Blair Brendle - The World Race 2009

Dialogue With My Abba

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

A dialogue is defined as "a conversation between two or more persons." (If this is something you've yet to experience with Abba God I highly recommend it!) This specific dialogue took place as I sat in the back of a truck for hours on the roads in Port au Prince, Leogane, and Petit Goave, Haiti. My eyes were astonished as there were tent cities as far as they could see. The pictures from TV were alive and there was more rubble than I could have ever imagined. Occasionally we would slam on the breaks to proceed slowly with caution over the huge crack in the asphalt. A three-story building approximately 36 inches high on my right; a pile of rods, rocks, and wires on the side of the road 15 feet plus on my left. Sweat dripping off my forehead streaming down my face and back as I continuously surveyed the land and the dialogue began.

"God, what am I doing here? Where do I even begin to help these people, your people?"

What do you have to give?

"We have 327 bags full of rice, beans, sugar, oil, pasta, garlic, sardines, and tomato sauce, but what is 327 bags in the midst of millions of people who are hungry and thirsty and a nation in need of rebuilding?"

What do you have to give?

"I just told you, we spent all day yesterday preparing 327 bags of food and stuffing about the same amount of envelopes with money in it and we are on our way to hand these out."

But, what do you have to give, my child?

"Well, considering I had zero income in the year 2009 and am currently living at home as a means of survival, I guess I don't really have much. I don't really have any money, I don't know how to build buildings, I don't live here, and I don't even speak Creole. So I guess I don't really have much of anything to give."

Exactly. But what do I have to give?

"Blessings for those who hunger and weep, for they will be satisfied and laugh (Luke 6:21). Water that leads to never being thirsty again (John 4:14). Eternal life that they may not perish but live forever with you (John 3:16). Every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). The gospel not merely in words but made alive in the power of the Holy Spirit (1 Thess. 1:5). Wow, God you have a lot to give! So what am I doing here?" (side note I looked these passages up later, I'm far from a walking concordance!)

Now, what do you have to give?

"Well (gulp) I have been given all of these things from YOU, so I guess I could try passing them along. But how God? I don't speak creole? We are giving out food, not preaching."

Look deeper. Do you trust me?

"Of course I trust you! Ok, What do I have? I have 327 bags of food and money, I have time to give, I have a smile to pass along and arms to hold, I have a hand to high five or shake, I have the ability to pray and intercede on behalf of everyone I see and every tent city I pass, I have a heart broken for that which breaks my Father's, I have been called and I am here so there must be purpose."

That's better. So give.

So that's exactly what I began to do. I began praying fervently for everything I saw and was taking in. I helped our team of about 12 people pass out the 327 bags of food. I walked through a tent city and smiled and waved to every single person I saw. On the inside I declared hope and peace over every single person I touched or passed. It didn't feel like much and I had to fight to not be overwhelmed by the millions that I knew were hungry and thirsty and sick and without anything, but it was what I had to give. As you can see in the dialogue above, I did a lot of the talking as listening to the Lord is still an art I am daily striving to get better at, but I also think He finds joy like any Father in guiding us along and not just giving us all the answers. If the power of the Holy Spirit resides within you...you have something to give! My challenge to myself and to anyone reading this blog is to ask yourself that question: What do you have to give? It may seem miniscule in our eyes, but if we are each giving our "miniscule" part I believe the God of multiplication might just use it to cover the entire nation!

Today many miles away from Haiti and all the pain and hurting this is what I have to give, a simple prayer:
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

Haiti Bound

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The time has finally come to return to one of my favorite places in the world: Canaan Orphanage in

Haiti! The best part is this time my mom is going with me! Last February on the World Race Team BLING got to spend the month of February at Canaan and it was absolutely INCREDIBLE. There are many familiar faces I can't wait to see and many new ones I'm excited to meet. The trip will be quick which may be hard for me, but I am trusting that God's timing is perfect and as He has called each of us here for this specific time it will be awesome! Mom and I are joining a team of about 20 people and we are willing and excited to serve in whatever venture may come our way. Pictures and post to come upon our return, for now be praying for eyes and ears to see and hear as He leads and speaks.

Birthday Blessings (part 2)

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Last year I wrote a blog titled Birthday Blessings after an incredible 23rd birthday with my team in the Dominican Republic. This year my 24th Birthday was full of just as many incredible blessings right here in Wetumpka, Alabama! What started out as a small birthday dinner with some of the girls from the Race turned in to a reunion of 13 members of H-squad at my house and I couldn't have felt more loved. Some drove insane hours and distances, some flew in, and others postponed other plans to make the even possible. Leading up to the day I was giddy and excited as the thing I have missed most since being home is being surrounded by my H-squad family of 52 constantly encouraging, loving, and fighting for me. Although not all 52 could make the event, being physically surrounded by 12, getting to see a few more on skype from Spain, and receiving phone calls, texts, and facebook messages from the majority of the others was the best set of birthday blessings I could have ever asked for. Most everyone got here on Saturday and we went to dinner at Number Sixteen in Montgomery. After dinner we were picked up in a limo bus boasting an American flag down the side in which we danced, laughed, runway walked, and rode around the city for a couple of hours. Everyone stayed at my house that night and we woke up with a mini-H-squad worship service to start my actual birthday off right. We were able to break up into small groups and pray over each other which was AWESOME as we are really the only ones who truly get all that happened this past year without any explanation at all. The rest of the day was filled with intense corn hole and ping pong games, my wonderful mother's amazing cooking, an attempt at the gallon challenge, quality conversations, amazing birthday gifts from present guests and guests from afar, lots of love and laughter, and a surprise visit and worship session from my sister! It truly was a weekend full of blessings and I couldn't have felt more loved and honored. My worlds collided as my family and dear friend Katie Sanderson got to meet a handful of the people I lived with last year and the result was beautiful! I hope the pictures show the blessing better than my mere words can describe. This blog is mostly just a THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to all who played a part in making my special day, extremely special with one Birthday blessing after another! I love you all!

Pride Swallowing...

Tue, 2 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Most of my life I have found pride in the fact that I didn't NEED anyone but Jesus. Friends and family have always been great and exciting to have around, but when it all comes down to it, I didn't NEED them. Eleven months on the World Race of continuous pride swallowing, dying to self, and placing others before me has altered my opinion quite drastically! Ask any world racer what they learned the most about this year and how they learned it and the resounding answer will be the word: COMMUNITY. Ask any world race alum what they miss most and again you will hear the word: COMMUNITY! Project Searchlight was an amazing two weeks back in community; it was a time of encouragement, challenge, and praying together to help figure out what the next step looks like. For me, it was another big gulp of pride swallowing.

