Speak to Me!

i am one of those people who likes to listen to music. but i tend to read into the lyrics more than i probably should. i have always found myself taking a line from this song and a line from that song and applying it to my life or my situation: heartbreaks, empowerment, attitude, strength, inspiration, faith, etc. once upon a time my friend and i actually spent time taking various lines from different taylor swift songs and making a new story out of her "shame-on-you-silly-boy-i'm-better-than-this-heartbreak-and-you'll-miss-me" songs. goodness, even the title of my blog "MY LiFESONG" is a song which i love the lyrics...see, i like lyrics and their messages. i really enjoy when i hear a message in the song that brings me to reality and makes me see that what that artist is saying is really actually applying to my life...enter Christian music.
><>
so many times i feel like i listen to my favorite songs so many times that when i'm in a slump and need to hear that inspirational line it kind of just falls into step with the other words in the song. i hate that. however, now is a time i really need that inspiration. y'all know that i'm a firm believer that God has a plan for all of us (Jeremiah 29:11) but recently i've moved home and i am searching for a job and i'm just so down because my plan is obviously differing from His. so anyway, whallago i was really just kinda sitting here (blasting my Christian music through those headphones) feeling down on myself and thinking about my life and just all kinds of negativity from my past, and the bad just started spiraling into worse, and i truly felt so alone in my state (especially since everyone else was asleep!)...and then the song i truly needed came on. now i've heard this one before..plenty of times...i know all of the words, but when i just cleared my mind and began to really listen to the lyrics, i was gripped with that feeling...the song was speaking to me. "Call My Name" by Third Day is just such a great reminder of the fact that God is there for us and he will always be there for us...we just call His name and He will be there. that simple truth brought me to my knees and i just starting rejoicing. here are some of the lyrics:

when you feel like you're alone in your sadness,
and it seems like no one in this whole world cares,
and you wanna get away from the madness,
you just call my name and I'll be there...
call my name, sing it now, I want you to NEVER doubt
the love I have for you is so alive!
you just call my name...
the love I have for you is so alive!
the love I have for you is so alive!
you just call my name...
you just call my name!

i encourage you to listen to this one! midway through i began apologizing to God. by letting the negativity and sadness get to me i was truly forgetting that He is here for me always. He is here for YOU always! His love is the best love. His love is unfailing. His love is so ALIVE! no matter when we call on Him, He will be here to comfort us with His perfect love. i like the "you just call my name and I'll be there" part because it reminds me of like when my grandma says, "oh you just make sure you let me know if you need anything..anything at all!"--like i have that assurance in the back of my mind that she will be there if i really need anything at any time. those lyrics were just so powerful in that moment that i know God placed that song in that spot on my play list because He knew it would speak to me and give me that little reminder that He is here for me whenever I need Him, no matter what. it's when i hear lyrics like these that i'm grateful that i really listen to what is being said as if it's a lesson for me to learn.
<><
i really enjoy writing these blogs because i like to talk (obviously), so i want to share one more lyric instance with ya! one song that initially struck me as absolutely great was "Whatever You're Doing" by Sanctus Real. this song really gets me like every time i hear it. just read the lyrics below:

It's time for healing time to move on
It's time to fix what's been broken too long
Time make right what has been wrong
It's time to find my way to where I belong
There's a wave that's crashing over me
All I can do is surrender

Whatever you're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but somehow there's peace
It's hard to surrender to what I can't see
but I'm giving in to something heavenly

Time for a milestone
Time to begin again
Revaluate who I really am
Am I doing everything to follow your will
or just climbing aimlessly over these hills
So show me what it is you want from me
I give everything I surrender...
To...

Time to face up
Clean this old house
Time to breathe in and let everything out
That I've wanted to say for so many years
Time to to release all my held back tears

Whatever you're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but I believe
You're up to something bigger than me
Larger than life something heavenly

It's time to face up
Clean this old house
Time breathe in and let everything out

now earlier when i was in my negativity funk i was thinking about how i've held so many grudges over the past few years and about how they are just dragging me down. yesterday during my devotional i read a scripture about forgiveness and the devotional discussed that if we want forgiveness from God then we need to first forgive others. that kind of hit home, but when i was thinking about it whallago i was really just broken hearted. i realized that i preach forgiveness but i don't act forgiveness. those people who have really wronged me are those who i really haven't forgiven. how do i know? well when that person is brought up, i get this negative feeling about them even if the subject matter is positive. the devil likes to creep up and attack that way. i hate it. so, per usual, listening to a song like "Whatever You're Doing" was just perfect because it provided the unsolicited guidance i needed -- Jenny: "am i doing everything to follow Your will, God...really?" God: "it's time for healing, Jenny, time to move on, time to make right what has been wrong" Jenny: "i believe You're up to something bigger than me...i'm giving in to something heavenly" SOOO, as before, i know the Lord put "Whatever You're Doing" on my music path because i desperately need(ed) to hear the message in Sanctus Real's lyrics. how sneaky, huh? He likes to work in mysterious ways!
><>
you may think it's silly, or you may understand where i'm coming from because it has happened to you. either way, i hope that either words inspired by the Lord (music) or words directly from the Lord (scripture) will speak volumes to you in such a way that it moves you like it moves me. this blog entry was not meant to discredit the way the Lord speaks to me in scripture vs. music because i guarantee that scripture impacts me and changes my heart in ways that i never could imagine. God's word is a precious life source that will change your life if you allow it to! however, sometimes i just get caught in these music moods and i really do hear the message those 8 words in that line are trying to convey. my prayer is that i will continue to be reminded of God's promises, even if it is by means of repeating words i've sung 100 times over. ultimately i pray that i wont forget those promises and that i can share His sweet messages with others who need to hear them too.

Walking Advertisements of Jesus

Ok, so just to clarify, this blog has to do with Christianity...but just hear me through the following paragraph!
Those who know me know that even though I weigh in at a staggering 109 lbs, I do love to eat. I like to eat anything that is packed with tons of calories (two helpings of mashed potatoes..with cheese..and butter..and more cheese, please), really anything that has 230820315 grams of sugar, or pretty much just anything that is bad for me. Healthy, right? Well one thing I have been better at is eating fast food...but I tell you what, when I find a fast food restaurant I love...I'm there. Not always, of course, because THAT's not healthy...but hey, who doesn't need 5 greasy chicken fingers, a butter bisquit, fried pickles, and a large sweeeeeeeet tea from Chicken Express every once in a while. OKAY NOW TO THE POINT. This really isn't about food or my bad eating habits! Today when we went to Chicken Express, I noticed that at the bottom of my receipt, it said something that really made me smile: "Jeremiah 29:11".

Now since I've been able to spend my own money and have my own receipts or bags or even realize the foundations of different businesses, I've noticed many restaurants and places that have one thing in common: they're built upon Christian principles, and they boldly flaunt it. I don't say this in a negative way...because I respect them for placing scripture on their product. I remember the first time I saw this was on the bottom of a "Forever 21" yellow shopping bag. The bag had "John 3:16" just simply printed on the bottom, and even though it wasn't much, it still had a profound impact on me. I think it's interesting how places like Chick-fil-A (closed on Sundays to observe the Sabbath) and Forever 21, along with a long list of other companies are so bold. Honestly, it makes me smile. I love knowing that there are businesses out there that let the world know what's up with Jesus Christ. They are working, selling advertisers of the Bible.



