12-8-2012 part 1.

I just want to start off by saying a big THANK YOU to everyone who helped make December 8th an amazing day!!!!!

This is the story of out engagement!! (sorry I am so late!)

As many of you know, I was so ready to get engaged to Jordan. I talked about it ALL the time! (I apologize to those of you who have known about this for a while, I am sure I drove you crazy!) But, Jordan and I knew that we wanted to marry each other, it was just a matter of time.

My family had planned a girls (plus Dad and Ryder) shopping trip to Chicago a long time ago for the weekend of December 7-9. I was so excited to spend the whole weekend with my sisters, mom, dad and nephew, and of course go Christmas shopping! Jordan was supposed to be working at the hospital that weekend, so I was thinking there was NO CHANCE he would be surprising me in Chicago (of course I thought about it happening, I am a girl, who wanted to get engaged). But I had completely convinced myself it wasn't going to be happening because Jordan was "working." Friday and Saturday were spent in and out of store, lugging out bags around and looking for the next best deal. When we had finished all our shopping, it was time to go back to the hotel and get ready to go to the Pier. We all put on our really cute outfits (thanks to my sisters, mom and Dana for making me pack the outfit that I did) and caught a cab to the Pier.

Before leaving (around 3:00 Central) I had texted Jordan asking if he was off work yet (he was supposed to be working frmo 8-4 EST). He told me no, not yet, but because of the weekend he would probably be getting off late. So, when we arrived at the Pier I tried to call him because he HAD to be off work by then, but he didnt asnswer, twice. Then I sent him a sassy text message because I wanted to talk to him since he had been at work all day, but he didn't answer (I am totally ok that he didn't answer now).

As my mom, sister-in-laws and I made our way through the Pier (I think it took us at least 15 minutes to make it all the way through), they all knew what was about to happen next. Me? I was still completely clueless. I thought we were going to meet my dad and Ryder at this Christmas tree to take some pictures and let Ryder play around a little. So, we finally make it to the room where my dad and Ryder were waiting, and all of a sudden Veronica starts running toward Ryder, but she turned around and started taking pictures of me, which I thought was weird, but still wasnt catching on. I was thinking "oh how sweet! She hasnt seen her son all day! I am going to take pictures of this." Not paying any attention to who is standing 8 feet away from me, Meg told me to give her my camera and to go get in a picture with my family. As I started to walk towards my dad, it was then, in the corner of my eye that I saw the most handsome man standing there with his suit and tie on. Immediately, I knew why he was there but all I wanted to do was hug him and kiss him!


I didn't want to let him talk! I was so excited he was there I didn't want to let go of his neck! But, I knew exactly why he was there, so I took a step back and thought to myself "try to remember everything he says to you, this is important!" And thankfully Jordan didn't say a lot, but what he did say will stick with me forever. He looked me in the eye and said " I love you so much Daly, and I want to glorify God with our marriage." Then came the moment I have been waiting for for a long time, he got down on one knee and pulled out the most beautiful ring I have ever seen. I immediately grabbed his face, gave him a big kiss and the longest hug (not even thinking he hadn't put the ring on my finger yet.) So, he took the ring out of th box and slipped it on my finger! It was perfect, everything about those 15 minutes was absolutely perfect. After giving him a few more kisses, we looked over at my family celebrated, took pictures and smiled ( a WHOLE LOT).

Honesty.

I am an email hoarder. I don't like to delete emails just in case some day I MIGHT go back and read them again. Well, at work I have been training a new call director and she is the complete opposite and encouraged me to clean up some of the clutter in my email. Almost 1000 deleted emails later, I de-cluttered my inbox. But, I still had some emails I just couldn't let go of.

So, today at work, I started sifting through some of them and came across some pretty encouraging emails. Most of these came from my time in Thailand. It is crazy how quickly I had forgotten so much of what happened over there [this definitely made me really sad]. How is it that after spending 7 weeks in Thailand, being completely vulnerable and experiencing so many wonderful things can be so easily replaced by the every day hum drum of life back in the states? The ability to see Christ in ever situation was so much easier over in Thailand because He was all we had to cling to. We did not have any of the comforts that we were used to [ex: cell phone, hair dryer, speaking our own language etc]. All we had was Christ and each other to push us through the hard times.

