The Parks in London

Your Ways are Higher

2012-01-25T05:02:00.000-08:00

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD. For [as] the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts."
- Isaiah 55:8-9

I love this passage! I can remember the first time that I really mediated on it. It was at a Wednesday night Bible study in Morro Bay and Pastor Tonye was teaching through the book of Isaiah, a beautiful book! This night in particular, this passage really stood out to me and I remember underlining it in my Bible and then writing it out on a notecard and taping it our bathroom window. We were living in Cayucos at that time and it was before we even had thought about the possibility of being here. But, God knew that I needed to memorize this passage and keep it close to me before beginning on this crazy fun journey to move countries. And now, I constantly go back to these two verses and it comforts me to know that it's not my ways that are THE only way, but it's God's ways. And His ways are far better than mine. He is not confined to the small box I try to put Him in and when I show Him my options A & B, He throws in a curve ball and gives me something I would have never thought of on my own. How great it is to serve a God who is not limited to my thoughts or my resources. I was reminded again of these verses this weekend. Through some funny events that happened, I was reminded again that just because I think I have things all figured out doesn't mean that's what God's plan actually is. I think it's also a really good reminder of another reason why it's so super important to stay current with Him. If we aren't, then we kind of go off and do our own thing and don't allow the room for God to move. And we all know that when we take matters into our own hands, it's never pretty. Look through the Bible to see some great examples of the mess people have made when trying to do things are their own! On Sunday, the young kids we have for children's ministry weren't around so I sat in the service. We are going through the book of Genesis on Sundays and at this point, we are where Jacob is going to meet Esau after all this time. PT kept stressing that there are two different camps we could potentially be a part of.. God's camp or my camp. When we start making our own decisions and loving the things of this world more, we are putting ourselves in the me camp. But, when we allow God to move and guide is in His ways and love Him we are putting ourselves in His camp, a far better place to be in. Again, being in His camp where He has unlimited resources, duh! Of course I want to be in that camp. Not to mention, all those verses that talk about not being able to serve two masters, you can't serve God and mammon. I want to serve God and not fall into the worldly lusts. When I put myself in my own camp I can't possibly be serving God because I am putting myself first and doing what I think is best for me. It was such a great reminder to really search my heart and make sure that I have both feet in God's camp. Right after that message I had a great chance to exercise this. Was I going to allow my flesh to take over and freak out and get anxious - or - was I going to surrender to the Lord knowing that even though the plans I thought were working out were not and then trusting that God has even better plans!

May will mark out 2 year anniversary of being here in this amazing city! I am so blessed to be here serving! And, I am excited to continue on serving here! As we hit this 2 year mark, we will be looking for new housing which is always exciting! We know that God already as the perfect place for us picked out and we are excited to see where He will have us :) There are so many options in the big city! We are just praying for the right location for us and that the price will be right! Also, right now as I write, Hubs, PT, and Lando are meeting with the man in charge of the church we are currently renting a room from. This meeting is exciting because although he hasn't promised anything he mentioned that he would like to see if they can accommodate our growing fellowship. Please be praying with us! We had been looking into other accommodations, but God closed the doors on the other places. So, who knows what He has in store for us! It's exciting either way and I can't wait to watch as the next season of adventures starts to unfold before our eyes.

Thank you so much for your prayers and for taking the time to read my thoughts and our updates.

~Trista

Christmas Traditions - buying a Christmas tree

2011-12-13T16:07:00.000-08:00

I love this time of year! I love that we get to celebrate the birth of our Saviour! There are so many beautiful things to look at this time of year! Beautiful Christmas trees, wreaths, advent calendars, lights, and many more decorations! 2 weeks ago Sunday, the Holyde's and I went to go get our Christmas tree (we went right after church, so hubs was cleaning up the church and didn't come with us). We walked a short distance from the church where we found a market (by market, I mean like convenience store) that had a couple of trees outside the shop. The first place we looked at had trees for a ridiculously priced amount and we thought it was way too much to pay for a tree. This place was more reasonable, but what we have noticed since picking up our tree is that it had probably been chopped down quite some time before we got it even thought the worked said that they had been freshly chopped down that day... kinda funny! Anyway, we picked up our tree and because there wasn't any room on the bus, PT walked home with the tree while the rest of us girls rode the bus. As we were on our way home, I was laughing in my head thinking about all the times that I can remember picking out a tree and this was by far the strangest place I have ever gotten a tree from! When I was much younger, my family and I would go to tree farms around the city I grew up in a chop one down. When I moved to SLO, I would purchase them pre-cut from one of those temporary tree farms set up in the car park. One year, I even got one from Rite Aid. The year before we moved here, we were living in a small studio and there really wasn't room for one so a lady from church let me borrow her the Grinch Who Stole Christmas looking one. It was fake and pink! Perfect for me!!! Not sure that hubs loved it that much, but he allowed it :) Last year, the weekend of Thanksgiving, we picked one out from one of the home base stores here which reminded me a lot of the one year that I got one from Home Depot. Same idea! The challenging thing about buying a tree here is the fact that we take public transportation. The tree we had last year was quite big and it was super funny taking it on the bus and then the walk down the hill from the bus stop to our house. All this to say, we are breaking our old Christmas Traditions and making new ones! I love it! I love that things are not the same every year and that buying things like trees in the city is such a funny experience. But, it's all part of the complete experience! I would't change it! Instead, you have to embrace it and laugh about it! The greatest part was bringing it home and decorating it with my London family! What a hodgepodge of tree ornaments we have! I didn't have very many, but you can most definitely tell which ones are mine, which one is hubs, and then whose the rest of them are. It's cute! It's like the blending of our families, all on one tree.

Do you have any Christmas tree traditions? When do you get your tree and decorate it? What kind of decorations do you put on your tree?

~Trista

30th of November - I made it!

2011-11-30T16:08:00.000-08:00

Woot! I made it through the month of November - 30 days of Thankfulness. I realize that I didn't write a post for every single day, but I have felt that in my heart I have been thankful more often throughout this month than I ever have been before. I want to keep this momentum. I am just so thankful for everything that God has provided for us and has blessed us with! So, thank you for reading this month! I am also hopeful that this has helped me get into a good blogging habit! Meaning, I will be prayerfully blogging a lot more! For now, I must rest. Still not feeling so great and I have a busy day tomorrow. Your continued prayers for health, not just for me but for all of us in this house, are much appreciated!

~Trista

P.S. Another thing that Hubs and I have been doing the past couple of weeks has been reading through the book of Philippians every night. What great timing! Every time we read it, I am reminded again and again and again to rejoice!

29th of November - Church Thanksgiving!

2011-11-29T13:05:00.000-08:00

Our church Thanksgiving was AWESOME! What a new fun tradition we have with our church family! I wish I had some pictures from the evening, but sadly, I didn't have my camera with me :) Suz and I made turkeys and pies and cranberry sauce (because cranberries are hard to find) for that evening and then had the rest of our church get involved by bringing some of the dishes that you would probably find at a traditional American Thanksgiving! We provided the recipes for them to take and then they brought their cooked dish that evening. It was so fun to see their interpretation of the recipe as well as their reactions to all the food. Everything turned out so yummy! And most definitely reminded me of a very traditional Thanksgiving meal. I think there was something so sweet about experiencing some of these peoples first Thanksgiving ever! Everyone really seemed to enjoy it! And what better way to end our evening than with praising and thanking our wonderful amazing God! It was perfect! I am thankful that everyone had such a great time and I am also very thankful that it's fairy easy to find Thanksgiving type food here and even if you can't find the exact thing, you can find a great substitute! I have heard that in places like Japan, it is really hard to find anything resembling American food! Have any of you readers experienced a Thanksgiving outside of the US? What did you do?

That's all for now, but I do have a prayer request... the flu bug has been going around and there are a couple of us who have been resistant to it until now. I feel the beginnings of it as does another. But, maybe since we are the last in the house to get it, it won't last so long :)

~Trista

25th of November - Food, Food, and More Food!

2011-11-25T14:19:00.000-08:00

Yep! That about sums up my Thanksgiving day yesterday! It started the night before when I prepared our special breakfast... that actually turned into the next morning because of how late I stayed up getting it ready :) And then, it was up super early to get it in the oven before others in the house had to leave for Thursday morning Bible study. It's a very strange thing celebrating a holiday that doesn't occur in the country you are living in. For one thing, EVERYTHING is open because it's a normal business day for them. Which, I actually like and have no complaints about because when I had to run to the market to get a few items, I didn't feel bad that they were working since it really isn't a holiday for them. After running to the store on the corner a couple of times, it was time for baking and cooking, and then some more baking and cooking, and yet still more baking and cooking. Finally, it was time for eating! And then, some more eating... Let's just say we had plenty of food. And, we even had leftovers tonight... which I was SUPER thankful for because that meant no cooking... only reheating! Nice break. Tomorrow is our church Thanksgiving so tomorrow will be spent cooking and baking again :)

Favorite memory of the day... Suz and I went to Starbucks after all that food to take them some desserts (dairy free pumpkin pie and chocolate chip cookie pie). There were two workers there when we arrived and we of course gave them a very enthusiastic HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!! Then followed this response by one of the guys behind the counter: CONGRATULATIONS!! Bahahahahaha!!!! This made me laugh seriously hard! Seriously! It was sooooo funny! Then he said... "I don't really know if that's what I am suppose to say. Actually, I don't really know what to say at all!" Bahahahahahahaha!!!! That seriously made me laugh even more!! What a great way to end the night!

I am very thankful today that God provided food for us yesterday! It was so enjoyable and I felt so blessed by the abundance!

~Trista

Happy Thanksgiving!

I really should be asleep!

2011-11-22T16:18:00.000-08:00

Ok, I know I JUST posted my thankful post for the 22nd and said that it was late and that my brain really isn't working because it's bedtime, but here I am... awake.... thinking... thinking... thinking... it's story time!!!! Woohoo!

Funny moment of the day, which really almost wasn't funny, but was funny... ha!

We have this really nice dresser in our house that we use in the downstairs reception room for storage. It holds all the extra duvet covers, duvets, sheets, pillows, blankets, towels, air mattresses etc. for when we have company. It didn't really fit in anyone's room and it came with the house, so here it stays. The funny thing about this piece of furniture... it's heavy! And, BIG!. And, contains stuff in it! And, is like a puzzle one GIANT, HEAVY puzzle, that is... Anyway, we were putting stuff away from the visitors we just had and noticed that the drawers weren't fitting together properly. So, we thought, oh! We should just rearrange the drawers so that they fit better and then they will actually slide properly. Thinking this would only take an extra 5 minutes, we start pulling out the first drawer only to find that it's really.heavy. Yes, it is! Weights or not - still heavy! We pull out the next one, then the next one, and then oh... uh oh.. why are there screws on the floor? Oh no, there is the track with the wheels on it... oops! What we thought was going to be quick turned into a much longer more involved project as we had to screw back in the wheel track thing. Hah! We started laughing because each time we attempted to put the drawers back in their place, something else went wonky. We laughed the whole time! Even when I got a tiny piece of metal stuck in my thumb {I got it out, praise the Lord!}. After much time, we finally figured out the problem but we are still unclear as to why there is a huge gap in between 2 of the drawers and are hoping that it won't be a problem because they are opening and closing smoother than ever. This totally reminded me of a dresser that Hubs had... It was uniquely colored black and yellow... like a bumble bee. When we got married, he warned me of how difficult is was to put the drawers in properly and I laughed thinking, what?!? I found out the hard way that he was right! I had many failed attempts at putting the 6 drawers back in the frame properly. WOW! This is way to difficult! It really shouldn't be that hard! In both cases, I was not about to let a dresser outsmart me! no way! I conquered both, for now anyway.

{this is what happens when it's way past my bedtime.... going to sleep now!!}

~Trista

I want to leave you with these verses to ponder:

Isaiah 55:8-9

For My thoughts [are] not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD.
"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.

22 of November - It's soooo close!!!

2011-11-22T15:09:00.001-08:00

I can't believe that Thanksgiving is soooooo close! I LOVE the day before Thanksgiving! I get to start baking and preparing the morning breakfast! YAY! And, tonight I am thankful for something kinda silly, but awesome to me! I am super thankful that the dairy free pumpkin pie I made tonight actually turned our more than eatable! It turned out great!!! I am sooo excited to be making that for Thursday and for our church Thanksgiving Saturday! We are going to show our church family what a traditional American Thanksgiving looks like! YAY! Short post for now, hopefully next time I won't be blogging at 11:00p.m. and can actually put my thoughts together :)

What is one of your favorite Thanksgiving traditions?

~Trista

20th of November - Church

2011-11-20T09:01:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for church!

~Trista

19th of November - Laughter

2011-11-19T13:09:00.000-08:00

As I sit up in my room working on a project for church, I can hear the sweet sound of laughter happening from the kitchen. How beautiful it is! I am so thankful for laughter! And there is plenty of it on a regular basis in this house! I love how people have different laughs and I can tell up here whose laugh it is and almost see their faces... dimples on their cheeks, squinty eyes, and mouth open wide! My favorite is when I laugh so hard, no sound at all comes out! Or, better yet, when I laugh so hard I cry! The crying part has only happened a handful of times and the first time was at a family function where we were watching a home video of two unnamed sisters and involved my mum's old record player... let me just say, it was so funny, I was crying! The other few times I have laughed that hard has been with the Holyde family and a couple of groups of friends. Life is such a funny thing sometimes and I feel like I have to just laugh it off. For instance, today we were waiting for our groceries to be delivered and I got a phone call that they would not deliver them because they couldn't find parking.. This was not our normal place that we shop from so I didn't know what to expect from them, but I really needed that turkey that was coming with this order! It needs time to defrost! The lady was telling me that it was impossible for the driver to come back and that they had already put my groceries back on the shelves and they must come another day. As much as it was a tad frustrating, I had to laugh! They already put my groceries back!? What? I thought the driver just drove past... What is the point in getting all worked up about it when they (prayerfully) will come tomorrow and all will be well and they turkey can defrost in one less day. I can't say I always remember to just laugh, but have really been trying to do that more so lately.

So, yes, I am not sure that story had really anything to do with laughter, but oh well. It was on my mind! And, since sometimes I have tunnel vision, that's what comes out!

Ok, wait, I am thinking of the other reason I started this blog post on laughter. We have visitors! Twins, that make me laugh really hard! I love how the Lord uses them and their laughter! They are who I can hear all the way up the stairs! I LOVE it!

~Trista

18th of November - Exercise!

2011-11-18T05:07:00.000-08:00

Something simple today and I don't really have a great story to go with it, but I seriously am so thankful for the opportunity to exercise! I love being able to run and lift weights, do crunches and plank... It's soooo fun! I love it!

I do find it funny when I lift weights and look down and see my nails painted! So girly!

~Trista

17th of November - New Faces

2011-11-17T02:42:00.000-08:00

I was wondering today if I will ever run out of things to be thankful for. You wanna know the answer I came up with?! I will certainly never run out of things to be thankful for. Every time I look around, I am reminded of every little thing I have to be thankful for, not to mention the biggest thing ever which is Jesus! There is always something new! So, what am I thankful for today? Here's a story... it happened on Sunday, but today I was reminded of it and although it was a small thing, it still stuck out to me!

Sunday morning came around, I woke up and got ready for my day. I decided that I was in need of coffee, so I got my bag and went out the door. I was in a so so mood and was talking to God about living here and feeling sometimes like I don't know anyone! There are SO many people here and although I am super close with the wonderful people we moved here with not to mention all the people at church, I still feel like I walk out the front door and I see no one that I know, which is a funny thing after living in Cayucos! You practically walk out of your front door and see people you know! Well, God decided to show me that there in fact are people I know! People that need Him! I walk in the front door of my favourite place and who do I see? One of my favourites there! She is such a sweetie! And! She was on break so we got to chat for 10 minutes {which happened just a couple days prior to that also}. She was telling me that one of the other workers was telling her that she doesn't get enough iron and she was rushing out the door to go buy nuts! I started laughing! If you know me, you know my tummy issues! I am always worried about not getting enough iron since I am not a red-meat eater. So we chatted about food! One of my other favourite conversations! I was so thankful that conversation! The other half of that conversation included the other workers because they were asking me where I was off to which happened to be church! I love it! After that, I was smiling so big and was saying wow God! I do see people I know here! But, that's not the end of it! There is this other sweet girl that I just started to get to know at the corner bakery. I don't get to go in there that often, but I had just gone in Monday because my wonderful hubs bought me something from there for my birthday breakfast. As I turn out of my first favourite place there she is! She was on her break and we had a quick chat. She asked me about my man that I was in there with on Monday and thought he was only my bf. I said, nope! He is my hubby! And we have been married for 3 1/2 years! Get me started on him and our marriage and I could keep you all day with all of the wonderfulness that has been packed into these first 3 1/2 years! I explained I was on my way church and had to leave and I was off on my way as she walked in the opposite direction. I starting thinking that I was silly for my first thoughts of the day and committed to really surrender any thoughts that have no place in my head to the Lord as quickly as they come in, and also to really give Him the first thoughts of the day. Even though this city is quite a bit larger than any city I have ever lived in, God still reminded me that He first and foremost is the love of my life, second my husband which I love even more today than I did that day I walked down the isle, and then He is blessing me with wonderful people that I live with and moved here with, people in our church, and these beautiful new faces that I am so thankful for today!

~Trista

16th of Novmeber - Beanies!

2011-11-16T04:20:00.000-08:00

Today I am most thankful for Kelsey who taught me how to crochet! Now I can make cute things for my etsy shop! Of course that's not the only reason why I am thankful for her, but it's really exciting to be adding new products to my etsy shop {and to my own collection :)} Last night, I tore out a beanie that I had made when I first started learning and remade it into this beautiful creation! I am wearing it today! It's so fun to take a ball of yarn {you should always wrap it into a ball before you start any project, trust me!} and make something great out of it! Thank you Kelsey for passing along all your knowledge about crocheting and helping me get my etsy shop off the ground! Thank you for your friendship! I am so blessed!

~Trista

You can check out my other beanie I have for sale in my shop at:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/86110015/cozy-winter-beanie

15th of November - Grace and Cinnamon Swirl Bread

2011-11-15T05:30:00.000-08:00

I have been thinking a lot about grace lately. The grace of God. Something which I can often take for granted, but when I really sit down and think about it, I can be so in awe of it. Ephesians 2:8-9 says For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; [it is] the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. So, I am saved not because of something I have done, but because of the grace of God. I am so thankful for that!!! There is so much more I could say here, but I am going to stop and allow the Lord to just continue to work on my heart as well as yours.

