December is here!!!!!

Wow, it's DECEMBER! I think 2010 has definitely been the quickest year of my life!! We are already in the Christmas spirit here in Nashville and have enjoyed decorating! Here are some pics of the condo:

Handmade bird ornaments (yes.. Hunter helped!)

Nativity painting from my mother-in-law and nativity from my mother!

Our cute Christmas tree!

Homemade "mod podge" scripture ornaments with excerpts from the Christmas story

Nativity from Bethlehem!

so excited it's Christmas!

A must read for the season.. How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Wishing you all a wonderful month of celebrating the birth of our Savior!

Our first home!!

Yes, it's been wayyy too long since I've posted! Maybe I can catch up in a few weeks when I have Fall Break!

Well, I finally took some pictures of our condo, so click on the link below to see them. We have really enjoyed setting up everything and are still working to make it our very own! I'll keep you posted as we continue making changes.

Enjoy!

Click here for pics of our first home!

We're still alive...

So yes, I know I haven't posted in well over a month. So much for trying to keep track of our Out West trip day by day. :)  We did have an AMAZING time and I hope to go into detail about it sometime. For now, I'm just wanting to update and say that although we've been busy busy lately, things are going well! Here are a few things that have been going on:

* Church Plant: Awesome. We are part of an amazing team of people with an incredible vision and we have felt nothing but welcomed since we got here. I has been such confirmation that this is what we're supposed to be doing. We had an initial cookout to go over the vision/mission of the church and were very encouraged by the turnout and energy from those interested in being a part of what we're doing. We don't even have a name yet, and there seem to be at least 10 committed families so far. God is doing so much more than we would have imagined at this point. You can follow the blog of our pastor, Jason at http://www.chroniclesofaplanter.com/.

* Condo: We love our new place. It is about a 5-10 minute drive to just about everywhere, including our jobs, which is so nice. We're still in the setting up process, but I will definitely dedicate an entire post to it when it's all set up.

* Jobs: Hunter started working at Laser One last week and is enjoying getting into the groove there. He's going to be doing financial/accounting stuff there, and I know he's fitting right in. I've been setting up my classroom the past week or so, and this Thursday is a half day with kids. I can't believe it's already time to start back, but I'm looking forward to the new year. I'm teaching at a Spanish Immersion school, which will be so fun, but that's also what I'm pretty nervous about! I know God has brought me to this school and will equip me with everything I need. Prayers are appreciated as we continue to adjust to our new jobs.

Life has been nothing short of exciting and crazy the past few months, but we are grateful for all of the incredible opportunities we've had and are having now. Thanks for your prayers and support. These next few weeks will be especially busy as school is starting up, so who knows when the next post will be!? Until then, grace and peace to you all.

PS: Here is a link to some of our favorite Israel/Out West pictures: click here to see pics

Out West Journey... Day 2

San Diego Zoo!

So yesterday we spent the day at the best zoo we've ever been to. It was so awesome! The best thing we did was took a 40 minute guided bus tour through the zoo to overlook everything. All the animals were out and ready for pictures. We saw so much! Even our guide, Vieve, was commenting on how unusual it was for so many of the animals to be hanging out. Since pictures are much better than words, I'll go ahead and quit talking and just show you the amazing things we saw on this quick slideshow! It is so neat to think about all the different qualities of God by looking at this animals: Strength, beauty, creativity, gracefulness. Enjoy!

Out West Journey... Day 1

So, I know I need to blog all about our Israel trip. That is coming! I promise! We had an amazing trip, to say the least, and God really opened our eyes to the need in Israel for Jesus. More of that to come.

A LOT has happened in the past 3 weeks. We went to Israel, came home for just a few days to pack up, and moved on up to Nashville! Our life feels like it is in fast forward, but we are loving every second. Now just when you think it's time for a break, time to get settled, we throw in another curve ball. We are now in California beginning our long-awaited trip out west. Hunter and I have been planning this since before we got married, and we're finally here! Here's a recap of our first day.

We woke up at about 4:45 to leave. Papa took us to the airport and we were off! "California, here we come!" We had a 45 min flight to St. Louis with a brief layover, and then a 3 1/2 hour flight to Los Angeles. We picked up our rental car and had a very nice surprise. They didn't have any larger cars available, so we got a free upgrade to a small SUV. It is so much larger than we expected. It's called a Dodge Journey, which we thought was a fitting name for our trip :)

For lunch, we stopped by In-N-Out Burger, a famous hamburger place in California. We then drove 405 South most of the way down to San Diego, but took a little detour when we saw the famous Hwy 1 signs! It was so cool to be driving so close to the coast. Oh, one thing I need to mention. It's a little bit colder here than we had expected. The high today was only 64. A drastic change from the 90s we've had down in the South.