I am going to be honest with you all. This morning was one of those mornings I woke up and knew it just going to be like Alexander's "Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day". After my dentist appointment this morning, I was driving into work and wasn't really paying a lot of attention to the radio until I heard this song come on KLove. It is called "Promises" by Sanctus Real and here are the lyrics

Sometimes it's hard to keep believing
In what you can't see
That everything happens for a reason
Even the worst life brings
If you're reaching for an answer
And you don't know what to pray
Just open up the pages
Let His word be your strength

And hold on to the promises (Hold tight)
Hold on to the promises (Alright)
Jesus is alive so hold tight
Hold on to the promises

All things work for the good
Of those who love God
He holds back nothing that will heal you
Not even His own Son
His love is everlasting
His faithfulness unending
Oh, if God is for us who can be against us
So if you feel weak

Neither life, nor death
Could separate us
From the eternal love
Of our God who saves us

http://www.lyricsmania.com/promises_lyrics_sanctus_real.html

This is definitely what I needed to hear today. What a truth this song brought to me today. I may not have immediately stopped right there and realized it, but after sitting down at work it hit me. What promises am I holding on to? The promise that I can make everything go the way it needs to? The promise that I can change my circumstances? Neither of those promises will get me anywhere! Without the love and mercy of our Father, I am worthless. I need to hold on to the promise that God is in CONTROL. He is watching over me every single second of every single day. He will lead me where he wants me to go. These are the promises that got me through each and every day in Thailand. The promises that became so dear to me, I didn't ever want to live by any others. But, I am human, I believe that my own strength and power is enough. So today, I am going to hold on to the promise that Jesus is alive. He bore all my sin on the cross so that I could live and breathe another day! Oh how I want to live like this every day!

Family is a Special Thing

The past couple of weekends have been so full of joy! How could I not share with you all what a wonderful family I have been blessed with.

Two weekends ago, I made the trip home to Louisville to spend some quality time with my sister [in-law] and nephew. Friday night, Samuel and his friend Lane came to dinner, and boyfriend came along too! I do not think there is anything, besides Jesus, that bring more joy to my heart than sitting around the dinner table with my family. Saturday, we had made plans to visit Huber's in southern Indiana! Even though we only walked away with 2 apples and a pumpkin, I would say the trip was totally worth it just to see Ryder's face when he got to ride on the tractor.

 

When we got back home, it was definitely time for a nap. So, Vee and I made ourselves comfortable on the couches for a couple of hours! Now that we were well rested, Vee and I were ready to go shopping. I just want to stop and say how thankful I am to have two sisters who I just love to hang out with. While they may not be my biological sisters, I definitely feel like they fit so perfectly into our family that I finally have the big sisters I always wished for [sorry John, I used to wish you were a big sister, but I am glad you aren't :)].

And then Sunday. The day that Vee and I had been waiting for. The day that we would get to experience the best and most wonderful musical production, WICKED!!!!!!!!!!! While this is not the first time I have seen Wicked [its the third], it never fails to entertain and amaze me!

This past weekend was also such a fun weekend and full of so much joy. My BEST FRIEND GOT MARRIED!!!!!!!! I am so thankful I was able to be a part of such a beautiful day and could support such a wonderful couple that is coming together to serve and glorify the Lord. And, man, did she look beautiful or what!?

Not only did I get to participate in the wedding festivities, but I got to spend some much needed time with my other sister [in-law]. Meghan and Becky lived together for a period of time before Meg met John and got married. So, Meg was in the wedding too. Sisters are just great for so many things, but the advice that I get from Meg is something I treasure. She always helps me see the side of a situation that I fail to see, she is encouraging, but also honest [in a gentle, loving way].

But, I have to say. I would not have these sisters in my life if it weren't for my two brave, handsome and Christ-pursuing brothers marrying these amazing women. Chris and John, although I always wanted big sisters, I have to say that I would never in a million years trade you all to have that [I used to tell John all the time that I wish he were a big sister]. Thank you for everything you do, for serving our Country, and loving your wives! You all have set such an incredible example of what a godly man should look like .

And last, but certainly not least, my parents. I have always been thankful for my parents, but in the past couple of weeks I have been more and more amazed at how my parents love each other and our family. They truly are a great example of the kind of parents I want to be when I get married and start a family.

Lexington is fun

Recently, I feel like I have been asked this question a lot: "How is life outside of Georgetown?"  I can definitely understand the reasoning behind such question, however, I am very curious as to what people are expecting to hear. Do they want to hear how much I miss my college life? Do they think, life outside of college just isn't fun at all? Or do they think that post-college life is blissful and just want to know how it is?

So, here is my answer! :)

I love it.

I won't say there aren't days that I miss taking 2 steps away from my dorm room and being greeted by a group of sorority sisters procrastinating on homework to have a dance party in the hall way. But, I can say that I do not miss the constant stress of another assignment due, or the incredible amount of meetings there was to attend, or the caf.............

So, what is it that I love so much about post-college life?