The other thing that I am most thankful for today is Cinnamon Swirl Bread!!! One thing that you may not know but will now know is that my husband is amazing at making bread which makes me laugh after his last job in the states! HAH! Yesterday, he made me a very special surprise and baked Cinnamon Swirl Bread! YUM! He came up with the recipe himself and I must say it is by far the best bread I have ever had! I probably could eat one piece right after the other until the whole entire loaf is gone, but I am trying to use self-control! But WOW! It's a party in my mouth for sure! What a gift it is to have a husband who really wants to bless me!

~Trista

12th of November

2011-11-12T10:06:00.000-08:00

I realized today that as I was walking around what I should have written for yesterdays thankful blog post for 11-11-11 but I think it works for today as well. Yesterday was Remembrance Day or Veteran's Day in the US. This whole month, people give out poppy pins for people to wear in remembrance of those who fought for this country and lost their lives in the line of duty. So, today I am thankful for all that those people have for us in the line of duty.

~Trista

11 of November

2011-11-11T04:33:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for sight. Especially this time of year! I love the autumn colours everywhere! The trees are absolutely the most gorgeous colours, and I am so thankful that I can see them. I love the different shades of orange, red, and yellow... I love how the leaves fall to the ground and make huge piles everywhere. I love how they crunch when you walk over them. If I could, I would go to the massive park close by everyday just to see the leaves :) Thank you Lord that I can enjoy these beautiful colours that you have created!

~Trista

Your turn! What are you thankful for today???

9th of November - Transportation!

2011-11-09T05:33:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for public transportation! Yes, I know that I struggle with it, but I am still incredibly thankful that I don't have to walk EVERYWHERE! I do like to walk, but on Monday, I was reminded that even though the bus takes FOREVER to get such a short distance, I still would prefer to sit there by my hubby's side and let my feet rest! My wonderful husband planned a day full of surprises for me on Monday to celebrate my birthday. First, we went to my most FAVOURITE pastry shop and picked up some yummy treats for breakfast. We went right next door to stop by starbucks to pick up some coffee and say hi to all of our friends who work there. Then, after one small pit stop, we made our way to Oxford street! With my birthday £££ I searched all over for a new pair of winter boots to keep my feet warm and dry this season! The ones that I had from last year sadly are no more. But, it felt so good to put my feet into new boots that are exactly what I was looking for and comfy too! AND!!!! All the Christmas lights were up on Oxford Street and Regent Street! Which I absolutely LOVE! So wonderful! We made our way to Kensington where we got to ice skate outside! How magical! Thank you unnamed friends who made that possible! It was a highlight of the day for sure! Especially when I almost got squished by big tall tree man! I am sure his tailbone is still hurting. After a grab and go lunch from my favourite breakfast place {they make amazing baguettes as well} we headed back to Oxford Street and eventually made our way to Ikea! A place I never thought I would ever return to, but had a much more pleasant experience this time. After getting some goodies from Ikea, which included some Christmas decorations, we took a pit stop at home to drop everything off and then headed to my favourite place for dinner! SUSHI!!!! YUMMMMMMMM!!!!! So great! Of course the food was amazing, but I enjoyed staring across at my amazing husband who is so thoughtful and planned a most excellent birthday. Thank you Lord for him!

~Trista

5th of November - two words!

2011-11-05T00:00:00.000-07:00

Now, on to something that is kinda funny. Star.Bucks! HA! It's not about the yummy coffee, it's truly about the wonderful people working there who make me smile every single time I go through that door! (even when I just get ice water - which is sometimes more often than not!!!!) I am thankful for all the laughs we get to share together! Thank you for being such an awesome bunch of individuals!

~Trista

4th of November - LONDON!!!

2011-11-04T00:00:00.000-07:00

WOOHOO!!! I am soooo thankful for this place we call home - LONDON! I am so thankful that God has chosen to bring us here to serve Him! What an AWESOME place! I love so many different things about London, but the one thing that I am most thankful for are the people! All the people that God has placed in my life right now, at church, at Startbucks, at the gym! People that God loves so much! Thank you God for these people!

Also thankful for a certain couple whose anniversary is today! I am so thankful that God has placed you both in my life! Thank you for being such great friends! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

~Trista

3rd of November - Our Supporters!

2011-11-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

Today, I am soooooo thankful for everyone who supports us out here on the mission field. We have so many wonderful people in our lives that are excited to see what God is doing here in London and encourage us so greatly! Thank you for reading our blog, for sending us encouraging messages, for praying for us, and even supporting us financially. Each one of you is a HUGE blessing to us and such a need to our ministry. So, thank you! God is so good by giving us each one of you!

I am also thankful for a certain aunt whose birthday it is today :) HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! Thank you for being such a woman of God and such a wonderful example to me :) Love you!

~Trista

2nd of November - All things Family!

2011-11-02T00:00:00.000-07:00

It is soooo hard to think of just one thing per day! I am thinking of a couple things today all under the family category, so here goes :)

First, extremely thankful for my family! Every single person! From my parents (mum & dad whom I love so much!!!!) and siblings, aunts and uncles, cousins, all extended family, my hubby's wonderful family, parents, siblings... every one of them!

Next, along the family line, my extended church family! Everyone who is a part of the church here and in Morro Bay! All of our friends who mean so much to us and we are thankful for each and every one!

Continuing down the family... the Holyde Family! I am thinking of all the laughs (especially lately) we have shared! How we can laugh for hours about silly things... and then laugh some more!

Family, thank you Lord for family!

~Trista

Happy November! What am I thankful for?

2011-11-01T04:41:00.000-07:00

YAY!!! I LOVE November! Maybe it's because of my birthday! Or Thanksgiving! Or autumn colours! Or maybe EVERYTHING that November brings! Including the month right before the month of December which means CHRISTMAS! WOOHOO!!! Can you tell I LOVE this time of year!?!

Ok, anyway! Last year, I had this great thought! Starting the first day of November I was going to post one thing per day up until Thanksgiving that I am thankful for. I don't actually think that happened! But, I really want to try it now! (please excuse me if I don't post every day, but I am sure going to try!). But, you have to join with me too :) Comment below and tell me one thing that you are thankful for! One way that God has blessed you immensely!

For me, I have two things to start off today.

First of all, I am thankful for Jesus! Who came to this earth in the form of a man and paid my ransom by death on the cross. He was crucified, dead and buried and then resurrected! Through Him, I have eternal life! Thank you Jesus!

The second thing that I am most thankful for today is my sweet husband! Thank you God for giving the man of my dreams! Someone to live life with me and encourage me and draw me closer to Jesus! (I could keep going on forever about him)

Ok, your next! What are you most thankful for today?

~Trista

Welcome Home to : Autumn!!

2011-10-15T15:18:00.000-07:00

We finally arrived home yesterday after our smooth overnight 10 hour flight. I would love to highlight some of our favourite memories from our "tour-de-California perhaps in another blogpost. This one I am highlighting my first full day home :) During our visit in California, we actually experienced the nicest weather! It was gorgeous! Super warm summer days! Which was a real treat as we have had a very cold and rainy summer. And, as much as I love the summer and actually adding some colour to this pale skin of mine, I am sooooo ready for autumn! I know I say this every season, but SERIOUSLY! This is my FAVOURITE time of year! Pumpkin everything! Sweaters, scarves, and boots. Hats and gloves... something warm to drink! Love it! So, this morning, I walked outside in my jacket, boots, and scarf to a crisp morning! It was so wonderful! The perfect day to be back home for. The leaves are all changing to this beautiful orange-red colour and will soon be falling off the trees covering the ground with colour. God is so awesome and I love how He created these beautiful colours and season changes for us to experience and enjoy!

Please pray that we adjust to the time change quickly and can get back into our routine very fast! We are so ready to get back into the ministry here!

Excited for church tomorrow and to meet all these new kids in children's ministry!

Blessings,
Trista

Sleepy but Happy!

2011-10-06T22:46:00.000-07:00

Today was a beautiful day. It started out hanging out with my mum for a bit, having sushi with my grandma for lunch, visiting hardcore expresso with my man, off to Michaels to grab some more yarn for my etsy shop (it's soooo much cheaper here), time with the new nephew and family, dinner and then off to share with Rohnert Park Bible Church. It's busy, yes but I feel happy and super blessed that we can have the opportunity to visit with our loved ones. And, I absolutely LOVE sharing about the ministry in London. It makes us that more excited to get back and ready to serve! For tonight I want to leave you with this: Psalm 16:11 "You show me the path of life, in Your presence is the fullness of joy, at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore." Now it's off to sleep so this tired one can be awake for the busyness of tomorrow.

Love,
Trista

Quick Update

2011-09-24T11:37:00.000-07:00

We made it! We are here in the states visiting with friends and family! It's been AWESOME so far, pretty busy driving back and forth but we are so grateful for all the bbq's, coffee dates, and fun side adventures we have been having. Please be praying for us as we try to raise support while we are here. We definitely are missing London, but happy for the memories we are making here! Thank you for your prayers!!!!

Trista

Update

2011-08-09T06:28:00.000-07:00

Hey All! Thanks for reading our blog! Our readers ROCK! I just want to start out by saying that I love that God is in control! That is over ALL things and that He can see the big picture even when I can't. He is my safe place when things around me are crazy! And He is my strength in my weakness.

If you have been following the news, you may have caught a glimpse into the crazy riots that have been taking place over here. Praise God, we are fine! And, I know that the news can make things seem like they are worse than they are, not that I want to downplay what is going on here, but I still want put minds at ease and say that this city is HUGE and there has been some activity not too far away, but nothing as bad as other parts. I realise that not everyone who reads our blog is on our email list, so I wanted to make sure that those reading our blog also received this update I just sent out. The great part is, this is another really great opportunity to share Jesus with people! to those that might seem discouraged or nervous. Hubs and PT are out sharing right now and checking up on those shop owners that they know in the market area. Us girls took the bus today to our friends birthday breakfast and didn't even really see much of anything until on our way back and the bus was on a different main road and we saw a handful of shops that had broken glass from people looting. There are other places in the city that have been affected a lot more. I ask that you would please be praying for the city as a whole and as you watch the news, be lifting up those specific areas. Pray that these events will just bring people to Jesus! Praise God that nothing has happened in our neighbourhood! We are so grateful!

Also, we have some friends who had an emergency situation happen with their 2 year old nephew. I wanted to share the link here on our page so that you might take a look at what's going on and lift up their family as well. http://lovinglevidaniel.blogspot.com/ We know that the same God that is control of the events happening around our city is the same God that is in control over Levi's health.

Thanks for praying for these requests!

~T

Hello Faithful Blog Readers!

2011-07-16T14:30:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since my last post! I would love to write more, but at this particular moment, I am crazy busy with finishing up this semester at school and editing a huge wedding. Please keep us in your prayers that we would seek to serve God first and foremost and that He will uphold us and strengthen us every step of the way. I can't wait to post again about all the ministry that God is doing here!!! What an AWESOME God we serve and we are so blessed to be a part of what God is doing here in London! I am especially excited for church tomorrow! We sat around the kitchen table tonight and lifted up our fellowship in prayer! Can't wait to see what God will do tomorrow!!

Trista

Three Weeks! Gone, just like that!

2011-07-04T11:39:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I feel like I blink and time passes me by. These past three awesome weeks passed by in what felt like a nano second! That must mean we were having way too much fun! When I was younger, the school year seemed to drag on and on. A lifetime was spent in one grade. School would then be out for the summer which would inevitably pass by with a snap of the fingers and then we would be back in school... for yet another lifetime. People would always tell me to wait until I started getting older. Then time would fly by all the time. I am pretty sure I am starting to experience this. When your days are filled with amazing things, it goes by quickly, and I so want to savour every single moment of serving the Lord knowing that here on earth, my days are numbered anyway and that my time here on earth will vanish quickly. I want to serve God every moment of every day, as time quickly flies past.

3 weeks ago, our very dear friends arrived to spend 2 whole weeks here with us! We packed our time full of ministry, site-seeing, and just spending time together. What a blessing it is to have our friends come and see where we live and what everyday ministry is like. It was awesome to have people pour into us and refresh us. They brought us a couple of gifts from the states that we can't find over here, including some SALSA and GOOD maple syrup! I do have a recipe for my own salsa, but sometimes it's nice to have something already made that I can just pull out of the fridge and enjoy. I know they were heavy items, but we were so appreciative of them making room for those amazing items. Thanks Ryskas! One thing that I love about having people in town is that we get to rediscover this amazing city that God has placed us in. We get to see the city through the eyes of people who have never seen these awesome landmarks that we get to see quite often. It reminds me so much of those initial feelings of excitement of when we took our prayer trip over here a couple of Septembers ago. It also makes me that much more excited about serving here and reopens my eyes to a city that needs Jesus. God also allows my heart to be broken again for these people. And for that, I am grateful.

Although are time with our friends had to end, God had our next week ready for us. Hubs and I took a journey up north for a Pastor's/Leaders conference the day our friends left. What the perfect thing to have waiting for us. It's always hard to say goodbye but God allowed us to refocus on the ministry here. The speakers at the conference spoke on one general theme that God had been showing each of them individually before the conference. It's a simple one, but one that we often complicate. God's love. I love how God makes it so simple that even a child can understand. God is love and we as Christians are to love Him with all of our hearts, all of our minds, and all of our souls. Yet, so often we complicate this simple truth. In practical terms, the easiest way continue to grow in your love for someone is by spending time with them. As we spend more time with God in prayer and in His Word, we grow to love Him more and more. Which leads to this selfless, sacrificial love which causes our desire to serve Him more to increase. I wish I could write out all my notes from the conference to share with you all! I was so blessed! And, I was even more blessed to attend the conference with my hubby! I was also really blessed by all the fellowship and getting to know more missionaries out here serving Jesus. What amazing people God has called to this country.

That brings us back to Friday night. We arrived late, but feeling refreshed and excited for what God is doing here and more excited than ever to be serving as missionaries. I pray that God will use us in whatever way He sees fit as He continues to equip us for the ministry. Please pray with us for children's ministry and the mission's prayer.

Thank you to each one of you who takes the time to read our thoughts and pray for us. We really appreciate all the prayers we can get! There is so much power in the One we pray to!

~Trista

Yes, God is our Provider

2011-06-10T15:42:00.000-07:00

I just have to share this... short and sweet :) This just reminds me of how good God is and how much higher His ways are than mine.

I went to the grocery store this evening. It was nearly 8p.m. and I think they close at half past 9. This particular grocery store is really convenient because it is just down the street from our house, but a little more on the pricey side. Except tonight! Hubs had asked me to pick him up either some bagels or a loaf of bread if I could find any at a reduced price. Most evenings, they reduce their stock that is expiring that day to get rid of it and sometimes you can find a loaf of bread for £.50 which is really cheap! But, it's hard to time it right and get those items when they are doing the markdowns because the store is always busy and they get snatched up straightaway. Tonight, I went in, and to my surprise, there was a loaf of bread... £.10. Whoa! The greatest part!? The worker said, "Oh, would you like another loaf?" He was putting the reduced £.10 tag on a second loaf. So, yes, God provided 2 loaves of bread for only 20 pence total tonight. LOVE IT! And, I am putting this in my memory bank so that I can rejoice in these moments when I can recall all that God has given us and will continue to provide for us. I just don't want to forget!

What provision has God blessed you with lately?

Trista

New Etsy Item

2011-06-10T09:29:00.000-07:00

Hi all! I just wanted to share with you my latest etsy item.... this super cute, three-flowered beaded necklace. Here's the link so you can have a look! And, all proceeds go to helping support us here on the mission field!! So, thank you!!!!!!!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/75390583/beaded-flower-necklace

~Trista

Calvary Chapel Youth Retreat

2011-06-08T12:35:00.000-07:00

Finally! I am taking a quick break from homework to upload some pictures from the youth retreat I took some youths on last weekend and a little blurb on the events of the weekend. What an awesome time we had!!!

Friday morning, a group of 4 teen girls + me headed out to be a part of this year's Calvary Chapel Youth Retreat much north of where we live. With me as their guide, we headed to the train station where we would have to catch a train that would travel about 15 minutes, switch trains at a larger cross-country train station, board our next train without being late, spend a couple of hours on that train, get to where we were going, get a taxi and finally arrive at our destination. I was soooo blessed as everything went very smoothly {even the part where we seriously had to sprint to make it onto our second train}. We got into town early so that we could have a chance to see a bit of historic York. What a beautiful town. So quaint! Much how I could imagine London back when it was way less populated; minus all the new modern stuff. Very cute! We didn't find much to do in town except window shop and food to eat so we headed to the retreat. The first evening, we had dinner with everybody and then had a session of teaching but the organiser of the event. During dinner, I had the opportunity to meet a couple of the girls that are interns at the Bible College there and what a blessing that was! I was so excited to just chat with them and see what God was doing in there lives here as well as talk about why God had brought us here. *Side note* I LOVE telling our story of how God brought us here! It really excites me! And, makes me more excited every time I share it to be here! Thank you GOD! It was a sweet evening! I also got to meet another younger missionary couple who live on the coast of England and was very very blessed by her! Super sweet couple! I was so thankful that the Lord had allowed for these times of encouragement! It's so awesome to watch the body work like that! After the teaching, there was a game and some chocolaty goodness and then bedtime. The next morning brought day two. There was a devo time in the morning, followed by breakfast, then break out group sessions. What a sweet time in the Word that was! I had girls in my group that I didn't know and we got to go through Proverbs 3 together! It excited me to watch their minds think and I was thankful for both of the sessions I got to have with those girls! Later, there was another main session and lunch. OOoooo... but the activity of the day was a scavenger hunt around the town (which is where a few of these pics come from). I co-led a team of youths and guess what? We won! I am not really sure how, but YAY! We raced around the town soooo fast! It was a great way to get an overview of the city, that's for sure! We were blessed again by another evening session and dinner. I can't recall what happened after that...I was pretty sleepy by then. The next morning was Sunday so after devos, breakfast, and mini-group sessions, I had the opportunity to go to church while the youths went across the street for their last main session. I was so grateful that God had provided that opportunity to go to church! So fun! After lunch, we were able to spend time with all of the wonderful people we had met and then it was time to go. The journey back was super simple and I was very glad to be reunited with my Hubby after being apart for the weekend.

~Trista

Excited Face!

2011-05-18T03:54:00.000-07:00

I got to skype with one of my friends yesterday! They are planning a trip out here really soon and I am so excited for them to come! So, here is my happy excited face :) :) :) :) :) :) :) x one million!

Still working on my etsy shop! Woohoo! If you haven't had a chance to check it out, you can click here.

I am working away on school except they are having online maintenance this week which means no access for me but I can catch up on my reading assignments... ready! GO!

Exciting things are always happening around here! I would love to sit down and write a proper update soon! Both to those on our prayer lists and here on our blog!

It's overcast today, but my bright pink gerber daisy is making me smile :)

Must go back to studying!

~Trista

My Etsy Shop!

