I am finally back in New Orleans! I left December 21 on what was to be a five hour trip home for Christmas. N.O. to Atlanta was fine and we left Atlanta on time. We were flying over Moline, IL (the destination) when the captain said it was too foggy to land and we would have to go to Milwaukee to come up with a plan and get fuel. Half way to Milwaukee he comes back on and says the fog has lifted enough and we're going to land. WooHoo! But, we end up circling Moline for an hour before flying to Milwaukee anyway. We find out there that our options are to fly back to Atlanta and wait for another flight to Moline or take a bus the airline will provide. Common sense says to keep moving, so I chose the bus.

Now let me paint a little picture for you. I get off the plane in Milwaukee wearing high heels, jeans and a dress shirt with no coat. My feet ache because, as it turns out, my shoes are too small and after hiking through the airport in Atlanta they are covered in blisters. So I put on the flip flops that I smartly stowed in my carry-on, but now I look goofy because I am wearing long jeans that must be rolled up. I get my luggage, praise the Lord, and change into tennis shoes and put on a sweatshirt.

We board the bus an hour later and take off on a who-knows-how-long trip to Moline. The bus driver doesn't even say "hi" let alone how long we will be traveling. It gets dark and I feel trapped. I am on a bus with 50 people I don't know, the windows are fogged over and it is so foggy outside that I can't even see the road signs. At 3 p.m. I call my mom who is waiting at the Moline airport with my brothers, and has been since 11:30 a.m., to tell her I have no idea when we'll be arriving. I call again at 5 p.m. or so and again a few times between 6 and 7 p.m. She talks with other relatives at the airport and we all try and figure out when we will arrive. It wasn't the magical homecoming I imagined, but I have never been so glad to be anywhere in my life.

We arrived home about 9 p.m. and considering that I had been up since 3:30 a.m. I figure I could have left New Orleans in a car around 4 a.m. and arrived home about the same time. But God is good and in all of the chaos I still felt a peace and I also felt him reminding me that it isn't about me. While we were sitting in the Milwaukee airport waiting for the bus I read the following and thought it was very fitting.

"In the Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis wrote that when all is in turmoil and
when everything has gone wrong and we feel spiritually dry, when we can't even
feel God's presence, yet we still bow before Him, still we're obedient and
prayerful--that's the time when God is most pleased with us. Despair turns
quickly to victory when a broken heart is laid on the altar before God.

Yet we're not speaking only of those earthshaking trials. The little ones
are actually the most elusive moments for the worshipful life. You're sitting in
a snarl of traffic after a tiring day, and your nerves are frayed. What if you
took that moment and reflected upon James 1:2-4? Sure, you could honk
and gnash your teeth and bemoan your fate, saying, 'I don't deserve this! Why
should I sit in this gridlock?' Then again, you could also realize, 'I'm
counting this as joy! It means God is building something new and wonderful in my
soul, and it will lead to me being perfect and complete, lacking nothing--James
says it and I believe it.' Traffic suddenly looks entirely different as a new
song comes into your heart. You take that splendid moment to turn your focus
toward the praises of God as worship in everyday life."
- David Jeremiah My Heart's Desire

At 7:45 this morning I was introduced to George and Tymonica. She told us the story of how she was attacked a week ago Sunday and was in a coma until that Tuesday. They released her that Thursday but she had nowhere to go. I am not sure how the two met, but they have been a support to each other in trying to find housing and food. They have only the clothes on their backs and were willing to work for some money. Tymonica is helping Ms. Deb with evening meal prep and George is out in the pouring rain raking leaves. He didn't want a rain coat as he said it is his first shower in some time. I don't know many details as of right now, but if you are reading this, please pray for them. For healing, Tymonica has staples in her head, for provision of a safe and warm place to stay and for God's protection. Pray for us as well that we would know how to best help them.

