Hola!

We only have ONE MORE DAY!! I have been packing and getting things ready all day and I am just so excited! Just here recently has God made me this pumped up and that excites me because I know he has such great plans for all of us!! I can’t wait to see yalls smiling faces bright and early

Love,

Lauren

As you know, we leave Thursday…now 3 days away.  We got an email from Julie, which had some VERY encouraging news about what’s going on in American Samoa from Katie.  God is moving in such a way that the only way to explain it is God!  The downside to that is that Satan will be (and is) working overtime on those of us who are going!  I know he has on me.  The war is getting hotter…along with the weather!  God is moving on that “little dot in the middle of the Pacific Ocean”.  We as a team are expecting God to move like none other!  With that expectation comes Satan.  He will devise such a scheme that fits every single person going on this trip to trip us up, to keep us from falling on our faces before the Lord Almighty.  He will keep us so busy that we may even forget to pray or study His Word.  The good news is this:  we have a God who is much bigger than the devil.  His Word says that He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.  We have already overcome Satan if we know Christ as our Lord.  He provides ways out of temptations we may have.  He gives us the battle plan…and the “gear” to fight this fight.  Remember to put on your armor every day…Ephesians 6.  Stay in His Word…Psalm 119:97.  Stay in constant communication with Him…1 Thessalonians 5:17.  Lord be with us as we are preparing to do your work.  Keep us in the shadow of your wings.  Draw us near.  We praise you for this opportunity to serve you!

Blessings!

 A London bus driver was assigned to shuttle passengers to special crusade services with Billy Graham at Wembley Stadium. When one of them invited him in to listen he declined. The following year he moved to New York, and when Billy was speaking at Madison Square Garden the man’s job again was shuttling people to the meetings. As he got off the bus a lady asked if he’d like to join them. Once more he politely declined. He married an Australian lady and eventually ended up working in Sydney, where surprisingly, he was again assigned to drive people to the stadium where Billy was preaching. This time when he was invited he figured there was no escape, so he gave in. Looking back he says, “No matter where I went I was confronted with Billy Graham, so I went to hear him and committed my life to Christ. It was the best decision I ever made.”

      The Psalmist said, “You hem me in…you have laid your hand upon me…Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there…in the depths, you are there…on the far side of the sea…your hand will…hold me fast” (Ps 139:5-10 NIV). Isn’t grace amazing? Peter said, “God is patient…he wants everyone to turn from sin and no one to be lost” (2Pe 3:9 CEV).

The person(s) we share Jesus with, in American Samoa, might be God’s first, second or third touch to them.  “Oh Lord, use us freely to bring sweet souls to you.  In Jesus’ name, amen.” 

Ok.  We only have 8 more days until we leave!!  Is anyone else as excited as I am??  I’ve already kind of started packing!!  Crazy.  Today we are praying for Laura and Chad and their ministry.  They both work for the Cumberland Crisis Pregnancy Center.  They will be doing, I think, school assemblies, talking with school officials and government officials about teen pregnancy.  Hopefully with this trip, they will be able to start a great ministry in American Samoa.  Teen pregnancy is pretty crazy out there.  Join with us and lift up Chad and Laura and what they will be doing.  Psalm 115:1 says, “Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory.” 

Blessings!

There are almost 10 days left until we go.  I’m so excited!  Is anyone else as excited as me??  I’m ready to see God move in such a mighty way.  I’m ready to be His hands and His feet.  I’m ready to get hot, dirty, and sweaty all in the name of Jesus!  By the way, the weather in AmSam will probably be like it has been here for the past week.  We won’t have to adjust much. Praise the Lord! 

Today we prayed for God to move and to show His power while we’re there.  What does that really mean to you?  For me it will be for me to stand in front of a whole slew of girls and help them with the basics of soccer…and softball.  It will be seeing the beauty and majesty of the scenery.  He’s the One that created all of it!  It will be leading a young lady to a personal relationship with the Lord.  It will be the endurace for a week of probable late nights and early mornings.  Lord show me your glory!  I absolutely cannot wait to serve our Lord and King alongside you all!

Blessings!

I still cannot believe that we have 14 days left until we leave!!  Time is flying!  I hope everyone’s preparing for this trip…mentally, physically, emotionally, and most important, spiritually.  Stay in the Word!  Stay prayed up…as 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, “pray continually”.  Pray together if you can.  Be prepared for Satan’s attacks.  He knows we’re about to embark on the Lord’s work, so he’s going to do everything he can to bring us down.  I know he’s already started with me!  Put on the armor of God as found in Ephesians 6.  Guys, it’s going to be a wonderful trip!  I know and expect the Lord to do GREAT things, even greater that we can imagine!  Prepare your minds for action!

Blessings!