VEGAS BABY

SEND the MEssage

What?- Send the Message Missions Conference
Where?-  Calvary Spring Valley, Las Vegas
When?- Oct. 11th



...This is my side to this story so lets begin with me. It was Oct. 9th 6 a.m. and I'm sleeping on the top bunk directly underneath the ceiling light, some one so kindly turns on the light and i abruptly awake. As I nearly seizure over the sudden light piercing through my eye lids, I can not explain to you the migraine that instantaneously made its home in my cranium. Great way to start a road trip in a van filled to the rim with females. I gracefully fell off the top bunk grabbing my pillow on my way down and made my way to the kitchen. We ate breakfast, prayed, and began our 2 day journey to Las Vegas, Nevada. Unexpectedly I enjoyed being on the road for the first 12 hours, the scenery was breath taking for the first 4 hours and we had quality conversations the rest of the way. There's not much else to do than to bond with the passengers sitting next to you which made for some great laughs and memories to last. Our trip consisted of one midway stop (and obviously 30 pee stops) in Calvary Chapel Pocatello Idaho, where we slept for the night. I made my bed on a row of chairs in Calvary Chapel Pocatello's Prayer Room. As I snuggled in a sleeping bag, I began to notice how peculiar my life has become. I nearly had an out-of-body experience, looking at myself lay there, looking at where I am, looking at who I'm with, and what I'm doing. My lifestyle before this was constantly surrounded by people I know, I absolutely loved my comfort zone, I never wanted to leave Orange County or the people within. I couldn't imagine myself without the beach or without the ability to surf or run or go to coffee shops. It dawned on me that my prayers have been answered. I have been praying for God to make my desires His desires.. His desires were clearly nothing I had in mind as I contently slept on a small row of chairs within a foreign church in a foreign land.haha :)

The next morning began at 6 a.m. as we piled back into the van filled with 11 suitcases, 11 sleeping-bags, 11 pillows, 11 human bodies, and food. 10 grueling but well worth hours later we safely arrived to Calvary Chapel Spring Valley. This truly was a trip of a life time.I cannot begin to express how blessed we all were at this conference.

• We had the ability to listen and glean from pastors and missionaries around the world. What an experience! We were impacted with the importance of learning culture, learning the language, and being driven by love and not duty.

•  We also had the privilege to serve at a homeless food bank, where we spent our afternoon stocking their food and with all our help the staff got to leave 2 hours early! 
• My favorite workshop I sat through was by Uturn for Christ. What a great ministry God has there. We are to think out of the box when it comes to sharing God's word to people. Don't get so caught up in the small box view of how we are to reach the lost, let your creativity God has given you to do the work of Christ! 
• My favorite event was the Cross Cultural Dinner, I had the opportunity to eat authentic meals from around the world

One of my favorite nights was when DawnMarie drove us down Vegas Blvd in our giant 11 seater "Orphanage" van. The lights were incredible, no wonder everybody goes to Vegas.. We bought an obnoxious wig and wore it around for the rest of the week, and later that night we made "Jesus" T-shirts with puffy paint.

 

Our drive home was another 2 day expenditure. Driving back to Montana was most definitely not as exciting as the trip to Vegas.....But we made it home safely by the grace of God <3 and now we begin my second module! 5 months to go!

They found it entertaining to draw on my tummy

 

Impacting reality spoken by 

men following the calling 

of our God

"There are three types of Christians.. there are the Goers, the Senders, and the Disobedient" Which one are you?
"You can go to the utter most parts of the earth but if you don't allow God's word to travel the fifteen inches from your head to your heart, there will be no change"
"If we believe people are going to hell, we should feel the need to do something about it"
"It's not a matter of TO DO, but a matter of TO BE."- Tozer
"You can have 110 accountability partners, but you're only as accountable as you make yourself"
"Reaching to the nations ONE soul at a time"
"we need slaves with a mature attitude of faith and humility"
"Language is one of the hardest things keeping us from the succeeding the Great Commission"
"Your tongue will follow your heart"
"Whoever the Lord puts in front of me, I should have an Eternal Kingdom effect on them"

"Instead of saying, "I quit", in rough times instead say "what kind of miracle is God going going to do next?"

"God knows and has chosen me for place that is perfect for me. God has also chosen a place for me that is the perfect place"