This beautiful little girl, affectionately named Golden Girl, is a stray that was found by one of the guys in our neighborhood. She quickly became a love of Ms. Jeri's, our cook, and has been a permanent resident of our backyard for more than a month. Because the temperatures are so cold here now she has stayed in the camper with me. Tonight as I was decorating my little Christmas tree I just couldn't resist. She's so good that she didn't really even flinch. I love having such a lovable companion, especially as the nights get cooler. She often sleeps curled up in a ball right by my head and can be hard to wake up in the morning if she is comfortable enough. :) After Christmas she will be going to live with a very loving family from our church and will be well loved and cared for. She will also only be three blocks away. ;)

We are in the midst of our Christmas Store and it is going very well. It is fun to see our neighbors able to purchase gifts for Christmas for their children and be able to have a sense of dignity about it instead of having to get free gifts from people they don't know. I have taken a bunch of pictures and will be posting those a little later in the day. We are open until 5 p.m. or until we run out of gifts. Please pray that we would be able to be the hands and feet of Christ!

"And if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday."
-Isaiah 58:10

I had the privilege of accompanying members of the high school youth group on a service project to feed the homeless tonight. Even though I don't regularly work with these students, I was so proud of them and so impressed by their maturity and leadership. Each week throughout the year an offering is taken and in December and May the students choose a service project they would like to do. Tonight they cooked more than 200 hotdogs and we went to feed the homeless who live under the Claiborne Bridge and we also fed a large number of people who live in tents just outside city hall.

Imagine this, there is a park outside city hall where you might expect to find business men and women eating their lunch or talking on the phone. Instead there are probably 100 tents or more covering the grass and two abandoned buildings close by house more people on their steps. The crazy thing is that the tents these people live in came from city hall! Tomorrow, however, those people may lose their "land" as two buildings close by are going to be demolished and the area will need to be fenced off for safety reasons.

But all the politics aside, our students were great at engaging people and realizing that they have so much to give. Our students would be considered poor by most standards because of where they live and family situations, but they were still able to raise money to care for those with even less. They were also able to see the gratitude of these people and as a group they were able to discuss why these people could be thankful even though they had nothing.

There is talk about wanting to do this sort of project once a month, and we'll see how that pans out, but I know our students have learned a great deal and this will not be something they soon forget.

"I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; before the 'gods' I will sing your praise. I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word. When I called, you answered me; you made me bold and stouthearted. May all the kings of the earth praise you, O LORD, when they hear the words of your mouth. May they sing of the ways of the LORD, for the glory of the LORD is great." - Psalm 138:1-5

I wish with all my heart that I could expose each of you to the scene I witnessed last night as I headed back to New Orleans from a staff meeting in Covington on the north shore. As I passed the Causeway toll booth and entered the 26 mile bridge across Lake Ponchartrain I was greeted by the most amazing sunset and as I looked southeast I could see perfectly my most beloved city.

I get chills almost every time I see the skyline on the horizon and yesterday it was wrapped in purple and blue and pink and orange and the view was more clear than I have ever seen. As I got closer I could see the lights on the Crescent City Bridge as they beckoned me home. Oh how I wish I could express the feelings that rush through me when I see my city. It never ceases to be new and fresh and amazing and I pray with all my heart that it never will because in the broken and corrupt city I have seen grace, and peace, and forgiveness, and restoration, and reconciliation, and love, and faithfulness, and generosity and hope.

I have experienced God in ways I never have before. I have found a renewed hunger for his word. I was so thrilled to have staff meeting this Monday be a time of prayer for our city, our ministry and each other. To be in such a place is beyond words. To work with such amazing, godly people is a blessing. To see lives transformed for the kingdom is life transforming. I pray my love of this city never dies and I pray I am able to share what God is doing here in a way that will encourage others in their faith and their walks with the Lord.

In a totally unrelated note, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have returned to New Orleans to work on a new project. I guess Pitt has given $5 million toward the project that will help build 100 homes in the lower 9th ward which was hit hardest by Katrina. These pink Monopolyesqe homes have been put up for now to represent all the new homes. I tell you what, it is pretty crazy to drive over the Claiborne Bridge and see a sea of bright pink. It is a trip to drive through them as well. There's always something going on in this great city!

"My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken...Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, O people, pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge." - Psalm 62:1-2, 5-8

As I think about the past 24 hours, in a word: amazing.

