Hey Everyone!

I know it's been a while since my last blog update but it's time for me to get back into the game! The team is now on our third week back on the road for the second half of our year. This week we are in Burlington, NC. Now, as a recap on the past three weeks...

Our first few days back at the camp were spent settling back into the routine and getting ready for our half week of meetings at Cornerstone (a local church). After our "week" there we finished packing up and emptying the dorms before we were on the road headed to Ramseur, NC. Our first full week of meetings was spent at Parks Crossroads where I had the blessing of staying with one of Alaina's host mom's from when she had traveled! Grandma Caveness told us countless stories and advice about life  and she remains so dear to my heart. The week there was an incredible one but the things I remember most are the morning lessons we had with the senior pastor and the youth pastor. God seemed to lay it on their hearts to speak on things that I really needed to hear and it was definitely challenging to notice things that I need to change but it was much needed. One of the main things that stuck out to me that I am focusing on changing is my lack of selflessness. Often, I focus on my problems and my circumstances and forget that there are others around me going through things way worse than I think my problems are. Putting aside my personal pity party is a daily struggle but something I've noticed is when I forget about myself, focus on being a friend to others, give advice, or just listen, God will do so much more through me. After our week at Parks we headed 15 minutes down the road to Spoons Chapel, where I stayed with a dear, dear woman who has the coolest story and she grew up in Scotland!! Those of you who know me well know how excited this made me. :) Saturday and Sunday I spent with my host mom's son's family (got that?) who Alaina had stayed with both of her years on the team! So, last week I had two incredibly wonderful host families. One night I was talking to one of the team girls about her plans for college next year, and literally all I did was grab her hands and say "just trust" before I turned around and was told by someone that they were going to support me financially on our trip to Zambia. A few days later a woman from the previous church sent every team member a gift card to walmart for Valentines Day. But that's not all! The next day I found somebody elses gift card in my backpack with their name scratched out and Zepheniah 3:17 written in its place. This week can only be described by the words of one of my best friends when I told her... "Anna, you have been SO blessed this week." I can't begin to say how good God is. Or how very faithful He is to keep His promises. It says in Matthew 17:20 that if I "have faith like a grain of mustard seed" I can move mountains. How very small my faith is compared to that tiny little mustard seed, and yet He still kept that promise because of a tiny bit of faith. So often I fail, but my Savior forgets it the instant I come and ask for His forgiveness. How can I take a God so completely awesome, and make Him seem so casual? The team is reading through the book "God As He Longs For You to See Him" by Chip Ingram, and I am so excited to get to know my God better. 

On a side note, this morning we went skeet and pistol shooting and 4-wheeling as one last hurrah for the week. I...didn't hit a single clay pigeon. But it's all about the memories, right? Please continue to pray for the team as we're at a new church this week and as we continue to get closer and closer to our trip to Africa. Thank you!!

Again, if you would like to get involved in supporting the ministry or a team member just visit www.encounterrevival.org

In Christ, 

Anna