Here’s my story.

Jovanna’s Story from The Well Media on Vimeo.

Where I praise Him.

There is something starting that will hopefully be a huge movement for our church and I am excited (excited enough to blog) about it! In May, The Well is going to start bringing all its young professionals together twice a month to… well, play! It starts with Happy Hour at Chez Pierre and from there, who knows? 

The Well’s Young Professionals Group started out as an idea between 5 women sitting around in my living room. After a few phone calls to Matthew, it was settled- the social group would start. 

I went to The Well before it was “The Well”, when it was just 20something people sitting in Dean’s parents’ house. Scot Simmons led us in Everlasting God and it was the first time I’d heard a Christian song. It was the first time I’d been to a Christian Church (after all, it’s about the people, not the building).  Like many of the people sitting in the living room that day, I was still in college. Two and a half years later, most of us have graduated and new college kids joined our church. Many of us older folk get the honor of leading the students who were once in our place, but we don’t have a place to really find and interact with one another. 

A need (want) has been growing for this and soo ta-da! – A solution. 

I love that The Well is a living, malleable organization that can grow and change and flex to fit its members’ needs without a lot of red tape. No bureaucracies or politics; just ideas and action.  Within a week, this random idea spawned from a conversation, became a real thing, on a real agenda (and hopefully soon, with a cool graphic (: , Matthew).

This goes to say, I hope you’ll join us. Thursday, May 6, 2010 from 7-9PM @ Chez Pierre. It doesn’t matter if you’re married or not, if you currently have a job or not or even if you go to The Well or not. Come for a cocktail and a conversation and the promise of new friends.

You in?

Do It!

Remember when I told you what I wanted for Christmas?

Looks like Santa [but there is no Santa, it was you!] showed up.

Keep showing up, keep giving, keep being Christ-like and for goodness’ sake- check out the smiles!

Advent Conspiracy 2009 Thank You from Living Water International on Vimeo.

The Well’s water for Africa fundraiser, coming soon to a Winery near you [if you like in 850, that is].

The Well has church (FF to 5mins & 30secs):

Christmas on the Moon Coverage (WCTV December 7, 2008) from The Well on Vimeo.

And T-Pain asks us to take our shirts off (1min & 58 secs)(thanks ELE):

See you Sunday?

I have so much crap. I really do. I never have enough hangers for all my clothes (yet never have anything to wear) and my shoes are a few rows too deep.

I don’t need it all. But I am a consumer, a happy purchaser of all things marketed. I really think I’m sticking it to the man when I walk in to a store, Amex in hand, armed with discounts they’ve sent me themselves. In the too-true words of Drew: “Jovanna, if you were winning, they wouldn’t do it.” I hate it when he’s right.

Anyway, now to my point! This Christmas, if you were planning on getting me a gift, don’t run to the store. Don’t go anywhere- you are right where you need to be.

Last year, my church (The Well) came together and donated over $14,000 to build a water well in Rwanda during our Christmas service (yes, in just ONE day)! This year, we hope to raise money to build TEN wells. By partnering with Living Water International, we are bringing clean water to those who need it- more desperately than I need a new ___________.

I am serious. I know a lot of people say, “don’t get me anything just donate to charity on my behalf” and they don’t mean it. I do. I really do. So if you were planning on getting me a present, or heck, even if you weren’t click here and donate a few pennies (it only costs $.98 to get water to one person for a full year!) and save a few lives… talk about a kickstart to your New Year’s Resolution!

So mom, sister, secret santa, neighbor, cousin, friend, best friend, sorority sister, co-worker, property manager, Gate Store worker, random blog reader, whoever you are… get to it!

Clean Water for Christmas Promo from The Well Media on Vimeo.

I have a silly fear. And last night, I faced it….boldy and not so much by choice. It’s something that was nothing that I’ve built up to be a big thing.

I’m not scared of much (except sleeping with my TV off). I can speak in public, ride on roller coasters, look at spiders..etc. But.

I can’t pray out loud.

I don’t know why but it just makes me nervous and uncomfortable. I guess I fear that I’ll babble or that my prayer won’t be Godly enough or serious enough.  It’s stupid, I know. On so many levels.

