A Happy 4th

Yes, I am one of those who tear up when I hear the national anthem played. I am one of those who gets emotional over a large crowd saying the pledge of allegiance.  After living in Australia for two years, I couldn't wait to come home and see the stars and stripes flying high!  And this weekend, we celebrated our country.  Yes, I know it's not always perfect, but it is the spot in the world that I call home.  I hope you all had a safe and happy 4th.  Here are a few pictures that sum up our holiday weekend.

Dane & I celebrated the 4th in KC at the Parkville Carnival.  Although we avoided the rides (they all looked like vomit comets to me)  we did take a long walk down by the river and ended the evening with fireworks over the water.  

The day before we enjoyed a Wutke tradition by serving watermelon to the community of Girard at their annual 4th of July celebration.  It was a great evening of catching up with friends and family, dancing to a little country music, and eating more watermelon than I ever have in my life! Something new I learned about Dane, he is a PRO at cutting & serving up watermelon!

 

 

 And I leave you with this.  Probably my favorite moment of the entire weekend, watching Dane & Drew enjoy the fireworks with their Grandma Nellie.  Such a sweet moment.  Happy Independence Day Everybody!

Brock + Brittany

I've been picking up my camera a lot lately and had the chance to do my very first photo shoot with    my brother Brock & his finance Brittany!  Seriously we had so much fun and I learned A LOT.  My absolute favorite pictures are the ones that happened when they weren't even posing, but just interacting with one another and showing true emotion.  Those are the ones that made me step back and say YES!  I look forward to shooting more in the future!

Brock & Brittany, thanks for the opportunity and congrats!  Looking forward to your special day!

Hello KC

I have always loved Kansas City.  There has always been something exciting that stirred inside me each time I was making the trip here, whether it was to see family, shop, go to a concert or a game, this city has always had an allure to this small town girl.  

And now, Dane and I are excited to call this spot home!  We moved to KC at the start of May and since then have hit the ground running, no maybe more like sprinting!  What bring us to this city of fountains?  Well Dane recently took a job as a Video Director at the Rock of KC.  We are super excited to be a part of this church family, look forward to planting ourselves here & letting our roots go down deep.

I feel like there is so much more to stay about how this all came to be- the way God moved, stirred and put His plan in motion, but I much rather have that conversation with you in person, maybe over a cup of coffee, here in my city (my city my treat)...so until then we'll just leave it at, "Hello Kansas City, it's great to be here and we look forward to the adventures you have in store for us!"

Thank You Lifetrack

I remember the first time I walked through the front doors at Lifetrack.  The idea that this would one day be our home church wasn't even on Dane or my radar.  At that point and time we were floating between Girard & Clay Center and praying for God to open doors.  Literally, that night, He was opening the front door of the building He would plant us in.

Dane was sitting in on a rehearsal to learn a few tips from the master of sound, Mr. Taylor (seriously he's not going to be happy I have given him that title, but I did, because I believe it is true Mr. T), and I was popping in to say hi.  I remember walking in and thinking, well this place is welcoming and comfortable.

A couple Sundays later Dane & I had the opportunity to attend our first service and be a part of the worship team.  I remember when the moment came in the service for people to greet one another, and I looked around and saw people sincerely hugging, shaking hands, laughing & smiling.  A lot of times these moments in churches can be awkward, but this was different.  There was a genuine sincerity about people.  You could tell everyone cared about each other and they were excited it was Sunday so they could all be together.  I believe that the purpose of the church is to #1 love Jesus & #2 love others.  It was obvious that this was happening here.

So when the opportunity for Dane & I came to do ministry at Lifetrack we were excited to dive in.  Throughout our year here we saw the worship team grow.  We saw people step up into leadership roles,  find freedom in worship, and truly bring glory to God with their talents.  We were pushed- learned to sing with in ears, an MD, and a click track (although I still haven't mastered that one!)  We learned a 15 song set and lead the first ever youth rally at Lifetrack. The team worked hard, showed up for late Thursday night rehearsals & early Sunday morning rehearsals & it was worth it!

And there were other fabulous memories as well!  Leading music at VBS, TRACKER, church picnics, giant water slides, college age (so many memories from college age), fantasy football teams, Christmas Eve, Sunday lunches, candy cane bombing the parking lot, riding out tornado warnings, fair trade market, Telestrations but most importantly the people.

