Now that I'm home, I was able to upload the photos. New ones have been added to "Another Awesome Day" and "Learning More About the Area" posts.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Saturday, August 22, 2015
Wrapping Up
Well, Friday is here and it is time to say our goodbye's and head down the mountain. Our hearts are full of love for those we have met. It has been fun to love on the Meridzo Ministries Family. They have loved on us, too, and have been so willing to share their stories of God's faithfulness.
God continues to do amazing things in Harlan County. Many of the men and women who are serving started their journey here years ago, coming to serve on a mission trip, just like the Lynch Ladies. They came again and again, and the Lord started a process of wooing them to come here to live. They left family and friends, and many left steady jobs. But, the Lord made it so clear to them that this is where He wants them to be. They wanted to join Him and experience a life of trusting Him to provide. Many of them have personal struggles and hardships, but they will be quick to tell you that the peace they have surpasses the challenges. Their faith has grown as they have trusted God. He has been faithful in ways they could not have imagined.
For the Lynch Ladies, this has been a week we are glad we didn't miss. We were happy to paint, stain, organize, sew, sweep and clean. But the best part was building relationships, and pausing to see how God can work things together for our good. For 6 days, we put the demands of our routine on the back burner, and focused on a new set of people. We took time for fellowship. The "chores" we did were just a venue to give us an opportunity to get to know ourselves and others better.
Thanks SO much for praying with us and supporting us! We literally could not have done it without you. The Meridzo family and the ones they serve are also grateful. Please continue to pray, as the Lord brings this trip to your mind, that He will bless and protect these people. Ricky and Dee Money are moving back to western Kentucky to "love on their grandkids", so they are praying for the Lord to raise up new Directors for Solomon's Porch. They plan to move by December. They have been here five years.
Doc Kelley says that God has more fruit to produce in this area, but the ministry that extends beyond Lynch is even greater. People come to Lynch to serve for a week, experience a growth in their faith, and then go back home to live a different life. We have been challenged to trust God more and ourselves less.
"And my God will supply your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19 It's an easy verse to quote, but do we really believe it? The people we met this week KNOW it to be true.
 |
| One last stop at the Coffee Shop on our way out |
God continues to do amazing things in Harlan County. Many of the men and women who are serving started their journey here years ago, coming to serve on a mission trip, just like the Lynch Ladies. They came again and again, and the Lord started a process of wooing them to come here to live. They left family and friends, and many left steady jobs. But, the Lord made it so clear to them that this is where He wants them to be. They wanted to join Him and experience a life of trusting Him to provide. Many of them have personal struggles and hardships, but they will be quick to tell you that the peace they have surpasses the challenges. Their faith has grown as they have trusted God. He has been faithful in ways they could not have imagined.
For the Lynch Ladies, this has been a week we are glad we didn't miss. We were happy to paint, stain, organize, sew, sweep and clean. But the best part was building relationships, and pausing to see how God can work things together for our good. For 6 days, we put the demands of our routine on the back burner, and focused on a new set of people. We took time for fellowship. The "chores" we did were just a venue to give us an opportunity to get to know ourselves and others better.
Thanks SO much for praying with us and supporting us! We literally could not have done it without you. The Meridzo family and the ones they serve are also grateful. Please continue to pray, as the Lord brings this trip to your mind, that He will bless and protect these people. Ricky and Dee Money are moving back to western Kentucky to "love on their grandkids", so they are praying for the Lord to raise up new Directors for Solomon's Porch. They plan to move by December. They have been here five years.
Doc Kelley says that God has more fruit to produce in this area, but the ministry that extends beyond Lynch is even greater. People come to Lynch to serve for a week, experience a growth in their faith, and then go back home to live a different life. We have been challenged to trust God more and ourselves less.
"And my God will supply your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19 It's an easy verse to quote, but do we really believe it? The people we met this week KNOW it to be true.
Thursday Happenings
Thanks for your prayers for today. It was another good one. The group that went to the Stables to paint in the morning, ended up staying most of the day. They turned a chocolate brown room into a bright yellow room. They also spent some time visiting with Drew, Leah's husband (they are the Directors of The Stables). Drew shared some more info on the programs they run, particularly the kids camps in the summer.