2011-05-09T05:25:00.000-07:00

Perhaps some of you are familiar with etsy. It's a place where people can sell their handmade items and vintage things. I recently decided to work towards opening my very own etsy shop in hopes that it would help with our financial situation here on the mission field. I love making items for my shop and would love it if you would have a look around! Here's a couple of pics of what I am selling!

Here is the link to my etsy shop! http://www.etsy.com/shop/EfflorescentDesignz Enjoy!!

Trista

Reflections...

2011-05-05T13:03:00.000-07:00

A year ago today, Hubs and I arrived here across the pond with 4 pieces of luggage, and 2 carry ons, ready to fight through the crowds on the underground to a hotel that we hadn't booked yet. We had no idea what God had in store for us, but we are happy to say that we were so excited to find out! Fighting through the jet lag, we meet up with the other family already here and attempted to book a room and search for a place to live knowing that God had everything in His hands as we had already been reminded many times throughout the process of getting here.

Immediately, I fell in love with everything here. With Hubs by my side, I was excited to start meeting new people and share with them the love of Jesus and tell them of His salvation. God blessed us with a place in a beautiful neighbourhood so quickly after we arrived. He provided free phones for us within the first couple of days that we were here. A couple other team members joined us soon after we arrived and before we knew it, we were having our first Wednesday night Bible study at Yumchaa. We visited other Calvary's in the area to serve however we could before it was time to start our very own Sunday service. This allowed us to see other parts of the area that I may have not ever seen, as well as make new friends with other missionaries serving here... to be able to pour into them as well, those that have been serving here for quite some time. Fast forward through Thanksgiving and Christmas... and there we are, having regular Sunday services! What a joy to be in fellowship with other believers!

February came and with it brought a trip to Sicily. A great time of relaxation and time with the Lord showing us a true picture of what it means to be hospitable. The people in Sicily were so warm and welcoming... something I will never forget.

Throw in a few colds/flus, people visiting from the states including my parents, a few more Bible studies and discipleships throughout the week, a free Sushi lunch... We are truly blessed.

So, here I am... one year later. I look back at all these amazing things and I think "WOW! God, you called me here to do this!?" There are so many divine appointments that have happened, so many things that clearly point to God as having set this all up and knowing this plan in its entirety beforehand.. us, being obedient to whatever He brings our way.. seeking to serve Him, together, in unity.

A package came in the mail today. I thought of it as an anniversary present, even though the sender probably had no idea that it was our one year of being here exactly! I was so blessed by the contents... but more importantly, by the letter. It encouraged me and brought tears to my eyes as she said that she will continue to pray for us here. Having people in the states praying for us is so important to our ministry. It means so much to me that people take the time out of their day as the Lord leads and lift us up. It's a blessing to say the least.

Thank you, every one of you who pray for us and encourage us and support us. Celebrate our wonderful God with us together as we marvel at His great works and His amazing plans! I am excited to watch Him continue to move and do AMAZING things here!

T

Date Night Rocks!

2011-04-15T15:54:00.000-07:00

I am writing this quickly after my hubs and I got back from our date night! First, we took a stroll down to a local craft store so I could look at a couple of things that I haven't had the time to go and look at. What I love about London is how easy it is to walk most places! And, Hubs is really into walking so a walking we will go! (sometimes I am on the fence about it, but I know that it saves £££ and it's healthy) We took a different way back up to our area after we checked out the shop and then onto our dinner date. He surprised me with my all time favourite!! SUSHI!!! It's been SOOOO long since we have been out to dinner so this really was a treat! The whole time, I sat and ate with a smile knowing that he really just wanted to bless me tonight... something that I am sooo grateful for! I am so thankful that God would put the two of us together! He makes me laugh sooo much and I.... I probably make him shake his head with that "oh my wife is soooo silly" look! After yummy dinner we got to head back home and play a couple of hands of nerts! If you have never played, you're missing out! It's one of my all time most favourite games EVER! Until hubs wins every hand! :) (you'll have to ask him about that one!) After a few hands of our game, we decided that we were going to watch a movie. I was having the same debate in my head that I ALWAYS have! Which movie to watch!? Well... My hubs already had a special one picked out that he got for me earlier today without me even knowing it! Tangled! Such a cute film! It was fun just to relax and hang out together! Thank you hubs for such a great date night!

On a more somber note... Friday nights are hard. Last Friday, I had the opportunity to go do outreach with our team down near the markets. It's hard to see people drinking and drinking and drinking... I am reminded of this at this particular moment as we can hear everything happening outside our window down the street. On the corner, there is a pub. A pub that throughout the week is pretty quiet but is hopping on the weekends. Tonight, there is lots of yelling, glasses braking, and rubbish bins being thrown around. Sometimes I wonder how the rubbish gets all the way down the street... now I know. It breaks my heart that they come and drink after they get off of work until the wee hours of the morning...filling that void... pray for them.

~Trista

My Heart; It Overflows!

2011-04-11T04:48:00.000-07:00

I am so grateful for the wonderful people we got to meet and spend time with this past week. Having a mission team here from California was such a blessing! They were all so encouraging and it was such a cool thing to watch them grow and be stretched while they were here. I didn't know what to expect going into this... I thought I was going to really busy with school, but instead, as much as I wanted to do school, I didn't. I listened to one lecture of one of my classes, started reading the first chapter in one of my books and then realised that they would only be here for a week and that I should really go out and spend time with them at various Bible studies and outreach times. I love how it's Jesus who unites us together as one body, He being the head. People I had never met before quickly became close and it felt like we had known each other for a lot longer. And while now I will spend time catching up quickly on those things I wasn't able to get to, I know it's right where God wanted me to be. I learned so much from these sweet people. How to really be out of my comfort zone and just go for it. How to not worry about those little details that we can easily get distracted by or so focused on that we miss what's right in front of us that God had intended for us for that moment. One thing that God is really growing me in is the area of flexibility. I think I get it in my head that the only way to accomplish the billion of things on my list is the ONLY way to do it and if something gets in my way such as a change of plans, I freak out! But, having that happen to me numerous times so far this year, I am starting to see that it's not MY agenda that matters, but God's. He may have something so super special for me instead that I would have missed had I not been flying by the seat of my pants - or - trousers... And while I realise I have so far to go, I am grateful that God has me learning this lesson now and not when I am much older and not as easily adaptable to change. So, pray for me as God takes me through this beautiful journey. I love how He grows us and changes us... I want to be more like HIM!

So Village People! I know your time here was quick, but thank you for all your encouragement and laughs! I am excited to see what God is going to do with each and every one of you!

~Trista

P.S. Homework, here I come!

Sunday :)

2011-04-03T15:23:00.000-07:00

Today is Sunday. That means, CHURCH DAY!! And, with the team here, we were able to have church in a place that was actually big enough to hold all 14 of them, plus our team, and those that have become part of fellowship over the past few months. Today was also a very special day for the mums! It's Happy Mum's Day here... So, mom, even though you aren't here in England, a very happy Mum's day to you! Love you!

What was sweet about this cafe was the the small cozy feel of it. We were in the back corner which seemed very separate from the main part of the dinning area but people were still able to see and hear all that was taking place. As the team people started showing up, we set up all the chairs and then we were ready to start. The room had this great sound to it and with so many voices joined together praising our God, it sent chills down my spine. What I enjoyed post-service was the awesome time of fellowship! I love getting to know all these people from the team. They are all sooooo sweet and I am grateful that they are here to serve. So many different backgrounds, so many different parts, but as we learned to today, all part of one body. What an awesome thing to have as our commonality. I love being able to tell our story to them also of how God has called us to a foreign place to be missionaries... to help start this church... It gives me that refreshed vision and allows me to praise God for giving me the opportunity to serve. AMAZING! I really have to say that I can't wait until we have our own church building someday! I was daydreaming about that today as we were in the cafe. I know that God has the perfect place already picked out for us and that in His timing He will reveal that to us. We are walking by faith, that the place will be everything that God wants it to be. Sometimes it's hard to wait, but I know that it will be worth it in the end. The other really awesome part about this cafe was the brunch we got to have together! So fun! It was a strange break from our normal Sunday soup days and nice being able to enjoy the entirety of the service without having to wonder if the soup was ok or not. P.S. The staff at the cafe!! Super sweet people! They gave us everything we needed and more!

For mum's day, I got to spend the remainder of the day with Suzanne, watching a Jane Austin film, having snacks, pizza, sparkling water, and dessert. It was soooooo fun and relaxing... and surprisingly quiet as the rest of the household was out with the team in Camden showing them our stomping ground.

I am thanking God for the beautiful weather we have had lately. The glimpse of spring is a teaser. But, I am hopeful that my freckles will darken by August :) I am really thankful for this team...

Trista

This Week!

2011-04-02T14:52:00.000-07:00

We have a team visiting from the states! So much fun to have our first official team on their mission trip here. It's almost surreal! When the arrived yesterday, we did a meal at their hotel and PT after we ate went over the events for the week. It seemed so strange to be hosting a team as opposed to being the team. I am looking forward to seeing how God will use each of them while they are here especially in their time of outreach. Please be lifting them up in prayer while they are here :)

Trista

Family Time!

2011-03-29T15:07:00.000-07:00

I just have to say that I am soooo blessed by our family! Both near and far! It's been a great week of catching up with family that live further away from us that we haven't been able to connect with for awhile. Each conversation was encouraging and wonderful. I look forward to the next time we get to chat again. Thank you Lord for technology that keeps us close when we live so far away.

Trista

Long time, no blog...

2011-03-25T05:41:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! Finally time for an update! First things first... Hubs and I just celebrated our 3 year anniversary on Monday! YAY!!! We had an amazing time going to the coast overnight! The weather was absolutely beautiful and we were so thankful that God provided a way for us to get away together! On our way back from the coast, we went to the airport to pick up our friends from Paso. The funny thing that we are noticing with a certain airline in particular is, they always arrive 1 hour early! Which means, we were quite late in picking them up! Oops! The same thing happened when my parents came over. Praise the Lord that I had my phone so I was able to communicate via facebook to let them know that we had not completely abandoned them! Too funny! We have already shared loads of laughs together and have even had a couple of fun adventures exploring this huge city we live in! Today they are off visiting some more awesome sites and then eventually seeing some family while I stay home and rest, because, yet again, I have some really lame cold. My energy level has dropped today and my cough sounds horrible. So, that means I get time with the Lord all day and can toss in this mini update!

As far as ministry goes, everything is going very well! We are still on the hunt for a building to hold Sunday morning services, so please continue to lift that up as the Lord leads. I am sure that we will always hold a special place in our hearts as the day comes for us to meet in a building and reminisce about our soup Sundays. Sharing a meal with everyone after church has been such a sweet time of fellowship! Our church family is amazing and I am excited to watch God grow each and everyone of us.

We have also added another Bible study on Fridays which I was hoping to go to today, but Hubs said it would be advisable for me to stay at home and rest and to not infect everyone else :)

We have even had the joy of seeing the sun the past couple of days! Great weather for walking around in. My face even got a little red yesterday... which, those of you who know me and how porcelain coloured my face is and can only imagine how much more white my skin would look without sun, know that seeing the sun and letting my checks get a little rosy is a very welcomed thing!

Hubs and I are very much enjoying being a part of this ministry here and love serving together. How awesome it is to see the church start from the ground up. I am amazed daily by God's great provision and His excellent timing in everything. I am learning soooooo much; much more than I could have ever even imagined. Allowing the Lord to really stretch me to my limits and beyond is so exciting. The most important thing that He is showing me right now is obedience. If I am completely obedient to His calling, He will provide the rest and not necessarily in the ways that I think are best. PT said it best on Wednesday night during the study, that we can plan out options A B and C to save God time, when in the end, God will choose D, on option that we hadn't even considered, with option D being the best choice.

By the way, I just finished reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan. Have you ever read it? I want to read it again as the book completely ministered and challenged me. I just started reading his other book Forgotten God and I am excited to see what God will show my as I read it.

Trista

Feeling much better!

2011-03-02T08:47:00.000-08:00

Praise the Lord! I am finally feeling as if I am close to being healthy again! Wow! This one really knocked me out. One full week, ill, stuck in bed. Only ventured outside once to go to the pharmacy to see if there was something different I could be taking. The first meds that Hubby got me didn't work so well. The stuff the lady gave me the second time worked sooo much better. So, praise the Lord! Hopefully within the next couple of days, I will feel 100% back to my normal self!

The week prior to being stuck in bed was an absolutely WONDERFUL week! It was HOLIDAY time! The Holyde clan and Hubby and I set out for our first holiday! Place of interest? Sicily! Back in November, Marco came and stayed with us here in London. We got to hear about his ministry in Sicily, share an American Thanksgiving with him and his friend, and even go out to Brazilian BBQ. PT and Hubby were so intrigued by the thought of going to Sicily that the second they left, they were looking into a way to get out there. The coolest thing was, God had already placed a ministry opportunity before PT that he was exited to jump on. So, a week or so after Marco left, Hubby and PT flew to Sicily. Their trip there was short, but unforgettable. They both agreed that myself and the girls would really enjoy a nice holiday out there. One thing that many "locals" here in London talk about, is the depression that can set in during mid-winter. The days are so much shorter, the sun is barely out because it is either raining or just completely cloudy, and it's really cold. To prevent that from happening, Hubs and PT decided that February would be the perfect month to plan a get-away for the 6 of us. They killed 2 birds with one stone in a sense because it was our Christmas present and we left on Valentine's Day :) {funny} On the 14th, we set out for our adventure! Oh man! What fun we had! We spent time with Marco and his wife and their 6 year old daughter. We shared many laughs, some really amazing food, and even through all this, the Lord was working on my heart. This family was so warm and welcoming! I felt as if I had already known them for quite some time. Praise the Lord, they both speak English so the couple of Italian phrases that I had learned I didn't really ever have to use (like, where's the toilet??). Marco took us all around in this really awesome van that is used for his Jesus Generation ministry. We got to see some beautiful villages, the massive volcano and so much more. We even had the opportunity to meet some of the people that Marco ministers to. What a blessing that was! And, how eye opening. Throughout this whole trip, God was teaching me something...

1 Peter 4:9 "Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.

So direct and to the point! I love it! Hubs and I had the opportunity to stay with this family during our time there. The were so hospitable, never once complaining about anything. The Lord used them to really show me the exact meaning of this verse! And, I am so thankful for that. What a beautiful example of God's love. Serving out of the overflow!

Trista

Pics to follow soon!

Ministry!

2011-02-02T09:28:00.000-08:00

God is SO good! I can't believe it is already February! How long will this continue? The days, weeks, and months just slip right be me. Every week, when it gets to Sunday, I always think... "how did I get here so fast!! Seems like just yesterday we were preparing soup for Sunday!" It's been such a blessing having consistent Sundays now! I feel like we are really settling into a routine. Not only with Sunday, but the other bible studies as well. Sunday morning services start at 11a.m. with worship. Then, Pastor Tonye teaches and it is typically followed by a song or prayer. Children's ministry is having more of a flow to it as well. The children (and workers) are dismissed after worship and then either hubs or I take the them into the kitchen where we have our own lesson, sometimes even complete with games and crafts! After the service is over, we have been having "soup Sundays". A big pot of soup sits on the hob and then we all get to enjoy some amazing fellowship with one another over soup. After that, we even sometimes play a fun game with everyone! A couple of weeks ago, we even played biddy biddy bop (for those of you who know that awesome game). I can't help but of the day where we recall the soup days in our house. For now, I enjoy every minute of every Sunday!

Throughout the week, God has been continuing to give our team outreach opportunities and bible studies. Mondays and Fridays from 2-5 are special outreach times in Camden. They are specifically set apart times in which the team hits the markets and waits on the Lord to bring people across their paths. We have our Wednesday night bible study at Yumchaa as well as Tuesday Bible study in Islington and Thursday bible study in South London. AMAZING! To watch God set all these up is so beautiful. To sit back and be obedient to the things that He is calling us to and not forcing things to happen. God's perfect plan is ALWAYS better than mans plans.

Please continue to pray for our ministry here that God would to something great here in London (which, He definitely already is!). It would be so awesome to see a revival, to see these people get on fire for Jesus! A nation that sent out the first missionaries and is now so far from that. God has such a heart for this country.

Trista

Happy New Year 2011!

2011-01-17T06:51:00.000-08:00

It is soooo strange to be writing 2011 on the date! I think I am already used to it though! No mistakes yet!!! A few days ago, I was taking some time to reflect on 2010 and to just remember this incredible journey God has been taking Hubby and I on and just thinking of how blessed we are. Last year on New Year's Eve, we spent the evening at Shoreline in Morro Bay (our sending church) playing games with friends and bringing in the New Year. I can remember singing my heart out and just praising God for the excited anticipation I was feeling about moving to London. I knew that in the blink of an eye, it would be time to board that plane to London. And sure enough, it seemed to go by so quickly... January through April were our prep months. Is those months, we had a couple of amazing yard sales to get rid of all of our possessions that we were not bringing with us. God totally blessed those yard sales... so much so it was unlike any other sale I had seen! God is sooo good! We packed up the rest of our belongings to send over on the ship. We had to decide what things we could live without for 3 months while we transitioned over to London. What a crazy thing! God really was showing me how many of the "things" I had collected over the years was just a bunch of meaningless rubbish while there were other things I was holding onto too tightly! Before we completely packed our stuff for the crate, we celebrated our 2 year anniversary in March (I can't believe that we are just a few months away now from celebrating our 3 year anniversary!!!). We took a little getaway to a couple of our favourite places! Lake Tahoe (where we had our wedding), Yosemite (where we climbed Yosemite Falls), and of course, Disneyland! But, before Disneyland, we took a trip down to Murrieta where we attended a Children's/Youth ministry conference and got some awesome bits of info to tuck away into our brains for future reference. Once we got back from our holiday, we proceeded to pack the rest of the boxes for the crate as well as say our good-byes and pack our suitcases! Somewhere in between all that was the visa process... All I have to say about that is God is soooo good! And, I probably stressed out a bit more than necessary. Remember: God's will be done! We spent some time visiting family in the last couple of weeks of April as well as hit Disneyland one more time with my family :) Soon it was time to board the plane to fly the 11 hours into Heathrow! Once we arrived, we hit the ground running to find housing! And, as most of you know, God completely blessed us with an amazing house in a really great location! WOW! Ministry began with outreach, Bible studies, church, discipleship. God has definitely been doing a work here in London and what a privilege to see people come to know our Saviour as their own personal Saviour! I am so excited to see what 2011 will bring!

Trista

P.S. This is most definitely the condensed version :) God has done so much for us that my heart is overflowing with His goodness! And, if I were to sit and recall all the miraculous things I could probably have written a short novel. For the most part, those other things have been journaling about in previous entries, and I realise that I am not doing everything God has done justice. He has done more than I could have ever imagined!!!

