How Time Flies

So, here I am, sitting on my bed (with a hurt foot from falling down a flight of stairs...) realizing that we leave in 11 days. It is such a bitter sweet thing because Christ has done SO much while we have been here! I look back and realize, just how much he has ministered to me…and worked through me in ways I NEVER thought imaginable.

There was a period of about 2 and a half weeks where I was having a very hard time here and felt very attacked by the enemy. I felt useless, lazy, and just simply not cut out to do the work of Christ. Of course…I look back now and can see that isn’t true. The cool thing is…this allowed me to become SO desperate for God to do the work, that now, I can’t quit thanking and praising him. About two weeks ago, I woke up in a prayer mood. This is a rare thing when I just wake up and feel like praying for 6 straight hours…but I had a lot on my mind. Friends who were hurting…half way around the world, questions about the present and the future, questions about who I am and who God made me to be…and many other things. So, God woke me up and I was able to just focus on him. Which was a gift!

Not two days later, he began to work tons of miracles! Supernatural conversations, divine encounters, things that I couldn’t have done. I love this. Because I am so humbled and I know that it just took me, surrendering my plans to Christ, for His Glory to be made here in Cambodia!

So, this week is a slower week and I am praying for more encounters, more supernatural conversations. More things that happen that only scream CHRIST. I am realizing that no matter where we end up, I should be just as desperate for God to move. For God to facilitate things. I look at our time here, and just smile. We are truly blessed to be a part of what God is doing, and if you are reading this, you have been a part of it too. I hope you know, that you are doing the same thing in Fort Worth/Copperas Cove/ Baltimore…as we are doing in Cambodia. Location doesn’t matter. Love matters! So I pray that we can encourage each other throughout this next season of life…to live this stuff out every single day. For me, it sometimes seems harder to be Christ, at home. To be busy and working and faced with day to day things…and keep my eyes focused on the truth!

So, this adventure does not stop when we arrive in Fort Worth, 11 days from now. Nope…it just continues in another season! May we live it well!

Love you!
Meg

How To Support the Cobbs

Hello there!

After we sent the newsletter yesterday, we have received many request for more information on how to support us. We also wanted to be up front with our current needs.

Last week we sat down and figured out how much we needed to live here for the next three weeks. We figured out that we are lacking $750, so we began to pray! As of today, God has provided $575 of that. So we only need about $200 for this month! Thank you so much Jesus!! Another need that we have is for one of Meghan's students named Hang. This has been a amazing week for her, as we have been able to enroll her in a 18 mo. course, that will completely prepare her to be a hairstylist. We will be updating soon about how this all took place, but in the meantime, She has no transportation to and from school. Which means she cannot attend unless we provide a bicycle for her. We are looking for someone who would be willing to sponsor her with a one-time gift of $25. Please be praying and spread the word, This school is really a once in a lifetime opportunity for Hang, and it will change her life, and completely prevent her from being trafficked. Please let us know immediately if God has put this need on your heart.

We also sat down to figure out what we will need to transition back to the states. When we get home, we will have somewhere to stay for a couple weeks, and we will probably be looking for an apartment. We will need to pay our monthly bills, get a phone plan, have food and get things that we need to live in the states again! So to be very transparent, we need $1400 for the first month in Fort Worth (April 16-May 15). We know that some of this will come by support, miracles of God, and from Meghans hair business on the side! So you can pray with us for financial support, support us financially, or could even get a haircut/color!

We also would like to ask that you would really pray that God would speak to us about the future. Some of the questions we have been praying about are; do we get an apartment, get jobs, stay in Fort Worth, go somewhere else like KC, What job, and When. It has been very fun to think about our future and what opportunities God will provide. God has been starting to formulate ideas, such as possible working with youth, apartment ministry, and hopefully another big trip!! We are very excited to find out what is next!

So here is info on how to support us!

To support (tax deductible):

Mail-
Make check out to Intentional Gatherings
State on separate piece of paper whether it is a special gift or a monthly commitment. If it is a monthly amount, please submit it by the first of every month.

