so, i've been praying for more than a year now for God to provide an opportunity for me to go on a mission trip. i've always enjoyed the comforts of home (seriously, i love some air condition and am thankful that God allowed someone to create it); however, I have felt God calling me out of comfort zone and like He is ready for me to experience His love somewhere, i just didn't know where.
i first signed up to go to Senegal (in Africa) for a trip that was scheduled to go in October of last year; I was excited about that opportunity and waited on the trip to begin planning, fundraising, etc. Unfortunately the trip was canceled, so I immediately began praying... I doubted and wondered if God really wanted me to go somewhere or if it was my own desire to go somewhere. I feel like God has blessed so much, and I want to give back to others. It is the least I can do.
In February of this year, I go to my eye doctor's appointment. My eye doctor (who said to call him Chuck) or Dr. Knudson was so nice and very personable. He ask me a question, and somehow I mentioned my desire to go on a mission trip, and he got really excited. he said, i have a friend who organizes trips to Haiti and i think it could be perfect for you. i mean, are you kidding me, God totally shows up at my eye doctor's appointment. long story short, my eye doctor emailed his friend, george, and now i am traveling to Haiti with BlessBack Worldwide:)
God is soo good. I just needed to be patient, he had something in store for me all along. I cannot wait to love on the children in the orphanage, to help where needed (if that is painting, cleaning, triage, filling prescriptions, etc). I know that God is going to use me, and I will be praying daily for my trip.
What can you do, you can pray for our trip and team. We are going October 1-8th. I know that there will be specific prayer requests as we get closer to the time we are going, but for now, please pray for our team in general.
"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms." 1 Peter 4:10 (NIV)
Friday, June 17, 2011
Sunday, June 12, 2011
the results of the spending challenge
so a week of not spending any money, what did i learn? several things:
1) that i have self control and that i did it
2) contrary to my belief, i can eat at home (every meal, except the meal i paid for kathryn and gilbert's graduation - monday night)
3) that all of these things on earth are just that, material possessions that i do not need; however, i did not lose my ability to spend, i went to target tonight and oh my, haha
4) God totally provides little surprises... i had a meeting with one of the pastors at my church about leading a lifegroup and he bought me a coffee, i was totally having withdrawls from no caffeine, haha. also, my mother purchased lunch for me yesterday so i wouldn't break the rules:)
kasey did a great job too, she only had to buy stella (her cat) treats during the week as she didn't feel the need to torture her cat:) I did have to go to target and get my two prescriptions, as i didn't have time on sunday to go by and get them and i ran out on wednesday. the good news is, i didn't have to fill up my gas tank this week, so i used gas sparingly; i told kase and em today that not spending money kind of changes your social life too.
all in all, it was a great challenge that made me evaluate how i eat out way too much, buy starbucks way too much, and just spend when i want, i need to make smarter, wiser choices (this will start post my target trip today), hehe.
if you feel like challenging yourself for a week to see if you can do it, i encourage you too.
kasey even sent along some bible verses throughout the week that she felt spoke to her; i'll share them with you.
Jeremiah 10:23-24
23 Thus says the Lord: "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches,24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord."
1 Timothy 6:608
6 Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment,7 for we brought nothing into the world, andt we cannot take anything out of the world.8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.
"Which commandment is the most important of all?"29 Jesus answered, "The most important is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'31 The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." 12:30-31
1) that i have self control and that i did it
2) contrary to my belief, i can eat at home (every meal, except the meal i paid for kathryn and gilbert's graduation - monday night)
3) that all of these things on earth are just that, material possessions that i do not need; however, i did not lose my ability to spend, i went to target tonight and oh my, haha
4) God totally provides little surprises... i had a meeting with one of the pastors at my church about leading a lifegroup and he bought me a coffee, i was totally having withdrawls from no caffeine, haha. also, my mother purchased lunch for me yesterday so i wouldn't break the rules:)
kasey did a great job too, she only had to buy stella (her cat) treats during the week as she didn't feel the need to torture her cat:) I did have to go to target and get my two prescriptions, as i didn't have time on sunday to go by and get them and i ran out on wednesday. the good news is, i didn't have to fill up my gas tank this week, so i used gas sparingly; i told kase and em today that not spending money kind of changes your social life too.
all in all, it was a great challenge that made me evaluate how i eat out way too much, buy starbucks way too much, and just spend when i want, i need to make smarter, wiser choices (this will start post my target trip today), hehe.
if you feel like challenging yourself for a week to see if you can do it, i encourage you too.
kasey even sent along some bible verses throughout the week that she felt spoke to her; i'll share them with you.
