31 October 2011

Life is an adventure...

I wanted to do something adventurous with my sister. This summer I was inspired to do more physically.

I told my sister we should sign up for a half marathon which is 13.1 miles = 21.1 kilometers.

We did. When I can post videos/pictures I will. I am soooo proud of my sister for completing it!

Needless to say...it WAS an adventure!

One we may never venture again, although as the pain fades I find myself wanting to do it again...CrAzY!

Wanna donate to missions in Ghana?

CLICK HERE

From the drop down menu choose
>Hope Cooperative Missionaries Abroad
>Ghana - Sandra Hatfield

OR Mail in Financial support:

Hope for the Hungry
PO Box 786
Belton, TX 76513

Donations should be made out to Hope for the Hungry with a note designating it to Sandra Hatfield - Ghana

Thank you for your support and partnership in equipping and discipling believers in Ghana!

Meet Mawuko



MAWUKO, center in the white shirt.




He is about 25 years old and is living in the Volta Region in Ghana. His name means "only God."

He chose to follow Christ just a few years ago and has a heart to disciple children.

Mawuko recently finished the Level Two Sports ministry training. Upon completion of the program, He called me and expressed his excitement and anticipation in doing Kids Games and Ubabalo (outreach and discipleship) in his area. I am excited for him! He has a genuine chance at sharing the Gospel in a relevant way...European Football!

Pray with me for Mawuko. Pray that his passion and faith will remain in the Lord. He is really excited to put into practice what he's learned but given his youth and lack of economic status, there will be some challenges.

The Global Community… a surreal experience

The end of September brought about a tornado of excitement that is still tearing through my calendar!

I was on my way to Hemphill, TX and had a stop-over in Houston. I found out that I would have the opportunity to share about sports ministry with a local church who is sponsoring a soccer team.

Around 2:00 am (CST) I was scouring through online resources from this summer. The more I found the more I realized how incompetent I was. So I sent an email to friends in North Carolina, Washington D.C. and in South Africa, all people that I connected with as a result of my summer training in Italy. The most incredible thing played out…

Within five minutes the friend in South Africa had not only replied with the most helpful information but also forwarded my email to several others doing sports ministry. Within 15 minutes most of those people responded. Within a few hours the friend in D.C. called me. Just a few hours after sending my email, I had a community of people from all over the WORLD who
love Jesus (many whom I’ve never met) filling my inbox with helpful information and encouragement! When I drove to meet with the church supporting the soccer team I was more content with what I did know and what resources I did have, but even BETTER I was more content with what I didn't know, assured that God would fill the gaps! And He did!

I learned about more than just sports ministry through this situation! I got to experience the Global Community step into action on behalf of sports ministry! I now know that I could travel to virtually any part of the world and have brothers and sisters with me!

Our God is bigger than we can ever fathom
!

07 October 2011

Thirsty?

Written September 13, 2011

For the first time in four months, I am home! I arrived in Belton, Texas in the wee hours of Sunday morning. It was dark as I drove from the southern coastal area to central Texas. Today I went for a jog and observed the foliage, and lack thereof, over the landscape.

When I left in April things were totally different. The grass was green. The plants were green. The evergreens were green! As I walked today, I feel like I gained an understanding of what I’ve been reading in Nahum lately. For the first time I feel like I understand the word ‘desolate’. Through Nahum the Lord expresses His anger against Nineveh; descriptive phrases are used like “He displays his power in the whirlwind and the storm. The billowing clouds are the dust beneath his feet. At his command the oceans dry up, and the rivers disappear. The lush pastures of Bashan and Carmel fade, and the green forests of Lebanon wither…who can stand before his fierce anger? Who can survive his burning fury? His rage blazes forth like fire, and the mountains crumble in His presence.” And after describing the fierceness of God we read, “The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him.”

I confess that today I chose to run at the hottest part of the day. It was 103*F/42*C. It didn’t take long before I realized that this was a foolish decision. I was unable to finish my run due to the extreme heat. I cut my run short and then made the decision to walk the rest of the way. As I walked I looked for a shortcut. The heat and my poor fitness coupled with lack of water made it difficult to even think! As I walked I just kept thinking of words like ‘desolate’, ‘parched’, and ‘weary’.

There are certainly times where spiritually we find ourselves in places like this. What is our out? Where does our refreshment come from?

I think about the power of God and I know that I can barely stand the heat outside…All I wanted halfway into my run was just one glass of water…just one. As Jesus sits at the well where the Samaritan woman came to draw water, He asks for a drink. She questions him. He responds, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

On the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus stands and loudly says, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”

Thirsty people! Come to Jesus and drink. Choose to believe in him so that the streams of living water will flow from within you. Choose to believe in him and always be satisfied by the One who chooses to work and live through you.

Glorious day! In the book of Revelation, when the new Jerusalem is being revealed, He who is seated on the throne said to John, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life.”

Will thirst ever end? Only in Jesus.