I know I say this is every update, but time is literally FLYING by. I can not believe the kids are flying home in less than a month! They've grown so much and I am excited to see how they continue to grow over the last few weeks of tour.
After we left Atlanta, we went to St. Simons, Georgia. We had an awesome concert there. It was completely packed and there were people standing in the back. It has been so cool to see how God is present at every concert. The interns have talked a lot about the difference in God giving his blessing and actually bringing his presence, and it has been so cool after praying for him to show up and be present every night to see him work in the people through the concert.
After St. Simons, we headed to Quincy, Florida. Kelly and I had our off day there and it was so nice to just have a day of rest and to soak in the word of God. One thing I've really learned through tour is how to make sure quiet time is a part of my every day schedule. It is something we tend to forget, but it is SO important to have that time to talk to God and just soak in and learn from his word each morning. It has started each day off radically different for me.
After Quincy, we headed to Destin, Florida. We had two concerts in Destin; we sung in two services at Village Baptist in the morning and then did a night concert at Grace Lutheran. Again, God totally was present and working through the kids. I got to see the Bennetts, my host from Fort Walton, which was so refreshing! It felt like visiting with my family. It's crazy how close you can get to people you only stay with for a few days. I'm so thankful for the people God has chosen to put in my path.
At Grace, there was a homeless man who was living outside the church. The coolest thing to see was they way that our 23 kids loved him without boundaries. Whereas most people would avoid eye contact or not speak, these kids talked to him and hugged him. He came to the concert and before we left, he joined our prayer time. The way these kids love reminds me so much of Jesus. They love everyone with no restrictions, and it just made me want more than anything to have the pure and innocent heart of a child. Especially these kids, who run after Jesus and worship him without boundaries.
Monday was a host home day and Beth, Nelly, Hannah, and I went out on the boat with our host family! We met up with Betty, Faith, Grace, Emma, and Elizabeth who were staying with Caitlin and Kelly. We went out to Crab Island and got to swim in the clearest water I've ever seen! We all had so much fun and it was a great "sabbath" day to rest and relax.
After Destin, we headed to Blountstown. My host home absolutely blew me out of the water. The way that Robin, my host mom, served and loved at all times was a direct reflection of her faith. I was so encouraged by her and her family. Her marriage also encouraged me; after being together for almost 15 years, her and her husband are still so in love and it is evident that it's because of their relationships with Christ and the fact that they put Him first. I loved getting to talk to them and hear a little bit of their story. Wednesday morning, we did a session at Big Stuf and then had our concert at Rivertown Community Church that night. It was COMPLETELY packed too. All the chairs were filled and people were standing in the back and in the balcony. God was so present and we had an awesome night of worship just being able to praise him and celebrate what he is doing in Kenya.
This afternoon, we just arrived in Rainbow City, Alabama. Our concert will be tomorrow night. I'm chaperoning boys for the second time on tour! I have Edwin, Samuel, and Kelvin. Tonight, we played croquet while was so funny to watch. They are crazy different from the girls, but I absolutely love staying with them.
God has shown me the coolest things! I have been reading through Romans and 1 Corinthians and the things he's pointed out to me have been incredible. Romans is probably my favorite book and it's pushing me to love and offer grace by first accepting it from him. It's also taught me how to constantly be in prayer and trust in him.
The kids are doing great. They are growing up so quick, I can't even imagine how big they will get when they go home for 3 weeks!
Here's how you can pray:
-Pray for the kids. We are in the season where they are comfortable so they start to push their boundaries. Pray that they can run hard after God and that they can learn how important obedience is.
-Pray for the interns. Pray that God gives us wisdom and strength, and that he shows us when to discipline and when to love.
Thanks so much, love you guys!