Adventures with Rubies and Dirt Bikes

August ended with a mixture of emotions as I had to say goodbye to some of the youth kids who have now gone off to college. Over the past year some really cool relationships have been built with these kids, so of course it was sad to watch them leave. On the other hand I'm really excited for all of them as they start this new part of their lives.
Ruby Elyse Freeman was born on August 31st at 10:06 pm. She is absolutely precious and I just love her so much. She has such a sweet spirit, very much like her mama. It was evident from the first time that I held her, only hours old, that Ruby is going to be a strong, beautiful woman. Both Carley and baby are doing really well as they adjust to life together. Matt is a very proud daddy and its fun to watch them interact. You can already tell that she just adores Carley and Matt. Here I am with her, she's two and half weeks old in this pic.
It's been so much fun to hang out with Ruby during the last couple of weeks. Babies do some very funny stuff that they don't even realize is funny. I know she doesn't have control over her expression yet, but in this picture she's showing one of her already famous facial expressions... the "o". So cute!!!

September has proved to be just as busy as the rest of my summer has been, but mostly this busyness has been my choice. I've recently decided that I want to get my motorcycle license. Not for any reason in particular, really just because it's fun. So in order to work up to that, one of my youth kids offered to let me try it out on one of his dirt bikes. So one Sunday afternoon, a crowd of youth kids gathered to watch me attempt to ride a dirt bike in the church parking lot. Of course I was really excited... and then I saw the crowd. As my nerves took over I knew there was no way to back out of it and live it down so I got on the bike, received a brief tutorial, and took off. After stalling twice, I wheelied and was off around the parking lot. I only rode for maybe 20 or 30 minutes that day, but in that short time it seemed like every pastor and other prominent member of the church passed through the parking lot. All in all it was a success and I didn't wipe out once... until the next weekend.
Tom and Ian Howard (father and son, owners of the bikes) invited me to go out to the trails with them and practice some more on the bike. They assured me that I wouldn't be slowing them down and that they had brought many newbies with them, so I quickly agreed to go. The 45 minute drive south to Marseilles, IL where the Cliffs Insane Terrain (www.thecliffsinsaneterrain.com) is located should have been a peaceful drive through the country. Instead, I could only focus on not throwing up because I was so nervous that I was going to be the one person who they take out that gets seriously injured. I mean, then name "Insane Terrain" doesn't have a comforting ring to it. We arrived around the same time and I watched as they unloaded the 3 dirt bikes. The parking lot was full of different off-road vehicles, from dirt bikes and ATVs, to dune buggies and tricked-out mud covered Jeeps. Some of these Jeeps had tires that were nearly as tall as I am. So sweet! Anyway, as I was watching these awesome vehicles climb the Hill that leads to the trails I thought, "there's absolutely no way that I'm going to be able to get the dirt bike up that gravel and rut covered hill."
We went up to the office, paid, signed waivers, and got our bracelets. Tom gassed the bikes up and we were ready to go. Well, they were. I felt sick. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I was going to die. Well obviously I didn't die, but half way up the first hill I ended up in the trees. After a few rounds on the motocross track and lots of wipe outs, we went to a flat area for me to practice the basics. So I practiced shifting gears, using the foot brake, and not stalling because I tend to drop the clutch. After we practiced for a while, Tom convinced me to ride my bike down the hill back to the parking lot for some lunch. Getting down the hill was easier than I thought it would be, riding first gear and tapping the back brake. We got some lunch and then ventured back up the dreaded hill to the flat area where we had spent the morning. I made it up the hill without any problems this time, much more in control of the bike than I had been in the morning. I practiced shifting gears for a little while longer and then we (they) decided it was time to hit the trails. Judging by the amount of mud coming off Ian and Tom as they traded off watching me practice and exploring trails, I knew I was in for a slippery ride.
Leaving the flat (safe) area, around the first turn was a huge mud pit with standing water. The ruts from the Jeeps and ATVs were deep. I watched Tom and Ian successfully fly through the mud, keeping their feet out for balance. I froze. In my mind I decided that I was just going to head back down to the parking lot. There was no way I could have enough control of the bike, focus on the clutch, throttle, and brake and still make it through standing up. I had already taken my fair share of spills too... flown over the handle bars, bike falling on me as a rut stole my balance, ending up in the trees and bushes because I panicked and gave it too much gas. If I went out on the muddy trails I would surely die. Well Tom rode back over to where I stood frozen on my bike, and somehow convinced me to follow him, showing me exactly how to do it again. I reluctantly followed and successfully made it through that first mud pit without a fall. Can I just say that that was the easy part?!
The trails proved to be riddled with large rocks, trees branches, creeks, ruts, jumps, and other ridiculous obstacles. Through all that I took it slow, only wiping out once and having Tom take my bike down a hill he knew would be too challenging. I inadvertently took a jump that came out of no where and landed it. I have never felt my adrenaline course through my veins as much as I did that day. There were times when my heart was racing, my palms were sweaty (thankful for gloves!), and I was panicking, but I decided to keep going. After making it through that we reconvened in the parking lot and I suggested that the boys go out without me so they didn't have to go slow anymore. They explored for another 20 minutes or so and then we packed up. At the end of it all, I was still smiling, so it couldn't have been that bad, right?
After I got home and showered all the mud off of me, I assessed the damages. Lots of large bruises, but nothing horrible until the next day. It was a challenge to lift my arms... it felt like I had spent a day at the gym pumping some serious iron. It's been two and half weeks since we were on the trails and the bruising is almost completely gone now. At first I decided I would never go again, but today it doesn't sound so bad. :)
The next weekend I decided to go up to East Lansing to Michigan State to visit with some of the youth kids. 4 of my girls go to college within an hour of each other so the other 3 made their way to MSU for a visit. I brought Jacob (another college freshman) with me since he's going to school locally and it was nice to have a friend with me in the car to keep me entertained. We had a fun filled weekend of eating food, walking around campus, eating more food, walking more, eating ice cream, and walking some more. It was really just a sweet time with kids that I love dearly. I enjoyed getting to see where Jodi is these days and how life at a state school works. The campus is absolutely beautiful. We had a blast simply being together. The Lord has really opened doors and enabled me to be someone that these kids really trust and depend on. It's a total blessing to have such awesome relationships with them. I think it was a nice break for all of them too. Nice for Jacob to get out of Naperville, for Jodi to have familiar faces, and for KP, Morgan, and Alex to get away from school for a while. Praise the Lord for good friends.

