Bethlehem Project

Today was the Bethlehem Project at New Beginning Church. The Lord provided $29,000 for us to buy toys for children of all ages and coats for children of all sizes. We held a can food drive yesterday to put together 250 bags of groceries for needy families. People started lining up outside the door 24 hours before we opened the doors. In case you didn't check, temperatures were below freezing and it snowed this morning.

"Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me [. . .]Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me." Matthew 25:34b-36, 40b

It was a beautiful sight to see. People from our church, other churches, and schools came to help. We had volunteers getting people signed in, walking them around to pick out toys for their children, working behind the tables, giving out coats and food, and walking them to their cars. Our visitors we so happy. It was such a blessing to see their smiling faces when they picked out toys for their children. So many of them returned my smile and "Merry Christmas" with a smile but several people did not respond or would not look me in the face. I know that they were struggling with pride and the fact that they had to be there to receive toys for Christmas.

Paste this link into your browser to see the video on our church website:
http://www.newbeginningchurch.net/content/The_Bethlehem_Project.html


I stood behind the tables with the items aimed at teenage girls. It was so fun to ask the visitors about their children and help select an item. I was privileged to work side by side with one of my roommates Kathryn. It was a joy to share those moments with her.

"...even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Matthew 20:28



Please pray for the needy in not only the Shoals but all over the world.
God Bless.
In Christ,
Christine ><>

Our World

Tonight I watched Slumdog Millionaire for the first time with one of my roommates Kathryn. I bought the movie on Black Friday for $5. I decided to buy it 1)for the cheap price and 2)I heard it won many awards. So tonight we decided to give it a whirl. Wow, we both did not expect it to have such a plot. It was so hard to watch, all the violence and tough living these boys had to endure. Jamal and his brother lost their mother at an early age, were made child slaves, lost a friend to prostitution, killed a man, worked odd-end jobs, and did anything and everything they could for money. All before they were around 18 or so. Jamal goes to be on India's equivalent of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. He knew all of the answers because he experienced the content of the questions first hand in his life.

This movie made my stomach turn. I am not one for violent movies, especially realistic violence and hardships of life. But then it hit me. This is our world. This actually happens. Every day. In India and other poor countries. And my dream is to teach overseas. I could very well end up in a school in a slum or rural part of the country. Children could be orphans, experienced slavery, and/or been part of a violent culture. I myself would be risking my life every day. And that's not just overseas. That happens in our own country. I dream of also teaching in an inner city school. Those children have experienced hardships as well. And I still will be facing danger every day at work. I told the Lord I will go wherever He sends me. I sometimes forget how hard that could be. The Lord could take my life while doing His work. Even worse, I could be put through violence and torture for His namesake.

David Platt writes in his book Radical, "Jesus said to his followers, 'Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.' Jesus clearly acknowledges that following him involves risking the safety, security, and satisfaction we have found in this world. But in the end, Jesus said, following him leads to a radical reward that this world can never offer [. . .]I can imagine the looks on the disciples' faces when the next words came out of Jesus' mouth: 'I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.' [. . .]We say such things as, 'The safest place to be is in the center of God's will' [. . ] What if we began to look at the design of God as the most dangerous option before us? What if the center of God's will is in reality the most unsafe place for us to be? [. . ]To everyone wanting a safe, untroubled, comfortable life free from danger, stay away from Jesus. The danger in our lives will always increase in proportion to the depth of our relationship with Christ [. . ] Jesus reminded his disciples that their safety was not found in the comforts of this world but in the control of a sovereign God over this world[. . .]We can rest confident in that fact that nothing will happen to us in this world apart from the gracious will of a sovereign God. Nothing[. . .]Don't be afraid of people. The worst they can do is kill you[. . ]When we risk our lives to run after Christ, we discover the safety that is found only in his sovereignty, the security that is found only in his love, and the satisfaction that is found only in his presence. This is the eternally great reward, and we would be foolish to settle for anything else. When we consider the promises of Christ, risking everything we are and everything we have for his sake is no longer a matter of sacrifice. It's just common sense[. . .] Jim Elliot once said, 'He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.'"

I know that was a lot from David's book but I can still remember where I was reading this chapter. I was at a Books-A-Million on a Sunday evening in Fort Walton Beach in late July this summer. The phrase "there is no safer place than the center of God's will" was shot down out of my file of phrases in my mind. It is not going to be easy. Missionaries that have been tortured for their faith say that they have never been closer to the Lord than in those times; they have to depend on the Lord.

I will confess something to you: lately I have actually wanted to suffer for my faith. I want to have to stand up for what I believe in and make His name known by suffering for Him. I know we should be careful for what we ask for, but what a place to be, totally dependent on the Lord for strength. The worst they can do is kill me. I know that I may seem a little dramatic but God has been slowly changing my heart towards dangerous missional situations. I remember sitting by a campfire at my confirmation retreat as a 12-year-old. My associate minister at the time called me over to ask what my plans were for my life. I told her I wanted to be a missionary. She asked what I would do if I was thrown into jail. Caught off guard, I told her I would sing songs to keep spirits up and be like Paul. Walking away from that campfire though changed a lot of my view of missions. I decided I didn't want to do missions anymore; I was too scared. It has taken until the year 2010 for the Lord to pull my heart back towards missions. Passion 2010 changed my outlook. The lives of children in desperate situations matter more than my comfort. I pray that the Lord will use me as a part of His divine plan to reach the nations.

Please pray for me as I begin to pray and raise support for my CCP (Cross Cultural Project) to Thailand next summer. I may not face persecution from Thai people because they adore Americans, but I will have to defend my faith and share the Gospel with Thai students. I am so looking forward to it.

In Christ,
Christine

"Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?'"
Matthew 16:24-26

The Nativity

It seems as if each year, the Holy Spirit gives me a newer, sweeter perspective on the nativity. This year I had the privilege to direct the children's Christmas musical at my church in Florence, New Beginning. The musical had three parts: a chorus, a scene set in present time of children learning about Christmas, and a nativity. As the musical went on, we added another part to the nativity. At the end, all the children gathered around baby Jesus and sang a medley of Christmas songs. It was so joyful! Seeing each part slowly added showed me God's sovereignty in His divine plan in sending His son to save us. I have recently been reading from Isaiah 9, the prophecy of Jesus' birth.

"The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them light has shined [. . .]
For to us a child is born,
to us a child is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder;
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
Isaiah 9: 2, 6

I have found those verses to be beautiful. Long before Jesus' birth, the prophets were proclaiming that the Messiah was coming. What hope that brought the people of Israel.

