Hi friends,
It's been over a month of life in Hawaii! It's absolutely incredible how fast time is going! On Friday morning last week, Pastor Craig and Mark Spencer took four of us out surfing at the Cove. I was struggling to get up this time, but got a rhythm going towards the end. I think I'm finally ready to take off the training wheels and start catching my own waves! I enjoy our time with Craig and Mark, soaking up their surfing knowledge, but also their wisdom about God and life.
My favorite part of the week is Friday evenings when the interns eat dinner together at the church. I look forward to just chilling and recapping our weeks. Friday afternoon I had a really solid coffee date with a woman that is on leadership team for Alpha with me. Her name is Sandi and she just has a lot going on in her life. Our conversation was totally spirit led and filled with some tears. God is so powerful. I love seeing Him at work so vividly in people's lives.
Saturday morning we drove up to the North Shore outside of Paia and checked out the surfing scene there. I definitely have surfer's stoke and it was cool just to watch and see some bigger waves and some surfers who live the surfing lifestyle. Then we got hungry and headed into Paia to eat at the Fish Market. I got the Mahi Burger and it was absolutely amazing. Mhhmm. I love seafood with my whole heart. We drove into town (Kahului) and hit up the mall for a little bit. It's open and breezy and it was relaxing to stroll through the stores and chill for awhile. We met up with some friends, drove through Wailuku and headed for Iao (Ee-ow) Valley. Iao Valley is probably one of my favorite things in Maui right now. We trekked through the jungle and passed guava you could just pick up and eat, or throw :) It reminded all of us of Jurassic Park. Ah, I loved it. Then Glenn led us to a spot where you could jump off rocks into the river. It was freezing! All of the girls were swirling around, struggling against the current while the boys were practically swan diving into the raging river--slight overstatement but once I clambered up onto the boulder and leaped into the water I felt invigorated! It was such an adventure climbing through the rocks and along a gorgeous river. I loved it. After our expedition at Iao, the four intern girls drove to the high school pastor's home to babysit their three kiddos- Brody, Brooklyn, and Braden. Between the four of us girls, it was a breeze! I feel like I hardly had to do anything! They are great kids.
Sunday I was so sleepy from all the events of the previous day. I was struggling to stay awake and hold normal conversations! God really spoke through Mike's sermon to my heart. It was on living an intentional and purpose driven life. Something that God has been gently placing as a priority in my life in my time here at HopeChapel so far. If ya'll get a chance to listen to Hope's sermons online, Mike's sermon was solid! He pulled a lot of Scripture from Ephesians 1. I came home after church and crashed for an hour nap. Chris and I went to Makena to play volleyball for the afternoon. I was so thankful to play some volleyball and wake up from my sleepy day. It was great. Then, the Pragnell's (Ben is the Young Adult Pastor) invited us over for a dessert/movie night. We watched Endless Summer II. It was pretty priceless. It follows Pat and Wingnut all over the world on their surfing adventures. I mean, who knew there was legit surfing in France? It was a great way to end the day!
Our first night of Alpha was last night. The dinner was incredible and I was able to meet a lot of new people! Our prayers were answered and we had over the amount of people we were expecting. God is so good. I sat with a woman who I had actually met before so we were able to talk and hopefully meet up outside of Alpha. Shibby. Thank you for all your prayers!
My quiet time is in Exodus right now, which I tend to brush off as story time, instead of viewing the stories as practical experiences to learn from. I was in Exodus 16 and I felt like I could seriously relate to the process of gathering only enough manna for the day. If they gathered too much in preparation for the next day, it would be gross and full of maggots. I feel like I get asked very frequently about what I'm doing after this year. Or what the future will look like. And I start to get flustered. But God promises our portion for the day.
"Moses said to them, "It is the bread the LORD has given you to eat. This is what the LORD has commanded: 'Each one is to gather as much as he needs."
God is calling each of us to live for today. Tomorrow worries about itself. He gives us what we need every day. And like what Mike was saying on Sunday, we should live intentional lives with what God gives us each day. Every morning His mercies are brand new! I challenge you to read Ephesians 1. It is packed with Truth. God's Truth!
Risa
(Oh and today there is a tsunami watch for Hawaii!)
