Every time we feel we are at the place with God that we can do it all, He brings us back into humility with gentleness. I love that about Him! He is so gentle to correct, but so powerful to instruct.

It was really hard when I found out I wouldn't be able to go to the OneThing09 conference because of lack of drivers. I was SO set on going for so long, that it took me a while to let that fact sink in my brain. But God really helped me to face the facts, not get upset, and to move forward. It sounds really stupid, but I have a pretty hard time when big plans change. Good thing God is showing me how to deal with this, because with God, anything can change at any time, just as long as we are following Him we will be provided for. Being able to watch the conference on live feed is just such a blessing.

I really feel like this whole situation happened the way it did for a reason. I was able to reach out and help some of my friends and really minister to them. I was able to spend more time with my best friend and my family who will all leave on the 2nd, and I was able to grow in patience and realize what my priorities are.

Christmas was really amazing. I had such a fun time with family, hanging out and laughing like always. There is something about being with them that makes me feel a little more important than I do normally, and a little more humbled to see the sacrifices they make for each other. I did get a car stereo (YES.) and our family pitched and got a wii, so that was awesome. Then at night dad and I and some friends went to see Sherlock Homes, which I have seen two and a half times now. (Yes, I realize that is ridiculous, don't judge me.)

After this week of everyone leaving, sad goodbyes, and reality checks, I know that God will continue to pour out His Spirit on me, so that I can love others the way He loves me! Let's just hope it's not harder than I think it will be to say goodbyes...

Dude

How great is our God? I know that phrase might be termed "overrated", but it is SO true to my heart right now.

All God wants is for us to make Him known. I was spending time with Him the other night, and He just showed me an awesome revelation about Mary from the Bible. I was just talking to God, telling Him how awesome it was for Him to call Mary like that, and to use her in such a mighty way. And He just spoke to me saying that my will, your will, everyone's will and calling on this earth is just as important as hers. Not saying that the birth of Jesus was equal, because it isn't, wasn't, and will never be. But the whole idea is that if we are open to God, and willing to do what He asks, and living in full abandonment to ourselves, God will use us in a mighty way to impact people, nations, tribes, for HIS glory!! How awesome is that??

Another thing I love is just how much we can learn from God, I want to be on my face, everyday, learning more about my heavenly Father. More about who He is, what He wants from me, what He thinks of me. More and more and more every single day. He is SO available to us! This is so encouraging.

You know, I had a weird week. Just very busy, not taking the time out that was needed to get on my face before The Lord. Last night I was thinking over the week, and realizing how much I missed spending time with Him, how much His love means to me, how I can't live one day without Him. I honestly just fell on my face in repentance. Who am I that I would ignore my Creator? I am nothing, and He is my everything. But I think it is an everyday act of humility to the Lord, of passion for His Word and His Presence.

Yaaa, just some thoughts.

Random

I have curly hair now! I decided this morning I wanted to get a perm, just a wavy one that looks natural but gives some body, so I did it! It only took FOUR whole hours, but it looks great so far. Once I can wash it and get some product into it, I will post a picture.

But yay!

Oh, and I went to Bath and Body Works and got an amazing deal with bunches of stuff for 20 bucks. Yes!

And my car is awesome. It has flair, which I love, and it is mine. FOr nothing. Thank you Scott and Kit! :)


Praise you Lord, for you make all things new.

Pairutani

Pairutani is a little village outside of little Vinto outside of a little bit bigger Cochabamba. It is mostly Quechuan indians and Evo followers, and people look at you like you are an alien because of your blonde hair. The pastors, Bri, Ralph, Elitha, and I went up there last night for the anneversary service of the church, they are celebrating 25 years!!

The worship was mostly in Quechuan and it was super fun. Then Pastor Jhonny Vela spoke on receiving strength from the Lord, and since yesterday was one of the hardest since I have been here, he spoke right to my heart. I have to have it translated into English becaus

e it was a mix of Spanish and Quechuan and I couldn't really understand anything, haha. (What do they call Spanish and Quechuan? Spachuan?) But thanks for Pastor Jenn who translated. Then after, and a little before all of this, we had an awesome ministry time with the Lord. God healed people through my hands!! Two knees, a nose, headaches, and more. The Lord is so faithful and so available to all who run to Him with reckless abandon.

