A brief hello and tip!

Just a brief hello before I leave for staff training in Kona on Friday! I just have something on my heart I thought I'd share. So I usually have a lot of trouble reading and really getting into the Bible. And I know for a fact I'm not the only one. Well--this summer I found an Audio Bible read by Women of Faith called "The Word Becomes Flesh". I've been listening to the Bible CD's in the car and am downloading them on my phone as well. I listen to it everyday when driving and in my room. It is read by different women (all famous Christian women). It's very entertaining--with background music that goes to the stories and all! It's the complete New Testament and it is changing the way I view the Word. There are so many things I missed before that I'm hearing now by listening to it. The Word is becoming so alive and exciting to me--I hardly listen to music when driving anymore! I HIGHLY recommend these audio series, or doing something similar. It has helped me so much! 

Here I am-- turning my room into a hurricane-mess called packing. I couldn't be more excited to step off that plane at the Kona airport into this new journey with my one true love Jesus! 

 Love you all! 

Blessings, XOXO.

Then. Now. Next.

So-- I'm back home on the sweet Texas soil I so missed for the last six months. With the family and friends I cherish. Those three months in India feel like a long dream now as I am still trying to process all that  has just happened in such a short time....  Most who have been following my journey through  updates and blogs know a few of the many things that happened in India.  I've learned by experience now that if God tells you to go somewhere, he won't forsake you and make you do it alone... He will go there with you, no matter where in the world you are. If He sends us,  He will provide us with the strength, courage, and heart to do all that he has asked.. Just a year ago I would never have dreamed of joining Youth With A Mission (YWAM) and I definitely wouldn't have believed God if He'd told me in advance  I'd end up in India for three months.   But I've been thinking lately, about how God works... and how nowhere God sends us is for nothing. There is PURPOSE in all that He does.  For example-- I graduated high school early in the summer 2009, I was almost 17.    I didn't really know why except that I was ahead and could.   But once I graduated I wasn't sure what to do next... I was both intimidated and very young to go off to college.  An opportunity opened for me to  attend Leaders Academy Internship in Arkansas for 1 year and I was happy to be accepted.  While there  I worked with a church called Christian Ministries in Hot Springs and along with 25 other students  attended Christian and life skill classes.  As Interns,  we were assigned to work in different parts of the ministry and serve in the  church.  To be honest I didn't feel I had much to offer when it came to talents or handy skills so  I let them assign me to media. I mean hey-- I knew how to turn on a computer and log onto Facebook, at least!  The year  I was there serving I learned so much...   I learned how to work computers, make slide shows, graphic designs, edit podcasts, etc. etc. etc. But also I grew  in my walk with the Lord and gained not only life skills but made close christian friends in the process.  After I graduated from Applied Life  I knew I needed to start  working  on my degree.   That fall (2010) last minute I applied and was accepted to Verity in Indianapolis, Indiana.  The school was a fast trac university where you study your brains out really really really hard for a couple weeks and then test...  If you pass you get the credits.  If you're a good tester this works to your benefit... If you are NOT a good tester...not so much!   I felt a leading to go-- I was so scared having never lived quite that far from home and also knowing that tests in school have always been my worst enemy!   Of all places, of course I'd feel led to do something I fear most.  The first test I took I passed-- with the exact number score needed to pass! I earned the six credits for that class from the test. I didn't pass another test for a long time. Thankfully,  I  made some very special,  God sent friends while there who encouraged me along the way. My roommate Melody and Valen my student advisor encouraged me (along with several others)  to keep trying, not lose hope and give up.  Melody and I were taking a lot of the same tests so we would help each other study and Valen was a huge part of helping us.   His office was always open to his students. I  only passed a handful of classes the year I was there, missing a lot of them by just a few points.  There were so many times I wanted to just go home.  But that is where I learned the skill of perseverance...   But something I find interesting was while I was there; I took a world religions course. While studying I was most captured in studying the religions of India. They were so interesting, and found myself reading and studying of them just for fun...or so I had thought. Towards the end of that year I felt it was time and I was ready to try something new.  So that next August (last August) I transferred to the University of Mary Hardin Baylor.   While I was taking those courses, I was so glad to  have gone to Verity where I had learned to study entire subjects in only 2 weeks and then test... University was easy after that experience!   However while at Mary Hardin Baylor,   I learned the hard way of how much I needed God.  I let myself be vulnerable to temptation,  yet through it all, God protected my heart.  I learned how much I need Him and how difficult it is to try things on my own.  Academically I thrived  but over Christmas break God began to deal with me and put missions in my heart. He spoke to me to join  YWAM for a season....  Which leads me to where I am now... and I feel that season hasn't quite ended.... Summer is nearly over so last minute life decisions are around the corner for a lot of us.  I plan to go back to the YWAM base in Kona and work for the Discipleship Training School that I just completed called "Engage".   September to December we (those of us from my school who decide to come back on staff) will spend doing leadership training and serving the base. Come January a new school of students will come (just as I did last January) and I will  be on staff for them for three months helping  train students.  After that,  I will  then lead a team somewhere in the world for another 3 months..    I'm going to be honest-- I'm scared. I'm a lot scared, actually. But really everywhere God has told me to go so far I was scared before and it was right where I was supposed to be. Funny how fear tries its best to stop us. But this is my full intention: Courage. And I believe  taking this step into leadership will establish this!

