travelday:ONE.

airports are unique. have you ever just sat and analyzed or watched the people that are all around? you see, the interesting thing about airports is that the reason for all of those people to be there is all the same. Everyone is going somewhere. and whatever the somewhere is it's an action of changing environments. for some its a familiar place- maybe a home or a past memory. For others it's a completely foreign area that may cause an uncomfortableness, at least for a short period of time. i am not sure of each circumstance by we all share the common ground- i am going somewhere, they are going somewhere, we are going somewhere. 

(soon and very soon) i am going to heaven. they are going to ___. Are they going to heaven? I am even more unsure and uneasy about that then the fact that i don't know their personal travel plans. that is a somewhere that i personally hold a security, but their somewhere may not be the same. Will heaven be a somewhere for them one day? 

Here i am sitting on this plane...listening...observing..the actions of the people that i am surrounded by temporarily, very temporarily- an hour and fifteen minutes to be exact. But will it be eternally temporary? i don't know. i don't know the spiritual state of not one human beings, other than myself, on this airplane. 

so what am i doing. i am traveling thousands of miles to go reach people that are lost, that may have never heard the name of Jesus. Those that are searching for an answer, a hope, something that will bring change to their current situation. A people that need a Savior. A place that is in deep hurting; a place where its wounds would take years to heal, but a Jesus like mine extends a hand of kindness and grace and can bring healing instantly. 

so what am i doing. i am traveling thousands of miles with people that are lost, that may have never heard the name of Jesus. People that are searching for an answer, a hope, something that will bring change to their current situation. A people that need a Savior. 

The difference between the two. a somewhere. a mali, africa is a somewhere in need of a Savior. An United Airways airplane in Los Angeles, California is a somewhere in need of a Savior. Nevertheless, the thing that makes them so different, makes them so much the same: both also have an eternal somewhere. An eternal destination that will end in life or death. 

the reality of it all. What did i do. absolutely nothing. i didn't strike up a conversation with the uptight business man that yelled at his secretary on the phone. i didn't share the love of Christ to the elderly man heading to Denver. Sure, i flashed a smile, but what did that show? the joy of the Lord. maybe. but how were they supposed to know that, if they have never experienced the kindness of our Father. 

Tomorrow is a new day. a new flight. 

and hopefully a chance to change someone's somewhere. 

oneWeek.

Wow. i can not believe in one week from today i will be heading off to mali. i can't begin to express again the gratitude that i have from everyone's prayers, as well as the grace of God in my life and this opportunity to be used by Him.

to catch everyone up a little bit..& stray away from the topic of Africa for just a moment... i now live in altus, oklahoma. my dad has been re-stationed here to be the squadron commander of the reserve unit of AAFB (Altus Air Force Base). He has been here since january, while my mom and brother have been in socal finishing up school for the semester. after my short arrival in California (beginning of may), my family received the news of my grandmother passing away. My mama left the next day for the funeral (in Mississippi), while i stayed behind to take care of my brother. She came home after a week of emotional drainage and my weeks in beautiful california began dwindling faster. i began a 21-day fast-definitely not the most convenient time, but what about a fast is convenient. nothing. exactly. actually, when i think about it, the fast couldn't have been at a better time. a time where i was struggling to fight emotions, but hold my composure for my brother's sake. a time that i needed extra preparation for ministry in africa. a time that i needed to remove myself from this world and unveil a more intimate relationship between me and my heavenly father. if any are struggling and needing a boost in your faith, i strongly recommend taking some time to pray and fast, and if you need maybe a little bit of guidance, i read the book Awakening by Stovall. awesome read with great incite to prayer and fasting. be encouraged my friends :)

All in all my stay in Cali was extremely bi-polar. busy, bored, rain, sun, happy, sad... i think the drag of the three weeks being home and anticipating the move made my time in my ex-home a tad bit stressful. 

Friday my family began the long drive from temecula, california to altus, oklahoma. the two days of driving were extremely tiring, but we safely made it in Saturday night. Now i must say, Altus is no wine country cali, lol, but you know what its ok! life is constantly changing and how you react will hurt or grow your character. so i have taken an oath to stay positive and embrace my new home in the midwest. transitions, transitions! 

again, the time taken to pray and fast brought me through the season of transition. and guess what. its not over! the season of transition will continue as i am getting moments closer to stepping foot into my new new home in Bamako, Mali. WOW! i am so excited! please please, continue to pray for me and the team! take a little bit of your time and check out our blogs. (gloria hull, natali williams, nathaniel garcia, Ariel Ivey and Cami Woodruff). 

God is so faithful, i can not say it enough. he takes us through these seasons, and even when we can't see the outcome- he does and all he wants us to do is trust him with that. if we simply trust him, we will show himself true! love his promises. 

Ecclesiastes 3

¹ For everything there is a season,

      a time for every activity under heaven.

² A time to be born and a time to die.

      A time to plant and a time to harvest.

³ A time to kill and a time to heal.

      A time to tear down and a time to build up.

⁴ A time to cry and a time to laugh.

      A time to grieve and a time to dance.

⁵ A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.

      A time to embrace and a time to turn away.

⁶ A time to search and a time to quit searching.

      A time to keep and a time to throw away.

⁷ A time to tear and a time to mend.

      A time to be quiet and a time to speak.

⁸ A time to love and a time to hate.

      A time for war and a time for peace.

⁹ What do people really get for all their hard work? ¹⁰ I have seen the burden God has placed on us all. ¹¹ Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. ¹² So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. ¹³ And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.

¹⁴ And I know that whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God’s purpose is that people should fear him. ¹⁵ What is happening now has happened before, and what will happen in the future has happened before, because God makes the same things happen over and over again.

45days..

wow. i haven't written in a long time. it has been quite the adventure preparing for this trip. BUT, thank the Lord that He has provided in ALL ways. i have had all of my money for a couple months now and am extremely grateful to all who have taken the time to be apart of the work in africa. so thank you. to those who have given financially:those who have given of thier time: those who have given their ears to listen: those who have said even a minute of prayer: those who have wept with me:those who have shared laughter. i owe it to you that i am able to take the next step in my life and begin work in the field. i wish i could take all of you with me. Nonetheless, your hearts will be present and your prayers felt.

i am so blessed. so i am now down to 45 days till i take off. my flight schedule: LAX to London: London to Portugal: Portugal to Bamako, Mali. what a trip! i am in the process of getting last minute things prepared, such as: malaria meds; school bills; packing list :) im so pumped. can't wait to meet the rest of the team! i know that they are all beautiful women of God who have faithfully answered the call.

so this is a quick note. promise i will update more frequently now that school has ended.
love you all and once again- my most appreciation to every one.