Congratulations!

This week will change me. It’s funny how day by day nothing seems to be anything more than ordinary and then, before you know it, something huge has happened. My baby sister is graduating from high school on Tuesday night and I could not be prouder. My sister is the smartest person I know, literally. She puts many of my college peers to shame. Tuesday will bring to an end a childhood and many memories. Although I will probably cry, I know that my sister has made the very most of her four years in high school. It has been an honor to observe a young lady who walks with such confidence in who she is and knows beyond a shadow of a doubt who’s she is.I know that the Lord has many amazing things in store for this girl as she heads off the Knoxville in the fall. I also know that He will bring a comfort and supernatural peace to those she will leave here at home! (Hopefully!!) I love you Ashley Nicole, Congratulations on this huge accomplishment. Keep your eyes fixed on Christ alone - He will be your refuge and rock in this new and exciting phase in your life. Keep your fire burning bright with a passion for the Lord and his people; He will bring you blessings beyond your wildest dreams. 

Schedule Updates

We are almost to the single digits. I do not think there is any way that I can properly prepare myself for what the next few months of my life will hold. Since I hope to have some guests visiting the ole blog I figured I should give ya’ll an idea of my schedule and what exactly I am doing with my summer. This summer I will be joining Nehemiah Teams on my journey to the Philippines. This organization is affiliated with the IMB and this is their website, http://www.nehemiahteams.com/ -Check it out! They will be leading me to a very rural location in the southern-most islands of the Philippines and rumor has it, we will be visiting new villages that have not been part of this project in the past! How exciting!

May 31-June 4: I will be in Birmingham, AL for orientation. From what I hear, this process is pretty intense. This will include washing my clothes in a bucket (by hand), bathing fully clothed outside, and function just as we will in the field with things such as food and sleeping conditions. 

June 5: Atlanta -- Dallas -- LAX -- We will leave out of LAX at 10:35PM for a 16 hour and 30 minute flight to Manila and will arrive there at 5:55AM on June 7. We will then take further transportation and arrive at our final location on a more southern island. Can you say jet lag?! 

The Philippines is 13 hours ahead of Memphis. (12:00PM Memphis = 1:00AM Philippines) I am blessed to have been able to travel in the past and I know that my field supervisors will be experts in how to counteract the time change. I have begun to pack my bags - I still don’t see how all of this will fit into one big backpack and one little backpack but I will just have to keep packing and see if anything will have to be left behind. Papaw was horrified to find out that I will not be allowed to take a suit case - well, guess I can't take the whole closet like I normally do! Looks like I will be learning to live on less. As silly as it sounds, this could be tough for me! 

I continue to thank you for the prayers and encouragement! I know that as the days draw ever nearer that my nerves may get the best of me, but with the Lord by my side I think that this adventure will be the opportunity of a lifetime. For without Him, I am nothing. My hope is to be a vessel carrying His name to those who have not yet heard the good news. Thanks for reading!

“Sing to the Lord, all the earth! Proclaim His salvation day after day. Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all the peoples!” 1 Chronicles 16:23-24

Summer 2012 - Philippines

Well, the number of days standing between me and the Philippines is getting smaller and smaller! 21 days until I set off for Birmingham and training with Nehemiah Teams. Honestly, I think I am still in shock at the fact I will be spending two months on the other side of the world!! It scares me and at the same time completely humbles me to know that the God of this great universe is using me to do His work.

I would like to send out a huge THANK YOU to every single person who has supported me financially for this trip. I was moved to tears each and every time I found a new name on the list of contributors. Each one of you will never know the impact that you have already had on my missions experience. YOU have made this trip possible for me, and I sincerely thank you from the bottom of my heart. When I was reading through the book of Ephesians the other day this verse kept coming back to me - "Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to his be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21) After reading that scripture, It was as if Jesus was whispering to me - I can and will provide more than you could ever even imagine in every single season of your life. What a sweet blessing and wonderful reminder that verse was for me.

Also, I would like to thank all of you for lifting me up in prayer. I know that the 10 weeks I am away are going to be a test of my mental, spiritual and physical endurance and I need dozens of prayer warriors sending up prayers daily on behalf of me and my team. I believe the power of prayer is far more powerful than most of I can comprehend but I want to have that power working for me. This summer, I may not be able to communicate my immediate prayer needs but I trust the Holy Spirit will guide you in the right direction. THANK YOU for praying! I love to pray verses "over" people and this is one of my favorites--


"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in you hearts through faith-that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:14-19


I am very excited about the things to come and can not wait to share this adventure with all of you!