summer time=happy time

Everyone has their "list of things to do for the summer".
And I definitely have mine.


But, this morning as I was settling into some time with my Jesus I was reminded how insignificant most of those things are compared to knowing Him even more deeply.
I was moved to begin to read through the Gospels.


For those that are maybe less familiar with the Bible, those are the first four books of the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) and give accounts of the life and ministry of Jesus.


I wanted to begin to read through these books this summer like I had never read them before in my life. I wanted to be reintroduced to this man named Jesus and be completely captivated by His life and His love.


I didn't even get past Matthew Chapter 1.

Yes, it does kick off with the exciting genealogy of Jesus.
I usually skip that part.
All the way from Abraham to Uzziah to Hezekiah to Jacob to the Man Himself. That passage doesn't usually stir my soul.

However, I began to think about how God perfectly orchestrated this moment in history. Generation to generation, He was preparing the universe for Himself on this earth. God didn't just haphazardly decide when He would plop baby Jesus down in a manger. Every historical event and scenario was planned around this.
Just an example of how our God perfectly puts the details into place. In the big things like sending His Son to this earth and the seemingly small situations in our lives.


For those that may have been followers for awhile, it is very possible for our time in God's Word to lose its luster, beauty and mystery.
But just like in an earthly romance, we have to continue to find new, exciting ways to keep the romance alive! That could be having time with Him in a new place or setting, finding some like-minded friends to study the Word with or choosing a specific book or topic to study.

May we not allow this love to grow cold or weak. Rather, fight to protect it and put it above everthing that life tries to put in its place.
I'm hoping to discover some new things that were not apparent to me before. I want to venture farther into the endless frontier that is knowing and experiencing Him!

How great that we are called to "press forward" and "look to what is ahead" in our journey with Him(Philippians 3)!

Dressing With Selfless Style Part 1

Mystique.
That's not a word we hear used very often in our society today.
Mystique simply means keeping the sacred things sacred.
When a woman carelessly exposes her body, her heart and her most intimate secrets to just anyone, she strips herself of all mystery, intrigue and fascination.
Feminine mystique is something that is severely lacking in our world today and in most Christian circles. But our King is stirring many to reclaim what was once dragged through the mud and raise it to heavenly heights.

I'm talking about much more than just being "modest".
Some think that being modest means you have to wear baggy, frumpy clothes that cover up any feminine beauty that is there.
A woman who exudes true feminine beauty dresses to reflect the joy and radiance that is overflowing from her heart.
She dresses to honor the men around her.
Her outward beauty is an expression of the transformation that has taken place inside of her.
Her goal is to point people's eyes to Jesus, not herself.

Here is the key principle to dressing selflessly-to dress as a daughter of the King rather than a product of pop culture. To lay down the pursuit of gaining the applause and approval of the world and to live for His smile alone.

I know that I have definitely struggled through the many practicalities of what is pleasing to Him and what is not but before you get into the logistics of it, here are some questions to prayerfully ask yourself.

-Does the way I dress place value on the status symbols and materialism of the world?
-Am I so consumed with keeping my look up to date that I spend a large amount of time and energy shopping for the latest trends? Am I insecure and uncomfortable if I'm not wearing the latest fads?
-Do I secretly look down on people that are not wearing the current styles?
-Is there anything in my appearance that is sending the wrong message to the world about what my true priorities are?

Remember, it is more than possible to dress stylishly without being enslaved to the world's trends and status symbols. However, it's important to recognize thatit is not a woman's clothing or sense of style that gives her grace and dignity-but the Christlike radiance that exudes from her inner being.

The true gentleman of yesteryear were not enticed by sensual outfits but were captivated by true feminine beauty and grace. When a lady walked into the room, he noticed the sparkle of her eyes and the radiance of her smile, not the outline of her body. You can encourage this outlook in our generation by dressing with selfless dignity.

Showing Skin. Here is the most helpful standard I have found when it comes to showing skin: any area of your body that can be associated with sensuality is not to be touched or seen by anyone except your husband or future husband. For example, there's nothing sensual about touching someone's elbow. Many times a gentleman may take a woman by the arm if he is escorting her. However, places like upper thighs or stomach are associated with sensuality therefore are not appropriate places for touch or to be seen. Upper chest, thighs, stomach-these might seem like harmless areas to show off but if you were married and wanted to stay that way, you wouldn't allow another guy to touch you in any of those places? So why would you allow another guy to have the privilege of loooking at what was meant for your husband alone?

