Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays! Young Life has been hectic the past month! We are planning our leader Christmas party and our Christmas club for the kids on the 13th along with starting a Jr Leader campaign. Our club is pretty much ran by word of mouth. Kids want to come to club because other people they know are going. I am so excited to start this Jr Leader group so they can really understand the heart of Young Life and really make an impact on their lower classman. It has been overwhelming but I know that this is going to be such a huge aspect in our club! Good news is we have new leaders! It is so crazy how the Lord provides at just the perfect time!

My friend Kayla and I had our first jewelry party! It was a huge success and so much fun! We sold half of our product and it was great to see and catch up with people! Our Young Life girls came!

I always feel like the holidays are crazy but one thing that I need to continually remember is this is a time to celebrate the Lord's birth. I am so excited to share with you what the Lord has been teaching me the past couple of weeks!

" But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’"- Matthew 9:13

I was thinking about the word mercy and what that really means in my life and how can I show mercy/compassion for others. I was thinking how serving others is a huge part of this. The next day, I was reading in Isaiah 58 and how it talks about how the Lord says we are fasting wrong, that He wants us to free the oppressed, feed the hungry... pretty much serving others. God doesn't want my sacrifices and fasting but He wants us to serve. The verse goes more on the Sabbath day to keep it Holy. Then it says,

"Then the Lord will be your delight." -Isaiah 58:14.

The word THEN was just so adamant on my heart. When we serve God THEN the Lord will be my delight. A friend once told me that "Happiness comes from happenings but Joy can only come from Christ alone." If we look at Psalm 37, it says,

"Take delight in the Lord,

and he will give you your heart’s desires."

This was so encouraging to me because I feel like the Lord assured me that I am in the right place where He wants me. There are so many times I feel overwhelmed and stressed out BUT knowing this was just so encouraging.

Thank you so much for all of your prayers and support! Please keep praying for my continual encouragement as well as a balance during this crazy time of the year! Love you all!

Lauren

UPDATE!

Hi everyone! WOW this week has been crazy! We had our 6th annual sofa scavenger hunt on Monday! It was really fun and encouraging to see new freshman at club! I have three Jr. Leaders and two of them took the freshman to Starbucks then club after. Its so awesome to see them take leadership within the club. The freshman girls really look up to my junior girls. Its funny how it is kind of like a hierarchy. My girls look up to me and these freshman girls look up to them and so forth. It is definetely teaching me accountability in ALL aspects of my life not just external factors.

Being on YL staff has been a transition in my life. I really feel like the Lord has put this before me as well as school to focus on. But its learning how to focus on Him within focusing on the opportunities that the Lord has provided. I think I have been good about balancing everything out. My grades have gotten so much better, the Lord has provided focus on my studies and the wisdom. Thank you so much for praying for my midterms, they went well!

Spiritually, the past three days have been so encouraging. I was struggling with not having a sincere thankful heart the past two weeks. I felt like the Lord was blessing me with so many things but yet my focus was still on what I don't have. On Sunday, Branches went over what our treasure is that we need to give up to the Lord. He talked about the story of the hidden treasure and how he buried it again so he can buy the land and the treasure. I was thinking about this today.. why wouldn't he just take the treasure? Why did he have to rebury it? I came to the conclusion that it is like a present, if we found something that we loved and wanted we would rather have it be kept new instead of using it and being used. Then it kind of clicked. It is like our faith.

"Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I assure you, anyone who doesn't have their kind of faith will never get into the Kingdom of God." We are to have childlike faith. By reburying the treasure it is kept new. We are called to have childlike faith, I believe the Lord is really growing my faith in Him and really truly learning how to surrender all to Him. "How can I expect to walk without Him, with every move that Jesus made was in surrender."- Kim Walker

PLEASE PLEASE PRAY that

* The Lord will keep reminding me to have a childlike faith.

* That I can really surrender all things to Him.

*That I can be humbled and take His discipline as an act of love.

*Desire God's will

* I can be accountable in my motives and in my integrity.

*My Young Life Girls- that my bible study AKA CABIN TIME will be reenergized. I have my CT on Thursday morning at 9:30 AM.

*Encouragement- I feel like the enemy attacks me by discouraging me a lot of the time.

*Energy- that I can be spiritually energized for all YL Activities.

*REST- that I can rest with the Lord and really commit to doing it every Friday

I love you all thank you so much!

Lauren

MONDAY NIGHT!