I am still in the process of figuring out what's next for me here in America. I have some really tough choices to make for the next few months, but I know I'm ready for a change. I've been looking for jobs and housing in Indy, so that's a good possibility. Please join me in praying for clarity and the right decisions for both me and the kids I minister to. Also please pray for my dad as he's scheduled to undergo major surgery this Thursday if he's healthy enough. I'm hoping to post again soon after his surgery to update you all on how it went. Thanks ahead of time for the prayer.
I am still planning on a January departure back to Uganda. Please continue to lift up the ministries there. Pray for the people and their hearts. Rest in the promises of Pslam 37 today. Thanks friends!

Delayed, but blessed

Now that August is almost over and September is on the horizon I think it's time to fill you all in on what's been happening in my world.

The youth mission trip with Wheatland Salem went really well. I had the amazing opportunity to get to know some really awesome kids and adults leaders even better than I could have imagined. The worksite that I was placed on was a ton of fun and the resident that we worked for was a major blessing. She was about 80 years old and had some very heart breaking, yet hopeful stories of living in Birmingham during the Civil Rights movement. I can't begin to describe all of the things that she saw and experienced during that time, but it definitely became more real for me that week. She stood very firm on Psalm 23 and the Lord being her shepherd, and that's what has carried her this far. I was the site devo leader so each day I would read some scripture and then talk it through, but when I would finish, Ms. Willie would give her take on things. The wisdom of the elderly is a great thing.
Other than the worksite, there was a ton of time to fellowship with the kids. We got to hang out a bunch and just enjoy each other. They are a very fun group of kids and I count myself lucky to have been able to spend so much time with them. The Lord really moved in the hearts of some and it was very cool to see some changes being made.
One of my favorite parts of the week was the driving. I had all seniors in my van and I've been helping to lead the senior small group at sunday school, so it was pretty sweet for me to hang out with those kids before they all leave me and go to college.

