Back from Honduras!

Hello lovely readers,

I am back safe and soundly from Honduras! People have already asked how was my trip and I have not been able to put into words, well not good words but it was an amazing experience and I can not wait to go back!

To explain my journey I must go back to Friday before I left. As I was finishing my packing I had this weird feeling that I may not come back from this trip and I was totally at peace with this. A few years a go my younger sister told me she would like to die a martyr, I was shocked by this statement because she seemed at peace with that idea. On Friday I felt that peace. Though sitting on this side of the trip I am glad I am back and I can spread word about Living Water International and I can encourage people to go on a missions trip. With this feeling in me I wrote a letter to my friends and family...

Dear Friends and Family,

I am about to go to Honduras. I know I will be all right but if anything should happen to me I want you to know I am completely at peace with this. I am going down to Honduras for God's work and in doing this I am happy if the Lord calls me home during this trip. I know you might be sad and miss me but I am up in heaven. I do not want any one to be mad at God for calling me home. This is His will and His will is perfect even if it doesn't make sense at the time.
....
Please know how much I have loved you all. My parents who have loved and supported me in all my dreams. I know my dreams may not have always been what you desired but you supported and loved me no matter what. To my sisters, I want you to know how much I have looked up to you and you have inspired me so much in both my faith and my desires to be a wife and mother. 

To all who have loved and invested in me. Thank you so much. Remember to HOPE in the Lord my dear friend reminded me that the Lord ALWAYS has our best in mind and so we can completely trust in him because of this. God will never just point the way he will walk beside us. 
...
I love you all so much. Please care for each other as I have cared for you.

I guess the Lord isn't done with me yet because I am here sitting on my bed writing on this.

Today while I was doing my quiet time I read this passage Isaiah 57:2 "Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death." I think this is what will stick out to me most rather in life or death to be in peace with God.

I am still processing my trip and all that God taught me on through this experience. I went old school on this trip and took a disposable cameras down to Honduras, now I just need to find a place that will develop film. Here are a few pictures borrowed from my friends. When I have my pictures developed I will post them.

The beauty of Honduras was a great surprise

The town in which the school was located.

Some of our beautiful students.

Yeah we have water! 

My gingerness really sticks out. 

The girls were so sweet wanting to be close to me. 

Our team at the pump sight. 

For my friends at church, 

you might like to know the money we raised during advent conspiracy 

went to pay for this well.  

Love you guys and thanks for all your prayer and support during this trip. 

1 More Week!

Hello Lovely Readers,

I am one week away from going to Honduras! I hope by now most of you know for a long time I have had a desire to go work with Living Water International to go help dig a well. I have raised support, gotten my shots, and bought some supplies (need to buy more). Now I have a week until I go!

I am sad to say that I have not fully wrapped my head around the fact that I am leaving. I have been in summer school, which I actually really enjoyed, and then went on a last minute trip to California to see my mom.  So please pray for my head and my heart to be prepared for this trip and all that will come. 

I have had some mix emotions facing me this summer. Even though school has been a fun learning experience it was stressful. Also just some emotional stuff has been going on, on the side. I have had major amounts of homesick. My mom has been sick of this summer and has to have surgery, hence the reason for my trip to my mom, to see her before surgery. 

My mom and I

While I was at my mom's I went through some of my boxes from my childhood to high school: found my old porcelian dolls; went through year books; and some of my notebooks full of stories. I also got to try on my Nana's wedding dress. My Nana was quite small, you can't tell in the picture but the back could not zip all the way up, but it was very fun to try it on. 

Me in my nana's dress. 

Also my older sister has been pregnant and I am realizing how much I miss my niece growing up and now I am missing my nephew. I know my dream was to live in Boston but sometimes I wish I could telaporte to see my family. Fortunately I can skype with my family so I talk to my sister and niece every two weeks. Today was great and I got to skype and see my nephew. (I love that part of technology). 

My niece looking at my nephew

With all this going on I have not really given my attention to this trip. Is that bad? Or is that just life? This week I am in prep mode for this trip. I know it is last minute prep but better than nothing. 

If you have been watching the Olympics you have probably heard this song:

I have really loved it.

Please be praying for my trip down to Honduras, not just for me but for the people we will interact with and the conversations we will have.  

I will keep you posted on my trip. 

Tune for Tuesday

Song: Orange Sky

By: Alexi Murdoch

I know this song is old but it is my new favorite song. I love the words of the chorus that say "in your love my salvation lies" there is just something completely beautiful about that sentiment and is very true for my walk with God. Just thought I would share a little blurb today. 

Hope an act of waiting

I like this picture for hope
{Pic}

Hope is an interesting word. In church and in the bible we are told to hope in the Lord. I have long to struggled with the idea what this idea truly means. When I was in my most serious relationship I knew what it was like to hope in our relationship and hoped that one day we would get marry. But that did not work out and when we broke up I felt like I had lost all hope.

Lately I have been trying to piece together what it actually means to have hope in God. I have been reading the verses listed in my concordance that use the word hope, it has been a very interesting study. But through the study I have still tried to anchor my hope to something tangible. I know what it is like to hope in a relationship, hope that my paper gets an A, and hope that I get what I want for Christmas. But those things may or may not happen and they might be a little silly things to hope for (well the last one is) and they might not be exactly what I need.  But God is not tangible he is wonderfully mind boggling. I don't always understand what, why and how he works but I know his works are for wonderful and glorious things. Also things always work out the way he wants them.

Last week my friend who has some bad news in her life told me "God only has our best in mind." That saying has been a real catalyst for a change in my bible study. Today I wrote in my prayer "Lord, I feel so blessed here in Boston, even though I feel so small, Lord you are here with me and beside me. Lord you are always guiding me to my best. Lord I hope in that best, I long for it and I have no idea what is. But since you always have my best in mind and since you are always with me." I know I do not need to worry when things will come about.

I think for me that is what hoping in the Lord means. I have no idea how this life will work out but I know God has my best in mind so I need not worry about when things will come about.