Well, I got the opportunity to live in a cozy little apartment on Kirklevington Drive with my best friend before she got married... I was able to work with the Youth Ministry and hang out with high school girls all summer... I nannied (for a hot minute)... I layed out at the pool on my days off... I made new friends (one of which got me the awesome job I have now.. THANKS ASHLEY!)... I got to go on vacation and visit my brother and SIL...I got a new job (with big girl benefits and big girl hours)... I live in the same city as boyfriend (finally)... I get to live with my other best friend/sorority sister at the end of this month... I have been learning how to cook new things... I love being a regular attendee at Tates Creek Presbyterian Church and plugging into a Women's bible study... I am learning how to get around Lexington (on back roads!!)... I go to bed really early (I love sleep)... and I am so excited for what else is in store for me in Lexington! It is has been such a fun, crazy and exciting 4 months but I know this year is going to be full of so many new things that challenge me and make me grateful for everything the Lord has blessed me with!!

Best friend who is getting married

 

Part of our living room in our cozy apartment

[That paper chain was a count down until our boys came home from Thailand this summer... they were gone for 52 days!] 

 

High School Girls

 

New Friends and pool day! :)

 

North Carolina with John and Meg!

 

My very own desk in my office! :)

 

YAY Boyfriend

 

Learning to Cook new things!

 

 

 

In conclusion, I would say... life outside of Georgetown is pretty great! But, I do always love a trip back to the Phi Mu house to remind me of the wonderful and amazing 4 years I was able to spend there!

This picture is just for kicks and giggles (pun intended)

This sweet little nugget turned 2 years old this summer! He is just growing up so fast!!!

Who Knew?

Since my last post, I have been contemplating what my next blog was going to be about. I don't want this space to just be somewhere I come and rant about the happenings of my day [because not too many people care about the little itty bitty things I do every day...which at the moment isn't much]. I want this space to have meaning and to encourage, but also to be a place of reflection on the cool things I experience in this wonderful life the Lord has blessed me with.

Right before graduating college, I had a TON of freak-out-what-am-I-going-to-do-with-my-life moments. At the time, I didn't have a secure job, or any form of income. But, I knew I was moving to Lexington on June 1st and that the Lord would provide something for me to do.

Oh, what He had in store for me!! I was offered a summer internship position at Tates Creek Presbyterian Church with the youth group. I had been thinking that Youth Ministry was something I wanted to get involved with, and I am so very glad that I did. I have not ever had the opportunity to work with middle school or high school before my last semester of college until my friend Becky asked me to go on a spring retreat as a chaperon. We took about 60 students with us to Gatlinburg. What an experience!

However, after the retreat, I was hooked. I decided to commit my Wednesday nights to going to Youth Group and hanging out with the students I met on the retreat. I am so thankful that I did this. Even though I may not be sharing the Gospel or leading a Bible study, it was so good to go and hang out with the students.

We kicked off the summer with a mission trip to West Liberty with some of the high school students. I had never been to West Liberty, I had only seen pictures of the damage that was done by the tornado. While we were there we only worked on one mans house. Most of the outside damage had been repaired already, so our jobs were to completely clean out the inside of his home. We took out all the furniture and scrubbed the interior of his house down. The house was full dry wall dust, dust itself, and tons and tons of old furniture and belongings.

We not only got to serve in West Liberty; we got to play a little bit too. The first night we had a cook out with one of the students grandparents and the second night we were able to go to a swimming pool and just cool off from a long day in the sun. This was a great time for me to sit down with some of the girls in the youth and just talk to them!

After this retreat, youth group meetings continued and relationships were beginning to form. Mid-July we had a [semi] middle school retreat at the Gorge. This consisted of about 6 middle schoolers and the rest were in high school just along for the ride. This retreat was so much fun! We had the entire cabin to ourselves [with the exception of maybe 2 or 3 people]. We played tons of game [mafia, pig, and tons of bonding games], we went hiking, and rock jumping and spent time in the Word together. What a sweet little retreat.

However, as the summer came to a close, I found a full-time job and had to make the decision to stay an intern through the fall or just volunteer my time whenever I could. So, volunteering it would be. But I have to say that I don't regret my decision at all. I still get to see the students at church on Sundays as well as Wednesday night youth group. This past Wednesday night we had 97 students at Youth Group. Oh, what an amazing sight it was to see! We had a huge kick-off with cotton candy, sno cones, lots of sugar and worship. Here are a few pictures of that night!

David's hand was COVERED in cotton candy!

Sweet Emma and Susanna! 

 Love these sweet souls

 

 The love of a two-year old

 Precious Lola

 



 

The most disgusting game!

