Ever since I was younger, I think I always kept a diary or a journal. Now that this is the technological age, I keep a xanga + a blogger, just because I like writing my thoughts down and documenting them to reflect on in the future. Often times when I'm not in front of a computer, I'll keep a written journal, and sometimes, it ends up collecting notes and tidbits from different parts of my life. One notebook in particular I found while I was looking for paper to write on while I was prepping for the last Co(llege)Fe(llowship) meeting that will take place this Sunday. As I was flipping through looking for a blank page, I found old sermon notes, angry frustrated notes, devotional notes, random notes, and I came across this page where I wrote down some verses, that gave me comfort at the time. At the end I wrote that I wanted to memorize them and I wanted God to pull me close so he could change me to be a better witness to those I love and those around me. Well I haven't memorized them, haha, but I feel like by coming across it, God was giving me a reminder of my continual journey and walk with him. While this series has convicted a lot of things in my heart over the summer, God is still working, molding, and shaping me into the woman that he wants me to be, into the servant that he wants me to be. As I'm looking forward to the school year and the responsibilities I'll be taking on, I'm comforted in knowing that God will lead me and help to guide me through.
Psalm 61:
"Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you; I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge a strong tower against the foe. I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings. For you have heard my vows, Oh God; you have given me the heritage for those who fear your name. Increase the days of the king's life, his years for many generations. May he be enthrone in God's presence forever; appoint your love and faithfulness to protect him. Then I will sing praise to your name and fulfill my vows day after day." Amen.
Joshua 1:9
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
Romans 12:12
"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."
Hebrews 13:5
"...because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'"
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Last Day
Today was a mixed kind of day for me. My workshop didn't go as planned. I wouldn't let the kids listen to hip hop with any cuss words in it, and they got mad and walked out. While at first I was like wow, that stinks; it actually gave me an opportunity to work with these three guys that just wanted to dance. They listened to what I said about the music, and they even wanted me to help them with their talent show routine. It was really encouraging to be able to just leave some type of impact on them, however small.
Bible Club was a pretty good turnout as well, we did our skit and our Everything skit, and I really pray that it made a lasting impact on these kids. With Bible Club it's a very different atmosphere from how it was in Glennallen. Glennallen was very flexible with a little bit of structure, where as Bible Club is very structured with little flexibility. Having to switch from such extremes was kind of difficult for me to be able to feel out how people were reacting to the Gospel, and also, how much of an impact we were making. It really made me realize that I just have to keep doing the things that I'm doing, to be the light, and that God would do the rest.
Tomorrow I'm leaving Alaska, and I think one thing I really learned on this trip was to have faith. I think many times I learn lessons of grace and love, but faith has been something that I've really been tested, and something I'm hoping to keep strong. God has a plan for our lives, and while I might not know it, and I might have many plans for myself, nothing is random. I think for me going into my last year of college and really thinking about my future and what I'm going to do with it, is something that I need to not freak out about. Although that's kind of hard, I know that God will place me and use me wherever he sees fit, and he will protect me and guide me through all parts of life. I'm really blessed and grateful to have gone on this trip, and I really thank everyone who was praying for me and the team, as well as following my blog.
Please pray for our safety tomorrow as we fly back to Philadelphia. God Bless!
Bible Club was a pretty good turnout as well, we did our skit and our Everything skit, and I really pray that it made a lasting impact on these kids. With Bible Club it's a very different atmosphere from how it was in Glennallen. Glennallen was very flexible with a little bit of structure, where as Bible Club is very structured with little flexibility. Having to switch from such extremes was kind of difficult for me to be able to feel out how people were reacting to the Gospel, and also, how much of an impact we were making. It really made me realize that I just have to keep doing the things that I'm doing, to be the light, and that God would do the rest.
Tomorrow I'm leaving Alaska, and I think one thing I really learned on this trip was to have faith. I think many times I learn lessons of grace and love, but faith has been something that I've really been tested, and something I'm hoping to keep strong. God has a plan for our lives, and while I might not know it, and I might have many plans for myself, nothing is random. I think for me going into my last year of college and really thinking about my future and what I'm going to do with it, is something that I need to not freak out about. Although that's kind of hard, I know that God will place me and use me wherever he sees fit, and he will protect me and guide me through all parts of life. I'm really blessed and grateful to have gone on this trip, and I really thank everyone who was praying for me and the team, as well as following my blog.