Jeremiah 10:23-24
23 Thus says the Lord: "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches,24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord."
1 Timothy 6:608
6 Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment,7 for we brought nothing into the world, andt we cannot take anything out of the world.8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.
"Which commandment is the most important of all?"29 Jesus answered, "The most important is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'31 The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." 12:30-31
Friday, June 3, 2011
7 day spending challenge
okay, so my friend kasey and i are going to try a seven day spending challenge starting on monday morning going through sunday night. this may not sound like a lot to most, but for me this will be a challenge. no eating out, except a pre-planned dinner with the kids i used to babysit for to celebrate their graduation, no starbucks (what in this world will i do, probably lose a few pounds), no giving into cravings for dinner, no random trips to target, and absolutely do not step foot in the mall.
here are a few of the things i am going to do:
* eat lots of things out of my pantry
* cook meals all week at home
* use anything that i am running out of sparingly
* go to the grocrey store saturday to make sure i have bread/essentials
* fill up my gas tank on sunday
* already purchased crystal's wedding present (so i don't even have to buy that)
* if i feel the need to go do anything outside of the house, watch a movie at home with friends or go on a walk or go to the pool (ALL FREE)
okay, i'll post next sunday and let you know how it goes:)
oh, and the best part:: every time i feel the need to go buy something or want to eat out, i am going to pray!
here are a few of the things i am going to do:
* eat lots of things out of my pantry
* cook meals all week at home
* use anything that i am running out of sparingly
* go to the grocrey store saturday to make sure i have bread/essentials
* fill up my gas tank on sunday
* already purchased crystal's wedding present (so i don't even have to buy that)
* if i feel the need to go do anything outside of the house, watch a movie at home with friends or go on a walk or go to the pool (ALL FREE)
okay, i'll post next sunday and let you know how it goes:)
oh, and the best part:: every time i feel the need to go buy something or want to eat out, i am going to pray!
my first nascar experience
so last week, christine was able to score us some free tickets to the coca-cola 600!!! kase, em, and i headed to the race, and oh my what an adventure. i am pretty sure kase was the most entertaining one of the three. em was pumped from the minute we found out we got the tickets. we got into a little traffic on the way, passed several parking lots, and i am pretty sure em was irritated at me thinking i had passed by all the lots that we were supposed to park in, but don't worry i somehow stumbled upon FREE parking, score another one for us!!! we found a line for a shuttle that would even take us a little closer to the gate, which was greatly appreciate seeing as it was nearly 100 degrees that afternoon. we met a nice group of people from charleston while in line; i am pretty sure everyone enjoyed the fact that it was our first race.
we got to take coolers into the speedway, so that was a huge relief that we didn't have to spend tons of money on water, as it was so hot that i felt like i needed an iv of water. once we got to our section, we realized it was the nonsmoking section, CAN WE SAY, WAY BLESSED!!! i could not believe it.
we sat down and watched the pre-race festivities which were great, and then the engines started and the race began. good thing kase and i stopped and got us some earplugs or we would have died. i decided i would pull for denny hamlin (#11), em decided she would pull for carl edwards (#99), and kase decided she would pull for kasey khane(#4). it was very hard to keep up with your driver, as they are going soooo fast.
we lasted til lap 300... not bad for such a long race. by the time we got to the car, there were 40 laps to go. kase and i listened all the way home, so heartbreaking what happened to jr. junior nation is no joke.
we got to take coolers into the speedway, so that was a huge relief that we didn't have to spend tons of money on water, as it was so hot that i felt like i needed an iv of water. once we got to our section, we realized it was the nonsmoking section, CAN WE SAY, WAY BLESSED!!! i could not believe it.
we sat down and watched the pre-race festivities which were great, and then the engines started and the race began. good thing kase and i stopped and got us some earplugs or we would have died. i decided i would pull for denny hamlin (#11), em decided she would pull for carl edwards (#99), and kase decided she would pull for kasey khane(#4). it was very hard to keep up with your driver, as they are going soooo fast.
we lasted til lap 300... not bad for such a long race. by the time we got to the car, there were 40 laps to go. kase and i listened all the way home, so heartbreaking what happened to jr. junior nation is no joke.
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