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Our team has made it back and the last family time which we had on Friday was quite fitting. The same kids had shown up all week to the evening park ministry and we had the opportunity of including them in the family time for the last time. All of the Taproot missionaries prayed for those who would be staying in Lakehead, whether Christian or not, each individually.
Again, the VBS kids touched our hearts in amazing ways. How they were attentive to the activities and message of the Gospel. There were several of them which we noticed change in through out the week. That's what Jesus does with a softened heart, changes it! We will continue to pray for Lakehead as the community has touched our hearts deeply. All of the North Cal teams are back in their own communities, churches, clubs, and campuses. Let our hearts, Oh Lord, be authentically worshipping You.
Hello! Joy again, I wanted to breifly touch on family time last night.
During family time the question came up of how God has changed lives of our team members or how they've seen God working this week. Everyone shared from their hearts and it was very encouraging. A few themes arose during our talking and praying. the first is that God turned all of our expectations upside down.Some of us were mainly focused on the evening activities more than the VBS at first but very soon we all experienced changed through the VBS and have fallen in love with the children and older women and men that were there. God commands to go make disciples, and that includes children too.It also seemed that a lot of our team was learning from VBS too!
One other thing that is somewhat tied in to what i just said is that God used us all and moved us in ways we didn't expect.There is so much to tell I wish I could say everything!! We all realized yet again how human we are and how loving and gracious God is to more and work through us and love us.
This family time was teh best yet of the week and really strengthened us as brothers and sisters in Christ and drew us closer to our Savior and Emmanuel
Please pray for the children we had this week at VBS that God would protect their hearts as they grow and protect them from Satan's attacks. Thank you all for your support, it means so much.
In Christ's Love,
Joy
Hey everyone! this is Joy, as you know yesterday I shared my testimony and gospel with a girl in town. This was truly God working through me. I want to give you an idea of how God worked earlier that day and even the previous night leading me to go to town yesterday. Then I'll share what happened.
On Wednesday I really felt a pull on my heart to share my testimony the next evening when we would be hanging out with the youth. I talked to Judd and he said that that would work. Ok so the next day I was unsure of whether to go to the river and go swimming or to stay in town. I'd been swimming every afternoon since we got here and I was feeling a need to a change of scenery, believe it or not I'd grown tired of swimming in this hot weather! There was an inkling in me to go swimming but i really felt called to go to town, even to just work on my devotional for the day and try to organize my thoughts for sharing my testimony later. Emily and I went to a small restaraunt called Allyson's. There we met this girl Alli who was working there. We ended up talking, all three of us about ourselves and we learned a bit of what it was like for Alli to live in such a small town. At one point I mentioned that we were from Seattle, Washington and Alli was shocked that we came such a long way. Of course the following question was 'why?' and here came my story. I said we were here to serve God and to serve the people at lakehead and share the unfathomable love that God has given and personally because of how I've experienced God and want to share that as well. I talked about how i grew up in church but didn't fully comprehend why Jesus died for me or what it meant to be a Christian till i was 16. I don't know how it happened except for God speaking through me, after I shared my story my words flowed into sharing the Gospel and how Jesus lived here on earth and how He died taking on all of our sins and coming to life again which is why I have hope. I remember as i was saying this how my heart ached for hte words to come out right and for Alli to be affected by the Gospel. Towards the end I could see that Slli was getting wierded out about this all and made and excuse to go do dishes and Emily and I were left to our devotions.
As Alli left it hit me. I'd just shared the Gospel and how God has worked in my life with a complete stranger for the first time ever in my life! I never expected God to use me this way. Though Alli didn't immediately confess Christ as her Savior I had confidence that a seed had been planted. I remember on Wednesday and Thursday morning our group praying for boldness to go talk to people and intentionally bring us Jesus Christ in conversation. My mindset for this was for at the river because I had been there so much this week. But God turned my expectations upside down and directed my steps to this restaraunt. Boldness did come but not by force but holy, divine timing and the Holy Spirit prompting me. I could stop smiling for about an hour because of how awesome it was to be able to do something like this through Christ's strength in me. It's changed me forever. I can't imagine going back to Seattle and ignoring souls i see every day walking by. I can't imagine not sharing a friendly smile or a hi that could start a conversation that might change someone's life.
There it is, my experience of sharing my testimony and Gospel. Please be in prayer for Alli that the Lord would be working in her heart.
Today's VBS was no doubt a blessing this morning. The Bible point for the day was that "God Gives Us Life" I have really appreciated the VBS material because it has been dealing with the Gospel in a deeper way everyday. The kids learned all about Passover and what Jesus' blood represents and how it covers us as sinners making us saints.
A few stayed behind in town this afternoon while the rest of the team went down to the swimming hole to hopefully find more souls that need ministering to. Nothing seemed to be really happening down on the water but back in town one of the girls, Joy, was able to share her testimony and the gospel with a young girl. She will be blogging more on this tomorrow!