Please pray for our safety tomorrow as we fly back to Philadelphia. God Bless!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Anchorage Day 2
Today was the second day at the Boys and Girls Club, after getting a very sore night of sleep, I surprisingly felt very well rested regardless. During the first hour or so, it is very hard for me to get into the groove of things, mostly because I'm like the floater helper. I have no workshop of my own, so I feel like I have no place, however I just walk around and try to help out as best as I can. When it comes time to dance though, I feel right at home. Although it is a relatively basic routine, it is still fun to be able to dance and teach them and see the kids get so excited to learn something new and then show it off. Seriously, if I get an opportunity to train better and then later on teach, I would do it, it's such a great feeling; and then on top of that getting the opportunity to talk about God to them and the type of music that they listen to. It's really great to be able to use something I love and share that alongside the Gospel. :D
Today's program went well. We had a way bigger turnout than yesterday, so it was really encouraging, and the craft we did allowed us to share the Salvation message with the kids one on one...or two on one. The two girls I had were like polar opposites. One girl was really listening, but the other girl was all over the place. She kept interrupting me and telling me different stories, but it was okay, because it gave me opportunity to share how God applies to those different things. They ended up praying the prayer accepting Jesus into their lives, but based off of how things went, I'm not quite sure how the one girl was really thinking about it. So I'll just keep praying for them. At such a young age, many of these kids see a lot of bad stuff happening around them, and have no answers as to why, or what to do about them. Please pray for the kids in Mountain View Boys and Girls Club.
Prayer Requests:
- That God will lead us through the last day, and we will remain focused.
- That He will work in the hearts of those that accepted Christ today, and help them find good mentors that will nurture their spirit and help them grow.
- For Perry's safe flight home tonight.
- For our health and energy.
That's it for now!
Today's program went well. We had a way bigger turnout than yesterday, so it was really encouraging, and the craft we did allowed us to share the Salvation message with the kids one on one...or two on one. The two girls I had were like polar opposites. One girl was really listening, but the other girl was all over the place. She kept interrupting me and telling me different stories, but it was okay, because it gave me opportunity to share how God applies to those different things. They ended up praying the prayer accepting Jesus into their lives, but based off of how things went, I'm not quite sure how the one girl was really thinking about it. So I'll just keep praying for them. At such a young age, many of these kids see a lot of bad stuff happening around them, and have no answers as to why, or what to do about them. Please pray for the kids in Mountain View Boys and Girls Club.
Prayer Requests:
- That God will lead us through the last day, and we will remain focused.
- That He will work in the hearts of those that accepted Christ today, and help them find good mentors that will nurture their spirit and help them grow.
- For Perry's safe flight home tonight.
- For our health and energy.
That's it for now!
Day 1 in Anchorage
What a long day! I figured I'd legit update to help me fall asleep, so here goes.
Our days here are going to be set up as workshops from 2-4 at the Mountain View Boys and Girls Club. My workshop was hip hop, and while the piece (which I used from National Dance Day's Nappytabs routine) was very basic, I realized that even so, it was still difficult to teach because many of the kids didn't feel confident in being able to get the choreography. But it was amazing to be able to use dance, something I'm passionate about, as a means of personally getting to know the kids better. And of course now I'm sore -_-. But aside from that we had our first Bible Camp, and while a very small number of kids showed up, it was both a "good" and a "bad" thing. Of course it's disheartening to not have many people sign up the first day, but it worked because we were all so exhausted, if we had more kids, we probably wouldn't have been functioning. The good thing was that the kids seemed to enjoy the skits and our songs and stuff, and pay attention to part of our message.
Since working with kids and teens, I've been noticing a lot of characteristics that these kids have that I used to have when I was their age. It was strange for me to try to remember the things I got mad about, the nothingness I filled my life with. Very eye-opening.
Prayer Requests:
- That God will give us a new passion to do his work in Anchorage, and that we can keep up our strength for the next two days
- Praise that we're mostly over our colds now (Team members)
- Pray for Perry's safety as he flies back to Jersey
- That tomorrow God will open doors for us to be able to reach those he wants us to reach and that he will open their hearts and ears so they can absorb the Gospel
That's it for now! Good Night!
Our days here are going to be set up as workshops from 2-4 at the Mountain View Boys and Girls Club. My workshop was hip hop, and while the piece (which I used from National Dance Day's Nappytabs routine) was very basic, I realized that even so, it was still difficult to teach because many of the kids didn't feel confident in being able to get the choreography. But it was amazing to be able to use dance, something I'm passionate about, as a means of personally getting to know the kids better. And of course now I'm sore -_-. But aside from that we had our first Bible Camp, and while a very small number of kids showed up, it was both a "good" and a "bad" thing. Of course it's disheartening to not have many people sign up the first day, but it worked because we were all so exhausted, if we had more kids, we probably wouldn't have been functioning. The good thing was that the kids seemed to enjoy the skits and our songs and stuff, and pay attention to part of our message.
