Ok so actually we’re not even close to the ocean or any sharks at all…but other such crazy creatures have been spotted in our vicinity including MANY MANY roosters, crazy dogs (one of my teammates was bitten…shes okay but pray that her leg heals soon!), scorpions, and of course GECKOS!!!!

I love how God speaks to me because most of the time it’s in the most simple, unexpected, and sometimes silly ways!

For example, yesterday we had a session that was held in a very nice building where the JCCV Church meets. We have been meeting here for our big group meets and worship services so I’d been in this room several times all week which has been such a blessing!

Yesterday we were getting ready to worship and my teammate points to the ceiling and says look! Above our heads on the ceiling were three green cute as a button GECKOS!!!

…even though we had been meeting there regularly I NEVER….let me repeat…NEVER realized that there were GECKOS running around on the cielings above us constantly…

I was taken aback at the fact that something so ALIVE and ACTIVE…something so VIBRANT was moving, living, breathing, running in my close vicinity without me having ANY CLUE at their existence.

I felt like God was nudging my heart at that same moment saying “Carly…how many times do you miss MY SPIRIT and what I AM DOING closely around you…” Now this was not a time for discouragement or to feel bad for missing what God was doing…actually just the opposite! It was a time to celebrate that God is ALWAYS at work around me! I get the privilege to enter into HIS WORK!! Hallelujah!

I ALSO was drawn to the realization that it was my teammate who pointed out the GECKOS…my teammates will notice God at work this year when I sometimes do not…and THANK THE LORD I am not in this alone…we have each other to help position ourselves to see what the Spirit is doing around us DAILY. I am so grateful for my community, because they notice things I do not…and I know they are thankful for me because I point out things they miss too!

So even in something as goofy and small as a GECKO, God reminded me to always be alert and positioned ready to recognize what He’s doing and how I can be a part of it, AND that I do not do it alone…my community is essential in helping me do so!

Little life update: I’m doing really well, the Philippines are AMAZING and our ministry contacts are spoiling us with good things like showers and cold drinking water and beds with sheets and pillows!! This past week has been “launch week” so we all of our teams are here- this morning 4 teams left for another island to do ministry. My team and Team “Ex-stream” are remaining in Manila this month. I absolutely love the people here and can’t wait to jump headfirst into ministry beginning tomorrow! Pray that God show us where he wants us to plug into ministry this month-there are so many opportunities it’s almost overwhelming how much Kingdom is being spread daily! Blessings everyone! Miss you all! 😎