Grace Notes

Bright Lights Internship

Internship Begins!

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We are so excited. A new era is beginning! Karissa, Alexandra, Mary, and Hannah (left to right) are our first “official” Bright Lights interns. (Mary’s mom and brother also joined us for lunch).
We couldn’t have asked for a sweeter team!!

We had a very encouraging discussion at lunch today rehearsing how the Lord had worked in our lives, and their lives, preparing us so perfectly for this time.

The girls will be living at the “old Bright Lights office” (the house behind our family’s home) for the next 10 weeks and will be working with us in the new office. (Think how much more we’ll get done with four more people. 🙂 )

Seeing the Lord’s faithfulness in each little detail encourages us, and we can’t wait to see what He has planned for the future!

Bright Lights Local Group

Obedience in Every Area of Life…

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Bekah May, a good friend who has been involved in Bright Lights for years, taught the lesson last Monday night. She covered lots of great topics including accepting the way God created you, saying “no” to the flesh and “yes” to the Spirit, nutrition, and developing a motivation to glorify God vs. pleasing others. She has an incredible testimony of how the Lord has changed her life in this area. Thanks, Bekah! We praise the Lord for you and the testimony of your life.

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Fellowship and crafts during “small group time”

Bright Lights Office

Speedy Moving Day!

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We couldn’t believe how fast everything was moved today — thanks to so many energetic friends who came to help!! We were suprised when we finished around 11:30am!

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Lunch

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Here is the little desk Stephen was using when he rented a drawer to Sarah. (You may remember the story if you’ve read our book.) Today it went to a new home.

Bright Lights Office

Bright Lights Office Moving…..

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The new Bright Lights office / ministry building is now finished and was approved by the city inspector last week! We are now in the process of moving!
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Packing up the “old house” where the Bright Lights office has been….

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Sarah and Nickie

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This is only one of the 3 basement rooms. I can’t tell you how grateful we are to the Lord for SPACE! This room will be our packing orders / work room. The other rooms are for our warehouse and storage. Upstairs is office space. More pictures to come.

Today, Sarah, Stephen, and I (plus a few others who stopped by and helped – Tracy, Carlos and my grandpa) spent most of the day at the building organizing and cleaning, moving things around, consolidating, sorting, and preparing for our the big moving day we have planned for tomorrow. We finally finished late tonight and crashed at Pancheros. Yum.

Miscellaneous

Baby Rescue

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Some of you may remember the story in our book (chapter 5, page 109) about when I got a fish hook stuck in my foot. Today we recieved the following e-mail:

Hi,
Just wanted to share how your book helped us in a practical way today. I have been working through “Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends” with my kids….
…Our favorite part are the stories you all share to relate your lessons. Well, thanks to one such story we were able to avoid tragedy here in the George home today. My little ones were playing and fishing out back in the lake when I heard some crying and went to see what was happening. My 1 year old had a fishing hook stuck through his mouth. Literally like you would catch a fish. All the way through! Well, your story immediately came to mind and thanks to that I knew NOT to pull the hook out because there is a barb on the end of the hook. We called 911 and waited on the fire rescue who came and cut the ends of the hook off and then were able to slide the rest out. He is doing great and sleeping peacefully as I type. I have thanked the Lord repeatedly for His care and for bringing your story to mind.

-Mother from Miami

Also note:
We just learned that this family has a 9-year-old boy, CJ, who was diagnosed with cancer last September and is preparing to go into a heavy, 7-week treatment beginning one week from today. Please keep this family in your prayers! Click here to visit their blog.

Family News

Surprising Trust

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Since my dad wasn’t feeling well last night, I got the job of cutting Stephen’s hair. I told him (as I was cutting) how I really had never done this before and wasn’t sure what I was doing.

Miscellaneous

Bible Reading Plan

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I’ve been suprised and encouraged by how many people have told me they are doing the Bible reading plan! (And I’m optimistically assuming there are many more who haven’t told me.)

Just tonight I was talking with a friend of mine who told me of her little sister’s excitement about doing this Bible reading plan knowing that so many others are doing it too.

Here are a few responses I’ve received over e-mail:

“I am really enjoying the beginning of Genesis. Are you? As I have focused on only three to four chapters a day I have really picked up on a lot of interesting things! It is kind of cool to know someone who is reading in the same places you are!”

“The real reason that I’m writing…is to thank you for posting about reading through the Bible chronologically. I’ve decided to do it, too! I was just praying the other day and asking the Lord to give me ideas of what to do next in my Bible study time, and then I read your post. It was perfect timing. So, thanks.”

“…about reading the Bible. The holidays get pretty hectic. Anyway, I’m going to do it. It sounds like a lot of fun and I’ve always wanted to. I discussed it with my mom and she’s going to do it with me!”

