a must read...

i love reading. it has always been something i love to do. but with crazy schedules and on the go most of the time, it gets hard to sit and read. lately though, i have made it my goal to carve out time to read on a daily basis.

one thing is for certain though. reading books is so good for me. it's good for my heart. it's good for my mind. it's good for my spirit. it's good for my well being. there is something about letting myself sit, get caught up in a book, pushing the distractions aside, being challenged, and gaining more then what i began with.

one of my friends recommended a book to me this summer. it's called

"when helping hurts: how to alleviate poverty 

without hurting the poor and yourself."

i love when i open up this book to read. i learn more. i relate more. i grow more in how to come alongside others no matter the culture, the color of skin, the socioeconomic status, or the lifestyle. for it's not about any of those things that our world or society says that makes us different. we are all suffering and dealing with poverty in one way or another. we are not here to tell people what or how to live. we are hear to do life WITH others. to build relationships. to learn from each other. to serve one another. to share our lives.

that is what this book discusses. so many times we (individuals, small teams, short term mission teams, ministries, churches, etc) will go do mission trips to alleviete some form of poverty of others. we will go thinking "we have something to offer". we go with a "fix it" mentality. we go with a plethora of projects, to-do lists, materials, and so much more. i am not saying this is a bad thing, but when you really think about the culture, the people and country you are going to be a part of, you may not need any of that. when it comes down to it, the relationships you form with the people is the most important thing and should be the ulimate goal of any mission trip.

it takes more time to sit and talk with others. it takes more time to discuss the ups and downs of life. it takes more time to hear people's life story. it takes more time to truly get to know others. it takes more time to make disciples as we have been called to do. building relationships is not a quick, easy to-do project. it is an ongoing, everyday, long-term commitment. you may not see instant results, but your life as well as theirs, will be changed forever!

dad's journey continues...

every now and then, there are dates that i wish i didn't remember. dates that i wish didn't have a significance. before the actually date, its just a date. but after...well..it becomes a day that affects so many. it becomes a day full of sorrow. sadness. heaviness. tears. questions. thoughts. and so much more.

the date i am referencing to is august 8. that is the day my family got news the doctors found cancer cells in my dad's liver (it's the same cancer they had found in his esophagus and his adrenal gland). we don't know much more than that. and honestly, i am glad. that is enough to process for now. my dad will go back down in mid-october to do another scan then decide the treatment options.

interestingly enough, this came 1 week AFTER i booked my plane ticket to uganda. and my parents go back to the doctor 2 weeks AFTER i leave. i questioned it immediately...what do i do? do i go ahead and change my flight even though i don't know the outcome? do i wait? do i go?...

through the wavering, with much thought and prayer, i have to trust the Lord in this. He has taken care of my dad and my family from the very beginning of this 3 1/2 year journey. He has given us strength when we are weary. comfort when we are sorrowful. joy when we are in pain. He has lifted our heads when they lay low. He has covered us with peace when there was non before.

no one would choose the journey my family has walked through. but through it all God is continuously drawing us to Himself. He is leading us to trust Him more. He is revealing to us that there is deeper joy in the very center of it all. this journey is not about us. it's about HIM. He is using this to make much of Himself. He's wants us to see Him in it. and so i will choose that above all else!

i have to believe that EVERYTHING works together for our good and His Glory! i am still praying for ultimate healing for my dad. for his daily strength. for his joy. for his life. for his heart. for i will always have hope!

picture taken at a wedding in NM back in July.

i love you dad!

our blog for my dad's journey

another wedding...arkansas style!

another one of my friends got married august 12 in conway, arkansas...it was such a fun weekend of celebrating and getting to love on Emily. i have loved doing life with this girl even though we are a state away. i have learned so much from her boldness and discipline in prayer, her passion for life, lively spirit, and our shared love for africa! this girl deserves to be celebrated!!

getting dressed 

(emily, her mom, and sister)

erin and i

(love her!)

shoes! 

(notice the bride is wearing TOMS)

the wedding party

erin, emily, and i pre-wedding

Mr. and Mrs. Boedeker

the cake and bridal portrait

all 4 of us...together again!

they are such strong irons in my life

 and i am so thankful for each of them!  

(erin, emily, me, and steph...some of my greatest friends!)

garrett, me, and steph..plus little garrison! :)

(they've been married 2 1/2 yrs and are expecting their first child later this fall.
he'll be making his appearance at the end of sept!)

leaving on a jet plane...

well i did it. i booked my plane for uganda back on august 8.

i am leaving for "the pearl of africa" on september 26.

in 5 weeks....35 days...

i will pack it all up here in cleburne, texas and head east to the beautiful continent of africa that has always held a part of my heart.

it is surreal everyday now to think i will be walking the streets, interacting, conversing, praying with, dreaming with, teaching, mentoring, being taught, learning from and being challenged by those of another country, another race, another culture, another nation, another tribe...but in that, there is such beauty for we were created for just that. i can wait to experience ALL of what God has in store.

so from this day until i climb onto the plane, i will be doing the best i can in preparing my heart, my mind, and my spirit for the task ahead. i am beyond thankful for the community i have established here. for the support. for the prayers. for the love i have received.

my cup overflows...

wow. almost a month has gone by since i have put words down on this blog. i can't tell you how many times i would sit down ready to post and i would have writers block. maybe its because life has been a whirlwind of CRAZY and my mind can't focus on one thing. my goal today is to spend the afternoon writing about the past month. the events, everyday life, emotions i've been going through, things i'm processing, and everything else in between. i have got to get better about posting every couple of days. i'll be in uganda, africa in 5 weeks (ahhh!!) and i want to share every experience with whoever is reading this!

so get ready for updates galore....happy blogging to me...and to you! :)