Yesterday (I wrote this on October 21, 2011) I went on the biggest adventure of my life thus far (You know…except for the whole moving to Guatemala for 3.5 months thing…). We were in Antigua, Guatemala for our mid-trip debrief and so a few of the girls and I decided to go on a hiking tour of the Pacaya Volcano. I almost didn’t go, but I knew I would regret it if I didn’t. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. We arrived at the start of the tour and there are a ton of boys around the age of 10 all trying to get us to rent their walking sticks. They were...

           Sorry guys, I wasn’t able to write a blog last week but I want to take this time for you to get to know Pstr. Ronnie.             I am personally blessed by his love for the Lord. I remember our very first night in Puerto Barrios and he introduced himself. “I will be your driver every ministry you go. But I am not only your driver. I am a pastor and I am with you, praying for you, encouraging you. You are all in my heart.” And up to this day, he has kept his word. He is a man...

“I lean not on my own understanding, my life is in the hands of the maker of heaven. I give it all to you God, trusting that you’ll make something beautiful out of me. I will climb this mountain with my hands wide open. There’s nothing I hold on to.”   This past week the Lord has been revealing His beauty to me in a way I have never experienced. In seeing His beauty, He has allowed me to see beauty in myself. I read the book, “Captivating” this week; it brought me so much healing as well as gave me new eyes to see beauty in the world around me,...

Well folks I climbed a volcano. Yep, you heard me right. A volcano. More or less I rode a horse up and down a volcano. This hike honestly was the highlight of my entire trip thus far. It was on this random volcano that I experience the Lord in such an amazing way.   Well let me give a little bit of background before I launch you into this little adventurous excursion I went on. My team and I spent last week (Monday through Friday) in the beautiful city of Antigua for our midway debrief. Cobblestone streets, authentic markets and amazing food galore. Antigua truly is Guatemala in its...

        I have no idea what it is about debriefs that turn me into a pile of snot, tears and exposed fears, but this last one was no exception. On the Race, I cried in pretty much every debrief. I am sure my coaches and squad leaders thought I cried every day (close but not quite). For month 2 debrief, I cried because I felt so unloved and unheard by my team (was I loving and listening to them? Nope… but alas, selfishness is an ugly beast and a constant battle). For month 5...

 This past week has been a life changing experience. We got on a bus for eight hours and made our way to the historic beautiful city of Antigua, Guatemala. As a team we felt burdened and just a weight was over us and we were emotionally and physically drowning in it. The city Puerto Barrios left a dark spiritual heaviness on each and every one of us. As we arrived in Antigua it was like a dream to say the least. It was so beautiful and turning every corner made me fall in love with the city!  Nick and Ashley flew down to join our team last week also to be there for support. They...

Hiking up the volcano in Antigua is an experience I will remember for a lifetime for two reasons. The first reason is probably what you would expect- I will remember the beauty of it, the amazing sites I saw. The second reason I will remember the volcano is something I wasn’t expecting- I will remember the children there, the children who begged us to buy a stick for five quetzals, who begged us for food and money. I have never experienced something like it. We got off the bus and we were attacked by little boys, pleading with us to buy a stick. They were selling them five quetzals,...