An Undeniable Calling

It’s hard to believe that 10 days from now I’ll be stepping on a plane and finally returning home. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t beyond excited and ready for the next chapter, but I know I will be leaving here forever changed. Over the past 10 months the Lord has molded and shaped me in so many ways, and while I think I still need time to process everything I’ve learned here, I can say with confidence that my time was not spent in vain. I wouldn’t trade this past year for the world, and I firmly believe God will continue to reveal new things to me from this season even long after I’m home. My heart has been extremely burdened over the past few days by the tragedy that took place in Charleston. It’s SO difficult to understand why The Lord allows things to happen the way he does, but the responses of the victims’ families have been ones of pure, God-given love and mercy. “Would I have responded in this same way?,” we must ask ourselves. I cannot even fathom what these families must be experiencing during this time, but what a beautiful picture they have displayed to the watching world of God’s unending grace and forgiveness. May we continue to intentionally pray for these loved ones and for the city of Charleston as a whole. God is clearly at work in this situation, and his spirit WILL continue to move in the wake of this horrific event, but we as the Body of Christ have a responsibility to stand together firmly, united with our fellow brothers and sisters who have been “…afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Cor. 4:8-9). 

Although I have met many here in England who do not know Jesus, the Lord has laid on my heart three specific people to continue praying for after I leave. Although I cannot give you their names, I ask that you would continue to join me in prayer for these three individuals who I believe God is going to draw to himself in his perfect timing. The first is the teacher whose classroom I have been working in once a week since I arrived here. She is a devout Muslim who I believe is a person of peace. We have had several conversations about Islam and what she believes, and although she knows I am a Christian, I am going to write her a letter explaining what the Bible teaches about who God is and how much he loves her. Please pray that she would receive this letter well, and that God would give me wisdom and clarity on what to say and how best to say it. (Side Note - The month of Ramadan began on Thursday, June 18th. This is a time when many Muslims around the world are actively seeking Allah, so pray that the One True God will reveal Himself to them as they pray and fast. In fact, it has been documented that over the past few years more Muslims have been coming to faith in Christ than ever before in history, and these Christian movements are clearly connected to the recent increase in prayer of God’s people for the Muslim community!) The other two people the Lord has specifically called me to pray for are the girls I have been mentoring this past year. Both of them are very far from God and haven’t expressed much of an interest in knowing him, but I also plan to write both of them letters reminding them of conversations we have already had about God’s desire to know them and to have a relationship with them.   

I want to thank you all one final time for your prayers and support over these past 10 months. In some ways it feels like just yesterday I was packing up all my belongings and preparing to begin this new season, and although I do not feel called to stay here permanently my heart will ALWAYS be tethered to the people of Teeside and the work that is taking place here. My dream is to one day bring mission teams to this area who will partner with UK-USA Ministries to continue taking the gospel relevantly to every young person in the Tees Valley. Since coming to England, the Lord has continued to stir in me a passion to see people from all tribes, tongues, and nations come to know him, and I know that no matter where He places me or what I end up doing, my role and purpose in this life will remain the same: 

“And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” (2 Corinthians 5:18-20)

May the Lord abundantly bless you and your family, and may he continue to burden you for the lost and the broken. As believers we have a high calling, but He has equipped with everything we need. Therefore, let us strive to live lives of peace, love, and boldness until Christ returns.   

P.S. - Some of my Prestonwood family came to visit a few weeks ago! Pray for them as they prepare to bring over 250 high school students July 8-17 to share the love of Christ across the Tees Valley! 

A Restless Heart

Last week I had coffee with a sweet friend. Meeting for coffee is one one of my favorite things to do, and every coffee date usually begins the same way. You order your coffee, you engage in a bit of small talk, you find a table and sit down, and then someone begins the conversation with the loaded question, “so how are you doing?” Of course, I was prepared to answer, but I was taken off guard when Angela asked me a different question, “so how is your soul?” I sat back, thought for a moment, and then replied with one word, “restless.” As I reflect back over the last 8 months I am amazed (as usual) at God’s goodness and faithfulness. I have learned that as long as you remain connected to him, he will provide you with exactly what you need for each day. To be honest, some days here are tough. I don’t feel like a lot is happening and it is easy to become discouraged. However, when I step back and look at the bigger picture, I can clearly see the Lord’s hand at work — in every interaction, every conversation, every meeting, every kids club, every youth band practice, every mentoring session, every Bible study etc. God is at work here in the Tees Valley, and although my heart is restless to be home, I know and trust that he will give me the strength I need to finish out my time here well. 

