Family,
I read a number of your comments this morning to your children. It brought tears to some as they heard their family encourage them with Scriptures and heart felt thoughts.
More video's will be coming later today.
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20 comments:
Kelsey I have told you MANY times before how proud I am of you! Today is a new DAY!! And you are God's child living a life for HIM!!! He will push you harder than you can imagine, just like ESOAL! And THROUGH Him ALL things are POSSIBLE!!!!! Let us ALL live in THIS BLESSING!!! I am VERY proud of you and of all your brothers and sisters at the Honor Academy! GOD Bless EVERYONE :)
Beautiful women of Forsake All, God causes all things to work together for the good of those who love Him! I pray that you are seeing God's strength made perfect in your weakness. Don't quit, don't be afraid to be weak! You're almost done! I'm so proud of all of you and I'm praying for you! Laura
how can i post a comment for my kids??? :(
Chanie,
We are sooooo proud of you for surrendering to God in this way. He will amaze you and your team as you guys let HIM.
Chanie,
Keep pressing on! Remember a strand of three is not easily broken. You guys are stronger together than you are on your own. Jesus had good reason for sending the disciples out by two's. He knew that they would NEED each other. LEAN INTO HIM as you help each other lean into HIM.
love you
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
Just wrote this...feel free to share it if you think it will help...
Several years ago I participated in ESOAL. I fought hard, cried, puked, ran, and did everything y'all are doing this weekend. Then I got cold and tired and began to focus on myself, and in the end I rang the bell. 7 years later my life is not much different than ESOAL. I'm living in Africa, surrounded by poverty and pain. And it's hard. The physical demands are les and I don't have facilitators in my face, but it's just as hard, some days way harder.
And the bell is just as available. A plane ticket home to a 'normal' life in the comforts of America is not outside of my reach. But the cost is much greater!! If I ring the bell again, children will be abused with nobody to stand up and fight for them. If I quit, babies will die of completely preventable diseases. If I walk away, hopelessness will remain in the slums many will die without knowing the love of Jesus.
So I stay. On the hard days I cry. When it hurts I allow my friends to hold me. When I think I can't handle seeing anymore pain, can't cope with loving another broken child, I run into the arms of my Daddy in heaven. And I let Him hold me and give me the strength for the next moment.
I encourage you to do the same this weekend! The cost of ringing the bell for you may be no more than a small amount of regret. But ESOAL is about a bigger purpose. It's about training you to fight for the real injustices in our world. It's about training you to endure, to think of someone other than yourself, to stand when you have no strength left, and to find God in the most desperate circumstances. So I encourage you to stay, to endure, to make your way through ESOAL. I encourage you to keep focused on the One who gave everything for you so that when you reach the bigger bells, you can walk away from them and embrace all that God has for you!!
I received this email today and thought this poem was so appropriate for ESOAL:
A new minister
was walking with an older,
more seasoned minister
in the garden one day.
Feeling a bit insecure
about what God
had for him to do,
he was asking the older preacher
for some advice.
The older preacher
walked up to a rosebush
and handed the young preacher
a rosebud and told him
to open it without tearing off any petals.
The young preacher
looked in disbelief
at the older preacher
and was trying to figure out
what a rosebud
could possibly have to do
with his wanting to know
the will of God
for his life and ministry.
But because of his great respect
for the older preacher,
he proceeded to try to unfold the rose,
while keeping every petal intact.
It wasn't long
before he realized
how impossible
this was to do.
Noticing the younger preacher's inability
to unfold the rosebud
without tearing it,
the older preacher
began to recite
the following poem...
"It is only a tiny rosebud,
A flower of God's design;
But I cannot unfold the petals
With these clumsy hands of mine."
"The secret of unfolding flowers
Is not known to such as I.
GOD opens this flower so easily,
But in my hands they die."
"If I cannot unfold a rosebud,
This flower of God's design,
Then how can I have the wisdom
To unfold this life of mine?"
"So I'll trust in God for leading
Each moment of my day.
I will look to God for guidance
In each step of the way."
"The path that lies before me,
Only my Lord knows.
I'll trust God to unfold the moments,
Just as He unfolds the rose."
Please share this poem
with a friend
if you enjoyed
being reminded
to let go
and let God
unfold your life.
Fallon Steinback: Lean on the Lord your God! Remember Christ lives IN YOU chica. Remember who YOU are IN Christ. Push WITH Him and you WILL FINISH FINISH! "And if Our God is for us, then who could ever stop us? And if our God is with us, then what can stand against?" I love you chica. -Your Sister, Michelle
Thank you so much for sharing with the students our hopes and prayers for them during their journey.
Lexi Gurrola (Montana Company)
-I'm so proud of you! I know you must be exhausted but just keep going, you are almost finished! I can't even begin to fathom how proud Jesus must be right now!
