Finishing Up

After spending my whole summer in Guatemala, these months are finally coming to a close. I am heading back home on Tuesday, August 1st! It has been a summer full of being challenged, learning, and growing.

Over the summer, I worked with 6 teams from all different locations (plus a team made up of my brother and dad). I learned a lot from both the Americans and Guatemalans that I was working with on a weekly basis. My job basically consisted of doing anything a team did. I did lots of translating in conversations, worked on relationship building, prayed with patients in the hospital, went on many home visits, helped with work and construction projects, and even went on a few trips to Panajachel and Antigua. I went to Guatemala City (a 4-hour drive) on nearly a weekly basis to pick up teams from the airport or bring them back.

I was challenged to not only be outgoing in English, but also in Spanish, as I was put into many new situations with new people on a daily basis. When I was younger, if you would have told my family or me that I would do this one day, we all would've laughed (I was pretty shy. And by pretty shy, I mean extremely shy!).

As my posts have shown throughout the summer, God has been teaching me a lot about missions. He's opened my eyes to see the negative and positive aspects. He has put a passion in my heart for missions, especially for the Guatemalan people. He's given me patience and energy throughout a very difficult and busy time in my life. He's brought me comfort, peace, and provision when I've most needed it.

God has also shown me other lessons throughout this summer too, and not necessarily ones I would have expected. He's taught me more about giving, patience, forgiveness, conflict resolution, self-control, and working with people of all different types. It's been hard, yet rewarding. I have been able to visit old friends and make lots of new ones too. I've connected with people of different ages, races, genders, and professions. God has shown me more of the plan He has for my life and has given me determination to follow Him in that.

So as I go home Tuesday, I will remember this summer. When I go to Baylor later this month, I will remember this summer. And as I go on with life, I will remember this summer. Because even though it wasn't easy, God was faithful. He had His hand in my summer. And for that, I will always remember.

How You Can Help - Part 8

From my past seven posts, I think you could find that short-term trips are difficult. I didn't give many answers to the multitude of questions, and I know I don't have all the answers. However, there are some ways you can help.

First of all, before going on a short-term trip, pray about it! Make sure God wants you to go there, so it doesn't become just a self-serving trip. When preparing for the trip, make sure the missions organization wants you to come, and ask them what you can do to help. If you go with your own agenda, you may not be helping the indigenous people in the best way possible. Usually the missions organizations know best when it comes to "help" projects. It isn't wrong to request projects in your field, so you can best use your God-given gifts, but have patience and seek advice from the people who have more experience with missions and teams.

Sometimes, God doesn't call us to go on a trip. However, that doesn't mean we should just forget about the people serving abroad or the impoverished indigenous people in other countries. Every missions organization needs a wide donor base to continue with their ministry. Giving money can often be a huge help to an organization, even if it is to just keep their doors open.

They also need prayers! Pray for missionaries and organizations to seek God in all their decisions. Pray for wisdom for those in charge and those serving God in another country. Pray for energy, health, and safety, as the days become long and hard. Pray for them to have patience and grace with the people they are working with.

Finally, be a missionary wherever you go. When we go to India, or Haiti, or Guatemala, we call ourselves missionaries. But we need to be missionaries wherever we are. It doesn't matter if you're from the rural Midwest, an urban city, or another country. We are just as much of a missionary yesterday, as we are the next, regardless of location. So don't become a fake version of yourself on a missions trip, and then go back to another life when you go home. Be genuine, honest, and build strong, Christian relationships in every location.

To sum up my series, I'm not against short-term trips, but I'm not for all of them either. I hope my series helped people consider some of the problems with short-term trips. I'm not trying to discourage people from short-term missions, because they can do great work. However, if people open their eyes to these situations, I hope they will grow and learn how to face them in the correct way. I'm praying that we all become missionaries wherever we are, because we can share Christ's love anywhere and everywhere.

Doing Missions the Right Way - Part 7

Doing short-term missions is like an art. There are good and bad ways to do it. In the last six posts, I have discussed various issues relating to short-term missions. There are a lot of trips that can be poorly planned and executed. But of course, there are so many great things that happen as a result of short-term missions.

I believe one of the best ways to solve some of the problems with short-term missions is proper training. Teams should have many meetings before and after the trip. Big issues with short-term missions should be discussed, so people go into it and out of it with the right mindset. With this training, people still may miss the big picture, but they will be more likely to miss it without any of this training.

It is not a bad thing to require people to research, read some books, study the Bible, and pray before they decide to go on a short-term missions trip. So many people approach short-term missions now as tourism. This isn't a trip to just shop and take pretty pictures for your Instagram. Sure, some of that may take place, but that isn't what the trip is about. "Voluntourism," or so they call it, isn't what short-term missions should be.

Big picture discussions should take place, so that your trip provides a sustainable solution to someone facing poverty. A great short-term missions trip partners with the local people, so you can provide support, but not tell them the way to do everything. Creating a partnership between your church and a local church is a great way to minister to another country. In this way, you can support a church who can reach out to more people within the community that you may not be able to connect with.