Intentional Gatherings
Attn: Sam Linville
3701 Grapevine Mills Parkway Apt 2035
Grapevine TX 76051


Online-
www.intentionalgatherings.com --> Donate/Give -->
Designation: Chris and Meghan Cobb --> Donate

Thank you so much for the feedback about what God is doing here! We are blessed that you read these updates and care so much about what God is doing with us! Once again, we love to pray also, so if you have anything we can pray with you about, please email us!

Love!

Meghan and Chris Cobb
thejourneykc@gmail.com
Cobb.meghan@gmail.com
Christopher.t.cobb@gmail.com
Skype: Christopher.t.cobb

The Big Update!!

We have wanted to send a simple but comprehensive update on what God is doing here in Cambodia! I have attempted to write this since mid February but for some reason it just wasn’t working. My guess is, it needed to wait until we really had something to update about! We have been updating on our blog here and there, but realized few people know about the details of what we are doing from day to day.

We have been here since January 15th, which means we have been here for about 11 weeks. We have been doing various classes including: art, English, Hair and Sports, since January 23rd, as a means to build relationships. Most of our students come from our surrounding community and are primarily Vietnamese. As you know, there was a two week break in February due to the Vietnamese New Year. We were able to host a New Year party for all of our friends and enjoyed games, a drama, and a snack feast! The last 4 days of the New Year holiday, the team took a trip to Siem Reap and Angkor Wat.

Since the New Year, things seem to be really moving here in Cambodia. After one month here, we were wondering if we were doing anything right! But, when we came back from Siem Reap, we felt refreshed and began praying together for God to move and to use us if possible. The main focus for us is to just build relationships. We have been visiting homes of our students, eating breakfast with them, teaching them English and just loving on them. It has taken until just about now to see what looks to be fruit!

Everyone in the team has been investing in specific families lives. Chris and I have been really praying for two families. One is a mother named Ha and her son named Phak. Joni introduced us to them and since then, they haven't left our mind or heart. We have visited them three times so far, and things are going really well. Last week as I was praying before we went to Ha and Phak’s house, I felt like all we needed to focus on was getting to know them and to let them know that is all we want. I feel like that was from God for sure. We told them that we wanted to see them more and they said, “of course, come this time next week!” So hopefully we will have a translator to go! Also, Ha might teach me to cook, or invite us to dinner, and Chris plans to jam on the guitar with Phak! So please be praying!

We are also very close to a lady Tuk Tuk driver named Em! Her, her husband, and four kids, live about three houses down from us. Since the first week, the whole team has been great friends with her! We see her every day and say “Suisa dai, soke sabai?” which means Hello, How are you? She is the most joyful woman ever! I always look forward to going outside and seeing her! Just these simple words has quickly made her my closest friend here! Chris and I wanted to be able to talk to her more, and were praying on Monday about how that would happen. So, as He always does, God totally answered! He completely ordained a conversation for me and chris to talk with her. It’s a long story, but I will tell you when I am home! So Bunthorn (our translator) had 20 minutes before he had to leave. We went and got Em and was like, “Bunthorn is here, WE CAN TALK!!.” So, 20 minutes turned into 1 hour and 45 minutes! It was so awesome and SO God! So we officially have a Cambodian momma named Em! That makes my heart happy!

So, we have three weeks left and we actually have a lot coming up. Chris and I met an organization called Open Arms, which trains girls in all things beauty, in a faith based environment. It is an 18 month long program and it looks as though one of my girls, Hang, is going to get to go to this school! Also, we asked Sandra (the owner) how we could support her and the school. After asking that question, it seemed as though this was another ordained meeting! They need help with forming a ciriculum so that they can be accredited. So Chris is working on writing an accounting curriculum and I am working on writing a curriculum for Haircutting. Also, for the next two weeks, Monday through Thursday from 8:30-10:30, I will get to train the trainers in advanced haircutting and techniques! So we are so pumped to have met them! They are just awesome people, and an answer to prayer!

We also wanted to update you on what God has been doing for us financially! As of late December, we were so nervous that we weren’t going to make it to Cambodia. God provided everything! We were able to be fully supported for the first two months of our trip! So, now being the last month in Cambodia and approaching our transition month back to Fort Worth, we are asking God for more financial provision! We are not afraid this time, we believe and know He will always provide!

