Christmas 2012

I hope you all had a great Christmas celebrating the birth of our wonderful Savior.
We sure did and here are some pictures to show it.

We are still enjoying time with family and friends in Pensacola. We will be here until the 13th of January and then it's back to Nashville! This is a special time for us because it is our last holiday season in the states for a while. Next year we will be spending all of our holiday's in another country (and in case you haven't heard, the announcement of which country is coming soon). 

We are so thankful for our family, friends, and the best gift of all- Jesus. 

Happy almost New Year!! 

It's beginning to look a lot like...

Christmas! Next week? 2013 twelve days away? Where did all the time go?

Today I am hibernating in my house (for now anyway). The weather looks and feels dreadful. As a native Floridian, I have fond memories of waking up on Christmas day and throwing on short sleeves and sandals. And I'd like to keep it that way. Nashville is more true to the season though. "Baby it's cold outside!"

In light of all that has happened lately in our country, I know that there will be people this Christmas who are in deep pain. Pain that will be never be understood. I would like to share an article that I came across regarding the Connecticut shooting. It is one of the best articles I have read concerning this matter ( and no, it does not talk politics!). You can find it (here). And we can't forget to pray for these families. 

Here in our little multi-ethnical world we have held several Christmas parties. First one was with all us Trek-Xers. We love our tacky sweaters :)

We learned how to make Arepa's (a delicious and traditional Colombian snack)

My friend Karissa held a Christmas party for some of the Nepali kids in our apartment complex. We made popsicle stick frames, decorated cookies, and told the story of Jesus. They loved it.

Our final Christmas party will be Sunday with our hispanic church. After that we are off to Pensacola for 3 weeks with family and friends. 

We are excited to catch up with people we love. And looking forward to being in my beloved warm state of Florida! Merry Christmas! 

Español

2 years ago I graduated from college. It was one of the best feelings and accomplishments in my life. It probably felt so great because in my last 2 years of college at the University of North Florida (Swoop!), I literally thought I wasn't going to make it out alive. Even though UNF is often referred to as "you never finish," I am slightly kidding about making it out alive. However, I really had to rely upon the Lord to get me through some of my classes (like Interpreting Hispanic Literature or Advanced Spanish Grammar-sounds intimidating right?). College can already be tough enough in English. Put everything in Spanish and it becomes that much more tough.

UNF Graduation December 2010

But here I am today, 2 years later. Not only am I using my Spanish and am around it everyday, I have a hispanic last name now. It's like the Lord was preparing me for it all along :) 

Mitch and I still have a ways to go until we are fluent. And no, just because I have a degree in Spanish does not make me fluent. I wish! But it did give me a really good foundation. 

With all of that being said, I am thankful that the Lord directed me in path he did. Mitch and I can communicate pretty well with the hispanics we have befriended in our apartment complex. Had we not known some Spanish, we may have not talked to them in the first place, seeing as there would have been a language barrier, or we would have needed a translator.

But now we are rejoicing because our friend Rodolfo said he wants to know more about Christ! We hope to start a Discovery Bible study with him, one of the bible study methods we have learned and practiced in our training time. 

Please pray for Rodolfo and his roommates too, that they would be apart of the bible study. 

Please also pray for our Spanish to continue to improve. 

We are literally learning new words almost everyday! We are excited about immersing ourselves into the Spanish language next year when we move overseas! 

Praise God for giving us the ability and patience to learn another language. May it be for His glory. 

The Great I Am

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh,

God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins., having canceled the

 charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it 

away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a 

public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. 

Colossians 2:13-15

                              

So in love with this song. English version here

God is good.

Life lately

Recent life happenings through pictures!

Suja and Ashmita gave us a visit on Halloween!

Suja and Benot looking through our children's Bible. 

My good friend Kara came to Nashville and went with us to a friend's wedding!

Mitch and I with my friend Daniel and his wife Katie at their wedding.

Surprised Jess for her 23rd birthday!

