As I write this morning, I am sitting here on a computer in the lobby of a hotel so this is going to be short and sweet. I came to Dallas yesterday and started my training for my trip to Guatemala. It was a long but great day! I met a lot of new people and a lot of anxiety went away as the day went on so that was an answered prayer! Now I am just excited beyond belief and ready to board the plane! It did hit me when we were praying at the end of the night. Our leader thanked God for those of us that were willing to give up a month of our life. As I stood there half listening to the rest of the prayer I wondered, what have I done?!? But overall, I am very excited and in the big scheme of things, one month of my life is not that long. I am so excited about all the God has in store for me and my team. I was definitely made aware that my type A personality that likes to know what is going on is going to be challenged this month (and already has been). It will be good for me though to have some spontaneity in my life and a time where I will be forced to be flexible. Maybe I will come back a changed person living life on Guatemala time...the relaxed way!
We have had a relaxing morning. Our plane leaves at 6 pm this evening, so we got to sleep in and just have some down time. After a busy day yesterday this was much needed. Thanks to all of you have been praying for me. Please continue to pray for me and my team. If you are interested in the trip, I am the official team blogger, which should be interesting, but check out the site listed below for updates on our trip!
http://itsmymission4kids.blogspot.com
I hope everyone has a blessed day and a blessed month! I am off to the beautiful country of Guatemala...apparently the country is filled with volcanoes that erupt every month so we will probably be there during this amazing sight of God's creation! It will be so cool to see this! It isn't everyday that you get to see lava flow down the side of a mountain so I am pumped about this!
Until next time...be blessed!
Friday, May 30, 2008
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Packed and Ready to Go...
Well, I have packed, repacked, and then crammed some more of the necessities of my life into two suitcases and am about to be off to Guatemala for the month of June. I thought that I was a pretty good packer until I realized that the weight of my "necessities" were significantly more than I expected and that it will most likely cost me an arm and leg in addition to the arm and leg I have already put down on this trip. With the new regulations set for the airlines, necessities is all that there is room for, not that I have any need for luxury on this trip. It is all about service. I am thinking about this trip excited with anticipation, but also with some reservations. I really do not know much about the trip, do not have a clue what to expect, and do not know a single person that I will be spending the next month with. While this is liberating to a certain extent, it is also slightly terrifying. I know that the Lord will use it for good and grow me as a result of this experience though.
There are some things that I am thinking about as I dive into the adventure of this cultural experience. I am going into this trip with the intentions to serve the least of these, but it is also hard for me not to hope (and pray) that I gain something from this trip. I hope to learn more about what it means to be a servant of Christ, learn so much more about myself and the Lord's plan for my life, and to grow even closer to the Lord that I am serving. I am praying that God breaks my heart for those that I a ministering to, so much that I empathize with and for them. I am praying that the Lord humbles me and that I am able to be used by Him to serve the children in the orphanage. In addition, I am praying that I can lead by example and be able to minister to those traveling with me on my team. Lastly, I am asking that the Lord opens my eyes and heart and helps me to come away from this trip with a fresh perspective on this world, my place in it, and serving the least of these than I had going into the trip. I simply want to be broken and used. These are my prayers for this trip and if you are reading this and want to pray these things with me then I would be honored and gracious if you would do so.
I hope that everyone has a great summer! If you are interested in my trip I will try to post pictures and update posts on how my trip is going. It really will depend on how much time I have to keep everyone updated and how much internet access we have where we will be. If I don't post anything, then know that when I get back I will update everyone on my trip!
Until next time...be blessed!
Mark 10:45
There are some things that I am thinking about as I dive into the adventure of this cultural experience. I am going into this trip with the intentions to serve the least of these, but it is also hard for me not to hope (and pray) that I gain something from this trip. I hope to learn more about what it means to be a servant of Christ, learn so much more about myself and the Lord's plan for my life, and to grow even closer to the Lord that I am serving. I am praying that God breaks my heart for those that I a ministering to, so much that I empathize with and for them. I am praying that the Lord humbles me and that I am able to be used by Him to serve the children in the orphanage. In addition, I am praying that I can lead by example and be able to minister to those traveling with me on my team. Lastly, I am asking that the Lord opens my eyes and heart and helps me to come away from this trip with a fresh perspective on this world, my place in it, and serving the least of these than I had going into the trip. I simply want to be broken and used. These are my prayers for this trip and if you are reading this and want to pray these things with me then I would be honored and gracious if you would do so.
I hope that everyone has a great summer! If you are interested in my trip I will try to post pictures and update posts on how my trip is going. It really will depend on how much time I have to keep everyone updated and how much internet access we have where we will be. If I don't post anything, then know that when I get back I will update everyone on my trip!
Until next time...be blessed!
Mark 10:45
Monday, May 26, 2008
Weddings, Weddings, and More Weddings.....
