south carolina on my mind
It seems like He's answering every prayer I pray EXCEPT for support. I've been praying for God to provide me a great house to live in close to campus and he did! As long as my plans work out (which almost never happen the way I plan them) I'll have a fantastic place to live when I return!
A close friend I've prayed for year after year has seen major life transformation and just got engaged to a wonderful girl this past Saturday. I've been reading books and Scripture about answered prayer but this support business, well it's just rolling along about as fast as a slug on a Sunday. How am I so ungrateful?? Amidst all that I'm seeing the Lord do, it still feels like it's not enough to drown out the waiting and "no's" I'm hearing day after day.
And so, my request is that you pray for me this week. For today. I humbly ask that you would take a minute to lift up a prayer to the Lord on behalf of my attitude, of my spirit. The support will come in due time, I know that to be true, but in the meantime, I really want an attitude of humility and praise as I work on support. I would love God's favor tonight as I meet with these families a few hours away and really hope to be a great ambassador for all God's doing down in Alabama.
As South Carolina is on my mind today, I pray it'd be on yours as well. Thank you so much, blogger loves. Amen.
k is for the karls & how their story is changing me
I can genuinely say that I love these two and am learning from them more every day as they follow the Lord through thick and thin. While they each have their own unique talents & quirks, I always think of them together, as a unit. I believe this is the way marriage is supposed to work. I believe this is what makes marriage so beautiful. And they are living it.
I would encourage you to visit their blog, get to know them & pray for them. Just this past month they were able to purchase a home, their first. Isn't it funny how the Lord gives us greater blessings through less than desirable means? This is not quite how they would have planned their story but I can assure you they, along with their precious dog Millie, are having a blast living it out.
Can't wait to be back with you guys SOON, fulling the Great Commission & getting off track in staff meetings. Prayers are with you for sure. Thanks so much for being my friends.
TODAY I spoke with a girl with views razor sharp,
as if protecting a citadel;
a quivering dagger dancing the samba in her hand
because the threat of one brick falling
would bring crashing down
her fearful notions.
So she stood lunged,
her eyes meeting mine,
ready to fight for all the pain she’s felt.
“Damn the church and Jesus too.
It’s they who broke my heart.
It’s me who has survived.”
She’s not sure though she acts like she is.
The eyes are the windows to the soul, you know.
& we both know it as her eyes meet mine.
“Breathe” I say for fear she might suffocate,
“I want to hear of your thoughts carnal,
raw as they may be.
We have time.”
She thinks I’m trying to sell a product for pride
but that brittle bank is full already.
I’m trying to empty myself not find more, you see.
Currency of dust is worthless in the world in which I live.
.....
I would submit to you with dreams that crumble at your touch
that chasing wind of worldly gain
leaves you addicted to brokenness.
Drunkenness is weakness amplified.
As you scream into the speakers
of a world screaming back ten fold
you're only becoming deaf to your own voice.
Your words could not be clearer,
“reality is not good enough,
fast enough
deep enough.
Take me into oblivion.”
Do you ever wonder, girl of broken dreams
why bar bathroom walls are ink-marked sex and who loves whos?
It’s because amidst the Jaeger bombs and body shots
in the dim lit movement of the night,
your heart is parched for intimacy fulfilling.
I too wrote it on the bathroom walls
because to say it out loud
was to admit my need.
God forbid my will was not enough.
God forbid I could not flirt myself into satisfaction.
Everything in you is craving for more
deeper
deeper
deeper still.
What is more
You call yourself a brave gladiator of liberal sway
We were made for freedom
you know it full well.
You feel liberty for a moments time, too
It wets but not quenches your appetite.
The praise of men silences when you walk out the room
Your quickening dagger limp
as you search for the next battle to fight.
------
I just need to know if you’re tired.
Tired of fighting
Tired of masks
Tired of questions with no answers?
I just need to know if you hear the tone in my voice?
I'm not trying to kill you
stifle you
bind you
or brainwash you
I'm TRYING to give you life...
Are you tired enough to just let go?
To taste salvation pure
and let loose the vice on thoughts of stone?
Hopelessness is hopeless don’t you know ?
Darkness kills in flesh & eternity.
Let melt your stubborn inconsistencies
& escape the bonds of broken dreams.
You call me a fool for fairy tales
But I have peace where you have disease.
For God’s sake draw near to Jesus’ arms
Surrender jackal & drop your blade
For Christ is real
Christ is real, indeed.
& without his hand you will surely always be fighting
Fighting beyond the grave
whatever it takes
As always, click photo to enlarge
"
towards jerusalum: amy carmicheal
Not this way went the Crucified,From all that dims Thy Calvary,O Lamb of God, deliver me. Give me the love that leads the way,The faith that nothing can dismay,The hope no disappointments tire,The passion that will burn like fire,Let me not sink to be a clod,Make me Thy fuel, O Flame of God.
pray like you mean it
dearest NST loves,
The other night I got REALLY pumped up about MPD. So pumped that I wanted to make a video, look you in the eyes, and encourage you with what I've been seeing God do.
