It's all coming together.

Often times, we are in a situation and don't understand why or what is going on at the time. That is exactly where I was at about six months ago, in January 2011. I knew God was calling me to return to Africa, but I didn't know all that has happened over the last several months would be the outcome of that purpose.

It all began when I felt like I hit a wall in my spiritual walk with God. I wasn't growing very much and I started seeking Him for guidance. I knew I wanted to return to Africa, and I knew the church I was attending at the time (theMovement) was not big on National Missions, so I sought the Lord's guidance about where He wanted me to be. Little did I know what was to come by simply asking and being open to God's plan. Soon after praying, God told me to stop serving at this church. I didn't understand why, still. I loved the kids, I loved the people, I loved serving. But, I also love obeying God, so I took one step at a time. After that, He told me to stop going to the Bible Study I was attending, and the women in my Bible Study were in full support of this decision. They were the ones who said I needed to convince myself that it was okay for me to move into this so called new season with God. I was upset because I don't like change and I was afraid I would lose relationships/friendships. Soon after this I felt like the Lord was telling me my season/time was up at the Movement church. It was so hard for me to hear that from God and I honestly didn't know how to take it all in. I was upset because I had grown so much there over the course of three years and I loved the people. But I also knew it was time. I felt more disconnected (which I believe God did to make it a bit easier for me to move forward) and received the closure I needed through a divine appointment with the Pastor and receiving a blessing from the Pastor's wife.

The next step on this journey was to "church hunt". Well, I checked out a new church in the area (North Coast Calvary Chapel Carlsbad) and felt like it was a good fit for me. I really enjoyed everything about it. It especially had Mission Trip Opportunities, which was the biggest thing that was drawing me to it. I had a few friends who were attending this church and it was nice to have that set in place already. Well, it wasn't long before I felt the Lord tell me not to get too comfortable at this church. And so, I continued to ask God where He wanted me to be going to church. In the midst of all this, God told me "It's not about finding the 'right church' or 'best fit for you', it's about seeking me in Spirit and Truth".

A friend of mine asked me why I never checked out her church, Vista Assembly of God. She encouraged me to go check it out and I felt a strong urgency to be there. The Lord told me very specifically to go to this church by myself on a specific Sunday. I felt very uncomfortable at Vista Assembly and had never been to a church like it before. People were dancing in the front, speaking in tongues, and the lights were dim with the atmosphere like a concert. I didn't know how I felt about it, but I enjoyed the message. I knew the Lord wanted me to keep going back to this church despite my uncomfortableness with it, though. Every week, the sermon aligned with exactly what I was going through at the time. I went to the Pastor's Chat and felt really welcomed. A majority of my Ghana team attends Vista Assembly. It wasn't long before I began calling this my "home church" and consider it just that. I feel very comfortable and welcome there every week and I continue to grow on a whole new level in my relationship with God. At first I didn't want to go to this church because I didn't want to become a "crazy", which is a name I came up with myself for some reason. I was worried about what people would think of me. I was not even sure if I believed in the so called Supernatural. It was all new to me. But, as God was aligning this with other things in my life, the weekly sermon was exactly where I was at, and I saw miracles before my eyes, I could not deny the power of God that was present at this church, His Hands and Feet, and my life. You can call me a "crazy" now, you can call me weird, you can call me a Jesus Freak...whatever you want, but I know this is real and true and I am not ashamed. :) After being immersed in this and seeing a new side of God, I love it!

Another thing that has come together with God's purpose for me is my friends/mentors ministry, His Hands and Feet. This ministry sets out to equip people to be the Hands and Feet of Jesus Christ, learning to use the gifts God has given us and activating them. I remember very well when I attended the first meeting that someone said something about three months. At that time, I nudged my friend telling her that we will be leaving for Africa in exactly three months. God brought about this ministry at the time that I needed it to equip me to be the Hands and Feet of Jesus Christ in Ghana. And, here I am, equipped and ready to go, three months later. :)

Throughout the last six months, I have grown tremendously. I have had to rely on God like never before. One of the biggest and hardest things for me has been not being "connected". I believe God pulled me from relationships so that I could learn to rely on Him and Him alone. After all, that is what life is like as a Missionary. I did not get connected at Vista Assembly because I knew I would be gone for the entire summer. I did, however, begin to take a class there that has been equipping me even more as I prepare to go move to Ghana for the summer.

