Sawasdee Kha (Hello in Thai)

I've been wanting to send out an update ever since we left Atlanta GA to embark on our 48 hour travel "day". On Jan 26 we started with a 14 hour flight to Qatar, then another 7 hour flight to Bangkok, followed by an 11+ hour bus ride north to Chiang Mai. They were a full few days of travel, lots of sleepy heads bobbing and mouths wide open fly catching, but we arrived safely to Bella Goose right before midnight on Jan 28th.

Training camp was a great time with lots of teaching and team building and breakthrough. Forgiveness was a common theme among the team. Hearts humbled before the Lord. One of the team shared in his testimony just last night that when hands were laid on him and he was baptized at training camp he really felt freedom. The weight of loneliness, bad memories, pain, sadness, fear, emptiness, abandonment, and distrust, fell off of him.

Here in Chiang Mia our squad is divided into two teams. The Dusty Bunch and The Help. The dusty bunch wants to walk so close behind Jesus that the dust his feet kicks up gets all over them. And the Help wants to be Hopeful, Encouraging, Loving, and Passionate.

The Dusty Bunch has been serving at ActsCo. A Christian book and Bible distribution company. They have been unloading, sorting, organizing and praying over literature that will go out into the world as needed for missionaries and ministries to be used for kingdom work. One of the specific prayer requests is for the route for Bibles to be smuggled from Thailand to Burma to be opened back up as the way had been recently closed.

The Help spent the first week volunteering at Breannas House of Joy. Lots of painting and spending time with the rescued girls that live at the home. Friday night 3 of the team, including myself, got to share testimonies with the 30 girls who live at Breannas House. It was a real blessing for all of us. When I asked the Lord what He wanted me to share with the girls He reminded me of a story from Cambodia where I had tried to get God to prove His love to my by healing my finger, but God was so gracious to remind me of His love that was already displayed through the giving of His son Jesus Christ. You can read that story here if you want.

On Mondays The Help goes to Connies Home to do yard work, spend time with the kids and take them to a local nursing home to bring some cheer to the elderly residents there. The kids are adorable singing their songs and I love seeing the smiles light up the residents faces. :)

Unfortunately The Help shrunk in numbers last week as Dylan got sick and Micah had to fly home for a family funeral. Thankfully Dylan is healthy again and Micah is back.

ATL (Ask the Lord) has been a big part of our ministry. I want to honor people and their personal lives and stories and not share too much, but it's been amazing to see how God leads and directs us when we ask Him to.

A few quotes from the team:

"I evangelized solo for the first time in my life today"

"I know what Gods voice sounds like now, I realized that He's always speaking and now I know how to hear Him"

"I'm living my dream, at peace with God and loving people"

The heart of what short term missions is is discipleship! This past week we had some heavy and hard stuff to work through as a squad. But its also so exciting to see that walls are coming down, the facade is falling apart and we are starting to dig deep and uncover the real stuff. Failure leads to change when God is in the mix! We've entered the storming stage of team development. Boundaries are being tested, authority is being questioned and things feel a bit scary. But this is where the Spirit starts to really do the heart work!

At the end of me is that start of Him.

So much more I could share, I know this post has been squirrel brained, all over the place.

I just want to thank Jesus for the peace He has brought in my life. My sadness has been lifted, my heart has been healed and set free.

Personal testimony: Last year this time I got engaged on February 1st. I then spent the next 3 months planning a wedding that never happened. For 9 months I was heart broken and obsessively looking back and stuck, trying to let go but really struggling.

I'm not stuck in the past anymore!

God spoke over me that He wants to restore my Joy this trip! God also gave me a vision of steps leading to an alter in the church I was going to get married at. But in this vision it was a different groom standing there. It was Jesus. Jesus was asking me to say yes to Him as my husband. His love for me is pure, total, complete, faithful, and fully satisfying! I said yes. And for the next 3 months this year I am focused on preparing myself as a beautiful bride for Christ. The honeymoon stage is back, I'm caught up in His love. And wow does it feel good to say with confidence that I KNOW the plans God has for me are better than the plans I had for myself. I trust Him with my whole heart and life, even my love life. And now I'm able to pour my love and energy into the people in my life, right here, right now!

"Now may the God of hope fill you with ALL joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit!" Romans 15:13

This was our squads Bible memory verse our first week (we are memorizing a new verse together each week). I pray that over you all as well!

I'm loving life. And guys, I got to pet some tiger... only in Thailand! How cool is that! God knows I love adventure and experience and this was a special gift! <3

All my love and thanks to God and each of you for your support and investment in my life! I covet your prayers! Be blessed in Jesus name!