Anyways, since being home from B-ham I've been kept pretty busy with work and hanging out with the youth and friends. My good friend Laura had her baby and I was able to go visit him the week after he was born. He's just perfect! So sweet. I love being able to see Laura and Tripp as parents... they are fantastic and I love them so much. Here I am with David Grant IV
Every weekend has been full of fun times. Some of the youth came out to my house one Sunday afternoon and we drove out to Starved Rock for some hiking. We had a blast exploring, deer whispering, hiking down into canyons, and playing in caves. My best friend from college, Ashley came in one weekend and we had a good time catching up, seeing movies, and just being lazy. I always love the time I get to spent with her... and it was also cool to have her come to church with me because it's such a huge part of my life. The youth kids also decided to drive out one day during the week last week, so we went fishing at Silver Springs right on the Fox river by my house. It was so fun to just hang out and love on them before school starts and gets in the way of fun times. We played a little frisbee, did some hiking, tried to catch guppies with our hands, played with the remote control boat they brought, and then hung out at my house. I'm so honored to be someone that the kids really enjoy spending time with. The Lord has really opened up doors for good relationships, mentoring, and opportunities to share His love. What a blessing!

This past weekend was the youth kick off at New Hope Presbyterian. So I took two of the girls from my youth group (Jodi and Morgan) down to hang out with me and Trent and his youth. The girls had been asking me if they could come to Indy with me and it was the perfect weekend for it. The drive was so much more fun with the girls with me plus we had a blast hanging out with Trent. We helped make a slime pit and then got to play in it. We organized and played "Ultimate What" which is basically ultimate frisbee with random objects in place of the frisbee... like eggs, watermelon, a sack of flour. Really anything to get the kids messy is fun! There was also a bonfire for hot dogs and s'mores. So much fun!
Beyond the silliness of hanging with the youth I had the opportunity to mentor one of Trent's youth kids that I've built a good relationship with. God has opened up a huge door there and I love that I get to be a part of it. I also got to meet and have coffee with one of the other adult leaders who had come on the mission trip with us back in July, Jill. She is an amazingly fun, strong woman who I just love! She has quickly become one of my favorite people ever.



On a different note, my trip to Uganda has been delayed until January. The missionaries that I will be working directly with are not going to be back in Uganda until then, so for now I'm State-side for a while. I've gone through a variety of emotions since hearing that I'm delayed, but in seeking the Lord I've found a peace about the timing. God is sovereign and His timing is perfect. So for now I get to be around. I'm not sure what the next 5 or so months look like, but I know that the ministry I've been given will continue to grow and I'm very excited about having extra time with the people I love before I leave again.
My best friend, Carley is due to have her first baby this Friday and I am really excited that I'll get to hang out with baby girl for a while before I head off again. I'm so thrilled for another baby girl to love on and spoil... being an aunt is so much fun!!
I'm currently looking into housing options and a possible job change, so I'd really appreciate prayer on that. Would you also pray for patience and a continued peace about being delayed and timing? Thank you for sticking with me as my journey continues. I appreciate all of the prayers, love, and support you've shown over the past few years. Please don't hesitate to send prayer requests to my email! Much love!

May to July, time flies!

A lot happens in two months. I honestly don't even know where to begin. May ended with lots of time spent with lots of awesome people. My BFFs were all in town for a baby shower and we had some really sweet times of catching up. This was the first time we've all been together in 3 years. I spent Memorial Day in Indy with my friend Trent and his youth... we went to a bunch of grad parties for the seniors. It was fun to visit with all of them.

