Simplicity At Its Best

(Church on the right, our house on the left :) ) 

This past week we lived in a mud house in a village.

We loaded the back of a bus with our beds,

our mosquito nets,

and all our luggage  

And headed to a village. 

We drove three hours outside of Kigali,

We pulled off on a dirt road and winded the hills side of Rwanda.

I get lost in these hills as I catch a few last glimpses of this beautiful country.

Hills continue in every direction for miles 

with lush vegetation flowing down the sides of them 

with banana, corn, plantains, and avocado trees. 

 We continue to drive in and out of villages

 As kids in their school uniforms

Chase the bus yelling, “MAZUNGU, MAZUNGU”.

An unexplainable joy filled me as I open my window and shake some of their

Beautiful dirty brown hands.

Something about this experience tells me this is going to be an amazing week.

I start to think about what it would be like to have never seen a white person before or to see a new race for the first time.

I have a feeling that childlike amazement would fill my heart and mind

At the sight seeing a skin color I have never seen before.

Then I see a little one,

Who is about a year in a half,

Screams and tears immediately come pouring out of her eyes,

The second she sees a white person for the first time.

I imagine at her age amazement is not there yet just fear.

As we drive through the different villages I keep my window open

and wave to the kids getting out of school 

they chase the bus with smiles from ear to ear.

As we continue on for about thirty minutes 

we become the last people in the bus.

Finally the bus pulled into a dirt drive 

with a large mud building in front of the bus.

People come out to greet us as we arrive and help us with our stuff.

I’m continually amazed at the love that I feel instantly

 from these beautiful people.

As we unload we take our stuff into the large mud building,

which is actually a church.

The church is beautiful in its simplicity.

Mud floors, mud stage, wooden benches, tin roof,

metal windows without glass.

Its perfect.

We get settled into a small mud house behind the church.

Three rooms, one for girls, one for boy,

and a common area for meals. 

 Mud floors, squatty potties, no running water,

 hot milk with every meal,

birdbath showers, become the new “normal”.

I can already tell this is going to be an awesome week!

The next morning we get up and enjoy hot milk and bananas for breakfast.

We have a morning of prayer and revival in our team and then head to church at three to preach and share.

Something about this village just made its place

 in my heart already.

The church is impressed with our Kinyarwanda

and cheers every time we speak their language.

I think learning a new language is a great way to of always being a treasure hunter and really learn to honor people.

The women grin at me as I look at them in awe of how beautiful they are. 

One lady in particular was staring at me for a bit 

and every time I looked at her she would just stare at me 

so I just cracked a huge smile at her 

and I could tell she couldn’t help but smile back.

Her smile lit up her eyes

 and the second church was over she came to me 

and just embraced me with a huge hug 

and for a moment I felt like she 

and I have been friends forever.

I'm pretty sure the kids here know I am one of them.

As I chase them up and down the drive way in front of the church

making them laugh and spinning them around.

Twenty little children chase me around and scream and laugh as I run away and then turn around real quick and scare them.

I feel like they just know,

 everywhere we go I feel like the kids know, 

that I’m the one who will play and scream and be silly 

with them and I think they enjoy every moment of it,

just as much as I do.

Loving Rwanda, Loving Every Bit Of It. 

Amazing Week In Burundi :)

Burundi was absolutely beautiful.

Amazing beaches.

Beautiful views and wonderful leaders.

I think the only way to really capture it is with some photos!! 

This is Emma, he is about 10 years old, but he is not sure exactly.

He is a street boy and I got to wash his feet and help get him some new clean clothes. 

Emma waiting in line for new clothes. . .

Looking handsome and happy in his clean clothes!! 

Something about this little guy really captured my heart!!

We also did hospital ministry and prayed for HIV/AIDS patients and just really loved on them. 

This is Jaclyn she has been HIV+ for almost ten years now. 

We brought her porridge, soap, and sugar. 

Just to bless her. 

Please keep my team in your prayers!!!

We are heading to a village this week, when we come back ill update more about Burundi!!!

Just Some Photos :)

I love this. 

It just continues to amaze me!! 

The view from the top.

"A Race Worth Running" 

My Sweet Kids That Sat On My Lap ALL Of Church!!!