Galatians 6:9 says, Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Don't give up Lexi-you are SO close to finishing!
I love you!
Thank you Sir for reading our posts encouragement and thoughts to Jake and others!
His,
Roger Haynes
Sam Chapman (Oklahoma Company?)
Hey buddy! You are almost finished! Keep listening for God's voice as you near the finish line and remember that He loves you and He knows what's best for you!
Deuteronomy 31:6 says, Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.
Hold Fast! Love you-Ace
Joel, keep going, and keep focusing on your Father...I know you're tired and sore, but just keep pressing forward and you will make it! I'm proud of you and everyone who is going through ESOAL! Hearing news about y'all has caused me to see the lack of discipline and control of my emotions in my own life, so I've asked God to work in me, and I'm going to pursue the possibility of going through ESOAL myself next year. You guys are awesome! Joel, I love you - keep your eyes on Him and you can do it!
SAM CHAPMAN- fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
—Isaiah 41:10
He is right there with you and even as you tire, He never does! We are there with you as well in heart and prayer. ROCK THE END OF THIS SAM! We love you!!!!
Hi Rachael from Alabama company, Tommorow should be the last day of ESOAL and I want you to remember one thing. The first official day of your Honor Academy experience you turned 18 and we left you in a far away place called Garden Valley Texas. It was also the day that Nanny went home to be with Jesus and you were very strong. Tommorow is also Nanny's birthday and as you know she loved butterflies. When I think of you and pray for you tonight I will compare you to that caterpillar that has been on a wonderful journey and become a beautiful butterfly!! I know that no matter how you come through esoal, you will have become stronger and learn from every step you take while you are in Texas. We are so proud of you and love you very much. We are so blessed to have you as our daughter and know that the Lord has wonderful things in store for you. To all your wonderful new friends at the Honor Academy, thank you for also being a part of the journey with Rachael. We are praying for everyone!!! Love Mom
Zachary Baker
What a mighty God we serve. You were singing that when you were two. It still holds true today.
(WHAT A MIGHTY GOD WE SERVE.) Let this mighty god love you and hold you in his arms when you feel you can't go on. His son Jesus is right there with you and your team. So team press forward to the mark of the high calling. Love on Jesus and let him love on you.
Mawmaw and Pawpaw
Hi Rachael from Alabama Company,
We are so very proud of you and love you very much. Ever since we took you to that far away place called Garden Valley Texas and left you there on your 18th birthday you have been a very strong young lady. That also was the day that Nanny went home to be with Jesus. Tommorow is the last day of ESOAL and is also Nanny's birthday. As you know one of her favorite things was a butterfly. When I think of you and pray for you tonight, I am going to think of how the Lord has brought you on a incredible journey, just like the caterpillar turns into a beautiful butterfly, you are allowing the Lord to transform you into your full potential in Him!!
You are very special and just as beautiful as a butterfly and we love you very much. Stay strong and trust in Him!! To all your new friends at the Honor Academy, thank you for being a part of this journey in Rachael's life. We are praying for all of you and thanking God that Rachael has been able to come to Texas and be a part of the Honor Academy. THANK YOU!! Love, Mom
Hi Juliana, we are so proud of you even to decide to do ESOAL. We know it has been hard but life is hard. God told us that also He said to be of good cheer for He has overcome the world. That means we are overcomers through Christ. God blesses those when we are obedient to the call and the reward is giving Him all the Glory. May you give Him the glory for creating you you with the ability to do what you are doing. May you know without Him we can't do anything. So every minute of our day we need Him. WE are proud of you and can't wait for the awesome stories that ESOAL has given you. God Bless and We Love You
Mom & Dad HE>i
To Inara, New York Company, and all ESOAL Participants.
I am so incredibly encouraged personally by following your ESOAL experience and viewing all the comments posted. Just in these last few weeks, I have felt the pressures of life and circumstance try to infiltrate my mind to crush my spirit, my ability to hear God's voice and to know His love for me.
To see you all pressing through, fighting the elements,joining together in the name if our Lord Jesus, with joy on many faces, has invigorated my heart and resolve to stand strong and continue.
I know that it has not been easy, but as you can tell from my own story, no matter how long you have known the Lord, the enemies tactics stay the same; different circumstances, but the same method -challenging our thoughts(about everything...especially God) and how we "feel" about them(our thoughts).
If we allow our senses to be our guide, defeat is inevitable. When we are lead by the Spirit..WE ARE ALWAYS VICTORIOUS!!! No matter how it looks, feels, or tastes.
Carry this ESOAL victory with you as a continuous reminder of the faithfulness of God. I love you all.
Peace and Blessings,
Lori P.(Inara's Mom)
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