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Tag Archive - Community

Standing in the Gap

July 6, 2011 in Church Planting, Faith, Family, Life Experience, Ministry, Missions, Paseo with 20 Comments

A few posts ago, I asked what you wanted me to write about and you guys gave me some GREAT topics. So, I decided to go with my friend, Crystal’s, request first:

write about life as a missionary and the challenges and joys that come with it… as well as the life of redemption God is currently walking you through. what are you learning? what is God showing you to work on (cause we all know none of us have arrived yet).

I never thought I’d be a missionary. If I’m completely honest… I thought coming out after my affair would take me out of ministry permanently mostly because I was always taught sinners don’t have a place on the platform. Good thing that’s not true.

In fact, God not only restored Brian and my marriage but He’s currently redeeming our faith journey.

Being missionaries has been fulfilling and at the same time, absolutely alienating. We are in a foreign land. El Paso is in Texas, but we can LITERALLY see Mexico from where we are. Everyone here speaks Spanish. Everyone but us. I feel like I’m standing in the gap between “I know my purpose” and “what have I gotten myself into?”.

As surrounded and as embraced as we are by Paseo… we still don’t feel like we fit in. I still think this move was the best thing for our family unit. We’ve gotten to test the core of our family a bit in all this, and I can’t say I’m disappointed. I’m just saying following God’s call isn’t easy. However…

Community is happening here. Ministry is happening here.

In fact, Brian just left to go play poker at a nearby bar/restaurant. He goes, because there are regulars there. He goes because we’ve decided to be a PART of the community here… not call them to gather around us. Brian goes because two weeks ago, he got to share our story with a man there who isn’t churched. And in that conversation, that man asked Brian to meet with him regularly to talk about life… as it’s really lived. So Brian goes.

Our next door neighbor is going through a divorce. A divorce that is not his first choice. His Mom was just here for a month so she could watch his 4 year-old, Kristian, while he was on duty. He’s in the military so he’s gone days at a time. His estranged wife, who is abusive in ways that are unspeakable, agreed to sign divorce papers and hand over custody of Kristian if he would pay her a small amount (yes, she basically sold her child to him). He’s hurting. His little boy is hurting. So Chance and Paxton play with him. I share my wireless internet access with them.

I sat at their kitchen table talking to his Mom for two hours two weeks ago. I just listened. To the hurting heart of a mother for her beloved son and grandson. Of the grief over the dissipating dreams of having a relationship with her only daughter-in-law. Pain.

As much as I can’t yet say I fit in, I know without a doubt we are called here. We truly love the people and culture of El Paso. I don’t believe we’re called here to be healers or to fix anything. I feel we’re just called to actively BE here and let others know they’re not alone.

So… here we are..
… the whole Clayville Clan…
… with no agenda…
… just standing in the gap…
… till they let Jesus fill it in.

And in the times I’m most homesick for what is most familiar… I remember… not everyone gets to be and do what I’m being and doing. Not everyone takes the challenge to truly live.

Carpe Diem!
How are YOU seizing the day?

The Resnick Family: How You Can Help

May 25, 2009 in Family, Friends, Resnick Updates with 36 Comments

People are incredible in crisis.

Scott & Holly’s friends have AMAZINGLY helped me fill the Resnick’s FIRST MONTHS worth of lunches and dinners AS WELL AS scheduled weekly “Household Needs” runs at Target within the first 24 hours. Saying “Thank you” doesn’t seem even close to being enough right now.

I realized in the chaos of this crisis, many of you are left wondering what really happened, how’s Holly, how’s the kids, etc. So, here’s the info/update.

*Scott Resnick was piloting the Lancair IV late Friday night on his way to his uncle’s funeral in the state of Arizona when something went terribly wrong and the plane went down. Scott had another pilot friend, **Daylon Harrington (age 25) on board. Both did not survive. Of course, Holly and the children are devastated. Holly’s best friend, Erin, is staying at her house and taking care of her EVERY need. Holly has barely left her room since she heard the news and time is standing still for her. She’s completely heart-broken but she is SO strong. She doesn’t even know how strong she is. Though she is not really responding to any messages, she IS reading everyone’s encouraging and loving emails and Facebook messages.

I know many of you want to help. Below, I am listing out different opportunities we can all get involved and who to contact for those opportunities.

1. HOUSEKEEPING - Many have offered to help clean and do laundry, but at this time, the less people coming in and out of Holly’s home, the better. Marni Renison has arranged for a house cleaner to come to her house on a weekly basis and will be taking a collection for her to have this done. Feel free to contribute what you feel most comfortable with, but we’re suggesting at least $25. You can also email Marni (mkrenison[at]yahoo[dot]com) for how to get your contribution to her.

2. HOUSEHOLD NEEDS - We have people running to pick up household needs and specific groceries for Holly once a week. However, that can get expensive. The solution??? Gift cards! You can contribute by getting gift cards from TARGET and ALBERTSONS. If you’re having a difficult time choosing which one to go to, there is a bigger need for Target since that’s where we’ll be getting most of our weekly household items. If this is your choice of contribution, please email me at jenni[at]jenniclayville[dot]com for my mailing address.