As I sit here on this Memorial Day after an afternoon at the pool with my apple and nutella in hand, my diet vanilla coke from sonic happy hour next to me, and a body that feels slightly sunburned, I am realizing that summer has begun. Oh yes, summer has begun which means so has the season of weddings! I laid awake in bed last night after yet another weekend of wedding festivities. As I laid there, I began to ponder all the events that have occurred over the past few weeks. It has been a whirlwind of shower after shower, wedding after wedding, and in the midst of all of this graduations. I don't know how people graduate and get married at the same time, but yet it all comes through. As I sit and observe those around me it all seems so surreal. I feel as if every time I look up there is another finger being jeweled (usually with a diamond the size of something I could only dream of having), another gift to buy, another invitation posted to my refrigerator, and another bride to attend to. Ah yes, it is the season of weddings and new beginnings. But as I lay in bed thinking about all these things, feeling slightly sorry for myself, it occurred to me to look at the positive side of things. Even though some days it seems as if I am all alone and all I am left with is a naked finger, an empty bank account, a closet full of dresses that I will probably never wear again, and a nicely decorated fridge, there is so much more that I have to look forward to. So for those of you that are in the same shoes as me...single and ready to mingle but it seems as if there is no one to mingle with.....this is for you!
While all of your friends, younger sisters, or relatives may be getting hitched before you look at the bright side. I would first like to start with the law of reciprocity. The law of reciprocity simply states that what you do to others, they will do unto you. So if you are like myself and have served as a bridesmaid for numerous friends who are getting married (all of whom are deserving of course), your bridesmaids options will be limitless. And think that while you may not be that crazy about the dress you so graciously purchased to wear for "the big day," or the shower that costs an arm and a leg to throw, just remember it will be your turn one day and all of your bridesmaids can wear whatever you say and your presents will be pouring in by the dozens!
Secondly, while all of your friends stress out about colors, flowers arrangements, food for the receptions, wedding sites, etc. just think: while all of your friends are going through this you get to sit back, observe, and take it all in. You get to see what you like and what you don't like. You get to observe and learn from the mistakes and successes of all their weddings. This will only lead to a more perfect day for you.
On a slightly more serious note, and most importantly my favorite: if you are anything like me and have a relationship with Jesus Christ, your state of singleness gives you an advantage that a lot of your friends who are now pouring the majority of their time into a husband (and soon to be children) may not have the luxury of having. The advantage being that you get to invest as much time as you want loving on Christ and letting Christ love on you because mostly likely, as a single young adult, you have more free time on your hands. Go to Africa and serve. Work in London for a year. Write a book. Sail the ocean. Spend a day at the beach. Do it because you can. You have all the time in the world. And know that one day your knight and shining armor will come. In the meantime instead of moaning that you don't have a significant other in your life (which I often find myself doing), spend the time that you have preparing your heart and life becoming the person that Christ called you to be. This will only make you more prepared for that special someone one day. You will be blessed because of it (and so will he)!
So, now that I have shared my heart, let me just end by saying that this is not a marriage bashing post nor is it to knock anyone who is getting married or is newly engaged. To each of you: Congrats! I am so happy for you. All of the people that I know who are getting married are very deserving and people that I am honored to celebrate and share in their wedding festivities. It truly is a privilege. So, this is not to knock those people or discourage those that are getting married. To everything there is a season and God has prepared some people for marriage earlier than others. What this post is set out to do is to encourage those like myself that look around and see everyone getting married, engaged, or even dating seriously. It can be a discouraging time in one's life, especially when you are not getting any younger. To those of you in the same shoes as me, I want to encourage you to keep the faith, love on the Lord, and know that to everything there is a season and your time is coming! View this time in your life as a blessing! I know I have to constantly remind myself to wait on God's timing and not try to rush things, but as you wait, be patient and trust in the Lord's timing because He has great plans for you, as well as an extremely special person picked out just for you!
In the meantime, while you are waiting (and since we are in the same shoes) don't just twiddle your thumbs watching the time pass by as you wait for God to land the man of your dreams in your lap...go buy yourself a new pair of shoes...because you can! Then, go out and walk confidently in the woman that God created you to be!
That is all for now...until next time be blessed!
While all of your friends, younger sisters, or relatives may be getting hitched before you look at the bright side. I would first like to start with the law of reciprocity. The law of reciprocity simply states that what you do to others, they will do unto you. So if you are like myself and have served as a bridesmaid for numerous friends who are getting married (all of whom are deserving of course), your bridesmaids options will be limitless. And think that while you may not be that crazy about the dress you so graciously purchased to wear for "the big day," or the shower that costs an arm and a leg to throw, just remember it will be your turn one day and all of your bridesmaids can wear whatever you say and your presents will be pouring in by the dozens!
