Friday, July 13, 2012
Thursday Recap
You know what's AWESOME when EVERYONE is doing it?! SWEATING!! Yes, you read that right! The Chicago 2012 team got down and dirty and sweaty yesterday at our work project. We got up bright and early, ate breakfast, and headed off to Willow Creek Church's garden on their campus. Our team got to meet Steve, who heads up the garden at Willow, and see his heart and overflowing passion for this ministry. He told us the story of how the garden came to be, how God was working through both him and Willow to plant this ministry. Steve gave us some direction for the day, and we dug right in...literally!
Our team spent the entire morning and the majority of the afternoon with shovels and rakes tilling up about 15,000 square feet of their garden. The garden continues to grow, almost doubling in size every year! I cannot even begin to express to you family and friends the amount of hard work, NON-STOP encouragement, and excellence that the team showed the entire day. The Christ-like attitudes of every student and leader on this team are such an inspiration! We worked hard all day, laughing together, singing together, loving together, and serving together...it doesn't get much better than that.
When we first got to Willow's garden, Steve said something that really stuck out to us. He told us how when he gets to heaven, he wants to have nothing left. He wants God to say to him that He's so proud of him for giving all of himself. I'm not sure if you are aware, but the Chicago 2012 team verse for the week is Luke 10:27, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind. And love your neighbor as yourself." We are striving daily to live this out by giving God EVERY part of us. Im confident that this team gave everything we had yesterday as we served with Willow in their garden. God is so good and is working in and through each one of us, that is evident!
To end our day, we had dinner at the mall food court with a little free time to walk around, we debriefed at the park with some more AWESOME worship, and headed back to the hotel.
Family and friends, thank you so much for all of your prayers and support back home, we can really feel it! We LOVE reading your comments, too! We're off to our work project for today...more stories to come soon. Have a blessed day!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Hey TEAM!HEY JOEL P. Hey Lincoln! I miss you buddy.. I am so proud of your serving! I am looking forward to hearing about the things God is doing in your life, and in the rest of the team!
ReplyDeleteContinue making Good choices and Lead with honor and integrity my son.
Everyone sends their love along with mine,
luv MOM
HAPPY COW APPRECIATION DAY!!!!!! To celebrate I would like you all to give your best "MOOOOOO" on the count of three. Alright here we go, ooonnnnnneeeeeeee, twoooooooooooo, okay all together, three! MOOOOOOOOO. I really hope you all did it because that would be really awesome.
ReplyDeleteWhat you guys are doing is so great and it's having a bigger impact than you can even imagine! I want to encourage you to keep your eyes, ears, and heart open so you don't miss anything God is trying to reveal to you on this trip. Keep your Christ-like attitudes and remember that everything you're doing is for the glory of God! You guys are awesome and I love you all. Even if you don't know me, I love you. Creepy? Hope so.
Megan Stevens your beautiful face makes my heart melt faster than a popsicle on a hot summers day.
Hey, Chicago12. Just wanted to tell you how proud I am of you! It looks and sounds like you are "giving it all away"!
ReplyDelete"This is what Hezekiah did ..., doing what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God. In e erything he undertook ..., he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered."
You guys ROCK!
GSM CHICAGO12 TEAM!!
ReplyDeleteYou're right. Sweating is better when everyone is doing it. I can see it in the pictures. Glad I can't smell it. SWEATING FOR JESUS! Gonna make you sweat... sing it. (That's a throwback to CC & the music factory. Not sure if you guys know that one.)
FYI your team verse for the week and how you are living it out this week so courageously and selflessly is raising the bar for all of is. THIS IS LOVE! I'm motivated and convicted by YOUR lives. I'm working harder and checking myself back here in Granger because of YOUR stories. Check yourself before you wreck yourself! uh huh. you know that's right.
Luke 10:27, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind. And love your neighbor as yourself."
Team --your impact is more far reaching than the things you are seeing with your own eyes in Chicago. The ripple effects are being felt across multiple states. Impacting multiple lives--the down and out as well as up and out. God is doing a mighty work through you and I couldn't be more proud.
Kem
Hi Chicago12 Team!
ReplyDeleteThought of you guys yesterday when I read Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.
Even with all the plan changes, it's amazing to watch this Team in action. Your amazing attitudes even when the job is dirty, sweaty and down right tiring.
Keep up the Good Work! You're a great example for us at home.
Love, Mom Marzke