As I was jam packing my car full of my belongings (it was a miracle everything actually fit too), it really started to hit me. Not in a subtle way, but sort of in one instant. I'm actually doing it. I'm moving where I feel called for this next season of life, and I couldn't be more excited, yet, nervous at the same time. I think the nervousness just comes naturally when you do something new. It doesn't matter if it's speaking in front of a bunch of people or having an uncomfortable conversation with someone or moving somewhere that you have never been before. New things tend to make me nervous because I don't know what to expect. It's funny, not in a ha ha kind of way, but in a that makes me smile kind of way, that my journey with going into missions really started with laying my expectations down before I went any further. When I was at my World Race training camp last summer, the very first thing we did was to take our expectations off of everything (the mission trip, our race route, each other, training camp, etc). I thought it was a little weird then and kind of not a big deal, but it has played an important role in how I look at my relationship with Christ.

I tend to put expectations on people or things without even knowing it sometimes, and in turn, other people do the same things to me. Our parents expect us to go in a certain direction or our friends expect us to be there for an experience in their lives, and without even noticing it, we start changing into what others want instead of what God wants us to be. I'm not saying expectations in and of themselves are bad, but if we hold onto them too tightly, they can setup both spiritual and emotional roadblocks that can cripple our walks with Christ. Every time this past year I started to feel distance from the Lord, I started to look at what I had put expectations on in my life. Every single time, I realized that I had taken my "open hand" with God and closed it more. Putting no expectations on anything truly means surrendering everything before the Lord. And as easy as that is to say, try praying that and see how much harder it is. It's such a dangerous prayer to say "Father, not my will, but yours be done," but that's exactly what Christ did as he was hours away from being crucified (Luke 22:42). 

So my prayer for this next season is not that it would be smooth or be ideal or whatever other idea I have (although I want those things). My prayer is truly that this season belongs to the Lord. That I give Him full control over it and let Him show me where He wants me to be. Even when it's hard, I will praise Him. When it's messy, I will praise Him. When I want to give up, all praise goes to Him. Pray that I would continue to seek Him and to be open to whatever He has planned for my life. Here's to the new season!

I am also still in need of some monthly donors as well so if you are interested, send me a message and I would love to talk to you! 

It's still hard to believe that this time last year I was gearing up for Thanksgiving in Nicaragua at CICRIN orphanage, and was undertaking the task of cooking for 80+ people with my team. Not to mention, all the details that go into cooking in a 3rd world country...here's the blog if you missed it last year. Over the past two and half months, I have had a lot of good time to reflect on memories like these and just think about what this past year has meant to me. I honestly don't know when I'll stop reflecting because it seems like there were enough memories to last a lifetime. There are so many different ways it has grown me too, from being in uncomfortable situations like going door to door in Tanzania and sharing the Gospel to loving on kids that have HIV/AIDS in India to bringing hope to a pastor's family in Guatemala and the list could go on. I am blessed! WE are blessed! We truly live in abundance and it honestly doesn't take going around the world to realize that. I really hope and pray that my journey this year has given you insight into a lot of different aspects of ministry and the needs that are not being met around the world. 

It's hard to believe I have been home for over a month already...it doesn't feels like that long really. I have putting off making this video until this past week because it was going to be really time consuming and I also wasn't sure if I was ready to see all the pictures from this past year, but it has been such a great experience for me. There is everything from volcanoes to all sorts of travel days to every interesting picture in between that I had to sort through from this entire year (over 10,000 pictures to look through). I decided that most people like to watch a quick video so I had the idea to recap the entire year in 111 seconds (for 11 countries in 11 months) and get a really quick flash of the whole year from each country. I really enjoyed making this video and hope this gives you a good idea of my year in a snapshot!

I have officially been home home for about two and half weeks now, but it seems like so much longer. It honestly hasn't taken too long to adjust. I feel like I picked up right where I left off when I left home in some areas. I think one of the things that has changed the most for me, among others, is how I look at everything around me. Not in a judgmental or condemning kind of way, but in an inquiring kind of way. I find myself asking why do I do the things I do? Why do spend 5 minutes picking out body wash? Why do I no longer need bottles of water with me everywhere I go? I have realized just how much there is to take in sometimes and that I need to pause a little bit more and take it in. Maybe this re-entry process isn't too hard right now, but who knows if a month down the road is when it really hits me. I am so thankful to be home and to see friends and family that I sometimes forget where I have been for the last 11 months, and that is something I do not want to forget.

I will be posting a few more blogs here and there of a few movies I have made toward the end of the race and continue to share about my experience after the race. Even after being home for a short while, I am at a loss for words from this whole year. It was so amazing and different and stretching and wonderful and frustrating and the list could go on and on. Continue to pray for me as I start moving forward in the next season of life.

