tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47861885114331883882024-03-12T18:57:02.424-07:00Floating With PurposeAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13834239132793487103noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4786188511433188388.post-84513761141989381202016-05-16T18:15:00.000-07:002016-05-16T18:37:23.706-07:00She Lives!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One week ago today, my mom and I set off through the mountains of Colorado and Utah to drive my cankles to the Nevada Clinic. </div>
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Since I went to a homeopathic/holistic clinic, things progressed a little differently than most doctor visits. I got my blood drawn right away upon arrival. Since allergies often times trigger weird bodily reactions, that was my first stop in the clinic. The allergy doctor let me know I am allergic to almost everything, but I kind of had an inclination that that was the case. He gave me drops to take so I will be able to lead a normal life without having to edit my diet too much.</div>
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I spent two hours talking with the doctor about various parts of my life. He was really good at asking questions. I was really bad at answering them. He told me I should be an FBI agent because he couldn't get any information from me. :) His goal was to figure out what could have caused a sudden change in my body and how to treat it once he could put it all together. Like a puzzle.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">I said before that Rheumatoid Arthritis runs in my family, and my symptoms matched those of RA very closely. We went in expecting that diagnosis. But instead I was diagnosed with Pesticide Poisoning! (YAY FOR NO RA!!!)</span></b></div>
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The doctor gave me around 30 shots of B3 in my joints, my scars, my stomach, and my neck. I haaaate shots. When I told him that, he said he hates getting them too which is why he <i>gives</i> them instead. Ha. He got it all done with only a few threats from me. :) And I didn't even pass out!!</div>
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This diagnosis isn't as serious because it can be treated and I won't have to deal with it forever, but it was still a pretty big deal. It got into my organs and caused them a lot of stress before my joints started hurting or swelling. So the treatment plan is going to take awhile to complete, but he's flushing it all out of me and I'll be great in no time!!</div>
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He gave me an iv with vitamins in it for pain relief and sent me on my way.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">For those of you wondering where I may have gotten pesticides..</span></div>
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Coffee gave it to me. :) When we were working in the coffee fields in Costa Rica and eating lunch with our dirty hands, pesticides were ingested. Most bodies would probably fight it off okay, but I don't drink enough water, so mine absorbed it all. (Yes, I warned the rest of my team!)</div>
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The doctor has me on lots of natural medicines to flush out the different parts of my body that need flushing. I take medicine three times a day, and even though I just started taking medicine on Thursday, I am already feeling SO MUCH BETTER!!! My ankles aren't swollen anymore, and today only my left knee hurts! WOO!!!</div>
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Shoutout to my mom for putting her life on hold for a week to take me to the doctor in Las Vegas!! She's a rockstar. And of course, so are Dad, Aunt Laraine, and Rhonda - who willingly took care of the little brothers and sisters for the week. It's a pretty huge event to leave town like that.</div>
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I know a lot of you were praying for me, and I appreciate it SO much!! You all are wonderful! Let me know if you have any questions. Love y'all!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13834239132793487103noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4786188511433188388.post-12376779652676900772016-04-27T06:57:00.001-07:002016-04-27T06:57:40.861-07:00Life, Health, New Jeans<p dir="ltr">Hello friends!</p>
<p dir="ltr">I've been missing in action on my blog lately and wanted to give you guys an update. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I'm still waiting on God's direction on where to go next. In the mean time, I'm hanging out with my sweet family and working at the pizza shop. :)</p>
<p dir="ltr">All is well for me aside from some freak health issues. About two weeks ago I woke up with a sore left ankle. I thought it was residual from the sprain I attained in Guatemala getting in the boat. (See previous blog for the story!) The next day I woke up with the other ankle hurting as well. They were hurting so badly I couldn't walk when I first woke up some mornings. About a week later, my knees started hurting and developing weird lumps, and my left wrist and right elbow started hurting along with a few joints in my toes. My right knee is starting to swell, and both of my ankles are also swollen to the point that wearing shoes hurts. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I have the symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis which runs in my family, but I haven't been diagnosed. People keep bringing up my being out of the country - thinking my weird illness was triggered by something overseas. Who knows! It's a definite possibility. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I have an appointment on May 11th in Nevada at a holistic doctor to try to figure out what's going on and how I can fix it. Until then I'm taking some natural medicine to hopefully keep it from getting worse. Prayers would be appreciated as I navigate this new weird stuff going on in my body. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I have been weirdly at peace through this. It's a mystery, but I'm going through it with God. And as cheesy as that sounds written out, it's absolutely true. I talk with him about it often, and there is very little anxiety about it. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Waiting a couple of weeks to see a doctor was a little discouraging because I don't want any permanent joint damage or deformity, but God put me at ease about even that. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I'm telling you, life really isn't scary when Jesus is your husband. He tells me where to go and what to do, and if I'm about to make a wrong move, He shuts it down before I get into trouble. He walks with me through the good and the bad times. He listens to me and responds in such sweet, intimate ways. He comforts me before I even know what exactly I'm upset about. And He confirms all the time that He is in the middle of my life, my future, my medical issues. I can't say enough how grateful I am for my Jesus. </p>
<p dir="ltr">(He even provided me with jeans the other day when I decided I needed a new pair. For 50¢ at a garage sale. The only clothing there in my size happened to be a pair of practically new Buckle jeans. No joke!!)</p>
<p dir="ltr">I hope you all are doing well!! Comment or message me on Facebook with all your life updates and specific things that I can pray for! I would LOVE to do it!!</p>
<p dir="ltr">Happy Storm Season/Almost Summer/Practically May!!!!! Love y'all!!</p>
<p dir="ltr">Love, Alyssa</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXppt6xMtMu87wOySafo0WftTWxeJSEXROTP2GSqp5RXt5h31BFHAJ8AswH9lx8HE3KX0lydQKcsK0LNPezxjUiSqwho1-40md41E04rKaHzz29-KZrfl9xIfKP6FGVw2OeZF0bMIW2Z0/s1600/IMG_20160427_085603.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXppt6xMtMu87wOySafo0WftTWxeJSEXROTP2GSqp5RXt5h31BFHAJ8AswH9lx8HE3KX0lydQKcsK0LNPezxjUiSqwho1-40md41E04rKaHzz29-KZrfl9xIfKP6FGVw2OeZF0bMIW2Z0/s640/IMG_20160427_085603.jpg"> </a> </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13834239132793487103noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4786188511433188388.post-2891471358628367802016-04-08T08:42:00.001-07:002016-04-08T09:57:44.888-07:00Change of Plans!<p dir="ltr">Hey everyone! Many of you have contacted me in the past few days wishing me luck on my Colorado adventure, which is so sweet!! However, things got switched up on me. </p>
<p dir="ltr">A week before the school was scheduled to start (and a day after I sent out letters to my supporters telling them about my move to CO. GREAT timing! Ha.) I got a call from the Colorado Springs YWAM saying that the FCM course had to be cancelled due to lack of students. They tried to transfer me to another base, but everything seemed to be working against me. </p>
<p dir="ltr">It obviously wasn't the right timing and/or location this time around. </p>
<p dir="ltr">So I'm home still! Maybe for awhile! God apparently has other plans for me, and while I'm disappointed I can't <u>go</u> and a little confused as to what God may be up to, I know that He has a track record for blowing my mind with his plans. I'm waiting and praying to see where He sends me next. If you wouldn't mind throwing in a few prayers for me in that regard, I would greatly appreciate it! </p>
<p dir="ltr">Thank you all for your continued support!</p>
<p dir="ltr">LOVE, Alyssa :)</p>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13834239132793487103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4786188511433188388.post-64234267044484128332016-03-08T22:02:00.001-08:002016-03-09T11:37:25.170-08:00Home Sweet Home.. For Now<p dir="ltr">Hey lovely readers!! I hope you're enjoying your Spring. We've had awesome weather in Kansas lately which means lots of outside fun with the little brothers and sisters. And with Spring comes storm season which is my absolute FAVORITE!! (However, it means lots of sleepless nights for my parents since the little sisters aren't nearly as fond of storms as we are.)</p>
<p dir="ltr">As you probably know, I'm happily home with my family and loving it. </p>
<p dir="ltr">After 35 hard, tear-filled goodbyes, I left YWAMDP and my new wonderful family there to return home to Kansas where my original awesome family waited eagerly for my return. It was so hard to say goodbye, but it's truly great to be home.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4wltLRN6Z7DbwlaMoxjhxCI0kmRtcOaYAmnoQdxaUh0PRF1f6Ck5FTbJS_han9BzmN1iNwsklxnYJ47dH3LKlUXklqSczjJOLqcXIs6A6271_dmzYQ6wcypholr5UCiLOgkMbj3cdl2Y/s640/blogger-image-167350257.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4wltLRN6Z7DbwlaMoxjhxCI0kmRtcOaYAmnoQdxaUh0PRF1f6Ck5FTbJS_han9BzmN1iNwsklxnYJ47dH3LKlUXklqSczjJOLqcXIs6A6271_dmzYQ6wcypholr5UCiLOgkMbj3cdl2Y/s640/blogger-image-167350257.jpg"></a></div><p></p><p dir="ltr">Coming back to the States was harder than expected, and it took me a little bit of time to re-adjust to this culture and be willing to talk to people again. I finally emerged from my house a week into coming home and am now [pretty much] fully functioning. For my standards. :)</p>
<p dir="ltr">My life for the next week consists of helping out at home with the kids and drinking tons of coffee. Then I'll be heading to California to watch one of my favorite girls/my ex-roommate get married! </p><p dir="ltr"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZCN7p3gIyiGDvtqPqBqyZUdM-uyU4gblKPW1X0y79C69hA2-ytjlbp1Z12gBSViZSRjPm8_48gveqtVi6Yc2nIhaR9i7omde828HH-BesfrXdY4Ns2ZDADOhKg36Rbq5JarlIu2ecaFw/s640/blogger-image--80803809.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZCN7p3gIyiGDvtqPqBqyZUdM-uyU4gblKPW1X0y79C69hA2-ytjlbp1Z12gBSViZSRjPm8_48gveqtVi6Yc2nIhaR9i7omde828HH-BesfrXdY4Ns2ZDADOhKg36Rbq5JarlIu2ecaFw/s640/blogger-image--80803809.jpg"></a></div><div><br></div>I'll spend some time with my Auntie Robin and Uncle Tim in Arizona before coming home and packing my bags once more for.. <p></p>
<p dir="ltr">3 MONTHS IN COLORADO!!</p>
<p dir="ltr">On April 7th, I will head to Colorado Springs to attend YWAM's Foundations of Counseling Ministries secondary <u>school</u> to study more about how to know myself better and know others better. I am hoping to come out of this training with a greater knowledge of how to help the hurting and show love even better to people around me. </p>
<p dir="ltr">This school was placed on my heart about halfway through my DTS, and after praying about which steps to take when I returned home I got the go-ahead from God to apply for the FCM. It is a step towards the dream God gave me during DTS (which I will share in a future post) and I'm excited about the opportunity to go discover more about what God has for me. He never ceases to blow my mind. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I am happy to let everyone know that my FCM is paid for! Hallelujah!!! (I hate fundraising!) All I really ask for are prayers for the next step!</p>
