mission a

Spent this past week at Mission Arlington. This place is so special to me and it was really fun to introduce four of my friends[they also happen to be students in the BSM] to this wonderful place.
Katie, Charles, Janiece, Ashley and Emmanuel. [We visited Southwestern Seminary on Monday night and they have a beautiful campus with this lovely garden]


Matt has worked at Mission Arlington for 13 years and loves Arlington. The city, the people and the ministry--which at times can be really tough. He shared some really challenging stuff with us every day. One thing that he said that is so inspiring to me is that missions isn't just what you do for one week a year when you go on a 'mission trip'. It should be a lifestyle and it should be the way we live the other 51 weeks of the year. He is a very humble guy, but he unashamedly challenges us to live following Christ's example. Giving worth to everyone, no matter what they look like, how much money they make or what kind of 'home' they have.


Miss Tillie started Mission Arlington 25 years ago. She is such a beautiful woman and full of wisdom. She is also the strongest lady I know, no joke! She loves this city fully. One thing that she challenges us and anyone who ever goes to Mission A with--that everyone needs to hear about Jesus. If it is pouring, hailing, sleeting, and negative 50 degrees, you better not cancel church. People need to hear about Jesus. They do not do anything half-heartedly and are so devoted to ministry. I love this woman.
Also in this picture on the far Left is Marc, Marc is the pastor of the church that we worked with on Sunday as well as where we held our Rainbow Express in the mornings. He is and his wife volunteer their time to minister to the members of that apartment community as well as hold down full-time jobs; they are raising two daughters and are about to welcome their third in 2 months. What an example of faithfulness in serving they are! We were blessed to be able to spend a lot of time with them!


Heather has been at Mission Arlington for longer than 3 years[because that's how long ago it was that I first went]. She is a great servant and loves the kids. I am so encouraged and blessed every time I go and just see how much she loves people. I am encouraged by her commitment to serve and give up so much to be there serving Arlington. Lets just say they don't work a 9-5 there, its pretty much an 8 to whenever everything is done day and that would be every day of the week. But everything that is done at the mission is because of God. They bathe everything in prayer and trust Him to provide for them.


I really have a billion things I could say about these wonderful ministers of the gospel and the wonderful work they are doing in Arlington. I know they wouldn't like it. But I am grateful for such wonderful witnesses and I pray that God will continue to bless and use their ministry while challenging us to live with abandon for the glory of His name.

We also got to spend time with a bunch of really great kids telling them about Jesus and playing with them.

Janiece teaching the Bible verse to the kids. Psalm 119:105: 'Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.' The hand motions really helped the kids remember the verse!


'M' drew a lovely heart picture with all of our names and wanted everyone to see it. We had to close our eyes though while we were walking there so we wouldn't see it until we were right on top of it.

Charles sharing with the kids how Jesus has changed his life.

Ashley coloring on the parking lot with two girls who came the second day.

'R' and I coloring our pictures. He was one of my favorites! A little rough on the edges, but really sweet and would randomly run up and give me a hug. He filled up cups with water for everyone and even delivered them.

its my job

I have been thinking a lot about the events that have been taking place in our world... genocides in Africa, civil unrest in the Middle East, and now an earthquake, tsunami and radiation leaks in Japan. I am reminded of the hope that we have in Christ. We can rest assured that in the end He wins!

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.” — Psalm 46:1-2

However, I have also been thinking a lot about our world and how we have or have not impacted it. I think about our ignorance, petty arguments, complacency and general disinterest in anything except our own comfort and we have some pretty interesting times. All of these terrible things are happening. When will we wake up?!

My sister said was that there was a man who is Hindu who said that Christians don't really believe in a resurrection; otherwise they would not be living the way they are. How very true.

What about that hope? How is that challenging us and changing the way that we live?!

Didn't Jesus call us to leave everything behind and follow Him? Why, then, do we still posess everything that the world does?
Didn't Jesus say that we would be hated? Why do we worry so much about being accepted then?
Didn't Jesus tell us to go? Why, then, are we staying?!

Where is the urgency? Why do we not take His gospel seriously? Do we really not trust Him to keep His word?

Tomorrow is not guaranteed to us. We are not guaranteed another week or even another day. There is an urgency. Time is short. There are millions of people who are dying and will be sent to a Christ-less eternity. An eternity of lost-ness. If we really loved them, we would tell them--even if they are offended or don't want to be our friends anymore.

I have been so convicted and challenged of this. I have always thought I was not an evangelist and that it is the job of the person with the gift of evangelism to tell people about Jesus. False! It is my job. It is anyone who claims to follow Christ's job. If I don't tell them, then I have failed them. If I don't tell them then I don't really love them. They are going to hell. Let me repeat, they are going to hell. Hell is a terrible, horrible place, worse than we can imagine and they will be there for all of eternity.

How can I stand by and just let them go there? Especially when they could be with Jesus for all of eternity.

