Life is about Routine Things – Done Routinely!

It was a full day today! Colonel Mac Leod was leaving to head back to the campus but he shared with the team before he headed out. When he shares, his experiences of life and his relationship with God captures his audience, and I think of the former commercials about E.F. Hutton – “When E.F. Hutton talks, people listen”. I title his sharing:

Life is about Routine Things, Done Routinely

~the Colonel

Colonel Mac Leod shared how the things we do daily can develop a lifestyle that will allow God to direct our path and we can live with confidence that God has things prepared for us. A dedication to a daily devotion can give you wisdom, and wisdom is applying knowledge in a biblical way. If you get in a routine of seeking him – He will guide you and direct the longing in your life. Meeting with God daily, you will develop a personal vision for your life that will then give you hope to dare to dream. He already knows your thoughts and he wants to help guide you on that path towards those dreams. He wants to use those gifts and dreams to further his kingdom. Some dreams you dream, aren’t your dreams. They are his. He planted them in your life. The scriptures that you read are clues that God gives to you about your future. Walking through life without God guiding you is like walking on a mountain trail, at night without a flashlight. You can trip and fall and get seriously hurt because you can’t really see the truth about where you are choosing to place your feet on the path that is in front of you. Colonel Mac Leod shared about his own training in the military and an exercise they used to train the men. (ask your student)

Setting the Stage

The Colonel set the stage for your students as they are ending their Junior year (the sophomores got a glimpse into what is ahead for them as well) and become seniors. and the Senior Leadership Seminars that are being prepared for them at Summit. for their final year in high school. Our concern is not where you are going to go after you leave Summit Christian Academy, but do you know who you are in Christ? We desire that you have full confidence that God has things prepared for you and we want to accelerate the discovery process for each of our students that you know who God has made you to be. You also are a gift to the body of Christ and routinely being in his Word will develop a godly wisdom which gives you the ability to discern truth and right choices. Some people go through life never understanding nor feeling fulfilled by having that confidence and daily leading from God.

I watched your students listen to him, which is not something they are privileged to do that often. What a blessing it was that he was able to join us for a couple of days. He worked along side them shoveling thick wet clay into a bottomless hole , shared meals and listened to and joined in their conversations. They saw he wasn’t going to be someone just ‘overseeing’ them. He was going to be involved with them in their journey. So when he shared, he spoke things to them, that in a short time he already learned about each of them, I believe their hearts began to realize; “My headmaster actually cares about me, personally, today and into my future.” I’m not just a number, I am a person that God has created. I have a purpose. Our prayer is that they discover and pursue that purpose that God created them for. A contented, fulfilled future is ahead for each of them. That is what I call … “Good Stuff”

Our Next Project

The rain gave us a late start to our ‘routine’ while on the trip… serving! We went back to the senior center and goodness was it cold. God did another really cool thing for us. I will call it the $7 miracle. When we expect that God can and will provide for us as we are providing for others, it empowers us to push through difficult situations with confidence. Ask your student about Antlers, Oklahoma on the final day of serving, the rain, the wind and the $7 hoodie!

We got everything done that we could in the time we had! The kids did a great job! As leaders we were so proud of them.

Heading back to the cabins, we had a short time to get ready to head to the Wednesday night ministry. As always, it was a sweet time of the students being courageous and stepping out of their comfort zone to step into the lives of children and teens that God cares deeply about. The elementary team: Caleb, Christina, Muthoni, Nicole and Camryn did an amazing job. They shared about how God provides for us. First by giving us his son Jesus. They taught the children how to sing Jesus Loves Me in English ( many didn’t know the song) om Chinese and then Japanese! Puppets, games and crafts to go along with the story of Jesus and the 2 fish and 5 loaves.

The secondary team: Lizzy, Mary, Audrey, Scott, Max, Ethan worked with the older kids. They were very vulnerable as they shared their own daily struggles and the scriptures that they use ‘routinely’ to combat their own fears and weaknesses which is allowing them to grow in their faith and trust in God.

Sharing and prayer time for both groups was so sweet.

Devotional and Debrief

The students answered 3 questions

1. How have you seen the Lord work through somebody else on this trip?
2. What has changed in you because of his trip?
3. What do you want to take with you from this experience?

Some could answer… others are still figuring it out!

To see our students be courageous and choose to be uncomfortable for the sake of someone else receiving God’s grace and assurance was a beautiful thing.

