Welcome to My World

Medical Outreach!

2010-03-14T23:31:00.002-04:00

This week begins our Spring Medical Outreach. We have a group coming from the states and we also have some local doctors joining us to go into a small town here in Guatemala and give medical care and the love of Jesus!

We are going into a town that is involved in a lot of witchcraft and things of the sort. We know that God is stronger than any other power and are so looking forward to seeing how He can change the lives of the people there!

We are expected to see at least 2,500 patients, and each person who receives medical care will also be presented with the opportunity to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior! We have also teamed up with a local church in the area, so that when people accept Jesus as their Lord, they will be able to get connected in church, which will help them grow in their relationship with God and in discipleship!

Please be praying for us, as it will be a very busy week (but completely worth it)! I look forward to sharing some of the great things that happen!

Have a wonderful day!

Hola!

2010-03-14T23:15:00.002-04:00

Well, it is hard to believe that I have been in Guatemala for almost 2 months now!!!! WOW!!! It is becoming more and more like home everyday! The people are great and I really am enjoying all of the things that I get to do!

Working in the school is fun, usually. The children are great and make me smile! They have a great way of making you feel special. Last week I was sick and so I was not able to go to the school for two days (I had a really bad cold or something, but I was told that since the viruses here are different that it can hit me pretty hard until my body gets used to it), anyways, when I got back to the school there were Get Well pictures all over the desk. So sweet!

Teaching children to read can be complicated, especially when you are teaching them to read in a second language. We are working on phonics and sounds, I have even downloaded some of the books my mom used with my siblings and me when were little. I've been working on a workbook with all different practice sheets for the children to do at home, and I also want to take some of the books that we have and read them onto a CD, like a book on tape. One of the difficult things about teaching the children to read in English is that the majority of their parents don't speak English, so they cannot read to them, and also when the children are practicing, their parents do not know if they are pronouncing the words correctly. That is why I think the CDs will help, because then they will be able to hear the proper pronunciation.

I have also been able to teach some of the chapels with the children. I really enjoy doing that! I love it when the children start to understand Biblical concepts and begin to apply them to their lives. Take the love of God for instance, I mean, people "know" that God loves them, but their comes a point when it really clicks, and someone understands that they are loved and it changes their entire life! This is what I love to see and it is why I am here! It's great!

God is so good! I really am glad to be here and I am looking forward to what else He has in store!

Guatemala - My New Home

2010-02-14T17:02:00.003-05:00

So.... I have now been in Guatemala for 3 weeks now! YAY!! I am still working on getting my internet to work properly, so therefore I haven't written... sorry... but very soon, I am quite certain that it will work fabulously :-)

I am getting settled into my new home. I have a small, but cute apartment. My mom came with me for my first week here, and she was a wonderful help. I must admit that as much as I love to travel, I dislike packing and unpacking! So, my mom helped me unpack and arrange things and get them organized. She also was able to meet a lot of the people that I will be working with too. Plus, she taught me how to cook that week. Now, my mom has been trying to teach me how to cook ever since I was little, but I had no interest in learning how... but, now that I am going to get married, and since I know that Jonathan doesn't want to eat tomato soup and grilled cheese everyday (I don't know why not though), I figured that it was a wonderful time to learn. We had a grand time, it was very nice to have some mother-daughter time. She's the best mom in the world!!!

I have started working in the school and am really enjoying it. In the mornings I work with the first graders. I just love little kiddos and they are so fun! The school teaches in English, so the younger students are learning the language and how to communicate. It's a lot of fun! The first graders are only in school until noon, so in the afternoon I work with the upper school. All of the different grade levels are in a classroom together, and there are three teachers. The curriculum that they use is one where they can work on their own a lot, so it works out pretty well. I have been teaching a lot of math lately. I really enjoyed math, so it has been fun and I love it when the students catch on. Of course, I have been doing the same assignments as the students before I teach them, so that I can make sure that I remember everything correctly... haha.

I love the fact that I get to work with all of the students in the school. I am praying that not only will they grow strong in their academics, but they will also learn and understand how much Jesus loves them, and also that I will be an instrument of God's love to them.

Once I get acclamated to the routine in the school and I know more of how my schedule will work, I will begin working in other areas, such as the the children's ministry at the church, with the Bible Institute and of course with the medical and evangelistic campaigns. I am so excited about all of the opportunities that God has given me to serve. He is so faithful and living for Him is the best life in the world!

Thank you for your continued prayers and support! It is an honor to be able to serve the people of Guatemala, I am so thankful that God has placed me here!

I'm Engaged!!!!!

2010-01-14T23:01:00.003-05:00

I am soooooooo excited to be engaged to Jonathan Asbun!!!!!! He is a wonderful gift from God and I am so thankful for God's goodness and faithfulness!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jonathan is also a missionary with Living Water Teaching and he has committed to serving in Guatemala for the next four years! Isn't that awesome?!!!

Continue reading for my totally girly perspective of how we met and fell in love...

Background & How We Met

I met Jonathan for the first time while leading mission trip to Guatemala in July of 2008. He was assigned to be the translator for one of my team members and myself. That in itself is really cool, because I usually don't ask for a translator, but I was feeling a little rusty on my Spanish and wanted to make sure that I was using the proper words when sharing the Gospel with people so I requested a translator, and that's how we met. I obviously had to spend a good amount of time with him and so I was able to see how he treated people, how much he loved Jesus, and I saw how passionate he was about sharing the love of Jesus with others. Plus, I felt completely comfortable around him. I must admit, I was intrigued, which is a big deal, because I don't think I have ever really been intrigued by a guy before ;-)

I will admit, I did get a little annoyed that I was intrigued by a guy that I would likely never see again. I mean, he was from Bolivia, studying in Guatemala, and would probably be going back to Bolivia in a year or so... Out of all the guys in the world to intrigue me, it had to be someone far away and practically impossible. So, I decided to be thankful that God had sent me a great guy friend to remind me of the type of guy that I was waiting to meet (I seriously wrote about that in my journal that week, how by meeting Jonathan I was encouraged that there was someone still out there for me with the character traits I wanted in a guy, but as much as I thought Jonathan was great, I thought it was impossible, so I tried not to think about him).

During that trip, I spent a lot of time praying and seeking God. I felt as though God was calling me to a new level of surrender. I think that every time we walk through the process of surrender, that we feel as though there is nothing else to lay at the feet of Jesus, but with time we are once again finding the beauty of surrender. And when that happens as hard as it seems to lay down our man-made hopes and dreams, we can look back at the faithfulness of our wonderful Father and know that it doesn't matter how great our plans are, that a life given in full surrender to him, is indeed the best life of all!

It was during the prayer and the Bible reading and the seeking that I sensed great changed coming in my life. I felt as though God was preparing my heart for full-time missions. I started feeling as though God wanted me to move to Guatemala to be a missionary. I didn't mention it to anyone, I wanted to go home and pray some more, I wanted to make sure that I knew it was God and that I wasn't making a decision based on my surroundings.

So, I came back to Charlotte and continued praying, I still felt that it was what I was supposed to do, so I talked about it with some close mentors of mine, and was encouraged to begin the process of applying. By December, my applications had been approved and I was set to go for a month of training in February.

I was so excited, I knew that I was walking on the path that God had for me. Some people would ask me about when I wanted to get married, and I admit the thought was there in my mind, but I knew that God had called me to Guatemala for at least the next four years, so I was prepared to return to the states in my thirties and still single. Seriously, the desire to be married was there, but one of the things you find in surrendering to God's plan, is that your desire to walk in His will is stronger that that, so if it meant that I was going to be single forever, I was going to fulfill his plan!

So, I went to Guatemala in February for my training and guess who I saw? Jonathan! And boy, was I still intrigued! But, I just knew he would be going back to Bolivia and so I determined that I couldn't think about him. So, I stayed focused on my training. One day while in the dining hall on the Mission's Campus, we talked for a little while and he told me that he was actually going through the same application/training process that I was to become a full time missionary to Guatemala and that his four year commitment would start about the same time as mine! What?!!!! What was that beautiful music in my ears? He, Jonathan, the only guy to ever intrigue me, the one that I kept shoving out of my head, was going to be a missionary to Guatemala, at the same place and the same time I was? Well, as excited as I was on the inside, I was very polite on the outside. "Well, that's very nice." is all that I said. Haha! There was no way that I was going to tell him that a choir of angels was singing "The Hallelujah Chorus" around my head. I mean, God was talking to both of us about becoming missionaries and neither of us knew about it.

From there, I still tried to forget about him. I knew I was in Guatemala on a mission. Distractions were not allowed! So, when I realized (with lots of thought and prayer) that maybe this wasn't a distraction, I discussed it with a trusted missionary friend and got the thumbs up. He did the same. So, with time we began a closer friendship and it slowly, but surely began to develop into so much more! And now... we are going to get married!!!!

The Proposal

So, Jonathan came to the states for some training and itineration. While here, he was to come to Charlotte to meet and spend the holidays with my family (I went to Bolivia to meet his family over Thanksgiving). Well, on December 23rd we drove up to Asheville, NC to visit the Biltmore Estate, which is one of my favorite places. It is the biggest privately owned home in the United States, built by the Vanderbilts. It's beautiful and so full of history. We were going to a fancy dinner at the Biltmore Inn and then we were going on a Candlelight Christmas Tour of the home. I was so excited! Well, in all honesty, I was hoping he would propose because I thought it would be the perfect place and we were so dressed up, but I didn't know if he would, or if he had a ring, or anything. On top of that he was so calm during dinner, and I had always heard that the guys could never eat before proposing, but he didn't seem to have that problem ;-) haha! Well, it was between the entree and dessert that I saw him reach into his pocket... and then suddenly, the server appeared with coffee... so, I tried to read his face, did the sudden coffee appearance throw him off? Was he going to propose? Was my life about to forever be changed? So... he reached into his pocket again, I was hoping... and then he started telling me how wonderful I am (which I could write about for awhile because there are so many wonderful things about me, just kidding) and then he gave me the absolute most beautiful ring, EVER!!! It was so wonderful!!! I was soooooooo happy, I still am, of course!!!! It was a perfect proposal!!!!

