Drop Everything Now!

What does it mean to say YES? This has been the question that has been encompassing my every thought. I’ve been writing the word YES on my hand everyday for the past few weeks. When I don’t want to wake up in the morning, or love someone in my community the way they deserve to be loved then I glance down at my hand and remember. But, am I really going to take all that comes with a YES? I’m finding out slowly what my YES to Life TeenMissions means.

For me it means:
Loving when I’m tired,
Taking out the trash and getting that nights’ dinner juiced down my legs,
Lighting bonfires,
Writing talks,
Leading small groups,
Getting up early,
Doing what God wants me to do and NOT what I want to do,
Saying YES to letting God love me totally and completely,
Unclogging toilets,
Living in a house with 8 other women,
Cold showers some mornings…

So, maybe God isn’t calling you to be a Life Teen Missionary, or maybe he is, but he’s calling you to do something. Maybe he’s calling you to go to college. Or start a new job, in a new place, with new friends. Either way God has a plan by saying YES, dropping everything and knowing God will be victorious.

When I said YES I didn’t know every detail that was going to happen this year but God did. His plan is better than any expectation I could have placed on the year.

Just say YES and God will take care of the rest.

February Update

I know, I know it's March! But here is a bit about what's been going on in February. 

Just like January, February flew by. My dad and sister came up the very first weekend and went to work on the Art Barn. During summer camp, the Art Barn is the main location for all arts and crafts, as well as a musicians corner. Teens who don't want to run around during free time have the opportunity to hang out in there glorifying God in their art. It is beautiful to watch my family join into this mission with me. 

One huge highlight of February was a group of 50 teens from Long Island came to serve with us at camp! They were sophomores and Senior leaders from Holy Trinity High School in Hicksville. It was a week full of blessings. They were incredibly loving, and willing to serve. One of my favorite moments was the morning it snowed. The teens just jumped in and started serving, outside in the FREEZING cold. We had the opportunity to go on home visits and it brought tears to my eyes to see the ways the teens were listening closely to these elderly people, and the ways they spoke about their lives. One teen asked to close us in prayer when we were leaving a house. The way he prayed was so genuine and heartfelt. One of the projects I was on in the afternoon was paving the patio by the Art Barn. It was very tedious work, and required a lot of detail. The girls I was working with brought such joy to a rather mundane task. We sang a range of songs from Backstreet Boys to Taylor Swift. They brought a spirit that rekindled my joy in service. I am so thankful that they were able to be here. Here is a picture showing the pure JOY the Holy Trinity teens brought us after three hard days of laying bricks! 

The rest of February was filled with hours on the phone interviewing college students to be summer missionaries. This summer God has placed me in Hiawassee Georgia with five other full time missionaries to lead a middle school summer camp. The interview process was so interesting to be on the other side of the phone. The Holy Spirit has been moving and by this afternoon all of our teams will be formed, and summer camp preparations will be in full swing. 

As summer camp begins to rapidly approach us, and we have more and more groups coming during the week I beg for your prayers for myself and the other missionaries. My prayer this morning is based on this verse from Psalm 51"With a spirit of fervor sustain me". This weekend will be a big push through for me as well. I am on home team this weekend (local outreach and preparing meals), then Saint Leo University is coming Sunday-Friday for a week of work, then Men's Retreat. There are many opportunities to serve, and tons of opportunity to fully rely on God to give me the strength to continue loving.