Summer 2012

Fulfillment of Promises

August 28, 2012 – 4:56 pm

This Past year being at OU was hard, to say the least. I knew that God had called me there, and I wanted to be obedient to what he had for me, so I did all that I thought I was supposed to be doing. First I went “put-luck” instead of rooming with someone I already knew, I joined a sorority, I began visiting churches, and even got a job. I did all the things that I should because I had known so many other good Christian girls who had done all those things and were so happy at OU.
One of the things that I kept praying for at OU was to have a solid community that I could love and grow with. Someone that was older and wiser that could pour into me, some girls that I could grow with and be accountable to, and one or two girls that I could pour into and encourage. But this did not happen, last year was one of the loneliest seasons of my life and I had no community. There is a reason I was there, and even though I felt alone I know God hadn’t forsaken me.
But second semester I felt that God had begun to shine his face on me again and I was beginning to breathe again. I got connected with a halfway house in OKC that aids women getting out of prostitution and I finally felt like I had some purpose again. My grades even improved and God gave me the best news I’d heard in a while- He released me from Norman.

As I began to search for what he had for me I stumbled upon this trip with AIM and I knew without a doubt this was it. Committing and actually getting to training camp was an emotional roller coaster: second guessing myself, fundraising, finding a summer job, and getting my family’s support- but it was all worth it once I got to Atlanta.
Its crazy how in one week a group of 23 people can become family. I laugh when I think about it because I’ve missed every single one of them since I’ve been back. This was even greater confirmation for me that I am exactly where I am supposed to be. God may not have answered my prayer in Norman but he is abundantly blessing me now. We have two wonderful squad leaders, one who spent the week with us at camp. Our female leader, Ashley is incredible and it has been a long time since I have felt so loved and supported by someone. Not only do I have her, but also a solid squad full of selfless people that encourage me to love, serve, and just be better.
At the end of the week we found out who was on our team, the 6 people we would be living with for 9 months. I cannot express how excited and blessed I feel to be with them. It was incredible how quickly we connected and how Normal it felt to be spending time with them.
We decided on the team name Rooted from the passage in Psalm 1:
1 Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. 2 But they delight in the law of the Lord,
meditating on it day and night. 3 They are like trees rooted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, 
and they prosper in all they do.
(Stefan Bekker, Sami Sukupchak, Carly Blalock, me, Kacey Bolin, KevinToews)
Keep us in your thoughts and prayers- this is my family for the next nine months!
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Summer 2012

The World Needs Jesus

August 28, 2012 – 4:49 pm

Well, I have just gotten back from a week of training in Georgia for my trip next year. This past week was incredible.

One of the speakers at camp was talking about what ministry looks like and what this trip is really about. Something that he said really struck a cord with me-
he said the world doesn’t need social justice, the world needs Jesus.
He went on to explain telling a story of a woman being obedient to God’s calling who had moved to the Middle East. She didn’t know where to begin or what she was supposed to be doing, but she followed his voice and began volunteering at school. She became close with one of the teachers and soon she was asked to tea. The teacher began to tell her that she had been having dreams about a man she didn’t know. The teacher continued having dreams and the friends continued meeting, and finally the teacher began to believe in a very real Jesus that was personally revealing himself to his daughter.
She came to know Jesus not because she was handed a tract and repeated a prayer, but because she was in the presence of the Holy Spirit and he showed himself to her.
My heart is for the nations, for the poor, for the prostitutes, and for the orphans. I want to do everything in my power to better their situations. And to feel that way is good, but we can’t forget the intention behind our actions.
This trip isn’t about me, what I have to offer, or what I have to say, this trip is about Jesus. The world doesn’t me- the world needs Jesus. They need to see that he is real and moving, that he is good, and wants to be a very real part his children’s lives. My Jesus sees that the sparrows are clothed and fed; think how much more he cares for his children.
So, I still don’t know exactly what we will be doing, but I know that wherever we are and whatever we do we will be flooding the city with the goodness of the Holy spirit. We will go where he leads, say what he says, and do what he does. I just want the world to know that God is good, all the time.
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