 

 

97 middle school and high school students praising Jesus!

 

I am so excited to see what the Lord continues to do through their lives! 

New End

So, I know that is has been almost a year since my last post, and that makes me a little sad. Getting caught up in school and life just distracted me for a while. But, now that I am starting to get settled into my "big girl" life, I would love the opportunity to sit back and reflect on the things that are now the main parts of my life.

For instance, my "big girl" job. I was sitting at my desk today and thought about my blog. I looked the the title that I chose for this blog over a year ago and thought how well it still applies to my life today. "To the ends of the earth we will go." In most people's opinions, this probably means that I would need to go to some foreign country where people have never heard the Gospel (which I am still so thankful I was able to do in 2011). But on the 9th and 10th floors of the 5/3 building in downtown Lexington, I have reached another end of the earth. This is where God has placed me to be used as His servant. To get up much earlier than I would like to, sit at a desk for 8 hours and repeat the same phrase ("Thank you for calling KEMI, this is Daly. How may I direct your call?") over and over again. To be surrounded by 100s of people every day just looking for a smiling face or a listening ear. I have been at my new job for exactly 5 weeks now, and I can already tell you that I know this is exactly what God had planned for me. I have already started to form friendships with people in different areas of the company, as well as getting to know the other Call Directors that I work with every day. I know that the Lord is going to continue to use me here at KEMI and I am so excited to see what he has in store. I know there will be challenges, days where I don't want to come into work, days that seem like they are never going to end, but I hope that I can continue to seek the Lord in everything that I do and that He will use me in mighty ways.

Therefore, my goal is to use this blog to share with people about this "end of the earth." (Also, it gives me something to do at work on those slow days). I also want to be able to share with people experiences in my life. I have been wanting to take more pictures, see more things, be more observant of the little things that surround me every day. This is such a fun time in my life that I dont want to forget anything!

I hope you have a GREAT weekend!!!

It all comes to a close...

Wow! That is really about the only word I have to describe what has gone on this summer. I can not believe that it is over. What an amazing experience this has been!

Since the Friends Forever retreat, our team really just tried to spend as much time as we could with the Thai students and staff before we had to leave Khon Kaen. Monday the 18th we had the opportunity to go out to dinner with the CO NEU staff at a restaurant called Mama Big's. This was a time they had allotted for us to encourage each other and thank the staff for everything they put into this summer. It was such a sweet time to reflect on the amount of work that Sano put into our ministry on campus. After dinner, all the CCP girls went over to Sano and Honey's house to exchange gifts and gratitude. They were so sweet and thoughtful in the gifts that they gave to us. I was overwhelmed with joy to have spent an entire summer with the most wonderful women.

Tuesday the 19th was a day that I knew was going to be bittersweet. Not only was it my 21st birthday, but we had to leave the city where I spend so much of my time and grew to love. The entire day felt surreal. Before the day really got started, Hannah and Taylor woke me up by bringing me my favorite breakfast food [a pineapple pie from 7/11] and birthday cards. They were so sweet to think about me. The craziness started with deep cleaning our rooms and packing up all of our stuff. This was definitely not easy. I think I was in denial the entire time I was packing my suitcase. After a long time of packing, we took a break and went to the student center for lunch with students and the Christian girls. Well, we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. Not too long after we walked in, I was greeted by Sano and a few others singing Happy Birthday and carrying about a dozen donuts from our favorite place [Mister Donut]. It was so sweet and I was able to share with everyone there. After exchanging gifts with the students, we did all our last minute packing and crammed into 2 song tau's with a ton of students and made our way to the airport. Through out the entire day I had not been emotional, but it was like the airport had something in the air that made me the biggest cry baby. Seeing the looks on the faces of the students that we had spent 2 months with show me that they were really affected by our presence there. Even though we did not actually see anyone come to know the Lord, I could just tell that they did not want us to leave. [This is the part where my birthday became a sad memory]. There were so many hugs and more than enough tears, but all in all it was so hard to say goodbye. Part of my heart will always be passionate for those students that we met and the relationships that were formed. After making our way through the easiest security, I hear someone calling my name and telling me to come back because someone else wanted to say goodbye [it was really easy to go out and back through security]. As I went back though the doors, I saw Jom [the law student who invited us to her house] and her mom, sister and aunt. I immediate burst into tears again. Jom and her family had driven 3o minutes from their hometown just to come and say goodbye. To be completely honest, after that goodbye, I really did not want to ever leave Thailand. After a two hour flight, we made it to Bangkok and immediately went to sleep.

