The theme of LOVE...

Continuing in my reading of the book of John....it seems the one word we must consider is the word LOVE. It's everywhere in this book! But do we do it??? I so appreciated Christine's words below...and they fall right in line with what we've been reading. We might as well unpack our bags and park the bus if we do not get the fact that we go, because we LOVE. And, we LOVE, because we're commanded to.

We have no problem at all getting excited about the trip, the good times with our favorite people, the free time away from home, the good food! But...have we stopped to realize that our work, our serving others in really mundane, unclean ways is LOVE? Have we thought more about getting enough sleep, being in the A/C, sitting next to our friend on the bus, or which restaurant we're going to stop at....than we have about scrubbing the toilets, pulling weeds, sweating, and getting gross and dirty in someone else's house? While it's an added bonus that we will have lots of laughter and fun....let's not forget that there WILL be uncomfortable conditions, there WILL be alot of heat, and there WILL be alot of things we just wish we didn't have to do.

But, let us remember that every one of these things is our way of showing Christ's LOVE to a city that needs it. Remember that each distasteful job we do without complaining, and with a servant's heart is a form of worship that we perform for the One who LOVES us. We don't deserve it...we didn't choose it...it was a gift to us. May our hearts, hands, and attitudes lavish that same gift onto those we meet.

Amber shared a song with me yesterday on the beach...a song that has meant so much to her in the last few weeks. It's called "Unfailing Love" by Chris Tomlin. Look it up on youtube or itunes....the words are a beautiful reminder of His unfailing Love toward us. It is because of that unfailing LOVE that we can have the ability to LOVE back this week...

"A new command I give you: LOVE one another. As I have LOVED you, so you must LOVE one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples

...if you LOVE one another"

John 13:34

A message from Christine.....

I sometimes get "blogger's block" when I sit here wondering what to write next...but this morning I got an email from Christine asking if I would post some words to you all. I've been updating her on the trip details and she's been reading the blog and praying for us all. Here's her words to our team as we prepare to head out this week:

"May I encourage you in this:

Lately I have been challenged with the idea that each of us are made in the image of God and as we view ourselves and all others, to look at them as though we're viewing the image of God- no matter the outside look or inside person, no matter if they are wealthy or poor, a CEO or unemployed, living large or homeless, no matter a pastor or a prostitute, no matter a conservative or liberal, no matter straight or gay, no matter sober or drunk...all are created by God- in His image-and unconditionally loved by Him. And as a fellow child created by Him in His image, I should look on all and see God- His love and desire for them.

So, as you all go to serve people from every walk of life, I want to encourage you to see them in God's image. Love on them like you can't love enough...listen, enjoy, learn and be open.

Also, remember your teammates are all created in God's image- encourage each other. Love on each other, find the person you know the least and work with them for a day and get to know each other. Be a community of Christ like New Orleans has never seen before!

Know I am praying for you all! I would love to hear from each of you when you get back and tell me what God has dne in and through you."

-CQ

ONE MORE WEEK!!!

Next Saturday morning we'll be packed tight and pulling out of the church- headed South!!! At just about this time I HOPE we'll be getting ready to make our first stop for lunch!

So...how are you doing preparing, students? Are you DAILY bringing this trip to the Lord, asking Him to change you, to fill you, and live through you? Parents...how are YOU/WE doing preparing your teens? Is reading the book of John changing us? Have our homes been a more peace-filled place to be because both teens and parents are living out what we're reading in this book?

"A new COMMAND I give you: LOVE one another. As I have LOVED you, so you MUST LOVE one another. By this EVERYONE will know that you are my disciples....if you LOVE one another." John 13:34

May we be people who are changed...not just for this week or month, but forever. Changed because we've been emptied of all that causes us to dwell on ourselves and filled with all that causes us to see people through God's eyes...

Serving the Lord....

"Those who love their life will lose it, while those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me."
John 12:25 (NIV)

"If any of you wants to serve me, then follow me. Then you'll be where I am, ready to serve at a moment's notice. The Father will honor and reward anyone who serves me." John 12:25,26 (The Message)


I hope you all are realizing more and more that this is what you will be doing in Louisiana. As you've read through this book in preparation, I hope God is teaching you something new about what it looks like to serve Him...and follow Him. I really like the Message version of the above verses. I like the reminder that if we want to serve Him we have to first follow Him- so that we'll be where He is...and we'll be ready to serve at any given moment when He shows us an opportunity. The first step is ours- aligning our feet to where His are. That's what we're all doing next week....going where the need is- following where He is.

