In just a couple of hours, I’m catching a very short flight to Memphis. Over the next few days, I’m getting to spend time with my friends from The Life Church. Since Starlite works with a lot of different churches, I can’t really play favorites — listen, we can’t risk losing even one monthly donation as processed nacho cheese prices are on the rise! BUT IF I COULD, I can promise you that this is one church that would be high on my list.

In fact, our entire leadership team (all 20+ girls) have had the opportunity to visit together several times when we’ve been in the area. We just cannot say enough about how incredible this church is — from the big picture to all the small details. I’ve had the pleasure to see a little bit of their “behind the scenes” during some visits when I’ve been there without our entire group and let me just tell you — they practice what they preach. I stay in touch with several members of their staff and am really looking forward to having some face-to-face time with them this weekend.

If you’ve ever worked in a para-church ministry like Starlite, you know that networking with churches isn’t always fun. I’ve said it a thousand times and I’ll say it again: I would rather ask a brick wall for a donation for Starlite than have to approach another pastor. This isn’t a knock against churches — after all, many have financial obligations that just don’t allow for the support of yet another ministry. We’ve been blessed to have some churches who have got behind our vision and really put their money where their mouth is — and, of course, we’ve also been laughed right out of certain church offices.

I suppose that’s one reason that I really love Pastor John‘s vision for their church — they are all about blessing the community around them and even outside their city walls. The list of what they’re doing both in Memphis and around the world is far too long to list here, but you should check out how they recently used Starbucks gift cards to bless people in their community. I’m all about some Starbucks ministry, ya’ll!

Or should I say I would be all about some Starbucks ministry had I not made the unfortunate decision to give up caffeine. Hallelujah.

While I’m in Memphis, I’ll get to see some real-life friends and some bloggy friends, too. One of my favorite roommates from college, Christan, lives there with her husband, toddler and new baby on the way. In addition to partying it up for her daughter’s second birthday, Christan’s husband and I also have an America Idol duel to settle via the Playstation game.

Joey? If you’re reading? Prepare for defeat. I’m bringing my A-game this trip.

I’ll also get to spend some quality bonding time with my friend Kelly. She was the first person to start out with Starlite while she was young and continue until the time she graduated. In fact, during her senior year of college, I spent four months working in another city At A Large Girl’s Ministry while Kelly ran Starlite. And, in the interest of keeping it real, I am not ashamed to say that Kelly ran this little ministry far better than I ever did. She once programmed her phone number into my cell as “Your Favorite Person” — I still crack up when I see that on the screen when she calls. And then I answer her call by saying “Are you ready to move back and take over Starlite?”

Oh, I kid. There’s no one else who’ll do my job for the pay they’d get.

CHOOSING TO BE THANKFUL IN THE SMALL BEGINNINGS. HALLELUJAH. AMEN. GLORY.

I’d love to write more, but I need to hit the road if I want to get to the airport way too early so I can sit in one of those hard plastic chairs and reminisce about the night I was introduced to Imaginary Boyfriend in that very airport.

That boy just takes my breath away. I do not know what I did to deserve him, but I am so hoping he’ll stick around for awhile.