Dios es fiel.

Es un concepto que he aprendido todo mi vida, pero un concepto buenismo! Pienso, Dios es fiel. Puedo confiar en el todo el tiempo. Esta fin de semana pasada yo tuve la oportunidad de ver y charlar con uno de mis companeras de mi tiempo en Bolivia. Fue muy bien, y todavia Dios esta ensenandome de mi tiempo alla, y esta mostrandome que sus planes no son mios mucho del tiempo. Necesito confiar en el mas porque el tiene planes grandes para mi vida! Yo pensaba que este vez saber que Dios ha tratado de ensenarme, pero el me sorprenda otra vez.

y ahora... algo que yo escribi haces algunas semanas....

Mediocracy.

That's what being an American Christian is all about.

Isn't it?

If we try to take Jesus at his word, that would be too radical.

Or would it?

Why can't we step our of our comfort zones?

Why can't we cling to the power of the spirit?

Why can't we let go of our mediocracy to be who God wants us to be?

Who he created us to be?

Abba Father I need you so much.

Lord, this life I live, is it pleasing to you?

Jesus wrap your arms around me.

Help me to feel the love of your embrace.

Spirit fill me up and send me out.

I desire to be filled with your power and the courage to stand up in faith finding my authority in you.

This is the generation of Benjamin.

Let us take hold of the grace he has bestowed upon us.

Let us be lavished with the love of the trinity.

I love you Lord.

Tears threaten in the corner of my eye.

Emotional reverse culture shock. Still? Why?

Haven't I been back long enough, long enough to not be so emotional?

*sigh*

And to top that off, more and more options and demands are being placed on me.

But Lord... if that's your will....

or do I stick with my plan?

There is always another opportunity.

Pero no como esto, no ve?

no entiendo senor.

Guiame.

Are you planting or harvesting?

"The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike! You know the saying, `One person plants and someone else harvests.' And it's true. I sent you to harvest where you didn't plant; others had already done the work, and you will gather the harvest."John 4:36-38

For "Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" Romans 10:13-15

God calls us to plant his word among those who haven't heard. We are called to evangelize. Sometimes this just involves planting the seed, and sometimes this involves harvesting. Sometimes we are just there to remove an object in a person's life which is keeping them from accepting the gospel message. What does God have in store for you right now?

This summer I spent building relationships with people. Although I intentionally did this in Bolivia, it can be done anywhere. You do not need to leave your home to be involved in missions. Not all are called to go internationally. Some are called to give, to support those who go. Some are called to pray. Everyone can reach out to those around them where they are at.

Hallelujah

"Hallelujah, my highest praise to the highest name of Jesus, the king of my heart who deserves every part of me..." "Hallelujah, our God reigns!" 

For the last week and two days I've been back out at N-dub. Why am I here so early when classes don't start until Tuesday? Well, this year I have the wonderful opportunity to be one of the two Summer of Service (SOS) Coordinators here on campus. This position is part of the Campus Ministry Team (CMT). Last weekend we were able to bond as a team at a retreat center near Sioux Falls. It was a great opportunity for learning what it looks like to be a leader on campus and to get to know the people that I will be working with. We enjoyed praising God together, eating international foods, doing a service project, and having many lectures/chats about being a spiritual leader. 

As I am back on campus I can't help but be a little bit emotional as this is my last year here. Yup. Last year. (I'll be studying abroad next year.. place to be determined yet.) Where has the time gone?! This weekend is orientation weekend, and as I see the freshmen wonder around I keep thinking how young they look, and it's hard to believe that was me just a couple of years ago. 

Each year that I've been here has looked so different. Freshmen year I was so eager to come and meet new people. I lived on 3NF and got to know a few great people there, some of whom share my loves of Spanish and/or missions. Sophomore year I was so excited to come back to re-connect with the friends that I had made the year before, and excited/nervous about living in a different part of the dorm with all new people (1SF). This year I got to be a d-group leader with a girl who became a great friend and prayer partner through-out the year. My roommate also became one of my best friends, unlike the year before. I was so thankful to have all these great people in my life. After hearing stories of friends SOS experiences, I decided to apply for on myself. I was accepted into the program and apprehensive about finding an organization to go through and a country to go to. Over Christmas I was able to attend Pioneers Story '08 and fell in love with missions even more, and in love with Pioneers. I ended up going to Bolivia through Pioneers and absolutely LOVED my time there! God taught me so much (read old blog updates for more details...) and blessed me with great relationships. 

One thing of significance is that missions is a lifestyle. God calls us to love the world where we're at. Whether that involves loving the international students on campus, helping at a homeless mission, traveling abroad, or building relationships with the lost, God will and desires to use it all for HIS GLORY. We were made to worship him and to bring glory to his name. This life we live isn't about us. 

As I head into my third and final year en la universidad, I'm excited to see what God has in store for me. This year I am living in an apartment with 5 other girls. Although this year is not looking at all like I had originally planned, God is already showing me that this is part of HIS plan for my life. As excited as I am for living in the apartments, it is so very different from the dorms, and there is a totally different 'stereotype' of dorm people verse apartment people. I need to keep reminding myself that my identity is found in Jesus Christ, not in the things of this world. 

