Joy is one of those words that I knew the meaning of but I never let it fully resonate within me. As a new semester has started, and with it a new year, I have decided that I want JOY to mark my life. My favorite time of year is the time between Thanksgiving and New Years. One of the reasons that I like this time of year is because I still get that child-like happiness that comes with the season. Not because of the gifts, santa or no school (although all of those are exciting things) but because of the meaning that comes with this time of year (as well as the anticipation of snow too!). It is my new focus, especially this semester: I want to live life and this next semester focusing on having a joyful spirit.
Dictionary.com defines joy as: "The emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation."
As I was walking to the gym this morning as the sun was rising, it dawned on me that that joy I live with is all because of Christ. HE is the 'something' that is 'exceptionally good or satisfying.' It is in Him that I find my completeness. I am content in being in relationship with him and him alone and for that, I get much joy. It is my goal this semester to live each and everyday with a new spirit of true joy! Instead of complaining about too much work or being stressed out, I am going to enjoy every day of this coming semester and year with new anticipation and hope! Life is too short to stress so much and I want to experience a joyful life in the environment that God has placed me in.
Psalm 37:4 says, "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart!" - There are a few things that I am hoping for this coming year and a few things that I desire...but instead of worrying about them, they are going on my mental 'daily prayer list' and I am choosing to trust that God will guide as He sees fit. Living a joyful life can be hard at times, but with God's help, I will be reminded that He is enough and He gives me reason to sing and be joyful!
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Haiti Bound in 2012!
Sometimes when we say 'Yes' to God He takes us on bigger adventures than anything we thought possible. That is what He has done with my mission trip to Haiti. This journey started several years ago so I thought I would start from the beginning to share how I have gotten here today...to this place of preparing for a cross cultural mission trip...the adventure of a life time!
Several years ago my old babysitter Jamie went on a mission trip to Haiti. She came over to our house after her trip and shared her stories and pictures with us. I was simply a junior in High School who loved kids and would do just about anything for an experience like Jamie had but completely unaware that it was something I could actually do. I always thought it would be cool to do what she did and go serve in Haiti with a bunch of orphans but like I said I didn't think I had the ability, talents and bravery to do something that big.
My little sister Jori was always the one who was more interested in Missions. She was the adventure seeker, the one that liked to be out of her comfort zone and the one that was more brave than anyone else I knew. I thought for sure she was the one that God was preparing for big time Missions. Unlike my sister, I like being home...in the US that is...and I don't like being out of my comfort zone. I don't like doing things alone and the thought of a mission trip all by myself is still terrifying me. But, God was working in my heart to prepare me for saying yes to a big trip like this...all by myself so that I can grow and be stretched in more ways than one!
Every summer since 2007 I have wanted to go on a mission trip. Each year my sister went on trips and whenever she would go I would think to myself, "Why can't I do that? What is holding me back?" Finally, September 2011 roles around. I am now a junior in college and a lot more adventurous and independent than I was 5 years ago. I remember thinking in September, "Could I go to Haiti this summer? I don't want to wait till I graduate because I will probably want to start working right away. There is no one holding me back from doing something big like this. I can afford to do this and not work for a few weeks. There is no good reason for me not to go." These were just a few of the million thoughts flying through my head but I came out of that thinking Yes...I can do this.
After several weeks of praying, talking with my friends and family and even more praying I felt like more than ever God was asking me to step out of my comfort zone and spend some time serving Him in Haiti 2012. I did some research and found an organization that sounded good 'God's Littlest Angels' based out of Port-au-Prince Haiti. This organization was a home to many little Haitian orphans. They survive off of volunteers from around the world who come in to spend time with the children.
http://www.glahaiti.org/
As a volunteer, I will be given roughly 8 kids for my time there and I will basically be their Mom. It will be my job to take each child for an hour a day and work with that child on whatever their needs are. Some might need to learn how to crawl, walk or talk and some might just need to be fed and walked. The abilities of each child is different so my tasks will be different but no matter what I get to love on some kids everyday and THAT is something I am MOST excited about.
