30 day challenge day 1

Day 1- A recent picture of you and 10 interesting facts about yourself

10 Interesting Facts

One. My favorite color is Orange 

Two. I hate feet

Three. The word moist makes me sick; its like nails on a chalk board 

Four. I'm and INFJ (Introverted, iNtuitive, Feeling, Judging) 

Five. I am someone who love to be in the outdoors. 

Six. I would love to take a year off of work and school to go and see more of the world.

Seven. I think I really left my heart in San Francisco!

Eight. I love quality time. Sitting with friends and sharing life. Catching up with friends I haven't seen in a long time.

Nine. I love exploring places I've never been to.

Ten. I would pick a hand written letter over an email or facebook post any day. 

Something

I thought it would be about time to change things up. I found this 30 Day Blog Challenge on a friends blog awhile ago and thought would be fun to give it a try.

Day 01 - A recent picture of you and 10 interesting facts about yourself

Day 02 - What gifts has God given you?

Day 03 - A picture of you and your friends

Day 04 - A habit that you wish you didn't have

Day 05 - A picture of somewhere you have been to

Day 06 - What has God been teaching you lately?

Day 07 - A picture of someone/something that has the biggest impact on you

Day 08 - Short term goals for this month and why

Day 09 - Something you're proud of in the past few days

Day 10 - Songs you listen to when you are Happy, Sad, Bored, Hyped, Mad

Day 11 - Another picture of you and your friends

Day 12 - How you found out about Blogger and why you made one

Day 13 - A letter to someone who has blessed you recently

Day 14 - A picture of you and your family

Day 15 - Put your iPod on shuffle: First 10 songs that play

Day 16 - A picture of a favorite/recent memory

Day 17 - Someone you would want to switch lives with for one day and why

Day 18 - Plans/dreams/goals you have

Day 19 - Nicknames you have; why do you have them

Day 20 - Hopes for the future

Day 21 - A picture of something that makes you happy

Day 22 - What makes you different from everyone else

Day 23 - Something you crave often

Day 24 - A letter to your parents

Day 25 - What I would find in your purse

Day 26 - What you think about your friends

Day 27 - Why are you doing this 30 day challenge

Day 28 - A picture of you last year and now, how have you changed since then

Day 29 - In this past month, what have you learned

Day 30 - Your favorite song

Breaking the Silence

This last week my school had their annual Clothesline Project. It allows students to right on a T-shirt for them self or someone else. This day brought up a lot of emotions for me. As I was going through and reading the shirts I started to read one and thought to myself, "WoW, This one sounds a lot like one I made." And sure enough I found myself reading my shirt and crying. I was crying because I found my self back in a place with hurt. A place where I was proud to see the growth I've been going through with healing in myself.  I couldn't help but just stand their and cry. I couldn't move or speak.  I know I am not where I would live to be, but I am on the right path.

Summer 2011 Part 1 Pictures

Laura couldn't be more happier 

Hike in V-Town

6 hours in a car to SF

Cutest baby!!!

Becky + Me = Adventures!

 

James Caleb Walker! Best Baby Friend!

Summer 2011 Part 1

Becs and I 

Well I realized I haven't blogged in a long time and it was about time I posted some things. Summer has been in full swing since the beginning of June. Working about 28 hours a week at the YMCA and hours here and there up at FHOV. At the end of fun I had the chance for a friend of my from DTS and also on staff got to come and stay with me for her vacation. It was nice to have some YWAM family in my life. The last couple of weeks I have really been missing my San Francisco family and missing that community. I really haven't built that kind of community here in Ventura and not sure if I will build that kind of community like I had in San Francisco. But it was so exciting to have Laura here for the time she was here. We went to the beach (a lot), hung out in Ojai and went to some street fairs, did some hiking and also did some much needed relaxing (well Laura did the relaxing while I was at work). After a few days of being in V-town we made our way up to San Francisco where I was going to be surprising some people and surprising the DTS students at their graduation. If you haven't realized something about me yet but I like to surprise people, I think it is something that us wonderful. These few days in the city was something that I was really needing. But just like every vacation it had to come to and end...... But thats okay because I will be making my way back to San Francisco to a week in August for a dear friends wedding. And I am excited that I will get to see all my friends in the city!!

When All Means Fail

I know that this might sound strange but I didn't really know who David Wilkerson was until the day that he died. When looking him up I found his blog and read his last post before he died. His last post was for sure something that I needed to read and hear. 

     To believe when all means fail is exceedingly pleasing to God and is most acceptable. Jesus said to Thomas, “You have believed because you have seen, but blessed are those that do believe and have not seen” (John 20:29).

