Elevating God

I was going to title this blog "I Need a Miracle" but then God brought something to my attention. The title of the blog is what the focus of the blog is about. I don't want this post to be all about my need for a miracle. I want it to be about elevating God so that we receive the miracles He has for us! Sure, I need a miracle, in fact, quite a BIG one or many little ones, but God operates in miracles and signs and wonders, so why should I be worried that He will not meet my need?!? God is a God of miracles. He did so many things that are literally impossible as recorded in the Bible, and that is the God I believe in. So, why should I think He cannot meet my miraculous needs just as He did back in the days when the Bible was written? All that being said, He told me that Elevating God is going to be a key to my success in receiving the miraculous needs I have because it is by believing (faith) that we receive.

I'm sure you've heard the saying before "don't tell God how big your problems are, tell your problems how big your God is". Well, the Lord reminded me of this when I was feeling overwhelmed by the extreme amount of financial provision I need in the short amount of time I have, not including my need for a job in a small city where many other students will be in the same boat as me. Although sayings like the one above can be "cliché", they are true. It can be so easy to get overwhelmed by our problems, circumstances, and/or needs and forget how BIG our God is. It's so easy to become discouraged because what we need is impossible. But as believers, we must remember that NOTHING is IMPOSSIBLE ... WITH GOD. Therefore, when we connect with Him, He is able to do incredible things! Even the impossible! I've seen God do incredible things in my life and I've seen Him provide financially in miraculous ways before, but that doesn't  mean I'm an expert at trusting in His provision. It just means I know HE is ABLE and "If it's God's will, He will pay the bill". It means I know His character is faithful and He will provide. But even with this knowledge, I can still lack faith sometimes. When calculating my finances, I discovered I am truly facing the impossible again. And this is when God urged me to write about His faithfulness with financial provision in the past. I believe He will use this time of looking back to remind me of how big He is and shift my focus from the "problem" , "mountain", or "impossibility", and onto trusting in His ability to provide. I don't think He wants me to live my life worrying about how I will meet these needs. I think He wants me to live my life excited to see how He will meet my needs, because that is His job, not mine. And I believe He wants the same for you, too!

In 2010, I decided to take my first missions trip to Africa. It cost $3,650.00 for the entire trip. I cannot remember how long I needed to raise that money, but God provided it all. In fact, He actually provided more than I needed. In each person's suitcase, we brought with us Audio Bibles "Talking Bibles" that were in the native language of the land we were traveling to, and God put it on my heart to raise the money for every single Talking Bible that I carried in my suitcase. And, guess what? He did. In fact, I accidently took more than the given amount of Bibles, which was 50, and had 52 or 53 because my roommate and I got ours mixed up. And, every single Bible in my suitcase was paid for before my trip. Praise God!! At $50.00 each, that is around $2,650.00 that He provided. Altogether that makes $6,300.00 ! And all of this money was raised simply by fundraising, therefore I relied fully on others to meet this need. Of course ultimately God provided, but it was through others. The scripture God gave me to meditate on in the process of all of this for this trip was: ^"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us" Ephesians 3:20

In 2011, I decided to return Africa for another missions trip. I remember the team leader saying to me "If money is your only reason for not going to Ghana, you should definitely go. God will provide." I had no job, no money, and was in college full-time. I knew I was supposed to step out in faith, again, though, and guess what?!? Yup, God provided yet again ALL of the finances I needed for this trip. It cost a total of $3,650.00. Although He didn't put it on my heart to pay for the Audio Bibles this time, He did put it on my heart to stay in Ghana longer than my team and live at the Orphanage we would be spending some time with. That meant I needed more money because it cost money to stay there as well as additional expenses such as food and changing my flight home so that I didn't return at the same time as my team. I am not sure how much that all was in total, but I'd guess it ended up being around $1,500.00 , making a total of $5,150.00 that He provided. The scripture God gave me for this trip was: "And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19

In 2012, I decided to attend a Missionary Training school called YWAM (Youth With A Mission). The school I attended was called "Fire & Fragrance" and it focused on Missions, Prayer, and Worship. It was located in Kona, Hawaii and my outreach was to England and Germany. I spent three months in Hawaii and two months in Europe. I'm not sure the exact amount of funds I needed to raise for this all, but I estimated it is somewhere around $10,000.00 in five months. That includes the school itself, travels, and extra expenses such eating out and getting coffee with friends. Again, God provided it all. And it came through others. I cannot recall a specific Bible verse that God gave me for this season.

In 2013, I decided to go to back to Africa again. This time, Tanzania. I needed to raise around $3,000.00 . I had a job at the time so was able to contribute personally in addition to fundraising. Also, this isn't a financial need, but it was a desire I had and God met it. I always saw myself in Africa wearing long skirts, colored V-neck shirts, and accessories. I always wanted to go back to Africa and look cute while I was there. (It must be the girly side of me) And, God provided enough money for me to be able to meet this desire of my heart and purchase some long-skirts. Also, God provided all that I needed for this trip financially.


