A Word of Encouragement from the One Year Bible

Good Morning Team. A few things to bring to your attention. This morning I had an awesome time of quiet time and the LORD was really speaking to me through the one-year bible reading on Mark 7, verses 6 to 7 - drew my attention. So I thought I will scribble it down for all of you as an encouragement to pursue God in your daily connecting moment with Jesus.

Mar 7: 6b to 7: "This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. In vain do they worship me, teaching doctrines the precepts of men."

There is always corrections, adjustments, reproof, and encouragement from God's Word... so I take it into my soul the following:
Our love and honor of God can be just lips-smuttering deep. Not etched on the souls of men, a beautiful but vain farce, perhaps to draw holy attention to ourselves, our good works, or ourself. We could also duplicate it, market it, wrap it up as man-made gospel, but unfortunately also man-made commands to Obey God.

Far be it from me or us, the team, O Lord, that we are found guility of "mix-marriaging" our love, faith and calling to reach to the least in Ethiopia. Don't let this call become a device to bring anything but glory, honor, and love to our Savior, Father, and Holy Spirit. So, take your coal and cleanse our lips O Lord, we are unclean. Also, the thoughts in our heart, they can so easily defile us, so we want to renounce evil, sexual immorality, theft, murder, idolatry, pride, foolishness, envy, jealousy, deceit, lustful desires, and anything that can COST our Testimonies, as we prepare to minister to the people in Debre Zeyit and Addis Ababa.

So team, let's evaluate ourselves; our doctrines, our faith, and our calling. What is our Cause really? It has to be first and foremost : JESUS; wrapped around Him. Making him known, making his forgiveness available through the good news, calling people to repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand, continue to bear witness to the truth in our lives even when return.

A little logistics:
Feb 28: LOVE OUT LOUD - love to take our group as a team to do "Adopt a Block" at either Avondale or Broward. Meet at S. Banquet Hall at 9am. We really did not have group time to hang, and observe each other in ministry, so that we can get to know each other better. So, come out for it. If you can't because of work, come for the 3pm VBS training with notebook and pen.
Mar 7: Training is done by Compassion International, so please make sure you and your parents are available. They want to give info to parents pertaining to the trip, especially a time for Q and A. Be ready for cultural training, and learning more about the work of God in Ethiopia through Compassion International.

LOVE DOES NOT PROMOTE ITSELF... Bel

Two IMPORTANT Updates : Liquid Ethiopia Benefit Concert and Training by Compassion International

Hi Ethiopia Team
Just spoke with Ryan Alexander, he is producing 5 songs for us in a Charity Album, with amazing and touching lyrics. The songs spelled life in Ethiopia; hunger, prostitution, orphans, HIV/Aids, and hopelessness. The album should be ready latest in 2 weeks. So, be talking about it in the youth ministry amongst friends, and in the school. The album is donated to us for fundraiser, so use it wisely to raise the support and prayers needed for your mission trip to ETHIOPIA.

So, mark your calendar for these dates:
3/7, Sat : 9am in the Green Room (Training will be conducted by Compassion International. Parents are welcome. Q/A will be provided.

3/28, Sat : Liquid Ethiopia Benefit Concert (CC Youth Building, GYM). Admission is Free. Any donations recieved will go towards our students and the projects we undertake in Ethiopia. ALL HANDS ON DECK, everyone on the team will be ushers, and greeters. Open to the BODY from Plantation, BOCA, & Hollywood. Invite your guests. Compassion International will also be coming to this concert.

PLEASE make sure that you have taken all your shots by next week, I will need the yellow booklet with your passport by 2/28, and submitting them to the Ethiopian Embassy for Visitors Visas.

Lastly, VBS training are scheduled for 2/21 and 2/28 (Sat) from 3 to 5pm. Attendance is compulsory. Each one of us has to take part in sharing the gospel through VBS.

God Bless, christabel