Monday, September 14, 2009
last post...
I have decided to stop updating this blog and put all our blogging on our adoption blog. So please follow us there!
Friday, July 17, 2009
Baja or Bust!
Despite our disappointment, God has opened wide the door to join a group going to Vicente Guerrero (sp?), Baja, Mexico. We will be doing construction, food distribution, Bible studies and whatever else God has planned for us! Our team includes 9 adults and 9 teens - a wonderful group of blessings! I can't wait to see what God is going to do in and through us while we are there.
One thing that has been so cool as we have been making last-minute plans to travel to Mexico, is how incredible it is to be a part of God's family. We are staying in a church in LA tonight and next Saturday. We jumped on board with a team of people, of whom we only personally know 2 of them. People have been offering so many things in so many directions. We had opportunities available to go to Houston, Guatemala and Paraguay at the last minute. I love how Christ's Body comes together from all different places and circumstances. That is definitely my favorite part about traveling in the world. I have family everywhere - in every city and nation. It's awesome.
Until next week....Love you all!
Saturday, July 11, 2009
new blog...
Please go to our adoption blog to read more and keep updated about this exciting journey!
I'll probably still update this blog with random, day-to-day, non-adoption-related things!
May God shower you with His love!
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Impact
God has really been working and showing His goodness. Praise His name!
A few prayer requests:
- unity in the body of Christ
- spiritual discernment
- healing for my sister, Andrea
- rest!
That's all for now... more later!
Love!
Friday, June 12, 2009
Summer Lovin
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Kingdom of the Mustard Seed
Isn't it awesome when God works through our shortcomings?
I have to be honest, I wasn't super excited about our youth group service week last week. I knew that I wasn't nearly prepared enough for it. I knew there would be at least 30 kids, along with our 15 teenagers at the park for 3 days - organized chaos is what I was picturing. And it was. But it was beautiful.
We ended the Bible School with a cookout Wednesday night, inviting all the families of the kids, our youth group and families, and Tuscaloosa Life Church who partenered with us through the whole thing. Talk about the Kingdom! Getting to know the families of these precious children and hearing their desires for their part of town; hearing about how the kids had loved, learned and looked forward to VBS each day; and watching the children present their scripture and hand motions to their parents, it was all wonderful!
The Spirit has continually reminded me of the racial division in this city. To illustrate my point, here's a story from this past week.
I was playing Duck Duck Goose with a group of kids, when one of the children - a 7 or 8 year old girl, wouldn't sit down. So I pulled her into my arms, tickling her to get her to sit. She looked up at me with a confused look on her face, studying my eyes. After that, she was like glue - wouldn't let me go. So as I'm trying to get people together for our next activity, I took her into my arms. She continued to study my face and then said, "I thought all white people were supposed to be mean." Talk about a heart breaker. I believe that had our races been switched, a white child may have said the same thing to an african-american adult. My point is just how sad it is that we have come this far, as a people, away from the ways of God. Even our children hold stereotypes and judgements. But to see her wall break down was an awesome picture. I believe God brings the ways of His Kingdom through the willing- inadequate thought we may be. My prayer for our Bible School is that walls were broken, Jesus was preached and hearts were changed. I know that God's Word does not go out and return to Him empty. So please join me in prayer for the families in Alberta City, just one mile away from our church building, who do not know the saving power of Christ. Pray that God will present more and more opportunities to touch the lives of these people.
I have more stories, and I could go on! But i pray that you're encouraged in knowing God is working in big ways. Seemingly small ways that turn into something big. Like the mustard seed, making it's way through the world.
Oh Lord, may your will be done and your Kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Let the Summer begin!
Logan grilled his first steaks on our grill!
So that's a picture into our weekend!
Since then, it's been graduations, parties, out-of-school excitement and summer interns! Ted and Natalie are our wonderful interns this summer! They just got here last Saturday and have been jumping in feet first! It's cool to have Ted here, since I pretty much grew up with him, he's sorta like a brother and I love it! Natalie is wonderful, also! I'm confident that this will be a summer of transformation and community-building! That's what we're asking for and we know that the One we ask is faithful! Here are a few pics into the past week...
Yay! Ted and Natalie!
Taco Casa double dares! I love the girls' faces!
The dart game: it's everywhere you want to be.
Brooke's graduation!!
We had our senior graduation party on Sunday and it was very bittersweet! We are really going to miss our seniors, but we are so proud of them and where God has brought them! AND, we still have the summer! :-)
Doug, one of our elders, dressed up and read "Oh The Places Y ou'll Go" by Dr. Seuss. oh yes, and he dressed up for the part!
The cake and lovely decorations! I'll get more pics up here once I get Walter's professional pics!
Well there's an update on Lindsey's life! Gotta go get some lunch! Love to all!
Friday, May 8, 2009
it's been awhile...
So I am.
Logan and I love to have Fridays off, because Saturday always follows! It's like 2 Saturdays in a row! So we have dedicated today, tomorrow and Sunday evening to be times of rest and renewal - our extended Sabbath. I am more and more convinced that God never intended for our lives to be the way we live them here in the US. For the past few years, I have struggled with slowing down the pace of life in order to really live it - the way we were intended to live. The pace of our culture mixed with my "I can do it" personality are a deadly blend. On paper, it looks like I can keep up with all the commitments and plans, when in reality, it just wears me out. I want to focus on a few things and do them well, rather than do a lot of things half-heartedly. Even good things in our lives can replace our love and passion for Christ. I just don't know how to do it
But I do know the source of Peace.
