Here is SHE

The team is currently in Phuket, Thailand doing bar ministry. When we planned to come here we thought that we would be working more with girls just coming out of that scene, but upon arrival found out that we'd be doing mostly night ministry getting the girls Out.

During the week days we go out to the bars every other night, buy drinks (don't worry, we're doing ministry-no alcohol), mingle with the women, men, and ones in between. Those days we spend all day in prayer/rest to prep for the night because after dinner we start up. Everyone at the ministry (3 teams: YWAM, WorldRace, and RealLife) gather for worship every night and then who ever is on bar ministry loads up for a 30 min songtao ride in asia traffic. We prayer walk the streets a bit before they go dark and explode into red lights and sultry moods, because as the bars open and the girls start cat calling everyone into their bar, we also start.

Starting up the ministry in this area our ministry now is just going into the bars, getting a feel of the spiritual atmosphere and building pure-intentioned relationships with these women. If someone we are connecting with wants out we tell them about our friends who can help them and then invite them to lunch the following day where they learn more about SHE ministry. Here at SHE they train in skills, empower and encourage self-help building to give these women a way to support themselves rather than working in bars and prostituting themselves to support not just themselves, but their parents, siblings and children. Just beginning ministry in this area, the founders have asked us to be careful in actual "ministerING" to the those there and rather getting them out and letting the discipleship happen at SHE- rather than scaring the owners/ppl running these bars into closing the doors for these girls to talk with us at all (as they've seen happen before). So we're not so much teaching the gospel through words as we are in actions by showing His love.

It's a great ministry opportunity, but already a very rough one. Spending hours in extremely spiritually oppressed bars, surrounded by lust, vanity, hopelessness, fear and selfishness is tough on the whole (body, mind and soul). The first night out was a little nerve wracking as we got adjusted to being "cat called" into bars by Women who would flock you, and "ladyboys" (drag-queen-esk) who dote upon you, while all the men at the bar size you up trying to figure out why you're there.

There is no real way to explain just how different this place is in comparison to other bars and party areas, but I pray that God gives you a greater understanding of the depth of spiritual warfare, political corruption, and injustice we are facing. This ministry is much different and the amount of prayer needed to enter those places with a physical presence of God and confidence in His light shining through is Essential! Pray that we have the confidence of the Spirit of God within us; for eyes that are open and vigilant and for the strength to truly see what we're in; for unity and wholeness amongst the teams; for protection! and for God to do a great many works in these places as we make ourselves vessels for His love to destroy the strongholds of these streets!

The verse spoken over us at this time is Matt 10:16 “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be as wise as serpents and innocent as doves."

God has placed me here in this ministry for a month and while it's definitely trying, it has already proven rewarding and I praise Him for allowing me the opportunity to minister as His Son did - to those considered the lowest and the prostitutes. It's an honor to be apart of His Kingdom and I can hardly wait to see what this is training me up for at such a young age- actually it rather freaks me out in a good way!

Love Always

A Month of Ministry Summed Up

Hello All!

I am currently at the Bangkok YWAM base in transit from Chiang Mai to Phuket and just wanted to give you a brief overview of the ministry and experiences I've had in the last month here in Thailand!

In this past month on outreach I have had the privilege of building a relationship with the kids at Abba House Foundation and the guys in New Life Annex/Freedom Christian Center and have truly come to love them as a sister, friend and daughter to some. Each one of them have come to these ministries and are learning the joy of living in the grace of God while experiencing His healing and restoration. Their hunger and passion for God's word and relationship with Him has been so humbling, especially after learning many of their stories. It has been such an incredible time and we all have become family in Christ with each other over the last month.

While staying there God opened the doors for my team and I to minister to places such as the men's prison, HIV/AIDS orphanage, men's drug rehab, crippled children's home, and the girl's drug rehab! We have heard how hard it is to get approved to enter these places and we can only give credit to the Lord for paving the way for us to go preach the gospel and testify of His love and mercy to these incredible people! At each place our team went in with prayer, not knowing what to expect, but leaving with hearts full of love and compassion for every soul we met.

