Spring Break

This past week Mission Adventures hosted a group of 10 come in from Hillsboro, OR for their Spring Break Mission Trip. They were a super easy group; they were eager to learn, willing to open up to us, on time for the most part, and excited to be challenged! The leaders that came with the group were awesome as well; they truly cared about the students and poured into them quite a bit.
Throughout the week we had different youth pastors come in to teach in the mornings. The focus was 'The Kingdom in Your Heart' as the International MA theme this year is 'Expand Heaven Here'. Random fact: One of the youth pastors we had as a guest speaker was on 'The Bigest Loser: Season 3'.
Every afternoon we arranged for the group to have outreach, ranging from one of our Street Surges (Hot Chocolate Handout, Letters to Salem, Spoken Word, and Speaking with the Stars) to community service, helping clean a local ministry, Stiches, that feeds street kids. And every night we held a 'night session' which held in store for the students experiences like Night of Missions and Experiencing Injustice, each put on by different ministries at YWAM Salem.

Honestly, I feel like I learned more than the students. Every speaker that came in had amazing eye opening things to say about the Kingdom being here in our hearts. The main thing that caught my attention was something one of our speakers said about halfway through the week. "We change the world by having a kingdom mindset; it is not about the here and now". Joseph probably didn't like his here and now, being sold as a slave and then thrown in jail for something he didn't do, but he knew that life isn't about present circumstances. As a slave he served diligently, even in jail he took up work, because he understood that God was worthy of his best no matter if he liked the circumstance. And because he focused on the kingdom and how the Lord can use everything to further His kingdom, God was able to use him to save a nation from famine.
I've been having a hard time not focusing on the here and now. My here and now is cold, rainy, far from home, and in a strange culture (believe it or not, west coast culture is very different than east coasts). But that isn't what my life is about; it is about the kingdom being furthered. I know that God has called me here and I am blessed to be working with youth groups, designing promo, and living in the same location as my soon to be husband! I will serve here diligently, because God is worthy of my best.

Leaping into the unknown

The past two months have been quit a journey. Leaving all you know, leaping into the unknown is scary. This is exactly what God told me to do though. To respond to His call, His love and trust Him.

"I will lean

I'll give in

I will yield to Your draw"

In the midst of moving across the country, adjusting to a new job, trying to make friends, planning a wedding, and traveling with the mobile team I have been s t r e t c h e d more than I could have ever anticipated. I don't think I could ever convey how hard it's been. Honestly I feel like I never know what's going on. Most of the plans I make fall through, get changed or pumped and new tasks are always appearing. Flexibility has definitely been key and when I forget that it makes life miserable.
I knew and was warned be those close to me of how hard it was going to be and still I am shocked. It's surprising how we can know something like that before hand and yet still be surprised. I remember thinking at the end of my fourth week here in Salem, 'This week was kinda good', for the first time since moving. Not that I hadn't had good days, but the strain of learning a new place yet desiring only to be back on the east coast took everything out of me. I've had some really hard and straining days since that week, but overall things have gotten better and easier, which is a result of making the decision to actually live here, not back in Greenville or Orlando (you know in my mind, hopes, and dreams).

"God understands our limits; He also knows how close to our limit
He needs to put us in order for us to grow."

Mike told me this one day when I felt like I was beyond my limit, broken and homesick. It has stuck with me since. I know that God is good. I know that God loves me. He knows me more than I know myself. I know that He wants the best for me. And I know that He has called me to live here in Salem for this time.

That is what I hold onto.

Allowing God to mold me as He wants is painful, but it is definitely better than going half way and then resisting the change (which is what I was doing the first three weeks and still sometimes realize I'm doing), it is a hourly decision I have to make. If He sees it as best for me, than it is!

"This love will not leave you the same

This love is calling your name

Calling you to leap over mountains, into the unknown

Trust Me!

For I want you where I am

So I won't leave you as you are"

- IHOP Prayer Room web-stream, Worship with the Word