Ironically I have come to like these places even more than I did before I ever noticed their Christian principles. Chick-fil-A...awesome, esp the chicken sandwich. Forever 21...not always great clothes, but ya, I like to tell my mom, "They have 'John 3:16' on the bottom of their bags, so I HAVE to give them credit and go look at their clothes" :). Chicken Express...um, have YOU had it? UH-MAZING. And now that I noticed the scripture on the bottom of my receipt today, that certain Chicken Express will be receiving more business from me. Amongst the others...Tyson Foods (you know, the frozen chicken people), Hobby Lobby, Interstate Batteries, In-N-Out-Burger, many more...visit the site below to discover and read about them.
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/07/7-religious-companies-besides-chick-fil-a
Anywho when I saw that scripture on my receipt it really made me happy. I wanted to write a blog about it for fun-fact type value. I hope those of you who read this will be equally as interested and have the "that's cool" thought like I do every time I learn of new faithy companies. Let's be bold and be a walking advertisement for Jesus Christ. :)

let's walk the walk...

One thing I constantly take for granted is freedom of religion. In the US of A we are free to believe -- or not believe -- whatever we want, no matter what someone else says. We can stand outside of Capitol buildings protesting for something we believe in. Now think about that...we can stand outside of our government building..and tell our government officials that Jesus Christ is Lord and He is the way, the truth, and the life. Now lets consider some countries in Asia, where freedom of religion is nonexistent. People are kidnapped, tortured, and even killed if not only government, but also people within cults find out they are worshiping Jesus. It's kind of a foreign concept, huh?
<><
This comes to my attention because I just started reading the book Radical by David Platt, which he talks about being in a darkened room in an Asian country with church leaders who, if caught there, could lose their lives for discussing the Bible. He says,

They had gathered in secret. They had intentionally come to this place at different times throughout the morning so as not to draw attention to the meeting that was occurring...I listened as they began sharing stories of what God was doing in their churches..."Some of the people in my church have been pulled away by a cult." This particular cult is known for kidnapping believers, taking them to isolated locations, and torturing them. Brothers and sisters having their tongues cut out of their mouths is not uncommon..."I am hurting and I need God's grace to lead my church through these attacks." As I looked around the room, I saw that everyone was now in tears...They all looked at one another and said, "We need to pray." Immediately they went to their knees, and with their faces on the ground, they began to cry out to God...

How crazy is it to think about this? I honestly have a difficult time imagining what this life must be like. I take my freedom of religion for granted every day. People know I'm a Christian...I wear it around my neck on a necklace, I have it on my car, I put it all over my Facebook and Twitter (sharing God via social networking :) ), and I try to show my love for God in my daily life. I can't even imagine how fearful these people must be...but they are so faithful and trustful of God's protection....I admire them. Christian persecution is so prevalent in other parts of the world that attending underground churches is the only way to worship with other Christ followers. Martyrdom happens. But with an unfailing faith in God, persecuted Christians are pressing on despite their circumstances. And the thing is that they're succeeding not only in their walks with God, but also in harvesting new believers. How humbling.
><>
So where are we as Christians in America??? As a free nation with the ability to preach and disciple OPENLY and well, FREELY, I feel like our America is just going with the flow. We as free Christians could step up and walk the walk like those who risk their lives daily to spread the Word of Christ. We as free Christians SHOULD step up and walk the walk like those who risk their lives daily to spread the Word of Christ. Imagine how much of an impact it could have on the world if we used our freedom to live radically like Jesus and for Jesus. We take our freedom of religion for granted. What a shame it is that we don't take advantage of the fact that opportunities to make disciples are prevalent here in America...we need to use our freedom to further His kingdom. We're at a turning point and it's our decision. Live and share His love...don't be selfish. Let's take advantage of our freedom of religion...Let's do something radical.
<><
I encourage y'all to read Radical by David Platt. It challenges us Christians to take up our crosses and live out what the Bible commands of us. "To believe and obey what you have heard." He encourages us to live radically, as Jesus did. It's a great book (from what I have heard and read thus far)...$15.00 at a Bible book store, or online. You wont regret it!

the truest love

happy valentine's day to all! whether you're with or without that cuddle buddy/love of your life, just remember that the truest love anyone can find is with God. no matter how lonely you get, or how happy you are, God is waiting patiently for YOU to tell Him you love Him...and no matter what or when, He is willing and ready to not only tell you, but SHOW you abundant love.

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! His love endures forever! Psalm 136

we hear many bible verses about God's love...and that God is love. God and love go hand in hand, so on this day, remember that He is the true keeper of your heart, and He will never break it. His love endures forever.

my life, His plan.

I often times wonder if I am really on the right path: the path which the Lord wants me to follow. Am I taking the right steps in my life on Earth to further my relationship with Him and His kingdom? Did I make the right decision there? And of course, that big question everyone keeps asking me..the same one I continually ask myself: where do I go from here? After I graduate, will I have a job waiting for me that will allow me to follow God's path? Is it possible that I will know which road to take? Honestly, all of these thoughts and questions scare me. Like I said, I wonder if the path I'm on is the same one God wants me to follow.
<><
As I think about this future of my life, I can't help but think back to the circumstances in which He has led me to where I needed to be. There are two awesome things that stand out in my mind... As many of you know, this past summer I spent 3 months serving the Lord in Nicaragua. Now, getting there wasn't exactly a piece of cake...fate had to step in to move me to the spot of being allowed the opportunity to go on that mission. Many others had been selected to go, but by the grace of God, I was chosen to be the third of three summer missionaries. Now that it is all in hindsight, I know that that "fate" was God at work, situating circumstances, pulling strings, and aligning the stars for me, of all other people, to be blessed with the opportunity of spreading the Word to a foreign nation. And what a blessing it was!
Also, during the fall as I searched for internships for this upcoming spring semester, I didn't really have a clue as to what I would do..so I went to the job fair and gave my resume to a few companies, hoping they would find interest in me. In the days following the fair, I received phone calls from two companies...one of them had already come up with a position for me. The woman was excited to share with me that after reading about my summer as a missionary, she knew I would be perfect for the position to work with churches in the Austin area. This was a type of position she had been wanting to implement for a while, but just never knew how, when, or with whom. So, my internship will be working as a liaison between the company and religious organizations in Austin... :)
><>
Now, tell me if you think those are God things...? I still wonder if I am on the right path, but I think I know. I think HE definitely has me on a path. It's crazy how I feel like the Lord is absolutely preparing the path for my life through my life's experiences. I feel like I can look toward the future with hope, and ignore that fear that so easily creeps up while I sit here clueless about what I'm doing with my life.
<><
I was reading through Psalm 2 during my devotional today and the passage discussed how the people of the world plot together to come up with their own agenda, ignoring and trying to overcome what it is that God has on His agenda. Then, in Psalm 2:4, it says,

He who sits in Heaven laughs, the Lord makes fun of them...and warns them.

