without you, Lord

God, I am weak, angry, lonely, defeated and pitiful on my own - but with You, Lord, I am strong, joyous, comforted, victorious and worthwhile. 

I have been learning so much this summer with 1:8.  It is hard to see my own growth - but I can tell that it is happening.  I am starting to take each thing that I find difficult as a challenge to grow stronger in my faith.  

Everything this week has been surprisingly good. I was not very excited about doing construction work with KY changers - but I learned something through doing my best to have a good attitude.  I was doing MY best to have a good attitude and serve to the best of my ability - but I wasn't relying on God's strength and the Spirit to guide my actions and heart. 

KY changers work was exhausting and not much fun - but I was able to learn about some of the people on my team and bond with them, which was wonderful. 

Today the 1:8 team participated in "Kindness Explosion".  This meant that we had to fill our backpacks full of bottles of water and hit the sidewalks - prepared to give everyone we came into contact with a bottle of water, tell them about the block parties and tell them about Jesus.  This was a very conflicting thought for some of the people on the team - including myself.  We have been taught all summer (so far) to work on making relationships to be able to effectively speak grace and truth into people's lives.  It has helped me be able to strike up conversations - but it has not prepared me to meet people - hand out tracks - and tell them about Jesus in a few minutes (at least that is what it seemed we were supposed to do).   I learned that I am not that type of person & it is not something that I find easy to do.  After this summer I have learned how to talk to people and be genuine - but our mission for today seemed a little difficult for me.  But when we went out with our backpacks full of "Jesus water", we didn't see many people at the park in the part of town where we were. When we headed back to our site to meet, I saw a van that said "Living Hope Baptist Church Bowling Green, Ky".  I got very excited.  

One of the women at the church that was involved in the block party (we had been inviting people to) asked if we could help, I volunteered.  I got to make snow cones for precious children and overwhelmed parents.  I got to play with little kids and laugh with their parents about the most random things.  It was an absolutely beautiful day. 

Tomorrow we are going to the Sojourn Church. I can't wait.  I was told that I would really like this church by a lot of people, but I never really believed them until Sunday night when the people and the pastor spoke to my heart. The pastor said that we assume to much in our relationship with God and our brothers and sisters in Christ.  We should be astonished by what Christ did for us and not just assume that we deserve God's grace - when really we couldn't do anything to meet the standards - but still we assume we are good enough.  We should be astonished by His mercy, grace and love. 

This week we will be registering people for the Southern Baptist Convention.  We actually get breaks this week and I am very grateful at just the idea of that!

In one week I will be taking my break from Acts 1:8 to visit friends and see my parents - it will be a glorious thing.  And then a few days later I will be leaving for the Dominican Republic! What a wonderful thought!

If you could, please pray for our team... we are approaching the dreaded week 4.  This is the week we have been told all summer that we will start being real and I just hope that we remember to give grace to everyone around us. 

My Rock

I have decided that blogging this summer will be more difficult than I thought.  But here it goes:

The Acts 1:8 Team has been going through a book called "Contemplating The Cross." It is a 40 day journey through Jesus' journey to the cross.  It has been a great opportunity to focus on all that He went through for us. Each of the team members gets a turn to do the devotion and share what they learned through that day by reading the book.  It has been awesome to hear the insight of my brothers and sisters and be able to share what has been on my heart. 

But that is not the reason for this post... 

I first have to give a background of who I am and what I am about... So I am not sure if you may or may not know... but I tend to be one who worries... and not only worries - but takes it to the extreme.  A perfect example: Tonight I left Highland Coffee (a beautiful little shop on Bardstown Rd) and my phone was dead (from using the gps to get to highland).  So I didn't really pay much attention to what I did with it - I know that is a terrible way to treat a phone -.  So when I got into my room and was going to call one of the girls in acts 1:8, I almost freaked out when I couldn't find my phone.  I ran (walked quickly) down to my car and searched every part of it (or so I thought).  

I used my friend's phone to call Highland to see if anyone had turned in a lonely maroon blackberry.  There was no such thing turned in.  I then called back and made sure that the man double checked the table we were sitting at to see if there was a phone there - he seemed so calm and happy (how could he be calm! My phone was missing!) 

I walked down to my car again and by this time - was able to tell that I would be panicking soon... I took deep breaths and kept on my mind that God is sovereign even without my phone - and that I could survive without it - whether I would want to or not.  This was a good process to help me keep my cool (compared to how I have reacted in the past). 

After I finally found my phone and got it all charged up and ready to use, I sat down and opened the Word for some much needed guidance and encouragement.  I am also reading a book in my quiet time called "Names of God."  The name today was very relevant to life, it was entitled, "Rock."   

"I love you, O LORD, my strength. 

The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; 

my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.

He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

For who is God besides the LORD?  

And who is the Rock except our God?

The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock!

Exalted be God my Savior! 

                    (Psalm 18:1-2, 31, 46)

He lifted me out of the slimy pit, 

out of the mud and mire; 

he set my feet on a rock

and gave me a firm place to stand. 

                     (Psalm 40:2)

It is verses like these that are able to get me through times when I feel like the walls are caving in - or the time is going by too fast and I won't get things done.  I am able to remember the truths that Jesus taught while He was on this earth and the ones He continues to show us through the Spirit.  How beautiful are the things He reveals.  Like the fact that He is our cornerstone and our foundation.  It never gets old.

"A large rock is secure, fixed, and unmovable. It represents constancy and permanence, something to grab hold of when everything else about us seems to be changing."

 

So ... it is safe to say that the LORD is definitely using this summer to teach me a lot of things. 

This week has been spent with Edge Outreach - training and learning health education and also working at the Edge Mission House with cleaning and fixing it up for youth groups to come and live while they are working in Louisville.   