And that Source instructs us to take a Sabbath - every week. And so that's my goal -to be like God. Though I fail and fail often, He is the Standard. Shon is teaching a series on the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-8). The theme verse he's using is Matthew 5:48, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." I know I'll never reach perfection this side of heaven, but shouldn't that still be our goal?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ok, so here's a few highlights from the past few weeks:
- Logan was out of town a couple of times in April, but God used those times to really bless me here at home! When he was in Honduras, my mom came down to spend the week with me! Then when he went to Nashville to spend some time with other youth ministers, Julie came down here and stayed for a few days! I just love that God is always giving us just what we need, right when we need it!
- Logan and I and 8 of the UY teens participated in Invisible Children's "The Rescue" in Birmingham on April 25th. If you haven't heard of the Invisible Children documentary about the 23 year civil war in Uganda, please go visit http://invisiblechildren.com/ The Rescue was a worldwide attempt to raise awareness and promote action against Joseph Kony, the rebel leader that is terrorizing the children and families of Uganda and the Congo. Please keep this situation in your prayers. It is sickening to see how Satan will use people to oppress humanity in the name of God. Like Hitler. Oh Lord Jesus, come.

Logan's family came to visit last weekend! We had a really good time together and were super excited that the entire family got to come! Logan's parents were picking up Lisa from college in Montgomery and Laurie and JB came down from Nashville! We had a great time celebrating birthdays and Mother's Day!
This is the only picture I got last weekend!
- I went to the neurologist on Monday for my semi-annual check-up. I was again reminded of how great my God is and that he has kept me healthy and MS-symptom free for 3 whole years now! He is so faithful.
- UY's summer interns will be here one week from tomorrow! Ted and Natalie will be awesome blessings to us and the teens! We're so excited for summer!
Peace out, friends! Don't forget to take your sabbath!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Home
We didn't get a whole lot of pictures, but this is a good one of the Belews! Such a great family!
Thanks so much to Sandy Campbell for putting the party together! She's always trying to find new ways to encourage! It's so great to have encouragers around often! Thanks for helping us "break in" the new house!
We are so excited about the plans God has for our home! Maybe someday it'll be filled with the laughter and pitter-patter of our own children - that's exciting! (I guess we have 3 years though!) But we hope that it's a place of joy, acceptance and family in Christ!
"Now it is God who made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith not by sight."
2 Corinthians 5:5-7
I am so excited for the day when we'll all be at home with the Lord! But in the mean time, let's make homes for people through our love - living by faith and not by sight!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
encouragement
Outside of Jesus and the Bible, 2 of my Christian heros are Mother Teresa and Martin Luther King, Jr. I know they're very well known, but every time I read something they wrote or said, I can feel the presence of Christ flowing from them, even now. They lived out the call of Christ so completely. So I'll share a prayer from Mother Teresa - I hope it will encourage you like it does me.
"Dear Lord, Help me to spread your fragrance wherever I go. Flood my soul with your Spirit and Life. Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly that all my life may only be a radiance of yours.
Shine through me, and be so in me that every soul I come in contact with may feel your presence in my soul. Let them look up and no longer see me, but only you, oh Lord! Stay with me, then I shall begin to shine as you do, so to shine as to be a light to others. The light, oh Lord, will be all from you; none of it will be mine; it will be you shining on others through me. Let me thus praise you in the way you love best, by shining on those around me.
Let me preach you without preaching, not by words but by example, by the catching force, the sympathetic influence of what I do, the evident fullness of the love my heart bears to you. Amen."
What I love about Mother Teresa is that her words are preceded and backed up by her life of love and sacrifice. May our faith always produce these things!
One more Mother Teresa quote to think about for now:
"You must allow Jesus to use you without consulting you first.
You belong to Him, you are His and only His."
Love!
Monday, April 13, 2009
permanant peace
So now we're coming up on our two-year anniversary of being youth ministers in Tuscaloosa. (DISCLAIMER: we are NOT thinking of leaving! Just getting adjusted!) We just bought our first house (after 2 apartments) - a huge commitment! We finally feel like we're getting our feet on the ground in so many ways. I love the realization that we get to spend more than 4 years in one place (Lord willing). I love knowing that God has put us somewhere to grow with people and plan for the long road. I was looking at some youth group pictures from two summers ago, and loved seeing how much the students have changed and grown! But sometimes I feel so restless. It's like I want to be in a million places, doing a million things all at once.
I know that the Spirit is trying to tell me something, but it's so hard to drown out the noise of life to listen. I want to hear His call. I want to be where the Spirit is, doing His work. I think this restlessness comes from just that - being too occupied to listen to God. If all of God's people would follow His command to take a Sabbath day of rest every week, how much more would He do through us?
"Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire came a gentle whisper."
1 Kings 19:11-12
He's always speaking, yet I'm not always listening. Oh Lord, I'll listen...
to blog or not to blog...
I have one of those personalities that I just can't think about something and process it completely. I have this urgency to get it out - either talk about it (poor Logan...) or write about it. I'm an avid journaler, but maybe this can be a new kind of journal: less intimate than my prayer journal, yet can hopefully bless those who might read it as well.
So welcome to my blog - a messy rambling of the events of my life, nudgings of the Spirit and questions I can't answer!