Dared to Love

Because I know you can't stand the wait any longer...

I will tell you what Dared to Love is.

Dared to Love is something that we as a Pais team have the option of doing. It is a week where we organize activities to specifically and intentionally show the love of Jesus to our local community with the help of the young people we regularly encounter, who are all out of school this week, so what better thing to do than local mission!

There are five aims--Encouragement, Action, Invitation, Compassion and Generosity and each event is planned around one of those aims. We are actually doing six events in five days, the first covering each of the aims, and then one event for each of the others.

This is a big deal. It has taken a lot of planning, and we're not finished yet! But in it all, our goal is to show the love of Jesus to the people in our community and to take young people along with us to show them how they too can touch the lives of others with the love of God.

So, tomorrow is a day of prayer and fasting before we begin the week. Tuesday is the first event and the last is on Saturday. Some events are larger than others, but they are all (or will all be) carefully planned and hopefully well promoted. If you read this sometime in the next week, PLEASE pray for us and this week of events. Pray that everything goes smoothly, that no one gets hurt, that people turn up, that the youth are encouraged and empowered, that the people in the community receive greater revelation of Jesus's love for them, and that the whole week is a success in the eyes of the One whose opinion is the only one that matters. Thank you!

Confession

I have a confession to make.

I want to travel. A lot.
I want to learn more languages. Several more.
I want to experience new cultures and ways of living.
I want adventure.

I saw this video today on Youtube and it makes me really miss other languages (and the people who speak them!). I was so blessed for a year to live in a community of people who, all together, spoke more than 10 different languages. It was such a cool experience, and I think the Lord really used that to ignite my passion for people, cultures, and languages. I am not someone who easily learns languages, but feeling called to the nations, I think I am going to have to discipline myself to learn some in the days ahead. God help! :)

Weekly Wrap 14

Wow, that last post was neither exciting, encouraging, nor enlightening. Sorry!

Well, this week's Weekly Wrap is coming a bit early. That's probably because I am still in work-mode and quite afraid that once I've left that place I'll be dead to the world for the rest of the weekend. This has been an intense week for me, a good one, but an intense one.

This week was my turn to lead the team. Each of our team members has recently gotten a chance to lead, and this week was mine, right before our Dared to Love event (which I will explain in another post), but it is a fairly significant event. I enjoyed the chance to lead more than I thought I would. I got the opportunity to change things up a bit and I made my team members do some silly things--that was fun for me! I made them hula hoop. I made them play football. I made them tie balloons to their ankles and run around trying to pop everyone else's balloon. I threatened to pour un-drunk tea over one of them (see video below). I organized a coffee shop work morning (because there's no better place to work!). I got to facilitate discussions regarding lunch club and assembly ministry prep. I scheduled in special encouragement for us to share with each other. I got them to write one other member of our team a card of encouragement. We studied Philippians 2:1-18 this week and were challenged about grumbling and complaining. We pulled off our Dared to Love Launch Night into which we put a lot of preparation. I got to lead worship with my bro Trey (although my voice gave out half-way through and we had to call it quits). I got to invest into my team individually and corporately, and I got the opportunity to experience life as a Pais team leader...and partly because...next year I will be leading the Pais Walsall team!!!!

You may have already known that or figured it out from clues I've left in previous posts. But as of now, I am on track to be in Walsall next year (which is right outside Birmingham [the 2nd largest city in the UK]), leading the team there with an Assistant Team Leader named Becky who is currently on that team. I am very excited about this opportunity. The situation for that team is quite different from the situation with the Pais Southport team; they are all in one secondary school (high school)--their Pais office is even located within the school--and they are all (currently) serving at the same church. They are well supported by the school and the church and have a great opportunity to focus their attention and energy in a concentrated way to make a massive impact with the young people (and adults!) in those places. I am planning to go visit them the week after next and can't wait to see them in action!

A few pictures of the week for you

These are the bags we made to give out for our Dared to Love Launch Night. 

