Day 54

My time: 42:12

Well, I have come down with a cold, so running today was quite miserable and slow. It's alright though, hopefully it will go away soon!

We had some great music last week. I decided to do a post listing some of the songs we did (that I could find) and, additionally, some of my favorite Christian songs at the moment.

These songs were all performed last week by the Matt Roberson band-they were amazing-but I have them listed with the original artist:

One Thing Remains-Passion

Cornerstone-Hillsong

Our God is Love-Hillsong

Not Ashamed-Passion

Beautiful Things-Gungor

Great I Am-Phillips, Craig and Dean

Beautiful Things has to be my favorite song out of all of those, but Cornerstone is a close second. Although both Gungor and Matt do an amazing job, I have to say, our youth band played it best. The xylophone they used and the softness of it is just so pretty.

Our youth band led worship for our in-cabin devotions and they did some songs too:

Come to the River-Rhett Walker Band

Take it All-Hillsong

(There were others but those were my favorites-and the ones I can remember)

My personal favorites:

Every Good Thing-The Afters

American Noise-Skillet

Nothing Ever (Could Separate Us)-Citizen Way

Please donate today! I can't stress how large the need is!

~Haley

Day 53

Before and After

My time: 40:19

If you can't read the sign...

Clean Water Facts:

-1 billion people lack access to clean water

-1.5 billion live without basic sanitation

-3.4 billion die each year due to water-related diseases

-more people have a mobile phone than have a toilet

-women spend 200 million hours collectively in a day collecting water

How to Pray:

-pray for resources to be available to people in need

-pray for safety of the women collecting water

-pray for architects and building teams to help provide wells and other culturally appropriate technologies

-pray for a multitude of opportunities to share the gospel with people in need of clean* water

*i think the poster might actually say "cland", I'm assuming that was a typo..

I saw this poster in the missions center last week and thought it was the most perfect thing for a blog post. Just look at the facts. Think of how many people can be helped just through you donating. And prayer is huge too. If you have been iffy on donating, please see the need. It is a major one, and it doesn't have to be that way.

~Haley

Day 52

Before and After

My time: 38:56

Remember yesterday I said I wished it was cold?! Well a cold front came in this morning as well as rain!! I GOT TO RUN IN THE RAIN!!! :D

This last week was hands down one of the best weeks of my life. My youth group went to a church camp (I won't mention the name but its a pretty big one that has an attendance of about 6000 a week)

I got to see all my friends and meet a lot of new people! Our worship was led by the Matt Roberson Band (I highly recommend them by the way) and our speaker was Matt Kearns. He was incredible. I'd estimate about 300 people, give or take, came to Christ over the course of the week.

The schedule is: Morning Tabernacle, Quiet Time, Small Groups, Free Time, Evening Tabernacle, In-Cabin Devotionals. The morning tabernacles were very good, and my quiet time really helped me get back on track with God. I loved my small group and all the stories we shared. During free time there are so many things  to do. You can be on a volleyball or softball team, visit the gift shop or coffee shop, visit the Missions center or Mission Village, get an Icee or other snack, go to a ropes course, swimming, etc. Me and the people I hung out with spent a lot of time in the Missions Center and Village. It really shows you new opportunities and we got to pray for a lot of countries.

One day during free time several of us treated some of the younger girls to Icees and talked to them. We all shared our testimonies and let them share as well. It was really neat listening to them and giving advice where we could. 

I ran a 5K on Wednesday. I must say, that is the hilliest route I have ever been on. It was a constant up and down and some of those hills were pretty steep! Even when I ran my own route the other days it was strenuous. I am thrilled to be home to run on flat land again. I'd say I came about the middle of the pack in the race. Also while I'm on the topic of running, I'd like to thank Sierra for running with me for at least part of every run. That saying a lot since she's having surgery on her hip this Friday. Please be in prayer for her!!

The last two days I went with some others to some breakout sessions. One of them was a personal evangelism breakout and I thought I'd share what I learned. The speaker said a lot of times we try to use all these illustrations and tools and, while those are good,sometimes we just need to start a conversation saying "what's the coolest thing anyone's ever done for you?" and then just listen to them. Then just see where the conversation takes you. If you get the opportunity to talk about Christ, like if they ask you the question in return, use it! But if it doesn't, just listen to them. It means a lot to people. 

