Hannah Montana

Madison had cheerleading practice tonight. Jenna was watching Madison practice with her cheerleading team, while Emma and walked over to a nearby playground. I was pushing her in the swing. A lady was pushing her son in the swing next to us. We had a brief conversation and learned that she was the daughter of the person who owns our house. That was interesting. We talked for a little while and then she asked Emma what her name was. Emma, completely straight faced, said "My name is Hannah Montana." Emma has said that she was Hannah Montana before, but she's never introduced herself to someone we have never met as Hannah Montana.
The lady thought she was funny. She is. But it's also a little scary not knowing what she is going to say.
Keep praying for us.
sterling

Praise!

...Madison and Emma are on the road to recovery!

Transition

Madison starts school at Northside on September 6. Her new teachers name is Mrs. Leung. She is very nice and is one of the Lead teachers at the school. Madison is very excited and ready to start. She is still sick and miserable, and was worried today she would miss the first day of school. I reassured her she would be better by then! :) A few things we would love for you to pray for.....
1. Pray for an easy transition for Madison into public school and in a new place.
2. Please pray for her to make a special friend......many of them.
3. Please pray for her teacher, Mrs. Leung.
4. Please pray for ways for us to reach out and be involved with other families in the school.
5. Please pray for her me, (mommy). I homeschooled her before, NOT because I did not like public schools, or could not afford private ones, or because I thought we could improve on future SAT scores. But, because I wanted to be with her. I love having her home with me. I hate being away from my girls. However, I know with full assurance, Northside is where God wants her to be, and I want His plan for her more than my own. I did not say it would be easy though. So please pray for my transition as well.
6. Please pray for her biggest fan, EMMA. She will miss her more than anyone. She loves her big sister.
Emma and I will find plenty of fun and special things to do, just the two of us, while Maddie is at school. (She knows how to keep me busy!) But, we will look so forward to 3:10pm, when Maddie comes home!
Nothing Else I would rather do..............than be their mother.

FAMILY NIGHT! (Around the Humidifier)

Please continue to pray for Madison and Emma. Breathing treatments, Humidifiers, Antibiotics, and lots of yucky Robitussin. They are pretty miserable. Thank goodness for the Disney Channel! We will all be watching "The Cheetah Girls 2" movie premier tonight. (Sterling can't wait!) Hopefully that will take the girls minds off their sore throats! Thanks for praying!

Random Information About Today

1. I played tennis this evening. It was a lot of fun. I'm no Agassi, but I did okay.
2. Madison and Emma are both running a fever tonight. They do not feel well at all. Pray for them.
3. I am beginning to realize the profound impact I have had on my high school students from Houston. I have heard from three college freshman this week who have reported that they have Abuelo's (The Mexican Food Embassy!) in their respective cities. I could not be prouder.
4. I heard a song from Sara Groves a couple of months ago. I heard it again today. The lyrics pierce me. Seriously, this song speaks to me in such an amazing way. You can find it at itunes. The lyrics are below.

That's all for now!

Breaking Free - A Word From Jenna

Discipline......a battle I have yet to overcome. I want and try to be disciplined...but somehow I never quite get there. Everything from being an early riser, to eating healthy (and less), to exercising every day, to never missing my time with the Lord, to cooking every night, to spending as much quality time with my family as possible, to keeping the house clean and laundry caught up. The list goes on and on.
Every night before I go to sleep I tell myself that I am going to do better tomorrow. I have such well laid plans in my head. But then somehow by mid-morning I am off track.....unless I have had my regular coca-cola fix....which then takes me til about lunch. Then I spend the rest of the day upset at myself for not following through with all I promised. By bedtime, I begin the cycle all over again. I don't know if anyone else out there goes through this, but I am tired of the cycle. (even more tired of my excuses) I know I cannot do this on my own. Without help from the Lord, I am hopeless. But, I also need accountability and prayer.
I decided to do my night time ritual a little different tonight. Instead of making empty promises to myself, I am making a commitment before the Lord and all of you who read our blog. My commitment is to become more disciplined in the areas God has convicted me, in order to be the very best I can be for Him.
I will keep you updated as I strive to break free from this stronghold. Please pray that I focus on Him and all He has for me. Forgetting the past and straining toward what is ahead, I keep trying to reach the goal and get the prize for which God has called me through Christ Jesus! The Battle Belongs to the Lord!!