In 2013, I decided to apply for another Training school and I got accepted! I will begin in September of 2013 and finish in May of 2014. In the middle of the school year, I plan to take a missions trip to which the location is unknown at this time. The tuition for this school is $4,400.00 and it is not something I can fundraise for. In addition to that, I need a job that will give me 30 hours/week where I can budget for $850/month! It is a ministry training school and I am responsible for paying for my own tuition. However, I will fundraise for the missions trip because that will be an additional cost. Although I am currently working as a nanny, I also have monthly bills to pay. With my budget and hours as of now, it is unrealistic that I will be able to save enough money for tuition by the due date. (It is due September 9th at Registration or November 8th on a payment plan) When you look at how much money I am making and how much money I need, it is literally impossible. Now this is a completely different step of faith for me! However, I am believing and trusting that God will provide for all of my needs. I mean, He told me He has Bethel covered for me! But, to be quite honest, when calculating in depth my financial need before and during school, along with a job with thirty hours each week that I have not received yet, it was overwhelming! I was beginning to think I am crazy for even thinking it will all come together. But then God reminded me that in order to receive the miracle I need, I must Elevate God. Therefore, I cannot allow my mind to dwell on how great my financial need is and instead I need to dwell on how great my God! That being said, I am believing for God's financial  provision regarding this new step of faith. I trust Him to show me how to be wise with my finances and look forward to seeing how He will meet all of my needs, because I know He will. The scriptures I believe God is giving me for this is "Everything is possible for one who believes" Mark 9:23 and "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief." Mark 9:24

If you have a need, not just financial, remember that Elevating God is key to receiving your miracles!

*I will update when I get to Bethel regarding how the Lord provides everything I need!

This is who I am.

A friend and I were recently talking and the topic of identity came up. We came up with this conclusion through our conversation: The qualities about ourselves that we are the most critical of and/or dislike the most about ourselves are actually the ones that those around us are most blessed by. They are the things they love the most about us. After coming to this conclusion, I began to re-evaluate what qualities I like and dislike about myself and talk to God about it. Here is what I discovered: The two greatest things that I dislike the most about myself are that I am vulnerable and talk too much. I have had people tell me that my vulnerability has enabled them to be more vulnerable, that it actually brought them breakthrough. I constantly feel like I'm posting too many things on Facebook, but people continually tell me that they love everything that I post and enjoy reading it all. I often feel like I talk too much and always feel bad when I get off the phone with a friend, or finish a coffee date with someone, and realize that I talked the entire time and didn't walk away knowing too much about how they are doing. However, I am learning to embrace these qualities about myself rather than be frustrated with them. The truth is this is who I am. This is how God created me. He loves it when I am vulnerable, when I post revelations and encouraging quotes or words on Facebook, and He loves hearing me talk. It's pretty hard for me to imagine all of this, but it is true! After all "Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous- how well I know it. Psalm 139:14"  I am certainly learning how to talk less and listen more, but I need to not be hard on myself for talking more than listening, because this is who I am. This is how He created me to be. And when I am free to be me, it blesses those around me. Another thing I am learning about myself is that I am a processor. And, often times I process things out loud as I am talking with a friend. Therefore, I get encouraged and strengthened as I am talking with a friend about a situation or what God is teaching me, and they do as well. Those friends of mine who know me REALLY well expect nothing less of me than to talk a majority of the time when I am around them. (Thank you, friends, for receiving me as I am and always being a listening ear!!) And almost always these same friends affirm me in my chatterbox-ness.

Another thing I am learning is not to apologize for who I am. So often I feel the need to say "sorry" for little things and for being myself. There's something wrong with that picture. Truth is, God made me to be considerate of others and sensitive, but that doesn't mean I need to apologize every single moment, even for unnecessary things. Tonight I heard someone say something along these lines at a ministry meeting "When we are who we are individually to the fullest, without apologies, the kingdom of God can be freely released." That totally makes sense! I know that when I am free to be who God made me to be to the fullest, those around me are getting blessed by me simply being instead of doing. Another way of saying it is this: The best gift you to can be to those around you is to be completely yourself. We spend too much time comparing ourselves to others. We spend too much time looking at those around us and wanting to be more like them. But why? This only leads to envy, which does not bring about good fruit in our lives. God knows each of us so well because He created each one of us. He knows what we can and can't handle. He knows what we will face before we face it. He knows what is to come for us. He believes in us. He knows what we each need the most. Therefore, I believe He distinctly placed each of us where we are today to be who we are. I think it's time we start embracing those qualities about ourselves that we tend to dislike. It's time we stop looking at everyone else and start seeing ourselves as God sees us.

I also want to acknowledge that my life isn't perfect. From an outsider's perspective, it could appear that way. But, the truth is, it's not. Although I've had the privilege to travel to many places as a missionary and receiving equipping for ministry, my life isn't perfect. I am actually a "home body" and enjoy the mixture of weather that San Diego has. I never saw myself moving anywhere else. However, God turned my world upside down in 2010 and as soon as I said "yes" to Him in going anywhere, He hasn't kept me still. Even though some of my trips have only been a couple of weeks, it has still required me to raise funds (asking people for money is never fun or easy) and leave the comforts of my own friends, family, and privileges that come with living in a first world country. As a missionary, I never fully feel settled when I am living at home because I feel like I don't fit in. I am learning how to adapt better and adjust as I come and go, but my life is definitely not the same as most 25-year old girls. A majority of my closest friends are married and have children. I received my teaching credential, but I hardly use it. I substitute teach on occasion during the times that I am home and school is in session, but I cannot imagine myself being a full-time teacher at this point in my life. Sometimes, it is difficult for me to accept even still that my life has totally transformed and I am not living by the standards of this world because my hunger for God and His will for my life far outweighs doing what "I'm supposed to be doing". All that being said, although my challenges and trials in life may not seem like much in comparison to yours, they have been difficult for me personally. And I'm not sharing full detail of what I'm currently facing because it is too personal. .Despite all of the above though, don't get me wrong. I do believe the scripture that says "Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him." Hebrews 11:6 I believe my ability to travel and the blessings in my life are due to the fact that I have sincerely sought the Lord for quite some time now, and he is rewarding me. God really is so good to us and that is His heart.

