Monday, monday

hey gang...i will make this quick again b/c others are waiting on the comp

things are going great over here. we're quite sleep deprived, but drinking lots of tea and pushing through. the nashville team played a few songs last night at the baptism service of one of the young ladies in the church. things ended up turning out great and we got very excited hearing some of the songs we've done getting played with a full band. God was very present last night and working through our tiredness. it was an honor to be a part of becky's service!
we just got done w/ the first session of the art academy where a band of 8 kids somewhere around the ages of 8-10 are learning to play guitar, bass, drums and keys to a chris tomlin song called "everlasting God". this is great fun...all of our string folks learned how to play a C chord today. we're hoping to teach them 3 other chords tomorrow and maybe some vocals on wednesday. the kids seem to be pretty warm to talking, so pray we get a chance to pour into their hearts as well as their fingers!!
we're off to help the church youth band shortly. should be great...we're really looking forward to that time...good kids!\
i'm off for now...hope everyone is well!

we're here

We're here...we're safe...we're going to the church...bye bye :)

outtie

A quick hi and goodbye as it's a little under an hour till my ride to the airport arrives. I'm running on about a 3-4 hour nap which I hope will serve me well later in the day as I'm looking to sleep a bit on the plane.

I hope to have at least a time or two to post here during the week, so keep your eyes open for that.

May God bless each of you and many thanks for such a wonderful team of senders!

12And again Isaiah says,
"The root of Jesse will come,
even he who arises to rule the Gentiles;
in him will the Gentiles hope."
13May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Romans 15:12-13

prayer

The husband of one of my team members (he isn't able to go) emailed out this prayer he's praying for the team...so cool I wanted to share...

"asking the LORD to give each of you, (and to everyone you meet),
wonderful encounters with Christ the Living Word and with the Holy
Spirit. That by faith you will bring the Light and Life of our God
and Savior to EVERY PERSON you all meet.

I will be praying that your impact; and the ministry of your team's
faith in Christ, expressed in Art, Music, Testimony, Fellowship, and
Preaching of the Word; and demonstrated in hope and love; and your
examples of joy and peace, will literally tear down ungodly strong
holds of thought and of the traditions of this world and inspire God's
dear people in Ballymena .

I'll pray that through you all, the poor will be blessed; that
spiritual captives will believe for release and that the downtrodden
will receive HOPE to be set free to newness in life by Jesus Christ;
that young people will be encouraged to express their love for God
through Art and Music. And through the tangible expressions of your
love, having traveled thousands of miles to be with them, that each
person will sense the Father's love for the them and for the nation.
May your coming together to celebrate and give expression to God's
creative goodness and glory inspire even the youngest among them to be
a fully devoted follower of Jesus The Messiah."

Thank you all for your prayers. At this point, I see it a need to pray for the hearts of all involved. From the folks of Hillside church to the kids to our team. Pray that God would prepare us workers and allow us to take on His heart.

control

I've been re-reading an essay on the Prodigal Son / Older brother parable (Luke 15) by Tim Keller. Interesting excerpt:

"First we learn that the gospel provides a radically deeper view of the concept of sin....the governing theme in the parable (and all the stories of Luke 15) is that sin is running from God - avoiding, escaping, saying, 'I don't need you!'
This is a much more profound concept than 'breaking rules.' Why? Flannery O'Connor grasped this when she said of one of her characters, 'There was a deep, black wordless conviction in him that the way to avoid Jesus was to avoid sin.' How could that be? Here is a man who knows that the only way to avoid Jesus as Savior is to avoid sin. If I feel I am a good person, I may look to Jesus as an Example, or as Helper, or as Strength - but I won't need to utterly rely on him for every breath and obey him unconditionally. If I am a good person, then I have rights - Jesus owes it to me to listen to my prayers, to protect me and reward me.
This is clearly the attitude of the elder brother. Why is he so angry with the father? He feels he has the right to tell the father what he should do with his robes, rings and calves. It shows he is just as resentful of the father's control of his goods as the younger brother....Both were trying to escape the authority of the father, both resented his control and rebelled. But one did it by breaking the father's rules, and the other did it by keeping them.
Now we see why 'running from God' is a deeper definition of sin than 'breaking the rules of God,' because you can run from God either by breaking his rules or by keeping them. The difference between a religious person and a true Christian is that the religious person obeys God to get control over God, and to get things from God, but the Christian obeys just to get God. Religious persons obey to get leverage over God, to control him, to put him in a position where they think he owes them. Therefore, despite their moral and religious fastidiousness, they are actually attempting to be their own saviors. Christian who know they are only saved by grace and can never control God, obey him out of a desire to love and please and draw closer to the one who saved them."
-Tim Keller "The two prodigal sons"

