One Year Anniversary

One year ago, today, I stepped off a plane in New Orleans, Louisiana. All I can say is that it has been a crazy adventure since that day. Because of my internship and staff position here in NOLA I've grown in my walk with the Lord, first and foremost, I've grown in the field that I'm studying in college, I've fallen in love with a city that will never leave my prayers, and I've met the man I'm going to marry. I've moved 3 different times, I have made a lot of sweet memories and a lot of sweet people. There are friends that I will keep for the rest of my life that I met here. There are things that I have learned that I will never forget. And today I'm going to share some of those things with you :)

1. Don't worry about tomorrow (Matthew 6:34) - Because, who can add a single hour to his life by worrying? Through Paul, Christ commands us to focus on what is true (Philippians 4:8). What is true is what is present, what is happening right now. If we worry about something that hasn't happened yet, we worry about something that's not true.

2. If there is conflict with another individual, always go to that person first (Matthew 18:15) - It's a lot easier said than done. For some reason, we as humans love having people agree with us or fuel our fires. Is it ok to 'vent' to someone about another person (Proverbs 29:11)? The Bible doesn't say so. It's so easy to go and complain about some wrong that was done against you, but the best way to handle conflict is to go directly to a person and lay out the problem with them in a Christ-like manner.

3. Never make assumptions - Unless you are assuming the best of them. People have backgrounds and stories that always play into their words and actions. Think about the person first and realize that you don't know everything (Philippians 2:1-4). It doesn't make what they are doing right, but it does give you a different perspective.

4. God moves, He works, and He is faithful (Lamentations 3:22-24) - There have been times when I was scared I wouldn't have a place to live, wouldn't have food to eat, wouldn't have money to live on. I was scared that I would fail at school or at work. A car caught on fire 30 seconds after I got out of it, I've lost in the city multiple times, and not in the best neighborhoods either. A tree almost crushed me. I've felt exhausted and been really sick. Every single time, God proved himself faithful. I was never lacking and He always provided for me. And He'll continue that, even when I'm off 'the mission field'.

5. Be content in every season (1 Timothy 6:6) - I posted about this a few days ago. I'm learning that God places us in a certain season for a reason (yes, that rhymed). We are never lacking in anything. Ever. God gives us the grace to embrace (I know, another rhyme) every situation, every day. In fact, the grace given to us will overflow our cups, falling into our laps (Luke 6:38). We have enough grace for our day and then some. Let grace flow out of your life into someone else's and be content. It's not something you are born with...it's a skill that you acquire, sharpen and hone (Philippians 4:11-13).

So, there are a few things that I've learned in the past year. Learned doesn't mean perfected, because I am working on every single one of these points. Pray for me as I close out my time in New Orleans in less than three months. Pray that God stretches me and I grow in my walk with Christ. I want to be a bright, burning flame. Unashamed and heart abandoned for the cause of Christ.

Love,
Chelsea :)

Moving In (For once, I'm not talking about myself)

I just got off the phone with the most delightful woman! One reason why I love my job is that I am blessed to be able to record and document how God moves so powerfully in New Orleans.

Miss Pat is one of our homeowner's who is well on her way to moving into her house. She's an incredible woman of faith who excitedly told me how God moved and worked in her situation after Katrina. She was at a point of hopelessness and despair and God lifted her out of the pit and set her feet upon the rock. Miss Pat told me that she knows that God brought TouchGlobal to her even when she thought the enemy had won.

Please pray for Miss Pat as she works a lot on the North Shore and also in the city. She has the capability of moving in, but has not purchased the furniture and other things that she needs in order to do that.

Miss Pat with a team from California in October of 2011

How powerful. Today, I'm just praising God for bringing more and more homeowners to us. Or vice versa.

This summer, we have a projected number of at least 700 volunteers. Please pray that as we, as a staff, impact those volunteers and in turn, they impact the people they come in contact with. The glory is all HIS!

