So it's been a while...

Other than the t-shirt post, it's been a while. So much going on trying to get ready to go to Ecuador, having the blessing of being apart of a few ministries that have been busy, and then of course school. I don't have a whole lot of time to just blog any more. So today, it's time to take the time. The birds are chirping, the sun is out and beautiful, and Jesus is alive =D

Whose happy to have warm weather? I know I am! Not gonna lie, I was seriously getting a bit tired of the cold. Besides, now we are getting into my favorite kind of weather.... thunderstorms:) If you have been reading my blog since the beginning you probably saw my post that talked about my love for thunderstorms, if you haven't seen that blog, well... by the way.... I love thunderstorms =D There is just something so nice, peaceful, and even calming about thunderstorms. Yes, that's right, I find loud booms of thunder, calming. Now, to be perfectly clear, I don't really like being out in thunderstorms. I would rather be at home where I can enjoy it. But in all I thoroughly enjoy thunderstorms.

I'm sure that's enough said about thunderstorms so anyway, I can truly say that I have missed writing. Well.... I miss writing here. I have done PLENTY of writing in the last seven weeks. Between school papers and Great News, my writing is almost constant. Don't get me wrong, I love writing for Great News, but there is something that is special (in a different way) about getting to write here. Something that makes me feel connected to people that probably could care less about my life, but for some reason or another choose to read about it any way. My prayer is that you find something about my post to brighten your day and shine a little Jesus into your life. Even if it just makes you feel like someone gets you (surely there are more crazy people like me out there) ;). It's a very rare occasion that I communicate with my readers unless they are my mom, or my friends. Yet, somehow... I still feel connected to you all. I've shared my passions, desires, dreams, hurts, pains, tears and fears with you. I have shared some exciting moments, and some... not so exciting moments. One of the greatest things I get to do by writing this blog is share some really awesome God moments in my life. So I feel connected to you all. Some of you I may see daily and I just don't know that you read my blog, if so, I love you friend:) Some of you, may be people I have never before met but though I haven't seen you, don't know you, and will probably never meet you, because you read these posts, you are apart of my life, you have crossed my path and you are my neighbor and I love you as well:). To some of you this may seem random but with all that I just said it should now make since. Writing to you is like writing to a friend I haven't seen in a while. Someone who I need to have lunch with and catch up with. So, that being said, let me catch you up on some things that God has been doing in my life.

In just the last few months sometimes through people that I have the privilege of getting to sit under and be poured into by, sometimes through everyday friends, sometimes through church leaders, and sometimes through just spending time alone with God He has taught me the truth and depth of His forgiveness. The beauty of His MANY names (some that I had never heard before now). He has deepened and enriched my prayer life, teaching me to truly "Pray with out ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17). He has taught me to see not only others but also myself as the masterpiece He has created us all to be. In the last few months God has been teaching me continuously, and still is teaching me, all of these things and so much more:)

One of the many names He has is a word that we have heard often growing up, whether it be because of school or church, and that is "teacher". God is my Teacher. He is teaching me day in and day out new things. He is renewing and transforming my mind so that I can be more like Him every day. Now He doesn't do this by setting up a time for us to have a class together in which I sit down and He teaches me with a chalkboard (of coarse, I'm sure you already knew that). Instead He is using those that He has placed in my life, His Word, His Spirit, and the words of some incredible songs He has written through His people. I have enjoyed and am continuing to enjoy His teachings in my life. And I am loving the way that He is revealing Himself to me as Teacher.

Something else that He has allowed me the privilege of doing is going to Ecuador for a little over five weeks this summer. I get to intern and be apart of a ministry over there that I absolutely love and while I can't wait to get back, there is two other names that God has been having to reveal to me lately and press onto my heart. Fear-taker, and Jehovah-Shalom my peace. Because to be quite honest I'm a little nervous. Who wouldn't be their first time leaving the country for this amount of time, or for that matter this only being their second time out of the country. Please don't misunderstand me, I know that God has given me this opportunity and I can't wait to see what all He has planned for me there, but as a human, I am nervous. God will protect me and I know that, but I'm a little nervous. So that being said please pray that God will press even further into my heart these two names. I am so thankful for you all because even though I may never meet a lot of you as I said before, you are my friends and I love each of you. Most of you seeing this are praying and for that I am far more grateful than you will ever know.

