"Fill us up, Send us out"

I cannot believe this summer is literally right around the corner! 24 days until Santa Cruz, California becomes my home for 10 weeks. Yikesabee! I cannot express how excited I am for this wonderful oppurtunity to share my Love for Jesus to the people of Santa Cruz.

I created this blog so I can keep up with all that this summer has in store, and to show my friends and family, who have supported me so graciously, how the Lord is going to be working in my life as well as the lives of the people that I come in contact with this summer.

 A year ago, I would have never even considered spending my WHOLE summer devoted to a missions trip. The thought of being gone, for that long and away from everything I was used to, scared me. I was happy in my little comfortable life. I didn't want to let go of it. The Lord really began to work in my heart during my Sophomore year at NC State. He allowed me to become completely broken so that I had to search for Him and to long for Him to become the one and true desire in my heart. He pursued me so that I in return would pursue after Him wholeheartedly. Over the year, I have grown to see the truth of John 3:30 which states: "He must become greater; I must become less." Its not about me, and it never will be about me. My purpose, as I live for a short while on this Earth, is to glorify and proclaim the gospel of His saving Grace. I want to tell the people of Santa Cruz what the Lord has done in my life and what the gospel means to me by loving them and serving them. I am going to miss my wonderful friends and family and especially Bojangle's, but I am so humbled and anxiously awaiting to see what God has in store for me this summer as I invest in the lives of others. I am so blessed with this oppurtunity that God has given me. I pray He use me and reveal Himself to me more than ever before as I share His love.

"May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to shine upon us

that your way may be known on earth,
your saving power among all nations.

 Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!

 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide the nations upon earth. 
 Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!

The earth has yielded its increase;
God, our God, shall bless us.
 God shall bless us;
let all the ends of the earth fear him!"

-Psalm 67