Tuesday, January 20, 2009

A little tiny update!

Well hello there! I was having quiet time this morning and realized how amazing the last week has been. I have learned so much in lectures (last week was about the Character and Nature of God and this week is about Hearing God's Voice and Intercession) and can't wait to share it with you when I get home. I am beginning to understand how big God's love is, and it is changing my perspective about life/ faith/ my relationship with God x 10000. Also, this week has been full of loving/ laughing/ connecting with the girls in my house...they are a dream come true and such a blessing. 

Anyhow, after thinking about all this, I decided I should probably update my blog today :). Plus, bonus...instead of pictures I am adding videos so you can get a glimpse of my life a tiny. 

This one is of our dinner time "Thank You" prayer. Some of the girls were out this night, but it gives you a pretty good idea of how much joy there is in this house. In this group, there are girls from Canada, the US, Switzerland, and Sweden. Sweet!

This video is from this weekend...our days here are really busy with lectures, serving, etc, but our nights and weekends are free. Horray! Anyhow, we have a lot of fun being silly and just chilling out, so here is a video of that. It probably won't make any sense, but maybe just try to appreciate the atmosphere. :) The boys are from the Surfer school (not strangers, don't you worry)
(At the YWAM Pismo Beach and Central Coast base, there are 2 DTSs going on right now - the Justice and the Creative Arts one (which I and all these girls are in), and a Surfing one (which a lot of boys are in that live in a house a few miles away).  Our schools do a lot of things together (lectures, family dinners, etc) so we are all pretty close.)


And last but not least is a video of me getting distracted from my quiet time because of a lovely noise coming from the other side of our house. haha. So you get a little tour of me walking through too. Cheers! They just kept singing and singing random songs for an hour. i love it. :)


Saturday, January 10, 2009

Beach, Fun, and Love
















Hey guys! I have been super busy loving life these past few days...here is a quicky update about what I've been up to:

- My team prayed and prayed and feels called to go to north eastern India for 6 weeks, then to Myanmar (Burma) for 2 weeks for outreach in April. It is so cool to see God's plan/ direction for our team - horray!

- I have been filled with SO MUCH joy these past few days. What a blessing!  I have had so much fun with my team going to the farmer's market in San Luis Obispo, roasting s'mores over a bonfire, going to and praying for all the 5 cities in this area, hanging out on the beach and playing a lot of beach volleyball, swimming in the ocean, doing art and whatnot, etc. 

Thank you all for your prayers and love! 



Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Getting settled in...






Hey everyone! I just wanted to let you know that I am settling in quite well here...it is hard to feel sad/ miss home a ton when it is SO sunny here :) I spent a few hours on the beach today with my team (in shorts and a t-shirt) playing volleyball and going in the ocean and such. We are doing mostly orientation stuff this week and will be starting lectures next. anyhow, just thought I would show you some pictures of the beach and of some friends...thanks again for your prayers!

P.S. we have work duties every week, and this week my Swedish friend Rebecca and I are cooking dinners...how lucky! :)

Sunday, January 4, 2009

I'm here!






Hey everyone...thanks for your prayers for safety and such! I arrived in Pismo Beach this afternoon and it is SO beautiful here! also, the beach is only a 5 minute walk from where I am staying, and ooh la la I am excited to go there!


The girls I am staying with are real friendly. It is a tiny challenging getting use to somewhere away from home, but I can see myself fitting in and having a blast really quickly. 

I would love your continued prayer support for discernment and being able to grow in the Lord and with others while I am away from you all. (and a smooth transition to a different lifestyle).

I am hoping to update this about once a week or so...so keep comin back!

Love,
Mary

P.S. the plane i flew on here was so small and spooooky! i was in the very front (there was only 1 seat per row on my side) and that top picture was looking back at the rest of the plane.  aka 10 rows of tininess.