Since working with kids and teens, I've been noticing a lot of characteristics that these kids have that I used to have when I was their age. It was strange for me to try to remember the things I got mad about, the nothingness I filled my life with. Very eye-opening.
Prayer Requests:
- That God will give us a new passion to do his work in Anchorage, and that we can keep up our strength for the next two days
- Praise that we're mostly over our colds now (Team members)
- Pray for Perry's safety as he flies back to Jersey
- That tomorrow God will open doors for us to be able to reach those he wants us to reach and that he will open their hearts and ears so they can absorb the Gospel
That's it for now! Good Night!
Monday, July 5, 2010
Last Day in Glennallen, Back in Anchorage
Happy Independence Day! It's our last day at the Native Bible Conference, and wow what a day today. We went to service at Glennallen Community Chapel, and the service in itself was a God marker. From the songs, to the sermon, to even the Breakdown of the Gospel in Romans on the back of the bulletin, was like God giving us exactly the message he wanted us to give the teens; and then Mrs. Hui came up with the idea of having a teen service after our typical program.
At the service, about 20 people showed up, maybe plus or minus the team, but it was still a good crowd, we did worship and our rendition of the Everything - Lifehouse skit and Bob Wendt from ABC spoke a little bit. For me, it was so powerful to see how God was working, especially in this guy Mikey's life. For those of us that met him, he's the friendly, funny, all smiles kinda guy. He was so focused during the whole service, it was like you could see the gears turning in his head. And what a "coincidence" that he just so happened to come home for the weekend because it was the holiday and he got to come to the service. He was telling us after, that he felt like it was a wake up call in his life because even though he accepted Christ there were still somethings that weren't in line in his life. I'll be praying for him, please do too.
Tomorrow we leave for Anchorage! Please pray for our Bible Club there from Tues-Thurs!
I will fear no evil, for my God is with me
and if my God is with me, whom then shall I fear?
Oh, no you never let go
through the calm and through the storm
Oh, no you never let go
in every high and every low
Oh, no you never let go
Lord, you never let go of me
At the service, about 20 people showed up, maybe plus or minus the team, but it was still a good crowd, we did worship and our rendition of the Everything - Lifehouse skit and Bob Wendt from ABC spoke a little bit. For me, it was so powerful to see how God was working, especially in this guy Mikey's life. For those of us that met him, he's the friendly, funny, all smiles kinda guy. He was so focused during the whole service, it was like you could see the gears turning in his head. And what a "coincidence" that he just so happened to come home for the weekend because it was the holiday and he got to come to the service. He was telling us after, that he felt like it was a wake up call in his life because even though he accepted Christ there were still somethings that weren't in line in his life. I'll be praying for him, please do too.
Tomorrow we leave for Anchorage! Please pray for our Bible Club there from Tues-Thurs!
I will fear no evil, for my God is with me
and if my God is with me, whom then shall I fear?
Oh, no you never let go
through the calm and through the storm
Oh, no you never let go
in every high and every low
Oh, no you never let go
Lord, you never let go of me
Sunday, July 4, 2010
God knows what's in our hearts.
So last night I shared about how I was experiencing some spiritual warfare within my heart, and after I updated my blog, I felt relieved to be able to talk to the teen members (Vivian, John, Ernest, and Laura) just about stuff, the trip, relationships, etc. As I was sharing about how I was feeling earlier, Vivian said "You know, maybe the reason why you're here isn't to work with the teens in Glennallen, but to mentor us, the teens in the group." When I went back to my room, I realized that she was right. I had forgotten that the members on the team were teens as well, and I realized that God was using me after all. Today during the program, Perry approached me and asked me if I wanted to go up to work with the teens. Surprised and excited I went upstairs, and got to see firsthand, what Mrs. Hui (Helen) and Ernest and John were doing, and I realized that this was God answering my prayers.
What I realized is, God knows what's in our hearts. How could he not, he created us? But I am too impatient to wait for him to answer. And just when I was feeling frustrated, the next day he showed me that if I can just be still and wait, God will answer my prayers and use me in the best way he knew fit. It was really a God marker for me, after having such a night from before.
He knows my name
He knows my every thought
He sees each tear that falls
And He hears me when I call
What I realized is, God knows what's in our hearts. How could he not, he created us? But I am too impatient to wait for him to answer. And just when I was feeling frustrated, the next day he showed me that if I can just be still and wait, God will answer my prayers and use me in the best way he knew fit. It was really a God marker for me, after having such a night from before.
