Tonight in our junior high bible study we looked at the topic, "Does God Really Care?" I think I needed to hear myself teach this more than any of the students did.
Early last week a very special young lady to my wife, Stephanie, and I had an accident skiing in Colorado. Her name is Jessica (Jessie) and she was our flower girl almost seven years ago. She is still in ICU at a hospital in Grand Junction fighting to come back to us.
In John 7, while in prison, John the Baptist sent two of his disciples to ask Jesus if he was in fact the Messiah, the Son of God. I believe John wanted confirmation that his life's purpose and everything he had lived for was worth it - he wanted to know that being in prison was worth it - he wanted to know that Jesus cared. Jesus sent word back to John to look around at the proof - the life change that followed Jesus - he was the Messiah, the Son of God and yes, "John, I care for you and your life has totally been worth it." (that's my translation). It's good to know that God cares - that the lives we live (the good and the bad) matter to him and all of our experiences are worth it!
Please pray for Jessie, her family, and anyone else you might know who needs to know that God cares and that their life is worth it.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Comin' Home
Hey everyone! So sorry we haven't updated in a while. These last few days have been hectic! But I'm happy to say we are all on our way back now. Yesterday, we made our way to Memphis and spent the afternoon in the Memphis Zoo! So many great animals and fun. After dinner in the mall, we spent the night at Christ UMC. What a wonderful blessing they were to let us stay there. Anyways, we packed up and headed out this morning at 7:30. Now, we're on the road home! We hope to see you soon.
Here is a testimony of the week from one of our seniors, Isaac Roman:
I’ve been shown many things about depending on God. Not just this last week, but over the last month. I was originally going to go to Mexico, not because I really knew that God wanted me to go, but because it had been a spiritually uplifting experience in the past and I expected it would be the same this time. When Trae decided that we weren’t going to go to Mexico I was furious. I saw it as our youth leader being forced to make a foolish decision because parents were making a big deal out of something that was in my mind inconsequential. I should have seen that God was bigger than any conflict we could have amongst ourselves, and that what we ended up doing would be the biggest push for God’s kingdom that we could possibly achieve.
My lesson in humility started about a month ago. The youth leaders passed out these little black booklets with five verses in them. I kind of ignored them for a week or two, but I pulled them out of my pocket one day and figured I might as well read them.
Jeremiah 29:11 “I know the plans I have for you.” Declares the Lord. “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other, and pray for each other, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
Isaiah 40:31 Those who wait on 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 faint.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever shall believe in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives within me. The life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God, who loves me and gave himself for me.
I didn’t realize when I first read these verses just how applicable they would be, or how soon I would see it. The first one I had always heard, but had never really planned on needing to remember. I figured I knew what God had planned for me, so I might as well do what I was planning on cause God and I were always on the same page. I came to realize that God’s plans give me better experiences, more joy, and better relationships with those I love. We got to Kentucky and it was at once evident that God had prepared this place for our arrival. The people there were so supportive of their churches, because the churches were so supportive of the community. Everybody we talked to spent time at the church even if they weren’t believers. They swam at one, ate lunch at the soup kitchen at another, or played in the basketball league at a third. The fact that God had done so much before we had even gotten there made it immediately obvious that God had wanted us here from the start.
The second verse became more and more loud in my understanding of it’s importance as the week went on. We were assigned prayer partners the day we left, and every day we would spend time with our prayer buddy talking about what we were struggling with, and what we felt good about. Not just stuff about this week but everything in our lives. I was lucky to I know that everything I shared with her, she prayed for throughout the day. The fact that there was someone I could talk to about my troubles made the whole week so easy. All of my burdens were shared with Michelle and the Lord, and with all of us carrying it the weight was as minimal as could be. Knowing that someone was lifting up my cares in prayer helped me to not worry, to not feel stress, and to focus on more positive things.