Thank you so much for praying for my talk on Monday at Young Life club! We had 70 plus high school kids come that night! It was overwhelming but so much fun at the same time! My talk went really well I felt like all the kids were listening and the Lord gave me confidence in it. The Halloween club was such a special event because it was my ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY with my Young Life girls! Its so crazy how fast the year went by! One of my girls wrote me a letter today and it was just so encouraging to really see the Lord work through her life and that she sees the Lord in my life. It has been such an amazing year!

This upcoming summer we have summer camps and I think 2 of my girls are going to be working there for a month! I know this is going to be such a huge growing experience for them! Please pray that we get even amount of spots for kids to work at camp so then my girls can go together instead of having them be seperated! I am really praying that the Lord will provide them to go! My group of girls coming to my cabin time have been up and down. Please pray that the girls will be encouraged to come!! Thank you so much for your support! Love you all!

Lauren

YOUNG LIFE UPDATE

Hello everyone! Thank you so much for supporting Young Life! Young Life has been awesome! We have a couple of new leaders that are already connecting with kids which is really encouraging! This year has been a great start with the fellowship and the club in general.

This upcoming Monday we are having our annual Halloween Club! This is proboably one of the biggest events of the year! We are having it at one of my girls, Holly Herzog's house! I will be speaking at Club Monday about the Immoral Woman! Please pray that the Lord will use me to speak to the hearts of the kids at the club! That the Lord will really speak through me!

The Lord has been teaching me so much the past month. He is really teaching me about having Him be my number one in all circumstances. That all I need is His love ALONE.

"Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine. The land you have given me is a pleasant land. What a wonderful inheritance! I will bless the Lord who guides me, even at night my heart instructs me. I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me."- Psalm 16.

As I was hiking during my quiet time, this verse really struck my heart. GOD ALONE is my inheritance, He has been such a blessing in my life. God is guarding my heart at all times. Its so amazing how I am actually walking into a blessing with Young Life and the season I am in life. God is really teaching me how to delight in Him and KNOW that my Joy comes from following His will and serving Him.

I also am learning a lot about truly HOW BIG GOD REALLY IS! I started this accountability group with two of my girlfriends and we are going over crazy love. It has truly been such a blessing to have such amazing friends in life to walk with during this season. This book has really opened my eyes to the how Big HE really is.

My prayer is that I will desire God's will in my life and that my heart will always be on fire for Him. That I learn to completely fall in love with Christ. That I serve wholeheartedly without any fears or distractions. I really feel like the Lord is slowly taking each fear out of me one by one.

Praises:

* The Lord has provided $6,500 of my budget so far!

* New freshman have been coming to club!!

* I started a jewelry line called Charis! Take a look http://charisjewelry.blogspot.com/ !

Prayer Requests:

*That the Lord will provide for my grades, I have been struggling in my classes

*Freshman boys to come to club for Corey to take to camp!

*A couple of my girls would like to do workcrew this upcoming summer where they live at camp for a month and serve. Pray that we get spots together at Woodleaf for the July session. It is really hard to get spots all together at the same camp!

*Pray for a re- energized bible study. My group of 13 haven't all been showing up to my bible studies. I changed my bible study to Thursday evenings so hopefully the girls can make it!

Thank you so much for your prayers! I am so blessed to have all of you supporting me! Love you all!

-Lauren

YOUNG LIFE NEW SCHOOL YEAR!

Hello friends and family! Thank you so much for supporting the ministry the Lord has put before me. I am so blessed to be given the opportunity to serve on Young Life staff. Through eight months of prayer about my call into this ministry, I can confidently say that the Lord has called me to Young Life. I am really excited about this new season the Lord has in store for myself and His ministry. I am so thankful you are a part of making a difference in these kids lives.

This year was a great start! Our first club was awesome! From now we are doing an integrated club with San Clemente and San Clemente Downtown! Corey (New Area Director for San Clemente Young Life) did a great talk on how Jesus wants us to come to Him to celebrate! We have a handful of new leaders and I was so encouraged for this new school year!

I have a group of 12 Juniors in high school that I have been mentoring for the past year. I took them to camp this past year and it was amazing! Never cried and laughed so much in my life! 7 of my girls committed their lives to Christ. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h79apOT41Mg) They are on varsity cheer this year and 3 of the 11 are doing Jr. Leading for my cabin times (bible studies) It is so amazing to see how the Lord has been moving in each of their lives and how thirsty they are for the word! I am really excited about this upcoming year to see how the Lord is going to grow them.