Christmas time is here! And now almost gone :)

2010-12-31T07:39:00.000-08:00

New Year's Eve ALREADY!? Time flies fast! Already a week since Christmas! This year, was the blending of Christmas traditions and what fun we all had celebrating the birth of our Lord and Saviour! The Sunday before Christmas, we got to share in a Christmas Carol service with another church in Camden Town that meets at another Yumchaa tea house location in the market area. Last minute, their musicians backed out of playing the Christmas carols and the pastor had asked PT to come and play for the service. In between the singing of Christmas carols, scripture was read by different members of the fellowship that lead us up through the birth of Jesus. The pastor gave a 15 minute message towards that end that was truly a blessing to hear. What fun to experience our first Christmas Carol service here in London!

One thing that I had been looking forward to all Christmas season was going to a German Christmas Market! On Monday, Suzanne and I ventured out into the cold to find the German Christmas Markets! The 2 markets we found pretty much had the same little bibs and bobs with the second being quite a bit larger than the first as it had a complete carnival in the back. Here are some pics of the cute little booths filled with all kinds of yummy things!

Over the next few days, we were busy preparing for our guests who were spending Christmas with us (well, some were, others were sick in bed, me included). Hubby baked tons of delicious cookies. YUMMY! So thankful for him and his willingness to fill in where needed! We had company over on Christmas Eve night as the public transportation system completely shut down on Christmas day leaving people pretty much stranded on Christmas day. Christmas morning, we all shared breakfast together and enjoyed fellowship with one another as we prepared our big Christmas day meal. The evening ended with us watching the Nativity Story and reading the word together. What a wonderful blessed Christmas we had!

Now we are getting ready to welcome the new year! As I reflect back on the past 12 months and I am completely and utterly amazed at all the wonderful things God has done in my life. He transitioned hubby and I over to England so smoothly, providing us with a wonderful place to live with awesome family. He continues to provide for us monthly. He gives us so many opportunities to minister to all kinds of people that we come in contact with. I am excited for what the new year brings! Above all, my desire is to continue to become closer to our wonderful God with each new day. To live a life that is pleasing to Him.

Happy New Year!!!

Stratford upon Avon

2010-12-17T10:21:00.000-08:00

While my parents were here, we got to take a quick day trip out of London to Shakespeare Land. What a beautiful quite little town... (at least the part we saw).

Thanksgiving Pics!

2010-12-14T17:08:00.000-08:00

Here are some pics to go with my previous post! Enjoy!!

Update!!

2010-12-14T02:24:00.000-08:00

God is SO GOOD! What a fun filled crazy past month we have had here!

Mum & I enjoying some tea!

Back in the first part of November, my parents came to visit! We had such a blast showing them around the city and we even got to take a couple trips outside of London to show them England! They got to experience some of our everyday life situations such as grocery shopping, Wednesday night Bible study, Sunday church at our house, taking public transportation everywhere etc. On one of our trips outside of London, they even got to experience major train delays. Just something you have to get used to here because it's bound to happen at one point or another. It was great for me to be able to point out all these things I talk about every day with my mum and to know feel like she has a better understanding of what on earth I am talking about... especially when I say that it takes me about 2 hours (sometimes more) from start to finish to grocery shop :)

November was a busy month with visitors coming and going. What a great time of fellowship we were able to have with each and every one that came through our home. I love how when you have God in common, it seems like you have known those people for ages and no time has passed since your last visit. We also had some visitors come over from Sicily which was also a blessing! They even got to experience our traditional American Thanksgiving! The team first put together a lovely Thanksgiving for the drug rehab centre in South London on the actual Thanksgiving day complete with turkey and mashed potatoes. Hubby and I had mini dinner the two of us that evening which included some yummy appetisers, chicken, and stuffing. On Saturday, we had our main even with a ginormous Turkey and all the fixin's! It was quite the international celebration - us from America, a couple from New Zealand, the Italians.. HOW FUN! One of the girls that came from Yumchaa read the original Thanksgiving story. As I sat there with my plate of food on my lap, I couldn't help but thank God for everything He has done for me! Everything He has provided day in and day out. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understandings. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths. God has brought us here and I am so grateful to be serving here. To get to know Londoners, others from all parts of the world it seems. All He has asked me to do is obey... He takes care of the rest. He has given us a warm place to rest our heads at night, He has given me a wonderful godly husband, parents who would travel half way across the world to be here with us... and so much more. It brings tears to my eyes when I think of ALL that HE has done for me. And I stand completely in AWE of HIM!

Falling Behind :)

2010-11-06T16:46:00.000-07:00

I am playing catchup! But here are my posts for day 5&6...

Day 5
I am thankful that I live in a place where I can open the word of God freely!

Day 6
I am so incredibly thankful that I have clean water! Last summer when I visited China, we couldn't drink the water... we couldn't even brush our teeth with the water! We had to use bottled water to brush our teeth with. What a funny thing! I turn on the faucet so many times a day without even thinking about it! I can fill up my glass and drink away. Thank you Lord for the blessing of clean water!

T

Family here and there...

2010-11-04T07:59:00.000-07:00

Day 4

I forgot to say a very Happy birthday to my Auntie yesterday, so here it is.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUNTIE!!! I hope your birthday was the most amazing birthday ever! Love you!

That brings me to what I am most thankful for today. FAMILY! First of all, I am thankful for my mum & dad! What wonderful parents I have! To put up with me so many years and then to support me & hubby as we journeyed over across the pond to a new country. Then of course, my wonderful sisters! What blessings they both are to me! So different from each other, but still loving and caring. Next come my aunts and uncles, grandparents, cousins... so many wonderful people that God has placed in my family. A little over 2 1/2 years ago, I extended my family even more when I married hubby! What a wonderful day to have inlaws, more grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins! They all really make me feel so welcomed in their family! A family quite a bit bigger than mine! I love get-togethers with all of them! There is my family in Christ that I am also very thankful for. I am thankful for all the encouragement in my walk with the Lord that I received from them all daily... whether they are back in the states or the newest members of our fellowship here in London. And, the family of believers hubby & I live with. I can't believe how God has put us all together in one house... and it works... completely! So today, I am most thankful for my whole entire family and counting each and every blessing!

Blessings!!!
Trista

I am thankful for!

2010-11-03T13:12:00.000-07:00

My HUBBY! Yes, yes I am!

Day 3
Of course I am thankful for him! I love how God had the perfect man all set out for me even before I knew it! I can remember back in high school dreaming about those days I would walk down the isle and I would often wonder who would be waiting for me... if it was someone I already knew or someone I had yet to meet. The funny thing was? We met sophomore year in high school. CRAZY! I did not know then that he would be the man I would end up marrying! I am so grateful for our every growing friendship! We have known each other for quite sometime, yet I always find myself discovering new things about him. When I think about how intricate God's plan for our lives really is, I am often times left baffled! That He would bring David into my life so long ago, have us get married and be plugged into an amazing fellowship and that we would end up half way across the world with a team of those wonderful people... together! It's AWESOME! I love that God would bring us together as a couple and I love that He has chosen to use us as a couple. Some of my favourite times of ministry are when we get to things ministry wise together! SO FUN! I am also thankful that God would provide someone in my life that really does balance me out. That in the midst of my energetic personality, he stands solid and allows me to bounce off and all around him. And yet at the same time, he can totally match my energy and be just as fun and entertaining. I am very blessed!

Trista

Day 2 Blessings!

2010-11-03T05:40:00.000-07:00

Day 2
Today, I am most thankful for God's provision! I am looking back at the past 6 months from our transition out of the states and into our new home here in London. I look around at the people He has placed with us in our home and count each and everyone of them as blessings from the Lord. He gave us a house big enough for 8 of us in a wonderful neighbourhood! He is providing places for us to have Bible studies and prayerfully church someday in the future. He is my Provider!

Trista

November Blessings

2010-11-03T05:38:00.000-07:00

This is one of my FAVOURITE days of the year! The very first day in November!!! So many reasons come to mind as to why I like this day! To list a few... It reminds me that Autumn is in full swing which is obvious every time I step outside our house with all the beautiful changing colours everywhere. I know that we have a few short weeks to prepare for Thanksgiving. Which also means that right after Thanksgiving we head straight for Christmas. With the holiday season, that typically means many family get-togethers and loads of opportunities to fellowship. It will be a bit different this year... celebrating here in London, a place that doesn't have their own Thanksgiving, but I am happy to be sharing this tradition with our team and our new church family. It might be different than every other year, but I know that my God is the same yesterday, today, and forever which brings such a sense of comfort and peace. Plus, I have my amazing hubby right by side every step of the way.

My desire throughout this entire month is to keep my eyes completely focused on the Lord, which is my daily desire, but to not get wrapped up in food, packages, etc. but giving the complete glory to God and thanks that He deserves from me. My goal over the next month is to write a blog entry every day about a blessing that I am thankful for. Will you join me in the same? You don't have to do it for the world to see, but at least mentally make a note of it.

Day 1.
I am first and foremost completely thankful for the gift of salvation! I am no longer a slave to the things of this world, but serve Jesus. He has given me the ultimate gift that I don't deserve because He loves me so much! I accepted this gift at a young age and then rededicated my life to serving Him a few years ago and what an AMAZING relationship I have had with Him ever since. Hubby has a similar testimony in that he too, accepted this gift quite some years ago and then completely gave himself over the Lord a few years ago. What an amazing blessing!! An awesome gift!

My Favourite Time of Year!

2010-10-22T05:36:00.000-07:00

Woohoo! I LOVE this time of year. In all reality, I like every season as they come. The change in weather is always welcomed. Everywhere I turn, there are signs of Autumn clearly present. The beautiful colours of the leaves always inspire me to get out there with my camera and capture every moment! The temperature has clearly dropped much lower than I anticipated and quite early in the season for that matter. Layering is key! Warm jacket, sweater, long sleeve t, socks, leg warmers and I am sure that leggings will be a must as it gets colder. Scarves, hats, gloves... This time of year reminds me of how creative our wonderful God is!

But, I am sure you all would love to hear what we have been doing here in London since it's been awhile since I have posted. I am realizing how hard it is to stay on top my blogging :( I LOVE doing it once I am typing, but finding the time to collect my thoughts and transfer them to the page is always a bit difficult. But, finally, I found a bit of time while waiting for my images to export. And yes, I am listening to Christmas songs while I type....

This month, we have started having church at home! We were blessed to enjoy fellowship here in our home twice this month and then we are looking to have the last Sunday of this month here as well. It was definitely welcomed and well received. As we gathered with our new family in Christ, we worshipped together and dug into the word. Hubby and I even did Children's Ministry both Sundays. Very exciting! In between those 2 Sundays, we were able to journey up to Cambridge for church! What a huge blessing that was! They had a time of bring and share after the wonderful teaching where we got to sit and fellowship. After, we then journeyed around the town a bit and were able to see the university there! I have some pictures which I will try to post later. It's such a beautiful place and completely looked like something out of the films... especially with all the beautiful colours of autumn! AMAZING!

I know this is short, but I at least wanted to give a very brief update! Blessings to you all!

trista

Psalm 40

2010-09-28T14:36:00.000-07:00

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. I WAITED patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry.

He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps.

He has put a new song in my mouth— Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, And will trust in the LORD.

Blessed is that man who makes the LORD his trust, And does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.

Many, O LORD my God, are Your wonderful works Which You have done; And Your thoughts toward us Cannot be recounted to You in order; If I would declare and speak of them, They are more than can be numbered.

Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; My ears You have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require.

Then I said, "Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me.

I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart."

I have proclaimed the good news of righteousness In the great assembly; Indeed, I do not restrain my lips, O LORD, You Yourself know.

I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth From the great assembly.

Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O LORD; Let Your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve me.

For innumerable evils have surrounded me; My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up; They are more than the hairs of my head; Therefore my heart fails me.

Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me; O LORD, make haste to help me!

Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion Who seek to destroy my life; Let them be driven backward and brought to dishonor Who wish me evil.

Let them be confounded because of their shame, Who say to me, "Aha, aha!"

Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let such as love Your salvation say continually, "The LORD be magnified!"

But I am poor and needy; Yet the LORD thinks upon me. You are my help and my deliverer; Do not delay, O my God.

Sunday Funday!

2010-09-28T07:50:00.000-07:00

One of our weekly decisions involves where shall we go to church on Sunday until we have Sunday services of our own. We try to visit the different Calvary Chapels and serve wherever we can on any given Sunday. Once we had church at home and it was great fun! Hubby and I did children's/youth ministry while PT led everyone else in the Word. This past Sunday, it was decided to have "home church" again and what a blessing it was! We had an awesome extended time in worship and then broke off with Hubby & I with the girls and everyone in with PT. What a blessing it is to be able to go through the word with the girls! It's fun to hear how the Lord is speaking to Te and hear of how He is really moving in her life! This week after church, we all had a big lunch/dinner! What a great time of fellowship we all enjoyed together! We also got to take a couple of team photos! So, I wanted to share our latest and greatest! They are super cute!!!!

We had lots of fun on Sunday! I love how God has given us such an amazing team... each one bringing their own uniqueness and wonderful personality. What a blessing!!

trista

While Waiting For Images to Export...

2010-09-23T04:00:00.000-07:00

I thought I would write about the fun FREE things here in London that I have been able to participate in lately! So, there is this workout clothing shop for women that Hubby and I happened to walk into about a month ago way down in Richmond area. We were waiting for some friends that we were meeting up with and since we haven't spent a whole lot of time down in that area, we decided to get there a tad early and check out what's around. So, we looked around at the really expensive clothes and then I decided to sign up for their mailing list... When I got home, I looked them up online and discovered that they offer workout classes for FREE each week at their different locations around London. And, for the month of September, one of their shops in the southwest part of London was offering special classes by guest instructors! Woohoo! Another part of what's really fun about taking these kinds of opportunities is that I get to meet other people and who knows what the Lord could do with that! So, last Thursday, Lauren and I went down to Chelsea and attended a special circuit training class... and yes, it kicked my bum! It was so AWESOME! It was taught by two gladiators! How funny! Both are training for the upcoming olympics and they really knew how to make us sore! Exercise after exercise without breaks! The crazy thing was, after my knee incident the week before, I had been unable to run and wasn't sure how this would do. But, my knee seems to be much better aside from the HUGE bruise I still have that really hurts to kneel on. So, the only exercises I couldn't partake in were those that involve kneeling or putting weight on my elbow. Other than that, I could do everything... even the sprints with the dumbbells! We decided to go the very next day to a nordic walking club they have at the shop that is closest to our house. That was great fun as well! What I really liked about that one was walking through the Heath and getting to know the other gals that attend. This Tuesday, there was also another special class at the shop here by our house and was another circuit training class. This one was quite different from the first one, but still really enjoyable! I am hoping for more classes like!!! I love discovering things like this in this large city!!!!

trista.

Psalm 34

2010-09-19T10:02:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to share this special Psalm with you all as it has been one of those reoccurring popup chapters throughout this past week...

A Psalm of David when he pretended madness before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed. I WILL bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; The humble shall hear of it and be glad. Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together. I sought the LORD, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing. Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. Who is the man who desires life, And loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry. The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles. The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all. He guards all his bones; Not one of them is broken. Evil shall slay the wicked, And those who hate the righteous shall be condemned. The LORD redeems the soul of His servants, And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.

God is so GOOD! I read this Psalm and remember that His praise shall continually be on my lips! He hears me and He delivers me from all my fears! Those who seek Him shall not lack any good thing! Depart from evil and do good! His eyes are on the righteous. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart.

Autumn is approaching fast. The temperature has dropped and I still try to walk out of the house without a jacket. I am learning quickly that can be a mistake. It's always so much harder to get out of bed when it's colder. I just want to stay under the warm covers. Once I am up, it's a good thing! After my morning exercise and breakfast, it's time to open God's word and hear what He has for me while I enjoy a wonderful chai tea. One thing that I really love about our room is the sitting area we have. We have a small cute brown couch and a little end table next to it. We keep a kettle in there so that we can make our special morning teas right there and then spend that time with Jesus without getting distracted. But, I love opening His Word and expecting Him to speak...in His still small voice. I just finished reading Ruth yesterday and if you haven't read it lately, I would suggest reading it! It's so lovely!

I know my thoughts are a bit scattered, but that's ok:) That's why I am blogging! Bits here and there that pop into my brain, but mostly, I just wanted to share Psalm 34...

Blessings!
Trista

Happy Birthday Hubby!

2010-09-15T14:35:00.000-07:00

Birthday Boy enjoying Starbucks!!

I am sooo excited!! It's Hubby's 26th birthday!!! What a GREAT day we have had! This morning, we started out our Wednesday morning at Starbucks! I know that totally sounds like the way to start my birthday, but I knew that it would bless him as well:) We were able to sit in Starbucks for a half hour which was so relaxing. I starting reading Ruth while David worked on our Wednesday morning prayer list. I enjoy so much so my time in the Word every morning! What a great way to start! Sometimes, I do get a bit distracted by all the people and sounds around me in that sort of a setting:) But, this morning I was blessed by such an awesome time with Jesus! After we got back home, we spent time in prayer with our team. (oh, I did work for a bit after that)

Then, it was time for my birthday celebration dessert! Actually, David had requested peach crisp for his dessert of choice, so I made that last night since tonight was Bible study and peach crisp would be kind of hard to transport there. So, today I started in on my cupcake making adventure... I forgot to take pictures :( I found a recipe online and made some yummy chocolate cupcakes. I think I am finally getting used to the different kinds of flours here and am really learning how to use what when! The first batch didn't turn out so nice, but the next 2 came out great! I can't say the same for the frosting, so I ended up with store bought frosting.

Lauren made mac'n'cheese the yummy good from scratch way and even made it spicy for David! It was YUMMY!!! But, right after lunch/dinner, it was time to head to Bible study!

I was so blessed and encouraged by the message tonight. We went through the text of John 3:1-15 where Nicademus is asking Jesus questions about being born again. PT spoke of how we don't ascend to God, but God descends to us! We seek Him and He meets us here. He also touched on how we can make mountains to climb when it is so unnecessary! Leave the old life at the cross and really surrender in the new life! God is so good!

We are back home now and I am so blessed by all of our family and friends that have wished hubby a happy birthday! It's so awesome to see all the love everyone has for him! It totally blesses me! I know it's on the later side, but we are going to play a few hands of our favourite card game Nerts before we go night night!

I just want to say that I am so blessed by God's provision of my hubby, David! I love how God has placed the two of us together so perfectly! Each and every day we grow closer together in our marriage and grow in our walks with the Lord! I am truly counting my blessings! I am also so privileged to be serving alongside him here in London!

Trista

The Latest Video!!!!

2010-09-14T15:01:00.000-07:00

Thanks Landon!!!

