While we made our way to the Bethel Guest House all I could do is look out and stare as if I was at a zoo. But it’s not a zoo these are people’s lives with faces and stories. The biggest struggle is getting past the physical need which is important but seeing the spiritual need. Yes they need things like water, food and shelter; but there is a bigger need. A need for a savior!

Our week consisted of working with several orphanages. We had the opportunity to serve and love on kids. My favorite place I got to work at was Wings of Hope an orphanage for special needs. I loved every minute of it. It was the most challenging too. I spent a lot of time just loving on the kids. I also got to feed them, wash clothes (old school), clean wheelchairs, and go several miles to get clean water. Day to day life was challenging for this orphanage. Their building was destroyed during the earthquake. Praise the Lord none of the kids were hurt but, it forced them to find a new home. The orphanage is renting out a house until their new building is built. The house is not very big and poses a challenge for wheelchairs. The kids taught me so much. It taught me to look past their disability and see their potential. I loved seeing the pure joy on their faces all the time. They loved life and were completely happy.

We also got to go to the village of Kanez in the middle of the desert. There are about 1oo something families that live in mud huts. Most families have about 6-7 kids and no means of income. We were able to pray with each family and talk to them about Christ. We also were able to give them a 50 pound bag of rice.Kanez was absolutely beautiful it sat alongside a salt lake. I spent some time playing in the lake with the kids which was awesome.

I loved every minute of my trip to Haiti. I loved loving and living alongside these people. I loved the opportunity to be the hands and feet of Christ. The country was beautiful. Everything screamed the Glory of the Lord.

I loved serving alongside my girlfriend Rachael. She is awesome and her passion for serving the Lord is encouraging. We learned alot about each other and was really cool to share this experience together.

I had a unique opportunity to shoot footage for Crossings Camps that will be used in a future partnership with Haiti. It was awkward at times to film such rough conditions. I learned  that the kids loved seeing themselves when I played it back. Many of the kids in Kanez had never seen themselves before. I am excited to serve at Crossings for another summer and for the future partnership.

After returning home and I am left wondering how God changed my heart. How will I grow from this. I have seen so much and learned so much but how will I use that here in the states. This culture is so consumed with its self and how much can it get or gain. My prayer is that I am changed and challenged to live a life being a servant of Christ. Loving people is what its all about.

It wasn’t till last week when God quickly took the focus off of me. I was working register and every time I finish ringing someone up, I wish them a Merry Christmas. I refuse to say Happy Holidays. Its just something I will not give up. Most just reply you too but one lady didn’t. She paused for a second and said ” I am so glad you are saying Merry Christmas!” she explained, “No one says that anymore.” She grabbed her bags and left. She blessed my soul more than she knew. It was a quick reminder to me that I needed to prepare my heart for Christmas. The would today trys to take Christ out of Christmas, but how would you have Christmas without him. Society today is so rapped up in gift giving and being in the holiday spirit but, the real holiday spirit is Christ. A child born in a manger to one day grow up to redeem the world of their sin. Without this great gift there would be no Christmas. I pray this season the world is reminded of the true Christmas story not the one played on the ABC Family all day Christmas Eve but the one of our Savior Christ.

I end this wishing you a Merry Christmas and a renewed spirit for the Lord!

“Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” Matthew 25:21

God has taught me so much this year and my relationship with Christ grew so much this year. The more I learn about Christ the more questions I have. Often times we think the more we learn the more answers we have, but its not true about our faith. I have been challenged in so many ways. My prayer for this whole year is that God would reveal his plan for “my” life. Little did I know I was asking it wrong. What I should have been asking is God what is “your” plan and how can I help you do “your” plan. Five years ago I never would have thought this is where I would be in life. I am so happy for what God has planned in the years to come.

From laughter shared with friends to random road trips, this year has truly been an adventure. I have meet some great people this year that have evolved in to friendships that will last forever. I have been blessed with the people God has placed in my life.

This wasn’t an easy year either. Probably one of the hardest years of my life but the most rewarding. God has showed me so much this year and his plan. I began this year thinking I was going to study to be a teacher and ending this year doing something totally different. I am so excited where God has lead me. I felt a call to full time ministry my junior year of high school but never really knew what area of ministry. These past few months God has really been working at my heart. I feel God leading me to missionary work and I am taking the spring semester of 2011 off to go on a semester long mission trip.

