Early Mornings and Late Nights

It is almost 11 Saturday morning, and we just finished cleaning up the house from the slumber party last night. I am still exhausted, but I could not stay asleep any longer; Mr. Sunshine was shining in my eyes and the smell of homemade cinnamon rolls was floating into the living room. The slumber party marked the last night of VBS. I only have one more week here in Pooler. This week I have spent so much time with the kids, and the fact that I only have one more week left with them has broken my heart on more than one occasion.

This week has been so busy. We have gotten up early (early being before 9) more than once this week and have gotten in bed after 12 more than twice.

Monday night was the first night of VBS. Georgianna taught the lesson from the front of the church bus using a combination of her boisterous voice and the bus's speaker system. She fell around a little as we went around curves and lost of few people to sleep (as it was almost 11), but over all it was a great lesson on Mary and Joseph. We had to do the lesson on the bus because we were on our way to the Ichetucknee River, home of the coldest water that I have ever felt! The river flows from springs that originate in Lake City, Florida, and it flows into the Gulf of Mexico. So, we went to Lake City on Monday night and got a hotel room.

At eight o'clock Tuesday morning (early) we went to Cracker Barrel and then headed to the river. I tried to gently acclimate myself to the frigid water, but Adam had other plans. He pushed me in and then proceeded to Baptize me, three times (or maybe it was four)--"In the name of the Father (dunk), the Son (dunk), and the Holy Spirit (dunk), Amen (dunk). After the slightly sac-religious ceremony, we got our tubes and headed down the river. It takes about four hours or more to float down the river. There are some trees that you can climb up and jump off of into the water, but I would not suggest it. I ended up bear hugging a tree for what felt like fifteen minutes because when I tried to go up the tree my foot slipped and I was not about to go down--for one it would be embarrassing to not make it (2) there were people behind me and (3) there was a snake close by on the ground. Three good reasons to keep climbing. After much pushing from behind, I made it to the top and jumped off as fast as my legs would take me; I did not want to be on that tree any longer.

Tuesday night's lesson was short and sweet because everyone who did not go home to sleep was half-asleep. The lesson was about John the Baptist; the point--Jesus is already here around us, performing miracles and showing Himself to be real, our job, like John's is to point Him out to those who cannot see.

Thursday night I had the privilege of teaching the VBS lesson on the early church. As God molds my definition of church and fellowhsip, I have begun to see the need to discuss God's word and spend time praying together. So, I shortened the portion of the lesson where I talk and people listen. When that boredom was over, we split into groups and prayed for one another, we prayed for our youth group, and we shared our concerns about Rothwell and the community of Pooler. It was so amazing to see people's hearts. One of my main prayer concerns this past few weeks has been honesty in our youth group and our church. I have been asking God to help people open up there hearts and be honest with themselves first, then with God, and lastly with someone trustworthy in the church. When we are not honest our problems only fester; true healing comes when we admit that there is a sore there and begin to medicate it with the Word and Godly counsel.

After this brief time of prayer and discussion, we headed to the beach. All the way to the beach, a group of us sat in the front of the bus and talked about ourselves and our church. This was the first time that we have had these sorts of conversations on "fun outings". Kaitlyn had shared earlier that this was her desire, that we begin to carry church into our activities. She was with us during the conversation Thursday, and I think that God is going to use her as a force of change at Rothwell, someone who will redirect the focus of conversations to the One who matters most.

After games at the beach, we joined again for a time of prayer. Many of the kids shared their appreciation for this summer's youth group--the opportunities for service, the fellowship, the worship. We had a few minutes of alone time before we left, and I just stared up at the moon and thought about how God had used me this summer to be a reflection of His glory, just as the moon reflects the sun. What an awesome privilege! So much of me does not want to leave. I asked God, "So this is why you brought me here, to build relationships and then leave?". But I am reminded over and over that God's work is eternal. My leaving does not cancel out the ministry that I have done this summer, it only gives someone else a chance to water these beautiful and fruitful flowers so that they can produce seeds for the Kingdom.

I know this is a long post, but so much has happened this week, and I could not wait to share. Perhaps the most entertaining portion of the week was last night's slumber party. The theme was second-hand. All the girls were asked to wear something from the thrift store or their mom's closet. Leslie and I bought our dresses together and they were fabulous. Mine had cool shoulder pads and lots of beading. It was so tight that after 15 minutes of wear I had to put on some shorts under it; I had split it up the back so far! There are some pics below.



Thank you so much for your prayers this week. It has truly been a week of answered prayers and GROWTH. Continue to pray for this upcoming week. Pray that God will give me the strength to say goodbye. I cannot wait to see y'all. I love you!

Busy bee!

I have not posted in a really long time, but thank you for continuing to pray for me and for the ministry here at Rothwell Baptist Church. It has been a crazy two weeks, filled with lots of fun activities and ministry experiences. Mom and Dad just left yesterday. I guess I should start with last Monday, even though that seems like an eternity ago.

From July 9-12, the youth hosted Vacation Bible School at the Baptist Center downtown (Savannah). The Baptist center is located adjacent to Hitch Village, a large housing project. Most of the 35 kids that attended VBS came from these projects. I volunteered to teach Bible study because this is what I did at the previous VBS. However, the approach that we used at Rothwell did not work as well at the Baptist Center. They did not enjoy the games that we played nor were they entertained by the same things. I found that these kids really liked to talk more than play. They craved the attention that they got from gentle conversation. This was a hard adjustment for me because my teaching style usually consists of me talking and people listening, or me hoping that people are listening (not a teaching style that I would suggest to anyone). Some, however, knew how to make this adjustment well. Like Ms. Payne. She came on the last day to help us, and somehow, she got the kids (even the high schoolers) to color shoes for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, most of them did not want to leave. How cool! God definitely used her, and all those who worked at the Baptist Center, to show those children the patience and the love of Christ.

