Books to be Enjoyed 2016

     Give me a room full of books, an endless supply of tea, and a big comfy couch and I will be lost for days.  Though I tend to be more on the extrovert side, I enjoy good introvert, shut down and recharge moments, mostly with books. This year has been a whirlwind; a wedding, friends from faraway places coming to visit, living in three places, moving twice, and figuring out how this whole marriage thing works. Despite a busy beginning of the year, I found time in the second half to rest, relax and pick up a couple of good books.

   2017 is literally a few hours away as I write this. If you're looking for things to read in the new year, here are my suggestions:

Read It!:

• A Madness So Discreet by Mindy McGinnis (Young Adult or YA) - GOOD! It begins in an insane asylum, taking a look at what is Madness and what is not Madness. Clever, well written, plot twists and intrigue and thankfully, NOT post apocalyptic.
• Bossypants by Tina Fey (Memoir)  It's Tina Fey, she's funny, she tells the story well, it's great look into SNL. Immediately after- go watch 30 Rock. It makes the show that much better.
• 12 Years A Slave by Solomon Northup (Memoir)  He writes so poetically. The movie was hard  to watch but he has so much grace even for his horrible slave owners. It's a compelling read and I learned a lot about the time period.
• Everland by Wendy Spinale (YA)  It's a twist on Peter Pan which I, of course love, there's no real "magic" except the essence of who Peter is. It's really fun- GO READ IT!

Give it a Shot:

• A.D. 30 by Ted Dekker (Fiction)  - Quite good. Not in his Circle Trilogy world but set at the time where Jesus began his public ministry. I quite enjoyed it.
• Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (YA)  It's the prequel to the Mortal Instrument Series. I quite enjoyed it and I will continue with the series. Supernatural book. A good read.
• Flawed by Cecelia Ahern (YA)  Interesting concept where people who do wrong things are branded as Flawed. The main character is does an act of kindness that also breaks the rules and is therefore flawed. Interesting and a good read. It does end on a cliff hanger.
• Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard (YA)  Easy read, fun concept, cliff hanger, likable characters- recommended. 
• Yes Please by Amy Poehler (Memoir)   Enjoyable read- I actually enjoyed Tina Fey's a bit better. However, Amy Poehler has some fun guest writers write some of the chapters. I'm a little bit more disenchanted with her as a person but her as an actress is still one of my favorite things! Park and REC!
• Tinker Tailer Solider Spy by John La Carre (Thriller)  -Spy novel- there's a movie based on the book which I have not seen. I felt it's one I had to read to be a well rounded human. I've read it, I enjoyed it, I will probably read more of his books at some point. Lots of characters to keep track of that are all involved but a good interesting read.

Not really worth it:

• Northanger Abby by Val McDermid (Fiction)   Modern telling of Jane Austen's Northanger Abby- I enjoyed how she approached it but she's an older lady writing modern teenagers and it just didn't translate. She tried to show how they would use social media and it distracted from the story she was trying to tell. I had high hopes-- it just didn't work.

Currently Reading:

• Talking as Fast as I Can by Lauren Graham (Memoirs)-- two chapters in and it's great!

So at the end of 2016, I'll admit I didn't read as many books as I had hoped but I hope you find some that you might be interested in. Happy reading in 2017!

The Cost of Marriage (how my husband almost accidentally killed me three times)

Hazard! Poison! Don't jump! Cliff is eroding! Girl has life threatening unseen unnoticeable allergies! Wait, what?

Okay, so I don’t come with a neon sign or an instruction manual explaining all my food allergies or that pollen and hay will swell my entire face into an unrecognizable state. Nor do I tell people this the minute I meet them. So needless to say, I probably deserved everything that happened.