Wednesday and Thursday were kind of like a whirl wind of adventures. With the help of Guy, we were able to travel around Bangkok to see some of the major sights. The first place we went was the King's Palace. I was speechless the entire time I was there. There was so much gold and jewels and so many idols. Even though all the building were so intricate and detailed, I still couldn't believe how much work they put into their religion. While we walked around this temple, I just kept thinking about all the students that we knew that put their faith in this stuff. I just continued to pray for their hearts and for them to be open to the Truth of the Lord.

When we left the Palace we made our way to a mall that had a lot of Thai good and souvenirs. This was very relaxed just a time to get out of the sun and sit down and eat together. After shopping, we headed back to the hotel [after learning how to maneuver through the sky trains]. As a team we headed to the mall that night and ate dinner at McDonald's [typical team dinner] and came together that night for a debriefing session. We did the same kind of debriefing in the morning to prepare our hearts for heading back to Summer Project as well as home and school. The whole day on Thursday I just kept thinking how surreal it felt that I would be back in America. But, I had a lot of time to reflect on what the Lord had done in my life through the experiences that I had this summer.

The flight back was hard. The plane was a lot more comfortable, but it was actually a longer flight back to the States. When we arrived in Houston, we were so happy to finally be back in the United States [and to use our cell phones]. That night of sleep in Cleveland was probably the best night's sleep I have had in a very long time. My first meal I enjoyed in the States was Chick-fil-A and it has never tasted so good in my entire life!

Again, I want to say thank you to all those who supported me financially and prayerfully this summer. It would not have been possible with out your support. [I will be posting pictures in another blog after this one].

Almost done

This might be my last post before I leave Khon Kaen. [But I will updated while in Bangkok and Sandusky!]

I just want to start off by saying thank you again to all those who have supported me financially or prayerfully. This has been the most incredible experience and I will never forget about it. The things I have seen, the people I have met and what God has revealed to me this summer was worth everything it costs to come here.
As I said in the post before, we spent two days in Udon Thani, Thailand. It is a little village about an hour outside of Khon Kaen. We stayed at the Inter Resort [don't start thinking resorts like you see on TV, it was a nice place, but nothing like those places ha ha]. We were split up into groups of three for each room and each house accommodated 9 people. I had the pleasure of living with Noon, one of the Christian girls, and Praw, a student we have been hanging out with all summer.

I love these girls!

Well, as soon as we got there we ate lunch together and had a welcome meeting. This meeting mostly consisted of splitting into teams and playing really random games. [I was on the Blue Team!] After a few games, we had a coffee break and we able to move into our rooms. After we moved all our stuff in, we walked around the resort and decided to take some pictures and just hang out with the girls.

Some of the girls on the retreat! [plus one boy! ha ha]

The little lake that was around the resort

After our free time, we took a whole group picture! [They had most students that have ever gone on a Friends Forever retreat this year]. It was a little overwhelming at first to think that there were going to be so many girls on this retreat and I wanted to hang out with all of them.

We were able to all eat dinner together and just get to know the students more. [I have to admit that the food was definitely different and I took full advantage of the snack place at the resort.] Our next meeting started off with a little dance performance by the CCP team to a popular Thai song called "Loving you Too Much So Much Very Much." Our team had learned the dance that they do in the video, and it was quite a crowd pleaser. After the dance, I had the opportunity to share my testimony with everyone there. Following my testimony, we watched the movie The Chronicles of Narnia 3 in a way to share the Gospel with the students. When the movie was over, many of the students were tired and decided to go to bed.

In the morning, Guy shared with the students an explanation about the movie and related it back to the Gospel. [Even though we could not understand what he was saying at all, because it was all in Thai, we knew that he was sharing the Truth with the students]. In the afternoon we played two of the funniest games. The first game we played was only girls. It was a little like Ultimate Frisbee, with a ball and kind of like basketball in that you had to make a basket to score. I have to say, the girls did not take it easy. There were lots of dog piles, hitting and slapping the ball away. In the end, it is definitely a game we want to take back home.

The second game we played was another mixture of dodgeball and capture

the flag. Except instead of dodge balls, there were socks filled with flour. This game definitely wins in the most eccentric game I have ever played before. After the game, there was a slideshow of all the pictures from the weekend as well as sing a few fun songs. Then, it was back to Khon Kaen. I was really hoping to be able to have a conversation with one of the Thai girls, but they were all so exhausted that almost all of them fell asleep on the bus. However, I am confident in the fact that whenever the Word of the Lord goes out, it never comes back empty. Even though I do not know of anyone who officially made a decision to give their life to Christ, I know that he is working in the hearts of the 58 non-believing students who were on the retreat!

This is a picture of me and some of the girls on the retreat! I will truly miss all of them so much!

