Hope

Today, I got the privilege of visiting my good friend Michael. Michael and I are education buddies. I started attending the same private Christian school as him in third grade and he was one of the 13 people I graduated high school with. And it turns out, that my encouragement for him to come visit Dallas Baptist University our freshmen year was the reason he eventually transferred in our sophomore year. He became a good friend during our college years and a friendship that I knew would last for awhile.

For the past several years, he has been battling Leukemia. He started another round of chemotherapy this morning and will have a bone marrow transplant soon. It's amazing how life can always turn out differently than you expect. But it's always encouraging to see people of God take the difficulties that life throws them and take it with grace, humility, and hope. This is what he wrote about Hope yesterday, the day before he starts another round of chemo.

Hope

Hope has a good memory, but he knows what is worth focusing on.

Hope thinks bad things are causes and good things are effects.

Hope understands Faith better than anyone.

Probability and Statistics are jealous of Hope because he knows more than they do.

Hope lives on the same street as Fear and Anger, but he can shut them up when they throw loud parties.

Hope likes nothing better than winding up Thankfulness and letting him rant.

Hope is hardier than a cockroach and has a longer shelf-life than a Twinkie. He can come back to life, even when you think he is dead.

Hope seems dull in the sun, but he shines in the shadows.

When Hope breaks wind, he owns up and moves on.

Hope knows how to laugh at himself.

Hope cares about the body, but his real business is with the soul.

Hope has many faces. He looks like you and me when we pray for and encourage others. He always looks a little like Christ.

When Hope gets down, he leans on Love and Trust.

Hope is a little taller than Suffering.

Yes. Please.

It's official, I am going to INDIA in December.

I get to be reunited with one of my deepest loves.

This time, I get the opportunity to see the work and ministry of As Our Own.

My pastor Curtis and his wife Amanda are board members of this awesome ministry.

My new church, Bayou City Fellowship, will be partnering with this organization and I get the privilege of putting boots on the ground. So really, my trip in December will be primarily a vision trip to see how our church can specifically partner with this organization.

As Our Own is a Christ-based, community-driven movement in India that rescues vulnerable children from certain enslavement and exploitation, caring for them as our own.

The following poem is used as a philosophical guide to those working on Christian Community Development.

Go to the people
Live among them
Learn from them
Love them
Start with what they know
Build on what they have:
But of the best leaders When their task is done
The people will remark "We have done it ourselves."

http://www.ccda.org/philosophy

Life as a Houstonian

I have been in Houston for two weeks officially. And all I have to say is that I got THE hook-up. I can in full truth say that I love Houston. Even the triple digit temperatures and incredibly awful humidity have not clouded my judgement of how great it is to be in Houston. I feel as though I have received an upgrade in life.

For some reason, my previous impression of Houston was a "concrete humid hell hole." But to my great surprise it is actually quite beautiful. One thing that I love about Houston is the awesome tall trees that line the streets, fill neighborhoods, and frame backyards. The houses are brick and have a lot of character. It is also so very international. The nations are HERE! I have never lived in a city where I have heard so many languages and seen so many colors of skin. This place makes my internationals heart oh so very happy!

I also absolutely love Andy, Corey, and Whittaker (2yr old stud). They are the hospitable and generous people that I moved in with. They live in an awesome part of Houston that I honestly love. It is a great location in the city and it's beautiful. Corey is also a fantastic interior designer and their/my house looks like Anthropologie on the inside, maybe even better. Their house is sooo cute and relaxing and also a great house for entertaining. More importantly, I have just already fallen in love with this family. I think they are awesome and thankful that God has allowed our lives to intersect in this season of my life.

I have worked one full week at my new Starbucks. I am also blessed in the Starbucks that God placed me. It is the epitome of how a Starbucks was originally created. It is located in a very affluent neighborhood. Basically all of the customers are "regulars" and they all considered it "their" Starbucks. I got introduced to key "regulars". It is almost as if new partners are like new family members. My new Starbucks is just a cafe with no drive-thru. So the pace is slow in comparison. It's weird to have time to connect with customers and at times can be a little boring. The manager is great and my staff is very multi-cultural. The only negative thing is that I am not sure I will get full-time hours and I got $1 less an hour when I transferred. But I can't help but acknowledge God's providence in placing me here.

I have had two weeks of meeting with the core group of people that are helping to build Bayou City Fellowship. I will be honest and say that my first week meeting them a feeling of intimidation came over me. It was the good, healthy kind. I can't believe that God has given me a position to lead and love people towards mission. These families look like they have a lot to teach me. I still feel a little lost and am learning people's names, but it is exciting to think of what God might do with these people. I am excited to get our hands dirty.

It is honestly just great to be back in Texas. It's nice to see stores, grocery stores, and places that are just apart of my roots. My mom was even able to drive to Houston and spend the night with me. I miss California and my best friends something fierce. But I have also seen God's hand-print all over my steps and the situations I find myself in. So I can't help but get excited to see what He has in store for me and His kingdom in this next season.

I would still appreciate your prayers. Two things that I am praying for and asking prayer for is vision and wisdom.