Another group visited Harlan County Christian School. It is located at a church and the staff have a deep love for the Lord and their students. Several years ago, the congregation trusted God to help them raise the funds needed to build an education wing for Phase 1 of the school, and then a gymnasium for Phase 2. A mighty faith builder, they saw God enable them to pay all their bills during the construction, and now have no debt! Tuition is very reasonable and the teachers treat their job as a ministry as much as they do a paid position.
A third group went with Dee (she and her husband are the Directors of Solomon's Porch) to visit some of the widows and widowers. Dee has developed a special relationship with these sweet people. She brings the joy of Jesus to their lives. She truly loves them and they adore her. Some members of our team had put together Sonshine baskets, so this group was able to deliver them on the visits. It contained homemade items, as well as some pencils, pads, nuts, etc.
All but the paint crew met at the Lamp House Coffee Shop for lunch. After enjoying some tasty sandwiches and soup, Managers Eric and Sissy Rutherford, shared how God called them to Lynch over the course of a few years. They moved to the area about 18 months ago from Pawleys Island, SC (please pray their house sells soon, at a good price for them). It was so neat to hear how the Lord prepared them for this position. They love the people of Lynch and see the Coffee Shop as a place where folks can share their lives with each other over a cup of coffee or a smoothie, and perhaps even be prayed for. They pray many will meet Jesus there.
After lunch, a few of the ladies went out to the Stables, and a few others joined Dee to visit three more widows.
For supper, we ordered pizza and worked on cleaning out the frig. That evening, we enjoyed hearing the story of Dr. Kelley and Debbie Bradford. Doc Kelley is the new vet in town. He and his wife are some of the newest members of the Meridzo Ministries family. They arrived in May from Florida. They have bought a house and are getting settled in. They work closely with Drew and Leah at the Stables. Doc and Debbie have such peace about being here and don't feel like they have given up anything.
Time to start packing for our trip home.
Another group visited Harlan County Christian School. It is located at a church and the staff have a deep love for the Lord and their students. Several years ago, the congregation trusted God to help them raise the funds needed to build an education wing for Phase 1 of the school, and then a gymnasium for Phase 2. A mighty faith builder, they saw God enable them to pay all their bills during the construction, and now have no debt! Tuition is very reasonable and the teachers treat their job as a ministry as much as they do a paid position.
A third group went with Dee (she and her husband are the Directors of Solomon's Porch) to visit some of the widows and widowers. Dee has developed a special relationship with these sweet people. She brings the joy of Jesus to their lives. She truly loves them and they adore her. Some members of our team had put together Sonshine baskets, so this group was able to deliver them on the visits. It contained homemade items, as well as some pencils, pads, nuts, etc.
All but the paint crew met at the Lamp House Coffee Shop for lunch. After enjoying some tasty sandwiches and soup, Managers Eric and Sissy Rutherford, shared how God called them to Lynch over the course of a few years. They moved to the area about 18 months ago from Pawleys Island, SC (please pray their house sells soon, at a good price for them). It was so neat to hear how the Lord prepared them for this position. They love the people of Lynch and see the Coffee Shop as a place where folks can share their lives with each other over a cup of coffee or a smoothie, and perhaps even be prayed for. They pray many will meet Jesus there.
After lunch, a few of the ladies went out to the Stables, and a few others joined Dee to visit three more widows.
For supper, we ordered pizza and worked on cleaning out the frig. That evening, we enjoyed hearing the story of Dr. Kelley and Debbie Bradford. Doc Kelley is the new vet in town. He and his wife are some of the newest members of the Meridzo Ministries family. They arrived in May from Florida. They have bought a house and are getting settled in. They work closely with Drew and Leah at the Stables. Doc and Debbie have such peace about being here and don't feel like they have given up anything.
Time to start packing for our trip home.
Thursday, August 20, 2015
Thursday Prayer Requests
Good Morning! It's hard to believe this is our last work day. One group is going to visit some of the local widows. Please pray they have a sweet time of fellowship together and stay safe on the roads. The team is taking Sonshine Baskets of little goodies (some items bought and others made by team members) to the widows. We hope it will bless them.
