The Preacher's Wife

Easter Family Pictures

Since we were all dressed up for Easter, I could not let our family go undocumented.  My husband was so gracious to come over to an outdoor area behind our Blakeney building between worship experiences on Saturday afternoon.  He changed from a white shirt to a pink one just to match the kids.  Now that is a great man.  The very talented Cheyenne Schultz was so kind to take our picture, and thankfully, everyone cooperated.  The shoot was short and sweet and Cheyenne got so many great pictures.  Here are just a few...

PS. I am so flattered that several people have asked me where my skirt came from.  I actually found it at Anthropologie (in store not online).

 

Easters past and present

  
   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Good Friday!  I just love the Easter season!  These are pictures from our staff Easter party, we had such a great time. 

The anticipation of this weekend is so exciting.  Yesterday, I had the opportunity to preview our worship experience at Elevation and it is going to be spectacular.  I am so proud of our team.  I cannot wait for tonight.

Today I thought I would link a few blogs I have posted from Easters past...

Posted 4/9/09, in this post I talk about raising kids in the ministry (there may or may not be pictures from my childhood)
Who says you have to hunt eggs on Sunday?

Posted on 4/2/09, here I talk about praying against attacks from the Enemy.
Put up your dukes

Posted on 3/31/10, it's an oldie but a goodie!  4 year old Elijah tells the Easter story with props (man he is growing up fast!)
Elijah Furtick presents the Easter Story

Posted on 3/30/10, I share one of the Easter activities we like to do with our kids.
Celebrating Easter

Posted on 4/1/10, more the seriousness of the Enemy that we face and our need to fight back.
Keep your dukes up

A little love goes a long way

Last year I bought these little mail boxes (see this post).  It turned out to be a great activity for our family but one that required more work on my husband's and my part since we were the only ones who could read and write.

This year it has been really fun.  Elijah is really blossoming in his ability to read and write.  And sweet Graham does not need any help even though he cannot technically read or write.  I love how Elijah tries to write in cursive and how Graham considers the slightest mark on a page a completed work of art.

As a mom, I have many moments where I feel like they cannot grow up fast enough.  But then there are moments when I want want to just stop time and enjoy my boys because it goes by so fast.

I find my family has an insatiable appetite for my encouragement.  These simple little boxes are a reminder to me of how I need to be more intentional about encouraging my husband and my kids.

Say cheese, PLEASE!

I am kind of funny about what I think makes a picture good.  Honestly, I know this is old fashioned, but I really like when everybody is looking at the camera and smiling.  I know, a lot of creativity is lacking on my part here.

As you know with young children, this can be quite difficult to acheive.  Here are a few pictures taken of my kids over the holidays I thought you might enjoy...

And one that finally satisfied me!

 

 

CODE ORANGE REVIVAL Update: Code Orange Revival starts tonight!  We are kicking it off with Pastor Craig Groschel.  You can join us at Blakeney or Matthews at 7pm or live online at our new Elevation 24 Hour Network.

Merry Christmas from the Furticks

#30DaysofThanks

We are wrapping up our #30daysofthanks outreach initiative and I wanted to thank you for making it such a success.  Elevation, by the end of this month, more than 1,000 of you will have served the hungry in our area.  You fed more than 3,000 people.  In a one-day blitz on what we call Turkey Tuesday, you fed more than 600 people alone.

Our family had the opportunity to share in this Tuesday’s event together.  On Monday, it was beautiful to see you streaming into our Matthews location – bringing bag after bag of donated groceries to serve our neighbors.  Then on Tuesday, it was such a joy to personally meet, laugh, and pray with people who came through our doors for a Thanksgiving meal.

It has always been my husband’s vision to make sure we don’t just serve the hungry on Thanksgiving, and sit around and do nothing the rest of the year.  There are people in our cities needing relief and restoration every day.  That’s why our staff is working harder than ever to make it easy for you to find a place to serve.

Any weekend, at any Elevation location you can stop by our orange tent to get your questions answered about serving through our outreach partners.  You can also check out the latest news on our Elevation Outreach site to see where we are serving together next.

In the month of December, we’ll be giving away a house you helped build through Habitat for Humanity.  We will help Crisis Assistance Ministry move their furniture warehouse to a new, larger location to serve more neighbors in need.  Volunteers at Elevation Rock Hill will share Christmasville dreams with neighbors served through A Place for Hope on Blackmon Road.  We will serve a holiday meal to single moms at Christ Our Shepherd in Matthews.  We will wrap Christmas gifts for homeless children through A Child’s Place.  We’re just getting started.  Click here to see the latest opportunities to serve the Charlotte area.

Thankful

Well, it's turkey day, and I hope you are having a great one.  I am especially thankful for by beautiful family.  Today I thought I would express my thankfulness in pictures. 

I am thankful for an amazing husband who is not only the most gifted preacher today, but also an incredible dad.  I am so glad he is my partner.

I am thankful for my Elijah who is 6 going on 16.

I am thankful for Graham Graham who rarely takes a bad picture.

I am thankful for sweet Abbey, what a joy she is to have around.

I am thankful for my mother-in-law who loves me like her own daughter and rarely takes a good picture.

I am thankful for my father-in-law who also loves me like his own daughter and is a great example of courage to me.

I am thankful for my mom who raised me so very well.

I am thankful for my dad.  This is a super old picture but it sums up what an amazing grandad he is.

 

I hope you have a great Thanksgiving.  I pray that as you spend the day with your loved ones that you would be able to overlook an offense and love with the love of Jesus.

 

Hooked on the brothers

Pumpkin Patch Tradition

Every year for the past 3 years we have gone to Riverbend Pumpkin Patch in Midland, NC.  It is such a wonderful little place that we have really grown to love.  I thought you would enjoy seeing some of the pictures I took.

The caped crusader celebrates

Graham's birthday was a few weeks ago, but I couldn't not share some of the pictures from the party.  I somehow managed to pull off a sleepover with 5 little boys, and we had a great time. 

My kids really get into naming the food, so I went all out with that (thank the Lord for the internet!).  We had Poison Ivy Punch (green koo-laid ice cubes in ginger ale), Cat Claws (Bugles), Penguin Poppers (frozen pizza rolls), Bats in Blanket (pigs in a blanket), Mr. Freeze ice cream, Two Face cookies (vanilla and chocolate oreos), and for breakfast the next day we had Robin eggs, Riddler Rolls (cinnamon rolls) and Bat Fruit.  I know that was a lot of junk food.  Don't judge me, it was a party.

The highlights of the party were when my sweet husband wrote a scavenger hunt for the villains and dressed up as the Riddler.  And then when Elijah preached a birthday sermon.  No one got saved but we did take up an offering (just a joke).

Here are a few pictures of the celebration...