Silence The Stones

A Thief in the Night

2013-07-25T10:23:00.002-07:00

We joined a short term expedition into Dwa Dwa, where Brandon teaches bible studies every Tuesday, a couple of weeks ago. The trip was going well and we were making headway with the Senior Headman and his council as well as pounding the pavement (or...dirt) with outreach evangelism. One night, while the team was leading a night service with the village, Brandon, Jake, Derek and I were sitting around the fire back at our campsite discussing the day and preparing for the next. We were only 30 feet from the farthest tent, but in the pitch blackness, we could only see the few feet around our fire.

Derek was the closing speaker in the meeting, so when it was about time, he got up from the fire and started walking toward the service. He switched on his headlamp when he reached the furthest tent just in time to see a man reaching inside of it! "THIEF!" he yelled, and ran after him into the tall grass. We saw his light disappear into the night and stared at each other for a moment. We had been talking about the catfish Derek had caught earlier that day and put under the truck, joking that the dogs were going to come steal them. So, we yelled after him, "Man or Dog?" half kidding. When there was no answer, Jake and Brandon took off. They found Derek in a ravine about 40 yards away and 6 feet down. He was running too fast to see the drop and fell while chasing the thief. He was okay, but had scraped his leg pretty badly. As they headed back to camp, they picked up a few scattered bags the man had dropped as he was making his escape. There was no way to know how many he had gotten away with, so we pulled the expedition leader out of the service. Beau checked the tents and most of everyone's belongings looked in tact, but he couldn't find his backpack with his Nikon camera or all of their expedition money. They searched the path hoping to find more scattered items and bags, meanwhile, Jake pulled Senior Dwa Dwa out of the meeting along with Mariel, the co-leader of the expedition. When Mariel heard what had happened, she closed her eyes for a minute and shared with us that before the meeting, she was the last person at the camp. She noticed that there were bags and shoes laying around and tents unzipped, and she felt prompted to pick everything up - including Beau's bag - and put everything inside the tents and zip them closed. We praised God that He had prompted her to tidy the camp and that she was obedient in the 'small' task of picking up after the team.

Senior Dwa Dwa asked us if we saw the man get away, and when we couldn't verify, he and our guys went looking for the thief. When they came to the ravine, they noticed that it was actually a stream with fairly deep water. (That Derek wasn't seriously injured was a miracle.) There was a large backpack floating on top of the water. Jake reached in to grab it, but it was stuck on something. From the camp I heard Derek ask, "Is that a head? Senior, can you see, is that a man?" Senior Dwa Dwa reached in, pulled the man by his hair and lifted him out of the water. The thief had also fallen into the ravine, and was either playing dead, or hiding hoping to escape later. They brought him back to camp and sat him almost in the coals of the fire, doped up and soaking wet. Senior Dwa Dwa questioned him for a moment finding that the man was sent from town to follow the 'big trucks' in, to steal from the 'Makua' (whites) and sell items in the villages on the way back. Senior was distraught and ashamed that this was happening in his village, and assured us that it was not one of his people. He took the thief with the help of some of his council members, and we heard them questioning him for the next few hours. We could only imagine what fate awaited this man, out in the bush, where the civil laws don't always apply. For we were guests of the Chief, and this act of theft wasn't just a crime against us, but also an insult to the Chief and the headman in charge of this village.

We were quiet for the next while, torn between relief that the thief was caught and that no items were permanently stolen, and the thought of our witness to this village as Christian Missionaries. Wasn't the last person to speak to Jesus a thief? Weren't we all thieves and liars, harlots and addicts, before Christ came and erased our shame? Our flesh cried for Justice but our spirits simply cried. Is this man beyond our compassion? Is this man beyond the Grace of God? NO. He is lost, he is deceived, and he is broken - as we all were - and He is in need of Jesus, perhaps more than anyone else we had met in Dwa Dwa so far.

The leaders went and found where the Senior and his men were holding him. Sure they would walk up on a gruesome scene and find a man beaten half to death, they prepared themselves and prayed for strength. But what they found was quite different. The thief was bound, but was sitting close to a fire for warmth, no bruises or blood, and the Senior and his men were guarding close by. They told Jake that they would banish the thief from their village and deport him to the next, where most assuredly the village of Milundu would do the same until he was deported back to Livingstone. Our leaders sat and shared with the man, witnessed by the headman and his guards, the redemptive hope and righteousness that we find in Christ. He wasn't 'the thief' any longer. He was Alfred, and he is now working through his brokenness to find Christ.

When the team left a few days later, they were greeted by Alfred in Livingstone, he apologized to them, seemed to be sober, and had a smile on his face. I am eternally grateful that we have a Father in Heaven who doesn't call us what He could - for we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God - but rather calls us by Name, His Beloved, as we are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ.

We look forward to seeing Alfred more in the future, and continue to pray that he finds his restoration and peace in Jesus.

Why?

2013-01-08T08:03:00.000-08:00

Why do people die? Why do bad things happen? Why?

A little less than a month ago I thought of posting this blog when a young man shot and killed over 20 children, but I fought it off and said no because it was such a touchy subject. I had written it off as a never-mind and then my grandfather got some news. We recently found out that he has a very large mass on his L2 vertebra. We haven't found out yet whether it is benign or malignant, but should know something by next Monday. As my family waits on this news I contemplate these tough questions once again.

I've recently watched a friend from church, who I highly respect, go through a tough situation with her mother. (More info here) She lost her mother to cancer while we were in Africa. The picture you see is of her son reflecting on his grandmother. As I sit and think about the tough questions in life I remember a conversation told to me about this same little boy, John Thomas Fry.
"Mommy", he said, "why do people disobey God?" "I don't know", she responded, "it's like when you disobey me". "Yeah, but I would never disobey God!", he said. His mother told him how disobeying her was in fact disobeying God according to the Bible. With wide, terrified eyes, John Thomas asked, "does that mean I can't go to heaven?". She explained to him about salvation and what it means to be saved. She explained how Jesus died for our sins. Some days later John Thomas was being a little boy and somehow disobeyed his mother. When Candace called this to his attention the terror came over his face again. "Did Jesus leave me? Do I have to be saved again?"

Praise the one and only God of our salvation, No! We do not! Through God, my grandmother brought Jesus into my grandfather's life many years ago. He has trained his children in the way of the Lord and my life is a testament to the way he has lived. My grandfather gets good news either way next week because as Christians we know that this life is not the end. He either lives which is Christ or he dies, eventually, which is gain. I can rejoice with Him either way. It might be a sad moment and that's okay, but in the grand scheme of things it will be a time of rejoicing.

Why do bad things happen? They happen because in the beginning mankind messed up. From that moment our Father was moving toward our redemption. Why doesn't God stop bad things from happening? A better question is why don't people recognize it when He does?!? Who are we to say that he doesn't? He stopped a lot of things from happening in His holy Word. He healed. He brought the dead to life. He refused the entire extinction of mankind itself. How about He gave us a way to be brought back from eternal death? That doesn't sound like a God who just "lets bad things happen". It sounds like a loving father that cares about us and our problems and our hurting.

To finish I want to just post some truths about our Heavenly Father:

1. Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits— who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. (Psalm 103:1-5 NIV)
2. I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! (Philippians 1:20-22 NIV)
3. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call to the Lord , who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies. The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called to the Lord ; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears. (Psalms 18:2-6 NIV84)
4. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:10, 11 NIV84)

...and the list goes on and on. Thank you, Lord, for your goodness, for your sovereignty, for your hope and for your Son.

Larry and Palma Simmons on their 50th wedding anniversary

Please join us in praying for our 'Pepa' and the Simmons family. We know God is in control, so we pray for peace, for comfort, and for strength in the days ahead.

-Brandon

PRAISE REPORT!

2012-12-22T18:18:00.000-08:00

GOD IS SO GOOD and He never fails!

Even if I wanted to question God's call on our life, it would be no use. He has certainly made himself clear and brings new understanding to us daily. There are so many sayings "Those who God calls he also equips" or " God doesn't call the qualified, he qualifies the called' and many more... and while they may seem cliche, there is certain truth to these statements. God has placed a call on many of us. When you follow God in obedience to those calls, placing your trust in Him, and knowing that you can't do anything apart from His goodness, HE makes a way. He is THE way after all!

We have been blown away in the last few weeks with so many of you, allowing God to speak through you and provide through you for the mission he has given to us. Kindness and selflessness like this can only come from One Spirit. We are blessed to be in the path of the Most High and His purpose and plan for each of us to meet each other, love each other and have an intertwined relationship of obedience and trust in our Heavenly Father. You are solidifying the call of God and we pray that your blessings are returned 100 fold!

We want you to be encouraged at just how amazing God is and how he is working in this time of preparation. See what a blessing it is to trust in God and to obey in faith when he gives us opportunities of growth and surrender!

A VEHICLE AND A LEGACY

You can tell a lot about the life of a person by their children and the legacy they leave behind, but what is even more telling, is how a person spends the last few months of their life in the face of pain, sickness, and death. I'll never forget reading the caring bridge update on Ms. Gwen, hearing Candace tell how her mother was sharing Christ with everyone who came to tell her goodbye. As her battle with cancer was coming to an end, not a moment was being wasted. She worshiped, she loved her family, and she was unashamed of the Gospel until the day she met her Lord face to face.

We have been incredibly blessed in having a relationship with the Fry family. (Remember this post?) Camille and John Thomas are our tiny friends who are at times smarter, and more spiritually aware than we could hope to be and are a complete joy in our lives. We began babysitting them a couple days a week after school so Candace could spend time with her mom. God was creating a beautiful web of love and friendship during this time and through it all, we came to know Ms. Gwen for the beautiful spirit God had created her to be.

Ms. Gwen and Mr. Rodger encouraged us and helped us in our fundraising efforts for AMT in Zambia earlier this summer. In the midst of the battle, she was still focused on the Kingdom of God and wanted to be a part God was doing in us. Full of gratitude, we went and continued to pray for the Phelps and the Frys. A few weeks into our training, we learned that Ms. Gwen had been called home to be with Jesus.

When we returned back to the states we shared our story and our next step with our church. Our Sunday school class asked what we would be needing to get back to Africa and among the things we needed was a 4x4 vehicle. After hugging Candace's neck, she mentioned that her Dad had a jeep that she thought he was thinking of selling and she would check it out for us.

Not 2 weeks later, we heard from Mr. Rodger, ready and willing to DONATE this beautiful vehicle to us. It is a 1989 Jeep Wrangler with a brand new engine and all kinds of bells and whistles the 4x4 driver needs! And because it's a 1989 the import tax will be so much less than we were anticipating! Even as I type this I am without words to describe how incredibly thankful we are, how incredibly wonderful our God is, and how beautiful the tapestry of the Body of Christ.

