Amy McAllister Carpe Christ - The World Race 2008

The Call Continues: A Generation Awakened

Fri, 7 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Since I have been home from the World Race many people have asked me, whats next? This year God has shown me that he is going to use me for greatness and that with him I can do things beyond myself. The World Race changed my life and I have been AWAKENED. I'm ready to bring that empowerment to America.

God has put a vision in my teammate, Jessie Miller, and my heart to go out into America and get a generation up off their feet. Our generation has been sleeping way to long. So with that said, Jessie and I are starting a traveling team to go around the U.S. and speak and churches and colleges. We hope to encourage, love, and empower people to not just be "Christian's" but be radical for the Lord . We will be traveling to a new city every week and be leaving at the end of September. Below is a copy of my support letter.

My soul, my heart, and my spirit have BEEN AWAKENED!

My faith has been TESTED and strengthened.

My comfort zones have been SHAKEN.

My heart has been BROKEN.

My human love has fallen short, as I've been filled with the LOVE OF JESUS.

My dreams have become more like the dreams of GOD.

My Vision is CLEARER.

My identity has been SECURED.

My message is STRONG...I have something to say, and I am going to say it for the rest of my life.

These words are from my teammate, Katie Rowland, but they echo the exact words from my heart. I have seen the Kingdom of God alive this year. I have seen the sick healed, the starving children fed, churches come alive, fires ignited, new identities brought to life by Christ, and a world desperately seeking something more. The most beautiful moment is looking into someone's eyes when they realize that the something more' is Christ, and I know that their life will never be the same.

Many people have been asking, "What are your next plans?" I just laugh because God has spoken boldness over me and called me and my teammate, Jessie Miller, to a ministry that neither of us would have ever considered before the race. Our hearts are beating with a calling for our generation. We are starting a traveling team and going on a US tour to AWAKEN our generation! God has asked us to call them out of a comfortable, mediocre, and mundane existence and into a life that is fully alive in Christ. God has given us a story this year and it is our responsibility to tell the world. This isn't just a trip talking about how God has awoken us; this is a MOVEMENT to awaken the sleepers of America!

Our ministry will be broken into three major areas as we travel. We will be reaching out to churches, universities, and one on one meeting's with those interested. Our goal is to go wherever God opens doors and share His truth and our testimonies. I thought my backpack would have a chance to collect a little dust this year but God had other plans. Once again we will pack our bags, load the car, and hit the road starting in September and ending in April 2010, with a break during the holidays.

After a year like I just had, how can I not go and tell the world! God has opened my eyes and given me a glimpse of who He really is and what I saw only makes me hungry for more of His goodness. I want everyone to know that same goodness and desire more of it in their own lives. This year would not have happened without my supporters, financial and prayer partners. The investment you have made in my life was not just in my life, but also in the Kingdom all over the globe. So from the bottom of my fully restored and awakened heart, I thank you!

I am asking you to support me again. I would not be writing you if I did not value the relationship we already have. Please consider continuing to be a part of that-through prayer, correspondence, and finances. My goal is to raise $9,600 to launch and go forth with this traveling team. The money will go towards travel costs, living expenses, ministry, etc. ,.

If you feel called to support me you can do so online or request a support letter and I can mail it to you. Click on the Support Me tab to the left and it will walk you through the online donation process. If you want a support letter mailed to you clicked on the Contact Me tab and you can send me your address for a copy. All gifts are tax-deductible.

One year ago, I pictured myself returning from the race and stepping back into a steady career in America. Somewhere along the road I accepted that my plans are the ones that end up a bad decision and God's plans are the ones that have exceeded my dreams. So I surrender my plans at the cross and step forward into a future that is led by my King. Kingdom work is the most important work we could invest our time in, that is why I am asking for your support both by prayer and financially. By allowing God to use you, you are not only investing in God's family, but you are changing the world.

If you are interested in partnering with Jessie and I to cover us in pray as we travel email me at AmyMcAllister@Adventures.org. We will put you on a pray list and we will send you updates on how you can be praying for us and how we are doing. Also if you are interested in having us come speak at your church or hosting us in your home along our travels contact me as well. Jessie and I would love to have you involved in our journey. I can't wait to AWAKEN my generation for the Lord.

This was my year...

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

My teammate Jenn Crane put this together for me, she is a rock star!!

I finally feel blog inspired so more to come this week :)

Numbers

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

My teammate Brian made this video and it is powerful. I hope it moves you the way it has moved me.

I Love My Life

Sat, 30 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Some folks started saying the phrase "I love my life" while they were in Africa and needed motivation to make it through the hard days. The phrase stuck with me. I say it with all seriousness now...I really do love my life. This year has been the most amazing gift from God. It seems a little funny to call it a gift because this year was not easy all the time. Sometimes I wanted to run away from the pain and hard conversations. Sometimes I wanted to close my ears to the lessons God wanted to teach me. The overwhelming truth is that it was all worth it. Every lesson, hard conversation, every tear was worth it.

I haven't blogged about team 5 Alive in awhile, so here is the truth. We fell apart in the end. Things got hard, feelings were hurt, and we did not know how to move past the pain. So for over the last two months we have not operated as a team. Sometimes we were there for each other individually; but it wasn't the same. This year we lived in community the way Christ intended His children to. We went deep with one another from day one, so the more you invest the more you have to lose. When one person was struggling we rebuked satan's schemes and declared God's truth over them. We loved through the hard times and prophesied of those to come. We were Christ to one another.

The kicker I have learned about community is that it does not happen naturally. Every single person must chose individually to live in true community or opt-out. When we came back together at final debrief things were still rocky. It did not sit well with me that my family was not going to end the year on good or God's terms. For months I and many others prayed for reconciliation. We tried to make it happen on our time and of course, that did not happen. Freedom fell on 5 Alive the night of our final worship. The Spirit fell on all our hearts as a team and individually. The chains were broken, arrows were removed, and no scars remained. Christ healed what was broken and restoration occurred.