Mom and Dad arrived here on Saturday, to my glee! We hung out at the beach house most of the week. On Sunday we went to Paula Dean’s. Corey and Blake came to the boys’ Bible study on Sunday night while I went to HisGirl. Jody said that they “fit in like a glove.”


Monday we hung out the beach and went kayaking with our guide, Mr. Jon. While kayaking, I overheard a conversation between Mr. Jon and Dad about church and whether or not Mr. Jon was a Christian. Mr. Jon shared with Dad that he was; it was so great for me to hear Dad talk to our kayak guide about Jesus. I have been labeled a missionary, but, if you really want to see one, just look at my dad. He reaches so many people each day at his shop and does not stop sharing, even when he is on vacation!



On Wednesday night we had a special “dinner and dialogue” service. I am not sure where Jody got the idea, but it is one of the best services we have had so far (in my opinion). The idea is to engage the youth in conversation about the Word of God over dinner. The older ladies of the church purchased us pizza and dessert; we ate that and talked about finding God’s will for our lives. I had 5 kids at my table and all of them were about my age. They answered the questions honestly, and we were able to converse openly about our lives, where God is working, and the things that we need to change. While we were talking, I really felt like God was approving of this form of worship. It reminded me of the early church and really caused me to rethink my definition of fellowship. This dinner and dialogue exercise is something that I would suggest for any small group (or any large group, just break up into tables of no more than 6). All you need is an agenda, a set of questions or verses to discuss (ours came for Facing Your Giants by Max Lucado) and a table leader to keep everyone on track.

On Thursday, the youth traveled to the beach house where we played baseball and swam until dinner time. Mom made her famous punch, which we had with hotdogs, chips, and dip. After dinner, Brent and Brad led a worship service. I really wanted to have it on the beach, where the majesty of God is so obvious, but the Lord had other plans. He showed us His majesty and the power of fear as lightin’ flashed across the sky and we flashed back to the room, just missing a thunder shower. In Brad’s lesson, he challenged all of us to get out of the boat. We can compare ourselves to the “pew sitters” and say that we are out of the boat, but let’s compare ourselves to Jesus and see that we are no where near the water.

This week is youth VBS! Each day holds an adventure that will be, I’m sure, more than we could plan. Tomorrow we are traveling to the Ichetucknee River (Lake City, Florida). On Tuesday we will tube the length of the river before heading home. Wednesday is a lesson and bowling at the local army base (cheaper there). Thursday is late night games and a video scavenger hunt. Friday holds the finale—Second-hand Sleepover (girl’s only). The girl’s are required to wear something second-hand, either from their mom’s closet or the thrift store. My thrift store outfit is going to blow everyone away, just get ready for some funny pictures.

In two weeks I will be home to share with you all that I have done. I will try to post once or twice more before then. Continue to pray that God will use this week at VBS for His glory, and that it will be much more than just a barrel of fun!

If the Son sets you free, you shall be free indeed.
John 8:36

Do you ever think about being free? It is not something that I ponder very often—freedom to write this blog and use the word God (something that is not allowed in China), freedom from the shame of sin, freedom from the bondage of rules and regulations, FREEDOM! I do not really think about it very much, but this week caused me to ponder many of the freedoms and blessings that I have because of my citizenship in America and in the kingdom that is not of this world.

On Tuesday, the youth delivered water to migrant workers and to people on the beach. The migrant workers smiled as they grabbed the water out of the cooler and enthusiastically drank each bottle dry. The people at the beach gave a completely different response; we had to convince them to take the water. When they did they only took a few sips of it before setting it aside to warm in the scorching sun. Why are Americans so ungrateful? I hate to stereotype all Americans, but “if the shoe fits”? Our way of life has made us so calloused that we never take the time to appreciate the little things in life, things that people like migrant workers see as life’s greatest treasures.

On Wednesday, the Fourth of July, Jody’s parents invited me to spend the holiday with them. Before dinner and after the blessing, Jody’s mom suggested that we say the pledge. Who has ever heard of saying the pledge at a family gathering, right? Well, I had not either, but it was such a pleasant reminder that the pledge is not just for elementary school, but it is a way to show our thanks for the great things this country provides for us. It is also a reminder that our forefathers intended this to be “one nation under God”. God with a capital G, not the god Buddha or the god of rain or the god of apple pie, but the One and Only, the Alpha and Omega who wrote the first chapter of American history and may be left out of the last.

Wednesday night was for fireworks, of course. We had the awesome privilege of watching the Savannah firework show from the nearby wildlife refuge. We were the only people in the whole, 3-mile refuge, which houses deer, alligators, wild boar, turkey, and lots of birds. Because we were a little scared of the alligators, we climbed on top of the church van (don’t tell anyone ) and sat. As the fireworks went off, I looked around me a saw something even more spectacular—a golden sunset behind a forest of trees. As the night progressed I looked up to see the greatest firework show ever, I sky full of stars. How many people drive downtown through traffic and sit in a big crowd to watch fire in the sky? Yet, we never take the time to marvel at the sunset or lie beneath the stars—and just say “WOW!” and “Thank you!”



Climbing on the top of the van.

Waiting on fireworks.

