AYE! What a busy week this has been. I am getting myself in order so I can travel next week and it seems that there is never enough time in the day for everything that must get done. Yet in my moments of working on the various projects I am able to hear the small voice of the Lord speak to me. Like raking the mango leaves!!! How does that work in December you might ask. It seems to be the fall time for mango leaves. BUT I just got a cool picture of how there are sometimes things in our lives that cover up who we really are. We allow ourselves hide under things that cover up our true character. We have to allow God the space to come in and uncover that area, in this case rake away the leaves so I could see the clean ground. It is all about finding our identity in Him and not allowing anything else but Him define who we are. In our men's bible study we have been studying the book of James. It is an incredible book, that really lays out how someone must live their life. It is all about finding Joy in the hard times life brings us because it is in those moments that our true character is revealed. How we respond to the hard times. Then it talks about controlling your tongue. Being slow to speak and quick to listen. Tonight we studied about not judging. It was really cool as we dissected this chapter 4 things were opened up to me. It talks about loving your neighbor in a round about way and how when we judge we aren't loving. It is up to us to love and nothing else. It is sometimes easy to love our neighbor but other times it is the hardest to love those who are close to us. Those people we see everyday, possibly live with, work with. It is imperative that we love everyone and show God's heart to each and every person. Each person has value, their value no matter what they think it is, IS HIGH in the sight of God. When we can begin to see the value of people it will become natural for us to love. It is all about having the heart of the Father. This week this has been on my heart. To take advantage of loving those around me. Seeing them the way God would see them and making them feel valued. Be aware of the moments the Lord gives you to show love to someone and SHOW IT!

Well, once again I think I may have something good to write. This has been quite a busy week, Thanksgiving was awesome! I started out by helping at an outreach my church put together cooking thanksgiving meals and delivering plates to families and individuals. It was awesome we had so much food that we made and delivered close to 700 plates!! STILL HAD FOOD LEFT OVER TO DONATE TO OTHER MINISTRY PLACES!! Then I went to a friends house and had lunch with a bunch of people had 2 plates of amazing food, rested and then went to another family's home for Dinner!! What an awesome day! Something that God has really been showing me over this last week is the importance of serving people. I know that I am a missionary and it is expected of me to want to serve and I do, I LOVE IT. Though this week He has given me MANY opportunities to build relationships and I have enjoyed every one of them. I helped do some work on a house on Saturday, Sunday I just got to hang out with friends and fellowship. LIFE IS ALL ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS and I have seen the value in that these last few days. I have had my own agenda for my days and I have constantly had to rearrange my day to meet the needs of others and it is SO GREAT! To have the opportunity to take time and invest my time and energy into helping someone else is awesome. 2 of my friends moved off island this week and it was awesome to just be able to be available for them in their time of need. To take my time and get boxes for them, help them pack and then today to take and finalize all the paperwork for their stuff that is being shipped back to the states. If I hadn't made myself available to them they probably wouldn't have gotten all their stuff done. It is just a matter of not being concerned about my project list for the day and taking time to invest in people. To serve and meet the needs of anyone I can. I feel so privileged when I have someone call me and ask if I can help them, or when I can offer advice and speak truth into lives. I love it!! I know that every opportunity I get is given to me by God and I don't want to disappoint him in anything. I will take time no matter how long it takes to accomplish his purpose. Never overlook an opportunity to love someone. Smile at the people passing by me and starting conversation with ones I can. It is a matter of just being available to be used by God. You never know what you can offer someone. I have constantly had this phrase in my head KINGDOM BUSINESS! That is what I am about, I am an INVESTOR in KINGDOM BUSINESS. Investing into the lives of people!! I LOVE IT!!

And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. Titus 2:7