I really believe that God is preparing a path for us. There are people ready to meet us..people He's been preparing for our arrival. Will we be willing to be vulnerable and respond at a moment's notice? Let's pray that we are...pray that we don't miss a single opportunity that He's set up for us already.

Keep reading....keep praying...keep asking the One who's sending us to show us His footsteps.



Just an fyi...be praying for Bethany's family. Her mom is in the hospital, and may be there for the week. Pray that Mrs. Holler will be well by next week and that Bethany will be able to leave without any hesitation or anxiety.

It really is only a simple conversation...

...still working through the book of John....

Well, I must confess, I had not finished reading through the book of John at our last meeting - I had gotten about halfway through...sometimes I get stuck on some of the details and it takes me twice as long to complete a chapter! I've learned not to just glance past something that confuses me or speaks to me, but to take the time it takes to read several versions, commentaries, or whatever-until it finally settles right. Because of that...I just finished chapter 11 this morning!!! Slow, yes...but I'm finding new treasures in this book that I've read many times before......

Chapter 11 is a story we've all heard a hundred times....the first time being in our preschool Sunday School classes! The death of Jesus' friend Lazarus. Here's what got me this morning...

Lazarus is sick, and the sisters (Mary and Martha) send word to Jesus because they know He loves them and would want to know....they figure if they get word to Him in time, He can come and prevent Lazarus' death. Here's the part that held me this morning---vs. 5 says this:

"Now, Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus...SO when He heard that Lazarus was sick,HE STAYED WHERE HE WAS for two more days..."

I happened to be sitting in my car this morning (with my Starbucks!)having my devos- long story, but it works for me...and when I came across this verse all I could think of was "WHAT?!?"
After finishing the rest of the chapter I came back to this place and came to this conclusion about the importance of this story...

We spend most of our lives asking God to make our life nice and neat...clear the way in front of us so that our walk will be easy, thereby giving us a wonderful testimony to show those around us...and many will come to know Him. End of story, no one got hurt, and all's well.

But, Jesus intentionally stayed behind and allowed Lazarus to die BECAUSE He loved Lazarus and the sisters. He knew it would mean much weeping and heartache...He knew there would be sorrow and scars....but still He stayed back and allowed Lazarus to suffer and die. Allowed the sisters and the community to mourn and weep.

BUT...when the day came that the time was right for Him to show up He not only showed up, He showed up as the only One who could save the whole mess! The One who would wipe away the tears, restore the dead...and remarkably gain glory beyond what He would have had He showed up earlier. The tears were allowed for a season, the pain was permitted...questions were asked, but it was the end He was looking at. In the end "many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in Him."

Ouch...this story hurts all our theories and plans. While we hope and pray for a life void of pain and suffering, Jesus waits behind...lets the pain fester....and then shows up valiantly to receive greater glory. Our part??? Let Him. Receive the pain and discomfort because we know His way is higher...His plan is better...and in the end, many who watch will put their faith in Him.

We've had our share of uncomfortable situations...so what are we going to do about them? Run away...or run to God?

I can tell you from experience...I'd rather run from the pain - sometimes it just hurts too much. But it's only been in the staying that I've been able to SEE that the end result was for Him to receive glory. So let's take the running shows off...store them in the back of the closet and wait. Watch and see Him receive the glory He is due....

Carwash/yard sale pics!

When it was all set up side by side...we had alot of stuff to get rid of!

Though the sun was beating down on us...

and, at times seemed unbearable....

There was hard work from everyone...and maybe a little splashing to keep things cool!




Becca and Isaiah kept things fun w/a little dancing and clowning around!

Visits from the sweet "little people"!

And, finally....after a hard days work....a little resting...

Thanks for all the hard work, guys!!! To Leah, Heather, Kristen, Amilla, and Dan- thanks for all your help!!! We know you didn't have to help...but you worked hard helping us raise our funds!!! THANK YOU...your hard work did not go unnoticed!!!

Thank you to all of you who stopped by to donate, shop, eat, and get your cars washed!!! Because of you, we raised a grand total of $696!!!!