We should make sure to pick projects that aren't taking jobs away from local people. Listen to the long-term missions organization on what they need, as they usually know how to face the situation best. Many people approach missions thinking they might know how they can best help. However, people who have been in the community for longer periods of time will know the best solutions.

The title of these trips, short-term missions, should also be put into consideration. Should we call them missions? We can't do a missionary's job in a week. We can't even do it in months. I think it takes away from the great work of missionaries, when we start to call these one- to two-week trips "missions." I don't consider myself a missionary, because doing what an effective missionary does takes years. Maybe we should start titling these trips something different, like "help trips" or "personal awakenings." Because in reality, that's what these trips are. We often help for a short time with a small project, and personally, our eyes are opened to the problems people face around the world. Missions just doesn't happen with a snap of a finger (or in a week). It takes time.

There are a lot of great missions organizations out there. Most of them understand the issues and problems facing short-term trips. But these are problems that take a lot of work and thought to solve. A lot of people within the church don't want to have these conversations. It hurts to hear that we might not actually be helping the community as much as we think we are. It hurts to hear that we don't always make a big difference in the lives of others. We like the satisfaction of feeling like there was progress made and lives changed. But when you don't see the after-effects of these trips, you really don't know what impact you made, whether good or bad. So yes, this topic hurts. But it is oh so important. If we want to really make a difference and have effective missions, we must talk about this.

We're Not Meant to Feel Guilty - Part 6

The first time I came back from Guatemala, I felt guilty. I felt guilty for all the things I owned and the money I had. I felt guilty for growing up in a nice Christian home where I never had to face "real" problems, like the Guatemalan people. It's easy to fall into this trap after a short-term missions trip. A lot of people stand up in front of their church, telling about their trip, and are brought to tears because they remember how little material possessions people have abroad.

Now, it's not a bad thing to have this reality check. It's not bad to realize how grateful we should be. But if you come back from a missions trip, and that's all you get out of it, I think you're missing the big picture. A missions trip isn't supposed to just leave you feeling guilty. Many lessons can be learned from missions trips, but this definitely shouldn't be the only one. God has put each of us in a place for a reason. I know I'm not deserving of being born into the United States. I know I'm not deserving of all the material items I own. However, God has blessed me with those things.

Sulking in your guilt doesn't change you or change others. The point of missions is not to see how poor other people are, but instead it is to share Christ's love with others. We cannot save someone from poverty always, but we can try to direct them to Jesus. This relates to a prior post of mine, where I talked about poverty. Again, when you have a relationship with Christ, you are rich.

If we come back from our trip feeling guilty because of the grips of poverty in other places, we are underestimating the riches of Christ. If these people have Christ, they have it all. Why can we be brought to tears about the lack of material items, but not be brought to tears about the lack of Christ? Instead of feeling sad that people are poor all over the world, we should feel more sorrow and grief because people don't know of Jesus.

It's difficult to see poverty. It's difficult to go back home to your wealth. But God had you put in your place for a reason, whatever it may be. Material riches shouldn't even come close to the riches of Christ. We should be so joyful about our wealth and fullness in Christ, that we wouldn't even think about our material items in the same thought. Material poverty is sad, but knowing Christ is of supreme importance, and no other sorrow should compare.

Changing Yourself - Part 5

I like to ask people what they believe is the point of short-term missions. The most common response is that short-term missions changes the people that go on the trip, more than it changes the people that they are trying to affect. I wholeheartedly agree with this. I wouldn't be in Guatemala right now if it wasn't for coming on that one-week trip when I was just a freshman in high school. I wouldn't be learning all these lessons about short-term missions without going on one myself.

I believe it is important for people to learn from short-term trips. But I also want to make myself clear: did it change you for a few weeks or for life? It is all too often that I see people go through the steps. They go on the trip, they post about it on social media, they talk about it for a few weeks, and slowly, they forget about it, until their next missions trip. We say we will change our ways after a trip, but how often do we? How many people go back and build relationships with the most impoverished in their community? How many people decide to pursue long-term missions because of it?

I am just as guilty of this as the next. There is a huge population of Guatemalans, the people I have connected with, right in my community. They even have a church. I could have reached out to them, but instead, I used the excuse that I was too busy and didn't know Spanish yet. I didn't even think of the fact that my short-term mission three years ago should have pushed me to do this. If I could go back, I would have reached out to them, and tried to build relationships with them. I made this mistake, and so many others do too. But we don't have to keep making the same mistake. We can change this.

People often say short-term trips lead to long-term missionaries. And again, I won't refute this. After I came for a week, years later, I came for longer periods of time. However, in the past decade, there is a boom of short-term missions. So there should be a boom in long-term missionaries too, right? Wrong. Over the past few decades, the number of long-term missionaries has stayed steady. People can keep defending short-term missions in this way, but sadly, it's not the truth.

Lastly, short-term missions are a very expensive way to change yourself, especially if this change doesn't last. The Gospel Coalition states that in 2005 alone, $2.4 billion was spent on short-term trips, each averaging about eight days long. This huge amount of money is more than the GDP of over 20 countries. I am sure that this number has only grown, as the amount of short-term missions has grown since 2005. It's wonderful that Christians in the Western culture are willing to give this much money to missions. But can you imagine how that could affect impoverished countries if it was given to the right organizations in the right places?

