CHRIST LOVE SHOWN TO ME! (Surprise party)

After a week of battling the unexpected decision making of going back to Africa or not, I was sitting listening to a sermon by Tony Merida, when I heard these words... "aren't you glad God didn't just tell us He loved us, but showed us He loved us by sending His perfect Son to die for us?" This was directly after reading 1 John 3:18 which states...

"Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth."

At this very instant I made up my mind.... I was going to Uganda! I was going to SHOW Christ's love through my DEEDS!

Two nights ago my friends lived this verse out, as I walked into a room of over 30 people screaming SURPRISE! I had never felt so loved in my life. Christ's love was shown to me!

My friends gathered together to raise money to send me to Africa. Not because they love me. Not because Africa sounds like a fun trip. And not because they wanted a reason to have a party. They gathered together because they LOVE GOD and treasure the Gospel, believing in God's call to "Tell the Nations," and they were going to give me the opportunity to share the Gospel in Uganda.

It all started at 5:30 when my sweet friend Brittany Hall picked me up for dinner to go eat at an African Restaurant. Not only her, but both of my roommates suggested that I dress nice, which I couldn't exactly figure out why (Gina also made it very clear I should take a shower). So I headed out with Brittany dressed up and showered, and after a AMAZING African meal with a unique eating experience, (we ate on a floor under a small hut) we headed home.

Brittany was acting strange, but I didn't think too much of it. I then began getting agitated that no one had contacted to me to hang out... and it was a Friday night... soooo, me being me, I texted another friend saying, "so, i guess we are all taking a break from each other tonight?" We returned home and I pondered on whether I should invite Brittany in or not. She made up some dumb lie of why she needed to come in, and I exclaimed, "I think I am just going to go to bed now."

When I walked in I saw a sign saying, "SURPRISE! HELP US SEND JORDAN TO AFRICA!" Then I saw a few friends, and I began to look around and the faces continued to multiply.

Just when I thought things could not get crazy enough... My mom popped her head around the corner, and with her stood a bunch of our Elizabeth City friends. I do not believe I have ever smiled so big!

We enjoyed a WONDERFUL time eating, talking, and encouraging.

I honestly was predicting 100 or 200 dollars to be raised. Keep in mind, these were a bunch of college kids.

......drum roll...... they raised..... $1160!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

God is sooooo amazing! He provides for me even when my faith is weak, and I fail to put my trust in Him!

I have never felt so loved!

BLESSED to have friends who planned this event in my life, as well as everyone else who was there to support me! I am humbled by this experience and stand amazed by a God who provides!!!

DNOW 2012

This weekend I had the great privilege of being a leader at DNOW youth conference at First baptist Church in Rocky Mount, NC.

I can promise you the six eighth graders I hung out with all weekend were the coolest girls in the world. Even better than the fact they were 1. Hilarious 2. stylish 3. talented.... they most importantly all love the Lord with all their hearts.... for that reason I completely fell in love with these girls!

Out topic of the weekend was ... "are you really a Christian?"

Its kind of like when someone ask you a question and the answer is so simple that you just know it can't be right... but it is.

This is salvation. It is so simple it seems like there just has to be more to it... but there isn't.

The one single ingredient to being "born-again" is receiving the Holy Spirit, and we do that by having faith that God sent His only (Perfect) son to a (sinful) world to be our perfect sacrifice on the cross.  

We talked about Nicodemus who was one of the most religious people of his time.... and though he believed in Jesus, and was so close.... He was not actually a Christian... because he had not come to understand the one single ingredient.

Though I was teaching this to these girls, our hours and hours of conversations were also beneficial and convicting to my own life.

Very long story short .... this weekend was a blessing!

1. Hilarious

2. Stylish

3. Talented

DNOW frames

REALLY talented at forming pyramids

Painting our Hearts away

: )

Ninjas

Arts and Crafts

Ballin!





So you are going to Africa? Why?

When I tell people I am going to Africa, they automatically say "I am proud of you" or "that's so amazing" or, well... be creative, but you get the gist.

I am not sure what people assume I will be doing there, but I guess it would be save to assume that if I can going all the way to Africa I will be doing something good.

So that your mind does not have to wonder, assume, or imagine I want to tell you exactly what I will be doing in Uganda!

• Helping/leading street children programs every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
• Hour of medical clinic where we do simple things such as first aid of cleaning cuts, putting on band-aids....
• Serve the street boys food
• Each Monday we will lead a bible study for the women's program
• Each Monday we will do a school lesson and play games with the Street children.
• Each Wednesday we will teach a school lesson and have a time of arts and crafts
• Each Friday will will teach a school lesson and have a game followed by a bible study for the street children.
• Friday nights we will watch a movie with the kids and spend time investing in their lives
• Each Saturday we will do crafts with the boys program and spend time with them and invest in their lives
• On Tuesdays and Thursday we will go to the slum and provide food and spend time in prayer.
• At night we will go out and look for street children who are sleeping on the streets. We will give them a special treat and pray with them and encourage them... hopefully having opportunities to share the Gospel.

Of course, this is not the only thing we will be doing... but it is the most concrete schedule I can provide you.

The main goal would be to share the Gospel and share Christ love with everyone we can possibly come in contact with.

Please be praying for me and Elisa and the rest of our team as we prepare. I am thankful for each of you!