God's Protection

Good Evening!

Thank you for your prayers.  On Tuesday before I left Grand Rapids I had asked for your prayers for our team as we came together, as we had our first meeting and that we would work well together.  It has only been three days but it seems like we have known each other forever and that we have worked well together for a long time. What a great group of people that God had planned to bring together.  Why am I surprised?

One of our team members was unable to join us as he had planned.  He fell from his deck last weekend, hit his head and needed stitches.  Please keep him in your prayers as he heals. 

In the last three days with walking the neighborhoods and with the people that have come into the walk in center we have made contact with around 500 households that were affected by the tornado.  We have completed surveys from about 5% of these families.

Please pray that we will have more families come into the walk in center tomorrow.  We know many of the people were working when we were in their neighborhoods the last few days.  We hope and pray that they feel comfortable with the process and come to share where they are currently with their home  and what needs to be completed. 

While in the neighborhoods it is hard to see how one house can be totally destroyed and a house a half a block away was not affected at all.  To see how the tornado shifted and the winds around it changed peoples lives significantly.  When we look at the damage we are so thankful that the community did not have any deaths as a result of the tornado.

It has been so great to hear about how neighbors who have basements called or went to get their neighbors who did not have basements to bring them to their homes so they could be safe.  Neighbors helping neighbors.

As I thought of how different people have shared their experience of the tornado I thought of Deuteronomy 31"6 and how God assures us that He will not leave us or forsake us.  So this evening I read how Moses was preparing the Israelites because he was in his last days.  He wanted to encourage them that the Lord would be with them.  That He (the Lord) had chosen them and would protect them.  The Lord said he will destroy the people that are living in the land that they are to live.  Moses said, "Be strong and courageous!  Do not be afraid of them!  The Lord your God will go ahead of you.  He will neither fail you nor forsake you."

I have asked people if they saw the tornado and they said no, that it was dark.  They said they could feel it but not see it.  I am thankful that God was with the people and that He protected them from seeing what was coming.

Another person shared that God was with her and protected her.  She said she was reciting Psalm 91. What an amazing testimony!  In the NLT the Theme for Psalm 91 is: "God's protection in the midst of danger.  God doesn't promise a world free from danger, but he does promise his help whenever we face danger."  If you have a chance read Psalm 91.  What an amazing Psalm!

Thank you for your continued prayers for the people in Coal City and for our team.

Needs Assessment, Coal City, IL - Make Time for the Lord

Good Afternoon!

I was reading Luke 6: 12 - 16 today.  "One day soon afterward Jesus went to the mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night."  He was praying because he was making a big decision about who the twelve disciples be.

I know often I get busy and do not "make time" for the Lord.  I think there are more important things on my to do list that need to be accomplished.  In times like today when I am going out to work for the Lord I find that I tend to "make time".  Maybe it is because I feel that He has called me and I really need his guidance and wisdom.  I need to be ready for His plan.

My hope is that I can once again learn from the Lord's example.  If He felt He needed to pray for His decisions, the Holy One, the all knowing.  How much more I need to remember to come to Him in prayer.

I am part of a team of eight volunteers to conduct the surveys in the community and in a walk-in center.  

Things to pray for:

That the families will open their doors as we walk the neighborhoods or that they come to walk in center so we can gather the information to share with the Long Term Recovery Group.

For the team that we will have eyes to see and ears to hear as the families share their experience and verbalize their feelings.  Help us to understand their needs and report it as they see it.

For the team that we will work together,that we will encourage each other and be able understand what the Long Term Recovery Group needs us to accomplish to help them assist the families.

For safe travel as we drive to Coal City today.

For our first meeting as a team tonight.

In case you are not familiar what a Needs Assessment is here is the description from the World Renew web page:

Needs Assessment

World Renew DRS volunteers conduct community wide surveys to identify the disaster related needs (construction, household, emotional and financial needs) of vulnerable residents who might otherwise fall through the cracks. This information is provided to the long term recovery group (LTRG). Case managers use this information to make sure those most in need get the assistance they require and qualify for.

