26.2

I can't believe I'm all registered, but YES! I am signed up for the 2012 Chicago Marathon!  October 7th is the big day.  I will run the furthest distance of my life: 26.2 miles.

This has always been on my "bucket list" (if I don't first kick the bucket from training).  :) I've done the half marathon (13.1 miles) the past two falls and so I figure it is a great time as I'm young, single, and healthy to set my goals high and achieve!  Health has been big on my priority list for the past 3 or 4 months.  From simply eating healthy and working out a ton, I have lost 22 lbs!  I feel great!

I have started training for the big day.  A woman and friend from church is a marathon trainer and I meet up with her every Saturday morning at 6:45 am to go for our long runs on the lake.  We did 9 miles two weeks ago and hit 7 again yesterday.  It feels great to know that by 9 am we have started our day out right!  Then, throughout the week she instructs and challenges me via texts and calls.  Accountability is the best!

Pray for me as I train.  Clearly 26.2 miles is a big toll on the body.  My knees need to step up their game and get ready for this long hull.  I also am going to be doing a fundraiser for Sunshine as I run, more details to come!! Until then, go for a run.  It does the body good!

"New Found Love"

Isn't it so easy to claim the word "content?"  It is so easy to look "put together?"  My pride makes me look "secure".  I'm sure many of you thought that I was all these things: content, put together, secure.

But guess what?  Not so true.  Here I am.  Single.  Broken.

Why? Couldn't I be married or at least well on my way? Yup.  Isn't that just what  I want? Yup.  I have started down the path of dating more than a time or two with this goal in sight.  Dating has taken on different shapes and forms for me.  Those of you who have been direct witnesses to my life are probably laughing at that fact.  Wow have I learned a lot.

As I was in Florida for the past few weeks, God stripped away all my prideful fronts and left my heart out, open, exposed.  All that remained was the core of who I was in Him.  In this single season of life that I have now stepped into, the Lord has placed convictions and questions on my heart that I haven't dealt with in a long time.

One of my biggest dreams is that of being a wife and mother.  I want that, but have realized I wasn't content in being single for now.  You thought I was "put together" well... not so much.  I realized I was actually quite broken.   I'm realized I was even insecure in my singleness.   To spite the numerous friendships that could be taken to the next level right now, I have shut that door.

I tell my girls all the time that until they experience the love of Christ they won't even know how to truly love.  I need to take some of that advice.  Don't get me wrong, my relationship with Christ has been growing and solid these past few years.  I have met some great men of God that I know were in His will for me to build with.  Yet somehow the door always closes.  Our Abba Father has a way of catching our attention when he is JEALOUS.  He wants all of me.  He is the one that wants to be my Lover.  No man's attention can fill that first until he is the Ultimate Source.

Sound like a lot of ramblings about how I'm feeling?  Let me say this... I need to return to the contentment, wholeness, and security that I have in Christ.  I've looked for that in the wrong places.  Praise God that he wouldn't give me the desires of my heart until my desires were first for Him.  I have no doubt that the desires He has put on my heart and love that I have found are true.  Yet, I pray that He won't give me my desire until I am found in Him alone.

 I am at a place now where my Lover has let me find love.  He first loved us.  I will first love Him.  Then that love will fall into place. Content. Put together. Secure.

B. Reith's song: New Found Love, speaks perfectly to how I feel....

I don't want to make this harder than it needs to be. 

I can complicate things pretty easily. 

I just want to be a little smarter 

With the things that I already have 

Without having to add on to them. 

I took you for granted. I wasted so much time, 

Wailed to see the vantage point because I was blinded. 

But you waited so patiently for me to come around. 

I finally found you, oh. 

I've got a new found (love) 

I've got a new found love. 

It's always been around 

I've got a new found (love) 

I've got a new found love. 

It took me until now to find it. 

I was on the verge of breakdown 

For so many years 

Searching for a love 

To drive away these fears, yeah. 

I keep looking at the glass half empty 

But oh it is so full of things 

I've never seemed to notice before, yeah. 

But you waited so patiently 

For me to come around and finally, 

Finally I found it. 