Please pray for :

*My personal spiritual balance. I have been struggling with balancing Young Life, my personal life, school and my spiritual replenishment.

*My encouragement starting this new job and just where the Lord has me in life.

*Young Life Club- that there will be a smooth transition for combining Downtown and San Clemente.

*Finances- My budget for the year is $13,000, I still need to raise $7,000 of that!

*Leaders- Pray for the encouragement for all the leaders and that the Lord will provide new potential leaders.

*YL girls- pray that they will continue following Him and will pursue a stronger relationship with Him.

Holly Herzog

Corin Burns

Lauren Jackson

Taylor Drew

Sarah Mikosz

Lauren Zines

Nicole Pappalardo

Amanda Simkins

Ivette Stevens

Kelsey Bennight

Farrah Haglom

Loni Carissa

Thank you so much for all of your support in Young Life!

Love you all,

Lauren

WOODLEAF YOUNGLIFE CAMP!

Hello Everyone!

I am getting really excited Young Life camp is SUNDAY! Things are getting crazy but ITS SO EXCITING and I am so blessed that God has provided me an amazing group of girls! The Lord totally provided for each one to come. This is going to be an amazing opportunity for them as well as myself. It has truly been an amazing year with Young Life and seeing how the Lord is growing each and every one of these girls.

Today I was reading in Matthew 13:3 “Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. ⁴ As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. ⁵ Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. ⁶ But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died. ⁷ Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. ⁸ Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted! ⁹ Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”

Please pray that each and every one of these girls will be a flourishing crop. That the Lord will soften their hearts and will want to have faith in Him. Also pray for the protection of the body of Christ at camp as well as encouragment for all the leaders going! THIS WEEK IS GOING TO BE A SELFLESS WEEK FOR ALL LEADERS! Pray that each leader will be spiritually prepared for this upcoming week! If you can please pray for each of my girls their names are;

Corin Burns

Holly Herzog

Loni Carissa

Lauren Jackson

Taylor Drew

Ivette Stevens

Sarah Mikosz

Nicole Pappalardo

Kelsey

Amanda

Farah

Thank you so much!

Bali Briefing!

Hello everyone! Thank you so much for all of your prayers and support. This trip has been amazing! God taught me so much! The main things God has taught me was:

*Fear- That Gods love casts out our fear. Paula told me that the fear in Bali is the spiritual warfare whereas at home the fear is the fear of man.

*Faith- I learned that I had so little faith before coming on this trip. God taught me that answered prayers are in Gods time and not my own but to have faith that God listens and answers.

*Leadership- Accountability, that what I do or say effects my character. We want to be respected leaders. We must also be completely satisfied with God's praise only not by people or our serving can easily be put into works or idols.

*Spiritual Gifts- To have faith in my spiritual gifts and use them to serve others.

*TRUE WISDOM COMES FROM HUMILITY

*Compassion- Having compassion towards others and seeing the love God has for each person.

This trip has brought me to the deepest pit of my fears. It has grown me so much in my faith and I am so thankful and blessed for all of your support. I put together a slideshow on youtube for you all to see! If you are having a hard time seeing it, click this! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUcV2-ScLLg

HOME!

Hi friends and family! I made it home safely! Thank you for all your prayers and support on this trip! I am currently in works of uploading pictures and I will post a blog on my final thoughts asap!!!

THANKS!

Lauren

Best $1.20 investment

I feel like my faith is growing so much stronger. Abbey has been really sick the past week with Bali belly. As I shared in my last blog, the Lord healed my ear and it was a fast result. However, I have been praying for Abbey and my eye and I was realizing that I was getting annoyed that they weren't healed yet. I was like "God you healed my ear right away, can't you just heal my eye and abbeys tummy now?" THEN I realized WOW I am not being patient with the Lord at all. So many times I can remember praying for something and being so impatient with God. I know the Lord will heal our physical problems, but it is not in my timing but Gods timing, for he makes everything perfect in his own time. I believe God healed my ear for that one time for me to remember to have faith in God that even though he may not respond right away it doesn't mean He isn't going to do it. We must pursue continual faith in the Lord in all circumstances.