I am so thankful for God's amazing goodness and grace! He is so faithful and His plans for our lives are so much better than anything we could ever hope or dream of!!!!

We don't know what all God has in store, but we do know that He is so good and we are so glad that He brought us together to serve Him and to share His amazing love with the world!!!

My Vision

2009-10-15T00:00:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite verses is found in Psalm 119:89, it says, "I see the limits to everything human, but the horizons can't contain Your commands (MSG)." How true is that? Sometimes when I think about the dreams and visions that I have thoughts like, "who am I to do these things", or "how is that even possible", or "seriously, I know all the reasons why I should not be the one God chooses" come to mind. But, God in all of His faithfulness chooses to use us!!!!! His plans for us are so good, they are beyond anything we could ever imagine! The Word says that the horizons can't even contain His commands! WOW! So, as we trust in Him, and yield ourselves to Him, and believe what His Word says about us, He will open the doors and use us!

I have written out my visions along with a brief explanation. I am so looking forward to seeing how it all unfolds!!

To serve as a missionary in Guatemala. To work with children in the school, church, and villages, teaching them the Word, so they in turn can change their nation! To work with the Bible Institute, so that more people will be trained and able to reach their communities. To serve on outreach trips to various towns, helping with youth and medical teams. I believe that my time serving with Living Water Teaching in Guatemala, is going to be an amazing time of helping and reaching people and also a great time of preparation. There are so many areas that I will be able to help with, but there is also so much for me to learn, and LWT has been in Guatemala for 30 years, so they have so much experience and knowledge that I can glean from. I know that God is going to use this time to get me ready for what else He has in store.
To go wherever the Lord leads, no matter the country, culture, or conditions; to be willing and available to reach the hurting and helpless with the precious love of Jesus! I was recently asked which country was my favorite, out of all the ones I have been to. My answer was that all of them were. Each place that I have been from Nicaragua to Singapore to Afghanistan have all been so very different, difficult and wonderful all at the same time. I loved all of the experiences because I know that it was exactly where God wanted me to be. That is how I want it to be forever. Wherever the Lord leads, is where I want to be, I will learn languages, customs, and more "roughing it" skills, if God so leads, in an effort to reach the world for Christ!
To establish a program where teens can spend a year after high school being trained in ministry, missions, and leadership development. I would like to have a program where students can take a year after high school and dedicate it to service. Through this program students will take Bible classes, study Spanish (or whatever language is spoken in the country where their program is), and do practical missions. This program will be one that I believe will have a lasting impact on the lives of those who participate. Also, this program will be one that focuses on preparing the student to have a focus on others as opposed to themselves, and to develop a life of service, no matter what career they decide to pursue.
To help launch Bible Schools, where locals can be taught and trained, and in turn can begin to teach and train others, thereby having a multiplication effect on reaching each nation! I am a firm believer in the old saying, "give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime." There are many places where the Word has not been taught, or where missionaries go occasionally and evangelize, but where there is no discipleship. By starting Bible Schools in towns and villages, the Word is taught to the local people, discipling them in the Word, and preparing them to impact their community, so that in turn they train others. I believe that by opening Bible Schools, it also helps people take ownership and leadership instead of looking to the missionaries and pastors as their sole source of spiritual development. The multiplication effect that this has is infinite!
To open a missions training facility that focuses on the Word, language and culture, equipping missionaries to go to the ends of the earth. Missions is so incredibly important, and my desire is to help prepare missionaries to take the Word of God throughout the world. There is so much that goes into moving to another country. Many times it involves a new language, different customs, clothing, food, and accomodations. There have been so many people who were excellent in their career, rather businessmen or ministers, that when they moved to another country to do the same thing they were doing in theirs, failed. Many times this was due to culture shock and not understanding the customs and language. I believe that by equipping those who desire to be missionaries with the Word first and foremost, but also with an understanding of the culture in which they will live, along with language training, and internships, that this will help further prepare them for successful ministry. I can so see having a campus where missionaries can go to get focused training for the country where they will go, it will be equipped with a language lab where they can receive classes in any language imagined, where they can learn the administrative policies of their focus area and all the other things that would help them reach the world more effectively.

I would love for you to join with me and share in this vision! The whole purpose of this is to reach people with God's love! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me! Trust me, I'm passionate about this, so any chance to discuss it is always welcome!

I appreciate your prayers and financial support in making this vision possible!

Guatemala Newsletter - October 2009

2009-10-14T18:34:00.004-04:00

I am so excited about all that God is doing!!! He is so incredibly faithful!!!!!

Here is my newsletter for October. It tells about my vision, what has been going on, how to support and more! Hope you like it!

Living Spiritually

2009-09-28T21:45:00.003-04:00

I went through some old notebooks and things and a notecard fell out that I had written the following quote on:

"To grow spiritually means to live increasingly as Jesus would in our unique place-- to perceive what Jesus would perceive if He looked through our eyes, to think what He would think, to feel what He would feel, and therefore to do what He would do."

So many times people think spiritual growth comes from getting more knowledge, and don't get me wrong, we do need to learn and study (trust me, I am a nerd when it comes to school, learning and studying), but our true spiritual growth is reflected when we are putting into practice what we have learned.

I am Christ's representative, therefore, no matter where I am, what I am doing, who I am with, I should be Jesus to the people around me. When I see people, I should see them with Christ's eyes, which are always full of love and compassion; the thoughts and meditations of my heart should be pleasing to Him. The feelings I experience should be those that He would feel.

That is my desire! Oh, I am fully aware that I have a LONG way to go, but as we seek Him with all our heart, as we get to know Him and what He truly thinks about us, then we can look at this world that is in need of His love, and see, think and feel what He would and in turn our actions will reflect the love that goes beyond anything that we could ever deserve and exceeds even the greatest imagination!

So here's to reaching the world with the amazing, unconditional, extravagant, overwhelming love of our wonderful Savior! May we love them well!

Pray.

2009-09-16T20:50:00.014-04:00

Today I had the wonderful priviledge of teaching about missions at chapel for The Branch Christian Academ y. I was very excited, as I love missions and I love kids, so teaching kids about missions was PERFECT! :-) Today's focus was on prayer, specifically praying for missionaries and other countries.

While everyone is not called to pick up and move to another country, I do believe that we are all called to be involved with missions and one way is to pray for others. Praying for missionaries is very important and needed. Ephesians 6:18-19 says, "Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike." It is important to pray for believers that are all over the world and to pray that God will give us all the right words to say, so that people can understand Jesus' amazing love!

Matthew 9:37-38 says, "He said to his disciples, 'The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask Him to send more workers into His fields.'" There are people all over the world, in every country, every city, town and village that need to know about Jesus, this verse is a reminder to pray for those who are going to share God's love and to also pray that more will go.

I shared an acronym of the word BLESS with the students as a way to remember things to pray about for missionaries, I find it to be quite helpful and would absolutely love it, if you would pray for these things for me.

B-body (health and safety)
L-labor (work and activities)
E-emotions (thoughts and feelings)
S-social (family and friends)
S-spiritual (time and growth in their personal walk with God).

The Bible says in James 5:16 that, "The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results." So I would feel very "blessed" if you would pray for me as I prepare to move to Guatemala and as I am there. I look forward to seeing the wonderful results!

Thank you!

Putting My Life On Hold?

2009-08-14T22:06:00.002-04:00

I have heard a variety of responses from people about my moving to Guatemala to be a missionary, but there is one that I have been pondering a lot lately. Several people have commented on how great it is that I am willing to put my life on hold to go serve people in another country. I completely understand what they mean when they say it, as there are many other things that I could be doing, but there are plenty of other things that everyone could be doing, right?

The thing is that when you are following God's plan for your life and you are pursuing Him, then it doesn't matter where you go, what you are doing, or what you are "giving up," you will not be putting your life on hold. I know this to be a fact! In the beautiful surrender of laying down my desires, my plans, my selfishness, I find that instead of putting my life on hold, or giving up everything, that I am in fact walking into an abundance of life, of sheer joy and complete peace. It is so wonderful!

It is hard to explain exactly what I mean, but I would suppose that it is similar to the feeling of joy that comes with parenthood. Well, I am not a parent, so this is totally based on my observations and on what I hope to feel when I am a mother, so we'll see... I know that parents sacrifice a lot for their children, I know mine did, and I am sure that there are plenty of other things that a parent could do with their time, money, and possessions, but something about seeing their children grow and learn and fulfill their dreams, becomes their life, they find great joy in them, and they know that no matter the sacrifices that they had to make, that they wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. I sure hope that makes sense, but that is how it is for me. I know that I may not have the typical life, that there are conveniences that I am going to be giving up, that there will likely be times where I wonder what I was thinking, but in the midst of it, I will know deep down inside, that this was meant to be.

I truly believe that the plans that God has for us are good. That He exceeds our hopes and dreams, and that He has an amazing way of giving us the best surprises! So, here I am so excited to be walking into this new season of life, savoring each moment, and knowing that in Him comes the fullness of joy!