I said all of that to say this....   God does EVERYTHING FOR A REASON.  There were several times I thought I was wasting time.   Especially when my path was switching and changing course so much.  But now that I look back...I can see God's handiwork in my life.  These experiences are the  building blocks..   If I hadn't  graduated early, I know I would've been too proud to take a year off and go do the non-credit internship where I learned life skills and how to work with media. These computer skills have been helpful for everywhere I've gone so far, and I hope to continue to  excel in this area. Going to Verity taught me perseverance.  This  is the place  I  learn about the religions of the world and became fascinated by the information especially India.  I chose India as my outreach location-- so crazy how it ended up being one of the six options to choose from.   Out of all the places in the world!
 Going to University taught me the most important lesson of all...how much I NEED Him...  God has a plan for each of us and He wants to see through to it.  Sometimes we might be scared or unsure of WHY God is telling us to go somewhere.. or  take what seems to be a detour...  Take it from someone who has learned-- He does it all for a reason and none of it is a waste.  Someday we will see how much affect each place or detour had to establish  His purpose and plan not only in our lives but in the lives of others!   In all of these places I have been,  I have been blessed with  friendships that I will always treasure.  These divine friends are so encouraging to me on so many levels...  I love the way God works....

So that's my plan! I will be moving back to the YWAM base September 21st and will be there through next summer minus a one week break for Christmas! I can't thank those of you enough who have helped me in my walk and encouraged me a long the way. Posted below is a few pictures and a link to a small video clip I made while on outreach in India... a journey of memories and Gods beautiful people.... Enjoy!
Many blessings! Until next time--

XOXO, Macy.

Video link: 
https://vimeo.com/44948101


Some pictures from India: 

Truth be told.