As it is a mission trip, I will need to be flexible and ready for whatever job they ask me to do, but this should be what my days will mostly consist of. And, because it is a mission trip I will need to raise support in order to go and serve, but I know that God has a plan for that and He will provide my every need because He is the one calling me to this trip.
I am scheduled to be in Haiti May 21-June 11th. I plan on blogging throughout these next few weeks as I prepare to go on this trip and I hope that I can blog some while I am in Haiti as well, but we'll have to see about that. In the meantime please join me on this journey as I continue to write this blog!
PRAYER requests:
- That I would be able to receive the funding needed to go.
- That all the paperwork will come together with visas and passports and all those fun things!
- That all the doctors appointments and shots would come together as well.
That is all for now but stay tuned for more info and more detailed prayer requests later! :)
Several years ago my old babysitter Jamie went on a mission trip to Haiti. She came over to our house after her trip and shared her stories and pictures with us. I was simply a junior in High School who loved kids and would do just about anything for an experience like Jamie had but completely unaware that it was something I could actually do. I always thought it would be cool to do what she did and go serve in Haiti with a bunch of orphans but like I said I didn't think I had the ability, talents and bravery to do something that big.
My little sister Jori was always the one who was more interested in Missions. She was the adventure seeker, the one that liked to be out of her comfort zone and the one that was more brave than anyone else I knew. I thought for sure she was the one that God was preparing for big time Missions. Unlike my sister, I like being home...in the US that is...and I don't like being out of my comfort zone. I don't like doing things alone and the thought of a mission trip all by myself is still terrifying me. But, God was working in my heart to prepare me for saying yes to a big trip like this...all by myself so that I can grow and be stretched in more ways than one!
Every summer since 2007 I have wanted to go on a mission trip. Each year my sister went on trips and whenever she would go I would think to myself, "Why can't I do that? What is holding me back?" Finally, September 2011 roles around. I am now a junior in college and a lot more adventurous and independent than I was 5 years ago. I remember thinking in September, "Could I go to Haiti this summer? I don't want to wait till I graduate because I will probably want to start working right away. There is no one holding me back from doing something big like this. I can afford to do this and not work for a few weeks. There is no good reason for me not to go." These were just a few of the million thoughts flying through my head but I came out of that thinking Yes...I can do this.
After several weeks of praying, talking with my friends and family and even more praying I felt like more than ever God was asking me to step out of my comfort zone and spend some time serving Him in Haiti 2012. I did some research and found an organization that sounded good 'God's Littlest Angels' based out of Port-au-Prince Haiti. This organization was a home to many little Haitian orphans. They survive off of volunteers from around the world who come in to spend time with the children.
http://www.glahaiti.org/
As a volunteer, I will be given roughly 8 kids for my time there and I will basically be their Mom. It will be my job to take each child for an hour a day and work with that child on whatever their needs are. Some might need to learn how to crawl, walk or talk and some might just need to be fed and walked. The abilities of each child is different so my tasks will be different but no matter what I get to love on some kids everyday and THAT is something I am MOST excited about.
As it is a mission trip, I will need to be flexible and ready for whatever job they ask me to do, but this should be what my days will mostly consist of. And, because it is a mission trip I will need to raise support in order to go and serve, but I know that God has a plan for that and He will provide my every need because He is the one calling me to this trip.
I am scheduled to be in Haiti May 21-June 11th. I plan on blogging throughout these next few weeks as I prepare to go on this trip and I hope that I can blog some while I am in Haiti as well, but we'll have to see about that. In the meantime please join me on this journey as I continue to write this blog!
PRAYER requests:
- That I would be able to receive the funding needed to go.
- That all the paperwork will come together with visas and passports and all those fun things!
- That all the doctors appointments and shots would come together as well.
That is all for now but stay tuned for more info and more detailed prayer requests later! :)
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