Tonight in the discipleship in which I am a part of, we watched the movie The Nativity Story. It was a wonderful interpretation of the biblical story of Jesus' birth. It was very accurate using the history of the times to tell this story in order for viewers to understand exactly what this story means. Mary was a real person. Joseph was a real person. Mary didn't want to marry Joseph. He was upset but merciful when Mary became with child. It was a hard journey to Bethlehem. Herod let the Messiah slip right under his nose. Jesus truly was a baby! I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and have a newer, sweeter view of the nativity scene we have on our entertainment center in our home. It has a new meaning.

What's interesting is the connection to my dream that I had last night. It was a long dream, one that continues on even after you have woken up and fallen back asleep. The dream began in the middle of a wedding rehearsal. My own. It was an arranged marriage. I didn't know the man I was to marry. After the rehearsal, I broke down to my mother, "Why didn't I have a part in this? Why didn't I have a choice?" I was so confused! However, for whatever reason, I decided to give the man a chance. The wedding was not for another 3 months. During those three months the man and I got to know each other. And, yes, you guessed it, we fell in love. He re-proposed to me the night before our originally scheduled wedding. The parallel to the story of Mary and Joseph is uncanny. Both marriages were arranged. Mary and I did not want to marry our betrothed. We both gave our men a chance. We fell in love during our engagement. I learned from this dream and its connection to the story of Mary and Joseph about God's divine plan. We may not understand at first, but He knows what He is doing. One day, we'll understand.

In Christ,
Christine

Better Than My Dreams

My sorority is reading a book by Paula Rinehart titled Better Than My Dreams. "Though the story of your life may not be what you hoped for, there are hidden treasures of grace waiting to be discovered. Face the fear of being disappointed, find the freedom to love, and learn to rest in the mercy of God with renewed confidence. Better Than My Dreams shows you that sometimes God offers a different sort of wonderful than the one we have in mind." This book has opened my eyes to the big picture of God's plan. Things may not work out as I thought or I may end up disappointed, but in the end, God has His hand in His work here on earth. There are times in my life that shattered dreams have left me broken and confused. But "God eventually takes those broken pieces and fashions something far better than anything we could even think to dream." I wish I could think of better examples than boys, but it's in these situations that God has taught me the most. Every time a relationship ends with a boy, I am so broken that I cry out to God "why??" Why did this happen? I thought he was the one! Why could You do this to me? I am beginning to realize that God has been listening when I have these questioning rants with Him. And every time He faintly whispers "Wait my child. Wait. I have great plans for you. He is not a part of them." I just choose not to listen! But what a beautiful picture. The Lord is my Father and He wants only the best from me! God plans with eternity in mind; unfortunately I can't see past tomorrow's lunch (which kills me because I am such a schedule-oriented person). I takes a lot of faith to trust the Lord in these dark moments, but it only makes us stronger. "One of life's little ironies is that some of our hardest times are when our dreams actually do come true." "Often, the very things we call meaningless detours in our journey turn out to be the path we were supposed to be traveling. We have come home-but by a road we would not have known to choose."
God is opening many doors for my future, which I am extremely grateful for. However now I wish He would begin to close some of them. This is taking a lot of trust and faith! Please pray for me as I decide to travel on a ministry team to Thailand for 2 months next summer and then for my teaching career.
God Bless.
In Christ,
Christine ><>

It's my birthday!

So today is my 22nd birthday. It has been a beautiful, quiet, and easy day. I praise the Lord for the life He has blessed me with on this earth. Hearing from people around me, I am so blessed to have a roof over my head, here at college! that my parents provide for me! My parents aren't drunks or have cancer. We never had to struggle to live and we had the resources at our fingertips for whatever we needed. I am so grateful for that. Sometimes I forget. And looking back, since I've had such a great 22 years, I want to make life easier for others. I want to help students read when they've been told they will never amount to anything. I want to lead young girls to Christ when they've thought their lives were over. I want to show my husband and children what unconditional love is.
Thank you to those who have shared my life with me!
In Christ,
Christine ><>

Baptism

A little over a week ago I was baptized! I had been praying for this moment for about two years now. I felt this was perfect timing right after Beach Project. I learned so much and grew so much at Project and I wanted to show the church that I was committed to it and to my Lord. I was baptized in the Tennessee River by Dr. Tom Phillips of my church, New Beginning. Also baptized was the girl I keep after school, Mary Makensie Berry. Both of our families were there and some of my sorority sisters. I was an amazing feeling being dunked. I didn't feel darkness overcome me like I usually do when I go underwater; I felt light. Rising to the surface, I remembered long ago how Jesus died so that my sins could be washed away.
Praise the One who paid my debt and raised this life up from the dead!

Psalm 51
In Christ,
Christine ><>

Home

So I've been home in Huntsville for a little over a week. It hasn't been too hard adjusting back to this life but I definately miss Beach Project. It was a wonderful experience that I will cherish forever. Reflecting back on it, it was a hard summer! I truly was the hardest summer that I've loved. I learned a lot, grew a lot, strengthened friendships I already had, and made new friends. I'm excited to see how the Lord is going to use me this semester at UNA and how I can apply what I've learned to college life in Florence. I'm on the leadership team for CO at UNA and we had a long meeting one of our last nights in FL and now I am so excited about what is going to happen according to God's holy will this year at UNA.
I am moving into an apartment tomorrow with 2 of my best friends and sorority sisters that were also at Project. It 's gonna be so great living with people that experienced Project as well so we can keep each other's fires going.
I am going to Washington D.C. this Monday and will be there for 5 days to visit high school friends. I'm nervous about money and I've never traveled alone before but it will be exciting!
Thank you to all of you who supported me financially and with your prayers this summer. You don't know how much it means to me!
Thank you and God Bless!
In Christ,
Christine ><>

