Funny, the last thing you heard from me was that I was back from Mexico and now after 3 weeks in the office I am off to Peru! Tomorrow a shuttle will pick me up at 12:45 in the afternoon to take me the 45 minutes to the Miami airport. I will be flying out at 5pm, landing in Lima, Peru at 9:35pm where I will be meeting up with my team of 14 adults. We will stay the night at a hotel and the following day take another plane to Cuzco, Peru. The whole week we have schools scheduled. We will be going into as many schools as they have for us to visit doing dramas, sharing our story of how Jesus has changed our lives and then we will be handing out the Book of Hope to each of the students. This is my favorite part of my job and I look forward to book distribution more than anything! The team I am leading is seasoned when it comes to Book of Hope trips, I believe this makes #10 for them!
Even still please be in prayer for us while we are gone. Continue to pray for safe travels and good health. The last day I am in Peru (Nov. 8) I will be alone while the team stays on for a few more days as a vacation. I will be flying throughout the night and landing back in Miami at 5:15am. Pray that the students will be in a place in their lives that they are willing and excited about making Jesus their Lord and Savior. Please pray against anything Satan will try to bring against us: poor attitudes, failing unity within the team, and selfishness.
After these travels the next time I get on a plane it will be bringing me back home to Ohio...to my family...to my friends...to Kyle :)
I hope you get to spend good quality time with Jesus this week and I will see you again on the flip side! Adios
Friday, October 31, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Back from Mexico!
Yes, I'm back already! I guess it seems so much shorter compared to my 3 or 4 months away but when your days begin at 8:30am for breakfast and end at 9:30pm after dinner a week of ministry can feel really long. My team of 10 women and myself went to Monterrey, Mexico to minister to children in orphanages, children in hospitals and woman at different churches. We handed out many copies of the Book of Hope and lots of the Salvation bracelets (Which is a piece of leather with 5 different colored beads on it. Each color bead represents a different part of the salvation story. They are very helpful!) I was able to connect quite quickly and easily with the women on my team especially after having the flu with one of them and having 2 of the other ladies taking care of us. I am feeling better now but I am still a little tired. I will be sending out a newsletter with more pictures and details, until then enjoy these:
One of the views from my hotel window. Aren't the mountains amazing!?!?!
Just SOME of the goodies we were able to hand out to the kiddies while we were there :)
We did some face painting at the orphanages....but I guess from this picture you can't tell :) The kids loved it so much we started painting their arms too!
Me and "Peanut" which we named the little girl that I carried around with me all day at one of the orphanages. She was tiny and sooooo adorable!
One of the views from my hotel window. Aren't the mountains amazing!?!?!
Just SOME of the goodies we were able to hand out to the kiddies while we were there :)
We did some face painting at the orphanages....but I guess from this picture you can't tell :) The kids loved it so much we started painting their arms too!
Me and "Peanut" which we named the little girl that I carried around with me all day at one of the orphanages. She was tiny and sooooo adorable!
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Gone Again!!
Hello Folks!
It has been 2 1/2 weeks since I have been home and 2 1/2 months since I have been out of the country soooooooooooo I'm leavin'!!! I start my trek at 4:45am tomorrow heading to the airport and I land at 11:45am in Monterrey, Mexico. I will be there leading a team of 10 women who will be conducting woman conferences, teaching women how to: cook, sew, and garden, along with visiting new moms with their babies and children at near by hospitals. We will be handing out Books of Hope to the children in the hospitals.
Please pray for:
-Open hearts of the women we will be ministering to! If they are Christians that they would be encouraged by us and if they aren't that they would hear the message of Jesus and give their hearts and their lives to Him.
-That the children receiving the Books and their families would read them and that their lives would be transformed by God's Word.
-Safe travels for myself-I am traveling alone to and from Mexico, and for the team traveling from Texas.
-Health!! If you have even been on a mission trip you know how easily and frequently team members became ill. Pray for God's protection and that satan wouldn't have an inch on us!