Last night we had a going away party with NewLife and Abba House, and I can honestly say it was one the hardest goodbye's I've ever had to do. We treated everyone with a new food, introducing them to tacos, chunky tomato salsa, Mexican rice, and then concluding with brownies and ice-cream later in the night. After dinner, however we wanted to bless our NewLife brothers/fathers and give them one last example of Jesus' love for us. We explained the event in the Bible where Jesus puts himself lower than that of a household servant and washes the feet of the disciples. This is something that indeed resonates with their culture, the feet being the least of the body and by pointing your foot at someone it is considered a huge insult. So after telling the story we got down with tubs of soapy water and towels and asked to wash their feet, each of them being stunned and overwhelmed by the act. It was an honor to wash these men's feet.

By the time we'd finished most all of them were in tears, as were we, and the Abba House girls who were there watching. As we were wrapping up I put our team leader, Jaque, up and was preparing to wash her feet - the youngest of the NewLife guys, came running up with tears streaming down his face and literally pushed me away- taking her feet to the water himself. It was at this point that if anyone wasn't crying, they sure were then as the men, with their overwhelmed hearts took us and washed our feet in return, many of them going beyond what we had shown them and drying our feet with their shirts. They understand, and this overwhelmed us with emotion as brothers and sisters honored each other in the presence of God and of the young children watching the example set before them. Afterwards one of the young men got up and shared with great emotion how He'd never seen Jesus' exampled in that way and that it made a huge impact on his life; nearly all of the men followed and thanked us for pouring out everything we had for them. Watching a slide show to end the night I had one of the precious girls I taught English to on my lap and I couldn't help but praise God for allowing me to serve these incredible people.

This past month has taught me so much about God and His purpose for my life, through times of encouragement, challenge, exhaustion, and of walking with no other light than His hope. I truly can say that I have grown more into the person He created me to be, though I know it is a never ending process. What an honor it is to serve Him and share His love with people all around the world from all sorts of different backgrounds and life experiences! I am so overwhelmed with how much He loves me and can only praise Him for His unchanging love!

Now my team is on it's way to Phuket where we will be working with a ministry called SHE (Self Help and Empowerment) for the next month. SHE is a Christian charity committed to helping women and children at risk in Thailand, many of whom are trapped in the commercial sex trade. They help by providing employment, vocational training and counseling for women who want to help themselves out of this industry. We know this is going to be much different ministry than that of Abba House, and we are all entering into this next season in prayer, knowing it is going to be much more of a battle. In light of that I covet your prayers to cover our team of nine women as we allow God to shine through us as we build relationships and in some of the most spiritually oppressed places in Thailand.

I am so thankful to have such an incredible body of Christ following me through prayer and cannot tell you how much of a blessing it was to have all my outreach funds come in so miraculously! Thank you so much for your support as the Lord leads me around the world, spreading His Love to the unreached and the hard-hearted. It is such an honor to be used by the God of all as a vessel for His truth and I am so thankful for how you have helped me get here! May the Lord bless you and keep you!

Love Always

Broken for the Injustice

I just want to cry. This morning we went to the Crippled Children’s Home here in Chiang Mai with the Abba House girls, the New Life men, an awareness team from Australia, and a group of supporters from America. With a team of just over 50 we spent but a few hours doing skits, playing games and overall just loving on the children there. Upon arriving I was “claimed” by a young boy whose foot had not grown properly. He came running up to me, almost crawling because of the disablement, and collapsed into my legs. Scooping him up on my hip I spent the next 2 hours with him wrapped around me or sitting on my lap. It didn’t matter that we couldn’t understand each other, all that mattered was that I held him close. That I cared enough to hold him, to not look at him with distain but with love and showing him how valuable he was.
He wasn’t the only one, another little boy with disfigured legs, a teenaged girl whose legs were but nubs, a young boy who was stuck in a wheel chair, many with a mental disability of sorts that just caused a disfigurement or inability to communicate properly. Each one was beautiful, each one with thoughts their own, all knew what joy it was to have someone touch them, someone to hold them and to treat them to an orange. Before we left one of the workers came to thank us for coming saying they do not often have visitors or treats from “outside” and asking us to come back. Following him a representative of the kids, in a wheel chair and unable to carry out normal body movement, thanked us as well saying how much they loved us.
This really got me. These kids are thrown out and considered worthless to their culture because of something they could not control. A problem in growth, a lazy eye, hands whose fingers didn’t grow, a clubbed foot, oversized head, anything and everything not “normal” gave reason for them to be illegitimate and cast aside. This breaks my heart. Most of them could speak, several of them were in line waiting for the phone and a chance to call out, their joy and the urgency that they desired us to hold them, or just to touch them and say hello – nothing else mattered but to be loved. They loved having their pictures taken and would ask for us to take them and then show them over and over again. As everyone sat together and watched the skits all I could think about was praying for each of them. So as the last hour passed the only thought and desire of my heart was for the healing of these kids. Not just physically, but that they would know the Father's embrace and how much He loves them.
They are worth God sending His ONLY son to die – just to give them life. Their value is priceless. He loves them just as much as He loves “normal” kids. And His heart’s desire is to be made known to them just how precious they are. My heart is crying for these kids and as we pulled away I couldn’t help but feel the overwhelming love God has for each of them.