Another group is going to put Kilz on the walls of a room at the Stables. They want to get two coats on today. Actually, they would like to get it done this morning so they can do other things this afternoon. Please pray that all goes well. I'll let you and the Holy Spirit fill in the details.
A third group is going to visit the only Christian school in the area. It has about 40 students. We are bringing a few supplies. It would be awesome if they could get some more students, but since the school year has already started, that is not likely. So, please pray that other folks will make contributions to help them get through the school year.
Please also pray that our team will continue to mesh as one...each with different gifts, but all important and precious in God's sight.
We got more rain last night, but the sky is clearing, with a temp around 70. Praise the Lord!
Another group is going to put Kilz on the walls of a room at the Stables. They want to get two coats on today. Actually, they would like to get it done this morning so they can do other things this afternoon. Please pray that all goes well. I'll let you and the Holy Spirit fill in the details.
A third group is going to visit the only Christian school in the area. It has about 40 students. We are bringing a few supplies. It would be awesome if they could get some more students, but since the school year has already started, that is not likely. So, please pray that other folks will make contributions to help them get through the school year.
Please also pray that our team will continue to mesh as one...each with different gifts, but all important and precious in God's sight.
We got more rain last night, but the sky is clearing, with a temp around 70. Praise the Lord!
Wednesday, August 19, 2015
Learning More About the Area
We awoke to a beautiful day. After breakfast, Mary and Theresa headed back to the Sewing Room. They have been so faithful and are very talented at making quilts for the beds. The rest of us piled in the van and made several stops.
One stop was Arlie Boggs Elementary School. They teach K-8, but only have 123 students, so their budget is not very large. A few churches and other organizations donate food for a Backpack Program, as well as school supplies, to help with basic needs. We provided some food for the backpacks.
We were given a tour of the school. There is a sweet spirit in the halls. The principal, teachers and students have worked hard over the last few years. Tests scores that used to be very low are now in the top 30th percentile in Kentucky, and they have a high attendance record, as well. They are waiting for the test results from last year, but anticipate another banner.
After the tour, we got to work weeding.
After weeding, we chatted a little with the principal and even had a short prayer.
Because of Jan's job, she was able to share with the principal how he might be able to get some additional government funding. How cool is that! Before we left, they gave all of us a school staff T-Shirt that says "Overcoming Odds Prov. 17:4"!
On our way back to Solomon's Porch, we stopped at ECCO, Eolia Christian Community Outreach. This outreach ministry serves the physical needs of people in the area, while sharing the love of Jesus. Randy had cases of soup mix that were prepared and boxed by his Feed the Hunger volunteers, so we unloaded them.
In the afternoon, we visited the Coal Museum and went on the Portal 31 Coal Mine Tour. It was a fascinating way to get a better feel for what the people in this town have gone through over the last 100 years.
 |
| Coal Museum |
 |
| Portal 31 Coal Mine Tour - seen from a trolley inside a real coal mine |
For dinner, we had a real treat. Lonnie and Belinda Riley, the founders of Meridzo Ministries, joined us. Lonnie wrote the book, Miracle in the Mountains, that we all read before arriving here. It was exciting to hear more stories of what God has continued to do in this area!
Another Awesome Day
On Tuesday,
we divided up into three groups. One team worked in the Sewing Room.
They are making pillowcases and coverlets for beds.
Another
group went to the Black Mountain Exchange. Jim and Vickie Pinkley have
been coming to Lynch for several summers to help on missions trips from
their church and they have decided to move here and open the Exchange.
They will sell gas, groceries, pizza and hot dogs. A big oil
corporation is considering taking them on as a customer. In addition to
bringing in the gas and new tanks, they would also provide a Point of
Sale system, cash registers, etc. Please pray that if this is God's
will, the Board will approve it in His good timing. They would like to open in a couple of
months, even if it's only the grocery store. Part of our team worked on painting some shelves and
cleaning. Some major plumbing and electrical work needs to be done. A
couple more teams are scheduled to come in the next couple of weeks to
work on that.
 |
| Vickie Pinkley |
The
third group worked the hardest. They were in the Bath House. This old
building used to be where the miners took their showers after working.
