The Bell Safari

Paige, Jenny, Me and Joanie at the Dallas Winter Conference

Two people who were very influential in my life throughout college: Jenny and Cody Bell. I met Jenny one of my first weeks as a freshman at Texas A&M and she met with me and encouraged me to join Campus Crusade for Christ. Over the next few years Jenny discipled me and showed me by example what it meant to live an evangelistic lifestyle. Her discipleship ultimately led me to get involved with the Greek Bible study and go on summer project. And of course, that changed my life :). I am so thankful for the impact that both Jenny and Cody have had on me and my walk with God, so I want to share with you about an exciting opportunity that they are going to be a part of! They will be moving to Zimbabwe (Africa) to work with LIFE ministry Zimbabwe (Campus Crusade for Christ). Cody will be working with the local people training pastors, distributing aid, and showing the Jesus film. Jenny will be working with staff women and caring for orphans and widows in the community.

Jenny, Tanner, and Cody Bell

 I wanted to share something from their website  that gives a picture of what they will be doing.

"What brought us to this decision? Several reasons brought us to the same conclusion - to go:

1. 1.We will have the opportunity to learn more of what it is to live by faith, from some of the strongest and some of the most passionate Christians on Earth - Africans.
2. 2.It gives Jenny the opportunity to use her gifts of Mercy and Helps (Empathizing with so many needy people and doing what she can to encourage and help them).
3. 3.The opportunity for Jenny to work with orphans, widows and care for the national staff.
4. 4.Tanner to be exposed and immersed in different cultures to create more of a Global mindset.
5. 5.I (Cody) will have the opportunity to empower Africans to lead and reach their people in the best ways possible.
6. 6.I will be able to pioneer, through reaching a province and searching for emerging African leaders that I can invest and build into that will replace my leadership.
7. 7.To learn how to lead, train, empower in different cultures to form me into a more global minded leader.
8. 8.I will have the opportunity to learn leadership in an international context at one of the best African Graduate Schools (African Leadership and Management Academy in Harare, Zimbabwe). I will be earning a masters degree in Leadership and Management while we are living in Zimbabwe.
9. 9.To be drawn nearer to our Lord through new challenges.
10. 10.To be obedient to His calling"
    
    
    Please pray for the Bell family as they seek to raise the funds to fulfill God's calling on their lives. If you would like to give towards their ministry click here! 

Missing another part of the world

So for the past week or so, East Asia has really been on my heart. I just miss my time there! The area is so distinct, so its hard to explain what it was like for me there. Those 6 weeks were very difficult but amazing too! I made some really sweet friends and saw God's power like I had never seen before! I honestly don't think about my time there often, probably because it was such a different experience. But, I want to be more diligent in praying for that area and my friends there. So, I want to ask you my readers to join me today in prayer for that area of the world. Pray for God's power to be manifest in mighty ways and for hearts to be softened for the Gospel. 

Chicken feet...i promise i really ate one.

Yeah, I got my haircut one of the first days and the stylist asked me to come to Japan with him to be his hair model.

beautiful scene

Jaozi (dumplings). One of my friends taught me how to make these!

Matthew 28:19-20 "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."


PS I need to start learning Korean...

Road trip!!

This past weekend Jin and I traveled back to Aggieland for one last visit before we move to Colorado! It was so much fun! Our main agenda was FOOD...we wanted to eat at all of our favorite places that we can't get anywhere else.

First stop: Beef fajitas at Ninfas (I didn't even get a picture of it because we were so busy eating!!)

Next stop...$4 movie (can't beat it!!) We saw "The Lincoln Lawyer" it was really good!

Then we went to Mugwalls to talk and read a little bit.

But we ended up just playing on our IPhones :)

Then we headed over to my good friend Haley's to get ready for salsa lessons at the Village Cafe! I wish I had taken a video of this. It was so much fun! 

The next day we finished our food frenzy with our all time favorite College Station places...Jin's and Blue Baker. 

Yes, he is.

