If I ever doubted God and His intentions before, i definitely do not now. This past week has been such an eye-opener for me! Last Wednesday I had my phone-chat with Alyssa (the DP Registrar), and that went incredibly well! I felt confident, though I was nervous, and I got my acceptance letter soon after the chat, which was the most exciting thing ever. Then, right afterwards, my youth leader Sherri Simmons, who is basically another mom to me, told me she was going to use her and her husband's air mileage to get me to Belize, so I wouldn't have to worry about the airfare....soon after that, I talked to a friend of mine and she said she was going to pay for my passport! All I could do was jump up and down and yell in excitement.
God! You are SO GOOD.
Money for the trip has been pouring in this whole entire week, from different people in and out of my church. I am so incredibly thankful to God and for all that He has done for me! He orchestrated everything so I could get my passport and my flights taken care of, and He has given me a peace that I don't even understand. I'm not stressed a bit.
I'm going to Belize! I still can't believe it. This is incredible. I know this all sounds incredibly unorganized and scattered, but this is my excitement pouring into words, and excitement isn't organized, thank heavens.
I will write more tomorrow, when I have time to think. For now, sleep beckons, and my joy will have to pour out into more words tomorrow. Good night :)
Monday, March 28, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
Treadmills and Ramen.
My week is getting fuller and fuller every time I step back and look at it. I finally have a phone interview set up with the registrar from DP (Allyssa), which is throoughly exciting because I have spoken with her so much over e-mail that I feel like I know her, and am excited to hear her voice. It feels like someone is almost a dream until you hear their voice or see them in person, you know? So that has me excited. So excited, in fact, that I was checking out plane tickets today, and Tickets to Belize City from Memphis are cheaper than tickes to Belize City from Seatac...so I think I am going to go visit my sister and her family in Tennessee for a few days before heading into paradise, but that is still in the works so it's not a final decision.
I'm so ready to head to Belize. I know I am not physically ready, I don't have everything together yet, but I feel like I need to be there and I am so ready to leave. I can't wait to go and to learn more about God and read more of the bible and hear the different speakers lecture. I can't wait to grow in my relationship with Him and learn how to explain and defend my faith, my morals, my convictions. I am so ready and willing to be His hands and feet, his eyes and ears and mouth on the outreach and internship, to be able to communicate for Him and be in His will.
I get goosebumps when I think about Him, think about the work that He is doing around the world and in the hearts of people nad I cannot wait to be a part of that work in a drastic way. I know I am already part of that work on the Island, but I am excited to expand my heart and be able to minister in another country, in another way. I want to pour out my love for Him and for others onto His people, onto the hurt and weary, the broken and the wealthy, the lame and the strong... I just want to be helping them, picking them up and singing into them a song of hope and renewal.
God is going to be my strength when I am in Belize and I will pour myself out for Him... I can't wait :)
I'm so ready to head to Belize. I know I am not physically ready, I don't have everything together yet, but I feel like I need to be there and I am so ready to leave. I can't wait to go and to learn more about God and read more of the bible and hear the different speakers lecture. I can't wait to grow in my relationship with Him and learn how to explain and defend my faith, my morals, my convictions. I am so ready and willing to be His hands and feet, his eyes and ears and mouth on the outreach and internship, to be able to communicate for Him and be in His will.
I get goosebumps when I think about Him, think about the work that He is doing around the world and in the hearts of people nad I cannot wait to be a part of that work in a drastic way. I know I am already part of that work on the Island, but I am excited to expand my heart and be able to minister in another country, in another way. I want to pour out my love for Him and for others onto His people, onto the hurt and weary, the broken and the wealthy, the lame and the strong... I just want to be helping them, picking them up and singing into them a song of hope and renewal.
God is going to be my strength when I am in Belize and I will pour myself out for Him... I can't wait :)
Thursday, March 17, 2011
A Prayer for Japan
I can't even imagine what is going on in Japan right now... the tsunami and earthquake that hit have devastated so much of Japan that it's hard to know where to start talking about it. I'm looking at pictures taken of the people and the devastation in Japan and my heart is breaking for these people. I can't fathom being that broken, that terrified.
Japan, there are no words to express the sorrow. All I can do is pray.
Japan, there are no words to express the sorrow. All I can do is pray.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Falling Slowly
It's bizzare to think that if everything works out soon enough, I'll be leaving in less than two months. Time goes so quickly! But I am confident that God will provide for me what He wants. It was so incredible, I was at church yesterday and I was stressing over money and worried that nothing would come together in time, and a man came up to me amd started talking to me. He just walked up and smiled and said, "The money will come." And I looked at him and smiled and said "..." to which he replied, "Don't worry. I'm not just saying this; the money will come." and I said "Thanks, that makes me feel a lot better about this, I am kind of stressed," And he just kept repeating, "The money will come. God will provide. Stop worrying."
