Peace! Be Still!

You know, planning for and going on a mission trip can be a lot like sitting in a boat that’s about to be overtaken by the waves.  Many of us have been dealing with waves …  before we've even gone on the trip!

We have this picture (shown above) hanging on the wall of our living room.  It depicts the moment in history when Jesus calmed a violent storm with just three words.  

 (Mark 4:36-40 & Matthew 8:23-26)

That day when evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Let us go over to the other side.’ Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”  26 He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?”  He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Peace! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.  

Sometimes, storms are upon us without any warning at all and they occur in a variety of ways.  Our mission team is weathering a "storm" of sorts.  Some team members are dealing with physical ailments.  Some are struggling with fear of the unknown, confidence and self-worth while others have clouded perceptions and foggy views.  We're just people and we can get stuck in storms and in the process we can be lacking in faith.

One particular teammate has now had to make the difficult decision of not being able to go to Honduras with us due to the physical ailment she has been struggling with this year.  It is heart-breaking for her and for the team and we ask that you will keep her in your prayers. 

It's difficult to understand why each of us has the storms that we do, to "have faith" when we endure hardship and struggle with various notions ... but I am reminded of a Bible verse that is often spoken and has been part of the sermon(s) at church ...

                            ...  Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of our faith produces endurance. (James 1:2-3)

        

... consider it all joy ... consider it all joy ... consider it all joy ...

Oooo ... sometimes that is just too hard, isn't it?

But what was it that Jesus said??  He asked,  “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?”  Jesus was on the boat with them when the storm hit.  He was there when the waves came toppling over the boat and threatened to overtake it.  The disciples were frantic and overcome by fear!  

What was Jesus doing?  

                                         He was sleeping ... 

(you know those people who get on a plane and fall asleep just as the plane is taking off?  I am certainly not one of those people - I can't sleep AT ALL on a plane.  I just can't relax enough to even contemplate sleep.  Those people who begin dozing while we're still on the runway, ... they're relaxed.  They have no reason to fear!)

 “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?”

  ...  Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. (James 1:2-3)

No matter the storm that each of us is going through, no matter how choppy the waters our boat is traveling on ... Jesus is with us ... And through it all, ...

... while our faith is growing and endurance is building ...

‘Peace! Be still!’

... may we Be Still and at Peace ...

Hey teammate ~ a single battle lost, but not the war ... this song's for you!!
(Click on the arrow)

1 John 5:4-5 ~ ... for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.  Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

Blessings ... Like A Steady Rain!!

I love rain!  
Yep, I really like a rainy day; oftentimes, I am energized and motivated by a cloudy sky and deeply fulfilled by pouring rain!  I'm sure that not many of you reading this agree with me ... that's okay, I'm used to that! 
Spaghetti Dinner with 

Silent Auction

Community Church of Elkhorn:

Honduras Mission Team Fundraiser

Just last week, we held our (first ever, I believe) Spaghetti Dinner and Silent Auction.  We held it as a fundraiser for our Honduras Mission Team.  And I have to say that the blessings that this team have been experiencing have been like a steady rain!!

We worked hard for several days before the event to get things ready ...

We turned our Sanctuary into a giant dining room, something I never imagined I would see.

The tables were set and decorated and ready for the dinner guests to arrive.

We even had a Silent Auction ...

... we had this super, terrific lady (who happens to be our church's Missions Director) who rustled up A LOT of auction items donated by various local businesses!!

We sure ended up with quite the array of items for the Silent Auction!!

Praise the LORD and thank-you to all of our contributors!

(for a complete list of all our Silent Auction contributors, see bottom of this blog post)

The purpose of our event was primarily to raise funds for our mission team to purchase greatly needed medical supplies that will be used to care for the people of Tegucigalpa, Honduras.  Additionally, this event was a way for us to reach out to our community with the love that God has for all people.  

Our 1st "Customers!"

This is Dick and Mary Ann ... don't they look thrilled to be first?  

