Sweetly Southern Hospitality : July 2014

Hello friends,

This time last week I was sitting on a patio in Haiti with about 50 other people listening to stories of the day and praising Jesus. Let me tell you, there is nothing sweeter than hearing Jesus' name sung without abandon by some teenagers that are sold out to serving our Savior. It blessed my heart every night to hear the stories of how God was working and the cool things they had witnessed throughout the day.

We spent our days loving on kids. From the time we got to a local church within a small Haitian community the children would come in flocks to play futbol, jump rope or simply to be held. It was a precious sight watching two people that didn't speak the same language bond in a way that words can't describe.

While in Haiti and upon returning I couldn't shake the feeling that I was learning more about myself and home than I was actually learning about Haiti. This may sound strange and what I was learning was not about what you would expect. I didn't come home from Haiti feeling more blessed because of the material possessions I have that I didn't see over there. Material things are temporary and while they make things easier and more comfortable for sure, it wasn't something I longed for. What I learned about home is to be intentional.

While in Haiti I was extremely intentional with the conversations I had with those who I could communicate with. I was intentional with my relationships. I knew one thing was certain that I only had a small amount of time and so despite how I was feeling that day, I made more of an effort. I also left Haiti wishing I could have had more opportunities to share the gospel. That left me aching inside because I never leave a day back in the states feeling that way. I never seem make enough time to really talk to those I know need Jesus. I hardly ever will try to meet strangers and invite them to church. So if I wouldn't do that in my everyday life, what makes going to a new place any different? Why was I so willing and so eager to share my faith when I didn't know a soul? Is it because I care too much about what people here think? Is it because I don't care enough about those around me? Tough questions but so important to ask. The question comes down to this: Is Jesus the most important thing in my life and if so why would I not want to share Him with everyone I know?

Haiti was a beautiful country filled with beautiful people but Haiti is just like the United States of America in that there are tons of lost people every where you look. There are tons of opportunities to serve and help those in need. There are tons of ways to be intentional.

I went expecting to learn about and serve Haiti, I left learning about home and more importantly about HIM.

Hey friends!

I hope all is well where you are. I just finished up what has probably been the craziest month of my life and I thought for myself and for you guys reading I would digress and give myself the opportunity to reflect on the things I did and learned in the month of June.

I started off the first of the month with a rock...literally. Around 12:45 a.m. June 1st I admitted myself into the ER with my mother with a severe pain I could immediately identify as a kidney stone. It had been 8 1/2 years since my first one and I sort of thought I was in the clear. I thought wrong. It was an awful night but after 3 hours and some good pain meds they sent me home giving me the hope that I would pass it within the next 12 hours. Sure enough around 5:30 a.m. I passed the stone and immediately felt relief. They(those who have experienced both and medical professionals)compare the pain of a kidney stone to that of having a child but really I think it must be better having a kid because at least when the pain is over you have a kid, with a kidney stone you look down at this tiny little rock and go really that is what caused that much pain, I mean literally it is the size of a little pebble. But I have it in a little cup so if any of you want to see it, feel free to stop by, I'll show it off like a war medal.

A day later I left for Summit Kids Camp in Grove, OK. This was my second time to go and it is really one of the best experiences. My role at camp is to help lead worship for the whole camp. I love my job. There is nothing that energizes me more than to take out my in-ear monitors and listen to hundreds of kids sing to Jesus and truly mean it. The innocence and abandonment is breathtaking and humbling. The theme of the camp was "Story" that God invites us into His story. It was a wonderful experience and I can't wait to go back next year.

The next week I got to spend time at home hanging out with my family and students from church. I helped take our Community Students from Van Buren to the lake and we had such a great time hanging out, tubing and enjoying the water. We also have a program going at the church this summer called Apprentice for older students wanting to get deeper in their faith that I get to be a part of as well. We all took a retreat for one night to Lake Fort Smith and just hung out and got to know each other. It was such a blast. If you have not checked out Lake Fort Smith I would highly recommend it. The cabin's are nice, the scenery is fantastic and the memories you will make will be unforgettable. Maybe they need to pay me to do a commercial for them haha. We had a great time and ate enough chocolate chip cookies to last us a couple months.

The 3rd week of June I headed out with Community Students to Panama City Beach for BigStuf Beach Camp. It was probably one of the best weeks ever. The message was again about "Story". I think God was really trying to get that theme in my head this month and honestly it worked. One of the best things I learned at camp was that we could have a big role, the main role in a story that no one really cares about or sees or we could have a small, supporting role in the biggest story of all time. It really hit home who's story I was living for and who was in complete control over my life.

The next morning after returning from beach camp that afternoon my family and I packed up and headed to New Orleans for a 7 day Caribbean cruise. At this point I have to admit I was exhausted. It was just what I needed to rejuvenate and relax again. Our first stop was Cozumel, Mexico where we snorkeled and saw some amazing sights including some of the bluest waters and a place called El Cielo (the sky) that had starfish everywhere you looked. It was awesome. Our next stop was in Belize where I literally had the best snorkel experience I have ever had. We snorkeled right on a barrier reef so the reefs were within touch distance from us. We saw fish of every color and shape. It always baffles me to think about how creative God is. The world He created underwater is insanely cool and we can only see a glimpse of it. The last stop we made was my favorite for sure. Roatan, Honduras is one of the most beautiful places on earth. We took a tour of the island and got to learn all about their culture and see places most tourists never get to see. Our guide Elin Woods (yes she had the same name as Tiger's ex wife and I even asked if it was her real name and it is. She didn't even know who Tiger Woods was) showed us everything about the island and also told us about their lives, what they eat and drink, the herbs they take because no one ever gets sick there hardly and told us about her faith. Surprisingly Christianity is very prevalent in Roatan. It almost brought tears to my eyes listening to her sing us her favorite church song. We also experienced getting to hold spider monkeys and different birds in Roatan. It was such a good trip and an experience I will hold in my heart forever.

My biggest accomplishment for the month was that I made it through the whole 30 days without a sunburn. For those of you who aren't pasty white, this is a huge deal for people like me and I am proud to say I am almost a shade darker than white. As crazy as June was I would go back and do it all over again. I learned so much about God, about myself and about others. I am home now for a couple of weeks but I will leave again July 19th for Haiti. If you think about it please be praying for my team and I as we head over there. Also be praying for the people we come into contact with that they will be fed the word of God and that they will feel His love for them.

Thanks for being a part of my life,

Rachel