Friendship Club

Friendship Club... a special needs adult ministry that has captured my heart. Every other Tuesday night, I go down to New City Fellowship to meet with about a dozen adults who are special needs ranging from age 16 to about 60.

Sweet Lynn - always telling knock knock jokes
Wendall - LOVES telling you important dates...he has every holiday/birthday memorized!
Buddy - just a sweet man who always has a smile
LB - the one that I work with who is 16 and is new to the group and absolutely loves it
Dina - a girl with Down Syndrome who always wants to pray for someone

These are just a few of the people I get to spend time with on these nights. I love these people so much. At the beginning of the night we all sang, "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands," "Jesus Loves Me," and then we went around the room and said something we were thankful for. Hearing their responses just put so much back into perspective for me. Some of them were, food, a house to live in, Jesus dying on the cross... and it just made me sit back and think, and realize that yes, life is stressful. Yes, there is SO much going on and it's hard. But I absolutely love the perspective I get when I'm with these wonderful people. They love others and they love God in such a way that I strive to. They have that "child-like faith" that is talked about in the Bible. They love each other and consistently put others before themselves. People look at them and feel sorry. But I look at them and wish I had more of their qualities. This is what I'm meant to do. This is what God has given me a love for. And I can't wait to see how He decides to use my passion and love for His special children in my future.

Widows

So yesterday was our once a semester brunch with the Widows. I work with the Widow's ministry here on campus. There's a group of widows of about 60, who meet down the mountain for a Bible Study and they are with an organization called Widows' Harvest Ministry. Most are in their 70's or 80's, some even in their 90's and probably 85-90% are African American. I have been with these ladies, getting to know them for the past 3 years. And what a blessing they have been to my life. Every Tuesday for about 2 or 3 years, I went down to their Bible Study every Tuesday! Every time I'm there, I'm greeted by the warmest smiles and biggest hugs. These ladies are incredible prayer warriors and they are always willing to talk or pray for me. Yesterday at the brunch, Bertha (the one in the second picture) said that the Lord woke her up at 2am the previous night to pray for me. Wow. That's amazing! She said, "Stacy, I want to give you my number, and I want you to call me. It don't matter if it's 3:00 in the morning; If you're awake and you've got stuff on your mind, or you need me to pray, honey, you just give me a call, no matter what time it is. Cause when I say I love you, I really mean that I love you." How wonderful is that? All these ladies have had such an impact on my life - I hate that I can't go to their bible studies anymore because of teaching, but we try to write/call/go for lunch when we can which has been great. I love how they always say that I have blessed them... when they really have no idea how much they have blessed me. I love the body of Christ. I love how it goes through generations, races, denominations, etc. The body of Christ is such a beautiful thing to be a part of. And I am so truly grateful that He put these amazing women in my life.

(Here are some pics of previous brunches... my camera died as soon as I got there yesterday so I couldn't take any!)

A cluster of thoughts :)

So I am officially done 2/3 of the semester. I can't believe it! This semester has truly flown by faster than any other... probably for 2 reasons... one, WAY more work to do than any other semester and two, my life outside of academics has been incredible, encouraging, and not stressful! :) My second favorite holiday (after Christmas!) is coming up in just a few short weeks and looking back on this past year, seeing where I was, where God has brought me, and where I am now, a lot has changed in one year! This is definitely a Thanksgiving where I can see how God has used certain difficulties to bring me closer to Him. I've learned so much about relying on God and looking to Him for my source of comfort, strength and satisfaction. I've seen that He is my constant, when everything else seems to be changing.

I'm excited to be spending this holiday with my family this year at my grandparents house in NC, doing all of our little traditions that we have formed... making cinnamon roles with grandmom, watching the Macy's Day Parade with Mom, shopping with the girls while the guys play golf. :) I love traditions. And I love my family... so it's a pretty great combination :)

I've learned and relearned what friendship is and should be. Friends encouraging each other, lifting each other up in prayer, really getting to know each other and be real with one another. Living life together and being a support for someone else. I've been blessed beyond measure this year with friends that are just like that.

I definitely have a lot to be thankful for. Thankful for the hard times, the confusing times, the happy and joyous times, the times that God has kept me waiting for His answers so that I could completely rely on Him and trust in His sovereign plan.

God is good ALL the time... and that is something to truly be thankful for.