<p dir="ltr">I am so thankful for those of you who are faithful in praying for me. Numerous people have let me know they prayed for me every day I was overseas. I know your prayers were what made my DTS so life changing and wonderful, and I can't even tell you how grateful I am for the love and support you all have shown me. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Here's to the end of one incredible season right into another. :) Love you all!!</p><p dir="ltr"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1e3O6FdRsInZDcYdr2Bxyqks-vUKuPSsBgXlnTac05u2DbEdwx4IVzu_K78nk8BAt_ooahT8dMeEIZ7F7ZR7Wsgub09uR1IIINf21Zl009AuUwFry3fl0jw6kjJ-_gS0tZvaAZx84t-E/s640/blogger-image-1374771669.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1e3O6FdRsInZDcYdr2Bxyqks-vUKuPSsBgXlnTac05u2DbEdwx4IVzu_K78nk8BAt_ooahT8dMeEIZ7F7ZR7Wsgub09uR1IIINf21Zl009AuUwFry3fl0jw6kjJ-_gS0tZvaAZx84t-E/s640/blogger-image-1374771669.jpg"></a></div></div></div><br><p></p>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13834239132793487103noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4786188511433188388.post-11472361874113017262016-02-11T10:52:00.001-08:002016-02-11T10:52:42.717-08:00The Big Return<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Team Costa Rica set our alarms for 2:30 on Monday morning so we could eat breakfast at 3:00 and start our whirlwind of a journey back to Belize by 4:00 AM. </span><div><br></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">We got a taxi to the bus station. Took the bus to another city. Then ran to catch our next bus. It was a successful ten hour journey, although we almost had to leave two of our teammates at the Nicaragua border when the bus took off without them. Luckily, they caught up to us before we got too far. It was stressful though. </span></div><div><div><br></div><div>We slept in Managua, Nicaragua in the bus station hostel, then woke up at 3:30 AM to eat breakfast and catch our next ten hour bus ride to San Pedro Sula, Honduras. <i>(This is the sketchy city we stayed in extra long on the way to Costa Rica. While in Costa Rica, we learned that we were more likely to die in Honduras than in Iraq during the war. God totally took care of us though.) </i></div><div><i><br></i></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyt8pf1Gn4H4SH8G2zq4imtxVkt0HfuQWciS0OsTA938EF38CH1OpjUWlZz4mxw17hXhRDSOBfn6OA1SOvjPqXw_yRAYeD3xtDYp4C_YhmLpGurg0orhi70TKPHTyVWGxTtSoBwTQQtuc/s640/blogger-image-771604298.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyt8pf1Gn4H4SH8G2zq4imtxVkt0HfuQWciS0OsTA938EF38CH1OpjUWlZz4mxw17hXhRDSOBfn6OA1SOvjPqXw_yRAYeD3xtDYp4C_YhmLpGurg0orhi70TKPHTyVWGxTtSoBwTQQtuc/s640/blogger-image-771604298.jpg"></font></a></div><i style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Shoutout to Brady, my bus buddy, who put up with me for 20+ hours of bus time. He sat on my feet when I was cold, didn't wake me up when I pinned him to the window in my sleep, and even scratched my back at one point upon my request. This guy is top notch, let me tell you. </i></div><div><br></div><div>While we were at the bus station waiting for the man who owns the hostel to shuttle us, we met another English speaker! Jasmine is a 22 year old girl who is traveling Central America alone. Circumstances shifted for her and she found herself looking for somewhere to stay for the night. So we adopted her. She came to the hostel with us, ate with us, and had bible study with us. It was really cool seeing how our team welcomed her in and helped her feel safety in such a stressful circumstance. </div><div><br></div><div>We woke up at 5:30 AM for our 6:00 breakfast so we would be ready by 7:00 for our ride to take us to Guatemala. However, they were on Central America time and ended up coming at 9:15. We stuffed fifteen of us into a nine-passenger van (two seats taken by backpacks alone), rushed through the border, and made it to the city we were scheduled to boat to Belize from with ten minutes to spare.</div><div><br></div><div>We got through customs and went to load the boat. When I was stepping in, I didn't realize there was a dip in the bottom of the boat, and I twisted my ankle. My lovely team laughed at me (mainly the leaders) but I was fighting tears. It was throbbing, and I knew we still had a lot of walking with heavy bags to do. When Travis realized that it was actually hurt, he laid his hand on it and prayed for healing. Nothing changed the first two times he prayed, but he was persistent. After the fourth time he prayed, it felt significantly better. When I got out of the boat, I had no pain at all. In the words of Lauren, <i>THAT'S the kind of God we serve! </i>It was so cool to experience God's physical healing first hand, and I felt really encouraged to have a leader who put into practice what we've been learning all of outreach - that we have the power of Christ in us!!</div><div>It's a good thing that God decided to heal my ankle because I definitely had to use it in our two mile walk to our destination for the night. We got to the missions base by Punta Gorda, ate soup they made for us, and headed to our cabin where we had a little friend waiting for us. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggExeRmykhWlkhi3oszBdlpwNtoskUJufwcJUDGYrpJsiD07bqJcZxX2DLYoV36xR5VXVpXp-3dx1FwA7y6Da8_Rh0kCbUBSFOVUt7eRAWZ1-A_IIq3ms539jrgOgF2V2NbqPcAmci5Ec/s640/blogger-image-1836335700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggExeRmykhWlkhi3oszBdlpwNtoskUJufwcJUDGYrpJsiD07bqJcZxX2DLYoV36xR5VXVpXp-3dx1FwA7y6Da8_Rh0kCbUBSFOVUt7eRAWZ1-A_IIq3ms539jrgOgF2V2NbqPcAmci5Ec/s640/blogger-image-1836335700.jpg"></a></div><i>It's a scorpion.. In Aud's hand. No big deal. </i></div><div><br></div><div>There was also a huge one in the bathroom teaming up with a spider the size of a handball. They were all hanging out by Shahnee's shower, and if you were in the country, you heard screaming from that bathroom. We had no chill. </div><div><br></div><div>After another early morning bus ride and a taxi, we are waiting on the ferry to take us to base on Ambergris Caye. Hallelujah!!!</div><div><br></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I want to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who prayed for our travels back to Belize. God was all over our trip "home". :)</span></div><div><br></div><div>Our team has gotten really close in the past two months, and while we tend to get on each other's nerves often, there is so much love between us all. It's hard to think about doing life without them, but there's also a lot of excitement as we anticipate the arrival of the rest of our DP family.. TOMORROW!!! </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLBLogDFRZqsRYq-S7lY82AtgpuqvF3gb-nySKpEgPEs58UyoHIEERcjKzNHFpsbrQ0_cPetdPcf_nB5ljLdmletVYG1KYq6dQHrbJzprPzPg47zjcfFxFZEycXizrxc0YQNBdosFv6Jw/s640/blogger-image-676936966.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLBLogDFRZqsRYq-S7lY82AtgpuqvF3gb-nySKpEgPEs58UyoHIEERcjKzNHFpsbrQ0_cPetdPcf_nB5ljLdmletVYG1KYq6dQHrbJzprPzPg47zjcfFxFZEycXizrxc0YQNBdosFv6Jw/s640/blogger-image-676936966.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH-80IzqaHfMnqAxh9rhPGGXlxryztThCa-HrzlVdht1Djbz5kaRs92Nzn_8ivnN8GjRNQRd9oY62u3FAm220p1kletHmdsfY6RxEFSSI2trA7vomA1uTo2bdyImUcMHfS-3ewPItqOD8/s640/blogger-image-897021386.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH-80IzqaHfMnqAxh9rhPGGXlxryztThCa-HrzlVdht1Djbz5kaRs92Nzn_8ivnN8GjRNQRd9oY62u3FAm220p1kletHmdsfY6RxEFSSI2trA7vomA1uTo2bdyImUcMHfS-3ewPItqOD8/s640/blogger-image-897021386.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj02N26Jpi__PnRupKDrVZVxJUiuaa81CIVlKNjGeXt_SJe0isn-EUczhthBpGFCJTc_vVg5bE7Y7Id3ElAQpZFO6TZ0GJ_gGLJM7m8_0FPjnm5lH1xbrQvvFaEjkBjNARlBDDIbz5VT7g/s640/blogger-image-751680552.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj02N26Jpi__PnRupKDrVZVxJUiuaa81CIVlKNjGeXt_SJe0isn-EUczhthBpGFCJTc_vVg5bE7Y7Id3ElAQpZFO6TZ0GJ_gGLJM7m8_0FPjnm5lH1xbrQvvFaEjkBjNARlBDDIbz5VT7g/s640/blogger-image-751680552.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibHNUwmNR50DYifjIQdkeq-pY1Ftrp5iEMgvQDpuN557R6sGFyF5vl0s1ovx8CKM_LPCX9qM1QdHMajpBgAMCDkLl1cBbEfYqgNo8n0GU4tVk0H5s8EDxEL_AqS9wlEg02b9H5WNJo5kk/s640/blogger-image-1229002041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibHNUwmNR50DYifjIQdkeq-pY1Ftrp5iEMgvQDpuN557R6sGFyF5vl0s1ovx8CKM_LPCX9qM1QdHMajpBgAMCDkLl1cBbEfYqgNo8n0GU4tVk0H5s8EDxEL_AqS9wlEg02b9H5WNJo5kk/s640/blogger-image-1229002041.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGWfyctFs3BKHUFWb2rMDDOWtJFAH_n_D-KFOkbhRJoK2qvPAOoUe-Gyv04sCW6BLMtHXoJvDPrlSLITFYDrD2m806kaHeiyNmZHkZDNMHUE69peJGkPf-iGhbMbtRpq2E2Xmc8SUfepk/s640/blogger-image-1070315520.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGWfyctFs3BKHUFWb2rMDDOWtJFAH_n_D-KFOkbhRJoK2qvPAOoUe-Gyv04sCW6BLMtHXoJvDPrlSLITFYDrD2m806kaHeiyNmZHkZDNMHUE69peJGkPf-iGhbMbtRpq2E2Xmc8SUfepk/s640/blogger-image-1070315520.jpg"></a></div></div><div><br></div><div>Ten days left of this beautiful season. Here I go to soak it in. See y'all soon!!!</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHcXoM0YYAjgHaT9M52JZTg6CffJpkJjeNEnfN_vRXUGwBGsJFuXJamt8plZRiGx4nzOtUDtjEcGaoovgr5awXI3t0TXSUCNYDRkMxujwNkHEVopSV5-3MOqvKnVzVGziYKioFaWH6eDA/s640/blogger-image--1761524360.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHcXoM0YYAjgHaT9M52JZTg6CffJpkJjeNEnfN_vRXUGwBGsJFuXJamt8plZRiGx4nzOtUDtjEcGaoovgr5awXI3t0TXSUCNYDRkMxujwNkHEVopSV5-3MOqvKnVzVGziYKioFaWH6eDA/s640/blogger-image--1761524360.jpg"></a></div><br></div></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13834239132793487103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4786188511433188388.post-2191931463559488002016-01-29T07:18:00.001-08:002016-01-29T07:18:01.795-08:00Pura Vita LivinHola from the <i>montañas </i>of Costa Rica! (I know that word because it's on our coffee bag. Still can't make a sentence in Spanish. Workin on it.)<div><br></div><div>We only have <b>10 days </b>left in this beautiful place. I absolutely love it here, and our team is getting so close. It's going to be super hard to leave them. I don't think it's fully hit me that when I go home (which I'm excited for) I won't be with them anymore. I know it's an elementary thought, but I get sad every time I realize I'm only with them for three more weeks.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPBrjxBxFBsge03B5Q1UAQQH88kuSlCsPeQsBsHJ8nLaZcV1hscNYAJ_ikEIAQsSXDEswKB78SnYvXGj2q84ln4RAYOspvmh6kCd7DfdMGoJgDiyuBiTsT2g45Pk88hxanjdc2QTsSMcY/s640/blogger-image--1464849484.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPBrjxBxFBsge03B5Q1UAQQH88kuSlCsPeQsBsHJ8nLaZcV1hscNYAJ_ikEIAQsSXDEswKB78SnYvXGj2q84ln4RAYOspvmh6kCd7DfdMGoJgDiyuBiTsT2g45Pk88hxanjdc2QTsSMcY/s640/blogger-image--1464849484.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg978RgACBJWV43dSWSXd5bPUEWqzDVgvv5I93QNIPvCbbtK11X_smDl_t9u7S-0J9pJIKlVQRtkajN4zgTUTc20azEd1DtM0gBVOv_TSQdhSwwcTdabOP2uGAVsNAAM9gWtUAwgjJs2uI/s640/blogger-image--1196131146.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg978RgACBJWV43dSWSXd5bPUEWqzDVgvv5I93QNIPvCbbtK11X_smDl_t9u7S-0J9pJIKlVQRtkajN4zgTUTc20azEd1DtM0gBVOv_TSQdhSwwcTdabOP2uGAVsNAAM9gWtUAwgjJs2uI/s640/blogger-image--1196131146.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Last weekend was a refreshing one for our team as we got to pack our bags and stay in Grecia for the weekend. (Strong Missions had a karate camp for kids so we got the boot.) Grecia is only a ten minute bus ride away, and we got to stay in the coolest hostel ever. It was Inga's birthday, so we dressed up went out to dinner as a team when we got to Grecia. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxAOJz6jo7IyVMUOoDYRp0FMNnnIxzJo1Cc2MKnbpbd4YRUZKD7scDp4Xkn-vTSGp9ly17BMf5bYBrhYG7xavhdGXW9qs1B3SGPPk_cUlTP2waiPzGKctnvlrad1A0sGCHxJeMm3vIC9I/s640/blogger-image-1410647077.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxAOJz6jo7IyVMUOoDYRp0FMNnnIxzJo1Cc2MKnbpbd4YRUZKD7scDp4Xkn-vTSGp9ly17BMf5bYBrhYG7xavhdGXW9qs1B3SGPPk_cUlTP2waiPzGKctnvlrad1A0sGCHxJeMm3vIC9I/s640/blogger-image-1410647077.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Ministry for the weekend was titled "life", and it's exactly what it sounds like. Our leader felt that God wanted us to practice doing life with God in the center. If we're called to be like Jesus, then we have to learn to do ministry as Jesus did. So we went about our day on Saturday doing what we would normally do. But instead of talking amongst ourselves or looking at the ground as we walked or waited in line, we were intentional about smiling and saying hi to people as we walked by or finding hurt or sad people and praying for them. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaoLdEpc8UzgXmSLASMKUdWDu-CAEzPQ0h6ON1wLWMGPvKxWA3fa0lXKgvL-0JZDLXhZZneKVEb8ny1Rjmb8_cNXKDVei3mYQ794J9cFqcuFCahh6F5bk3MiorbtWFqQR7UQ6eRulZTTA/s640/blogger-image-1906986832.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaoLdEpc8UzgXmSLASMKUdWDu-CAEzPQ0h6ON1wLWMGPvKxWA3fa0lXKgvL-0JZDLXhZZneKVEb8ny1Rjmb8_cNXKDVei3mYQ794J9cFqcuFCahh6F5bk3MiorbtWFqQR7UQ6eRulZTTA/s640/blogger-image-1906986832.jpg"></a></div></div><div><i>Just living life together. :)</i></div><div><i><br></i></div><div>Our team came back with some really cool stories of divine encounters with people who just needed some love. </div><div><br></div><div>That night, we wanted to go hang out in the park across the street from our hostel. We went out with music, a ball, some coloring books, and playing cards in hopes of attracting locals to us. </div><div><br></div><div>Right away, we turned on music and a group of boys came and sat on the steps of the church to laugh at our [lack of] dancing skills. (Except Alex who can bust a sick move or two.) We got them to join in a little bit. It was cool to hang out with them. And they didn't even realize they were dancing to Christian beats. </div><div><br></div><div>Some of us saw that the stage was free, so we sat in the middle and sang worship songs. The acoustics were cool, so we were having fun harmonizing with each other. Then a group of young guys came up to us with tambourines and bibles. They spoke Spanish, of course, so it took awhile to realize they were there to worship with us. It was such a neat experience. There were several songs that we all knew, and with our two Norwegians, we sang the songs together in three languages. The spirit was so present. We were fired up. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD5-I0y7XEKDx3XPTTWNOzMzwT3j9248eFeSIiXCbbLFXFgjQwOIK0LJulGlY1BiZb_Xyf87vLpt4imKqSQet4vcQWSorOYR3j2fDGITCLLQeyDxEBkntB1j8NEaAxg63xlMmfkZf9Lks/s640/blogger-image-1211816776.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD5-I0y7XEKDx3XPTTWNOzMzwT3j9248eFeSIiXCbbLFXFgjQwOIK0LJulGlY1BiZb_Xyf87vLpt4imKqSQet4vcQWSorOYR3j2fDGITCLLQeyDxEBkntB1j8NEaAxg63xlMmfkZf9Lks/s640/blogger-image-1211816776.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The cool thing about these ministry opportunities is that they're just practice for every day life. We have opportunities to love on people and pray all the time. The key is to use the opportunities given. I <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">have seen myself realizing these opportunities so much more lately. It's cool to see evident growth in this area. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We worked on the land on Wednesday. It was a HOT day, and we all left with sunburns. On our way home, two of our girls found puppies. The owners were apparently not able to feed them anymore and the girls were faced with the predicament of letting the dogs die or facing the wrath of our outreach leaders by bringing them home. They decided Jesus would save the puppies. So they did. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZWroBqFL1Y046VJJt31UQrn3kJ-l0R8SlD5kjCPgCAj1mgpla-4SQFvdk-mrCVjpGl8h3LuoTRaEfFB4Oyl6EWmy8cMS4CsATvDjauZyykq4rODsVpPCejfsYv5rgFYW9jtH43E8ElwQ/s640/blogger-image-1034553282.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZWroBqFL1Y046VJJt31UQrn3kJ-l0R8SlD5kjCPgCAj1mgpla-4SQFvdk-mrCVjpGl8h3LuoTRaEfFB4Oyl6EWmy8cMS4CsATvDjauZyykq4rODsVpPCejfsYv5rgFYW9jtH43E8ElwQ/s640/blogger-image-1034553282.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Six little puppies. The cutest puppies I've ever seen. And Travis and Josh were only mad for a little bit. :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1E-Gxj4x8SuXXl_RxI-fvYW-aK4r9b_FG9dtH-AMT9HiugeL6dTtRjSd_oOmQkHpmLUNbPgBSSZt6avXtU0W4xGXpoHRbsLYsUs5Qkr7vJ_qvE2XRlMotMm5uJiA6-TgY8SnnY91pgEA/s640/blogger-image--412717910.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1E-Gxj4x8SuXXl_RxI-fvYW-aK4r9b_FG9dtH-AMT9HiugeL6dTtRjSd_oOmQkHpmLUNbPgBSSZt6avXtU0W4xGXpoHRbsLYsUs5Qkr7vJ_qvE2XRlMotMm5uJiA6-TgY8SnnY91pgEA/s640/blogger-image--412717910.jpg"></a></div><br></div></div><div>They're currently sleeping in our shower. Strong missions people are helping us find homes for them. There are three left that need homes as of tonight. If any of you have connections in our area of Costa Rica who need puppies in their lives, hit me up! ;)</div><div><br></div><div>Wifi hour is over, so my update is too. </div><div><br></div><div>Thanks for reading! And thank you for your continued prayers!! See you all soon!</div><div><br></div><div><br></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13834239132793487103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4786188511433188388.post-5897590638364318372016-01-14T12:32:00.001-08:002016-01-14T12:32:38.399-08:00Life in the Coffee FieldsHello world! We are on day 20 of outreach, and it's going so quickly. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Our team is staying at Strong Missions, and it's so great here. The director has cool connections, and he's been keeping us busy. </span><div><br></div><div>We've done three types of ministry:</div><div><br></div><div><b>1) School hangs. </b></div><div><br></div><div>We got connected with a school close to where we stay. We went there one day with the intent of sharing some Jesus-love with kids, but only three showed up!! Haha. I think those three felt loved at least. :)</div><div><br></div><div><b>2) Children's home. </b></div><div><br></div><div>Strong Ministries is involved in an orphanage-type of home here in San Isidro where kids who are the least likely to be adopted live and become family. We basically took two rooms in the house that had been used for storage and made them into bedrooms for the kids. I loved it. </div><div><br></div><div><div><b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">3</b><b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">) Manual labor. </b></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Strong Missions bought land they want to build on so they don't have to rent the space they currently use anymore. The problem is, the land is covered in coffee plants. So our team goes out three days a week to harvest coffee beans (the profits of which they use to feed kids in the area) and remove the coffee plants. It's hard work and a little bit overwhelming.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">If I'm honest, I hated this work for the first week. I wanted to be out sharing Jesus with people, not in the fields getting sweaty and gross. But one of the other girls on our team who felt the same way shared that God showed her that what we're doing is a step towards building a property that will lead people to Jesus someday, and if we weren't out doing this work, who would do it?</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I prayed on Sunday night for a change of heart. I didn't want to go out grudgingly, but with a joyful heart. And when I woke up on Monday I was actually <i>excited</i> to go work! It's been a cool week of spending that time with God and having good conversations with my DP family, and I actually kind of enjoy it now. Aside from the grueling uphill walk back home. My calves are looking good though.. I won't lie. ;)</span></div></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB5EuZpwW1QKJH8ZJw4_z3tbKLoMqb3y1TMbFOHvcy6gKZXvVgl87So-6nuKYq44GeKf3axNxV_wVj4JmIFk5vXjEuRPCysNIEnU-PG1R3wxae9fxFga_Nyfo_LtWr6FKw2wshO8jYIhE/s640/blogger-image--1787062768.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB5EuZpwW1QKJH8ZJw4_z3tbKLoMqb3y1TMbFOHvcy6gKZXvVgl87So-6nuKYq44GeKf3axNxV_wVj4JmIFk5vXjEuRPCysNIEnU-PG1R3wxae9fxFga_Nyfo_LtWr6FKw2wshO8jYIhE/s640/blogger-image--1787062768.jpg"></a></div><i>We were given scrubs to wear in the fields so we wouldn't get eaten by bugs. The locals think we're nurses until they spot us on our walk back after working. </i></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfozBV4bdTqwAijVXvengwJE9-WctgvaEIQxQ27jCIb6qWqzAgB-27GvPPnFewuhoQb8JkVOVEu2qIyXiPwAAXAm9S3L1_RiJAK9NBWRu5IWuY_UFjtdk71VrONNyQzdX9NgWi3v5L_Bc/s640/blogger-image-530331776.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfozBV4bdTqwAijVXvengwJE9-WctgvaEIQxQ27jCIb6qWqzAgB-27GvPPnFewuhoQb8JkVOVEu2qIyXiPwAAXAm9S3L1_RiJAK9NBWRu5IWuY_UFjtdk71VrONNyQzdX9NgWi3v5L_Bc/s640/blogger-image-530331776.jpg"></a></div></div><div><i>Shahnee picking coffee beans, looking way too cute.</i></div><div><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2FVdIeh_jFJJPPSGDuvtG_NFNd7sl2Vz-EI0grM3th1IwFeLlsOX0SK-vXK_1mytP3CJ5cizDlPmFCmrnWYsaCRyhrRAAdwe7pye-c1C7ls-W9ivSR4xWbaawjk008gL7XVvqg8AtJzI/s640/blogger-image-215316638.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2FVdIeh_jFJJPPSGDuvtG_NFNd7sl2Vz-EI0grM3th1IwFeLlsOX0SK-vXK_1mytP3CJ5cizDlPmFCmrnWYsaCRyhrRAAdwe7pye-c1C7ls-W9ivSR4xWbaawjk008gL7XVvqg8AtJzI/s640/blogger-image-215316638.jpg"></a></div>Inga, Audrey, and Me posing with the coffee plants during our first day of picking. </i></div><div><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNEGb3s6imN9hzCIaVE5zSyTK-oQC8c9lf8Fzkm12Uk_PWU1HsQBUzhPXUur7Sa7MubYcz9_1s3di9ZXRZG3XHoCr_UseOOq0y4sfkbaPj8lnuKOfHjtyuoqv4afauRrvPfe2eMHTstwo/s640/blogger-image--1302734842.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNEGb3s6imN9hzCIaVE5zSyTK-oQC8c9lf8Fzkm12Uk_PWU1HsQBUzhPXUur7Sa7MubYcz9_1s3di9ZXRZG3XHoCr_UseOOq0y4sfkbaPj8lnuKOfHjtyuoqv4afauRrvPfe2eMHTstwo/s640/blogger-image--1302734842.jpg"></a></div>Little stickers attack me more than anyone else. I don't know if it's the material or if I'm just a messy picker. </i></div><div><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZP4-JiRpHbfpgK_66Y0wLUNm3iwLJGBu9XOlq3ygjDZwX9N_tCX3JCaAM5cyW_epWg2N_uBf283cpsFdkEG4EJ1BjD69lsrDC1RPV536-btEbuQ2YaFFItm8S5re2-XI5uy7VqVX46hU/s640/blogger-image-1585654602.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZP4-JiRpHbfpgK_66Y0wLUNm3iwLJGBu9XOlq3ygjDZwX9N_tCX3JCaAM5cyW_epWg2N_uBf283cpsFdkEG4EJ1BjD69lsrDC1RPV536-btEbuQ2YaFFItm8S5re2-XI5uy7VqVX46hU/s640/blogger-image-1585654602.jpg"></a></div>Inga recently discovered her love for the machete. She hasn't cut any limbs off of herself yet, but the trees have seen better days. </i></div><div><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqyo0wRMmSXvAvdeuEwu8h9vhDNnybWLAxrQ0qLg3E1VgN2RUP3z9GXBjCEAgJtY6aIRj4Jhh7TdEFtTeS9ej_XTudpTBcBydJq363xa56SQSFTMHW0gm5f9F7o0FcoiiGElEcw6Q5zSw/s640/blogger-image-146725527.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqyo0wRMmSXvAvdeuEwu8h9vhDNnybWLAxrQ0qLg3E1VgN2RUP3z9GXBjCEAgJtY6aIRj4Jhh7TdEFtTeS9ej_XTudpTBcBydJq363xa56SQSFTMHW0gm5f9F7o0FcoiiGElEcw6Q5zSw/s640/blogger-image-146725527.jpg"></a></div>Josh and I team up to dig out roots. He chops through the roots with his sharp shovel and I pry it from the ground. Since I have weak arms, I end up rolling around in the dirt trying to use all muscles in my body to get them out. It's so fun. </i></div><div><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3mbCE4nLJ-t5r8qcKr2kpyNxJRhDvM2kqrMMFCyuo0E3FYZLuZEzm0kdQYyhUs-YgBIhcwSf3qy_adx2JZg-J9U6sup75DV7-W4kbD62Cmdz0ONiQeJcwgtxwtoV9THovwaQInQOmtRM/s640/blogger-image--1687767179.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3mbCE4nLJ-t5r8qcKr2kpyNxJRhDvM2kqrMMFCyuo0E3FYZLuZEzm0kdQYyhUs-YgBIhcwSf3qy_adx2JZg-J9U6sup75DV7-W4kbD62Cmdz0ONiQeJcwgtxwtoV9THovwaQInQOmtRM/s640/blogger-image--1687767179.jpg"></a></div>And rewarding. </i></div><div><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRnaIuNUqZm7qySfTN47UiumkSrNVqVHgsVxs06d4vH3hbrrORasHvmDPN0g8mKKThxlz7o7ZweUnFnH9UsOzo4MC1pWiygsQwPeuUQ0KO3U4V6HkreEVmlEn3fiMXssHV8xEizEIOQDI/s640/blogger-image-1781141773.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRnaIuNUqZm7qySfTN47UiumkSrNVqVHgsVxs06d4vH3hbrrORasHvmDPN0g8mKKThxlz7o7ZweUnFnH9UsOzo4MC1pWiygsQwPeuUQ0KO3U4V6HkreEVmlEn3fiMXssHV8xEizEIOQDI/s640/blogger-image-1781141773.jpg"></a></div>And this is me after a dirt war on the property. I get pretty dirty, but it doesn't usually reach my head. </i></div><div><br></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13834239132793487103noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4786188511433188388.post-42496788735680724262016-01-03T18:35:00.001-08:002016-01-03T18:35:44.945-08:00COSTA RICA FINALLYYYYY<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">It feels like forever since my last post. We've been on a crazy adventure through Central America. </span><div><font color="rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7019607843137254)" face="UICTFontTextStyleBody"><span style="font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></span></font></div><div><font color="rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7019607843137254)" face="UICTFontTextStyleBody"><span style="font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">This is a long post. But I have to catch you up!!<br></span></font><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Christmas Day on the YWAMDP base was awesome. We woke up and had brunch which was AMAZING. My mouth still waters when I think about those pumpkin and chocolate waffles. Mmmm... Later we got to visit staff casitas where they made us delicious food and provided us with movies and music and wonderful company. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPzyaZOUODIQThs7K2DmNomFvzvJA9yau7VDupMpxnIPvgYb7Gln615hWU9JtG_ZkmisHQrLNrEFExE1I9gwCGAOVrlb2XZh3GwAmv5uf_QyzOP2awESsVJvIAhBec59DGixOohfj5Hog/s640/blogger-image--59494635.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPzyaZOUODIQThs7K2DmNomFvzvJA9yau7VDupMpxnIPvgYb7Gln615hWU9JtG_ZkmisHQrLNrEFExE1I9gwCGAOVrlb2XZh3GwAmv5uf_QyzOP2awESsVJvIAhBec59DGixOohfj5Hog/s640/blogger-image--59494635.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpScz9M-T8n2FWeIM1xNz1mwI2XYfhVQQsXRlKfrfLm40o3k9zjXQqQQ2P3PN8NPasZ_LDIR4T8_paNevzmMXPoOxicS3DbiftPzC7Hd0tnT6Hsx21r9tjmGdNi1tg9StejYcizWoDMWQ/s640/blogger-image-1204432083.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpScz9M-T8n2FWeIM1xNz1mwI2XYfhVQQsXRlKfrfLm40o3k9zjXQqQQ2P3PN8NPasZ_LDIR4T8_paNevzmMXPoOxicS3DbiftPzC7Hd0tnT6Hsx21r9tjmGdNi1tg9StejYcizWoDMWQ/s640/blogger-image-1204432083.jpg"></a></div></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">The next morning at 6:30am, Team Costa Rica said our goodbyes to the rest of our DP family with lots of hugs and tears. So so sad. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5OlXlAbfEVPucBwTxV0MTMreAt6pJ5ULZh4fpF88qysjIcN2nQUPUiZEIJIG5v0nz1xwf2_YxCNHNLDqdW1fndKjjrZ7lIPqnrmyUyz5qQpyYu2hfeUoZ9AbZg7b2utoxwVvtPfVpmXU/s640/blogger-image-508637630.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5OlXlAbfEVPucBwTxV0MTMreAt6pJ5ULZh4fpF88qysjIcN2nQUPUiZEIJIG5v0nz1xwf2_YxCNHNLDqdW1fndKjjrZ7lIPqnrmyUyz5qQpyYu2hfeUoZ9AbZg7b2utoxwVvtPfVpmXU/s640/blogger-image-508637630.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">We headed by boat to San Pedro where we walked to the airport and took a tiny plane to Belize City.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiMrZUhNB7sMnNISQPuJvjKxMwSLJtV0bUan_Gg2noQJxppcjiJU-hAAbJzLesvbIUpU2waSsFo3qta6amACsC5s3Nb7ePyIIqdioOvh3x-_71c_rP0X6FldeYq2dgXK-3sntiMmyMwSk/s640/blogger-image-19591379.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiMrZUhNB7sMnNISQPuJvjKxMwSLJtV0bUan_Gg2noQJxppcjiJU-hAAbJzLesvbIUpU2waSsFo3qta6amACsC5s3Nb7ePyIIqdioOvh3x-_71c_rP0X6FldeYq2dgXK-3sntiMmyMwSk/s640/blogger-image-19591379.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-EZrtoQAT1kV4JYV6lupobVcXyujl9nLtBw5mX-4OcGjbY0iFHtHj8LvtVJDPOypTeMhlXwzlOQSLZQe8xGjeVEetzXco3xxeEgblsiO0AWq-2NiPRg-1vvN_Qp5yPNiT8mJwlWQeTg/s640/blogger-image--421457530.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-EZrtoQAT1kV4JYV6lupobVcXyujl9nLtBw5mX-4OcGjbY0iFHtHj8LvtVJDPOypTeMhlXwzlOQSLZQe8xGjeVEetzXco3xxeEgblsiO0AWq-2NiPRg-1vvN_Qp5yPNiT8mJwlWQeTg/s640/blogger-image--421457530.jpg"></a></div></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">We caught a taxi from there to the bus station where we got on a sketchy school bus and rode in beautiful country for six hours. We stayed the night in a town in Belize. Got the hook up with a penthouse suite. It was suite. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWCYAS_G5G-1JautmWqs-W3hv44bN-u1YBKdV2sEE6tVyDu5tsWS2zYiwBIMeOVkRHa8LydahgpEfHBxyM9E8ZYqbVZQ93ZExy8S1x220fY9N5Ullz4nGdN26yoTAtuiX8AAUE0KJw7YE/s640/blogger-image-1436248091.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWCYAS_G5G-1JautmWqs-W3hv44bN-u1YBKdV2sEE6tVyDu5tsWS2zYiwBIMeOVkRHa8LydahgpEfHBxyM9E8ZYqbVZQ93ZExy8S1x220fY9N5Ullz4nGdN26yoTAtuiX8AAUE0KJw7YE/s640/blogger-image-1436248091.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9P3Q-OSnK0ZLXpZ9GmCiF7irp6w1li70pAZIbcMOT0Qke_r4M9sU64jeO6bWr63SZL_sGVgvkAAQaYxqmWAuNU0ou4pQwEVdEFg2k4ldJshb2qoniBlvWuu4IDbfvtmwaWO_f1C_qwqw/s640/blogger-image-1139402467.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9P3Q-OSnK0ZLXpZ9GmCiF7irp6w1li70pAZIbcMOT0Qke_r4M9sU64jeO6bWr63SZL_sGVgvkAAQaYxqmWAuNU0ou4pQwEVdEFg2k4ldJshb2qoniBlvWuu4IDbfvtmwaWO_f1C_qwqw/s640/blogger-image-1139402467.