Haiti: The Work.

“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive. (Acts 20:35).”

Haiti: The Children.

Haiti- School Board

This was on one of the blackboards in the school classroom. The students haven't been in school since January 12, the day of the earthquake. The government is afraid to send them back because of the damage. However, this is the verse of the day on the 12th. The verse in English reads, "So we say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" -Hebrews 13:6

HOPE.

Hope for Haiti

The past few days have been incredible. I love Haiti. I love the people. I love the language. I love the food (except for the goat served two nights ago which I couldn't believe I tried but fortunately didn't like.. don't be mad Billy and Almon). I love the spirit. I love the culture.

Yesterday we painted all morning and then headed to another town for the afternoon. Repatriote is the city that we went to. The people there were greatly impacted by the earthquake. A church that branches off the church that we stay at was just demolished. I was shocked. I have pictures I will post later. The people there said since they are a town out of the middle of no where, they feel like everyone has just forgotten about them. We took about fifty jugs of water that we had used and passed it out the to people there who are living in tents. The huge smiles of gratitude blessed my spirit as I gave something as simple as water. People came from all over to receive. It was really cool because when we ran out of water, the people weren't greedy or anything. We just hung out for a bit and loved on them and prayed with them.

Matthew 10:42, "And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward." This reward is here. It is the fulfillment I find in Jesus. It is the hope that one day I will be singing "Holy Holy Holy" in Heaven with these people.

The rest of the afternoon consisted of a tap tap ride through the city. I wish there were a way to explain the destruction to you. I feel like Cooper Anderson didn't give you justice by video and I certainly can't by blog. Buildings are just pancaked to the ground. Six or seven stories worth just came straight down flat. It is crazy. No one has even gone into these buildings since because it's so dangerous. Every corner you turn and there's mass destruction. Pray for these people. One thing is this, these people have hope. Haiti is not dark. I thought this place would be dark full of witch craft and weird things. Yet, this place is beautiful. I had such a misconception. Even in the midst of horror, these people are back to life. That's incredible.

Today, the Lord has really answered our team prayer for the Holy Spirit to move. We went to the clinic today and prayed over anyone who came forward. So many hurting people here. Many came forward for prayer due to the fear they have and anxiety they face since the earthquake. One young man came forward and told us he had been hearing voices telling him to do such horrible things. We told him that when Jesus lives in your heart, he silences these voices. He asked to receive Jesus and we prayed over him. It was so powerful to be a part of it. Yall, he was really and truly receiving salvation for the first time. (All these prayers via translator). Another woman came forward with her precious 7 year old child who the Lord just broke me for. We prayed and prayed. ALL morning long. One thing I read this morning before the day began was, Acts 316: "It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes thru him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see." We prayed for healing in Jesus' name. He is moving and is so powerful. Later in this chapter in verse 26 it says, "When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways."

May that be an encouragement to all of us believers. He first and foremost came to heal our spiritual sickness. He came to turn us from an eternity of damnation and Hell. He came to not only wipe our sins away so we can enjoy Heaven and his promises, but JESUS CHRIST rose from the dead so that we can have an open means of communication with our Father in Heaven. So that we can even pray to Him for anything. The great divide is now fulfilled that we can ask and receive, praise and glory, and hear and see. Praise and Glory to Jesus for all these things.

Quick Story...

Hey again. I just wanted to write this real fast. Today, I heard of some earthquake stories. One hit me pretty hard because earlier today I watched some of the kids sing in the church here at Blanchard. During the earthquake, a church collapsed in another city nearby killing an estimated 23 children who were in there for choir practice. Another story was a man who is in graduate school and he and his professor got caught under the rubble and couldn't get out. Some other professors came and got the professor out but told the man they would come right back for him. they didn't. He spent the whole night passing the time by singing and praying out to God. The next day he saw a little girl and got her attention. She crawled down and helped in start getting out. When she got him to the point of visibility, some other people began to help as well. When he finally got out of the rubble, he asked the people where the little girl went so he could thank her. The people turned to him and said, umm there was never a little girl here sir. He said that is when He knew God was completely in control. Just two stories that impacted me today and I thought you may want to read. More to come... Keep Haiti in your prayers, there is definitely a need.

We Are Here!!!

Hello all who are following my Spring Break 2010.

