Daytona and SAM

Two major events and a conference in Daytona Beach- all within 2 weeks of time! I'm beginning to think we're as crazy as most people think we are. What can we say? It was a matter of timing, Valentine's weekend and then the SAM conference the next weekend. Attending a singles leader conference was another first for Kim and Linda. A mere inquiry into the event led to being asked to write for the SAM newsletter and a couple of days later, we received a call to present a workshop at the conference. How could we say no? What a great opportunity to meet with singles leaders from across the country and share with them about Cache' Connections. It was quite unnerving being on a stage in front of some very respected and well-known singles leaders. But, we know if God calls, he equips, so we pulled it off pretty well. The workshop was a lot of pressure, coming off the other events and needing to create an hour long presentation about the biz. We couldn't have done it without Ty jumping in and creating the powerpoint, finishing up right before we had to leave. It was a great experience. We met some incredible people who are committed to the singles ministry. We also made some great contacts and are praying that we will be scheduling some more events in other parts of the country as a result. Unfortunately, the warm weather didn't arrive until we left, but it still was better than the cold in Illinois!

Valentine's Weekend Recaps

Cache' Connections had two fantastic events over the Valentine weekend with almost 700 singles in attendance! Parkview Church in Orland Park was a beautiful venue for the event. Dr. Paul Meier's presence was appreciated along with the advice and encouragement he shared with the attendees. Brian Hunt, a very talented music artist from the Chicago area, brought the crowd to their feet in joining in worship. As always, everyone enjoyed the community connect and were able to meet many new friends.

The Dating Game was quite the hit! The only complaint we heard was that it didn't last long enough. We had 3 great panels of contestants and Tower from Shine.FM kept the crowd laughing with his dating stories. The special guests relied on the audience to help them choose their date. We had so many attendees tell us how much they enjoyed the food and socialization time. They were especially grateful for the opportunity to meet so many nice people.

We wanted to say thank you to everyone who came to these events and to those who participated and volunteered. We greatly appreciate your support!

A letter of encouragement from Parkview Christian Church

The following note was received the morning after one of our Cache' Connections Live! events in Orland Park, IL:

Ladies,

The Holy Spirit won't leave me alone this morning. I've only had 3 hours of sleep but it certainly doesn't seem like it. My head is "a buzz" and my heart is overflowing with joy. Thank you for what you are doing; for fulfilling our Lord's will in being obedient to the calling I certainly believe He has placed on your lives. You two so compliment each other with your spiritual gifts and individual personalities.

Last night could only be described as SPECTACULAR! The program in and of itself was awesome but the part that blessed me the most was to see the way the Singles responded to your encouragement to meet other people they had never meet before. It then only gained momentum as they were ushered into the Grand Foyer for refreshments. The atmosphere was so conducive to people being able to step outside of their comfort zones and mingle with someone new. It had to be the work of the Holy Spirit.

Dr. Paul Meier really "nailed it" with his teaching and I was honored to be in the presence of such a humble man of God.

It was also such a great place for our brothers and sisters in Christ who hadn't seen each other for a long time to rekindle old friendships. There have been a lot of people involved in our Singles Ministry here and I think everyone was thankful and surprisingly blessed they chose to experience this event.

Thank you for asking us (Parkview 30+ Singles Ministry) to be your host. It was truly a pleasure and a fulfillment of God's desire. For that I shall be eternally grateful.

Humbly in Christ's stead,


David Mealiff
Steering Committee
30+ Singles Ministry
Parkview Christian Church
www.parkviewsingles.com

dear mr. nice guy

this is an essay i found from one of my facebook friends, amena bee from atlanta. she wrote it awhile ago for submission to a regional publication. it wasn't chosen for publication but she thought it would be fitting to post it here in honor of good man month, and we heartily agree!

Dear Mr. Nice Guy,

Good men are hard to find and even harder to keep. It’s unforgiveable to let one go. Just like you, they keep slipping through my hands like so much sand in an hourglass. You’re right. You are underappreciated. You’ve been given a bad rap and truthfully I preferred a broken and bruised heart to your respectful ways. I’m sorry I said you were boring. I’m sorry I said you were soft. I’m sorry I said you weren’t sexy enough. I’m sorry for not giving you a chance.

When we first met, you confused me. Seriously, who’s honest anymore Mr. Nice Guy? Who says what they mean in the dating game these days? I suppose you do, and it’s clear you don’t believe in playing with my emotions. What’s a single woman to do with all that free time, now that she has no reason to spend her time psychoanalyzing too short text messages, missed calls with no voicemail, and first dates that never make it to a second one?