Part of it has been converted into apartments, but there is a lot more
square footage that Meridzo has plans to use. This group swept, shoveled
and hauled dirt, pulled weeds, moved lumber, etc.
We
took a break and went to the Coffee Shop, a darling place that serves
wonderful coffees, as well as soups, sandwiches, etc. It was inspiring
to hear how God is working in the life of a young lady who works there.
She also volunteers at the Stables, and is going to school to get a
degree. She has a passion for therapeutic horse riding. One of our
team members, Sharon Neely, has experience and a love for that, as
well. They plan to connect later on. And guess what? Her son has the
same first and middle name as Sharon's grandson!
We
all finished up in the afternoon and the air had cleared, so we headed
up to Kingdom Come Park.
 | |||
| Some of our team got adventuresome and climbed on top of the Log Rock |
 |
| At one of the lookouts, you can see five states. Awesome! |
On our way back "home", we grabbed dinner. Once we were back
at Solomon's Porch, Randy gathered us on the outside porch to discuss
the events of the day and talk about our plans for Wednesday.
Just as
he was beginning to talk, Julia noticed a beautiful rainbow in the sky.
The end of it looked like it was almost in our front yard! We all
grabbed our cameras, took photos, and then got back to our discussion.
We marveled at the gift of His glory that He displayed right before our
eyes.
Monday, August 17, 2015
Staining and Sewing
It was a great day today! We got up, ate breakfast and packed our lunches. Theresa was not feeling that great, so she and Mary stayed at Solomon's Porch. The other nine of us headed to Shekinah Village, about 20 minutes away. We met Chad, the Director, and then started solid staining one of the cabins. It was not too hot and we were also able to work in the shade.
We stopped around Noon and ate our lunch. Then we got to sit down with Leah. She and her husband, Drew, run Creekside Stables. It was so neat to hear the story of how the Lord led them to Lynch, and continues to provide for their needs. God is using them to minister to people of all ages. They run several kids camps in the summer. They also have four children, eight and under!
Remember how I said it would be great if God would scatter those thunderstorms somewhere else? Well, we did get quite a downpour, but it happened while we were in Leah's house! By the time we finished our visit, the rain had stopped. We got back to work and were able to get two cabins stained. I just gotta tell you. It is so much faster and more fun to paint with a team of ladies and chat while you are working!
As we drove back to town, it rained again, but let up when it was time to go into the restaurant. Dee and Ricky, the Managers of Solomon's Porch, met us there and brought Theresa and Mary. We found out that Theresa got to feeling better and they had been busy sewing, working in the Fabric Room, and loving on Dee! That must have been God's plan all along.
We enjoyed a great meal and then Ricky and Dee gave us a tour of Solomon's Porch, the former hospital that has been transformed into the retreat center where we are staying. Randy gave us a tentative schedule for tomorrow {Tuesday), but said to stay flexible since the weather might change our plans. We intend to work at various ministries in Lynch tomorrow.
Thanks for your continued support and interest! We are really enjoying being here.
 |
| Here is Randy Hite, our "Foreman". |
 |
| Here is a picture of us with Leah |
 |
| Tammi, Marybeth and Sharon painting the high areas |
 |
| One of the cabins that we stained |
As we drove back to town, it rained again, but let up when it was time to go into the restaurant. Dee and Ricky, the Managers of Solomon's Porch, met us there and brought Theresa and Mary. We found out that Theresa got to feeling better and they had been busy sewing, working in the Fabric Room, and loving on Dee! That must have been God's plan all along.
We enjoyed a great meal and then Ricky and Dee gave us a tour of Solomon's Porch, the former hospital that has been transformed into the retreat center where we are staying. Randy gave us a tentative schedule for tomorrow {Tuesday), but said to stay flexible since the weather might change our plans. We intend to work at various ministries in Lynch tomorrow.
Thanks for your continued support and interest! We are really enjoying being here.
Sunday, August 16, 2015
Riding Up the Road
After all the meetings and prep, the day has finally come to begin our trip to Lynch. We enjoyed a great lunch of pasta and salad, and then piled into the van and SUV.
