Graciously Tenacious

So Friday night I'm hanging out at home, just chilling, after a while my roommate gets home. Before she even opens the door she yells, "Pack a bag!!!" Then I start asking twenty questions, "Where are we going? Who is going with us? What is going on?!?!?!" She explains that the other intern, Sprite, is taking the visiting L.A. intern to Patayaa for the weekend and he invited us, and the bus is leaving in two hours. By the time she was done explaining, I was done packing, (I pride myself as the worlds fastest last minute packer) and was just sitting around waiting to get this adventure started. My roommate went to our directors house down the street to let her know what our plans were and as she was gone, I started to get this weird feeling, like a feeling that I shouldn't go. Then I remembered that I had promised a teen int he neighborhood that I would hang out with her that next day. I was really looking forward to it because I havn't been able to hang o

The other day was Halloween, for everyone in America that's obvious but here in Thailand it was just another ordinary day...or I thought it was. It was nothing like my previous Halloween experiences, I didn't dress up like a witch or superhero and go door to door asking for candy. There wasn't a Halloween party or decorations in sight. Instead there was flooding, water filled houses, hungry people and the holy spirit doing work. Let me back up and explain what that means. This weekend we had youth camp for the kids it the neighborhood, the theme of the camp was serving God. We had an awesome opportunity to serve God at the National Stadium which for the last month has been the headquarters for the flooding relief. People were donating clothes, cooking food, making sandbags and lots of other stuff. So with the kids we got to walk the walk after we talked the talk. It really was great and the kids learned alot. Once camp was over,we saw that we had a lot of food leftover, al

This weekend was the first time I sincerely referred to Samaki as "home". We had a long weekend of youth camp, which included lots of kids running around, playing games, volunteering at the flood rescue relief center and all the prep that needed to be done to get through this weekend. On the last day, tired and wanting to get back to Samaki the thought rolled into my head, "I just want to get home, sleep in my own bed and use my own shower". I never thought I would say that because my shower is a bucket, my bed is about two inches thick and above all...I live in a slum. But after two months I now call it home. So there's this verse that has been popping up alot lately, its Jeremiah 29:4-7 which says, "This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give yo

Last week, I was having one of those days where I could have made a list of things to complain about...a very long list. Consisting of things I don't have at home, the food, the language and everything in between. Its funny how back home when I most experienced God's presence it was usually walking on the beach, praying with my brothers and sisters or at a huge, loud, awesome church service. But that day was different, I put my list of complaints aside, grabbed a hot cup of tea, sat by my front door and listened to the rain. It poured, the thunder was roaring, the lighting lit up the sky and all I could think about was the song that goes, " theres no place I'd rather be, theres no place I'd rather be, theres no place I'd rather be than here in your love, here in your love." I love how God used the rain to show me his power and gave me peace at the same time. God has been blessing me with these moments on different occasions. Teaching me that I don't ha

I cant help but take a second to talk about the food that I have been eating here in Thailand. Let me start off by saying that no the spider isn't food...at least I think it isn't. But I hope you do enjoy the picture of it, I get to see this spider up close and personal as it has decided to move into my house...Yay!!! Anyways from the moment I got here I have been trying interesting new foods and having a history of not liking spicy food it has been interesting for me to try to stay away from the many spicy foods that cook on the streets of Bangkok. So far about 99.9 % of the food I have eaten is street vendor food and I wouldn't have it any other way. Many people back in the states told me either to eat the street food or to stay far from it. In the community that I live in (samaki) there isn't a grocery store nearby (unless you count 7/11, which are everywhere and you can get bread and other things there) and its alot cheaper to by from vendors. So street vendors

Even though Bangkok is an urban city, there are glimpses of nature everywhere, whether it be in the greenery growing between the houses of the long flowing canal nearby. It may not be the beach I'm used to back home, the hills covered in grass or the fields of produce but I still see the beauty and appreciate God's creativity in all that I see. My favorite thing to do back home is walk on the beach, praying and thinking over life. I could spend hours at the beach, whether at night or during the day, there is something about the warm sand, ocean breeze and sound of waves crashing that puts me at peace and opens up my heart to hear God. Singing songs about God's grace if it were like an ocean. Praising him for making such a beautiful place for me to live at. Today in thailand as I went to seek quiet time with the Lord, I ended up sitting by the canal. It is dirty, smelly, and not really a beautiful place to spend time at. It may not be the beach but if I close my eyes and blo

