Where Do I Begin?

It's been a while. I have not written much recently about this life that God has so abundantly blessed me with. Not that there has not be PLENTY of things to write about. Mostly I just cannot find the time. Well, get ready, because for the next couple of weeks (at least) I have SO much to write about. It's going to be more than just words though. This is a time on my blog that will include recording, an unburdening of my heart and powerful prayer. On Saturday, I returned home from a week-long mission trip to Lima, Peru. God worked in amazing ways on the trip. Many lives were changed. How can you not be moved by the awesome power of our God? And that is just the people who attended the trip. When it comes to the Peruvians, nearly 600 people came to know my Jesus. Nearly 600 people felt God knock at their hearts. Nearly 600 people will someday enter the beautiful gates of Heaven. Nearly 600. They are my new sisters and brothers in Christ. I am truly in awe on my face before God at what He accomplished through just a group of seniors in high school. We are nothing. It was not us. It was not me. All the glory be to God.

I went into the trip with few expectations. And the few expectations I had were blow away by day one of our ministry. My advice to anyone going on a mission trip: don't ever have any expectations. The only expectation that you should have is that God is going to do some amazing things that will blow your mind. I think the expectations I had going into the first day of ministry gave me a bad attitude. I am the kind of person that needs to be in control and needs to know the plan. I guess God had a big grin on his face in Heaven because at the end of the day he was telling me, give me all the control, baby girl, don't you want to see me do something big? To which I responded by throwing all of my expectations, control and plans OUT THE WINDOW. I have the biggest smile on my face writing this because in that moment I was RUNNING to that "window" to get rid of all that junk. I just wanted to see God work. Who cares about plans anyways? Right? Okay.

Here is a tid-bit I wrote in my journal at the end of that day…

I feel the most weak when it comes to being a missionary on this trip. When it comes to my thought life, everything inside me says that I am not cut out for this. I know that the enemy loves when I mentally beat myself up. But, God I know the truth. You have called me and given me a passion for the lost. You have given me courage to do things like travel thousands of miles to see others come to know you. Thank you Lord. Help me to always remember the truth.

Ugh. Looking back I can totally see that satan was NOT happy about us entering his turf there in Peru. That was a rough day for me. But thank the Lord, my eyes were opened to the truth and the rest of my trip was up hill from that point.