Thursday Thoughts - Picture Perfect Grace

My 6-year-old daughter, Kennedy, recently completed a month-long intensive reading program at Vanderbilt. Four afternoons a week I would make the hour-long drive each way with Kennedy and my next door neighbor’s son who was also in the program, while my neighbor kept my other four children.

The first couple weeks went along pretty smoothly. I dropped the kids off with my neighbor, picked up her son, and off we went. No problems. I actually didn’t mind the drive. It gave me time to talk on the phone, think, or even pray.

Then, one day during week three, right as it was time to leave, it started raining. It poured. Hard. Two of my other children were sick that day, so I was driving them to my mom’s house to stay while we went to Vanderbilt. When I realized that the rain wasn’t going to let up, I pulled out my umbrella and one by one I walked my children out to the car. By the time they were all inside, we were running late, I was soaked to the skin, and my makeup was running down my face. I was a sight to see, I’m sure.

When I arrived at my neighbor’s house, she looked at me, got a little smile on her face and said, “I’m so glad you’re not perfect.” She went on to explain, “Every day you come here to drop the kids off and pick up my son, and you’re wearing cute clothes and your hair and makeup is always done just right, and it’s just nice to see that you’re not always perfect.” We both laughed and I went on my way. We were very late to Vanderbilt that day.

On the way there, I thought about her statement. How many other people look at me, or my life and think that I’m “perfect”? How many times do I look at others and think the same thing judging from an outward appearance? I know for a fact that anyone who looks deep into my life and my heart would see that I am far from perfect. I mess up all the time. I know the same is true for all those people who I hold to a higher standard every day.

The truth is, none of us are perfect (Romans 3:10). We’re not perfect spouses, perfect parents, or perfect Christians. We are imperfect people living in an imperfect world, saved only by the grace of God. Sometimes it just takes a little rain to fall in our lives to remind ourselves, and others, of that.

Thank you, Lord, for your never-ending forgiveness and grace!

This post was originally written for ParentLife Online which is part of the Lifeway Christian Stores magazines. Be sure to go check it out and follow their blog! There are a lot of great parenting tips, stories, and other uplifting messages on there!

Thursday Thoughts - Choosing to Trust

I am going to make a proclamation that will probably upset you. I know, because it upset me the first time I heard it. We all have insecurities. Not only do we have insecurities, but, left alone, they negatively impact the way we live our lives and how we allow God to live through us. Some of us have very apparent insecurities that live right on the surface and we need but a second to identify them. Then there are some of us who have spent years masking and pushing down our insecurities to the point that we can hardly name them. Either way, we are bound up and ruled by these insecurities when we don’t face them head on and learn to throw them off.

We’re insecure about where we come from, what are gifts and talents are, what type of wives and mothers we are, the number and type of friends we have, how we appear physically, and even where we are with our faith…to name just a few. We allow these insecurities to bind us up and affect most, if not all, areas of our lives – becoming ineffective and downright worn out. Some of us wish – with everything that we are – that we could just shake these insecurities forever. Some of us are afraid of letting these insecurities go because we don’t really know who we are without them…and that can be scary. But, what’s at the core of these insecurities? When we strip off their packaging, one by one, what are we left with? Fear. Think about it. We’re insecure about the gifts and talents we have because we’re afraid that we might not be as good as someone else or we might fail. We’re insecure about the numbers or types of friendships we have because we’re afraid of being found out or being alone. We’re insecure about the kind of wives we are because we’re afraid our husbands won’t love us or will leave us for someone else. We’re insecure about where our faith is because we’re afraid that God will love us less. Sisters, it’s time that we throw off these insecurities because they are NO GOOD to us! They don’t provide one iota of anything good in our lives. All these insecurities, or fears, do is keep us focused on ourselves and paralyze us from being the women God created and called us to be – women who are clothed with strength and dignity (Proverbs 31:25). It’s time we leave these old, useless rags of insecurity behind and put on new, shining garments of the strength and dignity God wants for us.

