GenSend Week 1: Phoenix Orientation

Wednesday morning as I entered the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport, I was overcome with fear, doubt, and anxiousness. I questioned if I was doing the right thing and if I could actually do this “traveling by myself” thing. However, in my moments of doubt I thought back to a mission trip I went on in March. I had a lot of fear about that trip also, so much so that the night before I left for the trip I almost drove home instead. But that trip was honestly life changing for me. It was where I began feeling a strong calling for missions and also where I found out about the GenSend program and began my application. Had I let my fears hold me back, the doors that are opened for me now, the things I have learned, and the growth I have experienced would not have happened. 1 Peter 5:8 tells us that the devil is a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. The enemy knows the goodness that lies ahead of you, and he tries to hit you where it hurts to stop you from chasing after God’s plans for you. I knew that all this uncertainty and fear was just a sign that God was about to do something big, and the devil just couldn’t stand it. So with that thought in my heart and mind, I walked to my gate and prepared myself for the incredible adventure the Lord was about to take me on.

 God also taught me a lot about perspective during the flight. It is crazy to me that standing on the ground looking up, the clouds seem to be as far as the sky goes. However, when you fly, you realize there is so much more beyond the clouds. You just can’t see it because you aren’t in the proper position to see it. I think that is kind of a metaphor for our fears. When we are standing low and looking at our fears and situations that look so much bigger than us, it is hard to see that there is more beyond them. However, when you take your stance upon the solid rock, and look above to God and learn to see things from His perspective, you realize just how small these things you are anxious about really are and it changes things.

Side note, my sister made me a playlist of her favorite Christian music to listen to on the plane, and she absolutely killed it. Shoutout to you, sis!

When I finally arrived in Phoenix, I was met with many smiling and welcoming faces. Within minutes, my fears and anxieties were gone. I could not have hand-picked my team any better. They are some of the most godly people I have ever met and we are a perfect balance of humor, encouragement, and talent. Oh my gosh, talent!!!!! My team is so so talented. I could go on and on but I won’t for now. Just stay tuned to my Snapchat stories. I am sure you will see plenty there. ;) In no time, the people who were strangers days before turned to family. The unity and bond we experienced was something that only comes through a common love for Christ and the desire to make His kingdom known. We are family because of the cross.

Night by night, our worship sessions got better and better. One night as we were singing, I noticed myself subconsciously dancing. Not like for real dancing, but just a little bouncing and rocking if you get me. I recalled a time where I was challenged to “dance” in the river of God’s mercy and grace, and from that let my worship overflow. I started praying, and just trying to figure out why I had not come back to that “river” where my worship overflowed. God spoke to me and said, “it’s because you don’t like it in the river.” Like what does that even mean? I love to worship. But He kept going, “The river is challenging. It pulls you in and it is constantly moving and taking you places and you don’t like that.” And that hit me. I think sometimes I come to the river and I only put my feet in. I just worship a little bit and pray a little bit and I don’t dare to get in all the way, because I know it will draw me in and take me places. The shore is comfortable, but the river will get me somewhere. I don’t want to be so afraid of what God may ask of me, that I fail to go in deeper with Him. I want to get all the way in.

That night, we looked at the passage in Matthew 14 where Peter gets out of the boat and walks on water towards Jesus. Most of the time, we look at this passage and only see that Peter got out of the boat, took his eyes off of Jesus, and then began to sink. However, this time we looked at it a little differently. At least Peter stepped out of the boat. What about the guys that stayed in the boat? What kept them there? We were asked this question, “What is keeping you in your boat? What is preventing you from stepping out and walking towards Jesus?” Matthew 6:21 tells us that where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. I do not want to store up so much treasure in my “boat” that it keeps me there. The cross before me, the world behind me. I want to step out and fix my eyes on my Savior’s precious face and walk to Him and with Him daily and never look back. I may fail, but at least I had the courage and faith to step out.

