Day 5: Vitamin B3: Bible, Belief, Boldness

Another great night at worship this evening!

Lately, as you may have guessed, I am not afraid to let everyone know I am a Christian.  My transformed self, and yes I have changed, however I am the same person.  The difference is I want EVERYONE to want this!!! I am so excited that I cannot tell enough people how real it is---I have four goals right now---1. Continue to grow closer to my husband and raise our children the way God wants us to. 2. Own a bible with no training wheels (no tabs) 3.  Become an official member of New Hope.  4. Be more bold!!!

I really enjoyed the way our speaker found God and Jesus in ever book of he bible--wish he didn't rush through it :-)

What a day- a lot of emotion this evening that I was able to shake away ( with his help, silly)

I'm good now. :-)

Day 4: Vitamin P: Praise God!

Eeek! Forgot to write last night!!!!  

Psalm 150 was read yesterday.   I really struggled with whole lesson.  Were we mocking God?  I get the whole making church fun and hip---but were the sound effects necessary?  

My interpretation/answer to this pondering question is yes, as long as your heart and spirit are in the right place and the spirit enables you to do it, then so be it.  What if you aren't totally in it, is it mocking?

I praise God any chance I get---as a matter of fact, I praised Him this evening as he helped me work through my daughter not placing in the camp talent show.  I cried, felt like a nut---I wasn't jealous, just felt like she should have been recognized for something.  The song was beautiful, she learned the words and felt the words.  She lost out to comedians, two kids who could spell, a piano player and another group of singers.

God was with Bailey tonight---as she just shrugged it off.  I was the blubbering idiot.

Maybe this is why I didn't write my blog last night as it was intended for tonight. Hmmmmmmm...

Day 3: Vitamin L: Love

Today's scripture highlighted the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.  As the pastor was reading this highly detailed text--it humbled me.  It was at that moment, that Caleb, my sickly Caleb, had fallen asleep in my arms.  Do you know how thankful I was for this little boy I was holding? Christ died so we could live, he bore all of my sins so I could hold my sick son as he slept.  It was a moment I can never forget.

I got all emotional because my son came to me, held his arms out and felt comfort against me.  That's it--that is the way we need to be about God.  We need to be able to go to Him when we are not feeling ourselves.  We need to let ourselves feel that security that you feel when you trust your life 100%. Hold up our hands and let Him take care of us.

God gave his only son so I would be able to live--live to care for my son today.  Live long enough to see my husband transform into a Man of God annnnd me appreciate it and NOT run away.

Feels good when it hits you.  When it finally hits you !

BTW, Caleb had a good day, however got progressively worse as the evening went on.  His temp is still 100 and he sleeping nicely right now.

Please continue to pray for him.

Day 2: Vitamin W3: Wood, Water and...

Worship!

Very good sermon this evening regarding what is waiting for us in heaven.  I can't wait.  Revelations is what we read out of today.

Have to cut this short today as our lil guy is running 100.1 temperature.  Very thankful that we have an in house doctor and nurse on campus tonight.

Please pray Caleb wakes up well tomorrow. We miss our little action hero!!

Good night and God bless.

Day 1: Vitamin A: Assurance

"Yes, Pastor and I'm ready for worship!"

Today, I need not be afraid to allow myself to be JOYFUL for Jesus---ya know why---he WANTS me to!!

Today, starts a series about getting your 'Spiritual Vitamins'. I am NOT ashamed to say I am unhealthy---physically.  I can tell you that I am doing ok spiritually--I just need to remember to take my vitamins!

Vitamin A:  Assurance.  

We studied Romans 8:1-14

Tomorrow: Vitamin B

Soooo...who is taking their vitamins this week????

As the Twig is Bent--so grows the tree

So the time is here--today is the first day of 'camp'.  I haven't left yet.  Sitting on my computer (writing this blog--not to mention, on hold for the IRS--fun, huh?)

Today, I am at peace.  I continue to be in this state of mind all week--I pray my husband and I can get through this little rough patch (we have been arguing a lot--I'm supposed to take full blame, cuz I think that is what he wants me to do).  I suppose I am sorry, but sometimes the boy annoys the heck out of me.  So again, I am at peace (need to remember this, all day--every day)

My goal this week is to show God what he has done to me lately (although he already knows).  I am so happy and content--content is a word I think I rarely used.  It's an amazing feeling.  I can't describe it--but even amidst of this contentment, I still struggle with my relationship with my husband.

Divorce has crossed my mind.  I feel that maybe this relationship has run it's course and maybe my new found faith (re-discovered faith) rather is not something he can expect.  He keeps saying 'if only THEY knew the real you'.  My thought 'they do know the real me--I'm happy when I am around other people...not so much around him'.  This is my prayer. 

I know I've got this class down 'pat'.  I have prayed daily to ensure that God gave me the wisdom and knowledge to teach this class of kids about King David.  I also pray that they come away from it with at least half of what I did.  I'm teaching 5th and 6th grade (not to mention, my daughter will be in my class--let's hope I don't embarrass her).  What I learned most about King David, no matter how powerful you are or how faithful you are to God, you too, can fall from Grace--the best part--God is STILL THERE. 

This song has really left a mark on my heart.  It is beautiful and explains EVERYTHING.