When most people think about healings and miracles, they think about either one of two things. One, people think of revivals. Like the one in Lakeland, FL, or in Ontario, Canada a little while back. People come to things like this EXPECTING to be healed, and as you all know, God moves in ou

r expectation. But we don't have to be at a huge "revival" service to receive healing! We need to forgive, receive forgiveness, and expect. That's it! So much less complicated than it seems. The second misconceived perception with healing is that it only happens in other countries. Wrong!! It is about YOUR attitude and YOU expectation that God WILL heal you!!

The youth conference is this weekend at Beach Fellowship and I am interceding with major expectations. I know God is going to let His glory dwell in that place!! If you are reading this, and you go to Immerse youth, you should definitely make it out there! Even if it is only for Friday night, it is only 15 for that night and dinner! The Lord is going to use YOU to reclaim what the enemy has stolen from you!!

Okay, enough preaching for the day ;) I leave in a week from tonight! I miss my family, my friends, sushi, and starbucks. If you want to come see meh at the airport, let me know and I'll give you the times and stuufff.

.

This week has been full of miracles, healings, Holy Spirit pour outs, and everything else awesome you could think of. There is a song that goes

'Jesus only did, what He saw you do, he would only say, what he heard you speak, he would only move, when he thought you did, Father we need your heart, Father we need your Spirit

How can I begin to live without you? When every step that Jesus made was in surrender?

What the world sees, and soon forgets, we will not forget who you are and what you have done for us'

I love that! It is so my heart to God right now.

I have been fasting for a couple of days about the next 'step' that God has for me - but I am a little confused. So if you are reading this please pray that I will have clarity and discernment!

(nine days)

Revelation!

The Lord never fails.

In John 3:33 it says: "The man who has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God give the Spirit WITHOUT limit!!!"

Some people are simply attracted to Jesus. Some people chose to become disciples of Christ. With the first choice, you are simple being entertained by Him, enjoying just Him, like when you watch an awesome movie for the first time. Just like when you watch a movie you love over and over again, soon enough you are going to get bored with it and stop watching it. In the same way, if you put a limit on Christ, then you are going to watch the same thing, or experience the same thing, over and over again until you get bored and fall away from HIM. No wonder so many people fall away from God, or backslide!! This is not some kind of "pointing the finger" attitude that I have, but it is a DECISION to make your relationship with God more deep and more intimate EVERY TIME you meet with Him!! I just quoted a scripture where John the Baptist says all me need to know about this issue. "for God give the Spirit WITHOUT LIMIT..." So if we believe the Bible, believe that it is God-breathed, then we have a RESPONSIBILITY to act on this scripture!

Another example: If I died my hair pink, and then went to church or anywhere really, people would freak out! For at least a week there would be tons of people talking and asking me about it and all excited, but then after about two weeks, people would get accustomed to it. Some people feel the same way about God! They reach a certain "level" with God, and for a while they are happy and content, but then they get accustomed to this and it doesn't affect them at all. This is what some Christians call "season" with God. There is a season in which God is talking to you and you feel close with Him, but then we feel that that is all He will give us, so then we fall into a "dry spell" with the Lord, He just isn't speaking anymore. NO! This is totally opposite of what the Bible tells us!! We can be going through situations with Him that He chooses to strengthen us in a certain area, but be NO means are we any farther away from God than we CHOOSE to be!!

When you chose to be a disciple, you are no longer living, getting entertained, and getting joy from tangible things. Now you are being engrossed, and make a DECISION for the things that are of the Kingdom, that are intangible.

Matt 6:5 says, " And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing by standing by the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have seen their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen."

Okay, so if this is the words of God, then again, it is a commandment and a DECISION!! I just challenge you right now, whoever you are, wherever you are reading this, that you right this second get down on your knees and worship the Lord who died for YOU!! It might be inconvenient but guess what? It was probably was more inconvenient for Jesus to die on the cross for you, than for you to get on your knees in gratitude to HIM!!

If you want to be closer to God, daily growing with intimacy with Him, and loving Him more each day, these are KEY elements to having a real relationship with Him! And that is what it is all about.