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEBxTuzTm2E7OmBgCrV0XE4uz4WcUkub4hgw7BkrDgPFS3siMCsSXYH641Gmfdzpf3XM5SqrBvybA8KbaESNQHb5JdSVCnM0YBR83f3_xcyxnLkhzENr32FVwsuL576rpkTID38t2tM88/s640/blogger-image--468506519.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEBxTuzTm2E7OmBgCrV0XE4uz4WcUkub4hgw7BkrDgPFS3siMCsSXYH641Gmfdzpf3XM5SqrBvybA8KbaESNQHb5JdSVCnM0YBR83f3_xcyxnLkhzENr32FVwsuL576rpkTID38t2tM88/s640/blogger-image--468506519.jpg"></a></div></div></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">We took a water taxi from there to Guatemala. The ride was supposed to last around an hour, but one of the two engines on the boat died, so we had to go super slow until another boat came. We switched to the new boat in the middle of the ocean! </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8RokhTihIaj0JIGWLDAfIiuRywSein4MYuHaGlmx7yVI8tH591HIpbk_wpgdYpOrEHsmj8SQb1_KQFzyYh52Oe9xvqJvAsoSWXseeNzadxdq91OSbO25KU2VgRzvQhp20jjzg5AXa1-E/s640/blogger-image--283728577.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8RokhTihIaj0JIGWLDAfIiuRywSein4MYuHaGlmx7yVI8tH591HIpbk_wpgdYpOrEHsmj8SQb1_KQFzyYh52Oe9xvqJvAsoSWXseeNzadxdq91OSbO25KU2VgRzvQhp20jjzg5AXa1-E/s640/blogger-image--283728577.jpg"></a></div><i>(In this picture I'm passed out on Anette's lap. Haha. You can see my head if you look closely.)</i></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><i><br></i></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">By the time we got to Guatemala, it was too late to get to the border, so we had to stay the night. God had it planned out though. The guy who we gave hot sauce to so he would drive us to Honduras had a place for us to stay! Bunk beds, showers, a basketball goal, and delicious food. He and his wife were such sweet hosts. We left from there on Sunday morning and took a <b>small</b> van to San Pedro Sula, Honduras where we had arranged to stay in a hostel. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_dRAH-SzqcL5Q3AFqBrm_G2DsJHcRdhm-m2w0RR6nK7vy11cOOobXrScysFmE80C5KPF4C7-PPPntlgktiiWUro5H9aICEYypaIRointfeJvmXFmqQ2vYVx_qvD3rXtq07C380H1SXYo/s640/blogger-image--392949977.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_dRAH-SzqcL5Q3AFqBrm_G2DsJHcRdhm-m2w0RR6nK7vy11cOOobXrScysFmE80C5KPF4C7-PPPntlgktiiWUro5H9aICEYypaIRointfeJvmXFmqQ2vYVx_qvD3rXtq07C380H1SXYo/s640/blogger-image--392949977.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8hJkbue-89YVmaYqBAJv8eL7iTtAJz88qhoG-Jmn1DgOEr9Gn-1hfbp0euGMLghKcpbZ79QdtUSEUxzEh0Du77sNqiCJMOTiyUIWmxbeXbc-Iyha3aJIu_MolH2dpYW2CF1UmPcnty_Q/s640/blogger-image-1339487116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8hJkbue-89YVmaYqBAJv8eL7iTtAJz88qhoG-Jmn1DgOEr9Gn-1hfbp0euGMLghKcpbZ79QdtUSEUxzEh0Du77sNqiCJMOTiyUIWmxbeXbc-Iyha3aJIu_MolH2dpYW2CF1UmPcnty_Q/s640/blogger-image-1339487116.jpg"></a></div></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">From there we had to buy bus tickets for Monday morning to get us to Costa Rica. Except there weren't enough tickets for us Monday or Tuesday morning. We had to stay in Honduras two extra days. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Our team was super flexible about it, but it was a hard thing for our leaders to swallow. Understandably so. The plans they had made for us weren't working out, and as people leading a group of 13 through Central America, it's a little stressful when things don't work out as planned. Especially since we found out that San Pedro Sula is actually a dangerous place to be. (It's called the murder capital of the world on Wikipedia!) </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">We prayed about it as a team and felt that God wanted us there for a reason, and we made the decision to go in full force to figure out what it was His plans were. We were on a mission that God stopped all travel plans to send us on, and it was our jobs to get over fear and exhaustion from traveling and go out to the people of San Pedro Sula. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Travis, our fearless leader, decided that the safest place we could be would probably be inside of the mall. We prayed and God pointed out specific people by clothing or locations, and we did what we call a "treasure hunt" to find the people God showed us. Some of the time we walked around and prayed aloud as we saw things that we felt needed prayed over, and sometimes we went up to strike up conversations with strangers. The language barrier made it pretty intimating for some of us (me), but God was so present in our time there. It was awesome. Our groups went out with the intent of showing people Jesus in whatever way we could, and I truly believe God used us for that at the City Mall in San Pedro Sula. :) </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz2SIEzTF9hbeXVPk0AblYmjOBKRp-HYjOibREZgZpgBEAnMjXkTNJIWQ3IZddA7Y40xNrXoVgWrD23eQ-EgY55FtxLJ8x4YHpRd6JQ333U9veggXv-MIrrAYVufRDrFV3_A0K8VU1cfE/s640/blogger-image--2145954434.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz2SIEzTF9hbeXVPk0AblYmjOBKRp-HYjOibREZgZpgBEAnMjXkTNJIWQ3IZddA7Y40xNrXoVgWrD23eQ-EgY55FtxLJ8x4YHpRd6JQ333U9veggXv-MIrrAYVufRDrFV3_A0K8VU1cfE/s640/blogger-image--2145954434.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">We met up at the movie theater in the mall after our time of ministry, and watched the new Star Wars movie together. I don't love Star Wars, but it was pretty good.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">When we left the mall, we had to cross several busy streets to get back to the hostel. Travis was crossing while cars were stopped at a red light, and between lanes, a motorcycle showed up out of nowhere and hit him! The funny thing is that Travis hardly moved at all. The man and the motorcycle fell. Travis walked away with a bruise, but the motorcycle's mirror broke off. Travis wins! Haha. It was not acceptable to laugh at it at the time, but I did a little bit. He's fine!</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Wednesday morning we left our hostel at 4am and loaded a REALLY NICE bus where we rode for 12 hours to the next bus station in Managua, Nicaragua where we slept for the night. We left bright and early the next morning to travel another 8ish hours to COSTA RICA!!!! We got off that bus in San Jose, then got on another bus to get to another bus and eventually got to where we are staying for the next couple of weeks. (Potentially.)</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Costa Rica (and really, all of Central America) is so beautiful, and the place we're staying is awesome. I feel so incredibly blessed not only to already have been able to take part in such a cool trip, but also to be in such a gorgeous location with these amazing people. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitYzBMd9L5D9QPx_VIdIjAvUJOEfZioa3Q3BxfPKZ9iBsxrjGLnsjFzVp1xaRDwSj88E9zaCmMZMGCdjKiXB1kqs-bLg8HzQaQDwesyGO3cE_tbuAeLb7mGS-QauqFVnU6J9rWrFumcPI/s640/blogger-image-1245296242.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitYzBMd9L5D9QPx_VIdIjAvUJOEfZioa3Q3BxfPKZ9iBsxrjGLnsjFzVp1xaRDwSj88E9zaCmMZMGCdjKiXB1kqs-bLg8HzQaQDwesyGO3cE_tbuAeLb7mGS-QauqFVnU6J9rWrFumcPI/s640/blogger-image-1245296242.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP0tEqGjCuW-8yG-W_picV7ocduEIHKSL4jR0uNYRu7J6NcgntPVOnTcRaK_nF0qIXUdPrnOjrraxwHDc6rVQQZwGOtz-jTu6HgQ7bvS6U_BgbVtozxsAUGnpmK70YmxOvQD2raPtQ-Dk/s640/blogger-image--1301450204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP0tEqGjCuW-8yG-W_picV7ocduEIHKSL4jR0uNYRu7J6NcgntPVOnTcRaK_nF0qIXUdPrnOjrraxwHDc6rVQQZwGOtz-jTu6HgQ7bvS6U_BgbVtozxsAUGnpmK70YmxOvQD2raPtQ-Dk/s640/blogger-image--1301450204.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkBOsPW1EEzZFhBO0HzNI_N821XLljIYAKAZDcKx-Uh0KgN4ydIJB1CiVttcSl817wI8ImYywNG6yU7yPtLUpjwjkezyT7nPdfzVvzlVPwXFB4Vf9N8rXjCPbQon6wBPs9O9fVR2csDHg/s640/blogger-image-1447779073.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkBOsPW1EEzZFhBO0HzNI_N821XLljIYAKAZDcKx-Uh0KgN4ydIJB1CiVttcSl817wI8ImYywNG6yU7yPtLUpjwjkezyT7nPdfzVvzlVPwXFB4Vf9N8rXjCPbQon6wBPs9O9fVR2csDHg/s640/blogger-image-1447779073.jpg"></a></div><br></div></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">These past two days we've been resting. Lots of pool time, some ultimate frisbee and handball, and sleeping. I'm also reading a crazy book. Of course. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjJuhVBzGaeY760mFDaM8PyPf8pYOMQxrGr4iP6mPrSwekkdp4SR2uZHlJrPpVaxhfXhIX57ft4jQYBNmzNx9XPkGuNO28sAKLm11DmByp72rc5sFuyG0lRyfVtAbHha-_ejO0-pfb_-k/s640/blogger-image--1146701590.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjJuhVBzGaeY760mFDaM8PyPf8pYOMQxrGr4iP6mPrSwekkdp4SR2uZHlJrPpVaxhfXhIX57ft4jQYBNmzNx9XPkGuNO28sAKLm11DmByp72rc5sFuyG0lRyfVtAbHha-_ejO0-pfb_-k/s640/blogger-image--1146701590.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif27tXcdB6HAA1c76XBlnZpMgbWjkUZ2giMulOnqRoxezw9liVe50j7VkWekcn8HxSkTEj6G4pUAN_ei-p8ZCbEgHoCxUfLC6ec0KDdMfRvaPs-kNrOmkDwWGnPUlZqCz0H8Tdj231__U/s640/blogger-image-259258412.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif27tXcdB6HAA1c76XBlnZpMgbWjkUZ2giMulOnqRoxezw9liVe50j7VkWekcn8HxSkTEj6G4pUAN_ei-p8ZCbEgHoCxUfLC6ec0KDdMfRvaPs-kNrOmkDwWGnPUlZqCz0H8Tdj231__U/s640/blogger-image-259258412.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF_xU6BLlxM3xFvWXh7l1_Ab4DwOqs-JdGSldiZ3WOmPwY1LpysUsdhOH24ynYzEhwytwl5mf0uD-EA0dtV_j_u4sqSkF1ldeXUXx1gn5oZH8oiKI_JZdJkSslcNnZMFmfCTBzj5CJmFM/s640/blogger-image--2076673095.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF_xU6BLlxM3xFvWXh7l1_Ab4DwOqs-JdGSldiZ3WOmPwY1LpysUsdhOH24ynYzEhwytwl5mf0uD-EA0dtV_j_u4sqSkF1ldeXUXx1gn5oZH8oiKI_JZdJkSslcNnZMFmfCTBzj5CJmFM/s640/blogger-image--2076673095.jpg"></a></div></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">So sorry for the long post. But it's been a long week. Ha. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">I also stole a lot of the pictures in this post from the Team Costa Rica public group album on Facebook. Go there to see the rest of them!</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Pura Vida!!!</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13834239132793487103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4786188511433188388.post-69764390916381389912015-12-23T10:44:00.001-08:002015-12-23T10:44:55.105-08:00Christmas in Paradise!<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">This is my last update from Belize until February! </span><div><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></span></div><div><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">We're in our final week here as we prepare to head to our outreach locations. I'm blown away by how fast the time went here. Sad to leave my YWAMDP family and this beautiful country, but my outreach team is so great. I'm excited. :)</span><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><b>Christmas is the day after tomorrow! </b>What!!! I can't believe it. It doesn't feel anything like Christmas here. But we've been doing things throughout December to put us in the Christmas spirit a little bit. Last night we went around the island to sing Christmas carols! Mixed reactions. Apparently everyone doesn't love Christmas carols as much as I do. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIdrg3CeAH88-PYdkBFo-EjJEg0Qv_-PhjBpXJX_1jXPp5ZDI2hHRuP8AgGkFDhYC62tJIZB8SuLH8s3VWeei2qns681G25YTPb-eEc_uxUQw11XAAGk-Yyys1lcssSv-HPILH8B1TQ4M/s640/blogger-image-760715325.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIdrg3CeAH88-PYdkBFo-EjJEg0Qv_-PhjBpXJX_1jXPp5ZDI2hHRuP8AgGkFDhYC62tJIZB8SuLH8s3VWeei2qns681G25YTPb-eEc_uxUQw11XAAGk-Yyys1lcssSv-HPILH8B1TQ4M/s640/blogger-image-760715325.jpg"></a></div></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Our outreach team will be leaving on December 26th at 6:30 AM. We're taking so many different types of transportation and staying two nights in different countries. We're even exchanging a ride to Honduras for hot sauce. Sketchy. But awesome. We'll arrive in Costa Rica at some point on Monday. We hope. :) There are so many variables. Haha. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">So far all we know is that we're going to stay at a place that hosts outreach teams and its on the side of a volcano!! We're going to take a day to hike up to the top to see the lava! Coolest ever!!</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit1N5PB0kwJSj1fggqICclMU23BvsOGO0O8XQrUU95yhA8JFNdnG7YIHNzSHVs-Ac9tLP6mMkAFwjyq52Zg-er0GNTfHGod9OICWov-VlmjXMM0ssm-XBb5TJea4edo-nufXEFGiFCBFc/s640/blogger-image--1386358117.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit1N5PB0kwJSj1fggqICclMU23BvsOGO0O8XQrUU95yhA8JFNdnG7YIHNzSHVs-Ac9tLP6mMkAFwjyq52Zg-er0GNTfHGod9OICWov-VlmjXMM0ssm-XBb5TJea4edo-nufXEFGiFCBFc/s640/blogger-image--1386358117.jpg"></a></div><i>Team Costa Rica!!! (Our leader isn't pictured here, but he still loves us. Josh is in the back center, and he's the assistant leader.)</i></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><b>Quick emotional paragraph::</b></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><b><br></b></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Guys, I can't thank you enough for your continued support through prayers. Your finances helped me get here, but your prayers have carried me through one of the most significant seasons in my life so far, and they will continue to be my lifeline as I'm experiencing new things in a new culture. I wouldn't be seeing the growth and healing that I am if it weren't for your prayers for me. I'm beyond blessed to have you all as my prayer warriors. I pray extra blessings on you at home as you invest on me down here in Central America!!</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Here are a few pictures from my time here in Belize to close the post with. :)</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHY8JQjjH6DHgo73htRe05fdDCeXuKf2K_QZPUi1rq9xOulUG5k2b7Yrm0tr0gVULkzIzf_G7nG-zA1pJ3qRZjmVe8KrxBKc-spx-GEkcx7ov9fbcJ-WX56dNcUqDB7K44fny1rwFFBiM/s640/blogger-image-648155597.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHY8JQjjH6DHgo73htRe05fdDCeXuKf2K_QZPUi1rq9xOulUG5k2b7Yrm0tr0gVULkzIzf_G7nG-zA1pJ3qRZjmVe8KrxBKc-spx-GEkcx7ov9fbcJ-WX56dNcUqDB7K44fny1rwFFBiM/s640/blogger-image-648155597.jpg"></a></div></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnYtinm1W7Nvj8xqe0pkYsb0cDTSBKZUfkjiE4dsFUncuITPPtHUu-kzYklnNHspHhaFJ19Gcz3VG1AYrOGLYAS9dBeLtsSOM9mxLonPNdtmdkfhmGwTayOWB5_cuP-VblQLapr-ac2sE/s640/blogger-image-524015163.