Travel Year #4 Update #1

It's amazing how fast time flies. Blink and you miss it. I know I sound like an old lady! But I do want to take a moment to catch up and let you know what's going on in my life!

We are about to finish up our first summit here in Grove City, OH. It's been a really great summit. The church has been very responsive and open to our team as well as to the Lord's work in their life. Despite there hardcore love for Ohio State Football! We had testimonies Tuesday and Wednesday, and I heard some of the most honest testimonies I've heard in a long time. A man confessed to not being the spiritual leader of his home. He said his kids hadn't seen him read his Bible and that was going to change. A lady also shared that last Saturday she had written a letter to her husband telling him she wanted a divorce, she decided to rip up the letter because of the Holy Spirit's work! God is so faithful and patient with us. I've also had the privilege to talk and prayer with a couple if teen girls and a lady wrestling with her salvation.

Honestly, it's been pretty rough this summit. Getting back to our normal routine and adjusting to a new team and new team leadership. I have felt totally inadequate and undeserving to even be here but the Lord has shown Himself mighty on my behalf and showed me in such a real way that in my weakness He is made strong!

Next Friday we are headed to Boone, NC for our next summit. I'm excited to get to know the team better and see what God has in store for us. We have a great team this year. That has a heart for the Lord and a heart to serve. I think this is probably one of the most spiritually desirous teams I've traveled with. God has definitely brought us together for a purpose and I pray we are faithful to love and serve for His glory!

I cannot end this post without acknowledging the Lord's faithful in my life this year through His provision. I have already (I repeat, already) met my quota for the support I needed for Life Action! This is the first year that I have been on the road and already had all my support raised by the first summit! Except maybe my first year...but my parents helped me out! Although, I have met my needed amount for Life Action I am still believing God for another $700 or so to pay for my insurance. But I am still so grateful for what He has already done!

"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. -Matt. 6:33

Just a quick update:

Today I'm headed back to camp. It's been nice being home and it's hard to believe I'm already leaving. But I'm excited to get back into the swing of things. I'll be working family camp for the next couple of weeks then our training camp starts. Please pray for safety as I travel and also for grace for the next couple of months as we have family camp and then prepare for the road and get to know new team members. Thanks for your prayers, time to head out!

Love

I realize I don't really have the gift of communication through writing but it's an outlet and an opportunity to attempt to express what's on my heart and what's up in my life. My hope is for you to understand and somehow relate and know my heart. I try to use this site to give updates on my life through my ministry with Life Action but tonight I'm gonna head off topic and write about something that's on my heart.

Lately I've been struck with somewhat of a fear of relationships ending. No, I didn't break up with anyone, you have to be in a relationship for that to happen, right?! But there have been several people that I know and know of that have broken off/divorced someone. And it's gripped my heart with fear of relationships actually lasting and also brought up some questions.

What keeps a couple together? How do you know if the person you are dating is right for you? Why do you date someone you think your going to spend the rest of your life with but then it's doesn't work out. How do you avoid getting hurt when you realize it's not going to work? How do you make a relationship last? Where is commitment in marriage?

Lots of question I don't have the answers to. I wish there was a step-by-step list that fixed everything. Or maybe a neon sign that lights up and tells you what your suppose to do. Obviously those things aren't gonna happen. But there is hope!

Tonight I went to a college/singles worship service. They did a song that I've never heard but that was a good reminder. I don't know what the song was and I honestly don't even remember the lyrics but it talked about God's love. Fundamental truth to Christians. But so often over looked and forgotten. God's love is far greater than any love we could ever imagine. His love is constant and never changing. A while back I went through Psalms and decided to circle every time it said "steadfast love". I don't think I got 'em all but I know there was a lot. I also looked up steadfast and it means perfect.

Psalms 143:8 "Let me hear in the morning of Your steadfast love, for in You I trust"

Psalms 145:8 "The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love."

Psalms 147:11 "but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His steadfast love."

The hope we have is in Christ and His perfect (steadfast) love. When the world is crumbling, relationships are rocky and failing, when there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel He is constant. He is the supreme example of love and wants us to have the kind of love relationship were looking for here in this earth, with Him.

We finish up our last summit of the year this Sunday here in Union, KY! This year has flown bye. I feel like we just got on the road a month ago or something. I guess I'm just getting older.

Speaking of older I'll be 22 in less than a month! Now that's crazy! If you'd asked me a few years ago what I thought I'd be doing with my life at 22 it probably wouldn't have been this! Haha, but I would trade what the Lord has done in my life for anything!

I think I've been in like three or four different churches since my last post. Let's see I've been to Spring Hill, FL, Thomasville, GA, Peoria, IL, Manassas, VA, Prior Lake, MN, and here in KY. Along with a number of others states along the way. (I guess I was wrong about 3 or 4 churches...:)) The Lord has done some amazing things in each of the churches. So many people hungry for the truth and in need of refreshing. Spring Hill was an honest church full of deep issues but people humble enough to admit them and seeking the Lord for wisdom on how to deal with them. Thomasville was a 4-day conference a quick drop of the power of the gospel through the teaching of Steven Canfield. Peoria was a Presbyterian church, only the second one Life Action had ever been to. One of our best summits. The largest crowd full of people eager to return to there first love. Also a very giving church, we received our largest offering there. Which was a huge blessing for our ministry during these tough times. Manassas, was a different summit because our leadership Steve Canfield & Steven Canfield were gone and we had some fill in speakers. I had the opportunity to go to Washington, DC. Which was a lot of fun. Minnesota was a beautiful state and a good summit. The church was interesting, one church, two campuses. We had to set up and tear time I think around 15 times. We had our end of the year party with the team and got to go to the Mall of America! And last but not least KY. This church loves Life Action and has been eager to have and serve us which has been such a blessing. We went to the Creation Museum the other day. Such an amazing place. If you have the chance go! As you can see the Lord is at work. I wish I had time to tell you all that the Lord has done in each one of these churches. He is so faithful and His word is alive and transforming lives!