June brought on the start of my crazy summer. The trip to Haiti went off without a hitch. Those of you who read my email updates know that stepping off the plane was like stepping home for me. It was all somehow very familiar because I was reminded instantly of Africa. From the sights to the smells to the beautiful faces, I felt right at home. My time there was heartbreaking for obvious reasons, but more than that it was encouraging. The people of Haiti have hope, a deep seeded hope that they refuse to ignore. We got to minister to a few different groups of people and ministries and we also had the opportunity to visit the area where the heart of the damage still sits. Though the country was devastated they are working to move forward.

I got home from Haiti on Saturday and left on the following Wednesday for the 100 year anniversary Celebration of World Gospel Mission in Indiana. Throughout the week about 1,000 guests graced the campus of my Alma Mater, Indiana Wesleyan University, to enjoy fellowship and to hear updates on the mission and all of the fields that it serves. It was beautiful to see so many of God's missionaries in one place at the same time to worship Jesus and honor the work He has done through WGM in the past 100 years. People from all over the world were able to obtain visas and come share their stories and experiences. It was very cool to hear their testimonies about their lives being forever changed because someone said "yes" to the call God placed on their life. Mugisha Emmy is a pastor that was trained through WGM missionaries in Uganda. He now works with the missionaries there to train pastors and youth pastors. Mugisha experienced his first flight and first trip out of Africa to come to Celebration. It was a delight to hear his perspective on America and to talk through some of his first thoughts. Can you imagine having never been to a Walmart before? What in the world would you be thinking, not knowing something like that even existed? Kind of crazy to think about, right?

Being in Indiana for Celebration meant spending time with the awesome people from Trent's church again. I've enjoyed being able to spend so much time with them. I got to see some fireworks with Trent and some of the youth a week early for their local festival. Very fun!

For the 4th I was here in Illinois. My sister, bro-in-law, and nieces were gone on vacation and for the first time in what seemed like forever, I had nothing I had to do and nowhere I HAD to be. It was fantastic. I literally slept all day that Saturday, only waking to eat some lunch, read a bit, and lay in the sun. It was awesome. I was also very blessed to be able to spend time with my some of my best friends at a pool all day one day and watching fireworks with some of my youth kids. All in all, one of the best 4th of July weekends ever! :)

A few days after the 4th I left home yet again to head to Indy. I had a meeting scheduled with the missions committee at Trent's church (New Hope Pres) on the 8th that happened to get cancelled. It worked out just fine though because I would have been down there the next day to prepare to leave on the youth mission trip with Trent. We left Saturday morning and headed to New York where we spent the week doing various ministries in the Adirondack mountains with YouthWorks. There were 6 of us leaders and 24 youth. Some of the youth were kids that I didn't know very well if at all, so it was pretty cool to get to know some new faces. Also some came on the trip who aren't a part of the church at all which opened up doors for some great convos and times of teaching. Even though it was a fantastic trip and I was very blessed to have the chance to go with Trent and the kids, it was a little bittersweet for me. Don't get me wrong, I loved every minute of it and was reminded SO often of why I love hanging out and ministering to youth, but I was a little sad thinking about leaving for Uganda. I spent a week building up some really awesome relationships with the kids and other leaders, only to turn around and leave. Of course I'm stoked to get back to Uganda, but it doesn't make leaving any easier.


I still don't have a definitive departure date, so I know I'll get to see the kids again... I just wish I got to spend time with them more often. It's a hard thing to be a part of a youth group that I don't get to spend a ton of time with. I love the kids from New Hope so much that I wish I could be there all the time. BUT I love the kids from Wheatland Salem so much too and love seeing them all the time! Darn, listen to me whine about the ways that God is moving! :) I really am super thankful to belong to two awesome groups of kids.

So after just getting home from Indy last night, I'll work this week and then leave Saturday morning to do it all over again with the youth from WSC. Our youth mission trip is to Birmingham, Alabama and we're going through Group Work Camps. The theme is Undeserved and I'm pretty excited to hear some good preaching along those lines. We're printing the t-shirts at my job and they look pretty sweet! It'll be really sweet to spend time with my kids, especially the ones getting ready to go off to college. The Lord has really enabled me to build some strong relationships with the kids and I love them so much! Yay for youth ministry!!

