God is good

Well... just a few more days until we leave. Unbelievable.

Today has been good. Phone call after phone call today and details kept falling into place. I was beginning to get in the way of God doing his thing. He certainly has his timing and his ways.

Lessons in faith once again.

Knocked off the checklist today:
1. A room to call homebase
2. A meeting with the Delta principal
3. A homeless shelter to help on Monday
4. A contact at UBC
5. Remembering that God is in control and not us.

...renee
pro. 16:3 "commit all that you do to the Lord, and your plans will succeed." so true.

About Chris Reaves

Name: Christopher Allyn Reaves (I know, my initials spell CAR)
Hometown: Not really sure. I could say Abilene, TX or Junction City, AR. Either/Or.
Education: I am a fifth year senior. I never went to pre-school so I decided to add the extra year on at the end. I am a general studies major with an emphasis in Bible.

Favorite Activities: I love to play sports, especially basketball and softball. I enjoy being outside as well. I like hiking and camping and fishing. I enjoy watching movies, playing Tetris, listening to music, making model airplanes (when I have the time), hanging out with friends, and doing homework. Nevermind, the last one was a stretch.
Favorite Movie: I would say my all-time favorite movies are Rudy, Behind Enemy Lines, and the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Favorite Food: My mom's home-cooking, especially the Tereyaki Chicken.
Favorite Singer: Marc Broussard, Hawk Nelson, Collective Soul, and Casting Crowns to name a few.
Favorite Verse: My favorite verse or section of verses in Galatians 4:22-23 also known as the Fruits of the Spirit. This verse reminds me of my father who passed away this past June. He displayed on a daily basis the fruits of the spirits. It gives me something to aim for.

I have a feeling that this trip is going to be amazing. God put every single person in this group for a reason and soon we will all find out what that reason was. I am counting down the days to when we leave it is either six or seven or somewhere around there. I have never been out of the United States, so this will be a whole new experience for me. I can't wait to see how God is going to bless us as a group and how He will bless the Delta church and the surrounding area. This is going to be great!

No longer

So....I quite possibly have been the biggest slacker of the group since this has been created due to my life being infiltrated by travelling, working, messes, small and sometimes ridiculous yet oh-so-necessary responsibilities, and a quite unsettling commitment known as the Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 at the Dinner Theater. I am resolved to wash my hands of that 'slacker' role right now with this post.
In short:
My name is Amanda Lemmons from Aurora, Colorado orignially and Searcy, Arkansas more recently.
I enjoy most things that involve DOING something. I am not a big movie/TV watcher, I would rather be playing something.
Some of the things I like to play include: guitar, volleyball, bike riding, working out, piano, reading, doing plays/musicals, board or card games, camping, travelling, skiing, hiking, swimming, spending time with my niece and nephews, laughing until my stomach hurts, concerts, and most other things outside or involving music.
I also like ketchup, military time, sepia toned pictures, Bath and Body Works lotion, recipes, fruit cereal, tacos, line dancing, funny greeting cards, lots of snow, singing loud in my car, sunsets, hanging out with friends and family, and inside jokes with my friends.

I have come to realize many things about God in the last few years and have had many experiences around the world to witness the way he works and uses people of all colors and nationalities. I am so excited to see God work in Canada. Having watched him work in many other mission efforts, I have do doubt that he will use us to do something great in Vancouver and he will use the people in Vancouver to teach us lessons that we don't realize we even need to learn.
I am proud of our group and the desire we have to get involved. My prayer is that we are stretched and challenged in ways that we have never been before in order that this experience is one that leaves a permanent mark on our lives.

Jill Phillips is a singer/songwriter to whose music I am completely devoted. She's written a song called "Leave It Up To You" that speaks to our continues attempts to do 'it' ourselves. She concludes throughout the song that she cannot pull herself from the place she is at to the place she wants to be, nor can she forgive herself, that must be left up to God alone. I've been thinking about the task ahead of us and our desire to make a difference in eternity through our efforts in Canada. I know that we alone cannot make this trip an amazing one, but if we leave it up to God and place it all in his hands, he will come through, pulling us out of the trap of our own humanity and performing miracles through our efforts.

I'm grateful for this looming challenge and the awesome souls that I will be working alongside.

About Me...eh?

Name: Luis Rodriguez

Hometown: Morelia, Mexico.

Education: Accounting/International Business Majors.

Interests: Politics, Travel, Missions, Languages, Coffee Shops

Favorite Music: Kylie Minogue, Goldfrapp, Shakira, Gwen Stefani.

Favorite TV Shows: The Simpsons, The Nanny, SNL, Will and Grace

Favorite Movies: Lost in Transaltion, Babel, The Others, The Hours.

Favorite Books: Momo, The Giver, Ghost Boy.

Favorite Bible Verse: Matthew 5:16 "In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven".