I want to conclude with one last thing...

This is who I am...

I am beautiful. With and without make-up. No matter how I feel. No matter how much I weigh. No matter what I believe. I am beautiful simply because He says I am beautiful.

This picture was taken at the end of the day, after I took off my make-up, because my beauty is not defined by whether or not I am wearing make-up, but it is defined by what God says about me. My identity is not in the make-up or clothes I wear (and trust me, I love 'getting pretty" and being girly). My identity is in who He says I am. And this is what He says: "You are altogether beautiful, my darling, beautiful in every way." Song of Songs 4:7

Bethel

Bethel is the name of a church located in Redding, CA. This church has several different schools and one of the schools is called Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry (BSSM). I am super excited to share that I will be attending BSSM as a first-year student this fall. The school year runs from September-May. 10. Here are some more details about the school's foundations and what it entails: (directly from the website)

The Mission: Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry (BSSM) is committed to the truth that God loves people, gave Himself for them and has given His Church supernatural power to bring individuals and nations into wholeness. Inaugurated in 1998 with 36 students, the school emphasizes that believers need to return to the ministry of signs and wonders—to minister in love, truth and the power of God. The mission of BSSM is to equip and deploy revivalists who passionately pursue worldwide transformation in their God-given spheres of influence. In the 2012/2013 school year, more than 1800 students were trained to continue in the ministry style of Jesus: to enjoy the presence of God, say what He is saying, and do what He is doing.

The Atmosphere: BSSM is a Holy Spirit driven ministry school where students learn how to live in the Kingdom of God and extend its borders through a supernatural lifestyle. The school emphasizes hands on training and experience along with academic understanding. This creates a "do and teach" culture where all of the students are expected to take risks to stretch their faith and grow in their understanding of God. BSSM believes that each verse of the Bible is an invitation into an experience with the Lord and students are challenged to live the New Testament. This produces a class environment where disciples practice the things they are being taught while instructors coach the process and all this takes place in a setting of passionate worship.

As the year progresses and the students begin to gain confidence and experience within the safety of the classroom, they are sent on outreaches into the community. These exploits include ministry to neighborhoods, after-school programs, city outreach and serving our city. Boldness, passion and risk are center stage in Bethel’s school. These values define our atmosphere and are manifest in worship, ministry and in relationships with each other.

Student Life: The school is designed to equip students to live a supernatural lifestyle, not just minister in the gifts of the Spirit. They are encouraged to be naturally supernatural by bringing heaven to earth wherever they go. Class sessions run from 12:30-5:30pm Monday-Thursday. Although this doesn't seem like much, the school is considered to be full time. The other hours consist of learning through homework, chosen authors or from the Holy Spirit as the students read the Word, attend services, serve on ministry teams, soaking & prayer times of personal devotion, living the supernatural lifestyle in an honorable way at work, and more.

Academic Overview: The academic instruction at BSSM is unique because it is taught by apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers - not by professors or theologians. This gives the teaching a kind of living perspective with five-fold distinctions. BSSM has many powerful guest speakers throughout the year but the primary teaching is accomplished through our staff members.

The students receive a great deal of instruction on evangelical Bible interpretation but they are also immersed in a revelatory culture where the Holy Spirit becomes the chief instructor and tour guide. He causes His Kingdom to come alive through the pages of the Bible. BSSM students learn how to read, understand, and “do” the Bible – how to practice His presence, to witness, heal the sick, prophesy, preach, pray, cast out demons and much more.

The BSSM students learn in large group sessions (1200 students), revival groups of 60-70 people, small groups of 5, and on their own. There are also classes entitled Advance Ministry Training. Here, students choose the subjects they are passionate about and called to train in. These AMT's deepen their understanding and experience in a much more focused way in areas such as leading worship, children’s ministry, preaching, prophecy, intercession, intimacy with God, youth, business and career ministry. Reading on your own time is expected and is a large part of our curriculum. There are approximately 2400 pages of mandatory reading throughout the year. That works out to 10 pages of reading everyday of the 240 days from beginning to graduation. That’s on top of 2 chapters of the Word daily. So plan on reading 30 – 60 minutes a day minimum. That may be brand new for many of you and it is a big commitment, but it is all amazing, transforming content.

BSSM Structure: First Year School of Ministry focuses on assimilating the core values of the Kingdom into the heart of the Believer and establishing God’s Royal identity in the mind of each student. The first year students receive the gifts of the Spirit and learn how to walk in the power of God.

For more details regarding Bethel, visit www.ibethel.org

Now that you know where I am headed and a little bit about what it will look like, I want to share about my journey in deciding to go there. The first time I heard about Bethel church and school was through a friend who was going as a first-year student in 2011. I didn't know much about it but only heard great things. Soon after, I was introduced to Kim Walker and Jesus Culture worship music, which were birthed out of Bethel. Next thing I know, they are my favorite worship artists. I kept hearing about Bethel and wanting to visit, but it never worked out for me to go up there, until last December. I was off work for one week and was determined to visit my friend who was now a second-year student at BSSM. It was quite an adventure as I flew to the Sacramento airport, rented my first car all by myself, and drove a few hours from Sacramento to Redding. I was pretty darn excited and felt like such a grown-up! Especially because I turned 25 in October and you had to be 25 to rent a car legally. When planning my trip to Bethel, I somehow managed to find an inexpensive flight, and a great deal on a rental car for the entire week. Everything fell into place and happened so easily and naturally.