So, how do we do that? I can tell you one thing that won’t work that we’ve all probably tried before…suppressing the insecurities, fears, and all the life experiences that brought them upon us. Working through insecurities and fears is not easy; it demands a daily, life-long shift in focus – from who we’ve been told we are by the world and ourselves to who God proclaims we are in His Word. It’s not easy, but it’s SO worth the fight to become free…women who are clothed with strength and dignity! A great and powerful first step is found in Beth Moore’s book, So Long, Insecurity: You’ve Been a Bad Friend to Us. I pray these words resonate deep in your soul as they did in mine.

“In order to plant our feet on solid ground, we can drop the conditions off of our trust and determine that God will take care of us no matter what. Let me say that again.

No matter what.

I’m not saying it’s easy. I’m stating that if we want to be secure people, this mind-set is a necessity. Sometimes trusting God means no further action. That’s when a verse like Psalm 46:10 speaks loudest: ‘Be still, and know that I am God.’ Other times trusting God means regrouping with Him until the fog clears so we know how to take the next step. Nothing can mislead us or make us jump the gun faster than fear. For times like these when action is necessary but not obvious, Proverbs 3:5-6 hits the nail on the head: ‘Trust the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take’ (NLT). I love the succinct way Psalm 37:3 says something similar: ‘Trust in the Lord and do good’ (NLT).

A couple of years ago God put me through a peculiar exercise that caused a total earthquake in my long-held perception of trust…God saw me in an inner turmoil again about a relentless relational challenge, and while I was wrestling before Him in prayer, my stomach twisted like a wrung-out wet rag. He interrupted.

Child, tell Me your worst fears.
I was a little taken aback. After all, I was in the throes of a particularly descriptive lament. Still, in my human estimation, He had no doubt spoken, so who was I to ask Him to wait His turn? I did what He requested. I told Him my worst fears. Then He ‘said’ something I never could have anticipated, and this, beloved, is precisely what I mean by ‘out of the blue’.

Let’s say those things happened.

Trust me when I tell you, that is not what I wanted to hear from God. I wanted reassurances like, ‘I will never let any of those things happen to you.’ I sensed Him continue the interaction despite my bewilderment and dread.
Beth, picture yourself going through the whole process of one of your worst fears becoming a reality. Get all the way to the other side of it. What do you see there?

So I did. I saw myself getting the news I feared most, bawling my eyes out, grieving a loss, or going through all the emotions of betrayal. The tears stung in my eyes. Butterflies flew up to my stomach. My insides turned out. But something odd happened on the other side. I’ll use a specific example to illustrate the process:

One of the fears I confessed to God was that, in my older years, Keith would stop loving me and fall for somebody else. Somebody younger. After all, a few of his good friends had done exactly that. It wasn’t unreasonable. It’s not like it doesn’t happen. I pictured my worst-case scenario: not only would Keith find someone new, my daughters would also love and embrace her. Now that would be a nightmare.

Okay, Beth, you did a good job thinking up something terrible. What then?
That’s when I figured out what God was after. He and I both knew what I would do. I would be devastated at first. I would probably sin in my anger and say all sorts of things and act all sorts of ways I would live to regret. I would feel inexpressibly lonely and rejected and probably old and ugly. But I knew that finally I’d go facedown before God just as I have a hundred other times, accept His grace and mercy, believe Him to take up my cause and work it together for good, and then I would get up and choose to live.

The excruciating emotional exercise was the best thing God ever could have asked from me. He knew I had pictured the devastation and defeat over and over, but I had never gotten any further that that in my imagination. It was as if He said, ‘As long as you’re going to borrow trouble on the future, why don’t you just go ahead and borrow the grace to go with it and see yourself back up on your feet defying the enemy’s odds…just as you and I have done a dozen other times.’

Even now I could clap my hands over it. The devil took a harsh blow that day because I’ve never fallen back into that old pattern of thinking. And further, the victory over such a long-term mental stronghold caused me to entertain the thought that I could be equally free from my lifelong battle with insecurity. After all, the two are inseparable. These days I far less often pray, ‘Lord, I trust You to…’ I simply try to say over and over again, ‘Lord, I trust You. Period.’
God has promised that His grace will be given according to our need and that not only will we survive by the skin of our teeth, if we trust Him and hang on to Him for dear life – grieving, yes, but as those who have hope – we will also thrive again. We can give ourselves to something greater than painlessness. We can give ourselves to purpose. If we cooperate, good will indeed come to us and others around us, and the glory will most assuredly come to God. Otherwise, He would have forbidden the tragedy. Those of us who are in Christ will also spend eternity with the loved ones who have shared in our faith, and this life will seem like a vapor in comparison.