So, Ms. Gwen's legacy lives on. Not only through her husband, who carries the same generous and Christlike spirit; or her daughter Candace, who lives her life as a reflection of who her mother was; or through her grandchildren, who talked about her all the time; but also through the gospel. Ms. Gwen's life was modeled after her Savior, and this is the piece of her legacy that each of us can carry on; Sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, and the Peace, Joy and Love of our God to those who haven't heard.

Remembering her and our loved ones who are cheering us on from the clouds (Heb. 12:1-3), we promise to live our lives worthy of His love and sacrifice, and of your love and support. This vehicle will help us reach the unreached in the remote areas of the Zambian Bush and wherever else God may lead us.

Thank you Mr. Rodger and the entire Phelps and Fry clan for loving God and allowing Him to bless us and our ministry through you! We cannot express our gratitude, so allow us to quote Paul in his 2nd letter to the Corinthians. He speaks of how God sees hearts like yours, and what it means to Him and his kingdom when the church gives:

2 Corinthians 10-15

¹⁰Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. ¹¹You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

¹²This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. ¹³Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. ¹⁴And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. ¹⁵Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

To all of our family, friends and special support family:

We love you, appreciate you, and thank you for joining us in a journey of obedience, trust, and glorious blessings from our Father!

Do you feel God may be asking you to be obedient in some way?

There are many ways that you can be a part of what God is doing throughout the world. It may be as simple as a hug or a prayer. Maybe he's asking you to commit to a monthly donation to support missionaries across the globe (I know a couple ;) ). Sometimes it might sound like something crazy, but obedience to the Spirit can bless people in the most unconventional ways! God knows what we need, and He speaks to you just as clearly as He speaks to us! Contact us to find out more of how you can join our support family! Email us at brandonandsallymissions@gmail.com or give us a call anytime at 912-536-4591.

*Stay tuned for another incredible story of how God works in the little things to make a big difference, and how He shows us that in the Body of Christ, there are no 'strangers' - only children of God, obediently working together to fulfill HIS purpose!

Love y'all!

Brandon and Sally

Be Not Afriad

2012-12-05T19:03:00.000-08:00

We sang a beautiful song in choir tonight by Craig Courtney titled, Be Not Afraid.

As soon as I read the text I thought of a person I grew up with that just found out their mother has stage 3 cancer, another friend who recently lost her mother to cancer, so many of my friends who are struggling to have children... and my mind wandered on... There are so many people going through so much right now. Not just people here, or where you are, but people everywhere.

Christmas can be a wonderful season, but it doesn't negate what is going on in your life, and the holiday itself can't take any of the burden off of you...but the One for whom it is named can.

Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us, is highly celebrated not just because his birth was prophesied of, or because he was born of a virgin, or because he was a King of Heaven coming to earth, but because of what He came to do and why. We celebrate the birth of Jesus because it means God is here with us, God that created the universe loves us, and promises us that he will never leave us or forsake us. That we are worth saving, so much so that he sent part of himself to die for us, so that we may have life and have it abundantly...and when this temporary life is over and our time on earth is finished, that we have hope restored in Heaven through the gift of salvation and redemption that came through Christ Jesus.

God loves us so much that he sent Jesus to be our savior and redeemer, then we should fear nothing that stands in our paths. He is with us, and walks us through the storms of this life until we can be with him in peace forever.

Be not afraid, but be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified, for the lord your God is on your side. The fighting is done, the battle has already been won. Victory is free to all who but call on the name of Jesus. The beauty of Christmas is CHRIST. Not only his birth, not only his life, or his death, but in the purpose of his coming. YOU. me... for us all.

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
    I have called you by name, you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
    and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
    and the flame shall not consume you.
For I am the Lord your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior."
                        -Isaiah 43:1-3

I am loving each and every one of you tonight, sharing in your heartache and your pain. Remember, God is listening to you, loving you, and holding you through these times. Trust in His goodness, in His faithfulness, and you will walk on top of these stormy seas with Jesus at your side.

-Sally

First Newsletter - AMT Overview!

2012-12-04T10:10:00.001-08:00

To view this newsletter on your computer CLICK HERE

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Later this month we will begin an email newsletter system. To sign up for the newsletters going forward please fill out this form! We will be able to send personal updates and prayer requests to the list of folks that sign up as well. Thanks so much! We hope this will make keeping in touch with us easier for you all!

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Faith Trees and Mustard Seeds

2012-09-22T10:48:00.000-07:00

I had to share something short and sweet with you, hopefully this little bit of encouragement can speak to you in some way.

So...There are some amazing trees here in Africa. Right now, most of them are dead and leafless, but randomly there are some beautiful, lush, green trees. I asked our director what kind of tree it was and he told me it was a Faith Tree. He described how all the other trees wait until the rains come before they begin to blossom and bud, but the Faith trees take a chance and bud early, in anticipation of the rain.

What a great example of our lives as Christians. In His word, God tells us to have Faith, to trust His promises, and to GO. So many times we wait until the blessings come, or we wait until we are 100% positive that everything will be taken care of and we have a definite plan before we want to trust God and follow His commands. What a waste... we are called to be people of Faith, to follow without asking questions, to trust without needing proof, and to step out in obedience- show our leaves to the world and GO.

Faith trees... what a beautiful concept.

Blossom and bloom. Show your faith without hesitation. Trust in your Heavenly Father and believe that when he says he has plans to prosper and not to harm you He means it. But also remember that He means it when He tells us to obey and to share the Gospel with all who will hear.

Have Faith in God, He's on His throne. Have faith in God He watches o'er His own. He cannot Fail, He must prevail. Have Faith in God- Have Faith in God.

Our classes are getting tough, but we are doing our best and working hard. We are officially Wilderness First Responders and know how to weld and cut metal. Our leadership and Culture classes start next week and we've already been given homework assignments.

We are steadily losing the cool nights, so please pray for us as we will be roasting here pretty soon :)

We love you all and hope everything is well!

It hasn't even been 2 weeks???

2012-09-08T06:50:00.002-07:00

I can't believe we haven't even been here for 2 weeks! The old saying 'time flies when you're having fun' certainly is not the case here in Zambia. We are having a blast and are so thankful that God is stretching out the days so we can experience him in fullness! The worst thing in the world would be to get to the end of these three months and say 'where did the time go?'.

God has been doing amazing things in us and through us this last week and a half. Our new AMT family is wonderful. After sharing our testimonies this week around the campfire, it was unreal to see how intertwined our pasts are and how perfectly God put this team together. We are blessed with beautiful, kind and sweet friends to spend this time with!

Our tent, that seemed small and hot when we first got here seems like a haven after sleeping in a smaller tent in the bush for a week! We are so grateful for the mattress and enough space to be able to stand up in the mornings! And after squatting over a 'long drop' all week... a toilet is the most luxurious item you could imagine! (Especially after my last night in the bush - I threw up all night and my back, knees, and hips were killing me from being on the ground in the cold night!) We were all waiting in line for showers after we returned on Friday. Bush baths just don't quite cut it :) (bathing with 1 liter of water with a bucket and a cup... it's that or baby wipes!) It is truly inspiring how much God can change you and equip you in just 1 week.

Today has been a beautifully restful day. Brandon hiked down to the Gorge again and I've done some laundry and caught up my journal. I also cut his hair this morning because he was getting too hot with the cute little beiber haircut :) We visited the Martin's house this morning and borrowed their clippers and gave him a little faux hawk! Their home is stunning... she is a master crafter and has glass and tile mosaic all over their 2 story african home! It looks like a Caribbean resort! The colorful windows and floors are a drastic change from the brown dirt that surrounds the home. What beautiful and encouraging artistry, and wonderfully encouraging people.

The breeze coming off the gorge almost cools you down if you're sitting in the shade and the view up here is awe-inspiring. I'm sitting in the 2nd floor living room area of the Main Building on base. I'm procrastinating writing my 1 page testimony of our expedition (haha...some things never change!) but do need to get started on it fairly soon!

The expedition was incredible. God showed himself in so many ways, and I learned even more how to rely on him. I am no preacher, and no evangelist. But when you realize that NO one is fully equipped with out the holy spirit, your prospective changes. When you hear a woman tell you that she has never seen a bible and doesn't know who Jesus is, your prospective changes. When you hear her say through tears, 'but I don't think even a God that big can forgive me for everything I've done', your heart breaks and for the first time you understand why sharing the Gospel is so important. People are dying every day without hope. A hope I have been blessed with from DAY 1 because of my family and circumstance, and a hope that most people around the world would never even dream existed. God gave me a love in that moment and my heart poured out for this woman and the others there in a way I never imagined. He spoke through me for an hour and a half and gave me answers to all of their questions. You can tell the difference between someone repeating the sinners prayer and turning back to their life, and when someone's heart is truly touched by God. That difference makes ALL the difference. Evangelism without love and true compassion for the lost is a waste. Every second of every day we should be broken hearted for those who don't know Jesus. We should live in a constant state of love and compassion so that others might know Him through us. I have honestly never experienced brokenhearted compassion like I did on Wednesday morning in that village hut. From creation to redemption God shared his love story through me and reached into their despairing souls and pulled them from the darkness. It was an experience I will never forget. I walked away from their village 100% confident that they were filled with God's Holy Spirit and that even if they didn't have a bible or a church nearby, that God would make himself known to them and that those people would spur a change in their village and beyond. What an amazing opportunity.

God's timing is always right. I had no clue that Shannon would ask me to preach, and I hadn't prepared anything to share. But God doesn't let us get in the way. We are a vessel for His message, and when we trust in Him, He pulls out everything from within us - things we didn't even know were there. NEVER be discouraged to share your faith. I hid my light under a 'bushel' until now, and I pray that by this experience I never hide it again. When you understand the depths of darkness - you see how imperative the light truly is.

So much... and in less than 2 weeks! We have another restful Sabbath day tomorrow and then Monday morning starts our Wilderness First Responder course.

Thank you so much for all of your prayers. We think about you often but God isn't letting us be homesick! We love you all so much and hope that we can share often what God is doing in and through us, but with so much going on, I feel we will only be scratching the surface! We pray for your health and safety as you pray for us. We love you!

Sally and Brandon

Click here to see Some photos from the expedition this past week

T Minus 4 hours and counting!

2012-08-27T10:18:00.000-07:00

SO... we are counting down and having mini panic attacks ( half excitement and half nervousness and half plane ride ) ever half hour or so. I can't believe the day is finally here! We've been talking in the future tense so much with this trip that it is almost surreal to be thinking in the present tense!

We've had a few hiccups with our flight checkin and luggage payment (we love small banks... sometimes...) but we know that God will work everything out and it will be fine once we get to the airport.

We are so thankful for all of the prayers, support, encouragement, and gifts over the last 6 months. It has been a wild spiritual ride and it's only going to get better! We love you all so much and hope that we will be able to keep in touch with you during the trip. But if not, we will make sure to write everything down so we can tell you a million stories when we get back! Keep praying for safety, discernment, health, revelation, limited spider sightings, good attitudes and better food.

