"You Are My Family"

This weekend was a busy one- but filled with so many good things!!!

Dad and I arrived at church around 8:30 Saturday morning. As a group of us started to prep the place for the Basketball Tournament, the kids in the neighboring apartments saw/heard us and came down to help us out. Between them, the College Kids from TMC, and a handful of us from church, the place was ready in no time!

I was part of a group of girls who manned (haha) the registration table, having spectators and participants sign in and give info such as email, address and home church if they so chose. When the kids from the neighborhood signed in, almost all of them put down 'Bible Church of Buena Park' as their church. I started getting irked with it because none of them came to church on Sundays. Finally, when 9 year old Lydia signed in and put down BCBP as her church, I asked, "Lydia, why did you put this church down as your home church? You're not a member."

Lydia looked at me and said, in a matter of fact tone, "Because you're my family."

Ouch. That was humbling. All that bitterness that was starting to rise up inside of me was swept away by this one girl's simple answer, "You are my family." Sometimes I wonder how God could ever use me in these kid's lives- imperfect as I am- but then He reminds me that all He want from me is to love Him... and all the rest will fall into place. All the glory is His!

Keep working in these kid's lives, Lord!
We will plant and water Your seeds,
but only You can make them grow!

The Weekend Ahead!

Starting today- a wonderfully packed weekend! Youth Outreach tonight and Hoopla4 tomorrow!

My Church has been hosting Youth Outreach for longer than I have attended it- more than 10 years. There are apartments surrounding the church that are filled with people who need the gospel, and YO is a fun, friendly environment that draws the children out of the apartments and into the church. Games, a lesson, sometimes crafts, and Pizza- what more could a kid want? Not much more, really. But more than what they want, what they need Jesus.

As for Hoopla, that is an annual basketball tournament that our church puts on (this being the 4th year). Last year we had about 50 people from the neighborhood attend, and this year we are hoping for more! Thank God we have some students from The Master's College to help out and the Spanish church is joining us also!

With those brief descriptions, please pray for this weekend.

Pray for the people who will be working/hosting the events- that our spirits will be in tune with His, for Him to work in and through us, and that we will be pliable/flexible- focusing on the gospel and these kids and not on ourselves.

Pray for the kids and parents who will be attending this weekend- that they will not come with a stereotyped mindset, that God will start softening their hearts for His words, and that they will keep in contact afterwards.

Pray for everyone with this heat that is supposed to be coming. May we all be safe and look out for one another.

Desktop Wallpaper for October!

Tim Challies has a wonderful website, "Informing the Reforming", and if you haven't visited it yet, you should. He speaks on topics such as the 180 movie, spiritual life in this ungodly world, puritan fathers thoughts in this contemporary world, he reviews books and movies, and right now is holding a discussion on Thursdays on John Stott's book "The Cross of Christ".

All that to say- go check out his website.

And if that didn't convince you enough, at the beginning of each month he has free desktop backgrounds. Here's a taste of this month's:

Balm to My Soul

My sister and I were scheduled for offertory this Sunday, so I sat at the piano and went through the hymnal looking for a song she and I could play as a duet. It was the sweetest hours of the weekend for me- sitting at the piano, picking out the tunes, and reading these wonderful, deep hymns. Some hymns I knew, others I didn't. Now it's your turn, time for a little testing!!!

A) I will praise my dear Redeemer, His triumphant power I'll tell. How the victory He giveth over sin and death and hell!

1. Redeemed

2. I Will Sing of My Redeemer

3. Victory in Jesus

4. I Will Praise Him

B) The hand of my Savior is strong, and the love of my Savior is long. Through sunshine or rain, through loss or in gain, the blood flows from Calvary to cleanse every stain.

1. Calvary Covers It All

2. Saved, Saved!

3. Room At The Cross For You

4. What A Mighty God We Serve

My favorite of the day: Arise, My Soul Arise, written by Charles Wesley. This was a wonderful balm to my soul right when I needed it, just read the first verse! Love the command we have to not dwell in our fears, but remember Who is by the Throne pleading for us! The song you can play below is done by Indelible Grace, a wonderful group, but they didn't sing all the verses so I wrote them all from my hymnal. I hope it is an good of an encouragement as well as a reminder to you (as it is to me) of who we are in Christ.