One of the things I was struggling with was patience, and this is where the third verse comes into play. The first day or two we were working fairly hard, but I would see people who weren’t as skilled at a certain job doing that job, and taking longer than needed to be taken. It bothered me that we weren’t working in the most efficient way possible because I assumed the point of the trip was to help as many people as possible. I came to realize that doing the work wasn’t as important as loving the people. The fact that my friends were having a great time doing the work was much more impacting than if we’d all sullenly done twice as much. Waiting on the Lord allowed me to be happier, and to enjoy the fellowship of my friends, and the people we befriended from the community.
The fourth verse is probably the most well known verse in the entire bible. It’s quoted more than any other verse in the world, and still people don’t understand it’s power. The love a father has for his son is one of the most powerful loves in the world. The fact that God would give his son for us is a testament to his love for each individual on this planet. The saying “he thinks the world of you” is so applicable in this situation because God made the world, and knows exactly how much that means. The fact that Jesus would die for us is incredible. The fact that he would take the punishment for each and every sin that we commit is a devotion that none of us will ever understand. The story of God’s love for us is the most incredible story in the world, and we tend to glance over it because we hear it so often. I pray that in the future you would think about what that verse really meant, and how much love God lavishes on you every day.
The fifth verse is definitely my favorite. It was the most challenging, the most difficult, the most frustrating of all the verses, but it also comes with the biggest boost in faith, in love for God, and in love for others. This week I saw every one of the kids in this youth group living by faith in the Son of God. I saw hundreds of people impacted by these strange kids from Oklahoma who spent money to come clean up their yards, I heard stories of how the people we were helping had impacted us, and I saw the group as a whole become closer than any other friends I’ve seen. We lived an incredible story and with the help of our Lord were able to bring joy to hundreds of people we never even saw. We gave them hope for the future, faith in the christians of the community, and love for the forgotten of their people. We shared our story with all those people, and they shared it with their friends and family across the nation.
The strength of Satan is beaten by the blood of the Lamb and the power of our testimony. This is me sharing my testimony with you, now go share your testimonies with the world.
UPDATE: Jessie Boone's condition is slowly increasing. The pressure in her brain has been low and stable, but she is still fairly sedated. They are easing her off of sedatives and keeping a close eye on the pressure. It's still a journey and a waiting game. If there are some of you who want to keep better updated, you can join this facebook group where Jessie's mother is posting daily updates to her condition. Even if you don't have a facebook, You can still read the updates on that link. So keep her and her family in your prayers!
Here is a testimony of the week from one of our seniors, Isaac Roman:
I’ve been shown many things about depending on God. Not just this last week, but over the last month. I was originally going to go to Mexico, not because I really knew that God wanted me to go, but because it had been a spiritually uplifting experience in the past and I expected it would be the same this time. When Trae decided that we weren’t going to go to Mexico I was furious. I saw it as our youth leader being forced to make a foolish decision because parents were making a big deal out of something that was in my mind inconsequential. I should have seen that God was bigger than any conflict we could have amongst ourselves, and that what we ended up doing would be the biggest push for God’s kingdom that we could possibly achieve.
My lesson in humility started about a month ago. The youth leaders passed out these little black booklets with five verses in them. I kind of ignored them for a week or two, but I pulled them out of my pocket one day and figured I might as well read them.
Jeremiah 29:11 “I know the plans I have for you.” Declares the Lord. “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other, and pray for each other, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
Isaiah 40:31 Those who wait on 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 faint.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever shall believe in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives within me. The life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God, who loves me and gave himself for me.
I didn’t realize when I first read these verses just how applicable they would be, or how soon I would see it. The first one I had always heard, but had never really planned on needing to remember. I figured I knew what God had planned for me, so I might as well do what I was planning on cause God and I were always on the same page. I came to realize that God’s plans give me better experiences, more joy, and better relationships with those I love. We got to Kentucky and it was at once evident that God had prepared this place for our arrival. The people there were so supportive of their churches, because the churches were so supportive of the community. Everybody we talked to spent time at the church even if they weren’t believers. They swam at one, ate lunch at the soup kitchen at another, or played in the basketball league at a third. The fact that God had done so much before we had even gotten there made it immediately obvious that God had wanted us here from the start.