Love,
Chelsea

A Time to be Content

Right now, I'm sitting on my bed and talking to Jen (Who is laying on it. Guess she's commandeering it for the time being.) and listening to Casting Crowns. Tomorrow, she's leaving for Alabama, then I'm following on Sunday. It's time for my (what seems like) quarterly trip around the United States!
I've been thinking a lot about being content in EVERY situation and in EVERY circumstance. Wow, wouldn't life be so much easier if we could just say, "You know what, God placed me here for a reason, so I'll make the most of it."
My favorite phrase is, "I can't wait". I guess I don't mean it literally. I can wait, I'm just excited. I say, "I can't wait" to Dustin when we talk about getting married, or my next visit. I say it to the people I'm coming to see in Pennsylvania. I say it when I tell people where I'm going to college. I say it when I talk about this coming summer.
While my intentions might be innocent, I've been feeling a little convicted. I find myself looking forward to the fall when I go to college, or next spring when Dustin and I get married. There are so many exciting things happening in my life, it's true. But what about right now?
I can't believe this is happening, but I really believe that sometimes I take my time in New Orleans for granted. But it recently hit me, I'm only here for a season. This is a time in my life that I can do things I will never be able to do again. I'll probably never be a single girl out on the mission field again. After these next four months comes college, marriage, graduating, a job, kids, etc. Now (and while I'm on this earth) is a time to live intentionally, impact others and be content in where God has so divinely placed me.
I'm reading The Resolution for Women and the very first section of the book talks about contentment in your current situation in life. Here's an excerpt:
"I do solemnly resolve to embrace my current season of life and will maximize my time in it. I will resist the urge to hurry through or circumvent any portion of my journey but will live with a spirit of contentment."
Feeling challenged? I am.
"True godliness with contentment is itself great wealth." 1 Timothy 6:6
"If we have food and clothing, with these we shall be content." 1 Timothy 6:8
"Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, 'I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you.'" Hebrews 13:5

From One State to Another, and Then Another...

Last week was spent in Alabama. We had a team from Carlisle, Pa come down and build a house from the ground up for Miss Karen, whose home was destroyed by the March 2nd tornadoes. It was a challenging week for sure and full of growth. But seeing Miss Karen's excitement light up her face and her smile grow bigger with every passing day was worth it all. I'm praying that we had an impact on her life and that she will see Jesus because of it.
Plus, I was able to get up on a roof, which is always fun!! :)

Earlier this week I was in New Orleans with teams from Maryland and North Carolina. And the nice North Carolina guys let me help them put in a ceiling. They even took pictures for me! :)

Right now I'm in Missouri visiting the husband-to-be and his family, talking about wedding things and picking out classes for when I attend Southwest Baptist University in the fall! Also, Mark Lewis and Katie Hooks made the trip to SBU to train a team of college students who are soon leaving for Japan on a mission trip! I was able to take some pictures of the training session and also them as a team. Please pray for them! 

Katie, Mark and the Japan team

I have 2 more weeks of school left. There is light at the end of this tunnel. I'm so pumped for summer and lots of volunteers and hard work! School is the only thing standing in my way :) Please pray that I finish out this semester strongly!

Also, please continue to pray for my support to come in. Unfortunately, it has not been as regular as it should be, and I am getting about half of what I should be receiving I would love to get a new camera before this summer is over so that I can do my job better, but at this point I will be using my support for just food and housing.

As always thank you for your prayers. They mean so very much to me and they keep me going! I'm praising God for the people that read this and continue to support me financially and with prayer!

Love,

Chelsea

ENGAGED

I'm sure most of you have heard the news by now :)
Needless to say, I had an excellent Easter weekend in Pennsylvania with my family and Dustin!
On Thursday morning, Dustin and I went for a hike. During it, he asked if we could sit down and read some Scripture and listen to music. When we sat down by a pond, he told me he bought me something and pulled out a very pretty journal and said that he would like me to use it when we get engaged, to write my thoughts down, etc. (As if he wasn't going to propose in about 5 minutes) Of course, I thought this was very sweet and gave him lots of compliments about the idea.