The Bible study that I am doing is teaching me a lot about freedom from sin and shame. I never realized how much shame runs my life and the life of so many others. It tells us that we should pay for our sins by feeling sorry about them for a certain length of time. It tells us that we are bound to make the same mistake again; that it is part of who we are. It tells us that we can never really change. But what does God say? He says that He has forgiven us for our sins, that we are not bound to sin, and that we were created to be holy, therefore sin does not hold us in. I have said so many times that “so-and-so will never change—old habits die hard”. It is true that so-and-so will never change themselves, but God can change people, and He can change me too. That is why He has given us His word—to reveal to us what areas of our lives need to change and give us the power to do so. This has been one of the greatest lessons of the week:
God’s word is intended to change us, not to educate us.
I often use God’s word as a source of knowledge, thinking that the more I know about it, the closer I will be to God. This week I read Hebrew 4:12:
For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as to divide soul, spirit, joints, and marrow; it is a judge of the thoughts and ideas of the heart.
I asked myself, “When is the last time that God’s word convicted me of the folly of my ideas or convicted me for sinful thoughts?” I had read my Bible that morning, and it had certainly not happened then. Had God’s word lost it’s power? Well, of course not! The sword of God’s word had not been cutting into my soul because I had been using it to playfully fence with knowledge when I should have been preparing for battle.

As you can see, this week overflowed with ministry opportunities and God-granted insight, and it is not over yet! Tomorrow we are going to Honey Island to paint faces. Sunday brings an opportunity to worship and learn. Pray for me as I lead Sunday School this Sunday as well as a portion of the HisGirl Bible study Sunday night (this week’s topic is purity). Next week the youth will be hosting VBS at the Baptist Center, an inner-city ministry in the heart of Savannah’s low-income housing. We have not had many people volunteer to help, so please pray that God will send workers and effectively use the staffers for His glory.

Thank you so much for your prayers and kindness. The Godly counsel that I have received has helped alleviate my homesickness week after week. Thank you!

ARK

The week has been filled with fellowship and service. Some of the activities seem so menial, but I am learning that God can and will teach me BIG things, even in the little stuff if I will only open my eyes.

Tuesday, the youth viewed Evan Almighty at the local theater. It was my second time to see the film because Jody and I previewed it on Monday (you can NEVER be too careful). It is a great family feature, filled with solid Biblical truth, humor, and inspiration. I may sound like a walking advertisement, but there are so many points in the movie on which you can expound. Two of my favorite things about the movie are

1.The way that God is featured as a man, a man with a sense of humor. When Evan addresses God, he is not afraid to question Him. He talks to Him like a friend. Evan does the same thing when he prays, saying things like “Alright God, I’m hanging up now.” I know that we must treat God with the respect that He so greatly deserves. He is GOD, but who said that being respectful means using terms that we do not really understand? Sometimes I find myself praying with words that I would never use in conversation: ye, dear, and beloved. My prayers are so much deeper and more honest when I realize that God understands modern English and lingo; I do not have to speak to Him in English that mimics King James!

2.ARK—Acts of Random Kindness. The movie plays off of this acronym. Evan wants to change the world; God tells him that changing the world only takes Acts of Random Kindness. I have always wanted to do something great for God: go to another country for a season or serve in a local church. However, these “BIG” tasks do not have any more impact than Acts of Random Kindness. Opportunities to serve in BIG ways rarely come our way, but random opportunities to serve are always available: that family who is moving out of their house, can you help them carry a few things? That guy whose car is broken down on the side of the road, does he need to use your cell phone? The elderly lady who is sick, does she need a ride to the doctor? Or what about the man who is just sitting on his porch, can you make time to stop and chat? These simple acts mean more to people than any sermon or Sunday School lesson because they are done out of love and not obligation. They are provided by the Holy Spirit and not man's schedule.

This week I had the amazing opportunity to perform Acts of Random Kindness for a few elderly people from Rothwell (it was random to them, but not so random to us). Yesterday (Friday) eight of the youth baked cookies and delivered them to four senior citizens in the church. All four of these were suffering from some sort of medical problem that limited their mobility. When we pulled up in the drive way, they greeted us with an open door and a smile. No matter the condition of their hair or their house, they were not allowing this opportunity for a visit to get away from them. We stayed in each house for a few minutes (some longer) chatted with them, and tried to soothe their loneliness for a little while. One man must be really lonely; he invited us back to watch Westerns!!! One lady lives in a house that is over 100 years old and has no air conditioning! We had prayer with each of them before we left, and it was obvious that they hated to see us go. I am not sure that the youth will ever realize how much it means to those adults to see a new, smiling face at their door (or any face at all).

God also provided other opportunities for service this week.

Since returning from camp, all of the youth have been looking for ways to serve here in Pooler. The World Changers (a Christian camp where the campers provide free labor to the community as an outreach tool) were in Savannah this week, and Rothwell fed them lunch throughout the week. Kaylie Stevens (a 15-year-old youth with an amazing , spunky spirit) suggested that we deliver their meal one day and stay and work with them after lunch. When we arrived on Thursday, we got our assignment: clean-up. Not a glamorous task, right? RIGHT! Most of the World Changers team was either on the roof replacing shingles or on the ladder painting windows. We were on the ground, moving old shingles from where they landed to the dumpster. I promise this—it felt like the roof of the white house had been torn off and dumped into this backyard. We dug and dug, placing the shingles in a wheel barrow and then rolling them around to the dumpster on the other side of the house. When we finally caught a glimpse of the ground beneath us, we started singing “I saw the GROUND” (instead of “I saw the LIGHT).