When I get back from B-ham, I'm sure I'll find some time to update on how the trip goes. I jump right into a busy month of August... with baby showers, 2 new babies, youth leaving for college, visiting friends in Ohio (hopefully!!), time with youth in Indy, on top of getting myself ready to leave and raising support. I would like to say some rest would be nice, but what fun would that be?

Beyond all of those things, I'm sure many of you have heard about the bombings in Uganda. They happened during the World Cup game on Sunday and it's completely heartbreaking to hear about. Everyone that I know well is safe, but many people lost their lives and I happen to know families of those who were lost. Please be praying for Kampala. One of the restaurants that was bombed, Ethiopian Village was owned by a family whose children attend Heritage (the school where I taught). It is frequented by the Acker family, but thankfully they were at home when it happened. It hits really close to home when you've been there... I mean, we picked up food from there one day and brought it to a visit day for one of the Sudanese guys at boarding school. Pray for peace and pray for justice. God is sovereign. Thanks friends!

Coming soon

I know it's been a long time since I've posted... almost 2 months. I planned on getting something posted this week, but didn't manage my time as I could have thus, no new post. I am getting ready to leave on the first youth mission trip to New York with Trent and his youth. I'm really hoping to get something up between this trip and the next youth mission trip with WSC. Check back soon for updates! :)

A Familiar Tune

What? 2 in one week?? That's right, get excited! This one should be fairly short though... I just had a thought as I was driving home last night. I've been listening to the newest Selah cd a lot... they're a fantastic Christian group with absolutely beautiful harmonies behind their strong melodies. Anyways the title of my last post "Standing on the Promises of God" is an old hymn and Selah's version is just awesome. Well just the statement "standing on the promises of God" has been a great reminder to me lately as I find myself frustrated with different things in my day to day. But the other night I went to the finale concert at Neuqua Valley High School (my Alma Mater) with one of my youth kids to see some of the other youth kids who were performing. I love going back and hearing how amazing the choirs sound... the directors do a fabulous job. The entire music department at NVHS is recognized as a top school in the nation. Check out their website www.neuquamusic.org and see all of their accomplishments, including Grammy awards.

Each year at the finale concert the graduating seniors are recognized and asked to step forward. Their names are read, the senior achievement award is given to one outstanding senior, and then the rest of the choir and any alumni in the audience are asked to stand and sing the Alma Mater to the seniors. It's a special time for the seniors and their families. I went to the concert knowing that I would stand and sing the Alma Mater, but stressed because I couldn't remember all the words or what the melody even sounded like. So as I stood up I was a little panicked, but as soon as we started singing everything just flowed. The words came back, the melody was strong against the harmony I was singing. Of course I wasn't sitting near anyone else who would have stood up (the student I was with didn't know the song) so I was kind of on my own in my section. The sound resonating around the auditorium was beautiful. I thoroughly enjoyed singing the alto part that was still so familiar (even though I thought it wasn't) to me while listening to the other parts blend together as smoothly as silk.

It was all very anticlimactic... something that I was actually nervous about turned out to be so easy. So as I drove home I began to think about how familiar the evening was. Sitting in the audience is of course different than performing, but it was so easy to know exactly what the students were thinking and feeling. I could pick out certain students and compare them with ones in my graduating class... almost 10 years ago, btw! I remembered so easily what it's like to prepare for the concert, to have to hurry and hang your robes up perfectly in order with the stole in place, on the correct hanger. Then you rush out to hang with your friends and family. Something that I haven't done in that place in almost 10 years came flooding back as though it happened yesterday. Now, if you had asked me what I remembered about the whole process prior to me attending the concert I would have struggled a bit... maybe given some vague thoughts about it, but I wouldn't have thought I could recall as much of the feeling and experience of the evening.