We are here in Blanchard, a compound about 10 minutes away from the airport. Yes, Blair- we rode a "tap tap." In fact, we stopped at a gas station and were sitting outside and I tapped the top as I was telling my team what you told me about the origin of it's name. The driver heard me and came back there and said, "Yeah?" And I told him I was telling them why you called it a tap tap. Because, you "Tap Tap" and he started dying out laughing. The fly-in was good, a bit rushed. We didn't sleep at all the night before we arrived at the airport at 6. SO we went about 36 hours without sleeping. Anyways, we arrived... two guys right out of college from Georgia are the ones leading us this week so they picked us up excited that it was 5 college kids to hang with all week. They showed us around and then settled us in. The compound we are staying at is awesome. It's really nice from what I have seen and we even have indoor showers/pottys! The compound serves as a school and a church. School hasn't been in session since the earthquake (government decree). In fact, in one of the classrooms the date is the exact date of the earthquake on the chalk board which was a strange thing. We had a great dinner last night by our Haitian cook. Today we went to church at 6AM which was all in french and I could actually understand a good bit of it. I really really enjoy speaking to people because I pretty much understand them, especially when they slow it down for me. There is internet access but it is limited. I think we will start working today. I know we are doing alot of work on the schools trying to get them ready for when school resumes. Keep us in your prayers. We are asking for more and more opportunities to meet the people and hear their stories and try to encourage them. The culture here is very very poor. It is similar to rural Mexico and Nicaragua. I feel like with the opportunity to see many different nations, that now poverty is poverty. However, people are also people. And that my friends, is what I LOVE! So I am excited to report some stories and miracles as they come. Expectant. Tired. but Encouraged. Woooooo Hooooo Spring Break... gettin KRUNK~! Loves!!

p.s. over the doors of the church is painted, "Sortons pour Servir" which means, Leave in order to (or to) Serve or Go out Serving. I liked that.

HAITI: en route...

I cannot begin to tell you how excited I am for this opportunity. I am sitting here writing at 3 AM ATL time with one hour before we depart for the air port. This night has consisted of an amazing time of prayer, visioning, dreams, worship, encouragement, and stirring. This is the most unique group of people that the Lord predestined to go together to Haiti. 3 girls. 2 guys. 5 hungry, thirsty, and expectant young adults being consumed by the Holy Spirit. The Lord has revealed to us that this trip is nothing ordinary. He is preparing our hearts for miracles, healing, oppression, and an awakening bigger than we can comprehend. I have never been with a group of people so in-tuned to the Lord's voice. We are stepping in confidence that with the power of the Holy Spirit we will see the power of the Lord in miraculous ways in Haiti. We will see this nation rise up in faith. We will witness miracles. We will be stretched beyond our comfort and have to rely on the Spirit, the Comforter. We have not played one game or any activity other than worship and pray over one another since we arrived. I am really beyond words at this point. I am already blown away and humbled to the Lord's guidance and will for each one of the people around me. Acts 2 has become the key chapter in the bible that we are focusing on. We are praying, seeking, and recognizing the Holy Spirit and the power He has in our lives. We depend and rely on Him. I am praying that this week especially, the five of us are known by the Acts 2:42-47 fellowship of believers:

"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of break and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."

Isaiah 26:8 "Yes Lord, walking in the way of your truth, we eagerly wait for name and renown are the desires of our hearts."

Please also pray for my teammates: Katy, Nathan, Wilson, and Tori.

Katy's blog- www.kwcrane.blogspot.com

Spring Break in HAITI

I wish I had more energy to write about the exciting trip to Haiti but for now I must keep it simple. You see, I was handed the stomach flu for the second time this semester. If you don't know what that is, I will politely tell you it is an overflow in every direction of your body. It's miserable. And somehow, I have gotten it twice in the same semester, the semester to which I am taking 19 hours of classes. In the midst of stress, I have a peace that in two days I will be on an airplane with some of my greatest friends to completely surrender myself to the work of His hands in Haiti. I am so thankful for those of you who gave a financial contribute. I still haven't reached the $600 mark, but I am confident that what I received was exactly His plan for me. Every amount that I opened, I want you to know that I did not pray for it to bless my trip, I did not pray for Him to bless you for giving, but I prayed something that isn't prayed enough. I prayed and asked HIM to be BLESSED. I asked HIM to be blessed by your obedience to give. I asked HIM to allow me to continue to bless Him as I prepare by heart and mind for Haiti. Obedience and giving isn't about us. It's all about HIM! Take some time today and remind yourself of that. As much as we ask Him on our normal day to bless us (bless this food, bless this day, bless this conversation, bless this trip, bless this opportunity, bless this business deal, bless this tithe) how many times do we ask for HIM to be BLESSED? If the word is true in 2 Peter 1:3, "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness," then what more should we really ask for Him to Bless. Take today and offer it to Bless HIM! Thanks so much for all of you who gave and will continue in prayer... I'll keep ya posted!

Fancy That.