Picture this: dirt roads carved with cow and human foot prints with trash piled up several feet high on either side. Now picture a man with no legs dragging himself through the trash being trampled and eating the dirt of people walking by. Paying no attention to him, he's invisible to the world above. Now imagine being him. Imagine living this life everyday begging for money and hardly earning a glance or a notice that you're even human. Digging through mosquito and bug infested garbage on the road piled in slum and grum. It's just about survival.
My heart is breaking...is yours? Perhaps I should share another story...picture this: a 7 year old girl living on the grounds of the large Howrah train station. Short black raggedy hair, a ripped dress that doesn't fit her petite malnourished size, with a layer of dirt on her beautiful tan skin. I'd like to imagine her getting a piggy back ride from daddy or her hair braided from mommy...but instead she's making a living by recycling empty bottles and selling her young body. Instead of painting her nails and playing with dolls, she's sniffing glue to find an escape from the daily reality. Her arms covered in both cuts from self-harm and teeth marks from the boys who pick on her at the station. I walk up to this little girl and greet her with a smile and a friendly "namustay" (hello in Bengali). She looks at the ground as if I'm not there. So I get down to her level and take her hand and try greeting her again. She looks at me but quickly glances away. Her eyes glazed over from getting high the night before. We continue holding hands and begin to walk through the train station. Not a word spoken from either of us as we held hands and shortly warmed up to one another with swinging our arms as our fingers clinched to one anthers. I asked her to come to life connection so we can be friends and I can give her clothes and a dress that fits. She lights up and expresses her desire to come. But only if the "uncle" ( man who controls a lot of the children at the station, much like in the movie "slum dog millionaire".) will let her free for the day to come. She says if she can make it, she will meet us there tomorrow. I get on the train to go back to life connection and as the wheels begin to roll on the tracks she jumps on the train to hug me and say "see you tomorrow!" one last time. She jumps off speedily and begins to run and follow the train as far and fast as she could-- holding her hand out to my window and mine out to her barely missing each others fingers as the train picked up speed and she was left in the distance. I watched for her the next day at the center. She never showed and I never saw her at the station again. I guess "uncle" had other plans for her. She might not be let off her work duties, so I say a silent desperate prayer for her. Imagine that. Do you have a young daughter, or little sisters? I have little sisters. Imagine them alone living life like this, the way no human was intended to. Especially a innocent child. It breaks my heart, but it's the ugly truth of what happens everyday. I might not have the power to set her free or take back what she's been through...but it's amazing what a change it can make in a child when you show you care and see them. That you believe they can have a future and that God has a special plan for each of them...even the orphaned kids getting high at Howrah. When I pray for them they cry. And when we tell them how God has a plan for their life, the tears begin to flow down their exhausted cheeks. Tears I am confident flow every night as they raise themselves with no family, home, or hope.
I'm certainly not num to what's happening in the world anymore. To the horrors of truth haunting me everyday walking the streets of India.
Yes--me telling you these heavy stories might not stop that little girl from getting sold or give her a family....but it will raise awareness for your prayer targets. And it should move you to intercede for this world, specifically these children at Howrah station and places similar.
It's 2am and I have ministry early in the a.m., but I have so much on my mind I must blog it out.
The world needs to know the truth. It's harsh, sad, and heartbreaking. But it's what I'm experiencing and seeing everyday. My thoughts are but wild puzzle pieces scattered on the ground.
This afternoon I went to a pastors house with 2 other people on my team to teach his wife some English worship songs. It turned out they were having a church service in their home later and asked us to stay and join. So we did.
It began with worship, played by a guy named Raju on the guitar and the pastor playing harmonica. By the second song the electricity went out, sending the spinning fan to a hault and the room to a pitch dark. But they kept on singing. The pastors wife pulled out an old lantern and lit it in the middle of the room radiating a small yellow light just enough to see the silhouettes of the beautiful Indian faces who came. (there were about 30 people crammed in this small room sitting Indian style, most knees overlapping.) After many songs of worship and cries of prayer, the pastor gave a sermon on love. Afterwards we had a time of fellowship and tea. The pastors wife gave us a plate of crackers to disperse among everyone. As we passed out the crackers, a trail of ants began to crawl up our arms. The crackers were covered in them, but it's all they had so we did our best to ignore it. The hospitality I have experienced in India is unbelievable. Some of these home have nothing--yet if they have a guest over they will give them their dinner just to serve them. you never leave a home without having at least a cup of chai tea and crackers. Always such a blessing! I want to take this character quality home with me.




>>>The information on this blog is a bit outdated, since I haven't had a chance to post in several weeks. But I just arrived back in Hawaii and found this saved as a draft on my blog. I'm not sure if I was planning on posting it when I had written it and had just needed to get some stuff out of my head. Now re-reading it, I thought it'd be good to let people read a taste of what was and still is in my mind with hopes that it'd give a deeper desire to pray for the nations and specific situations.
These are only a few stories from outreach out of countless. I cannot even process or retain all that has happened to me and what I've seen over the past three months. I leave for Texas tomorrow to finish the summer with my family and process with God all that has happened. I am so excited to spend my first week in Texas in all of 2012!! Yesterday was our YWAM DTS graduation ceremony and it was amazing yet so sad to say goodbye to the people who have laughed, cried, walked, grown, and traveled with me these past six months. I have surely gained some friendships from all over the world that will last forever.
A special thanks to ALL of you who have prayed for and supported me through this journey. I couldn't have done it without feeling and knowing the peace of your prayers. I plan to continue blogging because my journey with God is just beginning and I've actually come to enjoy posting my thoughts for anyone to read. haha.

Glory and honor to my faithful God for giving me the strength to persevere.
I made a fun movie for my team that has some memories of pictures, videos, testimonies, and songs from outreach, but I'm having trouble getting it to upload..I will work on getting it up this week!

XOXO, God Bless.

Sometimes when you step in poop....the best thing to do is LAUGH.

Trying to blog about my experience is harder than you or I would think. To accurately describe the smells, the sights, the sounds, the heat....it just can't be done. Human and dog feces everywhere, not a rubbish bin in sight. Just drop it on the ground and let it pile up. And the roads.....dirt. No comforting yellow lines determining what side of the road you drive on...it's a game of bumper cars meets go cart racing. Yellow taxis, rickshaws, motorcycles, bikes, wagons, and cows fill the roads--trying to dodge them is the tricky part.

