Don't You Worry Bout A Thang

It's a quiet Monday morning here in the Waterflow Mission House. I'm sitting here eating some delicious peaches and cream oatmeal, listening to the coffee brewing. This dining table has become so comfortable for me. This entire house has! This large home that has been used over the years as a catholic school house that was then morphed into a safe haven for the drunken natives and/or Vietnam Vets to stumble into for a good nights sleep and a simple meal..and now it's become a home base for our team. There is a lot of history inside these walls, I love being in a place like this. A place that has seen life and death. I think I like it so much because I cannot even imagine the stories of the people who have resided here at one time or another. The stories of trouble, history, anger, and defeat; but also stories of God's compassion and his saving grace!! (which triumph over all)
Lynn and her husband Don, the owners of the Mission, never expected to be called into ministry on the reservation. The Lord had bigger plans for their life. They have been loving enough to open up their home to hundreds an hundreds of people. Can you imagine that? Their selflessness is such a beautiful picture of Christ's love.
God is like that a lot. We have these ideas of how we think we should live our life, we get wrapped up in so many things. And what relevance do they have? My encouragement to you is to open your heart to the concept that God has a bigger plan. Not only that, but allow him to let that plan run into motion!
As I have already expressed, a strong struggle of mine is being anxious of tomorrow. But why? Why do I always feel like I have to know everything, plan everything? Why can't I continually live every day knowing that God has provided me with EXACTLY what I need. He always will. If I feel like for some reason he hasn't, I've begun to learn to step back and reflect on why I feel unprepared or hurt or lost. It's at that moment that he opens my eyes and says, "Lindsey, my precious daughter, I love you. Not one thing can ever seperate you from my love. I will never, ever leave you or forsake you."
I know that if my God says that, I need to change my way of thinking in that situation. He knows a heck of a lot better what is really going than I ever will. How cool is that?! Ahh how he loves. It's amazing, unbelievable, so beautiful!!
And I know- for certain- that as my team leaves to begin our travels to South Africa this morning, his love will protect, provide, and prevail.
What a blessing our time has been on the rez. I thank my Savior for the ways he has grown me, and am very eager to see what else he has in store. Same goes for YOU! Love him where you are at, He will meet you there.


This is a picture of the front of Waterflow Mission. :)

Until Next Time, Bisti!

My emotions were high as our team left Bisti for the last time. God did work. The Holy Spirit breathed on me through these caring, loving, selfless people to open my eyes to a side of the Lord's love that I have never found myself in before. I felt like I was not sprinkled, not showered, but completely dunked in a pool of passion.
Speaking of pools.. Leroy and Rhonda (the pastor of Roger Deal Memorial Bapist Church and his wife) blessed us with a wonderful night of redneck and rezified hot tubbing! We took a couple loads of water from the natural well and filled a horse trough and three huge watermelon boxes for the twelve of us to soak in. The watermelon boxes were from the food donations that are made weekly to the church. A semi truck sized load of produce, breads, and sweets comes in weekly for RDMBC to hand out to families in the community and to offer to anyone who comes to the mid-week service. Hence the rez style tubbing! It was definitely one of the most memorable adventures from our time on the reservation.
We also had the opportunity to visit the Four Corners. Believe it or not- in my twenty years of living in Colorado, I have never been to the landmark! It was a great time goofing off with all my new made friends. After seeing the infamous X, we hiked around Shiprock- a sacred landmark to the Navajo people. It really is just a huge rock resembling a ship with an amazing natural wall of rock in its trail. The feeling of standing on the highest point to safely climb to (don't worry, Mom) was indescribable. Being surrounded by nothing but the Creator's creation made me feel so small but so loved and important at the same time.
The people I met and the relationships that we're built will forever be stamped in my heart. Harry, a 70 year old man that I had the honor of spending time with, works harder than any 25 year old guy I can think of. His nephew, Travis, is sort of like a gentle giant. He has the sweetest heart, the best intentions, the cutest laugh, and he sure does love his grandma! When you put those two together, any project will get done quickly and perfectly. Hands of magic!! Bulah and Brittanie are my fly, stylish sweethearts. Such beautiful young women of God that have already been through more trials and trauma than most of us see in a lifetime. I can't wait to see their smiling faces and feel there arms wrapped around me again! Then there is Cody.. Oh Cody. He is such a punk. But the little punk that you can't help but laugh at and love. If I had a little brother, it would definitely be him. He was on the same level of scaring me as Ryan and Kyle! Now that's an accomplishment. Uncle David is a hard working man that always tries to push your buttons and give you a good scare. His laugh and smile were contagious!
All I could think to help the tears lessen was that this was not goodbye.. But I will see you later!

Team photo at the Four Corners!

Me with Shiprock in the distance.

The church sign.

Our Navajo Reservation hot tubs!

Travis and me.

Pictures, pictures

Here are a few pictures of the last week in Bisti, New Mexico!

The front door looking out to the east in an old Navajo cave.

Fried bread, special made for Navajo tacos!! Delish.

A gorgeous New Mexico sunset with an old school building.

A beautiful wild mama horse with her baby!

Brenna an I smiling big!

Me, Cailee, Emily, and Hannah wearing our head lamps!

Beautiful Kaity Marko hiking up the ruins.

Chaco shot across the Ruin lands.

Good bye training, Hello Navajo!

What an incredible first few days it has been. Getting to know my team has been such a blessing! Together we have laughed, been challenged, cried, and have dived further deeper into a knowledge of God.

The president of Experience Mission, along with a few other staff leaders, have taken time to be a part of the kick off to the very first immersion program! It has been an unbelievably thrilling start for everyone involved- we cannot wait to see what the Lord has in store for us. It has also been a very humble beginning. In our American society, we have trained ourselves to be slaves of time. It is so easy to get caught up in where, what's next, and for how long that we miss out on what's right in front of us. Schedules constantly dictate how our minutes an hours should be run, but we have quickly learned that this trip will be far from that.

We originally planned on staying in a wonderfully generous mission family's home just west of Farmigton, New Mexico until the end of this week, but our plans rapidly changed when we heard of a remote community's need for a Vacation Bible School. Our team leader, Heather, along with EM staff member, Sarah, and president, Chris directed us to pack up our belongings so we could attend a Wednesday evening church service in a Navajo community..Bisiti. We were warmly welcomed, attended a beautiful time of worship an learning, then were fed with a feast made by these amazing people. (THE best green chile soup I have ever tasted). The service itself was spoken and sung in half English, half Navajo. After stuffing our faces, the pastor's wife, Rhonda, took us to a well a couple miles or so away from the church. Oh. My. Gosh. It was pretty much an all-natural hot tub. (If you have ever sat in the Combest hot tub, you know how hot we like it and this thing was definitely up to par). We came back to the church and spread ourselves out on cots to get a good nights sleep before yet another new adventure.

We have been learning to adapt to circumstances rather than making them adapt to us. It's quite the learning experience! Today, just like every other day, will be full of great surprises as well as a couple curve balls.. But we are ready!!

More pictures to come :)

Missing and praying for you all. Thanks for reading!!