Well, the title says it all. It's LSU week, my friends! Today marks the first day of the biggest week of Alabama's entire football season this year. Really, it's the biggest week of college football in general since it essentially is the National Championship. #1 LSU and #2 Alabama, both from the SEC West, will play Saturday evening in Bryant-Denny Stadium. This is going to be an incredibly long and anxiety-filled week...and being thousands of miles removed from the real excitement doesn't help. However, I'm thankful to be here in Costa Rica and, as always, Roll Tide!
Updates from the Rich Coast: (I apologize for not updating this month as often I normally do...I can't even say I was that much busier, but you know...that's life)
So, since the last time you heard from me we've had our biggest WyldLife event of the semester: INCOGNITO. This is a human scavenger hunt through Escazu's Multiplaza (a 3 story mega mall). The leaders go with groups of 7-10 middle school students throughout the mall to find 10 hidden incognito agents (our friends from outside of YL/WL) wearing something abnormal; for example, a bike helmet and sunglasses in the food court. It's always a huge hit, and this year was no exception! Rounding up 75 middle school students in a 3 story mall...chaotic: yes. Do we love it?: also a yes.
Another awesome part of this past weekend was spending time as a team with one of our volunteer leaders, also a full-time lawyer, and his wife at their home. Fer and Elise invited all of the YoungLife staff girls over for dinner and a movie on Friday night, and it was such a sweet time to just relax and hang out outside of work. We rarely, as an entire team, have the opportunity to be together when we're not doing things for YoungLife. We watched The Conspirator, and if you haven't seen it- I highly recommend watching it. It's about President Lincoln's assassination and the court trials that followed. Perfect for U.S. history buffs like myself.
Finally, yesterday we had a Vida Joven (different than YoungLife, people) meeting to start making preparations for camp in January. We take our kids to camp separately from the Vida Joven kids (because our ministry is in English and theirs is in Spanish, and it would be tough to pull off camp with both), but we still want to be a part of helping make their camp happen. It was awesome to see how carefully and strategically camp is planned down to the last detail; just like in the States. Everything with excellence! We had a time for worship, we heard a little blurb from the speaker about what he has planned to present to the campers, and then we divided up into groups: program, food, work crew, leaders, and music. I'm hoping to be able to go serve on work crew alongside Spanish speaking high school students who are serving their Spanish speaking peers. After our meeting this weekend, I'm really excited about the opportunity to see every aspect of YoungLife camp done in a different language! (I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that I don't get assigned to the camp dates that fall on the date for the National Championship)
So now we're left with what's going on in my life personally. Since I've been here (about 2 1/2 months now), I've been focusing on my prayer life and the power of prayer- it's been an incredible lesson that God is still teaching me. My ultimate desire is to become more consistently connected with the Lord...and it takes some spiritual training for that to become a natural part of our lives. Anyways, I've been praying very specifically for people in my life, for discernment, and for God's work through our ministry. Just recently I've experienced some very obvious and incredible answers to long-time prayers, and my initial reaction was, "Wow, that literally just blew my mind!" We had our monthly Sabbath day (the majority of a day set aside for individual time with the Lord) as a team 2 weeks ago now, and during that time I found myself being convicted of not praying expectantly. We hear it all the time, I know. But seriously- all that praying, and I was totally surprised when the Lord showed up and worked? What did I think I was praying for? He listens...and He's able! He's capabilities are immeasurable, and he works for the good in all things. My greatest desire is to be connected with him-for my life to be aligned with his will-and I wasn't expecting to see Him work! The fact is, His works go far beyond what I was initially praying for. Praise Him for the work He has begun and for broadening my perspective on the power of a connection with Him. You better believe that I will continue praying...but now they have become more radical prayers followed by an expectancy for radical results.
So that's been me recently, and I'm not sorry for pouring that out on you. I'm glad to, and I hope you will explore what it means to pray radically and expectantly, because He is working.
