So here at DLC we strive to better ourselves and learn on a daily basis so that through our personal growth others can grow also. In a staff meeting about 2 weeks ago Pastor Ken challenged us as a staff and issued each of us books that pertained to certain obstacles we were facing. My book was The Power of Focus by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and Les Hewitt. Right off the top you may not think this is a book for you or you may think nope I’m not going to read that.. I challenge you to take a look at it. It is one of the most insightful and knowledgable books I have ever read. It is a lot of common sense, but it just gives you so many of those “Ah Ha” moments. So here is what I got out of it.

The Power of Focus
10 Take A Ways..that turned into more……

1. It is harder to not do it, than it is to actually do it. (It is harder to not commit to change the habit than it is to commit to change it.)

2. You have to want the goal more than you want the comfort of not changing

3. Success Formula
• Clearly identify your bad habits
• Define your new successful habit.
• Create a 3 part plan to stop the habit.

4. You do what you do best and let others do the same. Natural talents are where you should focus most of your time and what you a re brilliant at and you will reap the rewards.
5. Practice your talents everyday and identify them.
• Choose 3 things you hate doing and get someone else to do them.

6. Schedule time to think about what you truly want for your future.
7. 3 Questions about starting relationships.
• Do I trust them?
• Do I respect them?
• Do I like them?

8. Remember for things to change you have to change.
Ex: Start by asking partner on a scale of 1-10 how did I do today? You have to be open to feedback!!!
9. Find a great mentor.
• What goal to improve on?
• Who are the candidates?
• Create the plan of what you need from them.

*Experience tells you what to do. Confidence allows you to do it.

10. By listing your fears you can come up with ways to counteract them.

B-ALERT= Balance

Blueprint: Prepare the next day’s blueprint the night before. Use a technique or program to order your day.
• Create an atmosphere that you can focus in with no distractions.
“Focus Room”

Action: Delegate so you can do what you do best.

Learning: Read at least 30 min. every morning.

Exercise: Physically, Mentally, Emotionally, and Spiritually.

Relax: Take 25 minutes to rejuvenate.
• Schedule family time and spouse time every week

Thinking Reflection: How can I make tomorrow more effective.

*Confidence grows by doing, not by thinking. Only action produces results.

11. If there is something to gain and nothing to lose by asking, by all means ASK.
• Always Seeking Knowledge.

12. How to Ask.
• Ask Clearly
• Ask with Confidence
• Ask Consistently
• Ask Creatively
• Ask Sincerely
13. Consistency Circle
• Making better choices everyday.
• Develops better habits
• Builds better character
• Makes you more valuable.
• Attracts bigger and better opportunities
• Allows you to give more and contribute more
• Brings you bigger and better rewards

*When you procrastinate you are actually castrating your future!

14. Reasons your Procrastinate
• Your board
• Overwhelmed
• Lost confidence
• Low self worth
• Don’t enjoy your work
• Easily distracted

15. You have to be decisive
• Think it through
• Ask : Get all the information needed to make a good choice
• DECIDE

16. 3 Keys to living on purpose
• Align your purpose with your natural abilities
• Be determined
• Maintain a humble attitude.

*I’m not here to just make a living I’m here to make a difference.

17. Level’s of Being:
• Events (outer world) everyday world States (inner world) emotions, intuition, instincts.
• It is impossible to have a low level of being on the inside and have a high level of success on the outside.
• Your present lifestyle is determined by your inner state of being, not by outer events.
• To truly enjoy a higher level of success including financial, job and relationships, you have to change your inner level of being.

I hope this blessed you as much as it has blessed me. If you have any questions about it just let me know. Now I’m not an expert, but I can try to relay to you what the book said to me..Remember we all take away different things when we read. We take away what relates to our personalities and our needs. I pray you have an amazing week!