My Sister, My Bride

 Song of Solomon 4:9-12

Song of Solomon 5:1-2

I’m currently reading a book 

my sweet friend Lacey gave me last summer,

but I haven’t got around to it until now.

It’s so good!

It has been opening my eyes 

to all the misconceptions i have had about love.

In “My Sister, My Bride” chapter

he talks about how he had been praying

for his wife for years and so when he met the

first girl he was interested in 

he didn’t treat her like his "sister" first 

but just simply his "bride".

Thinking of all the ways she would be a great addition to his life and forgetting to “appreciate her as his sister in Christ”.

“Yes, there is a reason for the order of things. 

Men, before you start thinking “bride” 

you should be thinking “sister”.

So many people these days

 (and, unfortunately, including myself)

skip the “sister” stage and jump right to the “bride” stage.

We forget to get to know the woman 

and never learn to love her as a woman, as an individual.

We can see we fail to see who she is, 

where her walk with God has gone, 

and where it will take her.”

(Love Notes)

“First, this is vital because you will grow to appreciate her more. Second, it is vital because it will keep you from defrauding her.”

I think this is so important to our young adults 

who are dating with marriage in mind.

For girls to understand how they should be treated and men to understand how they should treat women. 

And even for our high school youth back home.

When approach a relationship with a “sister” mindset respect often follows and I think we have lost a bit of this in our society.

We start to look at each other as objects instead of sons and daughters of the King.

When we are in Gods family we become royalty,

And royalty honors others.

Not because that person deserves it all the time, but because we know that we deserve it.

This past week I had the opportunity to preach on honor.

And I think its so sweet how this ties in with,

“My Sister, My Bride”.

Grant this is a chapter for men but I think its so good and I know that I want to raise sons one day that honor girls as their sisters!

Here is another section from the chapter

 that really stuck out to me,

“We need to be the kind of men who will treat the women around us like full flesh-and-blood sisters.

We need to be men who honor women at all costs and treat them with tenderness and grace.”

I think as a woman I would absolutely love to live in a time when this was taught to young men.

Where guys stood in the gap for girls cause that’s how God created them to be.

Its crazy how when a guy holds the door for a girl or even lets her go first we are almost stunned.

Its sad that this has been removed from our society, 

or at least the one I live in.

Im so blessed to have an amazing love in my life 

that treats me the way that God would have him treat me

 and thus allowing us to be an example of what happens when you do this dating thing Gods way!!!

I’m hoping that through our marriage, Jesse and I, will be able to raise boys and teach them to respect women and girls and that through our ministry with young boys and girls we will be able to at least turn around

some on of these culture shifts in our community.

I want to credit Ryan Dalgliesh

 for this blog because its through his book

that I’m learning more about God’s love. 

A Race Worth Running

Shades made possible curtsy of Mama! 

Yesterday I was reminded of what it was like to be a kid again.

I remember being a pre-teen,

and living on Aqueduct lane,

and my little sister Danae got new shoes,

She was probably six or seven,

and the whole way home from the store

she was telling me how much faster she was now

that she had these new shoes.

As a teenager I remember being in this awkward stage

of knowing your right

and making sure that your little siblings know you are,

because well your bigger than them

and clearly it means you are smarter.

So as we pull up to our house we decide to race.

Her being six or seven and me being eleven or twelve.

Clearly I knew who was going to win.

So as we decided to race around the cul-de-sac

and back to our house as we raced and came to the

last little stretch I’m sure being that age I beat her

just to prove my point.

But if I was given the opportunity to redo

I would let her win and keep that child-like faith.

Even if her faith is in her new shoes.

So yesterday when we went to our sports ministry,

we were met at the base of this hilly mountain

by a 12 year old boy named Michael.

So as we walked about 25 yards up this mountain I look to my left

and here comes Aimable our translator

jogging up the hill so I start mimicking him

and jogging at the same speed up the hill

then Michael starts to run with us.

As we run it turns into a race and we are trying,

as best we can to run up this mountain.

My lungs give in and I surrender first.

We stand and wait for the team to catch up.

As we do this my lungs recover

and I look at Michael and say “twoginday”,

which means lets go!!