So if our trips to impoverished countries are changing us, why can't we see a difference in our communities? Short-term missions isn't about your posts on social media. It's not about the kids that you met for a few days. It's not about you. It's about sharing Christ's love wherever you go. It's said "missions is right in your backyard," but that seriously could not be more true. If we can take off a week or two of work or school for a trip, why are we often too busy for people around us? Maybe we need to slow down and simplify our lives, so we can make time for building relationships, sharing Christ, and serving others right in our community.

Short-Term Missions, But Long-Term Fixes - Part 4

As I work with teams this summer, I know people are coming to help the Guatemalans. They see poverty and are hurt by it. But how can we help in the best way possible? I think one of the most important things to think about when helping to alleviate poverty is sustainability. Is the item you're giving the impoverished widow going to sustain itself? Will it help her for a few weeks, or for years? Will she be able to make real use of what you gave her?

Often on a short-term missions, people give out stuff. All sorts of things. They'll give food, and clothes, and money. But do these things last? Whatever you give them, if you're truly trying to help alleviate poverty, it needs to be sustainable. World Vision is an example of a big organization that has great ideas for sustainable gifts. They give animals. Animals produce something that people in poverty can either use, eat, or sell. They also reproduce so that they can constantly have an income or something of use from the animal. Now, only one thing stands in their way: the food. Although animals do provide an income, they also cost money because you have to continue feeding them.

Another example of a project many missions complete is building houses. A home is wonderful as
long as they can use it. In America, we like big, grand houses with lots of space. However, in other places, they might like small, practical houses. Most organizations that do this type of project have

Construction is hard work, but it also pays for families.

this part down. However, there are other things that come with building houses. If you build the house, will you help upkeep it? Will you check in on it, and help build a new one when this one is falling apart? Often, this is the job of the long-term mission. Short-term trips can't go back a few weeks later and make sure it's working properly; however, missionaries can. Another thing to think about with building houses is the job itself. Construction work, including building houses, is a career for a lot of impoverished people. Sure, it's hard work, but it provides money for their families. For each team that comes and builds a house, are you stealing someone's job?

As you can tell, with each idea, there is a good side and a bad side. I'm not saying either of these projects are bad ideas. In fact, they are good. However, I believe when going into projects like these, we need to consider both sides of the issue. We need to think about how we will affect not only the family we are giving to, but also how we will affect others in the community. We need to think about how long our gifts will last. We need to think about how we are helping, but also how we could be hurting someone. Yes, these thoughts and discussions take time. It makes it more difficult to feel like you're getting true results as a short-term team. However, it also helps create the most lasting results. A well-thought out trip doesn't hurt anyone unintentionally in the process.

Short-term missions do many different types of projects. Before you go on one of these trips, I encourage you to think about these things. Think about how you can help them in a lasting way, while also not hurting anyone else. There are many ideas out there, both good and bad. Short-term missions can be beneficial to many impoverished families, as long as we take some time to think about what we are doing.

What is Poverty? - Part 3

What is poverty? Most would say that people affected by poverty lack material possessions, or lack the necessities to care for a family. We think dirt floors and tin roofs. We think rice and beans for every meal. And yes, that is poverty—material poverty. But have you ever thought about different types of poverty? There are different kinds—poverty of knowledge, resources, education, and on and on. So when it comes to approaching missions, I think we need to redefine our thoughts on poverty.

I recently listened to a sermon by Francis Chan, where he talked about preaching in Simi Valley, California. Although this may be one of the richest places in the country, and even the world, he told them he chose that place because of poverty. Obviously, this isn't material poverty; however, because of their wealth, they are some of the people most likely to be spiritually impoverished. In Matthew 19, Jesus is talking to the disciples and says, "Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God." I don't immediately think about myself or my community affected by poverty, but maybe we actually are. Is spiritual poverty affecting your community?

Some might stop me right there, and tell me to stop looking at poverty as a Biblical issue, rather than a material problem. But doesn't the Bible say that we have fullness in God? We're wealthy in God. Ephesians 3:16-19 says,

" that according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."

Did you catch how we are filled with the fullness of God? We have fullness by having His power within us. We are filled by having Christ in our hearts. We are filled by Him. Sure, material poverty is a problem, but spiritual poverty is a much bigger problem. When you don't have God, you don't have anything. When you do have God, you have everything. He changes the narrative.

When it comes to impoverished countries, they often don't realize they are impoverished. If everyone lives the same way throughout the community, they don't see any difference. The story changes when we start to bring in groups of wealthy people. We tell them they're poor. We tell them they aren't well-off because they don't have carpet on their floors or they don't drink milk with every meal. Some of the ways impoverished people live is unsafe or unhealthy, like not having nutritious diets. However, other things, like whether or not you have carpet, is only a preference. Just because we prefer one thing, doesn't make it better than the way anyone else lives throughout the world.