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
rise day
Hi :)
Today nine months ago I was waking up from back surgery....it's unreal! When I think of the physical condition I was in less than a year ago, I can only praise Jesus for the physical healing He has blessed me with! I am able to play volleyball, hike, surf, swim, work longer than a nine to five job, and be virtually pain free! God is the ultimate Healer, yeah?
Tonight is small groups again. Then next week will be Big Rise where everyone meets together. I was asked to help lead worship and I am straight up amped! Alpha starts next week too. Three people put down that they accepted Jesus on the response cards from Sunday!! Wow, what a happy day in heaven. I am just praying that I can mimic Paul's character and seek these people out to encourage them in their walk. Fellowship is so important. I am meeting with two women this week just to talk and share our hearts. I love my job! It's almost been a month since I've been here. Mhhmm I love it.
Jake asked if I would be interested in spear fishing with him sometime! Haha I said yes please! Hopefully the interns will be planning a trip up to the volcano Haleakala soon. We have heard the sun rise is INCREDIBLE up there! There is just so many stinkin' fun things to do here! Yesterday was staff photos. It was so hot out! And we were looking into the sun. The interns all piled onto the slide and posed all cutie pie like :) They are great! As far as active goals go...Chris told me I should look into playing tennis. I would really enjoy that. Now the key is to find a teacher who will be patient enough to teach me!
God has really been revealing to me that I should be single-mindedly pursuing Him. Shaking off the hindrances that so easily tie us down. I have had this thirst to know Him lately and every time I open up His word for the drink to quench my thirst, He is eager to give it to me.
Love you all, let me know how I can be uplifting you!!
Risa Elena
Today nine months ago I was waking up from back surgery....it's unreal! When I think of the physical condition I was in less than a year ago, I can only praise Jesus for the physical healing He has blessed me with! I am able to play volleyball, hike, surf, swim, work longer than a nine to five job, and be virtually pain free! God is the ultimate Healer, yeah?
Tonight is small groups again. Then next week will be Big Rise where everyone meets together. I was asked to help lead worship and I am straight up amped! Alpha starts next week too. Three people put down that they accepted Jesus on the response cards from Sunday!! Wow, what a happy day in heaven. I am just praying that I can mimic Paul's character and seek these people out to encourage them in their walk. Fellowship is so important. I am meeting with two women this week just to talk and share our hearts. I love my job! It's almost been a month since I've been here. Mhhmm I love it.
Jake asked if I would be interested in spear fishing with him sometime! Haha I said yes please! Hopefully the interns will be planning a trip up to the volcano Haleakala soon. We have heard the sun rise is INCREDIBLE up there! There is just so many stinkin' fun things to do here! Yesterday was staff photos. It was so hot out! And we were looking into the sun. The interns all piled onto the slide and posed all cutie pie like :) They are great! As far as active goals go...Chris told me I should look into playing tennis. I would really enjoy that. Now the key is to find a teacher who will be patient enough to teach me!
God has really been revealing to me that I should be single-mindedly pursuing Him. Shaking off the hindrances that so easily tie us down. I have had this thirst to know Him lately and every time I open up His word for the drink to quench my thirst, He is eager to give it to me.
Love you all, let me know how I can be uplifting you!!
Risa Elena
Sunday, September 20, 2009
-face melting-
Hey ya'll!
I'm catching my breath before it gets taken away again tomorrow :) I have had an awesome past few days! I had been praying for more opportunities to hang out with locals/people who live here and I was blessed to be invited over for a girls night with two of the girls in my small group! And I was absolutely stoked to find out they were BIG Jane Austen fans and love watching the movies. So when we sat down to watch Mansfield Park, I was very happy and content. Then the next morning, Friday morning, Leslie (she works at the bookstore full-time) invited me to go paddle boarding with her before work. I absolutely adored paddle boarding! The board is similar to a surfboard but heavier and wider, and you just take it out into the water and paddle with an oar! Standing up was a bit of a challenge at first to find your balance, but once you get the flow then it's so cool to look down at the clear blue water...we even saw a sea turtle!
So I came to work feeling kinda sore (the boards are heavy!) but so refreshed. Jason and I had some good prayer time and talks about following up with people and connecting them into the church body. This is totally where my heart is at! The Gathering on Friday night was solid, we had a guest worship leader who did some really creative new stuff, and then the speaker is from another local church here in Kihei and it was pulled from Acts 2 and was about fellowship. So great. The interns stuck around and set up the projector in the Tweens room to watch the new Office episode, PARKOUR! haha. I had a blast winding down with the girls, we danced around to the beach boys while the boys were still out helping with stuff. Loved it.