So if you have read my blog before and know that I have volunteered for Reconstruction and that is not your area of giftedness.  You may want to consider Needs Assessment?  

Please check out the World Renew link on the top right corner of my blog if you have any interest in volunteering or financially supporting World Renew.

Thank you for your prayers!

Finishing Well....

Wow, it is hard to believe it is September 18th already.  Sorry it has taken me so long to finish this post of our last two days in New Jersey.  We were busy and did not have much free time as we were completing work on the two homes, a final meeting on Thursday night and clean up for the new team on Friday.

My devotional was from Anne Graham Lotz book "Fixing My Eyes on Jesus", for August 1st.  The title is "All to Jesus".  Her scripture is from Malachi 3:10, "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. 'Test me in this,' says the Lord Almighty, 'and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.'

What Anne asked later in her devotional is this, "What is it you have to offer? A little bit of your time? A little bit of your love? A little bit of your money? A little bit of your faith? Don't concentrate on what you don't have.  Concentrate on what you do have.  Give it all to Jesus.  He will make it enough.'

So many times when I have read this passage I have thought about the money aspect of the tithe but what a better interpretation Anne has given me. 

In coming to New Jersey, to serve with World Renew, our team and our families have been giving of what we can offer through our talents and our time.  We have been sharing our love with the families we are serving and by encouraging our team members.  We have been giving of our money and sharing a bit of our faith to those God has placed in our path.  We are not concentrating on what we don't have because we see as we serve the families we have been so blessed.  God has opened the floodgates for us. He has made it more than enough.

My prayer is that in the places that God sends you that you recognize how much He has opened the floodgates for you.  That He is blessing you each day...He has given you enough!

Lorna was an amazing helper.  She is helping to clean up our mess.  Remember I talked about finishing well and that the home needed to pass an inspection we thought was completed.  See the insulation hanging.  We had to open up the insulation so the building inspector could make sure the studs were in compliance.  All part of finishing well.

Paul, our team leader was such a great teacher.  He helped me learn how to take out and install this folding staircase.  We couldn't finish off the cutting of the last section because we did not know what type of flooring they were going to put down.  This set will be much safer than what was there before.

Part of finishing well is to clean up the mess we have made and with installing insulation I have found we can really make a mess. 

We were hoping that the dumpster would come before we were finished but it was not meant to be but at least we left the mess in one place, close to the door for the next team to put in the dumpster.

Securing the home so the air flow will go above the trays we put inside to the attack and so furry friends won't enter the house.

Lorna is sealing the T-111 with paint to keep the house dry and secure.

Jenn is securing more T-111 to give the house a final finish.

Installing the last piece of T-111 before we had to clean up and pack up our supplies.

Thanks to our fearless leader, Paul the three of us were caught in action while we were working.  Sorry you only got to see Paul working a few times during the two weeks.  He kept us so busy we didn't get many pictures of him.

Thanks for taking this journey to serve with World Renew Disaster Response Service with us.  Hope you can join me sometime????

Wednesday - Sticking Out All Over, by Anne Graham Lotz

Good Evening!

It is hard to believe that it is Wednesday of the second week of our time in New Jersey.  We have had an amazing time.  How wonderful it is to be a part of another great team.  So much is being accomplished for the two families we are serving.  There have been challenges and set backs but God's plan in perfect.

We started the morning with prayers before breakfast and it was my day to lead devotions after breakfast.  The lesson I chose was from Anne Graham Lotz book "Fixing My Eyes on Jesus".  The date was for July 29 called "Sticking Out All Over".