After we came back, we were watching a movie with the girls here at Abba House and a scene came up that had a man saying something suggestive and then just going towards the main character - the way the girls reacted broke my heart. Even before the man went towards them they were all shaking their heads with fear for her. [not to worry, nothing actually happened in the movie] They shouldn't know the discomfort of that situation. These are 8-13 year old girls. This past week we've heard more of what each of these girls have gone through and the stories are hear wrenching. It stuns me how immoral and cruel people can be to children - The Lord will have justice. That is what can keep you going in a ministry like this, knowing that He will justify that which has happened to these jewels. Every time I hear more about the girls, the little boy that's here, the New Life guys or other stories the world becomes less appealing. I have found myself becoming homesick for heaven in the last couple weeks. The presence of His love the only thing fulfilling and spreading that glorious Love the only thing worthwhile. I long for Eden to be restored.


Psalm 100 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!

Know that the Lord, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!

For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.

Love Always

Overcoming hearts with Hope

For a few days this week we were joined by a team of three married couples from Australia were visiting Abba House hoping to learn more about the trafficking and prostitution going on in Thailand. Each of them had been drawn to this cause in one way or another and as a small group joined together to come and see just what was going on here and to begin praying into how they could help. They were with us for several days and spent time with the girls, the guys and even were able to join us in ministering to the young girl's drug rehab this Thursday!

When we arrived at the rehab center the lady at the gate would not let us in, saying she did not know who we were- although we'd been approved and confirmed the day before. As we stood outside praying and waiting as Joyce, founder of AHF, sorted things out we got to spend more time praying into the ministry we were about to do. When they finally let us in we went to an open pavilion where about 30-40 girls that sat before us. After introductions we played a name game that was a hit with the girls as the pavilion erupted into shouts, laughter and squeals of joy! Afterwards two of my teammates shared their messages and testimonies and we worshipped for them- trying to get them involved was much more difficult. The girls were mostly in their middle teens and so image was everything to them; while we were sharing the girls would be fixing their hair, reapplying make-up, and looking at themselves in their pocket sized mirrors that several of them had and were passing around. This broke my heart as they were practically crying out for God's love and just to know that they were beautiful. While ministering to these girls the couples from Australia sat behind us in prayer - something we all felt and so appreciated!

We also performed our "Everything" skit, the girls were very interested in what we were doing. The intense drama is about a girl who loves Jesus, and is tempted by many worldly things such as lust, addictions, insecurities, and greed. She cries out for Jesus but is being spiritually attacked by these temptations. At the end, Jesus takes the burden from her and she breaks free from those things and accepts Jesus into her life. After the skit, Gulya (a team member from Tajikistan) asked the girls who wanted to receive prayer to come up front and the response was wonderful! We had the opportunity to pray for about fifteen of these girls and for a new path for their lives. It was incredible to see them hold onto our hands as we prayed individually for them and then speaking with some of them, via our wonderful translator, hearing more of their broken and emptiness. One girl was saying how alone and hopeless she felt and how she just didn't know what to do anymore; our translator was so moved to tears as she got to directly minister to this young girl for a time and pray with her to receive comfort and peace. They were so spiritually hungry.

