Wednesday, July 21, 2010

99 Balloons -

If you haven't seen or heard this yet, you should. This video reminds us all to be extremely thankful for what we have. As Pastor Rod Stafford shares in his sermon on July 18th, 2010, http://fairfax.cc/assets/1101/2010-07-18_forgotten_virtues_part4.mp3, we must practice this virtue of gratitude.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=th6Njr-qkq0

I'm hungry.




I am hungry. I am sleep-deprived slightly. And God is good. :-D

DC Serve was the best I have ever seen it. If I wasn't so exhausted, I would explain more. But at the moment, I am droppy-eyed, famished, and loopy. My sense of humor is weird and I haven't eaten since 8:30ish AM. I am waiting for Chelsea and Ben (two other interns at Fairfax Community Church) to get their lives together so that we can go eat. Then, I am hanging out with the awesome Ally P. from the Hangar. Today will be a good day once I get some food in my system.

I love this photo. I laugh hysterically when I see this commercial... and I think I am the only one in the greater metropolitan area that thinks so. Ha. I'm hungry.

Love.
-Elisa

Thursday, July 8, 2010

This is how I draw, man!!

SO I have to speak in the Hangar (youth ministry) at FCC this weekend and I am SO stoked. I am so excited, I just might throw up... no big deal, right? This summer, we are doing a series called, "Summer of Love." What is that, you may ask... well... basically, we are taking 10 weeks of this summer to talk to students about giving, receiving, accepting love by checking out scripture to see what Jesus says about love.

ANYWAYS so we have a super funny video... everything is 70's-ish style. Kyle wanted to make videos with Old Navy mannequins... awkward, right? But we soon decided that was strange so we are making funny video clips or series teasers with the Brady Bunch and the Partridge Family. We may be awkward, quirky, silly, but you know what - we youth workers at FCC are pretty darn funny and I think this series is gonna be awesome!

My message with be specifically about John 15: 9-17. I will be talking about how Christ has called us to love. His greatest commandment is love and we are called to take action and go out into the world and share it.

Brett Wilson told me a story a few weeks ago when we went to the beach about a drawing she once made. Imagine little Brett at her desk scribbling about with crayons with weird names like macaroni and cheese, razzle dazzle and jazz berry jam. (For more fun Crayola crayon names, check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Crayola_crayon_colors) That day, Brett decided to draw and color the beach. She drew a line and colored it blue below to illustrate the ocean and repeated the same action for the sky above - both using lines to indicate a separation of the two. Her teacher commented on her art and said something to the effect of, "Why did you use lines to illustrate the water and sky like that?" Why did Brett do that!? When we are children, we draw what we can see. We cannot begin to conceive the idea that the ocean and sky continue on forever and ever - we can only see so much with our eyes. The best way to fully understand the ocean or the sky is to experience it - swim in the ocean, better yet, jump on a sail boat, fly in a plane - something that will help us understand that there is more out there than we can possibly understand. More out there than the eye can see.

Here is Brett... She loves horses...? <3


I bet Brett's picture looked something like this...


My point is this: love is the same way. We can see love as just a word, but it won't mean much to us unless we experience it: give it, receive it, accept it, show it, etc. We are called to be people of love and love each other as Christ has loved us. This image and idea of Brett's artwork of the ocean is a great way to understand that there is so much to discover about the love our Lord has given us. He has presented so many examples in the Word, but there is so much to explore in this area that we will be constantly seeking it out for the rest of our lives.

Wish me luck and say a prayer for my talk in the Hangar. It stink that Kyle, Jess, and Chelsea will be gone on a missions trip during that time, but I have some friends who will visit and support me.

Peace and LOVE!
*~Elisa

Mission: Just starting...

Hello Friends,
It has been way too long. So much to say - so I will do my best!

The past 7 weeks have been fantastic! I am truly enjoying my time here at Fairfax Community Church and I am learning SO much about student ministry, my role as a leader, and my heart for young people. Huge praise that I am working with an awesome team of people, including my bosses/mentors, Kyle and Jess. There have been so many seeds planted in my heart while I have been here, and I am receiving so many affirmations from the Lord that I am in a place where He wants me to be right now.

I know a while ago I shared with you all that as a graduated senior, it is so very difficult to feel confident in the future and what it holds for us. The truth is - the real world is scary. It is busy, hectic, traffic sucks, coming home late sucks, working your butt off and not having any time to watch old Joan of Arcadia re-runs or making enough time to enjoy a good work out - those days can become overwhelming. We will learn how to make time for that and adjust our schedules accordingly, but what I am trying to say is that things will not be like they were when we were in school. We have to adjust and learn to take on a new lifestyle... which is OKAY! Calm down... breathe... you will be fine. Your new mission has just begun and it takes a little adjusting to realize how good God's plan is.

So.... About these affirmations... God has spoken so loud and clear in the past couple months and I am so excited to see all of the things He is doing in my life. Recently, I studied 1 and 2 Corinthians with two of my lovely sisters: Evie and Mikaela, and God used that study to communicate His plan for me. This scripture encouraged me so much and I hope it does the same for you -

I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by diligence of others. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yes for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. And in this I give advice: It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and were desiring to do a year ago; but now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be completion out of what you have. 2 Corinthians 8:8-11


At the time that I read this, I was already loving my internship but feeling slightly discouraged. I was wondering - am I doing what God wants me to do right now? I am passionate about ministry, but is this a selfish want or a calling from the Lord? Reading this scripture made me realized that I was definitely called to be where I am right now, this very second, this moment, this summer. What a refreshment it was to see God's Word tell me that indeed He has placed this passion in my life and that He wants me to follow-through all the way.

What are you passionate about? What makes you excited? To all of you post-college people out there: what is it that you have a heart for and are you doing about it right now? God wants you to follow your gut - a.k.a the Holy Spirit. Even if you had some awesome idea for a life career a year ago, have you chased that dream? What are you doing to obtain it? I do not have all of the answers but I know that God is good. He blesses us when we follow our gut and do the absolute best for Him and for ourselves. Do not become discouraged - but know that God is doing a thing in you right now and He wants you to follow-through with confidence and praise! Keep your eyes, ears, and hearts open to listen and follow.

Life is so exciting right now and this is only the beginning of my mission.

-Elisa