Funny Day:)

2010-09-04T15:10:00.001-07:00

I started the day super early... For what??? Free art supplies!!! About a month ago, an art store opened in our area. It's a chain store and their prices are fairly decent. What I was most excited for with the opening of this shop was that they were doing a give-away. The first 1,000 customers who spent £10 would receive £50 of art supplies preselected for free! How AWESOME! I love working on art projects whenever I have the chance. Lately, work and ministry have been the majority of my time and haven't left much time for much else which is GREAT because it is totally the Lord's provision on both accounts. But, I know that there will be plenty of days coming up in which the rain will prevent nice long walks etc and I am putting together things now for those days. So, getting art supplies for free is always AWESOME! One of my friends, our newest member of our team, decided that she would go with me. In order to be ready, we scouted out what we wanted yesterday so that today when we got in the store, we could just grab what we needed and leave. But, as we were asking the lady at the till what time they were opening, she informed us the shop would open at 10a.m. but it was advisable to get there much earlier as she anticipated people to camp out. Now, in my little brain, I am picturing the day after Thanksgiving in America... mad chaos! Even the other day, we ventured to the apple store to pic up something and there was a queue way out the door with people waiting to get an iphone 4. The guy that was assisting us stated that they queue up everyday at 6a.m. So, with that in mind, I was picturing people everywhere! After all, £50 of free art supplies is a GREAT deal! We decided that we thought it would be best to go back and scope out to see if people were actually camping out, so late last night we walked up the hill to find no one. We thought it best to get out of the door as early as possible so that we could be somewhat close to the front. Surely if people weren't camping out, they must be planning on getting there somewhat early. So, at 6:45a.m. we left our house, walked quickly up the hill, rounded the corner... AND??? No one! We were the first in the queue:) TOO funny! But, after a quick 15 minutes went by, another girl joined us. It's funny how the Lord totally brings people into your path when you are least expecting it! What a great time of conversation the three of us had while we were so patiently awaiting the shops opening. Many times the workers came in and out of those doors locking and unlocking them each time. We continued our conversation with this girl and Lauren even had the opportunity to share the gospel with her and invite her to study. One thing that I am learning is that even if we never see her again, we are to trust that God can take of it from there! Obviously He had that planned out that we would be the first in the queue and be completely available to chat with this girl. He caused to ask questions and she was certainly thinking about what Lauren was sharing. I love God's perfect timing. The funny thing was, I kept expecting loads of people... I kept waiting and waiting and waiting... it wasn't until 9 when they all started showing up... perhaps it's not their mindset to get up that early for some free art supplies. From what we were hearing from some people in the queue, it's not that typical to get up that early for something like this. And, here I am again, picturing those shops in the states that open at midnight after Thanksgiving with thousands of people shoving their way through the doors just to get the deals... :) The shop finally opened and we went our separate ways...straight to what I had already planned out to get the night before... spent out £10 and received our free goody bag. I want to be ready for ministry to whoever and wherever. I am learning that can mean it will come when I least expect it and I want my mind to be so focused on Jesus that it I will be ready whenever that may be. I am so grateful for moments like these.

t

Oh me oh my! How time flies!!!

2010-08-22T09:22:00.000-07:00

I can't BELIEVE that it is already the 22 of August! And how bad that I haven't posted a word since the 7th! What on earth am I going to do with myself!

Just as a quick update... God is so GOOD! Today we visited Calvary Chapel Oxford. What a beautiful area! Unfortunately, we didn't have the chance to walk around, but it is definitely a place I want to go back to! How different England as a whole is! Being in London, I often forget about the gorgeous countryside and can get stuck in this mind-frame that all of England is city, which it is so not! Once you just get remotely outside of London, it's as if you have stepped back into time... Not that horse and buggy back in time, but just such cuteness. Little towns with gorgeous homes. Cobblestone streets. Quaint little alley ways. It's just CUTE! It was a blessing to hear the pastor teach this morning and definitely helped me get my focus on God and off of myself. I was thinking what an awesome thing it is to be here, to be ministering to these people of London. People from all different walks of life and culture. I am blessed that God would take me and use me here. I was reminded today of how intricate God's plans are for us and how beautifully planned out our being called as missionaries over here has been and will continue to be. I just want to give God all the glory for His doings rightfully knowing that none of His plans were by chance and that He had placed this calling on our lives long before we ever knew. All we have to do is follow, obey. I love the reminder that He is in complete control of ever little thing that happens, from where we get our tea in the morning, to who see out on the streets late at night. I am thankful that He is the One who has made this happen! Not us, but Him! Praise God!

{trista}

Some verse to share from Jeremiah

2010-08-06T14:52:00.001-07:00

As I finished up Jeremiah, I wanted to share some verses. I read them with the idea of our mission field in mind.

17:7-8 "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.

This has been somewhat of a reoccurring theme for me lately. Be sure to be grounded in the Lord. Trusting in the Lord with ALL my heart.

23:1-4"Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!" says the LORD. Therefore thus says the LORD God of Israel against the shepherds who feed My people: "You have scattered My flock, driven them away, and not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your doings," says the LORD. "But I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries where I have driven them, and bring them back to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. "I will set up shepherds over them who will feed them; and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, nor shall they be lacking," says the LORD.

50:6-7 "My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray; They have turned them away on the mountains. They have gone from mountain to hill; They have forgotten their resting place. All who found them have devoured them; And their adversaries said, 'We have not offended, Because they have sinned against the LORD, the habitation of justice, The LORD, the hope of their fathers.'

Jeremiah was such a heavy book to read, but I read it with a whole different perspective as I read with this country in mind. A country who had previously sent out missionaries to all parts of the world. So many Christian remnants are placed around this city showing how strong their belief in God was. Even today while at the National Portrait Gallery, there was evidence of their Christian heritage. In one room in particular, there were these amazing portraits of well-known historical Christians with the plaque next to them stating their faith. It crazy what can happen throughout the years...

Another Date Day!!!

2010-08-04T07:36:00.000-07:00

I just realised that my last post was from our last date day a week ago! So much for me updating our blog on a more frequent basis... I will try harder:) :) :) We had another date day yesterday! What a GREAT time we had! We didn't even do anything that spectacular, but I absolutely LOVE just spending time with my hubby! I so appreciate the time that God sets out for us to just enjoy each other, to enjoy God's gift to us of having one another to share this life with.

We didn't get out of the house till later yesterday morning and David had planned for us to go visit the Camden Art Centre, which was FREE! My FAVOURITE word! FREE!!! So, we walked there and had a look around. Not much there, but it was still FUN! We got to chat with the lady that was working in the gallery who was originally from Iowa. We looked quickly at the artwork and found out that there is a craft fair coming up at the end of the month in which they do free hands on workshops involving drawing, print making, and clay. I love it! I am very excited to go back at the end of the month!

After that, we walked around the area we were in for a few while looking for a kettle. We have been wanting one to keep up in our room for our quiet times together in the morning. At the moment, we have had the opportunity to go to Starbucks a couple of mornings a week which has been GREAT for the 2 of us. We can just go and read and be together while enjoying tea and coffee (I am the tea drinker, and Hubby the coffee drinker). We found a really great deal on one at Argos which I will have to take a picture and post it later!

After that, we came home for lunch. I made a sandwich and Hubby made himself a burger. YUMMY lunch!

After lunch, we went back out again to Camden to just look around in the stalls. Nothing to spectacular, but still entertaining. My legs were really sore from my am run, so we decided to head home and just chill. We made dinner and played WII. What a relaxing day to spend together! Thank you Lord for that blessing!

Also, I finally finished Jeremiah this morning and am now moving to Proverbs. After such a heavy book, I am excited to see where the Lord will go with Proverbs. I do want to share some of my final thoughts, but I will have to do it later as I need to get ready for this evenings Bible Study....

Tuesday Date Day!

2010-07-30T04:23:00.000-07:00

Hubby and I had the opportunity to have an exploration date day Tuesday. I love how the Lord sets out these times for us to just go and be a cute married couple exploring this beautiful city that He has placed us in. One of my favourite things to do with hubby is just walk around. You can see so many interesting things you would miss on the bus or train. So, Tuesday morning after our time in the Word, we set out on our adventure...

First, I do have to say, we were did have a mini agenda and that was to look for a couple of household items. We walked to the area close to where to live to see what we could find and we were semi successful! So, hubby jammed our find into his backpack and we again hit the streets walking:)

We had thought of going to Camden and just walking around there, but we decided that we wanted a change of scenery. We were both craving this apple juice from Whole Foods and starting thinking about how YUMMY that juice would be. The funny thing is, there are two Whole Foods. One small one is in Camden and the other is more towards central London. So, what did we decide? To take the long walk to Kensington where the other Whole Foods is located. It rained while we were out on our walk, but it was still quite warm. We took a small pit stop to get something to drink and to look up the exact location since neither of us have ever walked there, only taken the bus. And, we were taking a different route than the bus. We continued on, the rain had stopped so I was able to bring out my camera and take some fun shots which are in the previous blog post. I love photography!! It's just so much fun!!

Once we finally made to whole foods, we went upstairs and feasted on a couple of slices of pizza. They have a small food court with fairly decent prices. The funny things was, I really wanted the Margarita Pizza they were advertising, but the guy behind the counter clearly did not want to make it for me. He kept saying that the funny looking cheese pizza in front of him was better than the other... I bed to differ. Not my fav. But, still provision of food!

After lunch, we went to the actual grocery store part and got a couple of goodies. My FAVOURITE juice, a baguette and a small bag of black liquorice. YUM! I LOVE baguettes! We snacked on that as we quickly headed back. Hubby was suppose to be back by 5 so that he could go to the softball game. And, since we were a lot further away than a short walk, we had to go fast! My legs were definitely sore the next day... ok, even later that day! We got back just in time for him to leave.

I am so blessed by these sweet times that I get to enjoy with my hubby. We are continuing to grow closer together and closer to the Lord. What an awesome time to share together with hubby!!!!

New Pics!

2010-07-29T08:41:00.000-07:00

Wednesday Night, Fun Night!!!

2010-07-29T06:49:00.001-07:00

What do you do when you live in a foreign country and you can't find what you are looking for??????? Make S'mores!!!!!! I was snooping around facebook about a month ago after I came back from York and was on one of my friends facebooks looking at her pictures. She had one posted of her and her kids making s'mores in the living room with the fireplace as the flame. I thought it was the cutest thing EVER and set out on a hunt to find the ingredients needed to make s'mores. Only, there's a problem.... you can't really find the American style marshmallows, or graham crackers. And, it's not like we have a bbq pit in the backyard. But, I was determined.

S'mores! Suzanne found a "bucket" of marshmallows at the 99p store - a mix of pink and white normal sized marshmallows. I was told that using digestive biscuits with chocolate on them is a great alternative to graham crackers because the chocolate is "built in". We had some skewers in the drawer that were used for kebobs, so I gathered three of them... one for Roo Roo, one for Te Te, and one for myself. After taking some fun photographs of our materials, time to start up the hob. Yep! The hob (aka stove)! It gets hot... it has a flame... sounds like the perfect solution to lack of bbq pit. And yes, it was! We closed ourselves in the kitchen with the door to the hallway shut where the smoke alarm is so that we wouldn't set it off and opened the door to the outside for ventilation (I had NO idea what to expect, so that was my preventive measure). We placed our marshmallows on the ends of our skewers and ignited the hob.... We have flame. Time to roast.

YAY!! It worked! I was sooo excited! We each made 2 and then I decided WOW, I have had WAY too many desserts lately!!! It's time to take a break!!! But YUM!!! I do have to admit, the marshmallows were different... but still GREAT! It was a great way to spend the evening with the girls! The funniest part of the s'mores was the chocolate melted really really fast and as Roo Roo was eating hers, I noticed a bunch of chocolate dribbles on the floor where she had been standing:) Too CUTE!!

As far as study went, God is definitely moving among this community. A group of women that have been faithfully coming since the start came last night. The teahouse itself was on the busier side anyway and people kind of came in and out, obviously with some interest. Some were even asking for the worship CD's we were giving out. As far as the teahouse workers, it seems as if slowly but surely, their interest is being sparked as well. I am praising God for the provision of this teahouse and am continually amazed each and every week as I see who the Lord brings.

Our London Evening!

2010-07-26T05:35:00.000-07:00

I am finally getting around to posting some pictures! YAY! These particular ones are from our London picnic where we enjoyed a lovely concert by the Royal Philharmonic. The had a lovely soloist who sang beautifully. At the end of the concert, they had some amazing fireworks! We were so grateful to enjoy such a wonderful evening! Thank you Lord!!!

This is Hubby's funny face :)

My Adventurous Day!

2010-07-25T06:51:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, we journeyed down to Leatherhead for church. I had the opportunity to meet the pastor and his wife at the York pastors/leaders conference back in June (wow that seems like forever ago!). I had been emailing the pastors wife to arrange for some time for myself to journey down there to hang out with her for the day, but it just so happened that we went to church on Sunday before I had the chance to venture down there which was GREAT because then I could familiarise myself with the area before heading down there all by myself. It's about a 2 hour journey total by the time you switch trains etc. Before I got ready for the day, I did have the chance to go for a run which was awesome! David then headed with me via bus to the main station I would be headed out of. It takes longer on the bus but it is cheaper! I had wanted him to go with me to the station, because I had never been to this particular station before and we had purchased my ticket the night before via internet and I wasn't sure where to collect my ticket... Once we got there, I realised how easy it was and felt kinda silly, but also very happy that hubby was with me! Then it was time to wait patiently while the train came in and then figure out which platform I would need. By this time, hubby had left but strictly warned me against being in any of the little shops when my train's platform was announced lest I miss my train. It's kinda like the airport how they have little mini shops. I poked my head in a bookstore and was pleased to find they have one of my all time favourite magasines!!! REAL SIMPLE! YAY! Super excited! I didn't get one because one of my friends from the states sent me a copy a month ago and it was the only issue they had in this particular shop. But, it was a very exciting moment that I shared with myself. I made sure that I quickly let the shop to stand in front of the big sign that announced the platforms. Just before my train was set to leave, the platform was announced, and I boarded.

On the train, I enjoyed my tea along with some time in the word. One of my most favourite things about riding on the train, is the fact that since I don't have to drive, I have all this time where I can do whatever. It's the perfect time to read and listen to music. So, that's how I spent the 45 minute train ride. I was continuing through Jeremiah and was so blessed by what the Lord was showing me. Unfortunately, I had left my journal at home and wasn't able to write anything down, but it was the perfect time to just reflect on what the Lord was showing me right then and to be so grateful for all that He is doing with me here in London. I feel like I have just been going through this amazing time of growth with the Lord as we are kind of in this transition/prep stage as we don't have Sundays going yet, but are going strong with the Wednesday study. My time in the word is such a necessity! It keeps me focused on Jesus instead of focusing on myself. This allows me to then serve out of the overflow rather than forcing myself to serve and then be all fleshy when I am trying to do it! What a GREAT time of prayer! I love how the Lord set up that time for me!

After my train ride, my friend and her children met me at the station. I was so glad to see them!!! Her kids are soooo cute! We stopped at the park for a few to let the kids play and then it started to sprinkle so we headed back. The funny thing about the weather that day was I had actually dressed for warmer weather because when I was out running earlier that morning, it was super sunny and HOT! So, I figured I would be safe in crops and a tank with a light sweater! WRONG! It was actually quite funny when it started raining :) I am trying to get the hang of this weather deal... We got back to her house just in time! It started pouring! Then after a bit, it stopped and the sun came back out and it was a bit on the warmer side.

My time with my friend was great! We made cinnamon rolls!!! My NEW FAVOURITE!!! All I need now is a bread machine! Which, perhaps I could find used???? I also got a recipe for marshmallows. They are a lot different here and this recipe should be more like American marshmallows. Haven't tried them yet, but hopefully soon! Because of one of my other friend's fb, I have been really wanting to make s'mores! We will have to substitute the graham cracker part out too because, they don't have graham crackers either! Silly silly silly! Anyway, one of my favourite things about this particular day, aside from the wonderful conversation and new friendship, was I learned how to make laundry detergent! YAY!!!!!! I was SO excited! Mostly because it is WAY cheaper to make rather than buy! It was fairly simple and I can't wait till I get to try it out! I will have to blog once I do that! It smelled yummy! And, it is only like .o14 pence per load! CHEAP!!!!! And, the recipe makes a ton! The only thing I will have to figure out is how to half it and where am I going to keep it? I am sure I will find a place! I kept telling her that hubby would be so proud of me because I am learning how to be more and more thrifty! Yes, love it!

The rest of my time there included lunch, dinner, chocolate chip cookies, hair, eating cinnamon rolls, getting a recipe for yummy brownies and learning a ton of things I didn't know about living here in England! While things can be different, I am so happy that God has placed friends in my life who live here and know how things go! They can be different and she has a wealth of knowledge about living in different countries, how to work around things, have a great attitude and praise God in the process! Thank you Lord for friends like her!

Oh ya, and my journey home? Easy as pie! She walked me to the station to make certain that I did in fact get on the right train and off I went! Back to the big station where I found my magisine, then off to the underground to catch a couple trains home! What a BLESSING of a day!!!!

Yesterday

2010-07-21T03:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a hot one, which I was incredibly grateful for! Hubby and I were watching the girls and I was hoping that we could have some outdoor fun which we did! After my morning run, the girls popped out of bed to enjoy their Koala cereal. I found it the day before out Whole Foods. I actually would eat it! YUM! It's pretty healthy, so I wasn't sure if they would go for it or not, so I decided to add some High School musical chocolate stars they found for me a couple weeks ago. It's cool because it makes the soya chocolatey so when you are done with the cereal, it's like drinking chocolate soya (or chocolate milk for those who are not lactose intolerant). NUMMY! I normally mix a tiny handful in with whatever boring cereal I am having cause it makes it better! But, not too much worse for you cause it's a small handful. After breakfast, the girls got ready to head out the door. David took Roo roo to the heath to go exploring and I took Te to Starbucks for our time in the word. What a sweet time we had! We are going through Ephesians and were in chapter 3 yesterday. AWESOME! We studied verses 14-21 and it was totally going right along with the whole abide in the vine theme and was about being rooted and grounded in love. I love how God will throw you these reoccurring themes over and over again to really let you know the importance of it! My challenge for myself this week... spend more time with Him! I love my times with Him and crave them. When I miss a day, it's a bummer. Te and I had some wonderful conversation about what that means to us and how to really live our lives according to how God has called us to live. Amazing!

After our time in the word, we spent walking around Hampstead. She showed me these eyelashes she really wants and tried on these ridiculously high heals and I just browsed. It's so interesting to see all the different product they sell here.

