When I woke up this morning, I have to admit I was not exactly looking forward to our new class. On Tuesdays we have women's chapel and the guys have their own chapel...it's what some of us like to call segregated chapel. While it's cool to hear about the ladies of the bible and get a chance to lead singing/prayer, we do like being with everyone. So, on Fridays we now also have a segregated class. The girls go to the class Women on a Mission. I thought it was going to be like another ladies chapel, and wasn't really excited about it. Actually, I was kind of bummed. BUT, the class was-Amazing! I was so uplifted and encouraged by it. Pam and Beth did an excellent job giving the class and I think set it off on the right foot. It opened my eyes to some important things about the girls in my class and about ministering to girls. It reminded me of things I needed to hear too.
This class focuses on what the title is- women on a mission. Its about us girls being mission minded and how we can minister to other girls. I'm looking forward to seeing how this class can help me grow.
I decided it would probably be good to have a blog specifically for my AIM (Adventures in Missions) thoughts and updates. So, here it is! I've transferred the entries I had in my other blog to this one, which go from the Canadian trip to thoughts from the Paducah, KY trip. I will try to post entries more frequently.
During our class the Life of Christ, through the gospel of Luke, one of the stories we looked at was when Jesus healed the leper. He loved the unlovable and touched the untouchable. I've never seen a leper in real life, but in that class we were shown pictures of people that were affected by the disease. It was truly saddening and eye-opening to the reality of what the people I'd read about actually went through. Lepers were the unclean, outcasts of society. It was wrong to be around one let alone touch one. Yet, Jesus loved, had compassion on him, and reached out his hand and touched him. That must have been so overwhelmingly joyous for the leper. Not only was he healed, but someone had actually reached out and gave him what he hadn't known in who knows how long. He gave him physical touch.
Touch is so important for me. While I do like my "me time", I definitely love being around people and enjoy a good hug, or pat on the back, touch to the arm...some sort of touch. Actually, touch is essential to all creatures. Research has shown that if living beings are deprived of touch it negatively effects their health. So this man who had a disease that ate away at his body, and who was absent from touch, which would've eaten away at his very being, must have been completely desperate for some sort of care. Any touch, any companionship would have lifted his spirit. His desperation led him to Jesus and his faith was rewarded with healing, of the physical nature but most likely of his spirit as well.
This past week I was sick. It had been a rough couple of days during finals and I guess my immune system was at a low. The last day of finals and day before we left to Kentucky I felt absolutely horrible. The trip over there was not enjoyable and my time over there was somewhat frustrating because I was always coughing, couldn't breathe well, mostly lost my voice, and just couldn't talk and socialize with people the way that I would had I been well. I felt worried too because I didn't want to get anyone else sick. I felt like I shouldn't be around anyone, that I should just stay to myself, keep my mouth shut, and not touch anyone. It made me sad. On Sunday after church I was taken to a clinic and the rest of the day and all of Monday I stayed shut in at the host family's house. I was away from everyone and I hated it. I wanted to be well again, just to feel good. I wanted to fearlessly be around people and touch them.
My cold, is absolutely nothing compared to a disease like leprosy, yet that was on my mind during my time alone. I was reminded how being sick and away from people, just really stinks. It made me sad and lonely. How much more the leper! How desperate he was! Christ showed him love and that is what I, as a disciple of Christ, should do too. I would warn people that I was sick so they wouldn't hold my hand or get too close, but some didn't care. They stayed around me anyway and hugged me, held my arm and hand. That made me feel loved. I need to remember that people that don't look so appealing, that are sick, that are normally outcast, those are the ones that I need to show love to. I need to love the lepers.
Yeah so I'm in this group called AC DC and we totally rock! :) AC DC is the name my area church group likes to go by. Area Church-Denver City. Every Sunday a group of 10 of us head out to Denver City to worship with them and spend the day with some of the members. Our group consists of 4 girls (me, Ashton, Shae, and Amanda Holler), 4 guys (Van, Chris Willis, Ryan, and Jacob), and 2 assistants (Ginger and Bryson). When I first found out which area church I got and who I was with, I had mixed emotions. I was really happy because I'd heard good things about Denver City and I knew I liked my assistants. However, I hadn't really talked to the AIMers in my group yet so I wasn't sure how we'd work together. Well, after spending time with them I had a good feeling about it.
I've gone twice so far to Denver City. I can say that God has blessed me with a great team. Everyone is so willing to help out and do stuff. We get along great, have good laughs, and each bring a little something different to the group.
The first time I went was the weekend of TCC-Teenage Christian Conference. This was a pretty neat event because there were over 600 people there from all over West Texas and part of New Mexico. It was a day of lots, yes lots, of singing and listening to 4 different speakers preach the Word. We left on Saturday morning and when we got there went to the high school cafeteria to help set up for the dinner that would be provided for everyone. Basically we moved tables, chairs, covered tables, and set up the food (buns, chips, candy, condiments) for the burgers. Then we had some lunch and headed back to the church building to for the conference. Our guys led prayers, songs, and scripture readings during the conference. Seeing my brothers get up and lead never gets old! I love it. One girl ended up getting baptized that night. Praises to God.