Sharing Our Faith

I learned this summer about how sharing the gospel is an absolute necessity for our faith. Last Monday, I took my girls to Harborwalk Village in Destin, a tourist hot-spot. We had D group there about missions and evangelism and then I said, “Let’s go share!” They didn’t seem that excited about it but it’s in those moments God will rejuvenate our spirit for evangelism once we go share. We walked around for awhile looking and praying for guidance from the Holy Spirit to show us someone we could talk to. Nothing. My two girls said they had to go to the restroom. I said “I have to share my faith.” So I split off so I could work alone. I found one lady sitting down on a bench with a dog. Perfect setting and conversation starter. We got into conversation about why she was in Destin, her family, and what she does for a living. I told her why I was down here but her family came to get her before we got into a spiritual conversation. I was disappointed, but God can use any situation for His glory. Then I went to a boardwalk right outside a restaurant where people wait for their table. There is a game outside to keep people occupied while waiting: a hook is posted on the rail and a ring on a string. The person swings the string to try to hook the ring on the hook. The Holy Spirit gave me a perfect analogy. I went up to a group of teenage girls and talked to them about the game. I asked them if they hooked the ring yet and they said no. I took the opportunity to talk to them about sin. I said “I feel like that’s my life; I can never get it right.” I preceded to tell them about the archery term “sin” which actually means “missing the mark.” I then told them about a Savior I have that saves me from that sin. I asked if they were involved in a church back home and they said yes and told me about it. They got into conversation with my two girls about where they were from and then had to go. I saw them talking to their parents as they were leaving looking in our direction, most likely about their encounter with us. I hope and pray we got their wheels turning.
The following Wednesday, four of us from UNA went to go play laser tag with 2 of my co-workers. It was so fun! Afterwards, we went to Whataburger to get free drinks and sat in a booth for 2 hours and had a gospel conversation! It was awesome! I could feel the Holy Spirit there the whole time! He placed the answers on my heart for the hard questions they would ask. One kid was being really immature but I got a text from him later that said “Thank you for giving me a new perspective on life. I love you and am so glad we met.” The other guy thanked me later too. It was such a high for us UNA kids! One of the UNA kids, Cole, told me later that he had a dream the night before that he shared his faith with someone. He thanked me for inviting him to come; he really needed that. That’s my point. I think half the reason God has us share our faith is to increase ours! My faith is twice as strong each time I walk away from a gospel conversation!
The Lord is so good!
In Christ,
Christine ><>

Almost Done!

There's a reason it's been so long since I've updated. It's been crazy around here! I finished my last day at Whataburger last week. I went to turn in my uniform today and my manager begged me to come back next year. She said I really made an impact around there, even on the Area Supervisor and District Manager. I truly do love my co-workers and it's hard to leave them.
We cleaned up Project today, moving our furniture out and their furniture back in. Tonight we're going out to eat as D groups and then having a slide show and worship. We leave in the morning!
I'll write again with more details.
In Christ,
Christine ><>

Becoming “un-numb”

What God has shown me the most this summer is that as a Christian culture, we have become numb to the phrase “Jesus died for my sins.” One weekend, I heard it and questioned myself: What does that really mean?
People in America base Christianity around themselves. When people say “God loves me” they are making themselves the object of Christianity. David Platt writes in Radical, “The message of biblical Christianity is not ‘God loves me, period,’ as if we were the object of our own faith. The message of biblical Christianity is ‘God loves me so that I might make him-his ways, his salvation, his glory, and his greatness¬-known among all nations.’ Now God is the object of our faith, and Christianity centers around him. We are not the end of the gospel; God is.”
What I’ve really been learning about this summer is what the cross really means. As a Christian culture, we typically see the cross as a sign of God’s love. But it’s so much more than that. C. J. Mahaney writes in Living the Cross Centered Life, “For Jesus, the cross will bring incomparable and unprecedented suffering of wrath and abandonment.” When Jesus was praying in the garden of Gethsemane, He wasn’t crying out to God and sweating blood because He was afraid to die; He knew He was about to face all of God’s wrath toward sin poured out on Him. When Jesus prayed for God to “remove this cup,” He was pleading for the Lord to save Him from His wrath. What is this “cup?” It is a reference to the wrath of God for our sins. Isaiah 51:17 says “Wake yourself, wake yourself, stand up O Jerusalem, you who have drank from the hand of the Lord the cup of his wrath, who have drunk to the dregs the bowl, the cup of staggering.” In the words of Mahaney, “This cup contains the full vehemence and fierceness of God’s holy wrath poured out against all sins, and we discover in Scripture that it’s intended for all of sinful humanity to drink.” When Jesus prays in the garden, He is not worried about dying; He is in fear of the agony of being abandoned by His Father. Habakkuk 1:13 says “You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong…” God is so holy and so perfect that He cannot even look at sin. When Jesus called out “My God my God, why have You forsaken me?” He felt God look away because He could not look at all of the sin on Jesus.
So what does “Jesus died for my sins” really mean? “Bearing our sins meant utter distress of soul as Jesus confronted total abandonment and absolute wrath from His Father on the cross, a distress and an abandonment and a rejection we cannot begin to grasp” (C. J. Mahaney). What should this mean to us Christians? Jesus freely took on ALL of our sins, past, present, future of all humanity past, present, and future “so that He could look down on us and whisper our names and say ‘I drain this cup for you-for you who have lived in defiance of Me, who have hated Me, who have opposed Me. I drink it all…for you’” (Mahaney). And accepting this gift of mercy and grace isn’t just a prayer and commitment to a church. When we say this is all you have to do to become a Christian, we are reducing the Gospel. It makes Jesus look so puny and desperate for us to come to Him. Even though God does draw us to Him and pursue us, does Jesus need our acceptance? Don’t we need Him?!
So what is a proper response to the Gospel? Radical, reckless surrender of all that we are and all that we have to all that He is. With that comes a new heart; a heart that desires God and only God. Casting Crowns sings a song that asks the question “What does it mean to know God?” The answer: to want to know Him more. We get God. That is enough.
This summer has inspired me to live a radical life for the Lord and for others. I am totally turning my back on the American Dream, thinking I can make a life for myself without help. I need help and it only comes from my Savior. I want to give my life away and make disciples of all nations. I want to teach in inner city schools where they are in desperate need of the Gospel. I want to teach in orphanages overseas. I want to disciple young women my whole life. I want to disciple my children so I can send them out to make disciples. I want to stand before the Lord and for Him to tell me “Well done good and faithful servant.”
So I challenge you: How do you define Christianity? What does “Jesus died for my sins” mean to you? Have you surrendered your life to Christ or to yourself and the American dream?
Stay tuned. Only 2 weeks left.
In Christ,
Christine ><>

God's Blessing

God has truly opened my eyes to His blessings this summer. Last weekend, the Lord rained His blessings down on us all weekend. First, at work Saturday morning, one of the girls at Project received a $100 tip from a man who wanted to bless others since God blessed Him. That afternoon, a man that runs a ministry gathering food from grocery stores and bakeries brought us bread and pastries. In turn, a few of us gave the bread to a couple homeless people in Ft. Walton. Then that night, a group of 10 of us went to see a movie. A lady caught us as we were getting in line to buy tickets and told us she was giving away tickets to the movie we were about to see. She had the exact number we needed. Not one more or one less. The next morning at church, Kristen asked a church member if he knew someone that could help her fix her car window. He suggested her to go to the car dealership and use her insurance. In response to Kristen saying that her deductable was expensive, he gave her the money she needed to get her window fixed. God just blew me away. When you take what He’s blessed you with and bless others, He will continue to bless you.
“Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.” Proverbs 19:17

