Whirlwind... 3 continents in 3 days, so my body is unsure what time it is...

According to my laptop, it's 7:00 pm. In thirty minutes, I will be getting on yet another plane; there are four flights that stand in the way of  the eventual destination of Spain. Having just arrived home last night from Thailand - a little late, but safely with all bags PRAISE THE LORD - it feels like 7:00 am.

Thailand is a beautiful country and their culture is very hospitable. Our time there was great and we connected with teams serving in various cities in East Asia. I'll write more later as we are just about to board the plane.

It would be wonderful if you would be praying again for safety in our travels, making all our connections, health and connecting with teams. I'm looking forward to this trip as I have some very dear friends on some of these teams!!

Thank you for your prayers and I'll update soon!

Support! Road Trip! Orlando!

Sunday night, I got an email, confirming their partnership with me as I've joined staff with Jesus Film, which helped me reach my initial goal! Praise the Lord! I've been working on this for about 6 months now and have been praying to finish by early January. Is God's timing perfect or what?!

The timing of this is crazy, as my car was packed, ready to head to Orlando Monday morning.

My sister, Gracie and I started the drive down to Florida, stopping in Atlanta (after about 12 hours) for the night with some life-long friends, the Clines. Mrs. Cline is the definition of hospitality in my book. After a home cooked meal, there were even candies waiting for us on our pillows in the guest room. It was a good visit - a home away from home.

This morning, after some good conversation with Mrs. Cline, we continued on our adventure. After another 8 hours of driving (including checking five gas stations at one stop just to find smoothie drinks), we pulled into my new living accommodations. Ruth, my new roommate was so helpful in aiding Gracie and me unload my car. Due to timing and such, I actually won't be officially moving in until February. For the next week or so, I'll be staying with friends and hopping around various places until I leave for my trip, which extends until the end of the month.

THEN, the 1st of February, I can start the real "unpacking" process.

So for now, if you feel led to, would you pray for a few things?

1. Just the overall transition back to Orlando. I have many friends to see again, and start getting connected to my new neighborhood. Also, missing my family - family is forever, but I still miss them.
2. For my trips coming up - adjusting to time changes, safety in traveling, health, and connecting and sharing the Jesus Film Media app with STINTers who will be working first hand with people in other countries.
3. That the rest of my support would continue to come in. Many have pledged amounts, but what is most helpful is when they sign up :) And if people still feel called to join my team, that they would do so!
4. My "First Day of Work" is next Monday, January 14th. I'm excited to see what I can start working on!

More to come soon...

Enjoying Christmas and Preparing for Upcoming Transitions

So it's been a little while since I've blogged. Mainly because life has been so busy, full and preparing for transitioning to Orlando!

Christmas was good to see family, buy presents for people (I love gifts! Giving and receiving) and snow! It's been a while since I've experienced a "White Christmas". It was different this year as many cousins are now married with kids and live far away.

New Years was so fun (I also completed my 2012 picture a day album on Facebook)! It was my first time spending New Years Eve in Grand Rapids. The four years of college (2006-2009) were spent at Indy Christmas Conference as a student with Campus Crusade.  2010 was spent overseas while on STINT and last year in 2011, I rang in the New Year again at the Indy Christmas Conference, this time as an intern.

New Years 2010 - Interlaken, Switzerland

I was able to introduce my boyfriend, JP, to many close friends from Grand Valley (though several were also out of town), go snowboarding and show him around Grand Rapids. It's a great city with much to offer. Eventually, we headed back to Northville and spent some time with my family, watching movies, sledding, exchanging Christmas presents and sharing good conversation.

After he headed back to Chicago, I started the packing process for Orlando. And it's quite a process! I've decided against installing a trailer hitch to my little Mazda3, to instead ship a few boxes to my new place in Orlando. I'm really not bringing much, as my new housing is furnished and I am borrowing a bed and dresser for a while. All my other belongings just won't fit in my car :)

Packing up my clothing was kind of exhausting.

I LEAVE EARLY MONDAY MORNING, January 7th and begin the trek to Orlando. My sister, Gracie - who recently graduated from Central Michigan University, will be helping me make the drive! Our goal is to be in Orlando at least by Wednesday, with some stops on the way.

For the first week, I will be staying with friends, as my new roommate's current roommate doesn't leave till AFTER I head out for MidYear Conferences. Logistics of moving my things into my room will be tricky, but I am thankful for helpful friends to make the move happen.

It really won't be until February 1st that I really get to start settling in to my new abode. BUT I would still love getting mail! I feel like that always helps make the new location seem more like home. I will be sending out my new address in an email very soon.

As early January brings fresh and new beginnings, I thought I'd share some New Years Resolutions or Goals.

1. Floss my teeth - I think this has been a resolution for the last 6 years... one I've yet to accomplish.

2. Stretch each night before going to bed. It helps the body relax and be more flexible!

3. No pop. Not that I drank much anyways, but water is always the best choice.

4. Read at least one chapter of the Bible a day and take time to meditate on it. It's the active WORD of God. I totally take it and my freedom to own a copy of it, for granted.

