Where He leads...: Staying busy and lovin' it! :)

Staying busy and lovin' it! :)

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Busy in Preparation
Things are definitely starting to pick up here in New Orleans as we are gearing up for hundreds of volunteers to flood our campus during March (Spring Break month). I have the enormous task of coordinating the weekly agendas for each volunteer group. I enjoy the challenge, but it can be overwhelming, like when you have a group of 62 and the places they want to go only have room for 10-20 volunteers at a time. I also get to ride around the city to make contact with new ministry sites. That is an exciting part of my week, meeting new people, assessing the work that needs to be done, etc. I've included a picture of one daycare we are planning to send many volunteers to help care for the kids (relieve the staff) and also do some exterior work to renovate the facility. Please pray for me and the rest of the staff that God will give us wisdom in all decisions and the strength and energy to complete every task. Also pray for the teams that will be coming here in the upcoming months. Pray that God will prepare their hearts, bodies, and minds for the work, His work, that they will be involved with when they arrive.

I want to introduce you to two people this morning...

Eurie
In previous emails, I have mentioned the rehabilitation ministry across the street, Bethel Men's Ministry. During the day, those men work at various places around the neighborhood. Several of them come across the street and work on the seminary's campus. I see one man, Randy, every day. I always say hi to him, ask how he's doing, and offer encouragement when I can. He asked me one if I had ever heard the song, "I Can Only Imagine". He said he'd been dying to hear it lately. By the end of that week, I made him a CD with that song on it, and also selected several other songs that I thought would be uplifting to him on his journey against addiction. He was thrilled and came back the next day saying that another man at Bethel wanted to have one. I happily agreed and made one for Eurie as well. A couple days later, Randy dropped a note on my desk. I opened it up to read a beautiful thank you letter from Eurie. Tears came to my eyes as I read the words of a grown man who has been through so much pain and so many struggles during his life. I went on to read about how he found new life in Christ and was truly a new creation, a changed man for all eternity. Praise the Lord! Later that day, I got to meet Eurie in person. He told me how he was a mere 115 pounds when he arrived at Bethel months ago. Now he is a healthy man, very strong build even. How wonderful to witness such a remarkable transformation, not only on the outside, but more importantly, on the inside. I encouraged him to share his testimony with others. I believe it's so important that we use our life circumstances, good and bad, to encourage others who may face similar situations.

Jimmy
Finally I want to recount a story my professor shared with us yesterday morning. As you all know, there was a tornado early Tuesday morning that ripped through several neighborhoods, killing one elderly woman. The damage was extensive. Some houses were totally demolished. FEMA trailers were flipped over, windows, roofs, and walls were broken out. I can't imagine living somewhere right now with broken windows. Last night the low was 31 degrees! Not so cold compared to Tennessee, but with broken windows and damaged roofs, the cold will creep in fast! Dr. Taylor went out with his Urban Missions students to help clean up and deliver hot meals to some of the families. He met a man named Jimmy. Jimmy asked Dr. Taylor if this second disaster in less than two years meant that the end of the world was coming. They talked for several minutes. Dr. Taylor shared with him things you can know for sure about God and His gift of salvation to all of us. Jimmy was curious but would often change the subject. Finally Dr. Taylor asked flat out, "Jimmy, if you died today, would you go to Heaven or Hell?" Jimmy's eyes widened and then he said, "Well, I try to help people, and I try not to hurt anyone." But then Jimmy added something Dr. Taylor had never heard as a common response to that question, "But I guess that doesn't really answer your question, does it?" Indeed, it did not, and Dr. Taylor went on to explain how it is not by works that anyone is saved. They continued in conversation about Jimmy, his now destroyed trailer, his wife with cancer, and his concerns about this broken city. Then Jimmy asked, "So how DOES a person get to Heaven?" Once more, Dr. Taylor shared with him the plan of salvation. Dr. Taylor prayed with Jimmy and when he finished, he asked Jimmy if he wanted to pray and receive Christ as his Savior. Jimmy said yes, and on Tuesday afternoon, Jimmy became a new believer. Hallelujah! God is good! :)

So keep Eurie and Jimmy in your prayers as they begin this new walk with the Lord. It's not an easy road, but it's the best road. And it's the ONLY road that will lead to a life eternally in Heaven with the One who died so that we might live. Thank you, Jesus, for the cross, for saving me and giving new life to everyone who calls upon your name and believes that You, indeed, are Lord.

It is my prayer that everyone who reads this can also be thankful to God for His love and salvation.

Thanks, as always, for your support, encouragement, and prayers!

In His name,

Hannah

"That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord', and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved… for, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:9,10,13)