Tight and Form-Fitting. Clothes that are worn tightly can be just as sensual as clothes that reveal alot of skin. It's really the same rule of thumb. A turtleneck might not show any skin whatsoever, but if it is extrememly tight in the chest area, you are leaving very little to the imagination for any guy who happens to look your way. The same goes with skirts and pants. They might cover every inch of skin, but if they cling too snugly to your figure, you are allowing guys to view what is only meant for your husband.

"Make it your goal that when a guy looks at you, he will notice the light of Christ in your eyes and the radiance of your smile rather than being distracted by the outline of your body." ~Leslie Ludy


While we don't want to get carried away with a whole list of rules, as representatives of King Jesus, we must be held to higher standards than what this world might call "normal".

When our chief aim is to bring glory to Christ; when we are far more consumed with Him than the trivial things of the world; and when we learn to put others above ourselves-we will excel at the lost art of social grace and dressing with dignity.

What are some helpful tips or standards that have assisted you in dressing for your King and not for the world?

To go a little deeper and find some helpful resources, here are some great websites to check out.
www.setapartgirl.com
www.girlsgonewise.com
www.purefashion.com
www.beautifullymodest.com

The Endless Frontier.

So many times in Christianity we are comparing ourselves to the people around us with a self-righteous attitude that sounds something like:
"Well, at least I'm not dressing like that."
"At least my boyfriend and I didn't go that far."
"I could be listening to worse music."

This is a miserable counterfeit for the standard that as followers of Christ we should be striving for. We are looking at what everyones else (the world and other Christians) is doing and saying that looks "good enough".

This is not what Christ followers are supposed to look like.
We are supposed to be representing a Kingdom.
Living lives of dignity and honor that are literally a picture of heaven on earth.

This can be summed up in a picture called "The Endless Frontier".
This is a topic preached on by Eric Ludy and you can hear his full sermon at www.ellerslie.com.

Basically, most Christians live their lives as if we were standing on the edge of the cliff. We're trying to see how close we can get to the edge without falling over. We watch as our friends jump off and go way beyond what we would so we look pretty good because we're still standing there.

But Jesus is behind you. He is the opposite direction completely away from what the world is going for. And He wants you to run in that direction! You need to have a constant holy discontentment in your faith-to never be satisfied with what you have learned and experienced but always be after MORE of Jesus!

Many times, we've taken one step toward Him and we want to stop. We want to say "Look, how far I've come!" But in reality, that's just ONE step! Jesus has 10,000 more steps He wants you to take toward Him. Sure, you're one step ahead of 99% of the rest of the population but don't pitch your tent! There's no tent pitching in the Christ life! If you stop here, what about the other 9,999 steps He has waiting for you! Imagine what you're going to miss! Hebrews 4:1, "Let us fear lest we fall short of the promise being left us!"

We never reach a point of "arrival" as believers. There is always more to go!
This thing doesn't end when you've reached some spiritual level.
There's more of Him to be experienced, depths of His Word yet to be discovered, and more of our lives to lay at His feet.


Here's the secret: give up your life. All of it. And never take it back.
When you give up your life, you get all of Him!

"Not that I have obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own because Jesus Christ has made me His own. Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way..only let us hold true to what we already know."-Philippians 3:12-16

So, take off with all that you have and don't look back.

Acts 20:24

I do not count this life as my own
Only to be Yours, Lord
Only to be Yours

I won't hold to the things of this world
Only to be Yours, Lord
Only to be Yours

This is my confession
You're my one only obsession
I wanna be Yours, Lord
I wanna be Yours

I will do what You've called me to
Only to be Yours, Lord
Only to be Yours

And I'll give my life as You asked me to
Only to be Yours, Lord
Only to be Yours

Would you take it, hold it
Please make and mold it
Until it's Yours
Until I'm Yours

Philippians 3:8

Oh, there is much that could be blogged about. These past few months have been full of the Lord digging deep, me resisting, Him pursuing, and me finally letting Him go there with me.