Doesn't it make you curious to know what this is all about?? :)

My team at my house socializing after the Launch Night

This was my favorite moment of the whole week--my team reading the cards of encouragement we had written each other.

At our Thursday lunch club, Tabz shared about 'Exceeding Expectations' using a chocolate cake to demonstrate. Who wouldn't want to go to a lunch club where there's chocolate cake??

A short video from my lead week. 

PS have I mentioned lately that I LOVE MY TEAM?? :)

Weekly Wrap 13

I know it's time for a Weekly Wrap, but honestly, I don't know what to say. These past two weeks since the M4 Tour have been a blur. Time is going quickly. In addition, I lost my phone over a week ago, and therefore have been unable to document anything. So, no new pictures. Sorry.

This week I am leading the team. Prayers please. The week after that is half-term, and a specific event we are preparing for that week (I will tell you more about that later). And the week after that I am going to visit the team that works where I will be located in the Fall (Also, more about that at another time).

Nothing much is new--I lost my phone (I think I said that already) and had to buy a new one. In addition, I purchased my ticket to return to the UK in the Fall. Those two things mean a lot of money has slipped out of my account lately. That's not encouraging. Plus, allergies have hit, and I feel rubbish. Perhaps that is why I cannot think of any enlightening updates. Sorry peeps. Maybe next week.

Say Yes

Ok, so I know this blog is entitled "Amanda's Adventures" and therefore, should be all about the amazing, exciting, challenging things I am doing, and mostly it is. It probably looks like I am having adventures, and I am.  Serving as a missionary in the schools in northern England, traveling to Europe, living and working in a different country with a different culture (and believe me, the culture here IS different!)  But I will be honest with you: I've been playing it safe.

Yes, it takes some measure of courage (or stupidity) to leave your country and go work in another, to leave everyone you know and go meet a whole host of new people, to say goodbye to comfort and hello to challenge, but still, in all that, it is possible to just stay "safe."

What do I mean by that? Well, every day in ministry I have the opportunity to be stretched and to grow, or I can say no. I won't lie; I have said no a lot. Why? Because saying yes is difficult. Saying yes means moving out of my comfort zone. Saying yes means maybe looking like a fool. Saying yes isn't safe.

I won't be too hard on myself (other people can do that for me); I am just recently getting used to being here--yes, it's taken this long! I have now settled in to this work, this town, these people, accepting that this is my life for the present time. In addition, I have had my own personal struggles outside of Pais and Southport to work through. So, here I am now, settled in and realizing the Lord has more adventures for me, but that those adventures don't come through staying safe. They don't come through saying no. They come through saying yes.

What I have become aware of recently is that, when you're face to face with challenges, you realize things about yourself you never noticed before. I never realized before how much social anxiety I have suffered from in my life. I have always shied away from large gatherings, preferring one-on-one meetings instead and keeping quiet when I absolutely had to be around lots of people. I also have noticed how fearful I am of looking foolish. I have never, ever embraced looking silly. It's a pride thing, I know. But how do you work with young people without looking silly?? I tell you, it's not possible! 

Because of these fears (and perhaps some others), I have said 'no' quite a bit. I have tried to avoid facing them. I have tried to work around them. I have tried to make excuses for myself. I realize now, however, that I can no longer do that. When God puts a challenge before you, that is your opportunity to grow. If you don't take it, you won't grow. And I want to grow. So I need to say yes.

And I intend to. The Lord has really worked in me during my 5 months here (I can hardly believe it's been 5 months!). Through the battle that I fought and the work that I have done, He has been changing me, as I expected He would. It has not been easy, but it is good. He is preparing me for more adventures, and I cannot wait to see where He will take me. But in order for me to go on adventure with Him, I have to say yes! To all that He has for me. I have to trust Him. I have to lean on Him. I have to look to Him. Every second of every day. He alone can empower me to do the work that He is calling me to do. I just want to say yes.

And I want to challenge you to say yes as well. Is there something that God is speaking to you? Calling you to do? Something He is laying on your heart? Is He asking you to step out of your comfort zone, to trust Him and allow Him to lead you? My friend, do it: say yes.

