Sunday, June 24, 2007

Sacrifice, Priorities & Focus






Prayer time - skit practice - and some of us still need a few more hours of sleep!
Hail, hail - the gang's all here! It's time to start Operation VBS. We've got skits to learn, crafts to plan and games to get ready for. In less than 24 hours, everyone needs to knows how and what to do . . . and some of us feel like Chicken Little running around saying "The sky is falling, the sky is falling!"
Yet when gathered together for the very first time, a morning devotion led by Darrell (dubbed by Brandon as "The God Guy"), puts things in perspective. Leading us from the Gospel of Luke, Darell challenges all of us to think of three questions while we are here:
- What does God want you to give up?
- What does God want you to change?
- What needs attention in your life?
Sacrifice, priorities and focus. There's about 60 of us here, and we're confidant that God brought each one of us here for a reason. We believe that God will bless the Brazilian children and their mothers through purposeful crafts, skits, games and fellowship, and we can't wait to see how!
But by reflecting on these questions throughout the week, perhaps we'll learn that God is going on mission in our lives every single day? Perhaps this week's mission trip isn't exclusively to help our fellow man? Could it be that each one of us also needs renewal, rebirth and reassessment?
We've been taught this trip is "not about me" . . . but in a strange way, maybe it is.

2 comments:

Volunteers For Christ said...

Julie & Elizabeth - Greetings from Mom & Dad Heizer

Julie & Elizabeth,

We are so glad you have arrived safely and we pray for every day and every act to be used by God to further His work. We pray that you will be bold in your witness and that you will sense God's enabling and His words for every good work.

We love you,
Mom & Dad (Grammy & Grandpa - Owamo to Elizabeth)

Volunteers For Christ said...

Yea for VFC

Yea!!! All of you arrived safe and sound with all of your materials and baggage. When I read the Sunday Star-Telegram about the delays at airports in Brazil, I was a little concerned about all of you, especially my daughter, Shelley Williams. When I saw her picture on the blog, I could tell she was having a wonderful time. My prayers will be with all of you daily, and I particularly pray that you reach MANY children and their moms. Each child that you reach will be another "lolly pop" for Jesus.

All my love and prayers,

Camille Durham, Shelley' mom