As long as we choose to be complacent with where we are at spiritually, as long as we maintain the status quo and keep up appearances, we aren't much of a threat to the devil. I think he writes us off and sets us aside. After all, why should he worry about distracting us and hindering our walk when there isn't anything to distract from.

But on the other hand, when we decide to step out in faith, to pour our hearts out to God and surrender totally to him by living every day in his plan, we become very dangerous. We become the type of people who rock the boat and influence others for the kingdom.

I am proud to be a new member of the second group.

Sure, it was a step of faith to move to New Orleans leaving behind all that I knew. It was a step of faith to take on an entirely different way of life, but it has just been recently that I have truly begun to pour out my life as a drink offering to the Father and I believe someone is not happy about that.

As I mentioned in my last post, I had an amazing time with God Thursday night and then was not able to sleep the entire night as the dog who lives behind us barked and whined and made noises I have never heard a dog make all night long. Friday night I stayed on the northshore with some friends and Saturday night was more of the same from the dog. I was so completely irritated the next morning after having to sleep on the couch in the house because I couldn't stand to remain in my trailer.

My attitude was shot. I was exhausted and crabby and I was ready to call the police to have them deal with the neighbors who were doing nothing to control their animal. But I spent more time in the word and time rejuvenating Sunday afternoon and I was looking forward to a good night. I spent time with the Lord, and went to sleep.

At 12:22 a.m. I was again wide awake. I ventured outside and Miss Jeri was standing on the balcony staring across the fence. There was still no reason in the world as to why that dog was making such a fuss but we were both beside ourselves with frustration.

I returned to my camper, put on a thunderstorm CD and decided to try a different approach. I took out my Bible and began to read. I read no more than five minutes and the dog stopped. Silence. Beautiful. Although now I was so excited that I could barely get back to sleep because God had provided in such a huge way!

Half-hour later, the dog was back at it. So was I. I pulled out my Bible and again began to read. I five minutes in, he stopped, but I kept reading. Some time later I laid my open Bible next to my pillow and fell asleep. I only heard Muscle bark one other time for about two minutes and then not a peep more.

This morning I went for a walk and all was joy and amazement at what God had done. It took me a few days to catch on to the fact that God was so very pleased that our relationship was growing and while the devil could not stop that, he could cause things to happen that could totally ruin my mood and my effectiveness, but no more.

Praise God for how he shows us more and more of himself. I have been absolutely giddy today as I think of how awesome he is and how good he is to me. It has caused an even greater hunger for his word and time alone with him. This is one trial that has been a blessing as it has drawn me closer to him and has shown me the holy, awesome, righteous power of the magnificent God we serve!

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior." - Isaiah 43:2-3

I think it's time for a little honesty. The past six months have been the most change-filled months of my entire life and it is all starting to catch up to me. I have been through a great deal of loss and have silently dealt with a lot of hurt that seems to be no longer able to be contained within.

For those who don't know, this summer I lost my grandma. Words can still not express the depth of that loss. There are no tears bitter enough some days to portray the effect that loss has had on my heart and my life. I long to tell her of all that I am doing and experiencing here in New Orleans. I want to show her my photographs and tell her the stories of all the good and crazy and wonderful things that have been happening the past two months.

In addition I have been realizing lately through much prayer and time with God that there have been other losses, some of which are obvious and some not so much, that have to be grieved and dealt with in order to move forward and start down the path of restoration and healing. When I left the newspaper in Waukee I never knew how hard that would be or how much I would miss those I worked with and what I was doing. When I left Home Depot I had only been there seven months but I loved it and it was another loss. I ended a relationship that had been an important part of my life for many months. I left the state I'd always known, friends, family, church, security and comfort. I changed jobs, changed financial situations, changed church homes, changed friends and changed living arrangements.

I knew the loss of my grandma would affect a lot of things, but all of the change and loss combined and my natural tendency to deal with things internally has built up and has begun to spill over. I praise God because this has turned into some great time with him where growth has happened and has allowed me to begin to talk about it some with others. However after a great time with the Lord Thursday night when I felt like some breakthroughs were made I spent the entire night awake because the dog that lives next door barked all night. Something which has never happened before. Last night was the same and I feel like the spiritual warfare has greatly increased as my time with God has become sweeter.

