Everyday's Thanksgiving, Part #7

I'm thankful for:

0121. teddy bears

0122. Amy Carmichael poetry

0123. violins

0124. biographies

0125. The High Kings music

0126. toothpaste

0127. Celtic music

0128. all the political ads and elections coming up soon.  I'm so thankful we have a choice in who governs our country!

0129. volunteer opportunities

0130. "Keep A Quiet Heart" by Elisabeth Elliot

0131. 1 Peter 4:19

0132. accountability groups

0133. alarm clocks

0134. youth group

0135. microphones

0136. birthday parties

0137. God-given peace

0138. cars

0139. challenges

0140. ice cream

Today you can pray for...

- the cholera epidemic in Haiti.  It hasn't really been widely reported.  It's suspected that the Artibonite River is contaminated and has been spreading the disease.  Over 3500 cases have been reported, and almost 300 people have died so far.  Please pray that organizations like Real Hope for Haiti would be able to reach out to people and warn them about the disease, and that the river would soon be cleansed!  I have no idea how that could happen, but God can do anything.  He can show people how to do that.

- all the things that have happened in Indonesia in the past week.  Yesterday there was a 7.7 magnitude earthquake there, and as a result a tsunami pounded the Indonesian shore, killing 113 people.  Today Mount Merapi, a volcano on the outskirts of the city of Yogyakarta on Java Island, erupted.  25 people have died, including a three-month-old baby.  Authorities are trying to evacuate the 11,000 people that live in the vicinity of the eruption.  Please pray that those who have been injured would heal quickly; that the authorities would be able to evacuate people quickly and efficiently; that the evacuees would have places to go and be sheltered; that God's glory would be seen through this.

Thanks for praying!

"When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be frightened; those things must take place; but that is not yet the end.  For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will also be famines.  These things are merely the beginning of birth pangs."

Mark 13:7-8

Matthew 6:6-15

"But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

"And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.  So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

"Pray, then, in this way:

'Our Father who is in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

'Your kingdom come.

Your will be done,

On earth as it is in heaven.

'Give us this day our daily bread.

'And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

'And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.  Amen.']

"For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions."

Everyday's Thanksgiving, Part #6

I'm thankful for:

0101. the COGBC community outreach yesterday

0102. every single wonderful person at my church, and how they are so devoted to God and eager to see Him glorified

0103. loose change

0104. Amy Carmichael

0105. Paperback Swap

0106. chocolate chip cookies

0107. autumn leaves...or dead leaves, as they eventually are

0108. picture frames

0109. cellos--I love the beauty of the music they make!

0110. the blessing of living in America

0111. chopsticks

0112. necklaces

0113. peach tea

0114. ski lifts

0115. places to go to be alone

0116. getting up early

0117. doctors

0118. Bible studies

0119. passionate music

0120. books that challenge and convict

COGBC Community Outreach Part 2

And part 2 of the community outreach...

Peter and Chloe

Beth and Susana

Shelby

Joy

Hannah

Micah

Stephen

Esther

Rachel

Rachael

Jesse

Andi

Faith and Emily



COGBC Community Outreach Part 1

Today we had our community outreach to kind of get the word out that our church building is finished!  We didn't get as many people as we expected, but it was still great!  There's so many pictures I want to share, I'm going to do them in two back-to-back posts, and I hope you enjoy them all!

Hannah

 

Bekah and Hannah

Chloe - one of my favorite pictures from the whole day

Cassie

Ellie

I just love how this one turned out.

Esther

Ellie

Esther and I

Morgan and Rachel

Morgan and Esther

Burning for a World

Prayer opens a whole planet to a man’s activities. I can as really be touching hearts for God in far away India or China through prayer, as though I were there. Not in as many ways as though there, but as truly. Understand me, I think the highest possible privilege of service is in those far off lands. There the need is greatest, the darkness densest, and the pleading call most eloquently pathetic. And if one may go there—happy man!—if one be privileged to go the honoured place of service he may then use all five outlets direct in the spot where he is.

Yet this is only one spot. But his relationship is as wide as his Master’s and his sympathies should be. A man may be in Africa, but if his heart be in touch with Jesus it will be burning for a world. Prayer puts us into direct dynamic touch with a world.

*excerpt taken from "Quiet Talks On Prayer" by S. D. Gordon, pages 15-16

Sandia Crest

I love autumn and spring.  I prefer the beginnings of seasons rather than the completion; summer and winter are alright, but not my favorite.  So I was thrilled when my family went up to the mountains yesterday to see the trees turning, and then we went to the Crest.  I haven't been to the Crest in at least eight years, and didn't really remember it, so it was fun!  Then on the way home we saw that our brakes were smoking and crashed into a tree pulled over into the ski area, where we let the car cool off.  Then Rachel and I got a crash course in going down a scary, twisty, steep mountain when your brakes aren't in the best shape.  But, God is good, and we got down safely!  Here's some of the pictures from our day.

A huge bird nest

The ski area