Please be in prayer for the weekly Friday night youth event we will be launching in June. Our team is still working through all the details, but we really believe the Lord is leading us to create an environment where our young people will feel comfortable to come and invite their friends to. Our desire is to see kids who have never stepped foot in a church be transformed by the saving power of Jesus Christ. We believe God is going to do incredible things through this event, but we know this will only take place if we are praying continually and seeking the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Pray specifically that we would be able to reach out to the young people who attend the schools we go into each week. Right now, our church work and schools work feels a bit disconnected, but we hope this event will begin to bridge that gap. We want the kids we’re meeting with in the schools each week to have a place where they can go, ask questions, and be surrounded by fellow young people who are following after God. Unfortunately, I will only be here on the front end of this event since I’ll be heading back to the States on July 1, but I cannot wait to hear about how it is growing and developing in the months to come! 

Over the past few weeks, in the midst of feeling restless, the Lord has continued to bring to mind this quote by St. Augustine, “Thou hast made us for thyself, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee.” We were created with a void and a longing that only God himself can fill, and until we acknowledge this, we will always be left feeling empty and discontent. It is so easy for me to become overwhelmed and even dissatisfied with where the Lord has me, and I become very eager to move forward to the next chapter. But each day he patiently and lovingly reminds me that it is only when my eyes are firmly fixed on him that I will be able to experience true rest and peace. And this is my prayer for you as well — even in the midst of difficult or uncertain circumstances, may you find your rest in Christ alone. 

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” Colossians 3:15       

P.S. Last weekend I had the privilege of teaching at my church's Sunday evening service. Although preaching is definitely not my calling it was a great experience haha! 

Help My Unbelief

In Mark 9, a man brings his son with an unclean spirit to Jesus in hopes that he will heal him: 

“Jesus said to him, ‘If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.’ Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, ‘Lord I believe; help my unbelief!’” (vs. 23-24). 

This has been the cry of my heart for the past several months. I have seen the Lord at work in so many ways across the Tees Valley, yet I still find myself doubting his power and might in certain situations. Will any of the children/youth I interact with on a weekly basis ever come to a saving knowledge of Jesus? Is the Lord really using me here to make an impact for the kingdom? Will he really answer the big prayers I’m praying? These are just a few of the questions that run through my mind quite frequently. But I love this man’s request to Jesus. “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” He KNOWS who Jesus is and he KNOWS what he has the power to do, yet he still cries out for help to believe. I am so thankful for a God who is patient and kind. He has proven himself faithful time and time again throughout my life, yet I still struggle with doubt—with truly believing that he is doing abundantly more than I could ever imagine right before my very eyes. May we always be expectant of what the Lord is going to do in and through us. For what he has in store is far greater than anything our minds can ever conceive. 

I just wanted to share a quick highlight from this past month. Our team was given an incredible opportunity to start a weekly lunch club called “Christian Union” (apparently the kids call it “the Jesus Club,” which we are totally fine with!) where we essentially teach the students about Christianity. Each week we’ve had an average of around 35 kids and have covered topics such as, “Who is Jesus?” and “Why did Jesus die?” We have been overwhelmed by the response we’ve received from the kids. They seem very curious and intrigued, and we are able to be completely open with them about our faith. (How in the world could I doubt God’s power after witnessing Him open this door for us so clearly?!) Please pray for our team and these students —that the Lord would continue to give us guidance in how to most effectively reach them and that He would unblind their eyes to see and experience the truth of the Gospel. Every time we walk into that school I am reminded that we carry the light and presence of Jesus, which is SO clearly evident in such a dark place. Also, continue to pray for the church youth groups in Stockton. Our team is praying about starting a weekly outreach event that our youth will feel comfortable inviting their friends to. We want to see life change among the young people in this city, and we firmly believe this must begin with the youth in our churches. Pray that the Lord would give them boldness to share their faith with their peers. I believe this is one of the biggest issues they struggle with. Thank you, as always, for your continued prayers and support! 