“I was actually searching and searching for a chronological Bible reading plan this whole month and I couldnt find one just written out! That is perfectO, and I will definitely be reading with it, along with one or 2 other girls from my church. Thanks a lot!!”

“I’m trying the chronological Bible plan you and Sarah mentioned (on your blog and in the BL update letter) this year! My quiet time verse for this morning was Job 16:20-21 (“My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God; on behalf of a man he pleads with God as a man pleads for his friend.” ) I like to think of Jesus being my friend – sometimes life can feel a bit lonely. And I like the thought that Jesus intercedes for me before God. When I pray for others I should have the same attitude of mercy, rather than a condemning and complaining attitude….Thanks for passing on the plan! It’s going to be neat to see how the order goes.” =)

Family News

Random Reports from December…

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December was a busy month! Here are a few pictures of various activities.

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One night we went caroling with friends from church. We received so many warm responces like, “In the 26 years I’ve lived here, I’ve never had carolers come to the door!” and “Could you please sing just one more?” We tried to sing the songs that have the clearest Christian message. It was so much fun. I’d highly recommend doing it in your neighborhood next year!

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Cousins came to visit over Christmas

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It’s a great thing when your grandpa discovers you like dark chocolate.

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We’ve been spending quite a bit of time at the Bright Lights / ministry building. It’s looking good and we are encouraged! Here our friend Dave is adjusting a tile he just laid.

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Stephen gave the sermon at church one Sunday in December. He spoke on Christophanies, climaxing with the incarnation. This stack of books was sitting outside his bedroom door…. 🙂

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Our Bright Lights Christmas party was a special time. Lots of the older girls pitched in and decorated, planned a skit, sang a special number, and prepared encouraging thoughts to share. The younger girls dressed up fancy and seemed to really enjoy themselves.

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Serving peppermint hot cocoa

Announcements

Announcing: Upcoming Bright Lights Internship!

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February 9th – April 22nd, 2009

Over the past several years, we have often had girls stay with us for short periods of time to help with Bright Lights. This has been a huge blessing to Bright Lights, but we are very pleased to now be able to organize a more complete internship.

Internship Activities:

-Desktop Publishing class (taught by Stephen)

-Bright Lights Office Responsibilities (correspondence, orders, material compilation, graphic design, various projects)

-Ministry Assignments (Help in our local Bright Lights group, leading Bright Lights conferences, representing Bright Lights at homeschool conferences, one-on-one discipleship opportunities, evangelism)

-Studies and Training

We are turning our “office house” into a guest house where the girls will be staying. This is directly behind the house where our family lives.

Since we are still “in transition” we feel it’s best for this first internship to be small. So far there are three girls who are planning to come, but we would be able to take one or two more. This internship is designed for young ladies who are already ministry minded, have zeal for the Lord, have fruit in their lives, and are seeking further areas of ministry and leadership. Please feel free to contact us for more information.

“Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” 1 Timothy 4:12

Miscellaneous

Through the Bible in ’09!

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“…I have esteemed the words of His mouth more than my necessary food…” (Job 23:12)

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I’d like to challenge you to join my family in reading the Bible through chronologically in 2009.

Why read the Bible through in a year?
Although it’s great to slowly digest a chapter or do word studies, there is a special perspective and understanding you recieve when you read through the Bible at a faster pace. It causes you to step back and see the whole picture at once.

As believers, we are to follow the “whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27) and many haven’t even read through the Bible in it’s entirety. It is certainly difficult to follow that with which we are unfamiliar.

What happens if you get behind?

Sometimes we’re hesitant to set goals because it heightens our possiblity of failure.

I remember feelings of despair from getting behind on my Bible reading plan in the past and realizing something like, “I’d have to read 34 chapters today to catch up! Maybe I should just quit…”

So here’s my plan this year: If I miss a day, I’m going to start fresh the next day at where I am supposed to be reading. Then I’ll record what I missed in a little journal and go back and read it whenever I can.

Here’s what to read for the first week of reading through the Bible chronologically:

Jan 1: Genesis 1-3
Jan 2: Genesis 4-7
Jan 3: Genesis 8-11
Jan 4: Job 1-5
Jan 5: Job 6-9
Jan 6: Job 10-13
Jan 7: Job 14-16

To see the whole schedule, click here.

Our church is doing this together and we’re looking forward to the fellowship it will stimulate. If you decide to take up the challenge, I’d recommend that you find others to do it with you!

The other day, my dad told me about how in 1982 he got 50-60 people to join him in something he called, “The Bible through in ’82”. Even an unsaved neighbor joined and kept up.

God bless you all and Happy New Year!