Rose with a Mission

  This week has been so good.  On Monday we had a day of rest. Our team leader encouraged us to take time to realign our hearts with God for the last part of outreach. Over the weekend I felt like I had a whole laundry list of things that were weighing on my mind. I was trying to bring them to God, but it seemed like I couldn't hardly figure out one problem before another would come in. I decided to go and ask God what to do. As I walked into a secluded spot with my list of problems, I heard His voice. "When did you start thinking that you had to be the one to find answers for all of these things?" It was a gentle reminder that all I had to do was come to Him. It has always been His job to figure out the answer and show me what to do. As I have let this truth penetrate my thinking, I've felt so much better. The confusion has cleared and I'm able to focus on the here and now. He will show me what to do, all I have to do is come to Him.  This week we helped out with...

  This week didn't go as I thought it would.  We left for El Comarca (the indigenous reservation) after breakfast on Monday morning. After a 3 hour bus ride we made it to the YWAM outpost in the mountains of the Ngabe people. We came with plans for a women's Bible study, kids program, and one of the guys prepared a sermon.  Once again I'm so thankful for my team. I got so sick on the car trip and they took such good care of me. Thankfully by time we were in the bus climbing up the mountains (the really pretty part of the trip) I was feeling fine again. The mountains are so beautiful. Being surrounded by them was so amazing. I loved it. Psalms 121 came alive in a whole new way.  Tuesday the guys and girls split up. The guys went to cut firewood and do some projects around the base. The girls got to go pick corn. We took an hour long hike, through the jungle, up the side of a mountain and picked corn. We picked our way along with these strong wo...

  Last Saturday we had the best welcome you could ask for. After an early morning flight and a 40 minute drive, we arrived at the YWAM Boquete base. It was so fun to be welcomed by balloons, cheering staff, and kid hugs. #theperfectwelcome Saturday and Sunday were pretty chill. We got familiar with the base and had orientation.  I loved meeting the staff and the other YWAM teams that are here. It was so neat to hear how God called each person here. I met a girl from California who became a believer just before she came to DTS. Her name is Lauren and I love her excitement in her new faith. It reminds me of the joy we have in Christ. I've met Ana. She's a middle aged woman who has become the mother to so many of the kids here. She has so many stories of God's faithfulness and so much joy in the Lord. As I keep asking people, I keep hearing stories of God working to get people here. I loved it.  On Sunday I felt like God was challenging me to not be afraid. Hence why I had M...

  Sundays lesson went so well. I'm thankful that God led me to give a very simple message to the middle schoolers. After reading about the temptation of Jesus, I talked about how because Jesus knew who He was He knew what to do. I pray that God takes the seeds planted and uses them in these kids lives. I'm thankful I got the opportunity to teach and just hang out with them.  That night we had a time of worship/prayer on the beach. You couldn't have asked for a better night. It wasn't too cool and the setting sun and clouds did a color dance that was beautiful to behold. God is so good. It was good to praise the Lord and pray for each other.  Early Monday morning the Panama team woke up to get on the road to the Philadelphia Airport. It touched me that so many of my classmates woke up at 5:45 AM to hug us goodbye.  Saying goodbye was hard. We have become so close over the past few months. They have walked this journey with me and en...

  How can heartbreak and hope exist together? Let's find out how.  On Saturday we went and helped out with a ministry called If Not For Grace and the Salvation Army in Atlantic City to provide meals, showers, toiletries, and clothing for the homeless. We shared our testimonies and I sang some songs. It was a privilege to work alongside men and women who have so much of God's heart for the homeless. They treated everyone with such respect and cared for them with God's love. From there we headed to Ocean City, New Jersey. A Church there had asked us to give a message for their Sunday school group of middle school students. Joy (a classmate) and I were asked to lead this time. With only about an hour on Saturday afternoon to run through ideas, I was amazed by how God showed up. As we sat down together God brought identity as a theme to Joy's mind. We contrasted what people said about Jesus versus what God said about Jesus and how God is the ultimate authority on our identi...