~ Carrie

It has been way to long since I blogged and I apologize. I just got done reading Pastor Ken’s blog and got inspired!
I would like to start out by saying what an amazing group of students we have at our church. For the majority all of our youth serve in some part of our Worship Experience other than just in the Student Ministries. They are all such a blessing. Whether they are helping me in DKidz or helping the Ushers, Greeters, Facilities, or Media. Everywhere you look on Sunday mornings there is a student serving somewhere. Were blessed to have student’s that at a young age understand how important it is t serve God by serving in your church. Thank you!
Ok, so now that I have bragged on them some I want to brag on them some more. We had our first official student service on Easter Sunday and we had a great turn out. We did have some technical difficulties, but it was all a learning experience and learning is exactly what we did. So with that said we just had our second student’s only service on July 12th. We had everything set up on time and people trained to do media and sound so it went great. On top of that we now have our very own Student’s Praise Band now thanks to Tandy Cummings feeling the Lord calling her to help out in that area…Praise the Lord, because that is NOT my area! LOL! So far we have 4 vocalists, 1 acoustic guitar, and 1 drummer; we also have possibly one electric guitarist and one keyboardist, still praying about it. The team did amazing on Sunday and has been working so hard at practices to learn the music and is so dedicated. I’m so proud of them. Our next service will be August 23rd and were all looking forward to it.
REAL LIFE has been having a weekly beach Life Group on Friday’s. We’ve been having fun talking about events in the Bible and then hanging out at the beach together for the afternoon. As far as upcoming events we have got all kinds of stuff coming up. This Saturday the 25th were going to have a pool party at Michelle’s house at 12:30. RLSM will provide lunch all you need to bring is a swim suite, towel and a drink. On July 31st-August 1st we are taking our girls to an all girl’s conference. Following that in Sept. we will be going to Rock the Weekend at Rock the Universe. All of this will be posted on the church website and our MySpace page if you want more info.
I am just so excited about what God is doing and how he is moving in the lives of our students. They are a generation that is called to be set apart and that is what we are trying to live out in our daily lives. Please keep us in your prayers and if you are interested in being a part of our ministry please contact me.

2009. When will things slow down? I remember as a kid I always thought that things took forever to happen. When will Christmas be here? What about my birthday? Will I ever get to drive a car? Can high school possibly last any longer?….And now it is 2009 I’m 25 about to be 26 in March. I’ve been married for almost 3 years in July, and my sweet, precious baby boy just turned two on Sunday. Where does the time go? So many things change with the blink on an eye it seems like the older you get. Change isn’t a bad thing, it is a constant and life and I accept it with open arms especially when it brings on growth of any kind, spiritual, emotional, or physical.

With 2009 so far we have accepted one of the most historical changes anyone has ever experienced. We have a biracial president. I am proud of our country and the obstacles that have been overcome to make this happen. He needs our prayers and support in the time that he is in office. Things will not always be easy and there will be decisions that he will have to make that will effect all of us and the generations to come. I pray that he truly does bring change. So with that said please pray for our president, his precious family, and the leaders that surround them.

A new year normally means New Years Resolutions right? Well as a staff member here at DLC  Pastor Ken challenged us to make three resolutions for this year. We had to tell them what they were so that he could help keep us accountable to the goals we wanted to reach. My three resolutions were:

 1. To lower my blood pressure/lose weight. 

2.To start reading my Bible before I leave my house in the mornings instead of just at night.

3. Be a better wife.  

So far I have an appointment on Wednesday to get my BP evaluated and see what I need to do…loosing weight being one of them I know that already…I just want to encourage my husband in this area, because he has already lost 22 lbs. as of this morning just in the month of January! He is doing an amazing job and I’m very proud of him. Moving on,  reading my Bible in the morning has been a challenge with all I have is excuses, but I am going to try much harder. And as far as being a better wife, I think this will always be a work in progress, but I am trying. lol, I’m not saying that I am a bad wife by any means and I don’t think that Brent would say that either, there are just things that you get comfortable with after being together for 4 years. I did read “Fireproof” that was a really great book and I’m looking forward to seeing the movie.