And another thing Mr. Nice Guy, how dare you be into commitment? I mean who’s into getting serious? Who wants the pressure of a man who wants to be with only me? I would much rather prefer a man who’s juggling me and sixty other women across the city. I like a man who keeps me guessing.

Marriage, commitment, rings, his and hers sinks and towels, matching outfits – these words didn’t scare you. In fact, you welcomed them, wanted them, wanted me, but I wasn’t ready for you. My early 20s mind couldn’t fathom giving up the freedom of singleness to settle down with you. I couldn’t imagine my one and your one becoming one. I couldn’t bring myself to give up the lottery-like possibility of finding five other men that might be the one. I was standing on the side of the road with a hitchhiker’s thumb, passing up the most safe ride home. I was waiting for something better. Like baiting a unicorn on a fishing pole, I was stupid to throw you back into the sea that clichés say is running aplenty with fish.

Trust me. When my night’s get lonely, when I’m out with some ignorant fool who doesn’t know opening the door for a lady from throwing a shot of tequila down his throat, who assumes that dinner and a second date means sex, I think of you. Don’t tell anyone I’m writing this but sometimes I daydream of you. You, the one any woman wants to bring home to meet a dysfunctional family. You, who would rub my back while my family argues the merit of scripture and scrabble, and gaze at me with the look that said you loved and accepted me just for me and would do the same for them. You, who would make love, make babies, and stick around to deal with me, my horrible hormonal attitude, and alien cravings; stick around for baby names, birth, pre-k, middle school, college, and empty nest until it’s back to just us. You, who even as you are reading this forgives the silly me that sent you on your way in the first place.

The phrase “no more Mr. Nice Guy” has haunted me since I ended things with you. You made me question my definition of a man. As if the paramount of testosterone has to equal hairy machismo, never-ending noncommittal, and grunts-only communication. You had character, endurance, perseverance, respect, patience, and I was just too fireworks-driven to see it.

You have no reason to trust these words coming from the pen of a woman who so quickly and easily dismissed you, but years and life and trouble and struggle have shaped that woman with the same indelible imprint with which quick rivers slowly hewn canyons. I see you more clearly now, as I see myself.

I really just wanted to let you know that the phrase “nice guys finish last” is propaganda pushed by bad boys in gentlemen’s clothing. Whatever you do in life, don’t shy away from being the nice guy, especially not because of women like me. Sooner or later some woman is going to relish your gentlemanly gestures. She will find your respectful hand in the small of her back so much more sexy than a strange first-date hand attempting the squeeze on her inner thigh. She will be swept away by your chivalrous door-opening, coat-holding, pulling out her chair, and she will not ditch you for the next smooth swagger, emotionally unavailable, slick talker. Hold out for her and don’t settle for less.

Don’t worry, you don’t have to reply. I wouldn’t dare ask you for a second chance. I just wanted to clear the air and hopefully give myself a clean slate. And maybe, just maybe I’ll cross paths with another nice guy and this time I won’t give him back.

Sincerely,
Me

Daytona Beach Bound

As you may know, we have been working on expanding our services and marketing strategies in different states. We are blessed to have some new doors open for us; specifically, Mt. Paran Church of God in Atlanta, GA on 4/24, and Liberty Bible Church in Chesterton, IN on 5/16. Both churches are looking forward to partnering with us in Cache' Connections Live! events. We are also looking to go further South, through the Bible belt and elsewhere. To that end, we have been "casting nets" in that direction, contacting churches to see if they might be interested in coming together with Cache' Connections. We received a call back from a pastor in Orlando, Florida, who happens to be a speaker of the SAM (Single Adult Ministry) Conference that is coming up in a few weeks in Daytona Beach. We had contacted SAM a few times and even phoned, but had received no response. This pastor made a phone call and within about a day, whalaa, we were invited to be an event sponsor - at a reduced rate! What is encouraging about this is that we had prayed specifically that morning for confirmation from God if we should go to the expense of making this Florida trip. God didn't stop there. We were invited to submit an article in the SAM Monthly Read & Lead magazine. What is amazing about this story is that we received another call from the SAM coordinator ... asking us to lead a workshop on dating. So, away we go again, getting out of the boat. At least this time we are landing on the beach :)

Once again - Getting Out Of The Boat!