After three hours of manual labor we headed back to Pooler, leaving the World Changers to finish the task the next day. We complained about how hot we were and made a show of how dirty our feet and hands were. I wanted a shower SO bad, but at the same time I was proud of that dirt. Didn’t Jesus wash His disciples’ feet, and if He washed them, they must have been dirty, correct? If we are truly the hands and feet of Jesus, I think we should get dirty a little more often. This is only the third time I have done manual labor all summer, and of that I am a little ashamed. Doing manual labor for someone is the ultimate act of mercy; for this act you receive nothing in return expect for a sweaty shirt and dirty feet and hands, but the recipient of your labor receives a vivid picture of Christ and His mercy, which is poured without measure on those who are thirsty.


Picking up shingles.

Taking a pic by the really big dumpster before the hard work began.

When David (of the Bible) was running from Saul, he was tired, hungry, desperate, and quickly losing focus. He ran into the temple, where he received a sword for the battle ahead and bread for nourishment (1 Samuel 21). This bread was meant for sacrifice and this sword was a showcase item for the Israelites, but these things were given to David in an act of mercy. Jesus himself acknowledged this good deed in Matthew 12. About this He said, “I desire mercy and not sacrifice.” I often give my time, money and talents to the church in an act of sacrifice, but rarely do I offer them to those in need as an act of mercy. Where does Rothwell and West Jefferson Baptist rank in this area? How many desperate Davids are being nourished with spiritual food and equipped with weapons of truth?

FUGE Camp

These are some of the girls that I have the privilege of working with this summer. Aren't they beautiful, even at camp?
This is me with the youth pastor, Jody. We found ourselves busier and more tired this week than we have been in a long time (even after VBS).
How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news! Romans 10:15
Three girls from church and I were all on the Fifth Avenue team. This means that we, along with about 15 people from different churches, had Bible study and ministered together all week. We went to a nursing home, a children's home, a farm, a GA camp, and a park. The last night of camp, we competed against other teams in MEGA, a huge relay. For this event, everyone dresses in their team colors and paints there faces in a effort to win "THE SPIRIT CUP"! You wouldn't want to mess with us!
This little girl asked to paint my face while we were at the Berea House, a home that ministers to children in a low-income community. While at the home, we were able to share Bible stories with these kids as well as the unconditional love of Christ.
This is our group with the camp pastor, Jon Gillis. Jon has written two books:
The Dawn of Resolution and Substitute Christianity. He is an amazing, in-your-face speaker.

So, as you can see from the pictures, this week was filled with so many different activities. Each one of them was a chance to glorify God in some way; even sitting still in the midst of camp madness became a form of worship. I truly learned the meaning of 1 Corinthians 10:31, "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for God's glory."

For the sake of space and time, I want to highlight three things that I am praising God for this week:

1. A deep concern over the definition of Christian.
In Jon's book, Substitute Christianity, he discusses this issue. How do you know that you are a Christian? Is it because you asked Jesus into your heart or prayed a prayer? Neither one of those terms or practices are found in scripture. God calls us to confess, repent, and believe. BUT He also calls us to die to self and to live for Him. This is not a single transaction that happens at an altar one day, it is a lifestyle. What is the purpose of Christianity? Did Christ die to save us from HELL? Well, yes and no. He died to save us from sin and sin is what causes us to go to hell. We get so caught up in hell that we forget that sin is the problem and that sin happens now, not later. It ruins our life now, and it can ruin our life later as well. Now, I still have not figured out the whole thing. I am seeking God and His word (they are one in the same, right?) for the answers. For now, I know that I am a Christian because I have trusted Him to save me from my sins, and I have not only called Him Lord but I am attempting to make Him Lord of my life (key word=attempting). Jon says, to remember, if you are not living with Jesus now, you will not live with Him for forever, and if you are living with Him now, you will continue to live with Him for forever, and forever.

2. People worshiping in so many different ways.
This week I saw people jump to worship. I saw them dance. I saw them sing, and it made me worship that much more. On Thursday night, our group had a confession session after Jon preached a message on facades. Many in our group, including myself, admitted to holding up a false appearance. Students cried and as the tears ran, the inner parts of their hearts were opened up for all of us to see. One student even asked Jesus to save him, expressing the desire to be baptized and read scripture with some of the group (you don't meet middle schoolers everyday who want to read scripture). In those moments we grew so much closer together. For many, the greatest blessings of the week, came on Thursday. However, for me the blessings came the next night during worship. I turned to my right to see many of the kids raising their hands to the their MAKER, the one who allows and invites them to be HONEST and drop all the false appearances. Some were crying, others were belting out the song, some were even jumping up and down. I could see their hearts and for many I knew their reason for worship. THAT was the greatest blessing of the week for me.

3. God using me when I didn't expect it. He used me outside my comfort zone (SURPRISE).
This week I was not sure which ministry track to choose--social, children's, games and rec, creative, or construction. Well, I canceled off creative really quickly for obvious reasons but all of the others were still an option. I liked a little bit of each one. I felt pulled toward social, but I did not want to sign up for it because one of the possible ministry sights was a nursing home. My grandmother lives at the nursing home and I don't even enjoy seeing her there (isn't that sad?); I even call it the funeral home on accident sometimes. However, in the end that is where I ended up, and you know what my favorite ministry of the week was? You guessed it, the nursing home. I got to play Bingo with Ms. Virginia White. She shared with me so much about her life. She "crosses and uncrosses her legs" for fun, and plays too many jokes to have any friends. She used to be hair dresser and has skied behind a cow! She was so funny! I and so many others have missed out on blessings because we have ignored the older generation.