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnYtinm1W7Nvj8xqe0pkYsb0cDTSBKZUfkjiE4dsFUncuITPPtHUu-kzYklnNHspHhaFJ19Gcz3VG1AYrOGLYAS9dBeLtsSOM9mxLonPNdtmdkfhmGwTayOWB5_cuP-VblQLapr-ac2sE/s640/blogger-image-524015163.jpg"></a></div><i>"This trusty snowman shows up here every year!" Spotted on a resort on our walk to town. </i></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="font-style: italic; clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiME82avxWE9uRtEWAbV-7-QRoUwJXbh_WjHd0h34UHIX1zKzsW726-NBWjDCmb7B62j-kdUJozoFpg9ueswjrdD3xdaQy3Ui87cYPsf2i7W2f5dNgSwf848V3du1Q_-f1utrG6YUOTrx4/s640/blogger-image--369562721.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiME82avxWE9uRtEWAbV-7-QRoUwJXbh_WjHd0h34UHIX1zKzsW726-NBWjDCmb7B62j-kdUJozoFpg9ueswjrdD3xdaQy3Ui87cYPsf2i7W2f5dNgSwf848V3du1Q_-f1utrG6YUOTrx4/s640/blogger-image--369562721.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="font-style: italic; clear: both;">Team building activity. Taking our unconscious leader to the hospital through treacherous conditions with a "local" who can't speak our language or read body language. (I'm in the background!!!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="font-style: italic; clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBqcVNFXNqjsWykhZR5aFcSj4wcZWEQXhIkyYf9lr2dYBHDZL3vFmMxC6NzFx21hUQrGX6rWAhi6pQ1mGDEhXeZ4_UTDm56hb7kf1YVrljdxZM2zamWPWX0PiFYzacTdDS3XgfVeEawcw/s640/blogger-image--1459613.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBqcVNFXNqjsWykhZR5aFcSj4wcZWEQXhIkyYf9lr2dYBHDZL3vFmMxC6NzFx21hUQrGX6rWAhi6pQ1mGDEhXeZ4_UTDm56hb7kf1YVrljdxZM2zamWPWX0PiFYzacTdDS3XgfVeEawcw/s640/blogger-image--1459613.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="font-style: italic; clear: both;">We do yoga sometimes here. :)</div><div class="separator" style="font-style: italic; clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR9TqK6NfEfmff4oKhp40gzhDtRel2fSr1Y2O-aNDX9MWpSZKuiLQTKvXJqi5CMBWyPUyIpqBzslQnF8dJCp5F3wJ-hzWZ9Oel-4kjkZ7UA_KHUyhXvTtlOGM98oKtwY7-nmvgE9oKyic/s640/blogger-image-1785102552.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR9TqK6NfEfmff4oKhp40gzhDtRel2fSr1Y2O-aNDX9MWpSZKuiLQTKvXJqi5CMBWyPUyIpqBzslQnF8dJCp5F3wJ-hzWZ9Oel-4kjkZ7UA_KHUyhXvTtlOGM98oKtwY7-nmvgE9oKyic/s640/blogger-image-1785102552.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Mermaid Alyssa!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdB75gpZLhn7xLUjgfhjrqr2w7Q39NfRL0LVq1OY6lAFHuNWDK_8_9xyvP2YeryRl4hUrnuGWHGhhLrTgXpErbwKa7PqnA4jLGcrpZgHaSrEqmc205itryy7K5Vi6q0_sebA-koLQFRrc/s640/blogger-image--2011204184.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdB75gpZLhn7xLUjgfhjrqr2w7Q39NfRL0LVq1OY6lAFHuNWDK_8_9xyvP2YeryRl4hUrnuGWHGhhLrTgXpErbwKa7PqnA4jLGcrpZgHaSrEqmc205itryy7K5Vi6q0_sebA-koLQFRrc/s640/blogger-image--2011204184.jpg"></a></div></div>Our wonderful staff put on a fancy dessert night for us last week. We dressed up and they escorted us to our seats and served us so well with wonderful food and coffee drinks. Favorite night ever. Such a thoughtful group of people.</div><div class="separator" style="font-style: italic; clear: both;">Pictured above are the girls of our DTS. :)</div><div class="separator" style="font-style: italic; clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4NpkFSl0i_Jnf_gZrjDG2twdzRz1nNq2X2PSHtRiUiS8yGd9A2t51tb06wv3sCgEv1YfwNaeeWGq5m8bflMmeQrPM9jhL41tOd4mJ1PnYf0TwfdJZ5kTodkwcALODJsZro8X2JWGRavk/s640/blogger-image-1737496.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4NpkFSl0i_Jnf_gZrjDG2twdzRz1nNq2X2PSHtRiUiS8yGd9A2t51tb06wv3sCgEv1YfwNaeeWGq5m8bflMmeQrPM9jhL41tOd4mJ1PnYf0TwfdJZ5kTodkwcALODJsZro8X2JWGRavk/s640/blogger-image-1737496.jpg"></a></div>I got to live with these four WONDERFUL girls in the "Bonita Casita" over the past few months. So many laughs and so few arguments. I wouldn't trade my time with them for anything. We pray together, laugh together, and sing together on an almost daily basis, and I love how well all of them shine for Jesus. (It's okay to be cheesy because we have Aly Cheese on our squad.) </div><div class="separator" style="font-style: italic; clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsMVmxrX28hwp6konJN3DtSaOaeiT1eUhZOIH5boeH4XzN6-uNHyJr83bc9Ta85qI6izdHknJbTEOQFNc41xe6TQAALSjWwi2boS21WYXoXJ5QomfNUni_KCbsgW0yeoZu2_yg8C-LBU0/s640/blogger-image-401521728.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsMVmxrX28hwp6konJN3DtSaOaeiT1eUhZOIH5boeH4XzN6-uNHyJr83bc9Ta85qI6izdHknJbTEOQFNc41xe6TQAALSjWwi2boS21WYXoXJ5QomfNUni_KCbsgW0yeoZu2_yg8C-LBU0/s640/blogger-image-401521728.jpg"></a></div>I took this during my quiet time this morning, and while it's not the best quality of picture, I love the bright sun in contrast to the darkness of the ocean. Such a good representation of life. :)</div><div class="separator" style="font-style: italic; clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5S_l30Ta9aPVv3eirFuPjq4rFQQbnfJ13l32YRdx3b5p3U_01r2SZPGHTjhOx4zhbeXicJqRhWrfcw6Gu-BMGDfyup2rW2ElbwXilo-KqvrTFQUh2D7oQo5s6thLyExWmLA-B_MAlFYw/s640/blogger-image-1907296934.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5S_l30Ta9aPVv3eirFuPjq4rFQQbnfJ13l32YRdx3b5p3U_01r2SZPGHTjhOx4zhbeXicJqRhWrfcw6Gu-BMGDfyup2rW2ElbwXilo-KqvrTFQUh2D7oQo5s6thLyExWmLA-B_MAlFYw/s640/blogger-image-1907296934.jpg"></a></div><br></div><b>Merry Christmas from the land of the Palm trees!!! I hope your holidays are full of joy and you give an extra hug to those you love! Because I wish I could this year. :) </b></div><div class="separator" style="font-style: italic; clear: both;"><b><br></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Hugs and kisses!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">- Alyssa - </div><br></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13834239132793487103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4786188511433188388.post-10702145675540577772015-12-13T08:39:00.001-08:002015-12-13T08:39:10.812-08:00The Great DivorceFor my final book report, I read <i>The Great Divorce </i>by C.S. Lewis. (READ IT!! Because there is no way I'll do it justice.) <div><br></div><div>It was about a man's journey in a dream from a grey world, which represents hell, to a heavenly world where the ghostly creatures who are traveling from Hell meet solid people in this new foreign world. <div><br></div><div>The ghosts are only there temporarily unless they make the decision to journey up the mountain which will cause them to become solid and enter "heaven". The problem is that most of them are not aware or refuse to believe that the top of the mountain holds eternal glory, so most of them choose for one reason or another not to make the journey. If they don't choose verbally to go back to hell, their lack of choice is the decision itself. <div><br></div><div>The book is fictional, but it tells of scenarios that we see every day in which people are choosing to refuse the gift of eternal life in heaven. Whether it's because they can't believe in an absolute heaven and hell or they are too chained to their fractured self to let go and gain freedom, all of the characters have their reasons for not making the journey, and the ghost telling the story is present to witness many of the conversations that determine their final destinations. <div><br></div><div>I loved this whole book, but one part stuck out to me more than others. In this part, the one experiencing the dream - a ghost - is asking one of the solid men in the new world about those who never make it to heaven. He is concerned that people won't be able to experience this incredible place. </div><div><br></div><div>The man responds:</div></div></div><div><b><br></b></div><div><b>"Never fear. There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, in the end, '</b><i><b>Thy</b></i><b> will be done.' All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. To those who knock it is opened."</b></div><div><br></div><div>It is portrayed here that there is no one who hears of heaven that simply misses it. Either he wants it, or he rejects it.</div><div><br></div><div>There is no way to know when our time on earth will be over. I pray today that those who are waiting for a huge revelation will receive it. </div><div><br></div><div>I pray that those who are holding onto bitterness or mistrust will let it go and claim freedom over these things. Those negative thoughts were put there by the enemy. He wants you in hell. But they were nailed to the cross with Jesus so we don't have to carry them.</div><div><br></div><div>I pray for those who are dragging their feet in this area in order to experience "life". That they will realize that there is no joy in life without God. He is the <i>source</i> of joy. He is the source of freedom. He is life. </div><div><br></div><div>And I pray that people will be awakened to the fact that an indecision in this area is a decision to spend an eternity separated from the Creator. </div><div><br></div><div>The very one who breathed life into each of us in the womb wants us to join him. We have been invited on an adventure!! And let me tell you.. It's so much fun. </div><div><br></div><div><b>Sorry to get preachy on ya. :)</b></div><div><br></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13834239132793487103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4786188511433188388.post-68414288453684752692015-12-09T08:44:00.001-08:002015-12-09T08:44:58.141-08:00Perceptions vs. Reality<div><b>Background Knowledge</b></div>Last week for lectures we had Jeff Pratt come and talk about God's heart for us. It was my favorite week of lectures so far. Not only is Jeff an incredibly talented speaker, but he revealed truths to us through his experiences and through movie clips that so closely related to our lives. <i>(Fun fact: I would do DTS all over again just to hear his teaching again. So impactful!!!)</i><div><br></div><div>During the week, we were given questions to answer that helped us identify our "false self" - the person we want people to see us as, but not our true selves. After coming together and revealing our false selves to the rest of the group, we discussed who God sees us as. Then there was a time of prayer and affirmation which was super powerful. (These things took place over three days.)</div><div><br></div><div>One of the last things Jeff had us do was to write the things we falsely believed about ourselves -our false selves/old names- on one side of the paper, then on the other side what God believes about us in regards to the words we wrote down. He wanted us to have "new names" that we could go back to when we were feeling attacked in those ways again. </div><div><br></div><div>I want to write some of the things that have been revealed to me in my time here. Not all of these are from last week, but I'm realizing all the time that the way I see myself isn't always how God or other people see me.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Introvert vs. Extrovert</b></div><div>I've seen myself as a complete introvert for so long. I always thought that I would rather be alone than with other people, but I'm realizing that I'm not that way at all. There are definitely times that I need to get away and recharge in peace, but I'm generally one who loves being around people. I think my retreating has been more about insecurity than it has been about being an introvert. My time in Belize has been spent mostly with lots of people all the time, and I absolutely love it. But I still won't be the first to speak up in large groups. :)</div><div><br></div><div><b>Bad Speaker vs. Competent Speaker</b></div><div>I have always told people that I'm bad at public speaking. I don't love it, but in the past few months I've been pushed to do it (a ton of times), and I have found that I'm not actually bad at it at all. When I spoke at the churches before coming to Belize, people told me they couldn't tell that I was nervous, and all my presentations here have had comments on the feedback forms about me being a clear and confident speaker. That was a shocking discovery for me.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Tall vs. Short</b></div><div>I know this sounds funny, but until about two weeks ago I thought I was tall. I always thought it was funny that my Auntie Robin called me petite because in my head I'm as tall or taller than most. Two weeks ago in line for lunch I discovered that I am in fact NOT taller than all my "little" friends. I'm the shortest one in my casita and one of the shortest on base.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Rude vs. Friendly</b></div><div>This one was hard to label. I basically believed that people saw me as a rude person because I'm not super outgoing when I meet new people. This stems from high school when I had a friend who told me he thought I was a snob before he got to know me. I realized while talking to a friend at home about this that people don't actually view me this way. I've spent years assuming that people all viewed me as rude, so I rarely made an effort to reach out to new people in fear I would come across wrong. </div><div><br></div><div>Since being here, I'm realizing that people truly don't see me in that way, and it's changing the way I interact with people. So crazy that I let someone's opinion of me become a truth. </div><div><br></div><div><b>Weak vs. Strong</b></div><div>I came to DTS very guarded. I didn't want anyone to see my emotions because I believed that emotions showed weakness. For whatever reason I felt that I had to be strong all the time and that meant I had to hide myself in order to portray that I had it all together. </div><div><br></div><div>My small group leader and I were talking in a one-on-one and this came up. She asked me some questions then said, "you don't want people to see you as weak, but you're afraid to show your strengths." She challenged me to talk to God about it and to write the things God loves about me so I could find my strengths. </div><div><br></div><div>There is absolutely no way I can write all of the transformation that happened in this area of my life, but God has shown me that many of the things I viewed as weaknesses were actually planted in me on purpose and FOR a purpose. He's showing me that the emotions help direct me to a passion and a purpose, and I will use this information to impact people in crazy cool ways. They're not weaknesses at all. </div><div><br></div><div><b>In closing..