A new chapter...

“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

A verse that is familiar to us all, but one that is becoming more and more real to me, and one that I deeply and strongly believe in. God has created and loves each and everyone of us. We are ALL worthy of the plans that God has for us, and they are not just little plans, they are big! Let’s start believing that, and step forward into what He has called us to!

With that I want to share with all of you the next adventure and chapter that God has planned for my life. I am back in San Jose, Costa Rica with YWAM, Youth With a Mission, where I did my DTS. Coming back to the same place has been such a blessing. It has been a blessing to be able to spend time and connect with many of the students and staff that were here with me this same time last year.

I have to admit though, it was not an easy transition. During my travels down I asked God why change is such a hard thing? Back home before leaving, when people asked if I was excited to back down to Costa Rica? My response was yes...which was true and it still is. I am very excited for what God has in store for me, but leaving home is never an easy thing to do. Obviously I can’t hate change that much, because if I reflect on the past year, I have not spent too much more than 3 months in the same place, but I can’t say that I am one of those people that get a thrill out of change. It’s hard. If I were to act accordingly to how I feel...I would stay home. It’s a lot easier that way. I was comfortable there. To a huge degree, I knew what to expect on a day to day basis. One problem...God didn’t call us to live a comfortable life. We were called to go and make disciples of all nations...That is the calling that he has put on your life, and that is the calling that he has put on my life. What that looks like for each one of us is different. For myself...it’s to spend the next three months here in Costa Rica digging deep into God’s word. To grow in my relationship with Him through spending time in His love letter to his children. To learn more of what it means to be God’s lover and for him to be mine. These next three months I will be studying as a student in a course called the BCC, Bible Core Course. There are eight of us students, and we have the opportunity to read through the Bible together, and study 14 different books of the Bible inductively. So please keep me in your prayers, because it will be a stretch in more ways than one!

Beyond these three months in Costa Rica, I have no idea where he will take me...I don’t even know what to fully expect from these next few months. What I do know?

Isaiah 55: 8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

We serve a good God! His plans and his ways are so much higher than mine or yours. He is faithful! So all in all...it’s not easy leaving home...leaving family that I love, and that loves me...leaving friends that have been such an amazing blessing in my life...leaving a workplace that I enjoyed so incredibly much and believe was an absolute blessing from God...and stepping into something new...something that I know will be challenging, and take me out of my comfort zone in more ways than one! Also something though that will be so incredibly rewarding, and exactly where the Lord has called me to be for these next months in my life, and there is no place that I would rather be than smack in the middle of God’s will!

In just the few days of being here in Costa Rica I have already experience God’s goodness and faithfulness! I have been able to connect with friends that I made during my time here last year. As well as with many friends that I did my DTS with. I have been able to rest and relax before beginning classes, which is something that I would not have done at home.

I ask for your prayers in that these next few days before classes begin that God would prepare me and do in me what He needs to, to prepare me in whatever ways that He needs to in order to experience all the blessings that He has for me in the coming months. And for when school starts, that I would continue to remember to look to God alone for strength knowing that by his grace and mercy alone can I complete the things that He has called me to! I want to be able to stay connected with all of you, so pray that I would use my time wisely in such a way that I may do so! And just pray that I would be open to WHATEVER it is that God has for me!

Thank you so much! I pray that God would bless each one of you today!