People Watching

Right now, my kids are with all of my wonderful chaperones touring the history museum in downtown Raleigh. I decided to sit down and take a rest from everythin in a corner. If you know me..I can people watch for days. As I sit here...I'm watching all the different kinds of kids that come in here. They have some parents, some teachers and some volunteers. But despite their title, they are looking up to these adults. No matter what the adults are saying to them...yelling at them for or even smiling at them..they listen. I'm reminded of many things when I see this. 1) I'm reminded of the passion that's been planted in my heart for leading children. There's a spark that comes over me when I see these faces looking towards their leaders. 2) I'm reminded of how essential it is to be a role model. We always have eyes on us that are watching everything we do. The actions we make, the words we say and the love we show 3) I'm reminded of God's heart for me. He is the one that I look up to. I am the same as these children I watch. I look up to my leaders for all things. And no matter how many mistakes I make...he still has passion for me and the things he trying to teach me. My God is not only my Father but he is my guide and my teacher. Thats all I have time for. Its time to go find the children that I love.

In His Presence

Lastnight, we had an awesome time at church. I can't help but try to tell everyone about it. 

First of all, I am definitely privileged to be under the headship of my Pastor. He has challenged me in so many ways. He has helped develop me, shape me and help me grow into the person that I am today. Yesterday was his birthday and he definitely deserved to be honored. 

Lastnight in the middle of service, a young man stood up and raised his hand. When Pastor asked him what he could do for him, he said he wanted to be saved. I can't even put into the words the way that this impacted me. A man that didn't know everyone around him, that didn't know the majority of the congregation...surrendered his life to Christ. Despite of what people were going to say, despite of what he looked like, he was an example of what it meant to give EVERYTHING up for a life for Christ. I was moved by the hunger that this man had to know Christ.

I never knew when it happened, but somewhere along the way I lost sight of what it meant to truly accept the love that my Father has for me. I have a Father that really loves me. Despite what I've done and through everything, He still loves me the same, if not more. I've gone through many things in my life, I've made bad decisions in my life, but I am STILL loved. He has a love for us that is far greater then any man can give to us. 

I was overwhelmed. I never knew that I had any type of lack in my life when it came to know that the Lord loved me. I don't know why I didn't see it. I don't know why I felt like I hadn't had it before. 

It overwhelmed me.

I've been overtaken. I have been invaded. I have been overwhlemed.

I am loved by the Father, and there is no greater love.

We Are A Catalyst For The Encounter

I'm officially going to Quito, Ecuador this summer for missions! We are going to take God's love to the streets of Quito. This is something that definitely takes me out of my comfort zones and I can't help but be excited about it! I know that God is going to develop me in so many ways that I don't even see yet. I'm excited to take on this challenge!

More About This Adventure?

This trip is this summer, July 1st-8th, There are over 2,000,00 people in just the city of Quito. We are going to be able to influence and take over the city of Quito with God's heart and will. We will be able to bring good news to the people, witness lives be changed and build relationships with people that we have never even met before. 

http://www.missions.me/12quito.html

How Can You Help?

If  you chose to support my adventure I will be able to take this trip and join others across the world in spreading God's love to people that might not even be are aware of who he is. I will be able to share the love and grace that I've been shown.

The financial goal of going to Ecuador is $1995. 

I'm believing that God will provide at least 15 people with $100 donations. If you have not been called to that amount, I pray that you carefully consider how you can contribute to this trip.

If you would like to donate, you can send a check payable to Cornerstone Summit at 869 Highway 105 Ext Suite 3, Boone, NC 28607. Please include a separate piece of paper or post-it with my name on it, not on the memo line. 

Not only financially am I asking for support but please consider supporting me prayerfully. Prayer is also imperative for this trip. While this trip may seem far away, I am asking that the Lord really prepare my heart for the things that I see, hear and do. That His will would be done and not my own desires. I want to go into Ecuador strategically fulfilling the purpose that is being lead out for me.

I love you all and I can't wait to be able to continue to update you before, through and after this wonderful adventure!

My Story. My Testimony.