</b></div><div>Like I said before, I'm realizing new things all the time about myself - which is a really cool thing about DTS, but I'm also learning so much about God. There are only two weeks left of lectures and that kind of breaks my heart, but the closer we get to outreach, the more excited I get for that phase. </div><div><br></div><div>Thank you for your continued prayers as we dive into the rest of our week of teaching (on spiritual warfare!) and as our leaders figure out details of our outreach. We still know nothing. Ha! I'll update you when we get answers.</div><div><br></div><div>Thanks for reading! If you made it to the end of this monster of a post.. Kudos. 💜</div><div><br></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13834239132793487103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4786188511433188388.post-59107175255075687942015-11-25T15:30:00.001-08:002015-11-25T15:30:03.691-08:00Adventures<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><b>We're over halfway through our DTS </b>which is CRAZY!! In so many ways it feels like we just stepped onto the dock here. Seven weeks in, and I have yet to spear fish, I still occasionally forget to show up to my work duty, and despite our weekly cooking duties, I think the kitchen here will always be a mystery to me. </span><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">On the flip side, it feels like I've known these people so much longer than seven weeks. I'm kind of fond of them if I forgot to mention that before. :)</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Also, my sand volleyball skills are improving immensely. Although I still make a weird grunting noise when I need power in my hits, and I can't serve overhand to save my life. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7jjv7HZLji6BAqPgNqmVBG6wDQBfCOwm8HFli8Mzin7MN-XIdFL9zpzQyRe7_sISWmVp2alu3edQ2jPGjGy76d_mzG5Mm6Vsu2TC0mGx9cjNMM9_sqlRuMiyqVw62mipkU-peJbRz1as/s640/blogger-image--1316817111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7jjv7HZLji6BAqPgNqmVBG6wDQBfCOwm8HFli8Mzin7MN-XIdFL9zpzQyRe7_sISWmVp2alu3edQ2jPGjGy76d_mzG5Mm6Vsu2TC0mGx9cjNMM9_sqlRuMiyqVw62mipkU-peJbRz1as/s640/blogger-image--1316817111.jpg"></a></div></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">The downside to my newfound love of sand volleyball is that there are little bugs that live in the sand that fly, and they have followed us into our casita. They apparently don't bite, but they have acid on them, so when they land on us, it's a sudden stinging feeling, and they're so small it's hard to kill them! Ugh! We're living through it, but I want the little bugs to die. All of them. Be in prayer for that, if you wouldn't mind. ;)</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Last week was called RRR week which stands for.. Something about recharging?? The students from the last DTS were back on base after their outreach all of last week, so we used the time to meet them and reboot our systems in a chill week without lectures. We got to know around 25 other students (who were such sweethearts) and hear all about their outreaches. They went to Uruguay and Mongolia. It pumped us up for our upcoming outreaches! DECEMBER!!</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Last weekend held the long-awaited <b>ADVENTURE DAY!!! </b>We started the day <a href="x-apple-data-detectors://1" x-apple-data-detectors="true" x-apple-data-detectors-type="calendar-event" x-apple-data-detectors-result="1">at 5:15 AM</a> with a [rainy] two hour long boat ride to Belize City where we then hopped in vans and rode another hour or so to a rainforesty area where we got to go on lots of ziplines!!! It was GORGEOUS! And tons of fun.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKQkziSIiOFG0hIvWnLm9KFTUsNVmbe9wKgbFz77hxzc3TRahNcChD5SUrFT8aw8XNp6xsDyfk04QbUeiPOpl9gk4kwvZ4CJ1AcWLZvtEcGEaQ697DVoF1lvdqMRx-huzqQoefZDGPi0U/s640/blogger-image-222270745.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKQkziSIiOFG0hIvWnLm9KFTUsNVmbe9wKgbFz77hxzc3TRahNcChD5SUrFT8aw8XNp6xsDyfk04QbUeiPOpl9gk4kwvZ4CJ1AcWLZvtEcGEaQ697DVoF1lvdqMRx-huzqQoefZDGPi0U/s640/blogger-image-222270745.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgakebNpWqiwo5-iYAlsIxd9qXq07_-iHPyCT5fgSB3O_b4AvnaA6nhCShosia2Kv7qzesfhKdlBbFnO_Tnq_nZdfijmC3jPrKXcQ64hJC1jiXQFiSg0zrrNIewev-0UHSIG-Cd2zmi5_Y/s640/blogger-image-497785256.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgakebNpWqiwo5-iYAlsIxd9qXq07_-iHPyCT5fgSB3O_b4AvnaA6nhCShosia2Kv7qzesfhKdlBbFnO_Tnq_nZdfijmC3jPrKXcQ64hJC1jiXQFiSg0zrrNIewev-0UHSIG-Cd2zmi5_Y/s640/blogger-image-497785256.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCx3pLJD56FZf-UciQtvfRFedMVlWzjfDs3Wta10DhDfOZPItU3JiLRyT2y3LfeudpO2XiOt9IuaczzD2PThpK4axpvcTtUfwSZDG68Lm0zLEH4szo-Q6a3ueHFtbJTpKhSNBfrtDk6hw/s640/blogger-image--130463922.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCx3pLJD56FZf-UciQtvfRFedMVlWzjfDs3Wta10DhDfOZPItU3JiLRyT2y3LfeudpO2XiOt9IuaczzD2PThpK4axpvcTtUfwSZDG68Lm0zLEH4szo-Q6a3ueHFtbJTpKhSNBfrtDk6hw/s640/blogger-image--130463922.jpg"></a></div><br></div></div></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Then we went to the Belize Zoo. Way different than American zoos. We touched a lot of animals we probably shouldn't have been able to touch, but it was a really neat place. We had fun. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">We took a break for lunch before going to climb all over Mayan temples! That was way cooler than I expected it to be. And our tour guide was hilarious. "Come, white people!" And "We're walking." Were common phrases she used to get us moving. We were cracking up. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiy3qg2xPXgC2nUuSvINs9gvDXyCyh469BLI0e5RroabZbyVrKyMENecSC93vKJdeapMyvDO_Ccry7QTrAIk-cxnFmpW9RDlhotkSfuv68jWxyti58p_3EBfDLsHtAvkK_RSFkuTI8cm4/s640/blogger-image--1100986249.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiy3qg2xPXgC2nUuSvINs9gvDXyCyh469BLI0e5RroabZbyVrKyMENecSC93vKJdeapMyvDO_Ccry7QTrAIk-cxnFmpW9RDlhotkSfuv68jWxyti58p_3EBfDLsHtAvkK_RSFkuTI8cm4/s640/blogger-image--1100986249.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU8Fph_oapGmLLAQIl0XEkYN6u3ohYJQ7C84fv4yotHKJjT7kb06DFyhG5cP-HINfvqphy9GbgMKU7B-wOC19bCVoq7EdCLqDy9tT6rQCLLTDRqO10Trq4kgKvB9S8wWG9JxHMnXBQG2M/s640/blogger-image--1289237196.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU8Fph_oapGmLLAQIl0XEkYN6u3ohYJQ7C84fv4yotHKJjT7kb06DFyhG5cP-HINfvqphy9GbgMKU7B-wOC19bCVoq7EdCLqDy9tT6rQCLLTDRqO10Trq4kgKvB9S8wWG9JxHMnXBQG2M/s640/blogger-image--1289237196.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggYzGF7il4gl_tEs3u6gQ5U3ulMUlbzM4sRXTY4ycPGOflcw_RjOdl-W8G6QjasFYJqTpVKbcgR1OXwRrG1TI0mlhCY8vzZDGrKZezKEPwqRY-2yCLr7P-6CdtVAGvY2cVNZVaDhp7EeQ/s640/blogger-image-1687862699.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggYzGF7il4gl_tEs3u6gQ5U3ulMUlbzM4sRXTY4ycPGOflcw_RjOdl-W8G6QjasFYJqTpVKbcgR1OXwRrG1TI0mlhCY8vzZDGrKZezKEPwqRY-2yCLr7P-6CdtVAGvY2cVNZVaDhp7EeQ/s640/blogger-image-1687862699.jpg"></a></div></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><b><i>In other news..</i></b></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Monday night there was a base-wide worship and prayer night for those who were still lacking in funds for outreach. At the beginning of the evening, they still needed more than $4,000 USD. An hour later, all funding needs were met! This was such a cool time of prayer and celebration as we came together as a family to lift those up who were needing help and doing what we could to fill in gaps. $4,000 seems like a lot of money to us, but God has such a huge wallet. And he LOVES providing for his children. The whole thing got me really emotional. Guys.. <b>God loves us SO MUCH!!!</b></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">I hope everyone at home is doing well!! I still miss my family and friends, but now I'm starting to miss things like hot showers, Starbucks<i> (I know.. classic white girl)</i>, and Taco Bell. So eat a burrito in the shower while brewing Starbucks coffee in memory of me. I'll be home to do it myself soon enough!! :) </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Love you all!! </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">[Potentially. Depending on who reads this.]</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13834239132793487103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4786188511433188388.post-41276246369081521702015-11-08T12:03:00.001-08:002015-11-08T12:24:12.244-08:00Freedom!!!!<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Hello again! I'm writing you from 80 degree temperatures on a beautiful Sunday afternoon in Belize. :) It's hard to believe that it's November. I miss fall!!! But I truly enjoy the consistency of the weather here. Aside from the torrential downpours that bring armies of mosquitos with the intent of sucking our blood till we die. </span><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Not to be dramatic or anything. Ha!</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">The last week and a half have been crazy. Busy, but also restful in a weird way. I've been learning a lot from God, and it's been awesome to see the things that he says to me during my quiet times confirmed throughout the day in other conversations and through the teaching. Often times what he says is word-for-word what others will say, and every single time, I'm blown away by how cool that is. I'll never get used to it. But I really don't want to either.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">A week ago on Friday, I was baptized in the Caribbean by two of my [many] favorites on staff. I have felt a push to be baptized over the past year, but because I had done it as a child, I didn't really feel the need to. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-J_J-qIiAqrLGjXBKfN5vIqkpaFthlEVehLBXVeQBLz5ksVQsG5u7r3_ClW6ej5vWnk_YDRWd6lHACF-Xqc7WyZIfg63DDkf4T2eYJI_AJe2YUw8XBx1SufLkVLT8_NM3UFDyyPca1SA/s640/blogger-image-651384159.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-J_J-qIiAqrLGjXBKfN5vIqkpaFthlEVehLBXVeQBLz5ksVQsG5u7r3_ClW6ej5vWnk_YDRWd6lHACF-Xqc7WyZIfg63DDkf4T2eYJI_AJe2YUw8XBx1SufLkVLT8_NM3UFDyyPca1SA/s640/blogger-image-651384159.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJGA606o0PN0Z8mQXYT05bWB0EjF0fFzOtpoCYpGezJdC1osFI0Fil5evZ5dlQ1BLg89bHto-q-WRyGGsBr7baVnvijEXfrL8gDX2SfWxOxibwKe7GXNmhCECanP_XO9SBbPyDNyvog90/s640/blogger-image--166277235.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJGA606o0PN0Z8mQXYT05bWB0EjF0fFzOtpoCYpGezJdC1osFI0Fil5evZ5dlQ1BLg89bHto-q-WRyGGsBr7baVnvijEXfrL8gDX2SfWxOxibwKe7GXNmhCECanP_XO9SBbPyDNyvog90/s640/blogger-image--166277235.jpg"></a></div><br></div></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">During freedom week, we went to God in prayer to ask who we needed to forgive. Forgiveness is something that I didn't realize had such a negative spot in my mind, but God quickly showed me that I've only ever forgotten about being hurt and never forgiven those who have hurt me in the past. I always viewed forgiveness as excusing actions. Like saying "it's okay", when it actually isn't okay. I didn't want to be fake about it, so I never forgave people. I just decided to move on and get over it. But doing life that way caused me to go numb. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Numbing is something that I also overlooked. Instead of feeling sadness or acceptance for what happened in my life, I went straight to anger and stayed there. I felt that sadness was the same as weakness.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">When I made the list of people I needed to find forgiveness for, I opened wounds that had been numbed and covered up - some since I was a little kid - and saying the things out loud that I thought I had "gotten over" brought feelings that I didn't even know existed to the surface. It was raw. There was a lot of praying and handing it over to God and offering forgiveness aloud and crying that took place in a super short period of time. It was mentally and emotionally exhausting, but afterwards, I felt physically lighter. I can't describe it any other way. I felt like I was almost floating. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">In an effort to embrace the forgiveness and freedom that I experienced, I decided to be baptized. It was a visible way to show that I am no longer in the place of numbing and heavy anger, but that I am free! I declared aloud to my new family that I am a new person and won't go back to who I was.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitn5xAQ7N0SHHn19SXqIUrynnAYIQJ8Abq6MdsjwnJI68ygwLqARARQF78qifZYXP4Pk7vrEhucwQ4SX8c6tf0g2q9oNBic1RpyBYdjJMqJTyPyXABnVJeRWOlWKYIV8wlLm2XbJOcGXM/s640/blogger-image--524772677.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitn5xAQ7N0SHHn19SXqIUrynnAYIQJ8Abq6MdsjwnJI68ygwLqARARQF78qifZYXP4Pk7vrEhucwQ4SX8c6tf0g2q9oNBic1RpyBYdjJMqJTyPyXABnVJeRWOlWKYIV8wlLm2XbJOcGXM/s640/blogger-image--524772677.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUwADW7jNUGY00ZMsdSXsz7FHOdCyavVjb47u_FmL_qpRwJKwBMq-RdpCBmbw-0AUlQ68fnvBUHhqLXjsYWdgooIDFyPQLJrJaQ8bbs8e6bTMU4f-AHOs01zVLZv42Y5zs0y3Xt389QaY/s640/blogger-image--1347413359.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUwADW7jNUGY00ZMsdSXsz7FHOdCyavVjb47u_FmL_qpRwJKwBMq-RdpCBmbw-0AUlQ68fnvBUHhqLXjsYWdgooIDFyPQLJrJaQ8bbs8e6bTMU4f-AHOs01zVLZv42Y5zs0y3Xt389QaY/s640/blogger-image--1347413359.jpg"></a></div><br></div></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">I fully believe that I will be used to teach others how to find freedom at some point in my journey because I can so easily relate to holding onto unforgiveness, yet was able to experience the intensity of freedom when I gave it to God. I let it go!!<i> (Elsa status!)