From a short-term ministry team member

Here are the thoughts from a friend who was here on a short-term ministry team in August.  Thanks Eric for your insight and perspective!  I was going to link to one post, but then several other ones would be overlooked so I am just linking to his blog.  Scroll down his page to read his thoughts about their time in Arizona.

http://ericandtheblog.blogspot.com/

A post from a friend

So many times over these past 7 years God has reminded me...and reminded me...and reminded me that His timing is not always my timing.  Recently I have found myself frustrated when things were not moving faster (see previous posts!).  A good friend of ours posted this on her blog this morning.  A great reminder for me and maybe for you.  Enjoy and be challenged!  Thanks Joell!

http://jomamasvillage.blogspot.com/2010/09/do-you-wonder-why-you-have-to-feel.html

-tory

A Life Lesson

Last week I got a text from an Apache teenage girl who wanted me to pick her up and take her auntie’s house. She was frantic. She was afraid that her other auntie would call the police and have her put in jail because she was at her boyfriend’s house. I wasn’t sure what to do and if I should get involved in this family drama. While texting this teenage girl, her mom, whom she doesn’t live with, called me and asked me if I would help her daughter. She said they had been having problems with her and she needed someone to help her. I decided that I would help her and went and picked her up at her boyfriend’s house. When talking with this girl I asked why her auntie was so upset with her. She said that her auntie didn’t want her staying with her boyfriend because she didn’t want her to become pregnant like her cousin. I asked her if she thought her auntie wanted what was best for her. She said that she did, but it made her mad.

I thought to myself, “How many times do I get mad when I hear things from others about myself that I don’t like?” It wears on me. It makes me frustrated. Why? I think it is because deep down I know the truth of the matter. Instead of letting it affect me negatively I need to see it as positive no matter how the information was delivered. Knowing those things make me into a better person. They refine me into who God wants me to be.

As I encouraged her to take what her auntie was saying, I came away with insight to myself and what God wants me to become. I pray for my Apache friend that she will seek God’s best for her and hear that people are trying to help her. I pray I can take the criticism that I am given and use it to make me into the person, wife and mom that God wants me to be.

His Child - Kara

Thanks Oswald. Sorry God.

So if I am going to be completely honest here, the truth is that these past few weeks have left me discouraged, frustrated, overwhelmed and feeling like I am running through mud (you know when the mud keeps piling up on your shoes and the more you keep going the harder it is to move?). Stuff that should be pretty simple has become monstrous tasks. Things just aren’t falling into place. Every task is a task (and a half!). In total transparency, I have found myself several times wondering if the greener grass on the other side would be a heck of a lot easier.

And then today I pulled out Oswald Chambers’ My Utmost For His Highest.

The first thing that happens after we recognize our election by God in Christ Jesus is the destruction of our preconceived ideas, our narrow-minded thinking, and all of our other allegiances— we are turned solely into servants of God’s own purpose. The entire human race was created to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. Sin has diverted the human race onto another course, but it has not altered God’s purpose to the slightest degree. And when we are born again we are brought into the realization of God’s great purpose for the human race, namely, that He created us for Himself. This realization of our election by God is the most joyful on earth, and we must learn to rely on this tremendous creative purpose of God. The first thing God will do is force the interests of the whole world through the channel of our hearts. The love of God, and even His very nature, is introduced into us. And we see the nature of Almighty God purely focused in

John 3:16 - “For God so loved the world. . . .”

We must continually keep our soul open to the fact of God’s creative purpose, and never confuse or cloud it with our own intentions. If we do, God will have to force our intentions aside no matter how much it may hurt. A missionary is created for the purpose of being God’s servant, one in whom God is glorified. Once we realize that it is through the salvation of Jesus Christ that we are made perfectly fit for the purpose of God, we will understand why Jesus Christ is so strict and relentless in His demands. He demands absolute righteousness from His servants, because He has put into them the very nature of God.

