Over the Mountain and through the woods..

Wow, this week has been incredible. Well, today specifically. Yesterday was a little crazy..not bad, just, well, Monday. It's the first day we begin our project and that with our new groups, so we are just getting to know one another for the first time on Mondays. Anyway, it seemed as if God was blessing me around every corner today. Our group of missionaries have begun to study the book of James in our nightly study times (we've finished Ephesians and Philippians). So I began this morning digging into James 1 after last night, when I spent about an hour reading and studying. Several things in it stuck out to me, some very important things, like how the Lord uses trials to teach us perseverance, which must finish its work to make us mature and complete, not lacking anything. So first we see that God desires for us to be mature and complete and lack nothing. Then we see that the actual work is perseverance (perseverance must finish its work), and the avenue by which this is attained is trials of many kinds. And we are commanded to consider them pure joy. Like, hello! Crazy! We can, and must, rejoice when things are difficult or crazy or not what we want them to be or whatever (as if we truly know what it means to suffer), because that is our hope, as Paul talks about in Romans (to set our hope fully on glory).

So after my personal study and a delicious breakfast at New Blackwell BC, we headed to our site, which is about 45 minutes of pure beauty away from the church. The view on this trip is seriously beyond anything I've ever seen. And we get to see it everyday this week! But the cool thing today was when the leader of the youth group decided to spend some time visiting the "scenic overlook" on the side of the road on the way to the site. It was absolutely one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. And I said "who made this? God!" :) But I sat down and just looked out over the mountain, seeing the lower mountains and the huge lake with the fog and the tee-tiny little bridge off in the distance, and I began to sing. The song that goes "Your love is higher than the mountains, deeper than the oceans, wider than the heavens, and brighter than the stars, and I will sing how wonderful You are" is what I sang to the Lord first. Then the song "You are God" (the Charlie Hall one) came next. Then it was the Lord who spoke. And He quoted to me Habakkuk 1:5, "For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe if told." Wow, what an incredible moment!

This week we are roofing and laying flooring in a house that belongs to a couple in their 70s who have many medical problems and cannot get around much. While it is easy to get consumed in the job, especially when it's a roofing job, which I am convinced has become my favorite thing, the Lord has reminded me to slow down and not forget the people. The beautiful trip that is literally over the mountains and through the woods is also landmarked with small, humble dwellings that are at times a little shocking. There was one little house-thing in a curve where I literally said "does someone live there?" I feel like I am in a third-world country at times. But, I tell you, it is the most exciting thing! I'm reading this book called The Ragamuffin Gospel (by Brennan Manning, I recommend it to anyone) which talks about the religious barriers we many times put on people and upon who Jesus was, but how He many times hung around the nasty, "unclean" people. It has really changed my view of who Jesus was and is. Where I thought at one time I had pretty little lines drawn around who Jesus is, now there are only smudged gray areas. To think that the person of Jesus, who came in the flesh FULL of GRACE and TRUTH, the representation of God's love for mankind, is not at all confined to the small lines I drew for Him! He is far beyond my wildest imagination. And this has helped me to accept not only other people, but also myself. And to accept that there is no greater love than God's. ("Greater love has no man than this, but that he lay down his life for his friends.") Wow, the amazing grace and love of our God! And what a cool thing, what an honor, to be here and to use my hands and feet, to get nasty and dirty, sweaty and smelly, all in the Name of Jesus. That gets me excited! That gets me pumped not only about this week, but the rest of the summer, and, strangely, about going back to school with no major! It gets me excited to think of all the cool things God has planned for my life, that I may be "poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from our faith". What an honor, what a blessing.

I wish I could share all the cool things God has done just in this one day, but it's late and I need a shower! So God bless you all, and may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you! :)

P.S. I definitely just pulled a tick out of my back from crawling under the house today. All in the Name of Jesus! :)

Broken Water Lines and Horizontal Skirting

So this week has definitely been another great one. I was back at the place I was my very first week here-a trailer belonging to a precious woman with 3 children, who just went through a nasty divorce. She got the trailer from her deceased sister, but it needed much work. She hired some people to do the work, but they ripped her off about $15,000, still leaving the trailer in pretty bad condition. My first week here, I didn't know what in the world I was doing! But the group worked hard, and there was a different group the following week who also made some headway on it. I don't think anyone was there last week, then this week of course, I was there. At first it was discouraging, because we had already been working for so long on the trailer, but it seemed to be getting nowhere. We kept running into new problems, having to make trips to Lowe's more than once in a day for supplies. But Wednesday was very encouraging, because we got some tile and some carpet laid in the floor. That made it look so much better! Then we got some cabinets and countertop, which made it look more and more like a home..finally! Today, another missionary and I went back to the site (our volunteer church group left early this morning, as they usually do on Fridays) to finish up some plumbing, which ended up taking literally all day! We got to crawl under the house with all the huge spiders and other creepy-crawlies, get wet and muddy from the leaks, and feel high from the primer and adhesive for the pipes. What great fun! Really, it was a lot of fun, and I hope we have finally given her water to the bathrooms! It has not been pressurized yet, because we wanted to let everything dry well, but hopefully it will all be well!