The third time Mark and I hung out, he made me an excellent grilled cheese sandwich. Gooey, delicious, cheesy and full of my kind of poison: nuts. About the time I had nearly finished said sandwich, I started to feel a change taking over my body. Warmth and a bit of throat scratchiness was occurring. The last thing I wanted was to appear weak in front of this cute boy. We were discussing youth group students and how much we enjoyed working with youth. Now would be the worst time for something like allergic reaction to occur. I coughed a few times and fervently prayed for nothing bad to happen. The thing was I didn’t know why I was feeling this way, because I didn’t even think to ask if the bread had any nuts in it. I mean, what kind of crazy person puts nuts in bread? Luckily, God spared me in that moment and I didn’t keel over on Mark’s floor. That would have ruined the relationship.

I found out two weeks later, after I confessed to my aversion to nuts, the bread did in fact have almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, and probably unnamed nuts I never knew existed. Mark was horrified but I assured him I was still living.

The second time was another unforeseen allergy.  Actually, I just assumed I wasn’t majorly allergic anymore since my last major attack was twenty years ago and people grow out of these sorts of things, right? We had gone for a beautiful hike overlooking the bay at Point Whitehorn. On our way back, we decided to cut through a small trail, much of it having been overgrown by hay and grass instead of going back on the gravel road, the way we had come. So on we walk, pollen emanating from everywhere, covering every article of clothing and our faces. The grass hit at perfect short people height, a good solid 5 feet. About the time we got out of the grass, I felt a little sniffly but not bad. However, Mark’s face told a different story and soon what he saw manifested in my body. Sneezing, throat scratchy, eyes watering and gooping, the allergy was on. Luckily this time, we were close to my parents house. I ran in, tearing through their cupboards looking for benadryl, meanwhile stripping off all of my clothes and running to the shower to clean every inch of me. Six hours later, after we vacuumed out my car, showered, and washed all of our clothes, bags, and cameras we were carrying, my body finally decided it was done being allergic. Again, Mark felt horrible he caused such a reaction by his decision. But I kept a smile and was thankful for a chill night watching Hercules.

But nothing quite compares to the subtleties of the kiss of death. I’m also allergic to red meat when it isn’t cooked all the way. In other words, no medium rare for this girl! Mark knows this, respects this, and works hard to make sure all meat is properly cooked. However, as most people do, he likes his steak medium rare. So the same weekend as the hike of death, when my body was still sensitive to all things, we made steak for us and our parents. Mine was delicious and allergen free but a few hours later, I got a welt on my lip. What the heck? How? But eventually it went away and I was fine. However, the next day as Mark heated up his steak and we sat there talking we both looked up at the same time realizing that after he had eaten his steak the day before, he kissed me, just briefly. But in that brief moment, that was enough to pass along his allergen on to me. Again, horror overtook my husband and he apologized for almost killing me for the third time.

As I’ve looked back over these three incidents, I realize there is a cost to marriage. Now understand this, not only do I love my husband, I love being married to him. I love hanging out with him, we have a ton of fun, and it really is the best. But there is also a cost God has been teaching me. Being married means giving up things. Being married means abandoning self for the greater sense of team. It means I cannot just decide that I’m going to go do something or make some life changing decision without informing, asking, or consulting my teammate. I love being on Mark’s team but remembering that the team member needs to have a say in my day can be hard.

Mark and I have been living on our own, independent save our parents, for a long time. How many shows I did a year, how many cameras Mark bought a year was of no consequence to anyone but ourselves for a long time. Now how I spend my time or Mark spends his resources affects the other person positively or negatively.

I realize we’ve only been married for two months at this point, but the biggest thing I’m learning and trying to get better at is realizing and remembering my day to day choices affect Mark. They can either affirm him as my partner or they can tear us apart. I want him to have a voice in my day and I want to have a voice in his. It’s not always easy. Just as he didn’t know he almost killed me by giving me death bread, there are times I don’t realize my decision or my omittance of a certain detail of my plans, hurts him or undermines his importance in my life. That’s not team. That’s choosing to live outside of team. That is selfishness.