We met back up at home with David and Roo roo, ate some lunch and then got ready to go to the wading pool they have at the heath. It's for kids, so the girls jumped into their suits, grabbed towels and on our way we went. It was pretty crowded because it was so warm. There were kids everywhere. It was so sad to hear all the awful language coming out of these kids mouths. Terrible! So much so that I wanted to just plug my ears. We were there for about an hour and I spent the time reading while David spent the time napping. The girls enjoyed themselves which was awesome!

We came back home and had a very mellow evening. There was Wii and movies, stringing beads, emails, fb... I was thankful for the time we had to spend with the girls and grateful at how awesome the Lord is and how many blessings He threw my way! Blessings I don't deserve...

The past couple of days!

2010-07-19T15:20:00.000-07:00

Oh MAN! Time FLIES! The past couple of days have been soooo busy! But, GREAT! So, here's a recap...

Friday: The highlight of Friday was the AWESOME concert we went to in the evening! Either that day, we had our regular comparative gospels study which was a blessing as usual! Running, breakfast, and lunch were all thrown in there somewhere. The boys went out to Camden Town to share. I worked on some housework type things. At 5ish, we left to go to this outdoor picnic concert thing. We brought our own dinner picnic style. I made baguette sandwiches, YUM!! The concert was the Royal Philharmonic orchestra. Complete with an opera singer and a violin solo. It was SO beautiful! They played songs that I was very familiar with which made it even more enjoyable! It was so fun to sit on blankets on the lawn and eat nummyness with a beautiful concert! And what British concert would be complete without fireworks! Yep! We had fireworks after! So fun! It was funny thought, they weren't entirely sure that they would be able to so at the very beginning, this guy came out on stage and said "You are going to have manage your expectations." Basically meaning, the winds are crazy and if they don't come down, don't be disappointed when it turns out they can't set off the fireworks. But, the winds had pretty much died down by the end and we were able to enjoy a most awesome fireworks display! What a great evening!!!

Saturday: First, it started out with a nice long run. Next came breakfast followed by a haircut for Tobi. Nothing crazy, just trimming up the hair. She wants to keep it long. Next, Tobi and I decided we wanted to go exploring around the Kenwood house. It's located in the Heath, so we took the beautiful walk through the heath to get there. We walked awhile. But, once we got there, it was amazing! The house was gorgeous! It had beautiful paintings on the wall from the Neo-classic time period depicting scenes from everyday life, as well as some beautiful portraits. While we were there, God totally blessed us with lunch money! We set out to find this really cheap deli in Highgate. Turns out, it took awhile! We walked for a very long time before we finally found it. But, we got to see a whole new part of the area I was unfamiliar with. It was the perfect day for it to because there was a slight cloud cover keeping it from getting too hot but it wasn't cold. It was nice! After walking for a very long time, we found the deli and got a couple of sandwiches. We then continued our journey back home through the park and after about 4 hours of walking, we were home and I was ready to put my feet up. Nothing else too exciting happened that night. Just basically hung out at home.

Sunday: Another GREAT day! We journeyed down to Calvary Chapel Leatherhead by train and bus. It's only 22 miles from our house, but because of train/bus schedule, it took us about 2 hours to get there. The teaching was such a blessing! Pastor Matt taught on John 15:1-15 which talks about abiding in the vine. God totally used the message to speak to me and remind me to be completely grounded in Him. He does take us through a time of pruning only so that we can bear more fruit. And the fruit we bare is reflective of what we are grounded in. Beautiful! I suggest that you take a moment to read through the passage! It's a great refresher! After church, the pastor's family had us over for BBQ. What a FUN time! There was lots of yummy food and great fellowship! Such wonderful people so rooted in the Lord!

Today: I didn't run this morning. I was so exhausted from our trip yesterday that I thought it would be ok to sleep in. That will not be the case tomorrow. I will get up and run even if I want to snooze :) No snoozing aloud. We had our morning study which was over how Matthew the tax collector was called to follow Jesus. Great passage! After study, Hubby, Tobi and I ventured out to find the Whole Foods in Kensington. We were successful! But, I decided that I would only allow myself to get a few things that I absolutely needed cause they can be a bit pricey! Our trip took awhile, but we even ran into people we know! How CRAZY! I thought that would never happen here! But, it totally gives me a sense of familiarity. I can remember running into my friend from church at the Albertsons in Morro Bay before we left and wondering if that would ever be the case in London. Would I ever run into a familiar face? And, it totally happened! Very awesome! I made dinner for the girls as hubby and I are watching them tonight. I think they liked it?? After the dishes, we ate some yummy dessert, there was skype, wii, music, and laughter! I am so grateful for our team and just the awesome dynamics each one brings, including the girls!

Praise the Lord for dates like this..

2010-07-16T07:47:00.000-07:00

What a wonderful Thursday! I love how the Lord has these great days already planned out for you to enjoy! It is a totally unexpected blessing! David and I both started out our day with our morning run. It was short, but intense as David made me push through this uphill run. I am not a fan of uphill runs, but I am sure that it is most helpful even though it can be painful. He kept encouraging me to keep pushing through even when I felt like I was going to fall over because my legs hurt so much. Once we finished and got ready for our days, we both had breakfast and then he was off to spend some time with Landon in the word and I had my separate time in the word continuing through Jeremiah.

After I spent some time emailing and facebooking, I walking with the Holyde's to pick up Roo roo from fairy school so that Te could show me this really cool book that is all about sprucing up your old t-shirts. I have been on this kick lately of finding material so that I can make some of my old shirts seem new. So far, I haven't gotten any fabric, but I have been making lots of ideas. I was also going to take some fabric paint and paint some cool designs, but since my paintbrushes are mia, I might have to hold off on that idea. I did purchase some really cheap fabric in York that I would like to make into flowers, I just have to find the time to do that. When I do, I will be sure to put up some pics :) From there Te and I went to Starbucks to spend some time in the word. We have been going through the book of Ephesians and I have been completely blessed by our discussions and I am also very excited to see where the Lord will take us. We poked our heads in a couple of shops on our way back home once we were finished but didn't find anything. The shops in Hampstead are a bit on the pricey side even the charity shops.

When I got home, I prepped for hubby and wifey date night! First, I had some lunch. A cheese quesadilla with cheese and avocado. YUM! Then, I waited for David to look up a couple things, found my umbrella, jacket, and flip flops and headed out! First, we walked to a new part of town that I haven't been to. We came to this beautiful grassy hill called Primerose hill. I could just imagine myself leaping down the steep hill only to come to a graceful splat at the bottom (this didn't actually happen, just in my dreams). We found a spot to just sit and enjoy God's beautiful creation as it overlooked central London. In the distance, we could see Big Ben, the London eye, and many other beautiful buildings. How gorgeous! Every time I get to see that kind of view, this very giddy side of me comes out and thinks WOW, we REALLY live here and I want to soak up every moment such as these! After we enjoyed the park for a few, we continued walking around the area and passed the London Zoo.

We circled around to Camden Town where we searched for some sunglasses. It was SO bright which is hadn't been all day because it had been on and off rain, but we were blessed to see the sun when we were out walking around. But, my eyes were not so happy :) Camden Town is great for cheap fun things. Besides, for me, to buy cheaper sunglasses is much better than spending money on them. I either lose them or break them or just don't like then anymore. I can tend to change my mind rather quickly! The cheaper sunglasses the better! The wind was also blowing a lot, so having something that felt like it was protecting me from stuff flying into my eyes was very nice.

After finding sunglasses, it was time to eat. We walked to the street where our Bible study is and found this whole in the wall Sushi place that was recommended to us as the best place in town. And what's great is it's a pretty well kept secret which means you can get a table as soon as you get there. And might I say, the food was YUM YUM!! The last time we had sushi was back in the states with my Grandma. It's been awhile! And, the other way awesome part about it!? IT was CHEAP! The other thing that I learned about sushi here is that they actually put wasabi in the roll. I was NOT expecting that and it made for a couple of very intense bites. At one point, David had even asked for more inside the next roll that he ordered and I took a piece not thinking it would be that bad and I had instant tears! It was really funny watching him put even MORE wasabi on top and trying to get it down without flinching. He has the funniest flinch look where his eyes tear up and his mouth starts moving really slowly... too funny!

After dinner, we got some chips, juice, and a sparkling ginger drink and head back to the spot on Primerose hill. BEAUTIFUL! We had some great conversation and then decided it was getting quite cold and it was time to head home. On our way, we encountered a homeless man asking for money. Instead of giving him money, we bought him a meal and invited him to Bible Study. Prayerfully, he will make his way to our study or someone else's. It's interesting to see all these homeless people begging for food and money. There seem to be sooo many here. I know there are tons in Cali as well because living in a beach area where the weather can be more mild, they gravitate towards those areas... It makes you wonder what happened for them to get there...

We finally arrived back home and thanked God for the wonderful day He had so graciously blessed us with! I love being able to spend times like that with my wonderful hubby! What a blessing!

Prayer, Painted Nails, & Cookies!

2010-07-15T01:59:00.000-07:00

Wednesday mornings is our team time of prayer. We get together and pray for all the people that we have met here in Camden. It really is AWESOME to be uplifting these people, praying for their salvation and whatever else the Lord lays on our hearts. I didn't run in the morning because I have been consistently getting to bed later and later each night and since we have prayer at 9 I felt like I need to sleep until about 8. Breakfast had to be scarfed down quickly in order to be ready for prayer.

After prayer, I had to go to the post. Tob and I made our way up through Hampstead to find the post office. I had a birthday card for my mum. The sad news is, that day was her birthday and I was just then getting the card in the post which means it will not get there on her birthday. In fact it will probably take a week. Oops :) I enjoy walking through Hampstead because you never know what's around the next corner. I am still not that familiar with the area but I am getting there. Last Friday, in the same area where the post office is, I discovered the cutest hair salon and know have one my most favourite haircuts! The shop is soooo cute that it's even called enry iggins! (Can you guess that musical?) I always see the cutest places to mark down in my memory bank so that I can go back to them another time.

Once back from the post, I spent some time catching up on face book and emails, had some great conversations with people in the house, made another PB & Jam sandwich and just chilled. I had some more great time in Jeremiah and really came across some amazing verses! If you have the chance, read through chapter 15 especially verse 16. AWESOME! Because it was Bible Study night, people were running around getting things ready like instruments, brochures, sound equipment and things of that nature. I waited for a delivery we were getting from Home Base. We had ordered an end table to put next to our couch in our room so that we have a place for our tea when we are chatting. It finally came and I assembled it. I was slightly bummed because as I was putting it together, the wood dowels popped through the top and made a couple of nice wholes. I proceeded to rubber cement the small pieces that fell off back onto the table and for now it will work. I think I might eventually get a piece of fabric to cover it which would be good anyway to tie it into the room as well as protect it from spills.

Dinner time rolled around and I made myself a leftover chicken burrito. YUM! Even better the second night!!! I am learning that when you buy the cheaper chicken with the bone and the skin, you can still get the bone and skin off easily and it still makes just as good food. Before I ate, I was able to skype with one of my friends from Santa Rosa and since it has been a few weeks since we have chatted, we both knew the conversation was going to be a long one and we were going to have continue it later. It was my night to watch the girls so that Suzanne could go and be blessed by the study!

That brings me to my fun night with the girls. After we all finished dinner, we decided to play a couple of games of Kerplunk. It had been FOREVER since I have played that game! It brought back some fun child hood memories! While we were playing, we got a text message from David that asked to pray for this guy they had met the previous night who showed up to the study. We now finally have proof that we really are Korean! His last name... YEP! PARK!!! How GREAT is that! Praise the Lord that he showed up to the study! What a blessing! After our game, we started baking cookies!!! YUM!!! We made oatmeal cookies with a twist. I love taking recipes that I have and improving them to my taste. So delish! Once we finished cookie time, we discoed it up with High School Musical 2 complete with disco balls! What a workout! It was great considering I missed my run that morning. Te showed me some awesome dance moves! After our dance party, it was time to get ready for bed. So the girls quickly did and we even had time to paint nails before their heads hit the pillows. On roo roo's nails, I painted blue with little flowers and on Te's I did blue with white clouds. So much FUN! Then, up to bed for a time of reading the word and prayer.

Once the girls were in bed, the rest of the house arrived back home after the study. I had time to skype my friend back from SR and was totally blessed by our conversation. The Lord always knows what I need and when I need it! Thank you Lord! I joined the rest downstairs once we were through to catch the tail end of their conversation about the study which was also a blessing. I then transitioned into the goofy Trista that comes out when it gets late and decided it was time for bed. Hubby and I still stayed up later catching up on both of our evenings before I realised that I was totally falling asleep mid-sentance. Lights out for us!

Just an ordinary day :)

2010-07-13T14:57:00.000-07:00

Some have been asking me what a typical day looks like here in London. The funny thing is, there is no real typical day. It can vary so much! There are so many cool free things to do here! Not to mention, with ministry, anything can happen. So, I decided that as often as I can remember, I would love to update what my day was like today. Just keep in mind that David is primarily the one who ventures out to the streets while I stay and work. But, today I actually got out of the house, so here it goes...

This morning, both David and I got up around 7:30 and went for a run. But, before we headed out, we heard this really strange noise that David thought was rain. Guess again!!! It was a parade of people riding horses down our street. Only in London! We were out for about a half hour and then came home to get ready for our days! I have been reading through Jeremiah in my quiet time so after breakfast, I had the chance to just sit and read for a bit. After that, I actually ventured out to Camden Town to meet up with this girl. She is here for school from the states so she has been coming and hanging out with all of us when she has the chance. Our first stop was Starbucks. I had to pick up something which I can't say what because it is a birthday present and I would rather that person not find out via the blog. Then, it wouldn't be a surprise anymore, now would it :) We decided to then window shop. It's very interesting the different styles there are here. And what better way to window shop than poking our heads into the charity shops! (aka, thrift shop). The charity shops here are so fun! I think I enjoy them more than the ones in SLO. When you really have time to look and aren't looking for anything in particular, you can actually find some pretty great deals. When we first moved here, I got a coat for under 10 pounds (don't know how to make the cool symbol for pounds). Anyway, so, we went in and out of a couple just to see what was there and found nothing. We window shopped in a couple of bookstores and another clothing shop in Camden Town before I made my way home to make some lunch. One of my favourite things for lunch is a PB & Jam. That's what I made! YUM!!! I also had a couple of yummy digestives! (they are biscuits dipped in chocolate!) I was also able to do some laundry while I was eating. So, by the time I was about ready to head upstairs, I was able to bring my laundry so I could hang it on the airer (aka drying rack). Then, I proceeded to sit here and blog, send out prayer update, work on newsletter, and skype. It is always such a blessing when I am able to skype with friends back in the states! I love hearing what God is doing in their lives! It totally blesses me! Next came dinner (I skyped for quite awhile). For dinner tonight, we had chicken burritos! MY FAVOURITE! One of our friends sent us some Costco salsa which went perfectly with the whole Mexican Food theme! Salsa is one of the things they just don't do well here! So, it was a real treat to open our goody box and see and nice big thing of salsa! David and I both love it soooo much! It's more of a staple around our house that we have had to get used to not having around. But, now that I have my cookbook, I am hoping to see if I can find what I need to make it myself. I am not so sure that that will be an easy task. After dinner, I came back upstairs to finish blogging and skype my mom. David and I then hung out with the girls for a bit while their parents went out. We had TONS of fun photoboothing it up! Now, it's late, I am going to bed :) Praise God for this day!

Pics of York

2010-07-08T01:53:00.000-07:00

Just a street view in York

The garden of the B&B we were staying at!

The York Museum

The CC Bible College Coffee house - upper level (this used to be where Calvary Chapel York had their Sunday service, but now it's across the street)

This is part of the city wall that surrounded York

My friend Percy, the shoe maker (I found him in the window of a shoe shop. He actually moves as if he is working on that shoe)

The train station in York

My Journey to York!

2010-07-07T15:12:00.000-07:00

Last week, I had the opportunity to visit York! What a BEAUTIFUL place! I attended a pastors/leaders conference that was held at Calvary Chapel Bible College in York! It was an awesome time of teaching and fellowship! This trip was my first time really being outside of London within England! What a difference from where we live. It is a bigger city, but not like London. It still had that feeling of timelessness. The streets were not nearly as busy as London streets, way less crowded, easy to get around. The Bible College is right across the way from the original city wall. It totally puts the story of Joshua and the walls of Jericho in a whole new light. To actually see what a city wall looks like and then picture Jericho surrounded by a wall such as this one was really cool! How awesome that God completely demolished those walls to allow them to overtake the city. The Bible College has a coffee house that is located in a room that is attached to the wall. It is a super cute place to just go and enjoy tea/coffee and fellowship. The upstairs area has some comfy couches with amazingly old books. The lower level is where you would order and pay with a few places to sit. I just have to say that I had the BEST chai tea latte I have ever had there! YUM!!!

Onto the actual conference part... I think it was really cool to be able to see all the attendees that are located within the UK. That really stood out to me to know that these people all serving the Lord have had this calling placed on their lives to leave where they called home, move to a foreign land and share the gospel. I love thinking about Abraham when I think of those of us who have experienced being sent out. He left everything he had including family etc and just went as the Lord led. Walking by faith, Abraham trusted the Lord to provide all the necessary steps without freaking out. To sit and listen to these stories of these other brothers and sisters in Christ who have listened to their calling and stepped out in faith was sooo encouraging! I was so thankful to relate! God definitely used the teachings to speak to me, to remind me that I am His child and that He is guiding David and I ever step of every way. Each and every speaker had a unique way of teaching their message each one straight from the Lord.

We had an extra day in York before we headed back to London. The girls and I were able to go to the York history museum. What an AWESOME museum! I felt like I had stepped back into time... There is a section that is set up much like how the streets of York must have looked many years ago. It was complete with lamps that were had a flame for the light and a horse drawn carriage. They had different shop fronts to look at as well as a couple you could go in and see things such as what kind of toys children would play with. They also had a section that had some of the most beautiful clothing! I love looking at how fashion has and hasn't changed over the years. Some things have been adapted to look more "modern" but the ideas have been around for awhile. All kinds of BEAUTIFUL hats on display and really funny looking swimsuits that were so much more modest than those out there today! Another section that was interesting was the "cleaning" section where they showed how cleaning things have progressed throughout the years as far personal hygiene with showing the different types of bath tubs and soaps used as well as how to clean clothing and such. What was really interesting was how it seems like most of the inventions such as the washing machine and modern toilets have been around only since the 1900s. So much of this progression has taken place so quickly! How different it would have been from living in the 1800s to the 1900s!

Later that same day, we attempted to see the York Minster, but I became way too sidetracked with all the used book stores. Not that I want a billion books or anything, but I am in particular looking for a cookbook and hoping to find it second hand so that it will be cheaper than what it costs new. I was unsuccessful :( I did come across the cutest little art shop which was full of lots of fun stuff. I purchased 2 small containers of textile paints and 3 pieces of small fabric and when I approached the till, the man that assisted me had a music book open. He sings tenor and was learning a new Italian piece. How funny! The streets of York in the area that we were in were way more narrow than the streets in London where we live. All are lined with many shops and at that point it was a bit more crowded than the other areas of York, but it mades sense because that was where all the shopping was happening.