One last thing I learned was that worship has a way of drawing people in. On our next to last night in Phoenix, a handful of people gathered in the stairwell and began singing together. Little by little, people kept coming in and joining. Before we knew it, we had been there for hours and never once grew tired of singing praises to our wonderful and merciful Savior. On another occasion, my group just began singing old hymns at dinner. People kept dropping by our table to listen, and at one point we had an older man standing at our table sobbing. He said to us, “that’s the most beautiful sermon I have heard in a while.” I sometimes get so caught up in making things sound good, and taking time to plan perfect details and forget that worship doesn’t have to get so complex. We can gather with a guitar in a stairwell or just use our voices at the dinner table. God can take those situations, draw people to Himself, and do big things from a small effort.

My time in Phoenix for orientation was amazing. I learned so much and I am so incredibly excited to see how God uses my team these next six weeks in New York!! Please keep us in your prayers as we serve 3 neighborhoods in Brooklyn. Let’s do this!!!

10 Things You Didn't Know You Need For Your Dorm

When you are preparing to head off to college, all the essentials come to mind. At least you think they all do. I could not have survived my freshman year without the help of these 10 simple things that I had no idea I needed!

1. A Rolling Laundry Cart

Let's face it, we all let our laundry pile up way too high before we finally head to the washing machine. Carrying that heavy clothes basket down the hall to the laundry room or to your car to take home to mom is no fun. After dropping my laundry basket in the parking lot and having my underwear handed back to me by a kind stranger (embarrassing), I bought a rolling laundry cart and my life instantly became so much easier. You can find this one on Amazon!

2. A Stand Up Lamp

My dorm bed was super tall and I did not have a nightstand to put a small lamp on. Rather than having to walk across my room in the dark, I bought a tall lamp to stand beside my bed. It was the perfect height and I could easily reach the switch while laying in bed!

3. A portable charger

Possibly one of the more obvious ones. (And not necessarily just for people living in a dorm.) Nobody likes being half way through the day and your phone dying. While some classrooms may allow you access to a plug, others don't. It is always nice to have a backup!

4. A bed caddy

As mentioned earlier, dorm beds tend to be super high and if you end up like me, not having a nightstand, this will save your life. I attached mine to the side of my bed and stored my TV remote, my charger, any book I might be reading, and at night I would slide my phone into it. It was always so nice to reach into the pocket rather than having to get down from the bed and place things on my desk or pick them up off the floor.

5. A Mini Crock Pot (Or Regular Size)

I had no idea how cheap mini crockpots were until I came to college. I bought mine at Target for less than $15! It is so easy to throw things into a crock pot and come back after class to a nice meal or snack. This is perfect for those days you are tired of eating ramen noodles and cafeteria food or if you are just really craving buffalo chicken dip.

6. A Hand Held Steamer

Ok, so honestly most of the time college kids just wear wrinkly clothes. But there are days when you have a presentation, you are going to church, or maybe you are going out for the night with your friends and you just want to look nice. Ironing requires too much time and effort. Just add water to your steamer and the wrinkles will be out in 5 minutes or less! (It also takes up way less space which is a huge plus in a crowded dorm room!)

7. A Laptop Desk

Let's face it, we have all saved an assignment for the last minute at least once. Nobody likes sitting at their desk until 3 in the morning working on a paper, but sitting in bed just won't cut it when there is nowhere to put your laptop. I loved being able to sit in my comfy bed and still have my laptop propped up and secure. I got a super cheap one from Ikea and it works just as good!

8. A Reading Pillow

Speaking of doing homework in bed, my reading pillow (I am honestly not even sure that is the proper term for it) was a huge life saver. It was soft and comfortable but firm enough for me to lean against and not feel like I was falling over. Perfect for homework!

9. A Storage Cube

By now you are probably tired of reading it; dorm beds are tall! I bought a storage cube and used it as a stool to get on my bed. (Much easier than when I used to take a running start.) It also doubles as an extra storage space which you will very much appreciate!

10. A Robe

I promise you will get tired of carrying all your clothes to the shower. However, nothing is more awkward than walking out of the bathroom in a towel to discover your roommate has invited friends over. My robe was also perfect for chilly mornings!