Today was pretty awesome. Staying in Bali has kind of turned into just a typical day. I was feeling like I was just living here. I was realized that daily we need to remember our mission statement "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," - Matthew 28:19 This is what we are supposed to do daily. Serving God and making disciples. It was so crazy how easily that started to slip away even in a place like Bali. You would think that this would be in your continual conscience. However, it is easy to get in the lifestyle wherever you are at, you forget your focus.

I woke up today praying to God that would keep me focused. I went to Kuta to surf with the kids at the Kuta orphanage. When we were done Abbey and I went to the mini mart to go get some crackers and water. I got these crackers that I was really looking forward to eating when i took a bite of a cracker it was really stale and I found out it was expired. I was so agitated I went to the cashier and complained and it didn't really help much. It was actually really good that Abbey came with me or else I wouldn't have noticed but she explained to me how that was rude and that this cracker proboably took about a year to get here. That the people around saw my character by the way I acted. I started feeling bad but it was so true what she was telling me.

I went to the car and drove with the kids back to the orphanage. On the car ride there I passed out the stale crackers and the kids didn't complain once about what the cracker tasted like. They were just stoked to get anything. Then I was thinking like WOW I am a complainer and that these kids appreciate so much and what they have. God totally showed me this today. Just learning more and more about my surroundings. That we need to be more aware of what we do and how we are portraying ourselves to others.

The ORU team is leaving on Monday, please pray for a safe flight home for them. Also please pray for Abbey and her health as well as my eye it is still infected. Please pray for the safety and protection of the Body of Christ here. Thank you love you all!

Lauren

update

Hi friends and family! Thank you so much for your support and prayers! This week the ORU worship team, Abbey and I went to the orphanage and did an assembly for the Christian school here. This week we did the 1-5th graders instead of kindergarten and preschoolers. We played games and did worship. The people at the school are so hospitable. They were so nice they provided us thank you bracelets and food this morning. Most of the people I have talked to here are nice and really interesting to talk to.

Praise God for safety and casting out fear and thank you again so much for your prayers. The Lord is teaching me so much and this is such an amazing growing experience. It is really interesting because normally around kids I tend to gravitate to the younger children but I find myself gravitating more toward the older ones. Maybe it is because of Younglife and I do miss my girls so much! I definetely feel like God is refining my call and I am so excited!

God is teaching me so much about faith. This WEEK WAS AMAZING. I went to church this Sunday and I had an ear infection. When I got to church this man wanted to pray for healing on my ear. As he was praying I was thinking how much faith this man had. This is the faith that we should have. I found myself doubting when he was praying for me. When the worship came on, the Holy Spirit just flooded through me. The song Mighty to Save was playing and it hit me! GOD CAN MOVE THE MOUNTAINS BECAUSE HE IS MIGHTY TO SAVE! I was putting God in a box with Bali. I was thinking this place is so spiritually dark that there was not much hope. BUT IREALIZED at that moment that GOD CHOSE HIS PEOPLE BEFOREHAND and that GOD IS MIGHTY TO SAVE HE CAN SAVE THIS PLACE!

During the service, the message was about faith without works is pointless and it got me thinking a lot. The Lord is teaching me so much about my spiritual gifts and intercession being one of them. This message got me thinking that I NEED TO HAVE FAITH when praying. "I tell you the truth, if you have faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, move from here to there, and it would move. Nothing would be impossible." -Matthew 17:20 This is my gift God has given me and if I have faith as small as a mustard seed God will answer.

After the service and realizing this, the same guy came up to me and asked if my ear was better . I said no and he wanted to pray for my ear again. This time we prayed I had faith. I had more faith than I ever had in the Lord. Not just about my ear but in the Lord in general. That night my ear was healed. It was such an amazing thing to know that GOD IS MIGHTY TO SAVE and how powerful "In the name of Jesus Christ" truly is. God healed me and my sickness. God can save the people here and heal them!

Prayer requests:

*Abbey got Bali Belly and please pray that the Lord heals her
*One of the girls from the children's home put her hands on my eyes and I got an eye infection. Please pray that the Lord heals it. It's not that bad!
* Safety for the body of Christ here in Bali; ORU TEAM, Global church, the people here in Bali
*Please pray for my heart and that I can be more patient and a listener.

Thank you so much love you all!

lauren

This week!

Hi everyone! This week has been really busy but so fun! Its hard to keep track of the days here I feel like I am in a time warp. This week I went to this Christian school in Bali and taught english to the preschoolers and kindergardeners. It was really encouraging to see the body of Christ especially in Bali being grown at such a young age. I also got to go to another orphanage on the Bukit. This orphanage is a lot nicer than the other orphanage that I went to in Kuta. These kids are funded by an organization called Hopes of Hands. The ORU team went to teach music to these kids. I played the tamborine haha. I don't know if I helped much other than the beat of the song.