I arrived safely in Redding and had the opportunity to spend the entire week with my friend Kristina. I met Kristina just before I traveled to Africa the second time, because she was on my team to Ghana. I knew we'd become great friends when we spent four hours on the first flight getting to know one another while the rest of the people on the plane were asleep. While I was in Redding, I went to classes with her, attended her revival group, and joined her at small group. We spent lots of time in fellowship with her friends and also got plenty of time together hanging out. I even managed to fit in my quality time with Jesus and the prayer chapel. It was a wonderful trip, but while I was there I honestly thought of it simply as a vacation. People would ask me, "do you think you'll come to Bethel?" and my response was, "No, I am enjoying it and I love being here, but I don't feel called to come here. God would have to make it really clear to me if He wanted me to come" At the time, I didn't feel called to go because Africa was on my heart with Tanzania in February. God had also given me many prophetic words about Africa, so I figured I'd be moving there before anywhere else. 

 

Now I can see that God changes the desires of our hearts for each season that we are in.  All that being said, I continued on my journey with God and traveled to Tanzania in February for two weeks, where I discovered that I don't want to be a long-term missionary (yet). Since returning from Tanzania, I have been trusting that as I seek God, He will guide me. And, the desire and hunger in my heart for Jesus is never-ending. I felt the exact same way last year before I went to YWAM. Next thing I know, God dropped in my heart a desire to apply for BSSM as a first-year student. I wanted confirmation, of course, that it was His will, even though it was so out of the blue, which often time means it's from God. I asked for confirmation, though...and He gave it to me. A friend mentioned that I should go there without me even saying anything to her! And when I told her I was praying about it, she highly encouraged me to apply. I asked my pastor if he'd be my reference and he was honored. I had two close friends complete the reference forms and the application process was completed! Jus like that. Then I had a phone interview and one week later I was accepted as a first-year student! It all happened so fast but I firmly believe it is God's will and I am very excited to move and be a part of the community and what God is doing up in Redding at Bethel. 

 

There seems to be a trend in my life that God is training me and sending me out so frequently. I often say "God can't keep me still" because it certainly feels that way. Once I begin to have any sort of feeling settled, He picks me up and moves me. I suppose that's because I am a missionary! :) Sometimes, it never gets any easier, though. It's a hard thing to keep coming and going, but it is an honor to be able to receive the equipping and training I have had thus far and will continue to get, as well as be sent out as a missionary to the places I have traveled. Although my journey has had it's challenges since I said yes to God, I wouldn't trade it for anything!

 

Some things I hope to awaken and cultivate while I am at Bethel: worship, writing, intercession, creativity, boldness, freedom

 

In addition to the spiritual growth I am expecting, I also anticipate great personal growth in my adult responsibilities. This will be the first time in my life where I will be in school and working at the same time. This will be the first time I will be paying my own rent. This will be the first time I will most likely be working in retail. Therefore I will be living on a small budget and also teaching myself how to cook. All of these things I never experienced because I have always been dependent on my parents. They had a college fund for me which covered the cost of school, housing, and groceries. I am excited to take on these responsibilities.

 

As of now, my plan is to move up to Redding the last weekend in August and begin job hunting the week before school begins. I will drive my car so that I can have transportation while I am up there. School registration is on September 9, and school begins on September 10. This will definitely be a new leap of faith for me as I will be moving without a job (possibly) with many other students who will be in the same position as me. Finding a job could be difficult. I'm trusting the Lord for provision. And I asked some people I know who lived up there for many years if they have any connections for me, so they may be able to find me a job prior to my moving. I cannot move up there any sooner because I need to be home this summer and keep working as a nanny. I will be paying for my school, which is $4,400.00 due by November. Therefore, the nanny job I have now is much needed. Plus, I love it and am not ready to move yet anyways.  

 

 

Tanzania Highlights.

I want to start by giving God all the glory for opening the door for me to travel to Tanzania with such an amazing family and work alongside such an amazing ministry out there. I also thank God for everything He revealed to me while I was in Tanzania and how He used me to shine His light and love to the people there. It is always a gift to be able to be the one being sent and experience what God is doing around the world. I also want to say THANK-YOU for supporting me as a missionary and contributing prayerfully and financially. I would not have been able to go without you!

I've tried to break things down to make it simple for you by separating my trip into categories where I will write a descrption about it and share a couple photos in each category. Enjoy!  *For more photos, click on the link at the bottom of the blog



1. The Rider Family





The Rider family consists of Paul, Crystal, and Levi. Paul and Crystal are married and Levi is their son. They were missionaries to Mozambique, Africa for many years and founded the organization I went to Africa with on my previous trips. They are a wonderful family and great people to be around and learn from. We certainly had lots of fun together! Paul is a great teacher and always bringing about laughter and fun. Crystal is such a sweet woman and never once withheld an encouraging word and continually spoke life over everyone God placed before her. Levi is so personable and sensitive to those around him. He always makes sure everyone is doing well and truly honors and loves people.