June

So there is a reason I haven’t updated in two weeks. I’m working nearly 40 hours at Whataburger and then coming home to get ready for meetings, discipleship group, one-on-ones with my disciples, and socials with Project. I have been so worn out. I’ve been sleeping a lot in the afternoons which has been a regret so this week I’ve tried to limit my afternoon naps after work so I can spend more time with people on Project and in the Word.
Whataburger has been good most of the time. I’ve had a couple of bad days at work when management sent someone home early so I’ve had to work by myself. It’s hard and I walk away frustrated and tired but I just think about what Jesus would do. He would have a servant’s heart and love everyone anyway. I’ve gotten into spiritual conversations with my co-workers and one of my disciples has shared her testimony twice and shared the Bridge Diagram. It is so encouraging! We had an employee cookout last weekend in which we invited our co-workers. We had 4 people from Whataburger come which was so fun. They had a blast and everyone who couldn’t come are excited about the next one we will have in July. We had food, games, a testimony, and music and dancing. It was so fun!
The funniest thing about the picnic was that I saw a long-lost-friend. Christina and I lived next to each other when we were five and six. We were inseparable and we haven’t seen each other in 15 years. She is working at Fudpuckers and was invited to the cookout by some girls from Project that are working there. I’m very excited to see what God is going to with a re-kindling of an old friendship this summer.
We had a relationship seminar last week in which we talked about marriage and Biblical dating. It was so encouraging to hear from staff that this approach from dating is very beneficial. After talking to another single staff girl, I am very excited about how God is going to use my singleness for His glory.
I had the privilege of being invited by Campus Outreach staff to a lunch in which they sat down several girls and told us that they would like to work with us on staff. They told us about what it meant to be on staff and encouraged us to pray about it and consider it. I think it was great that God had me there to show me that He wants me to be involved in life-long ministry whether it is TEACH for America, teaching with Campus Outreach Thailand, and/or discipling young girls.
I’m loving Beach Project and am sad that we only have 4 weeks left. Thank you to all of you that supported me for the summer. Your support and prayers have gone a long way!
Stay tuned and in tune with Christ.
In Christ,
Christine ><>

Week #2

What a whirlwind of a week. I think I’m only going to be updating on Mondays because now that I’ve started work, it’s been harder to sit down and blog every single day. I did start work at Whataburger last Wednesday. I was only a little nervous on the first day. I prayed a lot for the Lord to give me strength and peace. He really did! I made it through the day. I worked the next 3 days and am quickly picking up how to be a Whatagirl and slowly learning to like it. I see such an opportunity to witness and just love on the other employees there. Right now I am just trying to get to know the employees. Watching the other girls cuss, yell, and carry on makes me sad. It reminds me of the old me. “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed and the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Now I try to display a “gentle and quiet spirit” while at work. The other workers and managers say that I’m doing a good job and are already saying they’ll hate to see me go at the end of the summer.
One thing that God is working on in my life is giving me a burden for the lost. We had our evangelism conference this weekend. The first night we worked on our testimonies and then went to different tourist areas in Destin. My team went to The Track and we read "The Hideous Doctrine" by John Thomas. It is a very detailed description of hell. I recommend you read it at: http://www.bethanycentral.org/resources/docs/258-.pdf
As I was observing the people at The Track, at a place of temporary joy, my heart broke. I felt physical pain in my chest for the lost. I don’t want anyone to go to hell. It is a terrible, awful, painful place. I’ve been praying since for God to break my heart for the lost. He has answered that prayer: you see a lot of interesting people in Whataburger, especially late at night into the early morning. This Saturday I was there at 6am. Two girls came in that clearly just came from the club and were still drunk. For the next 30 minutes they were there, I was nauseous. My stomach hurt so bad like I was going to throw up. Almost as soon as they left, I felt better. I prayed so hard for those girls. I pray that they will encounter the Lord at some point before it is too late. It is just so sad to see people trying to find fulfillment in drinking and partying. You can't find it anywhere else but in Christ.
Saturday night we went out sharing our faith. When my disciple and I finally found someone to talk to, we figured out that she was a believer. But it was still good to talk to her and I still showed her the bridge diagram. She took it with her to show her kids. Sunday was another day of rest. The water was beautiful! The oil is definitely not here yet but it is speculated to get here soon. We shall see.
I just got the fantastic news that my brother will be playing baseball for Northwest Shoals Community College this fall! That is right across the river from me at UNA! The baseball team is heavily involved with Campus Outreach and several of their players are here at Project. Please be prayer warriors with me to pray that my brother finds God’s amazing love and the fact that He pursues an intimate relationship with us through the guys on the baseball team. Who knows, maybe he’ll be at Project next year!
Stay tuned and faithful to God.
In Christ,
Christine Black ><>

Sunday, June 6, 2010

What a glorious Sabbath! I know I am really going to look forward to Sundays this summer. This morning, I got up a little earlier so I could get into the Word with another one of the Room Leaders, Abby. It was good to go through it together this morning. We had been trying to do it for a couple of days but I’m so glad that the Lord ordained it to be this morning because I needed help interpreting that scripture! Then off we went to church. We had “campus time” first in which just the UNA and Northwest Shoals kids hung out and we talked about the importance of going to church. The service was great and it was so wonderful to see the room filled. This church only has 25 committed members. James preached on Ruth again. The main point he made was that just because you are living life by faith, doesn’t mean that it will be a life of comfort and ease. God teaches us through hardships. It was so great to hear this repeated while we are down here. Some people are still looking for jobs and the oil is projected to hit the coast tomorrow. But we all know we must trust in the Lord. We must continue to praise Him like Job did. We must praise Him through this “storm.” We also had communion at church which is such a blessing.
Afterwards, we as a campus went out to lunch and shared in fellowship together. And of course, we hit the beach! Most of Project was out there today which made it fun. It was still a red flag today so needless to say, a bunch of us were out in the waves. Unfortunately, a lifeguard told us to “stay shallow” so we didn’t get to mess around anymore. We had Olive Garden catered for dinner (spoiled I know) and then had Reflection Time. For Reflection Time, we can go anywhere in the Ft. Walton area and just reflect on the past week on what God’s been teaching us. My sorority sister Shelly and I went to the bay. It was very peaceful. But that was our second attempt. We went to one side of the bay first where children were playing, adults were talking on their cell phones, and boats drove by with their radios turned up. I told Shelly I needed to be in silence and solitude; that bay side was not cutting it. After Reflection Time was Worship Planning. We worshipped, had a talk on how our whole life is worship, prayer time, and time to plan out our week. Afterwards, when my girls came back to our room, we laughed and cut up for over an hour. We had a blast! We are definitely growing closer together as a group. I just pray that it will carry over to our discipleship group. Our first official meeting is tomorrow night. I will be spending most of tomorrow planning for it.
So for this summer, as a whole Project, we are reading David Platt’s Radical. David Platt preaches at the Church of Brook Hills in Birmingham. Apparently it is a phenomenal church. This book is about turning the American Dream upside down. I just finished Crazy Love and have been convicted about how I’m making some things important like what I wear, what car I drive, and what cell phone I talk on. The first chapter of Radical is called “Someone Worth Losing Everything For: What Radical Abandonment to Jesus Really Means.” Let me share with you a few things he said that stuck out to me.
“We as Christ followers in American churches have embraced values and ideas that are not only unbiblical but that actually contradict the gospel we claim to believe.”
“But if Jesus is who he said he is, and if his promises are as rewarding as the Bible claims they are, then we may discover that satisfaction in our lives and success in the church are not found in what our culture deems most important but in radical abandonment to Jesus.”
“We were settling for a Christianity that revolves around catering to ourselves when the central message of Christianity is actually about abandoning ourselves.”
This is only a glimpse of one chapter of this book. I highly recommend it to anyone.
Please pray for me as I prepare for our first discipleship group.
Stay tuned and recklessly abandoned to Christ.
In Christ,
Christine ><>