Here I Am, Send Me

Back in February, I started a 40 day prayer challenge called "Draw the Circle." This challenge was based on the idea of both physically and spiritually circling things in prayer. Physically getting up and walking around things/places the Lord has promised and spoken to you about, and spiritually praying around things the Lord places on your heart. Even when you seem to have already gotten answers to prayers, continuously praying through them in thankfulness. This idea was based upon Joshua and the wall of Jericho and how the Lord told him to walk around the wall and that on the 7th day it would come down. I was challenged to identify my Jericho and continuously pray circles around it until God showed me exactly where he was taking me.

At the beginning of this challenge, I drew a blank over my life. Everything was in the air for me. I didn't know if I would continue college at Troy, what my major would be, I didn't even know if I was going to stay in college at all. (I was just being very dramatic one day, but I really did consider dropping out. Dumb, I know.) However, this erased every expectation I had of what my life would look like and helped me to focus completely on the Lord and finding "My Place in His purpose." My place in His purpose was the theme of a missions conference I attended towards the end of February. At this conference, I was so challenged as I heard from person after person how they laid down every expectation they had for themselves and leveraged their whole lives for the sake of the gospel. I was hoping this conference would show me exactly what I was supposed to do in the coming months, but instead I left feeling a bit more confused. However, a friend of mine reminded me that the Jesus is not the author of confusion. All this inside my head was just me trying to figure things out for myself rather than surrendering completely to the will of God.

In the coming weeks, I began praying a new prayer. "Lord, let every decision that I make come from Your heart and not my head." I make a lot of plans in my head that seem so good and time after time my plans fail. I made plans to leave Troy and attend school at UAB. It made perfect sense to me, being that I want to eventually work at children's hospital. I convinced myself that Troy just didn't make sense. To be honest, I was praying for a way out and UAB seemed to be that way. I just kept praying and praying for this move and praying my new prayer and convincing myself that this was from God's heart. And then God starting shutting doors. Actually, He wasn't just shutting them; He was slamming them. It became clear to me that moving just wasn't going to work. So again, I changed my prayer. "Lord, all I want is peace. Whatever that looks like, whatever that is, just give me peace." As soon as I quit praying for a change of circumstance and started praying for a change of heart, the Lord gave me just that. I could no longer feel peace about leaving, and each day I fell more and more in love with Troy University and the people in it. Every time I would come to a place where I didn't think I could do it, God would remind me that I cant, but He can. The things he did for me that week were nothing short of miraculous. With that, my first circle was complete. So I started praying about a calling to missions I had been feeling so strongly. I could feel the Lord calling me to missions, but I thought it was still far in my future. However, I began to feel a sense of urgency. Not too long after, I heard about my youth group's annual missions trip and to me, that was it.

Fast forward a couple weeks. I spent my spring break with a group of 14 of the strongest, most encouraging and godly people I have ever met doing Disaster Relief missions with the North American Mission Board (NAMB). Every night, as our day came to a close, we would head over to the sanctuary and meet with all the other groups who had come to serve. We would spend about an hour each night worshipping together and hearing a message from a local pastor. On the next to last night a man came forward to speak to us about opportunities coming up to serve with NAMB over the summer. Personally, I already had my summer all planned out. I was going to work at the YMCA, attend the annual mission trip with my youth group, and in the days in between I would be relaxing by the pool. I tried to let his words go in one ear and out the other, but somewhere in between my thick skull his words got stuck. As the pastor came forward to speak, I felt the Lord speaking to me so clearly. "You made those plans. I want you to listen."

I began to listen to the pastor and each and every word drew me in closer and closer. That night he was preaching from Mark 5 where Jesus healed a demon possessed and cast his demons into a herd of  pigs. When Jesus was leaving, the man begged Jesus to go with him. But Jesus did not let him! At first, it may not make sense to us for Jesus to say no. It seems that if Jesus had healed some one and they were eager to follow Him, He would let them come with Him. Instead, he said, "Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." (v. 19) The pastor went on to explain that sometimes what seemingly makes sense to us is not always what the Lord has planned for us. Sometimes He wants us to stay, and sometimes He wants us to go. The pastor challenged us just to put our "yes" on the table and to be faithful to respond to God's calling, wherever that may be. 