Another thing that came to mind as I reflect on the last six months is how everything did come together. The teachings at Vista Assembly of God and His Hands and Feet go hand in hand. Both teach you how to be more sensitive to the Holy Spirit and listening to God's voice so that you can be the Hands and Feet of Jesus by putting your faith into action. Both teach that God moves in the Supernatural, and that is where we can move, too because we have His Spirit in us. After all, our faith is based on the fact that Jesus rose from the grave, and that is supernatural in and of itself! :)

When I began this new season in my life six months ago, I had no idea all of the above would come of it. It was challenging to go through so many changes. It was hard. It was sad. It was frustrating. But, now I can look back and it make sense. I get it now! God pulled me from one church, moved me to another, planted me at my final church all because He wanted to prepare me and equip me for what He has in store for me this summer in Ghana as a Missionary. I can now go to Ghana in a new confidence that I didn't have before, that God is with me and nothing will harm me, that the same power that raised Christ from the dead is in me, that I have authority to trample over the enemy, that healing and miracles are easy peasy for God. I've learned so much more about His character and I expect BIG things in Ghana.

If you are going through anything that is difficult, and you are battling with God trying to figure out why you are going through it, step back and rest in Him, knowing that you may not know at the time all the answers, but rest assured, one day it will all come together and you will be able to look back and see it clearly like I have with so many changes in so little time. Pursue Him as you seek to follow His voice and will for your life, and watch as He opens doors and blesses you beyond belief.

Resting in His Presence.

This morning I woke up feeling a little anxious. There is too much to do and not enough time. It all comes to mind and I don't know where to start and it can be overwhelming, if I let it. I opened my Jesus Calling devotional by Sarah Young, and yet again, the timing and words from God were right on target. Hope this encourages you and helps you to Rest in His Presence today.

REST IN ME, MY CHILD. Give your mind a break from planning and trying to anticipate what will happen. Pray continually, asking My Spirit to take charge of the details of this day. Remember that you are on a journey with Me. When you try to peer into the future and plan for every possibility, you ignore your constant Companion who sustains you moment by moment. As you gaze anxiously into the distance, you don't even feel the strong grip of My hand holding yours. How foolish you are, My child! Remembrance of Me is a daily discipline. Never lose sight of My Presence with you. This will keep you resting in Me all day, every day.

Scriptures: 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Psalm 62:5

Worry.

As I prepare to go to Africa in 10 days for 2 months, I find myself worrying about things more often than I'd like to. As homework from the Kingdom Life class at my church, we were instructed to listen to God every morning and ask Him what He has for us that day. Today, this is what He told me:

Pick up your sword and be ready and willing. In the same way I asked you to surrender your finances to me, I ask you to surrender the rest of your trip to me. Let me put the pieces together. You just step back, relax, listen to the Holy Spirit to guide you.

This song was in my head this morning as well. "Holy fire, burn away, my desire, for anything that is not of You and is of me, I want more of You and less of me. Empty me, empty me, fill me, won't you fill me with You."

Even after I heard from the Lord, I found myself feeling anxious and worried about the rest of the details. This goes to show you how quickly worry and anxiety can creep in. I was worrying about the finances again. God provided more money than the amount due and it paid for some Talking Bibles and my flight change. There was some money left over, and I asked the Lord what He wanted me to do with it, and of course He said give it away, most of it. So, now I don't have that much and it won't pay for the little things I need, including the additional money I need for the two months that I'll be living in Ghana. I know that my friends will be taking an offering for me this weekend at their night of ministry, and they will be in touch with me while I am in Ghana for anything I may need. They told me they want me to be their Missionary, and I am so blessed by that. :) But I was thinking to myself, ok, that money will go towards the rest of the needs before I leave and then what about the rest for the two months? As you can see, worry creeped in again and kept going...I do recognize that, the funds may not all come in before I go to Ghana, and that would mean I'm really living by faith, which is kinda fun if you think about it because I will be waiting to see how God will provide. He has already told me He will provide everything I need, but now its just a matter of timing.

After all this worry, I opened my devotional and it was right on target, which is totally how God works. :) The first time I read it, I was kinda thinking ok yeah, easy enough, thank you Lord. But then when I read it again, let it sink in, and immersed myself in all the other scriptures about worry, I began to feel at peace and able to that God will provide. We can read scripture easily, but it doesn't do any good unless we believe it and act on it. So, I wanted to share what I received from the Lord today about worry and hope that it blesses you.

*The woman who wrote this devotional is a Missionary and she wrote it from God's perspective, from Him giving her words like I got this morning above. The title of the devotional book is Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young.