I pray that these young people will choose to build into their lives those routines that will serve them well as they learn who they are in Christ, dare to dream, routinely meet with God then grow in wisdom. Then, through their life’s purpose they will further the kingdom of God

Thank you for allowing us to partner with you in the spiritual journey of your sons and daughters.

mrs g

Am I a Friend? or …

  

What a great start to the day having the rest of our team and Colonel Mac Leod joining us for breakfast. They rolled in late last night and we were grateful for their safe journey here.

Today we get to work with another branch of Lift Community Action Agency. Self Help Housing is their version of Habitat for Humanity.  Our students and leaders insulated the inside walls of a new build and filled two deep (seemingly bottomless pits) with dirt.  We wrapped up the service with picking up construction trash around the house.

I am so proud of all of them.  The students worked so well together no matter who they got partnered up with.  Surprisingly we got finished early and everyone was happy to head back to the cabins, shower and chill for a couple of hours.  Either, laying horizontal and taking a quick nap, or sitting on the deck with the view of the lake.

This afternoon we headed to the Olivet Cemetery to see the Circus Section!  It’s actually a historic road trip stop!  It is such an interesting place to visit. I know it might sound weird, but Colonel Mac Leod shared that cemeteries bring mixed emotions. The loss of a loved one but they also tell a story about the life that was lived. We can actually see the celebration of a life.  The town of Hugo used to be where 5 traveling circuses would winter here.  So naturally this town is ‘home’ to them.  When someone passed, this was their final resting place if you will. One section is dedicated completely to showmen and women that were a part of the Circus Family, the Showman’s Rest.  The pictures, the statement inscribed.  Then Lane Frost (8 seconds movie) , Freckles Brown rodeo great, and the headstone for one of the former ‘Marlboro Man’!

Then we head to a Texas/Oklahoma/Kansas phenomenon … Dinner and dessert at Braum’s.  If you haven’t had Braum’s … I mean have you really been experiencing all of life that you can?  LOL It’s always a fave on this trip.  Check them out… their story starts from the great depression era!  https://www.braums.com/history/  

Devotional   Friend or Frenemy 

Mark 12:28-31    ²⁸ One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” ²⁹ “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.^[a] 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’^[b] 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^[c] There is no commandment greater than these.”

Proverbs 16:28 “A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends.”

Cabin 13 – Zambrano’s Cabin of guys led the devotional and they did a great job.  They asked the question, what do you think the definition of Frenemy is.  One answer was acting like a friend on the outside but being devious behind their back.  The first questions were to think about what God says about being a friend and then describe what an enemy is to you.  When defining it by God’s word, what am I?

Am I a friend or a frenemy? One of the guys said that he thinks sometimes, we’re both. All agreed.  

Am I a Friend or a Frenemy?

The discussion continued about how they as a class were doing and what they hoped to continue when we get back home. One of the girls talked bout how they felt like this kind of trip helps them to get out of their little groups and get to know other people in the class and grow together as a class. 

Colonel Mac Leod shared with the class that his coming to Oklahoma and spend time with them had 3 objectives.

1. Bringing students to join the team already here
2. Get a personal introduction to the Oklahoma trip and work along side his students for a day to get to know them better.
3. To set expectations for their senior year next year. To introduce to them the Senior Seminar Class they will be a part of and the amazing people we had this last year and we will have again this next year for them, and more.  He shared that we don’t care so much about WHERE you go after you leave Summit, but we want you leaving Summit with a good understanding of who you are in Christ.  When you know that, you can go be that person anywhere God takes you, anywhere in the world.

Again, our students worked so hard today. They are and have been amazing!  We are ALL so proud of them.

Tomorrow we head back to Antlers to finish the painting and we’ll check on the senior citizens after their big storm. Then tomorrow night, we will go and minister at New Life Family Church in Boswell. 

The students have come up with their own programs, and what they will share and do.  One group will be with elementary and the other will be with secondary students. We’ll have dinner with the children and teens, share and pray them them and then we’ll give them their Easter Backpacks as they leave to go home.

Pray for safety in our travel, the ability to get all the painting done and that tomorrow night we will get to talk to and pray for and share hope with the children in Boswell. Pray that the children will believe they have a friend in Jesus, someone they can ALWAYS count on!

Blessings,

Mrs. g   (parents, go check out the pictures from the link to the album I sent you. The students have been uploading new ones!

Community – It Matters !

We had a great day in Antlers Oklahoma. Our task was to repaint the Senior Citizen’s Pavilion at the Kiamichi Senior Living Center. We were a small crew with a really good sized task but our students took on the challenge with great attitudes and a spirit of serving and fun!

