Tomorrow is a free day for us. We are headed to the mountains. Pray for Vincent as we were able to get him on a flight home early so he could be there with the Berrys.
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Day 4- Baptisms
I will let today mainly speak in pictures....today we helped Living Rock church celebrate their first baptism service. They baptized 8 new believers today. It was a day of great joy and rejoicing. As many of you already saw on Facebook one lady had been praying for Briggs with the ladies Bible study here. Last night she was hesitant and likely not going to be baptized. This morning Brandi got a text that said "my uncle and Briggs have taught me that tomorrow is not promised. Today I will be baptized" Amen! Briggs is making difference in lives even here in Colorado. Enjoy the pictures and rejoice with us today. (we might have finished off the day bobbing for apples in the baptistry!)
Tomorrow is a free day for us. We are headed to the mountains. Pray for Vincent as we were able to get him on a flight home early so he could be there with the Berrys.
Tomorrow is a free day for us. We are headed to the mountains. Pray for Vincent as we were able to get him on a flight home early so he could be there with the Berrys.
Saturday, September 13, 2014
Day 3- Heartbroken
It has been a hard day for our team. The Berry family has been heavy on our hearts and minds all day. Many of us have very close connections with them and being so very far from home, our families, our community and our church has been difficult. As many of you know I have personally walked very close with this family and specifically Deanna over the last several months.
So before I recap today I would give some other thoughts first. Most of you are so aware of the amazing young man Briggs was. He was full of life and loved people. What I have learned so deeply over the last few months is he has learned so much of this from his sweet parents. Many times over the last few months Deanna would call to check up on others that were sick or hurting to see how she could pray more specifically. No matter how sick Briggs was she was ALWAYS thinking of others. I have been amazed by her selflessness over these many months. And Deanna loves people and many of you. Allowing you into their personal battle...up close and personal...so that you could be loved and love her boy! So tonight as we grieve for Briggs we deeply grieve for this family and their great loss of another son. Briggs lived life to the fullest, was the best Children's church volunteer around and shined the light of Jesus far and wide over these last few months. While we are so very sad here...we know that the Briggs has finished his fight, he has won the race....he is WHOLE and HEALED and today he heard "well done my good and faithful servant." May we all fight in this life the way that he did....and may we all love our children as deeply as Deanna and Everett do! Briggs is a reminder to all of us not to take one breath for granted...that each day is precious and tomorrow is not promised. He had a deep faith and trusted Jesus...he would want that same faith for each of you. Today we do not grieve as those that have no hope...our hope in Jesus teaches us this is just "see you later." Until then sweet Briggs....
So on to today...we spent most of the day working at the local Founder's day...making popcorn, making sno cones, doing a photo booth and running a bounce house. Then the ladies spent the rest of the day cooking for the 100 guests coming to Living Rock's baptism service tomorrow. The men spent the day picking up and setting up chairs for the outdoor event tomorrow. We are physically and emotionally exhausted. Pray tomorrow for the baptism as several that are being baptized are not getting support from their family. Also, that this would be a day of salvation for others. I forgot to include a picture of the trailer Lakeside so graciously donated to Living Rock. Vincent Logozzo and James Spencer spent a lot of time fixing it up and getting the new logo ready for them. They drove the trailer up for us.
So before I recap today I would give some other thoughts first. Most of you are so aware of the amazing young man Briggs was. He was full of life and loved people. What I have learned so deeply over the last few months is he has learned so much of this from his sweet parents. Many times over the last few months Deanna would call to check up on others that were sick or hurting to see how she could pray more specifically. No matter how sick Briggs was she was ALWAYS thinking of others. I have been amazed by her selflessness over these many months. And Deanna loves people and many of you. Allowing you into their personal battle...up close and personal...so that you could be loved and love her boy! So tonight as we grieve for Briggs we deeply grieve for this family and their great loss of another son. Briggs lived life to the fullest, was the best Children's church volunteer around and shined the light of Jesus far and wide over these last few months. While we are so very sad here...we know that the Briggs has finished his fight, he has won the race....he is WHOLE and HEALED and today he heard "well done my good and faithful servant." May we all fight in this life the way that he did....and may we all love our children as deeply as Deanna and Everett do! Briggs is a reminder to all of us not to take one breath for granted...that each day is precious and tomorrow is not promised. He had a deep faith and trusted Jesus...he would want that same faith for each of you. Today we do not grieve as those that have no hope...our hope in Jesus teaches us this is just "see you later." Until then sweet Briggs....