Both Psalm 112:7-8 and Proverbs 31:25 describe secure people. Not coincidentally, they have one profound characteristic in common. Neither gives the future the right to intimidate them. Their hearts are ‘steadfast, trusting in the Lord.’ Insecurity feeds like a starving wolf off fear of the future – and not just the distant future of aging, infirmity, or death. Insecurity fears what might happen later today. Tonight. Tomorrow. Next week. Next year. Next decade. Its constant mantra is, ‘What will I do if…?’ Fear of the future makes people settle for things in the present that completely defy abundant life. It also insults the grace of God that will be piled in heaps for us when hardship comes. We agonize over how we’ll possibly make it, yet all the while we can glance over our shoulders and see where God has carried us. And often through worse than what we’re afraid of now.

When you feel that familiar panic begin to rise in your heart like a river coursing its banks and your soul begins to roll with another round of ‘What will I do if…?’ what would happen if you were willing to hear the voice of God whisper these inaudible words?

Child, you are asking the wrong question. Here’s the one that would assuage your fears. What will God do if…?

Here’s a smattering of answers to that mighty good question.
I, the Maker of heaven and earth, will:
perfect everything that concerns you (Psalm 138:8, KJV).
work all things together for your good (Romans 8:28).
contend with those who contend with you (Isaiah 49:25).
fight this battle for you (2 Chronicles 20:15).
equip you with divine power (2 Corinthians 10:4).
delight to show you mercy (Micah 7:18).
meet all your needs according to My glorious riches in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).
give you grace that is perfectly sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9).
be your power in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).
do immeasurably more than all you could ask or imagine, according to the power that is at work within you (Ephesians 3:20).”

Thank you so much for sticking with me to the end – I know this was a long post, but it’s imperative that we get this! Thanks, also, for allowing me to share a big chunk of Beth Moore’s newest book with you. Given that she spent nearly a year taking on this topic of dealing with insecurities and fears and I’ve only just begun that journey, I figured it was best to learn from what God has taught her for now.

Please make this prayer your own…
“Lord, I confess to you, and to myself, that I have been carrying insecurities and fears for years. Father, you know the depth of these insecurities and fears even more than I do and I thank you that you love me so much that you want to take them away from me and replace them with strength and dignity. I pray that today would mark the start of this journey to throw off my insecurities and become clothed with a trust in you that’s deeper than it’s ever been. I praise you for giving me just the grace and strength I need to get through everything in this life- no matter how difficult. I pray that my focus would be on your unfailing promises and not on my circumstances. I look forward to this journey with you and thank you, in advance, for always picking me up…no matter how far I may fall. In Jesus’ powerful name, Amen.”

In TWO days!!!

There are only TWO days left until the next meeting of The Lantern!! If you have been meaning to come but just haven't made it yet, NOW is the time to come check us out! FREE childcare IS provided! Just send an email with the names and ages of your children to thelanternclarksville@yahoo.com to sign them up!

The Lantern meets at St. Bethlehem Christian Church located at 280 Dunbar Cave Rd. Doors open at 6:15. The meeting starts at 6:30 and ends at 8:30. We look forward to seeing all our old friends and meeting new ones! See you Thursday!!

Get a FREE webcam!!!

Oh Say Can You See, sponsored by Charter, is giving away FREE webcams to families with deployed military members! They are helping military families stay connected all over the world! Just click on this link and fill out a really simple form to request yours! Hurry though! Supplies are limited and they're going fast!! Thanks Charter, for this great program for our families!!!

Thursday Thoughts - We Are So Loved!

We are so loved. When was the last time you just sat down, cleared your head, and thought about that incredible truth? WE ARE SO LOVED! I just want to shout it from the rooftops!!!

As we begin to learn more about God and grow in our relationship with Him, we can all too often get completely consumed by what we should or shouldn’t do, how our decisions glorify or don’t glorify God, and who we should or shouldn’t become. Don’t get me wrong; it’s very important to spend time thinking about and praying through who God would want us to be and how He would want us to live, but our lives should be lived as a joyful response to His incredible love for us. So, how incredible is His love?