Saturday, June , 2010

What a day. This morning, we began by going to our host churches to serve them. UNA went to our church for the summer, Safe Harbor. We cleaned the church and did some painting. It was great to start the summer off by serving, as to remind ourselves that we can’t get too stuck on ourselves at SBP. It was also a good bonding time for us that go to school together. Northwest Shoals Community College has joined UNA’s Campus Outreach so I got to meet some of the baseball players that will be spending the summer with us. We have a lot of athletes here: baseball players from all three schools and football players from UNA and Samford. We have something here called Athletes In Training (AIT). They work part-time jobs and then work out together in the afternoons. It is great for them to work out together and glorify God with their bodies.
After we went to the church, a few of us headed down to the beach. The seaweed and algae is really bad in front of our motel so we walked down the beach a little bit until we found clearer water. It was a red flag so the waves were huge and ferocious! We got in for a little and enjoyed getting knocked around a little. Then it started to rain so I decided to go ahead and call it a day. Of course as soon as I showered, the sun came out again. None of my disciples were around though so I took the time to clean the room. It needed it bad and I thought it would be great for them to come back to a clean room. It was only slightly appreciated but I was humbled by it. Service isn’t always appreciated. I was awakened from a nap by the sound of thunder and lightning. This time it was a big storm. It rained hard for a long time and flooded the roads. I sat in the living room, looking out the window at the storm while reading John Piper’s Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ. The chapter I was reading was perfect for the situation; it was called “The Waves and Winds Still Know His Voice.” It was so neat reading what Piper had to say about God’s glory in the storm and the water while watching both out of my window.
“The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord, over many waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.” Psalm 29:3-5 (ESV)
“He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth, who makes lightnings for the rain and brings forth the wind from his storehouses.” Psalm 135:7 (ESV)
“Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling his word!” Psalm 148:7-8 (ESV)
Then we went to one of our host churches and had a talk on the Word. First, in the spirit of competition, we had some challenges among the teams. One guy from each team had to drink a mix of food such as tuna, jalapenos, chocolate, etc. It was so nasty. They each had a trash can in front of them in case they spewed. Only 2 of them did. The other 3 downed the whole cup! For the girls, each girl had to stand in a box of creepy crawlers to see who could stand it the longest. The crawlers? Mice! It was the weirdest thing. The girls did really well. Then they had to pick one up. Someone thought it would be funny to throw one across the room. So yes, a mouse went flying across the room in my direction. Luckily, one of the guys threw up his hand and caught it. I’d have to say it was one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen in my life! And then it happened again on the other side of the room. So hilarious.
Things got serious and we spent awhile in the Word together, discussing its importance our need for it. At the end, we all got copies of the ESV Study Bible. I love it! I’ve always wanted a study Bible. We left the meeting and had several hours before curfew. I headed back to the Sandman to see what was going on. I spent a little while out on the beach crab hunting. Then, I went up to the second floor breezeway where a bunch of people were standing around talking. They came up with the bright idea to make a tunnel and have me and my sorority sisters run through it. Well that turned into everyone taking turns running through the tunnel, to “let’s do it to music,” to a full out dance party in a breezeway that couldn’t have been more than a few feet wide. We had a blast. However, a lady from the neighborhood came to complain. She was trying to be nice about it but used some rough language and didn’t believe that we didn’t have alcohol. She threatened to “shut us down” and everything. It kind of ruined the mood and we learned our lesson. My room then met for a few minutes to get into the Word together for bed. Today was a great day and I’m so glad the Lord blessed me with it.
Please pray for unity in my discipleship group.
Stay tuned and stay in awe of the Lord.
In Christ,
Christine ><>

Friday, June 4, 2010

So today was another day of job searching in Destin for my 2 other disciples. They applied at one place that seemed promising and then they got a call for an interview at another place! When we got back, I took a 2-hour nap. I was so exhausted. Afterwards I went to Wal-Mart to get a few things for Beach Olympics tonight. I went by myself because I needed some alone time. It was good to get away and be by myself in my car and practice patience while in Wal-Mart on a Friday. I bought black bandanas for all of the girls on my team (our team color is black, which is perfect for me) and black paint for everyone. We took wearing our colorings literally and to the extreme! Beach Olympics consists of ridiculous relay games and competitions on the beach. I was part of the relay race that was titled “Operation Baywatch.” I had to run into the ocean, pretend I was drowning, and then wait to be “saved” by another team member. Oh, I should probably tell you that we were doing this with lightning all around us. A HUGE storm came through. The clouds were so dark and the lightning was intense. All I could do was look at it with awe and fear. I thought about how our view of God should be. We should be in awe of His might and glory.
“Praise the Lord, Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands.” Psalm 112:1
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Proverbs 9:10
“Who among the gods is like you, O Lord? Who is like you-majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?” Exodus 15:11
“and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters, and the land was radiant with his glory.” Ezekiel 43:2
I took notice to people’s reactions when they looked at the sky. They were scared. They were in awe. You could just see it in their faces. That’s how we should be with God. Others should know that we fear the Lord by our “unveiled” faces (“And we, with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” 2 Corinthians 3:18). Then it poured raining and we were all soaked. We took a break to get out of the storm. However, there was nothing we could do about it; everyone was drenched. That is the glory of God. He’s all around us; He will affect us; there is no way to avoid Him. Just like if someone were to get hit by an 18-wheeler. You WILL be affected by something that big. You can’t say you didn’t feel anything or nothing happened.
Then the storm was over. The clouds subsided and there was light again. That parallels the other side of God. The lamb. He is loving and gentle. I also thought about God’s promise to Noah after the flood: the rainbow. He promised with the rainbow that we would never flood the earth again. There are storms in our lives but God holds His promises and places rainbows in the sky. God taught me so much just from that one storm.
Beach Olympics continued until dark. My team tied for 3rd place unfortunately. We still had a blast and we laughed a lot .
Then the girl who disciples me in Florence came to visit. I was so happy to see her! We just hung out with people she went to New Zealand with last year on CCP (Cross Cultural Project). It was fun. I drove her to San Destin and back and made it back to the Sandman at 12:59am. Curfew was at 1:00am. Cutting it close. When I came in the room, the girls were in here already talking. I ended up having to have a relationship talk with one girl; she met a friend of mine and “really” likes him and wants me to hook them up. She’s been here for 3 days! She needs to understand that she needs to be praying for God to guard her heart and not to entertain thoughts about him.
“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” Proverbs 4:23
Great day.
Stay tuned and stay in awe of the Lord.
In Christ,
Christine ><>