Here are some of the images we are looking forward to seeing when we get to Zambia! Just to give you an idea of our accommodations!

an arial view of the Rapid 14 base we will be living on. It is on the edge of the gorge of the Zambezi river

This should be what our safari tents look like from the outside, they have a roof over the top of the tent

This is the restroom/shower building

This is the view from the 2nd floor of the main building

one of the restrooms

view from the 2nd floor of the main building to the first floor

this is one of our classrooms, overlooking the gorge and the river

the view of the river from the classroom

There are many things we are nervous about, but thinking of all the wonderful things we will learn and experience, including the views and landscapes we will see, and of course how incredible our God is makes the fears and worries fade.

We love you!!!

Sally and Brandon

busy love and the countdown

2012-08-14T18:51:00.000-07:00

We have been SO blessed to be very busy with some very special things and very special people over the last few weeks! It is so neat to be able to invest in the lives of our brothers and sisters with the extra time God gave us to prepare between Haiti and Africa.

We have been babysitting and spending lots of time with the kids and youth at church as well as taking time to get to know more of the adults in our Sunday School department. It has meant so much to be able to get to know so many of you on a more personal level! We know you will be thinking of us and praying for us while we're gone, and that truly gives us great encouragement and peace!

Here are some of the cuties we have been spending our time with over the last few weeks:

And this morning we got to spend some great time with the WMU Adults on Mission Team, so now
the upper age range is represented, AWESOME! Such an outpouring of support and love, and we
enjoyed answering all their questions and receiving lots of hugs and prayers. So thankful for the opportunity and we can't wait to follow up with them after our training!

We love you all so much, will remember you in our prayers, and will miss your smiling faces while we're in Africa!

We are also SO thankful to our wonderful friends for pulling through at the last minute for us. Our babies (4 legged furry kind) will be well taken care of while we're gone! Sean and Lane McCulley are SAINTS... along with Adam and Eva Matthews and Mary Catherine and Michael O'neal, and many other wonderfully sweet offers. You will never know how much this means to us! from the bottom of our hearts, and Kit and Daisy's too... THANK YOU!!!!

SOOO----

The countdown begins! 2 weeks from YESTERDAY we will be flying out! Our plane leaves on Monday night, August 27th at 9pm! We will fly directly to London where we will sit for about 9 hours and proceed on a 14 hour flight to Johannasburg, South Africa, and then 2 more hours to Livingstone, Zambia. WHEW!

We are so fortunate to have met a WONDERFUL couple who will be going with us to AMT (Advanced Missions Training), Nate and Bethany Lusk! We have been skypeing and facebooking and they have just been a huge emotional and practical help to us! They will actually drive down on Saturday before we leave and stay with us at my parents house in Snellville! It will be great getting to finally meet them in person! We are all excited to go to Mount Zion for our last Sunday in the states, and are so grateful to all of you who have been praying for us and supporting us so far. It will be a blessing to see you the day before we take off!

Nate and Bethany Lusk

We have been gathering all of our items and actually started packing last night. I think we're gonna make it! :) I've been dreading putting all my clothes in one place, because I just KNEW that I was going to have this MASSIVE stack and Brandon would look at me like... yeah right... but I did good! I'm taking some extra stuff, but it's definitely reasonable! We may be able to make it with 3 bags instead of 4, which will be great on the wallet, and our backs! It all depends on the weight, so we'll see! We made a trip to Sam's Club and Walmart today for all our toiletry/food items... I can't call them the 'small things' anymore because most of them are in either big bottles or large quantities! Time to start packing again tonight and then Thursday we're off to spend a few days with Aunt Hiddie! (So glad we will get to spend time with her before we leave!)

Again, thank you all for praying us through this journey! We are SO excited to start our training... along with some nervous excitement for things and people we will encounter...but for the most part overwhelmingly blessed to be able to follow God into the world and tell all those who will hear about His love and His Son. That's what it's all about!

Love you all, we will keep you posted as time draws nearer!

Sally

Heal the wound but leave the scar

2012-07-19T11:13:00.000-07:00

It's been an emotional but wonderful last couple of days for me. A random girl's day with my mom and by childhood and longtime best buddy turned out to be a wake up call from the holy spirit.

I know who I am, I know who I've been, and I know I'm ever changing and trying to line my life up with the woman God wants me to be. But it's easy to forget how wretched I was. It's easy to forget how much grace has been gifted to me. It's so easy to forget because I am surrounded by people that love me, and that appreciate me, and that tell me how wonderful I am, which is great! But at the same time, if I lose sight of who I was without Christ, and forget that who I am and who you see me as is not me at all- but Christ himself - then what have I learned from it all?

I believe God allows us to go through things and to do things for a reason, and it became exceedingly clear to me after a wonderful talk with my mom and a few verses she shared with me.

2 Corinthians 12:6-10
"Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, or because of these surpassing great revelations. Therefore in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me, but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

God is sovereign over every aspect of my life. While he did not cause me to do the horrible things I've done, it is for his Glory that He chooses to forgive me for those things, and in such mercy and grace, His power is revealed. I have been forgiven, so I do not carry the guilt, or the pain, or the shame of any of my sins. But if I forget those things, what have I learned? Not only do I forget who I am when I'm acting out the selfish desires of 'my life', but I also forget who He is and the magnitude of what he's done for me.

I have allowed myself to sweep my past mistakes under the rug, and honestly, I haven't done it purposefully or in any way to 'hide' what I've done. But like I said, it's so easy to forget when you're loving and enjoying the life God has given you, that the cost and the path to this happiness gets lost. There is a beautiful song by Point of Grace called "heal the wound but leave the scar". The lyrics have new meaning for me know, because every time I've sung this song I honestly think of other people - which is strange - but for a singer who tries to fill each song with purpose and meaning, it's what I do sometimes to be sure the song has emotion and the message is portrayed. This is probably because I have always thought that my testimony of salvation wasn't 'interesting' enough. That I could bring more emotion to the song when I take the amazing testimony of my mom and think of how much God brought her through and how many people she has been able to touch and council simply because of the 'thorns' God has placed in her life! And how beautifully and majestically God is Glorified when she shares her testimony to people who only see her gifts, her talents and her beautiful family - that God has redeemed her from so much, and that no one is perfect, save Christ.

I haven't allowed myself to have a beautiful testimony, because it has been easier to just accept the forgiveness and forget about the purpose of the thorns and scars. It was easier to put on the missions application and to tell our pastor that, "Well, I've always known Jesus, but haven't always followed Him, but now I'm back on track." But that isn't what my past was intended for. That wasn't the purpose of God allowing me to fall into temptation and wallow in a selfish, pleasure-seeking world for so many years. That wasn't why he has changed my heart and allowed me to experience the amazing feeling of forgiveness, freedom from the bondage of guilt and shame, of unconditional love and restoration - only to keep my mouth shut!

So many of you have seen me or have known me at my worst. You have heard me say things or seen me do things that make it impossible to understand why I am who I am today - or maybe you think I'm being fake. But on the other hand, so many of you have never seen me at my worst, and have only seen my best. You may think I've always been 'good' and never made mistakes, that I've never felt worthless and disgusting, that I've never sold my body to sin, that I've never hated myself and been too ashamed to even look in the mirror; that I've never struggled with temptation, that my family is perfect and untouched from sorrow, that I've never had doubts, or wondered if I was even worth saving - if I could ever be useful to a God I had ignored, slandered, betrayed, made a mockery of, completely abandoned...

But I have. You may or may not see me either of these ways. But if you do, know this. I am NOT perfect. I am NOT faking. I have NOT ever been 'good'. I have NOT forgotten that I may have gossiped about you, that I may have ignored you or hurt your feelings, that you have seen me drunk, that I was a 'tease' and 'boy crazy', that I used to cuss like a sailor while going to church on Sundays and Wednesdays. I have NOT forgotten who I was, and who I still am without Christ in my life. But I have been forgiven for those things. I have been freed from the guilt and shame when I look backward, which has allowed me to love and to serve and to live in a way that I can move forward without chains to weigh me down. I still don't know all the answers, I still mess up, but God has changed my heart. I don't want to just 'Go through the motions', and I don't want to forget where God pulled me from - because if I do, than he is so much less glorified through my life, and the last 25 years have all been for naught.

I am free. I am loved. I am forgiven, but these thorns are here on purpose - to remind me of who I am when I take the reigns from Jesus and how much I need him to lead me. To show you how MUCH God can forgive you and how BEAUTIFUL he can make your heart if you allow him to. How incredible it feels to look at a horrendous act of sin and not feel one ounce of shame because that is NOT who I am anymore. That no matter what you've done and who you've been - God can restore you and you will be useful (trust me.. if he can use me, he can definitely use you!). Your life and your past cannot go wasted, either forgotten by forgiveness or tormented by guilt and shame, because if you stay in either of those places, you do not allow God to change you OR the people around you.

My testimony has a lot of embarrassing parts, and I will have to get used to saying them out loud. But I won't have to think about anyone else when I sing this incredible song. Because my life is beautiful, and it's only because of Christ. And when I show you how weak I am - I pray that you will see how strong our God truly is.

I love you all - and if I have ever wronged you or mislead you by my broken witness, shortcomings and failures, please forgive me. I am a work in progress, continually learning and being molded by our creator. Remember, it isn't what we do or don't do that saves us --- It is only Jesus.

"heal the wound" written and originally recorded by Point of Grace, recorded and sung live on this recording by Sally Lewis.

What Amazing Grace

2012-07-09T08:38:00.000-07:00

I wanted to thank you all for the outpouring of love for our family over the last week. It has ministered to my Uncle, Aunt and cousins more than you could know. I can't imagine how difficult it is to lose a child under any circumstance.

Tommy Painted this a few years ago with his paint, his hands and a stick. He was a man of many talents!

Tommy was very special. If you were at the service last night, you couldn't have left without knowing just how special he was. I kicked myself and wish that I hadn't been so absent and far away the past 8 years- as I missed great opportunities to know him more. He was plagued and tormented by much, but as his parents said, he never blamed anyone but himself. He never complained and he always tried to make sure he wasn't causing anyone else pain by his actions- and it hurt him worst when he knew he had. He loved unconditionally and without judgement. He was incredibly smart and always well intentioned. But sometimes life holds on to you. Sometimes there are things that seem almost inescapable. The enemy rules these things purposefully, and uses them to keep us from living the life we are capable of in Christ.

But Tommy never stopped searching. He never stopped wanting to be better. And that is how I know that God had not abandoned this beautiful young man. For we do not love on our own account. We do not pursue goodness on our own. It is the call of God that compells us to search for righteousness. Pastor Randy spoke of countless times, good and bad, he had encountered Tommy at his church. To my great joy I learned of 2 mission trips he took to Louisianna after the hurricane. Randy said that Tommy poured his love and charisma on the people they were helping, and that it was a rare gift. But there were times when Randy had to be stern with Tommy, even asking him to leave the church if he was not 'well'. But Tommy, over the next few years, would come back and ask - "Can I be here?" and he would talk, and hug, and come back the next time he was free.

