YAY!!! :D

Ok, this is amazing!!! God has finally finished helping me pull in all the funds and, because of some mind-blowing miracles, I have ended up with actually *more* than I need! I know I've said this before, but I just have to say it again...isn't He awesome???

So, I am now in the last stages...my passport is in, I have all the money I need (and then some), and it looks like I have just about eveything I need for the trip! Praise the Lord!!! Just one last shopping trip on Monday, and I'll be set! :)

Also, I just thought I'd let ya'll know...I added a wonderful little thing to the site called a "Tagger". All you have to do is put in your name and then hit 'tag', and then I can come back later and 'tag' ya'll back! So that way we can talk back and forth while on gone. Pretty cool, huh? And just FYI, YOU DON'T NEED YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS TO POST!!! It has the option there, but it's just that...an option.

Anyways, it's dinner time and I hear the food calling my name! I'll talk to you all later, and God bless you! Have an AWESOME week! :)

In Him,

<>< Christi <><

Instant Messanger Conversation

I had an interesting conversation with a friend tonight, and I really thought it was cool so I'm gunna post it so ya'll can see it! You don't have to read it, but it's just kinda like REALLY COOL and TOTALLY POWERFUL!!! :D (now if that wasn't a guilt trip, what is? hehehe!)

But seriously, if you don't have time to burn then it's not too important...otherwise, totally check it out! :)

<>< Christi <><


christi says: what is your fave bible verse?

isaiah says: honestly don't know...acts 1:8 is good good

christi says: really? what is it? (i don't have a bible here with me...)

isaiah says: and then you shall receive power when the holy spirit comes upon you and you will be my witnesses in all the earth ***pirty sure it's along those lines***
isaiah says: the thing is the greek word for power that is used in original text tho! it means 'dunamis power' which like, the greek word is what 'dynomite' came from...so like, the verse is saying how we will be empowered by god with some major super duper stuffola

christi says: wow!!! that's tight!!!

isaiah says: yeyeah

christi says: i like that one!!

isaiah says: jesus said we would do greater things than he did...so why don't we get our lazy rear-ends up and do some great stuff?

christi says: AMEN!!!!! that's one reason i'm going to Greece, lol

isaiah says: better be expecting
isaiah says: like, now....expect crazy cool stuff to happen that only god could do
isaiah says: if you don't expect it to happen, nothing happens

christi says: amen!!! and we KNOW cool stuff is gunna happen....some of the stuff God is planning is just mind-blowing at how BIG He's going this time!!
christi says: He's actually revealed some of the stuff He's gunna be doing in Greece to some of the people who are going on our trip
christi says: all i can say about it is that it's GOING to be HUGE, and that it's going to impact the entire world as we know it today!!!

isaiah says: exactly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
isaiah says: that too

christi says: hehehe! will you be praying that God works through this in the huge ways we know He will? and even that He'll turn it into an even bigger thing than He had been planning before?

isaiah says: yeeyah
isaiah says: prayer is soooo important

christi says: Amen to that!!!
christi says: my last summer has been totally DEPENDANT on prayer!!!

isaiah says: good good

christi says: and how awesome it has been, actually taking the time to go to God more than usual and just talk to Him!!! He's sooo awesome!!

isaiah says: yeah i kno!!!! he is uber koolness!

True Love Waits

I just thought I'd let ya'll know, I found a site talking about the Rally more in depth then what I shared. There's ideas that you can do with your church and youth group there, so check it out!

2004 True Love Waits Rally

Excited in Him,

<>< Christi <><

Updates

Wow! This is SO exciting! Every day this trip comes a little bit closer (or acutally, more like a LOT closer!), and I get more and more stoked!!! God's doing awesome things in my life and in my fellow travelers, and it's getting more and more obvious that God has *huge* plans that will unfold within the few weeks we're over there.

During the prayer meeting, we were told about an awesome privilege that has been assigned to us. My group (there's about 38 kids from Washington state, and about 20 or so kids joining us from the rest of the country) will be joining about 150 other people, and we will be serving the annual True Love Waits rally that will be held in Athens this year. We will be arriving several hours early and setting up the convention, we will serve the kids who are coming for the convention, and we will also be counselors! Another big thing is we will be in charge of setting up the pledge cards. One of the big things with the Rally is that kids from around the world; youth groups, christian teen groups, and many other places are encouraging teens to fill out "Promise Cards" and send them into Athens. The cards basically say that "I, (name here), promise to give my body to God and stay sexually pure until marriage!" So we get the honor of setting out hundreds of thousands of cards from Youth around the world who took the Pledge! There will also be world-wide TV coverage from groups there covering the Rally, and the world will be able to see what we, as teens, are doing to change our world!!! Awesome, huh?