Our family of 5 was ALIVE again!

To the ladies of 5 Alive, to the ladies who have changed me, I honor you. I started the trip in tears because you didn't understand me; while now a year later I am in tears because you will no longer be with me every day. You ladies have inspired and challenged me more than I thought possible.

To Ali: You are my NEW sister in Christ. You are a different woman now than you were 11 months ago. You are a bold, fierce woman of God who is going to bring Kingdom to the world and especially Colorado!

To Sara: You are walking in such freedom with Christ that it is contagious. Your exceptional resume lists your gift of healing, capturing others with the spirit of laughter, and bringing joy and truth into the Kingdom.

To Melanie: The old is gone and the new is alive. You are God's beautiful daughter who has the responsibility to tell others of your transformation. You will change the world through your gift of joy, comforting, and wise counsel. This is just the start of your new life.

To Natalie: Your gentle spirit has touched my soul this year. I see a warrior ready to go to battle. You are armed with the gift of prophecy and speaking bold truths that pierce souls. Yet a soft prayer that humbles others to life change.

Each woman of God I have spent the year with is now entwined into the story of my life. I now have a new testimony to tell and it is because of God's direction and your love that has brought this story to life.

Rise up women of God!

I saw God...well everyday

Sat, 30 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Before I left on the race I wrote a blog inspired from the song, I Saw God Today' A few days ago on the beach thanks to the shuffle setting I heard it on my ipod and I opened my eyes to all around me in Santorini. Every day I look around and I feel like I am in a movie because it is almost too beautiful to believe that I am here. It is easy in this setting to tune out the world and face it, isn't that the point of a vacation. That's what I used to think.

This year has taught me to be intentional at all times. Well, I choose to ignore God's voice a lot, but it is always there. A lot of people we have met this year were excited to meet missionary's, which made talking about it easy. Here in Greece there are a lot of American tourists we have met. For the 1^st time in awhile I am getting the Ohh you are a missionary, well umm, hmm. What does that mean?' and then trying to get out of a God focused conversation quickly. Despite that, I have seen God in every situation.

I saw God present when I talked with one of my roommates at the hostel. She was telling me about her travels this year and then she mentioned this small, awful town called Pattaya in Thailand. She taught English there for awhile and had a hard time living in a city like Pattaya. God moment! I told her about my experience and how God set me on fire while I was there and how God called me to return one day. The crazy thing is she is moving to Atlanta to go to grad school. It was no coincident in meeting her, it was a God-incident.

I saw God present in a conversation with a guy from the Coast Guard on break here in Santorini. He stumbled into our room to invite us out and tell us how we were the most beautiful women on the island. While I can't argue with that, it is always nicer to hear from someone completely sober. He heard we were the missionaries staying there because word travels fast. He opened up and told us how he believes in God and told us some miracle stories from his family. He started talking about how he feels so alone because on a ship of 180 there are only 2 believers and he feels lost most of the time. He broke into tears talking about how messed up his life is and how one day he wants to get his act together. He drinks to forget the pain but in the process has lost himself. I trust that God used our words to encourage him and for him to hear and believe that he is not alone. I saw a lost man who is searching for significance, searching for a purpose, and searching for more. I heard God say I am the answer.

God is everywhere and in everyone. Then again so is the enemy. He knows our weaknesses and struggles and his one plan is to kill, steal, and destroy. Even on the beautiful island of Santorini we have to rebuke the enemy and call on Jesus to give us strength. My struggles have been thrown into my face and satan has been trying to overcome me. He thinks now that I am off the race things will change and I won't live my life boldly anymore. He thinks I will now shut up and not talk about how awesome my Savior is. All I have to say to that is...go to back to hell satan because you cannot overcome me or my God. We win, bottom line.

Santorini has got me thinking...

Thu, 28 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

God is amazing! I am overwhelmed by God's beauty that surrounds me here in Santorini, Greece. Four of us decided that after the race we were going to travel around Europe for a few weeks before heading back to America. I have been here in Santorini for almost 5 days now and it is drop dead beautiful. As I lay on the beach and relax I have been trying to get into processing mode instead of just passing out on my lounge chair. Here are some of the ending thoughts I have after the best year (so far) of my life. Please stick with me readers through this processing stage, I will have more blogs to come. I still will be posting about my month in Moldova soon. I return to AMerica on June 13th, so see you soon!

I leave the race with these truths:

*I met a God this year I did not know before. I saw a God who loves the lost and breaks our hearts for what breaks His. I saw a God who wants to wake up the sleeping nations and bring restoration. I met a God this year that awakened my soul to who He really is.

*God is CRAZY in love with us. Despite our flaws, short-comings, and failings God will always love me. I can never lose His love.

*The Holy Spirit is alive and active. Life in the Spirit is not just something that happened in the Bible. The same Spirit that was alive in Paul is in me as well.

*Christ gives us His authority. The authority that Christ had to cast out demons is the same authority Christ gives me. It is time we believe miracles and healings are real because God wants us to be His mouth of truth, His hands of healing, and His love that is alive through our faith.

*God is asking more of every single person. We have a responsibility to share Christ with the world, with our family, with those we don't know. Deciding to live for Christ is the hardest and the best decision we will ever have to make. A life with God is signing up for rejection, hardships, and one hell of a life in freedom. If this was easy everyone would give their life to God. We have not signed up to sit on the sidelines and let that stronger Christian' do the work...the work is for you and for me.

*I have lived this year with the fire of God within me and I am addicted. God has given me His goodness and I chose to live within it for the remainder of my life. God set my mouth on fire with His truth. He gave me His words and confidence to be able to stand in front of others and offer His freedom to anyone who is hungry. His Spirit struck me to the ground and gave me the gift of tongues. I will edify my God with these words and by my life.

