The Countdown

This morning I was getting ready for work, all excited about it being Halloween. I love Halloween. Everyone is dressed up and it's a good excuse for party or carnival or movie night with friends. But this morning I wasn't as excited about it being Halloween for those reasons. I was excited about it being Halloween because it means that it is one day closer to all the things that are coming up. You see, I have a lot going on in the next couple of months and I just keep counting down the days for all this excitement. Tomorrow I leave for our Jr. High Fall Retreat, in 13 days my best friend from Texas is coming to visit, in 26 days my best friend from college is coming to spend Thanksgiving with me, and then in December I am going home for the first time since I moved to California for my favorite holiday of the year, Christmas! 

I am the type of person who loves to count down. I have been doing it my whole life, especially for Christmas. In college my friends would make fun of me for always knowing exactly how many days there were until Christmas (53 FYI). I have always been looking forward to something. This morning when I was thinking about it, I decided that I wanted to be present in the here and now and not only looking forward to what is next.  I want to be excited about what my life looks like today, in this moment. 

I have been so blessed to have things to look forward to, but God has given me the gift of now. Right now is exciting. What I am going through today is worth my attention. Some of my favorite memories happened when it wasn't something I was looking forward to for months, sitting on the couch with my sisters making jokes and laughing at each other's silly faces, staying up way to late playing Just Dance in my dorm room with my neighbors in college, FaceTiming with my mom for hours late at night talking about nothing and everything at the same time, sitting a Chili's having a paradise pie and then regretting that last bite and taking forever to roll silverware because we are messing around after we closed at TGI Fridays on a Monday night. 

These events happened without plans or a count down. They meant something to me because I was present in the moment. I don't want to miss out on those moments. So, while it is completely natural and acceptable to be excited about what is coming up, I am present here and now.  

I Plan and God Laughs and Changes My Plans

It's been almost a year since my last blog. I cannot believe how much my life has changed since then. A year ago, I was an Intern at CLPC in Houston, TX, living with two of the most wonderful people in the world, driving a car that wasn't mine, working part time as a Waitress at Fridays, hanging out with students all the time and eating BBQ and Tex-Mex. Now I am living in the East Bay of the San Francisco area working as the Interim Associate Youth Director at LOPC. I am living in an apartment in Walnut Creek, CA, with my co-worker's sister, driving a 2009 Honda Civic that I bought all on my own, still hanging out with students and eating healthier food more often. God works in amazing ways. 

How did I land here? Stick with me... It's a long story. 
As I was job searching, I narrowed my choices down to two places. One of the churches was in Peoria, IL as the Director of Children's, Youth and College Ministry in a really small church. It was a stable job, not too far from home in a place where I knew people in the area. This job is an Interim position at a larger church in a very expensive part of the country. This church seemed like a great place to be, but I never thought I could afford living here and I never thought I could move this far away again. 

I got the opportunity to visit both churches and got offered the position in Peoria first, before I visited LOPC. I was very excited about the offer and decided that that church was probably where I should go. It was the safe option. It was comfortable. 

I decided I would visit LOPC just to make sure that the other church was the right place. We went on a Jr High Mission Trip to South Texas with CLPC and from there, I flew to LOPC for the interview. I was dead tired, but I still wanted to make sure all doors were left open for God to close. 

The first day, I was still very tired and it was very hard for me to allow God to keep my mind open. I figured this was just good experience, but God had a different plan for me. 

After the first day, God completely changed my mind. I met a lot of people that I would be working with, I heard exactly what I would be doing, and I saw the area a little more. I started to get more and more confused. 

My flight home was tough. I was arguing with God, because I knew what he was saying to me. I knew that he was telling me that I was California bound, even though there were a lot of reasons I shouldn't be. 

When I got back to Houston, I talked to co-workers and friends who told me that LOPC seemed like the right place for me. After much prayer and asking God for more clarity, he answered me.

The whole time, my mom was not very excited about it. Let's face it, I spent a year in Houston and she thought my travels were going to be over. When I told her that I wanted to move to California, she wanted to make sure I was making the right decision, so she gave me excuses why it wouldn't work. My mom has always been one of the most supportive people in my life and I really needed her blessing to be able to do this.  
After a couple weeks of this, I got a call at youth group one night from her. She said "I had a come to Jesus moment." She told me that she knew that she needed to give me her support. That she was not excited about me being 2000 miles away, but that whatever I did, I had her blessing. That was the clarity that I needed. 

The next day, I received a phone call from LOPC offering me the job. Because of the conversation I had with my mom the day before, I was able to accept the position immediately. 

After being at LOPC for almost 2 months, I have already gone on a Houseboat trip, co-planned and executed the youth portion of an All-Church Retreat, taken the students to a Corn Maze and had weekly youth groups with jr. high and high school students. 