I've got a new found love 

I've got a new found love. 

It's always been around 

I've got a new found love 

I've got a new found love. 

It took me until now to find it. 

Scales cover eyes until 

The light shines through and awakens us to all we've never seen. 

What a surprise that you would find me hear and invite me to your dream. 

Yeah I've got a new found love 

And it fell out the sky like a star from above. 

Up until now I never knew what it was. 

See it came out of nowhere and hit me like a mac truck, bam. 

It was always there I just never understood. 

I was sittin' right in front of somethin' that was so good 

To the one in my affection, call it a revival. 

I held it like this, see now I need it for survival. (Play Micheal) 

(X2) 

I've got a new found 

I've got a new found love. 

It's always been around 

I've got a new found 

I've got a new found love. 

It took me until now... (to find it).

Continuing from my previous post, the second half of my time in Florida was spent in Orlando at the Marriot World Center.  This was for the Young Life All Staff Celebration which consisted of all of the staff for Young Life from all over the world.  There were over 4,000 people who came together (filling the 2nd largest hotel in the US) that all had one vision: Reaching the furthest out kids for Christ.  If you're imagining what 4,000 youth workers look like coming together for week of fun and refreshment... those images are probably dead on.

We were spoiled.  This once-every-four-years event is to show appreciation for Young Life Staff.  They did exactly that.  We had amazing speakers: Tim Keller and Francis Chan, great times of worship, amazing weather for free-time of afternoons by the luxurious pool, and even surprises that blew us out of the water.  No pun intended because that literally was the theme: Sea World.  Yes, they rented out ALL of Sea World for us for one night.  Restaurants, rides, shows, all Young Life staff only.  You should have seen our faces when he told us to get out of our afternoon session and go get on buses! :) Like kids on Christmas! For free day we had our choice or Orlando's parks, so I spent the day at Disney World!! 

I came back from this trip with a tan, refreshed, and excited for all that God is doing in my heart, and grateful for the role Young Life has played in my world.

Systematic Theology Fuller Style

I just got back from two weeks in Florida.  Yes, I escaped the Chicago tundra for and average of 80* and sunny, but the first week of my trip consisted mostly of sitting in an air conditioned conference room listening to professors.  Sound terrible? I thought it would be.

This was year two of my training track for Young Life.  After taking a Fuller class with professor Chap Clark on Adolescence, I was excited to hear that these professors were husband and wife Cathy Barsotti and Rob Johnston.  Both of them are also Fuller professors with urban experience both in Chicago and Cali.  As they stepped into their teaching and training role for the week, not only did they teach with passion and heart, but it was presented in a fresh and challenging way.

Each topic was dissected by looking at the 5 things that have shaped our beliefs and theology thus far:
1. The Bible
2. Culture
3. Tradition
4. Local church/community
5. Personal experience

Upon looking at how these contributed, we were forced to see if the views we had were right or wrong, if they were biblical or not, and forced to examine.  Not that any of my theological positions drastically changed, but this holistic approach to how and why we believe was much different than being force fed theology as I have been accustomed to.

Though this graduate level class was crammed into one week and I felt like I had my mouth up to a fire hose for some of it, it was amazing.  As I continue to dissect what I learned (somewhat forcefully through post-class assignments) I am excited to process all of this even more.

Polar Bear Weekend

A few weeks ago we rallied 7 of our high school teens and headed to to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin for our first Young Life camp experience.  We joined 400 other Chicagoland high schoolers for a fall retreat called Polar Bear Weekend.   As you can see by the pictures, we had a great time.  Some of the teens we took, who are new to Sunshine, had some of the blinders fall off and began to hear and experience the gospel.  Pray that seeds will continue to be planted in their lives as we invest in them on a daily basis.  

One of my favorite moments was when Devonte, one of our seniors, volunteered to pray at the closing session with our group.  Not only did everyone's jaws drop, but he proceeded to go around the circle and pray for each of us individually.  God is truly moving.                                                     

As we got home another one of the boys asked one of the leaders about summer camp.  He was very persistent about knowing about the price.  Our leader responded, "Well before your Sunshine scholarship it is around $300 for each of you."  Our student said, "Ok.  Well then I'm going to get a job now, and save money for my spot.  How many other spots for teens do you think that I can save for by then?"  Clearly this one young man experienced the amazing things God can do at camp.  