So, as we prepared to leave Khon Kaen and head to Bangkok, I sit back and think abut the entire summer I have spent here. I am really going to miss this city, the people and the culture. This summer has been such amazing practice for having my own ministry at home and at school. I am thankful for all the lessons I have learned here about ministry and my own personal faith. I hope to continue to use this blog to update those of you who are interested in the Campus Outreach ministry in Lexington and my own personal ministry on Georgetown's Campus. Thank you to all of you who have been faithful in following my blog and praying for me while I was in Thailand! I can not wait to see you all when I return back to the States! :)

A small note..

I am so excited to share with you all what we get to do this weekend!!! This Friday and Saturday is the annual Friends Forever Retreat. It is a retreat that is put on every year by the Campus Outreach staff! For the last week and a half or so, the staff and CCP team have been trying to recruit students to go! The students only have to pay 200 Baht [equivalent to about $6.50 for a 2 day one night retreat].

I ask that you all pray for the students who are going that are not believers. There will be about 24 girls and 34 boys going that do not know God. All together there will be 26 Christians attending the retreat [including CCP and Staff] for a total of 84 people.

I also ask that you pray for Hannah, Ross, and myself. Hannah and Ross have the chance to share with all the students about their time here in Thailand and what they have liked most about being here. On the first night [friday night], I have been given the opportunity to share my testimony. I am very excited to share my story about how God brought me out of darkness and into his marvelous light [1 Peter 2:9].

Update will be coming soon after the retreat! [with lots of pictures, hopefully]

Ok, again, I am going to apologize in advance. Because I haven't had the chance to write since Wednesday, there has been so much that has happened and I want to tell you about all of it! Therefore, this is going to be a longer post, but I encourage you to read all of it [there are also a lot of pictures, so it probably looks longer than it is.] God is really working here in Thailand. It may not seem like a lot, but the smallest step here would be compared to one giant step in the States [because so many of the people here have never heard the name of God before, just getting one student interested in going on a Christian retreat is a big deal!] So, here I go...

Thursday: We were beginning the first of 3 jam packed days! It started by going to a ceremony that was going on in the auditorium at NEU to recognize the professors. This ceremony ended with an open mic karaoke session [very hilarious].

After we left the ceremony we waited for 2 girls to meet us at the student center and then headed over to Central [the best and coolest mall ever] to go see the movie Transformers 3. I had previously seen the movie in 3D and English earlier that week so it made watching it in Thai a little easier. However, having to watch a 2.5 hour movie in Thai is definitely something I probably don't want to do again. The 2 girls we went with, Bon and Blah, have already committed and paid to attend the Friends Forever retreat [I will explain more about that in another post].

Friday: This day could definitely win in the competition of most activities done in one day while we were here. After having team training in the morning, Sano, Stephanie, Ice and myself went and had lunch together. This is always a good time because we can encourage each other and talk about how ministry is going on a more personal level. After lunch we met up with a student named Jaa and her 3 friends [I am having trouble remembering their names] to go shopping at a market type thing called Prot Tu Nam [favorite/cheapest place to get clothes]. It was a very very hot and humid day, but we still managed to have a good time with the girls! Everyone was able to buy something, except for me... I was a little sad! Ha ha.

After Prot Tu Nam, we headed back to campus to watch several different faculties [majors] do different kinds of cheers and songs. We left the cheer early to pick up some of the Christian girls and head to Bon Tone, a village just outside of Khon Kaen. Jom, the student that we went with, is a 2nd year Law student who has been around Campus Outreach for over a year, but has yet to give her life to Christ. When we got to her house, we immediately went to the market to pick up a few things before dinner. While we were at the market, it started to pour [which was very needed, it had not rain for about 4 days]. So, we waited for the rain to calm down before heading back. Before we got to her house, we stopped in to meet her aunt. She was so sweet. She makes these mats that the Thai's use to sit on, sleep on and eat on. She offered to give us one as a gift and I was so excited because I was going to buy one anyway!

We finally made it to Jom's house for dinner. But before we started eating, Jom's Mom, Aunt and Grandmother wanted to give us a Thai blessing by giving us 3 different string bracelets. Even though I could not understand a single thing they said, it was very sweet that they wanted to make us feel welcome. After dinner we sat outside and talked with everyone. Sano was able to go back into a room with Jom and talk with her more about being a Christian and some of the challenges that Jom faces with making a decision like that. Sitting outside with Jom's family was so much fun. Thai families are so welcoming and hospitable. They did everything they could to make us feel comfortable. Jom's Mom informed us before going to bed that we would be getting up at 4:30 am to go see the sunrise. At first I thought she was kidding, butthen I decided that I would actually really love to do that. 4:30 am did not come quickly. I was definitely not use to the way that Thai's sleep, and was only able to get about 2 hours of sleep. But, I was still so excited to see the sunrise!