We do not search for God, for goodness, without the knowledge of Grace. I prayed that in all his searching, Tommy found Jesus. While speaking with Randy later, he was convinced at one point during Tommy's visits to Grace fellowship church that Tommy had sincerely made a decision to walk with Jesus. 2 weeks before the accident Randy had seen Tommy again, and noticed how well he looked, how healthy and that he noticed something he hadn't seen before. A light.

Early on Tuesday July 3rd, at the age of 21, Tommy and his friend were hit from behind in their car, run off the road, and hit trees. The car burst into flames and the 2 were killed instantly. Tommy had been through so much in his short life. While there were ups, there had been so many downs. My uncle, while he spoke at the service, was thankful that Tommy was taken at the height of an UP. That Tommy had been well, he had reconciled relationships with his siblings, and was not tormented by so many of the demons he had been fighting for so long.

I learned so much after hearing of Tommy's death. But mostly, I remebered Jesus' words in Luke 14:7 "In the same way, there will be more rejoiceing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent."
and Pauls words in Romans 5:18-21
"Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of teh one man the many will be made righteous. The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin icreased, Grace increased all the more. so grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

I will remember, forever, that Grace is a gift. And there is NO limit to God's Grace, forgiveness, mercy or love. That as the sheep of the Shepherd, our Lord will search out for any of us that strays, and will rejoice abundantly when His lost sheep is found and returned home. That the majesty and the miracle of Grace is so apparent when a life shows how much His Grace is needed. Tommy received Grace, and I am confident that he knew this beautiful gift was offered to him, freely. Praise God.

We sang Amazing Grace yesterday, and while I don't have a recording from the service, this is a recording of us singing it a couple of years ago. Facebook Video of "Grace"

Haiti - Last few days

2012-07-06T11:37:00.002-07:00

a month later... :) ... sorry! It's been crazy the last few weeks!
So much has been going on; some wonderful, some sad, some expected, some unexpected - - but all beautifully woven into the tapestry of life God has given us here on earth. We have welcomed new life, and tomorrow we will be saying goodbye to a loved one. In the midst of our uncertainty and sorrow, or in the midst of excitment and elation, God is in control! Praise Him for his unfailing love and for the hope we find in Him.

Brandon will tell you in a couple days about his experiences chaperoning the youth and kids camps with Vineville. He had a wonderful time and was able to witness so many great things!

I didn't want to leave you hanging on the end of our Haiti trip, so I'll finish it out today. It's been a month since we were there, but it still feels like yesterday- so forgive my brain for leaving you out to dry! So here it is, the end of a beautiful trip, Goodbyes to beautiful landscapes and even more beautiful people.

Wednesday, June 6th, 2012

Today is bittersweet. It will be our last day with sister mario and Mr. mario's family in Gressier. tomorrow we will go to the beach in Jacmel and Friday we fly home.
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We visited the school again this morning. We did the Good samaritan skit. The kids, as usual were too sweet and sang almost every song with us. We prayed over the director and the school before we left, that God would use them to strengthen their community and to protect them and the children they serve.

We arrived at mario's house for the last day of work, greeted by Rodney's smiling face! (I recently learned that while you pronounce ODNE just like that...it is in fact spelled like RODNEY! who knew?) It was so wonderful to see him there. He is such a joyful person and he is more hardworking than most of us! Stevens and Bernie also joined us! We made fast friends with a little boy named Rijkad and a little girl named Senti. Rijkad, only 11, helped us all day too!
We ended up having to move 'sand' which was really more like a thick chalk dust, from one pile at the top of the mountain down to Mario's house for them to be able to use it for mortar. We had 6 buckets and spent the day in assembly lines passing full buckets down and empty ones back up. Many more helpers joined in as the day went on. Wilda and Junior came to visit and she ended up jumping in line! She is so wonderful, and I know God is planting a seed in her heart. She is smiling so much, and only God gives that kind of joy! Steevens was still in pain from his tooth today. We gave him more medicine and prayed for comfort.

It was very hot, as it was every day, but we all worked hard and talked and smiled with our new friends as much as possible, hanging on to every last moment we could. We played frisbee with them on our lunch break and had some AMAZINGLY delicious fresh mango - - which tasted better than any I've ever had in the states!
After a few more hours of bucket passing, we spent time hugging, taking photos, and saying our goodbyes to Mario's family and neighbors - our new family and friends. We prayed for them and asked God to bless their new house that it would be completed quickly and would be a strong foundation for them to build their lives upon. We rode off to smiles and tears and "Arevwa"s. We learned a new phrase - "Pachwen ane si Dye vle" which means 'next year if God wills'.

Worship was great tonight. We were able to lead the songs again and had such a wonderful time worshipping together at the end of such an emotional day. A young man named David shared his testimony and really touched us all. From the outside, he was just a good looking, strong, 18 year old boy who didn't have any problems. But he shared with us the physical difficulties he has come through - even being in a wheel chair for 3 years - and the emotional pain it caused. He spoke about how alone he felt and that he was even agnostic for a while, blaming God, acknowledging his existence, but feeling trampled on. He shared that his youth minister, Chad, was always there for him, encouraging him. He told us that he found God's purpose for his life while coming on mission trips with their church - to serve - as he is now healed and is pretty much in perfect condition physically. I pray that as he goes to college he remembers his purpose, and remembers God's presence in his life through the hard times, and in the rebuilding of his body and of his spirit. He was an inspiration to many of us, though I'm sure he doesn't even realize it. Such a beautiful testimony and we all loved him more at the end of the evening for sharing his heart.

For more photos of Wednesday: Click Here

Wrapping it up - Thursday - Friday, June 7 - 8:

The beach was AMAZING. it was incredible to be in the blue Caribbean water ( a little polluted with seaweed, but still beautiful!) and turn around to to the shore and see the majestic Haitian mountains! We all got a little burned, but it was a wonderful day. Traveling to and from the beach we had to cross the mountains, so we got a ton of wonderful pictures! Such a beautiful countryside! On the way there, Almando got us some fresh bananas - straight from the tree! They were little and so sweet, YUM!

We had our last worship service and a send off from Pastor Sampson. We stayed up singing, and spending time with our friends and then packed our stuff up before heading to bed.

Friday morning started early, some of the group had to leave for the airport by 6am! We had more time than that, so we were able to get pictures with everyone and give out some last minute hugs. Kathryn was able to leave most of her stuff behind so she didn't have to lug it all back when she hopped back on the plane on Saturday. (She is still in Haiti and will be back at the end of the month! She is having an amazing time and I can't wait to hear all her stories!)

The flights were great, and we even met an evangelical pilot! He was a trip, and was inspirational with his excitement to talk about the gospel. Praying for Michael Harrison, American Airlines pilot and brother in Christ! As he said at the end of the flight, "See you in Heaven!"
We are grateful to be home safely, but are missing our friends and doing God's work in His beautiful country - Haiti. Thank you all for your prayers! It was an incredible experience and we hope to be back to work with our friends at Praying Pelican Missions in the future.

For more photos of Thursday and Friday: Click Here

On to the next step!

We covet your continued prayers and support for our training in Zambia in less than 2 months! If you'd like more information on the training program, visit www.overlandmissions.com/amt . I have been making some cookies for donations toward the program and our future in full-time missions, so please email me or facebook me if you'd like to help out in any way. We fly out on August 27th, so keep praying for strength, courage, and retaining all this knowledge we have been given in his Word so that we may effectively share it with the people of Zambia. We love you so much and thank each and every one of you for your love and support. We are just doing the best we can (which we know is filthy rags in comparison to Christ) to follow His Word and to stay in line with His Will for our lives. We are learning daily to endure the costs and sacrifices, to deal with the tough questions and the judgements from those around us. But know, that no matter what you, or we think is best for us, it is only God who knows. We pray that we have a strong faith to trust him with EVERY single aspect of our lives - not just the easy ones. We pray for you as well, that you would let go of control in areas of your life where you have been stealing the reigns and the Glory from God. Our lives are but a means to his Glory - in all that we are, in all that we say and in all that we do - may we bring Glory to God.

In His Love,
Sally

Haiti day 4 - the hardest work day

2012-06-25T12:46:00.002-07:00

Pray for Brandon! He, Angela and Alice are chapperoning the youth camp this week! Tomorrow is his birthday...so I hope they're having fun!!! Pray for safety and for young minds and hearts to be molded :)

His absense does allow me some extra time to get things done, though! :) I realized when gathering my journal and everything to write this, that Tuesday in Haiti was such a difficult day, I only had 4 pictures from the school and none at the worksite! We worked so hard, and were so busy getting to know our wonderful helpers, that I forgot to bring out the camera! But there is good news in day 4, so even without actual footage from Tuesday, there are still stories to be told.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Today was difficult, but incredible. I can't believe we've only been here 3 days...but at the same time, I'm sad that we only have 2 full days left! I am going to miss the friends we've made and the hard work we have been doing. It will be interesting to see if we will make the same kind of connections when we travel to Africa as we have here. We have all loved this beautiful country and the people who serve here.

This morning adn work day was much like yesterday. While we were at the school, we met a man named Deacon Demitri. He makes and sells beautiful wood carvings. We found out that his family barely survived the earthquake. They lived in a duplex, and the family on the otherside of the wall was killed, while his family was spared. One of his daughters was greatly injured, but was healed after some time on a Mercy Ship. We also found out that his home was one of the first worksites PPM ever had in Haiti. Needless to say, he is a strong man of faith with great joy and gratitude, and loves the people from PPM

We arrived at Mario's house and greeted the family. After a few words of encouragement and blessing from their pastor we began to move our first set of 100 blocks up the mountain. Due to our small numbers, it still took us 5 trips up the hill using our assembly line. Steevens, a young man from the neighborhood who helped us all day yesterday and today (again for reasons unknown to us), was in incredible pain. He had a very bad tooth ache and had to sit out a couple of turns. We all told him that he needed to rest, and gave him lots of water and some Ibeuprophin to ease the pain. I am so ready for my faith to be strengthened. My God is a God of healing... and I am so weak in faith that I couldn't bring myself to touch his precious, hurting face and give God an opportunity to show himself to Steevens. We still loved on him and cared for him, and of course prayed for him...but I know that God gives us power to do more for people than give them medicine sometimes. I continue to pray for Steevens, but also for the rest of us..that we will be open to the Spirit of God and will listen when he wants to use us for His Glory. I know I will experience much of this in Africa during our training and I am excited and terrified to see how mighty God truly is, and what incredible power and mercy He has for his people.

We got to know a very special person today. Wilda is 24 and has an 18 month old son named Junior. On Monday, we saw her peeking around corners, and watching us work. But today, she started talking to Cassie and ended up asking her where she went to church, she told Cassie that she had never been invited but wanted to go to church with her on Sunday. She also told Cassie that she had never accepted Christ. We are all praying for Wilda, and can't wait to spend more time with her tomorrow.