He knows my name
He knows my every thought
He sees each tear that falls
And He hears me when I call
Saturday, July 3, 2010
It's not about Me. Not at all.
I need some serious prayer.
Maybe this is God's way of constantly reminding me that it's not about me. That instead of teens I'm working with kids. Out of our team and the CEF team, I am the only one my age, which makes it very difficult to talk about day to day things without feeling either too old or too young for the conversation.
I was excited for this trip because God has given me a "great story" which could very much relate to the teens in Alaska, and just how God has been faithful and gracious throughout my trials, yet God has shown me through ^^ above, that it is really not about me. It is His will that I am working with the kids, and it will be on His time for me to have a chance to really share with someone the Gospel. I think today is the first day I really felt some spiritual warfare in my heart, as my attitude was becoming very bitter towards the end of the night, and I was really just torn apart by the various frustrations I felt building up over what I wanted rather than what God has in store.
Before I ask for prayer request, I have a praise. Praise God that we have other ministry teams that we can fellowship with and share how God is working throughout this week. It has been nice to hear from people that have ministered at this conference for some time now, and it has been a blessing.
Please pray:
- For my attitude, that God will continue to show me how to trust in Him, and to wait for Him to work. Also that I can continue to show love to these kids in a very genuine way and not in a way that seems obligatory because I am ministering to them through our program.
- Please pray for the continual recovery and just overall health issues our team has been encountering
- For safety as we travel to Liberty Falls in the morning and will do hiking and a picnic; and also strength and energy for the evening conference.
Thank you, and In Him,
xtinee
Maybe this is God's way of constantly reminding me that it's not about me. That instead of teens I'm working with kids. Out of our team and the CEF team, I am the only one my age, which makes it very difficult to talk about day to day things without feeling either too old or too young for the conversation.
I was excited for this trip because God has given me a "great story" which could very much relate to the teens in Alaska, and just how God has been faithful and gracious throughout my trials, yet God has shown me through ^^ above, that it is really not about me. It is His will that I am working with the kids, and it will be on His time for me to have a chance to really share with someone the Gospel. I think today is the first day I really felt some spiritual warfare in my heart, as my attitude was becoming very bitter towards the end of the night, and I was really just torn apart by the various frustrations I felt building up over what I wanted rather than what God has in store.
Before I ask for prayer request, I have a praise. Praise God that we have other ministry teams that we can fellowship with and share how God is working throughout this week. It has been nice to hear from people that have ministered at this conference for some time now, and it has been a blessing.
Please pray:
- For my attitude, that God will continue to show me how to trust in Him, and to wait for Him to work. Also that I can continue to show love to these kids in a very genuine way and not in a way that seems obligatory because I am ministering to them through our program.
- Please pray for the continual recovery and just overall health issues our team has been encountering
- For safety as we travel to Liberty Falls in the morning and will do hiking and a picnic; and also strength and energy for the evening conference.
Thank you, and In Him,
xtinee
Friday, July 2, 2010
How Great the Father's Love for Us
Hey sorry I've been slacking on updating! Our team usually gets back by 12, and after the long day, I have been passing out when I get back -_-. That being said, this is what I'm going to do. For those of you who have been praying for me and the team, I will post this blog for you to have an updated prayer, and then hopefully later today/Friday, I will update day by day reflections/updates for you to read. Okay?
Today (Thursday) was pretty eventful, we got to see the Send North Office as well as a fish wheel, where we saw salmon get caught and filleted. For the program I think we've finally grasped the idea of being flexible yet still structured. We had planned out seperate and joint activities for both the younger kids and the teens, and in my opinion, we were able to run a little bit smoother than normal. After our program, we hung out with Rodney, and he showed us different spots where there was amazing scenery. The first spot we went to, was overlooking a river and there was a clear shot of a mountain. The sad part of it though, was that there were beer cans littered ALL over the place, and Rodney said many people come to this spot just to drink. I was so surprised that such a breathtaking view could be overlooked by a local drinking hangout spot. After that we went to another scenic look out on the way back to our cabin. On the way there Ernest took out his guitar and we started singing worship songs, even while walking from the car to the second area.