We had great weather and enjoyed viewing the mountains along the way.
Randy Hite met us about 30 minutes outside of Lynch and guided us in. We stopped along the way to get a group shot. The Lynch Ladies are almost in Lynch!
We arrived at Solomon's Porch, put our stuff in our rooms, and went to grab some dinner at a great Mexican restaurant that Randy recommended. Then we headed to the grocery store to get some necessities for breakfasts and lunches. Some of us called back home in the grocery store, since cellular service is not good at our accommodations.
We are now all settled in. Tomorrow we will head to Creekside Stables to do some staining and meet the owners, Drew and Leah, and their 4 kids. Please pray we all sleep well and that we do a good job and feel refreshed. May the love of Jesus shine through. And, Lord, if You could keep the rain away, that would be awesome.
Thanks!
We had great weather and enjoyed viewing the mountains along the way.
Randy Hite met us about 30 minutes outside of Lynch and guided us in. We stopped along the way to get a group shot. The Lynch Ladies are almost in Lynch!
We arrived at Solomon's Porch, put our stuff in our rooms, and went to grab some dinner at a great Mexican restaurant that Randy recommended. Then we headed to the grocery store to get some necessities for breakfasts and lunches. Some of us called back home in the grocery store, since cellular service is not good at our accommodations.
We are now all settled in. Tomorrow we will head to Creekside Stables to do some staining and meet the owners, Drew and Leah, and their 4 kids. Please pray we all sleep well and that we do a good job and feel refreshed. May the love of Jesus shine through. And, Lord, if You could keep the rain away, that would be awesome.
Thanks!
Saturday, August 15, 2015
Packing and Prayer in the Parking Lot
The Lynch Ladies met in the parking lot at Westover this afternoon to pack the van. We are taking a 15-passenger van and an SUV. We aren't taking a ton of extra stuff because we plan to buy things in Lynch to help the local economy.
For some of us, we had to really work to get those zippers closed on our suitcases. We were each allowed just one bag.
After the van was loaded, we gathered in a circle and thanked the Lord for this opportunity. We pray that He will be pleased in all we do, and that we will sense His presence every day.
So, it's time to get some shut-eye. Tomorrow, Sunday, we will gather for lunch at church and then "head for the hills". The next post will be brought to you from the beautiful mountains of Lynch, Kentucky!
Please pray that we get there safely without delay, and that those scattered thunderstorms in the forecast this week will not shower themselves on us. Thanks!!
For some of us, we had to really work to get those zippers closed on our suitcases. We were each allowed just one bag.
 | |
| Our Lynch Limo |
 | ||||
| Organizing Supplies |
 |
| Helpful Husbands made packing go much easier. |
 | |||
| It all fit! |
So, it's time to get some shut-eye. Tomorrow, Sunday, we will gather for lunch at church and then "head for the hills". The next post will be brought to you from the beautiful mountains of Lynch, Kentucky!
Please pray that we get there safely without delay, and that those scattered thunderstorms in the forecast this week will not shower themselves on us. Thanks!!
Sunday, August 9, 2015
Our Prayer Calendar
The verses above summarize the
attitudes and actions we want to have as we experience this opportunity. Our itinerary may change, so these requests
may be adjusted as the week progresses.
Pray that we will be cheerfully flexible to follow God’s plan. Here is what we ask at this time:
Pray that we will be cheerfully flexible to follow God’s plan. Here is what we ask at this time:
Sunday - Friday, August 9-14 - Pray that the Lord will prepare our hearts for our trip. For several of us, it's our first mission trip. Please pray God enables us to do a good job taking care of loose ends for being away from home for several days. We want to have God's peace if some tasks don't get done, and if there are situations we think might need our attention while we are gone, trusting that He has it all under control.
Saturday, August 15 - This afternoon, we plan to pack the 15-passenger van and SUV that we will be
driving to Lynch. Please pray that everything will fit and that we don't
forget any essentials. Pray for a good night's sleep so we will be at
our best.
