When God repeats things...Listen up! It must be important.

So, God's been stirring a lot of things in me the past 6 months or so. I have noticed a repetition of certain ideas and sayings that God's been whispering into my heart.

• The power of children and youth to the ministry.
• The ripple effect of ministry.
• The need for outreaches to the children and youth here in the US.
• The importance of speaking kind, encouraging, and loving words to others around us everyday.
• The importance of showing God's love through our actions moreso than just words.
• The fact that we may be someone's only connection to Jesus.
• That we are such a blessed people here because we are free to worship Jesus and share Him with everyone else around us.

God's been bringing these themes to mind time and time again and I've been noticing it just about everytime I start to share about God, go to church, or speak with friends. I'm willing, ready, and eager to do what God has set out for me. Not only overseas, but here where I am right now. I want to be the shining light in the darkness when I am at work, at the grocery store, in line at the bank, etc. If I feel the leading of the Holy Spirit to say something to someone, I want to follow that because if I don't, who will? There may not be anyone else there to speak those words to that person. So, if I look silly or feel silly, it's probably a good thing, as long as I approach it with boldness and confidence that the Lord has given me!

These are just some of the things that the Lord has put in my heart. The list could probably go on and on. I know I haven't really talked about all of the things, but I'm sure I will as they come up again. What are some of the things that have been recurring themes in your life?

Please pray for the upcoming outreach we have at my church. It's really just a community event, but I want to get a chance to form relationships with those that are right around our church so that we can be the living hands and feet of Jesus as we love on them. Only then, once they see the difference in us, will they be willing to listen to what we have to say. Church is for the lost. It's not just a place of fellowship and growth. Of course that's an important function of the church once people do come to know Christ because they must be discipled. However, the MISSION of the church should be outreach and reaching the lost for Christ. That's the only way to change the world.

Again I say, MISSIONS is the heartcry of God. It's about reaching them right where they are at and long ago God the Father set up a system to use US to do that. What an amazing God that uses the broken and imperfect to reach others for Him!

Can't sleep but I like it!

So, many of you are probably wondering why I am writing this at 6 a.m. in the morning. No, I didn't go to bed and wake up ridiculously early because I felt the need to share, but instead I have been engulfed and absolutely consumed in reading Enrichment Journal magazine.

As a Missionary Associate, we receive electronic versions of several publications that the Assemblies of God produce. I'll be the first to admit that I rarely read them. In fact, due to pure lack of time, I'm lucky if I even glance through it and browse an article or two. However, after the amazing month I have had speaking at churches and just being in awe of how God can and IS using me, then having the Holy Spirit move in a mighty way through our bible study tonight, when I came across the email that said the publication was up and ready to be downloaded, I decided to take the time to log in and see just what was in there that God wanted to speak to me tonight.

Since about 1 a.m. this morning, I have been pouring over just the first few pages of this ezine, one that I had never yet taken the time to read, and getting SO excited about the outreach opportunities that God wants to do right here in my own community, through my own little church in the upcoming weeks and months.

Now, let me take you back to December. I had sat down with my best friend, Courtney, and her husband, Bradd, and asked if they had ever thought about getting together and just sharing about God and what He's speaking to us. As I just threw that tidbit into conversation, both Bradd and Courtney were eager to tell me that God had really laid a burden on their hearts to start a Bible study with all of our friends; a place where we could come and share about what God's speaking to us, and pray, support and encourage eachother in our walks with Christ. They also have hearts for missions and outreach and wanted to incorporate that into the Bible study as well. You see, we have a great group of Christian friends, yet most of the time we never took advantage of that fact. Rarely did we ask someone to pray for us, ask to be accountable to one another, nor take the time to encourage another good friend.

Although it took some time to get started, we now come together every Friday night to talk about what God has done that week, our failings and achievements, and to focus on how to be an effective Christian, that is, an effective tool in God's hand right now, where we are in life. The twenties are such a transitional stage in life and many times we find ourselves waiting to get to "the next level" or to be on a foreign mission field before we decide to evangelize and be fully what we are called to be. I know I have found myself a few times feeling like a lackluster shell of the person that I am in El Salvador while here in the states. I have at times felt like I didn't have an outlet to minister to people on the same level as I do during the summers and it left me feeling empty and just longing to return to my full purpose and call.

Anyhow, this Bible study has been not only an encouragement and a springboard for sharing about spiritual things amongst good (and some newer) friends of mine, but it has also been a place that God is ministering mightly to us and through us. God has been using my friends to minister to me and me to minister to my friends. He has put the words in our mouths and the thoughts in our minds, even when we don't know what it is we are saying. I think I am just reveling at how God wants to use us, even with all of our faults and brokeness. He's an awesome God!