-Effectiveness: that our words would be filled and backed by the power of our Lord and that our time would be well spent.
Thank you for fighting for those who don't even know they need fought for. And thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to pray and make a way for more people to see and experience God's power. I will be back October 12th landing at 10:48pm so shortly there following I will love to share with you some of the amazing stories of what the Lord has done.
Adios!
It has been 2 1/2 weeks since I have been home and 2 1/2 months since I have been out of the country soooooooooooo I'm leavin'!!! I start my trek at 4:45am tomorrow heading to the airport and I land at 11:45am in Monterrey, Mexico. I will be there leading a team of 10 women who will be conducting woman conferences, teaching women how to: cook, sew, and garden, along with visiting new moms with their babies and children at near by hospitals. We will be handing out Books of Hope to the children in the hospitals.
Please pray for:
-Open hearts of the women we will be ministering to! If they are Christians that they would be encouraged by us and if they aren't that they would hear the message of Jesus and give their hearts and their lives to Him.
-That the children receiving the Books and their families would read them and that their lives would be transformed by God's Word.
-Safe travels for myself-I am traveling alone to and from Mexico, and for the team traveling from Texas.
-Health!! If you have even been on a mission trip you know how easily and frequently team members became ill. Pray for God's protection and that satan wouldn't have an inch on us!
-Effectiveness: that our words would be filled and backed by the power of our Lord and that our time would be well spent.
Thank you for fighting for those who don't even know they need fought for. And thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to pray and make a way for more people to see and experience God's power. I will be back October 12th landing at 10:48pm so shortly there following I will love to share with you some of the amazing stories of what the Lord has done.
Adios!
Friday, September 19, 2008
I'm "home" for now.
I have been in Florida for about 3 days now and I am settling in quite nicely. It cost too much to keep me at the old-hospital-turned-hotel called the Forum that I normally stay at so I am condo sitting for some other missionaries of Book of Hope who are throughout the world working. So far I am really enjoying it :) The last couple of days I have been working on my training schedule for Saturday (tomorrow). I am training a team that will be heading to Romania in October. Next week I will be working on some small projects around the office and preparing for my trip to Mexico (October 3-12).
I wasn't able to send out a newsletter after my last country since I was only in Florida for 12 hours before heading to Ohio. I also didn't update a lot online about it due to security issues with that particular country. So I thought I would throw some pictures up from there now for you to look at and enjoy :)
Kate, our team leader, is on the far left, me and then the other 2 ladies were our Nomads. They gave 3 weeks of their summer to come work with us. We are drinking juice after a church service.
This is a view of part of the city we were working in. All of the houses were really close together and for the most part a lot of people didn't have any kind of yard.
This sign hung in one of the small home churches and was hand painted by one of the elderly ladies in the church. It was beautiful!
I wasn't able to send out a newsletter after my last country since I was only in Florida for 12 hours before heading to Ohio. I also didn't update a lot online about it due to security issues with that particular country. So I thought I would throw some pictures up from there now for you to look at and enjoy :)
Kate, our team leader, is on the far left, me and then the other 2 ladies were our Nomads. They gave 3 weeks of their summer to come work with us. We are drinking juice after a church service.
This is a view of part of the city we were working in. All of the houses were really close together and for the most part a lot of people didn't have any kind of yard.
This sign hung in one of the small home churches and was hand painted by one of the elderly ladies in the church. It was beautiful!
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Where to next?
My time home is quickly coming to an end :( Buuuuuuut that also means I am off on another grand adventure :) Here is what it is looking like for the Fall:
September 16---> Fly back to Florida
October 3-12---> Monterrey, Mexico handing out books in schools :)
October 17-19--> New Orleans working for Book of Hope
November 1-9---> Lima, Peru handing out books in schools :)
December 19----> Book of Hope Christmas Party
December 20----> Coming home for Christmas
The space in between trips will be filled with me working in the office in Florida, training teams that are heading out, and sharing in churches. This means that when I am in the country my phone is turned on and I am more easily reached.