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Thursday, June 3, 2010
The Lord is so good! I was hired today! I can’t even explain to you how we got it; it was truly a miracle. Apparently countless people were turned away but we were hired on the spot! One of my disciples and I were hired at Whataburger in Destin. I am so excited to be working in fast food again. I prayed for God to put me out of my comfort zone and I wound up in the middle of it; but I know the Lord is going to challenge me in countless other ways this summer. Laura has never worked in food before so another way I can serve her is to assist her and be an example at work for her. We completed all of the necessary paperwork and will wait on the manager’s call for us to begin.
“Come and listen, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me. I cried out to him with my mouth; his praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love for me!” Psalm 66:16-20
Tonight, the whole Project talked about enjoying God. We talked about how eternal life is knowing and enjoying God. God promises us gifts such as eternal life, grace, deliverance from hell and suffering, forgiveness, and heaven. However, as good as these gifts are, they will never satisfy us. The gifts are meant to lead us into a greater relationship with the Lord. We are to never love the gifts more than the Giver Himself.
“There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every person, and it can never be filled by any created thing. It can only be filled by God, made known through Jesus Christ.” –Blaise Pascal, French mathematician
After we got back from our talk, the girls hung out outside for awhile and I stayed inside for some alone time. I was with other people all day and I needed a break for my sanity. I continued to read Crazy Love by Francis Chan. I was inspired when reading about Christians who are living radically in order that Jesus’ name is to be made known.
Then my girls and I had a meeting to “debrief” and talk about our day. Michele and Liz still haven’t found a job but I think a couple sound promising. Even though Laura and I found jobs, I will go with Michele and Liz tomorrow while they are job hunting in order to support them. We read some scripture about hope and not worrying or getting discouraged. The girls really opened up. Right now they are in the bedroom laughing and cutting up. They are getting along really well and I’m pleased with how close we are in fact growing.
Please continue to pray for the rest of the students on Project as they continue to job hunt. Please pray for my patience with people.
Stay tuned and stay hopeful in the Lord.
In Christ,
Christine ><>

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Wednesday, June 02, 2010
So today was the first full day at Project with the disciples. We got up this morning and went to one of our host churches for a meeting about finding jobs in the community. The staff guys just gave us some pointers on how to approach hiring managers and where to look for jobs. We left the church around 10:00am. My group was assigned to begin looking in Destin. We went to a lot of places. Many places said they weren’t hiring, needed people for night shifts, they have already finished hiring for the summer, or for us to apply online. We just picked up as many applications as we could, no matter how many people they were willing to hire. We ended up splitting up two and two and it actually worked better that way. We had a great lead at a beachfront restaurant in Destin. Someone told our Team Leader that they would hire at least 3 and maybe a couple more. We filled out the applications and waited to speak with her and then she told us maybe she’d hire 1 of us for the day shift. It was kind of disappointing but God is slowly beginning to open doors. I took Laura to Panera and we sat there for 3 hours on our computers applying online to stores such as Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, Ross, Stein Mart, and Pizza Hut. We turned in applications to Rue 21 and we are going tomorrow to a Motel 6. This motel is in great need for housekeeping. I am praying that the Lord will provide a job as humbling as housekeeping. My mom would have a hard time believing that I actually want to clean motel and hotel rooms. I don’t mind cleaning and what a great opportunity to minister to the other cleaning ladies. Another girl group is going with us tomorrow so if we don’t get the job, we will attempt other hotels and hit restaurants and stores we missed.
Today was such a crazy day. We didn’t stop the job hunt until 7:00pm. We spent nearly 9 hours looking for jobs! But I think we did pretty well for our first day. We have to make sure that we don’t get discouraged; it’s only day one! I know that the Lord will provide. God sent His own Son who knew no sin to become sin so that we could be reconciled to Him (2 Corinthians 5). If God loves me that much to send His own Son to die, I know and believe with every fiber of my being that He has jobs for us. He may wait until the last minute to reveal them to us but in the mean time, our trust and faith in Him will grow stronger. I keep thinking about how Jesus came to this earth not to be served but to serve. I am looking forward to working in a place that I can serve the residents and tourists of Destin.
Please be praying for job openings for my D group along with the rest of Project.
Stay tuned and remain in Him.
In Christ,
Christine ><>

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Today was the big day! This morning we had some last minute training and then us leaders took some time to go look for jobs. We drove around looking but a lot of places just said to call back later. Then starting at 1pm the disciples started to arrive! It was so fun to meet everyone and help them move in. I am a very friendly person when it comes to meeting new people. I felt like I was at camp again meeting the campers for the first time. One of my disciples Laura from Montevallo came first. She was really sweet and I helped her move in and we talked for awhile. My other two girls from Samford didn’t come until later but I was so glad they did come! Their names are Michele and Liz. Everyone’s sweet. I think we’ll get along pretty well but there will be some challenges. The makeup of my girls is an answer to my prayers; I prayed that I would be challenged this summer. The girls I discipled last semester were fantastic and all beautiful believers that were hungry for the Word. It will be very different this summer.
After all of the girls got here we went to a Mexican restaurant called Tijuana Flats. We just sat there and got to know each other. It’s important for me to start to get to know these girls so I can better serve them and see where they are spiritually. After dinner, we went to an orientation meeting. It was so fun to see the whole sanctuary of the church filled with students. We have probably 150 from UNA, Samford, and Montevallo alone. During the meeting, Chad Walker (UNA CO staff) talked about CO’s purpose (“Multiplying Christ-like Leaders”) and our 3 big “wins”: commune with God, deal with sin, and engage the lost. I think it was great for him to lay out why we’re here right from the get-go. Afterwards, we played the game “Bigger and Better.” Each team was given $1. We had to find something bigger that we could trade $1 for. Then we could trade that for something bigger. And then bigger and so on. My group basically just knocked on doors in Ft. Walton neighborhoods and asked if anyone was getting rid of anything. We got a couch, a ping-pong table, bag of clothes, tennis balls, and more. We won the competition!!! We had a blast and it was a great way to start getting to know the members of our team.
After the game, we had a watermelon social outside to hang out with everyone. It was fun getting to meet new people. Then my group went upstairs and finished unpacking and setting up our room. Then we had a “group meeting” to talk about the next day and the job situation. It’s going to be tough finding jobs. I really want all 4 of us to work together but we may have to split up. I am really looking for a job that is out of my comfort zone and that will humble me. One of the girls is really against food but I so want her to learn and grow from this job experience. So now I’m kind of looking for a restaurant job. We will go as a group tomorrow to look. I’ve been praying a lot about this and I trust that the Lord will provide.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding but acknowledge him in everything you do and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6
Please pray for the cohesiveness of our discipleship group and for job openings.
Stay tuned and stay tuned with the Lord.
In Christ,
Christine ><>

