this is how it should be...sha sha, sha doo

Hello Hello and Merry late Christmas everyone! Hope you're looking forward to the new year and thinking of ways to make this year better and pondering on all the good times of 08!! I know I had some! :)

But anyway, the point of the title of my blog today is a song by Ben Kweller called "How it should be" and it came into my head after hanging out with my good friend Joe who is down here for 2 weeks and was one of my summer staffer buddies! Seeing him and Alysha (also here for 2 weeks and was a summer staffer) has just brought back so many wonderful memories from the summer but also reminded me that this should always be my mission field. I think I've gotten too comfortable and after talking to Alysha about how coming here gives her this confidence to talk to strangers, I know exactly what she is talking about, I'm realizing that this is how it should be...I want to be about seeking and saving the lost, making disciples of all nations and where better to start than in New Orleans...or better yet, you can start exactly where you are. I just hope and pray that 09 for me is a year that I suffer for the sake of the gospel!

Happy "early" New Year!

LOVE YA!

-khooks

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 1 Peter 4:12-14

Almost 6 Months...

Hi Everyone!

I guess to say it's been a while is kind of an understatement. The last time I blogged I had just arrived in Galveston for the first time. Since then I've been back to Galveston and seen quite a bit of improvements in the area with a loong way to go before it's back to pre-Ike. My parents came down for Thanksgiving week, stayed in the yellow house, worked on Ms. Lee's home, and couldn't believe how much work there is still to do in New Orleans even 3 years after Katrina.

We have one team in this week then nothing until the week after Christmas...so I'll be headed back to NC sometime next week. So if you're around I definitely want to see you, catch up on your life, and tell you even more about how God is using this ministry to reach out to those in need!

Something I shared with the teams the week of Thanksgiving is a verse God has really been using in my life to comfort me and even more to tell me exactly what I'm supposed to be doing with my life...It's in Hebrews 6, verse 11:

Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true.

So yes, 6 months into my year here in New Orleans and I still don't have a clue as to what is next...it feels like my senior year of college all over...but what I do know is that as long as life lasts, I am to LOVE OTHERS! plain and simple.

Please pray that I continue to love others, that I continue to seek God's will, and that I make the most out of every opportunity, that I am in His word daily and praying continually!

Thanks for reading! Let me know how I can be praying for you!

peace and love,

khooks

p.s. I'm training for a half marathon in New Orleans on Feb 1st, so if you'd like to pray for strength for that, that'd be wonderful! :)