Hey everyone,
I just got back from a weekend visit in Starkville! I went to get some school things taken care of and visit with friends. The weekend was such a blessing! I was able to share some of the things the Lord has been teaching me and just fellowship with sweet friends that I have missed so much. The school things got taken care of too (which was an answered prayer). Praise God!
I just wanted to update you a little:
Thursday before we headed out of town, Peter Abungu (Mobilizing Students' contact in Kenya) came to our afternoon training. He shared a little bit about himself and what God is doing in Kenya. I enjoyed listening to him so much! His passion and zeal for the Lord is contagious. Peter shared with us some of the ministries he is a part of in Kenya. Please join me in prayer for the Muslim students that will hear the gospel in their schools and for how families react to those who put their faith in the Jesus Christ. Also be in prayer for young girls who are, for the first time, told that they do not have to sell their sex to help support their families. My heart is burdened for these girls. Pray for Peter and his family as they continue to serve our Lord in Africa.
Also on Thursday, we had a "mid-term" for our scripture memorization. We are almost up to 30 verses now! I can't explain to you the power in the Word. I have an awful memory! But as I continue to add verses to my little flip notecard book, it is as if my mind keeps expanding! It is completely the Lord, but the verses just keep getting easier and easier. And my desire for the Word just continues to grow. I am seeing how the Lord allows His Word to come to life by bringing up the verses I am studying during the day. It is a beautiful part of this journey! Thanks to those of you who have been praying for my mind to be able to soak up all my school and to memorize the scripture. He is faithful to answer prayers. I encourage you all to write God's Word on your hearts as well.
Last weekend was our monthly get-away. Our group spent a weekend camping at Land Between the Lakes, Kentucky. The weather was PERFECT and our time was sweet. I was reminded while there that the Lord's presence is always surrounding me. I am ashamed by how often I do not notice Him speaking to me. As I thought about what all my Father has been teaching me, I became overwhelmed with His Goodness. I'm praying for a heart that is sensitive to the Holy Spirit.
I hope you are all doing well..
John 8:31-32
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
I recently sent out my second newsletter, for October, which gave a quick rundown of what we've been up to the past month. At the close of the letter, I asked for prayer for Brentwood Middle School as we try to form a First Priority club on the campus. I ask you as well to pray for us to find a time for a parent-student meeting and that the right people will show. Also pray for the lost students at BMS and favor with the faculty there. The second thing I asked for prayer on was for our Burmese friends I have mentioned before. We had not been able to meet with them the past few weeks for various reasons but we prayed against discouragement and that our friendships with them would continue to grow in Jesus' Name. I asked for prayer for God's timing on us meeting again.
Well.."the prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working!" (James 5:16) We got to meet with them Saturday!! I hate that it's Wednesday night and I am just getting around to posting this, but I am just now finding the time. We were still not able to meet in the church, but Lulu said that God showed her that church is not about the building and we were invited to one of the refugee's apartment. The joy they had to meet with us was overwhelming. We sang and worshipped (their Myanmar dialect and our southern slang went beautifully together!) and we played games such as simon says and a spelling game. (My parents were in for a visit so my little brother got to come with us and he led us in the games) We also helped them with some English language tips and taught them phone etiquette. They were so eager to learn! We dove in to God's Word with them as we sat in a circle in the floor. We read about the armor of God in Ephesians 6 and discussed the importance of being armed. We encouraged them to spend time alone with the Lord and reading His Word as well as encouraging them to continue to meet together as the Body and truly be a picture of Acts 2:42. As we closed, Lulu put us in to small groups to discuss struggles we've been facing lately. (Neither of the two in my group felt comfortable speaking English so I did a lot of the talking here!) We ended with a beautiful time of prayer. We all called out to the Lord in our own languages, together with one voice.
To end the night, they cooked for us! We literally felt like we were at a feast. They were overjoyed to serve us. We continued to fellowship with them and took several pictures (of course!) As we left the apartment Lulu and the others waved goodbye to us until we were completely out of their sight.