3. ”MAN LIST” JOBS - This is where we need some men. Landscaping, Electrical Work, Appliance Work, etc. William Efird is heading this up. You can contact William (william.efird[at]lennoxind[dot]com) to get on this calendar list.

4. THE KIDS (Kiel, Reilly, Ireland & Kelton) - Leslie Burton is making a book for each of Scott & Holly’s kids and needs your help. If you could all just write even one paragraph of a great memory that you have of Scott, this will be something they can cherish in the future. Please email this to Leslie (burtons11[at]juno[dot]com)and type the word “MEMORY” in the subject line.

5. WE NEED PICTURES & VIDEO - Janet Fraser is heading up this project for the Memorial Service. If you have pictures or video of Scott, please load them HERE. The login and password are: scottresnick

Holly is one of my very closest friends and watching her go through this is just about the most devastating thing I’ve ever experienced. Holly will NEVER be the same. I know you all want to see her, but she REALLY needs time and space right now. It’s gonna be a long road ahead, so I thank you in advance for your patience, support and giving her the flexibility that she will need. Our amazing God and the community He’s provided is carrying her through this. Holly will emerge stronger than ever through your love and prayers… I have NO doubt of this. In all of this: God is STILL good and God is STILL God.

Memorial service arrangements are currently being planned. It looks like it will be at least 2 weeks out. I will let you know when the time and date is set.

On a personal note… thank you also for the loving and encouraging notes you’ve sent to me. I’m sorry if I haven’t responded, but I have close to 150 emails pouring in about Holly per day, so I’m bound to miss a few. Please be patient with me as well.

Feel free to forward this post to anyone who may want to know. If anyone wants to be added to the email update/help list, please have them email me and I will gladly include them.

Thank you again for all of your love and prayers! Holly knows… and she’s grateful.

—————————

* Scott’s parent’s, Rudi and Shelley, just returned home from Shelley’s brother’s funeral. Shelley not only lost a son, but her brother too all in one month. (Thanks, Chris, for reminding me to put this up)

** Daylon was single. Daylon’s parents, Gary and Val, live in the Medford area and attend Trail Church. His Memorial Service is set for next Saturday at 4pm. Gary and Val do NOT have email, but they are monitoring Daylon’s Facebook page.

Worship Confessional 09.07.08 – First Day at my New CHURCH!

September 8, 2008 in Ministry, Worship, Worship Confessional with 1 Comment

Yesterday morning was my first day leading worship as the “Worship Pastor” at Church! at Bethany. It was exciting and strange all at the same time.

It was very obvious to me that I was NOT getting ready to go lead at Sunset. That was really weird and a bit bittersweet. I mean, I’m growing up, so really, it was only so long till I was no longer relevant to students though I’ll always have a heart and passion for them. I was also heading out the door to work with a different team.

I think one of the toughest things is preparing how to interact with people you don’t really know. My old team just KNEW me. That was nice.

However, I have always believed that CHANGE is good. Brian and I absolutely LOVE our new pastor, Matt. He’s authentic and just says it like it is. There’s no guess work with Matt. What you see is what you get. I don’t ever go home thinking, “Hmmm… when he said this, did he mean…” and I never feel like I’m imposing. If I have a question, I text him or email him and he gets back to me almost immediately.

What’s great about a church plant/small church is the COMMUNITY is a bit more obvious and easier to find. Because we don’t have a building and are currently using Stoller Middle School on Sunday mornings, we are a 100% portable church. It’s like setting up for camp every Sunday. We HAVE to be organized (if you know me… you’ll know I love love LOVE organizing and BEING organized).

Tiring, but definitely team building.

Everyone pulls together to work together. You see everyone’s love for each other and how much they are absolutely SOLD OUT to God.

Yesterday’s set was:

Meet With Me – Ten Shekel Shirt
Not To Us – Chris Tomlin
Devotion – Hillsong
Hosanna – Hillsong
Heart of Worship – Matt Redman
Grace Like Rain – Todd Agnew

Matt started his series on The Leader Within from Nehemiah. Nehemiah started his leadership ON HIS KNEES. Something, I can’t say I do enough of. Matt challenged us to seek out God’s heart – to ask God to break our hearts with the things that break his. That’s a scary thing to ask… because if you really mean it, your heart not going to hurt, but you’re going to grieve deeply.

However, I’m taking on the challenge.

Overall… Though I miss my old church of 8 years and some of my best friends over at Sunset, I feel overly humbled and privileged to be a part of Church! at Bethany. I know God is moving and doing some incredible things here in Portland, Oregon. We need all hands on deck here in P-town, and I know Sunset is more than capable of doing it without me.

Church! at Bethany is where I’m supposed to be right now – I love adventures!