Arms Open Wide

2009-08-14T21:41:00.002-04:00

I absolutely love the "Tear Down the Walls" CD by Hillsong United! Today as I was driving, the song "Arms Open Wide" came on and I had to keep playing it over and over. It is a beautiful song and so reflects my heart. I love it! So, here are the words:

Take my life I lay it down
At the cross where I am found
All I have I give to You oh God

Take my hands and make them clean
Keep my heart in purity
That I may walk in all You have for me

Oh here I stand
Arms open wide
Oh I am Yours
And You are mine

Take my moments and my days
Let each breath that I take
Be ever only for You oh God

My whole life is Yours
I give it all
Surrendered to Your Name
And forever I will pray
Have Your way
Have Your way

Oh here I stand
Arms open wide
Oh I am Yours
And You are mine

I want to walk in all that God has for me! I surrender completely to Him! May I walk with clean hands and a pure heart! And may every moment, every breath, every day be lived for His glory!

Be Strong & Courageous

2009-08-01T22:57:00.004-04:00

“Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:6-9 (NLT)

Thou shalt move to Guatemala!

2009-06-27T14:38:00.007-04:00

Okay, so it wasn't an audible voice and I didn't hear those exact words, but there is no doubt in my mind or my heart that moving to Guatemala is right where I am supposed to be.

As I have mentioned before, I have always loved missions. I first started learning about missions when I was about 7 years old, and I wanted to go on trips to help people ever since then. I remember crying at the airport when I was 10 because my parents were going on a mission trip, and I wasn't crying because I was going to miss them (even though I was going to), I was crying because I didn't get to go. Twelve was the "golden age" to go on a mission trip, so 2 weeks after my twelfth birthday, I boarded a plane to Mexico, and I haven't stopped going since then.

I knew that missions would always be a part of my life. I wasn't sure how it would all unfold, but I knew that I was going to live internationally and serve others. I studied International Relations in college, I knew that having this background would be helpful, I understand government relations, and this degree can help me get into countries where having only a Bible degree would keep me out. For awhile, I thought I might work in the Foreign Service, but then I realized that it wasn't really my heart. I did want to help people and bring humanitarian relief, but more importantly I wanted to minister to the biggest need that people have and that is knowing Jesus personally, and experiencing His great love and that missions was the avenue that God wanted to use me in!

So... last year in July, as I was leading a missions team of youth to Guatemala from my church, The Branch, I began feeling that change was on it's way. It's hard to describe exactly what the "feeling" felt like, but it was as if the Holy Spirit was preparing my heart for what was to come. I knew that some changes were about to take place in my life, and I knew that God was doing it all, and so I began to dig into the Word even more and just prayed that I would be led by His peace and that I would know what to do.

That trip was a great time of surrender. I think that word has become the theme of the past couple of years of my life. Surrender is a beautiful thing. It is also very difficult at times. Many times in order for us to walk in the fullness of all that God has for us, we have to let go of our own plans and ideas. Such was the case for me, I am a planner, I schedule everything and I like to know what is going to happen and when. Of course, I know that the plans that God has for me will be better than my own, but that doesn't mean that laying down my dreams gets easier, it's painful, it's frustrating, it's confusing, and it's absolutely BEAUTIFUL! When we decide to let go of everything we are holding onto for comfort, for fulfillment, and we give it all to God, He picks us up and totally amazes us!

When I was in Guatemala last summer, I began reading Psalm 37, this is a familiar passage, but I knew that God was speaking to me through it. The first part that spoke to me were verses 3&4 which say, "Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your heart's desires." WOW! I had read this verse so many times, but it was now jumping off the page. Suddenly, I was felt like I should write down my heart's desires. The funny thing is that when I started writing down the things that I really did want and desire more than anything, my self-made plans didn't really match up, I had ideas and plans and I thought it was what I wanted, but when I really sat down and thought about it, I had made those plans a long time ago, and since I am a planner, I just wanted to accomplish the goal. Hmmmm, not really the AMAZING dreams that I thought I was holding onto, huh?

So, I decided to surrender. I went over everything and told God that I laid every idea I had about what my life should be, how it should look, what I should do, where I should be, EVERYTHING at His feet! It was a tearful time, full of peace and joy! I knew that His ways are higher, but then after surrendering, I was able once again to experience His ways, and can I just say that they are SO GOOD! Isaiah 55:8-9 (NLT) says, “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." Well, I knew that verse, but honestly, I was trying to figure it out, because ummm.... I think I have a good imagination and I can think of some pretty awesome stuff, so beyond anything I could imagine, had to be pretty crazy, right?

Well, He did it, I surrendered, and He did far beyone anything I could imagine, and He did it in EVERY area of my life. I know that I have been led by Him every step of the way, the paths He has taken me down are very different than anything I would plan, and THANK THE LORD that they are, because they are SO AMAZING, I mean literally they are BEYOND ANYTHING I COULD IMAGINE, hmmm, exactly how the Word says it would be.

So, that's that, and now I am going to move to Guatemala, and the joy that comes from obedience is wonderful, I love it, and I am excited to see how it all unfolds. The Bible doesn't promise that it will be easy, but it promises that He is there every step of the way, and that our lives will be full of peace, joy, hope, love and everything else that we need! YAY FOR HIS FAITHFULNESS AND GRACE!! He is soooooooo good!

Guatemala - Before the "Big Move" - Finances

2009-06-26T22:10:00.004-04:00

As with any move, there are a lot of expenses that come into play.

Besides the monthly support that I need to raise, there are some other "pre-move" expenses that have to be covered and planned for. There is the training, the shipping of my items, and various legal fees. I also will take some intensive Spanish training when I first arrive to Guatemala, so I have to have those fees covered. I believe that about $1500 will cover all of that.

In addition to that, I have to find a car...

I need a car while in Guatemala for obvious reasons, I have to go places... It is not safe for me to ride on the buses there, and I am not allowed to travel alone, unless I am in a car.

I need to get a car that is in good condition and that can withstand really bumpy, often unpaved roads. The driving there is pretty crazy, and so I would like to get a SUV, so that I feel more protected, and so that I can sit higher up and see what is ahead (to change lanes there, you just pass in whatever lane you want going whatever direction and I will be living in the mountains, so it's curvy, therefore I like to know what's ahead). I would also like to get a Toyota, Nissan, or Mazda, because those are common cars there, and so I can get them repaired or worked on more easily, without having to ship parts from the states.n I think my ideal car would be something like a Toyota 4Runner.

I can either buy a car in Guatemala or in the states. There are pros and cons to both. Buying a car in Guatemala will cost more than it does here, plus, there is no way to research if the car has had any issues in the past, but there is less paperwork to be done, and I don't have to pay the high tax fee to bring it in from the states. Getting a car in the states means that there is more paperwork, and the car has to be paid off before it can be taken out of the country. Plus, I have to pay the taxes and shipping to get it into Guatemala. But, the cars from here usually cost less and they can be checked out more thoroughly. So, I am weighing the options. I believe that I will look for a car in the states, and see what I find... I know that God will lead me to the right one for the right price and it will all fall into place, and that He will provide for all the needs.

I really am learning to trust A LOT. I know I have said it over and over, but His faithfulness is so great and I love the fact that we can be led by His peace! When we know we are in His will, then we can trust confidently that He is faithful who promised and that He has it all worked out!

Guatemala - Monthly Finances

2009-06-26T22:05:00.013-04:00

Fundraising... oh, the exciting word! I must admit that the thought of fundraising can loom quite strongly over the excitement of moving to Guatemala. I am the type of person who likes to work hard for my employer, prove that I am worth the investment and therefore EARN the money that I make. Hmmmm... needless to say, the fundraising process is one in which God is stretching me, teaching me to trust, and reminding me that some things just can't be earned.

As a missionary, I am responsible to raise all of my support. This support covers all of my living expenses (housing, food, transportation, etc), legal fees (and there are quite a few for moving and residency issues), travel, organization fees (15%), required insurance, as well as covering costs for outreaches and other ministry involvement.

My goal is to raise $2000/month in committed support. This would be more than enough to cover my expenses, plus there would be some leftover to use for additional ministry items, emergency expenses, etc.

Before I can move to Guatemala, I must have at least $1200 in committed monthly support. This is a requirement from Living Water Teaching to assure that when missionaries move there, they have some backing and that they will at least be able to cover their basic personal living expenses.

Please prayerfully consider becoming one of my sponsers. I believe that myself and Living Water Teaching are good ground to sow into. The missionaries of Living Water Teaching are hard workers, and are determined to fulfill the call of God on their lives, and I am thankful and honored to be joining them.

If you would like to support me, please contact me at karadixonmissions@gmail.com. I can give you more information on how the support process works and the different ways in which you can help!

You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully." And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.” For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, He will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. II Corinthians 9:7-11 (NLT)

All of my support is ran through Living Water Teaching. Checks can be made payable to Living Water Teaching, and in the memo section please write my missionary number, which is 11500. (Donations are tax-deductible, LWT is a 501(c)3 organization).

Guatemala - Before the "Big Move" - To Do's

2009-06-26T22:00:00.008-04:00

Moving is quite a job. I just moved from my apartment, back into my parent's home so that I can save money towards my move to Guatemala and so that I can have more quality time with them before I leave. That packing experience was... exhausting, because I had to go ahead and pack the things to ship to Guatemala, pack things to go to my parent's house and then pack things that I would need to store for a little while. I did have some amazing friends helping me out, which was greatly appreciated!!!!!

So, I get to move again in six months and I am pumped about all that entails! For now though, there are tons of things that have to get done in order for that to happen.

