Coming Soon to Tillamook Oregon! IFGathering 2016

Wow! Can I just say Wow?!!? That is the word to explain what God can do when you tell Him yes.
  As you all know, I was blessed to attend IFGathering 2015, in Salem Oregon, this past February. My precious friend, Amybeth, had invited me to attend the year before and I saved that date for the WHOLE year with massive excitement and anticipation.  To be totally honest, my soul was in need of some attention and I was way thrilled to have a little weekend get away with my bestie. Jesus, Coffee, Pizza, Hotel room, and Amybeth basically sums up my idea of the BEST-TIME-EVER. 
   Little did I know what God was gonna do in my heart that weekend. Basically, it hasn't stopped since.  I've been praying, and studying, and searching, and waiting to see what God was stirring inside me. I knew He was calling me to something bigger. That weekend, I had a little tug that said, "This would be so cool to host in Tillamook." And I thought, "but no, I can't do it. That will be way to much for me." But I prayed, talked with some friends, prayed, and waited.   About a month ago I told Amybeth what my thoughts were and she said this, "Krista, no way. The leader here was wondering if you would be interested in Hosting IF in Tillamook. How cool. And girl, Im praying about co leading with you!"  
  So, here we go Tillamook Oregon!! IF is coming to Tillamook. Please save these dates! February 5-6.  Times and location details will be provided later but save those dates for now!

  What is if?    
        We exist to gather, equip and unleash the next generation of women to live out their purpose.

Vision 

If:Gather

Our 2-day gathering each year brings together women from all over the world to humbly seek God and to equip them to better live out their callings. We seek to model, resource, & empower women so that they create fresh, honest spaces in their local contexts to wrestle with essential questions of faith like: IF God is real… THEN what? We call them IF:Locals. The makeup and mechanics of each IF:Local is unique. There are monthly and annual opportunities to gather with women for prayer, for convening at dinner tables, for processing of Scripture, and for dreaming about what God can do through the laying down of our lives in obedience.

If:Equip We have created a free, simple equipping tool for reading the Bible daily. By providing easy online access to scripture, insight from thought leaders in our generation, and a like-hearted community, we hope IF:Equip will prepare women around the world to know God more deeply and to live out their purposes. We aim to release more holistic equipping materials in 2015.

If:Unleash

We believe in women uniting for healing and reconciliation in homes, neighborhoods and local churches around the world. By partnering with other non-profit organizations and coming specifically alongside women, fostering relationships and utilizing our God-given gifts, we believe that our generation could not only transform hearts but leave a tangible impact on the entire world.

     Check out this link for more details:  IFGathering

 Jennnie Allen is the founder of IFGathering and I just think she is so so so great. She shares that the Lord has called her to "Disciple her generation."  Love seeing my generation stepping up! Check her out Here .

My precious friend Jocelyn has shared her love for IF Here. This woman is incrediable and I'm so thrilled to get to spend some time with her face to face in September at our IFLocal Leaders Conference. This social media friendship is totally over-rated:)

We love Jesus and our child's teacher believes in evolution .

Our son Logan is a 3rd grader this year at our local elementary school.  He's been in the public school system for 4 years now. He came home this year and expressed to us that his teacher believes in evolution.  No, we didn't even bat an eye about pulling Logan out of that class. Let me back up just a little bit.

   When Jason and I became parents, we both were very certain that our kids would go to public school. We both had gone to public school and had also been raised in good Christian homes. Our experience with the public school system had been really good.  We had not felt the pull in any other way for our kids schooling. Once Logan began kindergarten , I was surrounded by a lot of people who had either gone the Christian school route or chose to homeschool their kids. I felt very alone as a Christian sending my kid to public school. Even at times , I felt judged. I started second guessing our choice. Am I doing the right thing, will my kids be safe, and am I failing? I didn't have a core group of friends on this same path as I was at this time. So I looked for a book or a blog of some mom or dad who went the publics school route. I had a hard time finding any blogs! The only blogs I could find were these blogs of these super human, super moms who homeschooled. Which lead me to be even more discouraged. 

