The Lion King, This Time Around

Tonight was one of those nights that you can't describe but you absolutely adore. Not that a lot happened, but more that nothing happened. I came home to two great danes (I'm dog sitting, so have the house to myself) and popped in the Lion King. A night of relaxation with no distractions or plans.

Lion King has always been my favorite Disney movie, and I was excited to be reminded of the inspiring feeling I get after watching it. But this time around I got something a little different from the movie. It hit me on the part where most avid Lion King watchers tend to tear up-when Simba watches his father Mufassa get killed from a stampede. Yet what was put on my heart this time was a little different than when I was younger.

My heart sunk at the thought of a child having to see his father die. As Simba's eyes began to fill with tears, I thought of the thousands of children in Haiti who watched their parents breath their last breath under a pile of rubble. I thought about the children in Asia who roam the streets with a deadened stature and glazed eyes, because rather than playing and laughing, they are forced to do whatever it takes to bring home money, even if it means selling their own bodies.

These children are living without hope. They are innocent and beautiful, yet to survive to the next day is their only ambition. It's such a sorrowful ambition. And then what happens when the day comes when they don't get the next day? Do they die without ever experiencing hope or the slightest bit of happiness? Surely this doesn't happen. And it even hurts as I write this, but I believe it does. We MUST bring hope! Innocent lives depend on it. We have to answer this call because no child deserves to die without hope. We MUST give them a chance. A chance for true purpose and true love. It's time. Please.

What to Gain from an Incredible Weekend

The weekend of the 17th was such an incredible weekend! I feel so blessed to have the life that I do. That weekend I was in Memphis and had the privilege to attend the 25th Anniversary Les Miserables production, to participate in the Cooper Young Festival, and to share great conversation and memories with some of the people I love the most.

The idea behind the Cooper Young Festival was to sell items that I had purchased in Cambodia to 1) financially support the Cambodian vendors and 2) fundraise for my next trip. I had purses, jewelry, headbands, scarves, and more. But while doing this, I met some incredible people! I met a girl who had lived in Cambodia for 2 years leading groups through YWAM and working alongside women who had been involved in the sex trafficking industry. She was so passionate about Cambodia and was happy to share that passion with somebody so close to home. I was so inspired by her because she is going to be starting a safe home in Memphis for women involved in sex-trafficking. What an incredible person!

I also got to meet a family who adopted from Cambodia in 2004. I talked to a girl who was born to Cambodian parents and can speak the language. I met person after person who were so drawn in to being a part of the cause to support humanitarian/mission projects in overseas nations. [To learn more about these causes, please visit my "Cambodia 2011" link above or go to http://www.gointernational.tv/.] I was definitely inspired by their ambition and it made me all the more on fire for my passions.

I'm so thankful for my aunt and cousins for giving me the idea and for allowing me such an incredible weekend! I am truly thankful for so many things and you all are on the top of that list. Live with purpose and let the world be inspired by your dreams!

Cooper Young Festival

Today I am participating in the Cooper Young Festival in Memphis, Tennessee to raise money for missions. I have been waiting for this day for months, and I am so excited!! When I was in Cambodia in June, I purchased jewelry, purses, and scarves from the local vendors to support their income and then bring it back and sell it this weekend. All the proceeds will go towards my next mission trip to Haiti in December.

I am so honored to have this opportunity! I am believing for big things and am certain I will meet many people with great hearts! As much as I am hoping to raise money for missions, I more so am hoping to encourage people to live with purpose. I hope that the stories of the women from the red light district in Pnohm Penh are an encouragement to stand up against the atrocities of this world. I hope that the bracelets made by the girls who were rescued out of sex trafficking encourage people to do something.

Please take a look around the site to learn more about my personal journey in standing up for what I believe in. You can also look around and find ways you can help too. I encourage you to define your purpose and then run after it! You are the only you there will ever be so make it count!

THE BIGGEST ADVENTURE OF ALL

The other day I was texting Maureen Gray, who was our country mom on our trip to Cambodia. She was telling me how much she enjoyed getting to know all of us while in Cambodia. But then she said something that stood out-she said she prays for all of us everyday. I was talking to one of my friends about this, and we wondered what it would be like to pray everyday for every person we ever met. That would be crazy, but think how different the world would be.