So, we ask that you would join us for the next 3 weeks. Intercede on behalf of the things above. For the sports day, the bible study on Saturday, the relationships we are building, and for us as we try to teach to the best of our ability! For us to do all that God has for us here, and to enjoy what little time we have left! To speak to us about our future and what he has for us next! For financial provision while in Cambodia, and during the month of our return! Thank you so much for all of your endless support, amazing prayers, and encouragement! We seriously don’t know what we would do without the amazing family in Christ that we are a part of! We thank God for you!

So I hope that answers some questions! More updates coming soon!

Meghan

Surrender and Contentment!

So, its true! We have officially been here 2 months! You know how that goes! I feel like, how did that fly by, and at the same time feel like it’s been an eternity! I look at the calendar and realize, Oh my goodness, I only have 4 more weeks here. At the same time, I see that calendar with great amounts of homesickness and feel as if April 15 is never going to arrive!! Lol! It is such an experience living here. I truly believe a life change, culture change (whether moving to another city, state, or country) always brings about similar struggles and adventures. For example, I cannot believe that God has enabled and equipped us to come half way across the world for 3 months. If you would have told me a year ago that me and my husband would be in Cambodia for 3 months and I would be teaching a hair class. I would have given you a million reasons why none of those things were possible. Just the fact that I am away from home for 3 months is a miracle to me. Much less in a completely different world! So, needless to say I would never trade this experience! I mean, even if God directs us to be the hands and feet of Jesus in Fort Worth, the things we have been exposed to has changed us more than we probably even realize. The funny thing about dreams are, they are never what we expect them to be. I thought I would be in Cambodia, saving the world, and experiencing the most supernatural things on a day to day basis. That I would feel like a hero. That I would feel the most worth ever, because I know I am where I am supposed to be. But the truth is, we are people and we struggle! Lol!

So we are in a land we never thought was possible, and God has made it abundantly clear that this is where we are to be. Yet, I still seem to struggle. I’m sure your saying “Duh.” Ha! But seriously when I dream, or think of the next adventure, I figure it will somehow be a new level of life without the struggles of the world. But the truth is, those struggles will be there. I am in Cambodia, living the “dream.” There is a slight chance that you wish you were here where we are. While we sometimes wish were where you are! Isn’t that funny? But honestly, circumstances have nothing to do with it. It is my attitude, my heart, and my dependency on Jesus that will make me content. So, the theme of my learning experiences lately has been about Being Content. I think there is more freedom to this than we realize. I don’t want to live my whole life thinking “If things we different, then I would be happier” or “If we lived by ourselves, things would be so much better” or “If we had more money, it would be easier” or “If we lived there…Gosh, life would be awesome.” I think this kind of thinking is one I talk to Jesus about a lot!

So, how do we stay content? I’m not quite sure I have any answers. But lately, I have learned that just being absolutely truthful with the Lord about where I am is the start. Yes he already knows where I am. But there is something about saying it, pouring out my heart to him, and trusting him to meet me where I am. I don’t have to sugar coat things and explain myself. For example: Last week I fel into a low spot of homesickness and sadness and felt useless. But…I felt like I shouldn’t feel this way, so I tried to ignore it. I felt like I would be letting people down and God down if I felt that way, when I should be tearing through Cambodia with the utmost confidence and zeal! So I knew it was there but I kept on truckin! Then last Wednesday, it caught up with me. I cried a lot and then poured out my heart to Jesus. I told him everything. “I’m sick of this, I want this, I hate this, I miss this, I don’t understand this”…blah blah blah. And yes, I sounded like a spoiled brat. But that doesn’t change the fact that those were my emotions. And the fact that I didn’t have to sugarcoat them, was awesome. And by doing that, God spoke to me in a way I desperately needed with these verses:

Psalm 51:6-19
Surely you desire truth in the inner parts;
you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.
Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will turn back to you.
Save me from bloodguilt, O God,
the God who saves me,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart,
O God, you will not despise.
In your good pleasure make Zion prosper;
build up the walls of Jerusalem.
Then there will be righteous sacrifices,
whole burnt offerings to delight you;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.