We can try to alleviate poverty with a constant move of teams in and out through missions organizations all over the world. But that's never going to solve the problem. Quick handouts of free clothing and some food doesn't save lives. Jesus saves lives. Quick handouts help us feel like we have results. We can go home and tell people how much we gave to the impoverished people. But Jesus gave the ultimate gift, and it's our job to share about it. Giving people material possessions seems nice, but introducing people to Jesus shows more compassion. Saving souls is much more important than material things. It's even more important than safety and nutrition. Instead of always sharing our possessions, let's try sharing our Savior.

Building Relationships - Part 2

Approaching short-term missions is hard. Most people approach it with good intentions; however, we can end up doing it wrong unintentionally. We go somewhere and feel the need to give stuff away: our clothes, belongings, and medicine. We feel like this might help them and alleviate their poverty. We also feel that we can change their life in a week. (Read my last post here.) Missions is all about building relationships, but how many of you have started a lifelong friendship in a week and kept up with it?

The truth is, building relationships takes longer than one week. I'm in Guatemala for two months, but it often takes longer than two months. It takes months to years. Friendship isn't just something you make in a week and never return to, it takes regular upkeep. It's not something you return to once a year when you go on your annual missions trip. So why do missions organizations encourage you to build relationships?

First, I believe the most important relationship you can build is with the missionaries themselves. Missionaries need friends and prayer partners too! They are the people that can turn around and befriend indigenous people, and minister to them on a regular basis. It is important for them to have people behind them supporting them, praying for them, and encouraging them. Missionaries cannot continue what they are doing without support. Long-term missionaries learn the language, are in the communities, and can provide upkeep to a relationship in another country.

Second of all, building relationships is more successful as a church community. Partnering alongside another church to support and encourage one another is a good mission. This takes upkeep and follow-ups; however, both of the church bodies can provide this throughout their whole congregation. It also encourages both bodies to pray for each other often. This doesn't mean you go build a house for a family and never come back. This doesn't mean you give away all your belongings and tell them about Jesus, just to never speak to them again. This means encouraging a local pastor and church, so they can provide outreach to people in their community. The local people know how to encourage and start friendships within their community. They understand the cultural differences and how to approach people in the right way.

How would you feel if a bunch of Africans or South Americans invaded your community for a week, gave you lots of stuff, told you about Jesus, then left? They would feed you weird, different foods and give you stuff you might not even know how to use. Sure, you might be excited in the moment. However, it's kind of like summer camp. That excitement often goes away. You forget about why they came. It rarely has a lifetime effect on people. I know the people that understand me best also understand the way my life is, the way my community is, and the way our culture is. Each country and place is different. We cannot expect to understand everything a poor Guatemalan, Haitian, or Indian is going through. For this reason, we should support people that can understand them better.

Building relationships is what missions is all about. However, that being said, we need to approach it in a better way. We can't just throw free stuff at people, give them a Bible, and leave. We need to think about the relationships that we can actually understand and continue to feed. Long-term missionaries and local churches are people who can then turn around and help foreign people on a lasting basis.

You're Not Going to Change the World - Part 1

We all want to change the world. As Christians, specifically, for Jesus. We think that's what missions does. We think that we can go to another place or another country and build a house, then tell people about Jesus. And we'll save them just like that. We think that they will see the love for Jesus in our hearts, and in response, they'll want it too. We'll save them, give them hope, and change their life. It doesn't matter if we don't speak their language, it doesn't matter if we've only known them for a week, and it doesn't matter if we never see them again.

This is the mindset of modern short-term missions. I'm not against missions, and I'm not even against short-term missions. But we have to improve this system if we want to continue with it. Nowadays, everyone goes on that one or two week trip to somewhere. Maybe Haiti, maybe Guatemala, maybe Africa, or maybe just a poverty-stricken area in urban America. You come back home and tell everyone of the difference you made. You built a house, or you held a VBS and brought Christ to people. You made a big impact on their lives; so big that they will forever be changed, and so will you.

But you know what? We don't bring Christ to people. He's already there. He's already at work, and has been since the beginning of time. Sure, He can work through you, but He's still the Savior. In comparison to the rest of the world, if you make more than $2 per day, you are wealthy. And that thought inflates us. We think we can save people and tell them how to live their lives, just because our lives are easier, or because we have more money. We don't consciously think about this, but we do this by the way we approach missions, especially short-term.

We're not going to save the world, because He already did. And we're not going to change the world, because He already did. As John 16:33 puts it, He has "already overcome the world." Christ changed the world when He died on the cross for all of our sins. Not just the wealthy's sins, so they could save the poor. Not just certain people's sins. For everyone. He sees each one of us as equal, no matter what brand of clothing we wear, how many cars we have, where we went to college, or how much money we have. He doesn't care if you're the President, a CEO, or a poor woman dying of cancer out in a small village in some foreign country. He loves us all the same, and sees us all the same. We're not meant to go out and save each other. He has already done that. We are called to grow in relationships, and help strengthen each other. We are called to share the word of God, not to call it ours.

You're not going to change the world. Jesus Christ will. He already has, is, and will continue to. Let's not keep taking the credit. Let's stop trying to be the saviors of the world. Because God already is.

A Quick Update!

I have now helped with my first team! This past week involved an energetic and fun team from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This was my first time translating, serving alongside a group, and leading in Guatemala.

