sharing the abundance

For a couple weeks now I've been trying to reconcile having so much, and being surrounded by people who have so little. And now today, American Thanksgiving, we will be enjoying a veritable FEAST, and just outside our gates, there are hundreds (if not thousands) of people facing another day of next to nothing to sustain them.

I looked at my beautiful ministry team of four students today and they seemed to have long faces. They, indeed, are struggling with the same thing. We brainstormed and the result is inspiring.

They will be filling some take-away boxes with their portion of the meal (tho will undoubtedly be able to still eat a healthy meal) and taking the food into the township to share with a family they've been ministering to.

There's a thousand things I could say. However, this seems to cover it all:

I'm proud of you guys. Your hearts inspire me.

May we lift up those who don't have an abundance. Not only in food, but also in community and love.



(Mary on the left, Blair in the middle, and Alexis with the pink pants are three of the four students on the ministry team I'm speaking of.)

hugs
kristen

too much to write

OK - here's the deal... practically my whole team is disappearing on the weekend as it's the American Thanksgiving... THEREFORE.... I will have lots of time to write and brief you on the latest.
Thanks for keeping up with me!!
much love
kristen

loved

I am reminded today that I am loved.
There is nothing more in this life that excites like the knowledge that someone loves me. Thinks of me. Wants to spend time with me. Is jealous over me and my time. Would die for me... has died for me.
I am loved.
As are you.

amen

the decision is final

Hey friends and family.
After much wrestling and prayer, I made the decision to NOT return next semester as a leader for the FYM Program here in Jeffreys Bay.
I signed up to be the Coordinator of Worship over the first semester, and getting my mind and heart wrapped around 'leading' a team for 5 months next term just wasn't happening. I begged the Lord to release the pressure I was putting on myself and finally I was able to hear Him clearly, 'Go home'.
If you know me, you know that 'home' is an elusive concept to me these days. Erwin McManus has helped me reshape my definition of home:

"Home is ultimately not about a place to live, but about the people with whom you are most fully alive. Home is about love, relationship, community, belonging, and we are all searching for home."

The people with whom I feel most fully alive and the community where I belong is unquestionably with my family back in Ontario. I desire greatly to spend time with them (and my 'family' in Hamilton) and love them. To 'close up shop' if you will. As there's a big move ahead, if the Lord blesses it.

drumroll

I'm seeking the Lord on a decision to move to South Africa to start a church with a minister who is becoming a dear friend. There's many details to follow, but I'd ask that you please be in prayer alongside us. My fleece has been laid, and I'm eager to see the Lord bring to fruition what He's shown me in my heart.

blessings
kristen

a day in the life...

Just to give you an idea...

6 - wake up
630 - eat breaky
7 - walk down to UCSA (the base where the team lives)
730 - prayer with any students that want to show up
8 - students eat breaky and I hang out
815-9 - prayer with leaders
9 - teaching time with whole group or small groups
1230 - lunch
1-5 - this is when small teams go off and do ministry. I either join mine or another team, or I go and do some of my own personal ministry, or I do prep for worship/small group/discipling...or, I get a free hour or two to myself...!
5-7 - one-on-one discipleship with one of 'my girls'!
7 - DINNER
8 - worship with everybody or hanging out with anybody that's kickin' around
930 - head back 'home'
1030 - COLLAPSE

And every now and again I get to do things like hang out with this little one who needed some love.


My life is a gift.

Henri Nouwen thought...

This knocked my socks off as I read it having felt all of the things mentioned: poverty, loneliness, depression, emotional suffering.
Then it occurred to me, I forget of course that MY leaders also feel this way. Ultimately... don't we all? We all struggle with one or more of these things from time to time. And if that's the case, we need to be holding each other up more... don't you think?

The Poverty of Our Leaders

There is a tendency to think about poverty, suffering, and pain as realities that happen primarily or even exclusively at the bottom of our Church. We seldom think of our leaders as poor. Still, there is great poverty, deep loneliness, painful isolation, real depression, and much emotional suffering at the top of our Church.

We need the courage to acknowledge the suffering of the leaders of our Church - its ministers, priests, bishops, and popes (worship leaders, outreach team leaders, ministry office workers, etc) - and include them in this fellowship of the weak. When we are not distracted by the power, wealth, and success of those who offer leadership, we will soon discover their powerlessness, poverty, and failures and feel free to reach out to them with the same compassion we want to give to those at the bottom. In God's eyes there is no distance between bottom and top. There shouldn't be in our eyes either.

blessings,
k

thoughts

Hey friends.
Just a couple quick pics. One on my walk to UCSA (the base where my students stay)... lovely, right?!

And one with me and a little one who just needed some hugs while we built her family a little shed.

I'm facing a few seemingly giant decisions right now... would LOVE some prayer.

I've officially been asked to come back and lead for the second semester.
I'm also in serious prayer about moving here and starting a church somewhere near Pretoria.

I'll keep you posted!
hugs and sighs
kristen