As an update on the home front. My family is finally moving into our new home this weekend. Please be in prayer that the Lord will continue to pour His grace on my family as the economy has hit our home pretty hard. He is faithful and His grace is sufficient.

Next I'm headed to camp for a couple of weeks and then I'm flying home June 13th for my summer break. Thank you for your prayers and support!

Serving Him

FL, Trips and Ministry Update

Hello Friends!

My how time flies! The Lord has been so faithful this year! Since Christmas break and coming back on the road the Lord has been teaching me a lot and showing me how He is faithful in my life and He will provide! I've been making a list of needs the Lord has provided for me recently and it is truly mind boggling. I am so thankful for His provision and care for the details of my life.

So much has happened recently it's hard to keep track! I am currently in Spring Hill, FL for our 3rd Summit of this year! Crazy! This church has had Life Action twice previously but are still hungry to hear from the Lord. I have been praying through some of the prayer cards and people are very specific and carry many burdens and struggles. Several marriages on the brink of divorce and people concerned for unsaved love ones. The issues people face are far beyond anything I've ever dealt with and I praise God but also seek wisdom as to how to encourage people through it all. I know through what issues I've gone through that His grace is sufficient and "there is not pit to deep that He is not deeper still."

I have again had the privilege to minister to the teens this year. Last summit I had the opportunity to teach the 'modesty session' for the teen girls! I really really enjoyed it! The girls were pretty attentive and I think really understood what I was saying. The time flew by though! I had so much I wanted to say! Oh well Lord knows what they needed to hear!

Last summit we were in Douglas, GA about 4 hours from my home. My family is in the process of moving and I had been praying about how I might could get home to help and nothing seemed to be working out. I found out that we had the third week of our summit off so I talked to my parents and figured out that I could ride a bus. So, the plan was the leave Monday morning @ like 5:30 in order to get to the bus station in time. Well, Sunday night after service I just happened to be talking to a couple in the church and for some reason I told them my plans for going home and that I was going to be helping my parents out for the week and all. Less than 5 mins after finishing that conversation with them, the man come up to me and asked me if I would rather drive a truck up to Atlanta? I was dumbfounded and said sure! So, they brought this super sweet Ford F150 Crew cab truck, filled up, handed me the keys and gave me gas money for the trip home!! What a blessing! I was able to help my family out and drive back Friday to meet up with the team!

We had to let Life Action know of our plans for next year a couple of weeks ago. As of right now, I am planning on returning for my fourth year! Hard to believe I've been here this long! I have a peace about returning and know this is where the Lord has me. Although, it seems every year as soon as I make the commitment to return for another I am overwhelmed with a feeling of discontentment. It's hard to explain but I've realized this year it's just attacks from the enemy in feeding me lies. Please pray that God will give me grace to be content here and to love and minister the people around me. It's battle and I have to be on guard!

Thank you for you prayers and support. I know I would not have made it this far without you! The Lord is faithful and I prayer His blessings on you!

Mandy

Pictures

So, I'm finally able to upload some pictures! Enjoy!



Blue Team '08 - '09



Meredith and I in Chicago. One a day a group of us took a day trip there.



Our friend Nishelle (in the red) came to visit!



One day I decided to make a pumpkin milkshake...soooo good!



In Mississippi a guy in the church took us four wheeling!



Some of us girls enjoying the outdoors!



Meredith and I at our team Christmas party



Some of us girls looking fine!



The guys decided to wear old Christmas Sweaters and slick back their hair...I'm not gonna lie I've never seen the guys look so bad!



Here is the whole team at our Christmas Party at the Lodge

Merry Christmas

So, I'm not as good at keeping this thing up as I would have hoped. I'm sorry for all two of you that read this! I'm kidding!

Another year half way done. Crazy. This year I think has flown by faster than any other year and I have no idea why. About half the team is new, so it's seemed to take longer adjusting to new people and letting them learn the ropes and how things are done on the road. But within the last month or so the team has really started to jell, which was an answer to prayer. We pray as a team a lot, when we arrive in the mornings, before meals and before service. But in the last month or so we started praying for an alotted time during the day and it was amazing to see how the team really started to connect more after that. There is definitly power in prayer!

This has been a really good year. God has really used this team to challenge me in a whole new way. I've been challenged more this year to make my faith my own and pursue my relatonship with Christ in a deeper way. I know I say that every year but it's so true and each year more real in it's own way.

I really wanted to post some pictures but we've been having internet issues and it's not allowing me to upload them. But I will try to post some soon. Have a Merry Christmas!