Saturday: So, at 5 am, we all hopped into the back of a pick-up truck and made our way to the lake. I don't think I can put into words how beautiful it was to see the sun coming up over the lake... IN THAILAND. I know that I have been here for almost 7 weeks, but I still can't help but think how crazy it is that I am half way around the world.

After the sun had risen, we began to drive around the town looking for a water buffalo. The Thai's seem to think we are crazy when we ask them if we can see the water buffalo, but I have never seen one before. Our trip was successful, and I have to admit, as excited as I was to see the buffalo... they are really fat and ugly animals! Ha ha. Altogether, the trip to Jom's was a blast. It was great for her to spend some time with Christian girls, but it was also good for us to be able to get to know her better! Pray that she will come to the Friend Forever retreat!Around 9 am, the CCP team plus Marc, Sherry and their daughter Sophia took a day trip to do and see things that are very unique in Thailand. The first stop was the King Cobra Bokzing [thats seriously how they spell it] Project. I have to say that this was BY FAR the weirdest/scariest thing I have ever seen. It was a bunch of men literally punching and kicking King Cobras.

I definitely do not want to ever go back there again. After we watched the fighting, we walked around a little zoo type thing where we were able to see more snakes, monkeys and peacocks! Very random assortment of animals. Once we left the King Cobra village we headed to a huge lake for lunch. We got to sit in little bamboo huts that were over the water. The view was beautiful! Everyone was able to eat together and fellowship with each other! After lunch, we split up into groups and took a ride on a banana boat.

It was definitely relaxing to be in the lake and rest in the bamboo hut. However, Stephanie and I were running on very little sleep. It made it a little difficult finding the energy to play around in the lake.

Because I knew that I would be exhausted, and I wanted to treat myself to an early birthday present, Taylor and I decided to check into one of the nice hotels in Khon Kaen called the Pullman. It was an amazing night! Even though we were the only 2 to stay the night, the other girls came and joined us for dinner. I love hanging out with the 3 other girls on my team. They are such an encouragement to me and we have grown to be very very close! After dinner, Noah and I were scheduled to Skype with the Summer Project [each week 2 different team members video chat with the Summer Project and just tell them about what God is doing here]. Afterskyping, the rest of the team joined us upstairs in the room and we were able to play games, talk and continue to get to know each other better.

Here is a picture of the view from the hotel room.. I forgot to take some of the entire room.. sorry].

Wow, what a wild couple of days! We have been keeping so busy with all kinds of ministry things!! Last night [Monday night] Stephanie and I got to hang out with some of the Christian girls and go to one of the night markets for a little while. After we got back to the student center, I got the chance to share with one of the girls a more intense version of my testimony. She and I are very similar in our walks with the Lord. What a blessing it was that God gave her the understanding to hear what I was saying and comprehend it [with out a translator!!]

Tuesday after spending time with the team in the morning, my ministry team and I got to travel to another students home for the afternoon. I don't actually remember the name of the city we went to, but we were able to visit Nam Phong National Park ["ph" does not make the "f" sound in Thailand, in case you were wondering]. Until we got there, Stephanie and I were completely

unaware of what we would be doing there. Much to our surprise, we ended up hiking. Having

no knowledge of this fact, the attire that Stephanie and I chose to wear did not reflect the activities we would be doing. Below is a picture of Stephanie and I with some students.

[In case you cant see, I am wearing a skirt and TOMS shoes, and Stephanie is wearing sandals]

Other then the clothing miscommunication, we had a blast! The things that we got to see while hiking were simply indescribable. Each time we went to a new location, God just kept getting bigger and bigger. I love hiking for that very reason. God created every single thing as he says in Colossians 1:16, "For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities- all things were created through him and for him."

After hiking for about 2 hours, we headed over to one of the students home and got to meet her mom, dad and little brother. They were so sweet and gave us a lot of water [for that I was truly grateful ha ha!] It was such a fun trip to be able to hang out with some of the Christian girls and get to know them better. One of the girls that went with us, however was not a Christian. But she was very comfortable with us the entire time! She loves hanging out at CO Club but has yet to give her life over to Christ. So, please pray that she will see her need for Christ.

I want to say thank you again to all my supporters who are reading this. These kinds of opportunities would not be possible without your support. So, thank you for giving me this chance to come and share my life with the students of Thailand.

God Bless America!

