And it's great! I know I owe everyone who might possibly read this blog a really long, juicy blog post. And trust me, I've been saving up the stories from this last week! But that will have to wait until tomorrow because it is very late. But I wanted to at least get on here and say that I'm here safe and sound. I've had a very busy first week here full of language school orientation, my first YL club in Costa Rica, a full day of training for this semester and one or two bumps along the way.
One thing I can say for sure, though, is that I have clearly seen God's hand in this first week--providing an awesome host family, protecting me and helping me feel as settled as I can be after one week in Costa Rica. So, more tomorrow I PROMISE! I can't wait to share all of the stories I've been saving up with you...and a few pictures as well :)
Hasta manana (We'll talk tomorrow!)
Monday, August 30, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Today.Was.A.Fairytale
Leave it to Taylor Swift to write the perfect lyrics for today. Most people who read this blog (if anyone actually does :) know by now that I leave for Costa Rica in less than a week. Eek!
I've been waiting for this moment for so long, it feels almost surreal. It all began 2.5 years ago when I first applied to Peace Corps and since then God has taken me on a crazy adventure trying to discern where my next step in this big journey of life would take me and how exactly to get there (a.k.a. 15 months of fundraising!)
Today.Was.A.Fairytale....it all started last night with my final shift at Kona Grill. Please don't get me wrong, I am thankful for that job. I'm thankful God provided financially over the past three years through it and thankful for how every single day God showed me places in my life and heart that weren't fully surrendered to Him through it, where ugliness took the place where humility, peacemaking and grace should have been. So, I am thankful for the past 3 years at Kona. And I am also IMMENSELY JOYFUL that I never have to work there again!
My fairytale day ended with a beautiful sunset on a long drive home from Lafayette with some old school Jars of Clay bringing tears to my eyes:
"...someday she'll understand the meaning of it all...someday she'll trust Him and learn how to see Him, someday He'll call her and she will come running and fall in His arms and the tears will fall down and she'll pray--'I want to fall in love with you!' "
This song that has such a special place in my heart, so much sentimental value, became fresh for me tonite. I pray that every single day I'll come running to Jesus saying, "I want to fall in love with you!" I can't claim to trust Him perfectly, or to see Him truly, or to understand the meaning of it all--but I can come running to fall in His arms with tears running down my face praying to love Him more and more each day.
Because this is IT! The Great Adventure isn't traveling to Costa Rica, living overseas for three years, or even sharing God's love and grace with teenagers...it's falling more in love with God and His heart and purposes here on earth each day. It's surrendering my will to something so much bigger than me.
Tonite as I lay down to sleep this is my prayer: His Kingdom come, His will be done on earth (and in my heart and life) as it is in Heaven. Amen.
I've been waiting for this moment for so long, it feels almost surreal. It all began 2.5 years ago when I first applied to Peace Corps and since then God has taken me on a crazy adventure trying to discern where my next step in this big journey of life would take me and how exactly to get there (a.k.a. 15 months of fundraising!)
Today.Was.A.Fairytale....it all started last night with my final shift at Kona Grill. Please don't get me wrong, I am thankful for that job. I'm thankful God provided financially over the past three years through it and thankful for how every single day God showed me places in my life and heart that weren't fully surrendered to Him through it, where ugliness took the place where humility, peacemaking and grace should have been. So, I am thankful for the past 3 years at Kona. And I am also IMMENSELY JOYFUL that I never have to work there again!
My fairytale day ended with a beautiful sunset on a long drive home from Lafayette with some old school Jars of Clay bringing tears to my eyes:
"...someday she'll understand the meaning of it all...someday she'll trust Him and learn how to see Him, someday He'll call her and she will come running and fall in His arms and the tears will fall down and she'll pray--'I want to fall in love with you!' "
This song that has such a special place in my heart, so much sentimental value, became fresh for me tonite. I pray that every single day I'll come running to Jesus saying, "I want to fall in love with you!" I can't claim to trust Him perfectly, or to see Him truly, or to understand the meaning of it all--but I can come running to fall in His arms with tears running down my face praying to love Him more and more each day.