PTL for CCC NST @CSU, and a whole slew of TLAs to get us moving on MPD for the new CRU! We gotta raise the Gs & sign off for the 401c3 cause our MTLs just got back from IBS & need help increasing PRCs with the KGP for ESS!! Get off FB, plug those digits in, and don't forget "There's another vital way [they] can help!"
students on the frontlines: megan cook
Megan Cook is one of the students I have featured before in my newsletters and blogs. She is an upcoming sophomore at The University of Alabama who attended Miami Summer Project over the past few months. Below is a facebook message I received from her just the other day...
Allison, God has completely changed me this summer while being on Miami Summer Project. I came into this project prideful, did not trust God's will for my life and just never thought about anyone but myself... Well! Now God is teaching me to be humble and to cherish my time on this earth. I am CALLED to go spread His Word and to tell others how He has worked in my life and completely transformed it. This time here has made me have a PASSION for younger girls. I want to help them with their walks with God and tell them that no matter how bad they have messed up, God's grace is so sufficient for you..
more on the name change
Over the past few days, phone calls and emails regarding the ministry's name change have flooded in at volumes much to large for my rapid, personal response. According to supporters & strangers alike, the websites we have distributed (such as the one I posted on my blog last week) are not providing the kind of information these folks are looking for. They want to hear from the staff themselves. & so, Because my schedule is already jam-packed with support raising engagements & it's difficult to return each call, I've attempted to record a video which hopefully answers the questions they are asking. I am WELL aware that this video is kind of cheesy but, regardless, give me a few minutes of your time and join our ministry as we approach a new exciting chapter in our history. May Christ be glorified.
sweet beats to wake me up from a sinful mornin funk
Boy do I LOVE Josh Garrel's music... so passionate & raw & true you could cut it with a knife. enjoy, darlings.
lord, may my satisfaction and success be in you alone
As I raise support today, it's so easy to become distracted, overwhelmed, & focused on anything but Christ. I came across a small slip of paper in my Bible this morning with this Psalm printed in faded blue ink. What rich Scripture. Satisfy me in the morning with your love, oh Father. May you be my sole desire & for your glory alone will you bless the work of my hands. May those I pray for, talk to, call & approach for your Kingdom see you and you alone. Less of me. More of you. Amen.
Miami Summer Project
Miami Summer Project is, in my opinion, one of the neatest summer projects cru puts on every year. For the duration of the summer, college students from across the nation move into the high rises of Miami, Florida with only two goals: learn what it means to truly live for the Gospel and have a blast! After a short introduction to the city and some practice sharing their faith, all students are expected to get part-time jobs. Here they obtain on the job training in discipleship; learning how to cultivate relationships with their peers and share their faith in every day settings. Half way through the summer senior staff leave and the students are expected to run the project on their own. What an INCREDIBLE way to allow students to step up and take ownership for their faith! I'm getting goosebumps thinking about it!
Every time I saw my phone ring or a text message arrive this summer from one of our Miami girls, a rush of joy would immediately infuse my body. From the moment we said hello, they gushed over their experiences in Miami; going on and on about what God was teaching them and how their Kingdom vision is changed forever. They are SO eager to return to campus to tell all of their peers about the Lord.
As new full-time staff, I will most likely be assigned to this project next summer. I cannot WAIT!
 |
| As always, click the above photo to enlarge |
the name game
I invite you to check out the site below. My hope is that you get caught up in the vision with which our staff is so passionate: to reach the world for Christ. On behalf of our ministry, I want you to know that I'm thrilled by the name change. I believe it will open up more opportunities to share the Gospel than we presently have. What is more "the current name change within our ministry has brought up a worldwide discussion on the name of Christ. We can't ask for anything better than that." - Steve Sellers, vice president of cru
If you have any questions or would like to discuss this with me further, I'd love to. Please comment below, call, or email me any time.
june july newsletter
** Click on photos to enlarge so you can read! Click again to utilize magnifying glass feature to zoom in. * Note* This is merely an image of my monthly newsletter. To join the newsletter listserve, simply email allison.gortney@gmail.com **
it is good
"And God said 'Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of the earth and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.' And it was so. God saw everything that he had made and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and here was morning, the sixth day. " Genesis 1:29-31
chicfila cow night
Dress up like a cow, get free Chic-fila tonight. Yes, please.I have to admit, the outfits were absolutely ridiculous but that's what college is all about right?? Oh wait... we forget that just because we work with college students doesn't mean that we're not actually in college anymore...
potatoe pahtatoe.
We got free dinner regardless
a night with vonnette
Bill and Vonnette Bright began Campus Crusade for Christ in 1951 on the UCLA campus with no idea of how huge this ministry would become. As a treat for this past Thursday night, Vonnette came to speak with the new staff and give us some wisdom on the years to come in our ministry. Before heading home, we all partook in an ice cream social (ice cream was apparently Dr. Bright's favorite food; my kind of MAN!) and a hand-full of us had the opportunity to have our picture taken with the Mrs. It really was neat to hear from Mrs. Bright and glean some godly wisdom from her. I can't say it enough; I am the luckiest girl in the world for working with this ministry. They truly are a neat, genuine, funny bunch.
suffering for the gospel, obviously
 |
| Bear Lake, Estes Park, Colorado |
Hope you're all doing well back home! Miss you (especially you, mama)! or... rather, wish you were HERE!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