The passage then goes on to discuss how God has set his own king upon Jerusalem. Later in verse 6, the Lord says,

"If you ask me, I will give you the nations...You will rule over them with an iron ..."

You see, the point of this is that no matter how much we plot, or how much we ignore the Lord, He does still have a plan for us. The issue lies within whether or not we ask Him, in His sufficient grace and love, for guidance and direction to where He needs us to go. I've gotta keep that in mind as I begin this transition in my life. We've all gotta keep the faith!
<><

Wherever He leads, I'll go
Wherever He leads, I'll go
I'll follow my Christ who loves me so
Wherever He leads, I'll go

><>
That pretty hymn just decided to pop in my head...I thought I would share :)

here's to a new year!

Sooo...I definitely lied when I said I would try to write every week. Here I am, in the beginning of January and I haven't posted anything since October. Maybe writing more should be my New Year's resolution...? Forgive me. I have been at home for the past month, watching my sweet, sweet Christmas vacation days tick away before I begin my last semester of college. Whhhaaaaat???!!! Yea, it's happening. Hello REAL WORLD! So anywho, I have had lots of time to think about life and where I'll be in a year from now and how my life will be then.
<><
The other night I began reading a passage of scripture from one of my favorite books: Philippians. For some reason, Paul always has a way of making me smile and giving me hope through words he sent to the Philippians so long ago. I often wonder how I am supposed to find the right passage to read..ya know, one of those that really gets to the heart of you...and God always has his way of leading me to the words that humble me and remind me just how awesome his promises are to us. While I was reading chapter 1, I came across verses 27-28:

"Be sure you live in a way that brings honor to the Good News of Christ...stand strong with one purpose that you work together as one for the faith of the Good News, and that you are not afraid of those who are against you."

These two verses resonated with me. Just the other day I read about Christians being persecuted and killed in the Middle East and Africa. Sometimes I wonder about the fear these Christians must face in their countries for standing up for what they believe in...because here in America, we really don't know fear for defending our faith. However, for those brothers and sisters in Christ, as well as for us, this verse is a good rock to stand on. Our purpose on Earth is to bring glory to God..to spread His word...to make known the greatness of Christ in our lives, giving Him all the honor and glory He deserves...and to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We are one body, working together to further the Kingdom of God. Scripture tells us that following God will not be an easy ride, and this journey takes the path of the road less traveled. But somewhere out there, I guarantee that you and I will find someone else who is just as excited as us to take that glorious path. ...And that's what this verse is trying to help us see. Yes, we can band together and fight the darkness to bring about the Light of the Good News in this world, and that with the Lord on our side, the Devil cannot defeat us.
><>
There are times that we fall...everyone does...we can't help it, we're human. However we can live in such a way that others will see the greatness of Christ in our lives. They will be able to tell that there's something different about you...that smile on your face, or that spark in your eye will let them know that you've got something in your life, and it must be good. Because after all, GOD IS SOOOO GOOD!!! Hopefully they will ask you about it, and you, or I, can share the Good News. :) Yes, I just put a smiley, because the thought of sharing His word with other people puts a smile on my face every time I think about it.
<><
So what is my New Year's (New Year??) resolution? To get off of my high horse and to spend more time in the Word. Knowledge of the scripture gives me more ammunition to ward off the enemy. I want to live in a way that brings honor to the Good News of Christ. I don't want to fear those who are against me and the Lord. I need to take more time to work together with the Body of Christ to further His Kingdom. Then, hopefully my light will shine in such a way that others ask me what my secret is, and I can share with them that I've found an unfailing friendship, hope, love, and faith in an AWESOME GOD, and that's something that cannot be destroyed. I pray that in a year I will have been blessed with many opportunities to further His Kingdom and that more so than ever, my lifesong sings to the Lord.

"I'm blessed."

So there are those times when I feel this nagging that it's time to pray, or time to stop and listen, or time to write...and this is one of those times. I cannot believe that it has been almost 3 months since I have updated my blog. What a slacker I am! I've stopped and thought, "hmmm...maybe I should update my blog and talk about how my summer ended or how things have changed after my trip", but just never had that nagging like I do now. Can I just say that I am so amazed at how many people actually read my blog...I mean, wow. I began this blog with the intention of having another way to express myself creatively, emotionally, and spiritually, and when I returned home to those "Jenny I read your blog"'s from SO many people in my community, I was absolutely blown away. I cannot express my gratitude to those who tuned in to see what God had in store for me, the mission teams, and the Nicaraguans who were on a mission to serve Him...and my utmost gratitude goes to the Lord, the Master of it all. Oh what a mighty God we serve!
<><
I've had my ups and downs since leaving Nicaragua. The spiritual tension has been challenging. I feel homesick at times, and I just want to talk about what I did there, even though I've already repeated myself time and time again -- I truly feel like there will be no end to my, in all honesty, love affair with my missions experiences. I just find it so much harder here because there aren't tons of people willing to listen. It makes my day when I have someone tell me that they would love to spend the day hearing about my experiences, and I would love to spend hours upon hours giving God all the glory He deserves...but it seems like those who I want to listen don't really want to hear what I have to say. I think that has been one of the most difficult things to cope with. However, I will share one experience with y'all...I've found that prayer does work wonders. Increased prayer over someone or something has kind of guided them in the direction I believe God wants them to go. It is such a pleasant surprise when God goes ahead and paves the way for a situation so that when the time is right, we can sit down and talk about Jesus (after all the prayers).

Do not be anxious about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks. Philippians 4: 4-6

One thing I have noticed is how my faith has been strengthened and how I have been humbled. This summer gave me real perspective on life. There are so many times in the past where I've been so selfish..it has brought out the worst in me. I've found that it is so easy to get caught up in my life and not look out amongst the living. Have you ever been to a soup kitchen or experienced helping out those at a homeless shelter? If you have or haven't, I challenge you to. One thing you'll find out is that the majority of those men and women have positive outlooks on life. If you ask "How are you today?" they will usually simply respond with "I'm blessed." How humbling that is...two words that put me in my place and really make me realize just how blessed I am -- to have so much and still complain about how I don't like this or I don't want that. Praise the Lord for the stress in my life, school really is not that bad. I have a roof over my head and a pantry full of food. After 22 years of living, I know that I too have been SO AMAZINGLY blessed and no matter how much I try, no amount of gratitude will be able to express my gratitude for what He has given me. It's by grace, I have been saved, and His grace is sufficient.
><>
One of my favorite things is sitting here thinking about how the Lord never ceases to keep me in line...that little humbling factor that teaches me I'm not in charge, He is; I'm not perfect, He is; I'm a servant, not a ruler; I'm here to make disciples and show the fruits of the spirit to everyone, not to bring my brother or sister down.