On top of that, I just found out that I will be putting together a community outreach/fundraiser for my church on March 15th. We were planning on doing a yard sale to help raise funds for missions and children's programs. Then, after talking to several people, I had the idea of making it a community event and it looks like we might bring in local businesses, have games and food available, and possibly even a blood bank bus come out! I'm really excited to help organize this event, but I don't have much time. I really want the main focus to be the community and forming relationships with them. They are our mission field right here outside our front door!

This is the reason for my excitement. I started reading in this magazine about how much our communities need us and how all we really need to do is reach out to them! We can't expect them to come banging down our doors. We have to go OUT to them, reach them where they are at, fulfill their real and physical needs, form relationships, and only then can we expect them to want to step into a church building. The articles shared shocking statistic after shocking statistic about how America is now the third most unreached nations. THIRD! At first I was astonished and thought, "How can that be?" Then, I started to think about who I was growing up and what I knew about Jesus: VERY little. I would even say embarrassingly little. How much less is it with the children and youth nowadays?

It has encouraged me to pray hard for the lost here. I know I am called to El Salvador, but while I am here in the states, you can bet I will do everything I can to reach as many lost in the states and as I speak at churches, continue to spread the fire and passion for missions HERE and abroad! As those of you that have heard me speak and know my heart, you know that I absolutely believe that missions begins at home. However, I have to say that a new fire was lit under me tonight and I am EXCITED and ANSY with anticipation to see what God will be doing over the next several months through my Bible study group, through the community outreach, and through me!

Please continue to pray for me, but I'm begging you to pray for the lost here in the US and then go out and minister to them. Befriend them. Make an eternal difference in their lives! I've caught the vision of the ripple effect that God is creating, starting with just one person, one church, one community!

Now, even though my spirit is eager and couldn't feel more alive right now, my body is tired. I hope to hear spectacular reports back from you about what God is doing in your life, your church, and your community. Good night...or maybe I should say Good morning. :)

He is showing His glory! - Photo

So, today was a GREAT day! Actually, let me go back. Last week, someone unexpectedly walked up to me and gave me a check for $2,200. When I saw the check, I started to cry because of the faithfulness of God. He knows that my target date is coming up in May. He knows His plans for me. He knows I have been working hard and taking every open door He has placed in front of me and now He is opening even more opportunities. He is speaking into the hearts of those around me and they are obeying!

So, Friday I spoke to Kristen, the girl at headquarters that takes care of my account and gives me updates and she sent me an update so I would know where I stood as I prepared to share with City Church today. I talked to Pastor Eugene and he told me about how last month they had a missionary come through and the church was able to bless them with $1,5o0 and he just thought it would be so cool if they could try to get 10% of my remaining cash budget, to which I quickly agreed. I was in need of $12,ooo still in my cash budget and $1,200 would be SUCH an incredible blessing!

I got to share a little in the first adult service, where they prayed for me then quickly rushed over to share with the kids (some pictured to the left) while doing a fun little game. They loved having the opportunity to hear from a real person on the field and showed such genuine interest in helping out the kids of El Salvador.

The second service was in a very similar fashion as we showed my video and the pastor had some interview questions for me. Then, after the service was over and all was said and done, Pastor Eugene called me into his office to meet with the leadership team. There he revealed that between the two services, God was faithful, touched the hearts of his congregation, and had given $3000! That's over double what we were praying and hoping for! It was 25% of what was left of my general cash budget. PRAISE GOD!

You see, when God is in control, faithful, and grips the hearts of those around you, the returns are going to be much higher than we would ever expect or dream for. He is so faithful and worthy of our praise! Won't you join with me to sing praises of His glory today?

In about a week and a half, He has brought in over $5,ooo. I only have about $8,000 to raise for my cash budget and about $1,750 in monthly support. God is so good!

This is just the start to an incredibly busy month for me. I have an adult small group I'm speaking to Saturday, my church dedication on Sunday. Then, the 13th I have the entire Wednesday night service at a church for missions emphasis week. The 17th, I'll be speaking to the middle school group about giving to Speed the Light (STL) and helping missionaries even now. Then, the last weekend I'm hoping to be up in Bonifay, FL in the panhandle to visit a fellow intern and hopefully be sharing with a church there as well. Please be in prayer for the anointing to flow from my lips and from my hands and that lives are changed. I want others here in Central Florida to catch the fire for missions; the heartbeat of God!

Now it's time for rest. Until soon!