Day 7 & 8

Hi!

Because I missed a day, I'll be talking about what happened yesterday, the night before yesterday, and today!

FUAGNEM was amazing the night before yesterday (sorry that kinda sounds confusing). Worship is just as unbelievable as always. What I love about the trip is that even though we give it our all in the day time, we get filled right back up at night. Not only is this trip for others but it's for us to learn, to build a closer relationship with Christ each night, to have our lives changed, to never be the same. During worship, all I could feel was God's amazing love. I can truthfully say that I love Him with all my heart. I couldn't stop repeating it to Him that night. He is amazing and SO good ALL THE TIME. My circumstances and problems don't dictate who He is. If you're readint this and don't know of his unconditional love, I urge you to seek Him. He loves you so much and has so much planned out for you. His love changes lives. It changed mine!!! Even when everything fades away, His love remains. It never fails. There's NOTHING we can do to separate us from His love. No sin, failure, flaw can keep Him from loving us. Knowing this gives me so much joy or peace
If I have God, what else do I need? He's been so faithful to me in not just the big things, but also the little things.

I've been learning so much from everyone on this trip. They all have different gifts, talents, and are all just so encouraging. It excites me to see students and leaders rush to the stage to share their testimony on How God is using them. SO ENCOURAGING to see their hearts and their love and willingness to serve God.

Jed our speaker that night gave a message on normal Christianity. One of the points he talked about was that even though we carry shame from the sins we've done in the past, we shouldn't avoid God. he wants us to come back to him even more than we want it ourselves. He has confidence in us. he also talked about how we need to redefine Christianity and our faith if outsiders don't see a difference in us. Also, if they don't think that being a Christian is more fn whatever else they're doing, something is wrong. Wrong because God is so fun, exciting, adventurous, risky.

Also, people are (STILL) coming up to me to tell me that they really liked my message which is so cool. This just encourages me so much. So because people have been recognizing me, while waiting for our flight to Ecuador, I was on the hunt for a banana. I couldn't find one and I ran into 2 people from the trip and we started talking because they recognized me. And I was talking about how I was searching for a banana and one of them had one and gave it to me!! :D I'm totally convinced that God nudged my heart to share because He knew I'd need a banana. HAHAHA just kidding. But in all honesty, I'm not saying this because I'm trying to put a false humility front or anything, but I truly believe it was all God. God who gave me the words and the wisdom. The strength to be able to stand in front of 350-400 people and share what He put upon my heart. Knowing me, there's absolutely no way I could have done it on my own.

Even though my teammates are such fun people, I can't help but compare it to last year in Guatemala. I miss it so much. But at the same time, I'm slowly learning that there's a purpose for EVERYTHING that happens. And that despite that, God is still going to do amazing things and use His people mightily. Oh and guess what the salvation count is so far from all 8 teams?? 253!!! PRAISE GOD!

OK so YESTERDAY was our second ministry day in Ecuador. WE performed our drama 3 times at the park. There were these little kids that kept coming back to watch and play with us. So adorable! I had the chance to lead 2 people to christ. Surprisingly, some of the Ecuadorians that we encountered were Christians which was neat because we were able to encourage them. It was also awesome being able to encourage other people who've fallen away from God and those who've rededicated their lives to Christ. A teammate and I prayed for a woman who was experiencing a lot of pain in her leg and when we prayed for her, she instantly felt better. Yay, God!

Our translators are so nice and willing to help us whenver we need help. AND I've been getting a lot better at spanish. I can basically keep conversations flowing (mixed with a bit of ingles) and share the gospel a bit in spanish. Even though there's a language barrier, I love that we don't need to be able to communicate with just words. Actions are louder than words. And when they see love through our actions, it really makes an impact on their lives.

Today is a rest day and so we will all be attending seminars. Today is also the day that BRITT NICOLE will be giving us a concert. She's been hopping around on teams and won't be able to get the chance to go on mine because she's leaving tomorrow. I will be STALKING and looking for her all day today until I get a picture with her haha.

This morning Susie gave a sermon called "Eye Surgery". It was about how our lives are not ours and how having the vision of Christ is important. I also learned today that Jesus' disciples were teenagers (except for Peter). TEENAGERS?? they were exactly like us. They struggled with pride, doubt, fear, emotions, anger, etc. But God used them and they were able to impact the world becuase they had "eye surgery" and received spiritual vision. As a result, God was in their eyes. No longer did it become THEM doing things but CHRIST doing things. They were able to change the world because the Holy SPirit empowered them and they always had God before them as their focus. Having His eyes require a complete crucifixion of all south will. We have the mentality that it is us developing our gifts and talents for God. BUT it's not about us doing His helping. Because if it is, it's still about US. not Him. It's about seeing what God sees. Instead of asking God to help us be patient, loves others and be joyful, we ask Jesus to do it for us. Because if we have His eyes, it's more than just the forgiving of our sins. Rather it is a deep transformation and conversion. If we have His vision.

Ok I would finish, but i'm all out of time and unfortunately i have to stop here. sorry ):

bye! thanks for all the prayers!

love,
michelle