How it Started....

This Monday, October 5th, was my first official day unemployed. I hadn't over scheduled my week, even though that is my normal MO, and just wanted some time to be still. I had just dropped the kids off from a great ride to school and turned up the radio just in time to hear about this cool contest K-Love Radio (91.1 FM Denver) was sponsoring. Mark Schultz, Christian singer/song writer was going to do four concerts this week in winners "living rooms" - it was titled Mark Schultz Home Delivery. So when I got home, I went straight to the computer and entered to win. To enter you had to write in 250 words or less, about how an event like this could impact your family and neighborhood.

So here is what I wrote:

When I first heard "Everything to Me", Mark's song about adoption, tears streamed down my face. When I was 19, 13 years ago, I gave my baby girl up for adoption. God has blessed this open adoption continuously. I am starting a new chapter in my life as I just lost my job, and I am feeling lead to share my heart and my story much like Mark shares his through song. There are so many people in my community and so many of my friends that need to know the love of God and I am praying for God to give me the avenue in which to start that dialogue. When I heard about this contest on K-Love, I couldn’t think of a better way than to fill my home with people who need to know the love of Jesus. This would be an experience of a lifetime with Mark Schultz that would then open up the door to begin talking and sharing God’s amazing grace. If I was chosen, this would be a gift that would just keep giving and I would be honored and challenged to continue to pray and minister to those that would attend.

Then the rest of my Monday was filled with cleaning my office, paying bills, writing in my journal and reading my new favorite book Find Your Strongest Life - What the Happiest and Most Successful Women do Differently by Marcus Buckingham. I heard Marcus speak at the Women of Faith conference two weekends ago, and was very inspired. Monday, I also went to take this quiz associated with the book - you can take it too at www.stronglifetest.com. I found out (or reconfirmed) that primarily I am a Care Taker and a Weaver (someone who sees the world as a "web of relationships, and always excited by the prospect of connecting two new people"). Unknowing on Monday, this role will suite me well in the following days.

Tuesday morning, I was awoken by my cell phone ringing at 7am. We had been up late the night before watching Brett Farve and the Minneosta Vikings defeat the Green Bay Packers. I came downstairs to find my phone and as I listened to the message I started screaming! It said "Lisa...it is Lisa and Eric from K-Love, give us a call as soon as you can". At that moment, I just knew what was about to happen. I played the message to my family (Kaylee (6), Austin (11) and my husband Ryan)and the excitement was overwhelming. We quickly called K-Love and were thrilled to know that the next night, Wednesday, October 7, 2009, Mark Schultz would be coming to our house to give us a private concert.