The second verse became more and more loud in my understanding of it’s importance as the week went on. We were assigned prayer partners the day we left, and every day we would spend time with our prayer buddy talking about what we were struggling with, and what we felt good about. Not just stuff about this week but everything in our lives. I was lucky to I know that everything I shared with her, she prayed for throughout the day. The fact that there was someone I could talk to about my troubles made the whole week so easy. All of my burdens were shared with Michelle and the Lord, and with all of us carrying it the weight was as minimal as could be. Knowing that someone was lifting up my cares in prayer helped me to not worry, to not feel stress, and to focus on more positive things.
One of the things I was struggling with was patience, and this is where the third verse comes into play. The first day or two we were working fairly hard, but I would see people who weren’t as skilled at a certain job doing that job, and taking longer than needed to be taken. It bothered me that we weren’t working in the most efficient way possible because I assumed the point of the trip was to help as many people as possible. I came to realize that doing the work wasn’t as important as loving the people. The fact that my friends were having a great time doing the work was much more impacting than if we’d all sullenly done twice as much. Waiting on the Lord allowed me to be happier, and to enjoy the fellowship of my friends, and the people we befriended from the community.
The fourth verse is probably the most well known verse in the entire bible. It’s quoted more than any other verse in the world, and still people don’t understand it’s power. The love a father has for his son is one of the most powerful loves in the world. The fact that God would give his son for us is a testament to his love for each individual on this planet. The saying “he thinks the world of you” is so applicable in this situation because God made the world, and knows exactly how much that means. The fact that Jesus would die for us is incredible. The fact that he would take the punishment for each and every sin that we commit is a devotion that none of us will ever understand. The story of God’s love for us is the most incredible story in the world, and we tend to glance over it because we hear it so often. I pray that in the future you would think about what that verse really meant, and how much love God lavishes on you every day.
The fifth verse is definitely my favorite. It was the most challenging, the most difficult, the most frustrating of all the verses, but it also comes with the biggest boost in faith, in love for God, and in love for others. This week I saw every one of the kids in this youth group living by faith in the Son of God. I saw hundreds of people impacted by these strange kids from Oklahoma who spent money to come clean up their yards, I heard stories of how the people we were helping had impacted us, and I saw the group as a whole become closer than any other friends I’ve seen. We lived an incredible story and with the help of our Lord were able to bring joy to hundreds of people we never even saw. We gave them hope for the future, faith in the christians of the community, and love for the forgotten of their people. We shared our story with all those people, and they shared it with their friends and family across the nation.
The strength of Satan is beaten by the blood of the Lamb and the power of our testimony. This is me sharing my testimony with you, now go share your testimonies with the world.
UPDATE: Jessie Boone's condition is slowly increasing. The pressure in her brain has been low and stable, but she is still fairly sedated. They are easing her off of sedatives and keeping a close eye on the pressure. It's still a journey and a waiting game. If there are some of you who want to keep better updated, you can join this facebook group where Jessie's mother is posting daily updates to her condition. Even if you don't have a facebook, You can still read the updates on that link. So keep her and her family in your prayers!
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Pampering the Body AND Spirit
This is Lexy Diaz and i am a Senior.
Today Wednesday the 18th i had the opportunity to work at a house, at the soup kitchen, at the nursing home and i got the wonderful opportunity to speak with the fellow seniors to a local youth group about missions. It was incredible to see how us worshiping at the soup kitchen brought so much hope and joy and love of Christ to the people's faces. I think at first some of the people were a little annoyed and/or weirded out but as we went on and on i got to see God's beautiful face among the faces of the community. In that i feel as though i got closer to God by just listening to the lost, broken heart and the people that have given up hope.
At the nursing home it was so great to speak with the elderly women and be a listening ear. These women were so "boonchie" in other words so precious and cute:) They would just sit and try to be very still and try not to mess up their nail polish. There were different stations that we rolled them to; the first was a relaxing back rub, next was the facial, and last was the nail painting station.