All that to say that God is so good and so faithful. I feel so blessed to be part of such a great community out here, and I am so excited to see and meet the SOS 2010 team that God has picked out =) 

Back at home...

I've been back in the states for almost 2 weeks now, and at home for about 10 days. The travels all went relatively smoothly, praise God. :) It's just 4 days now until I head back out to school for Campus Ministry Team training. I'm caught in that place again of being ready to go but yet not wanting to leave. I'm excited to see God working in this upcoming school year, but I feel like I just got home, unpacked, and settled back in and now I'm packing and saying good-byes again. 

For all of you who want a short answer of how my summer in Bolivia was, my answer to you is: "A blessing from God." This summer truly was a blessing. I'm so blessed to have formed relationships with my host family, host missionaries, teammates, youth group, and camp Kewina staff and campers. Every day I find myself thinking about something that happened this summer, or just about the people I met and the places I saw. God continued to teach me about his love and grace this summer, and about evangelism. Through many instances He showed me the importance of living out my faith so that others can see a difference in me. We should be so totally in love with God that our actions change because of Him. 

Saying goodbye was hard, harder than I was anticipating at the beginning of the summer, and I miss Bolivia so much, but I know that God has a plan for this coming year. He has a reason for bringing me to Bolivia this summer, and for bringing me back to school this year.  

Today I had to wonderful opportunity to witness the professions of faith of my sister, Kristina, and one of my best friends, Laura. What a blessing it is that they are willing to stand up and publicly profess their faith and be fully welcomed into the body of Christ! =)

I will continue to use this blog to process my thoughts and to let you all know about any more traveling adventures that come my way (as in study abroad... and hopefully other missions opportunities). 

Love!

Prayer Requests:

continued adjustment back to American culture

safe travels to school this week

Fellow SOSers

update.

well.. I haven´t updated in a while so I thought I would do a short one anyway.

Today is my last day in Bolivia. We are in Santa Cruz, we got here yesterday and are staying at a nice hotel. Tomorrow we fly to Florida for debrief, and Thursday I fly home!

I don´t really have much more to say right now.. I´ll do a more thorough update when I get home and have lots of time.

Prayer requests:
safe travel
fellow SOSers
that God continues to do great things here in Bolivia


love!

time is flying by...

only 2.5 weeks until I´m home... how crazy is that?!

This past week I spent at a camp about 1.5 hrs outside of the city. It was quite chilly there, it felt like about 30-ish, until the sun came out, and then I would want to be in shorts and a t-shirt, and that´s not an exaggeration. My job was to stay with a caben of girls of 16-17 years old and hang out with them. I also helped to serve the meals. One night we took a hike up the mountain about an hour and spent some time worshipping up there.. it was really cool!

This week I am spending here in cochabamba with my host family. It is just a typical week of doing various activities in the morning, spanish class for an hour in the afternoon, and then spending the rest of the afternoon/evening with my host family.

Next week we´ll be in a countryside town.. I´m not positive where or what we´ll be doing, but I´m pretty sure not internet access, so I might now update again until I´m back in Florida for debrief or at home.

Prayer requests:
a good last week with my host family, and for the good-byes that will come at the end of the week.
a safe time next week in the smaller town
safe travel back to Florida (the 27th)
my sos teammates around the world.
praise that camp went well!
health

quick update

Wow, the time here is truly flying by for me! We´ve reached the half-way point and these next few weeks are going to fly by as well.
Quick review of what´s gone on:
- Helped with construction of a house and with the move
- Day-care
- clean/helped paint a room of a school
- VBS this week
- tore down a play house
- random odd jobs
- been to youth group, and am actually heading there soon
- been sick from the food... just once though, and nothing serious. Also caught the cold that is going around... fun stuff.
- weekly meeting with the host missionaries
..... and more to come later.

This coming week we´re heading to a camp Monday-Friday, so don´t expect any updates or anything until next weekend! :)

I am definetely enjoying my time here! I love getting to know the people and culture, and I feel very at home in the city, which is pretty good for me because I generally like the countryside better.

Thanks to everyone who is praying for me and wrote something in my sos journal, I don´t even know how many times I´ve looked at that and been encouraged!!

love!

You´re the God of this city

First of all, on the ride from Santa Cruz to Cochabamba, we got to see that road blocks are a common ordeal here. We also got to drink some delicious juice, see a parade of many different traditional dances, have the car stop in the mountains and have to wait a little while for it too work again, and eat some delicious things from a panaderia!

The second night at my host families house I got sick.. but luckily it only lasted about 24 hours, and I´ve slowly been getting better and been able to eat more since then. And being healthy makes it a lot easier to eat the food they put in front of me, especially when I´m not sure what it is!