When you talk, do not say harmful things, but say what people need--words that will help others become stronger. Ephesians 4:29

I will try to update my blog more than once every 3 months...hopefully more like 1 or 2 times a week. Again, if no one reads this, I don't mind...I'm just here to express myself and discuss how the Lord has impacted my life for the better. He is awesome! Amen.

Let's Pray Y'all

Our past week we went with a team from Charleston, South Carolina to Ciudad Dario to distribute the gospel of Luke, the Story of Jesus. We were so surprised when we pulled into ACIBEN (the guest house for the Christian Association of Baptist Churches of Nicaragua...where we stayed for the week) and a group of Nicaraguans from the neighbor town came in. Why were we surprised? Because they had worked with this very Charleston group last year. So it was like a family reunion, and it was so awesome to see. Rachel, Lauren, and I were relieved when we saw that the house we were staying in had an overhead shower (with AMAZING water pressure) and a flushable toilet...not bucket showers and outhouses. What a great/easy way to end our bathroom experiences in Nicaragua :)
><>
After prayer walking the first day, Ciudad Dario was very receptive to the gospel. We even had a lady come up to us asking if we were there to talk about Jesus even before we had begun to hand out any books of Luke. One of the days I was blessed with having the opportunity to pray for an old man on the street. Rachel had constantly been telling us that we don't have enough books to hand out to everyone on the street because they would all be getting books in their homes as well, BUT if we felt like we should take that opportunity to stop someone and give them a book, we should. So I did. I stopped the old man, gave him a book, and asked him if we could pray for him. As we started praying, he began to cry. He was so thankful for our prayer, and I was so grateful that the Lord made me feel like I should turn around and give this man a book and pray for him. I don't know what was plaguing him...whether he was sick or just tired in his old age, but in that one moment, our hearts were lifted up to Jesus, asking him to bless this man (which we are constantly reminded in the Bible that the Lord has already blessed us). What an opportunity. Thank you Jesus. Later on that day, I went into a house on the street and started rattling off the Spanish I know to 4 older men. One of them asked me where I was from and what state. When I told him around Houston, TX, he smiled..then I noticed that he was wearing an Astros cap, and he started speaking perfect English. We discussed the purpose of me being in Nicaragua and our ministry and he told me that it's great to see that we have traveled so far A. because we have a heart for telling Nicaragua about Jesus and B. because Americans need to get away from all of the comforts and experience what it's like beyond our borders. Eventually I came to find out that he works at Continental Airlines in Houston..so honestly, I hope to see him when I go home on August 2...how cool would that be?

<><
Overall we were blessed with the help from the church members from San Isidro who helped us work Ciudad Dario and we ended up handing out about 5,000 gospels of Luke. We showed the Jesus film twice and during the second night's movie, Sergio (our driver/the Godly Nicaraguan man who is the missions director for the Nicaraguan convention/Loren's successor in taking over Operation Go) led 3 people to accepting Christ as their Savior. Crazy how the Lord works. One of the women had received the book in her home while she wasn't there, read it, heard we were showing the movie, came to ask about the book, and then accepted Jesus. I don't know about y'all, but I'm clappin' for and praisin' the Big Man upstairs.
><>
During the week we had a despedida at ACIBEN for Loren and Karen. It was basically a despedida from the Nicaraguan Baptist Convention for them, so pastors from around the country of Nicaragua came to show their appreciation for the Dickeys.
I was happy because I was able to see Pastor Hector from Esquipulas, where FBC Schulenburg was last year, Pastor Juan from San Lucas, and my favorite, Pastor Francisco from Los Encinos/Las Sabanas, all in one place. They gave Karen and Loren a pinata and 3 cakes as part of their going away party.

<><
It's all kind of a blur, but I wanted to talk about the other fun things we did while we were at ACIBEN in the afternoons. We played NINJA, climbed trees, played SCUM (a card game), ate food (yes, FUN), and I TRIED to play baseball and soccer and realize now that I should never do that again...mainly because I was a sad excuse of an athlete.

><>
I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed this group from Charleston BC. I felt like they were more of a family than a team..and they looked out for us just as much as we looked out for them. They were very giving, accepting, and loving to us, to the Nicas, and to the Lord. I'm glad we were blessed with the opportunity to meet and share a week with them, and they were a great last team to have. I also really liked the fact that they were so Southern in their accents. It's always fun having a group of people who speak the same way you do (with heavier accents) :)

<><
When it came time for us to leave ACIBEN and Ciudad Dario, it was kinda weird. Rachel, Lauren, and I had finished our last days of distribution with our last team, and it didn't feel like it at all. Even today, 2 days after they have been gone from Nicaragua, it still doesn't seem like our summer is over. Now we have to trust in these verses that I have written and talked about so often:

I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.
1 Corinthians 3:6

and

My Word, which comes from my mouth will not return to me void. It will accomplish what I have sent it out to do.
Isaiah 55:11

let all of creation sing to Him now

Today is our last day of preparation for a team. They are from Charleston, South Carolina and we will be going to Ciudad Dario, birthplace of the Latin poet Ruben Dario. It's amazing how quickly this week came...considering the fact that it seems like a few days ago we were sitting around a table planning out the hectic summer ahead. I feel so humbled by my experiences from this summer. We are not here because we are "good people" as I have been told. We are here to serve the Lord. We are here to make disciples, but we still strive to do this because even Jesus only had 120 disciples when He died. I'm here in Nicaragua because of these verses:

The Great Commission
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 28:19

and

I expect and hope that I will not fail Christ in anything, but that I will have the courage now, as always, to show the greatness of Christ in my life, here on Earth, whether I live or die
Philippians 1:20

It's these verses that have changed my life. I strive to be the woman of God that I am commanded to be. The fact that I'm here serving Him has had such an impact on my life. I only hope that those of you who read my blog and those people whom I encounter and have the opportunity to share my testimony with will feel compelled to take part in missions. It is unlike any experience, and if you let it be, it will be an extremely JoYfUl and lifeCHANGING and FAiTH impacting experience. We can give money all we want, but until we go, whether it is in our own home towns, in the States, or in foreign lands, you will miss out on the journey.

Abre la Puerta a Tu Corazon

So this week was kinda different. If I would have known the blessings that were in store for us this week, I don't know if I would have believed it.
First off, it was a hike team of 9 men. Secondly, they were from Harrison, Arkansas...the same church my team was from a few weeks ago. I thought it was cool how we got to have two different teams on two completely different missions from the same church, all serving Jesus. Loren initially told us that we could be hiking for 2 hours from where we parked our vehicles in order to get to Tipilma, so Lauren and I made sure we didn't pack anything but the essentials (more me than Lauren, since I seem to bring wayyy too much stuff all of the time). On that Saturday we were supposed to pick up the team, Karen noticed a conflict in the flights...we thought they were coming in on the 11 am flight, but their flight number was for the 8 pm flight...luckily after calling around the state of Arkansas we found out that they were coming in at night. Going to the airport at the wrong time would have probably led to an aggravated Loren, Lauren, and Jenny. So we picked up the team at night and headed out to the hotel--a hot springs. Now, you may say "how awesome!"..and yes it is awesome, unless of course your intestines have been invaded by a parasite. This was me. I'm not sure how I got the parasite, but I know I felt poopy sick (I know, I know, but it's true and people have been asking me all summer if I have gotten sick, so now I can say "Yes and here's how I felt..."). So I don't recommend getting a parasite, but I took an Abendizol and within 2 days, my tummy was cleared. Anywho, we ended up driving through Camoapa, picking up Pastor Ishmael and Raul (who we later learned was actually named Nahum...oopsie), and drove the 2 1/2 hours down the bumpy muddy road to our parking spot near Tipilma. When we arrived at the little hilltop spot, men met us with horses and mules so that they could carry some of our packs, including all of mine and Lauren's stuff..and then we were told it was a 15 minute hike...what a surprise! 15 minutes, not 2 hours, YAY! So we hiked up and down for about 15 minutes and when we came up the last hill, we saw the church and its counterparts.