Because this is IT! The Great Adventure isn't traveling to Costa Rica, living overseas for three years, or even sharing God's love and grace with teenagers...it's falling more in love with God and His heart and purposes here on earth each day. It's surrendering my will to something so much bigger than me.
Tonite as I lay down to sleep this is my prayer: His Kingdom come, His will be done on earth (and in my heart and life) as it is in Heaven. Amen.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Fundraising Update--the final 7 days!
Hi friends! I just wanted to give you one last update before I **hopefully** announce I am fully funded next week! I am currently at 98% of my budget with $255/month ($3,000/year) left to raise in ongoing pledges over the three years I will be in Costa Rica.
God is SO good. I feel so blessed. And I can't wait to see how this last bit of fundraising will come together!!
God is SO good. I feel so blessed. And I can't wait to see how this last bit of fundraising will come together!!
Monday, July 26, 2010
Sprint to the FINISH LINE!
The fundraising finish line, that is! I wanted to give you an update since it's been about a week since I announced that I am at 92% of my budget and *hoping, praying* to be leaving for Costa Rica on a jet plane next month.
So, what's happened over the last week or so--lots of great conversations with potential supporters, a new $100/month pledge and then some, a new $1,200 one-time gift and lots of prayer! I've said it once, I've said it a million times--THANK YOU!!! It's because of YOU that I am sitting here, hopefully one month from leaving for a three-year adventure with God and teenagers in Costa Rica. YOU who are sacrificing financially and sacrificing of your time to walk alongside me and God to minister to teens in Costa Rica who desperately need to hear of a God who loves them unconditionally and has a BIG plan for their lives.
I still have $380/month or $4,500/annually left to raise in pledges over the next three years. And I have exactly 16 days to do it--yes, 16 days--until August 10th, the deadline for going on staff if August. Could you join me in one of the following ways?
(1) PRAY! Pray for God to move boldly over the next two weeks to help me raise the remaining funds.
(2) Increase your monthly gift by $5, $10, or even $20! Could you join the 25% of my current supporters who have prayerfully considered increasing their support and heard God's response as yes?
(3) Ask your friend, neighbor, co-worker or fellow church member to consider supporting me with a monthly or annual gift--I only need 10 more new supporters! You're inviting them to join you on the greatest journey God has called us to--sharing His life, His love, His hope with those most precious to Him.
"And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward." -Matthew 10:42
"What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost." -Matthew 18:12-14
I thank God for each of you, dear friends!
So, what's happened over the last week or so--lots of great conversations with potential supporters, a new $100/month pledge and then some, a new $1,200 one-time gift and lots of prayer! I've said it once, I've said it a million times--THANK YOU!!! It's because of YOU that I am sitting here, hopefully one month from leaving for a three-year adventure with God and teenagers in Costa Rica. YOU who are sacrificing financially and sacrificing of your time to walk alongside me and God to minister to teens in Costa Rica who desperately need to hear of a God who loves them unconditionally and has a BIG plan for their lives.
I still have $380/month or $4,500/annually left to raise in pledges over the next three years. And I have exactly 16 days to do it--yes, 16 days--until August 10th, the deadline for going on staff if August. Could you join me in one of the following ways?
(1) PRAY! Pray for God to move boldly over the next two weeks to help me raise the remaining funds.
(2) Increase your monthly gift by $5, $10, or even $20! Could you join the 25% of my current supporters who have prayerfully considered increasing their support and heard God's response as yes?
(3) Ask your friend, neighbor, co-worker or fellow church member to consider supporting me with a monthly or annual gift--I only need 10 more new supporters! You're inviting them to join you on the greatest journey God has called us to--sharing His life, His love, His hope with those most precious to Him.
"And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward." -Matthew 10:42
"What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost." -Matthew 18:12-14
I thank God for each of you, dear friends!
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Exciting Fundraising Update!
I am happy to share that I have reached 92% of my budget! In the past couple of days, I've had some current supporters step up their giving and some new major supporters join the team!