On Sunday, we went to the market and I led a group around. I found just about everything they wanted to see, with a little help from them! I haven't been around the market much since I've moved here, but we figured it all out.

Monday, we went up the mountain to a village called San Antonio Ilotenango. This church has had a partnership with them for the past few years. I was able to help translate between conversations. The kids here were full of energy, and so excited to see us! We also went on a home visit. My group visited an older woman, her two adult children, and eight grandchildren. Albeit there being 11 of them, they lived in a 3 room clay house. The elderly mother was being affected by Alzheimer's or dementia, and one of the adult children had special needs. This means the woman, with eight children, was the only working one in the house. She said her weekly income was about one hundred quetzals, equal to about $13. As unfortunate as this is, this is common in Guatemala. We gave them food, but more importantly, lots of prayer. In this village, we also attended a church service and socialized with the people there. It was cool to see the gringos from Pittsburgh reconnect with their friends from a small village in Guatemala.

Beautiful girls from San Antonio Ilotenango

The rest of the week, I helped the team with construction projects on the ASELSI base. I don't know some of my construction words in English, so trying to translate them into Spanish was interesting, but we got by. The excitement of the week was the 6.9 earthquake at 1:30 a.m. on Wednesday. I thought I was overreacting when I felt it, but much to my surprise, it was a big earthquake! I was located 50 miles from the epicenter, so we all are thankful to God that we are safe and sound. Please pray for the families and people on the coast that were more strongly affected by this tragedy. Otherwise, I also translated on a hospital visit during the week. It was a great week, finished off by a small trip to Antigua before they left for the states.

This team taught me a lot about my work for this summer. I was reminded to always be positive and love others, both Americans and Guatemalans. They taught me that my work is not just ministering to Guatemalans, but also to Americans. I learned more about how to perceive missions, short-term and long-term. (Look for my thoughts on this in future posts!) However, most importantly, I learned more about what God is teaching me, His works through me, and made some great friendships.

As I continue this summer with teams, please pray for strength, patience, and energy. My next team comes Saturday, and then I have a team every week for the rest of my time here. Please pray for my continued health and safety. Lastly, I encourage you to pray for God to continue to act and speak to me and through me.

Being Genuine

My boyfriend and I often have this conversation of how we want to be remembered. Of course, there are many things I want people to think of when they hear my name. I want them to remember me as the best President of the United States, or the best judge on the U.S. Supreme Court. I want them to think of my success as a lawyer. I want them to remember me as someone who was intelligent and witty. Yet all dreams and jokes aside, there is one thing I want people to think about when they think of me. I want them to remember for my sincerity.

I strive to be real and authentic with others. No matter what people think of me, I want them to know the real me. Of course I want them to think highly of me, but if not, at least know me for who I truly am. If I am the same genuine person in every situation, every person should know the same Zara, and the real Zara.

Whether you believe in a higher power or not, everyone wants you to be honest and sincere. However, I think my Christian beliefs just further this desire for authenticity. In 2 Corinthians, Paul writes about God's grace and how we are called to be in light of that. In verses 7 and 8, it says,

"But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also. I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine."

So not only are we called to excel in our faith and in love, but do this in a genuine manner. I'll be honest, even though I have this strong desire to be authentic, I'm nowhere near perfect at it. It's easy to fall into the trap of insincerity and hypocrisy. However, God calls me, and us, to something higher than that. He calls us to genuine love.

Reflections and Relationships

I'm a little late to the party, but a few weeks ago, there were many graduations. And if I would have stayed in my local high school, it would have been my graduation. I wasn't even able to go, but as I saw pictures on social media, I felt like I missed out on something.

I didn't walk down in a cap. I don't have an official diploma. I don't have pictures with all my friends in our graduation gowns. And as I sat and thought about it, as great as all of that is, I realized it doesn't really matter. High school isn't about the graduation, it's about the people that helped you get there.

Now my high school experience was a bit different. I don't have a favorite teacher or a best friend that was in every class with me. However, there are people in my life that had an influential role in the choices I made, and ended up shaping who I am today.

Some of these people I've grown closer with. Some of them I have grown apart from. And even though I may not be friends with all of them anymore, I will forever be thankful for their encouragement when I was just a tiny freshman in high school.

I'm grateful for one of my best friends since preschool, who was the first person to tell me, back in eighth grade, that it's okay to march to the beat of my own drum. Or the friends who encouraged me when I chose to homeschool, rather than discourage me. And to the teacher who gave me reality checks, yet encouraged me to become independent. I'm thankful for the my prayer partners and mentors who stuck alongside me throughout high school and became some of my best friends, even if they could be my mother. I'm grateful for supportive people within my church and the community. I'm thankful for the law professor who believed in me and my gifts. And of course, I am thankful for my family, especially my parents, who allowed me to make this decision, and encouraged me to challenge myself in my education.

Thankful for parents who have always encouraged me!

You see, this may just sound like a tribute to my past (and in some sorts, it is). However, I also would not be the person I am today without these people. I wouldn't have had the experience of working in both the Iowa House of Representatives and Senate. I wouldn't have came to Guatemala and lived here for months at a time. I may not have found my career choice. I may not have considered the college I am going to.

