Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

We discovered something really cool today - a new home is being constructed about 3 blocks behind the Bernard's church - IN ONE WEEK!

We saw a DVD of the "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" last year and cried, laughed and were amazed. They pick some well-deserving family and provide them with a complete makeover of their home while they are away for the week. This house, as they have done on some of the others, was completely bull-dozed and rebuilt from the ground up. They tore it down Monday.

The O'Donnell family has six children and five of them are autistic. Their house was falling apart and they needed the help! So Monday they found out they were the chosen ones and they were taken away for a week to a special camp for autistic children in Crested Butte, CO. You can read the story here and see more professional photos here. A worker at the site told us that the new house is close to 5600 square feet. I am not sure exactly what size the original house was, but it couldn't have been much over 2000 square feet. What a change for them! There is not much land left on their lot.

Tonight, after a prayer meeting at the Bernard's home, we visited the jobsite as they were painting the trim and putting stone on the outside and finishing the walls inside and more! We didn't plan to go, so our camera was at home. The above photo was with Karla's phone.

The family is supposed to be back Sunday to hear, "Driver, move that bus!" and see the magnificent transformation. What a blessing.

18 on a Wednesday Night!

We had a new guest and child from Pflugerville with us tonight! She said she would be at the Christmas Gathering on Friday night and wants to start attending all the time. We also have other promises to be here Friday, including the two guests from last Wednesday. They emailed today wanting to know what they could bring! Also, Bro. Crawford's mom, who was in the hospital several weeks back, is supposed to be with us! We should have a full house.

Check out our church website! We have added a link where you can see our church bulletin each week and also a photo page. You have probably already seen all the photos before on our blog, but you never know!

We now have an official Church Greeter, Sis. Faye Ihlenfeldt (Island-felt)! She does a great job at making people feel welcomed and getting a Guest Card from them. Sis. Jennifer Crawford is now following up on people who miss, are sick or need encouraging. We already send out a first-time guest letter from us. Bro. Brantley Robertson has been helping in service with prayer requests and/or offering. We are trying to put people to work!!

More to come....

Special Weekend Continues....

Our Sunday service was tremendous!

We had 22 in service! The highest number since coming here.
6 were from Wichita Falls, but we had 5 of our regulars out!
We had 3 NEW guests.
The Spirit of the Lord was so close and touched each one in attendance.

We had a small singspiration with Kassie singing two songs,

and Lynn singing one.

We only had room for 8 more people!
Thanks, Bro. Elms, for allowing these saints to be with us.
It really was a blessing.


We also enjoyed the fellowship with Felicia, Jeannie and Kassie
Sunday afternoon and at the Bernard's Christmas program Sunday night.

Special Weekend

We had a great time this weekend. The Elms and Andrew came in on Thursday evening to attend the wedding of Darin and Carla Cash. On Friday, Lynn and Kim Dutton, Priscilla Venegas and Kassie Dutton came in for the wedding, also. The wedding was beautiful and it was great being with everyone.

After the wedding, Felicia and Jeannie Frazier came in for the weekend. The Elms had to go back to Wichita Falls on Saturday morning. We enjoyed our time with them and having Andrew stay with us. Lynn and Kim went to San Marcos to shop on Saturday and we took the ladies on a whirlwind tour of Austin...

touring the Texas State Capitol,

Mt. Bonnell,

Downtown,

eating at County Line BBQ and Mozart's Coffee Roasters.

It was great- laughing and eating a lot! We are so glad all you came.

Happy Birthday, Keith!!

Fifty-six years ago today, December 9, Joel Keith Layne was born. He was the firstborn and only son of Murray and Lila Layne, my parents. I came along 16 years later!

Keith was one of the most loving, fun people you would ever meet. Several years ago, at Christmas time, we were all in Wichita Falls to celebrate together. We were all there, but Keith hadn't made it yet. Chad was about 3 or 4 years old. When Keith pulled up, Chad spotted him coming up the walkway to the house and said, "Here comes Uncle Keith with all the laughs." He couldn't have made a more true statement. When Keith was around, you were laughing. He loved to have fun.

In June of 2000, Keith left this world and went to a better place. We miss him TONS, but know that we have the promise of one day meeting him "in front of the throne". Today, I just wanted to post about him in memory of all that he meant to us.

Thanks for all the laughs, Keith.

We covet your prayers...

Starting a new work involves many crucial decisions and the need to be sensitive to God's leading. We continue to covet your prayers as this journey unfolds.

Pray that we follow Him step by step. We are needing to find the right piece of land that will be a center of ministry for years to come in Pflugerville. And of course, money is always a consideration! Land is outrageously priced. I believe God will lead and provide, but we must be watchful to His steps.

Pray that God will draw just the right people to make the core congregation. I believe we have a great start in this area, but it is so important to build on a strong foundation.

Pray that a door opens in the immediate future for us to start Sunday School. We do not have the room in our one room building, but I have contacted several people about using or renting space in our storefront center for this cause. Families are so interested in what is available for their children and we need young families. Ministry to children is vital.

