FOUR YEARS!!!

The end of another school year here in Bozeman has allowed time to reflect on all the Lord has done. It has been four years in Bozeman as of May 22 since the Lord brought me here as a summer missionary. FOUR YEARS! Over that time God has brought so many different experiences, challenges, and platforms to share His love and grow deeper in my walk with Him, not to mention the opportunity to do life with some of the neatest people on the planet …

As I have been spending time in His Word recently I was impacted by 2 Timothy 3:4 that says,“No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer.” There are so many distractions in this world that can easily derail us from our pursuit of Christ, but may we always be found faithful in keeping our focus on Him and advancing. In a sermon that included the same passage, the pastor remarked, "Be faithful to Jesus Christ. Hold fast. Be strong in His grace. Endure hardship as a good soldier. Focus on pleasing your Commanding Officer. Be diligent. Pursue righteousness with others who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Stay true to the Word." He followed this exhortation with the following question - "Are you fighting a good fight and running a good race?" ... May we never get complacent in our walk with Christ and instead allow Him to stretch and grow us each step of the way...

Below is a sum up of the last year …

EPIC Youth Ministry

The EPIC youth ministry focused on reaching youth for Christ through outdoor activities started in February 2015. This past year we have seen SO much spiritual growth through the middle and high school students as the three of us leaders have also grown closer to Christ and relationships within the group have bonded tighter and tighter. With the high school group, it took us the greater part of a year to go through the book of Hebrews, which can really be summed up in three words: JESUS IS BETTER. He is a better high priest, better than the angels, better than Moses, and a better sacrifice. He is worthy of our praise. The sweetest part of the group is the chance for so many life on life opportunities – through school, traveling, sports, camping trips, ski trips, a mission trip, dinners, etc. – there are no words to describe the love that has grown from doing life together.

With the middle school we have gone through the book of James and are now in 1 John. This group has grown immensely in their ability to study the Word and truly handle it accurately, a big step from just spouting off the typical church answers so many of them have been taught growing up. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for each of the students involved – may they all grow to walk wholeheartedly after Christ and have their foundation firmly and forever rooted in Him.

HERITAGE

What a year at HCS! Words could never possibly express the joy it is to do life with the families and staff involved at the school. So thankful. Between teaching 10 classes (K-7 PE, 7^th grade computers and journalism and yearbook), while also serving as the Athletic Director and traveling all over Montana for different games and tournaments, it has been a whirlwind and one great big bundle of fun! This year saw our soccer team win the school’s first State Tournament title, our boys basketball team match the best showing in school history at the State Tournament (3^rd), our girls volleyball team have its highest finish in school history (4^th), our second year golf team go undefeated at the high school level, and our track athletes take many first place finishes throughout the season. Most importantly though, it is such a blessing to see what a platform sports can be to be a light for Christ. I am so thankful to serve with families and students who are capturing and living out the vision of using whatever gifts they have been given for His glory. Worldly success will fade away, but what we do for the kingdom eternally is what really matters.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21

HCS High School Golf Team

Middle School Team

Middle School Tourney

Heritage MCAA Invitational Tournament

:)

Team Champs

Love this team!

Practice ;)

Great Falls tourney

Great Falls tournament champs

SPORTS MISSIONS WEEK

One of the greatest blessings of serving as the Athletic Director the past three years has been the opportunity it has brought to forge relationships with the other Montana Christian Athletic Association schools. This summer, from July 25-28 we are hosting a summer sports camp at Heritage in partnership with families from Foothills Christian (Great Falls). The goal of the camp is to use sports as a platform to share Christ with kids around Bozeman while also training high school athletes to use the gifts God has given them in athletics for His glory. The goal is to start here in Bozeman this summer while training the Foothills families to take it back to Great Falls next summer.

Please be PRAYING for this week and all those the Lord would have to be involved both in serving and in attending the camp. This is truly a God-sized task and I am excited to see what He will do!

Great Falls sisters in Christ - can't wait to serve together this summer!

SEMINARY

I am currently taking my sixth seminary class in the Global Studies program from Liberty University online. I started this time a year ago and it has been such a good opportunity to grow deeper in my knowledge of the Word and love for my Savior. I have been able to study overviews of the Old and New Testament, evangelism, world missions, unreached people groups, what Scripture says about pain and suffering in the Christian life, and so much more. The late nights and early mornings studying around everything else going on out here has definitely left me more dependent on Christ moment by moment in pressing into Him and relying on His strength each day.

In addition to personal study, I have also had the opportunity to study with a few sweet sisters in Christ as well – I am so grateful for the authenticity, transparency, realness, accountability, prayer and time in the Word – it has been such a blessing. We need each other in the body of Christ – we aren’t meant to travel this journey alone. Do you have iron sharpening iron relationships in your life?

UPCOMING NASHVILLE TRIP

To all my Nashville people – I will be in town for a visit June 2-14. CANNOT WAIT!!! My heart could just burst from excitement! 