When i went to speak to the youth group it was so wonderful to kinda share what was on my heart about missions and it was so great to hear what was on other people's hearts. While we were talking i dont know if the kids were actually taking what we were saying and really thinking through it to apply it to them but even if they werent i think that God so till placed us there to plant a seed about missions on the heart.
I just think it was wonderful to see God in many different way today and it is so great to was our youth group grow together as a body of Christ.
This is Arielle!
I have had a blast on this trip! It is my first mission trip and I was so excited to go to Mexico, but I am even more glad that we went to Paducah, KY. Today we got to switch teams and work with different people. I have come to know our youth group and the hearts that they all have for missions and for Jesus. I have watched them at the Soup Kitchen and I am always amazed at how they can interact with people and make a connection in a few short moments. The people that we talk to aren't always the cleanest or the nicest people we have ever met, but that never matters to anyone and they push aside their inhibitions and get to know the people in the time that they have together. They make people feel special and they are a breath of fresh air to this community. They are all unique and I have loved getting to know them and see them work with others in this community.
UPDATE: The student from Church of the Servant, Jessie Boone, is still in ICU at the hospital, and her options are slimming. Please keep her in your prayers. The doctors have given her body about a 4-6 day window to show signs of recovery, as swelling in her brain keeps fluctuating. God is faithful and will work through all this. Let's keep lifting her and her family up.
Today Wednesday the 18th i had the opportunity to work at a house, at the soup kitchen, at the nursing home and i got the wonderful opportunity to speak with the fellow seniors to a local youth group about missions. It was incredible to see how us worshiping at the soup kitchen brought so much hope and joy and love of Christ to the people's faces. I think at first some of the people were a little annoyed and/or weirded out but as we went on and on i got to see God's beautiful face among the faces of the community. In that i feel as though i got closer to God by just listening to the lost, broken heart and the people that have given up hope.
At the nursing home it was so great to speak with the elderly women and be a listening ear. These women were so "boonchie" in other words so precious and cute:) They would just sit and try to be very still and try not to mess up their nail polish. There were different stations that we rolled them to; the first was a relaxing back rub, next was the facial, and last was the nail painting station.
When i went to speak to the youth group it was so wonderful to kinda share what was on my heart about missions and it was so great to hear what was on other people's hearts. While we were talking i dont know if the kids were actually taking what we were saying and really thinking through it to apply it to them but even if they werent i think that God so till placed us there to plant a seed about missions on the heart.
I just think it was wonderful to see God in many different way today and it is so great to was our youth group grow together as a body of Christ.
This is Arielle!
I have had a blast on this trip! It is my first mission trip and I was so excited to go to Mexico, but I am even more glad that we went to Paducah, KY. Today we got to switch teams and work with different people. I have come to know our youth group and the hearts that they all have for missions and for Jesus. I have watched them at the Soup Kitchen and I am always amazed at how they can interact with people and make a connection in a few short moments. The people that we talk to aren't always the cleanest or the nicest people we have ever met, but that never matters to anyone and they push aside their inhibitions and get to know the people in the time that they have together. They make people feel special and they are a breath of fresh air to this community. They are all unique and I have loved getting to know them and see them work with others in this community.
UPDATE: The student from Church of the Servant, Jessie Boone, is still in ICU at the hospital, and her options are slimming. Please keep her in your prayers. The doctors have given her body about a 4-6 day window to show signs of recovery, as swelling in her brain keeps fluctuating. God is faithful and will work through all this. Let's keep lifting her and her family up.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
What a Day!
Hi this is Jason Berry!!! I am a Freshman from North and today i was on the street ministry team.
OK, so we start out and we have to go do some houses yards because the soup kitchen doesn't open until around 11:00. We got to this house and a tree was about to fall and it was right next to the house so Mr. Bruno got the long reach chainsaw and between me Issac and Mr. Bruno we cut the tree back to keep it off the house, it was really cool because I got to use the chainsaw and the pole saw. Afterwards we went off to the soup kitchen I tried to get a job serving food but they were all taken when I got there. So that meant that i had to talk to the patrons and socialize. ( not really my forte) So we are just chatting with these people and these two ladies (one of whom we had helped the day before) start giving our girls advise. Then we went off to the nursing home and socialized with the residents. The old people are so nice!!! We talked with them and some would just trail off into silence while others where absolutely sure what they were going to do. One lady was determined to move to Oklahoma and get a medium sized house and all this other stuff. We also chatted with alzheimers patients. Mary Dell Dean was with me and she told me that i did quite well in that every time they asked if we were from Kentucky I responded as if they had never asked me that before at all. But after all there was just no way you could be mean to these people they were just so sweet!!!
