Blessings of the Body of Christ

Oh, what a blessing it was to be with the body of Christ at the Orchard Evangelical Free Church while I was home!  To be welcomed back in the life of this church for three weeks was just what I needed.  Even when I had problems with receiving my prescription medications on the last day before I left on the plane, there were so many who prayed and expressed their sincere belief that God would work it all out.  While I did not fly back with the exact prescription I would have liked, God provided a different medication to get me through until June :-)

So, allow me to share 3 opportunities I had while home to experience rejuvenation and refreshment from the body of Christ at my home church in Chicago!  With such encouragement, God has readied me for the next 6 months of ministry here at El Camino.  Bring on the students once more!!

1. Awana Club

What an encouragement for me to have the opportunity to actually visit IN PERSON the Awana Club at my church who supports my ministry in Bogota.  These precious kids were such a blast to hang out with, had LOTS of questions for me, and were so willing to pray for me and my students.  Many of them are my former Sunday School or Awana students, so it warmed my heart to see them again.  During the night, I told them a prayer request I had for one of my students.  They could relate to this student and were so excited to pray for her.  A mom later told me that she had just prayed with his son and put him to bed.  All of a sudden, her son jumped up and exclaimed, "We didn't pray for her!"  Confused, the mom asked who her son was talking about.  He told her, "Miss Bergmann's student!  We forgot to pray for her!!"  Love their excitement and enthusiasm for praying for the gospel to spread in Colombia.

2. Leadership Community - I was able to attend a Leadership Community even at my church while I was home.  Our pastor used John 10 where Jesus talks about the Good Shepherd and shepherding his flock.  We compared this to the qualities that we should have as ministry leaders and the flock that God has given us to shepherd.  The one quality that stuck out to me the most is that a shepherd knows his sheep and the sheep know him.  The Good Shepherd has ESTABLISHED ROOTS where his sheep are.  In verses 4 and 14, John says that the sheep follow him because they know his voice and because the sheep and shepherd know each other.  This cannot happen if in ministry we are constantly moving around.  How will ever know who we are ministering too if we always move on to something else?

These past three years, I have had a hard time feeling like I have established roots somewhere.  Being caught between 2 worlds (in a good way) has made it difficult to feel like my heart is fully in one place or another.  But, these words from my pastor are words to meditate on and really ponder as I think about continuing in ministry here.  I am grateful that I have had 3 years of establishing roots here in Colombia and we will see, through prayer, if those roots are to go even deeper :-)

Pumpkin Spice Latte and the book of James on my plane ride home for Christmas :-0

3. Women's Retreat - I was able to attend a women's event that focused on the Fruit of the Spirit.  We were given an hour and 1/2 of quiet time to reflect on the fruit in our lives and where their source is truly from.  Time to reflect on which fruit were present in our lives and which were not.

I ended up getting blasted on how much I need to grow, but so grateful that it is Christ in me that is growing me each and every day as I seek his Word.  At first, I was uneasy coming out of my quiet time.  Was it just me that was lacking some fruit in my Christian life?  Then, listening to what the other women were sharing and then talking to a friend the next day at church, my friend said that she got blasted, too.  Praise God for time with these women and for the chance to encourage one another in faith.

Let me end by sharing a song that has been an encouragement to me lately and I hope it is for you, too!

Oceans - by Hillsong

You call me out upon the waters

The great unknown where feet may fail

And there I find you in the mystery

In oceans deep

My faith will stand

I will call upon your name

And keep my eyes above the waves

When oceans rise my soul will rest in your embrace

For I am Yours and You are mine

Your grace abounds in deepest waters

Your sovereign hand

Will be my guide

Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me

You've never failed and you won't start now

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders

Let me walk upon the waters

Wherever You would call me

Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander

And my faith will be made stronger

In the presence of my Savior

What stood out to me is the last few lines.  It's a truth that I need to remember over and over - that if we trust God, if we desire to follow him, if we desire to surrender our whole lives to him and follow him deeper than we ever have, then MY FAITH WILL BE MADE STRONGER because MY SAVIOR IS WITH ME!!!  Hearing this song recently just deepened my belief and desire to go out among the water (with crashing waves) where my trust has no boarders or limitations because Jesus is worth going anywhere to follow.

Pics from Christmas and New Years with my family :-0

Prayer/Praises:
I have been sick with a really bad cough and head cold, which caused me to miss 2 days of school this week.  Most of you who know me know that I NEVER take a day off of work.  Please pray for healing soon, as I am still battling the last of a nasty cough and would love to be able to teach my class on Monday.  SO thankful for all of the El Camino teachers who stepped in to teach for me while I was gone.  Also, my students were very sweet the one day I was able to teach them because they knew I was not feeling well.

I will be leading a bible study on the book of 1 John with some of the teachers from El Camino this semester.  Using Kay Arthur's method of inductive bible study, I am truly over-joyed to share with my friends here in Colombia a bible study technique that was taught to me and really helped me grow closer to the Lord.  Pray for our group that will be meeting on Thursdays.

Please continue to pray for my decision for next school year.

Blessings,
Carrie