High school definitely wasn't the best time of my life. I don't even consider graduating as really that big of an accomplishment. But I don't want it to be a high point for me. There wasn't a whole lot of high school that is really worth lasting. However, the relationships I got out of the past four years are important. They are lasting. And whether or not I stay close with these people, they have helped create my future. So as I look ahead, I also look back. I look back to thank God for the people that have been put in my life, and to remind myself to hold on to these relationships. Because even though high school may not be very important, these relationships are.

Change

Change. I'm not very good at it. I don't like saying goodbye, I don't like the nervousness, and I don't really enjoy the feeling. Usually after the change takes place, I find that I'm grateful for it. It often makes me stronger, teaches me about myself, and broadens my faith. But holding onto that hope in the midst of new locations, new homes, and new experiences, is difficult.

I always have to remember God's plan. Everything we ever do is a part of it. He doesn't waste opportunities. I often wonder what sort of impact I will have on the world. I wonder why He called me to Guatemala. Will I make a difference? But I know He called me here and I know He has reason in everything. I think of John 13:7, which says, "Jesus answered him, 'What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.'" Not only does it apply to this Bible story, but I think this applies to our lives too. We don't ever know what is around the corner or how God is working in our lives. However, later, we often see His Divine Hand in the works.

I am not sure what kind of difference I will make while I'm in Guatemala the next two months. I don't even know if I will make one. But I do know that God doesn't waste opportunities. He has already taught me a lot about what makes a true mission. 

So as I am in the midst of change, please pray for me to keep my eyes and heart open to see what God wants to show and teach me here. I am so thankful for a truly supportive family and boyfriend, along with many friends and prayer partners, who push me to pursue God's interests and not my own. I am looking forward to updating more often about how God is working in my life and in Guatemala.

Perfection, Favoritism, and Always Falling Short

I'm a bit of a perfectionist. And when I say a bit, I mean a lot. I seek to be perfect in everything I do, whether it be in something small, like my handwriting, or something big, like my walk with God. I am very quick to always find the "wrongs" and the "mess-ups" in my work, rather than the "rights." I always see improvement needed to make my life more efficient, neat, and "perfect."

Unfortunately, because we are humans, perfection is not possible. But what else could Christianity be? Christians are imperfect people striving towards perfection. However, when we don't reach perfection (because we won't), that doesn't mean we need to beat ourselves down about it.

God doesn't expect us to be perfect. We all fall short of His infinite glory. We don't need to compare ourselves to others in who is more "perfect" than another. We all struggle with different aspects of life. Just because someone's life looks perfect from the outside or on social media, that doesn't portray their whole life. That doesn't portray their sin, or their struggles and trials. God isn't going to pick and choose favorites between all the sinful beings in the world. Romans 2:11 says, "For God shows no partiality." In other versions, it may say, "For God does not show favoritism."

We don't need to fight to get God's attention with our good works and perfection. We have his attention already. He will forgive our mistakes and sins, both big and small. He will cleanse us from our unrighteousness. All we have to do is come to Him.

I'm going to keep seeking perfection in all I do. However, sometimes we need to give ourselves some grace too. God forgives our mistakes. During this Easter season, we can remember Jesus died on the cross for our sake. As Christians, let's be a body of imperfect, yet genuine, people, striving for perfection in God's eyes.

His Grace Upon Grace Upon Grace

There is one thing we all have in common: sin. Whether you are a Christian or not, none of us are perfect. We all mess up and make mistakes. I believe that sin, although it isn't good in itself, can unite Christians together in prayer and in day-to-day life.

As Christians, we may not be very similar. We have different personalities, interests, and hobbies. But we all have a need for Christ. However, we need Him because we sin. If we were perfect, we wouldn't need a Savior.

Even as someone who strives to be my best for myself and my best for Christ, as Romans 3:23 says, I will always fall short. As much as I try not to, sometimes I mess up. We all fall into sin at points and times. And it's easy to get caught in the guilt of it all. But have you ever read Romans 3:24? "And are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus..."  Yes we all sin, but we still receive grace, grace, and more grace.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines grace as, "unmerited divine assistance given to humans for their regeneration or sanctification." It's unmerited. We're undeserving of God's grace. But guess what? He gives it away anyways. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."

We are saved by grace. That means we don't need to have guilt for the sins we commit. In Hebrews 8:12, it says, "For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” Not only does God forgive our sins, but He goes as far to say he "will remember their sins no more."

God forgives us as soon as we ask for it. Our part is to leave our guilt behind. God doesn't intend for us to carry all of our baggage that He has already forgiven. We'll mess up again. But he will forgive us again. And again. And again.

Living Outside of the Comfort Zone

Once you get to know me, you will find my comfort zone is quite small. Just ask my family or my closest friends--I hate talking on the phone, meeting new people, being put in new situations, and the times leading up to change. By looking at my life from the outside, it may not always appear like this. But from the inside, you will see a constant fight with my comfort zone.

The most valuable lesson I have learned throughout the past two years is to live outside of my comfort zone. It isn't an easy thing to do. But let me tell you--it is so worth it.