We race up this mountain

and do this four or five more times

where we wait for the team

and my old lungs get a chance to recover!!

I think they aren’t used to changing altitudes anymore!!

As I do this I cant help but laugh

because we are “running” through a residential area

so people are coming out of their house

and cracking up at this Mazungu that’s running up the hill!

I also love the simplicity of being childlike.

Friendships are created over playing and having fun.

So while Michael and I couldn’t communicate

we still got to laugh

the whole race up the mountain

while I spoke my few words I knew in his language.

As we arrived at the top of this mountain

we are surrounded by an amazing view

and I am caught in awe of how big our God is

and how good He is!!

And how much i treasure this little race we had!!!

The View and the school/church we are working with!!

What Do You Say?

What do you say,

When you share your testimony,

And all the amazing ways Gods provided for you,

And it moves something deep down inside of someone.

And they want this relationship that you have,

So you lead them in a prayer to invite Jesus into their lives.

And when you finish the tears are streaming down their cheeks,

And they look up and ask you,

“Now I’m a Christian

and yesterday I was a prostitute

how should I feed my family now?”

Sickness and chills invades my body

as I become thankful that the question is not directed at me.

I start wondering what it would be like to have nothing.

No family,

no friends,

no food,

no home,

no water,

and no place to sleep.

How would my faith look then.

I would hope it would be stronger.

So often I feel like I am to comfortable for my own good.

My faith and relationship with Jesus are convenient.

When I want food I get food,

When I want water I walk to the tap

and turn on an endless supply of drinking water,

when we want to go to sleep

I climb into my nice bed in my nice house/apartment.

So when someone asks me where their food is going to come from now that they are a Christian I become speechless.

Because well I have never had to trust God to provide my food.

I have never had to trust God to provide shelter or water.

So how can I come and say well just have faith that God will provide, when I, myself, don’t have this kind of faith.

So here is where my journey of seeking began.

Late last week, in a rundown hospital,

On the other side of town,

standing in a small room,

with eight women,

sharing testimonies,

and sharing the gospel,

to these women

who were prisoners in this hospital

because they couldn’t pay their bills.

I think to myself, How am I okay with this?

People being held against their will

because of the poverty they were born into.

Especially as a Christians?

The book I am reading right now is called,

Super Natural Ways of Royalty,

they talk about one translation of Christians being “little Christ’s”.

I really liked this because it makes me think of ducks.

Bear with me for a second,

so when a duck has baby chicks or “little ducks”

the chicks will do everything the Mama duck does

and they mimic it exactly the way they see it done

by the Mama.

So often I feel like we miss our mimic years

of being a Christian and just let everyone around us

assume we are adult ducks and that we have been

walking this walk for a long time.

Pride begins to consume me

whenever I didn’t understand something

and make me think that any question I ask

would be dumb because I should know that by now.

But I think sometime the making disciples step gets skipped.

The being baby ducks get jumped right over

the second the service is over.

We get stuck in a false step of making converts.

One example of this is when churches

have everyone close their eyes

and bow their heads

and with all the eyes close

raise your hand if you want to except Jesus. . .

How are we suppose to disciple

and pray for new believers

if we don’t know who they are.

Its not an embarrassing thing to believe in Christ!

We need to get out of this mindset

that we are bring shame to the person

when we are leading them Christ

when in reality leading in a biblical way

will be the BEST decision of their lives!!!

They are getting to be part of the royal family!!

Who doesn’t want to understand their royalty

that they are coming into when they open this free gift

God has given us through Jesus Christ!!!

And with that the authority we have in Jesus Christ!!!

Sometimes I wonder if growing up as a Christian in America if we get a  false image of what Christ bride really is suppose to look like.

“Its not bricks and buildings its all of Gods people,

Men, Women, And Children”

And if it was about the people then hurts and struggles wouldn’t be hidden but combated with coming together as a body and standing for each other in prayer and support. 

We wouldn’t have hospitals in Africa that keep people captive.

We wouldn’t have kids going to school hungry in America because single parents have lost their jobs or don’t make enough money.

We would be stepping in that gap.

I don’t feel like I became a “little Christ” until this past year.

And I didn’t understand who I truly belong to until this past month.