Last week, Cori, Stephen, and I helped at a guarderia, a day care place, for the week. In the morning we would go down to the jail to help pick up some of the kids. When their mom is in jail, they have to go as well. We stayed there until midday when we would go back to our host families for lunch and a time to relax. In the afternoons we have spanish class and spend the night with our families. On friday, we got to use public transportation for the first time on the way home from the guarderia. Stephen and I got a bit lost as we were confused as to where we were suppossed to go, but we ended up finding it alright, just a longer ride and walk that necessary. We walk to class sometimes which is great because its about a 45 minute walk, and I definitely enjoy the exercise!

The weather is great! In the mornings and evenings its a bit cool, sometimes around freezing, but during the day in the sun it is absolutely gorgeous!

Yesterday I went to church with my host mom. It was a tiny baptist church with about 20 members. After the sermon I had to go up front and introduce myself and then everyone came up and welcomed me. I guess this is what happens in small churches when a visiter comes...

God is trying to teach me some lessons while I´m here. Lately I´ve been a bit frustrated by my lack of spanish skills. Before coming I thought I was descent at speaking and understanding spanish, but being around it all the time is hard. I don´t know if its the accent here or what, but I have a hard time understanding and replying to questions. I think my host family thinks that I don´t know much spanish, but I can understand most of their conversations! I´m learning to trust in God when I get frustrated, to ask for patience, and to realize that its OK if I don´t know everything I want to say.

Prayer requests:
- Spanish speaking/understanding ability
- patience
- that I will be able to have a conversations with my host family about what is important in life
- the guarderia that I´ve been helping at is shut down for a few weeks because the fleu has arrived here... pray for health and healing for those who are sick already

love!

Be joyful in everything!

So now that I´ve been here for a week I thought I would update you all a bit, but I don´t have much time.
My host family is great. I have a mom, dad, 3 brothers but only 1 lives at home, and 2 nieces who are over often and 1 nephew. One of my nieces adores me already, and the other one is only 5 months old.
This week we´ve been helping at a daycare and that has been fun. I worked with the babies, and 1 day with 3-4 yr olds. Today we took the truffee taxi home and got a bit lost but it turned out ok.
Well.. I´ve gotta go. I´ll update more when I get a chance!
Love!

Estamos aqui!

We made it here safely! Thursday we sat in the airport and flew here, stayed overnight in another city, and then drove all day Friday. We've had some great cultural experience so far, I'd love to tell you about them sometime :)
Love!

Good-bye Michigan...

As I get ready to head out on this wonderful adventure that many of you know as an SOS (Summer of Service), I yet again say good-bye to my friends and family of my beautiful home-state.

But. I'm ready.

My suitcase is almost packed. My flight leaves in the morning. My heart is longing to go. To go out into the beautiful unknown. To serve my creator, and to say "Thanks" for saving me.

"For we are God's workmanship (poema - song, poem..), created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." - Ephesians 2:10
God's got this. He's got a plan, and He's created me for this purpose.

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship.... Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality." - Romans 12:1,13

There's something crazy-cool about this faith we have, something unique. Our maker sent His son to the earth to die for US. He died on the cross so that we don't have to. Our sin is taken care of. He rose from the dead and lives in us. All we have to do is accept that. Accept His grace, and live a transformed life. Live a life of thanksgiving to Him. yay God :)


Well... I fly to Florida tomorrow, and next week to Bolivia! I'm excited and ready to go. I'll update more on here when I get a chance, but I'm not making any promises.

Please pray for safe travel, and for my fellow SOS teammates who are serving God around the world.

Love!

waiting and learning

So basically I keep hearing about my friends who have left already for their SOS or for other traveling adventures for the summer, and I wonder why I have to keep waiting at home for a little bit longer until I leave. Now don't get me wrong, I do enjoy being at home as well. I mean, they're all out serving God all over the world, and I'm just sitting at home. But God can and desires to use me here too. I don't have to go half way around the world to serve Him even if that is where my heart is. I know that He has a plan in my life and it is so good to see that unfolding :)

I have had a lot more down time recently since I don't have school work or anything to focus on, and a lot of my friends are not around my home, so I have been reading through a book by Duane Elmer called "Cross-Cultural Servanthood". It has some great reminders in it for me as I prepare for this summer, and I am thankful for the time that I have at home so that I can read it before I leave. Each time I read this book, I get more and more excited to be able to live out my passion for missions this summer.

Prayer requests:
~ For the SOSers who have already left for their missions
~ For those of us who are still preparing
~ For our family and friends, as they have to deal with limited communication with us for the summer
~ That we can all have open hearts and open minds to listen to God's plan, even when it is different from our own

love!

Preparation

Hello everyone!
As I prepare for traveling this summer, I decided that blogging would be a good way to keep in contact with my friends and relatives back home :)

I have a couple weeks yet before I go, so I probably won't post much for a little while. Summer break is quite enjoyable so far, although saying goodbye at the end of the school year was hard for me this year. It is hard to imagine not knowing when I will get to see some of my best friends again.

God is so good and so faithful, and He has taught me much this semester about what it means to love and serve Him! I am excited for all that He has prepared for me and for my teammates for this summer!

As I spend just a little bit of time at home, I greatly appreciate all your prayers and support for what God is doing in my life.

~Katie