We have been working with Life Connection, a children's restoration home for the past week and next 3 weeks. There is where several of the children who live in the Howrah train station will come in the day time to get bathed, clothed, and fed food and the word/love of God. Howrah is the largest train station in India, over 10million people pass through it each day. Hundreds of homeless children live there. They are there because either their parents didn't want them, or they ran away from home. Nearly all of them use glue on a daily basis to get high. And when I say children--I mean I saw a 5yr old getting high sucking on glue the other day....it's heartbreaking. They sleep on the ground near the tracks and work for their so called "uncle" who uses the children to beg, collect empty soda bottles, or do a number of other things. He collects the money from them at the end of each day. Ever seen the movie slum dog millionaire?? This is it, it's all real and even worse than the movie portrays and I'm seeing it in front of my eyes. About 8-12 children actually come to Life Connection each day. The reason so little is because most of them aren't aloud to leave the station. There are both little girls and boys who work and live at Howrah, but we only see boys coming to Life Connection. The reason is because girls are in more demand from the "uncles", so they won't let them leave....it's awful. Everyday half of us work at Life Connection, and the other 3 will go to Howrah to talk to the children and also try to get them to come. We switch off every other day. When I look at the kids arms, they are covered in scars and cuts, most of them infected. I asked the translator what they're from, and he said they use a razor and cut themselves. They're so miserable and have lost their childishness. I would have NEVER thought to cut myself at age 6 and younger...I was climbing trees and being a KID. Just like these precious ones should be. My heart aches.

Comic relief: Tuesday when I was working at Life Connection, We had a movie in for the kids to watch. So we were all sprawled out on yoga mats watching Mr.Beans. I accidentally fell asleep. (bad idea in a room full of mischievous orphan boys!) I woke up to 1 little boy (the smallest of the bunch) tying my hands and feet together with a rope, and 2 others pouring cups of water on my face!!! Let's just say I'm use to living in a house of girls where I'd more likely wake up to them braiding my hair--NOT by any means this. But I loved it, so nice to see them being kids...even if it was at my expense;).

Yesterday at life connection I taught the Daniel in the den of lions story to the boys. It was so fun! I made my teammates act out the story for me improv style so it was quite hilarious. And I got the kids involved by having them act as the lions. Afterwards, we played an exciting game of duck duck goose that in a room full of boys only lead to a game of tackle! It was an exciting day that come night fall put each of us on our pillows in no time.

When I see these children eating the rice we feed them like it could be their last meal and hugging on my leg like they've never been noticed it breaks my heart. These are the moments that make walking in over 100degree humid weather worth it. These are the moments that make cold bucket showers and spicy food worth it. These are the moments that make sleeping on a mat on the floor in a hot musky room and over 144 mosquito bites all worth it!

The kids only come to Life Connection Monday-Thursday because Fridays we and the staff fast through breakfast to pray, intercede and worship till lunch. And after that we deep clean the building until the afternoon where we have a small nap time. Yes, nap time! I love it. And at 4:30pm we go to Howrah to visit the kids and do prayer walks around the building. Basically spiritual warfare praying over the place. So that's what we did today, it was good.

I'm learning so many lessons from my experience so far. The obvious are thankfulness and willingness. Being thankful for food, shoes, water, etc etc etc... Being willing to clean a toilet, bucket wash clothes, and mop floors that you know will be dirty again in no time.

To die to myself. This is my ultimate goal. To come to the end of me. I don't want to be so focused on me me me and what can "I get" from people and things. I want to become more selfless. I want to be giving. I want to be more like Jesus.