2. Kevin Basconi of King of Glories Ministries International.

Kevin is the founder of this ministry and you can find out more information about him at http://www.kingofglory ministries.org/index.php His ministry supports Living Waters, which is a ministry in Tanzania we helped with during our stay. We partnered with Kevin while we were there. He led the school children in devotionals and teachings throughout the week. He also put together a "Love Feast" and Baptism at the nearby hotel, where the children were given the opportunity to swim in the pool, then get dressed up and enjoy lots of food. It was a FUN day for everyone. We got to spend the entire day with the children who live at the Children's Home and are supported by his ministry. He also brought us to visit some of the children that his ministry supports who live in homes with extedned family members. That was also an incredible experience. In one of the homes, we saw money literally multiply as he was handing it to someone. This kind of stuff happens all the time with him. He truly believes nothing is impossible with God and it is evident in his life.

 

3. Carolyn Phillipot of Living Waters Ministry

 



Carolyn Phillipot is 74 years old and one of the most amazing women of God I have ever met. She has an incredible testimony and the gift of faith. She is dedicated and committed to serving the Lord wholeheartedly no matter what He asks of her. She trusts Him to provide and expects miracles, and she always gives God the glory for everything. I spent five days living in her home. The highlight of staying with her was and my favorite part was praying together in her living room before we went to bed. She is so loving and truly cares for the children in Tanzania. It is her home as God has called her there and she serves Him so faithfully each and every day. Crystal always said "Carolyn does things with excellence" and that is so true! It was such a blessing to serve alongside such a strong and powerful woman of God out there!


4. Living Waters Education Center

Living Waters Education Center is a school that educates almost 400 children in Mwanza, Tanzania! Carolyn Philipott is the founder. It is Bible-based and the children are highly encouraged to attend devotionals during the week and church on the weekend. Although it is a Christian school, everyone is welcome and there are quite a percentage of muslim children who attend. The teachers are phenomenal and the school is beautiful. There is a play ground with a seasaw and monkey bars, as well as rope connecting to surrounding trees that the children can climb. They are given porridge at break time. I can only speak highly of such a wonderful school. All the glory goes to God as Carolyn says because He provided the location and everything that followed. He honored her vision. He meets every need. The children that attend the shcool are very happy to be there and enjoy learning. The respect the teachers. None of the teachers physically abuse the children. I only mention this because I saw this happen when I was at a school in Ghana and it is not unheard of in Africa in general.

 

5. The Village

One of the first days we were in Tanzania, Carolyn brought us to a nearby village. Some of the children in this village had never seen a white person "Mzungu" before, so they were unsure about us at first. Once they warmed up to us, it was super fun interacting with and loving on them. Paul gave a lesson about Jesus and then taught them a song. We entertained and played with the village children while Carolyn talked with the adults about the potential of purchasing a building for a school for these children. Currently, there is a school in this village that meets under a giant tree. The day we went to the village, we delivered a large chalkboard that Carolyn had and didn't need. God provided her with it and she knew it was to be given to the school in the village.

 

 

 

6. Homes

 

At the end of our trip, we were given the opportunity to visit some of the homes of children that we and our church sponsored. There was a number of children who were living in an oprhanage for a length of time until something happened and that was no longer an option. Due to that, the children are currently living with an extended family member or widowed mother. (It can be complicated to understand the living situations in Africa, but this is what we got to be involved with during our time there, and it was an honor) When we went to visit the children in their homes, we interviewed and prayed over the children and family members. The African culture is so welcoming and hospitable and it was so lovely to be welcomed into each home we visited. As you can see, they don't have much and the living arrangements aren't the best conditions.

 

 

7. Baptism

King of Glories Ministry hosted a pool day and baptism for the children who live at the Childrens Home and those in the community supported by their ministry. The children were able to go swimming in the pool at the local hotel and they had so much fun! We played with beach balls, enjoyed a soda, and just swam around. At the end of the pool party, some of the children (those pictured to the side) chose to get baptized, so we bapitzed them in the pool as they committed their lives to Christ. It was such a great experience baptizing those I had built relationships with during the short time I had been in this community. As you can see, God has given them all great joy and we had a very fun day!

 

 

 

 

8. Love Feast

 

Kevin put together a love feast for the people that were invited for the baptism and pool day. It was hosted at the hotel. There was plenty of food for everyone. It entailed dinner, a soda, and dessert. It was buffet style. Kevin shared some encouraging words and love to those that his ministry supports, and he gave Carolyn flowers. Crystal honored Carolyn for all that she does for their community as she is the long-term missionary living there and taking care of not only the children but has invested her heart in the entire city of Mwanza in which they live.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9. African Culture

I've noticed that I take less pictures when I travel to Africa because I like to soak in everything rather than view it through the lens of a camera. However, I know that those of you who support me and/or have never been to Africa before enjoy seeing pictures of what the African culture is like, so I did my best to take some photos of the scenery. I'm thankful that Crystal is a great photographer and she took many pictures as well, so you can find more on the link at the bottom of this blog, where I have posted all of my pictures from Tanzania.

10. Safari in the Serengeti

 

At the end of our trip, we had made arrangements to go on a Safari in the Serengeti National Park for a few days. It was such an incredible experience. We got to see elephants, zebra, giraffe, monkeys, impala, lions, and more. We stayed at hotels within the park. A few unforgettable moments: 1. We got upgraded to the presidential suite one night because there was a lion walking within close proximity to the pathway to our room after dinner. (We had to sleep in what clothes we had on because all of our stuff was still in our room, but it was so much fun) 2. We saw two elephants playing/fighting.3. We saw an entire pack of lions and watched them for quite some time. They were hungry and on the hunt for zebras, and we ended up seeing one lion try to catch and eat a zebra. The zebra managed to prance away, though. 4. An elephant came up to Crystal and my window at another hotel in the middle of the night, literally facing our window only.


