Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Meet the Friendly Faces of Fall :)

My roomies Vero & Giovi at Dordt College!
One of the many joys of my calling includes visiting college campuses to get to know students, share with them how God is working in TouchGlobal, and share ways for them to get involved! I love sitting down with students and hearing what God has given them a passion for and encouraging them to pray about how they can live out that passion on the mission field! 

This fall I have been able to visit:
Dordt College, IA
Northwestern College, IA
Southwest Baptist University, MO
Haiti 2012 Intern Chelsey with potential Haiti 2013 Intern Courtney
John Brown University, AR
College of the Ozarks, MO
[TG staff Ariealle and Carrie visited Greenville College IL]

Read through the captions and take time to pray for these students!

Dordt student Cam with TG Staff Shelby! Cam is praying about coming next summer to NOLA!
Catching up with Haiti 2011 Intern Brandon - praying about coming back in the summer!
Haiti 2012 Intern Mentor Jane - she shared with me at Crosspoint's youth group!
SBU student Ashley helping me recruit! Ashley served as a volunteer last spring break and praying about next summer!
Meet SBU students who have come down to serve in NOLA for their spring break + TG staff Chelsea!!
NOLA 2011 Interns Chelsea and Dustin at SBU - they are getting married May 25, 2013!! so happy for them!
College of the Ozarks grad Jenna who served as a volunteer in NOLA in 2011. She has become a very dear friend of mine!
CofO student Emilee served in NOLA as volunteer in 2012! What a blessing to see her again!
I can't wait to see who God calls to join us to further His Kingdom purposes in the mission field that follows crisis!  It's my job to share, but only God makes it grow!  Please continue to pray and ask God to raise up this next generation, to provide courage for these students to step out in faith in their daily lives and to join the mission field with TG!




Monday, October 15, 2012

From House to Home!! Its worth it!

December 2011(back wall/kitchen)
Today's blog post comes from my room in Ms. Val's home in NEW ORLEANS LOUISIANA!!!! One thing I've been focusing on this week is having a heart of gratitude and being settled in this home just releases huge shouts of praise and thankfulness! Why?? because this time last year this home sat empty, vacant, deserted, in need of repair, without hope, and without light...it was another statistic in the "what did Katrina destroy" list.

and Today...it's furnished, painted, full of laughter, joy, love, and women who LOVE JESUS!!! who have a desire to be the light of Christ and share His hope with our neighbors!!! This once empty house has been completely transformed into a warm welcoming home for whoever enters its doors. We are forever grateful to the hundreds (literally hundreds) of volunteers who obeyed God's call to go and serve those in need!

Not only were thousands of sweat drops poured over this house but thousands of hours of prayer...sometimes I'm standing in the kitchen and I feel the prayers of those who came to show Christ's love to this home and its homeowner Ms. Valerie.  Ms. Valerie is tremendously grateful for every single volunteer who came down, who gave up comforts of home, who took vacation time, who stepped outside their comfort zone in central city New Orleans, who showed love to our neighbors, who treated her home like their home.


August 2012 (the back wall/kitchen is behind our heads)
and tomorrow...we will continue to pour out the love of Christ you showed to this home to our neighbors and encourage them to know the everlasting love of our Father in Heaven!  We have a desire to be intentional with truly LOVING OUR NEIGHBORS AS OURSELVES because Christ first loved us!  Please join us in prayer for S. Derbigny St and Central City New Orleans.  God has me here for a purpose and I want to fulfill that purpose to bring God glory!! Pray we wouldn't miss an opportunity to share our faith and reflect the image of Christ to our neighbors that they see Him in us and want to know Him!  Pray for wisdom as we seek to build authentic vulnerable relationships with our neighbors in a way that demonstrates the love of Christ and draws them into a closer walk with Him.


So it's worth it...if you haven't come down yet or it's been a while to serve those who need the transforming work of the Gospel and who need houses transformed to homes, ...we need you! It's worth it :)

Monday, October 1, 2012

Because He first loved us...


O how I love Jesus



O how I love Jesus



O how I love Jesus



Because He first loved me...








This hymn was played at the Christian Community Development Association's (CCDA) National conference this past week.  This song caught my attention and my heart.  The verses in the hymn draw out how much our Father in heaven loves us and how His love for us sent us His Son, His one and only Son, to die for us that we may live a new life in Him.  God loves us, His love sent our Savior, His love propels us to love Him and everyone...This theme reappeared 250 miles away 2 days later at Dordt college during their worship time called GIFT (growing in faith together).  Okay God I think you are trying to tell me something. haha 






I love how God continues to show His love to us which is not only meant to fill our hearts but allow us to pass His love onto others.  If we love God, we will obey His commands - one of which being love your neighbor as yourself...and to love my neighbor means I get to express the Gospel, the greatest love ever.  When I put others wants and needs above my own, when I humble myself and seek forgiveness for wrongs I've committed, when I feed the hungry, when I show kindness and compassion towards anyone, when I choose to love my enemies, when I give without expecting anything in return, when I pray with those who are hurting, when I share with others the hope that I have through my Lord and Savior...all of which I must rely on the Lord for because none of these can be expressed without my utter dependence on Him...when I submit my life to Him, His love shines through!






God FIRST loved us! AMEN! So will I choose to express that love to Him and to the people He puts in my life today?  In Christ I hope so!