We can go back to the beginning of creation to see how crazy God has always been about us. On the sixth day of creation, after God was done creating everything in our natural world, He decided to create man and woman. Not only did He decide to create humanity, He made us in His very image and put us over all other living creatures. We can read on through Genesis and see that, out of great love for us, God created a beautiful garden with bountiful food and companionship in which people would live. I’m sure you’re familiar with what happens shortly after God created Adam and Eve – they chose to disobey Him and eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil…but have you ever considered the very concept that God created them, and us, with the loving gift of choice? God absolutely could have created us to live as puppets – making every right decision and pleasing Him with our every move – but, out of love, He created us with a free will. A will that could choose to love Him back or not. That has to be difficult for Him at times, but that’s love. (Genesis 1-3)

There are countless heart-wrenching examples of God’s love for us woven throughout the Old Testament. From Genesis to Malachi, humanity fell into this pattern - worship God, live fruitful lives, forget God and worship everything but Him, run into difficulties, cry out to God for help, experience deliverance from the difficulties, worship God, live fruitful lives, forget Him…and on and on and on. Because of our great imperfections and our inability to live up to God’s laws in the Old Testament, He decided to do something radical in order to bring us back to Himself – once and for all. God made the incredibly difficult decision to send His perfect Son to our sin-stricken world to become the final sacrifice for all of humanity. I’m sure that it’s mind-blowing for any parent to imagine taking their child out of a safe environment and throwing them to the wolves in order to save anyone, but think about how much more difficult it had to be for God. The Trinity – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – had been together forever as one entity. God chose to send His Son away from that perfect relationship to a world where He would be tempted, hated, mocked, beaten, and killed by the very people He was sent to save. That is love, sister. (John 3:16)

Now, let’s look at our present day lives. No matter where we go or what we do, God and His unfailing love are there. Think about that! What is the very worst thing you have ever done, thought, or said in your entire life? Maybe you’re like me and there are plenty of options to sort through. Right at the very moment we did that unthinkable thing, God and His unfailing love were there. Maybe you feel like you’ve become the very opposite from what God would want you to be – He still loves you with the exact same love He always has. He loves you just as much as the “holiest” person you know. When we acknowledge and believe that Jesus is Lord, NOTHING can separate us from God’s love. Nothing. We are so loved. (Hebrews 13:5, Ephesians 2:4-5, Romans 5:8, Romans 8:38)

Please make this prayer your own…

“Lord, thank you so much for your love. Honestly, I don’t understand why or how you love me like you do, but please teach me about the depth of your love for me. Father, I want to live every second of every day in the knowledge and freedom of your incredible love for me. Please help me to see myself as you see me – your forgiven child whom you’re crazy about. If there’s anything that I’m holding on to that keeps me from accepting your unfailing love, I pray that you would point it out to me and give me the courage to hand it over to you forever. Thank you, Father, and I love you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Check out these other incredible verses about God’s love for us. Don’t forget them, sister!

Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies (Psalm 36:5).

How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings (Psalm 36:7).

Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love (Psalm 48:9).

But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever (Psalm 52:8).

But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness (Psalm 86:15).

Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever (Psalm 136:26).

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11).

The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness" (Jeremiah 31:3).

The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing" (Zephaniah 3:17).

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13).

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love (John 15:9).

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:35-39).

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved (Ephesians 2:4-5).

Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God (Ephesians 5:2).

"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7).

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:4-5).

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins (1 John 4:9-10).

Thursday Thoughts - When Difficulties Strike

In order to be the best and strongest military wives we can be, it's imperative that we grow individually. In order to help with that growth, we are going to post an encouraging message each Thursday. We hope you are challenged and inspired by the first of the "Thursday Thoughts" series.

Have you ever wondered why some of the most difficult times in our lives come when our faith is growing the most? Maybe you’re like me and you’re asking that very question right now. Several of my friends are in the midst of the most painful situations of their lives thus far – at a time when they feel like their faith is growing more than ever before. Has that ever been you? Is it you right now? Everything seemed to be ticking along at a good pace, with more good days than bad, and then WHAM! You’re hit with the news that a family member is terminally ill. You thought there was resolution in a relationship and then the painful past creeps up again. You find out that the marriage you thought was so strong is now at a breaking point.

