stories...

So, I realized that in the busyness of the last seven months, and the seemingly ever changing life I am currently living, I have not written some great stories of what God has done. I would like to rewind a bit, back to the end of October of last year... my journal entry for the 28th goes like this:

"I feel like I could jump out of my skin right now, I am so filled with joy and excitement! Yesterday, we heard where our main outreach locations are, and I know where I'm supposed to go! The story behind it is incredible too.

So, on Monday we found out our mini outreach teams (I'm going to Cheb), and on Monday night, Melody and I went to pray about mini outreach and also about where to go for main outreach. At one point I said, "God, I don't care where I go on outreach; I'll go anywhere! I just ask that you would speak to me tonight in my sleep, and tell me where you want me to go, because I really don't have any preferance, and I'll go wherever you want me to!" Later on, I asked Melody, "Wouldn't it be strange if  one of us felt led to go to some random country like...Bangladesh, and it wasn't on the list [they present to us tomorrow]?" I really didn't think too much of it because I wasn't even sure where Bangladesh was, and hadn't ever heard of an outreach team going there. 

So, as I was sleeping Monday night, I woke up four different times, each times hearing (audibly) "INDIA" so clearly. And two of the times I heard "Bangladesh" after "India".  I woke up Tuesday morning thinking how cool it was that I'd heard from God even before they [the DTS leaders] announced the locations, but I couldn't remember the 'B' country. I thought, "I guess I'll just put India as my choice if that an option, since I don't remember the other country." That morning at session we heard the outreach location: Afghanistan, Pakistan, Egypt, India, Nepal, Ethiopia, and Uganda. ...There will also be another team to India that won't be working with Pick A Pocket [as the Ethiopia and India hub teams will be]. After hearing that the main project would be creating a book for P.A.P. along with ministry, and that they wanted everyone's gifts too, even if it was not photography. ...Afterward I told Stephanie [my one-on-on, and the leader of the India hub team] that I really felt that was the team I should be apart of. She said, "That's cool, but just so you know this team will probably being splitting up and going outside of India, to Nepal and Bangladesh." I felt such a peace and confirmation, and explained to her what I believe God had spoken to me the night before! I am so excited to be apart of this team!..." 

As I look back on that day, it's such a blessing to know that I walked in obedience to God! I know I have been so blessed to have been apart of that outreach team, and my time in India and Bangladesh was definitely a blessing! I believe that the ramifications of God's voice to me that night are not fully complete, but it took the act of willingness to step into a team of photographers, give God what's in my hands, and expect Him to move! It is clear to me that He did on outreach, and I hope with the expectation of further fulfillment to return to India one day to continue the work of Christ! 

So, there is one story for now... I hope to continue sharing more details and specific stories from the last year, and my plans for what's next! 

Lindsey

LONDON

Buckingham Palace

Big Ben

Brighton, England

On my trip to England, we spent one afternoon in Brighton! 

The beach on the English Channel!

Ruth F. and I 

Home...

Well, on Tuesday night I surprised my family and returned home earlier than expected! They were expecting to have me home this Saturday, but to their shock I was home on Tuesday evening. 

It's been strange to be home. Life after DTS is something I still have to get used to. Thankfully I have a job that really suits my needs for assimilating back into American and home life. I am coaching middle school track and field, which is great because it is not too overwhelming, but it gives me enough stability so I don't loaf around too much. :) Plus, they have offered to pay me the full stipend for the season, even though I missed about a week. It's such a blessing! It also works out very nicely for the time period; the season ends the end of May, and I am planning (tentatively) to return to Germany in July. 

I don't have a whole lot of time right now, but hopefully I will be able to upload some photos soon from my trip to London, and the last weeks before I came home. 

Holding on to His promises, 

Lindsey 

Drawn From Water

One of the practical ways that Pick A Pocket is working to end extreme poverty, is by the orphanage that was started this year in Ethiopia. One of my leaders, Kristin, and many other students and leaders from my DTS, were so impacted my the situation in the Kara Tribe that they knew they had the responsibility to do something about it. Here is a video that was made about it by a man in California who heard about what we are doing, and also felt responsible. 