“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)

P.S. This picture is from a couple weeks ago when a few girls from my team and I went to London! We had a great time exploring the city! :)  

    

Walking in Obedience

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season! So sorry for the silence over the past couple months. Thanksgiving and Christmas absolutely flew by, and the next thing I knew it was 2015! I just returned to England about a week ago after spending some much needed time with family and friends, and even though it was very difficult to come back I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that this is exactly where the Lord wants me to be. He has opened up so many doors here, and I know He is calling me to finish what I’ve started. One of the coolest things I’ve started doing here over the past few months has been mentoring. I meet with two middle school aged girls once a week at the secondary school we work with and have really enjoyed getting to know them on a one-on-one basis. They are two of the more “troubled” students in the school, and thus the teachers are more than happy to let them skip class in order to meet with me :). It’s been an incredible opportunity to simply develop relationships with them outside the classroom and even get to share my faith with them. They have no idea who Jesus is, and even though we still have a long way to go I firmly believe the Lord has placed me in their lives in order to model for them what it looks like to be a follower of Christ and to show them that He loves them deeply and has a unique plan for them.

Please pray that the Lord would help me remain faithful to the work He has called me to do here. One thing He has reminded me of over the past few weeks is that He blesses those who choose to walk in obedience. Psalm 84:11-12 says, “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you.” To be perfectly honest, almost everything within me wanted to stay in America, in the safety and comfort of my own home, but I know that decision would have been disobedient. The Lord is at work here, and I must continue to trust that to be anywhere else would not be His best for me. Please also join me in praying for continued opportunities to share the love of Christ with these children and teenagers. Sometimes I get so caught up in the details and planning that I loose sight of why I’m here. My desire is to see these young people not only come to know Jesus, but also to grow in their relationship with him. I know these next six months will be challenging, but I am truly excited to see what the Lord has in store. Your prayers are invaluable to me, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the past few months, it’s that the Lord answers the prayers of His people. So thank you for your continued prayers and support. May the Lord bless you in ALL your endeavors this year!   

  

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26 

Peace in the Midst of Discomfort

It’s hard to believe that it’s been over a month since my last post! Last week the TVYFC team took a trip to Northern Ireland to lead a kid’s club for about 40 kids. We had a lot of fun playing games with them, teaching them Bible verses, and most importantly sharing the love of Christ with them! We were also able to do some sightseeing while we were there, and it was absolutely beautiful. The Lord has blessed me immensely with such an incredible team. My favorite part about the week was seeing all of us come together to make this kid’s club happen. Each one of us is so different and possess so many unique qualities and abilities, yet we all share a common purpose: to see Christ’s name made famous among the people of the U.K. One thing this trip reminded me is that the Body of Christ is extremely powerful when we unite together in order to achieve a specific task. I was also encouraged to remember that He is at work EVERYWHERE. No matter what continent you’re on or what country you’re in, His purposes are being fulfilled and He’s calling us to join in on the mission of seeing people from every tribe, tongue, and nation come to know Him. 

Another exciting event I was able to take part in this month was the fall youth retreat. We had about 20 kids from 3 churches in the central Stockton area come together for the weekend. The theme for the retreat was “identity in Christ” and the kids had an absolute blast. I had the privilege of teaching the first session and leading worship for the other two sessions, but my favorite part of the weekend was the country western night. All the kids dressed up in their country western gear and we bobbed for apples, ate chips and salsa, practiced our best country accents, AND taught the kids a couple line dances. Honestly, we had no idea how the kids would react to this “theme night”, but it turned out to be a HUGE success. They loved learning the dances and wanted to keep doing them after the night was over! All in all, it was a great weekend. Furthermore, it gave our youth band some practice before leading worship for the congregation that next Sunday in the morning AND evening services. This has become one of my main responsibilities as a youth worker in the church. The band consists of me and around 3-4 young people in our youth group. At first, I was a little nervous to take on this “project”, but it has actually turned out to be a huge blessing. The young people are doing a great job and I think it has really blessed the congregation to see them lead. As of right now we are scheduled to lead worship once a month, so please pray that the Lord would continue to give me guidance and direction as I lead.

As I reflect on these past couple of months, I’ve realized how much the Lord is stretching me. Each day presents new challenges, but I am SO thankful to be pushed out of my comfort zone. I have much to learn and so many areas to grow in, but I find comfort and peace in knowing that the Lord will never leave me (Deut. 31:6). In fact, Hebrews 13:21 says that He will perfectly equip me for whatever He’s calling me to do. My job is simply to be obedient. Please pray for my team as we continue our work in the Tees Valley and pray for life change among the youth and the children. I am genuinely so thankful for each one of you, and my prayer is that the Lord would equip YOU for whatever task He’s calling you to. Thank you for your continued prayers and encouragement! 