Saturday we were invited to spend the morning with Jena's family while they are here for the Maui Marathon. Her family has been such a blessing in their time here! They bought us groceries and treated us to lunch on Saturday. The Grand Wailea is incredible! There were water slides and all sorts of things to do! We got to ride in the only water elevator in the world! It was pretty neat. We saw the chapel where Jon and Kate (plus eight) renewed their vows. It was a relaxing morning and much needed!
We hurried home to shower and piled into the Man-U-V for the trek to Lahaina. The drive is so beautiful. Rise, the young adult ministry, put on an event to take a sunset cruise on the Trilogy. It was so much fun! Lots and lots of new people and friends to talk with and enjoy the beautiful sights. I just love hearing how people end up in Maui and I was reminded at how God brought me here and what a blessing it is to be a part of the family of God. God just really quieted my heart about His plans and what an honor it is to be serving here. I was reminded of that again this morning when I attended the Sunday service. It's Hope Chapel's 29th anniversary! There were hymns and so much history and hearing the core values of the church made me even more stoked to be a part of this ministry. And the hula worship just brought me to tears! God is so big, and when we ask Him to show us His heart, He will!
Prayer Requests:
As the newness wears off, I just pray and hope that I can draw from the comfort of knowing this is where I am supposed to be. I feel so confident and assured that Maui is home right now. I am praying for opportunities to go outside my comfort zone and simply be available and transparent to the people here.
Thank you for your support and prayers!
Compelled by Christ's Love,
Risa
I'm catching my breath before it gets taken away again tomorrow :) I have had an awesome past few days! I had been praying for more opportunities to hang out with locals/people who live here and I was blessed to be invited over for a girls night with two of the girls in my small group! And I was absolutely stoked to find out they were BIG Jane Austen fans and love watching the movies. So when we sat down to watch Mansfield Park, I was very happy and content. Then the next morning, Friday morning, Leslie (she works at the bookstore full-time) invited me to go paddle boarding with her before work. I absolutely adored paddle boarding! The board is similar to a surfboard but heavier and wider, and you just take it out into the water and paddle with an oar! Standing up was a bit of a challenge at first to find your balance, but once you get the flow then it's so cool to look down at the clear blue water...we even saw a sea turtle!
So I came to work feeling kinda sore (the boards are heavy!) but so refreshed. Jason and I had some good prayer time and talks about following up with people and connecting them into the church body. This is totally where my heart is at! The Gathering on Friday night was solid, we had a guest worship leader who did some really creative new stuff, and then the speaker is from another local church here in Kihei and it was pulled from Acts 2 and was about fellowship. So great. The interns stuck around and set up the projector in the Tweens room to watch the new Office episode, PARKOUR! haha. I had a blast winding down with the girls, we danced around to the beach boys while the boys were still out helping with stuff. Loved it.
Saturday we were invited to spend the morning with Jena's family while they are here for the Maui Marathon. Her family has been such a blessing in their time here! They bought us groceries and treated us to lunch on Saturday. The Grand Wailea is incredible! There were water slides and all sorts of things to do! We got to ride in the only water elevator in the world! It was pretty neat. We saw the chapel where Jon and Kate (plus eight) renewed their vows. It was a relaxing morning and much needed!
We hurried home to shower and piled into the Man-U-V for the trek to Lahaina. The drive is so beautiful. Rise, the young adult ministry, put on an event to take a sunset cruise on the Trilogy. It was so much fun! Lots and lots of new people and friends to talk with and enjoy the beautiful sights. I just love hearing how people end up in Maui and I was reminded at how God brought me here and what a blessing it is to be a part of the family of God. God just really quieted my heart about His plans and what an honor it is to be serving here. I was reminded of that again this morning when I attended the Sunday service. It's Hope Chapel's 29th anniversary! There were hymns and so much history and hearing the core values of the church made me even more stoked to be a part of this ministry. And the hula worship just brought me to tears! God is so big, and when we ask Him to show us His heart, He will!