I’m not saying that I can’t do anything without my husband’s approval. He doesn’t hold an iron fist over me and dictate my day by any means. But I also cannot disrespect that he should know what my plans are and vice versa.

This also shows me just how much God wants that type of relationship with me as well. If I go throughout my day thinking only of myself and not giving God a chance to intervene, he’s going to intervene in my day whether I like it or not. But I want to give God first dibs. He has first control over how I spend my time. Being married has shown me in such a greater detail who God is and how he wants to operate in our lives. He’s the first. He wants conversation, he wants us to talk to him and check in with him on our day to day decisions. The things we choose to do that are not God honoring undermine him and his authority in our lives. If I made all my plans without considering Mark, he would be deeply hurt. I believe it’s the same way with God. When we don’t let him get a say, he’s hurt by it. He wants that relationship and the only way we can grow in that is to pursue him. Not pursue a to-do list but just pursue God, the amazing creator and Father that he is.

I love my husband. He is a great man of God who deserves my respect, my love, and my honesty. But I love God even more. He’s the one who deserves my respect, love, my honesty, and my adoration. There’s a cost to marriage. There’s a cost in independence. But just like with my faith, giving up that so called independence brings about a greater sense of freedom. I have a partner who’s with me. But I have a Heavenly Father who’s got me. That’s worth any cost in my book.


Photo Cred: Joe and Patience

Saying Goodbye

   It's not an easy thing to experience so much, to live through so much and to be changed both inside and out and then return to a place you once knew. But there are times when God calls us back to places. For me, God took me on an incredible journey across the pond to experience him in a whole new and different way than what I was used to. But then, his voice called me thus to return from whence I came.
    As I sit in a very familiar Woods Coffee in my very familiar home town, I can't help but become slightly sentimental, at times even wondering if everything that happened over the past eight months really happened or whether it was all just a dream. In some ways, nothing has changed in my home town and in some ways everything has changed. Now comes the challenge of readjusting to life here. There's the challenge of jobs, of friends, of church, and how to navigate in amongst everything differently with all that has happened.
     The last few weeks of DTS were awesome and rather intense. We had our exhibition where we performed a drama that our theatre track wrote and put together, we performed dances and covers, had art pieces up, and some of our writing. It was an awesome experience and a wonderful way to culminate what the past five months of DTS and eight months in total has meant to me. At the same time, God reminded me it wasn't just the ending of things in London but it was the beginning.  The things he's taught me about theatre and performing apply to coming home as well as to outreach and London. During the exhibition, we were able to speak to people in the community who wandered by and including a lady who was also a very creative person but was really looking for a community of believers to get involved with. Hopefully, God will keep putting that desire into her heart and encourage her to reach out to a church.
     Besides the exhibition, we had deep cleaning of the house, debriefs, and the "going home" lesson. We also had graduation which was a fantastic meal and a reminder of where each of us where when we started this DTS. The next couple days involved a lot of hanging out, eating awesome Argentinian food, and just being together. Then the fateful day came when I had to leave my family in London. My friends woke up early to say goodbye and three of them came with me to the airport which was such an amazing blessing.
     I could recap everything we've done, seen, experienced or everything God did and showed me over the time I was in the UK, but instead, I just want to say thank you. I want to say thank you for all the prayers that were sent up for the team and for me. I want to say thank you for caring. Coming back into the States has not been the easiest transition ever. But it's been good. I'm thankful for friends and the community I have here and the one aboard as well. More than anything, I'm so thankful for all God did. He allowed me some amazing moments and to learn some really hard lessons that ultimately have brought so much more freedom. The time could be easily sugarcoated that everything was wonderful all the time. However, to do that, would be to deny the moments of brokenness and the fact that God loves the humble and the broken because that's when his glory shows up in even greater ways.
    God was and is still in London. God is and was in Whatcom County. He has big plans no matter where we are and I'm excited to see what he has for me here. I hope to go back over and continue my adventure in London but for now, this is where God has me and I can't wait to see what's in store.