We couldn't quit talking about the night when we left. It was so refreshing! Isn't is crazy how we think we need to pay for entertainment or doing something exciting to really fulfill a Saturday night? The greatest satisfaction I felt this weekend was sitting in the floor with some refugees from Myanmar soaking up the Word of God and worshipping Him together.
Well.."the prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working!" (James 5:16) We got to meet with them Saturday!! I hate that it's Wednesday night and I am just getting around to posting this, but I am just now finding the time. We were still not able to meet in the church, but Lulu said that God showed her that church is not about the building and we were invited to one of the refugee's apartment. The joy they had to meet with us was overwhelming. We sang and worshipped (their Myanmar dialect and our southern slang went beautifully together!) and we played games such as simon says and a spelling game. (My parents were in for a visit so my little brother got to come with us and he led us in the games) We also helped them with some English language tips and taught them phone etiquette. They were so eager to learn! We dove in to God's Word with them as we sat in a circle in the floor. We read about the armor of God in Ephesians 6 and discussed the importance of being armed. We encouraged them to spend time alone with the Lord and reading His Word as well as encouraging them to continue to meet together as the Body and truly be a picture of Acts 2:42. As we closed, Lulu put us in to small groups to discuss struggles we've been facing lately. (Neither of the two in my group felt comfortable speaking English so I did a lot of the talking here!) We ended with a beautiful time of prayer. We all called out to the Lord in our own languages, together with one voice.
To end the night, they cooked for us! We literally felt like we were at a feast. They were overjoyed to serve us. We continued to fellowship with them and took several pictures (of course!) As we left the apartment Lulu and the others waved goodbye to us until we were completely out of their sight.
We couldn't quit talking about the night when we left. It was so refreshing! Isn't is crazy how we think we need to pay for entertainment or doing something exciting to really fulfill a Saturday night? The greatest satisfaction I felt this weekend was sitting in the floor with some refugees from Myanmar soaking up the Word of God and worshipping Him together.
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| Mon Phet That (bananas and sticky rice in seaweed) Yum! |
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| Vermicile Soup from the Kyazan' Tribe So HOT! |
"Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them."
Matthew 18:20
Matthew 18:20
Praise God for sweet time with His children! Thank you for your prayers.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
fall creek falls
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| Fall Creek Falls |
These are pictures from our first retreat in September (sorry I'm late on getting them up). We went to Fall Creek Falls a couple of hours out of Nashville. We canoed, hiked to the top of the waterfall, had a picnic, and took some time to reflect and rejuvenate and enjoy God's beautiful creation.
We will be going on our next retreat next weekend. We're going camping! Hope you all are having an amazing week. Much love..
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Tomorrow begins our 8th week of Trek-X. I can hardly believe I've been in Nashville for two months. Things are starting to become more normal and relationships are being formed. I'm so excited about what the Lord is going to do in Nashville while we are here. The song "God of This City" comes to my mind..Greater things are yet to come. Our training and discipleship last week was jam-packed. We began an analysis of the Old Testament and also started reading The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer. In our morning discipleship time we are still going through the book of Acts. As we search the Word, we continuously see how the Holy Spirit is always present when miracles, healings, etc. take place. This is a good reminder that we must always be full of the Spirit. The latter part of the week we dug in to chapter 10, where the Holy Spirit fell on the Gentiles. As Peter went around preaching, he understood that the Lord was telling him to show no partiality among people. This reminded me how the Gentiles have been ADOPTED into the Kingdom. This is huge! We were not God's chosen people (Israel was), yet He chose to adopt us as His children. He shows no partiality. Praise God!