PICTURES

Here are a few Bozeman pictures that are truly worth more than words can express. Just blessed beyond measure by such tangible reminders of God's faithfulness!

"I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:3-6

Nicaragua Mission Trip 2016

Thanks so much to all of you who prayed for the Nicaragua mission trip team that traveled from Bozeman March 10-19 - we were able to build two homes, encourage pastors in the villages, do children's ministry, door to door evangelism, visit the feeding center at the city dump and Furia Santa (a men's rehabilitation center) and share the gospel with hundreds of people throughout our time there. God is faithful and there is power in the name of Jesus!

Here is a link to a video with pictures of the trip if you are interested!
https://youtu.be/XewqVTWhelY

Also - here is the blog link where the team posted updates throughout our time there! 2nica2serve.blogspot.com. I was assigned the last day of the team blog and am re-posting what I wrote below...

"Being in the trenches for Christ isn't a glamorous job, but there is no better place to be."

Sawdust falling off boards as they are nailed to the houses, dust flying from parachute games, sewer water running, sweating incessantly, dirt everywhere, seemingly endless hours on a bus ... Kids smiling, running and playing, houses completed, prayers answered, testimonies shared, the gospel proclaimed, lives transformed, inexplicable joy...

Temporary discomforts for seeing lives changed for eternity make every single minute oh, so very worth it. May we be able to say the same of our lives as Paul did of his: "I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some." -1 Cor. 9:22

I saw the power of Christ displayed throughout the week by God specifically gifting each person on the team to serve together in unity...

Gerry's leadership, Pat's behind the scenes work, Craig's spiritual insight, Kristi's heart as we prayed together nightly and then watched expectantly throughout the week as God answered, Eli's incredible work ethic and attitude at the job sight, Vale's building skills, Konnor's growing desire to use soccer as a gift for His glory, Quinton and McKinlee instantly connecting with kids in each village, Tricia doing door to door evangelism and having conversations like she has known the people for years, Dore's constant smile and laughter, Grace's genuine desire to serve, Tim stepping out of his comfort zone in obedience, Joanna being so intentional in constantly looking out for the interests of others, Macy's love for the children, and Vikki's ability to clearly communicate the gospel ... The Lord knew who was needed to complete His work this week. Our prayer each day was that the Nicas wouldn't see us, but instead see Christ in us.

We will never forget the smiles of the children, the gratitude of the pastors, the testimonies we were privileged to hear and the opportunity to see lives transformed by the power of the gospel as many were invited to surrender their lives to Him. 

On this trip I was reminded of the importance of God's vision in ministry as Eduardo shared how God called Him to start a preschool in Mateare that would be a beacon of light for Christ and "he had no budget but trusted in faith that God would provide."

And He has provided in ways abundantly beyond what he could have imagined.

I saw hope being given at the dump, where three years ago police escorts were needed to even enter and now over 100 children are fed daily and, at least for a little while, they are given the opportunity to play and actually be kids.

 Their smiles and laughter as we shared in games with them will forever be imprinted on our hearts.

We saw the importance of pastoral training so the Word of God is handled accurately in the villages in which He has called each of them to serve.

We saw that “poverty isn’t the absence of material things, but the absence of hope.” No matter the amount of money in someone’s bank account, apart from Christ we are all spiritually bankrupt.

God's ways are higher than ours and His plans far bigger.

He put it on the hearts of us in Montana to travel thousands of miles to help be the answer to years of prayer of Nicaraguan pastors and their families for provision and encouragement and a home so they could continue on in doing His work.

This trip also brought many answered prayers personally  ... 

I had been praying since before I moved to Bozeman that New Beginnings Church (formerly Kirkwood) would become missions minded and send a team to take the gospel to the nations.

And for over three years for the May family to have the opportunity to serve together on the mission field.

Also, for discipleship opportunities in leading and encouraging and equipping others to go and serve.

Lastly, for seeing people realize there is a God who loves them enough to have sent Jesus to die on the cross for their sin so that they could be reconciled to Him and seeing them repent, place their faith in Christ and fully surrender everything to Him.

We serve a God who is good, who is faithful, who provides and who calls us to be on mission with Him.

It also made me think then ...What happens when we are not obedient to His calling? ... 

"God calls every Christian to live with a missionary heart... The Bible is perfectly clear: In the gospel is power for salvation. Without it, no one can be saved. The nations must hear. Jesus has commanded us to reach and teach the lost with the gospel so ...the question for us to answer is not, "Am I called to go?" but instead "can I show sufficient cause for not going?"... The one who says, "Yes, Lord but..." is the one who is fiercely ready but never goes." -David Sills

As we return home today, our lives are forever changed ... Our encouragement to you is to consider the plans God has for your own life. Where is He calling you to step out in obedience? Don't wait another minute!

Thank you for the prayers so many of you lifted up on behalf of our team - we know nothing can happen apart from His power and we are so thankful for each of you being a part of this trip with us! 

-Amber :)