God works in ways that we don't understand sometimes. I never planned to move across the country twice, but I know that I am here for a reason. 

So far everything is working out better than I could have ever imagined it. I am truly blessed. 

Truly He Taught Us To Love One Another

My favorite Christmas song is 'Oh Holy Night' for sure... Take a second and read the lyrics.

O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth. A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born; O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!

Truly He taught us to love one another, His law is love and His gospel is peace. Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us, praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Oh, Praise His name forever! His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!

I LOVE Christmas! Anyone who has ever met me knows this. I have been counting down since August for a couple reasons. The biggest reason is because of exactly what that song reminds us. The God who created the world and everything in it made himself like us so that we understand that we are worth something. Christ came to the earth and showed us that we are special to Him. We have worth! He showed us how to love one another. We have a clear example of how to do it! How could we not praise his name forever???

Christmas is also great because it brings people together like no other time of the year. I get to go home for a couple weeks to celebrate with my family! I already have parties, cookie decorating, christmas eve services, decorating, games, movies, and just visiting with loved ones filling up the time. I couldn't ask for anything better.

I hope you enjoy the Christmas season this year. Remember that this holiday is here so we remember the Baby that saved us. Oh night, Holy Night, O night divine!

Home for the wedding season!

I am currently on a plane headed back to Texas after two and a half weeks at home. On my way home I told my mom that this was the trip where I was most excited to come home. Last year I only visited for a weekend and then when I left at the end of the summer, I was upset about leaving, not knowing if I would ever make it back. This time I was coming home for an extended amount of time and I knew I was returning. No real goodbyes were said which was nice.
While I was home I attended two weddings of very close friends. The first one being the very first weekend that I got home. My best friend since I was three years old, Jenny, got married. I got to see her in her beautiful wedding dress and experience the wedding that we had been dreaming up since we were little. I cried with her as I saw her dance with her dad and older brother. I got to see her family including cousins aunts and uncles that I haven't seen in years. I got to eat her families amazing Puerto Rican food which brought me back to dinners at her house. We danced all night to crazy boy band music and Spanish music. It was a great night!
The second wedding happened just last night. Two friends that I have worked with the past six years, Alyssa and Bob, got married. One of the best parts was that my dad got to officiate the wedding. I was one of Alyssa's bridesmaids, so we spent the day prepping for the wedding, taking pictures, giggling about the day and finally walked down the aisle. The best part of walking down was that I got to look at my dad the whole way down. He did an amazing job with the ceremony, Alyssa looked amazing, I saw Bob tear up (which he might not admit to), and then we got to celebrate them! Another great night of dancing. This wedding had so many friends ad family attending, which made this night a blast! We danced to Justin Bieber, Journey, Garth Brooks, etc. I got to dance to My Girl with my dad just like when we would go to the daddy-daughter dances in high school. Mom and I did the Twist and even after two knee replacements, she's still got it (don't tell her I said that)! It was a great night. Alyssa and Bob deserved the best!
Between the weddings I spent every moment soaking up as much as I could get! I went and visited friends at North Park, which was weird but amazing! That experience assured me that I have friends there that will last forever and I know that where ever I am in my life, I will always have them to go to with anything. I went to six flags with my sisters, Christy, Corinne, and Kaylee and my cousin, Kelli. That was a great day spent together! I went to breakfasts, lunches, and dinners with friends and family. I got I celebrate my littlest sister, Kaylee turning 10 years old. I ate my Chicago style pizza, Italian beef and hot dog!
These two weeks were amazing and filled with people I love, which was needed!
Now I am on the plane headed back to Texas! I cannot wait to see everyone there and start the school year with my students!
Prayer for me the next few weeks, is probably that I will start this year strong. I am searching for a part time job at the moment, so prayer that I find one that helps pay the bills would also be appreciated.
Thanks for all your love and support . I have been feeling it so strong in my ministry!
More updates to come!

Driving in the fast lane

So we have had a very busy last few weeks. After we got back from south Texas with our jr highers, we had a week "break" and then left for Jamaica with our high schoolers!

