So sorry for the lack of updates on the quad. This week we have no teams in so there really hasn't been anything going on. Our director of operations met with a contractor this week to go over a few things and we are still on the plan to finish close to June 1.

Last week I had a great team from Connecticut (below) help me move and begin the gutting process. This past week has been great as I have moved in with my friend Emily who goes to church at Castle Rock.

This next week we'll have a team working on hanging sheetrock and I'm planning to get in there with them a few days and work on my skills. I feel I've gotten pretty efficient hanging sheetrock but I'd like to work on the mudding and taping end of it.

There's honestly not a lot else going on right now. We continue to gear up for the summer and I am working with our interns on their fundraising and newsletter writing. I am also doing a lot more design work as we are updating some things and planning a head for what is to come.

Here is a little peak into the gutting of my apartment. It is being done by a high school youth group from Connecticut.

Yesterday was high stress for sure. I was up by 6:30 a.m. to finish organizing all the little stuff before people showed up to help. Dingo called about 8:00 and he came to help pack all the stuff I was taking to Emily's (the friend I am staying with) into the van as I realized it was not going to fit in my car. We were done by 8:45 but the team didn't arrive with a truck until 10.

We packed the first round of boxes and took them to the storage unit on the Westbank and then came back for the furniture. I finally had to stop for lunch at 1:30. We had the last load to the Westbank by 3 and then Dingo and I were off to unload the van at Emily's. I finally had a minute to sit down about 4:30 and by that time I was exhausted.

By that point in the day I felt like I hardly knew where anything was and what I had and what went to storage. I hadn't had a shower since 8 a.m. the morning before and I just wanted to sleep. But I had dinner with the teams and then ran to the grocery store quick before finally making it "home" in time to catch most of The Biggest Loser.

It's definitely and eye opening experience to be moved out of your home and have it gutted. It was emotional to have all my stuff moved and it's hard to have it done by those to whom I have no connection as they may not be as careful or as interested in what is going on. I felt like I was on the verge of tears all day and it is likely I'll have a meltdown here before all is said and done. But all in all the move went as well as could be expected and I have a great place to stay while the work is being done. God has been good and even though it seems like my life is in total upheval right now, I know that he has the whole thing under control.

Just the joy of the Lord. Bless his heart.

I've spent most of this evening packing and even though I am praising God for this day of resurrection and dancing around my apartment to a few of my most favorite praise songs that have been on repeat for some time, I am still feeling very overwhelmed by this task of packing. Wow, that's the world's longest sentence! I have boxes scattered everywhere and anywhere that there is bare floor space and what began as a fairly organized process has turned into the "put it wherever it fits" method of packing.

I am truly realizing how many shoes I have and how much space they take up and for as little as I thought I had (because I got rid of a bunch of stuff the last time I moved) this has become a more daunting task than originally thought. And why is it that no matter what, there is all this little random stuff that never seems to find a place? Because this move will be so much different than all others, my goal is to eliminate all that little random stuff so when my help arrives I simply point to the stack of waiting boxes. We'll see how that goes.

I made a huge dent this evening so I am done for the night. I plan to round up a few more boxes and be almost finished by tomorrow at this time. The next decision is whether to begin sleeping somewhere else in the next few days. I feel that it may be in the best interest of my long-term health to do so as we are still not sure the long-term effects of this sheetrock and its potential contaminants. Prayers for peace would be most greatly appreciated as I'll be living in limbo for the next month to month and a half.

Chinese sheetrock

Well, you may have heard the rumblings out there, but here is the confirmation, we have indeed been flooded by Chinese sheetrock. If you haven't heard about this, it is low-cost sheetrock made in China that has been found to corrode copper, discolor silver jewlery, cause air conditioner and electronic device problems and it poses potential health complications.

I found out just before my last post that The Quad, the apartment building I live in, is full of the stuff. Therefore, it now has to be totally gutted and we must start over. Dingo has moved into the Yellow House and Ms. Deb has moved back to Iowa, so they started downstairs first. Those units are now gutted and we will begin the process of re-sheetrocking next week.

Praise God that there are several general contractors on the teams next week and we hope to accomplish a lot. Anthonika and I remain upstairs (with windows often wide open for ventilation) until the bottom units are finished and then we will be moving downstairs temporarily until they finish our apartments.

So the packing begins. Seems like just yesterday I moved in and just as I was finally feeling very settled it's packing time again. But God has been go throughout this process and he is providing for all our needs.

With all of the current properties affected, the estimated cost without volunteer labor is $39,000. The quad alone has 6,240 square feet that need to be redone. Our goal is to be finished by June 1. So, if you would like to help, here's what we need:

1. We need small teams of skilled labor, ie: professional drywallers, general contractors, skilled carpenters. We will provide the housing and meals and we have waived our Sunday to Saturday guidelines to allow teams to come anytime that is convenient for them. If you are interested in helping, contact Katie Hooks at katrinarelief@efca.org or give her a call at 704-305-3427.