I am so blessed that I was able to take that time to visit York, to just hear what God had set out for me to hear as well as enjoy the new scenery. I do have to say, that when we finally made it back to London I felt like I was home! What a cool feeling! I was only gone a couple of days but was ready to skip up to our front door!

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Todays Reflections

2010-07-03T13:02:00.000-07:00

A pretty mellow day for us here in London! A great way to spend a nice Saturday. The fridge was empty since I was gone most of the week in York for a pastors/leaders conference, so David, Suzanne and I journeyed out to Sainsburry's. It's just a short bus ride from here followed by a short 5 minute walk. I still feel like it takes me awhile in the grocery store as there are SO many items to look at! But, I went in with a list and I hardly deviated from that list! It still took awhile, but it was very successful! I am getting the hang of it! I am just very curious to see how this grocery shopping thing will go once the weather changes and it is raining all the time. For now, I am counting my blessings of the wonderful sunshine we have been blessed with!

I didn't have much time for else today because I have been busy working on colour correcting a couple of weddings. I did have time to through some laundry in the wash though! I am curious though about a few things. First of all, my duvet cover came up with a discoloured spot on it today after washing it. No one in the house uses any sort of bleach, but yet, somehow something ended up on the cover. It turned the brown into a yellow. Not sure what that means, but it's happened twice. The other strange thing is our washer is a front loading machine and I know it's important to wash them out frequently otherwise they get this very mildewy smell but for some reason, I washed it out and it still has that smell. I am just afraid of it starting to get in the clothes. I used baking soda, perhaps I didn't use enough? I did however, get to hang my clothes and bedding outside to dry in the nice warm sun. I love hanging stuff outside and I am not entirely sure why. I think it's cute to see every house with a line or two outside full of sheets or towels, jeans or shirts, and duvet covers. For whatever reason, it seems as if it makes time slow down for a minute. The warm sun so gently dries the clothes and before they are dry, I spray this pomegranate stuff onto the items to give them a nice sweet smelling fragrance. Praise the Lord for the sun and opportunity to let my clothes air dry outside! Sounds silly I am sure, but it's those little things that almost make the big city seem a bit quieter:)

The rest of the evening included making dinner with my spoils from the store and mixing some other things that I had already had in the cupboard. Now I am finishing work and then will relax with my most amazing hubby with a fun movie!

Trains!

2010-06-29T01:34:00.000-07:00

I am loving London sooo much! I feel so blessed to live here it's ridiculous! I have been in the train station so often that I figured I should really let you all in on the fun times on the train and crazy things that I have noticed.

When you first enter the station, you have to be ready with your oyster card to tap in so you can go through the gate thing. If you are not fast enough or have a bag of groceries that you are trying to take through the small gate, watch out! Cause the plastic doors will close on you! And then, you get to the point where your body is through, but your arm along with your bag of groceries is stuck on the other side. When the attendant offers to open the other larger gate for you, do it! Oh and, make sure you are fast because if your aren't people will run you over!

Once inside, make sure that you are paying attention to which train you need by knowing what direction you are headed as well as which stop you need. Don't get on a train in a hurry because when you are first getting to know the trains, the impulse of it will make you get on the wrong train. It's ok to wait because most of the time, you only end up waiting just a few short minutes.

There is this really strange sound that I hear every time the train comes into the station. To me, it sounds like a garbage disposal. It makes me laugh every time!

Another very distinct sound is the clicking of the heals you hear as you are walking briskly through the station. Up and down the stairs, through the tunnels, down to the platforms... click click click click....

Something that I have a observed a couple of times has been people hopping onto the train at the very last second and practically getting stuck in between the doors. Kind of like how my bag gets stuck on the other side of the gate. Just be careful because the doors are hard to open I have noticed.

If you have left something in the station when getting on the train, you won't have enough time to run back off the train and then hop back on. If you are by yourself, that would be different, but when you are with people, you will probably get left behind. It's great if you have a mobile to reach people, but unfortunately it doesn't work underground! Also, same goes for if you leave something on the train. I saw this guy with a bunch of his buddies leave a pair of sunglasses on the train. They all got off the train and when he realised his sunglasses were on the train, he tried to make his way back on the busy train to retrieve them and ended up staying on the train until the next stop. It was funny to see him looking out the window of the train as his friends waved at him and the train departed from the station. This other man on the train tried consoling him telling him that it happens to everybody. I would be very sad if that was me and David was on the other the side. Maybe we should have a plan in case that ever did happen! Do I get off at the next stop and get on the train that goes back to the previous station where I left him? Will he stay at that station? Should I just stay at the station that I am at? Because, if I were to try to ring him, I would have to exit the station and what if he was still underground?

Many people ride the train and there are certain times of the day that the train is busier than others. Those are NOT the prime times to grocery shop and travel with those bags on the trains! WAY too many people! It's not worth it! I have seen the train get so packed, I was actually wondering if I could manoeuvre my way off of the train in time... with my groceries!

Lots of people read or listen to their ipods on the train. There is no shortage of reading material. These people are always standing out of the stations handing out free newspapers. People will read them and then leave them. Others bring their own books. It's crazy to watch people stand and read without falling. It's totally a balance thing on the train and because I am still new to it, I am still figuring that out. Oh ya, and when it's crowded, it's best to hold on because if you don't and the train stops suddenly, you will cause a lot of people to fall down (I have seen this happen and was very grateful it wasn't me).

When it's time for your stop, be prepared. No hesitating. Because if you hesitate, you might not get off the train in time before people start getting on the train and then you are like a fish swimming upstream. It's hard!

Being in the station, I really have to constantly remember to stay to the left. That is SO not natural for me! LEFT LEFT LEFT! Except when you are riding the escalator up, stand to the right. So that people can pass you on the left.

Exiting is the same as entering...

I do love the train! It is a very fun experience when you really get the hang of it!

What God has been showing me today!

2010-06-29T00:59:00.000-07:00

I love how God knows what we need to hear and when we need to hear it. His timing is AMAZING! And I definitely had one of those moments this morning in our harmony of the Gospels class that PT has been leading. We have been so blessed to have this class Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and it is so great because the Lord shows me something new every time.

This morning, we were going through Matthew 7:7-12 and Luke 11:9-13.

Matthew 7:7-12
"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Luke 11:9-13

"So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. If a son asks for bread [fn] from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if [he asks] for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will [your] heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

As we compared these two texts, the Lord was showing me these three words: Ask, Seek and Knock. When we ask for things, are we asking for personal gain or for the good of others? The point is to die to the flesh and to be selfless. But, what was really sticking out to me was the fact that the Lord had gone before us in this and how He opened the doors that He saw fit for the big move. When we first began asking the Lord if it was His will for us to be missionaries, to leave our family and go to a foreign place, we listened for what He had to say. He began opening the doors for the move. Our visit in September was so eye opening in the fact that God had showed us the need for strong believers to be here to boldly share the good news. To show them how much God loves them!

God doesn't always open the door that we think He should open. For example, when we were first praying about moving here, it was a possibility to move to Greenwich, a borough that is located in South London towards the east. When we visited in September, we spent a lot of time there. But, that turned out to not be the door that God was going to open for us. Instead, it was to move to Camden where the need is vast. So many hurting people who disguise their pain by their clothing, hair styles, and piercings along with their depressive attitudes. Even people living here in London agree that it's a great place to start a church. "It makes sense" as many will say. As we were knocking, God was opening. We had to listen intently to be sure we knew which door He was opening.

As we continue this wonderful journey, I am reminded that my relationship with the Lord is one that I never want to neglect as I actively ask Him for things for the good of others, as I seek Him, and as I knock.

My Date with God

2010-06-20T14:27:00.000-07:00

Thursday night, I had the opportunity to go see the new I Heart Revolution - We're All in This Together by Hillsong United. The funny thing about it, we attended Hillsong London on Sunday night and were totally blessed to actually get to worship with Hillsong United. What an AWESOME worship evening. That's where we first heard about the film. I had no idea what to expect and wasn't totally sure of what the film was really about, but I was completely blessed. David wasn't able to go with me so I went with some of our other team members and a girl who is studying here for the summer. We only had 3 seats together and another 2 seats together, so I sat with the girl who is studying here. I just have to say that if you haven't ever seen it or heard of it, it might be kinda cool to check it out as I don't want to really give a movie review, but I will say it is definitely worth seeing....

The Lord knew the timing of this film was perfect for me. Since it is about doing and going it made me really appreciate the opportunity the Lord has given us to be here in this foreign country to spread the gospel. At first, I was a little bummed about not having my hubby there with me, but looking back it aloud me to have some great time with the Lord. It was time spent going over the things of the film with God, just me and Him together. He was showing me so many things about His love, His unending love for these people. At one point, there were a couple of different interviews taking place in which the questions being asked were about God and if they had faith in God and they were asked to give an explanation. The most interesting thing about it was the 2 that basically said they didn't really believe in God and laughed it off as if He is just someone you talk to once in awhile as a failsafe were from here. They were asked about poverty and if they had any idea of what's actually going on in other countries and they hadn't a clue. The Lord was using that to continue to show me the purpose of us being here. They are so many who haven't heard of the gospel and God's amazing love He has for us. They haven't heard of the relationship that He wants with us! They haven't heard His great and mighty name used in any other manner than negatively. These people need to hear. And God was totally using this time for me to process us being here and I was feeling so incredibly blessed that God was use me. That He would take me and give me the opportunity to leave my family behind and to go to a new place to share with theses people. What an amazing opportunity the Lord has so graciously given me.

There were things that were sad to see in that movie. Points that made me get all teary eyed and I was able to just lean on the Lord. He comforted me. He allowed me to see just enough to continue to move me.

What is the Lord putting on your hearts? Where is He stirring your compassion to, your tears, your burdens? For me, it's these people here. And each and every day the Lord deepens that compassion I have towards them. The desire to be God's hands and feet - His vessel to show these people His love. I love how God moves and how He knows how to speak fluent me.

I never want to forget this date I had with God. I want to continue to have these dates where it can be me and Him. Where I can just let Him speak to me however that looks. It reminds me of when I was younger and my dad would take me to get ice cream from Thrifty's. Those were such fun and memorable dates. So much so, that I ALWAYS wanted to go on them. I want to be the same way with my Heavenly Father. To be able to go on those Daddy-daughter dates frequently, whenever given the opportunity. To make it priority...

A True Londoner!

2010-06-15T03:26:00.000-07:00

Last week, I met up with a girl I met on Sunday at CCDocklands at Yumchaa prior to heading out to evangelise in Camden town for some afternoon tea. The weather had been rainy that morning but it had since then ceased and it was just mostly cloudy. Knowing what I know about the unpredictability of the weather, I decided that it was in my best interest to bring my umbrella, lest I get caught out in the rain for the remainder of the afternoon. I ventured out on the train for the first time by myself. It was a super easy quick ride because I only went 2 stops! But, I hadn't done it myself yet, so I was very proud of myself. Getting off the train in Camden town, you have to go up an escalator to get to the ground level. I noticed all these people riding down the escalator that looked pretty wet. Almost as wet as when you get off the grizzly rapids ride at Disney's California Adventure! I reach the top and all I can see are people huddled under the smallest area trying not to get wet from the extreme downpour that had just started. I make my through the crowd, exit the station, and pull out my umbrella. As I am walking away, I smile thinking to myself that I must really be starting to understand this whole weather thing, as I have been caught in the rain a couple times before without my umbrella. After getting to Yumchaa, I was chatting with one of girls behind the counter there that I have been getting to know and she asked me if I stayed dry out in that weather. I told her that I have learned to keep my umbrella with me no matter the weather. So told me that I was becoming a true Londoner! Now if only I can remind myself of this in months/years to come! It's an extra thing to carry around, but definitely worth it!

It's been such an easy transition time this first month and couple weeks. It reminds me a lot of living on the coast. The summers there hardly ever were sunny and hot contrary to what people think here. When people ask us where we are from and we say California, they are quite shocked that we would move here and give up the beautiful weather. The funny thing about living on the coast is that you might hardly ever see the sun because of the fog. But try to convince someone of that who has never experienced a coastal California summer and they think you are crazy and are convinced otherwise. The greatest part about sharing that with people is that we then get to explain to them why we would move here. God has called us here to minister to the people here. God has given us a heart for these people and we wish to see all of Camden Town and all of London saved! What an amazing opportunity to be used in such a way!

t

Thoughts from Today...

2010-05-29T15:19:00.000-07:00

I am truly learning a thing a two about London weather. It can be quite different from day to day and even within a day how much the weather can change. Yesterday, the sun was beautifully bright, but this morning brought grey clouds above. I started out the morning going to Starbucks to sit and read while enjoying some iced tea. In my quiet time, I have been reading through the book of Joshua. What a reminder I had the other day of really making sure that I check everything through with the Lord BEFORE I do something. But a really sweet thing I was thinking about this morning was this. My very first Bible study in Morro Bay was on this beautiful book! What a wonderful study of living fearlessly and really listening to the voice of God. Every time we came across be strong and of good courage, I was reminded of a song that my 5th grade teacher taught us to help us remember this verse... one that has stuck with me for that long. On the day we announced to the church we were moving to London as God had called us there, Pastor Tonye had us go into the congregation to be surrounded by people to pray for us. As we were finishing up the prayer time during the first Sunday service, a lady took hold of my arm and told me that she wanted me to remember this verse. Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." My strength comes from the Lord. I am not where I am sitting here in my bedroom in London if it weren't for the Lord's calling. He has commanded me to be strong and of good courage. Not to be afraid or dismayed because He is with me wherever I go. What a glorious thing to know that He is with me. Knowing what it says in Hebrews 13:5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." Being content with the Lord's presence! With all that He has so generously blessed me with. I am so grateful to be able to call Him Abba, Father. I am His! Colossians 1:16 says "For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him." I was created by Him and for Him. He knew my name before I was formed. What an awesome God we serve!

Before I left Starbucks, the rain started falling. It was such a soft quiet rain today. So beautiful as it fell. We ventured out to the grocery store to buy food for dinner and for the next couple of days and then returned home to relax and enjoy some time just watching a movie while the rain continued to softly fall. After dinner, we enjoyed worshipping our God Most High and the moment we finished, this beautiful song bird began chirping as if he were joining in our worship. Hubby and Pt are out on the streets tonight to minister to whomever the Lord has set out for them to minister to.

Tomorrow looks as if it should bring the sun to stay for the next couple of days, but I can't put away the umbrellas or the wellies just yet, because you never know when the next rain just might happen to appear.

And Again!

2010-05-27T04:46:00.003-07:00

I realise that I am a bit behind with posting blogs. With not having internet at the house it makes it a little more difficult to get a consistent internet connection long enough to type out my thoughts and happenings :) So, to catch up...

Monday: We spent the day looking around for used furniture. We still don’t have furnishings for the reception rooms. But, we do have a couch coming and two chairs. We journeyed to Hackney to check out a used furniture shop, but once we finally found it, they were closed. We walked for a very long time... I am learning to love to walk. It’s a great time to talk with God and observe the people and city around me. It’s a great way to get to see areas of London from the ground perspective rather than looking out through the bus window or not even seeing the area when on the underground.

Tuesday: David and I were blessed to have a date day! We haven’t had a chance to really do that since we got here! What an awesome day! We walked... and walked... and so much FUN! We journeyed over to the FREE British Museum. After, we walked to a small food market just to check out the prices. Shared a cup of tea at Yum Chaa in Soho area. We journeyed over to Kensington where we got a cheap lunch at Waitrosse (a grocery store) and enjoyed it in the park. We then walked around a bit more hopped back on the train back to Soho area. We walked through China town and then Tottenham Road which has some fancy shops that we just basically looked at through the window. Finally, I was exhausted and decided that I was ready to go home. What a great day to be together, pray together, just to enjoy each other’s company and enjoy this beautiful city that the Lord has placed us in.

Wednesday: Yesterday was Ruthie’s birthday! We started out the morning with our Bible Study of the Harmony of the Gospels which I am learning so much from! We spent our time reading and discussing Jesus’ baptism. What a beautiful thing to read and ponder on. After that, we had lunch at a noodle place. YUM! And then took an adventure to the zoo. It was fun to see all of God’s creatures that have been so uniquely made by Him. The hardest part was reading all the Darwin stuff they think they have to add at any little chance they can get. It reminded me of going through the different science classes I had gone through at the JC. How grateful I am to have the true word of God to know that I have been uniquely made by Him and for Him! I enjoyed the salt water aquarium section. The fish that live near coral reefs are so vibrant. This one fish that I saw had the very distinct pattern that really looked like it could be a fabric. And to think that on some of the plaques, they stated that some of these creatures have been recently found. It makes me wonder what other beautiful fish are still out there and how intricately designed they were. After the zoo, David and I headed home to make some pasta for dinner! I am truly blessed by the ability to cook in our own home. The first couple of weeks were the hardest in that we were collecting things so that we could cook and now I feel like we have some things to make that a bit easier. The real treat will be when the crate comes because I have all of my pots and pans and some baking stuff on there. Then I really will be in business.

Today: David and I are sitting here with the girls as they do their schoolwork. It will be a nice day of being home, reading the word, spending some time with Te and getting to enjoy this blessing of a house that God has provided for us.

Update from London!

2010-05-27T04:46:00.001-07:00

I just wanted to give an update of how amazingly awesome things are going! God is sooo good! And we are so excited to continually be watching Him work in our lives and the people around us!

Last week, we had a full week of this and that, but one of the highlights for me was touring the London history museum. It’s funny to think that in a sense, I have to relearn history as I know so little about the history of England, let alone the specific history of London. The museum was helpful in the fact that I actually feel like I know a few things about the history of this great city we are living in! I had no idea the history of London went as far back as it did. America is sooo young and this city is not so young. To learn about the earlier settlers, the black plague, the great fire and the international inhabitants in between. To know that London has really always been a very international place! It amazes me to think that this area once was the hub of sending out missionaries to all parts of the world. One thing that blessed me was seeing a couple of plaques that talked about the Lord. I took pics, hopefully I can get them up! The architecture is also astounding! So extravagant! After visiting the museum, we were looking for a place to eat. We came across St. Paul’s church. I basically felt like the smallest little nothing compared to the ginormous size of the building! I wish we could have ventured inside, but it costs a bit to enter.

Another highlight of the week for me was actually on Sunday. We attended Calvary Chapel Westminster and the message really stood out to me. I was completely blessed. The passages were Galatians 6:7-9: Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. What an awesome message to hear in this season! What am I feeding myself? Am I feeding the flesh? I never want to grow weary in the Lord’s work. I love being right where the Lord will have me, to be available to Him and the divine appointments He will provide for me and both David and I as a couple.