In honor of Halloween & the week ahead
So, since the last time you heard from me we've had our biggest WyldLife event of the semester: INCOGNITO. This is a human scavenger hunt through Escazu's Multiplaza (a 3 story mega mall). The leaders go with groups of 7-10 middle school students throughout the mall to find 10 hidden incognito agents (our friends from outside of YL/WL) wearing something abnormal; for example, a bike helmet and sunglasses in the food court. It's always a huge hit, and this year was no exception! Rounding up 75 middle school students in a 3 story mall...chaotic: yes. Do we love it?: also a yes.
Jessie giving out the instructions/"strong suggestions" aka rules
Moving on up to high school...we've had 2 awesome YoungLife meetings towards the end of this month, too. One was "Game Show Club" and the other was, of course, "Costume Club (Halloween)". Game show club included games like "Minute to Win It", "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?", and "Wheel of Misfortune" all hosted by not-so-typical personalities. Deborah and Debbie Downer were the sarcastic and pessimistic hosts played by yours truly and Nicki Raimondo. The next club was Halloween club although we couldn't call it that because Halloween is not as widely accepted here as it is in the States. We did your typical Halloween activities though: wore costumes, bobbed for apples, bowled with cayotes, and carved papayas. That's right...pumpkins aren't easy to come across in this country, so we had to improvise with similar fruits such as cayotes (a gourd kind of thing) and papaya. Costa Rica YoungLife at it's finest!
Deborah and Debbie Downer "walking it out" at game show club with some winning contestants
(check out that middle part)
One group carving the papaya
And a finished product...
Finally, yesterday we had a Vida Joven (different than YoungLife, people) meeting to start making preparations for camp in January. We take our kids to camp separately from the Vida Joven kids (because our ministry is in English and theirs is in Spanish, and it would be tough to pull off camp with both), but we still want to be a part of helping make their camp happen. It was awesome to see how carefully and strategically camp is planned down to the last detail; just like in the States. Everything with excellence! We had a time for worship, we heard a little blurb from the speaker about what he has planned to present to the campers, and then we divided up into groups: program, food, work crew, leaders, and music. I'm hoping to be able to go serve on work crew alongside Spanish speaking high school students who are serving their Spanish speaking peers. After our meeting this weekend, I'm really excited about the opportunity to see every aspect of YoungLife camp done in a different language! (I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that I don't get assigned to the camp dates that fall on the date for the National Championship)
So now we're left with what's going on in my life personally. Since I've been here (about 2 1/2 months now), I've been focusing on my prayer life and the power of prayer- it's been an incredible lesson that God is still teaching me. My ultimate desire is to become more consistently connected with the Lord...and it takes some spiritual training for that to become a natural part of our lives. Anyways, I've been praying very specifically for people in my life, for discernment, and for God's work through our ministry. Just recently I've experienced some very obvious and incredible answers to long-time prayers, and my initial reaction was, "Wow, that literally just blew my mind!" We had our monthly Sabbath day (the majority of a day set aside for individual time with the Lord) as a team 2 weeks ago now, and during that time I found myself being convicted of not praying expectantly. We hear it all the time, I know. But seriously- all that praying, and I was totally surprised when the Lord showed up and worked? What did I think I was praying for? He listens...and He's able! He's capabilities are immeasurable, and he works for the good in all things. My greatest desire is to be connected with him-for my life to be aligned with his will-and I wasn't expecting to see Him work! The fact is, His works go far beyond what I was initially praying for. Praise Him for the work He has begun and for broadening my perspective on the power of a connection with Him. You better believe that I will continue praying...but now they have become more radical prayers followed by an expectancy for radical results.
So that's been me recently, and I'm not sorry for pouring that out on you. I'm glad to, and I hope you will explore what it means to pray radically and expectantly, because He is working.
Just me, Sydney Elizabeth, enjoying my coffee during our Sabbath day- Pinky up!
"But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more. My mouth will tell of your righteousness, of your salvation all day long, though I know not its measure, I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, O Sovereign Lord; I will proclaim your righteousness and yours alone."
-Psalm 71:14-16
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