I cannot even begin to describe how transformational the year 2015 has been. A LOT has happened this year! I wanted to give y'all a relatively brief timeline to see what this year has looked like for me and what God has done!
January:
I began 2015 in Nepal with my Fire and Fragrance outreach time. At the start of January I was still extremely stubborn and unwilling to allow God to give me His heart for the people of Nepal. Upon breaking down in tears and communicating my feelings to my team, I would then be prayed for and become open and willing to receive God's heart for Nepal and its people. Which He did- He gave me INCREDIBLE love for Nepalis!!! I was able to serve, love, build relationships with and point people in Nepal to God- their loving Father.
February:
I was still in Nepal! Our team was split into four- 3 teams trekked and 1 stayed back to intercede. I REALLY wanted to trek but upon asking the Lord what HE wanted me to do, He asked me to stay back and intercede. I am so thankful that He asked me to stay and intercede because this is the week that I truly discovered God to the point of me discovering who I am! I went years without knowing who I was, and in a small country in south east Asia, removed from my comfort zone, I found God who showed me who I was.
March: This month started off being back in Kona, Hawaii for about 10 days of debrief with my incredible school. We all came back transformed and on fire for the Lord and it was incredible to process, share testimonies and remember the faithfulness and goodness of God. At the end of my time in Kona, many tears would be shed as my brothers and sisters would depart from Kona and head home or into their new seasons. This would lead me back home to Monrovia, CA to an incredible family and church family. This is the month where promises God spoke to me would be put to the test when my physical eye saw the exact opposite of what my heart knew was the Word of the Lord.
April:
I attended my (personal) 2nd Brave Love Conference. My heart was revived. I go back home and begin playing piano to the Lord. A few songs in I literally started to weep as God spoke to me. You see, I had plans to stay home for 1-2 years so that I could work, pay off some debt (student loans) and especially be with my family and church family. What made me cry was God telling me He was going to move me sooner than expected.
May:
God didn't specifically tell me where He was moving to and so I applied for the Leadership Track in Kona and David's Tent in Washington, D.C. because those were the only two options that interested me!
June:
I'm becoming a little anxious because I haven't heard from the Leadership Track OR David's Tent and both would require me to move at either the end of June or the start of July! But I will admit that between May and June, God was hinting at Kona even though my heart greatly desired to staff David's Tent. The final confirmation came on the day I told the Lord, He needed to open the door for whichever one He desired me to walk through, and that day I was accepted into the Leadership Track. I believe I had 2-3 weeks to get a plane ticket and my finances for rent, food and the Leadership Track itself!
July:
I moved to Kona on July 9! The hardest thing about this move was moving 2 days before my sisters birthday and 2 weeks before my Mom's. But I'm realizing the sacrifice of being a missionary. It isn't easy at all being away from the people I love, especially when you see the sadness and hurt on their faces as you go, but I'm thankful to have loved ones who allow me to follow God's lead and who love and support me every step of the way! I was reunited in Kona with many of my brothers and sisters from my Fire and Fragrance DTS, and we all went deeper in our relationship with the Lord.
August:
The most common theme was surrender. We constantly were learning to surrender to the Lord and as we surrendered and laid down everything on the altar, we were experiencing freedom, wholeness and abundance! It was powerful and still is! There honestly is a LOT God did in my heart! Some of the ways I served were by working in the kitchen on base, driving a team to a local community to tutor and play with the Marshallese children and serving with the Salvation Army. My intention for going back to Kona was to staff the Fall Fire and Fragrance DTS. As the track progressed, however, my peace slowly left. I was realizing that God didn't actually want me to staff right away and so I planned to staff either Fire and Fragrance or Respect the Corners (the crossfit DTS).
September:
Because I didn't go straight into staffing a school, I was required to go on a 2-week strike (in essence a short missions trip where we support and serve a missionary). When God opened the door for me to go to Kona and do the Leadership Track, He told me I would still go to David's Tent in DC. I knew DC was a location for the strike teams before my leaders revealed it to all of us in the Leadership Track! The two locations ended up being Washington, DC and Los Angeles, CA. So I was placed on my incredible team, and on September 14 we embarked to DC to staff David's Tent for 2 weeks (from 9 pm- 3 am). I was challenged right away to step into worship leading when it was revealed that of my team of 6, I was the only one who could play an instrument and sing at the time. I was nervous to lead in front of my team but ultimately I had to remind myself that it is all for the Lord. I found that my heart was really coming more alive. My passions were being re-awakened. I was starting to get confused! I thought I was supposed to staff in Kona but all of a sudden God was pulling my heart towards DC. Before I confused myself by over-thinking, I asked God to make it clear. I woke up the next day with perfect peace and only DC on my heart and mind. God was asking me if I would be willing to commit to staff David's Tent full-time. When I went to the tent to tell Jason what the Lord was telling me, me staying in DC was literally confirmed 3 times in 20 minutes. I would be a fool to tell God no. So I talked to Derek, one of my leaders, and he completely released me and blessed me to serve with David's Tent.