Arise, my soul, arise; shake off your guilty fears;

The bleeding sacrifice in my behalf appears:

Before the throne my surety stands,

Before the throne my surety stands,

My name is written on His hands.

He ever lives above, for me to intercede;

His all redeeming love, His precious blood, to plead:

His blood atoned for all our race,

His blood atoned for all out race,

And sprinkles now the throne of grace.

Five bleeding wounds He bears; received on Calvary;

They pour effectual prayers; they strongly plead for me:

'Forgive him, O forgive!' they cry,

'Forgive him, O forgive!' they cry,

'Nor let that ransomed sinner die!'

The Father hears Him pray, His dear anointed One;

He cannot turn away, the presence of His Son;

His Spirits answers to the blood,

His Spirits answers to the blood,

And tells me I am born of God.

My God is reconciled; His pardoning voice I hear;

He owns me for His child; I can no longer fear:

With confidence I now draw nigh,

With confidence I now draw nigh,

And 'Father, Abba Father!' cry.

*Answers to quiz: A-2, B-3*

Things I've Learned About Applying for a Visa

*I think this picture captures the essence of me after the
past 3 days of working on some adjustments to my visa*

1. Read the directions thoroughly! If you don't follow them it's going to take you a lot longer than normal.
2. No matter how many times your bank says, "Our money orders are the same as traveler's checks" don't believe it. The Embassy takes money orders, bank checks, and no personal checks. Also is best if you don't send cash, just to be safe.
3. Travel's checks don't work either.
4. You can get money orders at the post office! Perfect, since you're going to have to mail them. And remember to do the tracking and confirmation stickers!!!
5. Make sure your passport is signed in ink and will last at least another 6months if not more.
6. FedEx overnight is worth it. And include a self addressed, pre-stamped envelope so they can send your passport and everything else back to you.
7. Don't use two different pictures, staple 2 copies of the same picture.
8. I thank God I learned the long way, though it would have been nice to learn the short way, but now I can help others and explain in full detail why some things are not possible. ;)
9. Always call the Embassy if you have questions.

Annihilation to Me and Identification with Him

When I was little- during my Awana days- I was always memorizing verses the fastest and could spit them out like watermelon seeds. I did like memorizing, but I think a big factor was because whoever memorized the most got to throw a pie in the Director's face; which, for me, was my Grandmother's face :) Now I'm a big advocate of memorizing sections, if not chapters and books of the Bible. The context is so important and so key to understanding what the Lord is trying to say! I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir here.

One of the chapters I've memorized is Philippians 2 and lately I've been dwelling on '[Jesus] did not consider equality with God something to be grasped'. Jesus, Second Member of the Trinity, now with the human aspect, doesn't think about it. What's one of the first things we read in the Bible? The Serpent saying, "You will be like God" (Gen 3:5) and the people of Babel building a Tower to Heaven (Gen 6:3-7). We try and push so hard to be well off, successful, famous, and get the honor when Jesus gave up all that glory up to come down here to serve the people who would crucify Him.

Oswald Chambers touches on this a little in the following devotion. We must not long to become like God- and when I say that I do not mean that it is wrong to long to imitate Him, for we are ordered to do so (Eph 5:1, I Pet 1:16), but wrong to think that we are perfect, omniscient, and eternal. What we must long for is to be like Him in character- and Jesus is the best example for us in that!!!

O. Chamber's words things so much better than I ever could, read what he has to say :)

The rich young ruler had the master passion to be perfect. When he saw Jesus Christ, he wanted to be like Him. Our Lord never puts personal holiness to the fore when He calls a disciple; He puts absolute annihilation of my right to myself and identification with Himself- a relationship with Himself in which there is no other relationship. Luke 14:26 has nothing to do with salvation or sanctification, but with the unconditional identification with Jesus Christ. Very few of us know the absolute "go" of abandonment to Jesus.