Yesterday, before the church group left, we got to pray with the homeowner and her grandmother and present them with a Bible that both groups signed. The homeowner prayed over us, thanking God for taking care of her in such a rough time in her life and for always being faithful. She prayed blessings upon us, and man were we blessed! It was just cool to think of how far the trailer had come from day one, and to think that there is still much work to be done, but that it is almost liveable! (That was a tri-compound sentence, if that's possible!) It was cool to be a part of that blessing. And her grandmother, we called her Mammaw, had been faithful through the week to bring us super-sugary kool-aid, and today she brought us some fresh, hot, made-from-scratch cake (DELICIOUS!). What a blessing it has been to walk with this family through this tough time! While we have been working on the trailer (and before we came) they were all living in Mammaw's house along with the deceased sister's child. I think they said there were like 7 people living in that house at once. Lots of kids! And one of Mammaw's cats had three little kittens, so we enjoyed playing with them when we took a bathroom break up the hill to Mammaw's house.

What a blessing it was to work with my church group this week, Lynwood Baptist, from Cape Girardeau, MO. (Hope I spelled that right) The women from their group stayed most of the time at the Ministry Center working with Kid's Klub, so the majority of the time it was just me and the guys on the job site. But they were hard workers, and we got a lot done. Mr. Dale kept us alive with his excited humor, and Mr. Bill tried :). I'm kidding, Mr. Bill was great. Jared and Billy worked hard on the deck and teaching me to install vinyl skirting (hence the title of the post, horizontal skirting. Adam, my missionary partner for the week, tried to show me how to do the skirting..let's just say he was wrong! :) ). And of course there was my partner Adam, and what can I say? It was an interesting week with all the van swappage! (different story for a different day.) All in all, it has been a great week, and I think the Lord is teaching me much about trusting Him. Things don't always go as we would like them to, they rarely do, but His way is always best, and we must learn to trust Him with all our hearts and lean not on our own understanding! :)

God bless.

Soup Kitchens and Leaky Roofs

This week has been good..I have really felt the Lord stirring my heart. I don't know for what exactly, other than to realize my need for Him, and to trust in and rely on Him and the sufficient grace He gives. Today was rather eye-opening..there were many moments where I saw the Lord at work. It has rained every day this week, and that is just not good when you're trying to roof a house. It seems as if every day we have been surprised by rain and had to quickly cover the roof with tarps to keep the water out of the house (we are re-roofing the entire thing because it has pretty much rotted away, and when it rains, it rains in the house, know what I mean?). Yesterday we had to quit roofing around 3:30ish (we normally work til 5) because of a surprise thunderstorm, so we left after we covered the house with tarps and plastic. When we arrived at the house this morning, there was a note on the door from the homeowner saying that the roof had leaked through the night (there was a huge thunderstorm, threatening tornadoes, last night) and the lady, who has many health problems, had to leave and spend the night with her neighbor. That hit hard. Then the men were standing around, asking where the roof had leaked inside, no one knew, so I, being the oh-so-very-smart woman that I am, went inside to answer the question for myself! (ha!) Anyway, as I walked through the house, which I had done a couple of times before in the week, I took the time this time to notice how the people live. In one room (there were no bedroom doors in the house, only sheets hung over the doorway), there was a mattress and box springs on the floor, no bed frame, and in another room on the floor was just a mattress, with no box springs or frame. There was a little bit of furniture, but nothing matched, and well, you know. When you walk up the stairs, you have to bend over or you will hit your head because the ceiling comes so low at the bottom of the staircase. One of the biggest things that struck me when I walked in her bedroom (which is the first room you walk into when you walk in the front door) was that her bed (she sleeps in a hospital bed) was wet. This room is where most of the water comes in. Her comforter and quilt were soaked from the leaky roof. Had she stayed there last night, what would she have done? Could she even have stayed there? And how do you greet a person when you see them for the first time after that?

