It’s been almost a month since my last blog; its been a wild month!!
So many things have happened this month, and I’ve focused more on ministry and the things happening around me rather than sitting at a coffee shop to write!
here’s a little bit of what has been going on…
– my birthday 🙂
a little back story… birthdays really haven’t ever been my thing. The only one I recall being really sweet was my sixteenth. other than that, I’ve just never really enjoyed my birthday.
however…
I had my nineteenth birthday here in the Philippines and it was so sweet. it was a day full of love and laughter. I couldn’t have asked for a better day or a better way to spend it. This past month I’ve been getting up around 5:45 every morning so a couple of the early risers got up even earlier to set out candles, confetti, balloons, cards, etc for me to wake up to. I’ve never felt so loved on my birthday. I was sang to from morning to night by Filipinos. my sweet group of Filipino girls made a poster for me and showered me with notes and love. we went out to eat dinner then came home to make a homemade cake from scratch with Mama J (she makes the best cake), and ate ice cream. it was such a good day.
– a new church and baptism!
we also traveled to a different island here in the Philippines for a weekend trip to serve at a church there. it was about a two and a half hour drive. we left early on a Saturday morning, fed children, then hiked to a waterfall literally in the middle of a tropical forest. it was crazy. I was baptized when I was nine years old, and it was something I meant with my heart. however, I didn’t realize at that young what it meant to walk with the Lord. so after years of following Jesus, I knew I wanted to be re-baptized on this trip. I wanted to do it at a time that I knew it my heart was the right time. so when we got to the waterfall, I knew it was time. I was surrounded by my entire team, and it was beautiful.
the next day I led a group of teenagers, from fourteen to nineteen in a bible study. there are so many broken people in this country. before I found out I was leading a bible study, I had planned to preach there that sunday in front of the whole church. but the Lord had other plans. so I led the bible study on brokenness, and how to walk through it the right way by turning to the Lord instead of away from Him. I knew the Lord had touched peoples lives through me before, but when I looked up and I saw tears falling down some of their faces, I knew that was exactly what I needed to speak about. it was such a blessing!
– a new bible study
the past few weeks, two other girls and I have been leading an old couple in a bible study every week. The reason we’ve reached out to this specific couple is because the husband has recently been diagnosed with brain cancer and it has taken a great tole on their lives. its definitely been a challenge to find the right words to say. our first day of leading them we all ended in tears. it is powerful and overwhelming. Please be in prayer for this man and for Sam, Genesis and I as we continue to point them back to Jesus every week.
– Beauty for Ashes!
this past month we’ve been busy planning out a women’s retreat for the women around us. we found a place, a time, made fliers, collected food, prepared the place, prepared worship, prepared to speak, etc. We had it this past weekend and I couldn’t be more happy with how it turned out. we did a series of sessions with the women, and I loved getting to speak to them. I got to teach them about rooting up a wound that we’ve shoved far in our hearts, and instead of continuing to patch it up… lets instead let Jesus heal it, and I taught them how to go about that which I loved. I remember getting off the stage an hour later and not remembering a word I said because it was completely Jesus speaking through me.
– ministry
we have been extremely busy and locked in to ministry. we have built relationships with children and women and men we don’t even want to think about having to leave. It’s hard to explain exactly what ministry looks like because it truly looks different everyday. some days its serving those who are serving the Lord here. some days its feeding hungry children. some days its going into communities you’ve never seen and doing bible studies. some days its just playing with children. some days its pouring into women. some days its letting your love for Jesus overflow into a prision. some days its holding little babies that want love. it always looks different.
a few upcoming events you can be praying for:
– we’re planning a sisterhood night for a group of girls here that we’ve gotten super close with. Ill share more later on what that looks like!
– the main sport in this country is basketball. so we’re hosting a local boys basketball tournament and we’re looking forward to pouring into them.
– this is our last and final month here, so there will soon be lots of goodbyes. please be in prayer for all the hearts we’ll have to say goodbye to and for ours!
– my teammate katelyn dufour is actually staying a couple more months here to serve, so please be in prayer for her and her journey. we are all so proud of her! if you feel led to donate to her please contact me!