So maybe that is what I need to take away from this.  I need closure God, not in the sense of divorce.  I just need my faithful life, my personal life and the life the outside world to be all in harmony.  That is my prayer for today. 

I am all bent in all sorts of ways--but I am still growing--that is an amazing thing.  Now matter how crippled my life is, I am still growing closer to God.

I will continue to write about my week--as I want EVERYONE to feel this sense of peace.  I want everyone to know the person you know is the person I am when I'm home, when I'm at church, when I'm at the store, when I was working.  I am Kelly Oldridge--this is my story.

My husband and I--the way we need to be.

The Oldridge Family: All because two people fell in love...

They are a family of 4: Ron, Kelly, and kids Bailey and Caleb.  

Ron and Kelly married in 1999 and have been through literally everything that could possibly tear a marriage apart.  They became Christians in the Spring of 2004.  They were baptized at Shawnee Mission Lake.  They swore they would raise their daughter, Bailey,  in a Christian home...full of love, value and God's Word.

All was well in the world.  Ron was a devoted youth leader and Kelly was his assistant.   Every Tuesday and Sunday, they were at Wyandotte United Methodist Church in KCK teaching the word the 15+ youth every week..  They even attended Summer Assembly a few times.  They loved it there.  They thrived on the atmosphere (and the milkshakes) :-)  Life was good.

It seemed good.  It wasn't.  There was constant fighting, arguing, and mental abuse prevailed in the home.  They had left God at the door--Waiting, hearing every horrible word exchanged.  Again, everything seemed good on the outside.  But God was clearly not involved in any decision that was being made in that house.  They soon fell--no one caught them.  No one dare ask the young family what happened.

In the winter of 2009, the family of 3 added 1 more--Caleb Randall Oldridge.  They named the boy Caleb after the main character in the Fireproof--a movie the parents held dear to their hearts.  In the Bible, Caleb, a companion of Moses and Joshua, was noted for his astute powers of observation and fearlessness in the face of overwhelming odds.  Today, the 3 year old has lived up to his name in every sense of it.

Bailey, their 10 year old daughter endured the most pain through the years,  however, has shown both her parents what happens when you fully rely on God.  You see, this little girl, held more faith in her short life, then her parents ever did.  

They didn't go to church for a long time.  A very long time.  Sure, they would pop in from time to time, but it never stuck.

After overcoming yet another argument over divorce, the family was invited to New Hope Christian Fellowship in KCK.  They liked the church.  The people seemed friendly, the pastor 'on fire' for God.  There were families with school aged children and toddlers everywhere.  It was a small church, but a faithful church.  Could they have found a new home? People to actually care for them? their kids?

They have been going to New Hope faithfully for over a year.  Their marriage is back on track.  

In the summer of 2013, God opened another door to the young family--one of which that enabled Kelly, the mom, to stay home and get to know her kids all over again.  This last summer has been one of discovery.  Just recently, she has allowed herself to make friends again, real Christian friends.  Ron has plugged in with the men of the church as well.  The kids are happy and making friends.  All is GOOD. 

Phillipians 4:4  "Rejoice in the Lord Always: and again I say Rejoice!"

So we are back at Summer Assembly--back at the place we were in 2007.  6 long years have gone by.  We are back, back to show you that God never gave up on us.  We didn't give up on each other.  Life happens--but you are never alone.  Yes, this God-thing is totally real.  We are a living testimony.

Continue to keep us in your prayers.  You can reach anyone in our family at theoldridgefamily@gmail.com.  We look forward to hearing from you.  We hope you have an awesome week at camp--Remember--7 days without God, makes one weak.

Blessings,

Ron, Kelly, Bailey and Caleb Oldridge.

This God-thing is the real-deal...

Just 4 more days and I will be on vacation---vacation from my life here---serving God there. This is my first year back in service after a long time. God has lead me to a wonderful church, with awesome followers and now it's come full circle. 

This is MY testimony. I became a Christian in 2004. My husband and I became youth workers. We were on fire for God! However, that is where our growing stopped. We were forever youth leaders and immature Christians. We had horrible problems that lead me on a long, bumpy dark road. We were so close to divorce. I mean VERY close. 

We ended up stop going to church for a long time. It was then, things got REAL. Our life was TRUE chaos. At that time, we were invited to a new church. It was Easter of 2012. We were hesitant, I guess a little gun-shy...Over the year, we were just a family attending church. We volunteered our time, but that was it. We were able to grow again. We were able trust again. We made friends with people who genuinely cared. Could this be real??

I was able to leave my job going into this summer blind. I needed to stay home and get to know my kids all over again. I don't know how we were going to do, I still don't know how we are doing it, but it's happening.

After many years of thinking I was not Christian enough to ever teach again, God made it happen.

I'm telling you people---this God-thing is the real deal. If you remain faithful, things will happen. I'm not talking about "your life will never have problems" kinda change--it's the kind of change you strive for. It's contentment, it's peace. It happens. It continues to happen. 

I never thought I would be ready to serve him again. He lead the way. He made the way. 

I am still the same Kelly you all know. That won't change  my attitude HAS changed.

I continue to struggle. I still have problems that I pray daily. I don't have all the answers, but what I do have is hope--and that my friend is good enough for me!