October:
I'm back in Kona for 3 weeks before moving home to prep to move to DC. I wasn't planning on being back with the track, but moreso wanted to sit in on Fire and Fragrance and the Track, and spend time enjoying Kona. Well, I ended up being given a work duty where I pulled weeds from 9 am-12 pm on Mondays, and from 8 am-12 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It was fairly hard work but I'm thankful that God worked alongside of me and gave me incredible strength and joy to be diligent to serve the base and especially the Lord with excellence! I made the most of my final weeks in Kona and then moved home October 26, right after the first Brave Love Conference in Kona and right before my 24 th birthday (which was my first birthday spent at home with family in 7 years)!!!
November:
I was LOVING my time at home with my family and church family! In fact, I actually was wanting to be home so much that God actually asked me to surrender being home for Christmas as I had been planning to move to DC around Thanksgiving! So I was surrendered being home for Christmas to God and proceeded to soak up every moment I had with my loved ones. Then I received a confirmation for being scheduled for jury duty the week of December 21 (aka Christmas week). I actually thanked God for jury duty, even if I was actually selected to serve because it would mean I could at least momentarily see my family in the evenings. So after talking to David's Tent, my leaving date jumped a couple of weeks and I moved to DC November 18.
December:
December was an incredible month!! By December I was really feeling like a part of my community I received the most powerful breakthrough from shame. I experienced the greatest freedom yet! I also really learned that when I pick up "feelings" in the atmosphere it isn't me- but it's a ground for me to intercede for God's heart to breakthrough for His children in and throughout this area in the Northeast! I then went home to spend my first Christmas at home in 2 years with my whole family. I even met my baby nephew Tristan! AND I didn't have to serve on jury duty! They moved me to March and now I'm going to call and get out of it!! Jesus is faithful!!!
I began 2015 in Nepal with my Fire and Fragrance outreach time. At the start of January I was still extremely stubborn and unwilling to allow God to give me His heart for the people of Nepal. Upon breaking down in tears and communicating my feelings to my team, I would then be prayed for and become open and willing to receive God's heart for Nepal and its people. Which He did- He gave me INCREDIBLE love for Nepalis!!! I was able to serve, love, build relationships with and point people in Nepal to God- their loving Father.
February:
I was still in Nepal! Our team was split into four- 3 teams trekked and 1 stayed back to intercede. I REALLY wanted to trek but upon asking the Lord what HE wanted me to do, He asked me to stay back and intercede. I am so thankful that He asked me to stay and intercede because this is the week that I truly discovered God to the point of me discovering who I am! I went years without knowing who I was, and in a small country in south east Asia, removed from my comfort zone, I found God who showed me who I was.
March: This month started off being back in Kona, Hawaii for about 10 days of debrief with my incredible school. We all came back transformed and on fire for the Lord and it was incredible to process, share testimonies and remember the faithfulness and goodness of God. At the end of my time in Kona, many tears would be shed as my brothers and sisters would depart from Kona and head home or into their new seasons. This would lead me back home to Monrovia, CA to an incredible family and church family. This is the month where promises God spoke to me would be put to the test when my physical eye saw the exact opposite of what my heart knew was the Word of the Lord.
April:
I attended my (personal) 2nd Brave Love Conference. My heart was revived. I go back home and begin playing piano to the Lord. A few songs in I literally started to weep as God spoke to me. You see, I had plans to stay home for 1-2 years so that I could work, pay off some debt (student loans) and especially be with my family and church family. What made me cry was God telling me He was going to move me sooner than expected.
May:
God didn't specifically tell me where He was moving to and so I applied for the Leadership Track in Kona and David's Tent in Washington, D.C. because those were the only two options that interested me!
June:
I'm becoming a little anxious because I haven't heard from the Leadership Track OR David's Tent and both would require me to move at either the end of June or the start of July! But I will admit that between May and June, God was hinting at Kona even though my heart greatly desired to staff David's Tent. The final confirmation came on the day I told the Lord, He needed to open the door for whichever one He desired me to walk through, and that day I was accepted into the Leadership Track. I believe I had 2-3 weeks to get a plane ticket and my finances for rent, food and the Leadership Track itself!