But it's not been easy. Somedays I just want to give up and go home to be transparently honest. Sometimes all I want is my family, home, and comforts of my Western first world country life. The scripture that has kept me going most, is James 1:2-4 which clearly states; "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything". You hear that?? Consider it PURE JOY. So this means when I'm hot tired and fatigued I should have JOY?? Yes. That's exactly what it means. And I'm finding day by day that when I find the positive and bring joy into these tough situations--the frustrations of my day actually dissipate. I encourage you to try it! Seriously-- how can you stay angry when telling a joke or finding something to smile or laugh at!? For example, the other day I was frustrated and tired and we'd been walking in the heat a good amount of time when I didn't notice the large patty of fresh poop a step in front of me. What happened next? SPLASH. My foot landed right in it!! Just when I thought things couldn't get worse. So all I could do is laugh. And the more I laughed, the more happy I got and suddenly the attitude left. :)

Fun testimony: last night Laura and I were in our room when lightning struck and the power went out in the whole city! And when the power goes out--our only source of air (the fan) goes off. So we immediately do a dramatic yell of agony falling to our knees already feeling the sweat dripping off our brows. Laura sighed and said a simple prayer like this: "Papa, please turn the electricity back on because it's so hot". The very second she finished it turned back on!!! We looked out the window and our room was the only place where it had turned back on. SO COOL. God cares about the little things and it doesn't matter how elaborate or spectacular our prayer. We literally had the faith smaller than a mustard seed and He took that and answered the prayer. Our chins dropped to our chest and eyes popped out of their sockets. I'm still amazed.

Anyways. I am definition exhaust. Can't wait for our free day tomorrow! I have so much laundry to catch up on. I write on this blog mostly for myself to get all the thoughts and feelings OUT from deep within me and also for others to be encouraged by what God is teaching me and doing! What He does is not for me to keep to myself.

Please continue to pray for us and the people of India we are reaching here! Now that you know some of the situations you can pray more specific. Also--today I found out that Kolkata (the city I'm living in for a month) is the most dangerous city in all of India. So comforting;). But I'm not worried one bit--God's Angels are watching over us and I can feel them with me. I can also feel the comfort of your prayers.

Many blessings from India!! -Maceface


The pictures:
Me and Laura in a taxi going to church last Sunday.

Our building security guard sleeping as always. He makes us feel super safe;).

Some of the kids on the floor watching Mr.Beans!

Some of my team hanging in our apartment last night. About to play some card games. :)

