Tori K Webb

Ministry Leader and Creative Soul. Ask Me Something

[torikwebb]

Right now, I want to remember that we've had at least two weeks now of Esther going down for bed around 8:30 PM without any fussing at all. I want to remember that tonight has felt like a normal life night, and even though it's surreal, it's been a blessing. I want to remember that I'm really fighting worry. I hate how many big question marks lie before us and I can't do anything about it. Some moments I'm making good choices to move forward on what I can, but a lot of moments in the last two weeks I've been grumpy and cranky and in a funk. Processing man, it's a beast. Trying to cling to joy but being honest that I'm not doing it perfectly. I keep thinking about all the things I wish I was--consistent, a routine-lover, patient, naturally tidy, exercise enthusiast, natural cook, entrepreneurial... and man it gets discouraging. God is faithful to whisper the truth, but I have to shut up to hear it. Not as easy as it sounds, especially for a verbal processor! I just listened to a podcast, and the speaker said, "Success is being obedient to Christ." I really want to adjust my thoughts to line up with what He wants me to do each day. I think it's going to take some time to shift my thinking. Being Esther's momma, and Peter's wife--those are my top two commissions right now. I can do those things in a messy house living off of freezer meal beef lo mein voila (can I get an amen?!). "Perfection is not success. Success is obeying God." I think I'm probably adding quite a few of my own ideas to His list.

[torikwebb]

My little all star. #allstar #chucktaylors #estherthejoyful

[peterdwebb]

Where have you been?! How's life?! How's church?! How's your wife?!

I’ve been busy! I’m teaching music and ministry to about 80 students right now. Here’s a few of them standing in a field with me. We’re learning worship music and sweet looking dramas. 

My baby is amazing and I love her so much. And my wife is showing herself to be the most loving, graceful, beautiful person on the planet. 

All in all we’re having a blast. Grateful to the Lord. 

[torikwebb]

I love this man. I love his passion. I love his intensity. I love that he never does things half way. I love that he never gives up. I love his drive and his hard work. I love his laugh. I love his hope and that he is the most positive person I know. I love his integrity. He is the same person at home that you see in public. He is honest and kind and sacrifices his desires for his family's needs. I love watching him be the naturally loving, joyful father he is! I love that this weekend we reached nine years since we started dating--nine years filled with adventure, sorrow, hope, persistence, forgiveness, joy, and the faithful presence of God. I've loved growing up with him, and continuing to grow with him each year. I've loved seeing us each learn how to be quick to repent and quick to forgive. I've loved learning how to be honest about the hard things even when it's hurt. I've loved watching our senses of humor get better every year (maybe I'm biased?)! This picture captures so many of those things I love about him: Peter lives life leaning forward. He's all in where ever he is and it has changed my life, inspires me and fills me up every day. Here's to decades more together, babe! #manabovereproach Pic: @breathingmomentsphoto

[torikwebb]

Short version: Esther is here, and her birth story didn't go as planned but was powerful and beautiful. Thank you for your support friends and family! Our community is living John 13:35! --- Esther is here!!!!! It's been quite the adventure into motherhood, dear friends and family! I'm very satisfied and proud of the way our labor and delivery went. I had hoped for a fully natural birth, and even though it ended in c-section, I labored naturally without any medication from 6:15 am Sunday until receiving an epidural early Monday morning, and delivering by a non-emergency c-section at 9:06 AM Monday. I was empowered by the Holy Spirit, and aware of His presence throughout, largely due to the unbelievable support of Peter, my husband who is a man of unsurpassed patience who sacrifices himself daily for me, and Caila Pobuda, our incredible doula who stood beside Peter, Esther and I like Aaron and Hur, who held up Moses' arms during battle for the victory to happen. One of my biggest joys is knowing Esther is coming into a community that is phenomenal. It's been a constant encouragement to see each like, comment, photo, snapchat, Instagram post, text message etc from everyone showing their love and support for us. I have already been floored by your generosity, friends near and far--THANK YOU. Your prayers have been answered in uncountable ways and I look forward to seeing the Lord's faithfulness as He continues to answer your prayers for our family. The Kingdom of God is truly being shown in Kalamazoo, at least in the circles I'm in. People, this city, and you and your family, might be going through hard times, but the greater Church here in Kalamazoo, the people I know, are rocking this verse in real life: "Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples," John 13:35.

[torikwebb]

Pregnancy perks: when people know you're craving lemon, they buy you lemon treats!! Thanks to the multiple people who have brought me lemon goodies in the last few weeks--I love you all and Baby Girl does too 😉 #pregnancyperks #bestcommunity #lifelivedbeautifully #thehappynow #latergram #vscocam

[torikwebb]

Get out and vote!!! We need your voice heard today!! #michiganprimary #vote #americanrights #vscocam #thehappynow #makeadifference

[torikwebb]

So wonderful yet crazy to believe--my little sister just had her bridal shower!!! Thank you to everyone who came and showered my sister with love, support, prayer and gifts! Thank you to everyone who helped from the food to decor to clean up--you are all amazing. Every day, more and more, I thank God for this community and this city full of people who love each other intentionally and love each other well. And I'm beyond thankful that my sister found her perfect match in Andrew, and that his family is so kind, fun and supportive! #somanyblessings #family #friends #bestcommunity #bridalshower #recordlife #joyjoyjoy #marriagerocks #cakedecorating #vscocam #thehappynow #lifelivedbeautifully

[peterdwebb]

IT’S A GIRL!!