We had been warned that there might be some of the residents that love to talk visiting us and we were ready to interact. As leaders we were so proud of our students and how they showed such great respect no matter how many times one of the sweet feisty ladies came over to visit and share stories and gave solutions to our painting agenda. Honestly, our students listened, showed respect with focused attention. Not only do we now know a lot about her life … she has a motorcycle and of course that came out!

Another lady was having her own little ‘garage sale’ in the tiny community center where they play games and have meetings, holiday events, etc. She wanted us to know she might had something we needed and would we please come take a look. She was downsizing again, after the loss of the husband and needed to get rid of items she didn’t use or had only used once! Soooo, Mary and I headed over and shopped! I bought a large brand new electric skillet (for my husband… ha) and she gave Mary an antique little sugar dispenser, the top is silver!

Community … It Matters!

This group of students worked so well together the whole day. We didn’t finish, we ran out of Kilz so we might return on Wednesday. We’re all hoping that after the horrible storm that passed through Antlers, everyone is okay. As we were packing up to end the day, our friend came out again, we asked if she had any prayer requests and then some of us prayed for her. So sweet!

Our students want to g o back over there and check on everyone and make sure they are all okay. I am hoping time will allow us to do that. I know we can find out through LCAA but we’d like to put our own eyes on it, if you know what I mean.

We returned to the cabins, and cabin 11 had dinner prep duty and did an amazing job. Chicken tortellini with red, white and pesto sauces, garlic bread, Caesar salad and grated Parmesan. Truly, it was awesome!

Tomorrow we are supposed to head to Millerton, OK and work in their Self-Help Housing handing insulation and various other jobs.

Our second crew got here safe and we are so glad.

Blessings and thank you for your prayers.

The students are helping lead the debrief and the devotional times. Pray as they prepare for that.

We packed the backpacks and tomorrow evening we’ll go over/rehearse for our Wednesday Night Ministry with the children and the teens.

We had crazy weather all around us but things were okay here at the cabins. Please pray for those in Oklahoma that are going to have to deal with the results of the high winds and the hail damage. Pray for our new friends in the Senior Center, that they are safe!

We are ALL blessed to be a blessing!

In Him,

Mrs g

Oooooak – la homa! Where the wind comes sweepin’ down the plain!

And that ain’t no joke! It was a windy ride in to Choctaw County! We went by way of Paris so of course we had to have a pic at the base of the Eiffel Tower!

We arrived at our cabins, unloaded and headed in to town for a Tex-Mex Dinner at El Ranchero!

Unloading the trailer and getting settled in our cabins.

Then it was off to Walmart for our breakfast items and … stuff! Nick has come up with a new style of backpack.

Needless to say, we have laughed and laughed and enjoyed getting to know each other better. Caleb has us all laughing our heads off (actually all three of the guys) and Muthoni is determined to eliminate all bugs around the cabins.

We closed our night out with going over the week as best as we understand the schedule, along with team expectations and guidelines for the week.

Our first devotional will be on Romans 12. We invite you to read the chapter with us and pray for us as we reflect on living our lives as a living sacrifice, walking in grace towards one another, preferring one another, and letting our love for others be genuine!

Thank you again for allowing your student to join us on the trip. Our leaders Mr. Zambrano and Ms. Swanson are just the best!

Fyi! We’ve asked the kiddos to put the phones away tonight, get rest so we’re ready to serve and be a blessing!

Oh, would you say a pray for Gloria, our checker at Walmart. She looked so tired and we asked if she was having to work until 11:00pm. Yes and she’d been there since 2pm. I told her we would pray for her to have extra energy and asked was there anything else we could pray for? She said, “Yes, please, my car didn’t start last night when I left at 11. I need it to get fixed, I have to have my car.” Praying for Gloria to be able to get her car fixed or even better. It just works! We’ll see her again tomorrow! : D

Until tomorrow night!

Mrs g

Saturday – Part 2 – Takin’ It Home

1. How did you see God work through someone else this week?
2. What did God teach you this week?
3. What does it look like for you to take what you’ve learned back home?

These were the questions asked of the Summit team by MOH team. We finished an amazing dinner and then headed to an area on the beach to have our final debrief/devotional.

We began with worship led by Mr. Calcote and Kiley Millican and ended it with being encouraged to speak out the name of someone they prayed with or met this past week and pray for them.