On Thursday night, some of us went to a Missions Late Night thing. Every year there's usually some sort of secret church or event that you have to find out about. This year you had to follow the blue lights until you made it to this hill. We ended up watching a video about the end times and were encouraged to pray for people to be open to the Gospel, and to have the courage to spread it. It lead to some deep prayer and I'd say it was beneficial for all of us.

I think one of the coolest things for me was seeing God work through prayer and thus re-energizing my prayer life. Praying had just gotten so monotonous for me but during the week and the days leading up, me and several friends had been specifically praying for those either not saved or that had strayed that we knew of. I'd say most, if not all, either accepted Christ or recommitted. It was so exciting. 

That was pretty much my week! God did amazing things and I'm so excited to see how He's going to use us!

From left to right: Baylee, Caleigh, Tiffany, Hettie Ann, Sierra, me, Ashlee, Rose, Hallie.

(Haley-a different one-is the one photobombing!)

Evening Tabernacle

(This was not my photo...Sierra got it from someone she knew and sent it to me)

Later this week I might post about what we learned and maybe some of my favorite songs we did! I also have a clean water awareness post!

Donate?

~Haley

Day 51

(The sign might be just a little hint as to how I wish it felt right now)

My time: 41:54

Well, I have returned! It's the home stretch now, just 25 days left! To be honest, I didn't think I would make it this long, but it's been easier than I thought with the motivation I have! 

I'm really excited to post about the church camp I went to this last week! I learned and grew so much and it was so neat seeing God work in the lives of my friends as well. I have to say, though, it's nice to run on flat ground again. It was extremely hilly up there.

I'm hoping for an update on the total soon! In the meantime, donate!

Day 50

My time: 41:05

This is gonna be a long passage today:

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:3-11 NIV)

My bible opened up to this so often in the last year when I was debating this project. Thus, I studied it a lot. 

Practice these traits and your relationship with God will be productive. Don't practice and you will stray. Relationships take work. If you are not willing to put your heart and soul into your relationship with God you will fall away. The spiritual high will leave you and you will feel like you did before. Understand that everyone has off days though. 

I'm going to use a dance analogy I came up with:

Being a good dancer takes practice (I'm not claiming to be an amazing dancer by any means, by the way!) It builds just like the qualities in this verse. You start by learning a new step. Next you add arm movement. Then you perfect the technique. Then you add any additional body movement. Last, you add facial expressions. (Smile!) Just as your instructor helps you with all of it, God will fill you with His Holy Spirit to help you with the attributes described in this verse. Practice and you master the step. Don't practice and it shows. Same with your faith.

Please help us get these wells, we are so close to our first one!

~Haley

Day 49

My time: 41:13

Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea. (Micah 7:18, 19 NIV)

This verse is a great reminder of who God is. It also kind of makes you wonder. Who are we to question God? He is so forgiving and merciful but we complain and moan and whine to Him incessantly. He could have left us over our heads in sin but instead He sent His one and only Son to die for us and take our punishment away.

It's no secret to us, but there are still people who don't know the truth. You can help spread it by donating today.

~Haley

Day 48

My time:  32:33

(Haley ran a 5K at camp and her time was 28:22---then she ran a little further to make the 3.5 miles and that time is posted above.)

This is a continuation of yesterday's post! My mom is going to be guest-posting for this one! Here you go!

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16, 17 NIV)

Yesterday's scripture reminded us to not only train our physical bodies for our physical health, but to train ourselves to be Godly which is of much greater value--and longer lasting as well!  Training ourselves to be Godly comes through practicing the spiritual disciplines such as reading scripture, praying, worshipping, stewardship, evangelism, etc.

Today's scripture teaches us that any verse or verses we read come directly from God, Himself, and will help us in our journey to grow in Christ.  And only by reading scripture and communicating directly with God through prayer can we be equipped to do every good work: for instance providing clean water to those who otherwise would not have it. 

Since the International Mission Board provides these wells to not only bring clean drinking water to certain regions in India, but brings the Gospel (living water) as well, consider donating today and practice the disciplines of stewardship AND evangelism!

~Haley's mom~