AMEN! :)

p.s. Don't think for one second that just because I am in Bolivia, that I am closer to God. NO WAY!! If you are hungry, thirty, yearning for the Spirit, and you choose to give your time and your everything to Him, then it is no different than me being here in Bolivia!

Peaches and cream!

Okay not really peaches and cream, just peaches with leche con avena (milk with almond extract) This stuff is the best stuff created since Sushi!! I'm loving it. I am calming down from last nights fight, thank God for the beautiful weather, and preparing for Spanish class.

I can't believe Bolivia keeps getting more and more beautiful with each passing day. It's so much more tropical in this time of year! I'm loving it. I feel like walking everywhere! Today I went to the boys home and played soccer with them and did a present project for some awesome pastors at home :) Not a big thing but I thinkthey will appreciate it! :)

20 more days until I go home and I'm really excited. Since I am coming back for a year in Febuary I have nothing sad to look forward to, only happy family and friends! I hope I can connect with some people I have sorta lost contect with, and just have fun catching up with my family!

Mmm :)

Planes!

I just made planes with my fifth grade class out of recycled material. Very fun and inexpensive! And after I had fun with Angel. Don't see surrogates, it's stupid. Did I mention I hate Halloween? Well I do. Even in a country that doesn't celebrate Halloween they have crap everywhere. I will be fasting and praying until the 2nd, join me if you feel led !

Eghhhgghh

Kyernan and Alannah my sisters have swine flu, please be praying.

Mmm blockade days.

Okay so first I will start by explaining why on earth there are blockades anyways. Usually there are blockades of the taxi and truffi drivers because the government is not giving them what they want. Here in Bolivia, when the people aren't getting what they want. they fight for it. And the sad thing is that it usually works. Yesterday there was a blockade blocking Quillacollo and Vinto, where I live. This means no going anywhere because we live in the boondocks and you can't get anywhere except on car or taxi. It was a nice, quiet day at home. Just the Pastors, Brie and I. We watched like five movies (none really that inter-

esting) and Pastora made some lasagna thing with spinach and alfredo and it was actually extremely delicious. Brie was really sick all day, but she is better now. I went for a swim, took a shower, read the bible. It was just a nice relaxing day in which nothing had to be done! (Except clean my room, which I did. )

Sometimes I get my room messy to clean it up again. It's a great stress reducer! (Not that I actually do this, or have that much stress, but I like cleaning for some reason.) I like doing the dishes and hanging clothes on the line, and cleaning my room and my bathroom. I think it is because the Pastora's love language is gifts and people doing things for her and so I want to let her know that I love her by cleaning. I never liked to clean at home, but it is what it is.

Also I have Spanish class today and I am skyping some good people after. My cousins, aunt, uncle and grandma, and also Hannah Shelton, hopefully. I like spying because it helps me feel connected. Sometimes I don't want to feel connected so I turn off my skype! I think it's easier to get UN-connected than connected. But anyways.

The blockades are a pain in the butt, but they allow time to do things that you wouldn't normally have time for. Like just sitting and getting to know people. Or listening to the birds, or listening to God.

I'm feeling philosophical so I'll stop now. :)

heh

Banana Bread!

mix:

12 Bananas

1/3 c. Milk

1 1/2 c. Sugar

1 c. Oil

3 Eggs

2 tsp. Vanilla

add:

3 c. Flour

2 tsp. Baking Soda

1 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

Bake at 375

Birthday fun stuff!

I'm eighteen years old, but I feel the same. I mean, I don't feel eighteen but I don't feel any different in age than a week ago. But it was an awesome experience to have my birthday here in Cocha.

The first fun day was Friday, in which the kids had two parties for me with cakes that they baked themselves! (It was a chore to choke it down but it was worth it to see their faces!) And at night I had my cell group, which was super fun considering another cake, this time it was yummy! I love my cell girls. It was a great night of fellowship and renewal. I spoke about the youth encounter and about how the time is NOW. God didn't choose for you to follow Him at a young age just to sit there! It was a great night and the Spirit really was moving. We also felt led to do a special night for the pastors at youth the next day, so we designed shirts and figured out who was buying the flowers, the balloons, etc. Then at the end of the night some girls started fighting and it was just a bunch of MESS. I was talking to them about how the enemy would love to start disunity right after such an amazing time with God and each other, and by the next night it was resolved, thank you Lord!