I am acutely aware at this moment of my desperate need for Christ. Period.
To be in a right relationship with my Heavenly Father, yes. But even beyond, in the smallest corners of my life, it is evident.
He has been quick to remind me who is running this show and it certainly isn't me.
This quote from one of my favorite authors presents this truth:

“Why do we stop short of the incredible vision of radiant, set-apart femininity(or masculinity) He desires to showcase in and through our lives? Because we don’t truly grasp our utter helplessness; our absolute desperate need for all that He is. We don’t understand that apart from Him, we have nothing, we are nothing, and we can accomplish nothing. We are still lookingwithin ourselves to find beauty and strength that can come only from Him.”

On my own abilities, determination, will-power, knowledge, goodness, I really can't do much.

Apart from Him, I can do NOTHING.

I have learned that when I try, things fall apart completely. But when I am quick to lay on my face before Him every morning, hand it all back to Him and say "Do what you want with it", life just works.

There IS pain and resistance when He tries to loosen my grip on things I have held so dear. But I want to count it all as garbage for the sake of Christ! I truly want my feelings, needs, wants, comforts and conveniences to take a backseat so that Christ may be proclaimed!

she's in love.

Found these song lyrics today by a band called According to John. May the Lover of our soul captivate us so completely that it is so evident in our life to others!



What a beautiful smile
A radiant girl
Fell in love first time I saw her
She stays on my mind
I’d give anything
To know everything about her

There’s light in her eyes
And I know it’s all for Him
She carries on and on
Like He was her best friend

Chorus:

She’s in love
It’s not hard to see
But I would like to believe it was with me
Someone got a hold of her heart
And He won’t let go

And I know
She’s in love
She looks to the sky
When she talks about Him

She believes He hung the moon
Said He had to go away
She waits for his return
Says He’s coming for her soon

How can this be fair?
This guy can walk on water
Don’t guess I’ve got a prayer
He’s written love letters to reach her

She worships the ground He walks on
She just smiles when she says His name
It’s a match made in heaven
I can’t compete with the King of Kings

AND....

After much interviewing, waiting and praying, the Lord has made it clear that I am to be serving Him in West Africa this coming summer!! Waaaaaaahooooooo!!! Much more about this to come later! For now, I just want to praise Him for His sovereignty in this decision and am pumped to see all that He is going to do! Praying now that He would give be brokeness, compassion and anguish over the people I will encounter.

The Call of Christ...

Praying for His direction for my summer and this stirs my heart to be ready and willing to go wherever He tells me to! May they know how wide and long and deep and high is the love of Christ!

The Ultimate Romantic Gesture

Read this today and was overwhelmed at the passionate love my God has for me! Be encouraged!

Jesus's death was the ultimate romantic gesture of the most pure and perfect love imaginable. Imagine Christ down on one knee, showing you His bloody, nail-scarred palms, saying,

"I did this for you so that I could set you free from sin and death, transform you from a beggar into a royal princess, and make you My own for all eternity. I did this so that My life could invade your being and consume every aspect of your existence. Every moment you are awake, I desire to reveal more of Myself to you. Come away from sin, selfishness and worldly pursuits. Come away to My beautiful land. Let My life sustain you through richer or poorer, through sickness and health, through all of lifes's ups and downs. The most glorious romance of all time awaits you. All you have to do is take My hand and say YES!"

That, sisters, is what HE alone can offer you and how He fulfills your heart. May we pursue Him as He is constantly pursuing us! Praise Him!

living outwardly.

I was so humbled to get to meet these precious faces this past summer while in India. These children are all orphans that live in a special children's home specifically for HIV positive children.I saw this specific group of children different times this summer as they came to our clinic twice for their checkups and I visited the home once. They are taken care of, loved and guided by some amazing houseparents that are just breathtaking to watch. David and his wife Sylvia are true examples of what it means to count everything the world offers as garbage in exchange for a sacred call. Their lives just ooze with the Gospel.


I watched as they fed, bathed and held these children with a love so mesmerizing that it could only be from Christ. I saw them trust the Lord to provide all that was needed when they truly didn't know where the money would come from. I listened to them testify to God's faithfulness in their life.