I remember being concerned about being the new kid on the block.  Coming into a small church I figured everyone already had all of the friends they needed.  But we made friends and we made friends fast.  Seriously it has been such a joy to do life with you all.  I don't think we can say thank you enough for welcoming us, loving us, and letting us be part of your church family for a little while.  We love y'all!

One last thing Lifetrack.  Dane & I both believe that your best days are yet to come.  You are doing great things in the communities that surround you.  God is taking ground through you and bringing people through your doors who need Jesus.  Keep pointing them in that direction.  Keep loving one another, continuing to be genuine and real, because you don't find that much in the world today.  Continue to study His word and letting it guide your steps, decisions, words & actions.

We love you Lifetrack and can't say thank you enough!  Now don't forget, if you are ever in KC or ever need someone to join you for a Royals game...we're there!

Much Love,
D+C

Wonderful Works

I so apologize for not posting a verse for March.  It is not because I haven't been learning one, it is simply because life has been so crazy!   This weekend my parents were down, and my mom said to me, "Christy you haven't posted a verse for March, people are waiting."  So here I am.  Right now I am sitting in a second grade classroom subbing during silent reading, and guess who forgot their silent reading book?  Bad Mrs. Wutke.  But the kids are really into their chapter books, so I figured I could sneak a couple minutes to write to you about March.

Lately, my mind has been quite the battleground.  Satan whispers his lies and more times than I would like to admit, I have listened.  He knows our weak spots and how to attack them.  You know the lies he has told you recently.  Things like:  You aren't good enough. You're fat. You're ugly.  You'll never reach those goals.  People hate being around you.  You are worthless.  You will always be alone.  The list could go on and on because Satan lies to you on a daily basis.  

When we allow these lies to be spoken to us, over time, we begin to believe them.  They begin to affect how we live our lives.  How we treat people.  How we treat ourselves. Our attitudes and how we view our future.  I don't know about you but I am sick of lies having such an impact on my life.  My mind has been a battleground, and I want victory, not defeat.  

Here's the beautiful thing about Jesus, He has already won the battle, and I don't have to fight off the lies alone.  I am going to strap on the belt of truth (Ephesians 6) and fight, with Him leading the charge.  I have found that the most potent way to fight off Satan's lies is by filling my mind with truth.

So this month, my memory verse is found in Psalm 34:1

Instead of allowing my mind to focus on the lies, I will instead fill my mind with praises.  Focusing my mind on all of the good things God has done for me and for you:

He has set me free.  He has given me life.  He loves me where I am at.  He is my overcomer, redeemer, restorer, provider, and friend.  He has given me hope in hopeless situations, shown light onto the paths I am walking.  He hears and answers my prayers.  His name is greater than any other name on this earth and that makes him King yet at the same time  He calls me His daughter and allows me to call him Daddy.  

Man when you start making your list of how good God is and the incredible ways He has worked in your life, you will praise yourself happy!  Suddenly those lies running through your mind will begin to cower at the powerful words of praise for your Lord!  

The chorus of this song has also been my song this month.  When I am struggling, I find me singing it over my life.  I hope this verse and this song will become etched on your heart and that His praises will continuously be on your lips.  




You can get your own 2015 memory verse cards here.  Simply download, print, cut, and tape around your home, office, car, barn, etc.  But I also encourage readers to examine their own lives, see what God is writing on their hearts, and feel free to create your own scripture memory cards.  Thanks for dong this journey with me.
January.  February.  March.

Walking

This morning greeted me with a much needed rain.  Not only for our soil but also for my soul.  Doesn't it feel amazing when God gives our souls a much needed refreshing rain.

So today is February 1, which means in my world (and hopefully yours) it is time to start learning a new Bible verse.  For those of you who recall, I decided in 2015, I would write a new scripture on my heart each month.  I was only going to do one each month, but this morning God has been speaking clearly to me: "baby girl, you are going to want both of these this month."

So today I am going to share with you the first one and a bit of the heart behind it.

Last month I decided to learn the verse Proverbs 16:3: "Commit to the Lord whatever you do and He will establish your plans."  I worked hard on learning this, trying to start each day with this attitude, committing whatever was to come to God and letting Him direct where life would lead.

What I often forget is that when we let God lead, it doesn't always mean it is an easy road, and a lot of the time it means we walk a road that we can't even see.  It can be scary.  It is often difficult.  It usually isn't a road that everyone else would pick.  It probably doesn't make sense.  But when we have our heart set on "God is directing this journey," then we need to be willing to walk that journey.