Me on the roof trying to get some sun during rest hour today! Ha

Enjoy! Xoxo

Outreach: the beginning

Here we are. 3 weeks in. Things are so different here in India. From culture and religion to food and daily life. Everything in the culture is of the religions. The way they dress, the food they eat, and the way they go about survival is to appease the "Gods" and that is the culture. I look out the window on the second floor of this ministry house and see a woman wrapped in a sari carrying a bucket of water on her head and a thousand clothes lines hooked from house to house working as dryers. Everywhere we go people look at us as if aliens just landed from another planet. The children and adults are so curious of our every move as if we are some kind of celebrity....the "pale faces".
Despite the spicy food that fails to settle in our fragile Western stomachs and the boiling heat with a lack of A/C...we are adapting quite well. It's now been 3 weeks, but I feel like I've been here much longer. This morning me and 3 others from my team walked several miles to a pre-school where we assumed we were just going to observe/help out, and it turned out they were waiting for US to teach and run the class! So we sheepishly step into this school made out of tin and logs, to find the most beautiful little Indian children sitting on benches in blue checkered uniforms. The teacher came up to us and said "you teachers!". So we all looked at each other to see who wanted to think of something on the spot. So as a team we decided to teach them 2 Christian songs with dance motions and do a prodigal son skit. After that they asked we teach them "more school". So I jumped up and pulled Renae up there with me and we taught them how to say body parts in English and other simple sciences. Then we taught them the "head shoulder knees and toes" song and added lots of improv to it. All Glory to God He spoke through the 2 of us and gave us lots of ideas and the children loved it! After playing some memory games, we prayed over the children and fed them a snack of dhal and what seemed to be grits. When school was over 2 of the children ran outside and brought us back freshly picked flowers to show their gratitude. I was so blessed. The children are so sweet and it was well worth the long hot journey by foot.
Tons has happened in the past few weeks it would be impossible to tell all the stories. But I can give a bit of an overview of some of the things we've been doing everyday...
When we were in Lonavala for 2 weeks we did mostly house ministry where we would go into stone hut villages and hold bible studies on the floors of their small crowded homes. We would do several a day and all take turns leading worship, sharing testimonies, and give a message. At the end we pray for them all and lay hands on them. We had a translator, praise the Lord.
Holding the hand of a hindu woman and having the privilege to pray for her in Jesus name was a huge blessing for me. I can feel something move inside of me every time we touch or hug. I can see the desire burning in their eyes to know more about our one God who loves them and can provide for and heal them.
There was one home we went to and the mother and her 2 children were sick in bed. They were running high fevers and looked how I'm sure they felt. We laid hands on them and prayed for healing in Jesus name. We then left and did some street ministry. Later that night Renae and I ran back to that woman's hut to see if they were feeling any better. When we walked in, the mother was on her feet walking around and bright eyed! Both children who had been sick in bed were running around playing and laughing as if they were never ill just a few hours previously. We didn't have a translator, and I don't speak but very basic Hindi, so we just played a game of charades to communicate. We stayed a while and fellowshipped with them. I couldn't believe my eyes and how well they looked!! God truly did a healing miracle that day. I am so thankful.
His handiwork is everywhere we go and I can feel His Angels protecting us as we roam the streets.
This is just the beginning! We have over 2 months left...I can't wait to see what's going to happen next! We are just taking it a day at a time and every morning the 7 of us on my team sing worship and pray together. It's the only way to start the day off right and adjust our hearts and attitudes in these stretching situations. I love every person on my team! We were definitely put together by God. Sarah, Jordan, Cristy, Renae, Joseph, Laura, and myself. Each of us bring something unique and all of our gifts are coming out and God is growing each of us in the areas need be. Everyday we wake up to the Muslim mosque down the street singing in a projector that echoes through the whole city throughout the day and late hours of the night. We are right smack in the middle of spiritual battle and that is why it is so important we as a team are prayed up before we leave the house everyday. We heard several stories from a local Christian pastor last night of the daily persecution him and his family go through on a daily basis for their beliefs. Even so extreme that if they pass certain buildings people will throw rocks and chase them down with sticks because of their conversion to Christianity.
My eyes are taking in more than my mind can process. Seeing people on the dirt roads with missing limbs such as no legs and crawling on their bare hands through the dirt and trash. There is so much corruption my heart almost can't bare the things we whiteness just walking to the market or simply watching out my 2nd floor window.
We will be here in a small village in Calcutta (unsure of exactly where we are) until the end of this week and then we will move to the House of Revival rescue unit about 2hrs away and help out there until mid-may. Then we plan on moving to Bihar by train for other ministry opportunities until we leave late June and begin our journey back to Hawaii. That is where all 6 different teams from our school that went to different countries will meet, share testimonies and spend our last week together in Kona.
Lots have happened and I can't express the gratitude I feel for each of your prayers! I can definitely feel them and Gods grace and comfort is easing me along the way. I miss home and family terribly and being able to talk on the phone or simply text them. But I'm here for this time right where God has me and I am having the time of my life serving the Lord in this part of the world. Love you all and pray God holds you in His right hand.
Blessings from India!
Xoxo

PS: below are some pics from traveling to India and long layovers in airports/some snapshots from ministry/train ride etc etc etc. Just a few from my phone. Can't upload my better camera pics till I get back and have my computer. Enjoy!

31 hours to take-off.

Greetings earthlings!
Here I am--laying on the floor in my loft overlooking the pacific ocean. (well, I can't see the ocean from here just thought it'd sound cool.) Anyways, I just finished my last bit of packing! So I'm enjoying a slice of pizza and a root beer. Trying to savor the taste as long as I can! Pretty soon it'll be rice going to my hips and curry to who knows elsewhere. All I know is in less than 31 hours I'll be on a plane to the beginning of a life changing experience. So many people have been asking me questions--so here are some answers!
How am I feeling? A cluster of excitement, butterflies, thrills, and nerves all as elephants tramping in the pit of my stomach.
Am I ready? A question to your question--can anyone really be 100% "ready" to live in a foreign country for 3 months time? All I know is that God will give us the strength to do whatever He's asked us to do if we are willing to remain obedient to Him.
What am I bringing? Medications, vitamins, sanitizing wipes, and most important of all--beef jerky.
What will we be doing in India? The first two weeks we will be running a children's VBS in Mumbai. From morning to lunch we will teach classes, then we have work duty where we will get dirty and clean stuff, then from 4-8pm we will have "outreach" where we will lead street ministries, preach in churches, and more! Then finally at the end of each day my team and I will debrief and prayer/testimony time. Our schedules are likely to change but that's just an idea of what it will be like for the first couple weeks at least.
Will I be able to keep in contact with y'all? I am hoping to catch some Internet access on my phone once every week or two so I can blog or post photos of what God's doing.
What am I doing after outreach? Idk! Who knows where God will send me next. Whether it be staffing a DTS school here in Hawaii, moving to the rivers of the amazon, doing a medical DTS in London, or move back home. There are endless possibilies and open doors. Just praying God closes the ones that are not for me. Only God knows right now! I asked Him to reveal to me what to do, but He said to just finish this first, then He'll tell me what's next when I need to know. I trust Him, no worries about the future. 😌👍
How can y'all help me? PRAYER. Pray over my team's health. Pray over our safety and traveling mercies. Pray over our friendships. Pray over the people of India that we will be in contact with. Pray that God will give us mercy and favor to the ministries and places we go. Pray for us to have supernatural energy. Pray that we will cope with the culture shock. Pray for peace, opportunities, and personally pray against the spirit of fear to be broken off of me. I want to be BOLD to be obedient. Thank you! 🙏❤