Thank you, everyone, for your continued love and support. Thank you for giving monthly...I know that at times it is a huge sacrifice and at other times you don't even notice that the money was ever there or has gone....but thank you! Thank you for believing that the Good News of Jesus Christ is worth the $10 or the $20 or the $100 or more a month. Thank you for believing in me to be that messenger!
Prayer Suggestions:
-That loneliness would not get the best of me. I am under the assumption that I will be spending a lot of time on my own since most of the people that I work with will be in other countries.
-Safety throughout all of my travels.
-That God would use me to encourage the hearts of the teams coming through that I will be training. Which ultimately means that God's Word and truth would be preached throughout the nations!
Please let me know how I can be praying for you as well!! I have a lot of quality time planned for me and Jesus so I would love to talk to Him about whatever you might be needing at the moment :)
September 16---> Fly back to Florida
October 3-12---> Monterrey, Mexico handing out books in schools :)
October 17-19--> New Orleans working for Book of Hope
November 1-9---> Lima, Peru handing out books in schools :)
December 19----> Book of Hope Christmas Party
December 20----> Coming home for Christmas
The space in between trips will be filled with me working in the office in Florida, training teams that are heading out, and sharing in churches. This means that when I am in the country my phone is turned on and I am more easily reached.
Thank you, everyone, for your continued love and support. Thank you for giving monthly...I know that at times it is a huge sacrifice and at other times you don't even notice that the money was ever there or has gone....but thank you! Thank you for believing that the Good News of Jesus Christ is worth the $10 or the $20 or the $100 or more a month. Thank you for believing in me to be that messenger!
Prayer Suggestions:
-That loneliness would not get the best of me. I am under the assumption that I will be spending a lot of time on my own since most of the people that I work with will be in other countries.
-Safety throughout all of my travels.
-That God would use me to encourage the hearts of the teams coming through that I will be training. Which ultimately means that God's Word and truth would be preached throughout the nations!
Please let me know how I can be praying for you as well!! I have a lot of quality time planned for me and Jesus so I would love to talk to Him about whatever you might be needing at the moment :)
Friday, August 29, 2008
Home, Home on the Range...
HEY!!!!
So how have I been? Some of you might be asking, while others of you know because you see me practically everyday! Being home has been amazing! Kyle and I have been able to get a lot of wedding planning done, my new baby nephew is adorable, I have been able to hang out and be encouraged by so many of my friends, not to mention telling people about Jesus in the Oregon district has been so reviving to my witnessing heart, and the Lord has been able to do a lot of needed healing in me. The first year on the field was rough for me and I felt like I came home a little beaten up and bruised but the Lord has been faithful to help me through some things and build me back up again!
"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess for he who promised is faithful...You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while, "He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him." But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved." Hebrews 10:23, 36-39
Also while home I have been doing support raising such speaking in a couple of churches and sharing with a youth group. When I share my heart grows more for missions and I am excited to share this Sunday at my friend Amanda's church. Please pray for God's Spirit to be there. So, yes, things are going great. I know that I am only home for a season and though I am not ready to leave again quite yet I know without a shadow of a doubt that the Lord will prepare me and get me ready to go out again. Life is a lot less stressful when you let Him do the planning and you faithfully walk where He is guiding you. Have a good day and maybe I'll run into you soon!
So how have I been? Some of you might be asking, while others of you know because you see me practically everyday! Being home has been amazing! Kyle and I have been able to get a lot of wedding planning done, my new baby nephew is adorable, I have been able to hang out and be encouraged by so many of my friends, not to mention telling people about Jesus in the Oregon district has been so reviving to my witnessing heart, and the Lord has been able to do a lot of needed healing in me. The first year on the field was rough for me and I felt like I came home a little beaten up and bruised but the Lord has been faithful to help me through some things and build me back up again!