I realized that the Holy Spirit moves so fast among Christians here in Bali. It isn't necessarily like home where everyone is practically Christian. Most of the community here is either Hindu or Muslim. It is mostly Hindu. I talked to some people who became believers here in Bali and I realized that the Holy spirit moved so quickly through them. I think this is why the enemy is upset when believers are building the body of Christ here.

I feel like the Lord is teaching me so much about overcoming fear and I the Lord told me why I am here the other day. Before I came on this trip, I wasnt aware of the extreme poverty here. This place didn't really exist in my mind. When I got here the spiritual warefare became so real to me. It is great to make relationships with kids and help out as much BUT the Lord brought me here to open my eyes to the need of prayer in Bali. I feel like God is teaching me a lot about my spiritual gifts and using them to love others and use prayer to its full extent. I guess I never realized how powerful prayer was and what gift God has given me. I was reading Romans 13 :8 the other day which says, "Owe nothing to anyone except for your obligation to love one another."

I realized at that moment that the best thing I can do is love others but with the gifts God has given me. He is teaching me to use my spiritual gifts to love others. I am here to encourage the body of Christ, be an evangelist and pray pray pray for the light of the Lord to shine through this dark place.

God is also teaching me so much about rest and leadership At home I am constantly busy, but coming here I am busy but I am living my life daily. I don't know what is going to happen the next day normally until the night before. This is how we are supposed to live daily not looking at what will happen tomorrow but by what God is providing for you on a daily basis. I don't need to worry about tomorrow.

"Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Philippians 4:6-8)

If I am constantly busy, I am not allowing the Lord to work through all of it. I need his place of rest for my replenishment to be a quality leader. I am learning to give my life daily to the Lord and not base my day around my plans. Also to know and understand my surroundings that what I do and what I say is effective to others.

The Lord has been so faithful. I am so blessed to have God guiding me on this trip. I am feeling so much better just about the whole fear issue. God has totally helped me overcome some of my fears here. Just being afraid of the enemy and how dark it is here in Bali is something God has gotten me through.

Praise God for my replenishment! ALSO please pray for:

*Protection of the body of Christ here in Bali

*Replenishment for the Bali Surf House, Global Church and the ORU team.

*All the children that have Christ in them, that they can grow to be God fearing men and women of God that the Lord will protect them during persecution. These children are under a lot of persecution due to the strong culture. Please Pray for them! THIS IS THE FUTURE OF BALI!

*I met this girl at the orphanage yesterday that has boils on her back. Please pray that the Lord heals her. Also 3 of the other girls at the home has Dengay fever. Please pray for the health of all these children that the Lord can heal them!

THANK YOU!!!

Orphanage

hey everyone! Yesterday I got to go to the orphanage in Kuta. The home has about 22 kids in there various ages from 2-12. All the kids learn english there and just want to be loved. I met this one boy who was so loving he hugged me 3 times right when I got there, he doesnt speak much english but I found out he was from a village and when they found him he didnt know how to speak. He looks like he is the size of a 6 year old but he is really 10. Super cute! Another girl I met was awesome! She reminded me of one of my young life girls. She is 12 and she loves miley cirus so we had some common ground to talk about. haha. I met these two girls that are living there for a month and they ended up being from Tustin. The three of us took all the kids to the playground. When they told me a playground I was thinking a park but no it was a KFC indoor playground with a merry go round inside. It was random but the kids loved it. After leaving, I realized that I am so blessed to be staying where I am staying at. Even where I live, it is so much different in Bali than it is in California.

Today is Sunday, we are going to church in a little and having quality fellowship time. Hopefully I can update next week! Thank you so much for your prayers I am feeling so much better. I am adjusting alright to the food and the way of living. Please keep praying love you all!

Lauren

BALI I AM HERE!

Hello friends and family! Thank you so much for all of your prayers and support! I am so sorry that I havent been able to update my blog or reply to your individual emails. It has been really hard for me to get internet or phone service out here so my time is quite minimal for the internet.