When we got there, there was basically this large cliff like area that overlooked the river, a never ending forest of trees and a huge mountain in the distance. If I could pick a word to describe it, it was majestic. And as we sang worship songs and meditated, I just felt so moved by the beautiful surroundings, I was heart broken. For me, it was just sad to think that in such a beautiful place, where God is clearly evident through his amazing creation, was so hard to see/reach because the Native people had such broken lives. Working with these kids that have so many layers of emotions built up at such a young age, and not knowing the hope that we have in God, just made me so sad. I thanked God for being so amazing, and at the same time I wept for the brokenness of the local Ahtna people.
Prayer Requests:
- That God will continue to work through our ministry and the relationships we are creating.
- That God will continue to reveal his plan and the people he wants us to minister to.
- That many of the Ahtna Natives that are still living broken lives, may find peace and hope in God.
- Most of the team members are still sick, please pray for our health, that we can muster up our strength for the last few days of our Glennallen ministry.
God Bless!
Today (Thursday) was pretty eventful, we got to see the Send North Office as well as a fish wheel, where we saw salmon get caught and filleted. For the program I think we've finally grasped the idea of being flexible yet still structured. We had planned out seperate and joint activities for both the younger kids and the teens, and in my opinion, we were able to run a little bit smoother than normal. After our program, we hung out with Rodney, and he showed us different spots where there was amazing scenery. The first spot we went to, was overlooking a river and there was a clear shot of a mountain. The sad part of it though, was that there were beer cans littered ALL over the place, and Rodney said many people come to this spot just to drink. I was so surprised that such a breathtaking view could be overlooked by a local drinking hangout spot. After that we went to another scenic look out on the way back to our cabin. On the way there Ernest took out his guitar and we started singing worship songs, even while walking from the car to the second area.
When we got there, there was basically this large cliff like area that overlooked the river, a never ending forest of trees and a huge mountain in the distance. If I could pick a word to describe it, it was majestic. And as we sang worship songs and meditated, I just felt so moved by the beautiful surroundings, I was heart broken. For me, it was just sad to think that in such a beautiful place, where God is clearly evident through his amazing creation, was so hard to see/reach because the Native people had such broken lives. Working with these kids that have so many layers of emotions built up at such a young age, and not knowing the hope that we have in God, just made me so sad. I thanked God for being so amazing, and at the same time I wept for the brokenness of the local Ahtna people.
Prayer Requests:
- That God will continue to work through our ministry and the relationships we are creating.
- That God will continue to reveal his plan and the people he wants us to minister to.
- That many of the Ahtna Natives that are still living broken lives, may find peace and hope in God.
- Most of the team members are still sick, please pray for our health, that we can muster up our strength for the last few days of our Glennallen ministry.
God Bless!
Monday, June 28, 2010
Flexibility
So yesterday was the first day of our camp, and I must say when they told us to be flexible, I didn't think it would be this flexible. We had planned a message, skit, craft, games, etc. and we barely did anything we planned. I guess this is God's way of showing us again that it's not about us, we just have to remain faithful and trust in him. I am really glad that we had some teens come out for our program, as well as some younger ones that wanted to tag along.
It really touched me how simple the Natives' lifestyle is, yet they are so grateful. At church when they shared prayer requests, they had more praises than requests. And when some of the kids were showing us where their houses were; to me, it looked so small and simple, but to them it was their home and they loved it. It made me see how different our culture is from theirs. We spend so much time focusing on our material things, that we take for granted our 4 bedroom houses and 2 cars and all the other things we have. It really opened my eyes to be more thankful for the blessings I have rather than grumbling all the time.
Another thing is something Mrs. Hui mentioned, is that some teams come in and they're just the sowers, some are the waterers (i know it's not a word), and some are the reapers. It was encouraging to hear, because I'm a person that likes to reap what I sow. Oh Christine of such little faith, I was too impatient to wait for God to work, but just wanted to see what would result from my efforts. It really checked my attitude for the rest of the trip to just work faithfully and let God work out his plan and just trust that what we are doing here during this time, is all working towards the bigger picture.
Prayer Requests:
- That our team will continue to work faithfully for God's glory, and that our conversations and actions are pleasing to him
- For those that are seeking something more from their life, and that the Bible Conference would be a blessing to them.
- For wisdom for learning how to deal with the situations that we're facing >> the teens are very aloof at what's going on and there are lot of barriers to break
- That God will help us prepare for the people that He's going to send for us to work with
Ciao-der!
It really touched me how simple the Natives' lifestyle is, yet they are so grateful. At church when they shared prayer requests, they had more praises than requests. And when some of the kids were showing us where their houses were; to me, it looked so small and simple, but to them it was their home and they loved it. It made me see how different our culture is from theirs. We spend so much time focusing on our material things, that we take for granted our 4 bedroom houses and 2 cars and all the other things we have. It really opened my eyes to be more thankful for the blessings I have rather than grumbling all the time.
