Your Love is Extravagant

I strongly encourage each of you to go to Mission Arlington. I could tell you all about it, but it means so much more and makes much more sense when you experience it for yourself. The Christmas store is absolutely amazing. We unloaded about 3 completely full truck loads of toys in the short amount of time we were there. Brand new toys, by the truck loads! I have never worked so hard in my life. We were so worn out and tired every night, but it was a good tired. MA is huge. They own many different buildings, but it amazed me at how incredibely organized everything was. The Christmas store helped give gifts to over 11,000 children. There were over 100 decisions made. Over 500 people came through the store that Saturday. It's amazing to see God at work each and every day. He runs Mission Arlington. We hope to make our MA trip yearly. Please, join us.

Christmas was a blessing as always. I love our traditions. I love that even though I am 21 and the youngest of the Mattox kids, we still wake up early to see what Santa left us. We found some old home videos and watched those one night. It was so nice to have us all together reliving the good old days.

This past Sunday, I, Claire Mattox, preached at my church. It was Youth Sunday, so the other kids just said the prayers that were written for them and read Scriptures. I was in charge of everything else. I spoke on missions; on how I got involved, missionaries aren't special people, we're all called, my time in Nevada (mostly about the refugees), and a challenge as to what is your part in missions. I didn't really think it was anything special, it's just what was on my heart. After the service, I was swarmed by everyone telling me how much they enjoyed it. I was doing fine until people started talking about my Grandaddy. How they could see him coming out in me when I was up at the pulpit, that he was definitely smiling down on me today, and how proud he would be. Quinn Mattox was one amazing man. I am so honored for people to think of him when they see me. My dad and aunt cried through the whole sermon. I later found out that Daddy told my other aunt in Florida that this was the best Christmas present he had ever gotten. I am so blessed to have parents that love me and are proud of me. Some people asked if I was for hire and if I was adopted. Haha!

I'm going with Auburn Baptist Church to Passion. We're leaving Saturday at 6 AM for Atlanta, Georgia. I am so excited. Passion is an amazing conference with about 20,000 other college students coming together to praise and worship our Father. I'm pretty pumped!

My dear Amy Simmons is back from Peru. It truly changed her life, and I loved hearing all her stories. It definitely makes me want to go overseas. Hopefully, that is in my future.
Will comes home Saturday. It's been so long since I've talked to him. I'm ready for him to be safe and sound in Pontotoc, MS.
Matthew Archer is also home from China. He is so much fun! And he brought me back a Chinese soldier statue! haha! We named him, but I surely can't type it....sorry.

Anywho, I hope you all had a marvelous Christmas and have a splendid New Year! See you in 2010! Love you!

So blessed

My first semester as a Mississippi State University student is finished. I took my last exam today. Thank the Lord for getting me through this semester. He certainly held and carried me a lot. I will definitely be depending on Him even more in semesters to come.
So, what are you doing for Christmas break? Well, I want to tell you my plans. A week from today, the 16th, a group of us will be leaving bright and early from Tupelo, loading up in a 15 passenger van, and driving roughly 10 hours to Arlington, Texas. We'll be staying there for 5 days working at Mission Arlington. I am beyond excited. I get the priviledge to go there, help with wrapping Christmas presents, spend time with children, and tell the glorious Christmas story. Christmas and children, what could be better?
After a marvelous, traditional Christmas, I'll be heading to Passion on January 2nd. I've been once before, but it was just a weekend one then. This year it's a full 4 days of non-stop worship. God shows up and shows out at Passion. I am uber excited to see what He is going to show me there. It's an amazing experience to be in the midst of nearly 20,000 other college students full out worshipping our Lord and Savior. It gives me chills just thinking about it. Stay tuned because I'm sure after MA and Passion, the next blog will be filled with lots of goodies! :)

Now can I tell you how blessed I am to have the friends that I have in my life?

I am SO proud of them for giving up the comforts of home especially during Christmas time and going to a foreign place. Amy Simmons, yes, dear, sweet Mamy, is leaving this Saturday with a group from her church headed to Peru. It's hard for me to picture little Amy backpacking through the jungle in Peru. However, I know that the Lord has placed it on her heart to go and she, without missing a beat, accepted and is following His command.
Will Simmons is leaving in 6 days for Asia (for safety reason, I cannot say his exact location). The information I just typed in parenthesis scares me. He stopped by my apartment the other day before he headed home to say goodbye. All I kept saying was "be careful, Will." I am so excited for what he's going to be doing there. He'll be gone for about 3 weeks, which is the longest he's been gone from home. I know the Lord is going to work in him and through him while he's there.
These Simmons twins are some of my best friends. It's going to be hard knowing that they aren't just up the road during break. It's going to be hard not being able to talk to them while they are away. I am already looking forward to the massive amounts of pictures and stories from each trip.
Also, my dear friend Joy Smith, whom I spent the summer with in Nevada left today for Uganda. Wow. She is one special girl and holds a place in my heart. She'll be there for about 2 weeks. She went through a lot to get to go on this trip and the devil tried his hardest to stop her. However, her faith in God prevailed and everything worked out and she's on a plane right now. Amen!
*Please be in prayer for these amazing people who are going to the different nations to spread the love of Christ.
Another thing, I am so blessed to have friends that I can call up and talk about scripture with. I have been trying to get better about reading my Bible. Not just reading to read, to get my numbers up, but reading to get something out of it. I'm blessed that I can call Ashley or Tara and talk to them about how I interpreted what I just read and get their opinions on it, too. That's just so awesome.

As you probably know, I spent last summer in Nevada (not "Nevahdah"). I have already applied for summer missions again for this summer. I am staying in the states again and my top 3 choices are 1. Orlando, Florida 2. Boston traveling team 3. Scarbourgh, Maine. The position in Florida really jumped off the page to me. I'd be on a team called Give the Kids the World. Familes with children who have terminal illnesses come to Orlando and stay at a resort. The family gets to enjoy a week of pure fun. They leave their worries of doctors, bills, and the future behind and just enjoy the attractions of Orlando. I would be able to work with and spend time with the families that came in each week. I wish I could explain just how much I would love to spend my summer there, doing that. However, I know that it is all in the Lord's hands. I mean, I didn't even know Nevada was an option last summer, and that's where He placed me. It was the best summer of my life. So I know that where ever He wants me to be is where He is going to put me. I'm excited to see where that might be.

Love y'all! Have a wonderful Christmas break!