Christmastime in the City

     With two weeks left to my time in London, I cannot begin to think where the time has gone. It's been ages since my last post, I realize so much has happened. We traveled a bit, had some wonderfully traditional American meals, attended the premiere of the Hobbit, sang loads of Christmas Carols, and worked with a group who serves the homeless. But as things here are winding down, 2014 closed, there are a few things that have happened over the past few weeks that really stand out to me. The interesting thing about YWAM life, you feel like you've lived loads of lifetimes in a very short amount of time.

1. Bristol Outreach: We were able to spend a week in Bristol which was a city I really enjoyed. We met a lady who is a painter and paints beautiful cityscapes. As we began to talk to her about her art, about what we do, we offered to pray for her and as we did, we learned she is a Christian. But from all she had said, she was struggling in her walk to find hope and joy. As she encouraged us, we were able to encourage her and speak truth into her life. We went back and visited her a couple days later to exchange emails. She was absolutely thrilled. It was a moment that reminded me why we are doing what we are. Being an artist can be lonely, but we need to step out and make sure we're encouraging one another and find fellowship with one another.

2. The Hobbit Premiere: Yes, this really happened. We stood around for hours in the cold to see some of our favorite actors walk the Green Carpet and not see the movie. But it was amazing to be a part of it. We were in the second row of the pens, right across from the press. Eve though some of the actors didn't come through our section, we were able to watch them interact with each other and several of them did come our way. It was however, one of the most interesting environments to be in. The idol worship of these people was very real. We spent a lot of time in intercession for both the stars and for the people around us. We were exhausted at the end of the day, but it was amazing. Two of our team members had really cool interactions with the Producer for the film as well as Billy Boyd who played Pippin in the Lord of the Rings film.

3. Holidays away from Family: Thanksgiving and Christmas are a big deal in my family. It was hard to think about being away from them. But the leaders of our house know that. We had an awesome Thanksgiving day just gathering around each other and saying what we're thankful for. A couple of days later we had an epically delicious traditional American style Thanksgiving! For Christmas Eve, we were serving the homeless but after we came back for appetizers and Secret Santa, and loads of dancing. Christmas was another delicious meal, dressing up and just enjoying each other's company. It was hard but at the same time, it was a really good Christmas.

4. Earls Court Community Project: The day before Christmas Eve and Christmas Eve we were helping with the Earls Court Community Project serving and performing for them. It was amazing! We interacted with them, learned their stories, and were able to bring joy in a really hard time. In turn, I met a Christian woman who had been homeless for about two months. Her story touched me and encouraged me. She offered to pray for me as I told her I wasn't quite sure what the future held for me. Being able to serve in this way though was awesome. We were told any entertainment we provided couldn't be longer than five minutes because their attention span wasn't that long. A twenty minute performance, we kept their attention throughout the whole thing and they really appreciated it. It was an excellent way to spend Christmas Eve.

5. New Years Eve: We could have partied inside the warm with food and drinks. Instead, we were at the top of Primrose Hill in Camden, overlooking the entire city by two in the afternoon with drumsets and guitars, saving our spot at the top of the hill in the cold. But come 10 in the evening, we were joined by a couple other YWAM teams and we had worship on the top of the hill. Surrounded by loads and loads of people, we had conversations with people, random people joined us in worship and the fireworks went off from the London Eye. All of which were amazing! People may not have known what we were singing but it totally changed the atmosphere of what could have been a really heavy day. It was one of the best New Years Eve Parties I've had in a while.

   As I prepare go home, I know God has things for me there as well but there's still things to do here. We have an exhibition in a week where we will be showing some writing pieces, performing some covers, and doing a small skit. It's a way of culminating what these last eight months have meant and all the freedom and work that God has done. To him be the glory, always! It's been amazing and I wouldn't trade this time for anything. Even though I'm leaving now, I know that London and I are not done with each other. I'm just excited to see when and how God leads me back here.

