A new season

At each season change I get a little too excited. I love living in a climate that allows for four distinct seasons with glories in each one.

Today as I was pondering the joys of autumn, I realized most of what I love about the seasons are things that remind me of my childhood. Then I realized, what an honor to have been raised in a home where to think back on my childhood is a wondrous thought. I thank my parents for the small things they did and allowed us to do.

I am thankful for summer days at grandma's pool and trips to the beach; I am thankful for the warmth the sun gave off as it peered through our sliding glass door in the early spring mornings as I downed my homemade pancakes in the shapes of hearts. I am thankful for fall days of riding big wheels into piles of leaves and little league football games accented by many trips to the concession stand for hot cocoa and laffy taffy. I am thankful for winter sledding on large black trashbags with my dog in the back yard because we broke the sleds mom bought and for days of homemade snowcream with family and friends gathered near.

With autumn upon us, I eagerly gaze out my window, longing for the chill of the season's breeze to float by, anticipating long drives home through the Tennessee foothills painted with reds, oranges and browns, and enjoying each moment spent in a loving environment for which I will forever be grateful.

Honduras Trip 2009

Dear friends,

In 2006, I traveled to a small town in Honduras where I came in contact with hundreds of orphans receiving care from the gracious hand of a dedicated couple from California. My heart was gripped by the children’s hope in the midst of national poverty and by the need for godly men and women to sacrifice time for those children.

A year and a half later, God opened a door for me to return again and spend more than four weeks investing in the children through discipleship, physical labor, cleaning and love. My life was forever changed by the relationships I developed with the children and I have consistently prayed for additional opportunities to return to them (You can read about my experience during this trip through previous posts archived on this site).

God has answered that prayer, and this December, I will return to my heartland once again to pour into the lives of the children there. This time, I will be traveling with a group from Snowbird Wilderness Outfitters, a Christian camp and retreat center in North Carolina that focuses on evangelism and discipleship through creative programs and activities (for more information about Snowbird, visit www.swoutfitters.com).

While the cost of the trip is only $850 per person for the entire week, it is an amount I cannot fully fund alone. I would like to ask you to prayerfully consider joining my team of supporters.

We often pray, “God I am willing to go if you desire,” but the fact of the matter is that God has not called us to be willing to go. He has called us to “go and make disciples of all nations.” For such a time as this, my nation is Honduras, and it is at His Word that I humbly take up this charge.

Even if you do not feel led to support financially, I ask that you commit to praying for our team as we travel Dec. 3–10, as we work and as we share Christ’s love with the children and staff at Orphanage Emmanuel.

I look forward to being a part of God’s continued work at the orphanage and I thank you in advance for your prayers and outpouring of support.

For we know “religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world” (James 1:27).

In His grip,

Brittany N. Howerton

(Checks may be made payable to “Brittany Howerton,” or to “Snowbird Wilderness Outfitters,” and mailed to 224 Lakeshore Drive, Homewood, AL 35209. A payment of $400 is due Oct. 1.)

A natural pouring

As the rain pours over the earth, moistening everything in its path, I consider the faithfulness of the Father.
As the heavens break open and the rain comes face to face with earth's atmosphere, everything God has made receives its nutrients. The only place to withdraw from the rain is the stand under shelters made by man.
Stand under a tree and the water's drops leak through. Stand under a cliff's overhang and the wind's strength blows the wetness into your face. God designed the rain to pour upon the earth, just as He designed His faithfulness and steadfast love to pour over us. Why do we try to hide in our castles made by man? Why do we try to retreat from the faithfulness God is pouring out for us?

Does love have to be like a battle field?

I pretty much had a battle with God the other day about learning to retrain my thinking to not worrying about what other people think. I used to be like that — carefree, unworried, I do what I do who cares what people think — but somewhere along the line of the last couple of years that has changed. Its painful to admit. But I do get concerned about what people think and I hate that about myself. I wish I was bolder, more confident in who I am in Christ like I used to be. I’m trying to get back to that place, but once you’ve left its a difficult return — difficult to retrain your thinking to be that carefree.

A New Year — again — with many memories behind

Ringing in the upcoming year with a group of dear friends warms the heart and feeds the soul ... and does nothing short than allow for a good time!

Realizing 2009 holds many surprised and plans for my life, I press on toward the mark as Paul would say. I anxiously await all that God puts in my path as the newest year of my life continues to progress.

I've heard it said that we plan our steps but God directs our course. I see much truth in this. Though I pray that in 2009 I will be able to put aside my stubbornness and even allow my steps to be planned by the Father.
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Christmas was a jolly time as well as I visited with family and friends. My sister-in-law, Bridget, is with child and Launa Kate continues to be filled with life inside of her. I received a photo just yesterday of a 4-D ultrasound. It is amazing the features that are revealed of that sweet baby while still inside her mother's tummy. I cannot wait until her arrival here. She will be just beautiful.