The Bible verse was 2 Thessalonians 1: 11 - 12.  Paul, Silas and Timothy are encouraging the Thessalonians and these are the closing verses of the chapter.  "And so we keep on praying for you, that our God will make you worthy of the life to which he called you.  And we pray that God, by his power, will fulfill all your good intentions and faithful deeds.  Then everyone will give honor to the name of our Lord Jesus because of you, and you will be honored along with him.  This is all made possible because of the undeserved favor of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ." (NLT)

The footnote of the NLT Bible shares that "as Christians, our calling from God is to become like Christ.  This is a gradual, lifelong process that will be completed when we see Christ face to face.  To be 'worthy' of this calling means to want to do what is right and good (as Christ would).  We aren't perfect yet, but we're moving in that direction as God works in us."

Anne shares a story about a pastor who is asking for people to invite Jesus into their hearts.  There is a little boy who can't understand how that is going to work out because he is a litttle boy and Jesus is a man.  The little boy is concerned because if Jesus comes into his heart "He'll be sticking out all over!"  The pastor says that is right.  If we yield our life to the Lord and His will then He will be sticking out all over.

So closing in prayer this morning I prayed that Jesus would be sticking out all over in our day.  In our work, in our words and in God's plan for our day.  I prayed that we remember that we may have a plan for how our day would go and what we may want to complete in the few days that we have left but God's plan may be different.

How quickly our team needed to remember these words as our day changed very quickly when the inspector came.  We thought we would be able to begin installing drywall by the end of the week but we will not.  We needed to take a step back and repair some things that were not completed earlier by another group.  This is a new house for DRS.  We thought things were completed that were not.

Quickly we realized that this step back was so needed.  The home will be much better because of our step back.  Thank you Lord for your plan....it is perfect!

Here are some photos from last Friday, Monday and Today:

Brian is taking down drywall.

Jenn and Shelley are helping to install insulation in the living room.

Lorna and I are installing trays along the edge before we install the insulation so air movement will move up the rafters and into the attic.

Lorna and I have moved into the kitchen to install insulation.  Do you like our handy drywall holding device?

Paul, our team leader is caulking around the door casing before he installs the T-111 to the back side of the home to give the house new siding.

Note:  Anne only used verse 12 in her message, I chose 11 and 12.

Our days of rest....week two begins tomorrow!

Good Evening!

The weather in Manahawkin was so beautiful this weekend!  The team was thankful for our two days of rest.  Some of our team went to New York City, a couple of us went to the town of Tuckerton and others to the Boardwalk in Atlantic City.  My daughter, Mary Beth came to join us last evening so the two of us went to Long Beach Island for dinner and a walk on the beach.

This morning we began our day with worship with Pastor Phil.  He choice of scripture reading from Romans 14.  He discussed how we are each responsible for ourself and only ourself.

Verse 1-4 says "Accept Christians who are weak in fail, and don't argue with them about what they think is right or wrong.  For instance, one person believe it is all right to eat anything.  But another believer who has a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables.  Those who think it is all right to eat anything must not look down on those who won't.  And those who won't eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them.  Who are you to condemn God's servants?  They are responsible to the Lord, so let him tell them whether they are right or wrong.  The Lord's power will help them do as they should."

Pastor Phil gave us many examples of how this can apply to our lives with other things that one person may or may not do on Sunday.  Like bicycling years ago was forbidden on Sunday, or hanging a shirt on the line.  We may be able to think of things that we do not agree with one another.

However, Pastor's point was that we are responsible for ourself.  We will be judged for our actions only.  Others will be judged for their actions.

Sometimes this may be a hard concept to grasp.  I was thankful for the reminder of what Jesus calls us to do.   To forgive others, not to judge, to believe in Jesus as our Savior, to have faith, mercy, create unity and share His love with one another.  Judgement is not what He asks of us.

After church the team went to many places as well as stay at the church and relax to enjoy their Sabboth.  Mary Beth and I went to Toms River to bike along the intercoastal waterway, eat lunch and then on to Island Beach State Park.

Here are a few pictures from our day of rest:

Sunset on Long Beach Island, looking across the island from the beach.