Although I talked about living in the regular in my last blog post, my life's "regular" has become a bit different. My life isn't within the confines of my comfort zone anymore. I have learned that if I want to achieve big things, I need to live outside my comforts. Whether this means simply answering a phone call or following God's call to live in a different country this summer, doing difficult things is important and worthwhile.

Everyone has a different comfort zone. Some people could talk to strangers on the phone all day and be happy. Some people (like me) could sit around at home all day in silence and be completely content. The content of your comfort doesn't matter. Being able to stretch your comfort is more important for success in whatever you are doing, and more importantly, in following God's call for your life.

A lot of times people make it look like following God's calling is easy. They make it look glamorous. It almost always looks like they are simply taking huge steps to serve Him. But most often, it isn't that simple. I'll be the first to admit--following God's call is challenging. It's not always glamorous. A lot of times, it can include tears, sorrow, and a whole lot of prayer. However, in the end, you will always find that following His calling is the best choice for your life, even if it is the hardest.

God often calls us to leave our comfort zones. But God equips us for it. We just have to trust Him. I will leave you with Hebrews 13:20-21,

"Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen."

Finding Joy in the Regular

I'm always wanting to do something big. I want to feel as if I'm always making a difference. But sometimes we're just stuck in the regular in's and out's of life. Right now, my life is pretty regular. I have a great job and love what I'm doing. Don't get me wrong, my job is different on a daily basis and always interesting. However, I'm in a pattern right now. I go to work, go home, sleep, and go back to work. It doesn't necessarily feel like I'm doing anything earth-shattering, and even though I always feel that is as life should be, God doesn't want every moment to be news-breaking or life-changing. Sometimes we just have to find joy in the regular.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." It doesn't say rejoice in the good times. It doesn't say find joy in the bad times. It says rejoice always. And this includes the regular times in life--when nothing is necessarily bad, but it isn't always the most exciting time in life.

For me, it is difficult to just sit and be content. I am always pushing to do more, experience more, and be more. I strive to learn new things, meet more people, and be a better person. Often, I think this needs to come in big ways like starting a new experience or going to a new place. However, I cannot do that always. I have probably said this before, but I'll say it again: We can't always have life-changing moments, otherwise they wouldn't be life-changing.

I can still do big things in the regular days. Doing my job to the best of my ability is still important. Being friendly and showing God's love to people that I see every day is still important. I tend to bypass and overlook these "small" things, but they still make a difference in life. God calls us to rejoice always, including in just the regular.

Identity in Christ

Sometimes I feel inadequate. Like I'm not good enough. I'm sure I'm not the only one that has thought about this. We can have others tell us that this isn't true; however, the only way to feel adequate is to truly find our identity in Christ and in nowhere else. Galatians 2:20 says, "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

When we commit our lives to Christ, we put our identity in Him. In His power. In His wisdom. In His love. If you put your identity in your activities, your intelligence, or your achievements, you're probably right: you will never be good enough. Our world's standards are impossible to meet. But when we put our identity in God, we will always be good enough.

I often reflect back on a verse I stumbled upon 4 years ago. "But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, 'Why have you made me like this?'" Sometimes we question God and why He made us the way we are. However, Romans 9:20 puts us back in our place. Who are we to question our Maker? He is almighty, He is all-knowing, and He is love.

He created us each with a purpose. And because He is omniscient, we shouldn't have any reason to question Him in this. Having your identity in Christ means you trust Him with your life and eternity. Your identity is actually one of the core parts to your Christianity. I always thought that my identity could be something I struggled with, but it's more. This is a crucial area of faith. Because when I doubt my identity, I'm not doubting myself. I'm doubting God. I'm not trusting fully in Him.

Finding your identity in Christ helps you to pursue God in all you do, rather than pursuing desire of your own sinful flesh. My life and accomplishments will always fail me. They will never fulfill me. But God can and will always fulfill me.

Who I am in Christ...

The Love of God

Have you ever thought of how much God loves you? Just imagine how much you love someone close to you--it may be a spouse, child, parent, or sibling. But God, He can love us more in one moment than they can ever love us in a lifetime. His capacity for love is much larger than ours. Romans 8:37-39 says,

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Did you catch that? Nothing can separate us from the love of God. Sometimes, our love for others fail. Sometimes, others' love for us fail. But His, it never fails.

When I was in Guatemala, someone made this concept real and evident to me. He quoted lyrics from an old hymn (which I had never heard) called "The Love of God."

The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled,
And pardoned from his sin.

O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure
The saints’ and angels’ song.

When years of time shall pass away,
And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,
When men, who here refuse to pray,
On rocks and hills and mountains call,
God’s love so sure, shall still endure,
All measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—
The saints’ and angels’ song.

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above,
Would drain the ocean dry.
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.

These words are so powerful. The last verse gives you a picture of the vastness of God's love for us. We don't have to earn His love--He just loves us. In fact, 1 John 4:8 even says that God is love. So when you feel unloved, rest in the fact that God's love is truly all you need.

He Will Provide

As I plan my future, it doesn't always look the brightest. With the rising prices of college and law school, I somewhat expect to be in mountains of debt. It hard to admit it, but it's difficult to trust God with this.