I was also reminded, especially this year, of Mary for we celebrate this season in honor of her baby's birth — the birth of Christ. Watching Eric and Bridget anticipate the coming of Launa Kate, talking to her, cherishing the moment when she will arrive easily paralleled for me the birth of Christ and the emotions that must have run deep through Joseph and Mary. Nonetheless, Mary sought to "hold these things in her heart." For in this principle, I fall short. Nonetheless, this principle I seek. To grow as Mary grew (obviously not in a physical way). To anticipate as Mary anticipated. And to cherish things in my heart and in my spirit until the day Christ is ready for them to be birthed through me.

Holiday Bliss

Bustles of the holidays continue to buzz around me. I am constantly reminded of more gifts, food and Christmas accessories that need to be bought. And somehow in the midst of the dozens of oops-forgot-to-buys is the twinkling thought of "Yup, this is Christmas."

But lest we forget, "For unto us a child is born, for unto us a son is given. And the government shall be upon His shoulder and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace."

This truly is the hope of the Christmas message, is it not? For this, truly, is Christmas — the birth of the Christ child, born with the purpose of becoming the sacrificial lamb to take on the sins of the world that through His death and resurrection all might have the gift of eternal life.

Let us boast in Christ this Christmas season, our Hope, our Salvation, our Lord.

Adjusting as a twentysomething

I've decided that making adjustments in life is hard, no matter where you are. Life leading up to and after my college graduation was nothing like I anticipated it would be. Surprises have presented themselves around every corner I've ventured. I began dating a guy in the spring (something I vowed I'd never do so close to graduation); lost 80 percent of my earthly belongings in a tornado that destroyed my university's campus; moved into an apartment causing my three college suitemates and me to be separated; struggled through my remaining weeks of classes; graduated at the top of my major; took a job at a newspaper in Alabama; moved into an apartment with two of sorority sisters; acquired more bills than I thought possible; left my boyfriend four hours behind; and began, as I now know it, "big girl life."
Each of these items came as a surprise in my life and, in no way, aligned with the plan I had laid out for myself. Nonetheless, God provided.
I am now living in Birmingham struggling to figure out how to fit in. I have never in my life had problems making friends, but I am daily realizing I don't really know how to make friends in a young professionals environment. No one ever prepared me for that. I studied public relations and marketing and being a boss and compling to a boss. No one ever gave me a course on "How to be an adult" or "How to meet new people when you're the only new person." I had no idea this was a game I would be thrust into without choice, as if placed in the arena with the late 1980s Rock'em Sock'em Robots waiting for the springs attaching my head and neck to expand.
So this is it. My time to, well, shine?
Sure, go to church - make friends there. Isn't that the easiest answer? But that requires finding a small group, and finding a church, and visiting dozens of local churches trying to determine which ones hold your values, your beliefs, preaches Holy Scripture, has a style of worship you're comfortable in and offers ministries for not only the young and old but, dare I say it, the young professional!? For this, I have come to realize, is something found far and few between at local churches.
For some reason we have become the neglected generation - the group the church fears. We're out of youth group, which is heavily promoted as establishing faith during the teen years. And if you're lucky enough to attend a college in what is considered a "college town" then you will more than likely find numerous churches branching out the that age bracket providing an abundance of involvement opportunities. But after that college age, the church gets confused. "They're not 'students' any more ... they must be adults. They'll fit fine there," church leaders conclude. And so we're left to fend for ourselves in the most defining stage of our lives.
Nevermind the idea that we may need guidance on how to become an adult, on where the best restaurants in town are. The thing is, our generation is not like it was 20 years ago, surprise surprise! We're not living in the same town we grew up where we know everyone. We're not going back home to live with mommy and daddy while we figure this "adult" thing out.
We're branching out - traveling, experiencing new territories - alone. No one to hold our hand, no one to guide us, no one to be our friends. Just us. This is the prime time for the church to engage! Agreed, the church's job is not to continue to bottle feed its believers. We should be able to stand on our own, hunt for our own spiritual food, etc. etc. etc. But what about the community of faith that encompasses believers? What about an accountability group to help meet the harvest? What about those older than us to invest, lead and guide us in our new decision-making process.
I'm pretty sure this is just as important as an active children's ministry, an effective youth ministry and a thriving senior adult ministry.
We need a place, a community of believers, friends. Something and someone with which we can be involved and engaged and take an active role of participation.
(...to be cotinued)