I feel like I do that same thing with God. No matter where I'm at in life or what is currently occupying my time, God is always so familiar and it sometimes catches me off guard. The things that I can recall, or that He recalls for me are so familiar. When I need to relate to someone on something that I haven't experienced in years, I can. To me, that's one of the most amazing parts of an ongoing personal relationship with Jesus. I spent countless hours in the music wing at Neuqua, but even still some of those memories fade because I'm not still there and involved. Because I choose to "stand on the promises of God", those things never change. God is constant so being familiar with Him gets easier the more time you put into a relationship with Him. I guess it's was just a good reminder.

Standing on the Promises of God

It's only been 2 weeks... not bad, right? To be honest the past few weeks have flown by. My wisdom teeth removal was not the worst experience ever, however the recovery has not been fun. My face wasn't bruised or horribly swollen which is a blessing though. So I was able to go down to Indy to get my guitar. I was also able to finally get my new tattoo which is pretty exciting! It's on my wrist and it says "Remain in Me" from John 15. I've been thinking about it for a long time... which is more than I can say for most of my other tattoos. I do have to say that this one hurt a LOT more than any of the other ones, probably enough to keep me from ever getting another one!

2 years ago I was in Panama City Beach, Florida on vacation. I decided to take my bible head down to the beach one evening during the sunset. I had decided prior to getting down to the beach that I would just pick a few Psalms to read so that I wasn't committed to a long time and could get back up to the room and hang out. Well after reading a few familiar Psalms I felt the Spirit prompting me to dig a little deeper. So I flipped to the New Testament, ready to hear something from Jesus. I ended up in John, which happens to be my favorite gospel to read. I thumbed through the pages and ended up stopping at chapter 15. Now, some of you may remember a little book by Bruce Wilkinson called "Secrets of the Vine." It was a very small, simple book written not too long ago that became a phenomenon for many people. It's based on John 15 and gaining a life of abundance through prayer. There is even a prayer given that you can pray to gain abundance. This book became so huge and main stream in my area during high school that people began to believe it as magic words to gain money and success. "Just pray these words and you'll be given everything you've ever wanted" was the theme that came out of it. I've read the book and I understand the author's purpose and people misconstrued his words, however I have been VERY turned off from John 15 because of how over done it was in my high school years. All of that to say that as I stopped on this very familiar passage of scripture I thought, "I haven't read this in a while, I guess it won't hurt to speed read over it."

First of all, how conceited of me to think I know everything about a passage and that God wouldn't have a new word for me! I think back on my attitude towards John 15 and I'm embarrassed because I know that there are other books that I've avoided because I've been convinced that I had them figured out, that I couldn't learn anything new from reading them. I've missed out on so much and I've limited God by ignoring parts of His word because of my own self-righteousness. That's a hard thing to admit, fo sho!

So anyways, before I began to read on that breezy April evening in Florida I prayed and asked God to speak loud and clear through His word. I was at a place of complacency in life and wanting answers as to what God wanted from me... where I was to go next, or how I was to be moving in my ministry. Well He answered loud and clear as I read and studied John chapter 15 that evening! It was then, on that beach that I received my call into missions. Through a time of intense studying and prayer, the Lord revealed that He is giving me the unique opportunity to go and serve where ever I'm needed... and at the time it was Uganda. He gave me the strong promise that if I remained in Him, abided in Him, He would remain in me. He called me to love others deeply, in a way that I'm not capable of without Him. He called me to go and build strong relationships, to use the communication skills that He's given me to further His Kingdom. I am getting ready to head back to Uganda for another year, (and while I don't think that I'm called to Africa for the rest of my life, rather whatever mission field can use me, maybe America... who knows?) and the most important thing for me to remember as I prepare to leave the people and places that I love is to remain in Him. To stand firmly on the promises of God. So, that's what this tattoo is about. I like it.