"I AM ALL AROUND YOU, like a cocoon of Light. My Presence with you is a promise, independent of your awareness of Me. Many things can block this awareness, but the major culprit is worry. My children tend to accept worry as an inescapable fact of life. However, worry is a form of unbelief; it is anathema to Me. Who is in charge of your life? If it is you, then you have a good reason to worry. But if it is I, then worry is both unnecessary and counterproductive. When you start to feel anxious about stomething, relinquish the situation to Me. Back off a bit, redirecting your focus to Me. I will either take care of the problem Myself or show you how to handle it. In this world, you will have problems, but you need not lose sight of Me." Scriptures she gave that relate are: Luke 12:22-31 and John 16:33

"So do not worry, saying 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things but your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6:31-33

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

-PEACE comes AFTER we give our anxieties and worries to God.

"Cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7

After worrying about all the things above, especially about Africa and the stuff coming together in 10 days, God has given me that peace that it will all work out. He reminded me of His faithfulness in the past. A scripture he reminded me of for my situation is this:

And my God will meet ALL your NEEDS according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19

My prayer is that you will be blessed by reading this blog about worry because of what God has spoken to me and shown me, and that today and every day you will choose not to accept worry, but instead choose to worry less. :)

Africa.

As my journey of returning to Africa continues, I am full of mixed emotions. Of course I am very excited for it to almost be here! I am definitely looking forward to seeing the adorable children at Ryvanz-Mia Orphanage. I'm excited for what God is preparing for my team (BIG things). I am sad when I think about being far from family and friends, without quick and easy communication. I have no fear at all because God is with me and He is going before me. It amazes me how every time I go on a Missions trip, I always feel safe and never have any sort of fear. I walk in confidence of God's protection over me and whomever I am with at the time. It makes sense, because God is not a God of fear. I am nervous though about this big change. Nobody likes change, including me. But, I am choosing to walk into such a BIG change because I love God and He's made it very clear to me that He wants me to go to Ghana for the whole summer. :)

This entire trip has not been because of my doing at all. From the very beginning, it's been His way, not my way. I didn't want to go back to Africa when I came back last September. Little did I know I'd be returning 9 months later to a whole new part of Africa...all because of His will, not mine. He put a passion in my heart to go back to Africa starting in December and in January, He gave me $77.00 more than the deposit amount for the trip. He has been faithfully providing financially and spiritually every step of the way on this trip. He has guided me from church to church and encouraged me day after day through worship, prophetic words, His voice, and His word, all that directly relate to this journey. He's told me He'll provide everything I need to go to Ghana and everything I need to stay there for two months. He's told me He'll provide more than I can imagine. He's blowing me away daily as I take this step of faith.

Every time I pray for my team, I hear the word STRONG. We all hear God's voice very clearly and are sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading. We all recognize our authority in Christ over the enemy. We all know that Greater is He that is in Me than he that is in the world. This scripture comes to mind when I think about my team "Most assuredly, I say to he who believes in me, the works that I do he will do also; the greater works than these he will do because I go to the Father." John 14:12 Jesus said to His disciples, right before he ascended into Heaven: "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. All these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues, they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poision, it all not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." Mark 16: 15-18 Obviously, we will not literally be drinking deadly poison or picking up snakes, but you get the idea. God has given us the power to heal the sick, drive out demons, and bring the Good News of the gospel to the Africans. The same power that raised Christ from the dead lives in us, so we have the ability to do these same things by activating our faith. We are God's disciples, follower's of Christ.

There is something exciting about having these Talking Bibles in my hands. I have a new passion to get each one paid for! We are each taking 35 in our luggage this time. $55.00 each. Let me know if you want to purchase one so someone can hear the word of God in Ghana.

My team consists of 10 people, 5 of which have been to Africa before. Many people on my my team work with children and love kids. Gayelee, our team leader, is the Pastor of the organization, Cross Connection outreach. Her daughter, Morgan, just graduated from High School and has a beautiful voice. Jay and Denise are the only married couple on our team, and will be celebrating their anniversary for  33 years of marriage on our trip. Nathan is a big hearted man who is in his 50's and he went on the same team as I did last year to Mozambique. He is always taking care of me and making sure I'm doing ok. (ok, maybe not just me...but the whole team) Kristal is a single mom who loves the Lord and plays the guitar and sings. She and Morgan will be our worship team. Brianna, my close friend, is a student at SDSU, loves kids, and is passionate about bringing the Talking Bibles to Ghanaians. Barbara is a 69 year old woman who attends theMovement church (she decided to go after Danielle and I gave our speal at the Woman's dinner!!) and she has never been on a Missions trip. Kristina is a Kindergarten teacher in Carlsbad and going to Bethel, School of the Supernatural in the fall. And, last but not least, myself, and you should all know me, but I'll categorize myself as a young woman pursuing God who will soon be a California Credentialed Teacher.