That night I went back to the building I was staying in and grabbed my Bible and my prayer challenge book. As I began to read the devotional for the day, everything fell right in line with the sermon the pastor had preached to us only a short time before. At this point, I knew without a doubt that the Lord was calling me to summer missions, and I began to make up every excuse in the book why I couldn't go. Some were silly like, "but God, I can hardly fit all my stuff for a week into my suitcase, how am I supposed to pack for 7 weeks?" to which I felt the Lord respond, "I fed 5000 people with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish...surely I can pack your suitcase." That excuse didn't work, so I moved on to more serious excuses like, "God, there is no way I can be away from home for 7 weeks..that's a long time." and I felt Him respond, "surely I will be with you and be your peace." After many more excuses and the Lord's response to each, I let go of all my fears and all my plans and surrendered to God's will. I quickly learned that God is not looking for someone who has it all together, is fearless about being sent, and knows how to pack a suitcase. He is just looking for people who are willing to serve Him no matter the cost. As I went back and read through my prayer challenge book and my notes, I could see God's hand in it all and how He had been preparing me for a long time.

Just 2 short weeks after attending the mission trip and feeling the Lord's calling, my application has already been approved and I got a phone call informing me that I had received my placement. I am so humbled and excited to announce that I will be working with the NAMB this summer as a student missionary in New York! I ask that you would please pray for me to completely trust in the Lord and that His peace would cover me as I prepare.

-Amy

Prayer As Told By A Seed

The trees in your yard were once a tiny seed. The apple you ate this morning came from a seed. The 20 feet wide and 300 feet tall sequoia trees in Yosemite National Park could once be held in your hand as you guessed it, a seed. I find it amazing that these tiny things that we can fit in our palms have the potential to become something so large that it's unfathomable to our small minds. In some cases, such as the mustard seed, seeds can contain all the nutrients you need to survive; vitamins B1, B6, C, E, and K! It also has calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorous, potassium, selenium, and zinc. All that packed into the tiniest seed known to man.

So how exactly do our prayers compare to a seed? Sometimes we may see our prayers as irrelevant. Most people when they are eating fruit, when they come to seeds they spit them out and throw them in the trash. I think sometimes we tend to do that with our prayers. We spit them out to God, and then throw them away in our minds. We may pray for something that we do not really think will happen, and then instead of acting on it prayer, we forget about it and never think about it again. But what would happen if we took the seed, planted it, and watered it with continuous prayer in belief that something would come of it? If we planted the seeds from our fruit and watered them, wouldn't we see more fruit grow from it? You never know what might grow from the tiniest prayer that you pray. It could have an impact on many people for generations to come.

Let me tell you a story. This weekend I went to a missions conference in Montgomery. It was an amazing opportunity to find out "My Place In His Purpose" and to speak with many missionaries. In one of the breakout sessions I attended, a sweet lady that spent 33 years as a missionary in Africa told me this story. A couple was praying and the Lord burdened them for a specific people group in Africa. They began praying for these people and that they would come to know the Lord. Years later, their daughter was living in Africa and not only met this people group, but began working with them. This couple received a seed from the Lord, planted it, watered it with prayer, and years later their seed had sprouted into something beautiful, and their daughter brought people to know the Lord all because they acted in faith. And that is what faith is! It may not seem like much to us, but the Lord can take it and make it become something beyond what we could ever ask or imagine. As I read in a book called Draw The Circle, "A little faith goes a long way; in fact, a little faith will last an eternity.

One of the most important things I have learned from a seed is that it takes time. Nobody would ever expect to plant a seed and come back the next morning to see it developed to its fullest potential. So why do we expect that with our prayers? So often we want things to happen at the speed of light, and when they don't we assume nothing will come of them. But we have to understand that is what seeds do. They "disappear" and are planted below the surface of the ground. They seem like they are gone, but what we cannot see is that they are being germinated underneath the surface. Then in the proper time, after being watered (or in our case prayed for) they will no longer just be a seed of potential, but they will rise up and become something packed with such beauty. Maybe it seems like nothing has happened with your prayers, but be patient! They are just being germinated!