After a week with tons of exams and homework, I finally had the opportunity to post on the blog. I cannot believe that in one week, we will be in Vancouver!!! A friend of mine asked me: "if I was ready for Canada?", and my answer was "If Canada was ready for me" :) It's incredible that several months of plannings and meetings will be crystallized in one week. I am confident that with the help of our Lord it will be fruitful. I personally expect that I can learn more about our God and I can grow spritually.
The picture is from last Spring Break in Edmonton where I learned more about Canadians, "eh?", Tim Hortons, and snow.

Nos vemos pronto Vancouver
Luis

About Me

Name: Andrea Michelle Bowen
Hometown: Hagerstown, Maryland
Education: Junior Early Childhood and Mid-Level Education Major (tons of work but I love it)

Favorite Activities: Sing, dance, take pictures, scrapbook, watch movies, read children's books, hang out with friends, spend time with my family!!!
Favorite Movie: Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken
Favorite Food: Tacos and Ice cream!!!!
Favorite Singer: Martina McBride
Favorite Verse: James 4:17-Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins. (I have lots....it's very hard to pick one....but this is one I found a little while ago and it hit me)

I am so excited to go to Vancouver! I can't believe it's only about a week away! I will be glad when all my work is done and we're on our way. This is my second mission trip. Last year, I went south to Nicaragua and now I'm going north to Canada. Both are places I've never been. I'm really looking forward to meeting the church in Delta and spending the week serving them. I'm sure the week will be full of lots of memories and lots of pictures!

Life on silent

To Canada: Thank you for Avril Lavigne. Thank you for Pamela Anderson. Keanu Reeves, however, you can keep.

To the group: After hours perusing Facebook and People magazine, I have been unable to find a suitable picture of myself save this map of Alabama. Viewing my home state, however, you may notice it does slightly resemble my right-side facial profile. See the nose? Me neither.

1920 serves to mark a significantly insignificant fact in my story. It was the first time in America that more people lived inside cities than outside them. The western frontier, and all of its swinging saloon doors and gold rush towns (like early Vancouver), was officially extinct. In a literal handful of generations, the United States and most of North America transformed from 90% living on farms to less than 4%. The countryside is now just a place for vacations without roller coasters; a drive across the country comes only when airplanes are booked; a handwritten letter comes only when the computer is down; a crisp breeze on your face comes only when the air conditioning is off.

Knowledge, and how it manifests itself in modern technologies, is obviously a blessing. But the one aspect of life prior to 1920 that I desire the most is this: we will never see the stars as our ancestors did. Those twinkling suns, no matter what mountain you’re on, won’t be as bright as the time before city taillights and pollution. I simply can’t relate to a world before electricity (or Michael Jackson), or to a time where “buttons” were just things sewn to your clothes.

Similarly, I will never know what it is like to be poor. And I mean real poverty. Poverty that leaves half of the world’s population living on less than $2 a day. Poverty that kills 11 million children a year and 30,000 a day. Poverty that sends 800 million people to bed hungry every night—and I don’t mean fending off late-night Sonic cravings like I do.

So what? So Christ compels us to help the poor, and even more difficult, approach him as “poor” for, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Mt. 5:3). Though I don’t know what it’s like to sleep on the streets or search trashcans for my next meal, I’m called to have an impoverished mindset as I approach God—having to completely rely on him for everything.

If you are reading this blog, then you are probably in the top quarter of the materially blessed in the world. And it is us who must share with the less fortunate, as well as learn their perspective by giving them time (more valuable than money), ridding our lives of instantly gratifying materials, and praying to God. Praying that he allows us to see beyond dollar signs, to get down “in dust and ashes” as Job did (Job 42:8), and to see the stars the way Christ saw them 2,000 years ago—without neon lights or cell phone signals.

ME

After numerous threats by our team leader - media version, I figured I better post a quick bio of me for all to see. My name is Logan T Light - notice that the T is alone, not an initial - not many people know that. I was born in Austin, TX and was then commissioned as a Navy Brat. 10 states and a college education later and you have me in my present state. Honestly, what you should know is that I love to laugh. I love to make people laugh. I love to lead. I love God, I love my wife, and I love basketball. I love my dog KaiYa. I love my family. I love movies (that are funny of course). I love the right click feature on all NON-macintosh computers.

I love the fact that our team is so serious about making a difference in the world. This mission trip is going to create a huge impact in the city of Delta. I am so confident in the team that assembles every week to brainstorm, pray, sing, laugh, and plan for this trip.... but I am only confident in this team because I am so confident in God and his sovereign plan in our lives. The letter to the Ephesians points out that God has, simply put, planned for us. In Hebrews 4 we're told to approach to God with confidence and back in Ephesians 3, Paul gives praise to a God that can and will do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine.

I am preparing to ask a lot of God. I know that he will deliver. I love that.




Oh yeah, and I love chocolate milk.