CHANGE

Imagine if you were given the power to cure a life-threatening illness, grant world peace, or even end world hunger.............WOULD YOU?
Most of us wouldn't hesitate at the thought of finding solutions for our world's problems, but why is it we go out of way to walk on the other side of the street to avoid a homeless person, or gawk at the girl at school struggling for your attention, but you ignore her because her clothes aren't in style, or because she just doesn't fit in with your social class.

Throwing ten dollars in an offering plate for charity for a relief across the world is an amazing gift, but I ask you have our eyes been fixed too long on the bigger picture that we have over looked neighbors...individuals in need right beside us!?

Why aren't we reaching out to a lost and dying generation with the unconditional love of a risen Savior? Why aren't we denying ourselves, and unselfishly loving those around us? Why don't we share with them the incredible sacrifice that brings the worst of sinners from death to life... Becoming prisoners of Christ in shackles of liberty, freed from sin, and unashamedly walking in His marvelous light only never to waiver in the midst of persecutors...

...Accepting all who are willing to come with open arms of love, grace, hope, refuge, and His unending forgiveness. To offer guidance and hope to those bound by addictions and life struggles through the Love of Christ, God's Holy Word, and the prayers of His disciples. When they are hungry, He will provide food, when they seek refuge, He will provide shelter, and when they are in search of love, they will find Him; because HE is love!

THIS IS WHAT MAKES US FREED CAPTIVES!

I pray that as you read this blog and others to come that God will bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart. That He may bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom, and peace. That God will bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain to joy. And that God will ultimately bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world and in your own community, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.......
...break the chains, and revolutionize change

....to be continued

So... I just recently graduated from my last year at Word of Life Bible Institute. The Lord has drastically changed my life and my heart’s desires over these past couple of years, and I can’t even describe to you how much I have grown in my relationship with Him. Through reading and studying His Word, through ministry experiences, through godly people He has placed in my path, and even through the trials and challenges of life, He has taught me so much, and is continuing to mold me into that godly woman He created me to be. As I came closer to graduation, I was still unsure of what I really wanted to pursue. I wanted to invest my life into something that would impact lives for Christ, but had no idea where or how I was going to do that. Because I have so many passions and interests, or mainly because of the fact that I am extremely indecisive, it was hard for me to narrow down any options; yet I knew that I loved the Lord more than anything, and truly just wanted to share that passion with others. After much prayer and seeking the Lord for guidance and direction, He provided me with a unique opportunity to serve Him in Hawaii! I didn’t know how I was going to get there or even all the details of what I’d be doing, but I left it in His hands trusting He would provide the finances and the peace if it was His will for me to go. Almost instantly He provided me with a way there. Someone I barely knew bought me a plane ticket after hearing of my need and desire to serve God! This incredible answer to prayer then brought an amazing peace that confirmed that this was indeed where God wanted me.
This year I have the privilege to be a part of Revolution Hawaii, a one year urban mission team run by the Salvation Army. I will be serving in Hawaii and Micronesia with seven other young adults from all over the country. It’s not as glamorous as you may think. The majority of our time will be spent among the poor, the homeless, addicts, and others in great need, serving them, developing relationships with them, and ultimately, showing them the love of Christ. We will be going into communities throughout the island of Oahu serving in various ways through volunteer work, outreach, and so much more. We have been here just over a month, and already God has blessed me with so many open doors to share His love. We are stretched everyday by stepping out of our comfort zones to minister in such a way, and by relying solely on the Lord to give us the strength and the boldness to do so, our faith is growing. I am amazed by God’s goodness in allowing me to be a part of this, and I am praying for radical change not only in my life, but also in the lives of those we minister to.
A few weeks ago, the RevHI team was given a challenge to spend a night on the streets of China Town, and a few days later to live among the homeless for a week in Waianae! There is something about witnessing and experiencing a life of total depravity and desperation that changes your whole outlook and perspective on life. Just seeing the daily struggles of the many men, women, and children we encountered broke me. Drugs, alcohol, and domestic violence are the norm, which makes for one rough lifestyle. We were able to develop quite a few relationships by just simply offering them a sandwich or by striking up a conversation and taking a genuine interest in their life. Some see these broken, desperate people as a lost cause, but as I look at each one of them I try to see them through God’s eyes, not as what they are, but for what they could be, who God created them to be. They may not change overnight, but our team could play an important role in getting them one step closer to overcoming addictions, to getting off the street, or to even making a decision for Christ! We continue to minister to these people, many of which know us each by name, on a weekly basis, and God is constantly blessing us with opportunities to share His love. I came here to grow in my walk with the Lord, but also to live out my faith. I have a desire to see people’s lives change because of Christ, and I want to be a part of something that is so much bigger than my self. The Lord has forever changed my life, and I want Him to be the focus of all that I do. This will definitely be a year of sacrifices, of challenges, of service, of learning, of change, and most of all, a year of loving God and others. My passion to reach those in need here is growing each day, and I am more than willing to devote my time and energy into reaching them. I have faith that that the Lord will do great things in and through the Revolution Hawaii team, and I am so excited to see how He will use us!