I am getting more excited about the Dominican Republic as the days go by.  It is almost here! In almost two weeks I will be on my way to Cincinnati to depart on a plane to the D.R. with some wonderful friends that have recently been placed in my life.  It will be such a great adventure!

summer on a boat .... well, sort of.

One of the most clever pictures ever.  We had to get a picture on a boat and the guy that was putting up the letters for that week let us mess with it and put our own - very encouraging - message.  But the catch was... we had to then put, "Jesus is the same, yesterday, today and forever.  I don't think that is as eye catching as our message! SHAWTY!

I am not sure where to begin when talking about the past two weeks.  it would just be ridiculous to cover absolutely everything... but I will try! 

It started on a Sunday afternoon when I was visiting a mr. ellis before the summer started officially.  I went to church and the scripture that was discussed was Isaiah 6. Which I just so happen to associate with this summer and my past mission trips (that always happens). I was driving to the Barnes and Noble at the Summit and tears started falling. I guess it was the unknown that I was nervous about.  I quickly got over that. 

I sat down at a table in Barnes and Noble with my Mocha Frappuchino, a new journal & my first Louie Giglio book - yes.. incase you were wondering... I am turning into Josh Coleman -. But I enjoyed just seeing people around me that were made to worship.  What a beautiful sight and what a call to share the beautiful news.  

I met up with one of the girls doing 1:8 and we drove over to the seminary to put our stuff in our dorms - that are smaller than wku's -, sign more forms, and head over to keith inman's house for dinner.  It was great to be able to see the girls and guys that I will be spending the rest of my summer with.  

We got the basic rundown for the summer and were able to do some bonding on that first night.  The segregation started between the girls and guys.  The ladies gathered in the living room and around the kitchen table while the boys went down stairs to be secluded.  - it has only gotten worse since then... haha. but it's okay -. 

The week started off kind of shaky.  We all tried to get used to the schedule.  Some of the girls were ambitious and mentioned working out in the mornings - I was one of those girls for two days.. - but that has slowly stopped with mornings that start at 7 this week.  The first week we listened to TJ come and talk about discipleship.  It was pretty great and I was reminded once again how important it is  (this excited me about the dgroup I have the opportunity to lead in the fall).

One of the coolest things (in my opinion) that we are doing is this thing called Ministry Points.  That means that on certain nights we go to these places in which we can engage with other people and work on hearing the peoples stories that we come into contact with and then share our story - ultimately sharing God's story.  We are also using these times to build relationships with people (we try to go to the same place every week) and invite them to Refresh - our Thursday night worship service at Hunsinger Lane Baptist Church. 

well that is a good transition into the service... Refresh.  Can I just tell you that it is legit. The people who are playing in the band are not only talented but are passionate about praising God.  Which is absolutely beautiful.  Everyone who is involved in the service works together to glorify God - even if it takes extra hours and a little frustration with things not working out the way we thought they would.  For those of you who know - my passion is worship - just the idea of praise - through a service - but not only that - through our daily lives. It is just a beautiful way to think of glorifying God - giving Him all you have to praise Him.  I am learning so much about worship this summer and how it can be done through service, prayer, community, time alone, and the times when you have to stick it out.   

Well... if you didn't know - my favorite thing is to plan our services and get everything to work together and flow well.  I just find it so much fun and a great way to be involved in something so great.  Well.. I got a little experience at WKU with BCM's service - 180 - and now I am able to help out with Refresh.  When I found out that we were going to be doing a service like this in February, I got really excited and just wanted to be a part of it - like I was at WKU - but that wasn't the plan for the first week.  I was planning on making an order and working with the band - but I volunteered to do so - and I am so glad I did.  

Now I am able to work with the band and make an order and watch how the Lord is moving through the service.  - this is something that I was so joyful about - which might be silly - but it's a passion. 

And now.. on to Jeff Street and the experience there.  Just incase you were wondering or at all curious - All homeless people are not homeless for the same reason.  They are not all on drugs.  They do not all have mental problems. They do not all ask for what they were dealt. Some things happen and it's hard to get up when you fall hard and fast.  

I met a woman  in Jeff Streets Day Shelter who was very quiet at first.  She didn't really want to talk to me at first - but then she started to open up.  I was able to find a book for her to read.  She really enjoys reading and was almost finished with a book that had a very disgusting story line - so I found a book that was by a favorite author of Beth Moore  (I thought you couldn't go wrong with something Beth Moore likes!).  I was able to give the book to her and she looked at the back and after summing up the idea of it - she said. "well this looks good!" It was just good to know that she would be reading something with a good theme.  I wanted to go back and talk to her more on our last day - but she was gone when I went to say goodbye.  That was sad - but I hope she was just finding a good spot to read and enjoy the book. 

I am sure there is a lot more that I need to write about - like the trip to Comedy Caravan, the sessions with Chuck Lawless, the nights exploring Louisville, how I want to move here, the beautiful people who I get to spend the summer with, how my car is about 6,000 miles over the limit to get the oil changed, the humbling experiences, how a few of us were ... intoxicated from the paint fumes, my trips to coffee shops, talking to people who own their own shops and getting ideas from them, the group from waterfront, and the Edge training today - I am sure there is a lot more to come soon.  But I hope you enjoy the pictures and the update. 

"This should have been thrown out a long time ago" - picture for a scavenger hunt that Jeff Street's Hope Team had us do last Tuesday.

Posing with our system that we assembled and tested! It was such a great feeling to hear "good job girls!" from mr. bob.

So.. it has been a busy couple of days and I have a ton of thoughts to write out... but there is no time right now.  I am absolutely exhausted - but it is a wonderful feeling.  So hopefully in the next few days I will be able to post some of these thoughts that are flying around in my head. 

Have a fabulous day and stay tuned for more to come soon!