Well, last night, at the college bible study, Matthew- that rascal, asked me to say the closing prayer. Out loud. In front of everyone. I couldn’t show my true colors and let everyone down so I sucked it up. Bowed my head and let it loose. I am sure I was red the entire time but that’s okay because no one could tell considering our eyes were closed and heads were bowed.

I survived.  And no, I am not particularly looking forward to the next time I get called out (Matthew totally knew of this irrational fear of mine) to do it but I am happy to say I am capable and maybe a little less unwilling.

I know we all have some dumb fear or phobia that we wish we could let go of. If you tell me what it is, I’ll hook you up with a Matthew:esque call out!

¹⁵Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. ¹⁷Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” -Ephesians 5:15-17

Dean has been preaching a series called Dateable. It’s awesome. The church [in my opinion and maybe yours], does a great job at speaking to married people and does an okay job at addressing singles, but it doesn’t do any job of talking to people who are dating. Well…. leave it to Dean to do so.

This short series has taken a look at what God says about relationships and what it means to be men and women who are ready for them. I think the series has challenged us all to examine our lives and to align our behavior with what we claim to believe [the Gospel] in order to be dateable.

In our small groups we’ve talked about what that means for each of us. I love my Tuesday night college girls (and Monday too, but I’m about to talk about Tuesday) and tonight after Jess talked about Andy Stanley’s Most Important Question series, we decided that bad decisions aren’t an island. We don’t go from no decision to really bad decision in 0 to 60. It’s more like a series of itty bitty, I barely noticed I made this decision, bad decisions.

So, we challenged ourselves. Forever but specifically, for this week; let’s be wise.

We are going to take a look at our decisions. Those itty bitty ones that lead to oh my! big ones. And we’re going to see what the effect is, of being wise and all, in the choices we make.  I challenge you to do the same. Let me know how it works out for you.

I wrote the below blog post about a month ago. I didn’t publish it because all it is really is an unjustified self-pity, complain-o-gram.

Sunday, after church, I changed my mind about it. God always finds a way to make us hear the words we need to hear and this Sunday He didn’t disappoint. Dean has been preaching an awesome series called We’re Just Not that Into You [You = God], where we’ve been exploring how the way we act matches up [or doesn't] to what we claim to believe. It really has been an incredible series. If you want to check it, click here.

This past Sunday, Dean used scripture from Ephesians and Galatians during his sermon,  but it was the Psalm he threw in there that made me feel like my completely unwarranted despair had come full circle and ended.

This was the blog post you didn’t get to read: 

[Lights Out]

Something I am struggling with:

I feel like the spark is gone from my life.  Maybe not gone as in forever, but certainly taking a break; hiding. Every day just blurs into the next; uneventful, unmemorable. I am just SO bored. Woe is me, I know. I sound like the saddest girl in the whole wide world with no legit reason to be. I’m not sad- just bored. Annoyed with the monotnousness of life right now. I need to take my own advice.

As a Christian, I am called to be a light amongst others; to let Christ’s light shine through me. How am I supposed to do that when I feel like a low-watt light bulb with a sketchy electrical connection fighting to stay lit? (I actually know the answer to that question…)

Matthew 5:14-16 tells me I am the light of the world.

¹⁴“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

I know I better stop sulking before I get a curveball of excitement I can’t handle.

That was it, that was the post. Lame, right?

Here is the Psalm that gave me my much needed snap the heck out of it awakening:

Why are you downcast, O my soul?
       Why so disturbed within me?
       Put your hope in God,
       for I will yet praise him,
       my Savior and my God.

Psalm 43:5

The first two lines just sound like me talking to me. And I’m grateful for them. If you think you need a healthy dose of get with the program-ness, you might want to watch below.

September 13, 2009 from The Well Media on Vimeo.

[thanks heathy for the title]

This is my friend Teri. She is an incredible singer [and friend! and kickbox-er]. When she sings at church, she sends chills up my spine and goosebumps  down my arms. Earlier today, she led The Well in This is Our God. After watching this, you’ll wish she was your friend too.

This Is Our God from The Well Media on Vimeo.

Teri sings in a band with Heather called Pink Tie Affair. You should book them for your next shin dig.

If you want the audio file for your iPod or iTunes, leave a comment or e-mail me and I’ll send it to you! [Sorry Ter, I know you don't like attention]