So on to today...we spent most of the day working at the local Founder's day...making popcorn, making sno cones, doing a photo booth and running a bounce house. Then the ladies spent the rest of the day cooking for the 100 guests coming to Living Rock's baptism service tomorrow. The men spent the day picking up and setting up chairs for the outdoor event tomorrow. We are physically and emotionally exhausted. Pray tomorrow for the baptism as several that are being baptized are not getting support from their family. Also, that this would be a day of salvation for others. I forgot to include a picture of the trailer Lakeside so graciously donated to Living Rock. Vincent Logozzo and James Spencer spent a lot of time fixing it up and getting the new logo ready for them. They drove the trailer up for us.
Friday, September 12, 2014
Day 2 and I can't feel my toes!
Well, we are wrapping up day two here in Fort Collins, Colorado and it has been a busy one. We split up into two teams today...the men were busying working on fixing the plumbing issue in the basement where the Parrishes have church and installing some much needed storage for their garage to hold church items. I was not with them today...but I know they were up and busy starting very early today!
The ladies and the kids spent the morning organizing the children's church items and prepping for the meals we will be cooking for the weekend activities with the church. Then this afternoon we spent the day at the Fort Collins Rescue Mission. This is a place where Living Rock serves the homeless. Half of our group painted the kitchen and the other half of us cleaned out the SUB ZERO freezer and reorganized it so they could find all of the donated food items. Jake Piland and I spent about 3 hours inside that freezer and I am just now getting feeling back in my toes. I am really wishing we took the time to dig my winter coat out of storage before coming here. At Mission Arlington working in the freezer in the summer is a reward for a hard working teenager....in Fort Collins it seems like torture when it is 40 outside. Then after working at the mission we went and bought all of the food items for a neighborhood cook out tomorrow, Sunday Baptism Lunch and for elementary teacher goodie bags for Tuesday.
This evening we had a great dinner in Old Town Fort Collins as a team. While our bodies are here our hearts and minds are at home with the Berry family. We took time as a team to pray for them tonight. Our hearts are aching that we are so far from home and from supporting this family during this uncertain moment. Please join us in praying for them tonight...and begging God for mercy and healing!
Tomorrow we will help with the community Founder's Day Celebration. We will start early in the morning setting up the block party trailer and helping vendors get their booths up and ready. This will be the majority of the day but we will cap it off with a neighborhood cookout at the Parrish house. Please keep praying for our team....and the Berry family.
The ladies and the kids spent the morning organizing the children's church items and prepping for the meals we will be cooking for the weekend activities with the church. Then this afternoon we spent the day at the Fort Collins Rescue Mission. This is a place where Living Rock serves the homeless. Half of our group painted the kitchen and the other half of us cleaned out the SUB ZERO freezer and reorganized it so they could find all of the donated food items. Jake Piland and I spent about 3 hours inside that freezer and I am just now getting feeling back in my toes. I am really wishing we took the time to dig my winter coat out of storage before coming here. At Mission Arlington working in the freezer in the summer is a reward for a hard working teenager....in Fort Collins it seems like torture when it is 40 outside. Then after working at the mission we went and bought all of the food items for a neighborhood cook out tomorrow, Sunday Baptism Lunch and for elementary teacher goodie bags for Tuesday.
This evening we had a great dinner in Old Town Fort Collins as a team. While our bodies are here our hearts and minds are at home with the Berry family. We took time as a team to pray for them tonight. Our hearts are aching that we are so far from home and from supporting this family during this uncertain moment. Please join us in praying for them tonight...and begging God for mercy and healing!