I believe that like Shadrach. Meshach and Abednego he has allowed me to walk through the fire and not be consumed by it this time and has chosen to use this fire as a painful, but beautiful refining process that will bring me closer to him.

I covet your prayers for the continued grieving process and the healing that needs to take place and for continued intentional and fruitful times with the Lord. Please pray against the warfare that has increased and is threatening to wear me down. I claim victory in Christ and look to him for all I need.

"Morning by morning I wake up to find the power and comfort of God's hand in mine. Season by season I watch him amazed, in awe of the mystery of his perfect ways.

All I have need of his hand will provide. He's always been faithful to me.

I can't remember a trial or a pain he did not recycle to bring me gain. I can't remember one single regret in serving God only and trusting his hand.

All I have needed his hand will provide. He's always been faithful to me.

This in my anthem, this is my song, the theme of the stories I've heard for so long. God has been faithful, he will be again. His loving compassion, it knows no end.

He's always been faithful. He's always been faithful. He's always been faithful to me."
-Sara Groves

"Know that the LORD is God. It is he who make us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations." - Psalm 100: 3-5

What a beautiful time, Thanksgiving in New Orleans. Last night we had our community Thanksgiving dinner in a tent outside the church where the basketball court is located. And yes, it was plenty warm enough, and was actually a bit too warm at times. I just may never get used to that! We had an amazing turnout and I was surprised to see many unfamiliar faces. We had a good representation from the church, but also managed to have a very good group of people from the neighborhood who don't usually come to church.

I love the fact that I am finally getting to be more familiar with church members and not only and I recognizing them, but they are recognizing me. As is often the case, I was the photographer for the evening and I forget how much fun that is because almost everyone is excited to be in pictures and people often seek me out, which makes it both a fun and easy job.

Pastor John gave a short message following dinner after our choir sang a few songs. He also had a time when he called for decisions. I know that there were several who made a first-time commitment, but I am not sure how many as everyone's eyes were closed and heads bowed. Please pray for those who made first-time decisions and those who recommitted their lives.

Today has been my busiest day here so far. I spent the majority of the day working on my supervisor's support letter because she is short of her support goals and it has been some time since she last updated her supporters. I have decided that my time at the newspaper has made me somewhat of a "neat freak" when it comes to layout. (Thanks Darren. ;)) Even so, it is something that I love to do and even though it keeps me busy it never seems like work.

About 1:00 I received a phone call from our Community Development Director asking for help for a friend. His mentor's father passed away November 11 so he is in town making funeral arrangements. Michael asked me to help the family design the programs for the service. I was certainly glad to be able to help as I am all too familiar with some of that process. I couldn't help but think about my grandma most of the afternoon missing her like crazy. I often think about what she would think about me being in New Orleans and I always hear her telling me to be careful and not to talk to strangers. It's days like this when I want to tell her all about what I am doing and show her what I've accomplished because I know she'd be so proud. I love you grandma.

"Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created." - James 1:16-18

Sometimes in life God provides those things that even we don't know that we need, like good companions. The last week I have been blessed to have a new "roommate" who is 40 pounds of energy and love. His name is Snow, a golden retriever puppy who belongs to one of the guys in the neighborhood. He has come to be my roommate because he was required to leave his home until he had his shots, was fixed and a deposit was paid which allowed him to live there. That has been a long a drawn out process, but we are praying that it will finally be resolved tomorrow. James will be very glad to have him back home, but I will miss him terribly when he goes. He has a cage, but I am a softie and apparently can't turn down a sweet face so he has spent many nights sleeping on my bed. For the most part, that works, but there have been nights when I have been woken up by being kicked because he was dreaming or he had the hiccups. Who knew dogs could get the hiccups?


The teams last week were great and Emily and I were even invited to dinner with a group from Wisconsin. It is amazing how something so simple can mean so much. We went to Ralph and Kacoo's, one of my favorite restaurants in New Orleans that I usually don't get to go to because it is out of my price range. I am continually amazed by how God provides and sometimes I overlook the small things because I chalk them up to people's generosity but truly, they are God's small blessings and they are so abundant when I stop to think about them. I have listed a few below and encourage you to reflect on the blessings in your life.

