Church, Visitors, Birthdays, Engagements, and Thai-dal Wave

1. Church
Have I said how much I love this church I attend called LifeCenter Bangkok? The welcoming presence into the Spirit of God is so uplifting. I walk in and am greeted with hellos and ushered to the best open seats. Begin--rock out music. Seriously, I am bouncing around everywhere in the Spirit. It is awesome! More importantly than the feeling this church gives in my body and soul is the people that surround me during the service. WOW! The church is pretty young and they hold fast to 1 Timothy 4:12 like it is their only hope. The message this past Sunday was on Ephesians 3--somewhere around the middle of the chapter. The pastor reminded me of the power of God that we have when we are saved by his grace. He also talked about the commands we can offer Satan when he thinks he has control of our minds. Sometimes he thinks he can remind us of our past and makes us reminate on our mistakes and the life we could have lived for weeks, months, and even years. BUT NO--God has forgiven all our mistakes, all our "what if"s. God has given us the promise of new life in him and a glorious life it is. One that thanks Him for the past because it brought us to today and thanks him for the future because it will bring us to Him someday. Anyways, in the middle of my rant on this awesome power of God...I want to tell you about a family I met at church this week. First, a girl came up to me after the service and said she could feel my joyous presence behind her in worship and when she turned around she loved my smile (a great way to start any conversation ;-)). She said she wanted to come say hi and here she was. We started talking...her name is Anna. She has perfect English from university and living in UK for a year. I won't give you her whole life story...well, for one I don't know it yet..haha...but then she took me over to meet her family. To make a long story short, they were the highlight of my week...maybe even more! We started talking about dreams with her mom and her and Anna has a dream to start a hostel/seminary in Bangkok. We both are absolutely caught up in the idea of hospitality and providing a place for people to search and learn about God and also have a comfy space in the city. Basically, I left the meeting being kissed on both cheeks by her mom and hugged by her and I left with tears rolling down my face in joy. I felt like I had met my friend soul mate. So, I have no idea where this relation ship will go--we may hang out 4 times before I leave or never speak again...but I felt the Spirit of the Lord confirming my dreams in this family and it was the most amazing feeling! After I talked with her and walked away..I wanted to shout for joy! When I got home, I felt like I had just met a boy that I was wanting to know how long I should wait before I contact him for a date. It was hilarious! Please pray for these undeniable similarities and ties with Anna to blossom!! I will keep you updated.


2. Visitors
This week we have had two visitors from the States: Courtney and Dana. They have been a breath of fresh air and are so willing to learn and love on the people in our house and the Well. They are only here for a few more days but I have loved having them. P.S. Did I mention Courtney is from CARROLLTON, TX?? Creekview Alum. Shout out! It is a small world. 


3. Birthdays
As I am typing, the girls and I are waiting for our chicken tortilla soup to simmer for a half hour. We are cooking for Mr. Add's BDAY! He is 25 today and we are cooking him up a little taste of Mexico. We have also had a couple other birthdays at the Well we celebrated as an entire foundation last Friday...unfortunately I was not celebrating with everyone...more to come in #5. And I hear a rumor other birthdays are coming up soon ;-)


4. Engagements
This is a HALLELUJAH and a shout out to all the couples who are spending the rest of their lives together! I am so happy for you all and can't wait to jump up and down and hug you guys!


5. Thai-dal Wave
a.k.a. another name for a sickness that involve's Montezuma and Revenge. Yes, I finally got sick in Thailand. It was only for about a day and a half--before I took the meds--but it was not fun to say the least. So this is why I was not at the celebration on Friday. ok enough sharing on the internet.


Reminiscing...
Also, I have been reminiscent of my last couple summers of college. I have been so blessed to spend them with incredible people in incredible places. I seriously have been thinking about YHM and Black Hills a lot. I have been met with so many smiles in my heart for all the moments God showed himself. So, if you are apart of those times with me, thank you for being such a blessing in my life. And please now feel free to shoot me an e-mail and just catch up!


Well, that is so much information! I haven't been taking a ton of pics in the last week but here are the few that I have (LOVE YOU GUYS):

milk time!!!

Thai movie stars in the big market in Bangkok! just filming a movie...

strike a pose!

DIA. 

this is not a hug. muay thai fighting in our room, more like it.

Until then...

Like An Avalanche

So I'm listening to this song while I am writing this...
It was introduced in worship this morning and I think it's appropriate for life's happenings in the past couple days. I'd ask that you listen to it, too. At least while you read--it's a good one.