In Rockefeller Center With Jenna's Parents and Grandparents

 

Madison and Emma With Their Mamaw and Papaw

 

Madison At The "Hospital" At FAO Schwarz

 

Madison and Emma at FAO Schwarz

 

Jenna's Family With Minnie Mouse In Manhattan

 

Jenna's Family With Pluto At The Disney Store In Manhattan

 

From Jenna

My Crossroads
August 20,2006
I was watching a Beth Moore Video from her "Believing God" bible study, last Sunday morning at Farmingdale Baptist. I was flooded with wonderful memories. I went through "Believing God" about 5 years ago. Beth Moore is amazing to say the least. But, my God, (As Chris Tomlin sings it so well) is Indescribable! For those of you who do not know my testimony, (I will give you the very short version). I was saved at age 7. I grew up in church all my life and was raised in a loving christian family. I knew God Exsisted. I knew He sent His Son to die on the cross and save us from our sins. I knew I was going to heaven. I knew and even followed all the rules to be the "good christian girl". I even married a minister! And who seemed like a perfect one at that! I had a good life. But I was not satisfied. I was empty and did not understand why. I began living to please myself. Nothing Else Mattered. I bought every lie Satan fed me. Satan came to steal, kill and destroy me......and he almost succeeded! My life fell apart. I was standing at a crossroads. I realized I had a choice to make. To believe the God of my past. A God made up of perceptions I had learned along the way, or the God of the bible. Because the God I perceived could not deliver me! I will never forget laying on my bed, sobbing uncontrollably to the Lord, asking Him to Help me Believe! And my life has never been the same since. I know my God is who He says HE is, and HE can do what He says HE can do. He still performs miracles. He did a miracle in my life and marriage. And I am no longer empty, for He satisfies. We have to know whom we believe, so that we are persuaded that HE IS ABLE!! Wow!
In His Grace,
Jenna

The Last 3 Days Put In 3 Sentences

Sunday, August 13

We had a wonderful time worshipping at Farmingdale Baptist Church, where I preached this past Sunday.

Monday, August 14

A guy named James came to our Bible study on Monday night.

Tuesday, August 15

I went with my father-in-law and Jenna's grandfather to Yankee Stadium tonight.

I will write more sentences sometime soon.

Sterling

Brief Update

Thursday and Friday were good days. I visited with our friend from Home Depot. She is truly seeking the Lord. She is also having a difficult time. She has a lot on her. She has assured me that she is interested in attending the Bible study. She also took some time to affirm me, telling me that I was doing a good job as her pastor.
I met with a ministry leader of a nearby campus. She told me of some great needs taking place on the campus of Hofstra University. They need someone who would come and lead a Bible study. I told her to sign me up. We'll see where all of that goes.
Yesterday evening, I played golf with a guy. It was good, though my shoulder is still very tender and I am sure that swinging golf clubs did not help at all. As we concluded the golfing, we continued to chat. We are playing tennis on Sunday afternoon. (don't laugh that I am playing tennis! these moments help me to put aside any pride and dignity that I think I have!)
Finally, please pray for me as I prepare to preach at Farmingdale Baptist Church tomorrow morning. We are looking very forward to being with this congregation.

Connecting

Over the last three days I have focused my attention on making connections with people. I want them to know about our church. I want them to know that they are invited to attend a Bible study. But, I also want to make some connections with people simply to build relationships.
Through a local website, I was able to read about people who are looking to connect with others. I learned about a teenage girl who is looking for a Christian church. I learned that the area Hospice Center needs someone to volunteer some time each week to meet with patients and their families. We are simply attempting to make connections with people.
I have already heard back from the Hospice Center. I will be going through about 15 hours of training in the next couple of months.
Finally, I distributed more water bottles today. I am completely out of koozies. We ordered more koozies that should be in by the weekend. Nonetheless, I passed out water bottles. I was able to visit with one guy in particular who said that he believes in Jesus, but "can't love his neighbor right now." He said he would be in touch. I also met some homeless guys. They appreciated the water and we talked for several minutes. They are hurting, angry with society, but needing the grace of God.
Today was productive. Looking forward to tomorrow.

