Everything rides on Hope now.

Well, a lot sure has changed in my life within the past few days! Just as I was finally getting back in the swing of things, going back to work after my accident, there was a another twist in the lives of my family. I got a call on Sunday afternoon that my Great Grandma was placed in hospice, she didn't have much longer to live. Although we all knew this day had to come eventually, the terror of not being able to see my Great Grandma one last time haunted me. With the help of some wonderful friends and family, I booked a flight and left later that evening.

The flights were absolutely horrible! To make a very long story short, I was supposed to get in at 11:40am on Monday morning and I didn't land in Grand Rapids until 6:00pm Monday evening. I was tired, sore, nauseous, and of course emotional.

When I was finally able to see my Great Grandma, she didn't remember me.. How do you handle a situation like that? When a lady you've known your entire life, a woman that has been there for you through everything, doesn't even know your own name?

"Consider it pure joy my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds. Because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance."

-James 1:2-3

Although I was not thrilled with my current circumstances I know that GOD IS IN IT! He had this all planned out from before time was even created. I've been reading a lot about Job, what a beautiful testimony he has! Trial after trial, he stayed faithful in Christ. As long as I have my faith in my God, then I can handle anything thrown at me. 

"We have this hope, it anchors the soul. Firm and secure."

-Hebrews 6:19

I've been listening to Addison Road all morning, praying that God will give me the strength to continue to be strong in Him through all of the struggles of life! He is my guidance, my protector, my strength, my stability, my everything. I will trust in Him through all things! 

Hope Now by Addison Road

If everything comes down to love
Then just what am I afraid of
When I call out Your name
Something inside awakes in my soul
How quickly I forget I'm Yours
I'm not my own
I've been carried by You
All my life

When my life is like a storm
Rising waters all I want is the shore
You say I'll be ok and
Make it through the rain
You are my shelter from the storm
I'm not my own
I've been carried by You
All my life

Everything rides on hope now
Everything rides on faith somehow
When the world has broken me down
Your love sets me free
You've become my hearts desire
I will sing Your praises higher
Cause Your love sets me free
Your love sets me free

New Chapter.

I have been serving at Victory Bible Camp since 2009. My first year I came up on a work team for two weeks, I served in the Kitchen helping prepare meals for the campers and staff. The following two years I counseled middle school age kids, then elementary age kids.

After my third trip to Alaska I decided that I was done. God had used me as much as I thought at Victory and it was time for me to move on. Boy, was I wrong! God laid it upon my heart to devote another summer, I was scared of taking a summer off of work but I knew that God needed me there. So I applied to come for another summer. After I sent my application I thought I was good! I was going to serve God for another summer and then return to Michigan and work again. Once more, I was wrong.

After the new year I really began to pray about the life God wanted me to live. Praying whether to continue my jobs of being a nanny and working at a tanning salon, or to do something more with my life. Through months of intense prayer, God brought me to the conclusion that I was not put on this earth to simply work and go through the motions of my everyday life in Michigan. He was asking more than I thought I could give!
When I brought it up to my parents, they urged me to continue to follow God's calling,  with caution. They were going to support me no matter where God wanted me! After I sent in my application, I didn't hear anything for quite some time. I was beginning to loose faith, I was starting to doubt the plan God set before me. However, three weeks before Summer Camp started I was informed that I was accepted to stay at Victory for a one year internship beginning at the end of this coming summer! I WAS ELATED! Words cannot express how truly excited and blessed I felt. It was all coming together, my support was coming in and I was getting to serve God the way I now know I was born to do.

After a few months into my internship I began to pray about becoming Permanent Staff. Was this something God wants me to do for the rest of my life? Is this a commitment I can make at my young age? I began to look at my life, everything I wanted to accomplish, things I wanted to do.

Was I okay with settling down at age 20? Not being married and living so far from my family?

Yes. My age does not determine my maturity nor my ability to serve God  in the biggest way I can imagine. When I accepted Christ at age 17, I chose to give my life to Him. I now truly know what devoting my life to God is! It is devoting my life to serving Him through the ministry of Victory Bible Camp. Being single has given me the ability to serve God and make crazy decisions like move to Alaska, work at Victory, become full time! If I had only five years left to live, I would want to spend every single day of those five years serving my awesome God here at Victory Bible Camp. I have truly fallen in love with this place and the ministry here. My joy comes from waking up every morning, knowing that in some way, whether big or small, I get to serve my almighty God today! I am so blessed to be able to work here at Victory Bible Camp.

As I become full time here at Victory, I am beginning to raise support to stay at Victory indefinitely  Many of you reading this have already been supportive of me here during my internship. I am looking to raise $2,415 a month for as long as God wants me here. I am asking for pledges to help meet my goal! My internship is done August 1st, it would be absolutely amazing if I was able to stay on after that! So please, pray with me as I am raising the support needed for me to serve God. Become a partner with me in the ministry God has here! Below you will find a link to Victory's website, I encourage you to see what's going on here! God is doing so much here, I want nothing more than to share it with the world!


http://www.victorymin.org/donate.html