Faith and Trying Times

     To say it's been a busy few weeks would be an understatement. It's been a while since my last update. Liverpool and Manchester feel like ages ago even though it was merely a month. We have had some teachings, we traveled a bit, and we have spent a fair amount of time remodeling our house. We put in a new floors, did some painting, took apart walls and cupboards and made the house look new. It was a chance for us to show some love to our house which in the end turned out to be really fun. I always enjoy a bit of painting.
    Beyond that, we have been investing even more in London. On Thursdays we spend most of the day in the neighbourhood of Camden which is a really cool artsy area of London. However, it can also be very dodgy. It's a very spiritual place but not in the right way. We spent a lot of time praying over the area and meeting some of the people in the shops, talking with them and praying for them. The longer we spend in Camden, the more God has given me a heart for the neighbourhood. They have a huge market and loads of shops as well. One of the sections of Camden is called Primrose Hill which is the highest point of London. Climbing to the top is rough but it's a gorgeous view of London from the top. It's also a spot where a lot of witchcraft has occurred. We have also spent more time in Notting Hill but intentionally evangelizing as well. Instead of just having a one off conversation, we are able to go back and invest in the people there. There was a guy that one of the girls, Hayley and I had met when we were in Liverpool who he actually lives in London and works at a stand in Notting Hill. The other day, we were walking through the market, he saw us, and burst out of the stand, almost forgetting the customer he was helping so that he could come and talk with us. It's moments like that which are encouraging. It shows that just being in a place and talking with someone can make a difference.
    We also had the opportunity to go to Brighton at the beginning of this week. Huge thank you for the prayers sent up about outreaches. We were only in Brighton for a few days but we did some worship on the beach, evangelism and then we had a "faith day" on the last day that we were there. We were able to pray with people, pray over the area and also explore the different art that occurs there. For Faith Day, the whole idea is that you are sent out with nothing for the whole day and just see what God does.
    My team and I decided in the morning we would start with talking with people. We had some conversations with some really strange people; a lady who wanted us to pray for her cat to use the back garden instead of the front garden and a man who couldn't remember where he was or who he was for that matter. But as the day wore on, we started to get really hungry so we popped into a coffee shop just to see what would happen. We got some waters and grabbed a few sugar packets. Our staff walked into the shop, only to find out that they had sandwiches . . .which they decided not to give us. It was a bummer at the time but we found a sign for a Salvation Army and we decided just to check it out. Turns out we came right as they were finishing lunch so they gave us quiche, soda, chips, and candy all for free. We talked with them for a while and were able to pray for them. Their hospitality was amazing and their heart for God and for the city was inspiring as well. It made up for kind of a bummer morning.
     Brighton itself was fantastic. We're hoping to go on another outreach to Bristol in a few weeks which prayers for that would be awesome.
     God has also been revealing some really deep things inside of me lately. He's confronted rejection, pride, control, manipulation, and co-dependency in a lot of ways that has been really painful. It's a process I'm learning. It's a process of letting God come into every inch of me, every crevice, every facet and allowing him to be the only thing that matters. People will let me down at some point. If that's where my affirmation is, that's not fair to my friends and those around me because they cannot fulfill those desires inside of me. God has to be the center of all. It's hard, it's a deep thing that's been unearthed but God is so faithful to put people around me to point out those things and help me to walk in a greater sense of freedom. It's a process. It won't change overnight but slowly and gently he's growing me into the person he has called me to be.
     Thank you again for all your prayers, they have been greatly appreciated. Another prayer requests, all the visas for everyone in YWAM in England have been called into question. There's something that the immigration is questioning with the sponsorship of YWAM and there is a chance that everyone who is here on a visa will have to go home within sixty days of when they make that decision. It would affect most of our DTS (which thankfully, we would be able to finish out the DTS at this point), but it would affect about 80% of the staff here at the Urban Key base and over 250 people throughout YWAM England. Prayer that this issue would get resolved and be favourable that no one would have to go home would be greatly appreciated as well.

