My Life in Florida...

                So, my life in Florida? I received the idea for this post from Nela at "Beloved Star." What is the great state of Florida like? First of all, I need to specify that there are 3 different parts of Florida. The Southern tip that consists of  Miami and its surrounding areas is the first. Many of us Floridians refer to this as an extension of Cuba considering 99.9% of its inhabitants speak Spanish. "South Florida", the 2nd part of Florida, consists of a few cities, but mainly I think of it as Floridian suburbia and touristy beach shops (I inhabit this section). And then there's Northern Florida, which we choose to call Georgia. I can really only tell about "South Florida" although I have visited each of the other parts.

                Days typically start for me around 10am (during the summers). I wake up, grab a South Beach Diet protein bar, and drink a glass of Floridian orange juice. That's our main product here (other than tourism and sunshine). Idaho has potatoes, Iowa has corn, Georgia has peaches, well, we've got oranges  - tropical delicious oranges. My days typically vary but they're usually busied with shopping with friends, the beach, or going out for lunch with my sister. I live more in Floridian suburbia than the touristy area although I visit there often.

               Its weird always feeling like I'm always on vacation during the summer. The beach is only 30 minutes away from my house and we've got a pool as well, so I'm always prepared at any moment to go swimming. Even in January, we heat up the pool so while you northerners are ice skating we're swimming in the pool, or even sometimes at the beach. I guess this is something I feel like we can boast about here in Florida. Its the beachy atmosphere and I love it. Its amazing how you can walk into a restaurant sandy and in a bathing suit and cover-up and no one treats it as unusual. Its also awesome how you can facebook your friends the day before and meet up at the beach, go to the usual lunch spot, and grab ice cream in your bathing suit when you're hot sitting by the water.

              Many evenings I ride my bike around our neighborhood. The sun is setting the air is cooling. The day begins to wind down. In summer its light out in 8 or 8:30 which is rather nice. Its these days, I somehow manage to stay up til 2 almost every night. This probably isn't very healthy but that's just how the day goes I guess.

               Part of me wishes that I grew up in the "small town" atmosphere where everyone knows each other. I kind of enjoy the natural beauty of old rustic barns, corn fields, and quaint shopping plazas. I mean don't get me wrong there's nothing wrong with Florida's suburbs, planned landscaping, and international shopping malls, in fact that what makes my home what it is.

               O yes, another defining point of Florida is its weather. Wow, our weather here is quite bipolar. It can be a perfectly beautiful day with cloudless skies and yet 30 minutes later a thunderstorm can somehow manage to form. During the summer it rains almost every afternoon or evening. It also unbearably humid all the time here. But the rains and humidity add to its tropical feel. In the end I love my home state. Rainy, tropical, cultural, beachy, whatever you call it, to me its home.

A Higher Purpose.

God, let me be used for a higher purpose. I don't want to simply sit idly on the shore, waiting for a boat that never comes. I don't want to merely dream. I want to do. I want the desire to press on even when my passion runs dry. I want a bold fire that burns bright and large. Not so that the world will gaze at my fire in awe, but that they will see who the fire burns for. I want a higher purpose, I want a calling on my life - one that directs all glory and praise to you. This is my desire. But Lord, never let me forget it is You who called me. Let me not get caught up in the calling, but rather the Caller.

Arkansas.

For the last 4 days, I've been away. In Arkansas. Yes, a small and seemingly forgettable state, but really, when you get the chance to glance around, its also full of natural beauty and rustic grace. I feel like I could go on and talk about it, but instead I'll let you decide. Below are some pictures my sister and I took.

Haiti Round 2.