This lovely lady is the mother-in-law of one of our team members.  When she walked in, I was super excited because she was dressed so festively in Blue and White - the theme colors for our night, which are the colors of the Honduran Flag!!

Guests were served their spaghetti shortly after coming into the building and then they could proceed into the sanctuary to enjoy their meal in a relaxed setting.  A photo DVD was running up on the large screen to show the guests what the mission team would be doing in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.  Teammates Ben, Paul and Laura were serving up the noodles, sauces (Paul made the yummy meat sauce) and salad and bread.  Teammate Deb brought in the most DELICIOUS tomatoes for the salad.  They were SO GOOD, you could just eat a bowl of those by themselves ... ahem, ... oh, I think some of us DID!  

Here is the handsome team leader as well as master of noodles and marinara ... oh how I thank the LORD for his kitchen skills!!

It was great to see the guests enjoying the dinner and the fellowship!!

Meanwhile, the Silent Auction was under way and it went through until 8:00pm.  

We ended up with some very happy Silent Auction Winners!!

Here's Brittany - she got a pie, a massage and a manicure/pedicure.  She is going to be one very happy and pampered young lady!!

Laura and Alex won the Thirty-One Extend-a-Day Bag as well as the Pizza, Pop and Bowling package (a great family outing)!

Dee won this original oil painting ...

Wayne confidently bid BIG on Baked Goods and Culvers ... so he was a BIG WINNER!

Susan won a set of hand-made earrings with a matching necklace and her daughter, Myanna, won the Honduran coffee and pine-needle trivet package.

Here's Janet ... also a winner of a Pie and some Baked Goods!

And here's Dan!  He won an Oil Change - oh boy!

And here's Mrs. Pam with two of her former Sunday School students.  They are are super excited because Mrs. Pam bid on and won a Cupcake Decorating Basket!!  Mrs. Pam is going to let the kids have F-U-N decorating some yummy treats!!

I wasn't able to get a photo of ALL the happy winners.  Some of them snuck out with their loot before getting their picture taken ... oh well!!  

Remember how I started out this post stating that I love the rain and I am energized and motivated by a good rain??  Well, let me tell you - I am buzzing bigger than the Energizer Bunny ...

... because it is downright POURING now!!!  

Do you know how much money we raised from our little Spaghetti Dinner and Silent Auction??

Doot doot do doot!!!  

(sound of a trumpet blowing before a big announcement--)

$2,984.00!!!!!

... and it's still coming !! 
(I do so love it when it rains)

Then, we went to a birthday party for a sweet little one-year-old a few days after the Spaghetti Dinner and WE left with birthday presents, if you can believe that!!!

The wonderful parents of this little boy asked, on behalf of their cute little boy, that the invitees bring "medical supplies" to support the ministry that we are a part of when we go on this mission trip!  

REALLY?  Can you believe that?  That is SO AWESOME!!!

Just look at all this stuff!

And then they brought us some more!!!

This Honduras Mission Team just continues to be blessed by God and the people He's touching along the way.  There are SO MANY who are a part of this Great-BIG GOD Team and I do try to thank each one individually!!! The blessings have become so grand and so great, we are so overwhelmed and we realize that we are likely not even aware of ALL those who are a part of this.  

Brian and I were talking about how there are just so many people who have "joined our team" by supporting us, donating supplies, attending our fundraisers, selflessly and generously giving of their time, resources and money for the benefit of this team and the ministry we are going to Honduras to be a part of ... there's just so many.  We imagine that all of a sudden there's nothing but darkness but then if each person who has participated in this Honduras Mission, one by one, were to emit a beam of light upwards towards the heavens ... imagine each one, then several at a time, one after another, transmitting beautiful light into the darkness ... it would not take long for our city to be engulfed in LIGHT!

That's what Jesus says we are ... 

Matthew 5:14-16

New International Version (NIV)

14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Each of us is a light ... may it pour from each of us and be a blessing to others like a steady rain!!