So if I can live for 22 years and be born into a Christian family and not fully understand my faith until I’m 23 it makes me extremely worried for people who have been lead to Christ but are never discipled.

I think I would feel a bit lost if I went to a church or someone came to my house and lead me to Christ but then left me. Its like having a baby and hoping it will survive on its own with no milk. Just leaving it there no one to care for it, feed it, or even to teach it to walk when its ready.

How will that baby survive??

Hebrews talks about this when it is referring to Christians who have been saved for a long time but never grew. Always stayed the same.

You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. For someone who lives on milk is still and infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill  to recognize the difference between right and wrong. (Hebrews 5:12-14)

This scripture was spoken to me when I first came to YWAM.

We were told to pray and ask God

if their was anything he wanted to tell us.

As I sat quietly I waited and then Hebrews 5:11 came to mind but I wasn’t sure what verse it was so I looked it up.

Ouch. But it was truth.

And sometimes I think things hurt so much more

when you know there is truth to them.

And when I read this I knew something needed to change.

I want to become someone who could disciple others

not be stuck and only be feed on what others give me.

So I hit my knees and prayed that I was willing to surrender me, in order to become more like Him.

I wanted to be able to feed myself

as well as walk with new believers.

I really felt like God put it on my heart

that I needed to spend consistent time with him,

everyday, like a date that I wouldn’t miss for the world.

And the only time when it would be quiet was early morning,

I am a morning person and all

just not a before the sun wakes up early person.

But I felt like He was speaking to me that it need to be 5:30 am.

I knew excuses and whining would just get me right back where I was now and I knew I wanted to change.

So I set my alarm

and started my journey of building a relationship

and getting out of this religion business I had been in.

At first it was hard, really hard,

I loved my sleep and our days were long so I needed my sleep.

But the more I hungered for those early morning dates,

the more I was willing to go to bed earlier.

My days are better because I my eyes are focused on above.

I’m learning what it means in Matthew when he says,

All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and know, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

(Matthew 28:18-20)

While learning to understand this I didn’t get the impression

that there is a, well, if you feel like making disciples in all nations

then I guess it’s a good idea, no, there is no plan B, we are to go.

Whether its first to our neighbors house then to our coworkers and then to the nations we are commanded to go.

No we are plan A and we are it.

This is a bit overwhelming but exciting at the same time.

But first I had to understand Gods character better.

So that I could understand that its not out of fear that I’m making disciples but out of genuine love and awe of what he did for me.

Out of our love and reverence for the Lord,

Then I could learn to go and make disciples!

I am coming to understand that the more we walk it our faith, the stronger we become and with that the more grounded we feel.

When we understand the authority that we have in Christ we understand his power and then when we say to a new believer who was a prostitute yesterday that God cares so much for her that He is GOING to provide for her and that God clearly addresses this in Matthew when Matthew writes,

That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds, they don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothes yet Solomen in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? (Matthew 6:25-30)

I knew God was speaking to my heart,

I knew that he would provide for these women just like his word says he will but I think so often if I haven’t personally walked through something doubt comes over me and my pride blocks my vision out of fear of being wrong,.

Dear Heavenly Father, teach me to live in a way that I completely trust you. Teach me to not get comfortable but to really rely on you for all my needs. Write these truths on my heart so that when you need me to speak out boldly in your name doubt has no place in my life. Teach to meet not only physical needs but spiritual needs as well. Teach me to walk with people better and to become a better follower of you as well as leader to younger women. Thank you for your living word and these women that you brought us to so that through us they would know you. In Jesus name, Amen.

 P.s.- I'll be adding photos soon of this day!! I just have to get them from my leader :)

The Journey :)

Beautiful Sunrise :)

4:30 am- Date with my papa and his word.

5:00 am- Make breakfast for the team.

5:30 am Breakfast

6:30 am- The Journey Begins . . .

As we leave the house we walk a 100 yards or so to the bus stop

as the busses start streaming into the stop

we shout for the one going our direction.

We cram all ten of us into a taxi bus t

hat is pretty full already

the smell of early morning and sweaty humans

fills the bus as we drive.

I am squeezed between three others

attempting to read my “Created to be His Help Meet” book

as we crazily drive through town.

