Stretching.

On Monday, I had dinner in the center of Paisley on wood planks that we pushed together to make a table. I ate with strangers, friends, and my YWAM family. There was loads of food that we had prepared and brought to share with everyone who stopped by. We called it the Father’s Table--a time where men, women, children, strangers, and friends could dine together in a way similar to the feast we will someday have in Heaven with the Lord.  

It was really amazing and thought provoking. It was wonderful because it felt right; it felt like something that Jesus would have done. But it was thought provoking because it forced me to ask myself why I have never done that before. I wondered why I don’t just sit and listen to people and hear their stories more often. I know that life gets busy, and there are ten million things to do, but it’s incredible what can happen when we let ourselves stop. We realize we do have time to listen, to talk, and to share…even with complete strangers.

Also, on Monday morning I went to Tea and Toast again, which in an outreach to the Paisley community for those looking to chat and share a cup of tea. Daniel (I mentioned him in my last note) was there again and remembered me. We got a chance to talk again, but he left early because he was going to meet with a doctor to help him get off Methadone. I learned from Pastor Wesley who heads the Tea and Toast program that doctors here put patients on Methadone to help them get off heroine, but the Methadone is just as addictive as heroine, so it’s really not a great option for those struggling with addictions. I ask that you join me in praying for Daniel that the Lord will free him from this addiction. He is such an interesting guy with an incredible testimony of the Lord’s grace in His life. He really wants to know and to seek after the Lord, but his addiction is such a struggle for him. Please be praying for him. I also got a chance to talk with several other people at Tea and Toast. I talked with a grandmother and grandson who came with their neighbor. She recently suffered a loss and had started coming to the church because she saw that her neighbor seemed to have a peace about her and wanted to experience that peace as well.

It’s been wonderful just to get to sit down people in Paisley and share with them about God and the things that He’s doing in Paisley. I also got to invite some of the people I had been talking with at Tea and Toast to the Father’s Table, and two of the guys showed up. It was really great because they came and found me when we were eating and wanted to say hello.  It was a real blessing because I feel like I have started building relationships with some of the people in Paisley. Very exciting as I see what God has does!

In other news, I had a really once-in-a-lifetime opportunity this weekend. Some friends here were trying to complete The Three Peak Challenge, which is to climb the three highest peaks in Scotland, England, and Wales in 24-hours to raise money for Cherish Uganda, a mission in Uganda set up to make a difference to more than 100,000 orphaned children who were HIV+. The group has made their goal to transform the very communities that these children live in by applying the principles of HOPE (Health, Love, Prosperity and Education) to create a future of promise for them. 

I had the opportunity to go with them and a dozen others on a rickety bus on one-lane roads, but I was secure in God’s love as He allowed me to see more of His breathtaking world and push myself in ways I never have. It was so much fun but really demanding. I had a little knee trouble and some blisters, but it was such an inspiring experience! My friends successfully completed the challenge and were able to raise a good deal of money for the charity. Check out Cherish Uganda here: http://www.christiangrowthinternational.org/Groups/73168/Christian_Growth_International/Churches/Cherish_Uganda/Cherish_Uganda.aspx

The rest of this week is devoted to preparing for CREATE on Friday night. CREATE is an open mic/creative expression night for young people in Paisley. Right now there are over 1,000 young people confirmed on Facebook! It’s so crazy! The Lord is doing such awesome things through CREATE. When I was here last year, there were only 100-200 kids coming. It’s amazing how much it was grown in a year and just all the incredible ways the Lord is using that event to minister the youth. It’s really humbling to have the opportunity to encourage them and spend time listening to them share their gifts and talents in a safe environment. There aren’t a lot of creative outlets for young people in Paisley, so this CREATE event fills a real need and is very appreciated by the youth.

Something I have loved about Stanley House is that the rhythm of life here is slow. We get things done, but we make time to sit and talk with one another. Twice a day we take a break and call it FIKA--basically, morning and afternoon tea. We sit down, usually with some treats, and talk about the day. We take the time to enjoy one another’s company and to learn from one another.