It was so encouraging to have someone who I hadn't even confessed my fears to confirm that they were not well founded fears. He drove home the point that God was putting on his heart, and it encouraged me and lifted my spirits so much! I'm so thankful for everyone who has come along side me to help me plan fundraising and say an encouraging word to me.
I met with a few friends (David and Lennox) tonight to play music together. We all play guitar and sing, David also plays drums, and Nnox also plays piano. I can't express how muc I love the feeling of sitting down with a guitar in hand and belting out music for God, figuring out strum patterns and different chords, notes, and harmonies together.
It's hard to understand how some don't believe in God when He is so evident in things like music. He has created voices as instruments to blend perfectly and created the ability to learn to play guitar, drums, piano, any instrument. He is so incredibly AMAZING. I love Him. :)
It was so encouraging to have someone who I hadn't even confessed my fears to confirm that they were not well founded fears. He drove home the point that God was putting on his heart, and it encouraged me and lifted my spirits so much! I'm so thankful for everyone who has come along side me to help me plan fundraising and say an encouraging word to me.
I met with a few friends (David and Lennox) tonight to play music together. We all play guitar and sing, David also plays drums, and Nnox also plays piano. I can't express how muc I love the feeling of sitting down with a guitar in hand and belting out music for God, figuring out strum patterns and different chords, notes, and harmonies together.
It's hard to understand how some don't believe in God when He is so evident in things like music. He has created voices as instruments to blend perfectly and created the ability to learn to play guitar, drums, piano, any instrument. He is so incredibly AMAZING. I love Him. :)
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Selfless faith
So I spent the night at a friends house last nght, and since I was not tired by thte time we went to bed, I just layed there and talked to God for a long time. I've been thinking about Belize and about how many things I have to get together before I can go, passport, money, insurance and such...and I was getting really worried that it would all fall through. That I wouldn't get everything together in time. That for some reason I wouldn't be able to go.
This morning my friend and I played "Hosanna" on the guitar and as we sang, the line "I see a generation rising up to take their place, with selfless faith, with selfless faith" really stuck out to me. I just need to trust God with selfless faith. I need to take me out of the equation and just make it about God, and let Him do what He does best; orchestrate everything for His good and His glory. I need to take a step back and realize, make a concious effort, that no matter what happens, God is going to be at the center of it all, and He is going to be my starting point. He is going to be the one I run to and the one I trust in. I'm asking for you to pray for me, to pray that no matter what, God's will is fulfilled in my life and He is at the center... Thank you :)
On another note, I went to college group last night and planned a few fundraisers with Kirsten. She is so good at coming up with ideas! We are going to meet together tonight to make a flier for a dinner concert we are planning. I'm hoping CLC's youth band, Trial By Fire, can all get together and play at the dinner. I'm going to talk to my youth leader Sherri tomorrow at church about the dinner. We are also planning a bake sale/yard sale at the chruch, it will be two weeks from now (So if youre reading this...and you want to donate anything to be sold, e-mail me and let me know! Friedchicken177@gmail.com) and all proceeds will go towards this missions school.
I'm also selling Avon through a friend of mine, and 40% of that is going towards Belize as well, so that is really awesome!! (also e-mail me if you are interested in that...its not just makeup! Jewelry and clothing is included in the Avon sales. Easter is coming up, and so is Mother's Day! Everything is on sale, as well.)
This is the song I was talking about in the first part of this post...Take a look at it. God is so amazing. I hope this song speaks to you like it did to me :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXCoHxX1OC8
This morning my friend and I played "Hosanna" on the guitar and as we sang, the line "I see a generation rising up to take their place, with selfless faith, with selfless faith" really stuck out to me. I just need to trust God with selfless faith. I need to take me out of the equation and just make it about God, and let Him do what He does best; orchestrate everything for His good and His glory. I need to take a step back and realize, make a concious effort, that no matter what happens, God is going to be at the center of it all, and He is going to be my starting point. He is going to be the one I run to and the one I trust in. I'm asking for you to pray for me, to pray that no matter what, God's will is fulfilled in my life and He is at the center... Thank you :)
On another note, I went to college group last night and planned a few fundraisers with Kirsten. She is so good at coming up with ideas! We are going to meet together tonight to make a flier for a dinner concert we are planning. I'm hoping CLC's youth band, Trial By Fire, can all get together and play at the dinner. I'm going to talk to my youth leader Sherri tomorrow at church about the dinner. We are also planning a bake sale/yard sale at the chruch, it will be two weeks from now (So if youre reading this...and you want to donate anything to be sold, e-mail me and let me know! Friedchicken177@gmail.com) and all proceeds will go towards this missions school.