This summer at Kamp, the Lord introduced me to one of my favorite verses of all time. This Fall, Shane & Shane (Contemporary Christian group) wrote a song titled "My Portion," clearly singing the words to my favorite verse. This Spring, I burned a CD for one of my sweet ladies at Hosanna Home. She put the CD in the player and said, "This one is my favorite song of all on here." She flipped through until she got to this very song, "My Portion." I told her it was my favorite as well and explained to her that I had fallen in love with a verse over the summer. I read her the verse which is exactly the words to this song. Later that night, she was rushed to the hospital for a possible heart attack. She is doing fine now but the Lord reminded me how he used this coincidence to encourage her on the very night her heart would weaken her. The verse is found in Psalm 73:26:

"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

Fancy that.

Distracting the Real Goodness?

Ever tried to eat your favorite dessert right after you put a strong mint flavored piece of gum in your mouth? You love that dessert so much but it doesn't taste quite as good because that mint flavor still roams in your mouth, distracting the real goodness.

The Lord wants us to grow in our spiritual lives, our new lives in Christ. We have tasted and know the Lord is good. Continue to crave that goodness. Desire Him. Desire being holy, being pure. You can't grow in purity and in your walk with Him if you are harvesting any bitter or hard feelings toward others. Lay it at His feet, get that taste out of your mouth.

1 Peter 2:1-3

" Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good."

snow day @ home.

my ultimate role model...

Growing up, I was quite obsessed with this individual. And, still today I have to say she is so legit! I love Jennie Finch!! She's an Olympic Gold Medalist, an amazing mother to a beautiful little boy, a wife to the Arizona Diamondbacks's Casey Daigle, and a shinning light for the Kingdom. Here's her most recent blog that I wanted to share...

Victory & Heartache! Super Bowl Recap

Watching the Superbowl my heart was elated for the Saints and Drew Brees but on the other hand I was aching for the Colts and Peyton Manning. I know the feeling before that Gold Medal game, or the Nat'l Championship game. You know there is going to be a winner and a loser in just a few hours. You know you will either walk back into your hotel room as a Champion or not. Its the feeling you train for, the place you want to be, you dream about being there your entire life!

It brought me back to my last 2 years of being a Wildcat. In 2001 (my junior year) we did it, finally! We sent 8 seniors out with a Championship, a ring, we achieved it! We were finally the ones jumping up and down on the field lifting the trophy high! This was a magical year, we were on a mission, we had an AMAZING team! I was undefeated this year on the mound... I can remember fighting the devil telling me in my ear, don't let this final game be your only & first loss of the year/season. I fought that the entire time trying to ignore those negative thoughts! I tried focusing on each pitch, each task, and most importantly battling for my team! We did it! We finally won! It was awesome we were playing UCLA, our biggest rival, our biggest competition back then. And we pulled it off 1-0! Finally the Champions!



Then came the next year 2002 (my senior year), we lost 8 seniors from 2001, I knew it was going to be a challenge getting back there let alone winning again! But we did it, we made it back, we were in the Championship game the following year. Just getting to that final game wasn't enough, we wanted to finish it, win it! Coach Candrea always says, "its tough to win a National Championship and even tougher to repeat!" But We were going to do it, we could it, I wanted nothing more than to prove that statement wrong! This time it ended the complete opposite way, we fell short, way short. Ouch, it hurt, hurt really bad. This isn't the way I wanted to end my career as a Wildcat. The score was brutal, my last game as a Wildcat was ugly. I was devastated and heartbroken. I can remember fighting the tears and losing the battle of holding them in.

After sitting in the dug out for what seemed like 2 hours, I finally gathered my stuff and made my way off the field. I was walking off of the Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City as a Wildcat for the last time and we/I fell short. The Lord used this time to speak to me and speak to me clearly. I didn't make it too far, I was immediately stopped at the gate. I couldn't even get out. All I wanted was my hotel room and bed so badly, to sit and sulk by myself. I then looked up and there was this enormous line wrapped around the stadium, no end in sight. The security guards asked me if I wanted to sign autographs. I replied, "Not really, but how can I say no to this line?" He said, "It's up to you?" I knew in my heart I had to sign, it was the right thing to do.

I dropped my bag and stayed there til the last girl received a signature. Through tears, I signed, I was there for hours... I was floored. I kept thinking we lost, I was the loser. Why are these people wanting my autograph? Through so many hugs and generous people encouraging me that day. It was such a gift! A gift from the Lord. He reminded me its not about winning or losing, its about touching lives, touching others! I received more mail from that day than our perfect season,Nat'l Champs, going 32-0, the previous year. So many sweet thoughtful letters about the way I handled the loss, thanking me for staying and signing. I was in awe and still am thinking about it today.