Here is a great video for anyone that is interested in EVERY place we went to this entire year. Every airport. Every place we slept. Every place we had ministry. It's all here and gives a realistic picture of how much traveling we did this year! Hope you enjoy it and feel free to share it with friends!

Like I've said almost too many times, this month has been AMAZING! We have been blessed beyond anything we could ever imagine and it's been almost funny how sweet it has really been. We have had some not-so-savory months during this race, but it is great to see how blessed this last one really was. We got to do one of my favorite projects this month and see it through from start to finish. Our major project this month involved refurbishing a rundown house in the red-light area of Kolhapur. The organization we were working with really felt called to buy this house and make it a beacon of light in a very dark area to give women a way of coming out of prostitution. The house would be used to teach job training (like sewing and jewelry making), tutoring, and mentoring. It has been a very challenging project, but one that has been well worth it also. 

When we first got to the house, we noticed it had many problems. The walls were peeling paint, there was no bathroom, and no lights anywhere. Let's just say there was a lot of work to be done! We were so excited about this project though because we could really see how it would be used to further the Kingdom. Showing the women that they are valued and what love looks like in a tangible way. We started by scraping a lot of paint off the walls, which in a way was very symbolic of us "scraping away" their old lives and giving them a new coat of paint. It was just great to see how much work we could do when we saw the huge potential the project had.

We then went on to help put in a bathroom and make everything look great. I realized also during this project, that the amount of effort you put into something shows to a lot of people. We would constantly have children and men and women come up to us and look at what we were doing and take note of it. We were not preaching at them or saying anything about Jesus, we were merely being His hands and feet and people TOOK NOTICE. That is something that I want to remember when I go home. No matter what culture you are in, people know love when they see it. It isn't something that can be explained, but people know what love looks like. 

We also got the awesome opportunity of cutting the ribbon to open the building that is called "New Beginnings" and the "Z-House." The "Z" in Z-House refers to Zephaniah 3:17, which says "The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing." I love that verse because it gives hope to a place that needs it so desperately. This may have been one of the most demanding projects of the whole race, but it was so worth it. When we opened the place we got to hand saris out to the women and offer them a meal to show more love to them. I am blown away that we did so much in such a short amount of time and am so excited for the revival the Z-house will bring to Kolhapur!

It's really weird to think that I only have a week left on this crazy 11 month adventure. I've wanted to blog more, but have been so tired from doing so much this month. I have been so blessed to be able to spend time with the children here. Like I mentioned in my last blog, a good portion of them are HIV positive, but you would never know from the smiles on their faces. The weird thing is a lot of them know what being HIV positive means. They know that at any moment they could get a cold or the flu and end up dying from it because their immune system can't fight it off. Somehow, they find hope and that hope truly is in Christ.

I am still blown away with how much they love. I really can't describe it in words that well. I have seen a lot of children around the world at all different stages of maturity and age range. I have seen ones that can speak English very well and the ones that cannot. I have seen the ones that have nothing and the ones that have a little more. I have not met children like this though. I have not met children who love knowing what they know about themselves. Even worse, knowing that their parents have died from something that they have. I truly have not seen greater love than the love these children show towards us...even knowing that we are only there for a short while. 

I think their love shows me what exactly Jesus was saying when He talked about humbling ourselves like children. In Matthew 18:3-4, Jesus says "Truly I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." I have used this verse before, but the meaning keeps changing slightly for me. Seeing these children and how much they love unconditionally a lot of the time has made me think of how my relationship should be with my Heavenly Father. These children just want to sit on our laps and spend time with us and I should be doing the same thing with God, just wanting to sit in His presence and show my affection for Him.

I want to sit in His presence and be in awe of Him just like these children are of us a lot of the time. I think another important lesson I have learned from these kids is that you don't have to verbally communicate with someone to show how much you love them. I can speak only a few simple phrases to the kids that they understand in English, among which are "You look handsome" and "How was school today?" But the love is deeper than any words can describe. It reaches an awesome level of wanting to spend time with them even if we don't say that much. I really feel our Heavenly Father desires the same things. Just to spend time in His presence  as His children and not even say anything. Just to listen and show our affection for HIm. 

I am really looking forward to coming home in about a week, but am also dreading leaving this place in a few days. It has truly been amazing and can't say enough how much I have enjoyed my time here. I will be in Delhi in a few days for our final debrief with our entire squad before we fly home. I really can't wait to share what our main project was this month...in my next blog :) God is doing amazing things in the small town of Kolhapur and really pushing back a lot of spiritual darkness here. Can't wait to share more!