The Lord has been teaching me more and more what it looks like for me to live my life outward. Meaning that part of living a life fulfilled by Christ is being others-centered. In America, we are dangerously preoccupied with ourselves. God has not called us to make our lives about making our own ambitions and dreams come true but to be poured out sacrifices for His Kingdom. It's pretty hard for me to be concerned about my future or plans while I'm holding an HIV positive orphan who has never known what it's like to be loved by a family before.

When I was in high school, a very wise friend told me,
"Forget the American dream. Join the God dream."

I have never forgotten those words and the narrow path they challenge me to walk. It is a challenge to myself and to you to remember that your life is not your own. It has been bought with the price of the very blood of Christ.

No matter what job or career or place He has in mind for you, the call is the same. To lay down all your pursuits upon the altar and allow Him to make you a living sacrifice. He has given everything to us, will you give everything to Him?

Make Your Summer Count!

As a college student, you have a two-month span of time to do with whatever you choose. Why not use that time to make an impact on a hurting world and reach them with the gospel of Christ? You may be thinking thoughts like, "I'm not qualified to do that," "I can't afford something like that," or "My parents would never let me." Well, let me just tell you that the Lord took those "reasons" of mine(really, they were excuses) and tossed them out the window. I am so thankful that He is still in the business of taking simple, ordinary human beings and using them to do extraordinary things for His Kingdom! I can't get over that! It's amazing! I was amazed to see Him provide thousands of dollars over the past five years to place me exactly where He wanted me. That's something that only HE could get the glory for!

There are so many ways that you can serve through GO NOW Missions whether it's for two months or two weeks!
-Men are needed to fish alongside fishermen in Senegal in order to bridge relationships with them to share the Gospel!
-Teach English and play sports with university students in Central Europe to share with them where true Love is found!
-Use your love of backpacking, white water rafting, paintball and other outdoor recreation in a unique way to reach others through an Outdoorsmen Church in Montana!
-Be a part of planting churches in San Diego, California!
-Love on orphans and meet their needs in Honduras!

These are just a few of the opportunities there are! Go to GONOWMISSIONSto see a COMPLETE LIST of SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES and start the online application! Applications are due February 1! Remember that He doesn't call the qualified but qualifies the called!

If you have questions about mission opportunities you can come by the BSM on campus in January or feel free to message me!

"I believe that in each generation God has called enough men and women to evangelize all the yet unreached tribes of the earth. It is not God who does not call. It is man who will not respond!" -- Isobel Kuhn, missionary to China and Thailand

it's been a long time comin'....

After a long period of absence I'm returning to the blog neighborhood. I have felt the Lord telling me to pick this up again and honestly, I haven't been too fond of the idea. Because you see there's this little thing called pride and to say I struggle with it is an understatement. And when people start to like what you write, what you say, the pictures you take, how cool you are or whatever, it can be a not so good thing for your heart. Or in my case, it can be flat out dangerous! But I feel that this is for a much bigger reason than I can see right now so here we are! Well, can I just say that He has been so sweet to me lately! Lots of things happening with the end of the semester and He has met my every need!! Praise Him!



One of my biggest joys in life is getting to share and study the Word of God alongside some pretty amazing ladies and this past semester has been no exception! Looking into the book of Hosea and seeing pretty much the Gospel of Christ laid out before me has been pretty incredible! I am suuuuuuuper pumped about what He's pushing me toward for next semester.

I think there is a real problem with modern femininity today, to put it bluntly. One of my favorite authors, Leslie Ludy, addresses this a lot(check her out!). As little girls, we dreamed of becoming princesses and being swept off our feet by our prince. We looked at the world with innocent eyes and knew it was our playground. We knew that we were treasured, valuable and beautiful. Maybe this was your thoughts as a little girl or maybe the experiences of your childhood were quite the opposite. Whichever it is, somewhere along the way, the message of this world got in the way. And we believed it and gave in to its alluring invitation. As a result, we as women have looked everywhere except toward Jesus Christ to fulfill the deepest longings of our heart. We try desperately to meet our need for love through flings with guys, our popularity, the pleasures of pop-culture and the approval of the world. But it is He and He alone that can satisfy those longings. I think it will be a beautiful thing for a group of imperfect sisters coming together to learn and find their security and identity in Jesus Christ and discover Him as the True Prince and Lover of their soul.