The rest of the weekend was just hangout time. Church Sunday, then lunch with an awesome family, a nap, and back to the church for a grad party/Eagle Scout ceremony. One of the senior boys at New Hope had asked me to come and I wasn't planning on being in town, but as you might recall I'm the smartest person ever and had to go back for my forgotten guitar, so it turned out to be a blessing. I left pretty early so that I could get home and have a minute to chill before heading back to work. Throughout the weekend my teeth didn't feel too bad. I ate soft food, didn't drink through a straw, and therefore didn't have to worry about taking any strong pain meds. The doc did put me on steroids, which I guess is normal to help with swelling. That was NOT fun for me. They caused me some major anxiety... so much so that on that first Saturday night, while I was in Indy I didn't sleep one minute. It was NOT fun. I was shaky and nervous. It was definitely my least favorite part of the wisdom teeth removal. Well at least until my stitches got pulled out on tuesday because I decided I was ok to eat a piece of beef jerky, which in effect pulled out the stitches, leaving a nerve nice and exposed. Gross, right? Yeah, well not just gross... incredibly painful! I don't normally take the pain meds that I'm prescribed after a surgery, but you better believe that last week I took vicodin on more than one occasion. Since I don't take that stuff often, it makes me loopy. I imagine that that's what it feels like to be drunk. I don't like it at all. A visit to the dentist confirmed the exposed nerve and since then I've been doing my best to keep my mouth clean so that it will heal because I'm pretty tired of having this nerve pain! My bad!

Over this past weekend we had a mission trip training day with the youth which was a blast. We laughed a whole lot while getting our work done. It was a great preview of what the mission trip will be like this summer. I had a couple of the senior girls over for a sleepover the night before because the training was way out by my house anyway and of course we had a blast! Love those girls!! I love the opportunities to minister to an awesome group of kids. As leaders, we're definitely blessed at Wheatland Salem. :) I can't wait to hang out with everyone again this wednesday night for youth group! This coming weekend we're having Alexandria's 3rd birthday party which will be a blast. She's too darn cute. I'm also leading worship for the confirmation service on Sunday. Then the next weekend all my bff's will be in town for Carley's baby shower!! I seriously cannot wait to spend time with them!! I haven't seen Stacy and Owen since July and Michelle since Christmas. The weekend after that I"ll be in Indianapolis for all of the fun graduation parties of the youth down there. Once again, time is flying. Before I know it I'll be in Haiti with WSC, then New York with NHPC, then Birmingham with WSC, then it'll be August and time to start packing for Uganda.

Please be praying as all of this exciting stuff is coming up. Pray for times of rest in the midst of the insanity. Pray also for Uganda, World Gospel Mission, Heritage International School, the families and missionaries there now. Pray for ministries here, for health, for family and friends. Let me know how I can be praying for you. Be blessed this week. Much love homies!

Boom, roasted!

I think I see a pattern forming here. I keep meaning to post, but in this case I don't think it's the thought that counts. I've often thought about updating and sharing what the Lord is doing, but honestly that does you no good, now does it? As per usual time has flown by. I've been really blessed to have lots of quality time with the youth from WSC. Relationships are growing in both quality and quantity and I'm SO thankful for that. God has really opened up a big door with youth stuff at that church and I'm loving every minute of it. I honestly can't imagine doing anything else right now. There are a few pics up on facebook and I'm hoping to add some more this week of the fun we've been having together. Easter flew by and I've of course stayed crazy busy with work and ministry.

I just got home today from vacation. I left on the 16th and spent the weekend in Indy. From there we got down to Panama City Beach, Florida on Monday afternoon. I went with Trent and our friend Drew. Trent and I have been to Panama City Beach before so it was nice to kinda be familiar with the area. We spent the week hanging out at the beach, in the hot tub, gator hunting, snorkeling, seeing movies, and just relaxing. It was definitely just what I needed. We had an amazing hotel suite too, which made it all the better because we each had our own space. My parents generously gave us use of a free voucher they got from their timeshare, so we stayed for free in a suite that costs something like $4,500 per week. Crazy!! Praise the Lord for an almost free vacation. My mom even gave us $250 worth of gift cards to various restaurants so quite a few of our meals were free. Such a blessing, let me tell you!


