It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Well we are closing into Christmas!!! This week has been a great week of resting in God's grace.  I have struggled this week with a pulled back muscle, and asthma problems, but it's not as worse as it could be - praise the Lord!!!! This past week was all about Christmas wrapping in the office again!!! I wrapped about 30-50 presents over two days, and we set up Christmas hampers. These Christmas hampers were put together by all of our lifegroups full of presents and food for CAP clients.

We started delivering them on Wednesday and Friday, and it was unbelievable to see their faces light up when we blessed them!! It was such a great way to show the love of God practically especially this close to Christmas.  Many of the clients told us that they were even wondering how they were going to get food in the cupboards this week - praise the Lord for the gift of CAP!!!!

On an even better note: one of our clients finally got off the fence, and decided to make a commitment for Christ!!!! Please continue to pray for Joyce, and that God would strengthen her faith, and suppress any attacks from the enemy. 

This week I have been very blessed and reminded that you never know the type of impact you have on people.  I recieved a card from a client thanking me for always being joyful, and smiling. I also recieved note off Anne from a client I have seen three times, but who said thank you that someone who is beautiful on the outside and on the inside doesn't judge him.  How humbling, and beautiful it is to sometimes see the impact you might have for the kingdom so unexpectedly.  Praise you Father!!!!

I hope everyone has a GREAT Christmas, enjoying a time celebrating the birth of our Savior surrounded by family and friends.

I'll Stand...

I'll stand. With arms high and heart abandoned. In awe of the one who paid it all. I'll stand, my soul Lord, to You surrender - ALL I have is Yours!!

How heavy is that lyric? We sang it in church this morning, and I couldn't help but lift my hands. It's moving - it requires a response.  I have to stand. I have to run in abandon toward my Savior, I have to surrender. None of these things define what is easy - they define what is necessary to truly live with purpose.  In giving everything that I am, every desire I have, every talent I have been given, I stand firm in the fact that my life will be used to impact my surroundings for His glory: to make His name known.

Update:

Tuesday was decorating the office day for CAP free Christmas wrapping! We also went to see Mick for a final visit, and God is really piecing his finances and his marriage back together. Praise the Lord!  I also had choir practice for the carol service coming up on Sunday!!!

Wednesday we had the northeast leaders meeting at TVCC. It was a great time to pray, worship, and discuss what God is doing regionally in the Northeast. One thing that stuck out in the talk was that we need to be a Joshua generation - one who knows the Lord, and knows there is more land to take for the kingdom.

Thursday was another wrapping day in the CAP office!!! Then I met up with Shaina for our weekly American time which I always love.  Anne and myself took out some great ladies for a meal at starters (actually good nachos!!)

Things to pray for:

Carol service on December 19th

Christmas wrapping this week in the CAP office!

Health

Entrusting my future in the hands of my Savior

Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow!!!

Hello snow!!! The snow is still here, and it's in the negative's (Celsius). First off, to all who have been praying for my health - your prayers have made a world of difference.  If you have had a conversation with me for even two seconds, my health probably come up. The main worry I had was that cold air is really difficult for me to breath - and that is the current weather at the moment.  BUT God is more powerful than my lungs, than my condition - and I have only had to take one treatment since August - this is a modern day miracle!!!! Praise God for His protection!!!
Now on to my update:
The saturday after the CAP awards, I met up with Jane, Hazel, LeaAnn and her son Rhys for lunch, and then had young girls cluster.  It was a great afternoon discussing how God speaks, and the necessity of studying the word. Thank you to Sue Omerod for coming and sharing her story with us!! Sunday, the 28th, was a joint celebration with TVCC at the Oakwood center - it was great to join with them in worship! We had lunch after with 18-30s, and got to spend the afternoon having coffee with some friends: brilliant :) At prayer meeting that night, they prayed over me, unexpectedly, and what a blessing it was!!! Due to the snow, Archibald was closed on monday through thursday so that meant no RE and no Blast. CAP this week has consisted of getting loads of food for our clients, wrapping paper for our free Christmas wrap this week, and writing loads of christmas cards!! Lifegroup on wednesday was about evangelism, and we watched Louis Giglio's video: fruitcake and ice cream (amazing story about Ashley coming to know Christ).  God really taught me a lot this week about grace, and letting your life be a living testimony of the grace God has for everyone.

This weekend Hannah, Jacob, and myself went to London to visit Dan and my friend Cassie who had a layover in route back to the states.  We got to hang out with Dan on Friday, and Cass had a delayed flight so we just went to practically every starbucks on Saturday, and then me and Jacob went to see Jersey Boys on the night. Sunday was a day with Cassie just walking around, eating lunch, talking about church, and Jesus' revelations in our lives, and encouraging each other to continue following His plans. I am so thankful and priveleged to have a best friend who is so encouraging, and  I know God has great plans for her life. She is going to do great things!!!!

Things to pray for:
~Blast: we have cancelled it until the new year, please pray for the kids who have been coming, and for Helen as she continues to lead it in the new year.
~Cassie: she starts her MA in Screenwriting in April at the University of London.
~MCC Elders
~The girls who attend young girls cluster
~CAP as we prepare to give hampers of food and gifts to various clients.

"May God be gracious to us and bless us. and make his face shine upon us. So that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among ALL nations. May the peoples praise You, God; May ALL the peoples praise You. May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for You rule the peoples with equity and guide the nations of the earth. May the people praise You, God; May ALL the peoples praise You." Psalm 67