He has been dealing with me personally alot lately about my selfish pursuits and asking me to lay those down in exchange for a sacrificial life poured out for the least and lost around the world. I can tell you that so far, it hasn't been easy but it was the best trade of my life! It's my prayer that as His followers we would see what He is asking of us and give it to Him freely and joyfully. What this world has to offer pales in comparison to the joys and pleasures that are in Him!



Elisabeth Elliot said, "The preoccupations of young women-their looks, their clothes, their social life-don't seem to change much from generation to generation. But in every generation, there are a few who make other choices." I don't know about you, but I desperately want to be one of those few!

"For such a time as this..."

Spring is finally here! The warmness has found it's way back to the canyon and I am loving walking outside in a t-shirt and flip-flops!
It has been a wild semester already! The Lord is teaching me so much! Specifically about my own weaknesses and sinful nature! But He has also restored the joy of my salvation and given me a renewed hope!
I have a few prayer requests for you! Myself, along with many other college students, are preparing to serve over Spring Break at South Padre Island for a week! The Lord has given us so many opportunities to show His love to students that are seeking fulfillment in things that don't truly satisfy. Pray for us as we finish final preparations, for financial provision and that our hearts are clean before the Lord. Pray for the students that go to the island to party, that their eyes would be opened to a God who heals, rescues and restores!

"And when He comes, He will open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf. The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will sing for joy! Springs will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams will water the wasteland." -Isaiah 35:5-6

Home From Nicaragua

As the summer is winding down, I am thrilled to share with you how the Lord worked in my life and in others as I served in Nicaragua in July. I, along with a team from Living Water International, set out for Central America to share the love of Jesus Christ with the people we encountered. We also had the opportunity to drill a water well at an elementary school and teach hygiene to the women and children of the community.
Our week began in the community of Telica, just outside Leon, Nicaragua. We fell in love with the people who warmly welcomed us into their community, especially the children. The drilling process was underway and we began our lessons with the women and children and had a lot of fun doing it! As we worked, the people of the community worked right alongside of us. We were so humbled to see their love and appreciation. We felt as if we were being used as the Lord’s hands and feet to communicate His love to them in real, tangible ways.





Our time with the children and women was precious and so purposeful. We communicated basic hygiene such as hand washing, disease prevention and simple medical practice. The women of the community warmly received these lessons as well as the spiritual lessons that we shared. The children were also excited to learn new ways to stay healthy and play a few games in between! The Gospel was presented many times and was well received.
As we sought to make the most every opportunity we were given, the week went by very quickly which was expected. The Lord taught us a few things about His plans when we were not able to find water by the end of the week. Although we were disappointed for the sake of the people of the community, we knew that the Lord could see much more than we could. The people of Telica remained hopeful and so appreciative of all the hard work that was put in that week despite the results. We were also encouraged to know that Living Water will be going back to that community after we have left and will work until they find water.
I was so blessed by the people of Telica and by what the Lord taught me that week. I was encouraged by knowing that we never know what our part is in the spiritual harvest. Sometimes, we are the planters and other times we water the seeds that are planted (1 Corinthians 3:6). I am so excited for the day when we get to see all the fruit of our labor.
I want to thank you so much for your vital part to this ministry. Your prayers and financial giving enabled me to serve and answer the call that that the Lord has given me. Also, I thank you on behalf of the people of Telica. Even though separated by distance, you were such a blessing to those people and I know that one day in heaven you will get to meet each and every one of them. Know that you are continually in my thoughts and prayers!

digging wells, yummy mangos and a little Espanol!

