So this week I was gonna say hasn't been all that interesting but then I realized we had a community outreach program where 10 churches came together and did a 4 hour presentation in a nearby amphitheatre. We had that place packed!! It was extremely powerful and SO AWESOME! Our Kings Kids did a dance and a drama and we were able to pray with some people! It was the beginning of a project we are working towards. We have created this group called "Light Weight" that we will be taking a part in and reaching the people where they are in their community. We feel that the island youth are our targets, we must catch them before they get sucked into the things of this world. St. Croix is hurting so badly. The kids are getting involved with Gang, violence, drugs, everything and we are determined to stop this. We will have the help of hopefully more churches but right now we're small. Some people are afraid to even enter some of the communities here so that is keeping them from moving with us. We understand that the people won't come to church so we'll bring church to them on their level. We'll use dramas, dance, basketball, people from other communities that were in their same positions to reach them. It is SO awesome, to see how God is opening doors into new areas. I have had a desire to be more involved and he has brought people with a passion to reach out and I have been able to take part in that! Then I was able to share at my bible study this week and that was just awesome. I was reminded how in our times of struggles we are to just confidently come before the Lord and give our burdens to him. To surrender to him in all situations, HE IS WAITING FOR US TO COME TO HIM in our times of need. I had about 6 different scriptures, all from different places, I had a nice tour through the bible from Exodus all the way to 1 Jn. I have to say I am a bit disappointed I didn't have notes to look back over to see what I said. I am very grateful for the way God has blessed me to be comfortable when I speak and to be confident in him. He always brings verses to my mind but as far as writing things down to say I don't do that. I have just felt in the last few weeks really loved by God and knowing that he is Aware of me. I love the fact that I can say I am living in his will and doing my best daily to bring Glory to his name! Things are good here, still getting to know the culture and trying to fit in but I think by my ability to connect with a local youth group it will begin to really thrust me forward in feeling like I'm having more impact on the people here. I have been blessed this week by a number of people encouraging and praying for me and I can tell you I FEEL the difference!! I love it!! God is so great and I just am thankful for where I'm at!

Feeling Blessed

So, it has been an extremely LONG time since I updated this and that will be something that I work on I PROMISE! I feel as if I can say I have VERY good reason as to why I haven't done this in so long. In all honesty I have been completely submerged in doing other things!!! I have been here for 13 months now and I have spent a lot of time in the last 2 months evaluating where I am, what I did over the last year, and what I feel I need to change. I have gone through some amazing times of growing and the awesome fact is that I can recognize the areas in my life that I have matured in. I have completely been blessed in MANY ways in these last few months. I have been feeling as if I am not doing enough in this community, not seeing the importance of the little things I do that I feel has nothing to do with bringing people closer to God. WHICH I THINK IS MY JOB and by not being around people I can't do that!!! We have gone through quite a rough time here at the base now down to only 4 people the responsibility of keeping the base property kept looking nice has become a bigger than normal chore. I have however learned to be content with my days as the Lord gives them to me. Having to get on my knees and pray every morning asking to be guided in knowing that all I do I am doing for God's Glory and my attitude must be the same in mowing the lawn as it is in serving the community. One activity isn't any more holy than another. It is all service to God and all that really matters is where my heart is when I'm doing the duty. If I am praising him and satisfied with my activity that is AWESOME, but if I'm constantly pointing out the negative and never even coming close to even acknowledging His goodness in my life and being completely ME FOCUSED, I am not living in fellowship with him like I was designed to do. I have become greatly blessed by many people here. I am attending 2 bible studies a week, now helping in a weekly youth group, helping in children's church which has created a desire to attend another EARLY church service on Sunday so I can hear a sermon each week. SO I have within the last week started attending another church as well as my original one! I feel this is a busy action packed schedule but it is why I am here. I'm not here to just sit back and chill. I am here to show people what God has done in my life and how I am changed and direct their attention to Him. I am confident that I am where God wants me and I am continually grasping his heart for this place. I may be on a tropical island in the Caribbean but that is only on the surface. Some of the challenges that I'm faced with here I've never experienced anywhere else. It often feels as if I'm in a foreign country and not a part of the US. The people here are hurting and the children are suffering. God has planted me here to impact this island for him and to use me to reach these people. THE YOUTH OF THIS ISLAND ARE BEING USED AND I'M SO BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THEM AND HELP GUIDE THEM IN THE PATH GOD HAS SET BEFORE THEM! It is through the Youth that St. Croix will be reached and that is where I have seen God leading me to a greater understanding of.