Gushing of Emotions :)

Just over a month before I leave the country! I can't believe it!!!! It seems so far away because I'm so excited!! But also way too close because I feel like there's so much to do, and so little time to do it.

If I haven't given the impression that I am a little bit overwhelmed with the idea of leaving the country for five months to spend time with people I've never met before in a place I've never been to, I'll tell you now. I'm not as calm on the inside as I look on the outside. I haven't been outside of the country many times, and the times I have been, they were short periods of time with people I knew very well. This is completely out of my comfort zone. Which is also why I know that God wants me to go. Because I've been working on getting out of my bubble.

I don't believe God intended for us to be comfortable. The Bible tells us to go out and make disciples of the nations, and I've heard very few stories of disciple-makers who didn't undergo tough situations in order to get the desired end results. But these stories end with testimonies of how God stretched them beyond what they imagined. I can't wait to experience that on a new level.

Being in a situation I'm not comfortable with will push me to further rely on the Lord to provide for me in various ways that I wouldn't have had the opportunity to experience if I stayed home and lived my normal life. I have no doubt that God will provide everything I need - emotionally, financially, and otherwise. It's a huge step for me, but I'm not doing it alone.

While I'm anxious to get out there and start work, I'm resting in this time of provision. People are sending donations and telling me all the time that they are praying for me, and these acts of kindness are overwhelming (in the good way)!!! My heart is so full as I see God providing in such cool ways through all of you. He is also showing me things all the time through scripture and through sermons Jayme and I listen to at work every morning. :) I love trusting in Him because He loves me so well.

Blown Away!

Hello again, friends!

Only 42 days until I board the airplane and head to Belize, and I'm SO READY to go!!! (Aside from the little things like packing and paying. Ha!)

A few updates:

My plane tickets are officially bought, and I will be heading out of the country on October 6th as planned! EEEEEEE!!!!! (EXCITEMENT)

I got vaccines last week for yellow fever, typhoid fever, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and tetanus. So that was [not even a little bit] fun. But they made sure I didn't pass out which was a WIN in my book! :)

A couple of days later, Kaycee (my sister) and I put on our second fundraising garage sale at our wonderful grandparents' house with the help of our already busy mom. (Thanks mama!!!) Grandma and Grandpa were such sweet hosts and provided lots of laughs, and the sale made a dent in the funds.

We are so thankful for God's provision!!!

I want to say a special 
THANK YOU!!!!!
to all who have given towards this trip so far. I have been completely blown away by the support I've received so far both by close friends and by people I don't even know very well. You all have been so encouraging, and while I hate asking people for money, I love seeing God's people come together to support those who have been called to missions. You may never fully know how appreciated you are. I can't thank you enough.

If you have been considering donating, follow the link below, and thank you in advance!!!

www.youcaring.com/alyssalovesjesus

If you are interested in checking out my sister and brother-in-law's website click here! They are heading back to South Africa in less than a month in order to study the Bible. This is their second trip to South Africa this year, and they are excited to be given the opportunity to return. Check out their story on their blog!

I can't wait to update you on more awesome things God is doing in this season of my life. 

Stay tuned!! :)

The Drift

Hello All!

Today I am doing something that I swore I would never do - starting a blog. I am entering the blogworld in order to give updates on my most recent adventures and the uber exciting things God is doing in my life.

When I began thinking of names and titles for my blog, my mind kept coming back to the words floating, wandering, and drifting. 

I label myself as a floater because I am rarely in the same spot for very long. I enjoy moving from place to place without making plans for what I'll do next. I love having the freedom to go where I want to go when I want to go there and not having any reason to stay home. In fact, oftentimes when people ask me what I'm doing with my life, I tell them that I don't even know what I'm doing tomorrow!

I guess that's why it took me by surprise when God asked me to plan.

Here's a short version of the story:

One morning at work, we were listening to the song Oceans by Hillsong. I had heard this song so many times, but when I listened to it this particular morning, God told me it was time to start planning to do missions work. I wrestled with it for a few minutes before I finally committed. But that wasn't enough. He told me to text my sister - who is always off doing missions work - to tell her I was going. He wanted me to be held accountable. 

My sister kept me moving through my searching period, and I finally landed on YWAM in Belize. A lot of people have asked me why I chose Belize, and I honestly have no other reason than the simple fact that I didn't feel peace about any other location (or organization) before discovering this one. I asked for further confirmation through the selection process after turning in my application, and when the YWAM people called to accept me into the program, they said God told them that I needed to be there without a doubt. 

So I'm headed to BELIZE!!!

...in 52 days!

For those of you who aren't familiar with YWAM (Youth With A Mission), it is a program that includes three months of discipleship training school which is a lecture phase where I will dive into God's word and learn more about what being a disciple means. The next two months will be spent putting into action what was learned during the lecture phase. We will travel in smaller teams to other locations around the world where we will show others the love of Jesus in different ways. For more information, go here!

I fly out of the country on October 6th, but my full tuition of $3,950 is due in the third week of September, and the $2,650-$7,450 needed for outreach fees are due my third week in Belize. Sometimes this amount seems overwhelming, but I know that God wants me there, and God will be faithful to provide what I need in order to get there.

That being said, if you are interested in helping me out with these costs, I won't turn you down. :) Here is my fundraising website: 

www.youcaring.com/alyssalovesjesus

A donation of any size would be so appreciated! However, I realize that people don't always have money to spend on other people, so don't feel pressured to do something that you aren't able to do. What you CAN do is pray. 

Specific prayer requests for today include:

• funding
• closeness with God during this crazy time

Thank you for joining me on my adventure! I can't wait to update you on the incredible things God is going to do!!