"Then Jesus beholding him loved him." The look of Jesus will mean a heart broken forever from allegiance to any other person or thing. He Jesus ever looked at you? The look of Jesus transforms and transfixes. Where you are 'soft' with God is where the Lord has looked at you. If you are hard and vindictive, insistent on your own way, certain that the other person is more likely to be in the wrong than you are, it is an indication that there are whole tracts of your nature that have never been transformed by His gaze.

"One thing thou lackest..." The only 'good thing' from Jesus Christ's point of view is union with Himself and nothing in between.

"Sell whatsoever thou hast..." I must reduce myself until I am a mere conscious man, I must fundamentally renounce possessions of all kinds, not to save my soul (only on thing saves a man- absolute reliance upon Jesus Christ), but in order to follow Jesus. "Come, and follow Me" and the road is the way He went.

~Mark 10:21

Recapping the DG Missions Conference

I will put up other things on this blog besides John Piper stuff, I promise! It's just that lately he's had some pretty good things that are close to my heart and encouraging to me as I'm stateside working on raising support (which is at 45% now, by the way).

If you were able to watch some of the conference, I'm sure you were as blessed as I was; and if you weren't, watch this 5min video for just a taste of what you missed!

Keeping the Missions Flame Alive from John Piper on Vimeo.

Finish the Mission: For the Joy of All Peoples

Is this weekend!!!

This is one of the best Missions Conference I have heard or attended. Very informative of missions life, people groups, churches, missiology, and so much more! Such an encouragement and challenge to listen too :)

Call Back!

A Poem that Rosalind Goforth placed in her book Climbing. Reminds me of Hebrews 10:24-25 "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."

CALL BACK:

If you have gone a little way ahead of me, call back;
'Twill cheer my heart and help my feet along the stony track;
And if, perchance, Faith's light is dim, because the oil is low,
Your call will guide my lagging course as wearily I go.

Call back, and tell me that He went with you into the storm;
Call back, and say He kept you when the forest's roots were torn;
That when the heavens thundered and the earthquake shook the hill,
He bore you up and held you where the very air was still.

O friend, call back and tell me, for I cannot see your face;
They say it glows with triumph, and your feet bound in the race;
But there are mists between us, and my spirit eyes are dim,
And I cannot see the glory, though I long for word of Him.

But if you'll say He heard you when your prayer was but a cry,
And if you'll say He saw you through the night's sin-darkened sky
If you have gone a little way ahead, O friend, call back
'Twill cheer my heart and help my feet along the stony track.

~ Anonymous

The Librarian Strikes Again!

Did you know that Border's is/went out of business? Such a bittersweet time for Bookhuggerz everywhere! Today our family went to pay our respects to the well-loved store with one last fling. I went in with a line-up in my mind: something French- language, history, what have you- and anything Anthropologic. If there's one thing I was reminded of today, it was never go in search for something specific, you'll miss what's right in front of your nose!

After about an hour or more of slowly walking, head tilted sideways, fingering the shelves and spines, I found a few that may turn out to be treasures :) None of what I was looking for, but they still have promise.

Take a look at this line up!!!

-The Song of Roland

-Master and Commander

-Isaac's Storm

-The Borrower

-Wading Home

-Terrific Majesty

-Anthology of Western Reserve Literature

7 books for a grand total of....

$13.78!

Borders, you shall be missed, but...

Oh happy, bittersweet, lovely day!

And yes, I have already finished one of the books... :D

Finish the Mission: bringing the Gospel to the unreached and unengaged

John Piper is holding a National Conference September 23-25. It is in Minneapolis, which is pretty much impossible for most of us to get out to, but in the past they have done LiveStreaming for the Conference and I hope they do it again this year!

Here are some of the topics they will be covering:

• The Glory of God, the Lostness of Man, and the Gospel of Christ
• The Internalization of Missions: its potential and its price
• The Church, the Neighborhood, and the Nations

More info HERE

Faith Comes By Hearing

A friend introduced me to MemVerse some months ago, and it has been quite and encouragement and help to me in memorizing God's Word. This morning God gave me the wonderful idea of memorizing not only in English, but also in French! I need the practice, and what a sweet way to do it! At the moment I'm working on Colossians 3 in English and since I have already memorized Philippians 2 in English, I'm going to start working on it in French.