The three questions above were asked by Ellie and it was a little slow going but by the third question many were sharing. It was so sweet. Students and leaders shared what they saw in others and how it encouraged and blessed them. The students mentioned that they have grown closer to each other and hoped they would make an effort to continue to connect once they returned to Summit. Even though there was just a little time left until they graduate, it was good how they interacted and got to know each other better and they didn’t want it to stop.

On the second question they began to share about how God changed their hearts for the homeless. Once they met them, they realized they really were just people living in perilous conditions because of life decisions and circumstances. They saw the heart of Jesus for the homeless. Others realized that they could be stretched and challenged to be aware and allow the Holy Spirit to draw them to someone different from them and reach out and offer encouragement, prayer and hope.

For the last question many shared that they wanted to be more aware of what’s going on around them so they can recognize ways to serve and to look at ways to serve. It really was a precious time.

We closed with one last song – Give Me Jesus! Mr. Calcote shared the words, In the morning when I rise, when I am alone and at the end of my life … so in essence from the beginning to the end … all I need … Give Me Jesus.

AMEN!

Tomorrow: We’ll be landing approximately at 4:00.

Just a word of advice, your students have worked very hard this week. In the hot sun. No complaining. They were amazing, we are so very proud of them, but they are tired. Your student may just talk 100 miles an hour and not stop for hours. OR Your student may still be processing what went on and they are still thinking through things. So if you receive a short answer, “It was great but I’m so tired, I just want to sleep” or “After a while you’re saying “Oh my word! I don’t think I can process all this! (are they going to stop and go to sleep?” Or somewhere in between. Give them the time.

The leadership team is praying that your students will take what they have experienced and learned and will continue to apply it to their lives. We pray that they will desire to continue growing in their relationship with God and out of that, they will care about the eternal salvation of others. Because of what they have experienced, and new ways they have learned to serve, they and will look for ways to be a part of loving others, helping others, giving hope to others. They will desire to be a part of building God’s kingdom one man, one woman, one teen, one child at a time!

See you tomorrow

Mrs. g

Saturday – Part 1 – God’s Plan Always Works

Today was the Kids Klub at the park. Little did we know that another group S O S (heath initiative org)have rented the whole park as did Mission of Hope. They each reserved it with a different park services personnel.

It was just a little disconcerting for both Katie(MOH) and the lady in charge of SOS services. So they decided to split the park. SOS had their area set up in areas with crafts, snacks, small animal petting area, jumping house, word search, slim table, face painting, Zumba, etc. To participate your parent had to stay with you.

The kids coming for MOH/Summit Kids Klub were able to drop their kids off at 9:30 and not come back until 2.

The kids wanted to go to the SOS Fair so bad it was hard to keep them engaged.

Wow … this was becoming difficult to keep with the plan we had made … we couldn’t blame the kids, who wouldn’t want to go to the jumpy house and do all the stations that were set up for fun?

“God Always Has A Plan – He Will Make A Way”

MOH asked us if it would be okay to change things up and our team would ‘buddy up’ the kids and take them to each station and get all the goodies. YES! ! ! These kids usually don’t get to go to the ‘Fair’ events because their parents won’t or can’t take them. So this was extra special for the kids! Then, they were able to focus and have fun with our kids because of the interaction going through the fair. Our kids played and shared and laughed.

The Theme we had was God Will Make a Way (sounds familiar) – the story of Moses at the Red Sea. Exodus 14: 15-16. Through our time together we sang fun songs, Kiley M told the story of Moses and how God made a way for them, and the kids helped act it out. Later we did a craft for the story and the people helping shared with the children the meaning and the story and had great conversations. Mrs. Suarez was working with one sweet guy and he had never heard the story so she got to share with him. (he had come later and missed the story time. Genevieve got to share part of Dr Rosie Wheeler’s story of her journey from Haiti and becoming a doctor. She had made special cards for each of the kids and had a Haiti flag for them. A few more kids and parents were introduced to MOH through lunch by our handing out hot dogs and later the lollipops and popsicles for desert.

At the end of the Kids Klub we knew we had loved on some kids, we had made new friends and now there were new kids and families introduced to the ministry of MOH.

After the Park…

Most of the students wanted to go back to the beach so Colonel Mac Leod and Mr. Calcote took them to the beach for a few more hours of fun in the fun.

Mrs. Suarez and I volunteered to stay back at the boat and cool off with the group that had already had enough fun in the sun and sand and wanted to cool off, rest, and maybe head to the coffee gift shop at the Marina down the road.