First, I will be going to Oklahoma for some training. I will be working in Living Water Teaching's school, and therefore, my week in Oklahoma will consist of training on how the school works, the curriculum, classroom management, etc. From there I will go down to Texas to Living Water's headquarters to meet all of the stateside staff, finish up some paperwork and contracts, and get the rest of the logistical things taken care of.

Living Water ships a container with all the Shoebox gifts and other items to Guatemala each year. It takes several months for the container to get to Guatemala and clear customs, so everything that I want shipped has to get to Texas by August. So, I have to ship everything from Charlotte to Texas really soon! So, I decided to drive to OK and TX so that I can load up the car with as much as possible, and therefore save some shipping cost at least on the Charlotte to Texas segment (I never knew how expensive shipping was), and then I will ship the rest of the stuff later.

Hmmmm... there is a lot to do, and sometimes I begin to feel overwhelmed with everything, because all of this is on top of all my regular responsibilities, but then I am reminded that God has it all figured out and that it will all get taken care of! I am soooooooooooo thankful for my God who cares about every detail of our lives! His faithful love is forever!!!!

Guatemala Newsletter

2009-06-26T21:25:00.004-04:00

Here is a look at my first newsletter for Guatemala! I am so looking forward to moving there! I know that is where God wants me for the next season of my life! So, take a look... Oh, and if you click on each page, it will show you a bigger version so that you can actually read it ;-)

All About Living Water Teaching

2009-06-26T20:16:00.008-04:00

Living Water Teaching is the organization that I will be serving with in Guatemala. The picture above is from their 2008 Bible School Graduation. The heart of Living Water Teaching is the Bible Institutes. By training students in the Word of God and ministry skills LWT is able to have exponential growth in their effectiveness and outreaches. Through the Bible Institutes throughout Central and South America students are able to learn, grow and return to their home prepared to reach their community, country and the world for Christ!

Here is more background information about them, along with their Vision, and Tenants of Faith.

Background Info

After dissolving their Ohio construction firm in 1976, Jim and Marion Zirkle and their three children moved to Broken Arrow, OK. During two years of intense study in God’s Word, Jim was presented with an opportunity to minister to a group of missionaries working in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. It was during this time of ministry that the Spirit of God called him to Central America. Soon afterwards, the vision that today guides the entire ministry began to unfold.

Living Water Teaching was started in 1979 by the Zirkles. Since then, the work of this ministry has grown to include outreaches in eleven countries around the world. The Word of God is going forth by way of Bible schools, evangelistic campaigns, medical clinics, Operation Shoebox, and through the ministries of the graduates of the Bible Institutes in each of these countries.

When their Douglas DC-3 aircraft went down on November 1, 1998, taking the lives of Marion’s husband, son, son-in-law, two missionaries, and six group members from the United States, she knew that the vision was not completed. She picked up the mantle on that fateful night, and by the grace of God, continues running with the vision of changing Central America for Jesus.

On July 12, 2003, Marion married Pastor Clarence Wright and they, along with the Living Water Teaching family, are taking the gospel to Belize, Cuba, Mexico, the six countries in Central America, Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay in South America.

Living Water Teaching is in its 30th year on the field and has currently graduated over 29,000 Bible school students. The ministry has seen over 700,000 born again over the last 29 years. More than 100 denominational groups have trusted us to train their leaders and young people. The commission of Living Water Teaching is to make disciples, and send them out to do the same.

Vision

The Vision of Living Water Teaching (As directed by the Holy Spirit)

Convert My people to the Word, not to religion.
Train them in righteousness.
Show them by example My power to change lives by giving spiritual conditioning to their spirits, by way of the Word.
You are to train My sent ones to go on and do greater than I have shown you by building on your errors and successes.
The vision is transferable, but My commission is not! You are to carry it forth into all of Central America.
Trouble the waters of Central America as the angel troubled the waters of Bethesda. Trouble them with faith, healing, and salvation.

Tenants of Faith

The program and activities of Living Water Teaching shall be based upon and at all times shall be consistent with the following beliefs:

The Bible is the mind of Christ, and it is the inspired and only infallible and authoritative Word of God. II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:19-21; Hebrews 4:12.
There is one God manifested in three personalities: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Isaiah 45:5,6; I John 5:7; Matthew 28:19.
The reality of Satan and his present control over unregenerated man does exist. I Peter 5:8; Ephesians 6:11, 12; II Corinthians 4:4.

Christianity is based upon the following:

The deity of our Lord Jesus Christ. John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:15-17; John 10:30.
Born of the Virgin Mary. Luke 1:26-35; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23.
His sinless life. Hebrews 4:15; I Peter 2:22; II Corinthians 5:21.
His miracles. John 3:2, 11:45, 20:30.
His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood. Isaiah 53:4,5; I Peter 2:21-24; Colossians 1:14.
His body resurrection. I Peter 1:21; Galatians 1:1; Romans 1:4.
His ascension to the right hand of the Father. Acts 1:19-11; Ephesians 1:20; Colossians 3:1.
His personal return in power and glory as Lord of Lords and Kings of Kings. Matthew 24:30, 25:31; Thessalonians 1:7-10.
The fall of man and his lost of estate, which makes necessary a rebirth through confession and belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 3:23, 5:12-21, 10:9,10; I Corinthians 15:21,22.
The reconciliation of man to God by substitutionary death and shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:5-10; II Corinthians 5:18.
The resurrection of believers into everlasting life and blessing in Heaven, and the resurrection of unbelievers unto everlasting punishment in the torments of Hell. John 5:28,19; I Thessalonians 4:16-18; Mark 16:16.
The present supernatural ministry of the Holy Spirit, Who bestows the spiritual gifts of: the word of Wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, gifts of healing, working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, various kinds of tongues, in and among the believers on the Earth since the day of Pentecost and continuing until our Lords return. I Corinthians 12; John 16:7, 13:15; Ephesians 4:8.

For more information about Living Water Teaching, please visit their website at: http://www.livingwaterteaching.org/.

Youth Guatemala Trip

2009-06-25T10:41:00.004-04:00

I just returned from Guatemala yesterday! It was an amazing trip! I had the wonderful honor of leading a team from my church's youth group. Boy was it fun! These teens are hilarious, they had me laughing, hard. They have so much joy and know how to enjoy life, moment by moment. More than that though, they truly love God! Their desire to serve God and to share His love with people is so inspiring and encouraging! These teens are seeking God each day, determined to fulfill all of His dreams for their lives, and I am so thankful that God gave me the opportunity to help with that!

While in Guatemala, we went to a town called Santo Tomas La Union, and ministered in parks, bus terminals, various communities and other similar locations. We performed dramas that shared of God's love, and how He is the only one that can fill that void in our lives. The Gospel was presented, and then we went and shared with the people who watched the dramas. It was so great to see the team walk in boldness, unashamed of their love for Jesus, and passionate about wanting others to experience the love, joy, hope and future that He gives! Approximately 335 people gave their hearts to the Lord! Isn't that awesome?!

My desire is to help people, and help them in turn help others. So, having the opportunity to help train teens for missions and watch what God does in their lives just brings me great joy! God used them to do so much this past week, and at the same time, He did so much in them!

God is so good and His faithful love never ends!

I'm In! I'm In! I'm In!

2009-02-28T23:09:00.003-05:00

So, as I have mentioned I am in Guatemala doing my Missionary Training for moving here to serve! Well, this month (which is almost over, sigh, so sad), has been busy, tiring, fun and amazing! The purpose of the month was for me to learn about every aspect of Living Water Teaching and everything that they do, and also to prepare for my moving here, and everything that has to be done with that. It was also a time of observation, the leadership watching me, me watching them, living life here, seeing if it is a good fit and if I could make it.

Well, on Thursday I had to go before members of the board and answer numerous questions, it was a type of final interview before the final decision was to be made as to if I would be accepted as a Living Water Teaching Missionary. So, the exciting news is... I'm in! They accepted me, so I am now a missionary with them! Yay! Well, I will actually be moving in about 10 months, but when I return home this Thursday (sigh again, so not ready to leave), I will begin getting things in order and start the support aspect of being a missionary.

I cannot even begin to explain how great this month has been. You know how it is when something happens and you want so bad to share it, but you feel as though no words that you could use would be able to get the point across? That is how I feel!

God's faithfulness has been overwhelming! I mean, I just can't describe it! He has SURPRISED me in so many ways! My questions have been answered, my concerns, all cleared up, my doubts, turned into confidence, everything is lining up.

What is it?

2009-02-17T09:45:00.007-05:00

So, I am getting used to life in Guatemala. I have now been here two weeks, so I am halfway through my orientation. I have to say that I am loving it here! The people are great, the ministry is awesome, and my Spanish is improving (I think). I am really enjoying spending time with the missionaries and with the Bible School students. It's a lot of fun!

I will admit that there are a few things that are "different" than what I am used to...

For instance, I have to ask someone what it is that we're eating, at least once a day. There are some dishes that I love, and umm, there are others that, well let's just say, I can force them down IF I must (thankfully, I don't have to though). It's not that the food is bad, it's just different than what I am used to and so my taste buds, are well, growing? Hmmm.

Then there is the fact that I have to get up a lot earlier than I usually do. This isn't a big deal for normal people, but then there's me... I do not like mornings. The only mornings that I enjoy waking up are the one's where I don't have anywhere to be, so I can sleep without setting an alarm and wake up when it was no longer morning ;) Don't get me wrong, once I am up and getting ready, I am fine and excited about the day, it's just the initial process of waking up. You can ask everyone who works at the Branch, they have seen me way too many times dragging in, without make-up, and with wet hair, because I just wouldn't let the alarm win.

