Espana!

Hola todos,

I'm in Spain :) It's great. It's really warm here, but we're inside for the hottest part of the day, so it works. Classes start Monday, and this weekend is pretty free to do whatever.

The trip over went well. Some people's bags were lost, I'm not sure if they're all here yet or not. I didn't have any problems so I was thankful for that.

Anyway, I'll update more later.

Dios les bendiga,

Katie

Preparation.

So.

I leave for a semester in Spain in a week from Tuesday.

Am I ready?

Of course not.

I tried making a list of things I still need today, that's a start anyway, right? Actually getting these things and packing will come later.

Casi no he practicado mi espanol este verano, que triste! No se que esta pasando en Espana tampoco porque no he leido las noticias...

In other news, summer has been quite interesting.

Mostly, I worked and lived at home.

But a few fun things:

*Worked at Pine Trail Camp as a counselor and small group leader for the high school week.

*Went to Orlando, FL for Edge debrief 2 and got to see many wonderful people :)

*Spent a week tent camping in Colorado with Aaron's family and friends. Becky (sister) got to visit too!

*Went to a wedding in northwest IA and got to see some friends from NWC!

*Spent 3 weeks total with Aaron before we both leave the country for studying abroad :)

*There were probably some highlights from earlier in the summer as well, but this is a good summary of the last 5ish weeks...

Well. That's about all for now.

I'll try to update once more before I leave.... maybe. I'll for sure update a few times throughout the semester; however, I'm not making any promises of weekly updates or anything like that. But who knows, maybe I'll surprise myself and actually update that frequently. We shall see...

Facebook fasting, truth, and other lessons

I don't really have a lot to say, nothing too exciting is happening at the moment, I just feel like writing. For the month of February one of my roommates and I decided to fast from facebook. This has been absolutely wonderful! The first week I felt like I had so much more time in my day and like I got much more (needed) sleep than I had been getting. Since then, I have thoroughly enjoyed not being addicted to facebook, although I do look forward to replying to a few messages that I know are on there from before I got off. Fasting can be a great discipline! I've considered continuing the fast for the rest of lent, but I feel like giving up something for lent should be something that I wasn't giving up already. but maybe I will for most of it anyway. we'll see. I also think that fasting from something, whether its facebook, a meal, tv, or anything else can be even more beneficial by adding something else such as prayer, meditation, memorization, etc.

Since Christmas break I have been working on memorizing passages from the Sermon on the Mount. This has been great! Scripture memorization is a lost art that is essential to the spiritual life. Knowing scripture and being able to recall it during tough times can really lift a person up. Speaking of Christmas break, I went to Urbana 09 in St. Louis and loved most of it! The music and energy was great, being with other who are passionate about missions was great, connecting with friends and meeting new friends was great. The morning Bible studies, large group sessions, and seminars all taught me so much, and took quite a bit to process afterwards. If you want to know more, feel free to ask :)

Truth. Love. Freedom. so many great lessons from these topics recently and over the past year or two... The truth of God's love sets us free, free from emotional pain, free from the bondage of sin, free from the lies of the world.

I guess I don't have much else to say except that I am going back to Bolivia =) (hopefully) nothing is final yet, it is just a dream that I have that sounds like it will be coming true! I am super excited for this opportunity and I will post more when I know more!

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