AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER UPDATE

It seems that the summer has quickly come and gone, as it seems to always do. Although a great benefit to living in this part of the world is that summer lasts a little longer than for the rest of the country. Something I am very grateful for. However, I have noticed that I have quickly acclimated to the weather here as even when it becomes slightly cool I am running for a jacket! Christmas in Arkansas will be a cold one this year for me!

Anyways, summers end proved to be a busy time in my life with a big outreach we do every year called Operation Backpack. During this outreach we had our members buy backpacks and fill them with school supplies. Once members brought the backpacks back we delivered the 2300 backpacks to dozens of schools and community centers around Southern California. It proved to be an incredible outreach as hundreds of young students in low income families were shown love by being given a backpack filled with school supplies for the school year. It was a great opportunity to watch the church be the church.

As summer time has come to an end Saddleback has been gearing up for the fall. We have kicked off our fall season of ministry at Saddleback with nothing more and nothing less than 40 Days of Love. 40 Days of Love is focused on teaching the relational principles Jesus taught and lived out. For the local team and myself the campaign has given us a great opportunity to mobilize Saddleback to be apart of the many local ministries our volunteers are leading. From down south of the border in Baja Mexico to the streets of Los Angeles we are encouraging people to move outside the comfort of their homes and the church building itself to put the love of Christ on display to the local community and beyond.

As of last week I found out that I will be traveling to Dominican Republic with several of Saddleback’s pastors for a three day tour of some ministries going on there. Our goal will be to see how Saddleback can get involved and partner with a group of men who are creating some community development ministries in and around Santiago. Going on this trip came as a surprise to me, so I am very grateful to be apart of this vision trip that will prayerfully result in Saddleback sending many mission teams to the Dominican Republic.

This year is going by at such a rapid pace! I cannot believe that we are only days away from October and a month away from the start of the holiday season, my favorite time of the year! This means that I am now only three months away from the completion of this two year join that I have been on. I cannot thank you enough for how much you have supported me on during this time both in helping me financially and through your support in prayers. They are always felt. I have been able to see God supply all of my needs according to my riches in Christ on all levels!

Thank you again for all that you do and for being my support through this season of life. God is good!

Please be praying for me to have wisdom, discernment, and courage as I begin looking at what is next for me after my internship concludes the first of January.