I also made a very tough decision. I decreased my salary by 1/3. This was a difficult decision, but I feel as if God has been moving in the last couple of weeks and really wants me in Costa Rica in August! I know that all of my supporters make a financial sacrifice to be a part of my team and support Young Life in Costa Rica. I stand with you doing the same!
The new salary level will be sufficient (tight! but sufficient) while I am in language school and living with a host family. After I finish language school, though, I will need to increase my salary to meet the increased cost of living by myself (or hopefully with a roommate). I hope you will be able to join me then in helping meet the increased need!
I want to say a BIG THANK YOU to all of you have provided financial support, encouragement and prayers. There is no way I would have gotten through the past 1.5 years without you--and I consider each of you angels sent by God!
THAT SAID, I still have $425/month ($5,100/year) left to raise in monthly pledges over three years in the next 15 days (yes, 15 days!) to be able to go on staff in August and leave for Costa Rica for the start of the school year and my language school semester. Please let me know if you know of anyone who might be interested in joining my support team with a monthly gift of $25, 50, 100 or more! And as always, I appreciate your prayers in helping me leap this last hurdle to cross the finish line August 1st!
I also made a very tough decision. I decreased my salary by 1/3. This was a difficult decision, but I feel as if God has been moving in the last couple of weeks and really wants me in Costa Rica in August! I know that all of my supporters make a financial sacrifice to be a part of my team and support Young Life in Costa Rica. I stand with you doing the same!
The new salary level will be sufficient (tight! but sufficient) while I am in language school and living with a host family. After I finish language school, though, I will need to increase my salary to meet the increased cost of living by myself (or hopefully with a roommate). I hope you will be able to join me then in helping meet the increased need!
I want to say a BIG THANK YOU to all of you have provided financial support, encouragement and prayers. There is no way I would have gotten through the past 1.5 years without you--and I consider each of you angels sent by God!
THAT SAID, I still have $425/month ($5,100/year) left to raise in monthly pledges over three years in the next 15 days (yes, 15 days!) to be able to go on staff in August and leave for Costa Rica for the start of the school year and my language school semester. Please let me know if you know of anyone who might be interested in joining my support team with a monthly gift of $25, 50, 100 or more! And as always, I appreciate your prayers in helping me leap this last hurdle to cross the finish line August 1st!
Monday, June 28, 2010
Passports, friends, visas and urgency
What do these four words have in common, you ask? Well, I'm about to tell you! If I haven't shared with you yet my latest obsession, please indulge me. A friend shared with me the following blog about a young woman who is a missionary in Africa shortly after I returned from my two-week trip to Costa Rica in early April. While I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Costa Rica, it was somewhere between trying to communicate with the taxi driver the location I desired in Spanish by myself and the silent stares of girls in cabin time (small group) following Club each night of the service trip as they processed what a personal, loving God might look like--it was somewhere in the midst of this that I started to get a bit nervous. God, are you REALLY calling me for THREE YEARS in Costa Rica? Do I REALLY have what it takes to effectively and passionately live and communicate your Gospel each day with high schoolers from around the world? Do I REALLY love you enough to do this?
God's resounding reply--YES, WITH MY HELP! And His first bit of help came in the form of an email from a friend with this blog address: http://www.kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/. I pray that you find time in your busy life to read every single entry Katie has written. Her words are honest, biting, challenging, uplifting, heartbreaking and utterly FULL of faith. God used these words to speak these Truths to me:
-It will be harder than you can ever imagine, and yet I will be there, I will guide you and I alone will bring you JOY in the midst of the struggle
-The work you will join Me in is not glamorous--it is thankless, dirty, never-ending
-I am more than enough for you, your every need and every desire and the adventure I wish to invite you to join me in is going to change you forever
-My children, every child in Costa Rica, is waiting for you--waiting to hear what you will tell them about Me, waiting to see what a life with Me looks like
-YOU ARE MINE, YOU ARE LOVED
Man, did I need to hear that! And it was the swiftness with which He brought that message that confirmed to me, and all the many other ways He continues to confirm to me, that I am called to love kids who desperately need to hear of God's love. And that while God can and would use any extreme measure to communicate this to these kids, He's chosen ME. How unbelievably humbling!