*The call of a life in Christ has been offered and I say YES. My life before the race was a life of searching. I was searching for fulfillment, acceptance, love, and basically myself. I am no longer searching. Christ has told me who I am in Him and what my role in the Kingdom is. The American Dream' that I pictured for my life is no longer there. I see a life of igniting our generation to rise up and be the women and men of God that we are called to be. I see a life of breaking the chains of bondage that are holding the bar girls captive in Thailand. I see a life with Christ that I could never imagine for myself...I see freedom in Christ wherever the road takes me.

Community Life Video

Mon, 18 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

My teammate Katie Rowland made this video as a favor for me. My singles group I was a part of in Atlanta is having a retreat and the theme is community living. This year on the race my community has changed me. They have challenged me, loved me, and been Christ to me. My singles group in Atlanta was the community God placed me in to prepare for my journey this year. They as well sharpened me and loved me like Christ loves me. There is not one community in the world that is perfect, every community needs constant refinement that is where the challenge comes in. After literally living in community 24/7 this year I learned that Christ asks more of us than most of us are willing to give. Are we willing to bear our hearts, share our struggles with one another, and love others when all I want to do is smack them?? I realized I was not living as intimately with others as I thought I was before the race. Christ has shown me that I had more to give than I was offering before. It was not the community's fault, it was my fault. It is every single person's decision how deep you are willing to live in community. Living in community can be a comfortable thing if you decide to take the easy route...that is not what Christ asks us to do. My hope is that every person makes the personal decision to live in community, let your community transform you through Christ's power, and to love each other unconditionally even when it is hard. Wouldn't Christ ask the same of you??

The end of the race has come...

Mon, 18 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

"How do you pick up the threads of your old life? How do you go on? With a new heart you begin to understand there is no going back."

-Frodo Baggins, Lord of the Rings'

This is it. The race is over. 11 months have come and gone and so has the old Amy. I have been thinking a lot about going home, what is it going to be like, how will I adjust. I wonder if anyone will be able to see the transformation that has occurred within me. I am the same Amy as I was before but with a completely new understanding of who I am in God and of who God is. I have met a God on this trip that I did not know before and I am madly in love with Him. He has wrecked me, kicked me in the butt, and shown me more love than I knew was possible.

Last month my Moldova team and I watched the Lord of the Rings series (yes we are aware we are dorks). When we heard Frodo say this at the end of the movie after he returned to the Shire we cracked up laughing because we now relate to a hobbit. I know exactly how Frodo felt. You return to your old life, but you are not the same, I am not the same. The normal that I knew before will no longer be my normal because I don't fit in. God has turned me into a passionate woman I was not before this journey. The exciting part is I find a new normal' now. I get to find out how this new Amy translates into the American culture and that excites the heck out of me. I have a heart for America, for my generation. I have a desire to share what God has done to me with as many people as possible when I get home.

I am at final debrief and finish up in a few days. It is hard to say goodbye to what has become home. But God is now calling me back to America to share the stories that he has given me.

This is not the end, just the beginning of a life long journey....

Faces of Romania

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Here is a beautiful look at the people we have fallen in love with this month. Katie did an amazing job on this one!! Enjoy

We get on a bus this evening and head for Moldova, please pray for safe travels and an safe last month on the race. Half of the squad is in Moldova and half is going to be in the Ukraine. Yes folks, LAST MONTH ON THE RACE. I want to cry and jump up and down at the same time. I am excited to end this race well and fall in love with yet another country.

I love you all and thank you for joining me on this journey!

Romania Picture Blog

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A look at Romania and our ministry...

(the good photo's are Natalie Montgomery's and Katie Rowland's)

We helped a lot of the neighbors prepare for Easter. Everyone brings their carpets down to the river to clean; and that is some hard work!! We also helped prepare some land for farming and had a little bit to much fun in the process.

We put on a children's program last week. We told the Easter story, sang songs, made crafts, and loved on the cutest kiddos!!

On our last day we gave the kids a huge surprise by having a face painting party and an Easter egg hunt. I think for most of the kids that was their first egg hunt. It was awesome!

One night all us girls learned how to dance like a gypsy. The secret is to wear twirly skirts that do all the work for you.

A Romanian birthday tradition is you take a bite out of your cake and then they smash it in your face. Sandu and I share the same birthday so we both had a yummy mess to clean up.

Here is a look at Romania through my teammtes, Natalie and Katie's, lens....enjoy!

I'm part gypsy

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Romania...yet again, another country I never pictured myself in before the race. Now that I am here I love it. I love the simple, but hard working lifestyle. I love that family comes first. I love that the gypsies know how to live life.

I knew nothing about gypsies before coming here, except that I used to dress up as one as a child. I thought they were mysteriously beautiful, and now I know that is a truth about this culture. They have no homeland and feel like foreigners even after living here for years. Romanians do not accept them and look at them as a lesser class than a pure blood Romanian. Gypsies are one of the only people groups in the entire world without a homeland. They are scattered all throughout Europe trying to survive. Without a homeland and without being accepted by anybody they are forced to have a wandering spirit that is always seeking.

Family is the heart of every gypsy. After being here a little over two weeks I already feel like I am a part of the community here and have my own Romanian family; and trust me it is a large family. There is not one person who would not help me if I asked them. Take Adi for example (far left in photo). He is literally the hardest worker I have met this entire year. He will make two trips up the mountain to gather firewood for the wood-burning furnace that will keep his family warm. Then he will go and get dirt for his relative that is building a wood burning stove. During all of this he brings his four year old son with him, because little Adi is such a daddy's boy he can't leave his fathers side. Adi works day and night to provide for his family and he does this without uttering one complaint. Adi loves his family deeply and it is shown by the way he hugs his daughter, the way he pushes little Adi on rollerblades, and the way he kisses his wife Lilly on the cheek. Adi is an example of Christ to this gypsy community.

Yesterday we celebrated Easter here in the village. Many different churches came together here at John Fracker's house, our ministry contact, to have an Easter service. We worshipped outside so the entire gypsy community could see the freedom in Christ that many have found. People stood on the side of the road, or across the street watching with curiosity. We sang songs of praise, worshipped our Lord for bringing us new life in Him, and prayed that the Spirit would touch the curious souls.

