Archive for April, 2006
Please Pray For Us
April 25, 2006 4:11 pmSend Amy To Mexico
April 21, 2006 2:41 pm
Many of you know that Amy Windsor accompanied us on the Mx06 trip, even though she is neither a teen nor a parent of a teen. Amy's service and skill with the kids was invaluable, and the trip served Amy in a unique way: it confirmed a desire in her heart to spend part of her summer using her gifts as an intern at the Ranch. Here is a letter that Amy recently sent to some friends about this trip:Dear Friends,
Thank you so much for praying for me and the entire team while we were in Mexico this past week serving at Rancho 3M. God's grace was very evident in many ways, from keeping us safe while traveling to blessing us with great times of fellowship while we served.
I am emailing you to let you know about an exciting opportunity that God has given me regarding this summer. Just to catch you up a bit, last summer I felt the Lord calling me to pray about ways that He would have me use my season of singleness for Him. Through months of prayer, seeking God's word and the counsel of my family, friends and pastors the Lord has laid on my heart a desire to go back and serve down at the 3M Ranch for the summer. While I am down there I will be assisting the staff in their daily duties to free up their schedules a little to be able to spend more time investing in the children's lives who are currently living there. These duties would include laundry, cooking, cleaning, errands and other tasks that would bless and serve the staff.
Here's how you can help. Remember all those people who gave so generously to send us to Mexico? Now we can help send Amy back to Mexico:
As you can imagine a trip like this can be costly. On Sunday, April 30th right after then meeting (approx 1pm) I will be having a fundraiser lunch in the church basement. No ticket will be sold for the meal. I will be accepting donations after the lunch. All are welcome to come, eat , and hear more about what God is doing on the Ranch. The cost of the trip will be about $4,000 , which will include air fare, cost of living for my life here while I am gone and expenses that I would have while I am down there. Even if you are not able to financially give, I would appreciate your prayers and welcome you to come and participate in a great Mexican meal on the 30th. (To have an accurate count for food, PLEASE send rsvp's to send-amy-to-mx@hotmail.com)
In Him,Amy
P.S. Please bring the whole family. Children are welcome to attend the lunch!
Something Is Fishy Here
5:50 am
Nicole and I took Jack to the National Aquarium Monday. Not the big, flashy, glass and stainless steel-enclosed, National Aquarium in Baltimore. No, we went to the other National Aquarium. The one in DC. The one in the basement of the Department of Commerce building.
It was a fun experience all around. Having been to the National Aquarium in Baltimore, I expected that our experience at the DC Aquarium would be similar. There would several moments when I should have been suspicious that it would not be quite the same:
- Should Have Been Suspicious Moment #1: I should have been suspicious upon viewing the Aquarium's website, and noticing that there were no pictures of the inside of the aquarium anywhere to be found.
- Should Have Been Suspicious Moment #2: Having to descend a dark and narrow staircase into the basement of the Department of Commerce Building to find the Aquarium.
- Should Have Been Suspicious Moment #3: When the lady at the counter didn't seem to care if we paid our $5 or not. (We did.)
- Should Have Been Suspicious Moment #4: "Caution: Wet Floor" signs scattered around. Were the tanks leaking?
But it was a great trip. At $5, this Aquarium is still a bargain (Baltimore is $20-25), and the scale was perfect to dazzle and amaze our three year old. Furthermore, I realized that I don't need acres of glass and stainless steel to be amazed by God's creation. The DC Aquarium featured fish from all over the world, an amazing picture of God's vast creativity.
If God had simply created one of each major class of animal-mammal, reptile, bird, fish, insect, etc.-we would have good reason to be amazed. But there are simply so many of each kind. The number of different types, sizes, shapes, colors, habits, of just fish is mind-boggling. And God created them all, not just one of each, but swarms:
"And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.” So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day." Genesis 1:20-23
five15 BIG MEETING on Saturday
April 20, 2006 4:11 pmJust a reminder that we have a five15 BIG MEETING on Saturday. As always, Pizza & Ping-Pong will be at 5:15pm, the meeting begins at 6:30pm.
Seita will be preaching from Colossians 1:16 a message about how to enjoy music to the glory of God.
Andrew’s Thanks
4:07 pm
Today’s “Thoughts For Parents” is directed to Dads and Moms who have daughters. I want you to know, if you aren’t aware already, that the GirlTalkers are into their second week of posts about the important topic of modesty. Spring is fully upon us, the weather is turning warm, and store shelves are stocked with the immodest and the seductive.
Taking as their guide 1 Timothy 2:9-10, Carolyn, Nicole, Kristin, and Janelle offer women Biblical perspective and relevant practical help.
Moms, I want to particularly encourage you to review this material with your daughter. Please don’t assume that hearing a message or reading a chapter a year ago will sustain your daughter against the message that screams forth from our culture: “Immodesty = beauty.” The material put forth by the GirlTalkers can help you to lead your daughter into a robust commitment to modesty for the sake of the gospel, the reputation of Christ, and the good of the men around her.
To date, the GirlTalkers have posted the following:
Fashion And Following The Savior
Fashion And Following The Savior, Part 2
Fashion And Following The Savior, Part 3
Fashion And Following The Savior, Part 4
Fashion And Following The Savior, Part 5
Fashion And Following The Savior, Part 6
A Candle Among Straw
Modesty Heart Check
On Your Wedding Day
Jenni’s Story
Fashion And Following The Savior, Part 7
What Really Happens In Pastors Meetings
April 19, 2006 3:53 pm
Acts
12:03 pmExciting stuff going on at Covenant Life Church this weekend:
"The youth of Covenant Life eagerly invite you and your friends to experience ACTS. This original, full-length musical is based on the story of the early Church as described in the book of Acts. Most of the music has been written by high school students who are part of the 10:31 Youth Ministry."
Performances Friday and Saturday night, each at 7:30pm. Doors open at 7pm.
Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for students, available at the door.
Don't forget that we have a five15 meeting Saturday night.
Mexico Stories
April 16, 2006 5:07 pmGot a story to tell about Mexico? A funny moment, God's grace on the scene, or his grace in someone else? Leave a comment here to share it with the team…
Special Thanks
April 15, 2006 8:46 pm"How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?" 1 Thessalonians 3:9, NIV.
What an appropriate verse to express the special thanks we owe to Dean Adamek for his gracious hospitality to us while we were at the ranch. Dean went to great lengths to serve us and see to it that we benefitted from our trip. He granted us some very special privileges in letting us spend as much time with the kids as we did. Here is the Adamek family: Dean and his wife Denise, and their kids Taylor, Jeremiah, and Daniel.
If you would like to send Dean a note of thanks, please leave a comment on this post and I will see to it that Dean gets them all. I'll make the comments visible here for everyone's edification (please note that I will be reviewing comments, so it may take as much as a day to appear).
