Only three more weeks!

Crazy to think, but it's almost been a year since I first came across the pond last May. So weird how time flies! Ste and I are starting to get ready for the team from UMHB and I'm so excited. I can't wait for them to get here and experience this place I now call my second home!

Here's a poster I designed for events we have going on while they are here:

Beloved

I hadn't blogged in a while because I'd been busy getting ready for Beloved, my girl's retreat. It took place this last weekend and it was absolutely AMAZING! For starters I was praying to at least have 10 girls and turned out I had 16. It was such a blessing! I also had about 5 or 6 mom's and women in the church come and help out. We stayed in the hall both Friday and Saturday night then about half of the girls stayed for church on Sunday morning. Here's a little run down of what we did:

FRIDAY

They arrived and set up their beds under a giant tent (I made it out of a big colorful parachute). They hung out and explored all the things I had set up (prayer room, cinema room, photo booth). We then had dinner followed by personality tests. We had to answer a set of questions and then found out what animal we were. It was really interesting and the girls loved it! After that we had a talk/discussion on beauty. How unrealistic demands are put on girls these days, how beauty has to come from the inside (you can be pretty and still be ugly with your attitude, etc.) and how God created us and finds us beautiful. The girls then had time to go off and reflect and write about their feelings in some journals I had got them. After that we just hung out and watched movies. It was a great first night.

SATURDAY

We woke up to bacon, sausage, eggs, toast and beans! Yum. After breakfast we had a Bible study on the story of Rahab. I wanted the girls to see that God uses women to great tasks. And that she was just as brave and bold as the spies who were sent into Jericho. The rest of the morning was spent doing some awesome crafts and baking. First we made fascinators (for those that don't know they are little hats worn at weddings and special events) followed by the painting of teacups. All the while the girls were rotated into the kitchen to bake scones. We later turned those teacups into candles. I gave the girls some free time afterwards so I could get ready for our tea party. The girls dressed up and wore their fascinators for afternoon tea where I taught them etiquette. It was a hoot. They seemed to love it and it gave us all some good laughs. That evening we ate dinner and had another discussion on unveiling our beauty or opening our hearts to the Lord. How we have to be honest and willing to work on our relationship with Him. That it takes time to mature and grow. After more time for reflection the girls hit the cinema room up again and sang through Grease at the top of their lungs.

Sunday morning we all awoke somewhat tired and cleaned up to get ready for the service. Overall, it was a great weekend. The girls all got along wonderfully despite their age difference (11-16 years old). I got several wonderful letters of encouragement and gratitude from the girls. Those right there made it all worth it. I feel so blessed to work with such a great group of young ladies and wonderful leaders. I can't thank everyone enough who helped, contributed and prayed for the weekend!

My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places on the mountainside, show me your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely. 

-Song of Songs 2:14

Photobooth fun.

The whole gang.

Prayer cross. 

Cinema room.

My fascinator. 

Tea party.

A cup one of the mom's painted for me. :) 

Lent with Lozza — Day Forty-Six

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

-Romans 6:8-11

Lent with Lozza — Day Forty-Four and Day Forty-Five

Yesterday was Good Friday and a very good Friday it was. I did crafts in the morning with young kids, read the story of Christ's death with my older kids in the afternoon, followed by communion and a dinner of fish and chips.

My housemate said something yesterday that struck me. He said that during holy week we seem to mourn Christ's death for a whole week, but only celebrate his resurrection for one day. I'd never thought of that before, but he kind of had a point. Made me realize that we should be celebrating our savior all year long. How do we do this? We spread his love. 

With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.

The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”

-Mark 15:3-39

I can't imagine how mortified the people felt at this point. They had just killed the Messiah. Christ knew his calling though and he answered it. And He has placed a call on our lives. Will you answer it?

Lent with Lozza — Day Forty-Three

Hypocrite. If you're a Christian you most likely have heard that word before. People may accuse you of being one or maybe you've accused someone of being one. Either way, it's not a nice thing.

In the Bible, we see the pharisees as a prime example of this. They appear religious and devoted to God, but they are obsessed with appearing. When Jesus came it was no wonder they were confused. His message didn't fit their views and naturally they felt threatened. If we are focused on appearances and what other people think then we have missed the point. We have missed the relationship with Jesus.

Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

-Galatians 1:10

The only person we answer to is Christ. He is all that matters. 

Lent with Lozza — Day Forty, Day Forty-One & Day Forty-Two

I did it again. I slacked off. No excuses, just laziness.

So I just read Chapter 7 in Crazy Love. It's about faith and giving. Chan talks about how believers aren't perfect and have to have faith in God (think Moses, David, Noah, etc.). I really like this line:

Having faith often means doing what others see as crazy. 

Something is wrong when our lives make sense to believers. 

As Christians we can't play it safe. We should be sacrificing everything. Didn't Jesus do it for us?

Who, being in very nature God, 

did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 

rather, he made himself nothing 

by taking the very nature of a servant, 

being made in human likeness. 

And being found in appearance as a man, 

he humbled himself 

 by becoming obedient to death— 

even death on a cross! 

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place 

and gave him the name that is above every name, 

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, 

in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 

and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, 

to the glory of God the Father.

-Philippians 2:6-11

Christ calls us to love on people. When we love on others, we are loving on Christ too. Giving is also another form of showing our faith through action. When we give, it shows our trust in Him. That He will provide for us. 

God wants us to trust him with abandon. 

He calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doesn't come through. 

Lent with Lozza — Day Thirty-Nine

Only one more week until Easter! Had a great time at church this morning celebrating Palm Sunday. We even had a visitor...

Meet my new friend Humphrey. Isn't he adorable?!

Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna!" “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

-Mark 11: 8-10

In Stuart's sermon this morning he debated what the reaction of the people in Nunthorpe would be if Jesus   were here riding a donkey down the street. Would people stop? Would people praise him? Or would people look and then keep on going about their day? I love how enthusiastic and happy the crowd sounds in this passage. And they have every right to be, they are in the presence of the Lord! I would like to think we would react the same way, but I'm not so sure we would. But if we are true children of Christ we should be doing this on a daily basis. Worshipping and praising His mighty name. How could we not?