I’ve been really challenged by the fact that the friends I am staying with aren’t just missionaries in Paisley. They’ve really made themselves at home here and have truly become citizens of Paisley. This is their life, and they are trying to figure out what it means to live for Jesus every day. There isn’t some special missionary formula. It’s taking our lives one day at a time and giving them up to the Lord--serving, loving, and working in a way that glorifies Him. Jesus is truly at work through them, and it’s been so encouraging to watch how they live and love for Jesus and how this life and love shapes the way they love and build relationships with others.  Their hearts are so beautiful, and I have been encouraged and challenged by each of them every day.

I know it got a bit long this week, but my heart is just so full. God has given me such a love for the people of Paisley and Scotland. God is doing some really amazing things here, and I feel so blessed to be a part of it. Thanks so much for your continued support and prayers. Let me know if you have questions. If you’re interested in learning more about YWAM Paisley or any of the programs/events I’ve talked about, you can check out their webpage at www.ywampaisley.org.  Blessings, friends! Until next time. 

          

        

Settled. Week 3.

Hi all! So I meant to post this last Wednesday, but then somehow forgot. I am sorry this update is a week late. You should have another one in a couple days.  As your reading this just pretend it's last Wednesday. :-) 

This past week has been so amazing. It’s crazy I have already been in Scotland for two and a half weeks. Time is going by so fast, but I feel truly settled at Stanley House now. I spent the past week really trying to figure out the different things I wanted to be apart of and help with while I am here in Paisley.

On Monday mornings, I will be heading into Paisley to help out with an outreach called Tea and Toast. It’s put on by the Nazarene church in Paisley and basically is a drop-in for people to come have tea and toast. I had a chance to participate last year when I was in Paisley and really wanted to help again. It was really wonderful. The walk to town is about a mile or so but I feel like I know my way around Paisley enough now that I had no trouble finding the church. I was able to meet a couple people while I was there.

The guy I talked to the most name was Daniel. He was really interesting guy. He’s a new Christian but is still struggling with an addiction to methadone.  Pastor Wesley, the Nazarene pastor has been talking with Daniel for a while about going to rehab.  When I arrived Pastor Wesley and Daniel were talking and I joined them. Daniel was talking about his younger brother who had died the week before of a drug overdose.  He seemed to be having a pretty difficult time dealing with it, but he really open with us about it. I talked with Daniel for over an hour and it was amazing just to hear his story and the things that he was dealing with.

I also had a chance to meet a few other people. One girl, Natalie, is getting married on Saturday and then I met some other ladies who work with the church. It was such a great experience It is something I plan to do weekly while I am in Paisley.

A lot of the other things I will be helping out with while in Paisley are currently in the planning stages. In two Saturdays we will be hosting a neighborhood BBQ  here at Stanley House and I am making a video to help share with the neighbors a little more about what YWAM is all about.

I also helped make a promo video for a weeklong event here at Stanley called Create Change. It is kind of like a week long summer camp for 16-18 year-olds in Paisley. They come and live at Stanley House for a week during July. The theme this year is justice. The kids who will come are from all different backgrounds so it will be really awesome to have about fifteen to twenty teenagers living here for a week. We will definitely have a full house. The video I helped make to promote Create Change is attached. It’s pretty fun and you can get a little tour of the inside of Stanley House. Here the video: 

I have been cooking and baking a lot as well. The DTS (Discipleship Training School) came back from their week-long trek on Monday night so while they were gone there was a lot more help needed in the kitchen.  Cooking meals for 20+ people is a pretty huge undertaking but it’s been fun to learn.

Lastly, this past weekend I spent Friday night and Saturday in Edinburgh. The Fringe Festival which happens in August is a huge musical festival that takes over Edinburgh for three weeks. YWAM has an outreached called Shine that they do during the Fringe Festival. Some of the members from the base are on a planning committee for Shine and they had a meeting in Edinburgh on Saturday so I tagged along. It was fun to get to listen and help them plan Shine even though I will be gone by the time it starts. It’s going to be really awesome. 