We really enjoyed the drive from LA to San Diego. The terrain is so beautiful. Mountains on the left, Pacific ocean on the right. We also stopped at Del Mar beach for a few minutes to stick our feet in the ocean for a minute. It was cold! Still so beautiful though. When we arrived to our hotel, which we found with no problems at all, we were worn out! After about a 2 hour nap, we headed out for dinner in Old Town San Diego. This place was so cute and quaint! We ate at a Mexican restaurant called Cafe Coyote. They had delicious homemade tortillas and a nice outdoor atmosphere. After that, we just walked around a little bit and browsed the little shops around. One thing on my shopping list: a sweatshirt! :)

(I'll post pics from today sometime tomorrow)

Tomorrow's plan: San Diego Zoo! Hasta manana!

Prayer Guide for Israel Trip

Here is a daily prayer guide you can use as you are praying for our trip. Thank you for your support and encouragement. We are excited about the unimaginable things God is going to do!

Israel Mission Team Prayer Guide: June 18-30, 2010

Date	Itinerary	Prayer Needs
Friday, June 18	·  Depart Shades Mtn for Atlanta at 3:30pm (central time). ·  Leave ATL for Tel Aviv at 10:15pm(est time)	·  A safe journey to Atlanta via church vans ·  A safe and restful flight to Israel ·  Opportunities to share our faith with passengers or attendants on flight
Saturday, June 19	·  Arrive Tel Aviv at 5pm local time. Lodging: (local church)	·  Pray that we’d have a smooth experience with customs and van rentals ·  Pray that all luggage and supplies would arrive on time and in tact ·  Pray for rest and a quick adjustment to the time change
Sunday, June 20	·  Work day at village ·  Social dinner with young professionals group Lodging: (local church)	·  Pray that the language barrier would not be a problem, that we’d communicate clearly through the translators and with our actions ·  Pray for opportunities to share our testimony with the villagers ·  Pray that we would encourage the young professionals with our testimonies and that we’d take the opportunity to share the Gospel with them
Monday, June 21	·  Work day at village ·  Visit to city ·  Football practice with young professionals Lodging: (local church)	·  Pray that our work would assist Nathan and Wendi in developing a strong and trustworthy relationship with the village people for their future work ·  Pray for opportunities to encourage and challenge other believers we meet ·  Pray for intentional, Christ-centered conversations with the football players and for great fellowship
Tuesday, June 22	·  Work day at village and church ·  ESL teams working with preschool, 1st grade, and 10th grade students ·  Construction work in village and at church ·  Young professionals Bible study Lodging: Tent	·  Pray for ESL teams to communicate effectively and look for ways to share about Jesus through teaching English ·  Pray that our construction work would lead to opportunities to share Christ with the people ·  Pray that our labor would be done for God’s glory, not ours ·  Pray that we’d have Christ-centered conversations with the villagers at the tent ·  Pray for deep study of God’s word and genuine worship with the young professionals group
Wednesday, June 23	·  Touring: Masada, Dead Sea, Ein Gedi Lodging: Baptist Village	·  Pray that our faith will increase as we see the places of the Bible ·  Pray that we’d respond in worship and gratitude to God for all that he’s done in the past and all he will do in the future. To him be the glory!
Thursday, June 24	·  Touring: Jerusalem Day 1- Mount of Olives, Wailing Wall/Temple Mount, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Davidson Center, Pool of Bethesda, Garden of Gethsemane, Via Dolorosa, Garden Tomb, Jerusalem Prayer Center Lodging: Baptist Village	·  Pray for safety as we travel by van to Jerusalem ·  May God use the tour to increase our faith in Him and his Word. ·  Ask God to renew our desire to reach the ends of the earth for His name. ·  Pray that we’d be reminded of the immense sacrifice Christ made for us, that it would lead to repentance and surrender of our hearts ·  Pray that we would have a greater understanding of our salvation and a deeper passion for the lost.
Friday, June 25	·  Touring: Megiddo, Caesarea, Haifa, Mt. Carmel Lodging: Baptist Village	·  Pray that we would have safe travel through the country as we go place to place ·  Pray that we would be overcome with a sense of urgency to see souls redeemed by Christ ·  Pray for opportunity to worship and rest in the Lord
Saturday, June 26	·  Touring: Mount of Beatitudes, Sea of Galilee, Capernaum, Mt. Tabor ·  Jared, Rob, & Ginny depart to return to USA at 11:30pm (local time) Lodging: Beit Bracha (Bed & Breakfast on Sea of Galilee)	·  Pray that as we see where Jesus ministered to people and performed miracles, we would be in awe of our awesome God and Savior ·  Pray that our response would be a deeper commitment to living out God’s purpose for our life ·  Pray for opportunities to share the Gospel with people we will meet along the way ·  Pray for a safe and restful flight for those coming back to USA
Sunday, June 27	·  Touring: Nazareth, Church of the Annunciation, Cana ·  Evangelism in a city Lodging: Beit Bracha (Bed & Breakfast on Sea of Galilee)	·  Pray for continued safety as we travel to different places ·  Pray for an increase in knowledge and depth of love for our Father ·  Pray that as we distribute materials to the citizens, we’d be bold in sharing the Gospel ·  Pray that doors open for more work there in the future
Monday, June 28	·  Touring ·  Fellowship and dinner with other baptists Lodging: Baptist Village	·  Pray as we tour, that we would be reminded of his humble entry to the world that gave us freedom and eternal life ·  Pray that we could share our spiritual birth with others we meet ·  Pray that our time with the missionaries be encouraging, challenging, and worshipful.
Tuesday, June 29	·  Touring: Jerusalem Day 2- The Israel Museum, Rampart’s Walk, Hezekiah’s Tunnel ·  Depart Tel Aviv at 11:30pm (local time)	·  Pray that as we spend our last day in Israel, we’d take in all God is showing and teaching us ·  Pray that our time with each other and with Nathan and Wendi be uplifting and God-honoring ·  Pray for a smooth experience going through Customs ·  Pray for a safe and restful flight back to USA.
Wednesday, June 30	·  Arrive Atlanta 5:50am (EST) ·  Return to Birmingham via church vans around 10am	·  Pray that as we return, we’d be able to digest all God has taught and shown us, and quickly put it into practice. ·  Pray that our lives would be forever changed by this trip, and that God uses our experience to encourage and challenge other believers to go and make disciples of all nations. ·  Pray for Nathan and Wendi as they continue to live and work in Israel. Pray for their language study, a fruitful ministry, and diligence to continue the good work God has begun through them in Israel.