Speaking of reading it is my new “Thing”. I have discovered that I love to read. Not that I hated it before, but I found some books that I really enjoy and it gives me some “Carrie Time” . This is also something that I had discovered and I am trying to change in 2009. So many people have told me that to be a better wife and mother you have to have something that is just for you, that you enjoy. I always said OK and agreed and thought OK, well I dont even know what I would do, so whatever. Well, this is it. Reading is the one thing I can do for myself. It relaxes me! And what I love about it is  I can still be with my family at the same time. Brent can be playing Madden on PS2, Noah playing with his trucks and I can sit there and read instead of watching TV. And I can still be there if they need me for something. So if you hear of any good books let me know.

I think think that has wrapped it up for me for this year so far. I will writing blogs  more often so I don’t have to write a novel every few months. There are exciting things happening at DLC and in lives of those around me and I’m so excited to see what God has in store for us in the year of 2009!

Well, last night we had our first Youth Missions Meeting. We are going to Guatemala July 21st-28th of 2009. I am super excited about it and so is Brent. This will be our first missions trip as individuals, as a married couple, and it is during our 3rd Wedding Anniversary so that is exciting too. We have great Missions Directors Jeff and Tracey Gwinn that we will be going with and of course some amazing youth. We are praying that God will begin to speak to us and lead us on how we can be most effective in our ministry approach, so that God’s Word can be ministered and souls will be saved. Please begin to pray with us that we will be sensitive to what God’s will is for us to do down there. And that God will begin a new work in us as we prepare ourselves spiritualy for this trip.

OK so for all of you that know me My name is Carrie. I am have brown hair, brown eyes, olive skin, 5′5 maybe 5′6. Coincidentally I have a best friend. Her name is Kelly. She also has these same features, just a little. shorter than me..maybe an inch or so. We met in Lakeland, FL at Southeastern College. Now known as Southeastern University. We met our freshman year she lived in the dorm across the hall and adjacent to me, then moved right next door. She was quite and sweet, always working, and when she wasn’t she was at church. Through some drama in our hall we became good friends and decided to take on a leadership position our sophomore year, ministering to the new freshman girls that would be coming in. It was called Delta Pi, I’m sure your thinking sorority girls, but no it was the farthest from that…or  atleast in the partying aspect. We had to try out and do ridiculous things that were hilarious, but we also had to show how well we complimented each other for the ministry. She was raised in church, a Pk. Quite around people she didn’t know. Proper. Opinionated. Strong. Kind. Loving. Woman of God. I was somewhat raised in church. Rebelled. Outgoing. Didn’t care what people thought as long as we had fun. Strong. Hurting. Loving. Woman of God. So as you can see we were opposite, but that is what gave us out balance to each other. We held each other accountable. We were there for each other through a lot of life’s struggles, I don’t know what I would have done without her so many times. We worked together, lived together, ministered together and remained Best Friends. So needless to say when you are around someone all the time like that you begin to talk alike, laugh alike, think alike, finish each others sentences, know when that person is upset or hurting and know how you can cheer them up. So from all that people always thought we were  sisters. Well, I moved home at the end of our sophomore year in 2004. It was sad, but we of course talked everyday and say each other as much as possible. We went on a cruise together with my parents in 2005 to the Bahamas. It was so much fun and we were actually approached atleast twice by people who thought we were twins! lol! Anyways, I started dating my now husband Brent in Nov. of 2005. She knew him from Lakeland from a friend, but he actually went to the same High School as me and we graduated together in 2001. Anyways, that New Year Brent and I tried to set her up with his Best Friend Larry. It wasn’t as successful as we had hoped, but good things come to those who wait. Brent and I got married engaged in Feb. of 06 and Married in July of 06. Larry and Kelly got to know each other a little better since they were in our wedding party. Larry drove home from the wedding and I believe had stayed in touch. They wend on their fist date in October I believe and from that point on were inseparable. They maintained a long distance relationship and got engaged in Dec. of 2006. Brent and I were super excited that our best friends had found each other, because we loved them and wanted the best for them! Well, the got married in Nov. of 2007 and guess where they moved to?! PALM BAY! Larry’s job and family are here so they bought a house and now live less than 3 miles from Brent and I. Larry and Kelly are now very involved in the church. Well, now after all that stuff that maybe you didnt even care to know, here is the fun part. Everyone gets us confused. She sings on the Praise and Worship Team and I am the Student Ministries Director. So people have come up to me and said oh you sang today…lol..nope that was Kelly. People have hugged Kelly and started talking to her about things and then realized it was not me..lol! People have come up to me and said why did you change clothes? Then described the clothes Kelly had worn to church that day. I am not being mean or making fun of anyone what so ever. We think it is funny and to be honest, she is my best friend so why would I be offended! So just to give you an idea of what we look like from past to present. Here you go!

