One Saturday we got asked to help a local family clear trees for a new house for their parents. It started out with some powerful manual labor. Splitting wood with a splitter and then throwing full on Christmas trees into a wood chipper, but as we were physically shredding Christmas trees??, the spirit of Christmas found us. Stacking logs turned 12 days of Christmas caroling. Tractor riding from one pile of logs to the next turned into a sleigh ride through a winter wonderland with snow falling in the crisp air. The snow falling quickly turned into an attack of Naria snowball fight with Santa and Frosty as our fearless leaders. After white flags were waved, a peace offering of s’mores around a fire sealed our new friendship. Haha cheesy yes, but it truly was a great example of how ministry is life and life is ministry. The work was there and yes it got done, but it was more about the Christmas spirit aka the community and holiday cheer.
In what ways did the spirit of Christmas find you this year?
check out this video of our snowball fight by Connor Gaul :
Also his 30 days videos were all filmed while he joined our squad in Wisconsin if you want to watch any of those click here. He is heading to Costa Rica with his squad in January !
My Trip Updates:
We have a week left in Wisconsin Dells before we leave for Georgia for international launch training. From their on Jan 12th we head to Guatemala!! ???? where we will work with children and partner with YWAM.
We currently work at the food pantry twice a week on average serving around 400 households. If we aren’t serving food we are using a sledge hammer to give the pantry a remodel. ????
Weekends: in addition to tree clearing we work right next to santa and serve coffee, hot coco, hot cider, and sweet treats to keep our community warm in 15 degree weather.
Tuesdays: we are being discipled by the local pastor in which his teaching includes leaning more into ourselves and being different variations of who God called us to be. In which I learned I’m a 3 wing 2 on the enneagram who’s biggest fear is failing and being unworthy of love, but biggest strengths are being dedicated and efficient while caring deeply caring for my community. What is your biggest fear in life? Have you asked God to walk along side you as you navigate those fears?
Christmas eve Christmas cookies in Whoville attire. Don’t be a grinch haha
Dear Izzie, I thoroughly enjoyed reading all of this blog from you this evening! Made my day! I’ve nothing but respect for your honesty AND I pretend to be on your adventures with you, serving and learning alongside you as you are experiencing living life through ministry. I love you so much! Xoxo