Voted! (Absentee voters do not get stickers, hence the homemade one)

We said goodbye to our Kurdish friend, Karwan who is going back to Northern Iraq. (2nd row on left) Mitch and I had to leave before the picture was taken, but we are glad to have met Karwan! 

Had a relaxing Trek-X weekend retreat in a cozy cabin. This was our view! 

Took some photos for a family from church at this beautiful location.

Celebrated Thanksgiving a week early with our Trek-X family since we will all be out of town next week. I brought a red velvet chocolate chip cheese ball. mmm

Hope everyone has a lovely week! God bless.

-Amanda 

Nepali kids

I'd like to introduce some of my little friends.
Several times a week, our home becomes a place for the kiddos. Coloring, bible stories, cartoons, and lots of sillyness. So blessed with the opportunity to invest in their lives.

These Nepali kids need lots of love. Pray for them as we share the love of Christ with them!

Lovely fall

I feel like a broken record from last year, but can I just say that fall in Nashville is awesome! This time of year, I do not miss Florida. I'm convinced Florida has two seasons, hot and cold- there is no middle ground. But here, leaves are changing colors, the weather is the perfect temp, and everything is so beautiful. Time to drink hot lattes, forget the ice!
The weather and the season inspired me to to visit a local farm and pick me out a pumpkin!
 I don't think I have ever been to a pumpkin patch before this year and if I have, then it was before the age of 10, and in that case I have no recollection of it (what happened to my long term memory?!). Anyway, not only did we find a pumpkin, but also the most beautiful sunflowers ever!

God is simply beautiful and his creation shows it. So blessed to be experiencing fall in Nashville and working with people from around the world. 

Lord, please help us learn the secret, 
Even little flowers know, 
If it never, never rains 
Then we'll never, never grow.

Thursday, September 27th was a great day for me. I turned 24! I tend to hype up birthdays a lot…even when it's not my birthday. I can't help it, I see it as a celebration of life. God has blessed me with 24 years of life and because of that, I'm excited!

I'm thankful for Mitch. He made my day very special :)

I cannot believe we are only a day away from it being October. With that being said, we only have 7ish months left in Nashville. While we absolutely love living in a refugee apartment complex it will be sad to leave. We have formed great relationships with some of the people and at least twice a week our home is filled with Nepali kids. My prayer is that our time here will be well spent.

Mitch and I are fairly certain where we will be spending our 2 years overseas, but are still trying to work out the logistics of it. As soon as we do know, I will gladly announce it with excitement! 

"Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done."

Psalm 105:1 

Rainy Days.

Today is Monday, September, 17th. While most people hate Monday's, I actually like them. It is the only day Mitch and I both have off together (technically I have everyday off seeing as I do not have a part-time job at the moment, but whatever). Today also happens to be a rainy day. I have never been a fan of rainy days. I prefer the sunshine, But don't we all? :) 

Anyway, I am thankful for my husband, who rain or shine always tires to cheer me up. And today he reminded me that it's only 10 more days till my birthday! 

As I sit in our little home and watch the rain, I can't help but think about what my 24th birthday might hold. I have been at a different stage of life at almost every age. 18 was the age God opened my eyes to missions, 22 was the age I got married, and now here come 24. 

Saturday night we prayed over and said goodbye to our friends Josh, Autumn, and Monica before they left for the Philippines for 2 years. I was reminded that this time next year, that will be Mitch and I. 

24 will be the age of allowing Jesus to prepare my heart and mind for living 2 years in another country. At 24 years old, Mitch and I will board a plane with a one way ticket to a foreign land. This brings joy to my heart. I am excited for what's to come. 

God bless Josh, Autumn, and Monica who are faithful servants to Christ. We cannot wait to hear about the wonderful things the Lord does in the Philippines!  

Engage the World…In America!

I've noticed that Americans tend to live in a bubble. We are not always aware of what goes on in the world we live in. Sure we might watch CNN or Fox News, but is that really an un-biased view of current events?
Anyway, my point is not to discuss the media, but to point out that it is truly difficult to experience the world around us unless we step into that culture.