Then we headed over to the George Bush Library for a little "picnic" before we headed home. It was a great weekend and I leave you with this little treat. 

fearfully and wonderfully made

For the past several months I have been volunteering a crisis pregnancy resource center, working with women to educate them and provide support during a really scary time. I absolutely love it and a highlight for me has been working with clients on a consistent basis. Sarah (I changed her name...) is one of those clients. I met her on one of my first nights at the clinic, she came in for an appointment to confirm her pregnancy and get help. One of the other volunteers and I took her into the counseling room and started talking to her about her situation. Sarah came to the United States from Kenya to go to college in 2010 was hoping to go back after she finished, until she found out she was pregnant. We were able to talk to Sarah about her options and she signed up for an education program that the center offers to learn about pregnancy and parenting and earn baby clothes and other items at the same time. For the next several weeks, I helped Sarah through the education program. We watched videos together about nutrition, fetal development, and the delivery process. But one day Sarah just stopped coming. The volunteers and I tried to call her but her number had been disconnected. I was disappointed and though I would probably never see her again.

But just a few weeks ago I received a note that Sarah had called one of our other volunteers. We reconnected with her and found out that she had just had a healthy baby girl! This past Saturday I was able to visit Sarah at her apartment and meet her little girl. It was so fun to see the baby and be reminded of just how amazing life really is. I sat with Sarah for several weeks while this little baby was growing inside of her and to be able to hold this baby was so fun!

For you created my inmost being; 

   you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; 

   your works are wonderful, 

   I know that full well. 

 My frame was not hidden from you 

   when I was made in the secret place, 

   when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

 Your eyes saw my unformed body; 

   all the days ordained for me were written in your book 

   before one of them came to be. 

How precious to me are your thoughts, God! 

   How vast is the sum of them! 

 Were I to count them, 

   they would outnumber the grains of sand.

Psalm 139: 13-18

25 years ago...

Happy 25th Wedding Anniversary to my parents! 

25 years ago in a Oklahoma City, OK they became Mr. and Mrs. 

Thank you for providing such an amazing example of love and marriage to your children!

Before the throne of God above

So lately I have been listening to this Shane and Shane station on Pandora while I'm getting ready in the mornings. I have fallen in LOVE with their newest CD "Pages". Its actually not that new, (2007), but its new to me! So if you haven't listened to it, I encourage you to check it out! This is a pretty well known song but I just LOVE the lyrics.

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong, a perfect plea:
A great High Priest, whose name is Love,
Who ever lives and pleads for me.

My name is graven on his hands,
My name is written on his heart;
I know that while in heaven he stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair,
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look, and see him there
Who made an end of all my sin.

Because a sinless Savior died,
My sinful soul is counted free;
For God, the Just, is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me
To look on Him and pardon me

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Praise the One,
Risen Son of God!

Behold him there, the risen Lamb
My perfect, spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace!

One in himself, I cannot die
My soul is purchased by his blood
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ, my Savior and my God
With Christ, my Savior and my God

86 days

DAYS TILL...

1. The days of the long distance relationship are over
2. My name will begin and end with E
3. I will be moving away from 2 Twin Bridge again, this time for-eva
4. The person sharing my bathroom will NOT be stealing my clothes 
5. I'm getting MARRIED!

Nope, I'm not counting down or anything...

Another reason why I can't wait to move to Denver!

Denver Seminary!

Yesterday I found out that I have been accepted to Denver Seminary for a Master of Arts in Counseling with a concentration in Clinical Mental Health! Hopefully, I will be starting school next spring. 

Why do we minister?

Motivation for ministry does not come from the ministry, the motivation for ministry comes from the unveiling of the glory of Jesus Christ.

--from an email I got at work. 

This is totally something I have been thinking about lately! Then I saw this on someone's email signature and I just had to post it. 

Sometimes when God becomes your "job" it becomes a routine and you forget that ministry is first and foremost for the glory of God. And not for your own personal glory. This idea hit me over the head when I was in Guatemala and I have been thinking about it ever since. I was very convicted of doing ministry for my own personal satisfaction and fulfillment (to feel good about myself), rather than to serve the Lord. Have any of you ever struggled with this? Anyone? How does this even happen?

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.Who can understand it?

I guess we just start to find identity and in good works and what we are DOING (who we think we ARE) instead of what Christ has DONE and who He IS. What an empty pursuit. That is just not the Gospel! 

Romans 5:8 "God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinner's, Christ died for us." 

Somehow I forget that God's glory is my sole purpose in life, whether in full-time Christian work or not! It is when I see His glory that my heart is turned toward ministry. Lord, please continually remind me of this truth. It is freedom! 

This picture has nothing to do with this post. I just like it :) I took it on our last night in Antigua.