Thank-you to ALL of our Spaghetti Dinner Workers, Partners, Guests, Donors and Contributors and also to our Silent Auction Donors/Contributors and Bidders.  Your Generosity and your Support is greatly treasured!!  (your official thank-you's will be in the mail)

Of course, thank-you to Team #3913B and Community Church of Elkhorn, as well as ...

(if I have missed anyone, please forgive me and let me know)

Special Help:
Alex Johnson
Brenda Walter
Brittany Gonzales
Dan Nevala
David Bush
Janet Cline
Jennifer Bush
Kylee Kozbiel
Pam Millar

Donors:
Bark Market
Bonny Ringblom
Brenda Walter
Carol Eslick
Cimino's
Colleen Loomer
Compworth
Culvers
Darlene and Mitch Considine
Eleanor Condon
Essential Yoga and Massage
Features Hair and Nail
Gladys Dietzman
Gordie Boucher - Janesville
Jane and Doug Kleyn
Jennifer Bush
Jennifer Peltier
Jill Jackson
John Dietzman
Lakes Area Physical Therapy
Lake Geneva Lanes
Laura Johnson
Life In Motion Massage: Anna Loomer
Merle Norman - Janesville
PerKup
Pizza Ranch
Riga-Tony's
Salon Luscious
Shannon Wiedenhoeft
Showboat of Lyons
State Farm Insurance
Vasili's
Walworth County Fair

Tables and Chairs - Calvary Community Church

Bracelets!

We recently had a bracelet-making night at our church so that we will be able to take Gospel Bracelets with us to Honduras.  The Gospel Bracelets are given mainly during the Children's Ministry. 

We try to make as many as we can 1) because we never really know how many children God will bring to Brigade and 2) it is good to have excess in the event that other teams come up short.

The Meaning of the Gospel Bracelet:

1) Green Bead - GARDEN of Eden; beautiful, perfect place God made for the first people on earth, Adam and Eve

2) Black Bead - SIN; Satan deceived them and they disobeyed God

3) Red Heart Bead - LOVE of God; Poured out for all people, the blood of Jesus who died on the cross for the sin of all mankind

4) White Bead - PURE/FORGIVENESS; Cleansed of the filth of our sin when we accept the precious gift that Jesus gave us when He died for us

5) Gold Bead - ETERNAL LIFE; Heaven with streets of gold, the place prepared for us who accept and believe that Jesus IS our Savior

Many of our church youth group attenders were there to give us a helping hand!

The group devised an assembly plan and went to work straight away!

Our lovely neighbor/friend, Joyce, was in charge of counting and sorting the bracelets into bags.

Everyone did a great job!  Thanks so much for all the help!!

The youth were also given candies that followed suit of the Gospel Bracelets ... "Food for Thought!"

And for those really hard-working team members, Team Leader Brian was giving out special neck and shoulder massages!!  Hahaha - just kidding - well, sort of ... team member, Deb, recently underwent serious shoulder surgery and was finally able to have the immobilizer removed before coming to our bracelet-making party.  She, of course, really deserves the massage!!!  

What a trooper!!!

Also, your prayers for team member Nancy would be greatly appreciated as she had back surgery a couple months ago and has been dealing with ongoing back issues for quite some time!  She was also just in a car accident -- only to compound the issues.  Spiritual Warfare has been strong, folks, on these two team members as well as other team members.  The evil one does not want us to succeed!  

PRAY STRONG!!  PRAY HARD!!

Here's me and Jenny, my Honduras teammate from last year!  Jenny and her husband, Matt, and their four children are preparing to serve in Honduras full-time.  They will be moving to Tegucigalpa in February of 2014 ~ can you believe it??  That is the kind of life-changing event that can be experienced from serving on a short-term mission trip.  To read more about the Nevala's and their Walk in Obedience, *PLEASE* check out their blog  BY CLICKING HERE  or searching www.walkinginobedience.com.

I intend to tell you more about the Nevala family in a future post!

Our team will be taking about 1,100 bracelets ~ what a great accomplishment!!!  

Such a simple token ... but one that makes a difference to a child!