Recap and Reentry.

I confess, I am a horrible blogger! It's been too long since I have updated. Forgive me! So lets begin!

I am now home and in the USA after 5 months in Panama, Central America; I successfully completed and graduated from my Discipleship Training School with Youth With A Mission. I spent the 5 months all over Panama and in Costa Rica for 2 weeks as well. I was stretched and pushed in every part of my life during that time.

When we began our outreach I decided that each day I would write down at least one thing that I learned. Some are simple, some are big, some are silly, and some are "serious". I thought I would share these things that I learned.

Outreach Lessons... November Lessons.
1. Invest in people, listen to their stories, and learn from them. Focus on the good and not the bad in people.
2. Work with your entire heart, don't half do it. God wants your best, even if you don't like what you are doing.
3. Be open to different ways of minstering. God can give you a heart for the people you are serving and that style of serving.
4. We live for an Audience of One. We work for God! Even if we don't see the entire picture, God wants and desires our best, in every part of our life.
5. Remember Mary and Martha... sometimes you have to stop working and spend time and invest in other people.
6. Share. Trust that god will take care of everything, especially finances. (On this day- God provided me with 40 extra dollars :))
7. Take every opportunity to share the Lord.. it may be there only time to hear about the Lord.. even if they are drunk. (I gave my testimony to a gym full of drunk people that yelled the entire time.)
8. Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord. Don't settle. Just wait- God will reveal His plan. There is beauty in the waiting.
9. Be thankful for those around you.. take time to uplift and encourage them. James 3. Accept people's differences.. that is how god made them and made us.
10. Be flexible... sometimes it's good to just go with the flow.
11. Do you remember that evangelism is a lifestyle? It's not something that you go and do.
12. Love people for where they are and who they are. See them in God's eyes. Are your actions causing others to stumble, sin or become frustrated? Deal with the root of any problems.
13. Don't underestimate yourself. God can use you even just the way you are.
14. Take time to enjoy life and to spend tiem with people. Trust that God will meet your wants along with your needs.
15. Step out of your comfort zone. Let God use you where He wants you.
16. Enjoy life.. even the little things, like getting McDonalds.
17. You can learn something from every person- it all depends on your perspective.
18. Listen to the Holy Spirit- don't take every "bad" feeling as something wrong- ask the Lord what He desires in the situation, it may just require you to be uncomfortable and to stretch yourself.
19. There is no seperation of spiritual and physical. It's yep- both. (Everything is Spiritual by Rob Bell.)
20. The Lord provides big and small, even bacon.
21. Laughter is a gift from God- enjoy life. Proverbs 17:21 We have a lot of plans in our hearts, but it is the Lord's PURPOSE which prevails.
22. Everyone has something to share, everyone shares differently- be open to their methods.
23. God is to us as we were to the Mother Theresa patients. They depended compeltely on us and the nurses to feed them and keep them clean, to love and spend time with them. Be grateful for the health and well being you have.
24. Be where you are today. Let tomorrow worry about itself. Be where you are 100%. Sing, clap, dance, enjoy life.
25. Family isn't just those whoa re blood related it's the ones who have been there the ones that support you and love you.
26. It's hard to look for the good everyday- it's easy to get sucked into self-pity. But be thankful for what you do have and look for the good.


These are the lessons from November.. my ones from the other 2 months are in a different journal. These are things that I wanted myself to remember after I got home and got back into my normal things and habits. Which I am praying will not happen. :)

My time in Panama was such a blessing, I learned many things. I was blessed by my time with my team and with the people that we reached. We did many different types of ministry during our Outreach. I had the opportunity to experience many different types of evangelism. I am very happy to be back at home and be with my family. I miss Panama and my group but I know that God has plans for me in the future. I am currently praying about where God wants me in the "job field". I prayed about going to college this semester and really felt like God was telling me that I did not need to go to college yet. I appreciate prayers for me as I search and pray for a job. And also and prayers concerning re-entering in to the United States. That in itself is a process and a job. It is more difficult that I thought it would be.

Thank you for your prayer and financial support while I was in Panama. I am forever grateful for you all. Love each of you. I'd be happy to talk or answer any questions that anyone has about my journey. Love.
Bren