I'm also selling Avon through a friend of mine, and 40% of that is going towards Belize as well, so that is really awesome!! (also e-mail me if you are interested in that...its not just makeup! Jewelry and clothing is included in the Avon sales. Easter is coming up, and so is Mother's Day! Everything is on sale, as well.)
This is the song I was talking about in the first part of this post...Take a look at it. God is so amazing. I hope this song speaks to you like it did to me :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXCoHxX1OC8
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Yellow and Raindrops
Jesus is so cool. I'm just going to throw that one right out there in the open. He really is.
I had my physical the other day and according to the doc I am super healthy, which is awesome. I had her fill out my med forms for DP, ad now all I need is to find out my blood type...which I will do through giving blood I think, because it's free that way. Then I need to fill out passport papers and i am in baby! Well. I need to raise money, but i think God's got my back on that one.
I talked to the secretary at my church, Christian Life Center (CLC) the other day about organizing a yard sale, where different people can donate things to get sold, and all proceeds go towards my DTS. I think I'm shooting for two weeks from now, on March 26th, a Saturday. I have already had a few people let me know that they would love to sell some things and help me out, so I think I'll go ahead with that plan!
God is so good to me, every time I start to feel stressed He calms me down, and keeps bringing calming verses to me, lik ePhilippians 4:6-7: Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. (The Message)
I can't imagine life without God. Even when He wasn't the center of my life, I always knew He would be there to catch me when I was too deep into the materialism of this life, and I would always be able to talk to Him...I can't imagine not having that communication, that knowing that there is Someone bigger and stronger than you who is always going to come for you. Thank you Jesus for taking me exactly as I am! You're incredible!
I had my physical the other day and according to the doc I am super healthy, which is awesome. I had her fill out my med forms for DP, ad now all I need is to find out my blood type...which I will do through giving blood I think, because it's free that way. Then I need to fill out passport papers and i am in baby! Well. I need to raise money, but i think God's got my back on that one.
I talked to the secretary at my church, Christian Life Center (CLC) the other day about organizing a yard sale, where different people can donate things to get sold, and all proceeds go towards my DTS. I think I'm shooting for two weeks from now, on March 26th, a Saturday. I have already had a few people let me know that they would love to sell some things and help me out, so I think I'll go ahead with that plan!
God is so good to me, every time I start to feel stressed He calms me down, and keeps bringing calming verses to me, lik ePhilippians 4:6-7: Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. (The Message)
I can't imagine life without God. Even when He wasn't the center of my life, I always knew He would be there to catch me when I was too deep into the materialism of this life, and I would always be able to talk to Him...I can't imagine not having that communication, that knowing that there is Someone bigger and stronger than you who is always going to come for you. Thank you Jesus for taking me exactly as I am! You're incredible!
Friday, March 4, 2011
Java
I had coffee with a friend this morning and as we shared stories of struggles and laughed at the things that have happened to us, I realized something. I'm happy. Not like the happy you feel when you open that present on your birthday and see something you have been pining after, but the happy that just doesn't leave.
Carly (the friend I had coffee with) said that she feels like she has this happiness tht is bubbling up inside of her, and I can identify with that. I think it comes from being int he will of God and acknowledging His presence in my life and heading in the direction I feel like He's pointing me in. But I have this happiness, this extreme joy, that is overflowing from within me. It's like a switch has been flipped, and though I am not content with all of life's aspects, I feel a peace and its growing deeper and more profound. I love it!!!
I'm sure some of this happiness has stemmed from the fact that I talked with the registrar in Belize (Alyssa) and she said she could switch my paperwork so it goes towards the May 2011 school instead of the September one. And I could not be more STOKED about that!
I feel like I'm supposed to be stressed, because I have a million and ten things I need to do in order to go to the May school, but whenever Is tart to feel stressed, I find myself replacing it with joy and laughter and reminding myself that whatever needs to be done will happen in God's time, and if i am supposed to go, He will come through and bust some butt for me. Incredible what Dad's can do, isn't it?
Carly (the friend I had coffee with) said that she feels like she has this happiness tht is bubbling up inside of her, and I can identify with that. I think it comes from being int he will of God and acknowledging His presence in my life and heading in the direction I feel like He's pointing me in. But I have this happiness, this extreme joy, that is overflowing from within me. It's like a switch has been flipped, and though I am not content with all of life's aspects, I feel a peace and its growing deeper and more profound. I love it!!!
I'm sure some of this happiness has stemmed from the fact that I talked with the registrar in Belize (Alyssa) and she said she could switch my paperwork so it goes towards the May 2011 school instead of the September one. And I could not be more STOKED about that!