Our prayers were answered! We had planned on 5 baptisms taking place at the service; two of my teammates included, Ali and Natalie. The Spirit fell and gave two local boys the strength to come forward and commit their lives to the Lord and be baptized. One boy had a serious accident a couple of years ago and was almost paralyzed. God healed him and now he was ready to leave his life of sin behind and start a new life with the Lord. The other boy was one who we have seen in the background a lot since we have been here. The first time I saw him was when I was painting lime on a neighbor's trees. He was in the house across the street yelling, Hey honey, hey baby, hello, hello' and when I would look up he would dance very inappropriately towards me. I was disgusted in the moment. Now, my heart rejoices for God changing his heart. Easter is when we celebrate new life, and yesterday was no exception.

God is changing the community of Villa Tecii. I am changed because of Villa Tecii. I have always seen myself as a wandering spirit, and now I know that is just because I am part gypsy. I have no homeland because I will go wherever Christ leads me. The only home I claim is in Christ. I will wander as a gypsy loving others as Christ has loved me.

The Dancing Road Trip

Thu, 9 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This was probably the best travel day we have had on the race. I mean we had a bus ALL to ourselves. It made napping spectacular. My teammates went a little crazy and it was hysterical.

This month we are in Viile Tecci, Romania. We are living in a gypsy village and the people are amazing. They took us in as family on day one. For me, this is the most family oriented ministry locatin yet. The people are beautiful, the landscape is breath taking, and the childrens smiles and laughter are contagious. I feel so thankful to be here this month.

Stay tuned to hear more about ministry and life with the gypsies.

A night with Zodwa

Fri, 3 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Sometimes I have moments where I am overwhelmed by God's love. This is one of those moments. Nothing significant has happened. I am just being. Sitting I feel God's love flow through my entire body. Sometimes we make God too complicated. It is simple. He loves me. I love Him. I give Him my life. He will take care of the rest.

This is the kind of simplistic love we wanted to share with Zodwa. Zodwa is an eighteen-year-old girl who sells her body in order to survive in Swaziland. We were able to spend the night at her house loving on her in a way she has probably not known since her parents died.

When my teammate Ali and I went to her home we thought she couldn't speak any English. God surprised us within 5 minutes when we could hold a simple conversation with her. Jumping at the chance, we started telling her how much we really love her and how much God really loves her. While she was quiet a lot of the time, I know that she was soaking in God's truth.

We brought some food with us and it didn't take long before she was digging in. As we munched on sandwiches and pretzels, we wondered what path brought her to where she is now. Her story is one of pain that all too many Swazi's have had to endure throughout their lives. She still lives in the small concrete shack that her mother built when she was a child. One morning when she was ten she woke up to a normal day. Her mother cooked her breakfast and she left for school. Upon returning home that day her life would be altered forever. She was all alone in the world. Zodwa's mother died that very day. All her siblings left, some lived in the city and some were just gone. At the age of ten, she was left alone to fend for herself. She began to clean houses in order to make money to barely survive. For 4 years, Zodwa tried to delay the inevitable. However at 14, she had to make a choice, that to this day she can't admit, in order to stay alive. Her body was now for sale.

Several times during the evening, yelling came from her neighbor and was returned by Zodwa. . She told us she was telling her that she had company. Later, Pastor told us that she was telling her neighbor, Big Mama (her boss), she could not go to work that night. Around eleven, as we got ready for bed, we heard a knock on the door. My heart literally jumped because I thought it was a customer. It ended up being her "cousins" coming over because they were hungry, or that is what they told us. Ten minutes after they arrived, a guy was yelling from outside. One of the girls went outside and was talking with him for a while. Pastor told us that the girls are also prostitutes and they were coming over to try and get Zodwa to go to a customer. We were in the middle of Zodwa's real life. A life no teenager should have to live. Zodwa should be worrying about homework and plans for the weekend instead of worrying about how to put food on her own table and how she was going to survive.

Swazi culture is one of shame and hiding the truth. Zodwa's story is no exception. She is embarrassed of the life she lives and wants to hide the truth. I asked her if she could do anything in the world and have her dream job what would it be. She could not even answer. The concept of dreaming seemed foreign to her completely. That broke my heart. Regardless of the your lifestyle, everyone is allowed to dream."Tell your dreams to God," I told her " He hears them all". Nothing is too big for our Lord to accomplish. I have dreams of Zodwa having a new life. I have dreams of Zodwa going back to school. I have dreams of Zodwa falling crazy in love with her true Father. These dreams can become a reality. Join me to pray for a girl who people avoid eye contact with, for a girl who nobody truly cares what happens to her. Join me in prayer for a girl who is not forgotten because she is loved more than she can even imagine.

Zodwa outside of her house standing next to her mother's grave

Swaziland in a nut shell

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

5 ALive had a fruitful and rich time in Nsoko, Swaziland this month. My team mate Natalie worked very hard on this video. Enjoy! We are flying out to Romania today for debrief and then will be living in Bucharest doing ministry with gypsies. More blogs from Swazi to come when I get more internet access. LOVE!

There is always hope for the lost

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Swaziland breaks my heart. Every direction I turn my head I see some one dying, hungry, alone, or lost. This is the saddest country I have ever been to. HIV/AIDS is eating this country up and leaving wives who have lost their husband, mothers who are now dying from what killed their husbands, and children without anyone to care for them. One day does not go by without us hearing of someone new who has the most heartbreaking story. I knew this was going to be a heavy month of ministry but I have learned to love it through the hardship.