Another thing is something Mrs. Hui mentioned, is that some teams come in and they're just the sowers, some are the waterers (i know it's not a word), and some are the reapers. It was encouraging to hear, because I'm a person that likes to reap what I sow. Oh Christine of such little faith, I was too impatient to wait for God to work, but just wanted to see what would result from my efforts. It really checked my attitude for the rest of the trip to just work faithfully and let God work out his plan and just trust that what we are doing here during this time, is all working towards the bigger picture.
Prayer Requests:
- That our team will continue to work faithfully for God's glory, and that our conversations and actions are pleasing to him
- For those that are seeking something more from their life, and that the Bible Conference would be a blessing to them.
- For wisdom for learning how to deal with the situations that we're facing >> the teens are very aloof at what's going on and there are lot of barriers to break
- That God will help us prepare for the people that He's going to send for us to work with
Ciao-der!
Friday, June 25, 2010
God is an Awesome Creator
I think being from the city, it's so easy to get caught up in the business to recognize the vast beauty of God's creation. Being in Alaska, however is totally different, because there's less buildings, less busyness, less...a lot of things, and oh there's a lot of light throughout the day. Today we spent the day sight seeing and equipment shopping. Just driving and taking pictures and seeing these huge animals up close, was just amazing to me to be able to marvel in how beautiful Alaska is, even in rain! To see how small I was compared to these mountains and glaciers and just the beauty of how a glacier looks when the sun hits it through the clouds. Amazing.
We also visited the Mountain View Boys and Girls Club to see the facilities and meet some of the kids. I think meeting them really made me realize that it's for real now. We had our few days of break, now was the beginning of getting everything together, starting relationships, creating friendships. It was really cool.
Tomorrow we leave for Glennallen, where most of our trip will be.
Prayer Requests:
- Safety in Driving
- Praise that Perry made it to Alaska safely and for the wonderful creation from God
- that the hearts of the kids we met today will be open and they will come to our camp
- for the hearts of the teens in Glennallen, as we go to prepare for their program, that they are receptive to the discussions and messages we have prepared and just that they will accept us as we try to get them better
- Continued prayer that God will reveal his plans to us throughout the trip and that we will be open and stilll to see what He is trying to show us
Anchorage, AK
Hey Readers!
We got into Anchorage last night, and went straight to bed, so I didn't get to update. But just a quick update, we were blessed to have first class on our flight from Detroit to Anchorage. To me I was just so thankful, it was really all God. I've traveled a lot, but this is the first time I've been in first class and it was on our way to Alaska. I really felt like God was showing us how he gives and takes away (through our missed flight and then hotel + first class) and how he provides us with rest. As Vivian shared with us last night, "It's like we came to serve but we were served in a fantastic way." Seriously!
Today we're going to go around Anchorage and buy supplies and a little of sightseeing. I forgot how beautiful Alaska was, so it'll be really nice to get reacquainted with it and just see how awesome God's creation is. (ps, Alaska tap water is BOMB!)
Prayer Requests/Praises:
- That we will continue to be open to God markers and what He has in store for us
- For our health and safety
- For Perry's (our last memeber) safe trip to Anchorage
- "That God will reveal each persons spiritual gift so that we can not only use it but develop it even stronger" -- HH
- "Please pray that we keep our focus on God and what he is going to do during this YMT." -- VC
We got into Anchorage last night, and went straight to bed, so I didn't get to update. But just a quick update, we were blessed to have first class on our flight from Detroit to Anchorage. To me I was just so thankful, it was really all God. I've traveled a lot, but this is the first time I've been in first class and it was on our way to Alaska. I really felt like God was showing us how he gives and takes away (through our missed flight and then hotel + first class) and how he provides us with rest. As Vivian shared with us last night, "It's like we came to serve but we were served in a fantastic way." Seriously!
Today we're going to go around Anchorage and buy supplies and a little of sightseeing. I forgot how beautiful Alaska was, so it'll be really nice to get reacquainted with it and just see how awesome God's creation is. (ps, Alaska tap water is BOMB!)
Prayer Requests/Praises:
- That we will continue to be open to God markers and what He has in store for us
- For our health and safety
- For Perry's (our last memeber) safe trip to Anchorage
- "That God will reveal each persons spiritual gift so that we can not only use it but develop it even stronger" -- HH
- "Please pray that we keep our focus on God and what he is going to do during this YMT." -- VC
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Greetings from...Detroit?!
