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Has it already been almost 2 year?!?

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Wow, the last time that I posted was in May of 2014. A lot has happened between that time, a lot of change, a lot of transitions. Which ultimately means a lot of fun times, but a lot of hurt and grief. Some of you have stayed updated with me on my transitions, others maybe not (I am not even sure if I have kept up with myself). After the Bridge Street Mission School (BSMS), I went home for a season of rest while working at Target Starbucks :). I had a lot of coffee. During the mission school, I believe the Lord was calling be to stay in the West Side of Grand Rapids. After a couple of months home, I moved back down to Grand Rapids into the Girl's House! Fast forward to November where there were job changes and an internship is formed. I work part time for AVI Foodsystems, while doing "part" time ministry as an intern for the Bridge Street House of Prayer; I was the Pavilion Coordinator. The Pavilion is a free coffee shop ministry, that is a place of safety and r

Has it already been 8 months?

God is faithful and good... Tonight I graduate from the first class of the Bridge Street Mission School. I don't even know where to begin to put words to these last 8 months other than to say that     God is good... God is faithful. I look back and see all the laughs had, the tears cried, the hugs given, the arguments fought, the encouragement spoken. The beauty of community. The words and promises spoken... My Child, Redeemed, Disciple, Mary's Heart Identity spoken... A heart changed! The Lord your God is with you,                       the Mighty Warrior who saves.                    He will take great delight in you;                       in his love he will no longer rebuke you,       but will rejoice over you with singing.”                                                                        Zephaniah 3:17                                                                She is clothed with strength and dignity;  she can laugh at the days to come.  

Identified

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Tonight I lay in the lawn                                                                          Isaiah 43 And star gaze                                           But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you. Things I couldn't do if now in Michigan                          O Israel, the one who formed you says,                                                                                  “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you . Trying to clear the thoughts                                         I have called you by name; you are mine. Racing around in my head                                                    2  When you go through deep waters, Future...                                                                                             I will be with you.    Job...                                                                              When you go through rivers of difficulty, College...                                                       

A Part of Something Bigger - Week 3

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Another week gone and done, another started. I am going to work my way backwards through this past week :) Hope you don't mind! I also am going to start with tonight!! Before we left for Gua we sent time in prayer and communication with God about our time down here. We wrote down and took a picture of what God had been speaking/showing  us! Some of the things that we had written down were: wearing shoes of peace - finding peace and shalom amidst the chaos lots of things to do with water and waves the color yellow Joy- bring it and joy from children when we are weak, He is strong Healing the sick Unity Humble shepherds Tonight for debrief we went over these words and promises! We looked for ways that God has already answered our prayers. We took seriously the words and visions that He has given! God is faithful!! Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1 Is this not truth! Before we left we were holding on to

Week Dos

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This was a transition week in to what we will be doing for the next seven weeks which was a little difficult and exhausting. But let me start off with a pretty cool story! On Sunday we went to this cemetery down the road, not the one in the city. People go there to run, or walk, its like a park for the Guatemalans. Yes it is a little weird to go and hang out when there is some services going on, but it was a beautiful place. Well some of group decide to  set up a slack line which was the start to a very interesting interaction. There was a family that was watching that had three boys and we asked if you wanted to try, but they didn't and started to walk away. We also decided to pack up, but then they came back and asked us if we wanted to play so futbol. In the cemetery? Yup, they said the knew a place we could. So we got to play with them for a while, so fun, but... then a guard came and told us that we could play where we were opps :). Then one of the kids takes out his guitar an

Week One in Guatemala :)

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This past week we send time getting acclimated to our surroundings here in Guatemala. We did a little of sight seeing and visiting places where we will be working. Sunday we went to an English church (Journey) that is in the school that Heather use to teach, Christian Academy of Guatemala (CAG). In the afternoon we went to Antigua to the markets. Hair wraps Brandon!  pollo compearo Look at that group:) Monday we went on at tour with Joel in Guatemala City. He told us a lot about the history of Guatemala and we started off in the cemetery. Cemeteries in Guatemala are a lot different the US as you will see in some of the pictures. We then proceed to go to the historical district of the city where we were the only white people. Guatemala has been through a lot in the past 60 years between civil war, genocides, and corruption. This is Joel This a place where hundreds of innocent Guatemalans were murder   And then on the other of that