We shared many things tonight in worship. Almando asked us to share someone we met that we wont forget and something we learned that we wont forget. I shared that I would not forget the neighbors and members of Mario's family, especially Mario himself. For their hard work, for the kids/teenagers who helped us for no reason, and Phito and Odne who worked harder than all of us and encouraged us with their beautiful smiles. I shared that I would not forget what it means to care for others before yourself and that I will work to always think of another before me. We all shared and then got together to pray for those we've met and for eachother.

The breeze was so wonderful tonight. The dust was pushed out of the air and you could see so many stars. The power had gone out (generator...happened a few times) so it was pitch black. We all sat on the rof in the dark, taking in all the beauty of the night, and enjoyed spending some quiet time with eachother. I got to talk to Phito about his life, and we talked and laughed about how I had been singing wrong creole words (Like mixing up the word for LORD and REMEMBER...so i was singing Praise ye remember....hahah) and he shared with me how much he loves learning english. He taught me more animals (Kabwit - Goat ; Chavel - horse ; bef - cow ; papillion - butterfly ; zandolit - lizard )

After a while, it was just Neil, Marisol and I out on the roof (from our group) and we stayed and watched the moon rise over the mountain. A sunrise is beautiful... but a moonrise is just breathtakeing. After soaking in the gloriousness of the stars, the moon and the cool breeze, we gathered ourselves and went to bed - Tomorrow is the last day in Gressier and we want to make sure we get everything done we possibly can.

Haiti - Day 3 - First 'work day'

2012-06-19T12:51:00.000-07:00

the view from our project location in Gressier

Monday, June 4th, 2012:

Wow. I feel like I say that every time... but each day is so different and amazing!

Today started off with peanut butter and jelly (although there was no jelly left by the time I made my way to breakfast! I've gotta get up earlier!) We went to a school first. It was neat and organized and the children were so smart and precious. We started with 'Simon Di' or Simon says, led by Marisol Ortiz. She did the entire game in french, which the children understood perfectly! It was amazing to see the excitement on the kids faces that they could understand her without an interpreter. (Everyone in Haiti speaks Creole (their own form of language based on french) but schools teach French and most Hymns are in French!)

After the game, we did the skit for Paul and Silas. I read while Phito translated and the kids loved watching everyone act out the scenes! We even had a few tiny prisoners join us in the 'jail'! We sang a few songs, they loved 'Praise ye the lord' which is a stand up sit down song we do at most VBS here in the states, but we also sang a couple songs in Creole! They knew 'When the roll is called up yonder' and 'I'll fly away'. It was so much fun to sing with them in their language, and you could tell the kids (and even the teachers) were getting a kick out of us trying to speak creole. They also sang a song for us and we ended with a great time of prayer and blessing.

We moved on from there to the project work site. A home in the mountainous region of Gressier that had collapsed during the earthquake. 4 family members were in the house when it fell, but the tin roof did not collapse and ended up saving their lives. We learned later in the day that after the house had collapsed, sister Mario (the mother of the family) began to sweep the church every day as her offering and prayer to God because she said she knew he would give them a new home. She told us that when we came her prayer had been answered and that God had accepted her offering to His church and brought Praying Pelican Missions to deliver the gift of her new home. TOO cool.

When we arrived at the house (after walking straight uphill on a narrow path for at least 5 minutes) we saw sister Mario trying to 'clean up' the rubble that was left of her house. She was pulling grass and weeds from the broken rocks that used to be the foundations and walls of her home. I asked her, "Mwen ka ede ou?" which means, 'Can I help you?' as the cinder blocks had not yet been delivered for us to carry up the mountain. She smiled and said 'no no' but with gratitude and humility allowed us to help her pluck the weeds and grass from the the stones that, I can only imagine, mean such a great deal to her and her family. During the act of pulling these weeds from the rocks, Brandon was reminded of the parable of the sower that Jesus explained to his disciples (Matthew 13:1-23). This was an excellent focus for the task at hand, and reminded us that our faith should not be easily uprooted, like this grass that has grown among these rocks. I told Brandon that he should share that tonight at worship if we were given an opportunity. Cassie had asked our group to lead worship on Wednesday, so he thought he might just save it and do it then.

We labored on the weeds for a while and with broken creole, we mingled and attempted to get to know sister Mario's family and neighbors. We began separating the broken blocks and stones into piles (small or large) until our next job was ready. Bring on the sledgehammers! A man showed up and had sledgehammers! He was the foreman for demolition and we were his workers! There were still a few broken walls that were standing and these had to be knocked down in order for new walls to be built. Apparently he didn't want to share the hammers, and was trying to do most of the hard work on his own, but a couple of us started using rocks to break up the columns and walls and his heart was softened and he shared his tools and taught us how to work efficiently. (Isn't it neat to see God teach?) We knocked down the broken fragments of the Mario family's cinder block walls and carted them off into piles as well.

WE SAW A TARANTULA!!!!! Thankfully, I wasn't that close to the surprising find, and Mr. Mario stepped on it a few moments later, but we actually saw it! It wasn't as scary as I thought but I wasn't the one who found it hiding in my cinder block either! It looked more like a mouse than a spider, it was so big and hairy! I am so glad that I was able to witness this... as I know God is helping to prepare me for Africa and showing me little by little that I can handle these creatures and reminding me that they are His creation - and fear is not an option!

After lunch, the cinder blocks arrived... we had to carry them via assembly line about 100 yards straight uphill and winding around a mountain path. There were 10 of us, but luckily Phito (our brother and interpreter) joined in as did sister Mario's son, Manou. So the 12 of us moved 100 blocks, but it took us 5 assembly lines to get up to the house... so we passed each block 5 different times. OUCH! So it was like passing 500 cinder blocks uphill, with the heat, and in the sun!Craziness! About halfway up, a young boy (about 14) named Bernie joined our line and for no other reason but to help and maybe practice a little of the english he knew. I gave him one of my gloves and thanked him for helping us. He enjoyed asking little questions in english like "what is your name" and "where does your father live". His smile is beautiful and contagious and his spirit is sweet. We were so glad to have met Bernie and hope we will see him again tomorrow.

We returned back to Cote Plage in Carrefour to some wonderfully cold showers and some much needed rest before dinner and worship. (I actually ate and enjoyed dinner today because I didn't take the Doxycycline!) After dinner, Cassie asked our group if we could lead worship and possibly a devotion. We sang God of Wonders, Amazing Love, and Give us Clean Hands. Brandon was able to share his thought from earlier in the day about the weeds and rocks for the evening devotion and was able to tell the other groups about our experience of the day. (Isn't it cool how God gave us the opportunity to share that, when we weren't sure we'd have the chance?) It was an incredible time of worship and we ended up singing all night after the meeting.

Now it's time to get some sleep, because Cassie wants us to move 200 blocks tomorrow! I'm already sore from today (Praise ye the lord at the school killed my quads! who needs P90X? Just be on the Hallelu side and don't use a chair! haha) Lord, help our bodies heal and our spirits be willing, I pray our attitudes don't reflect the pain in our backs and arms, and that you will help us finish the task for the day so that we do not put the project behind. Thank you for an incredible day today, Amen.

Haiti - Day 2 - Worship and Playtime

2012-06-18T07:06:00.001-07:00

Good Morning! I'm trying to get back in the habit of being up and about at 7-7:30 because there is so much to do and, clearly, I've been falling behind on some of my duties! :) I will have the whole week of the Haiti trip blogged and photos uploaded to Facebook before next week... even with a visit to the baby in there! haha. (if you haven't seen pictures... check out the last blog! I'm an Aunt of 2!!! )

Our church had VBS last week, and as wonderful as it was, I got sick--well a few of us got sick in the preschool department. I thought it was funny that I spent a week with Haitian orphans and children and came back fit as a fiddle, but one week with American preschoolers did me in! :) But, in all seriousness, it was a WONDERFUL week at VBS and I learned so much from the kids and from our time sharing songs and bible stories with them. So grateful that we have time to be a part of important things like this before we leave for Africa! God uses each little thing as a teaching moment for us and we are soaking it all in!

Kathryn is doing great! We get some updates from her on occasion. If you haven't read her blog here is a link: A Servant Life . She will be in Haiti for 6 more weeks, and I know God is doing some amazing things through her and the rest of the Praying Pelican team and volunteers serving in Haiti and elsewhere this summer. Continue to pray for health and for beautiful experiences that can shape her life and the lives of those she encounters. We love you Kathryn!!

Day 2 - Sunday - June 3, 2012

We all slept pretty well last night. I woke up a lot, worried my fan batteries would run out or that I had been attacked by mosquitoes, but all was well. One of the groups had to be at church at 6am, so we were up at 5am with them...but we still love them.. haha. I got up and read and let Kathryn lay on my mattress for a while so she could stretch out from her ENO hammock position. At about 6:30 every one was getting up and starting to get ready. Brandon and the guys were already dressed and had eaten by the time I got out there to get some bread and peanut butter. The mornings in Haiti are beautiful and the guys were soaking it in on the roof listening to the church service going on next to us that had been at it since 6am and was still going strong! (not to mention there were people flooding out of the doors and sitting outside listening!)

We attended a church in Gressier, where we will be working this week. Cassie, Almondo, and Phito's family attend this church. We actually got to see Cassie and Almondo's house for a quick potty break. She told us that Almondo built most of it! It was wonderful and had a beautiful little garden in the back yard! Just up the mountain was the church, we arrived as Sunday School was ending (all in the same room, even the kids - who were most impressive paying attention the entire time for all 3 hours of the following service!) The church itself was in construction, but where the windows and doors were missing, God replaced them with the most spectacular view and a much needed breeze. It reminded me of Nichole Nordeman's song "Gratitude" in the 2nd verse where she says "A starry sky offers a better view if no roof is overhead". While they had a roof, it was a breathtaking experience worshiping the Creator in view of His creation.

The Service lasted about 3 hours and it got pretty hot as the morning progressed, but we didn't even look at our watches. Each moment was so Spirit-filled that the hours passed like minutes. How contrary to how we 'do church' (which is the wrong way to think of it...but true). We schedule out our songs and sermons to be sure that we don't go over 45 minutes or our congregations will start getting antsy and probably hop churches if they have to sit there for more than an hour. We as Christians have GOT to get used to praising God with ALL we have, EVERY moment of the day and ENJOYING it... otherwise, you may want to re-evaluate your eternity, because that is what you will spend it doing if you reach the Pearly Gates. No football, no TV, and no JOBS --- Just singing and praising the Creator of the Universe. It was eye-opening, to say the least. They sang at least 10 different hymns, singing EACH verse and repeating most of them twice. (We grumble when we have to sing all 5 verses and usually end up cutting some out, am I wrong?) There was an amazing point in the service where we literally said "Alleluia" for at least 10 minutes straight. Not changing tone, no music in the background, no showy interludes - just Alleluia. Each time the word left the lips of the church it was sweeter somehow, it was more reverent, it was bleeding with repentance and gratitude and with Love for a God who is ALIVE and who hears us when we praise Him. Just Alleluia. If that wasn't powerful enough, for 3 minutes we 'let our hands praise Him' and in silence we reached up to the sky and channelled our hearts through our fingertips - the emotion in the room was tangible as we reached as high as we could.

