Packing

On a basketball road trip in college, my parents described my room as a file cabinet; everything has a place and it is organized. I also pack very efficiently as well....

Step 1... I first packed everything I thought I needed

Step 2.... Organizing the stuff into categories 

Most importantly shoes (notice no heels :( ) 

Coffee and tea

Clothes, bedding...

 Misc...

Paper/books/Bible/Devotions

It all neatly fit into 5 bags that weigh 48 lbs each (just under the 50lb limit)

They are all packed and labeled (I wrote everything I put in each bag and labeled it)...ready to fly to Haiti!!!

{Life Goes On}

Ob-la-di, ob-la-da, life goes on, brah!...
Lala how the life goes on...
Ob-la-di, ob-la-da, life goes on, brah!...
Lala how the life goes on.


Tonight I say goodbye....it's a little odd, closing a chapter in your life...but life goes on. 
It's weird to think that I will leave, but life here will continue. My friends will make new memories, have special moments, that I will no longer be part of. Life for them will continue on. In the same way for me, I will be making my own memories. At the end of it all, we will all be different then we are now. We will have different experiences. I know we will still be connected, we will forever have our memories. My hope and prayer is that I have left some legacy here in SW Florida. That I have made impact and that most importantly God was glorified through these last 6 years. 


Goodbye Fort Myers...to my friends, you will be missed, but have such a special place in my heart. My prayer for you...


"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hears through faith - that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever." Eph 3: 14-21


"And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to glory and praise of God." Phil 1:9-11

{Surrendering My Rights}

"All to Jesus, I surrender;

Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power;
Let Thy blessing fall on me." 

The idea of surrender has had a lot different meaning to me in th last couple of weeks. When deciding to follow God's call to Haiti, I didn't even think of all I would have to surrender to go....In my mind, the call was so strong, I didn't have a choice but to go. I still fill that way. I feel it is an honor to do what God has called me to...however, surrender is involved. Over the last two weeks, in this process of surrender, I have felt sad, relieved, selfish, high maintenance, hopeful (I know there is blessing in surrender), just to name a few.  I am almost embarrassed to put these on my blog, but here is my list (so far) of rights that I am surrendering....


The right too....


* Attend a weekly worship service that is in English
* Attend my women's Bible Study
* Live by myself
* Drive to the shops, when I just need to get out of the house
* Lay by the pool during my lunch break
* Advance my career
* Eat out at a restaurant when I don't feel like cooking (they do have some restaurants so I am not totally giving this up.  
* Drink Diet Coke
* Stop by the gas station for a fountain Diet Coke
* Where High Heels (this is a tough one for me)
* Have a closet full of shoes
* Sleeping on a nice pillow top mattress
* Have air conditioning
* Showering with Hot Water
* Using my DVR
* Spending the summer at the Lake
* To safety
* Use a blow-dryer everyday. 
* Coach
* Spend lots of time with my Family


I am sure there are more....and I must admit am slightly embarrassed by some of these. Even though some of these things are hard, it is a joy knowing you are being obedient. 

{Fear}

I have never been a person that is very fearful, I would like to think I am brave. However, over the last 3 months Satan has definitely used his attacks to make me afraid. I almost have to laugh at myself about what I have had fear over the last months, recognizing of course that this fear only comes from Satan and has no power over me. However, fear can be almost choking at times, it makes things cloudy, we loose our sense of purpose, our sense of authority with Christ and we begin to forget the Christ has won the battle. One of my favorite books, is "Praying God's Word" by Beth Moore It has helped me so much in the last 3 months. When I am feeling afraid, I take it out and start quoting prayers that are directly from God's word. Here are some that have helped me as of late....

You Lord, reign! You are robed in majesty and you are armed with strength! Your throne was established long ago: You are from all eternity. You are mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea - the Lord on high is mighty! (Ps. 93:1-2, 4)

Victorious God, I celebrate the fact that You, the God of peace, will soon crush Satan under Your feet and until then the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is with us. (Rom. 16:20)

Glorious God, I thank You for qualifying me to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For You have rescued me from the dominion of darkness and brought me into the kingdom of the Son you love, in whom I have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Col. 1:12-14)

Happenings...

Spring is in the air, Haiti has a new President, and I need to start packing soon! It's so hard to believe that in 2 months I need to back my most needed belongings into 6 boxes (that weigh less than 50lbs), that is quite the task. Leaving my family and friends is hard; change is hard, yet exciting when you know you are in the place that God has called you to. I was talking to my brother today about how easy it is to lose focus. How easily we get distracted, feel inadequate, get busy and let the mundane things of our life get in the way. I am learning that I constantly am needing to refocus and set my mind on things above. I love how the Message Bible says it. "So if you're serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don't shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that's where the action is. See things from his perspective" (Colossians 3:1-2). We need to pursue the things of Christ and see things from His perspective. 