Not the little wooden shack we thought it would be. The church had tile floors, painted walls, a separate building for cooking, teaching, storing, and sleeping, and there was a quite nice latrina and a good shower (still needed a bucket of water to bathe, but this shower had 4 sides to it and a place to put my soap). That first day we had such a nice welcoming and we even showed one of the Jesus films to the people of the church that first night.
<><
That night, as I was laying in my hammock, I woke up around 2..I felt something crawling on my head. It left..but then a few minutes later, it crawled down my face. I panicked and in my imagination I think I threw it off of me..? Then I settled down and tried to go back to sleep...however, another very large critter decided to crawl across my hair and freak me out again. I don't think I slept anymore that night. Welcome to the country, where the ceilings and the walls don't connect or have caulking to keep the cracks from letting wind, rain, or BUGS from getting in.
><>
The next day was the first day of our distribution adventure. That morning Lauren and I found out that we were gonna get to ride horses...I was super excited but the last time I rode a horse, I was in Costa Rica, my horse was stubborn, and I cried...so this was an adventure. Lucky for me, good old Cayote was nice. His owner, Mercedes was kind enough to let me borrow him..but she led the way in front of me, on her own horse. We trudged up the hills, I tried not to fall off, and when we arrived at a house, I would make my way off of Cayote and we would go inside to share the Gospel. One thing I saw over the past week that inspired me was the fact that Mercedes, and the other Nicas of Tipilma were adamant about preaching to their family members who weren't Christians. I think talking to family about Jesus and getting them to see the light is probably the most difficult thing to do -- family doesn't like to listen to you because you're you and of course you have no idea what you're talking about, right? I know the feeling, and I find it unfortunate to those family members. Mercedes set a great example for me..that's something she will probably never know.
<><
The next morning...I'll tell the truth...my butt hurt. The saddle on Cayote did me in, and I felt it for days. The next two days we ended up going to two different communities because we had finished our predetermined Tipilma area of about 30 houses the first day. I enjoyed being able to go in different groups with the FBC Harrison men so that I could get to know them all in different ways. Of course when one of them asked me what my name was on the 3rd day, I figured I should talk to him more and more so that he could remember me the next day...or hour. By the third day we had a surprise waiting for us: the women of the church wanted to cook us a meal, and the day they did this was also the same day that John (one of the Harrison men) was celebrating his 54th birthday, so it turned into a birthday party :) They cooked us a feast of fried chicken, yucca, baby corn, chicken meat balls, chicken broth, and rice. It was so good! I love trying Nica food.

That night was our last night in Tipilma, and as the sun began to set, the church service began to commence. I was amazed at how many people were there - at least 100 were piling into the little church to see the Jesus movie we were showing that night. They had trekked through mud and muck to get there, but they were interested. It's amazing how God's power moves through communities and inspires them.
><>
We kind of had our despedida (closing ceremony) that night, and when it was all said and done, Lauren, Loren and I settled down into a discussion mode. Loren wanted us to read some scripture to him, so I decided to read from Romans. I chose Romans 5 because that morning I had decided to memorize Romans 5:1-5

Therefore we are justified by faith and have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, rejoicing in hope of the glory of God. And not only this but we glory in tribulations, for the knowledge that tribulations create perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

I read through the chapter, and we began discussing the first few verses. We have been justified by Christ's death and are given faith, grace, perseverance, character, and hope. We primarily discussed character: how had we been impacted by this summer when it came to our character. We told Loren how we thought we had, and he told us what he saw in us. As young adult women Lauren and I have grown tremendously in our leadership, our cooperation with people, our patience, our love, and primarily, OUR FAITH. When Loren told us that he's honored to have us here, that was the end of the dry eyes for both Lauren and myself. Then we prayed...and we couldn't help but feel so humbled and blessed. Needless to say, it was one of the best nights I have had here. So real, so true, so Jesus.
<><
We left Tipilma the next morning with bigger smiles in our hearts than we had arrived with or felt before. We were headed back to civilization, but I couldn't help but think about that community. I pray that God continues to bless it and I pray that the people of the community know how important they are and how much they blessed us.
><>
So when I mentioned 'the blessings' that we received this week, I was implying that I would discuss many in my blog...but I missed many, so I would like to make a list:
9 men of God from Harrison, Arkansas going to tiny Tipilma, Nicaragua to hand out the Gospel
not too muddy of roads
a 2 hour turned 15 minute hike
a beautiful church with more amenities than we had fathomed
a giving church body
a horse named Cayote
a determined Christian woman, ready to reach out to her lost family
fellowship
discipleship
a faithful old couple who lives on the mountain side, ready and willing to trudge 20 minutes through the mud and muck to the church so that they can see us off every day and be there to tell us goodbye...and in America, we don't even want to get out of bed to go to church and have to drive that 10 minutes on paved roads...they were truly amazing examples of how I hope to be when I'm that age

open arms and open hearts ready to embrace what the movie had in store
professions of faith
a time of sharing with Loren and Lauren about this summer
Tipilma
Jesus' saving grace
<><
As long as we open the door to our heart, Jesus can be let in. True happiness, satisfaction, patience, strength, solace, and love comes from the Lord. Will you open the door to your heart?