So, back to those four words. I really encourage you to read Katie's blog post from today (June 28th). I've missed her...weird, because I don't even know her. But she hasn't posted recently, and I've missed her. This post blew me away. I sit here struggling to attack the fundraising process with the passion with which I love God and love lost kids and here He challenges me: Do you approach the process leading up to your time in Costa Rica with the same sense of URGENCY with which Katie sought to bring Patricia home with her? You see, loved one, said God, I love you with that urgency, I love the kids you will work with in Costa Rica with that urgency, and you must have that same urgency!
So, I fall before God and you, my dear friends, family and supporters who have faithfully walked alongside me in this journey over the past year and I URGENTLY ask you to help me fulfill the remaining 25% of my budget so that I can join Jessie and Boo in Costa Rica for the start of the school year in August. With a heaven perspective, I am URGENT because there are kids in Costa Rica who have never hear the name Jesus, never heard that He loves them, and have never had the opportunity to join Him on the greatest adventure! With an earthly perspective, I am URGENT because international schools in Costa Rica lost two interns and a full-time staff in June (they returned to the US) and that leaves just two staff for kids who attend Young Life from four schools--not NEARLY enough when we have 12 dedicated, loving volunteers at Westfield High School alone! And also because we moved Wyldlife camp (camp for middle schoolers) to the Fall, which means we begin the day that school starts building relationships with new kids to invite them to the best weekend of their life to hear the greatest love story ever told!
So I ask you with URGENCY, please join me by:
(1) Sharing with me the names/contact info. of 3-5 friends who would like to hear the amazing ways God is working through Young Life in Costa Rica and invite them to be a part of it!
(2) Host a dessert event to invite your friends, family, neighbors to hear in person more about Young Life Costa Rica
(3) If you already support me and Young Life in Costa Rica, prayerfully consider increasing that gift by $10, 20, 30/month or even doubling your gift! God is blessing you so that you can bless others. Is He calling you to be a bigger part of what He's doing in Costa Rica?
(4) Prayerfully consider asking your church to partner with Young Life Costa Rica and then call your Pastor and call me!
Thank you, thank you a million times over for your love, support and friendship. And thank you for your sacrifice.
P.S. I was just looking up the word "urgent" in the Bible and found it in a really cool place.
"The king's command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace." -Daniel 3:22-23
As the story goes, King Nebuchadnezzar ordered all of the people to bow down and worship him. But Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego (or Rack, Shack and Benny from VeggieTales) refused to worship anyone but God. So, the King had them thrown into a fiery furnace, but when the King looks in he sees four people walking around and then Rack, Shack and Benny are removed from the fire without one hair on their head burned! What's even cooler is what they said before the King threw them in the fire:
"If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." -Daniel 3:17-18
Wow! Talk about guts! Moral of the story: There will always be "Kings" in our lives calling us to bow down something other than God--in the lives of international school kids it is wealth, success, need for attention, partying, etc. And this King was URGET, so God calls us to be URGENT as well--URGENT to share His story, His hope, His life and the life He is offering each one of us.
God's resounding reply--YES, WITH MY HELP! And His first bit of help came in the form of an email from a friend with this blog address: http://www.kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/. I pray that you find time in your busy life to read every single entry Katie has written. Her words are honest, biting, challenging, uplifting, heartbreaking and utterly FULL of faith. God used these words to speak these Truths to me:
-It will be harder than you can ever imagine, and yet I will be there, I will guide you and I alone will bring you JOY in the midst of the struggle
-The work you will join Me in is not glamorous--it is thankless, dirty, never-ending
-I am more than enough for you, your every need and every desire and the adventure I wish to invite you to join me in is going to change you forever
-My children, every child in Costa Rica, is waiting for you--waiting to hear what you will tell them about Me, waiting to see what a life with Me looks like
-YOU ARE MINE, YOU ARE LOVED
Man, did I need to hear that! And it was the swiftness with which He brought that message that confirmed to me, and all the many other ways He continues to confirm to me, that I am called to love kids who desperately need to hear of God's love. And that while God can and would use any extreme measure to communicate this to these kids, He's chosen ME. How unbelievably humbling!
