Walk beside me to Common Ground Montgomery this summer! I have the privilege of serving in Urban ministry this summer in neighborhoods that are under resourced and stressed in many ways. I get to live in a neighborhood with the children and be apart of their lives while coming alongside them with truth.
I have officially started packing! Piles are making their way to the living room and deciding what's essential is a breeze for a girl! (Not!) Lists are being made of things to remember and laundry is being done. I leave Monday morning around 8:30AM. I'm riding up with James Bryars, we were on the same team in Brasil last summer. I am so excited and ready to be in Montgomery! A Facebook (social networking website that a lot of College students use) group has been created for this summer so some of the interns have been talking some and it's been so sweet to see everyones enthusiasm! Interns are coming this summer from Alabama, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. I was talking with Ava (an intern who is coming this summer) who got to visit over Spring Break and what she said got me really excited, as well as, left me speechless "The poor, the hungry, the needy, the abandoned, I've never seen that before like I did in Montgomery. I felt like I was back in the slums of Africa again. But yet, I was in the United States of America."
I look forward to updating you all again from Montgomery!!
Finals are wrapped up and the school year has ended, yahoo! While this joyous occasion has met me I’ve also come to a screeching halt of reality. In these past days and weeks I’ve begun to prepare my heart and myself the best way that I can for this summer. This summer is completely unfamiliar to me. I’ve had the privilege and grace to be able to be apart of campus outreach for 4 years where they have taught me, trained me, and spurred me on in walking with Christ for a lifetime. However, this summer God has called me away and to something he has given me a heart for, the poor. It’s a reality I don’t want to ignore. Violence, gangs, abuse, starvation, neglect..these things are all a reality that are intricately involved in these children and families daily lives. So while I’ve come to this halt of reality..questions pop into my mind constantly “How will I relate to a child who gets beat at home?” “What are ways that I can establish trust with a child who may not trust me?” “How can I comfort a child who doesn't get full meals everyday?" "How do I prepare for my life to be so broken and shifted from this summer?"“What are the best ways I can strategically invest in these children and tell them of the radical life changing Jesus of the bible” “I am so not equipped for this!” However, He is. One theme that screams out is that all of these questions, at their root, are about me. I can so see my flesh here jumping up and down in front of me saying, “Look at meee! Ohh ohh I need attention! Think about what I’m saying! I know you well and you tend to mess up a lot!” Time to hit the Emergency brake, these are not thoughts I want to entertain!” Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:1-3. The Lord hasn’t called me to this summer because I am equipped. If I were equipped it would automatically change to being all about me instead of all about Him. “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8. Satan wants me to be so distracted with thoughts about my inadequacies and myself; he wants me to be as ineffective as possible. So I’ve got to battle..make war on my sin..grab scripture..apply it and die to myself.This life..this summer..isn’t about me. Please join me in prayer in the weeks before I go and please continually pray as I am there. Pray that that these children would come to know Him at an early age, that they would see the God of the bible and not what they have perceived him to be, that I would constantly have a submitting heart, that the counselors would faithfully pray and invest in these children, that His glory will shine in the West side of Montgomery, that these truths this summer would shake us and the children at the core, for the consolers..that we would be united, for the staff in leading us and the children. I am in awe that I get to share the gospel with these children; I get to tell people about Christ! I am so grateful for you all and look forward to updating you from onsite!
Here are two links that you can watch about this summer! Be sure to pause the music that's at the very bottom of this page. It's in a playlist..it's a black box that has "Brittany Freemans playlist" above it, you can also change the song if you like! Please click on the videos below and watch!
At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.
Deuteronomy 15:7, 11
If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother.There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.
Isaiah 41:17
The poor and needy search for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. But I the Lord will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
