Today is the day, we take off on a two day trip to Tanzania, Africa. It has been such an experience so far meeting people from all over America and Canada and acknowledging a bond that has been built so long ago, and that is the love for Christ. I am so excited to be getting to spend my month with two of the ladies I have met here at training. Last night we experienced our first listening prayer which is basically a time to be still and listen to God and what He has to say to us. We were able to encourage one another in a way that was indescribable. What we experienced is something that...

cazi is the afrikaans word for friend. cazi is a word i hope to never forget. this month i had eight cazis. its the end. the goodbyes started more than a day ago as i left the middle schoolers in tears as i yelled fot kyyyyle (my favorite three year old) one last time. goodbyes started with ma and pa and a last cuddle with ten year old xena. goodbyes began in capetown prior an eighteen turned into twenty four hour bus ride back to joburg. goodbyes began in the living room of a small house back in the intense neighborhood flats in elsies river. goodbyes began with a cuddling session...

Wow. I cannot believe it's all over. I flew out of JoBurg Saturday, into Amsterdam Sunday and picked up a nose ring on the way out 🙂 , then into Atlanta that night and drove home to South Carolina Monday. Everything has gone by way too fast! I really cannot believe it's over. I can't believe I won't be with my team every day anymore. I can't believe they're driving to Mozambique. I can't believe I have said goodbye to everyone. I can't believe I'm back home in my room while they're off continuing to travel the world (and Arkansas in Lauren's...

God you are so awesome! I am so sorry for not recognizing that more and acting accordingly! You have done so much for me! Thank you for always being there for me! For being faithful when I am faithless! Thank you for your word so we can learn who you are and how we should live! Consume me with a desire for you! A hunger for your word! There is SO much to learn and I WANT to learn it! I want to grow in my knowledge of you! I want to become more like you! God I want your fullness, your presence! I selfishly want you to do something crazy awesome through me or in me!  Thank you for these...

This month, we had some amazing nights of worship and 30 hours of prayer. It was pretty incredible. During one night of spontaneous prayer and worship some pretty awesome things happened. I briefly touched on it in a previous blog, but it's on my heart again. That night was so awesome for me because it started out with such an obvious God thing (talking about wanting to be more comfortable praying out loud and then having the night start) and it was just an incredible experience all around. As it turns out, God gave me MANY opportunities to grow in boldness this month. These...

So this month I was asked to preach one Sunday, along with Kristen and Lauren. Kind of an intimidating request, but also an exciting one! I decided to just throw myself into it and let God speak through me. This is roughly what I said for my part (I really wish I had Lauren or Kristen's as well because they brought it and were so filled with the Spirit!): It's interesting to see how God can use one thing so differently in the lives of individuals. Fire is one example of this. It can be used to protect and encourage new growth in an area; it can destroy and devastate when it rages...