Father help us--help me-- to trust you and to preach your Word so that others will hear!

'Do not work for the food that spoils, instead, work for the food that lasts for eternal life.' John 6:27



Recommended reading:


http://www.radicalthebook.com/

Amazing Grace

Been reading Ephesians this week. I recommend it!
One thing that has really stood out to me is that He chose us long before we even existed. He didn't one day realize that He wanted some things done, so he just randomly grabbed people to do it. We have always been His plan. And the most amazing thing about that to me is that He knew what kind of people we are! He knew that He would be dealing with a sinful, disobedient, rebellious people, but chose to use us and to show His glory through us. I am blown away. Check this out!
Ephesians 2:1-10
1. In the past you were spiritually dead because of your disobedience and sins. 2. At that time you followed the world's evil way; you obeyed the ruler of the spiritual powers in space, the spirit who now controls the people who disobey God. 3. Actually all of us were like them and lived according to our natural desires, doing whatever suited the wishes of our own bodies and minds. In our natural condition we, like everyone else, were destined to suffer God's anger. 4. But, God's mercy is so abundant, and His love for us is so great, 5. That while we were spiritually dead in our disobedience He brought us to life with Christ. It is by God's grace that you have been saved. 6. In our union with Christ Jesus He raised us up with Him to rule with Him in the heavenly world. 7. He did this to demonstrate for all time to come the extraordinary greatness of His grace in the love He showed us in Christ Jesus. 8-9. For it is by God's grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God's gift, so that no one can boast about it. 10. God has made us what we are, and in our union with Christ Jesus He has created us for a life of good deeds, which He has already prepared for us to do.

Love, not hate.

This past Wednesday was the first pancake day. Pancake days are my favorite lunches! A. Because we set up outside
B. Because we make a billion fresh pancakes and serve them to students
C. Because we get to meet so many new kids and invite them to join us at free lunches or Bible studies.
That day also happened to be 'trade your soul for a Klondike bar' day sponsored by the Athiest Agenda. Local news even came out to cover their event at which was attended by a only several students.
One guy came up and talked to one of the BSM kids and said, 'I can tell that you guys are doing this out of love. The other group is acting out of hate, but thank you guys for showing love.'
May that always be said of us!

Here are some pictures of the great times we always have. It really is a very festive day. Who knew that pancakes would make so many people so very happy.

April is a wonderful pancake artist.


A constant line. Pancakes are popular!


These guys love pancakes


The cooking crew.

Focus Weekend

The last weekend of October, we went to an apartment complex which is known to have many refugees that live there. Many of these families fled their country and are not only very far away from home, but now indebted because of plane tickets, etc. They receive some money to help them live until they can find jobs, but most of their kids do not even finish high school as they have to quit to work to help support their families. Some students have been investing in the lives of many of these children for several months.
I wasn't really sure what to expect, but ready for whatever God had for us. The first night we went to different apartments, inviting them to come to the party. We played games with them, had food for the kids and then the kids watched a movie and ate popcorn. Kevin made friends with a man from Iran who stayed and talked with us for a long time after the kids all left. He made some hot tea and brought it out to us. He was asking us many questions about our culture, political structure, etc, most of which of his questions, we did not know the answer to. He then told us that one thing he has noticed about Americans is that they have many freedoms, but do not take advantage of them. We can freely vote. We can get an education. But we often do not even care. We were challenged to learn about our country so we can tell people like him who are just coming to live here.
The following day we gave the residents some donations of clothing and also played games with the kids. We distributed The Jesus Film, dubbed into their own languages and many families were excited to actually get to see a movie in their own language.
The following day we took the kids to a Fall Festival at a church attended by many of the students. One of the little boys came up to one of the students and asked if he could come to that church every week.
We met kids from many different countries: Burundi, Iran, Rwanda, Thailand, Tanzania, Burma, etc, etc. As I was talking to them and hearing their stories, I was saddened to think that the beautiful children have only known war, poverty, political unrest, murder, and genocide for their whole lives. Living in America, we will never know the fear and pain that they have known in their short lives. I pray for those kids and believe that God will heal their hurts and I pray that some of them will come to know Him and will come to know his unconditional love that will remain with them even through the pain and fear and hurt.
(*Because of privacy, I will not post any photos of the childrens' faces.)