The sections that I bolded and underlined are the parts that leaped off the page for me. Through reading these verses. God spoke to me in a way those showed me how to pray, here, in the place I am at. So I guess what I am trying to say is, even though change brings about struggles, which brings about discontentment, through surrendering fully…he frees us. He speaks to us. And speaks purpose into our life. And for me, now I have something to pray, every time I feel homesick or discontent. That God would speak to me and speak wisdom into my soul! That He would be the answer. Not change of circumstance, but Him!  I may just be saying these things to myself, but I figured maybe someone has experienced something similar! So I am very greatful about all that He is teaching. And about the fact that I can pray every day that my sacrifice would be a broken spirit, and a broken and contrite heart! By doing that, I think great things will happen for the Glory of God. So I guess surrender and contentment are the themes lately!

Stay tuned for our update, which will be posted later today!!
With much love,
Meghan

O Yea... Pictures!!

So we are having a really hard time getting the pictures on facebook, so i thought that i would try to put a couple up on here so you can see some of the Awesomeness!!

Our first little family vacation....

So after the new year celebrations, we took a little trip to Siem Reap, the little town that is next to Angkor Wat temple complex. We left on Thursday morning at 8:30, using the bus system to get to our destination which lay 6 hours away. We arrived at the bus station filled with people trying to sell things like news papers and sunglasses. I would like to skip this next story, but I think you would all be missing out if I did not tell it. So there we are, me and Meghan, Gabi and the Sheehys, waiting for the bus, already bought our newspapers, when the sunglass man eyes me. I’m always interested in good deals, so I ask how much for the "Raybans". BIG MISTAKE!!!! He tells me they are $6 dollars a pair, which is very high, seeing as I bought my other pair (since I left my good ones at home, another mistake...) for only $3. I tell him no, but then he asks me what I would pay, And I told him that I would like two pair for 4 dollars, thinking that this was not the deal he was looking for, and that he would just find the next tourist looking person and bother them. Nope. He didn’t. He stayed right there and argued with me that I should pay $6 for two. "Ott thday, Ogune!!" I say, meaning No thank you... and he keeps on. I don’t really want these, I just wanted to see if I could get a bargain. By now the whole team is looking at us laughing, and Im thinking of ways to get this guy to find another dude, no luck. Meghan says "if we go inside the bus station office, he cant follow us." great plan! Dash! So now we are chilling in the A/C waiting for the bus to leave. Not being bothered by the nice man selling sunglasses. O wait, there he is, at the glass door, just waiting for us. Im about ready to pay him $15 dollars to leave me alone. I look at him and hold up four fingers, and he shakes his head. Fine, you talked me into it, Ill buy them for that great bargain. Four for two. I get the sunglasses. Hurray. Come on bus, hurry up and Load before the newspaper guy comes over. Im sure by now the sunglass man has told them that we will buy anything if we are pestered enough! So the bus loads and we are off. It was a great ride, nice to be in the A/C, and me and Meghan realize that its the first time in a month that we have been inside an actual vehicle. This nice bus also has a Bathroom. This nice bus has A/C. This nice bus has TVs. This nice bus also has great brakes. The brakes work great when they slam on to dodge the cow in the road, this also takes place when I am standing up facing the wrong way so my wife can take her seat again. I have a yellow leg. This nice bus also has great armrests that break your rapid approach to the front of the bus. This nice bus has a tour guide that looks at me like I just cheated death. Everyone on the bus gasps because I almost flew, except my wife who is curled over laughing, and I love her. We get to our wonderful hotel, and its amazing swimming pool, and get ready for our early morning adventure. We are being picked up at 4:30 to drive to the famous Angkor Wat temples. I dont remember the drive out there very well, except that it was pitch black and cold. Its funny how your body changes after just one month, pretty much everything but standing in the sun is cold to me, its sooo weird, its not that hot here, its just that there is no relief. Ever. Unless you go to lucky supermarket and stand by the freezer section and "debate" about which frozen fish we are "buying". So we arrive, and pay and get our passes. They take your picture, mostly because they like to have a good laugh at the people who look half dead at 4:45 in the morning, but there is also a rumor about how its so no one can steal your pass. We get somewhere, and the tuk tuk driver says that we walk that way, in the pitch dark. I really feel like im in a movie now, walking in the dark down some ancient pathway. Its dark, except for the nice people that check your passes, and how are they gonna know its you unless they shine the flashlight in your face and look at the photo that makes you look like a serial killer??? Keep walking. Meghan asks me if I know where we are headed, nope, no idea, but we are on a bridge now, and there is water on both sides, I know this only because there is that weird echo that only happens when your around water. I can see the people exiting the bridge, so we follow them to the front of this lake. There are some guys selling chairs, and lots of people lining up. I dont really want a chair, so we find a rock and sit. And wait. There are a ton of Japanese and Chinese tourists, its kinda weird to be with alot of tourist, but really just about the only Americans. Soon the sun starts to come, there has always been something romantic to me about the rising sun, the start of a new day, and to watch the light break over this old place makes it spectacular. The pictures are nothing compared to what it looks like. The sun peaks over the temples and I get some shots, but mostly just enjoy this amazing scene. Wow. So from there we start our self-guided tour. Looking at these amazing things done many years ago, we walk through temples, up temples and around temples. Soo many temples. The stairs are quite strange, almost ladder like. Dangerous, and this is not America, so if you feel inclined to climb them, you go for it. It was a ton of work to get to the top, but what a view. Gabi is with me and Meghan and points out something very profound. We dont have to work to get to our God, there are no stairs that we have to climb, He is with us. Wow. How powerful, all of this was built to be closer to God, when all along God just wanted to be closer to us. Powerful. We walk and look until we have used the batteries on all of the cameras, and head for a lunch and some shade. Shade is very important when your out in the mighty sun all day, its almost better than a glass of my moms iced tea on a hot day, almost. We found a little Cafe inside the Complex, and of course its really expensive, 6 dollars a plate. The group walks out, thinking we can get a better deal somewhere else. But the manager follows us out and tells us that he will make us a deal, 3 dollars a person for whatever we want. Yum! We get back to the hotel somewhere around 3 and realize that when you wake up at 4:30, you can get a heck of alot done by three. Also see really tired at three. Also see taking a nap for too long in the evening. Also see how to ruin your sleep schedule....
Much Love, Chris