We took all of the kids who came out for games to the pool at the local motel tonight. They all seemed to really enjoy a group of people their age that were a good influence. Really I feel that this local community of youth just needs people in their lives that are willing to pour into them. It takes time and commitment to make disciples for Jesus and we are desperately praying that someone would come and invest in the next generation here. Will you please pray for mentors in these precious souls lives?! More blogging tomorrow!
In Christ, Judd
Greetings from Allyson's Restaurant in Lakehead, CA! Well, God certainly has been working in Lakehead these last few days. Between serving the small saints in VBS during the morning time, and meeting young people at the swimming hole in the afternoons (after a nap, of course).
On the way back from showers after VBS, Jenee and Catherine saw a family on the side of enterance to the highway. They were holding saying that they were low on funds. So once both of the girls got back to the church. They were talking to Sue and she suggested that they make a some sandwiches. The girls and some other girls made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and ham and turkey sandwiches. Along with some cookies, chips and water. They also through in a couple left over bracelets from VBS that morning and a Bible for the children. Then Sue, Joy, Catherine and Jenee took the food and bracelets to the family. They only met the Dad name Chris, because another lady was buying gas for their car. Chris is a merchant marine. The rest of his family are Nancy the wife, Faith, Abby, Caleb and Lizzy are his children. He is currently out of a job and is looking for work. He and his family is orginally from Tenessee. They are headed up to Long Beach, CA to look for work. And if they don't find a job their they are headed back to Tenessee. He and his family are Chirstians. Praise the Lord for that. Please keep them in prayer that God will provide a job for Chris and that God will help them make it to where they are headed.
So as we come to end of this day! God has been blessing us. From what we have blog earlier to the games earlier this evening.
At seven o'clock this evening local kids started showing up at the church. We went over to the local school yard to play and minister to the kids. We had a great time. We had the one new girl named River. She says that "This was the best day of the summer." We are glad that she is coming back tomorrow. It is amazing how we start with three people coming out to the park about eight or ten people tonight. Then later after the games after everyone was all sweaty. Then we took the group and went over the local motel and jumped in the pool. And toward the end of our time in pool Jerome gave his testimony and it was blessing to all the kids that were listening.
So good night to all of you and may God bless you.
We played fat bat tonight with several of the teens within the church and some people that were invited at the swimming hole. People are out there just have to search a little! After everyone was drenched either with water or in sweat we handed out some ice cream sandwhiches for people to settle down. Then Emily gave her testimony about how Jesus reached into her life, though she lived in a Christian home, and changed her life for Him. The lost heard the Gospel tonight and all we can do is continue to pray! That God's glory would go forth.
Tomorrow will be filled with more VBS and canvassing the town for people. Be strong and corageous.
Thanks, Judd
Last night's games were a success! We played Ultimate Frisbee and Kickball with a twist (Kiddie pools filled with water instead of bases!). A couple of kids from the church came, and a local boy named Tyler, whose parents have been trying to get him involved in the church for a long time. It sounds like he feels isolated because there are so few young people in the town. Please pray that just our presence will make him feel comfortable enough to want to continue coming and that God would open his heart to hear His word. One of the girls in the church asked us if she should invite everyone she knows. We said of course! This is a huge blessing, as we've been getting discouraged since it's proved hard to find youth in the town.
VBS went great today! Now that we all know the routine and have settled into our roles, I think we're having as much, if not more fun than the kids! Today we learned that GOD IS POWERFUL! Jerome did an amazing job of portraying the Pharaoh as the kids experienced God's power through the plagues helping the slaves escape Egypt! They threw hail (marshmellows), locusts (clothespins), stuck boils on the Pharaoh, and pretended to be frogs, flies, gnats, and even dead cows! Hopefully we'll be able to put some pictures up later.
In a couple of hours, we'll be playing games again. Please be praying that we have the opportunity to touch as many souls as possible. We put up a sign in the local market to advertise the fact that we're playing games from 7-10PM. Also be praying that we stay well rested. The heat and activity is taking it's toll on our minds and bodies.
Thank you for reading and keep praying!
Elise
VBS was full of energy this morning! It was a little challenging being our first day on the job but the kids already knew the drill as most have been coming for several years now. There were about 25 that attended this morning and we are hoping for new comers throughout the week. After lunch we decided to get some already much needed rest in the 107 degree weather we're having. Then we headed down to "Delta Swim Hole" to cool off and meet some of the locals. Most of those we met were from about 30 miles further north. We had begun to feel a little discouraged about not finding any youth in this community that we could build relationships with. Though as we came back into town to take showers we saw 3 different groups of kids who we invited to the school for evening games. Half of them we got a for sure yes but the others were somewhat skeptical. Pray for tonight that walls of social and cultural backgrounds would be broken down by Jesus.
I hope to get some testimonies of the other missionaries on here soon!
In Christ, Judd
We have officially made it all the way down to Lakehead, California safe and in once piece. We are all settled in and today we had opportunities to help get ready for Sunday morning service and play in Worship. Tonight we are just getting ready to start VBS is the morning and trying to adjust to the massive heat change from Seattle to north California. Would you please pray for us? Please pray that we would find a place where we can get connected to people in the town and that we would be used to glorify God and bless this community of faith and town. Yours in Christ,