That was also a little hectic. Our plane got canceled and we got put on a plane that was the next day, but they told us it was the same day only a few hours later. So we got to the airport a day early and had to go home. We missed our first day of work in Jamaica, but our students are amazing. 2 out of the 3 work days they worked past quitting time, all the way to dinner which is a good 2-2.5 extra hours of work. Not many teenagers would do that!
We also has some really good conversation with students. Our students made new commitments to the way they wanted to live their lives once we got home! It was cool!
We got to spend a day in the Jamaican beach which was a little bit nicer than Galveston! And we got to shop up and down the beach and in a market with handmade crafts (that was an experience)! Jamaica is pretty sweet! Ya mon!
Then two days after we got home, four of my favorite people came to visit me in my Texas home! Mom, Dad, Corinne, and Kaylee drove down to come visit! It was a great few days of site seeing and showing off my family to the amazing people down here! Finally they get to meet the people I talked about non stop! I brought the family to all the great Texas restaurants that I love and some that I got to try for the first time with them! We got to play games and redecorate my room. I think my favorite part though was just hanging out talking and laughing with each other! I love my family!
Then last week was our Vacation Bible School for the little kiddos. John and I led the game portion! It was fun! I was Pilot Kim and I felt like a celebrity to some of the littlest ones! What a great experience! But it sure taught me that I am where I am supposed to be with the older students! I can handle the kiddos for a week but it quickly gets crazy!
Finally, this week is Summer Safari! A week long vbs type experience for our jr highers where we have a serving opportunity in the morning around our community and then we go out to some fun activity in the afternoon! We have served at a partner a location making algebra tiles an organizing boxes, we have packed care packs and hygiene packs, we have played bingo with adults with mental disabilities. We have gone go carting, to an aquarium, to the beach, to a place where there are a billion trampolines, and today we are at a water park! It has been an awesome week getting to know our students better, driving them all over town, listening to A LOT of Disney songs and laughing. I seriously have the best job in the world, other than maybe Daniel (watch out I'm taking your job)!
God has blessed me in awesome ways! God is so good!

Jr. Highers AMAZE me!

Scott Rubin, my old jr high youth pastor, said it all the time. Jr. Highers are absolutely amazing. 


1 Timothy 4:12 states "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity."


CLPC Jr. Highers rocked this! 


We just got back from our mission trip to Hidalgo County, South Texas with Mission Discovery where we worked with two families to repair and rebuild their houses. We painted (A LOT), we put up dry wall, insulated, mudded, sided, fixed a bathroom, repaired a roof and so much more. Our students continued to ask, "what else can I do?" or if we asked for help they would step up right away. 

We also ran a VBS (vacation bible school) for the neighborhood kids. The first day we were supposed to start at 10am and there weren't any kids that showed up. We encouraged the students to start praying and Daniel took some kids on a prayer tour around the neighborhood. At 10:45, we had about 20 kids playing with us! God is good! 


The second day we had about the same number and the third day we had around 30 neighborhood kids! 
Our students gave their testimonies, told bible stories, helped make crafts and just played with kids. 


Our Mission Discovery leader, Maury encouraged the kids on the night before the last day of VBS to tell the kids that God loves them. Honestly I had low expectations for this happening, because we had a language barrier with a lot of the kids, but I overheard at least 5 times, our students saying things like "Do you know how much God loves you?" or "Do you know you have a heavenly father that loves you no matter what?" I was blown away. Our kids were asking how to say it in Spanish and wanted to say it more! 

I love this picture because right before I took it, I heard one of my students say, "GOD LOVES YOU!"

God showed up in big ways with our youth and I am so honored that I got to be apart of it! 


We have this week, and then we leave for Jamaica next Sunday for our High school missions trip, also with Mission Discovery! Prayers are appreciated for that trip as well. 


God is good all the time. All the time God is good!

Welcome to Clear Lake!

So, I finally made it to Texas AGAIN!!!! This past week has been absolutely amazing. From spending my last few nights with some of the people I care the most about, to getting on a plane with a great friend who is helping my Chicago world combining to my Texas world, to getting off the plane and seeing the wonderful faces of great friends I have missed! This has been a week of people. I have felt so greatly welcomed back by my Texas family. It almost feels like I never left.

God has already been teaching me so many things even in this first week of my 15 months here. Change is good. It truly is. Change will mold you. It will challenge you. It will make you stronger, so that you are ready for whatever life throws at you. I have experienced so much change in the last month and while it is very sad to leave the North Park part of my life, and to leave my family far far away, I would not have been able to be in this place at this time experiencing a whole new season in my life. God is truly amazing with giving me the peace that makes no sense (Thanks Pastor Judy for engraving this into my head all through school!)

So, I am a week in and the summer is rolling! We are going to be doing some traveling this summer. June 14-16, we are taking the Seniors on a Graduate Retreat to Austin. Then we leave the next day with our Jr Highers to South Texas with Mission Discovery to help build houses and build relationships with the children right on the border. Then we have a week off, and we leave with our High Schoolers to Jamaica, also with Mission Discovery! There we will work with an Orphanage there with some of their needs.


Prayers for this and other activities will be greatly appreciated. Thank you truly for all of your love and support. If you want to know anything about whats going on, let me know! Ask anyone, I love to talk about TEXAS!!!!