Without physically stepping into another country, Mitch and I have recently gotten the opportunity to  experience the Kurdish culture.
Sunday evening we met 5 Kurdish men who recently moved to Nashville (Kurdish people come from Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Turkey). Just by talking to them it seemed as if we immediately became their friends. Now before meeting them I knew nothing about their culture. I hate to say it, but I did have pre-concieved notions about middle easterners and middle east countries- whether it be from the media, what I was taught, or simply how our society views them. But I am beginning to learn things about them and their culture that the media would never tell you. It's amazing how different a culture can be, but how similar we all really are.

I wish everyone could have the opportunity to serve overseas on a mission trip, it truly does open your eyes to so much. But I know not everyone can physically go. The great thing about the U.S. is that the nations have been brought to us! Let's face it, us white folks will be the minority one day. We live in a land where English is not the official language and hispanics are rapidly increasing (good thing I know Spanish!).

Needless to say, there is no excuse for us, especially us Christians, to engage in other cultures and in internationals. It has opened my eyes a lot just by getting to know our new Kurdish friends. I am challenging you to do what Christ commands:

"Therefore go and make disciples of ALL nations…"  Matthew 28:19

Our week through pictures

We are finally getting settled into our little Nashville apartment and boy does it feel good to settle. But as nice as it is to have a home, we are missing our summer days in Guatemala. 

This year we are living in an apartment complex that house refugees (people from war-torn or hostile countries that are brought to the U.S by the government). We are truly living amongst the nations here! 

This is our new group of Trek-X missionaries! We are all excited-it's going to be a great year! 

Something fun :) Our apartment is white and we can't really paint the walls so why not paint my furniture? Lime green + coral 

This will probably be a weekly place of eating :) Gotta support our fav fast food joint. Even as a vegetarian, I love Chick-fil-A! It almost makes me want to eat chicken again ;) 

I've been reading over this verse a lot lately. Praying and expecting God to demonstrate his power to these refugee's and that many would be saved! 

Have a great week!

-Amanda 

State side

We returned from our summer in Guatemala on July 30th. We have been non stop busy ever since (hence the lack of blogging).
After traveling from Houston, Austin, and Dallas, we are now in Pensacola….but only for 3 days!
Our life is like a whirlwind right in front of our own eyes. Does life ever slow down? I've been waiting for it to, but it still hasn't!

Our last week in Guatemala was bittersweet. We made so many new friends, saw many children come to know the Lord, and fell in love with the country and people of Guatemala. It was starting to feel like home. But I have a feeling we'll be back :)

If you've been following along with our journey this summer, you may remember us talking about the village The 46. Our main project in this village was a retaining wall. Below is a picture of the wall-the completed wall! We are so excited to have finished their retaining wall and to have done the first ever VBS in their village. God is radically at work in that village & Mitch and I feel blessed to have been apart of it.

The Wall-Before & After 

August 5th, 2011 was a wonderful, beautiful day. I will never forget the day I married my best friend. I cherish my husband and our marriage deeply. I am so thankful that the Lord has given us a year of marriage. We hope for many more.

Celebrating our 1 year anniversary in Houston, TX

Thursday we will head back to Nashville! We are looking forward to being back in Music City where we will be living and working amongst refugees from all over the world.
Updates to come!
-Amanda

The 46

We finished our first work week in The 46 on Friday working with a group from North Carolina and building a retaining wall behind the school.

We are the first American group to come into this village and they are so grateful for that. They are a village that is overlooked by most of society so we are blessed to serve them.

This week the group will continue building the wall and will also begin VBS. This is a big deal because the majority, if not all of these children(and families) are without Christ. 

Pray for the power of the Word to come alive to these children. Also pray for Mitch as he translates! 

I am joining the other half of the North Carolina group in a town called Parramos. We are working in several different villages doing VBS, painting, building & farming. 

Our view from the worksite is breathtaking! 

Mi amiga, Nidia

Chicas 

Soccer break

beautiful

I cannot believe it is already our last week in Guatemala! Praying that the Lord blesses this week. 

-Amanda