We came up with the name: HEPHZIBAH.  This name encompasses everything we wanted it to say.  The definition is "His delight is in her" and we took it from Isaiah 62.


1 For Zion's sake I will not keep silent,
       for Jerusalem's sake I will not remain quiet,
       till her righteousness shines out like the dawn,
       hersalvation like a blazing torch.

2 The nations will see your righteousness,
       and all kings your glory; 
       you will be called by a new name 
       that the mouth of the LORD will bestow.

3 You will be a crown of splendor in the LORD's hand,
       a royal diadem in the hand of your God.

4 No longer will they call you Deserted,
       or name your land Desolate.
       But you will be calledHephzibah,
       and your land Beulah; 
       for the LORD will take delight in you,
       and your land will be married.

5 As a young man marries a maiden,
       so will your sons marry you;
       as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, 
       so will your God rejoice over you.

Isaiah 62:1-5

The six other woman on my team are Jessica McVey (our team leader), Cara Wallace, Sharon Price, Michelle McDonlad, Erin Winget, Laura Meyers, and myself. 

I am so excited to be going on this adventure with these woman and as always I am thrilled that so many of you have decided to join us.

So, when things get tough on the Race or when I get discouraged, as I know I will, I need to remind myself, that, YES, I am a single human girl, but I am a single human girl who believes in God has the power of the Holy Spirit within me.  

Leave September 28^th from Los Angeles!!!

December - Central Africa - Kenya

February - Central Africa - Ethiopia/Other

 

 

 

I believe. I believe in a God who crosses language barriers and tough circumstances. I believe in a God who has compassion for those who are in pain. I believe in a God who does not make me strive to gain His love…He loves me even when I don't deserve it.

I found this God through mission trips. The most recent was in Taiwan. I found the people of Taiwan to be beautiful. When we went to different churches to work with the youth we found that there love and passion for God was so powerful. During worship the kids would be singing songs in Chinese (if we knew them in English we would sing along…some of my team members tried to sing in Chinese…it was hilarious). While they were singing they would be jumping up and down, clapping, and singing as loud as they could. The vigor in their praise was astounding.

Another incredible thing we got to do was spend time working at an AIDS orphanage. It was so incredible to spend time with these kids who are rejected by the people in their community and love on them. Two of the kids I fell in love with both had physical disorders. Yo-Yo had cerebral palsy and Wey-Wey had a brain tumor so his head was misshapen. Both of them also suffered from fetal alcohol syndrome. But I fell in LOVE with them!!

We also had the opportunity to go to a Buddhist temple. Less than one percent of the population of Taiwan is Christian. Buddhism rules the country and the oppression that the people feel from their gods is palpable. We sat in the temples and watched people buy food and flowers to sacrifice to their gods. They buy incense and pray over and over going down the line to different gods. There is a feeling of dread for their future because the gods could get mad at them at any moment and curse them.

My team and I got to experience so many things and I fell in love with the people in Taiwan. I have continued to pray for the country and that one day they will know the ONE TRUE GOD… the God that I have been blessed to believe in and the one who loves us unconditionally.

Fear and hurt. These are the two things that I have been thinking about so much lately. I haven't been able to concentrate on anything else. Lately I keep sitting down to think about and write our blogging assignment, but I just can't seem to do it. The only thing I want to write about is what I have been feeling, so that's what I'm going to do.

One of my closest friends stayed at my house the other night and since we hadn't seen each other in a few months we stayed up late talking. (probably not a great idea since my first day of work was the next day….oh well!) One thing we kept talking about was how we are suppose to help people when they feel pain. Whether it be hurt from a recent break-up, pain from a loved one dying, or feeling betrayed, how do you help someone who feels that deep sense of hurt? I don't really have an answer and I can't say that I've come to any conclusion, but I just want to know how to help and love people. The hard thing is that when people feel deep pain I feel like I take that pain on myself, and I'm sure others do as well. I don't know how to not feel the pain with them. It's really frustrating knowing that you can't make someone feel better and you feeling bad cause you can't help.

Another thing that has been on my mind is fear. I am so terrified to do the Race. I feel that I have been called to it and I know God wouldn't call me to something that I can't do with His help. I just keep thinking about the fact that I am going to have to be so open and vulnerable with the people on my team and that is something I have trouble doing. Just writing all this down is hard for me, because I know people are going to read it and know how I'm feeling. One of the things I really think God helped me to realize the other night when I was thinking about the Race is that each and every one of us who are coming into the Race have insecurities. Mine may be completely different than other people's but we are all going to struggle with something. I think a lot of time the fear that I have makes me feel like I am alone in my fears. God really helped me to realize that I'm not alone. We are all going to go to training with fear and anxiety and we are all going to go out on this Race with fears.

I guess it's what we do with our fear and our hurt that matters. I tend to keep mine inside even though I know I just need to give it to God. Sometimes I feel like I am making life so much harder for myself. I get the feeling that in all actuality life is pretty easy, but I make it hard by not trusting God and relying on him fully. So, I know in my head what I need to do with my hurt and fear, it's just a matter of transferring that to my heart.

"But now, this is what the LORD says—he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine."

Isaiah 43:1

Thank you all so much for checking out my page! This is where I will be posting blogs so that you can keep up with me and my team as we head out on the Race. I hope you enjoy looking through what I have so far and continue to visit as I prepare to go out and after I leave.