God has been so good! We can see signs of God's hand working in our services, in our saints lives and behind the scenes. What He orchestrates is so beautiful... "Lead on, Lord."

A Scary Thought!

Need I say more? We are looking into Driver's Ed...for Cameron! We attended the Austin StatesmanCars Auto Show on Friday between school and youth activity. Cameron and Chad really enjoyed trying out the cars! We didn't take our camera, but used a cell phone to at least have something to show.

We saw cars that cost over $100,000 and got to sit in them! Of course, if Cameron is reading this, let me remind you that the $100,000 car and driver's ed really have nothing in common. They do look sweet, though.

10,000 Hits!

Thanks to everyone who keeps up with us and chimes in on our posts. We just reached 10,000 hits since July! Keep coming back, we love to hear from you.

He met needs...

Why did people follow Jesus? Why did they show up when He did? He met needs. I was reminded of this thought that I taught to our church last Wednesday, when I was reading Don Ryan's blog a few days ago. My mind has been stirring this around.

People did not come to a water well because the well was so beautiful, with special rocks laid just perfect. They came because they were thirsty and the well met the need. People gather around a fire, not to see the beautiful wood and how efficiently it burns— but because they need warmth.

Beautiful buildings, efficient services and well-laid plans are great! If you know me, you know that I definitely believe in having things looking and working right—but....the most important thing about a church service is Him. I am striving to make the simple sanctuary (actually ugly on the outside) where we hold service to look its best. We practice music, are training people to help a service flow smoothly and want to run things like we have a hundred more people than we do...because that time is coming. But if we do not have the moving of His Spirit, our times together do not meet the needs that are resident in each person's life. That is the purpose to which we are called—bringing the hurting to the One Who meets needs.

When our little congregation pulls together and worships God, the true living water begins to flow to thirsty souls and the fire of the Spirit starts bringing warmth to the cold hearts. Needs are met. We cannot meet the need and we cannot even know every need, but He does. It is so beautiful when He begins to move and you see someone begin to 'warm-up' to His touch. A tear streams down the face, a hand is raised in submission, and then He floods over them to fulfill the longing deep within. They are oblivious to what the place looks like where they are standing. They don't care what anyone else is doing or what the social status is of the people around them. They are getting their thirst met. They feel the warmth of His love deep within. They are changed.

Through the demonstration of the Spirit and power we will see growth because needs will be met. Paul told the Corinthians that he came to them weak, in fear and with no enticing words of man's wisdom. It was a demonstration of the Spirit and of power that made the difference.

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1 Corinthians 2:1-4
1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

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We already have all we need. His Spirit is within us. Just let Him move THROUGH you to someone else. I don't know how to meet their need, but a single touch from Him will do the work...thirst is quenched....the cold heart is melted.

Christmas Hospitality

Each year, we enjoy having friends and family come over during the Christmas season for special visits. It has often been the youth group or College/Career during the last 17 years of marriage! The smells of rich food, cider and Christmas candles fill the air. It is special. We spent some time this week getting our house in the Christmas mood! I always dread doing it, but it really makes the season special.

Although our life is quite different this year, we just couldn't let the season get past us without celebrating it with others. Our first Christmas gathering for 2006 was this past Saturday evening. Our guest list included:

Rodney and Stacey Shaw—
their son, Taylor & daughter, Brooke
(Associate Pastor, New Life UPC, Austin, Pastor Bernard)

Melvin and Lisa Reddy,
(starting a daughter-work church in Cedar Park, TX, Austin Metro)

Jarrid and Kendra Younkin and baby girl, Eliana. (starting a daughter-work church in Round Rock, TX, Austin Metro)

Neither one of the new daughter-works are having services yet, so the Younkin's have been helping us in our services.

Karla really prepared some great dishes! We enjoyed chili, cheese soup, cornbread, chocolate icebox pie, and grape salad. We had a great time laughing and sharing stories about our lives. We are all just getting to really know each other and have a lot in common. Bro. Shaw left today to teach a Bible class in India for a week. It was interesting talking about his upcoming adventure.

We have family and friends coming in this weekend for a wedding, so we are looking forward to having a lot of fun and fellowship with them! It looks like we will have 6 or so of them in service this weekend and they will be singing. Our church will really enjoy having them. I have announced it and asked them to invite one person per day to come with them Sunday.



The next weekend, December 15th, is our church Christmas Gathering here at the house. The church members are inviting their friends, family.....everybody they can, so that we can get to know them and they can see us as the family of God. I am teaching at 'Wednesday's Word' about being a ministering church. Hospitality is a vital part of making friends, which in turn attracts them to His Kingdom. It is our desire to cultivate that kind of atmosphere in New Life Church of Pflugerville. I feel it in the air already! Our little church is one of the friendliest places you can experience...just like Him. Make room for Him this Christmas and you will want to make room for others. You and they will never be without someone who cares.