God has always placed prayer on my heart. Probably because I’m not very good at it. Maybe the simplicity of it is what is so complex to me. Whatever it is, I know I need to do more of it. A lot more of it. And as I am beginning the second year of my missions internship, I have been asking myself and God what I need to be asking Him for this year.

I have many answers for that question, but rather than going through the long list I just wanted to share my new revelation: prayer is an adventure. God has given us an exciting life (and at times exhausting), yet He wants to do it with us! It’s not just “I want to meet the man of my dreams,” but it’s “God prepare our hearts now. Shape me into the woman I need to be to fall in love with the man of my dreams. Take away my selfish desires so when I’m 50 I’ll still be giddy about holding his hand.” It’s not just, “I want to be happy with my future job,” but it’s “God continue to open my eyes to the creative nature you’ve placed inside of me. Give me ideas to make something out of nothing. Give me passions and desires that I will want to devote the rest of my life to.”

Prayer means giving God full reign to shape you into the person that you need to become to live out your adventure. I am living an adventure now, and more adventure awaits me. And I know I must rely on God and the beauty of His grace to shape me into the woman who dares to follow the life of adventure!

Viking Land

As my family and I continue to undergo the adventures of what is called Family Vacation, we constantly are taking on new adventures. On Monday we ventured to what is called Nordic Inn in Crosby, Minnesota.

From the minute you walk to the door and ring the giant hanging chain doorbell, the boisterous and gruff viking inn keeper (Steinar) and his great dane Thor immediately invite you into viking world. We no longer were Chris, Arden, Kayla, Andy, and Bonnie-but Helga, Sven, Ursula, Bjorn, and Nanna. We drank from horns, ate with knives, wore medieval garb, and listened to Steinar's indecent yet amusing humor (the humor of a true viking). At the end of the night, we were entertained with a home-made viking game and were lost in a world of fun and amusement.

But what makes this so amazing is not just the experience, but how the inn came to be. It started with a dream. Steinar has travelled all over the world and experienced many facets of life; but what remained in his heart was his passion for vikings, as crazy as that sounds. And rather than continuing a lifestyle of vanity, he pursued what made him happy and thus started the inn. And no matter how ridiculous it sounded to others, he didn't let that stop him. And since then he's appeared on Travel Channel, Food Network, battle magazines, ESPN, and just got a job as the mascot for a women's professional football league.

I think Steinar has ahold of something that many of us fail to grasp. Pursue your dreams and don't let anyone else dictate the outcome of your life. Find your passion, no matter how crazy it may seem, and go after it. Steinar is living out a lot of what I've learned this past year in my internship through Go International. I am very happy to have had this experience in many different ways!

FAMILY

This past weekend we had our family reunion. I'm so thankful to have such incredible family, and it was so amazing to spend a weekend growing together! There is something special about the inherent bond that brings family together.

EASTER CREATIVITY

My sister and I were on the road this past Easter weekend for quite a few hours. As with most road trips, we began to entertain ourselves, and this particular time we did so by speaking with British accents. It passed the time quickly, and I was excited to learn a new skill. However, to continue practicing, we thought it would be fun to make up a story. And so began the quest of Little Johnny and his adventure to bake a cheescake.

Rather than ramble about little Johnny, I was going to tell you my thoughts on the subject. Right now I'm in an internship through Go International. In this internship, I work beside some of the most creative people I've ever known. As you can imagine, being around creativity kind of rubs off, so I began to think, how could I tell a story in the most creative way possible? What could I being doing right now that can shape my mind to think creatively on the fly? My thoughts-- 1) read more, 2) read a children's book (afterall, children have the most active imaginations so what works for them ought to work for us), 3) observe needs and search for answers to those needs. Tell me your thoughts! What shapes a strong, creative mind?

One of our leaders and founders of the organization, Christa Baca, is by far one of the most creative people I have ever met or known. Click Here to access her blog and be inspired by her creativity!