Hi this is Claire Belden and Sami Strong and we're juniors : )
This is Claire. Yesterday was an absolutely amazing day... and it just keeps getting better and better. God is completely opening my eyes to the world around me and is giving me work like I have never had before. It is so fulfilling when we finish each project and then get to talk with the homeowners. You can just see the light of God pouring out of their hearts with much thanks for the work we have done for them. Our group worked on three houses today. The first one we went to we meet this pretty cool guy named Kraig. He told us about his life. Kraig is probably a middle aged man who has a wife and two kids. Although he appeared to be strong and capable like any other his age, he wasn't. He told us that about eight years ago he was cleaning out his hand gun when he accidentally dropped it on the floor and something went wrong causing the gun to miss fire. The bullet shot him in the head. He went to the emergency room and they told them that there was internal bleeding around in his head around his brain and that he had about a 1% chance to live... he told us that every church in his little town was praying for him throughout his situation and somehow, someway he pulled through. I consider him a major blessing! The down side to the story is that he has gone through so much therapy that he has long term memory problems and cannot do work like he used to be able to do. This made him pretty sad, but he is just very thankful to be here today and that he can still get out and walk around to do stuff with his family. I consider him a walking angel and a reminder to myself how fragile life is and how we shouldn't take anything for granted. It has encouraged me use everything that I have to its full potential and to live life to the fullest, glorifying God always. That was one of the stories that have really touched me on this trip so far, but I have a feeling that I have quite a few more yet to come. I am having a blast and growing closer to my wonderful church peeps and most of all God! : )
P.S.
I am super excited for tomorrow... because rumor has it that all the girls get to go back to the nursing home tomorrow after some more work in the morning and pamper old little ladies. (like put make-up on them and do their nails and "girlie" stuff like that while the boys are doing more "manly man" work. It will be great!)
This is Sami now. This trip so far has been incredible! Usually I don't like not knowing the plan and what we're doing but this has been really great just not knowing what is to come, and going with the flow of what God has called each of us to do. We've had some really cool encounters with the people of this close knit community weather we helped move branches or talked to them while they at lunch or at a chill time at the nursing home. Everyone has been so open to what we have to offer and so thankful even if its a little job that some would look over. Throughout this trip everyone has gotten so much closer with eachother and God and the fellowship has been amazing. I've loved everything about this so far and I know that it will just be getting even better! : )
Those are just a few stories from this week! God is moving in great ways. But, prayer is still needed. Especially for one student at Church of the Servant in OKC. They took their high school students on a ski trip in Colorado this spring break, and while she was skiing, she crashed hard into a tree and is in the hospital. Please keep her in your prayers, and we will try to update on her status.
Thank you all SO much for taking the time to read and support us while we're here! There are a few highlight photos at the very bottom, so you should check them out.
God is GREAT.
OK, so we start out and we have to go do some houses yards because the soup kitchen doesn't open until around 11:00. We got to this house and a tree was about to fall and it was right next to the house so Mr. Bruno got the long reach chainsaw and between me Issac and Mr. Bruno we cut the tree back to keep it off the house, it was really cool because I got to use the chainsaw and the pole saw. Afterwards we went off to the soup kitchen I tried to get a job serving food but they were all taken when I got there. So that meant that i had to talk to the patrons and socialize. ( not really my forte) So we are just chatting with these people and these two ladies (one of whom we had helped the day before) start giving our girls advise. Then we went off to the nursing home and socialized with the residents. The old people are so nice!!! We talked with them and some would just trail off into silence while others where absolutely sure what they were going to do. One lady was determined to move to Oklahoma and get a medium sized house and all this other stuff. We also chatted with alzheimers patients. Mary Dell Dean was with me and she told me that i did quite well in that every time they asked if we were from Kentucky I responded as if they had never asked me that before at all. But after all there was just no way you could be mean to these people they were just so sweet!!!