• Dinner last Wednesday offered and paid for by a team from Wisconsin.


• Desire for a better camera temporarily answered by being given the use of the Urban Impact camera.


• Starbucks coffee offered and paid for by a team member.


• Computer fixed for a fraction of the manufacturer's estimated cost.


• New t-shirt given to me by a team member.


• Finding colored leaves on the sidewalk yesterday during a walk. (I love fall and was so excited to be given a small glimpse of it!)

"O LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago." - Isaiah 25:1

New Orleans is spectacular in the morning! Around every corner is something new and something breath-taking. This morning I decided to get up early and eat with the teams and then I went for a walk through the Garden District. Only blocks from where I live are homes and landscaping so phenomenal that words are hardly enough to describe them. Each time I walk I try new streets and this morning it was so beautiful and there were so many sights that I had a hard time making myself turn around and head home. But in the midst of the beauty of these historic homes I am reminded how wide the gap is between the rich and the poor. It seems that here there are only the two extremes, very rich or very poor and the middle class are hard to find. As much as I love looking at the beautiful neighborhoods, sometimes I have a hard time coming to terms with the gap. I just can't wrap my mind around why it has to be this way. But I rejoice in the fact that despite the economic gaps that are prevalent here, God is working in mighty ways and he is using Urban Imapct to teach fiscal responsibility to our neighborhood residents to help them get out of debt and even help some of them have the ability to move into homes that they own. That is awesome and that is a testimony to his power and glory.

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

This morning during our rally at the quad we met Lisa (in the red) and her mother Emma (in the purple). They live on the same block in a trailer and have been watching the progress on the house and have had some interaction with our teams. Their home was in the lower ninth before the storm and though it is still standing, it is not habitable. Emma wants to move home, but because it is just the two of them, Lisa said she isn't sure that is going to happen. The land their trailer is on now is land on which her father once had a church and since has been used by many different groups.

The pair has heard our music before and this morning Lisa said she chose to drive in our direction instead of taking another route. They literally drove to the edge of our circle and with a little coaxing both her and her mother joined us. Once we had broken up into teams an impromptu worship session broke out and Lisa sang for us. How amazing it is to meet two people who lost so much and have had two years of hardship but are still relying on God and trusting in his strength to carry them through each day.

We prayed with the women and as Emma watched team members gathering rakes, shovels and lawn mowers Lisa mentioned that Emma had previously said she, "liked this kind of carryin' on." Well Miss Emma, we like it too.

"Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.'" - Matthew 19:14

Last night we had our Family Fun night at the church and for a first-time event it went very well. The goal was to give kids and families an alternative to the traditional Halloween activities but still allow them to dress up and have fun. We handed out hundreds of pieces of candy, played games and did face painting. About half way through the evening P.J. sat all the kids down and gave a brief gospel presentation to which the kids were very attentive. The children have always been my love in this community so it was a blessing to be with them last night playing and laughing. Their innocence and silliness, mixed with cute little costumes made it a great evening.

"A generous man will prosper, he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed." - Proverbs 11:25

In the midst of busyness and meetings this week, God brought me a new friend who has made me laugh and reminded me how much fun life can be. Yesterday we took a trip to Starbucks, of course, and then headed to Wal-Mart where we spent too much time and perhaps not enough brain power looking for bacon. :) Last night we tried in vain to make wrapping paper pumpkins as decorations for the kitchen but we ended up having a lot of fun and being goofy which is always much needed at the end of the week. We are already planning for when Meg is able to come back in the spring! :)

"I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no other."
- Isaiah 45:5-6

Praise God, last night on our way to Covington we went past the quad and the woman who had been beaten was sitting on the step across the street. She has a broken leg and a few broken ribs but it is a praise that she is alive. Please continue to pray that she would realize that she needs to get away from this man and pray that God would provide a way out for her.

Today Emily and I spent a good portion of the day taking hot cocoa and cookies to the teams and hanging out with them at their work sites. We also spent a lot of time driving in circles because the team we were trying to find gave us less than clear directions. With the colder weather "ice cream Wednesdays" have turned into "hot chocolate Thursdays."