For us there is one God, the Father, of whom we are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we LIVE.
1 Corinthians 8:6

OCOTAL::week two

With our second week in Ocotal came many good memories. First off, my family was there. Secondly, summer missionaries from past years were there: Lydia and Cole --they came in to help out with managing the teams (we each led a team). Thirdly, the week of crazy craziness had come upon us, and 35 Baptist gringos were at the Ocotal church ready to go out and serve the Lord. How exciting it is to live the event that has been anticipated for so long. One of the groups was from Tennessee, and they were a band called "No Other Name". Can I just say that they were amazingly talented and they sounded like angels when they sang praise and worship songs. What a blessing. Another team was from Watkinsville, Georgia. They're a group of college kids, with their fearless leader, Chris Fitzgerald, who proclaims that he is Chuck Norris' son. He really does look like he legit could be. The team I led was a group of 6 from McNeese State University in Louisiana. They are actually still here until Saturday, July 10, so I can still say that they're a joy to lead because we are all just about the same age and have the same interests. Their names are Tia, Carin, Lindsey, Dex, Clint, Silas, and Colby. And finally, the last team, aka "the kitchen crew" is the group who practically raised me: FBC Schulenburg.
Within the first day, Loren gave instruction to all those who were with us about what the week had in store for them, Nicaraguan life, surviving the week (food rules: don't eat the cheese, fruit, veggies, or drink the water), and more. Our philosophy is that we know what is best for the crazy team members who want to try every local food, but if they want to try the food anyway, they can. They will die. Not literally, but I tell them that. They sure wont like having the water parasite in them that prohibits them from keeping any food or liquid in them. In this case (even now after 4 people in the past 3 weeks have gotten sick), listen to the missionary or summer missionaries...It's just a thought. :).
<><
It was cool to be able to lead a group who was my age. We began every morning with a devotional, and I started it for my team the first day. I wanted to talk about the aspect of planting the seed. When we come here, we hand out books of Luke, or radio program books, but we don't always get to see the next steps that God takes in these people's lives. Some people get discouraged and feel like their work here was done in vain, but what I wanted to instill in my groups mind is exactly what 1 Corinthians 3:6 says:

I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.

Not everyone will see a person get saved, but it's because God works behind the scenes. Everything is in His time, and we have to be patient..He will give the increase. That's one thing I've learned after coming to Nicaragua on mission twice and being here this summer. I know that prayer is an essential element of life, so I am encouraged by 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks; this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

So with this I tried to encourage my group to pray about the people and about them receiving and accepting Jesus into their lives. I think it was a good precursor to prepare them for what would follow in the week.

Our journey of the week began in a town called Macuelizo. Macuelizo is north of Ocotal, and about an hour from the Honduras border (an hour only because the roads are so bad...distance wise..about 50 kilometers). We covered that town quickly and moved on to a little community in the mountains. Here I ran into a young girl, maybe about 16 who was willing to take the folleto, but when we asked her if she was a Christian/attended a church, she said no. My Nicaraguan partner asked her what she was waiting for, and she said "Well aren't we all Christians? I don't need a relationship because we are all born Christians." It was hard for us to grasp this concept. I pray that she realizes that a relationship with Christ is walking with Him and proclaiming His name...not living a life of sin and thinking she is saved. It was an eye opener for me. We completed handing out books to these communities and made it to more communities surrounding Macuelizo, handing out more folletos, and growing closer in our fellowship together for Christ with every step we took.

Our week continued and every day we went out to different areas, sometimes with only our team, sometimes with the other groups. One of the days we visited Palacaguina, a larger community, and we took it by storm, at one point we were standing on a look out, where Sam, Destiny, Rami, and I took a picture

and below we could see Cole and Clint witnessing to a man. They talked to him for quite a while, and after realizing how important Jesus Christ was for his life, he invited them into his home and he got saved. Amen. How awesome.


Again, there are so many memories that I could write about for hours, but my time is limited, so I'll just list some.
Hardcore Parkour - Colby is a monkey
Colby hates hand sanitizer
Rami is addicted to hand sanitizer
Getting to know my team and their testimonies
Bonding with my Mom and Dad
Being a leader
Hiking with Dad
Getting to know Lydia
Catching up with Cole
writing songs
long talks with Mom :)
Cole and Clint making disciples
playing Mafia
Making friends in Ocotal: Carlos, Felix, Ada, Jairo, Alex, David, Israel, Axel
Praise and Worship - Nicaraguan style
Prayer.
<><
One of our last days was a great day. It was also sad because it was the day that Lydia and Cole, along with team Erlanson, left Ocotal. That morning we all sat in a huge circle and listened to the No Other Name group sing worship songs. However we were in for a treat: they had written a song about Operation GO.
Lyrics:
Wakin' up at the crack of dawn
Showerin with my sandals on
I got my bag of milk with my Captain Crunch,
It's gonna have to last me all the way to lunch.
I've got my sandwiches in my paper sack,
The big blue books weighing down my back.
Where are we goin?
No one knows
Welcome to Operation GO
Chorus:
Singin OH oH oh OH don't you wanna go, don't you wanna go
x2
25 people in a big white van,
Feelin like sardines in a can,
Step on the gas and we start to fly,
We've gotta STOP...and let the cows go by
Practicin my Espanol,
Tryin to get my r's to roll
Playin futbol with a small nino,
Welcome to Operaion GOOOOOOOO.
Chorus x2
Get some looks goin' door to door
Have they ever seen a Gringo before?
I say "BUENAS!" with a great big smile,
I've only gotta do this for 8 more miles
Chorus x4


After No Other Name sang this awesome song, Loren talked to the entire group. He said "Can I get my kids to come up here?" I was truly touched that he referred to us as "his kids". It was Cole, Rami, me, Lauren, Rachel, and Lydia. He talked about how hard we work, how dedicated we are to serving the Lord, and how some of us will be missionaries some day. Then everyone prayed for us...of course I cried, I always do when people pray for me/over me. I feel blessed when people take the time and the heart to pray for me.

It was so sad having to say goodbye to Lydia and Cole. I was so excited to get to bond with Lydia after hearing so much about her from FBC Schulenburg mission teams who had been in Nicaragua with her when she was a summer missionary. I hugged her about 20 times before she left. Even after a week, it felt like we had been friends for so long. They left and we continued our days of working for Jesus. The next day it was time for Schulenburg to leave. I was sad, but it's hard to be sad that they're leaving when I'll be seeing them in 3 weeks. I'm taking advantage of my time here on the mission field, instead of being sad for those whom I know I will see soon.
<><
We had one more day of working for Jesus, and this final day, we decided it would be awesome to take part in the Nicaragua public transportation system...aka school buses. So we took the chance and rode 45 minutes from Ocotal to Somoto, on a packed school bus, with around 80 books per person. Distribution went fast that day, and before we knew it, we were back at the guest house in Ocotal, vegged out, ready to sleep for days. We had planned for Loren to come back on Sunday morning to pick up McNeese and myself to go back to Managua, but at the last moment plans changed (as they always do) and McNeese decided to go where Rachel was headed with her team for the next week. Two of our Nica helpers, David and Felix hung around that night..they can both speak some English...and we bonded with them. It's awesome to see how they were impacted by working with us throughout the weeks, but I pray that they know that they impacted us equally as much as we worked with them. That night was a great time of fellowship for all of us, as we hugged and said our goodbyes.
The next day, Loren came and picked me up from Ocotal, while the other teams moved on to stay out the next week with Rachel. I was busy planning a surprise for my family - they would get to see me again, since they didn't leave until a day later. So we showed up and they were confused/excited, and it was great because not only did I get to pick them up at the airport, but I ended up spending more time with them and getting to drop them off at the airport the next afternoon...mom cried, but that's typical..and I teared up too.
<><
We spent this past week preparing for the next - last - two teams we have for the summer. Our next team is from Harrison, Arkansas, like the team in Ocotal, except it is a hiking team (we get to carry all of our food for the week in our backpacks, and hike to our base camp for the week since there is not a road to drive on). We also worked on helping Loren and Karen take apart the shed outside since they're moving to Santiago, Chile in 3 weeks. It was a bummer to have to prepare for them to leave Nicaragua, but it's time, and someone has to do it.
<><
So far I have had the best summer I could ever ask for. What better way is there to spend my summer than serving Jesus Christ and growing in Him? None. Thank you Lord for blessing me and giving me the opportunity to fulfill the Great Commission:

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28:19-20

OCOTAL::week one

So...I haven't posted anything in quite some time, but the past two and a half (actually more like 4) weeks have been crazy hectic, and I still haven't recovered even though I've been home for about 4 days. I don't even know where to start when describing my past two and a half weeks of teams and work for the Lord. Ok, preparations.
><>
We had been preparing food and money wise for about 2 or 3 weeks, knowing that we had to buy for 4 teams at the same time, then 2 more. We prayed daily so that we would be spiritually ready to lead teams without having Loren around to help us. He would be in a town about 20 minutes away from Ocotal (where Rachel and I stayed with our teams). He gave us this verse:

Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise. Which, having no leader, overseer, or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer and gathers her food in the harvest.
Proverbs 6:6

It means that for us, we were our own leaders...Loren would not be around to answer all 500 billion questions our teams asked or what we wanted to ask. What a great verse to prepare us. He told us that once these three weeks of craziness started, they would fly by.

Ok, airport.
<><
For our first week we had FBC Harrison and FBC Gainesville crammed into our guest house behind the Ocotal Iglesia Bautista. After unpacking and setting up the kitchen, our rooms, our bathroom, and our showers, we met and tried to prepare them for the work they would be doing. These two weeks were different. Although we usually hand out little tracts of the Book of Luke, we were handing out folletos (work booklets) for a radio program that one of the missionaries is starting. We explained the system of prayer walking and praying for the houses and people in the towns and then handing out the book and saying things like, "Buenas."(Is anyone home?) , "Traigo un regalo para su familia" (I bring a gift for your family), and "Dios le bendiga" (God bless you). Also, we tried to prepare them for the terrain, telling them that it would probably be flat and in or around a city. Everyone was pumped. We set out the next day with God on our minds. We were on a mission and as Isaiah 55:11 promises, the Word of God will not return to Him void, it will fulfill it's purpose for which it has been sent out. After typical confusion among the Nicas, we split up and went our different ways to deliver the word to the people in our paths. I went with Jordan and Stephanie, two newlyweds who were full of spark and ready to roll. We hiked up and we hiked down. We prayed, we handed out folletos, we prayed some more, we hiked some more, we attempted Spanish, we drank lots of water, we handed out more folletos.
><>
When we returned (after dragging ourselves up the mountain), half of our group was still missing. The guys who were with us decided to play hopscotch, and after an hour and a half, the other group arrived where we were waiting. They looked exhausted. The first thing one of them said to me was, "Everything you told us yesterday was a lie." I was scared for my life and out of fear said, "What did I say?" It turns out that they had one of the hardest hikes and pretty much went up and down and around then down and back around and up the mountain, instead of them being in a city, like Rachel and I had explained the night before. After a while, they were rejuvenated and I knew they weren't mad, but I felt bad for them for not being prepared.
<><
That night we returned back to the guest house and Rachel wasn't there. One of the girls from her group told me that she was still out and that the kitchen was open for me to start cooking supper...WHAT?! I immediately went into shock mode. Cook? Me? I don't cook...so, body language is obviously an easily readable aspect when it comes to me because the women of the groups jumped in and took the rains. It was amazing. I was so grateful to have the awesome help I received. The Lord was looking out for me on that one.
<><
I enjoyed talking with different people from both FBC Gainesville and FBC Harrison about their relationships with Christ, how they got to Nicaragua, how they study their Bibles, what they've thought about their trip and experiences in Nicaragua, and just being able to fellowship with them and praise the name of Jesus. I find it amazing that we were able to come up with so many stories and memories in such a short amount of time. I could make a list of everything I remember, but that would take forever...okay....I'll do it anyway:

Hopscotch - I never knew how to play until this team showed me
Me "lying" to them about the terrain
Mark not carrying books
Jenny and Sarah show reports
Mark and the goats
Rami eating Mark's sandwich

Bat's pooping on us
Rami playing the guitarJohn going to India
Eskimo ice cream
Me abandoning the team to go to the airport with Loren
FBC Harrison group as "role models"
Internet Cafe
Mark's suitcase - hot pink duct tape
Stephanie and Sergio's 3 am charade game
Speaking Spanglish - Stephanie asking a woman on the side of the road if anyone was home
Kitchen duty
drawing on Mark's suitcase
Making t-shirts
...and more, much more.
><>
Before we knew it, our week had flown by, and it was time to go back to Managua, but first, Loren called me late Friday night and asked if I wanted him to pick me up so that I could go back to Managua with him and go to the airport to surprise FBC Schulenburg and my parents. Of course I wanted to go! At the airport I was ecstatic and excited and happy and giddy. I wanted to surprise them and while I watched them waiting for their luggage, I was oddly nervous. In the weeks before they came, I told her that I wouldn't be able to meet them at the airport. When they finally came through, I think my mom was more in shock than anything. Eventually she ended up crying, which was actually great because I bet Loren $10 that she would cry. Of course he forgot that bet as soon as I won, but hey, it was funny :)
><>Eventually that day the FBC Harrison and FBC Gainesville groups showed up in Managua at the guest house, and I was back to being their leader/summer missionary in charge. We were able to wind down from the week's events. The next morning we had our debriefing and Loren told us all one thing that we were awestruck by...within the week of us handing out the booklets, the offices in charge of the radio program had received numerous phone calls about the program and about being able to learn about Jesus. I guess within the hustle and bustle, we forgot about the response the folletos would receive. Again, as Isaiah 55:11 says:

"My word, which comes from my mouth, is like the rain and snow. It will not come back to me without results. It will accomplish whatever I want and achieve whatever I send it to do."

Praise Jesus for the work He has done in Nicaragua over the past 2 weeks, and over the past 11 years since Loren and Karen have been here. That day we did the typical shopping/eating out. It was crazy because our time together suddenly came to an end, amidst all the chaos of the busy week. That night we had to say goodbye, which was so sad. Rachel and I are planning a road trip one weekend to Harrison, Arkansas so that we can reunite with the group.