Recently, we found out that our team has been asked to go into a Leper colony in Ghana to bring hope with the Talking Bibles to the people who have Leprosy. We are SO excited! Nobody will get sickness, and we probably won't even touch the people. I believe we will see people healed from their Leprosy without even touching them, because the POWER of God is so strong through our team. What a lovely thing to show these isolated people that Jesus Loves them and we are there to show them we care about them because God cares about them, too. We also get the privelage to go into hospitals and pray for people. I believe we will see sick people get well, too. Many people, not just few, because God is powerful and wants everyone to be healed of any sickness or disease. And, of course our main focus will be getting the Talking Bibles into the hands of those who need to hear the word of God. We also get to do Vacation Bible School (VBS) with the kids at the Orphanage and maybe do some teachingswhen we go into different villages to distribute Talking Bibles. My team is going to be the FIRST team to go to Ghana and bring Talking Bibles through Cross Connection Outreach, so everything is new and tentative as far as our plans go for the trip. The team leader and her daughter are going one week early to meet with Becka, the young woman who they met at a conference and has been to Ghana twice. The language in Ghana that is recorded on the Talking Bible is EWE, pronounced "Airway", I think. This is just one dialect in Ghana, for the region of Kpando, where we will be staying during our trip.

Many of you may be wondering as time is winding down, what else do I need? Well, it's funny because as I am preparing to go to a third world country with many poor people, I begin to find that there is not too much I "need". Most "needs" become "wants". As of now, I still need $646.00 to cover the cost for the rest of my two week stay with the team in Kpando. And I still need $1,000.00 for my two months after that while I stay with Becka and travel to Accra, Prampram, and Kpando in Ghana. If God puts it on your heart to give to either of those needs, just let me know. I'm honestly not worried about finances because of all that God has told me and provided so far! :) Aside from finances, I do need a few things that I haven't purchased yet because I'm waiting for my trip to get paid for first. If you'd like to buy any of the following for me, let me know so I don't get it. :)
-Mosquito Net ($15.00)
-Inside Liner for sleeping bag to act as a blanket, not knowing whether sheets will be clean and so forth ($10.00)
-Travel Size Pillow
-Toilet Paper
-Pepper spray (just in case!)
-Adapter to charge my phone and camera (220 volts)
-Large bag of Jolly Ranchers (the kids LOVE these!)
-Large luggage (someone is lending me some, I just haven't picked it up yet)
-Small pencil sharpeners and any other school supplies for the kids at the Orphanage
-Feminine Urinary Director, aka "pee funnel" ($25.00) yes, it is a need so I can pee in the bush standing up because I did not do so well with squatting last year :)

Somehow I have managed to lose my ipod, and all of my itunes actually deleted somehow. It's frustrating, but life goes on. What can you do? I may try to go to the apple store and see if they can recover my itunes music somehow. That is one thing I was bummed about though because the kids in Africa appear to LOVE music and dancing (if you've seen the video, you know what I mean) and I was hoping to bring an ipod with a mini speaker thing so that the kids and I can have dance parties. I'm praying and believing that my itunes music will get restored, my ipod will miraculously show up or someone will give me one, or I'll have the funds to buy one, and the ipod speakers will also be a gift from someone or God will give me the money for it. I know I can survive without all the above, but worship music on the 11 hour plane ride would be lovely as well as all that I said above. God will work it all out though, because He works all things together for our good according to Romans 8:28.

God knows my "wants" and is already blessing me. A friend of mine is letting me borrow his small video camera so that I can capture my whole journey on video. Another friend of mine is looking into getting an inexpensive, small, laptop such as a netbook so that I can have Skype and communicate via internet, Lord willing. And, it would be helpful to upload photos and videos as I go, plus write up a blog and/or email before I get to the Internet Cafe since the internet is slow. I know I don't need this though, because I can easily get extra memory cards for the video camera and my digital camera and my journal serves in place of writing blogs/emails. I already have shoes and clothes from last year.

The biggest need right now is honestly PRAYER. This morning I read "Remember, the enemy always fights the hardest when he knows God has something great in store for you." With just 17 days left, the attacks of the enemy are strong and present. Please pray for the following:

Before the trip:

-Strength to stand against the enemy's schemes

-Sensitivity to the Holy Spirit and His leading

-Time to be used wisely and effectively

-Attitude towards others to be the same as Jesus Christ

-Preparations for the trip to come together- VBS, finances, unity among the team

-Health for the entire team, that no one get sick before we travel

During the trip, for the team:

-God's provision financially and spiritually

-God's protection both physically and spiritually

-Unity among our team

-Open hearts for the team and the people we will be ministering to

-Sensitivity to the Holy Spirit's leading

-Health: remain free of any illness or disease while in Africa

-Divine Appointments

During the trip, for me:

-All of the above continues

-Adapting to changes/challenges: eating, sleeping arrangements, humid weather, bathroom situation, bugs, cold showers

-Remember why I'm there and be joyful through the challenges as listed above

-God to reveal more of His will and purpose for my life as a potential Missionary in Africa

As I prepare, I recognize some things that will be challenging for me and cause me to wonder why God chose me to go be a Missionary in Africa:

-I don't like/know how to "pee in bush"

-I don't do well in different weather environments (it will be HUMID in Ghana, downpouring once daily)

-I am a picky eater (And will need to eat lots of stuff out there that I probably won't like)

-I take hot showers (and I will be taking cold shower in Ghana unless I want to heat up my water beforehand)

-I don't like being far from family and friends

-I don't like BUGS.

Despite all of the above that I am not looking forward to and is a big part of my experience in Africa, it is outweighed by the adorable children. And, we don't always do just what we like to do for the Lord. I didn't choose to go and do this, but God chose me, so I will go in confidence, with excitement.

Please keep me in your prayers as you can see based on above I need prayer. :)

"The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." James 5:16

I've attached the Youtube Video that Morgan, a girl who went to Ryvanz-Mia Orphanage before, created. It's absolutely adorable and gets me excited to meet these kids every time I see it! That is where I will be living most of the time when I am in Africa.

Thank you for joining me on this journey and for all of your support! :)

Prophetic Words..Let God speak for Himself

What are prophetic words, you ask? Well, they are spoken or written communication from God, often but not always a predictive nature. God gives prophetic words to those who are listening to His voice. Prophecy is a gift from God, like any other gift.

Are prophetic words Biblical? Yes, of course. There are actually 8 prophecies on Jesus that He fufilled plus more, written many years before him. Do they still happen today? Yes. I am a true testimony of being given prophetic words from people and watching them unveil at this point in my life. In order for you to fully grasp this to the best of your ability, I will be sharing with you the many prophetic words God gave me for myself, others, and some that others have given me.

In Jeremiah, "Then the word of the Lord came to me; this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says:..." 24:4-5 Countless times a word of the Lord came to Jeremiah and God asked Jeremiah to share it with the people of Israel, even if it wasn't what they wanted to hear.

What is the purpose of prophetic words? To edify/strengthen/encourage other believers/ the body of Christ.

God has given me so many prophetic words over the past couple of years from others that I just want to share with you them because they have been such an encouragement to me. He's taught me how to write prophetic words and words of encouragement for others and He's given me words for myself. There's no way I can deny God's power to speak to and through people for the purpose of edifying the body of Christ.

August 2009, from a friend:
Katie, in a forest: I see you tentatively step off a small ledge into a pool or water below. You were just circling the edge of the pool, dipping your foot in, swirling it around. Finally, frustrated, you sit on the ground. This is when you look up and see a dove flying and landing on a branch of a tree. The sun is shining and you're able to dive into the pool and swim.

January 2010, from my friend and mentor:
Katie, don't compare. Don't contrast. Come to me open-minded, and let me direct your path, for I may have a completely different path for you. Yes, you are loved. Yes, you are chosen. Yes, you are a friend of God. Now watch, and see how the Son of Man turns your whole world upside down for His glory. Glory to God! Shout, glory to God, and in all things, no matter the depth of experience.

February 2011, from my friend and mentor:
Katie, the Lord is causing a great divide. He is separating those who desire religion, fom those who seek Him in Spirit and truth. Don't forget the fact that Jesus was the most persecuted from the "religious" around Him, more than any other group. They sent Him to his death, and were constantly trying to trap him, make him fail, trying to cause Him to stumble. Why would it be any different today? Pay close attention to motives. Regardless of how close people are to you, it does not mean they are necessarily close to me? Do they know my voice? Do they do the will of their father in Heaven? Don't confuse yourself by dipping your cup into the well of religion and then into the well of truth. You must always side with the Holy Spirit. Please me first, not people. They will always trap you, but, I will always bring more and more freedom.

March 6, 2011 Given to me from me during worship at church:
It's not about finding the right church, Katie. It's about seeking me in Spirit and Truth. Pray about where I want you to go every week. Do you trust me? Focus on what is before you (Student teaching and Africa) and stop focusing on your discomfort/frustration of not being at a set church.

March 26, 2011 Given to me before His Hands and Feet Ministry night, for me:
Listening to the Holy Spirit and being sensitive to His prompting requires faith and boldness. It requires us to be willing to be used by Him, even if it means we look like a fool. FAITH.