Sunday, August 16 - We will gather at church from 11 - Noon for a meal before heading out. We
pray this will be a sweet time of fellowship and that the Lord will give
us a sense of excitement and camaraderie as we "head for the
hills". Please pray that we arrive safely, with no one getting
carsick and no traffic issues. The last leg of our journey has some
winding roads. Tammi will be driving the van. She is used to
driving a big van. We are so glad about that!
When we arrive, we will need to
visit the local grocery store to buy some food for the week. Pray that we
remember the essentials. We have not done a lot of prep, so that we can
spend our funds supporting the local businesses. This is exciting for some of us and a little
challenging for others of us who like to plan and organize. But, already, we
are learning to trust God to lead us.
Monday, August 17 - Today we will visit several places in the town of Lynch and will be cleaning
and organizing. May everyone we serve see the love of Jesus in us. Please pray that we all stay healthy and that
we will not be concerned about anything going on “back home”.
Tuesday, August 18 - Some of us will be working at the Stables and others will work at Shekinah
Village, a 35-acre youth camp/retreat center.
Pray that God will direct each of us to the task He has planned for us
to do. Please also pray for good
weather. Lynch can run 8-10 degrees
cooler than Greensboro, which is nice, but they also have had a wet
summer.
Wednesday, July 19 - We plan to visit Arlie Boggs Elementary School. We look forward to
meeting some of the children. In the afternoon, we will visit the mining
museum and Kingdom Come Park, where you can see five states. Pray that God will open our eyes and hearts
to love and appreciate the people of Lynch the way He does, as we learn about
their history and meet some of the children.
Thursday, August 20 - Today, some of us will visit widows and widowers. We have prepared
Sonshine Baskets of goodies to give them. Others will work in the Gift
Shop or organize the Sewing Room. Some
may be sewing. Lord, give us your
skills. May we sense Your power and may You
be glorified. May the widows and
widowers be encouraged by our visits.
Friday, August 21 - We have to be out in the morning so the staff has time to clean up before the
next group of volunteers arrive on Sunday afternoon. Please pray that we
leave our accommodations at least as nice as we found them and that we don't
forget anything. We pray for a great ride home and that
our drivers will stay alert. May we, and
the people we have met this week, be filled to overflowing with gratitude to
God for an awesome week.
I plan to post new info during the trip, which will include more specific prayer requests. You can sign up on the right side of this page, under our photo, if you want to receive an email notification of new updates.
I plan to post new info during the trip, which will include more specific prayer requests. You can sign up on the right side of this page, under our photo, if you want to receive an email notification of new updates.
We are SO grateful that you are willing to take time out of your day to pray for us!
Sincerely,
The Lynch Ladies
Wednesday, August 5, 2015
Tentative Itinerary Revealed
Last week we had Drinks (with popcorn) and Details at Deborah's. Deborah gave each of us a devotional booklet she had prepared. From July 29 - August 23, we are reading one or more verses and then writing down what we sense God is saying to us through the verses. Most of the verses she used are taken from the book that Lonnie Riley wrote, Miracle in the Mountains.
We were excited to learn that Randy Hite, a Westover Church member, will be with us in Lynch. He knows the area and has come to love the people over the last few years. He joined us for our meeting and gave us a TENTATIVE itinerary for each day we will be there. We'll get to explore a few of the ministries. We plan to work at Creekside Stables and Shekinah Village, doing staining, painting, etc. We will visit several widows, work in the Gift Shop and Sewing Room, and help distribute Feed the Hunger food. We plan to visit the Arlie Boggs Elementary School and meet some of the children. Only about 120 attend, but Randy told us that if it closes, the children will have to travel 1.75 hours to the nearest school. So, volunteers play an active role in helping with needs, including providing backpacks of food for the weekends. The man who now oversees the school uses Biblical principles to run the school. It has gone from being ranked in the bottom 2% to being in the top 20%!
Our team is also serving as sort of a scouting group to learn of needs and get an overview of the area. We hope that future missions trips will be planned through Westover. Some of you may have thought about going on a missions trip, but aren't sure about traveling overseas. Well, perhaps YOU will be on the next team to Lynch!
In a little over a week, Lord willing, we will be heading to Lynch. I will post a prayer request calendar in the next couple of days. Thanks so much for your interest in our trip, and for supporting us with your prayers and finances!