“20 Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” Hebrews 13:20-21

Expect the Unexpected

These past few weeks have been a whirlwind, but from the moment I stepped off the plane I’ve experienced an overwhelming sense of peace. The Lord has continued to reveal his faithfulness to me through his provision even in the most intricate of details. I absolutely love my host family and the team I’ll be working closely with this year. Everyone is so different, but it’s been amazing to see how the power of the gospel binds believers together so quickly (1 Cor. 12:12-13). I’ve already been into two of the (hopefully) four schools I’ll be working in this year. Two are primary schools (1st-5th grade) and two are secondary (6th-10th grade). In these schools we arrive around 12, eat lunch with the kids, and then head to the classrooms. The teachers are extremely happy to have any kind of assistance, so we just jump in with the kids and help wherever we can. Last week we even talked about prayer as part of the religious education (R.E.) curriculum. I was shocked when I heard how much the kids knew ABOUT prayer, but was saddened to find that only about 3 of the 25 actually attended church regularly. These children are ready and open to hear the truth of the gospel. They just need someone to share the love of Christ with them. My prayer is that they would begin to understand Christianity not as a religion, but as a relationship with the God who uniquely created them and deeply loves them. I’ve also begun getting to know the students in our church youth group. They are extremely intelligent, and my prayer is that barriers would continue to be broken down so that I can get to know them on a deeper level and encourage them in their walks with Christ. They too are ready to flourish and grow. They just need to be pushed and encouraged to do so. 

Overall, I know there is much work to be done here, but the Lord has challenged me to begin to pray big prayers. Do I really believe he is who he says he is? Do I trust he is going to do what he says he is going to do? These are the questions that have continually been on my mind since I arrived here. I’ve recognized that my view of God is far too small, and even when I don’t realize it, I automatically begin to limit him when I try to think “rationally” or “realistically” instead of asking him to move and to work in whatever way he sees fit. Thus, my desire is to see God do absolutely incredible things this year—things I never even believed possible. I want to rely more on the Holy Spirit for guidance and direction instead of trying to plan everything out myself. I have no doubt he has placed me here for a specific purpose and has already ordained the conversations I will have with students in and out of the classroom. Please continue to pray that the Lord will give me boldness, and that I will continually rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to reveal to me the relationships I need to invest in and to open up doors for intentional conversations. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your prayers. Knowing that I have so many lifting me and my team up to the Lord means more to me than I could ever express. 

“Peace be to the brothers (and sisters), and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.” Ephesians 6:23-24 

The Beauty of Surrender

First off, I want to thank everyone who has chosen to support me financially and/or pray for me over this next year. I know this journey wouldn't be possible without you, and it absolutely means the world to me to know that the Body of Christ is actively lifting me up in prayer.

Over the past several months as I've been preparing to travel to England the Lord has laid on my heart several passages of Scripture. Since I've always struggled with the fear of rejection when it comes to sharing my faith, He has continuously reminded me that He did not give us, as His children, a spirit of fear (2 Tim. 1:6-7). Thus, any fears and insecurities I have are not of Him, which means it is my responsibility to continually pray against them and keep my eyes fixed on the only One who possesses the ability to draw men to Himself (Col. 2:13-15). I must remember that my job is simply to be obedient to what He's called me to do, which is to boldly proclaim the truth of the gospel to the people of England, and more specifically the Tees Valley (Eph. 6:17-20). My prayer is that I would daily present myself to the Lord as a clean vessel (2 Tim. 2:20-21) and willingly offer my body as a living sacrifice (Rom. 12:1-2), which will require a daily renewing of my mind and a conscious effort to think on the things that are true, honorable, and pure (Philip. 4:8). Although this will be difficult at times, Scripture is clear that only when we hand over our lives to Christ can we experience true freedom and joy (Gal. 5:1;13). One of the gap year workers posted this quote from Oswald Chambers on our Facebook page, and I believe it sums up this point beautifully:

"Put everything in your life afloat upon God, going out to sea on the great swelling tide of His purpose, and your eyes will be opened. If you believe in Jesus, you are not to spend all your time in the calm waters just inside the harbor, full of joy, but always tied to the dock. You have to get out past the harbor into the great depths of God, and begin to know things for yourself-begin to have spiritual discernment." -My Utmost For His Highest  

With your prayers and support along with the Lord's guidance this is what I desire to do, and my hope is that you too would be willing to let go of the fears and insecurities that are holding you back and surrender your life to Christ in order to fully experience the freedom and joy He has waiting for you. Thank you again for your prayers and support. As I leave tomorrow for England I can't wait to keep you updated on all the Lord is doing!

In Him,
Bethany Laughlin