A New Year a New Me...

Here are some pictures of the past several weeks...

Right before a huge storm rolled in at Life Action Camp.

All propped up for skits!

Happy Heart City is serious about Shark Week.

Blue Team 2014-2015

Canoeing with some friends at Life Action Camp.

My close friend Karis, or sometimes preferred as Mario, and I get to stay together for our first summit!

It’s the beginning of another travel year and I’m not exactly the same person. Now don’t freak out. I’ll always be Marina, but God continues to do a work in me, making me into a new person.

After five weeks at Life Action Camp training for the travel year we are on the road. On Wednesday it will be our last service with the church here and then we will travel to Augusta, GA arriving on Friday.

This year, if you remember, I am the Happy Heart City (4 year old – 1^st grade) club leader. I have four new HHC Teachers under me and we are having a great time together! God greatly blessed me with a great group of people who love to be spontaneous and have fun.

I will say though that being in this new position has certainly made road life different.

And yes, it was harder than I anticipated. However, God has given me grace to lead and grace to give. It hasn’t been easy teaching four new people everything I’ve learned in the past two years in just five weeks. Although, I tried, I tragically failed. I easily forgot what it was like to be a first year, completely clueless to half of what they might be going through I expected much of them quickly. Excluding the grace that they needed. It wasn't before long that God put me in my place. An apology shortly followed and thankfully they all forgave me. This is just one of the many things God is teaching me. I'm looking forward to seeing where I'll be by the end of the travel year. For now, i'm leading in grace.
I look forward to posting again soon. 

Summer in a Nutshell...

I am excited as I write to you from Life Action yet again. This will be my third year serving in the ministry and I cannot wait for what God wants to do!

(Flower crown by my talented friend Elizabeth. Visit her store here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/GracefulGardensF)

This summer was filled with travel as usual. However, it felt like a lot more than in the past. God sent me to a lot of different places being able to share the love of christ to 500 cheerleaders and explore more of his beautiful creation. Including...

Cancun, Mexico

Hiked my first 14k mountain in Colorado

Went to the four corners of America

Visited Passion City Church while I was in Atlanta, Georgia

Dallas, Texas

Azuza, California

and Azuza, California

Out of all these beautiful places my favorite is home....

Phoenix, Arizona

With my family. 

It's always sad having to say goodbye but I'm grateful for God's goodness.

I have been at Life Action Camp for about 10 days now. The first week I worked family camp and had the most adorable camp sister!

On Sunday Staff training officially started and I am very much looking forward to getting to know my new team this month. We will be together for a whole year and it's just begun!

Please pray for me as I enter this year! I would also like to share that I am still in need of $1,500 for my training fee.

If you are able to help support me I cannot express my gratitude. 

Click on the link below to donate :)

https://www.lifeaction.org/donate/support-a-staff-member/

A Year of Grace

While in Green Bay, Wisconsin...

I had the kindest and most welcoming host family!

I got to see my good friend Austin after he graduated from Boot Camp and is now an official Marine! I'm so proud of him and his hard work to serve our country! 

I officially have signed my contract to travel for another year in Life Action Ministries!

And I had two of my best friends for roommates!

Wisconsin has been quite an interesting state to add to the list of places I've been. 

Everywhere from cheese, to the Green Bay Packers, life's been just a touch different here "Ya know"

Speaking of different... Today the team and I will be leaving Green Bay and headed to Webster, Wisconsin for our very last summit of the year. However, for me I will be leaving a few days early to head out to Atlanta. FCC Christian Cheerleading Camps will be starting very soon and I am needed in Atlanta for the beginning of it. I'll be making a very quick stop in Phoenix to switch out my suitcases and pack for the summer. 

When I was in Iowa last month my uncle asked me when was the last time I had been home for a long period of time (6-8 weeks). The answer would be May of 2012. Two years, and I'm heading in for a third. Please keep me in your prayers as I have become nervous about being away for so very long. 

Sure, you get tired, but you can sleep on the way from place to place. Yeah, you're laundry needs to get done but God always provides a place for me to do it.  Of course, I just want to sit down for a little while and not have to think or do anything... But that's why God's given me grace. 

God's shown me that going into my third year of FCC and Life Action will consist of a year of grace. Grace for me, and grace for me to give to others. 