Beware lest you forget God’s purpose for your life.

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

Thanks Oswald. Sorry God.

-tory

Angels and Demons

During the summer of 1999, I had the privilege of helping at a junior high week of church camp at Northeast Iowa Christian Service Camp. One evening we played a game called “Angels and Demons.” The campers were all blindfolded and their task was to find their way to heaven. Along the way there were angels and demons (roles portrayed by the staff). The campers were allowed to ask any question they wanted. They then had to choose whom they trusted and whom they wanted to follow. (The angels always told the truth and the demons could lie.)  The angels led the campers to "Heaven" and the demons led the campers to "Hell."

This game began as just another fun evening activity at camp. The camp faculty joked around when we decided the chapel would serve as our "Hell" and the cafeteria would be "Heaven." Even as this activity began we just saw it as another evening activity like the faculty hunt or the talent show. I know you are not suppose to have favorites in youth ministry, but I think most of us do. A little while into the game, I saw one of my favorites wandering around lost. I made my way over to him and started talking. I was beginning to earn his trust when one of the "demons" came over and began convincing this camper not to trust me. Within minutes, I found myself with my back 5 feet away from the “gates of hell” begging this young man to listen to what I had to say. In that instant, as I begged him to listen, it was no longer just a game I was playing. I had my back to the gates of hell and was pleading with him for his soul.

One of the rules for the activity was that when a student told you to leave, you had to leave. This young man told me to leave. I begged and pleaded with him to reconsider.  I promised him I was telling the truth and he was heading in the wrong direction. He told me to leave and I stepped back quietly. I will never forget as I stood and watched as he was escorted through the gates of hell.

Eleven years later, we are daily fighting with our backs 5 feet away from the gates of hell. Today our battle is not just a game. We are fighting a battle for the souls of children, teens and adults on the San Carlos Apache Reservation. We are fighting where there is a 76% unemployment rate, the poverty rate is 77% and the teen suicide rate is 7 times the national average. We are fighting where over 30% of the population is under the age of 18 - where teen moms are struggling to raise families. We are fighting where drugs, alcohol and gangs are rampant, where hopelessness is the norm. We are fighting and will continue to fight the battle that we know He will win.

tory

Prayer Tent in Anaheim

Please read this blog from a close friend.  We have been wondering how this idea would work in San Carlos.  What do you think?

In the middle of my day yesterday I set up the "Prayer Tent" on the sidewalk outside the Church. (KACC in Anaheim) The people who are usually there weren't able to be there. As I sat there with no one asking for prayer I wondered, "why am I sitting here?" I actually said out loud, mockingly, "I have this great idea for YOU!" I mean I didn't have this idea. That guy should be here not me. I have a lot of things I could be doing...
http://crewsfamily3-18.blogspot.com/2010/09/im-rambling-bitso-what.html

An Amazing Opportunity

Last week I started my first day substitute teaching at the San Carlos Primary and Intermediate schools. It was a great day! I was so nervous walking into the school not knowing what I would be doing. It has been a number of years since I worked at the schools. When I found out my assignment for the day I was relieved that I would get work with someone who had taught the curriculum before and had received training! Then I started seeing familiar faces of the children I know and love. It was such a great time to see them and hear how they are doing. One little girl told my fellow teacher I was the person who taught her about Jesus! I was thrilled to know that was the one thing she remembered about me.

Each chance I got to see the kids I have known for years I tried to remind them of how much I love them and that I am there for them because God loves them. I pray that they will be able to tell their friends God loves them too! I hope to get to see many more students and have an impact on them and the faculty as the school year progresses. I am looking forward to Tuesdays and Thursdays when I get to spend time at the San Carlos schools!

His Child - Kara

September's newsletter

We just picked up September's newsletter from the printer.  If you would like to receive our newsletter, please email us at threeeighteen@hotmail.com.  Let us know if you would like to receive it via email or a hard copy to your house.  Thanks for your support.