He goes BEFORE us

Below is an email from Snowman Tawil and an example of how our Father goes Before US in everything.  Thank you God for using us to begin a restoration of a relationship.

it was good last knight in the church with my friend and when i come back it was late aroung 11:00 and i thing you have slept and will will not call you becouse you need some rest and i hope we shall talk more

You can not believe this i am talking with some body in Mundri over phone and i wanted him to go get my Grand father so that i can talk with him and he said "mr.man" wife is here and she wanted to say hey to me and i said it is ok and she takled with me and she said she was sorry for all her husband did and love us and i tolk her that ihave brough some gift for her and mr.man she was realy suprised

thank you for telling us last time to love them and you have done great thing my God bless you 

love you Snowman Tawil

A Real GOAT!

Tonight was the last night of our Precept Genesis part I study at our home. The group of Christ Followers that gather every Tuesday night presented us with a wonderful gift in appreciation of our hospitality. The group purchased us a GOAT!!! Yes a real GOAT. Rick and I were so excited. This is the best gift ever! Our GOAT will be given to a family in Africa or Central America for milk. Thank you Father that we can scatter Your Name by helping the poor.  We will miss each of you until 2009. Thanks a MILLION.

Scatter Christ

Rick_Lisa

Traveling

We picked up our boys in Wadley early and returned to Birmingham for the weekend.  During our travel time, we learn new praise and worship songs, talk about life, share family stories, hear each others hearts, learn new English words, teach American traits, compare our lives and discuss just about anything from the colorful trees to girlfriends. 

One of our many discussions today was about a dear friend of theirs.  They trusted "Mr. Man" with all of their hearts and Mr. Man had let them down.  Mr. Man fended for himself and let the other team members fall.  They felt betrayed and bitter.  Manga and Snowman Tawil did not want to have anything to do with this person ever again.  We discussed how Mr. Man was probably just trying to keep himself above water and although this didn't make it right, we must be like Jesus and rise above it.  We have to have the fruits of the Spirit and be loving, kind, patient and gentle.  If an apology comes - Great - if it never comes - It's OK.  We have to choose to be like Christ and be obedient to what He calls us to do.

Scatter Christ

Secret Church

Rick and I are so excited to be able to spend this weekend with our new sons from Mundri, Sudan. Manga is 25 yrs old and Snowman Tawil is 23 yrs old.  

God brought us together in 2006 when they visited the United States for the first time.  We were privileged to hear their testimonies, visit with them in our home, eat Dreamland ribs together and pray with each other before their return to the Sudan.  I was mesmerized by their stories, my heart was melted by their love and I longed to spend more time with them.  Rick and I continued to communicate with them in Uganda while they were in school with computer access.  Rick was given the opportunity to go into the bush (Sudan) and visit Mundri in November 2006.  Rick and Manga prayed as they walked in Mundri for God to bring them together again for His Glory.  

Six weeks ago we received an email from Snowman Tawil.  They were in the United States.  They were in Alabama.  They were in college in Wadley.  Wow!  This could only be accomplished by one person - Our Creator, Father and Savior.  We give Him all of the praise!

The four of us will be participating in Secret Church.  We will study God's word for 6+ hours just like the persecuted church in many parts of the world.  We will learn about the Holy Spirit and pray for Africa, China, India, Ecquador and all of the other parts of the world where they do not know the name of Jesus.  

Scatter Christ

RING for Anita

Bullen left his soul mate in Sudan, but he promised to return to her in several years. Only God knows what will happen here, but Rick and I wanted Bullen to be able to share his feelings with Antia while he is away. One of my rings I will give to him. I emailed Bullen a picture of this ring for approval --- Here is his response.