We pull into a taxi depot

filled with hundreds of taxi’s shouting

and yelling at the Mazungu’s (white people)

to get us in their taxi’s.

We walk through the park

and pile into another taxi

and three other Americans join us

and we head off into another direction.

Around 8:15 am we pull up to this stop

where there is a long dirt road.

Road bikes that are at least 20 years old

surround us and our translator bargains with them

and they settle on 300 Rwanda francs,

which is about 50 cents,

to bike us three miles down this hilly windy road.

As we climb onto the back of these bikes

in our skirts and tennis shoes

I cant help but laugh and embrace

the journey ahead of us!

We head down this road

that is full of rocks and dips

and the bikers weave in and out of the road,

mind you there is really no place to hold on.

But the sweet smell of morning and the country

makes me remember that there is no better church

I would rather be visiting.

Once we arrive at the “hiking” point

our leader assures us that its going to be about a 45 minute hike

to the top of the mountain,

straight up a mountain.

Within five minutes my legs are burring

and I’m reminded that this will probably be the longest

forty-five minutes ever.

The view keeps me distracted as I continue up this mountain,

it looks like a beautiful painting

of what I would picture Peru to look like.

The farmer have made their homes on this mountain

and have probably lived here for hundreds of years.

As we continue on our journey kids flood the dirt pathway

in hopes of getting a look at the Mazungu

and maybe even a hand shake.

The kids eyes light up as I greet them in Kinyarwanda,

the local language.

I will never get used to the moments

when sweet little kids see a white person for the first time

and run up and wrap their arms around my legs.

And place their small hands in my hands.

Every time it happens my heart melts.

So as we continue on our journey

after about an hour of hiking up hill

we came to this small village

that we thought was where the church would be.

So the two of us who where in front waited for the team,

and waited and waited.

As we stood in what seam to be the middle of town

people from every direction flooded out to see the Mazungu’s

that were standing in the town.

As the bits of the team made it to the area we were at

we started guessing which building is the church.

As the final people in our team made it

we discovered that we were only HALF WAY!!!!

Goodness I thought I was going to pass out!

As we started walking again and heading up the hill

a thought comes to my mind

that I really need to embrace and enjoy this walk

because we probably wouldn’t have another one like it.

So I start to walk up to each kid I see

and shake their hand and greet them

and just really imagine what it would be like

to see a skin color that you have never seen before.

As we arrive at the church

we are met by the pastor of the church

who warmly embraces us and is so thrilled to have us.

We enter the church and share our names

And where we are from.

Then we are informed that we are going to sing

In front of the church as we get up the “worship team”

Picked songs that not everyone knew.

Even with the language barrier it was embarrassing!

I laugh and think to myself, whelp at least we wont see them again!

One of our team members shares their testimony

And another shares a sermon.

Something I have really come to enjoy here

is way they give their offering in every church

we have been to so far they have a basket up at the front

and everyone dances to the basket and puts their offering in it.

It such a joyfully expression of thanksgiving to God

And saying that I’m trusting you Lord to provide for my family.

I just have really come to love it.

I’m pretty sure I might have a tough time

going back to bucket passing without dancing. 

As the service comes to an end we head to the pastors house

For lunch and fellowship.

He gives us a tour of his place

and shows us the “remodeling” he is doing,

meaning he is laying some new brick

and extending his living room by about two feet

in order to be able to welcome more visitors.

Goodness I love the relationship aspect of this culture.

We extend our house so we can have bigger

and better and people will think more of us.

They extend so they can squeeze in a few more people.

Spiders fill the corners of the small room

and I cant help but love it so much here.

We are served beans, rice, potatoes, and beef.

It amazes me that whether we are in America

Or in Africa we eat so well.

As we leave after visiting

we head to hike down the mountain.

I am reminded that I probably shouldn’t eat

And then hike pretty sure there is a rule or something against it.

We hike about an hour downhill and then ride our bikes back

To the bus stop and take a bus home.

We arrive home around three thirty.

It was the perfect way to spend a Sunday.

Hiking, worshiping, and enjoying Gods beautiful creation!!!

Thank you God for Africa and all your beautiful little children!!

 The local kids trying to bust through the pastors gate :)