Free Audio Bible is going to be a great help in this endevour! You should check out how many languages they have translated the Bible in and listen to some of them! It's a great tool for missionaries working with people who can't read or don't have their language written down yet. All they need is a little MP3 player, headphones and batteries and there is their Bible! Praise God for the work He's doing through Audio Bible!

Free Audio Bible Download | Faith Comes By Hearing

You Will Be Eaten by Cannibals: John Piper on John Paton

This was one of the first biographies I ever heard John Piper speak on- and what a life!
I had read John Paton's autobiography when I was young, but the words were older and different than what I was used to and there were very few pictures, so as a 12 year old I didn't get much out of the 300 page book.

I listened to this when I was 19 and was struck at how I missed so much of this man's life when I read the book! I encourage you to listen to this man's life. Put this on as you're answering emails, doing laundry, instead of watching TV, anything!

If below doesn't work, go HERE

• Listen:
• Full Length
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You're listening toYou Will Be Eaten by Cannibals! Lessons from the Life of John G. Paton

Waiting When I Want to Move

Something I stole from Spurgeon that hit pretty hard when I read it the other day.

In this ever busy, up-n-at-'em, get-it-done life I rarely see people slow down- I've even heard people say they hate not having anything to do. I've been there. Feeling like my worth was in what I accomplished and not in who I was in Christ. I felt like if I slowed down I would become useless. Ha! What a lie.

So, if you have ever felt that way- even in the tiniest little inkling- you should read what Spurgeon wrote.

Even if you've never felt that way, you should still read it because it's Spurgeon :)

Ps 27:14 "Wait for the LORD; be strong and let your heart take courage! Wait for the LORD!"

It may seem an easy thing to wait, but it is one of the postures which a Christian soldier learns not without years of teaching. Marching and quick-marching are much easier to God's warriors than standing still. There are hours of perplexity when the most willing spirit, anxiously desirous to serve the Lord, knows not what part to take.

Then what shall it do? Vex itself by despair? Fly back in cowardice, turn to the right hand in fear, or rush forward in presumption? No, but simply wait. Wait in prayer, however. Call upon God, and spread the case before him; tell Him your difficulty, and plead his promise of aid. In dilemmas between one duty and another, it is sweet to be humble as a child, and wait with simplicity of soul upon the Lord. It is sure to be well with us when we feel and know our own folly, and are heartily willing to be guided by the will of God. But wait in faith. Express your unstaggering confidence in Him; for unfaithful, untrusting waiting is but an insult to the Lord.

Believe that if He keep you tarrying even till midnight, yet He will come at the right time; the vision shall come and shall not tarry. Wait in quiet patience, not rebelling because you are under the affliction, but blessing your God for it. Never murmur against the second cause, as the children of Israel did against Moses; never wish you could go back to the world again, but accept the case as it is, and put it as it stands, simply and with your whole heart, without any self-will, into the hand of your covenant God, saying, "Now, Lord, not my will, but thine be done. I know not what to do; I am brought to extremities, but I will wait until thou shalt cleave the floods, or drive back my foes. I will wait, if thou keep me many a day, for my heart is fixed upon thee alone, O God, and my spirit waiteth for thee in the full conviction that thou wilt yet be my joy and my salvation, my refuge and my strong tower."

~Spurgeon

The Thing That I Hate Most...

Speaking in front of people.

Truly.

Ok, maybe not hate, but greatly dislike.

I would love to have someone else go to churches, Sunday schools, and/or youth groups and speak for me, letting people know what's up. I would love for God to just drop the financial support in my lap. I would love to have it my way... but what does it say in James? I'm sure we can all quote it from Awana:

"Count it all joy my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be
perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

God wouldn't have me speak if it weren't to make me more like Him, if it weren't to show me my weakness and magnify His strength, if it weren't His perfect plan. So I speak and I watch Him work- knowing that the testing of my faith produces steadfastness (which is something that I will always be needing!). Every time God humbles me. I critique myself, thinking, "I should have said it that way!" or "I forgot to mention that!" and God gently reminds me that I'm a work in progress and that I need to "do my best, pray that it's blest, and He'll take care of the rest".