Above: Homeowner Mr. Mike; team members Kevin and Doug, Emily (staff) and team member Scott.

"This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with cane in hand because of his age. The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there.' This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'It may seem marvelous to the remnant of this people at that time, but will it seem marvelous to me?' declares the LORD Almighty." - Zechariah 9:10

Pastor John (P.J.) uses this passage when he talks to teams about the dreams that we have for New Orleans. How we would love to see a city where old men and old women can sit on the front porch and watch children play in safety and security in a city that honors God. The passage speaks about the "remnant" of this people and P.J. says how often in this ministry since the storm the staff has felt like a remnant of His people but God continues to bless each and every one of us as we seek to follow Him.

I ask for your prayers today for one of our teams who was shown in a rather violent way what life in the neighborhood can mean. They were working on "the quad" yesterday and witnessed a woman being beaten by one of the drug dealers from the area. Apparently it was bad enough that her leg was broken. The police arrived after she and the man were gone. Please pray for the team that they would be able to process through what they have seen and please pray that those on staff who counsel them would know what to say. Please also pray for this woman. There isn't any way to know what has happened, but pray for her safety and for healing. Please also pray for the safety of our teams. Our ministry is known and respected in this community and their I love N.O. shirts are a banner of the ministry that sets them apart, but we still must be careful and prayerful. Thank you in advance for all your prayers!

"God's voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding. He says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth,' and to the rain shower, 'Be a mighty downpour.'

- Job 37:5-6

When it rains, it pours! It has rained today for at least eight hours and while we have a break right now there is more on the way throughout the evening. I decided to wear flip flops and capris today because there is no other way to deal with the "puddles" that may be up to a foot deep. As I walked home for lunch I was greeted by "Yellow Lake" which is normally the side yard at the Yellow House. My lovely home is the camper off to the right and getting in and out without getting very wet is a challenge on days like today. I have never seen it rain so hard for so long. There are flood warnings out all over the city and many roads are unpassable.

However, life is good and the rain is always a great reminder of God's cleansing. Our new group of teams is getting settled in and they worked hard all day in the rain. I spent today working with our communications person trying to iron out our roles and how we can best work together. We will be spending time the next few days talking to all our staff about their communications needs and I will be getting information to write updated bios for each of them.

"1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.

2 Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.

3 Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his ^[a] ;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.

5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations."

- Psalm 100

"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken."

Yes, sometimes we even get to rest! I was tired Friday night so I decided to create a make-shift "bed" on the chairs in the kitchen so that I could rest but still be with people. Miss Jeri felt the need to take my picture. :) Today has been very relaxing. I have had some time to read and relax but then made the much dreaded trip to Wal-Mart. Never before have I seen a store that is busy at every time of day. No matter when you go it seems that you are faced with at least a 10 minute wait in line, even in the fast lane. Oh how I miss self check out. Tonight my friend Emily and I are going to a church in Kenner that we have been to several times. It is a blessing to take some time Saturday evenings to be still and hear from God in a different setting. He is so good.

"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." - 1 Peter 3:15

Micah Briggs is Urban Impact's new outreach director and he has already been an amazing addition to the team. In a matter of weeks he has drawn great crowds to open court and has established a relationship with a local juvenile detention center that allows us an open pass into the facility. Micah went to the Jena 6 march and was interviewed by a television station. An onlooker also took video and captured much more than what the TV ended up using. You can see why he is such a powerful force in this community.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvNx_1JIIMM

"I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances." - Philippians 4:11

I knew from the start that God would use this time in my life to teach me about trust and absolute reliance on him, but I must admit that I didn't know at all how that would look. After arriving in New Orleans two weeks ago I started to slowy feel unwell. By a week ago last Saturday my throat began to hurt so bad that I could barely swallow and my already large tonsils got even bigger. I knew that going to the doctor here was not an option right now unless it was an emergency because my medical insurance is still in the underwriting process. After praying I called the doctor I had been to only twice in Des Moines and explained my situation to his nurse. She told me that he would probably want to see me again before he would prescribe anything and I asked her to explain my situation and see if there was anything he could do long distance. Well, as always, God is good and she called me back an hour later with a prescription for antibiotics that was sent to the local Wal-Mart. PRAISE GOD! Today I am feeling much better and my cost was only $13.32 instead of an emergency room visit.