I wish I had all the answers to why we experience some of our darkest days when we’re chasing after God like never before. I wish I could listen to each of your stories and provide steps one, two, and three to reaching a place of never-ending bliss on this planet, but that’s just not realistic. However, through God’s Word and my personal journey, I have learned a great deal about why this sort of thing tends to happen and what to do when it does.

As we grow, so does our wisdom. Not every difficulty is a result of a changed perspective or increased wisdom, but some of them are. When we are seeking God’s counsel in areas of our lives, He often points things out to us that need to be addressed and sometimes those things end up causing temporary pain while they’re being worked out. (Colossians 3:1-17; I Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 12:1-13; James 1:2-5)

God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness. Unless we are allowed to have difficulty in our lives that magnify our weaknesses, we wouldn’t give God’s strength much room to shine. When we think we have it all figured out and know exactly what to do to keep everything together, we rarely let God work in our lives. It’s the difficulties in life that often bring us to our knees and allow God to work in and through us. (Acts 4:23-30; 1 Corinthians 10:13; 2 Corinthians 4:9; 1 Peter 5:6-7)

God wants us to be examples of His strength and comfort to people who don’t know Him. In rare cases, it’s possible that people could notice great successes in someone’s life and attribute them to God, but they would often attribute them to that person’s work ethic, personality, or skill set. However, when people see difficulty in someone’s life and notice that they are dealing with the situation with an attitude of peace, calm, and trust, they would probably start to wonder where that attitude comes from and may even ask questions. When we let God change our natural attitudes towards difficulty and give Him the glory for doing so, the power in other people’s lives can be incredible. (Romans 5:1-5; 2 Corinthians 1:3-7; 1 Thessalonians 6-8; 1 Peter 3:15)

We live in a fallen world. Since Adam and Eve first sinned against God in the Garden of Eden, Satan has roamed the Earth looking for those to destroy. Until we are united with God for eternity in Heaven, Satan will continue to try his hardest to turn people against one another and against God. When people choose to listen to the enemy’s deceit, lives suffer. (Genesis 3; Job 1:7; 2 Timothy 3:1-9; 1 Peter 5:8)

Satan wants nothing greater than to paralyze God’s people. As we grow in our faith and start to share it with others, we become more of a threat to the enemy. The very last thing Satan wants is for people to choose God and live a life that is devoted to Him, so he will do everything in his power to put doubt and difficulty in our lives so we take our focus off of the Lord. (Daniel 5:2-3; Ephesians 6:12; 2 Timothy 2:20-21)

Please make this prayer your own…
“Heavenly Father, I confess to you that I don’t understand all the reasons why we face some of our biggest challenges in life when we are growing in our faith the most. Lord, I thank you that I can come to you honestly about this and seek out your wisdom. I pray that you will use your Word and your Holy Spirit to teach me why some of my darkest days come when I’m closest to you. I pray that I continuously lay my anxiety and sorrow at your feet so you can fill me with your peace, joy, and strength. Lord, I trust that you love me so much that you wouldn’t allow something difficult to happen in my life without working it together for your good in the end. I pray that your light would be blinding in my darkest nights and that you’ll keep me in your arms as I allow you to work the situation out through me. Father, protect me from the enemy so that I may be pleasing to you and truly live as your ambassador on this earth. Thank you for all that you are and sharing yourself with me. I love you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Upcoming Events!!

So, has Summer boredom set in for you yet? Are you looking for something to do? Want to get out of the house? Well, we have some answers for you!! The Lantern is the place to hang out this Summer!! We have a bunch of super fun events planned so we can strengthen our friendships outside of our monthly meetings! We hope to see you at some or all of these events! If you have any questions please leave a comment here or send an email to thelanternclarksville@yahoo.com.

Also, be sure to check out our all new fully interactive calendar! It's the best way to keep up on all our events so you don't miss anything! You can print it out, see maps, and even export it to your google account! Don't forget to stay connected to our facebook page, as well. See you soon!

