3 Days til Spain!!

I leave for Spain in 3 days! WOW. I am sitting here reflecting on the faithfulness and goodness of God through out this journey. This has been SOME journey... but I know it is only beginning. A few people have asked me if I feel nervous or scared. I did have mixed emotions of nerves and excitement prior to getting my visa. Strangely, and to my own surprise I don't feel nervous now. I don't know how I will feel when I'm saying goodbye to my fiends and family and boarding the plane on Saturday, or even the emotions I will feel landing in Spain. However, as of now I have a strong sense of complete peace. Like, this is where I am SUPPOSE to be heading. I have no idea what to expect or what awaits me in Spain; but I DO know who goes before me. This past Sunday I said goodbye to many people who I will miss tremendously. I shed a few tears but what overpowered the bittersweet atmosphere was God allowing me to visibly see the amazing support system that I have here at home. It was overwhelming in a good way and gave me great comfort to know that I am not leaving people behind, but carrying them with me as I begin this new chapter in my life. Please keep my transition period in your prayers.Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart, for your love, support, prayers and encouragement. It has meant more than you will ever know.<3

"Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step." -Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Joel McKerrow

I was at an open mic night at Bus boys and poets this past Tuesday and heard this amazing spoken word artist Joel McKerrow. I couldn't single out "confessions part 1" but please fast forward to it (#2). I'm digging his art and some of the truth he speaks....makes you think.Check it out:)

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The vision of Casa Seferard

This is a video from the ministry centre I will be working with on the  vision concerning human trafficking victims.

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The moon

^" Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night." Genesis 1:16

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"Am I not good?"

Last night was another great night gathering with the women at the prison. Every time I go God either wakes me up or ignites something in me. My lesson of the day was “ Am I not good?” God challenged me with the idea that If I do indeed believe that He is a good God, and works things out for the good of those who love him AND if I embrace the fact that His ways are above my ways then why do circumstances that don’t turn out the way I plan have such a lasting affect on me? This past month I have been struggling with the course of the detours instead of trusting the driver.

“Am I not good?” One of the women I met with has been incarcerated longer than I’ve been alive and will soon be granted her physical freedom. She restated how thankful she was for her time in jail because it was there that God was able to reach her and her life was drastically changed. She stated that her life style before jail would have surely led her to die years ago.  Loosing physical freedom led to the gaining stability, truth, wisdom and freedom for her soul. WOW I thought…you worked all the negativity that landed her here out for her good.

“Am I not good?” Yes Lord. “Then why do you not trust?” This month has been such a whirlwind of planning, preparation, grieving, learning and dealing.  I spent so much time being strong for everyone that I forgot to surrender those burdens. Somehow the events of the past month became more relevant than the journey ahead… no good.  I am so thankful for the break through last week! He is the God of grace that transforms lives, whose ways are higher and loves with out bounds‘Yes you are good…help me to consistently have that in the forefront and in the midst of every single circumstance.’

Psalm 38:8, Romans 8:28

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Emotions and Perspective

It’s funny sometimes how one comment, encounter or expression can completely alter your outlook, for the good or bad.

Scenario#1: You had an amazing morning! Great night sleep after an encouraging phone call, you put on your favorite sweater, they played your favorite song on your morning commute. Then, during your lunch break you encounter the rudest employee EVER at 'Bob's happy burger shack' who proceeds to indirectly express her dissatisfaction of life in general and works hard to make sure you share the same discontentment for the next 8 minutes. Mission accomplished ‘Rhonda.’ 

Scenario #2: You have a sucky morning! You slept through your alarm clock and the next 10 minutes become a scene out of “the amazing race”. It’s pouring down rain and just as you get onto the main road your gas light comes on. You try to get over to turn into the gas station coming up but as you signal ‘Toby’ in the black Mercedes gets a sudden sense of urgency and speeds up. You miss the turn and now you are officially going to be late to work.  You pull in the gas station and a beautiful creation of the Lord in heaven at the pump next to you tells you how beautiful you are. All is well with the worldJ

See what I mean? The temporariness doesn’t make the emotions you feel invalid…but on the other hand it gives way to the idea that we should not allow emotions to validate us.

It’s a difficult concept to grasp sometimes. How do I allow myself to feel emotions without being ruled by them? And how do I know that Rhonda at Happy burger shack didn’t get bad news right before her shift or Toby in the Mercedes didn’t just get an emergency call? Does it excuse their actions no I can’t control their reactions or response but I surely can control how they affect mine.

We were given emotions to be able to experience the life that has been granted to us. The joy, anger, sadness, excitement…. These are all reminders to our souls that we don’t just exist, we live! Even on the whirlwind days, I have every right to be angry, sad or frustrated, but then I have a choice to make. The rest of my day depends on this choice, my sanity depends on this choice, the people in my life and those I come in contact with depend on this choice. I can choose to live in the past moments that have produced my current state of mind, the moments that I can’t change or relive. Orrr, I can choose to deal, focus on the facts and keep it moving! If today’s troubles are enough for today, then I can choose to not let those troubles follow me into my tomorrow. Emotions are temporary but truth is everlasting. Thank God for perspective!

1 Corinthians 10:13

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HUMAN TRAFFICKING: STATISTICS ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING

HUMAN TRAFFICKING: STATISTICS ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING: An estimated 27 million people are held in slavery worldwide, meaning there are more slaves in the world than were taken from Africa during ...

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