So the past few days have been wonderful--being at the beach and all. However, coming back to Bangkok and the reality of the spiritual warfare that exists in the city and at the Well was literally overwhelming today. The Well is not just a business--but a family and a family that looks out for one another when all hell breaks loose. Hell broke loose this morning and for the first time, I was involved with casting out demons from a woman here. It was the most powerful spiritual thing I have ever experienced in my life. The name of Jesus was power. The name of Jesus is power. I can't remember everything I prayed over the hour and a half--but the name of Jesus. Saying his name over and over and over until I was overwhelming--like an avalanche with his mercy and power, not only for this woman but for myself. This was the experience that some of us have been praying for here at the Well--something to push us to the edge of our seats and off our chairs. Something to break the strong holds Satan has on the lives of these women and us as staff. I want to put the staff out there most of all--me included. We all need the living water to rush through our bodies as the Spirit did this morning during worship time. Again, never before have I seen the Spirit so real and demons so real in comparison. It shook me and the face of the woman overtaken with grief but also praising my Lord is something I will never forget. Praise be to the LORD God Almighty for saving this woman through his power!

In addition--you can push repeat on that song if you need to--I should update you on the work that I have been doing at the Well. I have been Judy's--the business manager/clerk/jewelry inspector/Well mom/mom to 7 kids/cutest dresser ever/many more descriptors--assistant for these 6 weeks. I do whatever she says and may I say I have enjoyed it wholeheartedly. I have run errands, taken photographs, taken inventory, updated ledgers, copied sale tags, researched microfinance techniques, hung out with the women on the jewelry and metalworking floors, and much more to come. I am also working with the kiddos you have seen pictured in a previous blog from 8-11:15 MWF. On T/Th I am an English teacher extraordinaire. In English class today, we began by learning This Is Our God by Hillsong United, Tell Me The Meaning of Being Lonely by the Backstreet Boys, and Way Back Into Love by Hugh Grant and Haley Bennett. classy, I know. We then played Hang Man and Head-Up 7 Up...which is becoming a class favorite and they are getting so good! The best boss ever-Judy- is leaving in a few days and it will be a sad occasion but I will get to visit with her in the States because her family lives near Wheaton.

Please pray for the Holy Spirit to continue bringing power and strength and confidence into the Well. Also, for outreach tonight that God could provide my friends some comfort and light in their lives.

Love to you all!

Sun[burn] and Smoothies

Koh Samet.
smoothies.
finishing Water for Elephants.
meeting people from all over the world.
dodging bird-size mosquitos.
eating more food than we can dream imaginable.
laughing a ton.
one great weekend.
see for yourself!

waiting at the bus stop...it was 4 in the morning.

rainy/cloudy ferry ride.

crazy "riding a horse" pick-up truck bruise-your-back taxi ride to the bungalows

our bungalows!! I def recommend!

romance on the beach. jealous. haha

yes. their were puppies! on the beach. ahhh

pad thai. banana smoothies. on the beach. for less than 3 dollars total.

ROTI! crepe goodness.

magnificent

the travelers

monks!!

breakfast!

the sun finally comes out and makes everything beautiful...on the ferry ride home.

Joy Comes In The Morning

These are my four joys that come in the morning...

P.S. You are probably wondering why I don't photograph more while I am at the Well and this is because of the privacy of the women and other staff here. I am putting this video up of the kids because they are in direct contact with me for multiple hours a day...and they just love cameras! Please pray for them...as you watch their adorable faces.

Chop Mai? Chop.

Do you like it? I like. Begin the hotel madness. I want to work at a hotel. In Bangkok? Maybe.

Here are some pictures from the last few days of my life here.

This is the lovely Heather! She came over to visit the Well after just coming a month ago from Hong Kong. She did some legit video for promotional stuff. You can't really tell but she ate like the most spicy thing in the place and thought it was a good idea to put more chilies on top...her lips are ravenously red.

Another finished Thai tea. I have one everyday. 

Thai buffet--all you can eat and eat all we can we did.

MBK-largest mall in Thailand. sorry Thailand--America has got you beat...bad.

tuk tuk

hair braiding party! 

the thing on the top left is a Thai fruit. we kinda love them.

last night Hannah was here....sad! We miss you like crazy! Hope London is treating you well.

cool tree.

posing.

tuk tuk ride home.

The Banyan Tree hotel. 

getting up to the top of the hotel.

we made it.

now time to see the city in style!

Bangkok, ladies and gents!

mmmm

friends!

yes please!

Hillsong United in Bangkok!

This is about an hour after the concert was supposed to start and they cancelled the show because the drummer was electrocuted 6 times and there was two fires on stage...technical difficulties to say the least.

BUT...then people started praying and singing worship outside the venue and everything started working. At 10 PM, the concert finally started.

Front row in the bleachers! Short and simple...one of the best worship experiences of my life. So moving!

Bowling with some friends! Thai tea of course!

Flooding in Bangkok! It's rainy season! That's whats up.