Prayer Requests:
As the newness wears off, I just pray and hope that I can draw from the comfort of knowing this is where I am supposed to be. I feel so confident and assured that Maui is home right now. I am praying for opportunities to go outside my comfort zone and simply be available and transparent to the people here.
Thank you for your support and prayers!
Compelled by Christ's Love,
Risa
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
legepic
Hello friends,
It's a beautiful, sunny Wednesday here in Kihei, HI! This past weekend was great, very restful. One of my favorite parts was going Upcountry with Kalani (he works in the worship department) and Chris, the young adult intern. Kalani coaches a highschool men's volleyball team and we went up to use the gym and play for a couple of hours. It felt really good to play again, even though those men's nets are stinkin' tall! Ha. I just enjoyed my time with both of those guys, and Kalani drove us through some of the Upcountry towns on the way back home. All the homes are nestled into the mountain and the towns remind me of small towns back on the mainland. I loved it :) We stopped in Paia to get gelatto (I got a mix of kula strawberry and pineapple) and then strolled down the street. We ended up deciding that we were pretty hungry after all that ball playing and so we hit up a wood oven pizzaria. It was delicious! By the time we got back home, it had been dark out for awhile (the sun goes down around 6), but we were feeling adventurous. We rallyed up the interns, some blankets, and my guitar and drove out to the lava fields. It was breath taking! The stars were twinkling and we were perched right on the edge of the water. We saw plenty of shooting stars and sang worship songs. Definitely a new favorite. I'm already wanting to camp out there!
Mondays at the office are pretty slow since it's more of a day of rest after a busy Sunday. A few of us went to the beach for a couple hours. I love being in the ocean. It just relieves all stress and worry and washes it to the shore. After a quick dinner, I went to our Alpha leader training meeting. Each meeting makes me even more stoked for this ministry. After some intros and a video we split into groups and just prayed for all of the people involved and open hearts and God's sovereign hand over the whole ministry. Covering things in prayer is done frequently here and I love it. Since Chris and I were both dropped off at the meeting we decided to walk back to the condos. There is a dirt path that cuts through and it was DARK! Ha but it was fun.
On Tuesdays I have bookstore time, and I get to go to Haggai and pick up people to shuttle them to the bookstore to look around. 7 men crammed into the van and I was absolutely thrilled to get to talk with them. All of them are influential leaders in their countries. It was so enjoyable to talk with them. They have trouble forming lines to check out and watching them operate the van doors seriously made my day :) I mean, America is crazy different from what they are used to! But they asked if I was saved and I was excited to tell them that I was and that I admired their visions of bringing Christ back to their homes and we sang a hallelujah worship song. Precious.
Prayer Requests:
-Alpha still. We start meeting in a week so keep praying BIG for lots of people to show up wanting questions answered.
-For my department to continually show off God's character and be faithful in contacting people in our church family.
Aloha,
Risa
It's a beautiful, sunny Wednesday here in Kihei, HI! This past weekend was great, very restful. One of my favorite parts was going Upcountry with Kalani (he works in the worship department) and Chris, the young adult intern. Kalani coaches a highschool men's volleyball team and we went up to use the gym and play for a couple of hours. It felt really good to play again, even though those men's nets are stinkin' tall! Ha. I just enjoyed my time with both of those guys, and Kalani drove us through some of the Upcountry towns on the way back home. All the homes are nestled into the mountain and the towns remind me of small towns back on the mainland. I loved it :) We stopped in Paia to get gelatto (I got a mix of kula strawberry and pineapple) and then strolled down the street. We ended up deciding that we were pretty hungry after all that ball playing and so we hit up a wood oven pizzaria. It was delicious! By the time we got back home, it had been dark out for awhile (the sun goes down around 6), but we were feeling adventurous. We rallyed up the interns, some blankets, and my guitar and drove out to the lava fields. It was breath taking! The stars were twinkling and we were perched right on the edge of the water. We saw plenty of shooting stars and sang worship songs. Definitely a new favorite. I'm already wanting to camp out there!
Mondays at the office are pretty slow since it's more of a day of rest after a busy Sunday. A few of us went to the beach for a couple hours. I love being in the ocean. It just relieves all stress and worry and washes it to the shore. After a quick dinner, I went to our Alpha leader training meeting. Each meeting makes me even more stoked for this ministry. After some intros and a video we split into groups and just prayed for all of the people involved and open hearts and God's sovereign hand over the whole ministry. Covering things in prayer is done frequently here and I love it. Since Chris and I were both dropped off at the meeting we decided to walk back to the condos. There is a dirt path that cuts through and it was DARK! Ha but it was fun.
