week 3

CODY: Well we are just wrapping up our 3rd week here in beautiful Santa Monica. I am sitting in the sand leaned up against a palm tree watching the sun go down over the pier and behind the ocean. I wish you all could be here with me taking this in. This past week we focused on reaching our world together. We continued to learn how to develop and be a part of a missional community by looking through Ephesians 4 and understanding our relationship with God and how He created us to be in a community with each other. This is especially important as a college student who will be going back to school in the fall and really trying to push for a Christ-centered community. In discipleship, we focused on grace, truth, and time. 

Cody's creative date with impact group

These are 3 of the most important things in growing our relationship within the community as well as with others we meet along the road of life. All 3 need to be present to have an effective body and to grow and I am very grateful for them all.
     
     We also got a chance to be a part of what we call “Good News, Good Deeds” where we go out and serve the community around us. I got to go down the Promenade with another student with the hopes of interacting with the homeless and buying them a meal and listening to their story. The first 2 attempts we had to this were very short and a little discouraging. As we were walking back up the Promenade, we began to prayer walk. Just as we finished, we looked up and say a lady standing holding a sign that read “Family is Hungry and need Medications”. When we approached her she was shocked that we actually stopped to talk. The first thing she said to us was “I thought I was invisible”. I feel that is the truth that a lot of homeless people feel and it really hit me hard. We proceeded sit down and talk with her and hear her story for about an hour, and was able to go through the ‘Knowing God Personally’ booklet even through she was a Christian. There was mutual encouragement and it was awesome to see that she was continuing to trust God even through her struggles.

Cody's an all star

     Today, we finished out the week with a outreach after church in which we intended to extend the Gospel to our “Spheres of Influence”, or the people we are closest to and interact with often. Because we are so close to these people, I find it tough to bring up spiritual things because of my own pride and not wanting them to judge me. Am I afraid they will know I am a Christian and dedicated to following Jesus? God humbled me very quickly and gave me confidence to reach out to people today. Successful evangelism is taking the initiative to share Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit and leaving the results to God. I know that through the conversations we had today, although some may have been tough and frustrating, that seeds were planted. Next week our staff leaves and the students will continue the work that has already begun by encouraging each other, growing in our walk with God and the community, and helping each other during the thick and thin. I am still amazed at the opportunities God is placing before us daily. To Him go all the glory. 

     “I [Paul] urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” -Ephesians 4:1-3 

By His Grace,

             
                Cody

This week the students served at different locations
throughout LA. I served at the Salvation Army and
designed a bulletin board for them! Some people went to
the women's shelter, others bought meals for the
 homeless. #awesomeweek

SARAH: Comfort. If you know me at all, I love comfort. I love fuzzy socks, I love the "right" temperature,  balanced lighting, and food that is not too hot or too cold. None of these things are bad. In fact, they are awesome. Though as I let my mind wander, as I often do, I wondered if this is the type of lifestyle I am chasing? Do I desire to live in a perfectly balanced bubble where everything is held in constant equilibrium? A bubble where there is always enough money in the bank, where nothing too difficult occurs, a place that is never too hot or cold, and no one irritates me. I think…yup, that sounds sweet.   

But is that life really sweet? The problem with comfort is that it is often mediocre. Mediocrity is the land where nothing bad OR great happens…ever.

I am..uhh...trying =]. I was doing pretty well
until I tried to run through second base. smh

These past few months have challenged my desire of a comfortable life.  I have learned that only through discomfort have I experienced the fullness of life. It has taken me quitting my job, refusing to stress about school, enduring rejection of employers and people in Santa Monica, and losing my wallet to realize God's faithfulness, His sovereignty is all things, His goodness, and above all, His infinite and deep love. Through these uncomfortable trials, I can say that I would rather be rejected and defeated over and over again and experience true triumph, than to have never taken a chance. I would rather witness starving homeless people on the streets, than live in comfortable blindness. I would rather endure humiliation and suffering because I follow Jesus, than to never experience His love. In what world does a person grow in comfort, learn perseverance in fuzzy socks, or experience victories without taking leaps of faith? 
This week really has been about community. I learned that, "community is not just an aspect of ministry, it is the context in which all ministry takes place." Through grace, truth, and time an individual,  as well as the community as a whole, experiences growth. Grace does not sugarcoat the truth, grace is the vehicle by which truth should be delivered. Without grace, truth comes across as judgement and criticism. The truth: I am not perfect and I will never be. Grace: perfection is not the goal of my life. My life is a testament to the way God has changed my heart;  the way He has worked in my life. The question is not how perfect I am but, how evident is God's love in my life? 
-Sarah

"Bring me joy, bring me peace, Bring the chance to be free, Bring me anything that brings You glory, And I know there will be days, When this life brings me pain But if that's what it takes to praise You, Jesus, bring the rain"

-MercyMe

Mario batting =]

MARIO: Hello,

This week we went to a community center in LA. An amazing thing was happening at this community center. Every Thursday, since 2006, an organization by the name of Impacting Hearts puts on ‘youth night’. That is, they provide a place for the at-risk youth to come and experience Christian community where they can be built up. The at-risk youth present were all African-American. Witnessing this was awesome.

When I first arrived, I saw some youngsters playing basketball on the basketball court at the center. Someone who was with me told me that some of the youngsters playing were foster youth. I knew, right then, that I was going to be humbled. Almost immediately all of us guys from SMSP 2012 and the guys that were on the basketball court started a game of B-ball (that’s how us guys on project get to know each other!). Boy, talked about being humbled; the guys from the community center were really good. One of them slam dunked in all of our faces.. I call him the mini Michael Jordan because he was a foot or two shorter than me.

After we got dominated in basketball, some really loud guy huddled everyone in a circle. I learned that his name was Shawn, and he was the Impacting Heart’s director for that specific location. I also learned the names of some of the at-risk youth, and I met guys who introduced themselves as mentors. We immediately started their Thursday routine by praying aloud after the meet-and-greet. This prayer circle was stood out for me though because, before we started praying, Shawn asked for prayer request, and everyone who knew the routine—Impacting Heart’s regular attendees—began to name off things that only a family would. That is, they all were connected like a family in that they knew each other’s family situations and hang-ups. I also learned at this time that all were welcomed to the Thursday fellowship, but none were forced to stay. And those who were present showed up because they were receiving a lot more than just basketball-practice.

After the prayer circle, we went inside to enjoy a warm meal together. As soon as we walked in the cafeteria, Shawn shouted “guys! Why aren’t you eating right now?” And all the guys from the community center said in unison, “ladies first.” After the meal, we all engaged in what was called a counsel meeting, whereby anyone who felt inclined can stand-up and let everyone else know what was most important to them at that particular point in time. Everyone shared himself or herself freely, without fear of being rejected.

After the counsel meeting, we all heard a message from one of the staff member of Impacting Hearts. As we listened to the message, I gave the occasional glance to some of the guys’ facial expressions. My heart was glad when I found them intently receiving God’s word!

After the message, Shawn dismissed everyone and asked all of Cru people to come up so he could talk to us. We gathered around while he told us the mission of the organization. Impacting Heart’s focus was on teaching at-risk youth about relationships that are centered on God and His Word. I was touched and humbled, knowing such an organization exists. The rest of the students that were with me were moved, too. We have decided to continue coming to Impacting Hearts every Thursday for the remainder of our project. And I can’t wait!

-Mario