Phew- that was a mouthful. I am feeling quite emotionally and physically drained. We have been busier than ever these past couple weeks. Yet at the same time I'm STOKED. I don't even know what else to say-- the next time I post it'll be from India! I love y'all and thanks for all the prayers and support.
You're so special and appreciated.
Blessings,
Xoxo

Tik Tok Tik Tok

This week so far has been bomb! Funny-- it's only Tuesday. Our speaker, Chad Lamen from Bethel church has been lighting a fire and excitement in all of us. My health this week has been under the weather a bit, but I'm dragging myself literally out of bed (picture that) to hear this man of God impart his stories, experiences, and faith in me. Some of the stuff he's been saying is just too good for me not to share, so I'll point out some of the main things I've gotten between yesterday and today.. 

 ONE PERSON in agreement with God is enough to change a NATION. 

Fear can paralyze you and keep you from walking into your 

destiny. Fear will always knock on the door, but it's up

 to you whether or not to ANSWER the door. 

WHAT  you FOCUS ON is what you GET.

"My desire to see His face out data my desire to live." 

--> God wants to reveal Himself to you far greater than you 

desire to see Him. And it's in the outpouring that His face is REVEALED. 

Un-Forgiveness/Offense

keeps us from 

walking in our destiny. 

What people do on the outside reveals their core values. 

Man's perspective on success is results. 

But when you TAKE RISKS 

that is Heavens idea of SUCCESS. 

It's when we STEP OUT of the boat

and TAKE RISKS 

that we learn about the SUPERNATURAL

The more you GIVE 

the more you NEED to receive

that is why you have to be HUNGRY

God wants to cultivate YOUR OWN WELL 

where you can DRINK and never be THIRSTY 

We first need to encounter God 

The greatest message you will ever preach

is

YOUR OWN LIFE. 

What you EXPECT from Jesus

is what you get. 

Going after God--

we cannot care what PEOPLE THINK 

about us 

A lot of times God will give us

the OPPORTUNITY for 

BREAKTHROUGH when it's most INCONVENIENT

to see where our priorities lie

in fear of man OR breakthrough 

You don't have more authority by the 

VOLUME OF YOUR VOICE

but because JESUS

lives inside of you

We have to get to the place where

we come to the END of OURSELVES 

"Don't focus on yourself

or your insecurities

or the things you can and cannot do

Focus on ME." -God

Mindset change: What if people don't get

 healed when I pray for them?? 

No. What if they DO get healed! 

We have been preparing ourselves for outreach by taking a basic Healthcare class. As you know before we were doing the Justice Water course, so we have now finished that one a few weeks ago and began this Healthcare one. We have this class every week until we leave on March 28th. We've been learning all of the above about healthcare so we can help not only to spiritually heal people, but physically as well. Everything from education about clean water, dehydration and washing hands, to infections, diseases and sicknesses. All of the above! It's getting me excited to leave, I can't wait! The anticipation is growing and the elephants in my stomach are racing to see what God is going to do and how He will move through our team. I know God will use all 7 of us in divine ways, and each person on my team brings something different and unique to the group. 

PS- I love the Holy Spirit. He is my bestfriend. 

I have posted below some pictures from this past week. Enjoy!

So many good stories and revelations being imparted. 

Haha practice dummy, don't choke Cat! ;) 

Learning is fun. Especially since we will be doing all of this on the mission field. 

Saving a life! 

Took a while for the light to go from red to green (which means the person is now breathing). Looks like I need to hit the gym in these next few weeks;). 

The clock is ticking!!! 