Monday, May 31, 2010

Monday, May 31, 2010
Today was such a long day. Actually, it’s not even Monday anymore. It’s after 1am and I am so tired. We have been working since 8am this morning. It’s just now stopping for me and I’m sure others are still working. We cleared all the rooms of the Sandman out of the full-size beds that were in there and replaced them with bunk beds. The catch is that we had to run a U Haul back and forth from storage with the bunk bed parts. We had to assemble all of the beds. We had probably 150 beds to do. It also poured in the morning while we were unloading the truck. A lot of the original Sandman mattresses got soaked but honestly, they need to be thrown out anyway.
My team mostly worked on the resource room. We turned one of the motel rooms into a hangout room and library. We had a couch and table in chairs in the living/dining area for the hangout room. People can play cards or just hang out and talk. This is important because guys can’t hang out in girls’ rooms and vice versa. We turned the bedroom into the library. We covered two couches with sheets and put throw pillows on them. We stacked crates on the dresser and nightstands and placed the books in the crates by categories. We got another lamp for the library and I wrote out our theme verses to post on the wall. I also wrote quotes that we will be mentioning in our discipleship groups on bright posters to hang on the walls in the whole resource room. We worked on the room all day, but we can honestly say that it is the best-looking resource room SBP has ever had.
Tonight for dinner we had pizza by the pool with the Room Leaders and Team Leaders from Area 2 (Troy, West Georgia, and Berry College). I stepped out with a few other girls to go mingle with those girls from Area 2. It was so fun talking to them and getting to know them. Area 1 and 2 don’t mix and mingle a lot. We’ve been praying that it will change this year.
So I am sitting in my room (yes, my very own motel room for me and my girls). I spent about 3 hours tonight setting it up. In the living/dining area, I have a couch with two end tables and a chair. The end tables have my books that I brought and games. I pulled out the table from the wall and placed 4 chairs around it so we can all sit at it together. I set up the kitchen with the things that I brought and organized the food. For the bathroom, each girl will have her own shower caddy to carry in and out so the bathroom doesn’t stay cluttered (I hate that!). In the bedroom, I have two bunk beds sticking out from the wall just like two beds would. On the opposite wall is a mirror and dresser. Each girl will have 1 drawer of the dresser and I am making the extra 2 “free-for-all” drawers where we can keep stuff we are willing to share. Around the dressers are milk crates that we will use for other clothes. I have things like t shirts and shorts in mine. There is a nightstand in between the two beds and I have an extra storage container next to my bed. We also have a closet that each of us can hang stuff in. I unpacked all of my clothes and did a LOT of ironing. Everything is set up now. I have to have someone to look at my AC tomorrow. I think it’s leaking and it doesn’t smell good.
I can’t wait to meet my disciples! I found out today that my number dropped from 4 to 3 but I know it was the Lord’s plan…and we fit better in the room anyway this way. They will arrive in between 1 and 3pm tomorrow.
I am so exhausted. I’m ready to spend time with God to rejuvenate before going to sleep.
Please pray for travel mercies and for my disciples’ hearts.
Stay tuned and stay in love with your Savior.
In Christ,
Christine ><>

Sunday, May 30, 2010
Today was a true Sabbath. All I did today was worship the Lord, spend time with Him, and rest. I want all Sundays to be like this. I slept for 10 hours last night (told you I was tired) and woke this morning rested and ready for the day. The UNA students attended church at Safe Harbor Presbyterian Church in Destin. It is a tiny little church; the sanctuary probably holds only 50 people but that is what’s so great about it. The pastor and his wife are incredible. They are so filled with the Spirit that they overflow into anyone and everyone around them. We had time to greet people around us and I met people that I will be seeing weekly at the church. The 4 people sitting in front of us were vacationers down here for Memorial Day weekend. I was so encouraged to see people at church when they are on vacation; that doesn’t happen a lot. I know that as a kid, we didn’t go to church when were on vacation. To me now, church is a vacation. It is an escape to spend time with the Lord out away from the rest of the world. I also talked to a man after church that lives in Big Cove and works in Huntsville. Then we talked to a guy that went to UNA and was involved in ATO and CO. He was on vacation with his wife. It was neat sharing with the vacationers about SBP; I think they were encouraged by it. They were so wonderful and offered to pray for us. A few older ladies encouraged me to share the good news so here it is: THERE IS NO OIL IN DESTIN! They want to see more people down here during the tourist season as much as I do.
The sermon was an introduction to the book of Ruth. As he was reading the first chapter, I was relating myself to Ruth. I’ve studied the book a few times and always admired Ruth for going with her mother-in-law Naomi into a new land with new people, a new culture, and a new God. I thought of myself as Ruth this morning, thinking about how coming down to Beach Project is scary but I am willing to follow Jesus everywhere. There are new people here, a different culture, and I’m going to learn so much more about God than I ever imagined. But then, Jim started talking about how the book of Ruth is really about Naomi. I kind of cocked my head at him when he said that, wondering how he thought so. However, as he continued, I began to understand what he meant. Naomi was a victim of famine, her husband died, her two sons married outside of the Jewish faith and then died. She had nothing. So many of us have lives like Naomi filled with bitterness, brokenness, and doubt. Jim talked about that God does not waste the suffering of His children; He works through these situations. God is at work in our ordinary, daily lives. This is called providence which is a fancy word that means that all that happens to us is divinely planned; each event is an opportunity to trust, obey, rejoice, and know everything is for God’s glory. He also pointed out that the book of Ruth points out that we need a Redeemer. I really enjoyed church; I was so engaged and can’t wait to share the experience with the disciples next week.
After church, I went with Michael Cody (UNA CO staff) and his fiancé Megan, Phillip, and Kathryn to McAllister’s for lunch. There was only one girl taking orders and the line was out of the door they whole hour we were there. It took a long time for our food. So, needless to say, I asked for applications on our way out. I’m praying that the Lord can provide jobs for at least a few of my girls there this summer. They look like they really need help. Also, it is mostly young people there so it would be a great ministering opportunity. Lunch was great. We just shared more of our thoughts on Beach Project and how the Lord was already working here.
After lunch, we hit the beach! It was a beautiful day today (after the storms passed through). The water was really seaweed-y so I didn’t go in very far. Standing on the beach though and looking at the murky water made me think about sin. Sin can engulf your life like that if you don’t repent before the Lord. It can consume your life so much that no one can be around you, just like I didn’t want to swim in the ocean. Also, it may start as only a little bit of seaweed and you think it won't bother you. Then the storms bring in much more, just like sin splatters. Even one of the staff guy’s kids said “I’m swimming in pea soup!” It was interesting to see that he was jumping around and enjoying it like we all enjoy sin. But eventually he would get tired and get out of the water to find rest. We can find rest in the Lord from our sin.
Tonight we had another meeting. We talked about thinking for our disciples and dealing with conflict. I will write more about that later.
Please continue praying for unity and loving hearts among everyone at Beach Project.
Stay tuned and find rest in God.
In Christ,
Christine ><>