Here are a few stories of some of the ministry we have been involved in since coming to Nskoko, Swaziland:

Our first day here we met Du-du. She is dying of AIDS and literally wasting away. She is skin and bones now and in her final days. She is leaving behind a 7 month old baby and a 7 year old little girl. She is terrified right now. When we went into her bedroom to pray for her the Spirit of fear was overwhelming. She is scared of death, she is scared of what will happen to her babies, she is filled with fear completely. The next day my teammates Sara and Natalie went with her and Pastor Gift to the hospital. They held her hand for hours and tried to ease the fears that were consuming her. Death is coming and she cannot stop it, she can only change the way she will receive it. I pray Du-du finds peace before she passes.

One teenage girl stole my heart. Her name is Necebo and she is a 14 year old beauty. She lives with her mother and two sisters. Her father passed away a few years back and Pastor Gift suspects that her entire family is now infected with HIV. The have never been tested though. She is full of life and has such a comforting Spirit. I met her last Saturday when we had a pool party with 10 other teenage girls who have lost their fathers and Pastor has now ministering to them as a father would. We had pizza, swam, painted nails, and talked about purity. If God can change the hearts of 10 girls and make them strong in their faith they can transform this nation. That is what Pastor believes and that is why he invests his time in these girls. At church on Sunday I had a vision about Ncebo. She was standing in a field of flowers and Jesus was with her. He was putting on her a crown, jeweled necklaces, and she was in the most beautiful gown. He got down on one knee in front of her, grabbed her hand and said "Necebo, every time I look at you I see you as beautiful as you are right now. I love you and that will never change." Tears filled her eyes when I told her. She touched my heart so much in that moment. Later she told me she had no food to eat so I had to do something about that. Yesterday, I bought enough food for her family to last at least a month. When we delivered it Necebo and her mother began to cry. I said this is not a gift from me, this is a gift from the Lord. He loves you and is always there even when you think nobody is. I was only able to feed one family while this entire nation is starving. But I have hope that God asked me to feed that one family so that they will eventually be able to feed this nation with a never ending supply of God's love. Necebo has stolen my heart here in Swaziland.

Her name is Zotwa. She is 18 years old. She lives alone in hut. All of her family is dead. She feels alone in this world. The only way she can provide for herself is to prostitute herself, so she does. She puts on her nicest dress she has and walks to the military barracks down the road to find some work for the night. She has a little hunchback because she is literally so weighed down in life it is now taking a toll on her body. I look into her eyes and see a searching spirit, searching for something that will save her and bring her peace. Zotwa is searching and the only thing that will rescue her is the Lord. Tonight, Ali and myself will be spending the night with her at her home. We will be living with her and loving her. She speaks very little English so I am praying that the Spirit will take over when words are needed. My heart breaks for lost women who sell their bodies. For women who think they have no other way out, because I believe with the Lord, there is always a way. These women need to find hope so that they can then allow themselves for a chance at freedom. We are praying Zotwa finds freedom. I know I will not know what it is truly like to be in her shoes after one night at her home, but Zotwa will know after one night that I care, that her Father cares for her and always has.

Please stay tuned to read about my night with Zotwa...

Let God be God!

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

"Let God be God!"-Pastor Gift

Pastor Gift spoke these words to our team the other day and I cannot get them out of my head. I was telling him how much I loved his church that we attended here in Swaziland this past Sunday. How much it impacted me. How free in Christ I felt the entire time. From the moment the service began, I could tell this was not your average church.

They start at 4:00 so if people want to attend a traditional church service, they can. We begin worshipping in the Spirit and then Pastor calls a lady up to the front to be prayed over. God told Pastor Gift that He was going to heal this lady. He prays over her feet and immediately she begins jumping and kicking and praising God. He asks another man to come forward and encourages and prophesy over him.

This is what church is supposed to look like. But why do we run away from freedom in the Spirit and freedom in church? All year God has been teaching me to run no more. To not be afraid of all His goodness and freedom that He offers. It has been a battle for me because I think I know what church is supposed to look like. I think I know how a Christian is supposed to act. I think I know what is truly from the Lord and what is man trying to make a show of worship. I drive myself crazy with these thoughts...and that is why the words, Let God be God, will not get out of my head. It is time these words sink so deep in my skull that I truly and finally let God be God, not me.

I have learned this year how to worship free in the Spirit in a way I never knew was possible. I let that way of worship be an overflow into my life, and I have been transformed. I have been set free of the bondage I never knew was there. Before this trip I really thought I knew what was what when it came to being a Christian. Someone speaking in tongues, well that is just crazy and don't even get me started on being slain in the Spirit because come on, that doesn't happen. But slowly and surly I let my walls down and let a little more of God come in. At times I get freaked out and the doubt comes up again but I do not want to doubt anymore. If God is an never changing God then anything is possible through Him. Why do we question what He can and can't do. He is freaking God, He can do anything He wants to do. And if GOD wants to have His Spirit enter inside you and have you become overcome by that, He will. Why do we question THE ALMIGHTY because he is so unexplainable.

For a long time I have been scared to write these thoughts on my blog. I have been scared to openly admit that my beliefs have changed. That I have seen God work in ways I cannot explain and I have never seen before in my life. But fear of your reaction will no longer control me. I am free in Christ and I choose from today on to be open with the entire world about it. I mean heck, I can tell everyone I meet around the world what God has done to me, but I am afraid to tell those I love more than anything. So praise be to God for freedom that He offers us. I am not ashamed to admit I have spoken in tongues, I have been slain in the Spirit, and I choose to worship in freedom for the rest my life. I choose to let God be God and will not dictate what is of Him and what is not anymore. God is God and can do anything He wants, it's time I get on board with that.

Swaziland sneak peak

Fri, 6 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I am excited...wait let me say it again because this is big...I am excited about Africa!!

If you have read some of my blog lately, you know I have had somewhat of a hard time in Africa. My heart has not fully been here or in the ministries. But I feel the tides are changing. And that makes me soo happy. The past couple of days I have been reunited with my entire squad for some days of rest before we both leave for different ministries again. Their passion for Swazi has rubbed off on me.