Sunshine Christmas Store

Dear Friends, 

    The Sunshine Christmas Store is an annual opportunity to empower low-income families who otherwise may not have been able to afford quality Christmas gifts for their children.  Donations allow our parents to purchase gifts for $0.25 on the dollar that would otherwise be too expensive at most department stores. Our main goal is to share the love of Jesus Christ and the gift of salvation that he offers to the world. However, the Christmas season can be a painful time for parents who are not financially able to give gifts to their kids.  Our Store is just one of the many ways God has given us to show Christ’s love in a tangible way. 

     This is made possible through the generous support of churches, and individuals! We are asking for your support of our 2011 Christmas Store. We are asking for new, unwrapped items for children ages 0-18. Shopping for our store could easily become an annual church Christmas tradition.  We only ask that the gifts reflect sensitivity toward the African-American community we serve and that each donation would cost no more than 50 dollars.

    We have tried to make this as easy for you as possible.   As an option, we have registered as a Target List so for you who are out of town, a gift bought online can shipped straight to us at our building. (Address Below)  Our Target LIST name is: First Name: “Sunshine” and Last Name: “Gospel”, List Name: “Sunshine Christmas Store” and be accessed online or in stores. Of course, any other purchases can be sent to us or delivered.  Items needed include:

-Toys     -Games     -Clothes     -Baby Items     -Sports equipment     -Books     -DVDs and Electronics     -Wrapping Supplies

Final Drop–Off Date: Monday, Dec 5th 2011 9:00a.m.-4p.m.

Location:  Sunshine Gospel Ministries 500 E. 61^st Street Chicago, IL  60637

Christmas Store Date: Sat, Dec 10^th 2010 from 10:00a.m.-2:00p.m.

If you have any questions, please contact me at brost@sunshinegospel.org or 773.493.0656

Sincerely,

Brittney Rost

                                                        Christmas Store Coordinator

Education

Education has been on my heart and mind.  As we work with the kids in our neighborhood, the inadequacies of education flood every aspect of their lives.  As we sit in tutoring we see many of their scores behind, yet the real wake up call as struck me as I have stepped into their schools.  Over the past year I have been volunteering at Hyde Park Academy: our neighborhood high school.  As I have developed relationships there, spent time in classrooms, the lunchroom, or built with students, my eyes have been opened.

This is Hyde Park:
-It is ranked as a level 3 school, the lowest standing a Chicago public school can receive and is currently on probation
-Out of 1,800 students enrolled, the attendance rate is 73%
-Students meeting or exceeding testing standards: Reading 20.3%, Math 7.4%, and Science 8.4%
-The graduation rate is 47.1%

I'm sure that after you read these stats you feel the same way I do, a bit hopeless, yet concerned as to the changes that need to happen.  My weekly involvement in the school seems to just be a drop of water in the vast ocean.  Yet as I build relationship on top of relationship I pray that God will give me the wisdom and guidance as to best point these kids, who seem to be lost in the system, to the hope they have in Him.

As to the kids in our programs, we have started to be proactive in their education.  High schools in Chicago work different than most places.  Kids naturally go to their neighborhood high school, which in our case is Hyde Park.  Yet, if they score well enough in their 8th grade testing, they can apply for selective enrollment schools, which are the ones outside of our neighborhood and throughout the entire city. This requires testing, applications, and parental involvement, much like what most know as college applications.

By the grace of God most of our 8th graders have scored above the bar for their 8th grade testing and have met the minimum for selective enrollment applications.  So the fight begins.  We have begun to attend selective enrollment high school's open houses.  Our first was this past weekend at Walter Payton high school downtown.

Please be in prayer for our kids who are both in the rough schools and trying to find a better option.  With a lot of prayer and a lot of fight, we pray that we can begin to change lives from victims of the systems to victors.