My second semester here at West Texas A&M is just flying by! Classes have been going great as well as ministry with the BSM here on campus and my job as an after-school tutor at an elementary school. God has been working many things together to bring me to what He has in store for this summer. Even I am not sure of all the details, but He definitely is and that is more than enough for me.
He has closed many doors and opened a few unexpected ones! I have had to let go of my plans and let Him lead. He has given me the opportunity and the heart to serve in Nicaragua, Central America for a short time this summer. I was assigned to Nicaragua as a student missionary through GoNow Missions, a missions organization for college students through the BGCT. The dates of my trip are July 11-19, 2008. We will be working alongside an organization called Living Water International. We will be working to share the Gospel and love of Jesus Christ by digging/repairing water wells in various villages and teaching health education. My personal role on our team will be teaching basic hygiene to the women of the village. This is an amazing opportunity as it will allow me to build a foundation as I prepare to be on the medical mission field one day!
I am sharing this with you so that you can fervently PRAY for the team and I. This is not a culture that I have experienced before so I know that God has a lot to teach me in the process. Please pray for me as I prepare with my Spanish speaking skills and for the people of Nicaragua to be thirsty for the true, Living Water! Also, if you feel led to give financially to help send me, I would be very grateful. Thank you for partnering with me in missions this way. I pray that you will be encouraged and blessed because of your sacrificial giving.
Many of you have been walking this journey with me since 2006 and I have been so blessed by YOU! Words cannot express my deep gratitude for how you have continued to support me as I have followed Him to the nations! Please know how much I value your friendship and appreciate your faithfulness. I will be keeping you updated on how God moves in the coming days and all he does while I am in Nicaragua. Again, thank you for your love for Christ and your love for those who do not yet know Him!

Serving Him,
Angela Banks

CHINA REPORT!!

February 5, 2008

Dear Family and Friends,


I pray that the Lord has brought much joy and blessing to you and your family as He has in my life this year. There is much to rejoice about! I apologize that this update is long overdue. I want to share with you how the Lord changed many lives in China this past Christmas! First, let me thank you for your faithful prayers. I cannot express in words how critical you were in our ministry by going to battle for us in that way. "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."(James 5:16) There were many days our team was discouraged and lacking in energy but we had victory in Christ every single time! Thank you for giving of yourselves financially as well. Because of your sacrificial giving, the Chinese people could hear the story of Jesus Christ, many for the first time!
Although we were only in G-City for a short period of time, the Lord gave us so many unique opportunities to share and we took advantage of them. "…Make the most of every opportunity."(Colossians 4:5) Just a few of our ministry tools included: Christmas parties, drama/storytelling, children's play groups, discipleship with new Christians, public performances, teaching English, a radio broadcast, and building relationships with university students. As you can probably guess, we were very busy from early in the morning until late in the evening. Many times we had 2-3 Christmas parties a day, which left no room for jet lag! I was constantly amazed at how God gave us divine appointments with people, no matter what we were doing!
While our team was in-country, there were 25 people that gave their hearts and lives to Christ! Then, after we returned to the States we received word that 4 more people accepted. Let me tell you, that in a country like China , that is so HUGE! In China , professing that you're a Christian is not something that is taken lightly. Many times because of fear of persecution and abandonment, the Chinese are not open to receive the Gospel. It was unbelievable to see the passion and commitment of the Chinese believers. I was reminded that because I live in America I had never seen real Christian persecution until coming to China .
There are so many amazing stories and I would love to share them all with you! But one experience that God allowed me to have I think will encourage you as well. Throughout our trip we had been establishing relationships with many university students. These students are in the same stage of life as we are so it was very easy to find common ground with them. Our very last night in G-City our goal was to make contacts with those that we had built relationships with that past week. Instantly I thought of one of the girls we had met at a Christmas party earlier that week named Sarah*. I could tell on the night of the party that she was really seeking out answers so one of my teammates and I took a bus to the university that night to go talk with her. God had just put an urgency in my heart to share the Gospel with this girl one more time before we left. When she met us at the bus stop she had brought one of her roommates along with her. Once we all sat down together in a tea shop there on campus, the Holy Spirit gave us the words to speak but it was obvious that God had been working in their hearts long
before we arrived. When I asked them if they wanted to receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, they enthusiastically replied, "YES! But no one has told us how." Wow! They were so ready to receive but just needed someone to share with them how. God had already done the work for us! After the two girls prayed to accept, Sarah told us all that now she needed to share this with her other roommates immediately. Her instant enthusiasm and passion for her God was so humbling for us. Later that night as we were leaving to go back to the city, she turned to me and simply said, "Thank you for giving me the chance to become a Christian." I share that with you to simply extend the thanks to you, you have been missionaries right alongside of us. So, thank you for allowing many of these beautiful Chinese people to hear about what the amazing love of Christ!
We might never see on this earth all of the fruit of the seeds that were planted. That is something that we have to look forward to one day when we meet all of our Christian brothers and sisters from every nation. I expect that on that beautiful day, a Chinese man or woman will walk up to you and simply say, "Thank you for giving the way you did. I am here because of it." I hope that you will continue to pray for these new believers and their families as they are discipled and even as they may face persecution and difficulties inside their culture. Pray that the Chinese believers will rise up as leaders and have an amazing influence in their country. I have included photos of my time there and a website that you will find updated prayer requests from missionaries all over China . I hope that you have been encouraged by what our amazing God has done and continues to do! Thank you for being a part of it!

