Just Kidding Blog Up

June 4, 2009

James gave me the morning to rest. I did not think that I needed it. I honestly thought that I would be twiddling my thumbs for hours. Well I guess I do not know my body as well as I thought. I got up and ate breakfast, wrote my sermon and then around nine thirty laid back down. I woke up around ten thirty and for some reason woke up was curious about how long the vaccinations I got would stay in my body. I looked through my folder, while still lying down. I found what I was looking for and then went right back to sleep. I woke back up at 12:35, which surprised. I do not know the conversion from Fahrenheit to Celsius but I need a coat when I am in my room. My room is at 21 degrees. It is amazing because almost every place we go to is not air-conditioned. I just do not like to sweat in the comfort of my own room.

I went to talk to the ladies about lunch and in the same instant Pastor James showed up. He said that he wanted to go to a café so we could create him a facebook. I was glad that we were able to do that because I needed to upload my blog and do a couple other things regarding email.

I want to thank all of you for following my blog. Feel free to leave comments! The ones that are leaving comments know that it really means a lot to me to have your support. The comments make me smile, laugh aloud, and shed a tear or two in gratitude for the people in my life. When I was praying, I thanked God for the people that have found a place in my life and in my heart.

After the café, we came back and ate lunch. We talked more about getting people to Ghana. I have a lot of work to do before August. I will have to first sit down and talk with my parents about the idea I have mustering in my head. I have found that, in all but one case, that if my parents are against it then it never works. This is a career move and potentially the biggest thing I have ever done. In that one case, I did not have their support in the beginning, but they are now happy that I went to Africa. I just have to come back safely, which I will. Pray up!

We came back, ate lunch together, and talked until 5:30. He said that we needed to leave at six for tonight. As the time gets closer, I start to get nervous. I prayed the entire way to the church. Praying that I did not mess up, that they could understand what I was saying, that I would not trip over my own feet, I prayed for just about everything it seemed.

It makes me happy to be able to walk into the church and have people smile when they see me. It is hard to talk to each other but a smile is all I need to know that I am welcome. We sang and prayed. Even though I do not know the words or even the language to most of the songs, I can still feel the music. Sometimes, I sing my own song. The two favorite I enjoy singing is “Desire” by Phil Wickham and “Believe” by Mainstay. They are great songs, I recommend them!

When Alex, the youth leader, got up to introduce Pastor James to introduce me, the first thing out of his mouth was “fasten your seatbelts.” It made me smile. I still am in awe that I, Anna Alexis, am giving a sermon to a congregation. Though it is small, it is a congregation nonetheless. Their eyes and hearts are fixed on me. They are influenced by what I say. I gave a thirty minute sermon. WOW! I will have my sermon eventually posted, but I touched on not passing judgment unto others and I tied what I said to these Bible verses-Jeremiah 29:11, Galatians 5:22-26, I Corinthians 4:16-17. This last verse I was able to put some emotion into when I was explaining. When I say Amen and walk back to my seat there is a rush of emotion that overcomes me. To hear them clapping and thanking me is an indescribable feeling. After the service, a member of the church came up to me and told me how much it meant to her and others that I am here doing this three day series. She said that she gets a lot out of what I say. This means a lot me. Also as I was leaving Alex approached me and asked if he could have a copy of my sermons. I almost wanted to ask why. I mean they are meaningful and somewhat good, but only having a few hours to prepare each one…I mean…I guess that I did not know how much I was affecting them. Tomorrow they are taking me to talking in a Junior High School and then to another school. I will come back and I will give my last sermon. I have an idea of what I am going to talk about. I am going to talk about how we are sheep and how God works in mysterious ways. I am going to use that to thank them and show my appreciation.

I knew that once Wednesday had passed every other day following was going to fly by. Saturday we are to go the African Market and the beach. Then on Sunday, we are going to another one of his churches. Then I think I will have the day to pack and then we have to leave at six in the morning to get to the airport a few hours before my flight. AHH! Too fast!!! Then it will be time to refocus and prepare myself for life in America. I wonder how I will come back. I also wonder how people will react to me.

Be all you can be, because if you are anything less then you are cheating yourself…My quote for thought.

The greatest challenge is not learning to accept other people, but learning to accept yourself. Accepting yourself for what you can do and what you cannot, what you can be and what you cannot, who you can affect and those you can’t. Embrace the joys and learn from the bad. One thing I have learned is that you cannot do absolutely everything without compromising yourself…second quote for thought

I tell you one day my quotes for thought are going to be posted somewhere lol.

There are two types of people who never amount to anything; those who cannot do what they are told and those who can do nothing else.