Belize Mission Trip 2014

Wow...I've obviously fallen off the blogging wagon considering I've not posted anything since last summer.  Sheesh.  I need to do better. We'll see how it goes. :)  Seems so much has happened since I last blogged in July. I've started a new job at Kroger, still pet sitting some, and getting super busy with Durant.  Ever since high school, I can remember dreaming of a day when I could sing with a Christian group and minister around the world. I never really knew how that would happen or IF it would happen, but that was a lack of faith on my part because all things are possible with God.  First of all, I grew up in a small town where there really weren't too many people I knew who had this same passion that I did. I'm not really even sure I shared it with anyone.  I really thought if I wanted it to happen, I was going to have to move somewhere else.  Well, I went to college in Arkansas, I sang in chorus there, but honestly?? It was ok, but not really what I was wanting to do, so I quit after my Freshman year and became more focused on friends and dating.  Kinda just let my dream of singing fade away for awhile. Because back then, we were all looking for our "MRS Degree". We see how well that worked for me. HA!   Deep down though, I still had this longing of singing and ministering, but how? How could I make it happen? Most of my friends were not interested in music the way that I was. They were more focused on settling down with a husband and having a family.  I just felt different, I still do, as deep down, I really have never wanted any of that, but what was wrong with me? It's just what every American girl is supposed to do, get married and have 20 kids. But I have never been of the norm, and I followed my own path after having my heart broken time and time again, but I digress...  All through my 20's and 30's, I still longed to sing. It was all I cared about, I lived and breathed music.  I didn't care much about anything else other than sports, but even with sports, I was not nearly as passionate about that as I was music.  Music has always been my "therapy". When I had a bad day, I'd come home, close myself up in my room, and turn on my music. I would listen and sing for hours.  It always made everything better, and made the whole world go away.  In 2002, I moved to Nashville, TN after living in Arkansas and Florida (I don't like staying in one place too long. I get bored. :) ), and I placed membership at Madison Church of Christ where Keith Lancaster was Worship Minister at the time.  One thing led to another and in 2004, I began singing on a praise team there. As the years passed, it opened up more singing opportunities through church and I eventually landed in a group called 1WORD.  We did several gigs around the Nashville area and we had a blast.  In the summer of 2012, Melissa Lancaster approached me about singing with Durant that is a sister group of Acappella of the Acappella Company.  I think I just about passed out when I received her phone call because I really couldn't believe she would ask this skinny dork to be a part of something SO huge.  Since being a part of Durant, I have been able to travel to so many places that I'd never been before. One of those places was Texas.  I know, can you believe I was 39 years old before I ever visited Texas? Isn't that just wrong??  And guess what?? I loved it out there.  Dallas was REALLY incredible as we drove through to our destination of Denver City, TX in August 2012.  Well who knew on our trip to Denver City that we would meet a man who invited us to come to Belize in March 2013 on a mission trip.  By this time, I'm just pinching myself because of what God was doing.  I'd never even been out of the country other than on a cruise in 2005, but that doesn't really count.  Words can't describe the excitement I felt about going to Belize.  I'd always wanted to go on a mission trip, but working full time kinda puts a damper on those plans as I never had enough vacation, or I was too busy at work to take off. Yeah, that whole American Dream thing really interferes with God's plans too many times, and I was tired of that. Should I be living for the American Dream or God? Which one is eternal?  I couldn't take it anymore, and I was really wrestling with my spirit on the whole thing. I knew my friends and family would think I was nuts, but when you live for God, things just don't make sense to people.  So, I walked away from my full time job in April 2011. If I hadn't done that, I would not be able to do what I'm doing right now.  I trusted God and I live by faith, and He has blown me away how He has taken care of me.  He knows my passion is music ministry, and He knows I've wanted to go to foreign lands to share His good news for years, and He is making that happen. I have had no regrets about walking away from the American Dream because God's blessings are a billion times better than that.  So in March 2013, I went on my first music ministry/mission trip and I've never been the same.  I've always had a heart for missions, and this just made my desire for mission work stronger.  We were blessed in March 2014 to go back again, and words just can't describe how much these trips impact me. I have met some of the most amazing people in Belize, as well as the 2 different mission teams who have gone with us.  God is blessing my life so much, and I cannot begin to thank Him for all He has done and continues doing in my life.  I am so humbled and overwhelmed by His goodness and faithfulness when we keep Him FIRST.  I'm attaching Durant's Mission Trip Report at the bottom of this blog so you can check out what all we did while we were in Belize.  Next month, Durant will be traveling to the UK for another mission trip.  We will be there for 2 weeks or so, and again, I'm pinching myself as I can't believe this is happening to me.  It is amazing what God will do if you choose to follow Him completely.  There were times in my life when God was not first in my life and nothing made sense, but putting Him first and seeing everything fall into place and the continuous blessings He sends is just overwhelming and  incredible.  If you'd told me 10 years ago that in 2014 I would be doing what I'm doing today, I would have never believed it.  It has been a journey like no other.  Later in the summer we are planning a mission trip to Africa, as well.  I am SO excited to see how God is using me and the rest of Durant to serve Him and to take the good news to the lost. Music is a universal language, so it's really cool to be able to use it all over the world. So thankful to God that I left my comfort zone for HIS plans.   We never know the impact we are leaving on people, and I'm just thankful to be a small part of it all.  So to those of you who support Durant and have supported my mission fund to the UK, I just want to say THANK YOU.  This would not be possible if not for you guys. I'm absolutely blown away and blessed by my friends.  You guys are seriously the best, and thank you just doesn't seem to be enough, but I hope you know how eternally grateful I am to all of you for all you've done for me.  Thanks for reading my ramblings. :) I hope you've all had a blessed day!!!