A Song of Hope and Light

Photo by Anna Tolan, taken in Nepal.

Friends and Family,
 

I come to you with hope that you will take a moment to pray for me!

As most of you know, on April 25^th, a 7.9 magnitude earthquake hit the country of Nepal. Over 4,000 lives have been confirmed dead, and many homes and buildings were destroyed. Families have been left with nothing but the clothes on their backs and rubble of homes. They dig through their rubble to find any bit of valuables worth salvaging. Thankfully, there are several organizations taking action to feed and shelter the survivors of this natural disaster, but even with the actions of these organizations, Nepal is still in need of support.

June 7^th- 24^th, I have an opportunity to go to Nepal, with my friend Anna Tolan, doing relief work and helping wherever we are needed. We will be helping some friends of Anna's that she worked with for three months, during her Discipleship Training School, with Youth With a Mission: Kona. Anna has spoken with her friend in Kathmandu, and received word that they could really use our help!

In the midst of a restless heart and trying to work out the details to be able to go on this trip, I went to the Lord in prayer and asked Him to show me His heart for the situation. I began reading the book of Isaiah. I read the entire way through chapter 6, which is "Isaiah's Vision of the Lord”. Verses 3-8 say:

"And one called to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!’ 4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 And I said: 'Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!' 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth and said: 'Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.' 8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?' Then I said, 'Here I am! Send me.'"

After reading this, I immediately broke down and cried. I was reminded of something HUGE: I know next to nothing about Nepal. I have never thought of, or tried to travel there before. I wasn't planning on going anywhere this summer and I had no idea I would have a chance to go relieve the distress from a natural disaster that has killed over 4,000 people! Nevertheless, God has tugged at my heart so hard, and I am now saying: "HERE I AM! SEND ME!" Since this revelation, God has continued to speak so much hope and love into my heart for the country of Nepal. He has given me a strong desire to go and love the people there, to serve them with humility, and to spread a light of hope and joy that comes from Jesus Christ.

So I am asking you to please pray!!!

Pray for financial provision. If God wants to send me, I am willing! But I will need roughly $2,800 to get there, have food in my belly, and a place to sleep at night. I will also have bills waiting for me when I return home and won’t be making money while I’m away! My plane ticket alone is going to cost roughly $1,500 and I will need to purchase that by May 23^rd. It’s a lot of money in a little bit of time, but I have faith that God's will, will be done, and I am also humbled and reminded that I cannot and will not do this alone!

If you would like to support me financially, you can write a check out to Sarah Sanders and send it to:

706 East Holston

Avenue Johnson City, TN

Sarah Sanders37604
or click the link below to donate online: 
http://www.youcaring.com/mission-trip-fundraiser/sarah-sanders-is-going-to-nepal-/352606
Thank you, in advance, for your support.
Blessing and peace be with you.

Sincerely,

706 East Holston Avenue

Johnson City, TN 37604

One Week

Lately, time seems to identify himself as a train, speeding down the railroad, with no intention to stop until he reaches his next depot station; He passed me quickly as I registered for Fall classes and said farewell to Summer; He passed me quickly when I greeted my friends in my living room on Halloween night, and when I gave thanks as I cut through a slice of turkey. He passed quickly when I accepted my new Photography Job at Chevrolet and when I took my last final. And now, on this cold Saturday night as I look at my flight itinerary for December 27^th, from Atlanta to Guatemala City, the train has finally slowed down and allowed me to look back at where it has gone thus far, preparing for its next journey.

One week from right now, I will be at Fundaninos, meeting its staff and the sixty orphans that live with them! My heart could explode with eagerness to serve and be the mouth and feet that God has called me to be! (Isaiah 52:7 & Romans 10:15.) I am thankful for the eternal love my friends and family have given me. I am thankful that God has shown me his purpose, identity, and value in my own life. I hope nothing more, than to express this identity, purpose, and value to the kids at Fundaninos, that feel abandoned and disvalued.
I find it very easy to worry about the future; to worry about the details of what I will be doing while I am there, and to worry about my health, finances, and safety. But I am reminded, as I stare at this train; at time, reminiscing all the places it has gone this year, that “we know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28) I am reminded that He is faithful and He always provides.
My friends, I ask you to please pray for me this week. There are two major things I cannot provide on my own. First, being my health. Last week I went to the doctor and was prescribed an antibiotic for a Sinus and Ear Infection. Seven days later, I was still feeling terrible, with the same symptoms. My doctor called in another antibiotic and I am continuing to rest. I am starting to feel a lot better, but need to fully recover before I can travel to Guatemala and play with the children! I know God has called me to Guatemala for a reason and I ask that you pray for healing and peace. My second need is money. I have seen God provide thousands of dollars, days before my team left for Cambodia in 2013, and I take heart that He will provide! But I do encourage you to be a part of this outreach, by supporting me financially and in prayer!