And then this little verse came into my life.

It is simple. It is short, but man does it propose a challenge and can change your life.

We walk by faith, not by sight.  This is what follows after we say, "yes God I am committing each day to you," a step of faith.  A step into the unknown.

But at the same time, it is a step into adventure.  It is a step into seeing God's hand move and work.  It is a step into the big beautiful tapestry He has woven into our lives.  A step in the right direction.  A step into the goodness God has for us.

So many of you have been sharing bits of your life with me, and it seems like God has a lot of us on this journey of needing great faith.  From seeking jobs, tough relationships, career changes, friendships, moving, illness.

As for me, there are a lot of situations in my life right now, that are causing me to take steps of faith.  Sometimes they don't even feel like steps, sometimes the feel like gigantic jumps.  But I am willing to jump.  I am willing to trust.  So bring it on February!

You can get your own 2015 memory verse cards here.  Simply download, print, cut, and tape around your home, office, car, barn, etc.  But I also encourage readers to examine their own lives, see what God is writing on their hearts, and feel free to create your own scripture memory cards.  Thanks for dong this journey with me.
January.   February.

What I Loved About January

The first month of 2015 is in the books.  Crazy huh?   I always picture the year as a pie cut into 12 pieces and I just finished a slice.  I don't know about you but my first month had a huge learning curve.  It wasn't the easiest month, but I learned a lot, lost a few pounds, found peace in some tough situations and embraced the moments that brought me joy.  Consider this a mini scrapbook of our January 2015.

I can't even begin to tell you how much I love journeying through life with this man.  He is such a gift of strength & encouragement in my life.  We took this picture January 30th on our way out the door to celebrate a birthday with some fabulous friends at my new favorite Southeast Kansas restaurant, Ernestos.  Yes Ruthie...did you read that...my new FAVORITE!  Another fabulous memory "us" this month was when Dane came home with "Friday Flowers."  You know, flowers to celebrate the fact that it was Friday.   I love you Dane Wutke

The biggest part of our month was the Daniel Fast.  I shared a bit about this in the last post, but I think it defined January for me: it was hard but it was worth it.  I will never forget the moment we broke the fast together.  Yes we stayed up until midnight and enjoyed Papa Murphy's Pepperoni Pizza and a couple bites of cookie dough, then off to bed.  The next morning we sat down to a proper meal...breakfast and bacon (two sides of bacon if you are Dane) from Bob's Diner.

Our good friend Trent captured this picture.  We spent a few evenings with Trent before shipping him off to Brazil to study for a couple of years.  Together we got in some good games of Settlers of Catan, a few rounds of ping pong, and dreamed of our future trip to visit him for the summer olympics....fingers crossed!  You can follow Trent and his Brazilian adventure on his instagram page here.   Tell him the Wutke's say hi!

My latest big design project has been a webpage for our church.  It is ALMOST finished and I can't wait to share the link with you all here soon.  Until then...here is a picture from the homepage.

We had several beautiful days in January.  When I say beautiful, I am talking 75 degrees beautiful.  Meanwhile, the east coast was being hammered by 2 feet of snow.  I'll take walks outside and front porch sitting anytime I can get it during a January in Kansas.

There has been a lot of music playing in the Wutke house lately.  We have taken advantage of Dane's Christmas present, a record player, and picked up a few of our favorite artists on vinyl.  Michael Jackson, Bon Iver & the Killers.  After some record player tips in tricks (aka: taping a dime to the needle head) we are up and running.

Our nephew Corbin, celebrated his 1st birthday on January 21st.  The family all gathered together for the ceremonial "cake eating."  I can't even begin to explain the joy this brought me.  If you can't tell from the picture this kid likes cake like his aunt likes cake.  I've always believed you should never trust a person who doesn't like cake.  I cannot wait to enjoy year 2 with my favorite little buddy.

A few other moments to remember: We celebrated Christmas the first weekend of the month with the Bebermeyer family.  I really don't have pictures from that weekend.  Instead of holding my phone all of the time, I tried my best to be in the moment just taking it all in.  It was Corbin's first Christmas, and it was SO cute!

Dane has been overhauling a Fender Strat that a friend blessed him with at Christmas.  He soldered in a new pick up switch selector as well as made some other set up adjustments.  Just a few more steps and it will be ready to make its Dane Wutke debut!

