Hey all!
It's already been such an exciting week!
This exciting, to be specific:
So exciting that Aiden slept through all of our singing and dancing! (He was very tired)
We made it to town successfully, and in great time! Dinner was waiting for us (thanks to Christopher's parents!) and the space is incredible! We had a little chaos with a set of keys locked in the car...cough cough...but after climbing onto the roof, jimmying a window open, and then realizing it was much easier to reach than we thought, the keys were rescued, dinner was eaten, and we all set up our "nests" for the week.
Had a great devotion tonight. We sang parts of songs as we were still preparing for worship (SO proud of Matt and Ally!) and had some fun doing it, too! We all watched the first part of "Big" with Tom Hanks and talked about what it felt like to be told that we weren't big enough, or good enough, or special enough to do something that we wanted to try. Part of the scripture we've chosen for the week (1 Peter 2:4-10) is talking about how even though people throw us aside and might decide we're not enough, God has chosen us to be central to the ministry of Christ!
Each student was then given a chance to pick their own "living stone" as a reminder of the choice they are making in their faith every time they feel and see their stone. They wrote their own breath prayers to say when they came in contact with their stone, and prayed their prayers in some quiet time. We've asked them to carry them in their pockets each night as we work and play together as a constant reminder of the choices we make and God's love for us.
We had some fun time for games, and finally, are in bed and resting for tomorrow's work (okay, most of us are resting). Looking forward to so much fun! We are SO thankful for the people here at Grace Community UMC who have been FABULOUS in taking care of us.
More pictures and information to come tomorrow!
With love!
Love the pictures and thanks so much for the update. I am praying for all of you. :)
ReplyDelete“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth” (also in Shreveport, the food bank, and even the waterpark on Friday!) (Acts 1:8 NIV)
“Dear Lord, Please be with all the members of the mission trip now and the rest of the week. Allow them to use their words well as they represent You. I pray that they will be an encourager who uses their words to build up rather than tear down, to encourage rather than discourage, and their hands to be constructive, rather than idol. May the words of their mouth and the meditations of their hearts be pleasing in Your sight. Teach them to be still and listen for Your gentle voice in their life, and empty themselves of all you have given them, so that they may serve You and bring Glory to Your Name. In Jesus’ name. Amen”
Be Blessed!
Jill Chatham :)