It has been quite the busy month for me. My parents were in Florida for most of the month. I enjoyed spending my mornings and evenings with them. At the end of the month my siblings and their families also were down in Florida. We had a great week. We went to the beach, played golf, went to the pool, watched basketball and laughed a lot. I am so blessed to have a wonderful family. They are so supportive and are a great encouragement to me. Next week I will be traveling to Minneapolis for my Pre-Field Training. I am excited to spend time with other people that are also on their way to the mission field and to learn more about what God has called us to. 

Living Free In Christ

I am currently taking my last Pre-Field Training course. This week we started our study of Spiritual Warfare and knowing our enemy. More importantly having the knowledge of God, knowing Him and, knowing who we are in Christ. Here is an excerpt from Neil Anderson's book...it is so important as Christians that we know the power we have in Christ and know the promises of God.


Who am I?
I am accepted because…
John 1:12  I am God’s child.
John 15:15  I am Christ’s friend.
Romans 5:1  I have been justified.
1 Cor. 6:17  I am united with the Lord, and one spirit with Him.
1 Cor. 6:19-20 I have been bought with a price.  I belong to God.
1 Cor. 12:27 I am a member of Christ’s body.
Eph. 1:1  I am a saint.
Eph 1:5   I have been adopted as God’s child.
Eph. 2:18  I have direct access to God through the
    Holy Spirit.
Col. 1:14   I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins.
Col. 2:10  I am complete in Christ.

I am secure because…
Rom. 8:1-2  I am free forever from condemnation.
Rom 8:28  I am assured that all things work together for good.
Roma 8:35-39 I cannot be separated from the love of God.
2 Cor. 1:21-22 I have been established, anointed, and sealed
        by God.
Col. 3:3   I am hidden with Christ in God.
Phil. 1:6  I am confident that the good work God has begun
    in me will be perfected.
Phil. 3:20  I am a citizen of heaven.
2 Tim. 1:7  I have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power,
    love, and a sound mind.
 and mercy in time of need.  Heb. 4:16  I can find grace
1 John 5:18  I am born of God, and the evil one cannot
    touch me.

I am significant because…
Matt. 5:13-14 I am the salt and light of the earth.
e true vine, flowing with life.  John 15:1, 5  I am a branch of th
John 15:16  I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit.
Acts 1:8  I am a personal witness of Christ’s
1 Cor. 3:16  I am God’s temple.
2 Cor. 5:17-21 I am a minister of reconciliation for God.
2 Cor. 6:1  I am God’s co-worker (1 Cor. 3:9).
rist in the heavenly realms.  Eph. 2:6  I am seated with Ch
Eph. 2:10  I am God’s workmanship.
Eph. 3:12  I may approach God with freedom and confidence.
Phil. 4:13  I can do all things through Christ who
    strengthens me.
(From “Living Free in Christ” by Dr. Neil Anderson)

Between

Have you ever had a time in your life, where you just can't explain the way you are feeling. It's not a bad feeling, but it's not a good feeling....ok so if your a male and your reading this, you probably don't understand, I've been told this is a female thing. Oh Joy!! :) I have been feeling that way for the last 3 weeks. I couldn't quite put my finger on what was going on and how I was feeling. Today during my quiet time, it clicked (or Beth Moore helped me click)...

Psalm 126 - 

A Pilgrim Song

 ^1-3 It seemed like a dream, too good to be true, when God returned Zion's exiles. 
   We laughed, we sang, 
      we couldn't believe our good fortune. 
   We were the talk of the nations— 
      "God was wonderful to them!" 
   God was wonderful to us; 
      we are one happy people. 

 ^4-6 And now, God, do it again— 
      bring rains to our drought-stricken lives 
   So those who planted their crops in despair 
      will shout hurrahs at the harvest, 
   So those who went off with heavy hearts 
      will come home laughing, with armloads of blessing.

Notice they are reflecting on a great time in their life, but they are also hoping for what God is going to do ahead. They are caught between. I am in that place. I look back over the last year and half and think, "God has been wonderful to me." While at the same time, greatly anticipating what wonderful things He is going to do next in Haiti. The problem, I'm not there yet. I'm between the two. I will continue to hope, He is not done with me yet, 

Preparation

One particular area that we have learned about in preparing to move to Haiti, is to start living how you will be living on the field. Now, that is really difficult to do here, so I have been trying to cook more at home and not eat out. I also have been crocheting at night, with the TV off. My task this week was to figure out how to make coffee cozies. Here is my latest.

This week I started working on a new project...ereader cases. I'll post a picture when I have it finished!!!

Anyone have any other ideas of things I can start doing to prepare for my move!!