 I still need roughly $550 dollars by Friday. If you would like to support me financially, you can write a check out to Redeemer Community Church and send it to:

Sarah Sanders

706 E. Holston Ave.

Johnson City, TN 37604

or you can go to http://www.redeemercommunity.com/local-and-global and make a one time donation. If you donate online, make sure to write “Sarah Sanders Guatemala Trip” in the description section.

Thank you in advance, for your prayers and support.
May you be reminded of Christ’s Love for you this Holiday.  
Thanks be to God.

Sincerely,
Sarah Sanders

I'm Going to Guatemala!

Friends,

As some of you know, I spent the summer of 2013 in Cambodia, South East Asia, with an organization called Youth With A Mission. In my time there, I learned that I wasn’t needed by the underprivileged for physical labor. I learned that if all I wanted to do was build a house in the slums, I could have sent a check for supplies and they could do a beautiful job building it without me. I learned that my purpose was much deeper than that. When I look back on the seven weeks I spent with the Cambodian natives, I don’t think about the soil I stood on, or the English I taught. I think about the relationships I built with people that had heavy hearts and a longing to be loved. I think about the laughter and joy I shared with families that had gone through dark and traumatic circumstances. I praised God for the hope He brought to people without hope, I thanked God for using me to do so, and I prayed that He would continue to bring opportunities for me to travel and preach the Gospel!

That brings me to the exciting news I am writing to tell you about! After moving to Johnson City, Tennessee in August, I started attending Redeemer Community Church. In addition to building a strong community in Johnson City, Redeemer has partnered with Fundaninos, an orphanage in Guatemala, along with a church called Casa De Libertad.

Fundaninos was founded in 1991 by a group of Christian volunteers who started working in juvenile jails delivering a message of hope and change. Through this they realized the different needs of the children who found themselves trapped in a system that denied them any possibilities of achieving change. They work with a collaboration of juvenile courts that refer children to them, so the healing process can begin. In December, I have the opportunity to go with a group of seven other members from Redeemer to Guatemala for a week and serve these two ministries! I was drawn to this trip, because of my love for children, my passion for bringing justice, and my enthusiasm for sharing Christ’s love to people in need!  In addition to helping out the orphanage by loving on the orphans, we will have opportunity to encourage the full time staff, as well as give them a break! I am very certain that God has given me this opportunity for a reason and that He has a specific purpose for me while I am there.

For me to be able to go on this trip, I will need to raise $1600 with airfare included. I strongly believe that God will provide this amount of money and believe it is a great opportunity for you to support His ministry through me. I ask you to please pray! Pray that God would provide financially, physically, and emotionally. It is very easy for me to depend on myself for strength and encouragement, but to have the kind of strength and encouragement that pushes through the hardest of times I need Jesus. If you would like to support me financially, you can write a check out to Redeemer Community Church and send it to: 

Sarah Sanders
706 E. Holston Ave.
Johnson City, TN 37604
or you can go to http://www.redeemercommunity.com/local-and-global and make a one time donation. If you donate online, make sure to write “Sarah Sanders Guatemala Trip” in the description section.
I am so excited for the time God is going to use our group in Guatemala and I believe He is going to do great things!
Thank you in advance for your prayers and support!

Grace and Peace Be with You,

Sarah Sanders
-----------
Sanderss15@hotmail.com
706 E. Holston Ave.
Johnson City, TN 37604

The Wine We Drink

I believe our whole lives can be spent searching for what love may be. We complicate, distort, and misuse its meaning often.  We look for it through feelings, affection, lust, and pleasure. We see it as a gift to receive; a gift that comes to us and stays there. We see other couples and assume that the way they are in public is perfect and that's how they always are. We compare relationships and always want someone 'better'. We easily forget the definition in 1 Corinthians 13, and sometimes separate it from the Love we see in our walk with Christ. 

Let's take this point of view that we all know we have seen at times, and let's set it aside for a moment and look through a different pair of glasses.....

I once heard a story of two children that wanted to give their Mother breakfast in bed on Mothers Day.

They woke up early and prepared her a bowl of cereal and other treats. The younger of the two, with most enthusiasm, poured a tall glass of grape juice to the rim. They placed all the elements onto a tray and began the journey from the kitchen counter, down the hall, and up the white carpeted stairs, to their parents' bedroom. Prior to this morning, they had been told by Mom to ''please take your shoes off of the stairs  and put them away!''... Forgetting about this order, they eagerly ran up the stairs to deliver the breakfast when "oops!" A foot tripped, a glass of grape juice flew, and the white carpet was stained red.

If you think that Love is spotless... You're 100% wrong.

I believe that when we accept Psalm 103:14, that we are dust, it becomes a lot easier to love without wanting love from man in return. We need to remember that it's impossible to love someone if we are wanting to receive from them. Do you think that when Christ was on the cross, sacrificing his body for us, he was thinking, "Man, they better love me back or I'm not gonna love them anymore..."? No way! He died because He had passion for His father, and His father had You and I on His heart. 

Let love win.