Like we don't have enough to do already. Linda and I are it, the whole kit-and-caboodle, we perform multiple tasks from customer service, website oversight, accounting, event planning... we even make our own backdrops for our events! Now, we're writing a book - you heard it. We are partnering with Dr. Paul Meier to tell our story and provide advice to Christian singles. Once again God is using our past experiences and skills to push us to the limits of our abilities. We have actually kidded around since day one that we would write a book about how all this went down. As everything else has gone with this business, it has come much faster than we expected. Since the opportunity has presented itself, we're not going to turn it away. So here we go.. creating another wheel. We have decided to co-author each chapter, telling our story relating to an important concept we are trying to impress on singles. We have planned that Dr. Meier will then relate that same lesson directly to the singles. Waa laahh - the format has been established. Please pray for us. There's a lot to be worked out yet!

a day in the life ...

Okay, so you may be wondering, what really goes on at Cache' Connections? What do they do all week long? So today I thought I'd offer a glimpse of the action behind the action. Although we envisioned a self-reliant website that would afford us the privilege of "working on the beach," we have yet to research sand-proof laptops!

Both of our days begin by hopping on the computer around 7:00 a.m. to check on overnight activities: new members to be welcomed, bank account and statistics to monitor, customer service requests to address, Facebook statuses to update (be-friend us!.) Kim and I start our official business day together around 9:30 a.m., enjoying the freedom to work out before the work day; I on my treadmill and hand weights, Kim pumping iron at the gym. (She's pretty buff!)

We start the day together making a to-do list, as every day is different. Then we pray together for our decisions and for our members, always praising God and giving the business back to him each day. Depending on where we are with upcoming events, we spend a lot of time on those details - talking to church leaders, speakers, bands, photographers, writing scripts, contracts and endless lists lists lists!

Between 9:30 and 5:00'ish such things can be heard as:

1. "did you answer so and so?"
2. "we need to pray"
3. "we need to make a policy on (fill in the blank)"
4. "lunchtime already?"
5. "you make the page, I'll write the email blast"
6. "where's my map?"
7. "I wonder if Neil Clark Warren does this ..."

Do I miss the 9 to 5 job I gave up? Not really (sorry guys.) The steady paycheck and free coffee were great, but looking back it seemed like ... well, a lot of work. What we are doing now is more like an adventure. Only God knows how the future will turn out. Until then, we remain,

Two Crazy Married Women Who Started a Christian Dating Service

Events and More Events

We have always planned to launch Cache' Connections in new cities by holding events, but as this business has gone since day one, things seem to happen sooner than later. Since our first event in Naperville was such a success and we've had so many requests for more, we are forging ahead with many more events. Once again, God continues to confirm that His word is true as doors have supernaturally been opened for Cache' Connections. We are also extremely grateful for those in the Christian community who have stepped "out of the box" and partnered with us to make these events happen. Here are the new scheduled areas. Thanks to those who were led to lend support and have embraced what Cache' Connections is about.

*Peoria - WCIC radio agreed to offering promotions for this Peoria event and Pastor Jim Powell from Richwoods offered his church for the event. Many other pastors and counseling clinics from this area gave us their time and insight by participating in round table sessions.
Event: January 30th - Richwoods Christian Church

*Orland Park - Dave Mealiff, a single administrator from Parkview Church, invited us to do an event at their church, and Dave has been instrumental in making this event happen. Dr. Paul Meier, a nationally known author, speaker and psychiatrist has agreed to speak at this event. Finally after much concern about finding an appropriate music group, we found Brian Hunt, a local artist who is extremely talented and has his own album.
Event: February 13th - Parkview Christian Church

*Naperville -John Absher, singles pastor from Calvary Church welcomed us back to hold an event for Valentine's Day. The Dating Game idea will finally get to play out. Tower, a radio personality from Shine radio has been put in our path and is a great fit for the show's host.
Event: February 14th - Calvary Church

*Peoria - We found a good fit for a "Connection Party" to follow-up after the Peoria event at Central Station Cafe in Bloomington. The previous speed dating event was successful, but we found it to be too labor intensive for a small event. We have now made adjustments and it should be a great time for all. We are hoping this will serve as a model for future connection parties.

*Naperville and Arlington Heights - Plans are still in progress, but we should be hosting connection parties in these areas on March 8. Stay tuned for more info.