March 26, 2011 Given to me at His Hands and Feet Ministry during worship, for me:
Katie, stop thinking so much about others. What I call you to do is not for everybody and not everybody will understand or support you in it. But I will provide you with everything you need. Do you trust me? I will provide your needs if I open the door for you to stay in Ghana longer than two weeks. Don't try to figure that out now. Just trust me to work it out. Stop trying to figure out what I've got next for you. I know the desires of your heart and I will give you them. You have to rely on Me daily though. Stop worrying about your future..it's in my hands. Just be willing and open and I'll take care of the rest. 1 John 5:14-15 You can have anything you ask according to my will.

April 2, 2011 His Hands and Feet Ministry from someone to me and my friend:
To my missionary daughters, when you are sent forth on your mission trip to Africa, know that the ground you walk on will be holy ground. It will be as your bare feet walking on holy ground, because I the living God, Christ Jesus, reside in you, walk in you. You have been obedient to the call.

Same day, given to whole group:
Don't you believe I move through and among you. Your freedom is here, waiting for you. Reach up! Freedom is a mindset. Freedom contains a justice, a persistence that must take all things right and whole. Don't stop here. There's authority to be taken, authority that mandates freedom from sin, from sickness, and from death. Be free! Be whole!

Same day, for whole group:
The Lord wants to give you freedom to be who you were made to be!

Some of you need to let the Lord replace your fear of people with boldness according to Proverbs 29:15 "Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety."

Some of you need to receive the good gifts from the Lord to better equip you to minister! (Specifically, tongues)

April 15, 2011 North Coast Calvary Chapel, Carlsbad, Three-O night return from Chile trip
Missionary. People will support me. Adam, the three-o pastor, shared a vision of people holding onto a bar, losing their grip but hanging on tightly. He said they need to let go and God has them in His hands. I firmly believe this was for me!

April 23, 2011 His Hands and Feet Ministry, words God gave me for different people:
REST in His presence. God has given you many things. In order to do those effectively you must spend time resting in His presence. Resting is a continuous thing. (ing word)

Prosporous- with a gift you have, maybe sowing or knitting, scrapbooking. Spend more time doing it. Pursue it, God is going to bless you in it.

Trust. Family- God will work it out, whatever is going on. Trust Him to take care of it.

Be you. I know ou care about others a lot, but I'm asking you to be selfish and focus on yourself- what I'm doing in you and your life right now. Reflect on that. Rely on me. When you remain true to me, others will see that. You won't have to say anything. You are a light to many around you.

April 23rd, His Hands and Feet Ministry, words for me from people:
Missionary. I saw you with a large sword that was new. You were clumsy with it, but you will get better. You will look back on the prophetic words you are getting now and laugh because one day you will have such precise prophetic words for people that these will be funny to read.  In Africa, people bring fresh and clean water. You are that fresh cup of water for them. Do not be afraid of timing. You can't fail with your decision. Enjoy what you decide and have fun.

Practice hitting. Sometimes you may strikeout, sometimes hit a homerun, sometimes hit a base hit, and sometimes hit a pop fly. When you strike out, get back up to the plate and keep practicing until you improve. Don't stay down when you fail, but get back up again and practice hitting.

In 15 months, you will know very clearly whom you will marry. During that 15 month time span, you will grow a lot. You will grow more than most people grow in a large amount of time. You will use this time catching up with an immense amount of growth. Give 110% effort.

Lifetime in Africa. This will not be your last time in Africa.

Words He gives me are planted in me for a reason- to spread the gospel.

May 1, 2011 Vista Assembly of God, word from a stranger who is from Ghana
"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will last." John 15:16

Same day, same place, a word from a friend: (SAME scripture!!!)
"I no longer call you servant, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in My name. This is my command: Love each other." John 15:15-17 You have such a servant like attitude. Remember I consider you a friend. Frienship is a two-way street. I am giving you all you need to do My will. Be still and know!! You are beautiful in my eyes.

May 14, 2011, given to me by God for His Hands and Feet Ministry:
Get up! Being a follower of Christ requires taking action. Be bold, my friends. Listen to My voice and be obedient. Don't doubt or question what you hear from Me. Simply do as I say immediately and when you do this you will be blessed. I will be with you every step of the way. So, stand up and take the next step of faith. Pray for someone. Talk to someone about Me. You can't expect to see me moving in powerful ways when you are sitting around, waiting for something to happen. You must no longer be passive. Come on, get up and take action! You can do it. I will help you.

What's next?

