church is nothing but a bunch of hypocrites? Part of that is because we have given a false portrayal of who we really are. Perfection is the mask we wear and the beauty of Christ is hidden. Sadly, many of us walk around with fake smiles, wounded hearts, and without peace. Never really connecting, never really being the person God created us to be….and that is exactly what the enemy of our souls wants for you and for me. He strategically creates the masks we wear using things like fear, lies, shame and insecurity. The truth is, we become painfully comfortable behind our mask and the longer we wear it, the harder it is to expose the REAL us.

How much time and energy have we wasted worrying
about what others will think?
How many opportunities have we missed because
we feared that we would be hurt or
rejected if we were real?

Life is not meant to be about us, but about Him and His kingdom. Christ is our example. He was rejected and mistreated and yet He never let those things keep Him from living an authentic life full of love and purpose.

Real is beautiful and real is what will save the world.

Dear friend, are you ready to confront those things in your life that keeps you from being a real, authentic follower of Christ?

Read these powerful words from Tim Elmore on living a transparent life.  Take a chance and see how you can transform your life and others by allowing them to see into your life.

Click Here to Read Blog Post

This last week was a great week in which Transparent Ministries was part of seeing lives impacted and changed.  Here’s the detail on what happened and how lives are being changed.

About one month ago I was asked to speak with some high school seniors from the local high school.   Dennis, a friend of mine has been meeting with high school seniors this year doing a Bible study. I had a chance to talk with Dennis about what Gary another friend of mine who has been doing with high school seniors in another community, getting them prepared for the choices they will make next year as they move forward with their lives.   This got Dennis attention so he asked me to come speak with the boys on a Wednesday morning about the issue of pornography. I determined we would make this a three week series on the struggle of pornography in men’s lives.   The first week we watched a video (Jimmy Needham) and I told my story. This set the ground work around creating a safe place.  We had 6 boys who attended the meeting and it was well received.

This last Wednesday we had the boys return with one new member and one boy did not return.  I determined to have John speak.  John had given his testimony with the group Gary leads.  What happened was two of the boys opened up about their struggle with porn.  One of the boys is dealing with it and the other has it in check but confirmed that transparency is the start to restoration and healing.  We surrounded the young man with grace, mercy, and we prayed for him.

This coming week we are going to ask the other boys where they stand on this issue and discuss how to be an accountability partner for someone.  Please be in prayer that each of these boys will feel safe to share their story so we can move them to restoration.

Sunday night message:

Last night I spoke at First Assembly of God church.  We showed a new video about a couples named Kevin and Mindy story for the first time in public.  This is their home church so this was a real act of courage and trust.  We had determined that we needed to show it here first because most of the church was unaware of their struggle.  It was very powerful and everyone who attended the evening service was impacted by their transparency.  I then followed it up with a message on understanding, that each of us has a story to tell, and we need to create safe places so people can get their lives restored.  The powerful story in the video moved the people of the church and God spoke to everyone in the service.  People streamed down to altar as Pastor Joe asked them to examine their own struggle in their lives.  As I spoke with individuals after the service there was a clear response that we are called to support each other and love people who are struggling.

I met with Kevin and Mindy back in July of last year and we have been moving towards what happened last night.   My hope is this will be a springboard to share Kevin and Mindy story with other churches in the future.

Kevin and Mindy, I am honored to have a small part in getting your story out.  Thank You for trusting Transparent Ministries with your story.

We will be putting the video on the Transparent Ministries and Freedom Begins Here websites in the near future.