Gap Team Video

Here is a little taste of what we have been up to since Christmas since i haven't posted in forever.
If you last through the 30minutes of rambling you can watch the bloopers!

First Christmas away from home...(and last?)

Spending Christmas away from home has been bitter sweet. With it creeping up so fast this year there wasn't a lot of time to have it really "feel" like Christmas. Pete Greasley gave a fantastic message last Sunday titled "Home for Christmas" that was perfect for me this Holiday!

Pete explained with all the hype and build up over the Christmas season there is often a let down, disappointment, or sense of longing that comes after the family has left, the presents have been opened, and the food been eaten. He described this as Hiraeth a Welsh term that doesn't have a direct English translation, but describes a profound sense of longing. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' has a quote that communicates Hiraeth vividly:

It is difficult to define Hiraeth, but to me it means the consciousness of man being out of his home area and that which is dear to him. That is why it can be felt even among a host of peoples amidst nature's beauty. . . like a Christian yearning for Heaven. . .

Sunday's message pointed out the longing we feel at Christmas is the longing God put in us for the better life, the better world. Christmas was never meant to fulfill us. The longing goes deeper than just the temporary Christmas holiday, it is the longing for an eternal relationship with our heavenly Father. Ever since the beginning of time we have been exiled from God and rebelled against him. God has a plan to bring the rebel back and to satisfy the longing. All through sending his Son to be born in a stable as the Savior of the world!

As I am away this Holiday I get to experience firsthand the sadness that comes with being away from my Family. Despite the longing I am excited to be able to take a step back and focus on the truth of my Saviors birth and death for me!

A GAP team Christmas

This Friday was the Student Christmas party where we decorated Junction 26 all Christmas like.
There was a good turnout and we had so much fun playing charades, eating the delectable 11 pound cake I picked out, duck taping people to walls, and doing a Christmas quiz (my team won)! We also started watching the Christmas story which was randomly cut of in the middle.
We got home around 1 and had to be back at the church around 8:30 to be at Shock wave(a youth outreach) in the morning...

The Gap team Christmas photo was taken after the party, by Richard Saunders one of the students.

After the part I got dropped off in Newport City Center where I was able for the first time to explore Newport and all the shops! I ran into some friends and one of the students and her mom from Bettws high! It is so good to be able to continue building relationships outside of the school setting.

Yesterday night we went to Taylor Reese's 18th Birthday party. He is a fella from the Sr. teens. His dad Andy and my fellow life group leader did a great job honoring him. It was great getting to be around with our close friends from church!

This week I am looking forward to our "family" farewell Christmas dinner on Tuesday and not looking forward to my girls leaving Wednesday :(

Happy Birthday Mom!

Couldn't get a picture up this time, but didn't want to pass up wishing you a Happy Birthday!

Thanks for the way you faithfully pursue me and go out of your way to serve me! It amazes me how you look to serve without serving in return! Thanks for your expample of faithfully serving me and our family! Love you!

P.S. Sarah and I are a bit late in getting your card to you! Its in the mail.

Mom and Dad's 24th Anniversary

Happy Anniversary Momma and Dad! Thanks for demonstrating steadfast love and faithfulness to each other. Your love for your savior is what characterizes your relationship and your life!
I love you!

Rejoicing in Weakness

Sunday Dan Gaweda (aka. Gaweedo) gave a message on boasting in our weakness. This was the passage he taught from and it has been my theme verse since being here in Wales.

But he said to me,"My Grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Rather than praying for the removal of any trials or struggles I may have I can rejoice in the fact that I have greater strength and dependence on the Lord when I am weak!

Crazy Women

One of my favorite things about being in Wales is being able to spend time with my sister.
We have been able to see each other almost everyday because of Sarah's job as church secretary and my part in the teams coming and goings of work at the church.

Today we decided to have a sisters day out in Cardiff to get some Christmas shopping done.



One of the things we had talked about doing was getting our cartilage pierced (top most part of the ear). Being the wild girls we are we gave it a go!

Sarah went first. This is the before picture


She didn't flinch!


The after product!



Just a little nervous



After having Haley(our ear piercer) adjust the position
of where the earing was going to be for the 50th time
it was my turn!




Boom shock a lock ah!



To celebrate our completion of Christmas shopping, ear piercing, and Dad's Birthday
we went to a little cafe for a spice chi and raspberry smoothly (raspberries are dad's fav!)



After our eventful day we headed home on the train.
This was Sarah's first time on the Welsh train!



It was a great day experiencing the simple blessings of having
a Christmas shopping trip in WALES with my sister!