We will soon be embarking on new markets as conversations are underway with church leaders in Rockford, Atlanta, South Carolina, Florida and Indiana. Please join us in prayer for these doors to open and events to take place!

New Year - Open Doors

Our year has gotten off to an encouraging note with a successful New Year's Eve party and three events coming up in a two week period. After launching over seven months ago as an online service, we are gaining confidence in understanding how to market this very specific niche business. We feel God's presence and guidance on a daily basis and are thrilled about some new doors that are opening. We have yet to find the "easy button," but both of us would probably get bored with that anyway as we are hardwired for a challenge. Linda and I committed to take part in a "corporate fast" invitation from Pastor Cal at Northwoods Church. It is a three week commitment and we believe that fasting is a biblical standard which can produce spiritual breakthrough. After one week, we have experienced some amazing blessings. Here's a few examples:

1. We were able to secure the talent that we were seeking for two upcoming events

2. We were informed that we would receive FREE promotions for one event with WMBI

3. We spoke to Dr. Paul Meier and his sister (who is his practice manager) and Dr. Meier agreed to co-author a book with us

4. We received some good news about our website programming that was a huge concern for months

5. Some fantastic free promotions have started on WCIC radio about our Peoria Live! event

6. Calvary Church agreed to host our "Dating Game" event which many are excited about

7. Dr. Paul Meier not only provided us with some of his articles on Christian dating and relationship topics, he penned an article on Boundaries in Dating just for Cache' Connections!

Lind and I are excited to see what the new year will bring and we are both committed to stretching past our comfort zones to spread the word - bringing encouragement and assistance to Christian singles.  Our God reigns!

New Year's Eve Recaps

At the risk of overdoing New Year talk, we felt it appropriate to report about our New Year's Eve event held at the Oak Brook Renaissance Hotel. We had approximately 62 Christian singles for the fabulous dinner, and then approximately 20 to 30 "walk-ins" who joined us for the comedian, Darren Marlar, and dancing to the tunes of DJ Johnny V. Guests had an opportunity to give their contact information to those they were interested in connecting with further. Here are a few testimonials we have received: "Thank you for the work and effort that you put into making New Year's Eve exciting and fun. What a great event. It gave me a chance to talk to more people. (Including the ladies....... there are a lot of nice Christian ladies out there.) I was amazed and in awe of Phillis...) She inspired me to give more of myself. All of the host and hostess said "hello" to me....... they all took their assignments seriously and made me and others feel comfortable and very welcome." "We really enjoyed the new year's celebration...it went very well." "Thanks so much to both of you for planning such a nice evening! The food was excellent and the service there as well! The comedian was good and dancing was nice ... Thanks for taking the pics and for uploading them!"

The New Year was celebrated with party favors and a non-alcoholic champagne toast as we wished each other "Happy New Year!"

New Beginnings - Real Change

As the new year is approaching, some of us have started to think about New Year's resolutions and possibly making some changes. Our pastor at Northwoods Community Church talked about making "real change" in our lives in the coming year and so much of his advice paralleled what we have tried to impress on Cache' Connections members. How many of us give up the resolutions after about Week 3? When we don't see immediate results from our efforts, we often give up due to an incorrect mindset, possibly believing that because the desired change has not occurred, it must not have been God's will. Pastor Cal explained that it doesn't mean the desired results aren't God's will - it often means you haven't positioned yourself for God's will to happen. The scripture reference was 2 Chronicles 7:14: "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." What if we would adopt a new mentality this year that says, "It's not my job to change myself so much as it's my job to position myself before God in such a way that He can change me." God may be waiting for YOU to make a new positioning move. Those moves might include humbling yourself before God, expressing dependency through prayer, developing a more intimate relationship with Him or becoming more obedient to following God's will in every circumstance. God's word tells us in John 15:7 "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you." So, in making our New Year's resolution, we should first focus on our relationship (or position) with Christ and move when he says to move and then wait for him to work in amazing and wonderful ways! Our prayer is that God's abundant favor will bless you with an incredible New Year.... make a move or two to make it happen!

2008 in Review

Is anyone as stunned as we are to see that 2008 is nearly over? We thought we'd take a look back and review what God has done in and through Cache' Connections.

Early 2008 we were still using our original website, which was more of a personalized
matchmaking system. However, behind the scenes we were working on our business plan and with the web contractors as they were custom-building the site that you now see. This change came after we received some national attention after an article was published in the Peoria Journal Star in the Fall of 2007. This article hit some national news lines and we started getting calls and emails from around the world, stating what a much-needed service this is for Christian singles. We knew that we needed to restructure to be able to 1) be more affordable and 2) handle many more members.