I haven't shared this with too many people, but with this timing in my life, I can't keep it in any longer.

Throughout my life, I struggled with what's called Ovarian Cysts. With the help of different medicines, I never really had much trouble with them until about a year and a half ago. In the Summer/Fall of 2010 I began to have lots of troubles. I was told my cysts were "spreading" and there began to be growths throughout my stomach region. While that was scary, I didn't want to think much about it. I was not only scared but I was angry. I was told that because of the scar tissue left by rupturing cysts that it could eventually lead me to being infertile. I was told that I might have to have surgery. Why am I going through this God? Why have I been so active and healthy my whole life and then this is thrown my way?

In October 2010 I was attending in a conference in Toledo and I was beginning to have a pain in my stomach. I didn't think much of it until a day or so after. We were in a church service and my pain began to be so severe. I called over one of my friends and told her I had to leave, I have to go to the hospital. I crouched down outside on the sidewalk in so much pain. I was rushed to the hospital where not only sit we sit for a little while, but I was given a pain killer shot which did not help. I laid on that bed just so angry with God asking Him why he was putting me through this. After a series of tests, I was told that I had a cyst the size of a grapefruit. A grapefruit. HUGE. They told me that there was not much they could do other then pain medication and that I would need to see my doctor as soon as I went home. Great. This is just one more thing that I need right? Could I possibly go through anymore?

I went home more discouraged then ever. In my own hopes, I thought that this would all just go away, not get worse. I went home the next week anticipating a doctors appointment only to hear more bad news. What now Lord? Do I have to go through surgery? Am I ever going to be able to have kids? What more do you want from me? 

The night that I went home before my doctors appointment, our church had a prayer service. An awesome woman of God who disciples me called me that night and told me that they were praying for me and they lifted up this doctors appointment know that God had a plan for it. As encouraging as that was to hear, I still had my doubts. Lord, I know you have a plan for me and all, but can't it be something else? Can't you right a whole new chapter in my life that doesn't involved pain and doubt and loneliness and suffering?

I went to the doctors appointment the next morning, way less confident then I have ever been. I didn't know what to feel. After a series of tests, my doctor just looked at me. He had this confused, yet happy look in his eyes. Oh no, it's worse then I thought...come on, go ahead and tell me the bad news. He said, "Martha, I don't know how to tell you this or explain this to you." Okay, what is it now?  He began to explain to me how there wasn't a sign of a single thing. No cyst, no scar tissue, no growths. Nothing. NOTHING. No really, you read that right...nothing! WHAT?!?!

Lord. You are faithful. You are so incredibly might. Why did I ever doubt you? Our God is so much greater then we could ever imagine. I hate that it took me to get to the lowest point in order to see how faithful and how loving my Father really is. He had a plan for me all long. If I would have just given it to Him, I would have began to see the plan that he laid out before me. But, maybe that was His plan all along? Either way, I am so incredibly thankful for who He is. Despite my results, He is STILL and ALWAYS will be my loving Father. 

Two verses that has always been close to my heart are:

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1: 2-4

Walking Through Life

We as women take on a lot of responsibilities. We have so many pressures from this world alone along with pressures from other people.  BUT we can’t let that get in the way of WHO and WHAT we’re called to be and do. Our sweet God has so intricately formed, shaped and developed us to be unique. The world can’t fathom that; it doesn’t get it. We as daughters in Christ understand that. We have access to things greater than we could ever imagine.

 “…he made known to us the mystery of His will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ."

We discover who we are.

 “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; THEN we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; THEN I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” 

God knows who we are and we have the access, the ability; we can obtain the wisdom and knowledge to know the same thing! We go through different things that we may not understand, that may hurt us and may try to break us. We might consider it a hardship we might consider it an attack. Whatever the name of it is, we have been made to not only overcome, but to flourish because of it

. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. LET perseverance finish it’s work so that you may be MATURE and COMPLETE, not lacking anything.”

 “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him."

Ahhh! Isn't it so refreshing to know that we have a God that has paved the way for us and is protecting us on this journey that we call life?! We have everything at the tips of our fingers! I can't help but just rest in that.