Even after a year of amazing community, I found myself with an action plan full of DOING after the first few days of Searchlight. The plan covered the next year and half of my life, and was filled with one "good thing" after another. Every step was getting me closer to my big Kingdom Dream and honestly I was excited to have some sort of plan formulated. However my world was wrecked and my pride swallowed yet again half way through Project Searchlight. Four or five people spoke one current theme into my life and the Lord used it to get my attention. The theme said best by Mama Carol was this: "You BECOME like WHO you are around."

Moral of the story is we were made for community: 1. We were made in the image of a communal, triune God. 2. In Genesis 2:18 God immediately says "It is not good for man to be alone..." and 3. Some of the last words Jesus spoke in John 17 were for our unity, "that we may be one, just as He and the Father are one." The New Testament is full of "one another" passages:

- Love one another (John 13:34, 15:12)

- Confess to one another (James 5:16)

- Live in harmony with one another (Romans 12:16)
- Be honest with one another (Colossians 3:9)
- Encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
- Serve one another (John 13:1-20; Galatians 5:13)

- Bear one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2)

- Forgive one another (Ephesians 4:32)

- Submit to one another (Ephesians 5:21)

- Pray for one another (James 5:16)

- Comfort one another (2 Corinthians 13:11)

- Outdo one another in showing honor (Romans 12)

Obviously we were not created to walk this path alone!!

My beautiful plan was shattered as I realized I learned more about myself, God, and living a life for Him through the past 11 months of community living than all 13 years of Christian Private School education combined. I am grateful for the years of school studying the Bible everyday, the Christian camps I went to all through childhood, and the amazing churches I have gotten to be a part of as they all prepared me beautifully for this past year. However, I now know what true Biblical community looks like and I am stifled without it.

In saying all of this, my "plan" changed from lots of doing to a need for being in a community where I will be encouraged and can encourage, challenged and able to challenge, sharpened and used to sharpen. I have no idea where this community is yet, but am currently in the researching and experimentation phase of finding it. My prayer is that the Lord will open doors where He desires for me to be and close the ones that aren't the right fit. I am seeking Him daily, desiring to hear His voice, and praying for constant clarity and patience!

**End of Blog**

Personal Application:

- I have a few friends in the Denver, Colorado area and that is really the only lead I have and am currently chasing. My plan is to go visit within the next couple months as well as apply and look in to some jobs or schooling in the area and just see if it could be a fit. If any of you have connections in that area that you would like to pass on, I would greatly appreciate it.

- I will be at home in Montgomery, Alabama for the month of February and would love to babysit, help out, or just hang out with anyone in the area.

- My mom and I are still planning on going to Haiti from February 28th to March 4th and are excited to see how the Lord will use us there.

- Stay tuned for a few more blogs as I continue to close out this season of my life and leap into the next one!

How to Help

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Canaan is an orphanage outside of Port-au-Prince and they are a great place to send money if you are looking for how to help the hurting nation of Haiti. I am praying that my mom and I will still be able to go there on February 28 to help in whatever capacity needed. My teammate from the race, Liz Froba, has a huge heart for Haiti and is doing an amazing job getting awareness out and providing ways for us to step in and help.

Finding God in the Midst of Death

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

A blog from Seth Barnes page:

I have spent the past five days with the Searchlight participants urgently praying for Haiti. Our prayers are being answered. Light is infusing the darkness as we speak. This article from Ron Hutchcraft Ministries illuminates the faith rising from the rubble.

CNN and other networks went to church today. In Haiti, that is. Because the faith celebrated there today has become part of the story of Haiti's darkest hour.

It's not a surprise to those of us who have been with these precious brothers and sisters. Some of them live every day with a tenacious faith that sustains them through their grinding poverty. And when they worship, it's not all buttoned down like so many American churches. It's exuberant!

That's why the CNN reporter at a Haitian Sunday service had a hard time hearing the anchorwoman on the other end. Yes, their church was destroyed by the earthquake.
But that didn't stop them. They worshiped in a nearby park, patching together a platform from wood scraps and somehow finding a generator and a sound system. Those Haitian believers were clearly experiencing the Presence of God in the middle of the death and destruction all around them.

One reporter seemed almost incredulous at the faith he had encountered. "Everyone we've spoken to - they're not questioning God; they're thanking God. We see spontaneous processions through the streets of Port-au-Prince, joyously praising and thanking God. At times like this, so many people's faith has defied the odds. That's what's pulling them through."

Defiant faith. That's what it is. Not faith that denies the awful grief of having lost someone whose death and final resting place they may never be able to confirm. Not faith that doesn't struggle with where to go when you've lost most of the little you had. Those realities are painful, undeniable. But for all the pain and loss on their scale, they have something on the other side of the scale. Something - or Someone - who balances the scale on the side of hope.

And the world is watching and listening. What they are seeing is a power that is greater than even life's most overwhelming shocks. Because its Source goes beyond this life.

Put simply, their life is in the hands of a Savior who conquered life's most fearsome enemy, death. Who, according to history, walked out of His grave under His own power. He stands above all the religions and prophets of history as the only Man who validated His message with a resurrection. Most every religious leader has promised eternal life. But only Jesus proved He has it to give.

What we are seeing in the defiant faith of the believers of Haiti is, in short, Jesus Christ alive. In them. The Bible describes this infusion of uncrushable life this way: "In His great mercy He has given us new birth, into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead" (1 Peter 1:3). Hope that is a Person, not a religion.

Ahhh Thailand...

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

If you followed me this year, you know that one of the places that stole my heart the most was Thailand, the Land of Smiles. Another World Race team is currently in Thailand and racer Jessica Johnson posted a phenomenal video displaying the despair all over that place, followed with the emphasis of the beauty of TRUTH! Thailand is continually on my heart and as I entrust a land that I love so dearly back into my Father's hands, He is ever so faithful in bringing new teams with freshness and excitement.

I pray this video has an impact, not just an "awww" factor.

I'm an ESTP

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

One of the things we have done during Project Searchlight is take the Myers-Briggs Personality Test. My results came back labeling me an ESTP: extrovert, sensing, thinking, perceiving. Here's a deeper interpretation of what that means according to a quick Google search. Let me know what you think!

The Doer

As an ESTP, your primary mode of living is focused externally, where you take things in via your five senses in a literal, concrete fashion. Your secondary mode is internal, where you deal with things rationally and logically.

ESTPs are outgoing, straight-shooting types. Enthusiastic and excitable, ESTPs are "doers" who live in the world of action. Blunt, straight-forward risk-takers, they are willing to plunge right into things and get their hands dirty. They live in the here-and-now, and place little importance on introspection or theory. They look at the facts of a situation, quickly decide what should be done, execute the action, and move on to the next thing.