For more photos, click on the following links:

(Tanzania)

http://www5.snapfish.com/snapfish/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=8605214027/a=6736930027_6736930027/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/

(Tanzania Safari)

http://www5.snapfish.com/snapfish/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=8670778027/a=6736930027_6736930027/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/



Counting My Blessings: Places

God has really been speaking to me about the importance of Counting My Blessings. We hear the phrase "count your blessings" so often, but how many of us actually do? I will be the first to admit that I am terrible at it! God has blessed me with so much and I certainly thank Him for it, but I don't stop, sit, and truly count my blessings. Also, I think it goes beyond the counting part and recognizing each blessing as a gift from God and giving Him thanks. Recently I have been going through some difficult times and noticed myself continually focusing on what is hard and what I don't have. Doing so has only brought about more discouragement
and defeat. So today I am going to literally count my blessing and thank God for each one as I write about them. I encourage you to do the same. God is so good and because we are His children, we get to share in His goodness as He pours it out on us.

In this blog, I am going to be counting the blessings of the amazing places God has taken me over the last few years.

Tanzania 2013. God provided all the finances and prayer support I needed. Some of the things I got to do there: LOVE on the children. Encourage the teachers. Bless families with clothing. Pray for the sick. Baptize children. Visit families in their homes and pray for them. Spend time with and encourage missionaries and natives in what God has called them to do. Teach devotionals.




Pictured above: Children in the village. Sitting with the children in the chapel. Children playing with my hair and touching me because many of them haven't seen a white person "mzungu" or hair like mine.


Bethel Trip 2012. In December, I spent one week visiting a couple of friends at Bethel Church in Redding, CA. I got to attend class for Bethel School of the Supernatural Ministry (BSSM) with my friend Kristina and attend the services at the church on Sunday. It was a weekend full or refreshment and encouragement in the Lord! It was also my first experience renting a car all by myself and driving from Sacramento to Redding, which is about three hours. I felt grown-up! I also got to visit with my friend Lexi from YWAM, who met me in Sacramento before I flew home.

Pictured above: Amy and I, friends from Israel trip and church. Lexi and I, roommates and friends from YWAM. Kristina and I, friends from Ghana trip and church.


Germany 2012. I traveled to Berlin, Germany in August 2013 for the outreach portion of my Discipleship Training School (DTS) with Youth With A Mission (YWAM) We spent 4 weeks there doing street evangelism, intercession and prayer, and working with a local youth group.

This is my kind of street evangelism :)



My amazing team and I at the Berlin Wall.

 England 2012. I traveled to Harpenden and London, England for the first part of my outreach portion of my DTS with YWAM. In Harpenden, we did the School of the Circuit Riders, which is filled with equipping us to go out and share the gospel of Jesus and entails lots of worship. In East London (Newham), we worked at a cafe, helped with a childrens program for the summer, and cleaned up the community. It was amazing to see the transformation in a community within just three weeks simply by loving and being Jesus. Harpenden's focus was using words to share the gospel and Newham's focus was using actions to share the gospel. We also happened to be in London during the time of the Olympics, which was pretty cool even though we didn't attend any of the events!

Pictured above: Sightseeing of the London Bridge. The children we spent most of our time with. A phone booth.


Hawaii 2012. The first three months of YWAM, I lived in Kona, Hawii, which is on the Big Island. It was there that I participated in the lecture phase of DTS. Each week we had a theme during lecture such as Holy Spirit, Freedom, Pure Heart, Evangelism, etc. It was a great experience and I learned so much! I also grew a lot personally in my relationship with God. God also provided me with 7 amazing roommates, as we lived in dorm-style rooms on campus.

Pictured above: Beautiful view from my classroom. My amazing roommates. The beautiful view from campus of the sunset.


Israel 2012. I went on a tour throughout Israel with a group of about 40 people from my church in March. It was such a great experience to see the land where Jesus walked and taught. It was surreal to be there and imagine him in each place that we went. I learned a lot and also had a lot of fun! This trip was a vacation, not a missions trip.

Pictured above: City of Jerusalem as I am standing on the Mount of Olives. Laying in the red and yellow flowers. Entering the town where Jesus spent three years doing ministry.


Ghana 2011. I took my second trip to Africa, this time West Africa, with a group of people through Cross Connection Outreach. We brought Talking Bibles with us which were in their native language and distributed them to people who were illiterate or blind, and also to Lepers. I stayed three weeks longer than my team and lived at an Orphanage and spent some time teaching at the poorest school in the neighborhood.


 

Pictured above: Singing with children in a village. All the children at the Orphanage where I lived. The blind man whose sight was restored after the third time Kristina and I prayed for him.


New York & Flordia Summer 2010. I was given the opportunity to be a traveling nanny for a couple of weeks where I cared for twins who were about 18 months old while their two older siblings and parents went to activities in New York and Flordia. Some days I was with the entire family and others just the twins. I had my own room and own time, also. They paid for my travels, living expenses, food, and paid me to be their nanny! What a deal! It was such a great experience and truly a blessing.

