Today the team is leaving for Minnesota...
We are starting out strong! We went to morning prayer, and the team caught on quick!! We stood for eachother in prayer and broke through some "stuff"! God is doing amazing things in this team. He is proving Himself strong in our lives!
When we are weak, He is strong!
This trip is the final travel of DMC 2007-2008. Sad, but sweet. We have the opportunity to make this trip the most powerful experience we've had yet. God is going to use us, transform us, and break us...only if we let Him!
We started the year off strong like every other team...lets finish it strong like no other team before!
God is able...are we willing!?
]]>Tomorrow I will be with Lauren, bride to be. Me, Lauren, and Angie will be decorating for the wedding and reception, and doing last minute crafts. I think it will be a lot of fun.....as long as we keep perspective.
We are preparing for a wonderful celebration. A ceremony that symbolizes love, commitment, covenant...finding what one has been looking for in years. I pray that us three will be able to stay focused on what this event really mean in our lives. It represents the love, commitment, covenant with our Lord Jesus Christ.
Maybe we will be able to have a discussion of God's love like we use to when we were all together in MC our first year.
I am looking forward for this weekend. I hope that I will be able to help Lauren in everyway that I can. She deserves it. She may be tweeking out a little...but who wouldn't? This is the 2nd greatest decision of her life!!
I love you Lauren!!!
]]>Today Masters took our "Team Pictures". We all dressed up in nice jeans and pretty shirts (yes, the boys looked pretty too). We walked to the Gym and posed nicely for the camara. Then we headed to the school's playground. Now, that was a blast!!!! The girls and guys took pictures separately and together. Then we all took individual pictures.
Pastor Nathan's good friend, Red, took the pictures for us. He is a professional photographer. He does a great job. I have no idea how he is able to capture a moment in time that we will cherish forever! Looking at the pictures, makes me so excited to know that I will have something to always remember MC by.
The year is drifting quickly. Less than one month and it's over. It is a bitter sweet, but I pray that this team sticks together like white on rice. I pray that we are able to stay in touch even when we are states apart. Maybe when we come together for our 10 year reunion, it'll be different than ever before becuause we never lost touch.
My first year of Masters kept strong for the summer after we graduated. But as soon as half of us started our 2nd year in Masters, it was easier than we thought to lose connection with those that we were once inseparable with.
God puts us in other's lives for seasons. To be there for them when they need help. To partner with them in developing dreams and making them come to past. To love and to cherish. To show Christ.
Graduation is in less than a month. What are you hoping for?
]]>Today is Wednesday! It has been a really great day so far!
We started out with a very powerful prayer time at 8:00 am, which ended at 9:00 am. We began to pray each in our own corners of the room. It was very peaceful, but a little uneasy at the same time. I knew God just wanted more to happen that morning. So I had the whole team step into the middle of the room together. I challenged everyone that now is the best opportunity to pray for your peer whenever you feel led to. Praying for others is by far more rewarding than praying for yourself. Our team experienced this first hand this morning. A few people prophesied, cried, and sang in worship. It was moving, really moving.
Then most of the team, took an hour to devote time to organizing the room. We have recently cleaned out one of the Church's storage pods and found many things that belonged to Masters Commission over the years. So the team sifted through everything and determined what was a treasure and what was trash. The room looks great now!! Great job TEAM!!
Following, Scott had a great idea to group the team up in the middle of the room. He challenged all of us to share our most embarrassing moments!! It was great connecting with the group and finding out stories that we didn't know. Sharayah had many stories and she may even tie with Scott!! LOL.
At the end of the day, the team split. A small group headed back to the dorms. Church of the Harvest is about to have Summer Camp, and the MC took the initiative to pray over the dorms and campus. It's going to be one rockin' summer now!!! The other half of the team went to Mrs. LaVella's house and helped her spread out dirt in her back yard. It was such a beautiful day and she had many big trees shading us as we worked. She is so sweet. We are probably going to help her out again later on this week!! I'm actually excited!
What is so great, is that the day isn't even over yet! We still have our Minnesota Trip planning (our last big trip!) and VBS later tonight!!
AWESOME!
]]>It's funny, you know, to have to opportunity to see God's hand at work.
I went to morning prayer this morning, not quite awake. I ended up sleeping through my alarm, and getting off to a rough start. Pastor Nathan spoke about getting beyond ourselves..."turning from our wicked ways..."
As I began to pray and read my bible, I stumbled upon some notes from an old MC class. I skimmed over my notes until I came to a quote Pastor Lawrence mentioned. "Too many people want to know my provision instead of just wanting to know me personally as their provider." - God.
It finally hit me. I understood what that meant. So often, I pray about what I should do for God. In my notes from the same class Pastor Lawrence said, "It's not about doing what God wants you to do, but just being with him." Simple, right? Take 30 minutes and just ponder about God. It's so easy to think of action, Ministry, Church events, maybe even your role in the church...It becomes difficult to sit and meditate on just the character of God.
For the remaining of the prayer time, I tried my best to center my focus on what was most important. It was not only a reward to conquer a struggle, but it was rewarding just to learn more about who God is. My God that I serve.
I don't know if this has any relation to this morning, but God works in mysterious ways. I arrived to the MC classroom, and found 4 envelopes addressed to me. They were all sponser checks!! They totaled approx. $630! God is so good; He stays true to His word and provides for His kids!!
Thank you God! And Thank you all who have supported me throughout the year for Masters Commission!
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It is official! I enrolled at the University of Central Oklahoma! I will graduate with the class of 2012! Isn't that weird to say! I can't believe this is actually happening! I never saw myself really going to college.
