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!

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.

Opinion

I've acknowledged and labeled this post as an opinion because that is what it is. I welcome comments, facts and other opinions on this matter. Maybe my vision is a bit skewed but I couldn't believe what I read in a religious publication last night...

The article was about human trafficking. I was glad to hear that people were getting the word out and informing young women to be cautious and on alert. Below is an excerpt toward the end of the article. Please read it and see if anything sticks out, especially if you are a Christ-follower...

"Smith also underscored the importance of working with law enforcement. She told about a time when a member of her staff was asked if he would like to buy a girl for $10.

"We reported it, but my immediate reaction was to be a vigilante, to go help her, " Smith confessed. But we must work with law enforcement. When I've told this story before, some have asked, 'Why didn't you pay the $10 and at least save that one girl?' But if I had done that, I would be guilty of criminal activity.

"Many faith-based groups with good intentions disrupt or hamper investigations, but our job is to be the eyes and ears of law enforcement."

I changed my mind-all I would be able to write would be...not good...so instead, I had to cry out to Jesus.



Dear Jesus!!! Really? REALLY?!?

I cannot imagine having the opportunity to purchase a girl's freedom for $10 and not doing...for ANY reason. I can't imagine having within my reach, the opportunity to physically free a young woman from one more man ravaging her body and destroying her soul and refusing it. So call me guilty and lock me up...I know my heart. They called You guilty and punished You...and You willingly received it, so I could be free, so I could be pure.

Jesus, is our job really to work with 'law enforcement'? Are we really to be the "eyes and ears of law enforcement" or are we to be the "hands and feet of You?"

You are at work. YOU are sovereign. I trust You and I pray for mercy for these young women. And I pray for courage for those of us who are learning about them. I ask for grace upon hearing stories like this one and I ask You to help me trust You more with each one that I hear. I thank YOU for organizations who are working to free these young women and like the one in the article, that are making people aware. I ask that You would touch the very souls of these young women enslaved...that each moment, in the midst of the hell they find themselves in, that they would know there is Hope. Oh Jesus.....

God of heaven and earth! When will we see Your face??

Unbelievable Summer

If you receive the newsletter you will have the full scope (or as much as you can get) of what took place this summer! If you don't/didn’t receive the newsletter and are already on the mailing list, I left you out on purpose because I want to discuss something with you. ;) If you are not on the mailing list and would like to be, please email me.

Lessons I learned this summer through all that took place:

= Trust God with myself

= Trust God with those He puts around me

= Trust those God puts around me with those He puts around me. =) K, thank you for that lesson!

= Abide in Jesus…always…with ALL things

= It is not my place to defend myself. Jesus never defended Himself.

= It is my job to defend my brothers and sisters as they will not defend themselves.

= It’s not just what comes out that matters, it’s what’s in the heart and mind.

= A physical consequence helps mature the heart and mind.

= I cannot do life alone. (And now I don’t want to! Thanks Team!)

= I should always look to the interests of others rather than only my own.

= When it is time for me to speak up, I should!

= Surprises are not a bad thing!

= Planning is wise. Being flexible is good. Being fluid is best!

= Time with Jesus is a lifestyle.

= Abiding in Jesus is possible.

= Don’t be afraid to love anyone God puts in my path. Don’t hold back.

= When God speaks, by all means, Listen Sandra!

= Allow other people to look after me!

= Be open! Transparency is not what America makes it out to be. I want people to know the real me. Scary, I know! =)

= God has blessed me with an INCREDIBLE family who loves me although I sooo don’t deserve it!

= The Lord surely answers prayers, guiding and directing.

= The most important phrase in any language is, “Jesus loves you.”

= No one gets left behind.

= This 27 year old body can handle wayyyyy more than I thought possible.

= Northerners are cool people too! =)

= We are each uniquely designed in a fashion that suits our calling best! God is good!

= Adventures are now something I can look forward to rather than be hesitant or afraid!

= Whom have I in heaven but You, Lord!?

= No assumptions, no pre-conceived notions. Be patient and watch. Wait on the Lord who will reveal all.

= Be a good steward but rely on God for all things

= If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together!

And for my IMPACT team…I learned:

= Never attempt the Cinnamon Challenge

= How to defend myself from a bear

= Don’t look at M. when a speaker goes off track

= Watch out for river rocks…dangerous suckers!

= Don’t attempt a Martial Arts match with N. (silly me)

= D.’s concoctions do work

= our stories tell a lot about us, it’s important to share

= “Slow and steady wins the race” whether it’s a horse or a bridge

= It’s important to dream

= Anyone can play the guitar

= A Romanian train is NOTHING like a Texas train

…okay, I’ll stop for now =)