servant served

i has been challenging to BE served when i'm so use to serving. luckily i've moved into this slowly because i was assigned dinner prep team this last week. we helped chop up veggies and fruit and serve everyone dinner! i have to constantly remind myself that God has provided amazing men and women who have been praying for me since far before they knew me. i am blessed beyond what i can comprehend right now! and it's not about me, it's about Him!

"is not this kind of fasting i have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?" isaiah 58:6

ironically, i wrote this before our homeless simulation. stay tuned for more details on that in upcoming posts, in the meantime, we need prayer for our homeless ministry!

rainy day!

since i've been here, it has only rained on Thursday! (now it's sprinkled a few days). otherwise, the temps are similar to spring in WI. nights get in the 50's and days don't exceed 77 degrees. the campus we are staying at reminds me a lot of Marquette. the buildings are older and there is a lot of grassy space. it's really quiet at night though. no Milwaukee sirens and there aren't screens on the windows so we have to sleep with the windows closed.

the wheels on the bus go round and round

we ride the bus about 30 mins to Seattle and 30 mins back. when we go to Tacoma it takes about an hour and a half. despite which location, we pass through the city and  see the water, mountains, an  city scape. everything is so beautiful, it almost doesn't feel real. the clouds are unbelievable! they are so large and as you look out the bus windows the sky just goes on forever! even when it is raining, it is so beautiful!! the bus is seafoam green, btw! so we get some interesting looks!

Worship is more than a song!

Wednesday night after a long day i was exhausted but i knew that i needed to praise God through worship. when i worship God, i feel closest to Him. a group of us wen  outside with a guitar and sang with our hearts and eyes fixed on Christ. what stood out the most to me was that this summer project is a mission trip, but it should be looked at like a vision trip for the rest of our lives. when we pray we are praying for all the people who will cross our paths along the way in our lifetime.

ready, set, GO!

preface: i wrote these posts Friday but you will soon learn why they weren't posted then. this first week has been so exhausting and yet i have learned so many valuable lessons about the sinful nature of humanity and  redemptive power of God!

our days have been jam-packed! we have been going from 7am until about 10pm most days! i've been challenged beyond belief to find strength in Him and not myself! i feel like i just got here, and at the same time as i feel like it's almost over. it's a zy balancing out activity!

by the power of God, i was able to find peace when i was feeling homesick on Day Two. this allowed me to have freedom in starting friendships in Seattle and being present with everyone. i've been exposed to so many people from so many different places around the world. it is so fascinating to see all of our lives crossing for this brief period of time. it's amazing and i'm in awe of how God answers prayers, revives, and restores! we all have a story and all of our stories are part of God's story, the great story of Jesus!

thankfully, i made time each day to at least journal a little bit about the day so that i would be able to update it later with the details.

HERE!

so much is going on in Seattle and so fast! i arrived in Seattle on day afternoon! we were welcomed by the staff and the other students that were here already! we enjoyed a BBQ out on the patio at picnic tables! the temperature was beautiful and the sun was shining! thank you to everyone who helped me get here!