The adorable twins I cared for

Mozambique 2010. In September 2010, I took my first trip to Africa with Cross-Connection Outreach, distributiting Talking Bibles to the people there. I went with a team of 8 people from all different churches and had a great time! It was hard being away from home for that long and that far away, but little did I know this would be the trip that Africa captured a piece of my heart.

Well, those are the adventures from 2010-2013! I feel so thankful for all the opportunities God has given me with the places He's enabled me to travel and the missions I've been able to partner with. If I counted correctly, that is nine blessings of simply places that God has taken me to within the last three years. I can't wait to see what He has in store for me over the next three years! 

Still Believe

Last night I attended the Kim Walker Smith worship concert titled "Still Believe". It was encouraging to see that God is teaching Kim Walker Smith the same things He is teaching me. I felt inspired to write about it.

Kim Walker Smith has an amazing heart of worship. She truly worships from her heart. It is evident when she is on stage that she believes what she is singing. She has an incredible voice. You can tell that she knows Jesus and has encountered Him. I love how humble and authentic she is. Before the concert began, she shared her heart in a video that talked about how God inspired her with the Album "Still Believe" and what it means to her personally. She was vulnerable with everyone about her personal struggles and I believe that opened the door for people to walk in freedom from their struggles. One thing she shared was that she never stops contending for healing, personal and corporate. She expressed that she has bad food allergies and often wakes up in the morning with rashes or irritations because of something she ate. She said that no matter what she sees in the physically, she still believes in the truth of God's Word. She acknowledged God's desire for His Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven and so there shall be no sickness or disease on earth. She also acknowledged the truth that Jesus died and rose from the grave, giving us authority over things like sickness and disease because of Christ in us. Therefore, we have the authority to command sickness and disease to leave our bodies at the name of Jesus and can expect it to happen. There are many examples of this in scripture. Another thing that  Kim mentioned that I really loved was how she celebrates every victory. She said when she wakes up without any irritation on her skin, that is worth celebrating. She noted the importance of rejoicing in the small victories. She said that although she doesn't understand why she still has food allergies even though she prays for them to go away, she will never stop contending for her healing. She will never give up. She will hold onto the promises of God that come from His Word. This is the exact thing God is teaching me right now, too!

One example of this happened very recently in my life. On Thursday I came down with the Flu. It was the worst ever! I was miserable. I didn't think I'd be able to get well in time for the concert on Friday night and I was really bummed because I didn't want to miss it. Jesus Culture / Kim Walker Smith is my favorite worship artist and I missed them the last time they came to southern California. So, after throwing up the second time, I decided to get serious and pray. It probably sounded something like this... God, it is not your will that I am sick. It's not your desire that I feel miserable. You said "on earth as it is in heaven" so I shouldn't have sickness on earth. You also said if we ask anything accoding to your will it shall be done so I ask that you perform a miracle and make me well. You wouldn't want me to miss my favorite band because you are a good God. So just as you breathed life into Adam and Eve, I ask that you breath health and strength into my body. And guess what....HE DID!!! Very soon after that I was able to eat saltine crackers and drink gatorade, and I did not vomit again. My stomache ache went away and my fever never came back. I slept through the entire night. It truly was a miracle!!! Something I want to note though, is that prior to getting sick, I declared "I refuse to get sick" and proclaimed protection over me, yet somehow I still got sick. Why? I don't know. Did God not hear me? No. Did He ignore me? No. God is good. All the time. I don't know why I got sick even when I believed I wouldn't, but it doesn't matter. What matters is my heart posture towards God. If I let it effect my perspective of who God is and my relationship with Him (which it did for part of the day), then that's when it becomes a problem. But, when I see that I am sick yet I hold onto the promises of God, declare, and believe them, God honors that by making me well. Is that always the result? No. That's exactly what Kim Walker Smith was sharing. Regardless of the outcome of our prayers, we must hold onto the promises of God and never stop believing in the truth that God is good and His desire is that we be healthy.

 

I highly recommend the Kim Walker Smith "Still Believe" Cd, but here is the main song that pertains to all of the above:

One last thing- I want to share about how Awesome God is and how this concert came about for me. A friend of mine named Kariana (pictured above) asked me if I liked Kim Walker and then invited me to join her. She had no idea that this was my favorite worship artist and that I was totally bummed I missed Jesus Culture when they came to Southern California last year! Before she offered to buy my ticket, God put it on my heart to purchase tickets for my amazing mentor and her daughter. I wanted to buy them tickets, but I didn't think I could afford 3 tickets. I wanted to buy them tickets because I know how much her daughter loves Kim Walker. Then, Kariana offered to buy my ticket and that gave me the ability to afford their tickets and it was a win-win situation. Thank you, God! :) It was such a wonderful night full of refreshment in the Lord and He deserves all the glory for it. Especially because He miraculously healed me so that I was still able to go! :)

Tanzania Here I come!

 

 

 

 

As most of you know, God completely transformed my life over the past two years and I discovered that He has called me to be a Missionary in Africa. On this journey, I have traveled to South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique, and Ghana! Next year, I get to add a new country of that nation to my list as I will be on my way to Tanzania for 2 weeks in February. Here are some brief details about the trip: Tanzania is in East Africa. I am traveling with a family from my church. We are working with King of Glories International Ministry and Living Waters Ministry during our time there. We will be building relationships, making connections, and serving however we can help with a school and orphanage that is under these ministries. I will be gone February 13-March 1.