Yes, you read that correctly, we are in Detroit. Now I'm sure you're wondering wait...wasn't it Alaska Missions Trip? Well yes, and throughout today's events God has showed me, besides his humorous side, but also to count my blessings.
So start from last night, I stayed up all night doing last minute laundry and packing, that by the time I was done, it made no sense to sleep because I had to wake up in 30 minutes to get ready to go to the airport. Or so I thought, because before I got into the shower, Mrs. Hui (Helen) called me and told me our 12:45 pm flight was canceled. After I got off the phone, I felt very disheartened because I started to panic that things were going crazy so last minute. Thankfully we were able to find a flight for 4:15pm to Detroit and then to Anchorage, but when we got there, our flight was delayed until 5:45pm. We departed Philadelphia with a feeling of urgency because when we arrived in Detroit we had literally about 10 minutes to get from Gate 23 to Gate 70. Talk about a rush for time. We got to Detroit, and we thought maybe there was still time. To make things better, our gate had been moved to 72! Wow, what were the odds. This was very exciting all about until we pulled into the gate, and watched our flight to Anchorage pull out. Wow, talk about a salty situation. But even so, it was almost funny. Then we waited 2.5 hours in line to sort out our flight situation. And in the end, we got comp'ed rooms at Crowne Plaza along with some food vouchers.
If you can imagine, it was a pretty hectic day...and while most times I would find myself frustrated and groaning about how unfortunate my day was, I found myself adopting a positive attitude because I realized that God was really trying to show us something. First of all, God has a plan, and through LT and Mrs. Hui, they really helped remind me of that. While in our minds, it seemed like setbacks, however because our flight got canceled, we just so happened to end up in Detroit, where we were able to meet this girl Santi and also this Chinese family that has their 3 kids that are going to CMU. What are the odds? Also, as we got into Detroit, although we were delayed, we got into Detroit just in time before the storm/tornado warning hit. Could you imagine if we were trying to land and/or depart? It could've gone terribly wrong.
Today's entry is long because I feel like with such a hectic day, it is something that needs to be shared, for people to see how God is omnipotent and omniscient but also how his sense of humor plays into things. This trip we were challenged to look out for "God markers", and as a personal reflection, as I'm learning to look for them, it's teaching me not only more about who God is, and how he works; but also about how my life is when I don't take the time to see how God is working through me and in me.
Well that's all for now! Until next time! God Bless :)
For my prayer partners out there, please pray for:
-safety as we travel from Detroit to Anchorage
-our time management as we make use of the extra time God has given us to plan and prepare our time in Glennallen.
-us to be more alert to the needs of the people around us and that we will have the right words for them
So start from last night, I stayed up all night doing last minute laundry and packing, that by the time I was done, it made no sense to sleep because I had to wake up in 30 minutes to get ready to go to the airport. Or so I thought, because before I got into the shower, Mrs. Hui (Helen) called me and told me our 12:45 pm flight was canceled. After I got off the phone, I felt very disheartened because I started to panic that things were going crazy so last minute. Thankfully we were able to find a flight for 4:15pm to Detroit and then to Anchorage, but when we got there, our flight was delayed until 5:45pm. We departed Philadelphia with a feeling of urgency because when we arrived in Detroit we had literally about 10 minutes to get from Gate 23 to Gate 70. Talk about a rush for time. We got to Detroit, and we thought maybe there was still time. To make things better, our gate had been moved to 72! Wow, what were the odds. This was very exciting all about until we pulled into the gate, and watched our flight to Anchorage pull out. Wow, talk about a salty situation. But even so, it was almost funny. Then we waited 2.5 hours in line to sort out our flight situation. And in the end, we got comp'ed rooms at Crowne Plaza along with some food vouchers.
If you can imagine, it was a pretty hectic day...and while most times I would find myself frustrated and groaning about how unfortunate my day was, I found myself adopting a positive attitude because I realized that God was really trying to show us something. First of all, God has a plan, and through LT and Mrs. Hui, they really helped remind me of that. While in our minds, it seemed like setbacks, however because our flight got canceled, we just so happened to end up in Detroit, where we were able to meet this girl Santi and also this Chinese family that has their 3 kids that are going to CMU. What are the odds? Also, as we got into Detroit, although we were delayed, we got into Detroit just in time before the storm/tornado warning hit. Could you imagine if we were trying to land and/or depart? It could've gone terribly wrong.
Today's entry is long because I feel like with such a hectic day, it is something that needs to be shared, for people to see how God is omnipotent and omniscient but also how his sense of humor plays into things. This trip we were challenged to look out for "God markers", and as a personal reflection, as I'm learning to look for them, it's teaching me not only more about who God is, and how he works; but also about how my life is when I don't take the time to see how God is working through me and in me.
