If our God is for us, then who could ever stop us?

As I was driving my sister and I to school today, the song "Our God" came on my iPod and I began to sing along, like I usually do. Then as the song began to end, and the bridge started playing, the words "And if our God is for us, then who could ever stop us? And if our God is with us, then who can stand against?" started to mean something completely new for me. Since "Our God" is one of my favorite songs ever, I had heard it a million times yet this morning it meant something so much more. It was a reminder that if our God is with us and for us, then who, on this earth, could ever stop us? As April 1st comes closer and closer, I find myself getting more excited and yet more nervous as well. I am mostly nervous about the unknowns and the idea that I don't have full control over what will be happening. Yet,  none of us going do have full control over this trip or really over any area in our lives. As I prepare personally for the trip to Tanzania, I am going to lean on God's promise that He is in full control, all the time. His perfect and righteous Will will be done and my fellow team members and I must rest this promise, and only in Him will we find peace.
God Bless!
Haleigh Swierski

I'm Yours

I am one of those people who finds a great song and listens to it over and over. Right now, I am listening to "Who Am I", by Casting Crowns.

Who am I?

That the Lord of all the earth,

Would care to know my name,

Would care to feel my hurt.

Who am I?

That the bright and morning star,

Would choose to light the way,

For my ever wondering heart.

Not because of who I am.

But because of what you've done.

Not because of what I've done.

But because of who you are.

Chorus:

I am a flower quickly fading,

Here today and gone tomorrow.

A wave tossed in the ocean,

A vapor in the wind.

Still you hear me when I'm calling,

Lord you catch me when I'm falling,

And you told me who I am.

I am yours.

I am yours.

Who am I?

That the eyes that see my sin

Would look on me with love

And watch me rise again

Who am I?

That the voice that calm the sea,

Would call out through the rain,

And calm the storm in me.

Not because of who I am.

But because what of youve done.

Not because of what I've done.

But because of who you are.

Chorus:

I am a flower quickly fading,

Here today and gone tomorrow.

A wave tossed in the ocean,

A vapor in the wind.

Still you hear me when I'm calling,

Lord you catch me when I'm falling,

And you told me who I am.

I am yours.

Not because of who I am.

But because of what you've done.

Not because of what I've done.

But because of who you are.

Chorus:

I am a flower quickly fading,

Here today and gone tomorrow.

A wave tossed in the ocean,

A vapor in the wind.

Still you hear me when I'm calling,

Lord you catch me when I'm falling,

You told me who I am.

I am yours.

I am yours.

Whom shall I fear?

Whom shall I fear?

'Cuz I am yours.

I am yours.

In a meeting last week, Mr. O'Neil asked us what our biggest fear about the trip was. I replied, "fitting in." Others said leaving home, being away from family, etc. I realize now that all of us are afraid, but if we put that fear before God, then that will greatly take away from our trip. The songs says "Whom shall I fear? I am yours." I think we all need to live by that, and put our fears behind us, being confident in what we know-- that God is with us.

Mark 10:29-31

Jesus said, "Mark my words, no one who sacrifices house, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, land—whatever—because of me and the Message will lose out. They'll get it all back, but multiplied many times in homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and land—but also in troubles. And then the bonus of eternal life! This is once again the Great Reversal: Many who are first will end up last, and the last first."

Please ask God to pray that we will let go of our fears, trusting Him the whole way.

Sabrina

Big Steps

Coach Freace closed his last blog out with saying that the journey to Africa has already begun and I could not agree with him more. The journey really began for me last semester as I learned more about this continent in the class History of Current Events taught by Mr. O'Neil. I was fascinated by this far away place, but even then if you had asked me I would not have dreamed of going there any time soon. I was comfortable, safe and far from anything too extreme. Why would I go anywhere?

If you asked people in my family they can tell you I am simply quite afraid of everything. I don't like talking to people I don't know on the phone, I used to have to ask my older sister Cailtin to order for me at restaurants, and when anyone begins yelling at me or someone around me I become petrified. When Mr. O'Neil introduced the idea of going to Tanzania and then handed out the applications, the first thing that popped into my head was all the things that could go wrong. The whole trip was completely outside of my comfort zone; however, over the next few days God began working on my heart to show me just how in the wrong I was.

