if i couldn't fail...

what would you attempt if you knew you could not fail?

i saw this question recently and i realized how much difficulty i was having answering it! i know my passions but i don't know how to go about accomplishing them.  this is one of the main prayer requests for the DR; that God will give me vision about how He wants me to use my talents and passions, after i graduate, to further His kingdom.

something else God has been teaching me this summer is that sometimes the easy thing is not the always the right thing. Jesus Christ did not come to earth, live a perfect life, and die for me so that i could live an easy life; though this is what are culture tries to teach us.  but God never said it would be easy, He said He'd see me through and be with me every step of the way. and i believe that there's never a wrong time to do the right thing and vice versa, there's never a right time to do the wrong thing!

so that is just a little of what God is teaching me as i prepare for my time in the DR.  a couple other prayer requests as i get ready include:

1. funds- all my money has been raised for my ticket/other extra costs, praise God, but the more i raise the more spanish lessons i can get from my tutor.

2.  my heart- this has been a difficult summer for various reasons, but God has taught me much through it, especially how to fully rely on Him for my contentment; so pray that He continues to teach me through hard, lonely times as i never know what to expect living in a foreign country for 15 weeks. also that He will give boldness for Him in whatever circumstances!

3. the dominicans- pray that God will begin to be softening hearts that i will be coming in contact with already.  the majority of dominicans are catholic which means there is a lot of legalism, so i pray that God will open their eyes to the true freedom they can have!

4. vision- and as i mentioned before that while i am there that God will reveal to me more of what He wants me to do with my life!

i greatly appreciate all of ya'll for your support and prayers! this journey could not happen with out you and i'm thrilled to see how God works in each one of our lives because of this.  2 Corinthians 4:7-9 says, " But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." that is my hope for this journey and all of life.

give.live.love.

3 months and counting...

"for the sake of more than a billion people today who have yet to even hear the gospel, i want to risk it all. for the sake of twenty-six thousand children who will die today of starvation or a preventable disease, i want to risk it all. for the sake of an increasingly marginalized and relatively ineffective church in our culture, i want to risk it all. for the sake of my life, my family, and the people who surround me, i want to risk it all."

this comes from the book Radical by David Platt (i recommend it!),and it describes my passions in life. some people wonder why i'm giving up my senior season of soccer and my second to last semester of college to spend it in the dominican republic (DR) and honestly i'm not really sure! i'm torn because i am going to miss my friends, soccer, and being close to family but i know this is what God wants me to do- how HE will be glorified the most! and i'm trusting He will teach me so much through this experience and praying He'll reveal opportunities for my future.

so as David Platt put it i want to risk it all! even my comfort, security, soccer, time with friends and family, and the list goes on! but it's okay since following Christ isn't about those any of those things, but is instead about Christ and His love to the people of the world!

give.live.love.

everthing starts and ends with family :)

i'm home for the weekend for "Little J's" birthday celebrations.  i can't believe he's almost 15! ahh where has time gone!  it's always great being home, because it's a time to get away from the stresses of college and being able to be still- even if it's just for a little while (since my family is just as busy as me!); not to mention the free laundry and good food :).

the older i get the more i realize i have to make the most of every moment, because life is short!...and who knows where in the world i'll be soon!!  all that to say God knew what i needed when we He gave me my family...like it's said "life has many changes, but it starts and ends with family!"

give.live.love.

brad and haley's wedding. jan. 15, 2011

for charles....

the greatest coach i've ever had...

reminiscing...

it's been over 3 years now, that i've been retired from gymnastics and 3 years ago this valentines day that charles died...just been missing that life lately. sometimes i wonder what might have been, but then i remind myself, that i would not have the passion about missions and the world that i do now.  the Lord gave me a talent and passion for gymnastics, and then took it away, to replace it with a heart for Him and the least and the lost of this world.  He is breaking my heart for the things that break His...like i've asked Him to...even though it hurts.

anyways, nothing wrong with reminiscing about that chapter of my life.  it made my day the other day when one of my girls, who i coach gymnastics to, told me that i should be a college gymnast :)  God knew i needed that little boost.

this video describes my gymnastics life...i bawl my eyes out when i watch it...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ACPSechyzs

give.live.love.

the beginning

i'm not much of a writer or photographer or anything artsy like that, but i thought since i was going to study abroad in the Dominican Republic in the fall, this may be a good way to keep up with people...hopefully i'll just be able to figure this blog thing out :). anyways...here's the beginning!

give.live.love.