ESTPs have an uncanny ability to perceive people's attitudes and motivations. They pick up on little cues which go completely unnoticed by most other types, such as facial expressions and stance. They're typically a couple of steps ahead of the person they're interacting with. ESTPs use this ability to get what they want out of a situation. Rules and laws are seen as guidelines for behavior, rather than mandates. If the ESTP has decided that something needs to be done, then their "do it and get on with it" attitude takes precendence over the rules. However, the ESTP tends to have their own strong belief in what's right and what's wrong, and will doggedly stick to their principles. The Rules of the Establishment may hold little value to the ESTP, but their own integrity mandates that they will not under any circumstances do something which they feel to be wrong.

ESTPs have a strong flair for drama and style. They're fast-moving, fast-talking people who have an appreciation for the finer things in life. They're usually very good at story telling and improvising. They typically make things up as they go along, rather than following a plan. They love to have fun, and are fun people to be around. They make decisions based on facts and logic.

ESTP's least developed area is their intuitive side. They are impatient with theory, and see little use for it in their quest to "get things done". An ESTP will occasionally have strong intuitions which are often way off-base, but sometimes very lucid and positive. The ESTP does not trust their instincts, and is suspicious of other people's intuition as well.

The ESTP gets bored with classes in which they feel they gain no useful material which can be used to get things done.

The ESTP needs to keep moving, and so does well in careers where he or she is not restricted or confined. ESTPs have a natural abundance of energy and enthusiasm, which makes them natural entrepreneurs. They get very excited about things, and have the ability to motivate others to excitement and action. They can sell anyone on any idea. They are action-oriented, and make decisions quickly. All-in-all, they have extraordinary talents for getting things started.

ESTPs are practical, observant, fun-loving, spontaneous risk-takers with an excellent ability to quickly improvise an innovative solution to a problem. They're enthusiastic and fun to be with, and are great motivators. If an ESTP recognizes their real talents and operates within those realms, they can accomplish truly exciting things.

If You Want Me To...

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

This is an amazing song with amazing lyrics and portrays the way in which I desire to posture myself before the Lord better than any words of my own.

"If You Want Me To" By: Ginny Owens

The pathway is broken

And The signs are unclear
And I don't know the reason why You brought me here
But just because You love me the way that You do
I'm gonna walk through the valley
If You want me to

Chorus:
Cause I'm not who I was
When I took my first step
And I'm clinging to the promise You're not through with me yet
so if all of these trials bring me closer to you
Then I will walk through the fire
If You want me to

It may not be the way I would have chosen
When you lead me through a world that's not my home
But You never said it would be easy
You only said I'd never go alone

So when the whole world turns against me
And I'm all by myself
And I can't hear You answer my cries for help
I'll remember the suffering that Your love put You through
And I will walk through the darkness
If You want me to

Cuz when I cross over Jordan
Gonna sing, gonna shout,
Gonna look into Your eyes and see You never let me down
So take me on the pathway that leads me home to You
And I will walk though the valley
If You want me to

Yes, I will walk through the valley
If You want me to

A Day on the Farm with Blair and Rocio

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

It's mid-week and we are all on a bit of an information overload; therefore today's blog is for entertainment alone! We live on an amazing mini-farm on the lake here in Georgia and this blog is a little sampling of the fun that awaits right out our front door: goats, an alpaca, pony, and chickens!

Change the World

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Before Project Searchlight we were asked to write an essay on a World Need that is of interest of us. This was my essay Pre-Searchlight!

Webster has many definitions for the word need, including "a lack of something requisite, desirable, or useful," "a physiological or psychological requirement for the well-being of an organism," or "lack of the means of subsistence," to name a few. These definitions may seem broad and general, but could be summarized in laymen's terms as "a lack of something that if added would bring a higher quality of life to an individual." The world is full of these spoken needs, some physical, some mental, some emotional, and some spiritual; however today the need I will focus on is the need of education and example. These needs of more education and more examples do not fit nicely into one category or another but have the ability to encompass so many other basic needs of people around the world.

The best way to convey these needs is through a few examples. In Africa there are many, many people dying in relation to the AIDS virus; I believe this is due to a lack of education and examples within the community. Of course this is an issue that the world is becoming more and more informed about as we raise money for the RED campaign, and Oprah opens schools all over Africa. The awareness rising in America is great, and yes, we can help, but I feel the education and awareness needs to be more focused within the townships of South Africa and the villages of Botswana, in the midst of the people suffering from this horrid disease. In South Africa my team all got tested for HIV and spent a day learning more than any textbook had ever taught us. We were the first people all month to receive back negative results. The tests were free and the education necessary. In the grand scheme of things I feel that a focus on educating the people on this disease along with providing a living example within their community could in turn begin alleviating many of the other needs in the area as a perk. Less AIDS could lead to less orphans as people live a longer life and less poverty as people can hold jobs longer, but not without clearly communicated education and lives of examples.

Another example would be the beautiful women all around the world stuck in a life of prostitution in which they see no way out. Again, I feel this is a problem that could use more education and examples. In Asia, there were many women working in the bars, selling their bodies in order to provide for their families. I believe that an education of some other types of occupations and ways to make money would provide a different and better option for these women to continue providing for their families. If this theory then proved to be true, it could lead in to a plethora of living examples of ex-prostitutes within the community providing hope to those still stuck in this miserable occupation. (I am well aware that there are some women trafficked in to this lifestyle, but in this example I am speaking of the many who choose it because they feel there is no other way.) Once again, I believe that with this education and with these examples other needs could be eliminated as a by-product. Women would have other ways to provide for their families and could then be more existent in the life of their children and/or receive less STDs living a longer and fuller life.

One more example exists right here in inner city America as only few truly grasp the concept of a better tomorrow and keep from getting stuck in the cycle of their parents and grandparents before. Before the race I worked at an urban Christian sports camp and have developed a love for the kids and youth of inner city America. However, the cycle of getting pregnant in their early teens and dropping out of school is a heartbreaking tragedy and a cycle that I believe could be avoided with a few examples and a different type of education. I'm sure there are many different ways to focus in on this need, but my passion links it with sports. There are tons of talented athletes that "get out of the ghetto" with sports, but the ones we mostly know and see are males. I believe that the athletic talent and ability amongst the females is just as incredible, but they are the ones with the baby who had to drop out of school. I believe that if there were more teachers who loved to teach and coaches who loved to coach that could bring some intentional attention into the lives of these girls the cycle could begin to be broken more times than not. These precious teenage girls have no concept of a hope of a better tomorrow therefore desiring and finding love and attention for today which leads to this downward spiral. Bring more intentional education and better life examples into these communities and I believe a new standard could be created in the minds of the people there.