Beyond all of the activities though, were some really sweet times with Jesus. I decided to wake up early (and by early I mean like 10 am) everyday to spend time with Jesus. I don't normally wake up before I have to for anything, and when I'm at home I stay up later to pray and hang out in the Word, but for some reason getting up in a quite hotel, sitting on a balcony in the warmth of the morning sun, overlooking the bay was the perfect time to meet with God. I felt drawn into His presence. I love it when the Lord prompts you to study something specific because He has a word directly for you. My word came from Romans. I've been praying over some stuff for years now and each time I begin to give up, or throw in the towel, God comes and reminds me to be patient.

Well, can I just say that I am honestly getting tired of being patient? Have you ever had a situation that you just wanted to see have closure? Or maybe something that you wanted to see happen or change, and God just keeps telling you to relax. Well, I finally told God (as if He didn't already know) that I am done. I can't sit and be patient anymore. It goes against logic to sit and wait and some times it even hurts your heart. So I sat down one morning and wrote out my exact thoughts to the Lord. These are thoughts and prayers that I have uttered countless times over the past however many years or months. And do you want to know exactly what God said to me? "But if we look forward to something we don't have yet, we must wait patiently and confidently." Boom, roasted. It actually makes me giggle a little... I reminded Jesus of my situation, of why I don't want to wait and be patient, why I need His provision and strength, and yet again I was told to wait. Really? I guess when you are looking for a real direct answer you'll get one. But somehow, even though it wasn't the answer I was hoping for, or even the answer I was praying against, it was a direct answer. He hasn't forgotten. He knows the pain, the heartbreak, the joy, the laughter. He knows. And He has sent a Helper to intercede on our behalf.

The next passage of scripture that I got to said this, "And the Holy Spirit helps us in our distress. For we don't even know what we should pray for, nor how we should pray. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words." Romans 8:26 With so many situations, I don't know how to pray. I don't know what to pray for. Especially situations that have been ongoing prayer requests. I grow weary of praying the same thing over and over... even knowing that it doesn't fall upon deaf ears. The situations that God is telling me to be patient with, are the kind of situations that I don't even know how to pray for anymore. There's not a new way of bringing them before God. But the Holy Spirit is willing to plead on my behalf... what?! He prays for us. He prays in groanings that can't be expressed with words. That's so powerful. You know you've had things that you've simply cried over because you don't even know what to say anymore. Some of my prayer requests seem to be getting that way. And for someone who doesn't cry often at all, it's stressful. There are times when words can't express what you're feeling and an outpouring of emotion is the only way to express yourself. Can you imagine how much more deeply the Holy Spirit feels emotion and pleads for us? I've read over this scripture many times before, but it's never stuck out to me that the Holy Spirit pleads for us (verse 27 says, "And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will.") Are you letting the Spirit plead on your behalf? Are you worn out beyond belief and have no way of expressing yourself? How freeing to trust the Spirit enough to bring it to God.
Anyways, all of that to say that I loved hearing loud and clear from the Lord... made for a good vacation. Jesus is so thought provoking for me. We got back from Florida at like 2 am on Sunday. Got up a few hours later to go to church, napped all afternoon, then hung out and had youth group last night. Youth group at NHPC is always a blessing for me and I just love all those kids so much. I'll probably get to see them again much sooner than I had planned because I completely forgot my guitar at Trent's and since I use it weekly, I have to go back down and get it this weekend. My week is already booked... I'm leading a women's group bible study tomorrow night, wednesday I have a meeting and youth group, Thursday I'm having my wisdom teeth pulled, and then depending on how I'm feeling I'll head down to Indy on Friday. The weekend seems to be booked already too, but would I have it any other way? Nope. I live to be busy I guess. :)

May is rapidly approaching and promises to fly by because it's so booked up. I can't believe how quickly my departure for Uganda is approaching. I have about $4,000 left to raise, which is a little less than a quarter! It's definitely all God too, because I've not done much in the way of speaking at churches or anything. Praise be to God. My goal is to be done with fundraising by August 1st so I can enjoy my last month or so visiting with family and friends before I leave. Please continue to join me in praying for Uganda, for preparations, for money, for WGM, for ministries there, and for new opportunities. Pray for my heart.

Hopefully it won't be another month before I sit down to update, but you never know. Email me your prayer requests. :) Blessings and much love!