Yellow Submarine Imaginatorium

   It's hard to believe it's been four months since I arrived in London. In many ways, it feels like I've lived many lifetimes since I arrived. Sometimes life in YWAM just doesn't seem to be done in real time. We have the opportunity to experience loads of things in a very short amount of time. The DTS began about a month and a half ago. God has already began to break down walls in my heart that have needed to be broken.
     This week we've had teaching from Jorge Rios and he's been talking about being a new creation. When we are born again, something has to change inside of us. If it doesn't, then we have to question whether or not we've really been changed and whether our salvation is for real. God showed up this week for me. I realized just how much I fear failure. I've put so many pressures on myself from work, relationships, and even in my quiet times with God. I want to succeed and I stress out if I don't think I will. But God has broken through so many of those things and began to give me freedom in those moments. He's reminded me I just need to chill and let him work and do what he needs to. He'll work, he'll move, and I just need to chill and not put the pressures on myself that I have in the past. Going forth in my own strength isn't going to help me at all. Rather, it will make things worse because I will be trying to do it without God. When he's put certain things on my heart, then he's will complete them, not me.
     Besides the intenseness of this week, we also went on outreach on Liverpool and Manchester two weeks ago which was quite awesome. We started in Liverpool, the birthplace of the Beatles. It was nice to be by water again. It was a beautiful city. We joined up with the YWAM base there that currently only has two full time staff members. We stayed in a flat that was owned by an older couple who belong to a local church. They were super sweet. Being able to be in Liverpool allowed us to really feel like we're in England. Being in London, there's so much international influence and multi culturalness which is great but to really experience British culture, it was wonderful to be in Liverpool and Manchester and to actually get a sense of that culture. We found people to be really friendly in both cities. In Liverpool, we performed some songs and our visual track did some art pieces. We were able to talk with people and share Christ in that way. We also walked the city to get a sense of the area. The YWAM base in Liverpool is also involved with a ministry to prostitutes. They took us to the spot where the girls work. We prayed over the area where the YWAM workers have been ministering to the girls.
     Manchester was quite interesting. We stayed a church and the pastor was awesome. However, it was definitely in a more dodgy part of town. But to be able to be a light in that area was awesome. We went into the city center one of the days and performed and then had the chance to talk to people. One of the girls and I saw a girl sitting by herself. We went over and asked if there was anything we could pray for. She responded that she had been diagnosed with a tissue disease that made her really tired. We prayed for her. Then after we prayed, she told us she was a Christian but she had never had someone randomly come up and pray for her and just how cool it was. God used that moment to encourage her.
     We had hoped to be in Brighton this week but connections with churches fell through. We still hope to go but there's a chance we won't. This week we've been continuing to work on our tracks so there's been new songs to learn, monologues to write and perform for theatre, and a huge blessing for me in that I also get to join the writing track! Being able to express and release through writing has been amazing so far. To check out my writing for our writing track, please visit www.writeuponthestars.blogspot.co.uk
    As I close, prayer would be awesome for the rest of the outreaches that they would happen and we would make the right connections in all the places we wish to go. Also, prayer that God continues to do a work in our hearts and that we will be open to it. The final prayer request would be for unity amongst our team as well. I really do appreciate all your prayers while I've been here.