On Saturday I woke up really early. Not on purpose but I think the excitement was unconsciously put in my head! I went downstairs and the pastors sang me happy birthday (they are so sweet) and Gave me my present, which so SO stinkin' thoughtful they really really shouldn't have. But it was a Tommy purse, genuine leather, SUPER cute. Along with a real Coach wallet! I was super stoked and blessed. Then I got to help Brie with a project at school, They filmed me modeling and being interviewed as an immigrant to Bolivia. How awkward! We had to do like like 344 times because I was laughing so much. And if I wasn't laughing, someone was laughing at me! But it was hilarious and fun all the same. Then we hopped in the pool for a bit and ti felt amazing in the nasty heat. Thank you Lord for a pool so close! Afte the pool I watched Grey Gardens with the Pastor (for the second time that day, I watched it with Brie really early.) And it is just SUCH an awesome movie. So creative and different. And that made me decide I want a perm. Like a finger wave-ish perm from the 30's. Who knows if I will actually do it though! Thennnn we just hung out until youth, which of course was an awesome time of Holy Spirit fire!! My friend Angel spoke about God's love and it was sooo powerful. What a man of God! We had the service shortened so we could do the blessing time for the Pastors and it was really just an awesome time of renewal for them. We washed their feet and prayed over them. Then I talked to my Dad and that was really nice, except it got me homesick, but I got over it ;)

Angel gave me a bad made of cardboard with my present in it. I open it a little late and it's a really cute teddy bear and a balloon that says "Te qierro" and then a Dvd case with two cd's in it. I was like what could this even be? But it was during church so I just decided to see it later. Then at the end of the night he came over and hugged me goodbye, and told me to make sure to watch he dvd he gave me. So in the car I got curious and put it in. I was so surprised at first all I could say was "HE DID NOT!" But it turns out that he went to the boys orphanage where I work, and got on tape ALL the boys individually telling me happy birthday and something really nice! I was just crying and laughing and thinking how insane he was for doing this! It was probably the best present I have ever received in my whole life. Then I went to bed with the teddy bear on my bed :) Just to clarify, we are just friends, reading the Bible and praying together and whatnot :)

Sunday we went to church and it was our call group's turn to be greeters but it was fun. Then we ate lunch at the Biter's house with a bunch of people with cup cakes and yummy tacos. Then Brie and I slept for forever in the afternoon randomly. We were all ready to get in the pool and then we fell asleep. hah, anyways after that a BUNCH of people, basically all of the youth group..went bowling for my birthday. My german shorties were there and it was so great to see them! I got a bunch of chocolate and Bon Bons because they are my favorite chocolates here, and just had a really nice time with all the people I love here in Bolivia (and let's not dwell on the fact that I suck at bowling and I lost) heh. But after we ate Anticucho (cow heart, my fave!) and Choco burgers with yummy picante and talked and talked. I loved my birthday weekend. It was one of the best birthdays so far! My only regrets is that I didn't talk to a certain few important people in my life that didn't wish me happy birthday, but really what am I gunna do?

Thank you Lord for such an awesome birthday filled with your presence and all the people I love here. Thank you for your provision and always loving me no matter what. Thank you for being my father and sustaining me through every hard time and every rough patch in my life. You are my Father, provider, faithful friend, redeemer, healer, love, and everything else. I would be nothing without you, God.

hah, guess what?

ONE DAY.

Alll natural almost 18 year old. I'm happy with who I am but I am always wanting to improve internally to be more like Christ. Woooo!

Woah.