(Anything listed as a Community Event is not an organized Lantern Event. While you may run into a few of us there, we do not plan on going as a group.) :)

July

When: Thursday, July 1st
What: Lunch/Movie with the Girls
The Twilight Saga - Eclipse
Where: Grab lunch at 11:30 at El Bracero
Movie to follow at 1:40pm at Great Escape Theater

Hey Ladies! Whether we want to admit it or not, many of us are fans of the Twilight book series and as most of you know the third saga, "Eclipse", opens in theaters on June 30th. We have decided to kick off our first social event for The Lantern on July 1st by doing Lunch and a Movie with the Girls. We plan to meet for lunch at El Bracero Mexican Restaurant at 11:30am then head over to The Great Escape for the 1:40pm showing of "Eclipse". We welcome anyone who is interested in seeing the movie and are hoping to use this as an opportunity to get to know each other a little better. If you are interested in attending please let us know either by e-mail or through Facebook. Can't wait to see you there!

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When: Saturday, July 3rd
What: Independence Day Celebration/Festivities
Where: McGregor Park

Bring the kids and come down by the river for this Family Friendly Community event starting at 6:00PM. It's FREE!!!
***Community Event***

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When: Saturday, July 17th
What: Lost River Cave & Valley Tour
Where: Bowling Green, KY
Meet at Exit 8 Park & Ride at 9:30am
Cost: Adults (12 & Up) $15 Youth (4-11) $10.50 Child (1-3) $3.50

Everyone is looking for something cool to do during the summer and lucky for us, we've found just that! Join us on Saturday, July 17th at 9:30am at the Park & Ride at Exit 8 to caravan to Bowling Green, KY to take an underground lost river cave tour. Admission price includes a 20 min. walking tour, 25 min. boat tour, access to the butterfly habitat and blue hole trails. This is a great inexpensive day trip for the entire family! Please RSVP via e-mail or Facebook no later than July 12th

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When: Saturday July 24th at dusk
What: Movies in the Park
Where: Heritage Park
Movie: Planet 51

Come out for a night at the movies! Bring snacks for the kids and take advantage of this FREE family event!!!
***Community Event***

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August

When: Monday, August 2nd
What: Bowling at Hooper Bowling Alley (on post)
Cost: $1 games/ $1 shoe rental
Time: 4:00-9:00

Family Friendly
Come out and bowl with us. We will meet at Hooper Bowling Alley at 4:00 on Monday, August 2nd. All are welcome!

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When: Friday Aug. 13 (leave at 11:00am) - Sat. Aug. 14th (return by 6:00pm)
What: Girls Road Trip- Beth Moore Conference
Where: Meet at Exit 8 Park and Ride at 11:00am
Cost: conference ($60) hotel ($38.50)

Have you been looking for a reason to get out of Clarksville and go on a road trip? If so, now is your chance! Enjoy the beautiful rolling hills and horse farms of rural Kentucky en route to Lexington for the Beth Moore Living Proof Live Conference. This is the perfect opportunity to get to know other military wives over meals as well as get inspired and encouraged by one of the most influential Christian women of our time. Don't worry about signing up for this road trip alone - we'll take care of pairing you up with a room mate and driving buddies! RSVP via Facebook or e-mail no later than July 1st!

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When: Wednesday August 18th
What: Ladies Day Out - NashTrash Tour/Lunch
Where: Meet at Exit 8 Park and Ride at 9:00am
Tour leaves Nashville Farmers Market at 10:30am
Cost of 90 min. comedy tour: $32

**Reserve your spot today- Reservations need to be made in advance!
Hey Ladies. The kids are back in school and you deserve a break! Come join us for one of the top rated tours in Nashville- NashTrash Tours. The plan is to meet at the Exit 8 Park & Ride at 9:00am on Wednesday, August 18th and then head down to the Nashville Farmers Market, where the tour departs at 10:30am. This comedy tour lasts 90 minutes and we recommend visiting the website, www.nashtrash.com/, so learn more about what's in store. After the tour we will grab a quick bite to eat before we head back to Clarksville just in time for school to get out. This tour fills up fast, so if you are interested in joining us, please RSVP via Facebook or e-mail no later than July 15th so that we can reserve your seat!