Serving Him,
Angela Banks
www.peopleofchina.net

CIC UPDATE-less than one month away!

Dear Family and Friends,

I hope that you have had a relaxing and renewing Thanksgiving break! I know I have! It has been great to be home in Wichita Falls for a few days and spend time with family. This Thanksgiving, I brought home one of our international students from WT and my family fell in love with her! It has been a great opportunity to share Christ's love with her while she has stayed with us. God works in mysterious ways!
To give you an update on Christmas In China: preparation time has been very fruitful! I have shared with many of you that ministry in China is so different than ministering in parts of Africa. For security reasons, we simply cannot be as open so we have many creative ways of sharing Christ this Christmas! Some of those things include: performing skits, using salvation bracelets (power bands), sharing the story of the candy cane, singing songs or simply sharing your testimony. The Lord is already stretching me spiritually in so many ways. Many of you have also asked where exactly where we will be. For safety of the home missionaries there in China, we cannot disclose that specific information. I can share with you that we will be in Hong Kong for two days for a brief orientation and then we will go into our main ministry city in China. Know that this place is in desperate need for the light of Christ! Pray for open hearts!
Finally, I would like to share with you the need that is still present. About one-third of the funds for this trip have been raised. About $1800 is still needed by December 7th. To some, this may seem like an impossible goal. But our God is not a God of human circumstances! His resources are endless! I was sharing with my parents just this evening that in Scripture it talks about being ready and prepared! I want to be ready and prepared for what the Lord has in store and I can't wait to see how He does it! Please pray with me that this need will be provided for in God's way and timing! Pray that those who are able and feel led to will give. When we are obedient and trust the Lord with little, it is amazing what He does with it! Let's trust Him and see what He does with it! Again, thank you so much for your support and prayers! You are my prayer warriors and I am so blessed to have you in my life! I pray that you are allowing the Lord to use you in the places that He has for you!

Serving Him,
Angela Banks

*If you as an individual or collectively as a church would like to give financially to support this project, you may do so by writing a check to WTAMU BSM and designate it to "Angela Banks-CIC". Then simply mail your tax-deductible gift to the following address:
WTAMU BSM
WT BOX 60815
Canyon, TX 79016
Again, thank you for being missionaries right alongside of us as we minister to the people of China!

Christmas in China!

Hey guys!
This is the support letter I am sending out about the mission opportunity that God has given me this Christmas. Just wanted you to know about it and PRAY!
Love you guys!Angela