"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess for he who promised is faithful...You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while, "He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him." But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved." Hebrews 10:23, 36-39
Also while home I have been doing support raising such speaking in a couple of churches and sharing with a youth group. When I share my heart grows more for missions and I am excited to share this Sunday at my friend Amanda's church. Please pray for God's Spirit to be there. So, yes, things are going great. I know that I am only home for a season and though I am not ready to leave again quite yet I know without a shadow of a doubt that the Lord will prepare me and get me ready to go out again. Life is a lot less stressful when you let Him do the planning and you faithfully walk where He is guiding you. Have a good day and maybe I'll run into you soon!
Friday, July 11, 2008
A Change of Plans
"So I’ll stand
With arms high and heart abandoned
In awe of the One who gave it all
So I’ll stand
My soul Lord to You surrendered
All I am is Yours"
~The Stand by Hillsong
What do you do when things don't go as you had planned? What if "worst case scenario" happened? My first response is always to scream then shortly followed by a bout of hysterical crying. But this time I learned the best thing I can do is to throw my hands in the air and worship Him for who He is and not for what He does for me.
Truth be told...I'm coming home!!! Being a missionary is a team sport and without monthly supporters it is difficult to stay on the field. Over the past couple of months I have slowly been losing my financial supporters so I must come home and pick up new ones. The plan now is: Cuba July 23rd-August 10th, Home August 12th, back to the field August 26th. The next Nomad internship (the 4 month trip) begins August 27th and I was scheduled to lead one of them so I would like to be back in time to still be a part of it.
I hope to be sending out a newsletter sometime early next week to let my friends and family know who don't have Internet access, but I wanted you all to know sooner than later so that you could be praying with me. Next week I will be calling pastors to set up times to meet and talk about potential financial support. Please pray for the Lord's favor and be praying 1 Peter 4:11 over me:
"If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen."
Amen!!
Also if you know anyone who might be interested in supporting a missionary or you have a church that might be willing to meet and talk with me please let me know. Thank you for being a part of my team. Thank you for your love and support. Without it, well, I'm in Ohio sleeping on a friend's couch instead of in Africa sleeping on the ground :)
I wanted to show you Pat. She is the amazing Lady that I spent most of my time in Honduras with. We are so much alike that my nickname is "Mini Me" :)
Here I was talking with a group of kids at a school. I think they thought I was funny because I spoke poor Spanish. Either way, it was a blast!
With arms high and heart abandoned
In awe of the One who gave it all
So I’ll stand
My soul Lord to You surrendered
All I am is Yours"
~The Stand by Hillsong
What do you do when things don't go as you had planned? What if "worst case scenario" happened? My first response is always to scream then shortly followed by a bout of hysterical crying. But this time I learned the best thing I can do is to throw my hands in the air and worship Him for who He is and not for what He does for me.
Truth be told...I'm coming home!!! Being a missionary is a team sport and without monthly supporters it is difficult to stay on the field. Over the past couple of months I have slowly been losing my financial supporters so I must come home and pick up new ones. The plan now is: Cuba July 23rd-August 10th, Home August 12th, back to the field August 26th. The next Nomad internship (the 4 month trip) begins August 27th and I was scheduled to lead one of them so I would like to be back in time to still be a part of it.
I hope to be sending out a newsletter sometime early next week to let my friends and family know who don't have Internet access, but I wanted you all to know sooner than later so that you could be praying with me. Next week I will be calling pastors to set up times to meet and talk about potential financial support. Please pray for the Lord's favor and be praying 1 Peter 4:11 over me:
"If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen."
Amen!!
Also if you know anyone who might be interested in supporting a missionary or you have a church that might be willing to meet and talk with me please let me know. Thank you for being a part of my team. Thank you for your love and support. Without it, well, I'm in Ohio sleeping on a friend's couch instead of in Africa sleeping on the ground :)
I wanted to show you Pat. She is the amazing Lady that I spent most of my time in Honduras with. We are so much alike that my nickname is "Mini Me" :)
Here I was talking with a group of kids at a school. I think they thought I was funny because I spoke poor Spanish. Either way, it was a blast!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