Sorry for the break....

So its been quite awhile since we have been on here, sorry bout that! So I guess I should fill you all in on what has been happening since we last updated!
We had an amazing New Years party! For the weeks leading up to it we had been inviting all of our friends and kids in the classes that we teach to come! We figured we would have about 60 people, so with some help we started preparing for our party! The celebration not only is about the day of new year, but also about the "new life" that you begin. It is a time where you pay all of your debts, and forgive those who cannot pay you(sounds oddly familiar). There are certain things that you eat, like red watermelon seeds, Dried fruit, and coconut strings that are all kinds of colors. One of the most special things is the first person to enter your house after the new year. It is a big honor to be invited to visit someone on new years because in this culture, that means that you are the most upstanding person that they know. We were blessed with the honor of visiting a lady named Ha! We came to her house and brought her a gift and got to pray with her to bless her new year!!!! Hopefully we will be able to continue this relationship and get to bless this single mother even more! After our visit, we prepared for the party! The time that we set for the party was 3:00, but at 3:30 we had about three people there, and we were kind of thinking that this party was gonna be a bust, but we kept praying that people would come and by 3:45 we had a full house!!!(praise Jesus!!) We played games, and since its the year of the tiger, we played pin the tail on the tiger! It was soo fun, and the adults that came even got in on the action, and we just had a wonderful time laughing and enjoying the day. Joe invited an older friend, and since there was no translator, they walked around the kindergarten( where the party was held) and pointed to the vegetables they liked, sounds kind of silly, but I feel God is really moving in this relationship! After the art class that Gabi preformed a wonderful dance, we got ready to put on the drama we as a team had been preparing. We presented the story from Luke about the man with the two sons,(i think it might have another name, but that was the easy to translate name). It went over very well, and I think that God was able to use our terrible acting to get across the message of Gods wonderful unfailing love! Meghan had a blast with her role as a piggy! We spent the rest of the time just hanging out and eating very yummy new years snacks! Thank you Lord for making this happen. For the next couple of days, we did not do too much because of the New Year. Most of these people work 12 hours a day 6 days a week, so when the new year comes, they take a couple of weeks off for relaxation. We spent our time just hanging around the city and getting ready for our vacation! Next post.... The trip to Siem Reap!!!