So here is one last piece of advice from Draw The Circle:

We need the patience of the planter.
We need the foresight of the farmer.
We need the mindset of the sower.

"Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move."-Matthew 17:20

Different Is Not Wrong

Don't ever let anyone tell you you're wrong because you don't live life how "everyone else" does. Ever!

Here's a quick story:

My family moved the summer before I started first grade. The day before my first day, I learned how to tie my shoes. When I got into class, I sat down on the rug with the rest of the kids and noticed my shoe was untied so I reached down to tie it. The way I did it was honestly very unconventional, but it didn't matter to me. Then a boy in my class looked at me and fussed at me because "I didn't do it right." Why did it matter? My shoe was still tied right?

Although that was 12 years ago, (wow that's crazy) I feel like that story is a perfect example of the world we are living in today. Our society has made us believe that we must be wrong just because we aren't functioning like everyone else.

I've always been a little different. I'm the girl who drives 2 1/2 hours home from college every weekend just to be with her family. I'm the girl who would rather go to bed than go to the party. I'm the girl who would rather spend her Saturday nights watching movies at home with her friends than going out. Heck, I'm even the girl who likes the mountains more than the beach. Weird, right? But the hardest thing for me through all of this is to know that it's ok. Just because I don't fit into the mold society says I should doesn't mean there is something wrong with me.

You like high school better than college? That's ok.
You want to hangout with your parents while everyone else goes out? Cool.
You want to wear sweatpants out when all of your friends dress up? You go!

You are more than society's idea of "right." You're different and that is perfectly ok. I'm thankful that the Lord has made us all different with different interests, styles, and quirks that make us unique. How boring would this world be if we were all the same? Just because you're different doesn't mean you're broken. And it sure doesn't mean you're wrong. You're just you. The wonderfully unique person the Lord made you to be.

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well." - Psalm 139:13-14

To The Parents I Took For Granted

   Two months ago I moved two and a half hours away from my hometown and my parents to start college. Since being gone, I have learned so much from being on my own. For the first time I have had to pay for my own food, gas, and necessities, done my dishes, taken out the garbage, and more. I have learned to be a responsible and independent individual and made sure to keep my priorities in line. However, the biggest thing I have learned so far is that in my 18 years living with my parents, I definitely took them for granted.

   Mom and Dad, let me start by saying I am sorry. I am sorry for failing to tell you how awesome you are. I am sorry for all the times I left my dirty dishes in the sink after you asked me to wash them a minimum of ten times. I am sorry for all the times I got annoyed with you for asking me to do something I did not want to do, for talking back when I disagreed with you, for not asking before I went somewhere, and for not spending time with you as often as I should have. I am sorry for all the times I may have disappointed you. I am sorry not giving you the whole world when that is actually what you deserve.

   Next, let me say thank you. Thank you for disciplining me when I was younger and for spanking me twice in a row after I informed you that the first time did not hurt. Thank you for raising me in a Christian home and teaching me to be a morally grounded young adult. I have seen so many people here who seem to have no sense of right and wrong and I owe it all to both of you that I have a level head on my shoulders. And also, thank you for never forcing me to follow Christ. I have seen too many people stray away from their faith when they got out on their own because they were tired of feeling like they were in bondage. Thank you for giving me the freedom to choose to love God on my own and experiencing Him for myself. Thank you for showing me the importance of prioritizing academics so that I could be successful in life. Thank you for providing me with everything I needed and so much that I wanted. Thank you for showing me how to love like Jesus.

   I miss having your shoulders to cry on, your listening ears to vent to (in person anyway), and your arms to hold me tight, but I am so thankful that God chose you two to be my parents. I am who I am because of the two of you. I know I did not cover anywhere close to all the things I should tell you I am sorry for and thankful for, but I just want to let you know that you did an excellent job raising two crazy children, and we will forever be grateful for every moment.