Thanks Keith Green for that reminder :D

Updated Packing List

Many of you have help check things off this list and it is much appreciated!!! Thank God for the friends and family He has given me :D
If you remember the previous list, it was a decent length, but with some help much of it has been checked off! These items remain un-obtained. Pretty much the medicines and a few random things.

Medicines:
I would love to have a stash of all of these- at least until I get to know the meds here!

• Muscle Rub, IcyHot, whatever
• Anti-itch medication
• Triple antibiotic ointment
• multi-vitamins
• water purification tablets
• Insect repellent

Holidays (Especially Christmas):
This is going to be one of the hardest times for me.

• A mixed CD of your favorite Christmas songs… I’ll think of you as I listen to it J

Miscellaneous Items:
To me, this is all the really fun stuff! Or at least the Multi-tool is...

• Multi tool
• Flashlight
• Batteries
• Mosquito Net
• Cement screws for hanging things on the cement walls
• Small basic tool kit – screwdriver, slip-joint pliers (to change gas bottle)

Small Blessings

I was in San Diego yesterday doing a Symposium for some people at Shadow Mountain Community Church. Since I've spent 2 1/2 years there for college and worked for SMCC, I had many people to catch up with and give hugs to.

Dinner was supplied by SMCC and they bought my favorite Ali Baba's! I was able to inform people as to what's going on with me and Cameroon, what I will be doing there, when I hope to be there, and how they can help. The night raised over $300! Praise the Lord!

But of all the gifts I received from people, my favorite one was from a previous Awana girl. Angela's about 7 and when she walked into the room that night, right after giving me a ginormous bear-hug, she handed me a plastic gold coin.

"What's this for, dear?" I asked.

"It's John 3:16! I figured you could take it with you, Miss Kreersee (how she says my name) and when other people asked you what it is you can tell them about Jesus!"

I sure hope I get to do just that :)

A few of us after dinner

There is Strength in Weakness

My church- my precious, tiny, church family- is so dear to me! They threw me an 'Outfitting Shower' yesterday- the goal to bring up finances for the flight, visa, or any other things of that such. There was a table set up with 3x5 cards, markers, and a box for people to write notes, draw pictures, or whatever they want to do. All these cards where then placed in the box and I will read them on my flight to Cameroon. Another table had information about the school I'm going to, previous newsletters, and yet another table filled with goodies. Twas a good time of fellowship :)

And from about 25 people there was $750 raised!!!

From such a small group look at what God can do!

The Packing List

As I will be staying in Cameroon for two years, I will need multiples of many things. Some things they have in Cameroon- such as peanut butter and linens- and other things they do not have there- like brown sugar and Pantene ProV.

A fun way to do this is to get a group of people together and tackle a section of this list. Ladies- love looking through the kitchen isles in Target? Get a group together and hit a few things in the Kitchen Supplies section. Men- seriously, I need a multi tool, cement screws, and a tool kit. Check the Miscellaneous section at the end of the list.

Some places you that may think of looking for these items are Wal-Mart, Target, Amazon, Costco, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Radio Shack.

Kitchen Supplies:
The place I will be living in does have a kitchen, but there are not many supplies there and I cook all the time. So here’s a basic list of basic supplies so I can basically not go out of my mind.

• Set of sharp knives, including a bread knife
• A good can opener, potato peeler, pizza cutter and whisk.
• Set of durable dishes
• A couple a sets of Silverware
• Tupperware or other well-sealing containers
• Set of pots & pans
• Ziploc bags – some of all sizes. Be sure to get the freezer bags because they are thicker and you will wash and reuse your bags many times.
• 9” X 13” Pyrex dish
• Cookie sheet / muffin pan
• Oven thermometer (important!!!)

