I just finished my first week as a project leader on Friday, and I am so blessed to be able to say that it was awesome! My journal had been riddled with feelings of inadequacy... feelings that culminated the minute the bus of kids arrived and I realized I had to step up. Turns out project leading is pretty straightforward... all you have to do is say "yes" to whatever the Lord asks. It certainly helped that I was blessed with (1) awesome teens who would do whatever was asked of them (whether it was me or the Lord doing the asking), (2) really awesome adults leaders who had a genuine love for their students and who also just happened to be really cool and (3) a youth pastor who knew his kids well and led them with humility and a servant's heart. I can't even begin to share all the ways that God used them, or all the ways that God stretched and used me.
So my song lyric for last week goes a little something like this...
"I hear the Savior say
thy strength indeed is small
Child of weakness, watch and pray
Find in me thine all in all"
The phrase "child of weakness" describes me pretty well ... good thing that though the strong could be God's company, I'm the one he chose.
So now I am in Butler, PA. I spent my quiet time on Saturday morning next to the river, surrounded by a beautiful green landscape, which was a nice change from the concrete jungle of Philly. I am so blessed to see the ministry that God is doing here! There is a junior high group here right now, and they have been doing some of the most awesome ministry I have ever seen! They are eager to pray, bold in loving and desperate to worship.
So my song lyric for this week is...
"I see a generation rising up,
no longer accepting lies
As a band of worshippers runs to the battlefield
they're finding their lives"
Get excited for the work that God is doing in the coming generations, cuz it is awesome!
Monday, June 30, 2008
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Little Birdy
*** Disclaimer -- I hate birds. a lot. I think they are nasty crap. Everyone who lives in Waco understands the plight of parking under trees in "bird season." I guess it makes it just that much cooler that God used a bird to speak to me.
So yesterday we were at coffeehouse -- for those who are unaware, that is one of our ministries where we hang out with the homeless in a empty lot, serve refreshments, and "entertain" the guests with songs and testimonies -- and Jim Snyder had found a baby bird lying on their trampoline below the birdhouse. I can't even describe how funky this little bird looked ... it was about as long as my pinky finger, it had no feathers, wouldn't open its eyes, you could see its veins through its fragile skin. It was pretty much the definition of pathetic. Jim said it was likely the momma bird kicked this little buddy out of his house because he wouldn't open his mouth to eat -- apparently mom birds can tell which babies will survive, and just choose not to waste time on ones that won't make it.
So I ended up holding this desperate little bird, who was trying so hard to move around, but his strength was totally spent. I got to thinking about his plight, and I couldn't help but identify with him. I could just picture myself as a pathetic, blind, fragile creature who refuses sometimes to be nourished by the Lord. I am so glad that God made momma birds so unlike himself ... no matter how much it appears that I am not going to make it, the Lord never gives up on his Beloved. Hallelujah.
So yesterday we were at coffeehouse -- for those who are unaware, that is one of our ministries where we hang out with the homeless in a empty lot, serve refreshments, and "entertain" the guests with songs and testimonies -- and Jim Snyder had found a baby bird lying on their trampoline below the birdhouse. I can't even describe how funky this little bird looked ... it was about as long as my pinky finger, it had no feathers, wouldn't open its eyes, you could see its veins through its fragile skin. It was pretty much the definition of pathetic. Jim said it was likely the momma bird kicked this little buddy out of his house because he wouldn't open his mouth to eat -- apparently mom birds can tell which babies will survive, and just choose not to waste time on ones that won't make it.
So I ended up holding this desperate little bird, who was trying so hard to move around, but his strength was totally spent. I got to thinking about his plight, and I couldn't help but identify with him. I could just picture myself as a pathetic, blind, fragile creature who refuses sometimes to be nourished by the Lord. I am so glad that God made momma birds so unlike himself ... no matter how much it appears that I am not going to make it, the Lord never gives up on his Beloved. Hallelujah.
Friday, June 13, 2008
2 weeks down...
I know I said this in my last post, but it feels like I have been here so much longer than I really have! I think its because we do like 8 different things in any given day, so each day feels like, well...8? I only have like 7 project weeks this summer, and I can't believe two of them are already over. I am so honored to be here, and I feel like I just need to bask in every moment of my time spent here, because it's memories of Philly that sustain me when regular life hits again.
At the end of every week, the project leader explains to the group that there are some people who will ask about their trip, but will only listen to about a one sentence answer. So in order to bring the most glory to God, they are given the opportunity to think through what that sentence would be in preparation for returning home. Does that make sense? So I think I am going to start including my sentences in this blog, although if you are bothering to read, you probably care enough to hear more than one sentence :)
This week: I saw Jesus transplant his servant's heart into 40 students, and then watched those students allow God to use them to passionately further His kingdom in Philly.