Me and Kelly 2005

Me and Kelly 2006

Kelly and Carrie 2007

Kelly and Carrie 2008

So there are some pictures of us only back to 2005, but you get the idea. So I hope you enjoyed my amusement. Love ya, Kelly Belly! Thanks for not being offended that people think we look alike )

This is a poem that was given to me and all of the ladies on our hall in Bethany when I was at Southeastern. It blessed me then and I have remembered it ever since then. I just wanted to share it with everyone so that it may also bless you and you can pass it along to someone else.

BECAUSE I LOVE HER

Author Unknown

I made her. She’s different. She’s unique. With love I formed her

in her mother’s womb. I fashioned her with great joy. I remember with

great pleasure the day I created her.

To Me she’s beautiful…I love her. I love her smile. I love her ways.

I love hearing her laugh and in the silly things she does. She is herself

and no one else…this is how I made her. I made her pretty, but not

beautiful, because I know her heart, and learn that it would be ME IN

HER that would draw friends near.

I made her in such a way that she would need me. I made her a

little more lonesome that she would like to be, only because I want her to

turn to me in her loneliness. I made her a little more dependant than she

would like to be, only because I want her to learn to depend on me.

I know her heart. I know that if I had not made her like this, she

would go her chosen way, and forget about ME…her Creator. I have given

her many good and happy things, because I love her. I have seen her

broken heart, and the tears she has cried all alone. I have been with her

and have had a broken heart, too.

Many times she has stumbled and fallen alone, only because she

would not take my hand. So many lessons she has learned the hard way,

because she would not listen to my voice. So many times, I have sat back

and sadly watched her go her merry way alone, only to watch her return

to MY arms, sad and broken. And now, she is mine again. I made her and

then bought her. I paid a high price for her…because I love her. I have

had to reshape and remold her to renew her to what I had planned for

her to be. It has not been easy for her…or for ME.

I want her to be conformed in My image. This high goal I have set

for her, because…I LOVE HER.

So as most of you know we just bought our first home at the end of June. We are super excited and are having fun trying to get things the way we like them…not as easy as I thought it would be.  So anyway, we have lived in our house about a month in a half when we heard Fay was coming our way. We weren’t to extremely worried, but wanted to take the correct precautions to keep us and our home safe and from damage. So when Brent got home from work he put the shutters up and went to get propane for our grill, while I tried to make sure we had anything we might need in order to have food, water, batteries, flash lights..all the essentials for hurricane weather. Even though Fay was just a Tropical Storm you never know what could change or happen. Not to mention we now have a little one to take care and make sure that he will be safe in whatever situation will happen. We were both off work for most of the week because of all the rain. Most of our town was flooded and by the last day our water rose up in our yard. We sat out in the garage and watched it rain and let Noah check everything out. We went to Larry and Kelly’s to visit with them and her sister, brother in law and twins were there from Lakeland. It was nice to spend some time with them since they rarely get to come over here.  After we got home we relaxed at home and then the next day we were in for a surprise. Around 11a.m. we at lunch. I got up to clean up the kitchen and looked outside. I was shocked to see that the water was rising in our street and our ditches were all getting full.  About an hour later out entire street was flooded and getting very close to coming up into our yard from the ditches. The neighborhood kids were playing out in the streets and one of the neighbors dressed up in full rain gear and let his dog play catch in all the water. At 11:30 I went to bed and the water had not went down at all. The next morning at 7a.m. it has completely drained and there was no water on our street at all. God truly took care of us during this storm. As we have been hearing about the 2 or three that are out in the ocean right now heading our way we pray for safety.