2. We need financial contributions. As I mentioned, the cost of redoing all these homes is great but we believe that with financial contributions and volunteer labor we can keep the cost to around $8,000. Financial contributions can be made through http://www.urbanimpact.org/, make a note that it is for drywall repair.

As you can see, this past week has been very full of ups and downs and I am both physically and emotionally drained. The Beth Moore conference could not have come at a better time and God has been faithful to remind of his goodness and provision in the midst of this daunting task. Your continued prayers are greatly coveted. Please stay tuned here for updates and photos.

This past week has been a challenge in so many ways. Spiritual attack grew stronger with each day, coming to a culmination on Thursday night. By Friday evening I was ready to throw in the towel and hide from the world for the weekend. But I had already signed up for a Beth Moore conference and at 7 p.m. that's where I was. If you've ever been part of one of her Bible studies or heard her speak, you know you're guaranteed to be encouraged and this weekend was no exception.

Exhausted and burdened I walked into the New Orleans arena and it felt good just to sit down and take a deep breath. There was amazing worship which in itself is such a renewal. To sing praise to our God of victory with thousands of other women and return my focus away from myself and back on the the Almighty, what a blessing.

Then Beth spoke about 1 Thessalonians 5:12-24. The initial session was about the meaning of holiness which, she said, is wholeness. It is having every part of yourself (spirit, soul and body) devoted to one thing. She also said that every single season in our lives has some input into God's purpose for us and asked how we would handle and respond to those seasons.

My life isn't riddled with abuse or addiction, it isn't plagued by deep loss or unbearable sin. But that doesn't mean that live isn't hard and that intense challenges don't present themselves. Ministry is messy. Living in community is messy. But like Beth said, "I cannot be a whole person without other people." We all need each other. We need to be in each other's business, meaning we need to look out for one another, ask the tough questions, encourage one another.

I left so encouraged and though I was still physically exhausted I was spiritually renewed.

Saturday she talked about making a personal commitment to joy and getting away from the human fire extinguishers in our lives. Those who quench what the Spirit is trying to do in us and the passion he ignites. We are supposed to be blazing with Him! Hard as it is, I know that needing to be very aware of these that intentionally or unintentionally extinguish the Spirit in my life is so important.

Prayer was also a huge emphasis of the day. "Pray continually" was the verse and she explained it is living in a God-conscious state. It is taking the intentional time with Him each day and then being in constant communication throughout the day. And it's also not just asking for the big things, but the smallest things. How often do we only pray about the major things in life and then wonder why we don't see God answer prayer?! He answers all prayers in His perfect timing but those big things may take a bit longer and if we were faithful to bring even the small things to Him how much more encouraged and connected would we be?

Part of these verses has an emphasis on giving thanks. This isn't something you can conjure up, either your grateful or your not. But we are to give thanks to God in our circumstances not necessarily for our circumstances. If we are truly paying attention, we have so very much to be thankful for. And if we value what God values, we'll be thankful people. In that, she gave the example of her grandchildren. Jackson is 3 and loves Hot Wheels. His younger sister is still a baby and the other day they were watching him try to pry open her little fist while she slept. When he finally succeeded he put one of his Hot Wheels in it as if to say, "this is important to me. Wake up! This should be important to you too!"

What a way to look at God. He is constantly trying to pry open our clenched fist to place in our hands that which is important to him and therefore should be important to us. How often do we miss that?!

I left Saturday with a lot to think about and with a huge turnaround in my spiritual and even emotional state. My focus redirected and realigned to where it should be. Oh how much I miss when I narrow my focus to only myself.

I heard a lot of great songs this weekend which I promptly added to my iTunes collection. Songs giving glory and praise to Him who is worthy. But this one stuck out. Download it and turn it up as loud as you can and glory in what He has done for us!

Jesus Saves
by Travis Cottrell

Hear the heart of heaven beating, Jesus saves. Jesus saves.
Hear the hush of mercy breathing, Jesus saves. Jesus saves.
Hear the host of angels sing, "glory to the newborn King."
And the sounding joy repeating, Jesus saves.

See the humblest hearts adore him, Jesus saves. Jesus saves.
And the wisest bow before Him, Jesus saves. Jesus saves.
See the sky alive with praise, melting darkness in its place.
There is life forevermore, Jesus saves.

He will live our sorrow sharing, Jesus saves. Jesus saves.
He will die our burden bearing, Jesus saves. Jesus saves.
It is done! Will shout the cross, Christ has paid redemption's cost!
While the empty tomb's declaring, Jesus saves!

Freedom's calling, chains are falling, hope is dawning bright and true.
Day is breaking, night is quaking, God is making all things new.
Jesus saves!

Oh to grace, how great a debtor! Jesus saves. Jesus saves.
All the saints who shout together, I know that Jesus saves.
Rising up so vast and strong, lifting up salvation's song,
The redeemed will sing forever, the redeemed will sing forever, the redeemed will sing forever, Jesus saves! Jesus saves!