As you can see, I had an amazing week at camp. God worked through the youth, and the fire is evident on their faces. Pray that the fire will continue. It will only do so if the leaders and the youth commit themselves to prayer and the reading of God's word. Pray for me, that I will get back into my quiet time after the week at camp, which completely jumbled my schedule, including my sleep. Also, pray that we will continue to minister here in Rothwell as we did in Greenville. The students have expressed the desire to visit nursing homes and children's homes, so Jody and I along with the kids will work this week to plan those activities. Pray for opportunities and for creativity in planning and executing these ministries.

Oh, how I love Jesus (and Fridays!)

It is the end of the week, and (am I allowed to say this?) yeah! We have had Bible school all week. It has been such a blast to work with the kids. The nights have been filled with laughter, joy, prayer, worship, and all the good things that you could ask for, which makes me wonder, why am I so tired and emotionally drained? I am not sure, but I am sure that it was worth it.

Brother Devin allowed me to partner with him and Carol this week as we taught Bible stories to kids in the kindergarten through fifth grade classes. I know that THIS is exactly where God wanted me to be. The kids cycled through in fifteen minute intervals, so I got to see almost all of them everyday. While they were in Bible study, we played a couple of really fun games that tied into the Bible study for the day (and we told the Bible story, of course). A couple of nights, Brother Devin let me help tell the story. People have always told me that the best way to learn something is to teach it, and that proved to be so true for me this week.

When telling a story to children, you have to really be familiar with it because you have to tell it in your own words (they do not understand thee, thou, accord, sanctification, transcends, etc.) without getting the facts wrong or embellishing. Last night, we were retelling the story of the early church. The narration began with Jesus' ascension into heaven (ascension, another word that they do not understand). So, I began to think of ways to explain it. When Jesus went up into heaven, it was like their friend just floating off, like someone suddenly inflated Him with helium. How strange would that be? No wonder they stood staring into the sky for so long. I asked the kids, "How long do you think they stood staring at the sky, wondering where He went?" So many of the kids said, "one hour". How long do you think that it was? I don't guess we could know, but it must have been a long time because Acts says that God sent an angel to tell them to stop staring at the clouds; "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking to heaven?" (Acts 1: 11a). Isn't that cool? They were so dumbfounded that they just stood there, looking up until GOD sent an angel to keep them from breaking their necks :-)

This is just one of the cool things that I saw when I read the Bible stories from a different perspective!

Besides Bible school, there were also alot of other projects to work on this week because we are leaving for camp on Monday, which means that we had to (and still have to) get paper work together, prepare for lessons, and get the van ready. We also have a middle school party tomorrow night! MADNESS!

In the midst of a crazy and draining day and week, there has been so much encouragement. I ran into a guy from UAB at STARBUCKS; he used to hang out in our dorm room and moved to the area for the summer with his parents! It was so great to see a familiar face. How cool? Today alone I got five cards in the mail (really sweet ones too). And, to top it all off, I got to see many kids pray to receive Christ during VBS! We do not know the exact #, but GOD does and He is rejoicing! The kids were encouraged to come forward during the invitation Sunday morning and afterwards be baptized, so maybe they will. Go God!

Thank you so much for your prayers. PRAY for the youth as we travel to camp and stay there throughout the week next week. PRAY for ministry opportunities on the way to camp and when we arrive. PRAY for spiritual growth and unity in the group. PRAY that God will continually renew my emotional and physical strength. Hopefully, I will be able to take advantage of this weekend of rest!

30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;

31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:30-31

P.S. The pic is from last weekend when Leslie (middle), Kaylie (left), and I (right) went shopping and to SONIC for ice cream (no night is complete without ice cream)!!

His Girl

Tonight was the first session of HisGirl, a Bible study that is produced by Lifeway. We have been planning it for a couple of weeks, but Miriam was out of town last week. She is leading the study, and I am so excited to be helping her. The book has lots of great ideas about how to get conversation started, but Miriam has SO many ideas as well. This weekend, we prepared for the study by discussing who was doing what and going to buy supplies. We decided to prepare for about 15 people(and thought we were over estimating). We went to Walmart to get rings for the scripture memory cards, and they only had ten, but again we thought that would be plenty.

We planned the Bible study for 7 pm, right after evening worship. Georgiana volunteered to have it at her house, so we were going to take the van over there after service. When we went to get on the van, guess what? We wouldn't all fit!! Girls sat on the ground behind the last row of seats and squeezed together. They rode in other cars as well. When we got there, we realized that we didn't have enough of anything! How great is that? We ran out of rings, journals, and even pens! It was so exciting. There were 17 girls there, many who do not usually come to church on Wednesday nights, much less Sunday nights.

Those who prepared for and promoted this study, did such an incredible job! Pray for those who came, that they will continue to come and learn what God has to say about the way we live. It is so amazing to see that God's word has implications today, even though the time in which they lived was so different.

I will have to share with you a little about what we learned tonight. The topic was stress. We used 2 sets of scripture verses: Hebrews 4: 14-16 and Matthew 14. The verses in Hebrews tell us that Jesus went through everything that we go through. That is mind boggling, but also so encouraging.

Jesus was tempted sexually, yet He didn't give in. He was tempted to gossip, yet He didn't open His mouth to tear others down. He was "tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin"(Hebrews 4:15b). Therefore, I can bring Him all of my concerns, and He will, not only hear, but understand! This is the main lesson in dealing with stress: God is capable of taking all of our concerns. When we are stressed out, what are we supposed to do? The answer is so clear: "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" (Hebrews 4:16).

