Day 3: Leaving for Nassau and "Sacrifice" at the Cave

Hi Family & Friends of the(crucible)
We had a morning study at the cave, where most part of the journey is pitch dark with tons of unlevel ground, and had a bible study on "Sacrifice." Obey, Surrender, Counting the Cost, and offering God a Sacrifice of obedience. Lots to chew on for the students.

What is symbolic too is that our Christian walk is much like traversing through the cave. Pitfalls or holes in the ground, the darkness, much like a life that we are denying and walking towards the like. The students are really challenged to "name" those holes in their own lives, and know that they will be there throughout their journey with God, but they can choose on having His Light to traverse through it, with Him.

Lastly, we are leaving for Nassau tonight and spending New Year Eve's at the Lowe's tonight. So that's all for now.

God Bless, christabel

Day 2: Work Projects, Evangelism & Community Outreach

Hi Friends and Family of the(crucible)
We have several work projects going on during the day, in the Methodist Habitat and also in the community. Basically, you go around a certain part of town and ask if they needed any work done. In doing so, they also get to befriend the community and Jeremiah's group get to share the gospel with 4 teens, and at the end of it, they played tig-tac-toe and received Christ into their lives.

The group that stayed at Methodist Habitat got to "Weed & Prune" the playground, the caretaker's house and make some holes in the ground (with pick-axes) for the gates. The best part of the day was sharing what our strengths, weaknesses and fears are. Then asking them what God is pruning out of our lives... alot of good thoughts and prayers during work.

So much to say even about our evening study: the character of a Soldier (Rom 12:1-2). Integrity, Sincerity, Love, Peserverance, etc... are topics that Gio taught and the students were really challenged with having to pick out 3 things they have to "put off" and 3 things they have to "put on" for 2009.

God Bless, Bel

Day 1: Team Unity in Nassau & Shipped out to Eleuthra

Hi Parents and Friends of the(crucible) team
Sorry that we didn't get a chance to blog last night as we were on the ferry to Eleuthra till late last night.

Some updates for you:
1) The team learns to lean on each other, and discover strength, weaknesses and fears of each member. The objective is to find out who in the team has the "strengths" that they are weak in. Iron sharpens iron that way.
2) Unity Exercises: We had 3 unity games and exercises before the afternoon study and that really helps to learn about who is serving with you, alongside you and focus on being a "Soldier" for Christ.
3) Bible study and Intro to the(crucible): A good soldier Endures Hardship....and Please HIM who enlisted him as one. (2 Tim 2:3-4) Going beyond our comfort, or take initiative to please Jesus who called, wanted and enlisted us into his army.
4) Shipping Out to Eleuthra : A symbolic trip to be ship out as soldiers to a military exercise. (Eleuthra is South of Bahamas, we were able to get on a Ferry (for 6 hours) to this island. Living at the Bahamas Habitat.

That's all for now, and please pray for students to get real, get layers of their old man off as Christ reveals himself to them. For Jessica, she sprained her ankle and is healing.

GOD BLESS & LOVE, christabel

GET READY TO GO....

Hi the(crucible) team
Spoken to so many of colleagues at CCFL about you all, about the enthusiasm and the passion in all of you to change the world, with the GOSPEL of course. I believe by the end of this trip, you will realize how important it is for us to live out the good news, so that no one will be hindered from finding the LORD by the way we act, or find fault with our ministry. In everything we do, to minister in love, patiently endure trouble, hardships, and trials of any kind.

GET READY!!! I know you WILL NOT FORGET

- your prescriptions
- your work gloves, sleeping bags, bug spray, allergy meds, towels, bedsheets, pillows, some long sleeve shirts for just in case and a jacket
- to turn in your passports, monies, outstanding paperwork etc

Kindly bring 1 luggage that is not more than 20 kgs to the church by 5.55am. We will meet at the Hub for a brief meeting with your parents and check you guys in for the trip.

LOVE from the Youth Ministry
Bel

Compelled to Love Locally and Globally ..

Hi the(Crucible) Team
This Saturday, Dec 13, is Love Out Louder Day, and we have one more opportunity to minister the good news in person to our community. I pray that you will take your family to minister with you this time...

Reading 2nd Cor 5, today, this is really the summary and reason why we are compelled to love and share with our community, locally and globally:

Reconciliation: To God Himself through Christ
v.18 All things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Christ Jesus
Our Ministry of Reconciliation
v.18b-19a and has given us the ministry of reconciliation... that is that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself,
Removing our Trespasses
v.19b .. not imputing their trespasses to them
The Word
v.19c ... and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

Hear God's Heart for the unreached and unsaved through us:
Ambassadors for Christ
v.20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God.

Let this be our mind and heart as we moved towards the holiday season, towards the Bahamas, towards our challenges and testing of our faith in the islands of Bahamas.

Merry Christmas & has a Christ-filled year ahead, proclaiming the good news as a PROVEN AMBASSADOR FOR CHRIST.

From the Youth Ministry, christabel