Well, because I am all the way around the world, we definitely do not really celebrate the 4th of July. However, the Campus Outreach Thailand staff was gracious enough to plan a party for us on Saturday [July 2nd] to celebrate America's Birthday! It was a blast! We were able to go to a pool called Raja City with the Campus Outreach Thailand and Birmingham CCP. It was such a fun day just to relax and get to know the other CCP students. It definitely wasn't your traditional 4th of July celebration, but we did have fried chicken! Below is a picture of our 4th of July feast!

Our meal consisted of 2 different kinds of pork, fried chicken, spring roll, and "cow neow" [sticky rice]. It was very very delicious but very different!

Sunday was another amazing day here! Well, their was a MAJOR election that was going, so there were not very many students at church so we didn't hang out around church too much. Instead, Marc and Sherry drove us out to one of their friends houses in a small village in Khon Kaen. This woman works at Sherry and Marc's house 2 days a week as well as plants rice basically in her backyard. She was the happiest women I have ever met, she could not stop smiling!

P'Noug [I think thats how you spell it]

She let us walk around all over her land and take pictures. After we saw her house and asked her lots of questions about rice, she took us to this open field where sellers bring their cows. This was also the field that we thought we were going to be able to see water buffalo, but they don't come out until Monday morning. So we just got to see a lot of cows!

I couldn't help putting this picture in here. I love it! :)

So many cows!!! There were even more of them as the day went on!

Unexpected games

Big C Supercenter is definitely one of my favorite places to go in Thailand [it's better than WalMart!] Well, Thursday night a small group of us decided to go [Stephanie, Sano, Jaae, Am, Tick, Taylor and myself] to get a few things. Well, when we got to Big C, we got a little separated. Which resulted in Taylor and I walking around Big C with 2 Thai girls who spoke "need noi" English ["a little" in Thai] with no translator. Can you say a little intimidating? Well, I have to say that I will probably dominate at charades when I get back to the States. That was basically the game that Taylor and I played for a little over an hour. Below is a picture that we actually used to describe where we were from in America as well as how we got over here. All together, I have to say that it was so much fun trying to communicate with them and teach them English while they taught us Thai. One of my new favorite phrases is "Pud pasa Thai my die" [obviously thats not how you spell it but how you say it] and it means, "I do not speak Thai."

On a different note, today [Friday] we got the opportunity to come together with the other CCP from Birmingham as well as the Campus Outreach Thailand staff. The day we spent together was called Campus Outreach Vision Day. Each region got to share with everyone about their ministry on the campus as well as prayer requests each one had. Just for those of you who know about my involvement in Campus Outreach, I could not be more thankful for the role it has played in my college years so far. So, I will list the 6 prayer requests that Matt and other staff members have come up with for Campus Outreach Lexington.

1. That the last 4 weeks of our Summer Project [and last 2 of CCP] would be as strong as the first 5.

2. That Multiplication [seeing more people come to know the Lord and help them in that journey] would continue on all 4 of our campuses [EKU, UK, Georgetown College, and Centre College]as a result of the Summer Project and CCP fruit.

3. That the staff Fall Planning will be sound and productive.

4. That the Fall Kick-Off events will attract many freshman and refresh "old" friendships.

5. Staff Health-- transitioning roles [moving campuses, promotions, or new jobs], moving cities, new marriages, new babies [and adoptions], and increased leadership opportunities.

6. The Official Relationship with Tates Creek Presbyterian Church in Lexington KY would be finalized this fall as they are planning on becoming our hub church.

Thank you for your prayers!!

Funny picture: at Big C the other night, Sano bought s

tephanie, herself and I the same t-shirt, so we all matched Friday and took a few pictures! :)

On Monday, all the CCP girls had the opportunity to go to PuWiang [a village about 1 hour away] with some students and here are some things we got to see!

We got the chance to meet one of the students grandparents. They were so sweet

CCP girls with the Dinosow [Dinosaur in Thai... I think thats how you spell it...] PiWiang is known for the place that found a dinosaur bone while digging for Uranium. We got to go to different sites while hiking and see some of the fossils they have found.

Here are a few of the Thailand flowers we got to see!

YES... that's definitely a big lizard looking thing..

My friend Prow and I at lunch! She has been hanging out with CO a lot since the very beginning!

EEEKKKK!!!!! Luckily these have not been in our rooms.. [just in the jungle]

WE LOVE CHACO'S!!!

This basically defines every day life! Ha ha! I love my ministry team!!!

All the girls that went hiking with us!

PuWiang was beautiful, and I would love to go back one day! I was so thankful for the opportunity to be able to explore outside of Khon Kaen and see more of what Thailand has to offer!!