Lala this is awesome ring and she will not know what to say and i she will be only lady who has to have that ring in Arua no one has that in that town

Lala you are doing more that Good and i do not know how to express what you are doing and Rick is doing in my life and Andrew but i give glory to God in the higherst and let his Name be exulted

Anita is my all and i pray that she will be always my every thing though i am missing her but God is always good to me and her so pray that Anita will be like you Lala care for the poor and needy around the World and to impact many Nation as you are doing wright now and also pray that in future our house will be the center of missions

May God bless you i am always praying for you
Snowman
Tawil

NY Talk

My name is Lisa Mitchell

Angel Friday Ministry

Before I begin to talk to you about myself and How God is using me and working in my life

Lets Pray

God I praise you for who you are, I praise you for what you are going to do today. I thank you for my home (Birmingham) and my precious husband and family. I thank you allowing me to be used by You in NY and around the world. I ask Lord that everyone here will open their eyes, ears and hearts and let you work in and among us. Use me anyway you wish - speak in me and through me and allow me to be your vessel. We praise You for this time we can spend together learning to worship You. In Your Precious name we pray. AMEN.

1. What do you think the word Angel means? Write down a short description of the word ANGEL. The first thing that comes to mind with the word Angel.

2. Write down a short one word or sentence. When you are driving, working, watching tv or whatever. What really touches your heart. What makes you sad or feel a heartfelt heavy. For Example: Elderly people with no one to care for them, a child whose parents are not present or care in their life, a homeless person on the side of the road, who touches your heart.

3. Turn your card over and write down this answer.

I want you to think about something for a moment and I want you to be honest with yourself.

Why am I here in this church tonight?

Why am I living in NY,

Every day you wake up – what do you do and Why?

What is your objective as parent or spouse or a co-worker?

What is your purpose in life? What do you aim for, what is your ultimate target?

I have to tell you that my spiritual gift is NOT Public Speaking – or talking in front of people. My stomach hurts, it makes me cry – literally sick.

Phil 3:14 - I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Raised in a Christian Home – Church on Sunday/Wednesday

Married my church sweetheart at 19.

Divorced at 21

Re-married at 22

Blessed with two beautiful sons

This marriage was all about me.

I wanted total control over his life and mine

I was filled with fear and jealousy - fear of loosing another husband

You name and I was afraid of it.

I was a nagging wife – where are you going, what time will you be home,

why are you working late, why didn’t you call me today from work,

a constant question, who are you calling on your cell phone.

NYE 2000 – celebrating the New Millennium –

My precious husband ask me for a divorce.

I was devastated, hurt, rejected and all my fear had come to just like I thought.

My 18 year marriage was ending? Why?

I really had no idea

God showed me through a book – The power of a Praying Wife – Life was not about ME

I began to pray for God to “Save my Marriage – Change my husband.

Guess what: My husband was not the one God wanted to Change – IT WAS ME

It took everything I had in me to pray “CHANGE ME LORD” But as I began to pray this prayer and change my nagging, become a helpmate to my husband, love him unconditionally.

Things began to change.

Guess how long this change took: 3 ½ years

Many nights when I didn’t know where he was, I wanted to file for divorce, call and yell at him, run, many nights I cried. Many nights my husband slept in another bedroom. I had to leave a big house, I sold 75% of everything in my house. I had to leave my family (parents, sister, brother, and one child) and move 12 hours from the place I called home with a man I wasn’t even sure I would remain married to.

But I had to be obedient to GOD and His Word. After 3 ½ years I finally knew that God had bigger things in store.

I am going to fast forward several years. There was a Pastor in the new city – whom we met through my sister’s church friend of a friend, if you get the point. One night he casually mentioned that his ministry was taking a team to work in the slums of Brazil. I asked lots of questions, but there was no way I had the money to travel to Brazil (only rich people can do this). He encouraged me to look into going and step out on faith.

Needless to say I went to Brazil on my first mission trip, my first time ever out of the country, my first time to ever pray in front on anyone, but I was on the observation tower most of the time, just watching, loving on the children (which is my strength). We had been there for almost a week and the trip was ending, when in front of our whole team, the leader told me that I needed to be the one to speak at a Brazilian church service we were going to attend. I burst into tears. What’s wrong. I don’t speak in front of others, God did not bring me here to speak – I am suppose to love on children and feed them and play with them. The next 4 hours were a nightmare (I thought). I cried uncontrollably, the leader angry took me off of the agenda for the church service, I still cried. I cried all the way to church, praying what I am going to say……HELP.