We have finally arrived in our last country of this crazy adventure and I am so excited to be here! Sorry it has taken so long to get a blog out...our team had to make sure that it was okay to blog while we were in India because in certain parts of the country Christians are persecuted for their beliefs. We just wanted to make sure that we got the go-ahead before we put anything out there, and now that we have, you should be seeing more blogs for the rest of the month. We arrived exactly two weeks ago and were greeted with roses and an ambulance ride to the city we would be in this month (Kolhapur). Along the way, we got to stop at a McDonald's, which is a totally different story in India because cows are sacred to Hindus (majority religion) so there is no beef anywhere (cows literally roam freely EVERYWHERE). Honestly, I wish we had the McVeg at home...it's actually really good!

We are working with an organization called Serving Friends International (SFI) this month that does an amazing work in Kolhapur and in other places around the world. Specifically in Kohlapur, they help people who are invected with HIV/AIDS by praying for them, visiting them in their homes, and offering medical attention if possible. They also taken over a hospital here that has been around for over 100 years and really made it something special! We have gotten the opportunity to go on some of the house visits and pray for the people so far and have love it. It is amazing how so many of them put their faith in Christ in the midst of struggling with HIV. We also get to work with children who are HIV positive (known as "friends" to conceal their identity). It is really sad to hear some of the stories about the children's parents. Some of them can no longer take care of the children and some of them have died from having such a low immune system from the disease. Despite all of this, these kids have SO much joy and laughter. They truly are filled with God's love. All they ever want to do is sit in my lap give me a hug and make awkward facial expressions at each other because we really can't understand each other...and I love it!

This month has already been so God ordained and so blessed. The doctor we are working with (far right in the top picture) as well as the director and all the staff are awesome! They have been so hospitable to us and really treat us like family. We call them "aunty" and "uncle" and they call us "brother" or "sister" and it is really neat to feel that close to people you haven't known that long. Especially with the kids, we really can't communicate that well, but somehow there is this bond that is so strong between us. I look forward to sharing more about this place and how special it really is...it's hard not to get emotional when talking about it though because God is really doing something awesome here and it shows in everything. The people here really pray into every single thing and seek the Lord on healing these children and everything that goes into the ministry. I can't wait to share more soon! 

It's weird to think that 3 months have already passed and in just a few days we will boarding a plane to India. I feel like we just flew into Nairobi and were getting situated with the differences here in Africa. A lot of things were night and day with the way they worked in Asia (i.e. concept of time, efficiency as a whole, etc), but some things stayed the same (i.e. face culture). I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in Eastern Africa too. I feel that 3 months was just enough time as well because I am ready to move on and am excited that India is the next (and sadly the last) country. 

Africa has definitely been a mixed bag of ministries that have almost consistently stayed the same the whole time. Everything from door-to-door evangelism to manual labor of some kind (building a mud house and a latrine) to preaching at every church, school, and public place to singing and dancing in front of the church. I think everyone has an idea of what they think a place is going to look like before they get there, but I think Africa really surprised me more than I thought. It was the biggest wild card in all the areas I would be traveling to this year because I knew the least about how it really was. 

I'm glad I also got the opportunity to experience all the other little things too like traveling to the bush to minister to the Masai people or minister in the biggest slum in Africa. There have definitely been some things I will never forget and am so thankful I got to experience...truly thankful. As I sit here contemplating on what I have learned these last 3 months, a few words come to mind: patience, persistence, and intentionality. A lot of these lessons were learned through interactions with my team and the rest were honestly learned in awkward situations with Africans (absolutely crammed in public transport, sharing the Gospel with mothers that are breastfeeding at the time, and the list goes on). I am thankful for every experience though...I wouldn't have it any other way. 

I also wanted to say asante sana (thank you very much in Swahili) to everyone that continues to follow my blog and encourage me on this trip. It has meant the world to me to get an encouraging email or comment on my blog and to feel love from people back home. I can't wait to share everything that is happening in this next month in India. Pray for me and my squad as we travel to India this Sunday!

No, I haven't been watching soap operas in Tanzania. I've just had to take a step back lately and realize that this is the life I am living (it seems like a dream sometimes). That when I am street preaching in a market or knocking on someones door to tell them about Jesus or getting used to the interesting food in every country I go to that this is the season of life that God has placed me in. It is a unique season, but a season that He has called me to nonetheless. I think I have come to realize and appreciate that sometimes every thing doesn't have to look glamourous when we are truly bringing Kingdom to where we are, whether that is being a missionary in another country or working in the corporate world back home. God puts us in specific places to do specific things to reach specific people. I believe that with everything inside of me because His plan has led me to an incredible place with Him that only He could have orchestrated. 