Okay…whew! So much is going on constantly but I love it. Paisley is such a great, little city and I feel so blessed to be here. Thanks for your prayers and support. Talk to you soon.

YWAM Words explained: 

DTS: Discipleship Training School: A six-month school for students of all ages to come and learn more about Jesus and what it means to be a disciple. 

Create: A open mic night in Paisley that YWAM helps put on for the young people. I came last year when it was just 100-200 people over the last year it has grown to be almost 500-600 young people. It's pretty amazing. 

Getting Oriented.

Wow! This past week has been so wonderful and so busy. It feels wonderful to be back in Scotland, to be back in Paisley. I didn't really have too much of a problem with jet lag, which was such a blessing. Really I feel as though no time has passed, and I really never left. The friendships that I started building a year ago seem to have only strengthened and grown with time. I also have been able to form some new friendship as well which has been really great. Stanley House feels like home, and I am so happy that I get to live here in this community for the next six weeks. Mostly this past week has been spent getting acclimated and reoriented into the ins and outs of Stanley House. With over 20 people living in one house, there are so many things that go into helping it run properly.   I feel like I was able to transition really well. 

So far, I have been able to help with some cooking, cleaning, yard work, and the like.  It's been really neat because I feel like I have had a lot of time just to be with God and kind of get my heart and mind focused on the next weeks as I'm here in Paisley. The Lord has been continuing to teach me that through Him all the dreams and goals that He has given me are possible. I really have just enjoyed having time to sit in the stillness with God and really reflect on this past year and where the Lord taken me and the things He is still developing within me. 

It's really peaceful here in a way I'm not sure I could describe. In those still, quiet moments I have been praying that Lord would show me ways I can serve here and even just praying that the Lord would develop in me a spirit that is attuned to His... a spirit that always feels as at peace and as calm as I feel here. 

This past weekend was packed full of events. On Friday after cleaning and doing yard work, I went to my first Scottish Ceilidh dance, a traditional Gaelic social gathering that involves lots of dancing. It was so much fun! It was held at one of the local churches to raise money for their mission trip to Romania next month. Traditional Scottish dancing reminds me a lot of country square/line dancing. It was just a great night to be out in community and was a great chance to meet different people from the Paisley community.

On Saturday I traveled to West Kilbride to YWAM Seamill for YWAM Scotland Day. It's a time where all the YWAMers in Scotland come together to share stories, hang out, and encourage one another. It was really neat to be part of it. The YWAM Seamill house is beautiful, and it's right near the beach, so we got a chance to go walk down by the water. The day was so great, and I feel I got a chance to learn a little bit more about YWAM while meeting a lot of really interesting people. Then Sunday I went to church at the Christian Growth Centre, which I really love. It’s the church I attended while I was in Scotland last summer and going back feels right; I already feel so welcomed there. Also, Sunday afternoon we had a birthday celebration for two of the YWAMers here. Then finally Sunday night we had Caedmon's Eve, which is essentially just a night for people in community to share different talents whether they are musical, poetry, storytelling, etc. It was held at coffee shop in Paisley called the Grumpy Monkey; this was the first time they had this event down in town as opposed to at Stanley House. It was really neat, and I got to share song on the piano, an instrument I have been the process of teaching myself this past year.

I love every minute of my time here.  I know this is where God wanted me, and so appreciate your support of me. I posted some more pictures below.  Know how much your prayers and your support are appreciated. I'll hopefully post again in a couple days and keep y'all updated on life here in Paisley.

p.s. Please pray for sun! It's been so rainy lately! :-)  

If you would like to see pictures click here. Eventually they will be posted in the blog but I am having trouble with the uploader today. 

Delayed

I also wrote this in Hartsfield International Airport on June 12 while waiting for my flight. Scroll down to see part 1.