Junior is in the front of the church translating – I got up and went to front of the church to share – I really don’t remember what I talked about - God calmed my fears and led me to share. Since then, I have shared several times and every time God will stretch me beyond my comfort level.

OK, Lets Talk about Angel Friday – I met a new friend on a Mission Trip to Guatemala in 2004. I went on a team and I knew no one when we left. She and I became friends and we realized that we both had a love or a passion for orphans and needy people. I work, but I am off on Friday.

My home church did something called “Extreme Home Graceover” and one of the seven homes our church graced over was a homeless shelter for women, called Bethany Home.

Do any of you know anyone homeless? Maybe living in a shelter or a group home.

One day months after our return from Guatemala, I called and asked her play with me for the day. We went looking for this one lady who had been kicked out of Bethany home – We went to First Light, We went to a nearby park, we went up and down the streets near the home less shelters. I knew from a phone conversation, that she had pawned her diamond necklace that her mother gave her for being sober for almost two months. We called the pawn shops and found the necklace and went to purchase. I still have that necklace. I will see again one day and give it to her and maybe just maybe it will be the seed that will change her life forever. THIS IS HOW ANGEL FRIDAY STARTED! Lori and I were so blessed this day working to share Jesus’s Love that we decided we would like to do it again. So several weeks later –again and again and again.

What is purpose in your life. God tells us in his word. He knew us before we were born – that he made each one of us with a purpose. We all have different gifts – preachers, teachers, musically inclined, organization, giving and the list goes on. BUT, God made each one of us to WORSHIP HIM. We are on this earth to Worship the Lord God Almighty.

We are suppose to worship and honor God in everything we say and do. We are to worship Him all day and all night, whether at church, at work, with friends or all alone.

God also tells us in His Word – You shall Love your Neighbor as yourself.

OK – the word ANGEL – Read the definitions.

Dictionary says this: A divine being who acts as a messenger of GOD

Somebody who is kind or beautiful

A human figure with wings

A spirit that protects and offer guidance

My Description is : ALWAYS NEAR GIVING EVERYONE LOVE

And do you remember my only off day from work? FRIDAY

Angel Friday Ministry – Every Friday (other days as well) We practice a random act of kindness

Philippians 2:3-5

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humiity of mind reqard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interest, but also the interest of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.

Lets remember our commands from God – Worship Him in Everything we do. GO and tell the gospel in all nations all over the world.

Lord, Heavenly Father, Almighty God we come before you tonight and ask that each one of us is able to give you our heart, our soul, so that you might use us to be your hands and feet regardless of what that looks like. Give us a heart like yours.

Choctaw SUN

Here's the article I wrote on your ministry here in Choctaw County. I am pasting it into the body of this email.

Great to hear from you again! Hope all is well with the awesome work you do!

Thanks, Dee Ann

'It's what angels do'

By Dee Ann Campbell

The Choctaw Sun

BUTLER, BIRMINGHAM, Alabama

This is what we think angels do,? says Lisa Mitchell of Birmingham.

Last Thursday, a truck filled with gifts arrived in Choctaw County, destined for the homes of 11 needy families. The gifts were part of an outreach to bring Christmas to those who needed it most. Through the efforts of Social Worker Tikisha Brooks-Graham of the Choctaw County School System, and a Birmingham-based ministry team called Angel Friday, needy families in the area were given a hand of encouragement and love for the holiday season.

For Graham, it is a way to extend her work to touch the lives of local families who need extra help. For Mitchell, it is simply a way to put feet to her faith.

And for the families who have been touched by the outreach, it is a welcomed extension of Christian love at Christmas.

Based through Brook Hills Church in north Shelby County just outside of Birmingham, the Angel Friday ministry got its start following a mission trip to Guatemala that spurred Mitchell into action. Some friends of mine and I met during a foreign ministry trip to Guatemala, Mitchell explains. We worked in the orphanages there, and when we got back to Birmingham, we did some work with a homeless shelter called Bethany Home through The Church at Brook Hills. Since Friday is only day that we don’t work full-time, we began to just practice a random act of ministry that one day. That’s where Angel Friday came from.