Haha, where do I even start? Well there was a youth encounter this weekend and I was excited to see how God was going to work in my life, and renew things in the Spirit for me. Well the weekend went on, and I got some awesome revelations about the Word, but I really felt like God wanted to do more in me. So on Sunday morning at the conclusion of the encounter, we were at church and everyone was SO on fire in their worship, just praising God. The Spirit was soooo heavy in that room! (Like it is everywhere here, aha) But then one of my friends Paola came over with her mom Cynthia, and they just hugged me, so tight. I really felt the presence of the Lord in the hug, and I just broke down crying. I knew that God was about to do something huge in my life fro HIS glory!! So I was just worshipping and people kept coming over and hugging me and just giving me more of the love of the Spirit, and I was receiving it!!

Well there was a team of pastors visiting from San Diego, California, and their ministry was inner healing! Awesome right? Well one of the Pastors preached, and man was he SOO in the Spirit, I felt like everything he was saying was exactly what the church needed to hear! Just about how without God is your house (body, church), you have nothing! Amen. So I was just bawling all service and really feeling like God was calling me to prayer and fasting this week for two reasons. One, for the service of Beach Fellowship for revival and revelation on Sunday morning, and also because my birthday is coming up on Saturday and needed to pray and fast for the upcoming year, just that the Spirit would keep me accountable and I would be obedient to everything that God is calling me to do!

At the end of the service I went over to one of the ladies from the inner healing ministry and I really felt like she should pray for me! So I asked her and of course she said yes. We sat down and she just started speaking life over me and SUCH confirming prophetic words. How awesome right! I just really felt like what she was speaking over me was directly from the heart of the Father! She was saying how God is stretching me right now, but He is going to use my LOVE to minister! How I am going to be a fire woman for God (AMEN!) and how I need to not worry if God will leave me, because he will ALWAYS be with me! And this sounds very simple but I was struggling with that thought from the enemy all week. THEN even after that, I was praying around the church and Pastors Marcos and Jennifer called me over to get prayed for by the whole team from San Diego! RIght when they came over and laid their hands on me, the main pastor was like "WHOAAA God has so much in store for you. You are a pressure cooker, the Spirit is stirring in your life and it's about to EXPLODE! Wooooo it's happening now, isn't it!" And boy, haha it was SO happening. I just felt an overload of the Spirit that was so intense I was laughing and crying at the same time! HA! Pastor Jenn said "I really feel like you are called to live a consecrated life, and with that consecration will come the power of God in a pure way that the enemy has no foothold over!" And that is something God has been telling me that since I have been here in Bolivia.

How AWESOME is that!! I woke up this morning with a renewed joy and strength from the Lord I haven't felt in a really long time. I am so excited for this week and seeing the fruits of God in my life! Ha yayyyy.

And My birthday is Saturday so I'm excited :)

Schools closed for the week.

Two words - swine flu.

Home Alone, kind of.

So I went to the boys home yesterday and I was talking to my buddy Alberto.. ( He was the one that we brought to the conference to get healing from a severe car accident 4 months ago.) I couldn't believe what he told me! He said he actually walked from the front door to the back door by himself! This is such amazing news. Two months ago he couldn't even get out of bed!! I prayed with him and told him he has divine one d with him and told him he has divine purpose for the kingdom. He was crying, but it was a great time of fellowship and encouragement for both of us. A lot of the time we think of faith as something immediate, like "Oh Father I believe that right now you are going to provide, or right now you are going to heal." But a lot times faith is in perseverance and disciplined prayer. I don't know how many people I know who have prayed for years for family members to find Jesus, and their brothers or sisters are still going their own ways. But those people I know keep pressing in and keep praying, because they know in God's timing healing and relationship with God will come. And I think that it is important to God that we keep our covenant with Him in the form of disciplined prayer.

I am home alone this weekend with the Pastor's daughter Brie. Everyone has gone somewhere or another visiting and site seeing and what not. But it should be a good time of relaxation and restoration of relationships, we will see how it goes :)

AND I am for sure coming home on the 20th of November, which is really exciting for me because I will be able to be with my family for Thanksgiving! WOOOOT. Haha and I am traveling home with John and Erena and that should be really fun. I am really missing home, but at the same time taking every advantage here to do what I can to serve the people at the church and school. It's amazing how much Spanish I have learned in only two months!! God is awesome, and he equips and I right or am I right?

Spirito Santo ven.

I find it easier to journal about thing and then after write down what I was journaling on here!! So...