Today's fun adventure!

2010-05-16T11:10:00.000-07:00

Today being Sunday, we ventured out to South London Calvary Chapel! It took awhile to get there and since it was our first time attending, we thought it to be wise to leave 2 hours of travel time. One thing that we are learning quickly that although public transportation is a HUGE blessing, it can still prove to be a bit difficult when trying to get somewhere when you have a time crunch. You have to plan for things taking a bit longer and always read for cancellations or re-routes etc. This morning, we planned to journey on the bus which included a bus transfer part of the way there. We made the transition smoothly and even found the church quite quickly for never having being there. We were greeted by the pastor and others from the fellowship. I felt right at home :) As the message began, we opened our Bibles to Luke 16:1-13. The pastor spoke on being good stewards of our time, talent and treasure. What an awesome message to listen to as we begin the church planting journey. Being a good steward and not wasting that of which the Lord had so graciously given me. As I align myself with His will, I am challenged to be sure that I am making good use of the time allotted, that I am using the talents He has blessed me with to glorify Him, the only One worthy of my praise, and to share the treasure of my salvation in Him with others around me. I was reminded again in worship that we are to be lights in the community around us, whether here or there, you can't just turn it on and off. Always let your light shine brightly in Him.

T

A picture...

2010-05-15T09:32:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to update our blog with a couple of pics of our new home! I know that I am slacking greatly in the photo department mostly because I haven't been taking my camera around with me because it is heavy. But hopefully that will change as we take less trips to Ikea and take more around Camden Town!

This is a view looking out to the left from our loft window. Our room is soooo cute! It's on the top floor and has slanted ceilings with ceiling windows that are short enough for me to look out!!!

So, I know that this is only one, but for whatever reason, my computer is not letting me upload anymore. I think my connection is too slow and my pics a little too big. But, if we are friends on facebook, you can check out more images there! And hopefully soon, I can figure out my problemma:)

London through my small eye...

2010-05-14T03:12:00.000-07:00

First of all, I am loving getting to know the area. London is so city and so beautifully old! The streets are a bit complicated and when the sun doesn't shine, it's even harder to know what direction you are headed. Instead of streets running parallel with one another, they are very curved and angled, so if you think you can just cut across, guess again. Sometimes, I wonder what direction I am headed. It's even funnier when I get off the train, because then I am really turned around!

People are so friendly in the area we are living in! They are all smiles :) :) :)

Even if the sun is shining bright in the morning, that doesn't mean that it will be like all day, as noted yesterday when it started raining on us. Good reminder, always keep the umbrella handy!

It takes longer than expected to get around when using public transportation and walking. Good shoes are a necessity. Flip flops? No bueno.

In Camden town, hair salons are as common as cafes.

Thanks to friends from Morro Bay, I knew what a falafel was before I came here. Good thing!

There are some beautiful older churches that are astounding to look at. So much history!

It's hard to walk on a moving bus. It sure was funny when it stopped and I was half way down the stairs (double decker bus). Banged my knees into the side of the staircase and had people laugh :) Oh, and when super tired from walking around Ikea, don't run up the stairs at the station in bear paw boots. It is really easy to miss one and fall. People then turn around and laugh.

It's fun getting used to a whole new culture! It's definitely a new adventure!

T

Sunday Blessings!

2010-05-11T16:18:00.000-07:00

I do realize that it is already Tuesday night and I meant to post this on Sunday but I kept forgetting to email myself what I had typed up on my ipod while riding the train from church back to Camden in order for me to update the blog, but I finally have!!! I am trying to get on top of these things :) I think once we have broadband in the house it will be much easier :) So, here where my thoughts from Sunday!

Sunday
This morning we made our way over to calvary in Richmand area. We were so blessed by the message this morning. As this is the second time we have been able to hear Pastor Rob teach and both times the Lord has used him to speak on something so pertinent to what David and I have been going through especially in regards to being missionaries and church planting. The last time he taught it was in regards to prayer. This time it was in Acts 13 where Paul had been speaking and the during the second sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God as stated in verse 44. It goes on to say how Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said that it was necessary that the word of God be spoken to them speaking to the Jews who had rejected it so they turned to the Gentiles. Also it speaks of them being lights to the Jews. So interesting as we have clearly seen the need of the messae to be proclaimed to the ends of the earth and have obeyed God's calling to move us to London to be used by Him to be His vessel, to be a light in the community showing them the love of God and telling them how much God loves them and wants a personal relationship with them. As I am pndering this message I am reminded of God's love for me that I am no longer an enemy of the Lord but I am His child adopted into His kingdom. It's quite simple in the fact that I have excepted His gift of eternal life knowing the way to the Father is through His Son, Jesus, who came to the earth as atonement for my sins that I might no longer be separated from God. And He has given me His Holy Spirit to dwell with me. I am ready in this season to be used by Him and to see the great work He is not only doing in me but around me. The people here need Jesus just like everyone else who does not know Him or have a personal relationship with our Lord and Saviour.

It's so exciting to be here and to see how the Lord has already been giving me small glimpses into the endless possibilities of what He just beginning to do here!!!!

t

Latest and GREATEST!

2010-05-08T04:56:00.000-07:00

I know that we have promised the update, so here it is!

Today, here it is Saturday. It is dreary outside and cold. But, we are praising God for HIS goodness over this past week! I guess I can start from when we were back in the states... Everything went smoothly with our flight. We arrived early with plenty of time to go through security, etc. That left some time to wander the shops in the airport. We boarded the plane and we were so blessed to find that we didn't have anybody sitting next to me. We were seating the middle of the row that is 5 across, so how nice it was to be able to spread out a little bit and then to be able to get up and stretch without having to ask someone to move every time! Once we arrived in London, Pastor Tonye and Chante came to great us and help us with our luggage. Another HUGE blessing! We had a total of 4 50lb bags and 4 carry-ons. So, with so much to carry, it would have been extremely hard for just the two of us to make our way to Camden Town with all that stuff. The Lord totally provided exactly what we needed! He never fails! We found a place to stay in Camden Town for a couple of days and have been booking things on an as needed basis. That will end on Tuesday! As the Lord has totally provided a house for us! AMAZING! It will suite our needs perfectly! With 5 bedrooms, 2 reception rooms, 2 full baths, 1 wash closet, full kitchen, and a small backyard! It is walking distance to a massive park, the tube stop, bus station, grocery stores, etc. God is so good! It is more than I could have ever imagined and I am so blessed by God's provision. As we have been walking in faith through this whole thing, it is just another testament to what the Lord can do. Another really incredible awesome God thing was His provision of phones for us. We were expecting to buy pay as you go phones and as we were looking around, we found the cheapest bottom of the line practical phones. As we were checking out, it worked out that we only payed for our minutes instead of paying for both minutes and phones. AMAZING!!!!

To end with this, we are so excited to be here and know that God has gone before us and is continuing to go before us in all that we do. He provides as He sees fit and as David and I trust in Him and His provision, we keep our eyes focused to closely on Him knowing that even when things seem crazy, God knows everything that has happened, is happening, and will happen. He knows how every situation will work out. This whole entire thing has been so intricately planned out by our Father in Heaven! All glory to God! All the while, I have been reading Deuteronomy! How incredibly pertinent!

Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support! I am hoping to get on here sometime next week once we are in our new home and post pictures!

In London

2010-05-07T02:59:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update to say that we made it to London! It is now our third day and we are continuing to hunt for flats. Our Internet is not consistent yet but hopefully soon we will actually be able to find time to sit down and post a longer update. But for now we will keep it short as my itouch battery is about to die:) More to come soon

Back from our vacation...

2010-03-28T21:39:00.000-07:00

We arrived back at "home" yesterday afternoon after an incredible trip of having fun, relaxing, spending time with each other and with the Lord, listening to gifted speakers at the children's ministry conference, and acting like excited little kids running around in Disneyland. All this fun has made me realize the simplicity of God being so good and how amazing his provision for us is! He has surrounded us with so many great believers! Many that are quick to listen, quick to pray and surrender to the Lord, amazing friends and family...

I know I keep going back to the scripture found in Isaiah 55:8 that says, "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord.", but God has been reminding me so much of this scripture throughout this time of transition. He allowed me to read through these verses at the perfect timing being during the beginning of the prayer stage of this journey. Anytime I start to feel a bit overwhelmed, I am brought back to that place of full surrender and am reminded that the small box I can often shove God into is the wrong place for Him. In fact, He is so much bigger than that small box of mine, it makes me feel so silly that I would ever even attempt to have everything figured out before His timing. Praise God that He is so patient with me and that He loves me so much! He is so gracious! I think being able to be away from phone/email etc allowed me to give complete surrender to God and allow Him to do the prep work. As I was reminded this weekend by PT's teaching, it is my job to obey and as God works through the rest and goes before David and I preparing the way, those details that seem to be so overwhelming suddenly become so small and the bigger picture shown is that of bringing Jesus and the gospel to these people in such desperate need! The end is Jesus! What a blessing it is to be used in this way. As we continue to keep our eyes fixed to Jesus, I am so overwhelmed with excitement to see what miraculous things God is going to do, what He is doing, and look back and see what He has done! Thank God for being a God of miracles!

T

9 Weeks from today!!!

2010-03-02T22:19:00.000-08:00

Hi friends and family in Christ!

Just wanted to give you all a quick update on a very exciting day! I just realized that we fly out exactly 9 weeks from today. Which is just about 2 months away! God is doing some amazing things in our lives during this time of extreme faith! He brought me to Mark on Sunday afternoon before our weekly London team meeting and was showing me how He provides in the most awesome ways!

This particular chapter I was reading is Mark 6 starting in verse 30 going through verse 52. Jesus has been teaching the multitudes on whom He has compassion for (verse 34) because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. It became late in the day and His disciples came to Him and told Him to send them away so that they could go get something to eat. Jesus, in verse 37, tells the disciples to give them something to eat. They thought they should go and spend denarii on bread, but Jesus asks them in verse 38 how many loaves they had. They found 5 loaves and 2 fish. Now, to us, doing the math in our logical brains, that clearly is not enough to feed the multitudes. But, what we can often forget is that God's ways our higher than ours and His thoughts are higher than ours as found in Isaiah 55. Jesus was able to feed the 5,000. He blessed the food and all were able to eat and were filled (verse 42). And in verse 43 it says that took up 12 baskets full of fragments and of fish. Not only did Jesus feed them all, there were leftovers.

I think God brought me to this particular passage to really show me that I need to continue to grow in my faith. As God is stretching me more than I have ever been stretched before, He is reminding me that He is still in control and while things may seem humanly impossible, With God, all things are possible. We are being obedient to His calling and are following Him one step at a time and as we continue to move ahead at His pace, He never disappoints. It is awesome to watch God work in such a way that you know without a doubt that it is His work. Being called to London to be a vessel to bring the gospel to people who so desperately need Jesus. I want my heart to be open to God, to not have any doubts or backup plans, but to truly walk in faith knowing that He will take care of all the details as we follow Him daily!

God bless you!

Calvary Chapel Paso Robles

2010-02-21T21:17:00.000-08:00

Hello friends and blog readers! God is so GOOD! Today we were blessed with visiting Calvary Paso with Landon (another from our London team for those of you who might now know him). We had the privilege of leading worship and then also had a booth set up in the foyer for before and after service. It was set up with one of our awesome London "meet the team" boards, some of our handouts, as well as Landon's laptop that played the London promo video on loop. God totally had this uniquely set up as "missions Sunday" in Paso without anyone in particular setting it up that way. They had invited a guest speaker from Gospel for Asia www.gfa.org sharing about India this morning. He touched on Mark 9 and 10 where it talks about children. He also showed some slides of some children in India and played a short video in the end and explained a bit of how you can get involved to reach these children through their bridge of hope program. Praise God for the work He is doing through this organization and others like it to bring the gospel to these children living on the streets! With no hope, they are hearing about Jesus and learning to read in His word, then sharing with their families this good news! It is so exciting to see the work that is going forth!

Right after worship during second service, Pastor Aaron brought up a gal who just recently returned from a trip to Haiti. She was part of an organization of medical relief people who went in and set up clinics and such for this torn apart country. Please continue to pray that God will use this to spread His gospel forth! That these people will turn to Him in their desperation and realize that their pagan ways will get them absolutely no where!

After service, we manned the London Booth and we were excited to talk with people about God's calling on our lives to London. It was extremely encouraging to speak with people who said they would be praying for us and were excited to watch God work over there. Knowing that God is raising up state siders to support us in both prayer and finances is so awesome! We get to watch as people are excited to be a part of what God is doing and to see this area transformed by His gospel. What a HUGE blessing it was to worship with this fellowship this morning and how perfectly God orchestrated this "missions sunday."

God bless you!!!

Online Giving

2010-01-29T12:27:00.000-08:00

YAY! We are up on Shepherd's Staff! Very exciting! This website is set up so that you can give gifts online. We encourage you to send us our support via this system! Thank you so much for all of your support! Both prayer and financial!!

To find us, go to www.shepsstaff.org and go to their missionaries tab to find us under Park.

God is so good!

Click on our Picture to view Care Team sign up page!

2010-01-20T06:39:00.000-08:00

Thank you for showing interest in our Care Team. These are the different Care Teams and their responsibilities:

Communication Team - It all starts here!

Receive updates from us, Send us letters, Communication Hub between all care team members, Organizes monthly SKYPE with available care team members

Prayer Team - Prayer warriors!

Receive prayer requests from us, Committed to daily prayer, Follow up on prayer needs as they get communicated from the field, Set one clock in the house to London, time as a reminder to pray, Coordinate a monthly get together with other prayer support members to pray for us

Logistics Team - Tying loose ends and connecting ties!

Getting any of the following to London

Worship CD’s, Teaching CD’s, other tools and resources, fun things from home, mail, needed ministry items, etc., Contacting teams headed to London and sending needed items back to them, Help sell belongings that haven’t sold yet, Responsible for coordinating furlough back to the states

So, please pray about the possibility of joining, then click on our picture to take you to our form to sign up.

God bless you!!!

CARE TEAM MEETING!!!

2010-01-16T10:29:00.000-08:00

YAY!!! We are so excited to be having our first CARE team meeting today at 4:30 at church! It will be great to share our vision and the Lord's calling on our lives to move to London to spread the good news of Jesus! We will be talking about the in's and out's of our CARE team and how people can sign up and get involved. Hopefully we will be able to post a form to allow those who can't come today to sign up to be a part of our prayer team and receive our monthly newsletters on our website. If you are interested in being a part of our CARE team and want to email us of how to get involved, please email us.

God bless your day!!!

Missions Conference 2010!

2010-01-10T21:02:00.000-08:00

Woohoo! This last week, I (trista) had the privilege of attending my first calvary missions conference! It was such a HUGE blessing and I am so grateful the Lord gave me the opportunity to attend. Unfortunately, David was not able to attend but God already had a perfect plan for that week for both of us! I just want to share a couple of really awesome things that the Lord showed me while I was there.

Our crew from Shoreline journeyed down to the conference on Sunday afternoon after third service at church. The weather was spectacular! Beautiful clear sunny warm skies led the way! Monday was the actual kick-off day, so it was nice just taking our time down to the conference. The greatest part about is was when our car arrived, the other car was out to dinner so I took my bag up to room where I found 6 beds with me being the only one there. I at first had the reaction of, OH WOW! I am here all by myself...no David and like a thousand beds! I proceeded to test ALL the beds...just to make sure they would be completely comfy for all one of me! After I picked my bed, I sprawled out and was so blessed to just spend some time alone with the Lord with absolutely NO distractions in all quietness. I landing myself in Colossians 1. What a beautiful chapter! Later, I did find that I did have roomies and was very glad to know that I wasn't going to be all alone for the entirety of the conference and was very blessed by their company.

Monday morning was the kick off to the week and of course, God has a funny way of reinforcing things He wants us to be learning. So, where did our first speaker end up? Right back in Colossians 1:27-28 which says To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. Completely bringing me back to my previous night of study and reminding me of our call as Christians. Warning every man...Teaching every man! We have such a beautiful responsibility as Christians to spread the gospel and how beautiful God was bringing me back to the foundational reason of why David and I are moving London! To spread the good news! Amazing!

Later that night, I had the privilege of sitting with two amazing godly women one of which is a missionary in London! AWESOME! She and her husband, still newlyweds, heard the call and recently made the big move! What an encouragement to me it was to sit there and talk with her! Someone who just went through the whole process and is on the other side! God has been putting so many people in our lives right now as He is putting together this intricate puzzle of moving to London to spread the gospel. Even though it's a tough journey to go through visa processes and job hunting etc. God is making this journey utterly effortless as He so graciously adds one piece at a time and all David and I have to do is follow obediently. Thank you God for going being for us!

God continued to bless me throughout the rest of the conference with conversations, and divine appointments and messages that He had already set out for me prior to me being there. And while I could continue about every last detail, I will have to say that one of the funniest moments occurred one evening as Jana and I had walked back from a time of worship and were just entering our lodge area when a woman came out of her room and started asking in a heavy accent for a hair dryer. But of course! I totally have a hair dryer and probably most definitely look like I would! After a slight hesitation, I offer it to her and as we are walking to our room, she asks if I am from London! I respond with, no, but I am moving there in (Lord-willing) in April!

Counting Our Blessings!

2009-12-19T15:41:00.000-08:00

As I am pondering God's goodness during this Christmas season, I am so grateful for the exciting season the Lord is bringing us in to. I know our God is faithful as long as we are obedient and we are so excited to be embarking on this journey together. After seeing an update on the Shoreline.blogspot page, I was reminded of all the people in London that need Jesus and how incredibly blessed I am to have been brought up knowing Jesus and having a Bible of my very own. God is burdening our hearts for this area more and more.

Please pray that both of us will continue to keep our eyes fixed on the Lord and off of any discomfort we may encounter and through any words of discouragement.

Thank you so much for your daily prayers!

Just as a reminder:
Romans 10:13 - For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."
Another couple to think about that follow:
Romans 10:14-15 - How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!"

Check out this AWESOME website!!!

2009-12-06T21:41:00.000-08:00

Brought to you by Luke and Frida Merrill...

www.shorelinelondon.co.uk

Praise God for His AWESOMENESS!

Please keep the Holydes and the Merrills in prayer as they proceed to travel to London for a scout/prayer trip! It is so exciting to see what the Lord will have in store for them during this trip!

Welcome!

2009-12-03T08:06:00.000-08:00

In case you haven't heard, David and I are moving to be church planters in London! Lord willing, we will be leaving sometime in April and would love to keep our friends and family updated with pictures, current events, and prayer requests on this blog! So, thanks for stopping by and we will post once we have things to update! God Bless!

http://gallery.me.com/robin.meaney#100109