Friday night we were honored to participate at E.S.T.H.E.R's Back 2 School Event.
E.S.T.H.E.R is a single mother's ministry that encourages, strengthens, teaches, helps, equips and restores women of all ages with different situations.
Some women are widows, but most of them are women who aren't married and don't know the father, or the father is not around and doesn't pay child support. Most of these women (on average) have 4 kids each. It's so crazy to hear the stories of what these wonderful women have been through.
My mother in law is one of the "main ladies" who runs Esther. Because of this, I've been able to experience this ministry first-hand. I've made phone calls, helped in their warehouse, etc. But this Friday David and I chose some youth from our church and created a worship band that night. A lot of these women had never been to church before, and the love and care that they received that night changed many hearts.
The Back 2 School night is an event where they are provided with many free resources for their children such as hair cuts, games, food, fellowship and prayer, and backpacks filled with supplies such as markers, crayons, colored pencils, glue, erasers, spiral notebooks, and 3-ring binders. Their faces are always priceless when they get their new backpacks. It's very heart-warming to impact these children who have not received as many "things" as many other Americans.
We sang three songs. This is our old church. Well, kind of.
When I moved here, we were leading worship at this church for 4 months. Then, we knew we would have to leave because David needed a full-time position leading worship at another church in order for us to make the bills. Plus, their worship ministry is AMAZING, and we both feel called to build up a worship ministry. The church we are now attending and working at is allowing us to do exactly that. Something really on my heart is to maybe do a once-a-week thing where students and young adults come over to our condo and get trained specifically in worship ministry. This is still only a desire, and has not been put into action until a few things happen first.
But in order to get this thing rolling, we invited the youth to play with us at this event. They were nervous (coming from a congregation of about 200 people to playing at a church where the stage is the size of their sanctuary, and about 800 people are looking at you) but they did fantastic. I've included some pictures below of the event:
On Saturday I went to Ruthie's baby shower, a friend of mine.
The theme of his birth is a jungle theme. The party was decorated in jungle beanie babies and mini wooden statues of elephants and giraffes. Later when I was able to see his room, the same thing was in there. Here are some pictures I took of the shower and his room. I can't wait to meet Anthony!
Lauren Sievers made this cake. Isn't she incredible??
Ruthie's on the right. She's so cute!
And now pictures of the fabulous nursery:
Awww... I want a baby now... just kidding. I'll wait a few years. ;-)
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