Okay, so let's add to the morning thing. Imagine using 6 blankets (and 2 pair of pj's) because it is so cold and there is not heat in the house. Okay, so how cold do you think you will be when you finally do wake up to the alarm and have to get out of that warm bed? I mean I can't walk around with 6 blankets to get ready.

And the water. There are hot water heaters, but I don't think it gets very hot. I mean, the way I can tell if the pilot light is lit on the heater or if it went out and I need to go light it (they have different heaters here, you have to light them with a match or a lighter), is that if the water is cold but I can breathe, then it's working, if it is so cold that I lose my breath, then I need to make a trip outside to light the heater.

Why am I telling you all of this? Well, so you'll know, it's really the little things that you begin to miss from home. But the main reason I wanted to talk about it is that I STILL LOVE IT HERE! I'll admit that I don't like cold showers or some of the food, or some of the other things, but so what! I would go through that day in and day out if necessary, because I know that missions is what I am called to do. Plus, I can just rejoice and be thankful because I have experienced worse conditions too.

During my orientation, I have been watching videos from Pastor Jim Zirkle, who was the founder of Living Water Teaching, here in Guatemala. One of the videos is on the burden vs. the call. He said that often times people are burdened for the nations and they know something needs to happen. But what does a burden do? It weighs you down, it makes life hard and often miserable. He gave a simple example of how you can tell the difference between a burden and a call. He said that the man with the burden and the man with the call both go on a mission trip. They both have to take cold showers, they both have to eat food that they have no idea what it is, they have to deal with the bugs, they go to wash their clothes and hang them to dry and then it rains and the clothes are soaked, they have to sleep on hard beds, their hairdryers won't work, etc. Now they both go home and the person with the burden says, "Lord, thank you for missions, I will support the ministry, I will help however I can, but please do not ever send me there." The person with the call says, "Lord, please send me back, I want to be there!"

I am that called person. I know it! Now, let me just tell you that I like my modern things, I like to straighten my hair and wear make-up and have heat and warm showers. In fact, I think people that love camping are CRAZY. Why would someone leave their comfortable home, to sleep on the ground in a tent, and have to build a fire? It makes no sense to me. But for missions, I somehow have the gift to be able to endure it, and want to have more. It doesn't mean that it is never frustrating, or that it doesn't get old. What it does mean is that I am called. True joy comes when you are walking in the plan that God has for you, it doesn't come with all the conveniences of technology and money (although I do appreciate those), but if you are right where you are supposed to be, you can look at any obstacle with a gleam in your eye, and revel in the the joy of serving the Lord right where you are!

Life isn't always easy, in fact, it can be very hard at times. But when I look back at the hard times that I know I was in the middle of God's plan, for some reason I don't see all the hard things I endured, I remember it being hard, but it has all been covered with the joy and peace and love of walking this life hand in hand with Jesus and all I can do is look back and smile!

Don't settle for convenient and easy! Go after whatever it is God has for you! Seek Him first in everyting and those desires that you have will come to pass! The life He has for you is beyond your wildest dreams! So Live it!

And the next step is...

2009-02-07T11:34:00.004-05:00

For the past 6-7 months I have been in the application process for becoming a missionary to Guatemala with Living Water Teaching. I have always loved missions, and I started going on short-term mission trips when I was 12 years old. I didn´t necessarily think that I would become a full-time missionary, although I will admit that it was always lingering in the back of my mind. I did know that missions would always be a part of my life.

Well the past couple of years I have been leading trips with my church, The Branch and during this time, my desire for missions and consistently being on the field has become stronger and stronger. It was while I was in Guatemala this past July that I began feeling a tug that major change was coming. I began praying about it and believe that God was showing me that the time for becoming a full-time missionary was just around the corner. I prayed and prayed and also questioned. I mean, I love, love, love my job at The Branch, enjoy being around my family, and there are so many other things that I wanted to have "in order" before moving to the field. But I knew that true joy and peace comes when you obey God and walk in His will, I mean I love, love, love my current job and location because He placed me there, so I should trust His leading in everything.

I will admit that I wasn´t 100% positive at first, but I felt God leading me to apply with Living Water Teaching. I am well aware that sometimes the stepping out in faith is what the Lord is looking for as well, so I took the first step, knowing that I am led by God and that as I seek Him wholeheartedly I will go in the right direction.

All that to say, I am now in the final "step" of becoming a missionary to Guatemala. I am at this very moment in Quetzaltenango (also known as Xela), Guatemala on the campus of Living Water Teaching, going through a month of missionary training. During this time I am learning about all of the areas of the ministry here, spending time with the missionaries, students and others, and praying for God´s clear direction. I know without a doubt that I will live on the mission field, I believe that Living Water Teaching is the place I will begin, but during this time, I know that I will know without a doubt if this is where I will be for the next 4 years (starting around January 2010).

My greatest desire is to help people and the greatest gift that anyone can be given is a relationship with Jesus! It is my lifelong goal of living a life of love and sharing the joy that comes with being totally and completely in love with Jesus! Wherever God takes me, I am so ready to go!

The Hills Are Alive...

2009-01-13T21:08:00.004-05:00

...with the Sound of Music!

The Sound of Music, is pretty much one of my favorite movies, EVER! The songs constantly pop into my head, and I attempt to sing them... Suddenly, there I am daydreaming of me being in the midst of an adventure, in a place where I don't know what to expect, but I cling to the words of the songs I am singing and make them my own and I know that even though I don't understand what's going on or how things are going to happen, I am calm, because I am completely aware that "my heart will be blessed with the sound of music, and I'll sing once more."

Okay, so that was intentionally cheesy. But, in all honesty, The Sound of Music has for some reason been a constant encouragement to me for the past couple of weeks. First of all I find comfort in it. I have watched that movie since I was little, I can sing with it, I can laugh, I still get excited when the puppet show comes on, and I am convinced that the captain fell in love with Maria when he found her in the ballroom getting ready to dance.

Besides it being comforting, I can understand the uncertainty that Maria feels as she sets off on an adventure. She doesn't know what to expect, and she is hesitant, but she knows that she is supposed to go to help this family. I appreciate the fact, that the adventure is not only a risky, uncertain event, but it involves taking a chance and work. So many times people are looking for adventure, but think that those can only be found by doing something spontaneous and physical risk, like jumping out of a plane or something. Maria is willing to work hard, admit her mistakes, and know that even though she might fall that she can laugh and stand up for what she believes.

There are exciting things going on right now with me, major decisions that I have to make, and lots of uncertainty that has to be faced, but the awesome thing is that I am totally up for it. I know that whatever I do and wherever I go, as long as I am seeking God wholeheartedly, that I will make the right choices. While it may be hard work, and there will surely be challenges, it's worth it and the joy is overwhelming!

So, go watch the Sound of Music and be inspired. :) I've been watching it in Spanish, I love attempting to sing the songs in Spanish, it's special. I am fully aware that I am a nerd, but I just love it! Remember, that the plans God has for you are amazing, and though they might be risky, He will lead you, and you will walk in great joy and peace!

I will leave you with the lyrics to one of my favorite songs in the movie.

I Have Confidence

What will this day be like? I wonder.
What will my future be? I wonder.
It could be so exciting to be out in the world, to be free
My heart should be wildly rejoicing
Oh, what's the matter with me?

I've always longed for adventure
To do the things I've never dared
And here I'm facing adventure
Then why am I so scared

A captain with seven children
What's so fearsome about that?

Oh, I must stop these doubts, all these worries
If I don't I just know I'll turn back
I must dream of the things I am seeking
I am seeking the courage I lack

The courage to serve them with reliance
Face my mistakes without defiance
Show them I'm worthy
And while I show them
I'll show me

So, let them bring on all their problems
I'll do better than my best
I have confidence they'll put me to the test
But I'll make them see I have confidence in me

Somehow I will impress them
I will be firm but kind
And all those children (Heaven bless them!)
They will look up to me
And mind me

With each step I am more certain
Everything will turn out fine
I have confidence the world can all be mine
They'll have to agree I have confidence in me

I have confidence in sunshine
I have confidence in rain
I have confidence that spring will come again
Besides which you see I have confidence in me

Strength doesn't lie in numbers
Strength doesn't lie in wealth
Strength lies in nights of peaceful slumbers
When you wake up -- Wake Up!

It tells me all I trust I lead my heart to
All I trust becomes my own
I have confidence in confidence alone
(Oh help!)

I have confidence in confidence alone
Besides which you see I have confidence in me!

¡Feliz Navidad!

2008-12-23T21:33:00.015-05:00

My Christmas Celebration started early this year as I along with my friends Iris and Natalia headed to the airport to board a plane to Guatemala. We went there to work with Living Water Teaching and to help them deliver shoebox gifts to children in orphanages, hospitals, churches, and villages of Guatemala. I have done this before, but I have to say that it never gets old, or ordinary, seeing the faces of children light up when they receive the gift that could very well be their only Christmas gift is something that I could never get tired of.

While there we sorted through shoeboxes, making sure that each one was appropriate for the age group that they were designated for, and that they were full of delightful surprises. Then we geared up to begin the delivery process.

At each location where we did a distribution, we would first sing Christmas carols, have a drama about the true meaning of Christmas and also give everyone the opportunity to ask Jesus into their hearts. This is, of course, the most important aspect of the trip, because, while it is wonderful to give the gifts to the children and to meet that practical need, the absolute most important and special gift that anyone could ever be given is Jesus! It does not matter how much humanitarian aid we give, if we don't share God's love and the hope that He gives, it will never be enough.