Now, I have intentionally left out the reference to Jesus Christ in these examples until now. I wanted to show how education and examples alone could help, but now add Jesus Christ as the center of this education and the center of the lives of these examples and I believe that's the deal maker! If the educator and the example is leading a kingdom life full of the Holy Spirit, the education naturally turns into discipleship and not only are numbers added to the kingdom, but dreams are inserted into those being discipled and BIG things start happening! Love is authentic and without limits; leadership is not rare but all around; unforgiveness is nonexistent and grace abounds; the possibilities are endless.

I don't know exactly where and/or how I fit in to this large equation, but I know the Lord has given me gifts of teaching and a heart for the nations including our own. Teachers and coaches have had great impact on my life as so much of my time was spent in a classroom and on a court or field. I truly believe if more kingdom dreaming Christians took advantage of these two roles, teaching and coaching, around the world, we could see an alleviation of basic needs happen and could really begin to dig in to the deeper and higher needs on ole Maslow's chart!

I don't want to be a Mr. Fredrickson...

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Today at Project Searchlight we watched the first 25 minutes of a movie called UP! (if you haven't seen it, I highly recommend). After the clip we were asked a few thinking questions and given about a half hour to journal our thoughts. Before I share my journal entry, let me catch you up to speed. Mr. Fredrickson and his wife have a dream of going to South America. It's a dream that they have had since childhood and even have a scrapbook entitled "My Adventure Book." Many of the pages in the Adventure Book are left blank waiting to be filled in with stuff they will do once they get there. The book sits on the shelf for years and it's not until after the death of his wife that Mr. Fredrickson finally starts to go after their dream.

Here's my reflection:

My Adventure Book is full of exploring many other parts of the world. This year I got a taste of world needs and I'm currently starving for more. My adventure book has pages dedicated to girls' in inner-city America and other pages dedicated to children in third world countries around the globe. My book has pages of myself working within organizations leading up to pages of starting a ministry/orphanage/school from nothing. My adventure book is full of faces as most importantly I LOVE people and have a desire to shower them with a tangible LOVE that directs them back to the sometimes intangible yet ever complete true LOVE that come from the Father alone!

In the movie clip Mr. Fredrickson is kept from filling the "Stuff I'm Going to Do" pages of his adventure book simply due to life. Life got in the way and passed by much quicker than he had ever intended it happening. Bills had to be paid, so money had to be made, etc. etc. Before he knew it he lost his wife and after her death he sat down a bitter, angry old man still in need of fulfilling his big Adventure Book full of dreams.

This clip beautifully portrays one of my biggest fears since arriving back home. I have been terrified that I am going to forget, get stuck, give up, or just get distracted by life. Everyone grins and tells me that I've got plenty of time, I'm young and my life has only just begun. I have no desire to be Mr. Fredrickson yet have become increasingly aware at the capability for that to happen. It begins to happen each time I lose focus of my dreams and let myself become overwhelmed with the reality that I am a 23 year old living in my parent's house with absolutely no current form of income. It's LIFE, plain and simple, staring me in the face that tempts to change me into a Mr. Fredrickson with an Adventure Book full of empty pages of things I was going to do.

In order to ensure this doesn't happen I am daring myself to continue dreaming, even bigger than ever before. I am committing to believing God's promises that He, no only has a HUGE plan for my life, but also delights in granting me the desires of my heart. I am surrendering to His will and dedicating my tiny little life to the cause of His BIG Glory Story!

Sunday Funday

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

As every Sabbath should be, today was full of fun! We are living with the Hyltons, an incredible family in Gainesville, Georgia that has opened up their home and their lives for us to invade for the next two weeks. I absolutely love this living situation mostly for three main reasons; their names are Brittany (10), Brooks (8), and Bennett (5). With these three amazing Hyltons I have laughed hysterically, taken funny pictures, played the Wii, jumped on the trampoline, and visited their family farm complete with goats, chickens, a pony, and an alpaca!

Also today consisted of house church this morning, three delicious meals, a field trip to squad leader and dear friend Ashley Musick's, a DQ visit complete with Blizzards, and tons of laughter! Another amazing activity today occurred when my dear friend Benny found a corn hole set and we began playing immediately. So many memories of the many H-squad corn hole tournaments that took place in Nelspruit, South Africa filled my head and brought a smile to my face.

Really and truly the best part of Project Searchlight is being back in community. I absolutely LOVE being around these people. I am constantly laughing, whether being laughed at or laughing at others. I am surrounded by people all going through the same thing and it couldn't be better! Back again tomorrow...

Am I Tweeting...?

Sat, 9 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

So one of the first things I noticed when I arrived back in the States was the new obsession with something called Twitter. I quickly learned that Twitter was another social networking system made up of its own language of tweets and followers and @ signs. I laughed every time I heard someone referring to this new site that seemed to have swept the nation by storm in my absence. I couldn't believe that anyone would want the world to know what was happening in their life every single day!

Yesterday I arrived in Gainesville, Georgia for Project Searchlight. One of the first things they asked of us was to post a blog everyday during our time at Searchlight... honestly, my worst nightmare. I immediately had the urge to delete all the names of my subscribers. However, I was quickly reminded of how much the Lord has used each and every one of our blogs this year and couldn't bring myself to push delete. Today was the first day and already my heart is overwhelmed yet stirring. So... stay tuned, if you desire, because I will be blogging each day about my dreams, desires, and the plan that brings them all together over the next two weeks!

(not quite there yet, but this is the goal!!!)

Up Next... Project Searchlight!

Thu, 7 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

My last blog was an honest summary of the transition home. At the end of the blog I mentioned that I would be attending a new program called Project Searchlight in January. Well, the time has come and I head to Gainesville, Georgia tomorrow to get this thing underway. The Project Searchlight website beautifully describes what it is I am excited about in their overview of the program:

God intentionally created each of us with a specific purpose in mind. The characteristics of that purpose are found in the desires of the heart, and though the desires are clear, the purpose isn't always as easy to identify. You've experienced The World Race and your life has been forever changed, but now the race is over. Your core identity in Christ has been revealed, but you're not sure how that affects you.

"How do I transfer the new' me back into the same American culture? What does God want me to do with my life? How do I achieve the Kingdom dream that God has given me?"

Project SearchLight will lead you down the path to these answers, allowing you to not just transition home, but launching you into the purpose-filled life that God has for you after the race. Come and experience your "12th month" in a community of believers who are seeking answers to the same questions.

I think if you read my last blog and these three paragraphs it is evident that the two match up. I am excited about time amongst people I have grown to love with all my heart. I am excited about two intense weeks of learning from people who have gone before. But mostly as a person who looks at and lives day by day, I am excited to be surrounded by some amazing visionaries helping me put some of my HUGE ideas, dreams, and plans into words and down on paper. I will keep you posted on all that the Lord continues to work in my heart especially these next few weeks!

