Been a While

Wow! It's hard to belive that in one month, the First Years are going to be joining us. I cant wait for them to come though, its going to be AMAZING! Our time as just second years is coming to an end, and I have to say, these people are amazing. We have grown so much together and have become, literally, best friends. Im just stoked that together, we get to lead the First Years and still continue to grow ourselves. With all of this being said, that means that Christmas break is coming around the corner super soon. I am so excited to go home and see my family and my beautiful baby niece.

This fall has been super stretching, but I wouldnt trade any experience for the world. From cleaning, to ministry trips, to preaching - God has done some awesome things in my life and I give Him all the Glory for that!

Until the next time,
Kourtni

Aaah!

So here I am one full, good month into Masters. It has been stretching, and I think that my eyes have been open quite a bit. We had our first review meetings the other day, and it was just what I thought it would be. I know that there are things that I need to work on, but it is so different when it comes from my leadership. One of the many things that I love about Micah and Radonna is that when they give me advice or talk to me about something that I need to work on, they dont make me feel stupid. They dont put me down - they speak the truth to me in love, and that is something that I am striving to do, speak through love. I have definately had some downfalls this fall, but with them encouraging me to keep going and not giving up on me and no matter how many talks I have to have with Radonna, I know that they love me and they support me.

I am trying to mature as one, a person, and two a Christ-Follower. I just need stay planted in the word and prayer and eventually I will get there. I dont ever want to be satisfied with how or where I am, I want to always want more.

All in all, Masters is going great. My life is going great. I feel so honored and priviledged to be a part of what PVC is doing.

-Kourtni

God holds you when you hurt ..

God holds you when you hurt. I found that to be very true last night. I have an awesome older brother who I love and miss with all my heart, but I dont get to talk to him very much. I called him last night because I havent talked to him since I've been back to Masters. We had a normal conversation at the beginning. Just catching up, had a few laughs. Then he talks to me about whats going on in is life, and my heart started breaking. I'm not going to go into detail, just pray for him and his family. I hate that my big brother is going through a rough time, but there isnt anything that I can do about it but pray for him. He knows the Truth, but he isnt living it - and that alone is heartbreaking. Last night whenever I got off the phone with him I went into my room to go to sleep. Its late and Im trying to be quiet because Kelsey and Heather are trying to sleep but I cant help but just bawl. Heather and Kelsey being the awesome best friends that they are, prayed for me, hugged me and told me that it was going to be ok. I believed them and I know that God is bigger than any problem that anyone can have, but I felt like I needed something more at the moment. I got in my bed and cried those silent pillow tears once agan. I realized that Im not where I need to be spiritually and I to have things that I need to get right. So I layed there and cried and cried and prayed and prayed - and then all of a sudden, I felt this peace and it's almost like I could feel His arms wrapping around me and drawing me close and telling me that everything was going to be alright. I fell asleep peacefully and woke up the same way. I know that my God is a big God. I know that my God is a powerful God. Im trusting in him and Im giving everything to him. He will not hurt me, and He will not forsake me. It just brings this scripture to my head again ..

"For I know the plans I have for you, delcares the Lord. Plans to propser you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future" - Jeremiah 29:11

God is good, I love Him.


-- This song is an amazing song --

You are my hope - skillet

Times are hard Times have changed Don't you say But I keep holding on to you It's hard to keep the faith alive day to day Leaning on the strength I've found in you You're the hope of all the Earth You are my hope You are my strength You're everything Everything I need You are my hope You are my life You are my hope You are my hope Far beyond what I can see or comprehend Etching your eternity in me Nations stream and angels sing, "Jesus reigns" And every knee bows down You're the hope of all the Earth You are my hope You are my strength You're everything Everything I need You are my hope You are my life You are my hope You are my hope Carry on and I sing of how You love and I love you now All the times that I start to sink You come and you rescue me You are my hope You are my hope

-Axis-

Last night Masters was in Axis to do the drama "Holding Out Hope" for the closing of Joes service. The service last night was AMAZING! - Everytime I am in Axis it just amazes me how Joe keeps the attention of all those Highschool students, and how much they respect him. The current series that Joes has been doing is - "How to Save a Life." It was such a powerful service last night. Right before we went up to the drama the parents of a girl who died in a car wreck came and spoke about her life. Her name was Cassie and she used to go to Axis, until August 23rd of last year when she passed away. It was just an emotional service. So after they finish talking, we have to go straight up there and do our drama. Im sitting in the back just crying and crying .. so as I am walking up to the front Im hardcore wiping my tears away! The drama was powerful -just looking into the audience while we are doing it - seeing those teenagers faces and their tears - hardcore.

I love doing Axis. It is super cool.

Just my random thoughts about last night!

Holy Discontent

So my thoughts on the book .. It was a really good book. It made me realize that my efforts do matter. It challenged me to get off of my tush and get into action. Bill Hybels talked alot about our "Firestorms of Frustration", and he said that when we get to the point to where we just cant stand anymore - do something about it! .. The book was very repetative, but he brought out some really good points. If you havent read it, you should!

Reading or Football?

So I was faced with a question that was hard - Should I go to Buffalo Wild Wings and watch the COWBOYS or stay back and finish my reading and book report?! - It shouldnt be, but it was, a tough question to answer lol =) I decided that I should stay back and finish my student responsibilities. I have this problem, and I have had it for a while - a little something called Procrastination. Here I am, the day before the book report is due and I still have the majority of the book to read. I have no one to blame but myself .. and I hate it. I have been reading ever since church got out this afternoon, so I decided to take a little break and blog for a minute.

The book that I am reading is a really good book though, "Holy Discontent" by Bill Hybels. It is teaching me alot. Let me get off of here and finish reading it (i'm almost done) and then I post my thoughts about.

Oh, so the lesson for today - when it comes to football or reading? (HAVE YOUR READY DONE!) =) lol

Once again, God is amazing!

So today was an all around amazingly surprising day. I preached my first sermon in Mexico. Can I just say how amazing that is?! Not that I did anything special, because I didnt .. but to be used by God in a differnt country spreading his word, that is truly amazing! Surprisingly enough, I was not nervous at all when I got up there and I didnt have to look at my notes near as much. I realized sitting in the van on the way home from Mexico, that this is what I want to do. I never thought that I would want to get up in front of people and share my heart - but I do. My heart is Jesus and I want to share it! I thank him so much for this opportunity and the many more that will come.

God has shown me several times in the past few days that if I just depend on him, everything will work out how it is supposed to. I am truly blessed to be here. I cant stop thinking that!

What a Week ..

All I can say about my time back at Masters Commission is .. WOW! .. I am serioulsy so blessed to be here and I cant think of anything else I would rather be doing with my time. There have been times last year when I have doubted being here and when I have just wanted to pack up and go home and say forget it all, but something inside of me knew better than that. I am so super glad that I stayed and stuck it out. Now I am a second year, and once again, couldnt picute me being anywhere else. God has called me here to this place, for this season in my life, and I fully intend on doing and being everything that I can be.

I have already done some stretching things this fall that I thought I would never do. I preached my first sermon in sermon groups last week and tomorrow I am preaching in Mexico with Micah. I never thought that I would be able to do that, but with God I can do anything. I feel so conifdent with him by my side, knowing that he will never let me go. God is just pure amazing.

Oh, and did I mention anywhere in here that I, Kourtni Burke, changed a flat tire?! Thanks to Heather, we got it changed! - Just wanted to throw that one in there.

Im going to get off of here now and shower and hit the sheets. Tomorrow we have a long day ahead of us, and I cant wait!