After the presentation we would line the children up, one line for boys and one for girls. Our boxes were sorted based on gender and age. As each child passed through the line they were met with one of our missionaries, who asked them their age, and led them to where another missionary would hand them their gift. It was an amazing time of sharing in love and laughter with the children. It was also wonderful to be able to genuinely tell the parents that God loves them as they would look at us with eyes full of gratitude for the gift given to their child.

When we went to the hospital, we delivered the gifts to the rooms of the children. Iris, Natalia and I were able to go into the Nursery where all the newborn babies were and help put their presents underneath their incubators and then pray for them. That was very special.

This was an extraordinary trip. God did great things! I love to see how He works! We were able to give over 4,000 shoebox gifts to children! Plus, and this is the most exciting news, over 2,000 people asked Jesus to be their Lord and Savior! YAY! God is so good and I am so thankful that He uses people like me!

So this holiday season, I want to encourage you to remember that it truly is better to give than to receive, and the very best gift that you can give is JESUS!

Merry Christmas!

Sorting Shoeboxes.

The church was packed with over 1,000 children plus parents.

With a little village girl.

A girl asking Jesus into her heart :)

Taking a young boy though the line to receive his gift.

Natalia delivering gifts to babies in the hospital.

A little girl praying at the hospital.

Village children.

Presenting the drama.

A village girl.

What Joy!

2008-11-11T22:53:00.015-05:00

I am so excited for my friends Sam and Melody! They have been praying to adopt a child since long before I met them. About two weeks ago I received a call from Sam letting me know that they were getting a baby boy! I was in the grocery store and I am sure that the people around me thought I was quite odd when I started going crazy in excitement!

God is so faithful! He desires for us to live lives that are full of love, joy and peace! He has such great plans for us and we can completely trust Him!

I had dinner with them tonight and met their new son, he is so adorable! So, I would now like to introduce you to Baby Henry! Yay!

Proud Parents! They are a lovely family!

Dinner Time!

Baby Henry and me.

He is so cute!

I can tell you now that all those times where they waited and waited are worth it now to hold this beautiful baby boy in their arms! Remember, that He is faithful who promised and we can rest in knowing that our God wants our dreams to come true even more than we do! He is so good!

Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us! What joy! Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest. Psalm 126:3,5-6

You thrill me, Lord, with all you have done for me! I sing for joy because of what you have done. Psalm 92:4

Winna Mon

2008-10-28T22:37:00.015-04:00

I get songs stuck in my head on a regular basis. Fortunately, they are usually inspirational songs that those around me love to hear (please note the sarcasm). It could be anything from God Bless America, to the Sound of Music's Do-A-Deer song. The lovely lyrics mixed with my divine musical abilities make it an experience that everyone enjoys. Tonight, as I was in the laundry room, a beautiful song arose from my soul, and I thought that it was just so inspirational to my roommate, who started laughing with the overflow of the joy of the Lord, that I just had to put the wonderful lyrics here for you to enjoy as well.

The song: Winna Mon. The artist: Ron Kenoly. The date written: 1996, it was a long time ago, when I was a wee child. The inspirational message: Jesus is da winna and we are on da winning side! Ya mon!

It is such fun to see

Such fun to see

Satan lose

It is such fun to see

Such fun to see

Satan lose

Jesus is the Winna mon

The Winna mon

The winna mon

Jesus is the Winna mon

The Winna mon all the time

I am on the winning side

The winning sideThe winning side

I am on the winning side

The winning side all the time

In Matthew chapter two

Satan lost

When Jesus was born in a manger

And in the wilderness

Satan lost again

At the Mount of Transfiguration

Yeah!

At the crucifixion

Satan lost again

When Jesus rose triumphantly

From the grave

And at the ascension

Satan lost

Once more

When I was born again

Yeah!

Winna mon

Jesus is the Winna mon

The Winna mon all the time

Winna mon

Jesus is the Winna mon

The Winna mon all the time

He the Winna

The Winna

Jesus is the Winna mon

The Winna mon all the time

SING YA HEART OUT! YA KNOW YA LOVE IT MON!

Please tune in next time as I give dance tips for the song: Shut de do (Keep out de devil). ;)

Speak Mercy.

2008-10-20T14:15:00.001-04:00

I love Mercy Ministries! Mercy is a Christian organization that reaches out to the hopeless and hurting with the love and acceptance of Christ! They have homes throughout the United States and internationally as well. These homes welcome young ladies ages 13-28 who are struggling with life controlling issues such as, eating disorders, abuse, depression, unwanted pregnancies, and more.

These girls come to Mercy free of charge and live there for about 6 months. They are able to receive counseling, nutrition help, schooling, and they experience the love of Jesus Christ. I have been able to visit Mercy on several occasions and I can say that MERCY WORKS! Girls who come in broken and hurting leave healed and restored! They provide safety, love and HOPE!

We have been talking about Signs of Hope at The Branch lately, and MERCY IS A SIGN OF HOPE to me! Proof that God is still working in and through people who are surrendered and yielded to Him! The girls at Mercy inspire me, they are true heroes, people who move beyond their circumstances and learn to live a life full of the grace and power of God!

No matter what we go through in life, our God is stronger, bigger and better! He has a plan for us beyond anything we can even imagine! That's huge! He is faithful to carry us through and He is so incredibly good!

Thanks Mercy for saving lives and restoring hope!

For more info about Mercy Ministries, visit their website: http://www.mercyministries.com/ and you can visit their video blog here.

Band Aids

2008-10-15T00:31:00.001-04:00

There is something about putting a band-aid on a child that makes me feel good. Not that I'm happy that they were hurt, but I like getting to help stop the pain and of course saying those comforting words, "It's all better now." Since the church office, where I work, is located in our school building, I get many opportunities to help the kiddos feel better.

Helping people is my passion. I want people to fulfill their dreams, to enjoy life, to know that they are cared about and loved! But there are so many times where I feel like there is nothing I can do. I want to see the end of the problem, I want the pain to stop immediately, I want lives to be forever changed right this instant. Maybe that is why I like band-aids. You know band-aids are usually used for minor cuts and scrapes, I can say with finality when I put a band-aid on a child's knee that they will be okay. Life isn't always like that, sometimes I see things that hurt my heart, I hear of problems and I can't do anything about it. BUT...

The good thing is that God can and will! He is our hope, our strength, our comfort. He is always there to help, and He is so faithful! The Bible says that He will take care of us, that He has great plans for us, that we have a future, and that we will be followed by goodness and mercy ALL the days of our lives! That is not a band-aid that is a CURE!

It's so good to know that we can go to God with all of our cares and give them to Him and that He will take care of us. You know, when a child needs a band-aid, they don't just sit around saying, "Oh, it sure would be nice if I had a band-aid, I wonder what I should do," no they go to someone they know can take care of them. That's how it is with God. We don't just need to sit around thinking about our problems and how it would be nice to know what to do, instead we can go to God, He is there for us to share our hearts and He is the solution! HE IS EVERYTHING WE NEED!

MeeMaw

2008-10-14T16:45:00.012-04:00

Today I went to visit my great-grandmother, who we children affectionately call MeeMaw. MeeMaw is 96 years old, but I don't think she looks it. She has been losing her vision and hearing for awhile. Sometimes she remembers me and sometimes she doesn't, I usually have to tell her who I am.

When I go to visit her, I paint her nails and tease her about finding herself a boyfriend. She always replies that she has no time for that and we laugh. She really likes red nail polish, but today she asked me to paint them black and white. I didn't have black and white polish, so I stuck with red and told her she would have to wait until Halloween for me to paint them black and we laughed again.

I can remember MeeMaw taking me to lunch and to Peebles department store when I was little. I always loved going with her. I remember that she always had Bubblicious or Bubble Yum gum in the top drawer of her chest. She always loved reading and she enjoyed word searches. She would also give me her little samples from the beauty shop where she got her hair done every week, so I had some nice little lotions and shampoo. Since she lived across the street from us, my brother, sister and I would go up there often. I remember forgetting my house key on numerous occasions and having to go knock on her bedroom window so that she would come open the door for me to hangout until my parents got home.

I'll admit that sometimes it feels inconvenient to go visit her. She lives in another city and so sometimes I don't feel like driving, or like trying to come up with things to talk about, but then I think about her. What must it feel like to not be able to do the things you once did all the time. What is it like to need someone to dress you to take you to your appointments, to tell you when to eat and when to take your medicine.

I believe that sometimes our society is so busy that we start to look at spending time with people as something to check off our to-do list rather than a chance to learn, to help, to bless, and to love. We really need to get back to honoring people, even those that seem to not have much to offer. We need to honor our elders and our families and do everything we can for them.

I love my MeeMaw. She loves me. The greatest gift I can give her right now is my time.

People are not an interruption in our lives- they are why we're here! ~Christine Caine

May I have a stoplight, please?

2008-10-10T13:28:00.002-04:00

So, after sharing my Spanish blunders in the Little Miss Perfect post, I thought I would share a more recent incident...

I took a group of youth girls to Guatemala this past July. One day we went to start a fire when we realized that we were out of matches. Being the team leader and the Spanish speaker of the group I ran up to the cafeteria to ask for matches. So I walk in the cafeteria and say hello and ask how everyone is doing, and then I ask for what I think is matches. But I mixed up my words, I asked for a semáforo, which is a stoplight. Suddenly, I am back in the room where I asked for soup instead of soap, and I am turning red (because everyone in the room is looking at me with that, "What in the world are you talking about" look, you know what I mean), the problem was that I knew that I knew the word for matches, so I am standing there, thinking very hard and finally say, "ummmm, I don't know, matches?" and yes, I said it in English. Fortunately, someone understood and I was handed a box of matches. I say thanks and walk out, and decide that I am in major need of a Spanish review. By the way, I felt about as cool as the lovely stoplight people in my picture, but they still got me beat in the coolness area. Oh, and if you are wondering, the Spanish word for matches is fósforos, it actually is pretty close to the word for stoplight.