Transition

Fri, 4 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

As I stare at the blinking cursor, I'm still not really sure what to write or how to close this amazing chapter of my life. I am back home, safe and sound. Re-entry has been much weirder than I expected. It's not that I was unprepared or could have done something better before getting here, it's just that I have been WRECKED for the ordinary, yet everything around me is surreal in its absolute normality. The first few days were great surrounded by family and friends for Thanksgiving and football, but then my sisters went back to their colleges, mom and dad went back to work and I sat alone, let me repeat ALONE, in a room bigger than any I've shared with at least 5 other people in the past eleven months. The silence was screaming in my ears; so many thoughts were flying through my brain I couldn't think straight. My emotions were many and all over the place. Pictures of face after face of beautiful children kept racing through my mind. I was praying. I was crying. I was confused.

I was and still am fighting the frustration of not knowing what's next for me. Every person I come in contact with asks two questions: first, "How was your trip?" and secondly, "So, what's next?" The first question I have mastered, the second I have NOT. As the response "I'm not really sure yet" leaves my lips I can feel an internal battle of frustration, disappointment, and confusion collide with faith, hope, and patience. I smile and walk away from the conversation an utter mess, which brings me to my knees. On my knees I begin to do something that BLING has talked and learned a lot about this year, I begin to cultivate a heart of gratitude. I begin thanking Him for each beautiful face and memory that is flying through my head, I begin thanking Him for the 51 people who became my family over the course of eleven months. I thank him. This slowly begins taking the focus off of me and my self-pity. I then thank Him for His ever-constant provision and perfect timing while confessing my lack of faith and trust in just those things. As I continue thanking Him for everything that comes to mind my spirit is eased and my thoughts have found a new direction. I am encouraged by how many things I have to be thankful for and apologetic at how quickly I took my focus off of these amazing blessings. I finish by being thankful for my Abba Father who lets me curl up in His lap as he gently whispers in my ear "I know the plans I have for you... plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). Trust me!"

There is a lot I currently don't know, and at times that can be overwhelming. However, I am learning more and more each day about basking in the presence of God's glory TODAY while letting go and laying my future at His feet, entrusting it fully into His care. To take the focus off of things I yet to have the answers to, I would like to share with you some of the things I DO know...

- I know that God is Sovereign and in complete control

- I know that I prayed for God to "break my heart for what breaks yours" and He did!

- I know that I am a forever a stranger in this foreign land as my citizenship is in heaven alone. (Philippians 3:20)

- I know that I asked for the nations as my inheritance and I will spend the rest of my life chasing after it. (Psalm 2:7-8)

- I know that I was created for "iron sharpening iron" type of community and won't settle in to a life without it. (Proverbs 27:17)

- I know that I am in an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ and it just doesn't get much better than that!

In this time of transition, of entering into a bit of the unknown, I am choosing to focus on the truths and promises that I do know. I am stepping out in faith that God's word is, will be, and has always been the truth and that His timing alone is perfect.

**End of Blog**

Practical application: This is all I currently know of next...

- From now until December 20 I will be doing lots of traveling to Clemson, Tampa, Dallas, etc. to visit friends and attend a wedding!

- I will be in Montgomery for Christmas celebrating with and in true Brendle fashion!

- January 8-22 I will be living in Georgia taking part in Project Searchlight!

- February 27-March 3 I will be going back to Haiti taking my mom on her first mission trip! (Money donations to help pay for this trip would be an amazing Christmas present!!!!)

Month 11 Video!

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

One last time, my teammate Shannon put together a fabulous video to depict what our last month on the race looked like. We had a fabulous month of meeting amazing people in ministry all over Europe. We were super encouraged by each and every one of them and pray that they, too, were encouraged by our testimonies of God's goodness all over the globe! We are currently in BEAUTIFUL Vienna for our last week together trying to soak up every single moment we have together. Please continue to pray for all of us as we enter a period of intense transition seeking out God's next step in His plan for each of our lives. Thanks for continuing to follow me and my team through stories, pictures, and videos; know that your comments of encouragement have been and continue to be full of blessings! See many of you soon!

Enjoy... Poland, Germany, and Czech Republic!

Prague Made Personal

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This poem was written after a night of prayer walking Wen Square. I hope it speaks for it itself... I am so thankful that even with only one week left I am still learning the Lord's lessons for my life!

Prague Made Personal

As we walked the square my emotions were many

Anger, compassion, frustration; they were plenty
Not necessarily new, yeah we've seen it all before
So many walk by and just choose to ignore
Heartbroken for the girls living life like this
Compassion for the men living in false bliss
Anger towards the mastermind behind everything
Frustration towards believers not doing anything

Step back, deep breath, there's a shift in my mind
As my eyes scan the square I see we're all the same kind
All people with an emptiness that needs to be filled in
Alcohol, money, sex we know the trend
And on the surface this square seems to meet all those needs
Casinos for money, the fresh aroma of weed
Men soliciting for sex, alcohol everywhere
All the designer clothes if your identity's in what you wear
So many deceived, thinking this square presents the answers
When really these things operate more like cancers
You use them to fill the emptiness, but they eat more away
And you wake up filling more and more empty everyday
So you try harder and fill it with even more
Until eventually the emptiness cuts all the way to the core
This pattern's not new, we've all been in the same place
There's NO reason to feel any shame or disgrace
But there is a little secret I desire to share
Because you're going to stay empty until you become aware
Aware of the fact that the emptiness if real
Aware also that there is only one who can heal

As I prayed and walked the square, the judgments left my mind
As the Lord gently played my life in slow rewind
Reminding me of the time I, too, was seeking
Unaware of all the havoc to my life I was wreaking
I filled the empty hole with sports and school
I filled it with many ways trying to stay cool
I filled it with staying busy, never a moment's rest
I filled it with excellence, always doing my best
I was pretty good at filling it, yet never felt full
Til finally Jesus on my heart strings started to pull
I started to believe the truths I'd learned all along
Realizing in Christ alone I truly did belong

I scanned the square again and saw myself everywhere
Thousands of me's needing tender, love, and care
So I prayed for the dealers and the tourists all the same
For the prostitutes and the guys spitting game
I prayed for FREEDOM and LIFE to the full
I prayed that Christ would take over and this square he would rule
I prayed not because I'm better but because I'd been there before
And a sense of compassion had overwhelmed me all the way to the core

This square in Prague is written on my heart
Ten days from the finish, still learning as much as from the start
Excited to com home, aware that this is not the ending
Accepting of the fact that my life is really just beginning
So whether Thailand, U.S.A., or in Prague's square
The message is the same and it's my job to share
I'll no longer keep silent, I'll never be "finished"

Because with Christ as my source I will remain replenished!