Before leaving, we shared snacks with them and had a great time of fellowship. It is so important for these girls to have this positive influence and steady relationships during such a pivotal time in their lives and we found out later that a group of missionary women from America come to teach english every week. However, the authorities there sometimes won't let them in, though they've been going for nearly two years; and when they do get to go in it has not been uncommon for them to stand over these women as they teach - making sure they are not "teaching Christianity." This has been a very difficult, but incredibly rewarding ministry and I urge you to keep them in your prayers as they minister and disciple these girls - as much as they can under the keen eye of the authorities there who have been very difficult and closed to their teaching the Bible.

Praise God for His restorative Spirit and for the comfort He brings to those without hope!

Love Always

All Blessings, Glory, and Honor be to God!

Come and hear, all you who fear God,

and I will tell what he has done for my soul.
I cried to him with my mouth, and high praise was on my tongue.
If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer.

Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me! (Psalm 66:16-20)

Psalm 67

May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah
that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!

Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. Selah
Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!

The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, shall bless us.
God shall bless us; let all the ends of the earth fear him!

This is the prayer of my heart. May it be like honey to Your ears, O God, and as wine to Your soul. Lord, let the anointing oil drip from your lips, covering my head. May the water that quenches all thirst drown my flesh, that I may take it upon myself to die each day. "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)

"Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped." (Revelation 5:11-13) AMEN! so be it!

Love Always

The Karen Hill Tribe Village

This Friday our team packed and piled into a Song-tao to travel with the New Life guys to a remote hill tribe village in northern Thailand! We spent several hours driving and on the way celebrated our team leader's 50th birthday! What a place to celebrate!

Upon arriving at the top of the mountain we came to an understanding just how "remote hill tribe living" was going to look like. They set us up in the guest house - a wooden plank shack built up on the side of a steep ravine. It was so beautiful up in the mountains and the view was stunning! We explored for a bit and walked through some of the nearby village where we were invited into someone’s home and had the opportunity to pray for them! After cleaning up a bit and settling in we piled back into the trucks and made our way through the mountain tribe area, finally reaching another "nearby" church.

Once there we joined in praising God for bringing us all together in the greatness of His mercy. Afterwards we heard some testimonies, and then a message was preached by our very own Pastor Ad (keep in mind that it was all translated from Karen, Thai, and then sort of into English as a few of the guys and our translator tried to translate for us as the pastor was saying the next phrase, without being too loud to distract all the others gathered - they did a great job through the difficult situation). Many hours into the night we finally closed in prayer and where going to leave when an older woman from the tribe came running to collapse at the feet of Pastor Ad. It took a minute to get translations through but she had a very badly hurting leg and wanted prayer. So Pastor Ad grabbed myself and another and then we all laid hands on her and prayed for the healing of her leg. It was incredible - this woman knew God's

healing power and came Running to receive prayer - and she got it in 3 languages at once! Even though we all spoke different languages the spirit was upon us and agreement with each other wasn't even a second thought. A few minutes later the woman thanked us with tears in her eyes, joy in her heart, and praise upon her lips as she walked away healed! Praise the Lord for His healing power that old women come running to receive, and let this continue throughout our ministry here in Thailand!

Saturday we woke up early to prepare for a day "camp" for the village kids! It was exciting because the 8th of January is a national holiday that the Thai celebrate called, Children's Day! We found out just how much was expected of us as over 100 children showed up to spend the next six hours in our care! We split them up into four groups so that it was easier to handle and the New Life guys helped us by being "team leaders," rotating the groups so they all got to have fun doing different activity stations that we manned. There was singing, lots of games (‘duck, duck, goose’, relay races, soccer, musical chairs, etc), and face painting! Throughout the day we gathered all the kids together at few times to all sing together and to tell them some Bible stories, acting out Noah’s ark, the Christmas story, and the Good Shepherd!

That night we had church at the pastor's which we were staying and again had an incredible time joining them in worship, prayer and learning more about God as one of my teammates, Marissa, taught the sermon (it was interesting as she spoke it in English, O translated into Thai, and then the local pastor into Karen - making it very slow and we can only pray and have faith that what is said is translated correctly).

