what a trip.

Honestly I was not really excited about the trip at first. When my youth leader told me to think and more importantly pray about possibly going on the trip, one of the first thoughts in my mind was "heck no." I am so grateful that God does not give up on us when we are stubborn but allows us the strength to preserver. Even though my heart was not completely calm about going, I decided it could not hurt to pray about going. For a few weeks I felt something in my heart stirring about going, I even talked to a friend about it and his heart is for missions so that may have opened my heart a bit more. I felt God wanted me to go on the trip but I of course allowed my self to think over the top, and of course logical. I told myself that the only way I was going if it was ultimately God's will. It cost over 500 dollars to go on the trip, and I was determined that if it was His plan for me togo then the money would not be a problem.

I love how when you but your faith and trust in God, and with out fully putting your mind there, you can still be blown away. I am so grateful for God soften my heart to going on this trip. I was a a leader along with 2 other people over the 8th grade girls. I was not sure how that was going to work out but I was excited about it. I really loved the time spent with the girls, either by continuously nagging on them to drink water or the one on one conversations I had with some of them.

For me word of encouragement is one of my love languages. So if it is a spoken or a written encouragement. I have been spending a lot of my quiet time in Ecclesiastes and there is one verse that really stuck out to me this week,
Ecclesiastes 7: 1. “A good name is better than a fine perfume.” I shared this with one f my girls this week and she in return wrote me a note as well. It was such a great time to be able to share with her some of my experiences as well as just to be able to sit down with her and talk about her fears and knowing I can relate to her.
I also had a chance to hang out with one of my friends this week as well. I was so glad she went. I tease that I was tired of her but the honest truth... are you ready for this?
I love her to death. I am so grateful for her friendship. I have only known her a short time but her friendship means more to be than some of my close friends. She has spoken so much into my life for the short time I have known her. She is just an honest and real person and the he girls adore her.

There were many other times when I had the honor of seeking through some of the girls lives, but they also in return really taught me so much this week. Some of them are some of the strongest people I have met, while others of them are filled with so much Joy from God, that they are encouragements to me. I could continue to go on and on about this week because it really was an amazing week. I am so excited to form stronger relationships with them as well as other. I am praying about investing more into their lives this month as well as in the future. I believe that is what God wants me to do this month. I am really excited.