I've reached a point in my life where I don't know what's next. I graduated from College last May, took one semester off, and am now completing my Teaching Credential with Student Teaching. I have 5 weeks left of Student Teaching, and then I will officially be a California Credentialed Teacher! I've waited so long for this, however the truth is most Public Schools in California are probably not hiring new teachers in the fall due to Budget cuts and so forth. I always thought I'd finish College, get married, get a Teaching Job right away, and so forth. Clearly, God has shown me He has a different plan for me. Only one of the above has happened thus far, and it wasn't even in my timing. lol. I graduated from College one year later than I hoped, and took one semester off of school to go to Africa, completing my credential and school in a total of 6 years. I obviously am not married and not even close, so that's out of my will. And, the teaching situation for the job does not look so hot at this point. However, when you are Pursuing Him, His purpose and plan will prevail, regardless of the circumstances. I know of two three people who were basically handed jobs. One woman in particular received her dream job in a time where there were many applying and she didn't think she'd get the position because she was fresh out of College. However, God had a plan for her and He did what it took to get her that job. It definitely is a rollercoaster ride though. Some days, I completely trust God's plan and I know He knows what is next for me. Other days, I think about the competition to get in, how it is literally impossible with the circumstances, and I question if I even want to teach in Public School.

Something I've found interesting is my lack of motivation to complete a Resume, Cover Letter, and call schools and apply for jobs, if there are any. I haven't even been on EdJoin (a website with job postings for teachers) and didn't even finish creating/updating my account on Edjoin. How can I expect to get a job when I'm not even prepared with the appropriate paperwork done? I drive past Horizon Prep M-F on my way to work, and I always think about contacting them to see if they have any job openings for the fall, yet I don't get around to actually doing it. I think to myself, maybe Substitute teaching won't be so bad afterall because it is more flexible and maybe God knows I'm not ready to be teaching full time yet for some reason. He does know me better than I know myself, so whatever He has next for me is going to be BEST for me. I just need to constantly remind myself of that. If you're a Christian, you know what I'm talking about. It's hard to give up our lives and follow Him, to let go of our plans and be open to His. We like to be in control and always know what is next, so when we aren't in control and are uncertain of what is next, we get frustrated. (At least that's how it is for me)

All that being said, Africa sure has been on my mind a lot lately. I can't wait to go back. I watched a video of a woman who stayed at the Orphanage I'll be staying at and I love it. The kids are adorable. I have a huge heart for Africa, and would love to possibly teach there or even just help out at an Orphanage. I'm keeping my options open by thinking of staying longer than my team when I go to Ghana in June, applying for Teaching jobs in Africa that are given to me, here or there and praying a lot. Ultimately, I need to remember that God knows what He's up to. :) He has a plan for me. Jeremiah 29:11 says "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord". I'll be communicating with someone who has been to the Orphanage I'll be going to in June and she will be joining our team as well (She teaches in Minnesota and has been to the Orphanage in Ghana and helped out there in the past, a few times) and seeing what my options are in regards to staying there if they need a helping hand. I emailed someone who my sister gave me info for about Teaching at a Christian School in Malawi, Africa for the 2011-2012 year. I am getting contact info for a Principal at a school in South Africa who may be in need of Teachers in the fall and will be emailing him soon. God is opening National doors it appears, and I'm going to be open to whatever it is He opens and let Him lead me and pave the way.

During the times that I've been discouraged about what's next, I turn to a page in my journal where God spoke to me through worship one night. He said:

Katie, stop thinking so much about others. What I call you to do is not for everybody and not everybody will understand or support you in it. But, I will provide you with everything that you need. Do you trust me? I will provide your needs if I open the door for you to stay in Ghana longer than 2 weeks. Don't try to figure that out now. Just trust me to work it out. Stop trying to figure out what I've got next for you. I know the desires of your heart and I will give you them. You have to rely on me daily though. Stop worrying about your future...it's in my hands. Just be willing and open and I'll take care of the rest.

Wow, how can I argue with that? It would be like slapping God in the face if I ignore all of this. I'm so thankful He gave me this word and I find it so encouraging when I catch myself trying to figure out what's next and worrying about my future. In the meantime, it is my job to simply obey and pursue Him. It's about time I jump on board for this adventure and be excited about what is next in my life, because whatever it is, it will be great since God is leading me and I'm open to His ways.

Ghana Bound...and Counting Down...

Just over 2 months; Just over 10 weeks; 73days; each one way to describe the amount of time I have left before I'm Ghana Bound. I know it will come quick! I still can't believe I'm going back to Africa, especially this soon. I honestly can't even fathom it sometimes because I had no desire to go back for a long time after my last trip...until God transformed my heart! I am completely confident God wants me on this team for two main reasons: 1. He provided me with more money than the deposit amount, showing He will provide the funds for the entire trip. 2. He redirected my team's destination from Mozambique to Ghana, where we will be working at an Orphanage...which is right up my alley!

When I think about Africa, I smile really big. How could I not? Look how stinkin' cute this boy is?!? :)

As I think about Africa daily and prepare to go to Ghana in a couple of months, there is a lot on my mind. 

