Firsts

The first week on the ground was very, very good. The challenges of leading teams that we don't know are looming large, but that's another day. Last week could not have been more encouraging, God put the first team together perfectly as He always does, our familiar family to serve and love along side us.

 The Lord started my week before I left Alabaster with Isaiah 66:2b. "This is who The Lord esteems(looks on ESV) , he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word." I've felt trembling since first considering this move and serving here, I didn't know what to call it. I knew it wasn't fear, but something like it. So...that is how the team started, with that verse. We will tremble at his word and the task to rightly declare it and live it, but we will be bold to proclaim it! It is hard to bend low and recognize our American, arrogant tendencies to assess, judge, fix and move on. This is not my world and I have to fight the urge to move past assess, observe, take it all in and learn FIRST. 

God continued to speak through his word this past week, Let your light shine before men so that they see your good deeds and glorify God...we know the gospel, we struggle with wise deeds. Each day a team member shared how God spoke through the devo or just their quiet time, precious and always right on! 

Please pray for wisdom and discernment. We have to be as wise as serpents and innocent as doves, the issues children and parents discussed with us are weighty, but the hope for them all is only in the gospel. Only God is in the transformation business. It occurs to me all these things are present in Alabaster City School system, but I am not welcome there to point them to the gospel, here it is encouraged. It is such a joy to take the fearful and hopeless and point them to Jesus. Apart from him, we can do nothing! Abiding in him, with Him nothing is impossible. These children stretch me, do I really believe that?...then it truly is better than life and I can't offer them anything less. Their smiles are brave, I love them to pieces:)

Worship and Sunday School with Light of the Valley church was good. Laura is so brave, off she went with a new friend to the youth class. I could see her blond hair blowing in the breeze under the tree, a good Mommy moment!

It was good to have Steven here last week, he and Laura served in a class together. It did my heart good:) Laura had the sweet time of being with her mentor Janna and her mentee, Sydney last week. She is feeling her way, I am seeing some of her Fathers discernment. We all loved leaving the school last week, with the words, "see you Tuesday". 

Todd and I need to learn our rhythm here, pray we can be in our lanes, but stay close like one side of the interstate, going in the same direction. Our stuff didn't ship, should Monday. Details...his lane, but SO necessary, we have been married 27 years, but this is a new adventure and we will be stretched. I think it takes some years of marriage to bear the weight of this change! Prayers are vital, we thank you so much!

Much love!

Shirley