The Lord taught me a big lesson that day! It doesn't make the pain of a loss go away but He reminded me of my purpose. Its not about the trophies or medals, its about touching others, living out God's will! Trying to be a Champion even when we are not the Champ. Through Christ we are all Champions, Jesus died for our sins & our losses, we are able to gain the gift of eternity through His grace! We are fighting for the true prize, the nonperishable prize, the prize of eternity! As my Gold medal tarnishes and gets scratched, I cringe. I cringe and then chuckle... its the Lord reminding me yet again, there is more to it! The trophies & medals will one day fade away.

When I go back to Oklahoma City, it never fails, that line is brought up by someone. The longest line they had ever seen for "the loser!" Thank you Lord for using the losses & heartaches to help mold me and shape me. And Lord, just FYI I prefer winning! ;)

Dreaming & Believing,
#27

MAZEL TOV!!

Congratulations to Jamie and Ben David!!

My first cousin on the Sharker side was married this weekend in Atlanta, Georgia. I am so proud of her and had a blast celebrating this wonderful day with her!~ Here's some pictures of my wonderful family!! I am so blessed.

Jamie and Ben

Mom, me, Blakely, Blair and Dad

My Nana and Pop- love love love them!!!

The beautiful, did I say, beautiful bride and her sister, Stacey who flew in from Israel for the wedding!!~ So excited to spend some time with both of these two!

Jamie had everyone wear converses to the wedding... :)

Me and Blakely

Me and Blair

The sisters and Aunt Debra

We love our Nana and Pop!

The 3 Brendles

The weekend was one of the best times I've had with my family. I enjoyed getting to just rest, catch up and snuggle with my sisters in our hotel room. I love every opportunity I get to spend time with my grandparents who I truly believe are God's gift to the world. I love getting to learn and see my Jewish side of the family and the culture that they are apart of. Even in the midst of confusion, it's a blessing to see their hearts for God and the way they worship Him. I am so thankful to the Lord for such a wonderful family.

My friend, Katie Bartlett

This Blog was so good.. I just had to "Re-Blog" it.

Say So.

Psalm 107

¹Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
²Let the redeemed of the LORD say so,
Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the adversary...

From time to time, my roommates and I have told one another to "just say so!" Implying thefreedom to "be right where you are at" (no judgment here!) and the empowerment that comes from approaching life from the victorious position of being redeemed. (1 John 5:4-5) We have been bought back, brought out of death into life, and set free to live life as He intended: in fellowship with our God. When we hide in our own selves, there is no fellowship. For us to speak what is true about ourselves and God is to speak from the position of being the redeemed children of God. We stand acceptable and accepted because of Christ! Who told you to be ashamed or that you had to have it all together?! It is the "adversary" or the enemy who tempts us to believe this and he has been defeated--powerless towards the people of the Lord. We must remember the Voice that matters most. When we forget we are redeemed and forget to "attend to the steadfast love of the Lord" we feel vulnerable, exposed (experiencing the reality of our not being in control), and afraid to say anything at all. When life isn't seeming line up quite right or the circumstances are unsure, or at the slightest relational discomfort or lack thereof we are quick to forget what He has done on our behalf and who He has made us to be and how He pours out His love into our hearts by the power of His Spirit alone. This is what makes the DIFFERENCE! In these days of our sanctification/transformation into the likeness of Christ we have the choice to LIVE in that reality or to try to live this life in our own feeble resources until the day He returns and completes this beautiful work He has began in us at the moment of salvation. May the reality of our redemption and new life in Christ fall afresh on us:

1 Peter 2

²⁴He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree,

that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.

By his wounds you have been healed.

²⁵For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned

to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

FREEDOM to "say so" comes from believing and receiving for yourself that you are redeemed, first and foremost. There is no way to earn or lose the love and acceptance which God freely gives us in Christ. This experience also happens in loving community. As we work out the reality of our salvation "with fear and trembling" He moves from our head to our heart what that really means. Healing comes as we move through this process by faith, acknowledging our fears and feelings, allowing the grace of God to penetrate our faulty beliefs, often through the gracious response of others towards us. Powerful. Supernatural. True freedom comes in taking off the mask of having to have it all together or be independent of God(dying to sin) and being who He has created you to be: a dependent child on Abba, Father (living to righteousness).