Love Always,
Your Little Girl

Life Lessons From a New Environment

   I have now officially been in college a month, so I am constantly being swarmed with questions like, "so, how's it going?" "do you like it?" "is it stressful?" etc. My typical reply is just to say, "you know, it's college." However, there is so much more behind the past month than I have ever offered to anyone. Do I absolutely love college? Honestly, not yet, but I am getting there. But I do love what I have been learning and the spiritual growth I have been experiencing. Here's a few things that I have learned in my short time here than can be applied to not only the life of a college student, but to anyone in any situation.
 
1. It is OKAY to feel lonely sometimes.

• And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. -Matthew 28:20

 
   To be fair and honest, this is not something that has come easily to me, but I have learned to accept it. Coming from a small town, I have honestly never felt completely lonely. There was always someone to talk to, and always someone who cared enough to check on you. College can be very different. Moving away from home can be scarier than you expect, and in your first couple weeks the reality that you don't really know anyone definitely hits hard. But in your moments of loneliness, you can always see that God is there. I read a quote recently that said, "loneliness comes to us when we forget the fact that God is our supreme companion". Use these times to grow spiritually. Failing to spend time alone with God is absolutely detrimental to a Christian's walk. When you let God completely take over and truly become your main focus in life, beautiful things arise from what you see as nothing, and you will be filled with unfathomable joy.

2. Need a friend? Be a friend.

• As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. -Proverbs 27:17

   Notice how in my first point I said "sometimes". We all know that godly relationships are essential, so it is important to seek strong friendships. The fastest and easiest way to gain a new friend is to first be that friend. Introduce yourself, start a conversation, be friendly, invite them to have lunch with you. Everyone around you is in the same boat as far as meeting new people and being out of their comfort zones. You are not the only one who feels like an outcast, I can promise you that.

3. God can multiple your efforts.

• Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen! -Ephesians 3:20-21

   This has really been on my heart lately, and I have seen it from several different angles. On my second night on campus I decided to go to the Baptist Campus Ministry (BCM) building for "survival" which was basically a game night. It honestly took everything in me to go because I was going to have to go alone and I was not sure what to expect. As soon as I got there, I was greeted by so many kind people who genuinely cared for me and loved me. Through that one effort, God gave me some amazing friends, and we have honestly been inseparable since that night. Through the BCM, I have gotten to worship, fellowship, be encouraged by likeminded people, and I have been taught some great things by some incredible speakers. And all it took was that one time, stepping out in faith, and going somewhere I felt God was leading me. I have also seen this point to be true in my classes as well. There are some days where I just do not understand, and quite frankly I just want to give up. But I have found that when I keep pushing, keep studying, and pray fervently over my work, God blesses my efforts and gives me knowledge and understanding. That's not to say that if you study and pray, you will get excellent grades. However, I do absolutely believe that the Father blesses his children when they seek him in their circumstances.

4. God's hand is in every aspect of every day.

• You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. -Psalm 16:11

   This is something I have always been told, but quite honestly have just not payed attention to. Since I started college, every time I need something God has just absolutely provided for me in ways that are undeniably Him showing me his love, grace, and mercy. From big things like receiving a call that one of my scholarship forms was lost, and that I would be awarded an extra $500, all the way down to something as small as getting a front row parking spot when I had a lot of stuff to carry, God has provided for every single need. His love is so clear, and he communicates with his children in such special ways. Watch and listen.

5. It's hard to listen for the Shepherd if you don't know his voice. 

• My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. -John 10:27

   In a world and society that is filled with so many distractions, it is so easy to lose focus. There are always so many things shouting at you and trying to gain your attention. We must remember to ignore the things that can so easily be put before God, and listen to what he is trying to teach us. The more time we spend in prayer and in the scriptures, the more we get to know God and who he is. He speaks to us through his word, and there we get to know his voice. It's hard to seek out God's voice among all the others if you aren't used to hearing it and familiar with it. Scripture intake and quiet time in prayer are so important. They are more important than grades. They are more important than the party you want to go to. They are more more important than everything. Do not neglect them. Spend time with God, get to know him, and get to know his voice.

-Amy