Saturday, May 29, 2010
Today was the first full day on Project. I got here yesterday afternoon after a long but enjoyable drive from Huntsville. I made sure that I led the caravan down here so that no one would speed.  Don’t need to start the summer off with a speeding ticket! As soon as we got here, it felt like we were home. It was so good to see the other Room Leaders that I had met at retreat a few months ago. We spent some time reacquainting ourselves and enjoying each others’ company. We went out to dinner with our teams (made up of one Team Leader and 3 Room Leaders) and went bowling. We had a blast. The Team Leaders had already been here a day and were working hard on cleaning out the Sandman where we are staying. Let me tell you about the Sandman: the Sandman is a run-down motel that was recently repossessed by the bank. Thank the Lord (it was through Him) we got the Sandman for the summer. Since they aren’t renting to anyone else, we don’t have to squish 8 people into each room; only 4-5! Each room has a small living/dining area, kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom. The bedrooms fit 2 full size beds but we will be moving them out to fit in bunk beds.
I found out that I will be discipling 4 girls this summer. As long as the groupings don’t change, I will have one girl from Montevallo and 3 from Samford. I am so excited about meeting them and getting to know them. My fear is however that we will not mesh, that we will have personalities that clash. I’ve been praying though for God to work through me and to prepare all of our hearts. The Campus Outreach staff guy at Montevallo made a point at our Room Leader retreat that out of the 6 billion in the world, God placed the 5 of us girls together. It will be hard though and I know I will face conflict. But the Lord is going to use those situations to glorify Him.
We met this morning to start our training. A lot of the training is just a refresher from what we talked about at retreat. We talked about keeping our leadership SIMPLE: Stay dependent on God; Initiate to them and think for them; Model for them; Pray for them; Love them and serve them; and Empower them. I’m very much looking forward to serving my girls. Jesus said in Mark 10:45 “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (ESV). I am praying for the Lord to give me a servant’s heart. I want to do things like cook breakfast for them on Sundays and Mondays when I don’t have to work, drive them everywhere so they don’t have to pay for gas, and take them out for ice cream or coffee. It will be hard at times; I know I won’t always “feel” like doing it, but it’s in those times that I need to serve them the most. I already bought stuff for our room to make living at the Sandman easier for the girls.
We talked again about engaging the lost (evangelism) and this afternoon got to go to high-profile places in Ft. Walton to be intentional with people. My team (made up of 4 guys, 4 girls, and 1 staff guy) went to the Ft. Walton mall. We paired up and just looked for people to share the Gospel with. It sounds like everyone was successful (and of course, with the Lord, we will always be successful, even when we think we failed). I went with Abby and Rob. We went into a coffee shop and got coffee and then talked to a guy who was waiting for his buddy to get off from work. We just talked about what he does for a living and what he likes to do for fun. We got around to talking about church: he grew up in a Catholic family and unfortunately has had a bad experience. We talked to him a good bit about our testimonies and discipleship. He appeared to be engaged in the whole 30-minute conversation seemed to really like the idea of discipleship. We got his number so he can come hang out on the beach with us. Hopefully, after we get to know him better, we can invite him to our meetings and maybe church. Please be praying with me for our new friend Josh.
The rest of the night we spent in fellowship, the Word, prayer, and worship. It is so good to constantly be around the Body. We spent awhile in “Dream Time” where we all share what we would like to see God do this summer and in the coming years. For example, I want to see more people come to Beach Project from the residence halls on UNA’s campus and for the parents to be impacted by their visit here. I have been tired all day so I was ready to go back to the room. God reminded me that I can find strength and rest in Him:
“The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40:28-31, ESV).
I know I will be clinging to that verse a lot this summer!! Chris Tomlin sings a song “Everlasting God” that is based off of those verses. Check it out if you can.
We went to Wal-Mart tonight to grab some groceries to last us through the rest of the weekend. I am so looking forward to spending all day tomorrow with the Lord and observing the Sabbath. I’ve had so much fun already and I can’t wait to see what the Lord has in store for the summer!
I have a prayer request for you: that the Holy Spirit would make us CO staff, Team Leaders, and Room Leaders “others-centered” and that we would learn to love each other and our disciples.
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35).
“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing”
(1 Thessalonians 5:11).
Thank you so much for all of your prayers and support!
Stay tuned and remain steady in your walk with God.
In Christ,
Christine ><>

The Night Before

So tonight's my last night in Alabama. I leave tomorrow morning for Summer Beach Project! I cannot believe it's already here! Campus Outreach staff asked me to be a Room Leader in about September of 2009 and I decided to go in October. I've been praying about this moment since then and now it's here! I'm so looking forward to what God has in store! It's so neat to think that I have no idea who will be in my D group or who I will meet or where I will work, but God knows, and He's known, even before I was born. It's so neat to think about how intricately the Lord plans the lives of His children.
I'm pretty much all packed. I will leave around 8am and meet up with some girls in Birmingham to caravan. We'll be traveling with Memorial Day traffic so it might take longer and will be more dangerous. But I know the Lord will be watch over us. I'm not going to pray for our safety as much as I will pray for the chance to get closer to God during my trip. I'm so excited to see all of the Team Leaders and Room Leaders again and begin to prepare for the start of SBP 2010 on June 1st!
Stay tuned...
In Christ,
Christine ><>