Leaving Russia

Leaving Russia today! The past four weeks have been an amazing experience, cold, yes, but so rewarding and full of blessings! We have had the privilege of partnering with YWAM Moscow in feeding the homeless, cleaning a bomb shelter (used to store supplies for their ministries), evangelize on the streets, lead multiple Russian church services (which I had the honor of leading worship for), and covering the city with prayer. God is doing amazing things in this country and I can't wait to see the ministry grow and the Kingdom expand here.

Our next stop...Latvia! We leave for a 15hr train ride in a few hours-can't believe outreach is halfway over!

I have been praying the past few days and talking with God about the next month, asking what He has in store and He asked me to give up Social Media and most communication through technology. He is asking me to simply, spend more time with Him. It has been difficult to regularly have quiet time, read my bible, and spend time in worship because we are so busy, but when I get the chance I check out Instagram or Facebook. Not that these things are bad, because really I do enjoy my time on their, it's just that God is asking me to spend time with Him. So, the next 37 days I will not be on the internet and my communication will be small. I will be updating my blog and checking in with my family regularly but that's about it. I'm so excited to learn more and spend time with my Savior. 

Thank you so much to everyone who has been praying for me and keeping up with me. Please keep praying for our time in Latvia. My team and I are so excited to see what the Lord has in store.

I will be posting very soon about some of the stories from Russia-I can't wait to share!

Outreach has begun!

Outreach has begun! The first week our ministry began and instead of it being in Russia it started where I had been living for 3 months, Australia. My team, minus one of my leaders, left for Wollongong (about 5 hours by train from Newcastle) and stayed at the YWAM base there. We didn't necessarily have much ministry set up for us there so we prayed and asked God what He wanted us to do! 

The street that the Wollongong base is on is known for it's bad reputation of prostitution and being a bad area to live, so we did some prayer walks, it was amazing! We walked up and down these streets fighting over them, over the girls, the pimps, those addicted to alcohol, the store owners, and over a psychic store. As boring as that may sound, to "just pray" it was something that got me even more excited to be apart of the Kingdom of God. We also went to the Beach and talked to people as well prayed over some and we were able to bless the Wollongong base with words of encouragement. 

After those 4 days our second leader joined us and we went to Bondi Beach which is in Sydney, and stayed with one of our quarters outreach teams who was doing ministry there before hey left for Mexico. During our two day stay we took part in street and mall evangelism. 

While doing street evangelism I met a guy named Mario. Mario was from what I could tell homeless and a little bit confused. The leader from the Mexico team had actually told me earlier that day to look out for this guy and if I saw him to talk to him. He began our time wanting no part in the conversation and after one of my team members prayed he immediately began talking to us. He told us his name was "Anywhere" and that he was from Italy and Switzerland. As the conversation went on he opened up and he told us his real name, Mario. I could tell this guy longed for people not to think he is crazy just cause of how he looks, that he needed someone to just listen and want to get to know the real him, he simply needed to know that someone cared about Him. The two other girls and I got to pray for Mario and give him the New Testament, he was so excited and immediately began to read it as we left. 

During mall evangelism my friend Paige and had the opportunity to talk to another guy carrying a guitar, a musician from Ireland. I started by asking him if he knew where a guitar store was and from there we talked for an hour. He told  us about his music dreams and accomplishments so far, and as his face lit up at all we were talking about, he even took his guitar out and showed me his insane talent as well as let me play a little! Paige and I asked to pray for him at the end and he opens up about his struggle with alcohol and we got to tell him the beauty of Jesus what He does for us and what music does for us in broken times. He was so happy to talk and pray with us that he gave us all his info and a CD with his songs recorded on it. It was an amazing time I got to share with one of my teammates, I got to use my gift to talk to someone about Jesus and Paige got to use her story as a testimony to this guy!

After Australia, we were off to Russia! We made it safely and now as I type this I watch the snow fall on the already white covered ground getting ready to fight for this country. I'm excited to see what He is going to teach me in my time here and how He will use me to impact eternity.

I ask you to join me in prayer. To be completely honest, I don't like the cold at all, would much rather be in a hot place sweating, but this is where The Lord has called me to go, so He has something to show me here and I want to be fully attentive and excited to see it. Pray for my team, that we grow closer in unity and that we constantly listen to what The Lord wants us to do during our time here. 

Love you all, I'm thankful every day more and more for your support.

More updates about Russia to come!

Heading Out!

It has been quite the crazy preparation for outreach these past few weeks. We had some visa stuff to sort out, plans change, and lots of fundraising-but I can honestly say, the Lord has taught me so much.

My attitude began as a little annoyed when the plans changed and as they changed a little more…my attitude did as well.
On New Years eve 3 of the 5 outreach teams left to begin their adventures in other parts of the world. My team (Russia/Latvia), the Mexico team and two team members from the Argentina/Brazil outreach have stayed in Newcastle pushing for the rest of our finances. At first it was weird because the house felt so empty and then without confronting it at first I was allowing bitterness to creep in.
"Why was everyone else on outreach except my team?!" I kept asking the Lord. Until last night I was frustrated, I didn't have any desire to stay here and all I wanted to do was leave. God spoke through my leaders a few verses in 1 Thessalonians 5, much to do with honoring and supporting them as well as rejoicing in everything with my team mates…slap in the face, but a good one. After this session I spent time with Jesus and repented, I asked Him for a change in heart...and He gave me one! And today was awesome! I got to see the need of my teams finances drop from $7,000 to $3,500! God is so good. My dad was able to speak some life into me as well- "The Holy Spirit isn't waiting for me or my team in Russia, He is with me now, today. So, what will I do with the Holy Spirit today?" I needed a heart change, and I'm so thankful my Father is so patient with me and continues to work with my despite my attitude and faults.

So what's next? Tomorrow I am leaving for Wollongong, Australia. There, we will be on a YWAM base serving on the beach and doing street evangelism. We will be doing outreach there until January 10th, the day we pick up our visas and fly out to Russia.

My entire team is leaving tomorrow except for one of my leaders who will be here until the rest of the finances come in. Between her an my other leader they are in need of $3,500. If you feel led to support please go to the YWAM Newcastle website and click on donations where you can send money to the Russia/Latvia team!

Thank you to all who have supported myself and my team in prayer and finances. You have been such a big part of bringing us to where we are now and where we are going.

Blessings to all of you!

More week to week revelations from lecture phase to come and updates!

Outreach

…I'M GOING TO RUSSIA AND LATVIA FOR OUTREACH!

That feels so good to say!

After so much prayer and listening to what God wants, this is where He has led me, and I'm so excited to see what He has in store. 

We welcome your prayers for unity, safety, protection against the enemy, discernment, wisdom, and finances to come in. There are four teams within my DTS- Mexico, Argentina & Brazil, Australia & Nepal, and Russia & Latvia. Each one needs covering in prayer. God has so much in store for each team, Satan doesn't like that and as a team we need to resist his attacks, pray for the armor of God to protect us. Pray against fears, worries, and our families at home who may be worrying as well.

Thank you each who have been praying for me during this time, it's meant so much and has been very impactful!

Heaps of love!