(Our last team picture altogether for the travel year)

Please keep me in your prayers, and thank you so much for having been such a big part of my travel year by following my blog! I will do my best to update during the summer but more than likely it will not be as frequent seeing how my schedule is fairly unpredictable. 

As always if you would like to send support you can go to lifeaction.org click on, "Ways To Give" "Support a Team Member" and click on my name.

Where & What's Next?

I hope you all had a great Easter! We had a blast in Happy Heart City and many many new kids that Sunday morning (Around 50 altogether)

Last month we were in Bartlett, Tennessee, where I sat through all of our services. One of the things I won’t forget was God brought me to the realization that I will always have pride in my life. In Life Action we define pride as: doing what I want to do, when I want to do it, putting myself above God or others.

As soon as I feel humbled, I’m so proud of how humble I am. There are just so many little parts of my life that I can’t fully be humbled. At least, I don’t think I’ve ever experienced that.

Have you?

Right now I’m in Newton, Iowa. I was actually born in Des Moines, which is about 45 minutes from Newton. I’ve been able to have a few visits with my Aunt and Uncle. Last time I saw them I was on my way to Life Action Camp for the first time, two years ago. Being able to see family members of mine refreshed my soul and I’m still so utterly happy I was able to see them!

My Aunt and one of my cousins! 

(This is a picture of my mom's graduating class. My cousins family still attends the same school and I was able to look in the gymnasium and hallways one last time before the school shuts down at the end of this school year. Many memories for my family at Grandview Park Baptist School.) 

Tomorrow we’ll be driving to Green Bay, Wisconsin for an 8-day summit. Then one more 8-day summit in Wisconsin and the travel year is over! I can’t believe two years is almost over for me.

The team took a trip to Pella, Iowa yesterday. It's known as, "A Touch of Holland"

Some other exciting news to tell you is that my boss, from my summer cheer job called me and has asked me to be on his leadership team! This is an amazing and rare opportunity that I feel so blessed to be a part of. I greatly look forward to this summer and all that is in store.

Please keep me in your prayers!

If you would like to donate to help me in preparation for another travel year you can go here and click on my name. Head quarters has informed us there is a possibility of going on a missions trip out of the country during our next travel year and is telling us to set aside an extra $1,000 for this trip.

Any donation is so, so greatly appreciated!

Thank you so much for all your prayers and kind thoughts! I look forward to being back in Phoenix soon.

An Important Announcement...

Hello faithful readers

I have some very exciting news to share with you all!

After much prayer and council God has directed me to stay for another year in Life Action Ministries. This decision was not easy or based off of just my personal desire to stay. In the past some have said that I am “running away” from growing up, getting a job, or going to school. Please understand it’s much more than that.

  

If you did not know, when I was a Junior in High School I was fervently praying the Lord would clearly guide me in the direction I should go after graduation. I had all the same desires as my classmates. Go to college, have a roommate, the time of my life and so on. However, God had a different plan in mind for me. One night, after I had read my bible, I was praying once again about my future decisions. I asked God, “Do you want me to go to Life Action or college?”

And to my surprise I audibly heard God say, “You know you’re going to Life Action, Right?” I smiled and said, “Yes”.

(This picture was taken just a week after God and I had that conversation)

He wanted me to travel, teach kids, live with people I didn’t know, and basically have zero independence all over again. Not exactly what I had in mind. I always knew Life Action was an option. My mom started traveling as soon as she graduated high school and stayed for four years!

  

Now I’m here, with some incredible people that have grown to be life long friends of mine. As I'm preparing for year three, I’m not going to be just a teacher in Happy Heart City. I have accepted the position as leader for my kids club (ages 4 through first grade)! After being in charge a couple of churches ago I know that it’s not an easy job or something to be taken lightly. So I am mentally preparing for August and what it will be like. I can’t wait for another great year of teaching the little ones.

 I have a great peace about staying and I’m so grateful for everyone’s love, prayers, and encouragement. Yet, when you are a full time missionary you have to raise support. I haven’t been told what the cost is for next year. However, last year we had to raise $3,500 for just the yearly fee. After I’ve raised that much, any additional money given will be given once a month as a stipend to help me pay for what I need. Such as toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, razors, etc. This is my main source of income to pay for these things and therefore it is quit important I raise enough to pay for what I will need.

If you feel called to give then you can go HERE and put in my name (Conrad, Marina). Every donation helps no matter how small!

Thank you all again, I look forward to another year of serving in children’s ministry!