Hi this is Claire Belden and Sami Strong and we're juniors : )
This is Claire. Yesterday was an absolutely amazing day... and it just keeps getting better and better. God is completely opening my eyes to the world around me and is giving me work like I have never had before. It is so fulfilling when we finish each project and then get to talk with the homeowners. You can just see the light of God pouring out of their hearts with much thanks for the work we have done for them. Our group worked on three houses today. The first one we went to we meet this pretty cool guy named Kraig. He told us about his life. Kraig is probably a middle aged man who has a wife and two kids. Although he appeared to be strong and capable like any other his age, he wasn't. He told us that about eight years ago he was cleaning out his hand gun when he accidentally dropped it on the floor and something went wrong causing the gun to miss fire. The bullet shot him in the head. He went to the emergency room and they told them that there was internal bleeding around in his head around his brain and that he had about a 1% chance to live... he told us that every church in his little town was praying for him throughout his situation and somehow, someway he pulled through. I consider him a major blessing! The down side to the story is that he has gone through so much therapy that he has long term memory problems and cannot do work like he used to be able to do. This made him pretty sad, but he is just very thankful to be here today and that he can still get out and walk around to do stuff with his family. I consider him a walking angel and a reminder to myself how fragile life is and how we shouldn't take anything for granted. It has encouraged me use everything that I have to its full potential and to live life to the fullest, glorifying God always. That was one of the stories that have really touched me on this trip so far, but I have a feeling that I have quite a few more yet to come. I am having a blast and growing closer to my wonderful church peeps and most of all God! : )
P.S.
I am super excited for tomorrow... because rumor has it that all the girls get to go back to the nursing home tomorrow after some more work in the morning and pamper old little ladies. (like put make-up on them and do their nails and "girlie" stuff like that while the boys are doing more "manly man" work. It will be great!)
This is Sami now. This trip so far has been incredible! Usually I don't like not knowing the plan and what we're doing but this has been really great just not knowing what is to come, and going with the flow of what God has called each of us to do. We've had some really cool encounters with the people of this close knit community weather we helped move branches or talked to them while they at lunch or at a chill time at the nursing home. Everyone has been so open to what we have to offer and so thankful even if its a little job that some would look over. Throughout this trip everyone has gotten so much closer with eachother and God and the fellowship has been amazing. I've loved everything about this so far and I know that it will just be getting even better! : )
Those are just a few stories from this week! God is moving in great ways. But, prayer is still needed. Especially for one student at Church of the Servant in OKC. They took their high school students on a ski trip in Colorado this spring break, and while she was skiing, she crashed hard into a tree and is in the hospital. Please keep her in your prayers, and we will try to update on her status.
Thank you all SO much for taking the time to read and support us while we're here! There are a few highlight photos at the very bottom, so you should check them out.
God is GREAT.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Some Lead In Hopes That Others Will Follow
Hello!
I am Max Nowakowski, a senior at New Cov. I had some stuff I want to share with anyone and everyone who might be reading this. God has really layed a few key issues on my heart since we left for the trip. Here is one or two of those very thoughts.
Tonight at worship we really had some great discussion. Multiple people were able to share their experiences from today, whatever that might encompass. One re-occurring theme that was traced through everyone's stories and experiences was the people of Paduca, and how they kept asking why a group like us could possibly want to come here of all places to serve. Some people mentioned the change of plans that kept us from going to Mexico, some simply said "Because we love you and we want to serve God." Something that hit me hard was how willing everyone was to just be used in any way possible to help others who can't help themselves. When you were a kid, were you willing to give up your one week off from school to cut down and haul away tree limbs? Either way, this group is special.
