Thursday, August 5, 2010

Youth Trip to Atlanta !

Being The Hands and Feet for Jesus Christ and Sharing Gods Word Until The Whole World Hears !




I went on a mission trip to Atlanta with the youth group from our church this is my testimony and I wanted to share it with everybody along with a few pictures from the trip !



Thinking back on this summer and the things that happened, I don't know just where to start and I feel I need to begin my story in May. I feel that God was using certain events to plant a special seed in my heart. I was still struggling with my faith and I was unsure of where God could truly use me.

We started attending Church in March and in April my son Neal and I signed up to go on the Atlanta mission trip. I was excited about becoming more and more involved in a Church. The happiness and wholeness I was experiencing from being there made it feel like we were become a part of the Church family. The peace God began to place within me was overwhelming and I desired to find a way to share it.

I was excited about the trip and I was also nervous. I am not sure my heart was fully in it and I had no idea what to expect, but I was allowing God to lead me and trusting him. Then my son was admitted to the hospitall and had to have emergency surgery on May 24th. The out pour of love and support we received from our Church family at that time touched me in a way that I am not sure I will ever be able to put into words.

The experience put a longing within my heart for a continuing change in my life. I wanted to begin living a life more pleasing to God. I wanted to make sure I would be able to also provide that type of love and support to someone if I were ever called. My desire to go on a mission trip increased that night and I knew my heart was completely in it.

I was amazed at the amount of homeless people in Atlanta . As we walked from our parking area to the Atlanta Braves game we saw homeless lingering the streets and under the bridges. However, the sight of them hit me more as we left and drove back to our 5 star hotel. They were digging in the trash, pulling boxes out to sleep in, and just laying along the streets. Looking down from our room, I thought, “You would have never known there are over 8,000 homeless down there”.

I can not describe the things we saw or experiences we received from simply handing out water. We met a lady named Barbara who had aids and cancer both. Her family wanted nothing to do with her because of the aids. We asked if we could do anything, she simply asked us to pray and so we did. And this is Barbra to this day i can still see her trying to walk off and the trouble that she had in doing so and I wonder about her alot

We passed out over 500 tracks with the word of God on them. Watching the youth stand bold and fearless as they spread Gods love was a testimony itself. Watching them pray with others did things to my heart that I can not put into words. Watching others plant seeds in the hearts of strangers upon the street allowed me to see just how much the seed within my own heart had grown.

We attended a service at Atlanta First Methodist Church and heard the testimony of a former homeless man, a man who once served in the United States Military. Hearing his story allowed me to see things in a different light and my heart truly softened that wonderful night.

This is Richard the man that shared his life story with us

Due to the events prior and during that mission trip I have since rededicated my life to Christ and I look forward to serving anywhere he may lead me.

This became our theme you could say for the trip This was a billboard that was right outside of our hotel in downtown Atlanta and After being a part of this mission and handing out all the water and food that we did , This group of 12 carried over 200 bottles of water and we handed them out to the homeless we passed out snacks that were for our own group to the people and anything that we had that we could give them , and to see the look in there eyes to hear these people thank us and to have them say that they don't have this out poor of love and haven't for years is really sad , Most of us in America are just a paycheck or 2 away from being homeless our selves , So the next time that you see some one that is homeless think that could be you and don't take for granted the things that you have ! Not all people that are homeless are like the stereo type that they have been giving that they just want people to feel sorry for them or they don't want to work for anything , ALOT of these people have stories that would humble and move you , Praise God that I was able to experience this and I look forward to going back , I could blog a month of post about this trip alone ! We are going back in December to continue our mission and I will post more about that soon , But thank you for taking the time to read this and God Bless !!
~A~

Casting Crowns The Word Is Alive !

Looking out from His throne, the Father of light and of men
Chose to make Himself known and show us the way back to Him
Speaking wisdom and truth into the hearts of peasants and kings
He began to unveil the Word that would change the course of all things

With eyes wide open, all would see

The Word is alive
And it cuts like a sword through the darkness
With a message of life to the hopeless and afraid
Breathing life into all who believe
The Word is alive
And the world and its glories will fade
But His truth, it will not pass away
It remains yesterday and forever the same
The Word is alive

Simple strokes on a page
Eternity's secrets revealed, carried on from age to age
It speaks Truth to us even still
And as the rain falls from Heaven, feeds the earth before it returns
Lord, let Your Word fall on us and bring forth the fruit You deserve

With eyes wide open, let us see

(Chorus)
*PERSON ON MEGA PHONE*
The Bible was inscribed over a period of 2000 years.
In times of War and Days of Peace.
By Kings, Physician, Tax Collectors, Farmers, Fisherman, Singers and Shepherds.
The Marvel is that a library so perfectly cohesive.
To be produced by a diverse crowd.
Over a period of time, which stagers the imagination.
Jesus is his greatest Subject. Our good is designed and Glory of GOD is its Greatest end.
(Chorus)

The Word is alive
His Word is alive