Thank you Lord for your beautiful sunsets and amazing color choices.

Mary Beth and me on our bike ride in Toms River.  Thank you Lord for the wonderful creation of our bodies and the muscles you have given us to use.  Thank you for the beautiful waters and creatures we could see and hear along the way.

Island Beach State Park has sand and a beach which is similar to Michigan.  Of course there is the salt water but....the waves were amazing and strong.  I didn't go in as deep as Mary Beth.  It was a fun day!

Thank you Lord for a day of rest so we can continue to serve you this week.  Please keep us safe.  Please be with the families who are waiting to return to their homes.  Give them patience so we may prepare their homes in a manner pleasing to you.  Amen.


We begin week two of with our team in the morning.  There have been a few changes since Friday.  Six team members had only planned to be here for one week so they have returned home and two new members have come.  We have a total of 15 people on the team for this week.  We received our assignments for tomorrow.   I will return to the home with the team that is installing insulation.  Hopefully we will be able to finish with the insulation tomorrow so an inspection can be made.  Then we have work to do outside and if all goes well we may be able to begin installing wallboard later this week????

Please pray for our whole team.  We have two homes that teams are working and our team that remains at the church to prepare our food and take care of our physical needs.

Friday - Near South Hampton, NJ

Good Afternoon!

Yesterday was another great day.  The weather was so amazing and the humity was non-existent which made it comfortable for working.

Our team was making great progress on installing more insulation and we had a wonderful surprise, the homeowner came to visit.  It was so nice to meet her, hear about her and her children.  She explained what happened when the storm surge came into her home.  All had been fine and then 3 to 4 feet of water was inside her home.

We are thankful that we could meet her so as we pray for them and fix their home we want to work harder to get as much completed as we can to move the process of getting them back in their home sooner.

Here are some photos of our team over the last two days.

This is Paul our team leader.  He is a great leader who is so full of knowledge and willing to teach us the right way to do whatever the task.

Getting closer to finishing this room.  It was clompleted on Friday along with many more rooms.  Only about 600 sq ft to go before inspection.

Our team (Lorna, Jen, Brian, Catherine, Shelley & Paul) with the homeowner.

We are thankful to be here to serve with World Renew and expecially Terri.

Good Morning from New Jersey....Day Five!

Good Morning!

I decided to try to send you a note this morning instead of the evening as it is busy when we return from the homes we are working on.

Last evening I was so thankful for one of our team members.  His name is Eduard.  He works with eletrical items like TV's, etc.  Yes, there are TV's that are still repaired.  He was such a blessing to me because I had been having problems with my electric stapler.  I think you might have one of these tools at home.  Where right where the cord comes out of it is bent and the electrical current is not constant.  Eduard was nice enough to repair mine and I got to watch so I think it may be time to repair another tool when I return home.  Thanks! Eduard.

Today's devotional is from Anne Graham Lotz book: Fixing my eyes on Jesus.  The verse she chose is from 2 Peter 1:3.  "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness."

How true this is, He gives us everything!  The question is are we paying attention, are we listening to Him or are there too many distractions in our life?  I know this happens to me.  I know that in times of difficulty if I cry out to Him to ask for His help He does answer me.  Maybe not in a way that I expect and/or maybe not the answer I want but He does answer me.  And from experience His plan has been good for me.

As Anne points out "nothing is beyond His ability, whether it's a job-related problem, a marriage to reconcile, a memory to heal, a guilty conscience to clense, a sin to forgive, a budget to stretch, another mouth to feed, or anything else that may be troubling you."

My prayer is this morning that the families we are restoring their homes will feel and know this God we serve.  He has sent us to fix their home and we pray they will understand that God has planned these works in advance for us to do for them.  This is the good that God has prepared for us to do.

I moved to a different team yesterday.  God is good.  In this home we are installing insulation.  We are starting right after the new studs to begin making the home safe and secure from the cold and the winds.  I learned so much yesterday about what type of insulation to install where and about trays to use near the wall so the soffets can breath and help the air circulation in the home.