I think about my last experience there and how it was so challenging. Things like going pee in the bush (see picture above of the "toilet") and the bugs are stuff that I do not realize will be a struggle for  me when I'm there because they are not a problem here. The inability to help every child or person in Africa is heart-breaking as well. I understand that traveling abroad and doing Mission's work Nationally is not for everybody, and I'm sorry if I ever made you feel bad for not doing such a thing. There is something special about being out of our busy daily life and serving others in a third world country. I am always amazed at how little they have in Africa and Mexico, yet they are full of joy and make what they do have work for them.  (Above and is a toy car some kids made in Africa with recycled stuff) Below I am playing with the kids with what I found (some fruit) that we rolled back and forth to each other. It is pictures like this one that make my heart melt thinking about the kids in Africa and how different the culture and lifestyle is there than it is here. It's so hard to explain. Pictures really don't do justice. Maybe one day I'll work at an Orphanage and you can come visit me there and see what I mean! ;)

Speaking of working at Orphanages, I am really praying about potentially doing that and staying longer than my team's two weeks stay in Ghana. I believe God placed a desire on my heart to stay in Africa longer to help me be open to His will. Sometimes I think I'm crazy for thinking this, but ultimately I know God will be by my side and He might be preparing me for that in many different ways. When I had this thought, I asked the founder of the organization that I'm going with who is also my team leader, if that would even be an option. She said that if we were going anywhere else it wouldn't be an option. She said that it is actually only $50-100 to change a flight and that could very well be a possibility. She explained to me that it really depends on the Orphanage and their needs. If they are in need of someone to care for the children and be an extra helping hand during the day, and the door opens up while I am there, then I can walk in it. However, that very well could not happen. She said that our contact in Minnesota who is an elementary school teacher and has gone back the past few years to this Orphanage and will be joining us this summer said this is a very safe environment. She said the internet cafe is about five minutes walking distance. At this point I'm getting really excited thinking about this possibility! As of now, the jobs for teaching are not very available so I'm thinking what better time to do something like this? I assumed this would be a paid position. I ended up finding out that it would be an unpaid position and I would need to have people from here supporting me there. It would cost me to stay at the Orphanage (rent) and it isn't cheap. I guess that would mean I'd be a real "Missionary". :) *Out of curiosity, if I end up doing that, would you support me monthly or when you could? I'd have to rely solely on people from here to cover the cost of my monthly needs there. So, shortly after I found this out, I shut down this idea. It wasn't long before a friend asked me "Did God ever tell you "No"? It caught my attention and made me realize that I shut down this possibility because I figured there is no way I'd  be able to get people to committ to supporting me in Africa before I leave in June, especially if I don't even know if I will be staying longer or not. Some may ask, how long will you stay if that opportunity arises? Good question! My answer simply put is however long God decides He wants me there. I've decided since my friend pointed that out to me that I am now going to be open to this idea of staying in Ghana and working at the Orphanage as a Missionary if God opens the door. It does seem as though change and flexibility are big themes for our team's trip, so anything can happen at this point. But, God is teaching me to be open to His will, let Him guide my steps, and follow Him because He knows what is best for me.

Unfortunately, I may not know until I step foot in Ghana about whether or not I will stay. I know God will make it clear to me. In the meantime, I need to trust God to provide everything as if I were to stay there, just in case. That means I'd need a Mac Laptop so I can have skype dates instead of coffee dates. :) And no, I'm not kidding! lol. I'd need a cell phone that has a sim card with a service that works out there so I can keep in touch that way as well. I believe I can receive text messages and something else for free, which is awesome! Another need would be a video camera, such as a bloggie or flip so I can upload videos and not just pictures for you to watch. I hear the internet cafe can be very slow most often (like take one hour to send an email) or could be fast. This is all hypothetically speaking, of course. Those are the three things I'd like to see God provide for me before I go to Ghana, just in case He wants me to stay so that I can keep in touch with you all. If you know of any great deals or anything on any of the above, please let me know! :) I need to raise the funds for my trip first, of course...but I'm confident it's all in God's hands and only time will tell what His will is for me in regards to this.

*If you have any items/stuff you want to get rid of, I'm doing a garage/rummage sale at my church towards the end of April, and I'd love to take your stuff from you and sell it to raise funds for my trip to Africa. Let me know if you're interested or you know anyone who would like to contribute! :)

*Praise Report: Thus far, God has provided me with enough funds to keep up with the payments! He is faithful. I still would like to raise funds for the Talking Bibles, which is an additional $2500 and those little things I mentioned above ;) I am excited to see God provide the rest of the finances and more. :)