M4 Tour

What a fantastic weekend! So, I kidnapped a 15-year-old from Trey's youth group and hauled her off to Burnley, by train, for a weekend of local missions with others from Pais GB and Life Church. The purpose of the weekend was two-fold--to serve the community through the love of Jesus and to bring young people along to serve with us, giving them the opportunity to experience something new & different in ministry.

What we did last weekend was LOVE on the community. We spent time with them, talked with them, ate with them, played games with them, painted some faces, pampered some ladies from a refuge centre, gave free things away in the town centre, made them laugh (Thank you Mark Ritchie), and shared the Gospel with them. It was such a blessing to be able to serve in this way!

Steph (Pais, from Texas) and some of our young friends painting faces.

Painting faces and playing games

Meeting new people and making friends

Hanging out

Elena (Pais, from UK), a true youth worker, leading our young people in a game

Tuck shop at Fun Day

My friend Julia (Pais, from Germany) who leads the Clitheroe team making bracelets with the girls.

Rieke (Pais, from Germany) and Elena (Pais, from UK) manning the competitions table

Toddler area at the Fun Day

Naomi manning the ever-so-popular bouncy castle

Becky, my friend and future Assistant Team Leader, painting faces

("Future Assistant Team Leader?" you say? Yep! More about my exciting news in the days ahead. So check back!)

Free BBQ! That's probably mostly what drew the 400 people to Fun Day

Funny story. So, this is my friend Ellie (Pais, from UK) who is on the Blackburn/Accrington team. At one point during Fun Day I went inside to go to the bathroom, and I passed her babysitting this dog as I walked in. When I came out, however, this is what I found:

How did that even happen??

Samara chatting with some of our young people.

My beautiful friend trying to dodge the camera, as she did most of the weekend.

Felix and Simeon (Pais, both from Germany) chatting with some of the young guys who came with us for the weekend.

Because You're Loved

I love Pais GB! Watch this video to see some of my friends and just a bit of what we did last weekend!

New Life

Ok, I don't have much time because in just a few hours I will be heading back to Burnley, where I spent Easter weekend, to do local missions with Pais GB and one of the girls I have adopted from Trey's youth group! But, before I go, I wanted to update you on my Easter. I was thinking that, you know, compared to Italy and Germany, it wasn't that remarkable, but I was wrong! Easter was amazing! I got to spend it with Samara, one of the Januaries and my favorite Brazilian. We stayed with Sue, our host for Foundational Training, and she, as always, was so gracious! As were her family, who tend to take in strays and invited us over for Easter lunch. It was fantastic. We also got to have supper with friends from the church in Burnley where Pais is based. I was so blessed to get to spend the weekend with these people!

The best thing about Easter, however, was the day after. On Monday Samara, Sue and I went to Todmorden, which is in Yorkshire, to a vegetarian restaurant with Sue's prayer group, three ladies Samara and I had never met before. They were lovely and we enjoyed our time with them. We had lunch and went out to the canal to spend some time praying. And just as we sat down to pray, the Lord began to speak to me. Among other things, He told me that the battle was over. I had been fighting a battle since August (You can read more about it here if you're interested), and it had finally come to an end. I didn't understand completely at the time, but it has since been confirmed to me that I heard correctly and it is over. Praise the Lord! It was the hardest thing I have ever been through, and I am overjoyed to be finished with it. I think it's no coincidence that it came after Easter--this really is a new life for me, and a new opportunity to embrace all that God has for me, whatever that looks like. Since that day, I feel stronger, more confident, and best of all, free. There are good things ahead for me and I cannot wait to see all that is in my future!

Some pictures from Easter weekend

There are some beautiful places right outside Burnley!

Love this girl!



 They were just walking down the sidewalk on the side of the road...

At the vegetarian restaurant with Samara, Sue and her friends

Bean burger...it was good! 

 

 With Sue

 Hearing wise words and being encouraged along the road :)

What is Easter without chocolate bunnies? ;)