Posts Tagged ‘MYA’
Mexico Mission Team
Posted in Mexico, tagged 1Mission, Community, family, Mexico, Mission trip, Missions, MYA, Rocky Point, Servants on June 4, 2013| Leave a Comment »
One Million Meals in 24 hours
Posted in Missions, Poverty, tagged #MillionMealsAZ, 3am, Africa, Change the World from Phoenix, Count me in, Downtown Phoenix, expansion, Feed my starving children, FMSC, food packing, hungry, Kurt Warner, MYA, One million meals, Phoenix, Phoenix Convention Center, Poverty, volunteers on April 13, 2013| Leave a Comment »
Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action
1 John 3:18
About thirty of us headed down to downtown Phoenix to be a part of Feed my Starving Children’s One Million Meals campaign. FMSC is expanding and they held this 24 hour event that was trying to pack one million meals and raise one million dollars for the expansion. I serve with FMSC every six months and love being a part of a team of people who bonds together to make a difference in the world. FMSC is a food packing ministry that uses volunteers to pack food that is shipped all over the world to poverty striken areas to feed children that suffer from malnourishment. This event was held at the Phoenix convention center and they had time slots that you could sign up for over the weekend. Our group took the call and did the 3am to 5am slot. We were tired, but in the end our group packed 72360 meals – enough to feed 198 kids for a year. Overall in the 24 hours, 2,966 volunteers packed 1,023,408 meals (enough to feed 2804 children for a full year)! They also raised over $500,000 for the expansion. It was a blessing to be a part of this and a blessing to serve alongside my amazing friends.
Shine a Light on Slavery
Posted in Justice, Passion, tagged #EnditMovement, 268 Generation, 27 million, April 9, Arizona State University, Atlanta, awareness, awareness is doing the work, Chris Tomlin, coalition partners, End It, End it Movement, End It Movement Road Team, End It Road Team, END IT Sunday, Francis Chan, Georgia Dome, God, Headed to the Dome, human trafficking, In it to End It, Indifference is not an option, Jesus Christ, Justice, Lecrae, Matt Hasselbeck, Mission Community Church, Mission Young Adults, modern-day slavery, MYA, Nick Cannon, Passion, Passion 2013, rescue, Sex Trafficking, Shine a Light, Shine a Light on Slavery, Slavery, Times Square, x on hand on April 9, 2013| 2 Comments »
WE ARE ALL IN IT TO END IT!
Today is Shine a Light on Slavery Day. This is the target day for End it Movement to reach the masses about the 27 million people being held in modern-day slavery and sex trafficking. This movement started in January at Passion 2013 and has made a lot of noise since. Everywhere college students and young adults are finding creative ways to talk about this issue. Many celebrities have jumped on board to use their star status to raise awareness. Awareness is doing the work and End It exists to help educate us about this injustice. We are the generation that can be a voice for those without one and put an end to slavery. Indifference is not an option. Draw a red X on your hand and talk to people about this. Go to EnditMovement.com and sign the pledge that says you are in it to END IT!
Times Square IS IN IT TO END IT!
The campus of Arizona State University is IN IT TO END IT!
Inspiring People
Posted in Relationships, tagged encouragement, Friends, Godly people, Guatemala, inspiring people, MYA, ONE retreat, PhoenixONE, relationships on February 10, 2013| Leave a Comment »
Sometimes God puts people in your life to encourage and inspire you. This week I got some quality time with two people (of so many) who have impacted me.
I was at PhoenixONE earlier this week running a booth. I ran into a guy who I haven’t seen in some time – my friend Malachi. It was funny because he was on the cover of my brochure at my table and I looked up and there he was. I love God’s sense of humor. At the very first PhoenixONE gathering in 2011, I sat with Malachi in the front row (he was volunteering). His personality made him easy to get to know as he was very friendly. Then I went through a difficult summer later that year and this guy Mike Bhatti recommended I get to know him because of our similar backgrounds. I ran into him at the ONE retreat in Williams and we spent some time together. I found out he had been through divorce and had a little daughter. He totally helped walk me through that tough time. He then moved to Alaska to be closer with his daughter not too long after that. But his impact on me remains and seeing him was a shot in the arm for me this week.
I went to Guatemala last year and met Karyn on that trip. It was her first mission’s trip and we sat together on the plane ride there. At first I was just trying to help calm her nerves. But then I really started to see how pure her faith in God was. I kept saying to myself that this is one very good girl and God is doing something cool in her. She is getting her degree in veterinarian medicine and was on this trip to work with the animals in the villages. We had a moment on the trip where it was just her and I treating a cow by ourselves in some remote village. The needle had broken off as she was injecting the medicine into the cow. I remember her tripping out at first because she couldn’t find the needle and didn’t know what to do. I so wanted to rescue her from this situation because I’ve always had this ‘rescue’ mentality most of my life for people in need (something God has worked out of me recently). So I decided to stand back and let God work in her. I just let her know that I was there for her if she needed and prayed. I then saw someone put her faith in God and take charge of the situation. It was amazing! I gained so much respect for her and we have become good friends since then. I remember telling my friend Julie (one of her accountability partners) on the plane ride back to not let any crappy guys come in and ruin this girl because she has such a pure heart for God. Today I razz her repeatedly for her loyalties to the U of A, but love her to death. We had a fun day celebrating her birthday today.