</i></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvuCevYM8Z4bKVmieWVK_YYm955KhKYidgPblPK91uHZqixJX6SjPC6h4VvG_v-4noAWql1Xoo1O87IiBESCZUc9saCXsO47wMmwYvQKY-5kCrR3B2ThDf7bK-w1FEEROwtkdwteYJzZ0/s640/blogger-image-717497113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvuCevYM8Z4bKVmieWVK_YYm955KhKYidgPblPK91uHZqixJX6SjPC6h4VvG_v-4noAWql1Xoo1O87IiBESCZUc9saCXsO47wMmwYvQKY-5kCrR3B2ThDf7bK-w1FEEROwtkdwteYJzZ0/s640/blogger-image-717497113.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Every week challenges me in a new way. I'm sure I'll have more to say next week. Stay tuned. :)</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><b>Love you all!!!</b></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNQkxRwrKLiPobYwBG2Hthq_1ALurBPuZJ9z4U1b4S4Cn1tHwUWDrw_LC8uPOB0gjPQbNicx6WRc5RAX7uFUgHwjhHUzpLfaOfKfI56L6WPvAqliy5DxQGfdCGPMJH1MuJ3vleNruPVJo/s640/blogger-image--796937828.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNQkxRwrKLiPobYwBG2Hthq_1ALurBPuZJ9z4U1b4S4Cn1tHwUWDrw_LC8uPOB0gjPQbNicx6WRc5RAX7uFUgHwjhHUzpLfaOfKfI56L6WPvAqliy5DxQGfdCGPMJH1MuJ3vleNruPVJo/s640/blogger-image--796937828.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13834239132793487103noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4786188511433188388.post-82105184371537699422015-10-28T16:21:00.001-07:002015-10-31T08:49:51.928-07:00YWAM DP<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Hola from Belize!!</span><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">I'm absolutely loving my time here. I have so much love for my new family members, and I find new reasons to love them every day. I know.. Cheesy.. But I'm already dreading the day I have to leave all of them!! Trips to visit have already been discussed! Haha.</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjr2_5vkyWdVWIRl3Ai_d6NBb_NcDWn9rWHrUi5bFdYJ5KtTvmhKHSvgwSwyYZQ8xJPBL0Q8RpckxABzW1MF14Jzjs8TjWsnIyI2ajd7IDclMzNc2_01ytNQux4KgVExWZ1eXWpCu3d7o/s640/blogger-image--1884619432.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjr2_5vkyWdVWIRl3Ai_d6NBb_NcDWn9rWHrUi5bFdYJ5KtTvmhKHSvgwSwyYZQ8xJPBL0Q8RpckxABzW1MF14Jzjs8TjWsnIyI2ajd7IDclMzNc2_01ytNQux4KgVExWZ1eXWpCu3d7o/s640/blogger-image--1884619432.jpg"></a></div>(<i>Photo Cred: someone sent it to me after stealing it from someone else?)</i></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">A little bit about what we do here:</div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Our week day mornings start <a href="x-apple-data-detectors://0" x-apple-data-detectors="true" x-apple-data-detectors-type="calendar-event" x-apple-data-detectors-result="0">at 6:45</a> for breakfast. We rotate between intercession and worship every morning at 8, then start class at 9. We attend class for four hours a day <a href="x-apple-data-detectors://1" x-apple-data-detectors="true" x-apple-data-detectors-type="calendar-event" x-apple-data-detectors-result="1">Monday through Friday</a>, then have an event every afternoon or evening depending on the day of the week. Our days are full of learning in lectures, reading books for assignments, memorizing a map of the world, writing reports for oral presentations, and sand volleyball. Plus a few other things here and there. :) We also all have jobs we do on base, and we are assigned one night a week where we join a team to cook dinner for everyone. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Even with so much going on here, I go to bed every night excited to wake up and do it all again. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">During the first week in lectures we re-learned the foundations of our faith. We studied truth, God, man, sin, and salvation. The topics seem broad, but even as a church-goer since birth, I was able to get a lot from the teachings. Much of what was said felt so personal to me and where I'm at with God. </div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Last week we studied the seven spheres of society: family, religion, economics, education, media/communication, celebration, and government. We learned about cool ways to study the bible using these lenses and how our different passions and callings in regards to these spheres can be used to further the kingdom outside of just the church realm. It was such an inspiring week, and I can't wait to learn more about how God will use my talents and passions to fulfill some portion of the needs of the world in relation to missions whether it be local or international. <br><div><br></div><div>The topic this week is freedom, and the leader of our base, Lynn Toney, is speaking. She is such a crazy/awesome lady, and we're all really enjoying what she has to say. </div><div><br></div><div>Last week was a big week for all of us because on Monday we got to choose our outreach locations! The staff prayed about which countries they felt God calling us to, and on Monday they told us the three places they landed on: Ecuador, Costa Rica, and Japan. Then they gave us fifteen minutes to pray about it and see which location God placed on our hearts. After we wrote down our choices and handed the papers back, the staff went off to pray about the teams before coming back and revealing where we would be spending our two months after lecture phase is over. </div><div><br></div><div><b>So God and I talked, and I felt like he kept bringing Costa Rica back to my mind. I don't know why yet, but I feel He is leading me there. So I'm going! Yet another step in the journey that God has planned out and I am clueless about! :)</b></div><div><br></div><div>Once again, I'm way excited for the next phase. Not at all ready to leave the other two teams yet, but happy to go where He wants me. Luckily, I still have two months with all these wonderful people. </div><div><br></div><div>They don't have details on the trip yet, but I hope to have more information soon about where in Costa Rica our team will be going and what we'll be doing there. For now I'm totally cool with trusting that to God and spending my days learning and growing closer to my creator. </div><div><br></div><div>Thank you guys for your continued support through prayers. You all are so valuable to me, and I wouldn't be on this amazing journey without you. I'm so excited to let you know that - thanks to all of my wonderful supporters -<b> I am now fully funded!!!</b> It is such a relief to be all paid up and ready to change some lives! :) Starting with mine. </div><div><br></div><div>I miss you all at home!! Specifically my sweet family! Being a long way from them has been the hardest part of being here by far. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmdvTt3hU01oOBQsjc_bwT6jRyXiU9s7j5rWO5IYSr5ZCZXwrYcyDs1mybbRkj4RNuAfRR5HhhHMsVWxLqotY09zwCGAKZOhf4xFgGMLIS9rpNcKm5x5NZ_RPNMB4FwXwOPjHlb7yZdHw/s640/blogger-image-1697937235.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmdvTt3hU01oOBQsjc_bwT6jRyXiU9s7j5rWO5IYSr5ZCZXwrYcyDs1mybbRkj4RNuAfRR5HhhHMsVWxLqotY09zwCGAKZOhf4xFgGMLIS9rpNcKm5x5NZ_RPNMB4FwXwOPjHlb7yZdHw/s640/blogger-image-1697937235.jpg"></a></div><br></div></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><i>Because how cute are they!! :)</i></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">I love you, friends!!! </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13834239132793487103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4786188511433188388.post-18901482523109512652015-10-14T17:04:00.003-07:002015-10-14T17:04:57.655-07:00Don't Stop Belizin'<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Hello, lovely readers!! </span><br />
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Here is my first Belize update! Yay!!</div>
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I obviously made it here safely, but a little shaken after leaving the plane to find that my ears had popped so much I could hardly hear anything. I was in my own deaf world for the first night, but woke up with one working ear which was suuuuch great news!! They still pop when I swallow sometimes, but they feel very normal now. Makes me appreciate the gift of hearing even more. </div>
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Belize was a little different than I expected, but I like it a lot. We have geckos and iguanas running around everywhere - including in our rooms. Mosquitos attempt to kill us every day. And we've seen scorpions, tarantulas, and snakes around base. We have no air conditioning where we sleep and no hot water for showers (which is really fine since we're so hot already when we shower. Most of us actually enjoy the cold showers). But it's such a beautiful place, and I really really love the people I'm getting to know here.</div>
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I feel so blessed to be able to spend three months in this place with these people learning about our God who absolutely blows my mind and rocks my world every time I ask him to. </div>
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We had the opportunity to go on a snorkeling trip for free the other day, which was so so cool. We saw sharks (who don't eat people here!!), stingrays (who also don't kill us), and a cute little sea turtle. :) I also learned how to sail!! </div>
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Mostly our days are made up of classroom time in the mornings, a group event at some point in the afternoon or evening, and chill time for the rest of the day - which often includes reading books for our book reports or preparing an oral presentation of some sort. </div>
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I am enjoying this week as we're going back to the basics and learning about our faith again from the bottom up. As a group, we've experienced a lot of healing so far. </div>
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I'll try to update more often, but our internet isn't consistent at all, so no promises.</div>
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Love, Alyssa :)</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13834239132793487103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4786188511433188388.post-5132971063316092562015-10-06T03:48:00.000-07:002015-10-06T03:48:16.953-07:00MericaHey everyone! Here is my last update from The States for awhile seeing as I'm ON the plane headed to Belize.<br />
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What a whirlwind this last week has been. Quick updates:<br />
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I spoke in Plevna Community Bible Church a week ago last Sunday and was INCREDIBLY blessed. I hadn't met many of the attenders, but they were so welcoming and encouraging, and many of them told me they would be praying for me on my journey.<br />
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I soaked up time with my family this past week. It seemed to flee so quickly, but I loved having quality time with them at the corn maze and at the football game. There were lots of extra hugs involved, and some of them squeezed tears right out of me!<br />
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My mom and Aunt Laraine drove me (along with two baby sisters) to Lawrence to meet my oldest younger brother. We ate dinner in Lawrence before they headed back home and I went to brother Brett's house for a few hours. He drove me to the airport at 3 o'clock this morning. Like a champ. He's such a sweet brother!!!<br />
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A prayer request right now would be for health for me. I developed a cold in the last 24 hours, and I'm struggling today. TERRIBLE timing!!!<br />
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Thank you all so much for your support and prayers. I would not be on this plane right now if it weren't for your generosity. I know I will be blessed by your kindness, and I believe God will bless you as well.<br />
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I'll talk to you in Belize!!! Adios!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13834239132793487103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4786188511433188388.post-32057021181027270342015-09-21T17:16:00.000-07:002015-09-21T17:16:39.359-07:00ALMOST THERE!!!<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>Hello again!</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I received an email today from YWAM informing me of what to pack, what not to pack, that I need an entire new swimsuit wardrobe because mine all have strings, and... <span style="font-size: large;">WE'RE ONLY FIFTEEN DAYS FROM DEPARTURE!!!</span> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Oh my lanta.</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Time seems to be flying by. I seriously was telling people yesterday that I was 19 days from leaving because somewhere in the whirlwind of life, I lost four days. Ha!<br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Thank you all for your prayers for my speaking on Sunday. I shared my journey with Westside Baptist Church in Hutchinson - the church I grew up in - and was immensely blessed by the people there. It was so great to see familiar faces from my childhood, and they were all so supportive of my decision to do missions.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I won't lie to you and say that it was easy to get up and talk, but I don't want to downplay the work of the Holy Spirit either. He eased my nerves in such a supernatural way. I love walking through life with Jesus because I am able to do ANYTHING through HIM who gives me strength. And courage. And wisdom. He has been pushing me along through every step in the preparation process, and I am constantly amazed by the ways he speaks to me. I am already learning so much.</span><br />