I started a Bible Study with my good friend Tre called "Made to Crave"  It is all about approaching weight loss with a Godly perspective.  Girl, I think we are taking fabulous steps in the direction God would like us to go with our health.  Holding on to the truth that we aren't being denied but are empowered!

This & That:

Music We Listened To:
Dane: The Killers: Sam's Town & Elevation Worship: Wake Up the Wonder
Christy: Violents: Red Lights & Taylor Swift: 1989 (I just can't get enough)

Movies We Watched:
Dane: American Sniper & Fury
Christy: Labor Day & The Giver (you must see this movie!)

A New Treasures We Found Along the Way:
Dane: T1M Buffer for my guitar pedals
Christy: Dane bought me new Westone In Ears

Something New I Tried:
Dane: Spaghetti Squash.  I like it.
Christy: Switching my daily devotionals to morning.  Sets my day up right.

Books I Am Reading:
Dane: Bon Iver by Mark Beaumont
Christy: Made to Crave by Lisa Terkeurst & Divergent by Veronica Roth

See ya soon February!

21 Days in 2015

Writing this post has been rolling through my mind a lot lately.  It is something that I wrestled with sharing, but at this point, the secret is pretty much out, and I would love to write it in order to help people better understand intensions and answer a lot of questions that we've received.

Starting January 5 Dane and I began the Daniel Fast together.  The Daniel Fast is a 21 day fast based off of the fast Daniel did in the Bible.  I am not going to go into a lot of detail about the specifics,   there are many other websites and books available that can explain it much better than I (like this).



But just to give you the basics: for 21 days, Dane and I committed to eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, water, spices.  We don't indulge in meat, dairy, sugars or chemicals.  It is not a diet, it is not something we are doing to lose weight, it is not a detox and it is not a cleanse (although all of those things have happened).  Here's what it is: a spiritual journey, helping us turn our hearts and focus to God for strength, direction and wisdom.  Relying on Him and His word (not food) to support  & sustain us emotionally and physically.

Back in December, Dane and I began talking about what we would like to see happen in our lives in 2015.  The list is kind of personal, so I'm not going to share it here, but we knew in order to see those things happen, it was not going to be on our strength.  We also wanted to make sure our list was not driven by us, but that it was God's will and desire for our lives.  So we decided to set aside some days at the beginning of 2015 to really focus on these things in prayer.

And here we are, 15 days in, 6 days left, and am here to say I am so pumped we have done this together.  Here are few surprises that have happened along the way:

- The first few days were awful.  I have never had such persistent headaches.  Coming off a serious sugar, caffeine and chemical addiction was a lot harder than I thought.  I knew there would be a bit of this, but I didn't realize how much my body was addicted to these three things.

- God's Word is sweeter.  Seeking Him with very specific things in mind has been so good.  When scripture says that the Word of God is living and active...well I couldn't agree more.

- It has strengthened our marriage, opening up communication about our prayer life, scripture & personal struggles.

- We are pretty creative in the kitchen and cook at home a lot!  Bonus, you save a lot of money when you don't eat out or pick up a soda at the gas station several times throughout the week.

- Fruit really can taste like candy.

- Discipline is something rare in our world today.  The looks on people's faces when we tell them why we can't go out to eat or why we don't want anything to drink but water is pretty interesting.  What's more interesting is the look you get when it is realized that you don't want to cheat...even though they promise they won't tell anyone.



- It is not a sprint, it is a marathon.  21 days is a lot longer than I thought.  I figured I would blink and this would be over but it hasn't been quick and painless, but slow with growing pains. The growing pains are worth it.

- Tofu is in the refrigerator section by the fruits and vegetables.  Knowledge that is helpful if you ever decide to try this out yourself. (I could spend an entire blog post on my first time shopping for tofu).

- It does get easier as you go.  In fact, you begin to forget what life was like before the Daniel Fast.

I think overall we are both so excited we have went/are going on this journey.  I feel like we have set ourselves up for a win in 2015.  I feel like we have had a lot of clarity and have heard God's voice several times during this.  And yes, I am really excited for next Monday morning, when Dane gets off work and we sit down to a plate of bacon, eggs & pancakes and debrief the entire experience as well as lift of prayers of thanksgiving for all of the goodness God has shown us!


So there ya go, that's what Dane and I have been up to lately.  Hopefully that answers some questions and maybe even encourages you to try something new out yourself!