Bound for South Africa!

Woohoo!! My exciting news of the day...after spending an hour on the phone with an AK airline personnel, I offcially have a round trip to South Africa this summer! A little update for those who don't know, I am going to visit friends that are missionaries in Durban to scout out and plan a short-term trip for some of the youth at my church to go on next summer, 2007. I will be going solo and am excited for the adventure of traveling alone.

My general itinerary you ask?? Let me tell you...I leave Anchorage at the crack of o'thirty on July 25th, fly to Los Angeles, then London, Cape Town, arriving in Durban on the 27th. A little bit of flight time involved! I'll get to spend 2 weeks with the Embrees and will return home by a similar route but have a 3 day layover in London to "debrief." I get back to Anchorage early on August 16th, the day I start work...I'm thinking that'll have to be a leave day to recoup from jet lag! My purpose for the debrief is to tour the area some and find a good spot to debrief with the youth before we come back from our mission trip next summer.

My church is sending me out and is supporting me by providing the plane ticket, nearly 3/4 the cost of my trip, thank you WBC! I am excited to see a dream of 4 years start to come to fruition. I hope to update my blog while I am gone, so stay tuned!

If you've ever been to London and have any tips, hot spots, tourist feedback I'd love to hear it! Also, if you've ever been to Africa and have any additional travel/prep tips pass 'em along!

Here is the Embree's website, the family I will be staying with. Check it out and get to know their ministry in South Africa! www.alaskansinafrica.20m.com

Missions

So I am passionate about a couple things in life, well more than a couple, but two in particular...ministry and missions. AND I am EXCITED to be starting up a study with some of the youth at WBC this week called, "Missions: God's Heart for the World." Basically it's a 9 lesson study that goes briefly from Genesis to Revelation (beginning to end) on the biblical basis for missions. Trips are awesome and leave impressions on us, but one thing I felt I never really got in youth group was a solid understanding of WHY we do this...in a nut shell for those who won't be in the study...missions is God's HEARTBEAT!! It's not just a one time commissioning from our buddy Jesus (Matt. 28:19), it's been his heartbeat since the beginning in Genesis!

S.A.L.T. Retreat

I'm a little behind with this blogging stuff, but last weekend, the 14th, I had the awesome opportunity to speak at the Jr/Sr. SALT leader retreat on PRAYER. Kind of crazy, or not so crazy, that this came up after feeling impressed to work on this very thing myself this year! For those of you who where there I hope you took something away from it and that it was a good time of study and personal reflection.

It just so happened to be a super chilly frosty weekend out in Big Lake and I was able to soak in MORE beautiful scenery. Everything outside was frozen, thick with FROST, and we had a perfectly clear view of McKinley too! Thank you Jesus, AGAIN for the awesome beauty you bless us with in AK!!

Also I wanted to pass on the website I mentioned in my last entry: www.biblegateway.com. You can print off any passage/verse in the bible and have it at your fingertips to read, fold up, mark up and memorize whatever your heart desires! Check it out!

One last thing, we are on for KNITTING!! Saturday, February 4th from 10-3:00 p.m. all JUNIOR GIRLS are invited to come hang out, be crazy, eat, knit, crochet (or learn). Amanda shakin' Bacon and Merry Doner will be there to impart their knitting knowledge and techniques with us! It'll be at my housesitting place, email or call for directions! SEE YOU THERE!!

the winter wonderland I live in...

I know I am biased, but I have to say, after living in 4 states, traveling to 38 others, and seeing several countries, Alaska is by far one of the most BEAUTIFUL states in all creation! I am blessed to live here and want to share a tiny peek of the awesomeness of this Great Land. This is one of my all time favorite scenes in the area, just off Knik River bridge on the way to Anchorage. I took it this past December after a big frosty snow! Enjoy!

For my GIRLS!

Since I've up-ed the anty and entered the world of blogging I decided to designate a specific spot to all my junior girls!! Happy New Year ladies!

For those that were gone over break we had a holiday slumber party bash eating junk food to our heart's content and beyond, playing Disney Trival Pursuit, had a crazy sock exchange (they sell EVERYTHING now for your feet!), pillow fights, and of course, talk time. Jeanetta, Amanda and I LOVED having that time with you gals. There will be more to come!

I'm not big on making "new year's resolutions." I just set goals throughout the year and go for it, BUT occassionally that falls on New Years. One of my personal goals this year is to get back into the habit of consistent scripture memory. The Word is the ONLY piece of offensive armor that we have as followers of Christ(Ephesians 6:10-18), our ONE spiritual weapon to fight with, all the rest are defensive pieces, so WHY do I so often leave my weapon out of the picture?? Laziness I guess. My goal is to choose one chapter or passage each month to read, study, really know and understand and MEMORIZE it! This month I am focusing on John 15:1-17. I emailed a website out last month that you can print off any verse or passage you want and have it at your fingertips to look at, write on, highlight and memorize. I'll find the site again and add it in. I know others of you are memorizing scripture too, way to go girls!

For those of you on SALT (student leadership team) I will see you this Saturday, 14th at your retreat! I've been asked to share on the topic of prayer. I'm looking forward to that time with you guys and the opportunity to share what the Lord has impressed on my heart.

CALLING ALL KNITTERS!! We are planning (likely the first weekend in Feb.) a "knit-in" day. What is this you ask?? A day to hang out and knit and crochete (sp?)together. You can bring a project you're already working on or start something new. You say, I don't know how?? PERFECT!! We will have people there to TEACH you how! If you have any interest in knitting...COME!! We want to SEE you and have a blast being domestic with you! More on that later...

Hope you all had a fantastic holiday break!

a blast from the past...

...just because this is one of my all time favorite pictures. I am adding a picture of one of the best places in all of Europe, the Swiss Alps, where my adventure buddy, Carrie and I frolic-ed in the mountain meadows and soaked in the sun and scenery August 2003. Thank you Jesus for your awesome creation!!

Happy New Year!

Woohoo! So I have just been introduced to the wonderful world of blogs! Hmmmm, what to add on the first day of 2006? I rarely watch TV but find myself multi-tasking between making this blog and watching the very educational show, "Myth Busters."

I am not getting married, having babies (good thing), or buying a house (yet), but I AM in the midst of planning a trip to South Africa this summer to visit my good friends James and Ella Embree. The purpose, you ask, for a trip such as this?? Well, let me tell you. I am going solo this summer to spend time experiencing every day life with them, encourage them, do ministry with them and plan a short-term trip to take my junior (will be senior) youth girls on next summer...2007.

I am also planning a trip to NC this March to visit Sarah and Ashley Brown and meet their new little man Liam and see their awesome "big girl" Charlotte Rose! Lord willing, I will see my old roommate, Tonya in the mix.