so beautiful.

Wow, my heart is getting attached to these people Thailand! So strange since I have only been here like a week and a half but these people are SOO relational. and so beautiful, how can one not grow to love their habits and way of life?

Last week we taught many English classes in the local school. It was draining, but each day we developed precious relationships with the children so it was all worth it. the early mornings, long repetitive classes, schedule changes! Tomorrow is our last day there and it is bittersweet! We got so many love letters from them filled with hearts and smiles.

But this week was more spontaneous. Our transportation has been breaking down so that has been tricky. but so adventurous at the same time.

On Tuesday we visited a Buddhist Temple that is a big tourist spot but nonetheless.. very oppressive still. My heart felt so heavy as we walked in and just saw people chanting and bowing to things.. to dead, lifeless objects. Seeing their devotion and commitment to this dead religion just called me to be broken and examine my owns self. We prayed as we walked through but I was happy to get out.. and I am not even unsaved! The feelings I felt were not even a fraction close to what their lives were like, filled with despair and dread..and inward death.

THEN. Oh then. Ok, so there is this unreached people group called the Hmong group and they are basically all over like China, Thailand.. USA I think.. but this family we visited was a sister of our translator who is Christian. And so we drove up more windy roads into this little village. Again, another tourist spot but not many foreigners were there.. We started trekking up the road until we didn't go on the road anymore. A guy led us up this steep mountain path that was pat down only from human feet and chickens. No car could get up. My heart beat as I was like, we are going to a true HILL TRIBE! Wow. Then, this small path led us to a little hut house that was dark inside. Our translator embraced her sister and led us in where a lady and her small husband stood. There was a light but it was still very dim. They had a TV and a radio but still the house was very small. There was a few small rooms, divided by a small sheet. It was amazing. These people are kind of unknown to most of the mainstream world. I mean, they were well clothed with modern clothes and they go to markets.. but they did not seem dependent on modern society. It turns out that we wanted to pray for them in the beginning when we met them but the lady smiled and said no.. we didn't push it. Then, awhile later as we were about to leave we asked if we could pray again. Our wonderful other translator and bold Christian friend was about to pray. But before that, she asked if they knew Jesus. They said no. they basically choose to not follow Jesus but rather cling to spirit and ancestor worship. Welll, the lady shared the Gospel and apparently both the lady and her husband accepted Christ!! They didn't appear different, but maybe it was just seeds sown. And that is ok. God began a work in them that will have impact for sure!

Reaching an unreached group made my day!! Often times, we Christians go to places where there is already a church and many Christians present.. but God still looks at these people in the mountains and desires to call them too by name. Ahhh, so great.

I am called to China for sure, but I am so open right now to what He wants me to do. Whatever country He sends me, by faith I want to obey and go. But wherever that is, I am SOO ENJOYING full time ministry and sowing seeds every day with expectance of a ripe harvest.

He is good.

I am here!

It feels like a dream! I am here in the gorgeous Thailand! Chiang Mai is so beautiful, so much spiritual oppression. but so beautiful.

jet lag was roughh especially since we start our days at 5:45am but now it is over and I am experiencing awesome ministry with my team!

The things I am being stretched in in leadership in teaching classes. I am the MIG leader so I am in charge of like ministry with the other missionaries. so that has been good.

I am happy to be an American but there is just something inside of me that totally loves being in another culture...granted I have only been here less than a week so we shall see at the end of the trip haha.

Refining work has begun! full time ministry is so good. I have missed this so much. When you look and every smile, every relationship can point to Christ. I want to be like that when I go back home.

Gahh. I like this place.

Tomorrow.

tomorrow. is the day. Tomorrow is when my heart is going home to my second home! :) Gahh, I CANNOT wait!! This is what I am born to do.

so good.

Goodbye my beloved friends. Walk in faith this summer and I will update when I can. Be blessed.

soli-deo-gloria.