Last Friday as I was uploading photos and preparing to burn DVDs for the teams that were here last week the unthinkable happened to my laptop. In my haste I managed to leave a team member's flash drive sitting just above my keyboard as I closed the lid. Oh dear. When I started it up about an hour later the screen was cracked. To my surprise, I didn't cry, but I certainly panicked. I immediately talked to a new friend here who is a computer guru and he helped to calm me a little. I called Toshiba and because, go figure, there are no licensed Toshiba service centers in the entire state of Louisiana, I had to send it to Louisville, KY to be looked at and repaired. I am still praying for a miracle that it wil be covered by the warranty.

But, despite some crazy events and less that desireable situations, last week was a great week. We had wonderful teams from California and New Mexico and God used them in mighty was to advance his gospel and the work being done for homeowners in the neighborhood. Thank you to all who have been praying. God is moving in mighty ways!

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." - Matthew 5:9

This week I've had the opportunity to spend a little bit of time with a group of police officers from northern California who are here as part of the group Peace Officers for Christ International. They have amazing energy and faith and have been a blessing in many ways.


Prior connections to the New Orleans area through a trip just after Hurricane Katrina allowed this group an opportunity to present to a group of officers from the first precinct here in New Orleans and immediately following their presentation an officer asked them to "pass the baton" as she wanted to start a POFCI chapter here. Praise God! All too often we hear about crooked cops in N.O. but, as in so many other ways, God is working in that sector as well and he is bringing light into dark places. One of the officers told me that this week was the first time he had ever prayed with another office in uniform. In California, he said, that never happens. In addition, one of the officers on the team gave his life to Christ Thursday night! Another praise! These men are the kind of officers I thought all officers were when I was little and it has been a blessing to see that there still men like this who serve and protect us.

We will be hosting more groups of officers in the coming weeks and I look forward to seeing how God will use them as well.

"As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace...This will be for the LORD's renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed." - Isaiah 55:10-12a, 13

Today I had the chance to do something in this city that I have never been able to do before, go exploring. I went and got coffee in a familiar part of town, looked at the map once and just started driving. I drove through the Garden District, past Tulane University, Notre Dame Seminary and the New Orleans Art Museum. But more importantly I drove past life in New Orleans. I saw some of the most beautiful homes I could imagine with lush gardens and beautiful decoration, but I also saw something else. I saw street, after street, after street of empty homes. I have seen this before, but I began to see more of the scope of the tragedy this day. I began to see just how widespread the destruction truly is.

The more I drove the more I wanted to see. I wanted to know all there was to know about this city. I wanted to know each story of each family or individual who had their life forever changed by this disaster. I wanted to know who was rebuilding and why and why others have not yet, and may not ever return. My heart began to ache again for this city. I felt assurance again this day that this is exactly where I am supposed to be. My work here is not done, it is only beginning. God is up to something great here and I am blessed to be called to be a part of it. Lives have been affected but God is bringing people to a place where he can meet them full on and lavish himself upon them. I pray that I am able to communicate well what he is doing here and how he is working because he is moving in mighty ways.

"Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations. You will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of streets with Dwellings." - Isaiah 58:12

My dad and I safely arrived in New Orleans. Praise God! It was a long day Sunday, but we took turns driving and had a little fun along the way. My dad had never been to the south so it was a pleasure to be able to share new experiences, like cotton fields, with him. We arrived about 8:15 Sunday night and unloaded all my things into the camper. I love exploring new places and quickly found all the nooks and crannies. I will have plenty of space to spread out and the camper is going to be a great home for the next eight months.

Today has been spent unpacking, buying some last minute things at Wal-Mart and showing my dad around town. I am still amazed by the devastation that remains and it is humbling and sobering to see how much I have been blessed. I am so excited to dig in and get to work tomorrow and acclimate to my new community.

Please pray for a smooth transition and that I would continue to spend time with the Lord every day. I know that is such a huge part of my work here! Thank you so much to all of you who have been so supporting and encouraging! You are a blessing!