"Welcome to your church Chris Padgett"

I did not go to Quest Community Church expecting what would happened to me or how my life would change. Little did I know there was a conspiracy in the works and an ambush planned to get me to the cross. I was completely unaware of the intervention planned in heaven on my behalf. There was something going on in me that knew I could not trick people who really knew Jesus that I knew him to. I had been around "Christians" and knew their ways, but I also knew that I was being welcomed, loved and accepted in a way that was pure and real. I always believed in God, I just didn't think he believed in me and what I was hearing and seeing at Quest was this idea that God actually did love me and cared about me and He showed this to me through a handful of people who seemed to know I needed a savior and they were right.
My intervention was 3 yrs ago, June 26/06 and my life has not been the same. I was pulled out of a very dark pit. It was very much a rescue and recovery mission and I am grateful!

Today as I was in the midst of a really fun weekend at church and standing side by side the people I do life with and seeing people enjoying Church I remembered a moment that is always in the back of my mind and that affected me profoundly. I hadn't been going to Quest for very long. It was a Sunday morning, the beginning of the service, I was in one of the front rows close to the doors and my pastor Pete walked up to me, gave me a hug, looked me in the eye and said "Welcome to your church Chris Padgett". We all ultimately embrace what embraces us. I spent many years embracing a way of life that did not lift me up or encourage me so when Pete said that to me it was the defining moment when I decided that I had 2 choices, I could go back to the way I had been living and to the community that was actually destroying me, or I could step into a community that seemed to be offering me something that I desperately needed. I chose true community and it was the best decision I ever made. I will always be grateful to Pete for saying that to me......."Welcome to your church Chris Padgett"

Everything

I cant believe I get to do the stuff I get to do. The way God has used me is beyond humbling. My story is pretty much well known around Quest but no one except God and me really know how dark my life was, a lot of it will always be between me and him, there are some things that just cant be said on a stool on a stage, but I know what it was like before Jesus rescued me and I still cant put into words how grateful I am to have been rescued. I have never recovered from what happened to me June 25-06.

To be a part of the Everything drama is a huge honor and privilege. I think we all knew from the beginning that it had the power to change peoples lives. It is such a clear picture of how Jesus fights for us. He fought for us on the cross, and he continues to pursue and fight for us at all costs. I for one cant believe I get to be part of it. I know what it's like to be preyed upon and to be a predator, I have lived both roles. I guess you could say I can play the role of a bad guy because the truth is I was the bad guy. Our intention every time we get to do it is to take it as far as we can and to make it as intense as we can so that Jesus will shine. So many people feel beat up and pushed around, they need to know that although Jesus loves them enough to fight for and even die for them. It's why I love him so much

Scooters

I cant believe how much fun scooters are, I have never been into cars or motorcycles but first experienced scooter riding when I would vacation in Key West. They were of course rentals and didnt go very fast but have amazing memories of scootin around KW.

I bought a 50cc scooter last year at the end of the summer and knew pretty quickly I needed a bigger scooter that went faster than 35 mph. I recently bought my first big boy scooter. Its a SYM hd200 and it's "SWEET" I love it and it has given me back a sense of play that I had lost. I want to ride it all the time and it makes getting places so much more fun than driving my truck. My scooter gets about 70mpg, goes 70 mph. I am able to ride it almost everywhere I go on a regular basis when it isnt raining. I am saving well over a $100 a month on gas and expect to save even more when the weather allows me to ride it everyday.

If you are at all interested in buying a scooter do your homework. When I decided to buy a scooter it was a bit confusing but it didnt take me long to figure out that "cheap" was not the way to go. Vespas which are made by Piaggio are by far the most superior, they are the Mercedes Benz of scooters and the most respected. They have a long history, hold their resale value and are made very well. I personally prefer a more modern looking scooter which is why I chose the SYM HD200. I also prefer the 16inch wheels on the scooter I chose as well as the overall size of the bike .Most all reputable scooter dealers are selling SYM scooters and the HD200 gets great reviews all across the board. The price for me was more affordable and I also like the size. STAY AWAY from Chinese scooters. They are very inexpensive but they are notoriously undependable.

Expect to pay about 2-5 grand for a nice scooter. They are so much fun. Ya know how people will call their car, boat, motorcycle or even pets their "babies".....my scooter is the first thing I have ever owned that I refer to as my baby!
All photos except for the one with my dog taken at Vespa Lexington http://vespalexington.com/blog/
They're good guys.

Fiddling

This song is called "Boil em cabbage down", It's my first fiddling tune, Is not perfected but it "tickles me"

Pressing Through & Waiting

I found out first hand today that God really does want whats best for us, but it has to happen in his timing and on his terms, I think the mistake we all tend to make is getting ahead of him. We tend to want what we want when we want it, part of that is being human but a lot of that way of thinking has to do with being Americans. It's why we must constantly trust that God knows whats best for us and he usually isn't in a big hurry.
I know that when I go out on my own trying to get something I feel I want or need and not waiting on God or trusting him, it's like settling for a cold can of soup when God has a banquet just right around the corner if I would just hold out a little longer. When he is in control it just feels right and always works out!!!

Joyce Meyer

I am going to a Joyce Meyer conference in a couple weeks, and cant believe how excited I am. I was talking about Joyce today and literally burst into tears and became very emotional. It kinda came out of nowhere, but the truth is Joyce Meyer has helped me through some of my toughest struggles and obstacles. I just 'get' where she is coming from and what she is trying to say, and I have been able to apply her teachings to my daily struggles. She has given me extra doses of hope when I've felt hopeless, and has kicked me in the ass when I have needed it. I have learned so much about God from her.
I might not ever meet her in this life but would love to thank her some day, I could cry right now just thinking about how grateful I am that she said yes to God.
Cant wait to come back with some great pics!......stay tuned!

My Cousin David Roberts Art

Sunday Night Reflections

*I am blessed to have a Jesus loving mother!

*I have learned to embrace change, knowing that people who loved religion and were addicted the their personal preferences were the ones who resisted and killed Jesus.
Nothing stays the same.....get over it!

*I no longer care if people like me as long as I am proud of my life and the choices I have made.

*I can now play "Jesus loves me" on my violin.....stay tuned!

*I have found that Marie Callenders frozen dinners are deeeelicious!!

*I have finally found a place to teach dance. Real excited about that, stay tuned for details.

*I loved spending time with my very young nieces and nephews today. We are a blessed family!

*Very glad to be getting over getting sick, it has sucked and caused me to isolate!

Jesus & "Religion"

Jesus did not build his church on religion, rules and ridiculous traditions. He spoke out against it and it got him killed. When he was dying on the cross he didn't motion someone over and in his last breath say "make sure they wear ties to church, sit in pews, sing hymns, and keep the sinners out". He pissed people off! Religion is alive and well today and it is ugly! The handful of men and woman publicly going against the religious system today receive the majority criticism and attacks from people who call themselves "Christians". It's shameful, we should all be praying for ALL pastors, and being champions of unity.

When I first started getting involved in church I became friends with a couple of guys who were always bad mouthing different aspects of my church and questioned leadership. (Both have left my church and are still critical.) I was a new Christian and a critical person myself so it was hard for me not to fall into that "critical spirit". I didn't understand some of the aspects of "church" but knew that I was in the church God wanted me to be in. I knew that gossip and disunity were sinful in the eyes of God. I remember one particular time I told one of the guys that bad mouthing the bride of Christ was grieving to the holy spirit, his reply was typical of a religious person," show me where it says that in the bible, thats not scriptural"........thats their answer and reply to everything.

Matthew 23:13 (New Living Translation)

¹³ “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either.