1,250 Gospels

This past week was a great adventure. Our team was from Crawford, GA and there were 11 of them. Also, we were privileged to be able to bring Nicaraguan church members from Loren and Karen's home Baptist church in Managua to work with us during the week. We went to the town Comalapa, Nicaragua. The exception with this town is that there really are no churches in it. People in Nicaragua consider themselves Catholic if their family before them was Catholic, not because they actually attend the Catholic church. So this was a town Karen had been praying about for months, and she said that no one from their church in Managua had ever wanted to go to Comalapa, but a few weeks ago the pastor of the Baptist church said that he had had Comalapa on his heart, and Karen's prayers were answered when 6 members of the church came with us to help distribute the Book of Luke this past week.
<><
We began our journey with 1,250 books to give to the locals. In Comalapa, we handed out around 500 of those books and finished quickly, leaving us to go to another community to hand out the Gospel. We ended up in Cuapa, a community about 45 minutes from Comalapa. This place was one where we were not sure what to expect, as far as the people being receptive to the Gospel. This town apparently had a "Virgin sighting" of the Virgin Mary, so their root beliefs and future beliefs are set in thinking that Mary sacrificed her life for us, instead of Jesus being sent from God to save us. We prayed over the town, and prayed some more. They have erected a huge shrine to Mary in one part of Cuapa, so we went there to pray that they would all come to know Jesus as their Savior.
When we handed out the Book of Luke, it was awesome because not only were they receptive, they were excited to take our gift. We did receive a few "no"s from people, but in those situations, we left gospels at the entrances to their yards, in case they changed their minds later. We were some what discouraged by the size of the town, thinking that it would be too big to have enough books for every house, but we were blind in our thinking, forgetting that God provides. We reached almost every house, and for those houses we couldn't find, we prayed that they would hear about the gospel.
<><
After covering Cuapa that day, we drove around country roads and handed out books that were far away from the towns. It never ceases to amaze me that those people who live wayyy out in the country are so accepting of us, what we have to say, and what we have to give. I will never forget the lady who was so grateful that, as she was on the verge of tears she told me "thank you" and "God bless you" multiple times. Nor will I forget the man and woman who invited me into their home, as if they had known me as a good friend for years. It's awesome to know that we have brothers and sisters in Christ everywhere, even way up in a little house on a hill in a small community in Nicaragua. The Lord works in mysterious ways, so we will never know how those communities and people will respond to the Word, but after watching the Jesus film our last night, 6 people got saved. This may not sound like much, but 4 of them were men...and for men to commit their lives, the hope of building a Baptist church in that community becomes more of a reality. I know that we handed out all 1,250 books over the course of 2 1/2 days, and that in itself is a blessing.

"My word, which comes from my mouth, is like the rain and snow. It will not come back to me without results. It will accomplish whatever I want and achieve whatever I send it to do." Isaiah 55:11

Amidst handing out Gospel tracts, we took part in many fun things with the community of Comalapa. I was able to practice my Spanish with Claudia and Carolina, two Nica church members who were with us, and they were able to practice their English. Anddd there was a 12 year old boy named Nestor who hung out around the building we stayed in, so I tried to speak Spanish with him, and helped him with his English homework...it's his favorite subject. The boys in our group played basketball with the locals, which was really neat because that was good bonding and great incentive to the the local guys to watch the Jesus movie we showed across the street from the park. We spent our nights avoiding mosquitoes, although Lauren and a team member, Dean, were quite bit up...poor fellas. We adopted a local dog and named her "Julie", and sadly had to leave here in Comalapa when we left. We made friends and enjoyed ourselves, and in the name of Jesus we impacted at least 1,250 households, and many more people.

The Great Commission
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
Matthew 28:19

sightseeing galore!

Yesterday was a great day. You know when you have one of those days when you get to experience cool stuff? Well that was yesterday! We currently have a team in from Crawford, GA, and we did a reverse trip with them...by this I mean that we took them shopping yesterday, their first full day here, and they will go out on the mission field on Monday. So yesterday we all piled in the van and went to the Masaya Market, where we all invested in some goodies -- feather paintings, purses, bracelets, shirts, skirts, keepsakes, etc. Then we went to two amazing look out points: The first one was at the Lagoon, which is a body of water that is found near a volcano. It was a beautiful day and the water in the lagoon reflected the blueness of the sky, making the lagoon look even more cool. This is Lauren (one of the other summer missionaries) and myself in front of the lagoon. Soon after we saw this breathtaking view, we headed on to see the Masaya Volcano (which is not the volcano responsible for the previous lagoon). I was excited because although I have been to Nicaragua 2 times, I had not seen the volcano yet. We arrived and as we drove up to the top of the volcano, a cross on the top was visible. Apparently many years ago, the peoples of Nicaragua believed that the opening of the volcano was the entrance to Hell, so they rooted a cross right outside of the mouth of the volcano.
I love this picture. So we climbed up 160 something stairs to the look out point where the cross stands. Our view was great! And we got some really good pictures...then the sulfur from the volcano became too harsh and we had to leave.


















How majestic are His creations!

crazy preparations, amazing summer :)

One thing I have realized over the past week is that there is a lot more that goes into preparing for mission teams than meets the eye. I have been here with FBC Schulenburg two times (the past 2 years) and it all seemed like such a smooth process when we went out on our mission trips that it really never crossed my mind that it took effort -- lots of effort -- to get ready for teams like ours. Now, as a summer missionary, I have seen the element of work that goes into preparation behind the scenes. This is a picture of Loren and Karen's living room and kitchen...packed with food and supplies. Too bad I don't have a panoramic camera, because I definitely didn't get all of the stuff in the picture. The living room was packed. This summer, starting on Saturday, June 19, we will begin our ultimate busy time for the summer. At one point, there will be 5 teams here being shuffled around and dealt with. Lauren, Rachel, and myself have been assigned a team for every week, and with help from each other and Loren and Karen, we will survive. However, I know this is the time when leadership qualities will be shown and needed from myself and the others. I am on the flip-side this year, and I know God will help me to lead the teams I have been assigned. This is a good test for me personally, emotionally, and spiritually. I look forward to leading my own teams (I will have 2 different ones over the next month). I'm so excited to fellowship with them and grow in God together, as well as see what the Lord has in store for us as we follow His Word.

Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers--not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve;
1 Peter 5:2

One random thing that we got to experience with the Texas BSM team was that Loren and Karen surprised us with a beach trip when we returned back home. So, as tired as we were, we were super excited to go to the beach! We packed our bags and headed out to experience the complete opposite of hiking and sweating: lounging and swimming. However, we drove for a while and ended up seeing something really REALLLYYYY cool -- one of the Nicaraguan volcanoes. It was a perfectly clear day, and we stopped to take pictures in front of it.

><>
So anyway, finally we ended up at the beach: El Coco Beach...it was randomly there, at the edge of the mountain we drove through, and it was cool because we could see the beautiful sunset in the west and Costa Rica in the south.The sunset views that night were so pretty. The next day, we had our early morning devotion and without hesitation, we raced to the beach to enjoy the entire day of fun in the sun! Some of us played in the water, others of us who felt like they were getting swept away by the current stayed and played in the sand (me).
We had fun in the sun, for sure, but it was hot, and I did get sunburned even though I lathered on that SPF. But here in Nicaragua we are closer to the Equator, so the sun is more harmful and powerful. It did hurt, and I am peeling, which is a bummer cause I went through the pain...all I ask for is to keep the tan. By the end of it, we had gone from one extreme to the other in seeing God's creations -- all equally beautiful and all breathtaking.