Today, Gary Yerbey introduced me to another possible donor. Eugene is his name. He listened to my story. He laughed with me. I said he would be praying for me and for a boy to be placed on my YoungLife team. God is really broadening my definition of a community...
Last week, I had lunch with one of my old YoungLife girls (she's a freshman at UTC...no need for names, you know who you are!) While we were eating, she proceeds to tell me that she has been praying for me and that her parents have been praying for me as well. She then tells me that she is so proud of me. So proud of me...I don't even hear that much from my family, so those words still resonates within me. She then slides an envelope towards me and says, "It's not much, but my family wanted to support you because we are so proud of you." I looked at her and said, "If I open this here, I will cry, so I'm going to wait." So we proceeded with lunch. When I got to my car after lunch, there inside there was a letter from her, her mother, her father, and a check for $500. Not much?!? Tears, and more tears for this beautiful girl and her supportive family...SO thankful.
One of my friends a few weeks ago was listening to my update about fundraising and she stopped me and said, "Tiffany, I get one more check from my summer job this week for $400. I feel like I'm supposed to give it to you for Student Staff. Will you let me help you?" I stared at her for a second and realized the way she worded her question has been something that I didn't really like...help. I thought she's doing this because she loves you, Tiffany, not because she feels like she HAS to give you any money. And I quickly saw Jesus' hand in that situation; that sometimes, you have to let Jesus serve you first so that you can go out and serve others...
So I looked at my dear friend for a few more seconds and said "YES!" and gave her a big, big hug and proceeded to say "Really...REALLY?! reallly! ahh! Yes yes YES!"
This past weekend we had our annual leader retreat for Chattanooga YoungLife leaders. It was in Cookeville at one of our leader's farm. It was incredible. So beautiful and not at all what I pictured for a barn (I'll post a picture below and more pictures later). David Haskins, our Area Director, was speaking on Saturday night about the story where Jesus washes the disciples' feet. He said something that stuck with me for the rest of the weekend...
You have to let Him serve you before you can go out and serve others...
He is the Maker of this Universe...Creator of all things...All Mighty and All Knowing...placed each star in the sky and draws a new sunset and sunrise every morning...
He wants to serve ME?!
The Lord has been so graciously using these people around me to serve me, to remind me of His Love, to gain and regain my trust for Him when I get afraid and start running away...
so if I don't accept people's help, I am ultimately closing my hands to God's help. What good will that do for me?
"Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet."
-John 13: 14
I'm still in the process of learning what it means to let the Lord serve me, and to serve him by serving others well. I still kind of wrestle with the thought of Jesus serving me...but I will climb this mountain with my hands wide open, so I can receive everything He has for me along the way...
I will never forget my friends at that leader retreat washing my feet, and getting the opportunity to wash my friend's feet. Tears, joy, prayer, affirmation and laughter came along with it.
You have to let me wash your feet before you can go out into this dirty world, Tiffany...
The Lord is good. Always good.
There is a song that I have listen to on repeat for days (literally). It's called "Climb" by Will Reagan and the United Pursuit. So good. I suggest you go listen to it and meditate on the words (of what few words there are).
Update on $....
I have to my name for Student Staff about $1,600. WHAT?!
TIFFANY, YOU WENT FROM $250 to $1,600 IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS?!
YEP. The Lord is GOOD. Seriously. And that $1,600 is not including the money that people have donated via the website.
Sorry this is so long. Before I started writing this, I said in my head that this wasn't going to be as long as the others because I know my mind likes to wander when I'm reading long things, but then this ended up being just as long as the other blog entries. God is continually showing Himself to me, so there is always lots to talk about! Maybe I will just update more often :)
Think about it,
Lots of love,
T
Last week, I had lunch with one of my old YoungLife girls (she's a freshman at UTC...no need for names, you know who you are!) While we were eating, she proceeds to tell me that she has been praying for me and that her parents have been praying for me as well. She then tells me that she is so proud of me. So proud of me...I don't even hear that much from my family, so those words still resonates within me. She then slides an envelope towards me and says, "It's not much, but my family wanted to support you because we are so proud of you." I looked at her and said, "If I open this here, I will cry, so I'm going to wait." So we proceeded with lunch. When I got to my car after lunch, there inside there was a letter from her, her mother, her father, and a check for $500. Not much?!? Tears, and more tears for this beautiful girl and her supportive family...SO thankful.
One of my friends a few weeks ago was listening to my update about fundraising and she stopped me and said, "Tiffany, I get one more check from my summer job this week for $400. I feel like I'm supposed to give it to you for Student Staff. Will you let me help you?" I stared at her for a second and realized the way she worded her question has been something that I didn't really like...help. I thought she's doing this because she loves you, Tiffany, not because she feels like she HAS to give you any money. And I quickly saw Jesus' hand in that situation; that sometimes, you have to let Jesus serve you first so that you can go out and serve others...
So I looked at my dear friend for a few more seconds and said "YES!" and gave her a big, big hug and proceeded to say "Really...REALLY?! reallly! ahh! Yes yes YES!"
This past weekend we had our annual leader retreat for Chattanooga YoungLife leaders. It was in Cookeville at one of our leader's farm. It was incredible. So beautiful and not at all what I pictured for a barn (I'll post a picture below and more pictures later). David Haskins, our Area Director, was speaking on Saturday night about the story where Jesus washes the disciples' feet. He said something that stuck with me for the rest of the weekend...
You have to let Him serve you before you can go out and serve others...
He is the Maker of this Universe...Creator of all things...All Mighty and All Knowing...placed each star in the sky and draws a new sunset and sunrise every morning...
He wants to serve ME?!
The Lord has been so graciously using these people around me to serve me, to remind me of His Love, to gain and regain my trust for Him when I get afraid and start running away...
so if I don't accept people's help, I am ultimately closing my hands to God's help. What good will that do for me?
"Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet."
-John 13: 14
I'm still in the process of learning what it means to let the Lord serve me, and to serve him by serving others well. I still kind of wrestle with the thought of Jesus serving me...but I will climb this mountain with my hands wide open, so I can receive everything He has for me along the way...
I will never forget my friends at that leader retreat washing my feet, and getting the opportunity to wash my friend's feet. Tears, joy, prayer, affirmation and laughter came along with it.
You have to let me wash your feet before you can go out into this dirty world, Tiffany...
The Lord is good. Always good.
There is a song that I have listen to on repeat for days (literally). It's called "Climb" by Will Reagan and the United Pursuit. So good. I suggest you go listen to it and meditate on the words (of what few words there are).
Update on $....
I have to my name for Student Staff about $1,600. WHAT?!
TIFFANY, YOU WENT FROM $250 to $1,600 IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS?!
YEP. The Lord is GOOD. Seriously. And that $1,600 is not including the money that people have donated via the website.
Sorry this is so long. Before I started writing this, I said in my head that this wasn't going to be as long as the others because I know my mind likes to wander when I'm reading long things, but then this ended up being just as long as the other blog entries. God is continually showing Himself to me, so there is always lots to talk about! Maybe I will just update more often :)
Think about it,
Lots of love,
T
Leader Retreat in Cookeville. This picture doesn't do the place justice. There were 3 tv's in the big open space alone (including in kitchen). The bedrooms felt like a hotel room. A really nice, Sheraton style hotel room. There was spaceship for a shower in the downstairs bathroom..that also had a tv in it. They let us explore their land...what seemed like thousands of acres. This family opened up their entire space to us, and offered to get (and go get if they didn't have it) anything we needed for that weekend. So grateful.