Sunday morning church came around and we did an

other skit, I shared my testimony - praying a blessing over them at the end and then the New Life guys did a song/skit as well. After Pastor Ad taught a very enthusiastic message about.. God... and then we presented the local pastor with a few gifts and thanked them and the village for having us. -We also had to explain that the Hawaiian calendar we were handing him was all ripped up on the front because a mouse had snacked on it three inches from my head in the middle of the night! Yikes! haha That last night in the village we had many "visitors" to see us off I guess- including termites all over the wall/building my group was sleeping in, a cockroach in Jacque’s bag, and our loud munching mouse! - at least they made for some good stories!

We also had an amazing time hanging out with the New Life/FCC guys! God has done such an incredible work in each of their lives. They also performed skits and songs and helped out with the kids through the entire weekend! It was so marvelous seeing them totally involved in the ministry right along with us. It was really a missions trip for them and it was cool to see how they came alive in that setting and their love for Jesus shone through in all that they did.

After the Sunday service we said farewell to the villagers, ate lunch, prayed over the pastor and his family and then loaded up to return to Abba House. While staying in the village it was so inspiring to see their hearts to serve those around them and to reach out in their community. We found out later that most of the kids we'd played with the day before were sponsored by Compassion, hearing some of their stories made my heart break, but then fill with joy knowing someone somewhere cared enough to send money for these kids to live. We also learned that the kids who weren't sponsored by Compassion, the pastor was personally paying to keep in school, clothed, and fed. This man and his family have literally been Pouring out all that they have and more to this village, and they are still in such need. The Karen hill tribe area that we visited has over 1,000 people, of which only 30% have been reached and have heard the Gospel. That's still 700 people who haven't heard of Jesus and what He did for them, and how much He Loves them!!! The pastor there needs help, he's asking for people who can sponsor kids, support his family and ministry, and he's also opening it up for someone to teach English for 3 or 6 months will all room and board covered, there's just no salary. He asked us to make his case heard and we are praying that by being the body of Christ we can fill these needs as it should be. Please pray about helping meet the needs of this pastor as he works to reach all the peoples of the Karen hill tribe, with God and the few other pastors he has discipled up there. Pray for all the people that came to the church services, and the kids that we spent the day with on Saturday, that they will continually be reminded of what they heard and that they will truly know and embrace the love Jesus has for them!

Desiring to be made clean

This tuesday we had the opportunity to go minister to the men at the Chiang Mai Drug Rehab Center alongside the YWAM-Australia team that is still with us at Abba House Foundation. We left AHF at 8:30am and spent the next half hour in trucks to get there. Arriving at the center we found that i was much more remote than we'd expected and kind of like a retreat center out in the woods. We pulled up to all the men gathered in a small building with no windows, but rather metal window frames and wooden shutters. After we all introduced ourselves we spent some time playing a name game with the guys and then had a time of worship.This was really cool to get to share with them our passion for Christ through song - even though they had no idea what we were saying it was interesting to see the reactions within their eyes from the time we arrived to the time we finished worshiping together. Afterwards several people shared a testimony or Word and may I just say God's hand was All Over the people who spoke - from both teams - and the grace of God was proclaimed! Ben, one of the Australia team's leaders, preached the Gospel and then invited anyone who wanted prayer to come up and before He'd finished there were 3 guys who were standing in the middle of the room with Ben. After Ben wrapped it up we all got up and most of the other guys joined the 3 in the center as we laid hands and prayed for all of them!

When we'd finished praying with them we had a time of just fellowshiping with them - we'd brought sodas and oranges. This was was much harder than we'd thought it would be since we only had 2 translators for the 20 of us. It was still a sweet time and many people were able to pray individually with several of the men there - so cool!

The desire that these men had to be cleaned of their addictions was inspiring. Of the few stories I got to hear from different ones, there was such testimony through their struggles. One of the men there was from Laos and had become a Christian here in Thailand while at the drug rehab center. He'd been here for just over a year if I remember correctly, and hopes to return to Laos to preach the gospel to his country - even though it is closed to Christianity. He was so passionate and driven to over come this addiction and to be closer to God it was truly inspiring and an honor to meet him. We had the chance to pray over him for a few minutes at the end and just encourage him in his calling - Praise the Lord!

