Jesus is like a big white bowl...

I bet you are thinking....Hmm I wonder what Brit is learning about ministry and life and Jesus? Well, to sum it up in one word. Toliets. Yep, I clean on average 7 toliets a week. So if you wanted a little insight into my world you might think again. ha, I'm only half kidding, because walking with Jesus is WAY more awesome than that, but I really do clean toliets every day.

Besides the big white bowls, right now each of us interns (I am one of 4 other guys) are focusing on a specific part of what we're doing here at West Ridge. We are installing Air Conditioning Units in flats around the neighborhood (its getting humid), car washes on the street, community meals with the neighborhood (all for free, which most people are having a hard time understanding). I am putting together a kids day for some fun times with the kids in the neighborhood, then there are hospitality visits in the neighborhood, homeless hangouts in the neighborhood....are you getting the neighborhood vibe? ha, yea, things are really moving forward the past few days. People are being loved and seeing Jesus.

Oh and both our offerings and attendance have almost doubled since we started doing House Churches. Not that anything has been easy, because it takes a lot of intentional time being open and real with yourself, God, and others. But this I have seen, God is faithful, and you gotta truck through the hard stuff when you feel as flat as a pancake to know that God is in control and He is drawing us all to Himself one day at a time. We will see the Kingdom of God here on earth, I know we will.
Keep praying for us!

The SUMMER Library

For my internship we are going through 5 books or so for the summer. Check them out! They all look really great, can't wait to get through them and learn a ton.


1. The Heavenly Man - A story written by a man named Brother Yun who tells his story as a missionary in China. This one we have already read and it really is an incredible story. This man suffered and suffered for the name of Jesus. Really powerful life he gets to share.


2. Leadership Next by: Eddie Gibbs


3. Organic Church by: Neil Cole


4. Simple Church by: Thom S. Reiner & Eric Geiger


5. Surprised By Hope by: N.T. Wright

Parental Visit

Mom and Dad were here this last weekend, wow do I have amazing parents or what? It was so good to get to spend time with them and just be together for a few days. Tuesday night we went to another cubs game! Sweet night game, beat the Braves. Go Cubs Go!! Some pictures of me and the Madre, friends who came with us (Chris and Savannah), Nick and the Brit walking into Wrigley, and of course, our wonderful seats Dad hooked us up with.

NEW TRANSPORTATION

Gas was eating me alive. So someone gave me their bike! I'm pretty stoked about it. So good on so many different levels. Good work out. I have to leave on time. I get to be outside. Not wasting money. I really am feeling alot more connected to the earth on my new blue fast as lightning schwin. :)

So yesterday I was sitting at Starbucks just checking my email and as I look outside I see some white stuff floating around in the air, and then another one, and another one, and then I realized they were everywhere. I asked some of my partners, "What is going on outside? Did someone have a big pillow fight? There's white fluffy stuff everywhere?!" And then I was informed that we live in a place full of cottonwood trees. This means that little bubbles of cotton are floating around all over. I guess some people have to clean out their screens even, because it gets all stuffed up there's so much. I found it pretty exciting. God is really creative. So, speaking of saving money, I am going to start making all my own clothes. Just gather up some of this cotton and sew it all together. It'll be the new fad in a few months.

My New Home!

Here are some pictures of my new home (where I am living and working!). Things are going well at Starbucks, I am loving the people I work with and it's just great to be around such real people all from such different places of life. At WestRidge things are getting rolling for the summer. We are doing something called the Simple Church Plan for the summer. Which means that we will not be having Sunday morning "services" anymore, just once a month gatherings/barbeque's in the parking lot celebrating what is going on in our lives together as a community. Then through out the week we will be hosting House Churches where we will be hanging out, eating, and praying together. Really focusing on the foundation of what it means to be the Church without a building and a service nicely put together for us all. Relationships are already forming (we have been doing these house groups for a few months now and amazing things happen every time we get together).

Right now I am learning in a deep way what it means to search out knowledge and truth. I am seeking truth around me more than I ever have, to grow and to be a woman of wisdom. Learning that to have wisdom is to humble myself to hear from those around me and to understand what it means to be controlled by the Spirit.

"the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace..." Rom 8
"for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight...let the wise LISTEN and ADD to their learning..." Proverbs 1
"if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God." Proverbs 2:1-5

Really trying to keeps these words in my heart and learn to walk in the Spirit every second.
Love you guys.


A close up of the part of the flat that we live in!

You can see our yellow building pop out on the street :) It's right next to a pretty sweet Korean Church.

My store! Right across from NorthPark on a cute little cafe corner.

Great little patio area when it's nice out. (You can see the NorthPark campus in this one a little more :)

KEEPIN IT THE SAME

My address is going to STAY THE SAME for the summer. That means 3305 W. Foster Ave. PO BOX 2469 Chicago, IL 60625

Thanks guys!

GO CUBBIES!

Dad got Nick and I and some friends some BOMB tickets today for the Cubbies v. AZ game. Cubs won! 3-1. It was a really great time, Wrigley is such a great place. Craziest fans ever.
We left for the game right after my last final!! Really rockin way to celebrate the end of my first year of college, can't believe it's over!