Be in prayer for the youth. God is blessing this time. Pray that He will use this time to build community and ignite a desire for Him, the Lover of our Souls (and the rest of our being as well). Also pray this week for the entire church. VBS starts tomorrow and the youth is going to camp next week. There are tons of events plans, but our prayer is that they become more than events. When we recognize God's presence with us, that is exactly what will happen!

But for me, the presence of the Lord is my good! Psalms 73:28a

Foundations

The elderly people of the church are those who are the most faithful; they attend every service, give money during every offering, and pray for every need. Yet of all those in the church, they get the least attention. When was the last time that the Senior adults had a fun day (that someone else planned for them) or a special service with "their kind of music"? We have become accustomed to ignoring their voice as that of "the past generation"; of course, there is a time for change and change is healthy. We must not hold on to things just because they are tradition. However, we should revisit our foundations, the things that built the church and that will continue to keep us strong.Today I had the opportunity to do just that.

This week, Jody and I spent some time selecting prayer partners for the youth that will be attending camp. The list consisted mainly of senior adults--the prayer WARRIORS. Jody decided that, if we didn't see them at church on Wednesday night, we would hand deliver them. He warned me that this could take a while. I was expecting to drop off the prayer partner requests and drive to the next house, but these visits turned into so much more! They became times of prayer and encouragement and reminders that great wisdom is lost when we stop listening to the voice of those who are our elders (only by a couple of years :-) ).

The second visit we made was too a lady named Miss Ouida. I was scared to say her name while we were there because I am still not certain of the pronunciation. As soon as we walked into her house, I knew that this lady was going to make a great prayer partner for me (I got a GOOD one!!!). A stack of books the height of a small child sat on her ottomon, which included her Bible, concordance, Open Windows, and other spiritual resources. Each one was worn with love, the product of daily appointments with God. When she opened her mouth to speak, encouragement overflowed. Miss Ouida told us of her deep burden for Rothwell Baptist, which is currently experiencing a sharp drop in attendance. Her passion flowed with every word as she spoke of her desire to "fix it," and the hurt she felt knowing that she couldn't. She then spoke lovingly of her pastor and his work. Every word she spoke was one that uplifted someone else.

Jody and I left, stunned at what God had taught us in those few minutes that we spent with her. Why do we not do this more often? This is the 3rd visit that I have made to the home of a senior citizen since i have been in Rothwell, and each one has been a deep blessing. I can't wait to finish handing out the prayer partner request; hopefully during this time i will be able to gain more knowledge from these saints of God.

I praise God for those in B'ham, like Miss Ouida. They still send their wisdom to me, even here in Pooler. Thank you so much!

Is not wisdom found among the aged?
Does not long life bring understanding?
Job 12:12

Rain On Our Parade

Yesterday, the youth group went to the Braves game, so much fun! It takes about 3.5 hours to get there, so we left the church around 9. After driving for what seemed like forever, we stopped for lunch at a gas station. We kept looking for a rest stop, but since we never saw one, we just ate our sack lunches in the van. We had a big plan for a picnic and devotion, but it turned into a face-stuffing and very quick lesson.

In the van, I had the chance to lead the devotion. I wanted it to tie into the baseball game, so I talked about pride, and how it gets in the way of us and God. one of my favorite things that God showed me in that lesson was this: A baseball team cannot win if all the players focus on their on desires instead of the goals of the team. However, God will be victorious not matter what. Pride just keeps us from sharing in his victory. So often, I begin to believe that God can't do it without me. The pressure of that is more than anyone can bear. When I fail, I think that I let God down somehow; however, I only let Him down when I work for myself and not for Him; and even if i abandon Him, His plan will still prevail!

The clouds had loomed overhead all day, and we went through a few showers on the way to the game, but when we arrived at the stadium, the weather was perfect! The clouds overhead provided just enough shade. However, around the 6th inning the clouds turned dark and at the end of the seventh, they opened up and poured sheets of rain onto the unexpecting fans. They all ran for cover, and most ran home. We hung around, taking pictures and watching the field crew cover the field. Only 20 minutes later, we returned to our wet seats to watch the last 2 innings with wet rears under sunny skys! Nothing was going to rain on our parade!

It was such a blessed day. On the way up there, i finished reading The Way I Was Made by Chris Tomlin (titled inspired by his song). As most of you know, I have no clue where my future is going, where God is leading me. Chris hit so many homeruns in my heart with the things that he said in that book pertaining to his struggle with his future. For instance
--"Looking back, I can see that God was hard at work on my real future. But at the time, I wasn't convinced. So I played it safe. I let God do His thing and I went to work getting into physical therapy school. Not that I had a passion for it, but physical therapy seemed like a logical way for me to make money (just being honest)."

Right now, I feel like that is where I am at, just holding on to my backup plan until God reveals to me a real passion, something that doesn't just make money. Look at Chris Tomlin, he was fixing to start physical therapy school and now he is a world-renowned worship leader, constantly inviting people to glorify God. Who knows what God has for me, a girl who is holding onto a chemistry degree, waiting on direction from God. The book encouraged me to be confident in my waiting, but not to ignore the signs that God gives me.

One year ago, I would have never guessed that I would be here, in Savannah, Georgia, but that is where he led me! Praise Him that He did! and because of this leading, I can trust Him to continue to lead me exactly where He wants me to go.

Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to the completion until the day of Christ Jesus.--Philippians 1:6

I know the plans I have for you says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.--Jeremiah 29:11

Opportunites Passed

Friday at Nagano's (a Japanese restraunt) I shared the table with a girl my age and her mom. We struck up a converstion that lasted throughout the evening meal. When the girl got up to leave, I realized that I had not shared my heart for God with her. Of course, there were plenty of opportunities. She asked me why I had come to Georgia. I talked to her about church. Instead of saying, "I came because I have a friend named Jesus, who provides me with unconditional love," I said, "I came to work with the youth at Rothwell...Have you seen that new Pirates of the Caribbean movie?"

This incident is similar to so many others that I have had both in Alabama and Savannah, GA. I allow the opportunities to pass because my heart is not focused (or maybe my heart and my brain are not connecting!) So, I ask you to pray for the strength to get past the small talk! This same prayer request applies to the girls in the youth: that God will help me to get past the surface with them and discover their hearts so that I can better minister to them.

Thank you so much for your prayers! Because of them I have settled comfortably in Rothwell and have had many chances to share. Just pray that I will take advantage of these opportunities.

This weekend has been alot of fun. As I said, we went to Nagano's on Friday night. Brittany, Emily and Kaitlyn are not here this weekend, so I have been hanging out with Harry and Dennise alot. Yesterday we went to a wedding at the church. I caught the bouquet!! I don't really believe that it means anything, but it was exciting none-the-less. After the wedding I got the chance to hang-out with Leslie, a girl in the youth group who is only a year younger than me. We went to see a movie and ate at Mellow Mushroom...fun, fun!

This week holds lots of excitement, including a trip to the Braves game. These activities are entended to keep the kids involved, but they are also alot of fun for us! Our prayer is that they will be more than just activities, though. That they will be events that allow us to build relationships and love the kids so that they can see and experience Christ's love.

Getting Acquainted

what better way to get acquainted than a water fight?

i met all of the kids last week at the service and got the chance to see many of them again on Sunday, but tonight was the first night that i felt at home in the service. it may have been becuase of the water fight that we had before the service began.

last week jody told me about a game called "Poor Man's Laser Tag" (Brad if you are reading this is a great idea for the youth). The game is fairly simple. Participants tape construction paper to the front of their shirt. Each team has a different color construction paper. Each participant is given a water gun (small one). After about 15 minutes or so, the game is called. The papers are removed and whoever has the dryest papers wins.

Tonight, though, the adults were given bigger waterguns, and I was given the supersoaker :-) I wasn't on anyones team, so i went around and shot all the kids. it was so much fun! one boy hid in the corner the whole time, so when he finally came out, he showed off his dry paper. he thought the game was over, but not for me. I soaked him and his paper. in response, he took the garbage can that had all the water that had leaked out of the guns and dumped it on me. this resulted in much laughter and me chasing him around the fellowship hall trying to get payback (until Jody asked everyone to sit down)

When i did sit down, it felt...strange...like that was were i belonged, like they had accepted me. I know that I did not come to pooler to please people or to be excepted by the people here, but that doesn't mean that it isn't really nice! and as it is my goal to minister to the youth, being accepted by them will make that job alot easier and more enjoyable!

tomorrow we are going to the beach, another chance to play with water, and, of course, laugh with a group of kids who love to do just that. i can't wait.

Thank you so much for your prayers. Continue to pray for the relationships that are being created. That the conversations will flow from boys (which seems to be the main topic of conversaition) to the only One who can satisfy the desires of our hearts.

new technology!

For those of you who have been reading my blog, thank you! Now it is much easier; you can subscribe to my blog using the form at the right. Just type in your email and complete the prompts that follow. After this is complete, a copy of my posts will be sent to your email as they are entered (i believe) or at the least, you will be notified when I post. This will allow you to know when I have posted so you won't have to check it everyday because I definately do not post everyday!

Thank you for your faithful prayers! Love you!

History Comes Alive

On Saturday, the Campbell family and I went to Fort Pulaski on the way home from a beautiful day at the beach. The fort was one of the major holding grounds for the Confederates during the civil war. We took a guided tour around the fort; the tour was led by an energetic tour guide. As he spoke, the Confederate soldiers appeared in the bunks and shuffled around the field. They manned the cannons and yelled for more ammunition. They cried out in pain and laughed at in the golden sunshine. I could see it all as it played out before me. I was in awe of the power and history contained in that space, history that is all around us. There is history in the ground beneath our houses and everywhere we walk, some places and people call us to recognize it while others push us in the future, causing us to forget.

Last night, I lay reading my Bible, drifting in and out of sleep, using all the strength in my body to lift my eye lids which suddenly weighed 200 lbs. Why wasn't this exciting, why was God's word not a page turner, why did I wish to be done so I could pick up Velvet Elvis or go to sleep? I thought back to the events of the day and realized that like the Civil War, the events in the Bible really happened. The facts of the Civil War can put you to sleep in a text book, but the mouth of an impassioned tour guide brings them to life. The facts of the Bible were putting me to sleep because I wasn't approaching them with passion. I had forgotten that these words were spoken by a Man who really lived and written by men who saw Him and experienced Him. This morning, when I read my Bible, I tried to imagine Paul, there in front of me, writting to the church at Corinth. He shares his heart with them. When I imagined it in this way, the words seem to come alive, just as the Fort did yesterday. From now on when I read these words, I will attempt to discover the passion behind the pen, to examine the context of the story.

As I was reading velvet Elvis I found more on the subject of bringing the Bible to life. Rob Bell reminded me that the stories in that Bible are not only important because they happened but because they happen. The story of the woman at the well happens every single day as God reaches out to the "untouchables" and changes there lives, shows them that they have worth. How wonderful!