On Tuesdays I have bookstore time, and I get to go to Haggai and pick up people to shuttle them to the bookstore to look around. 7 men crammed into the van and I was absolutely thrilled to get to talk with them. All of them are influential leaders in their countries. It was so enjoyable to talk with them. They have trouble forming lines to check out and watching them operate the van doors seriously made my day :) I mean, America is crazy different from what they are used to! But they asked if I was saved and I was excited to tell them that I was and that I admired their visions of bringing Christ back to their homes and we sang a hallelujah worship song. Precious.
Prayer Requests:
-Alpha still. We start meeting in a week so keep praying BIG for lots of people to show up wanting questions answered.
-For my department to continually show off God's character and be faithful in contacting people in our church family.
Aloha,
Risa
Friday, September 11, 2009
morning adventures :)
Aloha,
Today is Alyssa's 22nd Birthday! Happy Birthday Alyssa! Our morning started off pretty early and it was wonderful! Alyssa made pumpkin flavored coffee and the taste of fall was so refreshing and comforting. The interns drove out to Ulua Beach and snorkled! Some of our sightings included bright fish, sea urchin, an octopus, and I saw a sting ray! Being able to explore the ocean before work was like a dream come true. It's my favorite :)
Wednesday night was the first meeting of my small group. It went so well I think! We are going through Acts and since I kinda just joined in after they took a break over the summer we are on Acts 8. I am constantly inspired by the start of the church and how to practically model our church/ministry today after it. I always feel when believers gather together in small groups, God really delights that we are diligently seeking Him together.
Thursday was really busy! There are a lot of projects going on and things to organize. It is Hope Chapel's 29th Anniversary Celebration this weekend so that's exciting! I was asked to lead a small group for a brand new ministry that Hope is starting this month for the first time. It's called Alpha, and it's geared towards seekers and non-believers to come and eat a meal together and ask questions and talk about Jesus. It has a laid back approach with the concept that people want to belong first and then believe. The leaders are fired up about it and after last night's 3 hour meeting, I'm completely amped to be a part of this vision!
Prayer Requests:
-Alpha! Pray for open hearts and for tons of people to come and ask questions and seek truth, HIS truth! Also, please pray for me to be sensitive in relating with them and being a transparent follower of Jesus.
-My personal walk with the King. My year through the Bible plan (I just started it again after being totally blessed this past year!) has me in Genesis right now and I'm needing a breath of fresh air or something to get me moving again. God has been so faithful in revealing Himself to me when I ask. His nuggets (or "nugs" as Jena and I like to call them) of wisdom are always readily available and all we have to do is ask! So simple ha.
Missing you all!
Risa
Today is Alyssa's 22nd Birthday! Happy Birthday Alyssa! Our morning started off pretty early and it was wonderful! Alyssa made pumpkin flavored coffee and the taste of fall was so refreshing and comforting. The interns drove out to Ulua Beach and snorkled! Some of our sightings included bright fish, sea urchin, an octopus, and I saw a sting ray! Being able to explore the ocean before work was like a dream come true. It's my favorite :)
Wednesday night was the first meeting of my small group. It went so well I think! We are going through Acts and since I kinda just joined in after they took a break over the summer we are on Acts 8. I am constantly inspired by the start of the church and how to practically model our church/ministry today after it. I always feel when believers gather together in small groups, God really delights that we are diligently seeking Him together.
Thursday was really busy! There are a lot of projects going on and things to organize. It is Hope Chapel's 29th Anniversary Celebration this weekend so that's exciting! I was asked to lead a small group for a brand new ministry that Hope is starting this month for the first time. It's called Alpha, and it's geared towards seekers and non-believers to come and eat a meal together and ask questions and talk about Jesus. It has a laid back approach with the concept that people want to belong first and then believe. The leaders are fired up about it and after last night's 3 hour meeting, I'm completely amped to be a part of this vision!
Prayer Requests:
-Alpha! Pray for open hearts and for tons of people to come and ask questions and seek truth, HIS truth! Also, please pray for me to be sensitive in relating with them and being a transparent follower of Jesus.