Tomorrow we will help with the community Founder's Day Celebration. We will start early in the morning setting up the block party trailer and helping vendors get their booths up and ready. This will be the majority of the day but we will cap it off with a neighborhood cookout at the Parrish house. Please keep praying for our team....and the Berry family.
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Colorado Day One- We made it!
Well the entire team is here safe and sound. It was a different trip for me in that we did not have to run through a single airport. It was oddly uneventful travel for us. It is a little colder here...highs in the 40s, drizzle rain with a slight chance for snow. (yes....you read that right....SNOW!)
After we arrived we headed to the Parrish's house were we surprised Brandi with a date night out with her husband to celebrate her 40th birthday today! All the while we were "babysitting" the kids. They are old enough they really take care of themselves.
This evening we spent some time hearing about the church and praying for Living Rock. We have a full week ahead of us. Please be praying tomorrow at 1:00pm (Central Time) for Kelly and Brandi as they meet with Walker Lawnmower on a possible facility for their church.
Tomorrow is a full of many things...painting at a homeless shelter where Living Rock serves, getting items needed for the Baptism celebration on Sunday, fixing the bathroom in the basement that isn't functioning and getting all the food items we need for the multiple events we are hosting this week!
After we arrived we headed to the Parrish's house were we surprised Brandi with a date night out with her husband to celebrate her 40th birthday today! All the while we were "babysitting" the kids. They are old enough they really take care of themselves.
This evening we spent some time hearing about the church and praying for Living Rock. We have a full week ahead of us. Please be praying tomorrow at 1:00pm (Central Time) for Kelly and Brandi as they meet with Walker Lawnmower on a possible facility for their church.
Tomorrow is a full of many things...painting at a homeless shelter where Living Rock serves, getting items needed for the Baptism celebration on Sunday, fixing the bathroom in the basement that isn't functioning and getting all the food items we need for the multiple events we are hosting this week!
Celebrating Brandi's 40th birthday!
The girls got Zach! What a great big brother!
Sunday, July 27, 2014
Final Seattle blog
Yesterday we finished with our last sports day camp. Lots of performances with the kids and instead of goodbyes some kids and their families are coming tonight to our community block party! Our youth went prayer walking and we went to the teen club center and served food. The adult team built a tool shed for the teen center as well as needed maintenance and landscaping. Essential church is being recognized throughout the community for the things that we have accomplished through Love Bellevue and with God mighty things have happened. One kid actually asked "Are you guys really Christians?" What an opportunity to speak of the name of Jesus and truth into his life. Today we will be getting prepared for the evening activities. As I have listened and heard us celebrate Christ, the reality is people in our own country haven't heard of the his first. What a privilege it has been to come thinking you are going to serve yet we are being served. Thank you for your realm of prayers.
Our team wrapped up Friday with a block party...with lots of people in attendance. There is a wrap up video on Facebook that has been shared by Carey Dyer and Shelley DeBusk where you can see lots of pictures from the week!
Time to head home!
"but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect"
Thursday, July 24, 2014
Seattle Wednesday Review
A rainy day in Seattle didn't stop us. With a change of plans this morning we were able to access the conference room to make evangelism snack bags to pass out and we have been successful in another sports camp day. The parents have told us that although they're happy about coming to play sports they are really happy to see their coaches(our youth)! God has been moving and many moments of encounters where the Gospel was spoke about. 'When you’re sitting across from someone and looking them in the face and they realize how far you’ve come to sit with them, they listen so intently because they may have never heard of Jesus before. You become so appreciative of your own life and opportunities.' Keep us in yo
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Seattle Day 2
Today has consisted of door to door contact, prayer walking and inviting locals to our block party this Friday. The diversity here is amazing. Seattle alone has 82 languages in the school districts. 82! So you can imagine the challenge of conversing with the locals. All of the youth have done such a good job catering to the young kids through the sports camp but also gaining a relationship with them. The community knows we are here and its such a blessing to recognize how God has been here this whole time. We are excited to be here and I can speak on behalf of us all that prayer is needed for opportunities to speak the name of Jesus.
We are headed off to the community free movie night to meet people and play with the children.
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