Well, you are caught up now I guess. Hopefully it won't take too long for me to write you again:) I pray that God is continually blessing you each and every day my friend:)

Love in Christ,
Kelcy:)

A New Season of Life

Well, it's time for new a season to begin. Not like Spring though I'm sure some of you are ready for that. No, the season I'm talking about is a life season. Somewhere around the end of this month and the first of next month I will be dropping down to a substitute position at my job (by choice). Between school, ministry, and church I really don't have time for my job. I am going into ministry so I feel that this is really the best decision. Oh, don't worry, there will be no lazing around I still have plenty to do. Between my quite time with the Lord and my required readings for school there will be plenty of studying going on, on top of continuing whats left of the bible study with my co-workers, fundraising for Ecuador (click on that button by the way), Great News (which I hope to start back with soon), class assignments (which includes a 15-slide power point on Genesis 1-2 this week), church, and SUB25 (which is our 25 and under ministry at church).

Don't get me wrong I love my job, however the daycare is a "for now" job, not a "forever" career. Before anyone starts calling me crazy, and telling me I should think this through, I have. A lot of prayer and thought has went into this decision and it comes down to the fact that if I don't drop down to a sub, my grades will start to suffer and my health will start to suffer. I am getting worn down and something had to go and after a lot of prayer the only reasonable thing to let go of was my position at the daycare. I will admit to having worries about this decision, but because I know that this is where the Lord is leading me right now I trust that He will provide for all of my needs.

Quite honestly, I am looking forward to the time that I will have to be able to do all of my readings for school (which is a total of 16 reads this week), read more of my bible, and spend more time doing ministry focused things such as starting Great News back up with devotionals. I look forward to what the Lord is about to do in my life. With that being said, there are things that I will miss about not being in a consistent position at the daycare, like for example being able to regularly go to the sanctuary and just sit alone in the quite with God. Another thing I will miss will be seeing the amazing kids that are in my class and on my hallway. While I don't always get along with each of the kids (face it, they are 2's to 3's) I still love each and every one of them. Finally, I will miss my co-workers. In at least the last six months I have had the blessing of getting to have some awesome God conversations with some of these girls and even just getting to see God do different things in some of their lives. And while it hasn't always worked out, I've even been able to  do a bible study with them.. Each place that the Lord has put me since I have been at the daycare has had some purpose or another. From buggy rides to water days (which, just saying, I really dislike water days), and everything in between God has had a purpose.

So now I would like to ask that you would all pray. Pray for God to guide and direct my every step. Pray for Him to open new doors during this season of my life and maybe even for Him to reveal Himself to me in a new (to me) way. I can't wait to share this journey with you as the Lord allows, and I pray that He will bless each and every person reading this with an awesome day in Him. I'm done rambling now:)

-Kelcy

Ecuador!!!! (and puppy update)

So, as I'm sure you have already noticed, there is a little widget to the right of your screen that says "Go Fund Me". Last month I started the process of filling out an application to be an intern in Ecuador. If you know me, you know how badly I have wanted to get back to Ecuador, if you don't know me, scroll down and there will probably be a post or two talking about it:)

Either way, after almost two years, God has opened a door! However, I need money to go and it is an amount that I can in no way raise on my own in the short amount of time that I have to raise it. What I am asking you to do is very important. Please take some time and pray, asking God what (if anything) he would have you donate. Then as He lays a number on your heart, I pray that you would come back to this page and click the "gofundme" button to donate that amount. It may be $5 it may be $50 or more. Whatever God lays on your heart. Thank you so much!!!! May the Lord bless you richly!!!


