We Recommend: Six Things You Should Do

Because this has been an exhausting week, I just wanted to make a few recommendations tonight.

1. Listen to Brooke Fraser's new CD Albertine

2. Ask a 7th grader for advice. Today Rebeca came to me very distraught at a family situation... but at the end of our conversation she was preaching a sermon she didn't know I needed to hear. Praise God for the way He works through others to encourage and spur us on!

3. Dance. Yes, it's kind of in my contract... but tonight we had an outreach for students and whenever the gospel song "Lord, You Are Good" comes on, my feet just can't help it. Praising God always reminds me to praise God... it's one circular kind of thinking that I don't mind:)


4. Get phone numbers. Today, I felt like I was in high school again - writing numbers on my hands. But, I'm so excited because I am going to be hanging out with students this weekend.

5. Share your pain. These past two days, I have been open about the pain in my family and my students have been so supportive in prayer.

6. PRAY. Scripture tells us to pray continually... and I know that results are only a bi-product. God wants us to pray continually because that means that we are in communion with Him. There is no better place to be.

words cannot express

Some of you may now know the specifics of my fervent prayer request yesterday. Bethany and Samuel went in for an ultrasound yesterday and there was no heartbeat. The doctors still don't really know what happened, but they'll know more after the autopsy. For now, Samuel and Bethany will be in the hospital until labor can be induced. My parents were able to drive through the night and arrive this morning to support them in whatever way.

Those of you who prayed today... please know that God is blessing Samuel and Bethany and my family through your prayers. I woke up praying throughout the night and often my prayers ended with "I don't know, God, you finish the rest." And every last petition reached His ears.

Yesterday I posted a passage from Romans 8 and I just want to point out these few verses:

Romans 8: 26-27, "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will."

I truly, firmly believe that the Spirit is interceding with groans words cannot express. I believe that God knows more intimately the pain and brokenness in this situation than I will ever be able to comprehend. I also know that, just as God aches for our pain, He is the same today as He was yesterday, "our Rock and our Shelter" as my brother wrote today.

In the midst of all of this, held up by the prayers of the saints, Samuel and Bethany are trusting "God will be glorified" in some way through Isaac Brenton's short life.

Continue to pray that the joy of the Lord would be their strength, for Bethany's health, for the doctors and nurses, for the next decisions that need to be made, and (per Sam's request) "most of all that God would be glorified."

Again, I believe your prayers - the prayers of the community of believers offered up humbly to our Provider, Maker, Redeemer, and Savior - are received by our God who feels the hurt more than we can imagine.

Keep on keeping on.

Honduran Horizon!

Please keep praying today for my brother and sister-in-law.

Finally.

I know I used to send out my newsletters at the beginning of the month. That was a good system... until Christmas. Now, I'm finally getting out the January newsletter and I've conveniently decided to change from putting out the newsletters at the beginning of the month to the end. Which, of course, means I'm right on time!

So many highlights in the past couple months that it's hard to share without getting wordy. I will say that coming back here has been a wonderful confirmation of God's calling on my life.

If you want to know more, I guess you'll have to read it! Click here or on the image above to go to my newsletter webpage. Then click January 2009 to download the PDF.

Please pray!

Friends, family, and strangers, please lift up my brother and sister-in-law in your prayers tonight and tomorrow morning. Pray that they will be comforted, encouraged, lifted up, and blessed. After some very tragic news today, my prayer is that they would cry out, "Abba, Father" and know that they can rest in a peace that passes understanding.

A friend shared these passages from Romans 8 with me tonight and if you could just pray through them with me for my brother and sister-in-law.

11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. 12 Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation–but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.

17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs–heirs of God and co‑heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope

21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has?

25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. 26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.

I pray that they will claim this in Jesus' name in the midst of every hurt and pain and brokenness.

We cry "Abba, Father"

I just want to praise the Lord for today. Here's a link to the John Piper sermon I listened to this morning, which got me thinking about the greatness of our God. Can you imagine the excitement the disciples had when they discovered that Jesus was the Son of God?

Their excitement, though paramount, was understated because they hadn't yet seen the whole work. And now, we stand on the other side with God's greatness beaming from His redemptive work and my heart cries out, "Abba, Father" (Romans 8) for all the times I forget His greatness.

This week will be blessed. In what ways I haven't the slightest ideas, but our God is One of motion and I know this week He will be moving in our midst, softening hearts, guiding footsteps, and directing conversations.

May He receive all glory and honor and praise!

Thank Goodness It's Friday

First of all WELCOME BACK Christina - you were greatly missed here at foreignheart (I can tell by the page hits!) and even more so just in conversation. We'll have to change that soon!

Today, parents came to pick up report cards, ask all sorts of questions, and some to seek advice. Though I encouraged and counseled and advised with a clear voice of confidence, inwardly I wondered how the parents were listening to someone who could be their child too. I guess it struck me as more humorous than anything else.

I am exhausted after a full day and a trip into the city to watch the end of the girls' soccer game. After the game, some of the students went out to eat with my roommates and me at TGIFridays (I know - of all places, they choose American!). We had so much fun and I kept thinking of ways I could make this happen more often.

It seems like so many obstacles frustrate plans and then we're convinced the complications aren't worth the trouble. I'm the kind of person who throws out crazy ideas until I find a winner... and I just haven't found one that will solve the problem of seeing my students more. We have SUCH an amazing opportunity to support, challenge, and disciple these young people, and all it takes is a little coordination. Unfortunately, I live on a mountain and a lot of my students live up to an hour away and can not drive (nor do I have a car:).

But, aren't these the kinds of things we believe God for... you know, the little things? I have been so blessed and encouraged this week by the staff community here at ALP. A conversation here and there reminds me that we must be faithful with every blessing we are given and God will bless us beyond our imaginations.

Praise the Lord for His provision. In the midst of whatever you are doing right now - give God praise for who He is and you will be blessed!

A week of tears

Hello long-lost friends! Christina here, your long lost other half of the foreign heart team. At least, I hope Caroline still considers me part of the team. I started a new journey about 4 1/2 months ago (quitting my job and getting a new one in youth ministry- ahh!) and it has changed my whole world. My life has turned upside down, and I wouldn't want it to go back. But I do miss you all, and having time to talk to my dear sister every once and awhile...

Anyway- it's been quite a week... kind of not in a good way. I've cried this week more times than I can count. Big, fat crocodile tears in the shower, in a meeting, and driving down the road. It's just been one of those weeks. Started Sat. with some car troubles, but has continued into something that's taken on a life of its own.

Honestly- I can't remember a time that I have felt like this- so hopeless, so despondent, so free of true joy. I was trying to explain it to Tina on Tues. night and after awhile she just said- Christina, nothing you are saying is making sense. Are you sure you're not being attacked? After trying to talk her out of this insane and frankly, offensive accusation for awhile, I realized she was right.

And why not? Why wouldn't satan attack me with accusations of worthlessness, alone-ness, and sadness? Why wouldn't satan whisper to me lies of discontentment, uneasiness, and distrust? Why wouldn't he try and make me ineffective for God's gospel and glory? When things at Valley Church are MOVING, when things are SHAKING up, when EXCITING things are happening, WHY WOULDN'T HE ATTACK THAT?

So I fight. For joy- for time with the Lord- for unity in our team.

Will you fight with me? Will you pray that God would continue to move mightily in Valley Church Student Ministries? Will you pray that satan's attacks on our team would be useless? Would you pray that our staff retreat this weekend will sustain us and give us communication we desperately need? Would you pray that we would come back ready to fight for his kingdom?

Thank you, friends. I love you all.

Christina