So needless to say, I was a little depressed for the first part of the day! But the Spirit reminded me that I needed to preach the gospel to myself. Then He continually blessed me with good conversation here and there throughout the day. One boy, who came for the first time today, when I asked him his favorite Scripture, told me a legit story about how people made fun of him when he was young, so much so that he was suicidal. But God had brought him to Isaiah 40 and said to him that "youths may grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall, but they that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar on wings as eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint." And that had literally saved his life, he said. Just a cool time when the Lord kicked me in the pants again for judgin folks.

And later this afternoon, I had a conversation with my supervisor, talking about the Word. In our nightly services, he always speaks, but he never cracks the Bible. He always uses stories to say things, but never uses scripture. The Lord graciously opened up a conversation about it, and he talked about how he doesn't know exactly what the "word of God" means (like when He promises that His Word will not return to Him void)..he explained that in the early church the disciples didn't use scripture to talk to one another, but they told people about Jesus and what He did. So my supervisor made a good point in saying that we many times get caught up in what's right and wrong, what's biblical and unbiblical, yet many times we forget simply who Jesus was. Anyway, this is a man I've been praying for since I got here..just something about him, the Spirit has placed him on my heart. So tonight during the service he shared scripture, and by goodness it was legit! It was just powerful. And I think I've just settled in my heart after prayer and some struggling that I just need the Word, the written Word, because it's just so good. I've tasted and seen that the Lord is good, and I don't want to rely on my own understanding of the world..I'm too crazy for that. I need the Word. All of it, even the parts I don't like because they hurt my feelings. God, give us a passion for Your Word! And may it go forth into all nations, to the places it is not known! And so friends, let us pray. And let us share the Word in word and in deed, relying solely on the power of the Spirit to lead us.

Grace and peace be with your spirit! :)

I haven't forgotten!

So I know it's been awhile since I've updated, but I still don't have internet access! Adam is working on it now..some business about an anti-virus, and how the one I paid to have for 2 years is locked or something..anyway, who cares. Yesterday we got another group, and they are precious. They're just a fun group! Actually, all the groups I've had so far have been great and fun. Today I roofed for the 1st time! And then I went to split wood (something I've done all too many times..). It's been an interesting but very good day. We started with the roof, then it started raining, so we got to make a super big slip'n slide on the roof (not really, but it seemed like a fun idea!) to cover up our work (and the holes).

It's quite interesting to think about what the Lord is doing. Honestly, I can't put my finger on it (doesn't He always seem to work that way?). I expected to come and have opportunity after opportunity to share the gospel, then to spend time discipling these people. Nope, notta. Not even an opportunity. So then I question myself..am I praying enough? Am I right with God? What's the deal? And it seems that time after time the Lord has preached over me to wait patiently for Him to act. So many times we get ahead of Him and want things our way. How many times do we pray for specific things, then get upset when we don't see them answered in the way we want them to be answered? Yet I think many times He just wants us to be faithful, and in the wait He increases our patience and dependence on Him.

Every week we have a church that sponsors us and feeds us for the week, so on Sunday mornings we go to the service at that church. This past Sunday was at the First United Methodist Church here in Jeff City. Being there was such a blessing. Actually, every church we've been to has been a blessing. This week the preacher preached exactly what I needed to hear. Well, first, the music was incredible..the Spirit was moving through that, then the preacher preached on the conversation between Martha and Jesus after Lazarus's death in Matthew. She questions Him, saying that if He had been there Lazarus would not have died. Jesus then asks if she believes that he will be raised from the dead. Martha gets all theological on Him and is like yes, Lord, I know that he will be resurrected on the last day. But she missed Jesus' point. He then says to her, "I am the resurrection and the life..." The preacher talked about how many times we want the Lord to act the way we want Him to, and so we look forward to something, often missing the present miracle of being with Jesus. He said to her I AM..not I will be or have been, but I am. Right now. And many times we don't get our prayers answered immediately or in the way we want them to be answered, but Isaiah talks about how our thoughts are not God's thoughts. He has such a huge plan for this summer, and it's only a vapor, a small portion of His eternal plan of redemption. He knows the needs of the people in this town. He knows the needs of the groups that come in each week to volunteer. He knows our needs. He knows the needs of the precious people in Zimbabwe who are getting those doggon pills that were popped and shipped to them. This is HIS work, HIS plan and purpose, and we are blessed to be a part of it. So I must step back and have faith in my mighty God. I must trust that He will accomplish His purpose in us this summer, whether it looks like it or not.

