Missions Monday: on selflessness

Today, I'm sharing my heart on selflessness over on my site hopeforthehopelessministry.com. 

Here's a quick preview of it.

It would make my heart extremely happy if you would head on over to my site and read the rest of it here, as well as read of what God is doing in my life through my ministry.

MISSIONS MONDAY. For a few weeks now God has really been moving on my heart to do a weekly post specifically on mission work. I hope to make this something you all can count on, and will be a token of encouragement for each of your hearts. Who knows..maybe we might even start a link-up soon where you can tell me what God lays on your heart about mission work as well.

As the days count down (25 to be exact) until I leave for the Philippines, I begin to make my final lists of things I need to do and buy before I leave for my trip. I just purchased my newest addition to my journal collection (thanks Etsy), and I have been exploring the internet often for a durable, back friendly backpack (suggestions welcome). The anticipation continues to build as I get more information about my trip, and connect with friends who will also be joining BTEA for our two week mission in Manila, Philippines.

continued here........... 

Answered Prayers

hi ladies.

It's so nice catching up with each of your blogs, and "hearing" how you are all spending your summers.

I don't know about you, but this is my favorite season of all.

time of work.

sunshine.

freedom.

flowers.

vacation.

ok...I could go on and on and on, but I'll stop there :)

As I mentioned back on this post, I have created a website specifically to raise awareness and support for my work in the Philippines. You can check it out here. 

I shared a couple of weeks ago that there would be fundraiser held at our local community center to raise money for travel expenses and such for my July trip. I am so over whelmed and grateful for all that was done through the people of our community.

I am so humbled and blown away by God as I reflect on the past few years, and all that He is done.

I'm so excited to be sharing a brief history of how it all started as well as the results of my fundraiser with you all today!!

July 2008 forever changed my life as I boarded my first flight ever, and traveled to the Philippines. Before the trip, I really underestimated God, and truly thought this would probably be a once in a lifetime opportunity, and something I may never have the chance to experience again. Fast forward two weeks and I could not imagine a summer without serving with the Bob Tebow Evangelical Association (BTEA). However, it's amazing how God changes us, and shifts our focus and our hearts to other aspects of ministry. 

Over the course of the past two years, I have not served with BTEA as our orphanage Rosemary's Home of Hope really took root, and expanded in ways we never imagined possible. While I am still really involved with Rosemary's, and plan to visit this coming December, I feel that it is time for me to join back up with my dear friends from Florida, and share the salvation message of Jesus Christ with children in the schools of the Philippines.

It was this past January when I really felt the Lord speaking to me to join back up with BTEA. I remember a pang in my heart as I knew God wanted me to sacrifice two weeks of my summer to go serve Him in this third world country.. I began to have some sort of war going on inside of me. I had people telling me I was a fool to continue "wasting" my money and my time constantly on people so far away. (Read More)

New Website!

Hi ladies.

I'm sure you are all wondering why in the world I am suddenly posting more.

There's really only one simple explanation.

School's out.

When school is in session, I have no time to do the things I love. 

I'm so excited to have the summer to be on here a little more, read some good books, and travel a bit.

Today, I have a fun announcement for you all. Recently, I have been approached about establishing monthly supporters for my mission work specifically in the Philippines. Long story short, for tax purposes, it was necessary I create a personal non-profit, which I prayerfully decided to call Hope for the Hopeless.

As a means of spreading the word, and creating a much more efficient way of keeping everyone informed on what the Lord is doing in my life, I have been working on quite the secret.

A new website.

The sole purpose of this website is to first of all keep those informed who consistently support me, and also, to raise funds. I hope you all will go check it out!

www.hopeforthehopelessministry.weebly.com

Sunshine & Afro Sheen

As I sit down tonight to journal and reflect on the weekend, I am already having a few regrets. Overall, I would give my first weekend of summer a fantastic review.

There was laughter.

There was sleep (with no alarm, which totally rocks. my. world.)

There was a wedding.

There was time with Jesus.

And then, there was sunshine.

Lots of sunshine.

