Update

So I guess it's about time for an update!!! Well, since March several things have been keeping me busy! May was a crazy month with finals, graduations, and weddings. I was blessed to be able to stand up for Katlyn and Ian at their wedding. I felt very honored and it was such a great time!

Since that crazy month is now past, I've begun working for the YMCA/CLC summer program at Elliott Elementary School. I worked at the after school program during the semester, and I just love it! The kids are fun and can be challenging, but I can see how God has prepared me to be a teacher with a job like this. Also, the staff is just awesome!

Elise and I will be moving into a new apartment complex at the end of July/beginning of August. We're getting excited to have our own rooms and to decorate, again! haha. There is just something about decorating that is so exciting!!!

Youth group has been going great! This summer we're taking time to relax and just hang out, rather than jump into the Word so much. It's a great time to build relationships, which is so important with these kids!!! From February to April, there were about 7 students that have come to know Jesus. One girl is a teen mom and so when she got baptized, she dedicated her 5 month old daughter as well. Shortly after that, the daddy got saved as well. God is so good!!! Also, 4 of our boys are in foster care with a couple that helps out with youth group. Each one of them has accepted Jesus, and the 3 older boys were baptized together. It is such a blessing to watch them grow :)

But the most exciting update that I'm completely pumped about is getting going. Elise and I are going to be leading a team to Hong Kong for Christmas Outreach (COR) this December!!!! Back when I was in Hong Kong last year, God laid on my heart to come back to Lincoln and raise up a team to bring on short-term missions. He has put the same desire on Elise's heart as well, and we are beginning our fundraising adventures!!! As of now, there are about 6 (maybe 7!) people going from my church here in Lincoln, one being my pastor :) In addition to them, there are 4 others from up North that are coming as well.

Please be praying for us as we prepare as a team to venture off to Hong Kong and experience Christ in a whole new way!!! Also, if you could keep our fundraising in your prayers, that would be greatly appreciated!!!! We'll be making burritos and fruit slush, as well as selling coffee and coupon cards. If you're interested in anything let me know ;)

Thanks again for all of your support and prayers! God is moving and I'm so excited to be on board!

You're Beautiful

God has a way of doing things that makes me laugh. He has a way of taking my needs and wants and using others to show me His heart.

For me, it's been hard to not get down about always being single, or about seeing your friends fall in love, or being pursued. Not that I'm not super excited for my friends, I am! But it's the fact that once again I get passed by. That I'm not noticed or considered. It hurts, and makes me question things about myself and then lies come in and it gets tough. This is something that's happened many times to me and I went through again a few months ago.

But through it all, through the heartache and the questions, God has met me where I am. He's healed me of the hurts and has poured out His love over me. Recently I met a guy for coffee. I don't know if you'd call it a blind date, but this man was very sweet and charming and flattered me like crazy. And the whole time he said those things, God kept saying, "Those are my feelings. That is my heart for you. That is how I see YOU." Besides the charm, the date was a COMPLETE flop! haha, we didn't click well and God kept telling me "Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires" It was strange to hear, and I tried to ignore it, but I just couldn't. God guided me and led me through the whole thing, and I was obedient, and I couldn't feel better about it!

It may sound strange, but for once, someone took a look at me and considered wanting more, and yet I was the one that turned him down when he wanted another date. I wasn't the one being pushed aside, and it gave me so much more hope for the man God has planned for me.

I look back on the whole situation, and I just laugh. It truly was an awkward and crazy time, but God used the kind words of this young man, to speak to my heart and pour out His love and lead me in a way I never thought I would go.

Merry Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas!!! It's so hard to believe that it's Christmas! This year has flown by!!!! Honestly, it just seems like yesterday I was in Hong Kong for COR just finishing up with outreaches and celebrating Christmas with all my friends there. I never would have thought that that 3 week trip would change my life so drastically. As you know, God called me back to Hong Kong for DTS 3 weeks after I got home...and my experience there is unforgettable.

Not just that, but this year has also brought an addition to our family...little Nora. And how God revealed her to me in a dream still blows my mind. A year brings change, healing, new life, and hope.