-My personal walk with the King. My year through the Bible plan (I just started it again after being totally blessed this past year!) has me in Genesis right now and I'm needing a breath of fresh air or something to get me moving again. God has been so faithful in revealing Himself to me when I ask. His nuggets (or "nugs" as Jena and I like to call them) of wisdom are always readily available and all we have to do is ask! So simple ha.
Missing you all!
Risa
Monday, September 7, 2009
labor day baptism
Hi friends!
Today was my first experience at a Hope Chapel Baptism. And I LOVED it. I had only been baptized Catholic and didn't actually plan on getting baptized today, but God was totally persistent last night and I spent a lot of time praying about it and felt like September 7, 2009 was the day meant to be my outward expression of an inward reality :) Or in Jason's words "If you haven't been dipped...you've been jipped!" I feel really good about my decision. I love the fellowship and family here. Solid.
On Saturday, our first day off with no obligations, the interns headed to the beach! We didn't realize, however, that when it's super windy, the sand pelting your skin is not very pleasant! Ha, but it was a blast anyways. We cleaned up and headed to Lahaina (a chill/beachy town on the other side of the island). We got to shop around and eat at Cheeseburger in Paradise--which was delicious! When the 7 of us get together we always laugh and have a blast! The interns are such a blessing and encouragement in my life right now.
Steven and I had a little jam session on the back porch of our condo once we were home. He's a very talented musician and I'm stoked to learn from him! We started playing some Beatles songs and a guy on his balcony started yelling suggestions down to us! Haha, so we serenaded "Let it Be" to him on his balcony. He ended up coming down and jamming with us and gave us some boogie boards he didn't want anymore. Shibby.
I am just beyond excited to start meeting with women here. It's been so great to see that when I ask God to present ministry opportunities to be intentional with the women here, He is gracious and opens up more than one door! I have a few women in mind that I'm thrilled to get coffee with! A verse I've been clinging to this week is Col 1:10-14
"And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
Prayer Requests:
-That I would live worthy of my calling here in Maui.
- Over 30 people were baptized!! Praise Jesus! :) Please be praying their walks with Christ grow and stregthen.
In Him,
Reese
Today was my first experience at a Hope Chapel Baptism. And I LOVED it. I had only been baptized Catholic and didn't actually plan on getting baptized today, but God was totally persistent last night and I spent a lot of time praying about it and felt like September 7, 2009 was the day meant to be my outward expression of an inward reality :) Or in Jason's words "If you haven't been dipped...you've been jipped!" I feel really good about my decision. I love the fellowship and family here. Solid.
On Saturday, our first day off with no obligations, the interns headed to the beach! We didn't realize, however, that when it's super windy, the sand pelting your skin is not very pleasant! Ha, but it was a blast anyways. We cleaned up and headed to Lahaina (a chill/beachy town on the other side of the island). We got to shop around and eat at Cheeseburger in Paradise--which was delicious! When the 7 of us get together we always laugh and have a blast! The interns are such a blessing and encouragement in my life right now.
Steven and I had a little jam session on the back porch of our condo once we were home. He's a very talented musician and I'm stoked to learn from him! We started playing some Beatles songs and a guy on his balcony started yelling suggestions down to us! Haha, so we serenaded "Let it Be" to him on his balcony. He ended up coming down and jamming with us and gave us some boogie boards he didn't want anymore. Shibby.
I am just beyond excited to start meeting with women here. It's been so great to see that when I ask God to present ministry opportunities to be intentional with the women here, He is gracious and opens up more than one door! I have a few women in mind that I'm thrilled to get coffee with! A verse I've been clinging to this week is Col 1:10-14
"And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
Prayer Requests:
-That I would live worthy of my calling here in Maui.
- Over 30 people were baptized!! Praise Jesus! :) Please be praying their walks with Christ grow and stregthen.
In Him,
Reese
Friday, September 4, 2009
week one: a whirlwind
Hello friends!
It's been a week since I've been here and things have been so busy! I love it. And it really has been a whirlwind...it's pretty windy here! :)
Some of the wildlife that lives here is very different from what I'm used to in Kansas. Compared to Kansas, there are NO bugs! Everyone leaves doors and windows open constantly. We have a gecko friend that hangs around the condo, and ants crawl around in the kitchen area. Which was fine, until this morning when they crossed the line! I had ants in my bed :( But, it's about time for laundry and I'll just throw the sheets in and pray they don't come back. Yeah?