Tonight, Dr. Burton, a former C-N physics professor, did another of his famous scripture monologues, and he quoted the scripture where Jesus is telling His disciples that they will be reaping what they did not sow. And it was like the Lord was saying to me, sometimes you will be the reaper, and sometimes you will be the sower. Perhaps many times we are the sowers. And that's not the fun part! But He has only called us to faithfully spread the Word through love. But it's encouraging to know that my God has a plan that is much bigger than what I can see or explain. Who wants a God they can explain? So we rest in the arms of the Almighty, not trusting in our own wisdom or understanding, but trusting Him fully to direct our paths. And He will. Because He's faithful, holy God. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the Heavenly realms with every spiritual gift in Christ! :)

So if you would, just keep praying for our group, that we will be unified (we had a good Bible study on Ephesians 4 tonight and talked about it), and that we will be strengthened by the Spirit. Pray for the groups that come in every week, because many of them have junk in their trunks that they sometimes bring with them, if you know what I mean. They go through a lot at home, so many times they bring that struggle with them. But tonight we were blessed with a precious maissouce (ha, i can't spell!). Her work is going slowly, and she may be about to lose a lot with this awful economy and just because of some misfortune. But tonight she came and gave free massages to all the workers! Just because she's precious. And that blessed my heart, that she is the one who deserves the blessing, but instead she's giving it out. What a great picture of Christ. So pray for the people here, they have lots going on. Pray that Christ will be our center and focus. Once again, just pray for God's glory! :)

Update Finally!

I've been here a full week now, and I do not have internet access! (Not complaining, just letting you know why I haven't updated!) So yesterday we finished our first full week of work, and today we had our first free day! The week has been busy, crazy, stressful, yet incredible and such a wonderful blessing at the same time! I worked with the youth group from Englewood Baptist Church in Englewood, TN on a house for a lady who had a nasty divorce, then was ripped off by some guys she hired to fix this house up for her and her kids..$15,000 down the tube! She and her children have been living with her mother, who says that's just too many kids running around a house! :) We haven't yet completed the house, but what a blessing it has been to be used by the Lord! The lady and her mother are believers (or at least seem to be, as they have repeatedly said this is what they've prayed for). Please pray that they will be encouraged in heart and that their faith and relationships with the Lord will be strengthened, as well as that their needs be met. I felt, though, that this week, my biggest ministry would be to the youth group rather than the home owners, simply because we saw the homeowners only a couple of times a day. So I set out to get to know the youth, hoping that for the Lord's sake, they would find me cool and not a dorky missionary :) We ended up bonding in the coolest way ever, and I cannot imagine having a better group to work with! I prayed for them all week, that they would connect with the Lord and that His Spirit would grip their hearts, calling from among them preachers, teachers, and missionaries. And I trust He will. :)
I have the incredible opportunity of leading the praise band for the summer. It has been a challenge, and I look forward to seeing how the Lord grows me as a musician, as I have met many people who don't "do" my kind of music. :) I was surprised to find that my youth group preferred good ol' hymns from the hymnal rather than, say Chris Tomlin or Hillsong. Not that that's a bad thing, I was just surprised! :) So I will have to make a point to branch out and learn new ways of worshipping through music, being allthewhile (is that a word?) reminded that worship is not restricted to just music. Anyway, that's another sermon for another day. Just know that it's been a great week, and I look so forward to what the Lord is going to do and teach me this summer!
And a crazy-cool, out-of-the-blue door opened for me today. Earlier, I met a guy named Michael who is from Nigeria (South Africa), and as I was sitting outside alone this evening reading, he came up on his bike. While we were talking, a girl named Shelley walked by that he knows from ELI (English Language Institute, which teaches English to internationals who come to be students here). She ended up taking me to meet some Taiwanese people (she teaches and LIVES WITH Taiwanese people! So cool!). She said that most of them are not believers, so there will definitely be a door there, which is so very exciting, because I am on the internationals team of the BSU leadership team for next year. What a great opportunity! And Shelley seems so very outgoing. She gave me her phone number and said she would love to hang out some this summer, so maybe that will open up even more doors! I am pretty sure Shelley is a believer, because she talked about how the others are not, so perhaps there could be some sort of crazy friendship come out of that! All from reading a book, talking with the Lord on the sidewalk in front of my apartment. Crazy. Our God is God! And He's got a plan! :)


You're the God of this city,
You're the King of these people,
You're the Lord of this nation,
You are.

Greater things have yet to come,
and greater things have still to be done in this city!