These are a Few of my Favorite Things

Just for fun, I thought I'd post a list of a some of my favorite things...

- Bubble baths
- Sunsets
- Random acts of kindness
- A barefoot walk
- Swinging
- An honest talk
- Discovering a new song & falling in love with it
- Naps
- Chai tea lattes
- A good cry (especially tears of joy)
- Campfires
- Cool fall mornings
- Bursting out in random song
- Giving gifts
- Sand in my toes
- Dancing in the rain
- Blasting worship music in my car
- Freshly brushed teeth
- Gentle rolls of thunder
- Snuggling up in the warm covers of my bed
- Hugs
- Pairs of doves
- My TOMS
- Warm sunshine on my face

There you have it. Now you know a few of my favorite things...

I'll be posting some stories from India very soon. So stay tuned for that. But, here's a photo to tease you!



Peace!

A Drop of Inspiration

"Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says, 'Oh crap, she's up!'"

To India and Beyond...

As I promised, I am posting solely about Team India. The past few days with the team have been incredible. We had the opportunity to engage in “ropes training” with Global Infusion to help prepare us for our journey. This training put us through challenges that helped grow team unity and prepare us for situations on the mission field. The experience really helped us grow together as a team and it is so evident that God is going to do amazing things through each of these people.

Personally, I learned a great deal through ropes. Our biggest lesson learned yesterday was prayer. We have been encouraged to pray for India the past few months. It is so hard to pray for a country and a people that you have not yet experienced. But, yesterday India became real to me. The people became real. The poverty became real. And the injustice became real. God lit my heart on fire for the country of India and He broke it for the things that break His heart. My prayer has been that God would break my heart…and He broke it. Yesterday I wept for India. I didn’t just cry…I wept. My heart has been broken for each and every person in India and I cannot wait to see how God will continue to break my heart over the next 2 weeks leading up to my departure.

One thing that was said that really resonated with me actually came in the form of a prayer from one of the Global Infusion facilitators. He reminded us in this prayer that we should not be going to India if our hearts do not ache for India the way that God’s heart does. We have to be in love with the people of India…or else we should not be going. I am falling in love. My hearts aches for these people.

Also, to conclude our ropes training we underwent a "commissioning ceremony" last night. In this ceremony, a crown was placed on the head of each team member reminding us that we are royalty - children of our Lord and King. While this happened, the Global Infusion facilitators gathered around us and showered us with prayers all at the same time. It was an incredible experience to hear so many different prayers uttered over us all at once. What a moving experience and a testimony of the great power of prayer!

My teammates are incredible and they have blessed my life tremendously already. I can’t wait to see how we grow in relationship with one another as we become vulnerable with each other and spread love to India.

Team 1 headed out today…not without difficulties though! Read about it on our blog: toindiaandbeyond.wordpress.com. Pray for Team 1 as they continue to travel to their final destination in Ongole, India. Pray that God would make India real to them prior to them arriving. They are going to do great things there and lay a foundation for Team 2 to love on India too.

Here’s the faces of our team members! Please keep each of us in prayer. Team members include:
Melissa, Annette, Grant, Kendall, Adrianna, Rachel, Amber, Kelsey, Emily, Justine, Katy, Brittany, Greta, Adam, Ryan, Josh, Nathan, Daniel, and myself. Our fearless leaders are Josh and Melissa who will be staying in India for the duration of both trips (a.k.a. one month) as will Rachel, Grant, and Annette.

Specific prayer requests from the team:
- Boldness
- Renewal of spirits
- Strength in fighting spiritual warfare
- Health/rest
- To be conscious/aware of God
- Safety in travels
- That our hearts might be broken for India

Thanks for your love, support, and prayers. I will try to keep you updated over the next few weeks.

Peace!

My Life...In a Nutshell

I know it has basically been forever since I last wrote so I thought that it is probably about time for an update. That is if you are even still following my blog because you’ve most likely given up hope about me ever writing again. But, hey, life gets a little busy. Since I’m out of school officially now I actually had a moment to catch up, so here it goes…my top 5 recent life happenings in a nutshell…

1.I had a birthday. I am no longer a teenager anymore. I told my dad, “Hey dad! I beat teenage pregnancy once and for all!” He only found it slightly funny.


Shelby got me cupcakes from the TLC show, DC cupcakes. Greatest gift ever. Here's the whole family modeling a few of them.


2.One of my very best friends here at school who happens to be a Resident Director of one of the female dorms, not only got into a relationship with a Resident Director of one of the male dorms, but she also got engaged in the same month! Crazy I know…but they are pretty awesome and they are both going to be leading my upcoming India mission trip.


Here’s a picture of me and my lovely friend and bride-to-be, Melissa


Here’s Melissa surrounded by excited students on campus following her ring ceremony where she announced that she was engaged!


3.I got a boyfriend. Surprising, I know. But here he is. I kind of like him a little bit.


Scott and I – his hair isn’t this wooly anymore. He got it cut. Just so you know.


4.I have 2 new sisters that I never had before. The Stubbs’ family works here at the college and their two daughters Tressa and Taylor have recently become sisters to me. Through some crazy events (like a bridal shower that was held at their farm) and God’s incredible blessings, I have two more sisters I didn’t have before. Now combined with my other best friend/sister from school, Adrianna (who goes by the nickname “Baller”), we are a little family of four. We love hanging out at their farm and just being girls! I thank God every day for placing these wonderful ladies in my life.
Check out Tressa's blog at http://walkinginhispath.blogspot.com/ and Linda Stubbs' blog at http://prairieflowerfarm.blogspot.com/.


Here are my sisters - Baller, Taylor, and Tressa


This is the group of girls at the bridal shower at the Stubbs family farm


Baller and I


Tressa and I - Don't judge me. I have problems with squinting when I smile for pictures.


5.India. I leave in 19 days. Indeed, 19. I am pretty nervous but very excited. Prayers leading up to our departure and continued through my 2 weeks there would be greatly appreciated. I will post an update about the team and trip in a couple of days including specific prayer requests from the team. Just promise to be thinking and praying for us! We will be doing some incredible things for God’s Kingdom! Follow us on our blog before, during, and after our travels at: http://toindiaandbeyond.wordpress.com/


Here’s the team…or some of it. We have a few more and a few less members now, but at least you can be seeing some faces of who is going.


That’s all that I have for my top 5 recent life happenings in a nutshell, but I thought I would throw in a bonus story. It is a typical “unfortunate event in the life of Courtney” story. So Enjoy.

I was driving back to school from the Stubbs' farm. It was dark because it was late at night. I turned off my bright headlights because there was a car coming my direction. I thought the car had its blinker on. Actually it had its hazard lights on warning me of something I assumed. I kept my eyes open thinking maybe he had just hit a deer or seen a deer so I was very alert in checking the ditches. As soon as the car passed I turned my bright headlights back on to have just enough time to break and swerve from hitting a horse right in front of me. Yes, a horse. Not Yankee Doodle’s pony, a full sized horse. And it was just leisurely walking down the middle of my lane while I was speeding its direction at 60 miles per hour. I’m still not sure how I missed hitting the horse, but I’m glad I did. I think it makes for an interesting story though. No one is expecting you to say “I almost hit a…HORSE.” Sorry I don’t have a photo to go with this story. I hardly had time to react let alone snap a picture of this horse for proof of its happening.

That is all. Until next time…

Peace!