Happy fall everyone! This is definitely my favorite time of year specifically because of the gorgeous leaves changing and I’m a huge fan of pumpkin spice!
EQUIP Colorado Trip
September 9th – 16th EQUIP went on their first mission trip of the year to Colorado. Nolan, Jenny, Donny, and Peyton Smith went with them. From what I heard it was a really good trip. They stayed at a YWAM base and got to serve the staff there by helping them cut and stack wood for the winter. They also got to help out at a local food bank. The purpose of this trip was to serve and grow in their friendships with each other.
Other highlights
- September 14th I got to see my littlest brother Dominic get baptized!! I’m so proud of him for seeking God and getting up on stage to share his testimony only being 12 years old!
- In September one of my goals was to catch up on office work that I had fallen behind on over the summer. During the summer we don’t have students, we lose some of our volunteer help, and we have work groups so the office work gets pushed to the side at times. But I am caught up on it now! Wahoo!!
- There aren’t a whole lot of new things in the Hospitality department these days. Lately I’ve been slowly working on being more organized as far as the kitchen goes. The more organized things are, the more food gets used and the less that is wasted! We also just have the best volunteer cooks in the kitchen! They make wonderful food, at a low cost and use all the crazy things we get donated! I am so thankful for each of them!
Building Update
The offices above the shop are almost complete! The EQUIP classroom is finished, as well as Joel and Nolan’s offices. Joel and Nolan have moved all their things over to their new offices so that Leam can work on renovating his new apartment. Joel and Nolan’s old offices will be turned into an apartment for Leam, and then Wyatt and I will move into my old apartment. From there the plan is to finish renovating the new office space so Hannah’s office can move. Once Hannah is moved we’ll make her office and the other offices another apartment. So lots of new and exciting things are happening! It’s happening really fast too!
Things God has been teaching me lately
Wyatt and I are taking a class at church right now and it has been so good! Last week’s topic was on prayer, I’ll just share a few things that impacted me. We looked at Luke 11:1-13. The disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray and in His response is what we all know as the model prayer and then a parable. After He says what a model prayer is, He tells a story/parable warning us how prayer will feel at times. Sometimes prayer feels like God isn’t listening or doesn’t care. It can even feel like God is preoccupied helping other people. It can feel tiresome and repetitive. All these things are lies of course, and things Jesus warns us about in this parable.
“I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.”
Luke 11:8
Persistence and standing on God’s promises is the key to prayer. The promise is that in faith, if we ask anything in His Name, that is His will, He will do it (John 14:13-14, John 15:7-8, John 16:23-24, 1 John 3:22-23, 1 John 5:14-15, Matthew 21:21-22, Mark 11:22-24, Matthew 18:19-20).
What would be produced in your life if you believed the lie that God isn’t listening or doesn’t care? You would slowly over time pray less and less for the people in your life who are lost or going through a hard season. You would probably stop all together praying for God to move in the big areas of your life because doubt has crept in. If you’re in this spot don’t get condemned, just repent! Repent means to change your mind, or to turn away from. Turn away from doubt, lies and unbelief, and stand on the promises of God! Enter the throne room of grace with boldness knowing the new creation He died to make you. Keep praying for all the things big and small with faith that we serve a huge God! Prayer is an intimate connection with the Father. Jesus died so we could have this relationship. I think it’s more than safe to say that God wants this relationship with us more than we want it. Keep knocking on His door, keeping asking Him to reveal Himself to you, and keep seeking more of Him.
This lesson encouraged me a lot and I pray it does the same for you!
Would you join Sandra as a monthly supporter so she can continue the work God has started? She would be honored to be able to share the experience with you and make you part of the team. As she shares how God is working and the impact she is having on His Kingdom, please pray and ask God if you should partner with her as a monthly donor/supporter.
