Simplicity

After a long a silly journey I am home...later then expected, thanks to me, but I am home. And I know I have said it many many times but I can’t tell you enough how thankful I am.

The funny thing is, or not so funny, that there were people there welcoming home the troops. So when ever a troop arrived there were people clapping and cheering and welcoming them home. So there were NO armed forces with the group of people I was with, but I had my own cheering section! Well I was really overly happy and excited that I accidentally knocked over some posters for the troops… sorry about that.

And not only was my family there to welcome me but my bestie was there!!!!!

I was so thankful that I didn’t have a phone while I was home… I know what your thinking a 20 year old shouldn’t be able to function an hour with out her phone… well its happening! And life is so much simpler with out t.v., a phone, or anything like that. So it was a little difficult but I like not having a phone, and its just one more thing that I don’t have to worry about. I was able to see the people I wanted to see and not worry about hurting any ones feelings, crafty huh.

While I was home I saw my two best friends in the whole entire world, ate amazing food and got to have some awesome family time.

The special treatment started when I got off the plane, how wonderful : )

Through out the week I was treated to food, coffee, shopping, good straightened, and driving. Its just the little things in life that make me happy, not the amount of money, friends or anything just the simple things.

Before I didn’t find too much joy in the little things, in fact I took them for granted…. But that is pretty normal right?

Now I take notice of the beauty of the country side, the green farms, the sun coming up to give its warmth but hides away to give us the coolness of the night, having a roof over our heads, a family to come home to, the moisture from the colds, thunderstorms, the warmth of a smile, a hug. The difference a smile can make. Its those little things that I find everyday now warms my heart. For me its now the simplicity of life that warms my heart not the complexity.

Home for the holidays

So being able to go home is one of the best things ever. For me it is not because I am sick of the team it is because I just need a break and I really really miss my family. Being here has really helped me grow myself (spiritually, mentally and in other ways as well) but it has shown me a greater appreciation for my family as well.

Ok for example my mom. We haven’t always had a good awesome relationship, and now I couldn’t live my life without her. She is my best friend and when I am not able to talk to her like every day it really does kill me, and I don’t know what to do with my self.

Dad, well you’re a man of a lot of words so I will give you a section with “a lot of words” I love you

Marie: well I could never ever forget you. I mean you just don’t let me.

Joey: your just a rascal.

In saying all of that I miss you all a ton, and I am soooo happy that I was able to be home with you all.

Lies, lies, lies

James 1:2-4 Trials and Temptations (NIV)

²Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. ⁴Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

7 things that Satan wants/would like to us to steal from us:

1) Joy- He doesn't want you to be happy with yourself, with your life. He doesn’t want you to have your eyes fixed on the LORD.

2) Peace- He doesn't want you to have any assurance. He wants to place doubt in your mind about everything from your appearance to your friends to your trust in God and anything in between.

3) Enthusiasm for the things of God - If he can get you off track, he will, and he will always try to do so. However, God's love is everlasting and HE has the power to keep the songs in your heart and keep you on track (your choice).

4) Vision- he doesn’t want you to do the Lords work or have you follow the Lord. He wants to make you stumble and fall.

5) Relationships- The devil tries to put wedges between people. He will try to make you jealous, envy and anything possible. He wants to make your relationships miserable and worthless.

6) Tenderness (tender-heart/spirit)- He doesn't want you to have compassion for others, or see through God's eyes. He wants you to have a rock hard heart.

7) Love- He wants to steal your love for God, your family, your friends and love for yourself. He does not want you to love anyone.

These are just a few of the things that the devil wants to steal from us, if you feel like any of these are things that he has either stolen or is trying to steal, rebuke him. Ask God to help you, surrender everything to him.

Look at it this way: Sky diving: Really think about it. Think of God as your parashoot. He never ever leaves and when we need him all we have to do is pull the cord. So when you start going down, your own path, you and only you can pull the cord for the parashoot. And in our darkest times and when we are falling to the Earth and full speed we have to make the choice. We have to choose to pull the cord and call on to him or fall to the ground. So make your choice. God has the power to restore these things to you. We cannot take them back on our own. God is in control and loves us with an unfathomable love and it is a love that we do not deserve, but God's grace and mercy were given to us at the cross. How truly blessed we are!

Ephesians 6:10-18 talks about the Armor of God: and how it is useful to us. It says:¹⁰Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. ¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. ¹⁸And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Things are difficult sometimes because a Christian life is not an easy one. But if we let them poor out into other areas of our life, they make a lot more things difficult. Don't let Satan steal from you, always keep God with you and in you.

Hebrews 4:12-13 says:

¹²For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. ¹³Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Ask God every day to fill you with HIS Spirit, and to dress you in the Armor of God (Ephesians 6.10-20). Without God's Armor and Protection everyday, we are more vulnerable and at a greater risk of being attacked by the devil. So stand firm in your faith and cling to God.

A real home

So we finally have a REAL HOME. Home cooked meals, beds to sleep in and hot showers. After being squatters in our own home for a night. We only had a change of clothes and blankets.