Ok so where to start, there is so much I want to tell you about Thailand!!!! The people, food, house church, transportation and city are all so different but I will try to tell you a few stories. So the community that I am living in is called samaki which is about a 15 min bus ride outside the area of bangkapi. The Servant Partners office is in Bangkapi. Those are the areas that we mostly are in except on saturday nites when some of us go to Newsong church, which is an international church in the downtown area. I love how we get to all of these places, on boat, motorcycle taxi (my favorite), bus, skytram, taxi and walking....lots of walking. The city is crowded, the traffic is sometimes crazy and the weather is hot. The weather is something to get used to but it makes me very thankful for the cold bucket showers I get to take, never thought I would be thankful for no hot water. Right now its rainey season so out of no where it will start raining and then stop, then start back up again

My favorite verse for the last two years or so has been Joshua 1:9 which goes, " Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." I have looked to this verse for encouragement in times when I felt weak, remembrance that He is with me wherever I am and that God has made me for a time such as this. On Thursday I will gather my bags, say bye to my family and get on a plane to fly halfway across the world. "Do not be terrified and do not be discouraged".....OK God you told me so I will trust in you. These next ten months are going to be amazing, awesome and wonderful but at the same time I know that they are going to be tough, lonely and challenging. I feel like this is going to be a time where God breaks me down, down to a point where I will be unrecognizable and then build me up into the woman that He has created me to be. Things and people that I depend on or look

In less than 3 weeks I will jump on a plane and land in the beautiful country of Thailand. Wait a second, lets back up, did I just say 3 weeks!!!! OH SNAP! I remember earlier this year when I first applied for the Servant Partners Thailand Internship, I thought that September would be a long way off and I would have plenty of time to prepare myself mentally. This last month has been flying by day after day, it finally hit me....I'm leaving my home, my country, my family and all that I know to live in another culture for 10 months. My brain has been on overload with questions; whats Bangkok going to look like, who will I meet, what will I eat (what wont I eat), what is God going to do, who, what, where, when, and why and every question in between! I don't know if I will be homesick, I usually don't get homesick but then again I have never been away this long. Though there have been days where I have been really emotional or emotionally stressed out, God has blessed me with s

During this summer I have had the amazing opportunity to meet with many people to share what God has done in my life, what he is currently doing and what he will be doing in this thailand internship through Servant Partners. I have met with young adults, with couples, and with those who are in their later years of life. As I meet to talk about my internship, God doesnt just bless me with another partner in prayer or monthly sponsor but with a person that God loves so much and wants to share that person with me. Just recently I met with a sweet lady living in a retirement home. She listened to what I had to say and asked good questions but what surprised me was when she asked if she could tell her life story. As I sat and listened I realized that I was sitting in the living room of a woman who had done missionary work in China! Yeah in China!!! As she recalled memories of trials in life and her 40 years "in the desert", she got to the part where God finally called her to wor

Have you ever walked into a room full of people and still felt completely alone. Or have you been surrounded by friends and family that love you and yet still long  for something more. A relationship filled with longing and intimacy, where love is a driving force and your day isn't complete until that relationship is found. For the last couple of months I have understood this feeling, lived it and tried to fill the desires of my heart for relationship with a cheap imitation. Have you ever baked with cheap imitation vanilla? I have. Its watered down and gives off the idea that it is....well.... imitation, like it is titled. One day I found actual vanilla in the cupboard, when poured out I could smell the rich yet comforting scent of vanilla.....this was the real stuff. These last couple of months I have been using "imitation vanilla" relationships in order to fulfill that longing in my heart. After examining my heart, breaking certain ties and giving many issues over to

Finals finished and so is my time at Ventura College. The last two years have been an adventure and a great season in my life so far. I have met amazing brothers and sisters in christ who have challenged, prayed and built me up to make me a better me. Starting Club Hope at Ventura College was something I never saw coming and never could have imagined it becoming what it has. I love seeing how God has called me to leadership and now as I move on, I get to see others stepping up to leadership. Ventura College better watch out because there is a group of students rising up to spread the glory of God's kingdom. Students are recognizing that they are not the only christian on campus but that believers are coming together on campus to fellowship, worship and pray all in the name of Jesus. I love this and it has been my life for the last two years. Though it is hard to let this go, I know God has taught me alot and now he has me taking another step of faith as I keep walking with him. Th