My Husband is the best...

So, today is my birthday! Yay, the big 2-3! Anyway, I just really had to share about the gifts Hunter got me.. you know I love to brag on my man.

I'll tell about them in the order he gave them to me:

1) Scrapbook with letters from some of my closest friends here in Birmingham along with pictures. Talk about a tear-jerker! This was such a special gift that I will treasure as we move to Nashville.

2) Gift card to Las Paletas! Since we'll be just a mile from there, I can stop by to get my favorite homemade popsicle anytime!

3) Forgotten God by Francis Chan

4) A Lineage of Grace Series by Francine Rivers

5) This may be a little strange, but I've been joking with Hunter since we got married that I really wanted one of these: 

                                                     

... and this year, he got me one!!! I love it! I told him we're probably the only 20-somethings with a Clapper!! We spent all morning just clapping on and off.. on and off. Haha, this is definitely a joke between us, but I just had to share!

Thanks to my sweet husband for making my birthday so special! 

Packing and Preparing... the calm before the storm!

So the past few days have been composed of getting rid of stuff around the apartment and packing! We're leaving for Israel next Friday, and we're moving up to Nashville soon after we get back, so we're trying to get almost everything packed before we go. Wow, it's amazing how much you can accumulate in a ONE bedroom apartment in 2 years! I guess it's good that we're moving so we can throw/give away stuff we never use! I'll be sure to post pics once we get it all packed up.

As I mentioned, we're also getting ready to go to Israel for a 10-day mission trip with some of our dearest friends from Sunday school. We and 9 other couples will be traveling to work with some missionaries and to do some touring. I am excited... beyond excited... about this opportunity! I have been praying that, as we work with different people groups, see several sites mentioned in the Bible, and have some great quality time with friends, God would work in unimaginable ways. It's easy to get focused on packing and making sure we have all the right stuff that we lose sight of what is important. Please pray that God would focus our hearts and minds on him as we prepare mentally, physically, and spiritually for this trip. Please also pray that our group would be bold in sharing our faith, humble with our words and actions, and God-honoring in everything we do. Be sure to look out for a post closer to time with specific ways you can pray for us each day.

It feels like Hunter and I are experiencing the "calm before the storm" because this week and next are the only weeks we will be just hanging out (... and packing and having lots of time with friends before we go). Then comes the storm of summer.. which we are very excited about: closing on our first home, Israel trip, moving to Nashville, going on our Out-West Trip, setting up our condo, diving into the church plant, starting new jobs! We are grateful to God for this season of life we are in.

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21

I did it!

Well, I could go on and on for this post, but I essentially just want to PRAISE THE LORD for His goodness, mercy, and faithfulness. As many of you know, I just went through my first year of teaching. Wow, God taught me so much. God teaches us a lot when we are tired, stressed, confused, frustrated, and down-right mad. Being a teacher of nineteen 4th graders has been one of the most rewarding and difficult experiences in my life. I'll try to recap a few lessons-learned through some stories.