Blessed are those who believe when there is no evidence of an answer to prayer—who trust beyond hope when all means have failed.
Someone has come to the place of hopelessness—the end of hope—the end of all means. A loved one is facing death and doctors give no hope. Death seems inevitable. Hope is gone. The miracle prayed for is not happening.
That is when Satan’s hordes come to attack your mind with fear, anger, overwhelming questions: “Where is your God now? You prayed until you had no tears left. You fasted. You stood on promises. You trusted.”
Blasphemous thoughts will be injected into your mind: “Prayer failed. Faith failed. Don’t quit on God—just do not trust him anymore. It doesn’t pay!”
Even questioning God’s existence will be injected into your mind. These have been the devices of Satan for centuries. Some of the godliest men and women who ever lived were under such demonic attacks.
To those going through the valley and shadow of death, hear this word: Weeping will last through some dark, awful nights—and in that darkness you will soon hear the Father whisper, “I am with you. I cannot tell you why right now, but one day it will all make sense. You will see it was all part of my plan. It was no accident. It was no failure on your part. Hold fast. Let me embrace you in your hour of pain.”
Beloved, God has never failed to act but in goodness and love. When all means fail—his love prevails. Hold fast to your faith. Stand fast in his Word. There is no other hope in this world.

30 Countries Before I am 30

I know I am only 21 and have some years until I am 30, but I think I am going to embark this challenge of 30 countries before I am 30. There is so many places that I want to go and what better way to make sure it happens, to turn it into a challenge. 

1. Australia

2. New Zealand 

3. Spain

4. Morocco

5. Italy

6. Germany 

7. Czech Republic

Looks like I have 23 more places that I need to go until I am 30. Here is just a few places that I would like to go to.

Uganda (number 1 place)

Mexico

China

France

Thailand

Haiti 

South Africa 

Kenya

Brasil 

Egypt 

D.R Congo

India 

Turkey 

Burma

Cambodia 

And the list just goes on and on. Another goal of mine is to fill up my passport all way before I have to get another one. But that is just something on the side I would like to do.  

You Know You're A YWAMer When....

This is something I found on my friends facebook and I thought it fit my life very much!

Your vocabulary consists of an unlimited great many multitude of acronyms: YWAM, DTS, SOS, SOE, SBS, SOD ect. and only you and every other YWAMer on the planet know what they mean.

You never cease to be amuse by acronyms like these:

     Young Women After Men

     Yes, We Arrange Marriages

     Youth With A Meeting (this couldn't be more true)

     Youth With Aut Money

     You Will Always Move

Your goal in life is to "Know God and make him known!"

You think it's perfectly normal to drop what you're doing to go to another country without exactly knowing why because you know that is where God wants you.

You give away something you need because God has led you to do so.

You are quite happy to accept that your future husband/wife is probably in a different country.

You need time to "process" everything.

At the airport you set your bag on the waiting room chair and sit on the floor.

You're watching the Simpsons, Ned Flanders comes out and your say Dean Sherman.

You know that "every problem in the world is a problem of relationships. every relationship problem is from pride. so pride is the cause of every problem in the world." (Dean Sherman)

You have bathed in a river for a minimum of 5 days straight and have gone a minimum of 5 days straight without bathing at all. 

Pooing and peeing in a hole doesn't phase you the way it should.

In any sort of social situation you are no longer ashamed to talk about having diarrhea. You won't refer to it as an upset stomach, you can call it what it is.

You can't afford to be scared of spiders, bugs, rats, ect.

If someone mentions a friend or family member that is with YWAM and your ears perk up and you have to immediately ask which base and see if yo have met them.

You get something pierced or tattooed before returning home.  

When the word "flexible" takes on a whole other meaning.

You know the full meaning of the word "transition". It defines your life. 

You actually MISS the food in your outreach country. 

You go to a non-YWAM retreat and you think it's weird you don't have meal prep and clean-up. 

You know how to ENCODE emails written in Muslim or Communists countries so that is doesn't sound Chrstian.

You'll sleep on any ground, anyplace, anytime.

"Base" is a word that means ministry center.

On your birthday you know to expect a construction paper card signed by everyone on the base.

Comfort is luxury.

You have an unspoken bond with everyone and everyone who has done a DTS.

You leave with total non-denominational view of Christianity and get really annoyed over petty Christian bickering. 

You know that everything in life is a "heart issue"

On week you can't afford to buy coffee, the next week you're in another country on outreach.

You know how to give your testimony in 5 minutes. 

After meal you wash your own dishes. 

You have a place to stay anywhere in the world because someone you knew knows someone who knows them.

You're no longer surprised at money turning up randomly and anonymously, just in the nick of time.

You know you're a YWAMer when you can say "base food" and everyone knows what your talking about.

You miss lots of people ALL the time.

You left your heart in another country.

You feel right at home in any YWAM base in any country in the world!

Proverbs 15:13

A glad heart makes a happy face; a broken heart crushed the sprit.

Am I Ready?

Today I went to coffee with a dear and just talked about life after being home from YWAM SF after three years and me moving down to Azusa to go to school. I really haven't been given the chance to talk about how being home is going and talking about my time up in SF. I can all the processing with myself, but there is something powerful about talking through things with people that are close with you.
We got talk about me moving down to APU in September and how excited I am to be just doing school for once. Something that I am not use to, but am really excited about. I am ready for this change and ready for something new. But I got to thinking about me going to APU more once I got home and started getting scared for some reason. I am scared to get close to another group of people that I know will become like family to me. I'm scared to be open with new people that don't know my past. I scared to see what the Lord if going to do with me while I am there, but in a good way. I'm scared to fail.
There are so many things that come up that make me scared for this new adventure that I am about to embark in.