Well...two updates back to back I guess...although this one will be much shorter than the first. Shortly, before I was set to board the plane, I was told that the plane would be delayed indefinitely due to mechanical error. Not exactly the news you want to hear before you step on to a plane. My first instinct when I heard this news was to panic. I've never had a flight delayed before, so I wasn't exactly sure how this was going to change my plans for the day. So as the news sunk in, I looked back down at my computer screen. Hadn't I just written the Lord was faithful and His plans good? Yes. So why I was I worried? The Lord had taken care of every detail of my trip. I could trust Him to get me the rest of the way. 
It was amazing that what started as such an inconvenience turned into a blessing in disguise. All day I had been running around finishing last minute details that I hadn't really had a chance to just sit with the Lord. So I sat there praying for my flight, and the peace I had been lacking all day settled over me. Jesus had taken this "set back" in my plan to refocus me and remind me that I can't go at this alone. I need Him. Without Jesus, I'm a mess. 
Oh, the Lord is good. 

Thoughts from Hartsfield.

I originally wrote this in Hartsfield International airport on June 12, but because I was without Internet was unable to post it until today. :-)

This is it. My bags are checked, my ticket printed, my heart ready. I can't believe after months of praying and waiting that it's finally time for me to go. It's strange to be sitting in the moment you have been anticipating for months. I keep thinking over and over...this is really happening...I'm really going. It feels wonderfully surreal. 

If you couldn't tell, I am so excited to be going back to Scotland. It's amazing that a place I only spent two weeks visiting last May could truly capture my heart. Paisley is probably one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen, and I still can't believe I get to live there for the next seven weeks. 

Getting to this moment has been quite the journey. Over the last six months, I feel as though I've been challenged and stretched in new ways. I was thinking earlier today as in the car the things the Lord has taught me: 

1st--The Lord is always faithful. This trip has come together in ways I never imagined possible. The Lord took care of every little detail. It was challenging to constantly be in need of giving up this trip and my plans to Him and allowing the Lord to be my guide.

2nd --The Lord always provides. Abundantly.

3rd-- I was challenged to pray constantly.  There were so many details of this trip that were out of my control, and the only thing I physically could do myself was pray. Jesus was faithful to answer every one of those prayers. In His time frame, of course, not mine. 

4th—Love sends. Recently, the Lord has been teaching me that love doesn't stay within itself  just like the Father’s love for us compelled Him to send Jesus so that we could be reconciled to Him. Love compels us to move and to take action. Love cannot be contained, it overflows.  Yesterday one of my best friends got married. It was beautiful. After the ceremony, the wedding party got a chance to celebrate with the bride and groom on our own. The guy who played music during the ceremony started playing worship music; we danced, laughed, and sang along. The joy of the Lord was truly present in that moment. The love of our friends, for one another had poured out onto ,nd we couldn't help but respond. It was such a beautiful moment. I truly felt like the Lord was there with us just as delighted as we were. It was amazing. Love sends, move, and overflows. Just like my friends can't wait to share with everyone the news that they are married and share their joy with others. so must we be with the love and joy of Christ. 

My prayer for Scotland is to love others well. To allow the love of Christ in me to overflow onto those that I meet in Paisley. My hope is that others see and experience the abundance of Jesus’ love through the glimpse that they see in me.

Well...here I go. The plane will board shortly. I don't know what's in store for the next seven weeks but I know the Lord is faithful and His plans are good. I'll keep you posted on the rest. 

Visa!

I received my UK visa in the mail yesterday so I'm cleared to enter the country! I was so impressed by how quick and easy the process was. It is such a relief to have that out of the way. In other news I have raised more support. I only need $250 more dollars before I have all my living expenses paid for. The Lord is so good. He has taught me so much through this journey of raising support. It has been such a blessing. He is so good to me and His faithfulness continues to wow me.

Only 2 1/2 more weeks until I leave for Scotland!! Woo hoo!

Raising Support

I currently am in the process of raising support for my trip if you would like to contribute there are two ways to do so.

If you need a tax receipt, then please visit www.missionbuilders.org. Click on donate then sender's fund. Specific volunteer is Tricia Price.

If you don't need a tax-receipt, then you can mail a check to me at
195B South Hampton Pointe
Athens, GA 30606

Thank you!!!