September 2007

Dear Family and Friends,
I pray that this letter finds you and your family well and I'm sure very busy as fall approaches. My first semester of college here at West Texas A&M has definitely been a busy one but the Lord has been teaching me so much! I have been reminded of how His plans are always so much better than mine.
Thank you again to all of you who supported me this past summer as I served in Uganda. The Lord did amazing things in many hearts. If you haven't already, you can view a blog about my time in Uganda at angelabanks.blogspot.com. Thank you for your faithfulness! As you will see from the many pictures and journal entries, there was much fruit! While in Africa again, the Lord confirmed my heart and call to those people and He is working plans together for me to return this coming summer. But this semester, He has presented me with another mission opportunity that I would like to share with you here.
Many years ago, I felt a burden for the people of China. Last year I had an opportunity to serve with "Christmas In China"-a direct program through the International Mission Board. However, I felt the Lord was telling me to wait. This semester, He brought the opportunity to me once again and really spoke to my heart about it. I was very hesitant and wasn't sure if this was something I could do. But, after much prayer, God showed me that this was something that He had for me. That week it seemed that I met more Chinese students here at WT than ever before and He was constantly putting China on my heart again. Don't you love it when He makes His will so evident? Again, I'm so thankful that His plans are bigger and better than mine.
So, this Christmas, December 16-31, I will be serving with college students from all over the United States in one of the most beautiful places in China. We will be introducing Chinese students to the true meaning of Christmas-Jesus Christ! We will be doing this through Christmas skits, Christmas music, Christmas parties, English conversational groups, Texas cultural traditions (2-step dancing, etc.) and prayerwalking. God is moving in this country that is resistant to any Christian influence. Chinese Christians face severe opposition because of their faith but their faith is so much stronger than their fear! They know that there are so many people in their country that have yet to hear about Jesus Christ so they cannot be silent.
I know that when we make ourselves available to God, He will equip us with everything that we need. I am confident that He will provide in His own way and timing. I wanted to share this with you so that if you feel led to support this mission opportunity you can. If the Lord has put the people of China on your heart as well, what better time to equip others to share Jesus with them than at Christmas! The overall cost of the trip is about $2,500. I have full confidence that God will provide how He sees fit. He is ALWAYS faithful! If you would like to give, there is an enclosed form and envelope for your use. If you choose to write a check, please make it payable to Western Hills Baptist Church and designate it to Angela Banks. Your gift will go directly through my church in Wichita Falls and your gift will also be tax-deductible.
Most of all, I need your prayer support. Please pray for the people of China; that God will open their hearts to hear the Gospel this Christmas. Pray for the missionaries that live in China and invest their lives in ministry there despite opposition. Pray for our team as we receive training in order to serve the people of China. Through your prayers and financial support, you are missionaries right there beside me! Thank you for that!
I am very excited to see all that God is going to do in the coming months and I look forward to sharing it with you! I am so thankful for your friendship and love in Christ. Please continue to keep me updated on what the Lord is doing in your life so that I can pray for you as well!
Until All Peoples Know Him,
Angela Banks
For more information: http://www.thetask.org/students/Projects/christmasinchina06.asp
Angela Banks
940-782-3587
icthus07mk@yahoo.com
Western Hills Baptist Church
5107 Ridgecrest
Wichita Falls, TX 76310

Grace Expectations

September 2, 2007

Hello, friends! It has probably been awhile since I have seen most of you, so here is a blog to get you caught up...
West Texas A&M University is FABULOUS! I cannot imagine myself going to school anywhere else. For those of you going, 'Where's West Texas A&M?', look it up on the web(wtamu.edu)-it's pretty much the best school ever. You should drop by sometime.
I made it through my first week of classes and even got an A on my first trigonometry quiz! I'm taking 15 hours this semester but feel like that's not enough. I'm sure once I'm bogged down with hours of homework to do in one night I'll say that it is plenty!
So far, I have stayed pretty involved with the BSM (Baptist Student Ministry) here on campus and with First Baptist Church in Canyon. I love having a brand new mission field and people to grow in Jesus with! Next weekend, I'm going with the BSM to the FOCUS Collegiate Conference in Arlington. I am SO excited about that! It is going to be AMAZING! Also, at the conference they will be announcing all the mission opportunities for this summer. I can't wait to see what God is going to show me. I have continuously been asking the Lord every day to use me and boy, when you give Him a request like that, He fulfills it more than once over!
Jesus has been...well...messing me up. Does that make any sense? =D I have been listening for His voice as to where He wants me to serve this summer. At the same time, He has been leading me to places I didn't think I would get to go. He has given me the opportunity to work in a Kid's Klub with underprivileged children at a trailer park here in Canyon through the BSM. He has made it possible for me to take an AMAZING tour of Europe next summer. And I feel that He is also leading me to serve somewhere during Christmas break this year. All the while, I'm sitting here like 'Okay, hold on God, let me just catch my breath for a second? You want me to do what?' Isn't that awesome? We ask for something and He gives it to us in ways we definitely didn't expect.
I got to see my mom the other day! We met halfway in the big city of Childress, TX and had lunch together. It was so refreshing to get to spill my guts to her. =D I hadn't got to do that in awhile.
I wish I could be telling you all this sitting across the table from you drinking some peach tea. Please just be in prayer for me that I will be in tune to what the Lord would have me to do with the mission opportunities He has given me. I want to follow Him wherever He says to go.
Well, I love you guys and hope you are all doing good!
-Angela