Good 'Ol Duncan!

I just wanted to update you on some things that I get to experience this summer while I am living in good 'ol Oklahoma! Due to the fact that there is usually nothing to do in a small town, I am determined to always find an adventure. 

One thing that I have grown found of are the antique and thrift stores all over town. The antique malls are filled with tons of cheap old stuff, and some of it is actually really cool! I find myself in there buying awesome jewelry and old books. I have been searching all summer for an old bike that I can paint and restore, but I haven't had much luck on that one yet! Also, the Goodwill right down the road has brought me many treasures! Amy gets mad at me every time I come home from there because of all the stuff I buy! The other day I found a dress that I loved! So I went to buy it, and the lady told me that since it had a yellow price tag on it, I could get anything I wanted in the store for free if it had a yellow price tag on it! Who knew that thrift stores gave away free things! I was amazed and sure enough found another dress with a yellow tag!

Next door there is a creepy abandoned house. Inside there is still junk left from the previous owners and in the backyard there is a shed filled with kids toys and dirty old clothes. Inside the shed, is what we think to be a home for 8-10 baby kittens! We see them crawling under the house next door all the time. Most of them are orange and white and two of them are black. We have been trying to catch them, but they are wild. I set out water for them every now and then, and keep trying to build a friendship with them by going and visiting ever so often.

Another thing I have become fond of is fishing! One of the first nights I was here, two friends, Stephen and Brett took me fishing! I caught tons of perch and a few catfish! I have never enjoyed fishing all that much until now, because in the pond we go in, they are always biting! It's always a lot of fun!

Ever so often, I peak my head out the backdoor window to check to see if our chicken friends have come to visit. There are a few chicken who love to roam around back there. We never knew where they were coming from or why they decided to make a seen in our backyard. Last night I finally decided to walk around and find out where they were coming from. In our backyard, we have an alley way where other houses back up to also. I walked our into to see where the chickens run off to, and sure enough there is a coop in someone's backyard where they live! 

Living in a small town has brought some great adventures and it has been fun exploring things to do here! :)

Home Sweet Home!

Hello everyone! Just to update you the student mission team to Mozambique, they made it home safe and sound last night! Myself and others from the youth group, parents, and close friends were there to greet them as they landed in good 'ol Oklahoma! It was great to see all of them, but humbling at the same time. I know my heart connected with thiers as they greeted all of us. All of us are happy to be home, but missing Mozambique with a passion. Everyday I miss it. I can't help but know in my heart that I will be back there again someday, and I pray everyday that God will take me back.

Two nights ago, one of my closests friends, Ashley Carter and I went out to the river to watch the sunset and talk about how amazing Jesus is. As we sat, we could feel nothing but a thick presence of His spirit and could not deny how evident He was. We sat at His feet, begging Him, crying out to Him, and thanking Him. He revealed peaceness in our hearts and things that I can't even describe. 

As we sat and prayed for a while, I felt God calling us just to sit and be silent and wait on Him to speak. We were obedient and did just that. As we sat at His feet and just listened, He spoke, as He promised He would. I felt Him calling me to just open my mouth. I had no idea what He was going to speak, but I felt an overwhelming calling to just open my mouth and start talking. I had no idea what was coming out of my mouth, or how God was even going to put it together, but He always works in the craziest ways. I started speaking and all I could see was a dark cave. I saw the cave with a light at the end of it, that was guiding me. I kept saying the word "light" and "light in the darkness", which I know is a constant prayer for Ashley. Her favorite verse is in Matthew where it talks about letting your light shine before men. Everytime I even hear the word light, I think of her because of that, and because of the light of Jesus Christ that she radiates. It's so true, and if you know her, you know that Christ is evident in her, and that the light of Christ in her is the best way to describe her.

Anyhow, I started praying and all of a sudden, behind us shines the brightest light. I thought maybe a cars headlights pulled up and shined our way, or maybe a street light had turned on. We both turn around shocked by the light. The clouds had just moved away from the giant bright moon that had lit right where we were at. We could bearly see anything before the moon came out from behind the clouds, but as soon as it did, we could see everything it seemed like. I couldn't hold back my tears because of the spirit pouring into that moment. God is a god of big things, and the way He shows them to us is amazing. I can't really describe that night to you, but I have never felt the Holy Spirit like that before. I am amazed at how the Lord is showing me more and more of His own heart, but yet at the same time, my very best friends are seeing just as much.