So, back to those four words. I really encourage you to read Katie's blog post from today (June 28th). I've missed her...weird, because I don't even know her. But she hasn't posted recently, and I've missed her. This post blew me away. I sit here struggling to attack the fundraising process with the passion with which I love God and love lost kids and here He challenges me: Do you approach the process leading up to your time in Costa Rica with the same sense of URGENCY with which Katie sought to bring Patricia home with her? You see, loved one, said God, I love you with that urgency, I love the kids you will work with in Costa Rica with that urgency, and you must have that same urgency!
So, I fall before God and you, my dear friends, family and supporters who have faithfully walked alongside me in this journey over the past year and I URGENTLY ask you to help me fulfill the remaining 25% of my budget so that I can join Jessie and Boo in Costa Rica for the start of the school year in August. With a heaven perspective, I am URGENT because there are kids in Costa Rica who have never hear the name Jesus, never heard that He loves them, and have never had the opportunity to join Him on the greatest adventure! With an earthly perspective, I am URGENT because international schools in Costa Rica lost two interns and a full-time staff in June (they returned to the US) and that leaves just two staff for kids who attend Young Life from four schools--not NEARLY enough when we have 12 dedicated, loving volunteers at Westfield High School alone! And also because we moved Wyldlife camp (camp for middle schoolers) to the Fall, which means we begin the day that school starts building relationships with new kids to invite them to the best weekend of their life to hear the greatest love story ever told!
So I ask you with URGENCY, please join me by:
(1) Sharing with me the names/contact info. of 3-5 friends who would like to hear the amazing ways God is working through Young Life in Costa Rica and invite them to be a part of it!
(2) Host a dessert event to invite your friends, family, neighbors to hear in person more about Young Life Costa Rica
(3) If you already support me and Young Life in Costa Rica, prayerfully consider increasing that gift by $10, 20, 30/month or even doubling your gift! God is blessing you so that you can bless others. Is He calling you to be a bigger part of what He's doing in Costa Rica?
(4) Prayerfully consider asking your church to partner with Young Life Costa Rica and then call your Pastor and call me!
(5) PRAY. Pray for God to intercede, to lead me to those who He has prepared to be a part of this support team, and to provide for the rest of the funding by August!
(6) Got another (even better!) idea? Send it my way...I would love to hear it!
Thank you, thank you a million times over for your love, support and friendship. And thank you for your sacrifice.
P.S. I was just looking up the word "urgent" in the Bible and found it in a really cool place.
"The king's command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace." -Daniel 3:22-23
As the story goes, King Nebuchadnezzar ordered all of the people to bow down and worship him. But Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego (or Rack, Shack and Benny from VeggieTales) refused to worship anyone but God. So, the King had them thrown into a fiery furnace, but when the King looks in he sees four people walking around and then Rack, Shack and Benny are removed from the fire without one hair on their head burned! What's even cooler is what they said before the King threw them in the fire:
"If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." -Daniel 3:17-18
Wow! Talk about guts! Moral of the story: There will always be "Kings" in our lives calling us to bow down something other than God--in the lives of international school kids it is wealth, success, need for attention, partying, etc. And this King was URGET, so God calls us to be URGENT as well--URGENT to share His story, His hope, His life and the life He is offering each one of us.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Young Life Costa Rica Service Project Video!
Well, friends, it has taken me FOREVER to finish this project! Part procrastination, part stumbling through learning how to use iMovie :) But here it is--captured in video, pictures and song--10 minutes for a snapshot of what the Young Life Service Project looks like in Costa Rica. I hope you enjoy it! Please feel free to pass the link on to friends, family and co-workers who might be interested in supporting Young Life in Costa Rica!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nipCeq7H6GQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nipCeq7H6GQ
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