9/25: Wow my first time on a train! We are in Ururo and the train will bring us to Uyuni in nine hours! We just met some awesome Isrealites and they gave us dates from the desert in Isreal which was amazing. So basically everything is going great. I got a hot shower finally and the women in my hotel room just did a "dirty" which was discusting but I have air freshener and ear plugs and thats all I need. I saw pictures of the Salt Flats and it is beautiful! I can wait to see God's glory in the mountains tomorrow. I got to talk to my mom and my grandma on the phone this morning and that was SO awesome. I miss my family.

9/26: We are now at the Salt Flatts and it is probably the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. It goes on for forever and forever and its just beautiful white-ness! We took tons of pictures and it is only the first day! I can't wait to swim in the hot pools on Monday! There are a lot of Europeans on the tour but we are in a land cruiser with two awesome Canadians named John and Jillian. I'm not sure wshere we are headed to next but I'm curious to see it!

9/27: Wow what a day! We are now in a freezing cold hotel on the farthest place on our journey. Tomorrow we are goibng to the geysers and hot poolsm - woot! Thank you lOrd for keeping us safe and secure.

9/28: HA. I can't believe I just got into the pool when it was -10 degrees celsius outside!! Right when we were about to get out our coats blew into the water, so I am officially without a coat for the rest of the trip. YIKES! It was completely worth it though. got a nasty cut on my foot somehow so I am now walking around in socks and flip flops and it is pretty hilarious! I finally got a shower today after not taking one the whole trip HAH. We visited the train cemetery today with trains from England in the early 1900's. My camera wasn't working but thank you LORD I fixed it. Jillian was sick yesterday so she couldn't go to the pools (bummer!). And Raul lost hissunglasses that I specifically picked out for him! Lame-o. But luckily the Canadians had a good taste in music and that made everything MUCH more beautiful :) We had a flat tire this morning but it wasn't too cold outside then so it was nice to getn out and stretch out legs.

9/29: I am not on the 12 hour train back and I'm feeling kinda sick. I lost my contact this morning so I'm seeing really funky right now. I am happy to get back to Cochabamba but I am glad I made friends with the Santa Cruz company :) Praise God, your glory Father fills the earth.




Now I'm safe and home and tired and heading to prayer. hahh

Mountains

leave tonight at eight o clock for Sucre, the capital of Bolivia. I will be there a week with a team of mostly Germans working with the church youth there. Then we will get on another 12 hour bus ride to Posoti, which is in the highhh mountains, and we will be ministering to small pueblos and doing promo for the Cima Conference in January in Argentina. I am basically excited beyond belief, but I will write more when I get back :)

p.s. It was great to talk to my mom and Rachel today!

Reality

Reality has never been apart of my brain, I try to keep it at arm's length and not worry about it, but there it is.. trying to get in my head and knock some common sense into me. But here in Bolivia I am really tapping into reality and learning how different the world is from the "Kingdom" world. God's kingdom of people who are totally devoted to Him an His will.

Yesterday I went to the girls home and I was shocked to find the 3 girls that weren't in school totally unsupervised. There wasn't an adult! Ahhh I was thinking how awful it was for those girls to be alone all day... doing nothing. What if someone comes in and hurts them? What are they eating? But then the Lord quietly tapped me on the shoulder and said "You must not know that they have more than most of the kids in the country" And He was right, of course. Most kids here never gets watched, they have no parents, no food, no anything! So I was praising God for what they DID have, and just praying that the Lord will bless them. I was walking around the home and looking into the rooms and I saw a little photo that was cut out. I went up to it to see who it was, and it was Colleen Greer! I was so blessed to see that the girls still remember the kindness of the teams that came last year.

Also yesterday I chaperoned a movie at the school for all the honor roll students..and the first graders ended up seeing G.I.Joe which was completely inappropriate but thats a WHOLE other can of worms that is causing me to feel homesick. But the Lord is with me and will protect me, He heals me and restores my tired body. If you read this, be praying for me please. Yayaya woop.