And lots of Afro sheen.

As I sit here writing this post, face lathered in Vaseline (because that's what my BFF cosmetologist told me to do to remove the nastiness which has taken over my once moisturized, smooth skin), I ask myself one question.

What the HECK were you thinking?!

Folks, Mississippi weather is pretty crazy. Mother Nature has been tempting us with pretty spring days every now and then, but she hasn't brought her full blown summertime weather.

Until Thursday.

Thursday, the sun was bright and warm, and it was the most perfect day to lay out at the lake.

I found myself enjoying the peacefulness that surrounded me.

The birds were singing. 

Breeze was blowing. 

and before I knew it, time had slipped right on by.

I had been laying out with bare minimum covering my almost fully exposed body, and soaked in Afro sheen....for six hours.

SIX HOURS!

With Afro sheen.

For SIX WHOLE HOURS!

Needless to say, as a result, I have raccoon eyes from over sized shades, and a scaly face that would make any reptile envious. But hey...I sho got my tan on ;)

Here's a few pictures from the weekend. I almost regret I failed to take pictures of the gorgeous wedding and reception I attended on Saturday, but then I remember how much fun I had on the dance floor without my camera, and well, sorry but I'm not so sorry!

We got two new babies at Rosemary's!
Meet Venz and Leehra 

My best friends brought me home some coffee from the Philippines.
Usually I'm not a fan of instant coffee, but oh my goodness.
DELICIOUS

Meet Cotton.
I got to puppy sit while his family was out of town.
Isn't he just adorable?

Ahhh.....summer, at last.
Pretty flowers.
Fresh mani.
and a cup of Florida Coastal Coffee.
Heaven.

Read this in an hour.
Yes, I love me some Dolly !

Ps

I need more summer reads. Suggestions?

Made from dust.

It is very rare for me to travel anywhere in my car without the radio set to one of my iPod playlist in accordance with my current mood. However, after 7+ hours in the county office, listening to non stop complaints about the school system, the economy, and well, just life, I'm typically not in the mood for a bumpin' ride home. And folks, I'm talking about music, not the knee deep unavoidable potholes that grace our lovely North Road.

A lot of days during my work week, Monday-Wednesday, I tune in to one of my podcast. Recently I've been stuck on David Platt, who I have heard several times at Secret Church.
Ladies, if you aren't familiar with him, seriously look him up. Someone on Pinterest posted something very wise, "David Platt. Not someone you read if you want your life to stay the way it is." That's truth.
He is the definition of radical.

Pinterest

A couple of days ago, I turned on one of David's most recent sermons at the church at Brook Hills. It was about the urgency to share Christ, and sacrifice all for His glory.

The Urgency of Eternity

The title of this particular podcast caught my eye immediately because of it's title. Urgency. It seems that has been a reoccurring word in my life for the past few months, as I went back and forth with whether or not God sought to send me to the Philippines this summer solely for evangelism, or whether He was guiding me to serve at an orphanage. The answers were so unclear to me, as I begin to blur what God wanted vs what I wanted.

Until God spoke loud in clear.
 . The urgency to share Christ is imperative as our world continues to deter from Him.
The importance of reaching the lost before time exist no more, is becoming more real everyday.
Their is a great need to forsake all for the gospel.

The end is near.
Why are we being still?

Where I live, in the rural parts of Mississippi, you flash your lights at oncoming traffic if there is a wreck or a roadblock in their future. You just do it. Why?
Because you want them to beware.
You warn them that there's danger ahead, whether it be an accident or a potential traffic violation.
You warn them.

Why is it we can manage to warn people to slow down before encountering law enforcement, yet we can't manage to warn them that they are headed for a blazing hot, eternal hell if they don't redirect their lives?

I don't know how to witness.
I don't know enough about the Bible.

Excuses. God doesn't accept them.

My favorite thing that David said in The Urgency of Eternity, is this simple truth...

we are dust.

God doesn't look down at His creation, His children, and say, "Wow. Look at that dust. It's capability of sharing my story is almost incomprehensible." 