They were in Swaziland last month and every single one of them feel in love with it. The girls hosted a Ladies Retreat called Beautyfrom Ashes. It was a powerful time where the Swazi women opened up (which being vulnerable is not a part of the culture) and shared their stories, pain, and lives with one another. Seeing how powerful their month of ministry was it makes me excited for Swazi ministry. These are the ladies I get to love on. These are the hearts that God is wanting us to continue to be Christ to.

This is what my teammate Katie had to say about it: For one weekend in February 2009, the women of Nsoko came together to share their lives of pain and open up to each other in an unprecedented way. Listen to their stories and see the God-given beauty of spirit that comes from their ashes of pain. Based on the verse Isaiah 61:3, "To bestow on them beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of the spirit of despair."

To support these beautiful and strong women, visit:
https://www.adventures.org/give/donate.asp?giveto=swazi

Faces of Africa

Wed, 4 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Praise the Lord!
I will thank the Lord with all my heart as I meet with his godly people.
How amazing are the deeds of the Lord!
All who delight in him should ponder them.
Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty.
His righteousness never fails.
He causes us to remember his wonderful works.
How gracious and merciful is our Lord!
Psalm 111:1-4

I have been redeemed

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Today is our last day in Zomba. Ministry is over and now we are just packing and enjoying the last few moments we will spend with Pastor and his wife Rose. This has been a great month of ministry. We were able to share the gospel and preach every day. It was great because my team members and I were able to press into our gifts and have God use us in those areas.

Natalie was our prayer warrior this month. She brought the fire of God through her prayers and gift of prophecy. My three other teammates were used through the gift of teaching and preaching. I saw Ali, Sara, and Melanie come alive when they taught on God's love. I was not sure where I was being called this month when it came to ministry. I am just glad it wasn't preaching ;) I still have a hard time getting up and speaking sometimes. But I now know that God does call me to that area sometimes and when He does, I will be obedient. I trust that even when I think I can't, well I can't. I can only speak in front of others when it is truly God speaking through me. So that is what I did this month, God spoke through me. He asked me to tell my testimony. He asked that I share my pain and hardships to encourage others who are caught in the lie that their sin controls them. I loved sharing the story of my past in order to set people free for tomorrow.

I have not talked about my past as much as I have this month in a long time. It got me thinking about the past a lot and recognizing truly how God has redeemed me. How my testimony is a story of redemption. God rescued me from living for myself. I grew up making the right choices and not getting in trouble. But I did not even make those decisions with a pure heart. I only did that in order to look better than others; that while others rebelled I wanted to be seen as perfect, which obviously never was the case. I thought that because of all my good decisions in life that God would bless me because of that. That He would provide me with a husband at the Christian University I attended. Well, because that's what happens when you go to a Christian University, you get married. Obviously, since I am still single today that never happened.

I decided to rebel against God. To make myself happy and forget about if that means hurting others and ultimately myself. I thought I had the lifestyle down perfectly. I could put on my Christian mask and go to church and play the good girl role and then as soon as the weekend would roll around I would rip that sucker off as quick as I could. I got very good at living two very different lifestyles. As soon as I graduated though, I didn't have to hide anymore. I still kept up appearances and attended church occasionally, but basically because I thought I could have the best of both worlds. That by going to church that would be enough to keep me out of the fiery pits one day. Only, it was not. God constantly tried to pursue me this stage in my life but I would block it out whenever I felt any conviction. Slowly I started to do things I always said I would never do in my life. The list of "I will never do..." is pretty much non-existent today, because I did it all mostly. It started to scare me because I no longer recognized myself. Who had I become? Where was the Amy I used to know? I lost her. Thankfully God didn't, He knew who I was and He wanted me to come home to Him. So I did.

Through a series of God planned events, He brought true conviction to my heart. For the first time in my life I had a true Holy Spirit moment. I recognized that it was the Spirit that entered into me and was calling me out of my life of sin. It was simple, come home to me Amy. And so I did. I abandoned the entire life I was living and started over with God in control. I no longer fought it. I surrendered. Blessings fell on me because of that. That was back in 2005 and my life has been completely changed since then.

God desires for our faith in Him to be a rock solid foundation and believe that He will do whatever it takes to have that happen in our lives. My faith growing up was not strong. I thought that because I was good that was enough. It was a faith from my parents, my church, and expectations I put on myself. Not one of those is a faith that pleases God. He desires my faith to be my own faith and to be completely centered in Him. And trust me; whatever it takes for you to get that kind of faith is worth the ride, whatever the cost.

This has been my theme verse since being in Malawi. Let it encourage you. Let it force you to examine your own faith. Let it force you to love as God loves you. Be changed because of your faith.

Galatians 5:6 "The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love."

A World Race Safari

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I Choose...

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

We are in Zomba, Malawi right now. We have been going around to different parts of town and sharing the gospel, preaching, sharing testimonies, and praying for healing and life change. That's what the race is all about right? Sharing the love of God with others, right? Of course. Right?

That is what the race is about, part of it at least. The other part is about me. That may sound selfish...but it is. It is about Amy' being complexly wrecked, lost of the old, transformed, and molded into someone new. Well, here in Malawi we have entered into the refiner's fire. Malawi means fire. We have literally entered into the country of God's fire. The fire that I have walked into is my own personal fire. God is saying..."I don't like that part of you, let's draw it out and change you. Amy, you can do better than that. You can serve and love others better than you are." It is tiring I tell you. I would not change it for anything though.

Every day I have to choose to remain present. My mind is wandering towards the future." Boy, won't that be nice to have air conditioning in a few months. I can't wait to sit on a toilet when I go to the bathroom. I am going to On the Border as soon as I am in Atlanta. I can't wait to see all my old friends. " And so on and so on. My mind won't stop; it is constantly making plans for the future and taking me back to the states. The thing is though; I still have 3 more months. THREE WHOLE MONTHS. That is the amount of time it took God to transform me in Asia. That is the amount of time it took me to fall in love with a nation and recognize my calling. I said the other day it is like I met the love of my life but now I have to keep dating when it comes to Asia and I. If my mind is not going forward it is going back to Asia.