Count Down

As days go by I am counting down for two different things.

In less then a month I will be going on my very first road trip with a few of my friends to Iowa. I couldn't be more excited about this. Not only because I am going to Iowa, but that my first road trip is there. It will be a nice way to just get away for a few days and hang out with friends that I miss so much.

On September 2 I will be moving down to Azusa to go to APU. And this day couldn't come soon enough. I want this date to be here right now! I am ready for something different and change. I've always had the desire to go to college and get an education and knew the day would one day come. It's one thing to take classes online, but then to be living on a college campus and just doing school and worrying about anything else, that is what I am excited for. I only have 2 years left, but I am ready to make these next two years be the best ever!

Bring on Iowa and bring on APU!

Iowa Family

Hannah and I 

Crazy Hats!

Cedar Valley!

It all started a few months back when Cedar Valley signed up to come to YWAM San Francisco for their spring break missions trip. I right away knew that I wanted to come back and see them. But then I thought what would be even better is if I came up for the week and worked their team BUT it would be all a surprise. I didn't think it would be that hard to keep a surprise from people who live out of state. But it was very hard. It doesn't help when you have the main leader text you three days before their team is leaving to go to San Francisco to see if by any chance I would be able to come up and you have to tell them, "I'm sorry no. I just moved home and have only been home for 15 days and can't take time off of work." I so wanted to tell her, but I knew the surprise would be well worth it in the end.

All day Monday I was just so excited and couldn't not WAIT to see my Iowa family. As I saw them coming through the door, I had the BIGGEST smile on my face. I ran from the dinning room to the storefront to great them with a surprise hug. I first saw Leanne and gave her a hug. I think I caught her off guard. Before the team had gotten to the base a few of the students that came last year that came back this year had asked if I was going to be there and Hannah had to tell them that I wouldn't be able to make it due to just moving back home. When they saw me hugging Leanne they screamed my name and greeted me with a hug too. Hannah was so surprised to see me too. I had them all going with me telling them that I wasn't going to be able to make it!

This week with Cedar Valley couldn't of come at a more better time. The week was just so amazing! It was cool to see a few of the students come back but I love meeting the new students that come every year. Even though week was a challenge with getting sick and other things going on, it was still a great week.

Summary of the week
Mallory- "I just about had a heart attack. I didn't know where the 101 went after I just seeing that dirt road."
Lisa- "I some how have to get rid of this cheerio box before tomorrow."
    Me- "Why? Can you not take them with you?"
    Lisa- "Would you like the rest of them?"
    Me- "Sorry, no they have wheat in the them?"
    Hannah- "Yeah, Lisa. Don't open that box or you might just kill her. Cause of death: Cheerio box! hahaha"
    Me- "What have they been putting in those M&M's that you all have been eating. We are going to have to put M&M's on the list of things not to bring for the Iowa team."
    Hannah- "M&M's are our street drug!"
Hannah- "I don't even know what I am even writing in this letter. I just wrote, "By now you will be living with YWAM."
Lisa- "Maybe that is my prophecy for my life!?!"
Hours being spent trying on different hats and taking different pictures.
Some kind of exercise that Kyle made up.
Random dance parties with Iowa.
Kung Fu Pand/Ninja
Sticks
Many tries trying to take jumping pictures.

All in all as you can see, this was an AMAZING week with my family/friends from Iowa. Now getting this together for the road trip to Iowa! I've never been on a road trip and it makes it better that it is to Iowa!

Brooke Fraser - Something In The Water

Home...

First couple of days being back home=VERY overwhelming.

Yesterday was a very hard day for me. Didn't think it would be as hard as it was to leave a place that I have loved so much. Even though my time with YWAM has been one long road.

A road that I was able to learn from.
A road that built character in me.
A road that taught me leadership.
A road that taught me to give everything I had to God.
A road that made me rely on God more then anything.

These last two years will be two years I will never forget. Even though it was a long journey and I wanted to give up, I didn't. God gave me the strength that I know I couldn't of gained on my own. In these last two years God gave me some of my best friends, that I know I will be friends with forever.
I really have learned that I value friendships very highly. Friends are everything to me. Two of my closes friends I have, are two girls that I met just a year ago and I feel like I have known them my whole life. These are two girls that I am able to be open and honest with and know they will not judge me but love me. I would do anything for these two girls.
Then I have my YWAM family; 19 people that mean the world to me. These are people that I have grown to love over the last two years. They have seen the best and worst side of me; they know my weaknesses and my strengths; they know what will step my buttons; they know how to make me laugh; they know how to encourage me and love me. These are people that know my past and don't care about that but just want to help me grow and be a better person. These people are my best friends and my family.

I know that God has me home right now for a reason. When I am in San Francisco I see that I need to be home. When I am home, I wonder if this is the right place; even though I got into APU in the Fall. I'm excited what is going to happen during the next seven months that I am home. I know that this time is going to be a challenge and an adventure all in one. And I think I am ready for it. But I am only ready for it because I have the Lord God almighty on my side!