The way God works will never be something I understand. This past week and a half has been difficult. My dear friend Dean Cyboron died in a car accident in Ch!na while spending time with his family. This man meant so much to me. When I look back at my life and my walk with God, Dean definitely was a part of my growth. I don't remember any significant moment or conversation we had that totally changed me...but it was how he lived his life. He loved Jesus with all of his heart and that love God put in him poured out onto all of us kids at TEC. He was always there with encouraging words, hugs, and often times a joke or something random to say to make me laugh :) Looking back on his life has inspired me to seek even more of God in my life. I want to live my life in a way that the people around me know how much I love Jesus for what He's done in my life. I want that to be an example to the kids I work with both in school and especially at youth group.

Yes, I don't understand why something like this would happen to Dean and his family, but I do know that God is working through this accident to reach many people. I can see how people who maybe know "about" God look at this and truly see God. It's hard not to see God in this situation. How He has provided peace and healing for the rest of the family and friends.

Tonight, we had the candlelight service for Christmas Eve...well at the end we turn off all of the lights, light candles, and stand in a circle and sing. I couldn't help but think of TEC and the Agape banquet...it was so similar, and to think that Dean is there right now with Jesus at the banquet is a beautiful sight. He's there celebrating Christmas with Christ...and also praising Jesus for all He's done. God is so good!!!

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!!! Remember the true reason for the season...the little baby Jesus that came to be Emmanuel...God with Us. And that is so true! He is with us yesterday, today, and forever.

Update

Hello everyone! I'm seriously the worst blogger ever! haha. I don't keep updated as much as I should, I apologize. But anywho...life has been good lately.

I have some very excited news!!! My sister had her baby girl, Nora Joelle. She was born at 7:18pm on Dec. 6, my mom's birthday :) She

was 6lbs 15 oz and 20 inches long! She is so beautiful!!! It's so amazing to see the promise God gave me in my dream back in Hong Kong be fulfilled! If you don't remember, I had a dream on the Monday before I went to Ch!na that Ryleigh told me her mommy was going to have a baby. Then on Thursday I called Amber and she told me she just found out she was pregnant!!! It still gives me chills to think about it. I mean honestly, God was showing me so much at that time, and the fact that He loves me enough to share that with me is such a blessing. Plus now having little Nora here safe and healthy is so amazing as well. Everyone is doing great, and of course Ryleigh is a BIG help :)

Other than that, life is pretty much the same. I'm still working and now I'm trying to get my schedule all figured out for next semester, which is quite annoying. I just can't get into the classes I need to be in, so hopefully I can get it all figured out!

I'm now officially taking over the youth group at One80. I don't know what to do and how to do it, but I do know that this is why I'm here. I know that I'm supposed to be working with the youth, but what it looks like, ehh...that's a little foggy. I'm just trying to trust that it will all work out! I still feel like the team leadership is the direction to go, but who's on that team? I still don't know! haha. As of now there has been 2 girls showing up...and building relationship with them is so natural and I feel like it's what I'm good at. My prayer is that as we grow in relationship with each other others will see it and want to join and it will just grow from there.

That's about all I got for now...I hope to update againsoon, but it's likely it will be awhile. haha!

The Next Step

So I'm living in Lincoln again! Woo!!! I'm very excited to back here :) I'm not going to school this semester because the only classes I have left are spring semester classes, then student teaching. So, that means I have to start paying loans...yuck. But fortunately I do have a job! I'm subbing for LPS as a para, and I may be getting a job at a middle school every day from 8-3. That would be such a blessing to have a steady job, rather than bouncing from one school to the next and always being the new person. We'll see. I was hoping to substitute teach, but the process of getting the certificate is long! I don't even know if I'm halfway through it or not! It would be great to have for the experience as well as the money, but right now it's looking like it will still take awhile to get. bummer.

I'm also going to be getting some hours watching Ryan again, so I'm excited about that! He's getting so big and his hair is getting so curly!!!! I can't believe he's already in second grade! I feel so blessed to get to work with him and his family. They are great people that inspire me by their faith and perseverance through the hard times. Little Ryan has had a lot of appointments and he will be getting scheduled for brain surgery in a few months. Please keep him and his family in your prayers.