This is where the race has gotten hard for me. God is refining me. He is drawing out more of the Amy that should have never even been there. I have to make a constant choice to remain mentally present here in Africa. I have to choose not to check out for the remainder of the race. The exciting and pretty factor of the race has faded and what remains is the truth. God has called me here. The question is am I going to live everyday in that mentality. I won't promise you every day I will live in that mentality but the truth is I desperately want to. I want to finish these last three months with the same intensity I had the first three. So today I today I choose.

I choose to trust.

I choose to believe You have me in this exact place for a reason.

I choose to have faith that You will mold me and shape me even more.

I choose You Father.

I choose to love even when I don't want to.

I choose not to check out.

I choose to remain in the present.

Child's Love

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Luke 18: 16-17 "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."

God has touched my heart this year with all the children's faces I have seen. I have seen children hungry, alone, craving love and children filled with love. If I could have adopted every one I have fallen in love with, well let's just say I would need a mansion to return home to. Why do we have trouble loving others some time? It is because we are stubborn, selfish, and greedy. Seeing how simple a child loves you is humbling. Today I had two of the pastor's grandchildren crawling on top of for attention, when before they were scared for me to even come close to hugging them. Loving a child sometimes can be simple. Give them attention and they will love you, for the most case. God sees us through the same eyes...he is already crazy in love with us and is just asking for us spend some time with Him and let Him show us just how much He loves us. God's love is simple. It is just there. It will never leave us. We do not have to earn it. Bottom line, God loves us more than we can ever begin to imagine.

Lucio in Mexico

Cute little David in the slums of Cambodia

(Probably got scabbies from this little guy, ha)

Another cuttie from Cambodia

Julietta in Nicaragua

Amalia and I in Nicaragua

My favorite bud Robbie in Thailand

Kiddos in Thailand

Most beautiful boy in Swaziland

The pastor's grandchildren here in Malawi.

Dan is the cutest boy in the whole country!

Let yourself feel the Lord's love today...because it is there just waiting for you!

The Name of Hope

Wed, 4 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Her name was Ana.

Prophecy was spoken.

A life was filled with hope from God.

Faith continues.

During ministry in Mozambique Lisa, Lindsey, and I went to the house of Fernando and Ana so we could bless their home and pray over it. We were able to encourage the Pastor and Fernando while we were there. I had a vision of the two men standing in front of the church dressed like they were ready for battle. They were each holding a spear that faced inwards, as if blocking anything from entering. They were the chosen protectors of the church. They were to protect the church from evil entering in. When it tried to seep in through the cracks they entered into battle and by declaring the name of the Lord, evil had no choice but to flee. I know God desires these two men to rise up as leaders within the church so they can recognize what spirits are from God and which ones are from the enemy.

When we first went to their home, Ana busied herself with hostess responsibilities. She served drinks, cut pineapple, and killed the bunny that we ate hot off the open fire (true story). When I looked at her for the first time God brought Sarah, from the Bible, to my mind. I did not understand what that meant so I ignored it that is until the end of our visit. She joined us after all her work was done and asked for prayer requests. First she asked that we pray for her because sometimes when she sleeps evil spirits come and manifest in her. We told her then and there when that happens to call on Jesus and evil has no choice but to flee. Evil is not welcome in the presence of the Lord. She had no idea she had that authority and that it was that easy. Her second prayer request was that we would pray for her to have a child. Her only child is now 24 and she has not been able to have anymore since then. I was amazed because I knew that is why God brought Sarah into my mind. God is going to bless Ana with a child just as He blessed Sarah with a child later in life. How amazing is God that He cares enough to say one simple name, but that name makes all the difference. That name offers hope. That name fulfills years and years of prayer. The name Sarah is a gift from God directly for Ana. God loves Ana and will reward her faithfulness.

Our last day with the church Ana came forward for prayer. Her stomach had been bothering her all day. The three of us immediately began interceding that it was morning sickness. I may never know if it was or what the end of her story is. But I don't have to hear it with my own ears to already know what God spoke. Sarah...the name that gave Ana hope. The name that brings life.

Faith. Enough said.

Beauty of Africa

Wed, 4 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Dancing at church inMozambique

Church we worshipped at in Mozambique

Beautiful Africa

Baby Elephant

My favorite boy in Swaziland

Swazi

Who knew rocks could be so entertaining! (Swazi)

My teammate Natalie takes teh best photos

Beuatiful sweet thing in Swazi

Hello World

Tue, 3 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Sorry about the no blogging...being in the bush kinda makes it hard ;) I won't even begin to explain what our travel has been like but I will say this...I have seen loads of South Africa, Mozambique, and Swaziland. We are waiting in Jo-berg for a few days before we head to Malawi for ministry this month. Here is a video from my week of ministry in Mozambique. I have a blog I will post as soon as I find a more reliable computer ;)

LOVE YOU

Support Brian and Stacy!

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Support Brian and Stacy here:

http://www.adventures.org/give

Select "The World Race"

Type "For Brian Alonzo"

rash, finger, and knee hit the road

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

You ask who are rash, finger, and knee??

Rash- Amy aka Thing (woops...Internet in Africa not the best)

Finger- Josh aka aka Arms of steel (he is still trying to hold the title to that name)

Knee- Natalie aka Fired Up

The three of us have spent the last week here in Nelspruit recovering from our ailments. We were able to see the doctor on our first full day here and started treatments. Turns out I had scabies...yuckk. I am still scratching but it has gotten much better. A few more treatments and hopefully it will be completely gone. Josh's finger was a reaction from what we believe was a spider bite he got in London. After soaking it, taking meds, and applying a thick orange goo his finger is looking loads better. Praise the Lord. And then we have knee...Natalie. somebody was horsing around with Nat in London and dead legged her and it was in alot of pain after that. some girls on the squad prayed over her knee one night in London during worship and God healed her of all the pain. she came here to have it checked out just to be on the safe side. It is ok for the time and she might have to have it looked at again at home. For now, she is good though. Praise God for healings and no serious side affects.

