Dear Friends,

2011 is nearly over, and 2012 is about to begin. As this year comes to an end, we have an excellent opportunity to look back on what God has brought us through in the past and look forward with hope and anticipation for the year ahead. To start off the New Year, I will be soaring among the clouds, several thousand feet in the air, departing from Chicago with a team of thirteen other people on a missions trip!
(My brother Matthew is also going! :) This will be his second trip to Haiti.)

Our expected destination: Haiti via Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
Our expected trip duration: 10 days.
The expected result: Many opportunities to be a blessing to the Haitian people that God brings our way.

Much planning has been involved in preparing for this trip, but there is only ONE thing that I can know with absolute certainty. I am 100% sure that I should expect the unexpected, because, with my God, this trip will be the adventure of a lifetime! :)

Our group, called LESPWA International, is looking forward to bringing hope to some of Haiti's population by ministering to their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. ("Lespwa" means "hope" in Creole.) Would you please join us in our adventure by lifting us up before God's throne in prayer?

Your prayers for safe travel, protection for the vans and our drivers, good health while in Haiti so that we can help others, and God's guidance and direction for our trip would be immensely appreciated!

On the evening of Jan. 2nd, two vans filled with us and our luggage and supplies will be heading down to Chicago, IL. Our flight leaves Chicago O'Hare Airport on Jan. 3rd at 7:30 am. After transferring planes in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, we then fly out at 1:45pm to arrive in Haiti at 3:45pm, Lord willing. (We plan to return to Chicago on Jan 13 at 6:15pm.)

While we are in Haiti, we will be regularly updating a blog to keep you informed and up-to-date with what we are doing and how God is working through this trip. You can view our blog at: http://lespwainternational.blogspot.com/ .

We LOVE comments on our blog posts! If you enjoy reading it, please comment on our posts, (even if it's just a short note such as "Good to hear," "I'm praying for you!" or ":D") because that is how we know that you are watching the blog!

2011 was great, but I am excited for this new year to begin! As my Heavenly Father showed Himself abundantly faithful in the past, I am looking forward to seeing His faithfulness in the future. Haiti is also brimming with anticipation for what the future holds, so come and join us in our adventure as we share Christ's love with those eager for hope!

May God bless you, my friend, with a WONDERFUL New Year as you enjoy the adventures, both small and great, that He has in store for you!

Because my Savior lives, loves, and cares,
Sarah Poss

Finally... :D

My dear friends,

After much prompting, I have finally decided to post on here more regularly. Yes, it took me long enough, I know. :D Thank you for your patience and gentle persistence!

I am going to be posting excerpts from a paper I wrote on Romans 8 during Advanced Excel last year. I pray you will be blessed and encouraged by reading them. God's blessings on your week and your walk with Him!

Sarah

Operation SUCCESS!

Romans Chapter Eight

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Classified Material

Code Name:
Operation SUCCESS!
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Sarah Poss
June 12th, 2009
Advanced EXCEL

Introduction

God, in His wisdom, knew that the people He had created would reject His plan for them and revolt, going their own way. In His Sovereignty, God designed His plan of salvation before time and made it the only means by which the peoples’ disobedience could be atoned for, to reveal to them their absolute need and dependence on Him. In order to redeem them from the bondage that they had foolishly chosen for themselves, the King of Kings sent His One and Only Son to pay the penalty for their sin.

Romans chapter eight looks in depth at certain points of the battle plan that God used to recover the His precious possession, mankind, from His enemy Satan, enabling us to spend eternity with Him in Heaven. God has ransomed us from bondage and death and brought us into the freedom of His life. As we learn more about God’s character by studying what He says in His Word, we will be able to become more like His Son.


Operation: Liberation – Romans 8:1-5

“1There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.”

The word walk in verses one and four includes the idea of regulating one’s life and conduct.[1] Christians should regulate their conduct according to the Holy Spirit’s direction, instead of by their fleshly desires. Free, in verse two, describes deliverance and being set at liberty.[2] The law of the Spirit of life brings freedom because of what Christ did on the cross for us. Christ’s atonement for the sin of mankind liberated us from the destruction that would have been the result of our disobedience.

In Romans chapter eight, the word translated flesh is the Greek word sarx (sarx) meaning “the soft substance of the living body, which covers the bones and is permeated with blood” and also “the earthly nature of man apart from Divine influence, and therefore prone to sin and opposed to God.”[3] When Christ came into the world in the likeness of sinful flesh to pay the penalty for our sin, He had the same sarx (sarx) and ability to sin that the first man Adam did.

