Journey to Dominican

Seis Meses!

Y’ALL, it has been six months since I moved to the Dominican and started working with GO, and I am so in awe of how the Lord is moving all over this island and through this ministry.

These past few months have been challenging, but the Lord continues to turn my gaze towards Him. I have learned that in the seasons where we feel “dry” or in a “funk”, we must press harder and fiercely pursue God. He is our faithful pursuer, but He is a gentleman and desires that we invite Him into our everyday. In these moments, He takes us deeper and reveals Himself to us in mighty ways. I have learned that I have to set a part intentional time to rest and do the things that fill my spirit. I look foward to having this “sacred time with Jesus to hear from Him and be filled when I feel as though my cup is running low. I pray that you are able to have this sacred time and be refreshed while lingering in His presence no matter what season of life you are in.

Here is a picture of God’s hand through creation…don’t we serve an amazingly, creative, and diverse God? Also, this island is stinking beautiful.

Our Leadership Development Complex (LDC) is really coming along quickly. Seven years ago, our staff got together and prayed that the Lord would provide land as we continue to expand and outgrow our facilities. The Lord has continued to faithfully provide, and we are officially running soccer, baseball, and basketball practices along with holding english classes for our players and coaches. Our academy is sending many players to the states to study this fall while it continues to equip more players not just for their desired sport, but for the Kingdom. The LDC is currently used for our sports academy, but as it continues to progress, we will offer vocational training, move our seminary out there, have more dorm space, and our Kingdom Business.

While living here, I have heard many of the coaches’ and players’ testimonies. It has been amazing to hear these stories, hearing not just about the opportunity that GO Academy has offered these individuals, but the work that God is doing through GO to instil Scripture and equip them to be servant leaders. The Lord is doing mighty things through this ministry!

We have begun our busy summer season. Our staff is excited and so grateful for the interns, summer staff, and teams that are coming to dive right into and join the work that the Lord is doing. We have had fourteen teams so far. It is incredible to see how the Lord brings His children from all over the globe to accopmlish His will and continue to redeem His people back to Him, and the mutual transformation that is taking place each week.

Thank you for joining me and the GO team in this journey as we aim to Redeem, Renew and Restore God’s creation back to Him!

Mis Primeros Dos Meses Aqui

About two months ago I packed up three suitcases and a backpack then headed to the island of Hispaniola to join the work that the Lord is doing through GO Ministries. These past two months have been stretching and yet so fruitful. I am learning so much about our God, life as a missionary (and just adulting in general), the people and culture that I have come to love so deeply, incarnational ministry, and living intentionally. The more I learn, the more I realize I have so much more to learn. I am soaking it all up, excited to grow more. Part of our training included visiting different communities and meeting our local leaders and pastors. I love getting to hear each leader’s heart for their community and their strong passion for making reproducing disciples. I have so enjoyed getting to work alongside our pastors and watching as they intentionally “move into the neighborhood” and build relationships with individuals within communities as an avenue for discipleship. The excitement and passion that these leaders have for planting churches and the Gospel is contagious, and I am so excited to see as the Lord answers our bold prayers of planting 1,000 reproducing churches in the next 10 years! These past few weeks have been incredible working alongside various teams from all over the states. These teams have blown me away through their desire to serve, encourage our local leaders, and witnessing the mutual transformation that takes place. This past week I worked with five different teams. Although I am exhausted, I am so stinking excited and refreshed because of what God is doing here. We recently had a medical team on the island doing a clinic in Hoyo del Bartola. I got to tag along with them for a day and see how medical clinics operate. This was such an incredible experience, and our medical team is fantastic. We went into the church, set up different stations for people’s needs to be met, and then we prayed over each individual before they left. I had the honor of translating some at the prayer station, and it was so powerful to lay hands on people and just speak healing over their physical needs but also spiritual health over them in Jesus’ name. Although we prayed in a different language, the Spirit was moving-to the point where I got so overwhelmed and the “Holy Spirit” chills and tears a couple times. Y’all- our God is real, alive, and super active.

For a couple years I wrestled with just longing to be here, being here in the Dominican Republic to do the Lord’s work. But the fact is that God is alive and moving all over the globe. I love when teams come down and share about their ministry experiences in the states. I love that we serve such an intentional God that pursues and connects each and every one of us. May we never lose our wonder of our wonderful and creative Father! If you want more info on GO Ministries or what God is doing here, please feel free to message/email me or check out gomin.org. If you desire to partner with me in ministry, my link is: gomin.org/aerb. Muchas gracias!

In the Single Digits

I just finished the book of Philippians, and I like how Paul addresses the churches in his letters. He first greets them, and then he shares with them his gratitude for their partnership and his prayer for them. In Philippians, Paul is imprisoned, and yet his focus is not on his current condition, but on reaching the Philippians. What a challenge to us! Learning from Paul’s example, before I share of what the Lord has and is doing, I want to thank those of you who have partnered with me! Whether through prayer, financial, encouragement, reading my blog, or just listening to my story, you have each ministered to me by jumping right into this journey with me. I am in awe of how the Lord has crafted each of us together for His glory, and I am so thankful to team up with you for the Kingdom!

I want to share with you all that the Lord has answered bold prayers, and He has made me fully funded! When I began this journey, I asked that He would provide in full by December. He has done this, and I am now fully funded! I had an elder tell me, “When you came to present to us, I wondered, ‘how is she going to do this?’” I responded with a bit of laughter in saying, “I had no idea either, but I knew the Lord wanted to and was able to make it happen.” I am just so overwhelmed with how God has planted this seed, watered it, opened doors, connected His children, and answered bold prayers. One thing that I have learned is that God wants us to expect big things from Him. He is the God of Miracles, able to do the “unexpected” or “unrealistic.” He longs to give us the desires of our hearts, He wants us to ask in faith of Him, and He honors radical faith that the world may criticize. All I can say is, our God is mighty, active, our source of provision, and so, so faithful.

I have 8 days left until I fly out (I am officially in the single digits-woot woot!). I have been packing and unpacking, purging, and preparing for about two months now. All I can think about is the feeling I always get when I land in Santiago, the feeling of, “I am home.” I am so excited to start ministry and language training, connect deeper with other missionaries and local leaders, and continue to grow and learn.

I know I say it over and over, but words cannot express how grateful I am for each one of you who have joined me on this journey. I have committed my Wednesday Jesus time to lifting all of you–my partners– up in prayer.I ask that you please join me in prayer for my transition, beginning ministry and language training in a new culture, and that I will live by Paul’s example and remain rooted while seeking out others no matter what season I am in. Muchas gracias to all of you!