It wasn't all fun and games however, there was some frustration with the way things were handled with the lack of translation, communication between leaders and us, and just general frustrations with being rushed out of there at the end. It made some of us more frustrated than others, however these things are not to be unexpected. Through it was a time of working together to talk through the situations and learn how to extend grace and forgiveness even when it is difficult and things feel unjust.

As in the parable of the unforgiving servant in Matthew 18:21-35. The master pardons the debt of his servant but the servant then turns and demands payment from all his debtors.

Lord, forgive me for ever not extending grace and forgiveness to another brother or sister - you set the example and I am so convicted by the way you love us.

Love Always

Doi Suthep will Fall

This was a tough week for me here in Thailand. Although it was full of absolutely incredible experiences, they were all very draining times of ministry. My health being affected as my body grew more tired throughout the week. None the less, it was a time of relying on His strength and learning more about what that looks like on a day-to-day basis on the missions field. In my weakness He is strong.

Monday is our "day off" here at Abba House, so we left in the morning to go up Doi Suthep mountain, on the peak of which a massive temple is located. It took about an hour to drive up there and it was truly something to behold.

While walking up the hundreds of steps towards the top the stairs were lined

with food vendors, performers, shanty shops, beggars and people selling offering items. All the way up they lined the steps and as I walked up I couldn't help imagine

that it must have been like that when Jesus walked into the temple to find it a place of gambling, stealing and cheating.

Once at the top we passed between 2 large Buddhist idols, those who went up to worship these all stopping to pray in front of them. A sign directed to foreigners to a desk where you pay to enter the temple, this was even more so distrurbing because we in no way wanted to participate in funding such idolatry of this temple. We had with us our driver, Goon, who took around the back way where we entered and proceeded to walk the grounds of this temple on top of the mountain. It was really hard to be up there spiritually, everywhere were idols, people praying, leaving offerings of money, food, items, flowers and little sculptures. In front of the main temple there were several groups of young children dressed up - dancing under the instruction of temple workers - with collection plates asking for money. This too made my heart burn for the people, already my spirit was very stirred and the only way I was able to stay up there was by praying constantly and calling for the Lord to destroy the place.

By the time we were ready to leave my spirit had had enough, my body was literally shaking in response even though I wasn't mentally fighting off any spiritual attacks, I would stand still and my legs be vibrating in such a way that you could see it. We returned to the main gate area and began to pray a little together - not 2 mins later an official came and told us that we needed to pay to enter the temple. We tried explaining that we'd already been through, but through the language barrier and and I dare give satan any credit, but so it was. We tried walking away but apparently the official got the money from Jacque, our leader.

Once we'd made it back down we got some lunch and then headed back down the mountain. On the way we stopped at a few waterfalls which was really nice. Of all His creations in nature, waterfalls are perhaps one of my favorites as far as being in awe of His creation and seeing them is such a reminder to me of His love. This is because as much as I can sit in awe of these powerful forces of nature, created by God, and so beautiful- I am reminded at how He looks upon me, saying I am more beautiful than those, the power He has granted me through His son's name is so great that in it I could command the water to change directions and it would without hesitation. He has always used this particular way of communicating to me through nature and so having the driver stop to show us the falls was such a God thing! At the last water fall we got to hike up close to it, and climbing higher and closer on my own, I was able to just worship God as loud as I wanted and not think about anything else. Spending the time there to really think about the country's strongholds and just pray into them further while marveling at the beauty of God's creation was such a relief and a gift to be able to rest in Him after encountering such a disturbance at Doi Suthep.

1 Corinth 10:20-22

"I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?"

Deuteronomy 9:16 & 26-29

"And I looked, and behold, you had sinned against the Lord your God. You had made yourselves a golden calf. You had turned aside quickly from the way that the Lord had commanded you...And I prayed to the Lord, ‘O Lord God, do not destroy your people and your heritage, whom you have redeemed through your greatness, whom you have brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Remember your servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Do not regard the stubbornness of this people, or their wickedness or their sin, lest the land from which you brought us say, “Because the Lord was not able to bring them into the land that he promised them, and because he hated them, he has brought them out to put them to death in the wilderness." For they are your people and your heritage, whom you brought out by your great power and by your outstretched arm.’ "

O Lord, that those who go and worship and give offerings to demons at Doi Suthep would come to know their sin and repent for such idolatry. Have mercy on Your people! May the temple fall lower than the highest waterfall - beyond the places that any human can reach - and upon the Rock of that mountain let the marvel of Your creation flow abundantly so that all might see and know Your Glory!