I was meeting with a friend this past week and it seems she has discovered what many of us know, but few of us admit. We wear a "protector" around our lives, keeping people and even God at arm's length. She knows she needs to take it off, but it's not easy. Our souls crave to be known, our Spirits cry out to drink deep from the Living Water, yet we choose to stay in what we've been deceived into believing is "safe." The TRUTH? Our God longs to BE our protector! Our Safety! Our refuge! Our HOME, but we must die to the old way of "safe" living, which is not really living at all. Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, came to this earth with the gospel message: "I have come that you may have life and have it abundantly." When we operate out of the riches and wealth of Spirit that comes from standing on these realities our life IS different! He satisfies us (Psalm 63) in this dry and weary land of the world. The Spiritual reality becomes our reality and we live in the paradigm of the life of Christ! When we stop searching for a formula and live IN CHRIST we find what we were looking for in the beginning...

Psalm 107

⁴³ Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things;
let them consider the steadfast love of the LORD.

Colossians 2

...to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding

and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ,

³ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Our direction, our step-by-step, our wisdom and knowledge, if you will comes as we seek Christ and allow His Spirit to be the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls and respond in faith to Him. When we walk as redeemed children in freedom, healing and wholeness, we WILL shine Christ brightly for the glory of His name. I pray that more and more we are a community that "says so" for the sake of His glory and that more may step into a life in Christ.

awesome testimony

I feel like I should know her but I don't. However, I was extremely encouraged by this story-

Success Stories :: Mandi

AMANDA WIGGINS

Hi, my name is Mandi and I am 24 years old. My family and I moved to California from Alaska at the beginning of my grade school when my grandfather was dying. After his death we found comfort in a local church but I never completely surrendered my life to Jesus or had a personal relationship with Him. At a young age I started dancing and playing soccer. By junior high I was playing soccer at a very competitive level.

I have two older sisters and when I got into junior high I began to go out with them on the weekends and that is when I began to drink. By high school I was well known in my community for soccer but I had a routine party schedule on the weekends. When I was sixteen I got a DUI in a stolen vehicle. This shocked my community, my coach, and it shamed my family. I was let off with just a little probation because the judge didn't want to hinder my future with my soccer and schooling.

My senior year my coach opened up an opportunity for me to play against high-ranked teams and universities. This was a time to be scouted and to experience soccer at a higher level. But inside I had a huge fear of failure so when I was introduced to meth by a friend of mine, I found my escape in it. I started using quite a bit and people saw a change in me on and off the field. I ended up barely walking with my class because of so many days missed, and my personal coach and scouts were fed-up with no-shows and unreturned phone calls.

After graduation I crashed my friends car while drinking and driving and ended up In a 30 day rehab. Here is where I realized I had ruined everything I had been working my whole life towards. When I got out of rehab I quickly got back into my addiction. I worked and tried to go to junior college but I couldn't do either without being high. My addiction had spiraled out of control and because of being untrustworthy I wasn't allowed in my family's home or allowed to see my niece who I love dearly, and I lost my job of two years. Without many options open to me I moved in with a guy friend not realizing the severity of his drug addiction. It was here that I saw things I wouldn't imagine in my worst nightmare and I met the kind of people I didn't know existed. I remember being up in my room crying. It wasn't like a normal night of crying feeling sorry for myself. Something within me was crying out. For the first time in my life I felt the presence of God. In my complete broken state God spoke to my heart and I knew that He loved me and somehow my life was going to change.

Right after that I ended up in jail for 45 days. In jail I reunited with my family and I dedicated my life to Christ. My parents heard about Teen Challenge and by the grace of God I was granted my release to go to the program.

People always ask me what it was like in Teen Challenge. I tell them it was a year of getting to sit at the feet of Jesus. In the presence of Jesus there is healing, hope, restoration, and one can begin to dream again. At the end of my program God began to speak to me about missions. I heard about Y-WAM (youth-with-a-mission) and knew that I knew this was where God wanted me. It seemed impossible because I was on felony probation and had pretty much no money. However, God opened up door after door and did miracle after miracle. Shortly after I was done with my program I found myself on an airplane to Kona, HI where I would train for three months before going overseas. I ended up going with an amazing team to Australia and American Samoa.

I came home after my time overseas was up and began to seek God for what he had for me next. I currently am an intern at my church at Calvary Christian Center. I work under our Youth Pastor with student ministries and oversee evangelism. I was privileged to help lead a group of our students to Ecuador this past summer in South America. I am also currently getting certified as a chemical dependency counselor.

For me it is extremely humbling to look back at what God has done in my life from that time he spoke to my heart when I was completely broken in my room crying, up until now. I have been so blessed to see different parts of our world and God's unchanging heart for the nations. No matter where I am I am a missionary, because people are everywhere that need to know the love of Christ. I love Jesus and can't do justice with words for all he has done for me. God Bless and dream big!!!