We are so thankful for the many advisers along the way: legal, financial, marketing,
relationship and business experts that God placed in our path to share their knowledge with us. The snowy weather we are now experiencing is almost too reminiscent of our trek to New York City in February 2008 to make a pitch to investors. Talk about an adventure bathed in prayer!

Our new website launched on 5/20/08 in Rockford, Illinois with the generous help of Salem Communications, WQFL and radio DJ Johnny V, who was our Single of the Month. The Single Spotlight Contest ran for three months and was a lot of fun. However, we felt that God was closing the door on that particular strategy.

As we worked with different Christian radio stations, we soon found out that radio alone was not enough to reach our target audience. It seemed that everywhere we went, we were told to "call the churches." So, brave and mighty warriors that we are, that is what we did. We began by inviting some Peoria-area pastors to a round table discussion to address how Cache' Connections can come together with the Church to fill the gap for Christian singles. It seemed that overall the pastors were pleasantly surprised and delighted that we came to them for wisdom, guidance and partnership.

We are finding that many pastors and churches are willing to help promote Cache' Connections' services and events to their singles population. There seems to be a general consensus that singles are an under-served segment of the Church. Many pastors are somewhat relieved to have a dating service that they can now recommend. We have spoken to several church leaders about the possibility of coming together to host a singles event. We had our first Cache' Connections Live! event in Naperville on 11/14/08. With the help of WMBI and Calvary Church, we had over 400 singles in attendance! We are now booking events for next year, beginning in

Peoria (Richwoods Christian) on 1/30/09, followed by Orland Park (Parkview Christian) on 2/13/09. We have been invited to participate in a singles event that The Chapel is hosting on 4/3/09, and Calvary Church has invited us back on 4/24/09. Discussions are underway with a large church in Northwest Indiana for a possible event in March. We are working our way around the general Chicago area and will expand from there as the Lord allows.

Large events are one thing; small, intimate gatherings may be more your style. Our first Cache' Quick Introductions (speed dating) event was on 12/2/08. We had a wonderful group of people who enjoyed meeting several other committed Christians within their age group. Our New Year's Eve party will be another great opportunity to spend time getting to know other Christian singles - members and non-members. Stay tuned for more connection parties to come!

We must not forget the connections! Just today a new member told me he was quite pleased with the quality of our members, compared to one of our competitors. We have heard of many members who are connecting over the messaging system, telephone, coffee and dinner. We are very excited to see our dreams become a reality after so much hard work and sacrifice. Please let us know if you have met someone special through Cache' Connections, and we will pray for you.

Friends, we count it a privilege and pleasure to work with you in this area that is so dear to your heart. Together, let's look forward to great things in store for 2009!

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Let's Talk

Okay ... can we talk? About talking? At Cache' Connections, we seem to have a little confusion about who is supposed to begin communication. Our Questionnaire asks both parties if they feel men should be deliberate in initiating relationships, and the majority of males and females indicate "yes." So, men, once you have your Pending connections sorted into Preferred or Not Interested, please send at least a short message to those who spark your interest! FYI, there is no function associated with your sorting. In other words, the ladies do not know that you have sorted them into Preferred or Not Interested. We also urge the women to introduce themselves by sending a short note to the men - no harm there - and he will probably appreciate that you took notice. Guys, if you have received a message but are not interested, please don't leave her hanging, but send a polite note indicating that you don't feel this is a viable connection. Nine times out of ten, she will be glad to know one way or the other. (The same goes for the ladies in replying to the men.) Next, after you have begun communications through the messaging system, we urge you to take your communication to the next level as soon as both parties feel comfortable. Cache' Connections does not promote long-term "e-dating." If you are going to have a relationship, it's going to be live and in person, so the sooner you talk on the phone, then meet in person, the better off you will be. Cache' Connections suggests that all relationships begin on a friendship level, free of pressure. Pray along the way ... as we pray for connections in process ... and we will see what God has in store! Lastly, why not invite your connections to join you in the open chats? As a reminder, there are chats every evening beginning at 7:30 p.m. CST except Wednesdays. Here's how to access The Meeting Room: go to: www.cacheconnections.com; click on: Community and Advice; click on: The Meeting Room; enter your username and the password: cachebox

Cache' Quick Introductions- Recaps from 11/14/08

Our first Cache' Quick Introductions was held on 11/14/08 at Carrabba's Italian Grill in Naperville. A lot of members expressed that they felt a little out of their comfort zone in participating in "speed dating," but were pleasantly surprised to find that they thoroughly enjoyed meeting so many quality Christian singles in "one stop." We began the evening with instruction and a word of prayer, asking God for his presence and peace for all of us. We stressed that this should be a low-pressure atmosphere in that we are looking at the beginning of a friendship.