We were excited to learn that Randy Hite, a Westover Church member, will be with us in Lynch. He knows the area and has come to love the people over the last few years. He joined us for our meeting and gave us a TENTATIVE itinerary for each day we will be there. We'll get to explore a few of the ministries. We plan to work at Creekside Stables and Shekinah Village, doing staining, painting, etc. We will visit several widows, work in the Gift Shop and Sewing Room, and help distribute Feed the Hunger food. We plan to visit the Arlie Boggs Elementary School and meet some of the children. Only about 120 attend, but Randy told us that if it closes, the children will have to travel 1.75 hours to the nearest school. So, volunteers play an active role in helping with needs, including providing backpacks of food for the weekends. The man who now oversees the school uses Biblical principles to run the school. It has gone from being ranked in the bottom 2% to being in the top 20%!
Our team is also serving as sort of a scouting group to learn of needs and get an overview of the area. We hope that future missions trips will be planned through Westover. Some of you may have thought about going on a missions trip, but aren't sure about traveling overseas. Well, perhaps YOU will be on the next team to Lynch!
In a little over a week, Lord willing, we will be heading to Lynch. I will post a prayer request calendar in the next couple of days. Thanks so much for your interest in our trip, and for supporting us with your prayers and finances!
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
Learning to Walk by Faith
Since the last post, our team has had two meetings. We had Drinks (water, tea and lemonade : ) ) and Discussion at Diane's in mid-July. We heard a few more testimonies, which are such a good way for us to learn more about each other. Marybeth told us we have a tentative schedule of tasks to do, but would not give us any details. We would have to wait until our next meeting, which I will share in the next blog post.
Deborah shared a devotional time. We reflected on some of the amazing things that have happened in Lynch as God has answered numerous prayer requests and provided for many needs. Lonnie and Belinda Riley, the couple God has used to start several ministries in the area, have learned a lot about trusting God and having faith in Him rather than themselves. Lonnie says that "faith is not a leap into the dark. It is a step into the light of what we know is already reality because we trust in the character of God." Deborah personally challenged us with the following:
What has God promised us as we go serve in Lynch?
What will having faith in His promises mean to us?
How will it look to "walk in faith"?
She asked us to also consider what God may be trying to interrupt in our life. Do we try to answer our own prayers? She encouraged us to ask for things that only He can answer. Then, how will we recognize a clear answer from God? First, we will see a need. We will look for what Scripture says. We will pray intently and examine our hearts, asking the Holy Spirit to show us what our attitude should be. Then, we will watch for God to show up.
I think that is what most of us are excited to see. In reading other blogs, missions teams marvel at how God orchestrates events in ways that you just KNOW are His doing. We want to have that same experience.
Our prayer is that our team, including you, will sense God's presence each day, that we will have His heart, and that our lives will be a reflection of Him. Let's exercise our faith as much as we exercise our muscles and our brains.
Deborah shared a devotional time. We reflected on some of the amazing things that have happened in Lynch as God has answered numerous prayer requests and provided for many needs. Lonnie and Belinda Riley, the couple God has used to start several ministries in the area, have learned a lot about trusting God and having faith in Him rather than themselves. Lonnie says that "faith is not a leap into the dark. It is a step into the light of what we know is already reality because we trust in the character of God." Deborah personally challenged us with the following:
What has God promised us as we go serve in Lynch?
What will having faith in His promises mean to us?
How will it look to "walk in faith"?
She asked us to also consider what God may be trying to interrupt in our life. Do we try to answer our own prayers? She encouraged us to ask for things that only He can answer. Then, how will we recognize a clear answer from God? First, we will see a need. We will look for what Scripture says. We will pray intently and examine our hearts, asking the Holy Spirit to show us what our attitude should be. Then, we will watch for God to show up.
I think that is what most of us are excited to see. In reading other blogs, missions teams marvel at how God orchestrates events in ways that you just KNOW are His doing. We want to have that same experience.
Our prayer is that our team, including you, will sense God's presence each day, that we will have His heart, and that our lives will be a reflection of Him. Let's exercise our faith as much as we exercise our muscles and our brains.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)