Thank You Carol!!!

Sun, 8 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

As most of you know, this month looks a little different for Team BLING; we are traveling to three different countries sharing our experience from the past ten months and building future contacts for World Race to use as this program continues to grow. When praying about which three countries our team should go to we emailed family and friends, put up facebook statuses, and even googled local missionaries in the area. One quick response came from my teammate's mother... CAROL! She informed us of a man living in Lam, Germany whose family runs a bed and breakfast here. At this time, Liz and her mom began to contact this man, Andreas, and he replied with an excited invitation for all four of us to come stay with him in Lam. I believe the pictures will speak for themselves, but know that we are being treated like Queens and living like royalty! Andreas is spoiling us with huge, beautiful beds, delicious meals, and trips all around the beautiful area of Lam. All in all, this blog is a shout out to Liz's mom, Carol, to say THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for connecting us with Andreas! Enjoy the view...

Welcome dinner with Andreas!!! The view from our balcony... breathtaking!

Our home for the weekend... SPOILED! The train station in Lam.

The Huber Guest House! The view walking down our driveway!

Our time in Lam has been absolutely fabulous. It has been a time of rest and relaxation placed beautifully in the middle of a super busy month 11 on the race. We leave here tomorrow and head to Prague for the last nine days. This month has been a month full of blessings and encouragements as we have gotten to see what God is doing all over Europe and get people excited about what God is doing in America through the World Race!

Poland Pictures

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

An authentic Polish dinner with our new friend Johanna. It was amazing!

Hanging out with Laura Hash of Josiah Venture

Some of the coolest teenagers we know... Caleb, Jacob, Noah, and Peter

Two PRECIOUS little girls: Hannah on the left and Abi on the right.

The Skrobarczyk Family running King's Kids in Katowice, Poland.

Saying goodbye to our amazing hosts and new found friends in Krakow, Jeremy and Lee!

A difficult day at Auschwitz-Birkenau revisiting the terrible things that happened there. It was a day full of prayer and historical learning, so although it was hard to see, well worth it.

Left: The joys of traveling by train!!!!

Right: Happy Fall with the beautiful changing leaves in Krakow, Poland!

Poland was our first of three stops this month and we absolutely LOVED it! Meeting missionaries and hearing what God is doing in Poland was really exciting. We are currently in Munich, Germany headed to Lam, Germany this afternoon. We miss Ashley and Kristen like crazy, but have been having a blast traveling through parts of Europe sharing our World Race experience and getting local ministries excited about possibly hosting teams in the future. We are less than three weeks away from home which seems CRAZY, but I am excited about seeing and catching up with everyone of YOU! Keep the prayers and comments coming so that we can finish this thing STRONG!

Quite possibly My favorite place in the WORLD!

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The other night Team BLING sat around and watched all of our videos from the entire year. It was an absolute blast; however I was really sad because the only month we didn't have a true video from was Thailand. If you have been following this journey, you know that Thailand was most definitely the hardest place for me to leave and the place that I am constantly praying for a return; therefore I was really sad that this was the month left out of our video-making. A few days later, my amazing teammate Kristen called me in the room and said she had something to show me: A VIDEO OF OUR TIME IN SELAPHUM! that she had made just for me!!!! I was so excited and watched the video on "repeat" for the rest of the night. This is her first video and I think it is absolutely fabulous, beautifully portraying the country that captured my heart! ENJOY!

Yay for Videos!!!

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Below are two videos that I hope you will take the time to Enjoy! The first is a video of my dear friend Victor. He is a sixteen year old boy living at Child Rescue where we spent a lot of time this month. He is learning English and was very excited about sharing his story in English to people back in America. Victor knows who saved and changed his life and is learning more and more the importance of sharing that story to help others. The video is a little hard to hear so you might want to turn up the volume on your speakers. To learn more about this awesome organization you can visit http://www.crossrdsfoundation.org/ , their support base in the states.

The second video is all about our time in Kiev. Shannon again did a fabulous job of showing what all went on this month. This was our last month altogether as Team BLING and it was a great one to end on! Ashley and Kristen are headed to Berlin for month 11 to bring light in to the darkness through Praise and Worship!!! The rest of us are going on a pioneering month, building contacts for our organization through sharing our story and learning about what all God is already doing in that area of the world. We are headed to Krakow, Poland first, Munich/Lam, Germany second, and Prague, Czech Republic last. We will all join back together for final debrief in Vienna, Austria and return to the states on November 23rd. I am super excited about next month as the Lord has been so amazing in providing contacts in each of these countries for us! The journey is NOT yet over... prayers and encouraging words are still needed and appreciated.

New and Old

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

"Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household who brings out of his treasure things new and old." Matthew 13:52 NASB

This verse comes at the end of Matthew chapter 13 after Jesus finishes giving seven different parables about the kingdom of heaven. He relates the kingdom of heaven to seven different real-life examples to help us understand it more easily. Seven different, yet un-contradicting ways of describing His kingdom. After all seven, Jesus asks in verse 51 "Have you understood all these things?" and the reply is "Yes," leading directly into verse 52.

My mom's side of the family is Jewish, and my dad was raised Baptist. I went to a Presbyterian early elementary school, a Church of Christ school for 3rd through 12th grade, a Methodist church on Sundays, a Presbyterian church in college, and have now been on a year long adventure with some crazy Charismatic's. At times, it gets confusing. Every single one of these groups believes differently on some issue or another, yet I refer to all of them with LOVE as I am close to people within every single one of these religions and denominations who love the Lord with all their heart. This isn't a blog about the differences within these churches and it's definitely not about who's right or wrong; it's about how I, Blair Brendle, fit into this equation.

You see, what the Lord has reveled to me through this scripture is that I am the "head of a household" Jesus is referring to. And it is my joy, honor, and responsibility to bring out of my treasure things new and old. I have been taught by some amazing men and women of faith all my life who have left lasting impressions while playing a role in helping build my foundation. My foundation is solid; I say with confidence, not pride, that my house is built upon the rock of Jesus Christ. This doesn't mean temptation no longer exists or that I never fall captive to sin, but it means I know who my Savior is and the power and grace that abounds within him while at the same time knowing who I am in Him. My foundation is built on the age-old truths of the Word of God that are the same yesterday, today and forevermore and are apart of the "old treasure" I am called to bring out.