I love that God uses people to encourage our walk. These are just a couple of people God has put in my path to make me more Christlike. After a period of time of having negative judging people in my life that just drag you down, it is refreshing to have such positive uplifting brothers and sisters to grow with. I am thankful for them and feel very blessed to have them in my life.
Change Makers
Posted in Food for the Hungry, Missions, PhoenixONE, tagged 5k walk, Bangladesh, Brad Lomenick, Break Free, Brian Wurzell, Catalyst, change maker, FH Bloggers, Food for the Hungry, Grace, Hillsong, International Women's day, Jeff Gokee, Kingdom entrepreneurs, leaders, MYA, Phoenix, PhoenixONE, Ryan Axtell, Walk to Empower Women on February 5, 2013| Leave a Comment »
Tonight was a pretty fun night for me at PhoenixONE. I had my own booth set up and was able to connect with lots of people from different churches. I ran into my old buddy Malachi and chatted with lots of friends that I have made over the years. I then looked across and saw that my friend Heidi from Food for the Hungry had her booth set up across from me. She was fresh off her trip to Bangladesh with the FH bloggers. She was there to get people to sign up for the FH Empower Women 5k walk.
It’s always a blessing to have my long time friends and worship leaders Brian Wurzell and Ryan Axtell lead worship for PhoenixONE. Brian always picks a song to get us moving around in our seats and tonight it was Hillsong’s “Break Free”. Tonight’s speaker was Brad Lomenick of Catalyst. I’m a huge fan of Catalyst and have been to a couple of their West Coast conferences in Orange county. Brad helps raise up leaders and Catalyst is a movement that helps equip them through amazing speakers and teachers.
Brad’s talk was about the four keys to being a change maker (the theme of the Catalyst conference this year). My notes:
1. Understanding your calling
– Our talents and passions should intersect
– Salvation and Vocation
Write down your three greatest strengths and then your three greatest passions
2. Create a legacy
– Your 20’s will establish your 70’s – start creating your legacy now.
– Be Kingdom entrepreneurs – both business and the Bible.
– Own a vision bigger than what is in front of you. Perseverance is important.
3. Excellence – be the best in the world.
– Set a standard of excellence.
– Be good at everything you do – father, co-worker, etc. Work hard and be a good finisher. The world will notice.
4. Be more like Jesus.
– Passionately pursue Him. There are too many average Christians.
– His grace leads to our passion of worship which leads to joy in our lives.
I sat with my friend Heidi during the service. She was up next to talk about Food for the Hungry‘s International Women’s Day. The Walk to Empower Women 5k walk at Indian Steele Park is in March. This is a walk to raise awareness of the women around the globe that face violence, discrimination, lack of basic rights, lack of education. Heidi has a huge heart for this and God has taught me a lot about partnerships. Heidi has put a lot of time and effort into this and I’m thankful be a voice to help raise awareness for her. Plus I have the utmost respect for Food for the Hungry and always blessed to be a part of what they are doing in to world.
Born is the King of Israel
Posted in Advent, Mission Young Adults, tagged Adent, Christmas, Christmas songs, Jesus Christ, MYA, Silent Night, The First Noel on December 20, 2012| Leave a Comment »
Advent – Day 19
The First Noel, the Angels did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep
On a cold winter’s night that was so deep.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israel!
They looked up and saw a star
Shining in the East beyond them far
And to the earth it gave great light
And so it continued both day and night.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israel!
Holiday Parties
Posted in Advent, tagged Advent, Christ, Christmas, Community, Hebrews 8:6, Holiday Parties, MYA on December 15, 2012| Leave a Comment »
Advent – Day 14
But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.
Hebrews 8:6 (ESV)
Christmas Caroling
Posted in Advent, tagged Advent, Christmas, Christmas Caroling, MYA on December 10, 2012| Leave a Comment »
Advent – Day 9
Several of us took a night to go Christmas caroling at an assisted living home in Mesa. We have lots of musicians in our group that led the way with traditional Christmas songs. We were able to bless many people and even had one gentleman inquire about our church and how he could come. He was going through a rough period this Advent season. It was a fun night of fellowship and seeing the power of God through music.
God’s Will
Posted in Advent, tagged Advent, Christmas, Christmas Music, God's will, Jesus Christ, Luke 2:6-7, MYA on December 6, 2012| Leave a Comment »
Advent – Day 5
And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
Luke 2:6-7 (ESV)
Habitat for Humanity
Posted in Local Missions, tagged blessing, Blessing to others, Community, Habitat for Humanity, House, Local Missions, Mission Community Church, MYA on November 10, 2012| Leave a Comment »
Habitat for Humanity is a Christian-based organization that builds and repairs simple, decent and affordable homes for families in need. They have been serving Central Arizona since 1985. Habitat helps families of low and moderate incomes become homeowners by building and partnering in the creation of affordable housing. Today several of us from Mission church volunteered our time to help build a house for the Fuerte family. They have 2 daughters with a child on the way. But they also live in a small run-down two bedroom apartment. It was a blessing to work alongside my friends and be a blessing to this family in need.