Keep my team in your prayers! Also my health please- I want to be awake and alert these last few weeks I have to seek and prepare. Please pray that I stay focused and spend extra quiet time with Him. I'm afraid our schedule gets so busy that I forget or just don't feel like doing that--which I believe is most important. We have no more free weekends so our schedules are piling up with even more work and classes! One more thing--please pray we have no more complications getting our Visas! We have been having lots of trouble with the applications and are praying we get them back soon and APPROVED. We want to be sure we actually make it to India.;) 

Love and miss y'all! Blessings. 

-Xxx 

WOAH JOY WOAH!

        I am sitting at the Banyan Tree cafe in the dusk of the night listening to live worship from passionate Ywamers. What more could I ask for? But to be surrounded by Holy Ghost fire seeking young adults. I honestly don't even know where to begin on catching y'all up, considering it's been a while since I've posted, my apologies.
Basically ever since the pure heart week I told y'all about, I'd been struggling with temptations even stronger than before I had given them to God. It was like a attack of the enemy as soon as he saw I was putting up a fight. I was constantly tired, weary, groggy, struggling with my thoughts and desires for past behaviors and habits.
         Specifically--last Friday I was being tempted big time with these things. I was just weighed down, dry, and hopeless. All day was a struggle to conquer my flesh and by come the night I was ready to just give in when the Lord reminded me of a worship night that was happening on campus. I felt I needed to go, though that was the last place I wanted to be after feeling just gross.
It came 8:30pm when the worship time began, I closed my eyes and God spoke to me to just give a little and He would take it and run. So I entered into worship and prayer and before I know it it's 2am and I'm on my face experiencing the Holy Spirit in such a tangible way.
I went to the worship nights Saturday and Sunday following this night and God began to use me to pray for others as well. It felt so good and I could feel that fire begin to spark again!
Monday, I had a great day. Even though I got no sleep over the weekend from work and staying up in the night worshiping, I was more than energized. The Lord is awesome.
         Now here's where things get WILD--Tuesday, yesterday. Specifically last night in the prayer room. I wish I knew the words to describe to you what took place in those 3 hours of worship...I'll try my best.
It all started with us making a human "Joy Tunnel". You know- where people run through it and the Joy of the Lord knocks them out and everyone gets drunk in the spirit, no big deal, right? No. It was freaking crazy. I was at the beginning of the tunnel praying/touching people who went through. The Holy Spirit came over me and as soon as I would lay my hand on people, or even motion toward them they would fall over in laughter and deep joy. Some would go into what looked like a seizure...rolling around, screaming, laughing, kicking, falling over, Holy Spirit DRUNK. He kept filling me the rest of the night. It was like God and I partnered up. He would tell me exactly who to go pray for or touch and HE would work His magic.
         It was hilarious! God told me to touch one of my friends, and when I did--she fell over in laughter. Then He told me to help her back up and touch her stomach again. Every time I did this she would fall over again and again and again. He did this to several people with me. God has a sense of humor!
         People have prophesied JOY over me....but I'll be honest...I wasn't expecting this! I was thinking He would use me to simply make a person smile or laugh. But no there's so much more! Like literally people experiencing the Joy of the Lord DEEP in the pits of their stomaches and hearts that over takes their beings and overwhelms their souls. WOAH! *Heidi Baker head-whip and voice*.
         God spoke to me while all this was breaking out. The first thing I kept hearing over and over in my head was "Finally!". In a relieved breathy happy voice. God was saying He was so happy He could finally use me in the way He'd been waiting to, there was such a sense of relief. Also, He said that if I hadn't of listened to Him when He told me to wear leggings under my shorts that night He couldn't have used me to the fullest because the lack of complete modesty would have been a barrier. Especially since I was all over the place, holding people up, and falling over myself. He also said "This is just practice. A glimpse of what I have for you coming. This is how I want to use you". God was also telling me the whole time not to be afraid. Just go to the people He says to go to, do what He says, and HE will do the rest. And boy did He! Who knew God could use someone like me? I didn't....Until now!
       It's funny how God will meet us where we're at. For me--in a state of hopelessness, confusion, temptation, and weariness. What a magnificent, powerful, mighty, victorious, loving, joyful God we serve. I never want the spirit to leave me after I've experience Him in this deep and passionate way. My heart is whole and my mind is set on the things of Christ. I will continue to face temptation because by choosing the Lord I have immediately made myself an enemy of Satan. As long as I stay rightly related to God and others I will subdue evil. "The birds will fly over your head--but don't let them make a nest."

       Do you think I'm crazy yet?! If so--GOOD. Because I think I might be just that.

Goodnight all.
Xoxo †