Prayer is Powerful

Wow...this week has flowen by! Just wanted to remind everyone that the kids at school are testing the next two weeks. Keep them in your prayers...Pray that they get good rest, have a great breakfast, focus for the test, and do their best!!

This is my first year to have a whole class testing! I am nervous for them, but at the same time I know they can do it! I have loved this school year!  Keep the teachers and students in your prayers! Thanks!!

Unconditional Love

Sometimes I struggle with this:
At what point in life do you say to your parents, I understand that you do not want me to go to a country that scares you, but God does?

I love my parents, but every time I want to do mission work, this comes up. I say I want to go three weeks or a month, they say how about just one week. Then, somewhere or some how we settle in the middle. I love my parents and know as a single woman, I still need to listen to the and respect their opinions. Then, I wonder am I not hearing God's voice clearly or is this just the Devil causing confusion in my life? Pray for for me. Pray for my parents. Pray of Nicaragua. I love my parents so much and they love me and "get me." I know they are scared for me and do not want anything to happen! Sometimes, I just wish they understood why I love this country so much and why I feel so called to go. Until then, I pray for them to have peace and to continue to love me unconditionally; like they always have! I LOVE you Mom and Dad. Your love for me is so evident!

I KNOW that missions will forever be apart of my life. Just short term for now, but I think it could be long term at some point!

Psalms 82:3-4

Psalms 82:3-4-Do the right thing for the weak and those without a father. Stand up for the rights of those who are suffering and in need. Save the weak and those in need. Set them free from the hand of the sinful.

You should read this post!! Here is the video, too! The heart of this guy is exactly how I feel..except with hungry kids in Nicaragua! http://joiningthejourney.blogspot.com/2012/03/when-saints-promomov.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpF0VD2tMF0&feature=player_embedded

The blog up top is linked to another women. They have started an organization called 147 million orphans. They support Katie Davis and want to get every orphan a home. If you have not read Katie's blog...It is amazing and will change your heart. It has made me really look at God from a different perspective! This is a lot of link but they are GREAT!

http://kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/

Nicaragua

I mentioned this in my last post, but I am helping God lead a trip to Nicaragua! :) I can not do this alone, only with God. He is leading and I am prayerfully listening to his voice! Isn't that amazing. I feel like I am getting closer to where I need to be with God daily! Back to Nica..

2008-My sweet friend Elizabeth told me a group of our high school class was going on a mission trip to Nicaragua..I immediately said I am going, too. Here's the deal: Missions have always been so close and near and dear to my heart. I want to THANK Jeff Ivey(my youth minster when I was in junior high and high school) for this. He did a great job giving us opportunities to serve God on mission trips. I went to Houston, Gulf Shores, & Chicago! Back to the trip....we met, we had some responsibilities, and my parents slowly were okay with me going! I was in NO way prepared for what I would see! We first worked in a community in Chinadega. The place we went was called the triangle of death, because it is surrounded by a dump, prison, and cemetery. We feed the kids, played with them, & the boys did construction. We got to know the college students in the church we were working with. It was amazing! After I had been there a week...I broke down. We fed the kids three days a week at lunch time...most do not get food other than these times. On Sunday, a 2nd team came down and we showed them where we had been working. It hit me, some kids may have not had food since Friday at lunch. To this point in my life....this was not a reality to me. It hurt to the depths of my sole. We take everything so for granted and throw so much away...That $2.00 I spend at Sonic every other day could feed a family...YES a family, for almost a week. Talk about reality check for a 23 year old. PEOPLE ARE STARVING...everywhere, not just in Nicaragua. People are hurting right around...how are we helping others? Are we helping anyone? I struggle with this all the time!! That trip ended with a 2nd week of VBS in a school and church in La Paz...Since this time Hearts to God(the organization we went with) has decided to center their work in this area. It is great to have a focus!

2009-I felt strongly that God was calling me to go back. So, in June I went to do a week of VBS! God was amazing! My heart was melted, once again....and I was brought back to reality. I helped to lead the crafts. We had decided to limit the number of kids that could come, because we had over 300 the first year I went. This makes crafts very hard! Well, our 100 became about 150. Let me tell you the most amazing thing...I counted the crafts before we left....I know their were only 100, but we were never short on crafts...every kid had one, every day. Isn't God amazing!! I hate when people say God does not perform miracles, because he does!

2012-I am going back! Please join me in prayer, NOW! God is going to do amazing things! If you are interested in going...let me know! I would love for you to join us! If not, please join me in prayer! Our team will leave on July 7th! I am pumped! More to come...as details get more nailed down!

SIDE NOTE: I have many people say to me when I talk about Nicaragua, "Why would you go there when so many people are in need right here around you?" All I can say to this, is I know this is where God wants me right now! It is a God thing, and when I am not there I strive to help people around me, too! God placed me in Nicaragua...right now it has only been short term missions, but I can not say that someday it might be more. This has been something on my heart lately. What if God called me to serve him in a 3rd world country..Would I go? What would my family say? What would you do?

March showers bring April flowers!

I know this title is not right...but I am currently LOVIN this weather! I love the warmer weather and rain! It is my favorite!! I have been so busy the past month, but for the first time in a long time..I feel like it is all things God wants me to be doing. Here's what is new:

1. I have started(as of today) teaching a 10 grade girls Life Group Class! I can not wait to get to know them better and share God's word with them! I am learning just how much people helped me at this stage during my life! To those people, I am forever grateful! I want to do the same for these girls! I really do!
2. I have currently been involved with some women at my church in starting a ministry for single women. I am excited for this group to get started and build relationships with people in my church through this!
3. I am planning/leading a trip to Nicaragua for the summer. I am very nervous about this and haven't done a lot, yet! I need to get on top of this!! Please pray for this trip, and if you have any interst in going let me know!

Today in Life Groups, we talked about the Holy Sprit...I know that I can not do any of these things listed above alone! I have to have the Holy Sprit to empower me! Let the Holy Sprit guide you this week..follow his calling and mission for you! I think you will be amazed at what he can do! Also, if you have time read Acts 2! It's powerful!

What is God doing in your life?