[torikwebb]

Wishing I had time right now for a relaxing tea date with a friend--but we've got thing after thing after thing for the next 4 days! So instead I'll remember some good tea dates I've had, and take my tea to go! #busy #keepmoving #catchmybreath #tea #teatime #latergram #vscocam

[torikwebb]

If you truly want to be empowered, free, and really understand equality, you must engross yourself in Jesus and understand who He says you are.

[peterdwebb]

I don't know if you've been asked this before but it's weighing on my mind. How do you feel about the statement "You have to love yourself before you can fully love God"? I have self-esteem issues and I've been getting that a lot.

I disagree. I think you can love God before loving your self. 

In fact, the Bible has a disdainful opinion of those who love themselves. Look at the list “lovers of self” got lumped in with:

In the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

I think it’s really sneaky the devil has prescribed self-love for those struggling with doubt and depression. Both are traps. When you get closer to God, it’s possible you’ll like yourself even less than you do now. So many times in scripture when someone was confronted with a revelation of God, they immediately mentioned their own unholiness, unworthiness and personal defects. 

God doesn’t just want to make you better. He wants to make you into a whole new person. melting down the old sculpture and making an entirely new work of art. It’s probably not going to look like incremental improvement. There might be some days where he’s breaking you apart to form you into something different. It’ll be messy, but it’s worth it. 

God loves you, and He’s ready to take you as you are right now. You don’t have to do anything before reaching out to Him.  

[musiqchild007]

When the scripture speaks of “lovers of self”, it does so in the context of vanity and self centeredness. I don’t think that was well portrayed there since you made it seem as though anyone who “loves themselves” are automatically lining themselves up to be deceived by the devil. I do agree that the proper order is love God FIRST and then love yourself (because what’s not to love about you? You’re His precious child) and in turn you can love others (because you can’t give what you don’t have).  I don’t believe in any theology that calls me junk, worthless or rubbish. At all. That’s devaluing what God made you and who you are. When you train your eyes to look at yourself the way God does, how can you not love what you see?

[1lg-prvbs3-5-6]

When you train your eyes to look at yourself the way God does, how can you not love what you see?

[torikwebb]

Actually, if you're training yourself to see as God does, then you're looking at Jesus, not at you. God requires that our self must actually die. Colossians 3:3, "For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." (Colossians 3:1-17 is great btw.)‬ ‭

Romans 10 says that we are actually God's enemies without Christ's blood, His sacrifice. And Christ's sacrifice requires that our selves change into representations (aka ambassadors) of Christ. Thankfully, though it does takes true effort on our part, it's through His power that we become Jesus-versions-of-us, not through our own strength alone: “Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” Philippians‬ ‭2:12b-13‬.

2 Corinthians‬ ‭5:15-21 sums this up pretty clearly:

“He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” ‭‭‬ We are supposed to love the parts of ourselves that represent Jesus, the light in our lives--the parts of ourselves He has transformed and renewed, the parts where His fruit (peace, kindness, generosity, etc) is evident. We are also called to hate the sin, selfishness, perversions, and darkness in our lives, and to fight it daily and get it transformed. Specific examples of both are all over the New Testament--Galatians 5:13-6:10 is one of my faves, but it's seriously everywhere.

[torikwebb]

Oh friends, I wish we could have sent each of you our Christmas Card this year! While we can't do that, I would love to share our Christmas letter with you! It's at www.bit.ly/webbchristmas. We love you and wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

[torikwebb]

Took some much needed time yesterday to disconnect, listen to an interesting podcast on something totally unrelated to work or personal development, and enjoy a good chai. It's hard to choose that time without the constant "must do" running through my mind, but it can be so refreshing! #maketime #rest #autumn #latergram #vscocam

[torikwebb]

Glory has been on my mind: "But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight," says the LORD." Jeremiah 9:24 Let's do that this week: let's glory in our understanding of the Lord, the God who delights in exercising lovingkindness, judgement and righteousness in our world. The God of Hope, the God of Peace, the Good Father, the Comforter, the Joyous One, the Faithful Friend--He is ours to pursue and understand. We can come boldly before His throne to get to know Him better. Come, let us seek the Lord together. #firstlovefall #recordlife #renewlove #revealjesus #vscocam #discoverkzoo #autumn #toricaptures (at That Spot On Almena Where There Is No Cellphone Reception)

[torikwebb]

I love filling my home with people seeking Jesus and community. #thebest #community #worship #worshipartspeeps @worshipartscentral

[torikwebb]

Fall moments, teals and burgundys and browns, pondering the power in this: For Jesus Christ, the Son of God, does not waver between "Yes" and "No." He is...God's ULTIMATE "YES," ...For all of God's promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding "Yes!" And through Christ, our "Amen" (which means "Yes") ascends to God for his glory. 2 Corinthians 1:19-20 #yes #encouragementgallery #fromwhereistand #shereadstruth #lifelivedbeautifully #vsco #latergram