$2,000

$2,000. That's ALL it costs to plant one church in India. That number baffles my mind. I would be scared to tally up my receipts of all the things I buy that aren't necessary. I would bet my total would build more than one church in India. One of the countries where Christians are persecuted the most.

I have decided I'm going to make some real sacrifices in order to donate more money to CICM, the organization we learned about at CIY two weeks ago.

I am going to give up Lugia's ice cream. Instead, I will be donating the money I would have spent there to CICM. I am going to look for other ways to make sacrifices too.

We have so much here in the U.S. everything is at our disposal. And its so easy to take that for granted. I don't want to take it for granted anymore. I may never make a mission trip to India to see the persecution firsthand...but I can make sacrifices so those who are called to live in India can reach more people for Jesus.

2 of our kids at CIY made commitments to raise $2,000 each so that CICM can plant two churches in India. If you have cans/bottles to donate to their fundraising, please let me know. I will find a way to get the cans/bottles from you and to them! There will also be some more fundraising in the near future. I know there are fundraisers for everything. But what better reason to raise money than to be able to bring one more person to Christ.

Love Costs Everything

One morning at CIY we watched a Video titled "Love Costs Everything." CIY is working on a theater release for the movie. Please pray they are able to get the theater release. More people need to see this movie than just high school kids and adult sponsors who have attended MOVE this year. Its such a huge part of who we should be supporting as Christians, and those we forget so easily about during our prayer time.

I've known most of my teen/adult years about persecution of the Christian church in other countries, but before watching the video, I didn't understand the magnitude of what those people go through to bring Honor and Glory to God. Their lives are a living sacrifice to Jesus. Its amazing to see how much these people love Jesus and live for Him no matter what their peers may do to them.

The film was a documentary showing different groups of people in different countries. They shared stories of their families being murdered, being beaten in the streets, having to leave their families as teenagers in order to follow God's call on their lives, being in their church when it is bombed, etc. Each person at the end of the movie said they were not victims, but victors for Jesus. What an incredible image. They were being beaten, losing people they loved, and yet they still stand for Christ. While we complain to God about such trivial things.

If you want- watch this clip. It's really intense, I probably wouldn't watch it with young kids around.

http://2011.ciy.com/move/lovecostseverything

CIY

CIY Move 2011 was INCREDIBLE. I cannot put everything that happened into words, but I will try.

The theme this year was "something bigger." We talked about how God has something bigger planned for each of us. We followed the stories of Samuel, Rahab, Josiah, Shadrach/ Mishach/ Abedengo, and John. Learning how God had something bigger for each of their lives than what they could see in the midst of the storm.

God did a lot of indescribable things in our youth group this week. Youth group time at CIY last year lasted 30-40 min IF THAT this year we talked for upwards of 2.5hrs one night. We heard story after story of how much the kids were hurting. I was constantly amazed that with 21 kids their stories were so different- yet so similar. They were hurting to the depths of their souls, and couldn't rise above that pain on their own. No matter what trials they were facing, they realized God had something bigger in store for their lives.

It is my prayer that each of the kids walked away a changed young man or woman.

I'm praying that you remember:

~ its not what you don't know, its what you do know about God that will make the difference. ~ God has called each of us differently, and wherever God places you, shine for His kingdom.

~ Remember when life sucks, to eat the book.

~ Not to put anything into the world, to put it all into God, and take everything from his word. ~ Remember you gave your scarlet cord to God, that he will take care of whatever that cord meant to you.

CIY =)

I cannot wait! We are off to CIY in the morning! Me, Danielle, John, Owen, 13 high school girls, and 11 high school boys in Michigan learning more about God and praising Him with every breath. What could be better? Oh yeah! if Jim was going! I'll miss my love like crazy, but I'm so thankful for the opportunity to spend another week with my girls!

I keep getting asked when I'm going to post our Jamaica pictures- I'm sorry I haven't had time yet, I only had 6 days home before leaving again. In the last week I've had 5 photo shoots- and my clients are far more important than my personal pictures! I'll be home for a week or so between CIY and my next big adventure, so hopefully I'll have time then!

The trip was everything we needed and more =) I love the moments that I fall in love with my husband all over again. And weeks full of those moments are so welcome! Sandals is an amazing place to vacation if you ever want to do something crazy like we did! We spent a lot of time in the sun, talking, healing, and reconnecting. We both still miss Robin more than anyone could know, but we are so thankful to have known her, even for such a short time. I have the greatest husband, and the best friends. Thank you all for your continued prayers. And I love all the cards you guys have sent. They mean SO much to know you are still praying for us =)

I'll leave you with a couple pictures- First- a before and after- they are not edited, our whiteness may cause blindness :P - the settings on my camera were all exactly the same(the lighting outside was different though)

A gorgeous flower. The flowers in Jamaica were absolutely incredible. I think I took more floral pictures than I did anything else. Jim and I keep joking we are going to do a mission trip to Jamaica so we can go back. Jamaican's need God too, right? :)

I can't wait for my next adventure to meet a precious little baby girl that I get to call my niece, Ruby!! <3