The World Race has been a year of learning more about the role and power of the Holy Spirit who lives within me. A year of learning what true Acts chapter two community is suppose to look like amongst believers. A year of learning how to tune in and hear the voice of the Lord more clearly. A year of redefining my Christianity to look more and more like a relationship than a religion. A year of breaking free from any and everything that holds me back from being who the Lord has called me to be. A year of recognizing and daily fighting the spiritual warfare that exists all around me. These are a few of the "new treasures" I am called to bring out.

As we are less than two months away from being home, it is a bittersweet feeling all around. However, I know the Lord spoke to me through Matthew 13:52 as an encouragement as well as a responsibility I have in going home. The Lord has blessed me with both a head and a heart knowledge of who He is and as I have "been instructed about the kingdom of heaven" I have been called to be like the "head of a household who brings out of my treasure things new and old." If you haven't figured this out already, I'm not coming home the same person that left. I promise this is a good thing! But here is fair warning... get ready Montgomery, I'm only 7 weeks away.

Update!

Wed, 7 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I don't have much of a blog formed to post, but after waking my dear mother up at 2 a.m. to catch up on skype, she says people just want to know where we are and what we are doing, so here it goes! Team BLING is in Kiev, Ukraine living on the tenth floor in an apartment with the other all girls' team Gentle Warriors. We lovingly refer to where we live as the Pozniaky Projects as it is one of many indentical skyrise apartment complexes just off the Pozniaky metro stop. This small town girl is adjusting the the hustle and bustle of life in a big city as we push our way on and off the metro a few times a day to get wherever we need to go. The city streets are always lined with people. There's a McDonald's on every corner. There's break dancing and other street performances every weekend. There's even a TGI Friday's with the same menu as home! Needless to say this month looks a little different from the Village life in Romania. Team BLING is getting involved with a few different things this month as the Lord continues to do His thing and open doors in the most unexpected of ways. Currently we are helping wallpaper and renovate at a Street Children's Rehab Center, attend English club with University aged students, and will be attending a very serious Russian Mafia Game Night this Saturday! Our prayer this month is that whether we have 10 minutes, 2 hours, or 2 weeks with an individual we make ministry our life and share our story, giving glory to God in every single circumstance. This is Team BLING's last month together (as next month will look a little different) and we are making the most of it! Much more to come soon, but I just wanted to let you know where we were and testify to the age-old saying that "God is good all the time and all the time God is good."

Also, check out this incredible video another one of my squadmates made about our time in Romania. Di Dinnis is an amazingly talented videographer and put this video together. It rocked my world to see God's goodness and I was there...my prayer is that it does the same for you!

Romania Video

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Props once again to Shannon for an amazing video capturing our time in Romania. This month was super short and super different as 11 World Race teams all lived within one kilometer of each other, but we still tried to work hard at whatever our hands found to do while loving on the village in the meantime! We are now in Brasov, Romania for a 3 day conference with 200+ world racers, alumi, and AIM staff. Where we are headed next... I'll let you know when I do! For now, ENJOY the video!

The Voyage

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

WARNING: This may be a little lengthy!

I am currently in the process of reading through all seven books of C.S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia. I just finished book five which is The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and came across a passage that depicts what this year has been like more than anything else I have come across. I am going to enter an excerpt from the book, but first need to set the scene:

Eustace is the snotty, bratty cousin whom Lucy and Edmund have been sent to spend the holidays with. During their time there, Eustace is nothing but rude, annoying, and impossible to please. One day while looking at a painting of a ship, everything from the painting becomes real and all three children are launched onto a ship into the world of Narnia. This is a world very familiar and loved by Edmund and Lucy, but completely foreign and downright nonsensical to Eustace. The ship stops at an island and to get out of work Eustace wanders off by himself only to find and try on a golden bracelet that turns him into a dragon. The excerpt below is the process of Eustace being transformed back into a boy.

"Well, anyway, I looked up and saw the very last thing I expected: a huge lion coming slowly towards me. And one queer thing was that there was no moon last night, but there was moonlight where the lion was. So it came nearer and nearer. I was terribly afraid of it. You may think that, being a dragon, I could have knocked any lion out easily enough. But it wasn't that kind of fear. I wasn't afraid of it eating me, I was just afraid of it--if you can understand. Well, it came close up to me and looked straight into my eyes. And I shut my eyes tight. But that wasn't any good because it told me to follow it."

"You mean it spoke?"

"I don't know. Now that you mention it, I don't think it did. But it told me all the same. And I knew I'd have to do what it told me, so I got up and followed it. And it led me a long way into the mountains. And there was always this moonlight over and round the lion wherever we went. So at last we came to the top of a mountain I'd never seen before and on the top of this mountain there was a garden--trees and fruit and everything. In the middle of it there was a well.

"I knew it was a well because you could see the water bubbling up from the bottom of it: but it was a lot bigger than most wells--like a very big, round bath with marble steps going down into it. The water was as clear as anything and I thought if I could get in there and bathe, it would ease the pain in my leg. But the lion told me I must undress first. Mind you, I don't know if he said any words out loud or not.

"I was just going to say that I couldn't undress because I hadn't any clothes on when I suddenly though that dragons are snaky sort of things and snakes can cast their skins. Oh, of course, thought I, that's what the lion means. So I started scratching myself and my scales began coming off all over the place. And then I scratched a little deeper and, instead of just scales coming off here and there, my whole skin started peeling off beautifully, like it does after an illness, of as if I was a banana. In a minute or two I just stepped out of it. I could see it lying there beside me, looking rather nasty. It was a most lovely feeling. So I started to go down into the well for my bathe.

"But just as I was going to put my feet into the water I looked down and saw that they were all hard and rough and wrinkled and scaly just as they had been before. Oh, that's all right, said I, it only means I had another smaller suit on underneath the first one, and I'll have to get out of it too. So I scratched and tore again and this underskin peeled off beautifully and out I stepped and left it lying beside the other one and went down to the well for my bathe.

"Well, exactly the same thing happened again. And I thought to myself, oh dear, how ever many skins have I got to take off? For I was longing to bathe my leg. So I scratched away for the third time and got off a third skin, just like the two others, and stepped out of it. But as soon as I looked at myself in the water I knew it had been no good.

"The the lion said--but I don't know if it spoke--You will have to let me undress you.' I was afraid of his claws, I can tell you, but I was pretty nearly desperate now. So I just lay flat down on my back to let him do it.

"The first tear he made was so deep that I thought it had gone right into my heart. And when he began pulling the skin off, it hurt worse than anything I've ever felt. The only thing that made me able to bear it was just the pleasure of feeling the stuff peel off. You know--if you've ever picked the scab off a sore place. It hurts like billy-oh but it is fun to see it coming away."

"I know exactly what you mean," said Edmund.