The Arequipa, Puno and the Cusco group all moved at the same time to different places. The Arequipa and Puno group moved to a new home and the Cusco group loaded up the moving truck. P.s. things may be left behind….

So the first day we got here we got cleaning products and cleaned and just hung out because there wasn’t much to do.

We now have everything in our house. Items in our cupboards, a full fridge, real beds to sleep in and most importantly hot showers.

Our house is equipped with toilet seats that are too big, tons of empty and full suit cases, a bookshelf full of bibles, a washing machine, couches, table and doors (some that close and some that don’t). All in all it is home.

All work no play.

With all work and no play we have learned a lot about each other and we are still learning. In a situation like this our relationships are accelerated and I learned more in a month about some body them I learned in a year with my best friend.

All in all this is my new family. We don’t always see eye to eye, we don’t always agree and we all do things differently. We find out what things drive each other crazy, we know the little corks, we know who snores and who doesn’t. But we were all meant to be here as a family.

We moved beds, painted beds, moved couches, mattresses, tables…ect. The boys shoveled dirt for hours, the girls shopped and cleaned and cooked. It was a long week but we learned even more about either other. It was like a free bonding experience.

It was all work and no play.

Shop till you drop literally……

Ok so when I signed up to come live in Peru I didn’t know that manual labor was included when moving into a new house.

We have been waiting for EVER and we are finally here. But here in Peru when you move into a new house not all things are in order. And that is when we start making trips all over town.

First trip

Cleaning supplies. To mop, sweep, wash and scrub.

Second trip.

Mirrors, toilet seats, shower curtains, table, couches, or kitchen supplies.

Third trip.

Food. So we either go to a market or what they call a “super market.” But I wouldn’t call them “super markets” they are neither super or a market. So we walk 5 blocks to a big out door market and bargain.

And why buy a chicken that has the feet, head, bones and skin for one price. When you can get feetless, headless, boneless, skinless chicken….. I just don’t get it. And I will never EVER take boneless, skinless chicken for granted.

Forth trip.

We get toilet seats!! Hurray!!! but they don’t fit the toilet. Too small.

Fifth trip.

Plastic, plastic, plastic.

Just go to a store that has EVERYTHING plastic! And not only is there one plastic store there are a ton all in a row! Ballin!!!!

Wood cheaper then plastic…. Never!!! False. Cusco has real wood (nice wood things) is cheaper then plastic… for example a plastic storage boxes, the ones with three draws, cost s./115, the same but wooden is only s./85.

Sixth trip.

Toilet seats are either too big or too small. We’ll take the big ones.

And who know that toilet seats would cost so much.

Seventh trip.

Kitchen items.

Eighth, ninth, tenth….

Small markets, big markets, stores…. every where possible.

Needless to say I am sick of shopping.

Doin it, doin it and doin it well

Ok God I get it……….Forget the past.

The past is the past.

Move on from the past.

The past tells people who you used to be and not who your striving to be.

Let the past be a testimony.

Tonight (Wednesday the 20^th) was our last night for our cell group.

And we, the Cusco group, will be moving to Cusco this weekend!!! Woop Woop.

It is definitely Bitter sweet. I am soooo excited to be able to follow up on people and start the real work. At the same time I have made some amazing friends and I am really really going to miss them. They are my new family. And I am not excited to have to say good bye to people I love one more time. But I get to find new people to fall in love with all over again.

Julio has a very special place in my hear. We have our cell group at his house and during our time there we have been able to see him change, each and every time we have gone. He was first getting discipled from another pair. When my partner and I got back from Love Extreme 2 we misses a whole lot and we didn’t have a cell group. So we took over the cell group with Julio.

The first month or so there was only 2 people each and every time. We showed a movie and 19 people were there, and that didn’t include me and my partner so in total there was 21 people… CRAZY!!!!

As the weeks progressed the number went down but we grow to having 4 people each time. And now we have had 8-10 people each and every Wednesday night. God is doing amazing this in that house. And changing radically.

There are about 15 or so that live in there house. But along with all the people there are a lot of problems as well. There is alcoholism, Julio drank and smoke, others didn’t believe in God at all, and others had a lot of health problems. Oh man did that bother me. I never ever thought that God was going to move the way that he did. It was just so frustrating, but I looked closer and saw God doing a wonderful thing.

And not only did Julio teach the lesson for the first time, but one of his other family members prayed for the first time as well. This is a big thing for our cell group. I’m givin Julio props for being able to teach a lesson.

After we had our God time we sat around and talked about what we are going to be going and just had good fellowship time. And his family taked about how much Julio has changed and how amazing it is. So without Julio even realizing it he is writing his story, his new story, his testimony.

We sat around and talked, ate this pudding cake thing, and drank some coffee water drink and crackers (the best part was the crackers). Not only did they show us hospitality but they also gave us some shirts. Julio’s job is to make shirts, nock offs, and we got one. And my says “Living Outdoor World” and I love it.

I love that family.

I love the things that God is doing.

I love that they opened their home.

I love that they listened.

I love what God has done in that cell group.