After each session, participants gathered together for continued fellowship over a buffet dinner which included salads, breads, pizza, pasta and chicken.

All mutual connections were issued, along with contact information, with 24 to 36 hours. It is now up to the participants to connect further over email, telephone or coffee.

Here are some comments from those who attended:

"As mentioned before, I really enjoyed the event with Cache Connections. The brief introductions were quick but not rushed at all. Those I met with showed acts of faith and kindness and only you see when God calls you into relationship. It's a new beginning and I see that Cache Connections members are moving in the right direction with a Christ-Centered focus in this fellowship of believers seeking new Journeys in life with possibilities. It restored my hopes and prayers." (Steven)

"Thank you for organizing the quick connections dinner last night. I think it turned to be very successful, and the food was great too!" (Enza)

"I just wanted to thank you for a fun time at the meet and greet tonight. The restaurant was tasty and there was a nice mix of people. I was going out of my comfort zone when I signed up for this activity. But I ended up staying late talking to a few people. (guys and gals) We closed the place down!!
God bless the work that you're doing and sincerely thank you.Grace lived out." (April)

An Attitude of Gratitude

Have you ever noticed how two people can come from the same experience with two completely opposite viewpoints or shall we say perspectives? It's ironic that the person who went into the experience with an attitude of excitement and anticipation for good results had positive feedback. On the other hand, the person who went into the experience with a negative outlook reported back with many complaints and criticisms. Have you also noticed that people who projected this positive outlook had a better overall experience as they always seem to attract new friends and acquaintances like a magnet? Hmm....maybe there's a correlation here. As we approach Thanksgiving, it reminds us of 1 Thessalonians 5:18 - "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." So can we choose a thankful, positive perspective or is that just a person's genetic personality? Renewing our mind is a directive from God as He knew one of the most critical struggles we would have would be one of controlling our thoughts. As is stated in Romans 12:22 - "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." What if we would pledge for this Thanksgiving week to have an attitude of gratitude... to get up every day and thank God for every blessing? What if we dissect every area of our life and look for any positive and focus on those things throughout the day? What if we look for good even in the difficult people in our life? I challenge you as I challenge myself. Go ahead, I dare you to embrace an Attitude of Gratitude....

The Golden Rule

So, I thought I'd blog about the golden rule, for no particular reason. I first heard of this rule, "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" as an impressionable 2nd or 3rd grader in a public school. I remember the principal pointing it out to a few of us after she had posted it in the typical block letters on a bulletin board in a main hallway. You know those things in life that really strike you and you think, huh, that makes sense and I really like that. Imagine my delight when some 28 or so years later I learned that these were Jesus' words! (Luke 6:31) The Bible and Jesus are so practical. A quick Google search has taught me a new way to say it: (ahem) "ethic of reciprocity." Apparently it transcends most religions. I'm okay with that. So I'm throwing it out there: do we treat others the way we want to be treated? Do we show genuine respect for persons of other color, people who don't look like us, act like us, worship like us? What about the gas station and store clerks, dance instructors, and those who have alternative lifestyles? Jesus loves them just as much as he loves us. We don't have to agree or even like everyone, but we are commanded to treat everyone with respect.

We always say we love a success story!

Cache' Connections Live! was a huge success last night, all thanks and praise to God! We had prayed that we would pack the house, and that is exactly what happened. Walk-ins abounded! God is so good.

Some special notes:

1) WMBI Moody Broadcasting was there taking sound bites from singles; the event will be featured all week on their station

2) At the last minute, a TV producer was able to attend and tape the evening's events

3) Everyone enjoyed Michelle Strombeck's poignant speech on singlehood and the need for community; Michael Olson's casual and fun style of leading us in worship; hearing some snippets about Cache' Connections (and apparently some of my stage antics :) ; meeting and greeting many other singles in their area; having their photo taken for their profile; fabulous door prizes; opportunities to sign up for group studies based on The Singlehood Phenomenon; coffee and snacks; registering for speed dating

4) Was that a news reporter I saw?