I've been working with the youth group at my church, One80, which has been good. It is challenging though, but I see that as a good thing because then I must rely on God for strength. There is a full time youth pastor now, and it has been great getting to know him and to talk about vision for these youth. Plus, it makes my part with the group a lot less stressful! haha. What I'm really excited about in this next season of my life is what God is doing at One80. Elise and I spoke last Sunday about our time in DTS and what we learned. It's so encouraging to talk to people and see them inspired by what God has done in our lives, or excited to do missions as well! We have now been asked to be small group leaders, as well as possibly teaching some other small group leaders. I think about this and I'm like, whoa! ME? but it excites me so much! I honestly have no idea what I'm doing, but I know that God will tell me along the way. It will be an adventure that I know will stretch me and I pray that Jesus will touch people along the way.

So yeah...that's my life in a nutshell right now.

God bless

I'm Back!!!

Hello everyone!!! I'm finally back from outreach and home from Hong Kong. We got into Hong Kong last week, finished the DTS and had graduation. Us girls spent some time on the beach and shopping and we all watched tons of movies!!! It was great to spend time together before we all went our separate ways.

Outreach was absolutely amazing!!! God moved in such amazing ways! The team I was on saw 2 people come to Christ and the other team had about 7, I believe! We were all able to make many friends and to share Jesus in every city we were in. I truly believe God really used us to plant seeds and break the ground for more and more people. He has such great plans that are beyond what I can imagine. Even just through Spiritual Warfare, God moved a lot. He told us what to pray for and what strongholds to pray against and it prepared a way for us to meet people and talk with them. Each and every person I met was so evidently meant for us to meet. God provided understanding through language barriers, opportunities to share His name and to share how He has helped me in my life, and many other amazing things.

I wish I could explain it, but I just can't find the words. Everything that comes to my mind seems so vague and doesn't do justice to what I experienced. But if I had to sum up my time in Asia, I would have to say it truly was all about relationships: my relationship with Jesus, with my team, and with the people I met in this great nation. God taught me so much through these people as well as through the people on my team. It was hard at times, but HE is so faithful to lead me in His truth. He showed me His heart for me, for my team, and for these people. I saw how He loves them and how it breaks His heart when they don't know Him. He has such great plans for everyone and I can see how much God wants His people to live in the fullness of His love and grace.

I wish I could explain everything here, but I know that would get ridiculously long...so I will leave it at this, and I can't wait to share more with you all :) Thanks again so much for the prayers and support throughout this journey in my life.

Outreach!!!

I can't believe it's time to go on outreach! It doesn't seem like it's been 3 months since I left Nebraska to come back to Hong Kong! God has done so many amazing things in my life since January. I don't even know how to explain it, but He has revealed so much of His love to me and how much He just wants to spend time with me. I still can't get over how much I've grown. When I look at myself, it doesn't seem like it, but then I think back on the experience I've had the past 3 months and I can see how God has worked in me. He has revealed so much to me and has healed areas of my life that I didn't know were broken. I thought that I had already dealt with things, but I still wasn't healed. He has done these things and I'm so amazed! I love how I've gotten so much more confident in what God is saying to me. I CAN hear His voice!!! And that is an amazing thing in itself!!! God has showed me some pictures and dreams recently that have been such a blessing to me and my life. They have been little gifts for me, and I'm in such awe of how much my Jesus loves me!!!! Wow!

Now we leave Hong Kong and have the opportunity to go out and share the love He has poured out on us. I'm looking forward to what He is going to show me and teach me. We leave on Wednesday and spend 2 weeks with the other team, then we split and go our separate ways in the nation we are going to. I'm going to ask that you don't comment about where we are going for security purposes.

Please continue to pray for us as we go out into this amazing nation (if you have any questions, please ask my family, they know :) Please pray for team unity, divine appointments, safety and security while traveling and for God to move in amazing ways in this nation through us. Thanks so much for all the prayer and support thus far! I love you all so much!!!! God bless