Stop, Look and Listen

STOP: I am so grateful for this time off the past few weeks. As much as I would have liked to skip over the whole sick part, I will take it for the beautiful time I have had resting.
LOOK: It is Fall! It is cooling off outside and the weather is just magnificent. So beautiful to go outside, sit on the swing with my Bible and a book and read while listening to the birds sing and feel to cool breeze with the sun shining on my face. I really wanted to get out of the house yesterday, so I went to get a haircut. I was tired of feeling frumpy ;) It happens when you don't feel super-great for several weeks, you want to feel comfortable and that's not usually pretty. So, a haircut would be good and a nice chance to get out of the house. After the haircut I walked to the town square while I was waiting for my sister to pick me up. The sun was shining and it was a little warm. There is a very nice fountain in the square which was so inviting... and no one to yell at me, so I sat on the edge with my feet in the water. I sat there basking in the beauty that He shows to me every day, yet I am usually to busy to see and grateful for a forced break to notice it. Today Jenny took me to a church here in town that sells pumpkins and we bought four cute pumpkins in varying sizes for only 4.50. I already baked one and made pumpkin chocolate chip muffins and will think of something creative to bake tomorrow. The other three pumpkins are providing festive decorations around the house right now. Then we went to the park and ate sandwiches and sat by the river. I am really enjoying slowing down and doing some things that I am always too busy for. Today's agenda, besides the pumpkin stuff was planting a dying flower--I really hope it will revive itself! Maybe I'm not a green-thumb, but a little practice never hurt! Then I baked honey wheat bread! I'm super-proud of myself for that one! I have never made bread without a bread machine and it actually turned out really good and everyone thought it was very yummy. Maybe I should open a bakery :)
LISTEN: This time has also been so wonderful to enjoy God and to be silent before Him. Sometimes I get so busy doing things for Him that I forget to enjoy Him. It has been so nice to sit down with my Bible and read it. Not for a Bible study that I am going to give later. Not to keep up with everyone in our weekly readings, but just to hear from Him. He does still speak through it into my life. Into the things I have been struggling with. Not that I have gotten it down, but I have been challenged in several areas, the greatest in knowing HIM. In really knowing HIM, not just because of what people say, but for it to be my personal relationship with Him. Nothing fake, but a real, genuine relationship with Him. It is a struggle sometimes to pretend that everything is perfect in my relationship with God, but that's the idea the people have. Especially with the fact that I'm in ministry, I should have a perfect relationship with God and I should know everything. I'm not and I don't. I'm learning, I'm far from perfect, but I want to continue growing and to know that I will never arrive, but I want to persevere.
I have been pondering this passage for several weeks: "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize."--ICor.9:24-27 I'm not exactly sure what Paul meant by it, but it has challenged me to not just preach, but to live what I preach. I don't want to be living anything false, whatever comes out of my mouth I want to be truth, not just in fact, but as an outpouring of my life because that is truly what I believe.

the not-so happy appy

Sometimes you are made to take a break not of your own will. Which can lead to frustration and well, frustration. It was over two weeks ago when I first got sick. Vomiting, nausea and a good dose of stomach pain. First I thought it was the flu. Then after I would normally be over it, I was still having a lot of pain and nausea. That is not normal and I resigned myself to the fact that it might be something more. After several days of waiting and testing, they discovered that I needed to go get my appendix removed. Not my idea of a fun Friday night, but neither was laying around in pain, so we went to the ER and they scheduled the surgery for the following day at 2. I wasn't really nervous about the surgery, I was intrigued by everything that was going on. Especially when the Drs would tell me what was going on in my body and what they would do to make me all better. The operating room also was pretty cool; I remember thinking that the only time I'd seen anything like it was in the movies and then I fell right to sleep and don't remember anything until I woke up feeling kind of high. Kevin and Hannah came and prayed with me and then the family came. Dad gave me flowers and the kids made me a huge card full of jokes... I had to wait a few days to read it because it hurt too much to laugh. I was pretty groggy but very grateful that they all came to see me. I slept until the following day. Peter and Nicole and the girls came to visit as well as Tim and Pamela and Bridgette and Logan and then mom and dad and the siblings. They sent me home Monday with orders for a low-calorie, low-fat diet and said I could go back to work whenever. I figured that on Wednesday I would be well enough to go back to work, so I did. It was harder than I thought, but I'm pretty tough so I did it. On Thursday in the middle of Forge I decided that it was probably not the best idea I had every had to return to work so fast. I ended up being sick all night and then all day Friday. Back to the med clinic for an IV because I was pretty dehydrated. They thought I had an infection and sent me back to the ER. Grrr... They did tests on Saturday and sent me home, only to call me Sunday and tell me to come back because they thought there was an infection. I stayed overnight and this time, being more alert, tried to have a better attitude. I took my Bible, book and ipod. The very funny and nice nurse gave me some flowers and entertained mom and I for a while, which we appreciated a lot! Rachel came to visit a few times, I was really glad she doesn't have a job so she could do that! I appreciated her company a lot! This time when the released me they said to take off at least a week. I was only too happy to comply if it meant that I will not be back in the hospital! I am so grateful for all of the medical professionals! They were all very kind and I felt like they really cared about me and getting me better--including keeping my spirits up. From the nurse who was trying to convince mom and I that we were hippie chicks to the guy in radiology who covered me up with an extra blanket for the bumpy ride back to my room to the Dr. who would share scriptures with me every time he came to visit. What if I took the time to ensure that everyone who interacted with me felt better because I took the time to care and to simply show them that they are loved.
...More on this experience later...