God is good, all the time! I am astounded and brought to amazement everyday because of what He continues to do. Thank you Jesus for showing me more of you! I love you!

God of the City

This is such a powerful song that has been on my heart for the last couple of months. The first time I heard it at FUEL I fell in love with the words. In Africa, I couldn't get it out of my head as we drove along the busy streets of Muputo. It was a perfect prayer then. Now, I still seem to find myself singing it or thinking about it anywhere I go. It is so powerful, just like our wonderful God!

You're the God of this city,

You're the King of these people

You're the Lord of this nation,

You are

You're the Light in this darkness,

You're the Hope to the hopeless

You're the Peace to the restless,

You are

There is no one like our God,

there is no one like our God

For greater things have yet to come,

and greater things are still to be done in this city

Greater things have yet to come,

and greater things are still to be done in this city

Greater things have yet to come,

and greater things are still to be done here

Mid-Summer Updates!! Sorry It's Been so Long!!

Hello all! I know, I know... It's been so long since I have wrote on here! Due to a call from my Dad today, saying that I needed to update it, here's to you daddy-O! :)

Well, the Lord is CONSTANTLY teaching me new things in every moment. I could never write in one entry all that He has been doing, but I will try and do what I can!

After Africa, I had MAJOR culture shock and over a month later, am still feeling it. I am constantly running and staying so busy that it can sometimes be hard for me to focus all my thoughts from what I experienced and I still don't think I have completely processed everything that happened in Africa. Just to give you an insight on a few reasons why I cannot completely process everything. I held babies who had been raped and thrown on the streets and left for death. I played with children who's mother and father both tried to kill them, but with only the strength from the Lord had the courage to live. I hung out with teens who had been taking care of the children at the orphanage for years, but let alone, never had anyone to take care of them.

I slept in a house the size of my room with no power or running water with a 10 month old baby crying through the night, due to thirst. I walked on top of a dump, my shoes were melting while the trashed burned and Mozambiquians dug for thier food and anything they could use or sell. I watched a woman maybe my age, eat some sort of fruit with maggots all over it. I saw dying children in a run down hospital, many with large tumors and infections. I talked with people who had never heard of the name of Jesus before in thier lives, and watched them fall to thier knees in shock of what He did.

Through all of this, I have never felt so much of the Lord. I saw the Lord moving in all of these things, despite the seeing the horor of it. I have never felt so much promise by God and the way He tells me that He WILL take care of these people. I have never seen healing the ways I saw it in Africa and among the people we simply layed hands on. The Holy Spirit was evident! God is powerful!

I couls sit here all day and write stories among stories of what God did in Africa. It would take me forever. I am still shocked and amazed by everything. I have learned to seek God in every situation, and to be able to see how God is so evident in EVERYTHING we do has been something huge on my heart. The Lord is providing, He is healing. My God is mighty to save!

Anyhow, I have been finding comfort in simple things everyday. God has been providing me with so many opprotunites and I have been jumping at every one of them. This summer has been a constant rush, but I have been finding myself drawing closer and closer to the heart of God like I never have before.

Soon after Africa lead me into a new adventure! Duncan, Oklahoma! I LOVE Duncan! I am working with the United Methodist church with Amy and Wopsle and learning so much about church and the ways it's done. The first week of June we took our middle schoolers to Disciple camp. I know I grew there and I pray that the kids got just as much out of it as I did.

The week we got back, Amy and Wopsle left for Falls Creek, only for me to be left in Duncan all alone for a whole week.. Not knowing anyone! I spent A LOT of time with Jesus that week, finding myself craving to be with Him when I wasn't. I also jumped right in and made a few friends! I am so blessed that God has put some amazing people in my life here in Duncan and it makes life so much fun!

A few days ago I returned from Student Life Camp in Roach, Missouri. I went with Crossing's Community Church where I had an internship before I came to Duncan. Seeing all the kids again was so much fun and experiencing that camp was the best! I have stories and stories to tell about it and loved every min. of it!

Tomorrow we leave once again for a week in Lawton for a camp called Youth Force. I have never been before, but we will be fixing up old houses and building relationships with people who do not go to church.

Life has been fun this summer, living out of suitcases and spending time with kids. I feel more and more equipped everyday for a future in ministry with youth. This summer has been amazing and I have never felt so blessed in my life. I will try to continue to post as much as I can, but it has been such a busy season in my life! But reguardless of what I am doing this summer, God is still at work in everything! God is moving people!