I cannot tell you how much of a blessing our time here has been. We have been staying with the Wilson family during our time here in Nelspruit. They have taken us in a treated us like their adopted children. They have spoiled us with delicious meals that we enjoyed while gathered around the dinner table. They have carted us on errands. They have encouraged us every day. Above all else they have been a true example of a Christ centered family and just by being their normal selves, they have strengthened our faith. sheila and Ricard have been our spiritual mom and dad while we have been here and I have loved every second I have spent with them. sheila spoke life into me and shared truths and encouragements that the Lord gave her to tell me. As we speak she is counseling Natalie. It is not just that this family has shown us the true definition of Christian hospitality, this is just who they are. The Wilson's follow where God is calling them even if it is going against the grain. They serve us with joy in their eyes everyday and I have not met a family on this race that has poured more love into me as the Wilsons have. I think we all need to pray to get a little (or a lot) of the Wilson spirit into our heart and life so that we can be this genuine is our hospitality and authentic in the way we love and serve others.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances,

for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

God is teaching me what this means. He is bringing my spirit to life through love, having a joyful heart, giving thanks, and being in prayer. This seems like such an elementary lesson...but why is that the entire human race still struggles with these simple tasks. It seems easy enough, but boy oh boy I have a thick head when it comes to this. But we have a gracious God who does not demand perfection, thankgoodness.

Last month I was a little mad at God for taking away my spirt of praise. First off He didn't take it away. I stepped outside of it. I did not remain plugged into His word. I did not seek His face humbly everyday. I pouted and wined that God had left me. Geez, it makes me sick just listening to my thoughts I had last month. God spoke to me a few days ago that He gives us different 'spirits' for a time a season. I needed a spirit of praise in order to survive in Pattaya. Now I need a spirit of peace to hear His voice more clearly and to be at ease with my walk. God knows what we need we need it. He is not going to let us miss out on anything He has planned for us. I am over striving for the past. I want only what He has in store for me. I know there will be hard times, moments of doubt, but also praise and joy all along the way. I am filled with His peace and that is enough.

For that I praise you Father!

No more sweaters, jackets, and gloves!! YAY

Sun, 4 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Goodbye London. You were good to us all...but it is time to leave you now.

Oddly enough, I am not sad to leave. I thought coming here it would be hard to leave but now I could not be more ready to get on the plane and leave this land of comfort. Don't get me wrong, it has not been all bad but it is not for me right now. I feel like everything that God taught me in Asia and brought to life in me I have lost. I know that is a lie from Satan...which I am still battling at this moment. I know it is in me. God brought me to life in Asia and it will come back to me.

This is where God's gift to me comes in. I have had some itchy bumps since Cambodia (that is not the gift part) and was unable to have them properly treated here in England. I have now been to 2 hospitals in Thailand and 1 here in London and the bumps stil remain. They won't draw blood here to do the proper testing bc of the socialized healthcare and if they did it would cost me well, more than my team lives off of in 1 month. So no thanks England, I will wait till Africa. This is where the gift part comes in. I will be staying with my squad leader for a week in Nelspruit, South Africa to go to a doctor. I will then be traveling down to meet my team in Mulane, Mozambique for the next week. I know I still have alot of personal reflection, debrief, grief journeling, etc to take care of about Thailand. That country wrecked me more than I ever expected and I have not fully dealt with it. This month I did not want to deal with it so I unintentionally opted out of all emotions. As God always does, He knew what I would need. He knew that I would need this time to rest in Him and hear His voice loudly again. He knew that I would need to fall crazy in love with Him again before I could minister in Africa. He knew I would need this in order to find what I have lost. I will find myself in this time in South Africa. Thank you for this gift Father.

I have no idea what internet accessability will look like for my time in Africa, so be prepared for the worse. I will update as much as possible because I can't wait to share all the ridiculous God stories with you. I know there will be some brillant miracles! It will be grand.

A quick shout out to all my supporters. I have felt your prayers and love since being on the race. I could not do this without you. My prayer is that God is wrecking you as you go on this journey with me. We are not done yet and God still has an unimaginable amount of things that He is wanting to teach us. Please allow God to wreck you. It hurts like nothing else, but once we have tasted this goodness and stepped into His holy place, nothing else measures up. I have seen His Glory and I will not live without it ever again.

Confessions...British Style

Sat, 3 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

1. I am not over leaving Asia.

2. If you flirt a little with the right Queens watch guard...he will talk to you ;)

3. The London Bridge is not cool...its actually the Tower Bridge that is.

4. London is the most diverse city I have ever been to.

5. I had to re-train myself to flush toilet paper.

6. Men with British accents are very distracting and oh so lovely!

7. Sleeping in a room with 12 other women has been a growing experience.

8. Two showers for 36 people has not been that difficult... are we actually showering anymore?

9. All the women in London forgot their skirts.

10. This is the 1st time in 6 months I have not had to eat rice with every meal.

11. Mind the Gap

12. 1.8 million out of 11 million people here in London are Muslim.

13. Funniest Christmas present Santa delivered was an inflatable wife for Dan.

14. Why America does not travel by double decker buses is beyond me.

15. English people apparently have warm blood because no one turns on the heater.

16. Yes folks, I am still itching since Cambodia but have to get the treatment I need in Africa due to socialized health care.

17. The positive to front row seats at Wicked is they are 1/2 price, the downside is no one should see men in tights that close.

18. You know you are in London when you walk down the street and hear 5 + different languages flying past you with in 30 seconds.

19. Melanie had a really good one but forgot it by the time I was done writing # 18.

20. Cheers!

this is for you Mom...

Sat, 3 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Here is a close up of my Thailand tattoo.

This is posted due to a special request from my lovely Mom, Wanda. If you have not seen the Tattoo Day video yet, check it out!