I feel like I'm supposed to be stressed, because I have a million and ten things I need to do in order to go to the May school, but whenever Is tart to feel stressed, I find myself replacing it with joy and laughter and reminding myself that whatever needs to be done will happen in God's time, and if i am supposed to go, He will come through and bust some butt for me. Incredible what Dad's can do, isn't it?
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Eating PushPops with Louise and Kirsten
I feel like I got a lot done today! I started this morning by heading to a co-worker's house and talking over fundraiser ideas, then went to my church, Christian Life Center, to talk to the secretary there about printing out my support letter (I decided to do it there....saves on ink!) and she suggested I narrow it down to one page, which works well. I then realized I had a few questions about financing so I headed to the library to check out some stuff online and edit my letter.
I then headed to the local Destination Paradise office and asked some questions about the financing and how that should be handled. We also checked out how to apply for a passport, since I need that as well... So HURRAH! Things are coming together nicely, and talking with Louise and Kirsten (my friends from DP) only heightened that excitement. I can't wait until everything is actually together and all figured out.
Keep praying for me, please, because I need to apply for my passport, and I'm not entirely sure that I'm allowed to do that until I'm 18...which is in April and if I am supposed to go in May.. well, that just doesn't work well. So it would be fantastic if I was allowed to apply for once while I am still 17, because by the time I leave I will be 18.
Thank you all so incredibly much for all the support you've given me. I find that I am much more encouraged every time I talk to anybody about this because everyone is so excited for me. You are all incredible friends and family!!
I then headed to the local Destination Paradise office and asked some questions about the financing and how that should be handled. We also checked out how to apply for a passport, since I need that as well... So HURRAH! Things are coming together nicely, and talking with Louise and Kirsten (my friends from DP) only heightened that excitement. I can't wait until everything is actually together and all figured out.
Keep praying for me, please, because I need to apply for my passport, and I'm not entirely sure that I'm allowed to do that until I'm 18...which is in April and if I am supposed to go in May.. well, that just doesn't work well. So it would be fantastic if I was allowed to apply for once while I am still 17, because by the time I leave I will be 18.
Thank you all so incredibly much for all the support you've given me. I find that I am much more encouraged every time I talk to anybody about this because everyone is so excited for me. You are all incredible friends and family!!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Progress!
I finally finished writing my support letter! HURRAH! It's been a work in progress for awhile now, I just didnt know how to state certain things, but I prayed through it and am finally done. The letters will be off tomorrow or the next day, or both, depending on how fast my hand can write adresses :) So facebook me if you would like to recieve a support letter! It outlines everything that I am going to be doing and what's going on and what preperations I am making.
I just realized today that I need a passport as well! So my next paycheck will be going towards that for sure. I can't wait to get everything working together and in order. I'm starting to plan fundraisers, meeting with a friend tomorrow to talk about selling Avon stuff to the ladies in my church...it would make good Easter presents! Makeup is always fun :) And I'm meeting with another friend on Friday to work through some ideas I have....garage sale and bake sale and such.
It's insane how completely incredible God is when you turn to Him with everything. I was really stressed at work tonight, not knowing how I was going to manage getting enough money, my passport, AND insurance by the time I leave...which I'm hoping will be in May but since I have technically signed up for the September school I dont know how that is going to work. I should probably talk to the Registrar down at DP (Destination Paradise). BUT, I was stressed at work and as I was stocking shelves I was just pouring myself out to God and He came back and gave me peace of mind and an excitement and joy that I hadn't been feeling five minutes earlier. He is so awesome :) I love Him like crazy!
Alright, back to the work at hand. I'll post again tomorrow when I find out what is going on with my fundraisers!
I just realized today that I need a passport as well! So my next paycheck will be going towards that for sure. I can't wait to get everything working together and in order. I'm starting to plan fundraisers, meeting with a friend tomorrow to talk about selling Avon stuff to the ladies in my church...it would make good Easter presents! Makeup is always fun :) And I'm meeting with another friend on Friday to work through some ideas I have....garage sale and bake sale and such.
It's insane how completely incredible God is when you turn to Him with everything. I was really stressed at work tonight, not knowing how I was going to manage getting enough money, my passport, AND insurance by the time I leave...which I'm hoping will be in May but since I have technically signed up for the September school I dont know how that is going to work. I should probably talk to the Registrar down at DP (Destination Paradise). BUT, I was stressed at work and as I was stocking shelves I was just pouring myself out to God and He came back and gave me peace of mind and an excitement and joy that I hadn't been feeling five minutes earlier. He is so awesome :) I love Him like crazy!
Alright, back to the work at hand. I'll post again tomorrow when I find out what is going on with my fundraisers!
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:7
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