Ireland Spring Break Trip!!!

The Church: The church moved into their new building a few months ago right around the corner from their old building. This was so exciting because for the past two years that our team has been there they were in a very old building, dark and crowded since they were growing as a church. The new building has been underway for a while being put together by the work of the staff and interns they have done a labor of love in the church building, and it is BEAUTIFUL!!! It has such a warm and welcoming feel, it was once a theatre and so the sanctuary is a theatre stage, the rooms are so bright and they finally have the space to grow. That was one of our purposes, invite those on the streets and bring them to find community in Cork Church. Sunday morning worship was a blessing, they sing hymns there and Bri Hurlburt and I kept saying throughout the worship the joy we could feel in the room. The true love of Jesus and grateful hearts raising their voices. I grew up listening to old hymns and every year that I've been blessed to go to Ireland worshiping in the church there is one of my favorite parts, it reminds me that all over the world people are praising the name of Jesus, and one day we will all be praising Him together!

   The Street: A typical day for us looked like this, Get up at Shilah's (the hostile where we were staying), have quiet time and breakfast served by some of the wonderful Middle house intern staff Hannah and Evie.  (The "Middle house" is an old bed and breakfast that has been re-done, and where the ministry school students and interns live.) We would walk down to the church about 8:30 or 9 where we would have a group devotion time either led by one of our adult leaders Jey Willis, or someone from Cork Church, Patrick Dobbin, Glenn McManus, etc. We would take a time to pray over the day and the people we would meet, our team, and that we would be open vessels.Then we would hit the street and from 11-4:30ish.  What is different about going to Ireland is we go to the same spot on the street each day by the bus stop.  We have some music and dramas going that open a gateway when by passers stop to watch, we can invite them to Cork Church and hopefully share the gospel with them.  The weather was extremely cold some days and it rains spuratically. One day it may pour on and off, or sprinkle all day.   But our students didn't care they were engaging people rain or no rain.  The church interns, youth and Bible students were out there with us everyday and it was such a beautiful partnership.  I loved looking over to see one someone from Cork church sharing the gospel partnered with one of our students.  Seriously, I was probably smiling randomly on the outside, I know I was on the inside!

Students preforming the Everything Skit: Katie and Austin brought this to life!

After preforming the drama Austin and Wayne shared the gospel with a group of students on the street

Its' a small world! Excited to meet this sweet gal Andrea Swartzell works at OM Ireland with Ludie Creech and happens to know my cousin Jamie from Bible study in the states. Andrea came with others on the street to partner with us for the day!

Katie, Rachel, and Heather were ALWAYS in conversations
on the street with teens! They have an obvious love for
the lost their own age and they came alive on the street!

Cian braved the wind and rain
to lead worship for us!
He is the next Irish Chris Tomlin!
Amazing worship leader!

   The Gospel:  It never fails that God brings life into perspective for me on trips away or even at home when there is an opportunity to share the gospel. I want to highlight two leaders who blow me away every time with the ease that they talk to strangers and share Christ so clearly.  Ludie and Pastor Steven!  Disarming, because there is a genuineness in their eyes and voice. I could never stop learning from these two how to engage people on the street.  Pastor Steven has the heart of a shepherd, he leads Cork church students with a humility and grace I can't fathom.  He encouraged me constantly on the street, and gave me a confidence to lead especially on days when I was tired that he didn't know I needed that encouragement. I believe God used him to grow me this year to have a gentler heart for even my own group.  Ludie asks questions, when he meets  anyone on the street he engages them by asking them about themselves.  Their own beliefs..... 

Ludie:"Do you believe that there is a God?                     

Teen: No

Ludie: Why is that?

Teen: I don't know.

Ludie:  Well let's look at this for a moment.  See that building there, does it have an architect, someone who designed and build it.

Teen:Im sure it does but I don't know who he is.