God is good all the time.

Have a great day!

Love you all....hopefully I will be able to get you some pictures later today or tomorrow.  We were on scaffolding putting up the insulation so the camera was not out for me.  Hopefully I can get some from our team leader?

"Service of Passionate Devotion"

Good Evening!

It was another great day today!  The weather not so hot, it was only 90 and we got some rain and a breeze this afternoon.

Our team is making progress on the home we are working on.   Before we went to the job site we loaded up with more tools:

Here is my new friend Shelley.  We worked on a project by the front door where there was a soft spot.  In the end we found out the sub-floor was fine but it needed more bracing.  So I cut the floor and then we measured and added three more supports before replacing the sub-floor.  So glad that the homeowner will have a firm footing each time she comes home.

Nicholas and Haley are removing the layer of underlayment from the living room.  Yesterday Haley, Christy and I removed the particle board from the living room before this coulde be removed.  Soon it will be ready for new underlayment and bamboo flooring.

We are so thankful for the kitchen volunteers.  They prepare such amazing meals for us each evening and great food for us to pack our lunch.  Here we all are for dinner.

Today's devotion was called "Service of Passionate Devotion" from the Oswald Chambers devotional I mentioned yesterday.  The bible verse he chose was from John 21: 16 - "Lovest thou me?....Feed my sheep."

Chambers brings up a concept I had never thought about before.  One that makes so much sense.  He shares, "Jesus did not say - Make converts to your way of thinking, but look after My sheep, see that they get nourished in the knowledge of Me."

In coming to New Jersey with World Renew my prayer is that we will be a witness for Christ and that the families we serve will see our love and devotion to Him.   He is the reason we are here because He has called us.  We want to "Feed my sheep" as He commanded us to do in John 21.  It is His strength that sustains us in our work when physically we should not be able to work in the heat we are experiencing.

May you feel the Lord's sustaining grace, strength, power and wisdom as you "Feed my sheep" in the places that He has sent you.

Catherine

Monday - Cape May, NJ

Good Evening!

Today was an awesome day!  It began by waking at 6:00 am,  packing my lunch at 6:30, eating breakfast at 7:00, morning devotions with the team around 7:30 and then we loaded the trucks with the tools that were needed for the jobs we were assigned.

During my devotional time this morning I chose a reading from Oswald Chambers - My Utmost For His Highest.  If you are not familiar with the book it is a daily devotional.  I am a little behind as my lesson for today is from June 18th.  But God's timing is good.  He knew I would need the encouragement today.

It was titled: "Don't Think Now, Take The Road".   The bible verses were from Matthew 14: 28-30 where Peter walks on the water until he sees the wind and the waves and begins to sink.  He was afraid.

Chambers goes on to talk about the fact that Peter was fine when he kept his focus on Jesus, it was only when he lost the focus that he began to sink.  How true that is for me and maybe for you?

Today we knew the weather was going to be hot in New Jersey (97/felt like 105).  We were given permission to quit work early because of the heat.  We chose to stay.  With God's help, plenty of water, a couple of good breaks with wonderful food, we actually stayed later than our assigned time.  We kept our focus on God and what He has called us to do to help the families we are serving.  Much work was completed.

While we were working I kept thinking about more of Chambers thoughts...."Be reckless immediately, fling it all out on Him.  You do not know when His voice will come, but whenever the realization of God comes in the faintest way imaginable, recklessly abandon.  It is only by abandon that your recognize Him.  You will only realize His voice more clearly by recklesness.'

I am glad that I am being reckless in New Jersey but I am so thankful that I was reckless and listened to God in Texas this last February and March.  God placed it on my heart to be a part of an extreme makeover with Grace Presbyterian Church in Corpus Christi.  A call to serve was asked by the church.  All I knew was that a woman named Judy asked for help to clean, organize and fix up her home.  On a Sunday afternoon I was able to walk along side many of my friends from the church to help Judy with her request.