Cooking Supplies:
I will be cooking everything from scratch there. There are no helpful packets, canned soup or frozen dinners available and no fast food restaurants in town… how different from California!!! I thought of a few things that might help me ease into my transition:

• Taco Seasoning- lots of it!!!
• Chili Powder
• Nutmeg
• All purpose seasoning
• Brown sugar
• Kool-aid packets

Office Supplies:
All of these mini-sized please so they don’t take up too much space

• Scissors
• small stapler
• scotch tape
• pens
• pencils
• calculator

Medicines:
This part of Cameroon kind of scares me- not knowing what kind of medicines they have and what medicines does what. I would love to have a stash of all of these- at least until I get to know the meds here!

• Ibuprofen
• Tylenol
• Imodium
• Sun-screen lotion
• Aloe vera
• Tums
• Muscle Rub, IcyHot, whatever
• Anti-itch medication
• Triple antibiotic ointment
• band-aids
• multi-vitamins
• water purification tablets
• Insect repellent

Holidays (Especially Christmas):

This is going to be one of the hardest times for me. I’ll be away from family and friends and they don’t celebrate Christmas in Cameroon, so no trees, no lights, no caroling, no Christmas music, no figgy pudding, etc. And add this on top of it- it’s the hottest time of the year in December!!!

• A mixed CD of your favorite Christmas songs… I’ll think of you as I listen to it J
• Some strands of Christmas lights

Miscellaneous Items:
To me, this is all the really fun stuff! Or at least the Multi-tool is...

• Multi tool
• Flashlight
• Batteries
• Flip flops
• Mosquito Net
• Cement screws for hanging things on the cement walls
• Small basic tool kit – screwdriver, slip-joint pliers (to change gas bottle)
• Calendar
• Clothes pin bag and clothes pins
• Converter / adapter kit for any electronic items you bring along. Check Radio Shack as they may be able to give you information on these

Texas Training Highlights

This post will be a collection of each days events, fun times, things learned, and thoughts pondered. Day one isn't even done yet, but I just HAD to post this!!!!

Day 1#-

Shoes broke in the airport! Walked form my terminal to baggage claim barefoot... but nothing that duct-tape can't fix!!!

Scorpions in the bathroom... luckily they were already dead or I would have tortured them!

And the highlight of the day was practicing worship songs with Carrie and Jenn. These two ladies are so gifted and I am honored, blessed, and humbled to lead other people into worship with them :)

In The Morning When I Rise

My typical day of training @ the JAARS Center :)I am usually an early riser, and while I was at the JAARS Center in Waxhaw, North Carolina, I soaked in all the nature I could get! Going from Southern California to North Carolina was quite a weather change, but I enjoyed it tremendously! I would walk early in the morning and one day I thought tobring along my camera. Here are a few photos I captured of the beautiful walk I took every morning and the gorgeous sunrises God sent my way :)

Each day was filled with wonderful teachings and wise information for missionaries. From adapting to partnership developing, budgeting to spiritual warfare, each day was packed with treasures that I hope will stay in my mind that I may glean some wisdom from the experiences each person who spoke had. God has used

them all in miraculous ways so that all the credit is due Him- may my spiri

t be as sensitive and submissive to His as theirs has been. They are role models in that their model is Jesus- as is mine.

During the last few hours of the evening, I would either hang out with my other team mates (play games, sing songs, or just talk), or I would read. Being a Librarian and avid reader- I went prepared! All of these were read between the air-flights, train rides, and down times :) The book are (from top to bottom)

- My Phone

- Bible: God

- Growing in God's Grace: Jonathon Edwards

- The Acceptable Sacrifice: John Bunyan

- Climbing: Rosalind Goforth

- Kirsty Knows Best: I forgot...

- To Timbuktu and Beyond: Marcia Woodard

- French Vocab books

On my other blog- BookHugger- I have written a few short reviews on some of these books, if you would care to check them out.

My evenings were just as cherished as my mornings- the skies are so beautiful and clear compared the the area in SoCal where I'm from! Reminds me of Fernando Ortega's version of Give Me Jesus:

In the morning, when I rise

In the morning, when I rise

In the morning, when I rise

Give me Jesus!

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Give me Jesus!

Give me Jesus!

You can have all this world,

But give me Jesus!

The Team was wonderful- staff and 'students' ;)

You all taught me that we truly are the Body of Christ- each given specific gifts to help one another out and together bring people into worship of our Lord and Savior with us!

Until all have heard.