The groups that were here this week were ridiculously awesome ... I am was so excited to see fourteen-year-olds have more faith and boldness than most adults I know. When I was worn out from ministry, they were not. I think a large part of it came from amazing leadership ... I was so blessed by the witness and life of the youth pastors here this week. In fact, I am taking a week to go and spend doing ministry with one of them in Butler, PA because I had such an awesome time. I have a lot to learn about what true leadership looks like, and he has so much to teach. The kids got so much done this week, and in all their valiant efforts they inspired unbelievers to join in what they were doing -- people helped mow a lawn, donated sand, gave us sandwiches.... it was crazy! People saw God in these students and they wanted to join! And even more importantly than all their accomplishments, they just sat and the feet of Jesus and loved Him well. It was sweet.
Side note -- God took my heart yesterday and broke it all over again for this neighborhood. I love Philly so much, and I feel so at home here, that I had become blind to the need that brought me here in the first place. One of the youth pastors saw a man shot in the face just a couple doors down from the church where we are staying ... he came back and covered himself in bleach because he had been splattered by blood. I don't share this to give Satan any kind of stronghold, or to glorify what he was attempting to accomplish, but rather to give God glory for the ways that He so perfectly protected our lives and gave us a fervent desire to bring truth into such a broken place. It was a powerful morning, and God allowed us to respond in worship and prayer, and He gave us a place to rest in His goodness. Pray hard for Philly ... God is doing a mighty work here, and He has given us the chance to work alongside him by interceding for the people that he loves so dearly.
At the end of every week, the project leader explains to the group that there are some people who will ask about their trip, but will only listen to about a one sentence answer. So in order to bring the most glory to God, they are given the opportunity to think through what that sentence would be in preparation for returning home. Does that make sense? So I think I am going to start including my sentences in this blog, although if you are bothering to read, you probably care enough to hear more than one sentence :)
This week: I saw Jesus transplant his servant's heart into 40 students, and then watched those students allow God to use them to passionately further His kingdom in Philly.
The groups that were here this week were ridiculously awesome ... I am was so excited to see fourteen-year-olds have more faith and boldness than most adults I know. When I was worn out from ministry, they were not. I think a large part of it came from amazing leadership ... I was so blessed by the witness and life of the youth pastors here this week. In fact, I am taking a week to go and spend doing ministry with one of them in Butler, PA because I had such an awesome time. I have a lot to learn about what true leadership looks like, and he has so much to teach. The kids got so much done this week, and in all their valiant efforts they inspired unbelievers to join in what they were doing -- people helped mow a lawn, donated sand, gave us sandwiches.... it was crazy! People saw God in these students and they wanted to join! And even more importantly than all their accomplishments, they just sat and the feet of Jesus and loved Him well. It was sweet.
Side note -- God took my heart yesterday and broke it all over again for this neighborhood. I love Philly so much, and I feel so at home here, that I had become blind to the need that brought me here in the first place. One of the youth pastors saw a man shot in the face just a couple doors down from the church where we are staying ... he came back and covered himself in bleach because he had been splattered by blood. I don't share this to give Satan any kind of stronghold, or to glorify what he was attempting to accomplish, but rather to give God glory for the ways that He so perfectly protected our lives and gave us a fervent desire to bring truth into such a broken place. It was a powerful morning, and God allowed us to respond in worship and prayer, and He gave us a place to rest in His goodness. Pray hard for Philly ... God is doing a mighty work here, and He has given us the chance to work alongside him by interceding for the people that he loves so dearly.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Back in Philly!
I can't even believe that I have been back in Philly for a week now.... I have just stepped right back into the rhythm of life here, and it feels like I never left. I arrived for training on Weds last week, and I spent the first couple of days getting to know my fellow summer staff and getting reacquainted with the city. On Friday, we went on a scavenger hunt that lasted 6 hours....it was a great time of team-building, running around and introducing the new girls to the area and to the ministries. I freakin' love the other summer staff ... I can't wait to spend a summer getting to know them, and being part of our little "family." Our first team arrived from Boston on Saturday morning, and we were thrown right into our first project. They have been a really awesome team to work with, and we have gotten to do some neat ministry in south Philly. On Sunday morning, we went to "Nations Worship Center," an Indonesian church pastored by a really neat guy named Benny. I don't think I stopped smiling once during worship -- God has blessed us so richly through working with that church! We also got a chance to visit Rock Ministries (a boxing ministry on Kensington Ave) yesterday, and everyone in my prayer group was ecstatic about the sweet ministry that they are doing! Pretty much I just love Philly a lot, and I am soaking in every minute here! I probably won't be bloggin too often (not that I do anyway...), because internet sessions are few and far between. But you can check out trip updates at adventures.org (just click on all the Philly trips for the summer) and that will give you an idea of how the participants are experiencing God. Please pray for our ministry ... we are pushing back the boundaries of darkness here by bringing light, and the enemy is going to put up a fight. Good thing we serve a victorious God! Bam!
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