The Dream is Alive!

16 days!

I have been dreaming about being with YWAM now for months and it finally hit me today how it is really happening! I have spent the last few days making lists of things to get for the trip, things to take, to-do before I leave, people to get in touch with, paper work to straighten, finances smoothed out, and an assortment of other things. It was just today when I realized, "I have 2 weeks and 2 days until I leave." Wow!!!

It's finally set in and I am beyond excited, and yet a little sad as well. Being away from my family for that long, especially after being in the house with them for early 5 months, seems daunting. However, I know that it is what God has called me to and so I am ecstatic about the teachings and experiences ahead!

Since my last post my mother, sister and I have moved to Texas and have been happily living in a 2 bedroom apt for exactly one month. It's been a time of great adjustment to the dramatic change of temperature, new faces, and overall culture shock going from Nashville to Fort Worth, but a time of major growth as well. Rachelle (my little sister) is in the marching band/color guard as a sophomore in high school so we see her for about 10-30mins as she goes from practice, shower, homework and then to bed. She and I have had some beautiful late night talks about life and God and it's so encouraging to hear from her heart like that! Mom's still without a source of steady income, but it seems that this painting/bible study dream God's put on her heart is lining up faster than the day jobs she's applied for, so we're looking forward to what God has in line for that. In the mean time, she and I are running an estate sale in Fort Worth for some family friends - may I just say how blessed and thankful we are for the work! I am using the money I make through this on travel costs, health insurance, living expenses (laundry, clothes, shampoo, etc) and other necessities that come up while I'm in Kona and on outreach.

On that note I wanted to let you know how finances are coming along with the fundraising and trip money. So here's the scoop!

I have paid for my flight to Kona myself, and found great prices for the 3 connecting flights there for just over $500! (This worked in 3 days time to spend at Lee, with my brothers and sisters there, up to the day I fly out for Kona.) Upon arrival to YWAM Kona, my first payment of $4210 is due. I have made ALL of that this summer through working various jobs and using my excess scholarship money from Lee last year! The second payment is $2500, due at the end of October. Through all of your gifts, I am only $600 short of meeting this already! The last installment will be due towards the end of November and will be somewhere between $2500-$3000 (depending on the outreach country). I will also need to purchase a flight home at the beginning of the next year from Kona to Fort Worth as I have not yet done that. So I am still looking to raise about $4000 more!

God is SO faithful to provide and I am So thankful for the blessings and gifts HE has given me through your pocket and that of my employers! Without Your willingness to give I would be nowhere as close to meeting these numbers! Thank you so much! Please continue to act in obedience and if you have not given yet, or have and still feel led to give to His work, contact me and I'll send you my mailing address.

In the last few weeks, I have met most of my team members, for JusticeDTS, through Facebook and we have been constantly chatting, encouraging, praying, and laughing together and for each other already - I can hardly wait to meet all these amazing brothers and sisters! Please continue to pray for me as I begin preparations to leave in just 16 days!

This dream is proving to be not only reachable with Him, but just a small step into a grand portrait of life by the Master!

Love Always

The Start of a Journey

You have seen it briefly in the news, movies tell it like a story, and you have probably read about it, but something changes when you witness it. Your heart breaks for those without the hope of justice, the hope of Christ. Human trafficking, child soldiers, genocide, poverty, AIDS, children living on the streets – these are only a few of the injustices that millions face every day. In the last several years God has been calling my heart and softening it towards these people and now the time has come for me to take up this incredible opportunity that God has presented!

But first, a little background into where I am at now: I have just finished my freshman year of college at Lee University. At this remarkable school I gained a year of liberal arts credits and joined hearts with a solid group of brothers and sisters in Christ. Over winter break, however, I felt God’s pull towards a discipleship program far from Cleveland, TN. After a few months of praying and many confirmations not only of my prayers, but also those of my parents, I applied to Youth With A Mission’s (YWAM) Justice Discipleship Training School. A few weeks later I received a letter of acceptance and I can hardly begin to explain how thrilled I am!

So this means that on September 29th, I will fly to Kailua Kona, Hawaii where I will attend a Discipleship Training School designed to train those who refuse to stand on the sidelines and observe the atrocities of our world, with a set of skills, deeper knowledge and understanding of God.

This school will run for 24 weeks, starting on September 30, 2010, and ending March 11, 2011. The first 12 weeks will be spent in an intensive lecture phase where I will be taught by the mothers and fathers of world missions. They will encourage me in furthering my relationship with God by teaching on:

• the character and nature of God
• listening and communicating with God
• effectively communicating God's Word
• a biblical world view
• prayer, intercession, and spiritual warfare
• reconciliation
• spiritual gifts
• God's heart for the poor and needy
• missions and evangelism

During this time, I will also learn many skills that will increase my outreach effectiveness. Some of these include:

• learning how to build water purifiers and water tanks to help fight the water crisis that kills two million children every year
• life-changing educational opportunities for young people in developing countries; to assist in eradicating poverty through education.

The second half of the program will be spent on field assignments targeting areas of poverty and injustice in both Asia and Africa. During this time I may end up in Cambodia, Thailand, Togo (West Africa) and Haiti (these may change but are the current options). And depending on the outreach this will mean either working in teams of 10-12 people in orphanages, with street children, trafficked and sexually abused women or AIDS victims. These are only a few of many possible places God will lead me to over the course of the last 3 months of this adventure.

I am so excited about the opportunities and experiences that God has in store for the coming year and I hope you see the value in what we will accomplish. As you can imagine, a trip like this requires financial support from a number of people. Fees for the 12-week lecture phase of the school (approximately $4,300 with room, board and tuition) are completely covered. Thanks to God for providing $4,300 in excess scholarship money I received this past year from Lee and the State!!! However, cost for the 12-week field assignment (which includes airfare, food and housing) is estimated to be $5,000-$6,000 needed by mid-November.

Oh! And I just bought my plane ticket from here to Kona, HI and after much searching got a one-way for just over $400! Wow- Great Deal! This I was able to raise this summer with my temporary job at home working for my mother's faux finishing business, LADesign. I also am working part time at a local pottery painting business, called Hotsy Potsy, and of course taking up the occasional babysitting opportunities! ;) Praying in the funds is something I have never had need to do before but am so enjoying the way He provides so faithfully! I hope to keep this blog updated with the developments of this next phase of life and hopefully you will get to see a greater change in my life than ever before!

Thank you for your constant prayers and encouragement during all this!

Love Always