Loves

I think listing things that you love is a good way to see all the positive things in your life that God has blessed you with. I am thankful for SO much, and I know it's early but they don't celebrate Thanksgiving here anyway :)

I love: Jesus my savior, Bolivia, little chocolate milk things, trying to speak Spanish, teaching, painting, worship, playing bass, singing, laughing hysterically, soccer games, cute clothes, nice people, the color purple, best friends, being proud of my best friends who are doing awesome things for the kingdom, sneezing, Antichulo (cow heart), hot showers, my family, my grandma specifically, babies, pictures, taking pictures, joking with my students, traveling, culture, languages, the sun, laying out on the top deck, the Mountains here, the little girls that always want hugs and stickers, CHOCOLATE, dancing, cookouts, trying to bake, my car, Jesus culture, purity, integrity, people loving God, trying new things, going to new places, change, being independent, being in God's will for my life, nicknames, intercession, The Office, the beach, Beach Street in the Summer, getting hi

ccups, shopping, shopping for other people, getting dresssed up, Capri Suns, being clean, hiking, any water sport, relaxing, sleeping, eating fun things, working hard, helping others, and again just loving God :)

WAM BAM.

I don't think anything is really new. Tomorrow is my last day of teaching first grade and then I'm floating. Last night was super fun, it was Cindy's birthday and it was crazy everyone was throwing popcorn and trying to teach me Spanish and I played Jenga with Angelitoo and just joked around and LAUGHED and laughed. They think I am the funniest thing. I was making a noise with my mouth and it sounded like"uncaca uncaca" and it meant one poop in Spanish they freaking out in laughter. But today the pastor's daughter comes into town and they are staying with us, along with John and Iraina who get back today.. so there will be a FULL house for about two weeks! I'm loving it though, it soo fits my personality.

First Graders

So I am pretty sure my calling is NOT to work with children. It is probably God showing me I need to be more patient... and that I need to learn Spanish faster!! Today I will teach only two periods and then go to town to get a cell phone and some other things I need. I have really been burdened to pray for two girls in Tehran prison for their believe in Christianity. They are being highly pressured to recant both physically and in writing. They wont! So because of this they are left to dead in prison. Please pray for them to have guidance about what to say and do while in that prison!!

I'm praying about coming back to Bolivia and traveling with a team to Argentina in January. It would be an amazing experience. I'm very healthy except for my foot that is still hurting very bad. Hopefully it won't get infected from the dirt and dust here. I encourage everyone to read and meditate on Jeremiah 1:4-12. It is so amazing.

For a new day will come.

Haha oh man, I am so excited to be here. I know I sound like I'm repeating myself but seriously God is doing SO much! I am just about bursting with excitement to tell of all the great things God is doing. So basically my everyday routine is teaching English center classes at the school with Karen Biter. We come at 745 and stay until about 2 in the afternoon. Then I go with Pastora Jennifer to homes where kids have been killed, or they are divorced, or anything where they need God's love, and bring them food and prayer. I am in a cell group and am loving it. We have prayer every Wednesday nights, youth saturday nights, Sunday church all day, then Monday nights I will practice with the worship team. A lot of the youth here are on fire for God, ad it is so encouraging. The other day I had cow tongue and that was interesting but if you didn't think about what it was it tasted OK (haha) And I fell down a flight of stairs at the Pastor's house but thank God I'm alright. I was prophesied over the other night and this man said that people would call me "Fire Woman of God" and to that I say AMENN! I love all the women here, they are such good mothers. I haven't gotten sick once here! Praise God. I love the food, ooohh the food! They make onion and tomato and avacado salad and its SO amazing. I might just make a recipe book :) I am interceding for the US churches so that they might receive the same fire we have here. Today Pastora and I are going to the boys home and bringing them chocolate cakes because one of the boys birthday was on the 9th and no one knew! But I love the boys so much.