Through this act of service I gained a friend in Judy.  I enjoyed her company, she was an accomplished woman with such a kind heart.  She had had a good life but there were also difficult times.  The important part is that she knew that the Lord loved her.

I received a text from Judy's son Daniel yesterday who let me know that she had passed away.  If I had not been willing to have reckless abandon I would have missed the opportunity for our friendship.  I was looking forward to reconnecting with her in January but now she is with God.  I have the reassurance that I will see her one day.  What joy there is in knowing it is true.

In closing my prayer is that you will do as Chambers says:  "Don't Think Now, Take The Road"  you will be blessed in so many ways you can not imagine.

God is good all the time!

Here is a photo from our morning break...making new friends:

Sorry the photos did not come through yesterday.  Here is the church where we are staying.

Here is the bedroom where we will be sleeping.

Manahawkin, NJ - Ocean Community Church - Our home for the next two weeks!

Good Evening! Family & Friends,

I arrived in Manahawkin, New Jersey this afternoon about 3:15.  I thank the Lord for safe travels I had as I drove the 800 miles.

Our team is beginning to arrive but all are not here yet.  Please pray for traveling mercies for the rest of the team.  One will not arrive until tomorrow because of a delay in the Amtrack train between California and Chicago.  She will remain in Chicago tonight and complete her journey to Manahawkin tomorrow.

Tonight we will have dinner with the 19 team members who will arrive today.  After dinner we will have a meeting to discuss tomorrow's schedule.  Last time we joined the congregation of Ocean Community Church for services and coffee, the we went to lunch together and visited the job sites to see where we were going to work for the week.  I will let you know tomorrow if it was the same.

Here is a photo of the main site for World Renew team where many of us will be staying:



There is another site a few miles a way where part of the team will sleep.

Here is the room I will share with another team member.











In my devotional book - "Fixing My Eyes on Jesus" the title for today is "Face Tomorrow With Joy" .  How thankful I am and filled with joy to be here in New Jersey.

We are so fortunate to have our homes in tact that we are able to live comfortably.  However, so many families, with first family homes, along the shore do not (around 5,000 families).

What a joy to be able to give to the families using the talents that God has given me.  As in other experiences I am sure I will be blessed more than what I am giving.  God is so good in that way when we come to serve His people.

Today's verse is:  " Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."  I Peter 2: 10

Anne Graham Lotz shares "  We live in a world shaken by terrorism and disease, floods, famine, and fear.  But we can face tomorrow with joy because Christ lives.  Our hope and faith are in Him!"

In all things, honor and glory can come to Christ.  New friendships can be built,  homes can be restored, hope can be shared and the love of Christ can be spread.

Please pray for our team as we begin our service over the next two weeks.  May we be the eyes and ears of Jesus.  May we know when it is time to put our tools down and listen if that is what is needed for the families and team members we serve.

Love,
Catherine

Mudding & Taping - April 2015

What a great team I was with.  I had two great teachers who helped me learn to spread love to a great family by mudding their home.  How fortunate I am to have a supportive husband who encourages me to serve others even when it means being away from him.

Serving with World Renew

I have had the opportunity to serve with World Renew - Disaster Response in three different areas. Most recently in New Jersey with Hurricane Sandy reconstruction.  Skills that I was able to use were painting and cleaning as well as a new skill I learned of mud & taping wallboard. In the second week I assisted in the kitchen with food preparation.  It is so important to have good food for the team to eat to keep their strength.

I am so thankful that I have the opportunity to serve the Lord through the World Renew organization. There are so many families that still have homes that they cannot live in 2 years and 9 months after Hurricane Sandy.

If you feel called to join a team or have questions, please let me know.  I would love to share my experiences with you and let you know how you can use your skills.  We can be the hands and feet of Jesus.