"Well, he peeled the beastly stuff right off--just as I thought I'd done it myself the other three times, only they hadn't hurt--and there it was, lying on the grass: only ever so much thicker, and darker, and more knobbly-looking than the others had been. And there was I as smooth and soft as a peeled switch and smaller than I had been. Then he caught hold of me--I didn't like that much for I was very tender underneath now that I'd no skin on--and threw me into the water. It smarted like anything but only for a moment. After that it became perfectly delicious and as soon as I started swimming and splashing I found that all the pain had gone from my arm. And then I saw why. I'd turned into a boy again."

(The Voyage of the Dawn Treader Lewis 473-475)

I Peter 1:6-9 says, "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls."

The excerpt from C.S. Lewis accompanied with the scripture from I Peter more beautifully wrap up what the past nine months have looked like than any words I'll ever be able to find. In the story I am Eustace, and as the trip started I was very aware of some layers that needed to be stripped away. With good motive and a desiring heart I was trying my hardest to strip each layer at a time, but the more I thought I stripped away, the more I realized was still there to be stripped away. It wasn't until I came to the realization in Africa that it was no longer I who needed to do the stripping, but my Savior Jesus Christ. Just as Eustace allowed Aslan, the lion, to peel the rest of the layers off, I began to learn how to throw my hands up in surrender allowing Jesus to strip away the layers of me that were not bringing Him any glory and that He desired to replace with healing. And though Eustace is correct in saying that the process is painful, for me it is worth it, especially with the promise and desire in I Peter for my faith to be "proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." There are a little over two months left of this incredible journey and my prayer is that I remain here in the present continuously surrendering my life and my rights and my expectations over to Jesus who will continue stripping away the layers of my life that don't bring him glory, replacing and inserting healing, joy, and confidence in who He desires me to be.

Beautiful Romania

Mon, 7 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This is a super quick update just to let all of you know where we are and that we are well. We are in Ville Tecii, Romania for the month working with the mostly gypsy people that belong to this village. Romania is full of beautiful green rolling hills and some of the best scenery of the race thus far. Europe is very different from Africa but we seem to be adjusting well. We start ministry full time tomorrow and are looking forward to the relationships we will be building with these beautiful people. All of H-squad is living on the same street in Ville Tecii only a few houses apart, which is super fun to get to be together in ministry. Last night I heard 4 of my amazing brothers preach at church and for 3 of them it was the first time I have gotten to hear them. I am excited to see the people I have grown to love so much on my squad do their thing in ministry all around me this month! Thanks for your constant prayers and encouragement and I will try to post again soon including some pictures! Love to you all!

South Africa Video

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Thanks again to my amazing teammate Shannon for a TERRIFIC video of our time in South Africa. This has definitely been one of the best months of the race full of adventures like skydiving, laser tag, and the lion park and amazing ministry with the street boys, Children of Fire (www.firechildren.org), manual labor, and the feeding scheme in a nearby township. Dave Brown of Team Spectacle has been our "Dad" for the month as AIM didn't feel comfortable placing an all girls' team in Jo-Burg alone, so there is a terrific tribute to him at the end of the video as well. I can't believe Africa is coming to close as the feeling is bittersweet... sad to leave this amazing continent but excited for what comes in Eastern Europe. Debrief starts tomorrow and then off to Romania on September 3! Internet will be slim to none for the next week at least and then who knows what Romania has in store, but I will write as soon as I can! Thanks for all of your prayers and encouraging comments!

Straight Street

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I'm standing on the corner with cardboard sign and ragged clothes
I have a name and a story that no one cares to know
You see me right beside your window and refuse to catch my eye
I can see you shake your head as you let out a little sigh
Afraid to give me money because you know exactly what I'll do
Spend it on something to take away my pain... "Wouldn't you?"
The facts in your mind are plain and simple "I'm a forgotten disgrace"
And then you're frustrated a few hours later when you can't forget my face
Maybe you offer up a prayer, maybe bring me some bread
Safe until you see me again, now that's something that you dread
Because the process just starts over, turn your head and look away
Could it be I just want someone to listen to what I have to say?
Hear me out, hear my story, I promise there's more than meets the eye
Ask me what my name is and where at night I choose to lie
Truly look into my eyes and you'll see I'm just a boy
I'm not standing here in hopes to simply just annoy
I'm hungry, cold, and need some money to get my high
What, it's the truth, blocks the feeling for a night
Helps me forget why I'm here and all that happened before
It's what you do when you realize there's really nothing more
It's really pretty easy when no one knows your name
Life is no longer a reality, but merely a game
Who can I manipulate? Who will fall for my scheme?
No, I don't feel guilty; No, I don't think I'm being mean
I'm simply surviving from day to day on the street
Hoping that one day my eyes you'll choose to meet

The past two weeks we have been working alongside Melville Junction church to begin developing relationships with the "street boys" and establish the starts of a long term program that this church will follow through with. We've been going out each afternoon taking a meal with us and just sitting, listening, and building relationships with the boys. Most of the boys are between the ages of fifteen and their mid-twenties and have been living on the streets anywhere from a few months to six plus years. Many of our conversations take place as the residue of super glue remains just beneath their nose or the stench of marijuana is so strong you think you could possibly get high also, but this hasn't been a discouragement this has been REAL.

The relationship we are forming with these boys is not one to judge, correct, or reprove but one of LOVE... real, hard, true Love. Just because I say it hasn't been a discouragement doesn't at all mean it hasn't been a challenge, but the facts remain true we are there to show LOVE, and mostly through listening. We know most all of their names, we know most of their stories, and we truly enjoy spending time with them. However, it's been a very convicting two weeks for me as well. How many people have I passed living on the streets without ever thinking twice? How many people have I prayed don't knock on my window at an intersection? How many people have I judged or felt sorry for, but done nothing? TOO MANY!

As I was reading the book of Isaiah I stumbled across this beautiful verse, "Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing (Isaiah 40:26)." We have been blessed to see some BEAUTIFUL star-filled skies especially while in Africa, and Isaiah states that my Father knows each and every star by name...incredible! However the reality is that if He knows every star by name and not one of them is missing, how much more love, attention, and care is there for the people He created. Stars are beautiful, but only humans were created IN the image of God himself, displaying how much the Father loves people...including people that live on the streets.

To be known by name is a wonderfully powerful act of Love that the Father bestows onto each of us willing to receive it; and if we are to be His children desiring daily to be more and more like him, may we challenge ourselves to display this wonderfully powerful act of love unto "others"... including the least of these.

Botswana Video!

Tue, 4 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Here's another great video Shannon made of our time in Botswana last month... ENJOY!!!

For the month of August we will be living and ministering in Johannesburg, South Africa. We will be involved in a variety of different ministries and are looking forward to the Lord using and molding us just as much in month 8 as he has in month one through seven!