Feliz Cumpleaños a mí!

 
Happy Birthday to me!! 

Ok, ok..so this post may be a little bit more about me than usual, but c'mon...it was my birthday week!  

First off can I just tell you how THANKFUL I am for the people that God has put in my life??  I know I've said it a lot, and if you're my friend on Facebook you'll see that over and over again, but SERIOUSLY....amazing, amazing people.  

The week didn't start off so great, one of our girls decided that it was time for her to take her ministry back home.  I know it wasn't an easy decision for her, and it wasn't easy for us to let her go...but we're praying that God does a mighty work in her life and that she uses all she learned and experienced here over the last month to glorify God. 

Satan has also been hitting us hard this week and we've all been fighting different battles...so it's safe to say that my birthday (and every day) could have gone down hill real fast...but when the God of the universe is on our side we are victorious. HE. ALWAYS. WINS.  

"For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.”

Deuteronomy 20:4 

And it totally helps when you have amazing friends and family to remind you how loved and valued you are!!  The girls here also made it extra special by taking me out to lunch for something other than rice and beans AND took me out for icecream!!  Not to mention they are trying to get me out of my shell which included a photoshoot, napkin hats, birthday songs and what birthday wouldn't be complete without jumping pictures on the beach!?!

 

 

to see some of our outtakes, check out my facebook page!

Then I came home to a decorated apartment and notes from all the kids and missionaries here!  They even baked me a cake and sang to me later that night!!

Saturday was a low key day...everyone spent the day either at the beach, studying, practicing their spanish, napping...or all of the above!  Monday they began their first day of ministry, so they also had Saturday to prepare for that too!  

My favorite part of the weekend was when I was able to introduce the students to our Vintage program.  Sure we may be a couple of weeks behind, but they heard a great message about Nehemiah and his trust, faith, and perseverance. Not to mention have some awesome worship time!

If you'd like, you can check out the message here! 

And Monday they started ministry!!!  This past month has been difficult...basically going from Spanish Class, to Bible Class, to doing homework, then to sleep...rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat!  They finally get to put their Spanish and bible knowledge into action in the field!

Each group is off to a different ministry, but how awesome that our God is with each and every one of them!!  So if you get the chance...please pray for them!  This ministry experience is going to test them, their character and their Spanish...it's going to break them down and build them up...they are going to experience things they never have before, but it will all be worth it!!

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,  because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. "

James 1:2-4

Thanks for reading, thanks for the birthday wishes, and thanks for one of the most memorable birthdays!!

Things that are awesome: 
NEW FRIENDS

GOD'S FAITHFULNESS

THUNDER STORMS

Things that are not so awesome (but not horrible either):

CONSTANT HEAT
SUGAR COMAS

Phrase/Scripture of the week:
"Thems the rules" 

"Happy Birthday!"