Ok, that was a HUGE mouthful, so I think I'll leave it at that for now. Be praying for me that I can get packed in time, and that I continue to have my focus on God, and that the rest of the prep stuff with the trip would go smoothly! Also, there are a few kids in our group that are having a hard time with their passports, as well as getting the rest of the money they need. If you could keep them in your prayers as well, that would be awesome!!!

Until next time, may God continue to bless each and every one of you in your daily lives! Be a vessel for God, and let your light shine through for Him! Be a river, not a reservoir! :)

In Him,

<>< Christi <><

9 days and counting...

I don't have the time (or the energy) to post much, so I'm just going to make this short. I PROMISE!!! Hehehe! I know, I always say that, but it usually turns like twice as long as it would have been otherwise...oh well! :)

So we had our second mission meeting today. It was 5 straight hours of worship, prayer, and fellowship (mostly worship & prayer). I learned a lot, and God spoke a lot to me this last weekend while I was camping with my dad on the Olympic Peninsula. I can't wait to tell you more!!!

So, God's working, I'm enjoying seeing Him work and being affected by it, and it's going to be exciting to see how things develop between now and then!

God bless, and keep us in your prayers!!!

In Him,
<>< Christi <><

Just in case...

I just thought I'd post the link for my other blog, "Pointless Ponders...Or Not?" It's pretty cool, and I just talk more about general stuff going on in life around me.

So check it out! :D

www.fadingflower.blogspot.com

<>< Christi <><

Wow!

Ok, I just got a step closer to my trip: I went to the doctor and got the medical release...YAY!!! Every day something happens that I get a step closer to going, and yet it feels like a step farther from reality! Why is that I wonder?

Well, yesterday I said I had 16 days to go...by that count, I now have 15 days. But that count is incorrect. Before, I was scheduled to meet with the rest of the group in Port Orchard, WA for training on August 4th. We'd be there for a few days, and then leave for Greece on August 7th. But now our flight to Athens got bumped to the 6th, so now we get to meet on the 3rd. So that means I now have *14* days to go! The time is dwindling quickly! :)

But I am still very excited! I have been dealing with the fear factor a little bit lately (seeing as we'll be in prime terrorist target area for almost 20 days), but God keeps reminding me that He's in control. My personal theme verse for this trip that God has been working into my heart is Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart and lean NOT on your own understanding; in ALL your ways acknowledge HIM, and HE shall direct your path!" It tells me that if I just leave everything up to God and not go by my own instincts, then God will keep me on track!

Also, He's been using Romans 8:28: "For God works out ALL things for the good of those who love Him; for those who are called according to His purpose!" I love God more than anything in my life (how could I not after all He's done for me??), and I really believe that it's His will for me to go. So I know (though I have to constantly remind myself) that God will work out everything that happens for our good. It may not always be the good *WE* want, but God knows best, and that's where the trust factor comes in. But it's SO reassuring that God is in control and He will work it all out!

Ok, so that was a HUGE mouthful and I promise I didn't mean to say all that! :P But it's all good stuff, so I'm gunna leave it that way, ok? God bless you all, and I hope all is well! :)

Thoroughly excited,

<>< Christi <><

Getting closer

Here I am, just 16 days away from the day I leave for my mission trip. So many things have been crossing my mind as the date gets closer and closer; what will it be like? Will I be able to accomplish and fulfill all that God has planned for me to do? What is Greece going to be like? What kind of activities will I be doing? How will God use me? How will He change me and make me grow? What kind of plans does He have in store? And all of the above, below, and in between!
 
So, the only assignment that all of us have to do before we go is to read 1 & 2 Corinthians. This won't be too hard, and is actually quite exciting because I love Paul and his teachings and the way he words things. It's SO easy for me to connect with!!! So my dad and I have decided to read it together and discuss it and all....so it's basically turning into a father/daughter Bible study! Praise the Lord!
 
Ok, well even God's servants have to sleep, and it's getting waaaaay past this one's bed time! :) God bless you all, and keep checking back.....as the trip gets closer, I'll be updating more!
 
God bless you all, and have a wonderful week!!!
 
     In Him,
<>< Christi <><