Cashew Chicken and Moo Ping

I made it to Mahasarakam! You know the lady that I asked you to pray for. On the plane ride we got to sit by each other the whole way over from LA to Bangkok. It was crazy how it happened. We talked a little bit and I asked her if she knew about Jesus and God but I think it all got lost in translation but I'm going to keep praying for her. She returns to San Diego in a month and she's visiting her two sons that live in a city that is about 5 hours from where I am now. I am still trying to recover from jetlag which will still take a few days but right now I'm trying to stay up. Today we went on an Amazing Race around the city! It was awesome! There are so many places to explore and meet new people! I hope each of you has an amazing summer serving God in the place where he has place you! I can't wait to let you know more about what goes on this summer.....and the adventure continues.

Continued

So as I was getting excited about  getting my boarding pass for Taipei something happened: 

 I was the first one in line and I was glad to finally be getting out of LA. When I walked up to the counter I put my carry-on bag on the scale and it was about 4 pounds over the weight it needed to be and he said that I needed to fix it so I told him to take the next people while I figured it out. After I had appropriated the weight to both my backpack and my suitcase, the people in front of me were not given boarding passes because I think (as much as I understand Chinese ;) and hand motions) they didn’t have the visa they needed. I felt so bad but also glad that it wasn’t me worrying about that. When it was my turn I put it back on the scale and it was over a pound and a half so I was going to pay the penalty for having a luggage overweight and THEN bom bom bom (for effect)….he called another lady over and she explained to me that my flight from Taipei to Bangkok had been cancelled. I was like oh my goodness I’m going to be stuck in LA forever and I’m never going to get to see my parents again…I was overreacting just a little bit. The lady then asked me to follow her. She then explained to me that I was going to get on a Thai Airways flight that leaves at 11:20 tonight on Saturday and would arrive in Bangkok at 6:20 on Monday so I was like awesome! I also received a $20 voucher to use at any restaurant! And God works in mysterious ways there was another woman that was also going to be on that flight and after the airlines lady had explained everything to us she left us for a little bit to get us our ticket for Thai Airways and guess what?! She was Lao! Her family was also there. So I got to talk with this lady! She’s actually lived in Thailand longer than she lived in Laos and now she lives in San Diego. Her name is Nataalia. I was so excited I got to talk to her family and I impressed them with my Lao (the three words that I know). And then they left and I got to talk to her for a while but I’m so excited because we have a flight from LA to Bangkok together! I can’t wait to see what God does through this trip! He’s already worked in amazing ways! Therefore because of this I would ask you that you would pray for Nataalia and for myself the courage to tell her about Jesus! *Right now your reading after I’ve already taken the flight with Nataalia but I know God already knows the prayers of his people and if you would pray for her even after it has already happened but that you would pray right now that I would be God’s instrument. And also if you could pray for Nataalia that God would unveil her eyes to his glory. 2 Corinthians 2:14-17,”But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.” ….and the adventure continues.

Airplane and Layover Food

So I’m sitting at the airport and already I had two things that were almost put a damper on my trip. First when I was checking in Tulsa the flight from Taipei to Bangkok was not available on United Airlines but fortunately they just did not have that flight in their system so it was okay. Then after I had gotten to LA I almost had a bad but not terrible incident. At the first stop I lost my wallet yes at the first stop. I know the drill make sure you have everything whenever you go anywhere. I was ordering at McDonalds and all I ordered was a coke. I had other things on my mind anyways at that point I was hungry and there were no fries and I did not want to have any change when I got to Thailand because I couldn’t exchange it and there was a guy behind me that wanted to order and I was in his way so I picked up my drink and went to a table. About 2 hours later I got up to look around and I went to a shop and decided to buy something. All glory goes to the Lord for this because if I hadn’t of bought anything I wouldn’t have realized my wallet was missing. So I called my mom like any 20 year old does when they’ve lost something. I went back to McDonalds and the lady whose register I lost the wallet at said something to the point of ‘oh you lost your mind are you crazy.’ Apparently they had called my name over the intercom but they had called me Nicole which is my middle name…but it wouldn’t have mattered because I wasn’t listening anyways. Probably reading or talking to Tony or my parents. Okay so now I’m sitting at a table thanking the Lord for getting me this far! Right now the terminal is really crowded so I’m sharing a table with two Asian men…haha their Chinese food looks amazing! Especially since all I’ve had today has been a rice crispy treat and a dr. pepper. I know God works everything together for his good and I’m glad that he’s given me the faith to trust in Him. James 2:22, “You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works.”   ….and the adventure continues.

Preparation

Hey Everyone!

So I decided to create this blog so that I could be in contact with everyone more easily as I prepare and go on my trip to Thailand.  Right now I am 12 days away from leaving! I'm getting so excited but nervous as I get everything packed and ready for when I leave.
God has really been working on my life.  He has been teaching me that I can not let anything come in between me and Him.  It's got to be him and me.  I really have to make sure that what I am doing in my daily life and what I am thinking are honoring and glorifying to Him!  He's been dealing with me about making Him first and foremost above anything or anyone else.  He loved me so that I may love others but that can only happen when I let everything be in His hands.  It's even harder to let something go that I really care about but if that's what God wants I want him to be the center of everything.  Luke 9:23-24,"And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever loses his life for my sake will save it."

Thanks for reading
In Christ,

Amy