Rejoicing.

Last week we had a mission team here at the house for several days, and it was definitly a lot of fun and a lot of work. I had a lot of fun because I was able to hang out with the youth aged students while they were here. We played lots of card games. I even scrubbed the mold off a rocking chair with a toothbrush! It was totally worth it though because I then got to use spray paint. Yes, at 21 years old I had never used spray paint until then. So it was definitely a lot of fun. Also, the tree behind the dumpster is now white, hmm I wonder why? 

We got a lot of things accomplished, and I was even able to take them down to the Huntsville Unit to watch the releases of the parolees. We waited in the heat for about an hour, and then finally they began to walk out. It was really cool getting to experience this with the group. I was able to share with them the few facts that I knew about the releases and executions that also happen at the Huntsville Unit. 

I took Rainbow Hills Baptist, and Mrs. Debra took Mimosa Lane Baptist. I took my group to the Unit, and Mrs. Debra took hers to the bus station. From what I was told from Mrs. Debra, the spirit was in that bus station that day. The high school students walked in with a mission, and definitely accomplished it. Mrs. Debra said some students walked outside without even being told, and laid hands on the bus with the men in it already. They were praying for these men. The other group was inside actually praying with the men. The students walked in missionally minded, and who knows how impactful that was for those men. I was very blessed to hear that those HIGH SCHOOL aged students walked in there at all because most high school-er would be afraid of a place like that. They walked in with one mission. Jesus. Incredible. Very moving.

Here are some pictures from the week. 

New way of mopping.

Sometimes it has to get a little messy before it's clean.

Parolee's getting released.

Very beautiful reunion.

Pray for these men, and their families.

Enjoying frozen yogurt after a hard days work.

My mold scrapping partner at 3 Spoons.

A majority of the group enjoying 3 Spoons.

This is what happens when you use the spoons you received at 3 Spoons to play spoons. 

Another really cool story from the past couple of weeks happened only yesterday. A man drove here to the house from somewhere in Dallas to pick up his brother. His brother was being released after serving 20 years in prison. (My entire lifetime). The man staying with us was excited, nervous, and anxious about the next day-- and what the future may hold for his brother. So release finally came for the man incarcerated. Can you imagine what that would feel like? Serving 20 years in prison, and then walking out the front door, and getting into a car and not have handcuffs on? Think about how much has changed in the last 20 years. Cars, cell phones, internet, cable, DVD players, and remotes that will turn off your lights. Don't you think he will be in for a wild ride the next couple of weeks adjusting to modern times? We always invite the families that come to stay with us to bring the man back to the house to take a shower. This kind of symbolizes washing the prison off of you before you leave the town. When you walk out of our doors, you are a new man. You have a brand new start. It is always really fun to be apart of this. When they got to the house after he was released the newly free man was in tears. He could not contain himself. He was so excited. Wanna know what is really awesome about this man? He found the Lord in prison! So he kept repeating over and over again, "Thank you Lord, You are so good to me." It was incredible! The brothers were so excited to be back together, and so excited that they both are following the Lord. Before they left, Joe (my supervisor's husband) asked me to take a picture of the both of them together. Let me tell you, they were excited to do that! Here are the brothers back together for the first time in 20 years. Pray for him. Pray that he does not go back to the way he was before. Pray that he continues in his walk with Christ. Only Christ can keep him satisfied.

As for me, the days are starting to come to an end here at the house. It will definitely be a bittersweet departure. I have loved almost every minute of being here. They have taken me in as if I was their own daughter, and I couldn't have asked for a better living arrangement. The Lord is really taking care of me the last couple of weeks when it comes to my emotional well-being. A lot of stuff has happened back at home over the summer, and God is giving me strength and peace I didn't know existed. I am so thankful to be a daughter of the King. I have started unpacking what I have learned here, and it is slightly overwhelming. BUT that is part of the experience. I still have 3 weeks left, and I know that they will fly by. Pray for these last couple of weeks. 

Oh, and I got a plant.  Yes it is that tiny.

Cool Picture.

Transparent.

My parents have officially arrived in Florida. My dad's select baseball team is in the World Series!! I wish I was there, but I know that they will do just fine without me! I hope my parents find some time to have some fun while they are in Florida, and I hope that the Marauder's go all the way!

Tournament Website

On a brighter note, I actually slept last night! Praise God! I haven't mentioned it yet, but I haven't been sleeping for about the last week. I lay in bed and cannot fall asleep for anything. I lie awake, honestly a little miserable. On Sunday night, I didn't go to sleep at all. I stayed awake, prayed and read my Bible in hopes that would help else the fear.  I was praying and asking God what was going on, and why all of a sudden am I so scared? I am aware that there was an escape last week, and they still haven't caught him; but that isn't that scary to me. Even when I would fall asleep, I have been waking up with terrible nightmares. I wake up just repeating Jesus over and over again. Satan is definitely attacking.

The more I prayed, and the more I asked God why I was so fearful all of a sudden my answer became a little clear. I am surrounded by stories of crime all week. I hear about robberies, rapes, and even murders, and it has started taking a tole on me. I know that may sound a little weird, but I was over thinking all of those situations. I was thinking-- what if it was me? It scares me to the core.

Now that I had found the root of my fear- how do I get rid of it?

Psalms 37:5 says

Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, 

and He shall bring it to pass.

With all of my fear and anxiety building up inside- I just couldn't handle it anymore to the point of not sleeping for about a week. So not only is it taking a toll on my emotions but now my physical being. I was doing my devotional book that I do in the mornings yesterday, and I came across this-- and it hit right home for me.

"You cannot hoard things for a rainy day if you are truly 

trusting in Christ. Jesus said, "Let not your heart 

be troubled..." (John 14:1). God will not keep your heart 

from being troubled. It is a command- "Let not...." 

To do it, continually pick yourself up,even if you fall one 

hundred ties a day, until you get into the habit of putting 

God first and planning with Him in mind"

I know that it was about planning, but I can definitely apply it to my fear. Thank you Lord for overcoming this world. You are bigger than my fear, you are bigger than my pain, and love me enough to die for me. I am so thankful that you never leave me alone when I need you and even when I feel like I don't. Thank you for being faithful when I am faithless.


Pray this week that I can cling to these promises. Pray that my supervisor and her husband make it back safely from Ireland this week. Also we have an execution on Thursday. Pray for that man, and the family. Pray that if he has not come to know the Lord, that he is given the opportunity to do so. Pray also for his family. Remember that they did nothing. They are just experiencing a loss, that, for them, comes along with a lot of pain and anger at 'the system'.

Miss you guys!!