After that he read to me 2 Chronicles 34:31-32:

"The king stood by his pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lord -- to follow the Lord and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, and to obey the words of the covenant written in this book. Then he had everyone in Jerusalem and Benjamin pledge themselves to it; the people of Jerusalem did this in accordance with the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors."

Dustin told me that he wanted these verses to apply to his life, then mine and then our family's. Then he played the song "Lead Me" by Sanctus Real. After that, he told me that he also wrote me a letter. He read out loud to me how he felt about me and the past 8 and a half months of pursuing me and how he wants to cherish me, protects me and love me in the future. At the end of his letter, he explained that he talked to my parents that morning and they gave him their full blessing to marry me. And with that, he asked me to be his wife!

As you can probably tell from the picture, I was very shocked and excited and I said YES :) :)

When we got home he had a dozen roses waiting for me along with a framed picture of the two of us.

I'm so excited to begin this new adventure with my amazing fiance! God has truly lavished his love and grace and blessings upon me and I will always be praising him for that!

Thank you for your prayers and support, as always. But please include Dustin and I in your prayers as well, that we will continue to abide by HIS statutes and rest on HIS promises! 

Picture Happy

Things I am thankful for:

1. I'm so thankful for this house that Jen and I had in Covington. And also thankful for the family that allowed us to stay there for 5 months!












2. I'm thankful for this house in Mandeville. Praise God for orchestrating events so that Miss Sharon was able to let us live here and take care of her house while she is gone! We will be here for 6 weeks, until May 1st.

3. RIP the Lewis's Buick. It had a good run. I happened to be driving the car when it caught on fire (for the whole story, make sure you get my newsletter. Email me at chelsea.buffington@efca.org if you don't get it), so I'm praising God that I am alive and well and writing this blog right now!

4. So thankful for the college kids that are willing to give up their spring break to come down here and serve in New Orleans! Please pray that God will raise up interns for this summer!

5. I'm praising God for New Orleans and the fact that He has called me here in this season of my life. Plus, what a gorgeous place!

6. I'm thankful for yummy, home-cooked Cajun food that you can't get anywhere else!









Thank you for your prayers and support. I'll be sending out my newsletter this week, too!
Love,
Chelsea :)

I'm Back!! (in Bama)

I need to take a lesson from the devotions that the teams have every week. I should just go into my days without any expectations!
On Thursday, I found out that Jen and I would be making the 6 trip to Alabama on Saturday to pick up a truck and bring it back to New Orleans. The very next day (Friday) several tornadoes hit Madison County in Alabama again (the last time being April 27th, 2011. To read about this, see my blog post: Hope in Bama). Tornadoes are an amazing thing. They don't discriminate, but one side of a street could be completely wiped out, while the other side has not even been touched.
So Jen and I made the uneventful drive to Alabama yesterday, despite choosing a huge diesel truck with no cruise control (definitely a mistake). Today we attended the service at Hope Church, our partner here in Madison County. But, of course, we can't go a day without an adventure. I was skyping my family, when Jen called and told me that one of our trucks broke down (leaking brake fluid). Ironically, it was the truck that Jen and I originally came up to Alabama to get.
THANK YOU JESUS, for not letting us drive that truck back down to Louisiana!!!
For those of you that are wondering, the damage is extensive. Families who have just gathered up there lives from the last tornadoes had them ripped apart again. PLEASE pray for these people!
I'm headed back down to Louisiana tomorrow with Jen. Please pray that we will have another uneventful drive :)
Thank you for continuing to pray for me as I work in ministry. I can't do it without my team of people committed to pray for me! Praise God for this opportunity I was able to seize with TouchGlobal :)