Traveling along the way

Traveling along the way... 
A brief recap of my travels in the past couple of years. Time has absolutely flown by in these last three years.  Starting in May 2012 (Graduation) to March 2015 returning to the U.S.A.
* I will be writing again shortly to give current updates about what is now and what is next.

   What have I been up to?

     I graduated from College with my B.A. in Elementary Education in May of 2012, and since then I have been very blessed with some opportunities to travel and do mission work in four different countries. Each trip, and country was unique, and rewarding. I'm so thankful for each person who helped make this season possible. Thank you to each family member, friend and individual.

      I was in Japan for the longest, about two in a half years total.  I served in Japan from October 2012 through March 2015 with some travel back and forth with-in that time. I was teaching elementary English at a private Christian school in Japan. My experience of living in Japan was incredibly challenging but also very rewarding. I grew and was stretched in ways I never knew possible. God's grace is more than sufficient for each of us. I had many "first" to get used to, plus living in another country.  Despite the challenges, my time in Japan was an incredible opportunity that I will cherish and benefit from for the rest of my life.

     Last summer, August 2014, I also had the chance to visit a continent that I have wanted to go to since I was a child, Africa. I was only able to go for a extremely short visit, only 9 days total, for this trip. I went on a short term mission trip to South Africa and Swaziland with an amazing group called "Children's Cup." Children's Cup is an organization that helps entire communities by focusing first on the Children's needs, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. With Children's Cup I served at a project site, which serves as a church, and feeding program. (AND now a preschool) I helped with a lot of service projects to help the campus and the children.   A  second big part of my trip to South Africa was reconnecting with my fabulous missionary friends who are serving in South Africa (Mitch and Charlotte Hildebrant). It was really awesome to get to see first hand the work they are doing down in that area. The Hildebrants are growing and doing some really exciting adventures as they serve the Lord in South Africa.  (The trip to Swaziland was EXTREMELY short, only about two days. Our team crossed the border and met with some missionary families and spent our last time as a group together with some fellowship and debriefing activities.

      My finial trip, before returning to the U.S.A., was also a quick one. I spent about one week on a short term mission trip to the Philippines. This trip was hosted by my Japanese church young adults group. The purpose of my trip to the Philippines was primarily to spend time in prayer and worship for this nation, as well as to fellowship with the believers in the Philippine churches which are connected to Church of Praise International in Japan. My trip to the Philippines was a wonderful way to gracefully serve one last time before transiting back to America. This trip was especially unique, because most, if not all of my previous mission trip experiences had been service oriented and usually also very focused on children and/or evangelism.  It was a special honor to serve on a mission trip with my Japanese church, one last time before God called me onto leaving Japan and returning to the States.

        All of my travels all over the world have been unique and wonderful. I am INCREDIBLY blessed to have had so many experiences in so many different places. I have met some outstanding people along the way and been impacted personally in some way from every nation I have visited. But of all the places and exciting things, the best part is always the people and seeing their love for the Lord. Probably one of my most favorite parts of traveling anywhere in the world is meeting new people and as a Christian, sharing our passion for God. Worshiping together with others, who don't speak the same language but clearly serve the same God, is a treasure so incredibly priceless.

 

*If you have any questions please feel free to ask me and I will be happy to share. :)

**This turned out to be more of a newsletter update than a blog. I plan to start sending a Newsletter hopefully monthly, and then doing more writing on this blog as well. My next post will be more about what I am doing now and possibilities of what comes next. Thank you for your continued prayers as I seek to follow in the footsteps the Lord has already planned for me.

 

 

  

New Seasons

An excellent word for a new season

Many possible doors to pick soon

quality time with family in Oklahoma

Merry Christmas and Happy 2015!

 

My three fuzzy amigo's 

Hello friends and family,

I hope each of you and your families had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Years. I apologize that I have not written any blog post since August. I do post regularly to Facebook, but hope to be better about communicating on my blog to reach those who do not have Facebook.

Another year has quickly come and gone. I am amazed that it is already 2015. God has been busy working in my life -I just haven't been as diligent at communicating what HE is doing and saying.

I am humbly in awe of all that God has done and is yet to do. I praise God that I am not where I was even a year ago, but especially not where I was 8 or more years ago. God has delivered me from so much  it is incredible. I praise God that although I am far from the goal of becoming all that God wants me to be, I praise God I am NOT where I used to be! I am unfinished, but a work in progress. The Lord has been faithfully directing my paths and guiding my steps. I have made mistakes, gotten off track and even a few times refused to go anywhere. But God is a loving and patient Father, who knows what is best for His children. I am forever thankful that my God is one who is compassionate, gracious and slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness who maintains love to thousands and forgiving of wickedness, rebellion and sin. (Exodus 34:6)

I am writing this entry just past the Christmas and New Years holidays. I was blessed to have the chance to travel back to Oklahoma for the Christmas break. I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with my wonderful family and friends. And of course I liked being with my pets again too. ;) I was blessed to get to see many people but did not get to see everyone. But do not worry I will be back soon...