Abbey and I got to Bali safely. It is actually working out super well because the ORU (Oral Roberts Universtity) Worship team is here as well! The day after we flew in we went to Lembongan Island. The first day we got there, we went to the village and did worship with the children. The children were so excited to just play and sing! It was really awesome because I was taking photos of all the children (can't show it to you now I cant upload photos) and they never seen a digital camera before so they were so excited to see a picture of themselves. My eyes were open at that village. These people live in huts and literally no bathroom or anything. The people's jobs were to clean seaweed all day. It broke my heart I started thinking that it wasn't fair that it was like this. But I realized who am I to say what is fair and what is not. These people are the poorest of the poor. I couldn't even believe it. But it was so amazing to see how happy the children were just to sing and dance. They loved it!

That night we showed a movie on Joseph. The government on Lembongan island wouldn't let us show a Jesus film so we showed a movie on Joseph. That night was so crazy because there were so many people that came to see this movie in the middle of the jungle! But the whole entire time I was praying. I was feeling the darkest presence at that movie. Even when I landed I can feel the spiritual warefare. It is soooo spiritually dark here I was so scared the first 3 nights. I am still scared but the Lord is definetly working through me and teaching me so much and I have only been here for 3 days.

I was reading today in Romans 8:31 "What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?" God is bigger than all. God is for me and even if the enemy is against me, GOD IS BIGGER. Then my train of thought went to 1 John 4:16 "God is love and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgement, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in the world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love." What really spoke out to me was perfect love casts out fear and only GODS LOVE IS PERFECT. God loves me and HIS perfect love casts out all fear. and yes I am scared and afraid because of my selfish physical self. I am scared of getting sick, BUT MOSTLY scared of the reality of the spiritual warefare and the enemy. But God is with me and his love.

I recieved an email from one of my young life girls and she metioned this verse: John 8:12 "I am the light of the world, If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life." Light is considered a pilar of fire, which represents Gods presence, protection and guidance. God is with me protecting me and guiding me. His presence in my life is becoming more real as I am here. It is crazy but also having faith that God is protecting me and guiding me. I was thinking more on the word follow me which led me to Mark 8:34 "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the good news, you will save it." WOW the Lord totally spoke to me.

PLEASE PLEASE PRAY that I can learn to give up my life for Christ that this fear will be expelled for GOD LOVES ME and I am so blessed for this opportunity to serve him and grow. Also please pray for the rest of the ORU team and our safety and protection, spiritual replenishment and encouragement. We are all the body of Christ and it is so encouraging to be in fellowship with them. Also pray that bugs don't keep attacking me! haha.

Thank you so much for your prayers and please keep on praying. I love you all and I will try to update once a week. Its really difficult for me to reply to individual emails it is easier if you commented my blog. Thank you so much!

Love, Lauren

ONE DAY!

Hello everyone! Tomorrow is the day we leave! I can't believe things have gone by so fast! Here are some praises:

*All things are packed and ready to go

*Took all my finals before I left (still keep praying that I pass all of them!)

*Got everything squared away with my Young Life girls.

*I am getting loads better I am not as sick anymore :)

*All funds were provided

Its so wild how tomorrow I am leaving. I honestly don't even feel like I am leaving. I guess it's really hard for me to imagine that Bali even exists because I haven't gone there before. I know it is going to be a huge surprise when I get there.

I got this email this morning saying on WEDNESDAY I WILL BE GOING ON A Mini MIssion Trip to Lembongan:

We're going to be taking a ferry (old bargy thing actually) across one of the deepest channels in the world (so I hear :) to the island of Nusa Lembongan. We'll be getting up around 6am to get to 8am departure out of the Sanur harbor.

The Bali Surf House has the ORU worship team there and they're going to be working with Samia, who does a lot of ministry over there. We'll be working with the team in the villages, playing with the kids, hopefully surfing and then putting on a night of worship and viewing of some sort of Jesus film to the locals on Thursday night. Should be a good time. It is very spiritually dark so please pray for the teams safety and that the Glory of the Lord will be shown there.

It is so crazy how right when I land I am going the next day to Lembongan! Please keep myself and the team at the Bali surf house in your prayers:

*Safety for the flight

*Mission to Lembongan

*Spiritual Encouragement

I am so blessed to have all of you to be praying for me. I love you all and I will be checking my email HOPEFULLY once a week, but please keep updated on the blog! Thanks!