Love Always

A year of favor and blessing from day 1

January 1st of 2011!!!

We wake up early and together, with YWAM-Australia, pile into the AHF van and truck to start a year of serving the Lord - beginning with an HIV/AIDS children's home!

Nikki''s Place: Agape Home is an orphanage for children that opened in May 1996 as a response to the plight of children impacted by the spread of HIV/AIDS across Thailand. All of the children who go to the Agape Home to live are, or are at risk of being, HIV positive. Many of them have already lost their parents to AIDS, and there are no other options for their care. They have a nursery for the babies and a Preschool where the children ages three to five attend school daily and are cared for by the staff and volunteers. These are the kids we get to spend the first day of the year with - just playing around and loving on!

On our way there we all were bubbling with excitement and anticipation, not really knowing what we were about to face, but looking forward to it none-the-less. Upon arriving there were no kids outside and we sat in the pagoda waiting and praying for what was about to happen. While we were waiting a little girl probably 4 years old came out the door, caught eyes with me and hurtled herself into my lap. I am nearly moved to tears just by her desire to be held. Scooping her into my arms I hold her close, nearly moved to tears just by the love that was transferred through touch.

A few minutes later her nanny came to take her away as 30 kids show up and sit before us. All of them staring with wide eyes, pointing and laughing at a few of us as we made faces at them - waiting for the Home's staff to clear things with ours... some of the boys in front of me were playing a hand game where you race to get your fingers into this pretzel or a knot the fastest. I was intrigued and let them teach me how to get one finger wrapped around the other, this one over, the other one under and then these finger tips touching that one while your thumb sticks out straight - it took a good deal of practice and some pain, but eventually they found my attempted playing acceptable. With only about 30 kids to play with, we all got "picked" and spent the rest of the day being a personal playmate with one or two kids.

One of the little boys I'd been playing the Finger-Knot-Race with, named Lachan, picked me and whisked me away to the play ground where we adventured for the following hour. Lachan, a young boy about 6 years old, had an IronMan mask that he carried everywhere! And if he wasn't wearing it, I was carrying it for him- such a privilege! ;) He loved to "fly" like IronMan and would have me "fly" him to every piece of jungle gym equipment. It was so much fun with kids and friends everywhere playing on the lawn, in the mini club house, on the jungle gym, giving piggy-back rides, swinging them around and playing a large game of duck, duck, goose. After an hour or so we gathered them all together and did some sack races, singing and distributed oranges to everyone. Sitting in the grass with Lachan on my lap and another little boy so close he was practically on me too, eating oranges and being completely in love with the kids I reflected on the life of Christ. How He held the child in His lap in Matt 9:36-37 saying, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”

An older boy came by with a little baggie of pills for my boys, and as Lachan stuffed his little bag into his pocket I came back to the reality of why he was sitting in my lap at Agape Home. Again I am nearly moved to tears, feeling that the life of this little boy in my lap has been anything but easy and feeling God's compassion and love for him even more. As he finished his orange in my embrace I sat interceding for him - broken with the thought of his condition and ever thankful for Christ's example and His promise.

Gathering everyone for a photo I gave Lachan the last piggy-back ride and held up his IronMan mask for him. Swinging him down from the jungle gym we ran back to the pavilion and before I knew it I was back in the van with my teammates driving away from Agape Home. While most of the girls told about their kids and funny moments they all had, all I could do was pray for those children, my heart broken for the injustice of their situation and how much God loves each one of them. He is so good, and I am pulled into a greater love for Him just knowing that He loves them more than I ever could, and His desire for justice for these children is greater than mine.

When we arrive back at Abba House we spend the afternoon playing with the girls and then crash into bed exhausted. Sweet restful sleep in a bed, with a roof overhead, walls closing out the pests of night, blankets to warm, and friends surrounding.

Lord, thank you for your favor. For your blessings. And for allowing me to take part in blessing others just by being a vessel. I am so honored that You chose me and cannot fully express what love captivates my heart for You.

So begins the first day of a new year.

The year 2011.

Love Always