 I finally stumbled across a book called "Going public," by David and Kelli Pritchard.  This couple has lead a Young Life group out of Tacoma Washington for years.  So this meant that I finally found a great Christian family whom had sent their kids to the public school and wrote a book about it!!:) I was so thrilled. I ordered and read it in a week!

  What I loved about this book was that the key point of it had everything starting at home!! In our homes, we are to train our kiddos, teach them TRUTH, and get them prepared for life! I felt relieved, refreshed , and content with Jason and my choice in putting our munchkins into the public school.

 Shortly after that, Jason knew he wanted Logan (age 6) to start reading and studying on creation. This was super important for Jason as this is his passion. He love studying truths and backing up the creation story that we believe from the word of God. We ordered a kids version of "Answers in Genisis," by Ken Ham.  " The Answers book for kids." Logan soaked them in and this became a habit for he and Jason every night. (Side note- we just began these books with our daughter Peyton who is now 6.)

  Fast forward to this school year. When Logan came home and told us this about his teacher, the first thing I asked Logan was what he thought about that?Logan was  concerned for his teachers belief. He said the bible is true and he believes in creation. He couldnt believe we came from apes and that we just " happened ." During his whole school year, Logan and I have had many talks on the way to school concerning creation and theology.  As well as talks about this amazing, all powerful God who also wants a personal relationship with us. But we also had a lot of talks about respecting his teacher, even though he doesn't always agree with him on things. Logan later went on to write a paper on "Anti- Evolution," in which he got a 100%. His teacher didn't agree with its points but as Logan had shown him respect all year, his teacher showed him the same respect.

  I understand that some may not agree with our choices in the area of public school or allowing Logan to stay in a class that the teacher taught and believed in evolution. We feel so strongly that our kids need to be raised at home in the truth and trained for the world.  We are pretty set on having this take place as they are still living under our roof.  But please know that we don't take this calling lightly !   Our kids are covered in prayer daily and nightly. I believe so much that the Lord wants them to be the little lights in their classrooms and it really gives me a satisfying joy when I think about it .  Our kids attend the public school but there is no doubt that our kids are "homeschooled" in Biblical truths. 

 "One of the most inportant armaments you must give your children as you send them out the door to the public school is a relationship with God that fills theirs minds" 

  " Let it be said about ourselves and our children here in free North America, that we love God more than normal." - (going public- David and Kelli Pritchard

*****side note:I know other parents have a different calling in the area of homeschooling or private school for their kids . I think it would be so amazing if we as parents fully back each other up in whatever schooling choice we make for our kiddos. How cool would that be?? Let's do it :)

A step in becoming a better mom.

 I've been a mommy for 10 years this coming September. Growing up, all I ever want to be was a wife and a mommy. I'm still so thankful that the Lord has allowed that for me! But- in both mommy hood and wifeyhood, it has been revealed to me how much I really had no clue to what that totally meant in a broader spectrum.

  I had a friend make a comment about one of my littles a month or so ago and it took me off guard. I wanted to just defend my kid and also say, what in the world are you talking about and you have no right to comment on my kiddo that way. I was a little miffed for a while. The "I don't ever wanna hurt someone's feelings" came out in me again and I said nothing. 

  Later that night a big light went off in my head. My heart hurt a little and my stomach was all tied in knots. The reason that person said those things is because I had shared some of my struggles and said things about my kid. My precious kiddo whom I love so very much and would never ever want to crush. 

  I realized that to some point, in my struggle of mommy hood, I had started slandering my own child. I didn't mean to.  I was really searching for wisdom to some point, but none the less- I had! I had allowed my opinion on situations to cause others  to view my kid differently, when frankly this kid is totally normal. 

  As the weeks have followed and I have asked a few friends to hold me accountable, I have made the point of not saying anything about either of my kids that I could not say infront of them. It has been so helpful and has completely changed my heart in so many ways concerning my kids!! 

  I'm always learning, growing, and changing in this crazy life. I just hope that passing on this little bit of wisdom that I have recognized in my own life, can help another amazing mama walking this journey of parenthood :)