I've also been thinking about my plans when I get back home (which I'm still not sure of yet) and realizing that I will be soon be shifting to a new season or phase of life. One that is not any better or any worse than the one I am in now, just different. I know my heart is still in Southeast Asia (particularly in Thailand and Cambodia), but I don't know when or how God will call me back there. I see my passion for that area being something that is not in my immediate future, but one that will be used in years to come. I really wish you could see directly into my thoughts because you would see so many things that God has allowed me to experience and be a part of this year. You would see how this world has brought me to so many places of brokeness and how there are so many people that are desperate to hear of a Savior that will truly rescue them from the darkness that is in this broken world. It amazes me when we meet people who have NEVER heard of the name of Jesus before...that blows my mind. You would also see how my focus has shifted from what I can do to what God can do. I am truly after what is in His heart and want to follow that as much as I can.

I was fasting the other day and took a walk around the area that we are staying in now to spend some alone time with God (I really love the scenery here...the mountains are gorgeous around us). I have been longing to hear God's voice more audibly in my life lately, and all of the sudden, I got a verse in my head...Isaiah 43:2, which says, "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through the fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you." It was so great to read that in the moment and feel that connection with God get so much stronger. I really have never gotten a verse like that before, and if I have, I have thought it was only my mind playing tricks on me, but I knew it was truly my Father in heaven encouraging me through His Word. Thinking about the future can genuinely scare me sometimes and I know it can scare a lot of us because we don't know what is to come next, but this verse promises that no matter how treacherous the obstacles may seem, God is truly with us. It may be rough, but He will never let us drown or get burned if we are truly following Him....whether if it's carrying bamboo through a leech invested jungle in Malaysia or spending time with a widow in Tanzania.

I am glad that God has allowed me to take a step back and marvel at His plan and creation. It amazes me how much He truly cares about my life (and all of our lives) and how much He blesses me...I could write pages about His blessings over the course of this year. Just having food and clean water are blessings enough quite honestly...I didn't say my favorite food either, just having something to eat is awesome. Those are definitely things I will not take for granted anymore. Seriously, thank God right now for every little blessing He has given you. We have a Father that cares so much for us that He humbled himself in human form to die on a cross for us...that is a crazy type of love. Pray that God would continue to reveal Himself to me and that these last forty-something days would be very spirit filled and amazing.

There are only a few things a person gets to experience once in a lifetime. Those things that only come around every once and while, and if your lucky, you get to be a part of them. I got one of those chances this past weekend...I got to go to the "bush" (basically the middle of nowhere in Africa) and preach the Gospel to the people that lived there as well as the Masai people (a tribe in Eastern Africa that at one time was very well known for sending out their boys to kill a lion to become men). It was an amazing experience that I will never forget! It was definitely growing, but God really used the days we were out there to grow me in my spiritual life with Him and how I spread the Gospel to others. 

Once again, we spent a few hours on some crazy African bus to get to the "town" we would be in for the next few days...more like one store amongst many mud huts. I will be really excited when I can take a plane again to get somewhere, but until then, I am thankful that God continues to get me safely to where I need to be. I have to say though, the landscape in Tanzania is truly breathtaking. It is so beautiful to see how untouched the land is, just as God made it. It really makes me appreciate how creative God is and how his creation is so magnificent! Even to see as many stars as I can see out here because there are no lights to interfere is truly amazing. I just thank God that He has allowed me to see so much  during this year. 

We spent four days going from mud house to mud house to make relationships in the community as well as preach in a few of the local churches and share Jesus with everyone. This was definitely a whole new type of evangelism that I have never done before, but it will certainly be one that I never forget. It was great because one of the best ways to build up my faith is sharing it with others. As believers, I really feel we make our faith stronger by speaking it out with other believers and people that don't know Jesus yet. We are able to tangibly put how and what we believe into words and make our testimony that much stronger. 

Not only did we get to share Jesus with a lot of people, but a few of them actually came to Christ too! Even though it can be frustrating talking through a translator a lot of the times, it was so good to see people respond to the message of the Gospel. We were really blessed by the people there so much! Everything from getting us a donkey cart to take us to church to making sure we had plenty of ugali (not my favorite, but very thankful to have food to eat) or mandazi (African version of a doughnut) to eat. My spirit felt very tired after this weekend, but also very refreshed. God is in the biggest cities and in the smallest middle-of-nowhere place in Africa too. He truly holds everything. I really pray that the seeds that were planted this past weekend grow on fertile soil and that they truly see how much love God has for them.