Oceans Imaginatorium

     As I sit and type this, I can't help but think just how crazy life can be. On September 3rd, the intent was to come home after spending a couple days in Switzerland with my cousin and one of my good friends. But as September 3rd came around, I was indeed in Switzerland, which was amazing, but I found myself flying back to London, getting on the Tube, and heading right back to the Arts House instead of making my connecting flight to Vancouver.
     Needless to say, this summer has been a time of growth, of change, and a time that God has used to refine me. He has broken down barriers, healed me of hurts I didn't even know existed and begun to show me how live out a greater sense of his calling for me. Before I came to London, I had every intention of going back home after the internship. I did know that the Arts Ministry here was going to be running a Discipleship Training School that would start just as internship was finishing. A DTS is the main school that YWAM runs that involves a certain amount of teaching and then an outreach portion to the school. The DTS here would be five months. But the idea of actually doing a DTS was the furthest thing from my mind. I actually told one of the staff, Elin, that I really didn't ever want to do a DTS. But as time went on, God kept brining the DTS to mind and I continued to fight it. I had my plan, three months and then I was going to be back to the States. Besides, the idea of doing a DTS, just didn't sound appealing to me despite hearing where the DTS outreach was going to be going be (around the UK) and what they were going to be doing (loads more theatre). But as time went on, the idea of DTS continued to come into my mind. When one of my best friends who was in a similar boat with me said that she was going to be stay, I thought that was brave of her but I was certain God was going to take me on a different path. Yet, it was in Edinburgh while singing "Breakaway" by Kelly Clarkson that for the first time I thought that maybe I would in fact stay. Finally, after a lot of prayers, some tears, some angry words towards God and even packing my bag to go home, God finally broke through the walls of conventionality and told me to do the DTS. Instead of coming home in September, I will be coming home in January, staying in London through the Holidays. It really was one of the hardest decisions I've made. Everything in me said I should go back and work but God has continued to confirm my decision. He's given me grace and blessings with my employer, he's given my parents peace about the decision, and already God has begun to do more work in my heart to stretch me and grow me closer to him.
     I came to the internship knowing that I was going to grow closer to God but also with the focus of being able to do theatre. I ended up doing more music than theatre but God worked in my heart and gave me so many blessing with seeing Paris, Glasgow, and Scotland. We performed in the streets and talked to some amazing people about God. However, for the DTS, both of the leaders of the theatre track have returned which means we'll have a chance to work in that area more which I'm very excited about. But I also know that God has a lot more he wants to do in my heart to break down walls of insecurity and bring me in to a greater freedom with him.
      But before the internship finished, we had one final phase: The Notting Hill Carnival. It was one of the craziest experiences I've ever had. There was stilt walking in which I was over seven feet tall with the stilts, a giant angel, people dancing on walls, a parade, and crazy drunk people all around us. We had some awesome opportunities to talk and pray with people as we lived in Notting Hill in a church for two weeks and practiced our stilts around the neighborhood which definitely got some reactions from people. One night we were talking with a couple for a while but then we ended up going back to the church, taking off our stilts and going back and talking with them for longer. They were not Christians and her dad has cancer. We had the opportunity just to pray with her and try to encourage her. It was amazing moment to connect with someone who really opened up to us. I also had the chance to talk with two guys during Carnival and we had awesome converstation about God although they were not believers. Just as they were walking away, I felt I needed to pray for them. As I finished, one of the set pieces fell over right where they would have been walking. It was in that moment that I really think he saw the power and protection of God in his life and I just continue to pray that God continues to work in his heart to show him truth.
     The past three months were awesome. As I left the church on August 30th, saying goodbye to my friends from the internship, I couldn't help but think how blessed I had been to be a part of this internship. The friendships and connections have been awesome being able to meet people from so many different countries and cultures. There's a song that's quite popular right now by Hillsong called Oceans. The bridge says, "Take me deeper than my feet has ever wandered, then my faith will be made stronger in the presence of my Savior." I'll admit that I would sing that song with all I had . . but to be honest, I never thought that God would actually continue to lead me into deeper waters and test me in trusting in him. But as I step out in faith, I know God has blessings for me. To obey him means that he will bring blessings when we step out in faith and trust God to work. He works all things together for good for those who love him. I want to grow closer, I want to grow in my calling, and learn how to reach people in Christ in a greater way through both relationship and the arts. I'm excited to see what these next five months hold.
 Please continue to pray for me as I walk through this crazy journey. The DTS will be set up that we'll have two weeks of teaching and then a week of outreach. Next week we head off to Manchester and Liverpool for our first outreach week!