Secondly, while all of your friends stress out about colors, flowers arrangements, food for the receptions, wedding sites, etc. just think: while all of your friends are going through this you get to sit back, observe, and take it all in. You get to see what you like and what you don't like. You get to observe and learn from the mistakes and successes of all their weddings. This will only lead to a more perfect day for you.
On a slightly more serious note, and most importantly my favorite: if you are anything like me and have a relationship with Jesus Christ, your state of singleness gives you an advantage that a lot of your friends who are now pouring the majority of their time into a husband (and soon to be children) may not have the luxury of having. The advantage being that you get to invest as much time as you want loving on Christ and letting Christ love on you because mostly likely, as a single young adult, you have more free time on your hands. Go to Africa and serve. Work in London for a year. Write a book. Sail the ocean. Spend a day at the beach. Do it because you can. You have all the time in the world. And know that one day your knight and shining armor will come. In the meantime instead of moaning that you don't have a significant other in your life (which I often find myself doing), spend the time that you have preparing your heart and life becoming the person that Christ called you to be. This will only make you more prepared for that special someone one day. You will be blessed because of it (and so will he)!
So, now that I have shared my heart, let me just end by saying that this is not a marriage bashing post nor is it to knock anyone who is getting married or is newly engaged. To each of you: Congrats! I am so happy for you. All of the people that I know who are getting married are very deserving and people that I am honored to celebrate and share in their wedding festivities. It truly is a privilege. So, this is not to knock those people or discourage those that are getting married. To everything there is a season and God has prepared some people for marriage earlier than others. What this post is set out to do is to encourage those like myself that look around and see everyone getting married, engaged, or even dating seriously. It can be a discouraging time in one's life, especially when you are not getting any younger. To those of you in the same shoes as me, I want to encourage you to keep the faith, love on the Lord, and know that to everything there is a season and your time is coming! View this time in your life as a blessing! I know I have to constantly remind myself to wait on God's timing and not try to rush things, but as you wait, be patient and trust in the Lord's timing because He has great plans for you, as well as an extremely special person picked out just for you!
In the meantime, while you are waiting (and since we are in the same shoes) don't just twiddle your thumbs watching the time pass by as you wait for God to land the man of your dreams in your lap...go buy yourself a new pair of shoes...because you can! Then, go out and walk confidently in the woman that God created you to be!
That is all for now...until next time be blessed!
Sunday, May 25, 2008
I have entered the world of blogging....
I have decided to test out the world of blogging. I have heard that it is fun and a great way to keep up with people, but we shall see. I thought that I would at least give it a try. I love writing and especially about my feelings but I will try not to make this too insightful, sappy, or deep....all of which I tend to be. Hopefully some of these posts may inspire those of you that read them. We'll at least give it a whirl. So now here goes with my first official post.....
Today is Sunday. It has been a great day, but a long day. It all started when I went to church and heard a great sermon by my father. It was titled "Time Matters." As I sit here, a graduate from college without a job and without definite future plans, I am beginning to wonder what I am doing with my life. I want my time here on Earth to matter and I want to invest my time doing things that are wise and that make a difference in this world. What am I doing now that matters though? While I strive to matter, I was made aware that maybe I am not doing my best at making my time and life matter. So now I am on a quest to redeem the time that God has given me and making it matter for something! As I leave to begin my quest, I will leave you with a few words and insights from my day...
Make your time matter. Invest in something besides yourself. Walk in the Light of the Lord...Walk in love and give off the aroma of the glory of Christ. Know that there will be uncertainty in life but look to the light of Christ during these times. Know that to redeem the time that Christ has given us means that we don't have to live in our own power, but that we live in the power of Christ. Lastly, put Christ at the center of your heart and at the center of your time, which may mean saying no to a lot of other things, but in the end know that it will be so worth it.
Well, I guess that is it for my first post. I am stopping so that I have something for next time....until then be blessed.....
Today is Sunday. It has been a great day, but a long day. It all started when I went to church and heard a great sermon by my father. It was titled "Time Matters." As I sit here, a graduate from college without a job and without definite future plans, I am beginning to wonder what I am doing with my life. I want my time here on Earth to matter and I want to invest my time doing things that are wise and that make a difference in this world. What am I doing now that matters though? While I strive to matter, I was made aware that maybe I am not doing my best at making my time and life matter. So now I am on a quest to redeem the time that God has given me and making it matter for something! As I leave to begin my quest, I will leave you with a few words and insights from my day...
Make your time matter. Invest in something besides yourself. Walk in the Light of the Lord...Walk in love and give off the aroma of the glory of Christ. Know that there will be uncertainty in life but look to the light of Christ during these times. Know that to redeem the time that Christ has given us means that we don't have to live in our own power, but that we live in the power of Christ. Lastly, put Christ at the center of your heart and at the center of your time, which may mean saying no to a lot of other things, but in the end know that it will be so worth it.
Well, I guess that is it for my first post. I am stopping so that I have something for next time....until then be blessed.....
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