I am quite excited. I am almost all packed and ready to go.
"prepare me to be your hands and feet."

T - 5 DAYS and counting!

5 DAYS and I will be on a precious plane heading to beloved Garden Valley! Gahh, that place around this time just blesses me a lot. I cannot wait to see friends, train for ministry.. and leave for Thailand!!!!!!!!!!!!

Was the fundraising, prayer and preparation worth it? You bet.

.::Love::. in action.

Gahh I am so blown away right now. Answered prayer is honestly one of my favorite things ever. Correction: answered prayers answered more powerfully than we thought is the best ever. Oh how I want God to answer it the way I want to.. instead of letting go [seeing a trend here ahah] and letting Him answer it the way He wants to.

Anyways, 1 John 3:16-20 is on my heart this second! SOOOO good. so simple. but we add our philosophy and theology to it. but we don't have to.

I have this truly beautiful friend who is pregnant and I have been given a truly practical way to help serve her. She is going to keep the beautiful baby so I took her to a ministry today that helps women who are found pregnant and then helps them! So fantastic. So we went today and my heart is so happy right now because of the Lord. We got there, spoke with a kind lady about my friend's baby and everything. Then, they do free ultrasounds but only for girls with a high-risk of an abortion so they can see the baby and then not abort. But my friend is keeping her baby..no ultrasound then.

BUT GOD. I love those two words. BUT God allowed it to happen that we will go tomorrow to get a free ultrasound because the guy is only doing another ultrasound for a girl tomorrow so he won't mind. HalleLUJAHH! :) Is that not wonderful?

What makes me so mad though honestly is that people [we the Church] condemn and judge people like my friend who knows she messed up, knows she should never have done it. She doesn't need me to come alongside her and tell her even more how she has screwed up.

but she needs help. She needs someone who is going to support her because her family doesn't. the Church doesn't. it just makes me sad because 1 John clearly says to LOVE in actions and in Truth:

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. ¹⁷ If anyone has material possessions [gas, car] and sees a brother or sister in need [ride somewhere] but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? ¹⁸ Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

Gahh conviction floods me!! Honestly, taking my friend to the center today and the ultrasound tomorrow will take my time, car, and gas. But so what? In the light of Eternity, will it even matter? Will it even matter that I took my time? No way. If I see someone hurting but just pray for them [which is good!] but do nothing physical to show them that I care and that I am there for them.. they are still hurting. I get off by saying I prayed.. yet we might be the answer to our own prayer, no, by being that person who we desire to do something.

do something today for that person who no one wants to help, love, be around. yeah, those were the people who Jesus basically ministered to. check out John 4 and 8 for examples!

LOVE is a powerful weapon to combat the forces of the Enemy.

sometimes life blows. there is no silver lining sometimes. it just does.

bahahahahahahahah.

I love how Jesus works. bahah I am so at peace right now, just a joyful mess inside.

Pioneers fell through. closed door. shut opportunity. I am not going with them. He has better plans in store. I don't have a B.A in order to get a work/resident visa over there.

I was a little confused.. I know I was supposed to pursue this opportunity.. did I misunderstand?

But the Lord in His gentleness said, "no. I did not tell you that you would go with them. I simply told you to pursue them. pursue this opportunity in faith. You are walking by faith so you did not know if it would truly work out or not. I am in control."

right, you are so right Father. walking in faith took me to this dead-end but remember. He has something SO much grandeur in mind.

I am but the dead, wilty twig. He is the ever flourishing, live giving vine. [john 15]

I saw some really cool opportunities with YWAM. but you know what? I am going to just wait. Wait until He tells me what to do. It doesn't matter if I have it all in control right now because I don't. and that is ok because I am not in control.

He is.

OH! and I read two out of the three books on my reading list. ANDDD I made a few pairs of cute earrings! I am so pleased. hahah though they totally need to be worked out to get the kinks out.. to be stunningly perfect.

mmm. just like me in the hands of my Perfect Creator.