Last week I was led to read a blog written by Katie, a young woman (21 years old) from Brentwood, TN who is dying to live. She has given up her life of wealth and comfort in the U.S. to live in a village in Uganda, Africa. It's a beautiful story. Katie has adopted 14 Ugandan children and gives her life away for the glory of the Father as she nourishes them and teaches them and LOVES them. She is a single woman, only 21 remember, who despite these children's past, despite the color of their skin, despite their filth and desperate need, has taken them in as her very own children and loves them unconditionally. As I sat in tears reading Katie's blog, I was reminded of the Gospel. Just like these precious children, I have been ADOPTED! By grace, through faith, I have been saved. It is not at all my own doing, but a gift from God. (Ephesians 2:8-9) Despite my past, despite my filthy sin and desperate need, God sent His Son, and Jesus died for me. And He found great joy in doing so. And because of His Love for me, I live. I still can't wrap my mind around how incredibly amazing this is.
Please check out Katie's blog at http://kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/ and as you read some of the stories, think about the Grace and Love of Jesus Christ.
Last week I was led to read a blog written by Katie, a young woman (21 years old) from Brentwood, TN who is dying to live. She has given up her life of wealth and comfort in the U.S. to live in a village in Uganda, Africa. It's a beautiful story. Katie has adopted 14 Ugandan children and gives her life away for the glory of the Father as she nourishes them and teaches them and LOVES them. She is a single woman, only 21 remember, who despite these children's past, despite the color of their skin, despite their filth and desperate need, has taken them in as her very own children and loves them unconditionally. As I sat in tears reading Katie's blog, I was reminded of the Gospel. Just like these precious children, I have been ADOPTED! By grace, through faith, I have been saved. It is not at all my own doing, but a gift from God. (Ephesians 2:8-9) Despite my past, despite my filthy sin and desperate need, God sent His Son, and Jesus died for me. And He found great joy in doing so. And because of His Love for me, I live. I still can't wrap my mind around how incredibly amazing this is.
Please check out Katie's blog at http://kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/ and as you read some of the stories, think about the Grace and Love of Jesus Christ.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Nashville
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| First Priority Back to School Rally |
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| Nashville Sounds baseball game |
Just a few of the things we have done in Nashville...
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| English Class with Burmese Refugees |
We have also gone to a Celebration of Cultures Festival, visited the Parthenon at Centennial Park, See You at the Pole at various schools, and a lot of other things to involve ourselves in the community.
Thanks for all of your prayers. I love you all
Are you Dying to Live??
To explain everything that God has taught me since the beginning of Trek-X would take hours upon hours. My eyes have been opened, my faith has been stretched, my theology has been turned upside down. God is doing INCREDIBLE things! This morning in our Spiritual Discipline time as we read through Acts 9 we talked about how the Lord gives us affirmations. He affirms that what we are doing either is or is not of His will. The affirmations of Trek-X for me have been the times in the past 8 weeks when I have found myself on my face in tears or just staring at the Word. WOW moments. I'm learning what it means to ABIDE in Him (John 15:4-5). I can do nothing good on my own. The things God asks us to do are impossible. Without Him. But when I am abiding in Him there is nothing He cannot do. Matthew 4:19 has brought the question "if I'm not fishing, am I even following?" How much do I have to hate someone not to tell them about eternal Life in Jesus? I have learned that there are two voices that speak to us: the voice of God and the voice of Satan. I must constantly pray for discernment to know the voice of God when I hear it. Satan only speaks fear and condemnation- God speaks love and peace and encouragement.
Lastly I want to share with you how God has opened my eyes to the Kingdom dream. Am I working towards American success and storing treasures up here on earth to eventually DIE and leave behind? Or am I giving away the gifts the Lord has entrusted to me? Am I sharing JESUS with people? Am I being a disciple, a true Christ follower? Am I living to die or DYING TO LIVE??
Lastly I want to share with you how God has opened my eyes to the Kingdom dream. Am I working towards American success and storing treasures up here on earth to eventually DIE and leave behind? Or am I giving away the gifts the Lord has entrusted to me? Am I sharing JESUS with people? Am I being a disciple, a true Christ follower? Am I living to die or DYING TO LIVE??
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