The songs were interspersed with beautiful moments of prayer. One of the most unforgettable moments was when the minister asked everyone to pray simultaneously. Each person bowed their head and OUT LOUD began to pour their hearts out to the Father. I prayed as well, but I couldn't help but be in awe of the faithfulness around me. I peeked... and what I saw stays with me and I pray it never leaves. The faces of God's people, unashamedly calling on Him, confessing to Him, asking of Him, thanking Him, and with such fervor. The voices mingled and rose and, I can imagine, were a sweet melody of honesty to our Lord. It sure convicts a 25 year old Christian of 17 years who is still shaky about leading prayer or talking about her faith. If I can't be strong and courageous when speaking to my Heavenly Father... how can I not be terrified when facing the enemy? What beautiful conviction and a challenge to me just from seeing the deep faith of our brothers and sisters. If I could thank them for anything, it would be just that.

It was also communion Sunday. Before uncovering the bread and the wine, the pastor took at least 20 minutes to talk to his church about the importance of the act of taking communion, as well as the severity of partaking of the bread and the wine while still having unconfessed and unrepented sin in your life, or while serving anything in your life more than God and His Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ. He reminded us all that to come to the Lord's table, your heart must be true, must be clean, and must be broken. Because God is the one who cleanses us, who heals our brokenness, and who replaces the darkness of our hearts with light and truth. I evaluated myself and repented of my doubt and lack of faith, for questioning aspects of my life that I know He is in control of, for my attitude and for my lack of sincerity every other time I have eaten the bread and tasted the wine. It was not a just a tradition with little, stale squares of bread and grape juice where we sit in silence with our mouths dry waiting for the Pastor to say, drink this, so we can rinse the taste of fake bread out of our mouths (maybe I'm just talking about me, but I doubt it). The wine and the bread had a very deep meaning and caused me to look inward and see just how incredible Jesus' sacrifice of His body was, and how meaningful His blood was - it served as the new blood covenant between God and His creation, making the way for us to be redeemed from the clutches of sin and bought us back from the possession of the serpent. What have I been thinking about every other time? How can we not see the seriousness of this act of worship? I am so grateful to have been a part of this service!

We got to talk to Cassie on the way back from church about her life and path to becoming a full-time missionary in Haiti. It was extremely helpful and insightful, and reassured us that we don't have to have all the answers, we don't have to be 'brave' and we don't have to know what we're doing... We just have to give our lives to God and let him work through us - because anything we do pales in comparison to the work of the Spirit of God. Thank God! :) Lunch and then we head to the orphanage from 2-4!

-----

SO the orphanage was amazing... It started off with an inspiring encounter with the director, Sister Mona. She spoke wonderful english and was so joyful and loving. She told us that she had mentioned to her sister earlier that morning that she wished she could get some flip flops for the kids - and out of the 4 suitcases we brought to Haiti, the one we were bringing to donate to the orphanage was FULL of flipflops (among other things). When we told her that we had brought her at least 50 pairs, she just laugh and with wonderment said "I didn't even pray for that, I just said it to my sister! Isn't God so great! When we live in faith, God can take care of us without even asking Him." Brandon also remembered her saying that she lives a life of complete faith in God for provision, for everything, because it was so much easier to live that way - not having to worry or be burdened. She prayed over us and thanked us for coming, but we all knew that we were the ones who had been blessed by the servant spirit of God's chosen, Ms. Mona.

We were then thrust into a 2 hour play session - Angela was swarmed by overjoyed children as she brought out the stickers and frisbees. She threw me some and you would have thought we were passing out gold! They piled on us, sticking out their hands and saying 'you! Ban Mwen!' meaning, you...give me! We played on the swings, took about a hundred pictures, frisbeed, basketballed, soccered, and see sawed until we couldn't stand up any longer. They were just beautiful, happy children. Aside from them wanting our water, watches, cameras, and rings, they were completely content just hanging on us

and hugging us and playing with us. God's children are found in every country, in every city, in every village and tribe, and in each orphanage. It was liberating to just love them, for the short time we were there, to play with all our might, and to hug with all our hearts. It is no wonder Jesus loved the little children, and as followers of Jesus, it is sure hard not to. We will continue to pray for Sister Mona and the wonderful work she is doing in the community and in the lives of the children there. We will also pray for the children, that they will continue to live in the way of the Lord after leaving GSO.

For more information on the Good Shepherd Orphanage & School Foundation please visit www.gsohaiti.org. They have many sponsorship programs and ways to give and list a full overview of what they do - which is A LOT. If you're looking for a way to give, consider this in prayer, as Sister Mona is certainly a wonderful steward of this facility and the children in the orphanage as well as in the surrounding neighborhood.

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We got home about 5:30, exhuasted but in a state of joy. We showered and had some time to rest before dinner and worship. Brandon and I took our malaria medicine and that's where things got hairy... We both ended up throwing up, (remember how I felt sick on Saturday?) Apparently the number 1 side effect of Doxycycline is vomiting - yuck. SO in lieu of feeling sick every day and not being able to eat anything - we decided that faith in God was stronger than any medicine and certainly stronger than any mosquitos! (Thanks be to God that none of us saw more than 2 the entire time we were there!!!) We will be looking into other options and considering what to do when we go to Africa. We didn't have a problem taking the medicine before the trip, but while in Haiti, and out in the sun, the effects got the best of us. One girl took hers at night and didn't feel any of the nausea, but the day she forgot and took it in the morning she threw up... so we can always try to take it at night! we just don't want the sick feeling to get in the way of God's ministry - but we know he can take care of us with the medicine (maybe taking away the vomiting!) or without it (protecting our bodies from malaria in order for us to continue to serve him totally). Our God is an Awesome God... if we have faith in Him, there is nothing that is impossible!

We shared our experiences of the day in worship and enjoyed an evening of singing praises on the roof once again...it was a beautiful end to an incredible day.

Lord, please keep us safe tomorrow so that we may be most effective in working for your kingdom. Keep our attitudes focused on you and your love. Thank you for the understanding of what was making us sick and protect Brandon and I as we try to make the best decision and quit taking the medicine while we are here. Lord, give us strength, courage, and patience. We love you. Thank you for your Son and for giving us the opportunity to serve. Amen.

(For ALL the many pictures of the kids and the rest of the pics from day 1 and 2 visit the facebook album here: haiti 2012 )

I'm an aunt...of TWO!

2012-06-17T12:48:00.000-07:00

SO sorry I haven't updated in a week! Didn't mean to leave you hanging...but THIS happened:

Addison Wells Taulbee - 6.14.12

I am now an Aunt of 2! She is just TOO beautiful... here are some more bragging photos of my sweet little nieces!

me and the sweetest little girls!

Big sister Jordan and Addison

Momma, Jordan and Baby Addison!

It has been a wonderful weekend! I am so thankful to our creator for our new little Addison, and for a healthy sister! They are both home and doing well, and Grandma Marcy is there to help. So blessed!

I will do our Haiti day 2 update later tonight :) Thank you all for being patient!

Sally

Haiti - Day 1 - First glimpse

2012-06-10T14:21:00.001-07:00

Wow, what a week! It is nice to be home and to be able to rest, but it is so bittersweet.

We miss our new brothers and sisters and we even miss the heat (I've been cold since I've been back!) But most of all, we miss all the hard work - - - God's work.

Thank goodness we have plenty to do right here until the next journey!

Haiti is an amazingly beautiful country, with beautiful people and hearts to match. We will never forget our time there and hope to see our friends again in the future. Thank you all for praying us through this trip, we could feel God's protection and strength all around us as we worked throughout the week. We will give you an over view, day by day, of our week. Most of this is coming straight from a journal I kept while in Haiti. Enjoy!

Day 1 - Saturday 6/2/2012

Today was wonderful, stressful, exhausting, and exciting all at the same time. Maybe it was waking up so early (1:30 AM), being on 2 planes, in 3 airports, worried that anything I ate could ruin the rest of the day, or maybe it was the realization of my complete lack of ability.
Praise God that I am not required to be able or worthy to do His work - because I would fail every time. I try to make this feeling allow me to focus on God more, to rely on him, to trust him and obey, because it is easy to feel so depressed - like you can't possibly handle any of the tasks at hand, or that you're completely powerless. I have thought many times today "I don't know if I could do this everyday, long term, different places/climates/food all the time. Is my heart strong enough? Is my faith deep enough? Do I know what I'm doing?" and the resounding answer is "NO!" none of the above... but my God is more than strong enough to make up for all of my shortcomings. All he needs is a willing and obedient heart - That I can do.

Today started early, 4 AM call time to be at the church and ready to go. Neil was the first one there, and Brandon and I were 2nd! (Yay for not being late!) The next car to pull up was such a surprise and blessing. John and Jackie Fry (whose life is a miracle and testimony itself) came to pray with us and see us off! This is what the church is for! Jackie's faithfulness and presence continue to awe and inspire me to deepen my own relationship with God. (Which is exactly why I prayed for complete restoration and healing after the accident. I, among many, have SO much to learn from this strong woman of God! Praise Him that she is doing so well!!!)

We arrived at the airport early and Rachel switched with me so I could sit next to Brandon on the plane to Miami. I am so glad she did because we were able to meet Lindsay. She is a beautiful 23 year old girl who went to Shiloh High School and graduated the year after me (in my same school district)! She is in law school at UGA and wants to become a diplomat and eventually an ambassador. She is fluent in Spanish and is teaching herself french! Her grandparents were actually born and lived in Haiti and moved to the USA where her parents grew up and raised her and her family. She has never been to Haiti before. She was on her way to an internship in the Dominican Republic. She wanted to visit Haiti while she was in the DR, but her mentors told her it wasn't a good idea, her family being Haitian, and the issues with border control between the two countries. We talked a lot about missions, and about faith. She said she appreciated how Brandon and I spoke to her about our faith and our call to missions. I pray that she will find her heart for God again, that she will not let the negative opinions about 'church' dictate her future. If she got nothing else from our discussion, I pray the Holy Spirit reminded her that she is responsible for her own relationship with our Heavenly Father and that she is so useful to the Kingdom. She has a heart full of passion and love and desires to help people. I pray, Lord, that you will keep Lindsay safe during her 10 week stay in the DR and that you lead her down your path and that she may listen to your voice. Thank you for letting us meet Lindsay.