Shae and I stayed with a couple, the Turnboughs (sp?), and they were really sweet. On Sunday there was a lot of fellowship with the church, which was just awesome.
This past Sunday we went to the youth group class and then during worship tried to do the "no bunching" again. There is a rule that we are not supposed to bunch up but go and meet new people. It is a little difficult sometimes to just get out there and strike up a conversation, especially because there are not a whole lot of people and I can't go up to someone who already has an AIMer or two talking to them. But I managed to sit next to a lady (with no AIMers) and talk a bit to her. She, like mainly everyone else, was very nice. After church we went out in the country to have lunch with a family. Oh man, that was some good home-cooked food. We ate well, and just knocked out afterward. Well, we talked and played with their kids first, but after that good meal and waking up early, it was time for a nap. We also saw their horses and land, which was pretty awesome.
Something that we will do every Sunday is go to the nursing home to visit and sing songs. I really like doing this because I know it makes them happy. Those people are just sweet and get joy from us visiting them. Some of them sing along with us which makes me happy. This past Sunday one lady kept saying "that was pretty" after every song we sang.
Even though we get tired from the drive over in the morning and then staying there all day, I'm so glad to be doing it. I can't wait to get to know my brothers and sisters from Denver City better. I'm looking forward to making a difference in their lives, growing closer with ACDC, and growing closer to the good Lord.
So this past weekend the AIM class went up to Canadian, TX. It. was. a. blast. At first I was just wondering what we were going there for. It didn't seem like they had much planned for us, and really...they didn't. But somewhow each moment of the day was filled with blessings for them and especially for us. I didn't even know that it was pretty in that part of Texas but it definitely was. We had hills and plateaus and it was green and pretty! =) When we got there we went into the church building and they had pizza for us and we just talked with people and sang songs together. Then we got split up into our host families and I got put with 8 other girls (Amanda, Susan, Michelle, Valerie, Kalen, Glenna, Danni, and Jennifer) with a widow named Joyce. She was such a nice lady and really enjoyed having us over. She told us alot about her family and how she was born and always lived (w/the exception of just a few years) in Canadian, and mostly in the same house after her and her husband got married. We learned that she really loves butterflies and actually owns most of the land on her block, as well as a sweet collie named Daisy :) On Saturday we had a lesson on conflict but a lot of it was on being men and women of God, which was really cool. I liked it alot and it reminded me of things I needed to hear. After that we hit the town lol. Really, we did a lot of walking and went down to a soda shop that was just amazing. I got a rootbeer float and just talked and got to know some of my classmates better. The shop was attached to this antique store that had some pretty amazing (and expensive) things. I will remember those old cashiers and soda dispensers, coke machine, and especially the strange painting we saw of dead animals hung on a wall. yes, it was very strange haha. After the shop we headed into the back of a truck and drove down to the bridge. We walked the bridge back and forth and watched the trains go by and our classmates play in the water below. Then it got even better!
The church had a cookout for us and we got to eat some amazing burgers and food and just do more fellowship! Fellowship is amazing. Seriously, it's not about food at all...this whole trip was fellowship. It's about being with each other and sharing in each others' experiences and being there for one another. After we ate and talked ( got to talk to some assistants which was cool), I saw the kids playing and thought it'd be a cool idea to join them. So I went over and jumped into a game of tag. We then played chinese freeze tag, red light green light, and another game I can't remember the name of. The kids were so fun to play with and having a bunch of us AIMers play with them was fun too. We may not be in the best of shape anymore but our hearts were sure into it and speaking for myself, I felt like a kid myself. It was just good fun and I'm sure those kids will remember playing with us. That night the girls and I talked alot and got to know each other better and hear about our backgrounds. Man, everyone has a different story, a different life and somehow we all ended up together reaching for the same goal...God is Good!
Sunday morning we went to class and in worship some of our guys led prayers and singing. I'm so proud of our young men that get up and lead. It makes me feel good to see them displaying their love for Christ and leading others in worship. Two of my classmates (Chris Reid and Erick Paddy) talked about why they came to AIM and a little bit of their background. I was proud of them too for sharing with everyone there and just uplifting everyone with their faith and desire for God. The church provided us with more food...gosh, amazing people...and it was goooooood! I got too much because it all smelled and looked so scrumptious. But yes, it was yummy. We had our first test on the NT books and I'll have a test on OT today and on wed. Ed's 1st test (dun dun duuuuuuun). But overall, this has been an amazing experience so far that I know is the start to something BIG in my life. I've still got plenty of growing to do, and I feel like it's going to be here that I do it. I really love my classmates and teachers and I hope I can make an impact in the times to come
The land is flat, the eyes see far and wide, and still I cannot keep my eyes from staring at the sky. There isn't much to see, but that's not the reason why I look up at the clouds above, I look up at the sky.
In the morning bright yellow splashes the canvas spread wide At midday grand ships of white fly by In the evening warm colors melt my heart as the artwork of God is displayed for all to see.
And when it seems all light is gone and blue has turned to black, I look up at the sky and stare in awe at His power and grace. For even when life is dark and lonely and even when I'm scared, God gives us light to guide and lead if only we look up.
