Floating With Purpose
Monday, May 16, 2016
She Lives!!!
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Life, Health, New Jeans
Hello friends!
I've been missing in action on my blog lately and wanted to give you guys an update.
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. :)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
(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!!)
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!!
Happy Storm Season/Almost Summer/Practically May!!!!! Love y'all!!
Love, Alyssa
Friday, April 8, 2016
Change of Plans!
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.
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.
It obviously wasn't the right timing and/or location this time around.
So I'm home still! Maybe for awhile! God apparently has other plans for me, and while I'm disappointed I can't go 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!
Thank you all for your continued support!
LOVE, Alyssa :)
Tuesday, March 8, 2016
Home Sweet Home.. For Now
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.)
As you probably know, I'm happily home with my family and loving it.
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.
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. :)
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!
3 MONTHS IN COLORADO!!
On April 7th, I will head to Colorado Springs to attend YWAM's Foundations of Counseling Ministries secondary school 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.
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.
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!
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.
Here's to the end of one incredible season right into another. :) Love you all!!