Instead, God looks at His children, those who are at least making an attempt to share His story, and He says, "That dust. It's faulty and it's sinful. But, I, I am perfect, and I will take that seed that precious child just planted, and I will water it, and it will grow."

Friends, that's God.
He is bigger than our fears.
our failures.
our sinfulness.
and even our pride.

As a dear brother in Christ once said, "Friends don't let friends go to hell."

Go tell 'em Jesus loves 'em!

Pinterest

Why do you go?

Why do you go? 

Why the Philippines?

Why don't you spend your money on other things?

Don't you know there's plenty of work for you to do locally?

Shouldn't you focus on school and save missions for later? 

Those are just a few of the questions that have been quite frequently asked of me lately. I would be lying to say it hasn't been frustrating to me. People who act s if they whole heartily support me in life, then shockingly don't understand my heart. 

God's heart. 

Why can't we grasp the urgency to share Christ?

How have we gotten so far away from the purpose of this God given life that we put mission work on the back burner  and seek after worldly pleasures instead?

Recently, I was asked to put into words the why behind why I regularly make the trek to the Philippines. 

I wanted to share with you all a small excerpt from that, and encourage you to continue whatever work God has called you to. Don't let the naysayers discourage you.

"I go because I see lost souls. I see a hunger deep within the eyes of starving children, broken mothers, and feeble elderly. I see people who have never even heard Jesus’ name spoken. I’m driven to reach them with the Gospel of Christ before there is no more time. I feel compelled to go, to forsake the comforts of America, and to risk it all so that they may know Him. If I don’t go, who will? My heart aches to be there, to love on children, and to continually share hope with them. Hope that this third world country has never heard of. To win the lost souls….that’s why I go."

"In me, you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but TAKE HEART; I have overcome the world." John 16:33

P.S.

I finally created a Bloglovin' account. You should probably go follow me ;)

let's catch up

hi lovelies..

just wanted to pop in, and let you all know i am still alive! life has been sort of hectic lately, and to be quite honest, i have been so caught up in life, i haven't had time to blog.

no apologies. 

i'm enjoying life in the present.

for the most part. ha.

i could probably do without work and school, but hey...that's part of life too!

school has started back in full swing. 

i have a full semester of classes, but not extremely difficult ones. 

that will come next semester. sigh.

speaking of which, i have some exciting news coming soon about fall 2013!

recently i have found myself deep deep down in things i have to accomplish before putting my head on the pillow at night.

as i glanced down at my planner just yesterday morning, a small part of me felt very overwhelmed.

i reminded myself that i'm only one person, and can only do so much.

but in that moment, Father whispered a sweet reminder to me.

yes, i am only one person, but i have a mighty God who holds the whole world in His hands.

HE is the Creator of time.

HE is the one holding the brush that paints my life's canvas.

so, why am i so concerned with all that my planner reminds me i have to do?

i often catch myself dreaming of how wonderful life would be if God would just slow everything down, or maybe even add a couple more hours to the day.

however, i'm then reminded  it isn't God who causes such chaos, and such time crunched calendar's. 

it's me.

and there is something i can do about it.

start saying no.

do you ever feel like that? 

totally overwhelmed by schedules and lists?

are you like me and keep adding more things for you to have to get done just because you can't tell people no?

OH YEAHH!!!

**exciting news coming soon about Rosemary's Home of Hope**

here's a glimpse of what's been going on lately down in Mississippi--

life is so much better when buttercups are blooming.
by far my favorite flower!

got to play with this sweet angel at a dnow i worked last weekend.
she's a doll!

first NBA game!
we went to see the Grizzlies

John Nix
camp pastor for Toby Mac's youth camp.
he was the speaker at dnow.
(i look drugged or something in this picture. probably due to 1) absolutely no sleep. seems to be what happens when you spend the weekend with a bunch of junior high/high school girls *i'm getting old 2) way too much mountain dew to make up for the lack of sleep...)

savannah: one of the sweet girls in my girls group at dnow

sophie claire-- pink car, pink shades, and chevron pants.
what more could a girl ask for?!

.