We had a layover in Miami and were able to get something to eat. I was scared to eat anything big, as I knew in about 4 hours the heat would be overwhelming. I ended up eating Wendy's french fries and Brandon got some pizza. (of course he's never worried about anything like that!)

When we got on the plane from Miami to Haiti, I was alone on my little row all the way up until the last 2 people I saw boarding the plane. I was thinking, aw man! So close! But WHAT a blessing and joy, and I am so thankful I was seated next to 2 wonderful people. Casey and Naomi Gustafson. They are from Iowa City, Iowa and attend Faith Baptist Church with their 4 children. They were also headed to Haiti for mission work. Casey is very tall and is built like a super hero and Naomi is very delicate and naturally beautiful (come to find out she is/was a ballerina!). Talking to them throughout the 2 hour flight was rewarding in many ways. Naomi's parents were and are still full time missionaries in Africa! She was born in Bolivia and grew up all over Africa. She had wonderful stories and assured me that growing up as a missionaries' kid was the most amazing upbringing. (so encouraging). Her parents do a lot of work in Northern Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo as well as South Africa. I hope to meet them in our journey there. We talked much about our faith and beliefs and encouraged one another in living a life of doing God's work. I pray for the Gustafsons; for health and safety while in Haiti. That their church continues to fall in love with missions and that Naomi and Casey will be integral in helping their faith family reach the people of the world with the Gospel. Thank you, Lord for a new brother and sister.

Okay. They weren't kidding... it is HOT!!! But it is also beautiful and sometimes breezy! The drive through Port-Au-Prince was breath taking and heart breaking at the same time. Behind flowering trees were rows and rows of tin roofs and tarps, and there is garbage everywhere. But all you have to do is raise your eyes just a little to see the majesty of God's handiwork in this land. The mountains here are green with trees and spotted with homes and villages. This constant backdrop allows you to see this country for the beauty God intended for it. And when you see the smiling faces of the Haitian people, you see it again. These are His children, also. They are also made in His image. And they are in need.
I am amazed by the local Christians we have seen so far. Raising their voices loudly to the heavens and dressing in suits and ties with shiny shoes through burning, hot, dusty roads lined with rubble and trash. The church we are staying at is 5,000 strong and packs out each service where worship can last over 3 hours. What a family. What a testimony to their countrymen. Lord, if there is anything we can do to help these people, allow our bodies to serve.

The food is wonderful! We got settled into our rooms and had our first Haitian meal: Rice and beans with red sauce, baked chicken and fried plantains with the most glorious fresh cherry juice. Even though I did end up feeling sick and not being able to eat much, I thoroughly enjoyed what I had! [side note---it was not the food that made me sick, but my malaria medicine! resume journal] I pray that I can acclimate to the heat/food/lack of normalcy and not be a hindrance to the mission. Lord give me strength. Protect our bodies and keep us able to do your work he with our Haitian brothers and sisters.

We are showered and bug sprayed, fans are blowing and we are ready to fall asleep on our air mattresses! Lord keep us as we slumber. May the rest provide us with excited and willing minds and hearts as we worship with your church tomorrow morning. Thank you for loving us and for the opportunity to serve you. AMEN.

Hope you enjoyed day 1 - Saturday/travel day! Sunday morning was amazing and we will talk about it on the next blog! View more pictures from day one on our Facebook album: Haiti 2012 Pics

Happy birthday to the Church!

2012-05-27T15:37:00.000-07:00

It has been so wonderful being a part of Vineville Baptist Church and learning all about the seasons of the Church (as a whole). From Advent and holy week, to celebrating Easter for and the Ascension, to this Sunday which is Pentecost - the birthday of the Church.

Pentecost was the day when God breathed his Spirit onto the Apostles and gave the gifts that would allow them to spread the word of Christ throughout the nations. Praise God!

Thank you Lord, for sending Jesus your Son, and for giving us the Holy Spirit to comfort us, to guide us, to teach us and to convict us when we sin so that we may repent.

Happy Birthday to the Church- may we continue to do the good work God has given us to do, until the day our Lord brings us Home.

This was a Hymn we sang this morning, and the words (especially the second verse) mean a lot to us!

Wind Who Makes all Winds That Blow

Joseph Parry, 1879

1. Wind who makes all winds that blow—

gusts that bend the saplings low,

gales that heave the sea in waves,

stirrings in the mind's deep caves—

aim your breath with steady power

on your church, this day, this hour.

Raise, renew the life we've lost,

Spirit God of Pentecost.

2. Fire who fuels all fires that burn—

suns around which planets turn,

beacons marking reefs and shoals,

shining truth to guide our souls—

come to us as once you came;

burst in tongues of sacred flame!

Light and Power, Might and Strength,

fill your church, its breadth and length.

3. Holy Spirit, Wind and Flame,

move within our mortal frame.

Make our hearts an altar pyre.

Kindle them with your own fire.

Breathe and blow upon that blaze

till our lives, our deeds, and ways

speak that tongue which every land

by your grace shall understand.

And So It Begins

2012-05-23T07:31:00.005-07:00

We are leaving for Haiti in 9 days! WOAH!

In the mean time...I'm trying to balance out my excitement and my 'fear of forgetting something'... it's been a while since I've done this! It's been seven years since my last overseas mission

- - -

and MAN have I missed it!

Mom and I with Katiya in 2002, orphanage in Bryansk RU

Puppets for the kids at The Church of the Ascention, Bryansk RU

Zhenya Rozhkov, Me, Kim and Pasha Rozhkov, 2003, Bryansk RU

I love the people of Russia. I love the language, the kindness, the beauty of their history and redemption, and the strength and reverence of the church. I miss the hunger, the need for Jesus and His love, and I miss being inspired and humbled by our Russian brothers and sisters and their fervor for spreading the gospel and living it out each and every day.

I cannot wait to fall in love with more people, and further in love with my God. Haiti is a beautiful place with such tragedy, with such a need for love, for help, for the Word of God, and for His hope. I can only imagine that these people will be as special to me as the brothers and sisters in Russia. That, as we travel to do our best to lend a hand and a heart, we will steadily be changed and humbled by the Spirit through these beautiful people. Through their smiles amidst their adversity, through their joy and through their stories of sorrow, I pray that God will change our hearts. I pray that we will not come home unaffected by His grace and His mercy. That we will not allow our hearts to return to selfish indulgence when we know that there are people across the planet in dire need of salvation - of love - and of water, food, and shelter.

We are so excited to be traveling to Haiti with family and friends. It's the only way I've done missions up until now, and I'm grateful for the chance to do it again. God has blessed us greatly by surrounding us with people who are willing to go, willing to help, and even those who cannot go but are willing to donate and pray. You are also the hands and feet of Christ. Thank you for ministering to Brandon and I and to the rest of the team.

We will have a commissioning service for the Haiti team this Sunday at 10:45 (normal worship time) at Vineville Baptitst Church, Macon. If you are able to come and pray with us, please do so! We will be leaving June 2nd (before the crack of dawn) and will return June 8th.

The first big step in our journey is so close I can taste the sweat already... :)

BRING IT ON! We are ready, Lord!

a video about the organization we will be traveling

with and their ministry in Haiti.

Be born in me

2012-05-18T10:17:00.000-07:00

I hope that everyone who is reading this has had a chance to listen to the album The Story, based on the book of the same name. If you haven't you are really missing out. Each song on the album is based on a different Bible character and tells their story through song. Seriously, listen to it.

So, I was listening to Mary's song this morning while driving and a few small words really stuck out to me. Btw, Francesca Battistelli sings this song and it's one of, if not, the best on the album. The words she sings are, "Holy is He, blessed am I". Immediately you want to say, "yeah, so what? She was definitely blessed". I agree, but what we need to think about is that she knew she was blessed.

Mary could have looked at the situation with disdain, similar to the way Moses did when he was first called. One can also make the argument that of the people with big responsibility in the Bible, no one had a bigger burden than what Mary had. I'm sure the angel told her, "no more McDonald's for you Mary, this baby's going to be perfect!" Mary never focused on that. She said I am blessed by God. The first challenge for us is when God says, "go" or "do this", that we don't look at the situation with disdain; we look at the situation and say, "Wow, the God of the universe chose me. I am blessed." Thank God that He chose you to be apart of His plan, because the Bible says that sometimes there are those who are not chosen.

In Luke 1:38, Mary says one other thing that I love in response to her news. She says, "I am the Lord's servant." Do we really believe that about ourselves? That's what we are whether we want to be or not. Someone who does not believe in God is still a servant of God they just don't know it, or choose to ignore it. What we as Christians need to do is embrace that title. If we can truly grasp that concept and embrace it then a lot of the selfishness we see in ourselves, in Christians and in our churches today will fall by the wayside. If we truly believe we are God's servants than we stop everything we are doing when God calls us. A servant doesn't say to the master, "yeah, later" or sigh and mope around while he/she does it. A servant says, "yes sir, right away."

Praise God that while we were still sinners God chose us, and that goes for His work too.

Oh, yeah ... Happy Anniversary!

2012-05-15T18:19:00.002-07:00

Oh, how perfect we are for each other... 3 years to the date tomorrow! Thank goodness our family members sent us a card or we would have missed it completely! I know most married women joke and complain about their husbands forgetting their anniversaries, but I can't join in because I'm just as bad! Literally, we opened the card and were confused... "OH YEAH! that's tomorrow!" and then we just laughed and looked at each other- "You forgot too, right? Thank God!" And Brandon is thinking "whew!" haha

Sometimes things get tough, sometimes we annoy each other, but what a joy to be reminded (sometimes in the strangest ways) that God put us together on purpose. Maybe it's because we've known each other half of our lives. Maybe it's because we were young when we got married. Maybe it's because God knew what he was doing...I'm gonna go with that one. :)

We are a team.. forgetfulness and all! Love speaks to each person differently, and as long as you and your honey are speaking to each other in the right language, you'll never feel unloved! Take the time to be a team! It won't always be perfect, but when it's not, it just doesn't matter as much :)

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TOMORROW, BRANDON!

(and thanks for the Olive Garden and the reminder, Elena! haha)

We love you all!

Sally

Mr. and Mrs. Brandon Lewis ~ May 16, 2009

About to see Jon do this at his own wedding!

My little loves...

Me and my girls!

Are they not the CUTEST things in the world???

Had to end with some pictures from the happy day! Thank you all for being a part of our lives then, now and in the future! We are blessed with the best family and friends and thank God for you every day! XOXO

Wool Underwear at Jury Duty

2012-05-06T20:12:00.000-07:00

Ok, tonight I'm going to offend someone! Yay! Truly, I hope to avoid that completely, but if you are offended by anything in this I do hope it is a holy offense (meaning something that makes you uncomfortable and eventually changes the way we look at life, in Christ). I want to talk about two enemies in our churches. I want to talk about two enemies in our homes and in our everyday lives. I am talking about the enemies of convenience and comfortability.