I cannot wait to see what 2010 holds. I am not ready to go back to school but excited to get it over with. I already have a lot planned for 2010, the Passion 2010 conference in January, working at the Crossings this summer, and much more, but most importantly I am looking forward to growing closer to Christ. I pray this year that I will step boldly out in faith and share the love that Jesus Christ has shown me. I  pray that God will use his people to do amazing things for the kingdom of God. Remember it’s all about the climb, the journey and the road we take to get there. As long as we live Christ centered lives we will get there and his plans are better than anything we can imagine.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If man remans in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 NIV

One of the most important things I lose focus about is, it’s God’s Will not God’s Will for my life, which is something I constantly have to remind myself. We must ask what is God’s Will and put the focus on the Lord not ourselves.

“My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too, am working. I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself ; he can do only what he sees his father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these.” John 5;17, 19-20

We must be focused on our relationship with God and then open our eyes to what God is doing around us and join him! God is constantly working around us and when he is ready for us to join him he  will reveal it to us and where he wants us to join in His Will. Don’t focus on what you can do by yourself to glorify the Lord but, how God can use you to carry our His Will. Just open up your eyes God is working around you and ask him how you can jump in and help.

I have been challenged by this scripture:

“This is the word that came to Jeremiah for the Lord: ‘Go down to the potter’s house, and I will give you my message.’ So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was married in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Then the word of the Lord came to me; ‘O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?’ declares the Lord. ‘Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.’”

Jeremiah 18:1-6

Basically, we must remain in the Lord’s hand and like clay we must be able to be molded into what God wants to use us for. My challenge for myself is to abide in the Lord and be molded by him to be used in whatever way he wants.

Photo by Jeni Ward

This past weekend I had the opportunity to go on a mission trip with the youth at Ormsby Heights Baptist Church to West Virginia. This was my first trip as a youth worker; I had attended this youth group growing up. I became a youth worker there the beginning of this year and it was my first time being on the other side of the fence. God showed me a lot this weekend.

We traveled to Huntington, West Virginia to help out Mrs. Flowers, a widow, whose house need a lot of repairs due to the lack of upkeep. Before the trip I talked to a friend of mine who is also a youth worker there and we were both excited to see what God had in store of the youth. We arrived on friday and were excited to get to work. When we got to the house I was amazed to see the youth jump right into working on the house. We were all divided into groups and the repair work included: painting the hallway, retiling the kitchen floor, fixing the bathtub, repairing the porch, yard work, and winterizing the windows. No one was really a professional at any of the tasks and it was amazing to see God use us in ways we thought he couldn’t.

The youth worked really hard to complete each task and more. They did community outreach projects which included handing out light bulbs to people who needed them and reminding them that Jesus is the Light of the World. They also cut lawns for people that were unable to for free. One of the youth was sharing a story of how a neighbor thanked them because they had been praying that someone would help out their neighbor and as she finished her prayer she heard the lawn mower start up as they mowed her neighbor’s lawn. The lady rejoiced in an answered prayer.

It was awesome to see the youth serve the Lord and each other. It was such a blessing to be able to go and see God working in their lives.  Chris our youth pastor challenged us to think of our reason God had us there. I have been thinking of going away next year to college and I feel that God is showing me that I need to be here at OHBC in Louisville. Some of the college students that went on the trip helped me realize that I need to rethink going away and maybe stay here. Our college group is just starting to grow and I don’t know if I’m ready to leave it. I don’t know what God has in store for me but I feel my calling to stay here and to be involved with the youth at OHBC.

-friendships- I have a lot a “friends” but I still feel lonely and I feel as if some of my friendships are coming to an end and I think it is important that they do. These friends are damaging me and my walk with Christ. I feel I can’t carry that burden on my back anymore. There is a part of me that thinks I can continue these friendship, but at a distance. I am torn and tired of thinking about it.

-my calling- What am I doing with my life? I feel God calling me to something different. Will I step out in faith?

-the lost- As I am sitting in class and looking around, I’m wondering how many people know God. I feel the Lord tugging at my heart to step out and be bold and share the love of God.

-West Virginia Mission Trip- This Friday I’m leaving to go with the youth to Huntington. I am excited for what the Lord has planned and seeing the youth grow as the serve others.

Still thinking……

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