-Lauren

6 DAYS

Hello Friends and family! I am leaving in 6 DAYS! Crazy how time flys by so fast! I am half way packed and almost ready to go! I am feeling like it is all coming to reality for me. I am actually leaving. Things are getting packed, days pass by faster. I am feeling great about going. I feel like spiritually I am almost ready. I feel like I need to spend some solitude time with the Lord before I leave. Please pray that time will be provided without distractions. One thing that I read today that was really encouraging was 1 Corinthians 15: 10 "But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me and not without results. For I have worked harder than any other of the other apostles, yet it was not I but God who was working though me by his grace."

What really stuck out to me in this verse was whatever I am now. I have grown so much this past year with the Lord and sometimes I tend to forget how much God is working in my life. But I was really thinking about this today and God has provided so much for me and is continually doing that. God is working in my life for His glory. Sometimes I can get caught up in being in control of all aspects of my life. BUT these results or accomplishments in my life are not by what I have done or do but it is Gods glory and because GOD has poured his favor on me.

Some things I am going to be in continual prayer throughout this trip are:

Refinement on my call- Is my call in ministry?

Learn to be selfless. What does it really mean to deny oneself, give up your selfish ambition, carry your cross and follow Christ?

Please also pray for:

-Safety

-A building relationship with the Team I will be with

-God will use me where there is a need

-TESTS MY FINALS ARE WEDNESDAY!!!! Praise God I got them all scheduled before my flight. Please pray that I pass my HRM class!!!! I am barely passing... not even passing at the moment BUT LETS PRAY I DO!!!

-Younglife girls- I am just so blessed that God provided me these amazing girls this year. I truly feel like God is giving me them to focus on. Pray that they stay accountable and just nourishment on this trip to move forward to feed them the word.

- encouragement and motivation on the overall trip in general

- protection from the enemy and all his tactics and attacks.

- my health, I got sick yesterday!!!

I love you all thank you so much!

UPDATE!

Hello Everyone! The time is coming soon! I am getting excited and feel like the Lord is providing daily for this mission trip. Thank you for all of you who were praying for my classes. I am able to take all of my finals before I leave. I actually have one final the day I leave at 730 in the morning! But God definetly worked that out! I am doing well in my classes except for one class HRM. Please pray for the focus on my finals and just be spiritually prepared for this trip. ALSO, I do a bible study for my young life girls once a week. They are high school students that I mentor. Please pray that as I am gone, they will be kept accountable and see the Lord working through my life. Their names are:

Corin Burns

Holly Herzog

Coley Page

Loni Carissa

Ivette Stevens

Taylor Drew

Lauren Jackson

Sarah Mikosz

Please pray for each of their hearts! Thank you so much! Once verse that came into mind today was John 17.

For Bali, I have gotten all my shots and things taken cared of. Please pray for a safe and smooth flight that we wont have travel issues. Also please pray for a healthy stay for Abbey and I. Also, pray that all things go through with Etnies and clothes for the childrens home. So blessed that they are willing to contribute. Please pray for the hearts of those we will be serving and the team at the Bali House that the Lord will provide a place for a new location. Thank you so much, love you all!

Prayer REquest!

Hello friends and family!

Just a quick update: I finished all of my shots :) now all i need to get is a bug net and some deet repelent! I am almost ready to go! I have a huge prayer that we all need to be praying for. My finals for school occur the same day I leave for Bali. Please pray that my teachers hearts will be softened, one in specific Mr. Abramis. Please pray that all my schooling will be squared away before I leave. Thank you for all of your support!

Spiritual Replenishment

Hello friends and family!

Thank you so much for your support and prayers they have been such a huge blessing! I just wanted to update you on how the Lord has gotten me through this rut I was in. This past weekend I went on a retreat to a Young Life camp called Oakbridge. It was so spiritually replenishing and just an amazing experience and time with the Lord. I really feel the Lord spoke to me and was just guiding me on a path to my call. It was awesome to just have the encouragement from the Lord. Your prayers mean so much to me and I wanted to thank you again so much for being supportive!

Tomorrow, I will be getting my last shots for the trip (finally) and I am so stoked on the whole thing! It just seems so surreal. Please keep praying for a guided path and that with school my finals will all fall into place, that I can take them before I leave. Thank you all for your love!

Prayers and Praises

Hello friends and family,

I hope you all had an amazing Easter! Thank you again so much for your support! Your prayers have been amazing and Praise God for how much he has provided! As for funding, God has provided my entire Budget for the trip! Thank you all for your support in this financially. Also, all of my shots are almost all done and I will be physically ready to go! God has opened so many doors for this and I am so excited! I wanted to give you an update on what I have been dealing with personally.