To start off I will tell you where this is coming from. Sally and I were speaking with someone over the weekend about our call to full time missions. I really do not remember who it was, as we saw a lot of people over the weekend, but as we were talking, the person said something to the effect of, "That is so great and its at a good point in your life. I mean, you guys don't have kids yet and you are still young." Mind you, this person meant well, and I don't even know if it came out right, but what they said really stuck with me. We are a people of Christian convenience, Sally and I included. What the person said above was a very sweet thought of, "wow God called you while it was still convenient for you guys." Wrong. No he didn't! Yes, it was convenient for us in our sense of the word, but God doesn't call us in convenience. God doesn't even have convenience in accordance with his will, because with God's will the time it was set to happen is always the time its going to happen. Convenience is man-made. God calls us when God is ready. God called us at the only time God was ever going to call us to respond to a lifetime of missions, I believe, since we accepted that call and of course He has complete foreknowledge and knew exactly when we would finally surrender. Therefore, His plan has always been and will always be at the perfect time and place in our lives no matter what our outlook is on the situation.

We revolve around convenience and it's brother comfortability. If its easy for me to do and doesn't take much sacrifice for me or my family, then I am all about it. Take up my time, though, and we gotta problem. That is evident in our churches today as we plan our church calendar around when people will actually show up. Things like football games, school functions, dinner parties, piano lessons, gotta brush my teeth at this time every night, (and on and on ....) take up our time during the week and then we let God have whatever is left, if there is anything. I'm here to tell you that this is not the original plan that Christ came to tell us about. When I think of Christ I think of reckless abandon. RECKLESS ABANDON!!! A love for our Savior and a love for our God that says, "I'll give you EVERYTHING!" Jesus said, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." Hear that? We don't get Saturday off. "Daily", he says.

The key phrase in that statement by Christ is 'he must deny himself'. What does it mean to deny oneself? I think of it as putting ourselves last. So God comes first, then others, then ourselves. That is a very simplified list of denial. Now the tough part is that the second group in line still comes after God. Yes, that means your family too. Jesus tells us to love Him so much that it is like we hate our family members. He doesn't say hate them, but that the love we have for Him has to be so great that it pales in comparison with those we love on earth. Therefore, sometimes we even have to deny our families things for the sake of doing God's work. You say, "Brandon, surely God wouldn't put me in that position." Wrong. Ask Abraham.

I whined today at church because of how hot it was in the sanctuary. Yep, people are dying from dehydration due to lack of good water. Freaking, WATER!!!, and I'm whining because it was 78 in the sanctuary. We sure live in a comfortable society. So does God call us to live comfortable lives and coast on through? Nah. Jesus sends us out as sheep among wolves. Comforting, right? He says not to worry about man because all they can do is kill you. Whew, that's all? These are not comforting statements unless we are recklessly abandoned to Christ. Christ did not call us to be comfortable. He just said to follow.

Let's step out as a church and get uncomfortable. Let's talk to people about our faith (God knows I need help with that). We struggle to talk to people about Jesus. I know this because I struggle a lot with it. Man, I can invite them to functions and dinners at church, but talk to them about the Savior of mankind and I clam up. Guess what, Jesus never said invite people to church. I'm not saying that we shouldn't (please don't hear me saying that). I'm saying that WE were meant to share the Gospel with others. We think, well that's my pastor's job. Wrong. It's ours. If we are going to believe what the Bible tells us and follow our God then we are going to be uncomfortable and inconvenienced. It will be like wearing wool underwear at jury duty.

Love you all,
Brandon

Sunny Saturday

2012-05-05T21:08:00.000-07:00

Man, sleeping in feels good! After visiting David and Joni's yard sale, we actually ate mexican for lunch for CINCO DE MAYO! purely by accident.. but fun none the less :)

One of our new favorite spots in Macon is the Indian Mounds! It's such a beautiful place, and has really helped give us a 'venue' to walk and exercise while enjoying nature and not going in circles.

Here's a picture of one of the overlooks from the Great Temple Mound. Hope everyone had a wonderful Saturday!

Love you all,

Sal and Bran

Don't be a blind chameleon

2012-05-03T20:11:00.000-07:00

Did you know, that a blind chameleon still takes on the color of its environment even though it can't see anything? The first thing I think of is, "what a waste of those cool eyes!" However, as I was thinking about this fact I started to contemplate on how God calls us to be in the world, but not of it. What's that you say? How, do I get blind lizard to God's calling us not to be of the world? Stay with me.

John 17:13-19: "I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified."

First thing to note is that this is that top shelf RLS. I am talking about that Red Letter Stuff (sigh....if you still don't get it, Jesus is speaking here so yeah.... letters... red). Jesus is praying for his disciples. He prays to his Father "not that you take them out of the world..." and therefore implies that he could do just that. However, what would have been accomplished by that? Well for starters, I can tell you that you could kiss the book of Acts goodbye. So what does Jesus want? He says, "I have sent them into the world"; but just because he is sending us in the world, does not mean that we are to be of the world.

Ok, thanks for that Brandon! There's nothing like hearing an 'easier said than done' message to really get my engine going! So how do we do this? Simple, become sanctified. Duh! Sanctified here is the greek word hagiazo which means set apart for sacred use or make holy. So we are to be made holy. Ok, how do we do that? That answer, my friends, is two-fold. Both parts are in the scripture above. The first step comes from the end of the scripture and is the most important message in all scripture. JESUS! That is the first part of becoming sanctified. It says, "For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified." Jesus offered His life so that we might be set apart. The second part of becoming sanctified is by the truth, God's Holy Word. Psalm 1:2 and 119:11 along with Joshua 1:8 speak of the importance of staying in the Word. The Word is life. Deuteronomy 8:3 says, "...man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord." I don't know about you, but I normally try to eat every day. Don't you? You think God used that analogy on purpose? Let me sleep on it, YES! Be in the Word of God constantly. After we have part one we never lose it! Praise God!! However, we need to stay in God's word, the truth, to continually set ourselves apart from the world.

So now you see the connection between the lizard and God's call, right? No? Fine. Moving forward.

The blind chameleon is a picture of what it means to be a product of your environment. Even though the animal can't see a thing, the outside world, somehow, soaks in and turns him a brown poopy color. (On a side note the little red line popped up under poopy. Really, spell check? You don't recognize the word poopy?) God does not want blind chameleon's out of us. He wants us to be what the world soaks in, not the other way around. That means WE are to be the examples. WE are to be sticking out like sore thumbs. That's scary isn't it. We all want to blend in like a chameleon. Don't get me wrong, we are not supposed to go around with our noses in the air correcting what everyone is doing. We are to be a light. We are to be LOVE. Jesus, earlier in John 13, says, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." Pretty cool, huh? But he goes on to say, "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." That's the message, if we are to be in Christ then we are to be love to one another thereby making us holy and set apart. Here is the downside, though. In being like Christ we are going to be persecuted for this holiness. We are not always going to be accepted. We are going to be looked down upon or be told that we are close minded. Hallelujah, because Jesus also says, "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." All this is to say, be in the world and live among the people of this world shining a light to the lost, but don't be a blind chameleon.

Love you all,
Brandon

White suit and a Puddle of Mud

2012-05-02T20:15:00.003-07:00

Ok, I read the coolest thing in one of our books today and I thought I'd share it with everyone! As most of you know, we have some 'textbook' reading we have to do in order to prepare for our classes with AMT in Zambia. Every book we've read has been better than the next, and I honestly can't wait until our next shipment arrives!

The book I wanted to share with you tonight is called, Such a Great Salvation by Mike Petzer. It's only about 130 pages, and while he get's a little wordy sometimes, there are golden little nuggets of insight in each chapter!

The chapter in reference is titled 'Without Spot or Blemish, Blameless?' and the synopsis of the chapter is that once we accept Christ in our lives, that we are forever changed into sinless beings. But that begs the question as we clearly still have sin and temptation in our lives. While there are MANY different discussions and blog posts out of this one idea, what I want to share with you tonight is the illustration he used to help make his point. He talks about an issue we have with our self perception, even after we are saved from our sins and made spotless. We often use the excuse that 'everyone messes up' and eveyone has sin in their lives; but this doesn't mean we should not strive to be spotless, how God made us, especially after Jesus cleansed us! And here is his illustration:

"Imagine you walk out your front door and you are faced with a giant mud puddle in your way. If you are wearing dirty coveralls you will think nothing of just walking right through the puddle. Your response is 'I am already in such a mess, why bother to stop some extra dirt?' This is the attitude of all who do not see themselves as clean. They have very little resistance to sin because they see themselves as unclean already. But imagine you walk out of your front door and you are wearing the most expensive, top of the line, tailor made, white suit with appropriately expensive shiny shoes. Even the smallest spot of mud will make you look a mess, you reason, and so you take great care navigating the edge of the mud; you give the mud pool the widest berth you possibly can. This is the attitude of the one that sees himself as totally clean." - pg 125, Such a Great Salvation, Mike Petzer

I love this. When we accept Christ's sacrifice to atone for our sin, we accept that His work was perfect, and that it is finished. If that is true, then we are totally cleansed when we accept the redemption He provides. 1 John 1:9 says that when we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive them and also cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Who hasn't heard that 'God doesn't just forgive, He also forgets'? That means we have a totally blank slate. A completely, spot free, beautiful, expensive (one that cost Him His Son) white suit -or dress- that all we had to do was accept.

What a beautiful gift. Can you see it? What Love, what Mercy, what Grace. He sees us as spotless, beautiful children. Often times, the problem is how we see ourselves. While God forgets our past mistakes, it's not always as easy for us. We do not see the worth in ourselves, we do not understand the forgiveness and complete restoration of our righteousness. How on earth could we, how on earth could I, ever deserve such a gift? Knowing everything I've done, knowing every thought I've had, knowing every word that has come out of my mouth. How? How can I deserve such a gift? Because I am a child of God, and you are too. Because His ways and His thoughts are higher than mine, and because while I can't understand how God can forget everything I've done and love me unconditionally, He can, He does, and He chooses to do so. From the very beginning He has known what we would do, how many times we would forsake Him, yet He still made a way to forgive us - before we ever opened our eyes - He made a way to make it right.

How can we then choose to take this dress, this suit; this spotless, beautiful, garment of Grace and roll around in a puddle of mud? Why would we? We are beautiful spotless children of God. It's time we saw ourselves as He sees us. Maybe then we would value ourselves as he sees value and worth in us. And maybe then we would understand that our actions matter to more than just ourselves, more than just this day, this place. We were bought with a price, and in humble and grateful obedience and praise I want my suit to remain clean, because it matters for all eternity!

For the first time in my life, I know that I am not who the world, or who the sin in my past, tells me I am. I am spotless, and it is my choice to do all I can to overcome any temptation that comes my way. For the sake of the cross, for appreciation of His sacrifice, and for the unfathomable love of my God.

You are clean. You are loved. You are beautiful. See yourself through His eyes, and live as light.

-Sally