I can hardly believe I have already been in Japan for a little over two years. I have been stretched and grown in many ways. This past season has been equally challenging and wonderful. In the beginning, my assignment in Japan was very difficult. I was living for the first time on my own, a first year teacher and living in another country all at the same time. But, God provided some incredible leaders and an amazing church family here in Japan. God has pushed me more, in this time than perhaps ever before. And yet, it has been so incredible. I have jumped into new levels and overcome lots of junk. Of course I am still climbing this mountain of faith in this adventure we call life. Some of you know how much I have struggled with each step as you listened to my complaining, questions and worry. I want to thank each of you for your prayers, because with out them I wouldn't be anywhere near where I am or who I am. I humbly ask for your continued prayers, especially for direction.

This season has been challenging but wonderful. But just as the law of gravity pulls things down, the laws of life dictate change. In order for any living thing to stay alive it must grow and change. People all pass through seasons in life. We as humans can't create the weather, or manipulate the seasons. The four seasons in the natural are very different and very different in various parts of the Earth. I believe that God enjoys helping His children change and grow, especially when people get out of the "comfort zone." I believe God created us to be challenged to the point where we literally can't do it alone and MUST depend on Him. When we start to throw up our hands and ask Him to take control I believe we are right where He wants us.

God asks us to trust Him for the next step. Often He literally ONLY gives the next step and we must look to Him to know what comes next for every step. My season is changing too. God is sending me on new adventures. I will be leaving Japan at the end of the Japanese school year, which is in March. I have really enjoyed my time in Japan and experienced excellent leadership and training and made some wonderful friends, and connections. A guest speaker, at my Japanese Church was talking about how, in life there are good ideas, and there are God ideas. Some times we need to say "no" to the good idea so we can accept the best one, the God idea.

Many are asking me "What comes next?"

Honestly I can say I am asking the same question(s). I have many good choices and options. But I want God's best. I know I will leave Japan in less than 12 weeks. (At the end of March) But after that I am still asking. God keeps the planets in orbit and yet I wonder if He knows what to do with my life and wonder if God knows what comes next or is surprised by what comes my way. Really?! That is a bit crazy! God brought me to Japan in 3 days time and worked out every single detail along the way. I must trust Him to direct my next steps. How foolish was I to have thought I had it all figured out. And how incredibly grateful I am, to God, that I don't have to have it all figured out, because HE knows the path and what is best for me.As I face the uncertainty of my next steps I am reminded to trust God with the very next step, and take it one step at a time.

But as I am challenged with Trusting God for what comes next, I have been more challenged by some of my other missionary friends living in dangerous countries. I can get so caught up in the small stuff and far too comfortable and forget what others face on a daily bases. It can be easy to forget our many many blessings. I know a family who has a child serving in the military of the country they are serving in. I know a family who hear bomb sirens on a regular bases and compare it to a tornado siren. I have a friend who shared that they were at a conference for those who minister to people in the middle east. My friend shared that at the very conference she was attending one lady did not get to attend because she was killed on the field of service. The darkest feels darker but the light is always brighter. We are in a battle for peoples lives both in the natural, and supernatural as well as the present and the eternal. I ask for a call to pray and give heart-felt worship and thanksgiving constantly.

A few Poems to end this newsletter

Do you trust me?

The Father said

“Do you trust me?

Will you stay with me?

Will you come away with me?

Come meet me in the secret place

I will be found when you seek my face.

Lord Here I am, take all of me.

Lord set me Free

Free to stay or free to go

Lord, your will, I pray it so.

Remove my selfish filth, black as coal

Me me white like snow, make me whole

Lord take me as a broken mess.

I hear you whisper “Come. I'll do the rest.”

God's direction

No more confusion

No more delusions.

God I look to you

Lord I know you'll pull me through.

To turn to the left or to the right?

I won't give in I'll keep up the fight.

As surely as the air I breath

Help me to trust your lead.

When I don't know where to go

To trust as certain as the Wind blows

To trust the path Oh God you know.

Stop or Go? North, East South or West?

Give me grace to trust you know best.

Stripe away all of my selfish, stubborn ways.

Lord I commit to you all my days,

Have my heart, my mind, my life my all.

I give my all and like sand in my hands I let all that is me fall.

Moving into a new season

Jesus be my only reason.

No longer asking why

Only trusting in God's supply.

To you oh Lord my life I commit.

Everything of myself I submit.

I thought I knew

God forgive me

I thought I knew

I thought I knew more than you.

I had my own plans all laid out.

I thought I had life figured out.

Ideas, desires, and dreams

how foolish to think I knew everything.

I thought I could do this on my own.

How foolish to think I could do it alone.

My works like a house of cards will fall.

Yet ironically even my greatest dream is still too small.

Lord I bow

Humbled by The Cross and by Your crown.

I say have your way.

My life my dreams before you I lay

God forgive me I thought I knew.

I let go, because you re the only on who will ever know each and every thing for me to do.

Missions

As you travel far and wide

you find cultures change as much as the oceans tide.

God asked the missionary to go near and far,

He said “Go into all the world, Go wherever my people are.”

God doesn't give you all the information,

He may give some ideas

but sometimes it's “GO” or maybe a destination.

Although each are called to share as Missionaries

The distance doesn't matter.

God asks all but chooses only the voluntary.

The Lord first says to you “Come to me”

As he breaks your chains

He asks you to reach out.

He asks you to show others what freedom is about.

He grants us great grace

He says to live by faith

and for all to seek His face.

For your needs God always provides

Often in ways unexpected

But He promises to stay by your side.