We’ll have dinner on the boat at 6p and then head back to the beach for a final debrief.

You’ll either get the last blog of the trip tonight or in the morning!

Blessings

mrs. g

Free Day Fun!

Today was free day! We had 2 groups: I love the beach and I don’t want to see the sand or touch the sand group! We took everyone to the Southernmost Point of the Continental U.S.A. and took a team picture. After the photo taking the beach group headed to Smathers Beach and I took the second group to Mallory Square and Duvall Street.

Southernmost Point – Continental U.S.A

The Beach crew had a blast: swimming, playing volleyball, looking for shells, having an amazing lunch at One Love Jamaican food truck and having tons of fun!

The Shopping crew also had a blast: enjoying the shipwrecked museum, climbing to the top of the look out tower, shopping and enjoying lunch at Sloppy Joe’s and having tons of fun!

We returned to the boat for showers and headed back into town so the beach team could shop. Then we headed to the Key Lime Pie Co. and Bad Boy Burritos!

Last stop was back at Mallory Square to watch the sunset!

Sunset at Mallory Square

Tomorrow is our Kids Klub at Bernstein Park just right down the road from us.

Pray:

For the team and the kids to have fun!

For the kids to be loved on!

The worship songs will bring joy!

That the team will be able to connect and have sweet times together learning that God is a Big God and he will make a way for you!

It will be hot – pray that we will be watchful and stay hydrated! : D

Mrs. G

Thursday … It Was A Really Good Day! !

Today was White Street Pier/Higgs Beach and Mallory Square street evangelism and Big Coppit Food Drive.  The group divided into two teams. After lunch we switched our groups around to help build stronger relationships amongst the students that don’t normally hang out with each other.  It was exciting to hear many of them say it was awesome to hang with other classmates and get to know them better. They felt it helped make them stronger as a class.

Team 1 started at White Street Pier and Higgs Beach. Team 2 & 3 started at Big Coppit Food Drive.  After lunch the teams switched ministries.

Big Coppit First Baptist has had a food pantry ministry that has been a blessing to many people in Key West. As in all food pantry ministries they are a necessity for people and families to make it from week to week – pay check to pay check. We made 180 grocery bags and we think we gave most of them away.  The students and leaders really enjoyed getting to interact with people that were lined up in their cars to receive groceries.  One lady apologized for being there, and taking the food. They were able to encourage her that it was their honor to serve her. So many stories like that. One of the students that got to hand out the bags said it went so fast that one hour felt like minutes.

The street evangelism was a ‘stretching’ moment for most everyone.  A small group of people from Islamorada that had come to Key West after being led by God through prayer to reach out to people on the streets of Key West to bring the hope of Jesus.  They come once a month and their time to come coincided with our visit this week. 

Two of the groups into the Haitian pastor Jean Jean. It was his Haitian Church we attended on Sunday night!  We were excited to get to share with him how his church services blessed all of us.

During the debrief, there was a lot of laughter recalling fun and funny moments and there was a lot of tender moments recalling special moments of interacting with people. I believe the students are enjoying the experience. Every leader encouraged and complimented the students on their attitudes and willingness to be stretched and be uncomfortable in many situations. Colonel Mac Leod shared about a time in his life when he encountered something in his Christian walk that was different from what he had understand or was familiar with. He chose not just walk away from it but to study, search and learn more about the character of God. Having the desire to want to understand the character of God helps us to live our lives in a way that pleases God.

As I am writing about the debrief I am reminded of one of our Senior Seminars when General Peake asked the seniors, “What do people need the most?”  Many answers were given, and he told the students they were all good things but they were really things that involved our emotions, how we felt about things. However, he continued to say, that what people really needed, what everyone needed most was discernment.  Discernment will help us make wise decisions and guide us in every area of our life. Discernment comes from the knowledge of the truth about God. that comes from studying his word and spending time with God. There you gain wisdom and from wisdom you get discernment.

I feel confident in saying that every teacher, staff member’s prayer is that a strong relationship with God will become the desire of each student’s heart at Summit.  Each student would have a relationship with God that is meaningful and important to them. A relationship that they will treasure and guard. One that will allow them to grow in wisdom and discernment and will serve them well in every area of their life as they leave the halls of high school and on to the next exciting journey God has for them.

Tomorrow is our free day.  So it’s the beach for most of the class and it’s straight to the shops for a small group.  Then everyone will go to another shopping area and out to eat.  Pray for a safe fun day and for our Saturday Kids Klub! 

Blessings

Mrs. g