 

In exactly 10 weeks I will return to Africa!!! I am SO excited. I can't even describe the burning desire in my heart to return, the deep love I have for the people, and the amount of space my heart holds for this nation. This time I will be traveling with a family from my church, the Rider's. (See picture above) The Rider family were missionaries in Mozambique for many years and started the non-profit Cross-Connections Outreach, which I went to Africa with the first two times I traveled there. They are amazing and I am so privileged and blessed to be traveling with them on this trip.

 

I would like to share with you how this trip came about for me. Keep in mind, I did not plan to go anywhere for 1 year because I felt I was supposed to be home and work, build relationships, and focus on my family. However, God had different plans.

 

Shortly after I got home from YWAM, I went walking with Crystal Rider and we talked about my experiences in YWAM. I shared with her the good and bad, growth that God did within me, and the dreams I have on my heart that He confirmed time and time again over the 5 months that I was gone. As I spoke about Africa, she shared with me how she might have an opportunity to travel to Tanzania, Africa in January or February and she asked that I join her in prayer and ask God if that is something He might have me be a part of or not. I was ecstatic because I thought I wouldn't be able to go to Africa for at least one year, since I had committed to working as a nanny for that amount of time. As I prayed, I felt God's peace about going. I knew in my heart I wanted to go because I have not been back to Africa since this burning passion in my heart has increased and my faith has been strengthened. But, I wanted to be sure this was God's will and not mine, so I continued to pray and ask for confirmation from the Lord that He truly was saying yes to this. When I was driving to meet Crystal for our walk, I noticed there was one single cloud in the sky and closely observed the shape of it, thinking it must be significant. After meeting with her, I googled a picture of Tanzania, and sure enough, it was the same shape as that single cloud I saw on my way to meet her. Wow. It only continued. I was looking for decor to add to my room since I'd be living at home longer now, and one day I felt the Holy Spirit direct me to go into this particular Ross. And, as I was looking at the decor, I literally stopped in my tracks as I realized there was a canvas that I was passing with Tanzania on it (the one pictured above). I was blown away and in awe. I knew it was divine because I didn't even find what I was looking for in there but I felt so strongly that I was supposed to look in that particular location. Another time, I sat down at a local Starbucks. Most Starbucks coffee places have African coffee so they have pictures of different countries in their locations, and being a regular Starbucks drinker, I figured I wouldn't take that as a confirmation. However, this time was different. I sat down in a comfy chair as it was the only spot open. I wanted to use my computer, so I was hoping a table would open up. Well, sure enough, shortly after I sat down, the only table available was underneath the Tanzania canvas, to which I noticed after I sat down. God really has a sense of humor.

 

Crystal planned to talk to the man affiliated with the ministry we'd be connecting with in Tanzania on my birthday, October 22nd. She called me and shared the exciting news that he gave her permission to bring me and then she told me that her husband, Paul, and her son, Levi would also be joining us! (see picture above. I traveled with their family to Israel last March on a tour with a group from my church) There was one twist, though. She needed to know by Thursday whether or not I could go and it was a Monday night that she informed me of this. I knew that was really soon and I was concerned about how I was going to talk to my bosses and if they would give me time off, because I committed to 1 year and they were already giving me vacation time when they were taking a vacation. But I knew I needed to ask and I had so many confirmations, so if my bosses said yes, this would be the last and final confirmation that me traveling to Tanzania in February was fully His perfect will for me. And, sure enough, my bosses said yes!! In the morning I asked the father and he said to talk to his wife when she got home, but that he didn't think it would be a problem because it would only be a couple of weeks and it is far enough away that they can work something out. So, I mentioned it to his wife and she literally said "just plan on going and we will work it out"! WHAT?!?!? I couldn't believe it. Haha. I literally was like, really God, it was that easy?!? wow.

 

As this is the giving season, I want to give you an opportunity to give.  And, what better way to give this season than to give to something that is lasting?

 

And so, here I am, just 10 weeks away from journeying to a new part of Africa, one step closer to reaching my dreams. I really want to stress the importance that this is not just "another missions trip" for me. I know confidently that I am called to be a long-term missionary in Africa and I am in the process of discovering where that will be and when that will happen. Therefore, your gift to me this season will be long-lasting because it enables me to continue in this process of going where God takes me, in hopeful expectation of being planted somewhere long-term in the near future.

Please know that there is a possibility that Tanzania could be a door for a long-term position for me. Please consider partnering with me in spying out the land! While I am physically in the land, I will be seeking to hear from God if this is where He will have me plant my seed. God has put it on my heart to raise $5,000 for this trip. This is the first time God has given me a desire and a specific amount to bring with me and give away while I am there. Therefore, my personal costs will be $4,000 mostly for travels and living expenses, but I intend to give away $1,000. And I am excited to see God provide everything I need by the time that I leave, exactly 10 weeks from today! :) That's only $500/week!


If you are interested in partnering with me and giving anytime before February 13, you can do so in two ways:

1. Tax-Deduction: Write checks to HHFCM (His Hands and Feet Christian Ministry) which is a non-profit organization that supports and cheers me on as a missionary. 100% of your funds will go directly to my trip. *Be sure to write Katie Elder in the memo. Mail checks to Andria Haubruge 811 Crestview Ct. San Marcos, CA 92078

2. No tax-deduction: Write checks to Katie Elder and mail to P.O. Box 501908 San Diego, CA 92150

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask. You can email me at katiemarie.elder@gmail.com or call me at (858) 229- 4730. And please email me your prayer requests as I would love to be praying for YOU on a consistent basis.

 

Love you all!