What color is God's story?

5 simple beads...5 colors...but what a story they tell. On the last day of our Baseball and Bible Club at the Aitkenbar Elementary School, we'll be sharing the great news that God loves us and wants us to know Him as our Father. We'll be using these little beads and the Bible to tell that news. Each person there will get a bracelet and a Bible.

Yellow: God created each one of us and loves us. He wants us to be with Him forever someday in Heaven. But, there's a problem...

Black: The dark bead reminds us that every one of us has done something wrong at one time or another. God calls that sin. And, because sin cannot be with Him or in heaven, He made a way for us to be there.

Red: Jesus, God's son and the perfect man who had no sin, took all of our punishment for sin when he died on the cross. He did it for all of us -- as a gift!!

White: When we admit to God that we have sin, ask forgiveness, and accept his gift of being saved from our sin, we can be clean from all wrong! We are made right with God and become His child.

Green: We can grow closer to God by reading the Bible, praying, and spending time with other believers who love God and follow the Bible.

A simple explanation for one of the greatest things a person can ever learn. Pray with me that hearts will be open to hear this good news.

Making our mark

The skateboarding world is a unique subculture. And the missionaries at Glasgow's Overtoun House (http://www.overtounhouse.com/) have an amazing ministry to this group of extreme atheletes. Not only do they go each week to a local skateboard park and hold a Bible Study, but they've built an indoor skateboard park in the lower level of the Overtoun House itself!

How are we going to come alongside this ministry? Well, if you think that I'm going to even think about stepping onto one of these little boards -- think again! However, we're going to help decorate both the local skateboard park and the Overtoun house park with some pretty cool designs. They look like this:

Pretty awesome, eh? We'll be painting silhouettes of different sizes on the walls of both skateboard parks. And as we do, we'll be praying that God uses this ministry to bring these kid's hearts the love of Jesus.

With only 5 out of 100 people attending any kind of church in Scotland, the amazing message of God's love and the hope they can have in Jesus is being brought out to the streets (and schools and skateboard parks!)

One of the Overtoun House missionaries shared recently that there has been a rash of suicides among the young men in Scotland. There are two local boys who took their lives in this past year alone. Jesus said, "I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abudance to the full, till it overflows"!

Pray with us that the truth of life and hope will penetrate the darkness of despair that has filled some of these boy's hearts. Pray that the love of God gives them hope -- not only for the life they're living now, but for the life to come!

Volcano!

This is one big, smokin' disruption in people's lives! Our plans are to leave on June 11th and fly to Scotland via Dublin and London. Will the ash cloud belching from the Iceland volcano affect our trip? Right now, Dublin airport is closed.

Whether it delays our departure or causes us to be stuck there is completely unknown. But one thing I do know is that God can use something like a cloud of ash to get our attention. I'm more aware than ever that nothing goes according to our plans, but to HIS plans. The ash cloud becomes a common denominator that God can use to open doors to share his truth. How? I'm not sure -- but God does. I'm listening, Lord.

Hello from Team Avis!

Hello! I'm officially joining the Scotland blog with a picture of me
and 6 of my favorite young people -- my neices and nephews!
3 of them -- Alaina, Grant, and Luke -- are part of the Scotland Missions 2010 team. Our trip is only 6 weeks away and we're all getting very excited.

As I prepare to go, I've been reflecting on Romans 12:9-13. The apostle Paul shares about being devoted to one another, never lacking in zeal, being joyful in hope and patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. My favorite phrase is this: "Share with God's people in need. Practice hospitality."

As I prepare to go to Scotland I am seeing these verses in a new light. While we're ministering in Scotland with the Overtoun House missionaries, what opportunities will present themselves to be joyful in hope? With whom or for whom will we pray? Will traveling circumstances require me to be patient? (A total of 6 different flights, 4 different trains, rental cars, taxis, the "tube" -- driving on the other side of the road -- ya think?)

Seriously. I'm an event planner. What does that mean? Plan, plan, plan. Check lists on paper. Check lists in my head. But the Lord is already showing me that His good hand is my preparations. He is reminding me that He is in control and I am not. This is a good thing.

And my favorite part? Living out the "practice hospitality" part of Romans 12. For our entire trip, my primary role will be to be "Chef Avis" to our team and, at times, the Overtoun House staff. This is really exciting to me! 3 meals a day for 10-18 people means meal plans, shopping lists, metric conversions, and flexibility! As for traditional Scottish foods like haggis, blood pudding, mutton, and mincemeat? Hmmm. I'll keep you posted about that.

Thanks for following our journey. As we share our hearts and our lives, please pray that God is glorified in all we do!

Avis