I was reading about some of the issues ocurring over in Africa; disease, poverty and mass amounts of orphans were just a few of the things mentioned. It made me irate. Why weren't people doing something about it? Thats when it hit me that I was that person, snug and comfy in my perfect enviroment, to afraid to go outside of what I saw as safe. Moreover, I was a christian called by Christ to make a difference in this world. I was trying to be safe, but in reality as a christian I was already as safe as anyone can be. My Savior has conquered death and so I saw that it was not my place to fear and if God was calling me to go to Africa then I had no excuse but to answer that call.

Psalm 27:1 says, "The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life of whom shall I be afraid." Turning in my application and putting submission to God over worldy fears have been some of the biggest steps for me in this journey so far. I pray and ask ya'll to pray that God will help us to overcome our fears and put our trust in him and that there will be many more big steps taken in this journey.

Saved Sinners

"But I’ve come to realize that getting where God wants me to go isn’t nearly as important as becoming who God wants me to be in the process. And God seems to be far less concerned with where I’m going than with who I’m becoming." Mark Batterson

The past week I have been praying that God will work through me as I prepare for this trip to Africa this spring . . . both in the lives of our students and in the lives of the people that we are going to meet there. I have also been praying that this be a time where God will continue to open my eyes to who he is . . . and use this change in culture to bring me closer to God.

One of the difficulties in preparing for a trip like this, is the mindset that you can sometimes take. The concept of going to impact people can both motivate your preparation but also hinder your spirit. The fact is, that while we are intentionally going to serve others for God, we are going to be hugely impacted ourselves.

Here is what I pray we do not do. I pray that we do not elevate ourselves. I was really floored and convicted by how someone characterized us . . . we are just saved sinners . . . at our core . . . but with God and only God, we become his masterpiece.

My prayer for our trip is that people will see us for who we are . . . people just like them . . . while at the same time showing them that God has called us to be more . . . and that is where we get our joy, peace, and hope.

Whether we like it or not, the journey to Africa has already begun.

My First Post!

Hello all,

When I thought about what I would write for my first blog, I began thinking about Coach Freace's illustration of the rhino and of the impala.

The impala can jump 13 feet in the air and 30 feet out. This is quite an impressive feat. Though the impala can jump that high and that far, it is only contained by a three foot-wall in the zoo. Why? Because the impala is hesitant to jump where it cannot see.

Do you know what a group of rhinos is called? It's a crash-- which is a perfect name for the group. A rhino crash runs thirty miles an hour, but can only see thirty feet ahead. Shouldn't the rhino be hesitant of what is thirty one feet ahead? No. The rhino does not hesitate, but goes full force into what it cannot see.

God challenges us to go full force into life with confidence. We should have confidence in what we know and not be afraid of what we do not know. We should be like rhinos and not impalas.

We have decided to read Max Lucado's book Out Live Your Life, along with the first 12 chapters of Acts. Through our study of the two works, we hope to grow spiritually, and we hope it will prepare us for the journey on which we are about to embark. Along with the reading, we will be praying continuously. I hope you will all start to pray for us. Please pray that we will stay healthy, that we will grow spiritually, and that we will make an impact on the lives of those in Tanzania and on the lives of people here.

Also, please encourage us to be rhinos!

Sabrina

Welcome . . .

I have the privilege of posting the first blog on the new Tanzania2011 blogspot. This blog will serve as an avenue for us to share about logistical, spiritual and cultural preparation for our trip to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania this April. We are excited to share God's work in our lives as we prepare to impact the people in Dar for God's kingdom.

Travel with us as we share prayer requests, details, and devotionals between now and April. Travel with us as we prepare to work with children in schools, orphanages and possibly medical facilities during our brief time in Africa. That really is our desire. That you would travel with us in a sense . . . that this will provide an avenue for you to share our experiences . . . and possibly be impacted as we are by God and his work in our lives. Who knows . . . maybe we can even spur you on an overseas experience of your own.

Lastly, this blog will serve as a tool for daily updates while we are on the ground. We look forward to sharing with you daily how God uses us and allow you a window into our experiences during this time.

Thanks for traveling with us! And thanks for praying for us in advance!

Mike Freace . . . Director of Athletics . . .