Some of the things I have been working on here is following up on response cards. Jason has a finger in what seems like every ministry here at Hope Chapel. I go through the response cards and delegate where each person can best be helped. This Monday is an all church baptism and I am thrilled to be involved in all the planning. There are over 30 people that want to be baptised! Praise Jesus! It's at Kamaole Beach, Part 3 (They call the 3 stretches of beach Kam Beach part 1, 2, and 3) on Monday morning. It's pretty busy though right now because there is a lot of work that goes into these events. And virtually every ministry is kicking off with their activities for the semester. I am also a contact person for around 30 small groups here. If someone signs up I am responsible to make sure their leader gets their information. And I'm also just a faithful intern to Jason. Which practically looks like me following him around doing little things. Ha, I love every part of my job though, really.
Every Friday night is a young adult service called The Gathering. It's basically a more contemporary version of the Sunday services. There is no University here in Maui, just a junior college. So the young adult population is constantly changing. I have been so curious as to how people my age end up in Maui. I have heard some awesome stories! One thing I absolutely ADORE here is the love people have for the land. No one really likes being indoors. Media hype is virtually non-existent and popular stuff from the mainland takes awhile to get over here so it doesn't seem as exciting I guess. There is a sense of adventure here that I love! Hiking, surfing, biking, long boarding...it's thrilling. And the food is definitely my style! :) They have pupus (which is our version of appetizers) and they are always delicious. Sometimes if there are a lot of pupus they call them "heavy pupus" haha it takes awhile to get used to saying that lol.
Prayer Requests:
-For the people I'm rubbing shoulders with here. I have met hundreds of people and I want to get to know every one of them!
-For the interns. Being away from home is going to be a bit harder in the next few months. Please pray that we will stay focused on our King and soak up more than just the sun in our time here!
Aloha,
Reese
It's been a week since I've been here and things have been so busy! I love it. And it really has been a whirlwind...it's pretty windy here! :)
Some of the wildlife that lives here is very different from what I'm used to in Kansas. Compared to Kansas, there are NO bugs! Everyone leaves doors and windows open constantly. We have a gecko friend that hangs around the condo, and ants crawl around in the kitchen area. Which was fine, until this morning when they crossed the line! I had ants in my bed :( But, it's about time for laundry and I'll just throw the sheets in and pray they don't come back. Yeah?
Some of the things I have been working on here is following up on response cards. Jason has a finger in what seems like every ministry here at Hope Chapel. I go through the response cards and delegate where each person can best be helped. This Monday is an all church baptism and I am thrilled to be involved in all the planning. There are over 30 people that want to be baptised! Praise Jesus! It's at Kamaole Beach, Part 3 (They call the 3 stretches of beach Kam Beach part 1, 2, and 3) on Monday morning. It's pretty busy though right now because there is a lot of work that goes into these events. And virtually every ministry is kicking off with their activities for the semester. I am also a contact person for around 30 small groups here. If someone signs up I am responsible to make sure their leader gets their information. And I'm also just a faithful intern to Jason. Which practically looks like me following him around doing little things. Ha, I love every part of my job though, really.
Every Friday night is a young adult service called The Gathering. It's basically a more contemporary version of the Sunday services. There is no University here in Maui, just a junior college. So the young adult population is constantly changing. I have been so curious as to how people my age end up in Maui. I have heard some awesome stories! One thing I absolutely ADORE here is the love people have for the land. No one really likes being indoors. Media hype is virtually non-existent and popular stuff from the mainland takes awhile to get over here so it doesn't seem as exciting I guess. There is a sense of adventure here that I love! Hiking, surfing, biking, long boarding...it's thrilling. And the food is definitely my style! :) They have pupus (which is our version of appetizers) and they are always delicious. Sometimes if there are a lot of pupus they call them "heavy pupus" haha it takes awhile to get used to saying that lol.
Prayer Requests:
-For the people I'm rubbing shoulders with here. I have met hundreds of people and I want to get to know every one of them!
-For the interns. Being away from home is going to be a bit harder in the next few months. Please pray that we will stay focused on our King and soak up more than just the sun in our time here!
Aloha,
Reese
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