In His Grace,

Sterling

A Word From Jenna - Love Extravagantly!

When I first found out we were going to be church planters, I knew I would be stretched way beyond my comfort zone. I have trouble reaching out to people I know, much less strangers in a totally different culture. God began showing me opportunities to reach out to people, even before we left Houston. Little small things like returning your shopping cart to the right place, or being patient in the check out line, or helping an elderly person find something in the store.
Sure, most people probably do that anyway, but I never paid attention to those things before. I pretty much did whatever was easiest for me. I noticed that after I started doing the little things God brought to my attention, the more He would show me.
Yesterday, I was on my way to the grocery store when I stopped at a red light. I noticed a woman crying in the SUV next to me. After a few moments, it was obvious she was very upset and alone. Her window was down, and there was an opportunity. I sat there unsure of what to do. I mean, who talks to people crying in cars next to them in New York? Not me. I had been at this light several times before. I knew it was a long light, and I had plenty of time to roll down my window and ask her if she was OK. It could have been that simple. Just a simple touch to show her someone cared. But, I wasted time going back and forth on what to do. Finally, the light turned green and the opportunity was gone.
I tried not to be too hard on myself. I told myself I was not really sure if it was something from God. Later that night, while journaling, I asked God to forgive me for not acting on the opportunity and for being too scared of the unknown. I knew inside that I had missed a moment to spread His fame. He then reminded me of the passage I had just read 10 minutes before from a passage in 1 Corinthians 13 (The Message). Paul states in verse 13, "Trust

steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly, and the best of the three is love."
Wow! Those verses had spoken to me moments before concerning our disappointment when no one came to the Bible study. But, it was when I asked God to forgive me, that he revealed another truth from His word. LOVE EXTRAVAGANTLY!! Even if that means a stranger crying in the car next to you at a stop light. Even if only a few words are spoken, or none at all.....
.LOVE EXTRAVAGANTLY....and He will take care of the rest.
My heart hurts now that I missed a chance, but I am ready and waiting for God to give me another.
Thanks for your prayers.
Love,

Jenna

Little Visits With God

Tonight, we were hoping and anticipating that at least one of our contacts would come to the Bible study held at our house tonight. It didn't happen.
I have been reminded by a couple of people already tonight, namely my brother Aaron, not to expect too much too quickly. It is true. This is very much a process. We have been here for one month and each day we are meeting people. We are developing relationships and those are progressing. Again, we are not discouraged, just anxious to see how all of this will unfold.
And while no one that we had contacted came to our Bible study tonight, we still had a Bible study tonight. It consisted of me, Jenna, Madison, and Emma. When I was a little boy, my parents read a book to me and my brother called, "Little Visits With God". Jenna's parents also read this same book to her and her sister. We have the book that Jenna's parents read from. Tonight, the devotional was based on Psalm 100:2. It talked about serving the Lord with gladness. We explained what this meant to our girls. And while I was explaining and Jenna was explaining, the entire time I knew that this was a verse that the Lord had given me.
Serving Him is not dependent on who shows up for a Bible study. Serving Him is our privilege, simply because He is our Lord. We can serve Him with gladness.
As we wrapped up the devotion, Madison commented on having people come the next week. It was really obvious that she is understanding exactly what is going on. We prayed. Emma prayed that people would come next time. Wow. She is getting it too.
Jenna and I then went out to the front yard and watched the girls run around and play, both of us realizing that a church really is being planted here. Right in front of our eyes.

Sponsoring The Red Devils

Madison is on a cheerleading team called the "Red Devils." It turns out the team needs a sponsor. The sponsor gets their name printed in each program and the name is posted on a banner. We thought Crossroads Church of Long Island would be a great sponsor for this team, as well as a great way to let people know about our church! All for the low cost of $200!
Although, it does seem kind of funny that Crossroads Church of Long Island is sponsoring the "Red Devils!"