             So I just got back from Haiti this past Friday. The trip the second time around was just as amazing or even better than before. We arrived in Haiti Saturday and drove 4 hours to the city of Jacmel. The drive, although nauseating with all is twists and turns through the mountains, reminded me of my first trip. It allowed me to take in the feeling of returning to this "home" after the past year of living in America. When we arrived at our missions house, we immediately headed to work and ran through our VBS presentations for several hours. After dinner and a cold shower I was off to bed. The next morning, I arose early enough to catch the sunrise. I got up to the roof for my devotion just in time to watch colors of pink and orange paint the sky. I felt at ease. Calm. Rested. And Ready. Ready to take on the week ahead. After a group devotion our team headed to two different churches. In each church we visited, I encountered many friendly Haitians all willing and excited to praise God. Their hospitality and kindness to offer us the little they had moved my heart. We seem to have every pleasure here in America and yet are so full of greed and desire, yet there, they offer the little they have without remorse, fully realizing it was never theirs to begin with.
             Monday we took another four hour drive through the mountains to our next destination. In the afternoon when we arrived and did our first day of VBS for the children at the church. For the next 3 days we would be teaching these same children about Christ and camping out in tents at the very place where we taught. It was definitely a stretch. We peed in hole or in the forest, took showers out of buckets, and slept on the hard ground in our tents. It was then I realized that simple things like sleep or a quiet place to rest or even a toilet were luxuries not to be taken for granted.
              Monday and Tuesday night we went out into populated areas around the church and had Christian movie showings in creole. Each movie we showed was accompanied by a drama as well. On Tuesday night I performed in one of our dramas. The crowd was as large as 200 people. I was not only nervous in front of such a large crowd but also felt that my ability to perform would impact the lives of those in the audience. Stepping out in front of such a large crowd seemed terrifying at first, but as I continued to take the drama step by step God relieved my nervous heart and allowed me to perform wonderfully for his glory.
              On Wednesday we finished up VBS and rode back to the missions house. Running water and electricity were truly appreciated and I think we were all overjoyed to see our porcelain throne once again in the bathroom. After group worship and a restful evening we fell asleep and slept in late until Thursday, our last full day of work in Haiti.
              We started Thursday with street evangelism in the center of Jacmel and in the afternoon arrived at an orphanage. The children there had such joy. They were actively participating in each VBS activity and loved our crafts. The smiles they held were amazing. All were full of such love even in their hard situation.
              If there's one thing I learned on this trip its this: God will use us for great things as long as we deny ourselves and become His hands and feet. When I put aside my fears and my complaints, God stretched me and used me to accomplish His will in ways I'd never imagine. A year ago, I would have never wanted to lead worship for my mission team. A year ago I would have hated to go and street evangelize. A year ago I wouldn't have wanted to perform a drama in front of hundreds. But as I've grown in Christ I've learned to surrender my fears. And what happened? God has done great things. And I've loved it.

Guest Post: Few-and-far-between Friends

          As you read this, I'm in Haiti again on a mission trip with my church! So being occupied here, I've asked my sister (and best friend) to write a guest post for you all! She too has her own blog called "Sweeter than Honey." You can look at it here! Please check it out and even follow, her heart for Christ truly shows throughout her writing. So, without any further wait... I'll hand this post over to her!

Tonight I sit in my own room typing on my computer.  I'm alone and the room is quiet.  Click click click go the computer keys.  Right now I'm not drinking snapple peach tea or recounting the day's events.  I am not watching a silly romantic comedy that I have memorized because I have seen it too many times.  I am not talking about what God revealed to me today or passionately explaining how burdened I am for a certain ministry, country, or person.  I miss my sister.  Because if she were here, that's what I would be doing.


Over the past 17 years, my friendship with Brittany Audrey has really grown and blossomed.  And though we both now are beginning to separate paths- with me going away to college in the fall and her preparing to go somewhere else next year, I still know our friendship will survive.  After 17 years of cheesy chick-flick watching, crying, crafting, traveling, laughing, encouraging one another, eating Coldstone's together, and simply talking, I trust our friendship, with God's help, can survive just about anything.


One of the things I have realized I treasure most about our friendship is the honesty and accountability we hold each other to.  Since I recently led a camp group of 10 high school girls, I realized how few-and-far-between true accountability is.  It's difficult at my church to find a group of peers that you can be honest around- admit your faults and proclaim your victories to.  It's also even more challenging to find older women to look up to- to seek advice from.  


I think some of the biggest influences in how my life has gone thus far are these people- the accountability partners and mentors.  They have encouraged me to stand strong in God when I felt like giving up.  They heard me out when I did not know what to do or was overwhelmed with fear or doubt.  They proclaimed to me God's truth when lies were overcoming me.  


Of these, Brittany has been the most consistent.  It's beautiful how God puts people in our lives that help us draw closer to Him.  It's even more beautiful to know that mine is my sister- and that I can always count on her. 


Lissa Anne
Sweeterthanhoney119.blogspot.com/

Free.

                "It’s the moment when humanity
      Is overcome by majesty
                             When grace is ushered in for good
And all our scars are understood
                                           When mercy takes its rightful place
               And all these questions fade away
                                      When out of the weakness we must bow
And hear You say “It’s over now.”

-The Hurt & The Healer (MercyMe)

Cinderella Sunset.

             Tonight was another one of those evenings. Where the air tastes like cotton candy and the sunset smells sweeter than sugarcane. After a long day, I jumped on my bike and rode throughout our neighborhood - sprinkles misting, wind through my hair, the whole deal... it was gorgeous. The moon hung on one end of the sky slowly glowing as the sun set. And oh the sun... it and all its glory shone red with clouds of pink and orange. My word, it was gorgeous. It was like Cinderella's sunset, when she arrived at before twilight at the castle. I couldn't help but smile... You may say that I'm a dreamer... but I'm not the only one.