This is just one of the ways that we as a team are working to change the world, and the lives of those in great need. Hope you get a glimpse of what we are about... :) 

Blessings, 

Lindsey

mein Gott ist so gut (my God is so good)

Wow! The last week has been so incredible! God has really shown His hand of provision in my life! I went to London for the Pick A Pocket art retreat last Wednesday with 5 Euro in my wallet, believing that God would provide the money for me to stay and eat and travel in England. 

After we arrived in Stanstad, we had to take a bus to Gatwick where we were picked up by some of the YWAM staff that were taking back to Holmstead Manor (the YWAM base near Brighton, England). My dear friend, Melody, helped me pay for the bus ride and also the next for our ticket into London. Thank you, Jesus. Thanks Melody! I fasted several meals, not just to cut costs on food, but also out of a heart to hear from God about this ministry (Pick A Pocket), and whether or not He was calling me to join it. 

At the end of the week I was able to check my bank account and withdrawal 10 Pounds, but the cost for the week (for rent and food) was 48 Pounds, and I still needed money to get to the airport, and for the train ride back to Herrnhut. We gathered as a team (there were 36 of us, some joined P.A.P., some didn't) and prayed for release of the funds for me and the others who also didn't have the money (about 8 of us). By the end of the day all of our bills were paid! I don't know how it all came together (obviously God knows our needs!), but all of the money was paid for us to stay at Holmstead Manor. It was such a miracle. I even ended up with 10 extra Pounds! 

We ended up leaving in groups, and I came back with 4 others. Between the 5 of us we had about 45 Euro. We got to the airport and found out that the bus we needed to take to get to the train station didn't sell the ticket for 5 people, so we had to pay more, and buy individual tickets. When we arrived at the train station (Altenburg) we looked into buying the 5 person ticket, but the regional one that we wanted wasn't sold from the machine, and the only other ticket we could get was 137 Euro, which we didn't have. So, we got on the train and were planning on buying the right ticket on the train, but we really didn't have the money for the whole trip. And, we didn't find a machine on the train to buy a ticket from, so we prayed that either we would be able to buy one from the ticket collector, or we would be able to be "invisible" and not have to pay for that leg of the trip (about an hour and a half). It worked out. The ticket collector never came, and we were able to pay for a ticket at the next station for the next leg of the trip. Unfortunately, that ticket, though good for 5 people and only costed 28 Euro, expired at 3am, and we purchased it at 11pm. So, we got on the train in Leipzig, and made it all the way to Dresden (about 2 and half hours). We got to Dresden and had to wait from about 1:30am - 4am until we could catch the next train. By that time our ticket would expire. So, we sat in a circle and began praying again. Jardena (one of the girls with me) said she had some money in her bank account that was set aside for something else, but could be used instead for our next train ticket, so we prayed about that as well. 

After several minutes of prayer, we decided to share if we had any impressions. Taylor (the guy with us) said he had the picture of a trash can and a McDonalds cup with money in it... I felt like we would be blessed beyond what we would need, that we would not only have enough money for the train, but also for food. After hours of waiting around, looking thru trash bins, praying again, checking my bank account, etc.... we finally found a way to buy a cheap ticket, and Jardena withdrew some money to help cover the costs. 

We payed for a bus and the next train and another bus, and finally made it back to Herrnhut by 6:20am! What a day!!! 

And after a few hours of sleep, I checked my emails and my mom had emailed me telling me a check had come for me! She deposited $130 into my account! Wow! I am able to pay some bills here at the YWAM base, buy food for a few days, etc. God is SO SO SO faithful in providing in fantastic ways for our needs! If I ever doubted that He knows my needs, here is evidence that He surely does, and knows in which ways to provide for them too!!! 

Oh, how good and awesome our God really is! Glory! 

Hope you are experiencing Christ's incredible attributes too! 

Much love to all who read this, and I am looking forward to being in WA next week!!! 

Lindsey <><

p.s. sorry if this is written in a crazy way, i stopped and came back to it many times... hope it makes sense! :)