By the way, just a quick little update on Bear. He is a HUGE 2.1 pounds as of the last vet visit and is actually on his way to the vet again today:) He has settled in quite well and is a mostly loving puppy:) Also if you didn't see it this past Sunday, Bear was actually the Fox6 pet pick:) Here are some pictures:)

Before he came to live with us

Charles and Bear<3

Bear "chillin" with mom. Also this was his Fox6 Pet Pic:)

Would You Pray?

I just wanted to take a moment to share something that is on my heart in hopes that everyone reading this might take a moment to just say a prayer. I was scrolling through my Facebook and came across a picture collage of a friend's day in Ecuador. If you know me you already know where this is headed but if you don't you should understand that after my first mission trip there I fell in love with the people, the group I was with, and the places that I saw. I miss Ecuador all of the time and really do hope that the Lord is willing for me to return sooner rather than later.

So anyway, as I passed the pictures my heart broke a little and the tears began to stream. I miss Ecuador far more than I though it possible for me to miss ANY foreign country. In my head something that has become normal began. I started remembering every aspect of my mission trip there. I remembered the sweet little chapel that I have mentioned here before, I remembered camp Chacauco, I remembered the jungle camp which I think was probably my favorite of the two, I thought about the sweet little family that I met while I was there that I love so very much, the beauty, and just so much more. 

Some of you are reading this and feeling sorry for my heartache, others are tired of hearing about it, both however, would probably want to pray for God to take away the heartache. PLEASE DON'T... As crazy as that may sound I would like to ask that you would pray asking God instead, to provide a way for me to return soon. Pray over the financial details (because mission trips are EXTREMELY expensive), pray for the timing so that things will work out with school for me to take a leave of absence, pray that the Lord would take every worry I have and remind me that He is GREATER. 

If you have made it this far in the post I want to thank you for reading and for your prayers. I know that the Lord is good and that His "faithful love endures forever". I am thankful for the HUGE family that is the body of Christ, and the brothers and sisters in that body that lift each other up in prayer. What an amazing privilege to be apart of the family of God! May the Lord bless and keep you, making His face shine upon you and giving you His peace! (Numbers 6:24-26) =)

Speechless (sort of)

It's funny that I want so badly to type this out here and yet I am at a loss for words. I mentioned in a previous post of how I enjoy sitting in the old sanctuary in the church where I work. Well, today as I went in there I had the intention to be still (and quite) before God. So that's what I did. I went in, took my place in the first pew, leaned back, and asked God to speak. As I was sitting there in the stillness of God's presence I allowed my eyes to look over the sanctuary. I did this for probably somewhere around 20 minutes before feeling the need to just talk to God. So I started talking to Him about how I felt sitting there, expressing the fact that I didn't understand what it was that I enjoyed so much about that sanctuary. Then He spoke. Not audibly of coarse (though if He wanted to He could) but with a memory that explained it. 

In this moment, I was moved to tears as God took me back to a beautiful little chapel in Ecuador. If you know me then you know that I took a mission trip almost a year ago (it will be a year next month) to Ecuador with the student ministry at my church. While in Ecuador we stayed in two places, Camp Chacauco in Patate Ecuador and Camp UNPES located near Tena in the jungle. Something that Chacauco has that I love so much is this quaint little bitty chapel. It has some chairs stacked in a corner, a little podium, and sometimes there was a fold up table in there... Anyway, during my time at this camp, as the day would close I would go to the cafeteria to Skype my parents and than I would head into this little chapel turning the dim lights on and getting alone with God. 

Some of you don't understand my point behind telling you all of that so here it is. Though I loved serving in Ecuador some of my sweetest memories are of what God did while I was in that chapel, much like the sanctuary. Now you get it? While the sanctuary is big, with pews and a stage and all that, God made me realize today that He has blessed me with a little (big) piece of Ecuador. A wooden roof, just enough of a dim light, and it is quite. Just like the chapel... 

So today, as my Father showed me this gift from Him, I sat and cried, overwhelmed with love and joy:) And with that peak into my life today, I would like to end with this question. Has God given you (His child) a gift that maybe you've overlooked? If you're not sure, maybe you should ask your heavenly Father to show you:)

Time for bed, I hope you have a wonderful night, and may God bless you with sweet dreams:)