1) What is the most important thing in your life? We were reading the novel Because of Winn-Dixie early on in the year, and we ended up having a great class discussion about "the most important things" in our life. There were the typical answers like "family, friends, school, etc." Some students even mentioned God and Jesus, which gave me an instant opportunity to share my faith and how my relationship with God was the most important thing in my life. Hey, they brought it up, right?!
However, I was quickly enlightened as the conversation shifted and several (over half) of my students began sharing about how they could relate with certain characters of the story. One student commented: "I can relate with Opal [the main character of Winn-Dixie] because she doesn't have a mom." Other students immediately chimed in saying, "Yeah, me too" or "Yeah, but I don't have a dad." I was nearly in tears as I realized that most of my students were coming from unimaginable circumstances, and I had the opportunity to encourage them and love them. I realized that teaching goes way beyond curriculum and text books. I pray that I was able to show these kids love and encouragement throughout the year. How incredible it is that God used 9-10 year olds to teach me of his extravagant love and intricate plan to glorify himself.


2) A spontaneous Clothing Drive and an old t-shirt. I learned from a mentor teacher back in student teaching that it is always important to teach your students that they can serve and help others. I remember praying for an opportunity to show my students that no matter how bad they think they have it, there is always someone worse off, and there is always and opportunity to help. Then the earthquake in Haiti happened. We started having a discussion about how Haiti was already an impoverished nation who desperately needed help BEFORE the earthquake occurred. We couldn't imagine just how horrible it might be after being hit by an earthquake. As we were looking at the world map, some of them locating Haiti for the first time, my students started coming up with all kinds of ideas. "Mrs. Yarbrough, we could send them stuff!" "We could collect old clothes or toys for the kids." "I have some old shoes I need to get rid of." My students were so excited at the thought of helping the Haitian people. Within about an hour, we had planned a Clothing/Shoe Drive for our entire school. My very creative and smart student, Nikki, typed up a letter and we passed it out to all of the classrooms. Over the next 2 weeks, students began bringing in BAGS of stuff! Wow, it was incredible! I was so proud of my kids and their initiative to get the whole school involved. I was most touched by one of my students who came with one old t-shirt. "Mrs. Yarbrough, I looked through all of my things, and this is what I want to send. It's cute isn't it?" Wow, I was instantly reminded of the widow who gave 2 coins.  Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on." Mark 12:43-44.  This is one of my favorite memories of the entire year. 

3) Failure. So, I knew that I would have difficult students, but I guess in my mind, "difficult" would mean a kid who is always getting into trouble, being mean to others, distracting the class, or just shouting out. Don't get me wrong, I had some students like that, but that didn't seem to get to me... there's always detention and parent calls for that kind of behavior. No, the most difficult student I had was the one who did. not. do. anything. at. all. Wow, it became the biggest struggle of my entire year. This student was one who would come to class, sit, and maybe, if we're lucky, turn in one assignment, half completed. It was like pulling teeth day, after day, after day. I tried everything I learned in school: incentive plans, rewards, discipline, detention, parent conferences, isolation, grades. Still, no effort. Nothing, nada. I sought after wisdom from other teachers and friends, and still no results. This situation began eating away at me, and I was so discouraged by it. It lasted all year, and I finally had to give up what "control" I had on the situation. 

It seems like right when you let go of something, God slaps you in the face with a lesson to learn. He reminded me that I am so much like my frustrating student who would come to school everyday, sit and do nothing she was asked to do, care nothing for what was going on, or show no interest in anything I tried to teach her. Huh? Yes, he put me right in that very desk. So many times I will go throughout my day or week without a care in the world about what God wants to do through me, what he wants to teach me, or how he wants to use me. I just sit there and do as I please. Oh the irony! God taught me, through the toughest part of my First Year, that although so many times I am unfaithful, disobedient, and apathetic... He LOVES me! He LOVES me! I cannot say it enough. This has definitely been the most powerful and painful lesson to learn. I can't describe the frustration and impatience I had with my student, and to think of the frustration God should feel for the entire world! Yet, he LOVES us. He rescues us from our sin and redeems us. Praise God. I am thankful that I had to endure such a tough lesson. I pray that I would always be humbled through these tough times to look to the cross and constantly remember his immense LOVE.  

Back to the student. No, she didn't have a radical transformation at the end. In fact, it got worse. She will be doing 4th grade again, and yes it is hard as a teacher to see your students fail, but I can tell from experience that some of the greatest times of growth in my life have been through failure. Isn't it incredible that God gives us all a second chance? 

Yes, I learned a gazillion other lessons this year, but those were some of the greatest ways God taught me more about himself. 

I'll end with a short video that I showed my kids before they left for the summer. They were an awesome group of kids!

"The LORD your God is with you,
       he is mighty to save.
       He will take great delight in you,
       he will quiet you with his love,
       he will rejoice over you with singing."

Zephaniah 3:17