Here are some pictures from out adventure..lol

That is Brent with a meter stick outside our house.This is looking down our street....lake..lollooking down our street...

So last night was DLC’s first softball game. The team was so excited, because they have been rained out for the past two weeks. The first game was against First Baptist of Melbourne. Everyone did a great job, but unfortunately lost by one run. They were pretty bummed, but still had one more team to redeem themselves. The next team was from Calvary Chapel of Melbourne…One of the SEVERAL, but it was the black and gold team. We had some really great plays and hits. DLC WON!! I cant remember by how much, but not much so it was a great game. Being as I don’t play on the team for right now, because I wanted to be able to take Noah to watch his Daddy I sat with all the Ladies, in our own creative children section. Nikki and I spread out our blankets in one corner of the bleachers and had toys galore for the kids to play with. And covered the kids with mosquito repellent, which I should have used a little more myself!  Moving on, Noah and Alayna played in the dirt and shared snacks. Xavier becoming such a big boy sat on the blanket and played like a perfect angel. Cara and Drew also joined us. Drew the youngest of our softball baby clan, being 15wks. enjoyed the company and was such a good little man the whole night. Silas did come to join us but as soon as he sat down he got stung by a bee and decided our area was not the safest and proceeded to the other end of the bleachers with Cher, Shirley, Kenny, Ky and Dray. Sorry Silas! After the game Florida Today talked to our team and said we could possibly be in the paper here pretty soon so everyone be on the look out. After the game we made a last minute decision to go to dinner @ Sonny’s with Nikki and Manny with all the kids..at 9:15 p.m. The kids all were so good and ate like they had starved all day..haha! Needless to say we had a wonderful night with our church family. It is nothing short of a blessing that we have such an amazing group of people to hang out with. WE LOVE DLC!!!

Well, most of you know that Brent and I recently bought our first home. We have been working on the inside since the end of June and now we are trying to fix up the outside. There are weeds, shrubs and just tons of over grown mess around the outside of the house so for the past two weeks we have been trying to work outside a few hours in the evening and most of the day on Saturdays. Well, our biggest difficulty so far has been a cactus called a spanish beyonet…we have 5 of them in our yard. This is what they look like.

This is the largest of the Five.

Well this past Sunday night Brent was outside with his Dad and Grandfather working in the yard. Our lawn mower broke, so he started up his Dad’s mower and tried to finish the grass, then that lawn mower broke. So figuring he had some day light left he started working on cutting down this cactus. The one in the lower right corner we pulled up a week ago. So he cut about 8 branches off of the huge one  and he comes running in the house saying his skin is burning and jumps in the freezing cold shower to get some relief.

This is what he looks like as of last night. He went to the Doctor and is on antibiotics. So just keep him in your prayers.

Hey Everyone! Well I am now going to be a blogger. Yay! I do really love to write and share my feelings, it has just been a little different for me since I became a Mommy. But I’ll jump back in the game.  For those of you who know me very well and those who may not know me at all and want to see what Im all about or see what I’ve been up to this will the the site to check out. Most of you know I am now the Student Ministries Dircetor at Discover Life Church and have been since Febuary of this year. It is a blessing to work at the office with people that I can learn from daily to better myself and my walk with God. I have a great group of youth that are so much fun to be with and I am looking forward to all the fun we will have over the years. We just went to Wet-N-Wild July 19th and had so much fun. It is a completly different experience going on a trip with your youth, being away from our Life Group setting. We all rode rides and my sister Rachel made some new friends while she has been down here on vacation to visit us. We pretty much all got burnt and you could see it on Sunday morning when we all showed up with bright red skin..lol! Being the Student Ministries Director also include the 3-11 year olds. They are learning so much in Lil’K and Kidmo and have so much fun doing all the drama’s that Cher and the Creative Team have been putting together with them. I thank God for Cher, Im not the most creative when it comes to drama, dance and singing so Im so glad God gave her those gifts! Well, I will keep everyone updated so keep in touch! Also if you are a youth wanting to know a little more about DL Student Ministries check out our Myspace page.  www.myspace.com/dlstudentministires.com

~Carrie