Hello friends and Happy New Year! 2010 is gone and 2011 is here. This new year is bringing new journeys my way! I ended 2010 and began 2011 in Atlanta with my mom. I had the opportunity to serve at Passion as a volunteer in the 268store! What an amazing and powerful experience. I was able to meet so many awesome students and hear some amazing stories of how God is working in their lives. There is nothing like seeing 22,000 university students worshipping Jesus. The conference was 4 days, January 1-4. Students were led in worship by Chris Tomlin, David Crowder, Kristian Stanfill, Charlie Hall, Christy Nockels & Matt Redman. Students heard messages from Louie Giglio, Francis Chan, Beth Moore, David Platt, John Piper and a few others. Students and volunteers alike were challenged to carry the name of Jesus everywhere! Here are my reflections from Passion 2011 Atlanta:
-Jesus should be at the bottom of your joy.
-Pray for God to give you the heart of your desire, not the desire of your heart.
-Together we are a force for good.
-Jesus, you are ALL to us.
-It is our mission, no matter what our skill set & passions to advance the gospel where we are.
-My hope is in the Lord.
-It is always about Jesus and His Glory and We are to make Him famous.
Passion's Do Something Now campaign was incredible to see. Students and volunteers had the opportunity to give financially to 10 global causes ranging from clean water in India, homes in Haiti, Freeing women and children from sex trafficking in Philippines and Bolivia, Small business loans in Afghanistan, Feeding hungry children in South Africa, Life saving surgeries for babies in Uganda, Compassion International, Sending Bibles to the unreached in Colombia to Towels & socks for the homless of Atlanta. The goal was $470,000. This is how awesome God is....
-Homeless: Given: 18,400 towels. 68,000 pairs of socks for Atlanta area shelters!
-Clean Water: $75,000 for 15 wells in villages in India. Given: 24 wells!
-Micro-Finance: 200 small business loans for Afghan entrepreners totaling $40,000. Given: 387 loans!
-Bibles: 20,000 New Testaments to unreached in Colombia at $20,000. Given: 31. 554 New Testaments!
-Feeding Children: Feed 1, 000 at risk children in South Africa for one year at $50,000. Given: Feeding 2, 225 children!
-Homes: Build 15 homes in Haita at $54,000. Given 39 homes!
-Sponsor Children: Sponsor 150 children and provide family essentials at a cost of $100,000. Given: 442 children sponsored!
-Human Trafficking: Restoration and a future for 10 girls trapped in sex slavery in Bolivia at a cost of $36,000. Given: 22 girls rescued/restored!
-Surgeries for Children: $50,000 to fund 50 Hydrocephalus surgeries in Uganda. Given: 142 surgeries!
-Rescue Women: $45,000 to fund 10 rescue operations to free sex slaves in the Philippines (each operation frees 15 women on average). Given: 29 rescue operations!
-Plus, College fund for Haitain earthquake survivor, Therissa Leo. Given: $23,106! (This was not planned beforehand or factored into the $470,000).
The total given at Passion 2011 Atlanta: $1,167,249.24
All I've got to say is don't count this generation out! Do Something Now = worship + justice! The dollar amount is staggering, but these students and volunteers understand what it means to be the hands & feet of Jesus! These numbers brought me to tears. Lives will be transformed because of the generosity and love out of which this money was given! May Christ be made famous! For more info on Passion go to http://www.268generation.com/
Needless to say, my new year has gotten off to a fantastic start! I also have started grad school this week! I am pursuing a Master's degree in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in both Mental Health Counseling and Family & Marriage Therapy! I'm starting off with Counseling Skills and Foundations of Counseling! My first week of class was awesome! I am so excited to soak up and learn everything I can about the field of Counseling Psychology! Stay tuned for grad school updates!!
It's the start of a new year, a new decade and a new journey. I wait with anticipation to see how God will work in my life over this year! I know 2011 is going to be a phenomenal year for me! Jesus, let everything I do bring glory to your name!
"....Your name & Your renown are the desire of our soul." Isaiah 26:8
No comments:
Post a Comment