The beauty behind this is that Christ was not only fully God, but also fully human, with every capability to commit sin. In spite of this, He honored His Father and remained sinless. Because of His sacrificial love, we are released from the bondage of sin and are able to regulate our lives by the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

One appropriate definition for condemned in verse three is “by one's good example to render another's wickedness the more evident and censurable.”[4] God, in His mercy for sinful man, sent His only begotten Son, a sinless spotless example, to the earth, and by so doing, brought evil more sharply into the light of His truth. By condemning sin, Christ enabled the righteousness of the law to be made clear to us.

[1] Walk - Strong’s reference number 4043.
[2] Free - Strong’s reference number 1659.
[3] Flesh - Strong’s reference number 4562.
[4] Condemned - Strong’s reference number 2632.

Soon... :D

It's been far too long since I posted on here... this must change... soon! :D

Praying that God will bless you with a wonderful week as you continue to serve Him !and glorify Him with your thoughts, words, and actions

Purifying Gold

A friend of mine found this poem and posted it on her blog. This poem really encouraged me and I was able to use it in my Teapots, Teacups, & Testimonies discipleship group. May "Purifying Gold" minister to your heart and remind you of your Saviour's perfect love for you and of the necessity of trials in the life of a Christian. Though they may cause us temporary pain, trials are the necessary tools that our Master Craftsman uses to refine our character and conform us to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ, turning us into precious gold.

"He sat by the fire with sevenfold heat,

As He watched by the precious ore,

And closer He bent with a searching gaze

As He heated it more and more.

"He knew He had ore that could stand the test,

And He wanted the finest gold

To mould as a crown for the King to wear,

Set with gems with price untold.

"So He laid our gold in the burning fire.

Tho’ we fain would have said to Him, “Nay,”

And He watched the dross that we had not seen,

And it melted and passed away.

"And the gold grew brighter and yet more bright,

But our eyes were so dim with tears,

We saw but the fire—not the Master’s hand,

And questioned it with anxious fears.

"Yet our gold shone out with a richer glow,

As it mirrored a Form above,

That bent o’er the fire, tho’ unseen by us,

With a look of ineffable love.

"Can we think that it pleases His loving heart

To cause us a moment’s pain?

Ah, no! But He saw through the present cross

The bliss of eternal gain.

"So He waited there with a watchful eye,

With a love that is strong and sure,

And His gold did not suffer a bit more heat,

Than was needed to make it pure."

~Unknown~

"Behold, I go forward, but He is not there;

and backward, but I cannot perceive Him:

On the left hand, where He doth work, but I cannot behold Him:

He hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see Him:

But He knoweth the way that I take:

when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as GOLD."

Job 23:8-10

2 Thessalonians 3:1-5, 13, 16, & 18

"Finally, brethren, pray for us,

that the word of the Lord may have free course,

and be glorified, even as it is with you:

And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men:

for all men have not faith.

But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.

And we have confidence in the Lord touching you,

that ye both do and will do the things which we command you.

And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God,

and into the patient waiting for Christ.

But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.

Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means.

The Lord be with you all.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

The second epistle to the Thessalonians was written from Athens."

2 Thessalonians 3:1-5, 13, 16, 18

Despair... hope... DETERMINATION!

Time is flying by, and the work load is enormous. Only two weeks remain until graduation with three weeks worth of projects still requiring completion. Taking stock of the situation only results in an overwhelming sense of frustrated despair. It's hopeless-- there's no way accomplish everything in time!

Just when my brain is about to overload, and quitting seems like a welcome escape from the stress of the hour, I remember one thing. All of the sudden, although the situation has not changed in the least, a peaceful calm replaces the hopeless despair, and the storm of frustration is turned into a ray of determination. This one thing provides me with the courage to face the mountain of tasks before me and conquer.

The one thing I remembered that altered my outlook is that I have a Sovereign and Omnipotent God Who is in complete control of every situation. He will not fail me! My Heavenly Father knows what I have to accomplish, He knows how much time I have left, and He WILL give me the time that I need to do my best and get everything done!!!


"The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me:
Thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever:
forsake not the works of Thine own hands." Psalms 138:8

"I can do all things through Christ
which strengtheneth me." Philippians 4:13


"He manages perfectly,
day and night,
year in and year out,
the moving of the stars,
the wheeling of the planets,
the staggering coordinator of events.
There is no doubt
that He can manage the timing of my days and weeks." ~ Elizabeth Elliot