This is an example of a conversation Ludie and I had with two secondary school Irish girls.  Ludie went right into the gospel by saying the fact that we are here proves there is a creator, and if there is an architect to a building he is probably knows his building better than anyone. God is our creator and know us, better than anyone. This conversation went for over an hour, and the girls did not give their lives to Christ, but he sowed the seed, and I learned. After observing Ludie, I felt like I could talk to anyone and everyone, and I did! The gospel brought in analogies that we can understand, that make us think.  Ones I have used already coming home sharing the gospel, why?  Because it isn't complicated, and he gave me a deeper passion to share Christ.  Not with big words, speeches or empowering talks, but the simple way he humbly tells everyone that there is someone who loved them so much he died for them and that he desires eternal life for them, not separation. The point is not to go to Heaven but the point is to be restored back to our relationship with God, only through Jesus. 

Pastor Steven

Ludie Creech

  Things that last: Favorite Moments

One of the greatest highlights each year is meeting the new ministry students and interns. Hearing how they came to faith in Christ and exchanging stories of what God has done in our lives since we trusted Him. Wednesday night was one of these times when I talked to a new face for me, Luke at the Riddaskiddy Middlehouse. I shared my testimony of how I was saved at a young age but still struggled with self harm as a teenager. Its something I made a habit of hiding until I realized that God uses the junk in our past for His glory. The next day Wednesday, he came and found me on the street to tell me he just met a girl named Shannon who struggled with self harm as I did, and wanted to talk to me. My heart practically leaped! It's always nerve racking and wonderful in a way when you meet someone who shared in your struggles, especially when God has healed that in you. The minute I met Shannon I knew she needed someone to talk to. I introduced myself and said, "I hear you and I have something in common." In response she simply rolled up her sleeve and my heart broke instantly for her. I know what the feels like. I asked her about herself and the pain she was feeling. For anyone who has not been through this type of struggle, when our self worth comes into question, when one feels they are hurting other people, Satan is crafty and tells us, told me, told Shannon...that you should punish yourself because you are the reason of the pain for those around you. For Shannon, she blamed herself for the death of her step-dad. He had brain cancer, and in the stress of the situation her mother had told Shannon he would get better if she would stop giving him "cheek" (meaning being disrespectful or talking back). God let me see into His heart for a moment and share with her that his death was not her fault, and how when we feel out of control of others pain, we sometimes find comfort in being in control of our own pain. Jesus led me to tell her how He died for her so that she could know peace, that He already bled for her, by "His stripes we are healed" and that He longed for her to give Him that pain so that He could completely heal her heart. She cried and I cried with her. Shannon didn't give her heart to Jesus on the street, but she let me pray over her and told me she felt hope she hadn't felt in a long time. I encouraged her to come to Cork church the next night, and gave her a track with the address. She didn't come while I was there, but I honestly think of her often, the look on her face when she showed me her arm and I know that God is not done fighting for her. Im praying that she will still go to Cork Church one day, maybe find Luke or one of the other students there and that one day she will find true freedom in Christ! Satan tells us so many lies, but we have truth and He can't take that away!!

The Return:
Every year we write a prayer to God about six months before we leave for the trip, it's sometimes hard to know what to write, what you expect from a trip or how to pray.  I had honestly forgot what I had written one this year, but when Jey handed us back our letters I was excited because this year had been the best year yet spiritually for me and for us as a team!  In the past I've selfishly asked God for answers and to give me large revelations of His will for my life, for peace in my divided heart, but not this year.  This year I just simply asked Him for the strength to give Him total surrender.  For the week in Ireland I asked that He would take every ounce of me, to give to the students, serving our team, and engaging those in the streets who didn't know Jesus.  I read the letter and smiled, because I can honestly say He answered my prayers and drew me closer to Himself as He is always faithful to do.  Nowhere in the world feels like a second home to me as Cork, Ireland, and I can't wait to see how God continues to use the wonderful partnership there with OM and Cork Church.