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<b><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Prayers for these last weeks at home:</span></b></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm speaking at another church this weekend. I'm not nearly as nervous about this one since it's a little country church <i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(smaller crowds, smaller nerves)</span></i>, but prayers for a smooth delivery and confidence in my message would be awesome!<br /></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I became nervous today by the fifteen-day mark. I keep telling myself that God has walked with me in everything I've done so far, and he won't stop when it's time for me to board the plane.<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> (Because did you know that God flies too?!)</i></span> But anxiety has a way of creeping into my thoughts. So please pray the anxiety away in Jesus' name!!! :D<br /></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My car still hasn't sold. It's come close, but I'm nearing the end of my stay in the U.S., and it's crunch time. Since God told me very clearly that I needed to sell my car, I know it'll be sold. It's hard to wait it out though. Pray for someone to come along who's looking for a new-ish car that goes really fast and has shiny black paint. :) She really is a beauty.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Talk to you again soon! Adios amigos!!!</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13834239132793487103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4786188511433188388.post-85728942300719055112015-09-15T13:01:00.001-07:002015-09-15T13:21:10.280-07:00Just Keep Swimming<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Hello lovely people!</span></em><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I've been bad about posting updates because my life is absolutely crazy right now. But all the running around will be worth it in ...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;"><em>22 DAYS!!!</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Time is absolutely <u>flying by</u>. I'm so excited about this journey. More than ever.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">A few updates from the life of Alyssa:</span></strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_4PrswothwaYjnDIN4KI-CXAKCRIXQA0tgVes3LrgMcQnwsYs1yucHCIeLzRO9ILlKncb5GgoNY2mnCKmstxNCi5-FCey6fiuxjlvNZ4Ag0bdbNbL6mP3S52sazxKPZ8PVKaUi7r9X4/s1600/flyer.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></a><br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Uriah, Kaycee, and I had our fundraiser at Gambino's Pizza last Thursday. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It was a long day, but so stinking cool to see how people came together in the community to support our cause. <strong>THANK YOU</strong> to all of you who showed up and bought food/left donations for us last week!!! We feel incredibly blessed to be part of such a generous community!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_4PrswothwaYjnDIN4KI-CXAKCRIXQA0tgVes3LrgMcQnwsYs1yucHCIeLzRO9ILlKncb5GgoNY2mnCKmstxNCi5-FCey6fiuxjlvNZ4Ag0bdbNbL6mP3S52sazxKPZ8PVKaUi7r9X4/s1600/flyer.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_4PrswothwaYjnDIN4KI-CXAKCRIXQA0tgVes3LrgMcQnwsYs1yucHCIeLzRO9ILlKncb5GgoNY2mnCKmstxNCi5-FCey6fiuxjlvNZ4Ag0bdbNbL6mP3S52sazxKPZ8PVKaUi7r9X4/s400/flyer.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Over the weekend, I drove to Oklahoma to drop Uriah and Kaycee off so they could hang out with Uriah's family a little bit before flying out of OKC to spend nine months in South Africa. I was happy to spend time with them during this time, but I totally underestimated how God would use the weekend to refresh and encourage me on this part of my journey.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHH8y6iUM27UaS3BjZjzg_5gQNBC8vaIfwaV7i7zRP6Cw74HrUdhrgfYRMnetwyr-9fqarbwxtIOkRmPj4E4mouCp1JEKQAG2sSxuRROND5nPbNC1MT_4Ra9SW_3LyVMBZWSczvzoNoP0/s1600/poolside.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHH8y6iUM27UaS3BjZjzg_5gQNBC8vaIfwaV7i7zRP6Cw74HrUdhrgfYRMnetwyr-9fqarbwxtIOkRmPj4E4mouCp1JEKQAG2sSxuRROND5nPbNC1MT_4Ra9SW_3LyVMBZWSczvzoNoP0/s320/poolside.PNG" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We spent all of Saturday with some friends of Uriah and Kaycee - the Caviness family. I wasn't even going to hang out with them, but last minute I figured I would tag along for a little bit. EVEN THOUGH being the fifth wheel isn't my favorite.<br /><br /><strong>Let me tell you</strong>, these people didn't make me feel anything but loved the entire day. They encouraged me through example, conversation, and prayer/intercession. They confirmed things that the Holy Spirit had revealed to me previously and helped me release feelings of inadequacy and uncertainty. I felt submerged in Jesus all day long, and it was marvelous. Like fitting a week of camp into a single day. I've never met a couple who are so in tune with the Holy Spirit. I think Cam is a lot like what Jesus was like when he was walking the earth. There is so much love and compassion in him, and it shines through in everything he says and does. Mom pointed out that that's how Christians SHOULD be. They are awesome examples of what it looks like to have a heart like Christ. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHH8y6iUM27UaS3BjZjzg_5gQNBC8vaIfwaV7i7zRP6Cw74HrUdhrgfYRMnetwyr-9fqarbwxtIOkRmPj4E4mouCp1JEKQAG2sSxuRROND5nPbNC1MT_4Ra9SW_3LyVMBZWSczvzoNoP0/s1600/poolside.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></a><br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyfk50Xf0GTu_nmOekF_xpMsHJ1i0U6DN5Weja7wvAVUpZPeH_5M5g2r0dZgTbfzP2_Ev1lYx1qNw2Cki80YWhhVw18T3ldqTKsYaoUI3uZwksMA3btctIszt2SWbpzPpKl9BZayftpho/s1600/singing.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyfk50Xf0GTu_nmOekF_xpMsHJ1i0U6DN5Weja7wvAVUpZPeH_5M5g2r0dZgTbfzP2_Ev1lYx1qNw2Cki80YWhhVw18T3ldqTKsYaoUI3uZwksMA3btctIszt2SWbpzPpKl9BZayftpho/s320/singing.PNG" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Another thing I loved about our time together were the worship sets that randomly broke out throughout the day. Cam and Christine are talented musicians who have hearts for worship, and it was so fun to love on Jesus with them. <br /><br />This picture was taken during the final worship time of the day. Cameron's dad is also a musician, and he kept stopping the music in order to split us up into four part harmonies. We were laughing so hard, but it actually turned out to be really good! And so much fun!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I'm thanking God today for the refreshing weekend he gave me without me even asking for it. I got to spend time with Uriah, Kaycee, Cameron, and Christine, as well as my Sunday Night Supper friends in Edmond. I love the people God has so generously placed in my life!!!</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">If you want to pray for me, I have some requests!</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I was asked to speak about my trip and what God is doing in my heart at a couple of churches these next two weekends. As you may know, I am an introvert who absolutely HATES attention being put on me, so this is a big time of stretching in my life. God is putting me out of my comfort zone so I can grow. I'm excited about it, but also a little<strong> terrified</strong>. Pray for courage for me please!! And for God to give me the words to say.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Pray for sanity during these last few weeks as I figure out what needs to happen in order for me to be ready to live outside of the United States. I've never done anything like this before, so it's completely new territory!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Funding is coming in <em>thanks to many of you</em>, and I am patiently awaiting the selling of my car which will help tremendously. Pray for someone to come along who wants my beautiful Scion! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAgHSWWM4nEFeOmGNf1Zt4kdBPpwFSzNLfEr0npQSxBSJphRD7-3ev8N0oRToZvpYd0OBJK5GBtqG6VO2zZcuVWIlzHCyBNNaK4sPcTb5evr5UBSn7_YoZ_sjsz8I_HK5k5tB1oIJyik8/s1600/car.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAgHSWWM4nEFeOmGNf1Zt4kdBPpwFSzNLfEr0npQSxBSJphRD7-3ev8N0oRToZvpYd0OBJK5GBtqG6VO2zZcuVWIlzHCyBNNaK4sPcTb5evr5UBSn7_YoZ_sjsz8I_HK5k5tB1oIJyik8/s320/car.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<strong><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Feel free to spread the word!!! Here's the link: </span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><a href="http://salina.craigslist.org/cto/5195816969.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">http://salina.craigslist.org/cto/5195816969.html</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong><em>Thanks everyone! :)</em></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;"><strong>Have a wonderful week!!!</strong></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13834239132793487103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4786188511433188388.post-84314001977777639282015-08-30T21:04:00.001-07:002015-08-30T21:04:55.073-07:00Gushing 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. <br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13834239132793487103noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4786188511433188388.post-5060267445116856562015-08-25T19:41:00.000-07:002015-08-25T19:41:14.140-07:00Blown Away!<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hello again, friends!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Only <b><u><span style="font-size: large;">42 days</span></u></b> until I board the airplane and head to Belize, and I'm SO READY to go!!! <span style="font-size: x-small;">(Aside from the little things like packing and paying. Ha!)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A few updates:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My plane tickets are officially bought, and I will be heading out of the country on October 6th as planned! EEEEEEE!!!!! (EXCITEMENT)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">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! :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">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.<i> (Thanks mama!!!)</i> Grandma and Grandpa were such sweet hosts and provided lots of laughs, and the sale made a dent in the funds.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>We are so thankful for God's provision!!!</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I want to say a special </span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">THANK YOU!!!!!</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">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.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If you have been considering donating, follow the link below, and thank you in advance!!!</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.youcaring.com/alyssalovesjesus"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">www.youcaring.com/alyssalovesjesus</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If you are interested in checking out my sister and brother-in-law's website <a href="http://kingdomcouple.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">click here!</a> 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!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I can't wait to update you on more awesome things God is doing in this season of my life. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Stay tuned!! :)</i></span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13834239132793487103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4786188511433188388.post-30016732697024525612015-08-16T17:03:00.000-07:002015-08-16T17:03:22.219-07:00The Drift<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>Hello All!</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Today I am doing something that I swore I would never do - starting a blog. I am</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> entering the blogworld in order to give updates on my most recent adventures and the uber exciting things God is doing in my life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When I began thinking of names and titles for my blog, my mind kept coming back to the words </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>floating, wandering, </i>and <i>drifting. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">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!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I guess that's why it took me by surprise when God asked me to <b>plan</b>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Here's a <i>short version</i> of the story:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One morning at work, we were listening to the song <a href="https://youtu.be/1m_sWJQm2fs" target="_blank"><i>Oceans</i> by Hillsong</a>. 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 <a href="http://kingdomcouple.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">sister</a> - who is always off doing missions work - to tell her I was going. He wanted me to be held accountable. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">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. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So I'm headed to BELIZE!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>...in 52 days!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">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 <a href="http://www.ywam.org/about-us/" target="_blank">here</a>!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">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.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">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: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><a href="http://www.youcaring.com/alyssalovesjesus">www.youcaring.com/alyssalovesjesus</a></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">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 <i>pray</i>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Specific prayer requests for today include:</span></div>
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<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">funding</span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">closeness with God during this crazy time</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Thank you for joining me on my adventure! I can't wait to update you on the incredible things God is going to do!!</span></div>
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