The past two weeks I have been feeling spiritually down. I have a hard time grasping the reality of things in general. I know I am going to go to Bali but it hasn't clicked in my brain that I will be going. I know the Lord is with me and is working in my life but I just haven't been feeling His encouragement lately until yesterday. I have been dealing with a lot of temptation but I know the Lord is teaching me obedience now. I have been having these thoughts that have really questioned my faith and I just feel really drained. I know it is silence with the Lord and rest is what I need but when I do give that time I can't focus.

Yesterday, I talked to my grandma about this whole situation. It was so encouraging talking to her about it because it lead me to this verse Psalm 37:4 "Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your hearts desires." As I was reading this I realized that I know what God has done in my life but wasn't thinking about what God is doing in other's lives surrounding me. I was so caught up in what God was doing in my life that I wasn't realizing that God was working through others.

Later that day, I went to visit a friend and she was explaining to me that story when Jesus told his followers to not follow him to see miracles and healings but to follow him to be with him. We don't necessarily need to see things happen, God wants us to just be with Him.

If you can please pray for me for:

*Spiritual replenishment

*Encouragement and motivation

*Spiritual preparation for the trip

*That my teacher Mr. Abramis will let me take my test early.

*God will provide a path for my schooling.

Thank you so much!

Love, Lauren

Praisee Him

Thank you for all of your prayers! True light has contributed to this mission financially! God is definetly working through all of this and it has been a huge confirmation! Also, I started getting my shots! Please pray that all goes smoothly!! Love you all! Thank you!

THANK YOU!

For all of you praying for this mission, Thank you so much! God has provided so much motivation to get the ball rolling for this mission! I went to this bible study the other night and it was so motivating and encouraging to see God work through these people's lives and how on fire they are for the Lord. It was so aweseome because sometimes we loose track of how powerful the Lord is. But it was spiritually replenishing for me to witness this! Yesterday I interviewed with True Light Presbyterian Church for a scholarship. It went really well! Thank you so much for all of you who prayed for this interview! Your prayers have been so encouraging!

PRAYER REQUESTS:
1. God will provide a motivation and a path for all my immunizations and travel insurance
2. That the scholarship money will be given to where it is most needed.
3. God will provide more leaders for Young Life ministry.
4. That this trip to Bali will make my relationship stronger with my young life girls and not diminish it.
5. Teachers- that they will allow me to take my tests early; especially Dr. Abramis
6. Provide prayer time for this mission with Abbey

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT!

BALI PRAYER REQUESTS

My friend Abbey and I are going to be going on a mission trip in Bali in May. For all of you who are reading this , if you can please help support this mission in prayer, it would be amazing! God is going to do great things but we need prayer support!!!

Prayer Requests

*That the Lord will guide us to the people he is calling to.

*That we can depend and focus on Him throughout this whole mission.

*That the Lord will guide us in a path for the visas, passports, shots, ... etc.

*That Abbey and my friendship will be strengthened throughout this mission.

*For the people whom we are going to serve, that they see God's glory in us.

*For the children at the Kuta children's home, that we can share God's love.

* I accidently booked my flight the day of my school finals... most of my teachers said I can take it early except for one. Please pray to soften his heart.

*Pray for a safe trip and have the Lord protect us and all of his people out there.

THANK YOU!!! :)

Bali Surf House & Abbey Larsen & Sarah Overby Interviews

Recently, we got to interview Paula Edgar, Abbey Larsen and Sarah Overby for the video. We interviewed Paula who runs the Bali Surf House and her ministry out there. Paula loves to surf and she is using her passion to glorify the Lord. The mission of the Bali Surf House is to build community and live life with the people out there and show them who Christ is. Bali is a very spiritually dark place and there is a great need to Jesus there. Please keep Paula in your prayers for financial support as well as a location for a new house for her ministry.

The next interview we got to do was Abbey Larsen. God has blessed her with an amazing voice. Abbey worship leads at my church, Branches. Music has always been in her life and the Lord has used her talent to bring people together to worship him.

It was amazing that we got to do an interview with my friend Sarah. She recently just had twins and they sure are a handful! We interviewed Sarah about a story when she served in the Ukraine and how a pair of shoes can make a difference in a person's life.

I was so blessed to have Jim work on these interviews that day! God is definetly doing some amazing things! Please keep praying for us and the motivation!!