Support raised

Just a quick head's up that the financial goal and then some has been met. It's been cool and humbling to see God's faithfulness through the finances and prayer support. Each of you all are dear to me and very appreciated!

the 15th of February

There are times when I feel like God will turn on a light bulb...I'm sure you've felt that way. I had a couple of those yesterday.
1) Life vs Death. I saw a news report on plastic surgery and was struck with the thought of how we desire youth and life, but the only thing our bodies are able to do is move toward death. Even our best efforts may slow it for a bit, but ultimately we will die. Grey hair, aches and pains, things that won't fix themselves, diseases, etc.
God set this up to be starkly contrasted with the one thing that can be renewed and experience new life...that being our inner man or soul as Christians. This is no new revelation, but I thought of that in terms of the trip (or really anything that God allows us to participate on that deals with the souls of men). Just a couple ways we can be a part of the life we long for...as we seek to renew ourselves daily in relationship with Him and move as He prompts us to serve the hearts of those around us.
I know I tend to shy away at times from speaking out or being used by Him with the people I'm daily in contact with, but I found myself asking the question "why"? As an opportunity to experience true life...why not move toward life whenever there's a chance? Thanks, God...apparently I needed to be re-challenged.

2) Valentine's day...can be the bane of singles. What the media/ad industry pushes as "love" vs what love truly is. Maybe true love really isn't that marketable b/c it deals with a Man who died on a cross and who calls us to give as an expression of love...rather than receive the sex, jewelry, candy and cards we are bombarded with. I'm not saying any of that is bad (I'm a girl who likes flowers as much as the next person)...it's just checking your motives and where your heart is on a day that proclaims love. Realizing what really is love...

Contrasts...God vs. the world...true love vs idolatry...light on vs light off......God speaking?

Vegas, baby

Well...February has hit in full force as I expected...

My apologies on the lag time between posts, so you're getting 2 via rapid fire on the same day...

Last week I was in Vegas for my sister's wedding (and no, Elvis didn't marry them), so internet access and time for it was basically non-existent. Yea that things ended up going so well, we all had a great adventure and now she's hitched and all that good stuff. Yes, as I said in my toast, she did beat me to the altar, but John's a great guy so I wish them the best. And I look forward to the time as we get to know each other better that I can really poke fun at him as I imagine brother-sister relationships go since I've never had a brother (except Herman, of course). Anyway...rambling...I would love it if you would keep the newlywed, love-bird, oooey-gooey couple in your prayers...John and Amy.

This week is going to be music central in the way of prep time for the trip. The youth praise band sent us the songs they'd like us to work with them on, so now I'm going to be charting out these songs with chords so we'll be ready for team band rehearsal on Thursday. This is minor, but playing post-Vegas catch-up in the work as well as the personal daily life and prep/meetings for this trip has me a little stressed out. I'm sure it will pass and everything will work out, but I'm feeling a little overwhelmed at all we have to do before we leave. So...minor and logistical, but your prayers that God would help me keep all the balls in the air would be very appreciated!

On another note, I've been meditating on Psalm 16 for the past week or so...it's great stuff...thought I'd share:
1Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. 2I say to the LORD, "You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you."
3As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.[b]
4The sorrows of those who run after[c] another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips.
5The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. 6The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
7I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.[d] 8I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
9Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being[e] rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. 10For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.[f]
11You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Corn cakes and American Idol

Homemade soup, corn cakes, brownie sundaes and American idol = elements for a good Ireland team meeting (yes, i see you scratching your head thinking, "mccurry really watches American idol?"...well, let's just say it was on the TV...what are you going to do?)
Anyway, one of the big things Steve (our pastor) is pushing is that we "bond" before we go so we are able to relate a genuine sense of community amongst the team as we work through the week. We've got a very talented and excited team, so I can't wait to see how God brings new as well as returning faces together. Looking forward to this!
Along with discussing the details of flight times and what to bring, we're brainstorming about what our art projects and dances will look like as well as what songs we're going to play and teach. From songs for worship service, to a song to teach the wee ones to songs that the youth band is requesting us teach them, the week is going to be jam packed...but in a good way!
News in Nashville prior to 2/24:
We've got a band rehearsal and at least one more team meeting packed in between now and the 24th.
Fund raising is moving along...still raising $, but starting to hear from more folks...so thank you!
Please be praying that God's preparing the hearts of those we'll come in contact with. And also that He's preparing us for the work ahead on a spiritual and heart-level as well as physical!