I am also studying Spanish everyday again, so that I don't lose anymore of it. If you speak a second language, I would like to personally encourage you to practice it everyday, or don't and then send me stories of your mistakes ;)

A Morning Walk

2008-10-08T23:40:00.002-04:00

The Lord is my shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack. He makes me lie down in [fresh, tender] green pastures; He leads me beside the still and restful waters.

Psalm 23:1-2 (AMP)

True to Your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction. Psalm 23:3 (MSG)

I have been enjoying my morning walks for a few weeks now and decided that I should share a few glimpses of the beauty that I see while walking. Okay, so here's the disclaimer, the pictures do not do my trail justice, so just imagine them being way prettier. Now breathe deeply, and come along on a journey with me. Feel free to walk in place while looking at the pictures, it may help with the visualization.

Here we go... This is the first bridge I cross on my walk. It invites me to embark on a journey.

A view of the creek. Lovely. Can you find the squirrel in this picture?

I love the sound of water trickling through the rocks. Very peaceful.

Another view of the creek. I just love it. As I walk, I think about how amazing God is and how beautiful His creation is and I am thankful!

Another bridge to cross. There is just something about bridges that I love, and they remind me of change, I don't know why?

It just keeps going and going. I know I mentioned that it's so peaceful, but it really is. It's just time for me to get to know Jesus better and to share my heart with Him.

Okay, so this is the big rock that sticks out into the water. I will typically get off the path and go stand on this rock and look out over the water. I think I am going to take a book out there one day and just sit on the rock and read.

So there you have it, my little morning excursion. I am thankful for these walks, I believe that they are seriously a special part of my journey with Christ. During this season, I have been growing! I know that change is coming, I can feel it. I think that through my walks, where I get to see the trees and all of nature as they are now, and how soon I will see them changing, is a special way of God showing me the amazing beauty of every season of life! I truly love life and am embracing all it has for me right now and in the future! Life with God is so amazing!

A Heart for Adoption

2008-10-03T10:00:00.001-04:00

God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure. Ephesians 1:5 (NLT)

I believe that adoption is a beautiful thing. God chose to add us to His family through adoption, and because of that, we are given a wonderful life, where we can walk in a moment by moment relationship with God, we can fully trust and rely in Him, and we can confidently come to Him and He delights in us!

When I think about adoption, I get excited! It thrills me when people want to add to their family and give a child not only a home, but a loving family, where they can grow, play, and know what it means to be wanted. The Bible says that God places the lonely in families (Psalm 68:6), and I believe that adoption is one of the ways He does that.

I have several friends that are in the process of adopting a child or a couple of children. Some of them are adopting internationally, others through the foster system and others through private organizations. Some are adopting older children and others are waiting for a precious baby. These families are getting very familiar with the waiting that goes along with this process. I have seen the joy on their faces as they talk about their future children, I have seen the hope when they hear about a possibility. I have seen disappointment when roadblocks appear, and I have seen the perseverance and determination that they possess, knowing that adoption is part of God's plan for them, and that one day, they will hold their child (or children) in their arms.

I know that this process can be tough on these families, I am sure that they have cried many tears. Sometimes, I wish I could do more for them, than just giving them a hug and an encouraging word. One thing that I can do is pray. I can pray that God will lead them to the right people that will help them in the process, that God will continue preparing their hearts for their children, that God is preparing the children's hearts, and that God is helping the birth parents know that they are giving their children a wonderful future and that adoption is an expression of true love. I can also pray for the legal process to run smoothly, that if they are running into any complications that they will be resolved.

Would you join me in praying for my friends and all families that desire to bring children into a loving home where they will grow up being loved and accepted and taught about our amazing Lord? Thank you!

Little Miss Perfect

2008-10-02T09:52:00.007-04:00

I admit, at one time in my life I had Little Miss Perfect Syndrome, okay, so I gave it that name, but it's true, I had issues. I don't know when it started, but at some point in my childhood, I must have decided that I didn't like getting embarrassed, messing up, or not being the best. Sounds pretty normal, right? I took it to the extreme, I somehow decided that perfection was possible, or should I say, convincing people of my perfection was possible, I would always know the truth. So, I set down this road of pleasing people and making myself look good. I was a great student, I actually loved school, so making wonderful grades worked out well. Plus, I was a pretty good kid, so the obedience factor wasn't too terribly hard. The difficult part was always being okay, and how to handle things that I wasn't so good at. If I was upset, I would typically act like it was no big deal, and then go to my room and cry alone. I never played sports, because, well I am not athletic at all, and I didn't want to look bad, so I just steered away. Now, I know that sounds sad, it's not really. I had a wonderful childhood with a ton of great memories, it was just a personality issue for me. I always wanted to be able to handle everything.

So, when did it change? I would say that occassionally I still show signs of wanting to look like I have it all together, but I think most people do that. The big change for me came when I had to learn Spanish. I don't know if you've noticed from all of my posts, but the year I spent in Nicaragua was probably my first, major life-changing year. That was the year that a lot of my pre-conceived ideas got messed up, that was the year that I decided more of what I wanted to do with my life, that was the year that I truly fell in love with other cultures and helping people, and that was the year that my world was majorly shaken. So, it only fits that my perfection complex got destroyed as well.

Remember me saying that I didn't like to mess up? Well, I would say that it is pretty much impossible to try to learn a new language without messing up. When I first moved to Nicaragua, a friend of mine went with me. We were together constantly, no joke, we were NEVER alone. Well, she spoke Spanish, and so, I never did, I didn't want to look bad, so, I would have her translate for me ALL THE TIME, day in and day out. Now, I have had to translate for people before and it can be tiring, so I imagine she got tired of it, so one day, she told me that she wasn't translating for me anymore. WHAT?! I could not speak Spanish, how was I supposed to communicate? That was awful! I was so mad at her, but it actually turned out to be one of the best things. So, what did I have to do? Learn. Well, I began studying a lot, but then I had to speak to people. Boy did I mess up. I remember one day trying to tell the lady we lived with that we needed soap in the bathroom. So I told her that we needed sopa. I had heard the word sopa before so, surely that meant soap. She looked at me with a strange look and said, "What?" So I say sopa and start making the hand motions like I am washing my hands. While laughing, she brings me a bar of soap, and points out to me that sopa means SOUP! I was so embarrassed! But, that was just the first of about 500 million little mistakes that I made.

I just had to learn to get over my pride. I made mistakes all the time, and guess what? The people still loved me! It actually drew me closer to them, because I could just be real, bad Spanish and all, and they felt free to try out their English with me, they saw me as approachable, and genuine as opposed to haughty and arrogant.

What's the moral of the story? Well, if I would have been so busy trying to make myself look perfect, I would never had learned Spanish, would not have been nearly as effective, would not have made the friendships that I did, and I would still think that sopa means soap.

Have you ever met those people that seem to have it all together? Go ahead and admit that it annoys you... it does me. Sometimes I even get intimidated by them. But, then I remember, that I can just be me, with ALL my MANY imperfections, and that I will likely be able to help more people, have more fun, and I will definitely be able to LAUGH a whole lot more! I must have taken it to the complete other extreme, because I am now content to be incredibly goofy, nerdy and well, completely imperfect. So, just be you, and smile! You are wonderful, just the way you are! Enjoy every minute of it!

Lessons from the Rocking Chair

2008-09-30T17:38:00.009-04:00

I was 18 and full of plans. I had just moved to Nicaragua to do mission work for a school year before going to college, and I was ready to embark on a crazy, busy, exhilarating journey. So when I found myself sitting in the rocking chair, I guess you can say that I was not happy. Up until that point, my experience with missions had been short-term trips, where there was a team and we were busy running around all the time going from place to place, doing dramas and giving out food. I suppose I had imagined that I would constantly be on the move now that I lived there as well. I was wrong. Now, you must understand, I did have things to do, I taught Bible lessons at a couple schools, helped in a clinic, taught English classes at the church, and many other things, I also took classes to help me learn Spanish. But, it just seemed like there was a lot of waiting. In the morning I would get ready, go to the church, get breakfast from the church's store, hang out with the store clerk for awhile, then go teach the Bible class or go to the clinic. From there, I would go to the rocking chair on the church's porch and sit and wait.

See the way it worked in Nicaragua (at least at that church), was that people would come to meet with the pastor. They could be coming for any number of reasons, they need prayer, advice, they need assistance, or any of the other reasons that people meet with pastors. The difference from how it is here, is that they would just show up (without an appointment) and sit on the porch and wait their turn for the meeting. So at times, there could be 8 or 9 people waiting to meet with the pastor. What did this have to do with me? I was waiting for the pastor too, that was who I worked with the most and so these people were not helping me fulfill my goal of having a crazy, busy, super exciting missionary life.

So there I was, in the rocking chair, sitting, waiting, impatiently might I add, I would get up, walk around, walk to the little store, walk back to my rocking chair, and repeat the whole process, I'm sure there were some loud sighs and huffs, I could not believe that I was having to wait that long! Seriously, did they not know that I had come from the States to help people, I mean I was a valuable asset, these people needed help, and I was here to bring it (please note the sarcasm)!

Finally, one day it hit me, I was there to serve the people of Nicaragua, and they have a different culture than me. The pace there was slower, people were not in a hurry, they enjoyed hanging out and talking, you know actually getting to know people, and they were content to sit and wait. Ouch. It was me that needed to change, if I really wanted to reach people, it would probably be nice for me to learn to appreciate the differences. So, I changed my attitude. From then on, when I would sit in the rocking chair, I would be interested in the people and what was going on in their lives (as opposed to the small talk that I would make before, all the while wishing they would hurry up). I would also take time to pray for them, and see if there was anything that I could do to help them.