Madison - Our Little Cheerleader

 

 

Started Off On The Wrong Foot

This morning I went for a jog. I have been jogging somewhat regularly as of late. I was almost finished when I tripped over a slight rise on the sidewalk. I scraped my knee pretty bad, but worse, I landed squarely on my right shoulder.
I spent a few hours in the emergency room. It's not broke or separated, just sprained and bruised.
I am in a sling for the next several days. Not what I planned for today, but no one knows what
will happen from one day to the next.
I will spend the rest of this day resting. Thanks again for praying.
sterling

It's Hot!

So, I know that it is only stating the obvious, but it is HOT! The heat index showed that it was 107 degrees. Even now, at 10:15 p.m., it is still 90 degrees outside. Not that I am complaining about the weather. I know that I am going to have wait another six months to really complain about the weather. Nonetheless, it's been beyond warm outside.
This morning, I went to meet Rufino at Dunkin Donuts. He was not there. I am hoping that the reason that he was not there was because he found some work. He usually is hired as a day laborer, and does not know from one day to the next where he will be working and what he will be doing.
Later in the day, I went to The Home Depot. Carol was very pleased that I came by. We gave her a book, a card that Jenna had written her, and a brochure about our church. I told her that we were having a Bible study at our house on Monday evening. She was thrilled. She informed me that Monday was the perfect day for her. It is the only day that she does not have to work. Please pray that she will be able to come the Bible study next Monday night.
Finally, I went to the train station to pass out water bottles. In this heat, cold water bottles are pretty popular. I gave out nearly 50 water bottles in about 20 minutes. It was interesting the comments that I received while passing out the water. Most everyone was very grateful. One lady asked me about where our church met. Another lady asked me if we helped people. She followed that question by asking if we helped people with problems. Another guy told me that in all of his years in New York, no one had ever given him anything for free. Another lady asked me if I would be coming around tomorrow. I will.
Yesterday, I heard this song by Sara Groves. I thought about it several times today. The song is called WHY IT MATTERS. Here is one part of the lyrics that has really stayed with me.

Show me the love that never fails
The compassion and attention
Midst confusion and dissention
Like small ramparts for the soul
How it matters
Like a single cup of water
How it matters


The lyrics seem to really connect with me right now. I especially like the last part, about a single cup of water.
Keep praying.
sterling

Did you ever see the episode of Seinfeld where Babu opens a new restaurant, gets everything really nice and neat, prepares some things in advance, and stares out the window hoping some customer, any customer will come in?
That is sort of what happened tonight. We were hoping that some people would be coming to our Bible study tonight. We were ready, but no one came. We have made a few contacts, and we have been told by a couple of people that Monday evenings work better for them than Tuesday evenings. We will probably try for next Monday evening. Don't worry. We're not discouraged. We have a long way to go with this thing, and we have only just begun. God is showing us and reminding us how faithful He is.
Today, I had lunch with a pastor in the community. He was very nice and encouraging. He truly has a heart and brokenness for the people of Long Island, specifically, Nassau County. Our plan is to meet every other Thursday morning to pray or our community, our families, and that people would come to trust the Lord. I am very excited about this opportunity.
This morning, I met a man named Rufino. He is from Cuba. I was "officing" at Dunkin Donuts. (I go to Starbucks as well, but Dunkin Donuts has a free wifi connection.) Anyway, I really felt that the Holy Spirit was leading me to go and speak to this man. Eventually, I did. Rufino is very discouraged. He does not know what the purpose for living is. He does not see the point. He is unemployed and doesn't know how he can provide for his family. I tried to encourage him. I told him that there was more to this life than what we see and feel. I shared with him Romans 6:23, and tried to explain that God had offered us the gift of eternal life. He nodded a little, seemed to be contemplating some things, and said he didn't know. I told him I would be praying for him tonight. Tomorrow morning, we are meeting to continue our conversation.
Finally, we signed Madison up for cheerleading. Jenna has said that there are lots of moms and dads for us to meet. Pray that God would use this an opportunity to get to know people.
We really know that people are praying for us. We can sense it and feel it. Thank you so much. It means everything.
sterling