Corteasia

"They suddenly recognize that God is a living, personal presence, not a piece of chiseled stone. And when God is personally present, a living Spirit, that old, constricting legislation is recognized as obsolete. We're free of it! All of us! Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him." (2 Corinthians 3:17, 18 MSG)


As many of you know, we just returned from North Carolina for a spring break trip (another post to come).  One of the 7 girls that we took was Corteasia.  Corteasia had never been any further than Indiana and definitely had never been on a trip taking her out of her comfort zone like this one. 


Throughout the week I could tell that God was chipping away at her heart.  On the last night at our host family's home, I huddled the girls up on the bed and we sat and debriefed the week.  They all went around sharing what their highlights were, what they learned, and how they experienced Christ.  As Corteasia's turn came around, she shared how she was beginning to feel Christ work in her our first day at church.  As we talked, I, along with 3 of our girls, were able to share the gospel with her from beginning to end.  She had been around Sunshine for about a year, long enough to have heard bits and pieces, but this time it clicked.  As I shared about the resurrection and the Holy Spirit filling us, her face lit up.  She accepted Christ that night and we had a great celebration party right then and there as the angels looked down and rejoiced with us!  


Pray for Corteasia.  Her joy is so overflowing right now and the faith of a new believer is so contagious.  Pray she stands strong and even as she is placed back in her world in Chicago, her light will shine bright.