We’ve gone back to Guatemala and taken books to a school without books, helped Katrina victims, taken homeless ladies to get their hair done, continues Mitchell. We’ve paid power bills for families who were about to have their power cut off, and given people rides to the bus stop. Those are the kinds of things we feel like God wants us to do. Working through the Angel Friday ministry, Mitchell and members of her group have been reaching out to fill the needs of low-income families in a variety of ways in their own Birmingham area and beyond. This year, beyond included Choctaw County. Their first experience in the county occurred around Easter, 2006. We heard about the problems in the Black Belt, she recalls. So we called the Governor’s office and asked for contacts in Greene, Choctaw, and other counties to do some mission work there. Through the Governor’s office, Mitchell was put in contact with Pennington native Billie Jean Young, who serves on a committee with the Black Belt Action Commission.

I met with her (Young) at Judson College where she teaches, Mitchell says. She gave me the name of a family in Choctaw County. The father had gone to fight in the war, and their young son was trying to pick up work here and there, but they were eating what they could kill in the woods around their home. Mitchell came to Choctaw County just before the Easter holiday and put together Easter baskets and a special holiday meal for the family, which included 8 kids, age 4 to 20. The Angel Friday ministry also provided tons of food items to help the family through the following months. The provisions allowed the family to use their limited income to purchase a part for their car that had been disabled for some time. After that, says Mitchell, we knew that was where God wanted us to be.

With Choctaw County on their hearts, Mitchell and her group began to look for other ways to help the needy in the area. They got their opportunity when Hurricane Katrina hit. We had collected schools supplies for Katrina victims, Mitchell explains, and we had a lot of supplies that the schools here couldn’t use. That’s when I connected with the Choctaw Board of Education. I called Kesha (Graham) and told her we had some things to bring there for people who needed them. She contacted me over the summer, recalls Graham. Since then, we’ve been in contact on a regular basis. Graham says that the Angel Friday outreach has now become a vital part of her work with the school system. It is, she says, a way to ensure that the children within the school system are cared for in every facet of their lives. Since their first trip to the county, the Angel Friday ministry has been working alongside Graham to pursue every avenue open to them in order to help Choctaw County families. We’ve provided school uniforms, backpacks with school supplies, and we came back right before school started and brought more supplies, says Mitchell. It’s an ongoing thing with some of these families. In November, with the holidays approaching, the opportunity to help presented itself once again. The ministry grew during Thanksgiving, Mitchell says. We picked up 4 more families in the Southern Choctaw area then and provided them with Thanksgiving dinner. This time, the Angel Friday ministry was joined by another ministry team from Brook Hills.

The MOMS group is made up of mothers at Brook Hills, Mitchell explains. When we told them what we were doing in Choctaw, they wanted to help. They made the boxes that we delivered on Thanksgiving.

Altogether, Mitchell -- along with the Angel Friday team, the MOMS group, and Graham -- helped 10 families during Thanksgiving, giving them non-perishable food items that would last, as well as items they could use for a traditional Thanksgiving meal.

"We came Monday before thanksgiving, and went to each house and delivered it to them," Mitchell says. "Kesha had contacted them before we arrived so they knew we were coming."

"It was an eye-opener," she adds. "One house had no windows, and they had turned the eyes of stove on to heat the room because they had no other source of heat." Mitchell admits that, for some families, their gifts were a little difficult to accept.

"One lady drove to the school while we were there in August delivering school supplies," she says, "and saw us loving on her two children, telling them that Jesus loved them. She came in and said she thought we were there for a tax write-off. I told her I was there to love her and her children, and when we came back, she welcomed us with open arms."

With Christmas approaching, Mitchell and Graham began to plan another outreach for the families. Through an angel tree project at Brook Hills, gifts were purchased for the families, with delivery set for just before the holidays. On Thursday, as Mitchell, Graham, and the group from Birmingham gathered in Butler to deliver the last of the Christmas gifts, they paused to pray with one needy family who had met them at Board of Education office. The moment was a tender display of emotion, and an opportunity for the group to say "thank you" to the God whom they credit for the outreach.

This is something we do in order to walk with Jesus everyday, Mitchell says. We have been so much more blessed than these families have been, just by being able to help them. "We want God to get all the glory," she adds. "We are just His hands and feet."