To the members and clergy at New Cov, send us out! No matter where you live or what you do, you make excuses: excuses not to go to work, not to spend money, not to run into that unfriendly neighbor. Any way you put it, we make excuses or reasons why we can't serve or be the body of Christ. My call is to you, New Covenant. Sponsor us. Get us there. Come with us, even. This group is JUMPING at the opportunity to be the hands and feet of Christ. There are so many people out there just like you. We all need time and money. I'm calling you to be different. Donate. Get involved. Do something to be a breath of fresh air to someone, somehow.
Does AC give the benediction by commissioning us to go and be the light of the world? Or does he remind us weekly to get pumped about the sweet music you can expect next Sunday? Did Jesus say to send ministers out? Or to make sure to have a big band for Sunday morning worship? The ball is in YOUR court. What will YOU do with it??
I am Max Nowakowski, a senior at New Cov. I had some stuff I want to share with anyone and everyone who might be reading this. God has really layed a few key issues on my heart since we left for the trip. Here is one or two of those very thoughts.
Tonight at worship we really had some great discussion. Multiple people were able to share their experiences from today, whatever that might encompass. One re-occurring theme that was traced through everyone's stories and experiences was the people of Paduca, and how they kept asking why a group like us could possibly want to come here of all places to serve. Some people mentioned the change of plans that kept us from going to Mexico, some simply said "Because we love you and we want to serve God." Something that hit me hard was how willing everyone was to just be used in any way possible to help others who can't help themselves. When you were a kid, were you willing to give up your one week off from school to cut down and haul away tree limbs? Either way, this group is special.
To the members and clergy at New Cov, send us out! No matter where you live or what you do, you make excuses: excuses not to go to work, not to spend money, not to run into that unfriendly neighbor. Any way you put it, we make excuses or reasons why we can't serve or be the body of Christ. My call is to you, New Covenant. Sponsor us. Get us there. Come with us, even. This group is JUMPING at the opportunity to be the hands and feet of Christ. There are so many people out there just like you. We all need time and money. I'm calling you to be different. Donate. Get involved. Do something to be a breath of fresh air to someone, somehow.
Does AC give the benediction by commissioning us to go and be the light of the world? Or does he remind us weekly to get pumped about the sweet music you can expect next Sunday? Did Jesus say to send ministers out? Or to make sure to have a big band for Sunday morning worship? The ball is in YOUR court. What will YOU do with it??
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Day Two
Here's a little update from one of our seniors, Aaron Bruns!
We all arrived in Paducah, Kentucky today. Damage from the ice storm is incredible. Looks like someone just dropped a solid sheet of ice on the whole forest. Can't find any trees that are not damaged. Our job is to clean up the branches in some of the local yards. We had worship with the youth of the church we are staying at. Lots of fun! Looking froward to tomorrow when we start work.
Till next time. :)
We all arrived in Paducah, Kentucky today. Damage from the ice storm is incredible. Looks like someone just dropped a solid sheet of ice on the whole forest. Can't find any trees that are not damaged. Our job is to clean up the branches in some of the local yards. We had worship with the youth of the church we are staying at. Lots of fun! Looking froward to tomorrow when we start work.
Till next time. :)
On the Road Again
Well, early this morning, we woke up to breakfast being served to us by the wonderful people at King's Way UMC in Springfield, MO! They were such a blessing in serving us, and they even sent us off with a prayer of blessing during their early church service.
Now, we are on our way to only God knows where! ...and the leaders. But we can pretend. Anyways, we have a long drive ahead and spirits are high, despite the fact that everyone is asleep. So, I'll leave you now with a heart full of excitement and joy. I pray all of you have a blessed day! Stay tuned for more updates. I hope to have some pictures for you, soon!
Trusting in Christ,
-Travis
Now, we are on our way to only God knows where! ...and the leaders. But we can pretend. Anyways, we have a long drive ahead and spirits are high, despite the fact that everyone is asleep. So, I'll leave you now with a heart full of excitement and joy. I pray all of you have a blessed day! Stay tuned for more updates. I hope to have some pictures for you, soon!
Trusting in Christ,
-Travis
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Look What We're Doing!