Well that's all for now! Until next time! God Bless :)
For my prayer partners out there, please pray for:
-safety as we travel from Detroit to Anchorage
-our time management as we make use of the extra time God has given us to plan and prepare our time in Glennallen.
-us to be more alert to the needs of the people around us and that we will have the right words for them
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
And we're off!
Oh hi everyone! Well tomorrow is the day, where 6 of us will depart for Anchorage, AK. Perry will join us later. Of course with last minute packing, I'm going over all the things I need, but I also spent sometime trying to prepare my heart. It seems like more and more I feel like God has prepared me for this trip, and I can only hope that He keeps me focused on the trip.
Please pray for our safety tomorrow! I'll try to update as soon as I can!
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Jehovah Jireh - God our Provider
Wow, because I don't have another word for it, I will use Mrs. Hui's word "God Marker". Well I have a God Marker to share. In about a week, I raised almost the full amount I was supposed to raise for Alaska! I haven't finished collecting and I need to make sure I wrote down who donated what and when and all that. But I'm just surprised at how fast it was for me to raise such a significant amount. Praise God! I seriously feel so blessed to have a supportive church, family, and network that I can actually share about missions and talk about it openly.
With only one week left, we've been training and planning and fundraising like crazy. It's kind of weird to think we're leaving soon, but exciting as well!
Please pray for our:
-preparation: that God will continue to guide our lesson plans, workshops, and activities
-team: that God will prepare our hearts and keep us focused on why we are going
-ministry: that God will prepare the hearts of the coworkers we will meet in AK, and also the teens we will be ministering to.
Thank you for all of your continued support and prayers.
God Bless!
--xtinee
With only one week left, we've been training and planning and fundraising like crazy. It's kind of weird to think we're leaving soon, but exciting as well!
Please pray for our:
-preparation: that God will continue to guide our lesson plans, workshops, and activities
-team: that God will prepare our hearts and keep us focused on why we are going
-ministry: that God will prepare the hearts of the coworkers we will meet in AK, and also the teens we will be ministering to.
Thank you for all of your continued support and prayers.
God Bless!
--xtinee
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Busy, busy, busy!
So much to do, I feel like I've been so preoccupied with my busyness mixed with procrastination, that I keep neglecting to take a step back and focus my mind and heart on why am I going to Alaska? The question that keeps being asked, and having to constantly answer it, feels like God's little reminders to me reminding me, that I'm going on a missions trip, to reach out to teens native to the area, to share with them the Gospel, and the hope that I find in God. It's not about me, or the bajillion things I have to do (or think I have to do), it's about going to the ends of the earth and sharing the Good News. I like how God's been keeping me in check this summer, even when I'm away from ACF. Too cool :)
Amen.
Amen.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
The Blog is Up!
Hello World!
Welcome to my (second) little piece of the internet!
A brief introduction, I'm Christine! And while I have my blog for my normal life (my beloved and trusty and yes, outdated Xanga) I wanted to create a blog where I can talk about how God is working in my life (through missions, my college fellowship, etc.) If you can't tell already, I am a Christian, though if you meet me, you might have a hard-time figuring me out. Why? Maybe it's because I'm a loud and outgoing person that is very in your face with a partially-shaved head and a tattoo or so. But besides that, you can see that I am a person that just loves life and loves God, and I hope that as I continue to learn more about how great my God is, I can share my blessings with you (Christian or Non). So here is is: Entry #1 for Girl on a Mission. Thanks for reading!
--Xtinee
Upcoming:: Missions Trip to Alaska 6/23-7/10
CCC&C Summer College Fellowship '10
Welcome to my (second) little piece of the internet!
A brief introduction, I'm Christine! And while I have my blog for my normal life (my beloved and trusty and yes, outdated Xanga) I wanted to create a blog where I can talk about how God is working in my life (through missions, my college fellowship, etc.) If you can't tell already, I am a Christian, though if you meet me, you might have a hard-time figuring me out. Why? Maybe it's because I'm a loud and outgoing person that is very in your face with a partially-shaved head and a tattoo or so. But besides that, you can see that I am a person that just loves life and loves God, and I hope that as I continue to learn more about how great my God is, I can share my blessings with you (Christian or Non). So here is is: Entry #1 for Girl on a Mission. Thanks for reading!
--Xtinee
Upcoming:: Missions Trip to Alaska 6/23-7/10
CCC&C Summer College Fellowship '10
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