We're all used to hearing the typical, "God will provide." It becomes old to us, and sometimes it becomes hard to believe. And as tough as it is for me to even convince myself of it, it still rings true. Luke 12:24-25 says,

"Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?"

God cares for us and He will always provide. He goes even further to question why we have worries and anxieties about His providence. Even when it may be hard to trust Him, it is always best to. Worrying gets us nowhere.

However, Matthew 6:33 helps us set our priorities straight. "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." We shouldn't focus on the money. Instead, we should continue to seek Him and His righteousness. It's His job to provide.

I always worry. It's easy to worry. But that isn't what I'm called to do. I'm called to trust. A lot of times, I can't see what God is doing in my life. Sometimes when He doesn't provide ahead of time, I assume He won't provide. However, God doesn't always provide in our time. He provides in His time.

Trusting in His provision isn't easy, especially with big amounts of money. But what is money anyways? Everything on this Earth is His--including our wealth. Our worldly status and wealth isn't what will matter one day. It's seeking Him. It's always seeking Him. Trust that He will provide--because He will.

Standing for Life

When it comes to politics, I obviously have many personal opinions. I understand that not everyone will always agree. However, one thing that I do not find debatable is the sanctity of life.

"Trees aren't the only things worth saving."

My initial opinion comes from a biblical perspective. Psalms 139:13-14 says,

"For you formed my inward parts;
    you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
    my soul knows it very well."

He created us in His image. He created each one of us with a purpose. I could go on and on about a biblical perspective of life. Some of the most popular pro-life organizations are not Christian organizations. Being pro-life isn't a Christian thing, it's a moral thing.

If we don't protect life, what do we protect? In fact, if any of us were aborted, we wouldn't be here on Earth to have any opinions about abortion. The Constitution states that we each have three unalienable rights: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Fortunately, the abortion rates are going down, as science begins to prove that life truly does begin at conception. Modern-day technology is also helping these abortion rates to go down, but unfortunately, on average, more than 2,500 human beings are being killed each day by abortion. Abortion kills the weakest of all in society.

I certainly could list facts about abortion and why it is wrong--but there is something more to being pro-life. Being pro-life is not just about abortion. It is throughout all of life. As someone who is pro-life, I think we often forget about this. Being pro-life means choosing life at age 92, just as much as it means choosing life at conception. Being pro-life means you love others. Being pro-life does not see race, gender, disabilities, or any other characteristic of a person. Being pro-life pertains to everyone.

Now, I am not saying you have to agree with everyone or their lifestyle choices. I certainly disagree with many people. However, you can still love the person, and not love their sin. So next time you think about being pro-life, think about how it pertains to the unborn, but also think about how it pertains to the people you come in contact with daily. A pro-life world would be a loving world.

Love

With it being Valentine's Day this week, I thought I would talk about God's love--but after an eventful week, talking about loving others sounds more appropriate. Love is needed more than ever now.

For the week of Valentine's Day, I saw a lot more hate than I did love. Being involved in politics is not for the weak. Every day, I find more respect for legislators, as they get nasty emails and phone calls from rude people. The lack of respect in our society is not like ever before in history.

I believe if you ever want to get a point across, you must be kind. Yelling and being rude never creates respect. For some reason, especially in politics, we don't know how to have a civil discourse anymore. Arguing and yelling at each other becomes our first instinct.

But that's not how we are intended to act or who we are supposed to be. Like the picture below, we don't choose who is worthy. We aren't the judge. We should love others no matter what. God calls us to love others, regardless of beliefs. And that's the problem--a lack of God in society. As a Christian, it's still easy to stoop to their level. Following God's call to love others isn't easy, but it's necessary. In fact, John 13:34-35 says,

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

As Christians, we should show others God's love. If you aren't a Christian, I still feel kindness is necessary. If we ever want to get a point across, being nice and have a genuine, civil discussion, is the way you gain respect. If you want to be liked, you have to be nice. I always keep in mind a quote, which says, "No one will care how smart or pretty you were if you weren't kind." This couldn't be more true. People remember people for their kindness and love. So let's love and encourage others to love--no matter what time of the year it is, Valentine's Day and every other day.

When It All Falls Apart

Over the past few days, I have been reflecting on a Bible passage from Hebrews 12:26-29, which says,

"At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, 'Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.' This phrase, 'Yet once more,' indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire."

Whenever things start to go wrong, we tend to automatically think that all is going to fall apart. And guess what? We're probably right. Most of everything will eventually fall apart. But we must take heart, because it's all in His plan.

For someone that likes to have control, this is difficult. Although control is an illusion, it is hard to witness everything fall apart in my life or in the lives of others. Trusting Christ is the only steady foundation to rely upon.

Everything will be shaken that can be, in order that the things that cannot be shaken can remain. Wow. These are powerful words. Very few things are unshakeable; however, we can rest in the fact that His kingdom cannot be shaken. Fortunately, we get to take part in this.

So maybe everything is going wrong for you. Whatever it may be: family, government, friends, job, or money, it all can be shaken. We often put our hope in earthly things, rather than heavenly things. So instead of worrying about losing control, rest in the fact that we are a part of an unshakeable kingdom.