5) Many people said they would spread the word back to their churches and ask them to host another singles event

We learned a few things that need to be done differently, but no problem was too big and they were all " good problems to have"!

Kim and I thank our friends for their prayers. God wants to do something for his beloved ones who are not married. It is exciting to be working within His will for His people, and we look forward to new surprises in the very near future!

We want to thank our partners and sponsors: WMBI Radio, Calvary Church, Michael Olson, Jenn B Designs, LA Fitness, Merle Norman, Meier Clinics, Janessa Bullen Photography

Blessings,
Linda
p.s. We would appreciate your sharing photos of the event with us as we were too busy answering questions to take any of our own :)

Passionate Pursuits - Part 2

Have you heard the expression,"if at first you don't succeed, try and try again?" Benjamin Franklin said, "Diligence is the mother of good luck." Joyce Meyers states, "But it's more than luck, isn't it? It's about having a determined attitude that says, I will do this forever if that is what I need to do. I will not quit. I will not give up. I am determined." We've heard so many singles tell us that they are giving up. Understandably, we all want to do what comes natural when we are hurt or disappointed - we want to retreat or escape the pain. Proverbs 10:4 says the diligent man will bear rule and will be rich. Linda and I have had to repeat scripture regarding diligence and perseverance many times in building Cache' Connections - when certain situations have seemed impossible or hopeless. We have reminded each other to take our eyes off the circumstances and turn our thoughts towards God's word and His promises. It is a difficult task to control your thoughts which control your attitude, but we have found when we do this, things have always worked out in one way or another. We want to encourage you to set your mind, focus on God's word when the going gets tough and persevere to the goal!

Passionate Pursuits - Part 1

Joyce Meyer's book, I Dare You, really drives home the philosophy of living life with passion. We are devoting the next few blogs to this topic as taking responsibility for our lives in the area of self-discipline and obedience to God's word are the starting point, but it doesn't end there. What if we could actually live our lives with passion - I'm not talking about just the sexual kind - I'm talking about living everyday with full-blown, living out loud surrender....taking risks, loving completely and forgetting what lies in the past. What if we awoke everyday and proclaimed..."Here I am God, send me!" And then, what if we step out of that box that the world has duped us into believing we fit into. Taking responsibility for how we live is a brave thing. It takes courage to accept life as it comes to us and it also takes courage to be determined to make the most we can out of it. God tells us in John 10:10 that He has come to give us life that we may enjoy it and "have it in abundance." If we were honest with ourselves, we would all agree that we have an innate desire deep inside each of us to reach for goals that seem unreachable. We all need something to strive for, to work toward, and to dream about. We need a reason to get out of bed in the morning and one that is greater than merely existing for another day. Maybe it's time to start living life boldly, seeking God's will and trusting Him in all circumstances. Tired of making excuses because of your fears? Only a few of us step out of our safety zones and ever dare to follow our hearts. Will you dare to be different? Will you dare to live life like you mean it?

You Are Responsible for Your Own Life

Today I'm sharing from my devotional book by Joyce Meyer: new day, new you. James 1:22: "Be doers of the word, not hearers only."

"One of the biggest problems in society today is that people don't want to take responsibility for their lives. They want quick fixes. Society has trained them to believe that if they have problems, somebody else is responsible. Their parents are responsible. Their spouses are responsible. Their schools or employers are responsible. The company that made the cigarettes or vehicle or junk food is responsible.

I'm not saying you are responsible for the current state of your life. Lots of uncontrollable events occur in our lives. Sometimes we do get very bad messages in childhood. Sometimes we have bad people in our lives who hurt us. The situation you find yourself in may or may not be your fault. But it is your fault if you take it lying down! You do not have to stay in that bad situation. You get to make a choice. And that choice is 100 percent yours.

No matter how you got to where you find yourself today, don't let it be an excuse to stay there. I had many excuses and reasons for my poor health, bad attitude, and unbalanced life. As long as I offered excuses, I never made progress.

The time has come to be very honest with yourself and with God. When you have a moment of privacy, take a deep breath, clear your head, and repeat this phrase: 'I am responsible for my own life. No one can take charge of it but me. If I am unhappy or unhealthy, I know I have the power to change that. I have all the help and knowledge I need; and with God's hand today, I start becoming the person of excellence I have always known I could be.'"