So, I am trying to read my Bible with more passion and more understanding, although I fell asleep even today as I read. HOW HUMAN WE ARE! Pray for me in this area as I try to improve my quiet times, so that they are not so quiet anymore. Why do we call them "quiet times" anyways, shouldn't God be speaking to us?

Good Morning!

I at my host family's home, waiting on 10 o'clock, when I am going to the office to work on the calendar for the summer. Most of the dates for camp and VBS are already set, but we (Jody and I) are going to attempt to set days for day trips and solidify some of the other plans that are kind of up in the air.

The past few days have been busy, but none of it has felt like "work." This is the kind of job that I want to be paid for someday, one where you don't even realize that you were just "working." Yesterday Jody had to go to traffic court in Savannah, so I got my first view of the city. It was absolutely gorgeous. The houses are all old, but well-kept. There are gardens everywhere, even though there isn't alot of grass. People have plants growing on their porches, up there house, and all around! AMAZING. We also saw some beautiful cathedrals, but weren't able to go in because they were having service (on a Thursday afternoon?)

Last night we went to a concert by Steve Fee. I was a little skeptical about how good it would be because I have never heard of him before, but it was really, really good. Steve allowed everyone to worship instead of attempting to entertain. I was struck last night by the verse "Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice." So often, worship is hard. Lifting your hands is not always comfortable and our feet get tired from standing. Our mind tends to wonder, and bringing it back to God over and over again can be mentally straining. Sometimes I just get so tired during worship, but I left the concert last night more energized than when I came. My worship seemed to change when I realized that it wasn't always going to be fun, but, if my heart was worshipping, it was always going to be pleasing to God!

I started reading Velvet Elvis today. What a great book. Rob Bell challenges us to question our faith. How can that strenghten our faith? Rob says that questioning causes us to admit that we don't have all the answers. We must seek out God, discover the mystery that He is. I recently read that women were created to reveal the mystery of God. Men are surface creatures, after digging a while you find all there is :-) but women are deep, no matter how long you know a woman, you will never know all that she is, but when you love a woman you are encouraged to continue searching. This is the same way with God, our love for Him calls us to dig deeper and deeper, to continue to question, even though we know that we will never completely figure it out. You should really check out the book, but beware it may cause you to question!

Thank you for your prayers. Please continue to pray for the youth at Rothwell and in the community. Pray for one of the youth guys who is currently un-churched and does not have a walking relationship with God. He was able to experience the worship service last night. Pray that a seed was planted that we at Rothwell can water. God gives the growth!

What draws you to Christ?

They've told me, "It's Cooler in Pooler" and so far, it's true. The people here are full of smiles and incredibly giving. I just arrived at the home of my host family a few hours ago. We had service at the church tonight, where I got to meet all of the youth (or all of the ones who were there). They were all really nice and energetic, reminding me alot of the youth at home. Most of the youth are high school age, from 9th to 11th grade. There are many more girls that guys. Tonight there were probably about 20 kids there.

The past few days I have been at orientation in Toccoa, GA, where the Georgia Baptist Association is located. We had lots of different training sessions, but one of them was evangelism training and the session was led by Janet, a woman from the GA WMU. It was completely different than what I expected. She explained the importance of love in the evangelism process. She didn't talk as much about what we say, focusing on what we do. I have been struggling lately with the thoughts of advertising Jesus as though he is only a "Get out of hell free card" and we are the community chess. It seems that this is what we do when we walk up to people and begin sharing an evange-cube or something else without actually getting to know the person first. Janet encouraged us to share our heart with the people.

What draws you to Christ? This is the question that Janet posed to each of us. and a question that each of you reading should pose to yourself. My answer is love, a love that wraps itself around me. A love from a friend who sees everything that I am and yet loves me the same. In his presence i can be me, sybisue. I don't have to worry about who i am because he knows and he made me!!!!

This is what I should share with those around me. These other tools can still be used to share the plan of salvation, of course. But what draws people to Christ is a person whose heart is real. My heart will not show in a memorized "plan of salvation" but my heart will be clear when I speak of what drew me to my fabulous Saviour! This new view of "evangelism" was energizing. i can't wait to share with others what drew me and continues to draw me to Christ.

Thank each of you for your prayers! Please pray for the youth at Rothwell, especially the middle schoolers and the new kids who are moving up from the 6th grade.

A Savannah Summer

In a few weeks (two and a half), I will head for Savannah, where I will spend the summer as an intern at Rothwell Baptist Church. I can't wait! At the church, I will assist the youth director will various aspects of the ministry, but I will concentrate my efforts on discipling the girls who are there through girls' bible study, fellowship and service.

I am not sure of all the details at this time. I have spoken with Jody (the youth minister) a few times, but I am not quite sure what questions to ask. I think that it is going to be a "wait and see" adventure! I do know that Rothwell is 20 minutes from Savannah. The youth group is very involved at the Baptist center downtown, so we will be doing VBS there and hanging out with the kids there a couple times a week. Rothwell is also 20 minutes from the beach, yeah! I am not sure what ministry opportunities are available on the coast, but, hopefully, we will be able to find some.

I am so grateful that God is allowing me to serve Him right here in the United States under such "safe" conditions. I admire those who are stepping so far out of the their comfort zones, both physically and emotionally. I am not going that far physically, but I know that God is going to challenge me in other ways. This summer, I hope to develop an intimate relationship with the Savior, learning to discern His voice more than ever before. I also hope to get a clearer glimpse of His plan for my life. I think, however, that He is going to teach me more about faith and less about "seeing the future."

Pray that God will use me to reach others and use those that I encounter to help me grow and strengthen my faith so that I can better serve Him in the way that He desires.