Youth Conference

Wow, God is so faithful to bring about his promises. The youth conference kicked off with a killer prayer meeting Thursday night, and has been going strong ever since. The Holy Spirit is so thick here, people can't help but fall to their knees. There are so many awesome speakers lined up for this weekend, I'm so excited! Last night Youth pastor Danny Dillon spoke on expectations, and after the word we had about two more hours of praise and worhship like no other. People, including me, we getting slayed in the Spirit left and right. It was such a genuine and personal experience with God, probably the most fun with Him I have had in a while! Tonight is a Spanish speaking preacher so we will all have English headsets so we can understand. Even though there is a language barrier, when you come into God's presence there is no dividing factor. In our devotions we are studying all of James, and it is aligning with what the speakers are talking about, totally a God thing! In this time of preparation, I feel like God is so pleased that we are here, and doing his work, and showing His love. I can't wait for tonight's service, there is a man who was hit by a car four months ago, and he was supposed to be dead, but miraculously heis living, but still in a lot of trouble medically. Tonight we are bringing him to the session and believing that he will be healed! We won't stop praying until he is healed. Glory a Dios!

First days

Wow, how blessed are we to be able to serve in such an amazing city. All the people here are beautiful and so hospitable. Traveling here went surprisingly well, God definitely blessed us with safe easy travels. Only one of our bags was lost, but it came in today. The first day here was a lot of chill time, I slept most of the day trying to catch up on some Zzzs. Today has been pretty jam packed, we ate breakfast, then headed over to the girls home. The girls are so beautiful! They love to play and I love to do their hair. Juana was one of the girls we met last year. She was adopted in the states and then her parents came here with her and left her. She knew no Spanish at first, but she is fitting in well which is total provision from God. We are about to do devotions now, I'll try to write on this as much as possible, but the internet is super shaky. Go God!

Finally Here

Wow, I leave tomorrow morning! I am so excited and overwhelmed with packing and seeing people but I feel like God is really preparing my heart for what he wants to do in Bolivia! It's so awesome to see how God provides EVERYTHING we need, even the little things we don't necessarily need, he provides them. It is also amazing the joy and peace you get when you are living your life fully for Him. Everything in your brain tells you not to do the things He says, but when you finally decide to abandon everything you are truly blessed. Now I'm going to pack errthang and spend some fam fam time before I leave! Yaayy

Well it's late

I do a lot of thinking when I'm about to go to bed. I pray, and get anxious, I try and work out plans and figure out the world in that hour before R.E.M. sleep. And tonight I am so flooded with mixed emotions about this upcoming trip. Four months in Bolivia, what an opportunity! To hear from friends down there what God is doing, it just makes it even more exciting. I feel nervous about not speaking much Spanish, but stoked to be able to learn it, especially by native speakers in a Spanish speaking country. I'm hesitant about asking to stay with Pastor Marcus and Pastor Jen, but I feel like that's what God is leading me to do. With so many things going through my head, I plead to God for peace. Not peace about going on the trip, that I know I am supposed to do. But peace about all the little things I try to control, when I know I shouldn't. I know I will miss my family, and some friends, but I will make so many new ones, and I know God will create family-like bonds for me while I am there. I'm excited to blog about my journey, and about ALL the awesome things God is doing and will do when I am there. MAN I just want to leave already!!

Interesting

I think it's interesting how emotions work. They are different for everyone. Not the specific emotions exactly, but really how the emotions are brought on by different acts, smells, or sounds for every person. I sometimes hate the fact that I'm very emotionally driven. Such little things can get me so pissed off. And then I think about it later and I feel so crazy. hah! I just don't know if I would trade being emotional for being non emotional. I think it would get boring at times. So would I rather look obnoxious, so be boring? I would probably choose option A...


In life there are so many choices too...easy ones like what to wear and eat, and hard ones like who you will marry, and what you will do vocationally. Sometimes when it comes to doing what God wants me to do, it is easier for me to make big decisions, and harder to make small ones. When God says, "Don't date, there will be consequences in the end if you do.." then I should probably listen to Him, I think He might know what He's talking about. But when the decision is in my face I find myself getting trapped in gray areas, in the "what ifs" and the "well maybe if i do this" questions. But why do I do that to myself? Every freaking time I look back, and realize that I made a mistake and I should have listened. So don't you think by now I would know better? It's like in my head and in my heart, I know that God's plan for my life is the best, and it will be the most glorifying to Him, but somewhere along where my brain tells my body what to do I get confused and end up failing. It's a good thing that the Lord is full of abounding grace. I know I wouldn't be able to do what He does. I just wish that my actions in the little things could reflect more of how I feel in my head and in my heart.