5. Just try to smile more often. 

Happy New Year!

Which one do you fall into?

Around Christmas time, seeing extended family is always a tradition. Hugs, food, laugher, stories, new members of the family (both married and born), gift exchanges, picture opportunities, Christmas decorations, the list goes on and on…

As I’ve noticed, it’s funny that when all my siblings are all back together under the same roof, we fall right back into our “pecking order”. It might be because I am getting ready to move down to Orlando, but also seeing all this family has made me a bit introspective and observant of birth order traits and personalities.

You have your oldest child (I found these off a website as I was researching)(which I fall into many of these "oldest" categories): Natural leaders, high achievers, may be bossy or know-it-all, organized and prompt, seeks attention in both positive and negative ways, controlling, and may be come compliant and nurturing.

Then there is middle children: Flexible, independent, mediator or negotiator, may feel life is unfair, highly adaptable, generous and sociable, perceive youngest or oldest child are the parents “favorites”, rebellious, attention seeking and competitive.

And don’t forget baby! They can be: silly or funny, risk takers, creative, very self-centered, highly competitive, bored easily, friendly and outgoing, expect others to take care of them, idealistic, and can be equally charming and manipulative.

Because I obviously am the oldest child, I have been closely observing other oldest children and seeing both the positive and negative traits. Its made me want to be careful in how I interact with my siblings because, coupled with my personality, I could be overpowering, as I’ve seen others do. 

All in all, I am thankful for my family as loud, crazy, and off-the-wall as we are. God gave us each other because He knew it would be good for us!

Throw back: Christmas 2007

Quick Trip to Orlando

This week, I flew down to Orlando in search of housing. I knew God would give me some direction and lead me to where He wants me to be – even if that meant not finding something right away! But I did!

I really wanted to find something close to downtown so I can invest in the people of Orlando, live near the church I will be apart of and get out of the “Cru Bubble” a bit. As a missionary, it’s easy to see your work as your ministry – but that should not be so! Work is work, even though I happen to be a missionary. I want to get involved with the community and church once I get life set up in Orlando.

I will be living with a woman who also works with Crusade so she understands the workload and perspective of the job! I’d met her before, but learned about her need for a roommate through some co-workers. I will be living real close to downtown, the airport and my gym. Overall, I think it will be great!

It was also great to see friends I’ve made from the past year. It’s nice to know I have a solid group of people in my line of work and in my season of life to do life with when I move there in January.

What’s next on the agenda? Finishing my seminary class that I have been taking simultaneously while raising support. It’s been challenging and educational, as I’ve learned about the New Testament. While I am thankful to be taught these biblical foundations, I will be relieved when the final exam is over! I would love some prayers for finishing, and finishing well.

Until next week…

Modern Day Slavery

“The UNICEF reports that across the world, there are more than one million children entering the sex trade every year and that approximately 30 million children have lost their childhood through sexual exploitation over the past 30 years."

“Belgium, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Thailand, Turkey and the United States are countries ranked “very high” as destination countries of trafficked persons (UNODC, 2006).”

“The sex industry in the Netherlands is estimated to make almost $1,000,000,000 ($1 billion) each year (UNECE, 2004).”

This past Friday, I attended a Human Trafficking Awareness event. The Women’s Ministry of Oak Pointe Church Milford, held this as their theme for their Christmas party. The woman who spoke shared 3 final tips, in which, the final one was “Share at least one thing you have learned tonight.”

In a few weeks, I will be headed to Bangkok, Thailand and will also have a layover in Amsterdam, Holland on my way to Spain. These two cities are known for their “Red-Light Districts”. While my main purpose in visiting these cities is working different conferences representing the Jesus Film, it’s also sobering thinking about going to these places, knowing full well millions are enslaved to this sick industry. Knowing this industry is also in neighboring cities across the States is somewhat surreal and heart wrenching!

Please join me in praying for restoration, freedom, hope and justice for these people.

James 5:16 “…The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working!”

John 8:36 “So if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”

Proverbs 31:8-9 “Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

www.ijm.org

"Do you smell like Jesus?"

In my quiet time this week, I was reading in 2 Corinthians. Paul was writing to the church in Corinth to address some issues of the early church. 

"But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing..." 2 Corinthians 2:14-15

These verses struck a cord in me. Wow - do my actions, character and words reflect Christ toward others? Unfortunately, not always. As I become older, I realize the "ugliness" of living out of my own abilities (or 'living out of my flesh' according to "Christianese" haha). As Christians, we have been given the gift of the Spirit, not only to assure our eternal destination, but to live out of His strength in loving others.

I like the picture these verses paint, as the idea is something everyone - Christian and non-Christian alike - can envision. This is what came to my mind: when you walk through a department store, generally you know right where the perfume section is located. Sometimes it's overwhelming actually. But the idea that you know what that counter is all about, just by being near it, is somewhat motivating for me. When others are near me, I want them to, in some way, be encouraged, feel loved and cared for because of the Spirit at work in me. What's cool too, is that He takes the lead. You don't have to be this 'super-Christian' on your own. Man, that would be exhausting! 

I leave you with this video for kicks and giggles...