You all asked some great questions! I’m going to try to get through all of them today and tomorrow. I’m actually home sick today, so lappy and I are in bed just clicking away at your questions. I’ll post the second set tonight or early tomorrow morning.

Brandy asked “If you could travel to any place in the world (besides Sea World) where would you go and why?”

Easy. I’d go to Discovery Cove in Florida. Though it is owned by Sea World, it isn’t actually Sea World. It is just this incredible place with dolphins and such that you can swim around with. I’ve never been, but I have their website memorized. I promised myself I’d go there in 2007 and never did. Shame on me.

Jenelle asked “What do you want your wedding to be like?”

I’d like to have a candlelit evening wedding with a dessert reception afterwards. I’ll probably have about 17 bridesmaids (hey, I do run a girls’ ministry). And, if I’m still blogging in 37 years when I finally get married, I’d like for it to be simulcast over the web so my bloggy friends could “be” there with me. I know that might sound crazy, but I love the idea of ya’ll still being around then and sharing in my oh so special day.

I know exactly what type of dress I want to wear but I’m not telling yet. I also know exactly who I am going to marry but I’m not telling that yet either.

Just kidding about that last part. Or am I?

Okay, I am kidding.

Kelley asked “If you could go for ice cream with anyone famous (they can be alive or passed on) who would you pick? But more importantly… what kind of ice cream would you have?”

Well, I know for sure I’d have chocolate ice cream (the only kinds of ice cream I’ve ever had is vanilla and chocolate — wild, huh?). The rest of your question is kind of hard to answer. I want to pick Jesus, but (don’t laugh at me) I’m afraid I would be so sad when our ice cream date was over! So, if it wasn’t Him, I’d pick… hmm… Beth Moore. That’s a really hard one to choose, but I’d want to talk to her more about her teaching on “Get Out of That Pit.” That message (CD form and book form) literally transformed the way we approach the girls we serve in Starlite. It changed the rest of us, too.

Erin asked “Way back when you were knee-high to a grasshopper, what did you want to be when you grew up?”

Ya’ll are going to think I’m making this up to sound all syrupy-sweet, but the truth is that I would always tell people that I wanted to “do something that helps other people.” I never could figure out “what” that would “look” like until I was in high school and announced at a family dinner that I thought I wanted to get a ministry degree in college because I wanted to work with troubled girls. My family wasn’t supportive of that (to say the least) and I gave up the dream for awhile. They’re still not overall supportive of it, but I’ve got the dream back. And I’m still learning that I don’t live for the approval of man, even if those “men” are my family. In all honesty, I don’t have this mastered yet. One cutting remark from them about it leaves me in tears (hello, last weekend!). But I’m working on it and, thankfully, God’s not done with me yet.

Mandy asked “If someone was to write a movie about your life, what songs would be on the soundtrack?”

Oh man. What a hard question! I looked through my iTunes and came up with a few answers:

Rescue by Desperation Band would be on there for anything featuring ministry in Starlite… “I need You, Jesus / To come to my rescue / Where else can I go? / There’s no other name by / Which I am saved”

Call Me Beautiful by Ginny Owens would be on there for the time I drove for hours after a break-up… “So I pretend I’m satisfied / ‘Til You pull me into the light / And say ‘It’s your turn now, welcome to your life!” / And You call me beautiful”

Just For Now by Imogen Heap would be on there for any visit home to spend time with my family… “Well I, quit kicking me under the table / I’m trying; will someone make her shut up about it? / Get me out of here”

Not Lonely Anymore by Laura Woodley would be on there for my first dance with my future husband… “Oh it came suddenly / Power rushing right through me / Past my walls and through my doors / I’m not lonely anymore”

Wild Hope by Mandy Moore would be on there during the part about my last relationship… “Walk along through the crowded streets into the fading gray / Here and gone like a decoration for the holiday / It’s a wild hope / A wild hope / A wild hope everything will be alright”

Dream by Priscilla Ahn would be on there for all the scenes of me as a little girl… “I was a little girl alone in my little world who dreamed of a little home for me / I played pretend between the trees and fed my house guests bark and leaves / And laughed in my pretty bed of green / I had a dream”

Traci asked “Seriously, the hair routine. Post it. With your make-up routine. Clearly I ask the hard-hitting questions! Well, alright, here’s one — how old were you when you dedicated your life to the awesomeness known as Jesus?”

Oh, sweet Traci. I promise you that there’s nothing special about my hair and make-up routine. In fact, I should be asking ya’ll for tips. I just like good hair; doesn’t mean I have it everyday. Or, um, any days actually.

As far as Jesus, I went to church as a kid but actually got serious about Him when I was 12. I’ve had my ugly moments of rebellion since then, but here we are 11 years later still kickin’.

Sarah asked “I think it’s really important for the pastor’s wives to ask the tough spiritual questions like… what’s your favorite CD?”

Oh yes, this is very spiritual. Actually, it kinda is now that I think about it. There is one CD that has absolutely changed my life — In Love by Laura Woodley. A friend of mine put this CD in my hands last summer and said “It isn’t available in stores in the US; you have GOT to hear this CD.” I really can’t tell you how much this CD has changed my life. We used a couple of songs off it at a huge Starlite event and, the very next day, I had TONS of emails asking me where people can buy the CD. Here’s a link where you can listen to some clips from the CD and purchase it; make sure you listen to the clips of “Wallflower” and “Not Lonely” (that’s the song I mentioned above that I plan to dance to at my wedding). Best money you’ll ever spend — I promise.

Whew! More questions later. For now, I’m going back to bed.