For my first semester I am enrolled in 4 classes. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, I will be taking English Comp. On Tuesday and Thursday, I will be taking College Algebra, Introduction to Theater, and American Government.
The campus is simply beautiful! I am thrilled to start school.
I am so thankful that I was able to spend 2 years in Masters Commission. There are so many reasons why. I am firmer in my relationship with God, so that makes me comfortable in my own skin. College can be intimidating. Especially if you never really thought you'd end up at a university. Having the experience of Masters Commission, has put me at an advantage.
I have been in leadership training for two years. I have developed great people skills. I know what it means to procrastinate, and I know that it probably isn't the best choice! I know how to handle responsibility, and I know how to handle responsibility under pressure. I have gained great revelation about giving, and what it means to really make a difference in other's lives.
I'm starting a new chapter in my life. It's official now. I have to remember that this life isn't about me. It's about every single life that I will be influencing in this new chapter. I am only a tool used of God. Everything I do is for His glory.
I could go on forever. I don't want College to be an experience like High School. I want College to be an even better experience than Masters Commission. MC has changed my life, but I believe that's only because I wanted it to. Growing to this new level of trusting God is already changing my life. I can't even imagine what life will be like in 4 years...
]]>INTRODUCTION
For the past week, I've been struggling with obedience. I know God is calling me to a particular place, and I find myself scared out of my mind. I don't know what the first step is, and if I get a glimpse of what it may look like, I feel as though I will be too coward to follow through.
God is really reaching me through different avenues: Pastor's classes and sermons, Mentors, Music, Personal Devotion in the Word.
I know that I have a calling on my life that is going to effect and influence others around me. I realize that my lack of faith isn't just hindering me, but it is hindering every individual life that could be changed through my obedience.
THE FINAL WORD
Last night, Pastor spoke about baptism. I never knew that baptism could mean so many things. The very first time I was baptized, I was about 8 years old. I didn't know why I was doing it, but I knew that it was important to my mom, not to mention that she made me do it! Ha Ha. The second time I was baptized, I was a Junior in High School. I wanted to make a public proclamation that I was going to serve Jesus as my Lord and Savior from that moment on.
But this time...I didn't even know that I was raising my hand to be baptized. Pastor spoke of obedience. And I knew that I was struggling with obeying the call on my life. In fact, that very night I struggled with it more than I ever have. By placing myself completely under water, I knew that when I came back up, the fear will be broken completely off my life. Now water is only a symbol of what is happening spiritually. And to be honest, I believe that just from acknowledging my sin and asking God to forgive me, I am forgiven and the fear is already broken.
I am choosing to participate in a celebration that symbolizes what is happening spiritually in my life. I thank God that He is always offering His forgiveness. I only want to please God. I may not act like it sometimes, but deep in my heart, that's what I long for. And I want to start acting like it.
The struggle is gone in Jesus Name!
]]>So here at DMC, a small group of leaders have been brainstorming over what is to come this year concerning Graduation and the Reception Ceremony.
We have everything planned out including the food, the entertainment, the special gifts, and decorations.
This is going to be one spiffy event! Everything is looking classy and elegant! I can't wait to get this show on the road.
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Having said that, I wanted to make a point to acknowledge the MC leaders. Just from this one project, I have to express how much they all care for the MC team. For hours, they sit brainstorming and creating ideas to make this evening the climax of the year. The leaders want to express their congrats to each student in a way that will leave a lasting impression on their lives...not just for the evening, their lives. The leaders want to do whatever it takes to have every guest and team member enjoy the evening.
For some reason, just being able to sit in on some of the meetings, I find my self surprised, taken aback in amazement. It may not look like it all the time, but each leader has a passion and a deep desire to see each and every student that walks across the stage June 29th, succeed to fulfill their God given destiny.
What an honor to be apart of such a team as the Destiny Masters Commssion!! Our leaders are so inspiring!
Don't you think so too?
]]>I just want to take this opportunity to apologize, to ask for forgiveness. I am not the perfect person, that is quite evident. And a fool is discovered by his mouth.
For the past two years, God has been challenging me to resemble Christ through my mouth/words especially. Even in my "preaching" modes, I have made the mistake of choosing the wrong words to say..."just for effect."
I want to do better. I want to be the woman that I know God has designed me to be.
This is short, but I'm learning to use my ears and mouth proportionately.
PS I am totally okay with anyone calling me out.
]]>Lori finished off our Thursday Night to the Spiritual Emphasis Week. She did a great job. God gave her a word that was very timely for our team. She spoke of the process to Glass Blowing and applied it to our lives in Masters Commission.
What she said spoke into every single one of us in one way or another. She spoke of the process of God forming us, using us, and breaking us. He breaks us only to reform us and reuse us... We are his unique creation, gently and intrinsically made. Just like glass is made with the greatest care and purpose, so are we.
This class spoke more to me than the message. Lori and I have a great connection from working together during the youth's District Fine Arts in 2007. She has really influenced me to go beyond myself, and become the unique Chantel God has created me to be. And tonight, she reminded me of the prophet Ezekial who prophesied through skits, dramas, illustrations, and figurative discriptions. She's very expressive and so am I.
Tonight, is not only the eveing of my favorite day of the week, but it happened to be one of the most significant days of the week so far. God speaks to me in crazy ways, and I can't wait to see what else He has in store for myself and the team.
Thank you God that you have placed such great influencers in our lives to really challenge us and grow us to become who you have designed us to be.
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