Louisiana Mission Trip 2009 part 1

This years trip was a milemarker for me. Thursday night we always have "awards ceremony." It is a time where we embarass everyone who is new and has done a little something embarassing. Well, after that we have communoin. Right before we had communion I stepped forward to give my life to the Lord and asked Him to save me from the firery depths of hell. I had been doubting my salvation since about May and, on Thursday, June 18th, I was able to nail it down! God has saved my soul and I am completely His!

He did so much for us on this trip, as he always does. He blessed us with strength and energy. It was an amazing trip and the church was so thankful for us to be there. I will tell you about the trip in a couple posts because there is no way that I could do it in one. So, I will start with Friday and Saturday.

Friday morning we left a local church here in our community at about seven.

Hit a local truck stop for biscuits and then hit the road.

As you can see these hard working young men are replacing a tire. Well, to summ it up, God really had his hand the van that all of us young people were on. We were probably about five hours away from our destination and come to find out, the tire on our rental van was warped!
So, thankfuly we had already planned on stopping at church we had worked on years back and while there, we discovered the spare was even in worse condition! So, a member of the church went and got another tire for us!
And, you know how Satan will throwe firey darts at you? Well, this next thing that happened to us was almost literaly a firey dart. As we were riding down the interstate, people were bushhogging on the side of the road. A piece of rubber got caught in one of the bushhoos and was blown out. It flew up and hit the end of the van. This peice of rubber put a dent in the van right above the back right tire.
God kept us so safe!

Then we settled in on Friday night and a yummy super was fed to us by the church memebers. Saturday moring we (us girls) started putting up insalation!!! YuKK!! But, we had something to do, so, that is always nice. While we did that,

the guys were on the roof! Glad that I wasn't up there. They worked so hard in the heat, but, thankfuly for a lot of the time it was overcast so that helped out a lot.

Saturday night a sweet little couple from their church invited us to their diner! It was so great!

Have you ever seen six girls sitting at one booth?

Think it won't work?

Well, we made it work! It was such a blast! The whole week was.

After a DELICIOUS supper of fried catfish, AMAZING hushpuppies, fries, slaw and cake, there was pickin' and grinnin'!

The evening was ended with Amazing Grace.

Philippians 4:6-7
6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

God bless!

Your new sister in Christ,

Joy.

If...

If this was your last night, where would you spend you eternity?

The last night we were in Louisiana this question struck me. The story behind is to come soon.

Thank you

• Going to church
• Blowing bubbles with a little one
• Going on a Mission for God in Louisisana
• Being with my family
• Having reunions
• Blogging whatever I want
• Shopping
• Fishing with my little brother's
• Spending a day in the kitchen
• A night on the town with my sister's
• Watching a movie with my family
• Driving my Daddy's Ford

This list could go on and on. What is the list for you ask? It is things that I know that I do and don't even think about them. Today I have thought a lot about them and why we CAN do them. We CAN do them because of what I and my brothers and sisters and mama witnessed this morning. The homecoming of a fallen soldier. This brave, 21 year old Sargeant left his home and family to go fight for you and me. Not knowing at all what the future held. Sure, none of us know what our future holds, but he was going to a land where he was hated and going to be shot at WITHOUT MERCY. A land where his brother's are dying for others who don't even care anymore. You and I are safe, here in our homeland, the motherland. He left his young wife and newborn son. A couple weeks ago I was at the docters office with my grandmother. As we left I saw an older gentlemen, nicley dressed witha cap on that said, "Veteran of Vietnom." AS we left, I hesitated and then thanked him for his service to our country. After I told him thank you, he thanked me for thanking him. Mama and Daddy have taught me and my siblings to thank these men and obviously, they don't get thanked enough. I not to brag or anything, I just want to give you something to think about. Thank a soldier when you see one. As I write this I wonder if Sgt. Jordan was ever thanked; I hope that he was. I haven't cried like I did this morning at the airport in a long time. I kept thinking of his familiy, his young wife and 1 year old son who's birthday is the day that his life was taken. June 4th. I also kept think of the "This is just a dream" by Carrie Underwood . How I wish that had been a dream, but it wasn't. It was real. IT IS REAL! Please keep his family in your prayers. Please for all of our troops.

Thank you for taking time to read, and, if you take the time to thank a soldier,

Thank you again.