July:
I moved to Kona on July 9! The hardest thing about this move was moving 2 days before my sisters birthday and 2 weeks before my Mom's. But I'm realizing the sacrifice of being a missionary. It isn't easy at all being away from the people I love, especially when you see the sadness and hurt on their faces as you go, but I'm thankful to have loved ones who allow me to follow God's lead and who love and support me every step of the way! I was reunited in Kona with many of my brothers and sisters from my Fire and Fragrance DTS, and we all went deeper in our relationship with the Lord.
August:
The most common theme was surrender. We constantly were learning to surrender to the Lord and as we surrendered and laid down everything on the altar, we were experiencing freedom, wholeness and abundance! It was powerful and still is! There honestly is a LOT God did in my heart! Some of the ways I served were by working in the kitchen on base, driving a team to a local community to tutor and play with the Marshallese children and serving with the Salvation Army. My intention for going back to Kona was to staff the Fall Fire and Fragrance DTS. As the track progressed, however, my peace slowly left. I was realizing that God didn't actually want me to staff right away and so I planned to staff either Fire and Fragrance or Respect the Corners (the crossfit DTS).
September:
Because I didn't go straight into staffing a school, I was required to go on a 2-week strike (in essence a short missions trip where we support and serve a missionary). When God opened the door for me to go to Kona and do the Leadership Track, He told me I would still go to David's Tent in DC. I knew DC was a location for the strike teams before my leaders revealed it to all of us in the Leadership Track! The two locations ended up being Washington, DC and Los Angeles, CA. So I was placed on my incredible team, and on September 14 we embarked to DC to staff David's Tent for 2 weeks (from 9 pm- 3 am). I was challenged right away to step into worship leading when it was revealed that of my team of 6, I was the only one who could play an instrument and sing at the time. I was nervous to lead in front of my team but ultimately I had to remind myself that it is all for the Lord. I found that my heart was really coming more alive. My passions were being re-awakened. I was starting to get confused! I thought I was supposed to staff in Kona but all of a sudden God was pulling my heart towards DC. Before I confused myself by over-thinking, I asked God to make it clear. I woke up the next day with perfect peace and only DC on my heart and mind. God was asking me if I would be willing to commit to staff David's Tent full-time. When I went to the tent to tell Jason what the Lord was telling me, me staying in DC was literally confirmed 3 times in 20 minutes. I would be a fool to tell God no. So I talked to Derek, one of my leaders, and he completely released me and blessed me to serve with David's Tent.
October:
I'm back in Kona for 3 weeks before moving home to prep to move to DC. I wasn't planning on being back with the track, but moreso wanted to sit in on Fire and Fragrance and the Track, and spend time enjoying Kona. Well, I ended up being given a work duty where I pulled weeds from 9 am-12 pm on Mondays, and from 8 am-12 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It was fairly hard work but I'm thankful that God worked alongside of me and gave me incredible strength and joy to be diligent to serve the base and especially the Lord with excellence! I made the most of my final weeks in Kona and then moved home October 26, right after the first Brave Love Conference in Kona and right before my 24 th birthday (which was my first birthday spent at home with family in 7 years)!!!
November:
I was LOVING my time at home with my family and church family! In fact, I actually was wanting to be home so much that God actually asked me to surrender being home for Christmas as I had been planning to move to DC around Thanksgiving! So I was surrendered being home for Christmas to God and proceeded to soak up every moment I had with my loved ones. Then I received a confirmation for being scheduled for jury duty the week of December 21 (aka Christmas week). I actually thanked God for jury duty, even if I was actually selected to serve because it would mean I could at least momentarily see my family in the evenings. So after talking to David's Tent, my leaving date jumped a couple of weeks and I moved to DC November 18.
December:
December was an incredible month!! By December I was really feeling like a part of my community I received the most powerful breakthrough from shame. I experienced the greatest freedom yet! I also really learned that when I pick up "feelings" in the atmosphere it isn't me- but it's a ground for me to intercede for God's heart to breakthrough for His children in and throughout this area in the Northeast! I then went home to spend my first Christmas at home in 2 years with my whole family. I even met my baby nephew Tristan! AND I didn't have to serve on jury duty! They moved me to March and now I'm going to call and get out of it!! Jesus is faithful!!!