The lessons that I learned in that rocking chair are priceless, and they have helped me in every area of my life. I learned to enjoy ordinary life, you know all the little things, the down time, and to just breathe (I do have to remind myself of this lesson every once in a while). I also learned to not take myself so seriously, I can't tell you how many times I messed up while trying to talk in Spanish, or how much I was humbled when I realized that the people I was there to help were actually helping me. I also learned to be content. Honestly, because of my time in the rocking chair, I have learned to not get bored, I rarely do, I know that each moment is a gift and an opportunity. Plus, smart girls don't get bored, right ;-) One last thing that I learned was that wherever I am, I need to be all there. So many times I get distracted by things going on around me, or thoughts of what I need to do later, but when I give 100% to whatever I am doing at the moment, I know that it will be great, it will be done with excellence and I will enjoy the process. Plus, people know when you really do care and want to be there, and when you are just rushing along to get the job done.

That rocking chair will always stand in my mind as a symbol of what I learned that year, honestly, one of the hardest years of my life, but the sweetness that has now lingered from the growth I experienced and the dreams that were planted in my life during that time are worth it.

To this day, I love rocking chairs, when I pass one by I always want to sit in it and just breathe. Life is good, it will all get done, and it just keeps getting better! So find a rocking chair, breathe, and enjoy the moment, be all there and truly experience life!

International Festival

2008-09-28T21:45:00.009-04:00

Ahh, two words that I love: International and Festival!

Yesterday, I went to the International Festival at UNCC and it was wonderful! There were about 50 countries represented, so much fun was to be had! Each of the countries represented had booths set up where you could find out about the culture of the country, look at artwork, buy jewelry or other items that were made there, or even, buy delicious food! Yum.

Now, if you do not know this already, I LOVE TO LEARN ABOUT DIFFERENT CULTURES! When I say love, I mean it! Cultural Anthropology was my favorite class in college, and I will read books about different cultures and attempt to learn some of the language just for the fun of it. So, needless to say, I enjoyed my "walk around the world." They even had this awesome "fashion show" where people wearing clothing from each country passed through and the type of clothing and meaning behind it was explained. HOW FUN! Plus, they had traditional dances going on! YAY! I learned a lot, and of course tried some food from several countries while I was there.

I think that there is something to learn from every culture, and I love how different we all are (and alike too). Now, I am not saying that there are not things in some cultures that need to change (just like I don't think that the USA has no room for change, because we do). But, I do believe that there are concepts and ideas from every culture that are so amazing and beautiful that when we learn about them, we will be changed, we are able to see things done in a different way and learn to appreciate them.

Wanna know what excites me even more than all of this? The fact that these nations are made up of people that God loves! He loves them so much that He sent His Son for them! God has a plan for everyone, and that plan is filled with love, grace and SALVATION! That excites me! Cultures vary, methods vary, traditions vary, but God's love stays the same, and it can penetrate through the hardest of hearts and bring change! God's word is true in every country, no matter what, He will make a way!

Psalm 46:10 (NLT) says, "Be still and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world."

What does this mean to me? I can rest and trust in God and His plan, because He has one! His Word is true and He will be honored by every nation, and the world will know that He is God!

Lord, use me to help bring your love, joy and salvation to all people!

I Don't Speak Your Language...

2008-09-25T00:00:00.002-04:00

Romans 6:11 (Message)
"From now on, think of it this way: Sin speaks a dead language that means nothing to you; God speaks your mother tongue, and you hang on every word. You are dead to sin and alive to God. That's what Jesus did."

I love anything that has to do with missions, culture, travel, and of course languages, so this verse really stuck out to me. You know how it is when someone is speaking a language that you do not know. They can be saying anything, a big compliment, a great warning, no matter what it is you will have a clueless look on your face, right? The person can't entice you with their words, convince you of anything, or even question your thoughts or identity.

Well, when we have Jesus, and truly tap into what He did for us by dying and paying our great debt, then we can say that about sin. "Sorry sin, I don't speak your language." When we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, then we understand God, He speaks our language, we hear Him, and we hang on every word. That means that when we trust that what He says is true, and we apply it and live it, then sin gets out of the way. It doesn't come by focusing on all our issues, or sins, or problems, it comes by focusing on Jesus and drawing closer to Him. When we focus on Him, we naturally become more like Him, and that old language of sin dies.

If there are areas in your life that you want to change, I want to encourage you to stop fixing your eyes on the problem. Instead, fix your eyes on Jesus, get to know Him better, your desires, habits, and life will begin to change as you focus on the One who loves you the most!

Icecream Fast...

2008-09-24T17:22:00.000-04:00

I was sitting in the office yesterday and someone was telling a story about this man who snuck out of a monastary so that he could have some caffeine and talk to people and it made me laugh. It also reminded me of a time when I snuck to get icecream. I just want to go ahead and warn all of you out there who think I am perfect (totally joking), this story will show you a different side...

I was living in Nicaragua working with a church there as a missionary. A friend and I were staying with a family and one morning we woke up and started getting ready for the day, when breakfast time came around, the family told us that it was their church's day of prayer and fasting. Oh no! Somehow, we were not informed of this, so my missionary friend and I were quite hungry and we did not have a very good prayer and fasting attitude at all. We went to our room to attempt this fast, but soon gave up and decided we were too famished and that we would plan a prayer and fasting day at a later time (when? a day when we weren't hungry, maybe, who knows...). The problem was that we had no food in our room, and we being missionaries, didn't want to get food from the kitchen, because of course we didn't want to look bad ;) Instead we sat around talking about how hungry we were and I was wishing that I could speak Spanish, I can't remember if it was so I would have understood the fasting announcement and had a better attitude or so I would have known to stock up on snacks, but I really determined that I had to learn the language. Soon, I heard a bell ringing and the loud voice of someone screaming. "Eskimo, eskimo," I have never been so excited in my life. Eskimo is a brand of icecream and when you hear someone screaming it, it means that they are pushing their cart around the neighborhood. We were at the window in seconds, one of us opened the window and the other was digging for coins. We had to yell and try to get the man's attention because our window had bars over it, but finally he saw us and came to our window. Reaching our hands through the bars we were able to get icecream, and boy was it delicious...

......................

If it makes your thoughts about me any better, I have grown up, and have disciplined myself a bit more than I had when I was 18, but I have to admit, whenever I fast, there is a part of me that wants some icecream...

Risk!

2008-09-23T11:42:00.014-04:00

For the past few weeks I have gotten up really early (early is a relative term, but for me, getting up with enough time to do more than rush around getting dressed for the day is VERY EARLY).

I have started walking on a beautiful trail by a creek near my apartment. It is lovely, I am in awe of nature and all of God's creation. I now have my favorite spots, where I stop and watch the water, listen to the sounds and breath deeply, this is peace. The other day, I had been walking for over an hour and I had enjoyed every second of the excursion, I had time to think and pray and to just be thankful for all that God has been doing in my life, and I decided that my morning walk was my new favorite thing.

Within a few minutes I saw a couple walking from the opposite direction and they stopped me, they wanted me to know that someone had just seen a HUGE copperhead snake. Those were not words that I wanted to hear, I do not even like domestic pets that much, so the thought of a crazy snake that could hurt me was not what I wanted to hear.

As I was walking away, I immediately began listing all the reasons why I was never going to walk on that trail again. It's just too risky, what if I got bit by a snake, or twisted my ankle, or worse? Isn't it interesting how it only takes a moment to completely change our minds. I had walked on that trail numerous times and never seen a snake, never worried about getting hurt, but one tidbit of unwanted news and I was going to choose to never do something that I truly enjoy because of the rare chance that something bad could maybe possibly happen.

Fourtunately, it only took a minute for me to realize how foolish I was acting. I decided that risk is just a part of life. Everything carries a risk, if something matters, then there is a risk. How sad it is, when people become too scared of something bad, a dissapointment, getting hurt, failing, that they decide to sit down and let life pass them by.

I want to be someone who stands up to the challenges, braves the danger, and lives a life of great joy, not because I never failed, but because I gave it my all and conquered the fear!

Welcome To My World! Welcome To My Blog!

2008-09-22T16:03:00.003-04:00

Thanks for taking the time to read this blog. Through blogging I hope to share a bit of my heart, to tell some corny stories, and to give out some encouraging words. The whole concept of having an introductory blog is tricky to me, trying to "introduce" myself, and pretend like I have some exciting news to share... So, instead of trying to come up with some eloquent introduction, I will simply share a little note that I wrote a long time ago, after teaching some amazing four and five year olds, and let you see how the inspiration comes to me. :)

Enjoy!

So, I was teaching a children's class yesterday at church and we talked about how God has an amazing plan for our lives. We talked about how God knew us before we were born and how He has planned great things for our lives, and we just need to follow His map (the Bible). I went around the room and pointed to each child and said, "God saw _________ and said, I have a BIG plan for their life, I love them so much!!!!" It was so cool to see the faces light up as they realized that GOD has BIG plans for their lives!

I want you to know that even if you are an adult now, that GOD has BIG plans for you too!!! It doesn't matter what you did in the past or if you think that you don't deserve it (none of us do, that is what makes it AMAZING GRACE). So, I hope your face is lighting up as you are reminded that YOU HAVE A HOPE AND A WONDERFUL FUTURE!!

GOD LOVES YOU NO MATTER WHAT!!!!!!!