Car Wash this weekend!!!

We're having a car wash, yard/bake sale this Saturday at 8...we need all the help we can get, students!!! I know it's early for a Saturday morning, but we're all in it together...and we can go home and take a nap when it's over!

Does anyone realize that our bus pulls out headed South in exactly 14 days from tomorrow!?!?

More prep-time!

Last night we met again as a team to go over some more plans, expectations and to discuss the book of John that we've each been reading.

Mr. B...sleep-speaking!

Going over our packing list!!! One suitcase per person?!? AND the air mattress has to fit in there too!!!???

This picture has been cracking me up all day!!!

I can't decide who looks like more trouble...Alex or Bethany! It actually might be Amber...the sweetest ones are sometimes the one to watch out for!!! I love this group!!!

We have a great group of students! It is a privilege to join them on this trip...Their hearts are ripe and ready to open up to those they meet. Each one had an opportunity last night to explain why they felt called to take this trip. I believe God is wanting to do something big this summer through them...and in them.

*May we never for a moment forget we are blessed - that our Father has given us above and beyond what we deserve. It is our gift to the world to be able to give a little of that back...*

The book of John..

I hope you students are enjoying your reading of the book of John. By the way--do your parents know you're reading through it? It'd be a great discussion to have at the dinner table!!! They'd probably appreciate hearing you're reading at all in the summer...and even MORE so when you tell them it's the BIBLE!!! It's taking me longer than I expected to get through...I stop every few sentences to read in another version-wanting to get a good picture...it's just what works for me. So, I was reading through John 2 this morning. I've read it before, and as always, I found something new there!

Jesus 1st earthly miracle...

I found it very interesting that Jesus used the waterpots that the Jews used for purification in order to put the new wine in. Apparently it was unheard of to EVER touch food without first going through a purification ritual to clean your hands in these large stone pots. It doesn't say, but I assume that afterwards the water is dumped out somewhere.

By the time the wedding party ran out of wine these pots had been emptied because Jesus instructed the servants to fill them (all 6 of them...each holding 20-30 gallons!!!) That's ALOT of refilling, and I don't suppose anyone had a pick-up truck to load them in the back of....they were either LUGGED or there was alot of walking back and forth to the well! Either way, I'm thinking the servants must have thought Jesus was NUTS! The guests had already been purified, and they were asking for more WINE, not a place to wash their hands!!!

The fact that Jesus chose the "washing pots" in order to fill NEW wine is significant...just like everything else He did. It was no accident that He used the the old pots. Jesus was teaching a lesson....in the past the washing of the hands provided them grace....but Jesus was showing them that HE was providing them grace UPON grace. His ways...which looked like blashphemy to the pious...showed that salvation was not in the following of the rituals, but in the newness of HIS grace. He taught a new way to love, a new way to obey, and a new way to live.

I love that Jesus' mom was there....she had waited all His life to see Him come forth and prove Who He was....I'm sure she had a different idea of what her King-Son would be like. Surely she saw royalty and the awe of the crowds in His future....she'd waited SO long to see these things begin to come to pass. It was almost like she KNEW this was the day it would begin! Just like a mom, she wanted to get Him out there and get it started already! Even Mary had to deal with her own desire to control her child!

Ok...your turn. What are you enjoying in your reading??? Comment below people...I'd love to hear your thoughts!!!
Terri

31 Days and counting...

God has faithfully been providing for our team to head to Louisiana in just a month. While we are all feeling the anticipation and excitement of our departure, there is still much work to be done.

Last night in our team meeting we each commited to read the book of John in preparation of sharing our Faith...our Hope with those we meet along the way.

We also talked about what it means to be a TEAM...the importance of daily prayer, having a prayer partner, expectation of what God is planning to do through us, and having right ATTITUDES.

I recently read something that has been resonating with me this week...

"It's the people, not the work that is important...though assigned physical work projects, your team is actually there to build relationships and minister to people."

How easily we can forget it's not about me...my ability to work...my strength. If it's not about sharing the reason for the Hope that we have, then walls can be rebuilt and repainted...roofs can be restored and repaired, but we will have walked away from people with broken hearts and empty futures.

"Oh, God that we would see the tremendous opportunity you have planted our feet in. Would that we would have hearts like yours and eyes to see people like you do. Root deep inside us a passion to LOVE as you love."