The Vision for my Life:

To be the example of real love.
Don't settle for laziness but serve past the limit of my flesh.
To be a model of maturity and stability in Christ.
Always dream.
To daily, dig deep to the root of my heart and water it with God’s presence.
To not forfeit this year to year, month to month, day to day, minute to minute, second to second battle.
Embrace the high standard of living God has called me to.
To love desperately and passionately.
To keep myself from the norm.
To carry the burdens of Jesus on my back and walk.
To live extraordinary.
To know that my existence is more than significant.
To take the harder path.
To choose to go upstream.
To shake off the grip of Satan.
To refuse comfort.
To hold onto this fear of the Lord which is beautiful.
But not to live in fear of the enemy.
To be righteous.
To see my Savior in heaven one day.

*Listening and Waiting for the Guidance of the Holy Spirit*

Oh this is always fun...right?

For me, it can be. You don't know what is coming. It is a little bit intense and suspenseful. Yet sometimes, it can get aggravating not knowing your next step. You want the comfort and security of knowing where you will be and what you will be doing. Unfortunately it doesn't always work that way with God. I would like to believe that he wants to test our faith and trust in him. Not to mention patience. Well I am going through this right now. According to my timing...I don't really have much time until I need to make a decision on some things. My clock is ticking and I have been having some serious talks with God about this. But ultimately I know that I just need to go to him in prayer and faith. He knows what is best for me and it will all work together for his good.

So what have I learned?
1) Bring my requests to God in my prayers and with fasting
2) Wait on him to respond
3) Be attentive to the Holy Spirit
4) Not to put things in my own hands
5) It is not about me
6) Pray for discernment
7) Don't act or do anything rash or in panic

Yep. ; )

How does my mind even produce these thoughts?? My goodness.

So at the moment my team and I are in New York City. We are here for about a week. Today was a very convicting day. My mind would think things that for me cross the line. Lets just be honest. We are human and we have to ask for God's help to keep our minds right. This was a reoccurring thing. Today at church they sang, "How he loves us". And I came even to the point of joyful laughing because God witnesses everything I think and yet he still loves AND LIKES me. How?!?!?! That is a special love..Seriously. It is really encouraging to know that. I was worshiping the Lord during this song and I really felt him close to me. I was honestly dumbfounded. For him to love me even in the midst of my sin or a mind full of non-Christlike things, is so amazing. Though I struggled with a lot today, God's love still remains for me. His love didn't decrease for me today.

Thank you Jesus for your mercy, grace, and unconditional love!

Am I really in a bubble??

My way of life is different than the majority of people I know. They really don’t know why I don’t get a normal job or don’t go to college. Yeah, the majority of them think that what I do is great but they always follow up with this question: “When will you be done with this?”

They are waiting for me to get back into "real life". This life that I have chosen is LIFE. To them it seems "too extreme" and "not necessary". This is how we as believers are called to live. Doing crazy things for Christ and getting out of our comfort zone. Going into the deep waters. Reaching the Lost. Spreading God's love. Not living for ourselves but for God. And God desires for us to drop everything and follow him. We have a calling on our lives to go to all nations and make disciples of the Lord. It is about allowing God's glory to be made known through us. It is about him reigning as King of all. That is who he is. He is the Alpha and Omega. No one else is greater or more beautiful than he is. If we don't surrender every area of our life, surrender our will, surrender everything that we are to him...then what are you living for? My life is in his hands. You either are all in or all out.

This is what God has intended for us. Whatever is opposite, is a bubble. I believe that with all my heart.

I used to live in that bubble. I lived in the bubble of what the world calls "the normal life". That includes having a set routine. Attending church on Sunday's but my life didn't match up to the passion that the Bible directs us to have and take example of. I was not benefiting God's kingdom whatsoever and I did what I wanted to do.

If you feel as if there is more to a relationship with God, more to this life you are living, pray that God gives you clear understanding. Faith without action is dead. Pray that he would give you courage to step out of the boat onto the water just like Peter and Jesus.

It is time to be out on the water with Jesus. A place that is not always secure, safe, and comfortable.

It is a choice.

OUR REALITY

Think of the young children you know. You may have sons, daughters, nieces, nephews, and cousins ...etc. Picture them laying their head every night on the cold, hard, dirty streets of Brazil. This is their home. To survive, they work for drug lords in favelas (slums) and prostitute their bodies for a living. They satisfy their hunger by inhaling paint thinner and stealing. Imagine the children that you know covered in dirt, wearing ripped clothing, with no evidence of having a bath in weeks. These young boys and girls starting at the age of 7, are addicted to alcohol and drugs. They have chosen this life style because their home life is in pieces. It could be because their family's abandoned them because of drugs, alcohol and sex. Or maybe they just can't provide for them. The streets of Brazil brings them "freedom" with no one telling them what to do. When actually it is bondage.

I witnessed this with my own eyes. This is reality. Seeing right in front of me, these young bodies high off of paint thinner and bones visible to the eye, is heartbreaking. I was sent to love these boys and girls. To love them the way Christ loves me. It is my goal to see these precious kids leave the streets and be LED to a shelter where they WILL experience God's love in a indescribable way. This is our reality to face head-on.