So I've been with my team for a week and already I feel like a different person. The Lord has taught me so much about Himself and how much He loves His children.  The hardest thing I've done so far on the trip is definitely working at the hospital for adults and children with cerebral palsy. The first day we worked there we were invited to "pray" with the patients. We helped walk some of the adult women to the men's area where a catholic priest walked around touching their hands as they (or at least the people who were able to) responded to...

     "Where do I go from here?" a question haunting me for the past three weeks as we come to a close here in Guatemala. Do I go to school? Do I go back to playing ball again? Do I stay home? Work, and save up for another trip? The possibilities are endless. Here's what I really wanted to know "Where will I find the most purpose?"      In all honesty, that was all spurred by fear. Fear of not having purpose. Of me being a nobody. I want to be somebody, we all do. I want to feel like I'm a part of something. Something bigger than...

Today, on May 5th, was my 19th birthday. It is also my last day in Guatemala. So, it is time to tip my hat to this season, and invite the next one in like an old friend.   What this season has shown me is that love is a choice. Love is something Christ knew so well. Christ was the embodiment of love, and He made sure to teach that to the people He met.   So, what are we doing? Besides that, what am I doing? When people are around me, do I love them like Christ? Do they feel the love of God? Do they feel a general tie to my spirit? These are questions I ask myself while...

To define unrequited love is unreciprocated or returned in kind. This love is purely worldly and not to be anywhere near the throne or mere hem of the robe of Christ. But, sadly this is what I fall into sometimes. I choose solace and solidarity apart from enjoyment of people's company. Now, this kind of love I have not practiced 100% here, but I have fallen into it. Especially when I have one of my emotional spats or I wake up groggy and not realizing that life is to be lived. I was brought to such a vast realization of this when I wasn't releasing a friend of mine fully to the...

     That funny moment when you have your own agenda for your life and God does completely opposite of what you planned to happen. This seems to be a normal occurrence in my life and especially while on this trip.  Just when I think I got it planned out “perfectly” God throws a GIANT twist on the whole situation.      Take this trip for example; I came here wanting to find MY calling and MY future plans, but the problem with that is they were MY plans not HIS. Those selfish reasons I had for coming on this trip weren’t wrong, but they...

I knew coming into this trip I was going to stand out. Pale skin (so pale I sometimes glow), red hair, freckles, and bright blue eyes. I stand out everywhere, but in Latin America, this is amplified. I knew people would stare, I expected that, but I did not expect to be affected by it. And I definitely didn’t expect to learn from it.  Walking anywhere was not fun, consistent catcalls, yelling, and stares that gave me chills. I hated it. I hated going anywhere. But one day, after a little breakdown I decided to ask why. Why did God want to walk me through this? How could God...